Ursula [A Poor Unfortunate Soul]

16. Vanessa

Watching her niece, Ursula was surprised that the child could have bewitched that prince so quickly.

But she had her own matters to attend to.

Gaston.

Using the pure essence of Ariel's voice, Ursula was able to regain her former form. And best of all. Become human.

With a flash, she was returned to her former beauty, and her tentacles have been replaced with legs. And her gills, with human lungs.

Ursula swam to the surface, as fast as her new legs could carry her.

Arriving at the docks, where she and Gaston had parted ways, propping herself up on the bricks.

Looking herself over, Ursula realized that she was completely nude. Looking around, she spotted a basket with human clothing.

Dressing herself, she began her search.

Coming upon a small cottage, Ursula knocked on the door. A lovely woman answered.

"Oh." Ursula said.

"I'm sorry." Said the woman. "May I help you?"

"No, thanks, beauty." Ursula laughed.

"Its Belle." The woman put a hand on her hip.

"So sorry!" The witch rose her hands in the air.

Belle shut the door then.

"Belle!" A familiar voice called from behind. Turning, she caught visual on the object of her obsession.

"Gaston." Ursula responded.

"I thought you were someone else." He said. "But anyway" he leaned on the bench. "You are?"

He had forgotten Ursula's former face that quickly? Though, to his defense, it wasn't that quick. Many years, actually.

He'd seemed to age well. Around the same age as she. Late 20's, early 30's.

"Vanessa." Ursula thought of a name on the spot. If he didn't remember her, she'd have to start fresh, then remind him.

"Well, Vanessa" he hadn't lost his suaveness. "Dinner?" He asked, grinning.

"I'd like to skip dinner" Ursula bit her bottom lip. "If we could."

Without so much as a 'yes' he took her by the hand, and ran with her across town.

Opening the door to his shack, Ursula stepped in. The shack was small, and smelt of musk.

Closing the door, he approached her from behind. Spinning her around, he was reintroduced to her lips.

Moving from her lips, to her chest.

Ursula felt like a teenage mermaid, all over again. He had made her young again, at least mentally.

Turning her around, he worked the back of her dress. He was surprised to find, she had no under-clothes. Ursula wasn't aware she needed any.

He went for her necklace. "No!" She turned around.

"What?" He asked, moving her thick black hair to the side, to kiss her neck.

Ursula was smart enough to know, if she removed the shell from her neck, the spell would be broken. She would become the tentacled sea witch once again.

"Just leave it." She said, coolly. Kissing him again, he picked up her naked body, carrying her to the bed, unlacing his pants.

He became her oyster, a pearl in his arms.

They moved together, fingers locked.

How could he have forgotten her?

Lying next to him, the moonlight stung her eyes. "Two more days." She said to herself.

"What?" He asked, turning over.

"Nothing." She shook her head.

Holding her shell necklace, she felt bad for keeping it. Her old form had reverted her thinking, once again seeing love in the world.

Drifting back to sleep, she dreamed of the life she and her lover could have together.

Never returning her niece's voice, forever using it as a glamour.

Waking to the sun, stinging her eyes. She sat up, browsing the room for her lover. He had left.

She decided she should leave too.

Ursula left a note, saying simply

'Forever yours, and mine'

- Ursula