Chapter 433

433 Old Connections And New Problems(Part Two)

“I did have ta heal me self afterwards, but it wasna bad. Just some perforated organs and such, but those are easy ta fix when it comes ta healin’ me self. Other than that, I was fine,” Skye replied as she looked at Nicolas fluttering in front of her.

Tidas grimaced; “You never told me that you got hurt from healing the ground..”

Skye looked at her husband with a nervous expression; “It really wasna a problem, love. I was fine! If it woulda hurt bad, you would’ve heard about it.”

Tidas wasn’t buying her excuse; “I remember you asking for jerky afterwards, but you never said anything about getting injured. I knew that the amount of magic you were using didn’t add up, and you were healing yourself on top of it?! How are you not dead?!”

Maevis sighed; “Because she is the Catalyst, dear lad. That amount of power isn’t even a drop in the ocean compared to what she’ll eventually be wielding..”

Peggy walked over to Tidas and handed him a full shot glass as she said; “Now ye see why we’re drinkin’? Touchy subjects today..”

After accepting it, Tidas knocked it back then asked; “What do you mean eventually? She tapped into it when we took down my uncle, and that was-”

“Like I said, tis not even a Drop of what Skye will have to wield by the time the prophecy comes to fulfillment. Think of it this way: take your universe, and convert it into magical energy. That’s the Source of All Magic.. Our original universe.”

Maevis sipped at the thimble of whiskey that Peggy had provided her after she had finished speaking. She knew that Tidas would realize what it meant for Skye to take in all of that power, even if it was gradual. At some point: Skye would die from it.

Tidas flashed a shocked expression, and looked ready to speak.. Then he glanced at Peggy. He wasn’t sure if she could handle hearing about something so terrible happening to her bairn. As he watched her pour herself a shot, take it, then get back to serving everyone; his heart wretched in his chest.

.....

‘I want to question Maevis and Nicolas more, but not in front of Peggy and the others.. I need to do this as carefully as possible..’

Looking directly at Mae, Tidas mouthed; “Tomorrow. RMC office.”

Maevis nodded in understanding, and nearly jumped when she looked over to see Shasta staring at her. Lawrence was still arguing with Murdoc about attending the meeting, so she was sitting and listening to all of the conversations going on around her. Maevis figured that she must’ve had the same train of thought as Tidas, and knew that Skye was in danger.

Before she could say anything, however, Murdoc and Lawrence’s argument started to get out of hand. The were yelling at each other over the meeting, and Tidas had forgotten to keep an ear out for them. Murdoc was intentionally being difficult, which was irritating Lawrence to no end.

As he hollered about the Highlander King’s lack of basic respect, Shasta stood up; “Will you two knock it off?! It’s not even up to you two to decide on! It’s up to Magnus! So shut up before I come over there and do it for you!”

Shasta turned her head to look over at Petrie and Nicolas; “And you two! Just make a plan for another date, or next Yuletide! It’s not that complicated! What is wrong with all of you?!”

“And who gives you the right ta tell people what they can or cannot discuss? Last time I checked: yer the Future Queen of Ruscovic. Not the current Queen of Alcon. Quit puffin’ yer chest, furball,” Amara said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Oh shit,” Both Lawrence and Tidas muttered.

Murdoc beamed; “Oh! This is gonna be fun ta watch-”

“Shut up Murdoc,” Skye and Petrie said at the same time.

Amara and Shasta stared daggers at each other as Skye frantically tried to think of a way to resolve the situation. She was hoping that the two would get along, but they seemed to be butting heads instead. As she looked about the room, a thought popped into her head.

“Ya two better settle down before ya cause an incident. The treaty hasna been publicly signed yet, and Magnus could still refuse if ya make a fuss. I dinna see why Murdoc couldna sit in on the meetin’ wit-”

Murdoc grinned and muttered; “Thanks, Skye..”

“-WITH Amara sittin’ next to’em?”

Murdoc’s expression dropped as Amara agreed to keep him quiet, unless his opinion was asked for. Skye turned to Nicolas and told him that Shasta was right, and that he needed to accept responsibility for his non-actions. When she heard Petrie snicker, she turned on him next..

“Don’t ye go actin’ all high and mighty wit him! He didna agree ta yer wee setup beforehand, correct?”

Petrie shook his head in the negative, but didn’t get a chance to speak as Skye continued; “Then quit bein’ a bairn about it, and make a new plan. I mean, why ya think Santa has spare time fer extra house calls around Yuletide, I’ll never understand-”

“Aye! Alright! I’ll make a plan wit him Not around Yuletide, then. But me original idea isna gonna work now..”

Skye sighed while trying not to laugh at him; “I think she’ll be surprised enough by meetin’ Santa the Claws period.. I dinna think ya need ta add any kinda crazy fake story. The real one’s pretty good.”

Petrie scoffed with a smile; “Oh aye! Tell me wee sister that I was tryin’ ta rob you and yer fiancé, but ya spared me over a bloody carvin’, and that I nearly helped ta kill the two that she swears are Demigod lovers.”

Skye coughed while taking a shot, then made Petrie repeat what he’d just said. She laughed hard, then told him to give his sister a hug when he saw her next. The face Skye had made when she’d finished speaking let Petrie know that something he had said reminded her of something unpleasant..

Skye wasn’t really angry about going to Sai, mainly because she’d get to see Mei again. Meeting her best friend’s child for the first time, seeing a few familiar faces from when she was a child, and eating delicious food were all enticing. It was just the way that Genie had gone about it that had infuriated her.

It was like he didn’t want to take the chance that Skye would refuse, even though he should’ve known that she wouldn’t. The situation involved Mei’s safety, and that of her family’s.. ‘Bawbag shoulda known ta just ask instead of usin’ me as a political pawn..’

One thing about it all wasn’t sitting right with Skye, and that was Sai’s Senate’s insistence on Zazzy coming along. She knew that dragons were revered in Sai, but that also meant that a live one would be priceless to them. If they wanted to try and take Zazzy from her, then Skye knew that she would’ve walking right into their hands...

“Out your head, love.. Your place is here, with me..”

Tidas’ words brought Skye out of her mind, but his close proximity nearly made her fall over. He was three inches from her face, and directly in front of her. The fact that he had gotten so close to Skye without her even registering it was embarrassing. As her cheeks flushed, Tidas smirked and asked what she was thinking about that had her so distracted.

Everyone was engaged in various conversations as Tidas sat down next to his wife. Amara, Murdoc, Nicolas, and Maevis were discussing their childhood meeting. Apparently, Amara was watching over Murdoc with her first husband long before they had married when they fished Nic out of the river.

Petrie, Shasta, and Lawrence were talking about Victor and Anna, and how they were participating in the wedding. Lawrence told Petrie that he could invite his family if they could reach the capital within a month. Petrie chuckled and explained that it was much quicker to reach without hundreds of soldiers marching along with them.

Feeling secure that no one was paying particular attention to them, Tidas asked Skye again; “What’s got you so flustered, love?”

Skye sighed; “I just don’t understand why Genie would go behind our backs, and force me hand wit Magnus. He knows that if he woulda told me that Mei was in danger, then I woulda went straight to her.”

“He probably knew that you would, which would’ve earned you a court-martial for abandoning your post during a time of war. My Father would’ve been in a very difficult decision if you had run off right before the Highland Raid.”

Skye knew that Tidas had a point, but still commented; “Well, he’s still not sayin’ the whole truth of the matter.. He said as much when we all went over the treaty before, but he didna wanna say too much then.”

Tidas shrugged; “Then give him a chance to tell you before we kill him. I’m still angry that we have to wait to start a family. I was Very much looking forward to trying many, many times to make a bairn..”

Skye felt goosebumps bloom all over her body as her husband left a soft kiss on her shoulder. She knew that he was half-trying to comfort her, and half-trying to distract her.. And he was doing a good job at it. Smiling brightly at him, Tidas grinned back as he asked; “Should we kick everyone out early to ‘get dressed’ for the banquet tonight?”

Skye’s smile stretched into a mischievous smirk; “Not yet, husband. I need ta know why Genie went through Magnus, and why Zazzy is important to Sai’s Senators.. Ima gettin’ a really bad feelin’ about that.. I willna risk our scaly bairn.”

Tidas nodded as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders; “I don’t think they mean her any harm. I just think that they’re having a hard time believing without seeing. And even if someone tried to take Zazzy, Zazzy herself wouldn’t let them. She loves us as much as we love her.”

Skye rubbed her hands together nervously; “I ken, I just got a weird, bad feelin’ about it.. I think about Sai, and that doesna set off any flags. I think about the people, and still no flags.. I just think about leavin’ Alcon wit her, and somethin’....Somethin’ within me is screaming not ta go. I dinna ken what ta do..”

Tidas tightened his grip around his love’s shoulders as he said; “We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. For now, let’s just try to keep the peace as much as we can. We can only do what we can, Skye. The rest will come in it’s own time.”

As she rubbed a phantom chill from her arms, Skye replied; “Aye.. Let’s just hope that it’s own time doesna bring something bad wit it...”