//------------------------------//
// Author Notes 
// Story: Heart of Winter 
// by Dr.Shisno 
//------------------------------//

Thanks for hanging in for this wild ride. I hope you enjoyed it, I for one did. Personally, this has been (to date) my favorite story to write. Hands down. 

Bear (ha, bear) with me as i ramble and explain Heart of Winter. 
I apologize upfront for the massive amount of parenthesis's and brackets, and then the random comments in those parenthesis's and brackets.

This is the first story i've done where complete detailed outlines of the chapters. (i usually write the first things that come to mind and continue on from there). So that says something. 

The writing style (the spoken broken English) benefited how i write. I've been known to drop words completely, and writing how a Russian may speak English sometimes (a bad stereotype i may add, that no way reflects on every Russian) [YAY, political correctness] just seemed to compliment the (horrible) way i write.

Start with a bit of background for this story. The idea came to me after reading a fanfic from here (Through the Eyes of Another Pony Chapter 15: Flutterfall) and also reading Equations of Life by Simon Morden (along with the other books in the Samuil Petrovich series {great books, i may add}) [also the recent purchase of a mosin-nagant and love for vodka other finer things helped]. A Russian character had to be my next one. It was just inevitable.

It was the idea of making a character somewhat of a polar opposite from the pony i was going to throw into the mix (actually did start off as Flutters, but Rarity just fit more for what I was trying accomplish). I wanted to create a character that was believable. Who believed in better things, the honor/motherland idea, but skeptical. I wanted a harsh character at a moral impasse. So Arkady was born. He still held on to the honor and the ideals of old, but was tired of the perversion that these ideals as they were now. I wanted his character and Rarity's to be at odds. At any given moment. Rarity, the high maintence drama queen who's idea of camping is three star hotel. And then Arkady, who could probably make a bar of soap last six months. They just seemed like opposite sides of the spectrum. And i do believe it worked. (a bit better than other romances i have written up) and boy, it was a joy to write (the scene where Twilight is merely the observer in the bistro while the two bicker just flowed with ease). Also the fact of Arkady being generous, while Rarity herself is the element of generousity plays just a small role.

So, over the course of the story, the english (both how Arkady speaks and how the story is actually written) is supposed to get better. How Arkady becomes more civilized (or at least cultured) in a sense. Along with how Arkady's feelings of protector and of lover fluctuate, eventually ending on lover. (cause i'm some closest romantic who like the happy ending, while most Russian fairy tales do end very tragically. I mean really, the Snow Maiden tale? There's like four different versions and they all end, to the best of my knowledge, with the Snow Maiden dying.)

This is also the first time i used chapter titles (not just numbered) for a story. From chapter one to six (monday, fireside chats, acting lessons, still alive, Not one step back, thaw) the titles were themes. Usually a word that significant in the chapter or was a big part of the chapter itself. Not one step back and thaw were more theme based (the former being the start of the journey and the latter being the beginning of the romance between Rarity and Arkady [i.e the thawing of Arkady's heart]). The remaining chapters were titles to songs that had significant impact on the writing of that chapter or had a message that was significant in the lyrics itself. The Grey - Icon for Hire. Far From Home - Five Finger Death Punch. Wonderful Life - Alter Bridge. Shine On - Jet. Broken Hearts and Torn Up Letters (and the Story of a Lonely Girl) - Lostprophets. Far and Away- Slash Feat. Myles Kennedy. (The final chapter went through at three title changes, which include: Apologies, Glances, Messed Up Second Chances - Lostphrophets and My Heart - Paramore. Both songs delievered the message i was going for, just Far and Away seemed to do it the best). I do recommend looking up these songs (at least the lyrics) just to get an idea of the theme of each chapter is supposed to feel.

The Chapter Broken Hearts/Torn Up Letters was never intended. Just a wild idea that was posed as the first part to two part epilogue, i guess the "human" part of the story. (which doesn't quite make sense for the two could've been published together instead of split up, but just makes up for added story. Yes. Filler. Sue me) 

Tying the story into the OST arc took a bit of spontaneity (bit of writing genius, but only a small amount, minute amount even). And i have thought this one ahead that, i believe, not many people saw it coming (at least how it happened). [Just for clarification, timeline wise {also time is not made out of lines, it is made out of circles, that's why clocks are round} this story takes place before OST, touches base on the first chapter of OST, and finishes in the final-ish chapter of that story.] And it gets me all giddy (yes, giddy. Like a small child. I had a giggle many times) on the inside about all this. And finally hashing it all out, sitting back, and realizing i may have blew a few minds. 

I think that's one of the joys i get out of writing and that's the reader response. You guys. You people who read this story are the reasons i write and post stories. (i think it has something to do with ego, but i digress). Which is also why i love cliffhangers and leading you on with how the story went. (i hope you all are the understanding type.)

Big thanks to J_Xayph for working with my stubborn ass and editing this work and many of my other works, along with providing his opinion and ideas with me. He's a gentleman, a scholar, and he sure as hell gets the job done.

Anyways, i think i rambled on enough.
auf wiedersehen, do svidaniya, au revior, till the next sequel one

Doc