[color=lightgray][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/clIHoiY.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/3wGoS7n.png[/img][/center]

[color=DDB775]Time:[/color] 6pm
[color=a187be]Location:[/color] The Castle Dining Hall
[color=DDB775]Interaction:[/color] [@FunnyGuy] Alexander/Lorenzo
[color=DDB775]Mention:[/color] [@Silverpaw] Wulfric [@Tae] Thea [@Lava Alckon] Drake [@PapaOso] Cassius/Milo
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Queen Alibeth turned her head ever so slightly, her expression composed, eyes cool and unreadable as they regarded Alexander with the faintest trace of a smile.[color=a187be]“How flattering,”[/color] she said softly, voice smooth. As she cut into her steak, she added without raising her gaze. [color=a187be]“Flattery is best served with subtlety.”[/color] Her gaze flicked briefly toward Edin, still devouring his meal with reckless abandon, then returned to Alexander. [color=a187be]“But yes, the food is… palatable. If one has the appetite.”[/color] She raised her glass in the most restrained of toasts, then sipped without waiting for a reply.

As guests entered and time went on, the man Edin had chosen as his advisor spoke up once more, but to their son this time. 

[color=DDB775]“Now [i]that’s[/i] the kind of thinking I like to hear!”[/color] Edin declared with a broad, greasy grin, slamming his goblet down with approval. [color=DDB775]“A young man who knows how to serve and flatter in the same breath—delightful! Yes, yes, Wulfric could stand to pass a few things off. Keeps the face pretty for the ladies.”[/color] He chuckled, tossing a grape into his mouth. [color=DDB775]“You’ll make a fine little workhorse if you keep this up.”[/color]

Alibeth didn’t look nearly as charmed. Her fingers traced the rim of her wine glass, and her gaze slid to Alexander with cool precision.

[color=a187be]“Offering to serve before proving you’re trustworthy is ambitious.”[/color] She tilted her head ever so slightly. [color=a187be]“Still… Caesonia does favor initiative. If you wish to take on responsibility, I trust you won’t fumble it.”[/color] Her smile was polite—too polite. [color=a187be]“We’ll see what you're truly capable of soon enough.”[/color]

Though many continued to enter, Milo St. Claire in particular stood out for a moment. Edin was enamored by his words and grinned,  [color=DDB775]“Ah, now that’s the kind of praise I could frame!”[/color] Edin beamed, thumping a hand to his chest. [color=DDB775]“In fact—someone already has.”[/color] He chuckled, eyes gleaming with amusement. [color=DDB775]“Milo St. Claire is my go to for a painting."[/color] He glanced at Alibeth, [color=DDB775]“Said I radiated power, charisma… something about divine masculinity, I don’t know—wasn’t really listening after the word ‘divine.’”[/color]

Alibeth, meanwhile, was not as impressed. In fact, her brow had twitched as the artist's gaze had lingered on her and she went back to her meal with more intensity.

[color=DDB775]“Now,”[/color] Edin said, swirling his wine and leaning forward with a glint in his eye, [color=DDB775]“let’s talk about these pairings we have forming this season, shall we?”[/color] He smirked as if he were about to deliver royal decrees, not personal opinions soaked in wine and arrogance.

[color=DDB775]“I’ll admit, I like the look of that Gideon's boy with the Smithwood girl, Phea. He’s got presence—handsome, talented, charming enough to keep the dull ones entertained.”[/color] He shrugged, then added very softly. [color=DDB775]“Could’ve been a smart match, if she weren’t one of Varian’s many wandering whores.”[/color]

He chuckled, low and crude, as he whispered in Alibeth's ear. [color=DDB775]“The Varians—gods, they let their women run around like stray cats in heat and still expect us to call them noble. No class. No discipline.”[/color] He scoffed and took a long sip from his goblet. [color=DDB775]“All that snow and still no cold in their veins.”[/color]

His eyes trailed lazily across the room. [color=DDB775]“Not that I mind watching it unfold. There’s an art to watching pretty little messes try to pretend they're royalty.”[/color] He grinned, shamelessly.

Alibeth didn’t bother hiding her disdain. She glanced at him sidelong, fingers drumming softly against her armrest.

[color=a187be]“Yes, how fortunate Caesonia has you to uphold all standards of grace and restraint,”[/color] she said with sarcasm.

Edin grinned wider, unbothered. [color=DDB775]“You’re welcome, darling.”[/color]

[color=DDB775]“Oh—and speaking of questionable pairings,”[/color] Edin drawled, not even bothering to whisper as much as he waved his goblet as if it were a scepter, [color=DDB775]“I hear our dear Damien bastard, has been sniffing around little Charlotte Vikena.”[/color]

He barked out a laugh, loud and theatrical. [color=DDB775]“Poor lad. Too new in town to realize what kind of lunatic family he’s getting himself tangled up with.”[/color] He leaned back in his chair, grin wicked. [color=DDB775]“Imagine wanting Lorenzo Vikena as a father-in-law. That alone should earn him a padded cell and a priest.”[/color] As if on cue, Lorenzo was heard hollering across the table to Hafiz. 

Edin paused his chatter for a moment, staring down the table at Lorenzo for a long thirty seconds.

[color=DDB775]“...Still… politically? Not the worst idea. It ties the Damiens closer to the Vikena seat and keeps the big seat of the Duke with Caesonian noble blood... But could a bastard even handle being a Duke... ”[/color] He tapped his chin, [color=DDB775]“Where the hell did he bloody come from anyway? Where has he been all this time?"[/color]

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