Part of Your World (Disney Twisted Tales) - Liz Braswell Page 0,102

time to writing me an aria—a really amazing aria—that I will sing, triumphantly, when my father is returned as long and I can go back to being a mostly private citizen. It should be a celebration of his return. This has to be epic, Sebastian. Thmgs like the capture and return of the Kmg of the Sea do not happen but maybe once in a thousand years."

Sebastian was torn, she could tell. His little black crabby eyes twitched desperately. Everything about this idea appealed to every- part of him, from the artist given a truly special challenge all the way to the egomaniac whose work would be performed and remembered forever.

But it still wasn't the same thmg as having her smg now.

He was trying very, very hard not to say that. She could see it in the way his antennules clicked silently against each other.

"And for the Equinocturnal Celebrations, I plan to give a speech to all the participants about my promise not to smg until Father is returned, and what we are doing to facilitate his return." Did I just say "facilitate his return "? Next I'm going to start saying things like "leveraging the synergy-... " "And then I will talk about the Return Aria and turn the floor over to you, so you may talk about your composition and your vision."

"That sounds highly acceptable," Threll said with an eyecrest raised at Ariel—the closest thing he had to a wink.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do, young lady," Sebastian growled. But then his voice got dreamy. "Still...I can just see it now...'The Return'! Everyone is seated m the Grand Amphitheatre... No! We will do something unique! We'll build an all new amphitheatre!"

"Uh, Sebastian, I didn't say anything about approving funds for—"

"We'll have an upside-down amphitheatre! Starting at the top very big, then rows and rows getting smaller down until it's just you, on the seafloor—No! On the Mound of Sartops, so everyone will be looking at us.. .1 mean, you... And then I will raise ray claw, so, and I will give a little speech of thanks for this opportunity and Triton's triumphant return...."

Ariel blinked.

"Everyone will be there because it's a performance," she said slowly. "And they will all be looking at you...." "Yes, of course, yes," Sebastian said impatiently. "But also you. And then I will raise my claw, so...'z It hit the Queen of the Sea like an orca slamming mto a plate of ice.

"I have it!" she cried. "I know what to do! Somebody, go find me Jona... Sebastian, you have the helm. I'm surfacmg, but just for tonight!" "But ray aria..." Sebastian called out sadly. She was already gone.

Eric had trouble falling asleep. He had the beginnings of a brilliant idea for a plan, and no way to contact Ariel!

It was late when his dreams finally overcame him: and it seemed like only a few moments later when he was woken up by Max.

"Mmm, what's up: boy...?" Eric murmured, turning over.

Then his eyes shot open.

The old dog slept a lot now, and always through the night. He never begged for walkies when it was dark.

The prince pushed himself up on his elbows. Max had risen on his hind legs with one front paw on the wall for balance. He was staring out the window gesturing at it with his lolling tongue and interested muzzle. Outside was a gull, its white wings flapping as delicately as a moth as it hovered there.

'You?" Eric whispered. "From...Ariel?"

The seagull bobbed as best it could. Then it peeled away from the castle. Eric watched it descend and then look back at him and give a quiet cry. It wanted the prince to follow it.

Eric didn't bother putting on shoes; he hastily pulled on a pair of trousers and tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. His bare feet made no noise on the floor and for a moment he reveled m that; it was like bemg a young prmce again, sneaking out to see the full moon.

Outside, the gull, glowing a pale unlikely white in the night, waited patiently drifting through the air.

He followed it south, past the castle beach and into the stony area with the basalt cliffs. When sand gave way he had to clamber on the rocks; the waves broke over seaweed-covered boulders and got deep very quickly. Holding on to one of those boulders was Ariel, strangely placid in the turbulent water. Her tail snaked sinuously out behind her, keeping