[table][row][/row][row][cell][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/S98vWKh.png[/img][/center][/cell][cell]
[color=#50b0f1][center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220311/27efd277073263c7d99ebe605d1cfab8.png[/img][/center][/color]
[indent][hr][/indent][hr]
[indent][sup][color=ab274f]Attire:[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/IIomrbO.jpg]No cloak[/url]
[color=ab274f]Time:[/color] 12:00 pm
[color=ab274f]Location:[/color] The Entrance Hall -> His [url=https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/022/692/048/4k/jonathan-benainous-victorian-office-render-green-v2-004.jpg?1576346211]study[/url]
[color=ab274f]Mention(s):[/color] [@Heartfillia] Crystal, [@princess] Charlotte
[color=ab274f]Interaction(s):[/color] [@Helo] Callum, [@princess] Edin
[/sup][/indent][/cell][/row][/table]Wulfric nodded at the departing Lady Crystal, who managed to get entangled with Auguste as soon as she left his table. He quirked up a curious eyebrow, and wondered if it really was all so unintended on her part as it seemed. Maybe she [i]did[/i] possess some deviousness, despite her apparent naïveté.

Be as it may, he had been at this event for the required hour, and felt as if he had had enough. Nor were there any others he was much inclined to speak to. Besides, as he’d said to Crystal, he did in fact have some other minor business to attend to.

Standing up smoothly, he gave the crowd another bow. Turning on his heel, he smirked to himself, and departed.

Before leaving the hall, however, he first stopped by Callum’s side. [color=ab274f]“Come meet me in my office once you are done here,”[/color] he leaned down to murmur, and briefly laid a palm upon his brother’s shoulder.

Then, he made his way towards Edin. [color=ab274f]“I will be taking my leave now, father,”[/color] he informed the king briefly but politely. [color=ab274f]“It has been an hour, and there is hardly any in that throng remaining who would be worthy of my attention.”[/color] He curled his lips into a haughty smile, and met the older man’s eyes with a look that invited understanding.

Wulfric waited to be dismissed officially, then left. Though he wanted to drop his expression as soon as he’d turned around, he let it fade in a more natural manner. At the back of his mind was a thought he was habituated to ignoring. One which reminded him that [i]his father[/i] was the one unworthy. Unworthy of ruling, and unworthy of [i]existence[/i], that was.

But, as was his wont, he pushed that nagging feeling back into the unconscious.

For now, there were a few things he wished to cross off his to-do list. 
[center]***[/center]
Once in his study, he flipped through one of his smallest notebooks – titled [i]'Dailies'[/i] – to the most recent entries.

The last note, on the beginning of a new page (which was marked with today’s date), was a simple one: 

[i]C. F. Hendrix[/i]

That was obviously in relation to this morning. Wulfric took a pen, and made another addition below:

[i]Layla – absent; phys., psych.?[/i]

The former referred to the two counts of her physical absence – the afterparty, the morning meeting – and the latter, to her brief distraction during their conversation.

He tapped his pen next to the two names as he considered them. His idle action stained the page with ink blots, but he cared not.
 
They were but two…of several guests.

[color=ab274f][i]…Guests.[/i][/color]

Guests, who as so happened, had a whole [i]guest residence[/i] they’d been put in. It would be no hardship to have someone mark their comings and goings. Not only of the two he’d been most recently thinking about, but [i]everyone’s[/i].

Anything that was unusual had to be known. To recognize the unusual, of course, one had to know what was usual.

Perhaps it was time to expand upon that good old nobles’ staple – servant spies.

Satisfied with that decision, he browsed a drawer for another notebook. This one was designated as [i]'Measures'[/i]. He thumbed through to the first empty page, and divided it into two columns with a line which, for being handwritten, was surprisingly neat. He wrote [i]'Imprv. – Intel'[/i] atop the first column. Atop the second one, he made a similar notation of [i]'Imprv. – Security'[/i].

For a moment or two, he simply stared at the blank columns. His temple throbbed, and Wulfric frowned as he rubbed it. With a sigh, he once again reached into the drawer, and took out his bottle of painkillers. He swallowed two pills dry, and his gaze happened to stray to the still opened [i]'Dailies'[/i]. The last entry for the previous day read:

[i]L. C. Vikena – tea; inv.[/i]

[color=ab274f][i]Ah.[/i][/color] Wulfric blinked. He did recall saying something of that nature to her, but he had not yet issued a proper invitation.

[color=ab274f][i]Well, then.[/i][/color] Since he expected Callum to arrive shortly, Wulfric decided to accomplish the simpler task first. He called for refreshments to his office. Then, while sipping at a cup of tea to set the proper ambiance, he wrote the following:

[hider=Letter]

[hr][center]The First Prince to the Lady Vikena
Sorian, Sola 21.[sup]st[/sup] 1739[/center][hr]
Madam,

as I was enjoying a very early afternoon cup of excellently prepared tea, I happened to recall our conversation at the ball. Last night, I issued your Ladyship an invitation to tea, which to my delight, you accepted. We did not yet discuss the details for a potential meeting, which I wish to rectify. If you have no other obligations, and so desire, you may find me at The Oasis Tea Cafe, Today, at [i]XX pm[/i]. I realize I am notifying you of this on a discourteously short notice, so I will understand if you are unable to send a return letter, or if you cannot join me. In the latter case, I am confident we will be able to arrange another, better time to meet.

If we do not see each other for the rest of today by happenstance or otherwise: I wish you a good day. My blessings, too, for the challenging evening I expect you may have. Do recall, you can rely on Auguste. Nor should you forget your own valour; you have shown it in an exceedingly difficult situation. Believe that you will be able to face future demands, whether today or any other day – I do – and hold yourself with confidence.

Respectfully,

[right]Prince Wulfric A. Danrose[/right]
[/hider]
Once written, the letter was carefully put into an envelope, sealed, then sent off.