The Voice, The Witch, and the Dark Lord

Chapter Nine: Keeping a Mermaid Underwater ("Under the Sea")

"Okay, so far, so good," said Sebastian to himself, pacing around as flower petals began to drift down around him. "I don't tink de king knows, but it will be difficult keeping someting like dis a secret for long!"
Just above him, Ariel was picking petals off a flower, while saying things to herself. "He loves me..." said Ariel as she picked another petal off. "Hm, he loves me not..." She picked another petal off. Only one petal remained. She gasped. "He loves me!" She picked off the petal and held it in her hands like a treasure. She laughed with delight, and said, "I knew it!"
"Ariel!" said Sebastian. "Stop talking crazy!"
"I've gotta see him again!" said Ariel with excitement in her tone. "Tonight! Scuttle knows where he lives!"
"Can you get your head out of de clouds and back in de water where it belongs?!" said Sebastian irritably.
"I'll swim up to his palace!" continued Ariel. "And Flounder will splash around to get his attention! And-"
"DOWN HERE IS YOUR HOME!" shouted Sebastian, grabbing Ariel's chin, forcing her to look at him. "Ariel, listen to me. De human world, it's a mess! Life under de sea is better dan anyting dey got up dere!"
He began to sing.
"De seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake."
Ariel looked up to the surface eagerly. Sebastian forced her to look at him.
"You dream about going up dere, but dat is a big mistake!" He motioned with his claws to all the ocean. "Just look at de world around you, right here on de ocean floor!" A group of sea horses surrounded Ariel, and she danced in excitement. "Such wonderful tings surround you; what more is you lookin' for? Under de sea, under de sea! Darlin', it's better down where it's wetter, take it from me! Up on de shore, set work all day, out in de sun, dey slave away! While we devotin' full time to floatin' under de sea!"
He sang with another sea animal in two-part harmony. "Down here, all de fish is happy, as off tru de waves, dey roll! De fish on de land ain't happy; dey sad 'cause dey in da bowl!"
A blue fish was trapped in a bubble as a representation of fish on land.
Sebastian turned to Ariel. "But fish in de bowl is lucky; dey in for a worser fate! One day, when de boss get hungry..." He popped the bubble with his claw, and the blue fish landed on a plate, decorated with seaweed as garnish.
"Guess who gon' be on de plate," sang the blue fluke, with his deep voice.
"Uh-oh! Under de sea!" sang Sebastian. "Under de sea! Nobody beat us, fry us, and eat us in fricassee! We what de landfolks love to cook, under de sea we off de hook! We got no troubles, life is de bubbles under de sea!"
Many sea creatures began to play instruments of various kinds, and Sebastian began to name them all.
"The newt play de flute, de carp play de harp, de plaice play de bass, and dey soundin' sharp! De bass play de brass, de chub play de tub, de fluke is de duke of soul! De ray he can play, de longs on de strings, de trout rockin' out, de blackfish she sings, de smelt and de sprat, dey know where it's at! And, oh, dat blowfish blow!"
Suddenly, Flounder swam up to where Ariel was, and whispered something into her ear. Ariel smiled in excitement and swam off with Flounder. Unaware of Ariel's flight, Sebastian and the sea creatures continue the song.
"Yeah! Under de sea! Under de sea! When de sardine begin to beguine, it's music to me! What do dey got, a lot of sand? We got a hot crustacean band! Each little snail here know how to wail here, dat's why it's hotter under de water, yeah, we in luck here, down in de muck here, under de sea!!"
All the sea creatures, as a finishing touch, point to Ariel. But Ariel wasn't there, so they all swam away in disappointment.
"Ariel?" said Sebastian. He groaned. "Oh, somebody's gotta nail dat girl's fins to de floor..."
"Sebastian!!"
Sebastian looked around, wondering who called his name.
King Triton's Royal Messenger, the seahorse who had announced the King and Court Composer at the Celebration, swam hurriedly to Sebastian.
"The King needs to see you right away!" said the seahorse, with his squeaky high-pitched voice. "Something about Ariel."
The seahorse swam away after delivering the message.
Sebastian gasped in horror. "He knows..."

~~~

"Well, let's see now," said King Triton, holding a flower in his hand, thinking about his daughter being in love. "Who could the lucky merman be?" He then noticed the Sebastian had just walked into the doorway. He hid the flower behind his back. "Er, come in, Sebastian."
Sebastian walked one step. He then said to himself, "I mustn't overreact. I must stay calm." He then walked all the way to King Triton's throne. "Yes?" squeaked Sebastian nervously. He cleared his throat, and spoke again. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Sebastian, I'm concerned about Ariel," said King Triton. "Have you noticed she's been acting...peculiar...lately?"
Sebastian pretended to have no clue. "Oh, er, peculiar?"
"You know, twirling around, daydreaming, singing to herself..." He stopped. "You...haven't noticed?"
Sebastian stammered. "Well, I-"
"Sebastian..." said Triton. He beckoned for Sebastian to come closer. "I know you've been keeping something from me."
"Keeping...someting...?" said Sebastian nervously.
"About Ariel?"
"A-Ariel...?"
Triton pointed his trident at Sebastian, hoping this would help him find out who Ariel was in love with. "In love?" said Triton, smiling.
Sebastian broke. "I TRIED TO STOP HER, SIRE! SHE WOULDN'T LISTEN!!" shouted Sebastian. "I told her to stay away from humans! DEY ARE BAD! DEY ARE TROUBLE!"
"Humans?" said Triton. "WHAT ABOUT HUMANS?!!"
Sebastian slowly drifted away. "Humans?" whispered Sebastian. He fake laughed. "Wh-Who said anyting about...humans?" Triton then grabbed Sebastian in his fist, dragging him along to go find Ariel.