Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was stopped short when Kell stepped into her path, blocking her escape. She felt panic rise in her throat as he addressed her by name, ensuring that she wouldn't be going anywhere at the moment. She glanced back towards the cabin, the sounds of the men searching the house making her shake in a moment of fear.

"I'm not hurting anyone. I simply had to make sure that Will was taken care of." She said softly, turning her light blue eyes towards Kell. "Samuel Ghis won't understand that."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell held her gaze for a long moment. He had a reputation for being able to detect lies, part of his skill set as Lord Protector of Scotland. And either luck or karma was with Fiona in that moment when Kell's expression seemed to soften, knowing she was telling the truth and caring for her dear friend. "You're walking a knife's edge, Miss Blackstone. By the rules of my profession and by law, I should arrest you and take you before my mate and her brothers for questioning. But just answer me one thing... In that camp, facing that woman with the crossbow... Why did you kill her?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Because she wanted to finish what Morgan started." Fiona said, looking Kell straight in the eye with all of the courage that she could muster. "Will is just about the only thing that is good in my life. I raised him since he was five years old. He has hope for the future that I never had and I refuse to let him live the life that I've been forced to live. I killed that woman to keep myself from being blamed for the murder of Samuel Ghis."

Fiona felt her eyes swimming with tears and she was stubborn enough that she refused to let them fall. "She knew about my grandfather's travels to Greece. She said that there was money to be had from his investments. That would have given Will a roof over his head for a long time to come. I had to go with her."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell's eyes didn't register any sympathy until she mentioned Will. He glanced down for a moment, knowing he was about to make an enemy of Sam if he found out. "There were investments and money from Greece for you. She must've picked them up so she had a solid story and proof. There isn't much, but it would be enough to keep your young friend going with a roof over his head and enough to eat until he can make his own way." Kell sighed, "Go on, get out of here before Sam comes to find me. I'll contact you soon and get your inheritance to you before it's declared property of the clan. I believe you, Miss Blackstone... But I don't know that you could ever prove self-defense to a judge." He stepped back out of her way, standing silently to let her go. Unlike Sam, Kell never saw black and white. How could he, when he himself had once been given not only mercy, but love and a family by people who saw through black and white to see the assassin had a heart?

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona looked at Kell in surprise as he stepped aside to let her go. He was giving her a chance to escape and to prove her case. It was a chance that very well might go back for the both of them if Sam found out that he had helped her to get away. And there was money for Will, enough to keep him in that house until he could support himself. That was probably the best news that she had heard in a very long time.

"Thank you." She said softly as she hurried past Kell and into the village, aiming to disappear into the woods before anyone else noticed that she was gone.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell watched her go with another sigh, knowing Sam would find out when Fiona's inheritance went missing from the evidence locker in the keep. He returned to Sam in silence, finding him just finishing the search. Kell apologized for the disturbance to Will and wished him well before the small group went on to continue searching.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Kell and Sam returned to the keep, Kate knew that their search had not been successful. Sam was raging silently and Kell was as stoic as ever. As Rho joined them, Kate tried to remain calm, listening to her brother tell her all of the reasons why he had to find Fiona Blackstone.

"You said that she has were blood in her family. Are you certain that she doesn't have someone in the village that could be supporting her?" Kate asked, glancing between Kell and Sam.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not that we know of at the moment. Her surname comes from the human side of her family, from her grandfather. We don't know what her grandmother's name was or even what tribe she was from. But she could've been from absolutely anywhere considering that her mate was a sailor and a merchant," Kell told Kate, having done all his research quickly. "But we do know her grandfather was Ephraim Blackstone, and he had ties to at least five tribes along the Atlantic Coast, and both the Lunars and the Erygonians here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The poet?" Kate asked, looking towards Kell in surprise. "He was a red were fox. Da knew him well and helped to bury him when he died. His own son left Inverness a long time ago. He was a mean man who had a problem with drinking if I remember right. Perhaps Fiona has gone towards Loch Fae. That's where her grandfather did most of his writing."

"I think that you need to let that poor girl go." Julia said as she entered the room, having overheard her children talking about Fiona Blackstone. "Samuel Durban Ghis, I will not let you hunt that poor creature until you're exhausted. Same for you, Katherine. And Rhodan Brian, you are suppose to be in bed healing right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

Samuel didn't answer his mother, but Rho did. "Ma, I've been sitting around all day. Talking isn't going to make me heal slower. I'm fine."

Then Kell rose to come to her side. "Julia. I need to talk to you," he said quietly, so much so that the others could hardly hear him. He knew if he could confide in anyone, it was his mother-in-law.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was not pleased when Rho exclaimed that he was fine. She would talk to him later, she thought to herself as Kell asked for a moment to speak with her alone. She nodded and stepped out of the room with Kell. Guiding him towards her private rooms, she sat down with him to hear what he had to say.

"Sometimes I wish my children were young enough to take over my knee." Julia said with a shake of her head. "They'll work themselves to death."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Rho will be alright, Julia. I've been keeping a close eye on him," Kell assured her softly. "But... I'm afraid I might be making an enemy of Sam soon. I found Fiona Blackstone today..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I'm assuming that you let her go." Julia said softly as Kell confessed that he had found Fiona Blackstone. "Did you talk to her and dos she explain herself?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I was going to arrest her, but... she was absolutely trembling, caught between me and Sam who was searching the house. She told me she just wanted to see her friend taken care of, and she knew Sam would never listen to her story. I asked her why she killed that woman, and she told me that the dead woman was a partner of Morgan Kerrigan, that she was there to finish what he started. Miss Blackstone said she killed her so she wouldn't be responsible for Sam's murder. That tells me that this woman was trying to use Fiona to draw Sam out. And once Sam fell, she'd have a clearer shot at Brogan and Rho if she managed to make it that far."

He then sighed, "I told her that the woman had actually had her inheritance. I know she would give it to her friend, the boy she was living with, to make sure he's taken care of. I'm going to find her and take it to her. Sam will know, once he realizes it's missing."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sam might be the law in Inverness but he does not supersede the wishes of his father or his brother. Take the money to the girl and make sure that she is cared for. I will take care of Samuel." Julia said softly, thinking about the terrified young woman who Kell seemed to believe. "I'll talk with Brogan about this."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell nodded and kissed her cheek in thanks. "I do believe she saved Sam and herself... so I'll do my best to keep her safe." He rose then, needing to make his plans and locate Fiona.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia nodded towards Kell as he promised to keep Fiona safe. After he left, she gathered her thoughts for a long moment before she left the room to find Brogan. She could hear laughter before she opened the door to her room, smiling as she saw Heather and Ashelin entertaining their father who was smiling in contentment.

"And then it ran past me and into the water! I heard the splashing. Papa swore it really was Inverness kipper." Heather insisted as Ashelin looked towards her twin in disbelief.

"No way. No one has seen Inverness kipper in years." Ashelin insisted.

"I swear! I felt her scales." Heather said. "Papa wouldn't lie to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He might stretch the truth," Brogan chuckled. But seeing Julia, he sat up a bit. "Hiya, love." Morgan's attack had left him with a terrible slash across the artery in his leg and a stab to the shoulder, but thankfully Vincenzo had been close at hand to control the bleeding. But now, Brogan had difficulty walking and his left arm was weak.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Girls, can I talk to your Da in private?" Julia asked as Ashelin suddenly looked very worried. "I promise that it's nothing bad. I'll only take a little bit of his time and then we can all get ready for dinner."

"Come on, Ashelin. Let's go pick the herbs in the garden to help with Papa's medicine bag." Heather suggested, holding out her hand for her sister to lead the way.

 

[KieranSoares]

Once the girls went on their way, Brogan welcomed Julia to his side and wrapped an arm around her before letting his head rest on her shoulder. He had been easily tired during the winter, and just beginning to get better. But now just being awake interacting with his children could take it out of him again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia snuggled against her husband's side as he pulled her tightly against him. She knew that he tired easily but she also knew as spring and summer came he would be back to the same strong man that they all knew and loved.

"I'm about to wring Samuel's neck." She said with a sigh. "He is as stubborn as they come."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I blame my brothers fer tha'," Brogan chuckled. After all, Boar and Durban had trained Sam to be the General he had become. "What's 'e done now?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"He is so set on bringing that Blackstone girl in for the murder of the Greek woman that he is pulling his brother and sister into the mess. Rho is still healing and Kate doesn't need the stress. Especially not right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know... I'm going to have a talk with him." Brogan kissed her cheek. "Kell's worried too, that Sam's going to end up executing an innocent girl..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia leaned into her husband's loving kiss, pressing her forehead against his own. They often simply sat together quietly during his illness, each drawing strength from the other. It seemed that they would need all of that strength to get them through the first trial that their grown children were going through.

"Kell and I think Kate is pregnant." Julia said softly, looking into Brogan's eyes as she said that. "She has been so busy that she hasn't gone to a healer yet, but a mother knows. I don't want Samuel to stress her out so much that she harms the baby."