As Ariel stepped out of the chambers, the silence of the night enveloped her like a shroud. The stars twinkled above, their soft glow a gentle reminder of the beauty that still existed in the world. In her world. She took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her lungs as she made her way to the beach, taking in the gravely feeling that came with the sand, as she walked bare-feet towards the midnight ocean. As the strolled along the sandy path, the darkness seemed to swallow her whole. However Ariel's eyes were fixed on a single sight, her father, King Triton, sitting on the beach, his large, muscular form, adding further to her familiarity. As she approached, she noticed that he was staring out at the ocean, his eyes fixed on something she could not see. Just from his look alone, she could sense a deep sadness in his gaze, a weight that seemed to press upon him. As she slowed her pace, not wanting to startle him, he seemed to be able to sense her presence, as he turned to face her. ''Ariel,'' he said, his voice low and gravelly, his usual warmth tempered by a hint of melancholy. ''I've been waiting for you. I have something I wanted to show you.'' Ariel's heart skipped a beat as she wondered what her father was referring too. She had never seen him like this before, so serious, but at the same time, so distracted.
She approached him slowly, feeling a sense of trepidation mixed with curiosity. ''I didn't think I'd be seeing you tonight, daddy.'' she said as she took a seat on the sand next to him. ''What is it you want to show me?'' he asked, her voice barely above a a whisper as she stared into her father's gaze. Slowly he led guided Ariel to the water's edges, where the waves lapped gently against the shore. As she stood there, her father looking up at her from where he was seated, with his long green tail straightened out in front of him. As Ariel looked out, a faint light began to emanate from beneath the surface of the ocean. The light grew brighter and brighter, until Ariel could see that it was coming from a small part in the middle of the ocean. ''Even though you haven't visited in a while, the ocean is still connected to you. It's trying to show you, I'll always be there for you, my child.''
''Daddy, I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. I feel so lost. It's like I've lost all over again.'' Ariel cried, tears welling up behind her fare eyes, as images of her mother, Queen Athena made her way into her head in visions. She saw the way her mother's laughter echoed through the castle walls of the ocean palace, the way her eyes sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. As Ariel's tears fell onto the sand, King Triton's expression softened, as he reached out to gently wipe them away with his fin. ''Ah, my little one,'' he said, voice filled with a deep regret, and longing. ''I know you're struggling right now, but I promise things are going to look up.'' Ariel sniffed, feeling a lump from in her throat as she gazed down at her father. ''I've never felt so lost and alone, daddy.'' she sobbed before her arms were around his neck. As Ariel's tears continued to fall onto the sand, King Triton's fins wrapped around her, holding her close as if to absorb the sorrow that had taken over his little mermaid's heart. The sea around them grew quite, as if the creatures of the ocean were listening in on their private moment. The waves gently lapped against the shore, a soothing melody that seemed to match the rhythm of Ariel's sobs.
Softly, Ariel pulled away from her father, her expression turning serious as she wished to ask him a serious question. ''Daddy,'' she whispered. ''Tell me the honestly, is it possible Eric survived the sinking of the ship?'' The weight of Ariel's question hung in the air like a challenge, as King Triton's expression turned grave. The sea around them grew quiet, as if the creatures were holding their breath in anticipation of his response. For a moment, King Triton's gaze seemed to drift away, lost in thought, reliving the memories of that fateful night. The waves lapped gently against the shore, a reminder of the passage of time. Then, his eyes refocused on Ariel's concerned face. "I've been searching for any sign of Eric," King Triton said, his voice low and somber. "I've sent out my most trusted advisors, the wisest and most skilled among us, to scour the ocean floor for any sign of him. But...I'm afraid the chances are slim." Ariel's heart sank, her eyes welling up with tears once more. Her heart had wanted nothing more than for there to be a chance her beloved Eric had somehow managed to escape that sinking ship, but it had been fifteen long years, and still no sign of him or their daughter...for a moment she wasn't sure if she could continue the way she was. She was queen now, which meant she had a responsibility, she couldn't continue to grieve the way she had been, not if it meant the kingdom she'd been left, suffered because of it.
The sea around them grew quiet, as if the creatures of the ocean were holding their breath in empathy for the young queen's pain. But as Ariel gazed up at her father's wise face, she saw a glimmer of determination in his eyes. He knew that she couldn't let her grief consume her, not now, not when she had a kingdom to rule. "Ariel, my child," King Triton said softly, his voice filled with compassion. "I know it's hard to let go of the past, but you can't let your heart stay stuck in those memories. You have a kingdom to rule, and your people need you." Ariel sniffled, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. She knew her father was right; she couldn't let her grief consume her. But it was hard to shake off the feeling that a part of her was still lost at sea, searching for Eric. "But what if...what if he's out there?" she whispered, her voice trembling with longing. King Triton's expression softened. "Ariel, even if Eric is out there, you can't spend the rest of your life waiting for him. You have a duty to your kingdom, to your people. And I'll be by your side every step of the way." Ariel took a deep breath, feeling a sense of resolve wash over her. She knew her father was right; she couldn't let her heart stay stuck in the past. With a newfound determination, she squared her shoulders and looked up at her father.
"I'll do it," she said, her voice firm. "I'll find him or I'll move on. But I need time." King Triton nodded, his eyes shining with pride. "You have all the time you need, my child. And I'll be here for you every step of the way." Before she could wrap her arms around her father for the second time, her eyes widened at the sight of something shiny in her father's hands. ''Happy birthday, baby.'' Ariel's eyes sparkled with surprise as she took in the sight of the magnificent gift her father held out to her. It was a small, delicate shell, its surface etched with intricate patterns that seemed to shimmer in the glow of the moonlight. ''What is it?'' she asked, voice full of wonder, though her throat was clearly affected by all the crying she had just done. ''This is a shell of the ancient mermaids,'' King Triton said, his voice filled with reverence. ''I used this shell to propose to your mother, it's said to have the power to guide you to your true destiny. She'd want you to have it, Ariel.'' Ariel's heart swelled with emotion as she took the shell from her father's hand. She felt a strange tingling sensation as she held it, as if the shell was alive and pulsing with an otherworldly energy.
''I wanted to wait till you were a little older, but I think this is the perfect time. There was a time in your mother's life, where she had moment in time where she was feeling similar feelings to you, and this helped her to see she was never alone. Ariel's eyes sparkled with tears as she looked at the shell in her hand. She felt a deep connection to her mother now, and a sense of gratitude towards her father for being there for her. "I'm glad you're telling me this now," Ariel said, her voice filled with emotion. "I feel like I understand my mother better now."
King Triton wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, as the warmth of his voice merged with the sea air. ''I know it's not easy, Ariel,'' he said, his voice low and soothing. ''But you're strong, and brave, just like she was. Once you set your mind on something, I've never been able to get you off of it. You've always known what you wanted, even when I wasn't quite sure what that was. I see a lot of your mother in you, my little mermaid. You'll get through this.'' Ariel leaned into his embrace, feeling the weight of her emotions lifting. She looked up at the moon, feeling its gentle light on her skin.
''This isn't like giving up my tail for legs, or my desire to want to be on land. This is so different from that, daddy. I know I have to be strong, but I never imagined I'd be ruling this young, or alone. Sometimes I wonder if I should even continue being here. Sometimes I want to just turn back into mermaid, and let Eric's cousin Marie, take over the kingdom.'' King Triton's grip on Ariel's shoulders tightened, his eyes filled with concern. ''Ariel, my youngest, don't ever think that way. You were meant to be a queen, you've always had that destiny waiting for you. I know you weren't intending on ruling so soon, nobody was. But you're not alone, you have me, you have Flounder, and Sebastian, and the rest of the merpeople here to support you. Don't forget, just because you are queen of this land, you stop being a princess of the ocean.
Ariel looked at her father, her eyes welling up with tears. "But it's not just that, daddy. It's...it's hard being a ruler. It's hard being responsible for so many lives. Sometimes I feel like I'm just pretending to be someone I'm not. And what if I fail? What if I'm not good enough?" King Triton's expression softened, and he pulled Ariel into a gentle hug. "You're not pretending to be someone you're not, my child. You're being exactly who you're meant to be. And as for failing, no one is immune to mistakes. Even I have made mistakes as king. But it's how we learn from them and grow that matters."
''What do you think Melody's doing right now, daddy?'' At the mention of his lost granddaughter, King Triton let out a small gasp, though he tried to quickly mask it, not wanting to bring attention to his surprise, as he quickly cleared his throat. ''I don't know, I just don't know.''