Chapter 17:

The Queen is Here

Elsa

Ariel is a princess of Atlantica…

That wasn’t information Elsa had been expecting. A week ago she hadn’t even thought merfolk were real and now… Now, she was sitting on a beach of a deserted island with not one, but two mermaids who both happened to be princesses who belonged to an underwater kingdom whose king was their father.

Elsa grabbed her belly, her shoulders falling forward and her chest caving in. It felt as if her stomach had turned to stone. While the fact that Ariel and Attina were princesses shouldn’t have been a problem since Elsa grew up being taught how to act around royalty—at least as well as she could have been taught while trying to keep to her room and away from others—it was more so that they were mermaid princesses. Elsa could handle human princesses, but what did it mean to be a mermaid princess? What would their father do when he found out that his daughters were injured and stranded on an island because of a human?

A human he had forbidden his daughters to interact with!

Maybe learning that Elsa was also royalty would change their father’s opinion on why they were here? Ariel didn’t just save a human; she saved a queen. That had to stand for something, right? Even if their father hated humans, surely, he respected royalty enough to see that Ariel saving her was a commendable thing to do.

But then there was Ariel…

Ariel’s thick red hair, bright ocean-blue eyes, creamy skin, and magnificently shimmering tail filled Elsa with warm, tingling feelings. How would Ariel’s father react when he found out that another human had fallen for his daughter? Elsa could feel her pulse in her neck and hear it in her ears. An uncomfortable tightness settled in her chest as she forced herself to take in a deep, ragged breath.

From behind her, the gentle murmur of the sea as the tide washed up the shore filled the air. From the forest beyond the beach, birds chirped and insects buzzed. As the morning had drawn on into early afternoon, the heat and humidity intensified. Elsa was aware how much of a mess her hair must have looked, but the constant humidity and lack of a proper way of bathing made it impossible to tame her unruly locks.

When Elsa lifted her head, she found both Ariel and Attina staring at her. It’d been five days now since Elsa was rescued by Ariel and learned that mermaids were real, but being the Queen of Arendelle was something she had kept to herself. Though it was common knowledge among the kingdoms nearby to Arendelle that Elsa was the queen, that knowledge didn’t seem to make its way to the underwater kingdom of Atlantica and why should it have? If King Triton was wholly against merfolk associating themselves with humans, then what purpose would he have of knowing who ruled what kingdoms on the surface world?

Keeping her identity a secret from Ariel had allowed Elsa to be appreciated for who she truly was, not just as a queen. It was refreshing to be liked for herself, not for her royal status or her magical abilities. When Elsa saw Ariel's bright ocean-blue eyes fixated on her, with those thin red eyebrows drawn together and her teeth worrying her bottom lip, she felt an overwhelming urge to crawl forward and envelop Ariel in her arms. All their shared feelings had blossomed from the mutual understanding that neither of them was defined by royalty. They had grown to care for each other for who they were, not for their titles or status.

Elsa took in a slow, deep breath. “I have something to tell you.” Though she spoke to Ariel, Attina was equally invested in what Elsa had to say. “You know how I call you my salmon and you call me your peasant?” Ariel’s face shifted from one of worry to one of delight—her eyes lit up and her chewed lip spread across her face in a wide, heartfelt smile. “Well, I’m not a peasant.”

Closing her eyes, she recalled the day of her coronation. Standing in the chapel with Anna beside her, the bishop stood before Elsa, the holy scepter and orb resting on a pillow in his hands. Her chest tightened as she removed her gloves. Her erratic nerves caused ice to form around the objects in her hands, and she held her breath in an attempt to calm herself as she tried to conceal, don’t feel.

Heart racing and her nails digging into her palms, Elsa’s eyes fluttered open to Ariel’s confusion. “Ariel, I’m not some random person from Arendelle…” Attina cocked her head, her eyebrows knitted together. “Summersnow,” Elsa clarified, her voice shaking. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I’m—” Elsa’s eyes flickered between Ariel and Attina before settling on Ariel. “I’m the Queen of Arendelle.”

Ariel and Attina stared at Elsa, mirroring their expressions: eyebrows raised clear up their foreheads, eyes wide with astonishment, and mouths hanging open in sheer disbelief.

Elsa exhaled a deep breath, feeling every nerve in her body come alive. Her skin tingled as if her ice magic had transformed into lightning magic. The hairs on her neck and arms stood on end, bristling with anticipation as she awaited Ariel’s response.

# # #

Ariel

Ariel’s mouth hung open until drool pooled along her bottom lip, threatening to drip down her chin. She closed her mouth and swallowed as she took in what she just learned about her peasant. When she turned to Attina, her jaw hung just as agape. When her eyes flickered to Ariel, her eyebrows knitted together and her nostril flared. She snapped her mouth shut and with the haste of a dolphin darting into a school of fish for dinner, Attina thrust her palm into Ariel’s shoulder.

“You let me scream at and disrespect a queen?” shouted Attina.

“Ow.” Ariel rubbed her shoulder. “I didn’t know Elsa was a queen.” She glanced back at Elsa who was holding her arms against her chest with her chin resting on the back on her hand as she stared down at the sand. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Elsa opened her mouth though nothing came out. She sighed and then tried again. “I didn’t think I could trust you at first. I didn’t know mermaids were real and with Anna being pregnant, I didn’t want to jeopardize her safety.”

I saved your life and you couldn’t trust me? “Do you trust me now?” snapped Ariel, immediately regretting her harsh tone. That thought that Elsa couldn’t trust her had struck a painful chord.

Elsa’s head shot up, finding Ariel’s eyes immediately. “Yes!” she said without hesitation. “I trust you completely, Ariel.”

Attina thrust her palm into Ariel’s shoulder again; Ariel glared at her. “Why didn’t you tell her that you’re a princess?”

Ariel rubbed her shoulder again. “Okay, first, stop hitting me. Second, it never seemed relevant.”

“Nev—” Attina groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “How did it never seem relevant? Our father is the literal king of the oceans! Maybe if you had told her that you’re a princess she would have told that she’s a queen!” Attina’s narrowed eyes were locked on Ariel, her face reddening with anger.

“Wait, your father’s not just the King of Atlantica? He rules over the oceans, too?” Elsa’s eyes shifted between Ariel and Attina. “As in, all of the oceans?”

Attina glared at Ariel. “If it didn’t seem relevant telling Elsa that you’re a princess, then what exactly was your plan, Ariel? You’ve clearly fallen for her. When were you going to tell her?”

When Ariel slowly turned to look at Elsa, she noticed Elsa’s cheeks were flushed. Despite the worry etched in Ariel’s face, evident from her furrowed brow and the way she chewed on her bottom lip, Elsa still managed a smile. Ariel felt her own blush rise from her chest, up her neck, and settle in her cheeks. Her teeth sank deeper into her bottom lip until it hurt as she watched Elsa’s radiant smile spread across her face. There was no ‘thinking’ to it on whether or not she was falling for Elsa; she had already fallen, and she had fallen hard.

“You already know Father isn’t going to let you become human again.” Attina’s words tore Ariel’s gaze away from Elsa. Ariel yearned to be with Elsa, alone, and spend her life with her beautiful blonde peasant—or queen, rather!—but Attina was on a roll with her relentless facts. Father wouldn’t let Ariel become human again and if she couldn’t be human, how would she ever get to spend her life with Elsa? “Were you just going to lie to Elsa about being a princess? About who our father is?”

Ariel’s cheeks grew hotter, the face turning red. “It wasn’t a lie!” she shouted. A hot breeze blew across the beach and she noticed her tail beginning to dry out. “I just… I just hadn’t told her that I was a princess of Atlantica.”

“Wait.” Ariel’s and Attina’s attention fell on Elsa. Her wide smile faded as her eyes shifted back and forth as if she was lost in thought. “Your father let his princess daughter marry a human commoner?”

Attina buried her face in her hands. “You didn’t tell her about Eric either?”

Ariel’s heart raced. Her face only grew hotter. She wanted to slither into the sea and swim away! “She knows about Eric, Attina! I’ve talked about him.”

Attina lifted her face from her hands, her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red than Ariel’s hair. “But she doesn’t know he was a prince!”

“He was a prince before you two married?” exclaimed Elsa. She scrunched up her face. “Wait a minute. How…? I’m the Queen of Arendelle, how—how did word about a prince marrying a mermaid not get around? Outside of sailors’ stories, no one has ever mentioned mermaids being real and if a prince was not only rescued by one, but married one too, then that should have gotten around. Where did he live?”

Ariel met Elsa’s confused eyes, then looked to Attina who was still glowering at her. Ariel didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to relive her past—the past that shattered her heart. Her breathing became quick and ragged, and her bottom lip wobbled. “I—I can’t…!” Ariel slithered past Elsa toward the sea.

As she passed by, Elsa reached out for her. “Ariel, wait!”

“No!” Ariel’s voice quavered. “You won’t understand!” The tide washed up the beach as Ariel slid into the water. She dug her fingers into the wet sand, pulling herself along the seabed until she completely disappeared beneath the surface. Clams and fish obstructed her path and while she was hungry, Ariel pushed past them, her sinuses burning with the onset of tears.

It hadn’t been her fault. What happened with Eric… what happened to Flowerhaven. Eric had been so kind, gentle, and loving to Ariel. She had helped him break free from Ursula’s trance when her aunt had used her own voice against her, and Eric had helped her stop Ursula once and for all. Her father had granted her legs so that she could live with her one true love and spend the rest of her life with him. But life was cruel, and Eric had changed into someone Ariel had no longer recognized.

As Ariel remembered Eric—his short dark hair, his light blue eyes that mirrored the clear, sunny sky, his sharp jaw seemingly chiseled by a sculptor, his soft voice, and his warm, comforting embrace whenever he wrapped her in his large, muscular arms—her jaw quivered. A gasp escaped her lips, the first sob breaking through her control. She clenched her eyes shut, feeling the hot tears mingle with the cool, salty sea. Her hair floated around her head; the icy strands still braided through it reminding her of Elsa's touch. She grasped at the braids, feeling the coldness seep into her fingers, and choked out another sob, more painful than the first.

What was she doing with her life? When Father had rescued her from Eric, he had made it painfully clear that love with another human was forbidden. Yet, here she was, her heart already entwined with feelings for her peasant—“My queen,” she whispered, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions.

The temperature of the water around Ariel plummeted. The fish that had been near her darted away and the clams locked up their shells. The chill of the water nipped at Ariel’s skin and scales and above her the surface popped and cracked as some of the surface froze over. The blurry outline of Elsa’s body stepped across the ice and through teary eyes Ariel watched as Elsa sat down. As the outline of Elsa’s legs uncurled beneath her, her feet suddenly appeared in the water. Her toes wiggled and Ariel found herself staring up at those small, delicate feet and remembering how cute her footprints were in the sand.

Elsa shifted above the ice. She sat forward with her hands on her knees and she gazed through the surface at Ariel, the corners of her lips tugging to form a small smile with her cheeks lighting up a bright red and her beautiful eyes sparkling. “Humans can’t speak or breathe underwater, but I’m not afraid to sit with you down there and hold you until I can’t hold my breath anymore.”

Ariel gazed up at Elsa just as she was gazing down at her. She wasn’t serious. She wouldn’t come in the water. She had already almost drowned, she wouldn’t willingly sink into the water just to comfort Ariel. But when Elsa shifted forward and slid off the ice and into the sea, Ariel gasped.

She pushed herself off the seafloor and swam up to Elsa as she was sinking. Although Ariel wasn’t far below, the depth was enough that standing wouldn’t allow Elsa to breach the surface. Ariel grabbed hold of Elsa and propelled them both upwards until their heads broke through the water.

“Don’t be crazy!” Ariel’s voice still quavered.

“You make me do crazy things,” Elsa murmured, her blonde hair clinging to her glistening face, beads of water running from her hairline down her face. Instead of brushing her own hair away, Elsa lifted a hand from the water and tucked a strand of red hair behind Ariel’s ear. When their eyes met, Ariel’s cheeks prickled with heat.

Elsa’s hand disappeared under the water and when Ariel felt her fingers slide across her ribs just below her breasts, a shiver crept down her spine. Elsa’s hands slid around Ariel’s back, pulling her closer. When their bodies collided—the soft swell of Elsa’s breasts pushed against Ariel’s chest, their bellybuttons aligned, and Elsa’s legs gently wrapped around Ariel’s floating tail—Elsa rested her forehead against Ariel’s, the tips of their noses touching, sending a tingling sensation through Ariel. Gazing into those icy blue eyes, Ariel was reminded that when Elsa was around, nothing else mattered.

“I want to know about your life, Ariel. I want to know about the good times you had with Eric and I want to comfort you through the bad times. I want to hear about your wedding, what it was like transitioning from a mermaid to a human, how life differed from the sea to land. But I’m not going to push you into opening up. I’ll be here, ready to listen when you’re ready to share. I care about you deeply, Ariel—” Ariel’s breath hitched in her throat. “—and I want to hear your story when you’re ready to tell me.”

Ariel gasped out a sob. “Oh, Elsa…” She slid her arms around Elsa, holding her just as tight around her waist as Elsa was holding her.

Elsa lifted her head and gently pressed her lips to the tip of Ariel’s nose. Her cool lips sent tingles racing down Ariel’s body until her tailfin quivered. “What do you say we get back to Attina?”

“Okay,” Ariel whispered. She looked over Elsa’s shoulder at the beach. Attina was still sitting up and she was rifling through the ice basket sniffing at different fruit. “Actually, I think I’m going to grab some fish for us to eat. I’m sure Attina is starving.”

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“Yeah, she didn’t seem too keen on eating fruit,” said Elsa, climbing out of the water and onto the ice she made at the surface. Her hair clung to her face, neck, and shoulders, but it ran right off her icy outfit.

“I think she was just trying to remain stubborn in not accepting anything from a human.” Ariel nodded at the beach. “She seems curious now.”

Elsa turned around, grabbing a handful of her hair and wringing it out. “Now that she’s not scared of me, maybe she’ll be open to trying an apple or an orange?”

“What about the strawberries? She might like those.”

Elsa turned back to Ariel and smirked. “There aren’t many left and I wanted to save them for you.”

Ariel couldn’t help but grin. “You’re too sweet.”

Elsa crouched down and extended her arm, her hand opened to Ariel’s. When Ariel slid her hand into Elsa’s, Elsa gently brought it to her lips, kissing her knuckles. Ariel’s heart fluttered, and a warm flush spread across her chest, neck, and face.

“You’re so regal,” whispered Ariel.

“Well, I am a queen,” Elsa smirked. “And you’re my princess. We can be the princess and the queen.”

Ariel’s tail quivered beneath her. “What about the queen and the princess?” She gasped! “No, the queen and the mermaid?”

“We can be the salmon and the peasant, as long as we’re together.”

Ariel floated closer to the edge of the ice with a silly grin strewn across her lips. Elsa’s icy blue eyes were practically glowing as they gazed upon Ariel. As her eyes crept over Elsa’s cute, small nose and landed on her lips, Ariel’s hand left Elsa’s and sat firmly atop the icy surface as she brought her other hand out of the water and placed it at the edge of the ice. With a shaky breath, Ariel carefully lifted herself from the water, eyes focused on Elsa’s parting lips, and as water dripped off her hair and her chest and onto the ice, Ariel reached her neck out, her lips buzzing with the need to taste Elsa again.

Elsa’s cool breath was like a gentle whisper against her skin and the moment their lips met, a shiver coursed through Ariel’s body, almost as if she was stretched out across an iceberg. Ariel knew to expect the chill from Elsa’s lips from having kissed her last night, but this time it was different. They weren’t in a dire situation and the kiss didn’t need to be rushed. Ariel’s lips buzzed at the touch of Elsa’s and what started as a tingle in her lips quickly spread to her spine and raced clear down her tail, making her gasp softly. It was a kiss that felt both invigorating and surreal, a blend of heat and cold that left Ariel yearning for more of Elsa’s cool, yet warm touch.

When Elsa pulled away, Ariel’s eyes fluttered open and the pinkish-red flush that filled Elsa’s face was enough to make Ariel climb out of the water completely and lay Elsa out beneath her. Elsa’s quick, ragged breaths tickled Ariel’s lips and as she slid her hand up Elsa’s torso and over her left breast, her nipple carving across Ariel’s palm, Elsa’s breath hitched. But Ariel didn’t stop there. She slid her hand to Elsa’s neck and into her damp, cool hair. With her fingers tangled in Elsa’s hair, Ariel flicked her eyes at Elsa’s and that half-lidded gaze told Ariel everything she needed to know. She leaned in again, kissing Elsa once more, except this time, she took it a step further. She parted her lips, the tip of her tongue toying with Elsa’s lips—a move she had learned from Eric—and when Elsa opened her mouth, Ariel groaned when her tongue met Elsa’s.

For as cool as her lips were, Elsa’s mouth was hot and wet. Ariel found herself loving the contrast between her cold lips and her hot mouth and it made her only want to kiss Elsa deeper. Ariel pulled way briefly so that they could fill their lungs with a fresh breath of air, but it was Elsa who pulled Ariel’s head down so that they could continue their kissing. This time Elsa pushed past Ariel’s lips with her tongue. She dug her fingers into Ariel’s back as she moaned into Ariel’s mouth.

Attina cleared her throat. “I’m still over here on the beach, you know?”

Their kissing came to an end and when Ariel pulled away, Elsa licked her lips before sinking her teeth into her bottom lip. Her eyes were settled on Ariel’s lips and when she lifted them to meet’s Ariel’s eyes, Ariel could only smirk. “I want to do that again,” she whispered.

Elsa giggled. “Me too.”

“Anyone want to bring me some water? I’m drying out over here!” shouted Attina.

“Okay, now we should probably return to your sister,” suggested Elsa.

Ariel giggled, taking a page from Elsa’s book and she kissed Elsa on the tip of her nose. “I mean, it’s not as if she’s going to dry out completely at this moment.”

Elsa snickered. “Ariel!” she gasped amidst a quiet laugh. “We can always do more of this—” Elsa gave Ariel a quick peck on the lips “—later, maybe when Attina falls asleep?”

Ariel pouted. “But I want to do more of it right now…”

The tips of Elsa’s fingers grazed up and down Ariel’s back, goosebumps popping up all over Ariel’s skin. “I do, too,” Elsa whispered.

“I would be very upset if I was saved from being stabbed only to turn around and die from drying out!” Ariel rolled her eyes at Attina’s insistence at ruining hers and Elsa’s moment. Elsa just chuckled.

“We’re coming!” Ariel shouted back at her sister.

“Are you still getting some fish?” Elsa sat up when Ariel rolled off of her and back into the water.

“Yeah.” Her stomach growled but the water muffled it. “Can you get some water for Attina?”

Elsa twirled her hands and a flurry of ice and snow swirled on the surface of the ice and when it disappeared, a glistening container made of pure ice sat there.

“It’s a bucket,” said Elsa. “I can use it to carry water. I think I might try helping her move back to the tide that way she won’t have to worry about drying out at all. I can make some ice in the sand like I did for us earlier and just slide her to the shore. I also want to take a look at her wound. Hopefully it doesn’t take too much longer to heal.”

Ariel’s smile faltered. Once Attina was healed, that meant that they’d be able to leave the island and help Elsa get back home. It was the right thing to do, and Ariel had promised Elsa, but with how deep her feelings ran for her, the thought of their time together ending was painful. Who knew when or even if she’d see Elsa again? Ariel didn’t want to think about it right now, though, so she pushed the thought away and grinned. “Want me to help you start a fire when I get back?”

Elsa chuckled. “I would love that. I’ll help Attina and then I’ll go collect some kindling.”

“I’ll get us those fish.” Ariel prepared to submerge.

“Oh, and Ariel!” She stopped, looking back up at Elsa. “Be careful. I expect us to pick up where we left off tonight.” Elsa smirked and winked at Ariel.

Ariel’s face blossomed with heat, and she wore the goofiest of grins as she submerged beneath the surface.

# # #

Elsa

The sun had set and while the heat of the day still lingered, it was nowhere near as hot as it had been. The night sky was clear and stars dotted the black canvas where the moon’s bright, silvery glow wasn’t spread. Elsa’s fire danced in its pit, the burning wood popping and crackling. Elsa and Ariel sat near the firepit while Attina laid out across the beach with the tide washing up her tail.

“I still can’t believe the redweed plant works the way that it does,” said Elsa, admiring Ariel as the glow of the fire turned her face a light shade of orange and her red hair even darker with her eyes bright and radiant.

“I’m just happy you remembered it.” Ariel’s eyes drifted to the sand. Her voice was meek. “I was useless last night. If it hadn’t been for you—”

“No,” Elsa interjected. “Don’t think that. It’s like you said earlier to Attina, we saved her life.”

Ariel lifted her eyes. When they caught Elsa’s, she grinned. “The queen and the mermaid. We make a good team.”

Elsa’s teeth sank into her bottom lip as those same lips spread across her face. “Yeah, we do.” Beside the fire sat the conch shell that Ariel had gotten for Elsa as a gift. She grabbed it and brought it to her ear. She could hear the hum of the sea, but nothing else. “I still can’t hear it whisper anything to me.”

Elsa handed it to Ariel and she held it to her ear. “It’s speaking right now. It says ‘The queen is here.’” Ariel gasped. “The queen. The sea has been telling me about you, Elsa! You’re the queen!”

Elsa reached for the conch again and held it to her ear. It only hummed. “Well, the sea sure doesn’t seem keen on telling me any of your secrets!”

Ariel laughed. “I guess hearing the sea speak is also just a merfolk thing?”

“Speaking of merfolk things,” interrupted Attina, “did you tell Elsa about our mother?” With her left hand tucked up under head, Attina pointed to the sky with her right hand.

Ariel looked to Elsa, beaming, “I did.”

Attina turned over onto her belly, barely wincing, and propped herself up on her elbows and forearms. She wasn’t too far from Elsa and Ariel, but just far enough that the glow of the fire didn’t fully illuminate her. She whipped her head to the left, sending her hair over her shoulders and out of her face. In the process, sand that had collected in her hair came loose and flew at Elsa and Ariel. “At least you told her something.”

Elsa reached into the ice basket and pulled out an apple, presenting it to Ariel. “Want to share this with me?”

Ariel took the apple and bit into it. “Not only did I tell her,” Ariel said with a mouthful of apple, “but Elsa also believes.” Ariel gave the apple back to Elsa.

“Really?” Attina cocked her head. “You believe in merfolk lore? That our deceased gather at the surface every year and make the great journey to the Great Sea Above?”

Elsa swallowed her bite and handed the apple back to Ariel. “I do. It’s beautiful and I don’t see why it wouldn’t be true.” Of course, Elsa knew that the “Floating Stars” were just lanterns from Corona that were set off every year for Rapunzel’s birthday. Rapunzel’s parents—Elsa’s and Anna’s aunt and uncle—started the floating lanterns as a celebration of Rapunzel’s birth, but when she was kidnapped as a baby, it became a tradition for the kingdom of Corona to send up the floating lanterns each year on Rapunzel’s birthday with the hope that they would guide the princess home.

It did beg the question as to what merfolk believed prior to Rapunzel’s birth, though. If the lanterns were an idea created upon her being born, then how did merfolk explain their deceased suddenly appearing as floating stars only twenty-five years ago?

“Have the Floating Stars always been around?” Elsa wasn’t sure how to ask her question without sounding skeptical. While the souls of the merfolk congregating at the surface of the sea and floating to the Great Sea Above part of the story was obviously just the lanterns floating away, Elsa didn’t want to dismiss the whole story. Who was she to say that the souls of merfolk don’t exist in the sky? It was a beautiful idea, and if it gave Ariel solace knowing that her mother was up there watching over her, then Elsa sure wasn’t going to tell Ariel that it wasn’t true.

Ariel looked to Attina who lifted her head and stared up at the sky. “Mother told me the story of the first time she experienced that Floating Stars. Did she ever tell you that one?” asked Attina, now looking at Ariel.

Ariel shook her head, but leaned forward, listening intently as Attina continued. “Mother and Father were on a date that night.” Attina chuckled. “They had Sebastian babysitting me, Alana, Adella, and Aquata. Can you imagine Sebastian babysitting one of us, much less four of us?”

Ariel giggled. “It’s any wonder he stayed with our family for as long as he has, but we love him.”

“Who’s Sebastian?” asked Elsa.

“Father’s chief of staff and Atlantica’s royal court composer,” answered Ariel. “He can be a bit… crabby sometimes.” Ariel and Attina laughed at the pun, though it went over Elsa’s head.

“Anyway,” Attina continued, her voice steady, filled with warmth and nostalgia, “Mother told me that while she and Father were at the surface having their date, the surface of the sea lit up and suddenly there were stars floating to the Great Sea Above. Off in the distance they could hear humans cheering and singing praise so they knew that what they were witnessing was real. For as long as anyone can remember, it’s always been said that when a merfolk passes away, they ascend to the Great Sea Above to be with the gods and their loved ones who have already passed. It wasn’t until that night that it was confirmed to happen. Poseidon guided their souls home and he’s done it every year since then. Maybe too many souls were getting lost on their way to the Great Sea Above and that’s why Poseidon started gathering them at the surface and having all of them come at once?” Attina shrugged. “I really don’t know why he began gathering them at the surface.

“The first time Mother and Father took us to see the Floating Stars, I was six and Alana was five. We were tasked with making sure that Adella and Aquata didn’t wander off toward the stars so I held onto Aquata and Alana held on to Adella. Father held Arista who was almost two at the time and Andrina was sound asleep in Mother’s arms as she nursed.” At the mention of Andrina’s name, Attina’s breath caught. As the dim glow of the firelight danced across Attina’s face, it exposed her glistening eyes. “Mother was pregnant with you, Ariel.” Attina’s voice cracked.

“I was there?” gasped Ariel.

Attina nodded, wiping her eyes. “You would be born only a few months later.” Attina smiled at the memory. “Mother was so big with you!” Ariel chuckled amidst her own tears. Elsa scooted closer to Ariel and wrapped her in her arms. “As we watched the souls of the departed lift from the sea and journey to the Great Sea Above, Mother and Father pulled the four of us in close with their spare arms and I remember Mother whispering to me, ‘One day your Father and I will be among those stars and I never want you to forget that even if we’re not here with you, we’ll still always be here in your heart.’” Attina sniffled and lowered her head to the sand, a whimper escaping her lips.

Ariel slithered to Attina, embracing her as she wept. They whispered to each other, finding comfort in each other’s presence. Elsa stayed by the fire, giving them time together. She searched the night sky and settled on a twinkling star. Whether Athena was up there or not wasn’t for Elsa to say, but Ariel believed she was so that was enough for Elsa to believe it as well.

She stared at the twinkling star and murmured, “Thank you for looking out for your daughters. Thank you for sending Ariel to me. From what Attina has said, it sounds like your husband won’t be too keen on Ariel staying in Arendelle, but maybe…”

Elsa’s eyes wandered to Ariel. Going home to Anna was what was important; being there for her sister was crucial. With today being the fifth day since having left Corona, Elsa should have arrived home already. Her absence would undoubtedly cause Anna to worry and fear the worst, and that was something Anna didn’t need right now.

But Elsa also wasn’t ready to leave Ariel. She wanted Ariel to stay in Arendelle, stay in the fjord so Elsa could visit her every night and be with her. Anna would surely understand, right? All Anna ever wanted was for Elsa to be happy, and Ariel brought her a happiness she hadn’t known before.

Elsa found the twinkling star again. “Maybe you can somehow convince him otherwise? …if that’s something you can do from up there? I promise I’ll take care of Ariel. I won’t let anything happen to her. I’ll protect her and I’ll be there for her. I’ll even find an excuse to live on fjord, if that’s what it takes. I’m the Queen of Arendelle, after all, why can’t I live on the fjord with the one I—”

What? Love?

Was it too soon to feel that way for Ariel? Elsa hung her head. What even was love? She’d never experienced romantic love before, and now suddenly she was in love with a mermaid? But when Elsa thought about Ariel, her cheeks warmed, her lips spread into a smile, and her heart fluttered. When she looked at Ariel, she got butterflies. Her skin would come alive at every single point where Ariel touched her. And when they kissed… Elsa’s eyes fluttered shut as she held her hands to her chest and felt her pulse quicken. God, her kiss—

Attina screamed!

“Elsa!” Ariel’s panicked voice tore Elsa from her reverie. She turned her attention to Ariel and Attina, and Ariel was working on helping Attina move further up the beach. “Shrimp! Mantis shrimp!”

As the tide washed up the beach and receded, Elsa stared out at the foreshore where Ariel and Attina had just been. Her eyes widened, her rapid pulse from thinking about Ariel’s kiss now replaced by the sight of hundreds of mantis shrimp crawling out of the sea, barely illuminated by the fire’s light. The beach filled with the clicking and rustling of the mantis shrimps’ exoskeletons moving across the sand.

Quickly getting to her feet, Elsa spotted a few shrimp closing in around Attina’s tail. She curled her upper lip and shuddered. Just days ago, Ariel had brought one of those things into her boat—its many legs, segmented body, and weird long eyes had made it look like a disgusting bug. Frozen in place, Elsa's instincts screamed to run away from the sea bugs, but she knew she needed to help Ariel and Attina. She couldn’t let these bugs have them!

Shrouding her left hand in snow and ice, Elsa blasted the shrimp near Attina with a crackling roar, freezing and killing them. Feeling invigorated to take the fight to these sea bugs, Elsa unleashed more magic at the oncoming mantis shrimp. They quickly began retreating to the sea, and in a moment of courage or stupidity—she wasn’t sure which—Elsa raced forward.

She formed a small wall of ice around herself to protect her legs from any oncoming shrimp and then targeted her magic at the water. The ice screeched and cracked as it solidified the surface, spreading outward. Every mantis shrimp unfortunate enough to be at or near the surface was frozen solid. Elsa’s magic froze the foreshore and stretched quite a way out to sea, preventing the tide from washing ashore. When Elsa turned around, there was one more mantis shrimp still coming at her. With a swift motion, Elsa shot it with her ice and froze it.

“What do we do now?” gasped Attina. “The beach is frozen. We’ll dry out.”

“It’ll be okay.” Ariel did her best to calm Attina, but when she looked to Elsa, Elsa could see the fear in her eyes.

She couldn’t unthaw the ice and let the mantis shrimp crawl up the beach again. Maybe she could use her magic to melt ice around Ariel and Attina to keep them hydrated that way? That could work, right?

Just then, Elsa’s eyes widened as a memory struck her: the pond! Much further down the beach, beyond the trees, there was a pond. She could take Ariel and Attina there and have them be safe for the night. Surely, no mantis shrimp would crawl that far inland?

Then again, Elsa didn’t know much about mantis shrimp, except that merfolk took great caution when around them. If they were dangerous to merfolk, they were undoubtedly dangerous to humans as well.

A loud pounding echoed from beneath the ice out at sea. The icy surface cracked and groaned. Beyond the reach of the firelight, it was hard to see, but in the faint glow of the moonlight, the ice shattered with a violent force. Attina and Ariel shrieked. A massive silhouette emerged, rising ominously from the frozen sea.

“The Mantis Queen!” shrieked Attina.

“We have to go!” shouted Elsa.

“Where?” screamed Ariel.

“To the pond! It’s through the forest. Remember where you and Scuttle found me this morning? It’s down there.”

“H-How are we getting there?” Ariel’s voice was frantic. “I-It’s clear down the beach!”

Elsa remembered last night and how they got Attina back to the island. Sled! Elsa used her magic to form the sled of ice she had made the night before complete with two reindeer made of ice. She helped Attina onto the sled and Ariel crawled on after. Elsa raced to pick up their belongings—the conch shell that Ariel had gotten for her, the seaweed blanket, and most important of all, Ariel’s satchel she had inherited from her mother. She wanted to make a torch so that she could see where she was going, but as the Mantis Queen made her way to the island, the sound of hundreds of mantis shrimp skittering across the ice loomed behind the oncoming monster.

“I’ll kill that mermaid for what did to me!” roared the Mantis Queen. “I’ll kill all of you!”

Elsa wrapped the items in the seaweed blanket and tossed it to Ariel. As she jumped onto the back of the sled, she grabbed the reins, and ordered the reindeer to take off. Her lifeboat was covered in ice, and her lavender gown from the night her ship sank still lay in the sand. She considered grabbing it, but she could always have another one made, so she urged the reindeer onward. They raced down the beach, and when Elsa looked back, the fire went out as the Mantis Queen dropped a chunk of ice over it. She screamed something, but with the wind rushing past her, Elsa couldn’t make out the words. Her heart pounded and her jaw tightened. She steered the icy reindeer away from the little spot on the beach where she and Ariel had made it their own.