Chapter 92

92 Apologies

“I can’t believe she took off with my pants!” Tidas stated with a dumbfounded expression.

Skye looked to her husband with equal shock. Peggy was surly, but never out-right disrespectful. The two stared at the door leading out into the hallway; expecting the old servant to come bustling back in with a quip, like she always did. With her signature toothy grin, and an apology for her poor jest.

Nearly ten minutes had past before Tidas broke the silence; “I can’t believe the old bat actually took off with my clothes!”

“An old bat, am I?” Peggy’s voice was deep and threatening; making both Skye and Tidas yelp and jump in unison.

The two whipped around to face Peggy. She’d come in through the closet doorway, via the courtyard; carrying fresh clothes for the couple. She’d stood waiting for several minutes for them to move, but all they’d done was stare at the main doorway.

“I was tryin to be nice.. I went to fetch the prince’s things so you two could bathe together!” Peggy yelled at the the prince.

“Why did you take my clothes?! You could’ve told us what you were doing,” Tidas shot back.

“I was goin past the laundry anyways; no point in making two trips. Ima very busy woman, ye know,” Peggy replied as she set the clothes on the far end of the bed.

“And why did ye not tell us that?” Skye inquired with a stern tone, even though she could guess the answer.

.....

Peggy stopped her task and stared flatly at Skye a moment, then she turned towards Tidas with a glare; “Consider it payback for this morning... I had to trek me arse to the servants’ quarters to sleep!”

Tidas barked a laugh while Skye covered her head with the blanket. She was embarrassed Peggy had heard their lovemaking. Peggy was like a mother to her, and Skye was like a daughter. Married or not; it was still awkward for the old servant to acknowledge.

Calling out to her from under the blanket, Skye attempted to apologize; “Ima so sorry, Peg..”

“Oh, no yer not! But.. Yer a grown, married woman now. I understand what that means. Just don’t expect me to stay so close at night anymore.. Ima scarred for life now,” Peggy shook her head to force any mentally-disturbing images from resurfacing.

Tidas smirked before he said; “The capital has quarters for each prince. Our servants have adjoining rooms, but they’re always on the opposite side to the bedroom.”

“That’s not far enough,” Peggy stated plainly.

The prince chuckled before he assured the old servant; “My quarters are much larger than Skye’s at the palace.. With a few more rooms.. I don’t think noise should be a problem.”

Peggy huffed before replying sarcastically; “Great! More work!”

Skye had been sitting with her head still covered while the two bantered. She reached up between the pillows near the headboard to grab Zazzy, to check her. Her shell was shiny and smooth, and the baby dragon inside seemed to be sleeping. She stared at it for a few moments; not realizing the noise around her had stopped. Rubbing the obsidian orb, Skye smiled to herself before the blanket was pulled off of her head.

Tidas made it a point to yank the comforter from her quickly; causing Skye to yelp again. Peggy had left to check that their lunch would be ready shortly after they’d finished bathing. Skye growled at her husband for intentionally scaring her. He stood up from the bed in all his naked glory before saying; “Sorry, love; but you’re too cute when surprised..”

Skye looked at her husband with indignation for a moment before smiling. It was mischievous in nature, making the prince feel he should be on the defensive. His thought was validated when she’d set Zazzy back in her makeshift nest. It was a similar smile to the one she’d had when he’d chased her about the courtyard with water; the morning before the nomad attack.

Tidas didn’t realize it, but Skye was actually using her magic to pull at some of the bath water. She had gathered some into a spherical shaped mass, and now had it sitting above his head. It was only about two cups worth of water, but unexpectedly getting doused was unpleasant to most people.

Skye lifted her hand up for better control, confirming that something was amiss. Tidas looked side to side, but didn’t see anything. He looked back to his wife and grinned uneasily. Skye returned a confident smirk before pointing up with her lifted hand.

The moment Tidas tilted his head to look up, Skye pointed down; dropping the water ball onto his head and face. He sputtered and coughed as he wiped at his face. It wasn’t much, and it had been warm water, but Tidas was still irate. He looked at his wife, smiled wickedly, and lunged for her.

Skye had flopped and rolled off of the other side of her bed to avoid his grasp. Tidas shot her a playful glare before attempting to grab at her again. She giggled as she dodged his hand; running around to the other side of the bed as he finished climbing over the edge, to stand.

Due to his wife openly laughing at him for not catching her; Tidas decided to prove a point. He used his magic, and sped over to her in a blink of an eye. Skye gasped as he scooped her up, into his arms. She instinctually wrapped her arms about his neck for stability while still laughing.

While trying to catch her breath, Skye said; “No fair! Ye cheated by using yer trait!”

Tidas chuckled slightly before giving his rebuttal; “To be fair; you did use yer magic on me first, wife.”

“True.. It was funny, though,” Skye’s eyes and smile were playful as she’d spoken.

“I know something that will be funny as well,” Tidas had turned about and walked into the bathroom as he’d finished speaking.

Standing over the tub; Tidas grinned wickedly before dropping Skye into it. She’d kept a hold of his neck, but he’d simply bent over as she’d gone down. The water sloshed and spilled over due to the sudden displacement. Skye screamed out, then it turned into boisterous laughter.

Since they were both naked, and the water was warm; neither were actually upset at the other. Skye thought about yanking Tidas into the bathtub, but even if she could, the risk for injury was too great. Her bathtub was long and deep, but not very wide. As funny as it would’ve been, Skye didn’t see the reward being worth the risk.

The couple chatted while they took turns washing each other. Skye refused to allow her husband to wash her hair again, but all her other parts were open to his scrutiny. He’d taken a little extra time washing her front, as did she. But the time Peggy had come back to check on them, Tidas had just gotten out of the water. Since she’d knocked, the prince had time to wrap his lower half in his towel before she’d entered.

“By the gods, how long does it take two people to bathe?! The lord and lady be already waitin for ye two! Get yer arses movin!” Peggy huffed in dismay as she walked around to the other side of the, and began to scrub at Skye’s hair slightly rougher than normal.

Ignoring her servant’s unruly manners, Skye replied; “Don’t fret, Peg. We’re newlyweds, and Ima rarely on time to begin with. Da and mother know that.”

“Don’t make excuses with me, child; for yer not one any longer. If ye want me to treat ye like an adult, ye best start acting like one,” Peggy snapped at her lady.

Turning to look at her old servant, Skye asked indigenously; “And when have I acted childish lately?!”

Peggy put her soapy hands on her hips out of habit before quipping; “Well, MOST recently ye snuck out of the castle without telling anyone! Ye know who does that?! Children!”

Before continuing her task of washing Skye’s hair, Peggy added; “Naughty children who are in a general need of a good ass-whooping, in my opinion..”

Skye openly glared at Peggy, but said nothing. She was right; Skye should have told someone that she was at least leaving the castle. Maevis had been with her, but it didn’t change how many people she’d worried. Sitting quietly until she’d finished with washing, Skye then apologized to her loved one.

“Ima sorry for worrying ye, Peg.. I truly am. It was childish of me not to tell ye I was leaving the castle; especially with everything that had happened with Jacob.. Can ye forgive me?”

Peggy studied her bairn a moment before replying; “Aye.. So long as ye never do it again. Me old heart can’t take it lass.”

Tidas had left the closet to dress when Peggy had told them to hurry up. He now stood leaning against the doorway, listening to them. Tidas admired the relationship between Skye and her servant. It wasn’t usual for servants to be so open and honest with their masters, but the two didn’t see their relationship that way, or treat each other as such.

Their relationship had always been more like a mother-daughter bond. Peggy never had children or a family, so Skye was her entire life. It wasn’t unheard of for servants to form bonds with those they were in charge of raising, but for the bond to last past childhood was rare. Most nobles realize the social gap young, and break their bonds with their nursemaids and servants before their teens.

Skye never saw the point to society’s class system. Some of the most amazing people she’d ever met would be considered ‘below her station’, but that never stopped her. If it had; Skye never would’ve met such wonderful people as Petrie, Ronnie, or experienced things like meeting the Barguest.

She opened up a new perspective for Tidas, and it only made him adore her more. If not for Skye; he might’ve turned out like the young fools that followed his oldest brother around. Tidas watched the two continue talking as Skye dried and dressed. She’d occasionally shoot him a smile as she went about finishing getting dressed for the day; causing the prince to appreciate this simple moment in their lives..

As soon as the three readied themselves to leave for lunch, a frantic knock came from the hallway door. Skye acknowledged them to enter, and was surprised to have one of Tidas’ guards step through the threshold in a panic. He bowed and looked fearfully to his prince as he informed them; “A large group of dangerous animals are heading down the road, towards the castle!”