Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Fiona whimpered as he kissed her and she leaned into him. She chuckled as he muttered and she shook her head, looking into his green gaze with a slight smile.

"Someone needed me and I did what came naturally." Fiona said softly. "You would have done the same."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam shushed her with another kiss, keeping her close at his side as the ship's gangplank was placed and they were all welcomed into the Danish capital. However, their group was quiet as they all knew they were headed for another funeral.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona wrapped her arm around his waist as he walked her down the gangplank. The city was just as quiet as the last had been, the country mourning the loss of their king. It wasn't fair in the least, but everyone would continue on. They had to.

 

[KieranSoares]

The arrival of the two royal families was greeted by palace officials, but not the royal family itself. As Christopher and Kayla inquired as to where they were, a new tragedy was revealed that hadn't gotten outside Denmark yet. Elhardt's death had left his wife in shambles, and his children and their young families in deep grief. And it had all been made so much worse when the queen took her own life, leaving a simple note that told of her need to be with Elhardt.

 

[heartofcourage]

Upon the news of the queen's suicide, Fiona clung a little tighter to Sam. She understood the sorrow and could hardly blame the woman for her final action. It seems that no one could really fault her. It was incredibly sad as Ulfric spoke to his nieces and nephews, trying to figure out what might happen now that the throne was vacant.

"It should go to Ivan." Hanne said softly to her uncle, cradling a swollen belly that told of an impending child with her husband, a lord in his own right. "Eric has been inconsolable since this happened and Oona is too young. She will be coming to live with Heinrich and I when everything is said and done."

Hanne was the oldest child of the royal family, followed by two brothers, Eric and Ivan, and a younger sister, Oona. She was the calming influence on them all, speaking in soft tones as she sought to keep her family together.

 

[KieranSoares]

"The throne is yours first, Hanne," Ulfric murmured. "Elhardt told us that long ago. But if you won't take it, we will consult Ivan. If someone can't be chosen soon, we'll place a regent." He drew her close to kiss her forehead. "... But we'll leave that for later."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not made to rule the country." Hanne said softly as her uncle wrapped her up in his arms, kissing her forehead. "I just want to have my child and live in peace. Papa enjoyed the intrigue and risk. I don't have the stomach for it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"There's no shame in that." Ulfric looked up as Heinrich approached and he shook the man's hand silently.

In the meantime, Sam and Fiona stood to the side surveying the castle. Black sheer veils had been placed over decor, muting the color, and sheer curtains had been drawn over the portrait of the lost king and queen. Everyone, from nobles to servants, looked heartbroken as they went about their daily tasks. Sam gave Fiona's hand a squeeze as Elhardt's other children emerged, the younger make heir still red-eyed and completely forlorn. He looked like even now, he could barely hold back tears.

 

[heartofcourage]

Ivan, at 17, was broad shouldered and handsome, but his face was etched in grief. He had barely come to terms that his father had been murdered when Hanne had sat them all down and told them about their mother. He knew he had to hold it together for his younger siblings. Eric had been in tears for days, inconsolable as he clung to his older sister. He was 14 and had been so close to his mother, her right hand since the day that he had learned to walk. Oona was 10, a tall and willowy young girl who had been the apple of her father's eye. She had been very quiet since the day that everything had happened, choosing to stay in her room for hours on end in silence and darkness.

Oona was instantly scooped into her Aunt Kjotva's arms, held so tightly as she sobbed against her side. Ivan and Eric greeted their uncle in a quiet way, not wanting to talk much.

 

[KieranSoares]

Each of the children had been given a letter, one of apology from their mother who could only beg their forgiveness for her weakness, and her choice to leave them at such an awful time. She had written that she wouldn't blame them for hating her, and that she would try her best to look after them once she returned to Elhardt's side. As Ulfric heard of these letters, he drew all the siblings together between himself and Kjotva. As their closest of kin with Ulfric being Elhardt's half-brother, they were really all the children had left.

"We're going to figure this out," he promised to them softly. "And we won't leave you until we do."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was watching the scene with Sam, leaning against his side heavily as she grew tired. She was healing well, but her wounds healing took a lot out of her, especially when they had been doing heavy travel for a few days.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam felt Fiona growing heavy against his side and he turned to scoop her up just as her eyelids grew heavy too. He carried her away into the deeper parts of Castle Lund, to where his usual room was when he visited. He would bring their things in later, but he was more concerned with her for now.

Sam helped her undress down to her underclothes, and then tucked her into bed.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm glad you came, Sam. But I'm still angry that you left your ranks to come all this way for me." Fiona said softly as he worked to get her tucked into bed so that she could rest.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I was nearly done organizing. I left the rest to Kell and Ciaran. It's in good hands." Sam sat down beside her, reaching down to touch her cheek. "So no one's told me what happened in detail."

 

[heartofcourage]

"When they set Rakkar off, an assassin turned on Kjersten. I kept him from carrying out his task." She said softly, moving to pull up her underclothing to show him the bruising on her belly from the man's punch and the deep knife wound on her chest that she had sustained.

"It's more sore than painful, but I think everyone is making a bigger deal of it than they need." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam sighed, though there was clear tension as he saw her injuries. "Well... I sent you t'do a job... I guess y'did it..." He leaned down to kiss her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hold me, Sam." She murmured softly, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and pulling him down on the bed next to her. "I missed you horribly."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam settled easily beside her, only moving once to toss aside his jacket and vest before he fell still with Fiona resting against his side. An arm draped over her waist while his opposite had smoother through her hair, loosing it from the tight braids and pins she used when flying.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona dozed as his fingers gently massaged through her hair, loosening it from the braids that she used when she was in her armor. When he paused, her blue eyes opened and she studied him for a long moment.

"Your hair is getting longer." She said softly, her fingers moving to touch his slightly longer black hair. "I've never seen it this long before."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Been too busy to get it cut," he muttered. Everyone knew well the significance of his short hair in a family of long-haired warriors. The only others who kept theirs short were Ciaran, Leon, and Alex. Short hair was a sign of mourning or shame as per old traditions kept by the Ghis, and some members chose to show it all their lives. For the other three, it was memory of a lost loved one. For Sam, it was a combination of guilt and loss. And every time he lost a friend or relative he felt he could've saved, it seemed to be cut again.

But despite all the recent deaths and Sam's guilt for not having been able to stop them, it either was that he was truly too busy to worry about looks, or that something was going on in his mind.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona didn't say anything about that as she played with one of his locks for a few moments before she curled up against him and let out a sigh. "Long or short doesn't matter to me. As long as you're happy and comfortable, that's all that matters."

 

[KieranSoares]

For the moment, Sam let himself forget the world and his work to focus on Fiona in the moment. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and let the usual tension in his muscles subside in her presence. "... I love you," he murmured, reminding himself to tell her out loud as well as showing it.

 

[heartofcourage]

She chuckled softly as her blue eyes closed. "I'm surprised the words didn't kill you just now."

She nuzzled against his cheek as he held her so tightly. "And I love you too, Samuel."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam let out an indignant sigh at her teasing, but her return of the sentiment made him kiss her one last time before he too relaxed completely and willed sleep to take him.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona slept soundly for the first time since she had parted from Sam. She felt safe as he held her tightly, not wanting to let her go. It was nice to know that someone loved her that much and she was proud that he was trying to be better about telling her verbally about his love.