Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Y'could stay til spring. Justin of all people would understand," Sam assured her. "Maybe bring them a bit o' peace, spendin' tha' time with you. It's tough t'sail durin' winter anyway. Even tougher, i imagine, t'ride a dragon. It'll be even colder up high."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It would do them some good, but that's such a long time away from Inverness. I'm sure Will wouldn't like me staying away so long." Fiona said as she glanced towards Sam. "And you can't stay away that long, can you?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I might no' be here the whole time... But I could certainly spend part o' tha' time visitin' the Triad courts an' maybe seein' how things are goin' in Finland now tha' it's independent an' allied t'the Triad." Sam glanced toward the horizon. "Part o' my job is keepin' good relations with allies. An' the Triad is among our closest next th' Irish an' English an' Scottish thrones."

 

[heartofcourage]

"So you would come and go. I'm not sure that I like that idea, but I can deal with it if it means you stay close until the spring." Fiona said, agreeing with Sam that it might be best to wait until the weather was warmer.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll try not to be gone too long... But you ought t'know I'm no' one fer sittin' still, no' fer long." It didn't take long to get back to Oleg's home, and when they did, Fiona came upon her Uncles Voluun and Juno sparring in the snow before dinner, Yul nearby with a drawing book, and Rhett just coming out to fetch more firewood for the den and oven. Hanni, Ericka, Anya, and Oleg were all inside in the warmth. Sam left Fiona's side immediately to help Rhett, earning a smile from the Fox in return.

 

[heartofcourage]

"How can you stand being out here in the cold so much?" Fiona asked of her uncles as Sam went to help Rhett bring in more firewood. "I probably would have frozen to death a long time ago if that were the case."

 

[KieranSoares]

Rhett chuckled quietly to himself, perhaps the first real sound Fiona had heard him make, though it was deep and very hoarse. Then he ruffled his short mane of fur about his neck in answer and headed inside. Voluun neatly disarmed Juno as if he could've done it at any moment, then smiled to Fiona. "You may be as much a Fox as any of these boys, but you didn't quite get the fur, little kit. And I have even more of an advantage with my birth mother having been a Wolf."

"But you should see him in the spring. Poor Ericka has to help him brush out his winter coat so he doesn't she'd everywhere," Juno laughed, Voluun raising an eyebrow at him.

"True. But at least my mate doesn't have to coax me into baths, because I'm not afraid of water."

"Low blow, brother," Juno punched his shoulder before ducking past him to go inside.

"Yul?" Voluun asked, looking to his youngest brother. Yul was lost in his drawings and designs, deaf to the world until Voluun tossed one of the fake swords and it bounced off the bench beside Yul, making him start and nearly drop his book.

"Wh-what?" Yul asked quickly.

"Dinner, little fox."

"Oh... That time already?"

 

[heartofcourage]

""You'll have spoil me with a nice fur coat for my birthday then." Fiona said as he uncles explained that it was their fur that gave them an edge. "Especially if I'm going to be hanging around here this winter. I get the feeling it will be a bitter winter."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Staying? Good, we could use someone new to tease around here," Voluun chuckled, welcoming Fiona inside. Sam was stoking the den fire while Rhett was pulling bread from the oven.

 

[heartofcourage]

The smells of warm bread filled the air and Fiona felt completely at home. It was joyful and light, so unlike the house that she had grown up in. Hanging her cloak by the door, she went and sat by her grandmother.

 

[KieranSoares]

Oleg was quietly reading over some letters, some official and some written in rough hand. As a Shaman, his work extended outside just the village and he was often called upon for guidance in spiritual and moral situations.

As Sam finished with the fire, he offered a small smile to Anya. "Anythin' you need, ma'am?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, I believe we are well taken care of." Anya said with a kind smile, patting Sam's hand as she pulled him until he was seated on her other side. "However, I would like to hear more about the man who seems to hold my granddaughter's heart."

Fiona hadn't said anything about her relationship with Sam to her grandmother but she was a wise woman. It was apparent that her entire family had an interest in her life now that she had come home to them.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam glanced at Fiona for a moment, before looking to Anya once more. "Samuel Ghis, General o' Inverness an' head o' the City Guard an' the Invernessian Axemen," he introduced himself properly, but he knew Anya probably wanted more details, less public appearance. "I, uh... I don' know 'ow much Fiona wants me t'give away, but let's jus' say... I've been chasin' 'er fer a long time, in more ways than one."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can always tell a man in love. I suspect the both of you have been stubborn about things." Anya said with a grin as Rhett started to serve the meal that he had prepared. "If Fiona is anything like her Ma, she is headstrong, independent, and stubborn."

Fiona glanced over at Sam with an apologetic look. Her grandmother meant well, but it seemed that she wanted to get all the answers to her questions.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Won' argue with ya about tha', but I'd say I'm pretty similar." Sam looked up as Rhett motioned them all to come get their food after he brought plates for Anya and Hanni. "I wouldn' want t'intrude on yer dinner, Rhett-"

Rhett lifted a hand to stop him, then motioned him into the kitchen to get food as well.

 

[heartofcourage]

"None of them will take no for an answer." Fiona murmured to Sam as they were ushered into the kitchen to get their food. "You might as well do as they ask."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can tell yer related to 'em," Sam teased quietly with a small smile. "Lovely people, though."

"You say that now. Wait til you get to know Voluun," Juno announced as he stepped into the kitchen. "Yul's alright, though."

"Why don't I feel like that was a compliment?" Yul asked with a sigh.

"What? Saying you're more tolerable than Voluun isn't a compliment?" Juno asked, only to have his fur ruffled backwards by Voluun as the eldest brother stepped in.

"Oh, quit making trouble and eat," he told Juno, dishing up plenty for Ericka first even though he knew she'd tell him she was more than capable.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona chuckled softly at her uncles, smiling as they each have one another a hard time. It was easy to see how much they loved one another and how much they had probably loved her Ma. Why her Ma had thought life would be better half a country away with a man who was unstable on his best days. It made her incredibly sad to think about.

"I guess you're use to it though with so many siblings of your own." Fiona said as she and Sam filled their plates with hot roasted meat and vegetables.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yeah. This is a lot like 'ome, especially when Kate comes t'visit, jus' smaller," Sam smiled with a nod. "Rho an' Kate can go on bickerin' fer hours with our cousins, especially Mako an' Seamus, sometimes even Alex too when 'e's not so busy."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think it's nice." Fiona said as she moved past Sam to claim a seat in the noisy living area. "I've never had anything like this before. I think i like having a noisy family around. It makes me feel less lonely."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then hopefully it'll be a little easier to deal with mine in the future," Sam said with a nod. "I'd better send a letter soon as possible t'Ma. She's worried about us both, Da too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Tell her I'm sorry for making her worry." Fiona said softly, still filled with guilt over what she had done not only to Sam but to his family as well. "Perhaps I should send her a note of my own explaining myself. Your parents have been nothing but kind to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You know you don' have to explain a thing. All I 'ave t'say is tha' we're workin' things out. Ma won' pry anytime soon. She knows I like t'keep these things t'myself. But tha's up to you, love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sam, what I did didn't just effect you...it effected your entire family. I know I have a lot to prove to people if we do manage to work things out." Fiona said, looking at him with a serious tone in her gaze. "If I ever to manage to prove to anyone that I can change."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You do what you have to, then," Sam told her softly. "Whatever helps you get t'where you need t'be."