Chapter 331

331 Pizza And Sentiments

After going through the recreational areas, the group made their way to Mead Hall. The five of them sat at the bar, ordered drinks and food, then began to chat about various things.

Tidas talked about the coming expedition north to scout out the old capital. He was trying to talk Murdoc out of coming because he was the king, but he would simply wave off Tidas’ concerns. He’d faced the monster numerous times, and understood it well.

“Ima one of the few that’s knows how the damn thing moves, how it thinks. Tis not like any man or animal I’ve ever faced.. Tis like the damn thing has eyes everywhere. Ye got ta approach it from a way it’s not expectin’, or it’ll see ye comin’ before ye lift yer first foot from the ground.”

As Murdoc continued with his discussion with Tidas, Amara and Gavin were talking about his most recent inventions. He was refurbishing an ancient machine called a game station. It was what Tidas had played on the other night before the Shields game.

Amara told him about her simple morning, then they started to talk about plans for dinner, and things like that. Skye grinned to herself as she listened to them. Their voices were elevated, and they smiled constantly at each other as they spoke.

Sky had read too many books not to know what their situation was. They both had feelings, but were too scared to lose the friendship to tell each other. It was a very classic set up, and one that Skye intended to see have a happy ending...

“Are ye single, Gavin? Lots of fair, single lassies in the RMC. Maybe Amara could bring ye down some time? Yer bound ta find a girl that suits ye.”

At first, Amara looked as Skye with stunned shock, then it shifted to anger.. ‘She kens I got feelings fer ’em! Is she-oh.. Clever girl.. She’s playin’ chicken wit me..’

Narrowing her eyes on Skye, Amara stated; “Tis up ta Gavin, but I’ll take him if he wants.”

.....

Too busy staring at Skye, Amara didn’t notice Gavin’s expression drop. He was hoping that she would argue, at least a little bit about bringing him to meet other women. As despondency over took his features, Skye saw his change and said; “Maybe findin’ a good, Expressive woman will help lighten his mood-”

“Tis fine how it tis- He’s fine wit how he is.. If he wishes fer company, there’s a thousand woman he could choose from here. I-I mean in the Highlands. Or are ye tryin’ ta poach our resident genius fer Alcon?”

It was said in a joking manner, but Amara’s eyes were hard as she’d spoken. Warning Skye not to tug at the treads of her relationship.. But she still wanted to smack their heads together..

Revealing one’s true feelings wasn’t a quick or simple matter, and Skye knew it. But a dance could only go on for so long before one’s legs became tired. Gavin wouldn’t say anything because of the loss Amara had suffered already, and he was scared of her rejection.

Revealing earlier that she knew that he had loved her in their youth made Gavin feel like she would still reject him now. As melancholy overtook his heart, a small smile appeared as he said; “I’ll stop by the next time ye have a gatherin’.. I am gettin’ a bit lonely in me old age.. Wait, would ye even Have someone around me age in the RMC?”

Before Skye could answer, Amara looked at him with a hurt expression; “Lonely? How are ye lonely? Ye got me!”

Skye stifled a small chuckle as she said; “I think he meant ‘sharin’ a bed’ kinda lonely, Amara.”

Her cheeks flushed as she sputtered; “Well, I-he should’ve been more precise in his words!”

Amara turned to Gavin; “Ye should’ve been clearer!”

Feeling at a loss, the words slipped out without his consent; “Unless yer willin’ ta crawl in, Skye’s idea sounds good ta me..”

“...Did-Did ye just casually invite me into yer bed, Gavin Bruce?” Amara asked with hopeful shock in her voice, not that Gavin had caught it.

His eyes bulged as he realized what had slipped out. He immediately started to apologize; “Ima sorry, I didna mean it like that-”

“Then how did ye mean?”

The hurt in her tone and eyes confused Gavin, and made Skye want to smack her forehead. It was like he was only partially reading her facial cues, and it was annoying her..

Thankfully, before any real arguments could be had, the food and drinks arrived. Fresh honeyed ale went down smoothly with the fantastic creation called pizza. Flattened bread with tomato sauce, cheese, then meat on top.

Skye was confused why the meat was sliced so thin, but it made biting through it much easier. The cheese had a soft, mellow flavor to it that complimented the tang from the tomato sauce. She could taste garlic, onion, oregano, and other spices mixed into the sauce.

‘I Cannot Wait to give Alfred this recipe! He’ll have ta make it every day fer me. Oh! I could give it ta the palace cooks, too! I bet Magnus would love this! ...I hope he’s doin’ alright without me there ta heal him.. Please let him be okay.. Please..’

As thoughts ran through Skye’s head, Amara and Gavin were muttering to each other...

“I canna believe ye asked me ta yer bed like that..”

Gavin sighed after he swallowed a bite of pizza; “I said I was sorry.. Why are ye gettin’ so mad about this?”

“Because ye asked me like that!”

Gavin nearly choked on a drink of ale.. ‘She’s not mad that I asked her, but HOW I asked her?! What?! Wait..What?!’

As Gavin’s mind fizzled out, Amara realized what she’d said, and became even more flustered. To the point of not being able to look at him for the rest of the meal. Tidas and Murdoc had enjoyed their conversation as they ate, and asked Gavin’s opinion on a few things like equipment to take.

When he had gotten up and walked over, Amara leaned over, and spoke quietly to Skye; “WHY?! Why would ye Do that ta me?!”

“Because Ima meddler. When I see to idiots standin’ in their own way of happiness, I meddle. Ye be mad at me now, but just wait... You’ll be thankin’ me like all the others, and soon,” Skye replied cockily.

“All the others? And what makes you think this won’t blow up in yer face? Like I am gonna if this goes bad?!” Amara asked testily.

Skye finished her last bite of pizza, and slammed the bit of her ale she had left, then replied; “Because Ima not some phony match-maker. I not only see yer feelings fer each other clear as day, but I feel yer energies, too. That’s the best way ta explain it.”

“...That explains nothin’,” Amara replied dryly.

Skye huffed; “Ye two are like a couple of magnets, but yer keepin’ each other at arm’s length. I bet ye everything I own that if ye were ta put yer arms down, nothin’ could unstick ye..”

Amara didn’t speak much again until they left Mead Hall. Skye wasn’t like everyone else, and Amara believed what she said, but Gavin wasn’t like other men. He’d never married, or had a stable relationship longer than a few months.

Amara had assumed that he liked his bachelor lifestyle, and that was why he had stayed single most of his life. She had no idea that it was because he’d been pining away for him all of these years, but Skye had an inkling of his affection for her.

As Amara got lost in her thoughts, Murdoc begrudgingly paid for the twenty pizzas, and eight glasses of ale. Once they were out in the street again, Murdoc turned to Gavin and Amara, and yelled; “Wait, why the hell did I pay fer you two?!”

“Because yer a good man, Murdoc Campbell. And ye didna think ta ask beforehand. I’ll buy ye a meal next time we eat here,” Amara replied with a small smile.

“Me too,” Gavin added as he took his usual place at Amara’s side.

She seemed a bit odd around him now, which both saddened and frustrated him.. ‘Why did I have ta make that Stupid comment?!’

As everyone mounted their bikes, Skye came over to Gavin’s other side and said; “If yer honest, you’ll be surprised at how happy she’ll be..”

Before he could say anything back, Skye pushed her bike over to her husband, who wrapped an arm around her like it was natural. He didn’t break eye contact with Murdoc, and she molded to him like they was meant to be that way.

As he looked over at Amara, Gavin’s heart pounded in his chest like he was a teenager again. She was just as beautiful to him now as she was back then, if not more so. As she flicked back her copper-colored hair, Gavin decided to go to her house tonight and face his feelings for her...

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

The ride to the first field didn’t take long, but the others had to keep a fair distance until Skye had the majority of it cleaned up. The fumes from the soil could make a person sick if they breathed enough directly.

As Skye walked the field and poured her magic into it, she thought about how to tell Tidas that she thought he had a Shaman trait. It was the only way he could funnel his magic into his horse, and the only reason his knuckles weren’t mince meat from punching the wall before.

‘How do I explain it to him? Why does he have another ta begin wit? There’s other multiple trait users aside from me, but they’re all older. Maybe Tidas’ experience has somethin’ ta do wit it? Or.. Could I have influenced him in some way? By the gods, I wish Mae was here..’

As she found herself lost in her thoughts, Skye realized that the field was ready. There were five more that she needed to tend to, and this one was the least effected by the toxic seepings. Placing her hands on the ground for better control, Skye began to shift the dirt..

The surface trembled below foot for several minutes before a large pile of metal poked it’s way out of the ground. Seeing it, and then Skye dusting her hands off; the group made their way over..

The air still had a slight pungentness to it, but the freshly shifted dirt was releasing an earthy smell that was quickly overwhelming the bad. As they headed towards Skye, she did the same with a smirk.

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Tidas quirked an eyebrow at her as he asked what the satisfied look was for. Gesturing to the ground around her, Skye replied; “Since this was the least-affected field, I think Ima gonna need another pizza if ye want me ta finish all of ’em.”

Murdoc’s expression deflated as he practically yelled; “Amara can pay this time!”