Who: Robert Kidsman, Peter and Katherine Foster What: A pack meeting (of sorts) and a plan Where: The Lionhart When: 24 January, 1889 Rating: PG
If this was another life, another story, Peter would be sitting in his office with a cigar in one hand and a glass of brandy in the other. Or possibly just him in the office with some whiskey. Whichever way it went, it would be him in an office that was in his home, a meeting place for him and others.
But this wasn’t another life and it wasn’t another story, and so instead of calling someone into his office for a meeting and making plans, he was calling them into the The Lionhart for drinks and food. A message was sent to Robert to meet him and then he’d stopped by his sisters place and asked Katherine to accompany him to The Lionhart, telling her he was going for their pseudo pack business and dinner.
“How are things in the governess business?” He asked Katherine, slathering a piece of bread with some butter. “Being treated right? No issues?” He looked towards the door to see if Robert was making his way through
When Peter came to find Katherine, she was in decent enough spirits. Writing away at her table, trying to get the latest out for her next book when he had come to ask her for dinner. She had quickly hidden the pages away and decided to accompany him. If she was part of the pack, she could start doing things like this.
“Things are well,” she told him. “I’m being treated very well. No issues.” Well not unless you counted once or twice being nearly set on fire by a child. But since she hadn’t actually been, she would consider that a win in that department. “He’s growing up fast though and soon I’ll be out of a job and looking for another.” That was always worrying. There had to be other supernatural parents who needed guardians though, right?
“How are things going with the pack?”
Peter bit into his piece of bread and chewed slowly as he listened to his sister answer his questions. He was pleased that things were going well for her with her job; it couldn’t be easy to take care of other people's children. “You are sure to have a few more years with the child. In being a governess do you stay with them until they are an adult, or is it until the reach the age of sixteen? He didn’t know, because of course he had no children of his own to know such things.
“Everything is going well,” he said with the pack. Though he wasn’t sure they were an actual pack, he had started to think of it as such. They were slowly becoming a family, learning to rely on one another and though there had been a few missteps, everything worked out eventually. “Running together has seemed to help bring us all much more closer,” he explained. “They are all starting to accept that I’m in charge right now and are following my lead.” There were still some that were still fighting the pack mentality, but they would come around. “I’ve actually got one coming to meet here tonight to have him do a little following, we will see if he accepts or balks.” What he didn’t tell her was that it was Robert, the man she said had nipped at her on a run before he had her running with them. He wanted to see how the two reacted to each other and if need be he would have to find a way to keep the two apart if there was an issue.
“I hope that I do,” she answered as she ate. “You just never know. Besides, he’s not quite like us and I don’t know if that means that they mature faster.” Maybe she should ask about it sometime. “I’m pretty sure it’s until they just don’t need you anymore.” And she didn’t know if she would be needed very much longer. That’s what it came down to. She was going to stay with him though as long as she could.
She was glad to hear that things were going okay. Though she didn’t say it very much, she was extremely proud of her brother that he had turned this whole ugly thing around and was trying to make it work. She couldn’t imagine that it would be easy. “I’m glad to have people to run with again. I missed it more than I thought, but it was obvious when I was with everyone.” And she was just glad they had accepted her at all.
When Robert came into the Lionhart, lapel of his coat pulled up against the wind (and prying eyes), his senses were on high alert -- the place crackled with energy, and was full of odd and unfamiliar smells.
He was there reluctantly -- but that explained nearly all of his interactions with Peter Foster these days. Foster seemed determined that what they were doing was the only way they could all get out of this particular trap Damian had led them all into, and it was either that, be killed (by Foster himself), or disappear -- and Robert didn’t fancy starting off penniless and without resources in Australia or the States. So for now, he was to do whatever the man told him to, which wasn’t all that different from how it’d been under Damian, really (except for Peter didn’t dangle his debts over his head constantly).
And then, as he came closer to the booth, her smell hit him.
He bristled, and bit off the growl of frustration that emerged from his throat, and ducked into the booth.
“Mr Foster,” he said, and after a pause, “Miss Foster.”
Katherine just nodded a bit and went back to eating until a very familiar scent wandered in through the doorway. Sure enough when she looked up, there was that man. The one that she’d had a .. well she didn’t even know what to call it. A debate over territory maybe? Then she hadn’t been running with the pack, that was the only thing she could think of to explain his behavior. She looked over at Peter to see the look on his face. Was he up to something?
“Mr. Kidsman. Have a seat.” She gestured to one of the empty ones.
Had his sister tensed up? Did Robert seem more aggravated than usual? Curious. He kept the look on his face plain. Innocent even. This was just a meeting, for them. For him it was to see if there was something to be worried about.
“Mr. Kidsman,” he smiled. “Please sit. Order yourself whatever you’d like,” he smiled and waved the waitress over. He knew that Kidsman didn’t like him, or didn’t seem to like him. It was possible there was a lot of anti-trust, which Peter could not blame him. He was stuck in something that he couldn’t get clear of, just as Peter was and he had to deal with it in the best way possible. “I’m sorry if I tore you away from anything tonight,” he commented.
Robert frowned. “Of course not,” he replied, trying his best to keep his tone from dipping into sarcasm. What choice did he have? If Foster requested his presence, it was show up, or face the consequences.
His eyes darted briefly over to Katherine Foster, sitting there, next to her brother. Why on earth was she here? Why on earth did Peter Foster insist on bringing her along to everything? Didn’t he realize this was no place for a woman, that what they were doing was beyond dangerous?
He swallowed. “What’s this all about, then?” He asked, his voice crisp.
She really wished she knew what this guy’s problem was. While she could have assumed it was because of her brother, she knew that because he’d chased after her - it was annoyance on her behalf. Though she wasn’t exactly bothered by him, she was going to keep her eye on him to see what he was up to. She was watching him quite a bit actually. Maybe she could talk to him later about what had happened. Without Peter there.
Peter surely could see the man was annoyed, couldn’t he? Katherine looked over at her brother finally and gave him a look that said for him to go ahead. Because she wasn’t quite sure what he had in mind either and she was curious.
Peter watched silently as Robert looked over at Katherine. There was something more going on here, he thought, but he wasn’t sure what. He knew that whatever it was needed to be talked about between the two of them, which would be how he would leave them when he was done with what he needed Robert to do for him.
“Do not worry about my sister,” he said, glancing over at Katherine. “I discuss most of my business with her, something I haven’t done in the past and what might have saved me if I had,” he explained. “She’ll make sure I don’t go off the beaten path again.”
“Moving on,” he looked around the room once before pinning his eyes on Robert. “I’ve watched you, listened to things about you, and from what I understand you are a good tracker are you not? The best that we have? If so, and if you are interested, there is something I am in need of you to do. No, I won’t order you to do so, but you may be the best man to do it.” If Robert chose to opt out, he would go to Lucien for help.
Robert’s eyes narrowed at Peter’s bit about ‘not ordering him’ -- that was rich -- and his eyes darted over to Katherine’s before once again meeting Peter’s.
“Dunno about all that,” he replied, carefully, a little uncertain as to how to proceed, but figuring some honestly couldn’t hurt. “Depends on what you’d need tracking. Still sorting out… the furry bloke can have a mind of his own,” he said, with a bit of a shrug. “And my nose, it… there’s a lot to wade through sometimes.” It was weird, talking about all of this -- this wolf stuff -- he didn’t tend to, as a general rule -- and he shifted a bit in his chair. “I s’pose I can find people who need finding,” he added, “and I know how to track addresses and… money and things,” he continued, a frown flitting across his face. Damian had used him for that sort of thing before -- find people to blackmail them, to find information -- as a man who’d kept his fair share of secrets, he knew every trick in the book and then some.
He sighed. “What’d you have in mind?” He said, a little tiredly.
While she could only hope to keep Peter on the straight and narrow, she didn’t want to undermine him so she said nothing instead of some smart ass comment in his direction. She looked back over at Robert again, but in a very obvious ‘do you have a problem?’ kind of way. There was no point in hiding it, when he was all but glaring at her. She could glare right back at him. For now though she would keep quiet and let them speak. This was more important than whatever their problem was with each other.
Eventually though, Katherine just couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “Are you sure he’s the best person for the job? He doesn’t seem to want to be here.”
Peter sighed at his sister and looked at her. “Here or not, he’s in the same boat as I am, Kate,” he stated. “I don’t want to be here either, I….” he shook his head and looked back to Robert. “He is the best man if he chooses to be.”
“I meet with one of Damian’s bosses secretly every so often when they call for a meeting,” he explained. “His name is Jean and the next link in the chain of trying to figure out everything. My orders come from him and I have no choice but to do as he says. If not, then I’m good as dead,” he sighed. “I need you to follow me the next time I have a meeting, I’ll let you know, and then after the meeting follow him. See where he goes, who he meets with, that sort of thing,” he explained. “Report back to me and I’ll tell the other side that I’m reporting to and maybe they can figure it out.”
He paused and took a drink. “But Robert, I am not going to hold anything over your head to do this. I’m not Damian. I don’t know exactly what he held over your head and I’m not asking for you to tell me. If you want me to know, you’ll find a way to do so. I want us all to be working as a team, for us to come together and fight our way out, to clear our names and, if we survive this, live a life where we don’t have to always be on the run and looking over our shoulders. I need your help, but if you choose to not then I’ll find someone else who can do it. You don’t owe me anything, but I am trying to find a way to save all our asses,” he said with a grim look. “What do you say?”
Robert’s eyes flashed hard at Katherine’s bald assessment of him.
Yeah. Of course. He wanted to be tasked with tracking down someone dangerous. Top of his wishlist.
Peter seemed as if he was being honest, or at least attempting to be somewhat sincere, so in the spirit of honesty, he leaned back in his chair, and looked over at the wolf. “We get caught double-dealing, they kill us. You don’t give the people you’re reporting to what they want, we’re all strung up for treason. And the last man who told you ‘no thanks’ ended up dead,” he said, flatly. “Bollocks on your choice. You and I both know I haven’t got one.”
He knew he was swearing in front of a lady, and frowned. “Pardon,” he added, a bit exaggeratedly. “I’ll do it,” he added, frustrated. “No reason to wrap her up in all this,” he added, his voice low mutter. “Bloody dangerous enough as it is.”
For the life of her, Katherine didn’t understand why men had to behave this way. She watched the pair, feeling for her brother that he had to do any of this. As much as she loathed to admit it, Robert was right. They were going to kill all of them if they found out that anyone was going against them. None of them really had a choice.
She really hated that they were all risking their necks for them and she hadn’t really done anything. “I could do it,” she said, looking over at Peter. “No one pays attention to women. You know I can handle myself.” Probably better than most of the people in the pack, though she wouldn’t say that out loud.
“God no,” Robert snapped, two spots of furious color high on his cheeks. “I said I’d do it. I’ll do it.” He looked over at Peter. “Consider it done.”
Peter only looked at Robert and then shook his head. He didn’t owe any explanations for what had happened with the man he had had to kill. The look that flashed through his eyes was one of regret, but he quickly put that aside. He would not get into it with him about what he would or wouldn’t do or if Robert actually did have a choice. Either he believed it or not, there wasn’t much he could do about it right now.
He gave the slight nod of his head when Robert said he’d do it and then his eyebrows were going up when Katherine spoke up. He was already shaking his head when Robert snapped, which had him glaring at Robert.
“Katherine, I know that you are able-bodied, but no,” he shook his head. “This is a job for Robert and he’s accepted, that is the end of that. And as for my sister, Robert,” he turned to the other man. “She’s quite capable of many things, don’t underestimate her; just because she is a woman does not mean that she cannot take care of herself. She’s here because she’s already wrapped up in all of this and because she chooses to.” Damian had kidnapped her, had hurt her, and he knew that Jean would do just as much to hurt her if he wanted. It was better to keep her in the know than to just let her be out there alone and unknowing of what harm could befall her. He would not put her on a shelf just because she was a woman.
“Now, there is one other things I wish to speak of if we are done with that.”
Robert scowled and hunched his shoulders, no end of uncomfortable -- he didn’t like feeling as if he’d been put over a barrel, and as much as Foster might insist he wasn’t like Damian, it certainly felt that way. And now, he’d been roped into something dangerous to boot. And she was there, staring at him, besmirching his character, and making his skin prickle, which made it all nearly worse. If it’d just been Peter, he would’ve had a bit more dignity, but it all seemed to fly out the window whenever she was around, and it seemed as if that was bound to be the case every time.
“Right,” he muttered. “Go on.”
She sighed a bit, but kept her mouth shut. Of course she still wished she could help, she never felt like she did enough. But she didn’t want to risk the operation just because she had gotten it into her head that she could do a better job. Maybe she had just said it because the man next to her seemed to be so annoyed that she was there. Annoyed at both of them really.
Though she appreciated her brother speaking up for her, she did hate that it seemed like they were talking about her when she was right there.
Katherine gestured for Peter to go on.
Peter nodded and then smiled, because what would come next could cause some discomfort to both Robert and his sister.
“I’d like to discuss you and my sister and whatever...issues the two of you seem to have,” Peter said and went on quickly before he could be interrupted by either one of them. “I know you tried to bite at her before you knew who she was, and I am letting that pass because I just…” he shook his head.
“I invited my sister here because I wanted to see what would happen between the two of you. There is tension, a lot of it, and something else that I am not sure of,” he cocked his head to the side and then shrugged. “Whatever it is, I want the two of you to figure it out and then work it out,” he stated. “My sister is in our little makeshift pack because like everyone else she needs a home and a family. She is to be welcomed by all just as she is to welcome everyone,” he looked between the two of them. “She is my...voice of reason when I need one which is generally pretty often,” he smiled softly at Katherine. “And you, Robert, have just become a man that I have to trust, need to trust. Regardless of if you like me or this situation or not, I’m not your enemy. I want to save your life, to give you a life, a family, a home if that is what you want.” He lifted his drink and finished it off and then pulled his wallet out to toss some money on the table as he stood up. “I need the people closest to me to be able to get along, and right now the only people I have closest to me are the two of you. So figure it out, fix it, and if the two of you need help in doing so you know where to find me.” He smiled at the both of them, happy with is little set up. “You can both either love or hate me later…” and then he turned to leave, leaving the two of them sitting at the table alone to hash out their problems.
Robert stared at Peter as the man just… got up and left him alone with her.
Great.
How on earth was he supposed to ‘figure it out’ when he didn’t know what ‘it’ was to begin with?
He scowled, and looked across the table at her. “Look,” he said, “I am sorry about biting. Like I said, the furry bloke… he can sometimes have a mind of his own, and I don’t know if there’s much I can do about it, but I’ll try to keep my peace.”
Oh she was glaring at her brother. Actual daggers. He was in so much trouble, and the smug look on his face was not helping anything. Wasn’t he concerned that this man actually hated her and wanted to harm her in some way? So much for brotherly love. Katherine gave a large sigh and looked back over at him. She wanted to get up and just act like he wasn’t there and leave. However there was a part of her that just wanted to figure out what was going on.
“I understand that. That isn’t the part that I’m worried about. But you’ve been making angry faces at me all night. I see you.. During our meetings. I know that you’re watching me. And I guess that means I’m watching you too..I don’t know what’s happening any more than you do.” She just knew how she felt, but putting it into actual words was harder than she thought it would be.
But best to clear some things up first. “I haven’t actually done anything, have I?” Something she didn’t realize she’d done maybe.
Robert frowned, uncomfortable and uncertain.
“I’m not…” Robert frowned. “I don’t… you smell,” he finally managed. “...Different,” he added. “Puts my teeth on edge, and I don’t know… you haven’t done anything beyond… beyond being a part of all this insanity.”
He looked down at the table, a frustrated frown on his face. “You’ve been one of these… things your whole life, right? Is it always like this?”
While she knew quite a bit about being a werewolf, there were still some things she didn't recognize. No one had ever talked to her about this bizarre thing that was happening. The way she kept seeing him when she dreamed and constantly thought about him even if this was actually her first time even speaking to him. If she had been a normal girl, she might have called it infatuation. Physical lust? He was handsome, but that wasn't quite all of it. There was something else she couldn't put her finger on.
She wondered if he was trying to be polite and say that she might actually smell, but hoped he wasn't being that rude. The truth was that he smelled different too. All werewolves had their own scent but it was like when he was near.. like now, it made her whole body feel like it was on fire. And not in a bad way.
At least she hadn't done something scandalous. "It gets better.. and worse. Well, worse if you're out.. alone.. without any protection and harming people. The pain never actually goes away, but it should become something that's second nature. Of course.. I can't compare it to not having it but I know that things get easier if you accept it and don't fight it so much. I understand that's easier said than done though."
Robert had kept his shoulders tense and uncomfortable after blurting out that she’d smelled. It was uncommonly rude, of course, but there was no way around it. She didn’t quite address his comment (which was most likely a blessing), but she didn’t seem horrifically offended, and he found the cant of his shoulders relaxing some.
“And the… the sensations,” he replied, a question in his tone. “Are they always this… this overwhelming? It’s been a year, and I…” he frowned. “It’s a little like going mad, sometimes. It’s not just smelling. It’s hearing everything. Getting… getting angry so much more easily. Doing… that every few weeks is one thing, but it’s even when I look like this.” He looked over at her, frowning.
Pursing her lips in thought, Katherine finally nodded her head. “Yes, it’s overwhelming. But your body should learn to adapt to it. It takes time of course. Like learning any new thing, repetition makes it more natural. Soon it won’t be so bad and you’ll barely wonder if there was ever a difference.” At least she hoped so. As she said, she didn’t have any sense of comparison. She hadn’t been bitten, she’d always been this way. But she had to learn to control herself, just as much as anyone else.
“Anger is often an issue. There are a lot of techniques I use to make sure I don’t bite someone’s head off.” Literally or figuratively. “But I fear that this is more likely your body’s response in trying to cope with what’s been done. The beast is.. Exactly that. A beast. Finding harmony in it.. However that might be, is the only thing to get through. And those that can’t do that.. Often don’t make it.”
“Hm,” Robert replied, frowning in thought. “Much as I’d like to learn more about these techniques of yours… look, I… I can’t… there’s a lot going on at the moment, obviously, what with…” he grimaced a little. “...Trying to not get killed,” he said bluntly. “Which, you know, doesn’t really… help not being angry.” He looked over at her. “I don’t know if spending more time together would be better or worse,” he added, bluntly. “With this whole…” he gestured vaguely. “...thing.” His frown deepened. “That, and it would be entirely improper, given your station, and mine, and that I’m an engaged man, and you’re… unattached.”
“Of course. Life rarely gives you a break when it does.. Things like this to you.” She’d never gotten any breaks, even if she’d been born this way. Learning was just making a ton of mistakes until she got it right. Ah right. This weird thing. Katherine nodded, “You’re right. It would be improper. There’s plenty of people who can help. It doesn’t have to be me.” She sounded nearly disappointed, but she hadn’t meant for it to come out that way. The lilt to her voice just went that way. Maybe it was time to go.
Robert looked over at her, raising an eyebrow at her unexpected note of melancholy. “Probably for the best,” he replied, not quite as sharply as he would’ve at the start of their awkward conversation. He tapped the table a bit nervously. “I am sorry about being sharp. If we’re to be running into one another more often, I’ll do my best to keep civil.” His smile was quick, and fleeting. “Tame the beast,” he added.
The lilt to her tone had surprised even her. She wasn’t sure what it was, since he had been nothing but awful to her. There was just something in her that realized that yet again she was... Alone. “It’s... fine. I will do my best to be civil as well. I... should go. I don’t want to take up too much of your time and you should be at home with your... Fiancee.” She got up to her feet and gave a short bow of her head. “I will be here if you ever ...need anything.” She didn’t know why she said that either, but it was clearly time to go and so she went as fast as she possibly could, before she made a fool of herself.
Robert looked after her as she left, feeling uncomfortably guilty and frustrated. Whatever it was about Katherine Foster, it was not going to go away, and it seemed as if they were bound to be spending time in close quarters, the thought of which made him itch. “Right,” he said to himself, a note of sarcastic bitterness in his voice. “...Right. Well done, you.”