Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Make sure she has everything she needs...”

Ariel panicked. Eric was starting to back away. Her heart sank. He didn’t realize who she was…

Suddenly, a large gray and white ball of fur came running through Eric’s legs, almost causing the prince to fall backwards. It was the-oh what is that word?-dog! The *dog* that Eric had gone back for during the shipwreck. He jumped around Ariel, barking excitedly. She grinned, realizing that he must have recognized her even without her tail. After all, she had heard from Scuttle that dogs had a very good nose and could remember who they met by sniffing someone else’s. Or something like that, the details were a little vague. She grinned and kneeled down and began to pet him. His tail wagged faster and he bounded into Ariel's lap, and began to lick her face, causing her to fall backwards and giggle silently from the tickles.

“Max!” Eric laughed and rushed over towards them, trying to pull the dog off of her. Eric managed to get the excited dog away from Ariel, allowing her to sit up properly, a grin still on her face. 

“I’m so sorry, miss,” Eric apologized, annoyed, but also laughing as he squished the dog’s face. “I hope he didn’t scare you. He’s harmless really.”

Ariel shook her head with another silent laugh. 

“I don’t know what got into him. He’s usually quite wary of strangers, aren’t you, Max?”

Max just barked happily and glanced back at Ariel, his tail wagging again. Ariel grinned and ran her fingers through his soft fur, patting him on the head. She hadn’t realized Eric had done the same thing and their hands touched. They both looked up, feeling their hands meet, blue eyes looking into brown. The glance was fleeting, embarrassed, as they quickly moved their hands away, both of them blushing a bit with shy smiles. 

Max barked again, hitting his wet nose against Ariel’s hand. 

Eric rolled his eyes as she indulged his dog with more pets. 

“You’ve got her fooled, but not me, boy.” Eric teased. “I am really sorry,” he apologized to Ariel again. “I can’t be too upset at him though. He’s been through quite the ordeal this week.” His eyes grew a bit sad as Ariel noticed Eric hold onto Max a bit tighter. “Almost lost him. There was a fire and…a storm…I had to throw him overboard…I didn’t think he made it to the lifeboats, the waves were so high.” his face went back to a teasing grin as he continued to scratch Max’s ears. “He was just as relieved as I was to see that we both survived. Had a good long snuggle after that, didn’t we boy?” Max barked, looking back at Ariel almost as if he was seeing if she was still listening to Eric’s story. Ariel smiled and patted his head, letting him know that she was. “I’ve had Max since I was a boy.” Eric was saying. “Found him tangled up in a net down at the docks. He was just a pup back then. My mother was furious when I told her I wanted to keep him.” Eric laughed. “But then I told her how I found him, and I suppose it reminded her how she had found me…so Max got to stay and has been with me ever since.” He blinked, suddenly realizing they were both still on the floor of the bedroom, Max flopped quite happily between them. Eric laughed, glancing at Ariel. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?” he asked. 

Ariel shook her head, trying to assure her prince that she didn’t mind. That she thought it was adorable, how much he cared about Max. How his mouth dimpled when he smiled, that his laugh was the best sound she had ever heard. But she couldn’t, and her heart ached again. Eric must have seen her expression change, he was asking her “What is it?” 

She looked at him, sad brown eyes into concerned blue. She bit her lip, not quite sure how she was going to explain without words. But then, Max decided to pop up between them and lick Ariel’s cheek, making her let out a silent laugh, rubbing his wet kisses off of her face. 

“Max!” Eric laughed, and shoved him away, his hand over the dog’s face. “Pest,” he muttered fondly. 

It was at this moment that Ariel remembered they weren’t alone and quickly glanced behind Eric to where the servants were still standing in the room. Eric saw her attention shift and also turned and let out an embarrassing grin and a quiet “oh.” at the sight of the servants, and helped Ariel back to her feet, while Max hopped out of her lap and resumed standing at her side.  

Lashana’s grin was the biggest. The older gentleman had a small smirk on his face as he stepped forward. 

“Perhaps, Prince Eric, after all of this excitement, we should allow our new guest to get some rest?” 

“Oh! Yes! Of course, Grimsby. You're absolutely right! I’m sorry,” he turned back to Ariel and grinned. “Rest. I hope to see you later?” 

Ariel nodded with a shy smile.

“Sorry again about Max,” he laughed. Ariel just shook her head with a smile, expressing that it was quite alright. Eric beamed at her and nodded, slowly exiting the room, but suddenly almost tripped again as Max rushed after him, again through his legs, and out into the hallway. 

“Max!” 

Max just sat, tail wagging and looking quite pleased with himself. Ariel saw Eric roll his eyes with another fond smile as he exited, Lashana telling her to rest as she closed the doors. 

Max. Ariel thought happily as she sat down on the window seat. She hugged one of the pillows tightly, squirming happily and kicking her new feet. He knew who I was! She glanced back out the window, beaming, as she noticed Sebastian climbing up to her window.

Chapter Text

II 

“Who’s in here?”

Ariel watched as Eric entered the study, Max at his heels; frozen in her hiding spot behind the bookshelf.

Eric pulled back the heavy cloth covering the window, letting in light, and upon seeing Ariel behind the shelf, Max perked up, tail wagging and rushed over to her. Eric looked surprised.

“Oh! It’s you!” 

Ariel came out from her hiding spot, carefully, so she wouldn’t step on Max, who was circling around her feet. 

“Max!” Eric laughed. “Let her out!” 

Ariel smiled fondly at the dog and patted him with her free hand. 

“No one else usually comes in here,” Eric mused. 

Ariel looked a little embarrassed from hiding and went to place the jade mermaid back onto the shelf. 

“My little mermaid.” 

Ariel gasped and turned around. Did he just?

He glanced up at the jade figure on the shelf and mistook her surprise for fear. 

“It’s alright,” he laughed, reassuring her. “You can look at it.”

Oh. Right. Not me…

“I got her off the coast of Cartagena,” Eric went on to explain. “One of my first voyages. Isn’t she beautiful?” He asked her. 

Ariel frowned a bit, unable to answer. Eric blinked, realizing what he had said. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I-I forgot…”

Max huffed at him. Eric looked down at the dog. 

“What? I said I was sorry…” 

Max just turned back to Ariel and barked. 

“Oh so you’re on her side now then?” Eric teased. “I see how it is…”

Max just kept wagging his tail looking very pleased with himself as he looked up at Ariel with a lopsided little smile. 

“Well you know what Max?” Eric said “it doesn’t matter that she can’t talk.” He looked at Ariel and smiled. “Most people around here use too many words and have nothing to say!”

Ariel lifted an eyebrow at the comment, still a bit shy. 

“You know,” Eric walked over to the shelf and took the figurine into his hands “I never really believed all that lore about mermaids…luring sailors to their deaths.” he lifted the little mermaid up into the light, Ariel smiling a bit as it sparkled in the sun’s setting rays. Max let out a small bark and made another lap around Ariel’s feet. “Max agrees, it seems!” Eric laughed, then held out the figurine to Ariel. “Here. Take her.”

Ariel shook her head, but Eric insisted with a smile. 

“No really! I want you to have her.” He set it gently into Ariel’s palm. She glanced down at it, smiling. A small secret smile. Eric was still rambling, wandering around the room. 

“I’m running out of space as it is!” he laughed, picking up a small glass sphere from the floor. “Nearly all of these things come from my voyages,” he explains, tossing the sphere in the air before catching it and placing it back onto another shelf. “I know it must seem silly,” he admitted, a bit embarrassed. “Collecting all this..stuff…” 

Ariel shook her head. No! It's not silly at all! 

“But I mean-” Eric held up a large rock. “Lookit this fossilized sea stone!” His eyes lit up as Eric showed her. Ariel smiled, amused at her prince’s excitement for something she had seen every day. “Can you believe such amazing things exist down there?” 

He let Ariel hold it. She studied it over, then, realizing what it actually was, proceeded to toss it down onto the ground, smashing it to pieces. Max let out a surprised bark, and Eric yelped. Ariel just knelt down amongst the pieces, and, finding what she was looking for, held up a chunk of the rock that had red crystals on it. She gave Eric a knowing, teasing smile. You were saying? 

Eric looked a bit flabbergasted, while Max was sniffing and licking at the crystal. 

“Max,” Eric groaned, wiping the drool off his hands. He huffed out a laugh, still shocked at Ariel’s discovery. “How did you know that was in there?” he asked. Ariel just smiled, shrugged, and stood, looking around at other things. “All this time,” she heard Eric mumble. “Incredible…”

Ariel noticed a large conch shell on the desk. She grinned and picked it up. She jumped, seeing Sebastian inside and quickly pulled him out and tossed him onto the desk. He dashed away behind a small vase as Eric was explaining about the shell. “I just found that on the beach here on the island, there’s loads this time of year-”

He was cut off by the loud melodic sound that echoed through the study as Ariel blew into the conch. Eric once again stared at her, stunned. 

“I had no idea you could do that!” he laughed as Ariel nodded, happily. 

She held out the shell to him. Want to try?

“Me?” Eric seemed nervous. “Uh…no…oh-” Ariel walked closer and placed the shell in his hands. “Really?” Ariel placed his hand around the shell. “Okay uh-hand. Right…mm. How do I?”

Ariel puckered up her lips, demonstrating; Eric copying. She blew air at his face, Eric repeating and nodding. He took his chance and blew in the shell. Nothing. Just a lot of silly sounds that caused Eric to laugh, embarrassed. Ariel grinned and Max let out a small whine and hid his face. 

“Sorry boy,” Eric laughed. He knelt down and patted him on the head. “Guess I’ll have to work on that,” he gave Ariel a smile. She smiled back, also kneeling down next to Max. 

Realizing she was there, he wiggled closer to her and laid his head in her lap. Ariel let out a silent laugh and began rubbing his head and down his back. 

“He really seems to like you,” Eric mused, watching Max close his eyes as Ariel petted him. 

Ariel grinned and nodded.

“I’m glad you like him too,” Eric smiled. “Most people think he's a nuisance. I told you before, my mother only let me keep him because of how I found him…”

Ariel smiled, snuggling her head in Max's fur like she was hugging him.

“Glad she did, eh?” Eric guessed with a fond smile. Ariel grinned and hugged Max tighter. 

Eric smiled again. 

“Me too.” 

Max’s tail wagged, thumping against a rolled up parchment that was on the floor next to them. Ariel, curious, went to investigate and unrolled it, revealing a drawing. 

“Ah,” Eric mused. “One of the many maps from my adventures.” 

Ariel was immediately curious and began tapping her fingers excitedly on the parchment. 

“Oh!” Eric laughed and nodded. “Well we sailed all the way down here to Panama, then back up the coast to Belise just there. Beautiful cities. So much history. And the food? I thought some of our dishes were spicy!” he laughed. “It was the first voyage I took alone after my father passed.” Eric’s eyes fell, a bit sad. “I had to clear my head. Get away. Maybe not the best way to grieve but-” he admitted with a shrug. “But the ocean, being on the water, it helped. The waves can be soothing.”

Ariel nodded, remembering when her own mother died. She was still young, only 3, but she remembered. The same red hair as her own, her laugh. And singing. She bit her lip, sad, remembering how everyone used to say her siren song was similar to her mother’s. One of the last things they had left of Athena…and now it was gone. Silenced. Ariel tried to hide her face in Max’s fur, but Eric saw. 

“You’re sad again,” he said with a frown. 

Ariel nodded, her heart aching. She missed her sisters. Her mother. Even her father. But she was here. With Eric. Hearing his voice, seeing him smile at her; His ocean eyes lighting up as he spoke of his voyages. She patted Eric’s knee. I’ll be alright .

“Come on,” Eric stood. “I have other maps?” he suggested, glancing back at his desk. “Would you like to see more?”

Ariel grinned and nodded, hurriedly standing as well, and going over the desk. Eric laughed. 

“Alright. Let me show you….”

        They stayed in Eric’s study for hours; looking over every map Ariel had found. When Grimsby, the older man with the kind smile and odd twinkle in his eyes, had found them, Max was curled up underneath the desk, his head resting on Ariel’s feet. Grimsby had bid them goodnight, promising that a carriage would be waiting for them in the morning, and had left Ariel alone with Eric once again. She ventured a glance out the window. The sun was long gone and the sounds of the wind, rain and thunder could be heard outside. 

Ariel shivered a bit with a frown, knowing that the storm outside was in no doubt partially her fault. The thought of her father, furious as she was at him still, suddenly filled Ariel with a sense of guilt, overshadowing the excitement she had been feeling, just moments before, about seeing the kingdom tomorrow. As a bolt of lightning cracked outside, Ariel jumped at the sudden light and hugged her arms around herself and collapsed back into her chair at the desk. Eric was immediately at her side, kneeling at the chair; hands on the armrest. 

“Hey, it’s alright.”

Max also had moved to plop his head in her lap with a concerned whine. A small chuckle came from Eric. 

“Max…you gonna keep her safe from the storm?” 

Max didn’t move his head from Ariel’s lap but acknowledged his master with a huffed bark. 

“Ha, good boy.” 

Ariel’s smile briefly returned but she still shivered. Her father must be so worried. So angry that she ran away. Fathoms, what has she done? 

“You okay?” 

Eric’s voice cut through her guilty thoughts. She looked up into his ocean eyes and saw the concern. She wanted to just brush it off like she had before, but another clap of thunder boomed through the room and she jumped and covered her ears and began shaking her head no. She never knew a storm could be this loud. She thought back to the night of Eric’s shipwreck and while there was lightning and rain, the thunder was drowned out by her heart pounding out of her chest as she desperately pulled Eric to shore. Gods. Her heart aches again, wanting to tell him everything….

Suddenly she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and the feeling of being pulled off the chair and safely onto the floor. Eric. More lightning flashed and she hid her face in his chest and his arms hugged her a little bit tighter. 

“You’re alright.” His voice was soothing; soft and calm as he whispered into her hair.

Max had made his way back over and snuggled in between them to sit in front of Ariel. She smiled and hugged Max around his neck. Eric also chuckled and adjusted so he was hugging Ariel from behind so she was in between him and Max. Ariel immediately relaxed.

“Don’t you worry,” Eric assured her again. “Max and I will keep you safe, right boy?” 

Max wagged his tail and gave out a bark of agreement. 

Ariel let out a silent laugh as the pup also covered her cheek with wet kisses. Eric smiled. 

“I’m not fond of storms myself,” he said as Ariel leaned against him. “Especially recently.” He added with a wince. “The number of wrecks our kingdom has suffered lately….my mother’s convinced it’s the sea gods being angry with us. Then again,” Eric sighed “that’s been her excuse for fifteen years so-who knows.” 

Ariel was very glad her back was against Eric and therefore couldn’t see the way she bit her lip, knowing all too well that it was the gods’ fault-one specifically she called “father.” Anger bubbled inside of her again, remembering all the shipwrecks she has explored, how many humans had probably suffered because of her father’s wrath and hatred towards the above world. All because one, one, pirate killed her mother…It’s inexcusable what they did. She misses her mother every day, and she saw the heartbreak on her father’s face whenever Athena was mentioned. But that’s the trouble with grief sometimes. It clouds judgement, and forms a darkness around your heart if you are not careful. In her father’s case, seeking vengeance against every human who sailed across their ocean. She let out a frustrated huff as another clap of thunder echoed through the castle. Max immediately nuzzled her and she smiled and patted his head. Good boy Max . 

“Shouldn’t last much longer,” Eric was saying. “It always clears up by morning. Speaking of,” he continued. “It’s quite late. We should get some sleep, yes? We’ve got an adventure planned for tomorrow.” 

Ariel nodded and they both stood from the floor. After extinguishing the candles, they made their way out of the study and back into the hallway. 

“You can make it back to your rooms?” Eric asked. 

Ariel nodded with a smile and pointed back towards the staircase. 

“Good.” Eric smiled back. “Well-goodnight then.” He turned to leave to his own room when a bark echoed behind him. He looked back and laughed when he saw Max was following Ariel instead of himself. 

“C'mon Max. Leave her be.”

But Max just ignored Eric and continued walking with her. 

“Max!”

Max just barked back.

Ariel was grinning. She patted him on the head and looked back up at Eric with a shy smile. 

“You aren’t gonna let this guard dog persona go huh?” Eric mused, folding his arms with a smile. Max just barked again. “Oh Max.” Eric shook his head with a fond laugh. He looked up at Ariel. “You alright with that?” He asked her. 

Ariel smiled back and nodded, patting Max on the head. 

“Alright Max, you can go with her. Just try not to hog the blankets….”

Max wagged his tail happily and gave a lopsided sort of grin at him. 

“You’re welcome boy. Now go on," Eric shooed him back towards where Ariel was waiting on the stairs. "Go keep her safe for me." He had said that last bit almost at a whisper, but she heard him and a shy little smile curled onto Ariel's face as she and Max walked back to her rooms. 

It didn't take long for Ariel to succumb to sleep. The bed was the most comfortable thing she had even laid on; the blankets soft. She had smiled as Max had hopped up next to her on the bed and curled up at her feet, but not before one last pat on the head goodnight from Ariel. She smiled, a small yawn escaping her as she curled up beneath the blankets and hugged the pillows around her, Eric's voice echoing in her head as she dreamed of ships and maps and uncharted waters....