Chapter 19: Worse
A/N: "Comedian's Gallop" by Kabalevsky
"Heeeeeeeeeelp!"
Sebastian flew up the pavilion stairs as fast as he could, which was quite fast. All those years following Ariel on her underwater adventures and a subsequent twelve watching over Melody, including the interspersed flights from Chef Louis, granted him two benefits. He was by far the fittest, fastest, and most agile crab to ever scurry on land; and he knew the Seahaven palace inside and out. It was not by luck alone that he avoided becoming one of Louis' entrees over the years.
Lara Anclagon, however, was not Chef Louis. She was so much more terrifying!
A shadow passed over Sebastian. He looked behind, expecting to see the golden-eyed woman on his heels. Instead he saw empty stairs. Where did she go?
"Got ya!"
He whipped his head back around to see Lara land at the top of the stairs, bent low as she swiped for him. The shadow he saw must have been her jumping over him.
"Wah!"The crab's sharp legs speared the stone as he ducked Lara's swipe, shooting between her legs and causing her to tumble forward as she overreached. He expected to hear painful thumps and shouts from her tumbling down the stairs, but instead she tucked herself up and rolled harmlessly into a crouch.
"Hey! Stay put!" she shouted, watching her quarry flee into the palace garden. She crouched and launched herself to the top of the stairs with another superhuman leap.
Sebastian yelped when he saw her land not ten feet behind him, her feet leaving deep imprints in the grass. He sped across the lawn, Lara quickly closing the distance and swiping at him again. He abruptly darted sideways for the pond, causing her to slip on the damp grass and slide past. She swore loudly, fingers clawing into the sod as she clambered after him.
Sebastian quickly hopped across the lily pads to the other side, frightening the koi to their hiding spots. He looked to see Lara well behind him, her slip creating a wide gap and a wet grassy mark on her left thigh.
"Ha ha! Let's see you get around dis, mon!" called Sebastian triumphantly. He knew from experience that he had escaped. The pond was sixty feet across and twice as long. He could be gone by the time she got to the other side.
Instead Lara smirked, not slowing down but running faster. "Watch me!"
Sebastian realized too late what she intended. Right at the pond's edge Lara crouched and sprang, soaring over the water. Sebastian dropped his jaw to the ground as he watched Lara fly towards him as though weightless.
"Aaaaaaahhhh!"He took off running as Lara landed on the other side, throwing herself into a roll and back onto her feet.
"You're not getting away that easy!" she shouted as their chase resumed.
"What de jumping jellyfish areyou!?" Sebastian yelled as he zigzagged for all he was worth, Lara already closing in again. He now wished he went to the tournament. Ariel told him Lara was fast, but he never imagined she was this fast. He needed to slow her down or she was going to catch him in no time. He hastily surveyed the garden as he dodged her hand again, looking for anything that could turn the pursuit in his favor.
He had an idea when he spotted the weeping willow tree, its wispy flexible branches drooping low to the ground.
Suddenly he darted back between Lara's legs. She reached for him, her fingertips just barely grazing his shell. The abruptness of her motion threw her into an awkward somersault, causing her to land flat on her back, the sword and knives hitting hard against her spine. She rolled over and scowled, hauling herself upright with such strength she practically threw herself back into a run.
Sebastian caught a low hanging branch and kept going, pulling the limb with all his might. He saw Lara charging, her eyes fixed solely on him. He yelped and pulled harder, building tension in the branch as his legs stabbed into the earth.
Lara pounced, arms outstretched like a lion after an antelope. "Gotcha!"
Right then Sebastian let go of the branch. It lashed out like a whip into Lara's face, nailing her square in the nose with a stinging snap.
"Yow!" Her hands instinctively clutched her nose as Sebastian ran for the palace door, not bothering to watch Lara landed and slid headfirst into the tree with a loud bonk!
"Ow!" she shouted, clutching the growing bump on her head as her eyes watered, nose bright red from the willow whip. She quickly sat up, spotting Sebastian as he squeezed under the door and inside. She growled and took after him again.
Melody was breathing hard as she scrambled up the last steps, a trail of seawater footprints and drips behind her. Tip and Dash were attempting an ascent of their own, the penguin making an admirable but futile effort to push his enormous friend up the steps. She could hear Lara and Sebastian as they ran around the garden, their antics a combination of thuds, yelps, and indistinct shouting amidst whatever havoc they were wreaking on the greenery.
"I will not be beaten by lunch!" shouted Lara.
"Lara, stop!" Melody called out. She cleared the last step and leaned against the entryway, doubled over as she caught her breath. The prolonged lack of swimming and restless nights was taking a noticeable toll on her athleticism. She would have taken those stairs without breaking a sweat two months ago. She made a note to take more trips to the beach regardless of Lara's distaste for it. She could sit on the beach and sharpen her blades to nothing for all she cared.
The sound of a door being flung open made her look up. A head of long brown hair and a red scabbard disappeared through the doorway before the door slammed shut. Even through the wood and stone Melody could make out Lara's angry shouting and Sebastian's distressed yelling.
"Lara, knock it off!" Melody shouted as loud as she could, hoping to get the woman's attention. She set off across the lawn, heading straight for the–.
Her foot fell in an unexpected dip and she tripped, landing flat on the lawn. "Ow! What the…?"
She looked back to see her foot stuck in a deep boot-shaped impression, a second one beside it. Her eyes followed a noticeable track of prints and slides leading towards the pond and then miraculously appearing on the other side. Between the noises she heard and the trail she had a good idea of what happened. The damage to the garden was negligible, but the impact to her already poor impression of Lara was not so benign.
She jumped to her feet and beat a hasty path for the door. Racing around the garden was one thing, but gardens were not filled with priceless artwork, expensive decorations, or a full staff of servants. The palace was a veritable five-story maze of all that and more. No shortage of guests had become lost in its network of halls and stairs. Finding those two again could quickly become a daunting task.
"So much for getting along!" she thought out loud as she yanked the door open and ran inside.
Chef Louis was having a rough morning.
"Non, non," he muttered to himself. "Eez mizzing somezing. But what?"
A large pot sat on the stove before him, its contents bubbling warmly. Wondrously delicious aromas laced the air, exiting the open window and causing any stomach that caught a whiff to growl with desire. The sink was filled with utensils, bowls, and plates in need of a wash. A long table occupied the middle of his kitchen, a plethora of spices, seasonings, used ingredients, and other culinary components scattered about in such abundance the tabletop was completely obscured. A multitude of small bowls filled with soup sat next to the wash bin, their contents used as test samples for his many combinations of ingredients.
He scowled in annoyance at the pot, scratching beneath his hat. He was far from satisfied with his newest creation. He was trying to craft a soup to serve over the coming winter months. Unlike Vorhaven, Arendelle, Weselton, or that abandoned kingdom Sängril to the north, Seahaven rarely received snow. But it was guaranteed that frost would make an appearance, and the palace fireplaces would see plenty of use. Such a chilled climate called for a hearty soup full of flavor and energy to drive the cold away.
He grabbed another bowl, serving up a ladle full before grabbing three different powders and sprinkling a pinch of each in. He mixed it together and took a careful sip. He smacked his lips, letting the flavor run over his sensitive and experienced palate. It was delicious to be sure, full of zest and life, but it had no boldness or warmth. He wanted this to have the same penetrating heat of a crackling fire on the hearth. This flavor was meager at best. It flickered like a match in wind before going out, nowhere near the desired effect.
Louis sighed disappointedly, mustache drooping low. "Non, zat's not eet eizer."
He pulled his hat off to scratch his balding head in earnest. He looked to the cluttered kitchen table. He had been through almost every seasoning and spice he could think of, from bay leaves to cumin to ginger. There were even several rare and exotic spices he only used for very particular recipes that he tried, and still he was no closer.
"What eez it?" he asked himself, twirling the end of his mustache between his fingers. "What am I mizzing? Per'aps it needs zome pepper or hazelnut or–?"
His musings were cut short by the sounds of running in the hall and the click-clack of sharp crustacean feet over stone floors. Moments later his most bitter rival darted through the open kitchen door, panting heavily from exertion.
Suddenly Louis' culinary troubles were highly trivial. "You! Le saboteur!"
Sebastian's face paled as he skidded to a stop. "Oh no! Not you too, mon!"
"Prepare for ze pot, crustac'eon!" shouted Louis as he shoved his hat back on.
Sebastian darted back as Louis ran for his knife block. The crab was almost out when Lara skidded to a stop in his path.
"Not this time!" she said triumphantly, swiping at him again. Sebastian yelped and backpedalled out of her reach.
"Death to ze crab!" declared Louis, pulling out a knife and flinging it right front of Sebastian.
Given a choice between the knife-throwing chef and the unnaturally persistent bodyguard, and his prior experiences, Sebastian decided Louis was less dangerous. He ran towards him, dodging the knives that came flying as Louis began hurtling blades across the room. Lara just stepped in when she noticed the salvo of sharp metal flying at her.
"Yikes!" She darted back and slammed the door shut, the blades embedding in the wood before she opened it again. "Watch where you're throwing!"
Sebastian was about to run under the table when Louis crouched, flinging a pair of meat forks at him. Sebastian jumped to the table leg instead, the forks flying straight for Lara's legs. She threw herself into a front flip, the forks passing under her as she landed. Meanwhile Sebastian scurried onto the table and through the ingredients, making a dash for the window.
Which Louis slammed shut.
"Zis time you are mon, crab!" he exclaimed as he lunged for Sebastian, sending his ingredients clattering to the floor. The crab jumped and landed on his hat, pushing it over his eyes as the chef's hand closed around a vial of red powder. Sebastian quickly backtracked for the door, now his only viable escape route.
Lara leapt over the table at Sebastian, reaching for him as she sailed through the air. The crab barely slipped under her acrobatic midair swipe. She twisted herself around midflight and landed in a crouch on the table. She skidded backwards into Louis' as he pulled his hat up, her heel hitting him in the forehead as she leapt for the door.
"Get back here!" she shouted as she landed, rolling into the hallway before running after him.
Louis lurched back and tripped, hitting the back of his head on the cabinets and knocking his hat over his eyes again. The hit jarred loose a frying pan above, which fell flat onto his head with a loud yet amusing clong of metal. He was seeing red crab-shaped stars as he scrambled to his feet, sight still blocked by the hat. "Zat's my line, madamoi–!"
His foot found a bottle of olive oil and he slipped, arms flailing backwards and flinging the vial into the air. He fell hard on his back and smacked his head against the floor, trading the circling red crabs for flashes of multicolored light and a whale of a headache. He lay on the floor groaning till he heard a wet plop.
The soup! He whipped his hat off and stumbled over to the pot, praying he heard wrong. Sure enough, the vial of red powder had landed upended and open right in the middle of the pot. He quickly fished it out, but it was a vain effort. The contents emptied into the soup, forming a large red mark in the yellow.
Louis pressed his face into his palms, groaning in frustrated despair. Hours of work ruined in seconds thanks to a crab and that hyperactive circus freak. His stock was now contaminated. Without an unaltered source to experiment with he would have to start all over again. It took an hour alone just to prepare the ingredients, and now his spices were in total disarray across the kitchen.
He sighed in resignation. He did not have time to start again. It would be lunch soon and he needed to start preparing it and then dinner. He started picking up the bowls and bottles, careful of the broken glass.
He took an armful of bowls to the wash bin and dumped them in, stopping by the pot as he went back for another load. The yellow color was turning redder as the vial's contents spread into the soup. Curiosity got the better of him. His attempts had been unsuccessful so far. One more try was not going to hurt his chances, even if it was a massive failure he had not caused.
He grabbed a ladle and gave the concoction several brisk stirs to mix the red in completely. Immediately the mixture turned a pale orange color. It almost looked toxic. Louis pulled out the ladle and blew gently to cool it. He took a careful sip and…
"Haaaaiiiii-ai-ai-ai! What in ze world eez zat!?"
"This is the main ballroom," Ariel said, stepping aside as her sisters filed through the massive double doors to enter the very place they celebrated Melody's fateful twelfth birthday. The queen was giving her sisters a grand tour of the palace that morning while Grimsby and Eric saw to matters of state in his study.
Ariel felt a bit guilty leaving the weight of the kingdom on Eric's shoulders. Truly the work of a king never ended, and in light of recent events it had piled on more than usual. Between organizing the refit of Seahaven's navy and army, following up on the trade and defense contracts with Vorhaven and Glowerhaven, trying to mend their relationship with Strihaven despite Willard cutting off all communication with them, investigating Richard's illegal activities, and maintaining the search for Morgana and Ursula, it was a wonder he slept at all. He already spent the better part of the week trying to tackle the aptly named "Mount Paperwork" that had formed on his desk, leaving Ariel and Grimsby to oversee other issues. His ascent would be long and tedious, but he always made steady progress.
If Ariel was honest, her sisters did not need this tour. They had a fair idea of the palace layout from when they moved in, as well as their own explorations over the last few days. However, it did give them a chance to spend time together and get more practice with their legs, something many of them needed. Especially with stairs, and in both directions. Arista was finding the adjustment more nerve wracking than the rest because of her pregnancy. Even over this perfectly level floor she held tight to Adella's hand, though with the care she put into each step and the grip she had on her sister it was more likely Adella was the one who would need a doctor. Meanwhile their husbands had been tasked with the children, though with an entire palace to explore they would have no trouble finding ways to entertain them.
The tour also gave Ariel a chance to put her thoughts in order.
She had not told Eric about the raven. She had not told anyone. For starters, what was she supposed to say? The candles lit on their own and created a raven that could steal her voice and bring her closet to life, who then told her a war with the Alliance was highly probable, but she should not lose hope because her daughter's new bodyguard would protect them? It sounded crazy just thinking about it. Not that Eric would jump to such a conclusion. He knew better than to doubt Ariel's word. He would be angry that such a thing happened to her, and immediately give orders for a search to find the bird. He would also send word to Triton, which would not help her father's already high stress level.
But Ariel found herself believing the raven when he said he bore no ill intent towards her or the Alliance. If he wanted to hurt her he had the opportunity to do so. Yet despite her footwear assault and wrestling him to the floor he had not put so much as a scratch on her. He told her to trust her heart. And her heart was telling her that this new entity, who or whatever he was, had been truthful when he said he was their ally. Seahaven needed all the allies they could find. And she had a feeling their conversation was meant to be private.
In the end Ariel only suggested to Eric that they draw up an evacuation plan in the event they were invaded. He was hesitant at first, afraid such a move could cause anxiety with the people. But he relented at her insistence they should be prepared for the worst, even if such a time never came. He hoped to have it finalized and distributed throughout the town within the next two weeks. Both hoped it would never see use.
Then there was Lara to consider as well. Ariel most definitely could not tell Eric about what the raven said. Phrases like "deadliest adversary" and "stronger than you can imagine" were not what a father wanted to hear about the person he entrusted his only daughter's safety to. Despite many people's misgivings about the woman and her unknown background, Ariel had no doubt Lara was on their side. It was not just because of the crystal. She had yet to see or hear of anything that would mark Lara as an enemy. Strange, yes. Trying at times, certainly. But not an enemy.
Everything Ariel had seen and heard so far spoke to the exact opposite of that statement. Lara reminded Ariel a bit of Melody and herself when they were younger. She was enough of a free-spirited tomboy to warrant the comparison, as well as her disregard for authority and what was "normal." But the strongest assurance of Lara's trustworthiness was her bond with Jenni. Ariel remembered the unyielding trust in the girl's eyes as she looked up at her, and how the two twirled about after Lara's victory, the child squealing delightedly in her arms as the other children swarmed excitedly around them. And the look of genuine gratitude in Sarah's eyes when she gave away the gold. That was proof enough for Ariel. She could tell Lara was someone who would do what was right and protect those she held dear. She was someone they could rely on, and in the chaos their lives had become that gave Ariel comfort.
But it was not enough for Eric. He was not about to rely on the eyes of children and a truth crystal. He ordered three investigators to head south, north, and east to gather what information they could on Lara. The investigators left the day after the raven's appearance, but even with speedy travel and good fortune they would be gone for a few months at best. The conflict could be over by the time they returned.
Ariel hated for Eric to do it. It felt underhanded, like they were shaking Lara's hand so she would not notice the spies sneaking behind her back. But Eric did not have the same heartfelt instincts or a raven's assurance that Ariel did, and he erred on the side of caution over optimism. He wanted indisputable proof that Lara was not a threat, even if it meant going so far as to dispatch men to prove it.
But the most pressing question to Ariel was if Melody would come to trust Lara as well. She was not blind to her daughter's dislike of the woman. The unease and annoyance she felt was evident in her body and speech whenever the brunette was mentioned. Hiring Lara as a bodyguard was one thing but having her and Melody get along or at least come to a passive tolerance was something else entirely. If the two ended up resenting each other it could make life around the palace tense to say the least. Ariel hoped it would not come to blows, but given how headstrong and stubborn those two could be, anything was possible.
The sound of something hitting glass ended Ariel's inward meanderings. She looked to the window thinking Scuttle had plastered himself on it as he too often did. Instead she saw Aquata clutching her nose, a red mark on her forehead.
"Sorry," the princess said through her hands. "I tried to lean out the window and forgot about the…the, uh…" She rapped the windowpane with her knuckles. "Ariel, what's this called again?"
Ariel suppressed her laugh but not her smile. Of course Aquata would not know about windows on land. Atlantica had windows of its own, but they were not covered with glass. Glass was rare in Atlantica. Most of it came by trade with humans or was washed into the sea. Having her sisters here reminded Ariel of that first week with Eric after Ursula was vanquished. The poor man had been swamped with a million questions asking what this was, what that did, and why this looked like that when it did this and then that. It was the same with her sisters. Everything here was fascinating to them, all part of a world they never could have imagined.
"It's called glass," said Ariel. "Just don't hit it too hard. It gets sharp when it breaks. And so does Carlotta when she has to clean it up."
Attina was trying to maintain her regal composure as always, but her face was doing little to hide her awe as she admired the high domed ceiling and crystal chandeliers. "I never would have imagined all this being inside the palace. It's amazing!"
Andrina spun in place, whistling in amazement. "Now that's a roof! I wonder how they clean it?"
"We have cleaner fish back home," said Arista. "Maybe there are cleaner birds here?"
Andrina was about to critique her sister's answer when dizziness started eroding her balance. She wobbled about for a moment before falling on her behind, eliciting a string of laughter from the others. Even Ariel could not resist a giggle. She had to admit watching her sisters learn to walk was a form of entertainment in and of itself. Their tour had already been graced with a dozen incidents of tripping, twice as many stumbles, and five instances of just plain falling over. It was like when she, Arista, and Andrina started learning how to swim. They had flopped and bumped their way all over the Atlantican palace before they got it right.
Ariel smiled at the memory as Attina helped Andrina onto her feet, almost falling over herself. When was the last time they had all been together like this?
Then she remembered. It was Melody's birthday party, right before everything went foul. Before the world became unsafe and their enemies came back like a recurring nightmare. Before William died and the happy adventurous Melody they once knew disappeared, replaced by this morose and cheerless person she had become.
Ariel bit her lower lip. She would not let this war the raven spoke of come to pass. They would find a way to stop it from happening. Morgan and Ursula would be brought to justice and life would go back to the way it was. Everything would turn out fine.
Right?
At that moment the ballroom doors burst open. A panting and wet Melody ran into the room, her dripping hair hanging disorderly around her. Dark damp patches stood out on her disheveled dress, and there were grass marks across her front. She looked as though she had run from the beach.
"Melody?" asked Ariel, worried by her sudden appearance.
The princess stumbled to a stop, noticing her mother and aunts. "Mom!"
"I thought you went to the beach?" said Ariel.
"I did! I mean I was! We were!" Melody hitched her skirt and jogged over. "Did Lara…and Sebastian…come this way?" she said, getting her words out between breaths.
Ariel shook her head. "I haven't seen Lara since breakfast. By the way, have you seen Sebastian? He was supposed to come back this morning."
"So that's why he was at the beach!" said Melody.
"So you did see him?" asked Attina as she and the others gathered around. She peered behind Melody. "Where is Lara? And for that matter, where's Sebastian?"
Melody gave her mother a telling look. "Take a guess."
Ariel quickly put two and two together. "Oh no…"
Lara raced down the hallway after Sebastian, flying by the windows of the top level of the palace. Vases, decorative paintings, tapestries, and candle sconces flew by as he led her down the corridor towards the south tower staircase, boots pounding over the floor.
Sebastian wished he had stayed in his seabed that day.
He could not keep this up much longer. After leaving the kitchen their chase had taken them up the stairs to the second floor, down that hall, up to the fourth, back down to the third, then all the way up to the fifth, past Melody's room and into Eric and Ariel's, out the window back into the garden, up the wall and along the battlements to the front, in the main doors past two very confused guards, up the dumbwaiter shaft to the top floor again (after Sebastian dropped the dumbwaiter on her head), and now to here. All while causing no shortage of mayhem. It was a miracle nothing had been broken, although more than a few guards and servants had been startled.
Louis had never been able to keep pace with Sebastian like this. All of his usual tricks failed against Lara's agility, strength, quick reflexes, and endurance. He was thoroughly startled when she shimmied up the dumbwaiter shaft at speed, and when she leapt off the balcony of Ariel's room, and when she used her knives to scale the walls. He never would have imagined a human being capable of such feats. No matter what he did she kept closing the gap, just as she was doing now.
Four servants carrying a heavy, wide, and very expensive wardrobe exited a room. The furniture quickly took up most of the hallway's width, the men struggling to lift it between them. Imagine their surprise to see a small red crab zip under their cargo, and their mortification at seeing Lara charging at them with no sign of slowing down.
"Halt!" cried one of the men, already hearing Grimsby and Carlotta yelling at them for damaging such an old and ornate furnishing.
Lara ignored him and kept running. Just before reaching the wardrobe she dropped onto her knees and leaned far back. The men quickly lifted the wardrobe as high as they dared, cheeks puffed and arms shaking. Lara slid underneath the wardrobe before righting back onto her feet with barely a falter in her step.
"Nice save!" she called back.
Sebastian's eyes bulged at Lara's latest acrobatics, then he screamed and ran even faster. "Arrrriiiiieeeeell! Heeeeeeelllllp!"
Ariel looked around the ballroom. She could have sworn she heard her name being called. "Did anyone else hear that?"
Of all the things Grimsby did not expect to see when he entered the hallway with Eric's tea, it was to have Sebastian tear past him into the tower stairwell, leap off the top stair onto the railing and begin sliding down, claws spinning like a windmill to go faster.
"My word!" he said as he watched the crab slide away. "Wasn't that–?"
"Look out, gramps!"
Grimsby got another surprise when he turned around and saw Lara sprinting towards him with a sword on her back, mud and grass stains on her pants and top, and dressed in what he could only describe as clothing of a most shameful nature.
"Miss Anclagon!?" he exclaimed.
"Move!" Lara shouted back, motioning for him to get out of her way.
Grimsby quickly darted aside as Lara blew past him, almost knocking the tray out of his hands. She slid into the banister to stop then ran and leapt onto the rail after Sebastian, sliding down like a surfer.
Grimsby spun around, somehow managing to not slosh the tea as he peered over the railing to see Lara complete half a revolution of the long looping staircase. He was already thinking of every rule of etiquette Lara had just broken. He was sure there were rules even he did not know that she just broke. No, not broke–shattered. Ariel was going to be furious when…well, Eric would surely…okay, he was going to be the furious one when he caught her!
"What are you doing!?" he shouted after her.
"Going down!" called back Lara as she sat down on the rail, her hair and tasseled shemagh ends flapping behind her. And she was smiling. How in the blazes was she smiling about this?
A maid came around the corner. "Good morning, mister–."
"Take this to his majesty!" interrupted Grimsby, shoving the tray to the confused and startled woman as he started down the steps with all haste.
Sebastian looked back as he zipped down the fourth level to see Lara astride the rail and leaning forward, outstretched hand inches away and a look of concentration on her face.
"Waaaaaah!" He started clawing the railing to go faster. "No! No, no, no! I'm too old to be crab cakes!"
"Almost…there…!" Lara reached as far as she could. Her hand closed around him, this time pinning his claws where they could not pinch her.
"Gotcha!" she exclaimed triumphantly as she brought him to her victoriously smiling face.
Sebastian wriggled against her grip. "Don't eat me! Never eat shellfish before noon!"
Lara gasped in surprise. "You can talk!"
Sebastian stopped struggling, gasping with equal surprise. "What de…you can understand me, mon!?"
"Same to you, mon!" she said. "How're you doing that?"
Sebastian was about to answer when he saw Lara's eyes focus down the stairway. He looked back to see the landing for the third floor coming up. The rail gently curved into a flat section before continuing its downward spiral on the other side.
Lara started to swing her leg over to dismount when a maid appeared carrying a basket piled high to the point of instability with sheets for washing. The poor woman noticed Lara and Sebastian hurtling towards her at the last possible moment, letting out a startled shriek and causing the laundry tower to topple over. They plowed straight through the linens and down the other side of the railing, taking a few of the sheets with them and sending the rest toppling over the side in a tangled mess.
"Hey!" Lara pulled a sheet out of her face. She looked back up the rail to see the maid picking up the remainder of her laundry, shouting something imperceptible but likely unfriendly at her.
"Sorry!" Lara called back.
She became aware of something crawling on her head. She saw her hand was empty then peered up to see Sebastian clinging to her goggles and shades paler from fright. He must have wriggled free while she dislodged the sheet.
"Stop dis ting!" he shouted as they started going even faster.
"Can't!" said Lara.
"Why not, mon?!"
"Not sure how!"
Both crab and girl looked down. They had three floors to go and they were still gaining speed. If Lara tried to dismount now without using magic or her weapons, she risked them tumbling down the stairs and getting seriously hurt. Even her body would not take kindly to the stone steps at speed. That left one option. Ride the rail to the end and hope for the best.
"Waaaaaaah-ha-ha-haaaaa!" screamed Sebastian at the top of his tiny lungs.
"I just realized something!" said Lara as they started around the second floor.
"What!?"
"This is kinda fun! Ack! "
One of the sheets flew up and covered her like an improvised ghost costume.
The sound of a screaming crab and Lara's raised voice reached the ballroom from above. The mermaid princesses may not have been able to place the sound, but Ariel and Melody knew exactly where it was coming from. They spun around to face the hall at the opposite end of the ballroom, leading to the south tower stairs where Melody caused no shortage of worries for her parents by using it as a slide.
"Is that Lara?" asked Ariel.
"How in de seven seas is dis fun, you crazy half-shell!?" came Sebastian's accented shout.
"Sebastian!" shouted Melody as she ran for the stairway. "Sebastian, where are–?"
A human figure draped in a white sheet and carrying more sheets came hurtling down the rail, flying off the end and landing on the sheets before shooting into the ballroom.
"G-g-g-ghost!" squealed Adella and Alana as they took cover behind Attina as though she were an iron wall, not noticing their sister's face blanch with fright. Arista shrieked and fainted into Andrina and Ariel's arms.
"Drama queen," muttered Aquata.
Melody realized very quickly and too late that she was right in the "ghost's" way. She just started to move when it plowed into her, knocking her on top of it and dislodging the sheet. The "ghost" was what she suspected–Lara with one very terrified Sebastian clutching the strap of her goggles. The sheets Lara was sitting on slid over the polished stone floor like skates on ice, sending the trio hurtling across the ballroom.
The mermaid princesses shrieked, parting as Melody, Lara, and Sebastian shot between them, causing their dresses to lift from the wind off their passing.
Ariel's eyes widened. "That was…!"
"Hi, princess!" said Lara, grinning sheepishly as her hands and boots failed to find traction on the glossy waxed floor. "Fancy running into you here!"
"Lara!?" Melody propped herself on her guardian's chest. "What are you doing!?"
"Trying to stop! Any ideas?"
"No!" Melody shouted, very confused and angry. She had no ideas about stopping, but she had several of what she wanted to do to Lara. Especially with that irritating lopsided smile. Here they were tearing across the main ballroom floor like a loose cannonball and she was grinning like this was one giant sea slide.
"Melody! Lara! Watch out!" called Ariel.
Melody, Lara and Sebastian looked ahead to see the double doors fast approaching. Way too fast. Suddenly Lara grabbed Melody and pulled her close.
"What are you–!?" Melody was cut off when Lara grabbed her head and forced her to tuck it down.
"Oh man!" said Lara as she grit her teeth. "This is really gonna–!"
WHAM!
Melody was jolted as they slammed into the doors, the sound of the crash echoing through the ballroom like thunder. The doors shuddered violently but held fast. She had no idea what happened, but suddenly they were not sliding anymore.
"Ow…" groaned Lara underneath her. "That hurt."
Ariel looked away just before the moment of impact, unable to witness the carnage that was sure to unfold. She flinched at how loud the noise was, covering her ears. She looked back, slowly opening one eye.
She should have been worried if Melody was hurt. She should have been upset with Lara for running off after Sebastian and almost hitting her and her sisters. There were many, many things she should have been.
Instead she had to hold her sides as she burst out laughing.
Lara was plastered upside down against the door, legs sticking out awkwardly above her head. Melody lay across her guardian's torso, unsteadily getting to her hands and knees. Sebastian poked his head out from under Lara's hair, his eyes rolling about dazedly. None of them appeared hurt. Not seriously, at least.
"Are you okay, Sebastian?" asked Melody as she rubbed her head. Considering how hard they collided with the doors Ariel would be happy if a bump was all Melody suffered.
"Did som'one get de hat off dat sailfish?" asked Sebastian, clearly dazed as he staggered about beside Lara. "Me pineapples are due at de cleaners, mom."
"I'm fine, in case anybody's wondering," groaned Lara as she rolled onto her side. "Ow, ow, ow. That's gonna bruise." She slowly got to her feet, not noticing Sebastian entangled in her hair until he pinched her side painfully.
"Yow!" She jumped at the sharp pain and jerked him away, holding him up to her face. "Would you knock that off!?"
"Get me outta here!" Sebastian shouted at her, struggling upside-down against her hair.
"Oh no! You're not getting away again, pinchy!" said Lara. "You're mine now!"
"Let him go, Lara!" said Melody as she scrambled to her feet. She grabbed Sebastian and tried to pull him free, but he was completely ensnared. All she succeeded in doing was jerking painfully on Lara's hair. "Let him go right now!"
"Ow! Ow! Hey!" Lara snatched Melody's wrists to stop her yanking. "That hurts!"
"Give him back!"
"No way! Go get your own talking crab!"
"He's not some talking crab! He's–!" Melody stopped pulling. "Wait, he's talking to you!?"
Lara looked at Melody with the same awestruck expression. "So he is talking! For a moment I thought I was going nuts!"
"Considering you just went running through my home like a lunatic, I'd say you're way past nuts!" snapped Melody.
Lara was about to snap back when the sound of approaching footsteps made them both look to Ariel as she hurried over. "Are you two alright?"
"I'm okay, mom," said Melody, though the way she held her hand to her head suggested otherwise.
Lara yanked Sebastian out of Melody's hands, not wanting to play another bout of tug-of-crab with her. "I will be once I get this guy out of my hair!"
"Den hurry up and do it, mon!" said Sebastian impatiently and upside-down once again.
"I would if you'd stop pinching me!"
"Den don't be–!"
"Quiet, both of you!" commanded Ariel. Lara and Sebastian's jaws snapped shut like steel traps. "Better. Lara..." She held out her hand. "May I have the crab please?"
Lara hesitated, clearly not wanting to hand him over given the effort she put into catching him. But she caved, reluctantly placing Sebastian in Ariel's palm and pouting slightly as the queen worked to free him.
"Now, would one of you tell me what happened?" asked Ariel.
Melody was about to speak but Sebastian and Lara beat her to it.
"He/She started it!" they shouted in unison, pointing at each other. They snapped to face one another, still speaking in perfect synchronization. "Me!? This/Dis is your fault! If it wasn't for you we wouldn't be here!"
"Um, if I may…?" Melody interjected without notice.
"She's de one dat started it!" said Sebastian, still struggling to get out of Lara's hair. "I was just scuttling down de beach when dis walking pincushion dropped out of de sky on me! I almost ended up a panfish cake because of her!"
"Pincushion!?" Lara brought her scowling face within inches of Sebastian. "I didn't come anywhere near squishing you! You're the one who pinched me, you talking side-dish!"
"You're de one who grabbed me, bright eyes!" snapped back Sebastian.
"You hit me with a tree, you seaside pipsqueak!"
"Well, you...!"
Melody figured she was not going to get a word in with these two going back and forth, and Ariel seemed more interested in their explanation than hers. If she was honest their bickering was just making her headache worse. She also wanted to get away from Lara before she gave into her urge to give Lara's head a lump of its own. Maybe two for good measure. Though considering how Lara reacted to a pinch from Sebastian and what she did to Richard, hitting her was not in her best interest.
She silently excused herself and went to join her confused and concerned aunts nearby as Lara and Sebastian continued their comically heated argument.
"Melody! Are you okay?" asked Attina.
"I think so," said Melody. "I just bumped my head. Still hurts though." She winced as Attina gently touched it.
"At least it's just a bump," said Attina. "I thought it'd be worse!"
"So, I take it that's Lara?" asked Adella as she watched crustacean and woman continue bickering, Ariel somehow staying focused on her detangling task.
Melody nodded, rubbing her aching head. "Yeah. That's Lara."
"Well she's certainly, uh…different," said Arista, clearly fishing for the politest words she could find. "Especially in the looks department."
"I told you she was strange," said Attina.
"Yeah, but we didn't know you meant that strange," said Alana. "She's scary-looking. What's with the ear spikes?"
"Eh, she's not that bad," said Andrina. "You should see yourself in those kelp masks of yours, Alana. You're twice as scary-looking."
Arista and Aquata snickered at their sister's barb.
"I am not!" protested Alana. "And it's plankton, not kelp! It's good for the skin!"
"Right…"
While Melody tried to rub away her headache whilst listening to her aunts, Ariel listened to Sebastian and Lara try to determine whose fault the whole situation really was. As annoyed and perhaps even angry as she should be at Lara, Ariel could not help laughing as Lara accused Sebastian of dropping the dumbwaiter on her head and calling him a babbling seafood special. The mental image was comical to say the least. It reminded her of the mishaps Sebastian used to get into on her adventures.
"Ahem." Lara and Sebastian went silent at her cough as she removed the last few strands from Sebastian's legs. "I'm done."
"Good!" Lara cracked her knuckles. "Cause now I'm gonna pay you back for dropping that thing on me!"
Sebastian gave a frightened squeak and ran into Ariel's hair as Lara made a lunge for him. She put her hand up, stopping Lara before she could try again.
"I have a better idea," Ariel said as she gently took Sebastian off her neck, holding him in her palm. "You two apologize to each other and try to get along."
"Apologize!?" exclaimed Lara. "But he's the one who–!"
"Since you volunteered, Lara, you can go first," interrupted Ariel.
Lara opened her mouth to protest, but Ariel fixed her with a practiced motherly look that made it clear she would not win this argument. She was quite good at it too, because she could practically see all the argument Lara had go up in smoke.
"Fine." Lara folded her arms stubbornly, a grouchy look on her face as she mumbled, "Sorry I jumped you at the beach."
"And?" said Sebastian, frowning up at her.
"For chasing you around the palace."
"And?"
"For calling you a talking side-dish."
"Aaannnd?"
Lara's scarred eye twitched in annoyance. "Do you want me to chase you again!?" she snapped, causing Sebastian to cower in Ariel's hand.
"I think that's enough, Sebastian," said Ariel. "Lara's sorry, right?"
"Yeah," sighed Lara.
The crab fixed her with a wary eye, as though he were trying to discern any sincerity beneath that sarcasm. "Hmm…apology accepted den. Now if you'll excuse me."
He moved to jump off Ariel's hand, but she blocked him from going. "You too."
"Me? But I—!"
"Sebastian…"
"Oh, all right. I swear, you're more like you father dan you know," he mumbled. He turned to Lara and coughed to clear his throat. "I apologize."
Lara arched an eyebrow at him. "For…?"
"Pinching you."
"And?"
"Hitting you with dat tree."
"And?"
"For dropping de liftermajigger on your head."
"And one more."
Sebastian fixed her with a perplexed look. "What?" Lara brushed her hair behind her left ear, tapping one of her spikes as a clue. "And for calling you a pincushion."
Lara stared at Sebastian for a long moment, making Ariel wonder if she was going to try and grab him again. Then she sighed, brushing her hair behind her other ear. "I guess that'll do, mon."
Ariel sighed in relief. "No hard feelings?"
"No," said Sebastian and Lara.
"No more chasing?"
"As long as he doesn't–I mean, no," said Lara, rethinking her words at another of Ariel's looks.
"Good," Ariel said, smiling at both of them. "Then everything's settled."
Lara leaned down to Sebastian. "You mind telling me how you're talking?"
"De same way you're doing it, mon." said Sebastian. "With me mouth."
"No, really?" Lara replied sarcastically. "I mean how? I've never seen a talking crab before…or any other animal for that matter. How can you–?"
"Miss Anclagon!"
Everyone in the ballroom jumped at Grimsby's shout from the stairway. Sebastian spooked so badly he ran up Ariel's arm and hid in her hair again.
A very flustered and panting Grimsby stomped down the tower stairs, scanning the room like a detective at a crime scene. He glanced over Melody keeping Attina from touching the bump on her head again, the sheets and boot prints on the doors, the dirty marks on Lara and Melody's clothes, and Sebastian hiding in Ariel's hair before he locked onto Lara and stiffly marched over.
"What in the names of the kings were you doing back there, young lady!?" he demanded harshly.
"Stretching my legs?" answered Lara as innocently as possible, though her mischievous lopsided grin did nothing to help.
Grimsby stopped in front of Lara, looking her up and down with a sharply disapproving frown. "And do you normally abstain from clothing to stretch your legs, and then do so by tearing through the palace like a crazed delinquent?"
"I have a reason for that," said Lara. "It's…not a good one, though. And these are my clothes."
Grimsby's jaw just about came unhinged. "By what possible standard do those rags qualify as clothes!?"
Lara frowned. "My standard, that's how."
Grimsby looked ready to drag Lara off to a corner for a time out, or at least a tailor shop. "I will deal with you in a moment." He turned his back to Lara and walked over to Ariel, bowing low before her. "Your majesty, I deeply apologize for the rudeness of this woman's behavior and appearance. Had I known this was going on I would have seen to it immediately. I can assure you I'll have this straightened out shortly and see to it she's properly disciplined and attired. This will not happen again."
Grimsby did not see the angry look that flashed over Lara's face, but Ariel did. And it did not look good. "Grimsby, I really don't think that's–."
"Hey beanpole!"
Ariel could have heard a pin drop with how quiet it got. Grimsby went stiff as a board and then slowly turned to face a darkly scowling Lara.
"Her name's Ariel," said Lara as she stalked up to Grimsby. "And this woman has a name. It's Lara. If you've got something to say about me, then say it to my face. If you're man enough, that is!"
In all her years Ariel had never seen Grimsby as furious as he looked right then. His entire face flushed so red it was a miracle he did not get a nosebleed. She decided it would be safer for her and Sebastian over by her sisters and Melody, so she quickly went to them.
"Miss Anclagon," said Grimsby with icy evenness as he turned to her, a mere veneer of courtly manner over his underlying outrage. "Their majesties have been more than lenient with your behavior thus far, and I have done my best to respect their instructions despite it. But I will not tolerate this a moment longer! Not one second more! This abhorrent insolence of yours ends right here, right now! Your position as the princess' guardian does not excuse you from demonstrating proper conduct as a resident of this palace, let alone as a person! I don't know how women composed themselves in whatever backwater hovel you called home…!"
Lara's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed, her hands tightening into fists at her side.
"Uh, Grimsby?" said Ariel, noticing a loud pop from Lara's knuckles. She could see the muscles tensing in her forearms.
"But this is not some sailor's pub where you can flaunt your skin or wag your tongue however you please!" continued Grimsby. He held himself higher, looking down his nose at Lara. "It is the home of their majesties the king and queen! Even were it not, there are standards a woman your age must hold herself to, and you are no exception!"
"Grimsby…" said Ariel, a bit more urgently now as she saw Lara's fists start to shake.
Clearly Grimsby did not hear her, for he continued with his rant. "While I accept your need to carry weapons, running about like a hooligan in such scandalous attire and distasteful decoration is reprehensible at best, and in the presence of their majesties is outright abhorrent! Especially when you should be watching over the princess, not chasing about after crabs! Your actions reflect on those around you, not just yourself! You bring shame on this palace, those you serve, and yourself with this behavior! It is far past time you started acting like someone of your position should, and that starts this instant! Am I clear!?"
Ariel saw the trembling in Lara's hands stop, her fists unclenching. It only made her worry more. She had a very bad feeling about this. "Grimsby, you–."
Lara's eyes flickered over to Ariel. "Don't."
The evenness of Lara's voice was like a sword, cutting off Ariel's words. She was far too composed, like the quiet before an earthquake as she stared right at Grimsby, stepping up to him. "So, what would you have a person in my position do, then?" she asked, the words rolling off her tongue with poorly veiled hostility. "Keep my mouth shut till spoken to? Obey every order without question, no matter what it is? Swaddle myself in dresses and gowns so my skin doesn't offend you, or give you wrong ideas? Or make sure to bow and curtsy to everyone and keep my eyes down because that's what good little girls do when they remember their proper place?"
Grimsby's frown deepened. "It would be a start to say the least."
Lara leaned towards Grimsby's face. "Then I've got two words for you. Bite me."
Melody and Ariel's jaws would have fallen off if it could. Sebastian hid himself deeper in Ariel's hair as her sisters caught their breaths. Never in a hundred years would any of them dream of speaking to Grimsby like that. It would be tantamount to punching him in the face.
Grimsby paled, his eyes flying wide open. "What…did you…say to me?"
"Bite me," repeated Lara. Then her hand shot up and flicked Grimsby hard in the nose. Even from where she stood Ariel could hear it. Grimsby yowled and staggered back, clutching his stinging nose as Lara glared daggers at him.
Ariel saw this was going downhill like a rock off a cliff. She had to stop it before it hit the bottom. "Both of you stop!"
Grimsby lowered his hands, his nose such a deeper red than his face it was almost purple. "You…how dare you!?" He stepped at Lara and drew his hand back to strike her.
"That's enough!" ordered Ariel as she ran to them.
Lara snatched Grimsby's arm before he could draw it back any further. Her foot came behind and swept his legs out. Before he could fall she snatched his jacket, holding him suspended above the floor.
Grimsby clung onto Lara's arm, alarmed by the speed she disarmed him with. "Unhand me this instant you–!"
"Shut it!" barked Lara, her hair starting to bristle. Grimsby's mouth practically closed itself as Ariel came to a halt, her legs refusing to take her any closer.
"You think I care what you think!?" Lara spat angrily. "Cause I don't! I didn't take this job so you or miss shark bait over there could boss me around, let alone judge me!" She pointed a quivering finger at Melody. "I'm here to guard her! That's it! And I'm gonna do it my way, not the way you or anyone else wants me to! I'll eat my boots before I take your advice on how to protect anyone! If we're not counting that tongue of yours, I bet the sharpest thing you've ever held is a letter opener! You've got no place telling me what's 'properconduct'because I'm a girl or a guard, let alone what I can and can't wear! And as for the crab, I get it! I screwed up! I was supposed to watch her, and I ran off chasing a talking snack!"
"Hey!" exclaimed Sebastian.
"And I'll take the punishment for it, and for this!" continued Lara. "And if you've got a problem with me, fine! You come say it to my face, anywhere, anytime! I'm right here!"
Lara gave Grimsby a hard shake. "But don't you dare go shoving your silver-spoon standards down my throat! Don't you dare lecture me like some kid! And don't you dare talk to me about what's right and wrong like you've got some moral high ground to stand on!"
She pulled the now pale Grimsby close, their noses almost touching. "Here's how it's gonna work from now on!" Lara hissed angrily. "You don't give me orders! You don't tell me what to wear! You don't tell me how to talk! You don't tell me who to bow to! And you don't ever think you've got the right to tell me what I can and can't be, much less flap your lips at me about 'decency' and 'shame!' Cause next time you do I'll haul your scrawny carcass off that spotless golden throne you keep looking down on me from, drag you out to the river by your heels, and wash that high-and-mighty crap right out of you, you arrogant bastard!"
Lara dropped Grimsby to the floor. He quickly scrambled away, eyes fixed fearfully on her. Lara's shoulders rose and fell as she panted, closing her eyes as she brought herself under control.
She might have as well if not for Alana.
"You'd think her mother would've raised her better," the princess whispered in Adella's ear.
It happened too fast for Ariel to react. One moment Lara went stiff as a board, eyes wide and hair bristling in full. The next she blew past Ariel in a blur.
"Shut up!"
"Aaaah!"
Ariel spun around to see Lara holding Alana off the ground by her neck. Her free hand was clenched so tight her knuckles looked ready to split. The princesses darted back, afraid to be anywhere near her. Alana clutched at Lara's arm, her face full of alarm and fear as her feet kicked about. Lara's face was painted with barely restrained rage, her hair bristling like the hackles of a rabid mongrel and lips pulled back in a snarl.
Ariel stepped back. Lara looked nothing like the tomboyish argumentative woman from moments ago. Her aura was that of a wild beast, feral savagery clawing and biting its way to the surface as her chest heaved with fast deep breaths. She should say or do something. She should be trying to make Lara release her sister or calling for the guards. But she could not move. She could not speak. She was so shocked by what she saw that her voice abandoned her. Her limbs refused to move, afraid that any action would draw the woman's wrath to herself.
She was afraid of her.
"Shut up!" shouted Lara in Alana's face. "Shut your mouth! You say one more word about my mom and I swear you'll never say anything again!"
"Miss Anclagon, release her majesty this instant!" demanded Grimsby as he got up, his outrage momentarily blinding him to fear as he advanced on her.
Lara snapped her face to him, snarling like a feral animal. Grimsby froze in his tracks. Alana started kicking at Lara's legs and stomach without effect due to her toughness and anger. Her face was starting to turn purple.
Seeing her sister in danger snapped Ariel out of her paralysis. "Lara!"
The sound of her voice was enough to grab Lara's attention. She snarled at her as well, face twisted up with anger. It was as though there was firelight behind her eyes the color was so vivid.
"Put her down!" pleaded Ariel. "Please! Don't hurt her!"
Lara froze. It was as though Ariel had thrown water on the fire that was her rage. The bestial snarl disappeared. Her hair settled and the light faded from her eyes, but the anger lingered in them and her face. She set Alana down, keeping hold of her neck.
"I don't care what you, gramps, or anyone else here says about me," she growled. "Call me rude. Call me crazy. Call me a disgrace. Call me a tramp. Call me whatever you want behind my back. But don't you ever, ever say anything about my mom again!"
She roughly shoved Alana away. The princess stumbled backwards and fell, coughing and gasping on the floor. Adella and Attina ran to her, helping her onto shaky feet. Her throat was developing a red handprint.
"That's your first and only warning. You won't get off so easy next time." Lara scanned over the others, causing everyone to flinch away before she settled her eyes on Grimsby. "Any of you."
Ariel gulped hard. She could hear the menace in Lara's voice. That was not an empty threat.
"Ariel," said Lara.
Ariel jumped at her name. "Yes?"
"I'm gonna go see the kids. Keep Melody in the palace until I get back and have six guards with her at all times. I'll return before sundown. Whatever punishment you decide on for this, I'll take it. But right now, I need cool off before I do something I'll really regret."
Lara started towards the doors but stopped. She turned around and walked back to stand in front of Grimsby. He took a step back, fully expecting to be handled as gently as Alana had been.
To Ariel and everyone else's astonishment Lara instead straightened up her spine, drew her shoulders back and lifted her chin at a dignified angle. Her features softened into a fair apologetic smile, showing no trace of the anger that possessed her moments before as she curtsied to him with perfect form and grace.
"Pardon me, good sir, but I must take my leave of you." She said it with such politeness that Ariel's lips parted with amazement. "I feel lingering here further would be most injurious to my temperament."
She then turned to Alana and gave another curtsy. "I humbly beg your forgiveness for my disrespectful behavior. I forgot myself in a moment of anger. Such a thing will not happen again, provided I am not given reason to repeat it." She turned to Ariel and Melody, bowing at the waist. "Your majesties, if you'll please excuse me."
Ariel was as much at a loss for words as everyone else as Lara rose. Where did that come from? Lara went from borderline berserk to constrained anger to respectfully cultured in seconds. She said and did it all with such elegance and poise she could have been mistaken for a princess if she was in a ball gown. Even her tone of voice was well mannered. She had become a completely different person.
Then the mask fell away, revealing the angry woman once more, eyes burning with indignation as she fixed them on Grimsby. "That proper enough for you, gramps?" she asked smartly, her voice dripping with disdain.
Without waiting for an answer, Lara spun on her heel and marched away. Ariel watched in stunned silence, listening to Lara's footsteps echo in the ballroom. She grabbed the sheets by the door and left, slamming it behind her.
The moment the door closed Lara leaned back against it, closing her eyes tightly. She bit her lip hard, focusing on the pain and the taste of blood as she slid to the floor, curling up in a ball. She covered her head with her hands, grasping fistfuls of her hair.
She was still roiling mad inside despite her momentary show of elegance, the anger slow to dissipate. How could she not be angry? First Melody dragged her down to that accursed ocean. Then a talking crab pinched her, although her initial animosity was now replaced by curiosity. Then Grimsby went off on his rant denouncing her as a little more than a streetwalker. She would give him that she should not have run off from Melody, but in her mind, he was way out of line lecturing her like that. Alana's comment about her mother had been more than enough to push her over the edge. She would have snapped at that even without everything else. Lara felt she had fairly good control over her temper without provocation, but Alana had not just hit a sore spot. She hit the sorest spot, and on what had become a less than stellar morning.
She sighed heavily, leaning her head back on the door. She would have to apologize, at least to Alana. That she knew for sure. Never mind what Ariel or Eric or anyone else said about her rough treatment of the princess. Her father would have never let her get away with such behavior towards anyone. He probably would give her three days of hard training in heavy weights or an equally stern punishment, followed by an equally stern talking-to. What she had done was just as dangerous as it was childish. With her strength she could have seriously hurt Alana. A crushed windpipe or a snapped neck was easy for her hands. Her dad raised her better than that. Her mother raised her to better than that.
But her parents never counted on her enduring five years in that circle of the Pit that was the eastern kingdoms. Life there had dulled her hesitancy to use violence and control over her temper even more so. Table manners, courtly behaviors, and modesty mattered little when people were itching for the chance to rob, rape, enslave, or kill you. What mattered was your skill with a blade and how much you were feared, not how decent your clothes were or how low you could bow. The more afraid people were of you the less likely they were to come after you.
And after that dreadful day, no one was more feared in the east than Lara.
The tingling in her lip told Lara it was starting to heal. She felt the tissue knit together, replaced with smooth skin in moments. She got up and headed for the palace gates, balling up the sheets and tucking them under her arm. She would drop them off with the first servant she saw and then leave. Apologies and breaking old habits could come later. For now, she just wanted to spend some time with Jenni and the kids. Away from talking crabs, sea-loving princesses, red-haired queens, and imperious stiff-necked advisors who did not know when to shut up.
It seemed to Ariel an eternity passed before anyone said anything, the seconds stretching out like hours. She was trying to make sense of what just happened. She watched the door, half expecting Lara to come back and explain herself, but half wishing she would go settle her temper like she said.
When she did not return, Grimsby took it upon himself to break the silence. "Why that…that…in all my years!" He brushed himself off, straightening out his jacket with a few sharp tugs. "I will not stand for this! I'm going to teach that girl some manners even if I have to throw her in the dungeon to do it!" He started towards the door.
"Let her go," said Ariel.
"What!?" exclaimed Attina. "Ariel!"
Grimsby spun in place, looking as flabbergasted as the others. "But your majesty! She cannot–!"
"Just let her go, Grimsby," said Ariel. "That's an order."
"Wait, that's it!?" sputtered Melody, unable to believe what she was hearing. "You're just letting her get away with that!?"
"I'm not letting Lara get away with anything," said Ariel. "But right now, she needs to calm down."
"You can't just let her walk out of here!" declared Melody. "Have the guards arrest her!"
Ariel gestured to the doors. "You want to try stopping her?"
Melody caught herself before she could utter another word. She did not need to answer that to know what Ariel was implying. If Lara was going to come back, she would do it on her own. Trying to force her, much less stop her, was not wise. Not against her strength and anger, not to mention she had a real sword now. She could likely bring down a whole platoon.
"No," answered Melody quietly.
Ariel sighed. So much for her hope of a quiet day with her sisters. "Your father and I will deal with Lara when she returns. And she won't be getting a slap on the wrist either. In the meantime, I think lunch will be ready soon, so let's put this behind and go eat. Melody, would you please show your aunts to the dining hall?"
Melody gave a dejected nod. "Yes, ma'am."
Ariel turned to her sisters. "I'll join you in a minute. Sebastian would you go with them please?" The crab nodded and scurried down Ariel's dress and up Melody's to perch on her shoulder. "Alana, Grimsby, come with me. We need to talk. Alone."
The advisor and mermaid princess looked at each other nervously as the others left for the dining hall. They fell in step behind Ariel as she led them out the doors and down the hall, heading the opposite direction of a track of sandy boot prints. No one said anything as she guided them to the second floor, save Alana's occasional cough from Lara's choking grip. Ariel was saving her words for when they reached their destination. Soon they were in front of a door to one of the many guest rooms the palace held. Ariel opened it and went in. Several servants were cleaning the room, dusting the furniture and changing out the sheets on the large canopy bed.
"Would you give us a few minutes, please?" asked Ariel politely. The servants bowed and hurried out of the room. "Grimsby, wait outside."
Grimsby nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him to leave Ariel and Alana alone. The queen took several breaths to organize her thoughts, hearing Alana fidget nervously. Twenty years ago, she would have exploded at her sister, much like her father did when he was upset. But age and motherhood brought wisdom and rationale. Shouting would solve nothing. There had been enough of that already.
"That was way out of line," Ariel said flatly.
"You're *cough* you're telling me!" said Alana as she rubbed her neck again. "Who does that brat think she is spouting off like that!? And then merman-handling me like some–?"
"I meant you," clarified Ariel sharply.
Alana looked as though she had been slapped. "Me!?"
Ariel frowned at her sister. "Yes, you!"
"Where you asleep back there?" exclaimed Alana. "She attacked me! And don't forget what she did to Grimsby!"
"Grimsby is not the one who dragged her mother into it! You are!" snapped Ariel, for once letting some of her anger show through.
Alana's cheeks flushed with her own anger. "That's what you brought me here for? Because of that? Instead of scolding me you should be sending your guards to arrest Lara! I'm with Melody on this! I can't believe you just let her walk out of here! If we were back home daddy would have her thrown in prison for a year just for talking like that!"
"This isn't Atlantica, and I'm not our father! No one's being arrested! No one's going to prison!"
Alana scowled at her. "You're going to side with that freak over your own family?"
"Enough!"
Ariel had never shouted at any of her sisters in anger before, but there was a first time for everything. Alana flinched, alarmed by the tone of Ariel's voice. She was giving off the same presence as their father when his temper broke.
"I'm sorry Lara threatened you, Alana! And I'm sorry she hurt you!" said Ariel, trying not to shout again. "But freak or not, you're the one that set her off! I don't care if she's human or mermaid or something else! There are things you just don't say to people, no matter who they are! You think your neck hurts? From where I was standing you hurt Lara a lot worse!"
"I didn't think she'd actually hear it!" said Alana.
"It doesn't matter if no one heard it! You know better than to drag someone's family through the mud, especially when you know nothing about them! How would you feel if Lara said something about dad? Or about mom?"
Any retort Alana had caught in her throat. Ariel's words bit deep and hard, and they hurt herself too. Even after more than thirty years, Queen Athena's death was a sore subject for all the daughters of Triton, and it never failed to sober their moods. But what truly made her words hit hard was that she knew Ariel was right. If anyone had insulted their mother, any of the seven sisters would have reacted the same way Lara did. Perhaps not with the same violence or strength, but the anger would have been equal.
Alana cast her eyes at the floor in shame, the fight taken out of her. "I'd be just as angry as she was. Probably more."
Ariel sighed. She hated to bring their mother into this, but it seemed the only way to get the point across to Alana. She walked over to her sister and took her hands. Alana looked up to meet her sister's eyes.
"I love you, Alana. We all do, and I promise that will never change. But you really hurt Lara, and that's not something I can turn a blind eye to. I'll admit she's not the most well-mannered or tactful human we've known…or normal one. And she shouldn't have handled you like she did. But it doesn't make what you said any better."
"I still want an apology," muttered Alana.
Ariel gave her a small smile, quickly looking her sister over. Lara's handprint was quickly fading, but there would be bruises where her fingers clamped down. The worst Lara did was frighten her. "You can apologize to each other."
At that moment Alana's stomach growled loudly. The princess blushed red as her sister's hair, earning an amused giggle from Ariel. "We can talk more about this later. Go join the others. I'll come as soon as I talk to Grimsby."
Alana nodded. The two shared a quick hug before Alana left the room, leaving the door open behind her.
"You can come in now, Grimsby," Ariel called to the hallway. Moments later he walked through the door, quietly closing it behind him. He walked over to stand before Ariel, shoes clicking against the floor with each step.
"You wished to speak with me, your highness?" he asked in his usual polite manner.
"Grimsby, I want you to be honest with me." Ariel folded her hands behind her back. "What do you think of Lara? Aside from what you've already shared this morning?"
"It's not my place to say, your highness," said Grimsby as he straightened his jacket. The twitch in his eyebrow told her he thought otherwise.
"Well, you can say it now," said Ariel. "And all of it. I insist."
"Very well." He cleared his throat. "If you'll pardon my frankness, your highness, Miss Anclagon has no place in this palace much less as Melody's protector. If I had my way, she would never have set foot in this kingdom in the first place."
Ariel arched her eyebrows in surprise. "That's a pretty strong thing to say about someone, Grimsby. Mind explaining?"
"Your majesty, there are certain things to be expected of any young woman regardless of their birth or occupation. Alana may have overstepped her boundaries when she spoke ill of the girl's mother. But for a woman of her age to run wild in such attire and to act in such an unrefined fashion does call the manner in which she was raised into question."
"In other words?"
"To put it simply, Miss Anclagon is the exact definition of everything a Seahaven woman should not be. I find myself wondering what sort of education, much less parenting she had to make her such an atrociously behaved individual. At this point I would say she is beyond proper instruction."
"But does Lara have to be a lady?" asked Ariel. "Her job is to be a guardian, not a maid or governess. If I had to choose between her skills and her manners, I would take her skills every time. We both saw what she can do."
"It's true the girl is unparalleled when it comes to combat," admitted Grimsby. "I doubt there's a man within a hundred miles of the Alliance that could hope to match her. And she did pass all of his majesty's tests. But if I had to make a comparison, she is much like that stallion she took to the mountains."
"What do you mean?"
Grimsby coughed to clear his throat. "Tempest's physical ability is without equal. He is a fine specimen of a horse physically. But in terms of personality he's so antagonistic he is not only unusable but outright dangerous to the rest of us. How Miss Anclagon tamed that animal I have no clue. As dearly as I wish for the princess to be safe, I believe that, much like that horse, Miss Anclagon's presence will soon become a burden rather than a blessing. She must either tame that vagrant character of hers or find somewhere else for it."
Ariel frowned. Regrettably, Grimsby had a point. Lara's skill with a sword and her fists made her an asset to Melody's safety, but her personality was causing friction throughout the palace. There were whispers among the staff, and not all were worth repeating. If Lara was anything like Ariel had been as a teenager she was not about to follow "de rules" because others expected her to. If that were the case Ariel would not have gotten into a tenth of the trouble she had growing up. Lara needed to at least temper her attitude a bit. There was nothing wrong with having some fire in her, but when it started burning people it was a problem.
How was she supposed to make Grimsby come around? The man was just as stubborn about rules and decorum as young Melody was about going against them. He almost drove himself ragged with Melody's lessons in etiquette, and Lara made Melody look about as rowdy as a nun. Clearly Lara was not going to make those impeccable–and rather impressive–manners she showed a staple of her behavior. But she needed to find a way to interact with people without coming across so brusquely.
Ariel looked out the window to the sea. She was sorely tempted to go swimming later to clear her head. She was curious to see if her ring would really do what Attina said. How odd it was that she found herself wanting to return to the place she traded her voice to leave.
"Is that what you thought of me when I first came here?" she asked Grimsby.
Her question caught the advisor completely off guard. "Your majesty?"
"Did you think I had no place here when Eric found me on the beach, or that I'd become a burden because I acted so strange?"
"Good graces no, your majesty!" exclaimed Grimsby.
"Even after learning I was a mermaid?" asked Ariel, a knowing smile on her lips.
"Of course not! Why would you ask such a thing?"
Ariel grinned as she sifted through the memories. "Because I seem to remember you weren't very impressed with me those first two days, or Eric's fascination with me. I gave you quite a headache. Walking out of the bath without even a towel on. Brushing my hair with a fork. Blowing your pipe in your face. Spitting out wine. Driving Eric's carriage like a…what was it you said again?"
Grimsby stared at the ceiling in mortified embarrassment. "I'm afraid I've forgotten."
"A dangerous madwoman, wasn't it?"
Grimsby grimaced. "…Yes, your majesty."
Ariel chuckled, remembering the look on Grimsby's face when Eric described the experience of allowing her to drive. It had not helped they were soaking wet from falling in the lagoon. "And yet Eric told me you advised him to consider me as a bride instead of chasing after his 'dreamgirl,' even though I had only been here for two days. Why was that?"
Grimsby shifted nervously, uncomfortable with being put on the spot so suddenly. "It was the effect you had on Eric, your highness. The staff and myself saw changes in him no other princess elicited. When he was around you, he smiled more. Laughed louder. Spoke easier. He was a happier and more sociable person. You put a spark in his eyes we had not seen in years. He took to you, and you'll pardon my expression, like a fish to water. And given how you've ruled over the people of this kingdom with such benevolence and virtue these last twenty years, I must say my initial impressions were…"
His voice trailed off as he realized where Ariel was going. "Ah, I see your point. Though I must say, my impressions are far more…extreme in Miss Anclagon's case. And unpleasant."
Ariel gave a relieved sigh, glad she had finally gotten something through to him. "Lara isn't so different from how I was. At least I grew up in a palace. But Lara didn't…at least, I don't think she did."
"I believe that is a most secure assumption," said Grimsby.
"Either way, she's a stranger in a strange land. I don't know what the place she came from is like, but we need to give her time to adjust. We can't expect her to fit in right from the start."
"Hopefully it will be a quick transition," said Grimsby, his tone suggesting he doubted it would be.
Ariel walked over and put a hand on Grimsby's shoulder, giving him an imploring smile. "Being part of our world doesn't mean she has to become just like us. As my mother used to say, there's room in the sea for you and me, and all the fishes in-between. Give Lara a chance, Grimsby. That's all I ask. She's different, but being different doesn't make her bad. I was different and still am, and now we're friends. It'll take time, but I think Lara will find her place here. For now, I want you to give her some space. If you have any more issues with her come to me first. She might be more willing to listen to me than you or Melody."
"Not to his majesty as well?" asked Grismby.
Ariel shook her head. "Eric has enough to deal with right now."
"Quite right, your highness." Grimsby drew himself up and nodded. "Very well then. I'll do my best to carry out your request."
Ariel smiled, giving him a grateful nod. "Thank you. Now, let's see about lunch."
"Carlotta, have you zeen–!?"
"Louis!"
"Yeow! Ow! Ow!"
The sound of a French chef in pain as a maid chastised him came from the hall. Grimsby hurriedly opened the door to reveal Carlotta and Louis standing outside. Carlotta had a hold of Louis' ear, causing him to dance about on his tiptoes. His hands were occupied by a steaming pot of what appeared to be an orange soup, the ladle clanging against the sides as he fought to keep its contents from sloshing out.
"Yow-ow-ow! Carlotta, if you keep doing zat eez going to come off!"
"If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times!" Carlotta said indignantly. "If I ever catch you chasing after that crab in here again–!"
"Zere eez no crab!" Louis said, desperately trying to maneuver to lessen the twisting of his ear. "I zwear! I'm zearching for–!"
"Louis? Carlotta? What's going on?" asked Ariel as she stepped out
The two stopped their antics at Ariel's voice. Carlotta quickly let go of Louis and curtsied to her. Louis swept his hat off with his free hand, very nearly spilling his soup in the process before snatching the handle.
"Your Majesty, 'ave you zeen mademoiselle Lara recently?" asked Louis, almost spilling the soup again when he tried to put his hat back on.
"What has that–?" Grimsby stopped when he caught the look Ariel gave him. "I mean, what do you need Miss Anclagon for?"
"She hasn't caused any trouble for you, has she?" asked Ariel.
"Oh contraire!" exclaimed Louis. "I wanted to zank her for running through mon kitchen!"
Grimsby's expression was one of such utter confusion that Ariel had to cover her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. "Erm…you want to what?"
"I want to zank her! If she 'ad not chased zat crustac'eon through mon kitchen I would never 'ave figured out ze missing ingredient for mon soup!"
"How did her chasing Sebastian help you make soup?" asked Ariel.
"It was se incroyable, mon reine!" exclaimed Louis excitedly. "I'd been een ze kitchen all morning trying to make a new zoup! I was 'aving no luck when Lara came charging in after ze crab! In ze scuffle she knocked a vial of chili powder into ze pot and…oh, I cannot describe eet! Try! You must try!" He thrust the pot out, indicating that she definitely should.
Hesitantly Ariel scooped out a ladle of the concoction. As much as she adored Louis' dishes, she had reservations about this particular one. It smelled hot, and not in terms of temperature alone. She brought it to her lips and gently sipped.
The first thing Ariel thought was that her mouth had caught on fire. The seasoning was so spicy it was almost painful. It burned her mouth so badly she wanted to spit it out, but not wanting to offend Louis she quickly swallowed.
What followed next was unlike anything Ariel had experienced before. Instantly she felt warmth seep into her body as though she had been lowered into a hot bath. She felt warm and cozy, like a big blanket had been wrapped around her. The fire in her mouth quickly dissipated to a soft heat that radiated down her spine to the tips of her toes, making her feel tingly and light.
"Well?" asked Louis expectantly. "What do you zink?"
Ariel looked at the soup in amazement. "It's…good! It has a bite to it, but other than that it's delicious!" She offered the ladle to Grimsby, who arched a disbelieving eyebrow as he eyed the soup.
"And it turned out like this because of Lara?" he asked before taking a sip.
Louis nodded enthusiastically as Grimsby's face reflected the shockingly pleasant burning experience Ariel just had. "Oui! I never would 'ave zought to add chili powder to eet! Or zat much!"
"I say! That is actually quite good if I do say so myself!" exclaimed Grimsby. "Though I see what you mean about the kick, your majesty. Hoo-my!"
"Louis, would you mind serving this for lunch?" asked Ariel. "I think Melody and my sisters would enjoy it."
Truth be told, Ariel also had a mischievous desire to see their faces when they tried it for the first time.
To Louis there was no greater joy than knowing the king and queen approved of his food. He looked so happy he might cry. "Of course, mon reine! I'll have eet prepared immédiatement!"
He raced back towards the kitchens, Carlotta chasing after him as she shouted for him to slow down before he made a huge mess.
"Grimsby, would you mind going with him?" asked Ariel. "I think Sebastian would appreciate having someone to keep Louis in check."
"I imagine he would, your highness. If you'll excuse me." Grimsby bowed and walked after Louis, the echoes of his footsteps quickly fading away.
Ariel let her mind drift as she leisurely walked to the dining hall. Things were not off to a great start by any means. Between chasing Sebastian, Grimsby and Alana's barbed words, and Lara's explosive anger, the situation with their newest addition to the palace was not going to be an easy fix. Especially not with Melody and Grimsby's aversion to having Lara around at all.
As much as Ariel wished for Lara's integration to go smoothly, she knew not everyone was going to welcome the young woman with open arms. Some never would. Not everyone was as open-minded as she was about this, and there were those with even more conservative standards that Grimsby. If her instincts were right, Lara was going to need help patching things over with Grimsby and Alana. As for Lara and Melody, their relationship was going to be another issue entirely. One she was not sure how to fix. But if Lara was anything like Ariel was at her age, eventually she would find friends here as well. She hoped she could be one of them.
The other thought she then drifted to was how Lara could hear Sebastian. It should not be possible. Only merfolk and other sea folk were capable of conversing with and understanding sea creatures. Melody could thanks to that fraction of mermaid she inherited from Ariel, even though she was fully human. The reason Eric could understand Sebastian or any of the fish folk was thanks to a little trident magic. But how could a "normal" human do what only merpeople were supposed to? She strongly doubted Lara was a mermaid-turned-human or descended from one. Melody was the first and only mermaid-human child to exist, though there was no way to prove that and Ariel was now technically a human. Did that mean Lara had been born with this ability? Or had she acquired it somehow?
For some reason, the raven's words came back to her.
"You will find she is not as indomitable as she appears. She is haunted by her sins. Some justifiable, perhaps, but sins nonetheless."
Ariel chewed her lip worriedly. Perhaps Eric was right to send those men. There were so many questions surrounding Lara. They needed some answers to go on. But given what just happened in the ballroom, Ariel felt anything the investigation found would not be pleasant. That, and Lara bore more scars than the one on her face.
Ursula loomed over her cauldron, counting out squid beaks into the bubbling blue concoction that roiled within. Like Morgana, her quarters were near identical to her former home in the leviathan's skeleton save the extra bits of steel at the door and in certain places. And like her sister she was still under orders to remain there until the Master said otherwise.
Unlike Morgana, however, Ursula had been given permission to use her magic again. She was limited only to what was needed to continue her research, but it gave her something to do other than sit around and brood. It was a welcome reprieve from boredom. She spoke out loud as she added ingredients one after the other, the potion turning progressively more purple and sinister with each addition.
"Scale of lamprey. Eye of frog. Tooth of carnivorous polliwog." She tossed the last ingredient in, turning the potion an abrupt green. "Blood worms picked on a moonless night. Fins of a fish that died of—."
"Fright."
Ursula jumped at the Master's voice, forgetting about the potion as she spilled a ruining amount of dried fish fins into the mix. She saw her enchanted bubble rise off its pedestal and float across the room to hover in front of her. A black shadow grew inside until it filled the bubble, transforming it into a midnight black sphere. Two blue pinpricks of light appeared within, staring out at her from the darkness like a pair of malevolent stars in the night sky.
"M-M-Master!" stammered Ursula anxiously. "What a surprise to hear from y-you, sir!"
"Spare me your sycophancy," said the Master coldly. "What is your progress? I want results this time."
"Progress…" Ursula bit her lip, wishing she had better news than the truth. "Yes, progress. About that. I've hit a small…snag."
A dark aura appeared around the orb. The shadows of the lair elongated towards Ursula, as though drawn to her mounting fear. Ursula swore she saw things moving inside the pitch.
"And what would this snag be?" asked the Master menacingly.
"Snag!? Did I say snag!?" Ursula quickly said, watching the shadows grow ever closer. "I meant a temporary inconvenience! A very minor setback!"
The shadows halted. "Explain."
Ursula allowed herself a moment of relief. "Well, it's the prisoners. There are issues with them."
"You have more than enough to find a solution," said the Master as the shadows began to creep again. "Or have you been wasting my patience?"
"It's not quantity that's the issue!" said Ursula, her tentacles slithering nervously. "It's quality! I can complete the transformations, yes! But keeping them alive through the process is another matter! They're all so weak they either die halfway through or a few hours later! The change rips them apart!"
She motioned to the wall behind her. Five sets of manacles and chains were bolted into the wall. Large scratches marked the surrounding stone, as though claws and teeth had raked the walls in their last moments of fitful agony. "Rather violently, too."
The eyes within the ball narrowed at Ursula. "You want stronger materials. Is that it?"
The witch wrung her hands, a sheepish pleading smile involuntarily pulling her lips. "Just a suggestion. It would help my–I mean, your army along considerably…sir."
The shadows halted again. Ursula held her breath as she watched the orb, waiting to see what the Master intended for her.
"I see," he said finally. The shadows retreated back to their corners and crevices as the dark aura lifted off the orb. "Very well. I shall provide you with healthier subjects. But the next time I inquire, you would be wise not to disappoint me."
Ursula released her breath as a relieved sigh. "I'm close, Master. Very close, I swear! A few more weeks and I can have your army ready in two shakes of a tentacle."
The blue eyes narrowed again. "I will hold you to that, sea witch. Otherwise, I'll let Remora mettle out your punishment again."
Ursula's breath hitched fearfully. The only thing worse than being punished by the Master was being punished by Remora. The Master was a professional when it came to torture, but Remora had it down to an art form. More than a few times Ursula had been ill when she saw the remains of Remora's victims. She did not know what sort of punishment that human would craft for her if she failed, but it would likely result in her leaving with fewer parts than she went in with.
"Now then," said the Master. "There is a reason I contacted you. I have a new plan, and one you will put your efforts towards."
Ursula arched an eyebrow. "A plan? But what about–?"
"It can wait," said the Master flatly. "Your 'materials' won't be going anywhere. Tell me, what's the status of our newest recruit?"
"Richard?" asked Ursula, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since–."
"Not that one," interrupted the Master again. "The other one. The one Riptide dragged out of that canyon."
A momentary confusion took Ursula before she realized what the Master was referring to. A nefarious smile spread across her face, the fear slipping away. That was something she could give good news on.
"Ah, that one!" Ursula chuckled as only she could. "It gave me a bit of trouble at first. Quite the rambunctious beastie when you brought it here. Wasn't very pleased about being captured by Riptide either. It almost broke its cage, but I have it under sedation for now."
"Will it obey?" asked the Master.
Ursula nodded. "I can assure you there won't be any problems. I'll break it just like the others. If you don't mind my asking, sir…what do you want with it?"
"I'm sending it to Seahaven."
Ursula perked up immediately. Seahaven meant Eric and Ariel. The heat of revenge began flowing through her veins. "To Seahaven? You don't say!"
"You have till Remora and Richard return," said the Master, the darkness starting to fade from the bubble. "That should give you a week."
Ursula shook her head. "A week? Don't be ridiculous."
The dark aura returned to the bubble. "What was that, witch?"
"Master, you insult me! To think you have such low expectations of me!" She swam over to a shelf lined with vials and grabbed a small cylindrical bottle filled with a red liquid. "I'll have it ready in three days! And for some extra bite, I recommend adding this."
"Tears of Ares," said the Master, recognizing the brew
"A little something I stashed in my old home." Ursula held the bottle up and swirled the contents, causing it to glow softly. "Very potent stuff, and difficult to make. Volatile as well. I've been saving it for just this sort of occasion. Add this to the mix and it will be unstoppable."
The Master's shadow began to fade from the bubble. "Then make it so. Do not disappoint me again."
Ursula grinned maniacally. "I wouldn't dream of it."
A/N: Had some inquiries about everyone's age in this story. It took a while, given the only real age ever stated in the movie is Ariel's (quote: "I'm sixteen years old! I'm not a child!). We do know the main events of the 2nd movie took place 12 years after Morgana attacked. The 3rd movie did provide some clarity on the order of age for her sisters, with Attina being the eldest. And I set this story 7 years after the wall came down. So I did some math and took a few assumptions from the films:
1) Eric was eighteen when he met Ariel
2) Ariel was at least eighteen when she had Melody
3) Melody was a newborn when Morgana first appeared
4) Triton was at least in his early twenties when Attina was born
5) Triton and Athena's daughters were born at least 1 year apart
Plug the numbers into the calculator…add the one…*insert random computer noises and 90's dial-up internet sound, and bits of construction and a car horn and a yelping cat for some reason* Okay! So here's the age chart, oldest to youngest!
Triton-66
Attina-43
Alana-42
Adella-41
Aquata-40
Arista-39
Eric-39
Andrina-38
Ariel-37
Richard-25
Sarah-23
Melody-19
Lara-?
The Raven/Demon-?
Ursula-?
Morgana-?
Remora-?
Riptide-?
The Master-?
Lara: "Wait, wait, wait! Why are there question marks by my name?"
Uh…no reason.
Lara: "…what are you planning?"
Ah-ah-ah! No spoilers! And stop breaking the 4th wall, Lara!
*Lara fake yawns and punches hole in wall* "Oops! My hand slipped!"
You did that on purpose!
Lara: "No! Really!?"
…see you next chapter, everyone. If you like the story so far, please favorite, follow, and/or tell your friends! Now I'm gonna go get some plaster…
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. I do not own the listed song(s). Everything else, however, is mine =)
