Chapter 8

ARIEL awoke to the distant chimes of bells, their sound carrying from the village outside the castle. The room enveloped her in darkness, and the young redhead lay nestled under the blankets. Her senses stirred to life, and she immediately became alert when she heard a knock at her door, accompanied by the shy and quiet voice of the maid she had spoken to yesterday.

"Lady Ariel, are you awake? Eric asked me to come and fetch you and make sure that you were dressed and ready."

Helena's voice reached her ears, causing Ariel's heart to race with anticipation and excitement. She remembered that she and the Prince had planned to have breakfast with his friends today. A flicker of hope swelled within her heart.

She could only hope that it was still on.

Ariel stretched languidly, emerging from the bed and making her way toward the door. She wrapped a garment she had learned was called a dressing gown tightly around herself before opening the door slightly, revealing half of her face.

The lovely brunette from the previous day stood before her, a smile adorning her face and instantly warming Ariel's heart. However, the dark circles under the woman's eyes indicated that she had not slept well and appeared unwell.

Though, in spite of how sickly she looked, the maid was still a vision of loveliness in a simple blue dress, her long dark hair pulled back into a plaited ponytail. Ariel's smile widened, and she felt a touch of embarrassment as she opened the door wider, inviting the maid inside with an eager gesture. The young redhead ushered Helena into the room, silently conveying her gratitude through a shy glance. She peered into the dimly lit corridor to ensure no one else was present.

Helena positioned herself in the center of the room, her dark eyes quickly scanning the space she had tidied up, nodding in approval. Without waiting for an invitation, she made her way towards a small closet and wardrobe, starting to rummage through its contents. This piqued Ariel's curiosity, and she gave Darius's wife a quizzical look with raised brows.

Sensing Ariel's bewilderment, Helena let out a weary chuckle and flashed a wry smirk, her fingers deftly tucking a stray wisp of dark brown hair back behind her ear.

"You can't possibly spend the entire day in Prince Eric's presence looking like you emerged straight out of the sea as if the waves themselves spat you out," she remarked. "An old, tattered sail and a rope won't do the trick..."

Her chuckle faded as she locked eyes with the concerned redhead, her voice trailing off.

Ariel slowly nodded her head in understanding. Helena, satisfied for the moment that Ariel would not cause a fuss, turned back around towards the wardrobe in a twist of her skirts and began to pull various items out of it. Helena allowed a soft smile to cross her features as she turned, holding a lovely yellow dress and a simple pair of boots in her hands.

"Yellow, I think, would go lovely with that red hair of yours. Certainly not pink," she added with a shudder and pulled a face of disgust as she nudged aside a pink dress with the heel of her boot as she kicked the doors of the wardrobe closed.

She huffed and tucked another wisp of her hair back behind her ear, a habit of hers Ariel affectionately took notice of as the maid began to approach Ariel with the dress and was looking at her expectantly, waiting for Ariel to take them off her.

Ariel hastily finished dressing and began to run her fingers through her hair, but before she could proceed, the maid sharply scolded her. With an irritated gesture, the maid turned and retrieved a hairbrush from a nearby vanity.

"Let me handle it, Ariel," she sighed, her tone implying that Ariel seemed completely clueless about the concept of a hairbrush. Ariel's cheeks turned beet red out of embarrassment as she nodded shyly, seeing no choice but to accept the maid's help. There was a hint of a question in Helena's dark eyes, but she quickly suppressed it, sealing her lips tightly.

With practiced skill, she began to work the unfamiliar tool through Ariel's untamed autumn locks.

Ariel huffed in frustration, blowing away a stray strand of bangs that stubbornly clung to her face. Helena's nimble fingers deftly wove her hair into a simple ponytail, securing it with a silk yellow ribbon that matched her dress.

As Ariel observed Helena skillfully perfecting her hair and assisting with tightening the laces at the back of her dress, a sense of curiosity grew within her. She longed to forge a friendship with this slightly older woman who had quickly become her acquaintance. Ariel couldn't help but notice Helena's modesty, which surprised her.

Surely, Helena must have been aware of her beauty—how could she not see it?

Peculiarly, Ariel felt a slight unease being in such proximity to Helena.

If Helena had been born a mermaid, she would have effortlessly captivated a handsome merman who would have courted and married her. She would have been one of those mermaids who, with a single glance, lured sailors to their doom.

Helena possessed a certain presence when she entered a room, and this made Ariel question her attractiveness. Despite considering herself pretty, Ariel had always felt uncertain about her appearance, especially with her six older sisters. Her hands began to tremble, and clamminess enveloped them—an unexpected reaction for Ariel.

Lost in her thoughts, Ariel pondered these notions until she was abruptly brought back to reality by the sound of Darius's wife calling out to her. It jolted her out of her stunned moment of silence, and she refocused her attention on the present.

"Ariel, are you alright? You seem a bit lost in thought," Helena chuckled, her warm smile lighting up her face and bringing comfort to Ariel.

Ariel scanned the room until her gaze landed on another stack of parchment paper neatly placed on a piece of furniture called a writing desk. The mention of the term by the old nursemaid Carlotta when she had first shown Ariel the room brought back the memory. With a sense of purpose, Ariel reached for the paper and picked up a quill, ready to pour her thoughts onto the page. The room fell silent, interrupted only by the scratching sound of the quill as Ariel fervently scribbled on the parchment. She dipped the quill's tip into the ink pot whenever it ran dry, without pausing for long.

I... I was just thinking, she wrote, her words flowing onto the paper. It might sound strange, but I was observing you and reflecting on the concept of beauty. There are many ways to be beautiful, and I often find myself searching for it when I look at my reflection.

Ariel blushed slightly and cracked her wrist, hoping to relieve the ache that had accumulated from writing so much in the past day and a half.

To be honest, I think you're an incredibly attractive woman, and I can imagine heads turning as you walk by. You have a certain aura that can be intimidating. I'm not sure why I'm delving into this topic, but I feel like I compare myself to others, and lately, I've found myself doing the same with you. Have you ever experienced something similar?

Helena's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, and her mouth hung slightly open, clearly taken aback by Ariel's heartfelt words. Her eyes swiftly scanned the written message before she handed the parchment back to Ariel.

It took a moment for Helena to gather herself and find her voice.

"Well, I... I'm honored that you see me that way, Ariel, but comparing yourself to others is never a good practice," Helena responded, her lips parting as if she intended to say more. "However, if it helps, when I was a young girl, I used to dream of having hair like winter fire, just like yours. Hair that only a mermaid could possess," she added softly with a warm grin.

At the maid's last words, Ariel felt the blood drain from her face, but she needed to hide it. No one could know what she was. A heavy silence filled the air as Ariel furiously wracked her brain for something she could pen to change the subject, though she knew by the look on Helena's face that her silence spoke volumes. Helena dropped her hands from the ends of Ariel's ponytail, having finally put the finishing touches on Ariel's outfit and hair and was satisfied with her work.

"You couldn't be…can you?" Her voice came out slightly hushed, just barely above a whisper as Helena looked at Ariel expectantly.

Ariel furrowed her brows, giving Helena a perplexed and somewhat uneasy look. She had an instinctive urge to avert her gaze, but before she could do so, Helena reached out and gently held Ariel's cheek with genuine concern.

"Are you...?" Helena's voice trailed off, her expression almost forming a smile. "Are you truly a siren of the sea?"

Ariel's eyes widened in alarm, and she frantically shook her head, unaware that her face had turned as pale as a ghost.

Her mind spiraled into a frenzy of worry and distress. She found herself caught between the desire to laugh off the statement and the temptation to confess the truth. But she knew deep down that she couldn't reveal her secret to anyone.

The weight of her hidden identity tormented her, and she silently chastised herself for the predicament she was in.

Ariel's head shook frantically, her desperate denial evident in her eyes as she pleaded with Helena to believe her.

I-I'm not, I'm not, she tried to say with just the power of a look. However, Darius's wife remained unconvinced, her expression displaying doubt. Ariel's physical demeanor betrayed her true feelings, despite her attempt to appear resolute. Her legs trembled, barely able to support her weight, and her blue eyes darted around, searching for an escape.

It was as if Helena could see through her feeble attempts to lie, her gaze piercing straight into Ariel's soul.

At that moment, Ariel vowed to herself that Helena's unwavering gaze was not fooled by her futile denials. Helena relinquished her grip on her chin and let her hands fall to rest in front of her skirt, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

The woman's previously hopeful expression had darkened, and now Helena was looking at Ariel as though she were such a disappointment as if Helena knew something of herself that she could not discover.

She did not know how to respond to her and could only stare as Helena took a few steps back and headed toward the door.

With a sigh, Helena expressed her disappointment, her tone tinged with dejection, while her face displayed a crestfallen expression. As she averted her gaze, Ariel couldn't discern what her new friend was thinking or feeling.

"I had hoped the rumors about you were true, but it seems Violet and Colette are proving that they don't know everything, they were so certain you're a mermaid from the bowels of the ocean itself, one of King Triton's," Helena muttered, twisting the doorknob to open it. "Well, we should leave now. Eric will probably grow impatient if we're late." Pausing, Helena turned slowly to glance back at Ariel. "And don't compare yourself to me, my friend. My life hasn't exactly been easy."

Ariel grimaced. She felt immense guilt for even comparing herself to Helena and wondered if she ought to apologize to Darius's wife for the comparison. With due time…perhaps after breakfast.

Helena noticed her staring. Raising a thin eyebrow at Ariel, Helena managed a weary laugh.

The noticeable bags under her new friend's eyes and her ghostly pallor were cause for concern. Nevertheless, Helena met Ariel's gaze, smiled, and held the door open wider, gesturing for her to follow into the hallway.

"Aren't you coming? The men are waiting for us. It's best not to keep them waiting with how hungry they'll probably be," she chirped, swiftly gliding out of the hall in a flutter of her skirts.

Ariel remained in her room for a brief moment, allowing herself time to gather her thoughts and compose herself.

From within, she sensed a surge of excitement as she anticipated the prospect of spending an entire day in the Prince's company and exploring his realm, eager to discover what the human world had in store. Adjusting her skirts and patting her hair, Ariel gave a contented nod to her reflection in a small mirror hanging on the opposite wall.

With determination, she swiftly made her way out into the hallway, hoping to catch up with Darius's wife, Helena, before she ventured too far ahead. She moved as swiftly and quietly as she could through the corridors. She suspected that Darius's wife would be able to slip past everyone unseen, but she with her red hair and unusual features was not so skilled. Her legs seemed to move of their own accord as she wandered the vast halls in search of Helena, fearing she'd lost the maid. Her nervous gaze fell to the floor, and as such, she did not see the dark figure just in front of her.

Both were not paying attention, one stuck in an awful mood and Ariel, not caring so, did not notice the figure standing in her way until all was too late, until her stride met the wall of someone's chest. Ariel looked up and she swore she felt her heartbeats cease to beat there on the spot as she looked up to see the Prince's nephew angrily gritted his teeth as his blush slowly subsided. Ariel and the young Princeling exchanged a look of surprise as they took note of one another but refused to say anything to each other at first. One out of the inability to speak at all, and the other…not caring so.

Prince Lucas couldn't help but roll his eyes as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared at Ariel, this captivating creature who had enchanted his Uncle Eric, finding it hard to believe that she was so ignorant.

She pinned Prince Lucas with an angry look, the slightly older boy returning her glare with a rueful look of his own, his dirty blond hair tousled and curled at the ends, in need of a trim a week ago, and a light dusting of a five o'clock shadow dusted along his angular jawline.

"What are you doing out here wandering the halls without permission, Dane?" Lucas sneered, his cold gaze filled with disdain, his words sharp and demanding as his gaze made a quick scan of Ariel in her new yellow dress and red hair now neatly combed and plaited into a low ponytail.

Ariel furrowed her brows into a frown as she looked at him with surprise and shrugged her shoulders, not knowing the meaning of the word if the word Dane was meant as an insult.

Dane?

The young Prince could not help but roll his eyes at her as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.

What an insult, this girl who had his Uncle Eric so fascinated did not even know what she was, was she truly so stupid?

"You ignorant girl, you don't even know who and what you are, you heathen witch," he scoffed, his voice dripping with haughtiness. "You're just a Dane, nothing more. I recognize that hair, your kind is famous for it. Others might mistake you for a mermaid, but mermaids and mermen are mere fairy tale creatures, invented to discipline misbehaving children and keep them awake at night," he growled. "You may have enchanted Eric, but your witchcraft won't work on me. Your kind is not welcome in Ipswich, and you have no permission to roam these halls. My uncle's opinion is what matters, and if he hears about you snooping around where you shouldn't, he'll surely banish you from our home. I think that you were sent here as a spy for your people so that when they go Viking, our lands would be the first they'd raid, wouldn't they?"

Ariel's mouth went a little slack in surprise. She could only stare, hardly daring to believe her ears, and could not make sense of his words. His face was all suspicion at that moment as his expression hardened.

"We'll see what my uncle intends to do with you now," he growled, moving swiftly to pin her wrist with a grip so tight it threatened to leave bruises. His dark eyes bore into her soul, a chilling intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

If she could, Ariel would have cried out, but the tension in the air was cut by an angry voice that sliced through the chaos. Prince Lucas forcefully dragged Ariel through the halls, descending the winding stone staircase that led to the dining hall.

"Lucas, that's enough! Release her!" Prince Eric's commanding voice resonated throughout the grand castle's main level. His tone was firm, filled with authority.

Lucas crossed his arms defiantly. "Why should I? She's nothing special, and I won't be told what to do."

"Release her immediately. What is the meaning of this? Such behavior is utterly unacceptable. Ariel is my guest, and you will treat her with the respect she deserves." Prince Eric sighed and approached Lucas, his voice stern. "You need to learn to be better, Lucas. I won't tolerate your behavior any longer."

Lucas nearly rolled his eyes at his uncle's command yet nevertheless, he let go of Ariel's wrist, fuming.

She rubbed her wrist gently and shot the Prince a withering look of irritation before she returned her gaze to Eric and silently tried to convey her gratitude with just a look. She thought she saw a speckle of blush color his cheeks the moment their gazes locked, though he quickly returned his gaze to Prince Lucas in front of him.

"I found this…Dane spy wandering the castle, Uncle," Lucas angrily retorted, bringing up Ariel's wrist to show him.

When Eric turned worried, questioning eyes towards Ariel, she frantically shook her head.

I wasn't, Eric, I wasn't!

Eric offered her a curt nod and she thought she saw the beginnings of understanding beginning to form in the man's eyes.

"She is no spy, nephew, we've not had any trouble with Danes raiding our lands for quite some time, Lucas, and I doubt we will with the treaties in place," he grunted, his tone spiced and offended as he ran a hand through his black hair in despair. "Leave and do not make it say it again, Lucas, and that would be the last time I would see you lay a hand on Ariel again, and that goes for any castle staff in the castle as well, do you understand?" Eric bit out in a voice that bordered on cold.

Lucas sneered and merely stared at Ariel bitterly and turned on his heels to go, without acknowledging his uncle. Ariel stumbled backward towards Eric. Eric steadied her, placing his hands on her arms and he kept her at arm's length.

She kept her back paraded to him, for she did not want to take her eyes away from Lucas until the arrogant Prince was well out of her sight. She listened as his footsteps faded and only turned to face her savior when she could no longer hear him and let out a sigh.

Thank you, she nodded. She watched as the edges of Prince Eric's mouth twitched and he fought too hard to control his emotions, to show her that his nephew did not affect him, but the more he failed himself the harder he tried.

Eric glared at the spot where Lucas had once stood.

"I…apologize, Ariel, for my nephew. He will not be bothering you again. He is foolish and does not know what he says. Lucas's head is hollow and it would make a fine bucket," he grunted, a flicker of rage flashing through the Prince's eyes.

It's fine, Ariel tried to shake her head to rid herself of the too-recent memory, wanting nothing more than to put the incident behind her. Ariel shivered and bit her bottom lip as Eric tore his gaze away from where Lucas had stood moments ago and his bright blue eyes that reminded her of the sky after a fresh rainfall made a quick scan of her in the yellow dress and boots Darius's wife had chosen for her. He nodded approvingly and smiled shyly at her.

"Yellow is a good color for you, Ariel. It suits you and it brings out your red hair. You look lovely," he complimented warmly.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Prince Eric asked worriedly as he looked at her up and down from head to toe as if he feared his nephew had harmed her. Ariel was quite flustered at the encounter, but she quickly nodded, hoping to alleviate Eric's fears, and put his heart and mind at ease.

You're sweet to worry about me, Eric. But I-I'm fine.

He gave a nod, though the edges of his mouth turned down into a frown.

"I was just coming to check and see if perhaps you'd lost your way and see if you need help in finding the Courtyard. Darius and Helena are waiting for us, they can't wait to show you their home and the hamlet. I'm sorry again for Lucas," he stammered, his blush intensifying the longer he met Ariel's gaze. He let out a nervous laugh as he rubbed his neck gingerly.

He was too nervous to eye her for long, she noticed, but he was stuttering less now and becoming more confident, so she took that as a good sign. Something of the Prince's genuine warmth was contagious and drew her to him.

Did…did you want to walk to the Courtyard, we could walk together, these hallways are a maze, Prince, I am afraid I will get lost. I am still not sure where to go, I have not yet learned my way around your home, it's so large, Ariel suggested, hopefully, as she mimicked walking with her fingers. She smiled sheepishly as Eric met her gaze and smiled shyly.

"Yes. I'd like that." Eric offered her his arm as he quickly ushered her out of the corridor and towards the Courtyard where their friends were waiting for them.

At this hour of the morning, the corridors were filled with the soft chatter of voices as maids and guards crossed paths in the halls. Upon entering the doors that would take them out to the Courtyard, it seemed all heads had turned their way.

But Ariel was far too preoccupied with how her day-keeping company with the Prince was going to proceed to pay much attention to anything else. Eric quickly ushered Ariel outside and into the cool crisp air of the Courtyard, grateful he had thought to bring a coat and grateful the dress Helena had chosen for Ariel was long-sleeved. The temperatures would only get colder as winter approached, and the last thing he wanted was for Ariel to catch her death while she stayed with him.

Ariel couldn't resist stealing a furtive glance at Eric, trying her best to ignore the electric sensation that tingled through her arm as it rested upon his. The Prince wore a serene smile on his face, and she found herself captivated by the way the sunlight caressed his raven-black hair, casting an enchanting shadow. Her eyes refused to break away, as she committed every intricate detail of his face to memory. Sensing he was being observed, Eric slowly turned his head in her direction, causing Ariel to hastily avert her gaze towards an unusual formation resembling a piece of land coral reef, which he referred to as a rose bush—a peculiar name for coral, she mused, yet her mind remained fixated on thoughts of the Prince.

She didn't want to make him uncomfortable with her intense gaze, so she sharply redirected her attention elsewhere. Unbeknownst to her, as Ariel turned away, a warm and endearing smile graced Eric's lips, stretching even wider.

It seemed to take them an eternity to reach Eric's friends.

Witnessing a quick exchange between the Prince's handsome friend Darius and his fair wife, Helena, Ariel began to ponder how long the three of them had been friends. Unable to fight against the worry worming its way into her heart, she halted in her tracks and softly touched Eric's shoulder. He stopped walking and turned to look at her, his expression concerned.

Will they…like me? She tried to ask, her pleading eyes were boring into Prince Eric's searchingly.

She did not want to tell him how nervous she was at the thought of spending the day in his friends' company and perhaps infringing upon their close-knit bond. Eric's cheerful demeanor grew more solemn as he nodded.

"They already do, Ariel, you have nothing to fear, they will love you once they get to know you," he murmured lowly into the shell of her ear before straightening his gait and smiling at his friends. Her relieved eyes as Ariel smiled back, told Eric without the need to write her words down that she believed him and trusted him. Eric, sensing Ariel's nervousness, dragged her forward by the arm, though gently, as he would a friend, all the while admiring her warmly. He was eager to introduce Ariel officially to his oldest friends. "Darius, Helena, I know the two of you have met Ariel separately, but I still want to introduce you to her. This is Ariel, I found her on the beaches with nowhere to go. She's staying with us until..." But he trailed off and did not finish his thought.

"We know, Eric, there's no need for this formality, my friend, the whole castle knows who she is by now, Carlotta has already seen to that, she can't stop talking about the fact you've brought a girl to the castle," Helena told the Prince, a slight teasing lilt to her voice that made him flush, though her humor was good-natured and not meant to mock Eric. She turned towards Ariel and smiled. "I know we're going to be the best of friends and we'll have the most wonderful time with the two of you today, I hope. I think you'll like the hamlet, it's something of a cozy retreat for those of us who live there."

Ariel shyly lowered her head, grateful that Prince Eric's friends were so thoughtful. Thank you for hosting us.

Darius interjected and kept a hand firmly around his wife's small waist, the other holding tightly to her hand for support, as if she needed aid in walking.

Ariel frowned and grew worried, though she had no time to ponder it as the Prince's friend spoke softly.

"We're glad to have you, Ariel. Eric has been alone in the heart for too long and we would see him happy for once," Darius muttered, his tone also teasing as he flicked his gaze towards Eric to gauge the Prince's reaction.

But Eric was not paying attention and instead, the Prince's gaze was fixed at a distant spot in the Courtyard behind Helena.

Ariel pivoted, her curiosity piqued by the Prince's captivated expression. However, her frown deepened when she caught sight of Lucas, peering through the gaps between the pillars as if spying on them. It appeared that he had been observing their interaction. As Lucas and Darius locked eyes, an instant wave of discomfort washed over the young Prince, evident by the way he recoiled from the frigid gaze of the older man. He swiftly departed, almost as if struck by a flaming arrow.

Eric, determined to brush off the distraction, redirected his attention toward his friends while maintaining a reassuring grip on Ariel's arm. His voice carried a gentle eagerness as he inquired, "Shall we go?"

He yearned to showcase the village to Ariel and temporarily escape the confines of the castle. Darius and Helena smiled warmly, gesturing for them to follow with a sweep of their arms, soft but excited smiles on their faces that warmed her heart to see. She was glad that Eric seemed to have such good friends, and felt a brief pang of jealousy that she had so few precious friends back home to call upon, except for Flounder. Ariel couldn't help but notice their unhurried pace, realizing that Darius was considerate enough to match her stride, so as not to aggravate whatever ailment she was facing.

Ariel's surprise was palpable as Eric drew her in, their shoulders nearly touching, while they made their way past the pillar, exiting the Courtyard en route to the village of Ipswich. At that moment, Ariel couldn't ignore the piercing gaze that Prince Eric directed towards his nephew as they walked by—a gaze filled with rueful intensity, akin to daggers that had him pinned. The warning to Prince Lucas conveyed by Eric was unmistakable, as clear as daylight itself.

It was a warning to stay away from her.

Or else.