princess

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

_{Interaction:@FunnyGuy Alexander}

Edin’s gaze snapped to Alexander the moment he approached.

In his moment of temper, he allowed the silence to sit there for a long while. Long enough to make sure his opinion on the advisor's lateness was tangible.

Only after a minute did the King speak, slowly and heavily.

“You arrive after the fire has already started, Mr. Deacon.”
His voice was low, but the irritation in it was plain. The apology that had unfolded from Alexander's lips had been exactly as it ought to have been crafted, but the anger in Edin’s face did not immediately vanish. “At least someone in this room remembers how to speak to his king.”

His eyes moved briefly toward the place where Lorenzo had been dragged away. The sight seemed to sour whatever pleasure Alexander’s flattery had managed to stir. After a moment, Edin beckoned him closer with two fingers.

When he spoke again, his voice had lowered. “Duke Vikena has already made a disgrace of himself tonight. He attempted to persuade me toward his daughter, and when I questioned his motives, he tried to make me out to be some kind of…”

“Pervert.”

He had spat the word, literally droplets of saliva escaping his lips as his expression twisted. “Then, when I corrected him before the court, it appeared as though he meant to assault me. Count Damien intervened before the matter became irreversible.”

A muscle in his jaw spasmed, and he released an irritated breath through his nose. “The Varian royalty are arriving soon, and my court has apparently mistaken grief for permission to behave like animals.”

His gaze settled heavily on Alexander. “You are my advisor. Advise me.” The king tilted his head and questioned, “How do we keep control of the optics before the Varian King and Queen walk through those doors?”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Location: Ballroom
Time: Evening
Interaction: @FunnyGuy Lorenzo

---

Calbert released him.

There was no hesitation in it. His hand opened, and he stepped back far enough to grant the duke the space he had demanded.

For several seconds, Calbert said nothing.

He looked at Lorenzo’s face, then at the hand still raised between them, the finger pointed toward him. Then finally, the Count relented, imbuing soft regret into his tone. “I apologize, Duke Vikena.”

Calbert lowered his gaze for a moment, as though considering the matter with the seriousness it deserved. “You are right. I overstepped.”

He sighed. “You and Lottie have only one another, and it has been a very long few weeks for you both... For us all, certainly. I wished to ensure that you continued looking after each other.” His eyes lifted to Lorenzo’s once more. “But she is your daughter, not mine.”

He was quiet for a moment before he added, “She ran to you, you know..” Calbert glanced toward the ballroom, eying across the room as Charlotte tugged on her heels. “The moment you spoke back to the King, she ran to you without another thought.”

His attention returned fully to Lorenzo. “That is what matters.” Calbert's expression was reassuring now, though his scrutiny remained exact. He watched every change in Lorenzo’s face. “You need not decide what you think of me tonight. You have already made your opinion quite clear, and I assure you, I am capable of surviving it.”

Calbert smiled nonetheless and said, “It's important to me that you two have each other, so I am glad I reached you in time. Please do not make another scene tonight.”

He paused before adding, very gently: “Not for my sake...For her sake.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Location: Ballroom
Time: Evening
Interaction: Fareed @Redking0380 Freyja @Lunarlord34

---

Victoria remained among the noblewomen long enough to ensure the rumor had become the evening’s newest obsession.

One woman glanced toward Shehzadi Ranya. Another leaned closer to whisper behind her fan. A third followed the direction of their attention and regarded Prince Askel with interest.

She also remained just long enough to learn the name of the towering man she had gathered was Ranya’s brother. At least, someone had told her they thought the two of them were directly related. Little did Victoria know he was technically her adoptive brother.

Her gaze drifted across the ballroom until it settled upon a rather striking little arrangement: two handsome men and a woman with a cane who appeared to be explaining something at considerable length. Victoria watched them for a moment, decided the men were worth interrupting, and crossed the room with her fan moving lazily beneath her chin. The dark-haired one was already trying to leave as she approached, it seemed.

“Well, this is an unfair concentration of very attractive people.”

Her eyes passed over Freyja first, telling her with a concocted smile.“I have always admired women brave enough to wear something that does not demand to be stared at.”

Her smile grew as she flicked open her fan. “Honestly, people are dreadful at conveying the important details.”

At last, she regarded Fareed. “And you…” Her eyes moved slowly over him before returning to his face. “Shehzade Fareed, right?” She said the name as though she had only just managed to retrieve it, despite having crossed the ballroom expressly to find him. “Might I borrow you for a moment?” She closed her fan with a snap. “I’m afraid the matter concerns your sister, and what the court has begun saying about her.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

FLASHBACK - IGNIS 6 EVENING

Lorenzo & Lottie

Location: Vikena Estate
Time: Evening, Ignis 6th

Charlotte sat poised at the dining table where the evening light filtered in and painted the brick walls in moonlight. Three candles were alight, positioned along the center of the table, flames bending whenever a draft slipped through. She had insisted on a simpler dinner tonight—fresh bread still warm from the kitchen, herb-roasted vegetables, a modest cut of meat, and some mashed potatoes.

Her fingers laced together in her lap, then unlaced again nervously as she awaited her stepfather. Both Delilah and Gilbert had decided to eat in the kitchen together tonight, where they’d be available to summon with the ring of a bell.

Her body still carried the consequences of the week, bearing a deep exhaustion that sleep did not fully mend. Her shoulders and thighs were still sore yet she had washed and dressed and pinned her hair back like a proper lady.

When footsteps finally echoed beyond, Charlotte lifted her chin instinctively. There was also a cheerful humming of no particular tune, a sign that her stepfather was in quite a good mood. It was mostly due to this season’s events slowing down, requiring him to appear in public less often than at the beginning of the season.

“Hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm! Charlotte! Hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm! Charlotte! Having dinner with Vermillion’s best! Charlotte! No one can argue who’se the fairest! Charlotte!” Lorenzo sang as he approached, looking her way with a smile. The stress he had felt for the many hours after the banquet had diminished greatly, and he could only owe it to the wise words of the pragmatic Alexander Deacon. However, the bit of distance he had given Charlotte was mildly bothersome. The days he yearned for were long in the past now. Still, he’d reach for them from time to time. To him, Charlotte would always be Lottie, even after she’s married and beneath another roof without him. “How is the Duchess of the Vikena Library this evening? Peachy? Plummy? Or perhaps Peary?” He asked in a half official, half gleeful tone while taking his seat at the table.

A smile formed on her lips and she had even clapped along to his song. “You’re in a remarkably good mood this evening.” she observed brightly. “and I confess it’s rather contagious. If I am peary, it is only because you’ve decided to insist upon it.” She folded her hands neatly on the table and added with sincerity, “It is wonderful to finally eat dinner with you again.”

“And I you!” Lorenzo leaned forward, absolutely giddy. The stresses of Sorian had kept itself away from him. “Peary is good. Not too squishy. Firm and still flavorful.” Lorenzo chuckled a bit more before finally settling. “You know, to be frank, I almost thought about having us leave this place… but…” Lorenzo paused for a moment while averting his gaze from his confession. “...Seeing you make so many friends makes me happy.” He smiled.

She had meant to tell him tonight about the tavern, about Kilian… About all of it. Truly, she planned to. She’d spent most of the time waiting for him, rehearsing the words in her head—It’d be terrible to hide such big ordeals, such as the tavern ordeal from him after all… But how was she supposed to sit there and ruin that big ol’ smile when he looked so happy?

Charlotte smiled and passed the vegetables. “In the worst case scenario, we return to Veirmont by the end of the season,” she said gently. “Home will be waiting for us, as it always does… and I confess I have rather enjoyed the company lately.” A thought pressed at the back of her mind—the question of whether she ought to keep enjoying it, when misfortune seemed to trail after those she spent time with.

“It’s been quite nice to see old friends like Lord Ravenwood, and Lord Drake and Lady Ariella Edwards,” Charlotte continued. “And I believe Lord Nolan Edwards is said to be back in town, so it will be lovely to see him at the ball.”

She then added, a touch softer, “Oh—and Olivia and Kazumin are rather delightful new friends, of course.”

“And all of that is exactly why we’ll stay… even if it’s past courting season.” Lorenzo had given the idea a great deal of thought. As wild as the events occurring in the capital were, if they ever reached Veirmont, he’s not sure he would be afforded the same security as Sorian, especially not witchhunters. There would only be one solution… Lorenzo couldn’t help feeling embarrassingly flustered.

Past courting season? She paused mid-movement as she had been about to pick up a bread roll.

“Um! Ahhh…” Feeling like the nature of his thoughts was being displayed over his head, Lorenzo sloppily tried to change the subject. “Any courting happening?”

He failed.

Charlotte stared at him for a moment, brows knitting. Then she reached for a bread roll slowly, buying herself a second to choose her words. “Not in the way you mean,” she answered finally as she picked it up and held it in the air thoughtfully. Lorenzo’s eyebrows perked with interest. “I… I think I feel something for someone.”

She set the roll down on her plate and her gaze lowered. “He has been kind to me... In ways I did not expect. And I am grateful for it.” Her stepfather subtly nodded along, but was waiting for the blow that would topple the short stack of niceties.

Her throat tightened. “But it is not… sensible,” she finished, the faintest flicker of frustration passing through her eyes at the unfairness of that word.

“Well,” Lorenzo started with a tone loud enough to usher in the attention of a small crowd. “That is perfectly fine, Lottie. Courting season is…” He trailed as he tried to find the right word. “It’s like trying to choose the tastiest hors d'oeuvre from a platter.” He nodded, finding the analogy suitable. “You might pick one that looks pretty with some of the ingredients you like… But then you find it lacking… It could very well be tasty to someone else… Lottie, if this season is a platter, you have plenty of chances to try something else… or maybe you could try again later, because you might just have had a bad sample... Hmm, unless you're allergic, I suppose.” Lorenzo peered upward pensively. “I should work on that analogy, I think.”

She let out a giggle despite herself. “I do think you’ve surmised it rather well, regardless,” Charlotte said warmly. Her smile lingered, but it softened slightly as she looked at him more carefully. “But what about you?” she asked. “Have you had any luck… or is it still too… ?”

“Lottie!” The sudden excitable raise of his voice struck Charlotte’s uneasily delivered question. “I am so glad you asked.” There was a gleam in his eyes as he slightly leaned forward. “Last we spoke of this matter… I felt as if it was only best that I respect Emina’s memory and not complicate things with… other women in the household, but I had my eyes opened rather recently! I want to see you be happy for whomever you choose to be with, and you want to see me be happy in the same fashion. Your worries for me should not be what holds you back, because you will marry without fear of leaving me by my lonesome!” Lorenzo slapped his right hand down against the table, invigorating himself as both announcer and audience.

“The Vivacious Viper of Vermillion, Duke Lorenzo Vikena will remarry before this courting season has ended!”

Charlotte’s brows shot up, and her eyes went wide at the sudden slap and proclamation. For a moment, she just stared at him as if her brain needed an extra second to catch up with the sheer audacity of what he’d just announced.

Her thoughts immediately tried to connect it to all the nights she had presumed him to be missing, and a possibility made something in her chest loosen in a hopeful manner.

Maybe it really had been something simple like that. Maybe it wasn’t danger, or distance, or him pulling him away mysteriously at night. Maybe it was just… a woman.

An unmistakably large smile broke across her face before she could stop it, and she popped up from her chair with clumsy enthusiasm. “This is great news, Lorenzo! I wish for nothing more than your happiness!” She leaned forward, and then immediately stumbled into questions. “Wait—are you already pining for a woman? Is there a woman? Do you have a name? Do I know her? Oh my goodness—” she cut herself off with a quick inhale.

Yet she was not the only one who had lost their balance in this conversation. Lorenzo too stumbled with each prying question from Charlotte. Each one asked was ahead of his proclamation that was nothing more than an ambition unfulfilled, cried out by a desire that might very well be a fleeting one. In a way these questions tested the resolve of his claim, and he had to hold firm or his words might mean nothing.

“I have…” He didn't have anything. What was he trying to say? Lorenzo didn't want to lie. He didn't need to lie! He was talking to Charlotte, not someone whom he needed to wield his pride against. ...prospects. Potentials. You see, Lottie, I have to be quite careful of my selection.” He nodded more to himself, satisfied with his initial answer. “I may even require your assistance if I prove to be too picky.” He raised an eyebrow as voiced the opportunity, doing his best impression of the ever charming Alexander Deacon.

“Of course. I’d love to help!” Charlotte said at once, the enthusiasm in it immediate and sincere. “The upcoming ball will prove rather fruitful, no?”

“Mhm!”

“Hopefully this one will go better than the last,” she added with a strained laugh. “It cannot possibly be as bad as that tavern—”

Her mouth closed abruptly and her gaze dropped to her plate as if the mashed potatoes might save her. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her water to pass some time. “Anyway,” Charlotte continued too fast, forcing out the question: “what do you think you might wear?”

Lorenzo didn't answer while he eyes remained affixed to Charlotte after her conversational stumble. Naturally, he wanted to know what Charlotte was obviously hiding from him, but as he parted his lips to speak not a word escaped. It was not the inability to speak that prevented him, but a sudden and unnatural loss of concern for it. It was as if the flames of his desire were mysteriously extinguished, leaving nothing but barely smoldering kindling. The dying embers were not worth feeding…

“I think I'll be wearing traditional Alidasht attire, to properly welcome are neighbors across the sea properly this time. I’m sure they'll be smitten with me this time!” Lorenzo express this boldly before stuffing his mouth with bread.

Charlotte, meanwhile, was grateful he did not seem to notice her slip of the tongue. “I suppose that is one way to show appreciation. I did hear more of their royals have arrived in town.” She tapped her chin, still uncertain about the idea. “As long as you keep your words kind and watch your step, everything will hopefully go quite smoothly.”

She waited for him to finish his bread before asking the question that had been lingering in the back of her mind. Unfortunately, it took Lorenzo some time to swallow it all, leaving a slightly awkward silence while Charlotte busied herself with her own food. Finally, she asked, “So… I have been curious since that meeting with Wulfric. How long have you been investing in the Black Rose Trading Company? Are they truly as interwoven into Vermillion’s economy as you said?”

“Hmm…” Lorenzo met her question with raised eyebrows, not expecting such a topic to come up. “Well, I guess it makes sense that you might grow curious about our duchie’s economy eventually. Then there's the matter of the Black Rose Trading Company…” Lorenzo let loose a light sigh. “A little over a year. I've been investing in the trading company for a little over a year. To be honest, I don't remember the details of how everything started… It was not a great time for us, but I guess I invested just enough for Marek Delronzo to catapult his business in quick time. His success benefited Vermillion greatly as goods moved in and out of our ports. The better his company does, the grander Vermillion becomes as its primary base of operations! Vermillion was already so perfect, so Black Rose Trading Company has only made it even better. I honestly think if we were left to our own devices, Vermillion could survive on its own.” Lorenzo failed to be careful with his wording. Instead, he basked in it pridefully.

Charlotte’s chewing slowed. At first, she only nodded as if Lorenzo had offered her an ordinary answer.

Black Rose’s primary base of operations was in Vermillion... and Marek’s success had benefited Vermillion.

Only a week ago, Lorenzo had sat before Prince Wulfric, looking uneasy while Black Rose was named as a suspected source of corruption. He had heard the same warnings she had: memory theft, organized crime, magic.

So why did he sound proud now?

If Vermillion was Black Rose’s heart, then why were Marek Delronzo and Alexander Deacon even here in Sorian? And why had Alexander sought her out, the stepdaughter of such an important investor?

Then there was also Lorenzo’s missing memory. That bothered her most of all. A duke did not simply forget the beginning of an investment important enough to enrich his entire duchy. He remembered the prosperity. He remembered the pride. He remembered what Vermillion had gained. But the beginning was blurred?

Charlotte finished the last few bites of her dinner in silence. She looked across the table at him and considered how he was proud because he thought he had helped Vermillion flourish. He had no idea that someone might have used that love for his territory against him.

She folded her hands in her lap. “A little over a year,” she repeated softly, “That is remarkably quick, is it not? For a company to become so important to an entire duchy.” Her gaze lifted to him. “If the beginning is difficult to recall… do you remember the first time you met Mr. Delronzo himself?” She paused, then added. “Or whether Mr. Deacon was involved at that time?”

Lorenzo chuckled to himself at the posed question, but because it was a poor one.

“Would you believe me if I told you that I’ve never met the genius behind the trading company?!” Lorenzo chuckled again. “I’d assume the company must have started with a bit of a hostile takeover of smaller trading companies of the Kingdom’s eastern region, but it is quite peculiar when you think about it… Oh and I'm not sure about Mr. Deacon. All I know is that a young lady such as yourself should be careful around him.”

Lorenzo did not chuckle this time. He didn't even smile. He looked at Charlotte without a hint of playfulness, a stark change in expression from the man she was just speaking with.

Charlotte held his gaze despite the circumstance. “What makes you say that?” She asked after a brief pause.

Lorenzo leaned in and looked around to ensure no one else could overhear.

“That man…” Lorenzo started in a hushed tone. “Seems like quite the lady-killer. Hahahaha!” Lorenzo was absolutely giddy with himself and his joke.

The joke did little to ease her. Nonetheless, Lottie managed a laugh even as her brows furrowed. Then she rose suddenly and smiled. “ I think I shall retire for the evening. It was nice to enjoy supper together, Lorenzo.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Evening
Location: The Ball
Interactions: @Remram Nolan
Mention: @FunnyGuy Lorenzo

---

“Got you, I’ve got you…”

“I… I am got.”

Marina managed absentmindedly, her violet eyes still wide and fixed on the commotion, zeroing in on the sight of Lorenzo’s fist caught in Count Damien’s palm.

“I, uh—are you o-okay?”

Nolan’s voice drew her attention back just long enough for her to blink up at him, mouth slightly agape.

Then excitement overtook her countenance, shifting her features. “Duke Vikena just tried to punch King Peedin,” she whispered, wonder creeping into her tone. “What an absolute legend!” The last word came out in a low growl, and the force of her own enthusiasm caused her to grab on to Nolan, one hand clutching at his shoulder while the other slid around his arm to keep herself upright.

“I only wish I had thought of it first,” she continued, shifting closer as she craned around him for a better view. “He is going down in the history books!” Marina then rested her curly-haired head against his upper arm and leaned into him without a second thought.

“...I need his signature in my book.”

Then Lorenzo turned on Calbert, the tone of his voice carrying but his words not quite comprehensible.

Marina’s grip on Nolan tightened. “Oh!” Her eyes widened with interest. “Are they going to fight?”

She lifted herself slightly on her toes, pressing closer to Nolan in her effort to see past the crowd. One hand had found the back of his shoulder. The other remained curled around his arm. Her cheek was still resting against him.

For several seconds, Marina had not mentally digested their current predicament.

Then she finally became aware of exactly where she was.

Her eyes moved slowly from Nolan’s hand at her side, to the arm supporting her back, and finally upward to his face.

Her cheeks turned bright red, and she stared up at him in shock, suddenly very still, as though any movement might somehow make the situation more obvious than it already was.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Location: Ballroom
Mention: @Remram Askel @Tae Ranya

---

Hafiz had found Duchess Victoria beside one of the ballroom’s marble pillars, observing the dancers with languid disdain.

“Duchess Victoria.”

She turned, her gaze passing over him with frank approval.

“Grand Vizier...” A curt laugh escaped her lips as she fanned herself more briskly. “At last, someone dressed as though they possess taste.”

“Given the conduct of certain guests, I fear taste is a rare commodity this evening.”

Her fan slowed beneath her chin, and her eyes brightened with interest. “Oh? Do you mean Duke Vikena nearly punching the King after offering his own daughter for the night?" Victoria questioned with a cruel laugh.

"Not that, though I drew no surprise from such a notion."

That made her grin. “Has someone else... embarrassed themselves?”

Hafiz’s attention drifted toward Prince Askel, though only long enough for a perspicacious woman to follow it.

And that perspicacious woman did so immediately.

“Several people have taken it upon themselves to warn me about that prince.”

“Really? I had never heard much about Prince Askel.”

“They claim he has acquired an unfortunate reputation in recent years.”

“For what?”

Hafiz hesitated purposefully for a long moment before answering.“For becoming a rake.”

Victoria’s brows lifted. She watched him dance with the Alidasht princess for a long moment.
“Well... he certainly has the shoulders for it.”

Hafiz did not smile at her quip. “Ordinarily, his indiscretions would be of no consequence to me... Unfortunately, I have reason to believe he has directed his attention toward my niece.”

Victoria’s gaze remained upon Ranya. Even beneath her veil, the princess’s fascination was obvious; her face had inclined toward Askel as naturally as a flower following sunlight.

“Oh, she certainly fancies the boy.” She observed and then let her eyes slide to watch the tension in Hafiz's expression with some amusement as he continued.

“Ranya possesses a generous nature. She has also lived a sheltered life. Such women may mistake seduction for tenderness and flattery for emancipation.”

“So she's not very bright.” Victoria concluded without much care.

Hafiz held her gaze with some irritation. “...I am told she has already begun disregarding counsel in his favor. Seeking him out, finding reasons to escape her attendants, and defending him with a fervor rather disproportionate to the length of their acquaintance.”

Victoria’s pupils dilated, and with a swing of her wrists, she snapped her fan shut. “Has she—?” She glanced toward the dancing pair with scrutiny. “They have known one another for what—several days?”

“Scarcely that... But perhaps the accounts are exaggerated. Yet several people have independently described the prince as a man who delights in conquering women.” He lowered his voice. “My concern is that her infatuation may have progressed beyond lovesick glances.”

Victoria turned her head slowly. “And to...?”

Hafiz allowed silence to answer, and the music continued around them. Victoria watched Ranya smile at the prince, and the amusement in her expression subsequently gave way to genuine surprise. “You believe she has given herself to him.”

“I believe a young woman intoxicated by her first taste of rebellion may act foolishly... I would prefer if the possibility were too absurd to entertain.”

“Naturally.”

“Were I to caution her directly, she would dismiss it as an attempt to control her... Sometimes a young woman must hear what others have begun to perceive before she recognizes how publicly she has surrendered her good sense.”

Victoria’s smile emerged slowly. “You want her to overhear that the court believes she has lost her mind over him.”

Hafiz said nothing.

“And perhaps considerably more than her mind.”

Still, he offered no correction.

Victoria reopened her fan, and it resumed its languid motion. “You came to me because I am notoriously indiscreet.”

“I came because you are influential enough that others respect your conclusions.”

His gaze darkened. “She is to appear besotted, reckless, and humiliatingly eager to surrender whatever he requested of her.”

Victoria understood at once and regarded him with open suspicion. “What's in it for me?"

At last, Hafiz smiled, though there was nothing pleasant in it.

“Name your desire when the time comes. Influence, information, the removal of an inconvenience…” His expression twisted into something so openly wicked that it was truly the kind of malice that only the Grand Hafiz could conjure. “You may find there is very little I cannot place within your grasp.”

She held his gaze and said finally, “By morning, they will wonder whether the veil is the only thing she allowed him to remove.”

Victoria crossed the ballroom and immediately entered a nearby gathering of noblewomen. _{“Have any of you noticed how strangely Princess Ranya has been behaving around Prince Askel?”}

Behind her, Hafiz watched his niece with the prince. Soon, every glance she gave him would be interpreted as a confession of her dark deed.

Hafiz remained only long enough to watch Victoria’s words find their willing audience. Then he subsequently withdrew from the ballroom. The swell of strings grew quieter behind him as the doors closed.

Three members of his staff awaited him farther down the corridor.

The eldest, Rashid, bowed first. The other two followed without speaking.

“Duchess Victoria has been made aware of Prince Askel’s purported reputation.”

Rashid’s gaze remained lowered.

“And Her Highness?”

“Will become the more compelling half of the story.”

He folded the glove neatly across his palm.

“By the conclusion of the evening, there should be no corner of this palace in which her infatuation has gone unnoticed. She has lost her discernment. She seeks him out. She evades her attendants. She has known the man scarcely several days and already behaves as though the obligations of Suna’s Chosen are trifling beside his attention.”

One of the younger attendants shifted almost imperceptibly, and Hafiz noticed.

“The charitable may say she has merely become enamored. The less charitable will wonder whether she has already granted him liberties no respectable woman would surrender before marriage.”

Rashid inclined his head.

“We will place the appropriate conversations among the servants.”

“Not merely servants.”

Hafiz’s eyes moved over them.

“A lady’s maid should remember seeing the princess return flushed and disordered. Another servant may recall that she disappeared shortly before the prince. Someone attached to the Varian delegation might remember hearing him speak with vulgar amusement about how little persuasion was required.”

“Even if they presently recall no such thing?”

Hafiz looked toward the man who had spoken.

His expression remained tranquil. “Memory is an imperfect faculty. People occasionally require assistance distinguishing what they witnessed from what they failed to comprehend at the time.”

Rashid's expression changed as he understood what was being implied.

“Begin with coin and vanity. Most people may be persuaded through one or the other. Use obligation where coin would prove indelicate. Use fear where obligation is insufficient.”

“And where fear proves insufficient?”

“... By midnight, they must believe Princess Ranya has become so thoroughly consumed by Prince Askel that she has discarded decorum and perhaps her virtue with it.”

The attendants remained silent.

“Use whatever means are necessary.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Evening
Location: Ballroom
Attire: Outfit
Interaction: @Potter Olivia @Oso Cassius @FunnyGuy Lorenzo @samreaper Kazumin

---

Charlotte’s arms had initially remained wrapped around Lorenzo, but her grip tightened as Edin asked those nearby to confirm what had been heard.

North star. Lingering eyes.

For one moment, she had been forced to consider the question: Had he truly pointed the king’s attention toward her?

She could not bear the thought long enough to answer it.

Not after the way he had defended her. Not after he had placed his title, his power, and perhaps even his life on the line rather than allow Edin to believe she was his to take. A man offering her away would not have looked upon the king with such disgust. He would not have called himself her father the way he had.

Edin was lying. He had to be.

Then Lorenzo went still beneath her arms.

The change was so sudden that Charlotte felt it before she understood it. His shoulders lowered, and for a moment, she thought that he had decided to let the matter end. Before Charlotte could truly understand the change, her hands slipped from him as his weight shifted forward. She watched the tightening of his fist and then the movement of his arm surging toward the king.

Her breath caught. If Lorenzo struck Edin, they would execute him.

The certainty of it tore through her mind so violently that she was completely overtaken by solutions.

She could throw herself between them.
She could tackle Edin out of the way.
She could claim she had hexed Lorenzo, that none of it had been his choice, and offer herself in his place before anyone had time to question the lie.

She had to do something.

But she had no time to do anything at all.

Then, Lorenzo’s fist met a palm instead.

Calbert's face finally came into focus in her vision. Relief struck her so hard that she felt her knees wobble, though her lungs still refused to release the breath trapped inside them.

Edin never spoke as Calbert conducted his usual damage control, his gaze locked on Lorenzo as if he could not physically look at anything else. Those eyes were fixed upon Lorenzo with a hatred so naked that Charlotte understood Calbert was the only thing standing between her father and the full weight of the Edin's retaliation.

Charlotte glared right at Edin fearlessly, venomous words gathering behind her teeth. She wanted to tell him precisely what sort of man invoked a dead woman to humiliate her daughter. She wanted to tell the entire ballroom what her mother had endured because of him.

But fearlessness was not the same thing as stupidity. Another outburst would only give Edin the excuse he wanted.

When Calbert began guiding Lorenzo away, Charlotte immediately followed, her bare feet striking quickly against the marble. She needed to know where he was taking him. She needed to know Lorenzo would be safe.

Calbert caught sight of her and spoke without turning in her direction. “I will not hurt him, Charlotte. I am protecting him.” His eyes narrowed, and he whispered, “Had you done so before he reached the king, you might have stood between him and the throne long before I was forced to.”

“That’s not fair.” Charlotte immediately snapped.

Calbert did not slow his movement, still guiding Lorenzo.

“Family rarely is. You will need to do better... You do not have much of it left.”

Charlotte planted her feet and watched him lead Lorenzo away to a table.

The accusation was cruel, but it was a burden she had already placed upon herself. She had promised herself she would keep Lorenzo alive. Somewhere between Cassius, Olivia, and her momentary focus on her own pleasure, she had failed to watch him closely enough. Olivia could have even gotten into danger with the magic temptations she suffered.

Whether she could truly have prevented any of it hardly mattered.

Charlotte reminded herself that she had not taken the spell merely so she could dance, laugh, and pretend for one evening that her life was ordinary. She had taken it so she could face whatever enemies awaited her, and perhaps uncover some piece of the many mysteries she had sworn to pursue before the season ended.

But she also wanted to protect the others, too, so she turned back toward them and finally noticed Kazumin was here, too.

Kazu too? My selfishness dragged all three of them into this.

Her jaw tightened, and she turned to them with sudden purpose. “Come. We need to move somewhere beyond the King’s delicate line of sight.” The bitterness in her voice made the title sound like an insult.

On the way back, Charlotte stooped to collect her abandoned shoes, carrying them by their straps rather than bothering to put them on. Once seated, she forced her feet back into them with irritated movements, tugging each fastening tighter than necessary. Every few seconds, her gaze returned to Lorenzo.

Then, almost without thinking, she seized her glass and drained what remained in one swallow, hoping the burn might quiet the anger swelling in her chest.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Evening
Location: The Ball
Interactions: @Remram Nolan
Mention: @FunnyGuy Lorenzo, Charlotte, @Oso Cassius

---

The movement of Nolan’s thumb against her hand caught Marina by surprise.

Her gaze dipped toward their joined fingers. She had not realized she had been touching him that way until he returned the gesture. Her cheeks warmed, and she struggled to bite back the smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Still, Marina pretended not to notice.

“I only hope that she’s met someone nice.”

Marina followed his gaze toward Charlotte, her expression turning thoughtful. “I think she may have,” she said slowly. Her eyes searched the room until they found the man with the gray-streaked hair. “That one standing near her looks as though he would kill for her.”

She paused, considering him more carefully. “Which is not the only quality one should seek in a gentleman, of course,” she added. “But it is not a terrible place to begin.”

Her thoughts wandered, and the amusement faded from her expression. “Her mother only died last year,” she added, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Her aunt, Countess Diana Cristian, wrote to me about it afterward. She lives up in Krasivaya, the really cold area of Varian.”

Her thumb moved once more against Nolan’s hand, this time with slightly more awareness than before. “So yes,” she decided, looking back at him. “I hope she has found someone nice too.”

Then Marina studied Nolan’s face and tilted her head.

“You look worried,” she observed. “Is whatever is happening over there a big deal?”

Nosy as ever, Marina pursed her lips and craned her neck, trying to take another peek at the commotion.

Just in time to catch sight of Duke Vikena swinging his fist.

Straight toward King Edin!

“OH, MY GODS!”

Marina gasped so sharply that she lost her place entirely. Her foot tangled with Nolan’s, and a moment later, she went crashing straight into him.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Location: Ballroom
Time: Evening
Interaction: @FunnyGuy Lorenzo

---

The mark Lorenzo’s fist found was not the face of the king.

It struck the open palm of the Count of Montague.

Calbert had been making his way through the ballroom from the moment Lorenzo first raised his voice. He had not run nor shoved through the crowd. Instead, he had moved with purpose, offering brief apologies as he passed.

And luckily, he had arrived precisely when he needed to.

Calbert’s open hand caught Lorenzo’s fist and forced it backwards. His fingers immediately closed around Lorenzo’s hand, holding it firmly between them as his darkened gaze settled upon the duke’s face.

“Duke Vikena,” Calbert said softly, “you are going to lower your hand.” His grip on his hand tightened just enough to make Lorenzo understand that this was a command. He leaned in and whispered, his unmasked irritation dripping off his words, “Then you are going to come with me before you finish destroying everything you believe you are protecting.”

Then, he let him go and turned to face the ballroom with ease, a warm smile spreading across his face as he slipped an arm around Lorenzo’s shoulders and drew him close, though the firmness of the hold made it clear that the duke was not being given much choice in the matter.

Calbert finally turned toward King Edin and bowed his head respectfully. “Your Majesty, Duke Vikena and I have something rather urgent to discuss.”

His smile widened as he looked back toward Lorenzo. “Isn’t that right?”

Calbert then turned his attention to the gathered nobles, letting out an easy laugh.
“Please, everyone, carry on! There is no cause for alarm.” He gave Lorenzo’s shoulder a seemingly affectionate squeeze. “The duke and I are practically like brothers. We have always enjoyed our games!”

A few uncertain smiles appeared among the nearest guests, exactly as Calbert intended.
“Nothing that cannot be resolved over some drinks and revelry!”

He began guiding Lorenzo away, still smiling pleasantly for anyone who watched them go.
Calbert leaned in to order in Lorenzo's ear, his voice dropping so that only Lorenzo could hear, the smile never leaving his face.

“Walk.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Evening
Location: The Ball
Interactions: @Remram Nolan
Mention: @CitrusArms Stratya @Oso Ambrose @Remram Askel @princess Lottie

---

By the time Nolan answered, Marina had begun to wonder if there was something on her face.

He had been looking at her rather intently. Perhaps she had crumbs near her mouth. Perhaps he was hungry and wanted to eat them. She could hardly blame him; she herself had already begun wondering what sort of pastries the ball had hidden away and whether any of them could be smuggled into her second pouch without ruining the icing.

“I, uh, to be honest, I have never been particularly fond of them. I’ve always lurked in the background…” Nolan admitted with a laugh so lacking in warmth that Marina’s expression changed before she could control it. She felt immediately insulted on his behalf, and it was written all over her face. “It was just better that way.”

Better for whom?

The question rose immediately in her mind. Better for Nolan, or simply more convenient for everyone who had allowed him to believe he belonged somewhere unseen?

Before she could ask, he continued.

“I’m sure most people would find my company to be a punishment of some sort.”

Marina’s brows drew together at once.

The indignation came quickly, brightening her eyes as her hand tightened faintly upon his shoulder. She had known him for hardly any time at all, and even she already knew that was nonsense. Nolan was very smart and interesting to talk to. And he was sweet. People had endured far worse company at court, so what made him think he was such a burden?

She opened her mouth, fully prepared to argue with him.

Then Nolan smiled, and the anger in her expression softened before she could unleash it.

“But I do have a couple of companions,” he clarified.

Marina studied him for another moment as they turned together, not entirely satisfied, but willing to postpone her lecture. However, she would not forget it. She would unleash her tirade tonight, and there would be nowhere for him to run or hide.

“There’s Lieutenant Clearwell—James—Captain Durmand’s protégé. Intelligent man, and just as brave as any knight. I would stake my life on him. Well, I have staked my life on him.”

Then he continued with the same fondness. “And then there is Lady Vikena. She’s like another sister to me. She was one of the few who helped me adjust to this life when I was first brought into this world. I owe a lot to her.”

Marina’s face lit up immediately. “You know Captain Durmand?”

Her feet nearly forgot the count again, though she recovered. “She saved my life this week.” Marina paused. “Well, my breakfast. But my breakfast might as well be my life before noon.”

Her mind returned fondly to the jams, butters, and warm food Stratya had brought her. For one dangerous second, Marina could nearly taste them again. She had to remind herself that drooling during a waltz was generally frowned upon. She had been informed of this fact more than once.

“She did not introduce me to her protégé,” Marina mused, her lips pursing with mild offense. “Brave and clever, you say?”

She nodded thoughtfully before glancing beyond Nolan’s shoulder. “If you think this James fellow is so great, then you should see Captain Durmand herself.” Her gaze found Stratya on the dance floor with Ambrose, and for a moment Marina forgot what she had been saying.

She had always wanted to stand toe-to-toe with Askel and Ambrose. Both men were absolute menaces with a sword and probably secretly far too pleased with themselves whenever they sent her stumbling backward. But Stratya inspired something different in her. A woman who had carved out a place for herself as a knight in Caesonia, of all kingdoms.

Marina had seen her in a pretty dress at the tailor. Now, as she watched her move across the floor, Marina found herself wondering what Stratya looked like in battle. How her expression changed. Whether her eyes would alight like fire when someone she cared about was threatened.

And, unexpectedly, Marina wondered what her own face might look like with that same certainty written across it.

She blinked and returned her attention to Nolan before she could wander too far into the thought.

“Lady Vikena is sweet,” Marina said at last, her voice softening. “She has always been very patient with my rambling, which is either kindness or a remarkable tolerance.”

Her gaze drifted toward Charlotte. “She sometimes reminds me of someone I once knew,” she added, quieter now. For a brief moment, her thumb shifted against Nolan’s hand, rubbing lightly over his skin absentmindedly. “But she is dressed rather differently tonight.”

Her eyes searched the room until she found the young woman in her sparkling navy dress, and then she took in the sight of the growing crowd near the king. Even from a distance, Edin’s displeasure was obvious, though Marina assumed Duke Vikena had once again stumbled into some terrible misunderstanding. It seemed statistically likely.

“I like it though,” she continued. “She seems more confident.”