Ursula's Beginning

19. Just a token really, a trifle (continued)

Ursula hurried to the secret cave where she knew Triton was already waiting. Siddikah's words trailed her all the way there. The dismissal of her love as mere infatuation, and the suggestion that she leave Triton for a year, sent Ursula crashing into her paramour with ferocious intensity.

It was she that didn't allow much time for talking on this night. When their time was almost up, Ursula quickly told Triton about Cosmos and her thoughts on Sebastian and said she'd come to the palace in the next day or so to personally invite the envoy to tour the temple. The lovers agreed to meet again in two weeks, and Ursula fairly shoved Triton out of the cave.

The change commenced at once. Ursula decided to embrace the pain as much as she could. Perversely, she preferred the physical trial to the contemplation of Siddikah's proposal just now.

As the hours crawled by, Ursula contracted into a shuddering heap on the floor of the cave. She lay in the fetal position close to a rocky wall that was deep into the cave, well out of sight from the entrance. Now and then she'd reach out and touch its rough surface just to reassure herself she was capable of registering something other than pain.

She was too absorbed by her meditation to notice that someone had slipped into the cave. He floated above her noiselessly, taking in the curious sight of a mermaid splicing into a tentacled being, flesh ever darkening to purple.

When it was finally over and Ursula was herself again, she wept with relief. She caressed the rocky wall that had seen her through the longest night of her life, and felt thankful for the shafts of daylight that had found their way into her dark chamber.

"There, there, you don't look that bad," a mocking voice said from somewhere above her. "It's not worth crying over."

"What?" Ursula gasped as she rolled onto her back. She could make out nothing in the shadows above her.

Alphon descended into view and suspended himself above her, perfectly parallel. "I know mermaids are more attractive, and it must vex you to lose that, but you're not bad for a cecaelia, Ursula. Not bad at all. In fact, that's what's going to save you."

Her body froze and stiffened as if plunged into Arctic waters. "What?" she repeated weakly.

"You're lucky I'm someone that enjoys variety," he replied.

Ursula's tears started anew. In her state, there was nothing she could do to defend herself and Alphon seemed to know it.

"Stop that," he commanded. "It's annoying."

Ursula tried to push herself away from him, into a sitting position, but kept collapsing onto the floor. The nine hour ordeal hadn't left her weak--closer to paralyzed.

"Let me help," Alphon said. He seized her arms and yanked her upright, slamming her back against the jagged cave wall. Ursula howled at the impact.

"There we are! And you're sounding livelier already!" he said cheerfully. "I thought we might have a little chat. First, you'll be relieved to hear that I've changed my mind about cutting out your tongue. I realized I'll get more utility from it if it remains attached to you." He pressed her harder into the wall, until fresh tears sprang from her eyes. They looked like little orbs of iridescent oil, and they lingered between Alphon's maniacal face and Ursula's tortured one. She hung her head in shame.

"I figured out that all you need is to be tamed," he continued. "So let's keep your tongue, and I'll take something extraneous instead. And you'll learn your lesson."

"No part of me is extraneous," Ursula choked out.

"I disagree." Alphon released one of her arms and squeezed the trunk of a tentacle, still tender from the recent change. Ursula winced. "How many of these do you need, really?" the prince snorted.