Preface

(Ariel POV)

"Price o' kelp is up again. All of de suppliers from de west are still recovering from de shipwreck last month on dere fields. Und de Arctic President is comin' down to Atlantica soon for de negotiations wit all de commotion 'bout the raids in dere waters. I tell ya, Ariel, it is as if dem raiders don't tink 'bout how it effects Atlantica!" Sebastian sighed. I groaned as my stomach made another, rather half-hearted now, attempt to throw my breakfast back up.

"I think Ariel would rather hear about her father and her sisters… stuff that's not political," Eric offered.

"If she wanted to hear dat, she'd ask for Andrina," Sebastian retorted. I rolled my eyes and smiled up at Eric, squeezing his hand. He lay beside me on our bed, his arm around my shoulder, listening to Sebastian's terribly boring stories. It had been three weeks since the wall had come down and for the last week, I hadn't even been able to go near the ocean. My stomach was not accepting any human food I offered it. Only the merfood brought to me contented it. And I, though our food was much better than the humans food was, won't eat merfood on land without a good reason. I'd been cooped up in my room, eating the food Daddy sent for me via various transport, from Sebastian bringing his own famous sea sponge swirls, to Scuttle bringing sea cucumber sandwiches 'the guppy fish you hung out with' told him to take, and Alana handing a coral blossom stew to a startled Grimsby.

Overall, it had been a most interesting week.

All of my ocean news came from either Sebastian or Melody. This was generally filled with Sebastian's politics or the random merfolk Melody encountered. I wished I could swim out to the ocean and talk to my sisters. I'd even talk to Morgana; I was so desperate for a new face. She was dead though. Apparently, Daddy and Sebastian had felt the need to check several times, which deeply offended Melody.

"Why does the Arctic have a President?" Eric asked as I closed my eyes again.

"Dey don't have royalty. Dere royal family was taken captive durin' the Great War. Never seen again," Sebastian sighed.

"The ocean has wars?" Eric sounded surprised.

"You tink de land is de only place who can put up a fight?" Sebastian sounded mad.

"No, no, of course not," Eric said quickly, desperate to make amends, "I just thought the ocean was more peaceful."

"De King is peaceful. He ended de war und saved de ocean. Dere has been no war since He has ruled," Sebastian said proudly. I looked at his beaming face and smiled. His loyalty to Daddy was almost religious.

"More food for the Queen has arrived," a boy stuttered at the doorway. I looked up at him. He reminded me of a puppy dog, with shaggy blonde hair and big chocolate brown eyes, only eight years old, at the most.

"Come on in," Eric nodded to him. He stumbled forward, his face turning red, and came to my side, almost knocking over Sebastian.

"Sorry… I'm so sorry," he stuttered, looking around helplessly.

"It's no problem. Really," Eric laughed. Sebastian was staring at the little boy in confusion.

"A dolphin brought you sea cucumber sandwiches," he said gently, putting them down.

"How do you know what they are?" I asked. Dolphins couldn't talk.

"My grandfather… he used to be a merman… he taught me about these things… am I wrong? Did he teach me wrong?" he looked terrified, as if we were ogres or witches that were about to gobble him right up.

"No, you're right," I smiled. He sighed with relief.

"Where would you like me to put them?" he asked eagerly. I considered this. He was a terribly clumsy.

"Just there will be fine," I pointed to the table beside me, "Who are you?"

"I'm Tanner Lockhart, your majesty," the little boy grinned shyly as he set down the food.

"Ahem?" Sebastian said, only taking his eyes of Tanner for a moment to look at me. I desperately wanted to ask Tanner question about his father, a merman turned human, but something about Sebastian's look told me he had something far more important to say.

"Thank you so much, Tanner," I smiled. He bowed his head and stumbled from the room, knocking into a chest of drawers before leaving. It was only a matter of seconds before I heard his voice gasp in surprise.

"Sorry, sorry!" Melody's voice apologized, and footsteps ran towards my door.

"Ariel," Sebastian hissed, "Tanner is-"

"Mom, Grandfather is outside!" Melody exclaimed, panting in my doorway.

"Tell him his great-nephew is here. If dat won't get him on land, no-tin' will," Sebastian said firmly. Melody looked surprised, shrugged, and ran off.

"Sebastian! Daddy will be so cross!" I rolled my eyes.

"Why?" Sebastian asked slyly.

"He hates lies!" I pulled a face at him.

"Would I ever lie to Him?" Sebastian raised his eyebrows. I gasped.

"Tanner?"