Lady Katherine Lawley stepped over the doorstep to the vast library of the Lawley Castle, feeling her disposition darken immediately.

It was not the room itself, even though the curtains could've been a little better taken care of-she could have seen the dust from here. They were pulled over the windows, undoubtedly to hide more dirt the maids had once again neglected to clean. Katherine's lips pursed in anger. The way the library looked really affected her in no way because she hardly spent any time there. But there was the reputation of her house; what would any visitor have thought had they faced such negligence? They would've, of course, said that it was the fault of the Lawleys, just as she would've blamed them for the state of their homes. Ignoring that, Katherine simply found the idea of servants not doing their work distasteful. Trying to hide it from her, in such an obvious(to say the least!) way, was something her pride was not capable of forgiving or letting go.

Making a mental note to herself to severely reprimand Lionela for this, maybe even by firing her, Katherine progressed further into the library. The bookshevles were at least promptly cleaned, due to Elena's, in her opinion, ill-guided obsession with books. She had gotten that from her father, Katherine was positive about that. No young lady eligible for marriage should have wasted precious seconds in reading about romances. She was supposed to create ones of her own, and focus all of her efforts on finding apt men. Of course, telling that to her daughter was as if telling it to a wall. She must have gotten that from her father's side of the family. Everything pertaining to negative had come from the Lawleys, not the Hardcastles. Darien's little fiasco included.

Exactly because of Darien had Katherine Lawley paid a visit to this place at all.

Whenever Katherine needed to discuss some matter with her son, she would arragne for the meeting to take place in the library. Before, when their relations had been good, she would have invited him to her quarters, but after their argument that would overly remind her of the circumstances under which she had last arragned for such a meeting. Circumstances she never wanted to happen again. Each and ever time her mind would trail to them, it would serve as a painful anchor that would drag her into the past and to the loss of her beloved son and heir. For in her eyes, she'd truly lost Darien then.

Katherine liked to claim she had lost all feelings for him as well. But that was impossible, for a mother to stop caring for a child she had loved so much. A more accurate description of the state given would've been that she'd turned cold towards him. She did not and would not ever openly(not that it had ever been overly open...) love him like she had, but she still cared what happened to him to some extent.

And she cared about what happened to this family. So she could not allow the behaviour her son had displayed at the Royal Wedding to ever come from a Lawley again.

Lady Katherine sat down gracefully on one of the sofa, not losing her posture for one second. The clock struck four-it was time for Darien to make his appearance. She knew he would, in spite of all, come. He still carred some respect for her. Everybody knew better than not to come when Katherine Lawley called. Deep down, though, Katherine knew that if someone would've been impulsively ready to oppose her, it was Darien. Darien, who never allowed anyone to command him or make him feel less important.

One thing I can pridefully say he inherited from me.
But no excuse to be late for a meeting with her.

Albert had told Darien about meeting his mother and the idea sickened him. The dreadful woman was finally wanting to know what happened at the Wedding. Darien cast his busy work aside and headed to the library. No more loving chats with his mother in her chambers, not since Dylan.

Darien chuckled a bit as he thought of that whole circumstance. Dylan had been a more than average servant. In fact, had father not insisted on Albert, Darien had considered making him his first servant. Darien had always enjoyed going down to the servant's quarters and talking, drinking, gambling, and doing other things that men did with each other.

[i]One night, when they were both just a bit tipsy, Darien and Dylan decided it would be fun to go for a ride in the moonlight. The two made their way to the stables, but had a hell of a time getting the saddles on. When Darien had finally gotten his on Elliot, he jumped on, only to realize that the straps had not been tied underneath. Darien fell quickly into Dylan's arms and they both fell to the stable floor.

It was then, that Dylan had decided to kiss Darien. Darien backed away and Dylan was blushing and almost panicked. Sobriety hit him big time.

"Forgive me, my lord, it was..." but Darien put his finger over Dylan's mouth. Darien leaned in close to Dylan looking him dead in the eye.

"Don't worry, I have done this once or twice," and Darien kissed Dylan passionately and the two of them explored each other's bodies until dawn.

The next afternoon, when Darien awoke, he searched the house for Dylan. Thinking that his father had just dismissed him Darien became angry. He stormed into his father's study to find his mother, looking out the window as a carriage drove away.

Darien looked at his mother with a combination of understanding and anger. Mother's son had disappointed her, and now a cold winter was about to set in.[i]

Darien made his way across the room and kissed her on the cheek, then took his father's seat in the study.

"You called, Mother?" Darien, since the incident with Dylan, had adopted a special tone whenever he spoke of his mother. One that was oozing with sarcasm and disgust, but with a pleasant perfume of sincerity hiding his true intentions.

Katherine only acknowledged the presence of her son with a short half-turn of her head. As he kissed her cheek, she remained stone-calm, not even moving her eyelids. This was hardly surprising. She had never really shown too much emotion in front of her children. That little part that she had displayed had been reserved for Darien, and it had hardly been overly significant. Elena had never gotten any of it, though. Now, no one could have disputed her perfectly cold demeanour towards both of her children.

Darien sat down, and Katherine knew that the moment had come; that one moment she would always try to postpone for as long as she could. Unfortunately, it was impossible to do so forever. The handsome features of her son being grasped by her eyes was inevitable.

The first glance at Darien was the most difficult part of her daily routine. Each and every time she'd see him, Katherine would be lulled to believe by her subconsciousness that he was still the son she could love. That no matter what he had done, he was still the pride and joy he'd used to be such a long time ago.,..and, the most sickening part of it all, that she was actually capable of something she could never have done-forgiving Darien's deed. The mere naivety of that made her insides quiver with distaste.

To be frank, Katherine had sought for excuses for what Darien had done. She had spend that entire night thinking of various reasons for what she had seen occurring, even trying to shift the blame on that terrible, disgusting man, Dylan. But whatever had come to her mind would've been dimsissed soon enough by logic and common sense. Darien would never have let anyone coerce him into doing something he disliked. At least not a servant. She had considered that an asset before, now she cursed it, for it had not allowed her to remove the weight of the guilt from Darien. In the end, she had resorted to him providing an excuse for himself. Even though she never would have admitted it, Katherine would have gladly accepted anything at all he said. She'd even hoped he would have used his acting talent she had relied on so often.

The sole thing he had done had been admitting.

And you were supposed to have been the perfect son.

Every fibre of her being had refused not to turn cold towards him after that.

Letting go of such thoughts, Katherine focused on the reason she had invited Darien to this meeting today. The reason had been the fact that she cared for him still. The reason she would give him was that she cared about the reputation of the Lawley family, which was also the truth(only half of it, though). The cause was to be revealed to Darien soon enough.

The tone of his voice was what once again reminded her how much anger she felt for him. After what he had done...all the things he had put her through, all the pain, the disappointment, the, as unwillingly as she admitted it(actually, she didn't admit) hurt, he dared be angry with her! He dared, after risking the ruin of the Lawley reputation so foolishly and in such an awful way! He found the nerve to hide so much disgust and sarcasm in his voice...and so shallowly hide it, only covering the very surface. Any mother would have recognized that, especially Katherine with her keen eye for details.

In her eyes, Darien should have been thankful to her. Thankful, for helping him hide the clues that could've lead to his horrible sin. Thankful for not disowning him. The fact that he was angry only supported the theory that Dylan had meant something to him. And that was something Katherine was not keen on bearing. However, she surpressed the instinct to clench her fists or grit her teeth, retaining her cool posture, with an arrogant tilt of her chin.

"Yes, I have called, son." Her tone was flat, but also carrying a hint of disdain; a habit she had adopted due to the incident, clearly letting him know how much lower he'd descended in her eyes because of it, "To let you know that your behaviour on the Royal Wedding had been utterly without dignity, and that it shall not be repeated." The ever-present commanding in her voice grew more emphasized as she went on, "Lady Elayne Argayle is a fine looking woman. From what I gather, she is also a foolishly naive and a stupid one, too, but that is beside the point now. " Her dark eyes pierced into his ones, "What matters is that her heart belongs to another man. She yearns for him, not for you. Perhaps that is an unusual display of intelligence on her part, or again plain foolishness, I would not really care." The venomous line had to be there. The king had at least, by what she knew, never slept with a man, "The point is that you shall not further embarass yourself by running after a woman that wishes you not so publically." She straightened, "If you wish, you may weep for her all you like in the solitude of your quarters. But do not lose what little dignity you have left by weeping after another man's woman in public, be that man beggar or King."

Darien kept a cold look on his face while his mother began to explain how he had embarrassed the Lawley family at the Wedding in Thiasa's Keep. Darien recalled the incident and it was at that moment that Elayne's Darien had died. The old Darien had been reborn from the tears and ashes of the compassionate soul that Darien had tried to become.

Darien's eyes reflected the change that he held in himself. No longer the love sick boy who had come home and cried himself to sleep. Darien had become the vendictive son of a bitch that his mother had raised him to be.

Darien folded his hands and leaned back into his chair, looking quite closely at his mother. Darien wondered if she knew. Her father was a bit of a sentimental old fool in his older age, but he most certainly must have told his wife.

"Forgive me, mother. You're absolutely right. I assure you that I will never bring such disgrace to the Lawley family ever again. The next time I have such strong convictions, I'll remember to focus then in ways that you would approve of," Darien said as his eyes gave a sincerity, but a coldness to them as he looked over at his mother. Darien cast the devilish grin that he had adopted whenever his mother and he were still cordial, but that they both knew that Darien was up to no moral good. Usually, this occured right before he would take the virtue of a young noblewoman, especially the ones that had angered Katherine Lawley. The mother and son did excellent work together, Darien almost missed it.

(((OOC: SOrry, it's a bit crappy.... :( )))

Katherine noticed some change had begun to take place in Darien as he took in her words. She saw it in his eyes; she had never forgotten how to read his eyes. Unlike hers, they did show changes and emotions, even when he would not want so. Katherine had been taught very early in her childhood how to close the windows to her soul whenever she wanted to. Taught by herself. She would have showed Darien how to do it properly(for she'd already begun tutoring him on such matters), had it not been for the unfortunate event.

Now, it was good that she saw the change, though.Because she knew her words had left an impact on him. It was more than she had quite expected, frankly. Subconsciously, she had had a premonition that Darien would, as usually, oppose her. He had done so ever since Dylan, and she did not expect it to stop so suddenly. Oh, she sincerely doubted it had stopped forever. But a minor inconsistency within that everlasting pattern was enough to surprise her.

However, the Lady Lawley was not certain whether it had done so pleasantly or unpleasantly.

Of course that she was glad Darien had not attempted to argue with her on this matter. She could not tolerate anyone not subsiding to her commands. Disrespect towards her was something rare people dared display, due to her regal carriage that simply made every word and every movement of hers appear like an order. Even more reason for her to despise those who did. And she already had enough reason to despise Darien. Also, it insulted her pride greatly, not being obeyed.

But the change that took place in Darien's eyes...his words, accompanied by that rougish smirk...it reminded her too much of the time before. It reminded her more of the son she had lost. Once more, she would have to use all the coldness and the darkness of her heart not to be taken into believing this was that very same son. The son with whom she could have worldlessly plotted the demise of the most powerful people, the son that was supposed to be her pride and joy.

It passed soon, that emotion, and there was not a clue on Katherine that could have witnessed it had ever been there. Rising her chin, she gave Darien a short nod of approval.

"Good. Leave Lady Argyle to rot. The King has already married, and the sole thing she can do is to dishonour herself by chasing after him. She will either remain his mistress for a lifetime, which is as likely as pigs flying, or end up as a ruined woman."
The last part of her lines somewhat softened that sharp offence that she had mentioned earlier, the one where she had claimed Elayne's interest for the King rather than Darien to be a sign of sanity.

Why had she done that? She most certainly wished not for Darien to suffer less....Of course she did not. Everything she had said had been for the dignity and the reputation of the Lawley family. Not Darien.
Upon ascertaining that, she pushed away from the sofa, ready to depart. She did exactly that, with a cold and a curt greeting.
"Have a good day, Darien."

Darien looked at his mother and simply smiled at her. The woman, though as wretched as most gutter trash are, was quite the woman. She had single handedly taken it upon herself to raise the Lawley name as high as it could. That is why she fought so hard to keep it's dignity. In that sense, his sister and his mother could find common ground. But Elena reminded Katherine far too much of Elliot.

Katherine and Darien both despised Elliot Lawley. Darien for his authority, Katherine for his gentleness. The hard steeled general of the King's army may have been made of steel, but it surrounded a heart of putty, one that anyone could manipulate to their will.

Darien nodded to his mother and rose to leave the room. As he left, he let the door hang open.

Albert had watched his master enter the room and waited patiently for him to exit. He had to speak to his mistress about her son. What he had gathered at the Keep, when he tried to listen to Lady Niamh and Darien speak, it sounded like a dangerous bargain.

Albert could guess the topic of discussion was Darien's actions at the Royal Wedding. Albert had recalled how melancholy his master had been on the way back. But it seemed that the dark, cruelness that seemed to fade away with Lady Argyle was now returning, and Albert was afraid that it could destroy the Lawley family. Darien be damned, but Katherine would need to take steps to prevent her and her daughter from being affected.

Albert waited until his master left the entryway and out of sight before making his way to the study where the Lady Lawley sat.

Albert opened the door fully and stepped inside, shutting it and locking the door.

"I am afraid you may have underestimated your son's ambitions, Katherine. If you're not careful, he could destroy everything that you've worked so hard to build," Albert said, changing his demeanor. Katherine and he went way back, when he was a servant in her father's own house. Albert had been but a child then, but so had Katherine. Albert had hid in corners during her lessons with her father and had learned by observation the things Katherine knew.

By the time Katherine had married Elliot Lawley, Albert had already killed for Katherine. Mostly of lovers who lacked the qualities that her father and her wanted, though they were tenacious enough to be persistent. Now that she was married, he had planned to continue to work directly for her. That was until Katherine gave Albert charge over her son. The bastard never knew the kind of power that he could hold if he would only listen to Katherine.

Albert would only do this in front of Katherine, but during those private moments he did not walk like a peasant. He walked like a lord up to Katherine and took her hand and kissed it.

"We need to talk. Now," Albert's voice held steel in it as he looked down at Katherine.

Katherine had heard steps in the hallways leading towards the office, and by the time she had raised her head, Albert stepped in and shut the door. She noticed he had also locked them, and she let her eyebrows crane over her green eyes profoundly. This conveyed a message that he'd better have had a good reason for making such an appearance in her office. True, it was Albert, the only servant she had ever grown to somewhat respect, but Katherine did not allow her own son to treat her with anything but utmost respect. She hadn't allowed her husband. And she would never allow a servant.

Of course, Albert was no ordinary servant. An ordinary servant would have been severely reprimanded at the spot and sent back to enter properly again. All that Albert got was the mentioned expression of her face and a slight tilt of her chin. Had anyone else been in the office, he would've gotten the more cruel treatment, but then again, he would have been careful enough never to act like this in front of others. No one was aware of the special treatment he got from Katherine.

She had known him ever since her childhood. If Katherine had ever had someone close to a trusted friend(more among the lines of advisor), it was Albert. He had always served her most loyally, even before she had come to Lawley. When she had married Elliott, she had takne him with herself, and for a brief time he had served her directly. After Darien's little...incident...however, she had decided her son needed more supervision and guidance. Who better to entrust him with than Albert? Albert had taken the duties seriously, as always.

The strength in Albert's voice and the fact he had mentioned Darien made her shift her full attention to him. Letting him kiss her hand, she inclined her head, a sign for him to begin. Not many words were needed when the two communicated. They knew each other quite well. Had someone asked her who knew most of the things about her, she would've thought of Albert right away. Of course, he did not know those of utmost secrecy. At least she thought he did not.

"What devious plan does my beloved son have in mind now?" She spoke with irony, just as nearly always when she mentioned Darien.

Albert took the Lady Lawley's hand in his and kissed it before taking a knee next to her. Though it might be said that he knew everything about her, Albert was no fool to believe it. Lady Lawley, like Albert, always had secrets that no one would ever know. It were these secrets that made their bond so strong.

"My lady, I watched as your son had an intriguing conversation with a woman named Lady Niamh McNamara. She has much unofficial influence, and even shares a bed chamber with the lady in which Prince Fergus intends to wed. But in her eyes, Katherine, there is something reminiscent of you. Defiant yet deviant. The way they spoke, it seems to me that your son is plotting a revenge against the man who holds the heart of the Lady Argyle," Albert allowed his words to sink in properly.

Albert kept himself in a submissive posture as he rose. He turned to Katherine before making his way to the decanter of wine. "A drink, my lady?"

Niamh McNamara? Katherine had to admit she had not ever truly heard of the lady. Well, heard of, perhaps, but the woman certainly was not anyone Katherine had considered worthy of her detailed attention. Otherwise, she would have remembered her. The Lady must have not emphasized her moves enough for Katherine to find it interesting. No...she had most likely not been plotting anything that could have been of interest to Katherine. The Lady Lawley was among those who notice even the subtlest of events and details, especially going on at the Court of Thiasa. She also possessed the gift to separate fact from fiction, and information of importance from useless gossip and chatter.

As Albert went on, Katherine listened attentively, and once he was finished, she accepted his offer of wine, even though he was offering it to her in her office. In spite of the fact she was focusing on what she had just heard, she could not have resisted a comment; "I assumed that this was my office, Albert." The comment could not have been judged as either serious or light by anyone. Albert would understand the nature of it, though. Katherine was among the people that always, in any situation at all, naturally and impulsively reminded people that they were in command. She had acted like that even with Elliott, not to mention Elena, Darien and practically everybody. With those of higher ranking, she would merely omit it when absolutely necessary.

Setting that aside, she sipped the wine and returned to the matter at hand. If what Albert had said was correct(and she had very little if no doubt about that), Darien was planning some sort of revenge against the King.

Treason.

Katherine had to admit(with pride) that the word, just as the concept, did not evoke that kind of fainting shock within her as it was the case with most of other people. As a matter of fact, there was a romantic part to her that would've liked treason just fine...the glamour, the scandal of it, the audacity of such plans...the adventure. But that romantic part was firmly chained by the caluclating, shrewd Lady Lawley that had a fiefdom and a reputation to protect. She knew full well that most of such attempts ended with the deaths of the traitors.

She had trifled with plenty of important men, and she would've done so again in a cold minute. But Kings were persons only her romantic, playful part would have actually taken on. Her mind knew full well that as lovers, they were rarely safe; a King could ruin her and his reputation could remain all the same-intact. One only trifled with Kings when they had a lot of assurances that their plan would be 100% succesful. Usually, there were no such plans. Especially not coming from Darien.

Her expression remaining unreadable, she fixed her cold eyes on Albert's; "Would you judge the plot they have in minds as one with promises of success, or just another product of my son's temper?"

Albert simply smiled at Katherine for her "scolding" of him. "Simply making sure that my mistress is comfortable in her office," Albert said as he took a seat.

Albert did not know the full details of the plan, or if there was indeed a plan at all. But the fact that Darien was having ideas brought a sense of dread over Albert. Unlike Katherine, Albert feared for the safety of Katherine and Elena, not their reputations. Darien had to be stopped now, before his plan began to take action.

"Either way, we can not stand idly by and watch him destroy everything that you have worked for. Elena does not deserve to suffer for her brother's actions," the words came out before he remembered who he was speaking to. Darien, at the very least, held no hatred for Elena. But Katherine held something that was darker than hate. It was almost venomous when the two of them were in a room. Albert patiently waited for the Lady Lawley to respond. It always depended on her mood of whether it would be a response of terror, or one of silent plotting.

Albert knew he had said something not fully wise the moment the words left his mouth. Not fully wise...more among the lines of not wise at all. She saw the realization dawning in his eyes as he made term with it and waited for her reproach.

The mere prospect of forsaking anything Darien had in mind for the sake of Elena lied not comfortably within her mind. She had no problem with simply forsaking Darien's ideas, but because of Elena...Katherine knew why she held so much bitter hatred for her younger child. She had always considered her too much like Elliott, and she had always been less favored. The latter emotion easily turned into hatred when she became the only in her eyes proper child she had.

Would Darien's plan destroy everything she had worked for?

It was highly unlikely it was a good plan with possibility of success, she had already determined that. But the mere concept of stopping it for the good of Elena almost made her wish she could accept it. And tell Elena of it. Because she, Katherine concluded nearly with a smile, was among those who would faint at such a word as treason.

Yet Katherine could not allow herself to let emotions affect her judgement. It was the prime thing she had been thought as a child; never show emotions, never use them as the judge. Use cold objectivity.

"I will have to confront my son and find out more about his plot." She gazed at Albert determinedly, "I believe it will bring no good, and that in the end it shall be stopped, if not by me, then by the King. And I will od all in my power for the former option to occur. However...." She emptied her glass of wine, "No matter how ludicrous the plan may sound, we cannot truly judge it until we know more of it."

Albert looked at Katherine in both horror and shock. He turned to her quickly and looked at her with cold steel, despite the respectful tone he kept with her. Albert was given many luxuries being the man he was to her, but it always remained that he was the servant and she was the mistress.

"Surely you are not considering letting Darien fulfill his plans? Darien is not like his father who could think with tactics and strategy with an army. Darien's mind works with manipulation. If he intends to make a fool out of the King, treason will be cast upon him before he has enough time to think about it," Albert got down on one knee next to Katherine for the first time kept his truest submissive posture around her.

"My lady, please, this plan must be stopped now. I can only do so much, but if you do not do something you will be lucky if you're able to keep your home intact. Please, Katherine," Albert implored his mistress.

Katherine placed her goblet back onto her desk, looking down at Albert. The fact he was kneeling before her did not make her uncomfortable in the slightest. SHe was used to people kneeling before her, just as she was used to saying no swiftly and calmly to whatever their request might have been. Men had also kneeled before her when they had courted her, sung songs to her even when she was already a married woman...she had had to say no to each and every one of them in the end. Because she had been bethroted, later married, to Elliot Lawley. Had she not been...? Katherine never thought of what could've been. What had been had been, and nothing would ever be changed about that. Some things were simply mandatory.

Such as not allowing your own son to commit treason before your nose. Ans not letting a son you have been condemning for years because of a terrible incident to potentially rule over a Kingdom, to risk granting him that kind of power, if his ludicrous plan somehow found success.

Cold objectivity. Cold objectivity did not say to place your entire destiny, everything you have worked for in the hands of a hot-headed fool. If Darien did reach power, where would she end up? Katherine believed Darien would treat her with the same respect as he did now. But depending on him on that level was not a fate she would willingly choose.

No. Darien's plans had to be destroyed. He would not be led by his skills, but by venegeance. Which is not only useless, but a terrible weakness in such attempts. He was going to fail.

"I never implied I would support the plots that foolish boy has in mind." She said, gazing down into Albert's orbs, "We cannot judge the best way to prevent the plan before hearing more about it."

It was not what she had meant before, at lest not deep down inside. But Albert would not be able to tell. Nobody would. Even if he recognized the fleeting desire of a mother to support the child that had once been her favorite, he would be wiser than to mention it. Especially since she had amended her words quickly enough.

Words AND actions.