Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

The remaining cannons and weapons were finally turned toward Invah and she spread her massive wings and suddenly, they were airborne. Cannon shot and bolts ripped small holes in her wings, but it wasn't enough to bring her down and soon she was far too high to hit.

Sam's men slashed the ballista strings and killed the gunners in minutes, but one of the gunners had left a final surprise for them. A barrel had been plugged, and it suddenly exploded in the middle of the fight. The last of the Greeks fell, but so did a few rangers and guards. Sam and Roman both went down, but the damage wasn't clear yet. Invah finally glided down to land, her free arm weak from the horrible bolt. But she was more worried about the fighters.

She set Fiona down and a guard freed her from her shackles just as Roman rose from the smoke and dust with a painful groan. Sam had fallen to the ground, motionless.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was still water logged as they landed, a soldier releasing her from the shackles as Roman rose from the carnage of the exploded cannon. She pushed the man aside, running towards Roman and Sam to assess what had happened. She had no idea that there were tears on her cheeks as she came to the drake first.

"It's alright, beastie." She crooned, petting his nose as she glanced towards Sam, unwilling and unable to find it he were still alive.

 

[KieranSoares]

Another soldier sat Sam up to get a look at him while Roman rumbled painfully at Fiona and his back left leg collapsed beneath him, a huge shard of metal embedded in it near the joint. Invah approached, scooping Sam up in her good arm. "Bring Roman," she murmured. "All of you, bring your wounded on your horses."

She took flight again, going ahead to the keep to tell healers to be ready. The Ghis family saw through the windows as Invah landed outside and she called in, "Someone, come and take Samuel!"

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona simply felt numb as she watched Invah pick up Sam, telling her it bring Roman to the keep. She couldn't move. She couldn't bring herself to follow in case he died. She had made a mess of things and she had never intended for any of it to happen.

The other drakes slowly made their way to Roman, rumbling at Fiona as she glanced around at the brethren that Roman had traveled and lived with. They were ownerless now, seeking comfort and healing.

"Let's go, Roman. Lead the way." She murmured, slowly leading him towards the keep with the line of other wounded drakes.

 

[KieranSoares]

Other guards who weren't busy carrying the wounded took up the leads of the drakes and helped bring them along. Once back at the keep, Rho had emerged to direct everything. The drakes who were healthy were set loose in a pasture with some stablehands to look after them until their fear subsided. Roman and the wounded drakes were brought into the courtyard while a rider went out to get Annie and David.

The wounded and few dead men were brought inside along with Fiona, and Invah was bid to stay in the courtyard until Annie and David arrived, even though she insisted she could care for herself. Inside, the wounded were laid on makeshift stretchers and tables while Vincenzo, Theo, and Alex tended to the worst-off first. Valentina was with Sam.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina was working on her nephew, concentrating on his numerous wounds. She refused to let him slip away. Her brother would never survive if he lost his son in such a tragic way. She happened to glance up once, stopping in her stitching as she saw Fiona standing there in the middle of the hall, looking pale and lost.

"Amore." Valentina said softly to Theo. "See to her, please. She's in shock and might slip away without anyone noticing."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Will do, love," Theo murmured. He stepped away, coming to Fiona and laying a kind hand on her arm. "Come with me, lass." He brought her to sit down in a quiet room off a side hall, taking a good look at her to make sure nothing terrible had happened. At least not physically. All he really found were bruises. "What 'appened?" He asked softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona followed Theo silently, sitting down in the room off the side hall as Theo looked over her to see if she were alright. Then he asked her what happened and she simply shook her head. She wouldn't talk about it, at least not right then.

"Is he going to die?" She asked in a soft voice. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Val's got 'im. He'll make it. But this isn't your fault. Y'got Heather back to us when they would've killed 'er anyway. This fight was goin' t'happen either way."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It should never have happened like this though." She said softly, unable to look Theo in the eye as she looked down at her hands resting in her lap. "I only bring bad things with me. I shouldn't have said anything to Invah. I should have gone down with the wagon."

 

[KieranSoares]

"This fight would've happened anyway, darlin'. But Invah wouldn' 'ave been there t'join in an' more men would've been killed 'r hurt."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was quiet for a long moment with that, tears filling her eyes as she struggled with what had happened. Shaking her head, she slowly stood up and finally looked at Theo. Her clothes were still soaked and she was pale, a haunting look in her cub blue eyes.

"I have to go." She whispered softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don' want you on yer own, lass," Theo told her, stepping in her way. "We need t'find you some dry clothes an' get you warmed up before anythin' else."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You can't keep me here." Fiona challenged, feeling very much like a frightened and cornered child. "I'm leaving. You're not going to stop me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo could see she was afraid, and he took a step back. "Fiona, love, jus' calm down. I'm tryin' t'help. Sit down an' jus' talk t'me. I don' want you t'be on yer own."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't want to be here!" She countered again, her voice rising in agitation as Theo tried to coax her to calm down. "And I don't want to be around you or anyone else from this family. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. That's all that I ever seem to do. I never meant for any of this to happen."

She was on the edge of a breaking point. Her mind felt so jumbled and her sorrow was mixing with her anger. She was so angry at her father for not telling her about this side of herself. She was sad that she had brought a family that had been nothing but nice to her into a bad situation. It felt so hopeless.

 

[KieranSoares]

It was none other than Brogan who'd heard the commotion. He opened the door as Fiona spoke, and he laid a hand on Theo's shoulder to silently ask him to step aside. "Fiona," Brogan murmured, looking so tired and worn down yet still so welcoming. "Will y'come walk with me? Y'can leave after if y'like."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona paused when Brogan entered, asking if she could come and walk with him. She could leave afterwards if she liked. She quickly nodded, needing to get out of the room before the walls closed in around her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan brought Fiona out to the garden in the open air, knowing the signs of a person feeling trapped. He made his way to a bench after some time, settling there and finally looking at her. "Sam's doin' alright fer now, looks like. Val's got it under control."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Good." Fiona said softly, feeling slightly better knowing that Sam was alright for the time being. "You'll have to tell him that I'm sorry for starting all of this. I know he'll be mad at me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ye'll have t'tell him yerself. I'm no courier," he said with a bit of a humored smile but it was clear a great toll had been taken out on him. Not the same as her own, but a toll nonetheless watching two of his boys be bedridden and his little girl be caught up in a terrible situation that left no winners.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not staying." Fiona said softly, a little bit of that fight taken out of her as she cast her eyes towards the ground at her feet. "I can't stay. This Blackstone curse is only going to effect more people if I do. I think I'm going to Europe, to explore...maybe find my family there and try to start a new life away from all of this mess."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sam an' Will'd be heartbroken. An' we'd really miss you," Brogan reminded her quietly. "I don' know anythin' about curses, Fiona. But I do know a little somethin' about yer family. Yer parents didn't take good care o' you, an' yer grandfather passed before 'e could teach you tha' it wasn' your fault. But this time, I'm tellin' you this ain' your fault. Never was. These hunters could've gone after anyone. It's jus' bad luck they chose you, in a land far from their own an' a legend they underestimated. No curse 'as anythin' t'do with tha'."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Will would be fine without me. He has his own little life now." Fiona said, her heart aching as she thought about Sam. "Sam has nothing to tie himself to me. That was over before it even begun."

She felt those awful tears again as he mentioned her family and she hated the fact that she still cried over it so many years later. "I'm not like the rest of you. I never had a home. I had a father who wouldn't let me be human or fox. I missed out on so much and now...now I don't know what to do. My heart hurts all of the time, every single day."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd like you t'stay an' have a home, love," Brogan encouraged softly. "I want you t'understand what it's like t'belong an' be appreciated. Y'can learn what it means t'be part fox in the villages, an' y'can have proper friends and comrades. Give it some thought. I know it'd mean a lot take an' Julia an' Heather too."