Disney Princess Remix

-Ashley’s POV-

I meant to leave the scene after that. I meant to return home, to pretend I never snuck out when I wasn’t allowed to. But that was not what happened. I hadn’t swam far when I heard the smash of wood against stone, the familiar collision of a shipwreck. Instantly, I turned around and sped towards the sound, finding the waves littered with debris. It must have been the drink. Whatever they had that had caused them to lose their footing, to laugh without cause, to appear dizzy, seemed to also have been the reason their ship was no more. I spotted most of the crew huddled together on a life boat calling for the prince, and I realized they had not drunk so much of the amber liquid. They shouted his name thrice more. No response of any kind. The following silence pierced my heart with fear, the prince couldn’t be dead. Diving beneath the inky black water, I searched as desperately as if it were me drowning, intoxicated with the drink of confusion, most likely unconscious. Finally, even when the remaining humans returned home with a tragedy on their hands, I touched a pale arm, dragging it to the surface with all I had left. Leaning my head against his chest, I could hear his shallow, fading, heartbeat. Prince Andrew, or Andy, as they had called him, was somehow still alive, but barely. I managed to pull him to the beach and lay him on the shore with me half in the water, yet he still did not wake up. Then I remembered something that I had seen the humans do to bring someone back after they had almost drowned, and ok, maybe tonight wasn’t the first night I had spent watching this man. Confession: I had spent entire days hidden, nearly completely beached just observing humans, but Andy was always my favorite. I had never seen him up close until now. But the technique I witnessed previously involved placing my lips to his. I put my head against his chest once more. Hardly a whisper. Yes, the method was necessary, and I would have to act quickly if I wished to save the man I had come to care for. Taking a deep breath, I performed what had been referred to that day as “CPR,” pleading that it would work, pounding on his chest to help his heart beat again. I pressed my lips to his, (which happened to feel wonderful) and blew oxygen into his lungs, or tried to do whatever it was I had seen. No result, I had failed miserably. I sighed, ready to return home, when I turned, just once more, to sing him to eternal rest. As the lyrics came to a conclusion, he suddenly rolled over, vomiting up seawater and gagging, gasping for air while I splashed back into the ocean and stared from afar. The prince was alive. I had really saved him. Not only that, but even kissed him, as well. Wait, no, that wasn’t right, I lied to myself before internally groaning and diving back into the water to swim home reluctantly. Who am I kidding, I’ve had a crush on Andy since the day I laid eyes on him when I was 11. Now I had fallen into forbidden love with him. Hopeless, aching, forbidden love, yet pure and honest all the same, though never to be returned. What had I done with my life?

-Andy’s POV-

My muddled mind spun and ached, I knew I had too much to drink. All I could remember was one moment, laughing on the ship, the next, in the freezing sea, and after that, now, on the beach and coughing up salty water. There was more than that, though. Sitting up, I tried to remember, rubbing my eyes and groaning from what I had just been through, trying to reach what I had heard and seen through the remaining cloud of the alcohol’s influence. Someone giving me CPR, helping my heart pump, attempting to replace the water in my lungs with air. Unfortunately, the weight of it all still dragged me under, as they were not very successful. Then, a voice. The most beautiful I’d ever heard, at first, I thought I had died and it was an angel. As I began to wake up, I realized it was real. It was the voice that saved me, and as I heard it, the tone was somewhat feminine. That’s it, I decided. Whoever sang to me saved my life. I will propose to whoever rescued me from death, for there is no worthier action of my hand in marriage than to have brought me back to life. I will find this mystery girl and I will ask her to marry me. I managed to stand and walk to the castle, though at the pace of a snail and never considering what I might say if the voice that saved me belonged to a man.

-Ashley’s POV-

Andy was the only thing on my mind all through the next couple days. He had become a new obsession, so to speak, as I dreamt, thought of, and loved nothing else. Yet the wedding with the mermaid princess whom I had not even learnt the name of was in one week. One week to tell my humaphobic, most likely homophobic, father, that I was in love with the human prince. Two of his fears combined, though I didn’t believe homophobia to be a literal fear, like humaphobia was. Humaphobic was a mer-term meaning “the fear of humans,” it was quite common, in fact, similar to “arachnophobia” in humans. Yet the only way I could ever have a chance with the one I loved was to tell my father. But I chickened out and decided to come out to Jinxx, my crab servant, first. As if on cue, he scuttled into my room, bringing news that I must see the king about the wedding plans. I took a deep breath. It was now or never.
“Jinxx, please don’t go, I have something to tell you. Or ask you. Maybe both.”
“Be quick about it, you know your father isn’t the most patient.”
“I know. What would you say if I-I-if I-“
“Spit it out before Christmastime, boy!”
“IfIwasgayandlovedahumanboy,” I rushed out fast, internally freaking out and panicking as my heart pounded with anxiety.
“If you what?” My eyes began to burn, I knew if I had my head out of water, tears would drip down my face.
“If I was gay and loved a human boy,” I whispered as the burning became more intense. Jinxx opened his mouth and closed it, watching me begin to weep, though harder to see underwater. He gave me a short nod.
“I would remind you it was completely unacceptable. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some news to deliver to the king,” he responded calmly before leaving me alone to fully break down in sobs. God, why had I ever spoken up? Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn’t I be free to love whoever I loved? Why couldn’t I marry who I chose? What was so wrong about finding someone you cared for so much? Love was not a crime, so why did they make it feel like one? My father would not be pleased. Not at all. I had to escape this hell in which no one accepted me. I had to run away. The sudden thought gave me unexpected hope. There was nothing to lose, so why not? No time to gather posessions, just time to swim off to the one person who might be able to help me, though for a price, of course.

-Time Skip-

A while later, most likely a couple of hours, I was far past the boundries and waiting outside of Ursula, the sea witch's, cave. She was the only one with the power to give me legs so that I could tell the prince it was I who saved and loved him. I swam inside without further hesitation.
"Ursula?" I called more boldly than I meant to. She appeared instantly, and had fallen out of shape since the ancient carvings of her warning the merfolk of her spells and trickery. Her skin was a light violet, her hair white and thick, skirt of black tentacles billowing around her like slithering eels. I gulped at the mere sight, causing her to chuckle.
"Never thought I'd see the day when a royal showed up at my domain. Prince Ashley, what is it that you seek, and what is it that you value?"
"I-I-I've come here to ask for legs. To be human," I stuttered.
"Spells cannot last forever, the longest time span is that of three days, and with the highest price. May I ask what you wish them for?"
"I am in love with a human whom I have admired dearly since a young age and must meet him in person. Also, I want to escape my father, though surely I have nothing you desire," I replied, and Ursula erupted with deep, bubbling laughter that made me flinch.
"Escape your father I can understand, but little Princie here is in love with a human boy?! I'll cut you some slack for that, kid, this should be pretty entertaining to watch. Always knew there was something different about you, never thought it'd be that you're gay. Anyway, I already know what I want from you," she told me slyly. I ignored her insults, honestly not caring what a sea witch, of all things, thought of me.
"What do you want?"
"Your voice."
"What?!"
"You heard me. I want your voice. I don't know how much you know about me, but I don't make fair deals, kid. You want to be human for three days, I want someone to work for me. Here's what's going to happen if you really love the guy-You will give me your voice that I will trap in this shell. On the sunset of the third day, if he himself has not kissed you, you belong to me. If he has given you the kiss of true love, I will return your voice and you may stay human forever with him. It's all or nothing, kid. Pick your poison." Three days with Andy was worth anything, and I was desperate.
"I'll do it."

Notes

Ok, so this story should be a little longer than the last one. These keep getting longer and longer! The quarter is coming to an end and I don't have a lot of homework, so I finally have some free time. I try to write these stories well and I work hard on them, but I kinda feel like no one reads them...they're super fun to write, but idk if anyone likes them...