Back at the temple
"Prince Jacob! We have been notified that your celebratory ship had sunk, and you were resting at the sea temple."
Jacob, "Yes. That is indeed what happened. It is truly a tragedy, it appears I am the only survivor. Make sure that the other passengers families receive proper notice, and compensation."
Chauffeur, "Of course your highness, but don't forget that it is also a blessing that you have returned to us.".. "You may not like to hear this, but if the other passengers had passed, on anyone else's ship. Their families would have been left with nothing."
Jacob, "I am well aware of that, and it is one of the many things I will change when I am King."
Chauffeur, "And we are all grateful for that sire."
On the way back to the palace, Prince Jacob was staring off into the sea. Remembering all of those who he had lost in the shipwreck.
Chauffeur, 'France will surely be blessed to have a King like you one day.'
Back at the palace by the beach.
Prince Jacab was in a state of melancholy, staring off into the sea. He still took care of his royal duties, but he spent all of his free time walking the beach.
On Marina's side.
Marina couldn't get the human Prince out of her head, not that she wanted to. She had asked her mother if humans can live forever.
To which her mother responded, "Humans have a much shorter lifespan compared to a mermaid's. A mermaid can live for 300 years, while humans will be lucky if they live for a mere 80 years.".. "However humans have an eternal soul that lives on in Heaven forever, and mermaids turn to sea foam at death and cease to exist."
Upon learning this she became full of worry. 'What if the Prince dies before me. I don't know anything about love. Will I be alone untilI die? Will he spend the rest of eternity alone in Heaven.'
These kinds of thoughts kept rushing through her mind. She then had an idea pop into her head. 'What if I ask the Sea Witch if she can help me?'
The Sea Witch wasn't necessarily a bad person, it was just that her magic had a price to pay. So most wouldn't go to her for help in their problems. She then decided she would go at night to the Sea Witch's lair.
At the entrance to the Sea Witch's lair Marina, the polite Princess she was, said. "Hello is anyone in there? I have come hoping you could help me with my problem."
Sea Witch from within her lair, "Hello young one. I don't get many visitors, please come in."
Marina then swam in, looking around at all sorts of things she had never seen before.
Sea Witch, "Please don't mind the mess. These are the ingredients I need too preform my magic."
Marina then looks at the Witch with worry in her eyes. "Can you help me?"
The Sea Witch with a knowing look on her face, "Ahh. Love problems, huh?"
Marina surprised, "How did you know?"
Sea Witch, "My dear, no one comes to me to solve their problems unless the problems are serious, and the most serious problems one can have are problems that revolve around love."
Marina who is new to love, looks on in suprise. 'Is love always this complicated?'
They then went on to discuss Marina's problem, and how to solve it. They came to a possible solution. One where the witch helps her by giving her a potion that gives her legs in exchange for her beautiful voice. That is the price of the potion as Marina has the most enchanting voice in the entire world.
The Witch warns Marina, "Once you become a human, you will never be able to return to the sea.".. "And consuming the potion will make you feel as if a sword is cutting through your tail fin. When you recover, you will have two human legs and will be able to dance like no human has ever danced before.".. "You will unfortunately constantly feel as if you are walking on sharp knives."... "However if you can endure this, you may obtain a soul only if you win the love of the Prince and marry him. For then a part of his soul will flow into you, becoming your own."... However if you were to fail, then at the dawn of the first day after he marries someone else. You will die with a broken heart and dissolve into sea foam upon the waves."
This sounds like a really bad idea, and even Marina knows this. However she doesn't think she can go on living without the Prince. After all she is just a fifteen year old girl, which may have made her a woman at the time, but in reality her teenage hormones were keeping her from making a good decision.
Marina then agrees to the plan. To which the Sea Witch took Marina's voice and placed it into the potion. Marina then bowed to the Sea Witch as thanks.
To which the Sea Witch says, "I wish you the best of luck young one. As a happy love life for you and the Prince are all the thanks I need."
Marina then swam off to the shore that she left the Prince at the following night. It took her the rest of the night before discovering the palace the Prince was sleeping at.
After beaching herself, she drank the potion. Causing excruciating pain, causing her to losses consciousness.
After the Prince woke up, he decided to go for a walk on the beach before tackling his Princely duties. He then stumbled across what appeared to be a shipwreck victim laying on the shore.
This brought bad memories to the surface, and he ran to her placing his royal cape over her. This was to help warm and clothe her. He then yelled for assistance.
His attendants came running and brought her back to the Palace. She had then been dressed by the Prince's maids in a spare maid uniform. The Prince didn't have any other kind of garments for a woman.
Marina ended up waking up in a bed, which was a new experience for her. Beds didn't hold up to well underwater. She then put her feet on the floor, sending sharp pain from her new feet to her brain.
After she stumbled to the window, she saw the Prince walking on the beach as if looking for someone.
Marina, 'Is he looking for more survivors, or is he looking for me?'