Melody took a deep breath, at least her father was alive. Trapped in her locket, but still... There was her mother and brother though, no one still knew where they were. "What's wrong, Melody?" Attina asked as Melody looked back at the palace.
"I... I wonder if it might just be possible for me to leave... to go to the Caribbean to get Daddy...", Melody admitted.
Attina shook her head, "No, absolutely not! Look, they want you to be safe, and the Atlantic is far, far bigger than the whole Mediterranean, and there are more dangers there than here. And as Eric is alive, what could he say if he was right here?".
"There's a time where the kingdom is important than one life, and the kingdom holds you to that promise.", Melody exhaled deeply, and Attina squeezed her shoulder, "For Eric to bring you news of his status, that means he has friends to help him search for Ariel if she is lost in the New World or somewhere else. He wouldn't want you to risk your life, okay?".
Melody sighed, "I guess you're right...And Daddy knows the stars and everything from sailing...", and Flounder replied, "We just have to be patient. But the best thing we could do is keep up morals and all...That's what your father and mother would want you to do.".
"Okay...Let's go tell Grimsby, Attina.", Melody replied, and Attina smiled warmly, "They will be so proud of you, Melody.", with Flounder nodding in agreement. And so, the girls left the ocean steps to inform Grimsby of the news.
And another month has passed, with Ariel happy to see Tazio swimming at last, "You are doing great, darling! Come here to your mama!", and Tazio smiled widely as he swam determinedly to her, babbling and giggling before speaking, "Ma!".
Ariel gasped, "Oh, you said your first word!", with a sob, "Say it again, Taz!", her affectionate nickname of his name, and Tazio smiled happily, "Mama!", reaching her at last.
The mother cried happily as she hugged Tazio, feeling the twins in her belly flapping their fins in excitement and joy for their older brother, and she smiled warmly, kissing Tazio all over his face, "You did it, darling! You swam for the first time and said your first word. If only your daddy is here...".
Tazio babbled before starting to speak, "Da, Dada!", and Ariel sobbed happily, "Yeah, that's it...Oh, Eric...He would go over the moon with you, and your baby siblings..", stroking her belly tenderly.
Tazio kissed her on the cheek before yawning, rubbing his eyes, and Ariel chuckled softly, "Tired already?", and she smiled, "It's getting late, but first, let's celebrate...Do you want to have milk?".
"Mama milk?", Tazio looked at her in surprise, and Ariel chuckled, "I know I've been weaning you off, but I think we can excuse it just once, don't you think?", and Tazio squealed happily as Ariel giggled warmly, swimming on and finding another nursery clearing, and settling down back against a curved rock wall, with one side protecting them.
She removed her bra, and Tazio leaned in to feed as his mother sung their family lullaby, falling asleep, finding herself and Tazio in the grotto in her dreams, with Tazio still feeding from her, with Ariel sitting on her beloved seat boulder, singing when a too much missed, familiar voice whispered, "A-Ariel?", behind her.
Ariel froze up as she looked around. It couldn't be... could it? Ariel hesitated for a moment before she finally spoke out. "Eric...?", Ariel whispered under her breath as she heard her name called out once more. "Eric, is that you?".
"Ariel!", Eric cried out, and Ariel turned around, gasping in joy, seeing Eric, almost solid, yet transparent, and Tazio opened his eyes, blinking before he saw Eric, "Dada? Dada!", swimming out of Ariel's arms, letting go of Ariel's nipple, smiling widely as he swam to Eric before he yelped out in surprise when his face met a transparent wall that suddenly appeared, becoming confused and frightened, "Mama, Dada stuck!", crying as Ariel came, swimming quickly as best as she could, looking over Tazio in concern.
"It's okay, Tazio...", Ariel assured him as she grabbed him back and looked at Eric. "Eric... you're... please tell me you're okay...", Ariel was on the verge of crying.
Eric looked at her with longing as he touched the wall with one hand, "I'm okay. Cetus trapped me in Melody's locket...You...you're pregnant...", awe and shock in his voice, seeing the four-month-old baby bump, with his other hand moving to the lower part of the wall, wanting to touch her so badly...to hold her, to hug her, to kiss her...
Ariel smiled tearfully, "Yes, I am...Eric, you're going to be a father again to twins...", and Eric gave out a joyful sob, "Oh, Ariel! I wish I could touch and hold and kiss you! You're so beautiful!".
Ariel reached out a hand to position itself against Eric's top hand, sobbing, "Me too...Oh, Eric, I missed you so much!", and Eric smiled tearfully, "I missed you too...Gods, Tazio...You're growing so big!", and Tazio sniffled, rubbing his eyes, "Dada!".
Eric's smile widened so big, "And to say your first word!", and Ariel giggled, "Actually, he said Mama first.", and Eric pouted, "Aw, nuts!", with Tazio giggling, feeling a bit better.
Ariel looked at him, "I was so worried about you! I...I wish I knew that Melody is okay...", and Eric sighed, "I know, me too. But do you realize what this means? That means we're close!".
Gasping in surprise, "You're right! You can't be far off!", Ariel widened her eyes, and Eric pleaded, "Not yet! I...gods, I want to see you as long as I can without waking up in the morning, even if I can't touch or hold you...How far along are you?".
Ariel smiled wryly, "Four months. Do you remember that time in your office when I said that I had a funny feeling? I actually forgot the anti-pregnancy herb the whole two weeks of planning Melody's ball!".
Eric gasped, "So, that means...I was actually...", and Ariel nodded, rubbing her belly, "Yes, I think so too.", with a smile before swaying closer to the transparent wall, touching with her side, whispering softly, "Try to listen.".
Confused, Eric followed her instructions, and leaned down on his tail, pressing his ear against the wall, feeling the mild warmth of skin on the other side, and listened hard before gasping when he heard tails swooshing, and looked up at Ariel, "Is that...?".
Ariel smiled softly, "They're merbabies...Has been all this way since I changed to mermaid after I saved you from that woman, I think. I never, ever took a risk to change back since I had been traveling with Tazio underwater every day, most of the time.".
"So... you'll have to deliver them under the sea...", Eric said as Ariel nodded. "It's no problem, I've given birth before after all, I'll be fine delivering these two and you'll be there with me.", Ariel assured him. "I just need to know exactly where you are and then we can go home...".
"I think I can be able to get us home, I know where we are in the world, but it's still a great journey.", Eric said. "I'm with some other merfolk, colonists from the English Channel. Houde, his wife Dinah, their daughter Fern who found the locket and found me.".
Ariel nodded before frowning, "The locket...There has to be a way to get you out!", and Eric replied, "I'm afraid that it might be the Trident only, but I know you too well...".
"Yes, true love. I love you so much, Eric, with all my heart.", Ariel smiled tearfully, and Eric smiled, floating up, to touch the wall, leaning his forehead on it, "I love you too, Ariel, so much that all the seas couldn't even fill up my love for you.".
Ariel leaned forward, puckering her lips, watching where she's heading, with her eyes fluttering, and Eric did the same, and yet when they tried to kiss, the wall stopped them, even at the thinnest part of the wall, and Ariel sobbed as Eric looked distraught for a moment before blinking in thought, "Wait, maybe you'd have to hold the locket, maybe that's the ticket for me to get out!".
"You think that would work?", Ariel asked as Eric shook his head, shrugging, "Anything's better than this fate... I'm just glad I was found so soon, and that you're near or I would've... I would've lost it...".
Ariel murmured in sympathy, "Oh, Eric...", wanting to hold him so bad, yet only could touch his hand through the wall, and Tazio whined, "Dada.".
Eric smiled at him, "Don't worry, Tazio. Your mom's close, and we will all be together again, okay?", and Tazio looked at him before looking at Ariel, "Mama?".
"He's right. We just need to get together...How can I find you?", Ariel asked, and Eric smiled, describing the family, their house, and some landmarks. And so, they talked so long, with Tazio falling asleep in Ariel's arms, and before they knew it, the grotto vanished, with Ariel waking up, gasping as she startled, causing Tazio to grunt in surprise before giving her a little pout.
"Sorry, darling, but we gotta find him!", Ariel excitedly replied, putting her bra back on, with Tazio out of her arms, finding his bearings to swim at Ariel's side closely, and headed out of the nursery clearing, heading north steadily, not wanting to miss anything Eric talked about.
Tazio gave a few cries, but Ariel quickly calmed him down, she was going to make sure to reach him as soon she could. There was little stopping, even for food as Ariel couldn't help it.
It couldn't be more than a few miles away from where she was...She prayed, looking carefully for the landmarks when she heard a happy call, and she looked over to see a small family, with a girl pointing at her and Tazio from a distance, and she gasped, hearing the faint lullaby of the locket.
The family and she, holding Tazio, swam at the same time, coming closer and closer, and Ariel sobbed as she heard the voice of Eric from the locket as it's open, "Ariel!", and Tazio, smiling, swam out of her arms, realizing that this is a major reunion of his parents.
The merman, recognized as the said Houde, smiled at her, giving her the locket, and she held it up, seeing Eric at the edge of the orb, reaching, his hands out, and Ariel whispered, "Eric!", leaning in to kiss him, with Eric leaning up to kiss her, with all their love.
Ariel was absorbed into the kiss as Eric grew out of the orb, coming back to normal as Eric kissed her so passionately, holding her in his arms, his one hand in her hair, with one hand on her waist, with her arms wrapping around his neck and back, as the locket fell away, closing down, with Eric finally freed at last.
"Ariel...", Eric whispered as the two of them broke their kiss when Ariel chuckled. "Guess we didn't need Daddy after all...", she smiled as Eric nodded, "Another few months, even with you holding on to it, I don't think I would've lasted...".
Ariel smiled, "I probably wouldn't either.", before gasping out in surprise when the fins from her future twins slapped inside against her belly, and she chuckled, "Or them either...", as Eric stroked her belly, kissing it, "Aww, I'm here, little ones. And don't slap your mother like that...I know you want attention from your daddy.", with a warm laugh.
"Dada!", Tazio's voice called out as he collided into Eric's neck and chest, hugging him, and Eric laughed heartily with a sob as he held Tazio, kissing his hair, "I missed you too, tyke...Oh, look at you...".
Ariel's heart swelled so much in joy as she saw the reunion of son and father, and she knew that something is missing, and that is Melody, but that will have to wait as Ariel's belly growled furiously. "You're hungry, huh, Ariel?", Eric chuckled.
"Can you blame me for wanting to be with you so soon after waking up?", Ariel sheepishly replied, and Eric smiled, "Been ages since I ate, even if I didn't have to in that locket.", glaring at the locket before sighing, "I guess we should take it along for Melody...".
Ariel smiled softly, "Maybe we don't have to.", with a gesture of her head to the small family near them, and Eric blinked before smiling, "I like it...Melody would understand. A gift of thanks in a way, I suppose.".
"Indeed.", Ariel nodded, and Eric picked the locket up, smiling, giving it to Fern, "You can have it, it's yours...Our daughter will understand. And you, all of your family is welcome to come visit. But first, can we have some breakfast? Ariel is quite hungry, we all are...".
Houde spoke in a foreign accent to his daughter, and Fern squealed happily, hugging Eric, as Houde spoke to Dinah, and she nodded with a warm smile, and Houde then spoke in rough Italian, "Yes, breakfast for new friends.", with a welcoming smile.
"He doesn't speak much, right?", Ariel chuckled as Eric nodded, "Yeah, hard to believe they're more fitting with the French... then again, the Normans did conquer and rule England for centuries. And now after that grizzly civil war, they have a German on the throne!".
Ariel smiled, "True...Yet Italy is our beloved home, and we will be home safely.", rubbing her belly fondly as Eric held Tazio, hogging all the affection from his daddy, and Eric nodded, "Very much so.".
And so, the reunited family went to have breakfast with the small family, with Dinah soon heading out, with Houde saying that she's getting some human food secretly, and yep, she returned back with plenty of corn and rice and sugar cane, packing them in bags within a bag for Eric to carry on his back as Ariel has her own baggage in her unborn twins.
It was a bittersweet sendoff, with Ariel thanking them so much for keeping Eric safe, and with Houde giving Eric a rough sketch of a map he nabbed a few weeks ago, the family journeyed off.
Traveling by day with lots of stops to eat and scavenge, check the map, the sun, and hide when there are ships or civilization, and resting by night, spending time together, with Eric making up lots with Tazio and Ariel, it was a very long journey of almost five months onwards, with Ariel's belly growing very big and healthy.
They finally made it into the Mediterranean, and with Eric recognizing landmarks from his travels by sailing, Italy, and of course, their home was only a half day away when Ariel went into labor...
"Ariel?!", Eric asked worriedly, and Ariel groaned lightly, smiling roughly, "They're coming, Eric. I need a safe place to give birth, and I think where one is.", with Eric assisting her instantly.
"Okay, lead the way.", Eric nodded, trusting Ariel as Tazio followed, concerned for his mama, and Ariel led the way, searching for familiar landmarks before recognizing one, and swam up, breaking the surface.
Ariel exhaled in relief, "It's still here...", and Eric blinked at the beautiful islet cove, "You know this place?", and Ariel smiled bitterly, "This was where we vacationed with Mother so much before what happened...This place needs happy memories again.", before crying out in pain from the first contraction.
Eric nodded, "Okay, let's get you in there!", helping Ariel, lifting Tazio over into the islet shallows of the cove, and as he and Ariel shuffled over the rocks into the water of the islet, they unknowingly triggered an alarm, an alarm sensor of magic that Triton set up with the Trident.
Triton was well aware of the situation with his lost ones. Word was quickly sent on ahead amongst the sea life to Triton's throne that Ariel had been found and reunited with Eric and that they were on the way back. Ariel and Eric made sure that news would travel fast and reach home as soon as possible. Melody was very much glad to receive that news, but her guilt wouldn't die down until she had her family back home safe.
Meanwhile, as expected, the alarm had triggered and Triton knew something was up; no one should be around there and he was moving fast towards it, hopefully to catch who the intruders were. If they were desecraters... his fury would be righteous.
Triton heard muffled cries of pain in the distance as he got closer to the islet cove, and broke the surface, looking around before blinking in surprise to see a little merboy toddler holding a stitched seahorse of scavenged human fabrics, sitting on the edge of the islet, looking anxiously worried about something, and he looked to him before smiling widely, "Grapa!".
Triton exhaled, "Tazio?!", and Tazio nodded before hearing a muffled cry of pain, "Mama hurting! Dada with her!", looking in the water of the islet with worry. Triton knew that Ariel is pregnant, and widened his eyes, biting his lip as he looked between Tazio and the water, but he knew that Eric could take care of her, and Triton scrambled over the rocks to swim to Tazio, lugging himself up.
Tazio hugged him as Eric broke the surface, protective fury on his face for a moment before widening his eyes, "Triton! Thank goodness! Can you watch him? Ariel's getting close for the first one.".