---

The pleasantly plump man with the hairy chest sat in the pool, a glass of wine in hand. There were two beautiful, scantily-clad women rubbing sponges against his bare back. He still had his large, obnoxious crown on. "A little to the left, Beth..." The well-lit room had candles about and was overstaffed with guards and maid at the moment. Many were seated awkwardly about in the lounge chairs. They seemed lost, unsure what to do with themselves.

"Your Highness..."

A staff member had been trying to get his attention for the last ten minutes now. The young man grimaced at the view before him.

Edin's giggle filled the room, "Oh not there. You know that's my spot." One of the women looked like she was ready to cry. They exchanged looks.

"I don't want to be here." She mouthed.

"SIR!" The man finally yelled with impatience.

King Edin gasped and looked over at him with wide-eyes.

"Your two youngest just stole a carriage and left with all of the Sultan's children."

He hadn't been sure what reaction to expect from King Edin, but laughter wasn't it. "Hahaha! That's hilarious! Are you the new jester?" There was absolutely no way that could happen in his high-security castle ground. His laughter boomed and echoed through the room over the sound of the running water.

" I'm serious."

"Oh are you? ...Shit." King Edin sighed then rose out of the water.

Someone in the back of the room screamed at the sight of the unclothed King. King Edin immediately pointed at her. It was a maid. Little did he know it was her first day on the job.

"Her. She's on the chopping block." King Edin announced casually as the woman fainted to the ground. He barely noticed people rushing to her side. "For maybe, I don't know... One thirty? " He glanced at his nearby knights, "You all free for one thirty tomorrow? I'll have the chef prepare me some refreshments."

Everyone stared in shock. An awkward silence filled the room that King Edin neglected to notice as he was day dreaming about the execution.

"Wait? Just for that? You're going to have her executed?" The man from before blurted out.

King Edin stepped out of the pool as his women began to dress him in an extravagant robe. " No, no. It was a jest. Or... Hm. " He stroked his beard thoughtfully. He had not been to public execution in three long days...And certainly, the Alidasht guests would enjoy. "Maybe. Maybe not... Anyway, you. You go confirm that this fellow is not lying and we do indeed have a missing carriage." He had gestured to a trusted advisor at random to do so for him.

King Edin pushed the women away to tie his own robe shut. "I am sure this is all Callum's doing. That bastard. Should put him up for execution."He grumbled.

---

---

“Roman, how are things in Emberrock?”

Roman gave the prince a slightly disappointed face while keeping his smile. Motioning for the man to hold on a moment as he organized his drinks next to him with a smile to the bartender, “thank you kindly miss, one more water and three more of this lovely dark ale for me please.” Being very polite towards the bartender.

Turning his smile back to Callum with a laugh, “I haven’t seen you in what 3? 4? Years and your first words are a slight? We both know its Emberstone, and we both know that shit doesn’t bother me like these other idiots. Im not your dad but at least this time im glad I came.” Roman proceeded to drink the entirely of both glasses of water with one breath each as Callum spoke.

“Enjoying your time in Sorian? I’ll bet they don’t have parties like this in Varian.”

“Ha not quite as interesting, the summer festivals im missing right now though. Those ones are fun.” Picking up his first glass of ale and drinking two big gulps before putting it down again, eyeing the blue concoction next to him for a moment. He hadn’t touched that drink yet but by the looks of everyone else it was going to put him on his ass.

“I got to tell you it was good seeing so many friendly faces again but there were two that stood out tonight and im looking forward for once to making more memories with them.” The bear of a man unbuttoned his sleeves around his wrists and rolled up his sleeves up past his elbows showing off his scars and bronze skin.

“Violet Damien, she said she danced with you even, but it seems you had better luck with her sister, she said she’s a bookworm and a few other things that reminded me of you. I do like that one I’ve never met someone that could bring me out of my shell like Violet.”

Roman finished his first beer and started on the next without skipping a beat, “She has beautiful scars, her skin is as soft as silk, her voice carries pain and mystery in equal bearing, those eyes its like looking out into the stary night and having a hot forge look back at you. I don’t know what it is about that one but im looking forward to finding out just how deep her pain is and exploring her mystery.”

“its like she’s a work of art. every facet, every etching is like a whole nother book an entire new story of depth and wonder.” Leaning in close for a moment and speaking a little lower, “this one really gets my metal hot if you know what im talking about.” Roman couldn’t help but give a big laugh.

Then another man cut in wearing a mask but Roman knew by the looks of him it was the blond from the cart but under a different name and a strange accent. A fast talker barely leaving enough time to get a word in edge wise, Roman elected to drink his beer and laugh. This was turning out to be a good night. “Here Here, I do hope you enjoy the festivities friend.” He wasn’t entirely sure how to proceed with that one, but he left just as soon as he came.

“The other one that caught my eye is Mayet the Alidasht princess. Now that woman… woo.” Again, his smile never seemed to fade as he spoke to his old friend. “That one is definitely unique, and I do believe would be very fun, my only worry is that we are two spirits of fire. time will tell if our flames will burn brighter together or burn each other out.”

“What of you friend? What new adventures or fair maidens have you gotten a bit too far into lately?”

"I think you might need more than just a small mask to hide your identity, Lord Roman."

Their conversation was interrupted slightly yet again by a familiar voice joining them with an almost whisper in his ear. Roman did not recoil from her sudden appearance only took another gulp of his beer and smiling at her, “Ah yes, I thought the same thing Mayet that’s why im not wearing one. Good timing, I was just telling my friend Callum here how fun our dance was and how Gracefully you move across the dance floor.” Taking another drink of his beer and looking to his blue drink again, he honestly wasn’t sure if he was going to drink it now, the beer here was great paired with this environment and he did want to remember this.

“How even now in this environment, the look in your eyes never lose that look of a mighty predator, a skillful huntress. Reminds me of one of your myths, the fire Jinn, im sure if I could see your soul, your power, I would see a mighty blaze.” The man was glad he was out of the castle and in this place. These kind of places with this kind of people and these kinds of drinks was always a nice way for him to relax, unwind, and not have to worry about holding his tongue.

@samreaper
@13org
@Helo

Interactions:@princess Anastasia
Mentions: @Helo Handsome boy @ReusableSword Big Boy @Rodiak Nahir

With his mask, Munir made his way to the table where drinks were being served. Wanting to party later into the night, Munir knew not to choose a strong drink. Instead, he requested a glass of iced wine, to simple whet his palate. With wine goblet in hand, Munir sauntered around the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and other greeting while not being hampered by status and allegiances.

Seeing a figure in the distance, he recognized it as his sister Nahir. Peering around the crowd, he did not spot Mina. Such a bummer. Munir had planned on interacting more with her, in a more informal setting. Regardless, his mind snapped back to Edin's daughter, Anastasia. Perhaps he makes a go for her. Callum, her brother was also present. Maybe he goes to butter him up so ease his way into his sister. Near them was a bear of a man. He chuckled inwardly, taking a small sip of his iced wine. That man there must have been on of his sister's preys, Roman Ravenwood. Maybe he can prod some information from him, to see what he wanted with his sister. during the dance.

So many choices. Good thing the night is still young and no one has died of anything yet. Right?

Picking up another filled glass of iced wine, he made his way to Anastasia, trailing a hand across the small of her back and said "Princess, I'm most pleased to be in your presence. You look of so splendid tonight. I have but one humble request. May you introduce me to that man there? Surely you know who that is?" Munir, trying to be coy, pointed towards the man he assumed was Callum Danrose.

He was going to set his devious plans in motion all by his damn self he need by. He needs revenge for that that fool Edin did upon their arrival into the Caesonia Court.

---

Mayet couldn't help but to laugh as she heard Kazumin's words as he kept using his new 'persona'. Both the strong accent, the exaggerated mannerisms and the words he used were incredibly entertaining. Even though Mayet didn't know much about Kazumin, she honestly wouldn't be that surprised if he ended up coming from a family of performers or actors. Mayet replied to Kazumin, or better, to 'Señor Chavez' with a nod as he walked away, before giving another sip at her drink and turning to Callum and Roman, who were still at the table.

At this point, Mayet started feeling a bit of the effects of the drink, feeling hotter and a more.. uninhibited. It was a bit surprising for her, since the drink didn't seem to have that much alcohol on it, but it was undeniable that she was already feeling the effects of the drink. If she found Roman amusing before, she now clearly felt much more attracted towards him. This... 'hotness' didn't pass unnoticed by Mayet, but given her natural tendencies to flirt and tease those that caught her interest, she didn't pay much attention at those effects at first. Which would prove to only make it harder for her to control herself, as the effects of the drink got stronger with each sip, little by little.

"A mask would do little to hide the identity of someone like me as well. You can't hope to shadow the light of the sun with a mere umbrella, can you?" Mayet said with a chuckle.

"They do have their charm though. I thought they could make things a bit more... interesting." Mayet said with a mischievous smirk.

Hearing Roman's praises towards her, Mayet let out a smile, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"Such high praises, even though you haven't seen even half of what I'm capable of..." Mayet said, leaning towards Roman and looking directly into his eyes... Then to his lips... and when she finally noticed what she was doing, she was already letting her eyes wander through Roman's muscular body, her mind already giving her ideas of what she could do with him and his big, muscular body.

Caught by surprise by her own actions and lack of self-control, Mayet moved back to her initial position. Discreetly hiding her momentary lack of self-control. Fortunately, just at that moment, Callum excitedly greeted her, mentioning the fact that she didn't bring her other half with her today and gave her the perfect opportunity to hide what had just happened.

"I didn't know I was this weak to alcohol... Calm down, breathe and clear your mind, Mayet. You have a reputation to keep." Mayet thought to herself, before looking to Callum.

"The pleasure is all mine, Callum." Mayet said with a discreet bow, silently thanking him for giving her the perfect excuse to look away from Roman for a moment, so she could catch her breath and calm down.

"Nala would have absolutely hated this place. Even though I was interested in this after party, I wouldn't make Nala accompany me to a place she wouldn't like to go." Mayet explained.

"The loud music, the crowd, the lights and the drinks. It would be a matter of time until someone did something stupid near Nala, who would already be on edge thanks to... well... everything around here, and made her jump at them." Mayet said, laughing at what she had said almost as if she had told a simple joke, despite the fact that she was talking about a huge tigress literally jumping at someone and ripping them to shreds.

While Callum's initial greeting was already rather... intense, his exaggerated laughter was an even clearer indication that maybe, Callum had already drank too much. Just after that, he started literally bouncing to the music, before suddenly suggesting them to have a race... and bolting off to the other side of the warehouse.

"Your friend seems to have drank a little too much, didn't he?" Mayet said to Roman, looking at Callum and laughing as she took another sip from her drink. The cup was already halfway empty.

"Should we go get him? Take him to the boxing ring so he can spend all that excess energy without getting into trouble... Maybe we should do some 'sparring' ourselves...?" Mayet asked, turning towards Roman and looking at him with a mischievous smirk as she nodded towards the ring-blade, still covered in fine silk.

At this moment, despite trying to hide it, Roman was already able to see a burning 'hunger' in Mayet's eyes. With a piercing gaze, she was looking at him almost as if she was ready to devour him whole. Whether it was a good idea to play with such fire or not was something only Roman would be able to decide.

Though there were those who believed that the world revolved more or less around the Three Kingdoms, Eromora was home to countless cultures. As someone who worked in an international trading company, Ryn had the privilege of experiencing if but a fracture of it and he learned a lot from it. This included lessons such as how alcohol was an excellent drug for impairing people’s inhibitory control, no matter where they hailed from. The higher the blood alcohol level, the looser one’s tongue becomes. At times, this aided in the formation of bonds; at other times, it ruined them beyond repair.

As soon as Lady Vikena walked away from Ryn, he began the process of building a rapport with the tavern patrons. Many of them were friendly enough, willing to engage in conversation with the man who paid for their drinks. As they conversed, though, Ryn realized that the people in the tavern were either strangely tight-lipped, especially when the conversation even lightly touched on Duke Vikena, or truly clueless. Yet, all were coordinated in their insistence to remain unforthcoming on the matter. Gazes that floated over to the bandana-wearing woman every now and then, tipped Ryn off that the reason for this was because she instructed them, verbally or by less direct means like a meaningful glare or accosting someone normally everyone else would have happily ignored if it meant less trouble for them. No one would tell him anything unless he took her down first.

With alcohol, naturally.

Ryn popped a small tablet in his mouth along with some protein-rich finger food he ordered to fill his stomach and waited long enough for it to settle in before he approached the woman with the bandana. He challenged the woman to a drinking contest: they would drink the strongest liquor the tavern had to offer until it was obvious that one of them wouldn’t be able to handle another sip. With a bit of teasing and calling her a milk drinker, the bandana woman accepted.

At first, everyone seemed to believe the woman had the game in the bag. Even ignoring the fact that, as the others put it, the woman’s blood was made up of mostly alcohol, it was evident by body size alone that Ryn was at a disadvantage. So many were mildly impressed when Ryn looked perfectly fine after his third shot. Around the fifth shot, people were surprised that his cheeks were barely pink. The atmosphere started shifting after the seventh shot. Ryn looked like he was just about to get tipsy while the bandana woman’s face became flushed. There were people who accused the bartender of watering down the alcohol. However, that was quickly disproven with a sip of Ryn’s cup. By the eighth shot, a number of spectators began to consider the possibility that the small black-haired “boy” had a chance of beating “the boss.” At shot number eleven, Marceline was forced to declare Ryn the winner. Had he not cheated, Ryn would have been on the floor at shot number six.

Ryn helped “the boss” to her feet and excused themselves to a table off to the side after asking for some water. Once the woman sat down, Ryn sat across from her and took her wrist into his hands, fingers pressed lightly against it. He checked the clock on the wall to make sure his counting aligned with it before leaning closer to the giant woman. For a few minutes, they engaged in the typical small talk. He learned that her name was Olga. She lived in a nearby house and she owned this tavern. Her favorite color was red and she secretly loved bunnies but hated any sweet foods. Her dream was to continue living the life she was. Olga’s physiological signs strongly suggested that she was telling Ryn the truth up to this point. Now to see if she would keep this up.

“Do you know who Duke Lorenzo Vikena is?”

Olga had nodded nonchalantly, “Yeah. The man has big house down the street. Comes to stay there every so often then goes back to Veirmont. Never come here though. No, no…” She was honest with her words. Olga was never one to lie, unlike her sister Helga who worked in the castle. She was sure glad that woman was far away.

“Did you see him tonight?”
She shook her head. “No. Lorenzo boy never come in here.”
He clarified, “You didn’t see him outside the tavern either?” She shook her head again.

“Why did Count Damien order you to keep us here?” He asked the question with such confidence that it sounded like he already knew Count Damien was involved, but in truth, it was a hunch at best. The only reason why Lady Vikena and Ryn even passed by the Tough Tavern was because Count Damien pointed them in this direction. According to Olga, however, Duke Vikena never stepped foot in the establishment before. Then there was the question of how they knew who Lady Vikena was. Of course, it was possible that all of this was pure coincidence, but everything seemed too planned out to be just that. Had they gone to the library first, would they have encountered the same interference by a different group of people?

Olga leaned on the tabletop and gestured him closer with her finger. She then whispered in his ear, “Calbert’s boy Henry came to window. Said two with dark hair in ponytails: Lady Vikena and you. ‘Cept she has pretty ribbon. Haha! …So I see you two, I close door. Henry told me this is all for safety so I tell my staff. “ She paused to take a puff of her cigar. After an exhale and thoughtful pause, she added, “He seemed shaken up.” She shook her body for a moment and widened her eyes to dramatize the effect of one who was afraid. “Something bad going on I think.”

Ryn frowned. Why would Count Damien want to keep them trapped here? Or was it Lady Vikena specifically he wanted in one place? Did the “bad something” have anything to do with the duke? At least it was clear that Count Damien had control over certain districts. Enough influence to make people follow his orders at a drop of a hat. Not a good sign, but perhaps there was still some wiggle room.

“All for whose safety?” Ryn flipped his ponytail with a smile. “What kind of danger does some duke’s daughter and a pip-squeak with matching hairstyles pose to you and your staff?” He replaced his smile with a concerned look as he leaned in closer to Olga. “He’s… not threatening the people here… is he?” He purposefully kept “he” vague in hopes that Olga would fill in the rest.

Olga chuckled at the sight of him flipping his pony tail. ”No. Danger to you. Not to us. Something-”

Marcy ran away from the side window, mop in hand. Olga paused, mouth still agap as if to continue speaking as she started mopping the walkway to the stairs. It did not make sense to Olga why she had done so at first. The eyes of many followed the sight of the frantic mopping. She watched Marcy then dive behind the bar with the mop.

Then the door burst open to the sight of Count Calbert.

---

---

The cool summer night breeze sent shivers down the east islander’s spine. He tried to shield himself from it by snugging further into the muffler, the redheaded scoundrel probably nicked from some poor soul. To anyone else, the wind was pleasant to the skin, but the Northern Kingdoms’ summers were much too dry and cold for Udo’s taste. It was no wonder a majority of its citizens were so pale.

He hoped that standing outside for hours would’ve acclimated his body to the temperature, but much to the warrior’s dismay, it never happened. He was tempted to drink the vodka stashed away in the saddlebags on his horse to get warm, but unlike some people, Udo preferred to stay sober while on the job. So he opted to jog in place as he waited.

After the majority of the party attendees had departed, very few people trickled out of the castle, making it much easier to identify who left the premises. The first notable person to leave unattended was Baron Asteroth Hugonin’s ward. Some farmboy, if sources were to be believed. Though Udo was skeptical that that's all that there was to it. Two of them placed their bets on Kazumin being an illegitimate child of some nobility; Peter thought he was a royal bastard. Considering Edin’s promiscuity, it wouldn't be the least bit shocking if they found out that he sired half of Sorian’s younger population.

The second group of people was hard to miss. A large carriage carrying Callum, Anastasia, and some other prominent figures crossed the drawbridge and made its way down Edin Avenue. Udo climbed onto his own horse and followed the group from a safe distance, being extra cautious to not be spotted by another carriage that followed suit. Once he witnessed the carriages arrive at the harbor’s warehouses, Udo dismounted.

It was somehow simultaneously too lively and too quiet at this hour of the night. Udo spent enough time with Crosswinds Tradings to know how harbors looked at night and yet… The warrior scanned his surroundings. Aside from the guests who he assumed were summoned here, he spotted a number of people patrolling the area. Guards, most certainly. Spies, conceivably. But the warrior had no way of discerning whose.

As the royal siblings and their entourage entered a specific warehouse, Udo’s ocean blue eyes scowled at the logo painted on it. Black Rose. What were Edin's youngest two children getting themselves mixed up in?

If Black Rose was involved, he had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to enter the warehouse without alerting Marek’s henchmen or getting out unscathed. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, infiltration was Peter’s forte. Udo sighed. What would that half-wit do if he was in Udo’s place?

The islander took out one of the vodka bottles from the saddlebag and emptied it all over himself. Udo shuddered uncontrollably for a few seconds before returning the bottle and drawing out another full one. He shifted to the other side of his horse to collect a creel and fishing rod. After he put the full bottle into the creel, Udo stroked his horse. “Ewch yn ôl,” he commanded. The horse neighed in response and trotted in the direction of the palace, where it would “go back” to Hendrixes’ carriage.

Udo’s ears perked up at the sound of hooting. A great horned owl with a brightly colored ribbon tied to its left leg was perched upon one of the shipping crates. It flew up towards the roof of the building, turning its face to Udo once it landed. He was no fool to ignore the beckoning of their avian friends.

Time: Evening
Location:: The Tough Tavern
Interaction(s):: @princess @Potter



Ruby’s body jolted at the sound of a slamming door. Half asleep, she slowly turned her body and looked around the room for the sound that woke her. In an effort to stay quiet, Ruby crawled out of her makeshift bed and cautiously moved toward the door. Then, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. There is a figure in all black leaning against the wall on the other side of the room.

Wow, I really haven’t had much sleep. Ruby thought to herself.

Though confused, her anxiety grew as she remembered a time when someone in all black snuck into her tent and stole her only belongings back when her and Jack lived on the streets. At the same moment that Ruby was preparing to get up to fight this person, a girl in a purple dress and a bow in her hair came in and sat beside them. It appeared as though she was distraught and trying to comfort the other person. Ruby let out a quiet sigh of relief and then continued to lean over from behind the stack of crates that she was hiding behind to see what the commotion was about. As she was listening, her focus on hearing the conversation eventually caused her to lose her balance. Her crouching position quickly turned into her diving face-first into the stack of crates, now startling the girls across the room.

Ruby even startled herself as well, letting out a small yelp. Stumbling to her feet, she said, “O-Oh my God. Stupid crates.. Wait, It’s okay! I am not going to get you in any trouble.” She raised her hands defensively. ” But could you tell me what is going on?” Ruby could tell that the one in black might have been crying before. “Look, I live up here. This is my room and that is my bed. I was sound asleep until I heard you weirdos charging in here. The least you can do is fill me in.”

Eavening Attire (Removed the small cape and most of the metal bits after the ball)

---

---

Roman kept drinking feeling a little bit of a buzz after his fourth ale knowing he would start getting a bit tipsier after maybe 3 or 4 more and sloshed at about 12 or 13 drinks. Yet he felt that these drinks were not as strong as the mead back home. They sure didn’t taste as good more like a braggot than anything, a mixture of ale and mead, a good strong but bitter brew for a working man or warrior.

It wasn’t until he finished his glass and started on the next did he see just how Callum responded to his drink. It was sudden and strange, he must have drank a lot more than he thought at the party as he was well aware that Callum was not a light weight. Mayet however was a wild card, it seemed she only drank half her glass but was being forward enough that even he could see that she was interested in him.

A strange place indeed, with Callum suddenly blurting out a few things and laughing maniacally before wanting a race? Strange. Even Roman looked to the blue drink with clouds drifting by and back to his own dark lager. Pushing the drink back to towards the bartender with a smile, “On second thought I think this ale is plenty enough for me. Please tell the owner of this establishment that he is doing a wonderful job and that if he ever needs or wants something made by the Ravenwood Craftsman Guild I would be happy to take his commission.” Roman smiled at the lady and turned his attention back to Mayet after watching Callum run off with a laugh of amusement.

“This place is strange and I agree with what you said about Nala, only enough room for one or two predators in here it seems.” Roman took a few more gulps of his drink setting down the glass that was now half full. He felt himself getting a little warmer either from the atmosphere or the room itself he could not tell as he was used to much colder temperatures. Subconsciously undoing a few buttons at the neck of his shirt letting more of his muscular chest and shoulders show, the subtle sent of mountain jasmine drifting off of his bronze skin.

Taking in his surroundings again he took notice of the small food fight across the room, the dancers, and the fighting ring. Callum still running and moving, some others in the darker corners of the room having their own fun, while some just kept to themselves and drank. “Callum is a good man not to great on the physical part, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him run.” He couldn’t help but laugh, “He suffers from what we like to call a glass jaw, I figured that one out the first time we met in a bar fight. The little guy will tucker himself out eventually.” Roman was well aware that he was insulting him but it was the kind of insults that old friends threw at each other from time to time.

“How bout this then Mayet. You finish your drink, ill finish mine, and we can go see just how good it feels to dance to the beat of the music like those guys over there.” Motioning to the dance floor. “If the tigress before me feels up for it that is?” A challenge but Roman was definitely having a good night. the morning should be even better when he gets to talk to Violet more on what they discussed at the ball. See just how much of a pain her father will be and if he will have to ask him every day to court his daughter. For now Roman knew it was time for fun and relaxation while he began to drink the rest of his glass.

Location: Alleyway --> The Tough Tavern --> Danrose Castle

Interaction: @JJ Doe Ryn

---

A flash filled the alleyway as if lightning had struck.

“ That’s a keeper… Now let’s move the body onto the gurney.”

Calbert had looked away once the sheet had been removed to take one last photo, but his gaze had caught ahold of something beige laying nearby in the brief light. A woman with a mousey appearance peeked out from the tent over her after a moment, “I think I have enough pictures.” She continued to remove the glass on the lens and prepared to cap it. The body was recovered and men moved into the vicinity, grabbing the corpse gently under her legs on one side and under her back on the other.

Guards could be dimly heard talking in the background as Calbert’s footsteps rang through the alleyway. The blood beneath his feet splattered noisily as he halted his step and knelt down. When he rose, a piece of bread was held in his hand. He examined it with a twitching lip.

The chatter gradually desisted as they turned to watch him. He took off a small, untarnished piece of the bread and put it in his mouth. He was quiet as he chewed. Calbert suddenly spat it on the floor, making those near him wince. He clutched the bread, crumbs falling to the ground in a rain from his iron grip.

“Bring me the man who found her. Is he still here?” His voice was demanding as he glanced around the alleyway.

Ever since the corpse was found, John was under the guard’s supervision, being the first person to discover the atrocity. Second probably, since who knows found the body beforehand, and kept silent about it. The guard did keep the doctor occupied with small chatters here and there, but the wait was fairly quiet.

John’s breath was heavy throughout the wait but he looked otherwise unusually calm and meticulous, writing quite a bit into the piece of paper he pulled out of his coat’s pocket. The guards soon escorted him to a taller bearded-man with long black-hair. The doctor could tell from his face, the slight muscle twitch, his grip on that bread, his strained face. He seemed like the guy in charge, and he didn’t seem happy in the slightest.

”Good evening sir.” John said as he walked up to him. ”I am told you need my presence.”

Calbert took in the sight of the man before him: thin with curly yet neat dark hair. He was dressed well enough. He repressed a sigh of relief; he was dealing with another man of higher status. “Good evening.” He replied in return, offering the gentleman a hand to shake, “I am Count Calbert Damien. I’d like to first thank you for finding my daughter… Please allow me the honor of your name, good sir.” His voice had a hint of hoarseness to it, but he seemed to be attempting to retain some semblance of formality.

”She’s your…” John glanced at the body of what used to be a lively person, now a bloodied mess covered up and carried away by two guards. Now it all made sense why he looked so pissed to him. ”My deep condolence to you, Count Calbert.” He excepted his handshake gently, with both hands cupping the count’s hands, respecting the man’s social status.

”I am Dr. John Williamson, but you can address me as John, if preferable.”

Calbert narrowed his gaze a moment as he was thinking. “I see. Dr. John. Please inform me of the circumstance you came upon this ordeal. I was wondering if you saw anything… or anyone.”

John glanced sideway and down on his sheet of paper for a second. ”I did see someone, yes. So I was walking down this way at around 22:05,” He pointed his hand in the opposite direction of the tavern. ”when I noticed someone was running away from the alleyway, turning to my opposite direction. They left some bloody footprints over…” He then walked over to the alleyway’s entrance, looked over the footprints for one second since the investigators and guards have stepped on the blood, leaving their footprints too, before pointing at one trail. ”that one.”

It did trail over to the direction he was indicating, fading away quickly after a few steps. The print were thick but were mostly discontinued from one another, suggesting that suspect was wearing boots.

Count Calbert hung on his every word. He followed his every movement as well, his blue eyes scanning the footprints. His gaze locked on the trail he pointed out. He asked with no hesitation. “ Could you tell me anything about their appearance?”

”I’m not sure, they wore a hood. But they were wearing all blacks as far as I remember.” John replied.

All black. A planned assassination perhaps?

The long-haired man narrowed his eyes with impatience. He needed more. “Dr. John. I hope you can recall something more about this individual. Perhaps their hair color? The shape of their body could also perhaps let us know if this was a male or female.”

”Body shape? They do look pretty slim, but it was so dark.” Now it was the doctor’s turn to narrow his eyes, as he rubbed his temples. They were bending a little while running, and the darkness blended their clothes so it was a little difficult to discern if their figures were a woman’s or what. But while the darkness concealed their body shape, it inadvertently highlighted other bright colors. ”But I believe they’re blonde. I did see some loose yellow hair strands as they’re running.” He hammered his hand onto his other palm, a revelation hits.

“Ah.” A smile stretched across Calbert’s face. “Thank you, Dr. John.” He said simply. However, it was not a normal smile. It was twisted with malice as dreadful intentions crossed his mind. The smile one imagined a demon might wear before attacking its prey.

Thief of food and of daughters, you will soon suffer more than you can ever imagine.

He looked at Dr. John as if he had forgotten he was there a moment. “Shall we follow the bunny trail?”Calbert asked him. The anger that had rocked him just before was still evident in his eyes yet his tone was eerily cool and nonchalant now.

Something clicked in his mind as John noticed that smile. His teeth grinded quietly as he still outwardly displayed calm and composure. On the one hand, he could understand the pain. He had seen similar outburst of anger, grief and sadness from parents who outlived their offsprings, especially in cases where it is not nature’s fault. But on the other, this looked…so diabolic. For one second, he thought he was the one going to be devoured.

John maintained his eye-contact. ”If I’m needed sir.” He said in the most neutral way as possible. Because technically he was just a witness. He didn’t need to be an investigator too if it wasn’t required, especially considering his status as a visitor now and no longer a citizen.

“Yes. You are.” Calbert replied curtly. “ You will point her out for me.” He started an aggressive walk, following the footprints. The guards began to follow while some stayed behind to continue cleaning up the mess.

John was a little taken aback by the pace, but he quickly kept up. That tone and curtness was not to be trusted. Again, father’s grief, but this is a Count we are talking about. If his experience of Caesonia served him right, if they decided if the guilt of someone was certain, then there were little a commoner could do to stop that. John suspected that hooded individual too, but even science and mathematics had its fatal flaws, it is very possible that she’s innocent. And he would not want to be the one responsible for the torture and even execution of an innocent woman. He would not be able to sleep at night if that happened. But how to convey such nuance to a grieving vindictive father here? There’s not a lot of time.

”I will gladly do so as ordered, Count Calbert.” John started, glancing upward at him, before his voice softened as to convey his empathy to a man who just lost a piece of him, but still maintaining a cold rational front. ”But I hope you aren’t jumping the hoops too quickly.”

“No. I’m certain that I am not.” Calbert said whilst he walked. He glanced down at the shorter man, “I caught a blonde woman eavesdropping on a private conversation. When I confronted her, she had this same bread in her inventory.” He rose the hand holding the piece of bread, “The very same bread from the ball. Now I know that she not only dares to steal from the King, but from me.” Disgust and hatred filled his voice. “Worth mentioning as well, my other daughter claimed a man at the ball had been stalking her. And guess who that gentleman chose to dance with at the ball? “ Calbert halted his walk to lean in and meet John’s eyes, “The same. blonde. woman.”

”I see…” John nodded firmly. He was going to say something about his testimony not being reliable, but it appeared that it just confirmed what Calbert had in mind prior. Even he sounds a little convinced about it. He hoped that was actually true and that she actually killed his daughter, but his diabolical smile unsettled him the moment he saw it. John knew from that moment he couldn’t fully trust this man. This wasn’t a grieving emotional father. This was a vengeful one.

Soon enough, the duo and four guards were at the front of the Tough Tavern. Calbert exhaled but wasted little time throwing the door open. He stomped in practically, calling the attention of all. He cleared his throat as he examined the room. As he stepped inside slowly, the violinist audibly groaned as he dropped his bow off his instrument. His gaze locked on the wooden floorboards before him thoughtfully after peeing around. Wet? Someone spilled their drink?

He glanced around once more until he paused to glance at Ryn. His brows lifted with curiosity for a moment before declaring, “There is a criminal on the loose. It is believed to be a female in all black with blonde hair. We have reason to believe she entered this tavern tonight.” Two of the guards near him began moving about the tavern, searching.

The red-haired girl at the bar slammed her hands on the table, using the momentum to lift herself higher up, speaking up, “No blondes here… Well except for Jack.” She gestured to the platinum-blonde young man lazying on a chair nearby. Olga, the bar owner, could be seen shaking her fist at him to reprimand him for not working.

”Hmm…” He whirled around and looked at John finally. “What do you think?”

John was mostly silent throughout the search. It seemed like she was already gone, as he would have expected. Hell, she might not have gone into this tavern in the first place.

”We could ask the owner.” The doctor still kept a neutral tone. ”But clothes could be discarded, and blonde woman…well we could ask one third of this kingdom for that.” He tapped on his temple a couple of times, thinking of solutions. ”You know her face, you can perhaps ask for an illustrator perhaps? Or if she has stolen before, the royal guards might have had their face sketched somewhere. We could ask them for help.”

Because if she had killed someone, she probably had already fled far away.

’But why the heck would I be giving these suggestions?’ John thought just as he uttered his previous sentence. This guy’s a Count, and he’s a foreigner, by technicality.

Calbert nodded slowly, “Very intelligent, Dr. John. I am appreciative of your help.” With a heavy sigh, he clenched his fists, his gaze locking on a spot before him. He turned on his heels, whispering in John’s ear. ” We’ll go to the royal castle and alert them of the presence of the slayer. I’ll make a drawing of her face once we arrive. The guards require me to do so regardless, but I asked to do it myself so this can all happen in a manner that protects my other daughter.” He paused, “ That is, if you do not mind coming, I’d appreciate your help.”

John glanced sideways before returning the whisper. ”I do stay at the guest house, so I don’t mind.” He said. Calbert had given him a small smile.

Things all seemed to be going well until he called over his shoulder, “Two of you guards should stay here and search the second floor… The floorboards are damp in a path toward the stairs.”

The door shut with a slam.

After a brief carriage ride, Calbert and John approached the castle ground. Eyes had peered down at them with intensity from the walls upon entry. Emerging from the carriage, the duo then moved up the stairs to the gates. The two guards that acquainted them met the gazes of those who were stationed outside the entrance. Then the corpulent castle doors gradually opened in front of their eyes.

They then were escorted into the entrance hall, their footsteps echoing in the empty, unoccupied space. Calbert held up a hand to let Dr. John know he needed to wait a moment. With a journal in his other hand, he picked a writing instrument out of his pocket and continued to work on a sketch of the woman’s face that he had begun over the duration of the carriage ride. He certainly was no artist, but he could draw well enough to establish a point. He was fastidious as one could be.

Location: Second floor of The Tough Tavern
Time:: Evening

---

The silence was broken by none other than Charlotte Vikena sitting down beside her. The words out of her mouth made Persephone halt crying in order to snort derisively. She turned to face her and wiped the tears from her face and grinned mischievously.

”Oh dear, the great Charlotte Vikena had a bad night?” Her voice was light and airy, mixed with her effort not to laugh. ”Well dear me, that puts things into perspective now doesn’t it? The world must know about Charlotte Vikena, the nobleman’s daughter, bad night. Please humor me, duchess.”

Charlotte bit her lip and tensed at her words. She had given quite the wrong impression. ”Um.. I’m sorry. I didn't mean to make the subject about me… I simply… I just…” She found herself apprehensive of upsetting this poor woman worse than she already was. She sighed before telling her honestly, ”I was trying to think of a way to talk to you. You looked really upset and I don’t think anyone deserves to be sad and alone.“

She then tried to catch Persphone’s gaze so she could smile at her, “I know you do not know me at all… and I have no right to barge in on your business, but if I can be a friend to you right now, I’d like to be.”

Persephone watched her tense up and turned away with a huff. Her stammering only annoyed her further and she readjusted her position to stare at her. This girl, in her dress and bow, was at the Tough Tavern and trying to be her friend? Suspicion crept through her and she folded her arms and blew a piece of blonde hair out of her eyes. ”You’re right, you don’t know me and I don’t know you, but I know enough about nobles to know a lot of you are all the same entitled motherfuckers. What are you going to do with the information I provide?” The words came out more aggressive and demanding than she intended but she didn’t apologize either.

Charlotte hung her head sadly for a moment, a little stung by her words. There was truth to them. She knew she lived a life of privilege and could not simply go off the stories she read in books to imagine what this girl’s life was like… But she wanted to understand. She did not want to be like the so-called “entitled motherfuckers” she had been surrounded with all her life. Once the nobles had turned on her due to Lorenzo’s mishaps, she had grown to understand just what they were and perhaps who she had been without realizing it.

Persephone’s mind began replaying the incident with Count Damien and she sighed heavily. She chewed her words next before digesting them as she contemplated the girl’s motive. Charlotte Vikena appeared to be alone, unguarded, and chose to sit with her of all people? Furthermore, she didn’t want her, Persephone, to feel alone and sad? It was plausible. Still, she eyed her and stood up to move away and pace with her arms folded. ”Why do you care?”

She picked up her head as Persephone had stood up. Charlotte glanced up at her and stayed on the floor so as to not challenge her. Tightening her grip on her knees, she finally replied in a gentle tone, “I don’t want to do anything with the information. Besides, I don't even know your name to speak ill of you… As for your second question, I care because isn’t that what we should do for one another?”

Persephone halted long enough to hear what Charlotte had said. With another huff, she considered her words. She seemed sincere and genuine. There didn’t appear to be any malice or trickery behind her. As she contemplated her motive and sincerity, she let out a deep sigh. A vision of Violet Damien with an ax in her face brought her back to her knees. She crouched down and buried her head in her hands and then stood up and angrily kicked the sideboard of the bed and turned to Charlotte with sudden fire in her eyes.

”Fine,” She retorted shortly as anger and shock coursed through her veins and powered her adrenaline. ”I left that damned ball with all the fuckery and was walking down the street when I saw… something in the alleyway. So… I investigated it and found a… gir…girl… with an ax to her face. I stepped in her blood and… I just… I just… I... ran. Left her there and everything. She’s… She’s dead and I just… I just left her… I didn’t see no one there either….”

Visions of her parents' dead, burned, and charred bodies filled her mind’s eye and she crouched again to her knees and covered her head with her arms, and squeezed her eyes as tightly as possible. She rocked for a moment and the tears streamed back down her face after having paused.

Charlotte‘s expression had first saddened seeing the girl kick the bed and get so upset, but then it broke apart completely at her words. A girl had been found with an ax in her face. How awful… The blonde girl rocking in the corner of her eye brought her out of her thoughts and she crawled over to kneel beside her.

She moved a hand slowly, keeping it within the blonde’s vision as she laid a hand on her back and rubbed it comfortingly. It had been a year since she had seen her own mother’s body before her and it was still a vivid picture in her mind. Charlotte could remember how she had cried and could almost replace herself from the past in place of the blonde girl’s now. The pain and the emotion this girl was displaying were all very real.

Persephone noticed movement out of the corner of her eyes. She noticed it was Charlotte though, so she didn’t tense up. Instead, she picked her head up and turned to stare at her. Charlotte’s hand was placed on her back in a comforting way. Persephone froze briefly and momentarily ceased crying. The comfort was unexpected and caused her to forget why she had been crying in the first place. Sniffling, Persephone gently placed a hand on her back in return as a sad smile crossed her face. This girl had been interrogated by Calbert as well. Persephone wanted to tell her she knew but didn’t think it would help the conversation.

The sound of crates tumbling onto the floor suddenly filled the air. When Charlotte and Persephone looked over, a small girl with two different colored eyes was standing there.

The platinum-haired girl stumbled to her feet and said, “O-Oh my God. Stupid crates... Wait, It’s okay! I am not going to get you in any trouble.” She raised her hands defensively. ”But could you tell me what is going on?” Charlotte stared at her, dumbfounded. “Look, I live up here. This is my room and that is my bed. I was sound asleep until I heard you weirdos charging in here. The least you can do is fill me in.”

”Uhh… Hi there…” Charlotte drew off awkwardly as she got to her feet, ” Did you, perhaps, hear all that?”

“HA! Hear it, perhaps?” Ruby’s face lit up with a smirk. “I heard every word!” She said as convincingly as possible, “But you were just getting to the good part when these crates had to reveal me. ”

Persephone had intended to stand up and offer her hand when noise interrupted them. She rolled onto her feet swiftly and gracefully. While doing so, she grabbed her bow, strung her arrow to it quickly, and aimed it at the girl. Her tears were still plastered to her cheeks along with strands of blonde hair, but the expression on her face was cold and mistrustful. Glaring at her, she didn’t lower her bow as she studied her. ”I do stay up here too but haven’t been around recently.” She paused and considered her tone, but didn’t remark on it. ”I came up here to rest and Charlotte here followed me. I’m not saying anymore.” She raised the bow and glared at her. ”You have five minutes to declare your innocence.”

“Good heavens.” Charlotte commented in surprise. Why is this happening? As fear began to creep in, she pushed it away. She then swallowed hard before she stepped in front of Persephone, blocking her aim, “...Let’s be civilized please, ladies.” Charlotte forced firmness into her voice. A nervous smile presented itself on her face.

”Whoa whoa whoa! Can you quit pointing that thing at me? I declare that I am innocent, can that be said for you? You’re the one pointing a dangerous weapon at people! And in my goddamn room!” Ruby huffed angrily after ranting.

Persephone watched Charlotte move in front of her and scowled. Civilized? This girl had overheard her recounting a murder. She lowered it for Charlotte’s sake now that the girl was in front of her. She pocketed the arrow in her quiver, although she now had access to her knives. ”For Lady Vikena’s sake, I’ll lower it.” Persephone moved her hand to her pocket and made it known she had more than arrows on her. ”This isn’t just your bedroom, missy. Guess you moved in when I disappeared for a bit. You overheard a rather delicate story so you can’t blame me for being defensive. I’ve been on the streets for months where you’re not going to survive by being cute. Maybe you haven’t lived like that to know.” She rolled her eyes at her rant and gestured at the girl to continue speaking and refused to take her eyes off her. It could be nothing, but Persephone wasn’t taking any more chances after being threatened by Count Dipshit.

Ruby glared furiously at Persephone. ”What do you mean this isn’t just my bedroom? I was taken in by Olga years ago! I have never seen you in my life.” Ruby leaned over to grab a crate as she feared that Persephone was going to make a move. ”Look missy, I couldn’t care less what delicate story you were talking about, except that it interrupted my sleep!”

“Okay…Okay…”Charlotte raised her hands and waved both in the air to get their attention, “Heh, I think we have a little misunderstanding… So let’s just.. Errr.. start over. ” She looked between the two girls and smiled warmly, “My name is Charlotte. And what are your names?”

Persephone glared back at Ruby and didn’t waiver. ”You’ve been here for years and I never saw you. What kind of lie is that?” She rolled her eyes and glanced at the crate. ”That doesn’t scare me, little girl. And your sleep? So sorry,” Her temper was threatening to implode at this predicament. Her night was getting wilder as the minutes crept by. I should have stayed home with Buttercup.

Persephone turned as Charlotte’s voice interrupted her reverie. Keeping one eye on the stranger, she glanced back at her. This girl lived to be the voice of reason didn’t she? Persephone took several deep breaths to calm herself and stepped away from Charlotte and folded her arms. It was less offensive as before, but she looked ready to bolt or attack at the slightest provocation. ”Seph.” Her voice was calm and quivering with impatience. She didn’t elaborate on her full name.

”Well miss Seph, my name is Ruby Maeve and I think your girl Charlotte has a point.” Her furious look melted a little and she hung her head at this conundrum. She looked at the crate that was still clenched in her hand then she said, ”Let’s start over, okay? Why are you guys here?” Ruby turned her head to Charlotte for reassurance, unintentionally revealing that she in fact did not hear every word of their discussion.

Charlotte decided to go first on this one as perhaps her reasoning was a bit less extreme. “I came here looking for my father tonight… Subsequently, I saw Seph here run up the stairs seeming rather disconsolate and I thought I could maybe help.” She turned to face the smaller girl, folding her hands apologetically, ”I am really sorry that we disturbed you, Ruby.”

Persephone listened to both of them and huffed. She allowed Charlotte to answer though she felt it was risky. Still, she was curious about Charlotte's perspective. She was looking for her father..? I’ve had a bad night too.. She glanced at the duchess and shook her head. ”Jesus Christ.” She put her head in her hands momentarily and sighed as she picked her head back up. ”What she said,” she muttered and glanced at Ruby less aggressively now. ”I crash here infrequently and haven't ever seen you. It could be because I’m normally here in the daytime. Marce, the bartender… helped me with that.” That wasn’t the full truth, but she didn’t trust this girl. Charlotte Vikena had a bit of a higher rating in her eyes, but she didn’t know her well either. Seph sighed and glanced at the bathroom. If anyone found her boots here, they’d be in trouble.

Crossing over to the bathroom, Persephone picked her boots up and began lacing them up again. There was residual blood on them but she had managed to clean them off decently. She laced them up tightly without looking at the other two.

Ruby curiously watched Seph cross over to the bathroom, but failed to grasp what was happening. ”That must be it. I am not around during the day, as I have to work for my place to stay here. I would say that it is a pleasure to meet you, if the circumstances were any different..” Ruby grinned slightly as she began to sympathize with the girls. Olga is going to get a load of this from me later on for leaving me out of the loop. Ruby thought. She looked over at Charlotte and asked, in an attempt to understand their predicament better, ”Why are you looking for your father?”

Charlotte held up a hand; her focus had slipped elsewhere as the two girls had conversed. She suddenly knelt down and began trying to peer through a crack in the wood floor. However, she could not see much. Finally, she found a small hole and began peering through it with one eye while the other was shut. Count Calbert was right below them.

“...Two of you guards should stay here and search the second floor… The floorboards are damp in a path toward the stairs.”

The door shut with a slam.

Ruby attempted to get close enough to Charlotte to see what she was seeing. “Uhh… Girls!” Charlotte called nervously, “We have a dilemma.”

Persephone sighed in relief at Ruby’s words. That made sense; they were missing each other. A wry smile crossed her face as she nodded. ”You too, Ruby. Sorry about… about before. It’s been rough.” She glanced at Charlotte and frowned at her. What was going on? As silence fell, she heard the commotion and knelt down beside Charlotte. Her eyes widened and she paled. For a moment, all she could do was stare with terror. How had Calbert seen her! The alley looked empty. The door slamming jolted her out of her reverie and she jumped to her feet. ”Oh no. I didn’t even do anything!” She grabbed her backpack and opened it frantically, counting each item to double-check it was with her. However, as she peered down through it, she noticed something was missing: her precious bread. Had it fallen out nearby?

Panic coursed through her like wind through her hair and she glanced around anxiously until her gaze fell on the window. ”Umm… so…” She frowned as she panicked and froze.

Ruby was pacing back and forth in the distance, mumbling some words that were too faint to decipher.

Meanwhile, Charlotte rushed to put a chair against the door knob. “Go out the window. Ruby and I can handle them.” She held the door shut with her hands as well as the pressure of a big fist pushed against it, her arms outstretched. Knock, knock!
Her gaze moved toward the pacing Ruby, “Uhh, Ruby? A little help?”

Ruby’s eyes darted upward and she looked at Charlotte ghastly. She then gathered her emotions and said, ”Yes! Do not you worry, Seph. I will handle this.” Her tone made it sound like she was trying to prove something. She came over to where Charlotte was and pressed against the door as well.

Persephone raced over to the window and glanced at Ruby. Her voice became hushed: ” Thank you. I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. God, I should have stayed home. Charlotte, can I come over tomorrow?” She pulled the window open and glanced at her.

Ruby smiled at Persephone and made a waving motion at her, ignoring her apology. ”Go!” She whisper-yelled.

Charlotte looked over her shoulder as she struggled to hold the weight of men slamming against the door. She was at first confused by the timing of such a question but she managed a smile nonetheless, “Certainly? I live down the street in a brick house.” She could hear the guards shouting now.

Persephone didn’t reply as she rushed to the door swiftly. She opened the window and crawled out carefully. Grabbing the window frame with one hand she clutched the roof with the other hand. Once she had a firm grip, Persephone let go of the windowsill and hoisted herself up on the roof. She grabbed a piece of cloth and hanger tied around the roof and quietly crept across the roof. She had attached a clothing line illegally from the bar to a building nearby as a deal with Marcy. Tonight, Persephone hadn’t lived up to her end of the bargain. Guilt rushed over her but she ignored it. There wasn’t time for anything else. Seph pulled her hood up tightly around her face and grabbed the cloth and hanger, then set it over a clothing wire.

Then, she began flying through the air on it until she reached the roof of the other building. Regretfully, she took a knife out and cut the line so she couldn’t be followed or discovered. Once on the adjacent roof and the zipline was cut, she hopped down it onto a closed dumpster, and then ran like hell in the opposite direction of the bar and the castle, into the slums of town.

Charlotte glanced at Ruby once Persephone was gone. She panicked for a moment as she scrambled for a plan in her mind. If they thought Persephone was a murderer, what was to stop the guards from viewing them as accomplices? They had to have a story and fast. “Um… Just follow my lead…” She whispered.

Ruby wanted nothing more than for this to be over with, but she was already roped in. She did trust Charlotte, as she had been civil with her from the start. ”Onward!”

Charlotte let the pressure off and the two guards burst in. She whirled on them with an indignant expression, ” How dare you attempt to barge into a woman’s quarters! She was changing!!” She scoffed in disgust.

The guards looked at each other in confusion before trying to scope the room with their eyes for someone that matched the description they had been given. They stared at Ruby with perplexed expressions, neither speaking.

Ruby caught on to Charlotte’s ruse and a displeased look struck her face as she looked at the guards. ”Is this how you boys plan to get a glimpse at a woman? Because the lord only knows that one would never choose to be in your presence otherwise!” Ruby’s attempt to confuse the guards by hitting a weak spot was unpredictable but seemed to be working as far as she could tell. She stomped her feet sharply and unwrinkled her nightgown with her hands.

”Well? What are you looking at!? If you have nothing to say, then get out! She moved up to the door and with a jolting motion, slammed it in their face.

Time:Evening
Location: Marek's Afterparty
Interactions: @Infinite Cosmos Munir @Helo Callum
Attire:An Outfit that would make her mother faint

---

A hand suddenly trailed down the small of her back, driving a shudder through the princess. Anastasia glanced around until her eyes set on the Sultan's pretty-faced son. A smile stretched across her face and her eyes might as well have had hearts in them. She giggled as he spoke, laying a hand on his cheek lovingly as if he was her most beloved, rubbing it with her thumb in a delicate manner. She was quiet for a moment as she searched his face before she told him sweetly, "You deserve love... and happiness." His request dawned on her with some delay.

Introduce to that man...

Anastasia followed his point to her brother, who was running past them across the room like a lunatic. Oh. I think he is gay. And he's gay for Callum. It felt as if her heart was breaking for a moment, but then she remembered how much she loved Callum. It would be amazing for Callum to find someone tonight. She met Munir's eyes, "Of course, but he does seem rather busy doesn't he? And I am not sure if he swings that way so let me just ask him for you, darling." She patted his shoulder assuringly.

She set her drink down then put her hands over her mouth to achieve greater loudness as she started calling to Callum, "Yooohoo Callum! Callum! Are you gay? Are you gay, Callum!"

Time:Evening
Location:Marek’s After Party
Interaction: @princess Anastasia @Helo Leo @samreaper Kazumin @Potter Ezra @Rodiak Nahir

---

"I'm glad you're not dead! Wow! And you look AMAZING!"

Anastasia fully embraced Alden, wrapping her arms around him as he had approached the group. Alden was taken back by the action, almost spilling his drink, but simply embraced her back. Between the effects of the drink’s properties, the atmosphere, and the princesses' seemingly loving and caring embrace, Alden simply lusted for more. He appreciated and saw Anastasia right then and there, as a true mature woman. She truly has grown, and is looking absolutely stunning this evening. Nothing could possibly ruin this moment…

"CALLUM! ADORABLE LITTLE BROTHER THAT I LOVE! LOOK WHO IT IS! It's fucking Alden Plannington!"

... Almost nothing could have ruined this moment. ALMOST

Anastasia yelled across the room, piercing Alden’s ear in the process. The irritable behavior just ever so slightly brought Alden back into reality. Maybe I was too quick to consider her to be matured, but nevertheless, this cannot squander the night of its fun. Alden took another sip of his drink as he continued to admire her body, examining her dress as she was yelling and pointing like a frantic maniac.

"WHO!? ....WHO....did this?!"

Alden’s eyes opened wide as he turned his attention to the estranged man who was in a fury pointing at a cupcake that had fallen onto the floor. " Which one of you bastardos besmirched this cupcake?! Huh? Who dares to taint the treat Senor Baker worked so hard to offer for Senorita Cupkaita?! “

Who is this lunatic and why does he proceed to speak like a gringo?! I swear this group's behavior is worse than that of the CIRCUS down in the slums! He continued watching this incredibly bizarre act as he continued rambling on and to the point of beating himself up . Alden just simply watched in a calm yet concerned manner.. Not for the safety of Chavez, no, but concerned for his own image of just being associated with these clowns.

"Who is that? Why is he calling himself estupido?". Alden turned his glance to the incoming voice. What he proceeded to see was not what he was expecting, considering the current affairs that unfolded within the night. The voice came from a gorgeous woman bearing an incredible, almost exotic outfit who carried herself with utmost elegance.

"Alden, was it? Friend of the princess?"

She is attentive as well, paying attention to her surroundings. And with that gaze she's giving me, there’s no question about it. She’s intrigued by me, despite the scene in which she found me in. I would even say, she would have my full intention naturally, even without the effects of the drink. Let's see where this can go. Alden fully turned his attention to her, greeting her with a warm smile and an extending palm as a gesture, indicating for her to grab it. “Ah, you must have heard the princess yelling. Why yes, my name is Alden Plannington, Royal advisor to Caesonian Kingdom. And who do I have the pleasure of making an acquaintance with?”

Time: Night
Location: 420 Wicker St; Center of Chaos
Interaction: Anastasia @princess, Munir @Infinite Cosmos, Ezra @Potter

Callum failed to notice that no one else had joined his race, and it wouldn’t have mattered if he had noticed. The youngest prince of Caesonia had never felt this much vigor running through him; he was invincible, he was more alive than he had ever been, and he was speed. He skidded and pivoted around confused party-goers as he ran from one end of the warehouse to the other, slapping the wall before turning to head back in the direction of the bar.

It was then that he noticed neither Roman nor Mayet were neither ahead of him or behind him, they weren’t even running. He paused and saw they were both still at the bar. Well, that’s it, huh? Roman, lost to the lovesickness and now, once again, I’ll just party alone. That’s fine, absolutely fine, good for Roman, he deserves it. Cal bounced around for a bit, jumping along with the music. He’d never had this much energy before and he didn’t know what to do with it all, the only thing he did know was doing nothing would drive him absolutely crazy right now.

"Yooohoo Callum! Anastasia’s voice cut through the noise of the warehouse again, and he tilted his head to the side. He had no idea why Ana was shouting at him now, but he shrugged it off, saw her talking to a group of people and the last thing he wanted to do right now was get introduced to people. No, what Callum really wanted to do, right at that exact moment, was climb something just to see how high up he could get. Now that sounded like fun. "Callum! Are you gay? Are you gay, Callum!" At that, he stopped jumping around, and paused with momentary confusion.

What a weird question, why was Ana asking that? At least it wasn’t a boring question. Cal took maybe a half-second to reconsider and decided it was very unlikely Ana was calling him over for something boring. Ana is probably one of the least boring people I know. And, and maybe she’d race him, or help him find something to climb! Cal sprinted in her direction, narrowly avoiding a couple of people before his foot slid on a smashed cupcake. His foot flew in front of him, the rest of his body slid backward and Callum ended up on his ass in front of the group.

Why are there cupcakes all over the floor? Callum thought but he was now laughing too hard to ask.

“What? Why? What’s going on?” He asked, each word shouted through uncontrolled fits of laughter.

---

For a moment it seemed like nothing was going to stop Chavez, the unhinged man continued his attack on himself, not even cupcake throwing seemed able to distract him. For a moment Leo almost lost his grin, as a very angry Zarai stormed over to them, his thrown cupcake visible on her clothing.

Uh oh. Leo thought and as he prepared to slip away into the crowd and become lost amongst a sea of increasingly erratic party-goers, Zarai proceed to lay the blame on Chavez. Now Leo’s grin only widened as he wiped cupcake frosting off his hands and onto his pants to better hide any evidence of his involvement.

Sucess! Senior Chavez was no longer attacking himself and was soon led away by the very angry-looking Zarai. This was the best possible outcome, those two would blow off some steam in the boxing ring and hopefully return ready to have fun. Everything fell into place, the universe looked out for the noble’s, and gifted them success as often as possible because they really did deserve it. Leo realized this and it made the world seem a better brighter place because in his perfect state of euphoria he knew this as truth.

As quickly as the two rage-fueled individuals left the group, they were all graced by the addition of a half-dressed Shahzade. From the way Munir approached the princess, to the way he carried himself, Leo knew on instinct that this was a man who knew how to have a good time. Except, strangely enough, Munir was asking about the wet blanket of Caesonia, Callum Danrose. Leo took the opportunity to move in closer to Ezra and further poke at the permanent sourpuss.

“Ah, baker buddy, I think you’ve got some competition, and that one came ready to play.” He said watching Munir as Anastasia shouted for her brother. Leo couldn’t remember ever having seen Callum so lively but the prince came sprinting out of nowhere only to slip on the cupcake carnage that lay about the floor. He moved away from Ezra, who seemed like just about the only one here unable to give themselves over to the party. Leo grabbed a hold of Callum’s arm and pulled the prince back up to his feet.

“Callum! Look at you, only took a good twenty years but you’ve learned not to be boring! Congratulations.” Leo hugged the young prince and ruffled his hair.

“Boring? Ana am I boring?” Cal asked. Leo nodded his agreement with the statement.

“Absolutely, but we can fix that. But right now, I need a drink.” Leo added before heading off in the direction of the bar.