paradisa | XXXVI.

[For anyone who got excited about how long baby Hellboy (or Hellbaby, if you like) stuck around, hopefully they won't be too disappointed to see the familiar tall, red figure carefully picking his way through the snow around the castle.

Or to hear his deep voice coming over the journals, for that matter. He pauses in the gardens, carefully brushing snow off the stone bench, though he's not really going to sit down. But it's something to do, as he dictates to the pages.]

I almost forgot yesterday was Ash Wednesday. It's a little weird without a priest, but we didn't have one before for a long time, either. It's hard to keep track of time, here. It'll be Easter again pretty soon, but the last one seems like it was just a short time ago.

[A pause, as he thinks about what happened last year.

Probably he shouldn't dwell on it, so he continues.]

Anyway, for those of you who are new to the way the castle likes to celebrate holidays, I'd stay away from eating anything festive for the next few days. Just a heads up.

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[Oh. There's a familiar voice. He's going to kind of ignore what she said for now, because there are more important things --]

I heard you were missing.

[That. It's rude to ignore but she doesn't like to speak of it. She always hated to speak of assassins, of kidnappings.]

I was. Kind of you to notice such.

Yeah... well. I'm glad you're okay.

[Probably? She's probably okay. She's not missing anymore, anyway. But he's not going to pry.]

Anyway, it's kind of hard to keep track, but I do my best.

So am I, -- [wait did he even have a last name? Never mind. 'Hellboy' just sounded so...

... she hardly even knows. She's too tired to think about it really.]

It is, and it's understandable. I've still got my book with the dates set out. I've always sound a certain amount of peace to ritual. [and she's the head of the Church, she spends so many hours in prayer every day at court.] Though I've only kept them myself. Not so many inclined to prayer. [Well, except those of her time or near about.]

['Mr. Boy' works in a pinch...]

You mean a datebook, Your Majesty? I didn't think you'd have that many meetings to schedule here.

[He's making a joke. It's a really bad one and his tone is very dry, so it's completely possible that she is going to miss it. Pretty normal for his jokes, really...]

Most people aren't that devout here. I'm not all that religious either, but I like holidays. Like you said, the ritual helps.

[It might not of been the joke she picked up on, but she does sound slightly amused at least.]

... No, I guess I don't. What is a Queen without meetings, I wonder?

[A slightly happier woman, but she's not saying that right now. It has nothing to do with this.]

As a general rule, I wouldn't say everyone is. I've seen the... truly devout. [Her sister for one.] I've seen what it can do. It possibly helps that men have grown more temperate to such things.

Right. I think temperance in most things is a pretty good idea.

[Not bringing up the fact that if it weren't for his loss, he'd just be constantly drunk...]

It is. But how one achieves it sometimes is a utter mystery to me.

[Touched by nothing? Yeah right, she was as much a yelling, shouting, vicious and passionate woman as her parents were.]

I'm still trying to figure that one out myself.

Men will die working it out, and whilst I do enjoy the stoic philosophers teachings... I do have a country to run. Temperance is something of a white stag when you're being nagged all hours of the day.

It must be easier to relax here, though.

It is.

[Or was, but family changed everything. All matters of contention came from family usually.]

Lonelier too, but easier to go about life.

Lonelier because there aren't a lot of people from your time? Or because there's not a lot to do?

[Because there's not a lot to distract yourself with? in other words.]

People are my business, more often than not.

[So really, in the end, both. Her people were her only care. It was a struggle to figure out what she cared about here as much.]

There are a lot of people here.

There are a great many more in England, sir.

Hey, touché. But it's a start, I guess.

Or a rather nice lull in my life.

You could always take up a hobby to pass the time.

[A hobby that doesn't rely on a lot of physical activity... since he's pretty sure it's hard to run around in those skirts.]

XXXVI.

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