For generations upon generations, the Salvatore Mafia had reigned supreme in their respected region, their unique indulgences in the criminal and political world a glorious concoction that resulted in their consistent success. Every single member knew the sheer ruthlessness and selfishness that was necessary to survive in such a corrupted society, every man and woman desperately clinging on to the traces of their morality and perception of self. This life was not meant for the ordinary person; death was constant, yet not as much as the scenes of innocents being tortured for information and the brutal murders that were results of turf wars. And yet all of it was Lorelai`s domain, her sanctuary and guilty pleasure that she felt no shame for. She may look innocent and gullible, but she was nothing of the sort; some knew that far better than others, the said some already wiltering away in their graves.

Lorelai was situated at the head of the colossal dining table within the main foyer of the Salvatore Manor, her hands clenched against its surface as men and women alike argued to and fro like chattering birds in the morning. It was incredibly annoying to endure such trivial matters that had simple solutions, this unfolding meeting before her already proving useless and completely idiotic. Her consigliere, Verena, was situated at hee side, her cold gaze flitting across the room; the woman could percieve Lorelai`s growing annoyance and she knew it would not be long until the fuse finally became aflame. Verena raised her hand, the gesture commanding and threatening since defiance could easily be met with death.

``Dismissed, all of you. The Crown does not require any more childish banter, insolent fools..`` Verena`s voice rang out, the warning apparent in the coldness of her stare that shifted from one individual to another. Lorelai had risen her gaze at her consigliere`s words, a soft hum of gratitude slipping between her lips before she descended into her thoughts again. She admired the woman at her side, knowing full well how much power she held herself; Verena could have taken over the mafia herself if she desired to, yet had never done so due to her unwavering loyalty and admiration towards Lorelai.

At the moment, it almost seemed as if Lorelai held no power over her own people, yet that was far from the truth. She knew everything about every individual thay had been in the room, ranging from their relationships to every minuscule detail of their personal lives. After all, the Salvatores prides themselves on one thing: the sheer amount of information and knowledge they had compiled over the past few generations. Lorelai was powerful and everyone knew it, the unwavering fact that she killed traitors herself a paramount aspect of it. Furthermore, her name was sufficient enough to make an ordinary citizen stammer and stumble, desperate to come up with an excuse to flee her proximity.

``There must be an alternate reason regarding their dismissal,`` Lorelai began as she tilted her chin, the swirls of pigments around her irises alight with curiosity and weariness; she seldom had the time to rest, constantly fretting over one matter before progressing onto the next one. She could tell by Verena`s earlier mannerisms that something had been plaguing her, the insistent drumming of her fingers against the table being a tell-tale sign of her pondering and contemplation. Lorelai waited patiently for her consigliere to respond, especially since she knew the woman had a heavy weight on her shoulders as well, both of them sharing paramount responsibilities within the mafia and simply society itself. A soft hum escaped her as she gestrued for the woman to follow her, striding directly for the open space directly outside the main foyer and towards the private gardens. ``Was it a thievery? A murder? Perhaps you, my dear, are finally being tested to your limits?``

``Lorelai... I could never be tested beyond my limits,`` Verena replied almost immediately, the taller and thinner woman walking directly beside the woman that truly held all the strings and power. Her comment made Lorelai laugh gently as she led the way into the gardens, closing the looming doors behind them and allowing the refreshing evening air wash over them. She may have been percieved as a cruel, selfish individual, but those close to her knew precisely what lay beneath that cold surface: a morally grey, uncertain, and doubtful girl that constantly wondered if this life truly was meant for her. Verena had seen glimpses of it multiple times and, perhaps, that was precisely why she cared so much about her role and obligations towards Lorelai. ``And it was a fight that broke out. I do not know where, but I do know it was close enough to our territory to care.``

A soft hum was Lorelai`s response, nodding in acknowledgement as she paused and turned to face her. She always found it amusing whenever other families decided to test her limits and tried to figure out what made her tick, the only exception being him; he was too despised by her to even think of his name, only that disgustingly familiar face. Anything involving him made her agitated and incredibly sour, a combination that no one ever wanted to deal with since it brought out more of her.. dangerous side. Their relationship had been beautiful and almost perfect in her eyes, but the asshole had gone ahead and ruined it all.

``As long as none of my people were injured, there is no need to be concerned about it,`` Lorelai finally replied verbally before she kneeled down, toying with a nearby rose. She nearly laughed when one of its thorns pricked her finger, eyeing it quietly as if it had commited a crime. She was often described as a rose with thorns, a gorgeous individual with blatant flaws and issues that caused most to turn away from her regarding anything romantic. And yet, he had looked past that.. The betrayal and treachery still burned, however, and she wanted nothing to do with him.

(My apologies for the delay. Haven`t had the time to sit down and type long enough to get a decent length,

Lorelai was not truly the cruel, selfish indvidual that the majority of society painted her as, addressing her as a person worthy of enduring the cruelest of treatments solely due to her actions, even if they had been over exaggerated and thoroughly analyzed and understood. She ruled the Salvatore Mafia with a seemingly strict rule accompanied by a firm, merciless hand and yet beneath every single cold, selfish layer that made up her facade, there was still a woman that was desperate to be understood and even sympathized with. And although it was true that she had prioritized herself over the man she loved so dearly, it did not change the unwavering fact that she missed him and felt incredibly guilty for what she had done. Lorelai would never admit such things aloud since it would truly be a blow to the image she has created, but it did not change the fact that it was true. She had made the awful, irriversible mistake of accidentally ruining the one relationship she truly believed in and poured her all into; it was saddening to think lf it, but such thoughts and emotions were always shoved down until they were practically invisible and unacknowledgable.

She did not share the same hatred that her lover presumably felt towards her, her heart still wounded yet not as much as his own. If she had known the true extent of the impact her actions and words had held over him, she would have mustered the courage to approach his front door and beg- no, not beg- ask for his forgiveness or any shred of hope that they could rebuild it all. Neither of them could deny that they had worked splendidly with each other and that there had been little arguments until their relationship had seemingly reached its end. Lorelai really did miss him, along with the playful bantering and the ways he seemed to know everything about her.. It was heartbreaking for her to watch his reaction and actions the day he truly cut her off, yet she had hidden it all and pretended that she had not given a single care in the world. The true thing she missed about him was his ability to read her like a book, how he could detect her presence and emotions from miles away; she missed the solace he brought her and the affection he showed her.. she clung onto it all.

``Lorelai?`` Verena`s soft, cautious voice interrupted her thoughts, causing her to stiffen and shake her head in dismissal before she looked over at her with a neutral expression. The woman was eyeing her with a little bit of conern in her gaze and that made Lorelai realized she had been caught reminiscing, yet Verena did not dare question what was going on in her head any further. Verena took her hand and resumed walking onwards, a blatant attempt to calm both of them down due to the day`s chaos and unpredictability. ``You should take a break every now and then. When was the last time you had one?``

``Bosses don`t take breaks, Rena,`` the familiar nickname slipped easily past Lorelai`s tongue as she responded, the two of them sharing a brief moment of laughter as they continued to relax in the cool, evening air and nearby shouts and bursts of laughter; the mansion lay on a colossal piece of property, one with multiple guardhouses and infirmaries. The Salvatore was no joke and never would be, their accumaltive power and population being one of- if not the most- powerful families and mafias out there. And unlike the mafia of her former lover, hers had been solidified and based upon generations upon generations, so it had not been a struggle to grow and expand even more.

(Thanks for understanding, :) And speaking of that, had a whole response typed out and my phone decided to refresh randomly.. I was so angry, still am x-x)