Thank you everyone for always supporting my stories! I've been working hard on this one, picking up (generally) where we left off in Perigee, so I'm very excited to share. As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

Dwarven Vow 52:
Dithis dhaoine fhaicinn rudeigin aon chan urrainn.
Two people can see what one cannot.

1-

The siege of Nor'este lasted 7 months and two weeks. It was to be remembered as the longest unsuccessful siege of the Kharlan War, but at the time those involved weren't worried about history. The foreigners who'd been unexpectedly trapped in the city weren't allowed to leave immediately following Nor'este's liberation so that the total damage could be assessed. For those who'd just been passing through at the time of the siege, their proverbial 3-hour-tour had been turned into almost a year during which they were separated from friends and family. For many of the young ones, it was their first time coming face to face with the true horrors of war. The knight who returned with his charge to the South Inlet Hospital had watched the young teen's understanding of the world shift over the past months, and wished he could assure him that things weren't going to get worse. But despite the worsening state of the war, there was at least some hope in a reunion.

"SISTER!"

"Mithos… oh, Mithos!"

Martel and Yuan had been waiting expectantly, and when Kratos and Mithos appeared over the crest of the nearby dune, Martel broke into a run to greet them. Mithos slid down the sandy embankment, falling into his sister's arms as he did so. The look of defiant bravery that Kratos had observed on the boy's features over the past months melted away, and Mithos cried against Martel's chest. It was hard to hear him, though, over the loud sobs coming from his sister. Martel was usually soft-spoken, but when she cried, she was loud.

Kratos was content watching them, but he was immediately approached by Yuan. He hadn't seen his friend's face in months, and was surprised. Kratos knew that he and Mithos looked a wreck, but he hadn't expected the same of Yuan and Martel. Yuan's hair was untied, his features unusually stiff, and he looked as though he'd aged more than just a year in the time they'd been gone.

Kratos sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've got to say, there were some times I wasn't sure we'd ever see this place again. It's been a while. So much for our three week training camp, right?"

Kratos expected one of Yuan's usual, cliche retorts, but Yuan didn't respond right away. He narrowed his eyes and gestured Kratos closer. "Can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

A quick glance over at Martel and Mithos assured the two that the siblings weren't paying them any mind, but Kratos stepped closer and lowered his voice anyway. "What are you-?"

"The letter you sent us last week… it mentioned you fighting on the front lines during the siege. Did you really?"

"Of course I did." Kratos nodded. "I couldn't just let the-"

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

Kratos almost jumped back. "What was I thinking? I was thinking that the sooner the siege was over, the sooner we could get back to you and the fewer people would get hurt or die in Nor'este."

"But what about you? You could've died." Yuan said the last part through clenched teeth.

"...Yuan?"

"If something had happened to you, what would become of Mithos? You were all he had there, you idiot!" Yuan reached out, grabbing the front of Kratos' shirt. "He's just a kid. How could you risk leaving him alone like that? If something had happened to him, how do you think Martel would react?"

Kratos exhaled the breath he'd been holding. "And here I thought you were actually worried about me. But Martel is the only one who matters to you, isn't she?"

"That's not what I meant-"

Kratos took Yuan's hand and pulled it away from his shirt, crossing his arms over his chest. "Mithos is thirteen now. He's a skilled fighter and can take care of himself. I wouldn't have taken him to study under Master Shiro if I didn't think he was ready."

Yuan rolled his eyes. "I'm so sick of hearing about him. It's Master Shiro this and Master Shiro that-It's all because of him that you got into this mess. Just because that old coot is the one who trained you doesn't mean he's the best for teaching Mithos."

"Excuse me?" Kratos' expression darkened. "I'm sorry, but we can't all get our diplomas from the Sylvarant school of hard knocks-"

"You stuck up-" Yuan hissed his response, cutting off as he heard Martel and Mithos' voices and remembered that they were nearby. "I'm not saying that you weren't taught the right way. I'm just saying that the world is changing and you've got to stop living in the past. Mithos doesn't deserve that!"

"There you go again, pretending to care about Mithos and the future."

"I do care about Mithos, dammit! We're all trying to work toward a better future. You're not superior just because you were fighting at Nor'este this whole time. Martel and I were on a battlefield of our own here at the hospital!" He stopped and glanced away. "Did you get any of our letters?"

Kratos shook his head. "Not any that were sent before the siege ended. All the letters that came in while the city was blockaded were burnt to ensure no spy messages went through."

"I figured as much," Yuan sighed. "You have no idea the kind of things that have been going on here. Fort Fisher has been constantly under attack, and the nearby port has been overrun with soldiers. Innocent people have been dying every day, and there's only so much we can do."

Kratos was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you and Martel faced a difficult time here as well. I shouldn't have been so dismissive of your efforts."

Yuan turned away. "There's only so many children you can bury before it breaks you."

"I know."

There was silence between them again. Martel and Mithos had transitioned from crying into coherent conversation, so Kratos and Yuan decided it was time for them to join the group again. However, Yuan tugged at Kratos' cloak one last time.

"Hm?"

"I…" Yuan began, glancing down at the grass under his feet. "...I really am glad you're okay."

Knowing that Yuan wasn't looking at him, Kratos allowed himself a small smile.

"I'm glad you're okay as well."

It was raining again when Lloyd exited the house. He glanced up at the dark clouds above him and sighed sadly. All of that work on a fair-weather charm and it still hadn't been enough to drive away the persistent dreariness that seemed to have engulfed all of western Sylvarant and eastern Tethe'alla the past few weeks. No doubt it would be worse where he was going… but the Great Tree always provided shelter from the elements.

Pulling the hood of his coat over his head, he stepped out from the doorway of Dirk's house. He'd only taken two steps, however, when a voice stopped him.

"Gonnae fur a stroll sae early in th' morn, are we?"

Lloyd froze. "Dad!" He twirled around on his heels, waving at the form of his father in the doorway. "I didn't think you were awake yet."

"Whaur exactly are ye off tae? Not back tae Luin, I hiner."

"N-no!" Lloyd shook his head. "I'm going to meet Genis and Colette at the Great Tree, remember? We were going to watch the sunrise together… though that's kind of a bust now, I guess. But I can't just stand them up."

Dirk frowned, but sighed in resignation. "Aye, ye cannae do that. But there's still somethin' I need tae discuss wi' ye. I got th' letter frae the agent in Luin, min'?"

"Right!" Lloyd clasped his hands together, offering a pleasant smile. "We can discuss it over breakfast. I shouldn't be gone too long."

"Dae ye hink puttin' aff the conversation will change my answer? If ye hink ye can pester me intae sayin' yes, ye dae' kin how stubborn a Dwarf can be."

"That's not what I'm trying to do at all, Dad! I'll be back by breakfast time and show you exactly what I'm thinking. Okay?"

There was a pause before Dirk answered.

"Dae' be late."

"I won't," Lloyd turned around and waved behind him, "I promise."

"Cha 'n eil fealladh ann cho mòr ris an gealladh gun choimhlionadh," Dirk called,

"Dwarven Vow 19," Lloyd translated back, "there is no deceit so great as a promise unfulfilled. Got it!"

The rain continued as Dirk stayed by the doorway, watching Lloyd as he disappeared. He glanced back into the house, at the table where the paper lay. The humidity made everything in the house damp, and Dirk didn't want to touch the again letter lest he damage it. But it was time-sensitive and Lloyd kept putting off accepting Dirk's answer to his offer.

From a short distance away, under his own shelter, Noishe gave a low whine. Dirk smiled, taking a few steps out to greet Noishe and give him a scratch on the chin.

"Aye, dog. Ye said it better than I could. The lad daes whit he wants…" He paused and shook his head. "...jist like a Dwarf."

Genis and Colette were waiting patiently for Lloyd under a dry patch beside the Great Tree. Genis had spread a blanket over the ground to keep the mud off of them, and Colette was laid out on it, her head resting in Genis' lap as she dozed. Seeing Lloyd approaching in the twilight, Genis waved his lantern and nudged Colette.

"Hey, Colette, wake up."

It was clear that she heard his voice, but her response was only a groan as she snuggled closer to him. Genis sighed and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Colette, wake up. Lloyd's here."

She shot to a seated position, eyes wide as though she hadn't been half-asleep just the moment before. "Lloyd!"

Lloyd laughed as he ducked under the cover of the tree's branches, removing his wet coat and boots before joining his friends on the blanket. Colette tackled him in a hug and he responded likewise, the two giggling in sync with one another. Genis rolled his eyes, but he couldn't suppress a chuckle of his own. It had been at least a month since they'd all been together like this, and they weren't going to let anything get in the way of their fun- not even a cold winter rainstorm.

Colette handed Lloyd a book she'd borrowed from him a few months earlier, and Lloyd handed over another, even thicker novel that she accepted with great enthusiasm. Genis reached into his bag and pulled out a thermos, passing it over to Lloyd. "In your last letter you said that your mom was sick, so I made some chicken soup for her. I hope she's feeling better now, but I wanted to let her know I was thinking about her."

Colette gasped. "Oh no, that's right! I'd made a get-well charm for her and forgot to bring it-"

Lloyd took the thermos with one hand and waved to Colette with the other. "Don't worry. Kratos took some time off from the militia too so that he could look after her, and she's feeling a lot better now. I think it was just a combination of the cold weather and the rain. But she'll be so glad to know you guys cared this much! You're the best!"

Colette sighed in relief and Genis gave a soft laugh, patting her on the shoulder. Lloyd turned to put the thermos away with his belongings, though it got caught in his bag strap and he had to wrestle with it for a moment to untangle only prompted more laughter from Genis, spurring Lloyd's frustration, but within a few moments everything had gone quiet again.

"So," Lloyd spoke, sitting back once they'd settled back down, "I have some big news that I think you guys are gonna want to hear."

"Ooh!" Colette scooted closer. "I do too, but you can go first, Lloyd!"

A haughty grin spread over Lloyd's face. "No, no, you should go first, Colette. My news is a pretty big deal, so I don't want to overshadow you. I don't mean to brag, but… I'm pretty sure my news is the best."

"Hehe, of course!" Colette didn't argue, but Genis muttered something under his breath and she picked up on it. "Genis? Do you have news too?"

His face reddened and he glanced away. "I-I mean, it's not big news or anything, but I did have something I wanted to tell you-"

"Tell us, tell us!" Lloyd leaned over, latching onto Genis' arm.

Genis flinched, shooing Lloyd away. "Get off me, would you? It's not that big of a deal, I just wanted to say…" Once again, his face turned red and he made a point of not looking at either of his friends. "...th-the other day, I, uh… asked Nika to go with me to the Unification Day picnic… y'know, l-like, as a date… and she said yes."

Colette responded with a sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a high-pitched squeal. "Oh, Genis! That's fantastic! I told you she liked you, didn't I?"

"Not bad, buddy!" Lloyd elbowed Genis with a grin. "I mean, you've only been trying to work up the courage to ask her out for more than a year now. It's about time."

"D-don't patronize me!"

"I'm just saying-"

"You have no right to talk! Do you remember how long you had a crush on Sheena before you asked her out?"

"That was different."

"It was not-"

"Genis," Colette broke in, her soft voice immediately calming their fight, "what about her little sister? Is Bianca going with you too, or did Nika find a babysitter?"

"Well, uh," Genis scratched the back of his head nervously, "Raine agreed to watch her."

"Oh?" Lloyd's eyes glinted mischievously. "I'm sure Raine will tell Bianca a lot of embarrassing childhood stories that she can take back to her big sis!"

Colette prepared herself to get in between another spat, but it didn't happen. Genis was quiet for a moment, not even attempting to argue with Lloyd.

"Honestly… I hope she does. Maybe it'll get her to loosen up a little."

There was a pause.

"What's going on?" Colette reached out for Genis' hand. "Is she okay?"

"Y-yeah. I mean…" Genish shrugged. "...she's buried in her work, doing what she loves. She goes into the lab early, comes home later, never takes days off… I'm surprised that she even agreed to watch Bianca during the picnic." His head drooped, his hair falling in his face as he continued. "She's stressed and overworked, no matter how much she claims otherwise. I think she and Professor Low are both trying to diminish the backlash from their last publication."

"I heard about that," Lloyd offered. "Some people at the docks were talking about attending a protest in Meltokio. Did you see that, Colette?"

"I heard about it. Seles wasn't feeling well that day, so I stayed with her for the whole afternoon. But Zelos said it almost got violent. People were calling for the Tethe'alla government to stop funding the project-"

"Was Zelos protesting too?!" Genis bristled.

"N-no! You know he supports Professor Sage's work!" Colette shook her head. "He heard about it from some friends of ours who got caught on their way to the market. Protesters were saying that the project was only being funded because Professor Low has friends who are high-ranking government officials."

Lloyd frowned. "She does? Geez, I guess even science isn't free from the bias of who-you-know-"

"So what if Professor Low has some politician friends?!" Genis scrambled to his feet, causing Lloyd and Colette to jump back in surprise. The sound of the rain against the tree's leaves intensified as though the storm were echoing Genis' emotions. "That doesn't change the fact that she's Tethe'alla's best archeologist and foremost expert on magitechnology! She and Raine would never let politics stand in the way of sound research."

Lloyd held up his hands. "G-Genis, we never said any of that. You know we trust their judgement."

"Yeah. Zelos said that the King doesn't have any reason to justify revoking their funding. And even if he were to revoke it on insufficient evidence, the Lezareno Company has already promised to privately fund the project."

Genis sighed, dropping back down onto the blanket. "...you're right. I'm sorry. I guess Raine's stress is rubbing off on me."

Colette placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you let yourself get consumed by stress like this, there's no way you'll be able to help her. You should focus on finding the good in the situation. I know your sister, and I know that, if she's involved, then things will turn out alright in the end."

"Thanks, guys." Genis allowed himself to smile. "I guess I just needed to remember who I'm dealing with. If Raine caught me worrying like this, she'd be furious. I've got to keep a level head for both our sakes, at least until their next publication puts all this trouble to rest."

"That's the spirit!" Lloyd pumped his fist in the air and then gave Genis a nudge. "You've gotta keep yourself in good shape for your girlfriend, remember?"

Genis blushed. "D-didn't Colette have news for us too? What's going on in your world, Colette?"

"Oh, me?" Colette had been watching her friends, a dreamy smile on her face, so when she was addressed it took her a moment to respond. "I suppose it's alright to tell you…"

"What is it? What is it?" Lloyd leaned in closer with an eager grin. Genis nudged him, trying to give Colette some space, but Lloyd nudged Genis back a little harder. Genis retaliated, and within a moment, the two were engaged in a playful tussle that was only broken once Colette spoke up again.

"Here." She gently removed her left glove, setting it aside onto the blanket and holding her hand up in display. Even in the overcast twilight atmosphere, it was impossible to miss the glint of the elegant diamonds that adorned her ring finger. "Ta-dah."

Lloyd's eyes widened, gasping a drawn-out 'wow~' while Genis' mouth hung open, one hand flying to cover it. "No," Genis whispered. "No way. He didn't. Oh my gods."

Colette pulled her hand back to her chest with a weak chuckle. "So, uh, there's my news."

"That is a gorgeous ring, Colette!" Lloyd reached out and took her hand, almost squeezing her wrist in enthusiasm. "Where did you get it?!"

"L-Lloyd…" Colette stammered, her face flushing slightly. "...Zelos gave it to me."

"Really? What's the occasion? It's not your birthday. And Valentine's Day isn't for another month-"

Genis tapped him on the shoulder. "It's an engagement ring, genius. He asked her to marry him."

Lloyd blinked a few times as he looked back and forth between Genis and Colette. "Oh…" he breathed, and then spoke again with more certainty. "Oh. Oh!"

"We're not officially announcing the engagement until the picnic, so you have to keep it quiet." Colette pressed a finger to her lips. "The gossip in Meltokio is pretty bad, especially where Zelos in involved, so I don't want to give him a hard time."

Genis drew a finger over his lips in response. "Don't worry about a thing, Colette. We won't tell anyone."

"Of course!" Lloyd flashed her a thumbs-up. "I won't tell anyone- except Noishe, probably, since he can't tell… and I assume it's alright if Sheena knows… and all my parents, for sure-"

"Lloyd." Genis' voice was almost a growl. "When you say you won't tell anybody, that means you can't tell a single person. Not your dad or mom or girlfriend or even your dog."

"N-now, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to tell Noishe-" Colette began, but Lloyd cut her off.

"No, he's right. Dwarven Vow twenty-six, it's not a secret if three know it. I mean, three of us do know, but that's not really the point…" Lloyd stopped and shook his head, a bright smiled spreading over his face. "...the point is, my best friend is getting married!" He rose to his feet, taking Colette's hands and jumping up and down. She followed, but her movement was lacking the same enthusiasm. Lloyd stopped as soon as he realized this, leaning down. "Colette?"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"That's my line," Lloyd replied. "Call me crazy, but your smile doesn't look like the smile of a girl who's going to marry the love of her life. What's up?"

"N-nothing's wrong!" Colette shook her head. "I'm just kinda tired, is all. I was up late last night grading last week's spelling tests, so-"

"Colette." Both Lloyd and Genis spoke at the same time, their expressions making it clear that they weren't accepting her answer. She glanced back and forth at them for a moment and then sighed in resignation.

"Sorry. It's not a big deal, it's just that Zelos is kind of… stressed. He's been acting kind of weird about the picnic, and I'm worried about him."

"Weird about the picnic?" Genis repeated. "Like, how? Is he worried there's going to be more unrest during a large-scale event like that?"

"That might be part of it, but I think there's something else going on." Colette shook her head. "Zelos told me that, when we announce our engagement, he's going to frame it as the merging of the Sylvarant and Tethe'allan Chosen lineage. It's supposed to be symbolic of the reuniting of the worlds, but… I don't think that's what he really wants."

"I'll say." Lloyd gave a frown of disgust. "That makes it sound like an obligatory arranged marriage, which is something Zelos hates."

"Right?" The more Colette talked about it, the surer of herself she grew. "And not only that, we've totally stopped talking about Chosen stuff. Neither of us care about that anymore. We just want to be normal people- so why would he suddenly decide to highlight our Chosen status in the midst of something so important to us?"

Lloyd and Genis were quiet. They glanced at one another, and then back at Colette. "Have you tried asking him about it?" Genis asked.

"I… don't want to bother him when he's working so hard…"

"Colette!" Lloyd grabbed her left hand, jabbing a finger in the direction of her ring finger. "That ring he gave you is permission to bother him as much as you want, any time you want, for the rest of your lives. Ask him what's wrong."

Colette stared back at him, wide-eyed. "I-I…" She began to sniffle. "...I will, I promise…"

"Aw, c'mon, don't cry. It's really okay. Can't you smile for me- where's that smile?"

She pulled away, hiding her face, though both Lloyd and Genis could hear her giggling. "Lloyd, I'm really okay-" Colette had reached out to put her glove back on, but Lloyd picked it up before she could get it. He stepped off the blanket, waving the glove in the air.

"Not so fast! You're not getting this back until you show me a smile!"

"L-Lloyd!" Colette ran after him, beginning to laugh. "Give it back! Stop being silly!"

"Who's the one being silly? I'd give it back if you'll just smile at me."

"I am smiling!"

"That's not good enough. I want a big smile- a smile so sunny, it'll drive all these rain clouds away!"

"Lloyd! Haha, just give it back-"

Genis watched as the two ran around the trunk of the tree a few times, Lloyd holding the glove out and almost letting Colette get it, then yanking away at the last second. After a few minutes of this, she managed to grab hold of his arm, their laughter echoing around the area as she held him in place and tried to wrest the glove from his hand. Genis noticed that they were approaching an embankment along the hill, and he finally stood up to discourage them from getting any closer.

"Hey, all the rain lately has been undercutting that hillside. I don't want you guys tripping and falling or something-"

"EEEK!"

Too late. Genis groaned.

"Colette! Are you okay?" Lloyd slid down the hill where she'd fallen, extending a hand to help her up. Genis' voice had surprised them both, and when she released her grip on Lloyd, he had drawn back faster than she'd anticipated. Colette had taken a step backward to steady herself, but her foot hit an unstable patch of ground and she'd been sent tumbling down the steep hillside.

"I'm fine. Just muddy and wet." Colette took his hand, rising to her feet again. She was soaked from the rain and covered in sandy mud from head to toe. "I guess these clothes will have to go straight into the wash when I get home."

"You should come back with me to Iselia. You can borrow some of my clothes, and Dad's porridge will warm you right up." Lloyd helped her to her feet. "What do you say? It won't take long to fly back at all-"

"You could also come back to Palmacosta with me," Genis volunteered, joining them. "I'd be happy to let you use my bath, and-"

"You guys, I'm really okay." Colette waved her hands. "Besides, Meltokio is closest, and Zelos is waiting for me. I just…"

Lloyd noticed her looking away, and followed her gaze toward the exposed dirt on the hillside. "What is it?"

"My foot hit something when I was falling, and I'm not sure what it was- see it, there?"

The corner of a dark object could be seen sticking out of the soil, a different color than the few rocks that were mixed in. Genis approached it first, frowning as he saw the squared-off edges. Whatever it was, it was man-made.

"It's wooden-" he began, but Lloyd stepped in front of him and began digging it out. With the soil so wet, it wasn't difficult to pull it free. Lloyd was left with a small wooden chest, worn and covered in dirt.

"Whoa…" he murmured, looking it over. "...Colette, you found buried treasure!"

"I did?" Colette drew closer, brushing soil off the top. "It doesn't look like the normal treasure chests that you find around. It's more of a box- oh, and there's something carved on the top!"

Lloyd had brushed off the side closest to him, revealing a shiny metallic latch. He allowed his attention to stray from it long enough to look at the top. "Hey, you're right. Is it a picture? Or words of some kind?"

"Set that down over here," Genis instructed, and Lloyd carried the box back up the hill and under the cover of the tree. The three of them did their best to clean off the box, Colette making use of her clothes that were already soiled anyway. It was still worn and difficult to read, but they could make out the letters on the top of the box now, two words listed one atop the other.

"ADORA MARTEL," Lloyd read. "What does that mean?"

"Do you think it has something to do with the goddess Martel?" Colette suggested. "It could be an offering of some kind."

Genis nodded. "That sounds right. Adora is an imperative form of the Latin verb adorare, which means 'to worship.' A box with this inscription was most likely placed here by someone making an offering to a deity."

"But… it was clearly buried near the tree," Lloyd pointed out, "so it had to have been buried here after the regeneration of the world. Hasn't the Church of Martel kinda broken up?"

"No, I think there are still some powerful sects in various places around the world. They're the ones who're so angry about Raine's research. I wonder if they…"

He stopped speaking as he saw Lloyd begin to reach for the latch. With a gasp, he slapped his hand over Lloyd's.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"I just want to see what's in it." Lloyd shrugged. "I'm not going to take it or anything."

"Even so, you shouldn't just open an offering like this! It's disrespectful!"

"What are you talking about? It's archeology. Your sister does this kinda thing for a living."

"But she never does it to such recent artefacts!"

"So? It's the same principle."

"It is not-"

As they argued, Colette took the box from Lloyd and began examining it. The two didn't pay her any mind until they heard the slight click of the box's latch and a creaking noise as Colette began to open the lid.

"C-Colette!" Genis snapped, turning around and shoving his hand over hers, closing the box before she could peek inside. "Close it up again!"

"S-sorry." Colette blushed. "I was just curious. It wouldn't hurt just to look, would it-?"

She cut off. Lloyd and Genis' eyes shot over to the box at the same time. There was a noise coming from it, a high-pitched, almost gasping sound.

Lloyd leaned forward, his voice growing grave. "I-is there something… alive in there?"

Colette stiffened and set the box back on the ground in between them. She glanced back and forth between Genis and Lloyd, trying to gauge whether or not it would be dangerous to open the lid. Seeing them so focused, she took a deep breath and pushed the rusty hinges so that the entire opening of the box was exposed.

Immediately, she let out a squeal, her hands flying over her mouth and her eyes growing wide.

"I-Is it…?"

Genis sucked in a sharp gasp. "It's alive, but it can't breathe! We've gotta do something!" He went straight to action while Lloyd stared, his face growing pale.

"Wh-who…" Lloyd stammered in horror. "...who would make an offering out of a baby…?"

A note on Dirk's dialect: I typically don't write out accents, but in this story I've chosen to write Dirk's dialogue in a very watered-down (that is, understandable by an English-speaker) adaption of the Scots dialect/language. I can read and understand the language, but am not fluent enough to actually speak it, so I've been relying on online resources to put together dialogue in such a way that it captures the characterization without being too difficult on an English-speaking reader. My proofreader says that she has no trouble with it and likes the effect it has on the writing, but if you have a problem with it or need me to tone it down, please let me know. Thanks a bunch, and I hope you continue to enjoy! Updates will be weekly on Fridays.