Chapter 547

547 The Influence Of A Dragon

***CONTENT WARNING: LANGUAGE***

Panicked screams and cries for attending loved ones filled the shaking room as the ceiling above them suddenly cracked. It parted as if the building itself were opening up to allow Zazzy inside, putting the already stunned spectators into a dazed state. No one noticed that Skye was using her Earth magic to allow Zazzy in without bringing down the entire castle, except for the other Alconians.

Skye’s magic had a warm and unique aura to it, so anyone who knew her and could sense magic, could recognize her easily. Tidas assumed that the use of her magic was the reason Genie was now walking towards them. He’d stayed behind in his office after Hang’s comment about loving someone that he shouldn’t.

Dismissing the forming thought process before it could turn dark, Tidas looked back at Zazzy. She was whipping her head back and forth, excited to see so many people. But there was one in specific that she was looking for..

“ZAZZY!” Rukia bellowed, her tear-streaked face instantly transforming with a simple smile.

The moment that her eyes had landed on her tiny friend, Zazzy scrunched her neck, and waddled over to Rukia and Mei. Hang backed up nervously as his family reached out, and embraced the mischievous young dragon. A cat-like purr mixed with a trilling noise echoed in the now-silent room.

Tidas glanced around as he focused on his hearing with a bit of his Tank magic. The conversations were now almost the exact opposite of what they had just been a few seconds ago. Most in the room were, at best, wary of the idea of a woman becoming the head of a family..

Even those that supported Senator Lei wholeheartedly had doubts, but Zazzy had completely changed that. Dragons were revered for being powerful, but their wisdom was the main part of their power. The fact that Zazzy was showing such favoritism towards Rukia and Mei had automatically elevated their standings tenfold.

The dispersions being cast on them had stopped, except from one group of Senators. Tidas listened with a tentative ear as he kept his eyes roaming about the room, keeping his eavesdropping from getting noticed. The Senators were discussing how influential the dragon’s mere presence was, and how her showing such favoritism could cause Senator Tokuga problems...

.....

“The dragon’s influence is exactly as we expected.”

“Is that surprising to you? We knew this was a high possibility. That’s why we attempted to avoid it..”

“The harbor would’ve been more opportunistic. We should’ve taken it then-”

“Be quiet!” Senator Tokuga snapped in a low voice; “We don’t know who is listening.. We’ll continue this at our usual meeting. Until then, watch what you say.”

Tidas wanted to go over to them and interrogate them, but it would’ve caused more than just a scene. If he became physical with a Senator from Sai, it could lead to war, or at the very least: cause the treaty to be voided. Right as Tidas refocused on his family, he realized that his attention was given a tad too late..

Mei, Rukia, and Skye had been fussing over Zazzy when Hang had tried to grab Rukia. She moved out of his grasp and cried out for her mother, prompting Zazzy to coil her tail around the three females protectively. As Hang stepped back out of fear of getting swiped with her spikey tail, Zazzy growled in warning at him.

Hang was at a loss for words. He wanted to scream furiously, but even he knew that one did not chastise a dragon. Dragging his family out seemed impossible now, which fulled his anger further. His brow was deeply creased, and his teeth were clenched so tightly that his jawline stuck out.

“Why do ya look so pissed off? Not happy that ya canna drag yer family outta here? Or is yer general unpleasantness from the perpetual stick that’s stuck up yer arse?” Skye more stated than asked as she stepped over Zazzy’s tail.

Hang glared at her, his teeth still clenched as he bitterly replied in Alconian; “I was concerned for my daughter’s safety. Mei can Obviously make her own decisions, but Rukia is My daughter. I will not allow anyone to put her in danger.”

Skye fought to keep her face straight, and maintained a neutral expression as she said; “Are ya sayin’ that she’s nae safe with Mei? Me? Or Zazzy?”

“That’s not what I meant-”

“How am I supposed ta fuckin’ take it, exactly? Either ya dinna trust her wit us, or ya dinna trust Zazzy around her. So which is it?”

Flustered beyond the ability to form coherent words quickly, Skye continued to discretely chide Hang; “Or ya could just admit that ya want them ta stop cause yer a killjoy. I canna understand why their dancin’ matters ta you at all. They werena dancin’ salaciously, and I was the one ta ask them ta dance wit me. So if yer gonna be pissed, be pissed at the right person..”

Skye smirked as she added; “Who’s the guest of honor, ta be exact. Or there’s me title as Princess, or ya could address me as a RMC General of Alcon.. Or the Guardian of the Last Dragon: which ever title bigger than yers that floats yer boat.”

Hang stared at Skye with wide eyes, completely flabbergasted by her audacity. She was clearly aware of their position within the crowded room, as well as her place in the hierarchy of it all. If Hang reacted negatively to her publicly now, then he would be ridiculed for dishonorable conduct in more ways than one.

While Skye was considered a family friend of his wife’s, her titles had earned her even, if not higher, standing than him. Hang Zhao had been at the top of Sai’s political structure for many years, but the woman before him had lept over him in the blink of an eye. After glancing at the dragon then back at Skye, Hang huffed testily..

“It seems that I am at a loss now,” he stated, then looked over at Mei; “I will seek you out when I am ready to talk to you again. Do not come looking for me, or you will regret it.”

Looking back down at Skye, Hang bowed respectfully, then turned on his heels and left. Mei’s expression fell when they locked eyes for a passing moment, and she saw the torrent of emotions in his. As the gossip went into full swing around them, Skye and Tidas walked over to Mei and Rukia.

While rubbing at the back of her neck, Skye nervously said; “Ima So sorry that I lost my cool. I just got so mad when he gave ya that nasty look. And when he tried ta grab Rukia, I just-grrr..”

As Skye had finished speaking, she’d motioned with her hands; making them curl like swiping claws. Rukia smiled even though she didn’t understand what her aunt had said. Being just over three, she didn’t understand Alconian yet, which was the main reason that she and Hang had chosen it to speak in it.

That, and not many of the other senators knew it. Sai’s relationship with Alcon had always been precarious at best, so most had learned Meccano’s language instead. They were Sai’s largest trade partner, and the only other official kingdom that boardered them.

Technically the Highlands boardered Sai in the very northern part of their kingdom, but the mountain passages were too dangerous to navigate regularly. During the winter months, the pathways were swept clean with snow, leaving only those familiar with the area able to navigate it then. Since Alconian was an overly complex language with little benefit, Saianese and Meccan were taught in Sai’s schools regularly.

As Skye and Tidas stroked Zazzy’s neck, Tidas tried to cheer up an overly despondent Mei by saying; “Don’t worry too much about him. Despite what he says, he cares about you greatly.”

As if Tidas’ words had worsened her pain, Mei swallowed hard as she tried to keep her emotions in check. The night had started out so wonderfully, but now Mei wondered if her husband would ever let her leave her quarters again..

“I must speak with Hang. This is all a misunderstanding,” Mei muttered before she took off after Hang.

Hana watched her go from the other side of Zazzy, where she had been observing the situation. She’d been ready to kill Hang if he had hurt Mei in public, but she understood that her motivations had been too conflicted to do anything when Hang had started in on Mei at the beginning. As her emotions waged war within, Genie appeared at her side..

“I want you to take Rukia, and put her to bed. She’s had a thoroughly exhausting night, and she’s already awake passed her bedtime. Have her say goodnight to her Grandfather, then I want you to stay with her....I don’t trust Zhao not to take her..”

“Yes, Master,” Hana replied, then swiftly walked over, and began to have Rukia make her farewell rounds.

She hugged Zazzy, her Aunt Skye and Uncle Tidas, then headed off to her grandfather. As Skye and Tidas watched her walk away with tired eyes, Genie came over to them with a grimace on his face; “Well, you two handled that well..”

Skye narrowed her eyes on him; “Well maybe if ya hadna disappeared, then things wouldn’t have turned out so bad. Why did ya not return wit Tidas and Hang before?”

Genie nervously cleared his throat; “I had remembered some files that I want Tidas to look at tomorrow, so I gathered them together. If I had known that you would pick a fight with one of the most influential Senators on our side, trust me: I would’ve been here.”

As Tidas scoffed, Skye replied; “Tis not like I planned fer Hang ta barge in and cause a scene!”

“Technically, you were the one that caused a scene, Princess. But that does not excuse my Son-In-Law’s behavior,” Senator Lei stated as he walked over to them.

After he had said goodnight to his granddaughter, Bai Lei had ordered extra guards posted around Rukia and Mei’s quarters. He didn’t trust Hang not to try to take Rukia, just like his brother. While technically he had every right to his daughter, Bai Lei wouldn’t allow him the opportunity to hold Rukia against her mother.

Seeing the anxiousness on their faces, Bai Lei assured them; “Do not worry about my Daughter and Granddaughter. I will not let Hang do anything underhanded to get Mei to conform. To be honest, I don’t think he will, but after tonight...I’ve Never seen Hang lose his temper before.”

“Will I still see Mei and Rukia?” Skye asked, suddenly wondering if she’d taken her words too far.

In Sai, as in most of their world; the men had final say on everything. Since Mei was married to Hang, he had the final word on everything pertaining to his family. If he didn’t want Skye around his wife and daughter, then he had every right to enforce his feelings, and prevent her from seeing them. Even with Skye’s current standing, if Hang wanted to be petty, he could stop Skye from seeing them ever again.

As the days went by and turned into a week, Skye began to fear that Hang really had forbidden Mei from seeing her..

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

The gossip from the banquet had spread throughout the capital within the first two days. Everyone had heard the rumors about the Daughter of the Lei Family becoming it’s next head, and how her own daughter had been chosen by the Last Dragon. Skye heard new, ever more escalating stories daily at the clinic.

Depressed that she hadn’t seen Mei or Rukia for a week, Skye had thrown herself into work. Healing people at the clinic daily, hounding Genie to find his copy of the Catalyst legend, and convincing her husband to go shopping with her filled the days. Tidas was peacefully sleeping on the eighth day when he was woken up by a loud thudding noise..

He peered over just in time to see his wife trying to climb out of their window, with Zazzy waiting for her in their courtyard. The door leading out to their courtyard squeaked terribly, and Skye had been trying to avoid waking him up. Rubbing his eyes in the barely-lit room, Tidas asked where she was going when it wasn’t even light outside yet..

Skye smirked as she rushed over, kissed him, and replied before running and jumping out of the window; “Ima gonna go get Mei, and Rukia, and ta Hell wit anyone who tries ta stop me!”

Tidas yawned and grinned as he laid his head back down, and said; “Have fun! And don’t kill anyone!”