Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Give it time, Will. Love will strike when you least expect it." Fiona said with a chuckle as she stood and placed her bowl into the basin, turning back to look at him with her hands on her hips. "Dessert is on the windowsill. I have to go out this evening. Don't wait up for me because I don't know how long I'm going to be."

 

[KieranSoares]

Will wanted to ask where she was off to, but he let it go knowing that if she didn't say, it was probably a secret. It didn't take him long to get into dessert, and then he retired to his room and was asleep in minutes.

 

[heartofcourage]

Once she was sure that Will was asleep, Fiona changed into a dark colored gown and grabbed her cloak. She left the one that Sam had given her behind, not wanting to taint it with anything that she was about to do. Perhaps she should have stayed and ignored the request, waiting for them to come back to her. She could have told Sam...and he might have lost his mind if she did. No, this was private. This was something she had to finish in order to move forward.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Inverness had grown over the past few decades, the southwest district had become something of a small criminal hub thanks to the easy access to the west and south gates in the city walls and a tunnel under the wall that led into the outer village. And because the keep was in the northernmost part of the city with the barracks, the city guard presence was rather weak in the south except for the wall patrols.

Dorn's warehouse was built just outside the southwest wall, close to the hidden tunnel. Dorn himself owned the surrounding buildings, where he and his small gang lived. Dorn's own home was just a small house directly across from the warehouse, his windows facing the large door which was the only way in, and he almost always had men patrolling. Dorn watched silently from his home whenever he was there, but he was often away buying or selling his ill-gotten goods.

Rilor and his two companions awaited Fiona at the tunnel as the gates were guarded and a guard might get suspicious of Fiona running around with shady characters. All three men were dressed in black, sitting outside the house that hid the tunnel. The man who lived there would let anyone through for a small price, and kept silent and hid the tunnel well.

 

[heartofcourage]

As Fiona came up on the three thieves, her stomach began to hurt. Why was she doing this? Sam would be furious if he found out what was about to happen. This was for a reason, though. She had to keep reminding herself of that.

"I'm giving you two hours." Fiona murmured, looking at Rilor. "If your task is longer than that, you're on your own."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Won't take us that long even if things aren' where we expected," Rilor said with a nod as the men rose and they stepped into the tunnel house. A silver coin to the home's owner who was sitting- quite unbothered by people barging in- in his den, and they headed into the cellar.

The tunnel was heavily reinforced and there were some boxes stored inside, but the path was clear. Rilor would probably be using it to transport things back. When they came out the other side through an abandoned well, Rilor pointed Fiona toward Dorn's home. "Th' boy I 'ave keepin' lookout would've told me if Dorn left, so 'e's definitely home, an' patrols won' be back around fer some time. If you get into trouble, you run t'the west, an' the lookout'll signal us."

Rilor paused at a corner with them all, looking to Fiona. "Fifteen minutes an' we'll break in. Make sure you 'ave 'is attention."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If I get into trouble, Dorn won't let me leave his house alive and you know that." Fiona said, glancing towards Rilor in the dark. "And you're on your own if that happens. I'm not helping you any more than I have to."

With that, Fiona left the tunnel and made her way towards Dorn's door. Her heart was racing in her chest as she braced herself and knocked on his sturdy oak door.

 

[KieranSoares]

After a long moment, the door swung open and there stood the huge African Wolf covered in lighter Erygonian and Tuari tattoos. His dark amber eyes were cold and sharp as he glanced out, only to grow a bit warmer and rather surprised as he saw the visitor.

"Fiona?" He asked quietly in his dark, deep voice and Swahili accent.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Dorn." Fiona murmured back, always slightly intimidated by his sheer size. He even made Sam look small by comparison. "Can I come in?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Dorn gazed down at her for a long moment, but finally stepped back and motioned her in. "Sure," he murmured in response, and shut the door behind her. He welcomed her into his den to sit down. "I... I never expected to see you again."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I honestly never expected that I would be back." She murmured as he showed her into the den to sit down. "Things change, though. No matter how good everything seems, the past just comes right back when you least expect it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I heard you'd gotten a job and a new life... But here you are. What can I do for you?" He settled in a large chair facing the dim fireplace.

 

[heartofcourage]

"A job, yes. A new life...that I'm not so sure about." Fiona said as she sat down in one of Dorn's larger chairs next to the fire, looking at the giant wolf as he asked what he could do for her. "I've always been honest with you, Dorn. You terrify me but you've always been good to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Dorn was quiet as she spoke, and the equally quiet and subdued affection he'd always had for her was just under the surface. "I've... Tried... not to make your life any harder."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You were always one of the good ones." Fiona said with a sincere smile.

She felt terrible lying to him about why she was there. Her conscience was wearing on her greatly as she let out a big sigh and thought about just why she was there.

"Listen, Dorn...Rilor has a hand in this. We've always been honest with one another, right? He claims I owe him something and he told me to come here to act as a distraction. He's out there right now with two other men doing Lord only knows what in your warehouse. I'm sorry." Fiona murmured, looking at the giant wolf with a little bit of pity. "I'm supposed to keep you "occupied" for 15 minutes. He wouldn't leave me alone."

 

[KieranSoares]

Dorn's entire form tended as she told him the truth and what her role was to be. It wasn't certain whether he'd be angry with her too until he was suddenly rising from his seat and seizing a vicious curved blade from the mantle. "Stay here... I'll deal with Rilor once and for all..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Dorn, wait." Fiona said, standing and putting a hand on his arm to stop him. "He has lookouts. I don't know how many, but if he finds out that I told you this, he might do something to me...or Will. He would be gone before you ever made it there."

 

[KieranSoares]

Dorn paused and his expression grew vicious and dark as she explained to him. He turned away, cursing in Swahili and Tuari before his gaze returned to her. "What am I supposed to do, then? Let him get away with Gods know what? If he finds the hidden stores... It'll just about ruin me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know what to do. Unless the patrol is on the wall, there will be no one that could get here in time." Fiona said, knowing that his livelihood was at stake.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can't let guards in there. That would be even worse..."

Dorn glanced to the window, then back to Fiona. "... Are they using the tunnel?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yeah. They paid the old man." Fiona said as Dorn looked at her and asked if they were using the tunnel. "They have lookouts towards the West, it sounds like too."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Apparently he doesn't know I own the tunnel now," Dorn growled with a small smirk. "Oril and Rona's crew keep constant watch... They'll catch Rilor going back."

Dorn stepped over to the east wall beside the fireplace where there was a small window, and he opened it just enough to let a red cloth trail out on the outside sill. It was a simple signal- kill whoever comes back through the tunnel. In the distance, there was a momentary flash of a lantern, and Dorn returned to his chair with his blade still in hand. "Once it's done... I will see you safely home."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was quiet as Dorn growled that he owned the tunnel now. Rilor wouldn't know what happened when they tried to go back through as he set up his own trap with simple signals. As he turned back towards her, promising that he would see her safely home, she felt incredibly bad for him.

"Dorn, I'm sorry about this." Fiona said softly, moving to touch his forearm gently.

 

[KieranSoares]

Dorn set his blade aside before his hand laid over her own. "You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything... I should be thanking you. I'll finally get Rilor off my back for good." His gaze had softened once more and his adoration for her was clear, even greater than it had been before.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona's heart clenched painfully as Dorn looked at her with such adoration. He was a terrifying beast. He had a hot temper, but he did protect her whenever he possibly could. He had never done anything to her as other had used her time and time again. Sam wouldn't understand the way that thieves operated. Dorn was saving her life and giving her a future. She owed him now.

Quietly, she took Dorn's hand and pulled him towards one of the back bedrooms. "I can give you one night."