Sionnach (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"You don't have to be so standoffish," Soma told her flatly. "It was just a question."

"Kids..." Sam said with a tinge of warning. "Riley, y'don't have to threaten him all the time, you're both too old for that."

"And I'm not little," Soma scoffed.

"And," Sam glanced at him. "Y'don't always need to have the last word to get one up on yer sister. Doesn' prove anything."

Soma's shoulders dropped slightly, but he nodded, taking a step back to watch Riley work.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You also don't have to whine all the time, but you still do." Riley said as she looked at her brother and raised an eyebrow almost daring him to continue on. "You'll always be a little mite."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Riley," Sam said a little more sharply, but he wasn't angry. "Both of you. Knock it off. Yer both adults as far as Norway is concerned."

Soma met Riley's gaze, but remained straight-faced. "Maybe one day she'll actually talk to me like an equal and want me around," Soma murmured before turning on his heel and walking out. It was a tactic he occasionally used to shame her as children, but it was usually genuine as he often got fed up with being treated as a little boy.

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley watched Soma turn to leave the shop, Roman instantly manhandling him to get what was in his pockets. Riley shook her head and went back to the taste of working on Kennah's leather straps.

"One day he won't take things so personally." Riley murmured. "He gives as good as he gets. At least he doesn't run crying to Ma anymore."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam cuffed Riley lightly upside the head before stepping out to call Roman off and right him. Sam had done it many times and it never hurt, it was more meant to remind her to watch herself.

 

[heartofcourage]

Roman ignored Sam, taking off with the candy from Soma's pocket as soon as he saw Fiona walking through the manor door. Fiona smiled at her faithful drake, scratching under his chin as he hugged her tightly.

"Good morning, beasty." She murmured as Roman instantly snacked on the candy, glancing back towards Kennah and Soma as Sam stood in the doorway of the shop. "Causing trouble early today, I see."

 

[KieranSoares]

Roman rumbled and growled happily at Fiona's attention, and flopped over and rolled around in the still-short grass like a cat rolling in catnip. Sam came marching up the hill and got Roman to his feet, took Kennah's bridle off, put it on him, and handed the lead to Kennah.

"Wear him out," Sam told her, and Kennah dragged a whining Roman away. Sam then turned to Fiona and kissed her, lifting a hand to her cheek. "How're you feeling, love?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"A little more rested than I was." Fiona said with a small smile as he cupped her cheek. "I'm going to check Invah out today to make sure that her egg is developing correctly. Then I suppose I need to put Roman through his paces if he's causing trouble."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He needs boot camp," Sam sighed before stealing another kiss and turning back to look at Soma heading off in another direction. "An' I think Soma's getting fed up with Riley, finally."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Good. He'll put her in her place and they'll finally get over the rivalry that they've had." Fiona said as she watched Soma go off. "Just let them figure out what their relationship will be, love."

Fiona leaned in and kissed Sam's cheek, giving him another smile before she left to go check on the dragons. She spoke with dragons as she passed, greeting those that were new and checking in with those that made their home on the estate. She told those that needed something to speak to Ezra or Danni, letting them know that they would get whatever they desired.

She paused as she came upon Schaller's area, hearing his voice first and then seeing that he was in a heated conversation with Rikke. She stood at a distance to let them have some privacy, only stepping forward when Rikke left suddenly into the skies.

"That didn't seem like a happy conversation." Fiona said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Schaller snorted a bit of smoke as Fiona approached, huffing and turning away from the sight of Rikke flying off. "She's off to the Voya early," he grunted, clawing absently at the ground in frustration. "Dzana's rubbed off on her... Bloody stubborn thing." He flopped down with another huff like an annoyed cat. "She wants to start training... real training."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She's an adult now, Schaller. She can make her own choices." Fiona said softly, knowing that RIkke was a sensitive subject with the elder dragon sometimes. "I know it doesn't make it any easier, but if she wants to train to be a fighter, then we will give her every opportunity."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've told her she can..." He admitted quietly. "But when I told her she wouldn't be fighting in Scotland with us, that a month isn't enough, she decided she was going to get Rory and the sanctuary guardians to teach her."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, lucky for you Rory is on your side." Fiona said as she sat down on his great flexing claw, stilling his actions as he dug at the ground with nerves and frustration. "It's hard, I know. I still want to stop Riley from doing certain things, but I was barely older than her when I faced Barbarossa. She's a sensible dragon. You have that in your favor."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Intelligence and wisdom don't always go hand-in-hand," Schaller grunted, finally falling still as she distracted him. "... When I saw Riley injured the first time from a fight... I thought I was going to lose my mind. I don't know what I'll do if Rikke is hurt."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She's all you have left of your mate." Fiona said softly. "I understand that kind of pain. This will be good for her, Schaller. I promise you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I won't argue, because we won't agree. It may be good for her sense of self, but it won't be good for her health, physically or mentally... Killing isn't good for anyone."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I won’t convince you of anything in this state.” Fiona said, standing from his scales to look up at his broad head. “Make yourself useful and go out your frustrations into digging the new pond on the north property. It’ll give your claws something to do.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Schaller's brows furrowed as he looked down at her, but he briefly hugged her against his chest before lumbering away quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona watched him go, hoping that a task would keep his mind occupied and off Rikke. He loved her fiercely and protected her just as much, but Rikke needed to figure life out on her own. It wasn't going to be easy with a father like Schaller.

She turned to go find Gaiann and Invah at their shelter, pausing when she saw Gaiann basking in the sunlight like a lazy cat.

"You get Sam's dragon pregnant and then laze about like the lord of manor." Fiona teased.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've been hunting all morning with a back injury," Gaiann grunted, stretching out his back legs slowly and carefully. "While you slept in, I see." He smiled, lowering his head to nuzzle her gently.

 

[heartofcourage]

“You wouldn’t be so stiff if you would let Dani and Ezra work on your limbs. However, you always grouse and complain.” Fiona said as she carefully climbed up his scaled legs to help him apply pressure to certain spots while he stretched him out.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Because it hurts, little kit," Gaiann told her, wincing as she applied pressure in some places. But he didn't stop her.

 

[heartofcourage]

“It hurts but you want to be able to keep up with a fledgeling, right?” Fiona asked as he groused and winced. “That means doing things we don’t want to do.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"He'll do it, just never without complaining," Invah chuckled as she approached, having returned from a walk with Idunn. Nuzzling Gaiann, she helped Fiona and let her mate lean on her as he stretched. "We're at the end of our prime, old man. You picked quite a time to be a father again."

"I'll only accept half the blame at most," Gaiann laughed lightly.