Marlene hadn't initially wanted to go find James and Lily, but her mother had been right. Being around people who didn't fear her had helped to ease the pain in her heart. Something about Dionysus made it easier for these people to accept Fate. Not everyone felt that way certainly, and some were so lost in their drink that they would have hugged the Minotaur, but every child of Dionysus that Lily introduced them to seemed unperturbed by who she was.

The feeling was freeing.

Marlene met more half-siblings of her betrothed than she had been initially expecting, all of whom seemed excited to meet Sirius, and then excited to meet her as his betrothed. Though some were more than a bit perplexed.

It didn't take long before James asked Sirius to tell him what happened on their journey. Marlene laughed as Sirius became a performer before her very eyes. He'd obviously been more reserved in the midst of their potential doom, because he'd never told a story with quite this level of enthusiasm in the days he'd been telling her stories. After the first telling to James and Lily, Marlene saw in her foresight that ultimately he'd tell the story to a crowd in the nearby courtyard. So rather than making him tell it a few times before someone set him up in the courtyard, she decided to speed the process.

"Lily, would you let everyone know Sirius will tell the tale again in the courtyard a few homes down?" Marlene asked and Lily's face brightened considerably as she nodded and jumped from her seat, sending each group of mingling partiers out to the courtyard.

"I am?" Sirius looked confused.

"Someone else would have insisted upon it in the next couple hours," Marlene shrugged. "I've decided to move it up to now instead."

"We should make you a stage!" James laughed.

"Yes," Marlene smirked at him, "you should."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "If I wasn't madly in love with you this would probably be annoying."

Marlene kissed his cheek and laughed, "I'm trying to get you used to it before the euphoria wears off."

Sirius smirked at her, "You have a long way before that, love."

It didn't take long for a small stage to be erected and for the courtyard to fill with the children and worshippers of Dionysus. Sirius gave a masterful retelling of their adventure and everyone cheered when it was the vines that ultimately killed the beast. When he told of professing his undying love to her, Marlene saw open weeping in the crowd. But she really wished she'd been trying to use her foresight before he asked the crowd if they'd like to meet her. They'd cheered and Lily and James had pushed her up onto the stage with Sirius where he kissed her soundly in front of the crowd. They'd cheered and clapped and whistled before he introduced her to them as "the most beautiful woman in the world, the Daughter of Fate, the hero of their adventure, and his betrothed wife."

The crowd had surged forward and Marlene was overrun by congratulations and excitement and acceptance in a way she'd never known from strangers. But after a few hours of using her foresight to make sure she didn't end up covered in wine and food and other much less pleasant things, Marlene decided she'd had quite enough and pulled Sirius away.

She walked him to the neighborhood that her father lived in. These streets had been as much her playground as Zeus' palace.

"This is where I was the first time my foresight came to me." She pointed to a fountain in one of the many courtyards.

"What did you see?" Sirius pulled her to the fountain and sat down. Marlene smiled and scooted close to him.

"I was playing with some of the kids who lived here, and I saw that one of them would steal a coin from another. I immediately called out to the other child to warn them, but it created a great deal of confusion and bickering." She sighed, "Most of the parents accused me of stirring up trouble. They told their children it would be best not to play with me."

Sirius pulled her closer, "How old were you?"

"Eight," Marlene rested against his chest. "I think that's when Father really began to consider asking me to be mortal. In his eyes, it solved all my problems."

Sirius was quiet for a long while before he spoke, "Do you think it would solve all your problems?"

Marlene turned to face him with a smile, "No, because nothing solves all the problems anyone may have. I may have liked the idea of a single solution, but I see now that there's no such thing. There will always be people who fear, hate, despise, and curse me for who I am, but I've learned that there will also be people who like, love, cherish and celebrate me for who I am. I spent far too long listening to that first group. I'm choosing to start listening to the latter."

Sirius looked like he could fly and Marlene was about to push up to kiss him when she heard a familiar voice.

"I'd like to know if I can join that latter group as well."

Marlene turned to see her father standing a few feet from them. Her feet moved of their own accord, carrying her to his arms where she held him tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Marlene, more than I can ever express," he pressed her to him and Marlene felt her tears fall for a much happier reason this time around.

"What changed?" Marlene smiled up at him.

Vassilis chuckled, "Your mother came and found me; she insisted that I had to be there when she told Giannis that you weren't too be his wife. And," he sighed and dropped his head, "and I hated the look of relief and happiness on Giannis' face when your mother told him he couldn't marry you. I hated myself for thinking you ever would have been happy with him." Vassilis looked up again. "I love you, and if you are happy then I fully support you."

Marlene's smile hurt her face as she clung to her father. He held her just as tightly for a moment before pulling away and walking to where Sirius stood near the fountain.

"I owe you an apology, Sirius. I'm sorry for discounting your devotion to my daughter." He reached out and Sirius took his offered hand. "Come to my home, we'll talk and get to know one another. You and Marlene can tell me about your adventures in Athens and Crete."

Sirius pulled Vassilis into a hug and laughed, "I see where Marlene gets her love of stories."

Vassilis chuckled as he stepped back and reached for Marlene's hand. She stepped forward and took his hand as he smiled at her, "The fruit does not grow far from its vine."

Sirius smiled at Marlene with adoring eyes as her father transferred her hand from his to Sirius'.

"It really doesn't," he smiled at her father before the three set off for Vassilis' home.