"I can't wait until this day is over, so we can get rid of you.", Ursula scowled in annoyance as Eli ate his five crabs sloppily.
In response, Eli let out what he considered to be a glorious burp.
Morgana laughed when Ursula's face changed, her nose wrinkling and her whole face becoming scrunched up.
"Alright, that is enough. You have had plenty of time to finish your meal, Eli. Lunch break is over. We will learn about healing potions today; this is a very important lesson, and I need you two to be focused," Atlantia said evenly, looking at her two nieces with expectant eyes.
" and you can't be focused if Eli is disturbing you. "
"And you wonder why you always get put to guard outside." Ursula smirked under her breath.
Atlantia turned to glare at Ursula.
" Enough. Morgana, go to the room and start mixing the sand under boiling water. Eli, guard outside, and Nok, guard outside the door. Should anything happen, let me know immediately." She looked back at Ursula and said,
" Ursula. Come with me. "
Atlantia turned once again and swam out of the lunch room past Ursula.
***
After a few minutes, Ursula wondered out loud, slightly impatient and annoyed of the continuos silence,
" Where are we going? "
Atlantia said nothing and first, but then finally said,
" Ursula. I've noticed that you did not take breakfast today, or lunch. You must surely be aware that to be focused and fully alert, you have to have a full stomach. "
Ursula was silent.
"When I was younger," Atlantia continued,
" I was also thick. I stopped eating for several days, and when my mother found out, she told me that because I was doing this I was already weaker. I only understood what she meant when she hit me. She said that to prove her wrong I had to last 7 of the 10 hours I was used to. I only lasted 2."
" Why?" asked Ursula, curious despite herself.
" This had been going on for several days. I had been sleeping late because of all the work I had not finished due to how tired and weak I was. I had been fainting several times. My body couldn't take it, and I passed out. When I woke up I was in my bed, and Orluiowa said I had blacked out for 2 days. I was very weak, and could not keep anything down. From then on, I exercised, but ate as much as I wanted."
"But you still got thin when you didn't eat, right?" Ursula asked.
"Yes. But that thinness was what brought me down, then helped me back up. I suggest you to simply go up. " Atlantia looked at Ursula with serious, expressionless eyes.
Ursula understood what she meant. To skip the beating her aunt had received, she would simply exercise and not starve herself to look how she wanted to.
"Could I go eat now? " Ursula asked hopefully.
"No. You made your choice this morning and at lunch, and you have things to do. I suggest you do better tonight before it is time to rest, and tomorrow as well." Atlantia said coldly.
And so Ursula returned back to the room, wondering whether her aunt had heard a siren, and if that was why she switched between moods so frequently, or if her aunt was really that complicated.
She began boiling and mixing her own sand, catching up to Morgana easily because of how hot she made the water.
Atlantia returned to the room after a moment, and went on to teach them about the importance of knowing how to heal what was damaged, as it could come to an advantage if possibly injured at war.
Eli crept up behind Ursula as she relished a delicious bite of the same kind of crab she had freed the night before.
Eli screamed,
" BOO!"
In her ear, annoying Ursula more than scaring her.
" Go away." Ursula snapped.
" You will miss me when I'm gone." Eli scoffed.
"Sure I'll miss you tapping on my window and your loud chewing." Ursula muttered.
" Don't be like that." Morgana whispered, sliding next to Ursula.
" He will probably miss you and is upset you say you won't miss him back."
"What are you saying?"
Asked Ursula, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
" I was thinking that Eli maybe..."
Morgana began, but then trailed off when she saw Ursula's face turn purple.
She coughed wildly, until Eli hit her back so hard, a hard claw popped out of her throat.
" Are you ok? " Eli asked Ursula.
"BOO!"
Ursula spat, red-faced, then shot an annoyed, withering glare at Morgana full of contempt. She stormed off into their bedroom, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
" What did you tell her?" Asked Eli, looking utterly terrified and confused.
" Nothing. " Morgana said simply.
" Goodnight, Eli and Nok. See you guys around."
Morgana turned and headed to her bedroom, not hearing their responses.
***
Ursula continued to glare at Morgana.
"WHAT? "
Morgana finally blurted, exasperated.
" How could you suggest that? That's just...no! I could never-"
Ursula was interrupted by the oh-so familiar tapping of glass, which she swept open to reveal Eli winking at her, his eyes crinkling with a grin. Ursula turned around and cringed.
" You are so dramatic. It's been like half an hour, and you have still been murdering me with your eyes. "
"Well, it was unexpected! I had never even considered that. Besides, I-" Ursul stopped abruptly, then looked at Morgana for a moment, unshared words passing through each other.
I am still too ugly.
Of course, Morgana understood.
The stared at each other in hard, betraying silence, their fears and insecurities at the tip of their tongues. But they both knew that confiding in one another was dangerous. Becoming too close would only cause more harm and break you more if a tragedy should ever happen. Their trust would be used against each other. It was best to stay distant.
"I'm going to sleep." Morgana announced. She turned around and made no sound under her covers, remaining awake with enough thoughts to hear Ursula finish through her first hours of pushups.
***
Ursula pumped all her energy into every push up, sweeping the curtain to cover Eli's grinning face, which was mouthing, You got this!
***
Eli turned around, his offended face shielded by a bone mask he wore to guard against outside dangers.
What a hothead.
Eli's thoughts drifted elsewhere, from training to food, to how embarrassed Ursula looked when he asked her if she was ok, then to the barely-visible stars which shone from the sky, rare and only seen on a calm night.
They're beautiful.