She turned around and with a sigh, entered the dining room where they had already seated themselves.

Filling up their drinks, she said nothing, cultivating a plan of action. The captain! Who ever is sailing this ship can help me! I can't let them know or catch on to what I'm doing though. I also can't really leave either, I have to stay in the corner till they ask me to refill the drinks. When there is a long enough pause and they talk and laugh, I will slip through then! I can do that. Whatever it takes to get out of here.

"Ariella are you going to stand there being useless or are you going to fill up my drink," his voice ripped through her and she quickly gritted her teeth from saying anything. She grabbed the metal pitcher and started refilling drinks but couldn't bite back her comment.

"Why don't you next time call for the drinks when you are done. I will not hover around you like some lost lovesick girl, Finn," she spit out his name with the venom she wanted to keep inside but there was no point now.

She walked back before they could say anything else but soon even the refuge of her corner couldn't drown out their laughter.

"I told you not to underestimate her! She'll always put up a fight!" More laughter sounded through but she ignored the sound. Pitcher in hand she gripped it so tight that she half hoped it would just break.

Unfortunately, as the night progressed on, they continued to ask for drinks, blocking her opportunity to escape. After one would ask, she would go back to her corner and soon after another would ask again. Not to mention the refilling of the pitcher was right beside her corner, so that excuse was out.

Finally she came to the conclusion she was going to have to make her own way out.

"Ariella come here."

She turned to see Finn had his glass in the air, ready for a refill but the way he said it she did not think he wanted a refill.

The closer she got the more sure she was. Finally she reached him and she lifted the pitcher up to meet his glass but his hand caught her wrist before she could finish the act.

"It's time, Ariella. Time to pay for your father's doings," Finn's voice was dangerously angry and his grip only tighten as he stood up, his friends following suit.

Thinking fast she held her breath and acted before thinking it through completely. She took the pitcher and dumped whatever was left on Finn. With a loud grunt, he released his hold on her.

Not wasting a minute she ran out the door and went in the direction she thought the captain would be. Front of the ship right?

She could see the captain in sight, steering the ship into the middle of nowhere. The shoreline becoming more faint and distant.

"Captain! Captain!" She called and saw him turn to her in shock.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"There are these... men and they mean trouble... I think they mean to... I don't know! I can't really explain but you need to turn around as fast as possible!" Trying to separate her thoughts, her response came out all over the place but she hoped he got the gist. He began to turn around but as soon as he turned the ship around he dropped the ancher.

"What are you doing?"

"Ahhh Ariella, Ariella, Ariella. You didn't think you could get away that easily, did you? Come on, you're smarter than that," she heard Finn's voice before she saw him.

Looking out toward the water she could have sworn she saw an out of place splash but it was gone before she could believe she saw it. Refusing to look any weaker than she was starting to feel, she faced Finn with an emotionless expression.

"Ariella, as I was trying to tell you before I wanted to discuss some things with you about your father. I wanted to do this the nice, easy way but my wet self begs to differ with that," he snarled and snapped his fingers once. Hands came on her arms and held her in place, one of them she noticed were the captain's. How could I have been so stupid!? There's no way out now. Even if I could swim, the tide is too strong! There has to be something. Anything?

"You see your father was once a very powerful man, not one to mess around with, until he had you and his precious wife. He went from being one of the most fearsome men to being a coward who lies and cheats," he began to pace the floor, his frown only deepening. Ari was starting to feel her own anger build up at the way he was mentioning her father. She would not let him contaminate her memories of her loving father who died when she was only eight.

"He began to gamble too big and he began to lose money. A lot of which was mine. I confronted him one day and told him if he didn't give me the money back that there would be consequences. You know what he did?" He turned to her, his eyes cold and distant. "He left without another word and vanished just like that. There was no trace of him, his wife or even baby Ariella. He was simply gone."

"As days bled into weeks, then months and eventually years my revenge became more permanent. If I did not find this guy and get my money back, I was going to kill him and enjoy it," he began to smile at that and Ariella's blood ran cold.

"Sadly I never got to see him, alive that is. He died peacefully with his family...." he trailed off and she bite the inside of her cheek angrily. He died sick and in pain. He may have had his family but it was no way peaceful for anyone.

"I know what you are thinking, but I know the truth. His death was too forgiving, too sweet. I was outraged, I couldn't believe what had just happened. Of all people and of all outcomes, this is the one I'm stuck with. To never get my revenge. In that moment I realized it was more than just the money, in fact I had enough money that even if your father had given it to me I would have still killed him. But I missed my chance..." his frown turned into a wicked grin as he faced her. Ariella felt the fear like a wild river and tried everything to shake the hands of her person.

"I didn't do anything..."

"Yes but sadly you are the last link I have to him. I would have killed you when you were eight years old, without a mother or father but they found you before I got to you. But I couldn't let you slip by and if I have to pretend to be a loyal guard, so be it," he grabbed her chin and forced her to look up, she could practically see the coldness in his eyes as he laughed. It's now or never.

"It took me ten years until I finally gained enough trust from the king and queen to lend me my pirate ship. It feels good to have it again..." he gave her a look before he shrugged, his grin still intact haunted with past memories. "Yes this ship used to be mine but that's a story for another time. One you won't hear I'm afraid," he reached for her neck but never made contact. She fell back into the arms and stepped on one of their foots.

One arm let go and she was able to rip her arm out of the other hold. Taking her shoes off she threw them at Finn before running around to the other side of the ship. She heard footsteps follow her movements but she did not stop, ignoring the splinters and scratches on her feet. I just need to hide. But no one is steering the ship back! I'm as good as dead!

"That's what I was thinking," Finn's angry voice pierced the air, making it seem thicker. Before she could get far, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her in. He moved her to the side till suddenly her head connected with something hard. Her vision began to blacken till she could see nothing.

The last thing she remembered was the feeling of falling.

------------------------------------------------

Will began to close his eyes again. He instead listened in on the waves, crashing viciously against the ship. The waters are not being kind today.

Then there was a crash.

Alarmed, he looked up and cursed under his breath. Whatever happened, the woman was now in the water and the ship was turning away at a fast speed.

She wasn't moving.

He swam up to her and acted before he thought it through. His arms wrapped around her waist with ease as he rushed towards the surface.

He burst through the water with a gasp, as if he were the one that needed air. Quickly he made his way toward the shore, all while making sure her head stayed above water.

For a while everything seemed to be working out fine enough. There was no buildings anywhere near the shoreline and it seemed unlikely that anyone would catch him. Not to mention he was making ground quicker than he thought he would have and the sun was just beginning to set.

Then she stopped breathing.

"Come on. Come on! Are all humans this fragile?!" He yelled more to himself before he looked back at her again. "Hang in there. At least wait till we're at the shore. Did I just tell a dead woman to stop dying until she got to the shore? Well I can't do anything more than swim right now, so yes I guess I did!! Great and now I'm talking to myself. Where did this day go wrong!?"

Working faster he pushed his tail until they reached the sandy shore. He placed her down first before he lied down beside her. "Just give me a moment. Man I'm so dead if anyone finds out. Okay focus on what's important."

And so he did. He did what he saw humans do once on a ship, putting his hands together he began to pressed down on her chest, in hopes to get her heart starting. Okay this is not working. If she wasn't dead before she probably is now. But that's what the stupid humans did and then he started breathing! Why isn't it working now? Maybe because your not human! Am I doing it wrong? Probably! There's only one thing I can think to try now.

Slowly he brought her closer to him and began to pinch her nose. He brought his lips closer to her, when his lips touched hers, he blowed air. He knew he would only need to do it once but he stayed just above her head until she began coughing.

He lied back down beside her, she did not open her eyes but he could see she was breathing. I can't believe I just did that! Merpeople kill humans not go and save them! But she was just dying and it's not like I could just leave her there in front of me. Or could I have? No I couldn't! Who is she anyway? And how did she ended up overboard unconscious? It must have been those men... come to think of it their conversation was intense. But what was it about!? Was it so bad they would try to kill her? They got away and I don't even know the direction they went in.

Drifting away from his thoughts, he began to hear humming and felt his heart stop. She's awake.

He turned to her slowly as if it could lessen the mistake but as he turned to her, her eyes were still closed and she was simply humming. Relaxing a bit, he allowed himself to simply enjoy it a little while longer, before she would wake up.

He had never seen anyone more relaxed as her in that moment and it made him want to know what she could possibly be thinking. After everything that happened what kind of a dream could she be having? Whatever it was, her continued humming made him want to hear her actually sing.

"Ariella! Ariella!" He heard faint voices in the distance and made his way toward the water.

With one last look at her, he knew he couldn't leave her without a warning. Quickly writing something in the sand, he left. Even though he didn't know if his message was all that relevant, he knew he had to warn her.

Now to find a way around his dad.

Slowly Ari began to open her eyes and got up with a small grunt, holding her head in her hands.

"Ari! Oh thank goodness you are alright!" Maya came to her and hugged her the tightest she had ever hugged her. "I was so worried. Is that a bruise!?"

"Maya, what happened..."

"The ship never came back! And we couldn't find you, I was so worried," Maya said through her cries and Ari couldn't help but laugh softly.

"I'm fine. I don't know how but I made it here," Ari tried to explain but felt like there was more to it than that. Did someone save me? But who and why?

Placing her hand in the sand with a smile, she slowly got up, still holding her head with the other hand. "Let's go home."

As they began to walk, Ari looked back, something catching her eye. As she turned around to get a better look, she saw a little note in the sand.

"Be careful. They are out there, and WILL come back."

Ari gave one last look at it before the waves washed it away.

What did I get myself into now?