When the night came, I had easily fallen asleep in the pool of the cove. Delirious, it took me some time to tell that I was not alone. But I must have sensed the slow movement in the water through my unawareness, because I was slowly becoming roused. I heard whispers.
“I really hope that stays tight.”
“Of course it will. I've seen sailors tie knots like that.”
“Fine.”
“Do you think Ursula will be pleased with us for once?”
“I don’t know.”
“The mermaid's quite pretty. Why do think she wants her?”
“Can you stop asking useless questions? You'll wake her up. Now help me.”
The moment I felt a hand touch my tail, I open my eyes. Two mermen stared down at me. They both had deep brown curls and olive skin. I could tell they were of a prime age. For the one on the right, his right eye was completely hollow. And for the one on the left, it was his left eye that was also missing. Being by each other’s side made thier eyes meet as if they were two halves of the same face. Before my sore mouth could attempt to scream, one placed his hand on my mouth.
“Listen here, dame" he said with a surly tone. "You are either going with us by will or by force. Which shall it be?”
A bite to his hand was my answer. He retracted it with a yelp. Then he started chortling. "That's just fine with me."
I felt him yank the rope they wrapped around my tail. As they propelled forward, I flew in the water. They were pulling me along. We cut a trail through the water, moving at a head-jerking speed.
I had screamed for a while. Then I stopped, seeing it was of no point. Finally, we weren't moving anymore. Everything was still and blue. It took me some time for me to realize where we were. When I looked downward, I saw the shrouded depth below. This was the trench.
While they paused, I took hold of the rope the was around my tail and tried to pull it apart. I felt another yank that pulled my tail up from under me.
“Don’t even try it.” He looked at his brother. "Come on." We went down into the trench. Slowly, our bodies were enveloped in the darkness. I couldn't see the mermen, but I felt the steady pull of the rope. Farther on, I wondered if they were trying to bury me. I had never been this far underwater, and being new to this environment again only made it harder to endure the heavy pressure of the deep water.
Farther still, the mermen said nothing to each other. All around me was a scary marine silence. I tried to somehow will my eyes to see through the obscurity. I wanted them to adjust so I could see something, anything.
A harsh cackle suddenly pierced through the darkness. I whipped my head in all directions. Then I felt one of the mermen's hand grab the back of my neck, forcing me to look down.
A cluster of purple light emitted from a fresh skeleton of sea monster. Another cackle blasted from the canal through mouth of the skeleton. They took me to it.
It was like being consumed. We moved through the throat canal. The esophagus, in the process of decay. There was a little garden of sea polyps sticking to the walls of the throat.
“Watch your head,” the merman behind me said.
I didn't know what he was talking about until I turned to see one of the group of polyps stretching towards me as if I had attracted them. They made little sqeals at me. I moved away. Then the ones sticking to the other side reached for me.
I bumped into the mermen leading me, then I sped forward, flipping my strong tail. He tried to keep a grip on the rope. He failed, when I used my large fin to slap him in the face.
“Ow! You rebellious little...”
His brother swam to me and grabbed my arms. “Alright, enough. Don't make me have to hurt you.”
I writhed and wriggled, trying to free my arms. I wanted to scream, though it was impossible and no one would hear it anyway.
“Stop playing around, you fools, and bring her to me!” The boisterous command coming from the belly made me shiver.
The mermen urged me forward. The belly was enormous, and dim. I came to the sight of a wide, iron basin, crafted to look like a claw. Purple and pink liquid swirled inside it. I raised my head to the dark, whale-like figure towering over it. She looked at me with big, intimidating eyes. A deep familiar rasp in the way she crooned, “Hello, Ariel.” She put her face closer to the purple light, "Remember me?"
I squinted in denial. But as soon as her features sat in my head, I knew I had seen the half of her face before. She was the witch. The one that gave me legs. Seeing her again, I wasn't sure whether I was relieved or worried.
“I'm sure it must come as real shock to see me like this.”
I kept staring. I wanted to know how it was possible.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“What's the matter with you? Can't you speak?”
I shook my head.
The witch looked at the mermen. “Why can’t she speak.”
They stammered anxiously.
“‘Tisn't my fault. He's the one who kept silencing her.”
“Me? Your the one who kept threatening her.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Untrue. You know you kept—”
“Silence!” the witch commanded. She finally set her eyes on me again. “Well, whatever the issue is with your voice, it’s too bad. Because I was hoping you could tell me how you have a tail, and I have these.”
In a moment, I was caught in the dangerous embrace of black, sticky tentacles. I could feel the clingy cups as the tentacles wrapped tighter around me, squeezing me to the bone. I was lifted higher.
“Look at me. Behold the glory, Ariel. Thanks to your reversion, I too am in my true form. This is who I was before he banished me to land.”
I was confused.
“That’s right. You’re father banished me, for one simple crime. I gave a merman legs. He was much like you, in love with some woman from above. He paid with his strength for me to do it.”
This story sounded familiar to me, but I was not sure why. She then released me. I floated back down.
“Oh, that King Poseidon is the worst. I'm sure you'd agree. Rather than a father, he treated you like a sovereign ruler.” Ursula floated toward me. Her octopus half, pushing her forward. “And everyone else is scum.” She gave me the strangest look. A look that made me less eager to sympathize and yet unwilling show opposition. I wasn't sure what to make of her expression. She seemed like a scarred being with an unpredictable mind. Someone who may have valid reasons for what she wants, but you never know it is she truly wishes for.
Her wide mouth stretched into a devious smile. “Now, let’s talk about the reason I've called for you.” The witch swam back to her basin, and swiped her hand over it. The swirling liquid revealed an image of the king. It was him in real time, speaking with Sebastian and Attina. I slowly came forward for a closer look. My heart slowed as I watched them. If only I could see him, if only he had not banished me. Maybe then there would be a chance of reconciliation. The scale focused in on the golden trident.
Ursula eyed me. “Remember what I did for you. And that it isn't my fault that any of it fell through. You will return a favor for me, won't you Ariel?”
I simply squinted, waiting for her to tell me what she had in mind.
“Imagine this. You show up before the king. You get arrested, of course. But just before you are taken away, you warn the court that his advisor, Sebastian, is trying to overthrow him. The king wakes up the next morning, to stare his assassin right in the face just as he tries to murder him. The king survives with his trident. Sebastian... doesn't.”
I gulped, disturbed by the notion.
Ursula continued. “Realizing you were right, he relents to calling on you. You each have your moment of tears and reconciliation, etcetera, etcetera. He lets you free from your cage and you go back to being a princess. Now that he trusts you, you will admit to being worried for his safety and insist he employ a certain magical expert for his protection.” She placed her hand on her fat chest with flared fingers. “Then I am called on as the best option in all the sea. That way you can be a princess and I can be respected once again as the royal sea witch.”
My eyes widened. It sounded like a very clever plan, but there were some issues with it. Firstly, I thought, how can I guarantee that Sebastian is going to attempt assassination on King Poseidon? Secondly, I would never do such a thing to Sebastian. And thirdly, none of this is going to work if I cannot speak.
She tickled the bottom of my chin with her long nail. “I see that you aren't convinced. Well, I wouldn't be a true merpus if I hadn’t made a fool-proof plan.” She gripped my jaw aggressively. Her eyes inspected it as she pressed on the swollen spot. I clenched my teeth in pain.
“No don't do that, that'll worsen it. Just take your time and slowly drop your jaw.”
I shook my head. But she looked at me with a convincing, confident look. I did as she said, feeling my jaw lock halfway and popping on the way down.
“Now slowly close it.”
I drew in my jaw as slowly as I could, the motion seemed easier this way. The tension behind my ears slightly relieved.
“It will get easier with time. But for now, there are other ways to communicate. And if you are worried about the advisor,” she shrugged, “don't be. Sometimes the only solution is cruelty. Those who taste it die. And those who use it thrive.”
No. No, I couldn't. I had told many lies, but none to the detriment of someone else. But I knew I had to do as Ursula said. What would she do to me if I disobeyed? It's funny— the first time I made a deal with a witch, I had not felt so much pressure, so much at stake. I now had the feeling that I could not say no. This was what all of my trouble had brought me to. Just as Attina had said: “Soon your games will catch up to you.” I had tried to run away. I'd thought I could hide from punishment. But punishment has followed me through land all the way back to sea.
The sea witch did a beckoning motion to the liquid in the basin. “Fetay gaove!” she chanted. The liquid swelled upward, bubbling and swirling. Rolling, and steaming. Until the tiny object that it created released into Ursula's palm. A golden little snake that was smaller than a thumb. She gave it to me. “When you are in the castle, let go of the snake. When it finds Sebastian, it will wrap itself around his finger. Then everything will unfold just as I said.”
I stared down at the shiny, little thing in my hand. I didn't dare close my fingers on it. My expression grew weary. Ursula was so adamant that this would be a good plan for the both of us. But I never said I wanted to be princess again. None of this was actually what I wanted. In fact, I had no idea what I wanted. I just wanted to be free. I wondered why that was such an impossible wish.
I raised my head at Ursula. I did have a choice. Just as I did when I decided to die for Clara. With talk of war already causing distress. The one thing I had control of was myself. I would not go through with this. I attempted to throw the snake. But it only floated an inch away from me in the water.
Ursula held it in her hand for a scary second. Her gaze drifted to me. “Ooh. Is that a no?”
I nodded warily.
“Oh, Ariel. I don't get told no. Ever.” Two tentacles went around me, squeezing in my ribcage. Another grabbed at my arm. She drew me closer to herself. Taking my thumb, she let free the snake it curled around it and locked into a gold ring. “Bite yourself,” she commanded.
Some sort of haze, like whatever must have befallen Gertrude when she heard me sing, had overcome me. I saw myself do they action. Felt the harsh bit on my arm. Saw the ooze of blood mixing in the water. None of it was my will.
She put her face in mine and chuckled. Her chuckle grew into a cackle. “You see, it works. If you want to be free, give the ring to Sebastian. Or else, suffer.” Now I saw it. The truly sinister expression. There was no mistaking that whatever the witch was intending, went beyond the plan she disclosed to me.
“Flotsam! Jetsam!”
The mermen swam forward.
“Take her away, for now. Keep her in the cove until I call her again.”
The mermen each took an arm. They pulled me towards the throat canal.
Ursula said behind me, “Perhaps you will soon appreciate my plan, Ariel. I know how you like games.”