DisneyNonPrincess

CHAPTER 8: The Sea Witch It was the blistering cold that stirred Melody from her deep sleep, and it took her a moment to remember where she was. A thick fog surrounded her little boat, so thick she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. She pulled her thick winter coat tighter around herself in a vain attempt to keep warm. Often a thick chunk of ice would float by in the water, confirming that she was very far from home. The stingrays pulled the wooden vessel through a field of giant jagged icebergs, getting so close that the sharp edges of ice came within inches of her skin. If she had picked a slightly larger boat she doubted they would have been able to make it through. They came to the opening of an icy cavern, and as soon as they entered everything went pitch black. Melody was about to panic, but as she was pulled further into the cave a dim light appeared up ahead. After passing through a final small opening, they had reached a massive den. The entire room was lit by a green magical fireplace and reflected spectacularly off the icy walls. A couple of pillars stretched from the ocean floor to the ceiling, acting as support for the entire structure. Most of the den was water, but at the very end was a plateau of ice acting as a floor. Shelves full of bottles, books, and strange specimens lined the walls, along with a collection of a dozen crystal mirrors. A massive coral clamshell sat in the center of the room. The piranha she met earlier cleared his throat, “Angelfish, meet the one and only Morgana.” As he finished speaking the giant clamshell spun around, and Melody realized it was a throne. A strange-looking woman stood from her luxurious perch, “Oh welcome my precious! Oh now don’t be shy, come in from the cold.” Melody couldn’t believe her eyes, the older woman before her-Morgana- had green skin and silver-white hair. Stranger yet, Morgana wore what had appeared to be a black strapless dress that ended in six tentacles. Six actual, moving tentacles that she used to glide across the ice towards the princess. Well did she really think a talking fish would lead her to someone normal? Melody had never really left the castle before, perhaps this wasn’t as strange as it seemed. Morgana may have seemed scary, but Melody wasn’t one to judge someone on looks alone. The wooden boat came to a stop, and Morgana rushed to help Melody off the boat. Melody noticed her impeccable pointed red nails and matching lipstick. Smokey purple eyeshadow complimenting her green eyes and skin, along with thick black lashes. The witch seemed to take great pride in herself and her appearance. She guided the princess over to the plush clamshell throne and motioned for Melody to sit beside her. With one of her tentacles she graciously took Melody’s long winter cloak and hung it from an icicle. “Sit, sit, put your feet up.” Morgana used another tentacle to slide an ice block over for Melody to use as a footrest. “Are you hungry child? I’m afraid I only have a cold plate at the moment.” With another tentacle, she grabbed a silver platter. “Kelp chips? Hush guppy?” Melody was starving, but after taking a look at the colorful and partially alive food on offer she politely declined. “I was actually hoping you might be able to tell me about this pendant… why it has my name on it.” Melody pulled the necklace off to show Morgana, “My… my mother wouldn’t tell me, she doesn’t understand…” In a moment Morgana’s face shifted to one of compassion, with one hand she took Melody’s pendant, and with the other, she stroked Melody’s raven hair. “Oh, you aren’t the only one with a mother who doesn’t understand you. Believe me, I know just how you feel. Dear child, did you ever consider that it has your name on it… because your destiny is in it?” With one hand Morgana cracked open the locket, letting the magic take over. Instantly the familiar lullaby began playing, reverberating off the cave walls. The magic sphere reappeared, revealing the beautiful scene of Melody’s dreams right before her eyes. “Deep down, you always knew you weren’t meant to be just a lowly human… What you are, is something far more enchanting.” Bubbles floated off of the orb and lit up the cave in warm light, while merfolk of all colors swam about the golden castle.  “A mermaid?” Melody felt in her heart everything Morgana said was true, but it couldn’t be. “But that’s impossible.” Morgana broke into a light chuckle, “Darling, anything is possible!” It was too good to be true, “You can make me a mermaid?” Morgana snapped the locket shut, “Piece of fish cake honey.” Unbeknownst to the princess, Marogana’s piranha henchman rolled his eyes at the witch’s proclamation. Underneath his breath, he grumbled, “fat chance…” In one fluid motion, Morgana glided towards her shelves of enchanted ingredients. Much like everything here, the sleeves were made of sculpted ice cut from the glacier walls. The sea witch pushed aside some scrolls and snatched up a potion. The bottle radiated a brilliant pink, and a purple crystal acted as the stopper at the top. As Morgana blew the dust away, an etching of a sea snail shell was revealed. Melody immediately recognized the spiraled pattern. From the water, a roar of rage drew their attention, “Ursula’s magic?!” The little piranha’s voice seethed, “Where did you get that?” “I’ve been saving it for a special occasion, Undertow.” Morgana shot a quick glare at the fish before sitting back down beside Melody.  “One drop of this, and bada bing bada boom you're in fin city!” “But if I become a mermaid and live in the sea… will I ever see my family again? My mother and father?” “No dear, humans may never learn of the existence of merpeople. It has long been decreed by the royal family of Atlantica… even me speaking to you now is a great risk. You must never utter a word to humans again, nor ever speak of being a human yourself. But dear child, you will have everything you dream of.” Melody paused, never being human again was easy to trade for a tail, but her only family? Then again, they had kept her trapped in a castle, kept secrets, and lied to her for her entire life. Morgana had offered answers, listened, and offered help to a complete stranger. “I understand completely… Please make me into a mermaid.” Morgana twisted the crystal stopper off the bottle, and while sitting Melody gently pulled the hem of her coral dress up a few inches. Just barely revealing her ankles and little black slippers. The sea witch gently held the princess’s feet steady with one hand, and with the other, she tipped the elixir.  “Come my darling, your destiny awaits you…”  A single thick silver droplet fell, and it morphed into a beautiful crystal snowflake before splashing onto her skin. In an instant, silver water appeared swirled all around her. For a moment everything felt weightless, like a bubble in the breeze. As the vortex surrounded her, dazzling streams of light began to encircle her body. The flash of the spell blinded the princess for a moment. When she opened her eyes again her legs were gone, replaced by a bright coral red mermaid tail.