If you jump I'll break your fall

[Filter: Private]

It's not just me. Allison really is different now, not so much that she's not Allison anymore but she's definitely sharper. Used to be anytime someone gave her trouble she'd shrink away and I'd need to come in and rescue her.

...she won't need me so much anymore, will she. Now I'm not sure how I feel, I'm glad she's stronger, but I'm a little sad.

Guess that's just one more thing that'll never be the same again.

And Ken. Now that the war's over we should probably talk about things. Do we just keep being friends who sleep together whenever they're bored or lonely, go back to just being friends, what? I mean, I kinda told Mom he's my boyfriend, so she'll probably expect me to bring him home for dinner sometime soon.

Funny, that doesn't even sound half bad.

[Filter: Private]

...does it count if he draws you a rose with red ink? Poor stupid Ken, I wouldn't care either way if he got me a real one or nothing at all. He's not a bad artist, though...it's cute, the way he actually put effort into it.

My first Rose Day with a boyfriend. Well, sort of. It's...it's not like we're in love or anything! I've cooked for him every Rose Day for the past few years!

But he's never even tried to give me a rose.



[Filter: Mom]

Hey! So, you and Dad are having a nice Rose Day, I hope? And has Robin even mentioned Alli

[Filter: Private]

Well, it could be worse. Could be much worse. The business with the journals, though...I sure hope that doesn't happen to mine.

In the meantime, Lord Kiefer seems a bit out of sorts. Ever since that business with Tarmon...heh, it's not often someone outside the family thanks me for being myself.


[Filter: Lord Kiefer]

Er, my lord? If you're not too busy right now, would you care to spar with me? I could use the practice.

[Filter: Allison]

Can you believe him? Still acting like a spoiled child-and in front of His Highness, too! Ugh, I can't believe this man is Lord of the North...


[Filter: Lady Leila]

I apologize for Lord Tarmon. He hasn't been making this any easier for you, I imagine, with his behavior.

[Filter: Allison]

...well. Looks like there's something else going around to distract the soldiers from Lord Glenn and Dame Arvil.

[Filter: Allison]

I still can't get it out of my head. I just can't. Those rebel bastards...I want to say they've gone too far this time but they did that a long time ago. What makes them think they're truly better than what they're fighting? What do they think they're going to accomplish by hurting innocent people just to make their point?

...am I crazy, wondering if maybe we'd done things differently, moved a little faster, that maybe we could have done something to stop them? Or at least to save the villagers?

[Filter: Allison]

Well, the good news is I've decided to go for it with Ken. And he's stopped trying to duck me every chance he gets.

The bad news is, I can't seem to get a moment alone with him! We're either busy training with the others or Brienne's clinging to us freaking out about Lord Keran being here. Dragons, sometimes I wonder if this whole thing is a mistake...I know what I want, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea!

[Filter: Allison]

Ugh! It's been weeks and he's still ducking me at every turn. Even when I try to open a conversation with a neutral subject he pretends he's got something else to do and runs off! I...I just don't get it, we're all adults here. Why's he acting like such a boy all of a sudden?

[Filter: Private]

...oh.

Well.





[Filter: Allison]

So I think you may have been onto something. With Ken.

[Filter: Private]

It never gets easier. In fact, I think it hurts a little more every year because every year that goes by is one more year she'll never get to experience. She'd be a woman now, thinking about marriage and children and all that.

Would she still be with them, all the way up in Korin? They were in Hanalan for a while, would she have stayed there instead?

...would he have stayed with her? I don't know, even with his track record...he would've loved her, he would've stayed faithful to her no matter what. He gave up the life he had to avenge her.

He would've made a damn fine goodbrother.