Ursula [A Poor Unfortunate Soul]

18. The Grand Finale

The witch was given the room right across from her niece. The last available spare room.

She didn't sleep though, Ursula spent the night singing. No doubt driving everyone in the castle mad.

"Vanessa." Came Carlotta's voice from the other side of the door. "Breakfast dear."

Breakfast, already? The night went by faster than she had anticipated.

Ursula ate breakfast quickly, and seemed to have gained a considerable girth about the middle. Even in her shapely, thin, form.

The witch feared she might be turning back. That's not possible! The witch thought to herself.

She looked about herself.

No purple about her skin. Her hair, still a raven black, just as it had been in her youth.

Ursula then felt dizzy, and it wasn't long before she couldn't keep the rather large breakfast down. Carlotta, who also apparently doubled as a nurse, confirmed it.

"Dear!" She exclaimed. "You're pregnant."

The prince's adviser fainted, he'd assumed it was Eric's. The witch nearly hurled again.

"No, she must have a lover elsewhere." Carlotta inspected her again.

"What?" The witch shouted, nearly jumping up.

Ursula had forgotten the time of pregnancy for mermaids, was a lot faster than that of a human girl. She had no idea it would be this fast though.

"Not to worry." Sang Carlotta, not as lovely as the voice in her shell. "The prince will raise it, as his own. Won't you Eric?"

No answer.

"Eric?" Carlotta said again.

Still, no answer. The prince sat, as if waiting for a command.

Say something, you oaf! The witch thought.

Then, as if by command, the prince turned, and said "Yes." Rather  robotic  , but there you go.

She had control.

The witch felt a contraction, and ran into the other room to look out at the sea.

Carlotta ran to her side, as vomit raced up her throat

Ursula wished her sister would feel her pain, and swim to her side. The witch hadn't realized it, but she would need her sister. And she needed her most now. But Morgana was gone. Good as dead. In Ursula's life, anyway.

Before she knew it, they all surrounded her. Even the prince.

"I'll make the arraignments" said Carlotta, and skipped off to make out the invitations.

"What?" Asked Ursula, fighting to keep her food down.

"Congratulations my dear." Said Grimsby, taking her hand.

"We wish to be married as soon as possible." Said the prince. All the witch had to do was think, and he would say whatever she wanted.

"Yes of course, Eric" said his adviser. "But, these things do take time."

"This afternoon" the witch told him to say. "The wedding ship departs at sunset."

Just then the witch saw someone on the steps, out of the corner of her eye.

Looking over, her niece ran out from behind the pillar, and back into her room. She'd heard everything.

The witch giggled to herself.

Aboard the wedding ship, the witch was given the prince's private room, while she told him to stand watch outside of. Obviously he didn't object, he didn't have the God-given free-will.

Ursula sang to herself, and for the first time, got a good look at herself in the mirror.

Mirrors reflect more than just our face. They reflect our moods, some reflect what can't be seen by the naked eye. The tiniest fraction of our souls.

And for the first time, Ursula saw her soul. She'd assumed for years, her soul was the beautiful young mermaid. But instead, the sea witch looked back at her.

With that, Ursula finally saw clearly. Not that she had any form of remorse for anything she'd done, but the baby.

The baby that lived within her. So innocent, her child should not have to suffer for the choices she'd made.

"You rang?" Came a man's voice, not from the room. But from the mirror.