A/N - Hello, it's me. I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet. To go over, FUČK IT JUST KILL ME ALREADY YOU GUYS PROBABLY HATE ME FOR NOT UPDATING

My birthday present for today is seeing your guys' comments and stuff. "And stuff".

-–o—————o–-

[Aphmau's PoV]

(There's been a time skip)

"Panay Roberts, at your service."

She grinned and tilted her head to the side, letting her purple streaked black hair fall slightly onto her face.

We were hiring new guards, yet again.

It seemed all was well that day, no tears or frowns or anything, but... it all turned upside-down in the spilt second where our skies turned gray.

Laurance, strangely, had been missing. (I cried last episode, like my gawd Laurance WHY)

(Bringing your mind to way back when...)
The Jury of Nine, which was, at the time, eight, had been looking for a new recruit.

Against my will, against everyone's, they took him.

They took Garroth.

Since then, we had seen him every now and then, rather frequently. (Explanations!)

Phoenix Drop was so much more... bleak.

Dull, gray, pallid... it didn't seem the same.

I was lonely.

"Miss Aphmau?" Panay's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

"O-oh, I'm fine." I lied. "And you can call me Aphmau."

---

Back, to the case of Anya Ro'Lesse.

Months ago, we'd found she was indeed pregnant with Aaron's child.

And now, it was time.

[I'm killing myself, while doing this, since I have a burning hatred for Aaron.]

"Lilith Garnet." she said.

A small crowd of women were gathered, cooing over the newborn...

Then something happened. Lilith's cries became warbled and stuffy.

Anya was crying now, and we all came to the realization. She was dying.

"No," whispered Anya. "No, no, this... this can't be."

She fought back tears for long enough to tell us that a disease ran through her family. That was the reason her family, the extended family that made up her village, was wiped out. Like cancer almost. Her gaze never fell from her child.

"Aphmau, please." she looked up at me, tear filled eyes pleading. "Help her."

I nodded. This small child was all we had left of Aaron, his flesh and blood... and it was on the brink of death.

[This is so bad, I'm sorry, I need to get rid of unimportant characters that I hate. Yes, I know I'm a cruel person.]

Hours later, hours full of sweat and blood...

"I'm sorry." was all I could say.

Anya's breath hitched. It was like time stopping, and in that time...

They both perished. Mother and child, together in the afterlife.

"Tell Aaron I said hi."

[Did any of you cry? No? Cause I didn't. Seriously, I didn't–– I kept a poker face through the entire thing and now I'm chuckling to myself like a maniac.]

Another one, lost.

"Mom?" Lumina's broken voice slipped me out of my daze.

"Hey, sweetie." I smiled warily, and brought her into an embrace.

"Aphmau, Garroth's here." said Panay from my side.

My heart leapt with joy. "Thanks," I mumbled. "I'd better go clean up..."

-cut me some slack, I rushed and it's my birthday.
It's also Friday the 13th, so be glad this author isn't dead. Yet.
HOLY CRAP I JUST REALIZED THIS IS CHAPTER 13, TOO.-

"Garroth," I collapsed into his arms, taking in his vanilla-like scent that I'd missed for so long.

"Princess," he chuckled softly and held me close. Garroth had gone back to calling me Princess since Lumina was older now.

"How's everyone?" I asked. "Ally, Khaira, Dominic?" Since the whole brother-sister reunion, Khaira had gone back to O'Khasis to live with her brother.

"They're fine, how's everyone over here?" he asked breathlessly, head rested on top of mine.

I stayed silent.

"My, my, such a sweet reunion."

I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"It's been a while hasn't it? Lady Aphmau, Lord Garroth?"

I didn't want to turn around. I didn't want to meet his crimson eyes or see his fanged smile.

But, I guess Garroth did.

"Garroth the Grand Blade, eh?" asked he.

Garroth spat his name bitterly, as if it were taboo to even mention.

"How's everything?" he drawled as of the tension wasn't there.

Finally, I did it. I turned and met my hazel eyes to his blood red ones.

"Finally come to take a peek at me?"

Like venom, my voice dripped with poison.

"Zenix."

"Ah, the wonderful Lady Aphmau has remembered!" he spoke so coolly, it irritated me.

"Let's just say you hold a special place in my mind." I said.

Zenix simply chuckled and smirked devilishly.

"Aphmau, go." commanded Garroth.

"No way," I replied. "One of my friends just died and I need someone to take my anger out on."

"Together then?"

"Together, always."

"How sweet," Zenix said before brandishing a sword. "Now let me introduce you to my own lover."

[Oh, you're gonna hate me for this.]

"How are you, Mister and Missus Ro'Meave?" a woman crooned.

Her voice was like silk, although venomous and deadly.

A pleasant looking woman... although she was one that could kill you, almost like...

"Ivy."

"Hahahah, Garroth!" said her lilted voice. "How are you, sweetheart?"

My blood boiled. My heart dropped. My stomach lurched.

I could see Zenix visibly flinch at the word 'sweetheart'. Did he truly love this woman?

This woman with red painted lips and a luscious chest?

"A battle between two lovers, I see."

And indeed it was.

Before I realized, I was charging at Ivy whilst she cackled like a madwoman.
[Like Bellatrix, for any of those Harry Potter fans. I really love Bella, I dunno why. And Luna.]

"The rest of the Jury is here," said Ivy, "Aren't they, Gar-Gar?"

I slashed at her as hard as I could with the sword that'd appeared in my hands. I missed.

"You're gonna have to try harder than tha–" Ivy was cut off by her own shriek as I landed a hit.

Her waist was scratched, although not deeply.

She cursed under her breath and called for Zenix's assistance, and that was when Garroth stepped up.

"Garroth the Grand Blade," I said to him, "You gonna show me what you can do?"

He chuckled, brandishing his bright diamond sword. "Of course."

A/N - Shitty, right? Yeah it's the best I got.

My grandma thinks I'm gonna go deaf and die or something because of my headphones. I'm writing this on Thursday so I hope that on my birthday, when this is published, I'll get a new pair since my favorites are broken.

K thx baii~
Oh yeah you guys can try to guess how old I'm turning, unless I've already told you.

~Emily