Chapter Text
~Eric~
Eric paced on the balcony. He knew Ariel would be fine, she was with her father, after all. And Melody. He knew she"d be ok as well. Yet... something kept eating at him. Something wasn"t right with his wife. He decided on a late lunch in his study, a room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. He ate his food pensively in thought. The sun was starting to set below the horizon, a time Eric cherished.
When he was a young boy, he would watch on his mother"s balcony, her humming some Norwegian song that her mother had sung to her as a young girl. His father would then come out to join them both, continuing the song softly.
After his mother passed, his father would take him to the beach to sit in the shallow water and watch the sunset. When he would ask why, his father would reply: "That is where your darling mother wished to be at rest."
His father passed when Eric was 15, a few weeks before his 16th. Eric would hum the Norwegian song as he dipped his toes into the ocean at sunset. He still did that now, long after his loving wife was asleep. As much as he adored sharing things with her, some things were just his, and his alone.
But then his 17th came and went, along with the "mystery girl" in the ocean. Every night, at sunset, Eric would go out and wander the beach with Max, desperately trying to find the mystery girl.
They married on the boat but oftentimes walked barefoot along the beach.
Eric smiled softly. Even when Ariel was 9 months pregnant, she still insisted on going for her nightly walk, despite not fitting in any of her old gowns or shoes anymore. Each night, Eric would shorten the distance and blame it on himself so she didn"t feel guilty. He suspected she knew, but never spoke of it.
Then Melody was born. They would take her out once or twice a week to watch the sunset while Ariel conversed with her father and sisters.
But then Ariel grew sick and the walks stopped.
He shook his head. No. His beloved wouldn"t be sick for much longer. Eric took another sip of his soup, turning when the door to his study opened. "Ah, hello Grim. What can I help you with?" He asked, turning fully. Grimsby wrang his hat. Eric narrowed his eyes. "Grim? What"s the matter?" Grimsby cleared his throat. "Well. Several things, honestly. First: a letter from Glouerhaven which desperately needs your attention sire. Second: The guest list for Melody"s celebration needs finalising and the catering crew need hiring. Third: Another ship returned today," Eric hummed. "I"ll deal with the others before nightfall tomorrow. What did the crew have to say?"
Grimsby cleared his throat. "They believe they may have found the source of her highnesses ailment,"
~Ariel~
Ariel wiggled her toes in the water, playing with Melody"s stray ribbon. She cooed and gurgled, running her hands along Attina"s tail. "It"s good to see you again, Tina," Ariel smiled. Attina sighed softly. "If only to see my beautiful niece once more. Truthfully, I still don"t feel great." Ariel passed Melody over, grinning when she began to laugh. "Well, if it"s any consolation, I"m not 100% either. I"m not sure what"s going on. Sebastian said you all felt sick," She frowned. Attina shook her head. "Not all. Well, not as bad. From what I heard from father, I had it worst." Ariel pulled some stones out of Melody"s hand, brushing off the small dust residue. "Oh? What was wrong with you then? I don"t know much,"
Attina sighed softly. Melody rubbed her hands along her tail, babbling whilst Attina played with her black hair. "Well... It was weird... really weird," She frowned. Ariel pulled her swimming dress up higher, sinking into the water up to knee length. "It began with a headache. A really strong one. You know, the kind you get when you use too much of the trident"s power? Or our own?" Ariel nodded. "Yeah, I remember the storm of 85." She snorted. Attina blushed. "I"m ignoring you,"
Ariel cackled.
"Then it was tiredness. God, I could"ve slept for hours upon hours. But the maids woke us," Ariel frowned slightly. "Then it turned to no sleep. That sucked really bad... No, leave the rocks sweetie," Attina pulled a rock out of Melody"s grip, grinning when she protested. "What is it with her and rocks?" Ariel shrugged. "I honestly don"t know. Anything she can grab, she will. Even her own hair, which was an interesting temper tantrum," Attina laughed. "Then I passed out in the courtyard."
Ariel made a face. "That happened to me as well... the tiredness, the not sleeping, the headaches, the fainting..." She hummed. Attina sighed sadly. "I"d never tell father this, but I actually feel less sick when I"m not in the water." Ariel bit her lip in thought. "The opposite for me... think it"s connected?"
Before Attina could answer, Melody began to cry. Attina"s eyes grew wide and frantic as Ariel laughed. "Relax. She"s just hungry. Looking at the sun, I"d say it"s her dinner time. You don"t mind if I feed her, do you?" She hoisted herself out of the water and crawled over. "If it"s the same as feeding mermaids-"
"It is," Ariel smiled. "I"d rather not look then," Attina shut her eyes. Ariel rolled hers. "Relax. My swim gown will hide her." As Melody nursed, Attina and Ariel continued chatting. "Where are the others? I thought they"d be here by now... she"s gonna need her nap soon," Ariel said, glancing out to sea. "Probably asleep. Want me to grab them?" Ariel cast another look at the sun. "Oh go on then. It won"t harm her for one late night. Say we"ve not got long though. My little darling has a temper to rival daddy"s."
Attina cackled loudly. "Daddy"s, or yours?" Ariel rolled her eyes as her sister descended below the water, still chuckling.
~
Melody finished feeding a few moments before Ariel"s panicked husband rushed up to her. "Hey, honey," She smiled. "Whatever is the matter?" She asked, frowning. Eric sighed in relief. "Do not go in the water." He said. Ariel blinked. "Um... what?" She watched in concern as he sat with a grunt, pulling Melody into his lap. "My ships came back today, we think we may have worked out the problem," Ariel cast a look out to sea, smiling as her sisters popped up, followed by her father. "What is it?" Eric seemed to freeze for a moment as he glanced out. "Honey?" She clicked her fingers. "Oh. There"s been a huge oil spill. About 50 miles out. Maybe... 20, 25 miles from Atlantica? We think that might be it,"
Ariel turned to face her father, as he began speaking. "Ariel, my daughter. As much as I would love to talk with you and my beautiful granddaughter, I must go. After weeks of searching, we have found the cause of our ailment." Ariel"s brain felt as though it were being pulled in six different directions with all this information. "Hi daddy," She began. "Eric"s ships returned today, with the exact same answer... I hope. There"s been an oil spill, did you say?" She turned to her husband.
"Yes. Around 20 miles out of Atlantica. I don"t know much about Ariel"s aquatic side, or how it"s affected, but I"m hoping that is the problem,"
Ariel watched nervously as her father"s eyes darkened. "You hope? What does that mean, young man?" She began to bite her nail with a sigh. "In that, it can be fixed and remedied. My ships have sorted many an oil spill. I have already dispatched more ships to clear it up. They will be leaving Blåvandshuk within the hour. Due to the size, the British Navy have also dispatched some ships from Lowestoft Ness to assist, and so have the German navy from Wilhelmshaven."
Ariel sighed softly. "Well... if the spill is cleared and we grow well again, I shall pass my thanks," Ariel shot a glare to her father, who sighed with an eye roll. "Again... but for now, thank you... for your help," Ariel nodded. "Well... how about when the spill has been cleared, Melody and I come into the sea for real? You can meet us when everybody is better?"
With the nods and smiles of her ailing sisters, Ariel stood with a small sigh, leaning against the wall of the lagoon subtly. If she didn"t make it back to her bed soon, she was definitely going to pass out. She cleared her throat quietly. "If I may, I believe Melody needs changing. So, I will bid you farewell until soon," She smiled warmly, despite her wavering vision. "Stay safe," Her father smiled.
Along the walk, where Eric held Melody, he placed an arm around Ariel"s shoulder. "You"re gonna pass out soon, aren"t you?" He said softly with a smile. She cast a look at their daughter, who was fighting to keep her eyes open. "Probably not as quickly as she is," She chuckled.