Claymore and Dagger (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I'd love it if y'did. I wouldn' mind gettin' used to it either." Sam wrapped an arm around her waist, enjoying the sun and the breeze. For the first time in a long time, nothing was weighing on him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you have a lot going on in your life." Fiona said softly as Sam wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her close. "Your family and your duties. I just want you to know that none of that will ever come between us. I can be a very patient person."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I did say I'd slow down a bit t'make more time," he reminded her softly. "I ought to anyway. Yer no' the only person I want t'have more time for."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And who else is on that list?" Fiona asked, glancing up at Sam as he mentioned that he was going to slow down. "Sam, you don't have to change things just for me. I know that what you do is incredibly important."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, my family deserves a lot more o' my attention. Seems like lately I've only spent time with Heather an' Ma, and hardly any at tha'. My job... Without tryin' t'sound self-congratulatory, I do the job o' three men. I'm the General o' Inverness, th'Captain o' the Axemen, an' the Commander o' the town guard. I really should 'ave other officers t'help me. I trained myself fer all of it, but even I know I can't do it all, all the time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Which one gives you the most excitement? That is the one that you should keep." Fiona murmured as he explained that his family deserved more time.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I would give over the leadership o' the Axemen to my right 'and man right away. I still 'ave leadership as General, but their trainin' will be up t'him. But I don' know tha' there's anyone I'd trust t'take over either o' my other positions."

Their food was soon brought out and Sam seemed rather lost in thought. "Maybe I should train someone t'take over the town watch... I jus' don't know who I'd be comfortable with. I don' think I can give over my position as General, especially if I'll be Rho's right hand when he takes over the throne."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Surely there's someone you trust." Fiona said as she dug into her food with gusto. "And there doesn't have to be any hard decisions yet. It will all still be there....even when we get back from Scandinavia."

Fiona was truly looking forward to the trip to find her family. Even more so now that she and Sam had made a commitment to each other in the most intimate way.

"I wish I could remember more of my Ma. Maybe her family can tell me more about her." Fiona murmured, looking over at Sam. "She was a white fox. Grandpa always said its where I got my hair color from."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tha' reminds me..." Sam said and a smile came to his face. "I'd meant t'tell ya yesterday, but I'd sent a letter t'my aunt's court in Norway t'pass on to Sweden. Queen Kjersten managed t'answer me back an' tell me where yer grandfather's tribe is and what they're called. I'll show ya the letter, but they're called th' Voya, an' Oleg is their high Shaman."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona went very quiet as Sam announced that he had found her grandfather and that he was a high shaman of the tribe. She hadn't been expecting that news so suddenly. She had expected a long search but it seemed that she had an instant answer.

"She knows him?" Fiona asked. "Does he want to see me?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"When Kjersten an' Rakkar took over for Kjotva, she made it 'er business t'know all the tribes. I didn' ask 'er to, but she sent 'im a letter about you, asking him t'send one back to you if 'e could. If 'e does, it ought t'be here soon. She did say tha' she knew 'im personally because she 'elped th' tribes with an epidemic tha' went through a few years ago, but all she really said beyond tha' was tha' his wife had talked about a missing grandchild once, and Kjersten thinks she might've been talking about you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My Ma was their only daughter. She had brothers, I know. She never really talked about them. She...was always too drunk to much more than feed me breakfast and make sure I was tucked in for the evening." Fiona admitted, glancing down at her bowl of food in silence. "Grandpa always have me lunch when he was home. Da would always drag me back home. He would get so angry that I went to Grandpa."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam leaned over to lift a hand to her cheek. He knew he couldn't offer any real comfort that would make her past any better, but he murmured, "I 'ave a good feeling about yer family in Sweden, Fiona. I think... seein' the person you are now, they'll welcome you with open arms."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They haven't tried to contact me before now." Fiona said softly as Sam leaned over and cupped her cheek. "I'm glad that you have hope but I've spent so many years alone that...well, I know not to get my hopes up."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe they didn' contact you because they couldn' find you. Or maybe because o' yer parents. Either way... Most good people wouldn' disown their grandchildren jus' because o' somethin' the parents did. Especially not in werefolk tribes."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sam...just leave it alone." Fiona said, looking at Sam with a glance of heartache and warning.

She didn't want to talk about being a werefox and never belonging to a tribe. It was painful to think about.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam said no more, his apology silent as he pressed a kiss to her temple. He knew it hurt to even think about, and she wasn't ready yet to share all those insecurities.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona ate in silence after that, not wanting to discuss her membership in any tribe. Her father had always made her feel inferior for simply being human. He had called her mean and nasty things, vile things that destroyed the confidence of a normally sunny little girl.

 

[KieranSoares]

After they'd finished, Sam gave Fiona a bit of space while he tended to Kennah, making sure she got plenty to eat as well. Sam knew all too well that there was a lot in Fiona's life that was painful, old and new, and he didn't want to make it hurt anymore.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sorry for acting like this." Fiona said after a long moment alone. "I've never felt like I belonged anywhere. Neither human nor fox."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm th'last person who could blame you fer gettin' upset about not belonging," Sam reassured her, stroking Kennah's neck. "I may 'ave always 'ad a place open for me... but it was never tha' I belonged there. It was tha' I felt like I had t'be there t'make up fer things I've done."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My da....was not a good man." Fiona murmured as Sam explained that he had never felt that he belonged either. "And I know he hurt. He lost his soul when Ma died. But he wanted to hurt me most of all for something that I couldn't help."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam turned, looking at Fiona for a long moment in silence before he came back to her side and wrapped her up in his arms. "I love you," he finally murmured, knowing he could offer no other comfort. "An' I hope you know tha' won't change."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona leaned her head against Sam's shoulder as he wrapped her up in his arms, a long sigh leaving her lips as he promised that he loved her and nothing would change that.

"I might do my level best to chase you off, but I need you to remember that I love you too." Fiona said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can take a pretty good beatin', lass," he assured her before they set off toward town together. Sam wanted to make sure Fiona read Kjersten's letter, and he wanted to look into a place for Roman so he could be near Kennah as Sam was fairly certain they wouldn't hesitate to break each other out again and again.