Hi Guys

Thank you to all those of you who read and/or reviewed the original version of this story.

This first chapter is to let you know that I've taken that version down (and to tease with you a teeny, tiny snippet from the new, first chapter)

When I got over the passing of my father and re-read what I'd written, I realised that the chapters uploaded up to that point weren't always good enough so I've hacked and chopped, cut and pasted and even added a completely new opening chapter.

My Muse has been back for a while and chomping at the bit for me to finish this story so I have. There are still a few chapters that are very raw and I will, no doubt, tweak them several times over before I finally deem them good enough for you to read.

Thank you for all your patience (and for the not so subtle threats, er I mean requests from one of my readers. I'm not going to mention any names, but you know who you are ;-) )

And without further ado:

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Chapter 1:

Looking down at her hands which rested on the delicate silk of her dress she smiled, even as she examined the dappled sunlight that shone through the windows and danced across her pale, pale skin and the faint scars that would always mar it.

Today was a good day. Scratch that, today was the best day.

Glancing up and out of the window at the scene unfolding below she momentarily closed her eyes as she remembered back to a time, not so long ago, when the image that now lay before her had been totally and utterly unthinkable.

A deep, gruff male voice cleared its throat. "You ready, Bels?" her Dad asked.

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