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[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/3EdPgr4.png[/img][/center]
[Color=salmon][b]Time:[/b][/color] Evening
[Color=salmon][b]Location:[/b][/color] Caesonia Ball Room
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[i][sup][right][color=CFA36D]“Plot to humiliate”[/color][/right][/sup]
[sup][color=CFA36D]“Utter ignorance and cruelty”[/color][/sup]
[center][color=gold]“So selfishly and carelessly”[/color][/center]
[right][sup][color=gold]“Insignificant man”[/color][/sup][/right]
[color=d3c28b]“Sorry excuse”[/color]
[center][h3][color=d3c28b]“Pathetic”[/color][/h3][/center]
[right][sup][color=d3c28b]“Inexcusable behavior”[/color][/sup][/right]
[sub][color=d3c28b]“Arrogant”[/color][/sub]
[center][sup][color=d3c28b]“Letting your poor daughter take the blame”[/color][/sup][/center]
[right][h3][color=d3c28b]“Foolish”[/color][/h3][/right] “Jester”
[center][h2]“Fool”[/h2][/center]
[right][sup]“Poor man”[/sup][/right]“Grief stricken”

[center][h1][color=salmon]Duke Lorenzo Vikena[/color][/h1][/center][/i]

All were voiced and all applied to the middle-aged man that stood silently amongst the many faces of disapproval, hidden amusement, pity, and hatred. Lorenzo thought he’d be used to being on this side of things by now, but every failure birthed a freshest deepest wound to whatever pride and dignity he attempted to grasp. Was there even anything there anymore? He was afraid to search for the answer for he feared it would aid in taking him away from this world. To Emina? No, she was high in the heavens in a paradise without his sickening and lowly existence. He did not deserve such a place. All the suffering and shame he brought forth to himself and anyone unfortunate enough to connect to him would land him in the darkest depths of hell, alone, for his presence even in the afterlife might only draw in ruin. 

If the duke was exceptional at anything, it was the ability to just endure the harshness he deserved from his foolishness in the noble court. He could take it all in silence, without uttering a single retort. Not a crinkle of the nose, or even a slight rise of the eyebrow. He was strong as a mule in that guard, but…

[center][color=salmon][i]Lottie.[/i][/color][/center]

It was difficult to look down at Charlotte as she attempted to appear lower than even himself. Why had she done such a thing? Why was she trying to protect someone so worthless? He wanted to get her up from the floor, but he kept his body stiff so he could draw all of his focus on fighting the slight sting in his eyes. Lorenzo didn’t want to cry in front of all these people, but how could he not? To have so much hopefulness slip away from him, to find Charlotte begging to take responsibility for his foolishness. The man, if he could even consider himself one, promised he would take care of his daughter. To keep Charlotte not only safe from harm, from sorrow, and more importantly from shame. 

[i][color=salmon]Look at her… What have I done? Why have a hurt the last person precious to me in this way?[/color][/i]

Lorenzo’s silence was almost worrying if watched from afar after many had spoken in his stead. He was too pathetic to decide his own fate, so they attempted to do it for him. It was finally that he found himself addressed again by the Sultan of Alidasht himself. A king from afar, but a king no less.

[color=cfa36d]“What say you about this whole mess as you are the cause of all this drama?”[/color] 

He glanced up at the royal with a look of absolute defeat. Despite his sharp appearance, the man’s spirit was beaten down to the ground. He tried to keep his face stern, but he couldn’t help but glance down at Charlotte once more, knowing she was at stake. Lorenzo blinked rapidly as he attempted to be respectful and look Sultan Raif Kadir in the eyes. His attempt to answer was stopped by the uncontrollable quivering of his bottom lip. He clenched his teeth as his legs buckled and he fell forward on his hands and knees. There was a low groan but nothing else. His throat was constricted, struggling to swallow down a still-beating heart. He couldn’t fight it any longer.

Lorenzo sobbed, perhaps worse than during the funeral of his late wife Emina. Keeping his head down, the disgraced duke watched the tears run off his nose and splatter onto the polished marble floors. 

[color=salmon]“Emina… I-I am so s-sorry.”[/color] He voiced just above a whisper as he wept. [color=salmon]“Your highness… p-please spare my beloved daughter. She… She is the last shred of pride I have. I will do anything to atone. Just please leave my Lottie out of this. I beg of you. I will serve you, your children, your servants, your slaves, your…”[/color] He broke out into weeping again as he could no longer think of anything else. 
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