Tybalt was always at his family's beck and call or at the very least as much as possible. Work meant that he couldn't spend quite as much as he would like with them. He did try to make up for that however by never failing to answer a summons. Especially when it was from his niece. His brothers and sisters had left precious little of themselves behind when they had left this earth. As such, their surviving sibling felt obliged to do whatever he could to protect their children. As he had sworn he would and as he hoped they would his own children when his time finally came.

So the former captain and recently named commander was quick to mount his horse. He would travel to his niece at a gallop just to save time. A thousand and one nightmare scenarios were already going through his mind. He knew that his niece wasn't the sort to summon him unless she thought it was something that truly required his attention. 

The man would arrive hastily, wasting no time in asking to see Scout. He would enter in a hurry, looking around as if expecting to find some assailant that needed to be dealt with. When he found none, it was to the young woman that he would turn. "Scout... You okay, kid?" The man abandoned some of the usual formality that he would have used in favor of the affectionate familiarity that was commonplace around the closest Kane family members. 

Helena was only a few minutes behind her son. She didn't have much to abandon. There was a time when much like her son, she would have leaped into the saddle and taken off at a full gallop. Sadly, those days had passed her by. She could probably have still gotten into a saddle but didn't particularly feel like risking it. Instead, the elder was forced into that very un-Kane of things, a carriage. She'd grown accustomed to them slowly but surely but still missed the good old days. 

As it was, she too had other things on her mind. Wondering just what manner of mess that her descendants had managed to get into this time. 

Her entry would be more restrained. The clicking of her cane signaling her approach. She greeted her son with only a slight dip of the head. "Well..." The elder spoke putting her hands on the top of the cane. "It seems that you've got something that needs to be shared with your family. We're all ears."

The woman sensed that her family was worried and curious to know as to why she had asked them to meet up. She was nervous as her uncle and grandmother entered the room. Tybalt had arrived a little earlier than Helena. She appreciated the informal greeting. It made it feel like he truly cared about her and wasn't just here for a serious conversation with no regards for emotions, but who knew if he'd maintain that position once she spoke. "I'm okay, don't worry, uncle", she assured him, smiling slightly.

The cane announced her grandmother. Helena was more serious, but Scout hadn't expected anything else from the elder. She told Scout to take the word and share why she had summoned them there. The young woman took a deep breathe and folder her hands behind her back.

"Like you both know, I haven't met the right man yet. You've both tried to find me potential suitors, but I haven't been easy on you. I've turned them down without much explanation, but now I have found someone I'd like to marry. Of course, I wanted to talk to you about it and hear how you feel about it." She paused for a moment. "His name is count Astor Porter. Before you say anything, I know the Porters have a certain reputations. Astor is not like his father. You might remember his name, I've talked about him before. We've been very close friends for a long time now and served in the legion together. He's still a legionnaire to this day." She looked at her uncle during those latter words. "I know and understand that there is much to talk about and much to consider. That's why I want to know what you think." She politely bowed her head and waited for their response.

Tybalt wasn't a man to keep his feeling close to his chest. At least not where his family was concerned. As such, Scout would have the questionable pleasure of watching all of the man's thoughts flash across his face. He went from relief that his niece wasn't in any form of distress or danger, in the form of all of his muscles relaxing, to suspicion at the mention of marriage. Indeed, he had been trying to convince his niece to settle down - for her own good as much as anything else - for some years now. For her to bring it up by itself was a surprise but not an unwelcome one.

The beginnings of a "congratulations" was on the tip of Tybalt's tongue when she continued and stopped him dead. The mention of a single surname was enough to banish the smile that had been beginning to form. Replacing it instead with unbridled concern. 

It was silence which settled on the room when Scout asked for their opinions. He might have asked if the Porter she was referring to was indeed part of the family that he was thinking of when she confirmed as much by herself. Tybalt took in a deep breath, biting back his words and chewing them over carefully. He glanced towards his mother, confident that they were both more or less thinking the same thing. "Scout... You know the Porters' reputation. Nobody knows much about them - which is rather worrying in itself but I have heard some whispers."

Helena was quite content to let her son speak first. He was usually a fair bit... Gentler when it came to giving his opinion. Certainly, he was more politic. She knew full well what he was trying to say to the young woman. Helena would study the younger's reaction for a few moments, curious to see just how she actually expected this to go and just how much of her heart she had put into this relationship. Certainly, this wasn't the first time that one of her family members had come to her like this. She just wished that they wouldn't seem to be so invested in making stupid choices. 

It was only once Tybalt was finished that Helena would add. "From what I've heard, they treat their women no better than Coheed does." 

Their reactions were understandable and fair, but it still disappointed Scout. She hadn't expected them to be okay with it right away, so she had prepared more to try and convince them of this marriage. If it had been another situation, she would've found the obvious change in emotions in Tybalt amusing, but now it was only worrisome.

Scout nodded a few times while her uncle and grandmother were speaking, keeping quiet while doing so. "I understand both your concerns, I really do. I know their reputation, and I've been able to experience it first hand by getting to know Astor. His father is a terrible man, but Astor is the opposite of him. That's why I'm confident when I say that he is not like any other Porter. He's kind and he would never hurt me in a million years. Marrying him would also mean that he takes some distance from his family. He doesn't like to be associated with the reputation the Porter's have." She looked at both of them, one by one. "If you like, I could invite him over so you get the chance to meet him." She was hopeful, and she wanted this to work out. Her future depended on it, but she didn't want to tell her family why. Telling them she needed to marry Astor to hide the fact that she was pregnant with a commoner's baby would be far worse than marrying a Porter.

Helena didn't speak, instead she moved towards a nearby armchair. "I think I shall need to sit down. I fear this will be a lengthy one." The elder remarked as she settled and eased the stiffness of her hip. She kept both of her hands on the pommel of her cane. To her credit, for once, the old woman did do her granddaughter to curtsy of actually listening to her. Agreeing with her was another matter however.

"Well, he was never going to ask for your hand with the promise of bruises and broken noses..." The woman declared rather more firmly this time. "I can't imagine that they're lining up in the streets to marry a Porter since that trial." Although the old woman hadn't attended, she'd heard the rumors and made sure to ensure that she barred any and all Porters from her house. "If I had a coin for every poor young woman who'd been convinced that this man or that was different and they would never hurt her, we'd be the ones ruling the kingdom." 

Tybalt's opinion on the matter was very much the same as his mother's. Unlike her however, he intended to be a little bit gentler about it when it came to dashing the young woman's hopes and dreams. "You've got to understand Scout. I made an oath to your mother on her deathbed that I would look after you..." It wasn't something that the commander particularly liked to think back to. It was something that broke his heart, almost as much as having this conversation and having to say "no" did. The man ran a hand through his slowly greying hair as he let out a heavy sigh.

"You're asking us to let you put yourself into a situation which, for all we know, is likely to lead to you being at best unhappy. We're your family and we love you. It's a lot to ask of us kid..." 

The young woman took a shaky breath when her grandmother remarked that this conversation would be a long one, and she herself sat down as well. With her hands on her knees, she looked at Helena. Scout was wise enough to keep her mouth shut for now and listen to what Tybalt had to say too. He agreed with his mother and told Scout how he had sworn to protect her. The woman nodded softly and continued to listen to the words he spoke. It was difficult to hear those words. She was a strong and independent woman and on other occasions she was praised for these characteristics, but now it seemed like both her uncle and grandmother had forgotten what kind of woman she was. She had never been the kind of woman to back down without a fight, she had never been a woman that allowed people to walk all over her. Her opinions were respected and she was very capable of keeping the upper hand in discussions and conversations. She wasn't promoted to be the Lady Steward based on nothing.

"I again want you both to know that I understand that this is asking a lot of you, but I also want you to know that I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I'd be surprised if Astor could break my nose", she said, looking over at her grandmother when she spoke the last few words. "I've proven myself time and time again, in the military and in court. I'm not a helpless woman. I'm a Kane." She was proud to be a Kane, and proud of who she had become over the years.

"I love you both very much." The young woman smiled at Tybalt and Helena. "But I also love Astor." It wasn't a complete lie. Even though she didn't have any romantic feelings for him, she loved him dearly. "He has been there for me through thick and thin, always putting his own concerns and issues aside so he can listen to me and help me out when I need advice. I really, really understand that it's difficult to believe that a Porter can be a good man, but I promise you that he is." She rubbed her legs with her hands and looked at them. "All he wants is to make me happy. That's why I suggested you meet him."

Tybalt frowned at Scout's first few words. He had to bite back a few comments regarding just how easily noses were broken. Instead, for a few moments he forgot who he was with. Those words could have been spoken by another some decades ago. "That could be your mother talking..." The man muttered painfully. How confident and brave had Irma been? That had been what had inspired so many to follow her onto the battlefield. He'd been in awe at her at the time and now, it reminded him only of how they'd lost her. "We might be Kanes but we're still mortal."

It was apparent that his niece had set her heart on this much. Why, he didn't know. Tybalt supposed that he could have put his foot down. He imagined that his mother would have sided with him but then he would have had to face a heartbroken Scout for gods knew how long. Perhaps she was right. Maybe he was different... It wasn't that hard for the man to put himself in her shoes. "I suppose..." The man began somewhat uneasily. "It's the hotspurs in a couple of weeks." The commander left a pause for his mother to interject or object if she saw fit. "He could come along to that... As your guest. You will not introduce him as a fiance until the family has agreed unanimously to this."

If Scout and his mother could agree to that much then Tybalt would be easy until then.

Helena wouldn't actively complain at her son's suggestion of allowing a Porter to attend their festival. She wasn't entirely comfortable with it but was pragmatic enough to know that if they didn't actually make some sort of an effort to get to know the apparent suitor so that they had reason to object, then they would be faced with at best a discontent family member for the next few years to come.

She was however about to draw some very firm lines in the sand where certain matters were concerned. "This Porter must understand, if and that is a big IF." Helena stressed the word. "That if he joins our family he will have to abandon his own name. There will be no contact between him and the rest of the Porters. You won't be going round for family dinners and they most certainly will not be welcome within the Kane lands."

A pained smile appeared on her face when Tybalt mentioned that her words could've been spoken by her own mother too. She didn't have any vivid memories of her mother and even though she was thankful that Tybalt and Helena raised her, it hurt that she didn't have the opportunity to sit down with her mother to have this conversation. Oh what she would give to have her mother see her get married. Her heart hurt when he said that Kanes were still mortal. Memento Mori. Her mother was long gone and now it didn't matter how brave and fierce she had been.

Even though Astor was just a friend, this conversation was still important to her. He had been there for her through thick and thin. She didn't make it up just for them to agree to this marriage. When she found out she was pregnant with Dresden's baby, Astor hadn't given it much thought before he agreed that they'd marry so she could keep up appearances. He'd gladly pretend the kid was his if it meant Scout could keep her job and title. He was selfless and caring.

A cautious smile appeared on her face when Tybalt told her that she could bring Astor to the hotspurs. She'd gladly agree to the condition that she couldn't introduce him as a fiancé just yet. Scout understood that it was premature to do so. Astor would have to prove himself there. Her grandmother had some other conditions. The young woman looked at her and nodded along to her words. "That's very reasonable, dear grandmother." It seemed smart to not bring up Astor's sister yet. The man had agreed to marrying her but had wanted to make sure that his sister would be safe too. She'd offer her a position as a secretary or something that would get her out of the Porter's home. It's the least she could do. Scout knew that Astor wanted to get away from his father just as much as his sister did.

Tybalt let out a sigh. This wasn't what he'd been hoping to hear, nor was it what he'd been expected. He'd always told himself that he would be the loving and supportive uncle when the time finally came for Scout to marry someone. He couldn't right now. Not when as he saw it, it was the young woman's longtime wellbeing, perhaps even her life which was at stake. 

At least she agreed to the terms. There would be others, if this went through that was. Just thinking about it was enough to give the former captain of the royal guard a headache. Right now, they had a basic and very non-committal agreement. If Scout was wise, she'd realized that her battle wasn't won yet, not even by half. Astor would have to be the picture of perfection when it came to marital material and stand up to the scrutiny of all of the Kane elders if he wanted a snowball's chance in hell of joining their family. "Very well. We'll hold off our judgement until meeting him there." The man declared, before forcing himself to become grim and stern once more. "But Scout don't get your hopes up. I know it's hard to believe right now but we all do have your genuine best interests at heart here."