Sionnach (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Sam stuck close by just in case, but he didn't help unless he knew she needed it. As they headed outside to the half-snowy, half-muddy grounds, Sam briefly disappeared into a nearby barn and soon returned with a pair of dulled blades. Handing one to Fiona, he faced her from several paces away.

"Alright, lead on, love," he offered.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was like an excited kit as Sam brought her a sword and she tossed her crutch to the side. She tested her new stance, feeling it for what it was in all of its strengths and weaknesses, and she looked towards Sam as he told her to lead on. She took a stance and it felt wrong. Changing, she sighed as it felt wrong too.

"Fuck it." She muttered to herself as she took an unconventional stance before making the first strike against her husband.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam parried her first blow, letting her test out what she could do and adjust her footwork to her injured leg. "Take it easy, love," he murmured, noticing a few awkward steps.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You know that isn't going to happen," Fiona said as Sam told her to take it easy as he let her test out how she was going to fight on an injured leg. "I have to work it all out. If I don't, I'll be a target for anyone on the battle field."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're not going onto a battlefield til you're back in shape," Sam told her firmly. "So don't overstretch yourself now, or it'll be even longer before you get back into the fight. And all yer Riders an' dragons agree."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona paused and looked at him as he mentioned that all of the dragons and riders agreed that she wouldn't be on the battlefield if she wasn't back in shape. "So, that's what you've been doing while I've been laid up? Taking my command away from me?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"You know that's exactly what happens when any officer is downed. Their responsibilities are delegated out til they can take control again," Sam reminded her. "Between Ezra, Jani, an' myself, we're handlin' your command fer now."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Dammit, Samuel." Fiona growled as she turned away from him, shaking her head. "What if I never get myself back enough to be out there with them? You're telling me that I'm effectively cut off now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Being a little slow on yer feet doesn' mean you can't work," Sam told her, resting the dulled blade on his shoulder. "You jus' won' listen when everyone tells you this is temporary. Even if yer leg never fully recovers- which we won't know fer bloody months- you can go back on duty as a Rider by th'time we're ready t'attack from Trondheim. Jus' no ground fighting 'r difficult missions. Once we know how well you recover, we'll decide from there what you'll do. I know it's tough to jus' wait, but I need you t'be patient. I need you t'heal an' be ready to go when it's time, because I can't do this without you. If you push yourself too much now, you won't be ready. There's a big difference between physical therapy, an' over-straining yer injuries. If you want t'take some command back, you can, but I won' have you runnin' all over Normandy."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We don't have time to wait." Fiona murmured as she turned to look at him again. "We don't have time to see if my leg will ever be the same and I need to be out there. This has all happened at the worst possible time."

She felt absolutely helpless. Her riders needed her and Sam's men needed him. Even with the tasks divided, she felt as if she weren't doing enough.

"And all because of my fucking leg." She muttered to herself.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We do have time," Sam insisted. "You're not as involved in the preparations as ye'd like to be, I know. But th'invasion is still a month off. If you don' do anything ridiculous, you should be in good enough shape t'join us. Yer jus' gonna have to learn from Riley's experience an' wait this out."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona wanted to rage and cry all at the same time. She swallowed all of that down, however. Sam hadn't seen her cry since she had been injured and she wasn't about to start now. With a long sigh, she took the training blade and took her stance.

"Again?" She asked with her blade at th ready.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam looked at her for a moment before stepping forward. His blade crossed hers and pushed it aside, allowing him to approach and hug her tightly in one arm. He wanted nothing more than to fix everything for her, but he knew that he couldn't. And for all the Ghis reputation of being stubborn, he knew Riley's real source of bull-headed stubbornness was Fiona.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona leaned into Sam as he took her into his arms. She dropped her training sword and just held him tightly, struggling with the enormity of everything that had happened and everything that would happen. She didn't want to fail him when he needed her the most, but that was exactly what she felt was happening.

"I almost wish you'd be angry with me and fight. It would be easier that way." Fiona muttered against his chest. "A lot easier than being mad at myself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It wouldn't be easier. Because knowing you, you'd blame yourself even more. Besides... we spent too long working at this whole damned relationship fer me t'be mad over somethin' like this." He laid his head against hers, but had to smile a bit. "You were always bad at bein' sick. Always sick fer longer than y'should be because yer too bloody stubborn."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've been depressed, I'll admit. Then holding the baby today made me realized that so much of what we had planned has been pushed back simply because of this bloody war and the Empire." Fiona said softly as Sam pressed his head against her own. "None of it has helped my mood or this restless feeling."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Pushed back, but not out o' the realm o' possibility." Sam kissed her forehead before stepping back. "Now, I'm no' lettin' yer bladework suffer any longer. Yer gonna beat Kate next time we have a family sparring tournament, no excuses. Gods help us if Riley manages t'outdo you jus' because yer out o' practice." He was teasing, but he also knew she needed something to work at. And after two decades of training together, he knew how to push her to get better and be competitive.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You think you can teach an old fox some new tricks?" She asked as she took the offered sword from him and looked over the dulled blade. "Because it might be a miracle, love."

She knew that Sam wasn't about to let her down. He loved her too much to let her suffer for long and he would pull her out of the wallow of depression by force if he had to.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Let's make sure the old Fox still remembers her old tricks first. Come on, no more lazing around," Sam egged her on with a light smile, his own blade at the ready to let her lead.

 

[heartofcourage]

As the couple reconnected with one another, Fiona started to loosen up. Working until she was exhausted put her mind to rest. Sam put her through her paces, pointing out where she was weak and pointing out where she was strong. By the end, her legs shook like jelly and she leaned heavily on her crutch as Sam got their blades put away. Then she stubbornly insisted on walking back inside on her own. She wasn't going to let them see Sam carrying her, even if she were too weak. No one was ever going to think that she was weak again.

Riley had taken on part of her mother's duties under Ezra's watchful gaze. She was in charge of inspecting new riders and it nearly bored her to tears. The only reason that she didn't abandon her post was that her father was relying on her to help them all take up some slack caused by Fiona's injuries. Entering her ger where Andre was already lounging after a long day, she gave a great sigh and pulled off her new uniform coat.

"If I have to tell one more recruit that their buckling and tack is all wrong, I'm liable to go insane." She muttered, tossing the jacket on a stool before she flopped onto the bedding beside him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre turned on his side, resting his head on his hand and looking down at her. As he often did in their personal time, he'd abandoned his own jacket and shirt and boots for the sake of comfort despite the chill outside, just wearing his trousers now.

"You were new once too," Andre reminded with a handsome little grin.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I was and I'm being kind to them by pointing it out. Ezra and Jani just used to let me take off and figure things out as I was sliding around in the saddle." Riley groused as Andre seemed as unbothered as he normally was. "I finally had enough and grounded the whole lot of them until Ezra can work some sense into them."

She turned her gaze up towards Andre as he stared down at her. "Wine or ale. I'm going to need some this evening."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Is that a cue for me to go get you some?" He grinned down at her. "I see how it is. I'm just your cook and scullery maid now."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You just do it naturally most of the time and then complain when I ask you on the times that you don't offer," Riley murmured as Andre teased her. "Fine. I'll get it myself."

She rolled off the bed and pulled off the constricting tunic that she wore when in uniform. She tossed it down along with the jacket and moved in her underclothes to where they stored their supplies. They had brought a few bottles with them and she chose her favorite from Norway. It was a strong clear brew that could drown your sorrows in a few cups.

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's because you never offer and you complain when I ask you," Andre chuckled, following her as she went and nuzzling into her neck when she paused.