Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you." Fiona said, moving to hug each of her uncles in turn. "I would have meant the world to Ma to know that he was welcome here, especially on her favorite time of year."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She will know," Yul assured her. "We make gifts and send prayers for those gone before, and for our ancestors. If Owen joins in, she will see his gift with the rest of the family's."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll make sure that he joins in." Fiona said with a smile towards Yul. "He won't hide away from the people that wish to help him."

 

[KieranSoares]

As they all stepped back out, they found Hanni and Ericka had arrived with their kits. It seemed the family spent as much time at Oleg's home as their own, being so close-knit. Owen had been introduced to the little ones, and was watching over them as they played, a small smile on his face as they scampered around.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona stepped out of the room, watching her father for a long moment as he watched over his niece and nephews, a small smile on his face. Perhaps he had wished that she had been a fox once upon a time and had imagined scenes just like this with his own family. If only he had let her grandpa in to his life, they might have all been much happier.

She quietly excused herself as Rhett finished up their dinner, stepping outside into the cold to find Sam. Silently, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. She wanted comfort and she knew that he would give it to her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam's arms almost instinctively wrapped Fiona up in a warm embrace to offer both comfort and protection from the cold. "Hiya, love," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

 

[heartofcourage]

"What are your thoughts on all of this?" Fiona asked softly as Sam wrapped her up in his warm embrace, holding her tightly and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "My thoughts feel all jumbled up right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"About yer Da? ... Looks t'me like 'e's ready t'try again. I can see 'e loves ya, it's just hard to show after so long." Sam ran his fingers through her hair soothingly. "He mus' be just as unsure."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It is hard. I know he can change but what if it all falls apart?" Fiona asked in a soft voice, a little scared and uncertain of the future. "I don't know if my heart can stand being broken again."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can' promise everythin'll be alright... But I can promise I'll help ya through, fer what it's worth," Sam murmured, laying his head against her own.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona let out a little sigh as Sam pressed his head against her own. He was still her protector no matter how strains might have been. She pressed her lips against his cheek and held him a little tighter.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam held Fiona until a bitter wind swept around him, holding her a bit tighter until it died down. It was only going to get colder. "We should get back inside," he murmured, pulling back to look down at her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yeah." Fiona said softly, looking up at Sam as he held her a little tighter against the wind that was picking up. "Let's go get some dinner. Everything else can wait until later. Then we'll go check on Roman and Kennah."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Lead on, love," Sam nodded, following her in to get dinner. Owen spent most of the meal talking quietly to Fiona's uncles and Hanni and Ericka, meeting the two women for the first time.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was quiet through the meal, sitting beside Sam as the rest of her family tried to include Owen into the moment. He talked quietly with his sister-in-laws, his warm tone making Fiona slightly sad and on edge. She wasn't used to having him around or even calm. Perhaps he really had changed after all.

When she had enough of moving her food around the plate, she set it aside with a sigh and rested her head against Sam's shoulder.

"I know you said you already had a gift for my birthday, but what I really want is a kiss from you. It would certainly soothe my heart." She murmured softly, knowing she had no right to ask him for anything of the sort.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam occasionally glanced to Owen during the meal, watching him try to figure out how to be part of a family again. When Fiona's head laid on his shoulder, Sam wrapped his arm around her waist. When his head laid against her own, he murmured, "Why don' you come stay with me tonight, love? I think we could use some time alone."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was shocked when Sam suggested that she come spent the night with him. Did that mean that he had decided to forgive her completely? She lifted her head off his shoulder and looked at him with a confused gaze.

"You really want me to?" She asked softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wouldn' mind the company," Sam murmured, meeting her gaze quite calmly. Neither of them would ever completely forget what had happened, but he seemed quite content beside Fiona once more.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona felt tears in her eyes as he said that, making up his mind that he did want her. She wrapped Sam up in her arms tightly, burying her face against his throat to hide the wetness that was threatening to spill from her lashes.

"Thank you, Sam." She murmured in a trembling voice.

 

[KieranSoares]

Fiona's tears got her grandfather and Rhett's attention, but Sam assured them everything was fine with a nod, pressing a kiss to Fiona's forehead and holding her just as tightly. He soon drew her to her feet, wrapping her up in her cloak. He told Oleg quietly that she would be coming to the tavern, likely for the night, and they set out. Sam wanted time with Fiona, hoping to at least lighten the emotional load she was carrying.

 

[heartofcourage]

As they walked through the snow towards the tavern, Fiona found herself wanting to apologize over and over again to Sam. However, she knew that it was time to let it go. Her guilt was her own. Sam had forgiven her and in time the intense pain that she felt would go away.

As they approached the tavern, they stopped at the stable to check on the drakes. It made Fiona smile to see Roman curled around Kennah, rumbling to her quietly as their egg rested in its nest of hay and blankets between them, the shell only just peeking through to see.

"Hello, beastie." Fiona murmured softly, patting Roman's head as he watched the both of them with a weariness that came from being a protective new father. "Are you hungry? I can bring you some fresh meat."

 

[KieranSoares]

At the mention of food, it was actually Kennah who spoke up with a weak rumble, shifting her head slightly toward Fiona. Roman sat up with a huge yawn, less interested in food but concerned for Kennah who was clearly hungry. With the offer from Fiona, he knew he wouldn't have to go hunting and leave his mate and egg. Sam stepped in to stroke Kennah's neck soothingly. "Well, tha's a good sign. She must be doin' alright if she's got an appetite."

 

[heartofcourage]

"As long as she's not in pain, she should be fine." Fiona murmured as Roman sat up to watch over his mate and egg. "Let's get something prepared for them. That way Roman can stay with them both this evening without hunting. It'll be up to you tomorrow though, beastie."

 

[KieranSoares]

Roman's answer was another huge yawn, laying his head against Kennah's shoulder. Sam couldn't help a small smile at them before he rose to walk toward the door. "Oughta be plenty in the kitchen. I gave Tavir some extra coin t'order in meat fer these two."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll pay you back for Roman's feed." Fiona said, just as stubborn as ever when it came to caring for her drake on her own. "And the hatchling as it grows. I know it will have to stay with Kennah for a while until it is grown, but I want to help care for it."