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[color=00F8FE]Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Palace-Ballroom
Interaction: Auguste[@Inertia], King Edin & Queen Alibeth[/color]

[color=9FA1A4]Callum had been gravely mistaken to think that Sultan Kadir had spared them from hearing the entirety of their father’s speech. As soon as the Sultan left, Edin resumed from exactly where he’d left off, speaking as if his vitriol contained any pearls of wisdom. It was bad enough that Auguste and he had to suffer through it, but in front of mother too? For a man so often referred to as ‘your grace,’ King Edin surely contained none.

His immediate reaction would be to associate only with those his father disapproved of. But that, ultimately, would only bring him to his father’s level, using others as pawns had always been Edin’s game. Being the constant thorn in his father's side, a constant blemish to perfection his father craved, was for Callum a worthwhile pursuit, but to drag others along with him would only get them hurt. While Callum had limits to the lengths he would go, his father had none. 

Lady Mina was a well-read and strong-willed woman. It was no wonder his father disapproved of her. His eyes followed as his father pointed out the crimson-haired woman, he noted her wrapping a Shahzade around her elegant finger with ease. The two made a striking couple and the young prince could only wish them the best of luck. 

Similar praise could be said of the kind Lady Charlotte, an exception to the nest of vipers that slithered about the Caesonian court. Callum avoided her all the same, that family received more than enough of Edin’s foul temper and his presence could only add to it. 

Callum was not opposed to either marriage or love, in concept, but his life was not one he wished to share with another. His options remained; marry someone he actually cared for so that his father had a new target to use against him or find himself trapped in a mockery of the union to the type of person his father approved of and he couldn’t stand. His best hope was that his brothers would find suitable wives, his father would be appeased enough, and maybe, just maybe, he could spend his life in a peaceful monastery far away from all of this. Sometimes a pipe dream was enough to stave off utter hopelessness. 

There was Count Calbert, summoned like a wretched specter at the mention of his family name, dangling praise to King Edin the way a nanny would hold up a rattle to an infant. And just as said babe would delight at a rattle, so did his father at the count’s words. Callum could not stop the eye roll this time, how his father couldn’t see how easily the count used honey to hide his poisonous influence, was beyond Cal. While he held no grudge against the lovely Lady Violet, such a match would only strengthen the bonds between two men he hated above all others. 

[color=00F8FE]“What an [i]inspiring[/i] speech, enjoy your fluttering.”[/color] He spoke to Auguste once they were dismissed and out of earshot of Edin. He chose a path through the ballroom that kept him close to the walls, out of the way of most who were mingling, and headed towards the wine tables. The music that played through the ballroom was just enough to lift his spirits, soft and joyous melodies that helped block out much of the chatter. Few in attendance dared to stand in the way of a prince and so finding a spot at the somewhat crowded wine tables was easy enough. Mandatory dancing would begin soon enough and smiles and polite conversation were so much easier to fake once the warmth of inebriation had set in.[/color]