Fiona's father moved away when she was young, but her mother was remarried to Captain Widdershins. He continually tells Fiona that her mother died in a "manatee accident," though Fiona doesn't believe it was an accident; indeed, towards the end of the book, it is revealed that Widdershins was wrong about this. (Later, in The End, an unrelated character named Miranda Caliban claimed her husband Thursday had been eaten by a manatee to cover up for the fact that they had broken up. It is unknown whether these two incidents are related.) Fiona is the sister of Fernald, the Hook-Handed Man, and although their last names are unknown, it is made clear that they are not part of the Widdershins family. Fiona is fiercely loyal to her brother.