Chapter 283

283 Previous Obligations

Peggy’s cheeks flared red with her embarrassment of getting caught. She stared at the floor as Skye rightly chewed her a new one. Going off about how angry she’d be if their situations were reversed. After about eight solid minutes, Genie put his hand on Skye shoulder, and chided her about being ‘stern on the old woman’.

Peggy went to yell at him with a smile for saying that, but wound up having a coughing fit instead. Skye instantly shooed her back to bed, then made Tidas and Genie help hang clothes. Afterwards, Tidas ordered one of his guards to fetch three servants, so Peggy could instruct them.

Being smart about it, Tidas had whispered to the guard to make sure and have the head housekeeper send her best. When he took off, Skye chuckled and said; “Shoulda asked for five to cover Peggy’s pace properly..”

Tidas blinked several times; “Are we sure that she’s not a Fae? Like some kind of demon-elf hybrid or-”

“I heard that, Tidas MacArthur! And Ima Not amused!” Peggy bellowed from her bedroom, making Tidas jolt.

Skye and Genie both got a good laugh out of it, then chatted while they waited for the other servants to show up. Genie had been helping out his brother, Senator Li Wei, with protection mostly. He’d also checked on a few of his former students. One of which was currently his number two, and handling things for him while he was gone...

When the servants finally arrived, and Skye knew that Peggy wouldn’t be too overbearing for them to deal with; they left for Zazzy’s Place..

************

When they were about halfway there, Skye jumped from Thoth, whom had become used to it, and took off ahead. Tidas and Genie were still on horses, and took their time getting to their destination..

.....

Tidas chewed Genie out for abandoning Skye, and not telling her that he was alive. He obviously felt bad about it, and told his pupil about the hollow being his home until he had returned to her. After that, Tidas was a bit calmer since he’d already talked to Skye about it.

When they got to Zazzy’s Place, it just looked like a sweet little cottage attached to a giant barn. Genie’s head swiveled, knowing what must live in the barn. ‘Skye had wrote many letters about her, but I wonder how big she really is? Mr. Fuu wouldn’t give me the details..’

Mr. Fuu had traveled back home like the other dignitaries. Alconian winters were far harsher than Sai’s, and he had no wish to experience it with his bad arthritis. Especially if Skye wasn’t going to be around to heal him..

Tidas chuckled at his old teacher, then stated; “You’d have better luck looking up than around..”

Right as Genie looked up, Skye and Zazzy flew low above them; mere inches from Genie’s head. It scared his horse to the point of rearing up, then running off. Tidas’ horse was used to Zazzy, the same as Thoth. She’d even stolen apples for them on occasion, and petted them.

It was the oddest thing that Tidas had ever seen: Zazzy sitting on her butt, and stroking their manes with a delicate touch.. But, it was also one of the cutest things he’d ever seen. Zazzy acted like a hyper-intelligent toddler; constantly getting into things, and flying off to explore. She always came back when he or Skye told her to, and never bothered the people.. now.

When she’d first started doing it, Zazzy had gotten them in trouble twice. Once for stealing a prized cow, and the second was for flying too low, and knocking down a barn. Skye had easily fixed the barn to be better than new, but the man whom had his cow stolen demanded a hefty price.

Tidas paid it begrudgingly, even though he thought it was Way too much for a single cow; no matter how fat..

Zazzy was the size of a fully-grown elephant now, and much bigger than the Roland Snare Journals said she would be. She wasn’t even a year old yet, but was way past the size marker for a year old already.. ‘How big is she gonna get?!’

The thought was so disturbing to think about, that Tidas pushed it from his mind every time it popped up. ‘We’ll deal with that mountain when we come to it..’

When Genie flew back, he didn’t land on the ground. He’d used his Wind magic to catch himself as he stared at the legendary creature before him with awe.

The red bones left behind from an ancient dragon made up the walls of the Sai capital, much like Dragonhorn. They had the same shine to them, and cast the colors of the sunset in beautiful arrays over the city. They were proof of not only their existence, but of their benevolence..

The bones had protected their capital from invaders since before it was the Sai Republic. Only an attack from the inside was able to bring down the previous rulers. Dragons were heavily ingrained in their culture and beliefs, and for Genie to see a living one right in front of him..

“Would you like to meet her? She’s very friendly. Kinda boarders on over-friendly..”

At Tidas’ offer, Genie didn’t even wait for them to land. He took off into the air, leaving Tidas sitting on top of his horse..

“Okay! I’ll be down here then! By myself.. Guess I’ll see if we have snacks of some sort..”

Skye heard his remark and chuckled at his mock self-pity. He wasn’t really upset, but she also knew that he had missed seeing Genie, too. As Genie met up with her and Zazzy in flight, Skye said; “I think we best get back down to Tidas! I don’t wanna deal with a moody husband!”

Genie chuckled as he and Zazzy looked at each other. She quirked her head, then waved like a person at him. Genie chuckled again, then waved back as he said; “Cleaver Girl!”

Skye laughed boisterously, then stated; “Oh, ye have no idea..”

Once they were on the ground, Skye told Genie about Zazzy’s latest little ‘quirks’, like reading books, and going for flights on her own. He petted her and looked on in amazement at Skye spoke.

“She reads?! Did you teach her?!” Genie exclaimed when she’d gotten to the part of it.

“No, that’s the weird part! And there’s no mention of dragon’s bein’ able to in the journals we found, either,” Skye replied with a touch of both pride, and worry in her voice.

Noticing it, Genie commented; “It must be a genetic thing. You wrote that they have special traits that are passed down, right? Maybe it’s exclusive to Zazzy? That’s why Ronald didn’t know about it..”

Skye chuckled as she hopped down from Zazzy’s saddle; “It’s Roland, not Ronald. Roland Snare..”

“The dragon rider?” Genie asked with a perplexed tone.

Skye’s eyes went wide; “I never wrote about that..”

“Snacks are ready-what’s going on? Why the serious faces?” Tidas asked as he came out with a small tray of cookies.

Tidas looked at the tension on Skye’s face, and the ‘Oops’ expression on Genie’s. He sighed deeply, and looked to Genie; “You already dug the hole, it’d be best to tell her before she buries you in it..”

“I didn’t learn it from you.. There’s records in Sai from the first dynasty that mentions him..” Genie replied as he looked at the ground.

Skye’s anger flared; “Why did ye not tell me in a letter?! What do ye know about him?!”

Genie flustered; “I-I don’t remember! I learned that over twenty five years ago at school!”

“That’s bulshit, Genie.. Yer not the type to forget somethin’ about yer favorite subject..”

When Genie averted his eyes again, Skye was about to snap, but Zazzy stuck her tail in between them. Skye was going to yell at her for interrupting, but she had a strange look in her eyes, almost pleading with her mother to listen..

Skye looked at Genie with a no-nonsense expression; “What were ye gonna ask me about, Genie? What’s the favor?”

Genie locked eyes with Skye, and spoke in his serious tone; “I want you and Tidas to come to Sai, and help me unravel a plot. One that threatens the peace of my home, and Mei..”

“Mei’s in trouble?! Why?! She’s done nothing to anyone-”

Genie cut Skye off; “She’s her father’s daughter, that’s why.. Li is trying to do something, but he has a Lot of opposition from some of the other Senators.. Ones who’s families were pro-emperor, if you understand..”

The silence was heavy in the air as Skye pieced together his meaning; “I thought that the heir to the main line died without kin?!”

“Direct kin.. A branch family that had always had a seat on the Senate is trying to gather support to.. Return things. They have people sabotaging public works, as well as killing those who stand against them. It’s why I’ve been helping my brother with protection details, but my ninja can only do so much..”

“So what are we to do? I know nothing if espionage!” Skye nearly yelled.

“If you and Tidas show up with Zazzy championing my brother’s cause, then the people will back him..”

Tidas rubbed at his chin as he thought out loud; “Because of how the people of Sai revere dragons, correct?”

“Yes. If they see the ‘Chosen Mother’ siding with Li, the opposition will lose virtually all of their support overnight. Mei and Li will be safe, and you can enjoy some time visiting your dear friend, whom missed you terribly, by the way..”

Skye sighed in exasperation; “But I just joined the RMC! Magnus would never allow me to go, and even if he did, Ima not sure I should.. I made a commitment, Genie. I canna back out of it just because I got what I wanted.”

Genie’s own temper flared; “Magnus won’t see it that way if I explain it to him!”

“No, but the other RMC members might,” Tidas stated as he walked forward; “Skye had no previous training, other than what Shasta had taught her over the past year. All of the others had been apart of the mandatory indoctrination training for years, but then Skye shows up out of nowhere with multiple Elemental traits, even..”

Tidas rubbed the back of his neck hesitantly; “To be honest, some of them resent her already. They had to leave their families at such a young age, but the daughter of the king’s favorite got a pass?”

“...Don’t sugarcoat it or anythin’, husband,” Skye remarked; she didn’t know any of that for sure, until now.

After flashing his wife an apologetic expression, Tidas added; “And on top of that, I’m the Commander of the RMC.. Do you honestly think that my father will let me go?”

“Then Skye can just-”

“No. We stay together. That’s why she’s going on the Highland Raid with me,” Tidas cut Genie off.

“Why can’t ye send Mei here?! She’s never been to Alcon before!” Skye exclaimed; she really did want to protect and see Mei.

Genie shook his head; “She hasn’t left the castle in months. Every time she does, she gets attacked. And she can’t travel this far with a young child..”

The three stood there in silence for several minutes before Zazzy started huffing. She’d been staring at the cookies that her father was holding with drool running down her jaw.

Not thinking, Tidas held up the tray and said; “You want one, girl?”

Instead of grabbing one with her claws, Zazzy licked the entire tray. Every cookie stuck to her tongue as she dragged it across the silver platter that was the perfect size for her to do it to..

The look of shock on Tidas’ face was too funny, breaking the built-up tension. As they laughed, an idea struck Genie..

‘When was the last time Alcon sent diplomats to Sai? ...I think I need to have a little discussion with Magnus..’