[IC] 🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

[Conscripts]

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The Varian doctor smiled at Mina's sudden return kiss, but it was not enough to calm his worries yet. His stomach was still turning inside out at the thought of what could be happening right now. But like he tried to instill in her, there is hope somewhere. After the rain, the sun will rise.

His hailstorm of thoughts were immediately cut off and suppressed the moment Shehzadi Munir arrived. While Mina quickly snapped back to her normal public self, Munir was rather less so. He was a very courteous he would not deny it, but there's something hidden in the formality that John could read, like black lines in the middle of a classified documents. What could that be about?

"Your Highness, Lady Blackwood is alright now. She just needs some rest." John stood up and crossed his arms behind his back formally, maintaining the professional image that he was very accustomed to towards the royals. "I will take that into consideration, thank you." He nodded to Mina as he took the blood sample from her hands. Then the two of them left back to Mina's quarter, but not before the Shehzadi giving him a few words of appreciation.

"It is my pleasure to serve. I am glad to see Mina has a calm and caring friend to look after her." Was it intentional that he addressed Lady Blackwood that way, it was difficult to know.

He left the room shortly afterwards as well, letting the servants do their thing. His mind now turned to the blood sample that he had on hand. Drop of similar substance huh? Well to actually take a look and do that, he would need a microscope, and not many were bringing them along in this trip, including himself as well. He did not expect this to be such a weird trip already from day two. The only people whom he knew would bring microscopes were the senior councils that were already getting ready to leave for Varian in the evening, as they tended to bring their research with them. Thankfully, there was one particular person who would not be going back to Varian, at least for the time being.

"Alina?" John knocked on the door, and a quiet sound of chair sliding slightly on the floor was heard. Not long after, the door opened to a brown curly haired woman of over half a decade older than he was.

"Ah John, come in." Alina, or rather Dr. Alina Zinchenko, politely invited him into her room, which seemed to be custom configured more like a hybrid between her office and a bedroom. "What has brought you over today?"

"I need a microscope." John stated, holding the blood sample in his hand clearly for her to see.

"Hmm alright. Who is that for?" She replied, raising her head a little.

"It's for Lady Blackwood, but I can't really say much else. She requested discretion." John replied.

"Well, if it's from you, then I suppose it should be alright." Alina said, as she reached her hands over to grab the microscope, then stood up from her chair. "Let me know when it's done ok?" She said concisely then walked over to the door and closed it. The Kolonivkan doctor gently bowed before sitting down on the chair with the blood sample. As per procedures, he used a tube to take a small sample out into a flat pane of glass before putting it beneath the lens.

His eyes neared the sample. And hitting him was a rather worrisome scene.

The red blood cells. They're dying. Fast.

That explained a lot about his ailments, sickness and fatigue he had been having recently. There was nothing to carry the nutrients around. But why? It was not really something too special of a conclusion, what he wanted to know more would be what could be causing all this. How was his diet, sanitary conditions, or what kind of illnesses he had before all this happened. Because if this isn't fixed soon enough, there is a likely chance he would succumb shortly.

He would make a note to inquire Mina more on that, but there was one more thing that she mentioned: to put other blood in his blood. It's a little awkward to be doing this, but he'd have to steal a little from Alina. He saw the other blood sample tray that she had and took a clean tube and extracted a tiny tiny bit, unnoticeable without measurements, and dropped them onto the sample under the lens.

"What the hell..."

Already, the blood sample turned a shade of red brighter than before. Noticeably too, which is eyebrow raising to say the began to multiply. It was actually multiplying. 'Wait, multiply?' How was that even possible?! From another person's blood?!

His head stumped on his hands. "What kind of vampiric nonsense is this?" He muttered out upon the discovery. In the years he had worked with medicine, this was the first time ever he had seen two blood samples combining to generate red blood cells. This under anyone would have been an incredible thing to witness as any researcher would pound on this opportunity to study this weird effect. Perhaps it would be revolutionary even. Potential cure of blood cell production by simply transplanting? However, he remembered his promise to Mina to keep this discreet, so he would keep this under the rug for now.

But really, what the hell did he just saw?

[Heartfillia]

_{C R Y S T A L L I L Y D A M I E N
C R Y S T A L L I L Y D A M I E N}

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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}

_{collab between @Heartfillia and @Rodiak}

[indent][color=gray]

As soon as they arrived, Mary ran to sign up for the hat competition.

"They will see what Varian is made of!" She screamed as she held down onto the purple monstrosity on her head and ran away from them.

Mathias and Lukas took it upon themselves to look for adequate seats for the race. Most of the seats by the front were already taken, not that he minded much. Being tall came with a few perks; besides, Lukas would be more than happy to sit on his shoulders, and Mary had no interest in the actual horse race.

After a few minutes of searching, Mathias found a few free seats towards the right side with a good view of the track. Lukas excitedly stood on his seat, trying to catch a view of the horses and their riders. Mathias sat next to him, eyes scanning the crowds of people for a familiar crown of gold.

Crystal showed up a little after. Being slightly late due to hearing her father shooting at someone. When she tried to go to the house Jacob had stopped her. Not allowing her to continue due to it possibly still being dangerous. After a few minutes of arguing with the big oaf she finally relented. If only they would send someone to check up on him for her. Thus one of the extra guards was chosen, Jacob and Lieha much preferred to stay next to her.

She didn’t have time to change into a different dress, much preferring her first one of the day and the hat. However one of her servants had thought ahead and found a hat that would match her current dress and left it in the carriage. She would have to thank Sara later.

When she got out of her carriage, she paused for a moment, looking around… she did not see anyone that she knew right away. She didn’t see charlotte, and while she did see uncle Vikena she couldn’t go and sit by him due to him being busy.

She slowly made her way around Hoping to find a spot that she can insert herself without getting too cramped… not that she didn’t want to sit next to people, but she could feel her anxiety well up inside her once again.

Lukas stopped the familiar face before his father did. "Da, is that… is that your friend?" the boy pointed to Crystal, closing one eye to focus on her more clearly.

Mathias turned his attention to his soon then to the person he had been pointing at. "Yes, but you should not point at people. It’s not nice, Lukas." He gently pushed the boy’s hand down before standing and waving to her.

"Lady Damien!" Mathias waved his hand over his head.

"Oooh, Lady Damien is here?" Mary teased behind Mathias, "Go ahead, I’ll wait here with Lukas." She said, putting her purple monstrosity down on the seat to reserve it for Crystal.

Mathias nodded, squeezing past her and down a few flights of stairs before making his way to Lady Damien. He gave her a proper bow when he finally reached her, a pleased smile on his features. "Lady Damien, it is good to see you here," he had not expected her to show up to the race after her encounter earlier in the morning. Still, he was glad to see her here. "You look lovely." He complimented, bowing his head slightly.

Crystal looked around when she heard someone call her name, her eyes focused on a tall man waving towards her. She smiled softly and raised a hand to return the wave but simply held it still. Her cheeks turned a bit red as she realized who it was.

Mathias’s lips curled into a small smirk at the hint of red on her cheeks.

She stopped and waited for him to come over and when he did, she gave him a small curtsy. ”T-thank you Sir Mathias.” She said softly, her hands gripping her own wrists. ”It’s good to see you here as well, I didn’t know when I would see you again. Today has been quite a…wind whirl of a day… to say the least. She said, forcing more of a smile on her face as she looked up at him.

His smile turned into a sympathetic one. "The winds have died down, hopefully. If there is anything you need or require, please do not be afraid to reach out, my lady." He cleared his throat and straightened his back.

"Would you allow me to grant you a momentary distraction?" Mathias offered his hand to Crystal to take, "We have a few seats already reserved if you would like to join us."

Crystal smiled and nodded her head looking down, unable to look him in the eye as if it would reveal how much she appreciated that sentiment. But she did look up when he offered his hand to her. She hesitated for a moment before giving him a warm smile and nodding again. Her cheeks feeling red hot at the moment. I would love that. Thank you… she said softly, taking his gently. Looking back to her bodyguards who seemed to be interested in everything but what she was doing.

Mathias glanced at the bodyguards behind Crystal, offering a small nod and a smile before she began to guide the lady back from where he had come from.

[SilverPaw]

	Attire: No cloak Time: 1:00 pm Location: The Library -> Outside of the castle Mention(s): Interaction(s):

The first thing Wulfric did after Alibeth left was figure out how to get back into the hidden room. It wasn’t that difficult once he knew it was there.

Yes…Once he knew. There was a clear problem with that.

What else do I not know which I should? Which other secrets? What other information?

Clearly, his mother knew much more about the situation than she was saying. That ‘mastermind’, for example. She’d said proxies, as in plural, yet suspected there was one person behind all or most such spies? This went so far and beyond just this one afterparty…

Wulfric had already suspected as much, but the involvement of magic made this all the more deeply concerning.

Why didn’t she tell me more? Why not earlier?

Wulfric sighed. He did know the answer to that. She simply didn’t trust him as much as he’d thought she did, nor as much as he wished she did.

He supposed it was also an indicator that he should be more proactive about finding out.

Fine then. It’s not as if he there was anything he couldn’t do once he set his mind to it.

He could be more observant. Act with more forethought and awareness. Use all resources available to their full extent.

Whatever else his mother might be waiting till ‘the appropriate moment’ to inform him of? He’d make it so that when she tried, he’d already know.

You’ll see…I’ll surpass you.

He clenched a fist, and for a moment, stared at where he’d last seen her, a glint of vicious determination in his gaze.

Then, he made his way out of the magical archive, as he’d dubbed it, and closed the hidden entrance. He could get back here when he liked, now. He’d discuss this with Auguste at some point, but for now, he had a more immediate issue to resolve.

Apparently, Fletcher might run away. Though mother had prevented an execution, she still expected him to die in a subsequent chase. However, it seemed she wouldn’t bother preventing his escape from the castle. That left enough leeway to try and keep him alive and safe, like Callum asked for.

However…

Wulfric did also want to gauge the man’s mental state for himself.

For now, it’d be best to have Darryn secured somewhere. Have him watched, maybe have a professional assess him. He’d also have to be made at least comfortable enough not to feel like recklessly (and unknowingly) running straight towards his own doom.

So, he’d have to pick someone lax enough not to threaten the stableboy (much), yet someone motivated to follow even such a strange order right.

The prince hummed to himself.

Oh, he had just someone in mind. Whichever fools had let in that foreign warrior with his arsenal of weapons…Yes, they would do.

It didn’t take long to find them, and set them on a new assignment.

In the end, there wasn’t too great of a delay before he departed the castle.

[Helo]

Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Out and about in Sorian
Interactions: none


Callum left the palace with a pair of guards following a step behind him just as Wulfric had demanded. Despite how irritating and ridiculous he found the demand, Cal hadn’t even tried to argue with it. Today, being watched and followed suited his plans just fine. Let the guards report every single boring thing he did today back to his brother. Their report would start with his innocuous trip into town to get a haircut.

Cal had spent some more time in his room after the meeting with his brothers. Time he’d spent pacing, and thinking, and staring at the words he’d carved into his wall. He felt as if he should carve something damning about his brother into the wall but he couldn’t bring himself to hate his brother the way he hated his parents. So he refocused his attention on those he could hate. If he couldn’t obviously ruin Edin’s summer plans, he could push Edin until the king started unraveling in front of so many watchful eyes.

At the local barbershop, Callum made an entirely innocent request for a more regal haircut. He described, as best he could, the haircut of his grandfather in the most famous portrait of King George. While Callum knew very little about King George there was one fact about his long-dead grandfather he was sure of, Edin absolutely hated the previous dark-haired king and any reminders of his mere existence. And really who could fault a young prince for wanting to upgrade from a sloppy boyish haircut to something more proper?

Once the barber was done, Callum admired himself in the mirror, making a solid attempt at the same stern look portraits of his grandfather wore. He could see the subtle resemblance; he may not look like Edin’s son but he certainly looked like George’s grandson now. It was one thing to realize this was an option, it was far stranger to see it after having spent most of his life trying to be and look as different from the rest of his entire family as he possibly could. He could continue to lean into this, find out more about how the last king, his quirks and habits, and start sprinkling those in as well.

Callum still had an entire day to kill, a day he needed to spend out of trouble, doing exactly what he should be doing. So he left the barbershop and headed to the tavern with his own name above the door. Where else would anyone expect him to be? He was there long enough to down a few beers and catch up on the local gossip. He heard details of the execution of a ranting lunatic and of a near fight in the park over pancakes instigated by Duke Lorenzo. A few people asked him if he had actually eaten an entire raw onion to which Callum responded by feigning ignorance because he was already tired of hearing about it. But what caught his attention most was the rumored assault against Count Calbert's home. Callum hadn’t even bothered to hide a wicked grin as he’d pressed for more details about the count’s misfortune.

The local gossip began circling back around to the near pancake fight and Callum left the tavern not having drunk enough to hinder him. He had to keep it together all day, nothing to add attention to himself to make his plans for the night more difficult. Because he had a plan for retaliation against Alibeth too, but he’d have to wait for the night for that. He couldn’t allow himself to get blind drunk and miss another chance to make some kind of statement. He’d done that plenty of times already, that would not be trying something new.

Callum needed something productive to hold his focus. His next stop was the marketplace. An entirely benign shopping trip for the list of supplies he’d carefully memorized. Medical plants were certainly not a strange purchase for a prince who spent a childhood plagued by fevers and exhaustion. Nor was it strange to see a prince collecting a variety of supplies to brew interesting new teas or scent the water for a luxurious bath. Sticks of incense were bought to help his sensitive nose and candles because the softer light was better for reading.

Nothing suspicious to the pair of guards who carried purchases and watched with great disinterest as he inspected, sniffed, and occasionally tasted the variety of materials he purchased. Cal spent his shopping trip almost entirely relaxed. This was finally something he was doing entirely because he wanted to. Everything he bought was easily overlooked by those without magical knowledge, and even for those who did know, nothing outright called for suspicion. This was one of the most beautiful things about magic; so much of it could come from the most common ingredients.

[JJ Doe]

Ríoghnach "Riona"

A giant was hunting her.

At first, Riona thought it was just a coincidence—a glimpse of a figure here, an odd sensation of being watched there—, but as the number of coincidences piled, a pattern formed. Each encounter added one more detail to Riona’s stalker. Each detail made it easier to spot him in the background, amongst the crowd, in the corner of her vision. The unease turned into full-on panic when it dawned on her that Riona spotted the man in her memories too: the giant had been tailing long before she noticed his presence. He was there when she gave Lordling Smithwood a piece of her mind; she spun right past him during her dance with Lady Morrigan down the hallway; and he was there across the street when she exited the bank.

Speculations whirled in her mind, every new one worse than the last, making her stomach twist and turn in uncomfortable angles and her heart beat like she was running a marathon. One thing was clear: no matter who the giant was or whomever he was working for, she wouldn't be the one leading him straight to the sanctuaries. Besides, if she wanted answers, what better way to get them than by directly asking?

After a very terse explanation and a marginally longer argument between Mr. Brisby about the best course of action, they agreed to part ways. The carriage dropped Riona off in an alley, where she hid behind some crates and waited. It didn’t take long for her pursuer to appear.

Just as the hulk walked past her, Riona slunk out of her hiding place and thrust the hilt of her unsheathed dagger against his back, ready to replace it with the sharper end if the need arose. “Don’t move. Hands where I can see them.”

The giant stilled, but after a beat, asked, “Which one?”
Another beat passed between them before Riona had to ask, “What?”
“‘Don’t move’ or ‘hands where you can see them,’” the giant added, “I can’t do both.”
A smirk tugged the corner of Riona’s mouth. “True enough. I’d prefer to see your ha—Slowly! … Move your hands slowly and keep them up.” She waited for the giant to do as he was told before continuing, “Who are you?”
“Karleen,” his voice remained monotonic.
Karleen? Not quite the name she imagined the man to have. If that was his real name, that is. “You were following me.”
“Yes.”

The blatant honesty threw Riona off balance. She expected at least some attempt at lying or resistance. Sure, she had a weapon in her hand, but if this escalated into a brawl, it was obvious the man named Karleen could overpower her. He wasn’t tracking her to fight her, then. “Why?”
“My master wants to meet you.”

Riona’s eyebrows knitted themselves together. Karleen was wearing a well-tailored suit with a design seen more often worn by servants working for Varian nobility than Caesonian nobility. If she were to hazard a guess, this master of his must’ve come from Varian. She knew a few people from Varian who might “want to meet her,” but unless things drastically changed since she last saw them, only two (three if she were reaching) were still alive to want that. “And who might that be?”

A silence that she thought would also last a beat stretched out into awkward territory. After all that candor, Riona couldn’t understand why the giant clammed up. Was his master someone Riona wished to avoid meeting? That narrowed her two-item list of suspects down to one. She tried again. “Who is your master?” She anticipated the silent treatment, but was surprised to see the mountain of muscles trembling.

Carefully, Riona edged around the colossal to get a better look at his face. Karleen’s facial expression was taut with intense strain, his eyes fixated on an unseen enemy, while his skin glistened with droplets of sweat and changed colors from the effort of some internal battle that raged silently below the surface. His mouth moved as if he was trying to speak, but his body refused to cooperate.

There were only so many reasons for the body to refuse what the brain wanted—and when Riona saw the thousands of scars and shackle marks covering him, her mind latched onto the first idea that was more common in Caesonia than people realized.

Every shade of disgust washed over Riona. Despite learning at a young age about the depths of human depravity, such atrocities still made her skin crawl. Even so, the giant’s current state was ample proof to elevate her sole suspect to the status of the perpetrator.

“It’s Leo Smithwood, isn’t it?”

Out of the two noble Varians Riona knew of, Princess Sadie was the one who’d never treat her servants inhumanely. If anything, she’d be the first to become absolutely furious if she found out someone used their status as an excuse to mistreat others. She never saw Sadie turn a blind eye to such behavior or make compromises when it came to equality. All life was precious to her, no matter their station. Riona loved Sadie for that. It was also why she knew there was no way in Hells a servant of hers would shiver like a beaten dog when they tried to utter her name.

On the other hand, Lord Smithwood—no, Sh*tlord; Lordling Sh*twood if she was inclined to waste a second more of her life thinking about him—made his contempt for lowborns abundantly clear. Though he refrained from hurting her, maybe he just didn’t want to get into trouble by breaking someone else’s “property.” Did such generosity extend to his own servants?

Gods, how low Varian noble houses have fallen if they only had lordlings like Sh*twood to become the head of their house. The only saving grace was that Riona’s mother didn’t live to see this day. How devastated she would've been if she saw how hard it became to tell the difference between her countrymen and Caesonian toffs.

Karleen directed his hazel eyes at her. He had the type of stone face that made it difficult to read, but somehow Riona got the impression that the name surprised him.

“Well,” Riona sheathed her dagger and crossed her arms, “you can tell Sh*tlord, and you can quote me on this, that I was wrong about him. Not only is he a heap of rotting trash, he’s incompetent and a lazy f**king coward too. If he wants to settle his dispute with me, he can do it himself.”

The bronze-haired man shook his head. “No. Not him.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Then who wants to meet me?”

Karleen opened his mouth, then she watched the same convulsion wrack his body again. If she didn’t know any better, she’d have thought someone was choking the man for even daring to think of his master’s name. The more he struggled against it, the tighter its hold became. He tried, though. He tried so hard it made it increasingly painful to witness his struggle.

Riona extended her hand but quickly retracted it when Karleen flinched at the gesture. “You shouldn’t push yourself.” Not for such a cruel master. She tried a different tactic. “Is your master a Varian noble?”

Karleen nodded.
“Is your master a man?”
Karleen nodded again, with some hesitation (or possibly confusion).
“Can you describe what he looks like?”

A blank stare answered the question first, followed by trembling. For a moment, Riona feared Karleen was about to suffer another attack, but the trembling subsided as quickly as it came. The giant knew, probably more than she did, how futile the attempt was. “No,” he said, “I can’t. I… just can’t.”

Gods, even imagining his face causes pain? What did he do to you? “Do you know if I’ve met him before?”

After silent contemplation, the man finally answered, “Yes. You’ve bumped into him before. You even talked for a bit.”

Nodding, Riona repeatedly said okay to both Karleen and herself. “I still stand by what I said before. Your master can come get me himself if he has something to ‘discuss’ with me. If he thinks I’m not worth the effort, then neither is he.” She turned on her heels, took a few steps toward the main street, then turned back around to face him. “And if he hurts you because of this, come find me. I know some people who can help you out.”

“He won’t,” the giant’s voice came out gentle, as if to reassure her. “Thank you, Riona.”

She regarded Karleen for a long while before nodding one last time and stepping out of the alleyway. The first clock she found told her she still had some time to spare, so she steered her feet in the marketplace’s direction. Riona was going to need to stock up on some supplies.

[CitrusArms]

Stratya Durmand

Time: Midday
Location: Estate Alleys -> Bazaar
Interactions: None
Mentions: None

Stratya had been conducting a few interviews with guards that had been part of the gunfire exchange and examining the alley itself. The the guards all had very similar statements. From what she was able to piece together, the criminal in question fired back, startling the guards in pursuit and buying them distance with which to flee. The guards all insisted they were not that far behind when the criminal vanished. That part was also common. They were in pursuit when suddenly they could no longer find a trace of the criminal. It reeked... But she couldn't be sure. As she examined the alleyways, a number of possibilities came to mind.

"'ow far be'ind were the lo' o' ye? Show me, stan' so far away." She motioned vaguely with her hand, her gauntlet clacking lightly.

"I was about here, ma'am, the distance from here to there, where you're standing. But there were a couple of other guards in front of me."

"Righ'. Th' chase led down this way, aye, and then..."

"The criminal turned at the crossing. That's the last time I saw the two of them."

"Break your sigh' on them, then do somethin' unexpected and disappear. Kee' pace with me from there, lad." Stratya walked to the corner and used the guard as reference for how much time there would have been to disappear. She looked the alley over closely, observing possibilities, before looking to the guard she had with her, "righ'. Stand there for m' reference, would you?" She ventured into the alley, considering how much time each option would take. There weren't many good avenues to escape by, and they were all...

Did that guard say two people?

The knight came back to the intersection. The guard she left looked bored. "You said there were two?" The guard nodded and Stratya nodded slowly. "I see... Awrigh', tha's all. Thank ya, 'ave a drink at the tavern tonigh'." Stratya flipped the guard a silver as she paced back down the alley, looking things over carefully, and then proceeding down. Eye balling measurements, thinking about time. Balancing different ideas against each other, and wondering if maybe she was overlooking something.

She wandered her way back out toward the bazaar as she thought. She was hungry again, too. She could go for a... Something on a skewer. Yes.

[Lava Alckon]

Farim

Location: Park of Sorian
Time: 1pm
Mentions: Anastasia @princess, Layla @Potter, Nahir @Rodiak, Saiya @Tae, and Dali @Ojo chan 42

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Layla turned to watch her cousin Dali and Saiya approach while Princess Anastasia took her leave. It was a surprise to find Dali here and she had to do a double take at first to make sure it was him; however it was not surprising to find him with Saiya. She eyed them both with a haughty smirk and then ushered them over.

Once they approached, she greeted them. "Looks like we've all had the same idea today. Hello you two. Just in time to see Nahir and I show these stuffy Caesonians how it's done with our Alidasht intuition.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder while Zilal leaned forward to greet them both with a flick of his tongue. ”Not as exciting as our festivals at home, but the entertainment will do.”

"As-salaam 'alykum, it is good to see you both here." Nahir smiled their way, her eyes lingering on Saiya before she turned her attention back to Layla with a smile. "We have yet to explore much of the festival, but I am sure we all can find something that will meet our expectations. Hopefully." The day was still young, and the promise of adventure still dangled over them.

Saiya hadn’t missed the lingering glance of Nahir and she met her dear friend with a happy smile. She would have to put aside some time today to sit and talk with Nahir some more, perhaps inform her of her discussions with the princes since she hadn’t gotten a chance to speak with her since the night before. She was curious what Nahir might have been up to since then other than the craziness that had happened at the after party.

Farim stood amidst his family and wore a rather large grin on his face, stretching from ear to ear. He crossed his arms and listened to them talk about their plans, thinking on what he might be doing for the rest of the day. ”I am happy to see you all here. When was the last time we were together like this, eh? I think some more festival-going will be fun. I am slightly concerned about the princess seeing as she ran off just after all that noise.” He pauses, then looks to Thara who had perched onto his shoulder after Anastasia had left. He reaches over to stroke the side of her head with his finger, causing her to coo softly.

”Saiya, Dali, what brings you to this park today? Knowing my brother it is likely the work of the gods, much to my pleasure. Saiya, are you done with all your tasks for today? Do you have some time for a little fun?”

Layla glanced around at everyone, then eyed Nahir with a mischievous smirk. The stall owner was excited by the many faces, but looked frazzled that the games weren’t being played. "Well. It's nice to see you all but Nahir and I have some gossip to attend to. We’ll see you later!”

Nahir smiled at the group, ”Wada’an, I have fun in the festival.” She glanced at Saiya again, before turning with Layla and leaving the group. She’d have to seek out Saiya later in the day in private.

Saiya’s gaze fell on Layla, giving her a soft smile now as well before dipping her head in a small bow. ”Ma’a salama, you two. Be wary with whatever that commotion was.” She said to both Layla and Nahir, having a sneaking suspicion that they may be curious and go poking around. She wouldn’t stop them, however, as she knew she really couldn’t.

Her attention turned back to Farim now, her body language relaxing as she was glad to find none of them in harm's way. Where were Mayet and Munir though? Gods above, she certainly hoped they weren’t in any trouble. ”Ah yes, I do believe most of my tasks have been completed for the day. I spent the morning at the prince’s court and actually met a lovely person while there. Then I decided to come try to find you and your cousins when I ran into Dali, which was a welcome surprise!” She said in response to her friend as she glanced up at Dali, arm still linked with his. ”I believe fun is most welcome, at least for me.”

It was indeed a proper family reunion. So many faces, so many futures and fates intertwining. Tangling with one another until knots were formed that could not be undone. The gods had truly send him well, as he was sure one or two of these people here would need his help or a soft guiding hand.

He looked after the Princess that had just ran away from them, and he had to admit. He was a little bit touched by her kindness. Fetching food for her guards,she had a gentle heart. "Inshallas, it is so very good to see you all here today. I have much to tell you all about my travels. And I have even more stories to listen to. I am curious about the paths the gods have made you walk during these years." He chimed happily.

The noises had long ago faded away and he found himself back into his usual carefree groove. Saiya could probably feel his tens arm relax now. "If you wish for some fun habibi, how about we show these people some proper entertainment. Does anyone here know a sword dance?" He asked enthusiastically and pulled his shoulder bag to the front. He rummaged through it before pulling something out with a triumphant expression. He held his phungi flute in his hands.

Farim looked on as his cousins decided to head off and attend their “gossip”. He shrugged a little and waved them off with a gentle hand motion. ”Well a surprise this certainly is! And as for a dance…” Farim thinks for a moment before reaching under his robes, just at the sash and pulls his scabbard from its spot on his hip. The weapon he had under his sash was a medium sized scabbard, boasting a bright red ruby in its hilt with a gold coating along the scabbard. Within it housed his special shortsword, one he rarely had the opportunity to use. He slowly curled his fingers over the hilt of the blade, looked up towards Saiya and smirked. ”Perhaps you would like to share a dance then, my friend? Dali here is pretty good on that flute of his!” He pulled his blade from its scabbard, a fine sheen to the blade that almost seemed….longer than it should be. Its weird appearance did not take much from its craftsmanship as he checked it over and slid it back into its sheath. ”Yup! Still clean and ready to be shown off!”

The prospect of two of her favorite things at once had Saiya letting go of Dali's arm and moving towards Farim. She boldly snatched Farim's sword from him, a playful smirk on her lips as she did so. "Then let's show it off." She said, taking a moment as she admired the fine blade before turning back to Dali. "It may not be exactly what you had in mind, but I do have a dance that is sure to impress." She said as she pulled the blade from the scabbard and prepared for a dance. She looked to Farim once more, smirk still in place. "I trust you can follow along?"

Dali had that sad puppy expression when Saiya let go of his arm. Which did not last all that long as he was about to see two of his most cherished persons, do a dance together. He blew on his flute a few times, seeing if it was still in tune after being exposed to salt air. It sounded fine, and like the secret showman he was, Dali rushed forwards towards the crowd. "When the wind turns and blows in from the south, it brings with it a sand cloud. Hidden far away by desert sand, is a mysterious and colourfull land. Full of swords and full of power, behold this warrior and a desert flower" He rhymed and hyped up the crowds by clapping his hands and running around. Herding people to form a circle. He son and twirled a bit, his flute clashed underneath his armpit, clapping and attracting attention.

Ladies, gentlemen and everything in between. Come here and behold to be seen. The great sword of Alishasht, the master of spices and the sea. The warrior only second to the gods , the great Shezadi, Farim!" he hyped the crowds some more before gesturing to Saiya. " and there she is, the desert flower, the swan is in her movement and the morning in her smile. All the roses in the garden, do bow and ask for pardon, for not one can match the beauty of the queen of sword and dance " Dali the showman was peeking out so very obviously. He always had a knack for attracting people and addressing crowds

"They will perform for you, a dance so dangerous and mysterious it will captivate you. And your humble musician will provide the tune" Dali did not need to be the main attraction here, he simply enjoyed spreading joy and could not wait to get started. So he placed the flute on his lips and began to play. A fast paced tune with lashings in the tunes and gentle caresses dancing in between the notes.

Farim looked on as he watched his sister eye his blade and flaunt it in her hands. He knew that she would prove to be deadly with the weapon in her hands, but the point of their little show was to dance. And that was something he certainly loved to do, and could definitely provide the entertainment that Dali was advertising. He slowly paced around Saiya as Dali gathered the crowd. ”Well it seems we are to give the people a show, friend. I know you won’t disappoint.” He winked, and as Dali began to start his tune, he quickly danced around Saiya as she stood with his sword. His hand held her hand with the blade in it, pointing it up and bringing his free hand to chuck the sheath off the blade.He released her hand, spun his body and bowed in front of her, taking her hand and looking up. ”After you!”

”You both certainly know how to make things interesting!” Saiya chuckled and twirled the sword gracefully in her hand. She then began to sway to the rhythm of Dali's tune, the sword becoming an extension of her body as she moved. The crowd was captivated by the display of skill and grace, cheering as she executed a series of fluid movements with the blade. Saiya movements were becoming more and more intricate as she moved in perfect synchronization with Farim. It was clear that they were not only siblings, but also partners in their art. ”Let's give them a show they’ll never forget…” Saiya whispered with a grin, as they both erupted into a series of flashy, high-energy moves, the sword glinting in the light as they danced.

Farim merely followed her lead, but he made sure every movement of his legs, arms, torso, and feet were all perfectly efficient. Not a single ounce of momentum was lost as he spun, pivoted, and leapt to where it matched her movements. He made sure to match her moves, but as she paused to suggest “giving a show”, he smiled and took the lead for a moment. He slipped the sword from her hand, plunging it into the ground in front of them. Then, he flipped her around to face him with a grin on his face. ”Trust me, desert rose.” He said before leaning down to pull on her leg, prompting her to begin a cartwheel maneuver. He made sure she stayed upright as he guided her body through several cartwheels, rotating on his feet to keep pace with her agile movements. As she finished yet another spin of her body, he helped her stand back on her feet, his arm now wrapped behind her back as they began to finish the dance. He would normally end things there, however, the dance they were doing usually ended in a kiss. In his intense focus, he mimicked this action, giving her a slightly drawn out kiss in the park before leaning back up. He raised an eyebrow, leaning in to whisper to her. ”How’s that for a show?” He spoke as if he was unaware of the completely bold move he just pulled.

Saiya's lips burned and tingled as she stared up at Farim for a long moment. The world around her spun and she could barely hear the gasps, applause, and cheers of the audience and her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Panic. She felt panic. She slowly let go of Farim, her eyes now drifting to Dali and then the rest of the crowd before falling to the ground as she backed away. "I…e-excuse me, I just remembered something I need to do. Thank you for the fun, both of you " She said before turning and fleeing into the crowd, being sure to avoid either men grabbing her. In seconds, Saiya seemed to disappear into the shadows to leave the brothers alone on their stage with the whispers and cheering of people.

[princess]

The Horse Race

@Rodiak Matthias @Heartfillia Crystal @SausagePat Ruby @FunnyGuy Lorenzo @Blizz Lyra @Helo Leo @Tae Thea

The horses were prancing with excitement, their riders holding onto their reins tightly as they waited for the starting signal. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation, cheering, and shouting as the horses had been introduced by Duke Lorenzo Vikena with great enthusiasm. As Lorenzo announced Queen Tulip the Bitch-Slayer, the crowd had erupted into the most cheers and whistles.

Once the time had come, the starting gun was fired, and the horses were off, galloping down the track with incredible speed. The jockeys urged their horses on, shouting and whipping the reins as they tried to gain the lead. The pounding of hooves on the dirt track was barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

Duke Lorenzo Vikena's commentary filled the air. His words only added to the already buzzing atmosphere. The crowd was at the edge of their seats, their eyes glued to the track, as they watched the horses gallop by in a blur of color and speed.

As the horses thundered down the straightaway, the crowd could hear the jockeys shouting and the sound of the reins being whipped. The horses were straining with all their might, their breathing coming in heavy pants, as they pushed themselves to go even faster.

Dastardly Daphodile and Drummer Boy Jack were neck and neck at the start of the race, their powerful strides sending dirt flying in their wake. The two horses looked like they were made for each other, matching each other's speed and intensity. Empress Victoria was hot on their heels, her powerful legs churning up the dirt as she tried to close the gap. Sir Ominous Dominus Black was not far behind, his powerful strides easily carrying him forward. Edin’s Finest Mistress took the lead for the first lap as the crowd howled in overexcitement. Horse racing was a beloved sport of Caesonia and the crowd was always intensely loud and enthusiastic. However, it could have also been due to the decently priced alcoholic at the stands that everyone was happier than usual.

Sir Ominous Dominus Black managed to gain some speed and pass up Dastardly Daphodile and Drummer Boy Jack while Empress Victoria lagged behind. Edin’s Mistress and Queen Tulip the Bitch Slayer were neck and neck during the second lap, with the rider of Edin’s Mistress daringly pushing against Queen Tulip the Bitch Slayer in an attempt to surpass her. As they had gotten into the third lap, Empress Victoria suddenly galloped up ahead of all, only to get spooked by a bird that had flown in her path. She neighed in displeasure, rearing off the track and losing her speed as the rider yanked at the reigns and tried to pull her back.

Drummer Boy Jack’s rider stuck his tongue out and yelled an insult as he had passed, getting the edge for some time, however, he had gotten distracted and hadn’t noticed that Edin’s Finest Mistress and Queen Tulip the Bitch Slayer were right on his tail. They both sped past him on each of his sides.

Edin's Finest Mistress was giving it her all, but Queen Tulip the Bitch-Slayer pulled ahead in the end, her long legs eating up the ground. The crowd was on their feet, shouting and cheering as the horses thundered past.

In the end, it was Queen Tulip the Bitch-Slayer who emerged victorious, crossing the finish line with a commanding lead. The crowd erupted into cheers.

[Potter]

Layla & Nahir

---

Layla sighed in relief when they moved away from the crowd. Something had happened that morning unbeknownst to her. Concern filled her eyes when she looked at her sister, although the thought of gossip amused her as well. She turned to Nahir and raised her eyebrows. ”I smell tea waiting to be poured. Shall we go back to the castle?” Layla gestured to their waiting guard and palaquins and ignored the Caesonians watching both Nahir and her with interest and fascination.

A few of the common folk that had wandered too close to them were apprehended by Ece, who quickly scared them off before they got too close to the Kadir sisters. Nahir did not look at them as Ece brushed the palms of her hands against the dark fabrics of her tunic, her nose scrunched into a look of disgust.

Nahir smiled, nodding as she walked Layla to her transport. "Tea sounds wonderful; I only hope they have cakes to match." She pulled back the curtains of Layla’s palanquin and offered her hand for Layla to climb in. "Ece will go ahead of us and prepare a spot in the gardens,"

Layla snickered at Ece’s expression from the common folk. She watched Ali glance around them and protectively kepe a hand on the hilt of his sword. Layla turned back to Nahir and grinned in response. ”That would be great. Ali can go with Ece to request food to be there as well.” She nodded to him and he quickly moved away from them. She took Nahir’s hand and climbed into her palanquin, then leaned over to offer her hand to her. ”The faster we get away from the riff raff, the better,” She smirked.

”Agreed,” Nahir returned the smirk and took the offered hand.

Their trip back to the palace went without a disturbance. The Bazaar looked the same as it had earlier aside from a few extra guards patrolling the streets with watchful eyes. It seemed like Caesonians were no strangers to the sounds of bullets as most of the people continued to go on their way.

When the Kadir sisters arrived at their destination Ece was awaiting them by the entrance with Ali and a few of the castle servants. They were led down the halls to the lush gardens where a table had been set up in one of the many courtyards. Chairs were pulled for each of the sisters and tea was quickly brought out along with various sandwiches, cakes, and pastries.

”Ah, isn’t this lovely? If only this kingdom could provide us with such seamless service all the time.” Nahir said as she lifted the cup of tea to her nose, inhaling the rich aroma of the Ganasean tea. Black tea, cardamon, ginger, anise, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, the spices filled her nose reminding her of home. Ece must have handed it over to the servants to serve.

Layla sighed in relief when they entered theguardian. She picked up a cup of black tea and examined it carefully. Whether it was to ensure it was safe or up to her standards, it was unknown. There was a hint of lemon, along with cinnamon and ginger. Deciding it was safe, Layla took a small sip and grinned with delight. ”I agree. Maybe they’ll get better each day and aren’t used to such top-tier visitors. Should have had it together much sooner though,” Layla then picked up a chocolate and vanilla cupcake and began to eat it.

Nahir poured a few drops of milk into her tea, stirred twice and sipped it. A low satisfied hum emerged from her lips as she smiled down at the porcelain cup. ”With the state of this kingdom,” Her voice lowered, ”I am not surprised they had not had the privilege to entertain more royals of our status.” The shots fired earlier were no surprise. Caesoania had very loose laws when it came to firearm ownership. One could easily find some shady man selling them by the ports or near the slums.

Once finished, she turned to Nahir after grabbing a few sandwiches. The haughty smirk returned with derision in her eyes. ”The Alidasht are taking over the garden.” Layla mimicked Farim with a giggle. An eye roll followed next as she continued. ”Can you believe the Princess and Farim were throwing themselves at each other? I was surprised he didn’t leave with her.”

Nahir smirked into her tea, bringing the cup down quietly to the table. ”The day is yet over, sister, who knows if they might ‘bump’ into each other later.” She took another bite to her sandwich to stifle the giggle. ”Although, they would make a handsome couple but their children might be of the lighter complexion.” She brushed a few locs behind her shoulder.

Her eyes shifted to Layla down to the cup of tea she held in her hands. Her brows knitted into what could be taken as worry as she reached out to lightly touch her sister's hand. ”Layla, did you stay behind last night? Was there something wrong?” The question had been gnawing at the mind since the morning, not out of concern but out of need to simply know.

Layla snickered and took her time consuming her pastry and tea. She listened to her sister’s words and imagined the duo seeking each other out. The idea of them being together caused her to nearly choke on her tea. While she composed herself, she watched Nahir’s eyebrows knit together. The way she reached for her hand caused Layla temporary confusion. While she seemed calm outwardly, inside her mind raced. The question regarding why she didn’t attend the party came up and she withheld a sigh; she had hoped it wouldn't come up. Outside of Hafiz, it was relatively unknown that anything was wrong.

Layla took a moment to compose herself and grinned at her sister. ”Why yes Nahir, something was indeed wrong.” Her voice held venom as she sipped her tea in between. ”We would have been cramped inside the carriage like pigs for slaughter.” She allowed her response to hang in the air and continued. Finally, she allowed a smirk to brace her lips again. ”How was the party, anyway?”

Ah. So this is how she wants to play.

Nahir allowed herself to frown, drawing her hand with the hesitation of a worried younger sister would have. Her eyes lowered and her lower lip pouted. Perhaps it was too soon, but Layla was right; it had been a foolish move on all of them. They could have been slaughtered like pigs, their bodies discarded like trash and dumped into some nameless mass grave. That was not what was bothering her, Layla had deflected the question.

”I don’t remember.” Nahir answered truthfully. She finally pulled back her hand to her cup of tea, her nails tracing the golden designs painted on to them. ”None of us really do, but…” Nahir’s voice trailed off and she glanced at her sister. Sometimes she wondered if they had been closer in age they’d be friends and not just civil with one another.

Nahir took a deep breath and ordered the servants around them to turn their back to them with a stern voice. When everyone had their backs to them, she pulled down the neckline of her tunic revealing two darkened spots on her neck, the size of a person’s mouth. She pulled it back up quickly. ”Layla, I need your help.”

Layla watched her sister’s demeanor dissipate after her rebuttal. While her chest panged, she didn’t show any reaction. Instead, busied herself with her tea and food. Halfway through her sandwich, she reached for another pastry and continued eating. The gnawing in her stomach thus became a vague memory. Eventually, it’d resurface, but for now she would not concern herself with it.

When Nahir admitted that nobody, including herself, could remember the party, her eyebrows furrowed. How was that possible? Did everyone drink themselves silly? Didn’t her siblings know better or were they having too much fun? She went to inquire upon it when her sister ordered the servants to turn their backs to them. Layla’s haughtiness sank into confusion and concern. This was much unlike her sister. Her attention caught like a fish on a line, Layla watched as she revealed two large dark spots. This time, her mask slipped off entirely, and she choked on her tea. Layla quickly recovered and dried her mouth off and stared at her sister.

Ah, I have you my dear sister. Nahir thought, pressing her lips into a line to hide the smirk. She lowered her eyes with shame, shaking her head just the slightest.

”Sister Nahir!” Her voice quivered like an arrow on a bow, waiting to be launched. She glanced at her servants and ordered them to move farther away to provide them with privacy. She added if they dared to look or violated their privacy, she’d have them hung.

This was one of the few times Nahir appreciated Layla’s ruthlessness and bluntness to the servants, knowing if this were to get out the lie would spiral out of her control. She couldn’t have that. Everything was to stay between her and her sister if this was going to work. Nahir had no room for mistakes now.

Layla’s eyes were wide as she stared at her. ”I would ask who but you don’t remember. I will find whoever did this to you and skin them alive over a fire pit and then allow Zilal to hunt them in their last moments so they can suffer from the venom and discover why King Cobra’s are named as such.” Layla’s voice shook with fury and concern as she stood up and came over to her sister's side.

”Sister…” Nahir’s voice trailed off as she laced her fingers tightly together. ”I… I don’t know what happened.” Her voice shook and she avoided looking at Layla in the eyes. Out of guilt for playing this card or the shame of what had actually happened, Nahir did not know which. While it was true that Nahir could not remember what had happened, she knew it had been mutual. But Layla did not know that, no one did and she very much doubted that the other person knew as well. Still, the fact of not knowing who it had been was what bothered Nahir.

She came over and examined the marks, then gently pulled the neckline back to cover it. Those would take time to go away, but for now she needed to help her hide it. ”Come. I have ways to keep that hidden.” Her voice was calmer now, but the fury was held at bay. She bit her lip and silently wondered if she’d attended this shady party, if this would have happened…

Nahir reached out to take Layla’s wrist, ”You can’t let anyone know,” she finally met Layla’s eyes, ”Please.” Her voice caught in her and she quickly looked back down. She wouldn’t give a theater performance, that’d be out of character for her. Nahir didn’t cry, not in front of anyone and especially not in front of Layla. So she kept her eyes down playing the perfect distraught little sister in need of the older one’s guidance.

Layla inspected her sister’s expression and was quiet. She became impassive, though her eyes were kindling with anger. How did this happen? It was unlike her sister. Unlike any of them not to remember, too. Layla took a deep breath and titled her sister’s chin up and looked down at her. ”I won’t.” The conviction in Layla’s voice surprised even herself. The situation was bizarre and unlike her little sister. However Layla knew she needed to find out more details about this party in her own way.

’I have ways to keep that hidden’ Nahir repeated in her head as she stood up from her seat and gave Layla the signal to lead. How? How could Layla know how to hide such bruises and who had given them to her?

Layla called the servants back to clean up after them. Next, she began leading Nahir back to her room. Once they arrived back at the Alidasht guest-house, she shut the door and ordered Ali to stand guard outside it. This way, they would not be interrupted. Next, she set Zilal on her bed who curled up into an adorable ball, making her smirk in amusement. Turning her attention back to Nahir, Layla went to her makeup table and pulled out some of her concealer. Then, she pulled Nahir’s shirt back and began to cover it up using a variety of makeup.

Out of concern and hope, she then inquired quietly, ”Do you know if you at least used protection?” She then added, ”And do you know how Mayet and Munir were from it? Did our cousins attend?”

Nahir’s heart twisted at the first question. ”I don’t know,” Nahir hated those words, but her answer was truthful. ”Mayet was upset in the morning, but that is pretty much a regular occurance. Munir stayed in bed and didn’t join us in the Entrance Hall. I saw Farim in the hall too, but Saiya was unaccounted for.” She had ordered Lady Suhasini to keep an eye on them all.

”I can’t remember anything Layla… All I can remember are these lights. They were so bright and in colors I’ve never seen before, in shapes that simply cannot exist… It was like magic.” Magic. Drugs. Both felt like a violation to her body now that she thought of it.

Layla remained quiet while Nahir spoke. The fact nobody remembered the night was suspicious, however the idea of magic unsettled her. She had read about magic in Alidasht. The idea of using it wasn’t persuasive enough to her. Still, if it altered memories… Layla bit her tongue. It would not do to speak out of turn or voice these thoughts; not while her sister was distressed…

”I’m glad you were not there.” Nahir said with a small voice. It was the truth. Like Layla had said, they had been pigs out for slaughter there. At least she would have survived and left their father with a competent heir instead of their uncle.

Her small voice brought Layla back to her thoughts. She gazed at her and pressed her lips into a thin line. To be comforting was out of her realm, though she could tell Nahir needed it. Instead of a sassy or witty remake, she finished the makeup then set her hands on her sister’s shoulders. Their reflection stared back at them.

”Sister Nahir, whatever happened last night is beyond our discovery at this point. I don’t think you’ll remember what happened - ever - but that does not mean we can’t prevent something like this in the future. I would be cautious whom you trust or speak to, and do your best not to wander off to any more parties. Should you feel the need to go, I will come along with you. I would keep this between us Kadir siblings.” She paused, then continued with a smile as she gently pulled Nahir’s shirt over her markings and fluffed her hair around her. Her haughty smirk returned.

Nahir could feel guilt bubble in her chest as Layla did her best to comfort her. She quickly squashed it and shoved it away before it could manifest in her face.

”Just remember, you’re a Shehzadi, and whatever scumbag did this to you, will never be able to do better than us. I bet you’re the best thing to ever happen to them and it will alas, but his downfall, because I will ruin them.” The smirk became slightly darker now as a certain… harshness, overcasted her features, then was gone as quickly as it had come.

”And I will be there to witness their ruin.” Nahir nodded, a small smile creeping up to her lips at the mental image of Layla inflicting said ruin on whoever her partner had been last night. While the thought was a pleasant one, the older Kadir was right; she may never remember that night. As much as Nahir hated it, dwelling on it would only cause Nahir further torment. All she could do now was use this situation and spin it however she wanted for her benefit.

Lalya smirked at her response. Satisfaction boiled inside of her at Nahir’s reaction. At least there was a smile on her face. She moved away from Nahir to sit down and assess her sister from her spot. There was an awkwardness hanging in the air she was trying to ignore for her sister’s sake. To keep herself busy, she gently petted Zilal who flicked his tongue in appreciation.

”Thank you Layla.” The words felt foreign in her tongue, and more so being directed towards her older sister. Nahir offered another smile, a gentle one this time as she lightly pressed her hand over her neck. A curt thank you was appropriate enough for two estranged sisters.

The words that came out of Nahir’s mouth caused Layla to do a near double take. Her sister… thanked her. The words caused her to pause and glance up at her. The smile caused Layla to reply with one of her own. She nodded and replied, ”You are most welcome.” Then, there was a beat; Layla contemplated saying more, but left it alone and allowed Nahri to decide if she wanted to stay longer, or leave. There was a deep gnawing in her stomach she needed to decipher, so Layla hoped she’d choose the latter.

After so many years living under the same roof, Nahir knew when Layla wanted to be left alone. ”I should go,” She stood to her feet, but they would not budge from their spot. It seemed like both wanted to say more, if they were closer Nahir may have. Another statement of appreciation, or a reassuring smile or maybe even a hug. Instead, she gave the older Kadir Sister a slight bow and left the room.

[FunnyGuy]

Derby-King Outfit

Time:1 p.m.
Location: Race Track
Interaction:
Mention:

---

1 p.m.

“WOW! Just wow! I believe we've witnessed the greatest race yet! Just as promised! The winner with no contest… Queen Tulip the Bitch Slayerrr!!!!” Lorenzo announced with such excitement that it caused the majority of the crowd to roar in applause. Those who cast bets on the losing horses weren't too pleased but even some of them found a reason to cheer for the spectacle. Lorenzo hurried to the table to set the megaphone down so he could clap along with the crowd. Kier pounced onto his near arm and climbed up Lorenzo's shoulder which continued to bounce with each fervent clap. As Lorenzo felt the claws of his furry friend dig into his jacket, he ceased his clapping and grabbed the megaphone once more with a huge grin on his face.

“Give it up for the General. She raced splendidly and beautifully… BUT this race is not what she truly wished to conquer this day! That's right! The race was definitely grand, no one can contest this but…” Lorenzo whispered to Kieras he picked him up with one hand and placed him back on the table. “I don't wish to startle you.” He whispered before grabbing the flask from his jacket and taking a quick swig of its contents. “THE MAIN EVENT IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! THE END ALL, BE ALL! SPEED WAS TESTED TODAY, BUT IT IS BEAUTY AND EXTRAVAGANCE THAT SHALL WIN THIS DAY! IT'S TIME! YES, IT'S TIME… FOR THE HAT CONTEST! Claim your winnings for your bets at the tables to my right if you must, but be as quick as the Bitch Slayer for the chance to earn the title of Best Hat in Eromora is what everyone will be raving about for seasons to come! DON YOUR HATS AND THE TRUE COMPETITION BEGIN!”

Lorenzo raised both fists, letting the megaphone fall to the ground. The man was on one and it was glorious!

[Blizz]

---

"Go," The General whispered to her steed, and without an ounce of hesitation, Lady Avarice took off at a blinding pace. While others were kicking their horses and whipping their hinds, General Carris only held on tight, and watched the others break the strides of their own steeds without realizing. It disgusted her, really, to watch them treat such noble beasts in that fashion. But, Lyra didn't have much time to dwell on it as she slipped well past each any everyone of them, and won the race. She made a mental note to ignore the idea of her companion being called "Bitch Slayer," as this was just entertainment, but alas, it annoyed her.

"Swift as always, old girl." She said, stroking Lady Avarice behind her ears, the mare nuzzled her hand from behind as the crowd cheered. To anyone else, it would have seemed as if the horse understood that this was a race, and simply did not need to be whipped to run at full pace. Lyra reached into a pocket on her coat, and pulled out a half of a dried apple, feeding it to Lady Avarice. As she climbed off her steed, the horse followed her without being pulled by reigns.

While the other contestants were fishing for hats, Lyra already had hers on for the entire race.

[princess]

Two Lords Discussion over Pudding

---

A short time after the incident.

The grizzled gentleman went to and fro, his cane clacking on the pavement as he went back and forth in confusion. Pocket watch held gently in his right hand that would be inspected from time to time. Asteroth; a normally composed man was at a loss as he made attempts to find his way to the dining hall or to the master of this estate.

Sounds of glass shattering and gunfire had rung out for all within the vicinity to hear. He, who had just finished tending to the unfortunate driver, his foolish ward injured only to find himself walking into this whole mess.

Now in the midst of trying to make sense of what happened, but his search for Calbert proved cumbersome with the few guards he come across seemingly ignoring his presence as they maintained their focus solely on finding the intruder and troublemaker.

“ This does not bode well at all.” He grumbled out in a tired voice as he procured a handkerchief to dab the sweat from his face.“” And something tells me Mr. Nagasa is at the center of all this nonsense.” The unflattering thought sat like a weight in his guts; worried of the possible troubles Kazumin caused that has once again been left up to him to amend.

With a weary groan he wiped off his face then let loose a slow, heavy exhale.“” If we somehow make it through this. I promise that oaf wil not taste anything but bread for the rest of this summer!” A promise he might very well keep as he glanced his watch over once more, checking the time; frustrated at how much time had been wasted already as he set off in hopes to find Lord Calbert where he may hopefully lessen any damage caused by this whole ordeal.

Just as he been about to set off, Count Calbert had entered the room. He cleared his throat in a loud and deliberate manner to catch the baron’s attention. “Baron Asteroth.” the Count began, his voice deep and commanding. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, but his posture remained regal and commanding, as if he were a king addressing his loyal subject. The gravity of his tone was palpable.

A blessing for his right knee to have come across the count as all the running about left his aching knee throbbing fiercely. If only this meeting were under better circumstances as evident by the man’s stiffness and icy tone betraying Calbert’s feebly calm composure.” Ah, there you are, Lord count.” Stepping his way over to the man, his cane clacking gently as he went; moving into a quick and low bow upon reaching the clearly frustrated lord.

““ Apologies for my delay. Gravely so after seeing the chaos that seemed to have occurred during my absensce.” Asteroth exhaled slowly, the bearded old warrior, in his years of battles felt immensely tired and frustrated in his own way, though it was not directed at his ward, but for the young man. As the fact he has lived with Kazumin these last three months and as such doubted that even for one as sporadic as he, would not dare to actively attack or intend harm on the count or his family.

The baron simply refused to accept that Kazumin was the mastermind behind this whole mess. Though the pudding loving peasant was likely involved and at the center of it, at least unintentionally.” I am afraid I am out of the loop. I hope it would not be prudent of me to ask, my lord but what happened?” Asked while wiping sweat from his brow.

Calbert's fists clenched at his sides as he turned his attention back to Baron Asteroth. His mind was awash with anger and frustration, but he knew he needed to focus on what was important.

"There was so much I could say about Kazumin Nagasa's behavior," he began, his voice low and dangerous.“ Kazumin had a friend attack my estate, to try and free him from our conversation. And this friend of his... She's accused of murder, no less, the face you may have seen in the paper today.”

Calbert's eyes narrowed as he spoke, his words laced with barely controlled emotion. "This woman, whoever she is, shot arrows through my dining room windows, and caused destruction to my property, all in an attempt to hurt me and my staff.”

A look of disbelief etched the grizzled Baron’s face as he listened to Calbert explain the going-ons during his absence. So shocked that Asteroth believed Kazumin’s involvement at first, but after taking a moment to recompose himself did he remember this to not be the case.“” My lord!” He said in astonishment.“” Whatever damages or grief Mr. Nagasa has caused I apologize for, but I must say that for his behalf that my young ward had no such plans or time to act on such plans.” Asteroth spoke in a forced calm tone in a weak attempt to hide his nervnousness of the situation, dreading the consequences and chain of events sure to follow if this misunderstanding was allowed to continue.

““ Forgive me for coming off prudent for saying such, my lord. Yet, I must speak and loathe as I am to admit this. For Mr. Nagasa was simply in no state to attempt any of the horrid things described as he was on a smidgen of coke…on my orders mind you.” Coughing into his fist which nearly covered up what he said, clearly embarrassed by his decision.

Calbert's voice was laced with disbelief as he asked,"Coke... as in cocaine?" He struggled to comprehend how the young man's drug use could explain the chaotic nightmare that had unfolded before him.

Despite his best efforts, Calbert couldn't filter his incredulous expression. "For the sake of the Gods," he murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a groan. After taking a moment to compose himself, he met Baron Asteroth's eyes once more.

"Please do explain to me, Baron, why you would order Kazumin Nagasa to take drugs before our meeting?" Calbert's voice was now tinged with anger and confusion. "What possible purpose could that have served?"

Asteroth could do little else but cringe after having to tell the count about his ward’s situation. His scruffy beard did much to hide his embarrassment as he exhaled slowly through his nose before elaborating.“” Yes, *ahem* mind I had little choice left to me after Mr. Nagasa had overdone his drinking from last night. As it was the first time in three months he was allowed to venture from my estate and as such, an..energetic youth like Kazumin struggled to contain his..enthusiasm.” He explained, every word he spoke was mostly true with some slight fibbing; all in order to clear the suspicions towards his ward.

The revelation of Kazumin Nagasa's drug use and lack of sleep had helped to explain some of his strange behavior, but it did not account for everything. Calbert couldn't shake off the feeling of unease at Kazumin's lack of fear or emotion during their conversation. He knew he couldn't blame the Baron for that, but he couldn't help feeling a sense of frustration and disappointment.

"I see," Calbert said thoughtfully, "I understand the need for flexibility and rescheduling if necessary as opposed to having him drugged."

After a brief pause, Calbert spoke again, "On another matter, have you seen Kazumin with a woman who has blonde hair?" His tone was serious and focused, revealing his determination to get to the bottom of the matter.

Hearing Calbert suggest a simple rescheduling nearly had the Baron scoff at the notion. Anyone who has interacted with the man at least once could tell that one thing the man was not was understanding. And considering the state of the count led Asteroth to believe the fault of whatever chaos that ensued he was not wholly innocent of. Still, this was not the time to go poking the bear risking worsening the situation any further.“” Yes, of course, my lord. I shall be sure to keep that in mind.”

A nod of the head before shifting to scratch at his bearded chin in pondering fashion.” A girl with blonde hair? I do recall two of the ladies he danced with having blonde hair. As we both know who the first young miss is and excluding the lovely royal princess, but I’m afraid I do not recall the other blonde.” A shake of the head; recalling the numerous times his ward mentioned a miss Persephone though felt it best to play it safe.“” I do not know if it is the same miss involved in this whole nonsense, but I assure you Kazumin was not nor had the opportunity to be involved or make such plans due to being so busy with my lessons and lack of any visitors.”

Calbert's voice dropped to a lower tone as he turned to face Baron Asteroth. "You'd better listen carefully, Baron, because I'm not feeling particularly merciful today… Nonetheless I might be willing to overlook Kazumin's disturbing behavior…”

He stepped closer to the Baron, looming over him and staring down with the heat of anger in his eyes. "Bring me Kazumin in the next few days, sober and compliant. Make sure he tells me the name of the woman he's been cavorting with, and where I can find her… Do that, and I'll turn my head."

Asteroth had been taken aback by the count’s change in posture and icy told belaying the man’s anger. The unexpected icy mood and tension was enough to even throw off the grizzled veteran. He remained silent, his aged face a stone wall having regained his composure and steeled himself in the face of Calbert’s threats that would surely crush those unprepared or unlucky.

Refusing to back down and be seen as weak, the baron returned with a stony stare of his own.“” Hm, understood. I will be sure to reprimand him for his uncouth behavior and prepare appropriate compensation and apologies.” Nodding his head after stating what the count wished to hear. It was clear there was far more going on here than what he was told and not to forget to mention how strange it was to see Calbert in such a state. What could possibly make a man of his status and position so… angry and disheveled.

[SausagePat]

=

Time:1pm
Location:: The Horse Race
Interaction:: @Blizz Lyra

Ruby was nested in her seat as the horse race carried on. After the familiar waffle stand guy was done announcing, the crowd was quick to begin shouting as well. At first this struck Ruby by surprise. This event was something completely new to Ruby and although she was attempting to appear well-acquainted, nervousness made its way in. She jerked in her seat, accidentally dropping the last bit of her corndog snack and it went flying into the air.

The flying corn dog made its way to the front of the crowd and bounced off of a blonde woman’s head. You have got to be kidding me! Ruby thought. This was just her luck to look like a fool at such an upper-class festivity. She swiftly turned her head away and acted like nothing had happened.

She then glanced out at the race that had everyone in an uproar. Duke Lorenzo had begun calling the horses out by name as they sped by. She attempted to catch the interesting names of the runners, but it soon slipped out of her mind. One horse in particular did capture her attention, though. As the man called out, “Empress Victoriaaaaaa!”, Ruby clasped onto her hat with one hand and threw her other arm into the air. She had not even bet on any horse, but for some reason felt a surge of competition run through her.

“Victoria, you go get ‘em! COME ON, ‘YA RASCAL!! DON’T LET THEM TAKE YOUR VICTORY!” She pointed at the horses surpassing hers.

These beautiful creatures were enticing Ruby and she wished to have one of her own that she could ride away on. Maybe one day.

More names continued to be called, but Ruby now had other things on her mind. She remembered what she really came here for– to win the hat contest and become the most desired gal in town. She set her excitement for the race aside and began looking around at all of the wealthy townies’ hats. “Pshh.. Who let these people dress themselves?” She quietly muttered in astoundment. No one could compare to her homemade, garbage-thrifted hat— that’s what she told herself anyway.

It was her time to hunt people down and grab their attention. The race came to an end and the winner was announced. She looked around for a mind to impress. What better than to speak to the winner of the race herself? She noticed Lyra as she got off her horse and walked into the stands. Ruby shuffled her way through the noisy crowd, nearly hitting several people along the way. She tripped over someone’s foot in the crowd and launched forward, catching herself midway.

“Scuse me! Coming through!”

Hoping that Lyra didn’t see this display, she walked up to her in a scurry.

“Hi! Congratulations! Your Tulip Queen Bitch slayer really stole the show. Amazing.” Ruby struck her with a big, awkward smile. She cringed at her own attempt to make a friend.

[JJ Doe]

Charlotte & ◆◆◆◆◆

Charlotte sighed and cast her gaze towards the unexpected guest. Despite the absurdity of having a rooster in her home, she felt too exhausted to think much about it. Instead, she offered a smile, kneeling down to make her acquaintance with the feathered creature. "Hello there, new friend," She greeted softly, "You're certainly a unique guest in my home, but you're most welcome all the same." He cocked his head, somehow looking as confused by her greeting as she was by his presence.

“He’s not one of your pets?… Oh my, is he dinner?” △△△ asked with his voice, while his hand gestures posed a different question for the “new” friend. What’s the matter?

The rooster’s blank stare reprimanded him for asking such an idiotic question. So, △△△ rephrased it into a more reasonable, yes-or-no format. Is something the matter? The rooster refocused their attention on Lady Vikena. Slowly, their talon scraped across the floor. He spared a glance at her. His hands started to formulate another question when a tiny shadow came charging in.

As a wise man once said, bravery was not the absence of fear. It was feeling the fear, the doubt, the insecurity, and deciding that something else was far more important and pressing on in spite of such feelings. Bravery, like many things in the world, also came in all shapes and sizes. To all those present in the foyer, for example, the rooster was nothing but a bird. An unusually large and vibrant colored bird, but a bird nonetheless. For Champion, however, the rooster must have appeared to be an avian colossal, a bird of prey, invading his home. A home that, until yesterday, was something he could have only dreamed of. A home where he felt safe, warm, full, and—above all else—loved. This was his home and he would fight tooth and nail to protect it and its residents; his newfound family. Even from an intruder who thought vivid feathers camouflaged its true nature.

Champion—true to his name—lunged at the rooster, baring ivory fangs and claws, ready to tear their target into ribbons. His attack was swift as it was fierce, catching the rooster off guard. Though it was for a fraction of a second, it was enough for instinct to override any semblance of intelligence and wisdom the rooster possessed until then—every trace of them were gone, leaving a bewildered chicken marooned in a house he did not recognize, surrounded by people he did not know, seconds away from being attacked by a shadow made manifest.

The rooster flapped his wings and let out an ear-piercing squawk before scampering up the stairs, desperate to escape the wrath of the tiny but ferocious feline. With relentless determination, the little ball of fur pursued his prey close behind.

The scene unfolded all too fast, leaving △△△ stunned on the spot. The sound of objects crashing into the ground or breaking into a million pieces snapped the count out of his initial shock. He dashed up the stairs to find that the animals found their way into Duke Vikena’s bedroom.

“Champion no!” Charlotte had cried over the chaos. She let her head fall back to stare at the ceiling in exasperation for just a brief moment before tailing Count Fritz up the stairs. However, she did not halt outside the bedroom as he had. Instead, she had darted inside and scooped the kitten up from behind. It hissed and tried to swing its claws in the rooster’s direction.

”It’s okay… Shhh.” She petted the kitten in hopes of relaxing him, alas it was to no avail. His fur stood up and his pupils remained dilated. Charlotte sighed and departed the room with the kitten. She sat him in her own bedroom and shut the door.

The dark haired woman was soon at the count’s side once more, her eyes falling upon the bedroom before them. Most of the room and even the bedding were green in color. There was a large round bed with a side table on each side, one which completely toppled over. At the far end of the bed was a chest. A couch flanked the left while a large dresser and closet could be found in the back. A sound of disapproval escaped her lips as the sight of clothes all over the room greeted them.

Charlotte moved forward and knelt down to start gathering some of the clothes off the floor. She soon proclaimed as she rose up to her feet, “…That isn’t my pet.”

“I admit, Lady Charlotte, that I was the one who asked first, but do you think it’s wise to confess that he’s dinner, right to his face?” While Lady Vikena swooped in to capture her brave little Champion, △△△ removed his coat, and held it between the kitten and rooster like a curtain, shielding them from both potential attacks on each other and cutting off visual contact. He had been inching closer to the rooster, who Champion backed against the last standing side table, and trying to calm him with a soothing voice.

Still riled up, the rooster scrambled up the side table, using the handles as footholds to reach the top. His ascent was far from graceful; the weight and momentum of the bird’s movements flung the compartments open. The change in weight distribution caused physics to work its magic and the table tipped over, suffering the same fate as its twin. A lone piece of paper remained where the side table once stood while the drawers disgorged their contents, scattering additional papers haphazardly across the floor.

Using what leverage the table provided, the rooster launched himself across the room towards the dresser. As his previous display of athletic skill demonstrated, however, his landing was not as smooth as he planned it to be. He skidded across the dresser top as he tried to turn around, knocking off everything in his wake. A funnel rolled off the dresser and onto the floor with a light thud.

When he went over the edge, his talons grabbed the closest handles he could reach to pull himself back up. As history had a tendency to repeat itself, the compartment flew open. This time, however, the dresser was the heavier of the two: the extended drawer simply hung perilously midair. Once he regained his footing on the dresser top—and after a considerable amount of flailing—the flightless bird evacuated to the one spot he was confident the strangers could not reach.

”Goodness! He’s lost his mind.”

△△△ looked up at the puffed-up bird peering from above the closet, worry etched on his face. “Shh, it’s okay, buddy. We’re not going to hurt you. The kitten was just scared. The kind lady moved him into another room so he won’t be chasing you down.” The rooster had not the slightest clue what he was talking about. “How about this? We’re going to clean up the room while you catch your breath, and maybe later we can give you a nice treat. How does that sound?” Beyond the disorientation, the rooster seemed to perk up at the mention of “treat.” Wherever Wayra snatched this majestic creature from, it was evident he was domesticated if he recognized the word “treat.” Although the lack of chicken coops alluded the Vikenas did not own any chickens, Lady Vikena’s words confirmed the rooster was, at the very least, not theirs. “Good? Great. You rest up, big guy.” △△△ turned to the destruction a single frantic giant rooster brought. He began assisting Lady Vikena with cleaning up. “Not quite how I imagined my day would go,” he said with a chuckle.

Charlotte was relieved he had somehow calmed the crazed bird. The next dilemma would be getting him out of the house. Still worn down from all that occurred, she had continued to simply busy herself with folding the clothes. She managed to give the count a reply nonetheless. ” Me neither, but I’m afraid the universe has a no refund policy when it comes to days like this.”

“Come now, Lady Charlotte,” △△△ said as pushed the drawer back into place. He noted two little brightly colored tickets on top of the folded garments. Each ticket, both brand new, had a picture of a circus tent printed on it, but no date. “Surely the day hasn’t been ruined yet, has it? Look at the bright side. Duke Vikena came back home, you’ve spent time with friends, you’ve made a new feathery one. Why, you even helped people in need and you thwarted Count Damien twice, two days in a row, Lady Charlotte! What an accomplishment!” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, but the grin and praise he directed at Lady Charlotte was genuine. “And that’s not even the best part! Did you see how valiantly Lord Champion fought to protect you and this house? One of the greatest declarations of love I have ever witnessed. How can that not warm the heart?” Suddenly realizing whose heart would not have been warmed, △△△ apologized to the victim. From the rooster’s perspective, the entire ordeal was nothing short of an unprovoked, one-sided assault—no matter how justified the kitten thought his actions were. “At least no one got seriously injured and all we have to deal with is a little mess.” He inwardly flinched at his own words, realizing his error. Technically, no one got seriously injured today, thus far. However, the news of her friend’s passing cut Lady Vikena’s heart as deeply as it would have had Lady Damien died this morning.

Charlotte paused in her movements and turned to face the count, her eyes searching his His words managed to get a genuine smile out of her. "Your positivity is truly uplifting, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have met someone as kind and thoughtful as yourself." She said with genuine warmth, "And I really am glad I'm so loved by Champion... It's been awhile since I've had a pet of my own."

However, the count's last statement fell short, and Charlotte's heart sank as she realized that the news of Lady Violet's passing was still weighing heavily on her mind. She knew that she shouldn't dwell on it, but it was difficult to push the thought aside completely. She knew it wasn't true for certain quite yet, but she was hoping that Persephone wasn't the type to lie about something so horrible. As much as her thoughts had run rampant over the subject, it wasn’t something she wanted to bring up verbally to Count Fritz while he was trying to focus on the positive. But as much as she tried to push the thought aside, it lingered in the back of her mind.

Charlotte gathered the folded clothes in her arms and rose up with them. She took them over to the closet and began to hang what belonged inside. “... I must confess, I feel as though I know very little about you.” She said thoughtfully during her work. She then further elaborated. “You’ve been so busy with all the silliness in my life that I haven’t gotten to know anything about yours… I can tell that you’re very kind for certain, spending all this time helping me when you could be pursuing a future spouse as everyone else is. I assume that’s why you’ve come to Caesonia.” She turned on her heels as she finished hanging the clothes to face him once again, her eyes alight with curiosity and interest in her new friend.

The count hummed thoughtfully, “I’m afraid I won’t make a suitable marriage candidate at the moment. I’m the newcomer, the commoner who held the title of count only for a few seasons. My position is still considerably weak within the court. I would be fortunate to make friends or alliances, let alone find a potential spouse.”

△△△ picked up the funnel on the floor and examined it. There was a faint sweet scent on the inside. “Besides, my future spouse will have a lot to handle if they wish to be part of my family. It's a fate best avoided, if possible.”

”Oh come now. Don’t let yourself become ensnared in the superficial ways of the nobility. There should be more to a marriage than a title. You have a good heart…” Charlotte stepped forward and assured him with gentle sincerity, ”You’ll find someone who will love you as you are and all that you come with. As for your family, well, anyone who loves you will be willing to accept and love them too.” She paused, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Although I must admit, I am curious as to why you attended the courting season if you believe it to be outside the realm of possibility for you?" Her tone was inquisitive, but not judgmental. Her gaze had traveled to the funnel in his grasp as she spoke.

He started to respond, then halted when he noticed her attention was on the funnel. △△△ handed it to Lady Vikena. “This? It was on the dresser before the rooster knocked it off. What does your father use it for? It smells surprisingly sweet,” he said as he skimmed the room to see if there was anything lying around that could answer his question.

“Not certain. I don’t come in here often.” Charlotte admitted. She averted her gaze to bite her lip as a possibility or two drifted into her mind. She moved over to upright one of the nightstands and paused. There was a single paper where the nightstand had once been. She hesitated before collecting it in her fingers. It seemed to just be a list of herbs. After a moment, she continued to put the side table back where it had been, then placed the sheet on top of it. She sighed as she looked upon the rest of the papers everywhere. Charlotte had not expected for Lorenzo to have so many all over the place. She knelt down to begin to collect them.

△△△ examined the list and his eyes narrowed slightly. Many of the herbs on the list were commonly used in magic, but were basic enough for mundane applications as well. Soundlessly, he returned the paper before approaching the other side table and returning it to its original position. “To answer your previous question, Lady Charlotte…” He checked inside to make sure that the lucky few items that remained inside did not break from the impact. “First I must clarify, I don’t consider myself outside the list of prospective marriage partners. It’s simply… well, I don’t think I’ll be high on anyone’s list. Not this year, at least. If, by some stroke of luck, I am, they have the right to know what they’re getting themselves into before committing to the idea.”

“With that said, it’s true that courting is not my top priority. I’ve come here for a few reasons. One, I figured it would be as good an event as any for my international court debut. Two, this might sound childish, but I want to make friends.” △△△ began collecting the scattered objects on the floor. Most of the papers seemed to be poems, primarily about Lady Vikena, with a few about the duke’s late wife. “And three…” the count hesitated, “to find answers to old questions.”

He only allowed the silence to linger briefly. “Speaking of courting, how goes the search, Lady Charlotte? I hope you’re having better luck finding a prospective spouse than I am.”

"I do not believe that I am highly regarded by anyone either," Charlotte stated, her shoulders slumping as she let out a deep sigh. "In fact, I would not be surprised if I were at the bottom of most people's lists."

“I find it hard to believe that you’d be at the bottom of anyone’s list.” △△△ batted the notion away from the air, “If such a list exists, then it’s their loss for failing to see what a wonderful person you are. Not yours.”

"To be completely candid, however, it does not bother me as much as perhaps it should. I have so much occupying my thoughts at present that I cannot focus on it."

The conversation from last night played back in △△△’s head. He nodded without comment, not wanting to interrupt her.

As she spoke, Charlotte began to neatly return the papers to the drawer. “... Oh and…I don’t think it’s childish to seek out friendship. Why would it be?”

△△△ closed his eyes as he rubbed his fingers against the objects in his hands. “Because friendship is a double-edged sword.” He said with a voice barely above a whisper. “And… because, ‘even after knowing nobility all my life, I’ve never really known who to trust in this pit of vipers.’” After paraphrasing Lady Vikena’s own words, he fixed his gaze on her. “So I understand why you’re hesitant to divulge certain matters. But… I meant what I said last night: I do want to help, Lady Charlotte. If I can do no more than act as a simple soundboard, then I will gladly take on that role.” His black eyes searched her blue ones. “What is on your mind?” There was a lot packed in the question.

”I see.” Charlotte rose to her feet and she looked upon him. “… My heart is set on uncovering the truth and protecting those I love. Marrying someone could slow down those efforts as I would not be guaranteed to live as freely as I do now.”

“‘Even if it takes me years, I will uncover the truth,’” △△△ quoted her as he took a seat on the sofa. He looked up at her, silently encouraging her to continue. He sat in a position that afforded him an unobstructed view of the rooster, which had nestled itself comfortably atop the closet. A few birds landed on the window ledge, basking in the sun’s warmth.

Charlotte gazed down at him, her mind filled with conflicting emotions. The thought of opening up to someone after everything that had happened was both comforting and terrifying. She had been keeping her thoughts to herself, prioritizing others in the last few hours. However, with Count Fritz, it was different. He had been there for her, helping her through it all. But could she trust him completely? Was it fair to involve him further in her problems? These were the questions that gnawed at her. With a weary sigh, she finally answered, “I think I will take a brief rest, Count Fritz…. I did not sleep much last night and I have Leo Smithwood coming over at 3pm. If you wish to stay, I can lead you to a guest room or you’re welcome to explore our library until then. Some our staff is walking around if you should so need something. First and foremost, I think I will go arrange for someone to keep an eye on our two new friends downstairs actually.”

△△△ kept silent, his eyes cast downward and his shoulders slumped. Then he shot to his feet and bowed. “I’m a dreadful guest. I should’ve realized sooner how tired you were. I took advantage of your hospitality and overstayed my welcome. Forgive me.” His head inclined further at the beginning of his apology. As he lifted his head, he directed his hands to the door, “Please rest, Lady Charlotte. I can move the rest of the items back into the drawers…” He adjusted his gaze to the rooster, “... and attempted to escort the other guest safely out. Would you like me to lock the door afterwards?” △△△ opened his palm to accept the key, provided Lady Vikena trusted him enough to entrust it to him—let alone leave him unsupervised in her father's room, even for a short period of time. So when she made no movement to do either, he accepted the answer, unperturbed, and continued dealing with the remaining clutter.

The ticking rhythm of the clock drew △△△’s attention. Not much time passed since the illumination started. Who knew what the staff’s reaction would be if they witnessed two blindingly bright stars tucked away in the basement? “Lady Charlotte, could you instruct whoever you send down there to wait a little longer before checking in? I am sure Mr. Vincent and Ms. Mary would be grateful for an uninterrupted hour of rest.”

“No, no. You’re a delightful guest. Really.” Charlotte assured him warmly with a smile. “No such thing as overstaying at the Vikena House. My home is your home.” She glanced around the room for a moment before answering his other question, ” It’s just about almost tidy so no worry about any further cleaning.. However, I would be most appreciative of any assistance in removing Mr. Rooster, as it appears that he has taken a particular liking to you. I shall see to the locking up upon my return." Her gaze momentarily alighted on the pistol mounted upon the wall as she spoke. Having rarely ventured into Lorenzo's quarters, it was undoubtedly intriguing to observe their contents.

“Did your father serve in the army?” Duke Vikena did not appear to be someone who had a strong interest in collecting firearms, as evidenced by the lack of obvious gun-related decor in the rest of the estate. The placement of the pistol in his bedroom implied it was not intended for others to ogle at.

“No. Not that I know of. ” Charlotte had replied. “I will go to rest and have Delilah ready to help you whatever you need. If you plan to stay, you’re welcome to join Lord Leo and I for lunch. Thank you for your company today.” After her final words and a smile, she left the room.

“Sweet dreams, Lady Charlotte.” Once the sound of her footsteps receded into the distance, △△△ reached for the pistol mounted on the wall. The surface of the weapon felt frigid against his skin, from the grip to the smooth metal of the barrel. Although designed to be wielded with ease using only one hand, the pistol felt incredibly weighty in his hands, as if it bore the burden of a life-altering decision.

△△△’s heart sank when he cracked open the chamber of the well-polished pistol and found a single round of ammunition loaded within. The duke had meticulously maintained and cared for it, ensuring that when the time came, it would not misfire—and it only needed to be fired once. What happened after was irrelevant.

The bullet was halfway out of its chamber when familiar words crossed his mind. “What right do you have to decide who lives or dies?”

Udo poured librations overboard. The waves lapped them up as if they had not had a drop of water in eons. As one of Nnenne’s warriors, Udo should have known of the ocean’s unquenchable thirst, yet this knowledge did little to dissuade him from dumping every liquor—that the ship crew did not defend as if it were their own flesh and blood—into the salt water, occasionally indulging in a few gulps between hurls. “You people believe it’s awful to want to end your own life, why? Why? Why do I have to stay a second longer than necessary?” Amidst the drunken haze, his voice was clear as ever. “Abatala n'ụzọ m, ◆◆◆◆◆. I kwere m nkwa.”

Without pause or hesitation, the blade slid across the woman’s throat. Beads of scarlet streamed down her neck, creating a one of a kind necklace that glittered like rubies and garnets underneath the dim streetlight. She gaped at Peter, who stood before her holding the bloody knife, her expression a blend of shock and disbelief. It did not occur to her that karma also collected taxes from the influential. “Some people are better off dead,” Peter spat as the body collapsed onto the grimy alleyway pavement. “You can’t deny that, Boss.”

The only indication of Karleen’s puzzlement was the furrow of her brow. She surveyed the body-strewn battlefield with the indifference of someone who had become accustomed to such carnage. “They lost because we were stronger,” she replied matter-of-factly. “Muscles, brains, money, luck, the will to fight, to live. It doesn't matter what. You have to have more than your enemy, or you lose. That’s all.”

Without making a sound, an arm emerged from behind △△△ and extended itself. After reaching its full length, it flicked its wrist, revealing the card it held: the Wheel of Fortune.

The wall hooks clicked as △△△ put the pistol back on display. “Stop,” he said, the words sounding more like a plea than an order, “I get it.” He placed the bullet on the closest surface. It did not matter where he hid the bullet or the gun, nor did it matter who the intended target was. If Duke Vikena was set on carrying out his plan, he would find another bullet, another gun, another means to achieve what this pistol and bullet were meant to do.

“I get it, loud and clear.” △△△ faced his audience watching from the other side of the glass. A deluge of birds amassed every window ledge and perched on the nearby tree branches, their beady eyes fixated on him with a detached curiosity. △△△ expelled a long sigh as he walked to the nearest window and opened it.

---

---

As △△△ attempted to regain his balance, the rooster propelled himself out of his grasp, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground with a resounding thud. △△△ pulled himself up, rubbing the backside that took the brunt of the impact, and swiftly scanned the room to see if the rooster had suffered any injuries. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the unharmed bird scurry under the bed.

With the goal of rescuing the rooster from the top of the closet, △△△ used a chest as a foothold to close the distance between them. He successfully coaxed the bird to come close enough to grab him when sudden barking noises from outside startled the rooster into another frenzy. Despite △△△’s attempts to restrain the giant bird and prevent it from bringing havoc to the Duke’s room once again, their struggle led to him getting himself snagged on the closet handle and subsequent loss of balance.

Given the destruction the rooster could have wrought, it was fortunate that the only casualties were the knocked-over chest and a few trinkets that spilled out of it. Regrettably, those trinkets confirmed a suspicion of △△△’s. He retrieved one of the many opium-filled bulb flasks in one hand and a bottle of gin in the other—a deadly combination.

Who needs a bullet when you could take these instead? It would make for a cleaner outcome: less washing would be required and there would be no need for a closed casket. “Why are you so insistent on leaving her behind?” he asked the master of the room.

[princess]

Anastasia & Wystan & Zarai & Wulfric

---

”Yessss!” Zarai exclaimed, letting go of one of Anastasia’s hand to throw it above her head. She expected pain there, but she could only feel a dull sensation coming from her side. ”I want some warm baked goods, two cups of the hottest hot cocoa and a big plate of fluffy eggs.” Her voice silky smooth as if she were describing a lover.

”I think I’m falling in love.” Anastasia reached forward as if the items she described were floating in the air.

”What about you, princesa?” Her attention then turned to Wystan, ”And you? In need of some hot buns?”

”I am quite content.” The bodyguard shook his head, his eyes still on the departing Count Calbert.

”Zarai’s not in need of hot buns since she already has some.” The princess giggled, and Zarai winked her way. “Well, we can head over to our carriage and take the ride back up town. The baker at the ball told me where his bakery is. Best pastries I’ve ever had and I know for sure you’d love them, Zarai… Then we can go find you some nice fluffy eggs. Ser Barrios, you like eggs too, don’t you? You look like an egg kind of guy.”

"I am a bit of an egg guy, Your Highness." Sir Barrios agreed, not willing to pass up the opportunity for some breakfast when all he had was a few pieces of toast in the morning.

Anastasia began to lead the way to the carriage as they spoke, her guards still silently tailing them. It was still stationed by the front of the park.

”The baker at the ball… would this be the person we know as ‘Ezra’?”

“Yup! Think so!”

It was only a few minutes before they were pulling up in front of the fountain on Wulfric Road. They had been about to make a left when Anastasia rose in her seat.

”Wait! Stop! I think I see Wulfy.”

Wulfric was in fact just passing by - on foot, because he’d decided on a stroll to the race track despite running late. He saw one of the royal carriages, and his sister within. He paused to offer a nod in greeting to her and company. But they were clearly heading in opposite directions, and Anastasia also seemed just fine. Thus, he went on his way after that brief acknowledgement to each other.

Anastasia furrowed her brows as her brother continued casually on his way. Determined, she swung open the door and called out, ”Wulfriiiic! Yoohooooo!”

Involuntarily, Wulfric’s eyebrows raised at the beckoning. He and Anastasia hadn’t exchanged a word when they were both at the archery contest. He’d figured she was more than content with her current company and plans. But it looked like, for whatever reason, she felt compelled to call him over. So, he backtracked a few steps, and stopped by the opened carriage door. “Hello, sister,” he greeted. He glanced at his friend. “...Zarai.” The guards received an assessing look each. Though to Wystan, he also offered a small nod.

“Shall we continue this outside or inside?” Wulfric asked. He didn’t want to hold a conversation while he was standing outside and they were all within the carriage.

Sir Barrios bowed his head, ”Your Royal Highness,” he greeted.

”Don’t you look happy to see us.” Zarai beamed at Wulfric, hoping to get an annoyed look from him. She scooted further into the seat and patted the empty space next to her. ”Come on in, Your Royal Highness. Don’t just stand there.”

“Oh, I’m absolutely thrilled, Zarai,” Wulfric deadpanned. But unlike his friend was insinuating, he didn’t actually mind. He arched an eyebrow at her mildly. If she was calling him by his full title, then that knight had been set to keep her on her best behavior by her mother. Which was not especially surprising, all things considered.

When it became clear the others would remain in the carriage, he climbed in. Before he did, though, he notified the coachman to remain parked while he was inside.

Anastasia greeted her brother with an affectionate tone. “Hi, Wulfy!” she had exclaimed. ”Yes, come sit!” She patted the seat next to Zarai as well, gesturing for him to join them. ”This is so exciting. I have so much I can talk to you about!”

Sighing, he did sit in the indicated position. He adjusted his sheathed sabre so it wouldn’t get in the way yet still remain within reach, then settled himself in between the two ladies. He briefly turned to regard Zarai a bit more carefully. “How are you holding up?” he asked quietly. What he really wanted to do was poke her about how she should polish her hand-to-hand skills. But for now, he refrained.

Zarai leaned in so only Wulfric could hear. ”Wonderfully numb.” Zarai gave him a toothy grin. Her eyes briefly wandered to his sabre, brows arched up in interest but made no further inquiry to it. While it was tempting to ask about the sabre, she would much rather squash her curiosity than have Sir Barrios report to her mother that Lady Zarai was asking the Crowned Prince for some pointers. Such an unlady like thing!

The prince just raised a dubious brow at Zarai. She’d been high when he’d seen her at the ball, and now she was once again ‘self-medicating’. He gave her a long look, mildly disapproving yet coolly indifferent. He huffed dismissively, and didn’t otherwise comment.

Then, Anastasia spoke to him with much enthusiasm. Wulfric turned to her, mostly skeptical. There were a multitude of things that could excite his sister, some entirely mundane…others very much inadvisable. Still, he merely went for a gentle prompt. “Tell me, then.”

”Okay, so! First things first.” Anastasia slapped her hands down on her thighs as if to commence the conversation. “Who’s the lucky lady, Wulfy? How did things go this morning?”

She’d said she had something to talk about, yet was asking for some information first. Wulfric supposed this was his sister’s way of being polite...Or maybe she was just her usual whimsical self. “If you’re wondering whom I am interested in, then it’s Shehzadi Mayet,” he admitted easily. However, it was unusual for him to express any kind of personal interest in someone else. Even less so when it came to considerations of a partnership.

”Ooohhh,” Zarai wiggled in her seat, unphased by Wulfric’s all too common indifference. ”All of the Shehzadi are so beautiful.” She nodded with approval.

Anastasia gasped and covered her mouth to keep herself from interrupting.

“Of those I met this morning…” a competitive smirk arose, “Well, Layla seems like a fun one.” He then tilted his head, and shrugged lightly. “I also met with Lady Saiya, and Lady Crystal,” he seemed somewhat thoughtful in regards to one or both of them, but didn’t elaborate. “So…with the exception of some minor disturbances, things went well.”

Wulfric then reoriented the conversation. “And? What was so exciting for you?”

The princess uncovered her mouth and let the words tumble out, ”Wulfy! I am so excited for you. Mayet and Layla are gorgeous and you’re gonna luck out either way. Zarai and I are more than happy to play wingman for you, if you need us to. Although, let's be real here. You're the Prince Wulfric. Charming, handsome, and known to all as the future King of Caesonia. Mayet’s probably head over heels for you already.”

At the mention of Layla, Wulfric snorted. “Layla…? With her, it’s more akin to having someone fun to spar with, or matching against a decent chess player,” he explained. Rival? Opponent? Competitor? None of those words quite fit, so he left it at the comparison. He was just as amused at the idea that he might need luck, or a wingman. He was about to politely decline when Anastasia claimed Mayet was likely already infatuated. “Not that there isn’t some mutual interest,” he said, amused, “but we did just meet last evening, you know.”

Anastasia then responded to his question with a smile, “You were so exciting for me! I wanted to talk about you!” Thoughtfully, she tapped her chin as she considered what else he had said, “I don’t know if I have met a Lady Saiya but as for Lady Crystal… I think… Oooh…” Her mind wandered back to the chaos at Calbert’s house. “You know. There is something I should tell you about actually… The Damiens’ house just got attacked.”

Any levity the prince had gained and expressed until then dissipated in a moment. “Attacked?” he asked, an attentive sort of tension spreading throughout him. His voice and expression were suddenly rather serious. Unconsciously, his palm went to the hilt of his sword. But as soon as he realized it, he let it go; it wasn’t as if there was any danger right there. “What happened?” he asked. He could (and would) get a report straight from the guards, but first wanted to hear whatever his sister and Zarai had to say about it.

Zarai patted his arm as if to calm him, ”Count Calby told us that he had invited Kazumin to his home to talk to him, something about stalking his daughter. I think the girl is just too afraid of everything, but anyway,” she waved her hand, ”He claimed that a woman attacked his home and took Kazumin and ‘vanished from thin air.’” she tried not to hit Wulfric in the face with her air quotes. ”His home was a mess from what we saw.”

Wulfric looked over his shoulder, sending a frown at Zarai. “Claimed? If his home is a mess, then clearly, there was an attack.” He wasn’t sure what Zarai was doubting or trying to insinuate. His immediate thought was that the culprit was the same woman Calbert had indicted for the murder of his daughter. But that was just an assumption on his part. Still, if it was her, then it was thoroughly strange to him that she would choose to do this, now. In fact, the whole thing was odd. “So, you think that this woman, what, invaded his home just so she could kidnap Nagasa? Or–?”

”Well, of course there was. I’m not saying it wasn’t attacked.” Zarai rolled her eyes, she wasn’t an idiot. ”What I am trying to say is that the man isn’t very… friendly?” People like him and her parents weren’t exactly saints, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if someone who got sick of being punched down finally decided to strike back.

“Ah, I see,” Wulfric’s tone was one of realization. “You believe he got what was coming to him,” he stated sardonically. He gave Zarai a sharp smirk. “And you think you aren’t cut out for politics,” he needled her slyly.

As soon as he turned to his sister, Zarai gave the back of his perfect little head a mocking smile. ... and you think you aren’t cut out for politics. she mouthed with another roll of her eyes. Which was rewarded by a soft jab from Sir Barrios.

“Sounded like Kazumin and this chick knew each other to me. Calbert said they ran away together… Oh my… Do you think they’re in love?” Anastasia’s eyes sparkled at the idea and she smiled and cupped her own cheeks as she proclaimed, “That would be soooo cute!”

“Cute.” Wulfric turned back to his sister, a disapproving frown darkening his features. He was about to remind her that this was hardly the time for frivolity. But something else about what she’d said nagged at him. “Ran away together…Just what reason did Nagasa have to run?” he pondered. Because, no, this wasn’t the kind of situation where romance would play a part in.

At this point, he did turn to the guards who’d accompanied Anastasia, and queried them on the details. Such as what they’d seen and heard at the estate, if they had any further information on the attack, and if it seemed like there was anything like a proper investigation already ongoing.

“Well,” Wulfric said once that was done with. “This was certainly intriguing, but I do have some other matters to attend to. Whatever this situation is all about, I’m sure Damien will come running to the castle to say his piece sometime today yet,” he chuckled a tad darkly. It was bound to be fascinating, for more than one reason.

“See you,” he said idly as he went to get out. But then, he turned to Anastasia thoughtfully. “Oh, sister? Let’s meet up around 6 pm, if you’re free.”

”Sure! I’ll be there! Stay safe, Wulfy.”

“You too,” Wulfric retorted, then left.

After that, the group continued on their journey for some tasty grub.

[Blizz]

---

The General and her steed were peacefully trotting along, with her fancy hat on and ready for the hat contest. It only added to her well-dressed, dignified appearance that consisted of full military wear. She fed Lady Avarice another sugar cube, just before she was approached by a short woman. Another attractive lady coming towards her on her vacation after the previous two... If there was a god watching her, they were testing the General, apparently. White hair, multicolored eyes, short hair... Have mercy.

"Ah... Thank you. Though, that is not her real name, despite the announcer's sense of humor. The horse trotted up to Ruby, sniffing her hair and then gently nuzzling her with affection. Lyra titled her hat upwards and made eye contact with the girl. Her eyes were an unnaturally red color. Lyra seemed intimidating in a somewhat passive way, especially with the sword she had resting at her hip. "Her name is Lady Avarice. And I believe she likes you." Lady Avarice did, indeed, take a liking to Ruby. There was no hesitation or caution as she greeted the strange girl like a human world, braying gently into her hands.

"I don't believe we've met. Major General Carris, Baltyrian Armed Forces. And who might you be?"

@SausagePat

[Tae]

Leo & Thea

---

Thea had begun slowly making her way down the street after leaving Charlotte’s house. She needed to meet up with Leo, but she found she wasn’t really rushing at all as she was nervous about what she needed to talk to him about. While talking to Charlotte and even John had helped her in feeling a bit better, the dread of the morning’s events was washing over her once again. How would her brother react to the news about her now ex-fiance? How was her mother going to react? Anxiety had her trembling like a leaf and then there were the gunshots. Panic set in as she glanced around, unsure of where the sound came from. Was she in danger? Perhaps her mother had a point that she shouldn’t explore the city without a guard.

At first she simply began walking faster, but it quickly turned into a run as she did her best to fight back tears. Before she knew it, she was in the park and was forced to slow down due to the festival. She had a few people try and stop her to ask her if she was okay, but she barely heard them as she felt the world spinning some. Her head was pounding and she needed a drink desperately. Perhaps then she could calm down some. Finally she stumbled across a stand selling some mead. She made her way through the line and eventually bought herself a glass. She downed it right then and there before ordering another and walking away with it. Slowly she felt herself calming some and her mind cleared a little. The horse race…yes, wasn’t there a horse race today? Surely Leo wouldn’t miss that. With a deep breath, Thea began making her way to the racetrack.

It took her a little while to sift through the crowd, asking some familiar faces if they’d seen her brother yet. She’d managed to finish her second glass of mead now and finally found someone to point her in the direction they’d last seen her brother. She found him sitting down and she felt emotions wash over her once again, but did her best to keep her composure. She approached him, forcing a smile on her face as she took a seat next to him. ”May I join you, dearest brother?” She asked, unable to keep a quiver from her voice.

“Thea!” Leo immediately stood up and spoke her name with exaggerated enthusiasm to show her presence was always a welcomed one. “Just in time for the race.” He offered his brightest smile. He had noted the fragile shake of his sister’s voice when she’d spoken. Was it a bad day or just another difficult one? Either way, his job was now to improve Thea’s day however he could. So Leo put an arm around Thea’s shoulders and used the other arm to gesture toward the horses.

“Now I’ve placed a large bet on that horse right there, Lady Avarice, a steed named after greed absolutely has to have her sights set on gold. Except Duke Vikena has renamed the horses, so now I’m wondering if the horse now known as Queen Tulip the Bitch-Slayer has a chance of defeating Sir Ominous Dominus Black. Certainly, with a name like Sir Ominous Dominus Black that stallion will be looking to dominate this race. Quite the predicament. Will I leave here slightly richer than before? Or will I be enduring a painful lecture from our mother later all about poor horse choosing?” Leo whispered the information as if it were a closely guarded secret, and once he was done, he pulled his arm away from Thea, grinned, and shrugged.

In reality, he had picked the horse and rider he’d never heard of, considering the unknown a riskier, and thus more rewarding if correct, bet. But the point was not to discuss betting strategy, only to distract Thea with something ridiculous, non-troubling, and fun. “Have you placed a bet?”

Leo seemed to always know the best way to calm her nerves and make things fun, something Thea truly admired and often tried to do for him as well. She’d relaxed some as he’d put his arm around her and couldn’t help but giggle as he told her of all she’d missed so far. Surely their mother would be quite frustrated with him if he lost whatever money he bet. She wouldn’t even be surprised if she’d be mad that he bet anything at all, likely finding gambling to be a distasteful thing. All the more reason for Leo to do so and Thea to support him.

”My, it sounds like I’ve missed a bit! Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to place a bet, though I have a feeling I would have bet on the same horse as you. How could you pass up that opportunity with such a divine name?!” She said, a happier tone coming easier to her voice for now. She still knew she had matters to discuss with him, but for now there was no harm in both of them enjoying themselves. ”Even with the name change, I think your bet was a wise one. Sir Ominous Dominus may sound daunting and strong, but I personally think it sounds like he’s compensating for something, wouldn’t you agree? Perhaps he’s a little bitch.” She reasoned with a bit of a smirk, confidence exuding from her now. ”I think our lovely Queen Tulip the Bitch-Slayer will easily take Sir Ominous Dominus the Little Bitch down.”

Leo nodded along, listening with the same focus he used for only the most important discussions. A world in which their highest concern was merely the outcome of a horse race was a much better place to live in even if it was a facade fated to last only for a short while. “A bold claim but very sound logic. Ol’ Ominous Dominious out there just doesn’t seem to have half the vibrancy the Bitch-Slayer’s got.” Leo agreed. That much was true, even from a distance it was clear that from coat to saddle the horse now known as Queen Tulip the Bitch-Slayer received only the best care and attention, and the noble mare held a confident look that said she was more than ready to leave the competition in the dust. It was a sound bet.

“I think you showed up just in time to save me from torturous seconds of second-guessing, a sure sign my luck has finally turned around.” Leo added.

"I'm always happy to be your good luck charm." Thea said with a giggle and a nod as she glanced out at the competition, but slowly her face fell as her mind drifted to other matters once again. She fidgeted in her seat a little as she debated on speaking or not. How could she rob him of joy at this moment? Perhaps she'd wait until after the race. Or was it better to rip it off like a bandage? She wanted to scream at herself for being so indecisive. "Leo I…" She began and felt a wave of illness overtake her, but she pressed on. "I have news to tell you, but I fear you may be upset." She said in little more than a whisper.

“Life is full of upsetting news, but I try not to make a habit of shooting the messenger. Whatever you have to tell me, I can almost guarantee it won’t be the worse news I’ve gotten in the last year.” Leo would bet money on that statement too. Whatever her news was; it wasn’t pressing enough that she had led with it, and it wasn’t sensitive enough that it needed to be told in secret. So it would be manageable, but since Thea seemed anxious about whatever she needed to say, the horse race was quickly pushed out of his mind as he gave her his full attention.

Thea couldn't help but wince a little at his last words, knowing that was likely the truth. Still, she wasn't fond of adding to any stress her brother already had. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before she finally opened her mouth to speak. "Felix broke off the engagement." She glanced at him briefly, hoping to gauge his reaction to the news. "I made a mistake and went to his room drunk last night. I suppose my state resulted in me acting shamefully and I've scared him off. I always scare people off…" She began rambling, now looking away from her brother.

“Well, Felix has a stupid weasel face and is less interesting than a loaf of stale bread.” Leo spoke calmly, as if these were well-known facts, once Thea had paused. It was probably poor taste to speak of the prince like that, but that thought was much less important than the fact that Thea was hurting. He put an arm back around Thea’s shoulders. Even if she didn’t want to look at him, she would know he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Thea, anyone who is afraid because you have emotions, is not worth your time.
And you did not look happy around him last night, no marriage would ever be worth your happiness. You are worth more than that.” Leo offered this opinion in a soft and somber tone. There was the ‘pop’ of the starting gun, the sound of hooves against the track, and Lorenzo’s commentary filling the air but it no longer mattered. A small win would not fix his sister’s broken heart, and there wasn’t much Leo could do about it either. “You go ahead and be as scary as you need to be, I’ll be right here.”

The warmth of comfort spread over Thea and her brother’s words reached her ears, quelling her fears and worries for the time being. She leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder as she let out a small sigh, watching the horses take off. A rogue tear slipped down her cheek, but there was a soft smile on her face. ”How did I end up with the most wonderful brother ever? Thank you, Leo.” She said softly. After a few moments of silence and quite the interesting power struggle, the Bitch Slayer seemed to pull ahead and Thea sat up. ”Oh Leo, look! Oh how exciting!” She said, now with more enthusiasm as it seemed the horse Leo bet on was going to win.

“Of course. You will always get my best Thea.” Leo smiled, not a bit of it forced or faked; if he was going to do something right, at least let him be a good brother. The crowd picked up, excitement rumbled through the air. Surprise interference by a wayward bird even threw a bit of chaos onto the track. It was a close race but Queen Tulip the Bitch Slayer pulled through in the end. Leo clapped for the victor, mirrored the crowd's enthusiasm, and it was enough to just watch a horse race with his sister.

“Very, exciting. Good to see Sorian can still put on a proper horse race. Want to split the winnings? Since you brought all the good luck?” Leo offered.

Thea giggled, but shook her head as she smiled at him. "No, no. You won it fair and square Leo. Besides, if Mother found out you gave me money she might get upset thinking I'll use it to feed my addiction. Which, honestly, I might." She said somewhat jokingly with a shrug. "Thank you for helping relieve my anxieties and being the best brother, Leo. I think I might go back to my room and take a nap now." She said before throwing her arms around him in a hug. A few minutes later Thea was heading back to the guest house.

[JJ Doe]

Ríoghnach "Riona"

Interaction: Callum@Helo

Riona perused through the aisles of the shop, taking in the wide selection of spices, herbs, flowers, and roots it had on offer. Shelves upon shelves of jars and packets, each one holding a different blend of botanicals, lined the walls. Products that weren't on a shelf or hanging from the ceiling were arranged in their respective displays, inviting customers to take a closer look at their eye-catching colors and heady mix of scents, ranging from sweet and floral to pungent and earthy. The store seemed to have every imaginable botanical, including the more exotic and obscure ones, making it a place of endless possibilities for culinary exploration and experimentation. Riona didn’t come here to buy groceries, though. She came to buy ingredients for a very different kind of cooking.

Ideally, she would’ve grown the ingredients herself. It would’ve saved her a lot of money in the long run, but realistically, she didn’t have the time or energy to take care of the more difficult plants. Long story short, it was just easier to buy them… if she had the money for them, that is.

Riona audibly gasped at the outrageous price scribbled on the tag. How the f**k is this tiny bottle worth three months of my salary? She’d been searching for a particular root listed in one of Callum’s books that was a vital component of several potions. This root, called geshrow, turned out to be a challenge to find and, apparently, was going to be a pain-in-the-a** buying too.

After a rough calculation of her budget, she pursed her lips. With great reluctance, Riona returned the bottle to the shelf. She glowered at the label the entire time, silently wishing that her glare alone could shrink the numbers into an affordable amount. Her gaze remained fixed on it even as she backed away from the display, as if distance was the only reason the price didn’t buckle into submission.

Riona knew it was pointless, even careless, but she didn’t really know just how careless she was being until she backed right into another customer. She blurted an apology as she spun around to face the innocent bystander properly, then flashed a smile of recognition upon seeing Callum.

She was just about to follow up with a casual greeting when his guards came into view and they looked none too pleased with her. Had she collided into Callum as Riona the maidservant, and not dolled-up “Ms. Vos,” she didn’t doubt that they would’ve been on her like a pack of rabid dogs for hurting His Highness. Based on their demeanor, however, the guards weren’t going to let Ms. Vos go without a proper apology, even if she wasn’t a peasant.

As soon as she spotted the guards, Riona angled herself so that the wide brim of her hat eclipsed her face from them. When she curtsied, she was careful to do the style drilled into every debutante since the day they could walk—the one that, because of the long dresses, people didn’t seem to realize how much pliés, tendus, and rond de jambes were happening behind the curtains.

“Your Highness, I must beg your pardon and proffer my sincerest apologies. My senses were so enraptured by the enchanting colors and scents that I failed to take heed of my surroundings.” Riona covered her cheek and turned her head further away from the guards, pretending to conceal a blush that should’ve appeared if she was a proper Caesonian gentlewoman. “I pray that my inadvertence has not inflicted any harm upon your person… Your Highness.” She tried her best to avoid sticking the title Prince to Callum’s name or using the surname Danrose, but Riona couldn’t just call him Cal in front of his intimidating babysitters, now could she?

Her gaze traveled to the basket in Callum’s hand and instantly recognized what the items in there were for. “It appears that you possess a discerning palate. If it may not be too impertinent of me, might I recommend the spices over there?” Riona gestured towards the direction the blasted geshrow was located. If she wasn’t going to be able to use it, at least Callum could.

“May the remainder of your shopping bring you joy, Your Highness. It was a pleasure to meet you.” She gave Callum a polite bow before leaving him to his own shopping while she continued with hers. As much as Riona would’ve liked to chat, she couldn’t risk being recognized by the guards—a possibility that grew under their watchful eyes.

Even from a distance, Riona could tell how much happier Callum was outside the castle. His posture was more relaxed, his face lost some of the weary lines, and a faint smile appeared whenever he spotted something interesting. It was as if a weight had been lifted off of him, and he could finally breathe freely. At times like these, it couldn’t have been more obvious that court life didn’t suit him, much like Sadie.

In fact, the Caesonian Prince and Varian Princess had a lot in common, just enough for Riona to wonder if they’d make a good match. They were similar in age and they shared a passion for learning, always eager to expand their knowledge and understanding. Additionally, they were both compassionate, caring deeply for commoners, and held a strong aversion to the abuse of power and violence.

As Riona pondered further, she found herself increasingly drawn to the idea. Being children of the reigning “monarch,” they could understand and support each other in ways that others wouldn’t be able to. Given their shared beliefs and values, the odds of them clashing over ideology were essentially nil. Moreover, Callum would never mistreat Sadie (unlike that two-faced bastard Desmond), and Sadie could infuse Callum with a much-needed dose of optimism and positivity. They’d make a perfect pair, free to be themselves. Perhaps, with time, Sadie won’t be afraid to trust her heart to someone again, and Callum would learn to love him—

The shopkeeper's bell rang, and a breeze pushed its way inside. The air, still tainted with the lingering smell of burnt flesh, asked Riona if she had forgotten her promise. Why should any of the Danroses deserve what they denied her family, friends, everyone from her hometown? She ignored the tiny little voices that gave the answer she heard many times over, by lowborn and highborn alike, “By right of royal blood.” … Ha! The irony.

When Callum turned around and their eyes met, all Riona saw were Edin’s blue eyes. Suddenly, she’s 10 years old again. King Edin stood before her father and Lord Dantès as the blazing fire illuminated them. Sparks of that day landed on the fuse and ate her away. Riona stomped out the image as she rushed to the cashier counter and dumped her shopping basket onto it. “My apologies. I seem to have left my wallet behind. I shall return at a later date to make my purchase. Have a good day.” Without sparing Callum a glance, Riona bolted out of the store.

[Helo]

Time: 3:00 pm? Almost 3 pm?
Location: Super dank plants shop
Interactions: Riona@JJ Doe


“Your Highness, I must beg your pardon…”

Callum, who was very much standing where people were walking, lost in his head, became an obstacle in the way of an unfortunate shopper causing a collision. Except the shopper was not some random noblewoman, despite being dressed like one, but a familiar face. Callum smiled with recognition, but the use of ‘your highness’ gave him pause. Why?

Oh, right, the guards. Nothing like constant surveillance to fully shatter the illusion that he could be a normal person for a little while. Nope, still the problem child of a royal family whose every move and conversation had to be monitored and probably reported back to his brother.

“No harm done.” Callum returned the curtsy with a proper bow, and at least for once it was for someone he had real respect for and not someone he was just supposed to show respect to. “How about we try looking like we actually like our citizens.” He glanced back at the guards and demonstrated by frowning back at them and using his fingers to push the corners of his mouth into a smile. Their expressions did not change and it was clear these were certainly Wulfric’s sort of people.

“It appears that you possess a discerning palate. If it may not be too impertinent of me, might I recommend the spices over there?”

“I had excellent tudors.” That was entirely true; anything Cal knew about plants had come either from worn and well loved handwritten books or from Riona herself. And Riona knew plants the same way that some people just knew horses or how to hammer metal until it became something beautiful. Some people were just gifted like that. “Thank you for the recommendation. Enjoy your day as well.” If he had to put on an act in front of guards at least it did not have to be entirely fake.

Callum returned to his shopping and headed over to where Riona had indicated, looking over the variety of jarred specimens until he stumbled upon the same thing that had caught Riona’s eye.

The elusive geshrow root. A rare find, something he’d only read the name of, or seen a couple crude drawings of, in books. He wasn’t even sure it grew around here. One of those things you just don’t expect to find, at least not without really looking. But he hadn’t really found it had he?

So why hadn’t Riona snagged it? He wondered, and studied the jar, opened it to sniff for freshness, and tried to figure out if something was wrong with it. It seemed fine. More questions filled his mind. Was it dangerous? An obvious sign of illegal activity? Was he being assigned a dangerous task? Was he helping if he bought it? He tried to solve the minor mystery, never once even glancing at its price tag. Cal decided it had to be dangerous in some way and was nearly buzzing with excitement at the thought of doing something that was possibly helpful.

He glanced back in Riona’s direction, holding the jar, to indicate he’d gotten the message and he was definitely going to buy it. He was met with a look that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

Shit. Am I being annoying? Ruining her cover? That wouldn’t be helpful. He put the jar in with the rest of his stuff, and tried to mind his own business. But it was hard not to notice that Riona basically ran out the door, entirely empty handed, right after that.

Right. He was being very annoying and obviously just because someone talked to him while they were forced to be in his general vicinity didn’t mean they wanted to spend their free time helping him shop. And that was fair. He tried not to bother anyone else in the botanics shop before eventually paying for his stuff and leaving.

If he was going to be an annoyance today he certainly had someone in mind for that energy. Looks like it was about time to go find his sister.

[SausagePat]

Time:2pm?
Location:: The Horse Race
Interaction:: @Blizz Lyra

Ruby awaited a response to her impulsive gesture, which was actually on the subtle side for her. She turned her eyes toward the champion horse, and her face illuminated.

"Ah... Thank you. Though, that is not her real name, despite the announcer's sense of humor.”

Before she could reply, the horse started to approach her, bringing its muzzle right into her hair. She felt a tingly sensation as the animal sniffed away and finally brought its head onto her shoulder. Its massive head nearly pushed her hat right off. Ruby softly patted the horse’s nose and giggled. If I had as much skill with people as I do with animals, my life would be far different thought Ruby.

She glanced back over to the horse’s keeper, noticing her extravagant hat and kempt appearance."Her name is Lady Avarice. And I believe she likes you."

You could have fooled Ruby, even with a name like Queen Tulip the Bitch Slayer. “Lady Avarice! A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. I think we just became best friends.” she shouted, still infatuated with the creature. The woman then introduced herself to Ruby and that was when she noticed the sword by her hip.

General Carris of the Armed Forces.. A well-dressed lady with tact and presumably many skills. She did not know whether to feel intimidation or admiration toward such a woman. Something about her calmed Ruby.

“I don’t think we have [met]! My name is Ruby, Ruby Maeve. I am somewhat new in town. I just love events like this. Attended them all the time back home. Are you also entering the hat contest, or do you always look so fashionable while you ride?” Ruby look eagerly at General Carris. If someone didn't stop her from talking soon, they were both going to miss the contest.