An enormous but beautifully crafted wooden vessel christened with the name "The Coral Moon" was steadily heading homeward to the island empire of Tirulia, near the underwater realm of Atlantica. The boat didn't have an incredibly extensive crew, just enough to care for it. However, the three most noteworthy individuals aboard the handsome vessel were the royal family: Prince Eric of Tirulia, Princess Ariel of Atlantica, and their adorable, charming, and enthusiastic daughter, Serafina.
Serafina had been born while her parents had been exploring uncharted waters. Consequently, the three-year-old had never seen her parents' kingdoms or met her extended family. The biracial little girl was a perfect blend of her parents. She had her mother's gorgeous red hair in an identical dreadlocks style, enormous brown eyes, and her mother's alluring smile. She inherited her father's creamy skin tone, sharp nose, and most of his facial features.
Princess Serafina was so far the only child of sea and shore. She could voluntarily switch from human to mermaid. Even when she was human, she'd her mother's enchanted siren voice and could communicate with creatures related to the sea. Serafina had been named after her deceased maternal grandmother, who'd been killed when her mother was too young to remember her.
Despite two of her grandparents having passed on, her parents had each given her a precious gift. Ariel had gifted her daughter with her grandmother's charm necklace. Likewise, her father had presented his daughter with the silver flute his father loved to play.
Serafina was racing cheerfully around the ship before stopping at the bow. She gazed dreamily at the turquoise waters matching her dress color. "It's so pretty!" she squealed as a dolphin pod was swimming alongside the magnificent vessel that had been her home her entire life.
"Serafina, please be careful!" her attractive mother chastised her as she retrieved her daughter.
Her daughter scowled. "Why are you worried, Mommy? I'll change into a mermaid if I fall in the water." Serafina cringed when her mother gave her her "Mama Bear" look. She knew her mom wasn't pleased with her. She always wondered what her mother had in mind when she had that look etched on her face.
"Be as that may, we don't know the full extent of your abilities when you transform since you've only done it a handful of times," Ariel sternly informed her daughter before adding," Also, there are known to be sharks in these waters. I'm not about to let my daughter get devoured by a great white. Now come, it's time for lunch."
"Yes, Mommy," she replied reluctantly as they joined her papa and the family's pet dog, Max, at the outdoor dining table.
Her handsome father, Eric, grinned as he saw them approach, "How are my little mermaids doing today?" he asked kindly. His wife and daughter smiled at his little nickname for them.
"We're doing fine, Eric. However, the coral moon is rapidly approaching, and we must be home in time. My father understood I might miss it a few times. However, I'd rather not skip it again," Ariel informed her husband kindly as mother and daughter seated themselves at the table.
"Then we won't as long as the winds favor us and we don't encounter any hurricanes," promised her attractive spouse. He also gazed dreamily at the sea, thinking of his island home. As much as he adored exploring the uncharted waters, returning home to his mother and kingdom would be nice.
Serafina pipped up, "Doesn't Grandpa control the weather? Mommy said storms pop up when he's in a sour mood." The little girl had so much energy it was challenging to get her to sit still. Even when it came to meals, she would rather be doing anything else but sitting still.
Ariel hugged her daughter, "Yes, your grandfather can control the weather. But only to a small extent and a limited range. We're still too far out of range for him to do anything to us," as her mother helped her with her lunch.
"Okay," Serafina said as she played with her grandmother's necklace. "Daddy, do you think it will be clear enough for us to study the stars tonight? I love it when you teach me about them!"
"We shall see, Sera. Now, let's eat. We're in luck that the last island we visited had so much fruit to give us. It's been so long since we've had fresh fruit." The family began to enjoy their vegetation banquet.
The family had vowed never to eat any of the fruits of the sea, seeing it would count as cannibalistic for mother and daughter. Whenever they had meat, it was always from the land. After a nutritious lunch, the royal couple assisted their daughter with her two-hour music lesson. One hour on the flute, and the other hour, they were helping her sing and learning to control her siren voice.
After her lessons concluded, the barefoot princess scampered back outside to try and converse with the local wildlife. However, no one seemed in a talkative mood today. However, she did get her wish when studying the stars that night. Her father dazzled her with tales connected to the stars and the moon. He pointed out each constellation while regaling her with the stories behind them. Her mother sang songs regarding the legends from her underwater home. The small family did make it home in time for the coral moon.
Both families were eagerly waiting for them to dock. To Ariel's amazement, her father had utilized his magical trident to transform into a human! Of course, the couple had sent letters home frequently so their loved ones knew they were safe.
They'd also informed them of their daughter's birth, and how they regretted it took three years to return so, Serafina could finally meet her family. Both Queen Selina and King Triton immediately began to spoil their only grandchild. Serafina quickly became overwhelmed by it all. Nevertheless, she enjoyed meeting her grandparents and her six aunts.
Both realms celebrate for a week of the family's return. They're also discussing plans for the future of both their domains and the small royal family, but most of those could wait for a few years.
All that mattered for now was their family reunion and building strong family bonds. This included helping Serafina learn to control her transformation and the capabilities of a mermaid. Furthermore, the little princess was also made to learn about her human half's heritage. The next few years will be exciting indeed.