Ursula's Beginning

24. I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals

From her holding cell, Ursula listened to the undulations of the crowd. Sounds were muffled, as she was somewhere deep in the lower levels of the castle where the water felt cold and stagnant.

Her guards looked bored. She gave them no grief; in fact, as time wore on and the noise tapered down into silence, Ursula nodded off. Her mind and heart were peaceful, come what may. She had done all she could to carry out King Nepp's command. She had done all she could to help her beloved Triton prevail. The oppressive burden of responsibility she had labored under for months was lifting at last.

Hours later, she awoke to the roar of the crowd in the great hall. A second roar swelled up around the outside of the castle moments later. There was a brief decrescendo, then the jubilation reached fever pitch and was joined by the blasting of trumpets.

It was done.

Ursula could sense movement throughout and beyond the palace. Voices were scattering and some were drawing nearer to where she was.

Ganeon burst into the room. "Long live King Triton!" he roared. The guards jumped, and the prince rattled the bars of Ursula's cell like an animal.

"You mean—"

"Yes, Poseidon be praised! And you were brilliant!"

Ursula shot up. "Ganeon!"

"Let her out!" Prince Ganeon barked at the guards. They were quick to obey.

Ursula careened out of the cell and grabbed both of Ganeon's hands. "So that cheer I just heard was for Triton? I knew everyone preferred him!"

"Oh, there was indeed cheering for King Triton when the Council's decision was announced! But when Triton proclaimed that his first act as king is the full pardon of your trespassing and theft, which was carried out 'in the service of the late King, Atlantica, and merfolk everywhere'—those were his words—the crowd went absolutely wild with joy. That noise at the end? That was for you." Ganeon beamed at his friend.

Ursula hugged him forcefully. To hell with the guards. "Where is he?" she asked anxiously. "I must thank him at once!"

"He has to attend to some things straightaway. I'm sure you understand. He sent me to escort you home."

"Surely not without witnesses!" Ursula teased.

Ganeon laughed delightedly. "I made it to the day of the hearing alive. I'd say my witness protection program was a great success."

Ursula and Ganeon grinned broadly as they hooked arms and left the dank waters and mystified guards behind.

The prince first brought Ursula to a sitting room three levels up, where a small crowd rushed her. Melisande and Dismas crushed her in a long embrace. Ursula's tears mingled silently with her adopted mother's. "You saved us all," Melisande eventually choked out, stroking Ursula's tangled hair.

Then she was in the gentle arms of Ephram. "We need to talk, Ursula, and soon," he said as he released her. She nodded. His face is as kind as ever...so why do I feel like I'm in trouble?

Amoret led Wemegreth and Bernhardina to the fore, and kissed Ursula's hollow cheek. Ursula kissed her plump one, and swept the cuttlemaids into her wasted arms. They trembled and melded with Ursula's violet cloak in that curious way of theirs. "I can't thank you two enough," Ursula whispered to the pair. They were overwhelmed, nodding and gulping and batting at the tears that hung before their faces.

Ursula released them. "I need to go home and take care of Flotsam and Jetsam now."

"And you need to rest," added Dismas sternly.