Ruby smiled. "That is true." Her parents had eloped, leading to the creation of a big, loving family. Until her mother died and Topaz got turned into a werewolf, that is.

"Elopements shouldn't be considered that scandalous and horrid most of the time," she commented. "They usually lead to quite happy families." Society would be so much better if people married based on love and mutual understanding, rather than things as shallow as the purity of blood.

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