[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ONd4lpK.png[/img][/center]
[color=00F8FE]Time: 10am
Location: Drake’s Birthday Bash
Interactions: Cassius [@PapaOso]
Mentions: Wulfric, Ana, Jimmy the cat, Drake, Ari, Farim, Stratya, Barry(Ryn), Zarai, Roman, Lorenzo, Charlotte, The Damiens, The Edwards.[/color][hr]

[color=9FA1A4]
As Callum walked the garden he watched his brother lead a horse to the stables. He ate a mouthful of bread. He watched his sister hold up a scruffy orange cat. He ate another mouthful of bread and wondered if that was real. [color=00F8FE][i]Where did Ana even get a cat?[/i][/color] He didn’t see Ari anywhere, Drake was busy talking to many people, so Cal continued eating and wandering. He almost went over to talk with Farim but didn’t want to crash what might be the man’s date with Ana, that was way too awkward. 

He caught Stratya looking at him, so held up the half-eaten bread loaf and waved it at her, followed by a thumbs up. He saw Count Damien and his wife, but neither wanted to talk to or even acknowledge them. He felt the same way about Duke Edwards and the Vile Dutchess. He saw some of the other Alidasht royals and nobles but didn’t know any of them well enough to want to talk to them right now, so instead he filled his mouth with more bread. 

[color=00F8FE][i]Is that Barry!?!?[/i][/color] Cal spotted a man who looked exactly like the man he’d talked to in an alleyway but he couldn’t remember if Barry was real or if he’d imagined him that night. [color=00F8FE][i]Hadn’t Barry mentioned Marek might be aligned with Edin?[/i][/color] He almost approached Barry, but he didn’t want to take the risk that he might also be an illusion and he wasn’t going to start talking to imaginary people with Wulfric around. 

He saw Zarai seated, talking to someone else he didn’t know, so he avoided her too. Callum wasn’t in a meeting new people mood. He chewed obnoxiously on the bread, wondering why Ari wasn’t here and he looked around for Roman but didn’t see him around. He made his way over to the bar just as he finished the last mouthful of bread. He left moments later, a glass of red wine in hand. Well a second glass of wine in hand, the first one had been gulped down in front of the bar, untasted and just something to wash all the bread down with. 

Duke Lorenzo’s voice cut through the music, heard over the rest of the softly spoken conversations, and louder than Callum’s thoughts. [color=00F8FE][i]Count Damien’s bastard[/i][/color] His mind echoed the words as he turned to look. Standing next to Sorian’s best-dressed noble was a man who had to be the Damien bastard and Charlotte as well. [color=00F8FE][i]Oof, Calby looks pissed.[/i][/color] He smiled a little, might as well draw some heat off Lorenzo and see if he could turn Calbert’s face a shade darker than the wine.

[color=00F8FE]”CASSIUS VAEL, THE DAMIEN BASTARD?”[/color] Callum shouted matching the Duke’s volume as he headed in their direction. [color=00F8FE]”I can’t believe we haven’t met yet!”[/color] He added, his voice still inappropriately loud but not quite shouting. He was going to have to relax his stance on meeting new people today but he’d make it worth it. 

Once he made his way over to them he smiled and offered a hand to Cassius. [color=00F8FE]”I’ve heard the most delightful rumors about you, sir. Nice to match a face to the man, the myth, the legend! And how fortunate for you that ya don’t look too much like your pops.”[/color] He spoke, grinning, and giving a wink to Calbert. Maybe this party wouldn’t be too bad after all. [/color]