Ursula's Beginning

6. Now's your moment

She pondered this newfound sensitivity of hers as she sought out Ephram the Venerable. After updating him, she arranged for status reports to be sent to her house every three hours. "Slip scrolls under my door, please. Send a sensible nautilus or something. No blowfish unless it's an emergency," she instructed a cuttlemaid. Ursula made a mental note to learn the names of these shy girls.

Later, though. Ursula needed to sleep now. She craved hours and hours of sleep. Sleep is the greatest medicine there is, she mused to herself on the slow swim home.

She arrived exhausted but wired, too jittery to go straight to sleep. She brushed out her long hair and placed the starfish in the now-empty piranha cage. She left the lid off. "You go when you're ready," she told it kindly. Then she buffed her body with a sponge until fresh skin was revealed from top to bottom, lavender in some places and slick black in others. She filed her nails, and as she reviewed the events of the day, decided to make the tips extra pointy. She surveyed her claws with satisfaction.

Feeling clean and calm at last, Ursula lay down and fell into an easy sleep.

                                                                                     *********

A few hours later, Ursula awoke to the news that the king was awake and sitting upright for the first time in almost two weeks. Pleased, she tumbled back to bed.

When she arose three hours later, there was a scroll saying King Nepp felt well and was visiting with his family. She imagined Triton's heavenly face conversing happily with his father. She fell asleep smiling.

After four more hours of rest, a scroll informed her that the king wished to speak with her. She wasted no time getting herself ready for the meeting. She slipped into a black sleeved top with an intricate design on the bodice made from countless tiny pink and lavender shells; it was one of Aunt Melisande's creations. She lined her eyes and arranged her hair carefully, then agonized over how much jewelry to wear. Satisfied at last, she inspected her efforts in the mirror.

A rapid knock at the door made her jump. Her heart pounded as she darted to the door.

It was Triton. The overwhelmingly handsome prince was standing before her modest dwelling, and he was alone. Ursula tried to suppress the curious blend of elation and terror that swept over her.

"Good evening, Prince Triton. I was just on my way to meet your father. A request came by scroll. How is he?"

"He's doing better than we've seen in ages. We've had a wonderful day with him. You've restored hope to us all, Ursula." Triton flashed a brilliant smile, and Ursula's elated terror gave way to an upwelling of tenderness so profound that it hurt.

"I'm glad," she said.

"I wanted to have a private word with you, and I hope it wasn't too forward of me to come to your home."

"Please," she said, moving clear of the doorway and motioning with an arm for him to enter.

She closed the door behind him and they made their way to the central room of her home. Her heart began to thump loudly once again.

"How do you know where I live?" she asked as casually as she could.

"Ganeon told me."

"Oh." She waited for more. Triton was rubbing the back of his head with one palm and half-smiling at the floor.

He coughed. "I'm sorry," he said, glancing up at her. You look so beautiful tonight, it's unnerving."

She laughed--a short, anxious burst of sound. "Thank you, Your Grace. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Your Grace," he chuckled quietly, again surveying the floor. Ursula furrowed her brow as she studied him. He looked as nervous as she felt.

Unspoken words hung heavily between them. 

Triton finally provided relief. "Has Alphon gotten to you? Has he seduced you?" he blurted forcefully.

"Alphon repulses me," she replied. "No." Her voice was calm and quiet, and it tricked the rest of her into feeling instantly calmer.

"Oh, thank goodness," Triton sighed. "I came here to warn you about him, and I'm glad to hear it was unnecessary to do so. But something seemed off when I saw you two this morning. I'm sorry, but I had to ask."

"We had a most unpleasant...encounter. In the courtyard. Before you saw us at your father's beside. At least, it was unpleasant for me."

"I knew it," Triton muttered angrily.

"I'd already drawn a conclusion about his character before this." Ursula's sad smile had something of an apology to Triton in it. "But I admit, being alone with him scared me. I should wear piranhas in my hair every day."

"What?!" Triton's eyes widened.

Ursula recounted the incident in the labyrinth in detail. Triton looked angry at parts, and pained at others, but by the end, he was laughing.

"Does he even know those piranhas were sent by you, and not something he just stumbled upon?" His eyes twinkled.

"I'm not sure," Ursula shrugged, laughing. "They were well hidden in my hair."

Triton laughed heartily. "He's underestimated you!" he chortled. "And in a different way, so have I. I'm sorry, Ursula," he added.

"So...you really thought Alphon could seduce me?" Ursula laughed in disbelief. "You thought I'd find your brother appealing in any way?"

"Apparently, every female in this kingdom between the ages of 16 and 116 finds him appealing." Triton shook his head in disgust.

"He's a monster. I wonder if all his conquests have truly been willing, Triton," Ursula replied darkly.

"I hate to even think about it," he said. "All I know is he reminds the younger ones that he will be king one day. They eat it up! Many a stupid young mermaid has believed she will become his queen. And then her bubble is burst a week later. Or a day."

"If it's as bad as you say, you and Ganeon's search for wives will be complicated if you want to marry a mermaid from this kingdom," Ursula joked.

"It really is that bad!" Triton's eyes flashed with anger. He stared into Ursula's and her pupils bloomed in response. Her lips parted in surprise at his intensity.

"Ganeon and I have talked about it," he added, more calmly.

"Oh my. That's unfortunate," Ursula murmured. "Are you searching for a bride presently?"

"No." Triton softened. "No, I'm not. I've already found someone incredible. There's no need to search now." He hesitated a beat, then reached out and cradled her face in one hand.

Ursula's eyes widened. She couldn't believe this was happening; still, a flash of clarity revealed to her own mind how much she wanted it to. She closed the gap between them until their faces were inches apart.

"You're not seducing me now, are you?" she asked softly.

"No," he answered. "Have you bewitched me?"

"Certainly not."

Triton kissed Ursula urgently. She pulled him closer. Soon they were completely lost in one another, rotating in the water. They made a strange planet of onyx and gold, amethyst and aquamarine, swirling and revolving and pulling ever tighter together.

When they finally forced themselves apart, Triton was the first to speak.

"I've been wanting to do that since the day we met, and I don't have reactions like that...not until now, anyway. My question about bewitchment was sincere," he confessed.

Ursula suppressed a laugh. "Love spells are beneath me. And I'm just as surprised as you are. I've been thinking about you the same way, but I never let myself believe that something could actually happen. I still can't believe it just did, really." She pressed her forehead to his for a long moment.

"Especially now, when I've got to go meet your father."