Part of Your World (Disney Twisted Tales) - Liz Braswell Page 0,47

must get back on the next boat...."

"Dynamite? The...explode-y stuff?" Eric winced at how stupid he sounded. But he couldn't think of any other way of asking.

"Yes, Your Highness. It's part of the new munitions order. Much more excitmg than the bill for oats from Bretland I signed in your name last week, if I may say so. All new technology! What a world we live in."

"Yes, what a world," Eric repeated darkly. "No, I will not sign this now. I need to review our accounts first. No more orders for anything military without my review."

The man started to protest but saw the look m Eric's eyes. He chose instead to bow and back away. "Yes, Your Highness."

Eric sighed. He had read about dynamite, of course, and the idea was exciting—like firecrackers but bigger.

Much, much bigger.

And without the pretty colored sparkles.

When had Eric agreed to such an order?

Why did he know that those two who hurried by him now, the ones in red jackets from Eseron, were there to discuss a potential alliance, allowing Tirulia to trade up through the northwest m case their land grab directly north failed?

For how many years had he been under the spell? Five? Six?

Air. He needed air. Sweet sea air.

The prince stumbled through the halls, desperately trying to undo his buttons, trying not to knock mto anyone. Everyone. He ripped off the jacket and threw himself onto the first balcony he could find.

The sunshme and brisk, stmging breeze from the ocean had an immediately salutary effect. He took big gulps, leaning against the railing. When he closed his eyes he could imagine he was on a ship, surrounded by the water and gulls and a sail snappmg in the wind.

When he opened his eyes he could see the gulls and the sea...but all that snapped were the banners flying above his castle.

And these banners no longer sported the beautiful Tirulian sailing ship that Eric had loved since infancy; now they were imprinted with a terrible, graspmg octopus thing.

While his wi—the princess had been ordering munitions and seizing land and preparing invasions and changing their flag and who knows what else, he had done. ..what? Nothing. He hadn't put up a fight at all when Vanessa took over the day-to-day tasks of ruling. He had merely... grown bored, hanging around the castle with no responsibilities. And his ocean jaunts were strictly limited now; Vanessa didn't like him risking his life at sea. Or, perhaps, venturing out of the radius of the spell or hypnosis or whatever it was.

So he had begun to try his hand at real composition. Little movements, tiny concertos, even a ballad here and there. And all of Tirulia loved it—all of Tirulia encouraged him, even Vanessa. And thus he found a role and a purpose again: the Mad Prince, glamoured and dreamy, who wrote music while his wife ruled.

He found himself looking at funny spots m the sea, brown and black just under the water. Seals? Or mermaids?

He thought about Ariel. Really thought about her: for the first time m years. With the added insight of clear memory: the old ocean god hurling lightning, Vanessa hurlmg insults and waving a contract. The polyp. The sad, voiceless mermaid swimming away.

If Eric had just listened to his heart and not someone else's singing, none of this would have happened.

He had fallen in love with the voiceless red-haired girl. He was just too stupid and obstinate to recognize it. He loved everything about her. Her smile, the way she moved, the way she took delight m everything around her. She was impulsive, unmannered, willing to get dirty-, a little strange, and extremely hands-on. And beautiful. So different from all the princesses and ladies his parents had introduced him to.

If he had just married her, he would be... married to that girl. Who was a mermaid.

He blinked at the thought. Imagine that! He, Eric, who always loved the sea, could have married a child of the sea.

Would she have stayed human? Would she have ev entually returned to the water, leaving him heartbroken? That happened in a lot of fairy tales. Sometimes after having a child.

Would their children have tails?

And what about his father-in-law? Imagine having him in the family, a mighty kmg of the sea!

He could have had all the adventure a prmce could ever want just by staying home....

His thoughts slowly turned course, souring a little.

But if Ariel was a mermaid, what was Vanessa? Pretty and ostensibly human... But then again, Ariel had looked