Mab's eyes settle on Mer Cronigh. "Was this your idea, Crone?"

Fea smiles broadly. "Not at all, Mab, Tis all the wee ones. There is one more, but ta dearie has fallen asleep in her da's arms. Fo' as small as she is, tis a strong willed babe she be."

Mab's eyes narrow and Mera grins even more, if that is possible. Keon stifles a shudder and Mera turns, tugging at the woman's skirts. The Crone looks down, her smile softening. The girl raises her arms and Fea lifts her, bouncing her on her hip. Mab frowns as Titania lifts her glass to her lips, hiding a smile.

"Do you have an interest in these children, Crone?"

Mab's gaze takes in everything. Tomas and Tara link hands, concentrating. Chloe moves slightly in front of Fea and Mera. Her dragon lifts, hovering above the group. Mera lays her head on Fea's shoulder, patting gently. Fea laughs, chuckling at the shocked faces of the Courts.

"An interest, O Queen of the Dark? Aye, ye could say that. Tis mutual indeed. I claim these young as Kin of the Sea, an they claim this ancient Fae as Gran."

As Mab's energy builds, Mera touches the Crone's face. Her eyes flash between the Queen and Fea. Tara's eyes stay on Titania. The Queen of the Bright Court laughs, the merry sound breaking the tension. Tara nods, turning her gaze to Mab and Fea as Titania soft voice drifts into the conversation.

"A grandmother. How long has it been since any of us could claim such? Perhaps it is best to leave it be, Cousin. Fea has..." She nods regally to Fea. "Our Sea Crone relates very well with the wee ones. I say tis a good thing she also sponsors The Child of Two Worlds. What say you, Cousin?"

Mab sits back, looking as if nothing had disturbed her good mood. "Do not fancy yourself a Queen, Fea. The Prophecy says nothing of new Courts. Fine. So, young Tomas has several to teach him and Ruarc the sword. The girls will learn as well?"

Keon bows slightly, "I shall assume, Dark Lord, that other tutors will be found to school them on the ways of the Fae Realm?" Again Keon bows slightly. "Fine. Tis done then."

Mera sits up in Fea's arms. "Gran Mer? Dance?"

"Tis nae music dearie."

Chloe tugs at her skirt, pointing to the stage. Lunar Eclipse has begun taking their places and Fea smiles. She bows her head to the Queens and gathers the twins. "Come dearies... Tis a jig I be thinkin?"  She sets Mera on her feet. Fea begins a jigging step, making the children giggle. They try to mimic her steps, prancing in her wake to the stage.

Keon murmurs to Erik to lead Star and Ruarc from the Queens, lingering behind as the couple bows and moves away. Mab stops him with a gesture.

"Watching their backs, Dealg Drubh?"

"Aye Your Highness."

"I thought, Lord Keon, that you held no part in the belief of Prophecy."

A brilliant smile flashes across the coal planes of his stark features. "I never thought to find love, take another blood brother, nor see the Sea Hag merrily cavort save on the destruction of an enemy. And yet, O Queen, I have done all three in a short period of time. How can I NOT see what is happening?"

He turns away and joins the dancers, matching the surprisingly nimble Sea Hag step for step.

Mera fusses a little as Keon changes her into a nightgown. The embroidery was beautiful. It takes him a moment to remember where he had seen it before. Alise had gifted Pandora with similar things for Chloe. He wonders if it was something Pandora had given, or something Alise had made especially for Mera. He had been so lost in his own grief, he never noticed what the women had gathered for his child.

Mya keeps up a stream of chattered instructions. Mera watches her intently, eyes shifting back to Keon as if to make sure he was still there. He smiles down at his daughter, half amused that Mya seems to have lost her awe of Lord Blackthorn. When he begins to sing, Mya finds a perch and stills her coaching.

The song is an old lullaby of the Irish hills, something he had heard the country women sing to their own wee ones. The Gaelic rolls from his tongue, lilting softly. There is a sound at the open door and he looks up. Star is laying a handkerchief over Mya's sleeping form. Mera's own eyes are closed, her fist again wrapped in his long hair. He lays her in her cradle, making sure to remove any stray strands of his hair. She is beautiful, sleeping peacefully. He shakes his head, bringing himself back from the deeper recesses of his mind.

He motions to Star and they head back into the main room.

"Would ye have a mirror? I would ask Fea about things Mera would need, an it be best if ye are there when I ask. I promise to cancel the spell as soon as we are done, so Fea can nae open the connection from her side."

A hand mirror is found and Keon props it up on the kitchen table. His hand passes over the surface and he mutters beneath his breath. An image appears in the mirror, colorful fish swimming slowly through brilliant waters. Moments later Mer Cronigh's voice can be heard.

"I hae heard the Abjurred is erased from the Realms. If this be the news ye be bringing, I hae no need o' it!"

"Nae Mer Cronigh. I ken ye wouldst know that ere I could bring news. I needs must ask thine aid." Keon waits patiently as the fish are suddenly replaced by the Sea Crone's image.

"Ach, now why did ye nae say it were ye! Dealg Drubh, ye are ever a call I would answer. Mine aid again? If ye be askin to reverse the spell on yer blood, tis no need lad. Yer blood is yer own, just immune to the toxin's that abound in the water nymph's."

"Ye anticipate me, *Seanmháthair. Twas one of my questions. More hae to do wi' mine bairn."

A smile stretches across the Fae's features. Sharp teeth are bared in a grin. "Ah.... Mera Cassandra Thorn." She nods slowly. "For her, I will answer yer queries for naught. So, ye hae decided yer path?"

Keon sighs. Fea's network is far reaching, she knew things often before they happened. "Actually, I have asked Lady Star and her husband to care for her in fostering." If anything, the Fae seems to smile broader. " Fea, we need to know, is Mera's blood like mine, or Cassie's?"

The Fae settles back as if in a soft chair. "The child is only part nymph so she shares blood more like yer own. Tis nae toxic like her mother's, nor will it be blue. Tis red as her human heritage." A look of concern crosses her face. "Lad, has she been in water? She needs to be in fresh water at least once a day for twenty minutes or so. An make sure her gills are submerged when ye lay her back. They are delicate, an still developing. When she gets a wee bit older, she will want to swim. Let her."

She stares past Keon, looking towards Star, even though the Dark Lord fills her sight.

"An Lady Star need help or information, she needs only fill a bowl with water an drop a pebble in it. I will be on her doorstep before the ripples stop. Hae ye anymore questions?"

There is a commotion by the door, another by the window. The screech of pain turns heads. A demifae drops to a tabletop, wings shredded. Red streaks the little man's tunic and in moments he disappears under a mound of winged adversaries.

Truant whistles and the small man finds himself held upright, trapped between two warriors. The head demifae cracks his knuckles and smiles. "You wanna tell me why you helped dat Sidhe bitch?"

The little man glares straight ahead saying nothing. Truant nods and the demifae pull hard, bracing the captive. One, two, the punches land with solid thunks. The man jerks from the force of the blows. Truant lines up another punch.

"Yo. I'm talkin to you! What'd she promise?"

The demifae says nothing, staring past Truant. Another demifae, leans close holding out a small pouch to the Leader.

"This? This is..."

His words are drowned out by an uproar on the stairs. Another demifae struggles in the hands of her captors. Miko's youngest brother leads the way.

"Caught her trying to open a window on the second level, said Morgan promised her a drink from the child she helped take."

Fea smiles and offers Truant her hand. "I hae a child she can drink from. She won't be liken it." She cackles, raising the hairs on the shifters' necks. She eyes the other captives. "That one..." She points to the male Truant was beating, "he can come below wi' me. Find out the crime o' the third, an I may hae something for it as well. Or mayhaps a collector's box."

She cackles again as the three are bound together. Fea upends a mesh colander over the trio. "That should keep them until I am ready to leave."

Chloe fusses. Her cousins are nursing, and she wants some too. Ob smiles and kisses the top of Pandora's hair.

Bruha, perhaps a bottle for Chloe? I will sit with Stoney and Keon and feed our *gitanilla. Give Keon more male support, si?

Pandora laughs and hands their daughter to her daddy. She disappears into the kitchen, returning with a warmed bottle. Ob hooks a chair with his foot and settles into it, coaxing Chloe. Her eyes stray to Keon, watching his dark countenance with fascination. One of her tiny hands finds a length of Ob's hair and twists it around her fist. The other reaches up, patting the bottle. She looks up and Ob and smiles.

He begins to sing to her, a gentle song of desert breezes and starlit skies, giving way to the breeze singing through the tall grasses of the plains. His song changes to an old tune of sheep and the Mother Moon. Keon smiles, joining the chorus. Stoney rocks Tomas gently, joining the second verse.

The tavern is quiet, save for the voices of the three men. In a few moments, the Gars shift their children, positioning them for  burps. Keon mimics and soon has mastered another skill. Monty collects the bottles and heads to the kitchen.

Tomas is suddenly alert. He reaches up, touching Stoney's face. His eyes go to Mer Cronigh. Stoney looks at Ob. For Keon's sake he voices his thoughts. "Tomas wants to know what kind of Dragon the old woman is."

Keon grins, pressing his lips together. The men both look at him. "Old... she is an old dragon woman."

Tomas gurgles and taps Stoney again. "No ^mon fils, I do not think she will take you for a ride in the sky. She is a Sea Fae."

Keon hides a smile as the Hag's voice is suddenly behind them. "I am not a Sea Fae. I am the Mer Cronigh. Older than the Fae. I am the Sea Herself."

Ob jumps and Chloe giggles. "I remember ye, Josephito of the Romanavitch. Ye tried to learn the Siren's songs. Ye almost became a fixture below the waves."

She smiles, it would have been sweet, if her teeth were not so jagged. Tomas coos at her. Ob eyes her warily. "Ye tried to woo one of me daughters. What would ye hae done. Ye were a rascal and a rogue. An she wanted ye, ye do realize, I let ye escape?"

Keon stifles a laugh handing Mera to Fea. "Yer children know I will nae harm them.They are the Lady's Blessings." She spies Pandora as she lays a hand on Ob's shoulder. "Ach, twas decades ago, lass. I'll be forgiving him now. Besides, who knew he would make such pretty bairns. If I had I nae would hae tried to drown him."

Ob hands Chloe to Pandora and claims his wife's hand. He lays a kiss upon her palm. "I promise, I won't be bothering your daughters again." He smiles up at Pandora, blue eyes burning.

Releasing Pandora's hand and stretching out his grip, he presses his other hand against his chest. His palm glows bright, then blinding, dimming into a long curved scimitar. Allah's Light weights his hand and he lays the blade across his lap.

Fea grins at him. "Ach, I knew ye were more than a useless Minstrel." She pats Keon's shoulder. "Just like this one."


*little gypsy

^my son

"Dealg Drubh. Stop growlin at those that would help ye with her remains. Give Mera into the care of the Moon's Daughter. She will nae take her from ye, but respect yer mourning."

Keon sets Mera in Rowan's arms, kissing the little one's forehead. Dark shining eyes, bright with tears, blink up at him. he whispers softly. "I tend yer ma, but will be back soon." Tears still course down his cheeks and he silently kneels next to Cassie. The little mer shifts out of the way as Keon turns Cassie's body, It tentatively reaches out to help, watching the Dark Lord very carefully. When he doesn't growl, she helps to arrange Cassie's body.

When Cassie is laid out, Keon bends until his forehead touches hers. What he says, no one save Nick can hear. He cups her face gently and touches his lips to her still ones.

"Keon."

Fea's voice is soft. not the abrasive tones she usually uses. "Her spirit no longer lives within, lad. Tis time ta let her go."

He nods and sits back on his heels. Fea presses something in his hand and he looks down. Two small vials and a locket lay in his palm. The blue of her blood gleams from the vials and Keon looks at Fea.

"I know yer ways Keon, Ye were never married, but ye were close to it. A vial of heart's blood as a reminder of where yer heart lies. A second, because I foresee a need for it. The locket, that is for yer daughter."

Fea raises a pair of golden shears and snips a lock of Cassie's hair. She cut a bit of Keons and lays them in the open locket. A pass of her hand and the hair becomes portraits. Fae utters a word, snapping it closed.

Keon closes his hand around the talisman, watching silently as four mermen rise to accept Cassie's body. The sound of singing echoes across the water as four beautiful mermaids break the surface halfway across the lake. As beautiful as the females are, the males are not. The largest male bows to Keon, then Mer Cronigh. Keon returns the bow from his knees and they take Cassie into their custody. Dry eyed, he watches as they bear her to the center of the lake. A water nymph appears on the shore. A dryad joins her.

"We take word to her kin. Her mother will know that someone loves her daughter and saw her back to her people. Her father will know that his child was treated with respect."

The nymphs slip away, gone as silently as they came. Keon watches as the mer slip beneath the waters and throws back his head, howling. His voice is joined by the sounds of Wolves and Hellhounds, distant and eerie, harmonizing his song of sorrow.

As silence descends, Keon rises. He stands for a moment, watching the water. Rowan comes forward, offering him Mera. Fea stops him from taking the baby, instead pulling a length of silver chain from her pocket. She threads the locket on the chain, placing it around the baby's neck. She touches the ends together and the chain shrinks, drawing the locket into its proper position.

"Elven silver. The chain will be proper no matter how big she gets."

She threads the two vials on another piece and places it around Keon's neck. Tapping the vials, she smiles at him. The smile would make a less numb man tremble. "One for memory and love. The other... for vengence."

She hands Keon a baby's gown and nappie of pale green. "A gift from the denizens of the lake." She nods when Keon has dressed his little one and holds her in the warmth of his arms.

"Moon's Daughter Rowan, this child will need something other than human sustenance. I have sent word for a siren to aid in the formulary." There is a tap on the dock and Fea looks down. The small mer has returned, bearing a hinged shell. Fea gives the shell to Keon. he opens it to find the necklace and earrings he had gifted to Cassie, along with a braid of her hair. Breathing deep for control, he closes the shell, slipping it into a pocket.

Fea lays a hand on Keon's arm. "I think it is time to return to the Tavern. There are others who would share in yer grief."

As they turn from the lake, Keon looks toward the dark woods. His words are soft and bitter, turning heads.

"By the Darkest of Nights,
by Morrighan's raven flights,
yer blood will spill
for all you hae caused ill.
I'll make ye pay Morgan Abjured."

The two mers keeping Keon above water are giggling. The Dark Lord stares at the baby girl in his hands. Small gills flutter as she breathes and Fea keeps repeating something over and over. Finally it is Cassie's tired voice that sinks through his daze.

"Keon, lower her into the water again, cover her gills."

Keon slowly lowers the baby, watching her lips open and close in time with her gills. Her feet kick, hands moving as if stroking the water. Tiny webs flutter between her stretched fingers. Keon looks up at Cassie as their child meets her new surroundings. Fea motions and the Mers bring him to Cassie's side.

He hands their daughter to Cassie, stroking his fingertips over the small head of curls. Within moments the baby is suckling and Keon levers himself up on the dock. The Mers giggle again and flip themselves out of the water, diving away from the couple.Their giggles can be faintly heard when they resurface halfway across the lake.

Keon looks at Fea. "What do they find so funny?"

"You laddie. Yer the fearsome Dealg Drubnh, an here ye are, bewitched by the soft blue glow of yer own child. When yer wee one is done nursing, Cassie should find her bed and rest, Keon. Beautiful lassie, have ye thought of a name?"

"Mera..." Cassie looks up at Keon smiling. "She is a water baby, as beautiful as her mother, yet crowned with me own dark locks." His gaze leaves his women and finds Fea's. "Me gratitude Mer Cronigh, for yer aid."

The Crone strokes his cheek lightly. "An I could do no less fer me own boyo. I will return in a bit. Ye need time together. Now don't ye forget to call that great beast of a Viking. He can be spreading the word for ye in no time."

Fea pats Cassie's hand and draws a wet finger along Mera's brow. "Mother bless ye both, me lasses."

The Crone sinks beneath the lake and is gone. Keon helps Cassie up onto the dock. He struggles into his jeans, leaving the pants open as he pulls out his cell. Flipping it open he notes the lack of signal.

"Cassie, I have to get a better signal to call Guunnar, do you want to go inside?"

Cassie shakes her head and begins to talk softly to Mera. The baby coos and Keon kisses Cassie's cheek before stepping away.

"Guunnar... we have a lass. Pale she is, with a mass of black waves. beautiful as moonlit waters... Aye, she is doin well..."

His cell phone rings, the sound distant and indistinct. It takes Keon a moment to realize what the sound is. His jeans are tossed on the floor next to the bed, the noise muffled by the fabric of the pocket. Stretching, he fumbles it out, trying not to wake Cassie.

"Speak."

His word is terse, the sound little more than a whisper.

"Well, if that is how ye use this thing, I will remember to pop up in yer bath water next time I feel the need to talk to ye."

Keon swallows hard. "Mer Cronigh."

"Sure, an the same. Now, what has befallen yer water lass, Dealg Drubh. I hear she was carried to yer bed in pain. The winged ones say you may need My aid. What worries ye so?"

Keon slips from the bed, moving to stand across the room beside the portrait of Cassie. His fingers lightly caress Star's rendering, amazed at her accuracy. He fills Fea in on the happenings and the end result. Fea crows with delight at Jack's escapades, becoming somber at his reports of Cassie's fall.

"Ye have the stirrings of a human heart, laddie. 'Tis the same of all the Dark Lords. Ye feel deeper than most Fae. Ye care about justice and love. I will come to Cassandra's lake on the morrow. The mers will be ready if yer Cassie needs aid in birthing. So will the local nymphs."

There is a pause, soft voices, then Fea is back.

"I must return this phone to the shifter who made the borrowin'. A few warnings to pass on for me, Keon. I hear Torrent is bleeding his own aura to let a human see the truth. Pray remind him, too much given an' he will be goin' to the grave with her. There is that possibility. As for Twillon... send word ta him, an he need my aid, drop three pebbles in the bright Court Pond, an I will be there anon. I do like his little *banríon. I wish them well. Tomorrow Keon, as soon as ye can be there, I will be waitin'. But one word. Nae take the Shadow paths. They be watched by those who are less honorable of spirit. Morgan would know where ye travel."


*queen