Ursula

Chapter 19 The Seduction

Pandora

Many years ago, in the early days of Atlantica...

Poseidon looks over at me across the table—a slight upturn to his lips. I can feel the blush growing on my face, and he looks away, back to the merman speaking next to him.
It's been nearly half a year time since our world has been turned down into the ocean. I no longer had legs as much as I missed the feeling of running, dancing, and strolling along down the street. I started to enjoy my new body. The multiple tentacles that replaced my legs acted as an additional appendage. I found working on my craft had become easier with the extra "hands."
Then there was Poseidon. God of the sea. He adopted a fishtail in order to relate to the citizens here who recently acquired fishtails as well. Thanks to me. I did that. Poseidon had only intended to save me and changed my body to what it is now. When I reached for Poseidon, I had pulled power from him and effectively saved everyone by changing their bodies to survive in the ocean.
Poseidon, of course, the God that he is, took credit. He was the savior in their eyes. Their king. Poseidon had them eating from the palms of his hands. I couldn't help but hate him for it. No, not hate, loathe him. I despised all that he was.
That hasn't stopped me from seducing him.
As a God, he has all the power you could conceive. I intend to take it from him by any means necessary. He's taken my city for himself, and almost everyone has turned against me.
"Poseidon! Our Savior!" They shout. "Long live the King of Atlantica!" They chant.
It is absolutely revolting. It's not enough that I was the one to call him, that I was the one to force his magic to save us all. Had they known the truth, they might be less appreciative. Poseidon did nothing but show up when I cast a spell to summon him. He didn't have much of a choice.
The first few days after the storm and our world being thrust into the ocean depths, I considered it my punishment for calling him. Who am I to call forth a God? Nothing but a petite sorceress who thought she finally found a home on this island that used to be.
I suppose one benefit from the entire ordeal is how my magic has grown. I feel it now, pulsing within me, begging for release. I have a piece of his power entwined with my own. I don't know how long it will last, but I have to plan for the worst, which is why I've chosen to seduce him. Perhaps when he's vulnerable, I can take more—eventually banishing him from Atlantica and taking back my home. I used to be revered by the people here; I helped them. I took care of them. They were my people. Not his to now rule over! I still cannot fathom why he's chosen to stay here.
A small voice in my head whispers that it could be me. That may be my seduction was keeping him here as if a God could not do better than I. As I know, I was nothing but a small sorceress before him. But even before our relationship turned sexual, he had insisted upon staying. "Help to rebuild this new society in the sea," as he liked to claim.
Pathetic.
The small crowd that had gathered to discuss the new politics of our world concluded—something I have only recently been allowed to attend after months of groveling. I was a large part of this society before we went into the sea. I deserved to have an opinion on what becomes of the people I once called friends and family. Not that they take my opinion into any form of consideration. However, I am patient and wait until the opportune time to whisper in Poseidon's ear. My plans suddenly become his idea, and he's cheered for a thought I had just the day before. As infuriating as it is, it still helps my people—or 'merfolk' as we're now expected to refer to ourselves.
As I stared across it to view Poseidon, I stayed perched on my seat, something that has taken months to learn to do in this body comfortably. He was giving his simple farewells until the last member left, and it was just one God and one witch. Eyeing each other across the table.
"Pandora, you seemed very withdrawn from the discussion. Was there not anything you wanted to add?" he asks, rising over the table. He gives me a sly grin. I know what he expects of me tonight. What we both know I will do.
"Well, my King," the word tasted like acid on my tongue, but I didn't let my face fall. He enjoys praise and flattery much too often for me to cease. "You should know by now I prefer to give you private council." I rise from my seat, the water surrounding me making me feel weightless as I begin to reach across the table. I aim for his left hand, spread across the surface, and gently lay my hand atop. A matching grin forms on my face, and I look to meet his eyes through my lashes.
He smiles at me, "Oh? I do recall the last private council you gave me lasted for hours. I think it even made it into the next day," he smirks. And I want to vomit.
I force a blush to reach my cheeks. As much as I despised this God, I had to play into the part. Body language can give too much away. If I knew anything of man, all you needed was to be silent and have a pretty face. Surely, a male god would be no different. Though Poseidon seemed to enjoy it when I spoke, I've often thought perhaps it's only so he can hear the flattery I now frequently give him. He wanted a release, and I would be the one to give it to him. Fulfilling a primal need within him was only half the plan. One that resulted in taking back what is not his to own. He has no right to claim ownership over Atlantica, just as much as he has a right to claim ownership of me. I am no one's but my own. But I wasn't about to tell him that as his right hand moved to cover our two hands. I'll let him believe anything so long as I win in the end.
I don't care how long it may take or what I must do to get there. Poseidon will either die or leave. I don't know much about killing a god or what it would take to accomplish it. My research is very secluded to the texts I owned that managed to survive the plunge. Thankfully, my grimoire held thanks to all the protective charms on it. The ocean had all but destroyed everything else I owned, only being able to save a few pages here and there. Nothing that could genuinely be of use.
Atlantica was in chaos because of the drastic change in our environment. We lost all our records and history, anything made of paper. Not to mention other personal effects that were not resistant to water were damaged. The force of being taken down had also destroyed homes. Families had lost everything. What remained was nothing short of pathetic. In all his "generosity," Poseidon decided to stay and help us recover. He closely watched me because he knew I possessed magical abilities. I questioned whether he could feel the piece of his magic that I had stolen from him. If he did, he showed no signs. Instead, he would welcome me to his bed almost every night like any typical male. Poseidon may be a god, but was a victim of his sexual desires.
I was too bright for that. I wasn't going to let him take everything from me. How he just expected me to be okay with—no happy, thankful even—him taking over. No, I was mad, furious that he has the gall to act as if everything he doesn't already own should be handed over to him. No questions asked, no one putting up a fight. So long as he reigns, nothing will be our own; it will always be his.
If I have to sleep with him to unravel his secrets and discover his vulnerabilities, then that's what I'll do. No matter how long it takes or what I have to do.
And so, for another night, Poseidon takes me to his bed. I whisper sweet words to him, feigning pleasure when he wishes it, making him feel in control. And slowly, so slowly, he unravels right into my awaiting hands.