Writing Camp - Celia Octon

Week 2 Chapter 5

Ariel cries alone in her room that night. Ursula wonders why she still hasn't heard from Poseidon yet. The next day, she gets up just before dawn to go to the ocean. She puts her anklet into the waters again and this time she finally sees Poseidon. He tells her that he has already sent his men up to look for them. Ursula informs Poseidon of the turn of events. Then she goes back to the palace. She uses the previous night's event to try to convince Ariel to  go back into the ocean. Contrary to her belief, Ariel is even more determined to stay on land.

Days later and there is still no signs of Poseidon's men coming to take Ariel back. Ursula starts to realise that Poseidon's reach is limited in the surface world. Prince Erwin has been bothering Ariel, asking about her mermaid origins while prince Eric is often occupied with political affairs and rarely spares her a glance. Ariel tries to garner the queen's favour by joining her in her daily affairs. Ursula, on the other hand, starts to learn how to read with the help of the palace's librarian.

*Ursula's goal: go back to her home in the ocean where she if more familiar with her surroundings

*Ariel's goal: stay on land and marry Eric so that she can choose her own fate.

Scene 1: Ariel's chamber

It was not an easy feat for Ursula to take Ariel back to her chamber. For starters, it has only been a few days since she grew a pair of legs and started walking on land. Ariel's additional weight offered no help either.

Once she settled Ariel on her bed, Ursula returned to her own room. Her hope for returning home is even stronger after seeing Ariel's breakdown. Now with a more solid plan, she goes to bed early so that she can wake up early and try to contact Poseidon.

Scene 2: At the beach

Ursula wakes up just before sunrise. She slips out of the palace walls while it is still dark and makes her way to the beach again. Once she gets there, she uses her anklet to try and contact Poseidon again.This time it works. The particles of light that form from the anklet reacting with the sea water gathers and forms his angry visage.

"Why did you not answer me when I called you?" he speaks immediately.

"Forgive me, your majesty, as there were urgent matters that had to be dealt with consecutively."

"Well, what do you have to report this time?"

"Yes, sir. Due to the events that unfolded during yesterday's royal Dinner, her highness, Princess Ariel may be more willing to return to the ocean."

"And what are these 'events'?"

Ursula enthusiastically explains everything to Poseidon as he hums in satisfaction.

"Excellent. She must come back home. The surface is no place for a daughter of mine," says Poseidon. "I have sent my most trusted men to the surface. They will assist in turning you back into your original forms."

Ursula accepts her order, but its detail worries her. Should they be successful in capturing Ariel, she too would have her form restored. It might have been chaos that spared her last time, but if she were to return to Atlantis in her true form, Ursula fears that her luck might just run out. Nevertheless, she follows her instructions and decide to cross that bridge when she gets to it.

Scene 3: Ariel's chamber

Ursula returns to the castle just in time for the royals' morning routine. She helps Ariel get ready just as she had been doing for the past few days. While brushing Ariel's hair, Ursula seizes the opportunity to talk to her.

"It has been a rough few days, hasn't it, your highness?" she says.

Ariel nods tiredly.

"It has only been a few days since you first met me. Do you remember that?"

Ariel smiles at Ursula's reflection in the mirror.

"You were bursting with excitement about the wonders of the surface world, and I had a lot to show you too."

A dreamy expression appears on Ariel's face as she reminisces about her curiosity and enthusiasm about the human world.

"In fact, there were even rarer treasures that I had kept hidden. It really is such a shame that I couldn't show them to you. Some of them are so old that I don't know how much longer they will last."

Ariel's expression turns regretful.

"But I'm sure my sharks are doing their best to guard them," says Ursula. "Actually, if we return at this moment, I might be able to show them to you. What do you think, ma'am?"

Ariel looks doubtful.

"I do admire your bravery in wanting to marry someone from a world so different from yours, your highness. But love comes and goes. My treasures only exist once. You might never be able to see them again."

Ariel is still unsure.

"We are currently in a foreign place with nowhere to go to. No one here wants to side with us, your highness. In fact, I heard a minister suggesting that the king takes you as his mistress. Can you believe that? If this was Atlantis, that minister would have already lost his head!"

Ariel's face turns grim. Ursula worries.

"Your highness?" says Ursula.

Ariel snaps out of her daze. She smiles at Ursula, and grabs the hairbrush from her hand. After placing it on the dressing table, she gets up from her seat. She urges Ursula to follow her out of the chamber. Ursula realises that she is going to visit the queen.

"I'm glad that your highness has finally realised where your heart lies," says Ursula, thinking that Ariel was going to inform the queen about her departure.

However, she soon finds out that it is not what Ariel intends. Having greeted the queen, Ariel asks for a quill and papers and starts to write down her message for Ursula to read. Instead of bidding farewell, Ariel writes to ask the queen for etiquette lessons, hoping to better fit in with the nobles on the surface. Despite her shock, Ursula relays her master's message. Queen Catherine chuckles.

"Very well, then," she says. "I will arrange a tutor for you. I'm doing a lot for you, Princess. I surely hope you don't disappoint my expectations."

After thanking the queen, Ariel and Ursula leaves.

In preparation for their extended stay for the mean time, Ursula decides that she must acquire more knowledge about the surface and its culture. To do this, she starts going to the royal library in any free time that she has. There, she convinces the librarian to teach her the empire's alphabets.

Scene 3: In the royal garden

One of the etiquette lessons that Ariel is taking is about tea parties. The queen had found a noble lady to teach her the ways of the surfacers. Although she seems displeased at having to serve Ariel, Duchess Eichel fulfils her duty with great conviction. Perhaps due to her dissatisfaction with Ariel, who is of unknown backgrounds, the duchess is very strict and does not shy away from correcting her pupil.

She provides a wide range of lessons, teaching Ariel to stand, walk, read, write, and even dance. Had Ariel been able to speak, she would have taught her to sing too. She also focuses on table etiquette. During one of her classes on tea parties, they are joined by Erwin.

It comes as a surprise to Ursula that Duchess Eichel seems to see Erwin as a nuisance, and she is not afraid to show it. A bout of suspicion sprouts in her mind. On the other hand, Ariel is too annoyed with his constant questioning to notice anything of significance.

"If you were really sent by the royal mermaid palace, then where are your other servants? Even with the culture differences, I'm sure a princess would have been swarmed by a bunch of guards!" he says in between sips of tea.

Ariel takes advantage of her muteness and ignores him, leaving Ursula to explain and converse with him instead.

"Indeed, there are soldiers accompanying our travels who are staying nearby. W-we did not want to impose too much on the king and queen of the land than we already have," Ursula barely squeezes out an excuse.

"No worries! Bring them in. I'll provide the accomodation for them," he says.

"You are very generous, sir, but we would like to decline that offer."

"I wonder if your reluctance is caused by the absence of such servants..."

Ursula looks at Ariel as if she could say something back. Ariel avoids eye contact and sips the sea in her cup with such passion that would make a lady blush. The duchess, who has been listening in huffs and speaks instead.

"Your highness, if I remember correctly, don't you have lessons during this time of the day? Or is your tutor absent again? In that case, would you like me to inform her majesty, the queen for you?" she says.

"Ah, it seems that I've lost track of the time!" he says. "It has been a pleasure to have tea with you, Ladies. Until next time!"

Once he finally leaves, all three ladies take a deep, long breath of relief and continue on with their lessons.

While Ariel is busy listening to the duchess's instructions, Ursula's thoughts drift to her den in the ocean. The place that she had spent all of her life in up until Ariel came across her. She yearns for the cold climate of the ocean while battling the heat on land in a tight corset. Criticism of her king starts to grow in her heart as she realises how powerless Poseidon is when it comes to matters on the surface world.

Despite his alleged order, Poseidon's men are nowhere to be found. As the days pass by, it becomes clearer to Ursula that the mighty king that she once feared has minuscule effect on the world that she is currently in.