[h1][center][color=BBC7E1]Charlotte[/color] & [abbr=1.) a state of disorder or disrepair; broken 2.) peaceful ruler]◆[color=9354FF]◆◆◆◆[/color][/abbr][/center][/h1]

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[color=BBC7E1]"...I beg your pardon?"[/color]

[color=9354FF]“Have you considered the possibility of magic?”[/color] The count said casually, as if he asked Lady Vikena if she considered trying osmanthus infused in green tea. An exotic blend by Northern Kingdom standards, but nothing harmful and completely normal in other parts of the world. Adventurous suggestion at best, had it not been about magic. 

[color=BBC7E1] “I, umm…”[/color]  

She had watched the Count perform the card trick, revealing the blank card. That had not been startling. She had seen such a feat many times before. But Count Fritz had been clear he was alluding to a different type of magic. At first, she had pondered what that could possibly mean, but deep down she knew: He was alluding to the magic she read about in stories. The card trick was simply to allude to the idea that things are not as they seem.

 The type of magic that had a character pursued by a mob of frightened zealots. A story usually ending with the individual burning at the stake for their witchcraft.  [color=BBC7E1][i]Such is all fiction and wives' tales surely. [/i][/color] The thought had crossed her mind but not her heart nor her gut. Her gaze fell on Thea as she had reacted to the card trick but seemingly missed what else Count Fritz had said. Charlotte found this odd as she had noticed Thea had been paying attention.   She rose to hug her friend and bid her adieu. 

He bid the young Lady farewell and gave her one of the chocolates as a parting gift. His unwavering smile hid the sliver of wariness he felt from her abrupt departure. While she was quick to come to his defense concerning the card trick—demonstrating the kind-hearted soul she possessed—, the interest that flashed across her face when he mentioned the party and real magic also could not be ignored.

After Lady Smithwood left, △△△ redirected his smile to Delilah, [color=9354FF]“What card game would you like to play, Miss Delilah?”[/color] He leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially, [color=9354FF]“If I were you, I’d choose something I’m good at because… these chocolates?”[/color] He closed his eyes as he kissed his pinched fingers and tossed them away from his lips. [color=9354FF]“Worth every coin.”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8] “Oh I absolutely adore chocolates and [i]you![/i] Both just the sweetest.”[/color] Delilah had responded to him with a flirtatious giggle, her hands clasping together. She clearly wasn’t the best at whispering.  Charlotte had tilted her head and gave her a questioning look, to which Delilah simply winked in reaction. [color=7ea7d8] “...My Lottie and I love Liar, Liar.  Don’t worry, it’s very simple if you never played! So! We go around in a circle placing cards in chronological order. If my turn was first, I would be tasked to place down whatever twos I have if any. If I don’t have any, then I must place down any amount of cards and [i]lie[/i]. The other players can then call out, ‘liar, liar’ if they think I am lying. Then if Lottie was next, she’d be tasked to place down any threes she has. If the person you call a liar, is not lying, then you must take all the cards that are placed down and add them to your hand. The first person to get rid of all the cards wins.”[/color]

The count played back the maid’s gesture. He clasped his hands. [color=9354FF]“Oh, that does sound fun! Let’s play that.”[/color] Then he winked just as she did to her mistress, [color=9354FF]“And I will be a gentleman and not ask why you chose this game, Miss Delilah.”[/color] △△△ quickly shuffled the cards and distributed the cards accordingly. [color=9354FF]“Shall we say one chocolate per game?”[/color]

Charlotte had fallen back into her thoughts as Delilah explained the card game. After she had finished and a silence followed, she looked up at Count Fritz, too determined to drop the subject. [color=BBC7E1] “You are suggesting witchcraft as a possible reason behind their memory loss… But just as there’s logic behind the illusion of a card trick. Certainly, there could be a reason wedo not understand yet. ”[/color] 

[color=9354FF]“I agree. There may even be multiple reasons, too.”[/color] △△△ said without missing a beat as he gathered his cards and looked at what he got. [color=9354FF]“Without proper investigation, everything I say is mere conjecture. However…”[/color] He rearranged the cards in his hands. [color=9354FF]“I must ask, Lady Charlotte. Why is it illogical to think that…”[/color] the word witchcraft was halfway up his throat before it transformed into another synonym, [color=9354FF]“magic is involved in a world where magic exists?”[/color]

 [color=BBC7E1] “Well…Simply put… I don’t know if it exists… Do you?”[/color] Charlotte responded. She paused as if focusing on something before she continued. Something felt nostalgic about this whole discussion. However, Charlotte did not want to offend her new friend, so she further explained to perhaps help him empathize with her stance. [color=BBC7E1] “I was raised under the notion that magic was the subject of fairytales. It was never mentioned in schooling as something that existed either. Given that I have no proof nor knowledge of its presence in our reality, I am a little more keen towards-”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8] “If I may, perhaps everyone drank too much.”[/color] Delilah interrupted rather hastily, which was noted by Charlotte. She glanced over at the maid inquisitively. Her gaze briefly loomed over her foot slightly tapping against the carpet. [color=7ea7d8] “Duke Vikena has made the mistake before and young people sometimes overdo it at parties.”[/color]

Charlotte was hesitant.  She took a moment before she asked Count Fritz, [color=BBC7E1] “Do you know any of whom attended the party?”[/color]

△△△’s eyes remained on his cards as a wry smile threatened to take over his more polite one.

[i]The fire consumed everything without mercy. Nothing remained of the fields. Homes reduced to ash, charcoal, and stone. The pile of people, now one massive charred lump, fed the flames. In the middle of the pyre was the witch, her face unrecognizable. The boy knew who she was, however, no matter how disfigured she became. He knew because no other person could conceivably be the showpiece of such a gruesome display.[/i]

If magic was just a fairytale, what a cruel world they lived in. This place where so-called witches died for something that did not exist and where his family’s stories were no more credible than the ravings of a madman. Did they really waste lives, time, and effort for absolutely nothing? 

[color=9354FF]“I always thought how fascinating it is that it is illegal—... forbidden? To practice something that doesn’t exist. Do you think the law can charge imaginary friends with a crime?... I would’ve gotten away with so much as a child if it did.”[/color]

Charlotte wondered if it was a law in Varian to not produce magic. She had read the laws of Caesonia more than once and she did not recall any mention of magic. But there had been rumors. Magic had always been a no-no word and there were whispers of it being forbidden. Even in jest,  people had always seemed to become uncomfortable with the subject. She had always been uncertain if everyone had been superstitious or if it was something that really existed.  Her lack of trust in those around her had perhaps led her to lean one way. However, Count Fritz seemed convinced. 

△△△ set his card deck, face-down, on the table. [color=9354FF]“Who would like to go first?”[/color] He exchanged looks with the two women a few times before settling on Lady Vikena to answer her question, [color=9354FF]“A few. I believe you know one of them too. Lord Smithwood?”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8] “Me first!”[/color]Delilah volunteered with a grin, [color=7ea7d8] “I have… two twos.”[/color] She confidently placed two cards face-down on the table from her hand of cards.

 [color=BBC7E1] “ Yes… I do. It doesn’t seem like him to drink himself to that point. I’m flabbergasted to hear such.”[/color] Charlotte felt concerned for her dear friend and she frowned. [color=7ea7d8]”I do have plans to meet with him later today so I will have the opportunity to ask him about it.”[/color] She then placed down a single card,  [color=BBC7E1] “Um, one three.”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8] “Liar, liar!”[/color]

Charlotte sighed and scooped up the three cards on the table into her hand with the rest of hers. Delilah had also been clearly lying as she had a five and a ten. 

Despite this, the count let it slide and deposited his own cards without checking it beforehand. During the first few rounds of the game, instead of calling Lady Vikena or Delilah out on their bluff, △△△ opted to watch for their tells, how they behaved after they got away with it, and how they behaved when they suspected someone else was lying. Games requiring deceit were an efficient and entertaining way of studying body language. 

It was why Delilah’s subtle discomfort felt out of place. Her interjection when Lady Vikena was a breath away from offering her opinion on magic did not go unnoticed by △△△ or Her Ladyship. The question was why she had done that. Both women more or less responded to the subject about magic with the same level of skepticism and unease he came to expect from the average Caesonian. They tolerated discussing the taboo topic, but the extent to which they were willing to discuss the matter differed between the maid and her mistress. If anything, it seemed like Lady Vikena’s healthy dose of skepticism stemmed from interest rather than fear or abhorrence—with sufficient evidence she may change her stance. Delilah, on the other hand, preferred the “addict doing what drunk people do” narrative than having Lady Vikena continue to talk about magic. 

△△△ glanced over at Delilah. Now that the conversation about magic’s involvement and the mystery of the duke’s disappearance was effectively swept under the rug, the tenseness left her muscles. He kept his eyes locked on her as he addressed another elephant in the room.

[color=9354FF]“Lady Charlotte, with how hectic things were, maybe you haven’t had the chance to think about it, but have you decided on what course of action to take for your investigation?”[/color] He avoided saying [i]‘about your mother’[/i] in Delilah’s presence. 
 
Charlotte had been rather distracted over the duration of the game. She had seemed hesitant; as if her mind was elsewhere no matter if she had been lying nor telling the truth. This made her quite the decent player without her attempting to be. Delilah, on the other hand, was a terrible liar. She would giggle like a child with a lollipop behind her back for every lie and struggle to hold back her smirk as the corner of her lips twitched.

For the first time in a while, Charlotte had come back to earth as she heard the question that had been posed. She glanced at Count Fritz and gave him her full attention. Her gaze was more intense than usual as she proclaimed calmly,  [color=BBC7E1] “First I plan to gather a list of everyone that attended the party and talk to as many as I can. I presume even though they have forgotten the party, they may remember the details leading up to it…Then… I think I will find the location of the party as well as its host. Somehow I will.”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8] “Lottie!”[/color]Delilah’s voice was a little shrill as she looked at her, [color=7ea7d8] “Whoever hosted such a thing could be a [i]maniac.[/i] Much too dangerous!”[/color]

Charlotte looked upon the pretty blonde maid and smiled sadly, [color=BBC7E1] “Oh how you sound like my mother...”[/color] Her gaze subsequently narrowed and she clutched her knees. From Caesonia’s darling to a forgotten member of the forsaken Vikena family, Charlotte had walked on both sides of the road. For the last few years of her life, she had been a wallflower, forced to observe. For the sake of those she cared about, she needed to push off that wall. [color=BBC7E1] “[i]I will find out [/i] what happened to my mother, what happened to Lorenzo [i], and[/i] what’s going on with this party. And I will do whatever it takes to do so.”[/color] The determined expression on her face seemed to upset Delilah.

Her mind wandered back to the man who had threatened her at the park. That was proof there was so much more to what was happening. But if she mentioned that now, Delilah would double down on worrying for her safety.  [color=BBC7E1] “Whatever I do, I will be careful.”[/color] 

The maid did not look eased. She set down her cards. 

At first, △△△ thought Lady Vikena was speaking about the ball rumored to have lead to her mother’s demise. Then he realized she was referring to his earlier comment about the magical afterparty and the odds of the duke taking part in it. Even though she made it clear how skeptical she was about magic and how much she wanted to trust her father’s words, Lady Vikena decided to look into it. At that moment, △△△ could not help but admire her bravery in seeking the truth.

He nodded his approval of Lady Vikena’s plan. With no other clue to follow—not ones he could share—, they had to start somewhere and a list of attendees was as good a start as any. He turned to the first available person who might have known about the party. [color=9354FF]“Miss Delilah,”[/color] the tenseness returned to the maid’s muscles, [color=9354FF]“were you aware of this other party?”[/color] The count reached for a chocolate and handed it over to the maid. He had a feeling that they would not be finishing this card game any time soon and, if that were to be the case, he refused to let Delilah leave without something nice to have for herself. Especially since this seemed to be a topic she wished to be no part of. [color=9354FF]“Do you know who could’ve been invited?”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8] “No, no. I didn’t know there was one.”[/color]Delilah said and turned her attention to the chocolate eagerly. She did not seem to be lying or phased by the question. There was a gleam in her eye as she delicately placed it on her tongue. [color=7ea7d8] “Mmm…”[/color]  

After a moment she glanced Charlotte’s way. [color=7ea7d8] “I am going to go check on Duke Vikena, and see if he wants anything. He has that horse race to host soon if you recall… You two have fun.”[/color] She smiled as she stood up and looked at Count Fritz, [color=7ea7d8] “Oh, and thanks for the chocolate honey. “[/color] She gave him a wink and mouthed to Charlotte before taking her leave, [color=7ea7d8] “If you don’t take him I will.”[/color]

After a pause, Charlotte looked to Count Fritz once she was sure Delilah was gone.[color=BBC7E1] “There was something else… But it may sound crazy.”[/color] She proceeded to then lowly tell him about the man from the park who had tried to push her away from investigating further with a threat. She also informed him that she had not been able to see his appearance.

△△△ smiled, offering the other chocolate to Lady Vikena. [color=9354FF]“If it helps, I’m the oddball who believes in magic. I’m used to ‘sounding crazy’.”[/color] As she told him about her encounter with a mysterious man, △△△ closed his eyes, taking it all in. Evidently, they had been followed or watched through other means. [color=9354FF][i]Since when?[/i][/color]

[color=9354FF]“This sounds more like someone feels threatened by you, Lady Charlotte. If they’re trying to deter you from investigating before you even really started, I think they believe you to be a liability. And from what I gathered so far, it’s a very short list of people who might think that.”[/color] His head turned towards the window facing Damien’s estate. 

[color=BBC7E1] “The world is filled with unknowns. Your beliefs do not mean you are crazy… As for the latter statement, I do agree. That was the feeling I had.”[/color] Her gaze followed his to the window.

The mysterious man may not be working directly for Count Damien, but it seemed improbable that the earl of Montauppe played absolutely no part in the strange occurrences involving the Vikenas. It would explain why Count ◆◆◆◆◆’s name came out of the blue. [i][color=9354FF]Unless…[/color]

On the castle wall, two figures faced the direction of the ocean. The sky blessed them with a sunny day. Yet, the wind felt bitter, sending chills down △△△’s spine. “The time’s come,” Udo said in his native tongue, “for our rivers to part ways.”[/i] 

△△△’s hands grabbed his upper arms to shield himself from the absent cold.