The Demon And The Siren [Completed]

|Forty-Eight : Truth Tale|

"A person can be revived only one time," Poseidon let out an agonized breath, "And I'd already revived her once when she was two."

"What?" Marilla's eyes shooted to the motionless Layla then snapping back to the Sea God.

Poseidon glanced towards Apollo who stared back in shock as if he hadn't known this part either. And Poseidon understood why. Apollo had figured out Marilla was who's daughter but he hadn't known how Poseidon was able to swap Layla's crown for Marilla.

Poseidon sighed. He'd come to tell the truth anyways. Even if the timing turned out to be worse, he had to do it.

"I'll tell you a tale." Poseidon began, kneeling in front of his daughter and gently shutting Layla's opened silver eyes with his palm.

When he averted his gaze up, he found Marilla staring with a furrow to her brows, her wet eyes taking in the blue of his eyes, his oceanic hair identical to hers.

"Centuries ago, Mariana Shellock wasn't meant to be the true heir. She had an elder sister, Heather. . ." Poseidon drawled.

Marilla saw pain flash in Poseidon's eyes but he blinked and casted his gaze on her, "Your mother."

Marilla sucked in a breath. What was he talking about. . . .

Queen Mariana was her and Layla's mother. She didn't even ever hear about any Heather or any sister of her mother.

Poseidon saw the disbelief clear on his daughter's face and it shrunk his heart at how she didn't even know about her own mother.

Nonetheless, he continued, "Mariane wanted to be the ruler. She pledged to do anything to get the throne. Anything. Even if it meant framing her own sister for stealing a sacred heirloom of the merfolks and destroying it and then acting as if Heather attempted to kill Mariane when she found out the truth."

Marilla's head spun. She didn't understand where he was going with his story. But she wanted to listen. Wanted to know why a God would make such a blasphemy up when he had several other thing to do then involve himself in immortal affairs.

"Their parents believed the act. They believed Heather had actually tried to kill Mariane in vengeance of seeing her destroy the heirloom. They were furious. They instantly declared that Heather would never be the queen and Mariane would take it instead. And then they. . . ." Poseidon gulped the lump in his throat, ". . .banished her from the kingdom and left her to die in the sea by tying her down and leaving her for the sea animals to feast on."

Marilla saw the conflict and anger radiate in the God's each word, she could sense it around his aura as he clenched his fists shutting his eyes.

When he opened those orbs again, they were a combination of fondness and sadness, "That's when I met your mother."

Marilla stroked Layla's hair absently. Poseidon's story was the only thing keeping her from breaking down completely at her sister's death. . . .

"You saved her?" She asked softly.

Poseidon was surprised at her talking at all. And something in him clenched at his daughter's voice so much like. . .Heather's.

"She saved herself." Marilla saw a smile pull at the God's lips for the first time since he began narrating the story.

"How?" She wanted to know.

"Your mother was fearless. She fought despite being tied down, despite having very less chances against a troop of sharks surrounding her. And she did defeat them. By her own self." Poseidon's fond smile widened, "I was just passing through the sea and she almost knocked me out thinking I was going to attack her."