[center][color=9AF781][h1]Lord Leo Smithwood[/h1][/color][img]https://i.imgur.com/OEh1rTU.png[/img][/center] [hr] [center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62zttCJT1Sg]Dirty Imbecile[/url][/center] [color=9AF781]Time: Late Afternoon to Evening Location: Sorian Gambling and Games Hall Daily Misfortune: Leo keeps getting drunk without any alcohol[/color] [color=lightgray] Leo swayed in place as the dealer turned over another card. Blurred vision left the card unreadable but the dealer’s face told him he’d lost this hand. [color=696969]“A seven, a king, and now a five,”[/color] Martin quietly told Leo the layout of the cards. Leo counted on his fingers, nearly dropping a glass of sparkling water that contained a few lime wedges and not a drop of alcohol. He struggled with the equivalent of a child’s math problem. He could barely stand, could smell the alcohol wafting from his breath, like some common drunkard. He’d devoured plates from the establishment’s buffet until the sight of food made him queasy. Nothing helped this inebriating curse that had been laid upon him. And it grew worse by the hour. [color=9AF781]“Twenty-one!”[/color] He insisted as the dealer shook his head and pulled Leo’s pile of chips away. [color=696969]“Twenty-two,”[/color] Martin corrected. He led Leo away from the table counting out numbers on his fingers to prove it to the unconvinced lord. [color=9AF781]“You’ve got…twooomany…fingers.”[/color] Leo mumbled, unable to keep track of the counting. A morning spent gambling had started off fun, an easy distraction from wondering how far his servant's betrayal might go, but as the hours stretched on it became a series of frustrating losses. The roulette table had once been loyal, agreeing with his every bet, only to stab him in the back. The dice mocked him at every throw. The poker table was unnavigable in his stupor, even when the cards showed him favor his own face betrayed him. A small fortune, lost to the winds, scattered about the various games of chance and into the greedy hands of the most treacherous house. Leo searched his pockets for more chips, convinced that he could yet again find himself in Lady Luck’s embrace if only he picked the right game. [color=696969]“I believe you are out of chips, milord.”[/color] [color=9AF781]“Nooo,”[/color] Leo whispered in shock. He pointed at a station, deciding they needed to get more. [color=696969]“Might be best to cut your losses, head back for a bath and change clothes.”[/color] Martin advised. Like a child, Leo shook his head. [color=9AF781]“One more.”[/color] He said slumping down onto a nearby stool. Martin looked apprehensive about leaving the lord alone and half-conscious but eventually indulged the stubborn lord’s request. He left Leo a few paces away for only a moment. [color=A0522D]“Isn’t that Smithwood’s son?”[/color] Amidst ambient conversation, the shouting of bets, the cheers of success, and the groans of defeat, Leo heard his family name spoken. He felt a brief sense of pride at being recognized. [color=F4A460]“Smithwood, why’s that name familiar?”[/color] Pride became dread as Leo recognized the tone, and caught a glimpse of the eagerness in the first speaker's eyes to dredge up rancid gossip. [color=A0522D]“The Varian Duchess that murdered her husband..”[/color] It started in his gut, a burning that rose to his neck and ears. He turned in the voice’s direction, muscles tensing at the allegation that his mother would ever, could ever- Betray him like that. Leave her son to suffer through the not knowing. He could probably forgive a murder, but never a lie like that. [color=9AF781][i]But he hasn’t been murdered, only missing.[/i][/color] He assured himself, tried to take a breath. [color=9AF781][i]Don’t cause a scene.[/i][/color] [color=A0522D]“...shacked up with the Queen’s former lady-in-waiting…”[/color] Leo watched the haze from the two men’s cigars linger around them. Embers glowed brightly as the man’s voice paused to draw out the suspense in his slanderous tale. [color=9AF781][i]She kept the machine running, took over the Dukedom without a hitch. No one ever mentions that.[/i][/color] His mother wouldn’t want him starting fights in a casino. Bad for the family imagine. [color=9AF781][i]Smithwood’s are better than that. I am better than that.[/i][/color] But he wasn’t. His thoughts devolved into knocking teeth down throats. [color=A0522D]“And whose daughter flubbed her engagement to a prince…”[/color] The noise around him dulled. All he saw was red. His legs moved independently closing the distance between him and the man speaking. Rage ran through his veins, hot and eager to take action. [color=A0522D]“My guess, that Prince found out he was engaged to a -”[/color] The man didn’t get to finish that sentence. In a smooth motion, Leo spun the speaker around, and fist collided with face. He grabbed a handful of graying hair and drove the man’s face into a table. The man spat a mouthful of blood as Leo’s knuckles smacked against ribs. Leo stumbled backward, head rattling as the other man struck back. A few more blows were landed before the pair crashed against the table, breaking it. They grappled until someone grabbed Leo’s arms and pulled him away. The other man took advantage, throwing one last punch before he too was grabbed up off the floor and restrained by his friend. More guards arrived to keep them separated. [color=A0522D]“See that, the violent son of murder!”[/color] The other man shouted to those around him. [color=9AF781]“I’ll break your fucking jaw!”[/color] Leo snarled. [color=A0522D]“I want him arrested!”[/color] The other man shouted. [color=9AF781]“Le'me go.”[/color] Leo tried in vain to break himself free. Catching only snippets of Martin’s words as he held him back, tried to reason with an unreachable Leo. And with only a handful of gambling chips, Leo had no means to pay for the damages he’d caused nor the fine for disturbance. Painful hours of boredom stretched on, trapped in a cell filled with drunkards as Martin departed to find Leo’s mother to pay the fine for her son. Time where all he could do was stew on the mess he’d made of his day. Embarrassing his family. Disappointing them. Looking like an absolute… [color=9AF781][i]Asshat.[/i][/color] And that stupid fucking word was left haunting him. [/color]