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"Morrigan? What an unusual name." Ivy beamed at the girl before her. Morrigan Crow. Her soon-to-be stepdaughter. Ivy was so delighted to finally face the girl. Corvus had it all wrong. She was certain now; Morrigan was a good kid. Ivy could tell just by looking at her. There was something in her eyes. A determination.
Morrigan nodded slightly, looking somewhat disconcerted. She was only seven, the poor dear. Ivy couldn’t imagine what it was like for her, growing up without a mother. And this ludicrous curse, what must that have caused?
"I'm going to be your new mother," Ivy said, plastering on her winning smile. "Tell me, where did you get your name?"
Morrigan didn’t say anything, looking at her father for permission to respond. He frowned but nodded.
"My name is for the goddess of death and destiny. Because I am destined to die, on Eventide."
Ivy laughed. "Oh, that is witty! What a good joke, Mor." It took her a moment to realise that there was no punchline.
"Mor?"
"Ivy, dear, I think it's best if we leave Morrigan be, now." Corvus interrupted.
"Corvus, she's just a child. You can't seriously have named your own daughter after the fact that she's going to die!" Ivy tried to keep the shrillness out of her voice. "That's just a ridiculous superstition."
Morrigan's brow creased. "No, it's not. I'm cursed. Every bad thing that happens, that's my fault. And I'm going to die on Eventide."
Ivy's speech faltered. She flinched when there was a crack from the raised lamp beside her, the hall dimming for just a moment.
"Ivy, we should go," Corvus said, ushering her away. She let him lead her through the corridor, into the kitchen. "Morrigan, room. Now."
"Cor, I- I don’t understand, what happened-"
"Shh, sh, it's alright now. I know that you didn’t understand the curse, and that's okay. Nobody is ever really prepared."
"How- did your daughter do that? Did she-"
"Try to attack us? Yes. Although I don’t think she ever meant anybody any harm. She can't restrain herself any more than we can."
Ivy nodded slowly. "How do you live like this?"
Corvus gave her that look. That look she had first fallen for. "We don’t. Morrigan, you don’t even need to see her again. She usually only comes out for meals. She doesn’t talk. And she blends in nicely with the furniture."
Ivy bit her lip and nodded again. "Yeah. Yes, you're right. I'll just imagine she isn't here. It shouldn’t be too hard, right? Morrigan who, am I right?"