Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Why He Went

Skye was awakened by something feather-soft touching her face. She raised her hand to smack it away, but felt her wrist being grabbed instead. Her eyes shot open to meet two piercing, green eyes. They were the color of a beautiful jade jewel she’d seen Mei wearing on occasion. Her arm went slack as her blue eyes shimmered with sleepy happiness. Tidas thought she was a beautiful sight, first thing in the morning. Even with her violent tendencies towards those who woke her.

The prince laid on the bed next to her, propped up on his right arm. Still holding Skye’s wrist, he leaned down and placed a light kiss upon her lips. She raised her other arm to stretch, pointing her toes that were poking out of the comforter as she did so. She sighed sleepily, then rolled onto her left side, and placed her right arm across Tidas’ side. She ran her hand up and down his back in slow, small circles.

Tidas had moved his left hand up to her right one, and entwined his fingers with hers. They laid there a few moments, staring at each other. He’d been worried that Skye would regret their actions together, and asked as much, honestly. Skye smiled at him and said; “Why would ye ask such a silly question?”

A sigh of relief escaped the prince, making Skye giggle. It really was silly for him to think she’d regret it. Although the alcohol did help lower her guard; she loved her prince all the more for his concern. But he was the one to be worried over, truth be told.

“Were you alright? Did ye sleep well?” Skye asked in earnest.

“I was out like a winded candle. Although, I think I’ll sleep even better tonight..Or maybe not at all...” Tidas’ almost whispered the last part.

Skye shot up out of bed in a panic and said: “Shit! Our wedding is today! Why are we layin’ about; we need to get movin’, Now!” Skye bellowed as she sat back down on the bed to pull her shoes on.

.....

Tidas barked his laughter at the sudden frenzy Skye had become. She stopped to give him a hard stare, but it had only made him laugh harder. They left the small hut and went out to greet the others who were already eating. Skye looked to the food with hunger in her eyes, not even noticing Nicolas missing.

Grabbing her share of bread, cheese, berries, and a chunk of rabbit from last night; Skye wolfed it down with gusto. She quickly rinsed her hands and face in the cold water of the stream, next to the hollow. She then found a toothpick-like twig, and cleaned her teeth the best she could. Brushing them would have to wait until she got home, but she didn’t want Tidas to see food stucking to them in the meantime.

Skye looked about as she came back and finally realized Nicolas wasn’t around. When she asked, Maevis nodded in Tidas’ direction. He’d been dreading telling her about the conversation he’d had with the two elder Fae this morning, and the reason Nic had gone off to speak with their Queen. But it directly affected her, and she had every right to a say in their plans..

******

Prince Tidas had been up for over an hour or so by the time he’d woken up Skye. He’d been the one to gather berries while Maevis explained most of the discussion she and Skye’d had a few hours ago. Nicolas was with them too, but he barely spoke as he battled a massive hangover. He munched some of the blackberries, blueberries, and elderberries Tidas had collected as they walked.

The old Fae told him of how she’d offered to train Skye in her Earth magic. After they left, got married, and settled; Skye would come back to ‘visit’ her parents for a time to train. Tidas stopped in his tracks, and turned to face Maevis with an anxious expression. He hadn’t planned on telling anyone before Skye: what would happen after their weekend honeymoon.

“I wanted to tell Skye first, but it seems you should know as well.. The reason I had to leave Skye before was because I became part of the Royal Mages Corps. My father tasked me with a specific mission, and it’s not one I can turn away from; even if I wanted to. My uncle tried to murder my father and oldest brother many years ago. Skye’s father saved mine that night, but the bastard still got away.. My mission is to track him down and kill him for attempted Regicide.”

Tidas’ exterior exposed his fury, despite himself. Maevis couldn’t tell if he was angry about the general betrayal of it all, or if Tidas had been close to his uncle beforehand. She asked as much aloud, surprising the prince with her straightforwardness. He could see why Skye seemed to like her; they were much alike in temperament.

“We weren’t close, but my aunt and I are. She was the second person I told when I learned of my powers. She helped me to figure out which aspects of myself to enhance with my magic,” Tidas finished with a warm smile, filled with love.

“Is she a magic user as well?” Maevis asked curiously.

“No, but she’s the most educated person I’ve ever met, and well traveled. She had to leave the Royal Palace for a while after my uncle.. did what he did. She came back when I was six, I think? She wound up being, more or less, my tutor. Now, she’s an unofficial counselor for my father,” Tidas’ eyes filled with happy nostalgia as he spoke of her.

“Sounds like a lady I’d like to meet some day,” Maevis replied thoughtfully.

“Oh, I Know she’d Love to meet you. Skye and her bonded over their Fae stories.. She’d probably be worse than Skye was when she’d met Nicolas,” Tidas had popped some blueberries into his mouth as he spoke.

“What do you mean?” Maevis fluttered closer to Tidas as she posed the question.

“Oh, she told me she’d called him Santa..” Tidas replied as he chuckled.

“Hahahahaha! Haven’t heard that one in a while!” Maevis chuckled.

Tidas quirked an eyebrow at Maevis. He could’ve sworn Skye said that Nicolas had never been called that before.. ‘Could he have been lying? Why? Why would he unless...’

The prince eyes bulged with his epiphany; “Nicolas IS Santa!”

Maevis completely stopped laughing. She had just busted out her oldest, dearest friend, and felt terrible for it. She sunk slightly in the air, crossing her arms. Tidas was far quicker than most of the human royals she’d dealt with in her past. Only a handful hand his keen senses and wit.

“Ye remind me of yer ancestor, Tiberius. He was a good man, and a good king. But he also understood when and were to pry,” Maevis chided.

“But he did pry,” Tidas replied with a impertinent grin while wiping some juice from his chin.

“Ack! Yer as audacious as he was as well,” Maevis feigned irritation.

“I apologize for my baiting.. here,” Tidas handed Maevis a fat blueberry to eat while he spoke.

“After we’re wed, Skye and I must head to the capital. I don’t want to take her, but the king’s orders are absolute. I must find my uncle: not just for my father, either. My aunt deserves justice as well. She lost her only child because of everything she went through..” Tidas went silent; his fury building as he recalled his aunt’s sadness over the years.

“I’m sorry for your Auntie’s misery, truly. But I still don’t understand Skye’s place in it.. Were you planning on taking her with you to slay yer uncle?” Maevis’ tone raised steadily as she spoke.

Tidas paused a moment in contemplation. He knew Maevis had a point; taking Skye with him wold probably be difficult, if not entirely forbidden by his father. Skye was one of few women the king found intelligent enough to heed. She was quick witted, and a good chess partner. There was no way his father would let her go with him, not when she could provide him with quality entertainment.

The king or his aunt’s hoarding of Skye’s time was not the reason Tidas didn’t want her in the Capital: his older brother was. He explained how Marco had always watched Skye whenever she came to the palace. Tidas had even confronted him about it once, but all he’d said was, “A man may admire another’s garden; so long as he doesn’t pluck the flowers”.

The Crown Prince was almost as charismatic as Skye’s father. He’d been the one to solidify his other brother’s marriage to the Ruscovic(Russ-Cho-Vick) Kingdom. And he was the one to secure his own betrothal to the first Princess of the Meccano(Meck-Con-No) Kingdom. By the time Marco actually comes into his crown, he would be connected to all the major kingdoms but two.

Tidas’ stomach clenched every time he thought of his brother gaining such power. He’d never actually given Tidas a reason to distrust him personally. It was an odd instinct that drove him to watch and weigh everything his brother did. For many years, Tidas had chalked it up to tradition. After all; killing one’s siblings when the Crown switched hands was commonplace, up until four generations back. In fact, the very ancestor Maevis had mentioned: Tiberius.

Since Tidas had returned, however; a wretched feeling would come over his soul whenever they were together. It was like he was angry that Tidas came back. Like it hindered him somehow that Tidas had survived. The Third Prince had learned to never ignore his survival instincts, and they gnawed at him. Making Maevis’ offer more tempting due to it.

Tidas understood he couldn’t run away from his duty. His uncle had to be brought to justice. But Skye’s safety came first; not his honor, not his life. He’d made that decision after surviving his first attempt on his uncle’s life. He wasn’t sure how, but his magic-less uncle had used Ether magic on him. He was determined to find out how, and that would be extremely dangerous; too dangerous to bring Skye along. And Maevis had agreed.

Tidas would need something to convince his father to allow Skye to leave, just not with him. He racked his brain to try and think of Anything that would due; short of a death threat. He huffed with his frustration, causing the old Fae to ask him what was wrong. While looking at her hovering next to him; a calculating smile grew steadily across his face. Tidas popped another berry into his mouth before asking: “Maevis... Would you like to meet the current king?”