Ariel's POV

Paranoia played at my mind. I had been swimming for last four hours and the cave which the mysterious sea had spoke of was still no where to be found. I had searched every nook and cranny from the shoreline to the outskirts of Atlantis. Nothing resembling the hideaway was to be found. I was beginning to feel a bit light headed from all the swimming. I had sat in one of the sunken ships, praying no one would come about.

There was a loud crash on the deck just above me. I glanced around the room for any other exit then one I had came through earlier. No way out. There were only so many places I could hide; the wordrobe, under the bed,or behind the half broken door. The wordorbe was the only logical place at that moment, as the crashes began to get closer.

I pulled the doors shut behind me in time for the intruder to enter. Or should I say intruders, for at that moment two slimy eels slithered their way through the water and past the slightly cracked doors. They mumbled and hissed to one another.

"She said that the girl would be here," one spoke.

"Maybe she was wrong." A loud thud was followed by the harsh statement.

"How dare you speak as though the she knows nothing. You will surely be punished for such words."

"You will both be punished if you fail to find the princess," a new voice spoke. I could see no one else in the room.

"Yes, Madame." The voice whispered something to the two bickering eels, making their heads turn toward my hiding place. "Are you in there, Princess?"

"Why are you hiding," the other joined in. "We are simply here to help you."

I slowly opened the doors to find them smiling. They said nothing more as they swam toward the door. I followed them hesitently, unsure of how trustworthy theyr truely were.

After leaving the ship we swam, them leading the way through grave ships and the murkiest waters of the sea. I could barely see the two creatures in front of me, let alone where we were actually going. One turned his head toward his left eye glowing. "Right through here. She waits for you."

"Where are we at?" My eyes adjusted to the dim cave forming around us. Small figures began moving below us as we swam by. A few groans escaped the mouthes of the creatures. I watched at them in disbeilf as to how much they looked like some Merpeople who had gone missing a few years back.

"We are in the home of the wonderous-" one began.

"Incredibalely talented, Ursula," its brother finished.

"Come in, come in," a voice sang from the end of the gloomy tunnel. "Let me see the young Princess Ariel."

Seeing her felt much stranger seeing her in person then in the bath water. Her white-grey hair stood neatly on top of her head. It was cut short, leaving nothing out of place. She had a larger form then the water had showed. And eight tenticles were in the place of a fin. A smile creeped its way on to her round face.

"Don't be a afraid child. Come closer," I felt one of her eels push me closer with every word. "Fire red hair, and aqua blue eyes. You have your fathers eyes of course. That hair though-"

Her voice trailed off as she circled me. She mumbled a few things as she looked me over head to toe. The eels rested on a ledge a safe distance from us whispering to each other. Fletson! Jetson! Fetch the ingredents."

"Ingredients? What do you plan on doing," my paranoia began settling in again.

"We are going to solve your, problem," she looked down at my stomach.

"You think I'm-"

"Yes," she placed her hands on my stomach. "There is deffinently something growing there."

"How is that possible?" She removed her hands, turning toward the slippery creatures.

"Seeing as though it's not a normal human child, it's maturing at faster rates then humans often would. That is why we must get rid of the problem."

"Do we have to get rid of it? Can't I get my legs back until the baby comes?"

Ursula paused in her motion. She turned slowly from the mixing pot, and looks aat me. She looked down to my fin then back to my face. "What would you give?"

"What?"

"What would you give me to get your legs back," she turned back to the pot throwing a few more items in.

"Anything you want," I blubbered out placing my hands on my stomach.

"Anything? That leaves a lot of possibilities Princess," her voice sounded understanding.

"I don't want to lose this, or Eric," I frowned, looking back at her.

"This seems like a lot of trouble for some silly human."

"He's more then a silly human. I'd give anything to be with him."

She looked back at me and a tentical crawled up my back. "That's a touching story. Tell ya what, I'll give you those legs you want so badly. But after the child is a year, you will lose them. Think, in that time, what you are willing to sacrafice."

"I'll have my legs for a year?"

"Yes," she was working once more on the potion. I stared at her in disbelief. She was going to give me my legs. I will be with Eric once again. The smile that snuck onto my face was unhideable.

I was lost in my thoughts as she turned back to me with a scroll in one hand and a small vial in the other. She held out to me and I took it without even listening to the words that were leaving her mouth. Signing it, all I could think of was being with Eric. The sand beneath my toes again, his hand wrapped in mine. I smiled at the thought.

"Remeber, in one year you will be back to your original self," she handed me the vial. "I wish you luck with your future."

I nodded and hurried out of the cave into a now clear sea. I hadn't stopped to puzzle at the suddenly visiable water. I swam all the way to the surface and looked for the shore line. I could feel I wasn't far, and began swimming East. Finally things were falling into place.