Exactly Where I Wanted to Be

[Liam Bronte]

Liam paced in the small cell, clearly agitated. How dare he be thrown in the dungeons like some common criminal! This just threw all his plans off. Now instead of just getting rid of the King, there were a few more people on that list. Roe for certain, and possibly Isabella. She would be of little use anymore, unless he could lured her over to his side. That didn't seem likely, though such a pursuit wouldn't be wasted on Thea. Little Linnet bird would be at his side in a heartbeat. Liam's mouth twitched as a guard passed.
He opened his mouth, a number of vile words on his tongue, ready for attack, when he heard footsteps coming down the stone staircase.


[[Sorry for not being on, but I'm back and prepared for posting. ]]

[Thea Linnet]

Thea had cried, then screamed, then threw things about in an awful temper. And now she felt oddly calm. The calm before the storm, she mused silently while sitting in her bed. And, oh, there would be a storm as far as Roe was concerned. He would not get away with this. Not at all. Thea looked down at her half-packed bag and knew that running home was no longer an option. Just a few moments ago, she'd been throwing things in haphazardly through a haze of tears, fulling prepared to leave and sit in Birmingham for the rest of her life. But she wouldn't let Roe win like that.

"Let the games begin," she muttered, pushing her hair back over her shoulders. As long as she didn't see Roe yet, they'd both be safe. Actually, she really wanted to see Liam and catch up. She'd heard his voice outside her door, but hadn't paid attention to the words. Now she regretted that decision, and called to one of the laundry maids as she passed. The woman cowered from the small red-head in fear, having seen and heard her previous outburst.

"Do you know where Sir Liam Bronte is?" Thea asked politely. The woman gulped nervously and told her he was in the dungeons, having been sent there by Sir Rober'.

Every ounce of calm left Thea as soon as the words had left the woman's mouth. How dare he! What had Liam done? Or better yet, what the hell had Roe done? Thea pushed the girl out of her way and ran to the dungeons. This is weird, she thought as she entered the dank lower level. The last time she'd been here, she'd met Roe for the first time and had stupidly fallen for him. What a mistake that had turned out to be. She hesitated, but finally jumped the last few steps to see Liam pacing in one of the cells.

"Liam! Oh, what happened? I swear when I get my hands on Rober' I'm going to thrash him around so hard..." she threatened lowly as she approached the bars. "Come on, get out of there. I don't what you have or haven't done, you don't deserve to be treated like this." Thea looked around and found the jailer and demanded the keys.

"I demand this prisoner is released at once!" She hissed at the aging man. He just shook his head at her sadly.

"No can do, Miss. Master Rober' says anyone found helping this impostor is to be hung, no questions asked."

"Impostor!" Thea exclaimed, fuming. She laughed harshly at his next comment. "Oh, we'll see about that." She spat, sending the man a look that could kill. "You tell Master Rober' that he can lord himself over someone else, because as of this moment, Sir Liam Bronte is my guest and I will deal with any complaints against him. Bring the god-forsaken man down, if you must! I'll deal with him as I please."

[Liam Bronte]

Bronte looked up to see the flame-haired girl running to him and couldn't help but smile.
"Oh, nothing out of sorts," he joked. "Somehow I don't think Sir Rober' would necessarily agree with your point of view." He said, knowing it would incite her further. He lunged for her hands though, when the jailer said anyone found helping him would be hung.
"Thea, don't risk yourself for me. This isn't anything I can't deal with, alright." He touched her cheek. "Besides, what would I do without my little Linnet-bird?" If she was as easily swayed as she was before, getting her to do his deeds would be almost too easy.
"Are you sure it's wise to speak with Rober'? After what just happened, do you not think it would be wiser to allow me to deal with him?" He asked, looking down into her bright blue eyes. "Thea I don't want you to do anything rash and suffer the consequences." In truth, he couldn't care less about what happened to her, so long as it was after she'd served her purpose.

[Thea Linnet]

Thea scoffed at Liam. "Well, Roe and I have very different opinions about a number of things." It wasn't until she drew a breath did she realize she'd used 'Roe' instead of 'Rober''. Her face flushed, though the weak torchlight half hid the blush.

She blinked at him when he grabbed her hands. He told her not to risk herself, that he could deal with the situation. "Be that as it may, I will enjoy sorting this our with Rober'," she said, careful not to slip again. "I haven't quite gotten everything I wanted to say to him out of my system. Besides, that little pea-brained lump of skin holds no reign over me, regardless of his position. Believe me." She hesitated when he touched her cheek, but allowed her head to lean into his palm.

"Liam, please, please don't worry about me. You know as well as I do that I can deal with this. You also know," she added with a sly smile, "that I can't truly be stopped at this point."

The jailer had left unnoticed, but announced his return with a small cough. "Master Rober' says he will address your request shortly."

"I bet he will," Thea muttered at Liam. "Why doesn't he just hand over the keys and be done with it. Woman scorned, Rober', a woman scorned..." she threatened despite the fact he wasn't yet in the room. "Let him come down, lets see what he can accomplish." Thea had opposing feelings to what was to come. She didn't want to dragged through another argument with Roe, knowing the consequences might, make that will be worse than last time. But at the same time, she was already fuming again and just waiting to be unleashed on the man. Why did he have to ruin any chance she had at happiness?!

The last thought bright in her mind, she went to the stairs and yelled up, "Come on, you heaving lump of flesh! I have more important things to do than waste my time waiting for your wise words!"

[Roe]

Unknown to Thea, Roe had been progressing down the steps through much of her conversation with Bronte. By the time he was on the final landing was when Thea had screamed out at him about him wasting her valuable time. Finally,her tirade being concluded he leaned against the door frame. "Jailor, I suggest that you go for a walk while I have a little discussion with these fine and loyal subjects of the crown, eh, and kindly leave your key ring here as well."

This was pure Thea .... impulsive .... rushing to the dense of someone or something without thing of the consequences .... and finally .... thinking that she should get her way since she had been woefully wronged in some way. "You are quite correct, Thea, that we do have very different opinions about a great many things. However, for the most part that's because I think things through, and you my dear, former wife ..... yes you heard that correctly my dear Liam ..... my former wife .... you definitely do not. And yes, Liam,you just heard another slip,when she called me the more familiar, Roe. I think, though, that the one thing that the 2 of you share is your ability to look only for your own self-interest in whatever situation you find yourself."

Roe knew that Thea love to weave a pattern of deceit, but face-to-face situation were not her forte he had found. "My dear Thea, you really should follow your friend's advice in this matter. I really do believe he's more experienced in such matters than you are. I have also heard in the reverberation in the corridors as you stampeded yourself down her that Sir Liam is your guest. I am afraid you have it a bit reversed. he is my guest,and if you are not careful you will join him. And if you say one more time 'how dare you', I think I will just puke. Its almost as if you think that you've been violated somehow. Given how you've been carrying on the past several minutes I think that I should be very afraid of the consequences of facing the formidable Lady Linnet .... Please spare me the hysterics!"

Roe was still wearing his brown cloak and he had stuffed the keys into his belt, while he kept both hands on the long knives in his belt, trusting that Thea might have some ideas that were indeed wild. He now intended to direct his conversation at Sir Liam. Your friend here was quite right, Thea, that you shouldn't challenge me directly, but probably wait on the proper opportunity. Given that, I would inform the both of you that I have already taken the opportunity to have documents prepared that will implicate you as threats to either the king or Prince John. For example, my dear Thea, if anything were to happen to me certain documents may find their way into official hands that both your original marriage was a fraud, and to others it was improperly annulled, either of which, may cause you difficulty in holding on to your lands and wealth. Sir Liam, you can just imagine what yours will pertain to. Never fear, I will provide you with more exact information in the near future."

"Now, unlike Thea, I do not except whatever you take at face value, I have done some thinking on your sudden appearance here. I see two possibilities that explain you. First, you are exactly who you say you are, an emissary from King Richard, who has been sent here to ferret out the threats to Richard's throne and deal with them. The other possibility, the more stealthy one is that you are here to for some plan of your own, that would be financially and politically beneficial to you, at the expense of both Richard and John. Now, if the first possibility were true, the King would have sent word ahead to Robin Hood, which he has not. Robin, being the King's most loyal friend in the shire would have prepared the way for you. For the King to have sent an emissary without informing him is illogical,and if true might mean that the King is losing his grip. So, the second one seems most likely doesn't it. It is up to you Sir Liam to do a better job of convincing me you are who you say you are, so that Robin Hood can be convinced as well. Amaze and inform me as you have done no other."

[Liam Bronte]

Bronte grinned grimly to Thea. "I know you can't be stopped. I've seen and been on the receiving end of your wrath too many times to underestimate you. But don't be rash. You're both upset and I'd rather not be behind bars if he was to do something to you." He noticed Rober' entrance and bowed sarcastically.

"Oh, yes, because your marriage was such a secret before. Do you take me for a fool?" Though it had been a rhetorical question, Liam knew he would get a reply for the knight. "Rober', I ask one thing of you at this moment; leave whatever argument you have with Thea out of this. My presence here does not affect her, despite what she thinks!" He hadn't shouted, but his voice was strong and aggressive.

"Your threats are idle, Sir. Call upon the King, if you must--" Liam stopped when Rober' mentioned Robin Hood, and smirked. "Robin Hood is being informed of my arrival as we speak. One of his outlaws has sent word to the man. Call upon him as well. We fought alongside in the Holy Land, he knows I was close to the King." Liam scoffed and leant against the bars. "Besides, you think I would waste my time here looking or riches? You Sheriff has been hoarding all the tax money and sending it to Prince John and a few of his own personal allies. You should that, my dear Rober' if you have connections with the outlaw Robin Hood, which I believe you do." He drew a breath and eyed Rober' narrowly. "I know that money is being ill-used; it was one of the first things I discovered during my investigation of the Prince. Also, the King sent me here to weed out any threats to the throne. As you must know, since you are of such high standing, the Sheriff aligns himself with Prince John. If my arrival was to be announced and heralded, do you not think the Sheriff would not only cover his tracks, but have me executed on the spot? The knowledge of my arrival would have utterly ruined any chance of dealing with the Sheriff as the King sees fit!"

[Thea Linnet]

Thea narrowed her eyes at Roe but let him finish his speech and allowed Liam to speak. Her blue-flame eyes snapped at her friend as he told Roe to leave her out of the argument. She stood, dumbstruck and fuming, as two men who seemingly hated each other, agreed that she wasn't fit to be in this conversation. She had the sudden urge to hit both of them, but stopped when she noticed Roe's swords. Of course, just resort to your weapons. Don't bother trying to talk it out, just intimidate me with the things! Thea thought venomously, glaring at him. If either of them thought she would give up that easily, they were sadly mistaken.

When Roe and Liam finally stopped, Thea began her own tirade. "Oh, I'll spare you the hysterics if you spare us the act! Drop the formality, Roe. I know for a fact you don't care enough about either of us, certainly not me, to use such endearments. If I hear you say my dear Thea or my dear Liam one more time I may just have to save you a job," she pointed to the hands that still rested on the hilts of his knives, "and kill myself!"

"Well, please[/] inform me when the 'proper opportunity' arises and I can challenge you." She spat sarcastically. "No, I won't do anything to you. Not physically, I'm not dim enough to try that. Because I knew you'd do something like this! You think I'm conniving and deceitful, yet you are willing to take something from me that it rightfully mine?! Something that is my last connection to my deceased family?!" She sucked a breath in, and suddenly regretted anything she'd told him about her parents, any weakness she'd let him see. "I'm not looking for sympathy, since i know I would get it from you, but I find it hard to believe you'd be so callous to take away that one piece of solace from me." Thea stopped and laughed harshly.

"No, actually, I don't find that hard to believe. Not at all. But you take my home away from me and you'll be stuck dealing with me for as long as I see fit." She threatened him then turned away as he spoke to Liam. She moved around the dungeon, walking around to try and calm down. Obviously he didn't realize how much her home in Birmingham meant to her. The thought of Lord Birmingham getting his hands on it made her cringe. It was her home and she knew that with the right amount of time, ti could turn back into the warm and inviting placed she'd always known it to be. But if he took that away from her, she'd never have the chance. Did he even realize that as soon as Lord Birmingham found out that the documents were forged, he'd claim the land before she could blink? Of course he did, that was probably his plan. She could see Lord Birmingham now, just gloating at his newly acquired land. He'd probably make some sort of stable over the garden.

Thea screwed her eyes shut, a sharp pang ringing through her chest. The garden her mother was buried in. Christ, she'd thought she'd moved on from it, but judging by her gasping breaths, she'd hadn't yet. Her fingers clutched at the cool stone as she she hunched over to hide her face. She didn't Roe seeing how much it affected her. Taking a breath, she hissed every nasty word she could think of just loud enough for Roe to hear. She pulled out her most colourful language, muttering it as a release. It didn't completely get rid of the hate burning inside her, but it helped.

[[ooc: use your imagination for what she said. I just didn't want any salty looks from admins. :P]]

[Roe]

Sir Liam was undoubtedly trying to keep Thea on his side of whatever question was brought up. Roe didn’t think it would take much effort on the young nobleman’s part either, he smiled grimly. “Its good to see you holding up so well, Bronte …. you have been so viciously treated. Yes, I know that Thea can’t be stopped. I so greatly fear what will happen to me when she goes and tells Uncle that I have an emissary from the Lionheart locked up in the dungeons. I expect all speed records will broken in your release. And Thea, my former dear wife if you are so insistent on joining Sir Liam behind bars and being a traitor to your uncle’s cause, I would be more than happy to accommodate you.”

“A fool …. no …. I would never mistake you for a fool. You might be tempted to act in a role as one. Unfortunately, I would think that you would look at that station, so beneath you, in life for even you to take on that role,” he laughed. “Ah, but you are mistaken there, Sir Knight. I have no argument with her. You should know from personal experience, that all arguments begin with her, whether the slight is real or imagined …. generally imagined …. so her pride has to be defended now. However, I do know that in any argument with me she will come to your defense. Does she know, I wonder, that this imprisonment of yourself would not have happened, if you had not threatened that captain of the castle guard with an undetermined stay in London Tower!”

Roe then listened to Thea’s long tirade, a tirade that he knew would end in tears. He knew that the property in Birmingham had many ties for her, what he had assumed were primarily economic and social. He could see, though she had taken up residence in Nottingham, that her personal and family ties to the old home were at least as powerful, if not moreso. He desired to reach out to her, to comfort her, but knew she would not permit such a thing, and circumstances would not, either. “In some ways I am sorry to put you in such a state, but in such a personal and political situation, it is necessary to apply pressure and leverage where it is the most useful and effective. As you should know, I have quested to do what is right, and as such, I don’t which to dispossess anyone, including yourself, of what is rightfully yours. However, here, I’m looking at a bigger picture, and what must be protected, and who must be guarded against, who seek personal gain and glory, against everyone else, caring not what or who they destroy in the process,” he said casting a bitter glance in Bronte’s direction.

Now their attention turned back to Bronte. He gave a nice little defensive speech, obviously trying to keep Thea in his corner, especially since he had so few allies to begin with. “Oh Sir Liam, I know people like you so very well. You are a political creature, able to sing a sweet song. You take the path of least resistance. If others have to be sacrificed to save you, so be it, including the king. You should know, I am first and foremost, a military man, and that as such, I don’t make idle threat, they are more like promises, promises I intend on keeping. Oh …. I might call on the king …. If he was in Sherwood …. But I believe he is a bit more removed,” he said sarcastically. “Very good …. if he is being informed …. and he does report you are to be trusted …. you have nothing to worry about. If Robs will vouch for you, since I take orders from him, you will be released. However, given your attitude to this point I have my doubts about that final verdict. I also think that the search for any riches, large or small, is never looked as a waste by opportunists such as yourself."

"Hah ….. you must think me daft sir …. I have never said that your coming should be heralded …. But if you are being truthful it should not a total surprise either. You could have been killed before you even had a chance to identify yourself. Anyway, I did you a favor, after your loud argument in the Great Hall where you claimed to be Richard’s emissary and threatened to send me to the Tower …. you’re lucky that I charged you with being an imposter …. or word would have gotten to the Sheriff and Sir Guy, and you would be swinging by the neck by now!”"

[Thea Linnet]

"I am not a little girl!" Thea hissed upon hearing Roe's words. "I will not run to my uncle like some child! And I would much rather like to stay on this side of the bars, thanks." She finished coldly.

"All arguments do not begin with me!" She nearly shouted. "As I recall, you placed that note in my hands, knowing full well how I would react. I'd call that provoking, wouldn't you Liam?" Thea felt a small well of pride when Roe lost control for a moment and shouted. She could never quite seem able to aggravate him the way he angered her.

"Oh, I'm sure you are dreadfully sorry," she shouted over him when he said he felt some grief over using the fake-marriage as leverage. "Are you proud of such a talent?" She asked him quietly and paused for a moment before continuing. "Do you pride yourself on the fact that you can easily disregard anyone's feelings in a situation, even your own?! Does it make you happy to know that you can just remove yourself emotionally when you know fully well how much pain you could end up causing?" Thea took a breath and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"You said before that no one would fully understand what I was-am- going through. And maybe you're right, but could you at least try to have some sympathy? That's where I grew up, it's my mother's grave and the last connection I have to my father. Maybe you've never lost that much," she closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't want another argument, just listen. Maybe you never lost the much or maybe you don't remember, or choose not to, but I have. I've lost everything; my parents, my closest friend, my only friend here," she added in a whisper, not truly wanting him to hear. "Money and my possessions, those don't have meaning. But that house, my home does. Just think about that before you mail those letters off." Thea hung her head and sighed. Her head was pounding and she didn't have the energy to fight anymore. Roe threatening her with the papers made her lose every ounce of fight in her. She hadn't planned on bringing up anything about herself, but Roe did what he always does and by some strange forced, managed to get her to spill every little thing she was feeling.

"I won't let you be hurt for this, I promise." She told Liam when she approached the bars. She put her forehead against his between the bars and looked into his smoky eyes. "One of us will fix this, I know. But when this is all over, I'll still be here, no matter what. Can't just let an old friend down like that, can I?" She smiled slowly before turning away walking past Roe to the stairs. She was halfway up the flight when she turned back to Roe.

"I know you hate me about as much as I hate you. But my home means more to me than I think you understand." She looked up at him long enough to make her point clear then climbed the rest of the steps and trudged back to her room.

[Liam Bronte]

Bronte folded his arms and grinned, well smirked, at Roe. "How very clever," he mused at the guard's jokes. "Well, Sir Knight, I would not have threatened you with a stay in London Tower had you done a better job of making your allegiance known! As it was, you did very little to convince me that you were truly a supporter of King Richard. You do not care of his well-being, you do not care who claims the throne. You live in this country, yet you oppose the King? You have military training, and from what I can tell have an easily provoked temper. And you think me daft for believing you were a threat?" Liam laughed to himself, and caught Roe's harsh glare.

"You speak of the big picture, of taking care of the big picture, but you accuse me of not caring about the repercussions of my actions. However, you stand before Thea and threaten to take away something she cares for dearly. And you do that in the name of 'the big picture'? I'd say you care very little for who and what you destroy in your game."

"Oh, Sir Roe, of course you know me so well." Liam spat sarcastically. "You know nothing of me! You think that years of service in the Holy Lands was the path of least resistance, or a childhood spent working with a dying business was an easy route. Of course I am a political person, it comes with the job." Liam narrowed his gaze at the knight and stored the little bit of information in the back of his mind. So Roe worked for Robin, then. "Oh, so this is a favor!" Liam said, throwing his hands wide. "This wonderful treatment was a gift from the bottom of your heart." He approached the bars quickly and said, "Well, I can scarcely imagine what you'd do to me if we hated each other."

When Thea came to the cell, Liam took her hand. He nodded and squeezed her hand. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Thea. It'll get you into trouble one day." He shook his head. "Still, I appreciate your support."

[Roe]

This one was really a piece of fine work. Roe knew that Liam's advantage was that he normally was just in things for his benefit. The collateral damage never matter to him, since he was only concerned with the effects that it had on him. "I saw so many people like you Liam. Its one of the many things that turned me, personally, against the Crusades. Many who participated saw in the Crusades an opportunity for them to benefit financially,or politically, or both. When youo came back, here, you obviously did not know what you would find, but you thought it was something that you could turn to your advantage,no matter what the cost might be to others. You, and people like you are always so predictable."

Roe laughed at Bronte once more. "It is not my responsibility nor job to lay out for you where my allegiances lie. I'll make it damn simple for you. My allegiances lie with the true Earl of Huntington, Robin of Locksley. If he continues to follow the banner of the Lionheart, so will I. I was sworn to defend the young master of Huntingdon from a young age. I'm afraid that you would find my concept of loyalty too hard to fathom or I might try to explain it. Let it suffice to say that I did not fight for Richard in the Holy Land and he did little for me in life before that would have generated much loyalty," he chuckled.

Roe issued his harsh glare for the assumptions that Liam made of his trustworthiness. "Just because I have little feeling, one way or the other about Richard, don't make any assumptions that I have any more positive preferences about anyone else. You wouldn't have any designs on the royal seal, now would you, my dear nobleman? You'll find that I am more of a threat to opportunists like you than I would ever be to the Lionheart," Roe said as his eyes narrowed.

"You care nothing about this place other than who it affects your personal designs, Bronte, so don't take the rest of us for fools. As for Thea, it is important for her to understand that there are things that she values that could be endangered if she makes the wrong decision. If she's sees an alliance with you in a positive way, well, unfortunately, she may be on the wrong side of that picture," smiling somewhat mischievously. "That's right, you could barely imagine what it is to be my enemy, and my advice would be not to find out, for it could be quite a nasty and painful experience."