Darien had unfortunately made the trip back to his Fiefdom in record time, thanks mostly to Albert's insistence after meeting that mercenary to move quickly through the country side. Darien was still a bit sore from his encounter in the woods with Elayne, but the wounds of the body would heal. Hopefully the ones from the soul would to.

The Lawley Gatekeepers opened the gate for their lord into his castle. Darien did not give them a second glance as he approached the main courtyard. He dismounted Elliot and handed the reins to the servant that was waiting for him. But there was another body, or more correctly group of bodies, waiting for him on the stairs. Katherine Lawley stood at the top of the stairs being flanked by six women, each of whom gave a flirtatious grin at Darien. Darien did not so much as look at them, but sent a scowl toward his mother.

"Mother, I was not aware that you required more female servants. Tell me, has your health blissfully deteriorated while I was away without my knowledge?" Darien said with a broad grin. Katherine returned his grin and his canter.

"My beloved son, so good to have you back, though I had hoped it would be in more than one piece. These ladies have come for his lordship to look them over for his approval. All from fine families," Katherine said with a hint of pride in her voice. Darien simply stepped past her leaving his mother and the women on the steps behind him.

Darien made his way to his study and slammed the door behind him as he came in. He went straight to the wine sitting at a nearby table and poured the contents into a large goblet. As Darien took a drink, he realized he was not alone.

Elena whirled in her seat the moment the door slammed shut and jumped, but Aelf had been at the ready the moment it opened. Her guard stood with one hand on the hilt of his sword and in posture remniscient of a wary dog, frozen where he was and ready for action. When he saw that it was only the young Lord he relaxed, but only subtly, and he gave his charge a gentle nudge. The Lady set down her book and rose, folding her arms demurely in front of her as she waited to be noticed. Darien was halfway through his glass of wine before he caught her eye, and at that precise moment she sank into a curtsy. "My lord. Welcome home."

She hid her irritation at calling her brother 'lord' well, just the way she'd hidden her frustration at being interrupted right in the middle of the battle between Beowulf and the monster Grendel. The poetry of it was spoiled, now, and she might as well speak to her sibling good-for-nothing. He did nothide his feelings well, and he looked every bit as frustrated as she felt. Elena glanced him over. "Rough journey?"

Her tone was polite but faintly wry, and she lifted an eyebrow at him. "Or did you just pause to take your time with Mother's latest victims? You look disheveled enough." She held out a hand. "Come and sit down."

Darien eyed the pair carefully. Though he expected no treachery from his sister, there was no doubt in his mind that she did not respect him nor did she intend to start doing so in the near future. Her manservant, like Albert, only bore a small tolerance for the master of the house. If they thought they could get away with it and it would help Elena, they would certainly see him dead.

Darien simply nodded his head after placing the goblet of wine down on the table. "You seem well rested sister, I trust mother has shown you the same graces that she just showed me," said Darien knowing full well that his mother was on a desperate hunt for someone to marry both of her ungrateful children.

Darien stepped over to the chair that was offered to him. When he turned his body to get into it, a slight grimace came to his face as his ribs sent a twinge of pain through his nerves.

"Aelf, why don't you help Albert with the supplies," Darien said through gritted teeth. "I would like a moment alone with my sister," said Darien, dismissing Aelf from his presence. He might answer to Elena, but Darien still held the cards in regards to Aelf's future.

While he waited for Aelf to leave the study, Darien looked down at the book that his sister had been reading before he came in. "Still reading fairy tales, little sister?" Darien chuckled.

Elena bit down on her tongue when Darien ordered her guard out and simply nodded to Aelf. Her brother had no reason to harm her, none that she knew of anyway, and it was best to just obey him. Aelf was a second father to her, almost, and if Darien decided to send him away it would be devastation all over again. The Celt took his leave with a bow and shut the door quietly behind him, leaving the siblings alone.

The Lady was glad of the distraction, because had she not had Aelf to worry about, she knew she would have snapped at Darien teasing her beloved book. As it was she took it carefully in her arms and snapped it shut, pressing the leather binding in her fingers. "Yes. The first book ever written. A fairy tale, and a compelling one, and--" She stopped herself. She was sounding too clever now; and even with Darien she didn't wish to be seen as a threat. "I'm reading in Scalian and Latin now."

The next silence was awkward, as she bit her lip and tried to think of what next to say. Oh, right. Men. "And you are mistaken. There haven't been any suitors for awhile-Mother is having problems finding men rich enough for her liking who are not already spoken for. You are her main concern; you know that. No use worrying about me.." Elena tilted her head to the side and strove to look as innocent as possible. "What did you wish to speak to me about, my lord?"

Darien grinned at his small victory. Aelf always had made Darien a bit uneasy, even more than Albert did at times. Anything to keep those two apart was a small victory. The only reason he did not take the time to send the man away was due to the fact that he saw the change in his sister when their father died. The determination seemed to emanate from her like a fire from a torch. Darien need not awaken the creature that might still lie dormant under that sweet innocence that he knew to be a lie.

The on thing Darien could not fault Elliot Lawley on was that he was not a fool. Elliot had seen potential in his daughter, more so than even his son. Even Darien knew that if it had been in his father's power that Elena would be running this Fiefdom and not him.

"I'm impressed, little sister. I'm glad to see that you have resumed to your studies. As for suitors, perhaps I should give mother a helping hand as it turns out I may no longer need her assistance," Darien said as he took another drink of his wine. His chest felt like there was a ton of bricks rubbing the insides of it. He did his best to keep the pain invisible to his sister.

"Tell me, Elena, why have you not found a husband for yourself yet. I would have thought that you would want from under my clutches as quickly as possible."

Elena's heart seized, and her knuckles tightened around the little book. This was what she'd feared. He was starting to get interested in getting rid of her. There was a moment of silence as she stared down at her knees, and then the girl decided that honesty was the best policy now. Not coyness, not trying to be an adult, not evasion. So she let herself become even paler, and kept her eyes focused on her skirts. "...I'm too young to marry."

The lady brushed an imaginary speck of dust off the velvet. "I mean, I'm not, but I feel that I ought to be. I'm happy here, with my books and my birds and Aelf. And you're right that I don't like having you over me, but you are my brother. You have to like me at least a little, right?" She allowed herself one appealing glance to him, water shining in the bluegreen eyes. "My suitors might not do that, and I'm frightened. I don't know anything about..." Oh, bother. It was crass but she might as well be honest; after all she was speaking to Darien who was little more than a whore. She would hardly offend him. "Sex. It frightens me to think of. I understand that I must be married, but I don't trust anyone with me. I don't mind becoming a wife. I should hate to be a slave. Does that make sense to you, my wild brother?"

Darien smirked at his sister's coyness. The little girl role had been marred long ago after their father died. The little girl wept and grieved, and became reborn a woman. Even his mother had seen that transformation. However, her words seemed to hit a chord in him that began to make him realize something. Darien had never treated his sister kindly. As a matter of fact, there were times that he hated the fact that his sister had his father's favor, despite the fact he never cared to have it for himself.

Darien turned to his sister and looked into those oh so familiar eyes. The blue green that seemed to be the Lawley trademark bonded them together like blood never could. "I do not like the thought of you being locked up inside this castle, nor do I like the thought of you becoming a slave to your husband. If there's one thing I know, it is that no man could ever be anything more than your equal. You give me the courtesies that are fair, but you hardly consider me over you. To be honest, having you here is like having his eyes on me constantly," Darien said gesturing toward the portrait of Lord Elliot Lawley on horse back with his sword drawn for battle. Darien hated that picture. Had it not been a gift to his mother after his father's passing he would have done away with it as soon as the old man's body became cold.

"It's a bit disconcerting, wouldn't you agree. To always know that you were never the first choice, but were given it by default. And what is worse, the one who was chosen is here to watch you make every mistake. But perhaps there is a way for us to have our cake and eat it too?" Darien said with a smirk. Perhaps it would work. It would give them both what they desired. Darien his freedom, Elena her power.

Darien removed the ring that contained his seal and stood up, carefully, and walked to Elena. "If you do not wish to marry, then I will do everything in my power to delay the inevitable. But in return..." Darien came closer to his sister with the right between his thumb and index finger.

"...In return?"

Elena thought she knew what her brother was getting at, and hid a smile. Unbeknownst to him, she had already completed the fiefdom's financial records and checked them over three times. She had already organized which crops were to be planted where, and the hiring of new guardsmen, and the sale of some old furniture to cover the cost of acquiring them. The Lady looked at the ring in her brother's hand and thrilled for a moment with a wild hope, and then she met the eyes so like her own and had to soften. The child pressed Darien's hand in her own and gave him a quiet smile.

"You know, you are correct in saying that I don't view you as my superior, but you should not feel too badly about that. I don't view anyone as my superior, except perhaps Papa. So you are correct in saying that, at least...but you must understand, I do -not- think you stupid. My lord Darien, if I am frustrated with you it is because you refuse to use the talents God has given you. You would rather tumble anything that moves than put your shoulder to the wheel and make Lawley the greatest fiefdom in Thiasa. I understand of course that you like fun, but nothing worthwhile comes without work. I worry for you. One day you will find a woman you really, really love-and because you have nothing to show she will turn you aside. If you would only consent to work and take care of this place, I might bear getting married. As it is I'm too busy worrying to even look at the men."

Darien looked at his sister with utmost confusion. He had just offered her everything she ever wanted. At least, he thought it was what she always wanted.

"I don't understand, this is what father always wanted. For you to run the Fiefdom, and yet you are turning it down when I offer it to you on a silver platter? What are you playing at?" Darien's confusion began to transform into a rather dangerous thing, suspicion.

Darien took the ring back and paced carefully to the other side of the room. He placed his hand on the fireplace and gazed back at his sister.

It wasn't enough for her to have power without the title. She wanted this fiefdom by her own right, in name and title.

"Wanting a little more than I can offer, or do you already have plans in the works? Father's greatest flaw was that he underestimated me. For your sake, I trust you're not doing the same," Darien said with steel in his eyes. The soft blue, green lagoon that usually lay in his eyes became an ice cold stare.

His sister blinked at him. Where had this come from? She had only tried to be encouraging to him, and all at once she found herself on dangerous ground. Elena's hands clutched helplessly into her skirts, but she felt that this was not the time to argue and simply sank into a curtsy before him. "You misunderstand me, my lord. It would give me great pleasure to have control over that ring, and I am grateful for your offer."

Her tone was remote and perfectly polite, and Elena knew that the moment Darien left the room she would weep. Was a remotely caring brother really so much to ask? The girl lifted her chin and looked at him with her own eyes blank, but she had to remind him of something and did so, frostily. "I assure you, dear lord, that it is impossible for a woman to underestimate the men controlling her fate. You hold the strings here."

The Lady grimaced. He hardly needed reminding, and saying it aloud seemed almost a guarantee of bad fortune-but he knew it already. There was no way he had forgotten. Elena could feel her face descending into an expression of bitterness, and swiftly she turned away. But she did not force her voice to stop quivering. "I would have some mercy from my brother."

Darien looked at his sister, then looked back at the ring as he replaced it on his finger. He then approached his sister very swiftly with his fists clenched. He stopped dead in front of her, looking for the fear that any lord in his place would expect.

Then, he smiled, and then he laughed. "Ha ha, sister, I have truly missed you," and despite his ribs being sore he lifted her up and swung her around the room. "I'm sorry, some of the oldest habits die hard. I can not be angry for long these days. At the Keep, something incredible happened to me. Something miraculous, and terrifying happened to me."

Darien finally put her down, and immediately regretted his actions of lifting her up. His ribs throbbed with pain. Darien mustered up enough strength to turn around and face his sister. "I need to rest for awhile, but I would like to talk about a great many things. Tell mother I will not join the two of you for dinner, but meet me here afterward?" Darien's eyes pleaded with his sister, he wanted to share the joy that he had experienced. Darien waited for her answer, and once it was received he left the study.

Elena was not left alone long, however, Albert came with a large pile of books that he would traditionally get for the young mistress of the house whenever they were away. When he saw the mistress in the very study, he smiled.

"I thought these might interest you. There is a chronicle of stories coming out that some of the locals are calling the Canterbury Tales. Knights, dragons, sorcerers, and the lot. They reminded me a little of Beowulf. I trust you will enjoy them, my lady," Albert said with a grand smile on his face. If Aelf was her second father, then Albert looked on her with the eyes of a doting uncle over his favorite neice.

Albert then noticed the expression on Elena's face. Then realized that Darien had just been here. "Is there something wrong, my lady?"

Despite her confusion, Elena managed to greet Albert with a smile. His arrival with its traditional gift was always welcome, and the young lady of the house rose to greet her brother's retainer with a warm embrace. "Oh, Albert. These look wonderful. Thank you so very much!"

Aelf was not slow in entering behind the other man, and little Elena flitted over to him to share in the embrace. Still, she could not quite manage her usual smile for either of them-her mind was too wrapped up in her brother. Darien had swung her around the room, directly after shouting at her. And he was happy, but angry with her, for whatever reason...it was all too much to think about. The young lady shook her head and sighed, then moved over to sink onto her chaise. "And yes, something is wrong. It's Darien. I think he has gone mad."

She repeated the story to the two, nearly word for word, and all at once slipped into silent tears. Elena was quick to catch them on the back of her hand in an attempt to regain her composure, but even the most ladylike behavior would not be enough to erase the memory of those tears. "I don't know what to do with him, and I fear so to make him angry-but the most harmless of statements sets him off, and you know there has never been any true comadrie between us anyway...I'm just worried. At first it was for him but now I fear for my sake. If I anger him enough where who will he give me to? Albert, Aelf, I must confess that there are times when I dearly hate being a woman. "

Albert returned the embrace from the young woman and gave her genuine smile. He turned to see that his friend, Aelf, had stepped into the room as well. They simply nodded their acknowledgment of the other.

When he saw the tears come from Elena's eyes, however, he was hurt by them. No woman, especially this one, should be allowed to cry if it was in his power to stop it. However, her reasoning brought a smile to the older man's face. He walked over to the window away from Elena. It was not to show he was unsympathetic, but her warder was here therefore he would leave the comforting to him out of respect for Aelf.

"My lady, you are indeed right. My master has become mad...well, more mad than usual. Are you familiar with a Lady Elayne Argyle? I know you have not been to court since you were but a child, but her name should have come up whenever her uncle was here for Lord Elliot's parties," Albert said waiting to see if acknowledgement would appear on the young woman's face.

"Darien has been pining for her for quite some time now. More so than his usual victims. He would never confess it openly, but I had seen the way he looked at her whenever their paths would cross. However, until recently, her uncle was trying to make her a queen by marrying his majesty. But since that hope is dashed, Darien must have come across her again. The two have been an odd pairing ever since the Great Hunt. His injury, which I'm sure you noticed, was a result of their last encounter. He fell from his horse and she tended his wounds," Albert looked to Aelf, and he thought he saw a note of understanding in his eyes. After all, he was a young man once.

"To be blunt, my lady, your brother is mad. Madly in love with Lady Elayne Argyle. Did you know that your brother actually thanked me for making sure that Elayne got back to the Keep all right after their encounter was over? I dare not say he is a changed man, but I would say that he wishes to be one. His paranoia does give me some worry, but Darien has always been given something and then immediately something would happen to where disaster struck. This might be a good time to seek some of that relationship that you and he should have always had," Albert said, taking a careful step toward Aelf and Elena. Though he did not fear for his life, he did not want to intrude on the two.

The Lady listened to Alfred's tale with wide eyes, quietly folding her hands in her lap. She had not noticed an injury, which for a moment made her feel a bit guilty, but Elena reassured herself by pointing out that she had been so frightened for her own well-being it made perfect sense that she hadn't seen it. Darien had been tired, but he'd lifted her up and swung her in a circle. He hadn't seemed injured at all. Only, perhaps, in his mind. The way he had glared at her was still sending chills down her spine. But what she really couldn't process was=

"Darien. In love?"

The girl's tone was blank. This had never happened before, and she wasn't sure how to look at it. "My brother. In love. With a very high noblewoman...." She tried the name out. "Lady Elayne Argyle. I have heard of her. At least, I have heard the name....I really ought to get to Court; I'm of age now..." This last was muttered almost automatically. Elena was frankly shocked that she hadn't been taken to Court, now that she was of a marriagable age-but the matter at hand was more important. "Darien. In love?"

She sounded rather stupid, she knew, but she couldn't help it. The thought was so incredible. 'You are quite sure, Alfred? You must be, you always are...well." A look at Aelf. "Well!"

Elena stood up, and began to pace. "He did tell me that he had something wonderful to share. After dinner today...If this is true, I must learn about this Lady Elayne. I must help him win her. He has no idea how to, poor boy...how lucky he is, to be in love! Yes. We must all help him. His happiness is my happiness. My safety. My insurance against a dark fate. And perhaps it will help me find a brother instead of a grudging warder."

Albert chuckled at Elena's lack of words. Very rarely did the girl ever suffer from a stillness of tongue, but this would definitely do the trick. What he had not expected was for her to want to help Darien. This came as a bit of a shock to him. Though he was forbidden to ever speak ill of his master, it had always been a known fact that Albert did not respect Darien in the slightest and wished for nothing more than for Elena, not Darien, to produce the heir that the Fiefdom would need.

"My lady, if I may be so bold to say, are you sure it is wise for you to be meddling in your brother's affairs. I mean, you said it yourself. You are on very unsteady ground with him. What happens if your efforts fail to help him, or worse, he believes that your efforts had actually made matters worse for him? What of your well being then?" Albert looked at Aelfe, hoping for some kind of back up to what he was saying.

Albert would, of course, help Darien in any way that his master asked him to do so. Only because he was required to do it. But to have Elena do this of her own accord could be perilous to her.

"...I thought of that." Elena stood and moved over so she could nestle in Aelf's arms, taking childish comfort in her guard's embrace. "Undoubtably it is not wise for my own sake. Not wise at all. Still, I once heard a very fine warrior deliver some wise advice it is always well to heed." She grinned teasingly up at the Celt, making him return her glance with a bashful smile. "What is it you taught me, Aelf?"

He bent to kiss the top of her head. "When a battle is for the protection of the weak, losing is not possible."

The Lady nodded to them both. "In this instance, 'the weak' consists of my hapless elder brother, and more importantly, the welfare of this fiefdom. If my brother is truly in love it will steady him, and if the woman is worthy there is some hope for Father's land. Lawley needs a strong and wise hand to manage it. That shan't be my brother, and it certainly isn't me since I am female....this Elayne is our only hope. She might influence him to wisdom and caution and save us all. Darien is mad."

Still, the girl sighed. "I suppose my only real problem now is knowing if I wish to seal this woman's fate to that of my brother's. At the time being it seems almost a crime....perhaps I should speak to him about it, and offer ...no, I shan't speak. I shan't offer. I will ask very politely if he would like any assistance, and say that I am behind him entirely, and then I shall let the matter drop. He can choose for himself what he wants. If he speaks 'yes', I shall help and plan with him; if he speaks 'no', it will be our secret. But Lawley must be safe. I cannot marry until it is."