[center][h3][Color=salmon]Lorenzo[/color] and [color=9354FF]Fritz "Ryn"[/color][/h3][/center]
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[color=D3D3D3][Color=salmon]“Hm-hm-hm-hm-hm la-di-da-di-da he-he-he-he-he do-do-do-do-do. Good ol’ Lorenzo is ready to write. Lottie occupies the guest for the night.”[/color] Lorenzo bobbed his head, seated at the desk in his home library, wearing a jolly smile on his face. On the desk, he opened up a large multicolored hard-cover book containing his collection of written poems with a quick and ink at the ready. Kier, his ferret and closest friend scampered around the room chasing a shiny tin ball.

[Color=salmon]“I see we're both having a wonderful time, Kier. We really have to do this more often and…”[/color] Lorenzo sighed. [Color=salmon]“I should take you out soon. You're the extrovert of our pairing so it is only fair that you get to meet and greet with the same people that I do. [I]Especially now that you have some competition at the Edward's estate[/I]. Those twins are something else, Kier. Very cute, indeed.”[/color] Despite everything Lorenzo said, Kier hardly paid him any mind except when he'd look the Duke's way when hearing his name being mentioned.

Quill scratched against parchment in the library’s comfortable silence. Lorenzo’s hand moved steadily, absorbed in capturing the perfect phrase.

A burst of enthusiastic dooking broke his concentration, followed by... a laugh? A soft, familiar chuckle that certainly did not belong to Lorenzo.

His quill froze mid-word. He turned.

There, settled cross-legged on the library’s richly woven carpet as if he’d always belonged there, sat Count Fritz Hendrix. His usually impeccable coat was rumpled as he played with an absolutely delighted Kier, who bounced and spun around him.

Upon catching Lorenzo’s gaze, Fritz’s expression brightened with a smile, [color=9354FF]“Good evening, Your Grace.”[/color] Kier chose that moment to launch a determined assault on Fritz’s fingers, tiny teeth catching harmlessly at pale skin as the count’s hand darted and weaved in their improvised game. [color=9354FF]“Don’t mind us. You seemed so absorbed in your work, I didn’t want to interrupt.”[/color]

[color=salmon]“Huh? Oh! No, no, no, I should have taken notice of you. Especially since I knew Charlotte had guests over.”[/color] Lorenzo frowned while averting his eyes. [color=salmon]“It’s a tad rude, and I should have respectfully greeted you all, especially with- Wait is Prince Wulfric actually here?”[/color] The duke only hoped Wulfric wouldn’t pop in as suddenly as Fritz had. Setting the quil down, Lorenzo clasped his hands in his lap. He wondered what the count might want, failing to consider that this might just be a friendly meeting.

Fritz continued to play with his furry friend. Kier twisted and writhed in mock battle, all sleek mischief and playful nips. [color=9354FF]“His Highness was here. Though he’s since taken his leave.”[/color] The younger man lifted his black gaze to Lorenzo, canting his head. [color=9354FF]“Did you wish to speak with him? He may still be in the neighborhood if we give chase now.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“No! I mean, it's not necessary to have him return here. I am sure I'll have the chance to speak to him some other time.”[/color] Lorenzo kept up an uneasy smile. [Color=salmon]“How was the party Charlotte threw? I’m sure she spoiled you all with sweet treats and smiles. What was the occasion, even?”[/color] Lorenzo hadn't even considered why Charlotte would have such a strange collection of people over. He could only guess it was some sort of hobby club but couldn't think of what hobbies they'd all share.

Fritz maintained his searching gaze a moment longer before his features mellowed back into a soft expression. [color=9354FF]“It was delightful. Lady Charlotte has quite the gift for bringing unlikely companions together.”[/color] The count’s fingers found their way to Kier’s fur, tracing absent-minded patterns. [color=9354FF]“Does Your Grace not host purely social gatherings with your friends often?”[/color]

Lorenzo frowned.

[Color=salmon]“I’m afraid not. Before the courting season, Charlotte and I remained isolated in Vermillion for nearly a year. My wife's passing wasn't easy for either of us.”[/color] Lorenzo’s eyes were focused on an empty spot on the desk. [Color=salmon]“I also… don't have many friends.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“I understand,”[/color] came Fritz’s quiet reply.

Lorenzo heard the whisper of fabric and the creak of floorboards as the other man rose. Each footfall drew closer until Fritz’s shadow fell across Lorenzo’s field of vision.

[color=9354FF]“The quantity of friendships has never struck me as particularly important,”[/color] Fritz continued, his voice closer now. [color=9354FF]“A single friend—one whose company you genuinely treasure—can be worth more than a hundred casual acquaintances.”[/color]

When Lorenzo finally lifted his gaze, he saw Fritz standing next to the desk, Kier bundled contentedly in his arms. The ferret’s eyes had grown heavy-lidded under the Count’s gentle ministrations, his small form nearly melting into the crook of Fritz’s elbow.

[color=9354FF]“Perhaps,”[/color] Fritz suggested, his fingers continuing their practiced strokes through Kier’s fur, [color=9354FF]“it’s time to consider hosting a gathering of your own. Nothing grandiose—just a small affair with those few people whose company you enjoy, and maybe even those you’d like to know better.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Hmm…”[/color] Lorenzo nodded as he digested the idea. He couldn't say it was a poor one but there was a large part of him that was against it and the pressures it would bring. Still, it was a flexible thing he could manipulate. It would be his and under his roof after all. And then the wheels began to turn. [Color=salmon]“That could be quite pleasant. I could keep some of my headaches away and enjoy the comfort of my Sorian estate!”[/color] They turned faster now. [Color=salmon]“Splendid Count Fritz! It's no wonder such a young man has achieved so much for himself! An exclusive party… Has that even been accomplished this season? I'd be the talk of town.”[/color] And faster. [color=salmon]“Ohhhh! Fritz! A list… I can have a fancy list of names! With a little- no, a big man at the door to check off the names. A dress code. There has to be a dress code! And where would I even get the additional staff?”[/color] Lorenzo finally paused, thinking about the fiber details for a moment.

Something small and warm interrupted his spiral: Keir’s paw against his brow, guided there by Fritz’s hand as though the count had located an emergency lever to halt Lorenzo’s runaway thoughts before they achieved catastrophic speeds.

[color=9354FF]“Your Grace,”[/color] Fritz said, [color=9354FF]“far be it from me to dissuade you. Indeed, I’d be delighted to assist with staff and preparations, should you truly wish to pursue this venture.”[/color] He paused, adjusting Keir in his arms. [color=9354FF]“However, might I suggest we begin with something... smaller? More intimate? Perhaps even harken back to the sorts of gatherings you enjoyed before assuming the ducal mantle?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Hmm…”[/color]

The younger man leaned forward slightly, curiosity plain to see. [color=9354FF]“What sort of entertainments did you favor in those days, when you were simply Lorenzo among friends?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Simply, Lorenzo.”[/color] He echoed softly before peering up in thought. [Color=salmon]“Well… me and some gents would have a small gathering right before we attended an event. An hour or two among the people you knew, enjoying tea, treats, spirits, and vulgar jokes before diving into the sea of strangers.”[/color] The nostalgia brought on a feeling of warmth within his spirit and his eyes met Fritz’s.

[Color=salmon]“We could do something like that and simply leave out the stressors of going to a big event altogether.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“That sounds marvelous,”[/color] Fritz said, before a chuckle escaped him—one he quickly tried to contain behind a raised hand. [color=9354FF]“Forgive me, Your Grace, but the thought of you trading vulgar jokes...”[/color] He let the thought dissolve into the air between them, too delighted by the image to properly finish it.

[color=9354FF]“Who would you wish to invite, Your Grace? Do you have any close friends in the area who might answer the summons on such short notice?”[/color]

Lorenzo answered with a defeated sigh. [Color=salmon]“That is a difficult question to answer. I'm not sure if you noticed but I am very unpopular amongst my peers.”[/color] He stifled a chuckle, briefly covering his mouth with his hand before continuing. 

[Color=salmon]“Yet, their children tend to tolerate and even like me. However, that could just be Charlotte’s doing. Maybe other Varians like you and Dr. Williamson are good options? Duke Gideon, of course. Lady Morrigan is also rather friendly with me as well but… I’m not sure what that woman seeks from me.”[/color]

The beginnings of a smile died halfway on Fritz’s lips at the final name. [color=9354FF]“Lady Morrigan Danrose?”[/color] Each word fell with careful measure as if each syllable carried its own peculiar weight. [color=9354FF]“I hadn’t realized you two were growing… acquainted.”[/color] There was a hint of what sounded like worry in his voice. [color=9354FF]“Does this mean the… difficulties between you and the Danroses show signs of mending?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Huh?”[/color] Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. [Color=salmon]“The Danroses? Oh no, Count Fritz, it is not like that. It is never like that.”[/color] Lorenzo answered rather passionately. [Color=salmon]“I judge individuals, my friend. It is the best way, I think. Crystal Damien, Drake Edwards, and Princess Anastasia Danrose are all fine examples. Even Prince Wulfric is a charming young man who looks up to a Duke such as myself from time to time.”[/color] Lorenzo smiled with confidence. [Color=salmon]“We are not our parents or our siblings. You Varians with your big families should know this better than even I.”[/color]

Fritz released a chuckle, one that carried no mockery but rather a thoughtful sort of amusement. [color=9354FF]“Your Grace, I trust you realize it sounds as though you take pride in this unresolved tension with the Danroses.”[/color]

The chuckle lingered a moment more before fading into contemplation. The count turned to the window, where moonlight painted silver trails across the drowsy summer gardens. [color=9354FF]“I am aware,”[/color] he answered. [color=9354FF]“Yet, there are people who do judge others by their parentage, siblings, lineage, their country, even by histories written long before their first breath. Any measure save the individual.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“While we must see each person uniquely,”[/color] he continued, [color=9354FF]“we cannot wholly divorce them from the forces that shaped them. To dismiss their influence entirely could prove as perilous as allowing them to define us completely.”[/color]

Silence stretched between them as Fritz’s hand slowly stroked Keir’s fur, the creature having drifted into peaceful slumber against his chest.

[color=9354FF]“If I may be so bold, Your Grace,”[/color] the man said at last, [color=9354FF]“your words suggest the tension lies primarily between yourself and Their Majesties.”[/color] Fritz’s gaze remained fixed on the distant horizon as if offering privacy for the response. [color=9354FF]“What transpired to create such animosity with them?”[/color] Another long pause followed before he added, [color=9354FF]“...With Count Damien?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Well…”[/color] Lorenzo hesitated to answer but upon taking a harder look at Fritz, he felt no need to worry. If Kier liked Fritz, then it would be simple enough to share his feelings of those he disliked. [Color=salmon]“Well, they have never treated me kindly. Edin is inconsiderate to everyone, I know but that doesn't make it right. Why be so insensitive? And… Count Damien is a completely different matter. Most people adore but I’ve seen his true self. Such an evil man.”[/color] Lorenzo’s eyes fixated on an empty spot on his desk as he spoke of the man who had such an unwanted grip over his life.

[color=9354FF]“True self?”[/color] Fritz prompted him to elaborate.  

[Color=salmon]“Yes, his true self! He likely despises and looks down on every single person he shakes hands with! He smiles on the surface but if he could get away with it, he'd insult and threaten you until he found himself pleased!”[/color] Again Lorenzo was impassioned.

[Color=salmon]“It is because of him that I stayed away from events for an entire year, and even now, he threatens me. He enjoys it too. I hate it. I hate him, but I can't do anything about this predicament… he’d destroy me if I tried to defy him.”[/color] Lorenzo’s tone had started so strong only to die at the end as he explained his reality.

Fritz turned sharply at this. [color=9354FF]“[i]Destroy you?[/i]”[/color] Raw concern colored his question. [color=9354FF]“How?”[/color] A count wielding such power over a duke defied all laws of Caesonian aristocracy.

The younger man drew closer then, lifting a nearby chair without sound and setting it beside Lorenzo. [color=9354FF]“What does he have over Your Grace?”[/color] The leverage; the blackmail; the hostage.

There was a long silence between the two. Lorenzo was both reluctant to share more while it was not Fritz’s intent to pry too forcefully. There was also the element of the duke having to face the reality of it all.

[Color=salmon]“I- no one knows. I-I… I don't know if I can say it. I don't- I don't even believe it but-”[/color] Lorenzo faced the floor in shame, shaking his head as if he could will everything he was about to say away. Fear and sadness coiled and constricted his very being. [Color=salmon]“I can't say it. I can't face it. I can’t”[/color] His voice weakened, trembling. Lorenzo shut his eyes tightly, still trying to wish everything away.

A gentle pressure settled between Lorenzo’s shoulder blades, steady and sure—Fritz’s hand moved in slow, circular motions. It was the sort of touch that spoke of practice, of countless times spent soothing away fears and hurts. Children, maybe? No, the young man never mentioned having children of his own. Pets, then? It would explain why Kier had curled so trustingly in Fritz’s arms.

They sat like that for what could’ve been minutes or hours. Each circle was a wordless message: that wishing couldn’t unmake reality, couldn’t erase what was. But wrapped in that hard truth was something softer—a reminder, maybe even a promise, that Lorenzo wasn’t alone. All he had to do was open his eyes to see it.

When he finally did, those deep and endless eyes were waiting for him. [color=9354FF]“Problems rarely solve themselves through denial,”[/color] Fritz said. [color=9354FF]“They root deeper, like weeds in untended soil. And the Count—he will use every second of your silence to strengthen his grasp, not just on you, but on everyone you want to protect.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Like weeds…”[/color] Lorenzo's passion for garden tending helped Fritz’s words stick. The duke was backed into a corner and choosing to do nothing would never solve this dilemma. Lorenzo did not want to face his horrific truth but he also couldn't continue to be a slave to it.

[Color=salmon]“You are right,”[/color] Lorenzo replied, his voice low. [Color=salmon]“And I could never face such alone… I just worry for Charlotte. I don't want her to know a word of this, Fritz. She can never know.”[/color] Lorenzo stared hard into his eyes… and felt as though his gaze dissolved into darkness.

Fritz’s eyes didn’t just meet his stare, they welcomed it in. [color=9354FF]“She’ll find out someday.”[/color] He said, with the calm certainty of someone announcing tomorrow’s sunrise. Lottie was that determined. [color=9354FF]“One way or another.”[/color]  

In that moment, Lorenzo heard what Fritz wasn’t saying aloud: that there was mercy in telling her himself. Wounds dealt by her stepfather’s loving hand might heal cleaner than those ripped open by harsh, unguarded revelation. [color=9354FF]“I can promise not to tell her,”[/color] Fritz added, [color=9354FF]“but I cannot stop her from learning it herself.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“As long as… you can promise that.”[/color] Lorenzo let loose a sigh that melted away his serious expression. His worrisome face returned but he was ready to share one of his most concerning troubles. [Color=salmon]“I… I… Ugh…”[/color] He shook his head, sighing again.

[Color=salmon]“I… may have murdered my wife. Emina. I may have murdered her [I]that night[/I]...”[/color]

If Fritz was shocked by his confession, the man didn’t show it. He didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink. [color=9354FF]“Start from the beginning.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“The beginning? I- I don't know where… the beginning of that night? Our marriage?”[/color] Lorenzo’s confusion was just reluctance. Even he hadn't fully realized his questions were just a defense mechanism to help him stall the explanation. Deep down, he knew what he had to tell Fritz.

The count allowed a few moments to pass for Lorenzo to gather his wits about him before answering. [color=9354FF]“From where you think it all began.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“It would have had to be that night. I mean…”[/color] Lorenzo scratched his head while squinting his eyes in deep thought on how to start properly. [Color=salmon]“That evening… Emina was very upset with me for embarrassing her. It wasn't a rare thing, but this time, she was especially fierce, which was because I had greatly embarrassed her by bringing Kier to an event held by King Edin in secret… She tried to kill him or at least I thought she might want to….”[/color] Lorenzo gave a longing look to Kier, his furry companion. 

[Color=salmon]“When she couldn't get to him, she came after me with such rage, and I- I tried to calm her, but she had drunk so much. I tried to- to just speak to her but I couldn't keep her from striking me.”[/color] His fingertips ran along the scars evident on his face. [Color=salmon]“And then… everything. Everything… it just went black. I awoke with Calbert standing over me and telling me that he had watched me [b]from that very estate of his[/b] throw my wife from the balcony. I doubted him… I still doubt him but I also don't believe she would have killed herself. It's what we both told the authorities but I don't know. I just don't know.”[/color]

This time, it was Fritz who needed a few moments to digest what Lorenzo revealed. A thousand questions seemed to pass behind his eyes before he settled on one. [color=9354FF]“You blacked out… the same way you blacked out after the annual ball?”[/color] 

[color=salmon]“Yes… but how do you know about that?”[/color] Charlotte came to mind immediately before remembering her mentioning searching for him that night accompanied by Fritz. [color=salmon]“Nevermind. Charlotte must have mentioned it. It’s a rare thing that occurs but I don’t see myself capable of harming anyone. I wander for a while before I fall asleep. Sometimes in my bed, other times… elsewhere.”[/color] Lorenzo bit his lip as his anxiety built up. Even he doubted his own words, he also couldn’t accept being a murderer.

[color=9354FF]“Rare…”[/color] Fritz repeated. [color=9354FF]“When did these... episodes first start happening?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“That night… That night was the first time I noticed it, considering what occurred, but the physician I visited informed me that it is likely these episodes could have happened even earlier since I normally don't remember what happened leading up to sleep. I mean…”[/color] Lorenzo chuckled nervously. [Color=salmon]“I could be lying in bed believing I simply dozed off. All without realizing I took a tour around the property before returning to bed…. My drinking probably doesn’t help either,”[/color] He admitted shamefully.

Fritz made a thoughtful noise in his throat. [color=9354FF]“That is possible,”[/color] he said, in the tone of someone who has just been handed a puzzle piece that doesn’t quite fit. [color=9354FF]“But it feels strange that no one noticed your sleepwalking sooner. Or that there weren’t any signs of it. For example… ”[/color] He gestured at Lorenzo’s feet, then swept his hand upward to encompass the whole of him. [color=9354FF]“Dirt on your feet, unexplained injuries.”[/color] His hand continued its journey to indicate the room around them with Lorenzo's eyes following it along. [color=9354FF]“Objects found in odd places or rearranged.”[/color] Fritz fixed Lorenzo with a steady look. [color=9354FF]“Has anyone ever mentioned seeing you wandering about and acting out of sorts at strange hours? Or have you ever found things disturbed? Small things you might have shrugged off? Anything at all that seemed... not quite right [i]before[/i] the incident?”[/color]

Lorenzo began to shake his head but stopped to carefully think about it. [Color=salmon]“That is… a good question. No to all of those. And I count my staff as an honest bunch. They'd inform me if I was acting strangely but they’ve only ever mentioned me not answering them behind my locked bedroom door or only finding me sleeping in the sitting room.”[/color] Lorenzo forced an uneasy guilty grin. [Color=salmon]“Sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's alcohol or the narcolepsy,”[/color] he shrugged.

[color=9354FF]“Which leads me to believe that this developed recently. [i]That night[/i] could’ve been the very first time it happened.”[/color] The count’s gaze turned inward, features settling into the particular stillness that came with deep contemplation. [color=9354FF]“Walk me through the moments before an episode. What are the last things you remember?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Hmm?”[/color] Lorenzo peered upward, searching for an answer. [Color=salmon]“Hmmmmmm.”[/color] Lorenzo squinted his eyes, concentrating intensely. [Color=salmon]“Hmmmmmmmmnnrrrrgh…. I don't know. I mean, it's like when you have too much to drink. The night with Emina… the last thing I remember is the fight. With the ball… the last thing I can recall is… speaking with… Oh! The Royal Advisor. Plannington, yes. The other times I was home and already ready for bed or in here writing something. I think it may have happened a few days ago, but I was… also… drinking my medicine… regrettably a lot of it, so I may have just blacked out…”[/color] Lorenzo continued to ponder until his eyes met Fritz’s. [Color=salmon]“It could even be happening at this moment. I just don't know if I'll remember this part or not. Which is so troublesome, Fritz. I would give so much to simply just pass out. At least then I would be sure… that I am not a murderer.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“We’ll find a way through this,”[/color] Fritz assured as his hand resumed their steady strokes along Kier’s fur. The ferret’s chest rose and fell in contented sleep, and Lorenzo envied that simple peace. 

Fritz picked up his earlier thread of thought. [color=9354FF]“I’ve been wondering if there might be a pattern to it all. A trigger, perhaps. Something that sets the sleepwalking in motion—a particular sound or smell or sight.”[/color] His fingers traced the farrant’s ear. [color=9354FF]“Like hypnosis.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Hmm…”[/color] Lorenzo tried to think about it more, but unfortunately, there didn't seem to be a pattern. If there was one, it could be understood. If it could be understood, it might be stopped. But that meant possibly facing a truth Lorenzo wasn’t yet ready to face.,

[color=9354FF]“What kind of medicine are you taking?”[/color] Fritz asked after a moment.

[Color=salmon]“Oh um…”[/color] Lorenzo’s hands shot toward the lowest drawer of his desk, pulling it open. [Color=salmon]“I keep some here and some in the bedroom.”[/color] Lorenzo pulled out a brown tinted glass bottle with no distinguishing markings except the leftover white marks of the peeled label. [Color=salmon]“Opium and alcohol.”[/color] He set the bottle on the desk. [Color=salmon]“It's good stuff. You're welcome to try a sip if you’d like.”[/color]

Fritz adjusted his position carefully, mindful of the sleeping ferret in his lap, [color=9354FF]“I think I will, thank you.”[/color] From his waistcoat pocket, he produced a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and then held the bottle to the light, studying it like a jeweler with a suspect gem. Lorenzo watched, impressed by Fritz’s preparedness to inspect his favored tonic. [color=9354FF]“So this was prescribed by your physician?”[/color] Lifting the bottle to his nose, Fritz inhaled once before measuring a modest portion into the proffered spoon. [color=9354FF]“Dr...?”[/color] He let the word trail into an unspoken question, his eyes lifting to meet Lorenzo’s over the rim of his spectacles.

[Color=salmon]“Dr. Crane. Well, he's not really my personal physician but the moment he knew of my ailment, he wrote me so we could schedule an appointment. A nice man, he was and he asked more questions than even you have on my condition.”[/color] Lorenzo smiled. [Color=salmon]“He hated Calbert too, so we got along swellingly.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“And Dr. Crane prescribed this?”[/color] Fritz asked again before lifting the spoon to his lips. For several long seconds, he remained silent, face unreadable as he assessed the tonic.

[Color=salmon]“He did. Yes.”[/color] A tinge of concern now shown on Lorenzo’s face.

[color=9354FF]“A second opinion might serve us well. I could arrange a visit with a specialist, or perhaps Dr. Williamson.”[/color] He hummed and set the spoon down. [color=9354FF]“There are... other possibilities we should consider.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Other possibilities?”[/color] Lorenzo parroted under his breath.

Then Fritz went still, his shoulders stiffening. [color=9354FF]“Dr. Crane… reached out to you first?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Eh…”[/color] Lorenzo had been in the middle of thinking, wanting to ask his own question when Fritz fired off yet another question.

[color=9354FF]“How did he learn of your condition? If no one else knew…”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Well… some knew. Calbert knew and… he… he hates me. So I believed Dr. Crane when he said he overheard tales of my affliction. Likely through unflattering gossip.”[/color] Lorenzo sighed. [Color=salmon]“And that gossip led him to me. Isn't that something? The gods do find a way to be kind to me at times.”[/color] He managed a brief smile.

Beneath dark lashes, melancholy tinged the young count’s answering smile. He seemed to gather his thoughts, letting the moment settle before measured words finally came: [color=9354FF]“With your permission, I’d like to have someone keep watch over you for a time. It might help us understand your condition better. They would be entirely discreet—you’d hardly notice their presence.”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Keep watch over me?”[/color] Lorenzo echoed uncomfortably. [Color=salmon]“But… what about my… private moments. Like if I…”[/color] Nothing particular came to mind but he didn't want to outright deny the request. [Color=salmon]“...have a lady over. And how do I know they won't peep at Charlotte?”[/color]

Fritz’s entire face lit up with a smile that could have melted winter ice. [color=9354FF]“Has someone caught your fancy?”[/color] He pressed his hands together in evident delight. [color=9354FF]“That’s wonderful! Does Lady Charlotte know of this yet?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“No.”[/color] Lorenzo's voice was as small as could be while managing a nervous smile.

The word, or perhaps the way Lorenzo said it, wiped the delight from Fritz’s face. [color=9354FF]“No?”[/color] He repeated, prompting Lorenzo to elaborate but he simply shook his head, finding himself trapped in an uncomfortable corner of his own making.

After some hesitation, Fritz returned to the previous topic and reassured him, [color=9354FF]“The individual I have in mind is about as interested in Your Grace’s private affairs—or your daughter’s—as they would be in watching paint dry.”[/color]

The shift in his demeanor was subtle but immediate. [color=9354FF]“Consider this: how else can we study your sleepwalking? There are too many gaps, too many questions that you can’t answer.”[/color] Fritz spread his hands in a helpless gesture. [color=9354FF]“We need to understand what’s happening to you.”[/color] His voice softened. [color=9354FF]“It might even help us shed light on what truly happened the night your wife died”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“And what then?”[/color] Lorenzo snapped seriously, obviously defensive. [Color=salmon]“Fritz, if… If I discover I was the culprit on that night, I don't think I could live with myself… but I do wish to know the truth... How many nights do you believe this will go on? I don't want to worry Charlotte if this person watching me is noticed. She can oftentimes be too curious for her own good.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“I cannot say for certain how long.”[/color] Fritz answered. [color=9354FF]“From everything we know, the episodes are too unpredictable to give a definite answer. I am sorry.”[/color] His shoulders slumped, then straightened when he continued. [color=9354FF]“Lady Charlotte will not notice any person keeping watch… However, as I said before: she’ll find out what you’re trying to hide someday. Would it not be better to have more answers than questions when that day comes?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“That day?”[/color] Lorenzo felt insulted. From where he stood, there was no way Charlotte would find out more about her mother's death. [Color=salmon]“That day will never arrive, Fritz! Never! There are only two people who know anything about that night. You and Calbert. Calbert has nothing to gain by telling her because he would lose the only thing he has over me. And you… you will not tell her because you promised me you wouldn't…. You know what? I respectfully decline. I don't want another involved in this. It's better left forgotten.”[/color] Lorenzo refrained from looking at Fritz. He was simply trying to protect his ignorance. Trying to protect his bliss.

[color=9354FF]“That isn’t true.”[/color] It wasn’t better: it was easier, more convenient.

[color=9354FF]“It lives in you, so no matter how hard you try to push it away, your mind keeps wandering back to it, and your heart aches every time you look at your daughter.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“Whatever good you hope comes from letting Count Damien take advantage of this situation is fragile, built on a lie… And I think you know that more than anyone.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“If you really thought this was ‘better left forgotten,’ you wouldn’t have confided in me. Somewhere beneath the fear of facing the truth, I believe there’s a part of you that wants answers… maybe even justice.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“Let’s break you and your family free from the count’s web.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“No one…”[/color] A small sound escaped Fritz then, barely more than a breath. Lorenzo looked up to find Kier had roused from sleep—probably during the earlier shouting—and was stretching upward to investigate his friend’s face with curious concern. [color=9354FF]“... deserves to have their story erased,”[/color] Fritz whispered, as Kier’s nose twitched against his cheek.

Lorenzo slumped down into his chair, his stern demeanor breaking in the face of Fritz’s words. Yet, he didn't feel defeated by what was said. Instead, Lorenzo found himself aware of two paths before him; both lined with hardships. He could keep everything locked away and live his life never knowing what truly occurred whilst under the thumb of Calbert and keeping his daughter in the dark about her mother's death. On the other hand, he could uproot the truth, whatever that may entail. He may discover he was capable of murdering his wife or that he is completely absolved of the crime. The worst or best of scenarios could be behind the veil of mystery Fritz sought to remove. 

[Color=salmon]“May I…. May I think on it?”[/color] Lorenzo's voice was low again. [Color=salmon]“I just need time to think about this.”[/color]

Gentle understanding crossed Fritz’s features, though worry still lingered on the edges. [color=9354FF]“Of course,”[/color] he said. His gaze swept the library until it caught on the brass-framed calendar adorning the far wall. [color=9354FF]“If I don’t hear from you in two days, I’ll circle back with you.”[/color]

To Kier, he said, [color=9354FF]“Until then, I’m counting on you to keep a close eye on him.”[/color] Fritz tipped the ferret’s chin up with one careful finger. [color=9354FF]“Can I trust you with this most vital task, Kier?”[/color] Kier responded with an emphatic squeak and a series of delighted wriggles that set his whole body dancing. This seemed to satisfy Fritz, who leaned close to whisper something in his little conspirator’s ear before straightening in his chair.

[color=9354FF]“So!”[/color] Fritz breezily swept onto the next matter, slipping back into the customary formality Lorenzo had come to expect from the count. [color=9354FF]“What are we to do about this little gathering of yours, Your Grace?”[/color]

[Color=salmon]“Um…”[/color] Lorenzo had been slightly taken by surprise by the quick shifting of gears. It was that and feeling a slight weight leave his shoulders after leaving such a concerning topic. [Color=salmon]“I suppose we should start with a guest list. A short one.”[/color][/color]