[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/IvC7ksl.png[/img][/center] [color=gold][color=#D7CCC8]Location:[/color] Castle Dining Hall [color=#D7CCC8]Interactions:[/color] [@Lava Alckon] Farim [@JJ Doe] Hala [@FunnyGuy] Lorenzo [@Potter] Kira[/color] [hr] [color=#D7CCC8] The Grand Vizier’s goblet hung loosely between his fingers, untouched for the last several minutes. His gaze, cool and calculating, had followed the shimmer of turquoise silk the moment it entered the banquet hall. While the rest of the room turned politely away or tried not to stare, Hafiz did not even blink. His eyes drank in every step Hala took—the casual dominance in their stride, the dismissive elegance, the haughty tilt of their chin that declared they were exactly where they belonged, whether anyone else agreed or not. He watched Hala's dramatic entrance from the high table, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. The boldness, the sheer nerve—it was exactly what he had come to expect from Malik's child. A faint smirk curved his lips as he noted the dignitary's panic, savoring the ripple of tension that spread through the room. He raised his goblet subtly in Hala’s direction—a silent acknowledgment, both a commendation and a challenge wrapped in one. Hafiz leaned back comfortably, clearly entertained. It seemed tonight's banquet had just gotten far more interesting. Without a single word spoken, Hafiz's eyes delivered the unmistakable message: [i]Hala Sami is exactly where I intended them to be—challenge at your own peril.[/i] Hafiz’s eyes flicked toward Farim only once the prince had already bowed to the company—too late to stop him, and far too early to pretend it hadn’t been noticed. The smile that slowly crept across the Grand Vizier’s face was a thing made of iron and honey, all politeness on the surface, but cold underneath. [color=gold]“Farim,”[/color] he said smoothly, each syllable enunciated like a lesson. [color=gold]"How thoughtful of you to interrupt.”[/color] He raised his goblet slightly, the same one Farim had praised, and turned it between his fingers.[color=gold] “You always did have a fondness for sipping from cups you did not pour.”[/color] The words came soft, almost teasing but anyone else listening would catch the undercurrent. Still, Hafiz didn’t look at him directly. No, instead he cast a glance across the room—toward Hala, radiant and unruly in their stolen seat, and then toward the subtle chaos rippling through the banquet in their wake. His eyes narrowed with satisfaction. Then finally, he turned back to Farim. The gaze now direct. [color=gold]“But if you admire my taste so much, dear boy… do take care not to choke on it.”[/color] And with that, he smiled again but it never reached his eyes. A woman spoke his name and his gaze turned to her. Hafiz regarded Kira with a polite, composed smile, inclining his head just slightly to acknowledge her greeting. [color=gold]"Ah, Lady Kira. The evening finds me quite well,"[/color] he answered smoothly, his tone carrying a faint note of cool amusement.[color=gold] "And I trust you're finding Caesonia's hospitality...satisfactory?"[/color] His gaze remained on her for just a moment longer than necessary, Then Hafiz’s eyes narrowed sharply as Duke Vikena's grating voice suddenly reached his ears, jaw tightening with unmistakable irritation. He refused to raise his voice across the crowded hall, instead lifting his goblet in a mocking salute toward Lorenzo, his lips curling into a contemptuous smile. Through gritted teeth and in a low voice meant only for those nearest him, Hafiz drawled sarcastically, [color=gold]“It seems the court jester has announced himself and dared to embarrass me yet again. How thoughtful...He feels he must announce himself lest anyone fail to notice his perpetual incompetence.” [/color] He turned away dismissively, the subtle shake of his head enough to convey his displeasure, deliberately refusing to dignify Lorenzo's antics with a shouted response. Hafiz, though initially irritated by Lorenzo’s obnoxious shouting, shifted his attention subtly toward the royal conversation. His expression turned from annoyance to veiled amusement as he listened, particularly enjoying Edin’s crass commentary when he could catch bits of it, especially as the man's voice rose with volume overtime. Hafiz’s lips curled slightly in a barely hidden smirk, savoring the biting disdain directed at those he himself found beneath contempt. However, his eyes narrowed at Edin’s open contemplation of Cassius Damien and the Vikena match. His gaze briefly flicked toward Lorenzo—still obliviously causing embarrassment—before returning to the King with quiet scrutiny. Hafiz leaned back casually, swirling his goblet with faint disdain. [color=gold]“Indeed,”[/color] he murmured quietly, just loud enough for nearby ears, [color=gold]“one must question the wisdom of entrusting any real power to a man foolish enough to choose to interact with Duke Lorenzo Vikena of his own free will on such a common basis.. Madness seems contagious these days.”[/color] His words, though quiet, were sharp enough to carry his derision clearly. Hafiz took a long sip, his gaze coldly amused as he settled back, content to watch the evening unfold into chaos. [/color]