ERIK: *looks around in complete and utter confusion*

ARIEL: *sleeps soundly on his chest*

ERIK: *moves away from her*

ARIEL: *feels his presence gone and squirms*

ERIK: *stares at her form* what a lovely mermaid...

ARIEL: *wakes up slowly*

ERIK: what are you doing in my bed?

ARIEL: *looks confused but gets up, too tired to speak*

ERIK: I asked you a question. *says harshly*

ARIEL: Because I love you and you live me

ERIK: I don't love you. *looks confused* who are you?

ARIEL: Ariel

ERIK: just Ariel? *crosses arms with a scowl*

ARIEL: Ariel Gerard

ERIK: *keeps scowling* how long have you been here? I don't remember you.

ARIEL: But you've watched me for years... You married me

ERIK: married you? I'm not married. *turns away from her* *his voice cold*

ARIEL: But your tail band...it's on you

ERIK: *glances at it and removes it* I didn't marry. You must have put it on to lie to me! *growls at her*

ARIEL: *whimpers* But Erik...

ERIK: *towers above her* you are fortunate you have some beauty. Otherwise, I would kill you...

ARIEL: *cries and swims off*

ERIK: *follows her just to watch her*

NADIR: Masster?

ERIK: yes? *snaps at him*

NADIR: Why are you letting her go?

ERIK: she doesn't belong to me. I don't care what one mermaid does. I'm following her because she is quite beautiful to watch.

NADIR: Then why don't you follow?

ERIK: I was following her until you stopped me. *growls*

NADIR: Oh... Go ahead then

ERIK: *swims away after Ariel*

ARIEL: *keeps swimming*

ERIK: *keeps following*

ARIEL: *goes to her cave and cries*

ERIK: *hides and watches her*

ARIEL: *starts to sing out if sorrow*

ERIK: *eyes widen* beautiful....

ARIEL: *cries as she sings*

ERIK: *watches her with eyes glowing*

ARIEL: *doesn't notice and goes down to her rock to rest*

ERIK: *swims around her and runs one hand through her hair* that was beautiful....... *eyes are hard and cold*

ARIEL: *sees him and looks at him shakily and swims back a bit*

ERIK: good to see you're afraid of me...

ARIEL: What do you want?

ERIK: to look at you. *smirks*

ARIEL: L-Look at me? *tries to swim off*

ERIK: *circles her so she can't* you're pretty and you sing well. Sing.

ARIEL: N-No thanks

ERIK: I wasn't asking.

ARIEL: But I don't want to

ERIK: I didn't give you a choice. Sing.

ARIEL: *sings reluctantly*

ERIK: *listens*

ARIEL: *watches him uneasily as she sings perfectly*

ERIK: *smirks* perfect.

ARIEL: *her song ends*

ERIK: sing another.

ARIEL: *does as he commands and looks into his eyes*

ERIK: *eyes are cold and emotionless*

ARIEL: *finishes*

ERIK: you will sing for me.

ARIEL: For how long..?

ERIK: you will stay with me and sing whenever I want....forever.

ARIEL: *gulps*

ERIK: *smirks*

ARIEL: I-I have to go. *tries to swim past him*

ERIK: *grabs her* you will stay with me.

ARIEL: *shrieks* No!

ERIK: yes! *shouts back at her*

ARIEL: *struggles* Let me go!

ERIK: *holds her tighter* no!

ARIEL: *whimpers as he takes her away*

ERIK: *drags her back to their room*

ARIEL: *looks at him in fear*

ERIK: *glares at her*

ARIEL: *looks around as he waves his hand* What are you doing?

ERIK: creating a cage. *a cage appears*

ARIEL: F-For what?

ERIK: you.

ARIEL: *tears run* B-But..

ERIK: if you're caged you can't leave.

ARIEL: I'm not a pet!

ERIK: of course you are.

ARIEL: How? *asks as she's pushed in by the snakes*

ERIK: you sing for me. *waves for the snakes to leave*

*they leave*

ARIEL: I won't sing!

ERIK: you will if you want to be fed.

ARIEL: I'm not singing

ERIK: then starve. *locks the cage*

ARIEL: *looks boldly at him*

ERIK: *looks coldly at her*

ARIEL: I'll starve before I sing, you have no power over me

ERIK: you'll sing. *growls*

ARIEL: I won't

ERIK: just my luck. I get a stubborn songbird.

ARIEL: I'm not your songbird! *says as she notices now that she's in a birdcage*

ERIK: you are.

ARIEL: *notices its being hoisted up and now dangling from the ceiling of the room* *pales*

ERIK: see, you are my songbird.

ARIEL: *looks down and curls up, clutching her tail fearfully*

ERIK: *swims over to the bed and sits down*

ARIEL: *looks at him from up above, still can be see because the cage is huge*

ERIK: *looks up at her with a perpetual scowl on his face"

ARIEL: *whimpers and scoots to the back, away from him*

ERIK: *just stares at her then swims towards her*

ARIEL: *swims to the middle of the cage*

ERIK: *swims in a circle around the cage*

ARIEL: *watches him* What are you doing?

ERIK: looking at you.

ARIEL: Why?

ERIK: because you're beautiful.

ARIEL: *sits on the bottom of the cage and covers her face from his view*

ERIK: why do you hide? *swims below her*

ARIEL: I don't want you to stare

ERIK: well, technically you belong to me so it makes no difference. I am welcome to stare at what I want.

ARIEL: Not me

ERIK: you are very pleasant to look at.

ARIEL: How? I'm just a mermaid

ERIK: a very pretty mermaid. And, talented too.

ARIEL: Sure... Creep

ERIK: creep...I'm used to that title.

ARIEL: Mysterious

ERIK: been called that as well.

ARIEL: Stalkerish?

ERIK: that as well.

ARIEL: Handsome...

ERIK: *looks at her confused* that I've never been called.

ARIEL: And loving... And intelligent

ERIK: not loving. But, I know I'm intelligent.

ARIEL: Cute. *smiles a bit*

ERIK: I'm not cute! *scowls at her*

ARIEL: *cries and looks down*

ERIK: *turns his back on her*

ARIEL: We were happy... *says in a sing-song tone*

ERIK: we? Who's we?

ARIEL: You and I...

ERIK: there never was a "you and I". I don't know where you ever got that from.

ARIEL: *sighs* Fine... If I must be your pet I must... For the greater good. *looks at him, wiping her tears*

ERIK: I'm glad to hear you will. Now, sing a song for me.

ARIEL: *takes a deep breath and sings*

ERIK: *settles down on the bed to listen*

ARIEL: *looks down at him*

ERIK: *closes his eyes*

ARIEL: *sings a soothing melody*

ERIK: *relaxes and the barest hint of a smile comes to his lips*

ARIEL: Say you'll share with me one love one lifetime... *sings*

ERIK: *despair shows on his face*

ARIEL: *sees and changes the song*

ERIK: *listens intently*

ARIEL: Think of me... Think of my fondly when we've said goodbye...

ERIK: *begins drifting off to sleep*

ARIEL: *finishes*

ERIK: *falls completely asleep*

ARIEL: Sleep well...

ERIK: *sleeps until the next morning*