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Disclaimer: The Little Mermaid and the characters of Ursula and Ariel and any others were inspired by the tale of the Little Mermaid in Hans Christen Andersen's version.
Written from Ursula's POV for Ariana request in the 2009 Rare Fandom New Year Resolution challenge.
'Stop me if you've heard this one before; how two worlds that were so very different came together; and how true love overcame misunderstanding, mistakes and whatnot. I can state with some pride that I had a hand or two in that story, and whether the outcome of that story was happy, sad or indifferent really is no skin off of my nose.'
"I realize that I am noted for my bitter bargains, for my turbulent nature, for the storms that ravage ships and mariners alike and bring them to grief on the shoals of both strange and familiar shores more often than not. '
'Beldams they call my ilk. And that is not to refer to the kind who sulk by the ocean shore and endlessly weave nets. Those are the ones to whom mariners come to for advice when all else fails. My home is the ocean and always will be.'
'When that red-haired mermaid lass first came to me and asked for my help to enable her to experience life as a mortal, on land no less; I must admit I was surprised. Why would someone wish to leave the ocean, indefinite and eternal?'
'She was curious, but she knew her own mind and even though she was a slight little bit of a thing; there was a determination in her worthy of her grand daddy and that's no lie.'
Call me a bitter old bitty if you will; I too, was curious.'
'Then she told me that she was in love.' I scoffed and I spluttered, I threatened and warned her of the inherent risks involved, and not all those risk would be directly from my hand and my magic. There were risks involved in what she intended to do; but she was a determined stubborn little thing.
'Love? Hah! And yet I was not yet as bitter or as insular as one might believe me to be. I remembered what 'that' was like.'
'So I questioned her closely and perhaps relentlessly, and discovered that she had become taken with a mortal; a mortal? Yes, and he was a strapping lad, as I suppose princes among mortals are wont to be, but nothing too special.'
'I suppose you could say that I have had the weight of experience on my side; one could even argue that I took advantage of the silly young frippet. That I only agreed to grant her wish out of spite. Really now? Was it truly spite to give the girl what she truly believed was her heart's desire. I think not, but then who among those who truly know the facts and the wherewithal of the story would dare to question me?'
"I could have demanded as my price, her shadow, her soul, even her first born son; but I hardly need a hybrid brat tagging along at my heels, getting underfoot in order to work black magic.'
'I knew better than that. In the end I only asked for her voice; a small price to pay, I would imagine.'
'There is a price to be paid for everything, even bargains that are not as bitter as mine are reputed to be.'
'Oh, the pretty, forward, red-haired little frippet knew that from the outset and yet let it be said that for all my inky and perhaps bitter reputation; earned or otherwise, let it be said that even the villains can own a certain type of honor. Or in other words; I held to my end of the bargain.'
'There are others, others I have known or had the pleasure of dealing with who have not even had the wherewithal to do even that. I shall not name names here, for one it would have no bearing on the matter at hand, and regardless if anyone is listening to my little diatribe; those names would doubtless mean next to nothing to you; but it is my privilege to wander in thought betimes.'
'In the tales and legends that have grown up within this ocean of ours and the land which it surrounds; a bargain is a bargain and when it comes due even a villain is entitled to a little something like honor.
'Honor, Love, those are two words that are more likely to be attributed to the heroes and heroines, but not to the bad guys and gals. I hiccup: a most unlady-like bodily function, but what do I care?' The grog is a bit on the sour side today and the fried squid I cooked up in my stew pot is still a little too tender for consumption at the moment.'
'On the heels of that particular thought it occurs to me that perhaps I should go into the occupation of luring sailors to the rocks and then dragging them down to a watery grave. On the other hand, that smacks like too much work for too little return on my investment of time and energy.'
'I guess I should just stick to what I know best, then. To be fair, it was not as if the little one did not accept and acknowledge her end of the bargain. If I have made it seem as if she did not, perhaps her shadow, or soul, or what have you would be haunting me even as we speak. That it has not and most likely will not is a testament to that.'
'Would I have wished to be something other than what I am? Would I have wished to have made a slightly different bargain? Hell no! I am what I am, and I make no bones about it.'
If I had gloated just a wee bit; after all I did call the principal parties involved, oh, what was the phrase I used? It will come to me, oh, yes, poor unfortunate souls; that was only my right and privilege, one that I shall defend with my last breath.'