[IC] 🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

[princess]

Time:11am
Location: Park of Sorian
Attire:Dress
Interaction:@Lava Alckon Farim
Mention: @Rodiak Nahir

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"Only two? Aw, that won't do. It sounds like you miss them." Anastasia couldn't help but wonder as she said these words what his relationship with his family was like. It could not be as abnormal as hers, could it? The tone change wasn't lost on her; it was something she was sometimes self-aware of herself doing. Perhaps out of sympathy for the possible situations the man could be in, or to absolve the guilt of being a selfish person in general, she decided she wanted to help him with whatever it was. He seemed to be a genuinely kind person. Despite the fact she kinda wanted to go to bed with all of the Sultan's gorgeous offspring, they had not given her the initial impression of very kind people. It was true that she had been sneaking out of the ball while the commotion with Duke Lorenzo had occurred, but she had paid some attention. They had not seemed most forgiving to say the least. Perhaps because she was biased toward finding Duke Vikena to be much-needed comedic relief throughout the years.

"Let's bring stuff back for your family too." She softly added.

Anastasia had been about to say more when the bird returned. She paused to smile at the bird and wave as if it could understand the gesture. "Hey there baby girl! Welcome back!" She looked like she had the urge to pet Thara for a moment but held the urge and returned her attention to Farim. "I think we need to get you more quality time with them." The princess took his hand and started leading him to the drink stand. As she moved through the grass, the sight of gold shined in the sun. The Alidasht princess with her beautiful skin and hair was hard to miss as she scoped out the stalls.

She immediately gasped and thought about immediately running up to her for a split second. Anastasia stopped moving and tilted her body to face Farim directly. "Farim! I see your cousin!" She whisper-yelled while retaining all the excitement of a true holler.

[Potter]

Time: 11:00am
Location: Princes’ Court > Festival At the Park
Attire: Her outfit & hair
Interactions: @Rodiak Nahir
Mention: @Rodiak Zarai ★ @Inertia Auguste ★ @helo Callum ★ @SausagePat Ruby ★

After leaving the Princes Court, Layla glanced at the other princes and their prospective future wives. She noticed the odd-looking multi-colored peasant speaking with Callum on God only knew what; then the noblewoman covered in bruises speaking with Auguste. She paused to admire the lady’s hair, then turned away as she had better things to do than hang with the rabble.

Layla briefly retired to her room to check if it’d been cleaned properly and was proud to find the maid wasn’t as stupid as she looked. There was chocolate waiting for her that she smirked at and quickly devoured. Layla then looked at the newspaper once more. Out of all the events, The Festival at the Park sounded decent. She wasn’t in the mood to hunt, nor watch an execution, despite how delightful they might be. Besides, the sun would be enriching for Zilal who’d been cooped up in the buildings. She changed into lighter clothing and pulled her hair out of her face. Next, she grabbed a parasol and spun it around gleefully before turning to her snake. ”Fancy some sunlight, Zilal?” He flicked his tongue and began slithering towards the door. Layla giggled and followed him out.

”Ali!” She called, seeing the familiar tall and slender frame and dark hair of her favorite servant, Ali. He spun around and nodded to her, waiting for her orders. ”We’re going to the Festival; fetch my palanquin will you?” He nodded and quickly left. When he returned, he escorted her out of the guest house and towards her palanquin where several servants waited. During the journey on her palanquin, Layla used a mirror to fix her hair to ensure it was perfect, while another servant fanned her.

After arriving, Layla surveyed the scenery before her while Zilal wrapped himself back around her shoulders so he wasn’t lost. It was an odd sight, seeing all the tacky booths and hopeful workers vying for attention and money. The sweet, savory, and salty aromas piqued her interest, but she wasn't sure what to try first. Towards the back, she noticed the games and watched with curiosity. How interesting, she thought, watching the duck tank while people screamed with laughter and delight. There were a few people she would love to dunk… permanently.

The amount of people here caused her stomach to churn. It was filled with rabble and nobles alike, something she disagreed with. Her gaze traveled to a trio near the bench and then away. What could she do here, she wondered? Could she let loose and be herself? Her gaze moved to her guards and Ali then let a thought die before it could form.

Layla continued walking forward when she noticed her dear sister, Nahir. A sigh of relief escaped her and she strode towards her purposefully. The crowd parted to make room for her which she admired. At least they had the sense to get out of her way! ”Sister Nahir. What a delightful surprise.” Layla greeted and smiled genuinely at her. ”This is quite different from home, isn’t it?” She offered her arm to her to link through if she wanted. ”Shall we continue the festivities together?"

[ReusableSword]

Location: Hunting Area
Interactions:Shehzadi Mayet @13org, Shahzade Munir @Infinite Cosmos
Mentions in order:

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“The massive claws from the stone crab would make a good trophy, caution is to be used when fighting them. It takes a team to immobilize it then the hammer needs to be used to strike it down, repetitive strikes in a line breaks it apart but the threat of dismemberment is always there. They provide a lot of meat plenty of food for several villages.”

Roman smiled at the two of them while the hunting was about to begin.

“The snow cats are sought after for their fur, in muscle mass they are about the same size as Nala but with their thick fur they look about twice the size. They have huge wide paws that make them nearly float across the snow, very difficult to track, more so to kill.”

Mayet’s comment about how she felt that her beauty was stifled while out hunting the scorpions made him smile. Yet the thought made him frown slightly internally, that instead of enjoying the beauty of nature she was still worried about her looks. but the fact she went hunting in those conditions in the first place was a good sign. He did like other people that enjoyed the outdoors as much as he did even if her killing intent was a bit higher than his own.

Roman wasn’t sure who Munir was talking to when he said ‘Atwood’ he couldn’t tell if it was a joke or the man was having a stroke likely just a joke. The giant tilted his head to the side yet again when he talked about getting shot, he had a spear not a bow. Perhaps he was still affected by whatever happened last night.

He couldn’t help but watch Mayet break off from the group to go hunt a snack, her posture changed to what he would expect from a hunter. Munir also galloped off in another direction with a falcon of all things. He knew of a few southern nobles that hunted with them but he always preferred an owl.

Standing alone in the forest for a moment gathering his bearings, listening to the rustle of the wind in the trees and the distant voices of other party’s the occasional sent of gunpowder or perfume wafted through the air. Roman did not wear any strong perfumes or hard shoes, all the better to lull prey into a false sense of security. His eyes began to pick up the subtle trails of small and medium game in the area so he too ventured into the forest following the sounds of a small creek.

Upon reaching the creek he could tell that the water level had dropped a few inches possible because of a blockage further upstream. With no new animal sign along the sandy creek edge he began walking up the creek being sure to stay just in the tree line, quietly glancing at every step as to not break any twigs, slow and steady, heel to ground first then slowly roll the bottom of the foot down to the toes. Every 15 to 20 steps he would stop look and listen to his surroundings paying attention to every detail.

The obstruction in the creek was in view now, the start of a new beaver dam protruded from a point in the creek with large stones on either side. There was a few places where water was still slowly pouring through and a few other places where he knew he could crawl to get a drop on anything that may have been working on the dam. Approaching one slow agonizing step at a time, spear in hand and the sound of his heart in his thought roman proceeded forward until he could see the entirety of the dam.

His prey was not there but a quick inspection of the shore line showed recent activity of a beaver eating and working to secure what looked to be a new place of residence as he did not see an obvious beaver hut. He didn’t have the time to set a trap so he would have to lure the giant rodent in to an ambush. Slowly moving back towards the base of the dam in a low almost belly crawl behind the small hill he observed the area from it was mostly tall grass but would make due. Pulling a few sticks from the dam to create water flow and the noise of running water resuming his position once he was finished spear in hand.

It took about five or ten minutes before he saw activity on the small section of swollen creek. A ripple in the water told him that something was moving out there and moving towards him. Watching as the beaver surfaced looked around then headed for the dam. Roman waited as still as he could be as it continued to draw closer. Beavers had an instinctual need to stop the sound of running water, the fur traders back home talked about it in great detail. It would seem that they were correct as the rodent pushed itself up onto the dam and started repairing the holes he had made.

He only waited a few moments more before getting up and throwing the spear at the beaver. His spear hit its tail but it still attempted to return to the water. Springing up and lunging after it with his axe in hand Roman dove into the water after the creature just barely getting a good grip on its back leg before it vanished into the murky water. Pulling the beaver back onto land was a bit trickier than he thought as he was constantly trying not to get bit by its giant teeth. Once on land it tried its best to get away but a swift strike to the back of its head with the back of his axe ended all resistance.

Roman took account of himself for a moment then his catch, he was soaked but he had all of his things still. The beaver didn’t suffer any damage to its pelt just its tail and he didn’t hit the scent glands it has so that was a plus. He spoke a quick prayer to the animal thanking it for its pelt and meat promising it that it will not be wasted. Making a small incision on its stomach he proceeded to carefully remove everything from inside it. The heat of the day would be quick to spoil the meat of a creature like this if left inside.

As part of his hunting ritual he left half of what he removed in the creek and the rest on the edge of the creek this way the other denizens of the forest would be able to feast on what was left. Walking back towards the forest he paused for a moment to mark a rune on one of the larger trees with the blood of the animal. The simple bind rune represented a combination of luck and protection for the area with the life of the beaver as payment and thanks for the harvest. The beaver still had quite the weight to it he noticed while he walked back towards the group.

[Tae]

Time: 11 am
Location: Vikena Estate
Interactions: @princess Charlotte, @Conscripts John
Mentions:
Outfit: Dress, Stockings, Boots

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The warmth and comfort brought on just purely from Charlotte taking her hands caused Thea to choke up again and she began to tremble ever so slightly. She bit her lip as she tried desperately to keep from losing it again. ”I…H-he…” She was struggling to find the words to explain her sudden intrusion. It was John approaching them that helped to clear her head ever so slightly. She blinked at him as spoke of the checkup she’d skipped out on this morning, but he was blaming himself for it and this threw her off a bit. ”W-wait…” She couldn’t stop herself from mumbling out, her mind reeling. He wanted to talk to her now? Was he upset with her maybe? A pang of anxiety ran through her briefly as she began looking between the two.

”Y-you don’t have to lie about that, John. I s-skipped out on the appointment, I…” Her voice broke a bit again as she thought of last night, of Felix, then of the letter. She took a shaky breath as she glanced at the paper in her hands. ”I suppose we can speak…” She said, but glanced over at Charlotte and held out the letter.

”Um…t-this will explain things some…” She said as she handed it to her and then turned back to John.

[Lava Alckon]

Farim

Location: Sorian Park
Time:11am
Mentions: Anastasia @princess, Layla @Potter, and Nahir @Rodiak

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Farim took a moment to think on what she had just said. I mean...she isn't wrong... He took a moment to think on what he'd say next, not wanting to sound too somber in his tone. "Well...it's that not I really miss them...I just sort of miss that family we had growing up. But things are different now, as I said, we are all much too busy nowadays." He knew he was the last one to be talking about being busy, since he was literally late for the initial arrival of Alidasht. But he still did think fondly of the family dinners and parties where he could interact with his cousins. But these were different times. Everyone had to make their race for the Sultan's choice and would likely do much of anything to get there. Did he have the resolve to push others out of his path to make the right decisions? Did he have the will to carry on such a mighty seat of authority and power even if he had a decent shot at it? He asked himself similar questions a lot and had to shake himself back to reality for a moment.

He noticed Anastasia was looking at Thara, seemingly brimming with the desire to possibly hold, pet, or maybe even kiss his bird. He smiled and pushed off the more melancholy thoughts of his to give attention to the person right in front of him. "She will not bite, I made her promise before coming here to not cause any trouble. Riiiiight, Thara?" Farim spoke to the bird sternly as if it could understand every word. The bird looked in slight confusion, tilting its head at Farim then turning towards Anastasia and leaning in to inspect the new person she had started to see in such close proximity.

It was then that his hand was again pulled and whisked through the crowd. His feet marched forward quickly and Thara clamped down onto his shoulder to keep balance. A slight "Oop!" and a "Yow..." came from Farim as he felt both surprise tugging and surprise claws. He looked up and saw the sight Anastasia had very aptly hollered, and became slightly nervous. He remembered the mood Layla had been in this morning and wondered if it would carry over to this afternoon. "Princess, perhaps another time? They seem to be-" He spoke in mild protest before realizing it was too late. They had already made it right in front of Nahir and Layla, and Farim did his best to recover and put on a smile as to not seem as much of a nervous wreck as he had been all morning.

"Heellooooo, my cousins! I hope you are both in good health? I am not sure if you have already met, but allow me to introduce Princess Anastasia of Caessonia! She is a kind person who was looking to get you all some lovely prizes from the festivities today. This is all such a lovely festival, no?" He took a moment to breath after somewhat hurriedly greeting his cousins, and found himself calming down some. Perhaps they could actually be somewhat like a family during this season of courting. At least before the more serious matters of marriage and proposals began to be discussed.

[SausagePat]

Time:11am
Location:: Ballroom
Interaction:: @Helo Callum

Although Ruby was nervous about presenting her measly pot to this prince, she felt pleased when he looked at it with interest. She leaned on the table to watch with wide eyes his every move, completely enthused. No one had been so interested in her creations. She knew it wasn’t much, but it was one of the few things she could do.

“Oh I can’t wait to return to the worms.” Ruby said, going along with his sentiment. Ruby had not truly thought about it this way.. her worm theme simply came from a game her and Jack played in which they included the first thing they saw to their pots.
After hearing Cal talk about the theme with curiosity and meaning, she saw that he was a relatively thoughtful one, Not like I will ever be... Ruby responded with subtle excitement that escaped through her eyes, “Precisely! Most people want to look at the bigger picture of life, but they don’t think about the little guys at work.” She smiled, giggling humbly at his appreciation. “ You are very welcome. You can keep it if you like it that much”

As Ruby’s head grew bigger, she felt flustered and her nerves began to look for an out. She thought Cal was kind and interesting, but something did not feel right. As she looked away in fear, she replied, “ Oh, I strongly disagree. You can make anything you’d like! As thoughtful of a man as you are… I trust you will whip something up special." Ruby’s plan to seduce a man and take all his assets was too successful (he was totally falling for her) and now she had second thoughts. He seemed to be a nice person. Could she really do this to a nice person? A worm appreciator?

Ruby began to sweat and her ruse could not be held up any longer. She had to find a different prince, a less thoughtful, blander, and ruder prince that would not challenge her in this way.

“Oh no! I have to go! The onions-I mean-Um-”She panicked for a moment before chaotically trying to scramble up from her chair, only to trip loudly over the leg of her chair with a loud thud that echoed through the ballroom. She was horrified and attempted to play it off, unknowing that others had begun to stare. She slowly drug herself up off the floor in a slithering fashion, dropping an onion out of her bag by mistake. It started to awkwardly roll across the floor , but she was on her way elsewhere.
Whew, that was almost bad.

[Tae]

Time: 11 AM
Location: Execution at the Athletic Arena
Attire: Outfit
Interaction: @Helo Leo
Mentions:

The tightening of Leo’s jaw wasn’t lost on Mina and she realized that her words could have been misunderstood as her not caring about the disappearance of his father. The truth was that her feelings on the matter were quite the opposite. She’d lost a parent of her own and never knew the other, it was something she’d never wish on anyone. ”Quite capable hands indeed, I was merely unsure if anything had changed since I’d last seen you.” She said and then her tone softened some as she glanced at him once more. ”I keep hoping I hear word that your father is found and in good health.” She said, tone gentle and truthful.

She was mildly intrigued by his comment of “last night's folly”, but wasn’t entirely surprised to learn that the afterparty got a little out of hand. The logical side of her was glad she couldn’t make it, knowing it would have brought unwanted attention upon her uncle. Yet, at the same time, she wondered if there was a missed opportunity there. She couldn’t dwell too much on it, however, as it was in the past and there was certainly going to be more of those parties.

”Oh I certainly agree with you, it is effective for a while. It’s the instant the ruler stops appearing for them, however, that things become more likely for a turn to be taken.” She pointed out, the fact neither Edin nor Alibeth were there not being lost on her. There was a slight smile on her face as she mirrored some of his excitement, even if it was only to remain on familiar ground with him. ”Because once they stop appearing, people begin to question things. They question how much those ruling over them actually care about their wellbeing. It’s poor form when they don’t appear because it removes the hope of a pardon and hope is a powerful thing to keep feeding into.” She went on to explain her views on the matter, but then was chuckling in agreement about being glad Varian had moved beyond such barbarics.

Taking note of the rage filled eyes of the man that was about to be executed, she had to agree with Leo that something was different with this one. ”I see what you mean, how very intriguing. Perhaps we’re about to witness something that’ll make history? Wouldn’t that be thrilling.” She was feeding into his excitement, yet found herself eager just to know what this man had down to earn himself such a sentence.

[Rodiak]

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S I R M A T H I A S L A R S E N S I R M A T H I A S L A R S E N ♖ o u t f i t ♖(#1) S H O O T I N G R A N G E , 1 1 : 0 0 A M I N T E R A C T I O N S : M E N T I O N S : @Heartfillia

"I bet two gold that he’s a bastard from a mistress." Mary whispered, leaning in closer to Mathias. "He is handsome, that little show he put on during the competition? Ugh, amazing. It’s a shame, really." She clicked her tongue, and Mathias shot her a glare. Taken back by such a harsh look, Mary pulled back and bowed her head.

Mathias flinched at Mary’s first statement, his eyes darting to the man. "We shouldn’t assume. Or stare." He turned his back to the group, walking to Lukas. The boy sat in one of the chairs with Verrick’s bow in his lap and eyes looking up at his father. His gaze soften seeing his son, a smile spreading over his lips as he knelt in front of the boy.

"Where do you want to go next? I heard there’s a festival in the park, or we could head for a play in the theater. Or maybe a " Mathias brushed some of the golden curls from Lukas’s forehead, ignoring the rush of cold over his back. It felt like someone had dumped a bucketful of ice water on him.

Lukas grinned, and Mathias couldn’t help but return it."The pa…park!" he exclaimed excitedly, his feet kicking in the air a bit.

"Very well," Mathias stood up, taking the bow and handing it to Mary, not bothering to look at her for now. He offered his hand to Lukas, and the boy took it without protest and hopped off the chair.

"Your lordship, a woman is approaching. One of Lady Damien’s guards, it seems."

Mathias turned around, glancing behind the woman to see Crystal walking away from Cassius and her father. He couldn’t catch the expression on her face but judging from the pace of her walk and the stiffness of her shoulders; he could tell she was upset. Understandably so.

”Lady Crystal regretfully has an appointment to keep. However, she wished to give this to you in person, but could not given the unforeseen interruption.”

Mathias looked back at the woman and hthen down at the book offered to him. He took it carefully, examining the worn-out edges and barely readable title on the spine. He remembered he had asked for a recommendation and this was it, ‘Sir Ivan Whittlock’s collection of Fantastical true Stories.’

” Her personal copy…”

He smiled, his thumb tracing over the cover and following the part of the simple pattern. "Will you tell her I said thank you?" He finally looked at the woman, furrowing his brows at the look she gave him. She turned around without another word and left, unsure if she had heard him.

"Scary." Mary muttered, looking at Mathias with wide eyes when he turned to face her. She bowed her head again, unsure if she had said something out of line again, but when he said nothing and began to walk, she followed quickly after.

[SilverPaw]

Wulfric & Saiya

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The group of women closest to the door could see into the room and gaze upon the princes, something that excited many of them as they eagerly waited to be let in. Some were even almost jumping up and down with excitement, especially as they watched Layla leave Wulfric. Saiya was currently at the front of the group and she simply observed everything around her, watching Layla leave and wondering when they would be let in. For the first few minutes she waited patiently, but after being made to stand there and just stare at the empty chair in front of Wulfric, she decided to take a chance. Before she could be stopped, she slipped into the room and confidently began to head in Wulfric’s direction. There were some gasps of shock and confusion, but she was in front of the crown prince before anyone could stop her. This was something she found interesting and concerning.

“Apologies for the sudden intrusion, Your Royal Highness, but it did not seem like they were about to allow the next group in any time soon and I found that quite inefficient as there were hundreds of women waiting to meet you. So I decided to take initiative in order to not waste any of your valuable time.” Saiya said as she dipped low into a curtsy. As she stood back up straight, her eyes met Wulfric’s and she gave him a warm smile. “I am Lady Saiya Ansari, adopted daughter of the Grand Vizier.” She introduced herself before glancing at the chair. “May I take a seat?”

Wulfric had taken a few moments to think what the possible reasons for Layla’s short distraction during their conversation might have been. During his own moment of inattention, there was a disturbance in the crowds. Wulfric zeroed in on the cause of it, and saw Lady Saiya make her way up to him. No one thought to stop her, or to advise her to wait her turn – just as no one had thought to disarm that foreign warrior who’d entered as well armed as if he were aiming to battle. Really, it was enough to give anyone a complex about security.

As the prince tracked her with his gaze, he saw what his brother had meant when he’d said her movements betrayed her proficiency. Though her gait was more akin to a dancer’s, one would be a fool to believe that that was all she was. It was quite subtle, but yes, he could see her as a fighter. Granted, he might not have noticed that in her short walk towards him had Auguste not pointed it out. She did not carry any weapons openly, but that did not foreclose the possibility of her having any that were hidden. Wulfric was neither bothered nor concerned, but it was one more mark in favour of him getting into the habit of always being armed.

Regardless of his thoughts, he offered Saiya one of his patented smiles, and briefly stood up to give her a crisp bow. “Well, I do appreciate efficiency,” he said, amusement creeping in, though the statement was truthful. Adjusting his tone to one that was more appropriate for a polite conversation with a stranger, he added, “Knowing when to take initiative is admirable, too.” He glanced at the sour or scandalized expressions of those gathered behind her before returning his gaze to the lady in front of him. “Especially when you do so despite being surrounded by such a…competitive bunch, shall we say.” He chose a neutral phrase, because he was certain Saiya wouldn’t enjoy it if he likened the women there to rabid dogs. Unkind, and unfair to some of them? Admittedly. Nonetheless, it was an accurate comparison. Yet one which was to be kept in the strict privacy of his mind.

At her introduction, and following question, Wulfric nodded. “Welcome, Lady Saiya, and please do take a seat.” He had not known she was adopted by the Vizier, but merely made note of the information without reacting to it in any way. “We did not have the chance to converse yesterday, but my brother did in fact mention you to me. It seems you’ve left an impression.” The light tantalization in his sentence was purposeful, and he watched how she responded to that tid-bit.

After a brief glance over her shoulder at the annoyed crowd of women, Saiya took a seat and gave Wulfric her full attention. “I do suppose I may have painted a bit of a target on my back.” She said with a soft, amused laugh. She had little worry over that, however, as she had a feeling that many of those women back there were truly little threat to her. She smoothed her skirt out as she listened to him speak, a slight moment of surprise hitting her as he mentioned the impression she left with Auguste. “It’s good to know our little dance left an impression.” She met his gaze with a coy grin.

“And now you have a chance to deepen that impression,” Wulfric smirked.

“You know, this little event is quite interesting and unusual. Is this something that you do often?” There was a curious tone to her words.

“If by ‘this’ you mean meet and greet events, or those whose aim is for my brothers and I to consider potential marriage prospects…Then there are indeed many,” he replied neutrally, though he was curious why she was. “However, one exactly like this one? There has not been one before.” Tilting his head, he decided to prompt, “Why? Is it truly so unusual compared to social events you hold in Genasea?”

“If there were merely noblewomen here to meet with you I would say it wasn’t quite unusual, however…” Saiya paused as she briefly glanced over at the young woman rushing away from the youngest prince, dropping onions as she went. Her brow furrowed in a bit of confusion for a moment, finding the scene odd and slightly humorous. “It seems the invitation is also extended to the common folk and that is what I find unusual.” Her attention turned back to Wulfric, a genuine smile on her lips now. “It is also admirable as I find it wise to get to know those you are to care for as a ruler. Doing so helps to keep the peace and makes for an admired and loved king.” She explained, fully aware that who she spoke with was the crowned prince.

A clatter interrupted their conversation, and Wulfric turned his head much as Saiya had. Apparently, the girl with heterochromia was suffering from an affliction much worse; clumsiness. Clearly, she was a peasant. However, the dress she had somehow managed to procure was passable. Which was the only reason Edin hadn’t thrown her out initially. After this blunder of hers, though…

Ah, and there the girl went dropping onions now. No doubt Callum found this charming.

Having seen enough, the prince returned his regard to Saiya. “This was announced in the newspaper, after all,” he commented. He raised a brow at her following comments and demeanour. If she believed the inclusion of peasants was intentional, she had obviously not been there to see how the king had dismissed out of hand two such lessers. Alternatively, she had, and was giving her critique with exceptional subtleness.

Either way, her opinions on rulership were certainly closer to those Zarai or Auguste (…and probably Callum) would espouse. And she wished to gauge his. “It makes for good publicity, at the very least.” Privately, he thought that his father had a way of turning what could be ‘good’ into…something less so.

“But I do believe there are better ways of caring,” Wulfric didn’t bother hiding that he had issues with that phrasing. Certainly, a ruler had to care for their nation and its people, but if caring was all that one was…It brought with it a host of issues. Such as having one’s authority diminished, having that kindness (or leniency) taken advantage of, or being entirely helpless when faced with difficult, harsh decisions.

“Too, I doubt I will learn of people’s desires within this one hour something I do not already know.” He took in the group of hopefuls, so full of dreams and fantasies. Some had ambitions more plausible, others quite possibly realistic goals. Individual differences aside, they were all united in one thing: There was something they wished to gain. Wulfric mused that if not that, it was fear of losing what they had which was the driving force behind human behavior. Then, there were those driven to desperation because they believed they had nothing to gain nor anything to lose. The latter group…in some ways, those could be the most dangerous. For their sheer unpredictability, if nothing else.

Quite soon, he was once again meeting Saiya’s eyes. “Though, as one of my teachers used to say: Every day is a day to learn…and one can learn even – or especially – from the most unexpected of sources.” Half smiling, he deigned to offer a slight concession to her point.

There was one particular thing that Wulfric said which really stuck out to Saiya. It was good publicity, at least. So, appearances were important to him, this wasn’t anything to fault him over as appearances should be important…to a point. In the short time of speaking with him she had worked out a few things. First, he certainly was different from his father and seemed to take after his mother. She could see positives and negatives in this, but it wasn’t anything alarming to her. At very least, he would likely be a better king than Edin. What kind of kingdom would Edin leave him, though? Just from the brief observation she’d made of Wulfric’s father, if he remained king for much longer, Wulfric may be left with a kingdom on the verge of rebellion. Would he be able to quell that ire? Either way, one thing she’d learned from her own father is that no matter what kind of ruler you are, there will always be people that disagree with you and think they could do better.

Her second observation, Wulfric would go for the best match that would boost the appearance of his kingdom. Love was rarely in the cards for nobles and royals and it seemed the crown prince had accepted this. She had a feeling he would observe all of the top matches of this season and would choose the match that would best compliment the way he wished to rule. Wulfric was truly playing a game of chess and he was good at it. It was something she could admire, but it also made her sad that it was something he seemed to feel he had to do. Either way, she didn’t sense any ill intent from him towards Alidasht. He was simply playing the game he was born into.

“There certainly are many ways of caring and all have their merits and downfalls. You may not learn anything from them with this event, but they in turn may learn something from you.” Saiya’s voice was soft, kind, and was full of a genuine friendliness as she spoke these words. “You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, Wulfric. While we’ve only spoken for a few minutes now, you’ve managed to make quite an impression on me. I get the sense you’re going to do well as king one day.” She knew she was being bold by using only his name and no titles, but she felt it appropriate for the moment. He seemed to be a bit different from his brother Auguste, but there was something about him that Saiya found charming. Like with Auguste, she hoped they would have more opportunities to talk over the season.

Wulfric inclined his head when Saiya spoke of merits and demerits, as it was reasonable. He thought it somewhat strange when she said that others may learn something from him rather than of him. But it was in line with what he had sensed of her preferences; namely, that she appreciated a personal, one-on-one approach. He raised a brow at her using his given name, but didn’t rebuke her. Nor did he care a whit what she or anyone else thought about what he would be like as a ruler. In fact, he tended to be dismissive of such evaluations at best.

In the back of his mind, an uncharitable thought of Just who does she think–? susurrated, but he suppressed it. She was, in fact, a member of the royal family. Besides, he could recognize a compliment for what it was, and accept it as such. So, he gave a dignified nod, and simply said, “Thank you.” Unlike Hendrix, he felt like rather than trying to earn his favour, she was acknowledging him as a future ally. For that, he could muster some genuine appreciation. Thus, he reciprocated with, “You also strike me as very sensible.” His smile held barely any warmth, but it was enough to lend credence to his words.

“Well, I’m sure there’s many others here that wish to have your attention and swoon over you, so I shall let them have their moment. Thank you for this, Your Highness. I truly enjoyed myself and hope we get to have more conversations in the future.” She said as she began to get up, dipping into a low curtsy, and giving him one more smile before leaving his table.

“It was enjoyable for me as well.” Unexpectedly, he had been engaged, no matter that it was a brief chat. “I am sure we will have the chance to converse in the future,” Wulfric replied. He supposed he would not mind speaking with her again. Perhaps, he was impressed, if reluctantly so. He gave a respectful nod in her direction as she stood up. Then, his table was once again vacated.

[Helo]

Time: 11:00 am
Location: Ballroom
Interactions: Ruby @SausagePat, Auguste @Inertia, Edin


“Oh I can’t wait to return to the worms.”

“Same.” Callum muttered though he doubted that was the appropriate response. Ruby’s entire demeanor had changed, she seemed in a panic to get out, or at least away from him. Both the chair and Ruby crashed to the floor, and for some reason, there was now an onion rolling around as well. Well, there goes staying out of trouble. He really had tried to keep his word to Wulfric, but if they had really wanted this whole event to go smoothly then they wouldn’t have included him.

Cal wasn’t sure what he’d said wrong, maybe he’d gone on about worms too much. Or maybe it wasn’t entirely the fact that he was talking about worms but that everyone here, Ruby included, expected him to act more like a prince and be able to think of something more interesting than worms to talk about. Then again maybe five minutes was about all it took for people to figure out he wasn’t someone they wanted to be around. It didn’t much matter why, it was his fault, and now Ruby had made a spectacle and he had to fix it because Ruby seemed far too nice to deal with Edin’s attention.

“Sorry I-” Callum got up from his chair but didn’t get a chance to offer a hand to help Ruby up as she was already on her way out. Probably for the best, he wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to say. Sorry, I ruined this event for you. Sorry, I’m kind of a shit prince. That didn’t seem like a useful thing to add right now, and he needed to try and find ways to be useful rather than just apologizing for messing things up. Callum picked up the chair and sat it back. Then he grabbed the onion off the floor and grinned.

“Hey, Auguste, I got a gift and a snack, not too bad huh?” He asked, louder than necessary as he slowly peeled off the first layer of the onion and set the peelings on the table. Cal made no effort to hide a grin as his eyes found Edin’s. Callum lifted up the raw onion and took a bite the same way he would’ve if it had been an apple.

But it was not an apple and whiskey, coffee, and a mouthful of raw onion were certainly not the breakfast of champions. It took most of his will not to hurl at the taste and the unwanted amount of onion juice now in his mouth. He forced himself to chew the crunchy bits of onion with a smile as his eyes never left Edin’s. “Mmm, my favorite.” He lied, mouth still full of half-chewed onion as he spoke. Then just because it was obnoxious he continued to chew with his mouth wide open.

[princess]

Time: 11am
Location: Ballroom
Interactions: @Terrance420 Alden @Apex Sunburn Wasun Sjan-dehk @SausagePat Ruby @Helo Callum

---

This one wants to know why you keep saying this one. Just say I! ...It's like he thinks he's in a story. Hmph. Well, he'll find out soon enough that this is my story.

He waved his hand at his request as it was easy to follow through on. It wasn't like he would need to do anything. "Yes. This one can come with our people to the urhm, Sada Koorao. I can have some of them accompany you at 1 pm today. They will meet you by the docks and you can guide them to your ship. "

The King's eyes then lit up as Sjan-dehk spoke of all the glorious things he had for trade. "Silks! Wines! Spices! Jewels! Now that's more like it. I will have some of my staff arrive with the men to review. They know my taste. But I would love it if I could have your best here tomorrow morning for my family and me to examine. We can surely send you back home with good payment for these luxuries-" He suddenly broke off at the rambunctious rustling of a chair. King Edin's gaze swung over across the room. There was a strange light-haired girl whose hair looked like it had been cut by a blind person. She was dragging herself off the floor in the most bizarre manner. His face contorted in both confusion and disgust yet he could not look away as an onion rolled across the floor.

What is that thing?

Callum stole his attention as he got up. He then proceeded to eat the onion in front of all the women. He was not surprised but boy, was he mad.

"GUARDS! Get that onion woman away from my sons! NOW! And Callum, conduct yourself with some respect for the ladies if not for yourself!"

He watched with a sigh as they moved towards Ruby, ready to escort her out. Tapping his fingers on the sides of his throne, he looked back upon Sjan-Dehk. He cleared his throat. "If we're quite finished... We can reconvene tomorrow to discuss my purchases. This will give you some time to settle into Sorian... There are plenty of inns to check into if you find sleeping on your ship distasteful... Remember to meet my people at 1 o clock." King Edin hoped he'd walk away now before it got awkward.

[Helo]

Time: Morning, 11 am
Location: Athletic Arena
Interactions: Mina @Tae

“I know what you meant, it is just a tender subject, which I also know you understand. And, thank you.” Leo answered with a soft and careful reply. It was a matter he did not need to casually discuss. It wasn’t polite conversation and Leo knew better than stand around and discuss topics that he was unable to remain calm and rational about. if he spoke on it for too long and he’d say things that weren’t for public ears. Grief would unravel and he was doing pretty well at keeping it coiled and contained. It was his burden to carry and the only person he could share burdens like that with was gone.

Mina’s words on the execution were easier to hear and she now had far more of his attention than the event taking place. While Leo had noted the absence of any members of the Caesonia’s royal family, he had not considered its potential importance beyond them not finding this particular criminal worth their time. Mina made a solid point; the game of acting as if a pardon could be earned, that the monarchs cared even for those who had lost the right to live, was necessary to keep the common folk believing that the game wasn’t rigged from the start. Without that hope, people got desperate. The trick was dosing it out, too much hope, and people got greedy, too little and you’d have a revolution pounding on the door. The common folk needed to be given those few scraps of hope to keep them quiet and dreaming of something better rather than demanding it.

“Hope really does make the sturdiest cages.” Leo agreed with her statement, not entirely sure if Mina had meant her observation in the way he’d taken it but it hardly mattered to him, it was a valuable insight nonetheless. “Now witnessing history, sounds like a fantastic way to spend the summer.” Leo grinned and dropped his voice to whisper before continuing.

“Whether it’s here or elsewhere, Sorian feels far less stable than I remember. Take last night’s party, every single noble in attendance now has a very bizarre case of amnesia for the entire event. And those parties have been recurring around here for a while now involving the two youngest Danrose royals.” Leo offered up his knowledge of last night’s events, it was hardly a secret, and word of it would spread quickly enough with or without his help.

“Not to mention at some point last night a prankster managed to sneak into my room and had more than enough time to ruin every pair of shoes I had here. Which says nothing good about security. Even the palace servants are hostile and unruly. Which is to say, from one Varian to another, thrilling and historic, almost certainly, but potentially dangerous here as well. Not that I would imply you can’t handle it, but added caution wouldn’t hurt.” Leo left out the fact that the said prankster revealed herself to be one of the hostile and unruly servants. There was no way he was going to willingly admit he’d been bested by some impoverished miscreant. He offered what he thought would be useful to Mina because he thought highly of both her and her uncle and she had shared insights with him.

[Conscripts]

John & Thea

_{Location: Vikena Estate's Billiard Room}

---

”I appreciate it, really.” John nodded. Seeing how she was much more restrained, willing to admit her fault, and willing to talk, it gave him a little bit of hope. ”Can we…” He gestured to the maid of the estate. Without John finishing his request, the maid stepped aside and let the two into the currently empty billiard room. Thea had taken one more glance at Charlotte before slowly following John into the room.

John waited for Thea to enter before closing the door, but stood right close by the door as he began. ”Well, health-wise, you look ok, so no need for a follow up for today’s canceled appointment.” He said, glancing at her briefly. Aside from swollen eyes from crying, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, giving him a breeze of relief. ”Until the next time you drink too much.”

”Mainly though,” He sighed, looked down on the floor for a brief second with his hand on the back of his head. ”While this might sound like something your mother would tell me to do…trust me, I wanted this out of my own volition.” He said, hoping to clear out any misconception she would have about what comes next, but he knew he could only go so far. He was really banking on her sincerity, or that he thought she would, here. ”I notice you’ve been drinking a lot recently. A lot more than what I’m used to you doing.” He leaned onto the wall with his hand on his wrist. ”Do you want to talk a bit about it? Doesn’t have to be now.”

Thea felt her jaw clench some as he made his assessment, unsure why she initially felt irritation about it. It was good she looked good health-wise, wasn’t it? That irritation was quickly forgotten, however, as his next words hit her. Her gaze fell to the floor, finding it hard to make eye contact with him now and hadn’t realized her arms moved to wrap around herself uncomfortably. She immediately thought of last night, of her drunken confession to Felix, then to today and the letter. She felt panic trying to sink its claws into her, but she tried to fight it off.

”I-I don’t know what you mean, you…” She began as she shifted uncomfortably, but trailed off as she realized something he said. He was asking this out of his own volition? Did he actually care about her wellbeing? The thought brought an odd feeling of warmth to her chest which only served to confuse her more. Could she actually speak to him about it? What if? ”I’ll only end up scaring you off as well…” Her words came out as quiet as a mouse, betraying just how broken she felt as tears now slipped down her nose once more and hit the floor.

John kept silent. The droplet did not escape him, but he pretended he didn’t see it. He let a moment pass, carefully choosing his words, considering and reconsidering. In the end, he shrugged his shoulders lightly. ”Yeah I might be scared…” He replied. ”But it’s whatever. I’ll stick around anyway.”

In a way, it is true. His impulses would say Thea’s not scary to appease her, but people did scare him in many ways. Many ways. But what is important is that his feelings don’t matter here. ”It’s not easy. I might not know how to help you specifically even, and you may not know it either.” John sighed. ”But I’d like to see you better. Not cause that’s what your mother told me, but I believe you’re a nice person at the end of the day.”

Not that he believed, but he knew. He had heard the stories. And he cared about it, more than he professionally should, and quite sadly more than the people around her who should have. Her goddamned brother, the duchess, hell even the prince.

His words caught Thea off guard and her eyes shot up to look at him, the shock there evident. Did he mean that? Would he actually stick around even if her problems scared him? Could she actually trust him? She studied him for a long moment, mind whirling as she went back and forth on what to say. What would she tell him? What could she tell him? ”I don’t know if I was ever a nice person, but sometimes I…” She paused, trying to work out her words in order to express things properly. ”Sometimes I truly miss who I was, the one who people turned to for comfort. The girl who everyone always saw as kind and sweet and loving. I miss her…” She paused again, brows furrowing as she thought about this.

But I also hate her.” The truth in this confession felt like a weight being lifted off of her, but also like a stab to the gut. ”That girl hid a lot behind those things and so I’m glad she’s dead and gone, but now I don’t know who I am and no one else seems to either. Who am I supposed to be, John? Because no matter who I try to be, I’m never good enough and I’m tired.” Tears fell freely now and she no longer made an attempt to hide them. This was her, this was the girl who had been beaten down and broken for years and now didn’t know how to pick up the pieces and put them back together.

”I don’t know exactly.” John glanced away for a moment. ”Because I feel like if I say something, it would just be the same kind of pressure that others have put you under.”

‘You are subservient to us.’

‘You are a nobody.’

‘This is why nobody likes scientists like you. They think with a bit of knowledge, they can talk back to us.’

”You said you miss being a kind, sweet and loving girl, but glad that part of you is past you. You’re ok with getting rid of that, is it that you’re living someone else’s image of you then…” John said, and he was about to open his lips to say something but quickly sealed it shut. ‘Or the image of your family’ was what he was going to say. He observed this in her brother Leo too. Living to preserve the veneer and prestige of a dysfunctional family. But saying that might be too much.

Why was she glad that part of her was gone? Thea opened her mouth, but nothing came out for a moment as she thought about what would be proper to say. Then it hit her, even now she was thinking of what was proper to say. ”It’s because that version of me was a lie. I chose to appear happy to keep others from worrying about me. I had to appear that way to keep my mother from having more stress. I had to act like everything was okay to protect Leo. I had to convince everyone I was fine so my father-” She cut herself off there, mouth quickly shutting as she took a deep breath to calm herself as she was getting worked up.

”Appearances mean everything to my family. Go fix your make up. Hide your crazy and act like a lady. You’ve got to keep it together even when you’re falling apart. These were things I was taught from little on, but how much can one take before they snap? This is what I was feeling underneath all of that.” She let out a sigh and looked down, ashamed of herself and who she was.

So now she was swinging to the exact opposite. He wasn’t sure how much of her drinking was actually her being herself, or was it her trying to prove that to herself. Regardless, hearing her confession about her family, despite him already knowing this, only made him angry. Despite his initial positivity towards the duchess, the more he learned about her, her husband and her relationship with her two children, the more he could tolerate her behavior. This was abuse, and family images were no justification.

”I don’t blame you snapping at all, really.” He replied. ”It sucks being royalty.”

He crossed his arms and rubbed his cheek a little. ”You know what, are you free later in the evening? I’ll take you out to a restaurant. None of that obnoxious medical stuff. Just the two of us, chilling, enjoying some good food.”

His next words hit Thea’s ears and she slowly looked back up to John, blinking a little in surprise. ”I…Actually I’d like that very much. Thank you.” She finally said, a small and genuine smile actually lighting up her face now. She hadn’t realized it, but perhaps this was exactly what she’d needed.

”Alright, sounds good~” John replied ecstatically. He was expecting a worse outcome to the talk, but it actually turned out pretty well. ”I’ll be available around 8. From then, I can’t tell you what to do, but try to avoid reading the news or public gatherings. I went to one this morning, and…well…” He burst out a chuckle and a headshake as he remembered what happened. ”They aren’t the best people, let's just say. I’m pretty sure you have better people you want to hang out with as well.” He leaned his head in a gesture towards the door. Charlotte’s a good person. You can tell a lot about her from her worst moments.

”Well, I have someone I need to meet in a bit, so I better get going.” John checked his pocket watch, before looking back at Thea. ”Thanks for hearing me out today.”

Thea’s brow furrowed a little, but the smile remained as she looked at him questioningly. ”Well you’re going to have to tell me about what happened at dinner tonight because now I’m far too curious. I promise I’ll be ready by 8.” She began moving back towards the door, but paused when she was next to him. Before he could protest, Thea threw her arms around him in a hug. ”No, thank you John. Thank you for actually caring and helping me, even though I’m often a bitch.” Just as quickly as she hugged him, she let go and gave him one more smile before heading back out to where Charlotte was.

He was a bit taken aback by the hug, but gave her a bright comforting smile. It felt good helping someone. ”You’re very welcome…” He left that along with a pat in the arm as she went. He’d follow her to Charlotte, but to excuse himself and make his departure from the Vikena estate.

[PapaOso]

---

Time: 10:35
Location: Archery Contest
Interaction: @Heartfillia Crystal, Jacob, Liah / @princess The Good Ol’ Count

---

Cassius was more amused than he had been in some time. This had already been one of the more eventful days of his life. There had been some over the years that had been filled with enough conflict, drama, and bloodshed to satisfy a dozen lifetimes…but this one was something special. Thus far he had met his father, annoyed and impressed the local nobility in equal parts, made an absolute ass out of himself in front of his newly revealed sister in the best way possible, and perhaps if he hurried he could witness the last moments of someone’s life. What a day indeed.

Though the execution interested him, Cassius did not enjoy watching anyone die. As a mercenary he had witnessed and dealt his fair share of death, but he never allowed himself to become numb to it. The weight of taking a life was something he held with high regard. He wouldn’t be considered honorable by many standards…but he had his creeds, his beliefs, and his own form of principles. Ending a life could be exhilarating. It could be heartbreaking. It could be liberating. One thing it should never be is taken lightly. This is why he intended to be present for the execution. Not to gawk at someone as they are put to death or judge them for the crimes that led them to this point…but to ensure that at least one person in attendance watches their last moments with reverence. This kind of thing was important to him. But first…he had to deal with his current predicament; his sister and her comrades were not going to let him leave without verifying his identity first. Thankfully, it seems that he wasn’t going to have to wait very long.

Arriving on a brilliant black horse like a story book hero…or perhaps villain, the Count himself climbed down from his steed and approached them. He appeared even more regal than their previous meeting. It was clear to Cas that his father was one that took appearances very seriously. He was sure to disappoint the man in that regard. Calbert greeted them and then looked towards Crystal. Something about his eyes gave Cassius the sense that there was sadness there. Perhaps worry. Cas looked over to his sister as he tried to work out what exactly he was missing. The next few moments were a blur to him as the Count explained the truth to Crystal. Her reaction was not ideal, but he couldn’t blame her…this was sure to be a lot to take in.

Cassius watched as his overwhelmed sister walked away. His usual smirk fell into a solemn expression. It was clear that there was more going on than he realized. Insight suggested that something bad had happened. In his arrogance he had missed the signs in his father's eyes…until now. Looking up to his father he couldn’t help but feel a little bad for letting his chaos make what could possibly be a rather serious situation that much more complex. He had intended to be a thorn, and never would have expected to feel bad about his own success in that regard. He would ask the Count about this intuition later, but he felt now was not the time. Even he, in all his panache and his devil may care attitude, could leave well enough alone once in a while. So, he kept things simple.

Thank you for telling her the truth. I fear she wanted me thrown in the darkest of dungeons for my claim. I…apologize if I upset her. He took a deep breath, almost not expecting the apology that just came out of his mouth. ”Well…I’m sure you have all manner of important business to attend to. Myself, I am going to attend the execution. Someone has to pour a drink out for the accused. Might as well be me.” For a second time today, Cas walks away from his father without giving him time to respond. Sure, he feels bad for whatever the hell may be going on with this family…but he’s still Cassius Vael.

[Helo]

Time: 11:00 am
Location: Ballroom
Interactions: none


"GUARDS! Get that onion woman away from my sons! NOW! And Callum, conduct yourself with some respect for the ladies if not for yourself!"

Callum made his way back to his seat, still staring at Edin, and loudly chewing that same onion bite with his mouth wide open. Now that he had a mouthful of onion he didn’t particularly want to swallow it. His eyes burned, his mouth was filled with onion-infused saliva, and he had to choke down this god-awful decision or give Edin the satisfaction of him acknowledging in any way that eating this onion was a bad idea. So Callum sat back down in his chair, continuing his show of preformative mastication until the onion that was in his mouth was entirely mush. Then he choked it down and chased it with what remained in his cup of coffee.

Another bad idea because coffee mixed with onion was not in any way better than onion alone. He realized he could have spit the onion into the cup but it was way too late for that. Everything still tasted like onions, but he didn’t let a single expression slip through to betray how disgusting he found the experience. He looked away from Edin, who had long stopped paying attention anyway, and looked ahead at whoever else was still watching. Surely no one here wanted to sit and chat with someone who just had his last visitor leave tripping over the chair to get away and who ate onions off the floor. Maybe he wouldn’t have to disappoint anyone else here, they’d already know what they were getting into.

Since Edin wasn’t looking, Callum tried to discreetly wipe the tears out of his eyes and drool from his mouth on his sleeve. Except it was the sleeve that contained the hand that had been holding that damn onion and now his fingers smelled like the onion. His eyes only grew redder and more watery. No longer discrete, Cal next tried wiping his eyes clear with the other sleeve, and any victory he thought he had over Edin from eating that bite of onion with a straight face was now lost amongst the frequent face wiping and occasional gagging.

Gods only know how long he was now going to be stuck here where everything smelled and tasted like onion. But maybe he’d spared Ruby something; Edin’s full attention, or at least when people talked about this, and they would, maybe they’d all laugh at Callum eating an onion off the floor and not at the clumsy girl who tripped over a chair. He was fine with that, people thought there was something wrong with him anyway.

He gathered the peeled-off bits of the onion from the table and stuck them in his now empty coffee cup and placed the rest of the onion on top. He wasn’t eating any more of it, and it was probably one of his least favorite ideas, but maybe it had done something a little bit helpful. He didn’t feel good about it though, not because it was entirely disgusting and not because he was probably ruining the whole regal air of the event. No Callum currently felt like a jackass because he had promised Wulfric he wouldn’t do this. And then he did it. On a whim. Just like he pushed buttons because he knew where they were and he was angry enough not to care what happened after that. So he’d looked at just about everyone in that room while he was making another scene but not Wulfric, he didn’t have the nerve for that.

He noticed that Ruby really had left the tiny worm pot behind and he moved it closer to him. He was going to keep it safe until she wanted it back, and he figured she definitely would still want it back since he was doing a terrible job at this whole prince’s court thing. He wondered if someone would bring him a drink if he asked for one now. Probably not.

[Apex Sunburn]

Mentions: @princess Edin @SausagePat Ruby @Tae Saiya

The king certainly had some interesting sons, Sjan-dehk had to say.

As with most others in the ballroom, his attention had been stolen by the echoing thud of someone hitting the floor. Rather painfully, he would add. The corner of his eye twitched in a fleeting wince even before he shifted his gaze, just in time to see the same white-haired, strange-eyed girl he had seen in the entrance hall clamber to her feet and scamper off. An onion rolled from her pack, which the prince she had been speaking with picked up. Normally, Sjan-dehk wouldn’t have paid any more attention to the scene, but the prince did something unexpected. Bizarre, even.

He peeled the vegetable and proceeded to eat it as if it were a fruit. Sjan-dehk could only imagine what its sting was doing to the man’s eyes and mouth. It couldn’t be pleasant at all. To the prince’s credit, his face didn’t seem to betray any hint of discomfort. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying it.

A life at sea had brought Sjan-dehk to many sights both strange and wild. Even so, he had to admit, this was likely the first time he had ever seen someone eat an onion in such a way. Between revulsion and an odd sense of admiration, he wasn’t quite sure what to feel. He settled for an uncomfortable mix of both. It was a disgusting act, to be sure, but it was also one that was honestly quite impressive. The prince had surely proven his…

Well, whatever it was he wanted to prove, Sjan-dehk felt he definitely succeeded.

“Guards!”

And whatever it was, the king clearly disagreed.

“Get that onion–” The way the king spat that one word out, Sjan-dehk would’ve thought it to be some form of poison. “–woman away from my sons! Now! And Callum, conduct yourself with some respect for the ladies if not for yourself!”

Sjan-dehk furrowed his brow as he returned his gaze to the floor. Calling the guards on a clumsy girl who seemed to be already on her way out seemed like quite the overreaction. Not at all becoming of a just and wise king. There was plenty he wanted to say; he could feel the words bubbling in his throat, but he bit his tongue. No, this was not the right time. He had to keep playing nice for now. From how things sounded, he had managed to pique the king’s curiosity in the Sudah’s wares. Mucking it up now, just as negotiations were ending, would be both unwise and wasteful.

Still, his honour wouldn’t suffer him doing nothing. He could already hear the guards moving behind him.

“If we’re quite finished,” the king continued after collecting himself and clearing his throat. For the briefest of moments, Sjan-dehk wondered if he would rescind his orders; if he would realise the ridiculousness of his orders after having calmed down. It didn’t happen, but that didn’t surprise Sjan-dehk in the least. He had met far too many kings – self-proclaimed or otherwise – who enjoyed bandying their power about to last at least a lifetime. Maybe even two. “We can reconvene tomorrow to discuss my purchases. This will give you some time to settle into Sorian. There are plenty of inns to check into if you find sleeping on your ship distasteful. Remember to meet my people at one o’clock.”

The king was still being far more polite with his words and offers than he needed to be, but now they felt a lot less genuine. It was strangely amusing how those few words, spoken in that one brief moment, could now colour all of the man’s current and future actions. As another great sage once wrote in yet another old book Sjan-dehk had read, the true measure of a person was not in how they acted when calm, but when they were enraged and agitated. And from what Sjan-dehk saw and heard, this king might not be the man he had assumed him to be at the beginning.

Not that he was in any position to say that. If the king was putting up an act, then Sjan-dehk was being an absolute thespian. None of this came naturally to him. Perhaps that was why he didn’t ask about when he was to return to the castle the next day, or even attempt to squirm his way out of it entirely. “This one will not forget, your grace,” was all he said, followed by a simple. “This one will take his leave.”

Well, that was that. Whether he liked it or not; whether he changed his mind or not, Sjan-dehk was coming back to the castle tomorrow. He didn’t exactly relish the idea, but at least he wouldn’t be alone. At least, he hoped not. Unless a miracle happened, Adiyan herself would be in no shape to accompany him, but surely she would be able to find someone to lend him a hand. Someone who knew what they were doing when it came to mercantile affairs.

He decided not to dwell too much on those matters as he stood up and returned his hat to its rightful place atop his head. There were more pressing concerns that needed his immediate attention.

“My weapons?” He asked the guard commander once they had walked a fair enough distance away from the king. The dour man didn’t say a word, and merely gestured to a couple of guards. They slipped away into a corridor for a moment before reappearing just as swiftly with Sjan-dehk’s array of arms. “That was very quick. Your armoury is close?”

“No, but I have performed this role long enough to know when an audience is about to end, and thus act accordingly to expedite things for his majesty.” That came as a surprise to Sjan-dehk; he hadn’t expected the guard commander to offer an actual response. Pride dripped from his words as he continued, “I had my men collect your effects once his majesty asked you to return tomorrow. I knew you would be leaving soon after that.”

“His grace is lucky. Good guards are ah…Are hard to find, yes?” The two of them stopped a short walk away from the exit, and within earshot of the guards approaching the white-haired girl. With a snap of his fingers, the guard commander beckoned the two guards to approach. One-by-one, they returned to Sjan-dehk his weapons, starting with the firearms. With each, he swiftly checked them for damages with well-practised eyes before slipping them back into their holsters.

A thin smile stretched the guard commander’s lips. “How kind of you to say so. I won’t claim to be the best guardsman, but I do try my best.”

Sjan-dehk glanced up from the lock of the carbine. “Humility.” The way those syllables tumbled from his lips reminded him of the clumsy girl, and reminded him that he didn’t have much time to pull off whatever mischief he had planned. “That is a fine virtue.”

The commander chuckled. Sjan-dehk slung the carbine across his back, then took both swords out of the guards’ hands. “You are far too kind, but yes, that’s true.” Both scabbards slid back into their frogs, metal fittings catching securely onto the rough-cut leather. The guard commander continued to talk, but by now Sjan-dehk was no longer listening. “Sadly, virtue isn’t something easily found these days. It doesn’t make it easy recruiting more guards. If I had the choice, I would–”

His words were cut short by the sound of steel scraping against wood.

With a look of as much innocence as he could muster, Sjan-dehk had pulled one of his swords half-out from its sheath. Bright metal gleamed beneath the ballroom’s light. “What do you think you’re doing!” the guard commander bellowed and raised his weapon. The rest of his men followed suit, and from what he could hear, Sjan-dehk guessed some of those sent against the girl had shifted their attention to him. “Put that sword away, now!”

“Calm, calm.” For Sjan-dehk, the real challenge here was to keep the playful mischief sparking within him from seeping into his words. A tinge of fear and worry tugged at his mind, but he paid it no heed. It wasn’t as if he had pulled out his sword in its entirety, or had a pistol drawn. The guards wouldn’t be so quick to kill him just yet. He simply had to be careful with his words and actions. “Just ah…checking the blade, no? You do not do this here? After you let another touch your weapon?”

“Not in the presence of a king!” The guard commander hissed.

“Oh, apologies,” Sjan-dehk said, doing his utmost to sound genuinely surprised. The rounded hilt of his sword clacked against the scabbard as he sheathed it with a flourish. “I am still not used to your customs here. In Viserjanta, it is okay to draw weapons at court.” His words were sheepish, but it was a bold-faced lie. He wouldn’t even be allowed to openly carry a fruit knife in his own father’s halls. Not without explicit permission, at the very least. However, Sjan-dehk felt quite certain that no one in this ballroom knew much about Viserjantan customs. It was an advantage he was determined to push while it lasted.

The guard commander took two large steps towards him. His eyes burned with barely-disguised fury and his words were just as incendiary. “This is Caesonia. You will learn our ways and you will remember them if you want to stay out of trouble while you’re here. We’ll have none of your savage ways.”

A younger Sjan-dehk, and a more impulsive Sjan-dehk, would have certainly responded to that final slight with a challenge of his own. It would have been justified; the guard commander had practically spat on the honour of all of Viserjanta before his very eyes. Experience was a harsh teacher, however, and Sjan-dehk remembered her lessons well. This was not a fight worth pursuing. He had already pushed his luck far enough and achieved whatever he could hope to achieve.

“I will do that, captain.” This time, he was unable to suppress his cheeky grin. Not that he would’ve wanted to, anyway. There was no point in putting up an act any longer. “Your advice is most welcome.”

The guard commander fixed Sjan-dehk with his cold gaze for a few moments. “Him and the girl,” he said to his men without taking his eyes off the Viserjantan. “Escort them out. Now.”

In hindsight, Sjan-dehk realised that he had gone through all that trouble for painfully little. The girl was still escorted under guard out of the ballroom, only now he followed several steps behind. There was one saving grace, he supposed; between the two of them, the guards were understandably a lot more wary of and kept a closer watch on him. Maybe that took some of the pressure away from the girl, or maybe it didn’t. Who knew? Sjan-dehk was happy enough knowing that he did something. That was a small victory he could walk away with.

It didn’t matter, in any case. Soon enough, he was back in the entrance hall, and lost sight of the girl in the thronging waiting crowd. Sjan-dehk didn’t dwell too much on her, either; his mind was far too occupied with what he needed to do once he returned to his Sada Kurau. First of all, he had to tell Hai-shuun to forget about any big repairs and focus on making the Celestine look presentable for an inspection in short order. Then he had to send someone to the Sudah to ask for trade samples for the king’s representatives to peruse, and after that there was of course his dreaded meeting with the Sudah’s captain for an undeserved tongue-lashing, and then he had to meet with Adiyan to let her know the day’s events–

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt himself bump into someone. It was a little harder than what he would’ve expected jostling through this crowd, and so he spun around and saw a woman before him. She was a head or so shorter than him, with tawny skin that reminded him of – of all things – a ship which had paled beneath the sun. Her clothes marked her apart from the crowd, and Sjan-dehk guessed that she was, like him, not a native to these lands. “Apologies!” He said quickly, placing a hand on his chest and bowing deeply. “It was my fault. I did not see where I was going. Are you hurt?”

[Rodiak]

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N ♖ o u t f i t ♖ S O R I A N P A L A C E , 9 : 3 0 A M I N T E R A C T I O N S : @Inertia M E N T I O N S :

Thought it through? I doubt he is capable of any thought at all. Zarai thought for a second, her mind ready to tear down King Edin and spew out any and all insults she knew to him. Him as his slimy greasy forehead. That was until she saw his face, Zarai recognized the hesitation, the defeated look, the hopelessness in his voice. Auguste, much like her, was stuck in this situation with little to no say.

She tried not to, but Zarai shook her head when he mentioned he’d be fine with whatever pick his parents presented him with. "Don’t say that, or you might regret it, Your Highness." She cracked a smile, "What if they pick some ugly girl who is cruel and talks in nonsensical riddles? And worse of all," she leaned in, looking right and left before whispering, "what if she has two left feet and can’t dance?"

Zarai couldn’t blame him for his lack of response to her question; his tired eyes didn’t go unnoticed either. However, he better think of something seeing as she wouldn’t be the only one asking that.

"Stifling is one way of putting it," She agreed, smiling to let him know he wasn’t the cause of such a feeling. It seemed like they were both in the same boat and were just trying their best to stay afloat.

"If Your Highness has heard of my fencing, I must not be keeping it as secretive as I should have." Zarai’s mother had not said anything of the subject yet, and she wished to keep it that way. Of perhaps she had already found out and was fine with the sport. There were other women in fencing competitions, many from high noble houses like her own.

"I must apologize," Zarai’s smile wavered as she took a deep breath. "but I must be curt with you. My family has decided that I am now too old to be an unwed lady and wish me to marry. That is every parent’s wish for their children of course, but unfortunately, mine are evil, as you would understand—" oops "—because you’ve met them. So evil, right?" Nice save, Zarai. "Anyway, if I do not find a husband of my own by the end of this season, I will be forced to marry old stinky Lord Monet. I am serious about the stinky part. How, in the seven hells, does a man stink of wet dog and expired sausages simultaneously? On top of that, that man is weird. Apologies for the tangent, but you’re right, to the point. If you ever, for some reason, find yourself needing a woman to marry and don’t have a clue who, I do hope I cross your mind. I’ll be in the guest house. You know that didn’t have to tell you. " She picked at her nails, trying to keep her hands busy. "Could be an easy marriage, open if you would like. I don’t stink; I hope I don’t. My family has the money, the status, and the pedigree, if you guys are into that. Really, we’d be a good match. You like swords, I like swords. We both like swords. It could work out! " She stopped to take another breath, giving her just enough time to process the soup of words she had spewed out of her mouth. "Ah fuck." This was a mistake.

"I am so sorry, Your Highness. Please forget everything I just said." Zarai stood up from her chair, gave the prince a curtsy, and quickly made her way to the door. There, Sir Barrios stopped her and pointed to the wheelchair left behind. Zarai didn’t turn to look at it, instead ordered the knight to fetch it and left the room to wait for him outside and out of the sight of Prince Auguste.

[princess]

Location:The Athletic Arena
Time: 11am
Interactions: @Tae Mina @Helo Leo @PapaOso Cassius

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The guards took Cameron up the steps of the platform in the middle of the arena. There was something tall covered by a raggedy, thick blanket. One of the guards uncovered it, letting the blanket audibly whip through the air. There was a tall wooden stake with a pile of wood and debris at its foundation. The doomed man could not help but inhale sharply at the sight. If he hadn't feared his death prior, he did now. His gaze drifted wildly back and forth over his view as the crowd grew audible in their apprehension.

One of the guards picked up his megaphone and cleared his throat. His gaze wandered into the crowd briefly then with a curt nod, he put the device to his lips. Subsequently, he began to holler into it, "My name is Darius Gregory. I am a member of Edin's Enforcement, often referred to EE for short as others in Caesonia have heard... Today, Cameron Nesworth will be burned at the stake for the following crimes against his Majesty King Edin: high treason, thievery, and physical assault against a EE guard." He awkwardly glanced in the way of the other guard. It was a woman with a tight ponytail. Her expression was unreadable. She had pressed Cameron up against the stake as he had been speaking. She handcuffed him to it. Darius felt a drop of sweat slithering down his cheek as he faced forward and spoke again, "We now will allow Nesworth some final words before the executioner arrives."

"High treason..."

"What the hell did he do? "

"Something's off about that guy. Burn him already!"

For some reason, that last comment coaxed a laugh from Cameron as he let his head hang limply, his mess of hair just barely covering his expression. The laugh was hearty and shook his form, shushing the crowd once again. "Something's off about me, huh? ... Don't you think something's off about the lot of you? Hmm? And how about this whole fucking kingdom!" Nobody had anything to say to that so Cameron laughed once more, "You all know! The power they covet and don't share with you! It's all real but they'll try to convince you it's a lie!" There was a wild look in his eye, " The monsters under your bed, the things that go bump in the night...The power is a curse but it is power even so! And he hides it! He hides all of it." He had sounded extremely bitter and his voice shook with his emotion.

In a rapid movement, the man picked up his head and began to scream with all his might. "THE KING HIDES ALL! THE KING HIDES ALL! THE KING HIDES ALL! THE KING HIDES ALL!"" People were starting to get uncomfortable. He sounded unhinged and frankly, none of it had made any sense. It was clear this guy had lost it along the way.

Darius looked again toward the crowd. After receiving the signal he needed, he turned to face the tunnel they had emerged from. With both hands, he made a gesture for someone to come forward. A hooded figure revealed themselves and made their way over slowly, lit torch in hand. It was difficult to tell the gender nor spot any of the facial features of the executioner, but all knew why they were there.

"THE KING HIDES ALL! THE KING HIDES ALL!"

The wind began to pick up, but it was not to a level many would have noticed with the spectacle before them. The executioner’s hood dropped to reveal a rather beautiful woman with a big smile on her face as she dropped her torch into the pile with a dramatic thud. As she had done this, she had softly called out with glee, “Burn!”

Once the executioner had set fire to the wood beneath Cameron, he had started to struggle wildly against his handcuffs. The smoldering fire began to crackle underneath him. Smoke billowed through the area and traveled high in the air in tendrils. He coughed and then turned his eyes on Darius threateningly. The hostile expression melted and he started to smile. Something about the twisted smile made the guard want to vomit as fear rooted him to his spot.

Cameron's face was in and out of view with the swaying smoke as he spoke once more, "I'm one of the monsters after all." His voice was low, almost inaudible, but Darius had heard.

Darius had frowned, his gaze lowering. That was when he noticed the red inferno growing in the corner of his view. He suddenly gasped and began batting at the flames licking the bottom of his pants. When there was no luck with that, he hastily climbed down the platform to start rolling in the dirt. When he finally rolled on his palms and looked above from his spot on the ground, he saw the flames engulfing Cameron's body. At this point, he had heard several things gradually as he became attentive to his surroundings. The first was mixed reactions of the crowd. Whether they were afraid or excited, they were all loud. The next thing he became aware of was the executioner’s voice as she was whispering taunts at the dying man. His gaze had slowly slid to see her with hands on each side of her mouth, trying to insult him with everything she could come up with. Finally, he heard the faint sound of maniacal laughter that sent shudders down his spine.. The young guard felt as if he had stopped breathing when Cameron caught his gaze for the last time. Through the flames, Cameron's eyes had been glowing red.

[Heartfillia]

Time: 11:00
Location: ball room
Interaction:
Mentions:@HeloPrince Callum@InertiaPrince Auguste@SilverPawPrince Wulfric @TpartywithzombiAreilla
Dress

Jacob quickly followed, bowing his head to Lord Calbert as he left then half jogging to get up next to Crystal. Bending down and Whispering something to her.

Crystal moved quickly, mostly to get out of the view of Mathias if he did watched what happened…partially to make it back home to change quickly. Jacob whispered into her ear as they left, ”Are ye ok MeLady? I kno i work for ye dad, but i can still bop the fool of a boyo on the head in his sleep…Cass..i…dus I mean.” confusing himself as he tried to remember the new ‘lords’ name.

A tiny hint of a smile on her face appeared and vanished just as quickly. ”I-I am fine. I just need some time. As for bopping him on the head…That…that won't be necessary Jacob.” She said looking up to him for a brief moment. She appreciated the man in his own way trying to comfort her. She quickly added after looking forward again. “For now.”

Jacob nodded with a serious look, Sad, but understanding. But When she added for now he chuckled heartily. But said nothing else as they made their way back to the mansion.

There, the maids already had her dress and matching heels ready, so it was a quick switch. Crystal loved dresses, but she loved the more simple ones, compared to the more extravagant other nobles wore. She decided to keep her hair down to save time, only brushing it a few more times to fix it. She then added a crystal butterfly hairpin she loved to the left side of her head. Then a thin blue ribbon around her neck that trailed behind to her waist. She kept quiet during this time thinking mostly on what just happened.Never bringing it up to liah, or jacob or her maids.

She was then rushed into a carriage and made her way to the castle, Liah riding with her and Jacob standing on the back…He learned his lesson once by trying to fit into it when crystal insisted. One could still see the crack in the door frame Fixed and glued, but still a crack.

It didn’t take them long to make it to the castle. She weaved her way through the crowds of Ladies leaving or arriving late, many apparently turned away before they got the chance to even meet with the three princes.

Just as she entered the main hall, The king roared out for guards to take a girl away. She let out a squeak as the sudden outburst scared her. Her face turned red as the other women around looked at her as she did. She tried to ignore it as she looked to see a white haired girl with different colored eyes be dragged out of the room. Suddenly nervous if she messed up that might happen to her. She looked over to see Prince Callum eat a raw onion as he stared at his father. She remembered their talk they had yesterday, how he disliked his father. She could tell he was doing this on purpose, while she would commend him on his bravery of doing so, she probably wouldn’t have recommended his protest be like that. He continued chewing with his mouth open. The sound and image didn’t sit well with her…it was one of her irritations. She closed her eyes and looked away, hoping. With all her heart it wasn’t how he normally ate.

Crystal opened her eyes again as the women around her shifted and bumped each other, moving her to stand in between Prince Wulfric and Prince Auguste. She glanced around to see a few Ladies she knew...not close friends, but in passing. One she did see was Ariella, She wanted to wave to her but didn't think she would see her. Hopefully she could catch up with her after.

While she wouldn’t have minded talking with Prince Callum once again, she did want a chance to meet the other princes. Pulling a hand up to her mouth as she looked between the two. nervous and unsure of who to pick. Both were dashing and interesting, while Callum was still handsome of course, but his older brothers held themselves quite different.

Wulfic seemed more scary to her. She couldn’t quite place why. Perhaps it was due to the fact she collided with him on the dance floor the night before…and ran away. But Auguste was just as intimidating. Was it the air about the two of them? Their eyes? Their height. She was of course a dink in comparison to them.

She froze in place…not knowing what to do.

[Tpartywithzombi]

Time: 11am
Location: Prince event
Mention: @Helo Callum @Heartfillia Crystal
Appearance:Dress, Hair style but red,shoes

Standing outside with a large crowd of cooing women was making Ari more and more nervous. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous, it wasn't as if she hadn't met the princes or the king before. The chances of them remembering her however may be another story but this was nothing new. They had exchanged pleasantries before but Ari was never included in many of the diplomatic meetings. Her mother always thought she was above such things and she has normally paraded around in fancy dresses and way too much makeup. The only person she really ended up getting to know was Anastasia.

She wondered the best way to act, normally she would put on a face that only her mother would love. She struggled to keep relationships for the longest time until she finally opened up to her maids showing them who she really was. The pressures of keeping up with her mother's expectations felt large on her shoulders, with constant pressure to keep doing more. Maybe she should just be herself.

Ariella was ushered inside along with a few other women. She was so nervous that she even failed to realize her friend Crystal was amongst them. One of the guards escorting her over to Prince Callum's table when the king erupted into one of his loud outbursts. She wasn't surprised in the slightest, one of his sons was normally doing something to make the King lose another piece of his temper. This time it appeared to be Callum. She paused on the floor watching him as he chewed what appeared to be an onion in spite of the king. Her eyes were unable to leave the prince as she felt a small smile spread on her face. Unsure of why she found it slightly charming to see him stand against this father, but it was likely due to the fact that she wished she could pull something against her mother. She watched as he struggled to swallow the onion, wiping his eyes of tears.

Ariella covered her mouth to hide a smile and a slight chuckle as she continued to watch it unfold. It didn't appear that anyone else was noticing his situation but Ari. She felt slightly bad for the prince, onions were a very dangerous vegetable, especially when used as a weapon against a parent and it appeared it backfired on him.

Pulling out her clean handkerchief from the pocket of her dress, she walked over to the serving table. Taking a cup of water she pours the cold water over the cloth and rung it out slightly. Picking up two glasses of red wine which she figured would help mask any of the scents of the onion but also wash down the humiliation he must be feeling.

Turning back around with two glasses of wine and the cold wet cloth she walked over the prince Callum's table.

The stench of the onion assaulted her nose she could feel her nose wrinkle from the smell. How was this onion so strong, whoever the farmer has clearly had some quality crops this year. She curtsied before him " Forgive my intrusion, Prince Callum." Ari said standing back up out of her curtsy " I - " she paused not wanting to embarrass him further by omitting she had just seen everything. " I brought you a glass of wine, They were pushing them out I suppose so it didn't spoil the taste and I thought perhaps you'd appreciate one. " She set the glass down along with the cold cloth hoping he would just understand the purpose of it but just encase " Cold water really helps with the sting " she whispered as she gestured to the handkerchief. It was a white fabric with her name embroidered into it with gold stitching. Her mother really was about all the details. " May I sit?" she asked him with a friendly smile on her face. She assumed it was alright, sitting down on the chair across from him. " My name is Lady Ariella Edwards. I've had the pleasure of meeting you a few times when the king visited my family estate but I don't believe we ever were permitted to talk officially. " She remembered her mother telling her to be sweet and kind to the prince, but he certainly didn't make that hard to do after all she witnessed.