[color=lightgray][h3][center][color=BBC7E1]Charlotte[/color], [color=9354FF]△△△[/color], [color=7685C9]Devan[/color], & [color=#A3E4D7]Persephone[/color][/center][/h3] [hr] Charlotte's gaze flicked to her cousin, Devan, with a look of surprise on her face. Despite the familiarity of his presence, she still felt caught off guard by his sudden appearance. Her expression gradually changed as she had an epiphany. With a sense of urgency, she hastened over to Devan and whispered in a low voice, [color=BBC7E1]“Devan. [i]How much of my soul do I have to sell to you to get you to help me with something crazy?[/i] I will do anything you want this summer. Please? ”[/color] While Lady Vikena whispered to the young man with the same hair and eye color as she, △△△ leaned in towards Persephone to do a little whispering of his own, [color=9354FF]“How bright do you think you’ll shine?”[/color] Persephone glanced at Fritz. This man might have been one of the oddest nobles she had met. His question caused a smile to tug at her lips woefully. Her voice, however, melted with snark. [color=#A3E4D7]”Far too brightly for my liking, Count Fritz. You may want to wear shades, for I may blind you.”[/color] Her attention moved back to Charlotte and the newcomer. Muscles taut, she looked ready to bolt at the slightest provocation. His dark hair and blue eyes reminded her of Charlotte, though she didn’t remember hearing about a brother. Curious, yet tense and ready to bolt or defend herself, Perspehone fixed her gaze on him. Her heart raced quicker, though she wasn’t sure why. After studying her, △△△ followed Persephone’s gaze, then his expression softened. As much as he preferred not to spoil the sweet moment, he had a pressing question. [color=9354FF]“Bright enough for people outside to wonder what’s going on inside, then?”[/color] It took a moment for Fritz' words to sink in. Once they had, she stared with wide eyes at him. She gulped and tiredly climbed to her feet away from the window, despite the curtain being shut. Charlotte seems [I]panicked[/I] which he's starting to fear is a bit of a default emotion for her in her current circumstances. Although, given the growing collective of people, Devan can't blame her for feeling as if it's out of her control. He's not sure that [I]he[/I] would know what to do about this either. He doesn't recognize any of them, they may as well be ghosts. Though, he perhaps allows his gaze to linger too long because he tears his eyes away and feels heat in his ears. It's a tough situation to navigate, clearly. There is a space between acknowledging this and approaching the situation with more empathy though he struggles to manage the latter. It's not that he [I]wants[/I] to give Charlotte trouble, quite the contrary, but there is an old, annoying cousin part of him that can't help saying. "[color=7685C9]Anything, huh?[/color]" He's smiling ever so slightly, a stark and sudden improvement from his usually somber expression. "[color=7685C9]I was never much for cleaning.[/color]" Perhaps he might have done nothing if she hadn't offered. "[color=7685C9]Does this crazy something have to do with your dinner guests?[/color]" [color=BBC7E1]"The blonde girl over there is in trouble due to a misunderstanding… I can change up her appearance to avoid drawing attention. Can you say that she's a family friend visiting with you for the summer if anyone asks?"[/color] Charlotte fidgeted nervously, tapping her foot as she awaited Devan's response. [color=BBC7E1]"That would be all I need."[/color] [color=#A3E4D7]”Uh Charlotte? Do you happen to have a basement?”[/color] Persephone unexpectedy chimed in from behind. Charlotte glanced over at her, [color=BBC7E1] “Yes, there’s a door in the foyer by the stairs.”[/color] Persephone looked at Count Fritz. [color=#A3E4D7]“I am going to need your help please to bring my friend down with us.”[/color] She was beginning to brighten her overall aura as she made her way to the cupboard Kazumin had been in. She began to unload him out and looked to Count Fritz for aid. [color=9354FF]“I can carry him.”[/color] △△△ carefully draped the unconscious man over himself like a heavy cloak. [color=9354FF]“I think you deserve a little break, don’t you?”[/color] Persephone’s countenance displayed her incredulity. △△△ never was, and likely never will be, the paragon of conventional masculinity—a fact only accentuated by Vincent’s larger frame next to his. How could some delicate patrician carry the deadweight of a bigger man, alone? With determination. Though, being no stranger to manual labor and having experience dragging the giantess that was Karleen across the battlefield did help. Fortunately, this was no battlefield. This man was no giant. △△△ just needed to move Vincent down to the basement. △△△ took in a deep breath and, as he expelled it, he heaved Vincent over himself, securing the piggyback with a firm grip on the thighs. The count stood there momentarily to see if he was going to topple over. When he did not, he turned to Persephone. [color=9354FF]“Good to go. After you, Miss Mary.”[/color] With Vincent on his back, △△△ lumbered out of the room after Persephone and into the foyer. The blonde mumbled something about pudding in his sleep along the way. The only appropriate response was to recite a pudding recipe as if it were a lullaby. As the other two had taken Kazumin down to the basement, Charlotte had remained with Devan, awaiting his answer. A pair of bird eyes remained glued to the cousins. It’s a simple enough request, nothing that requires too much of him. Of course, he nonetheless wonders if it’s within [i]his[/i] interest to humor it. His gaze briefly follows the strangers as they move through the room, focusing mostly on the lithe blonde that his cousin indicates to him before she had left the room. With a passing narrow of his pale eyes, he responds. “[color=7685C9]Just that?[/color]” [color=BBC7E1] “Yes. Just that.”[/color] He wants to find an excuse to argue, maybe a reason to be annoyed about it. He can’t and he doesn’t. “[color=7685C9]That’s… that’s nothing, Charlotte. Fine. Yeah, I’ll play along.[/color]” [color=BBC7E1] “Thank you Devan.”[/color] She sighed with relief. [color=BBC7E1] “ Hopefully I can make her look unrecognizable enough that no one will even question… I don’t want to involve you more than necessary.”[/color] His eye roll is near palpable. “[color=7685C9]How did you even get [i]involved[/i] in this?[/color]” [color=BBC7E1] “Umm… You do not want to know. [i]Really.[/i] ”[/color] Charlotte had replied reluctantly. She felt explaining that they had just broke into the house would simply make everything worse. [color=BBC7E1] “I am going to go fetch her some food. If you want to go meet her and my friend Count Fritz in the basement you may… Otherwise, be free, little bird…”[/color] She turned on her heels initially, then paused mid-movement. [color=BBC7E1] “Oh, by the way, we were invited to eat dinner with the Sultan tonight so you may want to have a nice outfit ready before 6pm.”[/color] Dim light poured through the open basement door and reflected off the wall. The guests must’ve turned on all the lamps and lit all the candles below—no wonder the light reached the ground floor. It shouldn’t have felt strange, yet it did. Even more so when the light shone brighter and brighter. Had the raven-haired guest not resurfaced and shut the door behind him, a blinding flood of light could’ve illuminated the foyer. △△△ checked the time before approaching Lady Vikena and the young man, a reassuring smile on his lips. [color=9354FF]“Miss Mary and Mr. Vincent are resting now. I wouldn’t disturb them for at least an hour.”[/color] Charlotte halted her intention to leave hearing Count Fritz’s words. The count bowed to the other dark-haired man. On closer inspection, △△△ could see the family resemblance between him and Lady Vikena. As far as he could recall, she had no siblings. [color=9354FF][i]Cousins, perhaps?[/i] “I apologize for not greeting you properly before. I hope I haven’t offended you—...?”[/color] △△△ waited for a name by which to call him. Devan had introduced himself curtly, eying the door. [color=9354FF]“A pleasure.”[/color] △△△ bowed once again. This time, he caught the rooster prodding and scratching each of the Vikenas’ foot. Their touches were gentle, no stronger than a light tap, but it was as if the rooster was trying to scrape off the crust to unearth what hid just beneath the surface. Without a voice, however, the bird could not say what intrigued them. [/color]