There was one - just one - redeeming quality about Mercedes: she wanted Julian to be cultured. That meant sending him off to the museums to simply spend the day taking in the atmosphere and studying whatever ancient works would interest him, hoping he'd absorb some of the inspiration and majesty. He was sent with a chauffeur, but they were the silent, "stand and watch" types who blended in with the museum's staff and just scared people away.
Fine by Julian. He preferred to just wander aimlessly, head phones in his ears playing classical music to tune out the world and become immersed. Right now he wandered through the ancient and medieval armory, reading the little tag lines. This suit was used by a duke just to show off his awesome smithy. That one had a hole in it because a rival countryman had shot an arrow into the wearer's heart.
It all fascinated and delighted him, though the only tell was how his ears twitched in muted joy whenever he found something new to stop and stare at. For example, the catapult plans he was currently stopped in front of, trying to make out the faded script; wondering if he and his brother could some day make something similar to then use to ambush Mercy's apartment with.
