When Juliette betrayed the family - the right of marriage turned to her older sister; Hermia. But there were powers at work even more devastating than a misplaced teenage love this time around ... and Puck Summerdream had other plans.

2. Perhaps you may know the tale of Romeo and Juliette, perhaps not. But there is more
to the Capp family drama than just the betrayal of the youngest daughter - in fact,
there is much more. Juliette, the youngest daughter of the Capp legacy ran off and
married the youngest son of the Monty legacy; Romeo … but there is another, older,
daughter; Hermia. And where as Juliette was impetuous, strong willed and self
directed - Hermia, was more than content with her predestined role in life: the
anticipation of being the future Capp bride and now female heiress. Or was she?

3. Due to Juliette’s actions, and the subsequent betrayal of her betrothal to influential
Veronaville son; Andre Hamilton, the Capp house was thrown into quite a dilemma.
As was customary for the society of that time, a great deal of money had been bartered
as a bride price for Juliette - to assure the marriage and eventual bonding between the
houses in exchange … which would have improved the Hamilton standing. But once
Juliette betrayed the family, the contract was still in effect. And so, in exchange,
Consort offered up his remaining granddaughter; Hermia, instead.

4. Of course, Hermia was the dutiful daughter - regardless of her personal feelings about
the situation. She had always known that it was her destiny to be just as she’d been
raised: a Capp heiress, destined to be wife and mother of the future Capp legacy.
Though, in some place inside her, she understood and agreed with Juliette’s ultimate
decisions (so much so that she’d helped her sister with her scheme to escape the
family prison) … but she could never dream of doing anything like that for herself.
And so she followed the patriarch’s dictates - moving into the Hamilton house as …

5. … future Hamilton bride, awaiting the day when she’d be made as such in full rights.
If taken for what it was, Hermia didn’t mind the transition to the Hamilton house or
her new status as betrothed to Andre. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were gracious and well
educated, if distant socially … while Andre himself was a brilliant youth with a
promising future and great aspirations to guide him. It wasn’t difficult to develop a
sort of tender feeling for the boy: considering they both enjoyed music and literature
and had grand hopes for a full and budding family. But there was one problem …

6. … and his name was Puck Summerdream. Not unlike her sister before her, Hermia
too had fallen in love with someone not of Consort’s choosing. Though the family of
the Summdream’s were not considered enemies, they were still unwelcome to the
bloodline. Being “quietly” considered as the outsiders, or the “rejects”, of polite
society. Their blood was “muddied” by their strangeness and that thing they called
magic. And Consort Capp would never abide one of his own consorting - much less
marrying - one of these outsiders: regardless of their potential royal standings.

7. But unlike her sister; Juliette, Hermia chose to abide by her grandfather’s wishes for
her life … despite her feelings towards the impish Puck. She knew it was considered
her duty, and she took that responsibility very seriously. So she followed the dictates:
learning how to run a house, carefully minding her lessons in sewing and cooking …
while even allowing a small bit of feeling to flourish between herself and Andre.
Though Andre was not like the mysterious and dashing Puck, he still had charms that
she could readily associate with, especially on a day to day sort of level.

8. Puck, on the other hand, was not nearly so gracious. It is a well known character flaw
of the fey that they tend to be an irrational - and often extraordinarily passionate - folk
… and when one chooses a mate: that choice is for life. Doubly so with their marital
vows. In fact a vow of marriage is so binding that nothing can break that contract
between a pair … regardless of situation, feeling, or behavior (just look at Puck’s
parents; Oberon and Titania, for instance). And Puck had settled himself on Hermia
for his desire: despite her sense of morality and social obligations.

9. And so as Hermia prepared for her wedding day - and Andre finished his own
privileged rights of male passage (a tour abroad and a college education, as they were
almost considered a requirement of manhood for that society) … Puck began to lay
out his own very elaborate, and very covert, scheme to entrap the lovely Hermia as
his. Oberon and Titania tried to warn him that such an endeavor could only end in
disaster … but their pleas fell upon deaf ears. And so on the eve of Hermia’s
eighteenth birthday; and the night before her wedding arrived - all was in readiness.

10. During the witching hour of that late night, as midnight blanketed the land and hid his
actions from the casual sight … Puck slipped into Hermia’s bedchamber and cast
upon her a deep sleep spell; before carrying her off with him into the shadows. By the
time dawn had roused and the house was aware of her departure … Puck had Hermia
long gone; he having taken her to an enchanted wood and hidden here beneath a cloak
of magic. At first the houses were frantic, searching far and wide for Hermia … but as
the weeks progressed slowly into months, all hope began to fade.

11. What they didn’t know – or could never expect - was that they would never find
Hermia … at least not as they’d known her … again. For as she lay sleeping, like
Sleeping Beauty in her rest, Puck worked his magic upon her … day and night …
taking her from her mortal form and altering her, permanently. Her flesh he twisted,
her spirit he changed - heightening her senses, carving her figure, imbuing her with
powers not unlike his own … and from the recesses of his power he transformed her
into a fairy: just like himself. But that was not the only change he worked, for …

12. … during her sleep, he also tampered with her mind: blocking memories, altering
perceptions, twisting and changing her ethical beliefs in order to help the aid the
transition from mortal into fey. And … as an anticipated side effect: it also helped to
block her very real sense of obligation and commitment in her betrothal to Hamilton
son; Andre. When, she awoke - transformed and changed - she knew little of the life
she’d lead before … only vague sensations of a memory haunting her. Like the
fleeing taste of a dream upon her tongue. It was still a shock to discover her new …

13. … existence in the blink of awakening; leaving her - perhaps even more than she
might have been otherwise - dependant upon Puck’s familiar presence to get her
through. Though a side effect of his schemes, Puck nurtured the fostered closeness -
encouraging the affection that they had always shared into a fully realized romance.
Of course, Puck nudged this natural progression along with some more of his magic
crafts - until, with the veil still carefully befuddling the reality in her mind; Puck
committed to Hermia - and for better or worse, claimed her as his Princess and bride.