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I’ve been writing Frances Moira McKay / Fanny Fae or Faelyn as she is known among the Fae, for several years. Since she is actually based off of one of my ancestors, part of her is fact, some of her is fiction of my own making and a little more is folkloric in nature. If I had to choose any one person that most influenced this muse’s life it would have to be her foster-mother Morgienne, who was the High Lady of the Fortunate Island. Fanny lost her mother, Maeve, when she was all of four years old, due to a plot by Morgienne. Morgienne immediately stepped up and raised the young Frances as her own. She taught the child in all manner of knowledge, of diplomacy and power and most importantly, the Mysteries. Certainly she was not a bad foster parent to Fanny as it were. It was through Morgienne’s influence that the Unseelie Sidhe Court, particularly Frances’ father, Gan Caenach, even acknowledged the existence of his possible bastard daughter. It was then that she was given the name of Faelyn in recognition that she was at least in some part, Unseelie, and could not be turned fully away as was the custom. Faelyn was being groomed to be Morgienne’s successor and to Morgienne it made complete sense. What better way than to have someone who could go between the two Worlds because she was neither fully human nor fully Fae, but both? It was unclear at that point how Faelyn’s hand of power would emerge, but if she did possess one, outside of the natural abilities that she demonstrated in herbal lore, diplomacy and spellcraft, then it would undoubtedly be something interesting to watch.

It was not until Fanny was in her late teens that she discovered Morgiennes’s complicity in her own mother’s death. In true Fae fashion, the insult was unforgivable. It was at this point where she decided that blood would answer for blood, in spite of all that Morgienne may have done for her up until that time. And so she waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. When at last it arrived, Faelyn selected a slow poison. She was skilled enough in poisoncraft and herbal medicine that she was able to inflict upon her foster mother an incredible amount of suffering and kept her lingering for months with no one, not even Morgienne herself being any the wiser. She spent an incredible amount of time and great care in insuring that her foster mother’s death was as painful and as prolonged as possible. It was near the end, when the woman could no longer speak nor protest but could only listen that Faelyn whispered what had been going on – and what was to come in the Seven Realms of existence following her imminent passing. All memories of her foster mother would be struck from every temple, every monument and every document. The second death was the death which all who lived between the worlds feared most. If no one remembers your name, and no one speaks of you, then you cease to exist. What Faelyn does not – or maybe she does realize is that by speaking of Morgienne, she in turn is keeping Morgienne alive in at least one Realm of Existence.

Morgienne gave her tenacity, gave her knowledge, an insatiable fascination with Power, a singular sense of survival and a strength of Will. It was all of these things that made her who she is at her core. Subconsciously, I think that there is a bit of Morgienne in there, because I have seen her do things that I have been told her foster mother once did. She is also her mother’s and father’s daughter . Faelyn’s / Frances’ mother was a gentle woman with a loving heart. I have seen my muse demonstrate profound acts of kindness to those whom she barely knows, and I have seen her likewise exorcise demons of such cruelty that I question whether or not I truly know her.

Muse: Fanny Fae / Faelyn
Fandom: Original Character / Folklore / Mythology
Word Count: 669
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