This choice: Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula's minions • Go Back...Chapter #7Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula's minions by: Melusine   Out from the depths slither a pair of moray eels, each with mis-matched eyes. They remain in the water, poking their heads above the surface.
You slink behind Ariel, just in case, as she leans forward.
"Oh, hello." She says. "Who are you?"
"Friends." Says one.
"Who've heard you have a problem." Says the other.
"Um, Ariel?" You try, but she doesn't hear you.
"As a matter of fact," Ariel says brightly, "My new friend here has a sort of a shrinking problem." She leans in conspiratorially, "We think there was magic involved."
The two eels exchange a glance before one clucks his tongue pityingly. "Dangerous force, magic."
"Very dangerous." Says the other, "You'd need an expert in order to use it safely."
"True, absolutely true." Says the first. "Can't throw it around willy-nilly."
"Oh, but I know an expert." Ariel says. "My father, King Triton, is a master of magical arts. We just need to convince him and we'll be fine."
The two eels give a friendly smile and nod. "Of course," says the first, "No better expert than King Triton."
"A firmer hand to hold a staff there never was." says the second. He hesitates for a moment, then says, "Although..."
"Yes," says the first, "although..."
You climb onto Ariel's lap. Best to stay involved in the conversation, at least.
"Although what?" Ariel asks.
"It's just," Says the first.
"It's only..." Says the second.
"You're friend there is a human." Finished the first.
"King Triton doesn't much care for surface dwellers." Finishes the second.
Ariel bites her lip and looks down at you. She doesn't want to steer you wrong. "I'm pretty sure I can reason with him." She says, "He's not an unreasonable man, he'll understand."
"Not that I mean to argue about your own father," The first says, "but if you're wrong..."
"If you're wrong, what happens to your friend?" Says the second, "Maybe drowned,"
"Maybe fed to sharks," adds the first.
"Maybe incinerated,"
"Maybe kept in a tiny cage, cramped and starved until dying of neglect."
You gulp. That all does sound pretty bad, and not completely out of character for King Triton.
"But..." Says the second, "There's another option."
"Another option?" Asks the first.
"Another option?" Echoes Ariel.
"Well," The second hesitates again, "I only mean, there is..."
Understanding dawns on the first's face. "Oh, yes, I suppose there is."
"Is what?" Ariel presses.
"Ursula." They say together. "The sea witch."
"As much a master of magic as King Triton," Says the first.
"Or at least very near." Adds the second. "It's why she was banished, you know."
Ariel put a protective hand in front of you without thinking. "But isn't Ursula..."
"She has a bad reputation, of course." The second nods.
"Partly earned to be sure," The first says.
"A nasty history, she has."
"But mostly rumor nowadays."
"Nasty phenomenon, rumors."
"Between the two of us," The first beckoned Ariel closer. "I'd heard rumors that the King's youngest daughter was an ugly brat. I never put much stock in them, and I'm proud to say they're wrong."
"Maybe you're right..." Ariel said. She placed you on the sand next to her. "Stay here." She dove into the water, the two eels watching you with markedly friendly expressions. When she surfaced again, she was holding a large glass jar, easily bigger than her head. "This should be safer than my bra, right?"
She climbs back onto the sand and lifts you back up to her face.
"Um, Ariel?" You say, "I have some concerns about this."   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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