Ursula

Chapter 3 A Siren Song

Triton

"Just explain it to me again."
"Must I? What are you not understanding, Your Highness? Your father wishes you to marry Ursula." Sebastian scurries across the sea floor, trying to follow my movements as I pace back and forth.
"Just help me understand! Ursula is like a... a sister to me. How can I possibly be with her... you know...intimately?" The thought of tangling up in all her tentacles seemed like it would be enticing, but I feared I'd recoil at the mere touch of those slick appendages curling around me. I could feel myself beginning to boil. The water around us is starting to heat.
"Your Highness, remember your breathing! You don't want to repeat another... incident," my retinue tries to calm me.
It doesn't work.
"Sebastian!" I yell. Spinning around to face his little body. He was looking particularly more crimson than usual. His claws tapped against each other with worry, the sound of his tapping only making my anger worse.
"Your Highness, breathe!"
I take a deep breath.
"Cool waters. Remember cool waters."
"Cool waters..." I whisper. Imagining the water around us cooling. With each breath, the burn of the water began to fade. "How am I expected to carry on the line if I can't even feel a semblance of romance or physical attraction to her?"
"Use that imagination of yours?" Sebastian offers his condolences.
It's not that Ursula was unattractive per se. She was curvy and had a sort of aura around her that made other mermen fear her and be attracted to her simultaneously. Her hair was long and deep black in color. Although her eyes were large, grey, and sultry, there was something innately terrifying about how they looked at you. It was as if she was looking into your soul. I tried not to stare too long into them. Her tentacles were also dark but had a purple shine to them, with the suctions more of a lavender color. She objectively was attractive. I, however, did not find her so. We grew up together and were pushed into becoming friends. I do not understand how Ursula doesn't see this as a curse the same way I do. She's seen me run off with other merwomen all the time in my youth. She didn't seem to care all that much by the looks the mermen she stowed away with had.
Ursula tended to intimidate every merman but kept them coming back all the same. I always wondered if it was somehow due to her abilities in the bedroom or if her magic came into play somehow. Ursula was a gifted sea witch, but I wasn't always convinced she only used them with good intentions.
As a child, Ursula would trick the other children who lived in the palace to do everything she asked. It wasn't until it was discovered that her tricks were really just utilizing a spell of control. Her mother, Pandora, quickly saw to it that she ceased all spells against merfolk. Especially those that caused harm. I think Ursula stopped for a while until she found a workaround. I'm still worried she uses her powers for ulterior motives behind everyone's back. I can't prove a thing, though, nor would I expose her like that. She may not always do the right thing, but she was still one of my closest friends. It would pain me too much to hurt her in any way, and that includes her and her family's position here in the kingdom. If Ursula was found out to be causing harm or I'll intent on anyone, there would be an uproar among our citizens. My father has hidden plenty, but not the rumors. I know the merpeople were not always accepting of Ursula's mother, Pandora. Her power was intimidating, and what she did for our people was a miracle. Still, it was also terrifying that she was capable of transforming a whole colony of humans into mermen and mermaids. Some merfolk still are wary of their family and are looking for any excuse to get them out of court permanently.
I know the news of Ursula and I getting married will not go over easily with some regions of Atlantica. There will be unrest for some time, and I worry it might throw off the balance of our kingdom. My father, God of the sea, Poseidon, isn't nearly as concerned as I am. He's only thinking of the power this will bring into our line. As I am only a demigod, my strength comes from the trident mostly. I can't do much outside of wielding it. If I were to have children with a sea witch, well, they would be incredibly powerful. Damn near unstoppable. That won't bring ease to my kingdom, I am sure of it. Though they adore my father, they still hold him to too high a pedestal.
"Oh, Sebastian, what am I to do?" I huff and rest on a nearby rock. I lean into it and cover my face with my hands. "I don't think this is a good idea," I say through closed fingers.
"It is his majesty's wish for you to marry the sea witch. Even if she is... terrifying."
"You're not helping, you know." I move my arms to my sides and rest my hands together over my stomach. I had too much on my mind to think clearly, perhaps. This news was so sudden and already a feast was being prepared as I lay to announce the engagement formally. If only I could find some way to get out of it.
"Care to go out for a swim, Sebastian?"
"Um, cutting it a little close. You can't be late for your engagement announcement." Sebastian begins to pace along the floor; the tapping sounds fill the room. It takes everything in me not to explode.
So, instead, I get up and begin swimming out of the room. I need to get out of this palace before I have a panic attack. I need... air.
"Your Highness! Where do you think you're going?" He races after me, attempting to keep up, but before I can swim farther away, he latches onto my fin.
"If you are coming along to join me, don't squeeze so tight," I tell him and continue leaving the palace and getting as far away as I possibly can.

"Your Highness, you cannot go to the surface! What would your father say?!" Sebastian yells as I swim closer and closer to the surface, eager to taste the air above.
There is a small section in this part of Atlantica's outskirts with large rocks that I frequently sunbathe on. It's just the place to go if I need to get away and calm down.
As I breach the surface, I take a large inhale of air. Smiling ear to ear as I inhale. I hear a soft voice singing somewhere close and turn my head around.
There, on one of the rocks, lays a merwoman—a stunning merwoman at that. Bright red hair blows freely in the wind, and she looks towards the sky with her eyes closed. Her tail is a wondrous blue, glimmering in the sunlight.
Her voice.
I know not of her song, but it is a beautiful melody. Soft and gentle and serene. I can't help but continue to listen, slowly swimming towards her in a trance.
"What have I warned you about coming to the surface?!" Sebastian yells as he emerges from the water and onto a nearby rock.
The merwoman instantly looks in our direction. I am met with bright green eyes, and I think I just fell in love. Her lips are as red as her hair, and her face is as soft as her voice. Never in my life have I felt this way. A wave of nervousness and excitement built up inside me. I can't help but continue staring wide-eyed at this beauty before me.
"Who are you?!" She demands.
I'm still in a trance, not only because of her siren song but her presence. I think she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. It's as if the sun has chosen her as his by how the light shines around her. I must be dreaming.
"I said, who are you? And how dare you come to my isle? Don't you know it's rude to intrude on someone's residence? Who do you think you are, coming up here and interrupting? Why, you must have no manners, for surely you are the rudest merman to have ever lived!" She prattles on in a rush. She stares at me for a moment and continues, "Well?! Who are you?"
"Why, this is Prince Triton! Son of Poseidon, God of sea!" Sebastian yells in my stead. "It would behoove you to apologize to your prince!"
"The—Prince?" The merwoman exclaims. "Oh dear, I am so very sorry. I didn't—I didn't realize—I'm sorry—I—must be going now—" She begins to get down from the rock, and I can't let her go!
Before I could stop myself and rush to grab her arm, as I did, I felt the softest and warmest skin. I looked at her face, and she stared at me wide-eyed and with trepidation clear as day.
"I'm sorry—I—" she begins, but I cut her off.
"No—stay—I mean, please stay? I intruded on you."
"Oh no, Your Highness, it is quite alright. It is my mistake," she begins.
"Would you please stay?" I asked, letting go of my soft grip on her arm. "Would you... would you please sing again? That song you were singing, I—I don't know it, but it, it was beautiful."
"If my prince wishes me to stay, I suppose I could spare some time," she smiles.
"Your Highness—"
"Not now, Sebastian," I hushed, looking at my friend. I widen my eyes and use them to heather to the merwoman now beside me. For the love of Poseidon, Sebastian, take the hint.
"But—" he starts, but I raise a hand and motion below, willing him to leave us. He gives me a look of defeat and jumps off the rock back into the water.
I turned back to the merwoman then. "Hi, you can just call me Triton."
"Athena," she smiles.