[center][url=https://fontmeme.com/signature-fonts/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/181005/41c405fb97b9e0467e0a0c258c7e14f0.png[/img][/url][/center]
[right][@Achronum] [@Trainerblue192][/right]
[color=CBBA2E][i]I am my Master's servant and I will endeavour to use my critical thinking skills to his advantage.
I am my Master's servant and I will endeavour to use my critical thinking skills to his advantage.
I am my Master's servant and I will endea—[/i][/color]

[i]BANG![/i]

Aaron nearly jumped out of his skin when Varis finally emerged, storming into the study with an outlandish outfit and a look in his eye that could strike fear into the heart of anyone who knew what they were looking at. The mage made haste to get out of his way, standing and moving aside as the Count looked over his work. His comments were scathing, and Aaron could only look helplessly on as Varis tore his papers to shreds. Something like an hour of work and upwards of 60 repetitions of that phrase - which was still bouncing around in his head - gone. And for what, his handwriting?

He bowed his head, defeated, at Varis' command before rushing out after him, having to dodge the front door as Varis slammed it. He could practically [i]feel[/i] the vitriol emanating from the vampire as they briskly crossed the campus, a presence which only exacerbated his nerves. An endless stream of questions regarding the Queen's visit still knocked around in his mind, peppered occasionally with repetitions of his lines like the lyrics of a bad song stuck in his head.

Aaron was pulled out of his thoughts suddenly at the edge of the forest when Varis turned on him, grabbing his tie and yanking him sharply down to his level. The words the vampire growled in his ear were laced with contempt, and the warning therein sent a chill up Aaron's spine.

He kept close to the Count as they continued through the forest, wary of straying too far lest the darkened path grow treacherous. All the while in his pocket, he fiddled mercilessly with his ring. He barely noticed the oppressive silence of the forest, so wrapped up was he in his own nerves. He felt imbalanced and utterly defenseless without his sword, he was on his way to see the Queen looking like a streetwalker (not to mention meeting the matriarch of the house less-than-affectionately nicknamed "The Devils") and on top of it all, he had to remain within three steps of Varis just to keep it all to himself. Needless to say, by the time they reached the gate he was wound up like a spring.

Luckily, a lifetime of training had its perks, and Aaron was able to carefully craft his composure by the time they made it up the drive. He was more than a little surprised to see Salem standing there and talking to the Princess alone; it took him a very confusing moment to realize that he was probably accompanying Lucan. But Lucan was nowhere to be found, and for once Aaron had no idea where he might be. Truth be told he hadn't been expecting to see anyone else; apparently he hadn't given it any thought, so consumed had he been in... [i]other[/i] matters. But of course Lucan would be invited; the vampire served the crown just as he did. 

Well. Just as he [i]used[/i] to.

Aaron bowed appropriately when they met the group, deeply to the Princess and inclining his head to Salem, falling back into his usual mannerisms and taking solace in the procedure. Formality had always brought him peace; he didn't have to think, didn't have to worry, he simply had to put on a mask and go through the motions. It was rehearsed, composed, and elegant, a welcome familiarity in an otherwise alien situation.

Still, he grew even more self-conscious when he saw how Salem presented himself; aside from the eccentric colour scheme, he was dressed far more appropriately for the occasion than Aaron was. Pushing his jealousy aside, he offered Salem a smile, hoping that Lucan had relayed his apology. If not, he'd have to make it tomorrow - now was [i]certainly[/i] not the time - but hopefully Salem would realize now why he'd had to leave so urgently. Hopefully he would at least understand, if not forgive him.

He was surprised, to say the very least, at the way Varis and the Princess greeted each other. Such familiarity bordered on disrespect, but the Princess was playing along; knowing what little he did of Varis, the thought of the two of them getting along struck him as very odd indeed.

But there was no time to puzzle, for now it was his turn. Aaron's ears burned under his hair when the Princess kissed his cheek, and he smiled, glancing down at the ground. Her comment about his outfit was expected, if not exactly welcome - displeasing the Queen was pretty much his worst nightmare, and he could have gone and thrown up in the bushes right then and there at the very thought - but Princess Ryner had a way of easing his nerves. Ever since childhood, when he had shadowed his mother on her duties, she'd always been a calming presence. Kind and gentle, a glowing example of the family Aaron so dearly loved. Which was why he almost took a heart attack when Varis insulted her. 

His eyes flashed to the Count, wide with shock and horror despite himself. How [i]dare[/i] he! He looked over to Salem, hoping for some confirmation that he wasn’t hearing things, but his shock only worsened as Ryner shot back good-naturedly, the two swapping insults like pet names. Aaron had only seen such behaviour between servants behind closed doors, and he had no idea what to make of it between a Count and the freaking Princess. 

He was distracted from his confusion when Princess Ryner made her introductions. He was interested to hear of Salem’s business origins, but of course what gripped him most was the Princess’ introduction of himself. He thanked the powers that be that his face wasn’t one to flush as he felt the heat in his ears again, heart swelling at her praise. Even to him it seemed a little excessive - if anyone was acutely aware of his shortcomings, it was him - but he was flattered nonetheless, and wasn’t about to argue. 

Of course, he could only be proud for so long as Varis struck up conversation. Aaron didn’t miss that little jab at Salem, but obviously the vampire’s much more direct insult grabbed his attention, more than sufficient to knock him down a few pegs. His ears didn’t stop burning, and were accompanied by a tightness of the gut that comes only from embarrassment; he stole a sidelong glance at the Count, happy Lucan wasn’t around to hear that but more than thoroughly mortified that Salem and the [i]Princess[/i] were. 

Clearing his throat, Aaron straightened and arranged his hands behind his back, posturing up as if to offset his growing discomfort. Was this Varis’ idea of a punishment for his mistake earlier? Humiliating him in front of the Princess? Not to mention the vampire was still refusing to call him by his name. Aaron was more accustomed to a yardstick across the knuckles or a swift smack to the back of the head than public ridicule, but apparently this was how things were going to be. 

Smiling, he looked between the others and nodded agreeably, as if the comment had been an astute observation as opposed to an insult. But when it came time to reply, he choked; in an instant he ran through a hundred different ways to phrase an answer, but he could arrange none of them in such a way that he didn’t need to answer with an address to Varis. An address he didn’t know yet. 

He combed back through the night and the night before, hoping to remember some form of formal address, but came up blank; he was sure that Varis had only dictated his preferred forms of address for private and casual situations. The usual form of address for a Count was Your Excellency, but Varis’ other preferred titles had already differed from the norm and—[color=CBBA2E][i]Oh.[/i][/color]

Deflating further, Aaron’s mind was flooded again by a few repetitions of his lines, already thoroughly memorized. He hoped he was wrong, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t. He [i]knew[/i] that phrasing had been intentional. It wasn’t a term, it was a [i]title.[/i]

Aaron took a breath, painting his smile back on as if nothing had happened. [color=CBBA2E]“Indeed, [i]Master,[/i]”[/color] he assented, glancing to Varis and then the Princess, [color=CBBA2E]“It would seem that I struggle with breaches of routine.”[/color]