Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Fiona gave a nod at that, watching as Invah took off to the skies. She found herself alone, unsure of what to do. She decided to walk to the market and browse the stalls, seeing if anything caught her eyes.

 

[KieranSoares]

With the proper funeral taking place the next evening, and with the widespread grief and the war taking men away to fight, the market of Ordenheim was a bit lackluster and it seemed to be mostly women and children around. But as Fiona went in her armor that marked her as a military woman, people seemed to treat her well. Some even recognized the armor style, telling her that Riders had been through the city.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona greeted everyone with a nod that had a kind word for her. However, she didn't feel much like talking. She was missing her lover and sad over what had happened to the royal families. She wanted to take matters into her own hands and end it all, but it seemed that no one else was willing to allow her to do that.

 

[KieranSoares]

Fiona was let alone for the most part even when she returned to the keep, but come the next afternoon, the whole city grew quiet and draped in black. Rakkar's body, carefully preserved in a crypt and prepared in full armor with his round shield and his axe on his chest. Fiona was enlisted as a sentinel overlooking the entire procession with Invah, not from the air but following close. She would see the fallen king consort brought out on a horse-drawn wagon, guarded on all sides by eight of his finest men in full armor. And close behind on another wagon driven by another warrior was Kjersten with Ulfric, Kjotva, Freya, and other very close friends and family.

The huge procession of Vikings and soldiers headed for the port, where a small ship was waiting, the last longship Rakkar ever sailed on.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona quietly watched the procession with Invah, not really able to say much but still wanting to respect the memory of Rakkar as he was lead to his final resting spot.

 

[KieranSoares]

The entire procession was mostly silent until they arrived in the harbor. While Rakkar was carefully placed on a platform on the small ship, a tall, thin man dressed in robes of a priest of Odin spoke to the gathered masses. People took turns setting paper lanterns and flowers to drift in the water as the Norwegian prayers to send Rakkar to Valhalla for his great deeds and his defense of his family to the last moment rang out over the harbor.

Invah perched on a drydock as Rakkar's family gathered with the druid near a brazier. A dark, ancient bow and arrows were brought out in leather wraps, offered to Kjersten. Slowly, she took it and an arrow with a wrapped end was given to her. Set in silhouette against the western sunset in her black dress, her hair tied back, she nocked the arrow and set it ablaze. At the same time, all of Rakkar's best men lit their own arrows, awaiting Kjersten's shot first.

Raising it to aim, and then lifting it high to make up for distance as the ship drifted out of the harbor, Kjersten took a deep breath and choked up before letting loose the flaming arrow. Her aim was perfect, the fiery missile striking Rakkar's shield and setting it ablaze. A huge volley of arrows followed and soon the ship was engulfed in flame. Watching this and having fought with a Scandinavian family of Riders so long, Invah had to take a deep breath to steady herself before spreading her wings and letting out a gout of blue flame in respect for Rakkar.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona let out a breath at the sight, the longboat catching fire quickly as it drifted on the waves. It was a beautiful ceremony, one that was interrupted by an angry cry. Fiona turned her ttention to the soldier that was now aiming his arrow at Kjersten. She didn't even have to think as she gripped the reigns of Invah's saddle tight and slipped from her saddle, hitting the man hard as she crashed into him with her full weight.

An angry burst of German filled the air as the man was quick to his feet, swiping at her with a short dagger. Fiona dodged, throwing up her arm to disrupt his blow. He swung again and she was able to send her gloved hand straight into his neck, making him gasp for air. When the third swing came, she was caught in the chest, her armor taking the brunt of the impact before she charged him and took them both into the murky water of the harbor.

 

[KieranSoares]

The water made all sound distant and garbled as the soldier fought for dominance below the surface. Just as he got a hold of Fiona and delivered a blow to her stomach that, even despite the slowness in the water, drove the breath from her lungs, a huge clawed hand snapped him up and he was thrown into the stone pier. Human hands reached down to help Fiona up, hauling her onto the pier just as Invah half-ruined the German man and held him in place.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona couldn't help but suck in a large mouthful of water as she was hit in the belly. She was spluttering as she was lifted free, unable to catch her breath as the other soldiers pulled her onto the pier.

 

[KieranSoares]

A pair of soldiers helped Fiona cough up the water in her lungs just before the crowd parted and Kjersten stepped forward with her own blade drawn, eyes trained on the potential assassin. Despite her tears not having dried yet, all traces of weakness and loss had left her face for the moment as she glared down at the man who'd endeavored to finish the job set by Barbarossa.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He might...know...something." Fiona gasped out, still coughing on the last remains of the water. "But the decision is yours, your majesty."

Fiona was distracted as one of the soldiers urgently started to pull her chest piece free, exposing the cut that was freely bleeding from where the assassins blade was able to penetrate the armor and enter her skin. She hadn't even noticed the wound until it had been exposed.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kjersten was distracted from her task at the sight of Fiona's blood, and she stepped past the man, sheathing her blade. As a soldier took off his cloak and used it to press over the wound, Kjersten took over and held it, letting Fiona lean against her. The water had been icy cold and the wound wasn't wide, but it was deep.

"Father," Kjersten called, and Ulfric appeared from the crowd, a hand on his own blade as he awaited her command, glancing sideways at the pinned assassin. "You know what to do with him."

Ulfric nodded and Invah let a group take the man before she came to Fiona along with a healer in the crowd.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was so cold that she didn't even notice the pain until they pressed a cloak tightly against it. She let out a cry at the sudden jolt of pain, clenching her eyes shut as she gathered herself. Invah and a healer were there it seemed in an instant, everyone keeping a vested interest in Fiona's well being.

"Go tend to your business, Kjersten. I'll be fine." Fiona argued, looking at the queen as she held the cloak herself, letting Fiona lean against her. "He is move important now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I take care of my allies," Kjersten murmured, helping Fiona through the crowd to where Invah could scoop her up, careful to keep the cloak over the wound. "Get her back to the keep. We'll meet you there," Kjersten instructed, and Invah quickly and carefully got away from the crowds and loped toward the keep without jarring Fiona. Guards called healers and they quickly came to tend to her, taking her to the room she'd been given. It was painful, but she was undressed and the wound cleaned and bandaged before she was helped into clean bedclothes to rest.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sam won't be happy." Fiona said softly as she glanced towards the open window where Invah was resting her chin, watching over her fledgling like the worried mother that she was. "I didn't expect that man to be as strong with a short knife as he was. He went straight through the leather like it was nothing."

She glanced down at the thick bandages that covered the wound, her arm in a sling to keep her from doing more damage should her lung have been compromised.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sam will be worried, and proud of your work." Invah sighed and shifted slightly. "You did beautifully. Though I'd rather you not charge into the harbor next time," she teased gently.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll keep that in mind and take another knife to the chest in that matter." She said with a smile as she got out of bed and went to the window, hugging Invah's maw as tightly as she could. "And you picked him out of the water and left me to fend for myself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I crushed his ribs. You wouldn't have wanted to be in that grip," Invah chuckled softly. "He's going to have trouble breathing for a long time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If they allow him to keep breathing." Fiona said with a sigh as she sat on the windowsill and finally started to relax, the pain in her chest growing slightly as the adrenaline ebbed away. "I was thinking about going to see Uka soon. I miss him and the rest of the family."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It would be good to go and see them. The war probably hasn't had any effect at all with how remote they are."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can only hope that they are all happy and safe. They deserve the best that life has to offer." Fiona said as she leaned her head against Invah's scales. "I would invite them here but I think they might be in danger if that were to happen."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'll see them soon," Invah assured her softly. "Just relax for now. You've done the Triad quite the service." She nudged Fiona toward the bed.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona nodded, dragging herself off the sill to crawl back into bed. She was asleep before her head even touched the pillow, eyes closing as she sank into a deep and dreamless void. She only wished that Sam were there to hold her tight.

 

[KieranSoares]

The next morning, Fiona was woken by healers to tend to her wound, and then she was visited shortly after by none other than Kjersten who brought her breakfast. "Good morning, Fiona," she murmured quietly, setting a tray down.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You don't have to tend to me, Kjersten." Fiona said as the queen served her breakfast. "You have other things to worry about. Although, I'm sure your little girl is being spoiled by her grandparents right now."