The North (Closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Shani." She said softly, watching as he seemed to get comfortable in the nest, focused on her with a curiosity that she hadn't been expecting.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hm... And exactly how dense do you think I am, Miss McClure?" He asked quite pleasantly, while telling her he knew exactly who she was now. "No matter how carefully Aleister tries to hide you, there are minds I can dig into that know you, both Caller and not. It is breach in his defenses that he can't shore up. I am not so limited as the smaller wyrms. I have had millennia to learn how to claw my way into other minds than just those with dragon blood. But I suppose your identity doesn't matter in the end. It matters only what you can do."

He didn't seem angry or bothered at all about her dancing around who she really was. Instead he was amused. "And while I don't know for sure, you certainly strike me as someone involved with the fall of London. So young but so accomplished. In another life, you and I would've gotten along famously."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And where did I lie? This is my first time in the north. I was raised by Arslan Khan. No one gave me the order to come here this evening. I have not lied once and if there is something in this world that I can stand by, it's my honest word." Shani said as Hesperus acted like he had caught her in a great trap. "You and I are not alike in any way. I work in the shadows for the greater good. You want to see the world burn for your own pleasure."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I never accused you of lying. I only think you are very clever about telling truths in a way that suits you." Hesperus still has his claws on either side of her, but the glow in his chest began to fade. "If you are open to a deal, Miss McClure... I would gladly let you go free in return for a story. Tell me something I don't know. Something dear to you."

It was becoming evident why Markos was the way he was. Hesperus's own curiosity and broken mind seemed to have bled into Markos's personality. They both seemed a little otherworldly, a little detached from reality. But one was a curious wanderer with a deep love of all things dragons and nature who didn't care for cruelty I'd he could avoid it. The other was an ancient, bloodthirsty, self-crowned king who was equally curious, but destroyed everything anyway.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Something dear to me..." Shani murmured, looking at him with a bit of suspicion and confusion. "And just what would good enough to warrant you letting me go without anything else in return?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tell me about some great triumph or perhaps a great loss. Tell me about Mongolia and the Khans. Or maybe you have a love story or some mission you're proud of. Thrill me, little spy. If you were to meet Bragi, Saga, Calliope, Mnemosyne, any great patron of stories, what would you bring?"

Hesperus settled more comfortably before her, awaiting something new to spark his broken imagination.

 

[heartofcourage]

Shani considered for a moment before she slipped her dagger back into its sheath and then took a seat in front of the great dragon. She considered telling him about Mongolia, but if Fiona didn't win, she was afraid that Arslan and the entire tribe might be in very grave danger. Instead, she thought about the other thing that he had mentioned.

"You wanted to know about the fall of London and my role in it. I suppose I will tell you about that." She started, telling him the story starting with the battle for Darkwood Manor before she started to go into detail about her side of taking down the former ruler of England.

 

[KieranSoares]

Hesperus was perhaps the most captive audience she'd ever had, his mismatched eyes watching her closely. The blue eye that constantly gave off a dim glow grew brighter when she spoke of scrambling across a cracking glass roof toward her father, and again when she spoke of getting into the London palace. Her battle with Hess's general made him smirk, which only grew when she came to her short duel with Hess. His eye grew brighter again when she told him of the bombs set in the west wall, and Hess's fiery suicide and her narrow escape while nearly mortally wounded.

When she came to the end of the story and mentioned her long recovery, he seemed to settle once more. "I wonder how many people will never know that you were the hero of London," he murmured. "I imagine the story was kept fairly quiet outside certain circles. Then again, it may be better that way. The way you speak tells me you are not a glory-seeker."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Why would people need to know?" Shani asked him. "I don't want fame or glory."

She was quiet for a long moment before she looked up at the great dragon. "You see us as bugs. You even call us worms, but we aren't all bad. We aren't all glory seekers. I just want to do the job that I've been tasked with and then return to my family at the end of it. There's someone that I love. Someone that I hope one day to marry. He is who I care about most of all, not the spoils of war."

"I know I won't change your mind tonight. I know in two days you'll show up to fight Fiona Blackstone and one of you will die. It's a reality." Shani said in a matter of fact tone.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I will die," Hesperus told her resolutely. "There is nowhere to run and hide this time. The only question is, who else will die first? I seek only to finish what I started. If I can leave behind a story- a legend- on my way out, I will be content."

The monstrous dragon lifted a great palm up before Shani, offering her help down from the nest. "You are free to go, little warrior. I can respect anyone- big or small- who will fight for a worthwhile cause. I did once."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Why did you not kill Royer when you had the chance?” Shani asked as Hesperus extended his palm to lower her to the ground. “If you respect us for our convictions, surely you know that he has none.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Call it morbid curiosity. I want to see how deep he digs his hole," Hesperus explained simply with a chuckle. "Humans are such strange little things."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think you must be the strangest of all. Truly." Shani murmured as she stood and took the chance to step into his palm. "You want death and glory, but you want to be remembered. Fiona could give you the greatest of honors. Yet...you don't want it. I'll tell her that we met, that you let me go, and that Astrid is free. I can at least do that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you want the truth, Miss Shani," Hesperus murmured, lowering her slowly to the ground, "sometimes I'm not sure what goes on in my own head. Sometimes I disgust myself. But I would rather go out in a blaze of glory than live on grasping at what remains of my brain. Four-thousand years is too long a time to stay sane." When she stepped down from his palm, he sat back and adjusted his wings and looped his tail around his feet. "Enjoy your youth, little one. It is fleeting even for my kind."

 

[heartofcourage]

Shani stared up at the dragon and then gave him a nod. She wouldn't stay long in case he changed his mind. It seemed as if he was want to do just that and she had too many people waiting on her back at the camp. Turning to start her journey back, she only stopped once to look back over her shoulder at him, giving him a wave before she disappeared into the woods for herself.

 

[KieranSoares]

It was nearly dawn when a Ranger troop came in with Shani and woman few of the Northerners recognized. She had a Ranger's cloak draped over her and she looked terrified and miserable. The Rangers had found Shani shortly after she'd tracked down Astrid Royer. So scared of being caught again and killed for fleeing, the woman had gotten horribly lost til her rescuer found her again.



As soon as Kell received the report, he hurried to find the two women at Alex's tent. Hearing the woman was hurt, Alex had insisted on getting her medical attention before anything else, and he'd sent one of the Rangers to get a meal for her as well.

Kell entered the medical tent flanked by Qira, immediately spotting Shani where she waited. "Shani," Kell said quickly, but he paused as Qira slipped past and gathered his daughter up in a tight hug.

"You're a fool," Qira muttered in Erygonian to her, his arms enveloping her in soft black fur and a firm embrace. "You should not have gone."

 

[heartofcourage]

Shani was standing to the side, watching Alex as he worked. She was quiet and respectful of Astrid's space, glancing up only as Kell and Qira appeared and interrupted. Qira had her wrapped his arms in an instant, holding her as tightly as he ever had and scolding her gently in Erygonian.

"Well, I did and I'm fine." Shani murmured back, looking up into her father's eyes. "He didn't harm me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why didn't he?" Kell asked, stepping up beside Qira. "From everything we know of him, he should've torn you apart if he saw you. That's why I didn't want to send you out there. What happened?"

"We know you're capable, little cub... But this was far too reckless even by our standards," Qira muttered.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He claims that even he doesn't understand how his own mind works. He simply wanted a story in exchange for my freedom." Shani explained to Kell as he asked what had happened between her and Hesperus. "But he will want a fight when he comes tomorrow for Fiona. He knows he'll die and he looks forward to it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not sure I understand..." Kell began, only to turn when he heard Alex finishing up. He brought the queen of Clan Royer out from behind a privacy screen. She had been given a borrowed grey dress and cloak, and she looked exhausted after being awake and starved for several days. She seemed wary of werefolk as she approached, but tried to remain somewhat stoic and polite.

"I recommend a meal and some sleep before any questioning,* Alex told the Lord Protector and Spymaster. "Her Ladyship has agreed to cooperate."

"I ordered a tent to be set up near your sons, madame," Kell assured Astrid. Her slightly gaunt face grew a little brighter and she nodded.

"I would like to see them right away," she murmured, then quickly added, "Please, Your Lordship."

"I'll show you over there myself." Kell stepped away from Qira's side, but not without murmuring, "Shani... Well done, cub. Really." He gave her a nod before escorting the Royer queen away with a few agents outside falling in behind them.

Alex stepped away and Qira took the moment to hug Shani a little tighter, nuzzling into her dark hair affectionately in a way he only did when it was just them. "Your mother wasn't too happy with your decision either," he muttered. "But she also told me not to chase after you. This was one of the worst nights we've had since London, waiting to see if you lived."

 

[heartofcourage]

Shani could have argued until her face was blue, but she would never soothe her father. There would always be a part of Kell and Qira that saw her as a cub, even if they said that she was on her way to being an agent in full standing. She simply wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him as tightly as she could, burying her face against his chest as she let him hold her tightly.

As dawn started to peek over the camp, Fiona was already awake. She was finding sleep elusive, her stress growing with each passing hour. She tried soaking in the moments with Sam, quietly holding him as he slept as her hand stroked through his grey streaked hair. She didn't want to think about training or killing dragons. She just wanted to soak in the moments where no one needed her.

 

[KieranSoares]

With one last day of peace, it would be a tense morning for everyone. But with the sun not even above the horizon, Fiona was one of few awake. And soon, Sam slowly woke to join her as if he could feel something out of balance. His broad arms slipped around her and he let some of his weight settle into her, knowing it was often a comfort. His face pressed into her neck and he let out a deep, sleepy sigh. His voice rumbled against her skin, "I've got you, darlin'..." It was just a simple reminder she wasn't facing everything alone even if much of the North saw her as the lone warrior against Hesperus. He'd proven time and time again that he'd stay by her side to any end.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know." Fiona said softly as she placed her hand around his arm and hold him tightly, resting her head against his. "I know..."

Sam would be there every step of the way, just as he had been since Riley had been born. She had an entire family at her back, far more than she had ever had before. The enormity of what was about to happen weighed so heavily on her mind that she feared Sam was right that she would never be the same again afterward. She had to trust that they would all put her together again.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam's lips pressed to her temple, his beard slightly scratchy to her skin in such a normal, familiar way. He didn't know what else to say to her. Perhaps there was nothing anyone could say to a woman who'd been forced into a terrifying position by a sick, ancient dragon. So Sam simply gave her his time and quiet attention while he could. Eventually the outside world would come calling with friends and enemies alike, so he saw no merit to getting out of bed til then. He simply held Fiona a little tighter, letting her know he wasn't going anywhere.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll waste the day if I stay here much longer." Fiona murmured as Sam continued to hold her closely, kissing her temple in another familiar motion. "And it's not a day to waste. There's far too many things to do."