"I don't want you to wholly rely on me," he told her as he kept turning the spit. "I want you to know I'm there for when you're overwhelmed and need someone to rely on."

Scrooge swallowed as he kept up the turning.

"When I met you as a seal, I saw a part of you that I really admired. You were good and kind to animals, so I understood that people had likely done something to hurt you and make you distrust people. Initially I just wanted to see you happy and healthy. I justified it as being one of Lir's children and, by extension, one of his agents in the world. Once I was sure that you'd be fine, I planned to swim away and keep exploring the world.

"But the longer time went on, the more attached I became. I loved seeing you smile and having you pet my head as a seal. You were strong and brave. Sure, you didn't like my shore-dweller form, but that was okay. If I had to live my life purely as a seal, so be it. All I wanted was to be near you."