Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from the dragon of Inverness." Fiona said as Will appeared with some of the items for their meal in his arms. "Would you be able to carry some things, Invah? We have some pigs from the market and different things that I prepared last night."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can carry anything and everything," Invah assured her. With the help of a couple crates, Invah easily carried the loose items and she had no trouble carrying the pigs either. Upon their arrival at the loch, they found Sam with a cart of firewood and Kennah. He was sitting on a stump and apparently studying Kennan's great clawed hands. He was still learning proper drake care and about how they were different from horses.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona instantly smiled when she saw Sam. Her heart lifted in a way that it never had before and she felt startled that this man already held so much power over her heart. Of course, she would never admit that to anyone save him, even though she was sure that Invah might have already known.

"If I had known you were bringing Kennah, I would have brought Roman. He's healed enough to spend a day at the loch." Fiona said in greeting as she helped Invah to get things situated.

They had only just gotten things spread out when Fiona noticed two people walking towards them. Emma Ghis had arrived with a very excited looking Lucy. The young woman was dressed in one of her favorite gowns that day, the one that Dazu had made for her recently with different shades of blue and green that had meaning to his tribe. Lucy wore it with pride, but when she saw Will, she had the shiest of looks on her face.

"Hi, Will." Lucy said softly as Emma stood back slightly to allow her the first chance to talk. "Thank you for inviting me today."

"Sam, if you would make sure that she gets home before it gets too late." Emma said with a smile down at Lucy, reaching out to touch her soft cheek before she kissed her brow. "Kayla is having her baby right now and Boar and I thought that Lucy would have a much better time here than fretting at home with her fathers."

Emma had put her foot down when it came to Leon's protectiveness. Lucy was a young woman who needed friends that she enjoyed being around. She knew puppy love when she saw it, but Will had proven to be a harmless and honorable young man in the time that he had gotten to know her.

Fiona glanced towards Invah and then at Will, muttering the word rascal under her breath as she ruffled his hair.

 

[KieranSoares]

Will ducked away from Fiona, straightening his already-scruffy hair and trying to save face, but it wasn't much use. He approached and tried to straighten up, feeling underdressed in his everyday clothes. Invah could only chuckle at him before smiling to Emma and answering for Sam, "We'll see her home before nightfall, Mrs. Ghis." She didn't know Emma well yet, so she was polite and still warm as ever.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you." Emma said with a glance towards the dragon before she reached out to touch Lucy's cheek. "If the baby comes before you're home, I'll leave a note. You might have to come to the bakery to find us."

"Alright, Gran." Lucy said as she gave her grandmother a tight hug around the waist before Emma turned to leave their little party alone.

"Would you like to help us set up?" Fiona asked, smiling at Lucy as she nodded. "Will might need some help getting the blankets all spread out."

 

[KieranSoares]

Invah busied herself with making up the fire while Will and Lucy laid the blankets out, and Sam helped Fiona lay out the food they'd brought. There were a few snacks before the meat was done, and plenty to drink. Invah seemed to be an expert with cooking with open flame, and quite happy with the job she hadn't gotten to do in a hundred years.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona helped Invah with what she needed, smiling as she glanced towards Will and Lucy sitting next to each other on the blanket, talking about a bracelet that she had worn.

"My Da gave it to me when I was little. He always used to bring me back a little present. He got this one in Ireland. It has my Ma's favorite flower etched into the silver." Lucy explained, letting Will look closer at the delicate piece of silver on her wrist.

Fiona glanced from the two of them towards Sam, giving him a soft smile as she caught him staring. His gaze made her stomach do a strange little flip, a dark blush coating her cheeks as she quickly looked away before she embarrassed herself.

 

[KieranSoares]

Instead of Fiona getting embarrassed, it seemed Kennah was set on embarrassing Sam when she got playful and she came to pounce on him, using just enough of her weight to knock him over before she bounded away. She had seemed a serious beauty before, but now that there was no work to be done, she got to be a free spirit and that included teasing Sam who dashed after her so Fiona wouldn't see his face go red.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona laughed under her breath at the little scene as she glanced towards Invah. The dragon gave her a knowing look and Fiona let out a little sigh.

"I don't know if I can admit how I feel about him just yet." Fiona admitted softly, confessing to the dragon that felt like her mother.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well I can tell you with some certainty that he's probably feeling some similar trepidation," Invah answered quietly as she watched Kennah playing tag with Sam and eventually getting Lucy and Will involved.

 

[heartofcourage]

"How did you tell your husband that you loved him more than anything else?" Fiona asked as the three others played with Kennah as the drake suddenly turned playful.

She smiled as Kennah snagged Lucy around the waist with her claws, gently keeping her from the other two as Lucy laughed and Sam and Will joined in on the game of chase.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It was never really something I said. He didn't either. We were the sort who just knew our places at the other's side. We never talked too much about love. We just knew we were in the right place," Invah murmured thoughtfully. "He was never a romantic anyway and I'm not fond of the usual fairytale love because they usuay involve slaying dragons and saving helpless women."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think Sam has a romantic side. I've never seen it, but I get the feeling that there is one there. I wouldn't mind some romance." Fiona admitted, blushing even deep as those words came from her lips. "I mean, after everything that has happened in my life, I want to feel special."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just be patient and you'll see it come out," Invah assured her. "We've still yet to get an answer as to whether he's coming with us for sure."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I told him that I wouldn't mind if he chased me." Fiona said, another hot blush coating her cheeks as she looked at Invah with a guilty smile. "He kisses me so much better at the end of a chase."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think you ought to spend some time with him later on after everyone goes their own ways," Invah commented with a smile before returning to her work. When everything was ready, they all sat down together. Invah was a very tidy eater despite how messy a roasted pig usually was, and she had impeccable dining etiquette like a queen in her own right. Will shaped up with Lucy around, though, trying his best to have good table manners.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was incredibly grateful that everything was going so well. The meal was lovely and everyone seem to be in the bests of moods. Lucy was incredibly charming, making Will laugh more times than Fiona could count. Even Sam cracked a smile around his small cousin. Fiona was happy that Will had found a friend and seemed interested in developing a relationship with her.

After lunch, Lucy took Will to explore the loch under Invah's watchful eye. Fiona sprawled on the blankets in the sun, soaking up warmth like a lazy cat as her head rested on Sam's strong thigh. She had a content look on her face as if this is what her life should have been the entire time.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam watched Fiona for a long moment before finally daring to lift a hand and brush her hair back lightly. A slow, small smile came to his lips nearly hidden by his well-kept beard, a smile of contentment that Fiona had never seen before. He wasn't really sure what he was doing or why, but his fingers still felt sure, gliding through her light locks as if he'd been doing it for years.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona let out a soft sigh as Sam's rough fingers brushed her blonde hair out of her face. Her lips curled into a smile, her cub blue eyes opening to look into Sam's gaze. No one had ever looked at her like that before. He seemed so calm and loving, content in simply spending that moment with her.

"Invah wants to know if you'll come with us on our trip." Fiona murmured softly. "I'm sure that she could fly with you as well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I 'ope I can, but I can't make promises," Sam sighed in return. "Lot t'do gettin' ready fer Rho t'take the throne." He slid away only to lay down as well, stretched out in the opposite direction from Fiona, but with his head laying beside hers.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If you can come it would be wonderful." Fiona said knowing that he would try his hardest to come if he possibly could.

She turned her head on the blanket to look at Sam as he stretched out on the blanket as well. "You know, foxes mate for life. Probably even more so than other were. When a mate dies, it's rare to find another one."

She had no idea why she said that. It simply came tumbling forth as she looked into Sam's green eyes. "Invah thinks you have the soul of a romantic that simply needs to come forward."

 

[KieranSoares]

When she mentioned mates, Sam half-smiled. "Is tha' a warning?" At the mention of being a romantic, he shrugged. "Lot o' people think I'm gonna end up like Da, soften up after a few fights an' settle down. No' sure I want tha'. I can't be soft a' my job, an' I'm no' good at sittin' still. Romance... Well, I don' 'ave much experience with tha'."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Just an observation." Fiona said as Sam smirked st her and the. Talked about why he couldn't be soft. "Loving someone doesn't mean that you're soft. I simply means that you've found someone to share your life with."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam lifted a hand to touch her cheek with s smile, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. "Tha' doesn' sound too bad t'me."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona blushed when he said that, her gaze turning shy as he cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a gentle kiss. She nuzzled against Sam's cheek, her eyes closing as she enjoyed the simple contact. Even though she had been born human and raised that way for much of her life, her instincts as a were remained very strong. She loved to run and nuzzle, marking someone else until she felt satisfied that they wouldn't forget her.

"I don't know if I'm ready for forever yet." Fiona said softly. "I care about you a lot. I think about you often. I feel as if I need more time."

She slowly opened her eyes to look at him again, her gaze slightly sad as she thought about some shadows from her past. "Sam, I...I had to do...things to survive. Sometimes thieves aren't so honorable. They take advantage of others to get something that they want. I'm not proud of what I did with them. The first time was terrifying because I didn't know what was going on and he didn't care to share what he was doing with me. After that...I just felt numb."

She had never shared before with anyone what had happened to her along the way. Kerrigan knew. He had been one of those men that had taken advantage of her in exchange for a favor. It was the past and she couldn't change it, but it things with Sam went further, she wanted him to know the truth.