Under the Sea -Chapter Two- Preparations

The arm of a purple starfish,
The tooth of a silver shark,
A green sea turtle's shell,
The beak of a blue parrot fish,
The black ink of a gold squid,
The yellow eye of a gray eel,
and an Azure Oyster's pink pearl.

These are the things that Star did indeed collect. What an arduous task for Poseidon to give. Star already had plenty to do and it was not simple to get the those things, even when you live in the sea.
She did her task  quite swiftly though, which surprised no one at all, she was always quite efficient.

When Star returned to the palace she was immediately creamed by a big buffoon, “Watch it you big bloke!” Which just so happened to be Poseidon, her master.   “Your Majesty please, forgive me, I didn't know that it was you.”

"Did you get everything?" How rude this being could be.

Star's eyes got quite wide, “Why yes Sire, I wouldn't have returned had I not.”

"Then come with me," Poseidon walked out of the palace and into the gardens.

Star followed quickly and quietly, she wasn't to sure what Poseidon could want now or where he could be going. There was nothing in the gardens but coral and rocks and a statue or two. When she reached him by the brain coral beds, sitting at what you could call nothing but a work bench. Not just any work bench had all of these things though. It dawned upon her quickly, this was an alchemy table and she was about to see things she wouldn't believe. She wondered where it had come from, never remembering it there before.

"The satchel Star." Poseidon held out his hand as Star realized she was just standing there, mouth agape. "Do you know what these things are for Star?"

"Yes sire, I think so. You intend to trick the girl with a love potion."

"Don't be so daft Star. This is not some fairy-tale, these ingredients are for me so I can walk on land without being turned into a steed. How else could I approach the girl? I told you I would not stoop to mere trickery." Once again he had become heated because Star could never understand. He wanted that girl to love him, to see how great a god could be.

He started grinding some of the ingredients into a fine powder while others he set to boil. When everything was as he liked, he combined them slowly first adding liquid to powder, then paste to liquid.
It turned the most odd color, each way you turned it showed a different hue. He set it aside to do one last thing. Star had not noticed but the little pink pearl had been left out, Poseidon began to grind it.
When it too was a fine powder he sprinkled it right in and the little vile he had put it all in began to glow.

"Now Star, I have a very important job for you to do." Poseidon set the vile down on the work bench, "take this vile and keep it 'til we leave tonight."

Star gingerly picked up the vile from the work bench and went to take her leave.

"Oh and Star, make sure you don't misplace it. You wouldn't want to anger me anymore about this."

"Yes sire, I will not misplace your hard work." She left a little more quickly, wanting to get away from him as soon as she could. Star didn't know why there had been so much change in him recently, his disposition was more sour everyday. She did know she would hang onto the little vile dearly, she wouldn't want to invoke his wraith, when he was so ready to use it.

Star went about the rest of her day tending to this and that. Making sure everything was ready for Triton's big day. She was very excited about the festivities, it had been quite awhile since anything worth while had happened. It could be very boring in the sea. Star missed her family especially when Poseidon was cruel to her.

Her mother and grandmother were always so kind and gentle unlike everyone else in the palace. They were a bit snobby and thought more of themselves than most. She missed her home so dark and deserted, but her mother owed Poseidon a debt. So now she must serve him, no matter the request. For she was bound by magic, just like what could be found in the little vile. She wondered if Poseidon had really told her the truth.