[center][h1][b][color=DAF6C7]Ríoghnach "Riona"[/color][/b][/h1][color=DAF6C7]Location:[/color] Outside the Castle
[color=DAF6C7]Interaction:[/color] Leo[@Helo][/center]
“You! You go get cleaned up and get in your proper uniform. Then bring Princess Anastasia some breakfast since you seem to love staring her down!”

Riona imagined herself flipping the bird or telling him to get the damn thing himself, but she kept her mouth shut and waved in confirmation. Darryn’s fate was far more important. The guards won’t take up more of her time.

Darryn was nowhere in sight when Riona reached the entrance hall. A mixture of relief and anxiety filled her. Relieved to see that they didn’t execute him on the spot just to prove a point to the after-partygoers. Anxious because it meant that they’d do it away from their guests’ eyes. They would still kill him. There’s no doubt about that. They just wouldn’t do it out in the open. It’d be behind closed doors with either his executioner as his only audience or a room full of “problematic” staff to remind them what happens to people who displeased the crown.  

Riona looked around until she noticed Callum. The only person who, Riona knew without a doubt, wanted to prevent the execution as much as she did. She took a couple of steps forward, then stopped halfway when he spoke to his brother.

[color=00F8FE]“...It matters to me that no further harm comes to Darryn and I’d be, [i]distraught[/i], if it did.”[/color]

A small smile replaced her frown. She expected no less from Callum.

And yet…

[color=00F8FE]“Distraught enough I might forget how important image is to this family and I don’t want to be the cause of any incidents.”[/color] 

The frown returned as she heard the tune to an all too familiar dance play again.

[color=00F8FE]“So maybe you can help me, Wulfric, you make sure no more harm comes to Darryn and I keep my mind focused on staying in line with the image you want for this family.”[/color] 

[color=DAF6C7][i]And what good has that ever done in the long run?[/i][/color] The maid wondered how a brilliant mind could be so stupid sometimes. He had to remember that he’d been down this road already. He knew the ending to this theatrical performance, but he kept following the script. Worse, each time he used the “threat,” it lost its power because nothing came of it. Even in his defiance, Callum remained obedient.

[color=00F8FE][i]“...They are my family, I’m not going to get another one, and no matter where I go I’d still be one of them. Maybe it’s better to suffer with company than alone.”[/i][/color]

Riona bit the inside of her cheek and turned away. 

On the other side of the foyer, barefoot Lord Smithwood looked irritated at the servant who brought him new shoes. Without a word of thanks or caring to look at the face his servant made, he grabbed the pair of shoes and put them on his feet. Then he left through the main doors without delay. And just like that, what Riona did was rendered meaningless. Her actions, like Callum’s hollow threats, were brushed aside as a mild inconvenience. The powerful getting away with everything without consequence. Business as usual.

Powerlessness reared its ugly head. It wrapped its tendrils around her, the fire within her, ready to snuff it out and drag her down into a dark place. The sparks lashed out. [color=DAF6C7][i]No.[/i][/color] Riona’s body moved before she had time to think about it. [color=DAF6C7][i]No.[/i][/color] Feeding on the anger still there, Riona propelled herself to walk faster. [color=DAF6C7][i]No.[/i][/color]

She refused for it to end like this. Something, [i]anything[/i], had to come out of [i]this[/i]. Even if that something was a small dent. It might not amount to much now, but maybe somewhere down the road, it would. Each word that hit the small dent could make a deeper, wider dent, and one day they’ll finally penetrate and sink in.

In the back of her mind, Riona knew she was conflating her reasons for working under the Danroses with her desire to bring Lord Smithwood down a peg or two. Gods, she couldn't even deny that she was using him as an excuse to vent her anger. She needed this, though, to keep her from drowning in hopelessness; to stay sane, so that she could go on a little longer.

Once the maid caught sight of the Varian lord, she picked up speed to cut in front of him. She stopped a few feet away from him before turning to face him. Riona moved closer to Lord Smithwood, ignoring his annoyance and invading his bubble. Every time he backed away, she closed the gap. When she was near enough, Riona smeared a generous amount of mud mixed with manure from the bottom of her boots onto the lord’s brand-new footwear.

Silently, she apologized to the servants who’d have to clean the mess. She hoped that her next words, ones that they couldn’t say to his face (and ones she wanted to say to all pompous nobles), would make up for it. 

Riona somehow looked down at the taller man in front of her. [color=DAF6C7]“Let’s cut to the chase. I’d call you a piece of sh*t, but at least you can use that as fertilizer. So, I’ll call you a piece of trash instead. You, Smithwood, are a piece of trash. And a duke who's trash can only make a garbage duchy.”[/color] Riona let out a breath. [color=DAF6C7]“I feel sorry for your subjects. Really, forced to deal with your attitude for the foreseeable future? [i]Ugh[/i]. They’d be better off without you as their leader.”[/color] Their eyes locked on each other. [color=DAF6C7]“I don’t know how you deluded yourself, but your people don’t actually need you. You’re the one who needs them. You’re only ‘up there’ cause there're people holding you up, you ungrateful snot. Treat them better.”[/color] She shrugged, [color=DAF6C7]“Or don’t. Just don’t act surprised if you find yourself in an early grave.”[/color]