The Little Mermaid Didn't Stay So Little.

Everyone knows the story of the little mermaid. 7th daughter to the King Trident of Atlantica, the mermaid with the voice of a siren, and a fascination with humans. She saved a prince from a shipwreck, fell in love with his unconscious form, and struck a deal with Ursula the "sea witch." From there drama unfolds, and it ends in Ursula's death, The sea king gives his daughter's legs and she marries the human prince.

They got married on a beautiful boat, and then had a beautiful daughter two years later. Things were great. Eric was a 18-year-old boy at the time he married 16-year-old Ariel. The first two years things were the best that Ariel would ever experience. The sex was great, and her and Eric had so much to talk about. Her days were full of learning about human politics, human items, and money. Grimsby took over as a father figure to her, and taught her how to read , and whenever Ariel wasn't in the throes of passion with Eric or talking with him and getting to know her husband, she was reading, absorbing all the knowledge on humans she could.

She was a princess on land and sea (soon to be Queen when Eric took over), she got the man of her dreams, got to be among the humans she loved so much, and escaped the suffocation of her controlling father and hordes of self-absorbed sisters.

Wasn't it perfect? This was exactly what she dreamed of.

Well, that's exactly where the fairy tale ends and real life began. Postpartum after Melody was born took hold of Ariel. Morgana, Ursula's psychotic sister having a target out for her daughter did not help. Ariel spiraled into paranoia and depression. When the wall went up to try and shield Melody from Morgana's eyes in the ocean the depression got worse. She had given up her whole life to be with Eric and humans, and now she had to give up even the simple pleasure of putting her feet in the ocean. She had to deny who she was completely. Before now, sometimes she had found herself missing the freedom of the ocean, the blues, and greens of tranquility deep underwater. The muted musical sounds of the ocean.

As the years went by, her daughter grew to be as rebellious as she was as a child. And Ariel's love for Eric didn't fade, he was sweet, and passionate. But as time went on she kind of realized...Eric was a little slow. Grimsby had confided in her that Eric's family generations ago had worked to try and keep the royal blood pure, and his great-grandparents had been siblings. Ariel didn't judge. She used to be half fish. If Eric's family was a family of freaks it had led to a life of great sex and being royalty above water too.

When Eric became King, he had to spend more time away. Not that he chose to, his daughter and wife were his entire world. And Ariel loved him for it. But it hurt being away from him and the ocean. Sadness took root deep inside her, a sadness she never allowed to show. And when Melody was only 12 years old, she went and pulled an Ariel. She ran away, got in trouble. In the end, it solved the problem as it did for her when Ariel was a child.

The wall went down, Morgana was captured, and humans were once again, 14 years after the wedding united in ceremony and friendship. And it soothed Ariel's heart. But after the events unfolded, 30-year-old Ariel thinking about her life. She understood her father so much better now. How he had tried to protect her, the dangerous things she did to defy him for the sake of curiosity where nothing more than childish rebellions. She was grateful looking back, the Eric was as good of a man as he was. She had given up her whole world, her whole life, and became something she wasn't, for a teenage boy she knew literally nothing about, except he was a prince and she'd saved his life.

She realized just how lucky she had been. If Eric had grown to be cruel, or boring, Ariel would have been screwed. In her fourteen years of being a human, she had learned that humans were as fascinating as she had originally thought them to be. But not because of their trinkets or their legs. It was because in general, the human race ran on greed. She had learned and seen humans do terrible things to other humans for the sake of greed, or religion (besides, everyone knew that Posiden was the only God that mattered right?).

She loved her husband and the extended palace family. She wouldn't trade her daughter for anything. But looking at it now that Morgana and Ursula were gone, the ocean was just...so much safer. Sharks and jellyfish were nothing compared to a desperate human who was motivated by something as silly as money. Mermaids were misunderstood, but at least they didn't rape each other, murder each other, steal from each other, and maim each other.

Her father had been right. He had tried to protect her. And all she had done was ignore his warnings. The same as Melody had. But Ariel had done even worse than her father. She had lied to her. Kept a secret from her. Ignored Melody's cries for help when she didn't understand why the ocean screamed at her silently and haunted her in her sleep. Acted as if the girl was just crazy.

Melody was obsessed with the ocean, and thanks to Morgana giving her a taste of the mermaid-life, it was hard to get that girl to attend her lessons. Ariel was overcome by confusion. What should she do? Her husband, while a kind king, a good king, wasn't very intelligent in these matters, but it didn't matter, Ariel would talk to him anyway.

"Eric, I don't know what to do. Or how to feel better. I've made so many mistakes. My whole life, all I've done is make mistakes and justified it with my own selfish reasons. Especially with my father. I understand so much more now."

"It sounds to me like you've learned something. About life, and about love for a child." Eric stated calmly, looking out at the ocean from their bedroom balcony where they sat. Ariel looked at her husband and nodded.

"Yes. I have learned a lot recently, with what happened with Melody." Ariel said, trying not to sigh and be patient with her husband, raising and eyebrow at him.

"Ariel, what is that you want? It sounds to me like you're feeling a little lost. Sailors that have spent years on the water sometimes tell me about how times the sky and ocean seemed to go on endlessly, and after a time they didn't know if they were floating on the sky or if they were sailing the seas. It was madness for them, but they can't help but miss the sea when they are home. They say that at times they look up at the night skies, and get lost in the forever of the stars, and imagine feeling the rocking of a boat under their feet." Eric continued and Ariel smiled. Her husband had a way of telling stories to help her understand his mind.

He also communicated by his flute, which he pulled out of his pocket now and put to his lips. Ariel, confused now watched and listened when Eric played a sea shanty, one that she had learned by now was about mermaids when the lyrics were sung out loud. She waited until he was done, and she looked back out over the sea, the aching in her heart

"So, those sailors, do they love home or the sea more?" Ariel asked, and Eric laughed. Ari frowned up at her husband, confused.

“Why do they have to choose, Ariel? For those sailors… their home is that of the sea AND their family on land. Ariel, I’m sorry I never realized before today that this whole time, you felt like you had to choose.” Eric looked at his wife sadly.

Ariel shook her head and laughed out of frustration.

“What do you mean? Of course I have to choose, Eric! I was a freaking fish! And you were a human prince. I wanted you and o chose you.” She sighed. “I don’t regret choosing you. I just feel so.. lost. I was a worthless daughter, and I’ve turned out to be a worthless mother.” Ariel looked down and it wasn’t long before she felt arms wrap around her and pulling her into a warm embrace.

“When we got married, I never asked you to choose. I knew I loved you. I wanted to be with you. But, I never asked you to choose. I assumed you were happy with everything. I should have asked you if you ever missed going home… Ariel. You shouldn’t have to choose. And neither should Melody. You two are my loves of my life whether you have feet or fins.”

Ariel gasped, looking up at her husband. It was then that she realized just how lucky she was, and also how self absorbed. Her husband wasn’t slow. He was the kindest most open minded human being she would ever meet.

A smile crossed Ariel’s face, knowing she was falling in love with him again.

“I would choose you every time, Eric.”

“Luckily, I feel like you shouldn’t have to. I love you for you. Including the part you thought you had to get rid of. Let’s talk to your dad when he comes to visit. Let’s see if there is a way you and melody can go visit your family under the sea any time you want.” Eric suggested and Ari agreed.

When her father came to visit, Eric and Ariel explained to him what they wanted and Trident obliged. The trident was capable of many things, and Trident procured magic shell necklaces, one for Melody, Ariel and even one for Eric.

Life was better after that. The family would visit Atlantica twice a year for several weeks at a time- and Melody got to learn about her mermaid heritage… and Ariel found that the lost feeling was gone.

She was able to embrace the entirety of who she was- and her daughter got to make a choice for herself who she was. And that is when Ariel realized - she wasn’t a little mermaid anymore.

My 5-year-old daughter is competing in Nationals at the All American Miss Pageant in Orlando Fl, during Thanksgiving Week this year. It is being hosted with National American Miss. We are trying to raise money for hotel costs, her casual modeling outfit, her formal gown, and to submit her portfolio in a Photogenic. All money I make off of Vocal will be going straight to her Pageant.

If you are inspired by my “amazing” writing (haha!) to donate to Aylaina-Sky's pageant, please tip this story! Every dollar helps!