Sionnach (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I was in a rush," Sam murmured quietly. "Besides, there's no' much wind an' cold can do t'me tha' my forge hasn' done."

Looking up at her, his brows furrowed once more. "I thought I was gonna have to kill tha' girl... I was a couple seconds away from throwin' my knife if she didn' put tha' crossbow down. I've lost count o' how many times one of us 'as been between th'other an' a deadly threat. We're gettin' too worn out an' old fer this constant threatening, love..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You might be too old." Fiona countered with a slight smile as she put the cap back on the salve. "I've long accepted that Samuel Ghis has aged beyond his years."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've been well beyond my age for almost as long as I can remember." Sam stood as he finished his plate, stretching with a tired sigh. "I think, fer once, I'm gonna jus' go t'bed an' not argue... Wake me if anythin' new comes up, an' thrash Riley for me if she's still alive..." He leaned over to kiss Fiona before wandering toward their room.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona watched him go and glanced back at Rhett with a sigh. "My entire family is nothing but a bunch of sad sacks."

 

[KieranSoares]

'You are little different, my love. You fit right in,' Rhett signed back with a sympathetic smile. 'My brothers are little different.'

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe I should just be like my ma. She was the fearless one among you all." Fiona said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

'You are like her. Riley too. The best part of her.' Rhett kissed her forehead and motioned her on. 'Don't hang around sulking and worrying too long.'

 

[heartofcourage]

It was well into evening when Riley returned with Marth. Both of them were exhausted and filthy, having searched high and low for any sign of the lost wolf. Riley had crawled through long abandoned caverns and camps, just searching for a clue that might lead in the right direction. When they hadn't found anything, she reluctantly returned back to the Voya.

"Get some rest." She told Marth as she took off his saddle and tack, knowing that he was probably as tired as she was.

 

[KieranSoares]

Marth stretched stiffly, his formerly-wounded side needing a little extra work. "I feel like sleeping for a week," he muttered, lumbering off to find a place to collapse for the night.

"Riley," Sam's voice came from the doorway to Rhett's home. He'd been awake for a few hours getting information from the Riders who'd returned. As Riley approached, Sam murmured, "... You missed out on dinner, lass. Come sit down. I'll make you something." If he was angry at her for disappearing, he didn't show it yet.

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley turned when her Da's voice called out her name, telling her to come in for dinner. "No offence, Da, but Andre usually cooks for me." She said as she heard the midnight bell toll off in the distance. "But I suppose he and Gia are probably long asleep."

She let out a soft sigh as she followed behind him, knowing that she was probably going to get a dressing down at some point.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Your Ma sent 'im off quite a while ago," Sam murmured, wrapping an arm around her as she stepped in, and he guided her into the kitchen before letting go and beginning to get ingredients out.

"I talked t'Tanya... Said she ran across you after she downed a mercenary. What else did y'find?" He asked quietly as he worked.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Not a single thing. Empty caverns and no sign of life anywhere.” Riley muttered as she sat at the table and rested her head in her hands.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Probably flew straight back to wherever they're from, got spooked by other Riders bein' taken down," Sam sighed. "Listen, Riley... I appreciate yer dedication. You give a damn an' that's more'n can be said fer a lot of people in this world. I'm not gonna yell at you fer doin' what you need to do. But y'could at least let someone know where you're off to before you disappear. None of us want t'end up blindly searchin' if you go missing with no leads 'r ideas where t'start."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If I had told you, you would have come." Riley said softly as she looked up at him. "And you were needed elsewhere. If it makes you feel better, I'll give you a head's up in the future, but I'm not one of your riders."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You aren't one o' my riders, but when we work together, we need t'be aware of where the other is, so no one goes missing or gets caught unawares," Sam told her firmly. "It's not about giving or taking orders, Riley. It's about keeping everyone safe an' not taking unnecessary risks regardless o' loyalties. I don't know if you plan in joining in with th'attack on Edinburgh when it's time, but if you do, you need to communicate. Renegade riders who do everything on their own tend to ruin plans and get caught in crossfire or downed by friendly frie. Several of our friends 'ave learned that th'hard way, an' they're scarred, wounded permanently, or dead."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da, I'm too tired for a lecture." Riley said simply, looking up at him as he tried to impress upon her the importance of communication among riders. "I know you don't like the way I do things and that I need to be more open."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We're all exhausted, kit. I'm just trying t'minimize losses here." Sam went quiet after that, and soon laid a simple but hearty plate of mutton and vegetables before her. He stepped away with a sigh, leaving her be.

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley looked down at the food and then at the retreating figure of her father. "Thank you for caring enough to scold me, Da." Riley said softly as she started to eat and let him go off to cool down.

Fiona was sound asleep when the bed dipped and she slowly opened her eyes to see Sam's back. She gently reached out from under the covers and touch him, feeling the way that his back was so tense.

"When did she return?" Fiona asked softly. "And what did she do to make you mad?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just a little while ago," Sam murmured. "We're jus' both tense, didn't wanna hear me tell 'er off." He turned, sitting cross-legged on the bed beside her. "... Dzana and I are gonna be partners for the foreseeable future. I'm gonna make a new saddle in my free time here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can help you." Fiona said softly as she turned to her back to look up at him in the dim candlelight. "I'm a bit surprised that she wants to fight with a rider. She seemed adamite that she was going to raise Sveri and keep to herself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think it's safe t'say the Voya broke tha' shell o' hers, at least a little... We talked a bit while we were out. She told me she was scared for Sveri, even in safer lands like these. I told 'er we'd always look after 'em both, so would Schaller an' Rikke. Then she up and told me she was gonna get us home, out o' the blue." He smiled ever so slightly at that. "When I asked why, she said it was only fair that since we offered her safety an' a proper range to roam freely, she ought t'get us back t'our proper place too. Tried t'pass it off as jus' repayin' us. But I know tha' tough act all too well. She's free an' wild still, but she loves our clan because we've shown her unconditional love an' safety."

Sam glanced over to Fiona at that. "Seems breakin' down tough an' guarded souls is a Voya trait you got from yer Ma's side."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're smiling at that. I don't think I've ever seen you smile when you talk of riding and work." Fiona said softly as he mused over Dzana and her promise to get them home. "I didn't get things from my Ma, except her stubborn nature. You were just ready to open your heart to someone when you met me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't mean just me. Dzana too. An' plenty of others." Sam laid back, his head on her shoulder. "Anyway... I don' know. Invah an' I have always worked well together. But Dzana an' I 'ave only flown together once an' I already feel like she understands how I work an' vice versa."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona gently ran her fingers absently through Sam's hair, staring at the ceiling as her spoke about how things just felt right with Dzana. "We can speak with her tomorrow about it. I wanted to check out Sveri anyway. She's about the size that she can be ridden on the ground to prepare for flight."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We can introduce 'er to some drakes t'teach 'er," Sam murmured. "But no doubt she'll be stayin' here with Glaynviahr, or goin' to the haven soon."