The hideous wailing from the blackness beyond the stars wavered and slowly died off.
The groans of the Tirulians could be heard now as they recovered, weeping and bleeding.
“And why do I need you to surrender?” the cecaelia asked languidly. “I have everything I want now. Land, sea, power, a bit of a show, blood…What could I possibly want you for?”
“Please,” Ariel begged. “I know you want revenge on me and my father. But leave the humans out of it. They have never done anything to you.”
“La sirenetta?” someone whispered in wonder.
“Is she a mermaid?” another Tirulian asked, slowly straightening herself out, wiping the blood off her face.
“Wait, is the octopus-woman a mermaid, too?”
“Is that the mermaid from the opera?”
“She’s beautiful…”
“Ursula, I know this isn’t what you really want,” Ariel hazarded. “What you really want is to rule Atlantica, to show all the merfolk what you do to those who treat you badly. You want to to reign over and enslave the people who know who you really are. These humans have no idea!” She waved her arms at the crowd. “They have no concept of what happened to you a hundred years ago. Your triumph over the Dry World is meaningless, because they don’t even know who Ursula is. Everyone under the sea does.”
“Don’t tell me what I want!” Ursula snapped.
But she looked uncertain.
“Don’t tell me you actually like it here,” Ariel pressed. “It’s so dry and everything is so heavy and things fall and people live such short, ugly lives…”
“My feet were killing me,” Ursula admitted.
“Think about what you’re doing. Think about the forces you are calling on. Do you really want to summon the Elder Gods if you don’t have to? You know as well as I do that they don’t always follow mortal rules or deals,” Ariel said.
The sea witch was definitely looking unsure now. Ariel had to reel her in and finish it quickly.
“All right, so maybe just ruling Atlantica isn’t really what you wanted,” she said while she still had the moment. “But here.”
She took the comb out of her hair. It sparkled in the sunlight, far more clear and detailed than something that small should have appeared. It shimmered and melted and transformed into a mighty golden trident, flashing brilliantly.
The crowd gasped; even Eric caught his breath at the magic and beauty.
Ursula’s eyes grew big at the sight, utterly entranced.
“Just…let the people of Tirulia go. You can have Atlantica, and me…”
“And your father?” Ursula demanded.
Ariel swallowed.
The whole reason for her being here…Her one constant desire for the last five years…
Would she trade his ancient life for a town of humans? Some of whom killed her fish…and one of whom loved her?
Ariel nodded. Once.
“Ariel, no!” Sebastian howled.
Ursula cackled with glee.
“All right, then! I can always try the circuex another time. I’ll still have Triton! Come on down, pretty little mermaid! You’ve got yourself a deal!”
The Tirulians stumbled out of Ariel’s way as she approached the dais and climbed up onto it.
“Ariel,” Eric whispered. “Thank you. For my people. I am…so sorry.”
She didn’t say anything.
Flounder leapt up onto the rim of the fountain.
“Goodbye, old friend,” she murmured, going over to give him a kiss.
“Ariel, don’t,” he begged.
“I’m sorry, Flounder.” She stroked his fin. “But one thing you learn as a queen is…to never trust the word of a sea witch!”
And with that she let her hand fall into the salty water of the fountain…
…and with her other hand, she shot a bolt at Ursula’s heart.
It took a moment for him to grasp what happened.
Just a moment before, the love of his life had surrendered herself, her kingdom, and her father to the evil sea witch to save his people, and was saying a sad goodbye to her fish friend.
Then, suddenly, her eyes were blazing as she hurled bolts of magic at Ursula.
The sea witch reacted surprisingly quickly; her tentacles shot up all around her torso, protecting it. Ariel’s aim might not have been perfect, but it was enough to singe the side of Ursula’s face and char a streak across two of her appendages.
“Ha! Ariel!” Eric shouted in joy. Was there anything she couldn’t do?