Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"What task is that?" She asked, looking at him as he brought her a helm. "Surely you won't make me prove myself after everything that we've gone through."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's not a matter of proving," Dmitri shook his head. "Xenia and I agreed early on that we would gladly trust you with any dragon's care and safety, and you are perfectly suited to Invah. No, it is something Xenia requested in particular... and as her mate, her wish is my command." Dmitri was no romantic, so it was odd for him to say such things. "She asked that I ask you to present yourself formally to the Queen of Scotland. While we must remain neutral politically, we are always on the side of dragons. And we are aware Inverness and Scotland's rulers are the sort to care for these great beings as well. So we ask that you let Queen Katherine know of your title as a Rider, and of Invah as a warrior. We don't ask that you fight, but that you make friends so that if anything goes wrong, you have powerful protection to make sure no hunters can reach either of you in your homeland. And, if you so choose, you might also present yourself to the other rulers of the Isles and the Triad. In fact, I encourage it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I will do my best." Fiona said as Dmitri made her promise that she would introduce herself to the Triad and the queen. "Sam's sister probably already knows all about me if I know Sam. He writes to her nearly ever day."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I would like them to see you in person, and Invah too. This way they know who they're dealing with and the allies they may have. But who you work with is entirely at your discretion. You are an independent warrior with no ties but the ones you choose. The same goes for Invah."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I request that you come to Inverness when all of this is sad and done. Let me treat the three of you to a get away." Fiona said to the man who had taught her so much in the past few weeks.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can't speak for Rory, but I'll pass the invitation on. You may well see Xenia and I there once there is peace." Dmitri stepped back to take a look at her after all the armor was adjusted and in place. With a quiet sigh, his shoulders slumped slightly. "I know we don't know each other well, Fiona. But in the time I've known you, I've come to respect your dedication to the things and people you love. And I'm proud of the Rider you've become. I only wish I had more time to teach you. All three of us wish that. But we're confident you have a good foundation, and you can learn the finer points of fighting from your Samuel. You know all the basics you need for working with Invah, and she will teach you from experience anything else you might need or want to know."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then I insist you come to Inverness now." Fiona said with a small smile. "After all, my training will never be finished. I could always use a good group of teachers guiding me along the way."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm afraid we can't. There are dragons to relocate in the Empire's path north, more than just Aldegar and his fledgling. We have at least five to find and help escape. But if the path is safe, we'll come when we're finished unless something else pulls us away. We will be in contact, though." Dmitri hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to embrace Fiona gently. "You'll do just fine, Blackstone. You do your bloodline proud."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was surprised when he stepped forward and wrapped her up in a hug. She hugged him back, knowing that it took a lot for him to say those words to her. Her grandpa would have been proud, even if her Da still had reservations. It was all for him, really.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Now... I have to get packing. I want to get going tonight," Dmitri sighed. "I imagine you have other people to talk to as well. Take care, dear. We'll see you in Malmo."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona nodded before she turned to leave him to his tasks. Wearing her new armor, she made her way home, entering the quiet house to see her grandfather slumbering by the fire. She stepped to his side and kissed his cheek, waking him as she sat down beside him.

"Something has happened, Uka." She said softly and explained the situation to him. "We have to leave earlier than I wanted to."

 

[KieranSoares]

Oleg sat forward slowly and turned toward her. "What...?" He asked quietly, his eyes still bleary with sleep. "What is it...?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"War." She said softly, taking his hand in her own and squeezing it tightly. "Sam has to go and I am going to follow him. Inverness is under attack and the rest of the Triad is being threatened as well. Dmitri and Xenia are leave as well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You aren't fighting... are you?" Oleg asked, rising from his seat quite awake suddenly. "You can stay here, out of harm's way..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Inverness is my home and Sam is the one that I love. If I have to fight, I will fight." She said softly, holding his hand in her own. "And I can't stay here, Uka. The other dragons might return, but I have to go."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, little kit... You can't go into battle. I... I can't lose you. You're not a soldier, you're... you wanted to be a seamstress and take care of your drakes. That's not a part of war..." He was starting to relive the nightmare of losing Tatiana, both when she left and when she died.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Uka." She murmured, reaching out to touch his cheek. "I'll be fine. I promise you that nothing will happen to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You can't make a promise like that, Fiona. No one can. Not Invah, not Samuel, no one..." Oleg hugged her close, burying his face against her shoulder. "I can't lose another kit, Fiona..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Uka." Fiona said, knowing that he was upset and distressed over her news. "Uka, pleased I don't want you to be upset."

 

[KieranSoares]

It was Rhett that came to Fiona's rescue, stepping out of the kitchen where he'd been baking. He gently drew Oleg back to his chair, sitting him down as the old Fox tried and failed to hold back tears. Rhett kissed Fiona's cheek, directing her to the kitchen cupboards where he stored a blend of medicinal tea that would help calm nerves. He kept it mostly for Hanni who couldn't take much stress. But Oleg needed it.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona made her grandfather the tea as quickly as she could, coming back to his side as soon as it was finished. "You know I would stay if I could."

She helped him take the mug and she stayed at his side as he drank it. "Uka, I'll be safe. I know it's a hollow promise after what happened to Ma, but you have my word."

 

[KieranSoares]

"What if Invah falls? What if no one can come to help you when you're hurt? What if Samuel can't-" Rhett silenced his father, placing a hand on the old Fox's arm. He encouraged Oleg to keep drinking the tea until it was gone, and Oleg slowly settled down into a hazy state, murmuring his worries every so often only for Rhett to silence him again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona felt so guilty for making him worry this way. She excused herself to her room, removing her new armor before she returned and crawled into the chair beside her grandfather. She wrapped her arms around his chest and rested her head on his shoulder, simply holding him as he struggled with the enormity of what she had told him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Soon the family was gathering up. Once word got around that Fiona was going to leave, all her uncles and their families came together. Even if she wasn't leaving immediately, it would be very soon if she and Sam wanted to get to Malmo in good time.

 

[heartofcourage]

"There's no reason to be sad." Fiona said as everyone gathered about Oleg's living room, looking down and out about the announcement that she was leaving. "I'll come back as often as I can."