Ursula's Tempestuous Sea

"We must leave now," Ariel insisted. His voice was urgent, angry. He knew that Ursula had been brewing something in the kitchen.

"Just a moment." Ursula turned away from the pot on the stove, her long hair falling over her shoulder and her eyes full of anger. "It's not as if you're going to be able to taste it or smell it or feel it at all." She grabbed the handle of the pot with an oven mitt and put the pot on the table, then began stirring with a wooden spoon. "You don't have any senses beyond seeing and hearing."

Ariel put his hands on his hips, glaring at his love. "I can feel my skin turning red when you say these things." He closed his eyes and sighed, shaking his head. The last thing he wanted was to fight with Ursula, but she always had to be so difficult about everything. "And I don't want to talk about it anymore. We must go now before-"

Ursula cocked her head at him and raised an eyebrow, her mouth set into a hard line. "Before what?" she asked sharply, cutting him off. She tapped a finger on the side of her face. "Did I forget to pack? Is there something else we need? Do you think we won't find food for you in the sea?"

"Ursula," Ariel sighed again, putting his hand on her arm before she could get any more agitated than she already was. "We've gone through this before many times today already."

She pulled away from him as if he'd burned her and turned back towards the stove, taking a deep breath before continuing in a much calmer tone. "Yes, I know," she said calmly, setting down her spoon and reaching up to wipe a lock of hair out of her eyes. "You think that the storm is going to come tonight instead of tomorrow morning like the weatherman predicted." She put one hand on her hip and gave him a knowing look. "You saw something in the clouds this morning that looked like an evil octopus." Her tone grew mocking as she spoke those words, making it clear where she stood on that issue.

Ariel's shoulders slumped as he saw how stubbornly set Ursula was going to be today. This had been their argument exactly seven times already in the past three hours. And they had only been together for a little over two months! He took a deep breath and shook his head before heading towards their bedroom door, but Ursula's voice stopped him cold in his tracks before he could open it to leave.

"I'm not doing this because I want to," Ursula said quietly, turning off the stove and facing Ariel again. "I'm doing this because I care about you a lot more than I care about myself." She crossed her arms defensively and bit her lip as if trying not to cry at that admission of how much she loved Ariel.

Ariel swallowed hard against tears welling up in his own eyes as he watched Ursula struggle to hold herself together while keeping calm. They'd made plans earlier that afternoon following the hurricane preparations and stayed home together since then. Ariel had insisted on leaving immediately, despite only having packed overnight bags earlier. Ursula had decided to agree with whatever plan Ariel made because she knew how important it was to keep him from worrying. But now she regretted agreeing to leave so soon instead of waiting until morning like everyone else wanted them both to.

Ursula couldn't help but worry. The unknown dangers above water or underwater once night fell frightened her, but she knew she was raised like other merfolk with knowledge about their lives as well as merfolk strength. Other creatures lived among humans all year round without experiencing fear when night came, just like animals above water. Darkness was a part of everyday life, no reason to be scared. And she knew that nothing bad would ever happen during nighttime, despite stories that were meant to incite fear.

With renewed determination, Ursula steeled herself against the fear and worries creeping into her mind. "We will get through this together, and there's no reason for either of us to be afraid, Ariel," she said with resolve.