Chapter Two

Aric

Finally the day I've been waiting for finally came. My sixteenth birthday. Father had decided that when I was was eighteen that they would let me go up to the surface not that I was obedient but I just felt I wasn't ready to have a see the surface.

All my sisters had been excited about my birthday and even planned a wonderful celebration. Attina who was like the mother figure after our mother passed away had come to get me ready for my own birthday which was not something I was surprised about.

I got so bored trying staying here and decided to go explore the sea. I swam to the place where my best friend Flower, a nice friendly fish with blue fins and yellow body was passing by.

"Flower let's go exploring." I insisted but she gave me that disapproval look.

"There's no way I'm going with you Aric. Last time we did, I almost got eaten by a crocodile." She explained as I rolled my eyes.

"But your still alive so let's go." I demanded then started swimming off the sea then I turned to see flower beside me.

We went pass the borders that my father never wanted me to cross but that was where most of the land walkers known as humans kept their treasures. I kept on swimming till I found a wrecked ship at the bottom of the ocean and swam up to it.

I entered their to see all sorts of tools and things the humans used. I saw something that was big and black with black and white keys. I pressed it and it produced a beautiful sound making me to flinch before I gently pressed on it and played a note as I hummed to it.

Flower swam past me as she admired the things she had never seen in Atlantica. I swam to something round where I saw something shiny on the round table. I took it and then admired it as I called out flower who looked at the cold shiny thing in my hand.

"Aric what is that?" Flower asked as I thought of what it could be.

"I don't know Flower. What do you think the humans use it for?"

"Well I don't know but I wanna leave here."

I took the shiny thing and brushed my hair as I enjoyed the feel of it on my red hair. I took a bag I saw and placed it inside as I took some other things I found beautiful.

Flower was talking about leaving as she stepped back then I felt the environment getting scarier and darker before I looked at Flower then widened my eyes when I saw a predator. A shark.

"Uhm Flower. SWIM!" I shouted just in time as I and Flower swam at our fastest speed in order to avoid the shark from getting us.

The shark caused us around the ship as we used the doors to protect and hold it back for sometime to escape. I was terrified but at the same time excited about the chase.

We swam around trying out best not to get eaten then as we were trying to use one of the windows to escape, Flower got stuck as I pushed her while the shark kept on trying to break the door down. I looked at the door then back at Flower before I pushed and she was finally free.

I was about to escape when I noticed the small bag that I held was not in my hand and on the broken floors, lying around. The shark had already busted the door but I couldn't get that shiny thing off my mind and then dived back to get it.

I and the shark swam at our fastest speed but I was faster and caught the bag before I swam out the window making the sharks head to be stuck through that window. It had stopped struggling when it couldn't break free and then I smiled in victory then swam away slowly.

"Come on Flower let's go." I said then swam away but Flower remained and decided to scold and mock it.

"You ought to be ashamed yourself. Didn't your mother teach you not to mess with merfolks. Serves you right." Flower said then blew raspberries on its face before the shark roared chasing Flower to me.

"Scaredy cat." I teased Flower who frowned and folded her hands as she followed me home.

"I'm not scared." He complained making me laugh.

I got home to see father and all my six elder sisters not looking happy with my arrival. My father looked worried at first then angry before his face relaxed.

"Aric where were you during your birthday celebration?" Father asked sternly as I hid the bag holding the stuffs I collected.

"Just went for a little swim." I replied partially telling the truth.

"I told you the ocean outside of Atlantica is dangerous."

"But it's beautiful out there and there's nothing dangerous." I argued back with a stern look.

"Yeah if there wasn't sharks that tried to eat us." Flower whispered but my father caught onto it making him to stand up from his throne.

"Sharks? You were attacked by a shark?"

"But I handled it. Father try to understand."

"Enough! I've had enough of these childish dreams. Aric from today you are no longer allowed to step tail outside this kingdom." Father stated but I wouldn't agree.

"But father..." I tried to convince him but he wouldn't listen and interrupted me.

"Aric that is final." I frowned and looked at my sisters then Attina.

"Attina?" I called but she gave a sad face.

"I'm sorry Aric but father is right. It's for your own good." Attina responded with remorse on her face and out of anger that no one cared about what I wanted I swam away.

"Sebastian follow him." Father commanded his right hand crab who bowed down and chased after me.

I kept on swimming with the things I collected to my treasure room. Flower felt bad and apologized but I didn't blame her because it wasn't her intention. I dropped the new stuffs I collected in order except the shiny thing.

I swam around looking through all the stuffs I've been collecting from when I was still a little boy and then I smiled when I saw my best and favorite. My mother's music box.

I opened it and the music started to play as I smiled. This was the only strong memory I had of my mother since I wasn't old enough to know her like my sisters.

"Aric?" Flower said as she placed her finger on my shoulder.

"Oh Flower, don't you ever wish to be up in the surface where we can walk, where we can stand and play all day in the sun?"

"I'm a fish, water is pretty much all I need to survive." Flower said as I noticed a slight humor in what she said.

"That's not the point. I wish I could be part of their world even if it was just for one day." I sighed before I saw Sebastian come over.

"Prince Aric I strictly forbid you from having such thoughts. Your father, King Triton won't be happy with such a childish dream."

"Sebastian, I've heard the same thing from my father please spare me." I pleaded politely making Sebastian to fold his pincers.

I laughed but then stopped when the part I was in got darker. I looked up and then noticed something big passing by. I knew from the base it was ship and decided to swim after it but Sebastian held my tail to try to prevent me from going but I refused to give in and broke free from his hold.

I kept on swimming as he and Flower swam after me. I got to the surface and then looked up to the ship hearing music and songs of celebration that sounded like sailors music.

It was fascinating watching them dance with each other and singing gleefully without a care in the world. I heard a few of them celebrating someone whose name I heard to be prince Eric.

So humans even have hierarchy. I thought as I observed the humans. I was stunned when I saw a man with beautiful black locks, blue strong eyes and those strong muscles. I looked down at myself to see I was smaller and not really muscular compared to him and many mermen in the ocean.

I don't know why but looking at him made me smile in my heart, made me think like he was the only one in the world I could see at that moment and then I felt tiny fishes swimming in my stomach as I admired the gorgeous man up there.

I was still admiring him when the sky turned dark and the oceans started becoming unstable. I was worried about the crew members on the ship and how dangerous and unexpected this storm came. Sebastian wanted us to go back but I kept on moving forward to the ship, ignoring his warnings and the heavy slapping of the ocean tides to my face.

When I looked up, I saw someone fall into the ocean as the crew shouted out for prince Eric. I couldn't let their prince die especially since he was important so I swam close to him who had been struggling but seemed to be giving up. I held his by the shoulders and brought his head up to the surface so he could breathe properly.

I swam close to the surface as the storm calmed and when I got there with the prince, I dropped him on the beach and looked at him. I then realized it was the gorgeous man I had been looking at.

He looked beautiful when he was asleep and I gently touched his light brown skin and then slowly outlined his face into remembrance with my fingers.

"Prince Aric we have to go." Sebastian informed me as he and Flower waited for me by the edge of the ocean.

"He looks so peaceful. Can't we just stay till someone comes for him?"

"I'm afraid not prince. Our kind shouldn't be known to humans." Sebastian explained as I removed some hair from his face.

I heard a bark and someone shouting prince Eric from a distance and decided to swim away but then I noticed Eric's eyes were slowing opening. I looked at him curiously then smiled before I swam away.

When I saw the man who came for Eric carry him away as he searched around as if expecting to see someone, I smiled then I swam away. All I had in my mind was how I could get to meet and talk to him again.