After our ....interesting dinner, I wasn't sure what to do. More than
anything I'd have loved to go out exploring. But now it was dark and I knew
Daddy would think I was being rude rushing out our first night here. Before I
could ask Flounder what he would like to do, he swam off. Hmmm, what was he
up to? Flounder very rarely just swam off on his own. I made my way out to
the hall, but I couldn't find him. "I hope he doesn't get lost." I worried,
biting my lip. I went up and down the long hallway looking for him, but
Flounder was nowhere to be seen. I gave up and decided to check out my room
again. Now that I knew there was a story behind it, the room was all the more
interesting.
Once I swam into 'my' room I began inspecting the details of it. The ice
carvings really were gorgeous! I swam toward the swim-in closet, where I had
put my bag. Huh? Had that big bookcase been there before? It must have been.
I couldn't not notice it! It was centered between the closet door and an old
chair. Was that the bookcase that had killed Melvin? I shivered
slightly....must be the cold water.
Then, waves began to form in my room. What? We weren't expecting a sea-storm!
I tried to close the one window I had to block some of the violent waters. I
was pushed by one harsh wave, over in front of the bookcase. An eerie howl
met my ears. That's when he...Melvin appeared by the bookcase. It had to be
him! A merman with bluish wrinkled skin, long black hair, and a shriveled
tail. I opened my mouth to scream as loud as possible, but no sound came out.
I never truly believed in mer-ghosts, and I never thought I could be so
scared! But, who wouldn't be when a mer-ghost is attacking them!? Melvin
laughed, but this time a hoarse sound came out. Then he narrowed his black
eyes at me and the bookcase began to shake.
"GET OUT!" Melvin yelled, disappearing suddenly.
And the huge bookcase came crashing down toward me. With a strong swish of my
tail I dodged out of the way at the last second, my built-up terrified scream
coming out at last, "Ahhhhh!!!!"
King Triton:
After dinner, Ariel excused herself... that girl's always doing
something to keep her occupied.
I decided that a swim around the place wouldn't be a bad idea. I could
bring back some old memories and swim off the huge meal. I looked over at
the Duchess, "That was delicious... but for now, I think I'm going to go
look around the palace. I want to see if my memory serves me right at all
the hidden places here."
The Duchess laughed, "Just don't get any trouble... you ARE a king now."
I grabbed my trident and nodded, "Yes, and I'm a father too... I have to
be more responsible."
*****
I swam up and down the hallways, feeling the old memories flood back
into my mind. We used to come here all the time. It was more than just a get
away. I learned so much at this place... I looked over a shelf of books in
the library and started to pick an old volume out.
My thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash hat spun me around. Hmm....
must be the doors in this places. A swift current would blow them open in a
second.
Suddenly, I heard a scream... not just any scream, though. Ariel!
I spun around and swam out of the library with my trident in hand.
"Ariel! Ariel!"
Nothing came for a bit, but I heard her voice again. "Daddy!" I heard
her pounding on her door.
"Ariel, open the door now!"
I could hear the door knob turning, "It won't open!"
I raised my trident and thought, 'you'll have to forgive me duchess.'
"Move back Ariel!"
Bolts flew from the ends of the trident and smashed the wooden door. I
started to move forward and look in, but Ariel swam out faster than I'd I've
seen and clung to me.
"Ariel, calm down!"
She looked scared... I know my little girl had been through a lot, so it
had to be something strange to get her this worked up. I looked down at her,
"Ariel, what happened?"
Arista
Adella, Flounder, Dylan and I raced upstairs as fast as our fins would carry
us. A terrified scream had come from one of my sisters. It was very high
pitched, from the sound of the scream, it had to be either Attina, Alana, or
Ariel. I couldn't tell which for sure. Then yelling came from the hallway.
That was definitely Father. As we reached the west wing hallway I heard the
distinct sound of Father's trident going off! As we all rounded a corner,
almost swimming into each other, we saw that it had been Ariel in danger. I
swear, that girl attracts trouble. Dylan and I exchanged a worried look.
Adella and Flounder quickly swam over to my youngest sister. "Ariel! Are you
ok?" Flounder asked, looking more panicked than usual. Dylan and I caught up
to the group. Father had Ariel wrapped in a protective hug.
"I'm fine.....just shook up." Ariel said in a low tone. Her eyes were
even wider than usual, and her face held an expression of real fear. I had
never seen Ariel scared of anything! She could be counted on for bravery
(even if it came to standing up to Daddy.) Father let Ariel go and Flounder
swam up to hug her. Well, as close to a hug as a fish his size can get. I
patted her shoulder, both showing my concern and trying to make her feel a
little better at once.
"What was that crash we heard?" Adella spoke up. We all looked at Ariel
expectantly, waiting to find out what had happened.
Ariel
For a moment I thought I would be trapped in my room...alone with a
not-so-friendly merghost. But thank goodness, Daddy came to save me, busting
the shell door down with his trident. I was shaking from fear as a crowd
gathered around me. I had never experienced something like that before. Daddy
had asked me what happened but I had barely heard him. It wasn't until I was
asked a second time, by Adella, that I felt able to tell my story. I wondered
if they would beleive me. Looking around at the faces of Arista, Adella,
Daddy, Flounder, and Dylan, I realized how ridiculous I might sound. But they
had to listen, and apparently they were more than willing to.
"It was Melvin!" I announced.
"Huh?" Adella and Arista said in unison.
"You mean the merghost?" Arista went on.
"Quiet please girls, I need to hear this." Daddy sais softly. He looked
so worried! I hated to add to his stress.
"It's true! He...he pushed over the big ice shelf, trying to flatten
me!" I bit my lip, mentally flashing back to only minutes ago. Melvin's evil
stare, his haunting laugh, his grotesque look.... "He just appeared in my
room. He said he didn't want me there." Of couse, now he was gone. Vanished
into the night.
"Really?" Dylan sounded a tiny bit skeptical. "So that crash was the
shelf?"
I nodded, "Yes. It missed me by less than an inch." I shivered, thinking of
how close I had come to being seriously hurt.
"Wow, I'm so glad you're alright Ariel." Arista told me.
"Me too. I don't know what I'd do without you Ariel. Your my best
friend!" Flounder said, swishing his tiny tail back and fouth.
Adella squeased my hand, "Are you sure it was Melvin? I mean, I don't see how
a merghost can push something over."
"Especially something that heavy." Dylan agreed.
"But it did happen, I saw him. He looked just like he did in the
carving." I insisted. I knew Dylan wasn't saying I was lying. He had a point.
How could a merghost do that?
Adella
"Well, maybe you shouldn't sleep here tonight," I suggested to
Ariel. If her room really WAS haunted, she would be in danger, and
if it wasn't, then the nightmares she would have about what happened
were enough of a reason for her to sleep somewhere else.
"You..." I hesitated for a moment. "You can sleep in my room." I
had really wanted to have my own space on this trip, but this was an
emergency.
I waited to see if she would take me up on my offer.
Dylan:
I'm not about to call Ariel a liar. She's probably one of the most
smartest Mermaid that I know.
"King Triton." I said, speaking in a tone of reverence. "Maybe we
should check Ariel's room..
Arista grabbed onto my hand, afraid to let me go. "I'll only be gone
a moment, Arista." I smiled softly, and kissed her on the cheek.
*****
We swam into the room, the ice shelf was shattered....as Ariel had
said.
"Merghost or no Merghost, someone or something knocked the shelf
over." I said. I was not a believer in ghosts. But something had
frightened Ariel.....and they where not going to get to my Beloved
Arista.....
"King Triton?" I asked. "What do you make of this?"
Ariel
"You can sleep in my room." Adella offered.
"Thanks." I gave her a grateful look. I didn't want to appear as
frightened as I was. What had happened just couldn't have really happened! I
used to love mer-ghost stories when I was little, but I never really believed
them. Flounder seemed to though. I glanced at my friend, he was shaking! I
stroked his head, hoping to calm him down. We still had a few hours before
bedtime, maybe I could find out if what I saw was real. It had certainly
looked real....and I couldn't think of any reason for it to be a fake. I
hated to impose on Adella. The way she had been acting maybe I should take my
chances with the mer-ghost. I bit my lip and looked around the hallway. I
shouldn't think something so mean about my sister.
Daddy and Dylan had swam into my room to check it out. The evidence was all
there. Arista floated beside Adella, wringing her hands. I didn't blame her,
after that scare I was nervous too. I wonder if Daddy will bring this up to
the Duchess. Hmm, she would probably just laugh it off and tell us that
Melvin meant no harm. But from what I saw, harm was his specialty.
"I wish I hadn't seen what I did." I whispered. If I hadn't seen it then
I wouldn't believe it. And if I didn't believe it I could start proving it
didn't happen. I swished my tail and straightened up. Well, I would just have
to come back here later. If it happened a second time, then I could worry.
Triton:
Dylan looked at me, "What do you make of this?"
"I'm not too sure... I know in my many years that there are more things
out there than we could even imagine. The seas hold many secrets... and mer
ghosts could just be another of those secrets."
The girls had left the room so Dylan and I looked around a bit more.
Floating over to the wall, I could see no marks of any kind... it was
like it had just fallen. "Dylan... come here for a moment." I didn't trust
my eyes in my old age.
He swam over immediately, "Yes sir?"
"Look at this wall... do you see anything?"
He flipped a couple of times and swam up and down it a few times, "What
am I looking for?"
"Any marks that someone could have left... from squeezing in between the
wall and the shelf."
Dylan floated closer and peered at the wall. "Not that I can tell."
"I have an idea," I said as I floated out of the room with Dylan
following close behind. Ariel, Arista, and Adella were still waiting there.
"Did you find anything," Adella spoke up first.
"No dear... but I think maybe we should ask the Duchess..."
Ariel rolled her eyes, "Daddy, she won't believe me!"
I shook my head, "Don't worry Ariel... we don't have to mention the
shelf or ghosts. No one was hurt, so no harm was done. Maybe we can just ask
about Melvin as one of her relatives... not as a mer ghost. Then maybe we
can get down to whatever's going on here... I can't have my daughters all
spend their vacation in fear."
She looked back at her two sisters as if for an answer.
"If you want, you can all come with me or I can talk with the Duchess
alone... either way we need to find out how that shelf almost fell on you so
nothing like that happens again."
She floated around and looked at me... I could tell she was still a
little shaken by the whole ordeal.
Ursula:
I cackled wickedly as I watched Adella in her current state. I hadn't planned on dropping that starfish, but this was such a lucky turn of events. *Now, to start up trouble* I thought as I caught sight of a merman approaching the castle, no doubt a mer-boyfriend to one of Triton's daughters.
"I'm looking for Arista," he said.
*Now's my chance* I thought. Arista would become angry with Adella. They would both have their minds on their stupid little fight and that would give me the chance to kidnap them both! And of course Adella having the starfish necklace will be the key to capturing the rest of Triton's daughters. He'll then offer anything for them, and the res...mua ha ha ha ha ha ha!
**********
Later, I thumbed through the pages of the spellbook I had brought along, seeing what other havok I could reek. So far, I found nothing...but wait, something caught my eye under ghosts.
"I can conjur a duplicate of any ghost from the past. They will do whatever I want them to do." I remembered the Duchess saying something about a Melvin who used to live in the castle. He had lived in the room Ariel was using. He would be perfect! "The only way to break the spell," I read alloud, "is if the real ghost to come out and defeat his or her duplicate." This was good. King Triton had gotten rid of the glowing hands all too easily.
I went to work casting the spell. No sooner had I spoke the magic words than Melvin's duplicate ghost appeared.
"What may I do for you, Masteress?" it said.
"Go to the Countess's castle. Give the Countess's guests a scare. Tell them they are not wanted there. And you will start with the one that stays in your double's room..."
"Yes, Master!" the ghost said and drifted off to the castle.
******
Later, I watched from my crystal ball. 'Melven' had done his work. Ariel screamed and everyone came running to see what the fuss was about.
"Now to take care of Adella" I said to myself, ptaking the starfish that controlled her in my hand. "Adella, come to me...come to your master..." I said into it.
Andrina:
I couldn't believe Adella was acting so strange! Ever since Ariel had brought that human thing into the castle, she had been acting totally weird! *Maybe the human things really are evil like Daddy says* I thought. But why didn't I feel any different? Ariel certainly was herself and we all knew she had been in contact with more human things than this. Maybe Adella just broke her favorite nail or something. Still, I couldn't believe what she had done. She didn't even like Dylan and Arista didn't put the seaslug in her make-up case.
Suddenly, I heard a piercing shriek that turned out to be Ariel. Everybody rushed to see what all the commotion was about.
Ariel
Adella was suggesting we bring my bag to her room when Andrina swam up to us
in the hallway, wearing an anxious expression.
"What happened? Was that you screaming Ariel?" She asked, looking at the
crowd that had gathered.
"Yes it was me." I nodded, "I uh...saw Melvin. He pushed over the shelf in
my room - aiming right for me."
Andrina raised her eyebrows, then shot a look at Adella. "Are you sure it
wasn't Adella who pushed over the shelf?" She snapped. I gave Andrina a
confused glance, what was she talking about? Sure Adella has been acting a
little strange....since we got here, but none of my sisters would ever try to
hurt me! Judging from Andrina's tone, I could tell she must be trying to get
to Adella. Had I missed something? I decided not to get involved yet, maybe
they could work whatever it was out. I turned back towards my room to get my
bag. I wasn't afraid to go back in the room. I might even still spend the
night in there. I just wanted to figure out what was going on. Just then
Daddy came back through the doorway with Dylan right behind him. Arista and
Flounder floated closer to the group to see what Daddy had to say.
"Did you find anything?" Adella asked, drifting a few feet away from
Andrina.
"No dear... but I think maybe we should ask the Duchess..." Daddy started.
"Daddy, she won't believe me!" I protested. The Duchess thought of Melvin
as a friend, I doubted she would want to hear this about 'the merghost who
would never harm anyone'.
"Don't worry Ariel... " He said gently, shaking his head. "we don't have
to mention the shelf or ghosts. No one was hurt, so no harm was done. Maybe
we can just ask
about Melvin as one of her relatives... not as a merghost. Then maybe we can
get down to whatever's going on here... I can't have my daughters all spend
their vacation in fear." My father floated there, in the classic King
position: head held high, beard flowing, and his right hand gripping his
mighty trident. It reminded me of the sculpture of Daddy that was in the main
entry at home. I glanced at my sisters and Flounder. Their expressions still
held traces of worry.
"If you want, you can all come with me or I can talk with the Duchess
alone... either way we need to find out how that shelf almost fell on you so
nothing like that happens again."
I certainly didn't want to explain what had happened to the Duchess. I
already knew how she would react. Daddy could probably handle this better
than any of us, and he didn't need a crowd around to do it. "No thanks
Daddy." I said, "I'll just move my things to Adella's room."
"You don't *have* to stay with Adella." Andrina told me, "You can stay
with me. It might be safer." What had made Andrina so hostile towards Adella?
I looked from Andrina to Adella, and back again. I positioned myself
in-between them. They wouldn't start a yelling match in front of
Daddy....would they?
"Just what do you mean by that!?" Adella huffed, crossing her arms in
front of her. Hmm maybe they would.
"Girls...." Daddy shot them a warning look.
"Ah, it's perfectly okay Andrina." I stated, "I think Adella was very
sweet to offer."
I noticed Dylan looking a little nervous. He was standing off to the side
with Arista, but he kept glancing over at Adella. It was almost as if he
expected her to spring at him. Well, Adella really hadn't been herself over
the last few hours.
Daddy cleared his throat loudly, "Are any of you coming?" He asked, starting
to swim away.
"I am Father!" Arista called.
I didn't see who else went with Daddy, I was focused on Andrina and Adella. I
took my two sisters aside to talk. "What's going on?" I asked, "Why are you
both so angry?"
"Andrina thinks I--" Adella began.
"No, I know what I saw! Adella was with Dylan outside, she--" Andrina
started to say.
"Wait a minute." I raised up my hands.
"Andrina, you know I don't like Dylan." Adella insisted. "And I would
never backstab Arista like that." She turned to me, "Really Ariel, why are
you so concerned about us when there is a merghost after you?"
I shrugged, "Going for the sister-of-the-year award."
"Yeah right." Andrina laughed.
Adella was silent. Now her face looked blank.
"Oh come on Adella, lighten up." Andrina said, she was smiling even
though she was probably still angry. I knew a little kidding around would get
to Andrina. Worked every time. Adella, on the other hand, didn't seem to
care. She looked stiff, and was staring straight ahead. Andrina and I
exchanged glances, then Adella suddenly took off in a flurry of bubbles.
"Hey!" Andrina shouted.
"Where's she going?" I whispered. Something was not right. Adella had that
look in her eye again.