Claymore and Dagger Pt.2

[KieranSoares]

"What?" Will's eyes widened, and he turned as he felt Ciaran's hands on his shoulders. Facing Ciaran, he watched in awe as Ciaran pinned a new badge of rank to his chest and stripes to his shoulders. "William Roland Blackstone, from here on out you will be a Second Lieutenant under Captain Mhaighdean of the Sixth Horse Division of the Invernessian Rangers."

Will stared up at Ciaran in disbelief, looked to Fiona, then quickly straightened again. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona smiled towards Ciaran as she wrapped an arm around Will’s shoulders, giving him a hug. “I’m proud of you.” She murmured against his ear softl, the words of someone who had seen him at his worst and helped him reach his very best.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ciaran chuckled, giving Will a nod, at which the boy immediately turned to wrap his arms around Fiona and hug her tightly. With a smile to Fiona, Ciaran headed back to his mate and daughter.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona fed Will tightly, burying her face against his hair. She knew it was a special moment for him, one a million that would happen in his lifetime. She just hoped that he appreciated everything.

 

[KieranSoares]

Eventually Will drew back, and Fiona could see his eyes slightly glassy with emotion. They had come so far, from two thieves, practically orphans, to a Queen and an officer of Invernessian forces with a family. While Will was too young to truly be a commanding officer making decisions on a battlefield, and he wouldn't be expected to fight on the front lines, this rank solidified a military career if he wanted it, and would see him potentially one or two ranks higher with a commanding role by the time he was ready to really fight between eighteen and twenty.

Will stood straight before Fiona, saluting smartly as was proper, before he was dismissed and the first people he went to were Owen and Lucy.

 

[heartofcourage]

Lucy smiled broadly at her dear friend, instantly inspecting his new medals as he showed them off. Leon watched her intently as always, but Lucy knew what he expected of her first before anything turned too serious.

“Congratulations, Will.” Lucy said softly, as the feasting truly began in earnest.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Couldn't have done it without you," Will murmured quietly to her with a smile. "You show up on the most boring days with good food and company and it makes it all worth looking forward to."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You’re my friend, Will. I enjoy talking with you, even when you’re trying too hard to be serious in front of the others.” Lucy teased him with a small smile of her own. “Uvore and Dad like you too, even if they try and act tough.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know Dazu likes me, but you'll never convince me that Leon does," Will chuckled, secretly sneaking a glance at Leon and realizing the huge man was staring directly at him.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to work harder to make him like you.” Lucy said with a shrug of her shoulders as she noticed Leon staring at the both of them. “You’re welcome to sit with us. Or you can stay with Owen.”

She turned to go back to her spot at the table, kissing Leon’s cheek as she took her seat between him and Dazu.

 

[KieranSoares]

Will took a step to follow, hesitating at Leon's glare. But he took a deep breath, straightened, and followed to sit across from Lucy without giving Leon an inch. Meanwhile, Dazu smiled pleasantly. He'd long since seen that Will was harmless.

In the meantime, some of the youngest Ghis and Voya were bringing little stone Kipper eggs to Fiona, decorated in paints and some with adult help for the very youngest.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona smiled as her new nieces and nephews brought her a whole collection of kipper eggs. She collected them from Danny, Silas, and Bridget. They had painted a lovely horse on one side of their egg and then a drake on the other that had golden scales just like Roman. Ciaran had taken over control of Dana's egg, painting it in beautiful Lunar and Erygonian symbols. Brogan's little egg has his paw prints on it, Rissa having taken the time to paint the egg as Kate and Kell worked.

"Thank you, little ones." Fiona said in earnest as she collected them from one side of the family and then turned towards her fox relatives.

Julia had made it her mission to explain to the Voya what the tradition was and to help them all decide what they would paint. It hadn't taken long for them to settle on scenes from their village and of Tatiana herself. Fiona smile broadly as she looked down at her cousins, kissing each one on the cheek as she took what eggs they had to offer.

 

[KieranSoares]

From the little Foxes came eggs painted with old tribal stories, especially those of the Voya's resident dragon guardian and his ancestors. The cubs and children soon scattered off to play, but before Fiona could return to Sam, she was approached by Oleg, leaning on his walking staff.

"Fiona, dear," he spoke up. "I have something for you... Something I never had the chance to give to your mother."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona glanced up at her grandfather as he approached, a curious look on her face as he mentioned that he had something for her that he had never had the chance to give to her mother.

“What’s that, Uka?” Fiona asked, reaching out to take his hand gently in her own. “I have al that I need from her and from the rest of the family.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"In my family for generations, it has been a tradition for each mother to pass down an heirloom to her eldest daughter when she came of age. And for generations, my family had several children. But in my generation, I had no cousins and no siblings. I was nearly the end of my line, many hopes placed upon me and expectations that made me rebellious and reckless in my youth. But as I calmed, my mother entrusted me with his heirloom for when or if I continued our line... She told me she would happy as long as it remained in our tribe at the very least, as she never lived to see me make a family of my own."

He withdrew a small wooden box. "It isn't much, but it's served many purposes. In the ancient days it was a pommel to a great blade, then it became an amulet to a necklace, then a centerpiece in leather armor. I grew up seeing my mother wear it on her belt as a charm when she went to war to defend our people, and then when she was injured permanently, my father made it the centerpiece to a bracelet for her. Today, it is simply a stone, ready to be whatever it must."

He opened the box to show her the scarred surface of a strange, mixed stone. On the outside, it was jade-colored with rings of blue and purple, and the center was not cut out, but a a natural opening as it seemed to be a geode. As light shined into it, the crystal formations made a small rainbow of dots and squares reflect back.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona looked at the stunning stone as he explained to her the story of what it meant to their family. She suddenly felt like the wrong person to have it in her possession and she looked up at Oleg and gave him a slight smile.

“Maybe this should go to Uncle Rhett.” She said softly, knowing that it was rightfully hers being the oldest daughter of his only daughter. “His darling warrior could wear it just as proudly.”

She was quiet for a long moment before her smile turned a bit sad. “I’m also not a fox, Uka. I don’t feel right taking something like this when it meant so much to your family.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"You are every bit as much Voya and warrior as your great-grandmother, and you are her blood. Orla would be worthy as well, but my love... This was meant to be yours." He placed it in her hands, clasping his own around hers. "My grandmother, Aejela... She told me, 'cub, you will be the first man of our family to carry this stone, the charm that has protected our women longer than any can remember. And as the bearer of this stone, you will pass it on to your daughter when she becomes mother or warrior, or when hers takes up one of those mantles. But I give you permission to ignore the tradition of awarding this charm to the eldest. Give it to the woman most deserving, the one who will bring our family the most pride and honor.'" Oleg smiled almost sadly at the memory. "She gave it to me the day she retired her blade thanks to permanent injuries, and she reminded me of my promise every year til she passed, just before Tatiana was born. I had every intention of giving it to her til she left home, and then I never had the chance nor courage. It is yours."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona saw the sad smile cross her grandfather's features and knew that today was especially hard for him. Tatiana should have been there with them, celebrating her daughter's marriage, but instead, life had turned out much differently. Taking the stone, Fiona looked it over once more before she reached up and touched Oleg's cheek.

"She was a warrior, Uka. Without her, I wouldn't be here today. Things might not have turned out the way that we wanted, but she should make you so proud." Fiona said softly, looking him in the eyes as she said that. "Sam and I both will do something special with this stone and make sure that our family is honored by it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"All I want, all your predecessors want, is for your name to be one your descendants remember for the good you've done. That will honor us best." Oleg kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly before drawing away back to Anya, seeking her comfort as he always had.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona watched him go back to her grandmother, the two foxes comforting one another as they had since they had lost their daughter so many years ago. She held the stone tightly in her hands, watching them for a moment before she turned to see Sam standing at her side.

"I'm glad that you're always by my side when I really need you." She said as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, showing him the stone that she had been given. "We need to think of somewhere special to place this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Overheard Oleg talkin' about it a bit... sounds like it belongs with yer armor," Sam offered, looking down at the stone. "Agate, looks like. Pretty uncommon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Your grandfather made sure that Theo continued his tradition of presenting brides with a box for kipper eggs. I think this little stone can live in there with them until we know what we're going to do with it." Fiona said as Sam looked over the little stone as well.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam draped an arm about her waist to press a kiss to her cheek. "It'll get th'proper reverence it deserves." He offered her one of his small, handsome smiles then. "Seems like we've both got family from long past who looked forward t'this."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Your gran, most of all.” Fiona said as she leaned against her husband’s side and rested her head against his broad shoulder. “I wish this never had to end. Everyone is so happy and things are peaceful. I know that it’s not really the truth of the moment, but it’s nice to simply relax for a moment.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll 'ave plenty more like this. Maybe not soon... But they'll come." Sam knew they really wouldn't really have any kind of honeymoon or time to themselves. With Barbarossa still pushing to take little bits of ground before the real campaign resumed in spring, the North would have to continually reinforce the front and patrol the waters about the isles. And the real fight could begin even before the snows melted, it would all depend upon how bitter or mild late winter turned out to be.

The day wore on beautifully with celebration across the three towns and in the keep, becoming as much a family reunion as it was a wedding reception. Come evening, by the light of torches and bonfires, many of the strongest Ghis were playing Highland games and some were putting on smaller versions for the children, like caber toss and axe throwing. The main contest ended up with a tie between Dazu, Durban, and Brogan, but Brogan bowed out for the sake of exhaustion, and Dazu managed to outlast Durban and take first place. Among the teens, Will made third place trying to impress Lucy, but nearly broke his wrist in the process.

Sam and Fiona finally managed to retire by midnight, and telhe whole keep fell quiet and peaceful.