Elana had left the two, without feeling any quilt. She liked Marella, she was not only beautiful, but Elana could also tell that she was smart. She had not questioned one word, when Elana explained things to her. Elana nodded as she walked the streets, this girl was a fresh breath of air and that was something her boy desperately needed. But now she needed to fight for Marella's survival. That girl didn't deserve to die, not after that glimpse of hope.

"Good morning Lady P'ula'ula." Somebody said, Elana woke up from her own thoughts and saw that Anika walked up to her. She didn't need to ask why the woman was here, she was here to fight for her niece. In her brother's place, her father was also with her.

"It seems I will not fight alone today." Elana said, and Anika shook her head. "Good Marella needs all our help." Anika and Aouli nodded.

"She is family, with or without that stupid claim." Anika replied with a huff. "Alekona and she deserved so much time together, those silly minutes will never be enough." Elana needed to agree with Anika. "So let's go, and do not worry I have permission of Lady Alani." Elana was not worried about that at all. She knew Anika to be a fierce woman, and she knew that she thought about everything. Which she had proven yesterday, by bringing her guppy, and now again. Meleia was waiting outside the council building.

"Good you are here, Lady R'ula'ula has not arrived yet." Meleia said with a smirk on her face.

"That is indeed good. Then we got time to prepare ourselves and the others." Anika said. And they walked into the building.

"Ladies, thank you all for being here." Elana said, with a stone-cold face on. She looked at the women. "I see we miss Lady R'ula'ula. I am willing to wait for her." 

"No let use begin right away." Said Lady Polū. The Matriarch of the blue sirens. "I was there yesterday, and I was disgusted by her behavior. Ripping a father away, before he could claim her. She knew the whole council was summoned and I, for one, say that she overstepped greatly." The others nodded.

"I understand that she ordered him not to claim her." said Lady Melemele, Matriach of the yellow sirens.

"Lady Melemele if I may." Aouli stepped forward. "My son knew what would happen to him if he went his grandmother's wishes. But he felt that it was his duty as a father to claim the girl. He was willing to face his punishment, after he claimed Marella." Lady Melemele nodded.

"So the girl has a name?" asked Lady Polū. Aouli and Anika nodded. "Well that makes our lives a lot easier those it."

"Ladies, I do not want to ruin this chit-chat. But there is a dision to be made. We do not have to wait for my grandmother, because we all know where she stands." Anika said. "My niece would have be claimed, if my grandmother didn't pull my brother out of Acale P'ula'ula's house. With force, I might add." Elana nodded. 

"And he tried to claim her when he was pulled away, he even shouted his claim throughout the streets. Many have heard his claim, and I know it was not in front of the whole council..." Elana said.

"Then there is nothing more to discuss." Lady R'ula'ula interrupted her. "The law is the law. Lady P'ula'ula."

"The law is only the law when it suits you, Nina. It is considered a crime to break into somebody else's house. A law you clearly broke." Elana snapped. The other ladies looked at Lady Polū and Meleia who nodded.

"Alekona was inside Acale's home, and was forcefully removed from there. Alekona was also holding a guppy at the time of his removal." Meleia said. "I was inside the house when it happened. Kalama Alani was forced against the ground. Lady P'ula'ula, Anika, Acale and I were forced against the wall."

"I was also forced against the ground." Aouli quickly added.

"Thank you, Aouli. After that the guppy was pulled from Alekona, and Marella, who is currently pregnant was forcefully removed from her father." Meleia finished the recounting. Lady R'ula'ula wanted to open her mouth.

"Do not dare to deny this, Lady R'ula'ula. Not all council members were there, but some off use were. You only can hide behind the claim that you told Alekona not to claim, Marella. But that is it." Lady Melemele snapped. "You are currently swimming in a sea full of sharks. Normally we would rip you from your status, but then the title would go to your daughter. Which will only act like a puppet." Everyone nodded, even Aouli. Lady R'ula'ula looked shocked.

"You can not do that." Said Lady R'ula'ula. "That boy went against my wishes. And my wishes are the law. He needed to be punished."

"Alright he is punished, but what about Marella. She is being punished too, and why. I never have seen it written that being born was a crime. She understands our language, as if she was born here." Anika said. 

"But she is not." Lady R'ula'ula snapped. "And you are just like your brother, a spoiled brat. I blame your father for that. But that girl is not being claimed, so the law states that she will die after her baby is born." Elana looked at the other members of the council.

"Do you all agree with this spineless jellyfish?" She asked, but no one replied. Meleia stepped forward. 

"I do not." She said and Lady Polū followed her in this. But Lady Melemele looked at them. 

"I need to confess with a heavy heart that I need to agree with Lady R'ula'ula. Marella R'ula'ula is not claimed by her father." said Lady Melemele. "But I do not agree with her death sentence. Only because Lady R'ula'ula took the law in hr own hand. So I say that Marella..."

"You can not mean that. She is not a..." Lady R'ula'ula started.

"In the sea's name shut up." Aouli said hard enough so that everybody could hear him. "You sure as a lava filled cavern, loves the sound of your own voice. Lady Melemele was saying her peace, something she allowed to as a member of this council. So keep your mouth shot and let her speak." He focused now Lady Melemele. "I am sorry, but I needed to say something. I know I am a man and a such I normally do not have a voice inside the council. But I thought that our ancestors choice women to lead our species, because they were able to think with a mother's heart. My mother-in-law clearly can't, but my wife will not do it better. None of the women in my family can, because of her." He pointed at Lady R'ula'ula. "I honestly do not know what you should do, Ladies. Like I said I am just a man."

"With an excellent point of view." Lady Melemele said. "In that speech you didn't only point out the current issue, which is the life of your granddaughter. But also the ability for other women of the R'ula'ula to lead the family." She sighed. "We of the council need to think about that. But for now we got three votes in for keeping the girl alive. We can not accept the claim, for the reason that some off use were not there." She looked at Lady 'O Turq, Matriarch of the turquoise family who nodded, and the others followed. "Well then for now, we are done." 

"You are going against the law, my family will not stand for this." Lady R'ula'ula snapped at them.

"That is not true, grandmother. The council has voted, and their vote makes it the law. You are the one who taught me that." Anika pointed out. All the others nodded and Elana sighed. That was good news for now, but she knew that they won the fight. But this war was far from over.

***********

Elana sat at the head of the large dinner table. Kekao, her son-in-law sat next to her, the sweet boy.  No he was a man now, but somehow she couldn't look past the face off the boy she knew. The boy that pushed her daughter on the swing set in the park. She would not say that it was faith, or luck. But those two were already best friends, before their song was developed. Something that should happen more often. But she was going to complain about her son's match, Marella was different. In the short period that she knew Marella, she has developed an instinct to protect her. Maybe that was the reason why she fought so hard to keep her alive. The front door opened and her daughter and the lucky couple entered her house. Marella was still wearing the same dirty clothing, that needed to change.

"Marella, I hope my son has treated you like a queen?" She said while she stood up. "Come with me, the rest of the family will arrive soon." Then she looked at Acale. "Help your sister in the kitchen, she is busy making food Marella here can eat."

"I am here to serve." He said with a large grin on his face.

"As he should." Elana replied, and she guided Marella through her house, to her bedchamber. "Let's see, a here you go." She grabbed some clothing out of the cabinet. "These should fit you perfectly." Marella looked at it and carefully thatched the material. "That is made from the membrane of shark eggs." She explained. Marella nodded and started to undress herself. Elana left the room to give the girl some privacy. "Did Acale and you have a good talk?"

"Yes, we had. It is so funny. Normally I would shut down when I need to talk about myself. But he makes it so easy." Marella said, and Elana could hear the relief. "It sounds maybe strange, but when I walked through the streets and breathe the air. It just feels like I am whole." Elana frowned slightly.

"Did you never felt whole when you lived with the naiads?" Elana asked. 

"No, I was always the strange girl. With a mother who claimed that my father came from the sea. Which was true of course, but no one believed her. Of course my hair and some of my other features showed my siren. So I didn't really belong there. People who wanted my attention were usually after my grandparent's wealth." She said, and Elana felt sorry for the girl. Greed was something the sirens rarely experienced. Maybe the reason why Lady R'ula'ula react in the way she those was born out of greed. The greed for more control, more power. Elana slightly shook her head, this evening was about her family, Marella's family. She hoped that the rest of her family would embrase Marella. "I am done." Elana turned around and Marella looked stunning in her old dress.

"Well lets join the others then." Elana replied. 

*******

The rest of the family was sitting around the table, everyone had brought something to eat or drink with them. As it was tradtion for the P'ula'ula family. Elana loved to hear the laughter and conversations. There were even a few who were talking to Marella. Anika and Aouli were sitting close to Marella and no body of her family had said something about that. Of course if they had she would simply tell them that Marella would be more comforteble around sirens she knew. Elana looked from the corner of her eyes, to Marella. She indeed looked so at ease, a smile on her face from ear to ear. She often thatched Acal's hand, and somethimes they shared a dreamy look. 

"Did you already talked about baby names? I know I told you that siren children get their name on their second birthday, but that those not mean you can not talk about it." Anika asked, this drew everybodies full attention. Marella shook simply her head.

"That topic has not come up yet." Marella said. "But I like the names Kalani and Kai." Acale nodded and Elana did the same. Those were beautiful names.

"Maybe we can break the naming tradition." Someone of the family said. "I mean due to the circumstances." Elana could see Marella's shoulders fall, like she was reminded about what was hanging above her head. "A mother in my opinion should be able to name her child." And the rest of the family chimmed in. 

"I share that opinion." Elana echeod. "But for right now the descision to kill Marella right after giving birth is prosponed." Marella and Acale jumped up. "But let me warn you, Lady R'ula'ula will fight it, untill her last breath. So do not get you hopes up." Marella nodded slowly.

"Why those she hate me?" Marella then asked. "I know that I am a half-breed, but that can't be all of it, right?"

"I think it is about the matter of controle." Auoli replied. "She has the rest of the woman in our family wrapped around her finger. Anika was the only one who resited, and there for she was labeled as an ungrateful brat. You on the other hand are born in another world, one we do not understand. Or make an effort to understand. That treatens her believe that she is in controle." Marella wiggled her head.

"Is this why she didn't want my father to claim me?" She then asked. Auoli nodded.

"I think so." He replied. Elana looked at her plate, it is the matter of greed and the lose of controle. The posibilty of new ideas that could be brought to the table. Were would this lead.