Chapter 380

380 Family Nights And Dreary Mornings

Tidas resigned himself, knowing that it was nearly pointless to lie to her. He told Skye that he’d gone over their established plans of attack and withdrawal with Zazzy, but that he had also made an extra plan that involved only the two of them.

If Richard did completely overwhelm them, and all seemed lost: Zazzy’s job was to get her to safety. Both Tidas and Zazzy knew that it would make her mad, but they could accept it. As long as she lived, she could be as angry as she wanted to be at them.

Skye started to yell at her family about ‘putting themselves first’, but stopped speaking when Tidas basically pulled her against his chest. He gripped her in a way that communicated something akin to desperation before he took a few shaky breaths..

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I decided something. You won’t like it, but I feel like it’s something I need to tell you..”

Tidas took another deep breath; “The darkness within me is a part of me, and I can accept than now because of you and Zazzy. But you need to also understand what that means..”

“I love you, Skye, more than anything or anyone, and the same goes for Zazzy. The number of people doesn’t even matter to me. If it comes down to me choosing between you, and the whole damn world: I will chose you.. The world be damned without you in it.”

Zazzy grunted in agreement, then telepathically told Skye; “Da is right. We’ll do whatever we have to do to keep you safe, Momma! Even if it makes you mad! We love you!”

Skye took another calming breath before replying; “How about instead of lettin’ everyone die fer me, ye help me protect ’em? Cause that’s what I’ll be doin’, and it’ll be a cold day in Hell before I abandon innocent people...And don’t go actin’ like yer not the same way!”

Before Tidas could comment back, Skye continued in an increasingly surly tone; “Don’t think I don’t ken what ye be up to, Tidas MacArthur! Ye were gonna make Zazzy fly away wit me while You stayed behind ta fight! Weren’t cha?! Look at yer face! Ima right! Aren’t I?!”

.....

Zazzy took on a quizzical expression, then stared sternly at her father; “We’re you Really gonna do that?! That’s not fair! You said that you would catch up!”

Tidas averted his eyes as Skye and Zazzy stared at him scrupulously. They were gauging his reaction, and he knew it. Sighing in defeat, he admitted that they were right, then got chewed out for twenty minutes over it.

As a family: they had agreed to not self-sacrifice for each other, but rather fight together, and win together. If it came down to it, they would flee together, too. Skye and Zazzy started to talk about what she and Tidas had before while he sat and thought.

‘I love my lassies too much to see them hurt.. If it comes down to it, I know Zazzy will fly away with Skye while I’m guarding them. She may be mad at me, but it’s the same as with Skye: I’d rather have her alive and angry than dead..’

“Out yer head, love. Yer place is here, with us,” Skye stated as she cupped Tidas’ cheek.

Zazzy rubbed her snout against Tidas’ leg as she cooed. He lurched forward slightly as he asked what he missed, prompting Skye and Zazzy to share an amused glance.

“Ye always get spacy when yer tired, husband. Wanna cuddle up wit me and Zazzy? Won’t be the most comfortable, but it’ll be warm,” Skye asked as she rewrapped her arms around him.

Tidas looked up at Zazzy with a half-smile; “As long as someone doesn’t try to squish me again, sure.”

Zazzy nuzzled against his leg again as she made a noise that sounded exactly like ‘sorry’. Tidas shook his head with a soft smile on his face.. ‘She’s getting so smart and big so fast..’

Seeing his sentimental expression, Skye asked; “Whatcha thinkin’ that’s gotcha so smitten, husband?”

Tidas quirked an eyebrow at her; “Did you just rhyme?”

Skye grinned bashfully; “Aye, sorry bout that. It just kinda slipped out fer some reason.. Tis from a children’s book that one of the young ones read ta Zazzy a few weeks back.”

Tidas chuckled; “A children’s book, huh? ...I was thinking about how fast Zazzy’s growing, and wondered if I’ll feel the same way watching our children grow.”

A sweet smile appeared on Skye’s face; “And how often do ye think about havin’ bairns wit me?”

“The children themselves, quite a bit lately. As to how often I think about making them,” a devilish smirk covered Tidas’ features; “How many times do you smile at me in a day?”

“Yer insatiable, husband...I love it. I feel the same way,” Skye replied as they leaned in and kissed.

Zazzy grunted, then laid her head down with a huff. She was used to her parents being lovely-dovey in front of her, but sometimes they took it too far. The two chuckled before getting up, and crawling into her tent right before the rain started.

They stayed up and chatted for a bit about what they would do after they returned to the Capital. Zazzy was excited about the idea of a baby sister or brother, and rattled off a bunch of baby names that all sounded very dragon-y. After an hour or so, the three cuddle up, then drifted off to sleep with smiles on their faces..

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

As the sun managed to break through the gathering cloud coverage, Skye grimaced at her namesake. She and Gavin had weatherproofed the generators the best they could, but she still worried about water getting in along the bottom where the seam was. As she munched on a trencher full of the last of the sausage gravy, Skye wished that she could redirect the dark clouds approaching them, like Genie could.

The morning went by in a blur. They had stayed up far later than Skye and Tidas had planned, and Zazzy did toss and turn a bit in her sleep. Tidas woke up several times, but Skye had only woken up twice. Once when Zazzy smushed them together, and again when she curled her tail, and hit her in the gut with it.

The last time that Tidas had slept next to Zazzy, she had nearly suffocated him. In the middle of the night, she had grabbed him, and cuddled him like a child does a stuffed animal. It was sweet in hindsight, but at the time, it scared him half to death..

Tidas never wanted to hurt Zazzy, but had come dangerously close that night. They had a Very long talk about being more aware of herself if she wanted them to still sleep next to her on occasion. Zazzy agreed, and had practiced by sleeping at the edge of her little house.

Anytime her body touched the cold ground, she woke up. Zazzy hadn’t rolled over on them, but was still a restless sleeper; just like she was when she was small. The night had brought back many fond memories of her sleeping on Skye’s chest, or wrapped around Tidas’ head on his pillow.

Zazzy hadn’t been small for long, but they were wonderful memories none the less. Once she got bigger, she’d sleep at the end of their bed, on her own in the corner of their room, or in Peggy’s room. When she’d gotten too big for the palace, she was moved to the courtyard.

As Skye and Tidas ate their breakfast with their scaly bairn, Murdoc, Amara, Ralph, Arthur, and a few others joined them. Petrie had stayed back to manage the Highlands in Murdoc’s stead, and Skye’s guards were chatting with some of the Moonstone and Reinbolt soldiers.

Everyone seemed in good spirits, but there was a heaviness in the air that no one wanted to acknowledge. As comrades talked and laughed with each other, the thought stuck in the back of their minds: people would die today. It might be their friend sitting next to them, or their self, but some wouldn’t see the sun set tonight..

It was always in the back of the mind of any soldier walking about on a battlefield. The experienced veterans were doling out advice to the novices smart enough to ask for it. A few were actually playing games or instruments to calm their nerves, but most were discussing strategies as they ate.

Tidas was happy to hear from Ralph that only a few of the younger soldiers from their reinforcements might cause issues when the fighting started. Most of the Highlanders, and all of the RMC members were veterans. The only ones he had to worry about were the greenhorns.

The Moonstone men would do whatever Skye said, but the group of Reinbolt’s men that they had saved from the mudslide seemed glory-hungry to Tidas. He worried that they might rush in, not understanding that Richard wasn’t completely human anymore.

Murdoc had asked why he looked tense, so Tidas told him, and asked that he assign a few of his men to keep an eye on them. The Highland King scoffed, but said he would comply.

As he finished off his food, Murdoc smirked at Tidas, and said; “Hey: I bet ye a meal at Mead Hall that they piss themselves the first time they see ’em..”

Tidas choked as he tried to swallow his last bite, then spoke after he could breath again; “Speaking from experience, are you?”

Murdoc laughed as he stood up from his seat, and glanced over at the gathered greenhorns; “I wasna the first, and I willna be the last, ye ken..”

Tidas laughed hard as Murdoc walked off to gather his men. The Highlanders had as much of a personal vendetta against Richard as Tidas did. He had been preying on them for years by killing both their people, and land.

The frontline was filled with volunteers, which were mostly Highlanders. They wanted to be involved as possible when it came to taking down the Monster of the North, and Tidas wouldn’t deny them. Not as long as Murdoc vouched for their combat abilities.

Those in the frontline were charged with keeping Richard’s attention divided so Skye and Tidas could attack. Their dragon swords and Zazzy’s fire were the only things that had really hurt him, but they still didn’t know if they could kill him with them.

He had escaped Zazzy’s fire before by shedding a thick layer of ooze, so they didn’t think that she could kill him with it.. But she might make him vulnerable enough for Skye and Tidas to do it.

Their plan A was to distract Richard, then test the waters a bit by seeing if he could be handled without exposing Zazzy. If it didn’t work, then they would call her in to roast him as much as possible. As soon as he shed his layer, Skye and Tidas would attack him, and hopefully reach the bit of Richard that was holding the monster together.

After everyone ate and camp was broken down, everyone started their trek across the valley to the Old Capital. The Tamers said that he hadn’t moved from the palace, and was standing inside the throne room. A chill ran up Skye’s spine as she asked if there was a weapon within the room.

The Tamer quirked a curious eyebrow at her as he replied; “Aye, General Moonstone. He has some kinda fancy spear..”