Chapter 320

320 We Are Alconia

As the party continued into the night, the wind kicked up as snow started to come down in clumps. Zazzy retreated into her snug little barn after bidding everyone a goodnight. She liked how lively these humans were compared to the ones that her parents normally surrounded themselves with.

Zazzy frequently missed when she was smaller, and could follow Peggy around inside the palace. Most people were nice to her, and would often stop to play or talk to her. Peggy would eventually yell at them to get back to work, but she’d always give them a wee bit of time with her first.

The more Zazzy thought of her, the more she started to miss the old crabby lady. She was even starting to miss the strange one that referred to himself as ‘Uncle Genie’. As she began to nod off, Zazzy hoped that her mother and father would finish up their business quickly so that they could go home..

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

The party was barely started on the inside of the bunker as the music, dancing, and games continued. It was nearing midnight when Skye was handed a violin of exquisite craftsmanship. It was old, far older than anything she’d ever touched before.

The strings and bow were newer, but the violin itself looked like it was even older that the Great Shift. As she ran her hand over the neck, Skye looked at Murdoc with a soft, genuine smile, and thanked him for letting her use it.

At first, he was speechless in the face of her gratitude and sentiment. Her expression caused his chest to feel warm, and his mind to fog.. Then came the wave of self-satisfaction.

Murdoc puffed up his chest like he’d won a prize, then smirked at Tidas. He Knew that he could never have Skye, but he would try to make Tidas jealous anyway. His reactions were comical, and it let him know not to slack off in his care or affections for her.

There were plenty of men that would gladly step up to treat Skye like the Queen that she was if Tidas wasn’t willing to put in one-hundred percent of himself. And Murdoc wanted him to know that he would be first in line, should he ever screw up badly enough for her to leave him.

.....

Skye didn’t notice the exchange between them, she was too busy admiring the violin. After carefully tuning it, she checked to make sure that the bow had enough rosin on it. After a quick couple coatings, she played a few notes to check the sound.

The noise got the attention of most of the room, except for the participants of a few of the more rowdy games. When Skye actually began to play, the room fell quiet as a beautiful melody filled the room. It wasn’t sad, but it wasn’t a happy or triumphant tune either.

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As the bow glided over the strings, hearts and minds were filled with those they’d lost on the battlefield. From the recent fight, to past battles: it was a song meant to honor fallen comrades. As they listened, a few were even caught with wetness about their eyes, but no one said a word about it.

When she finished, Skye stood up on a chair and spoke loud enough for all to hear; “I know that there’s been much blood spilled between us. But I also know that there’s even more blood Shared between us! Everyone here, and everyone in Alcon all came from the same people! Why should bloody Geography divide us so?!”

“Today, we’ve all taken a step towards a better future! The blood spilled Has Not been in vain! Their deaths Will be remembered and celebrated as the pillars of our peace! Not as Highlanders and Southerners, but as warriors that gave their lives so that we may remember the lesson! We All Bleed! We All Feel Pain and Love! And We Are All Alconia!”

As Skye’s words echoed off of the bunker walls, the people gathered were awestruck before they exploded into screams and cheers. The reference to the original kingdom went over most of the RMC member’s heads, but as the night progressed, most would come to learn the truth...

After many ‘thank you’s and a bit of doting from her husband, Skye played her usual, upbeat happy music that she was known for in the capital. Many of the higher ups that had attended the banquets told stories about her and Shasta. They were surprised to learn that ‘The Demon Cat’ was that fun of a Fae.

As Skye played, other band members joined in, and the bunker was packed shoulder to shoulder. Skye danced as she played the violin, with a mix of RMC members and Highlanders all around them. It was a bit awkward with most of her armor still on, but she wouldn’t let it affect her playing by removing the shoulder guards.

At one point, Tidas and Murdoc were directly in front of her as they had some kind of a strange, drunken jig-off. They danced the same dance that had been passed down on both sides for more generations than anyone cared to count. Further cementing Skye’s earlier point of their origins.

When it got to the point of them both stumbling, Skye stopped playing to heal them both. After she finished Tidas and healed Murdoc, he looked at her with bright eyes and asked if she would marry him again.

Tidas instantly shot him a glare, but Skye was the one that replied; “I thank ye for the offer, but Ima quite happy wit the one I got. I can’t see me self lovin’ any other.”

Skye had left both men with a light buzz, so Skye’s words made Tidas feel a little mushy. He wrapped his arms around Skye from behind, then kissed her neck as he whispered his own sweet emotions into her ear.

When her cheeks turned a flattering shade of pink, Murdoc scoffed and said; “Ack! Save yer dirty talkin’ fer yer bedroom!”

When Tidas motioned for her to follow him there, Murdoc called them back; “Hang on! I didna think ye be retirin’ so soon! There was a place I wanted ta show ye two!”

Skye and Tidas exchanged a looked like they were going to pass him up anyways, so he added; “We gotta cut through the main intersection ta get there.. Ye can see a great deal of our inner workings by goin’..”

Tidas didn’t seem to care about the offer any more than the first time, but Skye..

“Whatcha think? Can do ye wanna go? I do.”

Tidas looked at her with both disappointment, and understanding love as he replied; “I go where you go..”

Nodding their agreement, Murdoc motioned forward with his arm. Skye walked forward first, leaving Tidas walking nearest Murdoc..

“Asshat..”

“I prefer the term cock-blocker fer this situation,” Murdoc quipped at him.

“...You’re right, that’s much more accurate,” Tidas commented back as Skye led the way through the groups of people.

As the two bantered, Skye stopped at the doorway to the utilities room, and turned to Murdoc; “Yer on, big man! I dunno me way any longer.”

Murdoc chuckled; “I would hope not. Ye havena been here since ye were a bairn.”

“Did ye know me mother, too?” Skye asked eagerly.

‘Shit.. I pulled a Hagrid! I was a supposed ta say that!’

Murdoc internally panicked, he made sure that his face wasn’t visible to Skye; but Tidas had seen it. As they walked down a long hallway that had mostly rock walls, it suddenly changed after about seventy feet.

“Ye can ask about that later. I think Yer gonna be a wee bit preoccupied with other things,” Murdoc stated as they went through a metallic archway, and were temporarily blinded by lights..

A enormous open area with hundreds of people walking back and forth came into view as their eyes went back to normal. In Alcon, men and women mostly wore the same style of clothes constantly. Women in dresses, and men in formal suits.

Commoner and noble women alike were wearing more pants and shirts, but still wore dresses most often. The people here in the Highlands had a wider variety than Skye had ever imagined...

Some people walked about in furs, some walked around in blue pants made of denim, and single-layer shirts made from cotton. Others walked around in clothes that hardly left anything to the imagination by being so tight, and others were far more revealing than simply being tight.

Some Highlanders had piercings, while others didn’t. Same went for tattoos, and other distinctive aesthetics such as hair styles and makeup, to being utterly plain. Some looked like gods, and some looked like Fae.

As Skye and Tidas marveled at their variety, she realized that everyone seemed to be in perfect co-existence. They went about their lives unbothered by the vast differences around them.. It was how the two had always hoped the world as a whole would be someday.

“How is this possible?” Tidas asked with apparent astonishment on his face.

Murdoc smirked, knowing what he meant; “We have every clothin’, gender, belief and skin color ye can imagine under these grounds, and they all co-exist fer the same reason: survival.”

When Skye quirked an eyebrow at him, Murdoc continued; “If we were ta fight, it would destroy All of our ways of life. So ta avoid that, we have city sections. This is a common space, and known as Gaia City.”

“Each section has their own traditions, and then the common spaces are where we celebrate together. We still get bar brawls and the like, but we havena had any internal issues for hundreds of years.”

“So ye segregate Yer people?!” Skye nearly yelled, appalled.

“No! No one is restricted from livin’ anywhere, so long as they abide by that section’s rules. We have many people that practice ancient religions, and if we did nothing, the ridiculous fightin’ would never end. Me people are free ta dress, love, and worship however they like, so long as they abide by the rules.”

As Skye contemplated Murdoc’s words, Tidas looked around at the infrastructure. Not only was there a literal city in the center with the largest buildings he’d ever seen, but several massive staircases led to at least a dozen rows of tunnels. Large crowds walked in and out of them, going about their day as if it were any ither day.

As he watched a group of teenagers step onto the stairs, he nearly shouted in surprise; “Are those stairs Moving?! Is it magic?!”

Murdoc chuckled loudly before he replied; “The best kind. The kind that can be had by all: Science. They be moved by electricity. They be an ancient invention called an escalator. Haha, tis been here longer than I have.”

Murdoc’s grin widened as he added; “If ye think that’s impressive, just wait til we get to Mead Hall...”