---

Time: 9:35
Location: The Gates of House Damien
Interaction: @princess

---

The next few minutes felt like hours as Cas waited for what would come next. There still was not an ounce of nervousness inside him which was almost concerning. This was to be an instrumental piece of his future, but he was not anxious nor did he feel any trepidation. He would not be denied.

He thought of his mother’s songs and the comforting words she had blessed him with over the years. She could calm even the most violent of storms that raged inside his mind. Her very presence was like medicine to him, and he missed her more in this moment than he ever had before. It almost felt as though she was with him. Through all of the violence he had come to see and the hardships he had been forced to face over the years he had been changed in many ways. Much of the sweet heart and selflessness that his mother held dear from him was now buried deeper than he ever intended, but his love for the woman who raised him never faltered nor changed. As long as he had her memory...as long as he could hear her songs in his dreams those parts of him that she loved would never truly die.

It was a different side of him that stood present in this moment, however. A side that was not gifted by his mother. This side of Cassius was uncompromising and housed ruthlessness on tap. It was the side of him that helped him thrive with an axe in hand and blood all around him. Just as true a side as his mother’s sweetness...but very different to say to say the least. Perhaps this part of him was gifted by the man he came here to meet. Only time would tell, and as he watched a figure descend the pathway to the gate it seemed as though he wouldn’t have to wait long.

"Tell me your name."

The nature of the way the man in front of him asked the words forced a revelation upon Cassius. This man...his father, and he was sure that he was indeed his father the moment he looked into his eyes, had always known. It was obvious by the man’s inflection that he was not asking his name out of a sense of curiosity...but rather for confirmation. This changes things, at least by a margin. Cassius began to form the first syllable of his name on his lips but stopped. He thought of his mother. How she perhaps loved this man with the same heart with which she loved him. Instead of simply speaking his name Cassius closed his eyes and did something that he had not done in years. He began to sing her song. Anyone who had felt the love of his mother’s heart would know this song.

He only sang a few lines, but it was more than enough to get the point across. His eyes opened slowly and he looked directly at the man in front of him.

“I’d rather hear you speak my name...father. What is it? What is the name of your bastard son?”

Champion was awfully frightened by the sudden scream that rang through the park. The fur stood on the kitten's back as he scrambled into Charlotte's lap. He buried his fluffy black head into the fabric of her dress. With a frown, she comforted him with a head rub. Perhaps an excited child. She thought to herself, glancing around the park. Her gaze locked on the sight of Crystal crossing the grass. The faces of her red-headed companions came into view as well. Aw. Look at how cute Crystal looks today, oh and she's with the Edwards... I haven't seen them in a very long time. She had been closer to the Edwards' children when she had been younger, but then Lorenzo had come into the picture. Duchess Victoria could not stand Lorenzo, even if her husband played nice with him. The Edwards had kept their distance for years now. She had never been sure if Priscilla and Kieran's view of her had also changed, but it mattered not. Though, due to that fact, she was uncertain if she should join them.

Even though she had decided not to greet them, she figured a little innocent glance wouldn't hurt. Besides, sitting over here where she had been previously threatened was suddenly not so enchanting. She gathered Champion and stood up. After putting her blanket and whatnot back in the basket, Charlotte also picked up her plate. Then she slowly walked over to the garbage can. She craned her neck as her gaze followed the group of nobles as they made a trek over to a... Tiger! Oh, I remember her! The adorable Alidasht royal and her beautiful tiger. I really wanna go over there now... I wonder if she'd let me pet that big kitty. It was such a gorgeous animal. Charlotte couldn't believe what a treat it was to see one outside in the sunlight.

Charlotte had been so distracted by the tiger she had barely noticed herself walk clumsily into the waste basket. She inhaled and quickly caught it before it fell over. "Sorry, sorry!" She apologized hastily to a couple nearby her who had flinched. After disposing of her waste, she realized she no longer had an excuse to be nosy. She prayed that she would not regret her choice as she began to cross over to the group, only to be halted by the sound of someone yelling. Charlotte glanced over toward the ruckus.

“Do you have any idea who you speak to?! And you call me the fool?! I am the venerable Duke of Veirmont!”

Uh oh.

...It was Lorenzo and he looked furious. She barely noticed her mouth was agape as she stared on, stunned. He was completely losing it on somebody on the waffle line. Charlotte could barely recall seeing him that way, even during his quarrels with her mother. She sucked in her lips and began hurrying over. What on Eromora could be going on? ...It's a line for waffles...

"Um, is everything okay?" Charlotte's voice was soft and concerned as she moved to her father's side. It was not hard to pick out the person who provoked Lorenzo as he looked to be fuming, perhaps even preparing a rebuttal. She gave him a dirty look, ready to loyally stand by her father regardless of the situation.

Her attention was briefly stolen by the sight of the girl in her nightgown nearby them. With some closer inspection, she recognized the girl. Her brow slightly raised as she wondered why she was not properly dressed. However, she could not thank her enough for accompanying her last night. She knew she had to at least say hello. "Hello again, Ruby. It's nice to see you... " Charlotte knew she could have quite an appetite, but this woman had perhaps the largest stack of waffles she had seen in her life. "You have picked out an impressive selection of waffles for yourself there, I see."

For a long long time that is '30 minutes ago', the good Varian doctor was in a state of personal hell, or 'heck' he would call it. He was sleepy. He found himself dozing off on his arms multiple times, only to jolt back up when that innate sense of danger kicked in that told him he'd smash his face somewhere. Keeping himself busy was no excuse anymore, the only task there was waiting for Thea. He'd read books on normal days, but each line of text was a cradle, each chapter a lullaby. He'd collapse before he even knew it. Screw hellfire, he'd rather burn for a good night's sleep.

The knock on the door finally came, and John's response had never been faster. He wanted not just to get this over with and he could occupy himself outside, but that it had also been a while since he did this checkup with her. However, it wasn't Thea. It was the Smithwood servant he sent earlier instead, along with another similarly dressed individual, presumably also a servant for the Smithwoods. Upon seeing the doctor's tired face emerge from behind the door, both ladies glanced at each other nervously.

"Dr. Williamson?" John merely nodded this time. "...We're sorry but your appointment with Lady Thea would have to be postponed."

...

"...Will have to what?" His voice was rather neutral. Both servants weren't sure if he was being rhetorical or not. The servant that spoke up, the same one he sent to Thea, looked over to the other one, expecting something.

"S-She said you need not worry about her, and that she'll come to you later." The other servant stuttered. Both of them could hear the gust of air blowing after that statement. This just meant 'never', doesn't it?

"Uhh, Dr. Williamson?" One of the servant called out to John, waving her hands in front of the doctor after a rather lengthy silence. "Are you alright? Do you have any questions for us?"

His eyes nearly rolled out of his head before his usual casual friendliness that both the servants came to knew him for returned.
"I'm alright, thank you. I have a couple of questions, actually." Both servants nodded. "You two saw Thea earlier. What does she look like?"

"What does she look like?" They pondered the question. Considering it was from a doctor, "She was...unsteady, one would say. She almost fell." the servant replied.

"Does she look exhausted?"

"I'm not sure, I don't think so. She is still going around by herself."

John gave yet another sigh. "Hmm, okay. One last question." His voice was still quite amicable. "Do you see anything on her arms and legs?"

"Umm...no?" The servants replied in confusion. "Why do you need to know that?"

"Oh good. Don't worry about it~. I just wanna make sure she won't be DEAD in the next few days." The doctor replied with a very appreciative smile on his face. "Thank you you two, have a great rest of your day."

The door was then slammed shut.

---

Well, so at least she'll be fine for now. But that still did not alleviate John's annoyance much. In a way, it's kinda sad. Through some insider's information, he knew a little bit of her situation. And he'd be honest, it's fucked up. Not even just a lost father, but a claustrophobic and molded family situation. Give anyone a poor and homeless childhood anytime, but not a dysfunctional one. Now her father's gone, her mother's been focusing on her own happiness, her brother...well who knows what her brother had been up to. And a fiance that if he were to guess out of so many typical stories, she didn't get to pick. Who was genuinely there for her really?

John pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. He was too tired to be mulling over this nonsense. He wanted to get out for once and actually get to enjoy things for a bit. It's a beautiful day, and he's in one of the best cities of Caesonia. And thus he got himself dressed, though not too differently from what he wore at the ball the day before just with different colors. A man always on duty, like usual.

The morning newspapers were full of nonsense, but the events section does give quite a bit of activities for him to decide. As much as the interesting stuffs like the Self-Defense basics or the Hat Shop, the doctor was hungry. And that wouldn't sit. He'd have something in his stomach and no one would stop him. 'Pancakes at the Park.' Which is the reason why he didn't hesitate when he read that bullet point. With only half an hour left for this pancake event, he went straight for the waiting line, ignoring everyone if they weren't also waiting for their turn.

"Ah yes, YES." Like a couple of individuals around here, John wasn't the only one excited for the waffles. He didn't even bother sitting down or finding a seat, but would have his ticket back to heaven as he walked. Soon, some colors returned to his face and irritations began to evaporate. It was then that he began to recognize some of the park-goers here. It was very much difficult not to.

"Hello again, Duke Vikena." John gave the duke a two-fingered salute rather than the bow that he would to other nobles. "Food really does blind us eh?" He said, jabbing subtly and lightheartedly at both the duke and himself, who were until a moment ago were quite hypnotized. "Nice to see you, Lady Charlotte. You as well, miss."

When she reached for the arrogant lord, Riona deliberately moved slowly, expecting him to recoil from her. Instead, Lord Smithwood’s grip on her wrist took Riona aback. She wondered if she had crossed the line. The pressure building on her wrist certainly suggested she did.

Triumph and amusement masked the silver of fear coursing through her. She won. A small victory over a Varian noble, sure, but an “insignificant nobody” getting under his skin was still a victory. This type of victory was not without a cost—a steep price for commoners—but a broken wrist felt cheaper than the usual exchange rate. Riona braced herself for the pain that never came.

“Enjoy this.” Lord Smithwood spat out after he released her. “Let it bring you comfort when you return to whatever hovel you crawled out of, and I continue to enjoy every comfort –”

“Princess SAADDIIEE has arrived!”

The two turned their attention to Sadie, the cyclone of cheeriness herself. Riona relaxed as the Varian princess approached and returned the warm smile Sadie gave her.

The smile would’ve remained there if the princess hadn’t moved in to touch the filthy maidservant. Riona tried to take a step back, even raising her hands to show Sadie why it’d be a terrible idea to touch her right now. “Miss Sadie, wai—” But Sadie, being Sadie, didn’t care about Riona’s unhygienic state. It was also possible she didn’t notice at all, too excited by seeing familiar faces. Or both. Both were just as likely.

The servant flinched on contact, and she tried again to draw attention to her dirty hand.

“You also smell like horses and manure.”
“I—”
“Do you need to take a shower?”
“Ye—”
“You could use the one in my room!”
“Tha—”
“A pretty lady like you deserves it!”

Riona’s cheeks turned a tinge rosy. She wasn’t used to being called pretty. Rarely did anyone say that to her, especially without a hidden agenda. Something which Sadie lacked. Her casual compliment only made Riona more self-conscious. Pretty was a word to describe other people and things, not her.

Riona cleared her throat. “Thank you, Miss Sadie. For the compliment and offer, but—Oof!” The force of being pulled into a group hug made Riona lose her balance. To avoid toppling everyone over, Riona’s hand landed on Lord Smithwood’s back to steady herself.

Not how she envisioned greeting a friend, but she reciprocated the princess’s hug and stealthily wiped the rest of the mess off her hand on the lord’s back. The ruined outfit might as well be useful for something.

“I heard there are pancakes in the park! How exciting! And the Alidasht kingdom is here too? And they have the taste of Alidasht? So cool! Who wants to go with me? Oh, and isn’t there an archery competition? Amazing!” Despite herself, Riona caught Sadie’s contagious excitement about the day’s events—even though she doubted she’d be able to participate in any of them. The lord’s voice instantly put a damper on that feeling.

“I’d say I am looking forward to seeing the horse race, Princess. A beautiful thing, the symbiotic relationship between master and animal, to see the horse run as it was built to do, and its master lead it towards success in their shared discipline.” The grin directed at her didn’t go unnoticed.

Riona smiled graciously at the lord. “And what separates the winners from the losers is how well they take care of the steed’s overall well-being. I mean… it’d not be a proper race if the horse flings its master off and he’s forced to run all the way to the goal on his own feet, now, would it?” The maid glanced down at his shoes. “At least you don’t have to worry about ruining your shoes.” They held onto their respective smiles during the brief but heavy silence.

“Perhaps we’ll continue this conversation on horses, though I wouldn’t want to keep you from your duties, I’m sure there are better uses for your time.”

Just as Lord Smithwood attempted to excuse himself, another man appeared out of thin air. He looked familiar. Riona knew she saw him during the ball. She just couldn’t match the face with a name. She was halfway through the guest list when the silver-haired man spoke to her. “Perhaps there is a water trough the Lord can wash up in? I’m sure he would appreciate it.”

Riona crossed her arms and looked at Lord Smithwood, “Will he? I’d imagine that’d be a first.” As tempting as it was to stand there until he said the magic word, she knew she’d be wasting more than just her and Lord Smithwood’s time, so she relented. The maid said to Sadie that she’d be back in a jiffy and left.

A short while later, Riona returned with a hand washing cup in one hand and a lavender-scented hot towel in the other. She shoved the cup in Lord Smithwood’s hands, not caring if water spilled all over him or if he dropped it, then spun around to face Sadia with a genuine smile. She offered her now clean hand to the princess, “hand please.”

As she cleaned Sadia’s hands with the greatest of care, Riona said, “It’s good to see you, Miss Sadia. You had me worried when you didn’t show up yesterday.” Riona double-checked her work. Her keen sense of spotting a mess, honed through the years of housecleaning, hunted for any remaining filth. “I’m still technically working my shift, so I won’t be able to join you, but maybe we can meet later?” Satisfied with the results, Riona clasped her hands around Sadia’s, “I’d love to catch up with you.” She stepped away once, then quickly removed a rogue blotch from the fine dress with the towel, before completely stepping away. “You know where to find me.”

When Riona faced the Woodsman with a nobleman’s title, her posture straightened. “Good day to you, Lord O’hare.” She bowed with such grace that the head housekeeper and the Vos would’ve been proud of her. Which only highlighted the fact that the maid offered none of these to Lord Smithwood.

She didn’t address him—not verbally, at least—and her bearings didn’t reflect a shred of respect for the heir of Stravy. She even considered not acknowledging the highborn, just as he likely often ignored everyone below his station. Riona placed her hand on her hip and looked at him with utter contempt instead. The maid’s farewell to this particular lord was a short huff through the nose—nothing more, nothing less.

The maidservant left the three Varian nobles behind, head held high.

Time: 9:30am
Location:: The Park of Sorian
Interaction(s):: @FunnyGuy Lorenzo @princess Charlotte @Conscripts John


“Hey, can you imbeciles get a move on! You fools are not the only ones in line!” Someone was yelling at them from the line. Ruby looked over to see the speaker. “Yeah, you! And your bitch there! Hurry it up so I can eat some waffles, damn it!”

Ruby’s brow raised as she wondered if she heard this patron correctly. She held up one of her waffles and pointed it at the man, saying, “Look, mister! I am nobody’s bitch. I simply required some waffles. Why don’t you go back to the pancake line, you ol’ buzzard?” Lorenzo clearly had a lot to say about it too. She was surprised to see the agreeable man start yelling and raising the plate in the air.

Ruby’s jaw was dropped and it took her a few seconds to come back to the present moment. She was in awe at the Duke’s blowback toward the Patron, but a sense of pride filled her. “YEAH! ” she yelled in response and clapped, although nobody had asked her. “He’s fucked more counts than anyone I’ve ever met!” She was trying to help establish his dominance.

A new voice joined in the chaotic conversation. Ruby smiled a teethy smile at Charlotte and gave her a tight hug, while keeping hold of her waffles. She felt a fluffy presence in between them and she quickly released herself. There was a cat in Charlotte’s arms. Ruby scrunched up her face and began to offer the kitten some waffles, but it did not seem interested. “Hello Charlotte. Oh, dear. You must get yourself a plate.” She paused and remembered that they were looking for her dad the night prior, “Did you ever find your papa?”

That was when yet another person came over. They now had a full blockade in front of the waffle table, and people were starting to grumble and get very angry. He seemed to know Charlotte and the mustache guy. Ruby looked at the newcomer in agreement with his sentiment on food. Ruby took the chance to greet the dashing, well-dressed hunk back and said eagerly, “It is wonderful to see you, too.” She was not sure who this man was in the slightest, but she liked what she saw. Ruby fanned herself with one of the waffles discreetly.

---

Time: Morning
Location: Archery Competition
Attire: Outfit
Interactions: None
Mentions: @Tae Thea ★ @Rodiak Matthias ★ @Alivefalling Tsuki

---

The night had been a blur for Ezra. He remembered walking into the party and seeing his princess; knew he had bought her an extra drink, and then it was hazy. It infuriated him that he had been so close and had not taken her yet. Torie had told him that the Queen, Wystan and the others had shown up to bring their imbecile nobles home. Knowing he had been dragged home by his friends without the princes had caused him a restless night's sleep.

However, his night hadn’t been in vain. While the castle had been emptied after the party, he’d asked Faith to search Anastasia’s room. It was there she had found her diary and taken it home with her. Ezra had read some of it over, but it was still a work in process. The next move he had taken was to dye his hair black, and also cut it short. It was an extra precaution to avoid being recognized for any mayhem he had been involved in the night prior… and also for another reason.

The fury of the night events, though punctured with his momentary gratitude for Faith’s stealth, drove him to the archery competition. He needed to blow off steam and this would be a perfect opportunity to embarrass these ridiculous nobles. He saw Matthias and Thea, along with some man with long hair he had never seen. Ezra didn’t care who he was and thought of him as a freak. Seeing the Varian nobles only incensed him further while tension boiled under the surface. All of them were insignificant yet so self-obsessed. They were just like everyone he had met growing up, especially the cruel man who had killed Louis. They had everything, yet they acted childish and irresponsible. They acted as though they were above the peasant who were the backbone of this disgusting country. They had it all but it was never enough.

His mind raced as he paced back and forth like a caged tiger. He remembered her speaking so sweetly and reaching her hand across the table to console him…. Her voice sounded as angelic as it had that night…. If he didn’t win this…. If he didn’t take what was rightfully his…. Ezra clenched his fists.

All he could see was red. He strung another arrow on his bow as he pondered his method; he had already signed up for the skilled category and now waited to hear the announcement. His gaze slid to Thea. Wasn’t that alcoholic brat the princess’ friend? He stored it in the back of his mind while a sly grin crossed his face. Maybe his luck would start improving….

His mind flashed back to Anna feeding Wystan cake. A surge of hatred flowed through him so powerfully he thought he might faint from it. He glared at the announcer as if he could intimidate him into starting the competition any sooner. Where were these slow fuckers at?

"Oh, yes. This is my father, Lorenzo."Charlotte gestured to him as she smiled at Ruby. It was probably best not to tell her that he had simply been in her backyard the entire time, so she omitted that detail for now. "Thank you so much for helping me last night... Oh, dear." She tilted her head as she glanced down. Ruby was not only wearing a nightgown but no shoes! "Where are your shoes, Ruby?" Before Ruby could give her the rundown on that mystery, Dr. John showed up.

She smiled pleasantly in greeting, "Nice to see you again, Doctor. How are you fairing today?"

Maybe now we can deescalate whatever silliness was occurring and just enjoy a lovely morning in the park.

Charlotte had spoken too soon as the sound of grumbling and unhappiness filled the air. She glanced behind them briefly before stepping away from the line and gesturing to the three of them. She had not initially realized that she had given the impression she had cut the line, and seemingly so had Dr.John. "...Let's move from the line and chat over here, everyone. Please." The tension was so tangible that it was not worth remaining there any longer. However, Charlotte's efforts were in vain.

“NO MORE! The only fool that’ll be in the damned newspaper is you, the waffle bitch, the fucker in the green, yes you! And your whore of daughter!” Charlotte frowned. Perhaps it had been because she had been so tired today, but the words had stung.

People did really view her as such a thing.

...How could she shake off a reputation like that? And who would want to stay with her?

Charlotte felt so foolish.

“The ‘Whore of Veirmont’ is bound to surpass her father and hop on every single Alidasht-shezzy-prince cock, you rat-faced son of a bitch!”

Champion was getting awfully nervous, hissing and digging his claws into the lace of her sleeve. It took her a moment to notice as she had been caught up in her own rising anxiety. She bent down and gently placed her kitten into the safety of the basket. She lingered in the position as her vision blurred with tears as the man continued to angrily yell. Why is this happening? ...What do I do?

"...Or is the bastard only good at getting away with murdering his cunt of a wife aye?!”

"How dare you!" Her voice was lost in the yelling of others. She rose up to her feet in time to see the horrid man attempt to shove her father, only for him to get swung right into the waffle table. Charlotte gripped her head stressfully as the chaos around them only grew with shouting. She couldn't believe her eyes as the patrons actually threw themselves on the floor to try to salvage the waffles. Charlotte let go of her head to take both Dr.John and Ruby by the sleeves and pull them back a step out of the way of harm. She looked toward her father only to find the strange man, the one who had been running the waffle table, pointing his cane. The manner was threatening and the expression on his face gave Charlotte the impression he was quite unhinged.

"Lorenzo." Charlotte hastily moved to her father's side, "Let's go home. Please."

"He shall not leave. And. neither. shall. you." The dramatic man with the cane was speaking to her darkly, but Charlotte chose to ignore him.

Her head snapped to Dr.John and Ruby, "You two can come, and we can all enjoy some tea, okay?" Charlotte did not bother to hide her tears as they streaked her cheeks. She truly was feeling the exhaustion of all she had been through.

Time: Morning
Location: Danrose Palace Outside
Interactions: @Helo Leo, @Aerandir Verrick, @JJ Doe Riona
Aesthetic: Sadie’s Dress, Shoes & Hair

---

Sadie smiled at Leo and nodded eagerly. ”There’s a horse race? Awesome! Maybe we can go together later. I do think you’re good company!” She exclaimed and watched him bow again. Her scrutiny of him gave away three things; he was uncomfortable, there was tension, and he looked ready to jump out of his skin. The corners of her mouth fell slightly, though she repainted the same smile on her face. You fucked up again Sadie. Can’t you stop doing that? You are so annoying! She pretended not to notice though and nodded to him. ”You can go, Leo. You don’t need to wait for permission again but thanks!” During this time, Riona had left.

The familiar voice of Verrick distracted Sadie from her thoughts. She whirled around and the radiant smile returned to her expression. Her eyes lit up like a puppy and she nearly bounced on her feet. Verrick, her favorite guard! His grumpiness would not perturb ”You’ll be guarding me? Awesome!!!” Sadie wanted to hug him, but refrained from doing so. ”Oh the events are near each other? That’s great! I think some food while watching the archery competition would be great! Let’s go now! Time is of the essence!” Riona had soon come back with a cloth to clean her hands. After Riona washed her hand for her, Sadie smiled wide. ”It’s good to see you too! I’d love to hangout with you later.”

Now it left Verrick and her alone. She relaxed more now and smiled at him pleasantly and clasped her hands behind her back. “Are you ready to go? I am. I am so excited to spend summer with you!” The traces of her anxiety were beneath the surface, but as long as she focused elsewhere, it would be fine…

Victor Blanche

Time: Morning
Location: The Shooting Range

---

Victor was one of many assigned to watch over the kingdom’s hotspots of the day. The archery tournament has always brought in a crowd, and luckily for Victor, he quite enjoyed it. The weather was pleasant, and the world was bright. It did wonders for lifting his normally somber spirits, and it was a nice change of environment whenever he did get to observe such huge events.

However, despite dressing well, he garnered stares as per usual due to the nature of the scar across his cheek. It couldn’t be helped. Perhaps that was why Marek was always situated in public events, as any other situation could result in unfavorable gazes.

He sat comfortably in the stands, enjoying a sausage he had purchased at the concession stand as he leaned on his cane with his other hand.

The sausage had an exceptional bite. It was juicy and well-seasoned. The bread roll that held it was a nice warm cushion with a perfect toast.

Not one detail went over Victor’s head.

Speaking of which, he had picked up on a few familiar faces upon those who had signed up to compete.

Lady Thea Smithwood.

What could be said of her? Besides that, she was an attractive woman who had no qualms of defending herself against perceived disrespect, she had a fascinating past. The well-spoken, graceful girl adored by the Varian Kingdom was now unrecognizable to her kingdom much less anyone else. The death of her father had seemingly changed the girl into a completely different person. Her dress was completely inappropriate, even by Varian standards as she had no qualms displaying hints of her womanly treasures to the world. An alcoholic mess of a woman who busied herself with immature parties. All while to be married to the only Prince of the Varian Kingdom… Who was not present. How peculiar. It had also been strange that she did not attend the party last night when it had been certainly expected.

Then there was another interesting Varian. Matthias Larsen. Tall, pleasant, seemingly perfect. If Victor was honest with himself, he did not know much about his man other than he was a well-respected knight who had lost his wife. He had scoped out the child but did not let his gaze linger. He wasn’t certain if this individual would matter in the long run, but it was good to note the loss he was struggling with.

Then there was the Caesonian baker, Ezra Turner. This was a man they monitored very often as they were well aware of his criminal past and peculiar behavior. Though long gone was his long green hair, he was undoubtedly recognized by the intense emotions that were always crossing his expressions.Always so tortured, Ezra. What turmoil haunts you? Victor knew he’d be on the edge on his seat when this man competed; he was always such an interesting person to observe.

Victor licked the condiments off his fingers with grace as his gaze landed on an oddity. Long hair, bizarre dress… He scrutinized and leaned on his knees. Facial features of those who reign from Kisoma… Just who are you… Victor had never seen this man. He had been observing and researching individuals in the area for a long time. He had files upon files…Victor had no idea who this man was.

This is interesting.

Roxanne Locksworth

Time: Morning
Location: Outside Damien Residence

---

Roxanne was reaching up to a basket under her porch to water some flowers nonchalantly as she enjoyed the sea breeze flowing through her brown hair. The smell of sea salt filled the air and the birds chirped on a beautiful summer morning. She hummed to herself as she finished and set down the water can. With kind honey-colored eyes and a simple face, she wasn’t one to draw attention…but maybe that was on purpose.

She was situated across the street outside a house across from the Damien Estate, facing the eastern fence as her house was right next to the Vikena Estate. Her gaze slid casually as she moved on to plucking weeds from her yard, bending down and glancing over again with every movement as a carriage rode up to the front of the estate. This was the second visitor the Count would be receiving today in such a short time period. Popular today, aren’t you?

A dark-haired man stepped out of the carriage and she watched with curiosity. Looks just like him. She stepped closer to the edge of the property and caught the faint sound of singing.

What is going on here?

She decided to take a risk at that moment. Roxanne dropped the weeds and began stealthily moving across the road. Situating herself on the side of Calbert’s fence, she readied her focus to listen. Luckily there were some bushes on Calbert’s property to hide her presence.

"I'm doing...wonderful, thanks for asking." John smiled brightly, concealing his exhaustion from last night and the irritation this morning that still lingered. He was in the presence of some pleasant people, so he wouldn't want that to sour the conversation. However, he'd not enjoy this for long though, as there was a guy, a blonde guy, who were perhaps a little too impatient for the waffles. To be fair, John and those three were mulling around the table, blockading the line, so it was partially his fault too.

"Yeah we should move. People want their share too." He responded to Charlotte's request, but that was pretty much the last cordial thing to happen in this waffle table. From this point on, it would be chaos.

“NO MORE! The only fool that’ll be in the damned newspaper is you, the waffle bitch, the fucker in the green, yes you! And your whore of daughter!”

"Sorry..." John hung his head low as he nudged Lorenzo and the girl in pajamas. "Come on, let's just move."

“The ‘Whore of Veirmont’ is bound to surpass her father and hop on every single Alidasht-shezzy-prince cock, you rat-faced son of a bitch!”

Ok, that was totally unnecessary. They were already moving. Why would this guy find the need to insult the two of them? If they wanted the waffle, they could just go around him now. Or heck, just ask cordially, like a normal human being would.

Unsurprisingly, Charlotte already sprung up in anger. The chaos continued to escalate, even as she pulled John and the other girl out of harm's way, as the patron get thrown into the waffle table, not exactly sure because Lorenzo shoved him or he just threw himself into the table by accident, but regardless the waffles were ruined, but the hyenas were still swarming those fallen waffles.

Like, what the fuck?

He gets that blocking the line was a rude behavior, but their behavior were still unacceptable. Calling someone a whore, a murderer was just heartless. It was too much for Charlotte, and he wouldn't blame her. And not only that, it's fucking stupid. In some alternate reality, the guy could just say nicely that the four of them were blocking the path, could he get some waffles, and they'd comply unconditionally. It's insanely unnecessary, and yet, he wasn't surprised. This was the Caesonia he knew. The Caesonia with that crab mentality of pulling anyone with a modicum chances of success through the mud. The Caesonia that would berate literally anyone on the flimsiest of excuses. A rumour, a class status, a lifestyle choice, whatever doesn't matter. All to satisfy an empty husk with no sense of empathy.

His irritation did not help John in this case. He was ticked earlier, and after seeing what happened, he decided to step forward to the blonde guy who were trying to get up from the waffle table.

"Are you alright?" John showed concerned for that man, lending a hand for him to get up. But the guy slapped his hands away instead, refusing to see senses.

"How fucking dare you?! You're lucky I haven't beaten you to a pulp already." He was already back on his feet and angrily shouted at the doctor.

"Look, we did ruin your breakfast. It's our fault." He was surprisingly cordial before the rage of this man. However, his expression didn't necessarily read guilt nor apologetic either. His voice was neutral. "Look, I took quite a few waffles. You can have a few of them for compensation. Which one would you like?"

"You motherf-" That only seemed to enrage the guy even more. "Who do you think you are to put terms to me, huh?! You are no saint! You ruined this for us too along with those cunts! Give me that plate and I might let you get away with it!" With that, he lunged at the doctor, or rather the waffle plate in his hand. However, the plate was quickly swapped to the other hand, and what remained was a dinner knife, one just as sharp and deadly.

John swung his arms up, taking advantage of the patron not prepared for a doormat like this green fellow to actually respond, putting the knife pressing right on his throat. All the while, John's expression did not change. "I said..." Not even his voice. "Which one would you like?" He presented the waffle plate to the patron, who was barely able to glance down with a knife on the throat.

"Would you like some sauce with it too?" The doctor calmly and cordially asked with a casual smile, at the same time as he pressed the knife harder onto the man's throat, moving it just slightly. The patron could feel the knife digging into his skin, and that was enough to strip down all the man in him.

"N-N-No...thank you!" The patron immediately pulled back and ran away from the scene. John gave a rather oblivious look of surprise before turning to the patrons who were salvaging the waffles on the ground.

"Feel free to take one. It's not good to eat dirt." He said, all the while still holding that dinner knife, albeit non-threateningly. None of them were having it, they just backed away.

This guy's crazy.

As Anastasia had been sitting in contemplation, there had been a knock on the door. She immediately perked up. “Come in!” She had called immediately and rose from her bed. The bedroom doors swung open finally. Anastasia’s expression lit up initially when she recognized Zarai as the one before her. But then everything else registered.

” Oh Zarai… “ She ran over to her friend and wheeled her chair inside. Quickly, she moved in front of her. The poor thing was so bruised. “What happened to you? Did someone hurt you?”

Zarai returned the princess's initial enthusiasm, feeling herself relax seeing Anastasia. "I can't remember what happened, but I think I fought someone. It'll heal eventually." She dismissed her injuries with a wave of her hand, clearly unbothered by the injuries. After all, it had not been the first time she had a tussle at a bar, nor would it be the last. Still, she could not shake the feeling that she had lost; if she ever found out the poor bastard who had fought her, she would demand a rematch.

“How dare they do this to you….” Anastasia told her with a frown. Who on earth would ever beat up Zarai? Considering the poor girl was put in a chair, she had to wonder if a man had done this to her. And if that had been the case, he was a complete lowlife. She had known the girl since a young age, and she had always been a wonderful person… and a tiny one at that! Anastasia hoped that the scumbag felt worse.

Zarai reached out and offered her hand to Anastasia to take, "How are you? Have they fed you?" The worry in her voice was apparent, but a smile slowly crept to her lips. "What you did back there—" she tried to laugh, but it only came out like a wheeze, "it was amazing!"

With a small smile, she took her hand in hers when offered, letting her animosity slip away for the moment. “I’m… I’m okay!” Her smile threatened to fall as Zarai began to comment on the morning events. She assumed she was about to say something negative, only to hear quite the opposite. “Oh... Really? ” Anastasia was surprised by her words. “I just didn’t want to see Darryn die when he did nothing wrong. …Ugh, then even Leo was trying to blame poor Kazumin… “ She paused to exhale, “It was really a mess, and it was one I kinda started. ”

Zarai rolled her eyes at the mention of Leo Smithwood. That man had always rubbed Zarai the wrong way, especially how he treated those in lower classes than himself. His sister, though? She was hot. "Smithwood is probably just trying to suck up to your father; besides, Kazumin would never hurt anyone. I think, I've only just met him, but he seemed like an okay dude, right?" She shook her head, reaching up to tuck some hair strands behind the princess's ear. "You did the right thing in speaking out; no man should be sentenced to death without an investigation and a trial."

“Kazumin would never. He’s a bestie for sure.” Anastasia agreed and smiled. The gesture to tuck her hair back was welcomed affection. She returned it with a comforting hand squeeze. “I know I was right to do that; it’s almost like my parents are in a rush to execute people sometimes…I just feel guilty for getting everyone in this mess in the first place. I should know better but… “ She was silent in her thoughts before taking both hands in hers. “How can I make you feel better? We can hang out here… or go somewhere else?” Anastasia figured she was perhaps supposed to remain castle-bound or maybe even room-bound at this time, but she couldn’t find it in her to care.

As if it had been on cue, previously audible footsteps had paused right by the princess’ bedroom. It was almost as though Anastasia’s proposal had caused whoever had been walking to halt to a stop. In time, a deep knock sounds from the door.

"It wasn't your fault; you didn't force us to go. Besides, I've already been invited before you even mentioned it, and I am sure I wasn't the only one. It was all just some big mess that turned into an even bigger mess by people who wanted to sweep it under the rug." Just add a bit of a war threatening to break out if the Queen and King kept being sneaky about the whole thing. Seriously, if everyone was honest and truthful about the whole ordeal, things would have been running smoothly. At least now, there would be a proper investigation because of Anastasia. One more reason added to the already growing list of Why Monarchy Sucks and Should be Thrown in the Trash.

It was a comfort to hear Zarai’s words. Anastasia could always count on her to tell her what she wanted to hear. But maybe she was right, and she was over-guilting herself. It had been a habit that was hard to break after all.

"I already feel better seeing you, my friend," She looked around; the walls of Anastasia's room served more as a prison than her chambers at the moment. She knew all too well that staring at the same four walls throughout the whole day could be torture, so a distraction was warranted for the princess. "We can go somewhere else, wherever you would like, I shall follow. What else can they do to us? I am already beaten, and you are already in as much trouble as you can get—" The knock at the door made Zarai jump; she glanced at the door and then back to Anastasia. "Breakfast, maybe?"

Zarai’s words made Anastasia smile genuinely. “Aww, always so sweet, my ‘rai of sunshine.” She grinned even wider at the notion of getting the hell out of here. S If she focused on the moment here and now, she decided she might actually be able to be in a good mood. ” Wherever we go, I shall protect you! Nobody’s gonna beat you up while I’m-.” She began to assure her with a silly flex of her nonexistent muscle. However, she broke off at the end of her sentence as she was interrupted by a loud knock. Her gaze snapped to the door, and her smile faded as she muttered, “Ugh. Please not my mother.” With reluctance, she pulled herself up and moved to open the door.

“Your Royal Highness…” At the door, the princess is presented with the Danrose’ royal bodyguard standing at full attention. With perfectly straight posture and hands readied at his side, Wystan greeted Anastasia with a deep bow - this time lower than usual. The default stern look on his face changed slightly as he rose, noticing Zarai and raising an eyebrow at her. Perhaps even deeming her unassuming for now, despite her evident bruises. He redirected his gaze back to the princess’ face and spared a longer moment than usual to simply make sure her skin was of a more normal shade and her lips less blue. A heat pricked at his cheeks a little too suddenly after making sure she was just alright. “My apologies, Princess. I should have expected you to have visitors.”

Anastasia’s shoulders relaxed at the sight of Wystan, who was a much more welcome sight than her mother. In reply to his formal greeting, she smiled and said, “Hello! Good morning, Wystan.” She caught his gaze as it lingered on her, her expression loosening as a glimpse of a memory flashed before her. She was thoughtful for some time before she opened her arms and gave him a sudden hug. Though, she was careful not to make it too long to make him uncomfortable.

Caught off-guard, Wystan had opened his mouth to speak just before Anastasia let go. If one had been paying careful attention, they would have seen his own arms lift in response to the embrace moments before, just ever so slightly. But he had caught himself in time - she let go, after all. He did not want to make her uncomfortable. The watchdog cleared his throat lightly, resuming his position at attention.

“I’m just hanging with my cute friend Rairai. You remember her, right? She used to visit here often-” She paused then scooched back on her heels and gestured him inside, “You can come in and hang with us! We were thinking of going somewhere else soon, though.”

Zarai used her feet to push herself and turn the door, looking at Wystan up and down. She'd seen him before, mostly by Auguste's side. He'd been there, too, during her lessons with Wulfric and his brothers but they had only exchanged greetings. Zarai waved at him, giving him a friendly smile.

“Perhaps I would be intruding, Your Royal Highness.” The watchdog leaned his head inside the princess’ chambers, spotting Zarai and giving her a light nod in the process. “In light of the recent events, however… it is absolutely necessary that I would accompany you to wherever you choose to go.” Wystan looked between Anastasia and Zarai. “Perhaps we can execute this ‘hanging’ proposition. I believe this is a procedure I can escort you both in.”

Anastasia wasn’t the hugest fan of being babysat; however, Wystan was much more preferable to anyone else. Plus, her family wouldn’t make a stink of her leaving if Wystan came. The list of guards that were allowed to accompany her one-on-one had gotten smaller and smaller until she was only allowed the most boring ones lately, except for Wystan, who she considered a friend.

“Sounds good. But! The question lies: where to…? Oh! I’ll get the paper. ” She moved swiftly over to her bedside, where the morning paper was located. A servant always left one there for her daily.

After she scooped it up, she stepped back over to Zarai and came up behind her. Anastasia opened it in front of her as she leaned over, flipping to the events section “Looks like the morning is a little boring…Mostly food stuff…” She mused with disappointment. Her gaze lowered down the list, and she gasped, “Ooo, archery tournament. That could be fun to watch… “ She always enjoyed the wooded area of that part of the kingdom. It was a wonderful escape from her life. She poked Zarai’s shoulders with rising excitement, “Then after, maybe we could go to the lake and swim! Though that’s kind of more fun at night.” She paused thoughtfully as she became self-aware of her own rambling. Anastasia set the paper down on Zarai’s lap, “Do you like anything on here?”

Relief washed over hearing Anastasia's excitement in her voice; Zarai grinned and nodded with her own enthusiasm. "The archery tournament sounds like a great idea." Anything sounded like a great idea, as long as she was far from the palace, away from Edin's beckoning call and his nasty beady eyes. "Who said we couldn't go out swimming at night? We can go anywhere, mi princesita."

She pointed at the festival that would take place at eleven, the same time she was supposed to be at the prince's court. She'd do anything possible to arrive late, or better yet, avoid it altogether. "We can also go here afterward," Zarai pointed at the announcement in the paper. "If it's not fun, we can always go somewhere else."

Anastasia had grinned at Zarai. Sometimes she forgot how lucky she felt when she got to be around her sweet friends from the Varian Kingdom. Zarai, Thea, and Sadie always made her feel loved. “I’ll follow you anywhere, mi amor! Are you ready to go?” Zarai grinned and nodded eagerly.

“Very well, then.” Wystan affirmed as he gave a bow to the princess and then a nod to Zarai. “I will prepare us a carriage. Perhaps a smaller one to not draw too much attention.” Anastasia had smiled gratefully.

Before continuing, he looked at the princess with concern etched across his face. “But I feel the need to ask… Are you sure that you are feeling well enough to travel?”

Was she feeling well enough? Anastasia had not often stopped to consider such a thing. Truthfully she was fatigued, and her head was pounding. There was a small part of her that felt like crying after what the morning had been like, but she had been easily ignoring it by riding the excitement of hanging out with Zarai and Wystan. It wasn’t anything that would hinder her from traveling, so she smiled and gave him two thumbs up. “Yes! Thanks for the concern! Are you feeling well enough, Wystan? ”

Zarai pretended to have seen something very interesting on the paper while trying not to stare at the two in front of her.

The bodyguard slightly averted his eyes, disguising his minor surprise at the question in the form of a brief scan of the royal’s chambers. “I’m… quite well.” In fact, there had been dark circles hanging under his eyes after the events of last night. But still, he was indeed very well, especially in comparison to what he had heard Anastasia and Callum had been through last night. For a moment, he had felt like a fool. Perhaps it was a dull move to ask if the princess was okay after such events. However, there was only so much he could do to protect them without overstepping. Such thoughts nagged at him, but he decided to settle his gaze back on Anastasia to provide assurance. “For the most part, I’m glad you are alright. If ever you are feeling anything but, then please let me know. We will do something about whatever it is right away.”

Wystan had noticed the bruises on Zarai. His face turned stern once more. “While we are out together, you both will be my responsibility. If ever anything were to happen, it is better to have a contingency plan in place. Thus, the driver for our carriage will be informed to ride you both back to the estate should our situation take a turn for the worse. Are we clear?”

“Wystaaan, it’ll be fine. You worry too much! But yes, yes, we’re super clear.”

---

It was a fifteen-minute carriage ride from the castle to the shooting range, which already had a growing crowd in the stands. The audience was already on the edge of the wooden benches, watching in awe as archers were practicing for the tournament. The benches would rise in height slightly as they went back to allow everyone a good view. There were also steps for people to climb up to the higher seats. Their gaze would follow each arrow released toward a line of targets far off near the backdrop of the thick luscious forest. The sun was shining, and the atmosphere was one of building excitement. Off to the side of the practice area was a line of competitors who were signing up to compete. Then most importantly, there was a concession stand selling snacks!

Anastasia was more than thrilled as she stepped out of the carriage. She was dressed in some flats and the same dress she had been wearing. The top half of her hair was pulled back in a twist to the back of her head and now donned with a pretty pearl headpiece. The lovely banjo music and happy atmosphere was such a welcomed juxtaposition to the cold and serious castle. She received a lot of head-turns and glances, of course, as a royal offspring casually stepping into a public event would. However, she was used to it and even enjoyed the attention, so she waved to them and blew kisses as she usually had. Turning back to Zarai and Wystan, she smiled, “I think I see a good place to sit!” She gestured toward an empty place on one of the top benches.

"Perfect place to see some of these poor bastards miss their targets." Zarai laughed and pointed toward the seats Anastasia had pointed out, almost hitting Ser Barrios on the face. Somewhere along the short trip to the shooting range, she had decided to ditch her chair and ordered the knight to carry her around. "Up the stairs, my knight!" Without protest, the knight nodded and began to climb the stairs until he reached their destination. There he carefully set down the lady, hesitating when he heard a hiss from her but stood down as Zarai waved him away. "Could you get us some snacks, Ser Barrios? Wystan will be here, so no need to worry." She didn't give the man time to reply, "Andale, no? Okay, adios!"

Wystan gave a light sigh at the scene and then handed Ser Barrios some coin. He stood up to place his order. “For the princess… a strawberry cupcake with extra cream, and a fruit tart with a generous dusting of sugar powder.” Before the knight would leave, the bodyguard would place a consolatory pat on his back as if to provide some encouragement and sympathy.

Ser Barrios looked back at Wystan, accepting the coin and nodding at the pat before going back down to the food stand.

Anastasia turned to Zarai as the boys had been briefly away. She gave her a big smile as she said to her, “Zarai, this is fun! Thanks so much for this..” She would have been either sitting miserably in her room alone or trying to break out of the castle if it hadn’t been for her. She returned her glance towards those who had been practicing, her gaze finally locking on the blonde girl in the amazing dress.

Zarai returned Anastasia's smile, "What better way to relax than watch some hotties on the field?"

“Look! It’s Thea!” She pointed out Thea as she was signing up. Without hesitation, she stood up and yelled, “THEA! Fuck 'em up, you bad bitch!”

"Go Thea! Go Thea!" Zarai cupped her hands around her mouth. "SHOW THESE BASTARDS WHAT VARIANS ARE MADE OF! WOOOOOOOOO THEA!!!! I'LL HAVE YOUR BABIES!"

Wystan stood not too far from them as the chaotic yelling ensued, his face as stern as ever. Even though he needed to nod a few onlookers along, the girls’ level of volume or even the cursing did nothing at all to bother him. Such a scene was normal for the man after spending a long number of years in the Danrose household. On the contrary, it actually made him feel a little at ease knowing that the princess could have her time to relax with a good friend he was sure he didn’t have to keep his guards up for.

Perhaps this ‘hanging’ would go smoother than he thought.

---

---

Verrick only gave a slight nod when the princess asked if he was guarding her. He said nothing as the servant girl came back, and shoved a cup into Leo's chest. Simply adding.” How kind, I was thinking of actually shoving leo into a water trough.” under his breath.

Once she was done with wiping the princess' hands Sadie turned back to him, asking if he was ready to go. He watched the princess as she did this… he admired how well she was putting on a strong mask with her smile. But.. he could tell she was having a desperate fight within her mind.He nodded and walked back to the carriage using his left hand to point to it. “Of course.” He opened the door and offered his right hand to help her up into it. ”While it’s not far, it would be safer to travel in the carriage just a little longer.”

Once in, he closed the door and climbed onto the step, hanging off the edge by holding onto one of the metal bars ment for luggage. Her other guards fell in line and followed behind them. As they traveled he remained silent keeping his eyes open for anyone who got too close. The silence didn’t last long as they quickly came upon the chaos that was happening. Instantly he saw Lord Vikena in the center of it. That man certainly knew how to crash parties. ”Please stay inside the carriage Princess…” He said gruffly as he hopped down from the carriage. He could hear people cussing out the duke and Lady Charlotte. It quickly devolved as the duke tossed one man, then another was tossed by Dr. John WIlliamson. Suddenly having his knife to the man's throat. While a redheaded man with a cane had the tip aimed at Duke Vikena. As much as he wanted to shoot the cane from the mans grip, he had a feeling the Duke had things under…somewhat control. It was the second time he casually tossed a man in the same number of days. One of them was actually armed.

While it died down for a he went to the pancake table which was still standing somehow. Casually walking to the table and gathering his items before seeing the man who had taken a waffle from the dr running passed him, as others scavenged the ground for the waffles on the ground.

Shaking his head he lifted the plate and walked away from the group, so casually that no one even noticed how he simply cut the large line. Bringing The princess her plate back he handed it gently to her through her window. She would find on the plate Chocolate Chip Pancakes & Low Carb Pancake with fruit and hazelnut sauce. As well as a tiny bottle of apple juice.
”I don’t know how you can eat something so sweet in the morning, but here you are…” He said in a gruff tone. All someone needed in the morning was a nice cup of coffee in his opinion.

A few minutes later they were at the archery range. Instantly he could see the Casonian Princess Anastasia with Lady Zarai. He was sure Princess Sadie would be safe there… as well as enjoy meeting Anastasia.

He looked to the other guards and informed them to take her and her food up to them, turning and excusing himself after helping from the carriage. ”If you will excuse me, I have to make my way to the entry table.”

Once he was satisfied with her safety he made his way down, seeing his friend Mattias already there with his boy in his arms, Lord leo just showed up as well, and Thea was there of course. He made his way to Mattias His cloak covering him completely, hiding his bow that he held.

”Good thing you decided to come here. There was a brawl at the park over waffles.”