Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

When Fiona came into the tavern and told Tavir what was going on, he dropped everything to gather any blankets he could and he set a cauldron of water over the fire to warm both for Kennah and to put in jars between blankets to help keep the egg warm.

Just as Fiona returned with an armful of blankets, she found the cloaked stranger from earlier now in the barn with Sam. The stranger had his saddlebags from his drake, and was digging things out along with a mortar and pestle to make some sort of concoction. When Fiona and Tavir entered, the stranger didn't say a word before taking one of the jars from Tavir and mixing the crushed greens into it. He had to coax Roman away from Kennah before he could help Kennah drink the mixture little by little. She was too desperate for help and too weak to resist even the horribly bitter liquid, and soon she drifted off to a peaceful sleep with her head in Sam's arms, seeking his comfort as Roman paced nervously, his attention split between worry for Kennah, and distrust of the stranger and the huge drake waiting outside patiently.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It must have cracked when she lay it. She was probably trying to get it away from the soiled hay." Fiona murmured to Sam as Roman fretted over his mate and the egg that they were packing against the cold. "Poor egg."

Fiona glanced towards the stranger as he tended to Kennah, helping Sam to get the drake situated. She had no idea what to do for any of them.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It was too big for her," the stranger murmured hoarsely. "It still stands a chance, if you seal the crack with tree resin. As for her... Feed her plenty of greens and red meat. She's already sick from bloodloss, but she'll heal and those food will help her replenish what she lost."

The stranger stood, going to his own drake. "Not much else you can do for now except keep her comfortable. If you need any advice or help, I'll be staying at the tavern. You'll probably find me around Elder Oleg's home most of the time."

He was gone before any of them could answer, and then Sam looked at Fiona. "Fiona... Tha' wasn'... Owen, was it?"

 

[heartofcourage]

The sound of her father's voice had Fiona freezing, staring at him with her bright eyes as he explained what to do. So it had been him riding on the strange drake. As he left and Sam murmured the words, Fiona snapped out of her trance. She didn't say anything to Sam as she stood and followed Owen, pausing at the barn entrance as he made his way to his drake.

"Da?" She murmured softly, almost too soft for anyone to hear.

 

[KieranSoares]

The stranger was just climbing into his saddle, and he paused once he was seated, looking at Fiona. He held her gaze for a long moment, but even in the darkness of his hood, she could see recognition reflecting in his eyes. He hadn't seen her since she was quite young. He wouldn't have recognized her if not for her eyes, once he'd stopped to actually look at her.

"Fiona..." He muttered, drawing back his hood. He hardly looked like the Owen she remembered. He was missing an eye, clearly having been gouged out, both his once-proud pointed ears slightly ragged at the edges now, and telltale scars from a collar and muzzle lining his neck and face. His once bright fur was sprinkled with grey and no longer shone despite how well he'd once taken care of it in reverance for his heritage. "I... Never thought you'd come here..." He wasn't sure what to do or say, memories of her harsh childhood flooding back as well as the day he'd left her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wanted to meet Ma's family before it was too late." Fiona said softly as she took in her father's ragged appearance. "The dragon of Inverness brought me."

She took a step forward, unsure of what else to say to the man that had terrorized her as a young girl. "Grandpa died. Ten years ago. He's buried next to grandma like he wanted."

Did he know any of that? Had he cared? She had no idea but it felt as if it were her duty to tell him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I... I know he's gone..." He murmured, slipping from his saddle to face her finally. She was nearly as tall as Owen now, and likely far healthier. He was thin, his formerly athletic build now lanky and almost a bit bony, and the lack of shine in his fur and the darkness around his eyes told of how tired and beaten down he was.

"Did... Did he finally manage to wake the dragon?" Owen asked, equally as unsure of what to say at the moment. "Or... Did you...?" He had never seen any evidence of her being a dragon caller like their ancestors when she was young, not that he'd given her the chance, but he couldn't rule out the possibility.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I did." Fiona said as her father came towards her, stopping a distance away and looking just as uncomfortable as she was. "Her name is Invah. She's adopted me as her fledgling. I woke her a few months ago."

He seemed so different, much frailer than he had once been. He had been cruel, incredibly strong and violent when she was little. Now he seemed....old.

"Grandpa never told me about dragons. He wasn't interested." Fiona admitted. "He was focused on his poetry and making sure that my little life was happy...after you left."

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen's ears slowly laid back when she mentioned how he'd left, and he couldn't even look at Fiona anymore. "If I'd known you were here..." He shook his head. "I don't want to ruin Solstice for you with the Voya." It was as if he was shy of her, as if he was expecting her to want to hurt him. But he didn't flee yet. The least he owed his neglected and abused child was his own courage in facing her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I asked Uka to bring you here." Fiona said softly as her father laid his ears back against his head with a look of regret.

"I don't hate you." She said softly. "I fear you still. All the broken bones and angry words I can feel in my dreams. The night you attacked grandpa because he wanted to keep me. The day you screamed at me in anger when Ma died. All of that is still with me and I don't think it will ever really go away. But I don't hate you."

"You lost the love of your life. I know what the does to a person. And you didn't know that grandpa would die so soon. If he had lived, my life might have been much different. Fate hasn't been kind....to either of us, it seems."

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen leaned heavily against his drake's side then, not sure what to say to the daughter he'd once done everything in his power to neglect. He looked as if he could fall apart at any minute, and as if he'd been in that state for years. When he got up the courage to look Fiona in the eye again, he murmured, "Maybe later... when your friend's drake is doing better... we can talk, if you want. There are some things I think I ought to tell you. But... I'd better get Kesh settled and go see Oleg first."

The drake, Kesh, understood that his keeper was distressed, and he tucked his head under Owen's arm with a quiet rumble of concern before looking at Fiona with some curiosity. "I'll... see you later?" Owen asked Fiona quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm staying with Uka." Fiona murmured as her father's drake tried to give him some measure of comfort. "We will see each other. And you can come to the Solstice celebration tomorrow. Uka has worked hard on it. It would mean a lot to him if you were there."

It was then that Fiona remembered the two silver rings that she had on her necklace. She quickly reached for the leather strap, pulling it free from beneath her coat to give the larger of the two to her father.

"We had a ceremony for Ma when I first got here. This is for you." She murmured, holding it out for him to take.

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen hesitated to take the ring, but when he did, Fiona could see his fingers trembling terribly. Kesh let out a soft whine as Owen shakingly slid the ring onto his left middle finger and pulled himself into the saddle, unable to face Fiona anymore. He practically fled, but not without a small nod to Fiona first. When she was small, Owen had met memories of Tatianna with loud tirades followed by an absolute breakdown when he thought he was alone. Now, he was afraid to face those memories after having fled from them for so long.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona said nothing as she watched her father go. He was struggling and her heart was broken for him, but she knew that there was nothing she could do to help him. He had to sort through his own grief.

Fiona turned and made her way back into the barn to check on Roman and Sam. Her drake had finally started to calm, laying on the ground beside Kennah and his egg. Fiona found her way to Roman's side and patted his head gently.

"It'll all be alright, beastie." She promised, nuzzling against his head as he rumbled in uncertainty. "We'll fix your egg up, get Kennah back on her feet, and all will be right in the world."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm going to see if there's anything around we can seal that up with... I just hope it's not too late," Sam murmured, rising from Kennah's side. Tavir was close by, having brought in plenty of spare blankets for Kennah and the egg. It would be even harder for Kennah to put up with the cold in her state, and Tavir knew that after having taken care of travelers' horses for some years.

"Go to the herbalist. She and the apothecary keep a type of resin glue for animals' wounds when stitches and bandages aren't enough," Tavir offered, welcoming Sam to take one of the tough horses from the stable as well. Sam pressed a kiss to Fiona's cheek before heading out without a saddle.

Tavir came to kneel by Fiona, taking a look at the egg with a sigh. "I wish I knew more about drakes... but I suppose they can't be too terribly different from horses at least where health is concerned."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Besides laying eggs, no." Fiona murmured as Roman rested his head in her lap, beside himself with worry as Sam took a horse to hurry off. "They're just as full of spirit and personality Roman here loves to hug, which is something he learned from watching humans. He is intelligent as they come."

 

[KieranSoares]

"So I've seen, but just as foolish as humans too. He acts like a colt. I imagine he's probably barely an adult, his scales are still so bright. Kennah must be a couple years older," Tavir reasoned, looking to Kennah's darker scales that were just as rich but seemingly matured. "She's terribly serious, though. Makes me wonder how she fell for such a silly creature as your Roman." He smiled as the golden drake glanced up at his name. "But I don't think I really have any room to talk myself."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Roman's still a baby compared to other drakes. He will probably end up outliving me in the end." Fiona said, stroking Roman's scales as he glanced up at the mention of his name. "Kennah as well. She is still very young compared to other drakes. Old enough to carry an egg. It's new territory for all four of us. We weren't expecting this much trouble."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Her youth might be a part of the problem... but it was her own choice, so I suppose she felt ready. That's alright, though. We'll get her through this so that whatever happens, even if this egg doesn't make it, she'll have another chance." He knew it was a fairly likely possibility that the cracked egg wouldn't make it, but he wouldn't rule out its survival either.

When Sam returned with a small parcel, he gave it to Tavir. "Could you put this over th'fire? It's solid when it's cold. An' if it ruins a pot, I'll get you a new one."

"Not to worry, my friend," Tavir assured him, unwrapping the parcel to find a strange amber-colored block of resinous material. It was barely a quarter cup's worth of resin, but it would be more than enough. While he went off to melt it, Sam came to Roman.

"Roman," Sam murmured, reaching out to touch his nose with a gloved hand. "I know yer no' gonna like this, but I need t'take th'egg." When Sam reached slowly toward the egg, Roman let out a low growl. His paternal instincts were overriding his deep trust even of Sam. Sam paused, pulling back. "I'm no' gonna hurt it, lad," he murmured in a soothing tone, but Roman reached out to draw the egg closer to himself, blankets and all.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Roman, shhhh...." Fiona soothed as Roman growled at Sam and drew the egg closer to him as he sought to protect what his mate had almost died for. "We have to help your hatchling. Without help, it won't survive."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe he'll let you take it, love," Sam suggested quietly to Fiona, his hand returning to Kennah's fur along her neck.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Roman, beastie, would you let me have it?" She asked, reaching out a hand to gently touch the egg's smooth surface.

It was warm, smooth as glass, and she could feel how incredibly fragile it was. She glanced towards Roman as he watched her wearily, but she soon was nuzzling against his cheek, showing him as much love as she possibly could.

"Let us get it all patched up and then you can dote on your egg and Kennah as much as you like." Fiona whispered to him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Roman slowly but surely pulled his own hand back, letting Fiona take the egg despite how his instincts told him not to let anyone else but his mate touch it. His deep trust with Fiona, forged through her loving care and sacrifices on his behalf, made him let go in the hopes that much like the way she nursed him back to health in the beginning, she could repair the egg and help give the little one inside a chance.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, love." Fiona murmured, kissing Roman's brow as he slowly let her have the egg. "I'll take good care of it."

Glancing towards Sam, she hefted the large egg into her arms and simply held it for a moment, letting Roman see that nothing would happen to it.

 

[KieranSoares]

The egg itself was about the size of a human toddler, but hard denser and heavier. Sam made no move to touch it, knowing Fiona was the only one with permission. When Tavir returned, Sam let Roman inspect the melted resin all he liked before he dared take a wide brush that Tavir had brought, slowly smoothing resin over the cracked shell under Roman's watchful gaze. The amber material quickly cooled and hardened, making a new, reflective shell over the crack. When Sam was done, Roman had to thoroughly inspect what was different. When he was satisfied, he took the egg back and tucked it further into the blankets between himself and Kennah. That was enough of others touching the egg for the day.