Chapter 351

351 Girl Talk

When Skye and Amara had gone back into the bunker, they immediately went for food and drinks. The RMC members had turned the large table in the middle of the room into a kind of buffet. Bottles of mead, ale, and whiskey were at one end, and plates of snack foods were at the other.

The Highlanders had amazing foods in general, but their snacks were Skye’s favorites. Tiny pastry squares filled with cheese, sausage, and tomato sauce were her favorite. They also had long sandwiches called ‘subs’, at least three kinds of chips, and a variety of dips set out.

Skye munched away as Amara grabbed a bottle of whiskey, then went off and found them a couple of tumbler glasses. The movie was still going, and the RMC members and Highlanders were laughing and talking as they watched. An amused expression spread across Skye’s features as she observed and listened to them.

When Amara came back with freshly cleaned glasses in her hand, she grinned when she saw Skye. Curious, she asked what had her friend so happily occupied. Gesturing to all around them, Skye replied; “Just lovin’ the peace is all..”

“Aye! We can drink ta that!” Amara exclaimed as she poured their drinks.

Skye had eaten a tray of the pastries, three subs, and at least an entire bowl full of chips between the three types. Amara was shocked at how fast she could eat, but happy; it meant that she was ready to drink more.

As whiskey warmed their bellies, Amara quirked an eyebrow at Skye and asked; “Are ye really gonna make yer husband sleep out in the dog house-sorry, I meant ta say dragon house?”

“Only if he doesna apologize ta me properly,” Skye replied as she grabbed the bottle, and refilled their glasses.

Amara smirked; “Same difference.. Does he get like that often?”

.....

“Na, just lately. Killin’ Raymond is affectin’ him more than he’ll say, so he’s drinkin’ every night ta excess. Multiple times,” Skye replied with a guilt-ridden expression.

“Then just don’t heal his arse anymore,” Amara replied as she knocked back the shot that Skye had poured for her.

“Tonight was the first time he’d said somethin’ like that ta me seriously. We joke around, but he’s never taken the ‘mss as n stance’ on anything before.. I don’t like it,” Skye said as she stared at her empty tumbler.

Seeing her friend’s pitiful demeanor, Amara poured them each a full tumbler instead of shots. Gently placing it back in front of Skye, she gestured to it, then motioned for her to take a drink. She shrugged once, then downed half the glass before Amara tried to grab it.

“Ye don’t Chug fine whiskey! Ye savor it’s taste while contemplatin’ life!” Amara shouted with a surprisingly serious expression.

Skye smiled cheekily as she kept the glass just out of her reach; “Aye! Aye! I’ll savor it! Quit yer caterwaulin’!”

As Amara retook her seat, Skye’s smile turned soft as she said; “Ye would like me Da. He’s fond of whiskey, too..”

Amara barked a sharp laugh; “I’ve met yer Da, and he’s got good taste ta prefer Mickey’s mother’s stock. She was the best distiller the Highlands had ever seen..”

As sadness overcame her, Skye patted her shoulder, and asked some questions about her and Gavin. The change in subject had immediately improved her attitude, and they started to go back and forth about their men.

Amara complained about Gavin, but had a smile on her face the whole time. Skye and Tidas had argued, but they’d never gotten into a fight. Amara chuckled at her as she said; “Give it time, dearie.. Ye two are still in yer honeymoon phase.”

Skye shook her head; “I really don’t think Tidas and I will have issues like that. We tell the other what’s botherin’ the us, except wit this Raymond thing. He blames himself, but he should blame his brother..”

Curious about her amount of ire directed at the Crowned Prince, Amara pried a bit in a low tone; “And what is the oldest like? I know he has disturbin’ past times, but what does he show on the surface?”

Skye tensed all over as she kept her voice low; “He basically looks like a friggin’ statue most of the time, but smiles and laughs wit his friends in the banquet room. There’s been a few instances were he was...different wit me. And he’s tried ta do some shitty thing ta Tidas..”

Amara looked intrigued, but said; “Best we talk more on that in private later.. What about the other brother? The one that rules Ruscovic? Does he follow the MacArthur mold, or did he break it like yer man?”

Skye beamed at her; “Oh, Lawrence is one of a kind, alright. He be a good man, and a good Da to his bairns. He was a womanizer up until he and Shasta got together.”

Amara donned a pondering expression; “Shasta.. She’s the Vice Commander of the RMC isn’t she?”

“Aye, and a Bakenecko at that,” Skye added as she sipped her whiskey with a smile.

Amara’s features lit up; “Really?! I’ve never heard of one outside of Sai before! Oh, poor dear.. Bakenecko are born from tragedy, er so I’ve read.”

“Aye. Shasta’s had a far more difficult life than most, but she seems quite happy now. Lawrence’s children adore her. It wouldna surprise me if they started ta call her ‘Ma’. Ima sure Shasta would love it since she canna have kids wit Lawrence,” Skye finished her glass right after she finished her sentence.

Amara nodded; “Aye.. Tis sad, that is.. Do ye know if Maevis and Nicolas ever had kids?”

Skye coughed as she almost choked on her whiskey; “W-What?! No! Those two don’t have that kind of relationship..”

Amara grinned sadly; “So he never told her? Bloody idjit..”

Skye stared at her with wide eyes as she pointed to Amara; “Don’t ye mess wit me about this! Does Nic really-?”

“Aye,” Amara’s grin turned nostalgic as she spoke; “He told me when they were here searchin’ fer the Northern Star. Nic had lost it durin’ his showdown wit his brother Krampus. The battle happened in a castle ye have ta pass on yer way to the Old Capital.”

Skye leaned in intently; “And?! What happened?! Nicolas always gets a sad look in his eyes whenever his brother was brought up..”

“He did the same thing when he told me the tale.. I think tis somethin’ he should tell ye about himself, bein’ what it is and all..”

Nodding in agreement, Skye added; “I get it. He acted strangely after he talked about Da toy.”

“What toy? Whatcha mean?” Amara asked, confused by the implication.

As Skye told her of the toy Krampus had made her father as a lad, Amara was shocked. The stories of him all shined a dark and malevolent light on his character, and Nic’s story hadn’t changed the shade.

She knew that he used to help deliver the toys with Nicolas, but she didn’t know that Krampus had made toys as well. As Skye started to tell her of Zazzy’s hatching hijinx, Amara sipped her whiskey, and listened contently.

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By the time Skye was ready for sleep, they had talked about everyone from the RMC, to the Fae, to the treaty, then back to their men again. If it wasn’t for Skye’s ability to sober herself, she would’ve been worse off than Tidas had been outside..

‘Speakin’ of, where is he? Did he go ta bed already? That asshat still owes me an apology!’

After she sobered up Amara a bit too, Gavin showed up to retrieve her. He was expecting a sloshy mess of a woman, but she looked damn-near sober. Astonished to find her in such a state, he whisked her away to give her what she’d been trying to coax out of him earlier..

Skye laughed as Gavin literally scooped her up in his arms, and carried Amara out of the bunker. She yelled and fussed at him for doing it, but was obviously forcing a smile away as she did so. As they disappeared from sight, Skye wondered if Tidas would be willing to give her a ‘proper apology’ after she fixed him up a bit.

Walking over to their door, several people wished her good night, and to tell the Commander to take it easy next time. Apparently he’d gotten a bit worked up playing a card game, too. As she turned the handle to their room, Skye decided to have a wee chat with him before they did anything fun..

After entering the room, Skye’s demeanor had instantly deflated as she stared at an empty bed. She didn’t think that he was serious about sleeping with Zazzy tonight, not with how cold it was.. ‘I canna believe he’d rather sleep outside than apologize!’

Flustered, Skye quickly undressed, and climbed into bed. She really wanted to talk things out with him, then ‘make up’ accordingly..

‘Was I really that harsh on him? I wanna apologize fer gettin’ so angry, but not until he goes first.. And ima not chasin’ him over it! He can come find me when he’s ready..’

As her eyes began to feel heavy, Skye wished that Tidas would walk in..

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

Tidas had one of the worst sleeps of his life. Zazzy shifted in her sleep, and moved her tail away that was blocking the icy wind from hitting him. On top of that, she snored so loud that it had literally shaken him. Altogether, Tidas had probably gotten a total of three hours of sleep.

Sleep deprivation combined with a hangover made Tidas regret breathing when he walked into the bunker around four-thirty in the morning. He had barely cleared the door away when he just laid down, and fell sleep in a ball on the floor. It felt like walking on a beach inside compared to out, and had instantly eased Tidas back to sleep.

He’d only slept solidly for an hour or so before the RMC members movements woke him up. Tidas had gone back outside to get more sleep with Zazzy, but she had curled into an unconscious impenetrable ball. Without her tail, the wind was unbearable, so he went back inside to get another hour or so of sleep on a random cot.

Tidas didn’t wake up until Murdoc was standing over him with a heaping plate of food. The smells made him nauseous at first, but someone had left him a cup of mint tea to settle his stomach. It was barely lukewarm, so it had been sitting there for a bit..

‘I bet it was Skye.. She’s probably still pissed at me.. Do I find her and apologize, or give her space? She’s never been angry enough to banish me from our bed before..’

As worry made Tidas crease his brows, Murdoc interrupted his thought; “I’ll go check and see if Zazzy’s been fed yet. Eat while Ima gone, or I’ll shove it down yer throat when I get back!”

Tidas smiled at him for his gruff kindness as he replied; “Aye, I’ll eat. Thanks for the food..”