“Good people of Atlantica,” Triton said, holding his trident aloft, “I have returned!”
His voice boomed out through the water, far more commanding even than Ariel’s newly regained voice. The crowd went wild: cheering, flapping their tails, slapping, bubbling, gurgling, swimming in circles.
The king himself was only too happy to retire quietly that first night, drink goldenwine with his closest friends, swim lustily through the kingdom, and generally stretch his tail, arms, and fins the way he hadn’t in years. When his daughters finally forced him into his coral bed, he only resisted a little.
The celebrations, feasting, and partying the next day were like nothing mortal eyes had ever witnessed. Old rivalries were forgotten; the barracuda even brought gifts of apology. Ariel surprised everyone by singing some of what Sebastian had composed so far for his “Tribute to the Return of the King.”
And on the third day, everyone finally got back to work.
Triton sat at the throne, reviewing all the policies and paperwork Ariel had managed while he was gone. He did not use a desk, instead having people hold tablets, decrees, and documents for him while he read. The king frowned and muttered and said things like “Mmmh. Good point about the right-of-way” and “I would have told the rays to consider an alternate breeding ground” and “Bah, the Rites. I always hated dealing with those. Always made Threll and Sebastian do it.”
At this Ariel raised her eyebrows at Sebastian. The little crab shrugged, chagrined. The seahorse coughed nervously.
“Overall, a very impressive job,” Triton said, raising his eyebrows as he studied his youngest daughter. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, Ariel, but I am pleasantly surprised by how you have matured. Your time ruling has shown wisdom, pragmatism, quick thinking, and unique solutions to difficult problems. You might even have surpassed your old man.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“You know,” he added, speculatively, “I could use a hand with all of this. A right-fin man, or mer. I know you probably want to be off again with your sisters, or singing—”
“Nope. No,” Ariel interrupted immediately.
“Well, then, it’s settled,” the old mer said with a grin. “Father-daughter day! Every day! What a team!”
Ariel cleared her throat. Her thumbs passed over her fingers and back, as if thinking of something to sign.
“Actually, Father, I had another idea…”
“This isn’t about you going to the surface again, is it? Because let me tell you—”
“Hang on,” Ariel said, putting her hand up to stop him—something she never would have done before. She did it calmly, without anger or a sudden burst of temper at his attitude; also something new. “We’ll get to my career options in a moment. Let me first make it absolutely clear, however, that I love Eric and want to be with him. And I can do that for at least one week a month, with your help.”
“WITH MY HELP? IF YOU THINK FOR ONE SECOND I—”
Ariel fixed him with a cool eye. “Remember what happened last time I had to find an alternate solution for walking on land? I’m sure there are other ways out there, and I’m sure I could find them. Do you really want me doing that?”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I am merely stating what will inevitably happen if you resist this. I will see Eric. If you want to turn him into a mer for a week every month, I’m fine with that, too. However, currently he is a prince with actual duties, and I doubt he has the time for such things.”
“And what about you? A princess with actual duties?”
“Father, I’ve ruled, and while I might be good at it, I don’t like it. I want to do what I’ve always wanted to do.” She pointed out at the dark ocean. “Explore. Meet new people. Learn new languages. Discover new things and the artists who make them. I want to find out what happened to the Hyperboreans. I want to reengage trade with the Tsangalu. I want to know if there’s anyone else out there like Ursula…”
Triton—and Sebastian, and Flounder—shuddered.
“Maybe they’re not all like her,” she said quickly. “Father, the world of the mer has been getting smaller and smaller, consumed with ourselves and our own arts, thoughts, and philosophies for far too long. Humans have conquered most of the Dry World—we need to unite the World Under the Sea, for survival if nothing else.”
Triton frowned, but not skeptically. He scratched his left eyebrow.