[center][h1][b][color=9354FF]Fritz "Ryn" Hendrix[/color][/b][/h1][color=9354FF]Interaction(s):[/color] Lorenzo [@FunnyGuy]; John [@Conscripts][/center]
[color=5486ae]"It's been...what...12 years since I left Caesonia..."[/color]

With the exception of a twitch of his fingers, the count showed no interest in the doctor's remark. [color=9354FF][i]The good Dr. Williamson originally hailed from Caesonia, did he? Why did he leave?[/i][/color] There were plenty of reasons to leave Caesonia. Dr. Williamson could have left for perfectly innocent reasons, such as his family simply wanting a change of scenery or there being better business opportunities in Varian that Caesonia could not provide. There were families out there who fled the country for reasons rooted in iniquity, however. Ryn was interested in finding out which side of the spectrum the Williamsons’ reason for moving lay, because if it involved the Danroses, he might be able to use that information to his advantage. 

The thought left a bitter taste in Ryn’s mouth, but he swallowed his conscience down. 

[color=5486ae]"... so I don't remember much at all the food here. If you don't mind introducing us to your kingdom's exquisite culinary art, Duke Vikena."[/color]

The count faced the dazzling assortment of foods placed on the table [color=9354FF]"Oh yes, please do!"[/color] Ryn made an exaggerated motion of inhaling the scent. His nostrils caught a whiff of some of the more aromatic dishes on the table, but they were overwhelmed by the amalgam of perfumes in the air. Such a waste, really. He’d have to wait for his nose to get desensitized to the perfumes first. [color=9354FF]"These… look absolutely delectable!"[/color] He randomly pointed at one of the dishes, [color=9354FF]"Such artistry! What is this one? I’ve never seen it before."[/color]

A lie. It was Ryn’s first, arguably second, lie he told since he arrived at the party —one of many he suspected he would be telling. He didn’t consider his greeting to the King to be a lie, though. It was, in fact, [i]a great pleasure to finally meet His Majesty[/i]. Ryn waited his entire life to see the man in person. Many nights, he dreamt of how he would confront them. The days spent training and learning, just so he could stand here. Knowing that it wasn't all for naught was a reward in and of itself. It goes without saying that Count Hendrix wouldn’t have existed if it weren’t for the Danroses. So of course it was gratifying to meet them.

The truth, in this case, was that Ryn already knew what every Caesonian dish on the table was. Which ones were commonly eaten in the country on special occasions and which ones were typically reserved for the privileged. He knew what the main ingredients were and how they were traditionally cooked. His family made sure that he knew the proper way to eat them in the presence of nobles, too. Whatever dish the duke decided to talk about didn’t matter to Ryn; what mattered was getting Duke Vikena to start talking about something. Anything to shift his focus away from the accident he caused and his deep-seated self-doubt. 

Ryn listened intently to Duke Vikena as he spoke. Smiling encouragingly whenever the duke's mind seemed to sink back into negative thoughts.