The beach was a welcome respite from the hum of the golden city and the anxiety of being around so many people with such empty grins. She slipped off her well-worn boots and strolled along the shore, sand creeping between her toes only to be washed away as the waves came and went. She relished the quiet and the chill of the water.

In her own thoughts, she nearly missed Vlad where he sat but, upon spotting and recognizing him, she made her way toward him. When he spoke, his words quiet against the backdrop of waves, she crouched down in front of him on the balls of her feet, boots held in one hand. She noticed the skull and its strange grin but failed to recognize the feelings it pressed into her, "You can tell me about her if you want."

He listened to her with understanding when they first met; she's more than willing to offer that in return.