Some days, Drake thought, it didn't pay to be nice. That was the absolute last time he was going to just blindly offer help without at least finding out what he was helping with. He didn't mind accompanying people to functions, and he was great at guarding people, but he had absolutely no head for formal luncheons that required polite talk and games of words. Nor was he comfortable with being a pretty piece of meat with which to taunt others.
Drake was a terrible liar.
It had been no surprise to anyone present when he had slipped away from the brunch as soon as was polite - he'd only been needed for show, after all, and many of the ladies and lords knew he was ornamental, as his proclivity to avoid attachments was well known.
He needed something relaxing, so he took a shortcut through the park nearest the mages' tower, debating the merits of seeing if Mer was free to go do... something. Anything that didn't require him to wear a coat.
A flash of blond hair caught his attention and he noticed someone sitting on a bench. Deciding that meeting more people - after all, networking and connections kept him from needing to petition for Council membership to keep his purse full - he started towards the person, fixing a friendly smile on his face.