Unfortunate Souls

Ursula held back as she watched the other mermaids flock to the coral meeting area. Hidden from view, she observed them from afar and their animated chatter made jealousy flame in her heart. Disliked, unwanted, discarded - that was Ursula. She had never done anything to incite their hatred, except exist. She was different, and the majority didn’t like difference. It made them uncomfortable. And when mermaids were uncomfortable, they became mean, nasty, cruel.

Her eyes darted to her black scales and she sighed deeply.

If only…

“Hey, Stain, whatcha doing?”

The nasal voice disrupted Ursula’s musings and she realised with dismay that she had been discovered. Again.

“N-nothing,” she stuttered, pressing her back against the rock formation she’d been hiding behind.

The three mermaids that now surrounded her were her opposites in every way. Their long limbs were golden and gleaming in the sun that found its way to their part of the ocean. Their long flowing locks glistened in a variety of bright colours and their eyes sparkled. They were slender and beautiful. And most of all, their tails shone in jewelled tones of Emerald and Sapphire, or glistened with the iridescence of Turquoise and Jade.

“Were you spying on us again, Stain?” the redhead, Alexis, asked, her blue eyes glinting with menace.

“Yeah, she was stalking us again,” the blonde, Maris, stated, inspecting her nails. “Not cool, Stain. We told you last time you aren’t invited to our meets.”

“No, I know,” Ursula began, her fingers flying to her necklace out of habit and twisting it nervously. “I just… Well, I just wanted to…”

The three of them twittered with laughter before the pretty one with the pink hair, Loriel, swam closer a few inches and reached out to prod Ursula’s shoulder.

“You want to be one of us, is that right, Stain?”

Ursula swallowed back a retort that she’d rather spend eternity as a worm in a Kraken’s asshole and simply nodded mutely. After all, it was better than admitting her envy to them. She didn’t follow them because she wanted to be their friend, she just liked to fantasise about what it would be like to be normal.

“Well,” Loriel said smugly. “Perhaps this once you can.”

The other girls frowned but when Loriel winked at them, their faces turned to glee. Ursula had that sinking feeling you get when you know something really bad is about to happen. She’d had it enough times to recognise the hollow expanse that filled her stomach.

“I can?” she said tentatively, playing the game they were champions at winning and she was sure to lose. But she couldn’t resist. All she needed was one chance to get in with them and she could wave goodbye to her isolation.

“Sure,” Loriel said, “all you have to do is one little favour for me.”

Ursula had expected the favour to be something disgusting. Her bullies had in the past come up with creative ways to punish her for looking at them or following them or, you know, existing. But today, she was pleasantly surprised. She would be allowed to join the meet up and even take part in their group swim if she did just one thing.

Enter the palace secretly and borrow the trident in the throne room. Simple.

Ursula knew there were various tridents owned by the royal family - most of them imbued with magical powers. But the one in the throne room was purely decorative and no one would even be keeping guard over it. All she had to do was find a way in.

Pretty easy when you were used to being invisible.

Even easier when you had a little help being invisible.

She swam eagerly to the rear entrance to the palace and waited behind some anemones that afforded her a little privacy. Most merfolk would deliberately steer clear of the stinging plant but Ursula wasn’t most merfolk and the irritating bite of the flesh of the plant didn’t bother her in the slightest.

She twisted her necklace in one hand and brought it close to her lips, murmuring words of encouragement to bring forth her magic. Within seconds, the enchanted nautilus shell pendant began to emit a golden glow and Ursula focused her will on what she wanted.

Had anyone been watching, they would’ve seen the young mermaid disappear from sight, her corporeal form becoming more translucent until finally, nothing appeared to remain.

With a deep breath for courage, Ursula swam right up to the entrance and slipped past the guards deep in conversation.

Though she wasn’t overly familiar with the palace, Ursula had visited during large celebrations and she was able to find the throne room quickly. Her magic kept her from being seen and none of the mermaids or merman she came across gave her even a glance, their eyes missing the small ripples she created as she swam past effortlessly.

The large cavern was silent in its emptiness. There was a long algae covered walkway that led to the large golden throne of their king, Poseidon, in the centre of the cavern and the rock walls had been carved to create seating areas for attendees. It was an impressive space, glistening with the light afforded through the millions of tiny holes created in the rock ceiling as well as the various octocorals that decorated the room emitting their strange but beautiful glow.

Ursula swam quickly, speeding through the water and causing ripples to fly outward as she approached the throne. She was reaching for the trident that was displayed above the throne when she realised she wasn’t alone. Sitting just behind the carved seat, hidden from her sight until that moment, was someone with a head of thick, dark hair.

Ursula panicked and fear made her clumsy. Though she grasped for it, the trident fell from her hands and sank to the golden throne where it landed with a clanging thud. In her panic, Ursula lost control of her magic and felt her visibility returning as the head of dark hair swam from their seated position to face her. Deep blue eyes the colour of the pacific under a storm penetrated her, freezing her to the spot before she could escape. She blinked up at the merman as he rose to his full height, dwarfing her and crossing muscular arms over an equally muscular chest.

Her eyes widened as understanding set in and she recognised the tattoo on his right forearm. The trident. The mark of the ruler of the sea. The leader of Atlantica.

Prince Triton.

“And who the hell are you?”

Fuck.