Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Since when did you get so wise, little one? I would think you'd need another twenty years at least to be saying things like that," Invah teased gently, her smile warm and adoring of this girl who was like her own fledgling.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I have an old soul. I've always blamed my wisdom on that." Fiona said with a chuckle as Invah teased her. "I can be ready by the time you want to leave. It would give me enough time to set Sam on a chase, I think."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just make sure you invite me to the wedding," Invah laughed deeply before rising. She brought Fiona with her, lifting her up to her back so Fiona could get a good view and be out of the water as Invah drifted into the clear loch. She kept her back out of the water, her tail acting as a long rudder and her wings folded close to prevent them from slowing her down. It was quite a different experience, sitting several feet above the water on what was essentially a small, moving island of scales.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona had a quiet moment of awe as Invah swam gracefully through the water, allowing her to sit high upon her back for an amazing view. It was quiet as the dragon made her way across the loch, showing off to her newest friend.

"Is there enough room in the loch for your family?" Fiona asked. "I bet they would want to come back with you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, there's plenty enough for three or four dragons. I might have to show you one day if you can manage it, but there are massive tunnels under Inverness that my dry cave below connects to," Invah told her. "That would be good for my mate. He's not a water dragon like me. He's a mountain-dweller, so he enjoys caverns."

 

[heartofcourage]

"How did you end up here in Inverness if your mate and children are so far away?" Fiona asked as Invah explained about her cavern. "You said that he was sick. Is that why he stayed behind?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Gaiann went to sleep two-hundred years ago," Invah murmured. "It was only supposed to be twenty years, but he didn't wake up. By the time a hundred years went by, I felt a strange need to cross the sea and come here. Someone was calling me and I needed to answer. So I left him to my youngest daughter. And by the time the trouble here was dealt with, I needed to sleep too. So... I did. I was too afraid to go back and risk finding out the love of my life was dead. I still am, but I need to know."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll give him a fighting chance." Fiona promised the dragon as she explained how she had ended up in Inverness so many years ago. "And if he is gone, then you'll have the closure that you need."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You would love him. He acts tough to strangers, but he absolutely melts for sweet women," Invah told her with a slight smile. "And I think he has a soft spot for humans and werefolk anyway."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then he would love me. I've got all of those things." Fiona said with a soft laugh. "A human were doc who can be a particularly charming young lady from time to time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'd have to get past that tough shell of his first. But I'm sure you could manage it." Invah drifted to a halt in the center of the loch, spreading her wings out and letting them lay across the surface of the water in the sun.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do your wounds still hurt? Annie could help you if you have some that are tough to reach." Fiona said as she noticed the healing holes that were in the soft skin of the dragon's wings.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm alright. I've had my wings shredded worse than this before. They didn't do anything more to them than what I might've done in small accidents in the mountains. As for the direct hits, those are sore but I'm fine."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You sound just as stubborn as I am when it comes to healing and going to a healer." Fiona said with a laugh as she relaxed on Invah's back, letting out a sigh as they drifted in the water without a care in the world.

 

[KieranSoares]

"The difference between us is that I know I don't need help, and you just hate accepting help," she chuckled, enjoying the calm and slow drifting.

By the time they returned to shore, a white werefox had arrived, looking for Fiona.

 

[heartofcourage]

As Fiona slipped off Invah's back, she paused to see a white fox waiting for them on the banks of the loch. She smoothed her skirts and approached the fox, unsure of what she was going to hear. She had a little bit of distrust of the were folk, even if she had never had any excuse before to fear them.

"Can I help you?" She asked, stopping a few feet away from the fox.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Elder Taqu'un sent me," he said calmly, clearly a warrior by the spear he carried and the dark sash he wore marking his particular company of fighters in the Lunar tribe. "He would like to speak to you." Since Taqu'un had been charged with her proper final judgement, he probably wanted to get it out of the way for both their sakes

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona glanced back at Invah with hat announcement and then at the warrior. She knew the moment had been coming but she was still not very prepared. She sucked in a deep breath and and nodded, motioning for him to lead the way to the village.

 

[KieranSoares]

Invah stopped them before they got too far, speaking softly to Fiona, "No matter what happens, Fiona, or what is decided, I want you to come back to me before you go anywhere else. And tell Taqu'un I said so." She wasn't going to let Fiona be imprisoned, as it was a real possibility seeing as Taqu'un would be almost absolutely neutral toward her and would weigh her crimes heavily against any good she'd done. Neither of them knew what sort of man he was, and he was known for being able to be incredibly unbiased and unreadable.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I promise." She murmured as Invah looked at her with concern. "I won't just leave you. I swear on my grandfather that I won't."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Be careful, little one," Invah gave her a nuzzle before sending her on her way.

The werefox led Fiona into the Lunar village where no one seemed bothered by her presence. Hara Aoli might have said hello, but she wasn't at her restaurant that day. Fiona soon arrived at a home that looked no more special than any of the others, except for the Lunar 'S' carved into the door, which stood for 'Shay,' a variant on an honorific given to elders and leaders. Taqu'un Sha Kaiser Maliar's name was well known in the region since taking over the Gol Dun, having added his German mate's name into his own and earned 'Sha' when he became an elder in place of his grandfather.

The warrior knocked and a soft female voice called from within. Opening up the door, the werefox let Fiona enter first to see the dark wolf she'd come to meet, sitting at a long but small table with a mug of tea, dressed in simple clothing that, except for a long sash similar to the warriors, was no different from any other tribesman.

"Miss Blackstone," Taqu'un said calmly. "Welcome." Beside him was his wife Ellen. His daughter Adane had moved out some time ago.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona stopped short as she saw Taqu'un sitting there with a mug of tea. Her heart was racing as she made herself walk towards a seat and slowly sit down. Her back was arrow straight, not even touching the back of her chair as she struggled to remain in control.

"Invah would like to see me after a punishment is decided." She remembered to tell him. "She said you would understand."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I do," he murmured calmly, Ellen kissing his cheek before she left him to his business and the werefox let them be. He seemed serene, giving Fiona no hint as to whether she was facing an end to her freedom.

He picked up a letter from a small stack beside him, reading it over quietly before asking, "Would you tell me what happened the day William Bard broke you out of jail in Inverness?" There's no way Sam would've told him that even if Sam knew- he would have protected Will for Fiona's sake- so it wasn't clear where Taqu'un had learned that from.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona looked up, slightly startled that Taqu'un knew about Will being involved in her escape from jail. She let out a long sigh, knowing that she needed to be honest.

"I was caught trying to steal some stale bread from the bakery. The garrison put me in jail until I could go before Rhodan Ghis. Will came to break me out. He's like my little brother and thought that what he was doing was the right thing. I had no idea that Morgan Kerrigan had been training him to do things like that. I warned Will that he was a man that wasn't to be messed with, but he's young and impressionable."

Fiona cast her blue eyes towards the top of the table, thinking about everything that had happened to that point. "Morgan offered me the chance to turn him and get the pardon that was being offered along with the reward. He swore to me that he was ready to make a new start in life. I had no clue what he had planned beyond that. I simply saw a way to put a roof over Will's head and food in his belly. I thought it would be the honorable thing to do."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And Kerrigan used that in to drop everyone's guard and attack Brogan and Rhodan," Taqu'un added. "You found employment with Hara Aoli before long. Then a Greek woman came claiming she had your grandfather's will and an inheritance for you, which from Sam I know to be true. What happened with her?"