Ariel and Lena could feel the level of excitement building, as they quickly arrived to the top of the ocean, that little veil that separated their lives from the human world above. In just a moment they would embark on the experience of a lifetime, well Lena was soon to see the wonders of the human world first hand, while Ariel grinned knowing that she'd see another human up close. She could feel the memories of the metal fish, and the previous near encounters with humans, as she wondered what would be different this time? Why were they celebrating and why did they use bright lights, and what did they look like? She had to know, as the group quickly poked their heads out of the water, silently swimming to the side of the ship where nobody could see them.
"Hey Ariel, let's climb up and see what they're doing, I'm curious what's making these humans so excited?" Lena whispered, as Ariel quickly climbed onto the ship, she didn't need any convincing, and nothing was going to stop her from seeing humans again. Flounder and Vink didn't even speak knowing that this was one of those moments where nothing was stopping the teens from accomplishing their goal. They could only watch as Ariel and Lena climbed the ship, grasping at any wooden planks in the ships design, until they reached the top. Sure they could have jumped out of the water, and just made it to the top, but that was risky and they wanted to savor the moment, the heart racing feeling that something wonderful was about to happen.
The moment the two mermaids reached the top, their eyes widened in awe at what was before them. The whole ship was full of life, humans dancing, singing, laughing, they were so happy as the mermaids watched from the shadows of the side. Oh how they wanted to be a part of the magic, looking at all the little feet moving and twisted faster than any fishtail, it was like seeing another fascination unfold. Everything surrounding the humans was warm, inviting as if they were in celebration of someone, as the pair smiled, looking around to see more, tables with odd foods, drinks that made some dance weirdly, and then they saw it, a giant statue of a human, it was so noble, so tall like it was meant for royalty and brought new life to the party, as the crew cheered for the statue, as the footsteps of two humans caught Ariel, and Lena's attention, and in but one simple moment, as their eyes gazed upon the new humans, the feeling of time had stopped completely to them.
Ariel's eyes were drawn to a man who had to be around her age, he had short black hair, eyes that were so warm, so charming that she could look away from them. His smile shined brighter than the most beautiful pearl under the sea, and his voice! Oh how his voice enchanted her as he spoke so freely, happily to the other man of standard plus an older man who he seemed friendly with. Ariel silently bit her lip, as she watched him dance, blowing into a flute without a care in the world as if the sea, and life had no hold over him. She could feel his warmth, the compassion that knew no bounds calling to her like a siren's call, whispering to her to come closer and embrace his light.
Lena smiled, as she noticed her chest tightening like someone had sucked all the air from her lungs away, her heart fluttered as she felt herself drawn to the man next to the black haired man in the center of the boat. His hair was blond, his hands clapped in delight, as his friend's danced and cheered around the statue. Lena sighed, as she began to clap alongside the man, the one who her heart called for with desire. It was at that moment did the mermaids know that they had fallen for the humans in front of them. They wanted to laugh at the idea, like something out of a fairytale, but they couldn't stop thinking of the idea. If they spoke to them, sung a sweet melody of passion and happiness to the ones who must have been prince's, oh how much they wished to be free of the sea in these warm tender moments to step forth and go with them to a new horizon.
—--
"Tell me, Prince Stephen, how do you fancy my kingdom, this ship, the cool sea breeze? Hopefully I am allowing you a sense of freedom that you wrote to me about, the letters of a man in need of days away from the bounds of royalty and turmoil. Also I need to thank you for the statue, it's a bit much, but it does make for an interesting gift for my birthday the more I look at its lifeless eyes." Eric declared, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, knowing that today was a good day for a sail, and that he couldn't have been more thankful for the far away prince to join him for a few days of splendor.
"Oh, my dear friend, it was the least I could do! Your kingdom is wonderful, and the sea here is bountiful, beaming with life. Even the stories of the sea king and his domain lurking beneath us have been some of the most marvelous tales I've heard from sailors. They're as good as the stories of my own sea God, only more mysterious and less abstract with details. Nevertheless, the sky is clear, the waves are calm, and the spirits are high, tonight shall be pleasant." Stephen said, walking over to the deck of the ship, smiling peacefully, taking a breath of sea air, as the sounds of Eric's dog Max overtook the silent beauty of the night, and the echoing of sea birds above.
Everything was going perfectly, as the night blossomed with laughter and excitement, as the mermaids silently cheered at the crew dancing and singing a chantey, wishing the night wouldn't end, unaware of the horrors that lurked below, and above, as the weather had started to get wild out of nowhere, as if some outside force was causing the very sea to become violent. The waves hit the sides of the ship with everything they had, the clean sky above had morphed into a violent storm of harsh winds, thunder roaring and rain assaulting the crew. Ariel and Lena quickly jumped off the ship, as the sounds of the crew echoed above, as they made their way to the lifeboats. Flounder and Vink froze in fear, as the green veil around them disappeared, and the feeling of waves forced them deeper under the sea, leaving Ariel and Lena to see the wreck that was becoming the ship, watching the massive beast burst into flames from the bottom layers being impacted and warped by the waves.
Ariel, and Lena could only look on in shock as the hull began to crack, and in mere moments, broken and sunk deeper into the sea, as the sight of broken debris and something different caught their eyes. Somehow the two humans that they were drawn deeply to had been thrown overboard, gasping for air for a handful of seconds, and than stopped moment, as the two princesses rushed over to them. They looked at each other with determined eyes, these humans that they loved wouldn't end like this, not on their watch, as the mermaids swam towards the shore, through the waves, and the storms, trying to protect the humans as wave after wave pelted them trying to send them back to the deep. Suddenly Vink, and Flounder came from the depths of the sea, getting in front of the mermaids swimming as fast as possible, trying to help get the mermaids to the shore. The sounds of the crew barely echoed in the distance, their cries for the prince's rang in Ariel and Lena's eyes, as the shore slowly came into view, allowing them a chance to smile, knowing that they had protected these humans from harm.
—--
As the light of dawn broke upon the sea, did the weather lighten up, as rays of sun, and warmth returned to the land, as Ariel and Lena gazed softly at the princes they had saved. Only offering gentle hands, holding them as the sounds of their hearts fluttered deeper, as they took a moment to look at each other for the first time since they arrived at the beach, they could tell that feelings of love had blossomed, and one thing was known, they would do whatever it took to be with the ones they had been drawn to, even if it meant the wrath of King Triton and the very sea itself!
"Lena, shall we sing for a second, just enough to give them one last push back to the light?" Ariel whispered as she placed a hand on top of the blond mermaid's hand. Lena looked at her for a moment, ready to help her friend's legendary voice echo for just a moment.
"I don't know where; I don't know how. But one day we still stay all day under the sun, together by your sides, wondrous and free, willing to be part of your world!" Ariel and Lena declared, as their voices echoed across the land for only a moment, as the pair returned to the sea, allowing others to come, eying the ones who had taken their hearts to awaken, and for them to descend back to the deep, with Flounder and Vink, ready to enter a new day upon the kingdom; however, the deeper they would swim, more thoughts of the humans engulf them, comforting the buried desires of romance that were kept hidden beneath their love for human treasure. It was a different kind of attraction that the two mermaids were feeling after that fateful night. They were in love, and that was something they promised would never be taken from them, no matter what. Little did the mermaids know that today would be the last day when they'd find happiness under the sea, as the sounds of fins echoed in the distance, as the sight of their sisters could be seen as the sun rained down upon the sea.