Sionnach (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe. After we eat though. All they've had here is the slop that von Morden is used to." Riley said as she leaned in and kissed Andre deeply and then sat up to look at all that he had made.

 

[KieranSoares]

It seemed that Andre had brought in his own supplies as per usual, and had made a rich vegetable soup, shredded roast beef with onions and mushrooms, and a small stack of flatbread. Two plates and bowls and two sets of silverware sat at the side, and a little snowdrop flower lay on the tray as well. The fact that Andre had found one meant that the thaw wasn't too far off, as one of the earliest blooming flowers.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You brought me a flower?" Riley asked as she caught sight of the bloom on the tray. "Please don't tell me that you turned into a sappy romantic while you've been alone."

She leaned in and kissed him once more before she dutifully dished up the meal and handed him his own bowl. She got settled against the headboard of the bed and ate heartily. Anything that he made was miles better than what they had been feeding them there in France that week. It instantly made her feel better and warm

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well if you're gonna tease me about it, I'll go give it to your Ma or someone who'll appreciate it," Andre teased back as they ate. "I'd give one to Tanya but I'm still never sure if she's going to hug me or deck me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I didn't say that I didn't appreciate it. I was just asking if you had turned into a sap."

Riley gave him a grin as she settled in easily with him, truly relaxing for the first time since she had come to France to be with her mother. "Tanya is a great mystery to everyone but Joachim. She was trying to patch things up with me, but I'm not sure that I'm ready to let that happen just yet. Not for a while at least."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Trust me, Joachim doesn't know shit about her either," Andre grinned. "I'd dare to say I know the most about her. She admires you and your Ma, that's why she's trying to be friendly. Or what passes as friendly in her book. She's layered and complicated and she's been through a lot. And despite what she did... She and I still love each other like siblings. She wants to show you that she's grateful for all you did, and for fixing what she considers the biggest mistake of her life, according to what she told me earlier. And she wants to make sure there's good people out there who don't hate her, and would give a damn about her kid and her husband if she died. She's got a big heart... But it's covered up by a lot of difficult stuff."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I still don't know how you can forgive her so easily. Especially after everything that happened to you in Vienna." Riley murmured as she looked up at Andre. "That's the only thing that goes through my head when she tries to talk to me. Watching you get torn from the saddle over and over again isn't something that I really care to relive."

"I won't ever stop you from being friends with someone or having a relationship with them, but I just don't know if I can ever truly forgive the both of them," Riley explained as she leaned over and kissed his cheek again, having truly missed him since she had left Trondheim.

Across the manor, Fiona had fallen into an exhausted sleep after her walk around. Sam had put her to bed and taken up his position beside her to make sure that she got the sleep that she needed. However, she was plagued with nightmares and vile images. As one would end, another would begin until the very worst was saved for last.

She was stalking along the hallways of the manor, searching for von Mordan yet again. As she approached the same office that she had found him in originally, she paused. Deja vu swept over her as the door was slowly swung open and the scene looked just as it had that day. However, she knew now that he was armed. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

Tiptoeing to the door of the closet, she stood at the ready, her dagger in her hand. She was going to end this on her own terms this time. Gathering her courage, she ripped the door open and swung her dagger. However, the body that she found was not that of von Morden.

"No," Fiona said as she stumbled backward. "No. You're dead."

As Barbarossa emerged from the closet, the wounds of his death very apparent, Fiona felt a rush of fear wash over her. His throat was cut from where she had killed him. He was charred from the fire. He looked like an absolute horror.

"You are dead." She murmured again as she backed herself into the wall and had nowhere else to go.

She saw a sword in his hand and the threat that he was going to cut her kit from her womb rang in her head again. He would kill her if he got near. She turned to run from the room, letting out a scream as his hand grabbed her long hair and jerked her backward.

"SAM!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "SAM! HELP!"

When she hit the floor, she rolled. She had to get away from Barbarossa. That was the only thing in her mind. She rolled until the sharp point of a sword was forced in front of her face, stopping her movement.

"You fucking bastard!" She growled, turning to lash out at the knees that she had ruined in order to get the upper hand. "You're not going to fucking win this time!"

 

[KieranSoares]

In her dream, Barbarossa's charred hand caught her wrist as she swung, but as he opened his mouth, it wasn't his voice that reached her.

"Fiona!" Sam raised his voice, grabbing both her arms to still her as she thrashed in a nightmare, trying to keep her from moving too much lest she roll or kick her injured leg. "Love, I'm here! You're okay."

 

[heartofcourage]

She let out a growl that sounded like a wounded animal as that charred hand grabbed her wrist. She bucked her entire body and twisted violently to get away from him. Then she paused as the voice that came from Barbarossa was Sam's. Her brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to reassure her. It took far too long for Barbarossa to fade away and be replaced by Sam, the entire world shifting around him as she came back to her senses.

"Sam?" She whispered softly, deep shivers wracking her body.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hey, love..." Sam murmured softly, leaning down to press his forehead to hers and wrap his arms around her. "You're okay," he repeated softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona let out a shaking breath as Sam wrapped her in a tight hug and she returned the favor by holding him as tightly as she could. "Please tell me that he's still dead."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam knew instantly who she meant, and his embrace tightened in return. "Dead and burned for twenty years, love. He can't come back."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona shivered violently again as Sam held her tightly and promised that Barbarossa was dead and gone. She buried her face against his throat and tried to forget what she had seen and the nightmare that had seemed so real.

"Jesus, Sam, it felt so real. Like it was happening all over again."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam settled into the bed beside her, letting her rest against his side. "You saved us from him, love," he encouraged gently. "He can't touch any of us anymore."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona closed her eyes and centered herself as Sam got settled in the bed beside her, telling her again that Barbarossa was dead and wouldn't be disturbing them. She had been the one that took care of that problem.

"But he can touch us still. This is all his doing." Fiona murmured as she leaned into Sam's side. "He created men and places like this."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam's fingers stroked back through her hair, trying to soothe her as he spoke calmly, "His effect is gonna be felt fer a long time, love... But he's gone fer good, and we're destroying th'last o' what he left behind."

 

[heartofcourage]

Blue eyes turned towards Sam as he smoothed his fingers through her hair, doing his best to put her at ease. "I don't think I can sleep anymore after that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's okay," Sam assured her, sitting up and carefully bringing her to sit up as well, propped against more pillows. It was getting to late evening, so things were quiet.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I hate this, Sam. I hate every moment. I don't want to be an invalid and a burden on my family." Fiona murmured as he helped her to sit up on the pillows. "All I've had today are nightmares. All I want is to rest and get better."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're not a burden," Sam insisted quietly. "You're wounded an' sick. Families look after each other in th'good times an' the bad. Just like we did fer Riley, jus' like you did fer me when I was at my worst. I won' hear you callin' yerself a burden."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I am a burden, Sam. Call it like it is. We would have moved on from this fucking place a week ago if I weren't." She murmured as she leaned her head back against the pillows.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Shut up," Sam grunted, sitting back beside her and keeping an arm around her. "If you need another reason why we're still here, it's for Qira too. He's not doing well either."

The Panther was keeping to himself and probably only Kell and a few others knew where. Sam hadn't mentioned him previously, not wanting to weigh that on Fiona too.

"Rissa an' Kate are in Normandy already, but you can bet they'll be here soon," Sam muttered.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I knew he was injured that day. He got hit by the crossbow bolts." She said with a sigh as Sam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and told her about Qira. "Stubborn fool. He knew what he was doing and that he was going to get hurt."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I knew he was injured that day. He got hit by the crossbow bolts." She said with a sigh as Sam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and told her about Qira. "Stubborn fool. He knew what he was doing and that he was going to get hurt."

"The damned fool kept pushing, now he's sick too," Sam admitted quietly. "It got pretty serious while you were still out. But he's recovering now too. So for our Rider Queen an' our best protector, we're sitting still for a moment. You're both just going t' have to deal with th'fact we love you an' want you t'heal."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Watch it, Samuel. I'm already grumpy enough." Fiona muttered as he told her that she would just have to deal with all of them worrying about her.

She leaned her head over on his shoulder and let out a tired sigh. "All I'm good for at the moment is eating, getting fat, and wondering if I'll ever be able to walk again."