A/N: Hahaha!!! I'm ba-ack. Did ya miss me? Ok, I just have to thank my
reviewers, you people are wonderful. You were all so nice with your advice
and so encouraging, it made me feel really special.
Enna: Hehe. Sorry about your eyes, I just had a little trouble with
spacing. Hope this is better!
Elemental nymph girl: Thanks so much for the spacing tip. It really helped
me a lot. You were really encouraging and that makes me smile! *grins
hugely and stupidly* In fact, you made me feel so good that I decided to
post another chapter! I hope you continue to like it.
aragornette: Glad you liked the elf thing. It was actually inspired by my
mom, she refuses to admit that the Keebler elves are just wanna be's. I'm
not really sure what you meant by dialogue syntax but whatever it is, I
hope this is better.
Disclaimer: Final arrangements are being made for the kidnapping trip. Suzanne and I should be preparing for our departure sometime soon. We're just finishing mapping the coordinates and planning what to take. *screams into other room "Suzanne, you can not take the Playstation!"* Sorry about that. Anyways, don't own LOTR, 'nough said.
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"Concentrate!" Gandalf called, "focus on penetrating his mind."
Ana stared hard into Legolas's eyes, imagining the door of his mind opening and the wall falling down. But they had both practiced guarding their minds against attacks like this and he was fighting well. Ana made one last attempt and felt the wall come down. She felt a flash of pride, acceptance, and something she couldn't identify before he pushed her out of his mind again.
"Great job, Ana. You did it!" He swept her up in a friendly hug and twirled her around. She had been training for a month now and this was the first time she had been able to read emotions in a controlled way. The first week had been focused on keeping herself from accidentally reading people, and the second and then some on blocking attacks like she had just made. Though they were both excited about her accomplishment, they were tired form the effort it had taken. Gandalf came and stood in front of the pair, his eyes twinkling. Ana had grown a bit in the month since she'd been in Middle Earth (Gandalf said it was the relaxation) but Legolas still seemed to tower over her. He had his hand on her shoulder, the back of her head resting against his chest. They were best friends, the kind neither of them had had before, except for maybe Estel and Legolas, and they both so desperately needed.
"Very good you two, I am most pleased. Yes, I believe it is time for Ana to learn to fight. She will need those skills before her destiny is fulfilled. Legolas, I believe you will be much better suited to that task than I. I shall leave it in your hands."
Ana smiled eagerly, she longed to learn how to fight as the others did. It seemed that now she would finally get her chance.
For at least two months, Legolas trained her to use a bow and arrow and he and others with more skill had taught her to wield a sword. Though she was really quite good at it, Ana found she was disinclined to fight with a sword; she didn't want to get that close to her enemy. She and Legolas went out to the archery field every day to practice with targets and Ana was becoming very skilled. Nowhere near Legolas, of course, but compared to some of the archers she had met, her skill was quite remarkable. She had her own weapons given to her by King Thranduill. Her life had fallen into a safe routine in a way she had never known was possible. And then one day Gandalf came back. He had gone to take care of some business, he would not say what, and then he returned out of the blue with a creature he called Gollum. With him came a man, Aragorn. He and Legolas were old friends, but Legolas called him Estel, his elvish name. It meant "hope", and to his people that was what he would bring. The elves had named Ana Maranwë, meaning "destiny". The elves were to keep Gollum and make sure he did not escape. Ana did not worry too much about Gollum, she and Legolas had been visiting with Aragorn. She had taken to calling him Estel like the others did, and he teasingly called her Anor, sun. It was a joke about her name, but Ana didn't mind, she enjoyed having a nickname as long as it was kind. Estel became like an older brother to Ana, perfecting her sword fighting and riding with her and Legolas. It was a sad day for everyone when the Ranger announced that he and Gandalf had to leave. There was business he and Gandalf had to attend to, though neither would say what it was. Ana went to see Gandalf before he and Estel left, seeking words of comfort. She felt as though they were deserting her.
"Gandalf, how will I know what to do without you? I'll be alone again."
The old wizard smiled and took her chin in his hand. "I will not be gone forever little one. We will meet again soon. And remember, Legolas is not leaving, he will still be here to help you when you need it. A day will soon come when Legolas will need to leave Mirkwood. When the time comes you will know, and you will need to come with him."
Ana looked at Gandalf, utterly confused, but nodded in agreement. She had almost forgotten about Legolas. She glanced timidly at Gandalf and said, "I don't know if he would want to help me. Or even if he could."
Gandalf nodded and sighed. He was the only one who knew about the nightmares she had, the ones about her James hurting her, the ones where her mom died from an overdose of the drugs she loved so much. He knew she woke up crying almost every night and couldn't get back to sleep. As close to Legolas as she was she had been taught never to show weakness. These dreams brought tears, and tears were a vulnerability. Therefore, the dreams were a weakness, and they could not be shared even with her best friend. "Always know, Maranwe, there are people in the world who only want to love you and not hurt you. Even if I can not be there, if it is all possible Legolas will be. For that is the way with friendship."
Ana threw herself into his arms for a true goodbye. "Thank you, Gandalf. I will not forget your words... any of them."
Meanwhile, Legolas and Aragorn were saying their goodbyes. There would be a farewell at the gate, but real partings took words and time. These were words of many different subjects, coming to rest on Ana. Aragorn noticed that most of their talks ended sooner or later on the girl. This time it was...
"Ana will miss you and Gandalf terribly, especially Gandalf. I feel he knows the most about her, even more than I do. And I'm her best friend." The man's eyebrows lifted and a sly smile played on his face.
"Are you sure you're not more than that?" The elf turned away just in case he blushed. Legolas knew his friend would want an answer and said, "We are friends. Beyond that... who knows?" Aragorn wished he could read emotions like Ana, but really he guessed he didn't need to. It was obvious Legolas cared a lot about Ana, but who knew how she felt. For the Sensor of Emotion, she seemed to be very conflicted about her own.
"You are brave, mellon nin, she is certainly a challenge. But I can't say that all love is simple, or that you are alone in your plight." Legolas looked shrewdly at his friend and said, "Estel, there is something you are not telling me. Come on, I told you about Ana, it is time to return the favor." Aragorn glanced around suspiciously and said, "I know you will not betray my secret so I shall tell you. I am in love with Arwen, Lord Elrond's daughter. She loves me also, though her father, and you know he is practically mine, does not approve of the match."
Legolas just blinked at Aragorn, speechless from surprise. He had never expected anything like this to happen, that his best friend (besides Ana) would fall in love and not want to tell him. But, he thought, at least he had told him. He hated it when his friends kept things from him. When he got over the initial shock, he looked at the man with sad eyes. This would change him; he would come to many problems with this love. All Legolas could do was be there with him. "I will miss you, Estel," he said, and walked out of the room.
For two weeks after Gandalf and Aragorn left, Ana withdrew into herself and became much the way she had been when she first came to Mirkwood. Legolas did everything he could to make her smile again, but realized she would have to work it out for herself. One morning on the way to breakfast she gave him a small smile and started their usual lively banter. He was overjoyed when she said she wanted to go back to the archery range. She hadn't been since Aragorn and Gandalf left, and Legolas had missed practicing with her. Ana had dreamed a pleasant dream the night before, really it was more a memory of the words Gandalf had told her before he left. She realized she had to stop pushing her best friend away and stop grieving over people she hadn't really lost. For a few days life went on as normal, and then one day when they were once again on the archery field, one of the guards came and started to speak to Legolas then stopped glancing at Ana. The Prince rolled his royal eyes and said, "You should know by now anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Ana. Now speak!"
The elf nodded his head in respect and said, "Yes, your highness. We have found that the guards in charge of the creature Gollum were slain during the night. He is nowhere to be found, though we tracked his progress some distance. Then we lost him."
Legolas passed a hand over his face and turned to Ana saying, "We must tell my father of this news. Some one will need to go to Rivendell, Gandalf said if anything happened to go see Lord Elrond."
Gandalf's words came flooding back to Ana's head. "Legolas, you're going to have to go. And I am going to come with you. Gandalf told me before he left." He looked questioningly at her, but didn't ask questions he knew she couldn't or wouldn't answer. "Let's go see my father; I hope he will agree when he hears Gandalf said it."
Practically the next thing Ana knew they were riding through the gates of Rivendell. The days leading up to their departure had been a blur, like the journey itself. By now Ana could ride her own horse, and thrilled at the feel of the wind in her hair again. She had gone riding a lot with her dad before... No, she wouldn't think about it. In a way she was glad when the horses were led into the stable at Rivendell, out of her sight. She and Legolas were overjoyed to find that Gandalf had arrived two days before them. He had arrived after Estel brought in four hobbits, little Halflings. And then came the dwarves. Legolas and the elves that had come with them were horrified Lord Elrond was allowing dwarves in Imladiris. Ana thought they were funny little men, and could not be too harsh towards them. She and Legolas wandered the halls the day after they arrived. Lord Elrond had informed them that there would be a council the next day and they were both to attend. Tonight they were just enjoying the calm and beauty of Imladiris. They were walking quietly and speaking in low voices, and all parties were rather distracted. Arwen and Aragorn were standing in a secluded part of the garden, having what was obviously a private moment. Ana and Legolas stopped dead in their tracks. The couple was so engrossed in what they were saying that they didn't hear the other two approaching. Neither wanted to interrupt, but how they could leave without being noticed, neither of them knew. Legolas spied a stone bench out of sight from the main path hidden from the enclosure where Arwen and Aragorn were by a large hedge. He grasped Ana's hand and led her over to it. They could wait there until the coast was clear. Legolas sat down and Ana pulled her knees up to her chest and lay her forehead on them. She was quite tired as it was late at night. She stiffened as Legolas put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her up against him. Slowly she relaxed and laid her head against his shoulder. She was so tired; she fought to stay awake but the darkness was a blanket softer than any linen and Legolas was a soft warm pillow.
He stared down at her as her breathing deepened and she drifted off to sleep. Once again he marveled at how small she was, like a child of only 70 or 80. Her hair had grown out to where it brushed her shoulders, though it was still choppy around the bottom. His arms tightened as she moved closer to him trying to get warm. He was so intent on watching her and making sure she was comfortable he didn't notice Aragorn come up behind him.
"It looks like things have come a long way since we last met, mellon nin." Legolas was surprised to hear Estel's voice, but made no movement for fear of waking the girl he was holding.
"Mae govannen, Estel. You startled me. No, we are not together, not in that way. She is still learning to trust me as a friend." The man nodded and lay his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to give him some comfort. After a moment Legolas broke the silence saying, "I had better get her back to her room, she wouldn't appreciate it if I kept her out here all night. Besides, it wouldn't look right if neither of us were in our beds tonight."
Aragorn nodded, and giving his shoulder a squeeze went quietly off the path. Legolas gently scooped Ana into his arms and sighed as she snuggled closer into his chest. He made his way to her room and gently placed her on the bed. As he was about to move away her face twisted into a horrified expression and her hands clutched at his tunic. A small whimpering noise came from her slightly parted lips, and some tears leaked out through her tightly closed eyes. He sat down on the bed and took her by the shoulders shaking her gently. Her eyes flew open, but it was like she didn't know who he was. She struggled to get away from him, but he held her close afraid she would hurt herself. He spoke some soothing words to her in elvish and she calmed down. After a minute she pushed him away and looked down at her bed so he wouldn't see her tears. "Ana," he began, but she shook her head, still not looking at him. "Please, Legolas, just go away. I don't want to talk about it." He started to say something, but thinking better of it turned and left quietly.
Ana almost regretted making him leave, but she couldn't bring herself to call him back. She had dreamed this time that she was dying, that James (her ex-boyfriend) had hurt her, and left her to die. It was a horrible dream, and the memory lingered even after she was awake. At first she had thought Legolas was James and it scared her. Then she had been so happy to wake up and find him there. But she couldn't let him stay, couldn't even let him know. The only things she had left of her dad were his teachings, she couldn't let go of those. She knew he would listen readily, or at least she believed he would, but she was fairly sure he wouldn't want to get mixed up with someone as crazy as she was. It just wasn't fair to him, he didn't deserve that. She sighed deeply and leaned back against the headboard, determined to get at least a few hours sleep before the council the next day.
Legolas paced restlessly around his room, wishing he was back with Ana. He could see plainly she needed to talk to someone, why couldn't she? His world was turning upside down around him; his feelings were going out of his control. He had an overwhelming need to protect Ana even though he didn't know what he was protecting her from. This was insane, he had to stop pacing, had to sleep. The council the next day was sure to be important; so many different people would be there! Lord Elrond must have a good reason for it and he was sure that he would have some part to play in whatever it was before the ordeal was over. But he would be of no use to anyone unless he slept some first.
******* A/N: Whew! Another chapter up. I love reviews so please go click the pretty button and type something constructive or hey! I would even appreciate inane babble. Thanks y'all!
Disclaimer: Final arrangements are being made for the kidnapping trip. Suzanne and I should be preparing for our departure sometime soon. We're just finishing mapping the coordinates and planning what to take. *screams into other room "Suzanne, you can not take the Playstation!"* Sorry about that. Anyways, don't own LOTR, 'nough said.
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"Concentrate!" Gandalf called, "focus on penetrating his mind."
Ana stared hard into Legolas's eyes, imagining the door of his mind opening and the wall falling down. But they had both practiced guarding their minds against attacks like this and he was fighting well. Ana made one last attempt and felt the wall come down. She felt a flash of pride, acceptance, and something she couldn't identify before he pushed her out of his mind again.
"Great job, Ana. You did it!" He swept her up in a friendly hug and twirled her around. She had been training for a month now and this was the first time she had been able to read emotions in a controlled way. The first week had been focused on keeping herself from accidentally reading people, and the second and then some on blocking attacks like she had just made. Though they were both excited about her accomplishment, they were tired form the effort it had taken. Gandalf came and stood in front of the pair, his eyes twinkling. Ana had grown a bit in the month since she'd been in Middle Earth (Gandalf said it was the relaxation) but Legolas still seemed to tower over her. He had his hand on her shoulder, the back of her head resting against his chest. They were best friends, the kind neither of them had had before, except for maybe Estel and Legolas, and they both so desperately needed.
"Very good you two, I am most pleased. Yes, I believe it is time for Ana to learn to fight. She will need those skills before her destiny is fulfilled. Legolas, I believe you will be much better suited to that task than I. I shall leave it in your hands."
Ana smiled eagerly, she longed to learn how to fight as the others did. It seemed that now she would finally get her chance.
For at least two months, Legolas trained her to use a bow and arrow and he and others with more skill had taught her to wield a sword. Though she was really quite good at it, Ana found she was disinclined to fight with a sword; she didn't want to get that close to her enemy. She and Legolas went out to the archery field every day to practice with targets and Ana was becoming very skilled. Nowhere near Legolas, of course, but compared to some of the archers she had met, her skill was quite remarkable. She had her own weapons given to her by King Thranduill. Her life had fallen into a safe routine in a way she had never known was possible. And then one day Gandalf came back. He had gone to take care of some business, he would not say what, and then he returned out of the blue with a creature he called Gollum. With him came a man, Aragorn. He and Legolas were old friends, but Legolas called him Estel, his elvish name. It meant "hope", and to his people that was what he would bring. The elves had named Ana Maranwë, meaning "destiny". The elves were to keep Gollum and make sure he did not escape. Ana did not worry too much about Gollum, she and Legolas had been visiting with Aragorn. She had taken to calling him Estel like the others did, and he teasingly called her Anor, sun. It was a joke about her name, but Ana didn't mind, she enjoyed having a nickname as long as it was kind. Estel became like an older brother to Ana, perfecting her sword fighting and riding with her and Legolas. It was a sad day for everyone when the Ranger announced that he and Gandalf had to leave. There was business he and Gandalf had to attend to, though neither would say what it was. Ana went to see Gandalf before he and Estel left, seeking words of comfort. She felt as though they were deserting her.
"Gandalf, how will I know what to do without you? I'll be alone again."
The old wizard smiled and took her chin in his hand. "I will not be gone forever little one. We will meet again soon. And remember, Legolas is not leaving, he will still be here to help you when you need it. A day will soon come when Legolas will need to leave Mirkwood. When the time comes you will know, and you will need to come with him."
Ana looked at Gandalf, utterly confused, but nodded in agreement. She had almost forgotten about Legolas. She glanced timidly at Gandalf and said, "I don't know if he would want to help me. Or even if he could."
Gandalf nodded and sighed. He was the only one who knew about the nightmares she had, the ones about her James hurting her, the ones where her mom died from an overdose of the drugs she loved so much. He knew she woke up crying almost every night and couldn't get back to sleep. As close to Legolas as she was she had been taught never to show weakness. These dreams brought tears, and tears were a vulnerability. Therefore, the dreams were a weakness, and they could not be shared even with her best friend. "Always know, Maranwe, there are people in the world who only want to love you and not hurt you. Even if I can not be there, if it is all possible Legolas will be. For that is the way with friendship."
Ana threw herself into his arms for a true goodbye. "Thank you, Gandalf. I will not forget your words... any of them."
Meanwhile, Legolas and Aragorn were saying their goodbyes. There would be a farewell at the gate, but real partings took words and time. These were words of many different subjects, coming to rest on Ana. Aragorn noticed that most of their talks ended sooner or later on the girl. This time it was...
"Ana will miss you and Gandalf terribly, especially Gandalf. I feel he knows the most about her, even more than I do. And I'm her best friend." The man's eyebrows lifted and a sly smile played on his face.
"Are you sure you're not more than that?" The elf turned away just in case he blushed. Legolas knew his friend would want an answer and said, "We are friends. Beyond that... who knows?" Aragorn wished he could read emotions like Ana, but really he guessed he didn't need to. It was obvious Legolas cared a lot about Ana, but who knew how she felt. For the Sensor of Emotion, she seemed to be very conflicted about her own.
"You are brave, mellon nin, she is certainly a challenge. But I can't say that all love is simple, or that you are alone in your plight." Legolas looked shrewdly at his friend and said, "Estel, there is something you are not telling me. Come on, I told you about Ana, it is time to return the favor." Aragorn glanced around suspiciously and said, "I know you will not betray my secret so I shall tell you. I am in love with Arwen, Lord Elrond's daughter. She loves me also, though her father, and you know he is practically mine, does not approve of the match."
Legolas just blinked at Aragorn, speechless from surprise. He had never expected anything like this to happen, that his best friend (besides Ana) would fall in love and not want to tell him. But, he thought, at least he had told him. He hated it when his friends kept things from him. When he got over the initial shock, he looked at the man with sad eyes. This would change him; he would come to many problems with this love. All Legolas could do was be there with him. "I will miss you, Estel," he said, and walked out of the room.
For two weeks after Gandalf and Aragorn left, Ana withdrew into herself and became much the way she had been when she first came to Mirkwood. Legolas did everything he could to make her smile again, but realized she would have to work it out for herself. One morning on the way to breakfast she gave him a small smile and started their usual lively banter. He was overjoyed when she said she wanted to go back to the archery range. She hadn't been since Aragorn and Gandalf left, and Legolas had missed practicing with her. Ana had dreamed a pleasant dream the night before, really it was more a memory of the words Gandalf had told her before he left. She realized she had to stop pushing her best friend away and stop grieving over people she hadn't really lost. For a few days life went on as normal, and then one day when they were once again on the archery field, one of the guards came and started to speak to Legolas then stopped glancing at Ana. The Prince rolled his royal eyes and said, "You should know by now anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Ana. Now speak!"
The elf nodded his head in respect and said, "Yes, your highness. We have found that the guards in charge of the creature Gollum were slain during the night. He is nowhere to be found, though we tracked his progress some distance. Then we lost him."
Legolas passed a hand over his face and turned to Ana saying, "We must tell my father of this news. Some one will need to go to Rivendell, Gandalf said if anything happened to go see Lord Elrond."
Gandalf's words came flooding back to Ana's head. "Legolas, you're going to have to go. And I am going to come with you. Gandalf told me before he left." He looked questioningly at her, but didn't ask questions he knew she couldn't or wouldn't answer. "Let's go see my father; I hope he will agree when he hears Gandalf said it."
Practically the next thing Ana knew they were riding through the gates of Rivendell. The days leading up to their departure had been a blur, like the journey itself. By now Ana could ride her own horse, and thrilled at the feel of the wind in her hair again. She had gone riding a lot with her dad before... No, she wouldn't think about it. In a way she was glad when the horses were led into the stable at Rivendell, out of her sight. She and Legolas were overjoyed to find that Gandalf had arrived two days before them. He had arrived after Estel brought in four hobbits, little Halflings. And then came the dwarves. Legolas and the elves that had come with them were horrified Lord Elrond was allowing dwarves in Imladiris. Ana thought they were funny little men, and could not be too harsh towards them. She and Legolas wandered the halls the day after they arrived. Lord Elrond had informed them that there would be a council the next day and they were both to attend. Tonight they were just enjoying the calm and beauty of Imladiris. They were walking quietly and speaking in low voices, and all parties were rather distracted. Arwen and Aragorn were standing in a secluded part of the garden, having what was obviously a private moment. Ana and Legolas stopped dead in their tracks. The couple was so engrossed in what they were saying that they didn't hear the other two approaching. Neither wanted to interrupt, but how they could leave without being noticed, neither of them knew. Legolas spied a stone bench out of sight from the main path hidden from the enclosure where Arwen and Aragorn were by a large hedge. He grasped Ana's hand and led her over to it. They could wait there until the coast was clear. Legolas sat down and Ana pulled her knees up to her chest and lay her forehead on them. She was quite tired as it was late at night. She stiffened as Legolas put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her up against him. Slowly she relaxed and laid her head against his shoulder. She was so tired; she fought to stay awake but the darkness was a blanket softer than any linen and Legolas was a soft warm pillow.
He stared down at her as her breathing deepened and she drifted off to sleep. Once again he marveled at how small she was, like a child of only 70 or 80. Her hair had grown out to where it brushed her shoulders, though it was still choppy around the bottom. His arms tightened as she moved closer to him trying to get warm. He was so intent on watching her and making sure she was comfortable he didn't notice Aragorn come up behind him.
"It looks like things have come a long way since we last met, mellon nin." Legolas was surprised to hear Estel's voice, but made no movement for fear of waking the girl he was holding.
"Mae govannen, Estel. You startled me. No, we are not together, not in that way. She is still learning to trust me as a friend." The man nodded and lay his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to give him some comfort. After a moment Legolas broke the silence saying, "I had better get her back to her room, she wouldn't appreciate it if I kept her out here all night. Besides, it wouldn't look right if neither of us were in our beds tonight."
Aragorn nodded, and giving his shoulder a squeeze went quietly off the path. Legolas gently scooped Ana into his arms and sighed as she snuggled closer into his chest. He made his way to her room and gently placed her on the bed. As he was about to move away her face twisted into a horrified expression and her hands clutched at his tunic. A small whimpering noise came from her slightly parted lips, and some tears leaked out through her tightly closed eyes. He sat down on the bed and took her by the shoulders shaking her gently. Her eyes flew open, but it was like she didn't know who he was. She struggled to get away from him, but he held her close afraid she would hurt herself. He spoke some soothing words to her in elvish and she calmed down. After a minute she pushed him away and looked down at her bed so he wouldn't see her tears. "Ana," he began, but she shook her head, still not looking at him. "Please, Legolas, just go away. I don't want to talk about it." He started to say something, but thinking better of it turned and left quietly.
Ana almost regretted making him leave, but she couldn't bring herself to call him back. She had dreamed this time that she was dying, that James (her ex-boyfriend) had hurt her, and left her to die. It was a horrible dream, and the memory lingered even after she was awake. At first she had thought Legolas was James and it scared her. Then she had been so happy to wake up and find him there. But she couldn't let him stay, couldn't even let him know. The only things she had left of her dad were his teachings, she couldn't let go of those. She knew he would listen readily, or at least she believed he would, but she was fairly sure he wouldn't want to get mixed up with someone as crazy as she was. It just wasn't fair to him, he didn't deserve that. She sighed deeply and leaned back against the headboard, determined to get at least a few hours sleep before the council the next day.
Legolas paced restlessly around his room, wishing he was back with Ana. He could see plainly she needed to talk to someone, why couldn't she? His world was turning upside down around him; his feelings were going out of his control. He had an overwhelming need to protect Ana even though he didn't know what he was protecting her from. This was insane, he had to stop pacing, had to sleep. The council the next day was sure to be important; so many different people would be there! Lord Elrond must have a good reason for it and he was sure that he would have some part to play in whatever it was before the ordeal was over. But he would be of no use to anyone unless he slept some first.
******* A/N: Whew! Another chapter up. I love reviews so please go click the pretty button and type something constructive or hey! I would even appreciate inane babble. Thanks y'all!
