regency au } { of new friends and common thoughts

[wildkingdom]

Malia: I can take care of myself.

Liam: I am well aware of that.

Malia: I'm probably stronger than he is.

Liam: I'm aware of that too.

Malia: [squints at him] He can't dishonor me if I don't let him.

Liam: [makes a face] Yes, but please remember that you will also be exposing yourself as being stronger than you look, and not everyone knows about us.

Malia: [scowls] Women are not some delicate flower even without the supernatural on their side. Allison, I'm sure, is stronger than that man. [Lydia] even. Also, I am capable of being discreet.

Liam: I didn't say they were! I'm just pointing out you don't need to draw attention to yourself like that.

Malia: I'd rather draw attention to myself than be a damsel.

Liam: [sighs] And what happens when you end up in a situation you can't get out of.

Malia: [huffs] I'll figure it out. But I don't need to be rescued.

Liam: Fine, then I won't rescue you.

Malia: Good. [but she doesn't make any move to return to the party either, mostly because she really doesn't want to be there]

Liam: [and he's going to huff, looking out at the party. He really doesn't want to be there either]

Malia: [she also doesn't know what to do with him either, so eventually she will just get to her feat to head further into the gardens so she can be by herself]

Liam: [wait she's leaving. He moves to follow her, and then stops. No, she wants to take care of herself. He will let her]

Theo: [is in the gardens already, knowing that Hales always ended up in gardens during parties]

Malia: [it's outside. They like the outside. and she's just going to wander a bit, aware that a human is there somewhere but not really paying attention to them]

Theo: [he will wait until she is within hearing distance, and then make a soft sigh and just look up at the sky. So sad, his face]

Malia: [and she will turn because what do you have to sigh about? But he obviously wants to be talked to so she'll take her time before continuing] Bored with the party?

Theo: [he looks over at her and gives her a small, sad smile] I'm not really a big fan of them. You?

Malia: [she shakes her head] I only really like the dancing and that only gets you so far.

Theo: You don't really need a party to dance. Just music.

Malia: Exactly. With a party you also need to do the dinner and the toasts and the talking ... [she shakes her head]

Theo: And unless the food is good, you don't really even care about that. That's why I tend to just hang out here.

Malia: I can't return to my room until my father and his wife are ready to leave. [makes a face] So here is better than in there.

Theo: Well, if you want the garden to yourself, I can find somewhere else.

Malia: [she shakes her head] No. It's fine. [she won't bother him if he won't bother her]

Theo: [nods] I'm Theo, by the way.

Malia: Malia. [then added, like something she almost forgot] Nice to meet you.

Theo: It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Malia. [and he will look back up at the stars] Do you like looking at the stars?

Malia: [she pauses for a moment, uncertain, before starting to move closer] My uncle did. He died when I was young, but he had a tower with glass ceilings so that he could look at them before he slept.

Theo: That sounds amazing. I should ask my father for one of those. I used to lay outside with my sister to watch the stars after dinner. Sometimes when I'm missing her, I look at the stars and think about her dancing around them now.

Malia: [then, indelicately, as is her way] Your sister is dead as well?

Theo: Yes. She... she fell off her horse and into the stream. She drowned. I tried to help her, but I was too small and couldn't reach her.

Malia: I'm sorry.

Theo: [he gives her a small smile] Thank you. I miss her every day. She would love these parties. She was a lot better talking to people than I am.

Malia: I never had any siblings.

Theo: It's like having someone you can always confide in and know that they will take care of you, even when you fight half the time.

Malia: [she nods] My cousins are the closest I have to that, but they are all older than me. And their children are too young.

Theo: I know that feeling. I feel like I'm the only one who isn't an adult in my father's manor.

Malia: When we are at my father's castle, it is just the three of us, so it is not as disparaging. But at the manor it's either my cousins or their children, the oldest of whom is five or six.

Theo: It must be lonely.

Malia: [she shrugs, not really wanting to commit to it one way or another]

Theo: I don't really even have any friends. Father wants me to start going on the tournament circuit, thinking maybe I will make some but all the knights seem to care about is who is the best and what woman they are trying to woo.

Malia: [rolls her eyes] And all the ladies care about are how high the social ladder they can climb and other ... vapid things that don't matter.

Theo: Sounds like we're both not suited for court life. [laughs]

Malia: [she does as well] I thought it would be different. Cora's ladies ... they never were quite as shallow. They cared about things that mattered. [but she can't seem to find any of her own and it frustrates her. Makes her wonder if there's something wrong with her, even though Caroline tells her there isn't. She suspects she's doing it just to spare her feelings]

Theo: We're probably just a lot more interesting than the rest of them.

Malia: I doubt that.

Theo: Well, you've been interesting so far. [smiles]

Malia: [and that ... actually gets her blushing a bit, good job Theo. Her head ducks as she looks away] You are probably the only one who thinks so.

Theo: Then I guess the other men don't know what they are missing.

Father: Theo!

Theo: [sighs] Oh God, I hope he isn't going to make me dance again with Lady Vanessa...

Malia: [her eyes shift, calculating for a moment, before she darts over and sits next to him on the bench, which is suddenly VERY CLOSE and she may regret that later but for right now, she's going with it]

Theo: [and he looks surprised a moment, but then his father appears around the hedge]

Father: Son, Lady Vanessa is asking for you.

Theo: I'm sorry, Father. I am... actually in conversation with Lady Malia at the moment...

Malia: [and she will look up with a small smile like hi. I'm here. How's it going? But not actually say anything because she may ruin it if she does]

Father: [watches Theo a moment, then nods] Well, I will let her know you are occupied at the moment.

Theo: Thank you, Father.

Father: [and he will go]

Malia: [and she will wait until he's out of earshot before exhaling] That worked better than I thought it would.

Theo: Well, I must thank you. I can't stand Lady Vanessa.

Malia: [she nods] Neither can I.

Theo: She sounds like a chipmunk when she laughs, and she doesn't have any appreciation for literature

Malia: [she makes a face] It's incredibly grating.

Theo: My father and hers are friends and he has been trying to get us to be a couple since I was still in diapers.

Malia: I was fortunate. My father is allowing me to choose for myself. [she just wishes the options were better]

Theo: You are very lucky for that. I've thought many times just running away to France to become a bohemian.

Malia: [she snorts] I'm sure that would end well.

Theo: You know, there are women in France who make careers of dancing.

Malia: I don't think my father would approve.

Theo: Yours cares for you a lot more than mine, I bet.

Malia: It was just the two of us for a long time.

Theo: So his wife is not your mother?

Malia: My mother died in childbirth. Lady Kate married my father when I was twelve.

Theo: I'm sorry to hear that. My mom was never the same after my sister died. She followed shortly after.

Malia: [she nods] My father took my mother's death very hard. He can be very protective.

Theo: I was sent away to school.

Malia: That is not a common practice with my family. We prefer to keep each other close.

Theo: I think I would like your family very much then.

Malia: Perhaps you would.

Theo: So now that we are both aiding the other in hiding from the party, what shall we do?

Malia: [she pauses before giving a small shrug] Perhaps ... go for a walk?

Theo: I'd like that. [he stands up, and then holds his arm out to her]

Malia: [and she will take it and they will go off wandering for a while]

Liam: [and he will see them from afar and scowl]

Malia: [yes, well. that's what you get]

Theo: [and they can keep talking and walking through the gardens as long as she wants]

Malia: [which will probably be long enough to draw Peter out looking for her]

Peter: [yup, he will just stand at the entrance to the gardens, waiting because he knows how the wind is blowing]

Malia: [and her head will turn and she'll sigh] We should head back.

Theo: Something wrong?

Malia: [lie] It's getting late.

Theo: Oh. Well, I guess we should get back inside.

Malia: [and back they will go and surprise! There's Peter.]

Theo: [and oh look, a father figure] Hello, m'lord.

Peter: [He will raise an eyebrow, but Malia looks happy and is talking to someone her own age on her own free will. He won't scare the boy away for now] You two have a nice walk?

Malia: [nods before turning back to Theo with a small smile] Good night.

Theo: [gently lets her go] Night, Lady Malia. Hopefully I'll see you again.

Malia: [she nods again, before moving to her father's side and waiting for him to lead the way]

Peter: [gently reaches down to guide her away] You made a new friend?

Malia: [waits until Theo is out of earshot and nods] I think so.

Peter: Good. He seems to be nice and respectful.

Malia: He is. I like him.

Peter: Good. [he will approve of her having friends, after all]

Malia: [she nods and will just follow him back to the castle, probably not going to give him any more details unless he pulls them out of her.]

Peter: [nope, though he will see Liam watching them from his little spot and lock eyes with the boy who lowers his head and turns away]

Malia: [just avoids looking at Liam entirely and just heads right for the door]