Angela
|| technically qaysar's was for class too, its not even a cane really
Eileen
Helena, her gaze lifting from the pages of her novel, fixed her piercing ice-blue eyes on the newcomer. With a subtle, almost inaudible sigh, the maiden slowly closed her book and placed it gently on the table- each movement executed with an innate poise and elegance befitting a noble lady.

Savoring the delicate aroma of her flower tea, she took a measured sip, her eyes momentarily closed in appreciation. "I'm glad that you know... Thales Styx. I was starting to think that you might've encountered an accident on the way here," She smugly remarked upon his belated arrival, expecting the punctuality for their cherished tea time together.

Disregarding the question about the book, she leaned slightly into the table, resting her cheeks on the knuckles of her right hand. "Pray tell..."

"Why were you late?" Her eyes narrowed- a subtle transformation casting a dark and ominous red glow upon them.
Terry
"An accident? Why never madam Belarus. I just was preoccupied with other things. Comes with being the new head of the house." *Thales replied calmly to his friend, not phased by the Duchess starting to interrogate him, her eyes turning into an illuminated crimson. It was the roles they had to play when in public with the standing of the Styx family being witches, the last noble house of said creatures in this kingdom that spurns them.*

"It is nothing you need to worry about, I promise." *A soft chuckle escaped the nobleman's lips while he took another sip of his coffee, the scent of chrysanthemum and cinnamon masking the scent of iron that may have lingered on the witch.*
Eileen
In response to his explanation, Helena's initial anger gracefully gave way to a burgeoning curiosity, causing the crimson glow in her ice-blue orbs to dissipate. "Oh...? Is that so? I see. I never expected you to mature at the ripe age of 23," Helena remarked, taking another measured sip from her tea before seamlessly returning to the conversation with Thales.

"I'm guessing that the weight of responsibilities is what's compelling you to act like an old man?" Helena playfully quipped, her smile radiating charm as she stifled an elegant giggle behind her gloved right hand.

"Enough about the burdens of nobility and the weighty duties. I'm more intrigued to hear about your recent exploits... Hmm?" She cast an inquisitive gaze at him, her pearly whites accentuating her friendly smile. Despite Thales's tardiness initially sparking a momentary flicker of annoyance in the grand duchess, it was swiftly replaced by the delight and amusement of being in the company of her dearest friend.
Terry
"Ah yes, the ripe old age of twenty-three. Seems like I am too mature for my age, though I could say that you are too immature for your age~" *The nobleman teased as he would enjoy his drink as well while the conversation between them continued.*

"I suppose, though it is simply an extension of what I had to do for the Apatows. I am their 'cleaner' after all and suppose to keep the dissidence down." *His voice continued to lilt like a melody being composed between them in the ebb and flow of conversation.*

"As for recent exploits, I have recently run into an old friend, though he seems a little worse for wear since last I'd seen him." *Thales sighed before he would shake it off, reapplying the facade of the charming, polite ~~disgusting~~ witch nobleman. Someone who should be glad for the fortune his has to retain their status in the kingdom.*
Eileen
Helena dismissed his comments about her maturity with a subtle eye roll, choosing to focus on his personal life instead of professional duties. "Like I said earlier- enough about your responsibilities... Let's delve into your private matters," She stated- uninterested, as she reaches for her teacup.

After a sip, Helena expressed concern about his friend. "What's troubling him? Share the details – his name and the challenges he's facing." She motioned for a private conversation, and her knight, understanding, discreetly moved away to provide privacy while keeping a vigilant eye on her for protection.
Terry
"Al-Qaysar, though as for what he's dealing with I would rather not disclose. Let's just say that quarterstaff I enchanted him those years has been working as a cane for the man." *Finishing his cup of coffee, he would set the cup back onto the saucer while he still seemed slightly tired after his drink. Sleep was something Thales rarely got with his responsibilities, even before becoming the new head of the house.*
Eileen
Helena's curiosity got piqued at the mention of Al-Qaysar. "Al-Qaysar...? The name does ring a bell,— like that infamous criminal," She remarked, intrigued and wanting more details.

Reflecting on their childhood, she brought up Thales' past enchanting of a staff. "So, this 'Al-Qaysar' is its wielder? Not surprising, given your talent in the arcane crafts," Helena commented with a nonchalant tone, though using it as a conversation starter.

As she sipped her tea and selected a cookie, she inquired further, "Why is it now serving as a cane for him? Accident, brawl, or something else?" Helena looked at Thales with curiosity, awaiting the unfolding of the story.
Angela
|| "Like that infamous criminal" HE IS THAT INFAMOUS CREIMINAL

|| qaysar is the only person with his name in all of ambrosia basically, first ever to get that name
Terry
*Thales would just nod toward the Grand Duchess while he would gingerly pick up one of the scones on the table.* "Yes, the nobleman who's father just died. It is quite tragic really."

"As for why he is using the staff as a cane, his leg seems to have been injured though he could have had it healed. With how long he's waited though, I think it's beyond repair that common healing magic can treat unless a specialist sees it. At least the enchantment means he has less to carry on his person." *He lamented while he would set the scone onto his plate with his gloved hand. His violet eyes matching Helena's gaze as it seemed she didn't seem to remember much on Al-Qaysar.*
Eileen
Helena was taken aback by Thales' confirmation, her eyes widening as she stared at him disapprovingly. "Hold on - are you saying you associated with a former criminal?!" Helena's voice raised slightly, expressing bewilderment towards the young man.

She facepalmed and shook her head in disappointment. "Thales... Engaging in such actions could lead to severe consequences..!" She said, still shaking her head slowly in disapproval of his past choices. "Furthermore, if others outside our circle were to discover this, your standing in high society could suffer significant damage!" She then sighed, unsure of what to say or do next.
Angela
|| if high society is just nobles and royals... It would mean all thales did was help out a fellow noble before said noble derailed into a path of "Theft"

|| ima be thales's lawyer if its discovered 🫡
Terry
*The Baron seemed completely calm as he would take another bite of his scone while he would make sure that nobody was listening in on them.* "Well this was when he was still only a nobleman and after his bounty has been cleared, so he was no longer a wanted criminal. Though I suppose you may not remember him in our younger years."

"Of course I had never interacted with the man while he was a wanted criminal nor while he was overthrowing the king." *Of course Thales didn't report to the king about the coup since that would be something within his realm of responsibility. Almost like it was something the Styx wanted but who's to say?*
Eileen
As the conversation seemed to settle, Helena's relief was on the verge of breaking through, about to escape her lips in a sigh. However, that relief was short-lived.

Her bewilderment returned upon learning about Al-Qaysar's plan to dethrone the king. Surprise and a hint of self-admonishment crossed her face as she realized her ignorance regarding palace matters, attributed to her focus on enhancing her reputation within high society.

Helena's initially strained expression eased a bit when Thales assured her he hadn't interacted with Al-Qaysar while he was wanted. She gave him a reassuring gesture. "Thales, please don't repeat such risky actions. I would have supported you, but let's play it safe in serious matters like this one, okay?" She bit her lip, resorting to stress eating with a cookie. Looking at him with pleading eyes, she added, "Just be safe, for my sake, please?"
Angela
|| gonna be fun when thales proceeds to make qaysar's quarterstaff an actual weapon not a magical backpack
Terry
"Stay safe? Of course, though I have no idea what you are talking about Grand Duchess. Risky actions? I'm not one to take risks." *He chuckled since they were still in public, though it was still somewhat of a risk. Should the coup have been unsucessful, blame would fall upon him even if he claimed to not know. This would just mean that House Styx was incompetent and any flaws known to the Apatows would mean their immediate dismissal from the noble courts.*
Eileen
Helena, after a brief stare, resigned to the fact that Thales remained true to himself. With a sigh, she smiled, saying, "Alright then... *Sigh*... Whatever works best for you," She extended her right hand towards him, pinky finger prominently sticking out. "Just like when we were kids, we don't break these agreements." Her voice carried a serious tone, accompanied by a hopeful gleam in her eyes. She wanted him to make a promise. "Promise me you won't get into such scenarios again?" She asked, anticipating a 'pinky promise' from Thales.
Angela
|| hes either not gonna promise her or hes gonna lie
Terry
"Of course, what was the origin behind these again? In ancient Kahlo men would make promises with a linking of their smallest finger. Should the verbal contract be broken, the one who breached it shall have their finger cut off." *The nobleman chuckled before he would link his pinky with Helena's.*

*Thales has broken multiple of these promises in the past, although not lightly. This of course is somethat that shall never be known to the Grand Duchess though as he would make a new one he may possibly break.* "I promise to remain safe." *He said slightly altering the promise while trying to stay near the noblewoman's original intent.*
Eileen
Helena responded with a deadpan look plastered on her face to Thales' overexplanation of things, finding it unnecessary given their shared history. As he started the familiar pinky promise, she waited for their fingers to interlock, and once they did, she emphasized, "Pinky promise. You cannot break it, okay?" With a victorious smile, she released her grip and leaned back in her chair.

Picking up her teacup, Helena inquired, "Moving on... What's on the agenda for today? Anything interesting planned for the next few hours? If not, why don't you come and idle with me in my rose garden?" She suggested, taking another sip of her flower tea.
Terry
"I do plan on keeping my pinky." *Thales chuckled softly as he would have his gloved hand go back to his scone. The nobleman always kept those black gloves on and thoroughly cleaned as they hid the brand he had on them, one of the few things Helena knew about when it came to the Styx family.*

"As for the agenda, I do not have any important matters to attend to that my family cannot attend to without my assistance. I think a trip to your garden would be lovely, it has been quite some time since last I've seen it." *A soft smile gracing his face that seemed somewhat geniune compared to his usual mask to be worn in public.*
Eileen
With a graceful sip, Helena rose from her seat, gathering her white rose bouquet and elegant rose adorned parasol. "I'm getting quite bored here. Why don't you and I take a walk?" She proposed, opening her parasol to shield herself from the sun.

Despite the sweets and tea left on the table, Helena didn't mind, awaiting Thales' response. "What do you say, Thales? Care to join me?" She extended her hand toward him, ready to embark on a stroll.
Terry
*Finishing the scone on his platter, Thales would give a nod before he would rise as well while the shadows would heed his whims, creating an umbrella for himself to shade himself from the sun's rays which were too warm for his liking at the moment.* 

"That sounds quite pleasant Madam." *This is clearly unnecessary but the showmanship of it was the main reason why the nobleman did it in the first place, also as a reminder to any onlookers what he is capable of.*
Eileen
Helena beamed a smile as Thales joined her, and they started walking around the affluent part of the city. The grand duchess' elegant presence was strong, turning heads effortlessly everywhere. Her stunning white gown and exquisite jewelry outshone the surroundings, creating an aura of unapproachability for both nobles.

Feeling the weight of the attention, Helena draped a matching white lace veil over her head, seeking a bit of privacy. As they strolled, she asked, "So... Where would you like to go? We still have a lot of time before heading back to my palace." Her gaze focused on the road ahead as they walked through the city.