---

---

Verrick sighed as he walked off, passing Mathias as he did, All he did was grunt appreciation when he patted his good shoulder. He then added in passing. ”Goodluck against Thea.” He knew Thea was a talented shot. Having taught her a few things during his time serving in her family's land.

He walked over to the main table and looked at the other bows, deciding to grab one that didn’t look as warped as his previous one. He looked over to Princess sadie, noticing the first contestant saying something. Despite being able to read lips, he didn’t catch what he said as he walked away. His eyes flicked towards the princess to catch her frowning, though he didn’t see the tears.But he could tell that ezra had said something rude to her.

His eyes narrowed as they turned back to Ezra. His knuckles cracking simply by tightening on the bow he gripped. Too bad there were so many people here…he might have shot the man in the knee right there. He would have to talk to the guards to remind them to not let anyone simply walk up to her, at least be close enough to hear the conversation.

He spent the rest of the time rotating his arm to loosen it up while dulling his senses to the constant pain. Noting but mostly ignoring the flashy archer while he did his bit. When it turned to Mathia’s and Thea’s turn. He could tell Mathias was nervous, was it because of that girl who called out to him? Sadly did not win the match, Lukas would be sad for sure. He simply clapped his hands a few times for the both of them before walking onto the range once more, switching back the bow to his left hand. He would deal with the pain if it meant more consistent shots.

Again he pulled four arrows from his quiver, each end of the shaft between one of his fingers. This time he took a moment or so longer with each shot, his first three in a tight grouping despite two in the bullseye, and one in the 7 point ring they were within still a fist sized area. The fourth shot got away from him and hit the five point ring.

If Ezra attempted to speak to him, he was completely ignored. When it became his second turn, he Quickly fired all his arrows again, his grouping again smaller than a fist, though slightly off centered to get two in the bullseye, and two in the 7 point ring.

Lowering his bow once more he waited for Ezra to finish before saying softly enough that no one would hear them, while still looking at the targets. “If you ever disrespect or even speak to Princess Sadie again…” He looked towards him and away from the crowd, with a glare that showed his murderous intent. Leaning closer to him. “I can make it so even dogs won't be able to find your body.” He said with a stone expression before clapping him on the shoulder with his left hand, as if congratulating him on a fair attempt before walking off the field.

_{^{L O C A T I O N : Shooting Range
I N T E R A C T I O N S : Lord Roman Ravewood @ReusableSword, Princess Anastasia @princess
M E N T I O N S : Lady Thea Smithwood @Tae, Lord Leo Smithwood @Helo, Sir Matthias & Lukas @Rodiak}}



A nod was granted to Lord Roman with a gracious acceptance of the offer before he gave Princess Anastasia a handsome smile, "Of course, I am here to support Lady Thea," He glanced towards the range, taking his chances of seeing her disposition, again. His smile faded, as he turned away from her. The jewel dangling from his ear jingled with the motion. He had little else to say to Princess Anastasia. He had not been too terribly impressed with her at the banquet. However, he felt it was necessary to keep some sort of camaraderie with her for the sake of his relationship with Lady Thea. His eyes studied her contempt smile before he continued. "That is not to say it's the sole reason I am here. Archery competitions are rarely dull. And, look, Sir Matthias is also competing." The tail end of his statement ended with enthusiasm and another smile. To see Lady Thea and Sir Matthias compete against each other would be a delight, hopefully.

Sir Matthias looked awfully nervous, and Lady Thea was dreadfully tired looking. Albeit, despite her current state, she still looked beautiful, to say the least. For that, the prince was thankful. He chanced not betting on either. Both were good archers, but he found it hard for him to make a decision on who he wished to win. Sir Matthias was a good friend and confidant. They dueled together often and enjoyed many long talks. He glanced at Lukas. He thought to say something but remained silent.

Part of him thought it would be a great lift for Lady Thea if she won. Sir Matthias could handle a good sportsmanship loss to the Lady. After what she went through last night and how her brother performed earlier in the competition, he thought it might be something to help alleviate the stress. It went without saying that it would also be an honor for her to win as his betrothed. Of course, something still held him back from placing too heavy of an investment in either of the two.

When Lady Thea won, Prince Felix smiled and clapped his hands. It was an exciting and close round. The banjo music only added to the effect. He tilted his head slightly, contemplating Lady Thea. She was a strong woman -- in many different ways. Although, she miss managed them quite heavily. It was like walking into a room, readily furnished but subtle things were out of place. The room itself was still of use albeit in dramatic need of rearranging. He could not say he had the ability to stand in the room for too long of a time, but at this distance, the view of the window curtains was decent enough.

"Your father did well against Lady Thea, Lukas. It was close," the prince looked at the younger boy with a personable smile, and then resumed back to watching the range.

Charlotte had smiled at John, though the image of him with a knife was clearly etched in her mind, " Oh, well I suppose I am as okay as I can be. How are you?" She politely waved off the handkerchief, "I am alright, but thank you kindly. A huge yes for some tea though." She was going to need more caffeine to get through this day. With a sigh, her gaze returned to her cousin, who had informed her he had been dumped there.

"The last two days have been the worst it's been."She quietly said to him, "If you think this is bad, wait until you've heard about the ball. Anyhow, let's hurry back home. I reckon your parents wanted you to join in the summer courting?" Once Lorenzo had also seemed in agreement, she had begun to walk them all back to the Vikena Estate. Once at the door, Delilah was ever so kind to lead them into the Drawing Room for tea.

If someone declared that Riona finally went off the rails, she wouldn’t be able to refute the claim. Within a single hour, she violated at least five of the cardinal rules for house servants. She skirted around the rules for years (breaking minor ones once in a while and being cautious enough to breach the major ones in secret), but she never consecutively broke as many rules as she did in such a short time frame. It empowered her as much as it worried her. How long would it take her to lose her grip on… well, herself?

“You had 12 f**king years to try and I’m still here. What’s wrong? Losing your touch?”
“Hmm…” manicured hands with a peaches-and-cream complexion lifted Riona’s chin. The other woman’s violet gaze traveled the lines of the maid’s body, taking her time to appreciate every mark she made. “I don’t know about that.” Her heart-shaped lips formed a coy smile when their eyes finally met each other. “You put up a brave front, but the cracks are showing… it won't be long…” she purred. “Kitten.”

The sadistic bloodhound had a keen sense of smell for detecting weakness, so Riona didn’t doubt the bitch was wrong. Part of her wished she had more time. The rest of her couldn't wait.

---

To say that the other workers freaked out when they saw Riona strolling indoors in stablehand’s garb was an understatement, but the alarm that swept through them like a hive mind when she mentioned Anastasia’s breakfast was palpable. A flurry of activity exploded from the room in an instant. The cooking staff scrambled in the kitchen, making quite the ruckus as they prepared the food trolley. Maidservants jumped Riona, stripping her down and scrubbing every part of her body that wasn’t covered by her undergarments or bandages with damp towels with the same ferocity they used to clean sooty pots. Once they got Riona into presentable attire, they hurled her out with the trolley.

Efficiency wise, everyone knew it would’ve been faster to send someone else to deliver the food (Riona was banking on it too). With the incident with Darryn still fresh in their minds, however, the servants avoided the princess as much as possible. No one wanted to be executed for trivial reasons, especially not for something like serving breakfast late, because a certain maid decided not to inform the cooks as soon as possible. If someone was going to be in trouble for that, then it should be the maid and the maid alone. Fair enough, Riona conceded.

She’d soon find out that the servants were pulling their hair out for no reason and, for the umpteenth time, Riona remembered how terrible communication between staff could be in the castle.

---

Riona knew she’d find no one inside Anastasia’s room when she didn’t see guards posted at the door. A passing manservant informed her that the princess had left the castle with friends to enjoy the archery tournament. Well, that didn’t last long, did it? Apparently, Riona gave the princess too much credit by thinking her guilt would last at least a day. It didn’t even last till noon. She went off to have fun with her friends after a solid hour (if that) in time out while Darryn remained caged in a cell, waiting for death. In the dark, alone and afraid. Riona stormed out, slamming the door shut behind her.

The laughter and chatter of women greeted Riona in the corridor. The heads of a few servants cleaning turned for a moment before they returned to their work when they registered who the women were. King Edin’s courtesans might’ve lived like royalty, but it didn’t mean the staff regarded them as such. At best, they were the highest-paid female employees; at worst, they were “just whores.” To Riona, they were the unsung protectors of the young women working in the castle. Riona shuddered to think how many more girls would’ve been preyed upon by the king if the courtesans weren’t there to curb the worst of his infamous appetite. If he ever put his hands on Mathilda…

Riona stroked her stomach to untie the knot inside. She did her best to hide her unease when she nodded at the courtesans. Each one returned the greeting in their own way. One gave Riona a particularly dazzling smile. As they resumed their conversation, they abruptly froze, their attention fixed on something on the opposite side of the hall. The servants, curious as to why it got quiet, followed the women’s gaze and found their answer. On cue, everybody in the hallway chose a side to stand on and inclined their heads.

The light footfalls, followed by heavier ones, got louder with each step until the edge of a dress came into view. The figure halted in front of Riona, making the chiffon sway forward and gently back. “Kitten, is that you?” a sweet voice asked. A rhetorical question asked only to tell Riona the woman had business with her. Soft hands grabbed Riona’s face and forced her to look at Lady Morrigan.

Lady Morrigan, the personification of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” The carefully crafted illusion, catered to King Edin’s tastes, presented her as a youthful innocent whose head was filled with so much air she’d float straight into the sky—it rarely took long for new staff to figure out she was anything but. As far as Riona could tell, Lady Morrigan had never aged in over a decade. During her years as a maid in training, Riona and her peers spooked each other with horror stories of the various ways Lady Morrigan devoured children to extend her youth. Now older and wiser, Riona knew that Lady Morrigan had no problems bathing in the blood of any living creature of any age; pure evil was a kind of innocence; and a wise wolf hid its fangs.

“Me, oh, my! Why, it is you! What are you doing here, darling? I thought you’d be working at the stables today.” Lady Morrigan's eyes darted between the food trolley and the door to Anastasia’s room. “Unless,” she trailed off, releasing Riona, “this is the stables? Is ‘filly’ code for Anya?” Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Do you mean to tell me the stableboy was working here this entire time? Oh, no wonder he’s in such big trouble! So naughty.” She giggled, “She really does like her boys in servitude, doesn’t she?” The hall of living statutes gave no answer. Unperturbed, Her Ladyship turned her full attention back to Riona. “What are you doing here? Not… cheating, I hope?”

Riona frowned slightly before remembering the punishment. “Of course not, Your Ladyship.”

“Good!” Lady Morrigan lifted each cloche to check anyway, “I’d be so disappointed if you cheated this early, but….” She placed the last cloche down, “I’ve noticed you didn’t answer my question again, Riona. So… I’ll ask one last time.” Lady Morrigan’s smile and voice lacked malice, but it was there, somewhere hidden below the surface. “What are you doing here?”

Riona considered telling the truth, then decided against it. What did Lady Morrigan want with her? She rarely stopped a servant in the hallway to chit-chat with them and left it at that. She wanted something and wasn’t going to leave Riona alone until she got it. Which threw a wrench in Riona’s plan to visit Callum. She needed to find out if Darryn’s situation changed and, if it hadn’t, find out when the execution would be so that she could bust him out before then. Not a conversation to have in front of other people—especially Lady Morrigan. Not to mention, they needed to avoid giving the impression that Callum and she were on friendly terms, too. Emphasis on the word terms. Good terms. Not friends. Never friends.

She could deliver the food to Prince Auguste and see if that shakes Lady Morrigan off. The second prince was generally nice to servants. He’d cover her lies if she did her best puppy-dog eyes. On second thought, maybe not. The last time Riona pulled off puppy-eyes, she was still a kid. If she tried that today, it’d look like she was giving the stink-eye. Even if she convinced Prince Auguste, it didn’t guarantee that Her Ladyship would leave Riona alone long enough to talk to Callum and get Darryn out. Lady Morrigan tagging along also wasn’t entirely a bad thing. A second longer she was with Riona meant Darryn lived that much longer.

Ah, f*ck it. “I am bringing…” Her eyes shifted slightly from the woman to the window behind her. The sunlight shone brightly, casting shadows at specific angles. It was too late for breakfast, too early for lunch. “Brunch to Prince Callum, milady.”

“Alaric?” The use of the prince’s middle name sounded foreign to Riona. She never understood why Lady Morrigan preferred to call the princes by their middle names. Riona guessed it had to do with sorting all of Queen Alibeth’s children into the “A” category (for some reason with Prince Auguste she flipped-flopped between Auguste and Alden, and Anastasia was just Anya). Not that she exactly cared why Her Ladyship did it.

“Hmm.” the strawberry blonde pouted and began drumming her fingers on her lips, her gaze pinned to the ceiling. The solo percussionist drummed in a silence that stretched long enough to make some of the living statues squirm. Just as Riona was wondering if Lady Morrigan planned to stand here till the food turned cold, the woman finally–finally–turned to her, “I think I’ll join you.” She turned to the knights behind her. “Shall we?”

---

Riona hurried into Callum’s room as soon as they were allowed inside. “I have brought the brunch you requested, Your Royal Highness.” Riona blurted out before he could contradict her.

Lady Morrigan popped out from behind the maid and wiggled her fingers in the prince’s direction. “Good morning, Alaric. How are we feeling? Better?” She moved past Riona and gave a cursory glance of the room, then exclaimed. “Alaric! What in the world happened to your wall?”

Some time between borrowing supplies and now, the young prince apparently decided he'd have a go at making art: a provocative, controversial statement piece. Rough words with rough edges, hope in larger letters, carved deep into the purple canvas that once was a wall. It ensnared its viewers’ attention with its boldness.

Riona’s heart rose at the sight of the carvings. The proclamations alone were enough to feel proud of Callum, but he did more than that. The etchings were the most permanent thing he had ever done.

It’ll remain there, as servants receive the order to buy wallpaper. When the new wallpaper inevitably covers it, it’ll still be there. It’ll continue to stay there, even as people act like it never existed in the first place. As words said fade in time and memory, this wall will remain.

Riona bit her cheeks in an attempt to prevent her from smiling, but her facial muscles had other plans. A small battle of wills ensued. Riona’s lips twitched, her jaw opened and closed repeatedly, until she relented. Riona pushed the trolley to the closest table and flashed a grin, teeth and all, at Callum. Once she got that out of her system, Riona sculpted her face back into a bland expression and began setting up the table.

Lady Morrigan assessed the damage to the wall while telling Callum the obvious ramifications of the vandalism. The knights that accompanied the two women peaked into the room on occasion, but stayed outside of the room. Riona beckoned Callum to sit closer to her. “I didn’t know you were into interior design.” Riona whispered, “Very edgy. I like it. Especially the last bit.” She checked on Her Ladyship again. The topic of her one-sided conversation transitioned to something about this being the perfect excuse to redesign Callum’s room. She showed no signs that she heard Riona.

“And you can start being better,” Riona reached over and wrapped her fingers around the neck of the bottle in Callum’s hand, “by being a little kinder to your liver. It’s been working overtime. Give it a break.” She squinted her eyes at the prince’s fingertips when her other hand gently peeled his fingers off the bottle. On his light complexion, the tiny crimson patches around his nails stuck out. Riona rubbed her thumb against one of them, confirming her suspicions. Automatically, Riona took a step in the direction where the medicine was stored and quickly stopped herself.

Flowing waves of white chiffon and strawberry locks tinted with gold fluttered in the corner of Riona’s vision. Lady Morrigan migrated at some point from the wall to the fireplace, poking and prodding ashes with a fire iron. She continued her complaint about the purple color scheme as she knelt down. Again, she showed no signs that she was paying any attention to Riona or Callum. Something that didn’t bring as much comfort as Riona thought it should have brought. Somehow, it didn’t feel right.

Riona’s fingers picked at the bottle’s label. She leaned down closer to Callum, but kept her eyes fixed on the other woman. “Hey, about Darryn,” she ventured, “when—” Lady Morrigan shot up from her crouched position, causing Riona to stiffen at the spot. She dared not move.

“I really don’t see the appeal to it—no offense, Alaric. What’s wrong with having other colors? Why do you boys insist on having such dark color schemes for your rooms? No wonder you’re all so depressed.” Delicate fingers covered in ash danced across the surface of the furniture along the walls, leaving traces of gray behind. They slithered through every nook and cranny. Exploring. Searching. …Searching?

A little chill crept down Riona’s spine. There’s no way. Lady Morrigan’s hand continued weaving its way forward, drawing closer to one of the spots only three people should know about: Riona, Callum, and whoever built the hidden storage; at least one of those people had a signed death certificate. There’s no way that she knows. But the strawberry blonde didn’t stop touching, she didn’t stop advancing, and Riona thought she saw those violets eyeing her.

A bloodhound, Riona reminded herself. The maid straightened her back and let the grip on the bottle loosen. “Thank you for your patience, Lady Morrigan. We may go now.” She turned to the prince and bowed. “Enjoy your meal, Your Highness.”

Lady Morrigan twirled around, her face brimming with delight. She bounced over to Callum and did what “that one overly affectionate relative” did to younger members of the family. She pinched his cheek with her clean hand and planted a wet kiss on his forehead. “There’re plenty of ladies who find brooding men irresistible. Go get them, stud.” After the comment about “filly” being code for Anastasia, Riona couldn’t help but feel like Lady Morrigan was taking a jab at someone, though she had no idea exactly at whom.

“Oh, and, Riona darling?” Lady Morrigan circled around the prince and plucked the bottle from Riona’s hands. “Don’t be so cruel. There are people in this world who can’t function without liquid courage.” Her Ladyship placed it on the closest surface. There, the bottle sparkled in the sunbeam, like a showpiece. It wasn’t nearly as captivating as Callum’s work on the wall for Riona, but she worried it wouldn’t be the case for the budding artist.

“Come, kitten. Let’s not take more of Alaric’s time.” An ash-covered hand grabbed Riona’s waist and led her to the door. Lady Morrigan looked over her shoulder, “Ta-ta!” she said before the knights closed the door.

Riona sighed, Plan B it is.

@Blizz

Stratya Durmand had been following her nose, after hearing a rumor of a decorated military veteran's arrival to town. She didn't have anything specific to go on, just a hunch and a few quick questions here or there. The first place to investigate were the outer stables, and sure enough, a horse there was obviously the steed of someone important, for all the heraldry.

For all the heraldry, she didn't recognize it. Strange. She would have to research the coat of arms and colors to see if she could figure it out, short of asking the owner of the horse directly. It wasn't too hard to figure out where the woman went. The stablehands recalled her clearly, as did a number of people on the streets, so she followed a loose trail through the city until she spotted the woman who must have been the one. The colors matched, and her garb was of the same calibur.

"Greetings, and welcome to our fair city." Stratya would try to approach openly from the front, a soft smile and amiability at the front of her presentation. It wasn't hard, as it was her natural inclination to be welcoming and kind. It was the thing that told her when she should stay her hand. Something else told her when she could. "Do you despise the usual pageantry? A guest of your clear status would normally have an accompaniment of some kind."

The General ran her eyes up and down this armored woman, who walked with purpose and authority, just like her. Everything from the sword to the way her eyes looked right into Lyra’s made her clearly of high status. ”My accompaniment is being taken care of at the stables, currently, though I wouldn’t be opposed to some striking company such as yourself.” The notion of intrigue overtook the General. “Intrigue,” of course, meaning a pretty face in a foreign land.

”Genetal Lyra Carris of Baltyria. A pleasure to meet you.” As the word "General" left the lips of the woman in front of her, the Captain's mind snapped into a higher gear. The response to her presence has been entirely underwhelming, but perhaps… Lyra wanted it that way.

This general was not one for pageantry, no. Or protocol, but who could blame you when you were... probably on vacation? She was waving around status when it made things convenient and forgoing all the inconveniences. It sang of the tactical decisions made to protect precious vacation time. "You've vastly outpaced your entourage. You had breakfast and they're still not ready? If you're not opposed to a working tour, I could show you around the city."

”My… entourage consists solely of a horse. Though, if you are offering, a tour of the city sounds lovely. I’ve heard it’s beautiful this time of year. You seem to be of high status yourself, miss. Who might you be?”

"You came with only your horse?" She must not be an active general, then. To allow your general to wander around, so vulnerable as this? Of course, officially, they would be relying on Caesonian defenses to ensure her safety, but without any sort of personal detail? Interesting. "Well then, I suppose I will be your detail. Stratya Durmand, Knight Captain. I've got to stop by the warehouses, so shall we?"

"It must have been a long journey. Is your horse good conversation? How far is it, to Baltyria?" Without someone to talk to, it must have been lonesome. But, some folk are like that.

The General fell in step with the Captain. ”Baltyria is far enough away that a month has passed since the start of this journey. My horse and I have been on such journeys before, and this is not new to either of us. He will be taken care of. Lead the way, Captain Durmand.”

On to the matter of nobility appearing late at night by the warehouses. She'd heard an interesting rumor, but she needed someone willing to talk to her. She shouldn't have changed into her armor yet. It made it more difficult to find someone to inform her. Luckily, she did know a guy who heard a lot of things. She'd probably have to pay him, though.

The guy ran a little concession and news stand that he liked to move around a lot. It wasn't terribly hard to find him, if you knew how to track him down. His news was varied and usually very up-to-date, though she wasn't sure he'd have this bit of information on paper already or at all.

The cart was easy enough to spot. "Ah, let me get a drink, quickly." There was a menu of drinks on the bulletin board, along with various news headlines. "I'll get you something, too." The woman would pop around to the front of the cart for just a minute or two, to exchange with the manager and ascertain more details before returning with two glass bottles. "It's just something sweet. As for the warehouse… seems there was a party." Maybe a party with drugs, but that was something for the guard to handle. The nobles probably just wanted to have a good time, so they went to the party. The princess had appeared as well, apparently, which was… great. But that was all the information he had for her. The princess's appearance was alarming, but did not warrant investigation. "Not the kind of thing I'm wont to disrupt - not like there's to be anything to break up at this point, anyway."

”I won’t be alerting any guards either. We have more important matters, after all, don’t we?” Lyra commented as she took a drink from the bottle Stratya handed her. What is it that we are looking for?”

"There is, however, a rumor floating around. A group of nobles, and the princess, were seen at" the captain searched for the word, "an… unbecoming party." That was perhaps the best way to say it. "I only managed to happen upon the rumor because I was out of uniform. Certainly, not the kind of talk to be had in front of a knight. I have ascertained the location of such a party that occurred last night. If it is not something that would bore you, I suppose we could see what the party has left behind."

An unbecoming party. Alright, now the General was somewhat curious. ”To think nobles would be in such a position that their dealings would be heard. What do you know about this incident? You have my curiosity now, Captain.” She had heard rumors of terrible things brewing in the kingdom, and this could be what she was looking for. Best not to let this woman know just yet, however.

"Nothing terribly concrete. I only have some hearsay to go on, but I do have the likely location. Whether it is the one in question is uncertain, but I suppose we can poke our noses in. It is this way." Captain Durmand led the way through the streets, toward the warehouses by the coast. "In just the kind of place you want to be when you're wealthy and important, of course." At night. Secretly. Without a single guard or knight.

"Curious, though. A warehouse party isn't exactly a high-class event. How do you suppose a classy lady like the princess comes to interact with such a party? It isn't like the dock hands get around that much inside the walls, and I can't imagine the servants would be caught speaking of such things in front of anyone.. of class. So how did she come to be here?"

”She would have planned to come in secret, I assume. Someone of royalty’s stature would be noticed moving about through her own city, so she would have hidden herself from plain sight, either by concealment or traveling through areas where few people go. Someone so important wouldn't be missed. I believe she’d take great care to plan such an event. Though, I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be easier to hold such a meeting in the castle. Commoners are not free to roam a castle.” Lyra mused out loud.

”How would you have gotten here, if you were her?”

"Oh, probably some secret passage behind the bookcase or something like that. Straight out of a story book because story books often have some measure of truth to them, when you look in the right places." They took a turn, heading among the rows of warehouses. "That's not what I'm interested in, not quite what I meant by 'how'. How she got there specifically, the vehicle and course, isn't important, but why. What events led her there, that kind of how. First, we shall see what traces we can find."

Lyra followed the Captain, her eyes flicking from one warehouse to the next quicker than they should have. Royalty often do things that they shouldn’t. In politics, in war. In their daily lives. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume the princess thought her title would give her a layer of insulation from the consequences of attending this event, whatever happened, that is. It could be that she thought she simply could, more than anything.”

"Yes, but I would like to think she wouldn't simply follow someone out from the castle on that person's whim. If the princess would like to go to a party, that's fine, but the careless manner in which she came troubles me. That I haven't heard of this would tell me she was unguarded. Someone drew her out." Stratya approached one of the warehouses. Her informant said this was the one. "Alas, this is just speculation. I need more information."

If she was lead here, it would have to have been someone she trusts. However, there is also the possibility that she learned of the party and decided to come on her own... but who informed her?

At any rate, she had to get in to the warehouse. Would the guard try and argue with her, or let them in?

Thea did win her first match, but though it had been exceptionally close, she unfortunately lost to Vael in the next one. Still, it had been exciting enough, and Wulfric clapped for them both, then for the subsequent winner. Verrick O’Hare prevailed against the baker and new Damien both, making for a much better showing than he’d had against Shehzadi Nahir. The semi-finals and finals had been invigorating to watch, and the prince was more or less satisfied with the proceedings. He left after the finalist was announced, and the first and second prizes were being handed out. Two guards were left behind to accompany Anastasia, while the rest returned to the castle with him.

Wulfric hadn't expected to see Callum any sooner than 11 am, though all things considered, it was a good thing he met his younger brother nearly a quarter of an hour earlier than that. The sight of that drunkenly swaying figure put a stop to his swift, purposeful stride, and he slowed down as he looked his younger sibling up and down. Callum had dressed into proper attire, and made an appearance – which was more than he’d have done before their agreement – but that was where the positives ended.

When his brother had indicated he would make himself presentable, Wulfric hadn’t considered he might give up half-way through. Had he somehow thought his subpar efforts would be sufficient – if he had indeed thought anything at all? Had he changed his mind, and decided he couldn’t bother complying, no matter that he had proposed to do so of his own initiative? Or was the allure of alcohol truly so powerful for him, that he’d gone and got himself blindingly drunk as soon as he was left alone to do so?

Either way, it was clearly also his mistake to have relied on Callum to do what should be done with no oversight or guidance. While Wulfric had been keeping an eye on Anastasia, the unwatched half of the troublemaking pair had been up to no good. But of course, he had. Sometimes, it surprised him that he still managed to be disappointed at all when it came to his two youngest siblings.

He paced up to Callum, displeasure etched on his face in the form of a frown, angry tension lining his whole body. Annoyance transformed his gait into a stalk as he neared his sibling. When he was close enough to note the stale stench that still clung to his brother, his nose wrinkled in distaste. “Really, brother, alcohol in the morning?” he couldn’t help snarking. He was acting like some slum-bound bum; drinking throughout the night, then continuing on from where he’d left off (and after being drugged or poisoned, even!) whenever he regained coherency the following day…God. An alcoholic at twenty.

If his sibling had anything to say to that, Wulfric wasn’t much interested. He clicked his fingers, and a servant promptly approached to answer his call. “Get him sobered up – I don’t care if you have to throw cold water on him to do so. And do what you can to make him presentable.” His gaze pointedly tracked the bags under Callum’s eyes, his (more so than usual) sickly pallor, the damp and uncombed hair, and even his picked-at fingernails. The first prince wasn't expecting miracles, as he knew they had less than fifteen minutes remaining. But at the very least, it should be time enough to get his brother washed up, and correct his appearance until he no longer looked like some half-dead creature.

In case it wasn’t clear from the stern stare he’d kept on him throughout, Wulfric said, “Callum,” demanding his attention. “It is your task to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible,” he sneered as he paraphrased his brother’s own words, reminding him of their deal. “Do take care to be on time.” His tone of voice let his sibling know he considered that a part of his cooperative responsibilities as well.

Finally, he directed his gaze to the attendant who had been mutely standing next to the pair since he’d summoned her, some maid he wasn’t too familiar with. “Quickly now,” he urged her to take Callum away and get him taken care of, assuming she’d fetch her coworkers if she needed to. Then, Wulfric strode past without another word; he had his own preparations to handle, after all, though at least his servants had been informed beforehand that they’d be needed.

Location: Entrance to the forest near the shooting range
Time: 11am

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The Sorian forest was a hidden gem tucked away from the bustling kingdom. The noise of the shooting range was drowned out from the lively forest. Crickets chirped in harmony together like a symphony. Birds chattered to one another while scouring the forest floor for worms and other insects. Squirrels ran from tree to tree, picking up acorns and finding broken twigs to continue building their nests. Bees buzzed nearby in search of flowers to pollinate. Deer tread through the forest proudly as if they owned the woods. To them, it was their safe haven for the time being.

Unfortunately, their peacefulness would soon be disturbed by an exuberant crowd lining up at the forest’s edge. Armed with bows and arrows, guns and knives, stood a group of hunters eagerly eying their potential prey. The captain of the group, a muscular and stocky woman named Hanna stood waiting. There was a silver bow on her back with an enormous amount of arrows. There was a backpack on her other side as well, with a first aid kit and plenty of water and other tools. She examined the group and smiled pleasantly.

”We’ll wait for a few more to join us. We’ll be splitting into groups of three. You can decide how you’d like to split up. A couple of rules: I don’t want any foolishness or child’s play out here. Start making a ruckus and you’re out and won’t be allowed back. Am I clear?" She paused for effect then continued. If anyone is injured or in need of help, shoot your gun into the air three times and help will be on the way. I’ll be keeping an eye on all of you.” Her instructions ended ominously, not detailing how she might find out.

Location: The Edin Theater
Time: 11am

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The Edin Theater was a sight to behold. Three levels of seats were adorned by black and gold chandeliers with iridescent jewels hanging proudly from it. The way the light hit the chandelier made it seem as if the theater had eternal rays of sunlight. The architecture was decorated with gold and black, mirroring King Edin’s castle. There was not a speck of dust nor mess anywhere and the floors shined proudly. Noblemen and noblewomen were given the higher floors to allow for the best viewing. Near each door was a butler waiting for their beck and call. Dressed neatly in suits or dresses with the men’s hair slicked back, or the woman’s hair pulled into a tight bun, they greeted each person cheerfully. Fresh drinks and food had been neatly arranged for the nobles while the poorer crowd had less delicious looking food.

Due to the earliness, there was not a big crowd. One by one, people trickled in as a mixed bag of rich and the poor. Outside were peddlers, trying to sing love songs or poems in hopes of earning extra coin. As if they were bugs, they were ignored. Behind the curtain waited the actors and actresses. They had prepared the story over the past few weeks and rehearsed it so frequently they could repeat it in their sleep. Rumor had it that Duke Lorenzo Vikena might show up and had them giggling fervently with glee.

After being shut inside for so long and his mishap yesterday, the storyline of the play reflected similarly to him and his strange step-daughter, Charlotte. However, the actors weren’t foolish enough to name the characters after them; in fact, they went as far as renaming and recasting people who did not resemble them in the slightest. To further avoid issues, the director also announced the play would be “fictional” and any “instances of real-life” were pure “coincidence.” This allowed them to embarrass and harass anyone without suffering repercussions. This didn’t stop people from whispering to one another about who they considered it to be. Waiting like wolves circling an injured deer stood the actors, actresses, and directors with uncontainable excitement.

Location: The Park of Sorian
Time: 11am

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Set along the other side of the park stood a wondrous delight: The Festival. A long standing Sorian tradition, it always attracted large crowds as it was an all-day event lasting through the evening with fireworks as the grand finale. The festival stretched over the park with stalls in various areas. Once people walked in, they were immediately assaulted by various, delicious smells. Some of the woodland animals were having a hard time resisting it! Birds, especially pigeons and seagulls, were eagerly pecking away at food that people had dropped. Vendors and stands were set up rows across from one another and competing desperately for the public’s attention.

”Nutty Delights.”
The owner of the first stall was a proud and boisterous man named Jean. There were chestnuts roasted and available in various dipping sauces: cheese, butter, salt and more. Some had vegetables with them while others did not. He also had mixed bags, with peanuts, cashews, almonds and walnuts, which could be handmade. For non-dairy consumers, there was an option for it without butter. Curious onlookers eyed the stall and sampled a few prior to buying a bag. His smirk lifted as he made eye contact with the vendor across the street.

”Sugary Delights.”
Across from his stall stood a competitive woman and also his sister
Belladonna. There was candy floss in almost every flavor imaginable: mint, bubble gum, watermelon, raspberry, and chocolate and vanilla. Some of them had been mixed together. The sweet smells wafted through the air, luring children from all over along with their parents who quickly realized their money would be gone quickly.

”Turkey Hut.”
For the meat enthusiasts, there was a third stall with a spry young man named Julius. Despite his wiry appearance, his smooth and alluring aura pulled people in. There were turkey legs drizzled with sauce. Julius, undisturbed by the success of the “Nutty and Sugary Delights,” had begun to advertise his stall with balloon animals in the shapes of turkeys.

“Caramel Dreams,”
Selling popcorn was a no brainer, which is why Willow had stepped it up a notch. Not only was her popcorn fresh and oozing with butter and salt, she had added another ingredient: caramel. She knew people were unable to resist popcorn, especially with caramel, so she’d also began to add other flavors including cheese, toffee, vegan, and kettle and also peanut butter caramel. In return for buying from her stall, she would add extra sauce if you were nice enough! She smiled at the onlookers and graciously accepted their tips.

”Apple A Day.”
Despite the rough appearance of Milo, the fifth stall owner was an absolute sweetheart. The sweet allure of candy apples on sticks were attracting both youth and adults. The apples came in various flavors, such as chocolate, toffee, cinnamon, and also strawberry. For 25 cents more, they could be mixed too. A few of the apples were designed with various symbols of the kingdom for extra fun. If you were lucky enough to buy one randomly, you were given a second free candy apple!

”Corny Treats.”
Finally, the last stall stood a woman named Isla who waited with confidence. A regular and loving dish for the Sorian Kingdom was Corn on the Cob and was never missed. They were dipped in butter and also had vegan options. Salt was an option too, and many people were taking advantage of it. There were a few other options too; for the adventurous type, she also had cheese and other flavors. For an extra dollar, she would skim the corn off the cheese and put it in a cup for people. Izubelle’s stall may not have been first, but it was definitely not the least!

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It was never a festival without games! There were a variety of options for all ages and skill levels. Eager vendors, a mix of women and men, were explaining rules of the game while onlookers cheered the players on.

The first game was a classic - a ring toss. The prizes came in small, medium or large stuffed animals, depending on the winner’s accuracy. The animals included a tiger, snake, hawk, dolphin, and more! Kids were pleading with their parents to play the game, despite the inexpensive entry fee. The kids were able to win their parents over as a few of them won large stuffed animals!

The second game stall was a wheel spin game that came with a few prizes: a free ticket to any of the vendors! Many people were lined up for this one, all watching and talking strategy with one another in hopes they might win. The stall owner was encouraging to everyone and allowed people an extra try if they failed to win anything the first time.

For the adventurous and bold stood a sausage-eating contest. Many men and a few women had signed up for the contest. The sausages came in turkey, pork, beef, chicken, or vegetarian and vegan options. The contestant’s stomachs rumbled with anticipation and hunger. The prize was an unknown amount of money to allow the winners to spend and give back to the community. The hopes were they’d spend it on the stalls, though some of the winners in the past had used it for other means…..

Cup under the coin was an unpredictable and elusive game that most participants could not use strategy to win. The coins were in various amounts and had people becoming cross-eyed from trying to keep the cups in their sights. A few people had won and yelled out excitedly, causing people to turn and look. The stall owner was smirking with amusement as they watched people trying to win.

The last and most fun stall was a dunk tank. The owner of the stall, Killian, loved entertaining kids and thus, had committed themselves annually to the game. Attendees were given three tries to throw a ball at the wall connected to the dunk tank from ten feet [?] away. For a nonathletic kid named Dexter, the game had scorned him for years. Today though would be the day he’d win!