Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Qira had become more visible since the prince's birth, though he could still easily disappear. He nodded at Kate's request and stepped out. Sam managed a small smile at the sight of the little prince. "He's going to take Edinburgh by storm with tha' spirit."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If I don't decide to give him up for adoption first." Kate complained, wrapping her son more tightly in his warm blanket, kissing his forehead as he whimpered and fretted against her, tugging at the wounded ear that was almost completely healed. "Little one, if you insist on reopening the wound again, I will put your gloves back on. Then you'll have something to scream about."

Kate was absolutely smitten with her son and any threat of adoption was an idle threat. However, her sleepless nights were starting to wear on her, even if the war had slowed and she had spread out her responsibilities to those that she trusted.

"What are the two of you doing back so early? I thought you might stay in Edinburgh a while longer." Kate said, glancing up at Sam and then towards Fiona who hung back as if she were intruding on something she shouldn't.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We were only goin' t'stay a couple days, actually. But Gallus was nearly killed, so we went t'Glasgow." Sam glanced to Fiona. "Fiona caught th'bastard herself, an' sent 'is partner off with a firm warning."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate glanced towards her brother's fiancee and gave her a smile. "That's the kind of thing that we need. Kell is off trying to do the same on the coast."

"I only did what I had to do." Fiona said softly, her spirit slightly broken. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find my Da and tell him I'm home."

When Fiona left, Kate looked towards Sam with a questioning look on her face. "What is going on, Sam?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"We're... No... I'm havin' a lot o' problems..." Sam shied away from actually talking about it, turning to Brogan. "Da... I need t'talk to you."

"Sure, son," he murmured, taking Sam by the shoulders and leading him away.

Fiona would find Owen at his new home in the Erygonian village. It was small, but had an adjoining little barn for Kesh and suited them well.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona didn't even knock when she made it to her father's home, simply entering and holding him tightly the moment that she saw him. She cried against his shoulder without explanation, so tired of having to be strong for someone else.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Fiona," Owen smiled when she opened the door, but he was caught off-guard​ when she began to cry and cling to him. "Little kit..." He murmured, draping his arms around her. He guided her to his little living room, sitting down with her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona cried until there was nothing else left inside of her. She let out a small sigh as her Da held her tightly, letting her sob until she was ready to stop. She sniffled against his tunic, swiping at her tired eyes with a clenched fist.

"I'm losing him, Da." She whispered softly. "And I've tried so hard to make him better. He's the only one that can fix himself."

If anyone in the world understood how she felt, it would be her Da. He had watched the mate that he loved more than anything in the world drink herself into an early grave.

 

[KieranSoares]

Hearing his child speak of the same situation he'd once faced and barely survived, Owen hugged her tighter as if he could protect her. "I'm so sorry, Fiona..." He murmured. "I'd never wish that on anyone."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He swears that he'll fight, but he always just hides away. I don't know what to do." Fiona said softly, so scared of losing Sam to a fight that she couldn't help him win. "I don't know if he needs space or if I need to be there for him every step of the way. He freezes me out more often than not."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's every bit as scared and unsure as you are," Owen murmured, his experience speaking despite the time since Tatiana's own decline. "Don't make my mistakes... Don't give up... Be in his reach, but stand back until he needs you. And for God's sake don't let him try to drown the pain. With alcohol or otherwise..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona listened to him try and give her the best advice that he could offer. She simply curled up more against him, feeling so much like that lost little kit again. The only difference was this time her da loved her and wouldn't set her aside for the world. She closed her eyes for a few moments, struggling to figure out the best plan for her future.

 

[KieranSoares]

Owen pulled Fiona into his lap, curling up on the small sofa with her like Tatiana had once done when she was tiny. Fiona was kept warm and secure between him and the back of the sofa, his fur soft and comforting.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona slept properly for the first time in days as her father curled around her, keeping her safe from the world and giving her the support that she so desperately needed.

Back at the keep, Kate dozed by the fire in her room, Brogan napping on her chest. It was getting easier for the cub to sleep, but he didn't like to do it without his mother or father near. It wore on Kate, but she knew that it was a small consolation for a healthy child. Her eyes opened when she heard the door to her room unlock and her father stepped in.

"How's Sam?" Kate asked softly so not to disturb the baby. "He and Fiona both looked terrible."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sam's gettin' a lot worse," Brogan sighed, keeping his voice low. "... He told me 'e's scared o' bein' like my Da. Nearly let 'is anger make 'im hurt someone in Glasgow... I can see what 'e means. Even Ma saw he was more like Tamblin Ghis than anyone else in this family."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can see it's been a strain on Fiona too." Kate said as her Da told her the news. "What can we do for him? Maybe there's something that Papa can give him to help him clear his mind."

Little Brogan twitched in his dreams, whimpering at something before he let out a yawn, stretched his fingers and toes wide, and then settled back down into his dreams. Kate glanced down at him, sighing in relief that he stayed asleep. When he was awake, he was screaming more often than not.

 

[KieranSoares]

"This isn't something medicine can fix, though tha' probably would help. It's a lifetime o' guilt an' expectin' perfection of 'imself. Sam... Well, I think Sam hates 'imself, most of all."

Brogan took a seat beside her, soothing his grandson by gently stroking his fur.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's hated himself since he was 12 years old." Kate said softly as her father sat down and gently stroked Brogan's fur. "And no one could convince him otherwise...except Gran. He always felt better after spending time with her. I just hope that he doesn't destroy the best thing that ever happened to him by pushing Fiona away. She will be a lovely queen for Inverness if he can get his head straight."

Kate looked over at her father with a small smile on her lips. "He's got a full belly. Would you like to hold him for a while so I can work?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan scooped up the little cub at her offer, ever the skilled and gentle caretaker. Little Brogan stirred slightly and looked to see who was moving him, and upon seeing his grandfather, he simply curled into a little ball against the giant Scotsman's chest.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate chuckled as she leaned in and kissed her cub, draping another blanket around his tiny body even though she knew that her father would keep him warm. For good measure, she placed his little mitts on his hands to keep him from pulling at his injured ear. He didn't even stir, which made Kate feel worlds better.

"Keep him safe for me." Kate whispered, kissing her father's cheek before she walked to her desk to send off some messages that had been waiting for a reply.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Always," Brogan promised, the rumble in his chest making his grandson rumble back quite contentedly in his sleep. Even with such a difficult and frail cub, Brogan seemed to have a way of keeping everything calm and comfortable.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate left the two of them alone as she went to her desk to work for a while. When she finished a few hours later, she couldn't help but chuckle as she saw her son contentedly staring at his grandfather as the elder Brogan told him some kind of fairy tale. The cub looked absolutely enchanted and content for the moment, so Kate left the two of them to find her brother.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam was in his room when Kate found him, sitting in his chair with his arms on the windowsill. His window was open and Kennah was sitting outside, her head resting beside Sam's on the sill. He was just in a loose tunic and trousers and he looked tired, likely having just woken from a nap. Kennah had come to see him and had stayed sensing his distress.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate gently rested her hand on his back as she leaned down to kiss his cheek, taking a seat beside him with a sigh. "Da has tamed the wild cub." She said softly, trying to break the ice with her depressed brother.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam opened his eyes but didn't lift his head, and muttered, "Da could tame anythin'. Even a little Wolf version o' you."

Kennah lifted her head to nuzzle Kate's arm in greeting before slipping away, trusting Kate to look after Sam.