A Big Mermaid #Wattys2014

Chapter 15 The surface revealed properly from the cloak of sea

"Not again!" The women huffed, kneading dough forcefully on a vast, marble counter glistening with grime and piled with heaps of messy ingredients. Atleast thats what Ariel thought the gooey, sticky substance was. "No!" she repeated even louder at his puppy-dog face, skirting past him to fetch some more flour. Her thin, meek hair escaped its careless updo, strands dipping into chalk-white flour. "Aunt Marge!" He pleaded, attempting to woo her with his soft tone. He sure knew how to work his magic on the ladies!

Exasperated, she heaved out a sigh of defeat. "Just promise to stay out my way you pesk!" Something about how easy she caved in told Ariel it had happened before.

She smiled affectionatly. "Pesk? Surely not!" He clucked, before ducking as a rolling pin flew above his head. Bang! shrieks chorused from the impact of the wooden block as it chipped the cheap, peeling wallpaper. "Don't push it!" she huffed, retrieving the rollingpin from the floor and whacking it onto the flattened dough. Dough. That was what the prince had called it. That squishy substance that hardened when heated. There seemed such a variety of different foods up in the surface...

"So you say you saw us in the garden?" he comfirmed, patting her shoulder lovingly- earning a swatting. "Yes, now leave." Right as they were about to-

"Your highness!" a shrill voice simpered. Wincing, Ariel adverted her attention to a bunch of giggling maids about her age. One of them, the prettiest with the most meat on her, ditched her food and sidled up to her love. Hers. Ariel clenched her fist at the curly-haired, camarel-locked beauty.

"You haven't been down here in a while!" she placed her hand flirtily across his chest, brushing her fingers seductively against his broad shoulder. Her chubby cheeks were flushed and tinted with a rosy red "Been checking?" the prince smirked big-headedly.

Appauled at the flirting, Ariel stepped back timidly.

"Why? Want me to?" she sniggered, edging closer. Ariel trudged backwards, reaching for the door knob. She'd traded her voice for him. Her legs. Her life! Flirting with someone right after passionately embracing someone else? Love rat! The pain from her heart just added to the pain of her legs. So intense she buckled under the strain! She needed him to effortlessly wash it away. Soundlessly, she hobbled unnoticed in her disguise outside the palace. To the familair buzz of the sea and the stroking waves that healed her wounds.

"ARIEL!"

That voice! The melody smothered her in a blanket of relief and reassurance.

"FLOUNDER!" she almost cried out, racing towards her friend, the pain gnawing at her raw leg forgotten.

The sense of comfort and home sickness overwhelmed her unexpectedly. "I've missed you so!" she sobbed into his moist scales as she clung onto him. Realisation dawned as the words she formed failed to roll off her toungue... He couldn't hear her. "Ariel- Can't breath-" he rasped, gagging for air.

She fondly settled him down, grinning at him through the silver tears that streamed down her cheeks in slivers. "You've been neglecting me!" She mouthed at him, poking him jokingly in his loaded tummy.

"Hey!" he protested, flapping his fins in the now motion-less, placid sea. "I haven't had a chance to!" his high pitched, innocent voice broke. "Everyone's been looking for you..."

She nibbled her plump, inviting lips guiltily, cringing as responsibility yanked her down into the blizzard of sand. Troubled, torn and tired Ariel longingly stared at the familair, lace-agate coloured animal that was the sea. Her home.

Flounder ducked his head sympathetically. "I miss you."

Something in her heart twinged, tears sprung to her wide eyes, smudging her vision. Oh flounder...