regency au } { of disappointments and hard lines

[hereditare]

Page: [and when Liam can't pay, the Lord sends his page to where Lord Parrish is sitting and bows] Lord Parrish, Lord Hensington wishes a private audience with you.

Parrish: I don't believe I know Lord Hensington... [looks to Laura]

Laura: [her eyebrows go up because that's not exactly ... good] Did he say what it was about?

Page: He said that it was a private matter. [looks over his shoulder to see if his Lord was close] It involves your page.

Laura: [presses her lips together before getting up] I'll go with you.

Page: This way. [and he will lead him to a side room that has the Lord waiting, and Liam being restrained by two knights. He is barely 14 and looks scared]

Parrish: [sighs, looking at Liam, and then the Lord] M'lord, you sent for me?

Laura: [is right behind him, keeping quiet for the moment and mostly looking at Liam because WHAT DID YOU DO.]

Lord: Lord Parris, your page has wagered a bet that he cannot keep, but he has assured me that you would help him.

Laura: [and her eyes close] How much, my lord?

Lord: Fifty gold.

Laura: [she winces, then looks to Parrish. They could pay it, but this is becoming a problem and he knows it]

Parrish: [nope, he's glaring at Liam] And what would happen to him if we do not pay?

Liam: [his eyes just widen in fear, whimpering]

Lord: I am a Christian man. I would take it from his flesh so that he would learn from his sinning ways.

Laura: How incredibly Christian of you to gamble with a child in the first place. [she's just saying. Her eyes open and she glances over at the Lord, but she's not disagreeing that something needs to be done]

Lord: The boy knew what he was doing. This game had an entrance fee which he provided.

Laura: [and her eyes are back on Liam again] How high a fee? [she's asking Liam, not the Lord]

Liam: [lowers his head] A hundred silver.

Laura: ... Where did you get a hundred silver? [because she certainly didn't give it to him and she didn't think her husband did either]

Liam: [he just licks his lips]

Parrish: Liam, your ladyship asked you a question. You best answer it honestly.

Liam: In the markets. I won a few games, and I sold things from the castle to get the starter money.

Laura: What things?

Liam: Things there were in storage and had dust on them. Candlesticks, plates, just stuff.

Parrish: Stuff that belongs to the Hale family, you mean. Liam... [oh, he's angry] You were taught better than that.

Lord: It seems that your page has taken from us all, m'lord, m'lady. It may be best he learns from his crimes with time in the Duke's stockades.

Laura: [makes a face because she really doesn't want to do that as well, but it may be the only thing left to be done] Perhaps we should speak to the Duke and leave it to his discretion.

Lord: If you feel that it's best, m'lady.

Liam: Please... please no.

Parrish: [looking from Laura to Liam, and then setting his lips in a fine line.] Send for the Duke.

Lord: [and sends his page off to fetch the Duke]

Liam: [is heartbroken and betrayed]

Laura: [she steps forward] My Lord, may we have a word in private with our page while we wait?

Lord: [nods] Of course, m'lady. [and he will snap his fingers and the knights will follow him out, but they will be standing guard just outside the doors.]

Laura: [waits until the door is closed before she turns on him, eyes narrowing] You stole from me. After everything we have done for you.

Liam: I was going to win it back! I just... I just needed some coin to start.

Parrish: Stealing from us is inexcusable, Liam.

Laura: Those items weren't yours to take.

Liam: But no one was using them!

Laura: No, because it's likely they were my mother's! [which is the really upsetting thing and it shows in her voice] Just because we are not using them does not mean that you are free to just take them and do with them as you please.

Liam: [winces, whimpering and lowering his head] I'm sorry.

Laura: [she exhales slowly, trying to calm down and keep her voice even] We have tried to be patient with you, Liam. But there is only so much of this behavior that we can forgive. If you will not listen to me, as your alpha, then perhaps the Duke will have better luck.

Liam: I promise I'll be better. Please don't let the duke lock me up. Please, Parrish!

Parrish: [shakes his head] I'm sorry, Liam. It's time you learn to take your punishments like a man. You've broken your trust with both of us.

Laura: [she nods in agreement, before turning and stepping away, closing her eyes as she tries not to get emotional about this. She is going to have to go and inventory their belongings herself to make sure nothing important was missing]

Parrish: [he is already making plans to track down what he can and buy it back]

Liam: [is going to be pouting in the corner, wiping tears from his eyes.]

Laura: [and eventually the Duke comes to make a decision?]

Duke: [yup, and he will have talked to the Lord outside privately and come inside to talk to Parrish and Laura on what they wish to see done]

Laura: [glances over and her look is apologetic - possibly even embarrassed] I'm sorry for this, my lord.

Duke: What is a party without a little drama? [he looks at Liam] And your house is not the first who has felt the betrayal of a youngster too big for his britches. Lord Hensington spoke that you are agreed to leave the settlement of this issue to my judgement?

Parrish: Lady Hale is the one making this choice. I am backing her decision.

Laura: I do not wish to see him hurt, but it has become clear that our manner of discipline has had no effect. A neutral party seemed the best approach.

Duke: [nods, and then he approached Liam, arms crossed and looking as scary as a grandfather who is not pleased with the grandchild's behavior] And what kind of lessons has the boy been given?

Parrish: He's been tutored along with Lord Peter's daughter, but how much he's retained I'm not longer certain of. He knows how to work a stable, care for horses, and help at tourney.

Laura: In recent months they have been tutored by Lady Caroline Forbes, who has been covering the classics, as well as geography and the sciences.

Duke: [nods] Has you spent any time training with Sir Derek?

Liam: No, m'lord. He says I'm still too small to handle steel.

Laura: He is strong and sturdy, though.

Duke: So he takes after you in that manner?

Laura: He does.

Duke: [turns to Laura] are you familiar with Sir Jacob? He is one of my knights, one like you through a bite. Your Lord Uncle helped him learn to control his moon time while your mother was still alive.

Laura: [pauses for a moment before nodding] I remember, yes.

Duke: He is in need of a new squire, and he tends to be very strict in his expectations. There will be a lot of work and no time left for young Liam to get himself in trouble. It may also start to drill a code of ethics into his head. Yes, it may break the free spirit you both have come to love, but I think the man that he may become would be worth it. [looks to Lady Laura] Perhaps worth more than the fifty gold I will pay for him.

Laura: [she considers for a moment, before glancing over to Parrish] Jacob is a good man. He would treat him well.

Parrish: [and he nods, and then walks over to Liam, crouching down to look him in the eye] You understand why I have to do this?

Liam: No, you don't have to.

Parrish: I do. And I think it's the best thing I can do for you. You are always going to be my friend, and one day you're going to understand that sometimes we have to make hard choices that hurt the people we love, but it doesn't mean we don't love them any less.

Liam: I don't want to go.

Parrish: Would you rather jail? Or being beaten in the public square for gambling? This is the best option we can give you. And you won't be far from us. If you behave well, perhaps one day you can find a way to re-earn Lady Laura's trust to come home.

Liam: [nods, and then softly] Pinchers Store. The items are at his store. He has them for another month for me to buy them back. [looks up at Laura] I was going to buy them back.

Laura: Then why sell them in the first place? [because if he was only going to buy them back, then what was the point?]

Liam: Because if I had the money to bet with, I could make more so I would have money after for me.

Laura: Then you should have found a way to earn it yourself instead of stealing from me.

Liam: [and he drops his head] I said I was sorry.

Parrish: [gets up, going to Laura's side] M'lord, I trust you will handle the Lord Hensington?

Duke: Oh, I will deduct the money from his taxes next year. Fifty gold will not hurt my coffers. [looks at Liam] I will have my page fetch Sir Jacob and we will handle your ruffian

Laura: [nods] Thank you.

Parrish: [and he will go to Laura and guide her out of the room, leaving Liam with the Duke]

Laura: [lets him lead her to one of the smaller side rooms and the emotions start to leak through the cracks, one hand coming up to cover her mouth. The betrayal caught her by surprise, far more than it should have, and she needs a moment to pull it back in again]

Parrish: [and he will pull her to him, holding her tightly. He is so angry, but just as much at himself than he is at Liam] I will go to Pinchers and buy back all of the belongings when we return to the manor. Everything will be back where it belongs, I promise

Laura: [she leans into him, letting her head rest against his shoulder] I trusted him with my home. I didn't expect ... this.

Parrish: You trusted him because of me. He was my ward... this is my fault. I should have been paying more attention to him and caught this.

Laura: [sighs before looking up at him] You care for him. I think we were both blinded on this one.

Parrish: He was all I had when I escaped. He took care of me until I was able to remember how to be human. I owe my life to that boy and I... [so, so angry]

Laura: [she straightens, brushing a hand against the back of his neck] This will be good for him. For all of us, I think.

Parrish: I hope so. [he pressed his forehead to hers] I'm sorry for the pain this has brought you.

Laura: [shakes her head] It is not your fault. If we can get everything back, then there is no harm done.

Parrish: Do you think this knight will take care of him?

Laura: [she nods] He is a good man. Liam is in good hands.

Parrish: Good. As long as he is taken care of, we can just pray that he will learn his place better.

Laura: [she nods] I think this is the best for him right now.

Parrish: [nods] Well, I don't know about you, but I don't feel all that festive to return to the ball.

Laura: [shakes her head] Neither do I. Perhaps it's best we return to our room for now.

Parrish: That sounds like a good idea. [and he will go to guide her to their room for the night]