ERIK: *the rashness vanishes leaving him a perfectly calm but seething* you hurt her and I'll torture and then execute your eels in the most painful way possible. And make you watch.

URSULA: If you want her... Go and get her! *throws her to her seaweed garden*

ARIEL: *seaweed strengthens and starts to wrap around her body, making an unbreakable pod*

ERIK: you forget, Ursula...I'm a stronger magician than you... Did I ever tell you why I kept a garden of souls?

URSULA: Why?

ERIK: *raises is hands and smirks* they are servants of a sort. They will obey me. They can haunt things, you see. Plants and animals...

URSULA: *gulps*

ARIEL: *the seaweed releases her and lays her gently down on top of a slanted rock*

ERIK: *smirks* you see? *the souls inhabit the body of some fish and carry her back to Erik's cave*

URSULA: Erik... *looks at him seriously* I'm sorry

ERIK: sorry doesn't fix things.

URSULA: Then what will make it better?

ERIK: you can't change the past by changing the future. I want you to stay out of my life. Go find someone else in some other part of the sea.

URSULA: I'll do what you wish...

ERIK: I happen to know where there is a group of octopuses that would find your magic and company very interesting.

URSULA: *eyes brighten* Y-You would?

ERIK: I would send you there under the bonds of magic and some of my most trusted merfolk. You're lucky Ariel's made me soft. Otherwise, it would be off with your tentacles.

URSULA: Thank you, Erik

ERIK: don't thank me. Thank the girl who you considered worthless. *smirks* if you are ever found in my kingdom again, I will make the rest of your life short and painful.

URSULA: I understand...

ERIK: there will be no mercy. Not even Ariel can stop me.

URSULA: I get it!

ERIK: alright. I don't want to see your hide ever again. *swims away*

ARIEL: *is lying down in the floor of his lair, resting on a soft bed of sand*

ERIK: *swims to her side* *glances back at the souls of the merfolk* thank you...

*the souls go back to the seaweed form*

ARIEL: *wakes up* Erik..?

ERIK: I'm here, Ariel. Every things fine.

ARIEL: *looks at him* What happened?

ERIK: Devon knocked you unconscious.

ARIEL: *gasps* We have to get to the palace!

ERIK: why?

ARIEL: The celebration I promised!

ERIK: of course! *scoops her up in his arms* we couldn't miss that. Do you feel well enough though?

ARIEL: My head hurts but I'll be fine

ERIK: if you feel unwell just let me know. I don't want to push you.

ARIEL: I will. I promise. *smiles*

ERIK: thank you. *begins to swim towards the castle*

ARIEL: *blushes and snuggles in his arms* I just adore being held by your protective arms...

ERIK: I adore carrying you. *kisses her gently*

ARIEL: *grins* My King...

ERIK: *grins back* my queen.

ARIEL: *head pounds and she flinches*

ERIK: Sea Angel?

ARIEL: *feels her head and sighs* I'm okay...

ERIK: *feels her head as well* you look very ill...

ARIEL: I'm not sick... *they arrive at the palace and the snakes have already set up the palace for the party*

ERIK: maybe we should postpone the party...

ARIEL: No! Don't do that! I promised them!

ERIK: but you're ill!

ARIEL: oh posh... I'm not sick. *swims out of his arms and begins to continue decorating*

ERIK: I insist you go to bed as soon as the party is over.

ARIEL: I can't. I cannot possibly rest. There's much to be done even after the party

ERIK: you will do as little as possible. Tell me what needs done and I'll do it.

ARIEL: The decorations and the food for the party then afterwards I wanted some updates for the kingdom

ERIK: alright. *says reluctantly* if you even get slightly tired I'm taking you straight to our room and bed. You mustn't exhaust yourself.

ARIEL: *sighs* Alright...

~Three hours later, party time~

*guests start arriving*

ERIK: *stands by her, watching the guests*

ARIEL: *smiles and swims into the center of the room to socialize*

ERIK: *swims around the outer fringes, unsure how to mingle*

ARIEL: *suddenly goes to the front and clears her throat as she begins to sing a slow song for all the couples*

ERIK: *watches her, entranced*

*the night goes on and she starts to get weaker and paler*

ARIEL: *sits down in the throne and holds her pounding head, a few tears falling from the pain*

ERIK: *rushes to her side* party or no party, you're going to rest. *claps his hands to get the attention of the party goers*

*they all look toward him in attention*

ERIK: Ariel is feeling very ill. We will be leaving. But, please, keep on with your merriment. *gathers her up in his arms*

*they all share concerned looks*

ARIEL: I-I'm f-fine... Truly I am... Do not worry.

ERIK: *swims away to their bedroom*

ARIEL: Erik... I'm alright... *is crying unintentionally*

ERIK: *kisses away her tears* close your eyes and relax. Don't worry. And, you're not alright.

ARIEL: *closes her eyes and she twitches*

ERIK: *lays her down in the bed* relax....

ARIEL: *once she hits the bed, she's out*

ERIK: *slips in beside her and kisses her forehead before laying down beside her*

~The Next Morning~

ARIEL: *wakes up and sees him and is alarmed so she swims out of the bedroom, away from him*

ERIK: *wakes up and sees her swimming away* Ariel!

ARIEL: *hears him and swims faster*

ERIK: *catches her* Ariel? Are you alright?

ARIEL: *screams* Don't touch me!

ERIK: what is it?!

ARIEL: W-Who are you?! What do you want from me??

ERIK: I'm Erik. Your husband. What happened, my love? *reaches a hand towards her*

ARIEL: Get away from me! I remember you... You're the monster that killed my father and took over the kingdom. You forced me to marry you!

ERIK: *eyes fill with pain* monster...I should have known that word was coming. My sea Angel, you told me you loved me! Just yesterday.

ARIEL: I'm not your sea angel! *smacks him and swims off*

ERIK: *looks at where she was* *swims after her*

ARIEL: *swims up above and goes bear the beach*

ERIK: *follows her*

*two scientists are walking around*

ARIEL: *sings a little*

ERIK: *sees them and grabs her, pulling her under with him* no, I'm not letting them get you.

ARIEL: They won't. *glares at him* Just leave me alone

ERIK: they will. Now, please, allow me to explain what happened. I believe you hit your head and it addled your brain.

ARIEL: I don't want to hear anything you have to say. *swims back to where she was*

ERIK: Ariel, this isn't safe. *pulls her back under* listen to me, what do you remember last?

ARIEL: *ignores him*

ERIK: Ariel, you stubborn girl. I would like to know why someone who loved me yesterday would hate me today! Won't you at least answer me?

ARIEL: No

ERIK: well, you did. *remarks snidely*

ARIEL: Then good luck trying to find me. *swims up to shore and accidentally gets beached*

ERIK: *rolls eyes and goes after her*

ARIEL: *swims around and back to him, laughing*

ERIK: *swim to her*

ARIEL: *is giggling hysterically*

ERIK: *glares as he realizes she was joking* That is cruel. *says softly*

ARIEL: *kisses his cheek* I have to mess with you sometimes!

ERIK: Well, mess with me some other way! *pulls away angrily* *eyes burn angrily*

ARIEL: *frowns* What's wrong? Did I go too far?

ERIK: Yes. *growls* You can mess with me. I can take that. But, don't joke about our love. It hurts too much. That I can't take.

ARIEL: I'm sorry. *tears up* Really I am. I won't do it again

ERIK: *looks at her with a slight frown on his face* Promise? Forever?

ARIEL: I promise forever

ERIK: *pulls her into a hug* I thought I had lost you. It was hard enough to get you to like me in the first place.

ARIEL: *sobs into his chest, feeling extremely guilty*

ERIK: *holds her gently* I love you. *whispers into her hair*

ARIEL: I-I love you too...

ERIK: *kisses her gently*

ARIEL: *turns away from him*

ERIK: Ariel?

ARIEL: I-I don't deserve your kisses... For what I've put you through

ERIK: Well, I could say the same after all I've put you through.

ARIEL: I hate myself...

ERIK: Why? *looks confused* You have nothing truly worthy of hating yourself. *turns her to look at him and kisses her again gently*

ARIEL: Because I always hurt you... *tears stream*

ERIK: Not any more... *wipes away her tears* Not any more.

ARIEL: *kisses him softly*

ERIK: *returns the kiss* that makes up for it all. *whispers gently against her lips*

ARIEL: *smiles* My Erik...

ERIK: My Ariel... *pulls her close to him* *kisses her again*

ARIEL: *kisses him back, grinning against his lips*

ERIK: *runs his hands through her hair* *smiles slightly* *a current comes back and moves his mask a little*

ARIEL: *puts a gentle hand on it*

ERIK: *turns that side of his face away from her and adjusts the mask back to the normal position*

ARIEL: Erik... You know I do not mind it...

ERIK: You haven't seen it! You can't say that. *glares at her slightly*

ARIEL: *looks down* I want to

ERIK: But... *sighs* I don't want to really lose you this time.

ARIEL: You won't, I swear

ERIK: You can't swear that.

ARIEL: I just did

ERIK: You can't swear it truthfully until you see it.

ARIEL: Then let me see

ERIK: *sighs and looks very resigned to the fate of losing her* Let's go back to our room.

ARIEL: *nods and follows*

ERIK: *leads her into the room*

ARIEL: *sits down on the bed*

ERIK: *sits down beside her, hands shaking*

ARIEL: *takes one hand and holds it* It's alright...

ERIK: *stares straight ahead* Take it off. I can't do it.

ARIEL: *takes it off slowly*