"Do you ever wish you were back?" Eric asked. He and his wife were sitting on the shore watching the sun descend into the waves. Her head rested on his chest and his arms circled around her waist. "I mean, I know you are happy here, but do you ever want to go back?"

Ariel shifted uncomfortably in Eric's arms. "I don't know," she finally said. "I love it here. I love being in your world. And I get visits from my friends and my family all the time, but I don't know. All I ever wanted was to be human but I didn't realize how much I would miss sliding through the water and drinking seaweed smoothies for breakfast and sharing a room with all six of my sisters…."

Eric was glad that Ariel couldn't see his face. He suspected that she missed her home but he didn't notice how much until he heard the longing in her voice. He stayed silent as she continued.

"I wouldn't trade my life with you for anything," she said. "You are my world. I will love you forever." She turned and kissed him softly on the cheek. "You are all I need." She paused. "Eric, what's the matter? Why do you look so sad?"

"I don't like feeling like I tore you away from your family. I don't want you to ever leave but I want you to be happy. As much as I would miss you, you can always leave and go visit. I would only hope that you would come back."

The former mermaid removed herself from his embrace and faced him. "Eric, I would always come back to you. I can't stay away. I traded my soul to a witch so I could be with you and no amount of homesickness can make me change my mind. Of course I would love to visit my home and go back to the castle but I would never leave you." Ariel launched herself onto Eric and kissed him. Her eagerness caused Eric to loose his balance and suddenly he was lying on the sand with Ariel still kissing him.

"Wow," Eric sighed when Ariel finally lifted her head and broke the kiss.

"Do you believe me now?" she said teasingly. She sat beside him and played with his hair, looking lovingly into his eyes.

"Yes, I believe you. I love you. But I still want you to be as happy as you can be. Please go for a visit. Go home and stay with your family for a while. For me."

Ariel frowned. "I don't want to leave you."

The young king pulled his bride close to him. What am I going to do? he thought.

That night, Eric couldn't sleep. He knew Ariel was happy but he hated that there was even the tiniest bit of sadness in her life. He tossed and turned, the issue rolling across his brain like the incoming tide.

And then, he had an idea.

"What are you doing?" Ariel asked, a laugh lacing her cherry voice. She put her hands over Eric's, which were busy tying a blindfold around her eyes. "You've never done anything like this before.

He finished the knot. "There," he said. "Now, I need to pick you up. Ready?"

Ariel moved her hands until she found his shoulders. She secured her arms around his neck just as he placed his arm under legs and lifted her off the ground. He carried her out of the castle, across the courtyard, and onto the pier.

"Are you taking me to the lagoon?" Ariel asked.

"Nope."

"Hm," she mused. "A trip to the neighboring kingdoms?"

Eric smiled. "Yes and no."

"How can it be both?"

King Triton and the six princesses were bobbing silently around the pier. One of the sisters, Arista, clasped her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. Eric sat with Ariel in his lap and dangled his feet above the blue water.

"Where are we?" Ariel asked, her voice still ringing with suppressed giggles.

"I'm not telling," Eric scolded, nodding to Ariel's father. The white haired king dipped his trident into the water, sending golden light towards Eric's legs. He held his breath and watched as his legs became encased in smooth blue scales, replacing his trousers and shoes with a shower of sparkles. Ariel shifted in his lap,

"What's going on?" she asked.

Eric moved her so that her toes touched the golden light around his new merman tail. Ariel gasped. "What-" she started. He took the blindfold from her eyes.

Ariel looked around her and he smiled as her eyes reflected each thing she saw. "Daddy! Girls! Eric! What are we-"

King Triton cleared his throat. "We couldn't have you missing your big sister's wedding."

With a squeal, Ariel untangled herself from Eric's arms and dove into the water. Her sisters instantly surrounded her until she was completely hidden from Eric's view. When they swam away from her, Eric saw that they had cleverly replaced her pink sundress with a pair of purple shells. She splashed around the water like a child encountering the ocean for the first time. Then, she looked at her husband.

"Did you plan this?" she asked.

He grinned shyly.

"Get in here so I can thank you properly."

Eric hesitated. He wasn't afraid of swimming, but his legs were gone and replaced by a deep blue tail. He didn't know if he could swim like a proper merman.

"Come on," she said. "I'll help you.

Eric removed his shirt, sliding cautiously into the water. Ariel took his hands in hers and swam in a large circle around her family, pulling him along with her. The water felt different to him. He didn't feel wet or weighed down. He felt light and had a sudden urge to dip below the waves and see how fast he could reach the ocean floor.

"Eric, you're a natural!" Ariel praised.

"Whatever his status," said King Triton. "We have to get back to Atlantica. There is a celebration to honor your return, Ariel. Your sisters are even singing in it."

"Daddy!" Adella protested. "Don't give it away! It was supposed to be a surprise."

Adrina touched Adella's arm in mock sympathy. "Don't worry, Adella. Ariel probably figured it out already. In this family, we always sing."

King Triton dipped under the waves first. Then, each daughter followed him according to her age. First Atina, and then Alana and Adella, followed by Aquada and Arista and Andrina. Ariel squeezed Eric's hand.

"Are you ready?"

Eric took a big breath in and held it, causing his redhead to burst into a fit of giggles. "Eric, you're a merman. You don't need to hold your breath."

He laughed with her, letting out his breath in a quick blast. And with that, they dipped their heads beneath the surface and began to swim.