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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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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