Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I brought Kitty in with me and you weren't here." Heather said as she let out a yawn. "Where were you?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I thought I'd be polite an' walk Fiona home, since you and Ash seem t'like her so much," Sam said with a slight smile. "Seemed th'only gentlemanly thing t'do."

 

[heartofcourage]

Heather was quiet as Sam admitted that he had walked Fiona home. She nodded and snuggled up a little more against her brother's chest.

"If you fall in love with Fiona, are you going to leave me too?" She asked him softly, finding it hard that Ciaran and Kate were gone and Rho didn't have time for her with the running of the kingdom and his own courtship. "Ashelin said I'm being a baby."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Now why d'you think I'd do tha' t'you?" Sam asked his sister, concern tinging his voice. "Heather, my place is here. I'm no' leavin'. Someone 'as t'look after Inverness. Not t'mention you an' Ma an' Da."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ciaran left with Justin." Heather said in a small voice. "I thought that you might leave with Fiona. Ma says that I can't always count on people to be around. I have to be brave...but I don't want to be brave sometimes."

She was a little girl who was all mixed up inside. She wanted to be stubbornly independent, but she still needed that reassurance from her family. As her siblings got older, she felt left behind. Ashelin was light years away from her twin, bold and friendly with everyone around her. She was heading for bigger and better things while Heather felt as if she were a burden to people. Her great solace was Vincenzo, her Da and Ma, and Sam.

"Maybe I am being a baby." She murmured softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, lass. Yer jus' bein' a little girl who's comin' up to a big turnin' point in life. Y'won't be jus' a girl forever. It's time y'made yer own way, but I'll always be 'ere t'fall back on. Tha's th'part o' bein' a brother I like most." He kissed her forehead and hugged her a little closer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Heather nodded, knowing that she had a lot to think about as time went on. She let out a sigh as she closed her eyes and found the slumber that she had needed so badly that night. It never failed when she was with Sam and she was grateful that he could offer her sage advice when she most needed it in her life.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam tucked Heather in beside him, but he laid awake an hour before giving up on sleep. He sat down at his desk and lit a candle before digging quietly into his drawers for a quill pen and ink and paper. He'd always loved writing but it'd been a long time since he'd done it for fun.

 

[heartofcourage]

Heather never once stirred, even as Sam lit the candle and set to writing. She did hear the scratching of his pen against paper, but she simply turned over in bed and settled back down again. Her brother was a strange man, but he loved her and she loved him. She never questioned the things that he did or how he did them.

 

[KieranSoares]

By morning, Sam had written pages upon pages. The sun suddenly peaking over the horizon through his window made him squint in surprise and he realized he'd gotten lost in the story. He put all the papers away and rubbed his eyes with a long sigh, shaking his head. He went to his washroom and changed his clothes before starting his day.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was already eating breakfast alone in the great hall. She was up before the sun most morning, enjoying a quiet moment to herself while everyone else slumbered. Sometimes Brogan joined her and Ciaran, but today, she simply smiled to see Sam coming to the table.

"Morning, love." She said as she kissed his cheek. "Did you have a good night? I saw Heather sneaking into your room after she had already been tucked into bed."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I got 'ome a little late so I found 'er there." Sam took a seat beside his mother and kissed her cheek in return. "I was up all night writing like I used t'do. Jus' got a story in my head an' had t'write it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You haven't wanted to write in ages." Julia said, sipping on her mug of cider as he mentioned that. "What has brought about this burst of creativity?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe th' dragon, I'm no' sure." Sam didn't want to tell Julia just yet. His siblings would keep his secrets at least for a while, and he didn't want his parents worrying or getting invested in the idea of Fiona and Sam before things were sorted out.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, whatever it is, keep it up. It does me a world of good to see you relaxed." Julia said as a server brought out breakfast for the both of them. "Your Da is wanting to spend some time with you and Rho to talk about Rho's coronation. He wants to make sure that everything is in place and ready for him to take over the crown."

 

[KieranSoares]

"'E'll 'ave t'wait til tomorrow then. I 'eard Rho sneak out las' night," he chuckled. "One guess as t'where 'e went." Rho did that every so often, just like Ciaran had once done, gone to see their loves in their free time or in the middle of the night.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've told him that he needs to make her an honest woman. He just claims that he's having too much fun right now." Julia said with a smile towards Sam.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd say it's th'other way around. Naiya has 'im wrapped around 'er finger night an' day." Sam knew what they got up to, because he'd caught them at it a couple times. Naiya was a very physical woman and Rho was a capable partner who loved her and her wild side to no end. But Sam didn't let his parents in on too many details between the Prince and his werefox lover.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Don't think that I don't know what they get up to. I was young and in love once too." Julia said with a smile as Sam mentioned his brother and his lover. "Just like I know that the way you look at Fiona means so much more than everyone else might realize. You care for her, love."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe I do, but tha' doesn't need t'be a bother on everyone's mind righ' now. Kate's already gonna tease me enough an' Heather's already worried 'er big brother's gonna go off an' leave 'er behind. I still 'ave a job t'do an' you've got plenty else t'worry about." He was always trying to avoid his family getting worried or even interested in his severe lack of a personal life. They had their own lives and worries.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Love, you teased Kate enough for a dozen lifetimes about Kell and Heather will learn to function on her own." Julia said softly as she reached out and cupped his cheek. "You can keep it a secret for as long as you think that you can, but sooner or later the family will find out."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll talk about it when things calm down. The town's goin' t'find out about Invah soon, not t'mention these Greeks I still need t'figure out, an' if Da wants t'start preparin' fer Rho's coronation, tha' means I'll need t'call in extra security fer when visitin' dignitaries come in, probably ask Kate fer some o' her men an' call on Kell's grandfather's spare men." Khelt the First was still going strong despite being even older than Vincenzo, his longer lifespan as a wolf and his good health making him still a vital part of Sarah Monaghan's court.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kell would enjoy seeing him and Emily again, especially now that he has a cub on the way. He's always had a spot in his heart for that girl and his grandfather." Julia murmured as she took a sip of her tea and turned the subject away from Fiona.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be sure t'invite them specifically, jus' so old Khelt doesn' stay behind." Sam finally dug into his breakfast, knowing he had a long day ahead after missing an entire workday to spend time with his family. Not to mention lack of sleep would catch up to him before long.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia chuckled softly as she leaned in and kissed her son's cheek gently. She enjoyed spending quiet moments alone with each of her children, Sam especially. He reminded her very much of Brogan in the early days of their marriage and she knew in time he would grow into a delightful husband and father.

"I think I'll take Heather to market today. She needs a few new pieces of clothing. Want to come with us? We might something for Fiona while we're there."