Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I know," she murmured, but she couldn't let Heather go. Nadia remained with her until she was able to sleep. In the morning, another meal was brought to Heather, but things were strangely quiet and tense.

That next morning at the keep, Sam skipped breakfast to confer with Kell who'd only just returned, and they included Julia and Brogan and Kate. Kell confirmed the invaders to be Greek, members of a hunting organization whose job was to track and kill witches and dangerous creatures like those considered mythical or legendary, like dragons. But they were there for Fiona, considering her a summoner of dangerous beings, and they were going to use her to bring out Invah, and dispose of both. They knew Fiona's connection to the Ghis and their fondness for her, hence why they'd taken Heather.

But while they were talking, a letter arrived written in Greek. Kell translated it for those who didn't know it. It was a simple letter of trade- Heather for Fiona.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We obviously can't give up Fiona or Invah...but we need Heather back." Kate said firmly, looking to Kell as she spoke. "We can send the troops to them. Heather might be injured, but the Greeks would never make it out of Scotland alive."

"That's a dangerous game, Kate." Julia said softly, looking at her children with a look that was aged beyond her years. "Heather can't see to get away from danger."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If she weren't blind, I'd risk it... But our best bet here is negotiation and if that fails, a small hit-and-run force when we learn where they are."

"We could destroy whatever weapons they 'ave fer dragons an' then send Invah in. If th'stories about 'er are true, she's a warrior," Sam suggested.

"That might be an option... But we still need to find them and we'd have to coordinate the attack to get her in the moment the weapons are destroyed, so the Greeks don't have a chance to threaten Heather. I don't know if we can manage a smooth operation like that."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was listening quietly from the hall to the Ghis talk about their plans. The Greeks wanted her in exchange for Heather. It seemed like a simple trade in her mind. She moved down the hallway to Samuel's room, entering it quietly and pulled out a piece of paper and his quill pen. She wrote a simple note and placed her necklace on the desk.

Dear Sam,

I have to make up for everything I've done. I'm going to get Heather home. Keep my necklace safe for me. It is my most prized possession. Also, if I should happen to not make it back, my grandfather's notes for his poetry are at my home. They are yours.

Fiona

She still had the button in her pocket from Samuel's coat. The one that had a horse carved into it. She had never seen a button like that before and she had tucked it away in her pocket one evening without him noticing. She had no idea if he even still remembered that she had something of his, but it meant everything to her.

She saddled Roman and rode him out to the loch, calling for Invah from his back. When the dragon appeared, she let out a soft sigh of sadness.

"I'm going to get Heather." She said softly. "And I don't know if I'll be back. If it sounds like I[m saying things out of the ordinary, don't come out."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not letting you go alone," Invah told her resolutely. "They'll kill you whether I come out or not, Fiona. And you're not about to break everyone's hearts and leave that boy Will all alone. I haven't even gotten to meet him yet and help you win that bet. He'd be devastated if you were gone."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll try my hardest not to die." Fiona said as Invah told her that she wasn't going alone. "And I won't be alone. I'll have Roman there with me to make sure that I make it back safely."

 

[KieranSoares]

"But you may get him killed too," Invah warned. "And you won't make it back. They're hunters of your kind. When they have you and Heather is gone, they'll bring you back here and force you to call me. You'll die whether I come out or not. So when you do call... I'm coming out. I don't care what they have."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Invah...you have children and a mate you need to see." Fiona tried to reason with the dragon. "People still depend on you for things. Will will be taken care of if I'm not here. Kayla MacNamara would look after him...all of the Ghis would. My life in the scheme of things isn't that important."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No life is unimportant. The Ghis would feel guilty forever, especially that little girl if you die for her. And what about Samuel?" She looked Fiona square in the eye at that. Even if they'd only just begun a very tentative relationship, Sam would be heartbroken and wonder 'what if' forever.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I left him a note." She said simply, knowing that Samuel would come hunting for her as soon as he found it. "It's better now then if we really did have something."

Fiona knew that whatever she could say to Invah, the dragon would have a come back for her words. It was a hard situation, but she knew what she needed to do.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You will not die today. Or anytime soon for that matter," Invah told her firmly before disappearing back into the loch and ending the conversation there. Roman seemed to know something was wrong, nudging Fiona's arm lightly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona let out a long, tired sigh as Roman nudged her arm. She looked towards the drake and knew that she was in danger. Still, she knew that Heather was alone and scared and she knew what that was like. No child needed to be going through that.

"Come on, Roman. We have things to do." Fiona said softly as she mounted the drake and pulled him towards the far forest, intent on tracking down the men that wanted to do harm to Invah.

 

[KieranSoares]

As they searched, Roman suddenly jerked away from the path after an hour, rushing a scout he'd caught sight of and knocking him off his own emerald-scaled drake. It was one of the Greeks for sure, but Roman seemed to know the drake, the two greeting each other affectionately.

The Greek man looked up slowly. "Ares?" He asked quietly, and Roman stopped, recognizing his old name.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was not expecting for Roman to run into another drake in the way that he had. It was very obvious that he recognized the other drake, nuzzling against him as he greeted a long lost friend. Fiona looked down at the man who called him by name, the drake pausing in recognition.

"Roman now." Fiona said simply, looking down at the man. "He's my drake."

 

[KieranSoares]

The man's gaze fixed on her, and it was very clear he knew who she was, be it by spying or spies' descriptions. He suddenly grabbed his crossbow from his drake's saddle and fired a bolt in panic, but that was the wrong choice. He missed entirely, hitting Roman instead, at the base of the neck in a painful but not a too a danger on place. The golden drake jolted in pain and turned vicious. Without Fiona's say in the matter, he snapped up the crossbow and proceeded to maul the man while the other drake backed off in confusion, not knowing whether he should defend his rider or help his dear friend. When the green drake growled, almost like a whimper, Roman dropped the man and he hit the ground writhing in silent pain, holding his ruined arm and his shredded ribs.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona gasped as Roman turned vicious as the bolt dug into his neck. She held on tightly as Roman mauled the man, the other drake looking on confused at what was happening. She couldn't pull Roman off until he was done and the other drake growled in warning.

"It's alright, Roman." Fiona murmured, stroking his scales as he dropped the man and backed away. "I would suggest that you advise the others to not act so hasty in the future."

 

[KieranSoares]

The man slowly, painfully dragged himself away, struggling to get on his drake and flee. It'd be easy to track him back to the camp with the amount of blood he was losing, and he probably wasn't in the right state of mind to remember to try to make himself hard to track.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona dismounted and took care of her drake's wound as best as she could. The bolt was removed and a bandage was placed around his neck. She stroked his nose to calm him down, murmuring that he was a good beast. They had to be careful going into the camp so that Roman wasn't injured further.

 

[KieranSoares]

Roman led the way on, and eventually Fiona could smell the campfire smoke and cooking. They were just beyond a thick stand of trees, and toward the center of their camp, surrounded by guards, was the prison cart with Heather inside. There were at least five dozen men altogether in the camp, and probably another two dozen out scouting or patrolling. But the man Roman had attacked had already returned, and the Greeks were ready for a threat.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona looked around at all of the people gathered. Heather was in the center, surrounded by men and not easily acquired. She let out a long, deep breath, wondering just what she had been thinking by going into this alone. She dismounted and moved to Roman's head, taking his chin in her hands and looking into his eyes.

"I need some distractions. When Heather is free, you take her and you ride hard to Inverness." Fiona said softly to her drake.

 

[KieranSoares]

Roman rumbled quietly, pressing his head into her hands in answer. He seemed to understand the danger, that his former keepers were no longer friends, and that Heather wasn't safe where she was.

Men began to move outward from their camp, searching for whoever had attacked their comrade. Fiona was at somewhat of a disadvantage because she couldn't understand anything they were saying.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona looked at Roman one last time before she turned to face the camp. Men were fanning out over the area, talking to each other in a language that she didn't understand. Her grandfather spoke some Greek, but never taught her any of it. She had to think of how to go about this in a way that Heather wouldn't be hurt. It seemed hopeless.

 

[KieranSoares]

One man finally caught sight of Roman in the brush and called out to his companions. Roman's old name was called again, and he went to that call. That turned out to be quite the distraction as the men were so surprised and relieved to see one of their lost drakes alive and well.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona waited until the coast was clear as Roman answered the call to his old name. She wondered if she shouldn't give the drake back to the Greeks when everything was said and done. He had friends out there and a life before she had brought him back to health.

Carefully, Fiona made her way towards the prison wagon where Heather was huddled under a cloak and shivering. The girl looked frightened and that made her heart ache in the worst way.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Fiona approached, a young woman came to the prison cart too. She didn't see Fiona, bringing a meal to Heather and speaking to her kindly, trying to lessen the misery without betraying her own company as much as she wanted to let Heather go.