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[indent][sup][color=ab274f]Attire:[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/IIomrbO.jpg]Click here[/url]
[color=ab274f]Time:[/color] 9 am
[color=ab274f]Location:[/color] Danrose Entrance Hall
[color=ab274f]Interaction(s):[/color] [@princess] Anastasia
[color=ab274f]Mention(s):[/color] [@Helo] Callum
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[indent][/indent]Wulfric silently stood by his mother’s side as she made her speech. Her approach was largely similar to the one he’d thought best. [color=ab274f][i]But what finesse! The demanding concern, stern admonishments, the inducement of guilt, and her parental disappointment! And all genuine, yet used with such surgical precision…[/i][/color] It was a joy and an honour to behold, though he kept the satisfied admiration well to himself. His bearing and expression matched the queen’s haughty severity, and he regarded the group in front of him coolly.

He wondered what gifts his mother would grant, but aside from ensuring their high quality, the items themselves did not matter all that much. The gesture itself would be enough to foster good will with the disgruntled nobles. The gift-giving was the only thing that had not intuitively come to mind when he’d initially considered how [i]he[/i] would resolve this situation. Otherwise, the queen’s actions came as no surprise.

Indeed, from promising increased security, to allocating personal guards to their guests, apologizing to them for their oversight, and to finding some appropriate servant to blame, these were the very things Wulfric had suggested should be done to his father. However, he was quite content that the executor of these demands and reassurances was his mother. Certainly, Edin wouldn’t manage to handle this appropriately.

[color=ab274f][i]Speaking of the devil.[/i][/color] His head turned at the door swinging open, and he beheld the entrance of his father. The old man was still winded. Without any thought whatsoever to his image or the significance of his words, Edin clearly meant to apologize for Callum. Wulfric’s eyes flashed in anger, but retained his façade of neutrality despite the sudden (yet brief) flare of loathing.

[color=ab274f][i]You. You instilled that damnable self-blame in him. The cause of his would-be martyring for this[/i] shitshow [i]if you or Callum had it your way.[/i][/color] It was so [i]obvious[/i] – but only now, in retrospect. After all, his youngest brother had [i]never[/i] seemed to care no matter how much his father had cursed and censured him before this; had in fact, took pride in it. Yet, their previous conversation revealed that, at least partially, Callum must have taken their father’s [i]poisonous nonsense[/i] to heart.

Thankfully, the queen’s silent rebuke was enough for Edin to stop in his tracks. The king then silently went to his wife’s side, and Wulfric followed his movements with interest. [color=ab274f][i]So, you[/i] can [i]be brought to heel.[/i][/color] Tendrils of dark delight unfurled within his chest at the scene. It was quite the rare treat he’d just witnessed, there.

He’d barely spared a glance at the stable boy when he’d been brought in, and was supremely indifferent to his plight. It was only proper and sensible that he be executed, to be sure. 

After letting a moment of silence ring after the queen pronounced her judgement of Darryn, Wulfric decided to pitch in. [color=ab274f]“If any of you,”[/color] he let his gaze pass from peer to peer, lingering a tad longer on the noble children of Caesonia, [color=ab274f]“has an inkling as to this event’s organizer, or if you wish to relay any other pertinent details, please do speak up.”[/color]

He briefly took in Callum, then finally settled on Anastasia. [color=ab274f]“Dear sister,”[/color] he began thoughtfully after a moment, as if something had just occurred to him. [color=ab274f]“You and our brother are rather familiar with various forms of…[i]entertainment[/i] here in Sorian, are you not?”[/color] This was a rhetorical question. [color=ab274f]“Was this simply some random, mysterious party you were all invited to? Or could you perchance provide us with the name or names of any who might have hosted such a thing?”[/color] His tone was full of innocent curiosity as he tried catching Anastasia’s eyes. 

Though he was taking a bit of a risk here, calling out his siblings that way, he believed his words and demeanour conveyed that he did not [i]truly[/i] suspect or doubt them. No, it was instead a mere expression of his genuine belief that someone took advantage of them. Though he expressed not an ounce of his misgivings, Wulfric was privately skeptical they’d admit to anything. These two were still so trustingly naïve, after all…

Regardless of his inner reservations, however, he was now in the role of a concerned brother, and of a prince eager to learn more. All in aid of resolving this matter as swiftly and efficiently as possible.