[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/AldUxWF.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/WfLXxRf.png[/img][/center]
[hr][i][color=LightSteelBlue]Time: Late Morning[/color] 
[color=LightSteelBlue]Location: Sorian Beach[/color] 
[color=Lightsteelblue]Attire:[/color][url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1065027714953793578/1138619964304142417/Cas_Beach.png]Cassius[/url]
[color=LightSteelBlue]Mentions:[/color][@princess] Charlotte, [@SausagePat] Ruby, [@Potter] Layla / Olivia, [@FunnyGuy] Renzo, [@Tae] Kali  [/i]
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Cassius allowed his eyes to linger on the face of his father for a moment. The Count looked charming and influential as he made his way down to the beach, hair blowing in the wind and all of that distinguished poise carried on the surface for all around him to bask in. He still didn’t know the man that well, but Cas had a way of seeing people for who they truly are…and he could sense that there was far more to Calbert Damien than that. There was something in his eyes, something ominous yet inevitable. 

His attention was torn away as he realized he never answered the girl he had been introduced to a moment ago, Ruby, as all the nonsense with Layla had overshadowed her words. He felt bad, because Ruby had picked up on his sarcasm, which he admired, but as Cas began to fully process her words his mind became stuck on one thing as it replayed in his memory.

[color=94C2CE] “Listen here, Casserole.. if you’re going to put the moves on Charlotte, you have to commit to Charlotte. Nobody wants a fickle fizzbucket.. Get it together, ya hunk! “[/color]

First off…[i]Casserole[/i]?...Had she actually called him that? He couldn’t help but smile as he realized that she truly had. He has been called so many things throughout his life, most of them far worse than “casserole”, but there were few he had ever found to be quite so humorous. 

Next, he thought about her statement itself. Cassius would never deny that he had a tendency to “put the moves” on those around him that he found to be beautiful and or interesting. Of course, Charlotte was beautiful…and something about her had clearly piqued his curiosity, but this wasn’t him flirting…at least he didn’t think so. He had flirted at their first encounter, and that had not gone well. Not at all, in fact. But if not that, then what was this? He didn’t get the chance to ponder the point further, as the very woman whose words stirred the thought in the first place cried out suddenly and fainted, her body crumbling to the sand below. Charlotte reacted quickly, pulling Ruby into her lap. Then…thanks to Layla, came the sand. 

There it was, just a hint of the fire that Cassius saw in Charlotte the other night, present in her eyes as she scowled at Layla with the realization that the vile woman had kicked sand in the direction of Ruby. 

[i][color=AFB3E0]"How dare you."[/color][/i]

Cassius watched the scene play out in front of him…witnessing that very flame in Charlotte surge to life, flicker, and then diminish as she lost her nerve. Even as the contempt in her voice lessened, the weight of her words and the resolve behind them were clear. He could tell that she was the type to always stand up for those she cared about, even when she had shown that perhaps she wasn’t willing to do the same for herself. His eyes remained on her face as she spoke, and eventually, as her own gaze turned to him once more…he found himself lost in the remnants of sparks and embers that lingered behind her eyes. Not unlike his father, there seemed to be far more to Lady Charlotte Vikena than most would ever assume. It was then that she spoke to him

[color=AFB3E0]"Excuse me... Lord Cassius…Could you please assist us in carrying Ruby over to the blanket?"[/color]

There was a veiled hesitation in her plea, yet she asked him all the same. As their eyes were still fixed on one another, Cassius replied to her request with a nod and kneeled next to Charlotte at Ruby’s side…his gaze only breaking away to look down at Ruby as he began to lift her gently. In the moment, he had no sarcastic quips, one liners, flirtatious bits of banter, or [i]anything[/i] other than a desire to help the fallen woman and in turn help Charlotte. 

As he stood to begin walking Ruby over to the previously mentioned blanket, the middle-aged man that he saw as he approached the beach came to address Layla and whoever she was arguing with now. Cassius had stopped listening to the bitch after turning his back to her. He didn’t care how [i]royal[/i] or [i]important[/i] she was…she had shown that she wasn’t worth his time, and he knew that Kalliope could take care of herself if the need arose. Only seconds later, though, the air in the vicinity shifted. Something had happened. Cas could hear the man groveling and begging for Layla’s forgiveness as he turned to face the crowd again with Ruby still unconscious yet safe in his arms. His eyes trailed to find Charlotte and Oliva once more as he spoke to them just loud enough for them alone to hear. 

[color=LightSteelBlue]”What the fuck is going on? Is it always this…[i]chaotic[/i]? Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of chaos, but this has been a very peculiar morning.”[/color]