Elle smiled as she looked at her daughter, cooing happily in her bassinet. Today was the day she'd receive her blessing from their aquatic family, or a christening as others in Auradon might call it. Elle never found it necessary to correct them, even following suit if it was called a christening, since it was basically the same thing just a different name.
The kid was still getting a gift after all.
Gently lifting her out of the bassinet, Elle smiled down at Emily. How had it only been a month or so since this little bundle of perfection had been born? It felt like it was only yesterday that Elle was going into the hospital to prepare for her water birth.
"You are my world, my darling, what a wonderful world I see," Elle began to sing, her words soft and yet still audible. She didn't know exactly why she was singing but the song her mother had sung to Melody rang through her head.
Oh don't get her wrong, it would have also been the song their mother would have sung to her the day of her blessing had Elle's numerous surgeries not prevented the big party. Elle didn't mind, she knew her mother loved both her and Melody equally.
"You are the song I'm singing...you're my beautiful Emily," she continued to sing, Emily cooing happily in her arms. "Down to the sea we go, down to a world I know. There continues to be, and hopefully more, children born of sea and shore. Down to the sea we go, down to the world below, a journey to bless my Emily, under the sun and under the sea..."
A subtle knock on the door brought Elle out of her musings. "Come in," she called.
"Singing to Emily again?" Akiho asked with a smile as he entered the room.
"And here I thought you'd barge in like dad did with Mel's blessing," Elle chuckled.
Akiho shook his head. "Believe it or not, Ben sat me down after Stephanie and Maurice were born and explained that, while he loves how insane I am, I need to tone it down when I'm around the kids. Or he'd have Nyx sit on me."
"You know you'd love that," Elle said with a small snort.
"Yeah, yeah," Akiho chuckled. "But also...I didn't want to startle you or whoever was in here and cause them to drop Emily."
Elle couldn't help but give her husband a loving smile as she heard that. Of course she wouldn't want anyone to drop Emily either but it was always so touching how much Akiho seemed to care.
Maybe it was just a hang up left over from her youth, about how she'd worried that no one would care about her because of her chair...she wasn't going to lie, it was nice to be proven wrong about that.
"Everyone here?" Elle asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts.
"All humans...and canines," Akiho said with a chuckle. "The only ones not here are Macaria and Gil, Markos heard about his grandfather's egg obsession and tried to eat four dozen in one sitting which for a toddler is too much even for a Godling toddler, and Emir and Emma; apparently Emma's getting really bad carpet sickness when they try to fly so Emir doesn't want to risk it on the seas."
Elle couldn't help the sympathetic smile that pulled at her lips. "Poor Emma. I know this is going to sound bad but I couldn't imagine going through the full nine months of a mortal's pregnancy. Thank the Gods for mom's mermaid heritage."
"I think Emma would know you didn't mean anything negative there, sweetheart," Akiho said with a small smile. "And honestly I think she'd agree with you. The more I hear about pregnancy, the more I'm glad I don't go through it."
"I think you'd love being pregnant, honestly. No one tells you what you can or can't eat...well except for sushi but I don't eat that anyway. Or caffeine...or alcohol...and people touch you..."
"To quote Emperor Kuzco and Hadie regarding his hair...no touchy," Akiho said firmly and Elle couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her lips. Thankfully Emily cooed at the same time, earning a smile from Akiho.
"Oh really? You agree with papa? No touchy?" Akiho asked as he gently took Emily from Elle's arms and brushed some lint from the bottom of her white dress, a dress that looked almost identical to her Aunt Melody's except the scallop lining was silver rather than peach. "You ready to go out my beautiful snow angel? There're some people here who're excited to see you."
"And a reindeer who would really like to be on solid ground," a voice piped up from near the ground. "Hi, I'm Olaf. And I like warm hugs!"
"...Olaf I've known who you are my entire life," Akiho said, shaking his head as Emily squealed in delight at seeing the sentient snow man. "You don't have to introduce yourself all the time."
"But Elsa and Anna said it's nice to introduce yourself every time you meet someone new," Olaf said and smiled at Emily who cooed back to him. "And I've never met her before."
"Well now you have," Elle said with a small smile as Akiho handed Emily back to her. "Olaf, meet Emily. She's Akiho's and my daughter."
"Oh a daughter! How amazing! You must have all this wisdom now that you're a parent and now making that slow decline toward the end."
Akiho blinked before quickly deciding not to address that topic. "Okay, let's not talk like that. How about you go see if Elle's family's here?"
"Oh you mean Mal and Ben and Uma and Harry? They're here already, they're the ones who sent me to find you!"
"...You know what, we're just going to skip that part," Elle said, shaking her head. "Akiho, can you push me out? I can't...with Emily in my arms—."
"I got it," Akiho said with a smile as he went to push Elle's chair. They made their way to the deck of the ship where Ariel, Eric, Anna, Kristoff, Melody, and Elsa were waiting; Elsa entertaining Maddie and Percy with small flurries of snow as Herkie and Hadie hung out with Melody and Hyllus opting to converse with the 'adultier' adults. Meanwhile, Mal and Ben were off to the side, comforting Uma who...who was bent over the railing?
"I love this guppy but the irony of them giving me seasickness will be something I will remind them about for years to come," Akiho heard Uma mutter as he walked over to see if he could help; Elle safely being fawned over by their families.
Not that Elle was in any danger from Uma of course but the grandparents wanted to see the new grandchild once more.
"Anything I can do to help?" Akiho asked as he made his presence known.
"Not unless you can speed up time," Mal said as she looked over at him. "That'll be the only way to get Uma to December."
"Sadly I do not possess that ability," Akiho shook his head. "Time travel was not one of the family gifts unfortunately. I can see about getting Uma some ginger ale while we wait on the under seas contingent?"
"...You carry ginger ale on the ship?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow.
"When we were informed that a pregnant woman would be on board, I made sure I had everything stocked," Akiho said.
Ben shook his head. "Mal, did you really expect Akiho to not be prepared?"
"I guess I don't know what I was thinking," Mal snorted.
"That's okay, happens to the best of us," Akiho said with a grin. "Where're Stephanie and Maurice?"
"With my dad," Mal said with a small smile. "We're trying to avoid smothering them too much even though I know they'd love to be here. But I know dad'll do a good job watching them, and he's even decided to overlook the lack of invite since you guys are gifting him a day in with mom, Rea, and the kids."
"The lack of invite was purely an oversight but I'm glad Lord Hades took no offense," Akiho nodded but he kept an eye on Ben. His best friend seemed tense about the whole thing, not because he didn't trust his brother-in-law. No, Akiho knew Ben way too well to know it was nothing related to Hadie.
To anyone who didn't know Ben, it would be chalked up to first time parent worries. But Akiho knew otherwise. Knew that it stemmed from what happened when Stephanie was brought home from the hospital. Knew Ben was worried that something like it would happen again and this time he'd be powerless to do anything about it.
The blond gently rested a hand on Ben's shoulder in a silent message he hoped Ben understood. He knew where his friend was coming from, how could he not? Akiho had wanted to march down there and punch that 'reporter's' lights out when he saw Stephanie be accosted. And now that he was a parent, the understanding only grew.
"We should go," Ben said softly. "I don't want to delay anything."
"We're still waiting on Elle's mer-family, dude," Akiho said, his hand still on Ben's shoulder. "Grimsby will announce—."
"Ahoy there, they're coming!" One of the sailors shouted.
"...Did Grimsby de-age and we weren't told?" Harry asked as another sailor came up with a canteen of ginger ale for Uma.
Akiho chuckled. "No, I guess one of the newer sailors got a bit excited. But come on, no reason we should all be standing over here."
Estelle and Nyx yipped and wagged their tails. They wanted to meet the new hoomans too!
"You know, while I know you said you were bringing them, I still thought you'd leave them as babysitters," Akiho said as they made their way to Elle's family.
Mal could only shrug, not wanting to reveal the real reason she wanted Estelle and Nyx with her when she was on a boat surrounded by water. After all, it had been Estelle and Harry who had saved her life all those years ago and while she had finally started taking some swimming lessons with Ariel...there was a difference between willingly going into a swimming pool where she could see the bottom and the ocean.
"Mal!" Elle grinned as she saw the purple haired woman, pulling Mal out of her thoughts. "I'm so glad you all were able to make it!"
"There's no other place I'd rather be," Mal said as she smiled at Elle. "How're you doing? Healing alright?"
Elle chuckled. "I'm doing just fine, though I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that my husband refuses to let me lift a finger for an entire month."
"Ah, so you're married to Ben as well?"
Ben shook his head and looked at Akiho. "You ever get the sense our wives are making fun of us?"
"All the time dude, all the time," Akiho chuckled.
Elle chuckled but paused as she looked around. "Is Jamie not coming? I thought—."
"You really thought I'd miss this?" A feminine voice called over the sound of what seemed to be...rockets?
"I want one," Harry said as he saw the rocket powered surf board that seemed to be powered by solar energy. "I want twenty."
"...I'm more concerned over the number than I am surprised that you want one," Uma told him as Maddie and Percy began cheering at the sight of the solar powered board.
"Hey Jamie!" Elle called as 'Jamie' landed her board and smiled, taking off her helmet as her brown hair cascaded down her face. "I'm glad you made it."
"You didn't think I'd miss this, would you?" Jamie asked as she handed her helmet to a nearby attendant. "Plus I get to see my mom. Two birds, one stone."
Ariel chuckled as she went over to give Jamie a hug. "How is your father doing?"
"He's doing well, Aunt Ariel," Jamie said. "He's dating now."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, dad finally figured I was old enough that I wouldn't be upset if he started dating Miss. Kate, his friend from the Naval Academy," Jamie said as she returned the hug before her eyes lit up at seeing the merpeople in the water.
"Go say hello to your mother," Ariel told her. "Andrina's missed you, you haven't been spending a lot of time in the sea."
"I know," Jamie said. "I've been studying through, my placement exams are soon."
"Just like your father," one of the mermaids called, a note of fondness audible in her voice. "I have no doubt you'll rise to the rank of commander just like he did."
Elle watched as Jamie walked over to the side but her attention was quickly drawn to another merperrson, though her grandfather did make it rather difficult not to notice him. What with his plume of water bringing him to her eye level.
"Hello grandfather," Elle said with a smile.
"Hello my precious Elle," Triton said, returning the smile. Elle knew that, no matter how old they got, she and her sister would always be their grandfather's precious. All the grandchildren were. And great grandchildren. "I hope you don't mind but I was wondering if you would let Attina do the blessing?"
"Of course not," Elle said though she couldn't help but be a bit worried. Why the change?
Don't be worried Elle, her aunt Attina thought to her. Your grandfather just thought it was time that I take on more Queenly duties...as he wants to step down to be a grandfather to his grandkids instead of a King. Plus he thought that family would be the best option for me to do my first official blessing.
Oh! That makes sense, Elle thought back. Hey Aunt Attina...did Jamie ever have...
Of course, Attina thought with a small nod. I know sometimes it seems we overlook her because she spends more of her time in the air rather than the sea but she had her blessing. Andrina wouldn't let father forget it.
Good. I wouldn't want her being left out. Elle thought with a small smile as she glanced over at her brunette cousin, who was chatting happily with her mother.
"Well now, I think it's time that we perform this blessing," Attina said as Triton handed her the trident, not before giving Ariel, Eric, Phil, Maddie, Percy, Akiho and Melody a hug of course. "Akiho, do you mind holding Emily?"
"Of course not," Akiho said as he took his daughter in his arms. Once she was secured, Attina pointed the trident at her great-niece. A gentle beam of light came from the trident and Elle and Akiho gasped as, for maybe five seconds, Emily had not the human legs she was born with but an icy blue mermaid tail.
"When she's older, she'll have the ability to come visit her family down in Atlantica," Ariel said, explaining for Anna and Kristoff who looked slightly confused.
"Her tail color matches my dress," Elsa said with a small chuckle. "The dress I made for myself when I 'let it go' with my powers."
"Huh...so it does," Akiho nodded. Please let that be a coincidence...I wouldn't mind a daughter with ice powers but I don't know how ice powers and a wheelchair bound wife will mix...do they make snow tires for wheelchairs?
"We also have another present," Attina said, unknowingly bringing Akiho out of his thoughts before they began to spiral. "Just as a locket is tradition for the second born in the blessings of our family, the first born traditionally gets one of these."
She pulled out a tiara that looked almost as if it had been made coral, the peach color going nicely with the wisps of strawberry blonde hair Emily had growing on her head.
"It so pretty!" Maddie said. "Perfect for Emmy!"
"I'm glad you like it," Attina said, smiling at her great-niece. "But I think the more important question is does Emily like it?"
Emily chose that moment to coo and clap her hands together.
"Seems like she likes it," Attina smiled as she handed the trident back to her father for his favorite part. Soon a rainbow was cast over the ship, earning another coo from the guest of honor and cheers from the young kids.
It was Elle's turn to smile as she watched her daughter, the smile on her face proving infectious. It was all Elle wanted, her little girl to have a healthy and happy life.
And she had no doubt that both were possible just as she had no doubt that all of the family would make sure it happened.