Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the gender bender for Ariel and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
Savior Of The Seven Kingdoms 2 Chapter 2
As he's done for years since the day his beloved wife Atlanna was forced to leave them behind, Thomas Curry stands at the edge of the dock in front of the lighthouse awaiting her heartfelt promise to return.
When it's clear she's not going to be showing up today he turns in dejection from the water as he slowly makes his way back to the path on the rocks.
Thomas doesn't even reach the middle when he hears something big and alive emerge with a splash from the water and a residual thump onto the wood.
Slowly Thomas turns around and is met with his daughter beaming and smiling at him.
Softly. Ariel said "I always know where to find you."
Returning her smile with a welcoming one of his own, Thomas admits "Old habits."
Father and daughter embrace.
Patting Ariel on the shoulder after he wraps an arm around her, Thomas said "Come on. You can buy me breakfast."
"Buy you breakfast? What about me," said Ariel, indignantly playful.
"Hey, you're the one with the employee discount," said Thomas, pointing out that important factor.
Can't argue with that logic.
At the pub, Terry's Sunken Galleon, where she works Ariel makes sure her father gets a nice hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. While he's scarfing that down hungrily and a pint of his favorite beer Ariel decides to give the other customers in the restaurant, sailors, truck drivers, fishermen, and a handful of bikers that are enjoying their morning a special treat because she's in such a good mood.
Serenading them with a little song.
Ariel remembers the promise she made to Vulko about her singing voice on the surface world, but sometimes she just can't resist singing a song or two at the pub.
This is one of those times.
.
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
And it's, hey,
To the starboard
Heave ho
Look out, lad, a mermaid be waiting for you
In mysterious fathoms below
Fathoms below
Below
From whence wayward westerlies blow
Where Triton is king and his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below
In mysterious fathoms below
Heave ho
Heave ho
Heave ho
Heave ho
Heave ho
In mysterious fathoms below
.
All the pub's inhabitants had been watching her saunter around and listening to her sing with dreamy, dazed, and trancelike expressions on their faces.
Nonetheless, after she was done with the final note, the entire crowd applauds her performance as Ariel gives a bow.
Thomas had been clapping along with everyone else and when one of the sailors raises his glass in a toast for her, he tips the glass back to consume it all in one gulp.
"I still don't know how you can do that," said Ariel, watching him chug the entire thing back in less than a minute.
"Unlike a lot of lightweights, I never need a sippy cup for something like this," coughed Thomas, grinning toothily.
"How is it that I can breathe underwater, but, somehow you can still drink anyone under the table," asked Ariel, cleaning a glass behind the bar counter.
"That's my superpower," said Thomas, mirthfully.
Ariel laughs at how he attempted to make his voice sound more tough and husky.
The pair of them are then distracted by the current report that's on the news channel.
"A Russian submarine was hijacked late last night by high-tech pirates. The same pirates are suspected in connection with the disappearance of the Navy's highly classified prototype stealth submarine. The Captain of these pirates, Jesse Hyde, was caught and taken to a Russian prison where he will be held and serving life imprisonment behind bars for his appalling and treacherous crimes amongst this one. And a further development, we now have unconfirmed reports that the metahuman dubbed by social media as 'The Aquawoman' was responsible for this daring rescue."
Thomas snaps his head in her direction, expression carrying a combination of pride, astonishment, and delight.
Pursing her lips, already shaking her head to deny what he was thinking, Ariel scoffed "That's not me."
"Bullshit! You're doing it, aren't you? Huh? What Vulko trained you to do. I knew you couldn't stand on the sidelines forever. Your mother always knew you were special," said Thomas, passionately.
"Don't even start," muttered Ariel, tiredly.
Insistently persistent on the subject, Thomas said "She believed you'd be the one to unite our two worlds to coexist."
Rolling her eyes, Ariel groaned "Just stop."
"Whatever Atlantis's problems are, you're bigger than them," stated Thomas.
"Atlantis murdered my mother," said Ariel, bluntly.
"You don't know that for sure," said Thomas in denial, still holding onto hope.
"Yes I do. They killed her. For loving you and having me. And you know it," said Ariel, quietly, blatantly frank in trying to get her father to be finally realistic.
"Ariel, one day you're doing to have to stop blaming yourself," said Thomas, clasping her fingers comfortingly in his outstretched hand, stroking them in his own to ease the pain in both of their hearts.
For Ariel has been blaming herself heavily since the day Vulko told her the truth on the beach all those years ago.
Chairs scraping on the floor sound as the bikers from before get up to leave their table and approach the bar staring intently at Ariel.
"Can I help you," she said, assuming they want to order something.
"You that fish girl from the TV," asked Cue Ball.
Thomas and Ariel exchange a glance.
Looks like her singing gave her away if the name wasn't enough already.
"Oh great," whispered Thomas, expecting this to turn into a fight.
Ariel looks to him for direction on what to do, but Thomas merely winks to let her handle this on her own.
Inhaling a deep breath in preparation, Ariel said "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. And if I were it would be 'fish woman'. What's it to you? What do you want?"
"I'll tell you what I want," said Cue Ball, reaching into his vest pocket and pulling out his phone. "Can we get a picture with you?"
"You're like our local here, lady."
Say what?
No, really. These guys were serious. Turns out they're big fans and all they wanted was a couple of pictures with her. One of them even surprised her by asking her out on a date, but she politely turns him down. Deeply flattered, but not interested.
Awkward.
But not for long.
Soon a ton of fun is had that even Thomas joins in on. A good time is had by all.
Ariel hasn't felt this relaxed or able to let loose for a long while…
And it'll be the last one Ariel thoroughly enjoys in the duration to come.
Tonight things are going to drastically change.
Authors Note:
If you want to know how Ariel sings go to the show Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode Poor Unfortunate Soul and listen to young Ursula sing. That voice is our girls. ;)
Happy New Year!
Just a heads up to those of you who aren't aware of this yet, Email alerts for this website are now only active if Email opts is enabled in account settings.
Apologies for the long wait everybody!
I cannot begin to describe how apologetic I am for taking so heinously long to get back on track. It's difficult when you have so many ideas flying around to start on one and then another just pops out in your head. From this day forward that's all gonna change.
I hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D
For those of you just starting out with my stuff there are other works on my profile that may catch your interest. I highly recommend you take a look as soon as the opportunity presents itself to you. Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
By the way whose been watching House of the Dragon? I am so in love with Prince Daemon. He is a dream. Matt Smith was the perfect person to play that character.
Stay safe everyone. Especially with all of these crazy natural disasters occurring a lot lately due to global warming and climate change everywhere for sure.
