Flipping Your Fins:

On one windy grey morning, among a beautiful seaside kingdom in Denmark, in a rustic yet homely old castle, two young lovers set about preparing for a very exciting day.

Prince Eric dusted off a nice, robust pair of boots, smiled at them, and then set them down on the table in front of his love. "There we go. If we're going out to sea, you're gonna need a pair of these", he advised, before setting about tying his own laces.

His redheaded fiancee picked up the worn pair of shoes and scrutinized them closely from the chair she was sitting in, taking in every detail in a way that most people wouldn't. "I'm gonna lie to you, Eric. I don't think I like these things very much", she admitted.

Eric glanced back at her and smiled easily. "I figured you wouldn't. I know you like walking around barefoot and feeling the grass, but these boots will keep you from sliding around the deck", he informed her.

Ariel nodded, accepting that bit of wisdom that she already knew. "Yeah, but they also make you drown faster", she added, explaining herself a bit better.

At that remark, Eric paused, mulling over what he just heard. "I suppose that's true. They help keep you from falling overboard, but they also weigh you down in the water and make it harder to swim", he acknowledged.

"So it's a bit of a trade-off then?", Ariel reckoned, making an observation as she slipped the brown, worn boots designed for men onto her slender feet.

"Yeah, I guess", Eric considered. "You know, you don't really have to wear them if you don't want to. A regular pair of shoes ought to work just fine", he offered, willing to compromise.

Ariel's head snapped up, with her eyebrows raising a bit in surprise. "Oh, no, no, no. It's not that big a deal. And you're the sailing expert, so I'll take your word for it", she clarified; she didn't want to give her boyfriend the wrong idea that she was more apprehensive than she actually was.

Over the last few months, Ariel had learned quite a bit about human stamina. They were generally great swimmers, but they couldn't swim great distances for a long amount of time before they became tired out and ran the risk of drowning. They also didn't have the same amount of upper body strength that merpeople did. Some of her Atlantean strength had carried over to her new human form, and despite the considerable size difference between them, there was a chance that Ariel was actually a good bit stronger than Eric. She hadn't tested out that theory yet, but the more mischievous side of the former mermaid looked forward to doing that.

On this particular morning, Prince Eric was fulfilling one of several requests he got from his citizens each year. He was going to board a cargo ship carrying food and supplies, and spend a few days traveling to the next city and back so he could monitor activity in the shipping lanes firsthand. He had plenty of free time on his hands, and he had always enjoyed spending time at sea, so he was completely onboard with making this trip - and his new fiancee was tagging along with him.

Once they had their boots laced and secured (and Ariel finished straightening out the sleeves on her favorite, practical blue dress), the two teenagers went about getting the rest of their affairs in order with Grimsby and Carlotta before they left the palace - they wouldn't be back for several days, after all.

"So, how long have you known these men?", Ariel questioned curiously.

"Oh, I've known most of the crew for years. They've practically watched me grow up", Eric figured, thinking back nostalgically to a time when he was much more impressionable and inexperienced, learning his way around a ship.

"And, um, how many of them know I used to be a mermaid?", Ariel broached, referring to the rumors that had been circulating around the kingdom about the prince's new fiancee ever since his aborted wedding to 'Vanessa'. She wanted to know what to expect early on, as she stepped into the unknown.

Eric rubbed his chin, considering that question. "Probably around half. But only a few of them are superstitious. You'll probably get stranger looks because you're a girl learning how to sail", he figured.

Ariel raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Really? Why is that?", she asked.

As he realized what sort of topic they had wandered into, Eric's cheeks blushed a bit awkwardly. "Well... it goes against tradition. There are women out there who are sailors, and mighty fine ones at that, but for the most part, it's something that's left up to the men. There are even a few sailors out there who think it's bad luck to have a woman onboard a ship", Eric explained, chuckling a bit at how silly that last superstition sounded, clarifying an aspect of human society that Ariel had noticed herself in the past.

Eric had been worried that his spunky, adventurous girlfriend would react negatively to that new discovery about humankind, but instead she looked about as amused as he did as she chewed that new information over. "Well, if a woman learning how to sail is a novelty, then I'll just have to try extra hard not to fall overboard", she resolved, half-joking and half-serious about wanting to prove herself.

Ariel was used to being the odd one out of a group. Back home, she was the only one who didn't follow all of her father's rules and swallow all of his prejudices without question - who ventured far beyond Atlantica's borders, into the unknown, to learn more about the outside world instead of blindly fearing it. Then she was the only mermaid in a land filled with thousands of humans, drawing plenty of strange looks her way as she tried to soak up every bit of new knowledge she could find. By comparison, she could deal with the awkwardness of being the only woman on a ship full of men for a few days.

There was a reason why Ariel was tagging along on this trip, besides wanting to spend time with her loving, adorable boyfriend and experience another exciting rite of passage as a human woman. Ariel was still training herself for the new position she would have soon. She wanted to learn every aspect of how the coastal kingdom was run - from the farmer's market to the school system - and the docks and the shipping routes (which brought travelers in and out of their lands every single week) were a major component of it. As Eric's future princess, she wasn't traditionally expected to be knowledgeable in all of these areas, but she didn't want to be the sort of monarch who was only around to give him heirs. She wanted the two of them to be a team. She wanted to be able to help her husband make big decisions regarding the kingdom's welfare, and make big decisions of her own in his absence if she ever had to.

Beyond that, the couple would be spending the next few days at sea: the beautiful, mysterious, briny force of nature that covered most of the world - her childhood home. She had gladly traded her fins for legs so she could live a human life and carve out a future for herself on land, and she was enjoying it highly, but she could never give up the sea entirely. It was a part of her, as much as the blood running through her veins, and she would always feel a bit of a connection to it.

Once they had packed their bags with clothes and said goodbye to their friends for the time being, the two lovebirds stepped outside the castle into the courtyard, so they could load up their carriage and ride into town. Eric's faithful, rambunctious sheepdog, Max, accompanied them, running around their legs the whole time, excited by the prospect of getting out of the palace grounds for a few days. Ariel giggled at his antics and couldn't resist giving him a good rub on his fluffy head, as the dog barked and yipped with his tail wagging, leading them to their transport.

The two humans were quiet for a spell, since Eric seemed to be thinking about something, his brow furrowing in concentration, until finally one of them spoke up.

"To be honest, Ariel... I'm a little worried about this trip myself", Eric admitted, catching his girlfriend's attention. "I've tried to prepare you for this, but the sea can be wild and dangerous and unpredictable. It's taken a lot of experienced sailors, and you've only been human for a few months now", Eric considered, voicing his inner doubts for the first time, fretting over potential risks to his girlfriend's safety.

Once she caught his drift a few seconds later, the former mermaid smiled a little. He was getting worked up over nothing of course, but she couldn't help but be a little touched at another display of how sweet her boyfriend could be. The redhead stepped forward and rested a reassuring hand on his arm, turning his attention towards her, before she leaned in and gave him a gentle, loving peck on the cheek. Once she pulled away, the human prince raised an appreciative hand to his cheek where her lips had just been, blushing a bit bashfully.

"Eric, don't worry, I'll be fine. I know my legs a lot better now than I used to", she promised him. "And besides, if anything does happen, Max is really good at helping people float", she remarked, gesturing towards the wagging sheepdog at her legs, watching them with a broad smile. And the furry workdog barked right after she spoke, almost as though he was eagerly agreeing with her.

Eric's expression relaxed and the raven-haired teenager smiled more easily, his lips curling upwards as he took in two of the most important figures in his life - one of whom had only just recently found a place in his heart, but was clearly there to stay. "Alright then. Let's get going", he decided, clasping Ariel's shoulder before he went to load up their bags in the back.

((()-()))

On the other side of the kingdom, at the nippy, foggy docks, one moderately sized ship was about ready to set sail. The weather was just starting to improve - the fog was letting up and the clouds were just beginning to dissipate - which hopefully meant the sun would be visible in the sky soon. The crew of the wooden vessel was working tirelessly to get the sails and the rigging in the right positions, yawning and shaking off any early morning fatigue they might have had as they set about the same old grind.

Two sailors in particular seemed a bit distracted compared to the others. The older one, Hans, kept glancing at his younger friend, Johan, scrutinizing him, despite the man's best attempts to ignore him and focus on his work. Every once in a while though, Hans would catch Johan looking at him and inadvertently meeting his gaze out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you still holding steady there, lad?", Hans inquired, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine", Johan replied, frowning dismissively, as he worked on tying a knot.

"Are you sure about that?", his skeptical friend pressed.

"Perfectly sure. Trust me on this", Johan insisted, finally meeting his older friend's scrutiny with a minor frown, before giving him a disarming, reassuring smile. His friend, however, still didn't look like he believed him. Not one bit.

But before Hans could say anything else and push the matter further, the men around them started to chatter loudly and call to each other, getting each others' attention, before they ran to the edge of the ship to look over the starboard side at something in droves. Which could only mean one thing - their visitors had arrived.

Sure enough, two teenagers and a dog were strolling along the harbor, appearing out of the fog. The prince was whistling contentedly, enjoying the windy weather, while his dog barked and dashed around excitedly, and his redheaded girlfriend looked all around them with wide, appreciative eyes, trying to take in all the details of the ships they were passing by.

One of the men, Jakob, waved at the approaching duo. "Oho, there he is! Ahoy there, lad!", the mariner called, ribbing the seafaring prince that most of the men were well-acquainted with - either from seeing him around the village, or traveling with him on a few voyages.

Eric took the brash welcome in good spirits, and waved back vigorously with a rakish smile. "Ahoy, old man!", he replied, chuckling. Eric always enjoyed spending time with the sailors in the village. He was their prince but they didn't feel intimidated by that difference in their social standing, nor did they resent him for it. When he was younger, they saw the love he had for the sea, the potential he had to be a fine mariner someday, and they encouraged it, taught him everything they knew as he grew into his own. Nowadays, they treated him like he was one of them, a salt in the making.

In another minute's time, Ariel and Eric ambled up the gangplank, taking long, brisk strides, while Max dashed ahead of them out of impatience - boarding the vessel and leaving solid land behind them in favor of their temporary quarters for the next few days. Once they were there, the men stepped forward, ready to swarm Eric with hearty welcomes, firm handshakes, a few pats on the back, and a few comments about how he was still expected to earn his room and board for the week, when they paused where they stood. Now that they were all up close, the crew members got their first good look at his companion: the redheaded lass in a blue dress he was courting. The girl who had been close by his side for the last two months, who was standing beside the prince at the moment, looking at them curiously yet a tad trepidatiously, waiting on their reaction.

"Hi", she spoke up, waving at the men with a sincere yet self-conscious smile.

Eric chuckled and, with his hands resting on his hips, glanced between his girlfriend and the seamen. "Fellows, this is Ariel, my fiancee", he introduced her formally, tilting his head towards his lover with pride.

With that introduction out of the way, Ariel stepped forward, closer to the rugged sailors, so she could say her part. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you, especially since you're Eric's friends. I'm sure you're all very nice people, with plenty of stories to tell between you", she remarked, taking some initiative so she could talk to the mariners, face-to-face, and maybe break the ice. She hoped that overtime she could befriend these men.

Blinking, Jakob cleared his throat and pushed onwards. He figured he had stared at the young lady just long enough to be rude, and he wanted to be the first one to put his two cents in now that it was their move. Closing the gap between them, he took Ariel's hand in his own and gave it a firm, accommodating shake, pleasantly surprising the former mermaid and her boyfriend.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, lass. We heard old Eric finally found himself a girl, someone special, but none of us really quite believed it until now. I'm guessing he's mighty lucky", he reckoned, letting the earnest teenager know she was very welcome onboard their voyage as her features melted into a more relaxed and relieved expression.

And just like that, the awkward pause in their reception was over. The other men followed Jakob's lead and stepped forward to greet Ariel - shaking her hand, patting her on the back and getting the measure of her - while a few others roped in Eric and brought him up to speed on everything he might have missed since they saw him last. The leader of the sailors, Captain Halivor, stepped to the front of the crowd to greet the duo, shaking Ariel's hand and giving Prince Eric a respectful nod of the head.

Pretty soon, once they had all been reacquainted with each other, the captain ordered the men to resume their usual positions and finish sorting out the ropes, and Prince Eric, wanting to pitch in, wasted no time making himself useful. In another twenty minutes, the ship was officially ready to set sail and leave the docks, disembarking for a different shore, while Ariel beamed away, looking all around her in wonder.

((()-()))

About an hour later, Ariel walked along the deck, observing the men hard at work, zipping across the deck all around her. She swayed a little and readjusted herself every time the ship rose and dipped with a particularly big wave, giggling at the sensation. Ariel was well accustomed to having a strong pair of human legs at this point, but there was quite a difference between walking around dry, solid land with them, and walking on the wet, slippery deck of a boat (that would occasionally list unexpectedly to the side) with them. She had a pretty good idea now why sailors liked to wear boots for traction, and Eric had lightheartedly promised her that every man and woman who spent a lot of time at sea would eventually adjust and get their 'sea legs'.

Grabbing the railing of the ship, she decided to satisfy her curiosity and peered over the edge, at the deep, briny, blue mass of water beneath them that were all traveling across. The seemingly endless, enigmatic domain that would stretch on for miles out of sight, reaching depths humans could barely even fathom, with temperatures they could never survive. She smiled at the familiar, welcoming sight.

She glanced back at the men working behind her, the sailors who constantly pulled on the rigging, adjusting the sails with the wind to steer them in the right direction on their journey (while the captain manned the wheel), making sure they didn't get the ropes crossed or tangled in the process. Among them, Prince Eric focused diligently on his task, gelling well with the other, older men, while occasionally taking a moment to admire the misty, cloudy sky above them whenever he could. Considering the humans seemed to have a pretty complex (and efficient) system when it came to traveling around, Ariel was impressed by how easily her boyfriend took to it, how much of a natural he was from years of practice. It was one of several things she found attractive about him.

Ariel had been living with Prince Eric and his servants in the palace for two months now. They could have gotten married any time they wanted to, but to everyone's surprise, it was Ariel who suggested they wait a while to take that next big step in their relationship. Becoming Eric's wife meant more than just tying herself to the man she loved and trusted for the rest of her life, it also meant becoming a princess - someone people turned to for leadership and guidance - to a kingdom she knew almost nothing about.

Ariel was the daughter of the sea king, but back home, she was also the youngest of seven siblings and she was never expected to actually rule Atlantica, so she didn't have much in the way of royal duties. The human world was much less of a mystery to her these days, and she was adjusting to it rapidly, more and more each day, but there was still a lot about human society and the human experience that she had to learn.

All her life, Ariel had been pretty impulsive: taking risks for the sake of discovery, rushing into big decisions without really thinking about the consequences, trusting it would all work out for the best in the end. Eventually, that way of thinking led her to make a deal with Ursula, that horrible, evil woman who used her and exploited her and tried to kill her friends and family. It very nearly cost her dearly. King Triton and Prince Eric had already long since forgiven Ariel for that close encounter: to them there had been nothing to forgive, especially with her father's own wrongdoings weighing on his conscience. But for Ariel, the mermaid wondered how long it would be before she could truly forgive herself for what happened.

Marrying Eric, the man she loved, and becoming a princess to a kingdom of people who had been nothing but kind to her and accepting of her since she first appeared on their shores, was a big deal to Ariel. She wouldn't be rushing into this one, she would take the time to do it properly. She had talked things over with Eric and Grimsby, and even though the prince was just as impulsive as she was, and just as eager to tie the knot, they eventually agreed to postpone the wedding for a few months, so that Ariel could have time to be trained about the intricacies of human society - everything she might need to know going forward. Ever since then, there were times when Ariel grew a bit impatient, since there were apparently limitations on what she and Eric could or couldn't do yet. But for the most part, she was certain she had made the right choice in the long run - and in a month's time, they were due to trade vows.

Navigating his way across the deck, making sure he didn't get in any of the crew members' path, Max padded over in Ariel's direction, barking and yipping happily, his fluffy tail wagging away. Ariel knew the sheepdog quite well by now, and she knew what canines enjoyed on a warm morning, so it only took her a moment to guess that he wanted a good scratch behind the ears. With a contented smile on her face, she was happy to oblige, bending down to do so.

While she was showing the faithful, playful pet some affection, one of the crew members passing by paused where he stood and looked over in her direction. He eyed her up and down in quiet fascination, staring a bit longer than what was socially acceptable, even though he didn't want to be rude.

When she caught on to the man's presence, she met his gaze and stood up straight in attention, her own curiosity piqued. "Oh, hi there. Can I help you with something?", she offered, clearing her throat a bit.

Feeling a bit awkward and embarrassed, now that he had been caught staring, the man named Hans paused and hesitated a bit, worrying he would sound utterly daft, before he spoke what was on his mind. "Are you really a mermaid, lass?", he questioned.

Ariel's perplexed expression eased back and lightened up, as she realized that was what this sudden, awkward conversation was about. "Well, I'm a human girl now, with a brand new set of legs that I'm really enjoying. But yes, for most of my life, I've been a mermaid", Ariel answered honestly, putting herself out there.

The man tilted his head a bit. Even though he was the one who brought up the matter, he was clearly skeptical of her answer; the superstitious side of him was at war with the more rational side of the mariner. And honestly, the former mermaid wasn't offended by that reaction, since her kind were apparently a thing of myths and fairy tales to humans.

"I'm telling you the truth", she assured him, looking more than a bit amused as she folded her arms. "I can tell you about all the different kinds of plants and fish that live under the sea, if you like, and all the deepest ravines", she offered, leaning back against the railing, getting comfortable.

On the other side of the deck, Eric had just received a rope from one of the men and was just in the process of tying it to a post, when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, one of the crew members was talking to Ariel. She had finally started to make conversation with one of them. His curiosity piqued now, he couldn't help keeping an eye out on what they were doing as he went about his work.

"Well, if you had all that at your beck and call, lass, all of the seven seas to explore, why did you give it all up and come here of all places?", Hans wondered, asking the next logical question about a rather outlandish idea.

Ariel's expression brightened even further and she threw a quick, cursory glance around the deck, scanning its contents. "To be honest, voyages like this one are what drew me on land", she confessed.

"Men built this ship. piece by piece, to get a job done. You travel across the sea for days, and none of you have any guarantee that you'll be coming home safely, but you do it anyway, to bring food and supplies and weapons to provide for your families and keep the kingdom running smoothly. I think that kind of bravery and creativity is incredible, and there are so many other man-made marvels like that up here", Ariel explained appreciatively, recalling the years she spent secretly collecting human artifacts so she could learn more about the brave new world above her head.

Hans scratched the back of the neck, smiling amiably as he thought that speech over. "Well, you make it sound a wee bit more glamorous than it actually is, lass", he reckoned.

Ariel chuckled and bobbed her head, bending down to give Max's ears another good scratch. "Yeah, I have a habit of doing that. I guess that's the difference between being born in a culture, and admiring it from afar", she conceded, having fun talking to the man freely now that the ice was broken between them.

The man hummed in thought and slipped his hands into his pockets, but he found he couldn't disagree with that notion. Ariel still wasn't sure if he actually believed what she was saying, but he was definitely willing to hear it out and consider it with an open mind, and she was completely okay with that.

On the other side of the deck, Eric smiled at the sight of his girlfriend coming out of her shell, being her usual self, and turned away so he could get back to work.

((()-()))

A little while later, Ariel strolled up to the men at work, walking among them, getting a closer look at the sailing process. She stopped next to one of them, a fellow named Lars, and watched him run a long line of rope through his hands, keeping it steady, helping to control their journey along with his shipmates. Beaming away, silently wishing herself luck, she stepped forward to approach him.

"Hi there", she greeted chipperly.

The sailor turned his head her way, noticing her for the first time, and smiled in return, nodding his head. "Oh, hello, miss", he replied.

"I see you're working the rigging. That's the mizzensail you're controlling, isn't it?", Ariel asked, scrunching her eyebrows a bit as she looked up and scrutinized the large, white tarp above them - recognizing it from the designs and models she'd seen of ships over the last two months.

"Aye, lass, that's my position", the man confirmed proudly, glancing at the sail under his care.

Ariel glanced between the man and the flapping, blustering sail again. Over the last two months, she had learned to reign in her enthusiasm a bit and be casual about her requests to try out brand new things. That was the best way to avoid getting weird looks, and avoid coming off as inconsiderate. "...Do you think I could have a go at trying to steer it?", she asked, smiling excitedly.

The man paused and glanced at her in surprise, completely caught off guard by that request, for a variety of reasons.

"If I can. If it's not allowed, or if you might get in trouble with the captain for it, I'll understand", she added quickly, just in case she was overstepping any boundaries.

The man hesitated, staying quiet for another moment, and looked her over thoughtfully, clearly weighing the potential risks in his mind, before something in his eyes clicked and Ariel knew he had made his decision.

"No miss, there shouldn't be a problem with trying it out for a minute, so long as we're careful. Come here, I'll talk you through it", he decided, his confidence slowly returning as he settled on his choice. He beckoned the former mermaid to step forward, and the redhead's face positively lit up.

Following the sailor's instructions, Ariel got into position, grabbed onto the end of the rope with the man, and listened closely to everything he had to tell her, knowing it was vital and important. "Now, you'll have to be mindful of the other men here, if you want to avoid getting the lines crossed, miss. It's a devil of a time getting them untangled", he warned her, and the redhead nodded, biting her lip in concentration.

On the other end of the deck, Eric was in the middle of helping a group of men keep the mainsail steady, as a particularly large gust of wind blew across the ship, giving them a burst of speed, when he noticed for the first time that his girlfriend had joined Lars in trying to man one of the sails, and he once again tilted his head to the side as he tried to make out what they were doing.

"Now, you'll want to give it some slack, lass, but not too much slack. Don't let it slip out of yer hands, and try to move with the wind", Lars advised, as the redheaded teenager who seemed to have taken an interest in sailing followed him around, copying his movements with an anxious yet gleeful expression.

There was a tense moment or two where Ariel thought she might trip on the wet deck or bump into the man's back, but after a minute or two passed without incident, she giggled, glancing up at the magnificent sails and started to relax, marveling at the experience she was having. After years of admiring ships crossing the sea, she was actually onboard one, helping the men make it sail, learning how they worked from experience - and it was fantastic.

Eric smiled, feeling rather proud and happy for his girlfriend, before he turned away back to his task. He knew that no matter how self-conscious she felt, when it came to new experiences, it was only a matter of time before she dipped her toes into the water - and pretty soon, she would be diving in all the way.

A moment later, something else peculiar caught his eye. Apparently, one of the other men was being scolded by his shipmates because he was having trouble paying attention and minding his step. Odd.

((()-()))

Sometime later, around midday, Ariel bent over a desk and narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the sheets of paper she had been provided with by her host. She had stepped inside the captain's quarters to speak to Halivor about the reason why she tagged along on this trip in the first place: educating herself about the shipping lanes and the lifeblood of Eric's kingdom.

The maps and charts that were laid out before her, they all matched up with the reports and private records that were kept inside Eric's palace, detailing the voyages that ships made in and out of the kingdom each month, for every year - some to very close destinations, others to completely different kingdoms or nations. The captain had also provided her with a list of his ship's usual inventory. As a simple cargo ship, they carried a nice assortment of things - paper, ink, furniture, weapons, gunpowder, clothes - everything settlers and countrymen would need to survive across the land. Other ships carried food and water across the seas - merchandise, supplies and rations.

"So, this is your usual route? The one we're on right now?", she asked the man inquisitively, pointing at a long, thin line that had been traced on the map.

The man stepped forward to see if she was looking in the right spot and nodded his head. "Yep, it's one of the fastest routes to the next city, with some of the lowest chances you have of being harassed", he confirmed proudly.

Ariel glanced at him, her excited expression faltering as a bit of concern etched itself onto her forehead. "By 'harassed', do you mean pirates?", she asked hesitantly.

The captain nodded again, his expression hardening in resentment. "Aye, lass, those fiends. Forget all those stories about sirens and sea monsters. The most dangerous thing you'll find out here in these waters is your fellow man, a brigand with plenty of greed in his heart. He'll kill you in an instant for the right price", he scowled, and Ariel felt a small lump form in the back of her throat.

Oh, she knew quite well how dangerous pirates could be. Ariel had a lot of respect for human beings and the things they created by hand, but she was under no delusion that all of them were completely benign angels - not after what happened to her mother, a long, long time ago.

Still, she wasn't going to let those grim thoughts about her family's loss cloud her day, so she shook her head to banish them away and focus on the matter at hand. This voyage was an opportunity for her to learn more about how she and her boyfriend could help out the men who were the backbone of their community, perhaps by trying harder to track down pirates and capture them in the coming years.

"Well, thank you for showing me all this, captain. Do you mind if I keep a copy of your map, so I can study it?", she asked, turning around and shaking the man's hand.

"Not at all, lass. By all means, hang onto it if you think it'll help", the captain answered, smiling as the redheaded teenager who was going to be the prince's wife in a month's time collected one of of his maps.

With a nod of the head, the sailor in charge and the former mermaid bid each other adieu, and Ariel left the captain to his devices as she stepped out into the hallway. Walking through the ship, towards the stairs, she decided to head back up-top, so she could spend the rest of the day on the deck.

As she was doing that, she crossed paths with a fairly brusque man, and she gave the sailor plenty of space to maneuver as he seemed to brush past her in a hurry. He was heading deeper into the ship, down towards the cabins. For a moment, she wondered what he was popping down there for, before she shrugged her shoulders and decided it was none of her business, keeping on her way towards the stairs. In a moment's time, she was greeted with the bright sun above and a fresh, salty sea breeze on her face as she rejoined the men at work.

Meanwhile, the disgruntled mariner continued down to the deck below and strode down the hallway with a deep, wavering scowl on his face, his fingers clenched into fists at his sides. He found the door to his cabin, jerked it open and then closed it shut behind him. He was all alone for the time being, but there was no telling how long that would last.

Wasting no time, he dug out his satchel from beneath his barrack and pulled out a bottle of his whiskey, his secret stash. His hand was shaking slightly all the while as he discarded the cork, raised the bottle to his lips, and guzzled the heady, bubbly contents down, letting the alcohol slide down his throat into his belly.

Once he had taken a big, long, satiating gulp, he lowered the bottle with an unsteady arm and breathed outward, sighing and closing his eyes. The whiskey wouldn't make him forget - nothing could make him do that - but it could take some of the edge off. He just had to control himself for the rest of the day. He could surely manage that.

((()-()))

The sailors worked on through the day - busting their backs, monitoring the deep blue expanse around them, staying vigilant about steering their beloved vessel over the waves - until finally day turned to night. The sun sank below the horizon and the silvery moon rose above (ushering in the stars with it), the sky slowly turned black, and the sailors could all finally get some rest as they gently coasted along. A majestic, never-ending tapestry of stars painted the sky above, twinkling and shining away, filling every area in sight, while their gentle cosmic light reflected in the calm, still ocean surrounding the ship.

Most of the men were strewn out along the deck: some of them sitting and chatting, others were lying on their backs, while a few of them moved around freely. Prince Eric in particular was sitting at the bow of the ship, playing his recorder with his eyes closed, so he could really get the feel of the music he was creating - every serene note. Ever since he was a boy, growing up by the seaside, he had loved the sound of a flute, so he spent years learning how to play one. He had gotten a replacement recently, one he was still growing accustomed to, since he foolishly tossed away his old one for a bit of symbolism that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Eventually, the soulful, distinctive, solitary music drew his fiancee towards him, as the redhead sat down beside him on the deck. While the music stretched on, an introspective shanty she didn't recognize, Ariel leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder (the prince's lips twitching upwards as she did so, more than a bit happy about their intimacy), listening to him play with open ears. Finally, after another two minutes of the two enjoying themselves, enjoying being together, Eric finished and lowered the instrument from his lips, breathing outwards to catch his breath. He lowered his head and gave Ariel a quick, tender peck on the forehead, eliciting a quiet laugh from her.

"So, how did it go?", he asked her. Now that the day was over and the two teenagers had nothing else to do on their itinerary, he was genuinely curious.

"I'm glad I came. I learned a lot today, more than I expected", she answered honestly and happily, pulling away from him and resting back on the palms of her hands.

"Are you still worried about the future?", her boyfriend questioned, checking in on her concerns.

Ariel bit her lip, thinking that over, wanting to give him a genuine answer. "Maybe a little bit, but a lot less than I was before. I think… I can do this", she figured, after a moment's consideration.

Raising one eyebrow, chewing on her answer, Eric hummed a little bit in thought and pocketed his flute. "Well, just so you know, no one expects you to be a perfect ruler right away. It took me years of training to get where I am today, and I screwed up plenty of times in the past", Eric stated, giving her some reassurance.

Ariel glanced his way, her interest now piqued. "Really?", she asked.

"Yep", the prince replied, fessing up. With that said, Eric glanced around them at the other sailors on the deck, making sure none of the men were in earshot, so none of them would overhear the particularly embarrassing tale he had to share, before he divulged further about what he meant. Once he was sure they had some privacy for the time being, he cleared his throat rather awkwardly.

"When I was around thirteen or fourteen, we were holding this big gala at the palace - a party for visiting noblemen, dignitaries, delegates and monarchs. Some of them were friends of the family, and some of them I had never seen before in my life. Grimsby had been pressuring me for weeks to be on my best behavior - to show everyone courtesy and remember the proper etiquette. And well, you know me, I've never felt comfortable with that sort of thing. A lot of it went in one ear and out the other", Eric started, more than a bit sheepishly as he recalled his younger self's folly, while Ariel listened on in fascination, starting to get an idea of where he was going.

"Anyway, the big night finally rolled around. I was dressed-down from head to toe, I put on my best smile, I greeted everyone, I showed them all around, and I was bored out of my mind the whole time. Everything about that night was so shallow, pretentious and fake", Eric confessed, remembering that night with perfect clarity, while Ariel smiled in amusement.

"After an hour or two, my mind started to go numb to it all, when I was approached by a visiting king - this pompous, arrogant man, who rarely had anything kind to say about anyone. I think I was pretty short with him the whole time, and a bit snide whenever he made a comment, until he finally got fed up with my lip. He said I would shape up soon and treat him with the proper respect he deserved, or I could expect any and all trades between my kingdom and his to come to an end. And if I kept on, I could expect warfare to come knocking at my door", Eric recounted, frowning now.

Ariel blinked, several times in a row, and her jaw slowly sank down. "What?", she questioned in utter disbelief. "He threatened you… with war?", she repeated, blindsided.

"Oh yes, actual war", Eric confirmed, his brow set in a hard line. "As it turns out, my parents had dealt with him several times in the past, and they always hated it, because he is quite the tyrant who loves making threats - and following them up", the raven-haired teenager explained.

"And when he said that, it was probably the first time all night I had taken the gala seriously. I was terrified about what he might do and I was scrambling for a way to fix it, when Grim stepped in. He looked way calmer than he actually was; he smoothed the whole thing over and made me apologize for my rudeness, and just like that, the matter was dropped. When we were alone though… oof. I've only seen Grim that angry with me three times in my life, and let me tell you something, I'm not looking forward to a fourth time", Eric exclaimed, making light of that unpleasant memory.

Ariel chuckled in mild disbelief, looking the prince over with a smile, still processing everything she had just learned about her boyfriend's past.

Eric glanced at her. "Well, I'm glad to know you know think it's funny", he remarked, pretending to chide her, though he could hardly hide the smile tugging at the edge of his lips at his girlfriend's amusement, along with his own feelings about that crazy night in retrospect.

"Anyway, that scare did teach me something about why entertaining company and keeping the peace between a bunch of other noblemen on a power trip is important sometimes, almost as important as providing for my people", Eric remarked thoughtfully, leaning back on his palms like his girlfriend, relaxing on the deck.

"Were there any other incidents besides that one?", Ariel asked, more curious now than ever, since she was seeing a different side of her heroic boyfriend.

Eric winced a bit, no doubt thinking about another embarrassing memory from not too long ago, but the prince didn't sidestep the question when he easily could have, and he owned up to his shortcomings. "Oh yes", he confirmed, preparing to unfurl another story.

When Eric was around sixteen, he had been receiving plenty of requests from people in the village - ranging from buildings that needed to be repaired, more funding for the schoolhouse so the village kids could have a good education, and complications at the docks - so he wound up staying up late to get all the paperwork sorted out. Eventually, in his sleep deprivation, he got several of the papers mixed up when he sent them out, resulting in an unhelpful mess that took weeks to straighten out entirely. No one really held it against him, but Eric learned from that experience not to overwork himself and try to do too much in one day.

Once he was finished, Eric chuckled quietly and wistfully, a few visible breaths spilling from his lips in the cool night air, before he met his girlfriend's gentle gaze. "Making mistakes is a part of life, Ariel. It can't be helped, unfortunately. But what matters is how you learn from them and grow from them", he advised, imparting on her one of the best bits of wisdom he had to give. And the former mermaid was certainly touched by his words of encouragement, since she pulled him in for a tender, loving hug as she smiled affectionately.

However, just as they were about to separate with fond feelings and warm hearts, an odd, unexpected, disruptive noise caused them both to grow still in each other's arms - the sound of a loud, hard splash.

As the two lovers pulled away from each other, Ariel met Eric's gaze and slowly raised her eyebrow, confused. "Did you hear that?", she asked.

"Yeah", Eric confirmed, turning his head and looking around them, trying to find the source of the noise.

"What was that?", Ariel wondered aloud to herself, untangling herself from Eric's arms so she could get to her feet and look around.

While the most obvious explanation for the disruption would be a playful, rambunctious dolphin splashing around near the ship, that noise, that splash had been a bit too loud and a bit too close for it to be something that innocuous, that harmless. Something felt off. Even as Ariel looked around the darkened deck, noticing the other men had become alert and were doing the same, something uneasy rolled around in her gut, telling her something was wrong.

For a moment, things were eerily quiet - with nothing except the soft, creaking footsteps of men walking across the wooden floorboards, and the gentle lapping of seawater brushing against their vessel making a few sounds in the dark, stillness of night - until finally they finally heard another harsh splash break the water, followed by several other frantic splashes. After that there was a bunch of coughing and sputtering, reflexes from human lungs.

Once they realized what that meant, Ariel and Eric's eyes widened as fear set into both of them, and the two teenagers snapped to attention. They followed the noise across the deck, several other crew members right on their heels, until they reached a spot near the stern of the ship and threw their heads over the side of the railing, gazing down at the dark abyss below them.

Sure enough, several meters down, they saw a man - one of the ship's crew members - thrashing around in the ocean with his arms splaying everywhere, spitting out water and trying to stay afloat as he became fully aware of his poor situation and panic started to set in. One of the men had fallen over the side somehow. Ariel gasped in shock, Eric's eyes narrowed, and the sailors who surrounded the duo called out to the man in peril.

"MAN OVERBOARD!", a sea dog named Jorgen beckoned to his shipmates.

"JOHAN!", Hans yelled out in alarm, recognizing the distressed man right away as his younger friend. Ariel snapped her head and her panicked eyes in Hans' direction, quickly catching on to that detail, scrutinizing the sailor who seemed to know the man in danger.

Glancing down at the dark waters, getting a quick read on the situation, the captain's gaze hardened, knowing what needed to be done, and he turned around towards his subordinates. "Quick, men, don't just stand there gawking! Throw him a line!", he ordered sternly, taking charge in a moment's notice.

Though they were still rattled and concerned for their friend (since their relaxing, laidback night had just taken a sharp turn for the worst), the men quickly nodded their heads in compliance and ran to the other side of the ship, where bundles of spare rope were kept, so they could help the poor man before anything happened to him.

Moving as fast as they could, knowing time was of the essence, they returned with a thick, long line of rope, easily long enough to reach down into the briny deep, and handed it to the captain. Grunting, Captain Halivor tossed it over the side of the ship, down to their comrade. However, instead of grabbing onto the rope and holding it close to him as his lifeline, the man seemed to hardly acknowledge it. He was still thrashing around the water, panicking and spluttering, and barely keeping himself afloat properly - ignoring the path of salvation that was floating around near him.

"For god's sake, man! It's right there! Take it!", the captain ordered, growing concerned now as the man's uncharacteristic, borderline suicidal behavior carried on past the point of reason - clouding his judgment.

But despite the scolding his commander had given him, the sailor still acted like he hadn't heard him - barely registering his presence or that of the rope draped over the side of the ship. And to make matters worse, since the crew hadn't lowered their anchor for the night, the ship was still sailing onwards, slowly drifting further and further away from the hysterical, floundering man with every passing second. Unless someone thought of something else right that moment, they would run the risk of leaving him behind in the dark.

Eric's jaw set in grim determination and the teenage prince stepped back from the railing, making up his mind. "Okay, that's it, I'm going down there!", he decided, taking action himself before things could get any worse. He quickly bent down to untie the laces of his boots, so they wouldn't put him at risk while he was in the water.

But before he could finish doing that, his redheaded fiancee had already beaten him to it. Everyone had taken their eyes off her for the last minute, and Ariel could slip her slender feet out of her man-sized boots a lot faster than Eric could. Stepping back so she could get a good running start, Ariel narrowed her eyes and sprinted towards the railing at full speed.

Seeing her make her move out of the corner of his eye, realizing what she was about to do, Eric's eyebrows shot up in alarm. "Ariel!", he yelled out.

Without an ounce of fear, using all the momentum she had built up, Ariel made her jump. Once her feet left the deck and she flew over the side, into open air, Ariel threw her arms out in front of her and closed her eyes, diving down like the professional she was. She flew down headfirst into the slick, dark, fluid environment she had called her home for sixteen years, recognizing it as an old friend. She broke the water with a loud, sizable splash, choppy seawater kicking up against the ship afterwards. The men were caught off guard by her brash actions, staring down over the side with wide eyes, while Eric scouted every inch of the splash zone with his diligent vision until she surfaced again a second again - her hair and her clothes thoroughly drenched, but otherwise completely unharmed.

A big grin split her face as she realized her plan had worked without a hitch, and she glanced up at her fiance several meters above her. "I'm okay!", she reassured him, and from where she was, she could see his shoulders and his face muscles relax in silent relief.

Once that was taken care of, she turned around and focused her attention on the man she had come to rescue, gasping in alarm as she realized she was running out of time. Johan had just barely been treading water before, since his complete loss of composure meant he couldn't swim properly and buy himself time, and now he was starting to sink - his head dropping down under the water.

Acting quickly, Ariel got into the position, recalling the way human beings swam, and started to stroke her arms through the seawater beneath her, propelling herself through the ocean towards the drowning sailor, as she kicked herself forward with her legs at the same time. It took some effort, but pretty soon she was bearing down on the man, while his head slowly sank down below the water line, inch by inch.

Up on deck, the captain, his crewmates and Eric were all doing their part. They busted their backs and raced to lower the ship's anchor as quickly as they could, rooting their vessel in one spot to stop them from drifting any further away from the two people in the water. "Hurry, men! Hurry!", the commander yelled, stressing just how urgent every minute was.

Once she was right on top of the spot where the man had been, Ariel took a deep breath, filled her lungs with all the crisp, precious oxygen she would need to survive down there, and dove down into the pitch black abyss - with nothing to help her see in the brink except for the moon and the stars above. Once she had gone under, the sea grew quiet and still once again. A few small waves rolled around on the surface, creating ripples, and a steady stream of bubbles gurgled up from the former mermaid's actions - but for the most part, for a few frightening moments, no one had any idea what was happening in the still waters, or how great the teeenager's chances were of saving that man.

After another thirty, nerve-racking seconds passed, two human heads broke the surface with another loud splash, gasping for air, savoring their freedom from the blackness and the weight of the sea that could easily drag a person down. Ariel had a firm grip on the sailor, her expression going slack in relief, as she kept them both afloat, kicking through the water. She searched around for the ship, spotting it and her friends not too far away - easily within reach. She started swimming towards it, heading towards safety, which took quite a bit more effort than before, since she was now trying to support herself and a completely different person, keeping his water-logged head above the drink. Now more than ever, the redheaded teenager was glad that her Atlantean strength hadn't left her entirely when she traded her fins for legs.

The men cheered and spurred her on, thoroughly impressed by her determination, while Eric's expression lit up with excitement more and more the closer his girlfriend got to bringing the man to safety. Finally, after a minute, she was right alongside the port end of the ship, kicking up water, glancing up at the sailors above.

"Captain! Eric! The rope!", she yelled, and the two men nodded affirmatively, catching her drift right away. Following her orders, they grabbed the lifeline the sailors had tossed down earlier, securing their end of the rope in their hands, and most of the other crew members did the same, forming a line behind them - waiting for Ariel to make her move.

Ariel glanced down at the sailor she had a grip on, who by this point seemed to have become a bit more lucid and stopped putting up so much fight, sobbing quietly. Working carefully, she let go of him for a moment and maneuvered him around, so he was mainly draped over her shoulder. With both of her hands free now, she could grab the rope firmly in her palms and get a good grip on it, tugging on her end of the line to let the sailors know she was ready.

Once they had gotten the signal, the men started moving backwards and pulling with all their combined might, hauling the crew member and the redheaded mermaid out of the water the same way they raised anchor every morning. A whole group of men could easily bolster and support two people, so they dragged Ariel and Johan out of the sea at a fairly steady, speedy rate, and once they had gotten far enough out of the drink, Ariel braced her legs against the side of the ship. Narrowing her eyes in determination, she could start climbing upwards as well, moving along with the sailors' movements, Johan safe and secured on her shoulder all the while.

With the men and the former mermaid working together, gaining ground, before they knew it, Ariel was on top of the railing once more, beaming at her fiancee who was very glad to see her and very proud. Stepping over the divider, Ariel gently deposited Johan back onto the deck and dropped down onto the wooden surface herself, letting her head fall back against the railing so she could catch her breath. For the first time in twenty minutes, everyone onboard could breathe easily again.

Once they were both safe and sound, their friends and loved ones rushed to join them, creating a crowd around the sailor and the redheaded teen, bombarding them with questions and words of approval. Ariel shared a contented smile with Eric, who rested a warm, steadying palm on her shoulder, while Hans checked in on Johan, who was still quite a soggy, disoriented mess at the moment.

However, amongst the throng of excited mariners, one sailor who immediately stood out was Captain Halivor. He stepped up to confront his subordinate worker who had caused all the trouble, the one who had been acting foolishly the whole time, and he did not look happy as he scowled down at him.

"You fool. You fool man! You ought to be a seasoned salt by now, and you could have gotten yourself killed easily! What were you thinking back there?!", he demanded, giving the man a good scolding, thoroughly rattled by the close shave they all had.

Everyone grew quiet, a bit surprised by the harsh way the captain tore into the drenched sailor. However, he did not actually get an answer out of Johan - or at the very least, not the answer he was looking for. The man was still crying for some reason, bent over on the deck where the others could just barely see his face, and he seemed to be growing inconsolable, plagued by thoughts only he was privy to. Finally, he spoke up hoarsely, with a throat that burned from swallowing saltwater. "She's…. she's gone", he mourned.

The captain blinked in confusion, his crewmates looking much the same way around him, before his eyes narrowed. "What? Who's 'she?'", he questioned, a bit suspicious.

Before Johan could speak up, Hans decided to save him some pain and effort and shed some light on the subject. "He means his wife", he informed his captain, and just like that, everyone's heads turned towards him at once for answers.

"She died, just last week, from a terrible illness, leaving him a widower. I told him not to come on this trip, he clearly wasn't ready, but he said he had to, to keep food on the table. He said it was better than being at home, thinking of her. He didn't want to make a fuss", Hans explained solemnly. He clearly disapproved of his friend's actions completely, but he didn't have it in him to chide him at the moment, when the man was a complete, grief-stricken mess on the deck, who almost died a few minutes earlier.

Halivor's eyes widened in horror, finally understanding, and Hans turned a grim head towards his friend, scrutinizing him, thinking about all the irrational actions he had taken over the last twenty minutes. "He must have been drinking", Hans guessed quietly.

"She's gone", Johan repeated brokenly, to no one in particular. He turned his head towards Ariel, meeting her eyes with his own tired, dejected gaze. "Everyday, I keep expecting to see her in bed when I wake up, and there's nothing there. I keep thinking I'll see her playing around the home with the kids, making them that bread that they like, and she's still gone. I keep thinking someday I'll be okay with that - it'll actually feel real to me - but it doesn't, it won't", he moaned, opening up and letting out all that pain for his shipmates to see, his inhibitions weakened by the alcohol and the terrifying experience he had just had while he was half-drunk. "I'm never going to see her again, not ever, and I hate it. I hate it so much!", he sobbed, his red, swollen eyes running over with tears as his voice broke.

Just as stunned as the others, Ariel's expression melted in sympathy as the man lost the very last of his resolve and his composure and retreated into himself, breaking down entirely - his huddled-up body heaving, wracked with sobs. After a few seconds of watching him convulse in pain, she knew she wanted to do and slid over towards him. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around Johan and pulled him into a warm, comforting, steadying embrace, hugging him. His head resting on her shoulder again, she let him cry and lash out at the world however much he needed to, facing what had happened to him and his family for possibly the first time since his spouse passed away. Eric and the rest of the crew members looked on all the while, with heavy hearts and sympathetic faces, none of them saying a word to disturb the duo out of respect.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know it hurts, it has to feel terrible. But trying to avoid it or run from it just makes it worse. Let it come", Ariel comforted him, showing him plenty of compassion and respect, while also giving him the best advice she knew about how to handle grief from a sudden and cruel loss.

They stayed like that for quite some time - the former mermaid acting as the lighthouse in the man's storm, guiding him home. How long exactly, Ariel couldn't be sure, but long enough for the man to finally cry himself out and go slack in her arms, breathing in and out heavily, completely spent.

That meltdown was every bit as horrific and unpleasant as Johan had expected it to be, it had been so easy to give himself over to it and lose himself in it entirely for better or for worse - but now, it had finally passed, leaving him feeling hollowed out and empty and still fundamentally broken. He had done like the redheaded teenager asked. He had taken the first and hardest step by far in facing his loss: accepting it had happened. He still had a long, long, long way to go before he even started to feel better about it, but for now, at the very least, he had found a place to start.

((()-()))

Another hour passed and the crescent moon in the dark, starry sky rose higher, signalling it was getting late at night, as one former mermaid rested her arms on the ship's railing and looked out at the tranquil, still sea surrounding them, deep in thought. She was uncharacteristically quiet for a change, as she mused on the night's depressing events. Prince Eric walked over to check on her, and once she met his gaze, she decided to speak up.

"Humans and merfolk have a lot more in common than they think", she considered. "That man I saved: all that pain and anger and emptiness I saw in him, I've seen before it. From daddy, when he thought my sisters I couldn't see it", she said, remembering how her father was never quite the same man after he lost Athena, how his grief had had an effect on her childhood.

Ariel closed her eyes and sighed, thinking about just how close she and the crew members came to averting disaster. "Eric, I'm glad I came", she quietly remarked, with a lot more weight behind those words than there had been before.

Eric nodded his head, agreeing with her on that, before he silently pulled his girlfriend in to give her a warm, consoling hug (something she very much appreciated), neither of the two teens saying a word as they nuzzled each other and let their minds wander.

"I'm sure Johan feels the same way", Hans reckoned from behind the pair, having approached them while they were talking, catching them both off guard as they separated. Ariel and Eric glanced back at the man, taking him in, before the latter stepped forward.

"How is he?", Eric asked, still concerned. He had been worried about Johan ever since the other men shepherded him below deck to get him dried off and warmed up, and he figured Hans would know the man's current mental state better than anyone else on the ship, save the captain.

"The captain told him to get some rest and confined him to his barracks for the rest of the trip, but he also gave him paid leave for whenever we return to shore. I think they both figure he ought to be at home with his children right now", Hans informed the teen, clearly satisfied with that news, hoping it would do his heartbroken friend some good in the near future, before the sailor turned his head towards Ariel.

"I don't know if you are what you say you are, lass, but I do know that that man owes you his life right now. Thank you", he said gratefully and sincerely.

A small, bittersweet smile grew on Ariel's lips, and the redheaded teen nodded. "Look after him", she requested.

"Oh, I will, lass. You can count on that", Hans replied, making a promise he knew full well he would be keeping for the remainder of their voyage. With one last nod of the head to the young lovers, bidding them a good night, Hans left them be and sauntered off elsewhere, about ready to call it a night. Once he was gone, the deck was quiet again, save for a few gentle breezes overhead, and a few men talking near the bow of the ship.

Eric looked over at his fiancee. "Are you ready to turn in?", he asked, admittedly feeling quite tired himself.

Ariel nodded affirmatively. "Yeah, yeah I am. We've still got a few more days out here, and there's still a lot I want to learn", she replied, ready to get some rest for the night so she would have plenty of energy for the morning. "And… from what I've seen, being a human princess won't be as hard or as daunting as I thought", she decided, letting some of her newfound hope and reassurance for the near future show, which made her boyfriend's heart grow warm in his chest as the duo stepped away from the railing. The two teens locked hands, enjoying each other's company for one last time that night, as they prepared to head down below deck and go to their separate cabins.

There was a time for being cautious and wary, and a time for trusting her gut and taking action, and with the new perspective she had gained since she left the sea, the little mermaid liked to believe she was getting better at learning to balance the two with each passing day. In addition to having a great life with the man she loved so dearly, Ariel would try her best to be the kind of leader she felt her new kingdom deserved, and at the end of the day, that was the best anybody could ask for.

The End.

Author's Notes:

So this was a one-shot that I've wanted to write for a while, about one of my favorite Disney princesses who recently turned thirty, and like my previous Bambi one-shot, "A Life In The Woods", I had a lot of fun crafting it. Feel free to leave a review, if you like.