frightened and worn from crying.
“Circe, my girl, what’s happened? Where are you?” Nanny asked, but before the ghostly image could answer, a dark gray swirling mist entered the triangle, dispersing Circe’s frightened image to places unseen. The mist was swirling around the room, starting to take the human form of a witch Pflanze knew very well.
Ursula!
Pflanze jumped onto the mantel and hid behind a large bust of King Morningstar; she wasn’t quite ready for Ursula and her witches to know what she was up to. “So this is the famous witch of legend I’ve heard so much about? I’m surprised you were able to summon me on your own.” Ursula laughed as she looked at Nanny.
“I was calling upon the little sister of the dreaded three.”
“I know very well who you were trying to summon. But I am the great sea witch, and you did call upon the ‘winds, fire, and sea’! Fool, you should know who I am. I am the sea!”
Nanny looked suspiciously at Ursula, who continued in the same fashion. “You should feel honored I answered your summons! And yet I find you disappointed with my arrival! If you don’t want my assistance, I am happy to leave and let you contend with the rabble at the gates all on your own.”
“Of course we want your help!” Tulip interjected, looking more worried than Nanny had ever seen her.
“Well, angel cake, it looks like you’ve got yourself into a bit of trouble once again. What shall we do about it?” Even though Ursula was in her human form, she gesticulated and spoke in such a way that Tulip had no problem imagining the creature she had met under the crashing waves.
Nanny spoke before Tulip could. “We won’t have any of your deals this time, Ursula! You keep your tentacles away from my Tulip!”
Ursula laughed.
“Calm yourself, old woman! She has nothing I want or need! I’m here out of pure charity! And these men are on my shores while your king is away and unable to protect his lands! If I take a payment for this deed, it shall be from him upon his return.
“Now, what to do about little Popinjay and his crew?” Ursula went to the window, casting her hands toward the crashing waves, which swelled to epic heights and smashed onto the castle gates.
“Yes, I think that will do very nicely.” She laughed as the waves battered the men with a violent verve.
“Ursula, no! You’re going to kill them!” screamed Tulip.
“What do you care for these fools?” asked Ursula, her laugh booming.
“Not a jot!” said Tulip. “But I don’t want to see them die!”
“Then close your eyes, dear!” said Ursula, laughing again, this time allowing her voice to echo throughout the lands, as was customary. She wanted no creature, no human or witch, to mistake who and where the power was coming from. Her voice was so piercing a flock of crows scattered from the nearby trees, screeching into the mists beyond.
“Damned birds!” she hissed as she toyed with the waves, making the men’s bodies smash even harder against the castle walls. They were screaming in pain, bloodied and bruised, and begging the sea witch to stop their torment.
Pflanze looked on from her hiding place. Luckily for the cat, the king had an unusually large head (which, thankfully, Tulip had not inherited). As a result Ursula could not see Pflanze squinting at her from behind the king’s bust. Pflanze didn’t much care what happened to the men outside, but she was wondering what Ursula was up to.
“There! That will do!” Ursula said as she calmed the waves, leaving the badly injured men scattered on the castle grounds.
“Oh, yes, there’s just one more thing. What, may I ask, do you want with dear Circe?”
“It’s none of your concern, Ursula,” said Nanny, looking at the sea witch with suspicion.
“Oh, isn’t it? What was your name again? Granny, was it? Well, it so happens I am helping Circe’s sisters to find her, Granny.”
“And we might have found her if you hadn’t shown. I think—”
No, Nanny, no! Nanny looked about the room, trying to find Pflanze, whose voice was whispering in her head.
“You think what?” asked Ursula with narrowed eyes.
Say nothing, flatter her, and make her leave. I don’t think she can be trusted.
“I think we were very lucky you answered our summons. Thank you,” said Nanny, taking Pflanze’s advice.
“Yes, thank you, Ursula. We are again in your debt,” Tulip repeated.