The Taste of Seduction

"We can pay you for the information," Atlas interrupted, the two women stopping in their tracks. "Whatever the price, we can," he added, Celine looking at her mother when she sensed that she was about to bite on the offer.

"Mother… don\'t," Celine warned in a hushed tone, as if warning her. "We can pay off our expenses. We can--"

"No matter the price," Atlas interrupted, taking this opportunity to further lure Fiona into telling them what they know.

He knew that he had to probe her further. If she hesitated and thought about his offer, then it meant that they are indeed in need of money for whatever reason. No matter what it is, Atlas is close to getting important clues and he\'s not going to let that go.

The answer to the next clue must not slip through their fingers.

"No matter the price?" Fiona clarified, turning to look at them. Celine shook her head quite violently, not agreeing to what is about to transpire.

"Mother… don\'t. We promised that we\'ll both work hard on this--our debts. We can--"

"And what?" Fiona interrupted, turning to her daughter. This time, her voice is louder for the couple to hear. "Leave your dear husband still confined in the hospital? Dear… you need your husband. And Erin most especially needs him!"

"But mother--"

"Erin needs her father, Celine," Fiona interrupted, her eyes turning glassy. "We cannot live off from selling souvenirs forever and you staying home to keep watch. We need him, too."

Tears escaped from Celine\'s eyes. As she tried her best not to cry, she just looked down and creased her brows, understanding the desperation in her mother\'s voice. She was also willing to do this on their behalf. Her mother not only loves her… but her husband and their daughter as well.

Indeed a mother\'s love is powerful.

"Can we trust you?" Fiona said, Atlas and Meredith nodding immediately. "I am already entrusting you something with our whole lives… and depending on your words in hopes that you can help us."

Atlas took a step forward. With a sincere smile as he got the old woman\'s hand, he gave it a pat on the back of her palm to reassure her.

"Mark my words… I\'ll help you and your family."

With that, Fiona said no other word as some tears escaped from her eyes. With a nod from her, Celine followed her mother\'s wishes. She led them to the garden where they sat down to talk about what they now.

"Celine\'s husband, Erin\'s father… his name is Doug. An incident happened deep in the woods which led him to be confined in the hospital since Erin\'s birth."

Atlas and Meredith was immediately piqued with what they\'re about to listen to. With them quiet, they further listened to the old woman\'s story as if they were children listening to something ghastly.

"Doug\'s condition… he was given an illness that needed support for him to live. He\'s on life support in the hospital, even doctors don\'t know what the trigger is--he\'s healthy."

"It\'s as if magic was done to him." Fiona sighed, looking at them seriously. "You may not believe me and think I\'m insane… but we believe something mythical may be involved."

"Anything is possible," Atlas said, letting her continue her story. "Meredith and I will not dismiss whatever it is you tell us. We\'re open minded."

Fiona then let out a sigh, and continued. "It was because of my father that led Doug to be in this position."

Atlas and Meredith furrowed their brows, wondering what could she meant. This time, it was Celine who continued the story.

"My husband Doug works as a tour guide in the mountains, you see. And my grandfather the same. He often tells stories to children during the tour as he is a great story teller of our myths and legends like the stories about leprechauns which he is known about."

"That\'s why our Erin knows about them, too. She grew up a few years with my mother before she passed away. She told about leprechauns to her, too, and warned her not to wander off deep because of what happened to her dad and grandfather. She never saw them since her birth," Fiona continued."

"Excuse me… may I ask… Erin wasn\'t able to visit her father in the hospital?"

"We wouldn\'t want her to see the state her father is in," Celine said, another tear escaping her eye. "We just told her that her father needed more rest and that soon, she will see him with vigor and life. Not in that state where it might make her sad that she has a father like that."

They were silent for a while. Atlas and Meredith gave them a moment as they know for sure that this is something very heavy to share to strangers such as them even. Even the both of them started feeling bad for the family even though they do not know the whole story yet.

"So… what really transpired deep in the mountains?" Atlas asked, Fiona letting out a sigh as she surprised them with what she said next.

"We believe that there are indeed powerful but greedy leprechauns residing deep in the woods. We know for sure that it\'s them who put a curse on our family."

The story was continued by Celine. As she continued the tale, this time Atlas and Meredith understood as to why they were keeping the secret and as to why they were in great debt.

"We\'re not well-off. I was to give birth to Erin and we were struggling on funds. My husband and my grandfather went deeper in the mountains, followed a rainbow--drunk, until they stumbled upon a pot of gold, stole it and decided to sell it for money. And--"

Fiona spoke in a harsh hushed tone, tears streaming from her eyes as she interrupted Celine.

"Leprechauns are real and they encountered a greedy one! They angered him, leading him to put a curse on Doug. My father was the one who escaped and lived to tell the tale to me, my mother, and Celine."