"So, first 'dings first," said Sebastian. "With your now established daily music lessons, I suggest 'dat you also take on an instrument. Preferably somethin' ladylike. Perhaps a harp, adorned with mother of pearl. I remember 'dat you had a much easier time with 'dat string instrument you found from the surface 'dan you did with 'dat sea calliope your father wanted you to play a few months ago... Ariel, are you even listenin' to me?"
Ariel ignored everything that her crabby mentor was saying as they swam over a coral reef on their way back to Atlantica's palace. While Sebastian was planning out the music lessons that he would be forcing on her, Ariel focused on a few plans of her own. These plans were more along the lines of helping her new friend rather than anything involving Sebastian's agenda. She also wondered if assisting Elsa would somehow allow her to explore land and see Eric again. Thinking about the prince made Ariel twirl through the water, humming to herself the same song that she had been singing in her grotto when she first met Elsa and saw the prince's ship. Ariel could hear Sebastian grunting in annoyance behind her, but if he had any complaints about her ignorance, he kept them to himself.
Ariel's thoughts and songs were suddenly interrupted when she overheard the whispering gossip coming from the chains of clams lying at the bottom of the reef.
"Ooh, ooh, the Royal Concert was canceled... The Royal Concert was canceled... Canceled Royal Concert..."
"Ooh, ooh, merpeople are disappearing... Merpeople are disappearing... Disappearing merpeople..."
"Oooh, ooh, there's a lost selkie in Atlantica... A lost selkie in Atlantica... Lost selkie..."
Ariel glanced down out of curiosity to what the clams were saying. She usually dismissed the whispers of the clams as unimportant, but at least one of the things she heard that morning rang as an exception.
"Enough about the Concert already!" Sebastian shouted at the clams, shaking an aggressive claw down in their direction. "Everybody already knows about what happened!" — he glared accusingly at Ariel — "Stop talkin' about it! Geez, man, can't a crab just swim in peace?!"
'Are merpeople really disappearing like Elsa had mentioned earlier?' Ariel wondered the rest of the way home. 'Speaking of Elsa, I bet she is the lost selkie whom those clams were whispering about! I should ask one of my sisters if they know anything about the subject as soon as everyone wakes up.'

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When Ariel finally returned to the castle, it was quiet. The halls were empty, so they were able to swim back inside unseen, entering through a tower window into the princess's bedchamber.
"So far, so good," Sebastian said after scanning to make sure that the coast was clear.
No sooner had Ariel collapsed into her spongy seabed than a knock was heard behind the giant clam shell that served as an entryway to the hallway.
"Good morning, Ariel!" called the trespasser.
Ariel groaned under her sponge pillow, before sitting up and replying, "Come in."
The clamshell opened itself into the hallway like a drawbridge, allowing the knocker to enter.
It was Ariel's third-oldest sister, Aquata, who always had her brown hair tied back into a seahorse-tail by a string of silver pearls that complimented her sapphire tail and baby blue seashell bra.
"Yes, you're already awake!" Aquata said, zipping over to Ariel's side to pull her up. "Come on, everyone's already on their way to the Great Hall!"
"Nice to see you too, Aquata," Ariel said, floating out of her seabed to follow her sister, with great reluctance. Sebastian joined them.
Aquata raised an eyebrow at the crab, but shrugged it off as she led both him and her sister down the coral and seaglass corridors. "Good morning, Sebastian. I'm not sure what you were doing in Ariel's room, but if it got her up early for breakfast, then okay."
"He wants me to take mandatory music lessons as punishment for missing the Concert," Ariel said, glaring at Sebastian not to say anything about last night.
Aquata stopped swimming. "Sebastian has already come up with a punishment for you?"
Ariel placed her hands on her hips. "Let me guess, you and the rest of our sisters have a punishment for me, too?"
"We spent the entire night discussing it," said Aquata. "We were going to make you do all of our chores for the next week."
"That is so not fair!" said Ariel, throwing up her hands. "Besides, I thought you guys got over it after scolding me last night."
"How do you expect literally everyone in the ocean just to get over you ditching our first Royal Concert since our father allowed music back into the kingdom? Especially when you were supposed to have the big solo that we all wanted even when you never showed up for any of the rehearsals!"
Ariel made a face at her sister and rolled her eyes. "At least we were able to have a concert in the first place!"
"All thanks to you!! Do you want me to ask Attina and Andrina to give you the list they made of reasons why your appearance at this Concert was so important?!"
Sebastian jumped up between the quarreling sisters. "Girls, enough with all 'dis fighting like children!" He then calmly turned to the older mermaid princess. "Aquata, while I appreciate your and your sisters' efforts, it is your father's word on the matter, and he has left me responsible for making sure that your sister won't get into any more trouble."
Aquata sighed and lowered her head. "Okay, but I am not looking forward to telling the others..."
The two sisters and the crab continued to swim through the halls of the Sea Palace in silence. Soon, they reached the Great Hall, where the rest of Ariel's sisters were already waiting for them around the great limestone table. Sebastian found his place near the head of the table as the Sea King's advisor, while Aquata swam over to join her sisters. As for Ariel, she found a seat as far away from them as possible, full of dread and lacking an appetite.
No sooner had breakfast been served than King Triton himself emerged to join them at the table, wearing his crown and gauntlets of golden coral and wielding the golden trident by his side. His long white hair and beard billowed against him like the foam against the shore, but still left a window to his crooked nose and stormy blue eyes, which complemented his royal blue tail. He slowly descended into his place at the head of the table before acknowledging the rest of the room.
"Good morning, girls," King Triton said, politely nodding to each of his daughters, who in return would rise from her place and obediently bow back to him. He then turned his head to the right. "Sebastian."
Sebastian rose from his place and bowed back before descending back to the table. "Your Majesty."
The Sea King then turned to the only daughter who hadn't bowed in response to his good morning. "Ariel?"
The youngest princess sighed before rising from her place and nodding her head to him, albeit without looking him in the eye, and sinking back to her place. "Good morning..."
King Triton eyed his daughter with concern, but before he could say anything to her. Sebastian cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty, before we do anythin' else, I believe that there is an issue that we must address."
And so, Ariel's sisters and Sebastian each proposed their ideas on how to punish Ariel for missing the Concert, while the Sea King listened with great patience. Once all opinions on the matter were addressed (except for Ariel's, of course), he declared his decision.
"I'm sorry, girls, but I am going with Sebastian's punishment. I have just assigned him to make sure Ariel stays out of trouble, and required daily music lessons are the perfect way to guarantee that she doesn't wander off again. His punishment also fits the crime."
All seven of his daughters groaned and swished their tails with disappointment. Ariel crossed her arms, frustrated that everyone in her family was treating her like a baby. Meanwhile, her six older sisters had all made it very clear that they had been hoping for a break from chores for a while. Still, everyone ate the rest of their breakfast in silence until they were all dismissed.
"At least you don't have to scrape barnacles off the palace walls," Princess Andrina whispered to Ariel. She was the closest to Ariel's age.
"Come on, Andrina!" called Princess Adella, the third-youngest. "We don't want to miss swimming with the dolphins!"
"Oh, yeah," Andrina replied, already swimming ahead. "You're trying to lose weight for the boys! Last one to the Dolphin Stables has to kiss a sea slug!"
"Eww!" Adella shrieked, swimming after her.
"There is no way I am missing tonight's rehearsal with the Catfish Club Band!" Princess Arista cried. The middle child frantically swam out of the room while scrambling to comb her long, blonde hair.
"I'm going to be late for finball practice!" Aquata said, already on her way out.
"Goodbye, Father," said Princess Alana, the second-eldest daughter, who kissed the Sea King as she passed him. "I promised my friend Pearl that I would meet up with her for a spa day."
Ariel was about to make her leave as well, but Sebastian blocked her path before she could even rise from her place at the table.
"Oh no you don't, young lady!" said the crab. "We need to discuss the conditions of your punishment further."
Ariel sank back down. This was going to be a long morning.
Meanwhile, the eldest daughter, Princess Attina, had stayed behind in silence, waiting patiently from her place at the table for King Triton to address her.
"Sebastian, I believe that making Ariel take music lessons every day is a wonderful idea," said the Sea King. "It would teach her to focus more on her responsibilities."
"But Daddy—"
"And make it easier for Sebastian to keep an eye on you," King Triton added. "You will have music lessons every day during your free time. That is final."
Ariel pouted and clenched her hands against the coarse edge of the limestone table. 'These new music lessons could mean that I won't have time to help Elsa. And with Sebastian constantly watching me, I won't be able to visit Scuttle or the prince anytime soon, either...'
"I also suggested her picking up a musical instrument," said Sebastian. "The sea harp would be the perfect choice. For it is graceful, it is ladylike—as she should be—and it compliments her beautiful voice."
Ariel was about to protest again, but then Attina cleared her throat, and all eyes around the table were on the eldest mermaid princess. Attina rose slowly from the table, lightly swaying her topaz tail through the water. She rested her hands gently beneath her chest, adorned with a bra of seashells the color of a sunset that matched the coral tiara securing her auburn hair.
"If I may, Father," Attina said with a bow, "I would like to know if there was anything you needed my help with today, especially concerning Sebastian's new schedule."
King Triton looked away from his youngest daughter for a moment to address his eldest. There was a long silence before he responded. "I will be alright without assistance for now, Attina, but I appreciate your willingness to help. You may go back to your studies if you wish."
"Perhaps I could assist Sebastian with my sister's first lesson?" Attina offered. "I am quite gifted with the harp, so I could show Ariel some of the basics."
"Very well," King Triton said. "I was hoping to discuss something privately with Sebastian anyway. You may begin Ariel's lesson now."
"Thank you, Father," Attina said with another formal bow.

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Once the two princesses swam out of the Dining Hall to begin Ariel's first harp lesson, only the two adults remained.
Triton rested his golden trident against the limestone table as he stroked his flowing white beard. "I'm worried about her, Sebastian. I can govern a kingdom, but I cannot raise my own daughter. If I am too harsh, then she will learn to fear me."
"It's easy to feel guilt after disciplining your teenage daughter," said Sebastian. "But t'at does not mean t'at you should pardon her every time she gets into trouble."
"She needs her mother, Sebastian," said Triton. "All of my daughters need their mother, and so do I..."
Sebastian sighed. The death of Queen Athena had been a great loss for the entire kingdom, but especially for the Sea King himself. Even after eleven years, he still never overcame his grief.

"If only she were here, she'd know just what to say
She'd firmly, and yet gently, help the girls to find their way
She'd know what to forbid, and what we must allow
She'd have the strength and patience that I lack somehow..."

Triton sighed, unable to finish his lament. "...I'd give anything to have her back in our lives again."
"Now, now, Your Majesty," said Sebastian. "It is difficult, but we must stay vigilant, for all of your daughters' sakes, as well as Ariel's. It is one of the t'ings we must do if we want to honor Her Royal Majesty's memory."
The Sea King gently placed one of his giant hands on the tiny crab's back, and with his fingers, gave Sebastian's shell a light patting. He smiled sadly.
"Thank you, Sebastian. I don't know what I would do without you."
Sebastian nodded solemnly. "I'll go see how your daughters are doin' with the lesson. Good day, Your Majesty."
Sebastian soon disappeared into the sea-green hallways, and Triton was left alone in the Dining Hall. The Sea King looked hopelessly around the empty Great Hall, until his eyes fell upon an abstract mosaic of royal blue sea glass forming on the green floor at his matching blue tail fins. With a swing of his trident, he zapped the mosaic, causing the blue stones to dissolve into a thousand tiny bubbles.

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Ariel's harp lessons in Attina's bedroom started off in silence. Attina pointed out what strings played what notes, while Ariel followed her instructions. Otherwise, neither of the sisters spoke to each other.
Sometimes, Fin-Fin, Attina's orange pet flathead catfish, would swim over and meow for attention. Whenever this happened, Attina would gently shoo Fin-Fin away. Ariel, on the other fin, happily would've distracted herself from the lesson by doting over the catfish. The only reason why she ignored him was that her mind was more focused on wanting to check on Elsa as soon as possible.
'I think I can at least start planning out how I can help her while I wait...'
"Ariel, are you paying attention?" Attina asked, cutting into her thoughts like a shark's fin cutting the current.
Ariel groaned and tossed her harp to the side. "Can't we just get this over with?"
Attina sighed and shook her head before picking up her sister's harp to return it, which was accepted begrudgingly. "Look, I'm sorry that you're not enjoying this, but the Concert was very important to everyone, not just our family. It was going to be the first time we all would be singing for a royal event in over ten years, and to honor our father's coronation anniversary."
"I know, I know," Ariel said with a sigh, absently plucking the strings of her new instrument. "I didn't mean to forget that it was yesterday. I just got distracted these past few days."
"You never even showed up for the rehearsals," Attina pointed out. "The only reason why Sebastian didn't decide to go with the simple solution of switching the role of the big solo to one of us instead was because everyone was looking forward to hearing you sing. You know we all hate to admit it, but you are the favorite. Sebastian even refers to you as his star pupil, and you inherited—"
"Our mother's voice. I can never forget that, Attina. It's one of the few things that I remember about her," Ariel admitted. She had been only five years old when their mother was killed.
"It's a very special gift, Ariel," Attina said. "We never got to experience it all these years, and you were all we had to remind us of how life was like when she was still there. None of us have ever been able to reach her levels of talent like you can. Not even Arista, who was the most enthusiastic about the Concert. Please, Ariel. At least for our mother, try to be more considerate about how it impacts us."
"I know, Attina," Ariel said, hugging her sister. "And I will, I promise."
"Now, back to the lesson," Attina said once they drew away from each other, "which can't be that bad. After all, remember when Father tried to make you learn the sea calliope?"
Ariel laughed. "Yeah, I was the worst! And it took the Ancient Seaclops going on a rampage to convince him finally to let me stop."
"It's strange how you enjoy the sea piano but were never able to play a single song on the calliope Father gave you," Attina said, joining in her sister's laughter.
Soon, both mermaids were lost in a fit of giggles. Attina generally wasn't one to laugh at the trouble that her sisters would get themselves into, but this was a rare exception.
"I hope 'dat I am not interrupting anythin' important."
The princesses looked up, struggling to stop laughing. Sebastian saw into the room, having just finished his talk with their father.
Attina was the first to recover and straighten herself up again. Ariel was still trying to pull herself together when her sister cleared her throat.
"Good morning, Sebastian," the elder princess said to the crab with a bow. "We were just finishing practice with the sea harp. Ariel has demonstrated that she is already very good at it, so I presume that my services are no longer needed."
"T'ank you, Attina," said Sebastian. "I can take care of the rest of her lessons from here. You may go on ahead with the rest of your studies."
Attina bowed again and was about to turn away to collect her scrolls and history shells when Ariel swam up to her.
"One last thing, Attina," Ariel requested, biting her lip nervously. "Do you know anything about selkies?"