Dreadlords Dance for all that we've been through

[Rowley Stone]

Rowley had spent his recent free time since Livia ditched him doing the only thing he could think of. Drinking as much wine as he could get his hands on and then purposefully flustering the girls at the dance who were too awkward to get their own dates. The red faces that swiftly turned from him could always make him laugh.

Then Livia was back, offering to drink and dance and all the fun things, again.

"Memories that you will want to forget in the morning are my specialty...As for worthy, I've never been worthy of anything in my life, but I'll drink you under a table...or into a bed."

To emphasize his declaration, Rowley downed more of his drink before noticing the dance was coming to and end.

"It seems our time may have come."

Livia Quinnick

 

[Oraya Urahil]

Oraya stopped stirring the punch and began placing cups perfectly around the bowl.

 

[Kristen Pirian]

The first round of dances was coming to an end; partners were being switched, Initiates were heading off of the dance floor for a break while still others were returning or setting foot initially upon it. Still there would be some songs yet before the traditionally slower songs which marked the end of the evening were played.

So this was a good opportunity for some refreshments, perhaps a bite to eat.

"Would you like to have a drink?" Kristen asked Alistair as the current song came to its natural end and thus too the accompanying dances. She glanced over toward the tables. "Seems that the punch is quite popular."

Zinnia and Silas were just two among many who looked to be waiting for some.

Alistair Krixus

 

[Leander Urahil]

After his dance with Quinnick, he had tried to look for Odessa. It was strange, he was the tallest in his class and yet as he stared out at the hall he struggled in finding his sister with Ivan. If those two had snuck off to the janitor’s office before the first dance could end, he swore on his mother’s grave he was going to wring Odessa’s neck himself. Or run over to Oraya and tell on her before she even had a chance to play the victim card like she was did.

But just in case, Leander stormed around the hall and even checked the nearest three janitor’s closet. One door he opened up so hard he nearly ripped it off it’s hinges and was met with the silly sight of Eddie Virgen pretending to make out with someone. Minutes had passed and Leander figured that the best course of action now was to go and tell Oraya.

He’d just give a more dramatic retelling of the story to his sister. Stepping back into the hall, Leander’s pale gaze roved over the room once more just to make sure and caught sight of Quinnick with Rowley. He didn’t quite understand why he thought she’d be sitting or standing by herself waiting for him, but it hadn’t occurred to him she’d run straight to Rowley after their dance had ended.

There was no way on Arethil that Rowley was the better suitor than him. And he was going to prove it. He just needed the best dance partner that one could find. Where was she? Not Pirian, not the two women who had already graduated, not the weird orphan mouse… ah, her.

Leander stomped to Houri, pushing a timid initiate out of the way that was clearly heading up to the young Luana to ask her for the next dance.

“Houri.” Leander said, looking down at her. Pretty dress. He could get behind a green that reminded him of emeralds. “You’re dancing with me.” He held out his hand. “Right now.”

Houri

 

[Zaire]

Maybe he was too high. Before Zaire realized it the dance was over, Zinnia was walking away, Proctor Salad was asking him questions then Proctor D’Amour (dang, she smelled good) came along and then he was alone in the middle of the dance floor. He looked around, seeing many of his peers collecting by the punch bowl. He could see the top of Maseno’s head. Was he out of the infirmary now? Good for him. Maybe tomorrow they could meditate outside together.

Maybe Zaire would take Zinnia’s advice after all. Cool it on the drugs, find different ways to cope with his twin’s disappearance, maybe chill out the way that Maz did. He’d start that tomorrow, because right now, he had something more important to do.

Zaire pivoted smoothly despite being inebriated. He could see her green dress and he grinned. Yeah, he was going to ask Houri to dance. That was going to be step one of getting his shit together, and by Kress, he was going to make sure Houri had the best time of her life. So what if he was short? His mother always said he had a nice personality and wasn’t that more important? He took a step forward, was shoved by someone bigger and stronger.

The room spun, no wait, was he spinning? Looking up at the ceiling, Zaire realized he had been pushed flat on his ass. Were people laughing? He thought he heard some snickers and giggles. Whatever, he wasn’t going to let that bother him. Zaire slowly got onto his hands and knees and then rose up.

When he saw Houri again, Leander was before her. He held out his hand and dipped his head.

“Oh.” Zaire mumbled. He shoved his hands in his pockets, hung his head low and then began retreating from the dance floor. Why did he think this time would be different? Why did he think Zinnia knew what she was talking about? “Why even try anymore?”

 

[Trix]

Her cousin knew her well enough not to say the word dare out loud.

It was bad enough she could see it in his eyes.

"I'm not going to kill anyone," she sighed dramatically as she served one initiate a cup of unspiked punch. The young lad eyed the cup having caught the tail end of the conversation and wisely gave it back. Trix merely shrugged and drunk the contents herself which made the next initiate far more confident in taking a cup. "Don't you ever get bored of being the goodie two shoes?" she drawled as she gave out another cup.

Her hands hadn't gone anywhere near the liquid. No, she hadn't lied at all when she had said that was more of an Evie move. But nobody questioned the cups.

 

[Houri]

Houri's heart still raced as she made her way to the line for wine. It seemed the punch was far more attractive now that her Cousin was stood over it, which meant she had absolutely no intentions of going anywhere near it. Bea was the same age as her, the two had been cradle friends and joined the Academy together when their magic had shown. They should have been a unit - would have been - if things had not gone so wrong six years ago. Now Mas was that second sword but Bea... she had left Bea alone. That failure still hurt her.

She couldn't focus on that second complicated set of emotions when her stomach felt as though it were full of butterflies though. That dance with Silas had not been what she had expected tonight and her frantic, childish heart, felt like something she had heard other initiate chatter about in regards to her brother. Houri pulled a face which sent an initiate next to her scuttling away and left her - thankfully - next in line for a glass of wine. She was just reaching for a glass when -

"Houri"

She turned and glanced up, and up - Kress he was tall.

"Leander," Houri blinked in surprise, firstly at the storm in his eyes and then at the outstretched hand towards her, before her eyebrows drew down into an irritated frown at the tone of his voice. "Have you ever heard of the word please?" Tiny threads of lightning flickered down the flute of her glass as she raised it to take a sip. Control, control. At Friendsgiving she had nearly turned Soleil to cinders for asking an innocent, honest question and she hadn't gotten over the guilt enough to apologise to her in the last year. She wouldn't get herself into another of those situations. So she schooled herself with the techniques of meditation Mas had been teaching her and set the glass down.

"Houri, may I have this dance. Yes Leander, I would love to have this dance," she filled in for him as she slid her hand into his.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"Yes, a drink sounds great."

He tried hard to hide the happiness in his voice, but Alistair was just glad to be done with the dance. Having made it through the whole thing without stepping on Kristen's toes felt like he had just managed to walk across a tightrope without falling.

Alistair offered her his arm before making his way over to grab each of them a drink. He knew Zinnia from a few missions so nodded towards her as an act of acknowledgment. He did not know much of Silas, since he had not talked to him even when Alistair was still an initiate.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Silas Artesto]

It was kinda funny, he'd always thought Zinnia's shyness and naivete could be kind of annoying. Talking to her now though, with her face as red as the punch and her hands flittering about her body looking for the proper place to rest, it actually was quite the adorable display. Perhaps it was that he was so used to his interactions with her being in the context of a mission-- The two of them had never really hung out outside of assignments.

The steam coming from her face threatened to bring a laugh out of him, but for her sake, Silas was able to hold it back and compress it into a bright, wide grin as he kept her hand held in his own, walking around her to gently lead her from the punch line and back onto the dance floor, his eyes not leaving her own. "Was hopin' you'd say that. First Houri, then you. I'm getting awfully lucky with my choice of company tonight." He winked as the song playing ended, and another one began to start as many of those around them swapped partners as well.

Zinna's experience was minimal, but he was certain they could still have a good time together, the lights were dim, but in the outfit she'd worn she practically glowed. He felt himself looking over her with perhaps a bit more intensity than he'd intended as they took their place on the floor. Catching himself in time to save face, Silas moved the hand not holding hers to her shoulder.

"We'll start like this, but if you get to feeling more comfortable, I can hold you closer and we can do another, okay?" He assured her. Special night or not, this was Zinnia, and he didn't want to overwhelm her.

When the music began to kick into full swing, he took a step to the side, very subtly guiding her with the hand he held and the grip on her shoulder, beckoning her to follow him as he spoke softly, "Just follow my steps, and don't worry about stepping on me. Move to the rhythm in the air and I'll be there to meet you, Zin..."

And he was. With the vibrations of the music pulsing through the air and the beating of Zinnia's heart, every time she might have ordinarily missed a step of stumbled, Silas was there to correct or hold her up. After only a few errors, she was improving, moving in sync with him as he carried her in slow spins around the dance floor.

She was doing so well, in fact, that only halfway through the song his hand had moved to her hip to move faster, going so far as to twirl her with an arm near a particularly grand crescendo, a laugh escaping him.

"You're doing great, Zin. There's a dancer inside you, I knew it."

Zinnia

 

[Livia Quinnick]

His flirtations only made Livia smile, linking her arm in his once he was standing before her. "Play your cards right and we may see where this night ends yet." She teased in a low whisper, following his lead towards the dance floor to take their place within those gathered, her arms already moving to take a starting position.

"I do hope that wine will not hinder your dancing skills." Her lips tugged into a smile, pushing back the horrifying image of Joel's dead eyes from her mind, staring into the blue eyes that belonged to Rowley and doing her best to allow herself to be distracted. "Although I should be glad I did not chance on the punch either." Livia stifled her giggles by pursing her lips, but the mischievousness came through in her olive eyes. Her current dance partner was easy on the eyes, and now being up close, she could see why some would fancy Rowley. In the past, she entertained his witty charm in classes or in passing, but never took it upon herself to learn more about him or to really notice him either. Perhaps she was staring now, but her gaze did not waver as she took him in.

"Tell me, Rowley," she started to say, eyes dropping to his shoulder and flicking away a stray speck of dust, "does your flirting get you anywhere, or is it a clever ruse to keep others at a distance with such forwardness?" Livia quirked a brow up at him. If she were truly going to forget what she stumbled upon while on her walk, then she may as well give into some fun.

Rowley Stone

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen took Alistair's arm, and together they walked toward the punch bowl. On the way they passed Silas and Zinnia heading to the dance floor. Kristen briefly watched them go, noticing in particular just how happy each of them looked, before commenting to Alistair:

"This is going far better than last time. I'm sure you've heard of the great commotion which brought the First Annual Solstice Ball to an abrupt conclusion. 'Twas...quite the disappointing interruption."

Why, in just the comparison between the Ball and the Dance, one could rightly gain a firm measure of hope for the implementation of the Republic's new vision for the Academy. Naysayers like Caeso Diemut could dispense their prattle for as many hours as there were in the day, but the truth of the matter was slowly bearing out. When perhaps Kristen's own children, should they prove to be gifted with magic, grew old enough to enroll into the Academy, it was sure to be a different institution, a better institution, than even she knew presently.

The line for the punch dwindled, and eventually Kristen and Alistair arrived at the bowl itself, whereupon they were greeted by a face that, for Kristen at least, was familiar—harkening back to a time that seemed the possession of a whole other life.

"...Oraya Urahil?" Kristen said, with no small amount of surprise. She glanced to Alistair as if to confirm she wasn't seeing things and then back at Oraya. "My, what are you doing here? Have you come to visit your kin?"

Alistair Krixus Oraya Urahil

 

[Evangeline]

"Salak," Evangeline intoned steadily, serious as a grave. "We need to get to the bottom of this. Immediately."

She turned to look around. The dark wasn't going to do them any favors. Whoever had done this didn't leave so much as a trace of how they'd done it, but Joel's body was identifiably fresh. Unless they were a speedster like Eva, they couldn't have gone far.

"I can cover a lot of ground in a short time. I'm going to do a sweep, try to look where the guards aren't," she told Salak. Unless he had anything to add, she would dart off, acceleration magic carrying her faster than most could track.

 

[Rowley Stone]

"Hinder, I dance even better when I'm drunk."

Rowley admitted with a grin before wrapping his arm around her and pressing his hand into the small of her back. As soon as the music began, Rowley led her into the dance with an enhanced theatricality.

All of this was just a game for him to enjoy, and once the night was over then he would look to find a new game to play. Nothing too serious, no reason to be mad, angry, sad, or any of the other more intense emotions. Better to just enjoy it all.

Which is why he was surprised and a little annoyed to hear the more serious question. Why would she want to go and ruin the mood like that?

"Oh, it gets me somewhere. Usually waking up in a bed that is not my own. As for the distance, no. When I flirt, I tend to want to remove as much distance as possible." He whispered the last sentence in her ear.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Yes, disappointing was probably an understatement. Most events before these dances had begun, often involved killing and/or significant bodily injury. From what he knew, the First Solstice Ball had nearly been a disaster. For them to get this far, in so little time, was a good sign that initiates were either controlling themselves better or more fearful of their proctors.

Neither of those things was particularly bad. The Academy had to walk an even tighter line than before, by creating warriors, but now the warriors had to have some social understanding to avoid turning every event into a bloodbath.

As he and Kristen neared the punch, he felt like he recognized the person serving the punch, and nearly choked on his own tongue when Kristen voiced his own thought. He had never spoken with the Urahil's his acquaintances in the Great Houses were few and far between if they were not Dreadlords.

Alistair offered a polite bow, quickly doing his best to seem put together.

"It is a pleasure to see you here, Lady Urahil."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Salak]

"Agreed Evangeline, speed is vital but who are we looking for?"
Stepping into the outhouse he began a simple examination of the body.
"No visible wounds or bruising... This was most likely poison or... No."
Salak checked the eyes. Heavily bloodshot but the mouth was dry as bone. He detected no trace of toxin from his touch as he turned the face towards him.
"I think he suffocated. Was the door locked from the inside when he was found?"
Turning to face Evangeline his eyes were cold with ruthless logic. Right now, few could do what had been done and fewer still if the door was locked from the inside. He needed data. Needed to know how and by extension who.

Evangeline

 

[Zinnia]

How strange this all was...life was curious, full of twists and turns that Zinnia never thought possible. She'd always been certain that Silas could never really take notice of her. He'd gone for the noble girls in the past, first Vasha, and tonight Houri (sure they had been paired by chance, but she'd seen how closely they'd danced). Compared to them, Zinnia was plain, yet here he was saying that he was the lucky one?

"You f-flatter me, Silas..." she murmured at his words, though his gaze did so even more. This was immediately more intimate than the brief dance she'd shared with Zaire...
She nodded at his question, her heart doing a little leap at the mere mention of the word "closer."

As the music played and Silas guided her along, Zinnia did her best to keep pace and step.
"L-like this?" she asked in return, but she was already feeling it, and it felt...natural.

Perhaps it was the tutorial she'd already had with Zaire, the countless hours she'd spent training, Silas own guidance, or some combination of the three, but she really did feel very suddenly at home. She did falter here and there, losing her timing and needing a quick reset, but stepping on his feet wasn't even part of the equation. The little mistakes she did make she laughed off instead of dwelling on, smiling at her lead all the time. She didn't so much as flinch when his hand moved to her hip.

When Silas spun her she laughed right alongside him, feeling nearly as comfortable now as she did alone in the wilderness. That was no easy feat. When Silas pulled her back in it was her that bridged the gap between them, falling into his chest as naturally as one could. It took her a moment to realize what she'd just done, and she laughed again.
"S-sorry! Just...I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life..." She took a moment to take in her dance partner. Her hand had initially rested on his arm, but by now she'd wrapped it around his back, near the base of his neck. When had she done that? She found herself blushing again as she looked at him.
"You, um...you c-clean up pretty nicely, you know?"

Oh, Kress. Stupid, stupid, shut up, don't ruin it!

 

[Livia Quinnick]

The feel of his breath at her ear offered a different reaction than the time Leander had done the same. Livia chuckled softly, not once moving away as he carried her through the routine, moving about the room how the song commanded them. "Must be an easy feat on nights like this, is it not? Or do you prefer the chase?" She had been watching him closely to notice that subtle change, the slight annoyance that came with her line of questions not going unseen by Livia. It was a familiar detail she saw in her brothers whenever she called them out, but Livia was happy to play into Rowley's charms.

"I promised myself to behave tonight." She lifted her chin, looking up at the taller male and smiling. "And yet the course of this night already thrown me off. I wanted a dance with you tonight because I know you would not play games with me like Leander did. No... you seem the type that would join in on the fun..." Of course she had spotted Leander approaching Houri, and the Luana girl taking the hand of the Urahil boy. She knew Leander would try to upstage her dancing like he had lead her to do in the first dance, and Quinnick furrowed her brows before looking up at Rowley again.

"You are a remarkable lead, Rowley Stone. A certain other doubted you would be a better match for a dance. How about we stir the pot some more?" She could read Leander as clear as day, clued in once he met her wandering gaze a few times since the dance had begun. "I would hate to lose to the likes of him."


Rowley Stone

 

[Oraya Urahil]

With a swish of her elegant dress that was the latest fashion, she turned at a familiar voice. No, two familiar voices. A tilt of her elegant chin upward to the tall Pirian girl. Ah, the Pirians.

Supposed do-gooder house of all the major houses. Also the house to profit the most post-revolution. Oraya always wondered how the House that controlled the food source to Ven Anir was not always the most powerful of them all. Starving people would be a dangerous group.

Heaven forbid a house like Virak or Weiroon also controlled the food. It was bad enough with the Luana’s monopolizing the press. Oraya had nearly given up reading the ‘news.’

“Lady Pirian. Lord Krixus.” She handed them each a glass of punch. “Lovely to see you both. Would you believe there was a call for voluntary chaperones? Naturally, I jumped at the chance to check on my siblings.”

Those cold blue eyes of hers drifted briefly to Odessa and Leander. Leander with another lovely, young lady in his arms. No surprise there. Now where was Odessa?

Her gaze snapped back to Alistair and Kristen. “So how long have you two been courting?”

 

[Rowley Stone]

Rowley enjoyed the sway of the dance, seeming to know just what to do to keep the dance just interesting enough for the both of them. He would have gotten lost in the enjoyment of the dance, but Livia kept asking all these questions.

"It is...and I don't have a preference. I do what I like, and it just works out. If I have to work at it then it would not really be fun, it would be work."

She promised to behave, and how had she ruined that already? Sure, she was a little confrontational, but with the pale beanstalk, but that was par for the course. Oh, and there she was bringing him up again. He must have really gotten into her head.

"Not play games, but join in on the fun? The fun is in the game Liv, you are just playing the wrong ones." He said with a chuckle. To emphasize the point, he swung her around before bringing her into a dip and pulling her back up.

She was using him, at least, that is what it felt like. He was being used to try and get at Leander. He was not sure if she was trying to just annoy him, or make him jealous, but Rowley was the tool for this endeavor. Not that he cared.

"Of course, I have a reputation to uphold for my fans...Although, it won't be much of a contest."

Rowley swiftly led her across the dance hall, his long legs almost making them leap and glide across the floor before they found themselves near their target.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen straightened slightly, though not without a lack of subtlety, and her eyes flashed briefly with the sheen of surprise. The question had caught her off guard, though perhaps, all things considered, it shouldn't have. What she and Alistair shared had been in large part only between them, yes. Even in the instance where it all started, the victory celebration following the assault of Ostia Anir, they had, through everyone else's distraction with said celebration, quite the moment to themselves. All else had been strictly private...except, of course, for this, showing up here at the Dance, arm-in-arm with one another. This was a clear statement.

So she had initially been surprised that Oraya could tell. But what of it? Truly, what of it? What Kristen and Alistair had was not some grand secret, some dramatic star-crossed tryst between those on opposing sides or some scandalous untoward escapade that breached notions of decorum and propriety. Mother herself, Kristen dared to say, would be quite pleased with them and their conduct.

Therefore, Kristen relaxed after her brief lapse, and showed an easy smile. "Alistair and I have been seeing one another for some time now, though, having experienced the Academy together, we have known each other for longer still."

She reached over with her other hand and gave Alistair's arm a little squeeze, looking over to him with a warm regard.

Alistair Krixus Oraya Urahil

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Wow, like a cheap shot that he never saw coming in a duel. Thank goodness he had not taken a drink from the glass of punch yet, or he might have choked on it. It was enough to bring a slight blush to himself. Shocking to absolutely no one, but most initiates did not get a lot of courting experience during the Academy. Sex was far more common, which was the opposite of what this was.

In fact, he had not even thought about it, but this was the first event that he and Kristen would be at together that was not some life or death mission. It suddenly made the eyes he felt during the dancing a lot heavier than he had originally perceived.

It was actually Kristen's declaration that made him calm down, a small smile coming to his face. The reassuring squeeze at the end confirms his confidence.

"Yes, nothing has been announced or made official, but we have become quite comfortable in each other's company."

That sounded so vague Alistair, just say you liked the girl.

Kristen Pirian Oraya Urahil

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Keeping up with his strides was not at all difficult for her, nimble steps keeping pace with him as he lead them to insert themselves on the opposite side of the floor. The dip he executed moments before did not catch her off guard, almost as if dancing were all done by muscle memory at this stage. She snorted, trying to figure out what games he inferred as the long skirts to her dress settled at her feet before they moved as one to the music, not missing a beat.

"Surprised to see not many of your fans have made an appearance tonight, or should I be keeping an eye on my back after this dance?" Livia pursed her lips to stifle the smile. "Never mind that actually. It appears you may need to watch your back as the Great Tower Urahil just threw a nasty look your way." The grin was all too difficult to keep hidden, her eyes spying just over Rowley's shoulder the sour expression of one Leander Urahil. Of course, Houri looked beautiful, just as she always did. As many went with dressing in their House colours, Livia chose the muted, old golden hues to blend with the crowd better.

Liv followed the guidance of Rowley's hand as he lifted her arm for her to spin, and she did so expertly as the skirts of her dress flared outwards before falling back once more as she was pulled back. "You have great instinct." There was a slight astonishment on her face, her cadence mimicking such wonderment as her dance partner introduced little flairs to their routine. Perhaps this was not to be a straightforward dance that she could do in her sleep. Perhaps Rowley was the muse she needed to show off her footwork.

Rowley Stone Leander Urahil Houri

 

[Maseno Luana]

Her cousin knew her well enough not to say the word dare out loud.

It was bad enough she could see it in his eyes.

Im not going to kill anyone, she sighed dramatically as she served one initiate a cup of unspiked punch. The young lad eyed the cup having caught the tail end of the conversation and wisely gave it back. Trix merely shrugged and drunk the contents herself which made the next initiate far more confident in taking a cup. Dont you ever get bored of being the goodie two shoes? she drawled as she gave out another cup.

Her hands hadnt gone anywhere near the liquid. No, she hadnt lied at all when she had said that was more of an Evie move. But nobody questioned the cups.

A tired frown etched itself deeply into the young man's expression.

"I much prefer it to what I was before," he admitted, shuffling himself and his crutches over to a nearby table where he carefully set himself down into a chair with a heavy sigh. Though what he had been before had perhaps been far easier - using his power and anger to get through his challenges had been effective but emotionally draining - it had also been exceptionally less gratifying than what he was doing now.

Before he had been only self serving and anyone beyond his family would not have been given even a first thought. Now? He felt compelled to look out for everyone, to use his power to do better for all of Vel Anir.

"What have you been up to since graduation?" Maseno asked of his cousin.

Trix

 

[Trix]

Another cup laced with angels trumpet was handed over as Trix mulled over how to respond to her cousin. The Vigilite weren't exactly meant to talk about their work, nor broadcast to a room full of people that they were a part of the group. It went against the whole secret aspect of their work.

"Oh, this and that," she smiled with a little too much teeth. "Getting to travel a lot which is nice, there's a lot more freedom outside of the Academy," indeed it was like a breath of fresh air to be trusted simply to get her job done and not be paired up like some sort of Elbion School Trip Buddy system.

"Have you given thought about specialising after graduation?"

 

[Maseno Luana]

That... was an exceptionally generalized response to his question. Though he supposed he had not been very specific in his asking. This and that. Traveling. Freedom. Just imagine it. The notions of doing what one wanted were naturally very tempting, but Maseno had known for some time now that his future would never be his own. Not if what everyone believed would come to pass ... actually did.

He still wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it all. Excited of course, but also nervous. Anxious of what would become of Houri and if he would be able to continue his vigil over her and keep her safe.

Then there was his current training with Zana's taskforce. While the Archon had requested he not speak of their training to anyone, this new route was even more of a secret.

"Not a great deal," he lied, "I do not expect I will have as much freedom of choice in my career after graduation as many would like to believe."

Trix