Happy New Year for everyone (It's still January I can say that :) ). Here is an old/new story I hope you enjoy. I did a one shot called "The Sea Shell", which you can still find on my page, but I wanted to expand this AU. I own nothing, but how the plot unfolds from this twist on the story, everything else belongs to Disney. I also have no BETAer for this so any mistakes are mine. Now please I hope you enjoy it.
The golden seashell broke in half on the deck at her feet. All the confused chaos of the interrupted wedding and gawking guests fell away. Even the rapidly descending sun waited in this moment of time as another sound called out to her. Weak at first, hesitant. She heard its melodic pleas. She had abandoned it to a cold resting place. Its pure power, a song of yearning love and exploration, twisted by dark magic; hurting the one they loved. Would she still accept it now?
Yes! There was no other answer inside her. Higher, stronger it became as it rose to greet her. Her hand stretched out, as if to caress the lost piece of herself coming home with all forgiven.
The music brushed her throat and…
vanished.
Her ears strained to catch any sound to no avail. No faint notes could be heard on the breeze. It was simply gone, snatched away again. Confusion and pain waged within her heart. What had happened?
The terms of the contract sawm through her mind. No more talking, singing, zip!
She had agreed to its painful price. In her mind, she saw the clawed hands creeping toward her. The sharp nails scraped her throat raw, but with a surprisingly gentleness as they had drawn the melody from her.
She swallowed, but the fresh rawness remained.
"Ariel?" Eric's voice at her side brought the larger world back into focus.
Her heartbeat tripled as the lost time caught up with her. Stray pieces of red hair blew in the colder sea breeze as the final sun continued its decline toward the horizon. She stumbled back against the rail, barely catching herself. The wet puddle
Unbidden tears rolled down her face as she collapsed into the prince's arms. His back stiffened with momentary confusion before his arms embraced her.
His calloused hand lifted her face back to his. His blue eyes, which hours ago had passed over her unseeing, were filled with genuine concern. The witch's hold broken like the pieces of shell.
His lips brushed hers, seeking to offer comfort.
Through her tears, she accepted the concern the prince gave so selflessly. Unbeknownst to him, it was a kiss of farewell. How could she make him understand she had given up her life because hers had felt unfulfilled without him? But none of that mattered anymore. She only wished to cherish the sensation of his embrace.
A tingle pulsed inside her.
No, no! Her arms gripped Eric tighter while her legs fought to remain upright. Any moment the transformation would be complete. She imagined the sea witch's clawed hands dragging her back down to the sea.
"Ariel?" Eric asked again softly. "What's wrong?"
The little mermaid pulled from the embrace and looked up at him again. Still standing with his arms wrapped around her. Her eyes lowered to the deck to see…her two legs. Blinking, she took a sidestep, feeling the hard wooden floor beneath her bare feet; the heels she lost somewhere in the sea on her race to the ship.
A small smile/grimace came to her. Her throat felt burned raw, but her lips tingled with hope as she recalled the briefest kiss she and Eric had shared. It hadn't been one of intense passion, but one of selflessness with concern for another…one they loved.
"Are you well?"
"Miss Vanessa, are you well?"
The man's voice and words, an echo of the prince, drew the couple's attention back to the remaining chaos on board. Chairs were overturned, varies puddles stained the wood and the long carpet down the aisle. Starfish and other sea life lay scattered across the deck. In its center stood a bewildered gust holding a woman in a white wedding dress.
"She fainted, your highness," the man said quietly.
A young servant was fanning the lady's face with a handkerchief, but to avail.
Gathered guests had formed miniature clusters; their confused eyes swinging between the prince and the man who held the prince's young brunette fiancée in the arms of a guest.
"Please…um," Eric swallowed, his voice more certain despite the chaos of the day's events. "Take her…Miss Vanessa, to her cabin for now."
The man nodded and other servants quickly moved to help. Their feet alternated between crunching the shattered glass and sliding on the destroyed cake or in the puddles left the various sea life as they walked.
Ariel shivered though weather from fear or mere cold she couldn't tell. Unbeknownst to the humans, the beautiful bride to be was the terrifying sea witch from the darkest depths of the sea. But if Ursula had gone to such lengths to stop Ariel from achieving her dreams, why was she not attacking her now and dragging her back to the sea to her death? Was it the contract?
Despite all odds, Ariel had triumphed and gained her humanity or at least her legs within the terms set. Though the ancient laws of the sea that ruled over even her father's magic were a mystery to her.
Whispers and pointed looks from the bewildered guests soon surrounded her. Ariel swallowed, knowing what they saw: a royal wedding interrupted by sea life and the soaked red-haired foundling.
"Please everyone," Grimsby firm voice called. He gave aa pointed look at Eric. "All shall be explained later."
The whispers quieted at once. But all of them would be waiting with bated breath for some explanation.
"Captain," Eric called. "Please turn us around we are going home."
"Aye…your highness," the captain said.
More orders were given, and guests swiftly moved out of the way as sailors scrambled to comply with the sudden change of plans; all of them eager to return to land before darkness truly descended.
"Are you all right, Ariel?" Eric asked.
Ariel managed a nod, sensing Eric's need to attend to others around them. They would have time enough to talk… no they wouldn't. More tears came. It had never been stated in the contract, but she had perhaps naively assumed she would receive her voice back along with her legs. The knowledge of her gain and loss all at the same time swept over her.
"Ariel what is-?"
"Your highness you're needed," Grim called.
Eric sighed. "Grim can you stay with her?"
The old adviser glanced between Ariel and the others onboard, debating where he would best be of use. After a moment, he nodded. "Of course, your highness."
"Is that all right, Ariel?" Eric asked.
Ariel swallowed her tears and nodded. Eric needed her to be brave. She managed to give a small smile to the old adviser as Eric left her side.
"Well how did you come to be here?" Grimsby asked. His eyes looked over the water. "You surely didn't swim all this way."
Ariel gave a tiny nod, though she wasn't certain hanging onto a barrel counted as swimming.
"Well you truly are quite a unique young lady, miss Ariel," Grimsby smiled at her.
In the distance she heard joyful splashing as Flounder leaped and danced below the ship, seeing Ariel still standing on her own two feet.
Her eyes glanced down to see her old friend, but the darkness of night blocked the little guppy from her sight.
"I'll say this, my dear, the animals are in quite a frenzy tonight," Grim said, looking out to the horizon. "What is it sailors say, a full moon makes them wild?" He laughed at his own joke, but sobered quickly when he saw she didn't find the humor.
An awkward silence fell as the two of them moved back to give the sailors space. Though Ariel didn't mind as her own thoughts were a whirl of chaos.
She had rescued Eric and herself, but what would come next? Sebastian would have certainly told her father what was happening by now. suddenly wanting to make herself as small as possible. Another shiver followed by a wave of pain and panic coursed through her. Seas only knew what her father would do when he learned the truth.
"Oh, my dear, you must be freezing," Carlotta said, coming forward. She unwrapped her apron and draped it over Ariel's shoulders.
As if summoned by the maid's words, Ariel sneezed and rubbed her arms for warmth. The sea had never felt cold to her, but now her skin prickled with the tiny bumps of discomfort and an icy chill as the water dried on her skin.
"Grim, really you needed to take-"
"I was just about to offer as such, Carlotta," Grim said. "Do you assume I don't care for the-"
"Oh never mind. Let's just get you below to a cabin," Carlotta said. "And out of-"
Ariel stepped away until her back pressed against the railing, shaking her head. The words meant little to her except it was where they had taken Urus…no Vanessa. Whatever game the sea witch was playing, Ariel didn't wish to find out.
"Ariel, sweet you'll catch your death-"
Again, Ariel shook her head, her eyes wide with terror.
"What is…oh." Compassion filled the maid's eyes. "Um, Grim, would you go help the prince? I'll look after her."
The adviser bowed his head in Ariel's direction before he hurried off to assistant Eric.
Perhaps he was relieved of being released from dealing with the emotions of women, Ariel mused as she fought to slow her heartrate.
Carlotta stepped closer, laying a comforting hand on Ariel's arm. "You were below weren't you…when the storm hit your ship weren't you?"
Ariel blinked, momentarily confused at the words. But then bits of the palace gossip returned to her as everyone tried to make sense of her sudden presence: the lone survivor of a shipwreck like the one she had saved Eric from.
The lie tasted bitter on her tongue and her throat ached for lost vocal words she could have used to explain everything. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes.
Carlotta nodded to herself and wrapped a reassuring arm around the girl. "There…there my dear. You're all right…we'll be back at the palace soon enough. You're safe."
Ariel glanced again toward the door which led to the cabins below the deck. Yes, she was safe under the terms of the contract, but how safe could she truly be?
XxX
Below the human beast seethed even as she lay on the bed changed into a simple dark blue gown. How had the silly little mermaid beaten her? The great sea witch had planned for everything except for those blubbering animals. Anger coursed through her, wanting nothing more than to use her powers to sink the whole ship. But the wretched seagull had broken her most powerful weapon. And the ancient laws of magic protected the little merbrat on land, once the terms of the contract were upheld, from her.
Around her, human girls dressed as penguins with their black and white uniforms, whispered to each other overhead about the confusing events of the last few hours. Their voices filled with fear and superstition as they carefully moved about the room, believing their charge to be asleep.
"Did you see the dolphins? They all just jumped up-"
"What about those starfish? I ain't seen nothing like it."
"The seal was funny." One of the girls laughed. "He bounced the lady like a ball right into the cake."
Vanessa gritted her teeth in frustration. Her fingers gripped the sheets beneath her envisioning it as the miserable girl's throat. How dare she laugh at the prince's fiancée in such a matter. Never mind that the prince was the biggest fool of all.
"How did it all happened?" the second girl asked.
"Don't know. I-"
"Oh…." Vanessa moaned softly, halting their silly words.
"Miss…can you hear me?" one of them asked.
Another groan of pain.
"Shall I fetch the prince-"
The girl stalled as Vanessa raised her arm and mumbled.
"What did you say?" The other girl asked, leaning closer.
Vanessa's lips curled into a smiling sneer as she whispered a single word. "Witchcraft."
Dun, Dun, Dun! I know the magic in the film is pretty simple and there isn't any real talk of magic besides Triton's Trident and the like, but I am expanding the mythology. Please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome, but no flames please. Let me know if you want to me continue with this story?