regency au } { of returns and miscommunications

[wildkingdom]

Liam: [Taking a break from a long day of training, while it is summer, he isn't thinking about who could come across him. Malia hasn't been in the castle in months, and he's more focused on his training than he is on his feelings for her. While the other knights are sparring, he is sitting in the shade under a tree rubbing his sore muscles]

Malia: [is glad to be home. as much as she liked staying in Russia and getting to know the Kirsanovs, she missed her family and being home again is always good. She made her way through the fields, trying to take in what's changed and what hasn't and since she's upwind from him, he'll probably notice she's coming before she sees him]

Liam: [he will catch her scent and his head will look up, and a smile will come to his face as he stands up] Lady Malia, welcome home.

Malia: [turns at the sound of the voice and while there isn't the immediate recoil that there was when she left, there's still surprised all the same] Sir Liam.

Liam: [well, that's a bit better] Did you have a good time in Russia?

Malia: I did. The Kirsanovs were lovely.

Liam: I am glad to hear that.

Malia: [she nods once] How are you?

Liam: I am having my butt kicked by the older knights on a daily basis.

Malia: Well, that is a part of being trained.

Liam: Sir Derek thinks that I may be able to train in the joust. He says there has not been a finer jouster in the manor since your lord Father.

Malia: Does Lord Parrish not count?

Liam: Sir Derek says that your father would have given Lord Parrish a very difficult time if they had jousted each other.

Malia: [she shrugs] I wouldn't know. I never saw it.

Liam: Neither have I, but I was going to ask if he would be willing to help train me, since Lord Parrish is occupied with running the manor and his children.

Malia: I'm not sure. Though I'm certain Kate would be amused.

Liam: Perhaps that could be an incentive to help. I hear keeping your mate happy is part of a good marriage.

Malia: Not the good kind of amused, depending on how rusty he is.

Liam: Oh.

Malia: [she shrugs] It's how they are, though she's far less malicious about it than she was before they were married.

Liam: [nods] I just don't want to take time away from your lord father and your travels.

Malia: Well, we will be staying for a little while before we go to Ireland. [there's a prospect for her there, though her father isn't phrasing it like that for obvious reasons]

Liam: That's good! [a little too excited, and he will quickly lower his head] I mean, that's good, that you will be home for a while.

Malia: [nods] I've missed it.

Liam: And you have been missed.

Malia: I will take your word for it.

Liam: I at least missed you.

Malia: ... Oh.

Derek: [looking over from the knight's area, watching them a moment before clearing his voice] Liam, your turn.

Liam: [looks over at Derek, nodding] Yes, I will be right there.

Malia: [and there's a small grateful look from his cousin, while she steps back and away from the other knights] I should be getting back to the manor anyway. Good luck, Sir Liam.

Liam: Thank you. [and he will bow and then trot back off to pick up the training sword and get back into the ring to take on Scott this time]

Malia: [and she'll go back to the manor to spend some time with the tiny children because they are less complicated]

Liam: [and while he knows that she's probably not watching, he's going to be trying harder than he normally does because Malia is in the manor again]

Derek: [and he notices this and just shakes his head. Children]

Malia: [Liam, that is not going to impress her. she has literally lived around knights her entire life]

Liam: [but it's all that he has right now at this moment. Plus he's a 16 year old boy]

Malia: [yep. he'll learn eventually]