"
You know of me? Splendid! Although I'm far from a simple inventor, no. To label me as such is to exclude my other many passions in life!"
He grabbed the red haired woman, linking her arm around his and spinning her around, carelessly, letting out another bellow of a laugh as he did so.
"
I even took a fall from that damned wall myself! Can you recall the passion? Soaring through the air, weightless, that rush of life filling you as death rose up to meet you from the ground?Contrasting the hopelessness of your failed invention refusing to keep you aloft, against all sound reasoning and courtesy? Well! Hannibal Bartleby Hughes and Senna Daher still live, damn you Oasis!"
His shouting was cut off as the other woman approached and began speaking. He stopped speaking, eyes losing their mirth as he realized who she was. He took a couple steps towards her, not caring if it threw the redhead trapped in his arm off balance, and examined her face carefully. He had known the girl's father, somewhat, he had come interviewing Hannibal about the Queen some time after he had been removed from the palace. He thought it was a foolish venture, what her family had done, but also disagreed with the severity of the punishment. His opinion of the Queen had fallen sharply since then.
Solemnly, he clutched the locket around his neck.
"
Ah, I recall receiving some fan mail from her. Terrible business that, your father was an intelligent man who was prone to foolish notions. I wouldn't be surprised to see him here in your place had circumstances been different."
Before he could continue further, movement caught his eyes, and he caught a bottle of red wine tossed at him from behind Aurelia. The grin returned to his face and he uncorked it immediately, the solemn spell broken. Still holding onto the bottle, he wrapped his other arm around Aurelia and began spinning once more, pulling her out of her saddle with abandon
humming as he did so. As if his willpower alone was enough to move the two women.
"
I would never be insulted by a lady's company though! Drink! The both of you! We'll be heroes by the end of this and need to celebrate as such!"
Perhaps indiscernible to the man in the back was a wink as he spun still humming. Whether in acknowledgement, or invitation, or just to get sand out of his eyes was any person's guess.
@Viciousmarrow@Rune_Alchemist@POOHEAD189