32This chapter was so hard to write, and not in a satisfying way. In a very tedious way. So all I can say is here you go.
Also I have decided I will be changing this ship's name from Murda to Dirty Chai because Kurda is the vanilla chai and Mika is the dark espresso.
Enjoy! (Or don't. I'm not your boss).
Chapter 2: Front Of The Attack Is Exactly Where I'm At
Song: Wretches and Kings by Linkin Park
(cameo appearance by The Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin
To save face, how low can you go
Talk a lot of game but yet you don't know
Static on the way, make us all say whoa
The people up top push the people down low
The night started out like any other. It had been Paris's turn to remain in the Hall of Princes while the mountain slept. Mika woke up at his usual 5pm, did some light paperwork for half an hour, tried not to wake Kurda, failed, and apologized (very unapologetically) for ruining his beauty sleep.
"If you're going to wake me up at ungodly hours you might as well make it worth my while." Kurda had grumbled. So Mika obliged; and returned to the coffin for an early evening "workout".
That brings us up to about 6pm. Kurda still had another hour before his daily responsibilities commenced, so he went back to sleep. Mika headed out and picked up Arrow along the way. Arrow is an incredibly deep sleeper. On average, takes even longer to wake up than Kurda. Mika is a key part of keeping Arrow's schedule on track and this involves stopping by his cell almost every evening to pound on his door, kick his coffin lid open, and drag him out by his ears if need be. Then Mika sits politely on the couch for several minutes as Arrow stumbles around getting dressed. Once he's pulled himself together, they head off to the Hall of Princes side-by-side. Sometimes they grab breakfast from the Hall of Khledon Lurt along the way. But today they simultaneously received a brief mental transmission from Paris saying, "Get in here. We have something important to discuss." so they did not take any detours.
"You two have a big job ahead of you." Said Paris gravely once they were seated.
"Oh, don't tell me. Let me guess." Said Arrow seriously. "More renovations to oversee? Do we need to make up a new Trial of Initiation? Or are the generals are in-fighting again and we have to host an intervention? Remember how fun the last one was?" He added, elbowing Mika and winking.
"I remember you flying off the handle and losing all ability to remain impartial and I had to give you your own intervention." Mika replied drily.
"Arrow, this is no time to reminisce on your history of questionable professionalism." Paris snapped back. Arrow frowned offendedly. "I wish this task was as mundane as any of those you mentioned."
That got their attention.
"Have you heard of a Vampire named Rylan Fox?" Paris asked.
Arrow shook his head. Mika frowned. He couldn't place it either but he felt like he should be able to.
"Sounds awfully familiar." He muttered. "Who is he?"
"He defected from the clan almost a hundred years ago. He was a great Vampire once, he'd just received a nomination to Generalship. But he left us on very bad terms. At one point we heard he'd died, but new information has revealed he planted the rumour himself and is alive and well." Paris explained.
"So what's the mission?" Arrow pressed curiously.
"I'm getting to that." Said Paris, eyes flicking to Arrow with slight impatience. "It appears we've underestimated just how strong his feelings were against the clan." Paris paused for a moment and sighed. "This man has spent the past century writing a book."
"A book?" Arrow repeated quizzically. Mika felt his interest pique.
"A book. About us. The vampire clan, the mountain, all of it." Paris affirmed gravely.
"Why?" Said Mika sharply. "And how?!"
"He's been travelling the world. Collecting data and stories about almost every vampire that's ever existed in recent history. Real names, past aliases, known locations, clan secrets... I guarantee every single one of us is featured prominently in those pages." Paris continued grimly.
"So what if some bitter nutcase wrote about me in his diary?" Said Arrow dismissively.
"Because his intention is to expose the clan to the entire world!" Paris snapped back, so loudly Arrow flinched. "Your feature won't just be about you, Arrow. He'll know Sarah's name. Although he can't hurt her now, we can only assume he has the names of her remaining family if any, your adopted children, and their children as well."
Arrow went pale and Mika felt lightheaded for a moment.
"That means... he'll know about Gracie too."
"Almost certainly." Said Paris. "I wouldn't be surprised if he knows where she goes to school."
Mika stood up instinctively.
"I'm going to get her. I'll bring her back here where she'll be safe."
"Sit down." Paris ordered him in a tone so final Mika had no choice but to silently obey. "I haven't even gotten to the most crucial part yet. This book contains the exact coordinates of Vampire Mountain. He'll paint us as a threat to humankind. His goal is to rally enough human firepower to obliterate all of this."
Mika and Arrow stared back at him, agape.
"He can't destroy the Hall of Princes. Tiny made it unbreakable." Arrow reasoned nervously.
"The Hall of Princes isn't the entire mountain, Arrow." Paris sighed. "He wants to lead a human army against the vampire clan. Tanks, bombs... The devastation would be incalculable. They may not be able to destroy this room itself, but if the mountain falls, it doesn't matter. We're still exposed to the world."
"How do you know this?" Mika asked quietly.
"He has followers. Fellow vampires who feel they've been wronged by the clan over the years. They're helping him. One of our Generals, Staffen, encountered one of them. A fight broke out. The outsider was mortally wounded, but Staffen found pages of information in his pockets. He squeezed as much information out of him as he could, but the man died before he could get the whole story. But he certainly got enough to accomplish what he wants. Staffen made it back to the mountain as soon as he could. He arrived several hours ago. We spoke about it; and he's asleep in a spare cell now. His discovery may have saved us all."
Mika caught Arrow's eye. The tattooed prince was practically fuming with indignation. Meanwhile Mika simply felt gripped by a calm sense of purpose.
"And what are we doing about it?" Mika asked.
"There's a historical artifact auction coming up in Russia in a fortnight. Fox has a lot of military connections that are going to be there. We believe his intention is to sell this book to the highest bidder, make millions, and sit back and watch as the clan falls. Even if we flee the mountain, all of our secrets will be out in the open. They'll never stop hunting us."
"So we find the bastard and chop him in half!" Arrow exclaimed, balling one of his hands into a fist and jabbing it into his other palm for dramatic effect.
"Not that simple." Paris countered. "We have no way of locating him. He never added his blood to the Stone. All we know is that he'll be attending this auction. That's the only opportunity we have to either kill or apprehend him."
"So, we go to this auction and chop him in half there." Arrow grunted.
Paris shot Arrow an exasperated look.
"Arrow, this isn't like anything you've ever done before! He's already fuelling rumours that a Vampire race exists parallel to humans. What's it going to look like if you go roaring in there and tear him limb from limb in a room full of humans? It'll prove him entirely correct!"
"So we need to get in without drawing attention to ourselves... take care of Fox and his associates... and get the book. All without being noticed." Mika summarized with a dry smile. It was a pretty awful situation but he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so alive. This was what he lived for.
Paris nodded tiredly.
"Exactly. Needless to say I want both of you on it. Vancha too. I am going to fill him in as soon as I'm done with you two. If the combined power of three Princes isn't enough to end this, I don't know what will. Bring some Generals for backup as well. I'll let you choose them for yourselves. Either way, this needs to be handled. So please, handle it."
"Alright, who do we want on our team?" Mika mused, feeling the sparks of fierce enthusiasm ignite deep in his soul.
"Crepsley." Said Arrow immediately. Mika nodded in agreement. But Paris smiled drily and shook his head.
"Larten is rather... preoccupied at the moment. I've recently been informed he went and took on a child as an apprentice. Half-blooded the lad."
Mika and Arrow assumed identical looks of shock and incredulity.
"Now when you say child, are we talking adolescent minor who fudged their age by a couple years like I did? Or is this a CHILD-child?" Mika asked reproachfully.
Paris chuckled grimly.
"He's a child-child."
"Charna's Guts, Larten." Mika snorted. "What the hell was he think-"
But Paris waved his hand impatiently and cut Mika off mid-sentence.
"One crisis at a time. Let's get through this first. Larten and his little problem can wait a few years. We all know Larten, he'll have the situation under control. Bizarre it may be, I'm sure he had a reason."
"I can't wait to hear that story." Arrow muttered under his breath and Mika nodded in agreement.
"Who's your next pick for the mission?" Paris pressed.
"Gavner Purl comes to mind." Said Mika thoughtfully. "Brave, tough, loyal. Easy to work with. Let's take him."
"Good. As far as I know he's been travelling with Vancha recently so that will work well." Said Paris.
"Definitely Kaden Hale." Arrow added. "Only been General for a couple years but she's one to watch. Been training with Vanez every day since she moved back to the mountain last month. Strong as all the men, and faster than any of them."
"Agreed on Hale. She's done well." Said Mika. "I'd want Arra too but last I heard she was somewhere in the Americas. I can reach out and see what she's up to, but I don't expect she'll be able to get back quickly enough."
"Yes, do that." Said Paris thoughtfully. "We need our best."
Mika glanced back and forth between Paris and Arrow. It seemed neither of them were going to say what he was thinking so he decided to come right out with it.
"Also, I want Kurda on the team. Sounds like muscle alone won't be enough for this."
Arrow rolled his eyes and a Mika glared. Paris raised a contemplative eyebrow.
"I had the same thought originally." Said the ancient Prince. "But remember how delicate this is. You will all need to work as a cohesive unit. I have plenty of respect for Kurda but I worry about the effect his presence may have on the group dynamic."
"Pardon you?!" Mika snapped back with considerably less respect than he normally showed Paris.
"Mika, think about it. You know I mean him no offence! He's an excellent General. But his opinions tend to stir up controversy everywhere he goes. Even you argue with him. We can't afford for any of you to be distracted. I know you want to see him achieve great things, just as you have, but this is not the time or place." Paris insisted placatingly.
"Ah, I understand." Said Mika icily. "You think I'm trying to help him along his way to getting a throne someday."
Paris sighed but didn't answer, confirming what Mika hoped he'd been imagining. He felt his old battle-ready fire rise up inside him, and he stared Paris down with a stony scowl, the very one that had earned him his reputation as being someone you absolutely do not trifle with.
"First of all, Paris, I'm deeply offended that you think I would show favouritism to ANYONE, for any reason, ever. You should know me better than that. I'm disappointed in you."
Paris groaned and began to backpedal.
"Mika, no. That's absolutely not what I-"
"Secondly, you can't accuse me of having a personal bias in favour of Kurda when you, BOTH of you, blatantly have bias against him." Mika continued viciously. Arrow and Paris exchanged an uncomfortable look.
"I know his opinions are extreme! And yes, I disagree with him constantly! But he's taken on dozens of difficult assignments the past few decades and he's never let us down once. And all the negotiations he's overseen? How many other Vampires could've pulled those off? His track record speaks for its damn self, as I know you're well aware. And in this moment, I am not speaking from the perspective of his significant other, I am speaking as a Vampire Prince. So if you can't look me in the eye and tell me he's not as worthy as any of us, then you're the ones who are biased. Not me." Mika finished, his dark eyes glinting defiantly as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
Paris exhaled slowly and rubbed his eyes tiredly. For a moment, he really looked his age and Mika regretted taking such a harsh tone but it was too late to take it back. An awkward silence hung between the three of them.
At last, Arrow raised his hand as though he was a schoolboy. Mika rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Arrow?"
"I was actually going to say Kurda would be an excellent asset to our team in this particular situation and I am completely in favour of him accompanying us."
Mika was then rocked by powerful wave of guilt over the way he'd just gone off on his fellow Princes, his most cherished family. He furrowed his brow in dismay, and glanced uncomfortably back and forth between his peers. Paris cautiously extended a wrinkled hand and squeezed Mika's shoulder.
"I have never doubted you once, you know that?" Paris murmured seriously. "You have always been the very definition of an incredible leader. I am truly sorry that you've questioned my faith in you. It was not my intention."
"I shouldn't have snapped on you." Mika responded woefully. "Your concerns were valid."
"Yes, they were." Paris agreed. "But as overzealous as your defence may have been, you were not wrong. I trust you, Mika. And you, Arrow. I just cannot emphasize enough how crucial this mission is. If I was younger and quicker I would have wanted to oversee it myself. If you feel Kurda would be a wise addition then you have my full support. And likewise, I am not speaking as your mentor, or your friend. I speak to you as a Vampire Prince.
Mika made a point to soften his expression as he looked back at Paris and gripped his hand firmly.
"We will not fail. I give you my word."
Get down
And obey every word
Steady getting mine if you haven't yet heard
Wanna take what I got, don't be absurd
Don't fight the power, nobody gets hurt
If you haven't heard yet then I'm letting you know
There ain't shit we don't run when the guns unload
And no one make a move unless my people say so
Got everything outta control
Now everybody go
Steel unload, final blow
We the animals, take control
Hear us now, clear and true
Wretches and kings we come for you
"When you said it was date night, this isn't what I had in mind." Kurda panted as he ducked yet again to avoid Mika's staff colliding forcefully with his skull.
"You can plan the next one. Show me how to make a map or something." Mika smirked as he swung back around to strike Kurda's knees, which the blond General swiftly diverted. "Nice block! We should do this more often." He added.
"I have shown you how to make a map." Kurda sighed. "Your attention span expired in about five minutes. You played with your dagger the whole time and didn't listen to a word I said."
"Oh. Right." Mika grimaced for a moment, then sent a jab at Kurda'a left shoulder. Kurda twisted sharply to avoid it, and as he did that he drilled his staff against Mika's hip. He heard the sharp rap of wood on bone and Mika winced.
"Sorry!" Kurda yelped, freezing for a moment. "That was your bad side, wasn't it?!"
Mika grinned back at him mischievously.
"Don't apologize! And don't get distracted! If this was a real fight I would've ran a knife through your heart while you paused."
"If this was a real fight I wouldn't have stopped to apologize." Kurda countered.
"You sure?" Mika asked, cocking his head and studying Kurda with a twinkle in his eye. "Sounds like something you'd do."
Kurda laughed sharply and drove his staff directly at Mika's forehead. The dark Prince leaned back sharply and barely avoided it by an inch. When he recovered his balance he was beaming even more than before. Kurda rolled his eyes. He'd quickly learned that sparring was Mika's love language so Kurda had made a point of engaging in at least one session of pretend violence per month. So far he'd yet to see the appeal, but the way Mika's face lit up when Kurda stepped into the ring was well worth the hassle.
"So have you decided yet?" Mika asked, setting his staff on the floor and signalling it was time for a water break. He ambled over to the bench by the ring on which sat the steel travel mug Kurda had given him last year. Matte black with "Fuck You, I'm Mika Ver Leth" engraved on the side. It was a joke gift but Mika loved the damn thing so much he was rarely seen without it. He sat down on the bench and took a long drink while eyeing Kurda thoughtfully. Kurda sat down next to him.
"Can I have some of that? Forgot to bring my own." Kurda panted, pushing his long blonde hair back off his face with one sweaty hand.
"Say you'll come with us and you can have it all."
Kurda heaved a great sigh of exasperation.
"You know I'd never decline a mission, Mika! Especially not one this important. Of course I'll go if you think I should. It's just... are you sure you NEED me for that? If you, Arrow, and Vancha are all on it together, what can I possibly bring to the table?"
Mika wrinkled his nose and shot Kurda a look of exasperation.
"First of all, you're making it sound more exclusive than it is. Not the case. Gavner and Kaden are coming too."
Mika handed his mug over to Kurda, who took a long, slow drink.
"I can't emphasize this enough, Kurda. I don't want you there because you're my other half, or whatever. I want you there because this is a big deal and we need our best Generals. I'm not telling you this as 'Mika'. I'm telling you this as 'Sire Ver Leth'."
Kurda slowly looked across at Mika, running his eyes over every inch of him. The fiercely determined glint in his dark eyes, the way his hair was getting just a little long and Kurda could tell he'd run his hand through it a few dozen times already that day. It was something he did when he had a lot on his mind. The way he rubbed his palms together as he waited for Kurda to tell him what he wanted to hear. The way the middle finger of his right hand was naked; because his old silver ring now hung on a chain around Kurda's neck.
"Not that it matters..." Mika added in a lower voice. "But it wouldn't hurt to get a taste of what it would be like for the four of us to work together. You, me, Arrow, and Vancha."
Kurda arched his eyebrows.
"And why on earth is that?"
Mika scoffed.
"Kurda, you are way too smart for me to have to explain that to you. You know why."
"Of course I know why. But I want to hear you say it."
"That's why I'm not going to say it." Mika shot back, leaning over to plant a quick kiss on Kurda's temple.
"You're so impossible." Kurda chuckled with a rueful grin.
"Hey, you chose this."
So keep pace, how slow can you go
Talk a lot of shit and yet you don't know
Fire on the way, make you all say whoa
The people up top and the people down low
Get down
And I'm running it like that
The front of the attack is exactly where I'm at
Somewhere in-between, the kick and the hi-hat
The pen and the contract, the pitch and the contact
So get with the combat, I'm letting 'em know
There ain't shit you can say to make me back down no
So push the button let the whole thing blow
Spinning everything outta control
Now everybody go
Looking back, Kurda had quite a few moments in life that could only have been summarized by 'record scratch - freeze frame - "I suppose you're wondering how I got myself into this situation...".'
Picture this: you're sitting in a large hotel room. Massive building out in the countryside, surrounded by a high, stone wall. Exclusive luxury to the extreme. The room is littered with beer cans and liquor bottles. There's a radio on the nightstand, blasting a Led Zeppelin song on the highest volume setting. On one of the king size beds are standing (yes, STANDING) Mika, Arrow, and Vancha, hollering the lyrics at the top of their lungs:
"COME FROM THE LAND OF THE ICE AND SNOW, FROM THE MIDNIGHT SUN WHERE THE HOT SPRINGS FLOWWWWW-"
Rock music was one of Vancha's few human indulgences and this was a favourite for when the situation required some pump-up music. It didn't take long to teach Mika and Arrow the lyrics. On the other bed is sitting, in a neat little row, the trio of accompanying Generals. Gavner, Kaden, and Kurda. Gavner looks partially exasperated and partially amused. Kaden looks entirely amused. Kurda looks entirely exasperated.
"Are... are they always like this?" Gavner asked out of the corner of his mouth.
"More or less." Kurda responded drily. "The singing is new, though. I hope it doesn't become common practice."
The Vampire Mountain crew had linked up with Vancha and Gavner several days earlier than would have been necessary. Mika and Arrow said this was so they'd have time to "strategize". Kurda now knew that was code for "get lit with Vancha". He couldn't blame them though, they didn't get to see him very often. Mika and Arrow were brothers in all but blood, and that made Vancha something like a cool cousin to them. It was an interesting dynamic. Mika and Arrow were already a very high-energy duo when it was just the two of them. Add Vancha to the mix and you've got yourself a full-on frat party. By this point, Kurda had given up trying to be annoyed whenever Mika got in touch with his inner Neanderthal. Whether he was conducting a serious meeting or jumping on the bed with his friends like a little boy at a sleepover, Kurda enjoyed the view all the same.
"So, do we... join them?" Gavner inquired apprehensively.
Kurda shook his head.
"Just let them get it out of their system. They'll tire themselves out eventually and we'll get down to business."
"HAMMER OF THE GODS, DRIVE OUR SHIPS TO NEW LANDS! TO FIGHT THE HORDE, TO SING AND CRY, VALHALLA I'M COMIIIIIIIIINNNNGGGG!"
Then Vancha windmilled his arms a little too wildly and Arrow went toppling off the bed. The impact shook the entire room and Kurda pitied whoever was on the floor below them. Arrow re-surfaced laughing hysterically which prompted the other two to do the same.
Kaden and Gavner joined in the laughter. Kurda even allowed himself a brief chuckle before getting off the bed and making his way back over to the desk on which he'd been sketching out a detailed blueprint of this building's entire floor plan. They'd need it.
As he predicted, they gathered themselves eventually and they got to work. But not without first ordering a stack of pizzas from room service - a rare delicacy for those who rarely found themselves in civilization. The trio of Princes remained on the bed, crammed side-by-side leaning against the wall as they feasted and swapping loud stories about everything they'd done since the last time they'd all been together (like I said, little boys at a sleepover). Then Mika swiped a pepperoni off of Arrow's slice and Arrow shoved him off the bed. To which he retaliated by coming back up and snaking the entire piece out of Arrow's hand as he was about to take a bite.
"This is what you live with every day, Smahlt?" Kaden chortled as she watched them squabble.
"Never a dull moment." Kurda replied in a stage whisper. "Probably a good thing that Vancha doesn't come around much or we'd never get anything done."
"What are you talking about?" Vancha boomed delightedly. "I am the very definition of professionalism!"
"You did throw up behind Paris's throne a few Festivals ago after doing one too many keg-stands, Sire March." Gavner contributed with a mischevious twinkle in his eye.
Arrow snorted derisively.
"That was Mika. He just told Paris it was Vancha. He'd just been invested, remember? And Vancha was still a General back then. Someome was a little mad with power." The tattooed Prince divulged with a wicked grin as he elbowed Mika in the ribs. Mika groaned. Vancha's eyes narrowed but the manic grin didn't quite fade entirely.
"I KNEW IT!" He roared, punching Mika in the shoulder.
"Thanks, Arrow." Mika commented sardonically. "You're such a good friend."
It was another hour after that when the pizzas had been consumed and everyone's buzz was wearing off enough to bring their focus back to the matter at hand.
"This guy is fucked." Vancha commented with relish. "I'm impressed. Horrified, but impressed."
"Why the motivation?" Kaden inquired thoughtfully. "Was it not enough to disavow himself from the clan? He had to devote decades to gathering enough information to bring us all down?"
"I went through some old records the night before we left and I figured it out." Mika muttered. "Wouldn't have taken me half as long if the Princes back then knew how to organize their shit, but that's neither here nor there."
Vancha and Arrow rolled their eyes. Mika was a big fan of proper record-keeping. It was one of the few areas in which he differed from Arrow.
"Turns out Fox had a son. They were both blooded as Vampires together. The son was already an adult when he was blooded, that's why we'd barely heard of them. If he was a child it would've been a scandal. Anyway, they came to the mountain to take their trials. The son went first. He failed his last trial by some tiny margin and there was actually a debate as to whether it was due to the trial being improperly prepared. Anyway, it came down to a vote between the Princes and Generals. The difference was ONE vote... just one. So Fox's son was executed by our predecessors. So he snapped."
Mika exchanged a heavy look with Arrow and Vancha who both looked troubled.
"Paris surely would've been there. He didn't mention this to us." Said Arrow with a deep frown.
"He was." Mika confirmed grimly. "He voted for execution. Anyway, Fox wasn't known for his mental stability before all of this, and the death of his son drove him off the deep end. He never took his own trials and never added his blood to the Stone. He left the mountain on the worst terms you can possibly imagine, and now here we are."
"Points for creativity, I suppose." Said Kurda darkly.
"It's ambitious but there's a lot of room for error." Kaden added.
"That is true. But from what we've gathered, Fox is crazy enough to pull it off." Said Vancha. "And in the off chance that things do go his way, it would cripple us. Worst case scenario? Fox gets everything he dreamed of and we lose the mountain. Less-doomsday-but-still-bad scenario? He can't rally enough firepower to take the mountain but our secrets are still out. He has enough proof to confirm Vampires are more than myths and legends and humans will hunt us more than ever before. And they outnumber us quite terribly, as you're all well aware."
A heavy silence hung in the large, lavish hotel room. Which was broken unceremoniously by Arrow:
"Best case scenario? We find the traitorous bastard and absolutely rock his shit. Him and all of his henchmen."
"I like that plan." Kaden agreed gravely with a wry smile. She held out a fist and Arrow gave it a little bump.
"Thank you for putting that so poetically, Arrow." Said Mika with a dry smile at his best friend. The tattooed Prince shot him an indignant look.
"Well, I'm not here because I'm a wordsmith. I'm here because some bitter fuck has threatened our family." There was a chilly glint in his eyes as he looked around the room. "And I'm not losing anyone else."
Steel unload, final blow
We the animals, take control
Hear us now, clear and true
Wretches and kings we come for you
Steel unload, fire blow
Filthy animals, beat them low
Skin and bone, black and blue
No more this sun shall beat onto you
Agh finally this chapter is past me! I hope I wrote Vancha okay. He's a fan favourite but hasn't been on my radar a whole lot. I'll try to do him justice for you!
Also, Kaden was my unapologetic self-insert OC from 10 years ago (10 isn't an exaggeration. I literally grew up here). Her last name was always Stone but I changed it because then she and Kurda would have the same initials and it would be confusing when they exchange telepathic dialogue. She won't be around much but I needed another name to use for this mission.
Next chapter will be up shortly! Please leave a comment or a favourite if you have time. There's a lot I have planned for this story that I'm REALLY looking forwards to writing, but this segment not so much. I need all the motivation I can get! Also feel free to come say hi on Tumblr! I admin for FestivalOfTheUndead and my personal shrine to Mika, Arrow, and Kurda can be found at MikaVerLeth. I post a lot of headcanons, memes, emotions, fic rambles and rants, and whatever else my brain happens to be serving up.
Thanks for reading. :)
- Roxy