Claymore and Dagger Pt.2

[heartofcourage]

“Just the cakes for the feast and I have a gift for Will.” She said, pointing to a large crate that was by the door. “I got him a specially made saddle for the occasion.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Putting tha' new stipend t'good use, then." Sam gave her a small smile. Within the past few days, a notice had been delivered to Fiona from the royal treasury, informing her that as a Rider in service to Inverness, she was due a large amount of back pay and would from there on receive a weekly stipend for her service. It was a generous amount, considering that Riders were elite warriors, nobility, and technically didn't owe their allegiance to anyone. It was the most money Fiona had ever seen, much less owned, in her life, and it made the little cabin look like a poor shack compared to what she could afford now.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I haven't really touched it yet. I bought this with money I had saved up." She said with a small shrug of her shoulders.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's good to be frugal," Sam nodded, "Part o' the reason I think you'll be good fer Inverness as a queen."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not terribly comfortable with this amount of money coming to me simply because I'm a rider." Fiona admitted, looking up at Sam with some concern in her blue eyes. "It's nice and unexpected, but I still feel as if it could go to someone else more deserving."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's what Inverness 'as always paid elite mercenaries. But it's no' me payin' you. Ciaran 'andles the military wages out o' the treasury through Da."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I still don't know if I like it." Fiona said softly.

She helped him to get the crated saddle into the wagon. She was waiting for Will to finish gathering his things as she sat in the front of the wagon with Sam.

"I got something for you too." She said softly, offering him a small ring box. "Since I'll be taking your name in the tribe tonight."

She had paid for a special ring to be made for Sam. It was thin, lightweight, but it was promised that it was made of durable materials to keep up with his hardworking lifestyle. It was hammered silver, meant to be muted in the light so it wouldn't bring much attention.

"It's not a wedding band. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to." She was quick to say.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam took a long look at the silver band before slipping it onto his left middle finger, leaving the ring finger still open for when he gained a wedding band. Leaning over, he lifted that hand to Fiona's chin and kissed her in a soft, gentle sort of way that only she knew Samuel Ghis was capable of. "I love you," he murmured, his own simple way of letting her know it meant worlds to him that they would be partners on so many levels.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You really like it?" Fiona asked in a soft and slightly insecure voice, his kiss doing her a world of good as he wore the band without hesitation. "I thought about it for a long time. I kept telling myself that you wouldn't wear it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why wouldn' I?" Sam asked softly. He knew there were some things that Fiona was insecure about, just like himself. But it still surprised him when they came out.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You don't wear things like this." Fiona said softly as he questioned her insecurity. "I wasn't even sure if you would wear a wedding band when we got married."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course I will. I jus' never really thought t'wear jewelry before... Didn' have a reason." Sam took her hand then, the ring standing out a bit against his tanned skin.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I might turn you into a romantic before too long." Fiona teased him with a small smile, kissing his cheek as Will finally came out of the house and loaded up in the back of the wagon.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam simply smiled lightly to himself, glancing back to make sure Will was set before he gave the two horses a tap with the reins and they set out for the western village.

Not every full moon was a large celebration. Typically Suara made the full moons that weren't close to other events into little gathering and feast days. Oftentimes introductions were made on Solstices or Equinoxes, but Suara's people were so secure in their home and traditions that they gladly welcomed introductions during any full moon.

Sam, Will, and Fiona's arrival was met by Owen waiting at the edge of the village beside Kesh, and the unexpected addition of Rho and Naiya. As fellow members of the tribe, the couple wanted to welcome Sam's fiance and her charge properly.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Well, look who decided to join us.” Fiona is with a smile as Sam’s twin brother helped her down from the wagon. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

Naiya was showing her pregnancy now, the swell of her belly very pronounced. Still, she and Rho both looked incredibly happy.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's hard to be social when you have a lady demanding your attention night and day," Rho said with a handsome smile as Fiona took his hand and stepped down.

"You need t'pay fer your sins somehow," Sam commented, but greeted his brother with an embrace and soon did the same for Naiya.

"It'll be a long time before he's even close to paying for them. And he racks up more every day." Naiya gave Fiona a smile then. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Fiona. My grandmother is insisting that she's adopting you today as well, being Sam's mate. Are you sure you can handle being Blackstone, Ghis, and Corel all at once?"

"She's handled the rest beautifully so far," Owen commented as he came to greet his daughter.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Whatever gets me out of trouble that is caused by the other two is what I will be.” Fiona said, hugging her father tightly. “I brought some of Ma’s favorite flowers. I figured it might be nice to have a little piece of her here with us.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen pressed a kiss to her forehead with a light smile. "This was one of her dreams, getting to introduce her own kit to the tribe... She'd have dressed us all up in black and silver robes for the occasion and brought all the food she could carry and made sure everyone she knew met you personally."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Well, I’ve been making cakes all day. And I brought the Gown you sent for me. I’ll still be dressed on black and silver like she wanted.” Fiona said as she kissed his cheek one last time and moved to help everyone pull the cakes into the longhouse to get the tables set up.

 

[KieranSoares]

The longhouse was ever the most imposing structure in the village. The tribal folk preferred being outside more often than not, but the longhouse played a crucial role as a gathering place and was surrounded by open space. It was also where the small council of elders under Suara met and spoke and passed down decisions.

Inside, some of the younger elders were directing everything and helped Fiona to find a place for what she'd brought. Suara was likely overseeing the building of the fire outside, as it was to be a special fire not unlike those built for the Solstices or Equinoxes. This one was for attracting good spirits to become guardians to the newly introduced members of the tribe.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona dutifully did her part in getting everything set out on tables that had been placed. When a quiet moment came along, she pulled her father to the side and offered him a small gift she had made.

“I thought you might like something to remind you of Ma.” She said softly, letting him take the soft black sash she had made with a soft white trim and silver designs throughout. “And I want to take Gran’s tribal name as my middle name. I might not have known her but she meant the world to you and grandpa.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen continued to be surprised by his daughter's capacity for respect of those long gone, and he simply wrapped Fiona up in his arms tightly. "The name your mother chose, your Gran's tribal name, and Sam's tribal surname... You don't have to take those names, little kit... You could have a new name all your own. And yet you choose those old names... You're an odd one, love," he chuckled. Most youth being introduced wanted unique names never heard in the tribe before, or rarely-used names of characters in ancient legends. It was tradition to take names of grandparents and late parents, but many kits and cubs would take them and then go by a unique middle name.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Why would I want something unusual? I’ll have all of those people with me that meant the most to me.” Fiona said softly as her father held her tightly. “I want you to be proud of me, Da.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't need to do anything more for me to be proud," Owen muttered. "I've been proud of you since the moment we found each other again."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I’ve waited my entire life to hear those words.” Fiona whispered softly.