"When the Midnight falls, nightmares are not your worst fears. When the midnight falls... When the midnight... When the midn..." Fiontann kept hearing those words in his mind. The man who presented his name as the Outlander spoke them to him. That man who stabbed him in the Prancing Pony and then ran away. His two wounds were burning his shoulder and woke him up in the middle of the night. Slowly he raised his right hand to check on them, two stabbings, one from the back and one from the front. Side by side, showing him that there are enemies somewhere outside, lurking in the Shadows.
Fion got up from the bed and looked around for some moments, the room was dimly lit by the fire in the fireplace, which was now dying down. He went to the common room and took his favorite jar, it was thrice the size of a tankard and used to drink ale in it. He made his way to the keg, filled with Dwarven ale and poured the fine liquid into the jar. After some generous sips he wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the window, the stairs could be seen through the curtains, lighting the sky. The house was hot for some reason and with heavy steps he went outside, he sat on the bench with the table in the yard and set the jar on it.
Again he touched his burning shoulder and recalled those two events. First he got stabbed in the middle of the Prancing Pony, the <Outlander> grabbed him from behind and stabbed his shoulder. Then, some days later, while he was discussing business he got stabbed again. He provoked the man's anger because Fiontann said that the Dawn isn't killing innocents, it's one thing to attack and kill and one thing to kill unprovoked... No Dawner would kill an innocent under his commands or a contract he himself got.Those words made the <Outlander> stab his shoulder again, this time from the front, Fion headbutted him and he grabbed him and both fell of the bridge. The fight continued in the water when the man tried to drown him and he was trying to fight back. Roth and Deor were fighitng too, One with his mighty spear and the other exchanging arrows with that lass who stood on Outlander's side on the bridge.
His refusal to take the contract angered that man, who threw threats on the whole Bloody Dawn. Now Fion had to think how to protect those people, Hardoleth passed away, Hyrien disappeared when she heard of Hardo's passing. Fiontann is the oldest member of the Dawn, now it's up to him to take care of them and let no harm befall them. He was looking at the full moon, thinking of what could be done, he himself was on no use for some days, those wounds made his hand incapable of using a shield. And he suffered too much blood loss to go out there and search or fight them, he has to rest and control things from behind. The Dawners are capable, he knows that quite well, he will use their skills to the max to smoke those insects out and crush them. But he's afraid, not for him, but of them and the whole Company, for the lives of the others. He's afraid he will disappoint his Captain, both old and new.
He took some more sips of the ale and smiled as it flowed through his throat, "Those Dwarves know what they make." he thought and looked at the sky. The morning breeze flew through his hair, touched his face, got into his lungs as he took a deep breath and, cleared his mind. He went back into the house and took his sword, he swung it several times, stabbed and slashed the air, his right hand is in good shape and will serve him well. He emptied the jar with some generous sips and placed it on the pit. With heavy steps he went to the bedroom and slept. A new day is going to shine, new things to come, new battles to give, more blood to spill, more sweat to wipe, a will to be carried out and brave men and women to lead. He got into a deep sleep to wake up confident and strong.
