Gerald
**Tyras Vandel
City Streets of Jezera, Astoria**

"I don't know. My father usually keeps track of that sort of thing." Tyras said before taking a sip from the flask. "I have nothing else important today if you want to check it out." He said, hoping to avoid more wedding plans. He gestured with sardonic excitement toward the crowd and banners.
Joseph
**Natalia Vena 
City Streets of Jezera, Astoria**

Natalia nodded at the offer, figuring it might be a good way to step out of the tension that was wedding planning. She'd not had the pleasure of a traveling show in quite some time, and the dazzling colors felt like a true welcome to Spring. 

The crowd was bustling, laughing and enjoying sweets, taking the time from their day to get to know their neighbors and loved ones. A few greeted her and Tyras as they passed; polite bows here and there, but nothing extravagant as they made their way closer towards the makeshift stage that had been set up. Two men stood upon the platform, one dressed in all red and the other in all greens, performing something that could only be assumed to be a comedic duo. Natalia didn't personally find it entertaining, but she was never a fan of comedy to begin with. 

When they finished their parts, and departed the small stage with bows and scattered applause, she leaned her head a bit to the side to comment something to Tyras, but the words caught in her throat as a flash of smoke appeared on the stage, and a man stepped out from the crowd, causing a wave of gasps and cheers through the crowd at the appearance of the magician.
Gerald
**Tyras Vandel
City Streets of Jezera, Astoria**

Tyras returned nods to those who gestured toward him. It appeared that his father's reputation still carried weight with the townspeople.

Tyras was out of breath from laughing by the time the comedic duo had ended their routine. "Oh boy, I love a good laugh..." He clapped as the scene transitioned to the next performance. "I didn't know they allowed mages into non-magic groups." He commented.
Joseph
**Natalia Vena
City Streets of Jezera, Astoria**

"I wasn't aware either. I wonder if that's an addition that only runs in Astoria." She mused, her lips pressing together tightly. The mage made her skin crawl, and she couldn't help the furrow in her brow.

"I can't believe they'd let him preform in public." She breathed, and it seemed she wasn't the only one uncomfortable by the situation. Half the crowd had gone stiff as the mage revealed a golden gilded cage. From within it, a tiny swing sat empty, and with another cloud of smoke a bright yellow canary took the perch, earning scattered applause and gasps alike in the crowd. "It seems like the kind of thing Marcia Ellis would-" As soon as she said the name, the woman's voice rang out from the back of the crowd in protest.
Miguel
Zane Harmattan
Durkhan Castle

Zane looked out at the night sky, a cigar hanging loosely from his lips. The smoke idly danced around his face, creating shapes that the man lost himself in, the moonlight illuminating the shapes softly. It had been a few hours since he and Robyn had gone to the Blazing Bull, and Zane regretted every minute since they returned. He had sent Robyn away, claiming that he had some things to sort out before he could tell Robyn about what his position in the court was, but he had never sent anyone for the boy, so he had spent the last few hours in silence, not wishing to tell Robyn how he was the Astorian spymaster.

So when the door leading from the balcony to his office opened, Zane was a little more shocked then he wanted to let on, idly turning to face it with a brow raised. Robyn's head peeked out, his hand idly tapping the glass of the door.

"Father?" He started meekly, taking a shaky breath. "Is it okay for me to join you?"

Zane idly hummed as he turned back to face the moon. Robyn took it as an invitation, and moved next to him.

"You said you'd send for me, but that seems like it was a lie." Robyn mumbled from next to him, his eyes locked onto the moon like his father's.

"Less of a lie, and more me being afraid, if I'm being honest."

"Why would you be afraid?" Robyn asked as he turned to face Zane, confusion lacing his tone and expression.

"Robyn, there are so many reasons for me to be afraid." Zane sighed, shaking his head softly. "I was born into slavery, never really had a father myself, so I don't know how to act around you. I randomly have to co-run a country, the ruler having a penchant for running off and leaving me and her right hand with more questions then answers. Hell, the only truly stable things in my life are alcohol, cigars, and the weight of my position." Zane took the cigar from his mouth, turning a bit so he could glance at Robyn. "Robyn, when you go from being someone with nothing, being used as a toy by those in charge, to suddenly being in charge of anything, you run the chance of losing stability."

Robyn looked away from his father as he heard all this, turning back to face the moon. "Well, does that mean that you don't trust me with the knowledge of what it is you do?"

"Yes." Zane mumbled, shaking his head. "But it's more for your sake then my own."

Robyn's just raised a brow, but never turned from the moon, causing Zane to sigh.

"Robyn, I learned you existed in the middle of the Witherlands, where we were trying to get our Queen out of being a glorified hostage. Then a few months later I get the courage to speak to you, and to tell you I'm your father." Zane started, taking another long hit from his cigar.

"I know this, Father. I was there, if you remember."

"Smartass." Zane sighed out, a small smirk playing on his face. "The reason I don't know if I should tell you, is because of how important it is. You immediately become a national risk, and I don't know if I can force that onto you."

"How important are you, if I become a national risk?"

"Very."

Robyn nodded slowly, moving his elbow up onto the railing, resting his face on his hand.

"I don't mean any disrespect, but for now I have to hide it from you." Zane told him, taking another puff from his cigar. "But when I know you can handle the truth of what I do, and when I know you won't do anything rash, then I can tell you."

"Why do you assume that I'll do something rash?" Robyn asked, eyes tracing the smoke that rose from Zane's cigar.

"Cause you're my son." Zane mumbled, shaking his head a bit. "I know that if I was in your position, I'd more or less freak out. Couple that with the fact I have a penchant for getting drunk, and there may be a slip up."

"I don't drink though." Robyn told him, eye trailing over to him. "There really isn't a chance of me getting drunk and spilling any secrets you tell me."

Zane barked out a laugh as he heard this, shaking his head softly. "That's fair." He mumbled, another hit of his cigar passing.

"While I'm hurt by your distrust," Robyn started, a small sigh escaping him. "I suppose I can understand. After all, I wasn't going to tell you that I was the son of Amalthea."

"Yeah, I noticed you weren't." Zane laughed out, rolling his shoulders a bit. "You're kind of a shit liar."

"What, you think you're a better liar then me?" Robyn taunted his father, a smirk playing on his face.

"Kid, I could out lie your skinny ass any day of the week." Zane responded in kind, as he turned to his office. Zane rummaged through the bottom drawer of his desk, pulling out another cigar. He quickly prepared the cigar, cutting the end a bit and lighting it, before he moved out to the balcony again. Robyn lazily glanced to his father, raising a brow as he handed him the cigar.

"Take it kid." Zane took a hit from his cigar, smirking to Robyn. Robyn took the cigar from his father, raising his brow as he lifted it to his mouth.

"Should I really be smoking?" Robyn asked, idly taking a hit of the cigar. When he broke started to cough, ripping the cigar from his mouth, Zane laughed.

"Don't actually fully inhale it." He told him, shaking his head a bit.

"Thanks for telling me that now, asshole." Robyn mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Another laugh left Zane, and he smirked as he looked at his son. The two of them spent the rest of the night talking, trading stories and joking as they bonded, cigar smoke idly lazing into the sky.