Ursula [A Poor Unfortunate Soul]

20. Sold

Hades continued to whisper in her ear. All of the sins she'd done, and her baby would have to suffer for each one.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only 2 minutes, Ursula finally made up her mind.

She took the pen from Hades, and signed her name, once again.

"You did it!' He said, looking surprised, that she did.

"I can't let my baby suffer for the choices I've made!" She shot back at him, shoving the pen and parchment back at him.

"Hey, I get it!" He said, putting his hands up.

"Vanessa!" Came Carlotta's voice again. "Its time!"

"I'm coming!" Ursula said back, through her niece's voice.

Before exiting, Hades stopped her. "You should know." He began. "It's a girl."

With that, he vanished.

Sighing, nothing more to do. Ursula made her way out the door.

Right out the door, she was thrown down the aisle.

The wedding march played behind them, blaring in her ears. As if in a small room, rather then a large ship, with no walls for sound to bounce off of.

Ursula exhaled deeply, before hearing the prince's dog growl down by her right foot. Kicking him, with said foot, he jerked back, whining. Taking note, that the prince had not. She stuck her nose in the air, and finished the walk.

"Dearly beloved" said their religions leader. He somehow reminded her of the one they'd had in Atlantica. Old, short, nearly blind.

"Do you, Eric" he said, pointing at her. He really was nearly blind! "Take Vanessa, as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Said Ursula, but through the mouth of the prince. She hadn't realized the power of her little niece's voice.

"And do you, Vanessa?" Said the little man, more so to the air than to her. He'd must've lost sight of her. And before he could finish, a flock of birds ambushed her from behind.

Ducking before the flying rats could do any damage, they returned. Flying under her skirt, sending it flowing at her hips.

Before too long, animals from the sea, no doubt friends of her niece's dumb seagull, jumped aboard the ship. Water splattering this way and that. Guests running frantic across the deck.

A small hermit crab thought it funny to grab hold of the witch's nose.

Looking it in the eye, Ursula screamed, hoping for Carlotta or someone to bring some order. Before being pelted with starfish, blocking her mouth.

Prying it off, she checked it to see if it had taken her, new shapely, lips with it.

She'd had checked them all, if a seal hadn't picked her up. Bouncing her up and down, as if she were a ball.

Passing her from one to the next, before Ursula could chant a curse upon them, she landed in her own wedding cake.

Standing, a few dolphins jumped out of the water, only to rinse the frosting off her face. Before having the seagull, who was the cause of the debacle, shriek at her. The sound of the seagull nearly blew her eardrums out.

Finally she'd had enough. Taking the gull by the throat, she shook it this way and that. Muttering something that made, a distracted Carlotta kiss the religious cross hanging from her neck.

The seagull pulled at the chain holding her shell. Now, instead of trying to strangle him, she tried prying the chain from his beak. The final gift from God Poseidon.

A sharp pain hit her from behind. Large teeth gripped her at the rear. Letting out a scream, now trying to get a meddling mutt off her posterior, and prying her necklace chain from the beak of a dimwitted seagull. Her legs then began to go numb.

Falling backward, the chain holding her shell snapped, sending it flying through the air. The dog and seagull fled her side in unison.

When the shell hit the floor, it broke into, what seemed like, a million pieces. And at the feet of none other than Ariel. The sea witch's little niece had made it all the way from the palace, and upon the large ship.

As the beautiful melody returned to its rightful place, the enchantment upon the prince ended. And Ursula could feel herself ever so slowly revert.

"Ariel, you're the one" said the prince, running to the little mermaid's side. Or she would be in a few moments, if he doesn't kiss her.

"Eric!" Called Ursula, her voice returned to its usual tone. "Get away from her!"

The crowd gasps, at the sound of her voice, and Ursula had bought her time well.

Just before Ariel and Eric's lips met, the little mermaid's feet began to revert.

Re-forming into their former shape, Ariel's legs became her tail once again.

"You're too late!" Ursula shouted, as her time had run out as well. Her two, shapely human legs, grew back into her six large squid tentacles. Her skin returned to its light purple tone, and her hair shortened, returning to the white, grey hairs left from age.

The crowd gasped at this too. They must think this is a show!

Crawling on the floor, past the gasping guests, Ursula collected her niece.

"So long, lover boy!" She said, laughing and dove into the sea.

"Ariel!" Came the prince's voice from above.