Sionnach (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"It is treason, in a way. But sometimes it is necessary," Qira assured her quietly. "These very situations are why Kate and Kayla have Lord Protectors to balance them and overrule them. It would normally be your mother's role as well... But we all must take up difficult mantles when others are laid low." He rose from his seat, stepping over to pull Riley into a hug. "You're doing the right thing, Riley. We need Samuel Ghis more than we need to put down Oliveras right this moment... Kell is working on a solution to that problem as well with Soma. It's slow going with everything happening right now, but we will figure something out that doesn't involve your father taking on a suicide mission."

 

[heartofcourage]

“He’ll never forgive me when he figures this out.” Riley muttered as Qira held her tightly and explained that it was a necessary evil. “He’s always trusted me out of everyone.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"He'll be angry. But I doubt he'll stay angry for long, especially if we can come up with a better solution. However, I think everyone else will be grateful. Especially your mother. I truly think that after all she's already been through physically and especially emotionally... She wouldn't survive losing him." Qira stepped back, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I have betrayed the people I love for their own good too, Riley. It's never easy... But the trust lost is only temporary. A life, however... You can never get that back once it's gone. You're making the right choice."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He might try to leave with the drakes or another rider. He's looking for someone to go with him. If you can stop him, I would forever be in your debt." Riley said as Qira took her by the shoulders and stared down at her. "I mean it. Anything you need from me, I'll do."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll talk about that later. I need to make sure he doesn't slip away. Go to your mother and keep watch. If anyone you don't recognize comes around, sound the alarm." Qira hugged her once more before heading out to find Sam and a few choice agents to help.

He went to Shani first, who was getting ready for her own shift to start. "Shani," Qira spoke after knocking on the door. "Get Bo and come to Kell's office." He didn't wait before heading off to find Sam next.

 

[heartofcourage]

Shani was a little startled when her father knocked on her door and told her to gather Bo and go to Kell's office. He wasn't waiting when she emerged a few moments later, fully dressed and armed. She quietly went to the great hall to gather Brogan and soon the both of them were heading towards Kell's office in the secure area of the keep.

"He didn't tell me what this was about. I hope you didn't do something stupid to get into trouble." Shani said, looking up at Bo as they walked side by side.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Haven't done anything out of the ordinary," Brogan murmured as they went. "But things have been tense today..."

They reached Kell's office before Qira, the room empty but heavily guarded from the outside. Brogan and Shani each had their own keys as trusted agents, so they stepped in to wait. Some ten minutes later, they heard footsteps approaching and Sam's voice.

"Qira, we told you t'take it easy, yer sick," Sam sighed as Qira opened the door and showed him in. Finding Bo and Shani inside, Sam paused while Qira shut the door behind himself. "What's going on?" Sam murmured, looking amongst the three.

"You're not going to Spain," Qira spoke firmly. "And we are all making sure of it." He turned to Shani and Brogan. "I'm giving you both clearance to arrest any member of this family who attempts to follow Stila Oliveras, or aid another in the pursuit, without my or Kell's permission."

"Goddammit, Riley," Sam growled to himself.

"And you call us reckless," Bo sighed.

"Tell me you don't want t'do the same," Sam muttered with a stern glare at the young Wolf.

"I do. But you know as well as I do that Oliveras is too dangerous to go after right now. Soma will be the first to tell you that it's suicide without a proper plan and backup, especially considering she'll be on her own turf."

"We won't prevent you from doing your job. But you're not to leave alone, and your access to the dragons and any other mounts is restricted to work only," Qira spoke firmly. "Don't make us lock you up. Be reasonable and stay alive, if only for Fiona. In her state, she wouldn't survive if something happened to you or any of your children."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Oh, not you too, Uncle Sam." Shani said with a long sigh, fed up with the bullheaded stubbornness that all of the Ghis seemed to possess. "I can barely keep Bo on the straight and narrow."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hey, I've gotten better," Bo protested. "It's the old folks who are getting worse."

"I don't have time for this," Sam huffed, turning to leave. Qira let him go, glancing to Shani and Brogan.

"I'll have others assigned as well. Keep an eye on him... I'm in no state to keep up right now." It was a rare moment that Qira could admit his limits.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Which is why I'm going to make sure you get back to bed. Before Ma has both our hides." Shani said as she came up to her father's side. "And Bo can keep track of Sam for the time being. Soma is safe right now."

Shani took her father's arm and gave him a small tug to follow, intend on getting him back where he could rest. Across the keep, Riley sat next to Andre and twisted her hands together with nervous energy.

"My stomach hurts." She murmured softly. "He's going to be spitting mad."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sitting in the parlor adjoining Fiona's room so they could talk without disturbing her, Andre took Riley's hands to stop her nervous fidgeting. "He'll be mad, but he'll realize it's for the best when he cools down and thinks about it," Andre insisted quietly. "He's stubborn, but he's not stupid."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I should have just agreed to go with him. I've never gone against my Da on anything like this before." Riley murmured, her torment strong as Andre stopped her fidgeting with his hands. "Andre, what if he doesn't forgive me for this?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"He will," Andre told her with absolute certainty. "And I don't want you going off on a suicide mission either. We need both of you. Your Ma needs him, and I need you."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley leaned into Andre, needing his hope and strength to keep her going as she might have potentially ruined the most important relationship in her life. It was quiet for a few more hours as the call for the midday meal was given. A fierce storm had swept in off the bay, pelting everything with rain and thunder. Fiona had slept heavily, waking only when the thunder shook the walls. Lifting her head off the pillow, she saw Sam seated in front of the fire as he often was when something bothered him that he needed to think about.

Quietly, she got out of bed, pulling on a robe as she made her way towards him. Bending down, she kissed his cheek.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

So lost in thought, Sam didn't notice Fiona's presence til she touched him. "What're you doin' out o' bed?" He asked softly, standing only to make her take his seat. He didn't know if she was very steady yet and he didn't want to take chances. He knelt before her, looking her over before pressing a kiss to her cheek in return.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can't sleep forever." She said simply as Sam was up in an instant and settling her in his spot. "Sam, I'm alright. I promise."

She reached out and took his face in her hands, staring into his green eyes as he looked her over with such concern that it made her heart ache.

"You haven't lost me yet." She promised him. "Nor will you for a very long time."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam sighed quietly before pressing a kiss to her palm, and let his head rest in her lap. "I don' think anyone can scare me like you can, love...

 

[heartofcourage]

"What has you so down right now?" She asked softly as he settled his head in her lap. "I think only one of us can be low at the moment and I've reserved that position."

She was joking with him, trying to show him that she still had her sense of humor.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just a lot to think about..." Sam sighed. But he knew Fiona wouldn't accept that alone, so to avoid the subject of his foiled plan, he added, "We spoke with Royer. He admitted his father didn' just earn th'throne. He started a rebellion, an' he's been destroying nobles an' clans who won't bow to him now tha' he's king. Infighting across the isles, th'likes o' back in Tamblin's day... Soma's recalculating, an' we'll probably go fer Edinburgh directly, from Trondheim. So we'll be leaving Normandy soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"So, another power-hungry tyrant," Fiona said as she gently ran her fingers through Sam's hair. "I know that something didn't add up when I spoke to the boy."

She let out a long sigh, old beyond her years. "What a mess all of this has become. Our beautiful homeland is torn again."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've stopped questioning whether we should take it back. We need to, if only to reunite th'lands we once held..." Sam murmured. Glancing up at her again, he sighed deeply and admitted quietly, "... I nearly did somethin' stupid, love..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Am I going to be angry with you?" Fiona asked as she glanced down at Sam, not breaking their peaceful moment as thunder sounded outside in deep rumbles.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Very... But I'd rather own up to it, than let you find out later... Bloody furious a' Riley fer stoppin' me." He held her gaze as he admitted quietly, "I was gonna follow Oliveras an' try t'put her down... I asked Riley if she'd help me since I didn' have you, an' she told Qira."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Samuel, she would have torn you apart. Why would you think that going on a suicide mission with our daughter was the right thing to do?" Fiona asked as Sam admitted to his foiled plot. "You used to tell me the same when I threatened to burn Vienna to the ground. Is it because she hurt me?"

She let out a long sigh and shook her head. "You know I would have followed you. You wouldn't have gone alone for long."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I realized that..." He let out another frustrated sigh. "When th'hell did Riley become th' sensible one..." He buried his face in her lap and his shoulders slumped, simply tired, angry, and defeated.