[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/231116/0c68353d2e76e6d896220cfaa8d1a4af.png[/img]

[sub]Collabing with | [@Hero] as Lucas & Rosemary
Mentioning [@Raijinslayer] as Justinian | [@Abstract Proxy] as Dom[/sub][/center][hr]


When Theobald had entered The Snuggery, the former soldier wasn’t quite sure what he was expecting. A secret gathering with royalty? An obfuscation of the Scions’ location? Maybe even a meeting with the Commander himself?

The giant had not understood that the Princess’ invitation to relax was exactly that. So when all that greeted him in the lounging room was a small girl nearly half his height and her personal tea set, he was at a loss for words. 

Surely, there were more pressing matters than tea time? Was the young Princess so secluded that she did not understand the magnitude of what had occurred merely hours before? Yet, he could not, would not, speak his mind in front of the small child. It was above his station, after all, as though they may be equal as Scions she was still a member of a royal family.

[color=firebrick]”I accept your offer graciously, Your Highness.”[/color] Though he was uncertain of the meaning behind this small gathering, Theobald simply rolled with the punches as he took a seat for himself directly adjacent to the Veradis royalty.

His usual stern expression grew taut as he lowered himself into the chair, his knees bumping into the bottom of the table as the legs of the chair were too short for his towering height. Attempting to draw himself inward so as to not take up too much space, the former soldier mulled over the choices Princess Rosemary gave her guests and realized he had no idea what any of those terms meant. 

[color=firebrick]”William’s Prayer.”[/color] Was that supposed to be the name of a type of tea? Theobald gently grasped his designated tea cup and glanced around. 

He was not well educated in the art of tea time, but was there not supposed to be a servant holding the pot? Furrowing his brow, the giant looked almost comical in a seat slightly too small, hunched over and holding a piece of fine china between his thumb and index finger seemingly lost as to what he should be doing next.

Rosemary watched Theobald hold his cup and wandered over. She stretched over the table and grasped the pot, slowly pouring tea into his cup with an impressive balance–especially as the pot was something clearly meant for an adult to hold. But she poured his cup with ease and then poured out a second cup before turning her attention to Dominika, who addressed her.

Were it not for how stunned the former soldier was by the sight of the nation’s princess personally pouring him his cup, Theobald might’ve accidentally burned himself with the steaming hot liquid. Was that alright? Was he supposed to allow that to happen? Did he commit some sort of crime by allowing royalty to serve him as if she were a maid? Unable to look to the other Scions in the room for help with his personal dismay, as they were little more than commoners themselves, the giant simply sat in silence for a few moments to comprehend what he’d just witnessed.

Only for The Snuggery to be blessed with the presence of yet another royal. Someone with real political power, and perhaps the true reason that this gathering had occurred.

Theobald held no love for Prince Lucas, but neither did he find fault with him. So it was with but a twitch of his eyebrow that he took the slight against him with stride, recognizing that there was nothing he could do in retaliation to someone with a higher social position than himself. 

In fact, with his mind upended by the presence of the royal duo, the former soldier finally started to feel what he had done a few minutes ago slowly sink in. He wasn’t supposed to explode on the Kaudian Templar, no matter his personal feelings or the circumstances behind it. Objectively, what he had done was in the wrong, and there would no doubt be consequences for his public showing of misplaced fury in the near future.

Not that he’ll ever apologize to the victim in question. The only thing he regretted was that he did not recognize the correct time and place for his outburst.

[color=firebrick]”Greetings, Your Highness,”[/color] Theobald started, attempting to rise from his seat to give the prince his due respect. With how cramped it was in his chair however, it took him a few clumsy moments of maneuvering his large body before he could bow his head toward the young man. He glanced in the Scion of Metal’s direction as she attempted to mediate between them, but spared not another thought as he drew his attention back to the prince.

[color=firebrick]”I am pleased to finally meet you personally. Are you here for the Princess?”[/color] His gaze drifted toward the small girl, curious of the relationship between them.

Lucas acknowledged Dominka with a slight nod, then took both his seat and cup with relative quietness. He was mid-sip when he was addressed, keeping his cup in hand as he looked at Theobald with the same curiosity one would give an unfamiliar plant.

[color=lightblue]“Yes,”[/color] The prince replied. [color=lightblue]“It’s been a long night for us, can’t imagine what it’s been like for her.”[/color]

[color=firebrick]“Perhaps more exciting than her usual life.” [/color]The former soldier returned to his seat and finally took a sip of his tea, his nose scrunched up from the feeling on his tongue. He did not understand high class taste. The best he could say about the tea was that it was at least less muddy than what he was used to on the warfront. [color=firebrick]“I have felt more alive tonight than I have in the past two years.”[/color]

He placed his tea cup down, pushing it off to the side with no intention to pick it up again. [color=firebrick]“How was your first taste of conflict, Your Highness?”[/color]

[color=lightblue]“Terrible. Which is what any normal person would think,” [/color]His response was quick as he scowled, clearly displeased at Theobald’s commentary on Rosemary. [color=lightblue]“If people associate this disaster with my debut as a Scion, it’s going to get very annoying very quickly.”[/color]

[color=firebrick]“I understand that feeling perfectly well.” [/color]Theobald was the poster child for unexpected events ruining one’s plans. At least from his own point of view. The giant slowly leaned forward, empathizing on some level with the prince while the cogs in his head began to turn. [color=firebrick]“But if you were to somehow overwrite this incident with an accomplishment, perhaps you can avoid the worst of it.”[/color]

The Scion of Fire clapped his hands together. [color=firebrick]“May I speak plainly, Your Highness?”[/color]
 
Lucas gave Theobald a weary look. [color=lightblue]“What about?”[/color] He asked.

[color=firebrick]“I and the Templar of Metal had noticed an irregularity in your magic during the afterparty, Your Highness. I hope it was not anything serious, as I would like to know if you could…” [/color]The former soldier was careful with his wording, not entirely certain of how the magic of Scions aside from himself worked and if bringing up the strange happenstance was a slight against the royal. [color=firebrick]“Perhaps, peek into the future to find where they had taken the missing Scion of Lightning.”[/color]

Lucas’ eyes turned frosty, though he remained somewhat composed.[color=lightblue] “Invoking prophecies requires permission from the church. I don’t really get along well with Marge, so I doubt she’d let me,”[/color] He replied, placing the cup down. [color=lightblue]“I lost my magic at one point, but I feel fine now.”[/color]

[color=firebrick]“I see.” [/color]Theobald released a sigh, his disappointment clear in his eyes. [color=firebrick]“I had hoped to hear otherwise. If we were to retrieve the missing Scion, and apprehend the cause of all this trouble, then this night might’ve been remembered as a demonstration of your power rather than a lack of it. I fear that the public will not see this as the fault of an outside party, but rather a negative omen of disaster compared to the peace under the previous Scion of Time.” [/color]

The prince’s eyebrows rose until Theobald finished talking. [color=lightblue]“It’s a good thing I couldn’t give less of a fuck to give in regards to [i]public opinion[/i],”[/color] He stated. [color=lightblue]“You people also seem to keep forgetting I’ve been Scion all of [i]two weeks[/i]. But tell me, would it have been better if I had decided to play hero and put myself at risk instead of following proper protocol and evacuating?”[/color]

[color=firebrick]“You have been a Scion for two weeks,” [/color]the former soldier replied in turn, using the prince’s words against him as Theobald reached into his pocket on instinct. But, as his gaze drifted toward the young princess still in the room, his hand returned to the table and tapped at the surface impatiently. [color=firebrick]“And yet you have revealed that you are indeed capable of seeing into the future. If you were trained to use your power in combat, I would not envy the enemy that fights someone who can see their plans of attack before they even think of them.”[/color]

[color=lightblue]“The prophecies don’t work that way,”[/color] Lucas replied, rolling his eyes. [color=lightblue]“If I could just see what I wanted right before it happened, I would have known to avoid this conversation.”[/color]

Theobald blinked, the closest thing he could show to surprise, just before he released a deep chuckle. Rumbling like an oncoming storm, the hint of a smile gracing his serious features seemed to herald the former soldier shedding his attempt to steer the conversation. [color=firebrick]“I suppose you would have, Your Highness.” [/color]

[color=firebrick]“I apologize for taking up your time, you must have a lot on your plate already.”[/color] He pulled away from the table and leaned back into his chair, satisfied with what he was able to learn of the new Scion. Not the easy pathway to success he had been looking for, but at the very least the young prince did not seem to be someone he had to be wary of. [color=firebrick]“It is a bit late to do so, but I shall congratulate you for rising to your new station. The start of your tenure has been a mess, so let us hope all this business will be dealt with before it becomes too irritating for you.”[/color]

[color=lightblue]“Alright, you can go fuck yourself, too,”[/color] was all the prince offered as a response, picking his cup up again.

Despite the prince’s harsh words, Theobald couldn’t help but think of the prince as someone he should do business with. He might have drawn Prince Lucas’ ire by approaching the royal in the manner he had, but it was better to be plain with your desires. A noble who did not wield their status like a weapon was not a person he could use, which was indeed unfortunate, rather it was the bluntness and lack of adherence to decorum that drew the former soldier’s interest. 

Perhaps he should treat the lordling differently. Not at the present moment of course, a change in demeanor would most likely be seen as disingenuous after his blatant attempt to steer the Scion of Time for his own benefit. But as he turned his attention away from the prince and toward the rest of the Snuggery, he thought it would be nice to speak with the prince again in better circumstances.