Part of Your World (Disney Twisted Tales) - Liz Braswell Page 0,50

buy you a new ship because the funds are being spent on war," Jetsam hissed impatiently. Lucio blinked first at him in confusion, then at Vanessa.

"No, no, you misunderstand. Your Highness. We have the funds. It's just that the shipyard is busy working on your warships full time. We were wondering if maybe...you could take a break... or... maybe establish another shipyard....Yes! Another shipyard. That would be good. For everyone."

Ursula's eyebrows shot toward the ceiling.

'You want me to what?" she whispered. "Waste time with another building project for—what? So you can fishT' "Yes, Your Highness. So we can fish. That is what we do."

He was obviously terrified.. .but it was also obvious that he had a cause and a belief he was committed to, and he wouldn't back down. Ursula hated people like that.

"I think. As a princess. I know. What is best. For my people, " she whispered, slowly and clearly. "But..."

"Your audience is over," Flotsam added swiftly.

Ursula whispered something that none of the three men could understand. All leaned forward in confusion. "Your daughter," she said, letting a little of her real voice come through. The fisherman looked understandably startled.

"Yes?"

"What is her name?" she said.

"Julia," he said, first seeming confused, then saying her name again with pride. "Julia. A beautiful, but sometimes naive, girl." Good.

Ursula loved people like that.

Flotsam took the fisherman by the elbow and steered him out.

The sea witch wondered for a moment how, with all their fables, stories, and morality plays, humans still fell mto the same old traps. It was kmd of amazing. With their pathetically short lives they repeated the same mistakes of previous generations, almost as if they were all one endless being. Why tell a stranger the real name of someone you love? Why brag to a person m power about the beauty or skills of your son or daughter? Why offer up any information, or any need, when it could be used against you?

"Send in the next," Ursula said with a chuckle. The meetmg with the fisherman had put in her a surprisingly good mood after all.

"Iase Pendrahul of Ibria," Flotsam announced.

With rather more sureness than she liked, the ambassador—spy—sauntered calmly into the room. Now that's a powerful gait, the sea witch thought. His skin was clear and his cheekbones high, his hazel eyes lit from within like an ember you thought you had put out. Thick, curly brown hair attacked the air around his head, barely contained in a riotous ponytail.

"My dear Iase," Ursula whispered indicating the only other chair—a stool, really, with no back, set there for the express purpose of making the other person feel lesser. Yet the representative from Ibria took it and sat arrogantly at ease.

"I've heard you have a cold. A thousand blessmgs on your health," he said, touchmg his heart.

"Forget about it, it's nothing," she whispered. "Let's talk about our alliance."

"We can talk—or at least I can," he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "but I do not see any advantage to our siding with you. Your fleet is still short three of the warships you swore to provide—six, I believe, was the origmal promise. Your land skirmishes have been of questionable success at best. Burning down defenseless villages isn't really much of an accomplishment—I'm fairly certain Gaius Octavius would agree with me on that one. Ibria is wealthy enough. We have no reason to spend resources on a war that doesn't directly lead to our advantage."

"Oh, but it will," Ursula whispered, putting a hand on his arm.

Iase stared at her fmgers with distaste.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked.

"It will, " she hissed louder.

"You'll forgive me. Your Highness, but you have given me no proof of that. I see no reason to make deals with a princess who dresses prettily but lacks any strategic ability."

"You refuse to deal because I am a womanT Ursula growled, perhaps a little loudly, m her own voice.

"On the contrary," Iase said, patting her hand and then removing it from his arm. "I have had many dealmgs with fme women I respect. Including at least one pirate captain. It is you, personally, Princess Vanessa, whom I am hesitant to entrust the resources or future of ray country with."

The two were silent for a moment, lookmg into each other's eyes. His were steady and dark; hers glittered strangely.

Ursula wished she were underwater. She wished she had her tentacles. She wished she had her old necklace. She wished she had anything she could smite him with—frankly, a large