Rise of the Champions - Chapter Twenty-Four
Author: Milady Dragon
Daisy Teleported into Ianto's casting chamber, even though she was in Gateway anyway and could have easily walked.
She was expected, though, and didn't want to be late.
When Dad had asked her to be there for James during the curse removal, she'd jumped at the invitation. She'd been prepared to argue with him about it, knowing how he felt about her being exposed to possible danger, so she'd been surprised when he'd brought it up. James trusted her, needed to have a familiar face there hoping to keep him calm, and Steve couldn't do it since James didn't have any idea who he was and they couldn't risk something triggering him adversely.
She had to wonder just how Steve was going to be allowed to be present, since he'd pretty much insisted on it, but Daisy trusted Dad and Ianto to have it all worked out. There would be no keeping him away, not when it was his best friend being treated magically like that.
Daisy suspected there was more to it than just friendship, but Steve hadn't said anything and, despite being really curious about it, she wasn't going to ask. She had tact, damnit, no matter what anyone else said, and could wait to see if Steve ever wanted to talk about it.
Dad, Ianto, and Stephen were already there, quietly discussing something when Daisy and Skye appeared. Skye sneezed, her questioning emotions pressing into the link the two shared. Daisy couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, go on," she urged. Skye rubbed her cheek against Daisy's own, launching herself toward the dragon pile under one of the many workbenches. Daisy wasn't so surprised to see Lucky – which meant Clint was around, probably upstairs in the house – but Lockjaw's presence was a surprise. Dad must have brought Crystal with him and Clint and, since she didn't see her sister around, figured she was upstairs with their other Dad.
Other Dad. Nope, that wasn't right, either. She'd come up with a good thing to call Clint that wasn't his first name, it was just going to take some time.
The three of them turned to greet her. "Thank you for coming," Ianto said.
She grinned. "There was no way I was gonna miss three Grand Masters working together! Besides, this is James we're talking about. If there's anything I can do, I'm going to do it."
There hadn't even been a question of not being there. Daisy had appointed herself as James' advocate, a position she intended to fulfil to the best of her ability. She knew she was still young, not even technically an adult yet, but she'd already stood up for him once. Her Dad and the other Grand Masters had James' best interests at heart, and wanted to help him as badly as Daisy herself did, but he would need a friendly face there that he would recognize as being in his corner.
She turned to her Dad. "I see Crystal somehow got you to bring her along." She nodded her head toward Lockjaw who, along with the other dragons, was welcoming Skye to their group.
"Your sister can be very…persuasive," Dad admitted.
Daisy nodded knowingly. "It's the eyes. They should be registered with Uncle Nick as weapons of mass destruction."
Ianto laughed. "Eirlys was the exact same way when she was Crystal's age. There simply was never a way to say 'no' to her."
"I cannot decide," Stephen added, "if I missed something in not having children of my own, or I lucked out on the deal."
That had Dad laughing as well. "I heartily recommend it, Stephen. You haven't lived until you're brought low by a pair of adorable puppy eyes."
The banter had lightened the atmosphere a little, which had been pretty heavy when Daisy had Teleported in. Which was understandable, because what they were all about to do was pretty damned serious. It was a man's life they were fighting for. If they weren't completely serious about it, she would have worried.
There was a sudden pop of displaced air, and Steve appeared. He must not have bothered to change after the Baronial Council; he was wearing his ceremonial armor, fancy plate that looked like it would stand up to a full-on battering ram to the chest. The tabard he wore was in Uncle Nick's Baronial colors, and was held closed by his sword belt…which was lacking a sword. He hadn't come armed, which was a plus in Daisy's book, since it meant he was trusting them to help his lost best friend.
It also meant, though, that he wouldn't be able to defend himself in case James was somehow triggered during the removal. Well, she would just have to trust Clint to be on guard, as well as the three Wizards who were going to be doing the removing.
"Steve," Ianto said, moving toward the Knight, "I wanted to set some ground rules for you being here."
Steve stiffened. "You couldn't keep me away –"
"And we wouldn't dare," he broke in. "However, we have to be careful of Sir James' mental state, and I don't think it would be a good idea if he saw a strange face here." He reached into the pocket of his tunic, removing a silver key hanging from a piece of string. "This is a Perception spell. It will make anyone overlook you. It won't make you completely invisible, but if you don't make any sudden moves Sir James won't notice your presence."
That was actually pretty brilliant. Daisy had heard of Perception filters like the one Ianto was offering Steve. She hadn't ever seen one, but then that was the whole point: to not being noticed. She was a little surprised it wasn't a full-on Invisibility spell, but the young woman figured this would be easier to keep Steve from storming forward at any time during the process. If he physically moved, he would be seen, and that could ruin everything.
Steve, who Daisy had sworn was going to argue, deflated a little and accepted the key. "I want to do what's best for Buck," he admitted.
Ianto gave him a compassionate smile. "I know, and this will allow you to be in the same room without distracting Sir James when he shouldn't be distracted. You and Daisy here will be looking out for him, while Phil and I work most of the magic. Stephen is going to be our monitor; he'll warn us if anything happens that we cannot see. And Clint will be on guard…just in case."
As if summoned by his name, Clint entered the casting chamber, Crystal in his arms. "Hi, Daisy!" she shouted, making Clint wince a little at the volume.
"Inside voice please, sweetheart," the Elf chided her gently.
Crystal looked suitably chastened. "Sorry, Daddy." Her tone was considerably quieter. Then she noticed Steve. "Hi Sir Steve," she called out, not as loud as when she'd greeted Daisy.
Steve's expression was a combination of confusion and worry. Daisy could understand both emotions. There was no way Crystal would be staying for the actual curse-breaking, and she was curious to know what arrangements had been made for her while everyone else was working.
As if on another cue, Baroness Eirlys descended into the room, her own dragon, Corona, not with her. She was dressed down in rough work trousers and a tunic that had seen better days, looking not at all like the seated Baroness of Gateway.
"Crystal," Phil stepped up beside Clint, the better to speak to Daisy's sister. "This is Eirlys. She's going to watch you while your Daddy and I are working."
Crystal pouted. "I can't stay with you and Daddy?"
"No, I'm sorry, but we won't be able to watch you."
"And Daisy?"
"She's going to be helping us."
"But I can help too!" she exclaimed, her lower lip wobbling a little. Crystal might have been getting better at being separated from them all, now that the adoption was official, but she still tended to be a little clingy at times.
Daisy could relate. She remembered the days just after her own adoption, when she's been wary of anyone coming to take her away again. But then, hers had been different from her sister's; Crystal's adoption had gone through immediately, while Daisy had been under the threat of someone taking her away from Dad almost from the moment they'd stepped into Barony Shandling's Court. There hadn't been any certainty at all that she would be going home with the man she'd chosen as her father, and that made things so much worse. She'd had nightmares for at least a year afterward, convinced that someone would steal her away at any moment.
"This is something that you can't help with," Dad told her gently. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing you can do, Crystal."
She looked on the verge of crying, but Eirlys stepped forward, giving Crystal a sympathetic smile. "I know you don't want to leave your Dad and Daddy, but they have important work to do. You'll see them soon, I promise. And, in the meantime, I have some children here who would really like to meet you. They're your age, and you can play with them until the adults are done with their boring business." She wrinkled her nose at that last part, making Crystal laugh at the funny face. "What do you say, young lady? Would you like to meet some new friends?"
Crystal considered that. "Dad and Daddy and Daisy told me I need to have friends…"
"Then you would only be doing what they want," Eirlys was pleased. "Let me introduce you to my grandchildren. They'll be happy to meet you."
It was easy to forget that Baroness Eirlys was old enough to be Daisy's grandmother; she just looked younger than that. Daisy figured it was the magic she'd inherited from both of her fathers that accounted for that.
Crystal was obviously torn between choosing her family and the chance of gaining friends. Dad gave her an encouraging nod, while Clint grinned. "What do you say?" he asked. "What would be more fun – staying and being bored here, or playing with kids your age?"
"Yeah," Daisy piped up. "I'd go with you if I could, because it's really going to be boring." She only hoped it would be. The last thing they all wanted were complications.
"I don't like boring," she proclaimed.
Dad leaned forward. "Want to know a secret?" She nodded. "When you get old enough, you may actually come to like boring."
She shook her head emphatically, the odd black design in her blonde hair falling into chaos. "I don't think so, Dad."
"You'll see." He tugged on a lock of hair. "Now, why don't you head up with Eirlys, and she'll introduce you to your new friends. And don't forget to take Lockjaw, so he can have some new dragon friends, too."
"Okay, Dad." She wriggled a little, and Clint set her on her feet.
Eirlys held out a hand. Crystal took it and, calling out to Lockjaw, let herself be escorted back up into the house. "It's almost teatime, so I'm sure we can find some sort of snacks for you." Lockjaw chirped. "And yes, something for you, too." She looked indulgently at the dragon.
"What's teatime?" was the last thing Daisy heard before the door shut behind them.
Dad laughed. "I wish I could hear her explanation of teatime."
"And you know Crystal will want to instigate it as soon as she figures out what it means," Clint laughed.
Daisy had to laugh as well. As Gateway was in the United Kingdom, teatime was practically mandatory at the school. She quite liked it herself, to be honest.
As soon as they were gone, the air within the casting chamber turned somber once more. Daisy couldn't help but be nervous about what was going to happen; her heart began to beat a little faster in anticipation and a little fear.
"Alright," Ianto addressed the room, "I'm going to fetch James. We'll explain to everyone what's going to happen today when he's out of the Zero Cabinet. Steve, please put the Perception filter around your neck and stand out of the way. And remember…you won't be able to move or speak without drawing attention to yourself, and I have a feeling that would be a very bad thing to so."
"I'll just stand in the corner," Steve answered, looping the string about his neck. Suddenly, his presence in the room wavered a little, and it was only Daisy's magical sight that allowed her to track him across the room to the corner he'd indicated; since the room was round, it was actually an area between a workbench and a tall wooden cabinet. Once he was there, seemed to vanish completely.
"Can I get one of those?" she asked. Because that effect was awesome.
"You just want one so you can sneak easier around the Keep," Dad accused lightly. "Like you need a Perception spell in order to get your nose into whatever you want."
"But it would make that so much simpler!" she exclaimed, laughing.
Daisy had taken quite a lot of time exploring the secret passages of Shield Keep, and probably knew more about the layout than anyone except perhaps Melinda May, who believed personal security to be an art form. There were ways to get to pretty much anywhere within the Keep, although there were certain areas she did steer clear of, like her Dad's bedroom and Melinda and Andrew's private quarters. She really didn't need to know what went on in those rooms…especially now that Clint was living there. The last thing she needed was proof that har Dad had a healthy and active sex life.
There were just certain things she didn't need to witness.
"Daisy," Dad said, a little soberly. "I'll need you to come home with us when this is over. There's something I'll need to discuss with you before you come back to school tomorrow."
"Alright, Dad." She wondered if it was about Loki. Daisy was willing to bed it was.
"Now," Ianto brought all of their attention back to him, "I'm going to go and fetch Sir James." He turned to Clint. "You know why you're here."
Clint nodded. He went to fetch his ever-present bow and quiver, where he'd set it against one of the walls. It would have been in the way with him holding Crystal. "I really hope I don't need to use this." He slipped the quiver over his shoulder then, removing a single arrow, set it against the string of the bow, although he didn't draw it taut.
Nerves fluttering in agitation, it was all Daisy could do not to yell at Clint for that. She could understand the caution, though, since James was dangerous until the curses could be removed. Besides, she could see that he'd really meant it, about not having to use the weapon. Not that he should do, since there were three powerful Wizards in the room, as well as herself. While she wasn't even close to being on par with three Grand Masters, she knew her magic could pack quite a punch.
Ianto left the room, and Daisy felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Dad, and his eyes were concerned. "You don't have to be here if you think it's going to bother you."
Daisy loved him for that, and had to hug him. "Thanks, Dad."
"You are quite welcome." His voice was soft in her ear, and his magic was fizzy and cool against her somewhat scattered nerves.
She pulled back, letting him see in her face how much she loved him. She couldn't imagine her life without him, not even back when she'd first met him, stumbling across her in that alley in the middle of a war zone, in torn and bloody clothing and looking as if his very world had ended. There had been something about that total stranger, a siren call that had her putting her knife away and following him, even though it could have been walking into disaster…or worse. She'd been so cynical back then; however, that hadn't mattered from the moment she saw this man looking so lost and alone.
Even more alone than Daisy herself had been.
"I know," she reassured him, "but James needs me. He doesn't know me at all, only that I stood up for him, but he needs a friendly face and Steve can't be that because James doesn't remember him. So, it's up to me to be the one who's supporting him while you and Ianto do all the heavy lifting. And he doesn't know Stephen really, so it can't be him, and Clint needs to stand watch just in case. I'm it, Dad. And I want to help him anyway I can."
"I am so proud of you," he murmured. "You have no idea what I did that you turned out so right, and I hope that I can do the same for Crystal."
"You loved me." She didn't even bother to hide the fact that she was wiping tears from her eyes. Her Dad was amazing. He didn't deserve to doubt the job he'd done in raising her. "You were tough when you needed to be, but you also taught me right from wrong, and how to trust again. Crystal is so very lucky to have you in her life. She just doesn't know that yet."
His eyes were glittering with their own tears, although his didn't fall. Not that long ago, his eyes had been a wonderful blue but, ever since Hydra had killed him, there was now tiny black flecks in them that were like little reverse stars. It was the Void, letting anyone who cared to notice know just how special he was, that he was Void Champion, and she couldn't even say how proud she was that he was her father.
"Well," she sniffled a little, "that got emotional really fast."
Dad shrugged, but he didn't say anything. He really didn't have to. Daisy couldn't love him more than she did just then.
She finally took a step back, making her way over to Clint. He was looking at her warily, as if he was afraid she would yell at him or something. Daisy would have been confused about him feeling that way if it hadn't been for their conversation yesterday, and him admitting to her that his childhood had been just as shit as hers had been. He still wasn't quite sure of his place in their family, despite the fact that his signature was on Crystal's adoption paperwork, as well as her own now. She'd already decided to change her last name to Barton-Coulson, to be in solidarity with Crystal and to show him that she thought of him as much her Dad as Dad was.
She really needed to work out what to call him.
Daisy looked up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were blue and green and hazel, all mixed together, and so sharp she thought he could cut steel with his stare. Dad said Clint never missed when he shot and, with those eyes, she could believe it.
"I trust you," she said, putting every bit of certainty into her voice.
Something in him relaxed, and she hadn't seen it until his shoulders actually dropped a little and his eyes softened. He didn't say anything, he simply nodded, settling into watchfulness as James was brought into the room.
Daisy crossed the room to meet him. "Hi, James."
The man once known as the Winter Knight smiled slightly. "Hi, Daisy. Ianto says it's time."
"Yes, it is." On instinct, she reached out and took his flesh and blood hand. "You ready?"
"More than I can even say."
"Then we should get to it, then."
Daisy couldn't help but feel confident in both her Dad and Ianto. They would do the absolute best they could.
And she would do whatever was needed to help.