Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Julia was surprised that Sam was actually ordering something, but she gave him a smile that told him that she approved of what he was doing. He was a good boy, if a little misguided in the ways of love. He was doing beautifully at the moment, however.

 

[KieranSoares]

Justin wrote everything down and started getting everything together. At his pace, it would probably take only a few days for such simple items.

Once they set out again, Sam made a detour, promising to meet up with them again shortly. He slipped away to the local bookmaker, asking him in secret for copies of every one of Ephriam Blackstone's small volumes of poetry. There was no way to mass produce, so the bookmaker employed writers and copiers who could quickly and cleanly copy text.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona had made a special trip to the market that day, remembering Will had asked for a Erygonian dagger if she lost their bet. She had enough saved coins that she would buy it for him anyway, in spite of the fact that she wouldn't lose their bet. He deserved to be spoiled as much as he possibly could and she was determined to do that.

The dagger that she had chosen had a dragon carved on the dark leather. The silver handle was highly polished and very handsomely carved with flowers and vines. She hoped that he liked it as she handed the vendor some coin and tucked the dagger away in her old, worn satchel.

 

[KieranSoares]

It was just as she turned away from the vendor that she came face-to-face with the man she should never have run into in public lest he be forced to capture her. But because she had her hood on and no one knew it was her, Sam just gave her a small smile. "Morning," he said calmly even though he knew he'd probably startled her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona backed away with a start as she suddenly turned around and found herself face to face with Samuel Ghis. Her blue eyes were wide and her heart was hammering in her chest, a slight blush on her cheeks as she thought about the kiss that he had given her the night before.

"Morning." She said softly, clearing her throat nervously. "How did you know it was me?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know yer voice pretty well, I like t'think," he reasoned. "What new trouble're you up to now?" He wasn't in uniform, which told her he was probably enjoying a day out.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Will wanted a good dagger, so I bought him one." Fiona said, pulling out the blade to show Samuel. "I bet him that I could bring out Invah and he said that I couldn't. No matter if I lose the bet or not, he deserves all the good things for his hard work."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam took a look at the dagger, and being a man who knew his weapons almost too well, he could clearly discern Erygonian craftsmanship. "He'll like it. Get years o' use out of it too."

He then heard Julia calling for him from afar. "I'd better no' keep her waiting. Stay out o' trouble," he reminded Fiona with another smile. He hesitated just a moment to kiss her cheek before going on his way.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was startled when Sam paused to kiss her cheek before he disappeared back into the market. She slowly smiled, tucking the dagger back away in her bag as the feel of his lips against her own made her blush slightly at the thought that Samuel Ghis might care for her. That seemed like a very dangerous thought.

 

[KieranSoares]

By evening of that day, rumors had finally begun to circulate about the dragon having woken and visited the royal family, and about a woman of unknown origin being able to call Invah. Brogan didn't address the rumors, wanting to keep it quiet for a while longer until they could manage a proper introduction and ensure Invah's safety.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona visited Invah late in the evening, when there was less chance that someone might see the great dragon. She found that she could talk about all manner of things with the great dragon, especially about her family.

"So, it's not unusual what happened to me?" Fiona asked as she sat perched on the boulders that provided a look out over the loch. "My Da was very serious and focused on things. Then he started to drink and everything fell apart."

 

[KieranSoares]

Invah lay on the shore with her lower half still mostly submerged, her great arms crossed before her. She looked quite regal, like a queen in her own right. Fiona's questions about the events in her life were a matter of wisdom and philosophy to Invah and she quite enjoyed their conversations. At her question, Invah nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so. You live in an age which is less concerned with love and more concerned with industry and coin and family ties. Your particular problem is a matter of racism, my dear. Your father found fault with humans, even though werefolk have always been part human. I knew many people like him once... They considered werefolk like themselves to be pure-bloods, and considered human children of werefolk, or human partners to be abominations. But then again, this is an ideal shared by half the human race around the world, only vice-versa. This little corner of the world, Inverness... it doesn't have the problems other places did when I still roamed the world. Perhaps it is simply the common public belief, but werefolk and humans get along here far better than I've ever seen. Of course, there are always exceptions, like hunters and supremacists. And alcohol tends to make those problems much worse."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wanted to love him, but he made it very hard sometimes." Fiona admitted to Invah as they talked about her life. "No hugs or kisses from him. My Ma would love on me when she was sober. My Da hated it when she did though. He wouldn't give me to the people that wanted me the most because he always said that I was his to raise. I never understood his stubborn pride. I would have given anything to live with my grandpa."

Fiona was quiet for a long moment after that, thinking about things before she looked at Invah as if she had a confession to make. "I let Samuel Ghis kiss me. Now, I think he likes me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Invah considered Fiona's words about Sam for a long moment before she answered with a question. "Does that bother you?" Fiona had told her about all the trouble she was in already and how Sam was supposed to catch her but still hadn't despite ample opportunity. Invah then added, "You may be playing with fire, my dear. Do you like him? And can you handle it if he does indeed catch you?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I told him that he needs a princess." Fiona said softly. "Not a thief. I don't know if he could ever live down the fact that the person that he loved was a thief. He said that he was a man that needed a woman who could work with her hands. I guess he sees that I can be a hard worker."

"I've never known a successful partnership. My Ma died when I was little. My Gran died before I was born. I'm not sure how a marriage is suppose to work." She admitted softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"There's no saying you have to marry the boy. You've only just begun to know him," Invah chuckled, but she offered a kind smile and her own story. "My mate, Gaiann, wasn't too unlike young Samuel. Too serious, always busy... he was a fighter, the great battle-dragon of Denmark's leaders almost seven-hundred years ago. He never knew his parents, so when I came along, he didn't know what love was or how to react when I admitted I enjoyed his company. But in time... he figured it out, and we built a little home together in the mountains of Sweden, hidden away where we could fly and raise little ones. He didn't know how to be a mate and a father, but patience and some trial and error was all he needed."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Is he still alive?" Fiona asked softly as Invah told her about her mate. "Because Kayla Ghis is the queen of Norway. Perhaps you could go there and visit him some time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't know," she murmured, her gaze drifting off to the horizon. "He went to sleep a century before I came here. He was only supposed to sleep for twenty years... but he wouldn't wake up, and nothing I did could wake him. I was sure he was dying slowly in his sleep, but I didn't know why. I left him to the care of our youngest child when I felt the pull to come here. I must admit I'm a coward, though... because I still haven't gone back. I'm afraid I'll find his bones in that cavern, or my daughter will show me where she buried him."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was quiet for a long moment as Invah admitted that she didn't know if her husband was alive or dead. She knew that pain very well, worrying over her grandfather as he slowly faded away until he finally passed.

"I could go with you. Perhaps I could wake him if he's still asleep." Fiona offered, glancing at Invah with a smile. "And if he has passed, then you'll at least have a friend there for support."

 

[KieranSoares]

Invah looked down at Fiona in surprise at such an offer, having not expected such kindness even from a caller. But a smile slowly lit her warm features. "I think I might take you up on that offer, little one. Thank you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You let me know when you wish to go. Will and David can take care of Roman while I'm gone." She said with a smile on her lips. "And maybe we can look for my mother's family while we're there. It would be a grand adventure."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think I'll wait until the Ghis see fit to introduce me to the town, then once everything's calmed down we can go. It'll be nice to fly again." That meant Fiona was probably going to be one of the rare people to experience true flight, and on a dragon no less.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Really?" Fiona asked, her eyes bright at the thought of such an adventure. "My grandpa once told me that our ancestors rode on dragons. From Egypt to Scotland. I thought it was just a tale to entertain a sad little girl."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Back in the days that was common, we were much smaller, about the size of your drake. That was before Scotland had a name, and before dragons could speak. Thousands upon thousands of years ago. But about a millennium ago, there was a band of dragon-riders who traveled the world as mercenaries. They may still exist, but not in a group."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Was my Da one? He never talked about what he did for a living and he was often gone. When he came home he would get drunk and rage about things. He only ever told me that we were speakers, able to do amazing things. I always thought he was lying because he wasn't sober."