Chapter Text
Ariel swam as if her life depended on it, the tears coming thick and fast. She shut out Sebastian’s desperate pleas for her to come back. She pushed aside Flounder calling her name, worried for her, and begging her to wait up. She sped up when her fellow merfolk asked her what was wrong.
‘I have to get out of here,’ she thought through the tears. So she swam, and swam, and swam until it hurt to breathe and Atlantica was a distant dot behind her. Unable to go any further, she collapsed onto a rock covered in dying - or fully dead - coral, buried her face in her hands, and continued to cry.
How could he? Her father, the man who was supposed to love and protect her, but also encourage her to think for herself, learn, and grow. She could take a telling off, or yet another lecture. However, years upon years of them, combined with excessive smothering, bred nothing but conflict and a strained relationship. And whatever was left of it died the moment he started destroying every human object in his daughter’s grotto, the moment that was the final barnacle that sank the ship.
If only he weren’t so stubborn. If only he could just understand that not all humans were bad. If only he could see how much that grotto - and all its treasures - meant to her.
If only…
If only…
Ariel cried and cried. For her father - who she loved with all her heart, but admittedly didn’t like very much right now - and how bad their relationship had gotten. For her beautiful, ruined grotto. For the fact that now she would likely never get to explore the glorious world above. And - finally - for the fact that she would never get to meet the handsome young man who she saved on the stormy night which was only a few days ago, but now felt like a year.
When Ariel had finished crying she was left with a splitting headache, and no idea on what she was going to do now. She sat with a vacant stare, while the world under the sea went on as if nothing had happened.
She could return to Atlantica, and beg for her father’s forgiveness (if he had calmed down by then). But even though she would be in her home, safe and sound with her sisters, Flounder, Sebastian (no wait, forget him. The sneaky little tattletale), and Scuttle, there would be no turning back. With her grotto gone, her father’s grip on her life would likely become even tighter.
She could make a life for herself, somewhere far from Atlantica. Maybe one of her sister's kingdoms would welcome her. But then again, although they were not as blatant as their father they still despised humans - and her desire to explore the surface world would possibly be squashed down until the longing and sadness for it would eat away at her.
Or….
Yes, there was a third option - even if it was risky with a high chance of being unsuccessful. Ursula, her aunt, known as the infamous Sea Witch could brew up any potion you desired… for a high price and the dangerous risk of belonging to her forever should you fail. However, she had been banished from the kingdom fifteen years ago, and no one had seen - nor heard from - her since. But, there were rumours of a new witch. A ‘Voodoo Priestess’ who lived on land, in a shack hidden deep in the bayou, and could grant the heart's deepest desire.
Making a deal with her was still risky (considering the fact that merfolk who had - allegedly made deals with her never came back) but - from Ariel’s perspective - it was either trying anyway or a slow death in a world she felt wasn’t a good fit for her anymore.
Ariel thought long and hard about it, and made her choice.
Finding the way to the shack wasn’t easy, especially since she didn’t have directions (when she asked passing rays or fish for said directions they either kept mum or didn’t know what on earth she was on about). She got lost so many times it was dark when she finally, somehow, found her way to the bayou, exhausted and very close to giving up and going home.
As she swam on she was surrounded by cypress trees so thick and tall the night sky was completely blocked out. Fireflies flickered in the steamy air and alligators stirred on the muddy banks. The sounds of close and distant swamp life croaking, chirping and rustling filled her ears. Hold on, was something - or rather, someone? Or perhaps several someones? - watching her from the river bank. A knot formed in Ariel’s stomach as multiple pairs of eyes watched her closely, yet not maliciously.
At last the shack came into her view. It was a wooden, tumbledown building that clung to the branches of a very large tree, with a small jetty - and ladder leading up to it - below, all illuminated by several glowing lanterns. Ariel frowned, as if she were saying ‘Oh, great. How am I supposed to get up there??’ Then she had an idea. She took a deep breath, gripped onto the jetty and hauled herself onto it - out of the water. She gasped. The air was so strange, slightly warm, and dry when it hit her skin/scales. But she pressed on, breathing shallowly and dragging herself toward the ladder, her tail a heavy weight that slowed her down. She fell down the ladder more times than she climbed up, because she lacked those… what do you call ‘em? Oh yeah, feet. And it hurt. Every. Single. Time.
“Oh, chil’,” said a voice behind her. “Ya don’ need to climb up there.”
Ariel was so startled she fell right back into the water (now THAT felt much better as the aches and pains in her tail smoothed out).
The voice chuckled. It belonged to a woman. She had deep mahogany skin, and dark hair in unkempt dreadlocks. Her eyes were dark brown - and something about them was so entrancing that you could stare into them all day - with strange dotted markings tattooed on underneath, and a few under her blue-tinted lips. Her teeth were stained black. A silver crab-shaped locket - tarnished and dulled with age - hung around her neck. She wore a bohemian-style dress cut low to show off her shoulders and cleavage. Her feet were bare - and her voice - which was so intoxicating; the type that you could listen to for the rest of your life and never get bored - kind of reminded her of Sebastian’s. It felt like a warm hand extending out to help her.
She knelt, so that it felt as though she wasn’t towering over Ariel - who stared, entranced, her head peeking out of the water. She swallowed, hoping that her voice wouldn’t croak and crack. “Hello. I-It’s nice to meet you. I’m-” she began.
“Ariel,” finished the woman. “De youngest of de sea king Trition’s seven daughters.”
“How did you know??”
The woman smirked and shrugged, as if to say ‘I know everything.’ “Ya can call me Tia Dalma.”
“Well… alright. I’m - I’m here because I was hoping you could-”
“Oh, sweet ting. I know what you desire. Ya want to trade de blue for de green, yes? To explore a world of buildings, waterfalls and mountains instead of coral and kelp. To see de sunrise from a balcony and dance along de street with your friends. To learn all about de wonderful trinkets de human world has to offer. And” - her tone shifted into a teasing one - “to attract the attention of a very handsome young man.”
Ariel blushed. “Well, yes,” she admitted sheepishly. “Can you do that… please?”
“.... yes. But of course, I require payment.”
“Alright! I’ll give you anything: one of my scales, some of my hair, my voice-”
Tia Dalma laughed heartily. “Oh, sweet ting. Yes, mermaid scales have great power, but I do not require one. Yes, you have beautiful hair, but I tink you need all of it on ya pretty little head. And I have heard of ya lovely singing voice, but ‘tis yours, not mine.”
“Then… what can I give you?”
“… Your soul,” said Tia Dalma like it was no biggie.
“What?!”
“Your soul,” repeated Tia Dalma. “Give me your immortal, mermaid soul and I will give you a bleedin’, beatin’ mortal soul, and a pair of legs. Then, if you manage to win over dis young man, dis ‘Eric’, you will live happily in de human world. But, if you fail you will be taken to Davy Jones’ Locker; for all eternity.”
“What’s Davy Jones’ Locker?” Ariel whispered, suddenly gripped by fear.
Tia Dalma explained it, and Ariel shuddered at the thought of that barren wasteland where the trapped person would be forced to live in their personal hell, in between worlds and barred from truly dying. There would be no human trinkets, none of her sisters or her father, no Flounder, no Scuttle, no Sebastian… and no Eric.
But if she didn’t at least try, then what? Would she have no choice but to go back to father, beg for forgiveness and continue to be smothered and held back? It didn’t help that with a lazy flick of her wrist Tia showed her some of the best of humanity - a young man giving an old woman some bread, a little girl comforting a crying friend, a boy pushing a girl out of the way so that she would not be hit by a falling brick, the parties full of laughter and dancing, scenes of family - chosen and blood - getting along - but also some of the worst. The drinking, the gambling, the selfishness, the laziness, the theft, a man taking an object from a market stall and putting it in his pocket… without paying, the violence, parents striking their children for the mildest of offences, the needless war and death, the torturing of innocent, the murder, even the outright evil.
“Now, sweet ting,” said Tia Dalma. “Are ya still sure that you want to be one of dem?”
Ariel hesitated, but thought of all the good she’d seen, all the wonderful human things she’d collected, and Eric. “I’m sure,” she said firmly.
“Alright.” The ghost of a smile seemed to appear on Tia Dalma’s face. She reached out her hand. “Give me one of your scales.”
“But you said you didn’t want one!”
“As payment. I need one for the spell.”
“Ohhhh.” Ariel nodded, took a deep breath, and plucked a shimmering teal and green scale from her tail. She winced as a tiny dribble of blood hit the water, but gave the scale up anyway. Tia held in her cupped hands, turned her back on Ariel (that didn’t stop her from trying to take a peek), and began whispering in an unintelligible patois that sometimes sounded like wind through the trees, or low, guttural humming. The lanterns and fireflies seemed to glow brighter. The alligators gave loud, low-pitched, restless bellows. Some of the swamp folk covered their ears or shielded their eyes. Ariel wanted to look away but found she couldn’t, and watched wide-eyed. The lights brightened until they were so blinding Ariel ducked down under the water and didn’t come up again until it was over.
Hang on. Was it just her or was the scale shimmering a little more? She didn’t get a chance to have a closer look because Tia Dalma tossed it back into the water, and with a little splash it sank rapidly to the bottom.
A beat passed, and then two, and three, and four. Ariel looked down. Her tail was still very much… well… a tail. ‘Did it work?’ she asked herself.
Her question was answered when, all of a sudden, a burning feeling began to develop in her chest. It started off as a tiny spark which grew into a raging flame so powerful she was hunched over, clutching her chest, her face screwed up. When it rose to a peak she cried out, wishing that someone, anyone, would just put her out of her misery. Tia Dalma watched with a stony expression that started to crack, like she wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone - not even her worst enemy (or enemies in her case. If you know you know).
Without warning, the burning feeling abruptly stopped - like someone blowing out a candle. All the air left Ariel’s lungs as if it’d been knocked out of her, and she could’ve sworn that a silvery… sort of spirit thing somewhat shaped like a fish flew out of her mouth and into the shack (it would also go into - and be kept in - a jar, but she didn’t know about that part). She had a few minutes to get her breath back before a dull ache that became so strong she could barely swim flared up in her tail, getting so bad that she shrieked in pain. She watched in horror as her tail shrunk a bit and split in two. She felt light-headed and dizzy. Everything around her sounded muffled. Black spots danced along her vision.
There was more, terrible pain from her mutilated tail.
And shortly after that, nothing.
The sun of a brand new day shone warm on Ariel’s face. She lay on the sand - which was gritty beneath her body - on her stomach with her face turned to one side and her eyes closed. Sighing waves gently lapped inches away from her. Nobody else was on the beach yet. Any footprints in the sand had been washed away ages ago. Ariel opened her eyes and raised her head drowsily. Yes! This was the same beach where she’d left Eric! She’d made it!
Which must mean…
A strange feathered fish with wings - and another, and another! - flew high above her head, squawking. Ariel watched these strange new distractions soar for a couple minutes, before she looked down at where her tail normally was to find… two slender legs the same golden brown as her skin waist-upwards, ending in two dainty feet with ten perfect toes. She gasped, which ended in a sob, her eyes filling with tears of pure joy as she grinned from ear to ear. It seemed so unreal these legs were hers now, even when she experimentally wiggled her toes. Now she could walk, now she could run, now she could see all the wonders of the human world, and finally have a chance to properly meet and get to know Eric!
But if he didn’t fall for her-
The threat of being trapped in a fate worse than death for all eternity - should she fail - slightly dampened her high. As did the moment where several strands of hair moved away from her chest, revealing one of her bare breasts - nipple and all.
Ariel quickly covered her chest with her arms, blushing, her eyes darting left and right. She’d taken the scales covering her breasts for granted so much that she felt strange and more vulnerable without them. She couldn’t go around without a stitch on, people would stare and think her a complete nutcase! Then it’d be off to the asylum (and eventually Davy Jones’ Locker) for sure. Besides, all the humans in the paintings off shipwrecks had been fully clothed (... until sea water completely ruined them).
“Alright. I need to find something to wear,” said Ariel quietly to herself. She looked down at the legs, her legs, again. “But first things first, I’ve got to learn how to walk.”
She started by standing up, and after several unsuccessful attempts she was actually doing it! … Until she wobbled so much she toppled right over a few seconds later. “Owww…”
She got back up, and managed a shaky step forward before taking another tumble. But she just got back up, and tried again. That third time she managed four staggering steps before she fell, got back up, and took ten more - which were slightly sturdier. Then eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen…
“I’m doing it,” Ariel breathed. “I’m doing it!” Her smile grew. Fifteen steps…
The sound of loud barking and a strange grey and black furry creature running towards her at full speed ahead startled her and knocked her over (AGAIN!). She lay spread eagle, covered in sand and too exhausted to get back up again. All the muscles in her new, human legs ached. The furry creature repeatedly licked her face, drenching her in saliva and forcing the stench of his warm breath up her nose. Ariel shut her eyes up tight and tried gently pushing him away.
“Max? Maaax? Where are you?” a voice called. The furry creature, Max, left Ariel alone and ran over to the voice. Ariel sat up, opened her eyes. Max was now jumping all over a young man, who gave him lots of pats. Ariel looked at Max more closely. There was something familiar about his fur and his bark. Wait a minute… He was the dog on the ship the night she rescued Eric! Which must mean…
The young man had dark hair in short waves and striking green eyes. He wore simple boots and trousers, a thick, long-sleeved, dark blue coat and a loose, white tunic. Ariel’s heart beat a little faster. There was no doubt about it, he was Eric.
Eric noticed the young woman lying naked on the beach, covered in sand. “Oh my Lord!”
He ran to her. “Are you alright, miss?”
“Yes, I think so,” said Ariel. He was talking to her! Really talking to her! Aaaaahhhhh!!!
Eric still checked her all over, with her consent, and found that she was fine. Oh, his touch felt so nice.
“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” he inquired. “Was there a shipwreck?”
Ariel thought about it. She couldn’t tell him she was a mermaid princess who made an incredibly risky deal with Tia Dalma to get legs; he’d think she was a complete nutcase! And he’d never in a million years believe that she was the one who saved him if she told him right then and there. They’d just met (properly)!
“Yes,” she said. “I don’t remember much,” she added, feigning a headache. “All I can remember is falling into the water and waking up on the sand not that long ago.”
“Oh dear. Well, it’s alright. You’re safe now. Here” - he reached out his hand - “come with me to the castle. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Ariel took it, and as she stood up Eric fully realised her, um, situation. His fair skin flushed. He quickly took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
“Thank you,” said Ariel, clutching it so that it wouldn’t fall off. It smelt wooly and was heavy, coarse and strange against her skin.
“Oh, don’t mention it,” said Eric. “Can you walk?”
Ariel nodded, and she did (walk, I mean) but she still stumbled from time to time. However, Eric was always there to catch her. Max gambolled alongside them.
“I’m sorry about Max by the way,” Eric apologised. “Sometimes he can be a little too rambunctious.”
“It’s alright,” said Ariel. “He’s a lovely…” What was the word??
“Dog,” finished Eric. “A sheepdog to be exact.”
“Oh yes.” What’s a sheep?
“I’m Eric, by the way.”
“Ariel.”
Step by shaking step, she left the beach behind and walked into a brand new start.
Tia Dalma stood in her shack, watching the fish-like spirit swim restlessly around and around in the jar. She fingered her locket.
“Good luck, Ariel.”
TO BE CONTINUED…..