Cite

Ariel just shook her head and dove back under the water, tossing a sign over her shoulder as she went.

– The Queen says you may call her Ariel, – Flounder said. Also, under his breath, – You have no idea what an honor that is.

Good queens did not react immediately to new information, especially if they didn't already have some inkling of what it brought. Snap decisions were rash and led to disaster. Ariel had learned this the hard way. Not having a voice was an advantage here: she could compose herself while working out how to say what she needed to.

Ariel twirled her trident casually, letting the water fly from it in a hundred sparkling droplets. Although the merfolk accepted her lineage and rights to the crown immediately, there had still been a definite period of adjustment while they still thought of her as the pretty, carefree baby girl of Triton. Some spoke to her far too patronizingly, some spoke to her far too familiarly. And some folk of non-mer persuasion (sharks, mainly) had needed several displays of her anger before they acknowledged her authority.

She didn't even have to sign. You cannot talk to me that way anymore, little crab. I am queen now.

– When the moment of death arrives, you die.

For several years after the day she lost her father, Ariel had tried to return to the land to see Eric and to take revenge on Ursula. But the wily sea witch had used her now very prosaic powers as a human princess to set guards all along the coast – officially, in «case of an enemy kingdom attack, or pirates». In some cases, close to the castle, guards were literally stationed in the water, up to their calves.

With Scuttle's help Ariel had tried to evade the guards, sneaking in while the gull whipped up a distraction. But it was never enough, and the men were all on high alert for strange, witchy red-haired girls.

– I've just had some strange – really, really strange – news from a plaice, who heard it from a turtle, who heard it from a dolphin... Wait, I think it was the plaice from the turtle. There might have been another messenger in between. A bluefish, maybe?

She and her sisters always teased him, trying to win smiles from him, trying to get him to steal an hour from his duties to play with them. Mostly they had to content themselves with his presence at official functions, banquets, and performances like the one Ariel had skipped – the one that had started the whole thing.

She did not enjoy the attention of the mermen, either. Once upon a time, as a younger, more innocent thing, she had never even noticed boys. Mer boys, at least.

Now she was forced to notice them, to keep an eye on them, to be aware of what ulterior motives they had: to wed the queen, maybe to become king.

The merfolk adored their queen despite her silence and melancholic air. Or perhaps because of it. Mer poets and musicians wrote odes and epics to the tragedy of her existence, the romance that had almost caused a kingdom's downfall.

She did not enjoy these.

Here she was, the youngest, some would say the prettiest – at one time perhaps most thoughtless of the lot – and now she sat on a throne, envying them.

– Just because I'm little flat... So what? I am still growing!

«No matter what world you're in, the bad guys always hang out in a warehouse!»

«And where it is! The famous reincarnated-into-another-world Out-of-Control-Truck!»

– And having said that, there's nothing for me to do. But when it comes to spending time on my own, I'm a pro!

– Say, everyone! Let's not, «Just go for it!» Instead, let's «Go carefully», okay?

– Yes. From an imaginary land called «Japan», I bring you a wondrous tale. This is Altered Folktales From Japan.

– Too much humility is just another form of bragging.

– Приготовимся встретить его, как подобает в нашей стране! Наши с ним страны... Как бы это сказать... Друзья!

– Очень хорошие друзья, капитан Рено! Они нас победили!

– Я крайне разочарован в тебе, смертный! Ты мне не сопротивляешься! Ты лишь жалкий слабак и трус!

– Тогда почему я всё ещё жив?

– На помощь!

– Ничего не бойся, коллега-герой! Я здесь чтобы помочь тебе!

– Какое счастье! Слова этого железного героя только убьют мою гордость!

– Держимся вместе, Зигзаг! Этот Солего ничто, всего лишь сильный колдун! Но таких мы постоянно прячем за решётку, не так ли? В самом же деле?

– Подожди, я думаю!

– Эй! А куда Фэнтон делся?

– Сейчас это не важно! Кроме того, это не место для трусов!

– А может быть и мне тоже нужно исчезнуть?

– Ты уверен, ЧП, что тебе стоило ему это говорить? Кажись, ты его сильно разозлил!

– Это всего лишь старый трюк... Наш бог разозлится и допустит роковую ошибочку!

– Роковую? А для кого: для него или нас?

– Пришло и наше время показать свои способности! Гаечка, вызови здесь небольшой дождик!

– Ну, танцевать мне не придётся, но вызвать капли сумею! С помощью этого камушка я активирую противопожарную систему!