Chapter 34

Chapter 34: First Reveal

After Skye had finished getting ready, she had Maevis hide in the blanket again. The lass didn’t have anything else on hand to put the Fae in, and Maevis didn’t really mind. She gently handed Peggy the nearly gift-wrapped Maevis. It made much more sense for a servant to be carrying a blanket than a lady as they walked together.

The trade off didn’t bother the old fairy in the slightest. The blanket was quite comfortable, albeit a little stuffy. But picnic blankets were meant to be thick. She counted herself lucky it wasn’t itchy like a lot of the basic flannel ones were.

Skye’s quarters were on the back corner of the castle. They came out into the small hallway, then turned into the main hall to head towards her parent’s quarters. The women passed one of the kitchen doors and the servant quarters, before turning down a small hall like hers. Skye knocked on the door to her father’s parlor, but got no reply. She walked through their bedroom door, and made her way to their personal courtyard.

Tidas, her father, and Lord Fowler were standing about half way between the doorway and the table talking. Skye was shocked to see the lord still in the castle. She figured that he and his horrible son would’ve left by now. The three men stopped and turned towards the seemingly two people, standing in the doorway. Tidas grinned broadly at his love, while the other two let their jaws drop at the sight of Skye’s hair.

Lord Moonstone sputtered a moment before he managed to ask what had happened. Skye shrugged and explained the excuse the three women had thought up while Skye had dressed. It had been a brilliant idea on Peggy’s part. Skye and Maevis tried to come up with a cover story last night after they had gone into the hut. But they hadn’t been able to come up with anything.

‘Leave it to Peggy to save me arse again’, Skye thought to herself, inwardly chuckling as she did.

“I found a natural hot spring in Warrick Forest after... what Tidas told you about happened. The minerals must’ve dyed me hair..” Skye exaggerated being distraught, even though she really was a wee bit.

.....

Skye wasn’t completely sure what Tidas had said happened. He’d only told her to be general and vague in her answers when asked. Not wanting to deal with the hassle. The lass had decided to have it noted as a sore spot for her to anyone that knew her. That way she wouldn’t be constantly questioned about it. It should also help deter anyone who heard about the hot spring from going to it.

“Oh, me poor lass.. I know ye loved yer true color. But this is also a beautiful color for ye! It looks as though yer hair is made of pure gold!” Lucas took a few steps forward to touch his daughter’s hair, but she smacked his hand before he could.

“It’s not gold, father! It’s terrible, and I do Not wish to speak on it anymore!” Skye said dramatically.

Skye’s father had put his hands up in a defensive manner. He didn’t want to upset his daughter even more than she already was over her hair. As Lord Moonstone apologized to his daughter, Tidas was trying not to laugh. He knew she was putting on an act, but it was a rather good one. Watching Lucas squirm as his daughter baited him was hilarious, and Tidas almost slipped. He turned his head so as not to be seen smiling, but the grin had died on his lips when he looked over at Lord Fowler.

His mouth was still open, and he was openly gawking at Tidas’ soon-to-be wife. Tidas straighten up and glared hard at Lord Fowler, who still took a moment to notice. Skye was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The dress she wore was far more daring than normal, and her skin almost shimmered with it’s creamy perfection in the sunlight.

When Lord Fowler realized the prince’s death glare, his face went beet-red from embarrassment. He bowed and apologized for his behavior, but still stole inappropriate glances at Skye throughout their mundane conversations. Tidas felt his ire building, and was aggravated further by the reappearance of the lecher’s son.

When Jacob came back to retrieve his father, he had reacted strangely. He smiled at Skye, but expressed nor said anything about her hair. He kissed her hand right before he’d left, making Skye feel queasy and Tidas pissed off. The evil smirk he gave her as he’d pulled away from her hand made Skye get a weird, sinking feeling. Like Jacob was saying ‘you’re still mine’.

Walking through the halls, the father-son duo had made it near Skye’s quarters before Jacob spoke: “Did you see the fairy?”

With a look of awe in his eyes, Lord Fowler replied, “She looked more like a goddess to me..”

The two men stopped just past Skye’s hall. Jacob stared at his father with a dumbfounded look before saying, “No! The actual Fairy with her! Skye’s got a real damn fairy with her!”

Lord Fowler stared at his son a moment in contemplation before he asked: “How do ye know? Did ye see it?”

“Aye... And I’ve got a plan to snatch her and that wee creature..” Jacob’s face twisted into an evil smirk again as he’d spoken.

When his father returned his smile, Jacob put his arm around his father’s shoulders as they began to walk again. The two would occasionally crank their heads about to make sure no one was within ear shot. Jacob explained his plan to his father, and the two agreed. As soon as their meeting was done, Skye and the fairy would be theirs..

Once the two had left, Skye gently took the blanket from Peggy’s hands. The old woman then hurried away without a word to fetch Lidia. When Skye mother entered, she looked at Skye with utter shock and awe. She walked over to her daughter and gently grabbed one of her curls. She smiled gently at her daughter as she played with it a moment. When she released it, Lidia stepped back and said, “Now you really do look like a mystical fairy..”

An odd kind of snort sound came from the blanket Skye was holding. Lidia looked down at the fabric, then back up to Skye with a quirked eyebrow. She coughed slightly while averting her gaze from her mother’s; trying desperately not to giggle.

‘She had to say fairy, didn’t she?! Hahaha!’ Skye shifted her head so she wouldn’t laugh out loud instead of in her mind.

Skye turned to Tidas and nodded; signaling him to speak. He gestured to the table, implying that the lord and lady take a seat before he started. Peggy announced she would get lunchtime going, then left the courtyard. This was a conversation she felt needed to be between them, and only them. Plus, the old servant already knew everything, or so she thought.

Once Peggy closed the door, Maevis asked; “Can I come out now? It’s stuffier than a brownie’s hidey-hole in here!”

Not waiting for a reply, Maevis popped out of the picnic blanket. She huffed as she straightened a few wrinkles from her robes mid-air. Skye grinned at Maevis’ mischievousness as she’d set the blanket on the ground. The old Fae had done it intentionally to shock Skye’s parents. She laughed out loud at the look on her father’s face, unable to contain her mirth any longer. The squeak that escaped her mother’s mouth before she could cover it with her hand sent her daughter over the edge.

Tidas laughed out loud as well, but only for a few moments. He understood their shock at seeing Maevis. He’d felt a similar way when he’d awoken to the two fairies hovering over him in the woods. The matter was made even worse with the addition of the Nomad Petrie, and an unconscious Skye next to him. It had taken some time for Tidas to calm down enough for them to explain the full situation to him.

Lucas stood abruptly, almost knocking his chair over with the force of it. He walked cautiously up to Maevis; not sure if he believed what he was seeing. Maevis thought it was quite comical to see the lord acting like an anxious child. She could easily see the resemblance between father and daughter.

“It’s alright, my lord. I promise I’m real, and am used to my initial interactions with humans starting out like this. I still find it quite amusing, even after all these years,” Maevis extended her hands in greeting to Lucas with a warm smile.

Lord Moonstone looked to his hand, then extended his pointer finger in an attempt to accept the gesture. Having gone through the same experience many times, Maevis grabbed the tip of his finger and shook it with both her hands. Lucas grinned ear to ear to at the fairy before he turned to face Lidia. She was still sitting with her hand on her mouth, motionless like a statue.

Skye was still laughing as her mother finally came back to her senses. The old fairy was captivating with her long, dark silver hair and her elegant look. Lidia stood slowly and approached Maevis with the same caution Lucas just had. It was heartwarming to Skye to see her parents act in such a way. The past few days had been odd when it came to her parents.

They’d been acting distant towards her most of her life, except whenever Tidas was around. At first she thought it was a fa?ade. The more she saw them interact, however; the more she’d begun to suspect that the coldness they’d shown her in the past few years was the real act..

While Skye’s parents had always kept a certain distance from her, the past few years had been particularly isolating. It was like they were shielding her from the world, as well as themselves. It made no sense to her; their actions, her thoughts and feelings on the matter.. The only for-sure thing she knew was that whenever Tidas was around, it was like they were assured in some unknown way. And that allowed them to let their guards down with her.

Maevis had fluttered over towards Lidia as she’d slowly approached. The old Fae had been curious about Skye’s mother. In the few hours they’d talked after entering the hut last night, her parents had been among the topics. As she’d explained her past, Maevis had noticed her mother was almost never mentioned. She’d asked the lass outright why that was, making her grow sullen as she’d told the old fairy her story. From when she’d been contracted to Tidas, up to the nomads.

Skye had included her strenuous, almost non-existent relationship with her mother. Maevis noted that the few times she had been motherly to Skye, the woman’s reactions to the situations had seemed like they’d saddened her greatly. Maevis had a few theories as to why that might’ve been. But after looking at Skye’s mother face to face, Maevis was sure of her conclusion: Lidia Drummond was not the True mother of Skye Moonstone.