Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

"Jaegar!" he exclaimed, clasping his friend's shoulders warmly.

Jaegar returned the embrace, a smile playing on his lips. "It sure is a surprise to see you here, sitting in an office."

"Well, I had to take over for my father." Pierre replied, gesturing for Jaegar to take a seat as he returned to his own chair. "The business has been keeping me busy, but it's good to see you. And I have some news that I've been eager to share."

Jaegar raised an eyebrow, settling into the plush leather chair. "Oh? What is it?"

Pierre chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Jennifer and I are getting married!"

Jaegar's eyes widened with genuine delight. "That's wonderful, Pierre! Congratulations! When is the big day?"

Pierre's smile grew even broader. "In a couple of days. Jennifer insisted on a small ceremony, but it'll be here in Scroartint. I was hoping, of course, that you would be there. I can't imagine it without you."

Jaegar placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, a sense of joy welling up within him. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Jennifer is a wonderful woman—you're a lucky man, Pierre."

Pierre nodded, a hint of wistfulness crossing his face. "I am. Sometimes I think about all we've been through, all the struggles and close calls. To find love amidst all of this—well, it feels like a miracle."

Jaegar leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "You deserve every bit of happiness, my friend. And I have no doubt that Jennifer will bring you that and more."

"Okay, now tell me what happened?"

Jaegar leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily. He then said, "We will talk about it later; first, you tell me, when did you propose her and what brought this on?"

Pierre started talking, although he wanted to hear about what happened with his aunt.

They shared a laugh, the tension that had settled around Jaegar since he left the palace melting away in the warmth of Pierre's company. There was a comfort in being with someone who knew him so well, who understood him.

***

December 20th, 1924

In the grand dining room of Seifridges family estate, crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the long mahogany table, which had been set with the family's finest silver and porcelain. Yet despite the elegant setting, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken tensions and complicated histories that made the exotic delicacies seem tasteless to many present.

Jaegar found himself seated in what felt like a carefully orchestrated battlefield. To his left sat Fiona Seifridges, her silver-streaked dark hair elegantly coiffed, her emerald dinner gown a reminder of the family's wealth and status.

Her presence made Jaegar's collar feel too tight, though he maintained the perfect posture expected of an imperial prince. Every time she smiled at him, he was acutely aware of the secrets that lay between them.

Pierre himself sat across the table, his handsome features schooled into careful neutrality. In his early twenties, he had grown into a striking young man, his father's strong jaw softened by his mother's gentle eyes. He wore the midnight blue suit, the silver buttons gleaming in the chandelier light. Beside him sat his fiancée, Jennifer Finne, a woman of obvious common birth but uncommon grace. Her simple dress, though well-made, stood in sharp contrast to the opulence around her.

Watson Seifridges, the family patriarch, occupied the head of the table with the gravity of a man bearing a heavy burden. His acceptance of this dinner—and, by extension, the impending marriage - had come only after extensive persuasion from his son.

Watson cut an imposing figure even in his civilian clothes. His weathered face bore the signs of scars and the more recent wounds of a bitter divorce from Fiona.

Leo, Pierre's elder brother, provided an interesting counterpoint to the family dynamics.

As a Paladin of the Church of the Divine Light, his presence gave a certain gravitas to the occasion. His white and gold robes seemed to shimmer in the candlelight, the holy symbols embroidered on his collar marking him as a high-ranking member of the church hierarchy.

Despite his religious vocation, there was a military bearing to his posture that spoke of his noble upbringing.

Jennifer's family occupied the other end of the table, their discomfort visible despite their best efforts to hide it. Her father, Marcus Finne, was a successful merchant but clearly out of his depth in such an elevated company. Her mother, Elena, kept smoothing her dress, a nervous gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the more aristocratic guests. Jennifer's younger sister, Sarah, seemed the most at ease, her sixteen-year-old enthusiasm for the glamour of the occasion overriding any social anxiety.

All of them had been taking glances at Jaegar, as it was a simple matter that you would see a prince of the empire sitting at your table.

Sarah was visibly staring at Jaegar while her mother kept telling her not to.

Fiona was lightly pale; she was nervous. She wasn't even looking at Jaegar. When she first arrived, she was startled to see him. But she knew he would be here. Calming herself, she just kept her eyes downcast, focusing on her food and trying to avoid any unnecessary attention.

Watson and Leo were unaware of what happened between Jaegar and Fiona.

Pierre was only one who knew about it and he had been subtly glancing at his mother and Jaegar.

As servants glided silently around the table, replacing one elaborate course with another, conversation moved in fits and starts.

Watson cleared his throat, addressing Jaegar with careful formality. "We heard there was some excitement at the palace recently, Your Highness."

Jaegar took a measured sip of wine before responding. "Nothing of consequence, Mr. Seifridges."

"And if you may, please stop referring with such titles. I would be happy if you just called me by my name."

Watson nodded, "Of course."

There was silence on the table as everyone just ate quietly.

Jennifer's father, seizing on what he saw as a safe topic, spoke up. "We're so grateful to be joining such an illustrious family. Jennifer has always been such a good girl, haven't you, dear?"