Ursula's Beginning

13. We musn't lurk in doorways

Ursula flushed. To compensate for her careless display, she reached out and shook Ganeon's shoulder playfully. "Just like you wanted, eh?" she grinned.

"Yeah," he said gloomily.

Triton crossed his arms. "I asked mother to call a family meeting at midday today. Alphon will learn everything then. And I insisted that Ganeon come receive protective magic with me before we tell him the news."

"Which is inappropriate," Ganeon said, gritting his teeth.

Ursula spoke softly. "Certainly the events of the morning indicate it's a wise thing to do."

"I've survived countless incidents like these. What we really need to keep in mind here is the separation of powers. I've explained it to you, Ursula, and as of this morning, Triton has been schooled on the topic as well. We are not going down this path," he declared sternly.

"And I've told you, Ganeon, that I will not challenge him unless you do this. I'll not see you killed over this. So tell me what you want to do," Triton shot back.

Ganeon threw his arms up in exasperation. "I knew there could be a big price to pay the entire time I was doing my research! It's a chance we have to take, Triton. Certainly, it's a risk other challengers have bravely faced throughout history. We've got to find a way to manage without entanglement with the magical folk. I mean no offense, Ursula...I know you only want to help and use your powers for good. But it opens a door that should remain shut."

Triton was squeezing his temples in frustration. "You either do this, in which case I'll rise up to challenge him. Or you challenge him yourself. Or you let Alphon become king. Take your pick."

Ursula would have never guessed the mild-mannered middle prince could look so furious. He was grinding his teeth, and muscles and veins on his face and neck were coming out of hiding. Finally, he spoke to the wall in a voice like ice. "I will receive a protection spell one time. Today. That's it. Once we leave this room, I want to hear nothing more about magic. I don't care if the spell wears off over time—do not ask me again. I will find my own means of defending myself. And!" he shouted suddenly, jabbing a forefinger at Triton and then at Ursula, "you've been warned about the separation of powers for the last time. You two have no excuse going forward. If you disregard what I'm telling you, you'll surely face ruinous consequences. We all will, most likely."

Triton and Ursula exchanged a silent, concerned look. "Thank you, Ganeon," Ursula said. "You have my word. I will not approach you about protection again. I simply care about what happens to you, and so does your brother here. That's all."

Ganeon lifted his tormented hazel eyes and studied the contours of her face. It was achingly lovely, as always. "Let's get on with it, then," he finally said. His anger had dissolved into fatigue.

"Let me grab a few things." Ursula left the room momentarily and returned with some small jars. The brothers had turned their backs to one another in her absence. She cast on Ganeon first, and then on Triton. As tense as the situation was, Triton still loved watching her work.

"Will you let me know how the meeting goes?" she asked as she screwed on the lid of a stout jar. Ganeon looked at her sharply. "I—I want to know where I stand with your mother, if it happens to come up, and repair any damage that's been done by not talking with her sooner. I didn't mean any disrespect to Her Highness," Ursula rushed to explain.

Careful! Triton admonished her with the slightest change in expression. "Very well. I'll let you know," he said aloud.

***

Ursula greeted her peers with a smile as she wound through the temple on her way to the library. The funeral was over, she was out of hiding, and no one seemed to regard her differently after the business with the king and the failed experimental spellcraft. Thinking back to her manifold fears the night of Nepp's death, Ursula had to admit things were going much better than expected on many fronts.  

"Haven't seen you in awhile!" Amoret called out as Ursula passed through the hall of mosaics. Ursula waved at her fellow cecaelia but swam by without comment. Six young cuttlemaids were hanging onto Amoret's every word as she lectured them about something in her sweet, bubbly fashion. It made a picturesque scene that Ursula did not want to interrupt.

Amoret specialized in love spells of all kinds, but she was both loving and lovable without the aid of magic. Unlike most merfolk one would find working in the temple, she was extroverted and enjoyed socializing. And armed with a doll's face featuring large seafoam green eyes, rosy cheeks, and the mouth of a cupid, she easily enchanted anyone out of their literal or metaphorical shell. Her skin held just a hint of the green of her eyes, and her hair and tentacles were pale pink. Looking at her, Ursula wondered why all three of the princes—and indeed every male in the kingdom—wasn't smitten with her.

After a few minutes among the stacks, Ursula had amassed a pile of books that covered the many topics she wanted to study. There was plenty to choose from when it came to the subject of animal companions and familiars, or domestic charms that could help with her housekeeping problems. There was less on offer to guide her in running more trials on the vitality spell, like she had discussed doing with Aunt Melisande. And there was only one slim volume to serve as introduction to dark and light magic. This frustrated her greatly. If knowledge of the dark arts existed in Atlantica, then relevant materials must be stashed in private libraries. Hidden libraries.

She was leafing through the little book when Bernhardina materialized beside her. "Pardon the intrusion, but Amoret would like your help with something upstairs," she whispered.

"Alright."

"Can I carry your books?" Bernhardina squeaked.

"I've got them, thank you. But would you mind putting these back for me? I think I only need one book on training animals. How hard could it be?" Ursula winked at the cuttlemaid.

Ursula found Amoret fussing over an injured barracuda upstairs. She had already eased two hooks free from its body and they were lying on the table next to the patient. "Little guy is far from home, aren't ya?" Amoret chirped at the savage fish.

"Yeah, I've hardly ever seen one of these around here," Ursula murmured. "They like shallower waters. How can I help?"

Amoret showed Ursula lacerations running in multiple directions across the barracuda's body. "I can't figure out these lines cutting into him. They're all tangled up! Some seem to go inside of him...I'm afraid to pull on these."

As the two healers worked on the brute, he seemed to smile at them in appreciation. Each one of his teeth was a weapon unto itself, which meant the grin was a heinous thing to behold. Nonetheless, he was docile as they handled him. This incongruity gave Ursula an idea.

"It's meant to be!" she gasped.

"What is?" asked Amoret.

"I recently decided I wanted a...pet. Something interesting, something rare. And here this barracuda swims right into our temple!"

"Oh no," Amoret giggled. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Sure it is!" In a flash, Ursula intuited that the fierce creature had been delivered to her by Poseidon himself, for the purpose of protecting her inside the Uncivilized Waters so she could transform into a mermaid as needed and be with Triton and live with him happily ever after. It was so obvious. "Girls!" she called out, clapping her hands with excitement.

Bernhardina, Wemegreth, and four others dashed to her side. Bernhardina pushed her friends forward one by one. "This is Alice, Alma, Coraline, and Wilhelmina," she said. The maidens were blanching in front of Ursula and the barracuda, threatening to disappear.

"No, don't vanish on me!" Ursula laughed. "It's splendid to meet you all. Now, could you young ladies find our patient some food? He needs to take it easy for awhile. Wemegreth, I'll put you in charge of this expedition." Before she could thank them, they were racing each other out of the temple in their eagerness to serve.

"What are you going to call your new pet?" Amoret asked, watching the cuttlemaids zoom through the hall.

"I shall call him...Barry. Yes. We're going to be great friends, aren't we, Barry?" Ursula cooed. Barry hissed at her in reply, which made her shudder. His fiendish little eyes then flickered toward Amoret, to whom he offered his ghastly smile.