[center][h1][b][color=9354FF]Fritz "Ryn" Hendrix[/color][/b][/h1][color=9354FF]Time:[/color] Evening
[color=9354FF]Location:[/color] Damien Estate’s Ballroom
[color=9354FF]Interaction(s):[/color] Lord Cassius Damien (Cassius Vael) [@PapaOso][/center]
There was no denying the potent charm that emanated from Lord Damien—his calculated gaze from beneath hooded lids, rich velvet purr, and tactile approach held an allure. Ryn could only look on in admiration at such effortless magnetism, wishing he might bottle even a fraction of the lord’s self-assured charisma. Perhaps then, it would be easier for him to win people over.

Truly, there was much he could learn from this man.

Even while he savored the showmanship of Lord Damien’s florid flattery, some small part of Ryn’s mind remained coolly objective and analytical. He cataloged every detail to be dissected and assimilated into his own repertoire later. For Count Fritz Hendrix was but a studied composite of others’ idiosyncrasies.

However, when Lord Damien turned his compliments upon Ryn’s eyes, something shifted within. A surprised delight coupled with a dull, melancholic ache twisted in his heart. Seldom were his eyes the recipient of praise. More often, they inspired unease, revulsion, or worse—fear.

These bottomless grave-pits of darkness appeared soulless to some, hiding something monstrous to others. They were black mirrors reflecting whatever the viewer saw in themselves, including what they did not wish to see.

To have them called gentle felt… discordantly novel.

Ryn mustered a smile, a wobbly line at first until it steadied into a sturdier curve. [color=9354FF]“Thank you,”[/color] he managed, [color=9354FF]“you are too kind, my lord.”[/color] Channeling Lord Damien’s silver-spun eloquence would require far more practice and time for him, it seemed.

[color=9354FF]“Goodness,”[/color] he fanned himself with one hand, [color=9354FF]“is it just me, or did the temperature suddenly rise about twenty degrees? It’s a wonder you don’t have the entire ballroom swooning at your feet, Lord Damien. However is a mere mortal to withstand such devastating suavity in one go?”[/color]

Catching the pointed look Lord Damien sent in Lord Smithwood’s direction, Ryn remarked lightly, [color=9354FF]“Ah, but as the adage goes, ‘never judge a book by its cover alone.’ He has plenty of admirable qualities. He is one of Lady Vikena’s dearest friends, after all.”[/color] A conspiratorial wink. [color=9354FF]“If you truly want to steal her heart, as you’ve stolen mine, it wouldn’t go amiss to be on his good side.”[/color]

[color=LightSteelBlue]“Well, handsome,”[/color] Lord Damien announced, [color=LightSteelBlue]“I think it’s about time I go look for the watch over…[i]there[/i]. Come ask me to dance in a bit, if you’re bold enough.”[/color]

This time, Lord Damien received a smile from Count Fritz Hendrix that was an uncanny impression of Cassius Vael’s mannerisms—from the heavy-lidded smolder to the teasing lilt in his tone. [color=9354FF]“Oh, I assure you, my lord, it’s not bravery I lack, but restraint.”[/color] He leaned in to trail his fingers along the other’s lapel. [color=9354FF]“Had I not needed to check on a friend, I’d ask you to dance with me this very moment.”[/color]

[color=9354FF]“Alas.”[/color] Stepping back, he withdrew his hand with exaggerated reluctance. [color=9354FF]“Should the fates prove so cruel as to deny us a turn about the dance floor tonight, maybe the next time our paths cross, you can show me the ‘irresistible Cassius Vael experience,’ not fit for polite company.”[/color] With a courtly half-bow, a piece of Cassius Vael slid into place. The count said, [color=9354FF]“À bientôt.”[/color]

[hr][hr][center][h1][b][color=DAF6C7]Ríoghnach "Riona"[/color][/b][/h1][color=DAF6C7]Time:[/color] Night
[color=DAF6C7]Location:[/color] Damien Estate Ballroom
[color=DAF6C7]Interaction(s):[/color] Lordling Smithwood [@Helo]; Shehzadi Nahir [@Rodiak][/center]
Riona goggled at the nobleman as a high-pitched squeak piped from behind the lion mask. [color=DAF6C7][i]What in the hells was wrong with his voice?[/i][/color] Had Cal and her botched potion caused this?

There’s no way Sh*tlord would’ve mingled with the cream of society sounding like a mouse without becoming the butt of every joke. He must’ve been forced to keep to himself all day. Oh, and how much that must’ve bothered the arrogant prat, unable to preen and suffocate others with his insufferable superiority. An unbearable blow to his ego. The thought of the prideful lion forced into sheepish silence tickled Riona to no end.

A snort of laughter broke free from her. [color=DAF6C7]“Excuse me, I am terribly sorry,”[/color] Riona pressed a hand against her smile and tamped it down. [color=DAF6C7]“Your voice is just...not quite what I imagined. Rather adorable, actually,”[/color] her gaze dropped to his furry feet. Honestly, she never expected he’d wear any of the replacement footwear. But there they were. Did it mean he liked them?

A distraction arrived in the form of a brown-suited figure. [color=9354FF]“Pardon me, but I must excuse myself.”[/color] Eyes hidden in the shadows of his mask, the man said, [color=9354FF]“I’ll make inquiries about the watch, see if anyone might’ve come across it. Should that prove fruitless, I’ll request Count Damien to reach out to the guests.”[/color] A reassuring hand rested briefly on Lordling Smithwood’s shoulder before the stag turned to Riona and Shehzadi Nahir with a deep bow. [color=9354FF]“Ladies.”[/color]

As he straightened, the light hit his face at the right angle and illuminated his eyes. Riona’s breath hitched. This man’s eyes were... black. Not dark brown, but pitch black. Only a few people had that eye color naturally, and they were very dead. Unless the Summer Solstice Ceremony involved raising the dead, she doubted the stag-masked gentleman was any of them… Could he? Was he a distant relative, oblivious to what happened? If so, she wouldn’t dream of putting his life in jeopardy out of curiosity. She kept silent as she watched him leave.

A shrill voice broke through her trance, drawing her attention to the lordling. He held up a bracelet, asking if it might be hers. Riona knew it wasn’t even before looking at it. [color=DAF6C7]“No, it is not mine,”[/color] she replied. Her accessories held her ensemble in place. Without them, her outfit would soon become a heap of fabric at her feet. A state which, she was pretty sure everyone, including herself, would’ve noticed.

Lordling Smithwood explained that someone switched out his pocketwatch for a bracelet and wanted to check if the same thing had happened to her. Shehzadi Nahir chimed in, reminding Riona of the weasel-man who bumped into her earlier and his owl-masked partner. [color=904342]“Could they have been thieves?”[/color]

[color=DAF6C7]“If thieves, they are an odd sort,”[/color] Riona mused, [color=DAF6C7]“leaving their loot behind like that.”[/color]

She did a visual sweep of her person, craning her neck over her shoulders to check behind. All she saw were the folds and layers of her dress. [color=DAF6C7]“Nothing appears out of place,”[/color] she concluded. [color=DAF6C7]“I suggest reporting the incident to a servant. They can assist in the search for your missing pocket watch.”[/color]

To the Shehzadi, Riona asked, [color=DAF6C7]“And you, My Lady? Has anything been added or taken from your person?”[/color]

[color=DAF6C7]“Your shoes?”[/color] Riona tried to catch a glimpse of her feet beneath the swath of pink fabric. She thought she saw Shehzadi Nahir carrying her shoes off the dance floor too, but she might’ve misremembered. [color=DAF6C7]“Given how long we left our shoes unattended while we danced, it is fortunate they were not spirited away.”[/color]

Which brought her thoughts circling back to Lord Squeakypants and his decidedly non-traditional party shoes.

[color=DAF6C7]“Although had they gone missing, it would have been the perfect excuse to borrow a pair or two from Lord Smithwood’s collection. I hear His Lordship’s selection is rather eclectic, everything from diamond-crusted pin heels to rustic clogs.”[/color] She met Lordling Smithwood’s eyes. [color=DAF6C7]“Is it true you have so many shoes that they spill out into the hallway? An acquaintance staying at the guest house said servants were gathering up scattered footwear outside your room.”[/color]

[hider=TL;DR]Ryn was charmed by Cassius and appreciated his compliments. As tempted as he was to immediately accept the offer of a dance, Ryn prioritized checking on Olivia/Persephone, so followed Charlotte. But not before assuring Leo that he’d continue searching for the missing pocket watch.

Riona recognized Ryn’s eye color and chose to keep her mouth shut.

At Leo’s request, she checked herself but didn’t notice anything missing or added. She asked Nahir if she was missing anything too, which led to the topic of Leo’s shoe collection he decided to put on display in the guest house hallway.

[@PapaOso][@Helo][@Rodiak][@Potter][@princess][@samreaper][/hider]