Disclaimer: I don't own TLM. I do own this plot.

32

The sky above the wedding ship was an endless expanse of blue. Citizens of the seaside kingdom would once have said that it was a good sign, an omen of the struggle free reign to come. Now, however, with the knowledge of just who their soon to be queen was, they knew the weather was not only an omen for the future but an indication of the brides fathers mood. The Sea King was just as overjoyed by the day's occasion as the citizens about to gain a queen, and the redheaded woman who was about to gain a husband.

Ariel waited anxiously in her cabin, attended by the royal seamstress and Carlotta as they arranged and rearranged the voluminous white skirts of her dress. At several points throughout the day, and the past six months, she had expected to wake up and find that everything had been a dream, and that she had truly been taken by the Sea Witch and was serving out her end of the barging in miserable isolation. But she never woke to find this and, as her wedding grew nearer and nearer, she forgot her worries, having room in her mind only for joy and excitement.

Finally, she would be marrying Eric.

The first few days after Ursula and the pirate's defeat had been difficult. Nobody knew what to think of Ariel. They had seen many strange things that day, some wonderful and some terrible. Eric had stood firmly by her side, proclaiming that this changed nothing and that just because they knew the truth now did not mean that it changed the past. And slowly people had come forward and remembered things that Ariel had done for them and others. They remembered who she had been and saw her for what she was. Incredibly, they accepted her for it. Jared the baker, Harold the fisherman and new village leader, and Ned the head groomsman had been among some of the more outspoken alongside Carlotta and much of the palace staff.

The wedding had been delayed following the grand reveal, giving time for debates among those in seats of power but eventually life had settled down, people realizing that Eric had the final say in the matter and they in no way wanted to incur the ire of their future king. Ariel secretly thought that the prudish advisors would accept her if she came from the Underworld so long as she was royalty.

Ariel had experienced her first winter on land—a fantastic mixture of a white wonderland and bone deep chill—during which time the wedding planning had proceeded. The event planners had altered the venue to reflect the new queens homeland and to allow her people to attend. Ariel knew that, at this very moment, her father and sisters and all of her friends from Atlantica were gathering in the waters around the ship, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Nobody could have asked for a more beautiful spring day for the ceremony to take place on. Almost an entire year, Ariel realized. Eric and I have known each other almost a year. Crazy as it seemed, she had known she wanted to marry him for most of that time and now she would get the chance.

There was a knock on the door and the event coordinator opened it and peered inside.

"It's time," she said.

Ariel had never attended a wedding before. She had always thought that she would attend her six older sisters weddings before even considering one of her own and yet here she was, walking down an aisle of onlookers in a beautiful white dress as she approached the priest at the end. She had been overwhelmed when she'd first come to the start of the aisle. There had been so much to see. The polished deck of the large ship was lined with an ornate carpet running the length of the aisle, while white wooden chairs were set up on either side, boasting a large variety of people. The council members were in attendance as were Princess Namine of Karacarta and her family. Ali Abul and his wife (who had graciously made the trip to them once their peace convoy was derailed) were there and so were the duke and duchess of Cavernat and many other lords and ladies. Among the extravagant array of money and power villagers could be seen too. Ariel had personally extended an invitation to Jared and his family, Groomsman Ned and many of the villagers from the poor ravaged village she had been taken from months before. As she walked down the aisle she thought that their bright smiles were as beautiful as any sumptuous dress that the noble ladies were wearing.

Attendance to the event was not limited to those on the deck, however. The sea beyond the ship was crowded with smaller vessels carrying passengers wanting to bear witness to her and Eric's union. And directly surrounding the wedding ship and crowding into every available space between the other ships, were the sea folk. Merpeople of all shapes and sizes crowded close to the human ship, overwhelmed by the novelty of the situation as well as the huge presence of humanity that they had never before experienced. Many other sea creatures were also in attendance. Ariel had caught sight of many of the patrons of the old reprobate music club she had crashed many years before while bringing music back to Atlantica. Her father and sisters were easily spotted among the masses, alongside Flounder and Sebastian, smiling broadly and waving energetically when they caught sight of her. Her father's face was a mixture of pride and sorrow as he watched Ariel's future unfold before her.

While Ariel took note of all these details her appraisal of them was fleeting for, once she caught sight of Eric waiting for her at the end of the aisle, nothing else mattered. He was all she needed on this day, after all. They ceremony could have been taking place on the weathered deck of Harold's old fishing boat for all she cared, so long as he was there. And he looked splendid.

Ariel had seen Eric in many different uniforms and styles of clothing over the months of their acquaintance but never before had she seen him look so regal and handsome and hers. He met Ariel's eyes at the opposite end of the aisle and broke into a dazzling smile, which she felt herself mirror. The day had been long anticipated by both of them and she knew, looking at him, that his own emotions mirrored her own. Happiness and appreciation and love all showed plainly on his face as he watched her approach. When at last she laid her hand on his she felt complete.

"You look beautiful, my love," Eric whispered as he led her to stand before the short, old priest. Ariel gave him an appreciative smile before turning her attentions to their officiate as he began the ceremony that would tie their lives together.

"Dearly beloved…"

One Year Later

Ariel sighed happily as she looked out at the sea beyond the palace grounds. She had been out here for some time now, admiring how the moonlight sparkled off the lapping waves, twinkling like crystals in firelight. She found herself in this particular spot on a few occasions over the past year, usually when her mind was swimming with thoughts and concerns, or when she had experienced something that day that she wished she could tell her father or sisters. She saw her family on occasion, they made the long journey to the palace every few months and would spend time catching Ariel up on things back in Atlantica. So far she had missed her oldest sister, Attina's, engagement to a prince (a second son) of a distant kingdom. She was excited in light of her future and so Ariel was for her, too.

Today had been fraught with bickering over the new alliance being contracted between the merpeople of Ariel's birthplace and the kingdom she now ruled. King Triton had agreed to the alliance, willing to negotiate safe passages and rich upwelling in certain areas along the coast in exchange for more sustainable fishing practices and a complete cessation of intentional pollution. Ariel was the go-between, fighting for the rights of both parties involved.

It was a grueling process, one that left her mentally and physically exhausted at the days end but also highly satisfied.

Ariel had taken to her queenly duties better than anyone had anticipated with the exception of Eric. He swore up and down that he had known all along that she was meant for the job and that she was better at being queen than he was at being king. Ariel usually just rolled her eyes at him and answered with the customary "of course you did, honey" before continuing on with her business.

As with life as a human, and being queen, Ariel had taken to married life with ease and finesse. She loved waking up beside Eric each morning and seeing him as she drifted off to sleep at night. They worked well together. They had their occasional disagreements—every couple did—but they found their way back to each other every time. Mostly they lived inside a happy bubble of new marital bliss, giving off an air of contentment and joy that seemed to rub off on everyone around them.

The kingdom was flourishing, even in the one year since their marriage, due to a combination of finally having a king back on the throne and improved foreign relations both land and sea based.

At eighteen years old Ariel had everything she could ever have dreamed of while growing up. She could never forget her life in Atlantica but the memories of it grew further away as new memories of her life on land filled her mind and soul.

Ariel knew Eric was there before he even spoke. She'd grown very attuned to his presence over their two years together. He stepped into place beside her and draped an arm over her shoulders, bringing her closer to his side as a chilly wind blew in off the water.

"What are you thinking about, love?" Eric's quiet voice broke through her reflections a few moments later.

"Nothing," she shrugged. "Everything."

He chuckled. "Those are two very different things," he pointed out.

"Thinking about life," she clarified for him. "About how its changed since I met you. How it continues to change."

"Should I be worried?" he teased. He knew that he was in no danger of losing her. She frequently told him so.

"Of course not," she responded mechanically. "The change has been good so far. I can only imagine that it will get better."

Eric raised his other hand, angling himself towards his wife more so that he could place the hand on the gentle curve of her belly, recently exposed by a strong gust of wind molding her dress to her body.

"Sometimes I wonder how it can ever get better," he informed her. Ariel's eyes had been on his hand as it gently stroked the swell of her belly but she looked up to meet his eyes now.

Two years they had known each other and still she found herself taken aback by him. She wondered if that breathless excitement upon seeing him would ever fade.

She hoped not.

"Every time I wonder that it does."

The last time she had thought that to herself she had soon discovered she was pregnant. Ariel was five months gone now and, while still nervous about what the future held for them, neither of them could wait to welcome the newest addition to their small family.

"Well that is not something I will ever complain about," he assured her. "Come inside now," he said. "It is getting late and you need your rest. Your father should be here early tomorrow." Ariel grew excited at the reminder. Her father had last visited three months before—before Ariel knew she was expecting—and tomorrow they would tell him the news.

As she and Eric made their way back to the palace Ariel began to imagine how the next day would play out. Her father would be so happy for them. There would be no sudden storms or choppy waves to surprise unsuspecting sailors tomorrow. No, the day would be beautiful and the sky would be an endless expanse of bright blue as the sea king celebrated in his new grand-fatherhood.

With her love at her side and the knowledge that she would see her father in the morning, Ariel allowed herself to be escorted back inside, mind finally at ease as she felt complete and utter contentment wash over her once more.

The End

This concludes the story "Under the Bright Blue Endless Sky". Thank you all for sticking with me on this journey. Your support and wonderful reviews helped make this possible. I had fun taking Ariel and Eric through what I imagined their story to be and I hope you did too.

Until next time,

NightWrighter511