Skyler returned to the Great Hall to give Blake the good news. Several more of the Halflings had joined them by that time.
"It's done," Skyler called out. "They'll stand down."
"Good," Blake said, giving her a nod. "I'm sorry that we were so hard on you last time. You are turning out to be quite the handy helper."
Skyler seethed on the inside. "Yeah, that wasn't fun."
"How did you heal so quickly?" the younger man asked.
"I've always been a fast healer," Skyler said, keeping her voice light and even. "Maybe that's my special power?"
"Maybe," Blake said, thoughtfully. "Do you have any idea who your fae parent is?"
"No," Skyler lied.
"Well, no matter," Blake waved the question away. "It doesn't matter. Welcome to the club."
Skyler had her back slapped and greeted like a long-lost relative. It sickened her, but she endured it all with a smile plastered on her face.
"The Gargoyles are landing," came a voice from the open terrace doors.
Skyler looked out and, indeed, the clan were landing in the open courtyard. Both Hudson and Lexington had to be helped, seemingly hurt. Her heart was aching for them, and hoped that it was an act. They would still be needed if all went the way that she hoped.
"And here are the kids," Said one of the females, pointing to where Brooklyn was leading them in. Brenna carried Liam, Alex carried Christopher and Connor was holding Brooklyn's hand.
Skyler let out a breath. They were still alive and safe. Now she had to keep them that way. Smiling, Skyler walked forward to the kids and knelt down in front of them. "Hey kiddos, we're going to play a game, okay?"
Alex looked at her, eyes that were too old for his age searching hers. He seemed to find what he was looking for, and nodded.
"Okay," Skyler breathed. Her plan relied heavily on Alex's cooperation.
Elisa entered the room then, arms raised in a gesture of surrender. David, Fox and Owen followed, their arms raised as well.
The group of halflings broke up to surround the humans, forcing them to their knees.
Skyler spared a look at Goliath, and saw him make a move as if to get up to protect Elisa. She caught his eyes and shook her head.
He was still growling low in his throat, but stayed where he was.
Skyler turned back to the children.
"Alex," She said softly, "Do you remember how to call your grandma through the mirror?"
Alex nodded.
"Good," Skyler said, smiling at the boy. "That's what we're going to do. We're going to call your grandma again, ok?"
Alex nodded, and walked to the large mirror in the corner. Skyler herded the other children along behind him until they were all standing at the mirror.
Alex passed Christopher to Connor, so that he could use both hands.
In a surprisingly clear voice, Alex repeated the words that had been taught to him:
"Mirror to see, Mirror to know,
Mirror to help the power to flow,
Mirror absorb, reflect my gaze,
Show me the truth within your glaze.
Show me the future, show me the past,
All that is hidden, revealed at last.
Mirror, Mirror, display for me
My Queen Titania whom I desire to see!"
The glass began to glow green at the edges, and finally cleared to show Titania sitting next to Oberon in the Throne room.
"Who disturbs Us," Oberon demanded.
"Alex," Titania said, surprised. "Why do you call this time?"
Skyler reached out with her own hand and placed it on the surface of the mirror. She concentrated and the surface began to ripple.
"Get ready," Skyler said softly.
"Grandma, bad people are here," Alex said, solemnly.
"They are there?" Titania asked, getting to her feet. "Are you injured? Where is your mother? Where is Puck?"
"Now!" Skyler shouted, and with all her strength, she swept her free arm out and shoved all five children through the mirror's rippling surface and across the realm into the courtroom in Avalon.
As soon as she removed her hand, the ripples stopped, and the glass only reflected the room behind her.
The clan jumped into action then, taking on as many of the halflings as they could. Elisa, David, and Fox jumped up to join in the battle.
With a great spectacle, Owen changed in midair to reveal Puck the trickster.
"You traitor," Blake roared, charging at Skyler. Out of seemingly nowhere, he had a blade in his hand, and plunged it into Skyler's belly.
The burning and tearing sensation as the blade buried itself among muscle and internal organs caused Skyler's breath to hitch sharply. Blake's forward momentum driving them both into the mirror, shattering it into pieces.
Brooklyn appeared with a roar, driving his shoulder into Blake, and knocking him off of Skyler.
Without Blake there to keep her up, Skyler clasped her hands around the hilt of the dagger as she collapsed to her knees.
Around her, the world went hazy, with nothing but the sounds of fighting going on around her.
A sudden rush of power hit her, and just as suddenly she could breathe. She felt the dagger in her hand, but no longer felt the pain.
She got to her feet, and her clearing vision took in the battle.
"Enough," She said, softly at first, then at a roar of her own. "Enough."
Her vision took on a greenish tint as her newly discovered fae powers took hold, giving her the strength and knowledge of just what had to be done. She pulled out the dagger, letting it drop unheeded to the ground and raised both hands toward the sky. In a near shout, she chanted the words that sprang to her mind.
"Fae by blood, but not in deed
Acting in want, not in need
Here I stand, ready to fight
High above the city this night
Here at the witching hour
I call upon Avalon's power
By the fate's right, a debt to be paid
I call Oberon and his children to come to our aid.
As the last word passed her lips, the room had been enveloped in faerie green light. She saw her mother, her aunts, and several others that she assumed were more of Oberon's Children, as they appeared in a ring around them all.
Almost immediately, the fighting stopped as everyone took in what was happening.
A tall couple appeared at either side of Skyler, and moved past her into the fray.
"My Lord," Blake called out, stumbling towards them.
"Silence," Oberon commanded, and with a wave of his hand all of the halflings had frozen in place. "I have had enough of this."
The gargoyles, Puck and humans who knew better, all knelt to one knee and remained silent.
"All the fighting in my court, the whining of my children and now to have human and gargoyle children forced upon me through my own mirror," Oberon yelled in his commanding voice. "Someone had best give me an explanation."
Titania walked forward then, holding out a hand to help Fox to her feet. "Now, then, daughter. Explain."
"Mother," Fox bowed her head in the expected deference to be shown the faerie queen… especially in front of Oberon. "We spoke a short time ago about those we had found out who were half fae, like myself."
"Yes," Titania said.
"They have powers," Fox pointed out. "Enough to get by our security systems. They attacked us in an effort to gain your highnesses attentions."
"They did, did they," Oberon scowled. "And why would they want my attention?"
"For that, you will have to ask them yourself," Fox said. "We were simply trying to defend ourselves."
"Very well," Oberon scowled. He waved a hand toward Blake, and he fell in a very unceremonious heap to the ground. "Speak."
"Oberon, sir," Blake began, all of his smooth confidence seeming to have vanished.
"Your highness," the ring of Fae around the room corrected him at once.
"Y.. Your highness," Blake stumbled over his own words. "We wish to take a place on Avalon with you. We don't belong here among the humans."
"You think you do not, do you," Oberon said harshly. "You think I should give you a place in my kingdom?"
"We are one of you," Blake said, his anger starting to show once more. "We are Fae."
"You are more human than fae," Oberon said dismissively. "Nothing more than mongrels who happen to have certain abilities that reflect my court. Weak powers that would be completely washed away within one or two generations of human breeding. Nothing more."
Blake did not speak, but his face reflected the pure rage that he was feeling.
"And who is your parent?" Titania asked. "Look around and point them out to us. Who is responsible for awakening such knowledge and powers within you so that you would attack those that we hold dear."
"I don't.." Blake began.
"Point them out," Oberon comanded with a wave of his hand, "And let us be done with this."
Blake's face went blank, as Oberon's command took away any of his free will that remained. Slowly, his arm raised, and he pointed to a defeated looking female.
"Morgana," Oberon drew the name out slowly. "This is your son, causing all of this disruption?"
"Yes, your highness," Morgana said, her head hung low.
"You are the one who ignored my edict to remove ourselves from the humans?" Oberon roared.
"He is my child," Morgana wailed. "I wanted my child."
"You are a child, and are in need of punishment for your irresponsible actions," Oberon responded. "You are to go back to Avalon, and await my ruling on this."
Morgana looked as if she wanted to argue, but wisely held her tongue. With a raise of her arms, she disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Blake was released from whatever spell had been holding him. He looked around, and not seeing his mother, he roared, "No!". His hand shot out and a ball of green flame shot out towards the Faerie King and Queen.
Puck lifted his hand and waved the Fae shot away. "Now, now. No one is allowed to shoot spitwads at the king." Puck said, gleefully.
"Thank you, Puck," Oberon said.
Puck bowed at the waist.
Blake, realizing that his attack had failed, seemed to slump in his kneeling state. He was outnumbered and defeated. None of his people were willing or able to help him.
"Now for you," Oberon said. "You have already proven that you are unable to control yourself, nor can you be trusted to wield such a gift."
Blake looked stunned. "What are you going to…"
Oberon wave his hand, and it was done. Skyler felt the powers surrounding the halflings around her simply disappear, as if they never were.
"Now you will have to live without them, and without Avalon," Oberon said. He looked to Goliath then, "I assume you will be able to handle it from here?"
"Yes, your highness," Goliath said, bowing his head in acknowledgment.
"Good," Oberon said. "Now, if my queen would be so kind as to return what was foisted upon us?"
"As you wish," Titania said. She brought her arms gracefully into the air and opened a glowing green portal.
"Mama!" Alex Xanatos cried and he dashed through the portal, his little brother in his arms.
"Alex!" Fox cried, dashing forward to scoop her children up. "Christopher!"
David hurried forward to gather his family close.
Connor came through first, leading his sister by hand close behind him.
Angela and Broadway called their names and rushed forward to embrace their children.
Elisa got to her feet, looking desperately at the portal. "Where's Liam?" She asked, desperately. Goliath rose to his feet as well, anger on his face.
"Where is our son?" he demanded.
"Our son?" Oberon questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," Elisa said, her chin raising, her eyes burning in her anger. "Liam is our son."
"Now, husband," Titania said softly, placing her hand on his arm. "We really do not need another human on Avalon. And all this is doing is angering those we count on to protect Alex."
"Very well," Oberon said. "Fix the mirror, would you, my queen?"
"My pleasure," Titania said. She casually waved her hand, and all of the shattered pieces of the mirror reassembled themselves.
With a final wave, Titania called up a picture of a familiar older woman who was rocking Liam in an old rocking chair.
"Katherine!" Elisa said, relieved.
Katherine, formerly the princess of Castle Wyvern, looked up from her chair. "Hello? Who's there?"
"Katherine, it's Elisa," Elisa said, approaching the mirror.
"Oh, Elisa!" Katherine got up from the rocking chair. "I hope you don't mind, but your son was upset after showing up here, so I took him to rock him a bit."
"No, no, it's fine," Elisa reassured her. "I was just really worried when he didn't come back with the rest of the kids."
"Oh, Elisa, I am so sorry," Katherine said sincerely. "I didn't know that they had gone already."
"Thank you," Goliath said, stepping close to his wife, "for taking care of Liam."
"Oh, you're welcome," Katherine said, giving Liam a final cuddle. "It has been too long since we have had little ones here."
Titania reached through the mirror, and took the contented child from Katherine's arms. Gently, she withdrew her arms and the baby through the glass. She turned and handed the baby back to a very anxious Elisa.
"I would suggest," Oberon said, tightly, "That you do something about these children before they run amok elsewhere."