Once Upon a Second Chance

(18) - Goddesses of the Sea

Ursula and Uma were sitting in Granny's diner, seeing as the older cecaelia didn't have a residence in Storybrooke and she and her alternate daughter were going to staying in the Bed & Breakfast during Uma's stay in town.

Uma personally would rather be anywhere other than a restaurant with her alternate mother, considering she worked in one under her real mother, which brought up unwanted memories.

Uma was biting her lip as she attempted to avoid eye-contact with Ursula even though her eyes couldn't help but dart back-and-forth to her.

Ursula couldn't help but stare at the girl in wonder. She didn't want to make her uncomfortable but was in awe at how similar the younger cecaelia was to her.

Granny came over to take their order, but gave the two women the classic stink eye she gave to villains.

Ursula raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?" she asked, with a slight threatening tone. She was formerly a villain and was used to people being hostile toward her—but someone looking at her daughter the wrong way, there was no way in hell she was putting up with it.

Uma stayed quiet, not wanting to make a scene in a foreign territory with unfamiliar people.

Granny's facial expression didn't change as she took out her notepad and pen. "What can I get you two?" she asked with an edge to her voice.

"An attitude adjustment," Uma muttered. Ursula resisted a chuckle. Granny glared as the two ordered.

They were eating in silence until Ursula decided to break the silence, "So, Uma.... That's a cool name."

Uma shrugged as she took a sip of water. "...Thanks?" she said nervously, having never responded to a compliment before.

"More creative than a name I could probably come up with. I'm assuming you are close with your mother?" Ursula asked.

Uma sighed, "N-Not really."

"Is that so?"

Uma gave a dry chuckle. "She's not exactly the ideal parental figure."

Ursula rolled her eyes, "What else can you expect from a baritone-voiced sea witch from a Walt Disney animated film?" Ursula said sarcastically, cringing as she remembered watching that movie and seeing her supposed counterpart. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of her life.

Ursula's mother may have died when she was young, but she did know what it was like to grow up with a parent with room in their heart for nothing but vengeance.

"So what about you?" Uma asked quickly. She too wanted to make conversation with the woman, but about anything but herself or her life back on the Isle. "I already know my mom. Tell me about you. I mean—I already read a bit about you from that guy Henry's book. You must have been a big deal villain for people to go as far as to say you were a myth."

Then Ursula began to tell her story. "Well, my mother died when I was young. She was killed by pirates."

"Pirates," Uma gulped as she slowly nodded her head, unsure how her alternate would respond to knowing she was not only a pirate, but a captain.

"My father is Poseidon, god of the sea, who made me use my voice to lead sailors to their deaths as revenge for what happened to my mother. He named me Ursula, after the sea goddess of old, because she was strong and powerful. And then, I decided that's exactly what I wanted to be."

"You're the daughter of Poseidon?" Uma asked surprised but then became confused. "But wouldn't you be..."

"A mermaid?" Ursula asked. "I technically am still one. It's more of an umbrella term in the magical marine world than one imagines. I used to have a tail. But I took my father's triton and transformed myself into part cephalopod. The only difference is that us cecaelias have octopus tentacles and we age, unlike 'traditional' mermaids who are immortal."

Uma was listening intently. Her birth mother never taught her about aquatic culture and folklore. She had always wanted to learn more about her nature.

And they continued like that for the rest of the night, telling stories and talking with each other, almost in a way a mother and daughter would.