Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Watching him leave, Fiona was filled with a sense of dread. Quietly, she pulled herself out of bed and pulled on a robe, following after her Da without another word. Once in the living room, she paused and stared at him for a long moment.

"I know you're scared." She said softly. "But you're not going to lose me. I promise that to you, Da."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No one can guarantee that," Owen muttered, slumping into a chair and staring at the embers of the fire. "They're still after me for not taking the dragon rider's trials. The only reason they haven't forced me is because of my work with dragons. But Dmitri's patience won't last."

 

[heartofcourage]

"What kind of trial are they looking to put us through?" Fiona asked, sitting next to her father as he seemed so defeated.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Trials of trust, care, and survival, mostly. I don't know exactly what they do... but I do know that four people have died of the handful they've put through, and only two completed the trials in full. They expect a dragon rider to be perfect. I've tried to tell them you're not a rider, that you and Invah are simply friends. Riders are war machines with the perfect flying steed. Invah knows the difference. But Xenia will never listen."

 

[heartofcourage]

"But what if I am a dragon rider?" Fiona asked him. "Grandpa said that we had a long family history of dragon riders and talkers. Maybe I'm one too."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're only a Rider if you intend to fight from the back of a dragon in all-out war, Fiona. Riders and dragons work seamlessly, each guiding the other to be as efficient a killing machine as possible. Simply hitching a ride on a dragon's back across the sea does not make you a warrior Rider."

 

[heartofcourage]

"But grandpa was. That's why he never wanted to talk about it." Fiona said softly, knowing that her grandfather had carried many different secrets that he had never told her. But her father knew all about it.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Are you saying you want to be a Rider?" Owen asked quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know." Fiona said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I've never really been given the chance to do anything Da. I don't know how I should feel about any of this."

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen looked down for a moment, feeling rather defeated. "Before you make any decisions... You need to talk to Invah about it. She and Gaiann are former fighters. She'll tell you what being a Rider is about."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona reached over and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. She didn't like the look on his face. It was as it he were losing her Ma all over again.

"Ill speak to Invah." She said softly. "But I'm not going to run. You didn't raise me to run from my problems."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Your mother didn't raise you to run away," he corrected her softly. "But I did run away."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I forgive you for that." Fiona said softly. "I wish I could take away all the guilt and frustration that you feel about this. But I think I owe it to everyone and myself to see what fate might have in store."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't owe anyone anything, Fiona. Do what you need to in order to make yourself happy and fulfilled. While it's good to want to make others proud... Your happiness comes first." Owen kissed her forehead. "Go back to bed... I'll have a talk with Invah and Xenia."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I love you, Da." Fiona murmured as he told her to go back to bed. "I won't do anything dangerous, I promise."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I love you too, little kit," Owen murmured, knowing that that promise would be hard to keep if Dmitri and Xenia had their way.

It was just after dawn when a huge shadow swooped over Xenia's little camp and there was a tiny tremor of a dragon landing nearby. Huge feet crunching in the snow approached as Dmitri looked out to see the great teal dragon, Owen just slipping from her back to land beside her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Xenia was still asleep when the tremor shook their camp. She was up in an instant, dressing in her warm clothing as Dmitri moved to see who approached. Pulling on her fur cloak, Xenia stepped outside for herself, pausing as she saw the great teal dragon and Owen Blackstone slipping off its back.

"You've brought us a guest, Owen." Xenia said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"She wants to speak with you," Owen muttered, looking up at the serene dragon.

"Will you be alright walking back in the cold?" Invah asked him softly, and he nodded.

"I'll stay out of this for now..." Owen said quietly before turning to make his way back to the village.

Invah sat down on her haunches and considered Xenia and Dmitri, glancing to Rory as he emerged too. "I understand you're here looking for a rider. She happens to be my fledgling, or as close as a human can get."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We understand that there are many here that have feelings for this dragon rider." Xeniasaid as Invah calmly told them that Fiona was her fledgling. "And it has been a long time since a dragon has adopted someone not of their species. It is admirable."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You must forgive Owen. Fiona is all he has left." Invah didn't seem worried about letting them know the rider was Owen's own daughter. "I would like to understand your intentions. Though the final choice belongs to Fiona."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Blackstone has a child?" Xenia asked, completely taken back by that piece of information. "He always told us that the line would die with him."

Xenia glanced towards Rory and Dmitri, mulling over the piece of information. "We do not wish to harm dragons. We simply wish to make sure that they are not being mistreated. Those that want to call themselves dragon riders and dragon callers can do that from time to time. We put them through trials to ensure that they are upstanding."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He had said that was your intention. And while I assure you Fiona has more than proved herself, I will let Fiona make her own choices. I ask simply that if Fiona refuses, you leave her be. She cannot help being a dragon caller, and if she wishes to become a true rider, I will train her myself. I have met members of your order before, centuries ago, and back then they were not terribly trustworthy. So you must understand that I too have some doubts like Owen."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If we do not take her with us, others will come." Xenia said softly, her heart aching for the dragon that wanted to protect the woman that she had adopted. "And those others might not be as kind."

"There is one dragon rider left after Ephriam Blackstone passed away. It is her inheritance." She agreed owever that it should be Fiona's choice. "We will talk to her. We have a duty to convince her to come with us, however."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Who is this last rider, then?" Invah asked quietly. She hadn't been aware there were any after the wars fought from the backs of dragons ended.

 

[heartofcourage]

Xenia looked over at Rory and motioned him towards Invah. "Rory has been a rider for years now. He came specifically to speak to whoever the dragon rider was."