Most likely. Oberon stared at the siren as it walked in



Leanansidhe turned a remorseless gaze on Puck and shook her head. "No, darling. I think its time the girl knew the truth. You had plenty of time to tell her, so this is no fault but your own." She waved her hand, and music started, dark, ominous piano chords, though no one sat at the bench. Another spotlight clicked on, this time over Leanansidhe as she rose in a billowing of cloth and hair. Standing tall, her hands raised as if embracing an audience, the Dark Muse closed her eyes and began to speak.

"Once upon a time, there were two mortals."

Her musical voice shivered into Lise's head, and she saw the images as clearly as if she were watching a movie. She saw her mom, younger, smiling, carefree, holding hands with a tall, lanky man whom she recognized now. Paul. Her dad. They were talking and laughing, obviously in love and oblivious to the world.

"In mortal eyes," Leanansidhe continued, "they were unremarkable. Two souls in a throng of identical humans. But to the faery world, they were fountains of glamour, beacons of light in the darkness. An artist whose paintings almost sang with a life of their own, and a musician whose soul was intertwined in his music, their love only heightened their talents."

It calmly stares back at him. "Marina has a minor request to ask of you." It announces calmly.

She stayed silent, listening.

"Yes? What does she request now?"


"They got married and, as humans do, began to drift apart. The man took a new job, one that required him to leave home for long periods of time; his music dwindled and soon ceased altogether. His wife continued to paint, less frequently than before, but now her art was filled with longing, a yearning for something more. And perhaps that was what drew the eye of the Summer King."

"Well, many centuries ago, the seelie king of that time stole part of the Aqua Crystal- it's essentially our version of your Scepter. The shards he stole were attached to the Scepter. So, once you get the Scepter back, Marina would appreciate it if you returned the shards to her. They're bright blue- you can't miss them."

She clenched her fists tightly as she listened.

"Hmm...we shall see."




"Not long after, two children were born, a child of two worlds, half faery and half mortal. During that time, there was much speculation in the Summer Court, wondering if the children should be taken into Faery and raised as Oberons daughter, or if they were to stay in the human world with her mortal parents. Unfortunately, before a decision could be made, the family fled with the child, spiriting her far away and out of Oberons reach. To this day, no one knows how they accomplished this, though there was a rumor that the girls mother somehow found a way to hide them all, that perhaps she was not as blind to Faery as she first appeared. Ironically, it was the humans music that gave them away again, when the father of the girl began composing again. Six years after they fled from the courts, Queen Titania discovered the location of the childs family, and was determined to take her revenge. She could not kill the girls and risk Oberons wrath, nor did she dare strike at the mother, the human who caught the eye of the Summer King. But the girls mortal father had no such protection."

He nods. "Good. She has also requested that I stay here a while, as she understands siren culture might be confusing to outsiders and wants to make sure she is properly understood."

She could basically figure out what happened next, but let her continue.

"You may stay. For now."



Leanansidhe gave a dramatic sigh as if she could tell, and picked up her cigarette holder, sucking on it with pursed lips. "I was just getting to the climax, darling," she sighed, blowing out a blue panther that bounded over Lise's head. "Youre probably a horror to take to the movies, arent you?"