The Mer Prince

Chapter 46

Charley's POV

Ursula wakes me in the morning, but thankfully not by barging into the guest room I slept in with XY. Rather, she manages to use her magic and yank me out of a dream by the tail. A tad dramatic, but I am relieved not to have woken XY.

I stretch, pull on my clothes, and swim out to where Ursula is sitting on a rock. Everything is still dark, illuminated by a glow on the rocks and lazy fish, but still feels like a morning. The type of morning where you would wake up early to find breakfast already made and the world at peace with you.

"You and stabby have a nice rest?" Ursula asks me, genuinely not poking at anything we might have done.

"Yes." I admit, followed by a content sigh that nearly sends me to the roof before I correct myself. "What did you need me for?"

"We need to talk." Ursula tells me, patting a rock beside her.

I take the seat, confused.

"You need to be part of this war." She tells me.

The words cause me to squirm and frown. "Me? Ursula, I don't think I can do anything-"

"Charley, listen to me." Ursula held up a finger to my lips, giving me a smile and talking in a song-worthy matter-of-fact voice. "You own the most feared assassin's heart, the octi king owes you more than a trinket, and there are people in Atlantis who would answer your call to war in a moment's notice. The people of the trench will not win the war without you."

I feel like I am a soda can and someone just decided to put me on the concrete and flatten me. My shoulders fall loose and I slouch on my seat.

"Now, sit up. I certainly don't want you in harm's way, if I can help it." She moves her finger to tilt up my head. "Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, I lived in the castle with your mother and your father."

That was all she had to say to get me to bounce back up. I was totally hooked on her words, wanting to know about my family.

"Your mother and I were like twin sisters. We were the closest friends. She wanted to have seven little girls and name them after the seven seas, a sentiment from that one certain movie you might like...."

"The Little Mermaid!" I cheer, lifting my arms happily.

She smiles and ruffles my hair. "That's the one. I had served in the castle before and she had been my ticket back in, but that is another story entirely. This is the story of you."

My arms fall back down and I look at her, under the glowing lights and mysterious shadows.

"You were going to be her first baby. She wanted to record everything, as mothers often do about their firsts. I thought that was silly, but why would I be dampening her fun when I get to sit beside her and join in lavish feasts and tease her about cravings? Everything was to be perfect for you, no matter what was happening." Ursula seems pained to talk about this, though her memories sound so fond.

"We really never gave any thought that you might be a different color tail than your parents. Blue was the color of the ocean, your father's tail. Blue was the grey in your mother's eyes, and her tail. Blue was supposed to be your color too, though your mom had flecks of orange in her eyes, so beautiful and bright. We had to find out the night I helped deliver you." Ursula moves and takes my hand in hers. She has paused.

"You don't have to tell me this right now?" I offer to her.

"No, Charley, you are going to hear this." Ursula shakes her head. "The moment there was a goldfish rather than a bluefish, your mom and I both shared a hard look and knew there had to be something done. Aria loved you. Your father would never let you live freely if he had known what tail you were born with, and she could never let you live like some fairytale princess in a tower."