[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0Hh7rGs.png[/img][/center]
[color=00F8FE]Time: Morning
Location: Danrose Palace Entrance Hall
Interaction: [@princess] Queen Alibeth/King Edin/Anastasia [@ReusableSword] Roman [@Rodiak] Nahir/Zarai [@Silverpaw] Wulfric [@Infinite Cosmos] Munir [@13org] Mayet [@Lava Alckon] Farim [@Tae] Saiya/Sultan

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[color=9FA1A4]Callum moved away from Anastasia and looked toward his mother as she started speaking. His mother continued with the expected speech; how disappointed she was in them all and her expectation of apologies from them all. The idea of a curfew was ridiculous, acting like a party was some sort of nefarious affair seemed even more absurd. 

Then she had guards drag out a bruised, bloody, and scarred Darryn and Cal felt everything turn cold. He knew before she said it, what her plan was, and a brief glance at his mother showed nothing but a cold expression. It wasn’t how he usually saw her, it was a side of her he often tried to forget existed, the part of her that was just as much of a monster as Edin. The king it seemed had very little to do with what was happening now, it was all his mother who was standing there casually condemning a man to die. There was no amusement at watching Edin breathlessly shamble in, only the sinking feeling of dread that caused the color to drain from his face even before Alibeth spoke the words he knew were coming. 

[color=a187be]"[i]Today, he will die for his crime[/i]."[/color]

Callum’s eyes shot to Wulfric as his brother spoke, a cold, angry, stare and nothing else. He’d told Wulfy he wasn’t playing this game and wouldn’t fall in line while they made sure someone suffered for this just so his family could save face. Did Wulfric think he was bluffing? 

Mayet had voiced her displeasure at the situation, at least someone else here could see what his family was trying to do. He could use that, at least one of the Aldidashti wouldn’t be satisfied seeing an innocent man blamed for this, he could make this decision look worse for them. His family didn’t care about the blood they spilled but they did care about appearances. He glanced at Wulfric before he spoke, [color=00F8FE][i]I did tell you I wouldn’t go along with this[/i][/color], he thought. 

[color=00F8FE]“The Shehzadi is absolutely right, a servant follows orders and Darryn simply followed mine. To use him as a scapegoat to try and both protect me and as appeasement is not only ridiculous but insulting to our guests. As I have already told my dear brother here, I ordered the stable boy to take us to the warehouses, just like I roped Anastasia into rounding everyone up last night to accompany me on yet another ill-advised outing. Secret parties aren’t new here; we get invitations from someone whose face we never see, and a location, that is all I know. I thought it’d be a good time, thought our guests would have a good time. Clearly, I was wrong.”[/color] He said doing his best to keep the spite from his tone and trying to only sound sincere. 

Callum didn’t waste a single thought thinking of how anything he said would reflect on him or the Danrose family. If he couldn’t embarrass them out of executing Darryn then he’d make them regret it. He could keep talking, he could always find more things to say while he was in front of the all-important Alidasht guests to drag the Danrose name through the mud. He wondered if he could count on Edin to do as he always did; to blame his youngest for everything that went wrong. Despite how entertaining it would be to hear his father defend him, for once he found himself hoping he wouldn’t. 

[color=00F8FE]“So, my sincerest apologies for bringing our guests along on my dangerous outing. And I ask of his majesty the Sultan, and his family, how I can right my mistake. Surely penance from the offending prince is a better offering than the execution of an innocent man.”[/color] Callum spoke looking only at the Sultan and his family, hoping they’d prefer his offer. [/color]