Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I never took more than I needed and I never took anything that a person might miss." Fiona said as she took her seat and picked up the mug in front of her. "No one was willing to give me a chance because of my reputation. Those that did were only able to offer back breaking labor for little pay. I tried my best but I had no future there."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can respect your situation, dear. Back in Africa, I was forced to do many things I'm not proud of in order to support my family. When I came here and met my mate, Tristan, he was a well-liked human who could offer me a stable life which I was not at all used to. And when he passed and everything was destroyed, I nearly had to resort to my old ways to save this business and myself and Justin. But even now that I've managed to build up a good reputation, I remember my beginnings and I know that people like you and I understand the importance of hard work to try to secure a stable life. My last apprentice was a young man who'd known nothing but crime and stealing all his life, and now he's the head tailor of a shop down in Glasgow making dresses for the princess there."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can sew very well." Fiona said as Gonari explained her own situation. "I've made my own dresses for a very long time. I can make men's clothing as well."

Her palms were sweating as she sat the mug of tea down, her blue eyes turning uncertain for a moment before she confessed something to Gonari that she hadn't dared to tell anyone else beside her grandfather. "I dream of making beautiful gowns with materials that I could only hope to own one day. Things that would make the wearing feel beautiful. I've never had the money nor the confidence to do it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'll get your chance, dear. But let's start small and see how we get along, and we'll teach you along the way anything you don't know yet. Come work with us for a week or so, and then we'll decide together if you'll fit in here comfortably. It not, I can direct you to the other two tailors in town. My greatest concern is that you might find you don't fit with Justin and I. We work very hard, and very fast. You'll have to keep on your toes and be ready for unexpected large orders. We work mostly on commission and then split daily sales along the business and ourselves, so there is no real wage. We do fairly well for ourselves, though, so I imagine you'll make at least twice what Hara was paying you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Money isn't a concern." Fiona said with a soft laugh. "Money has never been a concern of mine. Sam and his family have taken to given me what they think I need and can't afford. We can see how the future goes. I'm a hard worker. I can show you that I can keep up."

 

[KieranSoares]

"However, I am aware that you're planning on leaving the country for a while. So you just start when you get back and we'll go from there. If you stick around for a month, I'll let you in on the next big gown we make after that and we'll see what you can do."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I plan on staying until Heather and Ashelin Ghis' birthday. Heather wants me to attend. We should leave shortly after that." Fiona said as it was mentioned that she would be leaving soon for the mainland. "Thank you for giving me a chance. It means a lot to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just do your best and preserve the reputation of my shop. That's all that thanks I need." Gonari offered her a smile. "Now, go on with your prince. I'm sure he's late for his usual work."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's too stubborn for his own good." Fiona said as she gave the elder wolf a small smile. "I will do my best to not effect the reputation of your shop. I promise."

With that, she returned to the front of the shop where Sam was waiting for her. She gave him a smile to let him know that things had gone alright.

 

[KieranSoares]

Justin wasn't looking, so Sam snuck a little kiss with a smile in return before calling, "See ya Sunday, Justin. Bring your Ma this time."

"I'll try, but you know how she is," Justin called back before they headed out.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona blushed as Sam snuck a kiss when no one was looking. He grinned at her as if he knew all of her secrets and wanted to keep them all for himself. He was a rouge, she thought to herself as he called back to Justin. She took his hand as they headed back outside, the drakes waiting patiently for them.

"I told her I wouldn't leave until after Heather's birthday. I know how badly Heather wants people there for her." Fiona told Sam, giving him a little shrug of her shoulders as if it weren't a big deal.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Y'know," Sam began with a soft smile, "if I didn' already love you, I'd start righ' about now." Heather was one of, if not the most important person in the world to him at this point in his life.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona again blushed as he murmured that. "I know what it feels like to be a little girl who wants friends and has trouble finding them. If it means that much to her to have myself and Invah there, I'll be there."

Fiona had never really celebrated her own birthday. Her Ma and Da had never seen it as important and her grandpa had been very quiet about most holidays. He would bring her little gifts and make sure that she had her favorite sweet, but their life was very simple. No friends had gathered around a table and sang to her. There had never been a pile of presents waiting to be unwrapped.

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' hopefully we can manage somethin' fer you one o' these days if y'let us." Sam helped her up into Roman's saddle. "Nothin' big, I promise. But Ma would love t'make somethin' up with Chessie."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll see." Fiona said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Maybe one day I will let you. Of course, nothing big and no gifts."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No promises," Sam grinned and climbed up on Kennah's saddle. As they finally entered the courtyard to see the rows of men awaiting their general, Fiona saw Sam's demeanor change in a snap. He rode straight and tall without a single falter, his expression hard and unreadable as he rode down the line of new recruits, giving a nod to the officers overlooking the group.

"Danvers, report," he called in that voice Fiona had heard not so long ago when he came to put her into his log book in prison.

"Five failed to report, two didn't make it through the run, and three quit outright, Captain." Everyone still called Sam Captain as he was the leader of the Axemen, despite his position as Head General and Commander of the entire Invernessians military.

"Good. Less that'll fall on a battlefield, should they see one." Sam drew Kennah to a halt, the drake as proper and disciplined as her rider.

"Welk, report."

"Twenty men 'ave proven capable o' ridin' an' carin' fer drakes, sir. Four able left tha' don' 'ave riders."

"We'll see. It's only an experiment at this point." Sam barked a few more orders before the recruits were sent off to archery lessons with some foresters. Sam then turned back to Fiona, his hard gaze softening. "I'll have to leave you here, love. Lot o' work t'do."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was quiet as Sam suddenly pulled his mantel of power back around him. He didn't need her meddling or getting in the way. This was his career and he needed to cultivate a certain image in front of them.

When he turned back towards her, she gave him a slight smile as he apologized for needing to get some work done. "I'm sure that I can find some trouble to get into."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not too much trouble, or I'll 'ave to let some o' my recruits practice their trackin' on you." Sam drew Kennah around and came to kiss Fiona gently. "Come by anytime, lass. I'll see you soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona smiled as Sam draw Kennah towards her and kissed her. It made her happy that Samuel Ghis loved her enough to let his guard down with his men around him.

"I make no promises." Fiona murmured as she pulled on Roman's reigns and pulled him towards the gate. "And I'll be by sooner or later."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam watched Fiona go with a small, silly grin on his face before he turned toward the shrubs along the wall near the gate. "Ashelin Mary, don' you think I can't see you spyin' on me. Get over here."

 

[heartofcourage]

Ashelin slowly climbed out of the shrubs, looking at Sam with a sheepish glance as he caught her spying. "I wasn't doing anything wrong." She quickly said, looking up at her brother as he leveled a stern look her direction.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Come here," Sam ordered, scooping her up to sit side-saddle in front of him. "Ma's told you a thousand times to quit bein' so nosy. Spyin's nosy as y'can get."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wasn't spying. I was watching." She insisted as Sam scooped her up into Kennah's saddle. "Besides, no one's around to play with right now. Heather went off with Papa and Ma is resting with Da. I'm bored."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then maybe I should make ya join the new recruits. That'd give ya somethin' t'do," Sam told her with a smirk before he set Kennah off to follow the recruits. "Marchin', trainin', drills, long runs. Soun's like fun t'me."

 

[heartofcourage]

Ashelin groaned as Sam kicked Kennah into motion, taking her with him as they started off towards the recruits. "You're so boring and old, Sam."