regency au } { of argent arrivals and gentle scolding

[arbalete]

Peter: [having made it through one more breakfast with Daniel and Kate at the table, Peter is priding himself on not being sucked into his primal urges to rip out throats. With the news of Gerard’s death having come back with them on their return to the manor, there was no real choice left but to prepare for the wedding. Daniel wanted to host the first tournament in Hale lands in honor of his wedding, and so there had been a lot of construction to turn the knight's practice fields into a real jousting arena. Other areas had been set up for the armors, the servants, stable room and needs ordered. It would lead to a feast for the winners that night, and in the morning all the lords and ladies in attendance would be allowed to join as guests to the union of the Hale and Argent houses. The chapel was being decorated as the tournament ran, and Peter knew that it was only two more weeks before the deed was done. Still, it was too fast, not enough time to give Laura, and his hands were tied from the agreements his sister had made when he was still a child himself watching Laura from their summer home to keep them both safe from the battle.

He had always sworn to protect his sister's children, but he couldn't from this. And so instead he just focused on the work, and not the anger that he couldn't do more.]

Isaac: [is on top of the wall on watch and he sees something in the distance] Lord Hale, the Argent carriage approaches.

Peter: Thank you, Sir Isaac. [he sends his new page off to summon Laura, Lord and Lady Argent that their family has arrived, and goes to make his way to the main square to await the carriage's arrival.]

Isaac: [and oh look, it's convenient that his relief was there, and he's going to just come down and wait with Peter.]

Peter: What are you doing, Sir Isaac?

Isaac: Providing backup.

Peter: [snorts] Very well.

Kate: [wanders down once she receives the message, hands clasped behind her back] Lord Hale.

Peter: Your brother approaches. I felt you would want to be here to greet him.

Kate: How courteous of you.

Peter: Believe what you want, Lady Argent, but I do know how to welcome guests to my home.

Kate: Oh, yes. I do believe you have the welcoming part down. It's the long term strains of being a host that I think give you trouble.

Peter: Only when those who I am host to believe that they are the lords of the manor before their time.

Kate: Can't blame the boy for getting a little excited. Especially considering he isn't being sated elsewhere.

Peter: You would think he would respect Laura's decision to hold onto her maidenhood until their wedding night. Many ladies are not that generous to their husbands to be.

Kate: Oh, he is. But you know how men are. Have show their ... prowess somehow. If it's not in the bedroom than it's their ego.

Peter: I'm am sure then that he will find enough people to sink his lance into come next week. [his eyes continue to stare at the approaching carriage, never once going to look at her]

Kate: Mmmm-hmmm. [she wasn't just talking about Daniel, Peter]

Peter: [he knows. But he's deflecting because nope, not going to take the bait today]

Kate: [then what good are you, Peter]

Peter: [better than you today, apparently. Oh look, the carriage is here]

Allison: Aunt Kate! [and Allison is out of the carriage and throwing her arms around her aunt, hugging her tightly]

Kate: [grins as she squeezes her back] Still basking in your glory?

Allison: [laughs] Every chance I can.

Peter: [watches as Lydia is next to exit, and then walks over to greet Chris]

Isaac: [bows to Lydia first] M'Lady. Welcome to Hale Manor.

Lydia: [small smile] Thank you, Sir Lahey. Are you handling our things?

Isaac: Our servants will do that. I am here to escort you both to your rooms. [backup. Ha. And he sees that look over Peter's shoulder at him. oops?]

Lydia: An escort. To our rooms. [she seems dubious about that] Is it a long distance?

Isaac: No, but there is a lot of construction and one would not want you to get hurt on your way, or blocked from something being built.

Lydia: I think we can manage it quite well on our own, thank you. [she turns and points] But you're free to make yourself useful with the trunks.

Isaac: [sighs, then nods] Yes, M'lady. [and he will go and join where Scott and Boyd are, growling as they laugh at him]

Peter: [is just going to be explaining to Chris where everything stands in the preparations and where they will be staying]

Chris: I am very impressed, Lord Hale. We will take our leave of you and catch up with our kinsmen. I will send my page if I find we need anything.

Peter: Of course. [nods and goes to take his leave then]

Kate: [pulls back from Allison eventually and glances over to her brother] Chris.

Chris: Kate. How have things been here since your return?

Kate: Lord Hale continues to be constantly offended by our presence. And I may enjoy it a little too much.

Chris: You know, Lord Hale and I have not nearly the amount of problems that you and Daniel speak of. It makes me believe he is not the only problem. [raises his eyebrow]

Kate: [she laughs] I like to get under his skin, what can I say? He makes it far too easy.

Chris: I think you take too much enjoyment at his expense. Perhaps you should do less to irritate the man in his last few days as lord of the manor.

Kate: I wouldn't if it didn't bother him so much. Besides, he's far more worried about his niece in Daniel's hands than he is me getting under his skin.

Chris: Should I be worried about Daniel?

Kate: [purses her lips slightly] He spent too much time with Father, so he's a little too much like him. But he hasn't done anything ... especially heinous as of yet.

Chris: [deep breath] For all the problems between the two of our families, the Hales are honoring their half of this agreement. It will not go kindly on him if he is the one to dishonor our family. You may want to pass that message along to him.

Kate: I do not think it would do much good. But to his credit he's at least kept his hands off Laura. And the only sign of bad behavior was besting a knight that may have been sweet on her at the tournament in London.

Chris: [he thinks a moment, then just nods] As long as he didn't kill the knight.

Kate: [shakes her head] No. He walked away.

Chris: Good. I don't need another lord coming to me about his temper. [and they are at the tower that will house the Argent family moving forward.] I am going to clean up and rest before dinner. Tell Daniel I want to speak with him after.

Kate: I will. Have fun with Allison's new suitor.

Chris: [and that is one eyebrow going up before going to look at the three knights helping with the luggage and wondering just which one he was going to knee first]

Kate: [smirks as she leans up, pressing a kiss to his cheek before heading off to find Daniel]