Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Being a Blackstone isn't all it's cracked up to be." Fiona said as Will told her that he saw himself as part of her family. "Unless you don't count my Da. My grandfather was a good, hard working man who loves me deeply."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd rather be a Blackstone than anything else," Will said with a shrug. He'd never told her anything about his past, except that he was born in Denmark and his proper last name, Bardsson, had been changed when he came to Scotland.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, we can talk about it in the future." Fiona watched as Will worked, happy that he had learned how to hold his own when it came to culinary things. "And when did you learn to cook like that? Hav they been teaching you that in the Rangers?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"No. Ria's teaching me," Will answered with a smile. He adored the former pirate. "I do errands for her in the mornings in exchange for some lessons, like cooking and mending."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona had to chuckle as Will told her who had been teaching him to cook while she was gone. She was very proud that he was taking it upon himself to learn skills that would serve him well through the rest of his life.

"I'll be happy to judge what you've learned." Fiona murmured with a smile as he cooked away. "And then I'm getting a good night's sleep in my own bed. I've been dreaming of my bed since I had to run away."

 

[KieranSoares]

Will soon served up the meal, made up of a bit of mutton, bread, beans, and a thick onion-filled stew on the side. It wasn't unlike the usual dinners served at Ria and Gerald's tavern.

At that same moment, Sam was returning home, exhausted. He knew Fiona had gone from his aunt's home, but he knew there were much more important issues arising than a wanted thief.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was working late that evening in the great hall, having sent her father and Rho to bed as they were still healing. Chessie had made her favorite meal and a mug of hot tea. It sat untouched beside her as she glanced up at Sam.

"You look tired." Kate said softly as she saw her brother. "Come and sit down with me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"'Course I'm tired. I'm always tired." Sam came to settle beside her. "An' you should be restin' instead of workin' through the night. I imagine Kell's sittin' up waitin' for you."

Sam kissed her cheek and took a good look at her. "You definitely look tired."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm pregnant and have the weight of the kingdom on my shoulders." Kate said as he kissed her cheek and sat down beside her. "Tell me you have some leads. The Greeks are upset that this has happened in our lands."

 

[KieranSoares]

"All I can really say is tha' it looks like it was someone those men knew and probably trusted. Several of 'em were in relaxed positions, stabbed 'r shot in th'front. Then the rest looked like they were runnin'. Not a one of 'em drew a sword. An' they killed the drakes as an afterthought."

Sam sighed, running his fingers back through his hair. "I need t'know who the dead men were. But no one knows or wants t'tell."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll send Kell to talk to some of the Greek ambassadors. He will get some information from them and hopefully we can piece this together." She said softly as Sam looked frustrated at this baffling mystery. "Da wants me to stay here in Inverness until the baby comes. I'm thinking about going back to Edinburgh for a while and coming back home to have the baby here. He thinks it will be safer."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It will be. And it'll save Da a lot of worry. No' that he hasn't been th' same... But 'e jus' lost a bit o' his heart when you didn' come home with us tha' first time after yer coronation." Sam offered her one of his rare smiles. "It'll do all of us some good t' have you home a good long while."

 

[heartofcourage]

"When Rho takes the throne I hope that he and Ma will come to visit more often." Kate admitted softly. "I miss seeing them both. And then there's you. I've heard that you've been focused on this Blackstone girl. What's going on in that mind of yours?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I just need to catch her," Sam said simply with a shrug. But Kell had told Kate how Sam had already caught Fiona twice and let her go, and that chasing her had led to finding the dead Greeks. Kell had a way of finding out things like that rather quickly, likely because he had eyes everywhere wherever Kate was, and because he kept a close watch on Inverness, almost as much as Edinburgh.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sam, you've caught her. Twice." Kate said with a slight smile on her face. "Could that be because you secretly like the chase or is it perhaps that you secretly like her?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I let her go because it was unfair," Sam insisted, his smile fading. "And this last time, she slipped away from Valentina. That isn't my fault." Of course he wouldn't have stopped her, but he hoped Kate didn't know that.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate looked at her brother for a long moment before she reached out and took his large hand in her own, squeezing it tightly. She knew that deep inside he was still that shy little boy that carried all of the guilt of his brother's injury and the death he had been forced to inflict.

"I want you to be happy." Kate murmured softly, leaving it at that as her hulking brother looked so serious. "I think I will go to bed. Kell will come hunting me down if I don't. Eat the food Chessie brought for me and then get some rest yourself. You look tired."

She leaned in and kissed his cheek gently before she stood to make her way to her rooms. She smiled at him softly and ruffled his hair before she passed, content for the moment to let him be with his own thoughts.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Night, love," he murmured and watched her go.

Kell was sitting at the desk in Kate's room, reading by candlelight. He glanced up as she entered, and his expression was halfway between the usual gentle, loving gaze she knew so well, and a sort of look in his eyes that told her he was very unimpressed with her constant overworking.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate slipped into the room and gave her husband a slight smile as he stared at her with that familiar amber gaze. He was upset with her, that much she knew. He would scold her. She would pretend to listen. They might fight and make up all night long. It was how they got out their frustrations with one another.

"Evening, love." Kate said as she moved to change into a nightgown.

As she pulled off her normal trousers and shirt, it was apparent that her body was starting to change. Her usual lithe and small body was a little softer. Her belly had a gentle curve, hips and breasts a little larger. Not enough that most people would notice, but definitely starting to show.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell didn't say a word for a long while, but his golden eyes watched her closely until she was bare. That was when he rose silently and left his book aside to step up behind her, his arms looping about her waist before she could put on the nightgown.

He nuzzled lovingly against her neck and shoulder, sure to leave a light kiss against her mating mark. He finally murmured quietly against her neck, "You're on thin ice, Kate. You just don't slow down."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Khelt." Kate warned as he wrapped his strong arms around her and nuzzled against her throat, kissing her mating Mark before he scolded her. "I will slow down. I promise. There is a lot to take care of between now and then, however."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You promise me all the time that you'll slow down or split up your workload among your advisors. You've been promising for years. I'm not inclined to believe you even now." He closed his eyes with a sigh, drawing her back a little more firmly to his chest.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And just what are you prepared to do to stop me?" Kate challenged, stubborn as always as he held her a little bit tighter against him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, my dear Queen... As your Lord Protector, I have the right to overrule you for your health and safety. And this situation applies. I can just delegate more of your work to myself and our best advisors." He stepped round to face her, his hands still resting lightly on her waist. "But I don't want to have to do that. I wish you'd do it yourself and not force my hand." He kissed her lips warmly. "Could I convince you...?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"You wouldn't dare." Kate said as he cut her off with a warm and gentle kiss. "It would take a lot of convincing on your part."

She reached up and gently placed her hands against his chest, her green eyes looking deeply into his amber gaze. "I solemnly promise you that I will slow down when the time is right. The time right now is not right."