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[img]https://i.imgur.com/d18QHyE.png[/img]
[h2][color=#fcba03]Callum Prosser[/color][/h2][/center]
[hr][center][@Estylwen][/center][hr]

Callum was almost instantly accosted by the innkeeper, passing some sort of note across the countertop. [color=#fcba03]"Ah. My thanks,"[/color] he said with a gracious nod, taking the folded parchment in hand. He drew his dagger from his belt, breaking the hastily-made seal keeping it shut. After reading who the note was [i]from,[/i] he wasn't surprised at how basic and messy the seal was; likely the man had had nothing more than a candle to seal it with. [color=#fcba03]"Curious..."[/color] he muttered to himself after reading the note. Athius? And Raiden had so carelessly scrawled it on a note, trusting the innkeeper not to read it?

[i][color=#fcba03]Or truly so hastily? Maybe Athius is where that thing Anabel mentio—[/color][/i]

He paused at the sound of some sort of argument coming out of the tavern, the same place that he'd just been thinking about mentioned right at the edge of his hearing. Followed immediately by the baroness's voice in response...seconds later rising higher in alarm than he would've thought possible an hour before. He pushed open the door to the tavern proper, just in time to see some man staring the baroness down, hand clamped tight around her dainty arm.

[color=#fcba03][i]Not my[/i] recruiter, [i]man, come on![/i][/color]

He stood still for a moment, note still in one hand, dagger in the other. He hadn't yet picked a side in whatever this confrontation was between the baroness and Raiden, and now could be his chance to be rid of both; even if his name and face were known to them, he could still make good on an escape, get out of the hairy situation. But he had to watch how it played out first, to know how best to [i]make[/i] his escape...

Anabel cast her gaze around the room, desperate for help—her panicked eyes met his, desperate for aid against this man who was more than twice her size and had to be at least thrice her age.

The bronze-hilted dagger that he'd opened the letter with flew end over end, passing between the man's legs to lodge in the wooden floor a couple feet further back. A calculated, low throw; without knowing exactly what was going on or where he stood with everything, he didn't want to aim anywhere lethal. No doubt the man would've been able to evade it anyways, should it prove so obvious, but at least he'd gained some attention and sent a message.

[color=#fcba03]"That's no way to treat a lady [i]or[/i] a child, is it?"[/color] he asked conversationally, nonchalantly flicking a lock of his reddish hair out of his face, the ring containing the greater part of his Seed turned so that the gem faced inward, out of view. Internally, he was certain he could hear the sound of something screaming—probably some part of himself, horrified at how thoroughly he'd just ruined his own chance to get away—but his focus was entirely on the baroness and the vagrant that had laid hands on her.

Hopefully, by this point, the innkeeper had heard the commotion, or someone outside had heard Anabel's rising voice. Surely she wouldn't be so foolish as to go without guards...if she was, then she was putting quite a bit of faith in Callum. [color=#fcba03]"We were just about to have a lovely dinner together. Can I interest you in [i]not[/i] being a nuisance, and leaving us be?"[/color]

Whether he intended to follow the baroness or the pie-molesting rogue, one thing was certain: He'd sealed his fate to theirs now, one way or the other.