He tried so hard to hide me, deep in the ocean's depths. Here I linger, decaying, suffering in darkness. I have many secrets to reveal, and little time to do so. But let me share my greatest secret, one that Triton desperately wants to keep hidden.
A little girl was born from us, yes, me and King Triton had a child. I was once a mermaid too, the most beautiful of them all. Unlike many beautiful merpeople, I was neither vain nor callous. Triton loved me, and from our love, Ariel was born. But it was a mistake on his part, for he was married to the Queen. Ariel was born with brilliant vermillion hair, but hidden beneath it was a single strand of pure black hair. This strand was evidence of Triton's betrayal. You might wonder how a strand of hair can be proof when the baby itself should be enough. Ah, but I forgot to mention, it's the mermen who bear children under the sea. So, it was the hair that revealed the truth, not the baby. I was never there at Ariel's birth, of course. I stayed away, for I was the mistress and had to remain hidden. But merely staying away wasn't enough.
When the baby was born, she seemed to drain Triton of his energy as he gave birth to her. His wife, Elaina, sat beside him, holding his hand, crying tears of love and joy. Triton saw the baby and instantly loved her. Elaina held the baby and then passed her to Triton. He saw that strand of black hair, looked at his wife, and asked for a few moments alone with the baby. The magic of the sea is balanced and peaceful. It is customary to leave father and newborn alone to restore balance. The queen left, unaware of her husband's treachery and his love for me. Triton tried to remove the strand of hair with a spell, but it wouldn't budge. No magic could erase it. So he cast a spell of concealment, making only him see the hair. It exhausted him, for tampering with the balance of magic creates ripples that can amass into tidal waves.
He grew to resent the baby, cursing himself for betraying his wife. Elaina noticed his distance but thought it was just post-birth stress. Triton wanted me gone, erasing all traces of me from the kingdom. He came to me in the dead of night. I heard the seahorses approaching my home. "Ursula," his voice called, battling an internal war.
"Yes, my love?"
"The baby is born. I am sorry."
In that moment, the sea rippled. He invaded my mind, trying to take control. Lights blinded me, cutting through me. My eyes burned as I saw his trident glowing, his eyes blazing white. I swayed under his power, falling into darkness. But then something changed. The balance reversed, and I found my way along the light, pushing against his power. I discovered a gift within myself, and as I lifted my hand, Triton trembled, his trident showering sparks. The sparks fell like fallen stars as my voice transformed, becoming deeper and more demonic. I shouted, spitting fire at him, the water around us steaming and bubbling. I knew then I could defeat him, take his trident. But when I saw him struggling, I couldn't bring myself to hurt him. I let go, my energy drained. But that was my foolish mistake. My mercy condemned me to hell.
In my moment of stupidity, my lover arose and reshaped me, ripping me apart and forcing me back together. Pain exploded across my body as he transformed me. I screamed for death, but it did not come.
I awoke in cold water, colder than any I'd ever known. He had cast numerous charms upon my new home, a cave. I reached out, but instead of feeling the wall, I saw a thick, slimy black tentacle. Like a gorgon, I was robbed of my beauty and cursed. I collapsed, no more tears to cry, darkness filling my mind. I had lost everything: my daughter, my lover, my dignity. How foolish I was to think our affair would go unnoticed. Something about the girl must have shown her relation to me. But the fire in his eyes, the way the trident glowed—it was dark magic he used against me, twisting me into a warped creature.
In those dark waters, my only company was my thoughts, far worse than death. Dying would have been mercy. Days blurred into each other, but my emotions grew stronger. I plotted my revenge, my plans growing sweeter with time. I wanted to punish the man I once loved for eternity. I also wanted to see my daughter. These conflicting desires fused into one. I hatched a plan to use my daughter against him. But how? My time in prison taught me that sometimes ideas present themselves.
I remembered the moment his fiery eyes diminished when I resisted. I had power. Triton was afraid of me and of what I could become. He feared his secrets would surface.
Years have passed, and the spells still last but not as strong as Triton thought. I have grown, my powers stewed and strengthened. I've weakened some of the spells. The old me is gone. With this new body, I am a new darkness, the new witch of the sea. I will rise from this past and destroy Triton and everything he's built. Though it pains my heart—no, it is her heart that hurts, the old me. We will take the seas. The Caspian Sea and all within it will be mine. If I can't have him, no one will.
The time is near. The spells wither at my touch, and my essence screams for change. Love is the burden of true hearts, burning them just as much.
Ariel will never know the secrets, the pain.