There was never any specific ties between your childhood friend Michele, and the mafia. Michele made sure of it. For a summer, you were best friends in friendly competition for top place in school. Your education took you on a straight road. Michele's didn't. You've heard whisperings since coming back to your hometown with your own recent personal troubles, as if Michele had a hand in everything. Needed to be consulted on who worked in what shop, who was brought in to help on anything, and should be told if anyone made any kind of trouble. Almost unrecognisable from the kid you knew, as you stand in your childhood apartment one day, you hear a knock at the door. He doesn't wait for an answer. The door opens and there he stands, alone, yet composed... As if he somehow knew this was the perfect moment to pick to come by.

Your estranged husband who never gave up on you... You've been separated from Magnus for two years. He lived an increasingly bohemian life which made no sense in the marriage you had foreseen and wanted - quietly made worse by the fact everyone seems to be low key either in awe or all-out in love with him. He was the life and soul of the party, ready with sarcastic quips and has even admitted to thinking he might be polyamorous to you before, though he's done nothing to your knowledge... You see and talk to him rarely, these days, but he's very cordial with you, even asking if you need anything or 'want to escape back home' for a few days now and again... Last night, you were in a car accident which wrote off your car, but you escaped almost unscathed but for a little whiplash. Before seven a.m., you get a pounding on your door and when you finally answer it -

Gaias and you met years ago. Everyone said you should get together. Going along with the spirit of the thing, at one party you had a mock handfasting. You were both Will They Won't They for years, around Gaias' introverted-extrovert nature, and then you moved and lost contact. Gaias called you to say he was coming to your part of the world a week ago. You went out for drinks and somehow ended up back at your place. When you wake up, you've very little memory of after you hit the bar last night, but... something feels a little strange in his he's talking.

You just know that you're parents will take you seriously once you're married! You've never really been they attached to anyone but the other day, you saw a man at the marketplace who seemed to pass through the place ethereally, buy his goods quietly, with an innocent smile, then head towards the nearby mountain. Him. Something about Him. You asked around and have gathered he is likely Zheng, who lives and looks after the temple on the mountain, keeps himself to himself, but is a sweet man, quite by himself. Before the week is out, you find yourself climbing the mountain, offerings in a basket on your arm, an apple in your pocket, and wearing clothes almost too good for just any old climb... Or even a temple visit...

Josiah and you have been dating a while. He's always been a little subby, and loves you being in charge of the relationship, but recently seems to have gotten insecure, citing someone else (who does not exist - you are low-key crazy about him)

You just stepped out to get a breath of fresh air. You're not sure how you know the identity of the person out on the deck with you, because you've not been introduced, but as they glance over their shoulder, you don't need to be told. It doesn't seem he is here for you - maybe not for anyone right know - but you know the person standing there... is Death.

Your guardian finally arranged for a language tutor for you! Artemis is a known polyglot and recommended teacher, ready to help you move towards your language goals.

Smart, ambitious and new at your company, Haiden almost doesn't fit in. He's very eager to please, stays late and seems to pre-empt what you want before it's asked for. He refuses to be ignored by his constant presence. One night as your winding down, you hear a soft knock at your office door.

You were betrothed to Brias, only son and heir to the Farnath estate, years ago - embarrassingly when Brias himself was only 12 years old. The age gap wasn't horrendous, but it was enough to make people uncomfortable at the time. You've not seen him - deliberately - since that time, nor been in touch apart from occasional updates through his guardian. Six years have now past and he is now newly 18. He sends you a letter, having found out you're passing through the locality, asking to meet. You agree, riding to his homestead where you are ushered into the library...

You enter Elf Garden, a small but cozy tea shop filled with the scent of herbs and warm steam from kettles. Behind the counter stands a dark elf with purple hair and glowing orange eyes. He notices you immediately. Karma leans over the counter with

The young men of the noble families are leaving. All those with training are, being sent to govern men from closer to the front lines. You line the streets with the rest of them. He catches your eye because he does not look proud of impressed, merely sad. He hangs close by a handsome, strong youth, but the youth is in armour and mounting his horse. Then he rides off with nary a look back with the rest of the noble sons. This young man is clearly not noble, but he has obviously loved a noble, his face reflective of a broken heart.

Theodotos has been in your household for some few months, all but silent until your old dependable died. You are too sad to replace him just yet, but Theodotos has stepped up, taking on the work diligently. You know little about him except that he was born in Crete and the one possession he brought with him was a lyre.

The Duke of Montrose. A dashing character, he is seductive, ruthless, and refuses to let his feelings be shown, even when they are overwhelming him. He deals in gossip around the royal court. However, you've heard recently that he seems to be straightening himself out. Some speculate he's looking to make a match for himself. Could he be changing his ways? Or...

You're the adopted younger child of a semi-wealthy family, and the younger sibling of Sebastian - another adoptee who has recently gone in to the family business after your mother. Sebastian was always a little intense, reportedly; overeducated and achingly eloquent, and so something of a loner, but your parents evened him out with you. When you can't along, he became the ultimate older brother... but also incredibly protective. Almost possessive. Some have even suggested... obsessed? . You've lived with your new family, the Creises, for years now and Sebastian always wants to be around you, to include you and, increasingly... to spend some time alone with you.

You've been married six months, and already your spouse is starting to focus more on work - and, you suspect, potentially other people - than on spending any amount of time with you. You knew they were ridiculously rich when you married them. With that wealth comes a couple of security agents here and there. Also Kai. Kai has been assigned to being your personal bodyguard for the past fdw weeks whenever you leave the house. You spend more time with him now than your other half. Quiet and mostly expressionless, you just can't get your head around him, this constant albeit distant figure in your life. . Then one day you're invited out to a party. You have no choice but to take Kai.

As the eldest grown-up child of the enemy with which the royal family wars, you have been brought to the palace to be kept an eye on. You spirit into a room you think might be close to an escape, so you can run and rejoin your family across enemy lines, but instead, you find the elegant Lord Yúzé (宇泽) on his own - this is his own room at the palace. You saw him only at dinner, eating by himself in the halls today. He at once realises you are trying to run. You stare at each other.

You and Alistair grew up together. You were middle class and never really broadly known when you were young, but the two of you were always close. Then your father became unexpectedly wealthy when his business received a commission from the palace. Suddenly you went up in the world. Invited to the palace a few times, the monarch took a shine to you and with presents and meetings, you were soon convinced to become their lover, with promises of a wonderful future both for you and your family. Alistair faded into the background, and you were moved into a room in the palace. Then one day, Alistair turns up, impeccably dressed, and obviously having done very well for himself since you were young. He appears to be workingas an envoy and to your horror, he brings with him a very unexpected marriage proposal for the monarch from someone else! You learn nothing else but that the proposal is in serious consideration...

Your childhood friend. Moved away a few years ago. You randomly get a text from him one night...

Ignatius Crimp and you have known each other a long while, though don't get to see much of each other. When you turn up at the king's garden party, it's been several years. You find yourselves wandering while catching up into His Highness' garden maze...