*We last left our heroes after returning from either the pub or a shopping trip.*
Kuja: Now, Ana. Be a good little girl and run along. And take Kitzie with you, I want a private word with your mother.
Thorn: I'll be outside. I could do with... yeah. *Goes outside.*
Ana: I'm gone. Come on, Lierlo. Let's go put those flowers on your grave.
Lierlo: How... fun.
*Ana, Kitzie and Lierlo leave. The two of them stand in uncomfortable silence for a moment.*
Kuja: Um... nice dress.
Laurenza: Thanks. *Makes to leave the room.*
Kuja: Laurenza…
Laurenza: Whatever it is... I don't want to talk to you right now.
Kuja: Laurenza... please hear me out.
Laurenza: What is it?
Kuja: *Goes to her and takes her hand.* I love you. I love you more than anything in the world. I'm sorry for everything I've done. I really mean it. I... I didn't mean to upset you, I promise I'll try and change my attitude. Just tell me that you still want me... I... can't stand the thought of losing you.
Laurenza: ...I've never seen you looking so serious before. You really mean it, don't you?
Kuja: Yes. I did actually say 'I really mean it.'
Laurenza: *Smiles some.* Come here. *Hugs him.*
Kuja: *Hugs her, resting his head on her shoulder.*

*Outside, Lierlo is suddenly behind Thorn.*
Thorn: Hello Lierlo.
Lierlo: Knew I was there?
Thorn: Sure, your footsteps may be silent, but I can still feel you, you know?
Lierlo: Did you notice me back at the bar? Those were some pretty nice things you said to Kuja. It's an upside of being a ghost, being able to turn invisible. But it has gained me an awful habit of eavesdropping.
Thorn: It... must be useful, though.
Lierlo: I guess so.
Thorn: At the bar... no, I didn't feel you. Maybe it was because you didn't want to make yourself known.
Lierlo: Okay. It's nice to see you and Kuja getting along. Who knows, you might become best friends...
Thorn: Err... I just... don't like seeing people down is all.
Lierlo: I know. I'm... I'm going to see what Ana is doing to my grave. *Disappears.*
Kuja: *Comes outside.* Thorn.
Thorn: Kuja.
Kuja: I just wanted to say... thank you.
Thorn: I didn't do anything... not really.
Kuja: You talked some sense into me.
Thorn: Well... you're welcome.
Kuja: Well… see you. *He goes back in.*
Thorn: See you…
Ana: *Coming back towards the castle.* What do you think, Kitzie? Lierlo liked them, didn't he?
Kitzie: Um... he didn't look very happy.
Ana: Nonsense. Hey Thorn, if you died, you wouldn't wanna see your grave neglected, would ya?
Thorn: I wouldn't want to see my grave full stop.
Kitzie: Told you.
Ana: Shaddup!
Laurenza: *Comes outside.* You kids ought to be in bed.
Ana: Mum, it's only... *Looks at watch.* …Is that the time? Where did it go?
Laurenza: Go on you, and Kitzie too.
*The two girls go inside.*
Laurenza: Have a good time out with the boys, Thorn?
Thorn: Nothing special.
Laurenza: Bet you had a better time than I did. Never again, never again. That woman... oh, not that there's anything wrong with Adrienne.
Thorn: You're entitled to have your own opinion of her. She's grown attached to the castle, its residents, and me. She just wants to be nice to you, so she can stay.
Laurenza: I wasn't thinking of throwing her out. I was just saying she's a nightmare to go shopping with. She's in every shop, at every stall, spending money like it's going out of fashion.
Thorn: Well, it's hers to spend. Are you just angry 'cos it's blood money?
Laurenza: No, I'm angry because she's got more of it than I have, and I'm a Queen. *Laughs.*
Thorn: *Laughs some too.*
Laurenza: She was spoiling Ana rotten today, treating her like her own daughter.
Thorn: Adrienne could never take your place. You... you're an amazing mother.
Laurenza: No I'm not. I'm a pretty lousy mother. And you can tell, Ana likes Kuja a lot more than me.
Thorn: You haven't raised Ana up from the first moment you held her in your arms. That's the reason... you feel like you're not a mother. Mother-child bonds are made strong with time.
Laurenza: You're right.
Thorn: How is the little one faring, by the way?
Laurenza: Okay, I guess.
Thorn: 'The new life'...I can't believe I said that...
Laurenza: I can. I heard you say it. *Grins.*
Thorn: *Smiles.*
Laurenza: Seems... seems like a long time ago now.
Thorn: Just a few months.
Laurenza: I know, but so much has happened since, it makes it feel like a lot more than that.
Thorn: So much does happen here.
Laurenza: Maybe we should move? Or will the dramatic life just follow us?
Thorn: I'm sure that... wherever I am, discord and darkness will be.
Laurenza: Don't say that. You're not like that anymore.
Thorn: I hope so...
Laurenza: I know so. We all do.
Thorn: *Smiles.*
Laurenza: Well, goodnight, Thorn. *She goes in.*
Thorn: Goodnight. *Looks up at the sky and then goes in.*
Kuja: *Is stood waiting for him inside.* Seems you're giving everyone good advice lately.
Thorn: I try my best.
Kuja: You should become the castle psychologist. *Puts on a bad German accent.* You shouldn't think like zis, your problems vill all go avay.
Thorn: *Laughs.* Yeah... possibly.
Kuja: But maybe I'd lose the accent. Goodnight, Thorn. *Heads upstairs.*
Thorn: Goodnight.

*That night, or in very, very early hours of the morning, Adrienne is sat up in bed and is shaking Thorn gently to wake him up.*
Adrienne: Thorn, Thorn.
Thorn: Huh? Wha... what is it?
Adrienne: Did you hear that?
Thorn: Err... hear what?
Adrienne: That voice.
Thorn: I heard you...
Adrienne: No, not me, before that.
Thorn: No, I didn't hear anything.
Adrienne: Oh, maybe I was just dreaming.
Thorn: Well? What did it sound like? What did it say?
Adrienne: It... doesn't matter, I was probably dreaming after all.
Thorn: Yeah, go back to sleep, I'm gonna check around.
Adrienne: Be careful, Honey Bunny.
Thorn: I will.

*Thorn gets out of bed, put on some boxers and then goes out the door. The castle is very, very quiet and still. The only sound breaking the air is gentle snoring coming from Tifanel's room.*
Thorn: *Whispering.* Anyone there?
Voice: It depends on who's asking.
Thorn: Reveal yourself.
Voice: No.
Thorn: Shy, are we?
Voice: No. I just prefer being the ominous voice in the air.
Thorn: Oh, please, that is so overused.
Voice: But it's still a classic.
Thorn: Well, I guess the old ones are the best.
Voice: It seemed to have your little girlfriend quite worked up.
Thorn: You stay away from her, whatever the hell you are.
Voice: Don't worry. She's not my type.
Thorn: I didn't mean it like that.
Voice: Don't you ever get bored around here?
Thorn: Not when there are mysterious voices in the air to kill.
Voice: How do you kill a voice? Hmm?
Thorn: Or... I could just ignore it and go back to bed. I mean, if you won't even come out, you're pretty harmless, aren't you?
Voice: Why ignore me when you could find a way to kill me? Because that's what you really want to do, isn't it? Kill people. Cause pain and destruction. Being the nice guy is all well and good, but killing is much more fun, don't you agree?
Thorn: Let me guess? Next you want me to take the axe, and then go kill someone?
Voice: If you're offering.
Thorn: I won't be persuaded by you, or anyone, for that matter.
Voice: Still under the delusion that you're good deep down, are we? There is darkness in your heart, no matter how much you try and ignore it or avoid it. It is always there.
Thorn: I don't deny that. There may be darkness, deep down, but I have control over it.
Voice: You just keep telling yourself that.
Thorn: I don't need to. It's true.
Voice: Of course it is. Now go back to bed, Adrienne will be wondering where you have got to.
Thorn: I'm not going anywhere until I'm assured you have left this place for good.
Voice: Oh, I'll leave if you want, but not for good. I'm always here, the voice in your head, the shadow in your nightmares...
*Silence.*
Thorn: Pfft. *Goes back to bed.*
Adrienne: Thorny, did you find anything?
Thorn: Hmm? Err... no, nothing.
Adrienne: Good. I'm glad it was just a dream. *Hugs him close.*
Thorn: *Smiles.*