THERE IS STILL TIME BEFORE GUESTS START POPULATING THE ARCANAUDE'S HALLS. there's a list of things he needs to go through like briefing his marshals and coordinating with varen. but it's another pair that draws his attention. there's something about them on his list too, but that is not the reason he's drawn like a moth to a flame.
in his hands are two spell glyphs, and for a brief moment they weigh as much as they did when standing in the upper floor of the seven stars. he holds out the first one towards @frcmscratch. “ this one should fend off an attack, if something goes wrong. ” murray made that one, while the second holds a much more recent spell he discovered in front of a mirror.
“ this— ” and he holds the second glyph towards @davin0s. “ can physically alter your appearance and voice for an hour. it's not an illusion someone can see through. ” none of them want to bring attention to julien's return yet. and this was the best azune could come up with.
this was the familiar part; the contingency plans laid out beforehand, trying to prepare for everything that might go wrong in the evening. it's the personal that sends him spinning, like hal's generous offer prior.
maybe in another life, he'd stand here as their date. maybe he might've worked security. but he wouldn't try to balance a carefully crafted web of lies. “ do you— is there anything you wish to discuss before guests arrive? ”
