regency au } { of duels and political warfare

[wildkingdom]

Liam: [in between them both] Calm, my lady. He needs to learn his place and you cannot give yourself away because of this scum.

Malia: He already knows and no one is here to see it. [no she's definitely angry and she inherited her father's temper]

Theo: [rubbing his face] For now.

Malia: Do you want to call someone? Would you like my sister to hear of what you said to me? Or my father? I'm fairly certain my stepmother has ways of making you disappear regardless of your birth.

Theo: I disappear, and the letters I wrote to my family will surface, damning your entire family to God as the demons you are.

Malia: And who would believe you?

Theo: Someone will, and they will speak to others, and others...

Liam: Fine, then I will challenge you.

Theo: You have nothing I want.

Liam: No, but I do. Deny me, and you're a coward. No one will believe what you say.

Malia: Liam, no.

Liam: [turns to look at Malia] I won't let him dishonor you or your family, Lady Hale.

Theo: What if I win? You'll be my servant? I have enough of them.

Liam: I'll take you to the alpha who turned me.

Malia: And if you win, they will have you jailed.

Liam: For you, it is not something I fear.

Malia: But it is not something you deserve.

Liam: [there's a smile there] I thank you for believing that.

Theo: Fine, duel. In the gardens at sunrise.

Malia: Liam.

Theo: He has made his terms, my Lady, and I have accepted.

Malia: [she huffs before walking away. She's definitely going to her father, sorry Liam]

Liam: You accept, so you will keep your tongue silent about the Hales.

Theo: As you wish, young squire. I will see you at sunrise. [and he takes his leave]

Peter: [is angry writing]

Malia: [BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG]

Peter: [goes to the door and opens it, and lets out a soft breath] Malia.

Malia: Liam challenged Theo to a duel.

Peter: [curses under his breath] Damnit, stupid runt.

Malia: He's doing it for us, I tried to talk him out of it, but he won't listen.

Peter: Daughter, he is doing it for you.

Malia: [she looks away at that, eyes dropping to her hands because that she doesn't have an answer for]

Peter: [goes to sit down, motioning her to join him on the couch] What are the terms of the duel?

Malia: If Liam loses he has to take Theo to the alpha who turned him.

Peter: [nods] That would be the scientist's lair who held him and Lord Parrish in their youth. From what Liam remembered, it was a rabid beast that the scientist was trying to manipulate the wolf gene.

Malia: So there's a chance that the wolf will kill him as much as turn him.

Peter: Yes, or the scientist will keep Theo as a pet to experiment on if they are caught. Or, Theo could inherit a lot of power.

Malia: None of which is particularly good, as he says he has letters exposing us if he disappears.

Peter: Then we need to make it so that no one will believe him.

Malia: How do we do that?

Peter: We need to make it so that people feel he has gone crazy and can't be believed.

Malia: Still - how?

Peter: I will need to talk to your cousin and Lady Kate. When is this duel to take place?

Malia: Tomorrow at sunrise.

Peter: We will have to work fast. [he goes to his desk to write] Take this to your cousin Derek. We will need to bring Liam and his master here at once.

Malia: [nods and takes the letter to go off to find Derek]

Derek: [is working with Scott on his sword technique] Malia?

Malia: [holds the letter out to him] From my father.

Derek: [opens it and reads it] What did Liam do?

Malia: Challenged Theo to a duel.

Derek: ... What did Theo do?

Malia: He ... [she purses her lips] He was not pleased when Laura turned down his proposal.

Derek: I was not aware... Malia, are you okay?

Malia: Right now that doesn't matter. If Liam wins he will get himself thrown in jail and if he loses he has to take Theo to the alpha that turned him.

Derek: Well, we won't let either of those happen. Scott, escort Malia back safely. I have a deal to broker.

Malia: [huffs but she doesn't fight her cousin on it]

Derek: [leans down to kiss Malia's forehead] We'll make this right, I promise.

Malia: Just don't let him get killed.

Derek: That too.

Malia: [sighs] Go. My father's waiting.

Derek: He has gone to speak with Laura and Lord Parrish. He will be awhile.

Malia: Then what are you going to do?

Derek: I'm going to be getting a new knight for Hale manor.

Malia: [frowns, confused, but doesn't want to waste his time anymore, and just nods]

Peter: [and he will be going to get time with Laura and Parrish]

Laura: [and she is still greatly annoyed from the way Theo spoke to her earlier, because it's likely he didn't take it well when he was turned down by a woman]

Peter: [and he is going to explain what Malia told him]

Parrish: [worried about Liam] So what can we do to stop this?

Peter: It's more... what can we do to make sure things happen how we want them to.

Laura: And what is that exactly?

Peter: First, to keep Liam out of jail, he needs to be a knight when he enters this duel.

Laura: And who is he going to be knighted by?

Peter: His master does not have a Lord he services that can knight another. So he would need to come into the employ of a house with a Lord who is able to.

Laura: ... Can we do that?

Peter: We can. Technically he is still Lord Parrish's ward. That has never changed. We sent him off for training for an unspecified amount of time.

Laura: Is it good for us to do that?

Peter: Some would find it suspicious. But seeing that he is doing this as a matter of insult taken to a Lady of his house, I don't see the Duke complaining on the use of power in this instance.

Laura: Then we'll do it.

Parrish: Are you sure, love? I know he hurt you...

Laura: And if he's looking to make it right, on our behalf, then this can be considered righted.

Parrish: [small smile, leaning in to kiss her, then to Peter] Make the deal. I will sign whatever you need.

Laura: And what will happen if he loses?

Peter: We will worry about it if it happens.

Laura: What else do we need to worry about?

Peter: Right now, we need to start a rumor mill that Theo is going mad. Find ways to get the people in the city to doubt him. Make it so that anything he says will sound like the ravings of a madman having a spell.

Laura: That sounds like something you need Elena for.

Peter: I will go to her at once. [nods his head]

Laura: Between her and Caroline we should be able to get something going.

Peter: Erica and Boyd would be able to help as well with the middle class and lower.

Laura: Good. Then that's a start.

Peter: I'll set it in motion. The faster this starts, the faster we cover our backsides.

Laura: [she nods] Let me know if you need anything else from me.

Peter: I will. [and he will take his leave]

Elena: [and off he goes to find Elena? She's in her room probably doing one of the girls' hair]

Peter: [yup. Not the Hale man you were expecting]

Elena: [making it Talia since we already know she exists, and she will turn and brighten because HI UNCLE PETER while Elena just looks surprised] Peter!

Peter: Hello, darlings. Elena, Can I have a moment with you and perhaps Lady Caroline if she is nearby?

Elena: Caroline already went down to the tournament with Tyler, but I can fill her in. [she turns Talia so that they're facing Peter more so that she can continue braiding her hair. Talia just sits and kicks her legs back and forth while she waits]

Peter: Okay. [and he will step closer, giving Talia one of his hands to play with] How fast can you and Lady Caroline ruin a reputation through gossip?

Elena: We still know a few leaky sources. [Talia is totally playing paddy-cake with his hand] Is there someone in particular you have in mind?

Peter: Theo Raeken. [and he will give her the summary of what's happening]

Elena: [she's surprised at first, because wasn't that the person Malia was looking to possibly marry, but as he explains, her eyes narrow and she nods] I'm sure we can make quick work of that.

Peter: Good. We need to make quick work of this, so that anything he says will be seen as the ravings of a mentally handicapped ex-suitor out or either spite, insanity, or both.

Elena: We'll take care of it. Is there anything else we should know?

Peter: Squash any rumors about Liam's challenge. We don't need a crowd there.

Elena: [she nods] That I don't know if I can promise, but we'll try.

Peter: Thank you. [crouches down to look at Talia] You going to help Mommy make someone out to be crazy?

Talia: [she makes a face before tipping her head back towards her mother] What are you doing?

Elena: You and your cousin Ben will be busy with the other children at the tournament.

Talia: [turns back to her uncle] Nope!

Peter: Okay. Then you be good. [leans in to kiss her forehead]

Talia: I will. [she probably won't. she's a troublemaker.]

Peter: [takes after her father] See you both soon.

Elena: [she nods] Good luck, Peter.

Peter: [and he will go off to meet Derek, Liam and the knight]

Elena: [and she will meet up with Caroline and the gossip queens will get to work]

Liam: [and eventually he will be brought before Laura and Parrish]

Laura: [deep breath] Hello, Liam.

Liam: [keeping his head down. It's been awhile, and while he was right about Theo, he's not going to say anything about it. He's learned a lot from his knight master] M'Lady. M'Lord.

Laura: It's been a long time.

Liam: Yes, it has m'lady.

Laura: Do you know why you're here?

Liam: Yes. I challenged Lord Raeken to a duel because he was about to hit Malia and threatened her honor and the Hale secret.

Laura: [nods and then she glances to Parrish, figuring that he might want to do the honors for this one]

Parrish: You know that a squire can't duel a lord, right? You strike him in a gathering that a duel would cause, and you'll be arrested and if he has his way, executed.

Liam: I know, M'Lord.

Parrish: Then why did you do it?

Liam: [licks his lips] Because I care about Malia. She is... was my friend. Theo was going to hurt her. I didn't want him to do that. I didn't want him to get away with hurting any of you.

Laura: So you thought a duel was the solution?

Liam: It was all I could think of.

Laura: [she nods]

Liam: I was trying to do the honorable thing. I know I haven't done that a lot in my life, but that's what I have been taught.

Laura: [she nods again and glances back to Parrish again. The news should come from him]

Parrish: Well, I guess you've learned your lessons well. [stands up, heading over to him] And because of that, we're not going to let you get arrested for this.

Liam: How are you going to do that? I'm ready to accept the punishment.

Parrish: You won't be punished if you're a knight.

Liam: [blinks at Parrish, and then looks at Laura]

Laura: [meets his eyes and nods her agreement]

Liam: But you hate me. You didn't want me. Why now?

Laura: We didn't hate you. We never hated you. We were upset with you and you stole from us. If you weren't going to listen to us, then we needed to try ... a different form of discipline.

Parrish: You have always been my ward and friend, Liam. That never changed.

Liam: It felt like it had. And I'm sorry I disappointed you.

Laura: But it seems as though you've learned from it.

Liam: Yes, m'lady.

Laura: Then we've come ... full circle, it seems.

Parrish: And it's time for you to come home, and for us to take care of you as you are one of our own.

Laura: That was all we wanted, Liam.

Liam: [and he licked his lips a moment] I want to come back.

Parrish: Then take a knee, Liam. [grabs his sword]

Laura: [and she will smile as she watches]

Parrish: While you're still young, you've shown us that you have grown a strong, loyal heart. Because of this, we dub you Sir Liam of Hale Manor.

Laura: Which makes your duel now a legitimate one.

Parrish: Derek is going to take you to the smithy to get a proper set of armor overnight. He's going to take over your training, so listen to him.

Liam: Yes, m'lord.

Parrish: Tomorrow when this duel takes place, we will be there to protect you if we have to.

Liam: I'm a faster sword than Theo, m'lord, even without using my speed. He's lazy and I know his technique well.

Laura: Then hopefully this will end better than we hoped.

Liam: Not to brag, m'lady, but not being executed is a better end than I was expecting.

Laura: Well, now you have room to aim higher.

Liam: [grins] I will aim to do so, m'lady.

Laura: Good.

Parrish: Go with Sir Derek now, Sir Liam.

Liam: [bows] Yes, m'lord. [and he will head out obediently]

Laura: [and she will reach for her husband once he's gone] Do you feel better?

Parrish: [goes to her] For now.

Laura: Ask you after the duel?

Parrish: That would be best.

Laura: I'll do that.