The North (Closed)

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was absolutely exhausted by the time that she returned to their tent. She was covered in mud and wet from being chased nearly the entire day by Boar on horseback through the woods. He had been relentless in pursuit, but insistent that a dragon would give her much more. All she had wanted to do at the end of it was to strip out of her leather armor, bathe in a scalding hot bath, and collapse into bed. She paused with dismay to find that the bed was covered in pieces from an armor set.

"Samuel, I don't have the time or energy tonight..." She turned to look at him, pausing when he stepped aside to let her see the full dragon metal set that he and Riley had made.

"It's beautiful." She said as she took in the mostly white pieces from Schaller with purple here and there. "Those are from Dzana, I take it?" She asked, taking a step closer.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam looked over the suit for a moment, the white pieces taking center stage while mixed lavender and a few dark purple pieces sat in layered areas adding depth, perfectly symmetrical in their placement. "We didn' want to take too many scales from Schaller. He made the majority of the armor. But Dzana's make up some layers an' we wanted t'mix hers an' his in the weapons so they'd be more flexible. Her scales aren't as heat-resistant, but they're also not as brittle."

Having seen her dismayed look, Sam glanced at the mess of materials and tools on the cot. "Everything you need is done, just makin' final adjustments... Jani also took the shield t'make some final touches tonight. Now that these are all done, I'll arm the rest of us. I should have enough time an' materials t'make blades fer myself, Andre an' the kids, and Jani. Markos stopped by today too with a progress report on his project. We should be able t'poison every anti-dragon weapon, blade, an' arrow we can muster."

Sam stood staring at the armor with a hollow sense of dread. His greatest fear was that all of this work would be rendered useless if Fiona got too close to Hesperus and he found a chance to simply crush her. If the armor didn't cover her correctly or it melted, or simply failed, she would die in an instant. The very thought made Sam's breath catch and his heart race in panic.

"I know you're tired, love. I'll get this mess out of your way," he finally said, gathering everything up to free the cot for her. He leaned the weapons against a trunk and hefted the armor and stand over to the side before putting his tools away. "I won't make you go through fitting tonight," he assured her. "But if you want to take a look at that sword... Dzana named it." Sam gave Fiona a weak smile, amused that his dragon was so invested in his work and Fiona's task. "The metal sounds like crystal glass when you draw it. So she named it Singer."

Sam had been growing much closer to Dzana of late. While Gaiann and Invah had been his riding partners before, Sam had never found a dragon that was to him what Schaller was to Fiona. It seemed Dzana was becoming that partner.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sam." She said in a firm voice. "Take a deep breath before you keel over." She muttered, turning to place down the things that she had been carrying with her.

It didn't matter how exhausted she was from her day. What mattered was that Sam needed her to pay attention to his task. She lay aside her soaked leather pieces and the pasties that the camp cook had sent along with her to eat before she went to bed. Brushing back her hair that had escape from her braid, she turned to look at the sword that he was so eager for her to see.

"Singer." She murmured as she wiped her palms on her trousers and took the sword in her hands, carefully pulling it from the sheath and listening to the crystal clear ring that sounded in the quite tent. "Rightfully named."

Looking over the design of the blade, the twirled it in her hand to get a feel for the weight and balance. She looked up at her husband and gave him a proud smile, amazed that he had accomplished such a monumental task.

 

[KieranSoares]

The blade was featherlight compared to the heavy steel Fiona was used to, balanced exactly where her hand would naturally grip. A swing caused the blade to softly sing again, like a quiet tuneful whistle. The handle was wrapped in textured leather that was soft on Fiona's hand but made keeping her grip just a little easier, and the hilt had been curved down to create a partial guard to protect her hand from being struck directly, without the extra metal getting in the way.

Sam's weak smile broadened a little seeing that Fiona seemed pleased with the blade. He loved creating for her, even in such dire circumstances. She always appreciated his work like no one else, and she knew how much smithing meant to him. If not for his heritage and responsibilities elsewhere, Sam would've been a blacksmith and nothing else, and been quite content with it for the rest of his days.

"We're nearly home," he murmured, as if trying to convince himself as he reached out to touch her cheek. "Just a few more mountains to scale. Once Kate's back in Edinburgh and we've caught our breath... We'll head back north."

He didn't mention Hesperus nor the fact that, by Royer's warning, they only had five more days before the titan was upon them. He didn't mention the missing Emperor or the fallen Empress. He didn't mention their losses and struggles thus far and everything riding on their efforts. He simply thought of what it was all for: getting his Clan home. Getting Fiona home, and proving her twenty years of stubbornness right.

Stepping in close and gently setting the sword aside, Sam's hands came to Fiona's cheeks and he let his forehead press to hers. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to center himself there with her. "I love you," he murmured after a long silence. He let the quiet stretch on a while more before murmuring, "I have somethin' to tell you... I don' want to add more to your plate, but you ought to know. And you can say no."

Lifting his head, he met her eyes with what could only be described as a deep sense of exhaustion tempered with determination. "Dzana asked if she could lend me her power to help you." Sam knew he didn't need to explain what that meant. Fiona's bloodline were natural Callers descended from the first Caller to be given Reven's gifts. The same was so for Andre's ancestors who took on the abilities of Vestholm and Kapakoah, for Markos's ancestors who were gifted power by Hesperus, and so on. But never in Fiona's lifetime had an Elder Dragon started a new Caller bloodline. Dzana had deemed the Ghis Clan worthy, and if Sam accepted, any child of his with Fiona after that would have a dual Caller bloodline. But there were no stories to tell what happened when an Elder selected someone. The closest they'd come was when Reven awoke Riley and Soma's existing abilities. And no one knew what Dzana's gift was.

Sam added quietly, "I told her it would be a useful tool... but I wouldn't do it without talking to you... I was too scared of the idea anyway to do it without you by my side, seeing what you've been through before. But I guess Dzana's power wouldn't be like Reven's. Maybe..." He met her gaze and she could see he was worried about her reaction, even scared he'd overstress her. "I want to help... even if I never use it for anything but keeping Hesperus out of your head. But I also know I don' know shit about this whole Caller business..." As a younger man, Sam wouldn't have hesitated to take on another burden to help his family. Even as he was now, he would take on just about anything. But this, he knew, was dangerous and uncharted territory and the only people in the world who could be considered anywhere near experts on the subject were maybe Markos, and definitely Fiona.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Every connection is different. Every gift is different. What I have from Reven wouldn't be the same as what you gain from Dzana." She pondered what he had been offered and she gave him a nod. "Are you strong enough for this, Sam? Is your mind strong enough to handle it? That is my concern. We have both had our moments where the darkness has threatened to overwhelm us. The difference is that I was born with this and cannot change my circumstances. You have a choice in the matter."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam took a seat on the edge of the cot, welcoming Fiona beside him. "I asked Dzana the same thing... If she thought I could handle it. If she could handle it, knowin' how angry she gets and how much she wants to be alone all the time when we aren't fighting." Sam paused, thinking for a few seconds. "I won't share some things she told me, but she admitted it wasn't that she wanted to be alone. It was just easier that way for everyone else." A weak, bitter smile came to his face. "And here I thought Schaller an' I were similar. Dzana and I are far too much alike."

Taking Fiona's hand, Sam took a deep breath. "We just want to help any way we can... Any edge we can give you. Because this isn't just about us or me tryin' to protect you. This is about Scotland. Hell, all Europe if Hesperus tries t'take it again. He'd burn anyone or anything that didn't bow, and he's mad enough that he's trying to find someone worthy of his power. It's like he wants to die. I've known men like that before. My grandfather was that man." Sam spoke that last thought especially quietly, knowing he'd recently tread far too close to Tamblin the Mad's legacy.

"I was raised by Brogan Ghis an' Julia of Chester, two of the gentlest and most resilient souls Inverness had. My Gran was Katherine McTavish, the only woman strong and kind enough to survive Tamblin an' love him to his dying breath. They all tried t'safeguard me against my own bloodline an' my anger... An' you helped them succeed,* Sam told her softly, meeting her eyes. "I stray into the dark sometimes... Gods know I do. But I have never been and will never be Tamblin Ghis. He did horrible things in spite of love. I've done terrible things for love, but I never abandoned my heart in favor of power or paranoia. Nor has Dzana."


Sighing heavily, Sam squeezed his wife's hand. "We only have a few days left. If you don't want me to do this, I won't. But I need to know I'm not hurting you if I accept," he insisted softly. "We want to help and we'll do it at any cost. But I know Dzana won't let me lose myself. Even if we haven't had the twenty-plus years you and Schaller have, and it's a lot harder for either of us to admit... She loves me like family. We've had a lot of talks, lot of tears shed when no one else was around. Just today, she took me away an' sat with me a long while like Schaller does with you. I'm not afraid of sharing my mind with her. I think the only people I've ever trusted more are you an' my Ma an' Gran," he admitted, giving her insight to the quiet relationship he'd built with the normally-dry and angry dragon.

"It's up to you," he told her again. "It might be cruel to put that decision on you... But we agreed we need your permission. If you say no, I won't argue."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Are you asking me because I'm the "Rider Queen" or because I'm your wife?" Fiona asked him, no malice but simple curiosity. "Sam, you can't hurt me. You'll never hurt me. I worry for you because I love you, not because I think that you'll make the wrong choice."

She leaned her head in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Being a Caller isn't for the faint of heart. I know that you have the courage to be one and you love dragons nearly as much as myself and the children. You have my blessing if you wish to take that step, my love."

Fiona stood and stretched, pausing to turn and look at Sam for a moment. She took his head in her hands and looked down into his warm, green gaze. "You worry for the future, love. I can read it on your features. Let me carry that burden. You have too much else going on to worry about."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You know I can never stop worrying," Sam reminded her softly, lifting a hand to her own. He studied her familiar blue eyes for a long moment before standing to kiss her properly.

"I'll talk to Dzana again in the morning once we've got you fitted an' on your way," Sam murmured, hugging Fiona close for a long moment. "And for what it's worth... We wanted your opinion because you're my wife. Much as I respect your title, Dzana an' I hold wives far above queens." He smiled lightly at that before stepping away to get ready for bed himself. As tough as sleep had been to find lately, he was so exhausted that he was liable to pass out on his feet.

 

[heartofcourage]

Watching him move heavily around the tent, she knew that he was exhausted. She was happy that he might get some much needed rest and she watched him for a moment before she moved to take care of herself. She pulled out their tub, hooking water over a fire to get it boiling. She was going to take a bath and wash the mud and muck out of her hair before she heated up a mountain of food and tea and then slept. As much as she loved Boar and Durban, they ran a hell of a training program that left her battered and bruised.

 

[KieranSoares]

To his credit, Sam had always been a man who wouldn't go to bed without making sure his wife was taken care of. By the time she'd washed up, he'd already reheated the healthy portion of food set aside for her from dinner. Dola regularly fed them instead of the camp cooks, making hearty meals aimed at supporting their hard work and health most of all. When Fiona was finally dry and in bedclothes, she found a tray of food waiting for her. A thick cut of well-seasoned beef, a large jacket potato with plenty of butter and a bit of spice, and a veritable mound of rough-chopped greens with a sweet dressing. It was all good Scottish ingredients with some Mediterranean flair in flavor.

Sam himself had eaten his own share before spending some time going over notes and letters left by Soma. Unlike previous battles and times before Soma was their master strategist, Fiona and Sam no longer had to deal with mountains of paperwork every night. Soma had organized a system of aides and delegation that had freed many of the leaders from excess paperwork, knowing it had been a problem especially for his parents and for Kate in the past. Now only things requiring approval or their personal attention ever reached them, and Soma summarized anything else they should know. Being the man in charge of planning and organizing everything, Soma had quickly prioritized efficiency and keeping everyone on the same page. For Kate who was hopefully about to be Queen again, his system was going to keep her from drowning in letters and papers every night again.

The rest of the night was mercifully peaceful, giving way to a calm morning as the soldiers readied for normal exercises, patrols, and so on. Sam made sure Fiona got a hearty breakfast and her armor for properly before he sent her off. As he'd expected, the entire suit was lighter than her leather and plate mixed suit. And Fiona would find her new shield delivered that morning as well, the layered scales gleaming and polished. Jani had secretly added a design on the upper inside where Fiona would see it: a little stylized white fox that was most certainly a reference to Tatiana. Jani had done the same to Andre's shield and her own with a white wolf design, and to some of her dearest friends' shields with designs referencing loved ones. It was Jani's little way of helping them all remember either what they fought for, or who would be protecting them like the shield itself.

By the time Fiona went out to join the Ghis brothers, Boar, Durban, Brogan, and Kreston were gathered around a small fire. Kreston was an occasional addition, usually spending his time as an ambassador to tribes in liberated areas to aid Kate's efforts to kickstart the reunification of her former holdings.

Looking up from the fire, Kreston took in the sight of the Rider Queen in pieces of her new armor with a little smile. "Well now..." He murmured, causing the three other men to look up as well. "Samuel has certainly proven his prowess as a blacksmith now. The Rider Queen, clad in dragon steel."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Proven a million times over." Fiona answered as she came upon the brothers with a small smile, extremely proud of her new armor as she paused for a moment for each of them to get a good look. "He and Riley worked together on the bulk of it and Jani and Andre finished off the shield together. I guess I'm a proper shieldmaiden now."

She propped the shield next to Boar and placed the helmet beside it, reaching up to start braiding her long, thick hair. "I think it's time to let the dragons take over part of the training. I can't test the armor without true dragon fire."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well that's bloody terrifying," Boar commented with a grin.

"Fiona's about the only person crazy enough to test how fireproof somethin' is while wearing it," Durban teased with a chuckle. "But I think you're right. Better now than later. Andre's joinin' us today, so if Rikke's brave enough to help with tha', we've got ourselves a little furnace to throw you in front of."

"Rikke's not so meek an' mild anymore," Brogan spoke up with a light smile, having lived in Norway all these years and watched the little fledgling grow into a young dragoness. "She won't be the brute her father is anytime soon. But she's made herself into a proper warrior in record time. Just like all the other kids her age, it seems."

"Speaking of," Kreston murmured, motioning northward where Rikke was gliding in with Andre. It seemed they'd been out and about themselves already, and when Rikke landed, they could all see Andre had updated her tack. Dark leather and steel buckles and studs made her gear look professional and hardy, with extra slack in the belts so they could be adjusted as she continued to grow. Andre slid down from the saddle in his own armor, pulling off his helmet with a light smile to his mother-in-law.

"Morning," he greeted them all. "Sorry I'm a little late. We were running an errand for Soma and it was a little slower than excepted."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They wanted to fight." Fiona mentioned as she looked over at the brothers. "We were fools to keep the truth from them for so long."

She glanced towards the horizon as Andre came in with Rikke in her new tack, her son-in-law wearing his mixed armor with a proud puff to his chest. She gave him a smile and kissed his cheek as he came close, finishing up with her hair before turning towards the Ghis brothers.

"I can't carry my new axe with me into this battle, I'm afraid." She mentioned as she stepped over the log where Boar sat. "But Sam has been working on something for each of you. Something from the Rider queen, I suppose."

She glanced over at Andre and held out her hand for the new daggers that Sam had managed to squeeze in, the purple hue of the dragonscale glowing in the light of morning.

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre handed over the set of daggers from his saddlebags, adding, "Leatherwork courtesy of everyone's favorite death-or-glory Icelander."

Each dagger had a unique leather sheath depicting landmarks or landscapes most dear to the intended recipients. The Mongolian steppes, the highlands of Inverlochly, the looming keep of Inverness, and a tribal forest village inspired by illustrations of the Gol Dun lands. As Fiona handed them out to each, the brothers took in the strange, lightweight blades and noticed each was the style of knife the user preferred, curved or straight, double or single-edged.

"I don't know how Sam manages this. Doin' more than anyone expects in such a limited time. Bloody boy always worked too hard," Brogan murmured, smiling at the beautiful and hardy piece.

"These things are pretty lightweight," Boar commented, looking to Fiona in surprise. "I know you're strong, love, but I didn't understand how you were wearin' full plate so easily. Now I get it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You know how he manages." Fiona murmured as she picked up her helmet and pulled it on, buckling the piece beneath her chin and glancing at Boar. "The same way that every member of this family manages. We work beyond exhaustion."

"Rikke, give me room in the field to test out this armor and my shield. I need your fire as hot as you can get it." She called to the young dragon.

 

[KieranSoares]

Rikke tilted her head at Fiona's request. She knew what the armor was for, but Fiona could see her shoulders tighten with a bit of anxiety. Stepping away from Andre and into the open nearby, she asked, "Are you... are you sure? What if I hurt you? Then you won't be at your best for the real fight..."

"She wouldn't ask if she didn't trust Sam's work," Andre assured his partner, walking up beside her but keeping back safely. Even if he trusted Sam's work too, he wanted to be immediately at hand if anything went wrong with his beloved mother-in-law.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona picked up her shield and placed her hand through the loops to hold it in front of her, looking towards Rikke as Andre tried to soothe her nerves. With all the Ghis brothers watching, she stepped over the log and into the field, her head racing slightly at the task at hand. She trusted Sam without hesitation. She knew that Riley and he had put every effort into the armor and Margaret wouldn't lead her astray in her time of need. She had to have the ultimate faith that this was going to work.

"When you're ready." She called, pulling the visor down into place as it formed a perfect shield over her face to protect the delicate skin from burning.

 

[KieranSoares]

Fiona's helmet was the only place there were any breaks in her armor, that being a slim slit across her eyeline. Sam had managed to create a mesh of the material through a very difficult process of pouring thread-thin strings directly into the water, thin enough to see through but hopefully able to absorb any errant heat that got through the helmet. The rest was padded with fire-resistant cloth in the hopes that if all else failed, Fiona's entire face wouldn't be burned if she didn't get her head behind her shield in time. The hope was that if she was hit without her shield, the armor could wick enough heat away and cool down fast enough to keep her safe, but Sam had been deeply worried about extended exposure.

Rikke squared up, nervously facing down the woman that had once bottle-fed her, helped her learn to walk, took her on her first flights, and so much more. Fiona was as close to family as a Fox could be to a dragon, and there had been many times Rikke refered to Fiona as her aunt proudly.
Taking a deep breath, Rikke nodded and planted her claws in front of her in a wide stance, drawing her head back. Her chest ignited with a green-blue glow, and when she extended her neck, a roaring turquoise inferno tore forth. Rikke was far from the fledgling choking on smoke she'd been before the war began.

The closest Fiona had ever come to being caught in dragon fire had been in the final battle before Inverness fell, but it couldn't hold a candle to being directly in the path of Elder Dragon flame. Her entire world turned a blinding teal and hellish heat pressed in from all angles. But there was a small pocket of slightly cooler air just behind the shield, and when Rikke cut off the flame after a couple seconds, a strange sight greeted all those watching.

Smoke from burnt grass cleared quickly, revealing the scale shield was slightly charred with remnants of the natural chemical the dragons used to summon their fire. The metal portions of the shield had a low red glow but it faded quickly, the scale powder in the mix immediately shedding heat. The scales themselves were mostly unchanged and there was no sign of melting.

Fiona's armor was mostly untouched behind the shield, but the edge of her pauldrons had been caught, acting similarly to the shield's rivets and shedding heat right away. Fiona's face was untouched, but she could feel the heat radiating off the visor for a few seconds.

Andre left Rikke's side with a pat to her shoulder as she trembled with nerves, waiting to see if Fiona would collapse. Andre came jogging over but stopped short of touching the shield or armor til it had fully cooled. "Everything okay? Any burns, anything melted?" He asked, still trusting Sam and Riley's work but deeply protective of his mother-in-law anyway.

 

[heartofcourage]

When the world around her exploded in great teal light, Fiona stood her ground. If she died by fire, it would be appropriate. She pulled the shield in front of her to give a reprieve from the constant brightness and heat, the cool air and darkness surprising her as she leaned against the sturdy facade for a moment before the flame let up. Then she was free from the pressure. It was nothing more than the heat on a sweltering summer day in the highlands.

She moved easily as Andre comforted Rikke, taking care to not touch her armor as it was still cooling. When he approached, she glanced his direction and drew her sword. "Have her do it again." She called. "Tell her I'm perfectly fine."

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre nodded, noticeably glancing over her armor and shield before he returned to Rikke's side. "Alright, not a scratch. Give it your all, Rikke," he encouraged. "The shield took almost all of it. She can handle it." He stepped to the side watching Rikke prepare, quietly excited to watch her work. This was an education for him as well, having never really worked with an Elder before.

Rikke took a deep breath, a little more confident this time as she dared to truly give her best. Her claws dug into the ground and her shoulders tensed, wings partially unfolded as she let loose another hellish blast.

Fiona knew from experience that Schaller could adjust the intensity of his flame. A weaker fire would heat a kettle, while a stronger one would melt it in seconds. And then there was the heat able to help Sam forge dragonsteel. Rikke would not have that intensity til she was fully grown, but she could still outdo mature smaller dragons like Invah. Fiona got a taste of the inferno Rikke would one day be capable of as that blinding light overtook her, the fire brighter and nearly white-hot at its core.

This time Fiona started to feel a touch of uncomfortable warmth at the outer edges of her shoulders where her body was widest, and it felt like the summer desert sun was directly shining on her entire body for a moment. When the fire faded, the scales of the shield were smoking but not deformed. The metal was glowing brighter, orange but fading fast.

Taking in a deep breath to help cool her throat, Rikke shook her head slightly. Being still fairly young, she wasn't used to the intense sensation yet.

"Everything still okay?" Andre asked as he approached Fiona but stopped short again as he felt the heat radiating off the shield. "Jesus, it's like standing in front of Sam's forge back home."

But as Andre questioned her, movement off to the south on the edge of the trees would catch Fiona's eye. A lone figure stumbled out of the treeline. He was dressed in finery that had grown ragged and disheveled. His armor was crimson and gold with a tabard of black displaying the Imperial banner. His face was partly burned, one eye gone white and blind and his hair partly singed and all tossed to one side. It was as if Frederick Barbarossa had crawled out of Fiona's nightmares from the moments before his death.

As Joachim stumbled onward, his one working eye settled hazily on Fiona and he reached to his side, drawing his fine double-edged rapier. His step quickened til he was sprinting at her, sword held aloft and his face twisted in absolute dead-eyed hate. Whatever had happened to Joachim Hendrik, he wasn't himself anymore.

 

[heartofcourage]

The moment that Fiona saw Joachim, she knew that danger had come for them. There was no doubt in her mind that Hesperus had sent him to find her, even if he had promised to give her time. Perhaps he was afraid of the progress that he knew she was surely making. Whatever the excuse, she was greeted with a nightmare.

Fiona shoved Andre out of the way a moment before the two of them crashed together. The sound of Joachim's body hitting her armor with all of his might was loud in the open field, but she had his raised sword arm in a death grip. Everything else around them melted away as she kept his attention solely on her.

"You don't want this fight." She murmured to him, seeing that she wasn't going to get through to him. "Joachim, you don't want this."

She managed to shove him back far enough to parry his blow with her sword, fighting him properly now that the surprise was gone. She had no intention of killing him if she could help it.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Joachim!" Andre shouted, watching in horror as his horribly scarred and battered, dear friend attacked his mother-in-law. He drew his own sword but hesitated to advance and help.

Joachim registered no recognition of anyone around him, his face twisted in a hateful snarl as he wordlessly attacked Fiona over and over with an uncharacteristic ferocity. He didn't make a sound beyond the clash of his sword against Fiona's and the occasional harsh breath.

Rikke paced, unsure if she could intervene without hurting Fiona, but it was Boar who stepped in first, his dulled practice axe smashing into Joachim's side to stagger him. But Joachim didn't react in pain. Instead, he snapped back like a whip, the sharp point of his rapier leaving a thin, deep slash across Boar's cheekbone. It had been aimed for his eye and missed by an inch.

"Boy!" Boar snarled, wincing back as Joachim tried again and barely caught the edge of Boar's shirt. "Wake up!"

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona took the moment to get her breath as Boar provided a distraction, the younger man mindless with rage. Before he could turn his strength fully against the elder Ghis, Fiona swung her shield hard into Joachim's sword arm. She didn't feel the break of bone, but it was enough to startle him away and distract him again. She had the upper hand of full armor as she swung her sword and sliced into Joachim's abdomen, cutting deeply but not enough to mortally wound.

The last time she had fought a Barbarossa, she had beheaded him. This time, she wasn't going to make that mistake. She couldn't make that mistake. Not with this child.

She quickly shed her shield and pulled her scabbard free from her sword belt. Attacking Joachim's blind side, she was soon on his back with the scabbard against his throat and her sword tossed aside. Her knees locked on either side of his ribs and squeezed tightly as she pulled back on the scabbard to cut off his air. Her hands strained so tightly to keep hold; she swore she would break her fingers all over again.

"Let him go." She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks behind her visor. "Let him go. Just fucking let him go." No one on that field was going to see her cry as she slowly choked Joachim.

 

[KieranSoares]

Joachim's burned, bloodied hands clawed at her armored legs on either side of him and he tried desperately to twist and throw her off. His clawing grew more and more frantic, then weaker and clumsier as he choked against her scabbard. In the seconds before he started to pass out, a shudder wracked his body and he stopped trying to hurt her, instead desperately grabbing the scabbard and trying to pry her fingers away.

"Tanya!" He manged to choke out in a ragged wheeze as his limbs started to grow slack with the lack of oxygen. His unburned eye searched wildly, not recognizing his surroundings, in immense pain, and petrified to see his wife and protector was nowhere to be found.

In that same moment, a distant rumble shook the ground beneath them all, deep, heavy thuds sending small shockwaves through the earth in a slow, purposeful rhythm. The crack of tree branches and trunks snapping sounded in the distance, growing closer and closer as a truly monolithic shape pushed up through the canopy. Where a normal dragon like Invah could stand on her back legs and just get her head above some areas of the deep forest, an Elder of Schaller's size could stand on his back legs and get his shoulders above the leaves. This figure didn't need to bother rearing up. He was tall enough on all fours that his head rose above the tallest oaks, his full, dark beard brushing treetops as he plowed through them without notice. Four wicked horns extended from a sharp ridged crest framing his face. One pair jutted back- one sheared and broken midway- and curved to the sides, and one curled around and back forward to frame his head and finned ridges along his jaw. Great nostrils flared coolly, expelling inky black smoke. A dark mane ran from his forehead to his tail tip, ending in not a tuft like most dragons, but a wicked hooked barb. His scales were deep, tarnished brass and his underbelly and chest were coal black. His left shoulder hosted a large patch of missing scales with a purplish scar like an ancient, infected wound badly healed over.

As his great body emerged from the treeline, massive muscular limbs planted when he came to a halt. His maw split with an unhinged grin. His mismatched eyes- one deep burgundy and one icy blue- surveyed the scene. The breathless, frozen little people before him, the Emperor laid low, and especially the woman in white steel. Even Rikke looked like a fledgling compared to the great Hesperus himself. The heat waves radiating off his body gave him a strange, terrifying aura, making him almost feel bigger than Fiona had seen in her visions.

"Your wish is granted, Child of Margaret," his thunderous voice rolled and rumbled like the storm itself. Beneath Fiona, Joachim's good eye turned black and the burned one went smoky grey. He let out a heartbreaking cry of agony, turning into a scream as his entire body grew tense and his back arched and writhed. After a couple seconds, Joachim went completely limp and his head dropped to the dirt. "He is free," Hesperus growled gleefully, watching the Emperor's body go still save dangerously shallow breathing. "Save him if you can. Perhaps the famed healers among your number can manage it."

Rikke finally dared to put herself between the titanic Elder and her family, arching her back like a cat and turning side-on to him with her head low to the ground and her fangs bared. Her chest ignited with flame ready to try- even fruitlessly- to drive him off. "Away, old one. It isn't time yet," she insisted with a snarl despite how absolutely terrified she was.

"No. No it isn't," Hesperus agreed with a slow nod. "Five days, little wyrmling. No more, no less. But I thought I would return your wayward Emperor. It's much easier to walk a dying man to his grave than carry one already dead, after all. You will have no trouble from me until the day of reckoning comes."

Rikke dared to look back at Fiona and the now-unconscious Joachim, her green gaze letting on her horror and terror and looking for guidance. True to his word, Hesperus sat down on the spot and stayed put. His grin was completely smug and proud of the little spectacle he'd made of the destroyed Emperor. His mismatched eyes fell back to Fiona, as if transfixed and excited by her very presence. No one else dared move yet, looking to Fiona as well. Even Andre who desperately wanted to run to Joachim, knew he needed to play this carefully. If any of them drew Hesperus's attention away, they'd be dead in an instant if he so fancied. So they awaited Fiona's word.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona stared up at the titanic dragon that emerged from the forest as Joachim crumbled to his knees. Letting go of her scabbard, she slowly stood to her full height and reached to lift the visor of her helmet to stare him in the eye properly.

She was the first that dared to move, picking up her sword and shield and moving past Rikke as the small elder dragon puffed like a kitten. Only when she took up a stance in front of them all, facing Hesperus did she give any of them leave to move.

“Address me properly.” Fiona said in a soft voice.