Chapter Text
I swim into the palace gardens quickly, clutching the book to my chest. After all, I'm not supposed to be here, especially not with this book. This beautiful, magical book. Well, okay, maybe not magical, but pretty special in its own right. It's my mother's diary, and now it's mine. Okay, that makes me sound like a terrible, hopeless little girl, but I actually think I'm okay at writing and putting my thoughts down. I don't make it soppy, if that's what you're thinking. The only boy that I love is my brother, and I'm kinda forced to like him since he's family. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't love him otherwise. I heard that half the girls in the kingdom are swooning over him. They probably just want his money. Or his crown. Or the half dozen other stuff that comes with being royalty.
Yep, I'm a princess. Not the attractive, blonde-hair-blue-eyes kind of thing that you're picturing. I have murky brownish blonde hair and pale skin and a sort of purple tail (if that's what you could call it) that I'm pretty sure only I love. My father was embarrassed when he first saw me. And who wouldn't be? I mean, if you have to marry your daughter off someday, you probably want them to be pretty so you'll have more options. But not me. I don't want to get married. I'm content with my simple life in the shadows. What? You get used to being the one backstage while someone you love shines in the spotlight. Like, all the time. But never mind. I guess I should explain who I am.
My name is Ursula Karina Poseidon, 18 year old daughter of King Poseidon, ruler of the seven seas (and all water). I'm a princess. I have a friend named Athena, who liked me for who I was from the moment we met. She's also royalty, a duchess or something like that. I know that she likes my brother, but they are more friends than anything else. I secretly hope that he picks her. It would be so cool being related to my best friend. And I know that Triton has eyes for her. Who wouldn't? She has pretty red hair and a green tail and is slender and graceful. She's sweet, and is always trying to help people. Me included, I guess. She was the only person that tried to be friends with me. The only person that became friends with me. But back to the story.
I clutch the book to my chest. “URSULA!!!" my father cries out. Oh, I should probably mention that my mother is dead. I miss her like crazy. She was the only one who really understood me. I swim to the back of the gardens, shoving myself through a little hole in the coral. I can see my father's trident poking over the coral maze walls. Then he's standing over me. I shiver and clutch the book closer to me. My father deepens his glare, “Ursula! Give me that book!" I shake my head.
“But…" I whisper.
“No ‘buts'," he says, making water quotations, “Give me the book. You should be with your brother in lunch with your mother-"
“Mentor," I correct, “Mentor. She's not my mom."
“Ursula, we've been over this. I got married to her. She's your mother," my father huffs. I shake my head.
“No. She will never be my mom. I already have a mom," I say, shaking as I clutch the book. It's my mother's. He will not get it from me.
“Ursula, give me the book," he says sternly. He reaches for the book in my hands.
“No. I'll put it away, but it's mine. Mom said that this is what she wanted me to have. It's mine. Not yours or anyone else's," I say stubbornly. His hand draws away.
“I didn't realize that. I'm sorry, but you should be in lunch. I made a promise with your mother-"
“Mentor," I think, “Replacement. Fake."
“-that you would spend time with her. Get to know her a little bit. Don't shake your head at me. She's your mother, Ursula. You'll have to start accepting that." I put on my nicest smile and nod slowly, swimming away as I do so. “Oh, and clean up some before you join them!" my father calls after me. I sigh and roll my eyes. Of course.
I put my head down as I swim to my room, not wanting to feel the stares of the staff more than I need to. I set the book down in a box before shoving it under a loose floorboard beneath my bed. Then I put on a nice dress, brush my hair, put my crown on, and swim off to the dining hall to join my family.
When I get there, my brother looks up and smiles, motioning me over to the table. I smile gratefully. My 'mother' smiles a firm smile. “You're late, Ursula," she says.
“I'm sorry, Mother. I had a bit of homework to do," I lie. It's not a complete lie. She nods slowly.
“Alright. But make sure you're on time next time," my 'mom' says. I laugh softly as I sit down.
When we are finally dismissed, I rush to my room and call Athena on my shell-phone. “Hey," I say, “Meet me at the gates. It's time to have a little fun."