Crazy trouble with love part 9

Ursula and Triton

Author's Note: Just to get this out of the way, I'm aware of the ideas the people on the movie had, where they wanted to make these two siblings, but that idea was scrapped and changed to what we got. So I don't wanna hear anyone bringing that up for Dark Sibling Love because they are NOT officially siblings in the movie or series. Had to get it out of the way.

Series: The Little Mermaid

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-Under the Mediteranian Sea, Atlantica, The Palace, Ballroom-

Dark, merky, ice cold was the water of the deep as the camera zoomed towards the glistening undersea kingdom of Atlantica and then into the palace itself, where it was revealed to be holding a massive ball in honor of the crown prince's fifteenth birthday.

Numerous people that looked human, but with fish tails instead of legs, were moving around the castle and having a ball.

However, in the far corner, looking away from the ball and trying not to be seen was a tall young muscular merman with fair skin, long auburn hair and auburn eyebrows, grayish blue eyes, the lower body of a navy-blue fish-like tail, cyan translucent fins, a cyan fish-lip waist-line, wearing two gold gauntlets that went to his elbows with five studs around the middle of his forearms and borders on the edges, who seemed a little hesitant to be around everyone else.

This was the crown prince Triton, son of King Poseidon and current holder of the seven sea's power, and well...he was very shy. No he wasn't a shut in or anything, he was charismatic and strong, but...he had no friends and due to his current status, no one wanted to even get to know him for the merman, just the status of being the king's only child.

He looked around, swimming from side to side in anticipation as he looked for an opening to escape the constant talks of political and military gains and conquests, for he just wanted to see the wide ocean depths, have fun hunting the dangerous sharks and leviathans of the deep, and listen to the music of the deep that entrances even the greatest of under sea beasts.

"And so prince Triton, I feel like we could strengthen our borders with some trained jellyfish that will NOT sting our troops." said one merman as another, a mermaid, scoffed.

"Don't listen to him, my prince." she frowned. "This old codfish is just trying to destroy the kingdom's treasury by making jellyfish into glorified watch dogfish. My plan is simple, just find a few human ships that keep sinking down into our kingdom, use the strange hard substances composing them and use it to make walls to intimidate the other kingdoms. I mean that's better than a jellyfish army right?"

Triton grumbled while the two older merfolk started to bicker with each other. 'Every time. Every damn time! Can't they just get along and TRY other ways of strengthening the kingdom? Like finance the arts or help the poor?'

"Your methods are completely ineffective!"

"And your's is too preposterous!"

"Why you little!"

As the two fought, the young prince took this as an opportune moment to escape and swam deeper into the crowd, hoping to get to the exit and escape this nightmare of a ball.

However, as he swam away, he noticed someone just lounging about near the buffet.

This someone happened to be a tall slim young woman with light lavender skin, long wavy black hair that went down past her shoulders, gray eyes, a mole on the right side of her mouth, dark purple shades around her eyes and filled with an aqua blue eyeshadow, red lipstick, long red nails, a E cup chest and wide ass, the lower body of a black octopus with six long tentacles lined with violet suckers, wearing two purple coal shell earrings and a golden nautilus shell necklace around her neck, who seemed to have a flare for the theatrics and a cunning aura around her body as she chews on an oyster's insides.

'Wait, is that a cecelia?' he asked himself while knowing that the cecelia species were highly secretive and not usually invited to balls like this unless ordered to, and well, this was his first time seeing one in person. 'Huh, what a beauty...but why is she here?'

The woman didn't notice Triton's gaze, the only thing she was focused on was the hors d'oeuvres spread out on the table. 'Such food is a sin! I mean nothing short of sinful to NOT have this on a regular basis. But still, who shall I enthral into an alliance and who should I turn into a pathetic clam?'

'Maybe she's friendly?' Triton thought while his attention was now directed in learning the nature of this elusive beauty. He slowly swam over, feeling nervous and trying not to have a change of mind.

The cecelia eyed the ballroom with eel like anticipation as her tentacles moved from side to side like sea snakes, not noticing the merman right behind her at all. 'Mmmm, so many choices. But no matter, I can wait all ni-'

"Hi."

She stiffened and turned around with a frown before seeing the prince's face and calmed down. "Oh. Prince Triton, what a surprise. To think the mighty prince of the sea would come and mingle with the lowly aristocrats." 'How did I NOT notice him!?'

"Well, I noticed you over here, n-not that I was staring, mind you! It's just that, you seemed….."

"Seem what? Dazzling? Alluring? Freakish?"

"I um...the second?"

She smirked. "I see, how cute. But I'm not in the market for suitors right now so if you're trying to woo me, buzz off."

"N-N-No no! I-I didn't mean to come across that way!" he blushed. "I mean that I never saw a cecelia here before!"

She crossed her arms in annoyance. "So you're not in the loop. Ha! Pathetic my price, for you don't realize that I was invited here."

"Invited?"

"Yes, that is one of the perks of being the daughter of a baron. Among other things." she said before biting the head off of a cooked eel. "Not all of us are commoners with a pension for the dank and dreadful undersea caves you know."

"I didn't mean it like that…" he said in embarrassment.

She scoffed. "I guess the king forgot to add common sense in your lessons. Now if you excuse me, I have some personal matters to attend to."

"W-Wait a moment!" Triton said quickly. "I just wanted to know about you, I mean talk to you, I mean...ugh! I mean...um…"

She raised an eyebrow while a little annoyed at his lack of tact in his mannerisms. "Let me guess, you saw me, thought I was another mermaid with air for brains and thought you could smooth talk me into being another lover or some such thing? Really that's pa-"

"N-NO! That's not it! I wanted to be your friend!" he blurted out in complete embarrassment.

"...wow. You must be desperate if you thought yelling at a young lady was going to win you some points." she chuckled with amusement. "Never expected the crown prince to be a blunt fool."

He blushed and looked down in embarrassment. 'Oh great, I'm already making a fool of myself. I should have just stayed away and listened more.'

She moved closer to him and smirked. "Still, the friend of the prince is an appropriate title if I say so myself. Mmm, perhaps I could take you on that offer."

"Real-"

"BUT!" she interrupted with a faint grin. "I'm not one for giving anything away for free. If you want something, you better pay for it in full."

"L-Like what?"

"Oh nothing too terrible." she said with a chuckle. "Just a few contacts within the inner circle of Lord Poseidon's court, a few cooked meals, perhaps a tentacle massage and...oh!"

Triton gulped as she got closer to his face, her chest hitting his own as he could feel the almost bare breasts rubbing against his exposed nipples.

"And access to your family library, more accurately the magic section."

"U-Um...why?"

"To allow my craft to flourish." she said arrogantly. "For I am a spellcaster of the highest caliber."

He blinked while looking at her in surprise and fascination. "Magic? Really? But I thought only my father's liege could do magic."

"Ha! That's so foolish of you my price, for I was born magical and my mother taught me and my pathetic younger sister Morgana the magical arts. I just happen to be a prodigy of my craft."

"Wow." he said in awe. "You're amazing."

"I know." she said while liking the praise. "I'm the best, and you can keep that praising up, it makes the business of being here worthwhile."

Triton blinked before saying. "Sure, but only if you become my friend."

"Ah ah ah. I'm the one that makes the deals here, not you." she said while waving one finger in a disappointed manner. "Besides, you don't have the stomach to make hard deals."

"But I still want to be your friend."

"True, but you have to abide by my rules. It's only fair." she shrugged. "So what will it be?"

Triton sighed. "Alright, I suppose all of that sounds reasonable."

She nodded before taking a bite of a swordfish. "Then we have a deal. Good having business with you, my prince."

"Call me Triton."

She nodded before extending her right hand out. "Ursula, future baroness of Octopidia."

As the two shook hands, both felt like this would turn out successfully for both sides, a friend for one and a potential ally for the other. The best of both worlds.

"So Ursula, what exactly are you doing here exactly? I mean the lounging about part."

"Oh that, I was just looking for allies." she waved off. "My family is very cutthroat and the world of court politics is a dangerous one, especially for a cecelia like myself."

"Uh….are you sure you should be telling that to me?"

"Why not? You're my friend and friends tell each other's secrets." she smirked. "Plus you wouldn't tell your father on me right?"

"Well…"

"So what were you doing here?" she asked while changing the topic quickly. "Trying to hide from a potential suitor?"

"Not exactly." he said with a chuckle. "I was kinda getting away from this ball."

"So you were ditching, am I right?"

"Yeah. I'm not really that good with them."

She nodded in sympathy. "Big crowds and talks of policies are always a damper in these events. If I wasn't keen on getting allies I would've left a long time ago. But I will say this, the food is to die for."

"The food?"

"Yes, I mean look at all of this." she pointed to the buffet. "Rare tastes and even rarer meals served nowhere else. It's the pinnacle for all gourmands like myself."

"So you're a glutton?" he asked innocently.

She frowned and raised her tentacles up threatenly. "Never call a girl a glutton, it never ends well for the fool that makes them feel like overgrown whales."

"G-G-Got it!"

"Good." she smirked while munching on a starfish. "Then we have no problems right now."

He sighed in relief. "So...do you want to dance?"

"Nah, not a dancer." she waved off. "Plus weren't you trying to leave?"

"Well yes but…" he blushed. "I kinda want to dance with you. N-Not that I want to show you off or anything! I just thought-"

She chuckled. "Oh you charmer, you really need to get yourself together around girls."

He sighed before a tentacle wrapped around his waist.

"But I will humor you this once and take that offer. Who knows, you might actually make me happy, which I am usually not a fan of being." she smirked with a grin. "But do try not to step on the tentacles."

"S-Sure!" he said quickly as he was dragged to the ballroom's dance floor and well, felt like he was going to regret this.

She moved his arms around her waist and positioned her right hand over his right hand as she made sure to get the position right, for display purposes only. "Now, let us daze this crowd."

He nodded before they started to waltz, slowly gaining attention from the other merfolk as they became the center of attention. 'Don't let thirteen years of dance lesson go to waste Triton! Don't embarrass yourself in front of everyone, ESPECIALLY the girl in front of you!'

As the two waltz around the dance floor, many of the merfolk began to either become mesmerised by their dance or...become dismissive of them, more specifically of the cecelia, for in their eyes, all cecelia and their mates the octopids were intolerable and feared due to their tentacles and uncanny appearances. Thus this cecelia, one of lowly class and status, dancing with the crown prince, a merman, was seen as unnerving and highly frowned upon, but since the king was here the other merfolk couldn't just ruin the ball by forcing the cecelia out of the palace or anything of that caliber so they just let them be for now.

Ursula smirked as Triton was following her lead, almost slipping up a few times. 'How delightful. The prince dancing with me, his new friend. Oh how I enjoy making allies, especially fools like him. But still, if he starts annoying me I could always turn him into a human and see the results.'

'Ok. One fin, two fin, one fin two fin...damn it! I lost track!' he thought while trying to count his 'steps' and failing due to his flustered state of mind. 'Ok! Keep it together, just focus on the dance!'

"Is something wrong?" teased Ursula.

"N-No. Nothing's wrong." he blushed. "Nothing at all."

She chuckled while Triton's tail started to get stuck on one of her suckers. "Are you sure about that?"

"Y-Yeah." he said before one of the tentacles moved up his waist and she spun him around a little. "Ah!"

"Oh relax! This is just a little dance, besides your form needs a little flair." she smirked while having a little bit of fun teasing him.

"B-B-But what's wrong with it?!"

"Oh it was too dull." she smirked before spinning him around again before moving him closer to her. "Now, let's dance lover boy!"

'Oh shit no!' he said before getting spun again, feeling like this friendship just went in a very weird direction.

(Some time later)

Triton sighed as he swam away from the last of his royal classes, one of political history, and he was feeling a little tired from all of that. But as he swam, he thought back on Ursula and the fun time they had last month and well, he was hoping to find her once more so they could hang out, but without the insane dancing.

As he moved down the hallway, he heard the sound of cackling in the royal library and stopped in his tracks.

"What was that?" he muttered before slowly swimming in the direction. He moved the shell door away before peeking his head inside.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha."

Triton blinked before swimming closer and closer to the cackling until he reached a large stack of scrolls haphazardly placed on a table and moved a little to the left to see Ursula reading a scroll on magic with a devious grin plastered on her face.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! This spell of transformation is perfect! Turning fools into shriveled worms is the most brilliant spell ever! Now to find the ingredients at a later time and-"

"Ursula?"

"AH!" she jumped back and held her chest in shock before glaring at the merman. "Oh it's you. Don't do that again! I almost had a heart attack!"

"Sorry, but why are you here?"

"Oh Triton dear. Did you forget you gave me access to this place to increase my magical knowledge?" she said in mock annoyance. "How silly of you."

'Oh right.' he thought in light embarrassment. "But I heard the cackling."

"That was my laugh." she said flatly. "I always cackle when I laugh, be it in triumph or glee."

"Oh." he said with interest before looking at the scroll. "Transformation spells?"

"Yes, I excel at it. I can even turn a normal mermaid into a human, all with no issues at all."

"Wait, but isn't that rather frowned upon?"

"Yes, but there are those that want to see the surface." she smirked while licking her lips a little. "I mean for us the surface world is a treasure waiting to be plundered. I'm even thinking of visiting it myself one day, even form a business for those with no magical prowess."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh relax Triton, I'm not going to cause chaos with this business." she waved off.

"That's not what I mean." Triton frowned. "I meant the idea of you going to the surface was a bad idea. Humans are bad."

"And how would you know?"

"Father said so."

"Don't listen to the king." she waved off. "My mother had always traveled above the water and she told me stories of how generous and gullible humans were. So really, what your father said isn't the truth."

"But still! I don't want to see you getting hurt!"

"Aw." she cooed. "How sweet, you're worried about me."

"Because you've never really met one. For all you know, you could get dangerously hurt."

She chuckled and pinched his cheek. "Don't worry about me Triton. I can defend myself quite well, especially with a few spells of petrification at my disposal."

Triton sighed. "Still, I worry about you."

"Relax. I'll be fine." she smiled. "But since you're here, want to help me practice some spells?"

"Um…sure, but isn't it dangerous to practice in the library?"

"Not here." she deadpanned. "Out near the trenches."

"Oh." he said in realization as Ursula grabbed his hand and began to swim off.

"Now follow me!" she said while Triton held on to dear life.

"Woah!"

(Some time later)

It was a stormy tide in the city as Triton was currently busy studying for a royal exam on the language of whales, and he was starting to get bored and a little lonely as after that time in the trench, the one where Ursula nearly shot him a few times with her magic, he hasn't seen her at all. Possibly due to her own studies in the royal library or something else.

Wooooosh!

'The sea is really rough tonight.' he thought with a sigh of forlorn. 'I wonder where Ursula is?'

As he continued to read the ancient scrolls of long ago, he didn't notice that someone was slinking into his room or that the shape of tentacles could be seen from the shadows.

Woooooosh!

"Huh?" he said while noticing a shadow looming over his arm and spun around to see Ursula right behind him.

"Hey." she smirked while holding a very dead lobster. "Miss me?"

"Oh, Ursula. I didn't expect you to be here." he said with a flustered look on his face. "But why are you here exactly?"

"Simple, I came to see you. I heard about the exam and thought the prince needed a tutor." she said with a smirk. "But seeing you do well makes me think otherwise."

"Well I'm just about caught up with these scrolls, so I think I'll be ready for the exam."

"Good because I had another reason for my sudden visit." she smiled with a hint of mischief.

"And that would be?"

"Simple, to get a bite to eat." she chuckled. "I know this well kept cavern full of lobsters that when boiled in a pot and given a bit of salt tastes like heaven."

"And you want me to come?"

"Well duh, a date with only myself is pointless really."

"...a date!?"

"That's right." she said while placing her hands on her hips. "I'm asking you out on a date, not a big fancy one, but it's still a date between friends."

Triton blinked in surprise while feeling a little amazed that she would even ask him out on a date, with a REAL girl to boot. "Uh….well…..I…."

"It's a yes or no."

"Um...yes."

"Good because we are going there in style." she smirked while pulling out a glass bottle with a butterfly inside it. "Just don't breath in the fumes."

"Wha-"

CRACK!

BOOOM!

(Elsewhere)

-Undersea cavern-

POOF!

Triton coughed before noticing that he and Ursula were in a nearly dark cavern full of lobster.

"Teleportation spell, gotta love it." Ursula laughed with glee.

"Wha-warn me next time!"

"Ha! Don't worry about it." she chuckled while grabbing a lobster with one tentacle. "Just have some fun."

Triton grumbled while praying that she stops doing these things on a whim, for it might kill him one day.

"Oh and watch out for the big ones. They are quite nasty."

"Big ones?" he asked while not seeing the giant seal sized lobster right behind him until it tapped him with one claw.

"Skiiii!"

"Yeah, like that." she remarked casually while ripping the lobster and biting into it with the big one glaring at them and Triton gulping nervously.

"U-Uh...nice place you have here. We were just...admiring it! Yeah that's it."

The lobster pointed to the now headless lobster in Ursula's hands and glared with fury.

"Don't bother. It saw me eating its young." she said bluntly as more giant lobsters started to move towards them. "I suggest you swim Triton dear."

"SKIIIIIIII!"

"AHHHHH!" he screamed before swimming away, the giant lobsters crawling after him as Ursula continued to munch on the lobster.

'Needs more age.'

(Later)

"I hate you." Triton said while currently covered in seaweed as Ursula helped place healing paste on to the cuts and broken bones.

"Oh relax." she chuckled. "You weren't in any REAL danger. They were just glorified shrimp."

"Says the one that got away scot free."

"Hey, I happen to have been eating at that moment." she said. "Besides, you needed the exercise."

Triton deadpanned. "Let's NOT do that again."

"The dating or the lobster buffet?"

"You know what I mean!" he yelled before she patted his still good cheek.

"I'm just teasing you." she smiled. "I know that was a little too much for you so tell you what. In exchange for some rare materials for my spells, I'll make the dates we have later on more guppy friendly."

"You want me to give you something just to tone it down? What makes you think I'll even go on another one?"

"Simple." she smirked while placing some crushed shark skin on Triton's left arm. "You desire company, same with me. That and I saw you looking forlorn earlier and I hate to see a friend looking so glumb without their chum around."

He blushed while hissing in pain from the paste.

"It's not a bad deal really, but if you wanna be stubborn, who am I to judge?" she shrugged playfully as Triton sighed.

"Fine, but no more dangerous dates, it's not good for my health." he said sternly, making Ursula blink in surprise.

"Huh, getting all kingly on me. How cute." she smirked while trailing her left index finger across his nose and booped it. "Consider it done."

He sighed at that while Ursula placed some kelp on his left shoulder.

"Done. Just try not to overexert yourself for a few days." she said calmly. "I may not be the best healer in the family but my skills are rivaled by none."

"Thanks anyway."

She smiled. "Anytime. Now about our next date."

"Wait, you want one now?"

"Obviously and I was hoping you would accompany me to the city's shopping district. I need a few things for my collection and since you're a strong merman, you would protect me from the lowly and brutish sea life that tries to flirt with me."

He lightly blushed at the strong part while feeling like he would be attacked again if Ursula got him into any 'dangerous' situation, given her flirtatious and flamboyant nature. "Well, I mean I could get some guards to help with protection if need be."

"Bah! Those guards couldn't even protect a lost dogfish. You on the other hand, I trust you a lot more than those glorified basked sharks." she said while placing her hands on her hips. "So no guards, just my strong and princely friend."

'She's really pushing it with the stubbornness.' he thought before Ursula placed an arm around his waist, being very careful not to hurt him.

"Now come, we have a LOT of shopping to do. All paid by you of course~"

"And who decided that?"

"Me." she said with a light cackle as Triton sweatdropped. "Now let's get a move on, the purchase of new materials doesn't pay itself!"

'Why me?'

(A few weeks later)

"Hey Triton." Ursula said while she and the merman were busy having some lunch outside the kingdom, right near a kelp forest to be exact. "Is it just me or has everyone in Atlantica come to the conclusion that we are somehow related?"

"Well, we have been hanging out for a while."

"Yes, but I heard some fish say that were siblings. Actually siblings, can you believe that?"

"Really? That's odd, I don't see the resemblance."

"Yeah, I mean I don't think I had any brother with a fish tail." she chuckled.

"Or a sister with purple skin."

"Or a brother with auburn hair. But seriously, it's getting kinda old." she sighed. "I mean if this keeps up then it will start to get weird on our dates."

Triton nodded. "Yeah, telling others that I'm dating my sister would be weird."

"It's humiliating!" she huffed. "And if you didn't tell me NOT to use my magic on them I would've made THEM fall in love with THEIR siblings or something."

"Ursula, going off and using magic without responsibility is just asking for trouble."

"I know, but they are so annoying!"

"True, but don't let it get to you. The rumors will die down eventually." Triton said while patting her on the back.

She turned to him. "I hope you're right, because I'm really losing my patience for those...bottom feeders."

"Hey, we're both 'bottom feeders'."

"You know what I mean!" she huffed in a cute manner that made Triton chuckle more. "Stop that!"

"I can't help it, you're just cute."

She raised an eyebrow at that while unintentionally blushing. "I-I see. Just don't make that a habit Triton. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Oh, right, my bad." he said with a chuckle while admitting that Ursula had her cute moments, as rare as they are.

(A week later)

"Um Ursula." Triton said while watching the cecelia munching on some raw squid.

"What?"

"I've been meaning to tell you this, but…"

"But what?"

"You've been...putting on some weight lately." he said while pointing to Ursula's now small potbelly. "So could you...stop eating so much?"

"Hmph, and here I thought princes were taught manners." she huffed. "I'm as slim as ever."

"Then why are your arms getting plumper, or your hips?"

"I'm not fat Triton, we Cecelia's have very fast metabolism. So I can be a gourmand and still have the perfect body." she said while jerking her hips to the sides, making them jiggle along with her larger assets and stomach. "Now if you excuse me, I'm famished."

'I had no idea you weren't already.' he thought sarcastically.

(A few months later)

Triton sighed to himself while looking at Ursula, eating some shark meat, with an 'I told you so!' expression on his face.

For now the cecelia was now over eight hundred or so pounds with a K cup chest, massive ass, a large stomach, fat arms, a very plump face and with very fat looking tentacles. A parody of her former slim self.

And right now, she was still blissfully unaware that her metabolism stopped at the three hundred mark a long LONG while ago.

"Mmmm. Triton dear, you have to try the bull shark. It's to die for~"

Triton sighed. "Ursula."

"Yes?"

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but." He said before coughing. "You're obese now. Like the size of an elephant sea." 'I think.'

"...what?" she said while a bit of meat hung in between her lips.

"Look at yourself."

She raised an eyebrow before looking down, before her eyes went wide and she held it. "Holy mackerel! I-I'm huge!"

"How did you NOT know?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Well not all of us have a reflective pool or a mirror to look at every day!" she snapped while looking more annoyed at her current situation. "Now how am I going to temp-I mean gain allies now? I'm a whale!"

"More like-"

"Don't even say elephant sea." she interrupted with a glare. "Or I'll turn you into one."

"I was going to say a pufferfish but I'll shut up." he said with caution.

"You better." she said while looking back at her now very fat body. "Welp...I'm not going to be the most beautiful cecelia in the ocean anymore."

"Actually-"

"If it's an insult-"

"No no!" he said quickly. "I was going to say you're still the most beautiful."

"...are you trying to insinuate that I'm still beautiful, but newsflash, I'm huge!"

"And that isn't entirely a bad thing." Triton said while trying to be wise. "I mean big or small, a person can still be handsome or beautiful in their own way."

"You lost me sweet cheeks."

"Well, from what I can see. Your personality is still seductive and knowing you, and I hope I do, you can still charm a merman out of house and home if you try with that body. I mean...some really like bigger mermaids, or so I heard from others." he blushed while feeling like a complete fool right now, since he really never heard anyone liking bigger girls before in his life.

She raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying I should make do with what I have? Isn't that right?"

"Yes, exactly." he nodded. "Just make do with that body and don't let it affect you too much."

Ursula raised an eyebrow. "I see, so you're into this blob of a friend?"

He blushed. "Um...I...um…"

She chuckled. "Well since you are so eager to see me as a whale, I'll keep on the pounds. But! You have to treat me to more food based dates in the future, make that more dates of various assortments. I'm not that picky. Besides I love to see that expression of yours in public when the other ladies stare at us." 'And have many chances to tease him of course.'

"W-What expression? I'm not making any."

"You're red as a lobster right now." she smirked while Triton tried to compose himself, but couldn't. "And that expression is all I need to know about your interest in me."

He blushed while she placed a tentacle around him and pushed him closer to her cleavage, making him red.

"And these big girls too~" she teased with a wink.

'Soft!' he thought, going still and gulped from the feeling.

"Now Triton dear." she said while keeping him trapped between her cleavage. "Let's head out, we have a date to accomplish~"

'Mind...shutting down.' he thought while feeling like he just entered the afterlife, and hoping it wasn't too intense for him.

(Many years later)

-Throne Room-

It was a momentous day for everyone, as now, due to King Poesidon's dead, the need for a king has been decided and the former crown prince is now being coronated as king of the seven seas.

Fish, merfolk, cecelia and other aquatic life floated in the throne room as a small spider crab held a golden five pronged crown in its claws and carefully placed it over the now older and semi light auburn haired Triton's head.

"And upon this day, the seven seas bow down to you." the crab said while putting the crown on. "For you are now King Triton, lord of the sea and rightful king of Atlantica."

The crowd looked on in anticipation as a swarm of shrimp carrying a long golden three pronged trident on their back and moved towards the king's throne.

"Take the Trident, forged by the cyclops of old and handed down the centuries, and with it make your reign glorious."

The now new king looked at it and took a deep breath before grabbing it and held it in his hand, feeling the power coming off it.

"All hail King Triton, king of the sea!" the spider crab yelled to the crowd.

"All hail King Triton!"

"All hair King Triton!"

The crowd continued to cheer and clap as in the far corner was Ursula, her hair slowly gaining some gray highlights near her tips, as she clapped slowly.

'First prince, now king. What a foreseen spectacle.' she thought before Triton raised a hand and silenced the crowd.

"My subjects. I know I am neither my father nor have his wisdom. But I hope that I can allow this kingdom to prosper under my rule. And as such, my first decree is that Baroness Ursula of Octotopia, my closest friend and ally, be granted the title of royal advisor to the king, with all the power and responsibility given."

That stunned the people, some turning to Ursula who gave a smile with some whispering in disbelief.

"I know that she is not of merfolk heritage ,but don't be fooled. She is as loyal and well versed as anyone in this kingdom." he said while beckoning Ursula to his side. "I expect the same respect you give to her as you do your own king."

She swam closer and bowed to him before the trident, the very item made by a greater magical user than her, touched her left shoulder and then her right with the flat of the prongs.

"Now rise Ursula, royal advisor of the king, and take your place by my side." he said with a smile that made Ursula feel at ease. "May the sea bless you with good fortune during my reign."

"And so shall yours my king."

"A new age for the seven seas begins!" he bellowed as the trident began to glow gold, making the crowd cheer even louder as a few gave Ursula hateful gazes.

(Some time later)

Ursula gumbled while trying to make sure the royal decrees were fine tuned for the final stamping, being completely on guard for any typo or extra clauses that might ruin the 'deals' as she called them. "Had I known that kings had tons of paperwork, I would've stuck to basic politics, not this." 'At least I'm almost done and then me and the king have a date to attend to.'

As she looked upon the scrolls, she recalled how her friendship had changed, in her opinion, into something more. More than a simple childish deal made at a ball and more...intimate. Something more...personal.

It felt less of her trying to use him, and more…..something she never imagined. Something that she once called weak and pathetic.

That something was love, pure intimate love that only occurs under the right circumstances, both magical and mysterious to even a sorceress like herself.

'Sigh.' she thought with a genuine smile. 'That pretty boy really knows how to hook a girl's heart to his muscular embrace. Mmm, should I tell him about these emotions or wait for the right moment?'

That was when she finished the last of the revisions and rolled the scroll up and placed it into a pile.

"Time to see the king." she said in a sweet tone as she decided to wait on telling Triton her feelings. 'Besides, it's not like the guy has another lover. That would just be rude.'

With that she swam out of her office, decorated a bit dark and dreary just the way she liked, but also in a way that spooked others. Especially with all the bottled surface life that was too alien for any sane sea life, including the 'evil' monarch butterfly that made sponges scream in terror.

But as she swam towards the throne room, she heard the sound of laughter and blinked.

'Eh?' she thought before stopping and peaked a corner, revealing Triton talking with a tall young mermaid with long red hair tied in a partial ponytail, green eyes, a D cup chest and wide ass, an aqua green fish tail, wearing a purple seashell bra and two golden pearl shaped earrings and a golden necklace with a light purple seashell in its center, who seemed to be of royal birth from the looks of it. 'Who is that girl?'

"And that's how I got into trouble with father." she said in a very mature tone. "And why I can't ride a seahorse."

"I still can't believe you thought riding it into the kitchen was a good idea."

"Hey!" she pouted while lightly punching his shoulder, not knowing that Ursula was swimming right behind her. "I wanted to help him get a snack, plus there was plenty of space."

"Ahem."

She turned and went face first into Ursula's stomach, causing her to back away quickly. "O-Oh I'm sorry."

"Triton dear." she said with crossed arms and a frustrated look on her face. "Who, pray tell, is this?"

"Oh, this is Athena, daughter of the Bishop of Mu. She just came here to apply for a job, apparently she wanted to be a seahorse tamer and was telling me wonderful stories of her childhood." Triton said while Athena blushed. "Athena, this is Ursula, my royal advisor and oldest friend."

"Glad to meet you, and sorry again." Athena said with a bow as Ursula seemed less enthusiastic about this girl's presence.

"Charmed." she said flatly before looking at Triton. "My king, a word. In private."

"Of course Ursula." he said while Athena got the picture and took her leave.

Ursula watched the mermaid swim off before glaring at the king. "Why wasn't I informed of this? How long have you seen her?"

"She's only been here a few weeks and I didn't want to annoy you during your work." he said honestly, not understanding why Ursula was so angry and a little jealous of his possible 'relationship' between Athena and himself. "But don't worry, she's not going to cause any trouble. You have my word."

"Fat lot that can give when you just 'forgot' to inform me. ME, your royal advisor." she deadpanned. "And as for the girl, she will be a distraction to your kingly duties."

"And the dates with you weren't?" he said in a joking manner, not realizing he just added fuel to the fire. "But in all seriousness, I won't try anything with her unless it's approved by you Ursula."

"See to it that you keep your word on it."

"I will." he said while placing his hand on her right shoulder. "You have my word."

Ursula frowned before making a false smile and bowed. "Good. Now I must be off my king."

"Wait? Weren't you here to ask me on another date?"

"I changed my mind." she said flatly before swimming off.

'Hmmm, that was odd.'

Ursula growled while swimming back to her chambers, dark emotions festering as she closed the door behind her. "That little sea louse! Trying to work her way into power. And trying to be close to the prince to boot! I'll show her!"

She moved over behind her desk and sat down with a huff while feeling sorely tempted to look up a curse or two. But as she stewed in her anger and envy, she slowly concocted a method of stress relieving.

"Mmmm. Those poor merfolk have been bugging me about their troubles." She hummed while scratching her head with a tentacle. "And there are those that want a simple hex as a cure all for their pathetic lives...mmmm. Maybe helping them out wouldn't be so bad, well not bad for me that is. Ha ha ha."

With that she began to work on making a list to check off for later. One that will cement her fate forevermore.

(Many years later)

Triton sighed, his hair slowly turning a little gray along with his short beard, as he looked on into the distance beyond his throne, for today was the tenth anniversary of his marriage to the now Queen Athena, and she was currently busy with a baby shower for her first child. "Oh the fun times have ended. In another few months she'll be giving birth and I'll be a father...oh I can just imagine the screams now."

As he groaned about the future night time awakenings, he slowly started to recall the odd rumors swirling around the city.

This being the alarming rate of disappearances of merfolk and sea life, all under mysterious circumstances and for some odd reason, no one could find the bodies. And for another odd reason, each of the missing individuals seemed to have gained an unusual increase in good fortune or gained something lost or unobtainable before they vanished.

All he could make out though from the reports given from his personal guards was that each one seemed to have also gained a disability or injury not previously seen before, like a missing arm or a lack of a voice.

So far it was turning into quite the panic for his people, but he was stumped on what might be causing it.

"It couldn't be a plague or a natural disaster, the people's bodies would have been found if that was the case. And it couldn't be the humans, they could never fish or hunt all the way down here." he muttered while in need of advice. "Sigh. Maybe Ursula has a better understanding of these rumors than myself? Mmm...better ask her how to deal with these troubling times." 'And maybe check up on her. Ever since the wedding and the announcement of her godmother hood, she's been quite distant.'

With that in mind he swam out of the throne room and down the hall to the woman's personal office.

(Later)

However as he moved closer to the door, he noticed that it was locked and had a sign on it that read 'Closed. If in need of assistance, please go to Eelictic Lane, Octillion Square.'.

"What? Why is she not here. And wait, Octillion Square. That's the most corrupt sector of Atlantica and home for the worst criminals. Why is she there?" he muttered in complete confusion while he rubbed his beard in contemplation. "Something isn't right here. I better go check for myself."

As he turned around, he suddenly recalled how many criminals of Octillion Square hated him and would try and capture him if he just swam there. Thus, he decided to try a more subtle approach.

(Later on)

-Eelictic Lane, Octillion Square-

POW!

BAM!

The area, teeming with evil looking fish and very dangerous merfolk, was a location of debauchery and sun as a dark green cloaked figure swam into the large black coral shaped building that seemed to be the central hub for various seedy activities such as prostitution, black market human object selling and the most dark of the sins, black magic practice. Overall, it was a disgusting den of evil.

POW!

A tigerfish mermaid, one with a missing eye, growled while attacking a hammerhead shark merman, who was missing a tail fin but had an extra right arm as compensation, in an area just outside, which was known as cock fish fighting to the locals, as the cloaked figure made sure to avoid them.

"I'll rip that tail right off!"

"Not before I pull that arm off!"

POW!

The cloaked figure swam deeper into the building as they soon saw a long line of merfolk going down a deep hallway and down to the basement by a set of stairs.

"Hey." one mermaid frowned while looking very obese. "No cutting!"

"Sorry, but I'm in a hurry."

"Well wait in line. Madam Tentacles isn't one for cutters."

"Madam what?"

"Madam Tentacles. Mistress of the best magical cure in the seven seas." she smirked. "One wave of her hand and she can fix all your problems. I'm doing this so I can finally shed my fat and get hooked to this guy I know. Wimpy little thing but I love him...but he thinks I'm TOO big! So I'm getting my life fixed."

"Really now? That sounds quite a miracle."

"Yep. And I'm getting a miracle even if it costs me an arm or a fin." she said while the cloaked figure cocked their head to the side. "Now wait your turn."

(A few hours later)

The cloaked figure snored while staying a float in the now tiny line as the obese mermaid had just left looking as skinny as all hell, except she kept on complaining about being unable to feel full. "Zzzzz."

"Next!" yelled a gray eel along with it's twin companion, who floated near the entrance way, their yellow eyes looking a little...eviler than the normal eels seen in the wild.

"What what who? Oh right." they said while waking up. "Thanks um…"

"Flotsam."

"Jetsam."

"Madam Tenticle's familars." they said at once, making the figure shiver.

"Yes, well, thank you." they spoke before swimming inside. 'Creepy little things.'

As they entered the room, which happened to be completely dark save for a single crystal orb in its center, two chairs and a mysterious black ammonite cauldron, and soon noticed a mysterious figure hidden behind a black kelp veil.

"Ah welcome to Madam Tentacles' humble abode." the figure said while the cloaked figure recognized the voice immediately. "Come now, sit and tell me your grievances."

"That voice….Ursula?"

"What? Who's Ursula?" she said while getting very flustered. "I'm Madam Tentacles."

The cloaked figure took off the hood and revealed themselves as Triton. "I know it's you Ursula, now come out. Now."

The veil moved a little as Ursula swam out, looking a little more bitter than normal and with a scowl of anger plastered on her face. "Oh. It's you. Come here to pester me or something?"

"No, I came here after learning of something dangerous going on around this area. What are you doing? And what's this about performing miracles on people?"

"Oh that." she waved off. "I just make them sign contacts, very powerful binding contracts, to help those fools fix their lives. Sometimes it works, other times no. Nothing too troublesome."

"And these contracts?"

She grumbled before snapping her fingers and summoned a large paper scroll with golden letters from a cloud of gold light. "There, nothing too bad for wear. And everything is legal under the laws of magic."

He looked at it and saw it was legit, until he saw something off about it. "And the contactor of this contract, under Clause 367, willingly submit themselves to eternal transmogrification if the terms of the contract are not met, be it by accident or by the will of the contractor's creator. This will be binding until the creator is satisfied."

"See? I've covered it all."

"Ursula, what in the seven seas are you thinking?" frowned Triton. "You're my royal advisor, which already has enough work alone. Why are you going off and performing something this….this….immoral?!"

"Immoral? Ha!" she cackled. "Nothing is immoral in magical contracts. I simply allow the person to experience true bliss, it's not their fault that they somehow ruin it by being pathetic lowlives."

Triton frowned.

"Anyway, I must get back to w-"

"There is another reason, isn't there?" he said while crossing his arms. "You always have two sides to your actions and this is one of them. Now tell me, why else did you do this?"

"Do you REALLY want the reason or are you trying to find a reason to banish me?" she frowned, her eyes filled with malice.

"What? Banishment? What are you talking about?" he asked in surprise. "What could you have done that's worthy of that?"

"Read the fine print."

He raised an eyebrow before looking at the tiny print. "Mmmm. For the duration of the contract's existence, the signer of this contract must give up something of equal value or more as payment for the full effects of the deal. If not followed, the object in question will become unobtainable and will be held by the creator of this contract until the contact is satisfied or until the signer's passing." he looked at Ursula with shock and disappointment. "Ursula, what are you plotting?"

"Nothing too special." she waved off. "Just ruining the lives of others to satisfy my own nature. I may be an advisor, but I too suffer from the needs of the heart and let's not forget that I have feelings too."

"Wha? Wait...the disappearances. The missing body parts. The strange addictions...Ursula. You have been the one behind the disappearances!?"

She nodded without a hint of remorse. "Yes, but they did that to themselves. Thinking the easy way was the right choice. We all make hard decisions, and you Triton, made a hard decision too when you chose her over me!"

"You've played with innocent lives!" he yelled out with a glare. "You justify your actions by making it seem all their fault? You're offering up something that's dooming themselves! You must stop this, now!"

"Not a chance." she frowned. "My business is legal and thus, under your father's laws of magic, I am exhumed from even the royal guard's hands. You can't put me away or execute me for treason."

"But I can banish you." he frowned.

Both stated at each other in anger and frustration before Triton sighed in defeat.

"However, as we are still friends, I will let you continue this business under a single rule." he frowned. "No more broken contacts. The disappearances must end."

"Is that all?" she asked in mock confusion.

"Yes."

"I see. Fair trade, if you forget about all of this and leave." she snapped her fingers as the eels appeared in the room. "Now."

"Do NOT push it Ursula." he warned as he made his way out.

As he left, Flotsam and Jetsam swam near Ursula.

"What will you do now?"

"Since the king made you."

"Unable to make contacts like normal?" both said at once as the cecelia smirked.

"Yes, but he forgot one tiny little thing." she smirked evilly. "A contract is only good on paper, never by word of mouth."

The eels snickered while nodding at her clever idea.

"Now, let us get back to work. But before we do." she waved her hands and caused the eels' right and left eyes to dim in color as their remaining yellow eyes glowed a deep gold color. "With these eyes, I shall see what you see. Now, follow the king, make sure he is unable to find me ever again, and make sure you do NOT get caught."

"Right away." they replied before swimming away.

Ursula smirked before going back behind the veil. "You might have won the battle, but sooner or later, I will win you back. Even if I have to turn every single creature under the sea into sniveling piles of worms."

(Many years later)

-Palace Throne room-

Triton, who was now looking very miserable at the moment, sat on his throne as he looked to his right, the empty throne of his queen laying empty.

For in the last few years, he was blessed with many daughters and cursed to lose his wife to a band of pirates, and as of right now, he was in a perpetual stew of anger, sadness and loneliness that no person would be able to swim away from.

Nothing he could think of could even come close to snapping him out of it. Not even his children, or the love he once had for music, which he banned a while ago.

"Sigh." he said as expelled a long heavy breath into the water. "Oh Athena...why did you leave me?"

As he expelled more heavy breaths upon the water, he didn't notice a small shrimp swimming quickly into the throne room.

"My king! It's happening again!"

He sighed while looking disinterested. "What is?"

"The disappearances! They are back! And half of Atlantica has vanished!"

"WHAT?!" he yelled while looking serious for once. "How many!?"

"Half! Half the entire kingdom! And this time it's both the rich and poor!" the shrimp cried out. "This is a catastrophe!"

Triton narrowed his eyes while knowing who did it and was quite pissed. 'I gave her ten chances NOT to do this! But no, she went behind my back! And during my time of grieving as well!'

"What should we do!?"

"Nothing, I'll go and 'talk' to the one in charge, personally."

"My king?" the shrimp said while Triton swam away. "My king?"

(Elsewhere)

-Ursula's office-

KNOCK KNOCK!

"URSULA!" Triton snapped while knocking hard on the door, causing large sprinters to form on the driftwood door.

As it opened, the king narrowed his eyes at the cecelia, who seemed to be completely confused at his sudden appearance, well 'seemed' like it as she had a small smirk on her face.

"My king? What-"

"YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE!" he roared, forcing himself inside with a furious look. "I tried to be lenient on you, because of our friendship, but you have done it now!"

"I do not know what you-" she said before seeing the trident being pointed at her neck, glowing a brilliant yellow glow. "Wait wait! Triton dear, this isn't the place for violence-"

"Shut up." he frowned. "You went against me, turned the innocent into sea life, and you attempted to make a fool out of me, your king! Ursula, I hereby banish you from Atlantica and all other kingdoms under my rule. You shall NEVER again set foot here or I shall make sure you are nothing but scales and flesh."

"B-But wait. I'm your children's godmother-"

"Not anymore. I revoke that privilege along with your royal advisor status." he spoke firmly and coldly, making her go wide eyed. "Now begone, now."

"But-" she said while the prongs hit her neck. "I...I'll see myself out."

Triton frowned while the cecelia swam out of the office, her mind stewing with anger and rage, as he made sure to keep the trident pointed at her in fear of retaliation.

'You fool! Just one more hour and I would've made the perfect deal!' she thought in rage. 'A deal that might have made us an item! Ooooooh! You little worm, I shall make you PAY for this! PAY!'

(A bit later that month)

"King Triton!" screamed a seahorse while swimming into the throne room. "Horrible news!"

"What?" he asked while looking a little angerier then normal.

"The Cecelia and the Octopids! They have defected!' it yelled in horror. "They have declared WAR! They have attacked us with black tridents! It's chaos across the seven seas!"

"If it's war they want, then it's war they shall get!" Triton frowned while getting off his throne. "Assemble the army! Rally every other kingdom allied to us. We shall crush the Octopids and destroy their black tridents!"

"Yes my king!" it said while swimming away, leaving the merman to frown.

'Ursula, even in banishment you are willing to destroy everything I hold dear. But not this time, I shall make sure you never again threaten Atlantica.'

(Elsewhere)

-Ursula's Lair-

Within the sunken remains of a long dead leviathan, we see the insides of this monster littered with broken bones and half slagged metal as many cecelias and octopids lined up to grab a black trident, the gray skinned eels swimming around the forge as Ursula, her hair now white and her glaze full of malice, poured her magic into each trident copy, ready to turn the symbol of peace into a weapon of war.

ZAP!

ZAP!

ZAP!

"Long live Queen Ursula!" The crowd of warriors cheered as they gained their new weapons from the eels. "Long live the queen!"

"Remember all of you, the king holds no care for our kind. He would sooner let all of us stew in the darkness and perish than lend us help!" Ursula frowned. "For he is not like Posiedon! He is worse! He would banish me, the royal advisor, for crimes against nature!"

"Liar!"

"The king lies!"

"He does lie! He lied to one that cared for him, he lied about the laws that kept us from being discriminated against! He lied to all of us!" Ursula growled while creating another trident. "But on this day, we shall bring down the oppressive and foolish merfolk and usher in a golden age for our kind! We shall be on top and I shall rule supreme with the bastard's own trident as your queen!"

"Long live the queen!"

"Long live the queen!"

Ursula smirked while continuing to forge more of the blackened copies, her malice, her hate, her envy, her broken heart and distair for both Queen Athena and King Triton, forcing the metal to become enchanted at the expense of her vast powers, a small price to pay for the complete destruction of the royal family. 'I may be unable to use grand spells but once I rule, I shall regain my magic with his own weapon! I shall rule as Queen of the Seven Seas and I shall make Triton squirm like a worm on a hook for breaking my heart!'

That's when they heard yelling before a yellow beam blew open a hole in the top of the corpse.

"It's the king!"

"Blast him!"

ZAP!

Black bolts of light shot out from the copies as Ursula and her familiars swam away quickly, hoping that her army would drive him from her home.

ZAP!

ZAP!

ZAP!

Tentacles and gooey arms and limbs exploded from the army, floating upwards as black blood began to turn the area into a blackened pool of gore and guts, the king of the sea making short work on the army itself as the remaining octopids and cecelias tried to attack him all at once with a powerful beam of blackness.

ZAP!

BOOM!

A trail of blood dripped from the merman's arm as the blast caused him to stumble in pain, but didn't allow for the golden trident to fall from his grapes as the army hoped.

"Keep firing!"

"Kill the oppressor!"

"For the queen!"

He gritted his teeth before blasting any of them in his way while his royal army took down any stragglers.

Ursula, looking from the side, frowned as she watched her army either flee or die in front of her. 'Damn it Triton! I was almost done! But no matter, I still have others. My army will not die on this day!'

And with a single dark frown, she swam out of her home and off to find the remains of this army and the other few hundred scattered across the seas, leaving her familiars to watch the slaughter unfold, to see what the king of the sea would do next.

As the last cecelia was turned into floating piles of tentacles, the royal army stormed the corpse and bowed to the exhausted king.

"At ease." he said in an agitated tone. "General, have you located the sea witch?"

"No my king." said the merman. "We have not even seen the witch. Only dirty cecelia turncoats."

"Damn it! I want her found at once." he snapped while the trident glowed brightly. "Search every trench! Every current! Every cavern! Even the surface for all I care! I want Ursula brought to me in chains!" 'I have been lenient with you when I banished you, but for this act of war I shall bring you to justice!'

"Yes my king!" the army said at once before swimming around the area, hunting down the cecelia with a flaming desire for destruction.

This was the end of a friendship and the start of a war that will cause strife and pain to all. However….this strange tale of heartbreak has a happy ending.

(Many years later)

-Surface-

Triton, his beard now white along with his hair, watched on as the large white ship sailed away, taking his now human daughter Ariel away with her husband Eric, hero of the sea that killed the dreaded Ursula, and felt a little relieved that his youngest daughter found someone that loved her for her.

But as he watched the rainbow that he made fade away, he noticed a small crab, apparently not Sebastian, his semi retired conductor and advisor, but one from his secret spy ring, one that kept tabs on the seven seas after the Merfolk and Cecelia War.

"My king." it said in a hushed tone. "I bring news from the deep."

"Is it good or bad?"

"Depends." it said while looking around. "But let us go under. It's only for your ears."

Triton nodded before diving under, following the crab to the sea bottom before crossing his arms. "Alright, what is this news?"

"Ursula survived." it said gravely. "Badly injured from being impaled but from what I saw her magic healed her instantly."

"What?! She lives!?"

"Yes. But she isn't moving from the shipwreck." the crab said. "She's just...sitting on a rock."

"What?"

"She's sitting on a rock. No idea why, but she's just...sitting." the crab said with a confused look in its face. "Shall I inform the army?"

"No, I am ending this by myself. She will NOT escape from the trouble she's caused." he said before swimming away, trident in hand.

(Elsewhere)

-Shipwreck Graveyard-

The king of the sea looked over the destroyed undersea graveyard as he seemed to be in a very foul mood, this due to having Ursula, his former friend turned insane witch, trying to destroy his family for petty reasons.

However, as he moved past a broken ship, now turned on its side due to the whirlpool made by the witch, he noticed Ursula was just sitting on an exposed rock...not moving and seemingly not aware of her surroundings.

"Ursula!"

Silence.

"URSULA!" he yelled while swimming in front of her. "You..."

But as he went to yell at the witch, he noticed that Ursula's expression was different. Her hate filled eyes were now replaced with glazed saddened ones, her face seemingly tired and lacking her usual arrogance, and her body poster seemed to slump as if she lost a lot of her will and became older then she was normal.

Overall, she seemed to be defeated in more than one way.

"Ursula?"

"..." she looked up. "Hello Triton. Pleasant seeing you here."

"I'm amazed you could survive that." he remarked casually with a firm tone. "I would think you would have perished."

"The magic of the trident is amazing." she said flatly. "It healed me right before I gasped my last breath. Fat lot it did...as it also purged me of my malice and hate. Still...since you're here, I guess you want to finish the job, is that right?"

"I'm here to imprison you, not kill you."

"Yeah." she said while moving her head down in defeat. "But I'd rather just get impaled by that ship then live and...regret."

"Regret?" he asked while moving his trident down a little.

"Yes. For a lot of things, namely us." she moved a little bit to the side. "What could've been."

"...do you truly expect me to believe you feel regret after all these years? Now of all times?"

"Yes." She said with a disinterested tone. "After all...I just can't bring myself to harm you. It's true, I can't even think of magic at this time...just remorse."

Triton raised an eyebrow at this. "I find that highly unlikely."

"Believe what you want...but I just want to talk." she said while seemingly uninterested in Triton's suspicious nature. "It's been years since we talked, cecelia to merman, instead of just sea witch and king."

"If you want to talk, then you can do it while in the dungeon. I WON'T give you the chance to escape this time."

"I won't fight." she said while Triton sat next to her. "I have no motivation for that anymore. I lost...everything."

"Your own fault."

"It was. I lost my familiars, my position, our friendship, all because of mistakes we both made." she sighed heavily. "Don't deny it Triton. We both know that if your daughter wasn't being forced to stay home none of this would happen, same goes to me letting envy take over my life."

"Envy?" Triton asked in surprise. "Envy for what?"

"You and Athena." she said with a hint of remorse. "I was envious of your relationship. Ever since I met her, funny...when you first introduced me to her I was about to actually ask you on a date. Not a food date but...a real one. Just us, together."

Triton's eyes widened in surprise while Ursula set her chin in her hands. "What?"

"You heard me." she said with a low grumble. "I had feelings for you. I was even contemplating telling you that day, but noooo you had to have Athena around to make me feel...angry. And from that came the contracts and from the marriage came the war. Everything I did...was because I thought you cared more about her than me."

"So this whole time, you've harbored….those kinds of feelings?"

"Yes." she sighed. "And yes, I was only trying to get you to notice me, at first. Then came the banishment and well...you really did break my heart with that one."

"You were committing horrible crimes. I couldn't just ignore all that because of our friendship."

"Yes, but you could've just asked me WHY I was doing it. Like a friend." she grumbled. "But to be fair, I was and will still be, arrogant and stubborn."

The king sighed at his former friends' words.

"But thinking back to the ball." she sighed. "I was hoping you would come to love me, even when I didn't know about love. I was lonely in my youth and your affection to me was uplifting to say the least….and I blew that skyhigh with my own stupidity."

'I can't believe she would see me like that. I always thought she'd always just stick to teasing me.' he thought while thinking back to the good old days, when they were like siblings. "Ursula."

"Yes?"

"If I were to spare your life, what would you do afterwards?"

"...well. I don't have that long to live, we are both getting old." she said bluntly. "And I am wanted in every kingdom in the seven seas...so I really have no idea what to do with my life. I could return to my life with magic but no one will trust me after all the contacts. But, I do know that I need to change my ways, even if it kills me."

'Let's hope it doesn't come to that.'

"What about you?" she asked. "Your daughter is married and soon you will have your other daughters married off or leave you behind. What will you do when that happens?"

"Do what I've been doing for years, continue to run my kingdom as I see fit until the next worthy heir is ready to take over." he said with confidence.

"I see."

Triton sighed. "But it will get lonely. I am in no way young myself and most fair maidens would find my age repulsive."

"True."

"So." Triton stood up. "I will take you back to Atlantica to face a trial, then once the verdict is cleared, you shall remain in the palace, under house arrest, and under my care."

"...eh?" she said in confusion.

"Now come, or else I shall have my guards bring you back firmly."

"...ok." she said while standing up. "But why the house arrest?"

"You tried to kill me."

"Ah. To be fair, I was going to turn you into a worm for a day, then just keep you in a bottle to see your handsome face." she said with a small bit of sass, but not much.

He shook his head. "Still not acceptable."

"Yeah...but at least I tried. Right?"

"Try, but not succeed." he said before forming gold energy binds around her hands. "Now let us go."

"Sure." she said with a small smile. "Anything you say sugar."

(Many weeks later)

-Atlantica, Palace-

Triton sighed to himself as he swam down the hallway, for he was about to check up on Ursula, who seemed to be placated every since her arrival, and well, he just wanted someone to chat since his remaining daughters were too busy with their own lives to even talk with him. Thankfully it also meant not much issues with them trying to talk him into just throwing her away in a cell.

As he swam down the hallway, he turned a corner and noticed Ursula just sitting near a window, looking out towards the deep dark abyss surrounding the city itself.

"Ahem."

"Oh. it's you." she said in mock anger. "Came to check up on me or something?"

"Yes."

"I see, take a seat and we can chat." she said while moving one of her tentacles to the side.

He moved closer and sat across her with his trident on his lap. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine. Still unable to make a simple spell." she said glumly. "You?"

"Well, to be honest I actually feel a little lonely without Ariel around."

"I can tell, you keep on calling her name in your sleep." she grumbled. "I haven't had a decent night's sleep because of that."

He sweatdropped.

"But I do have one grievance." she sighed. "Your subjects keep on bugging me, something about calling me a 'washed up sea whale' or something. What's paying tension to their petty insults."

"That's what you should have expected."

"True." she shrugged. "A lifetime of petty wars and contracts can do that to you."

"Well, since I'm here. I wanted to ask-"

"Let me guess. A date?" she asked while smirking. "I have known you for a long time Triton dear, I knew you would say that from the smug look on that pretty face of yours."

"...would you prefer I not?"

"Mmmm...perhaps." she teased while rubbing the king's chin. "But only if you don't make a fool of yourself."

He sighed while knowing that she was being affectionate, in her own way. "And here I thought you had grown up." he joked.

"I'm always young at heart." she smirked. "Now, is it a feast?"

"No." he smirked. "I've been lenient to your weight gain, this time you're losing those pounds."

"Ah! You brute." she teased in playful anger. "If you do that then you would miss out on the curves~"

"If anything, they'd be much more clear."

She punched him lightly on the stomach. "You're no fun."

"Well, I am the king after all. Fun isn't part of my character." he teased back as both chuckled at their own antics.

Ursula smiled while putting her arms around his right arm. "Well, let's get going. We can't just sit here and talk all day you know."

He nodded before recalling something. "Oh right. Ursula, I have a big favor to ask."

"What?"

"Um...well, I have to visit Ariel later this month and she wanted to become a mermaid and see the palace again. So since we are having you here...could you stay out of sight?"

"How rude. Ask a girl out on a date and then tell her to not be seen? Still without manners?" she mockingly glared.

"It's just a month. Plus you do know that Ariel thinks you're dead."

"True, but believe me. I'm not going to show my face to her, especially after I tried to marry her man."

"Yes, that was kind of pushing it. Especially with that Vanessa disguise." Triton frowned as Ursula raised her arms up quickly.

"Oh hold on Triton dear. It was a simple disguise, I didn't even like the guy. He was just so...boring. You're the one I love, not him."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm being honest here!"

"I know, I was just kidding about the jealousy." he said while Ursula pouted.

"Sneak little merman." she huffed. "And to think that you fell for the same tricks when you were still a boy."

"I did learn from the best."

"Damn right you did." Ursula smirked. "Now, let's go on that date, your treat."

"Why am I not surprised?" he grumbled as they got up and swam away. 'It's always like that.'

Ursula smirked while moving closer to him, her feelings slowly but surely returning as they left the area, a broken love mended by time. 'At least I won his heart in the end.'

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END