William
William stood in the large office of his father. Lord David Stout stood staring out into the night in front of the large window in front of his desk. His uncle Alyn couldn’t hide his anger, and behind William stood his girlfriend Samantha so close he could almost feel her. The other members of his college siege team stood behind them. It was not how any of them had planned to spend their night.
William still had dried blood on his nose and lip. The bruises, cuts and nicks were something they all had in common but for Samantha and Zoe. Their wounds had been left untreated as they were detained, arrested, and finally released into the custody of his father. They were brought back to meet the Lord of Lakehall before they could see a medical bot to address their wound, and where they now found themselves.
William had thought he had handled it. That he had taken care of it. Thought he had gotten the team out of the police station on his own. Of course Samantha had been smart enough not to be arrested. He wasn’t surprised, and expected nothing less than a soon to be lawyer. The moment they had been released onto the streets outside the towering structure in Greendowns, they were met by the familiar face of Edward Torch, Head of Security and commander of the House Guards of Lakehall.
William had cursed at the sight of the aircraft, and security detail before he hung his head low.
William wasn’t the only member of the nobility of Karthmere on of them, but his father was the highest ranking among them. Most of his teammates and their partners were the sons and daughters of minor lords of the planet, not one of the great lords of Karthmere that reported to the Highlord and System-lord Karth.
Few lords had the range of influence that William’s own father had. Lord Stout was said to have greater influence in the Commonwealth of Drala than most System-lords, seen as the right hand of the old System-lord of Karthmere. He should have known his father would have learned of the fight before anyone else.
William looked at his father as he stood with his back to them. He knew better than to speak until addressed. He had been in that room many times, although it was often just himself being scolded by his father and uncle. Behind the lord’s desk, the lord stood with his arms clasped behind his back as he stared out into the darkness of the lake which the great estate was built next to.
It was Alyn Stout, William’s uncle from Furse Space, and trusted advisor and friend to his father that he feared the most in that large room. It was Alyn Stout who finally broke the silence, and shouted and cursed at them as he paced back and forth in front of the small sofa he often sat upon next to the desk.
“Do you know how stupid that was you shit nosed punks?” Alyn snarled from behind his large bushy beard, but continued before any of them could answer the question. His eyes fell on William. “You have to be the dumbed fuck to ever hold the name Stout, Maybe even born in the whole damn nebula.”
“It wasn’t our fault. We were the ones attacked,” William said sharply, and looked at his uncle. He thought he could see the red in his uncle’s eyes.
William had called Alyn uncle for all of his life, although he was no true uncle. He wasn’t even sure if the man was blood kin or not. Lord Stout and Alyn had served together in the Imperial Guard of Fist. William had been called the son of a traitor more than once because of that fact. His father trusted none more than Alyn, but William had always feared him.
“It was still foolish,” Lord Stout said as he turned around and looked at them. His voice remained as calm as always. “You lot should not have been out in Greendowns at this time of night. Not with the protests that have been rocking worlds throughout the Commonwealth these last few months.”
Alyn turned, and began to pace back and forth. “Dumb shits,” he snarled under his breath.
Lord Stout ignored Alyn, and looked at William, before his eyes moved to each one of them before he spoke. “You are the future leaders of not just this world, but the Commonwealth itself. I would expect this from immature teens, not from young adults.” The lord said and let the words hang for a moment as he looked at them. He leaned over and placed his hands on the large wooden deck and leaned over and let out a small sigh. “I expect better of you, I expect for you to set an example for the people of the world.”
“We did set an example,” William hissed sharply, and raised his head, and curled his hands into fists at his side. He could feel the heat in his head as his anger rose. He had none of the trademark calmness of his father.
“You smart ass little fuck,” Alyn said and stepped towards William quickly as though he were going to grab him, and William fought his body not to step back.
“Alyn,” Lord Stout said with his famous calm, and the bearded giant came to a sudden halt an arm reach from William.
William had seen Alyn mad before, been cursed and berated often enough, but never had his uncle made an aggressive move like that towards him before. He swallowed a gulp and tried to stand tall but felt as though he were the size of a mouse.
Alyn stared at William for a moment, his head red with rage but remained still, and made no action to move. “You lucky bastard…”
“You saw the security footage,” Lord Stout cut Alyn off. “What would you have done?” he asked the giant, and in a puff Alyn waved his arms, with a loud grunt.
Lord Stout didn’t wait for an answer from Alyn as he paced back and forth, but instead spun on his heels to stare out the large window behind him with his hands clasped behind his back and was silent for a moment.
William wasn’t sure what to do. He wanted to look at Samantha, or Anders, or anyone else who stood behind him, but he couldn’t do that.
“What example did you set?” his father finally asked but remained looking out the large window.
William thought of his words for a quick moment before he spoke. “That we will defend ourselves. That we will protect one another. That we won't back down or cover in fear, but fight back,” William said proudly.
Lord Stout nodded, and Will felt pride in that small sign of approval. “I’ll tell you what I see,” the lord continued, and Wiilliam could feel his gut sink. The lord turned and moved his hand to the console on his desk which brought up one of the wall display screens. Top news content from the world of Karthmere played on the display.
The screen was split into smaller windows, but each window played the same images and footage as the muted newscasters spoke. William had seen much of what was displayed before. Had seen nothing but those news feeds on their short trip from Greendowns to Lakehall on the large aircraft which brought them to that very meeting.
All the news feeds condemned William, and the others. They were blamed for the fight in the bar. Blamed as rich nobles seeking to cause trouble in the night, and worse. Few of the news feeds gave a fair view of what had happened, and none had spoken the truth, at least none that William had seen. His favorite lies so far were so far fetched that it couldn’t believe that anyone could take them seriously.
“Lies,” William said finally as he looked back at his father from the screen.
“Lies they may be,” Lord Stout said quickly. “But lies travel faster than the truth. As young leaders, I expect you not to put yourself or those you care in that position in the first place.” The lord said, and let out a sigh.
William was mad, but knew better than to speak when his father was thinking. He was always in the wrong, but the truth was that he would do it again without thought.
Lord Stout looked at his son before he spoke. “Had I been there, I may very well have taken the same action that you took,” he said and held William’s eyes. “We shall never know though, because I am not so foolish as to put myself in that position,” he said and then looked from his son and to the others in the room. “And neither will you be so foolish again will you?”
“No lord,” a chorus of voices chimed out from behind William.
“No father,” William agreed with him and lowered his head.
“Unrest is building,” Lord Stout continued. “We must all do our part to ensure peace is maintained.” The lord fell silent for a moment as he looked away from them. “Go and get checked out by one of the medical bots, and then return to your families. I do not expect to see any of you in the news again. If you are, bruises and hurt pride will be the least of your problems. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, lord,” William followed in with the chorus that rang out from them all..
“Good, you can leave,” Lord Stout said, and turned his back, and returned to his view at the window. William heard the sounds of the others as they turned to leave his father’s large office. Through the rows of artifacts that stood on display. Priceless artifacts from the past which his father prized.
William stood there blinking as he breathed in and out slowly but aware of each breath. He moved his hands behind his back like his father’s, and stood there until he felt an arm on his shoulder.
“Walk me out?” Samantha asked William.
William looked from Samantha and back to his father who remained like a statue. Even Alyn looked away from them, although he could hear his uncle grumble. He looked back at Samantha and smiled. “Of course.”
They walked through the upper floor of the great estate of Lakehall. Samantha lightly touched William’s bruised face as they walked which made him recoil in pain.
“Ancestors know I am glad you never joined the Commonwealth Forces,” Samantha told him as she placed her head on his shoulder. “You are not a fighter, and your face was not made to take a hit” she joked with him.
“I would make a poor soldier,” William agreed and laughed but regretted it at once as pain shot through his face.
