[color=lightgray][h3][center][color=E77298]Princess Anastasia[/color], [color=00F8FE]Prince Callum[/color] and [color=ab274f]Prince Wulfric[/color][/center] [/h3]

[color=E77298]Time:[/color] ~9am
[color=00F8FE]Location:[/color] Danrose Castle
[hr][hr]

Anastasia had leaned against the wall with a huff above exiting the tea room. She wanted to be more useful, to go do something to figure out what happened to Darryn instead of going to some party. The first thing she wanted to do was try to find Marek again.

If she could just talk to him, he’d set the record straight and maybe he’d even help find out what happened. However, Marek wasn’t usually around during the day anyway, so perhaps it’d be better to try to distract herself as usual. It would be comforting to converse with people who cared about her, like Farim and Zarai, after the harsh night she had endured with Riona. 

[color=00F8FE]“Ana, can we talk? Just us?”[/color] Callum asked as he spotted his sister as he left the tea room. He continued walking toward his room, assuming his sister would follow, and wanting to get away from both Wulfric and Alibeth as soon as he could. [color=00F8FE]“First off, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you of snitching on Marek. It was a dumb thing to think.”[/color] 

She turned to face Callum and smiled, then followed after him as she spoke. [color=E77298]“Of course… And it’s alright. It made sense given that we were the only ones that seemed to know that she would ask. But according to mother, somebody else snitched.”[/color] Anastasia shrugged, then added sincerely, [color=E77298]“...I would never snitch on Marek. Even if I thought he was the evildoer they think he is, I would always tell you first; I know you care about him too.”[/color]

Callum matched his pace to Ana’s. [color=00F8FE]“I don’t believe Wulfric. I mean, I think maybe he believes what he said, but it can’t be true. I mean, what makes more sense, that Marek is secretly some evil criminal mastermind? And then he decided to blow his cover to murder a stableboy? When he could’ve liquified all the evidence?”[/color] He shook his head, there was nothing he believed about that story. 

[color=00F8FE]“Marek isn’t that dumb or obvious. You know what does make sense? A queen sending a lackey to kill someone, she admitted she wanted him dead, and using the murder of our friend to frame Marek. It’s exactly what she wants, make this all look like her and Wulfy are saving us from big bad evil Marek and solving Darryn’s murder.”[/color] He rambled on, outlining his own theory of what happened and only pausing to take a breath once he’d finished. [color=00F8FE]“We should meet with him, let him know what’s going on.”[/color] Cal whispered. 

[color=E77298]“I don’t even know what to think.”[/color] Anastasia began earnestly.  [color=E77298]“But talking to Marek could be a good step. I at least want to know his side of the story and see if he knows what happened. Maybe he has evidence that could clear his name.”[/color] She frowned as a realization kicked in. [color=E77298]“I stopped by his office near the warehouses the other night, but they didn’t let me in…”[/color] She sighed and glared up at the ceiling as if it were the root of her problems. [color=E77298]“I don’t even know if he was in there.”[/color]

[color=00F8FE]“It doesn’t make sense, to make such a spectacle.”[/color] The details were driving him crazy. [color=00F8FE]“I feel bad, for the knight, she had to see that.”[/color] He added, once they reached his room he changed the subject. [color=00F8FE]“What drugs did Darryn give you? Did you take them?”[/color] He asked, unlocking his door. 

[color=E77298]“The little tablets that make you feel really happy... Dunno the name, but yeah I did.”[/color]

[color=00F8FE]“Was that out of the norm for him?”[/color] He asked, wondering why Darryn never gave him any drugs. He gestured for Ana to follow him into his room, he didn’t want to risk anyone overhearing what he actually wanted to talk about. 

[color=00F8FE]“What exactly happened with you and Riona?”[/color] He asked once the door was closed. 

[color=E77298]“No. He used to get me stuff all the time.”[/color] She hopped onto a couch. [color=E77298]“Riona approached me at the tavern, and right away she started accusing me of being selfish and not thinking about Darryn or the consequences of my actions. She said I was only thinking about myself and didn’t consider how my decisions would affect Darryn, and she also told me that he was dead… It felt like she was blaming me for everything that happened, without even trying to understand my side of things so I got defensive. We both left the conversation unhappy to say the least.”[/color]

[color=00F8FE]“If you’re blaming yourself at all, then you’d have to blame me too. But I don’t think his death is on us.”[/color] Callum didn’t sit down, he paced anxiously about the room, unsure of how to bring up magic. [color=00F8FE]“Do you think, as a favor, you could not mention Riona during any family meetings. Or, really to anyone.”[/color] He asked. 

Anastasia nodded and even parted her lips to voice her agreement. But he didn’t wait for an answer, [color=00F8FE]“Magic isn’t evil.”[/color] Cal blurted out. [color=00F8FE]“Unless you think I’m evil.”[/color] He paused, glanced at the fireplace as an idea formed. He had to prove it, and barely above a whisper, [color=00F8FE]“Mutare ea quae videntire,”[/color] he summoned an illusion. His eyes glew red as an array of brightly colored butterflies flew down from the fireplace and filled the room. 

Anastasia's jaw dropped in astonishment. She stood abruptly, her breath catching in her throat as she watched the butterflies. For a moment, she was lost in their vibrant colors. Slowly, a smile spread across her lips, her shock giving way to a sense of wonder. She reached up toward the butterflies overhead, her fingers brushing through the illusion. [color=E77298]“Whoa…”[/color] she breathed, her voice full of awe. 

After a brief pause, she turned to Callum, her expression softening. [color=E77298]“I could never think you’re evil, Callum,”[/color] she assured him gently. [color=E77298]“Even if you did decide to become an evil mastermind with a big top hat and evil twisty mustache, I'd still be on your side. You'll always be my little brother, and nothing will ever change that."[/color] 

He breathed a sigh of relief. [color=00F8FE]“Oh, good, I was thinking about growing an evil twisty mustache.”[/color] He watched the butterflies for a moment. [color=00F8FE]“It’s like me, people don’t get magic and they just assume something’s wrong with it. But it’s not evil Ana, it just is. Sometimes bad people might use it. Someone else here uses it. There’s a secret room in the library, I found a spellbook there, it had a spell to make the caster not get sick so much. You know how I was always sick as a kid, I thought if I was stronger he wouldn’t hate me so much.”[/color] He didn’t say who he meant, but it wasn’t hard to guess. [color=00F8FE]“Now I don’t get sick all the time. It fixed me. And that’s a good thing, right?”[/color] He asked, finally taking a seat across from his sister. 

Anastasia’s expression softened, [color=E77298]“That makes sense... I am glad you feel better now.”[/color] She sighed, [color=E77298]“I guess maybe there was just something wrong with her.”[/color]

[color=00F8FE]“Who?”[/color] Callum asked. [color=00F8FE]“If you still don’t want to say, I won’t ask again, but I wouldn’t turn them in or anything. I could help whoever it is, or they could help me.”[/color] 

[color=E77298]“... Charlotte Vikena…”[/color]

[color=00F8FE]“Vikena? …And she threatened you and Edin? Huh, that’s not who I would’ve guessed.”[/color] There was no hiding his surprise. [color=00F8FE]“Thanks, I’m glad we can trust each other. See you at Drake’s party?”[/color] He added as he got up and opened the door for Ana. 

Only to be stopped by the sight of Wulfric, who had been about to knock on the door. [color=ab274f]“Ah, I am glad I caught you both.”[/color] He raised a palm, a request to stop them from leaving or protesting. [color=ab274f]“I am aware you might not wish to speak to me, but I only ask that you listen. Please.”[/color] He studied them carefully. [color=ab274f]“I see you have come to a resolution,”[/color] he commented. [color=ab274f]“If you are keen to solve Darryn’s murder on your own, or to investigate Marek even,”[/color] he guessed, because that is what the topic of their previous conversation had been, [color=ab274f]“then that is good. You are both adults, after all,”[/color] he acknowledged.

[color=ab274f]“Try to be careful, will you?”[/color] He had his own precautions in mind, but it would be helpful if they acted with forethought and caution. As unlikely as that was for either of them. [color=ab274f]“If you are ever willing to discuss your thoughts on how things should be, how we [i]could[/i] rule more fairly - or on anything else, really - I will gladly hear you out. I do not think that my or our parents’ perspective is necessarily correct, and I would prefer to incorporate yours,”[/color] he concluded. He gave a final nod to each sibling. [color=ab274f]“Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak to you.”[/color] That said, he took his leave.

Anastasia watched him go and glanced at Callum. [color=E77298]“I guess that was a good thing, right?”[/color]
[color=00F8FE]“If he means it, yeah, good thing. I just…how do you think he’d react if it does turn out Edin or Alibeth are the real evil here? Not just Darryn, things even worse than that.”[/color] Callum asked, but he was already sure how that conversation would go; Wulfric would protect the family no matter what. His brother had basically told Riona that already. [color=00F8FE]“We can’t tell him about magic. About me.”[/color] And then he mouthed [color=00F8FE][i]or Charlotte.[/i][/color]	

[color=E77298]“I believe that Wulfric would stand up against something like that... I mean, he’s well…Wulfric… but he does cares about us,”[/color] she said with a sigh, a wistful tone in her voice. [color=E77298]“Sometimes, I just wish we could be a normal family.”[/color] She paused, then nodded with quiet resolve. [color=E77298]“I won’t say a word to anyone…”[/color] With that, Anastasia gave Callum another brief hug and took her leave. [color=E77298]“I am going to go get ready, I’ll see you there, Callum.”[/color]

[color=00F8FE]“I guess we’ll see. I’ll give it a shot at least.”[/color] He said, it wasn’t a confident statement. Wulfric had given him a good opportunity to at least fake some cooperation. It was clear to Callum that he needed to keep getting invited to these family meetings, if only to get easy access to the information he needed to help his friends and the Thornbreakers. 

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