The North (Closed)

[KieranSoares]

Kell gave his wife a nod, and glanced to Qira who'd now sat up. "I've got this handled. We'll switch out after dawn." The Panther only nodded in response, rising to start his morning routine.

Kell went off ahead of Kate and sent runners. By the time Kate arrived, Schaller was gliding in to touch down. His left side was raked by claws, the wound shallow and unthreatening. However, he had sustained a deep bite to his left forearm. The wound had long since shut but would need tending. Instead of hitting the ground running, he slowed into a hover and gently landed on his back legs to avoid using his hands. In his claws, he cradled something preciously, as if it were fragile.

Those ready to meet Schaller were a number of medical staff, members of the Rider corps, and some of Kell's agents. When Schaller opened his hands, the medical staff rushed forward with a stretcher. Schaller lowered a thin, pale man with reddish hair onto the stretcher, wrapped in a heavy wool blanket. Cahal Dunland was alive and stable, but unconscious. And while he was fragile, a cursory glance proved Schaller had kept him safe and warm in flight.

"He's in a similar condition to Abel when we first brought him home," Schaller explained to the medics. "But he has awoken and been lucid from time to time."

Despite his calm report, anyone could see Schaller was agitated. His hackles were slightly raised and he looked uncomfortable. The way he glanced toward the castle told them he knew something was very wrong. Once Cahal was in the hands of the doctors, Schaller took a few steps toward the castle.

"What's happening?" He asked, though he didn't address anyone directly. "Fiona... Something's different."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate knew that what she would say to him was a delicate matter. A dragon was something that no one wanted to make angry. She would be forever grateful that he had brought back her uncles to her, but she didn't know if she could repay the favor with Fiona.

"Lord Schaller." Kate said softly. "Schaller..."

She looked up at the great white elder dragon and sighed deeply. "Fiona is...not well. In fact, if you would accompany me to the castle, I can show you just how ill she is."

Kate started to walk towards Fiona's end of the castle, pausing along the way to speak with the dragon more privately. "You can't touch her. You can't get near her. What you see will upset you greatly. I just want you to know that we are already doing all we possibly can for her."

She gestured towards Fiona's window and took a step back for him to see for himself. Inside the room, Fiona was listless in bed, staring at the wall silently as Julia sat beside her quietly knitting. She had taken over a watch so Sam could rest, even if he resisted her efforts initially. She didn't need him to run himself down. When she heard a tap at the window, Julia stood and opened it, giving Schaller a soft smile.

"I'm glad you're safe." Julia said softly, taking a step back for Schaller to look in.

 

[KieranSoares]

Schaller was dead silent from the moment Kate admitted Fiona was doing badly. His pupil narrowed to a slit as he stalked after her toward the castle, his body tense and showing his stress the closer he got. When Julia opened the window, he only gave a small nod before his eye landed on Fiona. He slowly crouched down and let his head rest by the sill.

"I'm here, my love," he rumbled softly in the hopes his partner would hear him. He wanted so badly to reach in and at least hold her in his hand to comfort her, but he kept back as Kate had said. "My little Fox..." He murmured, her weakened state taking an immense and immediate toll on his heart. He looked to Kate and Julia, his entire form seeming to droop. "What is being done for her? What can I do to help?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll get Sam. He can help you see her better." Julia said as she turned to go wake her son and explain the situation to him.

"I wanted the news to come from me, Schaller. You deserved someone honest and straight to tell you. She's dying. We have sent Andre and Riley, along with Rikke and Marth, to Byzantium to try and find a healer or someone that might be able to help her. We are doing everything in our power to fight for her."

Everything in her world felt like it was stuffed with thick sheep's wool. Her head was stuffed, her vision was hazy, her body weighed down by it. The moment Fiona heard Schaller, however, she snapped back into reality. No more staring listlessly into the distance. She lifted a hand, but was stopped by the restraints at her wrists. The disease was at bay for a moment and had left only her, weakened but in her own mind.

"Schaller." She slurred through the heavy drugs, a tear rolling down her cheek.

 

[KieranSoares]

Schaller's claws came to the windowsill, stopping short as he remembered he couldn't touch her. He would be nearly as dangerous as Hesperus if he were infected. For everyone's sake, Schaller held back despite how it hurt to be separated by that short distance from his partner.

"I'm with you, my love," he whispered to her as tears gathered in his great green eye as well. When the door opened inside and Sam and Julia returned, Schaller barely noticed at first. He was too focused on the Fox before him.

"Welcome back, old friend," Sam murmured, his voice hollow with exhaustion and worry. "I'm sorry you had to come back to this... And I'm sorry we sent Rikke without running it by you."

"No, no," Schaller shook his head slightly. "You sent the right people... The ones Fiona raised, and the ones who love them most." He was still staring at Fiona, his attention unable to be pulled away. Sam said nothing more, limping to Fiona's side and helping her to shift into a comfortable position where she could see her dragon. He wanted to free her, but he knew the restraints were more for her own safety than anyone else's. When Schaller could see Fiona's eyes, he let out a soft, low rumble to offer comfort. She had worked with dragons so long that she immediately knew that purr-like sound. Dragon parents would purr and chuff to their fledglings to soothe them, and dragons like Sadah would do the same to soothe wild dragons who couldn't speak.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not a child..." Fiona murmured as Schaller started to purr gently at her, seeking to soothe her in any way that he could.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nor am I, but you still baby me when I'm not at my best," Schaller countered softly with a hint of a melancholy smile. He settled there just beyond the window, ready to take up watch just as her husband and mother-in-law had been doing.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona gave him a slight smile as she sought for anything to say. "You always said that you would be there in the end. If they don't come back with a cure that's what this will be."

 

[KieranSoares]

"As Sam says," Schaller murmured, glancing to the silent, sullen man, "to whatever end... but I don't believe this is it. Riley and Andre will overturn all of Byzantium for you."

Sam leaned down to kiss Fiona's cheek, then limped back to Julia's side. "I'll let you two be," he muttered hoarsely. "Ma'll drag me away if I don' get somethin' to eat soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll go with you and give my hands a rest. I could use a hot cup of tea." Julia said as she looped her arm through her son's and let him lead them from the apartment.

Julia was quiet after they left, just staring at her dragon. "You left...and I lost myself." She said after a few moments, sighing as she shook her head. "No, that isn't fair. This illness took my senses, not you leaving."

"I attacked them, Schaller. All of them. When I woke...I was like this. They're all scared to be around me. Scared that I might infect them too. I saw Hesperus and he lives free in the afterlife because I took this on." There were tears gathering in her eyes as she thought about her likely short future. "We had plans, Sam and I. Another child. A long life together. It's not fair."

 

[KieranSoares]

It took everything Schaller had not to reach in and scoop her up to curl around her. His heart ached in a way he hadn't known in decades. "But you aren't gone yet," he whispered, as much to her as himself. "Don't give up..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I might not have a choice, my love." Fiona said softly, staring down at her hands that had yet to start turning black. "Appropriate that the Rider Queen dies from a dragon illness. I can only hope that it dies with me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Schaller closed his eye against more brimming tears. He had never had a partner like Fiona. He'd mentioned past partners that he was close with, but she knew from his memories that none came close to her.

"If nothing can be done..." Schaller murmured. "If it goes too far or Riley and Andre can't find a cure..." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "I won't let you suffer needlessly, if you ask." It was the most painful but loving gift he could offer. In the past, they had always trusted that the other would spare them from hopeless suffering or capture by some of their enemies. Opening his great green eye once more, Schaller looked upon his defeated Rider with a terrible sense of impending doom but also responsibility. "If the Rider Queen must die young... she will go on her own terms. I promise."

 

[heartofcourage]

"On my own terms." Fiona murmured as she saw the sorrow written plainly on Schaller's features. "You know, I haven't eaten a proper meal in days. I'd love to have something simple and comforting."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Shall I hunt down a stag?" Schaller said with a warm but forlorn smile. "Perhaps I can beg something from Dola for you since Andre is away." He shifted but he was loathe to leave her even for a moment.

 

[heartofcourage]

“If you would, I could love you forever.” Fiona said with a small smile. “I’m here right now, Schaller. The darkness is at bay. Let’s just enjoy this moment.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"My dearest little Fox," Schaller murmured, content to stay with her a little longer before he sought out someone to fetch Dola.

On the other side of the infirmary some time later, Alex was giving Kate a report on Cahal's health after his initial evaluation.

"I think it's safe to say Cahal is in much better condition than Abel was when he arrived. I'm not scared of him slipping away," Alex explained quietly to the Scottish Queen. "But like Abel, he'll need specially tailored care to get him back up to speed. Both of them were underfed for so long that it could take a while to get them fully fit and healthy again. I'm confident they'll be independent and filled out again by late summer. I don't know how they managed it, but they made it. And knowing Cahal is safe will surely help Abel along."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We just have to worry about that Spanish bitch now." Kate murmured, looking over Alex's notes as he gave her a brief. "But I hope she's smart enough to stay away for the time being. We don't need to be dealing with that."

"My uncles are fiercely independent. However, I'm not sure how much longer they can afford to run Wick on their own." Kate said softly as she closed the journal and handed it back to her cousin. "I need to know from you if you believe they are strong enough to continue to be an independent territory."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm no statesman," Alex reminded her. "Abel and Cahal could do with a peaceful retirement, but Wick is an entirely different subject. The territory itself has been clinging to life for two decades, but cling it has. It could recover with the right keeper and plenty of protection. But it's a question of whether the right keeper is you, or someone who can keep it independent. Or perhaps if the people want to keep their independence, you could be a temporary governor til Cahal finds the right successor. Unless he has an heir somewhere or there's another Dunland or O'Hennessey ready and willing to take on this mantle, of course."

Putting away his journal, Alex shrugged, but offered a final idea. "Or, perhaps there is someone in our family that would be good for the role. Cahal's greatest allies and supporters are all Ghis. Sam will be king of our clan when Inverness is freed, but if Wick wanted to stay independent, I know that there are people who would do as you did and establish a new house to allow for that. Again, I'm no statesman. Soma and Rissa are your best advisors on the political side. Cahal and Abel have had enough regardless."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Sometimes you need to hear opinions outside of the ones that you trust the most.” Kate said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll speak with them once they’re settled. I can’t help what’s happening with my brother, but I can do my damnedest for my uncles.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Once Wick is retaken- no matter its future status- it will finally get the care it needs without an imperial or Royer boot on its throat," Alex murmured. "I think that is what will matter most to the two men who wasted away trying to save it, and the people still clinging on there. We just have to free Inverness first to reach it. As much as all of us want to go home, we all know Inverness is not the end. She's our next stepping stone on the way to eradicating Royer's influence and finishing this fight for good. It's only a question of when, as far as Soma is concerned."

Alex lowered his voice slightly then. "I'm worried about that boy. I'm worried about all of the children, but Soma is a strange case. He's honest about when he's overwhelmed and he listens when we tell him to rest for the most part. But he's dealing with a pressure that even you and Fiona and Sam cracked under. And now with his support system shattered, I'm concerned for his mental health. Our little Soma never got angry at anyone or anything but his sister til this past year. And now I see him silently dealing with a Ghis temper the likes of which I've only seen from you and Sam. Soma deals with it more gracefully than most, and I know Bo has talked to him and shared some of his own coping mechanisms... But keep a close eye, would you? He's much more open to the women of this family than anyone else."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It seems that I've taken Soma to raise with his mother and father fighting their own demons." Kate said she gave a bitter laugh. "Humorous considering the luck I had with raising my own son. By the grace of the Gods, Brogan has grown into the man that he was meant to be."

"Alex, this is an exercise in futility. We will try our hardest to keep Scotland alive for just a few more months, but it might all be for naught. The dragons believe that they can hunt enough food to help, but they will be useless if Fiona falls."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex shook his head with a sigh. "What do you want me to say, Kate? Lay down and give up? I know the odds are slim. All we can do is hold on and hope Fiona stays with us and Scotland pulls through. Our friends on the continent are trying to help and our dragon kin are doing their best to keep up. All we can do is help and keep pushing on."

Looking at his cousin, Alex's often-stoic expression softened to one of sympathy. "We've faced impossible odds many times and pulled through more often than most. I have to hold on to hope that we can do it again, if only for the sake of the people who died getting us here, and for the future of our children who deserve peace and safety."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I need you to keep her alive." Kate said softly, knowing that if Fiona died all of their plans would fall apart. "I know everyone has said that, but I need this, Alex. I would lose Sam, Soma, the dragons, more than you can imagine. None of us can fail. Not now."

Kate gripped his shoulder, giving him a supportive squeeze after she said that. She knew the world was on his shoulders, perhaps even more than her own. "We have to hope that Riley and Andre find what we need. As scary as that sounds, we have to trust the cubs."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I believe that if it can be found, Riley and Andre will find it." Alex took a moment to recompose his level and calm visage, kissed Kate's cheek, and glanced past her. "I have rounds to make and staff to confer with. Nothing to do but keep things up til we can move forward."

Excusing himself, Alex continued on to visit other patients and check in with Yasmine.