Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Your mother practically put me in charge of him until he can go about this rationally. Which probably won't happen anytime soon." Kell's hand came to rest on her belly lightly while he pressed an adoring kiss to her cheek.

 

[heartofcourage]

"With Sam? No. He's too stubborn for his own good most of the time." Kate said as she Kell kissed her cheek and rested his hand against her belly. "He doesn't know when to back down or why and he only sees things within the context of the law. I'm happy that Inverness has a great protector like Sam, but I fear that my little brother will die from the stress before his time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll look after him, love. You look after yourself," he whispered, kissing her once more before relaxing beside her, his hand still resting protectively on her belly. He'd been oddly protective lately, especially after the attack on her father and brother. He had called in his nearby spies and lookouts to make sure nothing of the sort happened again.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Tea and crackers in the morning." She murmured softly as she felt herself drifting off to sleep. "I haven't felt well lately when I first wake up. I think I've been working too much."

She often told him what she wanted for breakfast and he would do his hardest to make sure that she got what she wanted. Kell protected more than just the kingdom of Scotland...he protected her as well. His oath that he had taken as Lord Protector of Scotland was serious and he treated it as such. Kate never had to worry as long as Kell was around.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell could only chuckle and murmur, "As milady wishes."

The next morning, word had spread all over town about Fiona, but there were a few maintaining that she was not capable of coldblooded murder. Will and Hara Aoli were among them, even if Hara had not known her long. Sam was on the warpath, and Kell was constantly there to rein him in.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona woke, cold and hungry, the next morning. Sunlight was just starting to peek through the trees, shafts of light finding her as she slept under the roof of her grandfather's rotting cabin. Nature was slowly taking it over, much like he would have wanted. Moss was growing on the walls, disguising it from the outside and making it hard to see in the dense crop of trees.

She was miserable. The weight of what she had done was heavy on her heart. She wanted to go home to the little cabin that was slowly becoming her refuge. She wanted to cook dinner for Will and act as if nothing had happened. Instead, she was shivering in the morning light, body aching from an evening spent on the hard ground. It was familiar to her, but unwanted.

 

[KieranSoares]

At that same moment, Sam was waking to a foul mood that almost made him bitter to the light of day. Most of his anger was for Kerrigan, but the man was dead. Fiona was on the receiving end of all that frustration and rage and his own guilt for his defenses having been overcome. It felt like watching Rho get his arm ripped off all over again, knowing a handful of men were dead and Brogan, still on the mend from sickness, wounded. Rho hadn't suffered much, but anything at all was a failure to Sam.

Sam didn't stop for breakfast on his way, not a word to anyone as he started his day and Kell was his silent shadow on his way out. Ciaran was getting involved too, searching the woodlands while Sam took the populated and open areas. Poor Will was distraught at the idea that his friend was being called a murderer, and he had to politely request not to be a part of the search on the grounds of emotional investment. Ciaran understood, and left him to his training.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona waited until everyone was quiet outside before she let her hiding spot. She needed to find Will, to make sure that he was alright. With the rangers in the woods, she knew that would be difficult, but he deserved to hear the truth from her own lips.

It was a long, slow hike through the woods before she finally found her way to the edge of Inverness. It was bustling with people, some likely looking for her, other just going about their business. She tried her best to blend in, her head down and her step purposeful. When she found the cabin, she slipped inside and shut the door, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Will?" She called out, hoping that he would still be there.

 

[KieranSoares]

Will came out from his room looking terrified and surprised, and he hurried to hug Fiona tightly about the waist. "What happened?" He asked quickly. "Why did you take so long to get back?"

 

[heartofcourage]

She hugged Will tightly, hearing the fear and concern in his voice. "There are people everywhere looking for me. I had to take my time."

She pulled back and looked down at Will, letting out a soft sigh. "Let me get a meal first and then I'll tell you everything."

 

[KieranSoares]

Will nodded and quickly went to the pantry and begin preparing a good breakfast, knowing Fiona would need it after likely not having eaten the night before. Rice and good mushrooms and bits of beef leftover from the night before were all simmered together with a simple sauce and Will dished out a bowl for Fiona and one for himself with bread split between them before he sat down with her to listen when she was ready.

 

[heartofcourage]

"There was a woman that came that told me that my grandfather's Greek inheritance had come in. I didn't believe her, but Hara told me to follow her. The woman held me hostage with a crossbow and wanted me to lure Samuel Ghis to his death. I killed her, Will. I threw my knife and caught her in the neck. I just wanted to get away, not kill her." Fiona felt her heart squeeze tightly as she thought about what she had done, the food in her hands suddenly looking less appetizing. "A guard saw what happened and chased me. Will, I can't stay or else they'll hang me."

"You need to go to the bakery and talk to Aleister about paying for this place. I'm not going to let you give up on it now that you have so much going for you. Then you need to go to Hara and get the coins that I'm owed." Fiona was willing to give him everything she was owed in order to make sure that he was well taken care of.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tell them the truth," Will told her. "Even if Sam won't listen, the real judge is Rho. He'll listen. He has to," he knew it was naive to imagine they could dismiss her involvement with Morgan and her accidental murder if she couldn't prove she was just caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he told himself he had to have some hope. Will looked down at his plate, feeling tears come to his eyes. "It's not fair... you always took care of me and you always tried so hard to be honest even when you had to take from other people... Doesn't that count for something? It was only ever food. And now Morgan messed everything up..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Will, don't you feel sorry or shed one tear over me. Do you understand?" Fiona murmured, watching as he tried so hard to hope that things would turn out for the best. "You are what matters right now. I'm going to make sure that you don't lose this house and that you keep up with your training. I'all just have to be secret about it. Things will smooth over in time."

 

[KieranSoares]

Will set his food aside to come to Fiona and hug her about the waist, silent as she assured him things would work out. He already had ideas in mind of how to help her, starting with a hiding place, and he had friends among the safehouses who knew how to help.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've never let you down before and I don't intend to start to do it now." Fiona murmured as she kissed Will's brow and held him tightly. "You're like my little brother, Will. I want to see you succeed."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I will, and maybe one day I can help you clear your name," Will murmured, burying his face against her shoulder. Even if he were fourteen he was still a child at heart.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know." Fiona said softly as she hugged Will tightly, knowing that he needed her greatly and feeling so guilt that she couldn't be there for him when he needed her the most. "Let's finish eating. I'm going to gather a few things after that and be on my way. I'll check back in when I can."

 

[KieranSoares]

Once they'd finished, Will made sure she took whatever food he could spare and an extra blanket and a bedroll he'd owned while still on the streets. He packed it all in a bag and brought it to her with a cloak. "Be safe, he murmured. "I'm not afraid to break you out of prison again if it comes to that."

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, you won't." Fiona said as she glanced at Will, taking the cloak and bag that she was handed. "You are on the straight and narrow path now and you're not going to stray from it. Remember to talk to Mr. MacNamara about the payments on this cabin. He's kind enough that he will work something out with you."

 

[KieranSoares]

Will nodded, tbough nothing would stop him from coming to Fiona's rescue if he possibly could. But before Fiona could leave, there was a heavy knock at the door and a voice called in, "Royal Guard, open up." It was Samuel Ghis for sure.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona froze as she heard Samuel Ghis' voice booming through the door. She glanced down at Will and then back at the door, letting out a sigh of frustration. There was no way that he knew she was there. He would be breaking down the door if that was the case.

"Answer the door. I'll slip out your window." Fiona said as she kissed Will on the forehead and hugged him tightly for a moment before she slipped past him and into Will's room to slip out the window when she had the chance.

 

[KieranSoares]

Will went to answer the door, trying his hardest not to outright glare at Sam as the older man stated his purpose and asked to search the house. Will hesitated for a bit to give Fiona plenty of time before letting the men inside.

 

[heartofcourage]

As soon as she heard boot steps inside the cabin, Fiona opened the window quietly and slipped outside. She had hopes that Will could handle the men inside on his own, but she felt so bad about leaving him when he needed her. He was a good lad, but one that needed a mother's love and some guidance. She had to hope that he would stay on the path that he was currently on.

Once she was out of the cabin, she pulled on the worn cloak and pulled the hood up over her hair to disguise herself as she slipped around to the street to escape.

 

[KieranSoares]

Before Fiona could even get out to the main street, a tall black figure got in her way and she suddenly found herself facing Khelt Aleister. She'd already been described to him in great detail and there weren't an overwhelming number of blonde women in Inverness outside some Scandinavians who were recognizable. But Kell knew wolf eyes when he saw them, and knew the cub-blue of Fiona's own.

"Miss Blackstone," he said quietly but firmly , blocking her path.