It was uncomfortable to be eating with the baron and his son, mainly because Penelope found her guard was up around them due to how they had reacted to Crow's rise in power. She felt like she was dining amongst enemies. However, despite her reservations, the two remained hospitable towards her and even conversed rather casually with her. Adam went ahead and listened to her explain her reasonings for wishing the war to end and she was surprised to hear Alden even offer some agreement with the points she made. All in all, it seemed things were going rather well.
For a short while at least.
"I see why you're so determined to end this war." Adam said with a hint of amusement. "It certainly have a poor outcome if it continues as it has been." The amusement faded from his expression as was replaced by seriousness. He folded his arms on the table and held her gaze. "However, I can't just agree to this. The king is rather set on winning this war so going against him isn't exactly reflect well on me. So, for me to take that risk, I'd like a something in return.."
Penelope blinked and looked over at him with a hint of confusion. What could she possibly have that he wanted? He was clearly wealthier than her so surely he wasn't look for gold. He was also more powerful than her so surely he wasn't looking for her influence either. "Ah.. Alright. What exactly do you want?" she asked with a hint of caution.
"Information that I believe only you possess." Adam remarked with a gleam in his gaze that made the knight uneasy.
"You've dealt with that thief more than any other knight in the inner kingdom. You've worked alongside him in the past and you were his constant guard for quite a while before he was promoted." Alden explained smirking. "I bet you know more about that thief and how to deal with him than anyone else."
She didn't like where this was going. "Exactly what are you trying to get at here?" Penelope growled.
"We want to know how to get that bastard out of the viceroy position and into the gallows or at the very least, prison. And to do that, I need to know as much as I can about him. His habits, his ticks, his weaknesses." Adam smirked cruelly. "That curr doesn't belong here and he took something that wasn't his so I intend to fix this mess. A proper nobleman should and will take the rightful spot of viceroy." His subtle nod to Alden didn't slip past the knight's gaze.
Penelope felt a rise of protective anger in her and shot a glared at the baron. They wouldn't be getting anything from her but she couldn't say that outright. As much as she wanted to defend Crow, she'd have to be cautious. If these two were aware of how much the two had been around each other, they might start to realize how close she was to him. Of all people to realize that, she had a feeling these two would be the worst. She had to tread carefully. "This all sounds quite like treason and I want no part of it. The king made his decision and you'd be a fool to try and challenge that." she stated.
Adam narrowed his eyes at her. "The king made a poor choice that I'm going to fix before anyone realizes it. I'd hardly call that treason. In fact, I imagine will be rewarded for it." he smiled slyly. "It's a small risk to take if it means the ending the war, don't you think?"
"Hardly." Penelope spat.
"I can sweeten the deal if you'd like. Just name your price." the baron bargained.
"There isn't a single thing, gold or otherwise, that would convince me to tell you anything." Penelope growled and stood up.
"Wretched girl! Do you really think protecting a thief is worth more than saving the kingdom from this war you're so strongly against?" Adam stood up as well, slamming a hand down on his desk. "Are you willing to risk another failure?"
"I'm loyal to the throne. I will not undermine the king's decision for a baron who can't handle that a thief was chosen over his bratty son." Penelope stated with an accusing glance at Alden.
"Hey-" Alden growled.
"You fool." Adam curled his lip. "I'll take you and your whole family down once we rise to power."
"Is that a threat?" Penelope clenched her fists at her side.
"Think of it as a warning. You're making an enemy of the wrong person." Adam growled venomously.
"No.. You're making an enemy of the wrong person." Penelope smirked coldly at the man and took a step towards the door. She wasn't going to let a threat to her family slide so easily. This man was really rubbing her the wrong way with every angle he tried to play at to get her on his side. "And since you decided to threaten my family like that, I have a new deal to purpose to you. You support the end of the war and I won't say a word about this little conversation to the king. Understood?"
Alden's eyes widened and he glanced towards his father worriedly. Adam's face was contorted with rage at the blackmail, it nearly made the knight snicker. She was normally above blackmail but she needed to keep an eye on them. Since she figured they wouldn't stop their planning regardless, she hoped that pressure from her would be enough to keep them from doing anything too obviously drastic, like hiring a mercenary.
"You bitch." Adam spat.
"Was that a 'no'?" Penelope challenged. "Do remember that I'm good friends with Princess Naida, whom is close to the viceroy. I doubt she'd take hearing this lightly either."
Adam paused as he trembled with fury. "..Fine." he said as if the word tasted vile. "I'll support the end of the war in exchange for your silence."
"Wonderful." Penelope mused as she held his cold gaze. "I think my business here is over then. Have a good evening." She said coldly before turning and heading out of the room.
Once she stepped outside, she let out a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding and felt a small wave of panic wash over her. These nobles were really out for Crow and though she agreed not to tell the king, she still felt the urgent need to warn the viceroy. After all, whatever they were planning, surely the threat from her wouldn't be enough to stop it. While they likely wouldn't pull anything too obvious with her knowledge, the baron didn't seem like the type to just roll over. In fact, she was rather certain the only reason he agreed to her blackmail was because he was confident he could still knock Crow out of the position, which meant he'd be able to get revenge on her. The knight shook her head at the thought and hurried off towards the Great Hall, walking at a fast pace. It was already rather late but she hoped she'd still be able to catch Crow before he headed to bed.
