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Sweet are the thoughts that savor of content,
The quiet mind is richer than a crown.
A mind content both crown and kingdom is.
--Robert Green
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Chapter 6: Secrets Revealed
Briar had never, in his entire life, seen anything quite as huge as the Quetat Veyla. The huge -- whatever it was, a castle of some sort-- had large stones that encircled it. It was on top of a large mountain top, teetering on a rocky cliff. There was a large wooden door that led to the entrance of the huge structure. Large turrets crowned the highest point, and at the very top, Briar could manage to make out some highly valuable jewels.
Evvy was already drooling at the stone structure.
Managing to stare at it for ten minutes in complete awe, Jadof managed to finally herd everyone inside the Quetat Veyla.
Before this however, Sandry leaned over and whispered into Briar's ear, "This looks a lot bigger than the Meux de Namorn." Opening his eyes wide, Briar looked over at Sandry. Her eyes were wide like his and her eyes didn't possess the sadness that usually they did. Shock hung in them now. For both of them knew that the Meux de Namorn was the place where the Namornian Empress lived. And that was a big place, to say the least.
They rode up the large pathway that lead to the Quetat Veyla for what seemed like forever before finally reaching the front door, which was about as grand as the rest of the huge palace.
A skittish woman was on guard in front of the palace, and when she saw Jadof and Dasnie riding up to the palace gate, she stammered to someone up above her, "Open the gates: The Lord's son and her Highness Dansiel have arrived!" The gates opened immediately, people shouting like wild. Most of them sounded like females.
Glancing around him, Briar noticed the camouflaged woman who ran through the forests, trying not to be noticed, but they constantly stepped on small leaves and twigs which crackled and snapped underneath their feet. A woman quickly ran in front of their horses before disappearing into the evergreen forest to the both sides of the pathway.
Evvy watched this all going around her with confusion. All the of the woman looked like the Madabian people that she had seen at Tavern Hill-- pale skin, black hair and light blue or green eyes. A woman nudged against her horse before disappearing into the forest once again. Scrunching her eyebrows together, Evvy voiced her confusion, "Who are all these people?"
Jadof looked back at her, before smiling softly, "They're my father's royal consorts. . ."
"Consorts?" Evvy asked loudly, oblivious to the meaning of the word, before looking around to a woman. She stopped in her path for a meager second, looked at Evvy, before turning away, "What's a consort?"
Briar, his cheeks somewhat flushed, tugged on Evvy's ear and whispered, "How about not asking so many questions. . . "
Obviously everyone heard him, for Tris burst out laughing along with Daja. Sandry tried to keep her laughter surpressed, but it all came out in a wild outburst, and her laughs rocked her body. Jadof and Dasnie, not seeing humor in the situation, looked at everyone with an air of puzzlement.
Evvy, not understanding, looked at everyone funny before turning to Briar, "What's wrong with them? And what's a consort?"
More laughter.
Blushing vivaciously, Briar shook his head. He bit his lip before saying, "A consort is like, uh, it's like a. . ."
"Confident, body-guard," Jadof interjected, and Briar glanced up at him in surprise. Looking around at the still laughing people, he blinked before commenting, "I don't know what consort means where you come from, but here, it means a close, trusted friend. Woman are usually the best at the job."
Tris and Daja laughed hysterically at his last comment, and Briar shot them a I-can't-believe-you-thought-that look. They looked back at him, their eyes mischievous. Sandry was still giggling.
Evvy still looked at them in stupefaction.
Dasnie looked at them blankly before turning to Jadof and saying, low enough that Briar could barely make out, "They are strange people, these mages from the South." Jadof simply smiled softly at her, not completely in agreement and not completely in disagreement.
Briar rolled his eyes. They were strange? Right. . . and the Duke was just an average joe.
Tris and Daja were still laughing.
Shaking his head, Briar glared at them.
Evvy looked at everyone with bewildered eyes before asking, "I still don't get it. . . what's so funny?"
Briar just sighed.
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Once everyone was settled down, and Evvy had spent a considerable time gawking at the stone work on the Quetat Veyla, they finally managed to get inside the huge castle.
When they walked inside, Briar immediately had to adjust his eyes to the brightness, or rather, lack of brightness. The main entrance was a giant circular room, with large hardwood floors that glistened in the faint candlelight that surrounded the room. Above them, there was a giant chandelier, every candle on it lighted. The only other light in the room was a fireplace that glowed dimly on the opposite side of the room. A large, high-back chair was in front of it, the back facing them. Someone's elbows sat comfortably on the arm rest, and the sound of someone breathing echoed throughout the large, circular room.
Jadof seemed to ignore this and took off his large green cloak that draped around his shoulders. He hung it up on a coat rack that was made of twisted tree bark before turning to his company. "This is the Quetat Veyla." He waved a hand around the room before continuing, "Your rooms are upstairs, and there is a consort upstairs to take care of your luggage." Tris, Daja, and Sandry giggled like silly girls at the mention of the word consort. Briar rolled his eyes. Jadof just raised an eyebrow before walking towards the fireplace. Everyone followed him, glancing around the large room gingerly. "There are the bathing facilities at the back of the Quetat Veyla if you wished to bath tonight." Suddenly stopping at the tall-backed chair, he announced, "Father, they're here."
A voice echoed throughout the room, "Yes, yes, I observed this. I'm not deaf, you do realize." It was the Duke.
He stood up, his large shoulders broad and authoritative. He glanced into the fire for a second before turning to them and looking down at them. And, on his shoulder, was the most hideous creature Briar had ever seen.
It was a large, black bird that glared down at them in the same fashion as the Duke. Eyes glittering in the fireplace, the bird stared at Briar before cawing loudly. It bent its head back all the way, glancing at the fireplace behind it. Briar wanted to do nothing more than to twist the thing's neck into positions he knew the bird couldn't live with.
Duke Eraged looked at them for a few seconds, and everyone was silent, shifting uncomfortably. Evvy clicked the top of her mouth with her tongue, watching the Duke glare at her with his piercing eyes. Looking around the group, she realized that the only one who didn't wince at the Duke's glare was Dasnie, who simply just blinked at him unemotionally, before glancing over at Jadof. He simply smiled gently at her before winking. Evvy watched a ever-small smile creep on Dasnie's face. Blinking in surprise, Evvy looked from Dasnie to Jadof to Dasnie again. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the Duke.
"You're a bit late," He said slowly, his voice heavy with a Madabian accent. He walked over to them and shook his head, "But that's quite all right. However, your supper will be slightly cold." Stopping, he thought over his sentence, and laughed. "Well, why not? Everything else in Madab is a damn icicle. Indeed, why not?" Still laughing, he walked to the side of the room, where a large bookcase was standing. Taking a large velvet cord, Duke Eraged pulled on it. The bookcase moved aside and led into a narrow room on the other side. A large, rectangular table stood in the middle of it and a dinner was set and ready on it. Not even looking over his shoulder, Duke Eraged ordered, "Come now. The cook has prepared a fine dinner for us all."
Everyone exchanged anxious glances, suspicion shining in their eyes. Briar glanced over his shoulder at Sandry. She had a protective hand on Pasco's shoulder, and looked apprehensively at the door. Catching Briar's eyes, she shook her head slightly.
But before anyone could object, Jadof and Dasnie had someone herded everyone towards the room, and as Briar, Evvy and Pasco behind him, walked into the room, the large bookcase shut behind, locking Evvy and Pasco on the outside.
Sandry gave off a quick gasp. Daja opened her eyes wider and Tris jumped. Briar spun around and glanced at the closed door before turning and glaring at the Duke.
"What is this about?" He muttered angrily at Duke Eraged, his teeth clenched. "Why can't Evvy come in?"
"And Pasco?" Sandry quickly added, her voice on the verge of a panic.
Even Jadof interjected, "Father, that really isn't necessary. . ."
"They pose no threat," Dasnie added, quick to defend Jadof. She inched slightly towards him.
Chuckling, the Duke shook his head and turned to Dasnie and Jadof. He laughed at them before remarking, "With all due respect, Your Highness, something is impairing your judgment. . . perhaps you should arrest of it for awhile." He glared at Jadof. Jadof simply glowered back at him, his usual soft eyes turning into a quick sharp, piercing stare.
Turning his head, Duke Eraged glanced at Briar only and raised an eyebrow. "I like you boy, you've got pluck." He walked to the head of the table and sat down at the top seat, "But you've got a little too much spirit." Settling in his large wooden chair, he waved a hand at the table. "Come sit down; the matters we talk about are quite confidential, and that is why I cannot talk of such matters with your young students."
No one moved for a few seconds before, clearing her throat, Sandry moved to the table and sat at the seat left to the Duke. Removing a napkin from the table, she glanced at her dinner. "This looks delicious, Duke Eraged." Picking up her spoon, she dished into her soup bowl and took a quick sip.
Dasnie and Jadof were next. Jadof sat to his father's right and Dasnie sat next to him. Daja exchanged glances with Tris before they both moved to the table and both sat next to the right of the Duke.
Briar stood glaring at the Duke, his hands clenched. Pursing his lips together, he finally walked up to the table, shoved aside the seat next to Sandry and dumping himself unceremoniously into it.
As much as Briar liked Jadof, he passionately hated the Duke.
When Briar finally sat down, the Duke looked up at the group and smiled smoothly. "Now that we're all seated; I will comence on what I have been instructed to tell you." He poured himself a glass of wine, sipped it, before continuing, "I'm sure you all are wondering why you have come to Madab. That is most understandable. Now, let me remind you, I cannot and will not tell you everything, but there is a general history of Madab that I can tell you." He took another sip of his wine, before turning to Sandry, "Empress Sandrilene, you are quite aware that Madab is the oldest still-running empire in the world, are you not?"
Sandry looked at him before answering hesitantly, "Yes. . . yes I am." She scrunched her eyebrows together and asked, "How do you know about my heir to the throne of. . .?"
"Yes, of coarse you are," Duke Eraged interrupted. He took another sip. "And you also probably aware that, once, Madab had the best natural and complex ecosystem in the entire world. Once, only twenty miles from here, there was a tropical rain forest. This used to be a volcano." Letting the shock settle in their brains, he continued, "Suddenly, about a hundred years ago, Madab began to drastically change. The volcano accumulated a ice cap on the top of it. The climate kept changing. Suddenly, this area became warmer, and the ice cap melted. That is why this is called a Pingo. If you would look at the North Wing of the Quetat Veyla, you will see a large body of water. That was once an ice cap." He stopped here, a long period of silence descending over them.
Shifting his his seat, Briar glared at the Duke, "And. . .?" He asked, his voice impatient.
"And," Duke Eraged continued, but not before glaring at Briar, "No one knows how these things take place. That is why you are here. Madab is torn between climates. Either freezing or extraordinary warm. Hard on the ecosystem, I must say."
Everyone stayed silent, pushing food around their plates. Finally, warily, Daja offered, "It could just be a natural occurrence. What makes you feel that we can do anything?"
Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the Duke laughed. "My dear," He said, still laughing, "I don't think you quite understand me. . . we don't know if you can do anything. But, I know for a fact that this is not just a 'natural occurrence'. No, this is something deeper, deadlier. . ." He stopped, still chuckling. Pondering, he finally spoke: "You are our last hope, I'm afraid. Madab is dying. Yes, sadly, we are dying. The last thing we can place our hands in is a group of teenagers that supposedly possess great power." Stopping, he glanced at them all, eyes resting slightly on each one, before he shook his head. "Well, that is all I can tell you I'm afraid. Jadof will accompany you to a ferry to take you to Sarai Island and then take you to the Eliaso qu Vernon, the royal palace. Princess Dasniel should be able to guide you once you reach there."
Quickly shooting his head up at Dasnie, Briar eyed her. She didn't look back at him. Instead, she ceremoniously sipped her soup. Shaking his head, he turned to Jadof, "While we're on the subject of royals," he paused and stared at Dasnie, "how come you never mentioned that you were the Princess?" He directed his statement directly at Dasnie.
Sandry looked up and added, "Even I wasn't aware of this."
Briar rolled his eyes. Well, that was a comfort. Sandry didn't know about something.
Dasnie stopped eating her soup and stared up at the group of mages. Blinking, she shrugged her shoulders. "You never implied that you wished to know."
"That's a little hard to do when you don't know a clue about these sort of things," Tris said tartly, her eyes squinted on Dasnie.
It would probably have been better that she had never spoken, for the Duke shot his head up quickly and nearly shouted, "Now I know where I have heard your name." Throwing back his head, he laughed. Tris looked up at him in wide eyes in horror and edged away from him in her seat. Still laughing, he pointed his finger at Tris. "That's right. By Mithros. . . Trisana Chandler! How could I have forgot?" Shaking his head, Duke Eraged smiled crookedly at her, "My dear friend in Janaal, Baroness Audrey told me about you!"
Tris' eyes suddenly grew extremely wide and she back away in her chair. "You know. . .you know her?"
Briar glanced at Tris in confusion.
Chuckling, Duke Eraged nodded his head, "Quite. I was a friend of her husband, but when he died, I seemed to become her good friend." Shaking his head, he chuckle madly, "And to think all this time I had Baroness Audrey's son's fiancé here with me!"
Briar was taking a hesitant sip of his soup when he heard Duke Eraged say this. Nearly spitting a mouthful out, Briar gagged for a few seconds, while Sandry and Daja stared open-mouthed at Tris for awhile. Wiping off his mouth, Briar finally managed to stare at Tris before exclaiming, "What?!"
Blushing profusely, Tris pushed her soup around in her bowl.
Briar exchanged a glance with Sandry, who simply mirrored his own astonishment.
Well, that's wonderful. The Circle was just full of secrets.
"That's not entirely true," Tris finally managed, her face an uncharacteristic red. "Me and Donovan aren't officially engaged. I mean, I suppose we've talked about getting married, but nothing really came out of it. . ."
"Wait a second here!" Briar exclaimed, before running a hand through his hair. Staring at Tris, she was still blushing into her soup. "Number one: Who the hell is this Donovan? And Number two: Why haven't we heard of him?" His tone was loud and somewhat rude. Sandry stepped on his foot under the table. Yelping in sudden pain, Briar glared accusedly at her. She simply smiled tartly back at him.
Turning to Tris, Sandry smiled sympathetically and cooed, "Tris, dearest, what is this all about?"
Still looking intently into her soup, Tris shook her head. "I was on a trip with Niko to Ceteh, the capital of Janaal, and my horse managed to go lame in the middle of the journey. We stopped at a manor for help, and, well. . . Donovan was there." She stopped there, letting the rest of the circle decide what happened beyond that.
Briar just stared at her warily before leaning back in his chair. Throwing a napkin over his face, he muttered underneath it, "I give up. I Just. Give. Up!"
They sat in awkward silence, no one knowing how to commence on normal conversation. Tris stared deeply into into her food, Sandry fiddled nervously with her hands, Daja bit her lip, Briar sulked under his napkin, and Jadof and Dasnie exchanged glances. Duke Eraged simply laughed at the mood within the room before exclaiming, "And to think I had Baroness Audrey's future daughter-in-law with me!"
Briar snorted at that underneath his napkin. Sandry kicked him under the table again, and then pretended like she didn't.
They sat like that for a few minutes, before Jadof finally chirped, "Hey, does anyone want to hear a joke?" Briar was about to object, but Jadof didn't let anyone answer before commencing on with his joke. "Okay, a cabbage, an egg, a faucet, and a tomato got into a race. How did the race turn out?" He looked around the table anxiously, and then at Dasnie. She simply stared back at him blankly, her face an emotionless palate.
"I do not know, Jadof. How did the race come out?" Dasnie finally asked, her voice sounding emotionless.
Smiling, Jadof beamed: "The cabbage came out ahead, the egg got beat, the faucet is still running, and the tomato is still trying to ketch-up!" He laughed at his own joke, his father immediately chuckled, Sandry and Daja burst out laughing at the total corniness of it, and Briar, in his mood, snorted. Even Tris giggled.
However, Dasnie stared at him, obviously not comprehending the point of it. She blinked at him before staring at the people who were laughing. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Where was this race, Jadof?"
Jadof stopped laughing and smiled tiredly at Dasnie. Shaking his head, a piece of light-blond hair fell in front of his eyes. "Someday," he said, looking directly at Dasnie, "I'm going to make you laugh again."
She stared back at him, before a slight smile played at the edges of her lips, "Yes, perhaps someday you will, Jadof. Perhaps you will."
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Evvy was mad. Very mad. Not only did she not get to eat dinner with her Pahan and his friends, but now, Pahan Briar would tell her nothing about what they discussed in there. In fact, he was downright grumpy.
When he had come into the room that had they both had to share for the night, she interrogated him so much that he finally screamed at her, "GO TAKE A BATH!"
"Fine! I'll do just that!" She had retorted before grabbing a robe and heading out the door. She made a point to slam the door on her way out.
Running down the Quetat Veyla's stairs, Evvy followed Jadof's directions and started to head to the back of the large castle. However, on the way there, she caught sight of a large billowing mass of white hair. Stopping in her tracks, Evvy backed away a few paces and looked out a window. There was a circular balcony outside, and Dasnie was standing there.
Looking around the room, Evvy found a knob that was connected to the window and turned it cautiously. Slowly the window pushed out into the balcony, and Evvy peered around the door's corner. Dasnie never turned her head to look at Evvy. Licking her lips, Evvy stood outside before instantly wrapping her arms around herself. Even though it was warmer here at the Quetat Veyla, it was still pretty chilly.
Evvy voiced this, "It's pretty cold to be out very long."
"Yes, this is true." Dasnie continued to look out towards the landscape, where a large lake that was surrounded by evergreens lay. She said nothing else.
Fidgeting noisily, Evvy stared at Dasnie's back. She was oddly silent, even though she was silent most of the time. Shivering, Evvy squinted at her. Evvy wanted to know something. She had noticed it earlier that day, and it had intrigued her. Most likely because it reminded her of her Pahan and Sandry. And of course, she didn't hold back from the question: "Do you love Jadof?"
Dasnie finally turned around and looked down at Evvy. Her long hair blew slightly in the wind, but her stare remained sharp and piercing. Biting her lip, she finally spoke. "Yes, I suppose I love Jadof very much; he's been my best friend ever since I was a small child." Staring at Evvy, she then continued, "Does that answer your question?"
Frowning, Evvy shook her head. "I didn't mean like that," she wined before hugging herself harder, "I meant, are you in love with him? I mean, it's just the way you look at him. . ."
A sudden flash of surprise flashed through Dasnie's face. Blinking at Evvy, she turned her face away, and stared at the sky. Evvy watched as Dasnie's eyes softened, she finally muttered, "I. . .I. . ." and the words died on her tongue. Pursing her lips, she suddenly turned to Evvy and commanded, "You should go inside. I have adapted to this weather. You have not." With that, she somehow managed to shoo Evvy out the balcony door without anything but a mumble of a protest.
As the balcony door slammed in her face, Evvy stared bitterly at it. Shoulders slumped, she started to walk towards the bathing area.
Frowning, she mumbled, "No one ever tells me anything."
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Briar had been waiting for nearly an hour for Evvy. Most of the time she was gone, he tried to clear his mind with meditation, but it failed miserably. There were too many things running through his mind at the same time.
Sandry's the Empress, she's pregnant, Tris is pretty much married to some stiff in Janaal, and Dasnie's the queen's daughter. Not to mention he had to find a way for Evvy and Pasco to stay as far away from each other as humanly possible, and he was thinking of all of the million ways he could murder the Duke's ugly bird.
Staring gloomily at his door, Briar groaned and pulled himself off his bed and weakly made himself out of his room. Suspicions started to settle his mind. Not only didn't he trust that boy, Pasco, but he also didn't trust that creep of a guy, Duke Eraged. Last time he had "talked" with Evvy, he had told her to go take a bath. So, heading towards the back of the castle, Briar slumped himself around, his mind not really direct on where he was going.
His mind was possibly a thousand miles away. Turmoil swam unmercifully in his brain, making his turn over the same thought. Sandry's pregnant. Sandry's pregnant. Wanting nothing more than to go smack himself on the head to stop thinking about it, Briar didn't notice as he crashed into someone.
The person slipped on their feet and started to fall backwards from the impact, but Briar grabbed their wrists and shoved them up towards him. Both of them hit chest-to-chest, the person letting out a loud, "Ouf!"
The person remained there, at his chest, head buried into it. Briar looked ahead in shock for a few seconds before he glanced down at the person he had nearly mauled over.
A tiny head stood looking into his chest, head vibrating. Long, ashy-blonde hair was pulled back in a loose pony-tail at the nape of the neck, and the hair bobbed up and down.
Briar sighed inwardly. It was Sandry, and now he had probably hurt her by slamming into her.
But suddenly a loud laugh echoed throughout the room. Looking down in shock, Briar watched in amusement as Sandry bent her head back in laughter. Her whole mouth was open from laughing, and her whole body shook.
Managing to squeak in between laughing, Sandry said, "Oh Briar!" More laughter. "My Gods, I'm sorry. It's just that. . . It's just that," she stopped, shaking her head. "It's just that I'm so clumsy!" She looked at him in the eye, her eyes glittering with giddiness.
It was the first time Briar saw Sandry's eyes vanish sadness completely. Smiling down at her, Briar looked at her as she laughed. She looked so. . . carefree. He hadn't seen her look like that since. . . since the night on the roof when him and her were fourteen.
Finally managing to control herself, Sandry looked up at him and smiled shyly. "Hey. . ." she said slightly, but not saying anything else.
Looking down at her, Briar smiled back before noticing the clinch that they were in. Suddenly feeling extremely awkward, he pushed himself gently away from Sandry. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm down the thumping in his chest.
He hated when this happened. No, what he hated most was that is happened at all.
"Hey," he stuttered nervously, "have you seen Evvy around?" He shoved a hand in his pocket, trying to look distracted.
Biting her lip, Sandry grabbed her long hair from the back and started to braid in off to the side. She nodded her head. "Yeah, Evvy's in the bathing area still. Daja's braiding her hair." She smiled sweetly to herself, before looking back at Briar. He was trying his best not to look at her.
"Briar?"
"Hm?" Briar asked, not looking directly at her, but more just at her face in the corner of his eye.
Sandry half-frowned at him before commanding lightly, "Briar, look at me."
Slowly, Briar cast down his eyes at her. She looked at him strangely before smiling. Even her smile reached her eyes now. Feeling his heart start to speed up, Briar silently cursed. Running his tongue over his teeth, he looked at her. She had the burgundy robe that Duke Eraged's consorts gave them earlier on. It only came to the knee. She was still braiding her wet hair and her face and skin shimmered in the candlelight. But, what was most noticeable was her swelled stomach. It wasn't terribly large, but enough to notice.
Sandry saw where his stares were directed, and she smiled before rubbing her abdomen. "I have my clothes spelled so that you can't tell that I'm pregnant." She paused, "This isn't one of my clothes."
Briar nodded his head before shifting uncomfortably. Looking at her while she braided her long hair, something struck his. Scrunching his eyebrows together, Briar asked, "How long till, you have the. . . ya know, the baby?" It felt extremely strange to say that.
"I'm seven months along now," Sandry whispered sheepishly, before she rubbed her stomach.
Reeling back his head, Briar opened his eyes wide. Seven whole months. . .
Sandry giggled at his expression before tying her braid and swinging over her shoulder. Licking her lips, she suddenly commented, "That reminds me. Briar, there's something I need to ask of you. . . in private."
Looking down at her, Briar smiled crookedly. "Ask away."
"Not here, you goon!" Sandry whispered sharply, punching him in the shoulder.
"Why not?"
Her shoulders sagged physically before she said, "Well, Number one: I don't want to take any chances of anyone hearing." She looked around the hallway and nodded with her head. "And Number two. . ." she wagged her finger for Briar to come nearer. Looking a her suspiciously, he stepped closer and leaned towards her. Sandry then whispered in his ear, "Number two: I'm naked under this robe."
Instantaneously, Briar blushed. His flushed expression was enough even to see in the dim candlelight.
Sandry laughed at his expression before grabbing his hand and saying, "Come on, Plant mage. Let's go up to my room for a chat."
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Well, there it is. I hope people will still actually still read this story. There will still be a lot more twists. Anywho, you can go to the website at www.geocities.com/emelan5/discipline.html. Check it out: It's not that bad of a site. Oh, the plot-bunny bit me and told me to write a story about Tris and Sandry. Would anybody actually read it if I wrote it?
Anyway, I'll love you forever if you review. Pwetty pwease?
I'm sick and need the cheering up. Ug, I just took some medication
and can hardly read what I'm typing. Better go to bed.