Ursula cringed as the mermaid continued to cry, her face and hair a mess.
"YOU MONSTERS! YOU FREAKS. YOU ABOMINATIONS!" She screamed, hugging the dead little baby mer in her shaking arms.
"I suppose that one's my fault...", Ursula mused.
The mermaid looked up at Ursula with bloodshot eyes.
"What did you do to her?", she whispered.
"What?", Ursula said absently.
The mermaid's head snapped up with furor, and she screamed,
"I SAID WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY GIRL YOU PIECE OF FILTH!"
"Ohh. Well that's an easy one. I put your little sleeping princess to sleep with a powder I made. I guess your filth- I mean, baby was too weak to handle it. Makes me wonder how the other four are doing.", Ursula said casually, shrugging and trying to dispose of an eyelash caught in her eye.
The mermaid froze. She stared at a wall. Her pale face was sickly green and gave off a peculiar odor.
She sobbed quietly.
"If it makes you feel any better, she felt no pain. Well, maybe except when I accidentally hit the bag against a ridiculous orange counter."
Kill her.
The mermaid's glazed pupils looked up to find nothing.
No one is looking.
No one would know.
The mermaid felt the hair on the back of her neck perk up.
Avenge your poor sweetheart.
Yes yes, your poor baby- didn't deserve it, right?
"That's right...", the mermaid muttered.
So what are you waiting for?
You could save so many others from your baby's fate....
"You're right... but how do I kill her? There is nothing!", the mermaid said softly.
That knife next to you!
Yes yes! Take it and stab her neck!
The dazed mermaid wasted no time as to wonder why there was a knife in her reach. She picked up the knife, and with a trembling hand gripped it tightly. She whirled around and cried,
"FOR ATLANTICA!"
Ursula turned around and grabbed her wrist, twisting it and driving it straight into the mermaid's heart. Ursula chuckled in amusement as she heard her two minions' voices giggling in their raspy voices.
Silly eels...
Ursula slid the knife off the mermaid's heart, wiping it against her tail. She slung the limp mermaid over her shoulder, satisfied now that her eye had no lash in it. Ursula trudged over to the door, getting ready to dispose of the two bodies.
"Where are you taking them?"
Ursula turned around to find a little boy with tears in his eyes.
"Why, back to the kingdom, dearest! They fell asleep and I will be escorting them to their carriage. Would you like to say goodbye?"
The little mer nodded and hugged the dead mermaid and gave the baby mer a kiss on her pale cheek.
"Can I go with them?", the little boy asked excitedly.
Ursula smiled.
"Soon. Maybe one of these days. But don't you worry dear, you'll join them eventually."
Ursula grinned sinisterly as she turned around and left the little boy to himself in the dungeon.
As Ursula came near the entrance again, a tall merman asked tiredly with sadness,
"Where are you really taking them."
"To a wagon where where we will put their bodies near your territory so that they may rest with the rest of their kind." Ursula said calmly.
The merman glared at her with disgust, but said nothing. Ursula kept on going, and at last reached the entrance.
This little fish died. What about the other two I left behind in the nursery? They are probably still asleep. If it knocked me out for three days, or perhaps one or two because, well, that was a big grand mal seizure and bomb. That baby barely lasted two days. The blasted mer kept her hidden and stunk up the whole place. They will most likely wake up today or tomorrow.
As Ursula swam back to the empire, she couldn't help but notice the approaching shadow. It seemed somewhat familiar. Ursula heard a grunt, then the shadow sped up opposite of the direction she was headed. She drew her dagger, narrowing her eyes and sticking to where the shadow's owner couldn't see her. The owner suddenly tripped and fell over several of the weapons he was holding. Ursula burst out laughing, trying her best not to snort.
"Get a bag next time!"
Eli looked up, and grinned as he saw Ursula observing him.
"Hey there. About yesterday, I wanted to tell you that as charming as I am, I understand that you don't-"
Ursula waved him off, saying flatly,
"I don't love you back. Yeah, you're going to have to wait longer than Tartarus burning over for us to be together."
Eli stared at her, a stunned, slightly hurt look in his eyes. Then they hardened. He flipped his helmet back on.
"I'll go get that bag now, your highness. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Eli picked up the weapons in one sweep, not meeting Ursula's gaze. He was about to continue, when Ursula grabbed his arm and flipped up his helmet, then pushed him away from her.
"Don't be like that. I was just kidding. Mostly. Tartarus is decades from burning over, but so are our lives. You never know. But for right now, stay away from me. I don't need to fall for your charms."
Ursula pulled him to the side and whispered,
"My mother is every where. She would use you against me and make me look weak. She would also torture you, and Atlantia needs good guards. For what it's worth, don't talk to me about your feelings. You will only get hurt and so will the Dark Empire's reputation. I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. You are my friend and I don't need you getting hurt then looking for sympathy." Ursula let go of Eli's arm, which she had been gripping tightly on accident. She turned around and continued to her room, blocking every thought from her brain and focusing on the room she would clean when she arrived.
Eli stood in the same place, cheeks red with a confused look to his face.
Of all people, why Ursula?! But one day it could happen. She cares and doesn't want me to get hurt or ruin the Empire, or to deal with her mother. I'll wait.
Eli flipped his helmet down again, and continued to the workshop to fix the weapons.