[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/PLyfcLV.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/wPyT7ht.png[/img][/center] [color=E77298]Time:[/color]8:50am --> 9am [color=E77298]Location:[/color] Medical Chamber in Danrose Castle [color=E77298]Attire:[/color][url=i.imgur.com/ngEDMGH.jpg]Dress[/url] [hr] The feeling of cold water on her face was not ideal to wake up to. The girl with pale blonde hair did not have enough energy to do more than flutter her eyes open to the sight of her mother, barely noticing the maid with the cloth by the bedside. There was a look more frigid than even the water as Alibeth stared down at her. Alibeth's hair was in a tight bun and her face was adorned in makeup. The queen wore a regal dress as if she were expecting company. Anastasia simply stared back at the brunette queen as she tried to register the events of the night before. Her head was pounding with an awful headache and she felt fatigued. [i]Alcohol...Dancing... Pain...Then Wystan's face in her hand. [/i] Very few blurry images that could not be strung into a story were all she had. She must have overdone the drinking again. [color=E77298][i]Oh well.[/i][/color] [color=D8BFD8]"Nice of you to join us, Anastasia."[/color] Alibeth greeted her finally, though her tone was without amiability. Anastasia met her eyes silently. They had been caught to some extent, but how many of them had been? She wasn't sure what to say as Alibeth took a seat on her bed, her gaze studying her. [color=E77298]"Where's...Callum?"[/color]Anastasia finally asked. Her brows furrowed and she began to weakly sit up on her palms, [color=E77298]"Is he okay?"[/color] Alibeth gestured to a nearby bed. His dark hair could be seen over the rim of the blanket as he slept. The queen narrowed her eyes as she lowly sneered, [i][color=D8BFD8]"I hope so for your sake."[/color][/i] Anastasia's expression saddened, her gaze not returning to her mother's. [color=D8BFD8][i]Was Callum hurt? Why is he here... Why are we...[/i][/color] Her gaze took in the white room of the medical chamber, taking in her surroundings until she noticed King Edin himself asleep on a couch. For once, Anastasia was very shocked. It was very uncharacteristic for him to ever want to sleep anywhere but his own bed. Alibeth leaned in by her shoulder, following her gaze. [color=D8BFD8] "He's been here all night."[/color] [color=E77298]"Why... Aren't we just hung over? We would have been fine in our rooms."[/color] [color=D8BFD8]"[i]Hung over[/i]? Anastasia, you coughed up [i]blood.[/i]"[/color]Alibeth was now emphasizing incredulously, [color=D8BFD8]"We thought you were poisoned. We could barely keep you two awake!"[/color] When her daughter neglected to answer, she continued, [color=D8BFD8]"You endangered your own little brother, your friends, our guests, and even [i]our country.[/i] You realize that, don't you? "[/color] [color=E77298]"Everyone else was like us too?"[/color]The princess asked, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. [color=D8BFD8]"Anastasia, we had to bring the Sultan's son back sobbing as if he was a toddler once again. He could not walk and was in a state similar to Callum's... Then the two daughters were suffering minor effects but effects all the same..."[/color]Alibeth continued to whisper with venomous anger in her ear, [color=D8BFD8]"If you thought their reaction to Lorenzo Vikena was bad, how do you think he is going to take something like that? That, someone, DARED to do that to his son? Oh, and here's the cherry on top, we found the Grand Vizier's son there in bad shape too. A man much less merciful than the Sultan if you recall."[/color] Anastasia was at a loss of words. She did not understand why people were in a state like this. Had someone infiltrated the party to hurt them? Marek was such a sweet man and he'd never let anyone get hurt at his party normally. She would have never taken anybody somewhere she thought they'd get hurt. Tears streamed down her face. [color=E77298]"I don't understand... I don't even..."[/color] She tried to focus but the memories would not form and it only made her headache worse, [color=E77298]"I can't remember anything."[/color] [color=D8BFD8]"Where did you bring them? [i]Who[/i] did you bring them to?"[/color] [color=E77298]"He's my friend! He'd never hurt anyone. It's a safe place. Callum and I have gone before. Mother I would [i]never[/i] bring Callum or anyone somewhere I didn't think was safe for them."[/color] Anastasia defensively explained to her. She slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed to sit at her side. [color=D8BFD8]"Your friend!"[/color]Alibeth snapped back at her and whirled her head to glare at her, [color=D8BFD8]"Your judgment is as reliable as [i]a teapot made of chocolate. Who. is. he?[/i]"[/color] Anastasia stared back wordlessly. A laugh without humor escaped the queen's lips. She grabbed Anastasia's shoulder. [color=D8BFD8]"I should have known you'd choose others over your own family. Who is it going to be? Him or your family? Who do you care about more?"[/color] She coldly demanded. When Anastasia did not answer, a look of complete betrayal crossed her face, [color=D8BFD8]"If you are insistent on protecting a criminal, you will be treated like one."[/color] Alibeth rose to her feet and yanked her up by her arm. [color=E77298]"Ow!"[/color] [color=D8BFD8]"Oh hush. That's nothing compared to the stress you are causing me."[/color]Alibeth bitterly retorted and dragged her out into the hall. Once down the stairs, she let her go none-too-gently. Anastasia stumbled into the center of the hall. [color=D8BFD8]"Everyone who attended the party will be meeting us here now, Anastasia, along with their [i]parents[/i]."[/color]Alibeth announced, [color=D8BFD8]"And if I do not hear that man's name out of your mouth, there will be [i]HELL[/i] to pay, for perhaps all of us."[/color] She moved up to her daughter with a look that could kill, [color=D8BFD8]"Someone needs to be blamed or we might have a war on our hands."[/color]