How much time had passed was unclear to Sophia; as she opened her eyes she was briefly disoriented to find herself in an unfamiliar room. Compared to the Dilly mansion on Sharpy Island, it seemed older and muskier- and certainly hadn't been cleaned in some time. She was laying on a small cot- it did not seem like a permanent bed. She took a quick glance to see that her clothes hadn't been disturbed. No, she was still wearing her pink gown, minus a ribbon or two that would not have been tied too tight anyway. It was fairly dark in the space, but through the cracks beneath a door nearby enough light managed to creep through to show her there was no one else inside.

On the other side, though, there was the sounds of talking. Or rather, arfing. Quite vigorous arfing, in fact, as if having an argument. It had to be the sealmen, she reasoned- after all, their faces were the last memory she could recall.

Then, suddenly, English: "No, two queens trumps two eights," a familiar voice was saying. Sophia gasp to herself- it sounded just like Menelaus Winslow Groat, the creepy Phoque King Lighthouse keeper! But l what was he doing...with the sealmen?

It was hard to explain what emotions now surged through the young woman. Menelaus had been among the doubters before, claiming she could not have seen a sealman. Yet, it sounded like he was now talking with them, calm as could be. Her confusion quickly turned to anger as she rose to her feet, marched to the door and threw it open.

On the other side, as expected, Menelaus Winslow Groat and the three sealmen sat around a flimsy table playing Poker. They were all noticeably startled to see Sophia, eyes wide as they stared back at her.

"What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On?" she asked, her teeth gritted as she locked eyes with Menelaus, the other human present.

"Oh, Sleeping Beauty awakes," Menelaus awkwardly answered, setting his cards on the table. "Are you feeling better?"

Sophia noticed a window nearby- looking out it, she could see Sharpy Island, the mansion high on the cliffs.

"What the Hell is going on?" she repeated, a nasty scowl on her face that made the three sealmen softly arf in fear.

Menelaus seemed slow to respond. "Well...it's my understanding you were about to leap from the cliffs to your death. I'm glad you were spared that fate. I would not have wished for you to die so tragically, my dear."

Sophia looked over the sealmen at the table, her 'rescuers' as it were from her would-be suicide. In the light they were still hideous, but smaller than she had perceived when outside. They seemed fairly docile at the moment, but then the memories of Jane the cook's bloody body returned to her.

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"If you didn't wish me dead, why have you spent the past day making me look insane?! How would you expect me to react?!"

"My darling," Menelaus replied, "I had no idea the degree to which you- or really, that family of yours- would react so...so..." he waved his hand, not finding the words. "In any case, I had no idea this would spiral out of control as quickly as it did. For that, you have my most sincere apologies."

"You knew the sealmen were real," Sophia growled, "you're sitting here with them right now, playing games, yet when I said they were real you said that I was mistaken..."

"I had to, obviously. You see the reaction people have to them. Why, you yourself were startled. I'm glad to see you're doing much better in their presence now."

"You let everyone think I hurt Minnie-"

"-Minnie is a terrible woman," defended Menelaus, "all beauty, no charm. I thought you might actually appreciate what happened to her, although your father's treatment of you regarding that matter has been most ghastly."

"And why did you kill Jane the cook? Why are you framing me for her murder? What exactly is your plan, you maniac?!"

At mention of Jane's murder, Sophia noticed Menelaus's demeanor change. He seemed stunned.

"The cook was killed?" He asked. At once he turned to the black and white spotted sealman seated to his right. "Was the cook killed?" he demanded.

The other sealmen looked pensively at their companion. The black and white sealman gave a faint "arf arf" back in reply.

Menelaus slammed his fist down on the table, causing the cards on it to go flying. "Dammit, what do you mean 'you had no choice'?! You just murdered someone and left her body there to be found?! Of course this explains why our dear Sophia is so rattled, what were you thinking?!"

Our dear Sophia echoed in Sophia's head. Menelaus was an unnerving fellow but had been throwing terms of endearment around for her since she barged in. It made her uncomfortable.

"I'm not your 'dear' anything," she remarked, "I want to know why you've let me be treated as crazy when this whole time you knew the truth and could've helped me." She glanced around the room. "And I want to know the story of these sealmen and why they're...here." she paused. "And I want to know why I'm in your lighthouse instead of back home-"

"-You have many questions, dear Sophia," Menelaus interjected, "and you have had a rough time so far. Again, I am sorry for that. The hour is late- perhaps you'd prefer to retire and we can discuss things in the morning-"

"-no! I would like the answers now!"

Menelaus nodded. "Fine, as you wish." He turned to the black and white seal. "Get up and give Sophia your chair."

"Arf-" the sealman began to protest.

"-don't you use that tone with me! You killed someone and didn't tell me! You're already in enough trouble!"

The sealman, resisting no further, rose to his flippered feet and stepped back. Menelaus held out a welcoming hand.

"Please, Sophia, take a seat," he instructed.

Sophia looked around the room. The sealmen were all ominously watching her with their blank beady eyes. But she wanted answers- obediently, she sat down in the chair and awaited explanation.