Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"It's no' somethin' I'm really interested in talkin' about, lass," Sam muttered, his voice seemingly a little empty.

 

[heartofcourage]

Stacia paused and glanced towards Sam as he admitted that it wasn't something that he wanted to talk about. She glanced across the tavern at Tavir and shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"I won't mention it anymore then." She said simply, leaving the subject alone and allowing Sam to eat in peace.

Fiona had gone to bed as soon as she and Rhett had made it home. Roman seemed content to follow Rhett around as he repaired the outside of the house. Beneath her fur blanket, Fiona wept quietly. She held her new fox tightly against her chest, struggling to make the ache in her heart stop. She had no idea how Sam had met that other fox, but seeing him with someone else had broken her heart all over again.

She cried for what seemed like ages before she felt someone sit on the bed beside her, a warm hand stroking her cheek. Rolling, she looked up into her grandfather's concerned gaze and wiped her eyes.

"I wish my heart would stop hurting." She murmured softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"This Samuel... He didn't just bring your drake, I can see." Oleg sighed, his hand resting on her arm. "Voluun didn't say much, only that you were dealing with heartbreak. And I'm worried for you, little kit."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I love him, Uka." She said softly as he told her that Voluun had told him about what she was dealing with. "And I broke his heart. Nothing that I seem to do can make up for it."

"He was in the town with another fox. He looked so happy to be with her." Fiona confessed. "I would give anything to have him look at me like that again. He said that he wanted to try and make things work, but he didn't think that things would ever be the same again. He's not a man that forgives easily."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I doubt he would find someone so quickly, dear. If his heart is broken... Such things will be far from his mind. I doubt I can tell you anything you haven't heard before. I'm sorry, my love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll be alright." She murmured softly as he touched her cheek gently. "I promise, uka. I'll be up soon enough to help Uncle Rhett with dinner. I just want some time to mope."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't worry about helping Rhett, love. You're allowed to hide for a while." Oleg leaned down and kissed her cheek before stepping out.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona slept fitfully through the afternoon before she got herself out of bed. When she entered the living room, she was surprised to see her grandmother outside, spoiling Roman as a light snow fell around them. Anya was feeding the drake from a stack of smoked fish, laughing brightly at the drake and his antics.

"I like this young man." Anya commented as she heard the door open and Fiona stepped outside. "He's got a passion for life."

"He's a spoiled brat." Fiona said with a soft smile as Roman begged for another fish. "He needs to be getting back to Kennah soon. It'll be too cold for him outside tonight."

 

[KieranSoares]

Roman rumbled happily as his begging was rewarded with another fish, and he sat back on his haunches with the fish in his claws and tore pieces off to swallow them. He was halfway through the fish when he heard Kennah's name, and that had him pausing and looking at Fiona with bright and excited eyes.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Soon, beastie." Fiona said as he looked at her with bright eyes at the mention of Kennah. "She's probably tired of putting up with you since you've been a rascal."

"He's just a young man." Anya murmured, throwing him another fish. "Just needs to get his energies out."

 

[KieranSoares]

Once Roman was sated, he came to settle with his head between the two women, enjoying Anya's attention and understanding but also wanting to keep near Fiona lest she disappear again.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You know, it's beautiful here." Fiona said as she sat next to her grandmother with a sigh, looking up at the sky as soft snowflakes fell from the clouds. "Ma always loved snow. She would take me outside no matter the time of day to play in the snow when it fell."

"Your ma loved you." Anya said, patting her granddaughter's hand. "She always wanted kits of her own. All the things she wanted to show a child. I was sure that they would be the happiest child in the world."

 

[KieranSoares]

A familiar hand laid on Fiona's shoulder, and the voice of Yul came quietly, "She loved everything about winter, even when things got difficult. And she was always planning and helping with the Winter Solstice festival. I think it must've been her favorite day of the year."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We did a lot when Da was gone. She didn't drink as much. She was clearer." Fiona said as Yul's hand gripped her shoulder. "She would get some sugar and cream and we would make snow ice cream. She said you used to make it with her all the time."

Fiona reached out and patted Anya's arm, giving her a smile. "Or she would try and make me a new pair of mittens. She was a hopeless knitter."

 

[KieranSoares]

Yul sighed, sitting down beside Fiona, but said no more about Tatianna. It was still painful to think of her and how lively she'd been before Owen took her away. They might've loved each other, but they all knew Owen had destroyed Tatianna.

 

[heartofcourage]

"She loved you all." Fiona said softly as Yul sat down with a heavy sigh. "Maybe...maybe you could make a marker for her grave? Something to show the world what she meant to you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I thought about it... I have a few designs in mind." Yul looked to Anya. "I was thinking of making some sort of pine tree, with tracks in the snow." Anya knew the symbolism, Tatianna having had a favorite tree in a nearby foothill forest.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Fiona might like to see the tree, Yul." Anya suggested as her youngest son talked about a design for his little sister's grave.

"I'd like to see anything my Ma enjoyed." Fiona commented, giving her uncle a grin. "Roman could take the both of us one of these days."

Roman lifted his head from between the two of them and looked at Fiona as she said his name. She gently stroked his maw, leaning in to nuzzle against his soft scales.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll take you on her favorite trail too," Yul murmured. "The two of us used to go running and riding there. Being the two youngest, we were close..." He reached out to pat Roman's head. "She would've liked Roman. We never had many drakes here when I was little, but sometimes traders would come riding them during the summer. Tatianna loved horses too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'd enjoy that." Fiona said as Roman rumbled at all the attention her family was giving to him, pressing his head against Yul's hand as he patted his head. "Da made sure that she was buried in the woods. We have a lovely little cemetery for the tribe and she rests under the tall trees."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll take you soon, but I'd better get back to work before I fall too far behind," Yul murmured, rising from his seat beside her. "I still need to finish that crib for Ericka... They never thought they'd have another kit, so they gave their first away." With a kiss to Anya and Fiona's cheeks, Yul set off toward his workshop.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona sat outside and talked with her grandmother for a while longer, before she stood to take Roman to Sam. HE couldn't stay outside in the cold that evening and Sam had promised to care for him, no matter what was going on between them. Kissing her grandmother's cheek, she let Roman lead the way.

As they approached a tavern, she was a little confused. Sam had said he had a camp set up but it seemed that he had moved into town. Roman scurried over to the barn where Kennah was, letting himself inside without hesitation.

"Good night, beastie." Fiona said as she watched him settle down next to Kennah, content now that he was with the drake that he adored.

She shut the door on the barn, turning to look at the tavern for a moment. It wouldn't hurt to tell them that Roman was there. She opened the door to the tavern, instantly greeted with the loud noises of people talking and enjoying an evening together.

 

[KieranSoares]

Inside, Fiona caught sight of a Fox and a Jackal managing the small crowd flawlessly. It was nothing like Ria and Gerald's place at least where the patrons were concerned. In such a small settlement, everyone knew each other and got along fairly well so there wasn't much loud boasting or any brawling to be had.

Sam was settled on his own at a small table in the corner near the fire, writing and quietly nursing a tankard of mead.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona recognized the fox as the one that Sam had been with earlier that day. She smiled easily, laughing with the patrons as the jackal watched her with a proud and loving expression. It was clear to see that they were together, which confused Fiona even more. Why was Sam with the fox that afternoon?

Silently, Fiona made her way over towards Sam, her step faltering as she drew closer. She wished he would look up at her with that same loving gaze that he had given her just days earlier. However, she knew it wasn't going to happen.

"Roman found his way to Kennah. I put them in the barn together for the evening." Fiona murmured softly, digging in her pocket for a few coins. "Here's something for taking care of him for me. I know it's not near enough, but I want you to have it."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam raised a hand to stop her. "No need, lass. Won' cost anythin' extra if Roman's in th' same area as Kennah. Besides... Stacia won' take my money anyhow." As he met her gaze, he paused for a moment.

"Could I... Could we talk? I've got a room upstairs, so we can talk alone."