Dawning Skye

446 Banquet Of Sycophants(Part Two)

Tidas watched Skye continuously glancing at Genie while she ate. To be honest, it had irked him in a way he didn’t like. A dark part of him screamed about an unspoken attraction, even though Tidas knew that Skye and Genie didn’t have that kind of a relationship. They were more like brother and sister than anything, or so he repeated to himself.

Ever since they had fought his uncle, Tidas had been having troubles controlling his darker impulses. Everything from snarky comments and ridiculous doubts about Skye’s loyalty, to actually entertaining slightly more devious thoughts..

The reward that Tidas wanted for winning the Shields game was for Skye to wear something that he had purchased. It had been specially ordered before they had departed for the Highlands, but it hadn’t been finished before they’d left. Tidas saw the receipt for it yesterday, and sent a servant to fetch it from the shop it had been created at.

‘Poor lad.. Well, probably not if he saw what I think he did, but I made sure to tip him extra for sending him to such a place..’

As the thought crossed his mind, he glanced at his wife. She was staring at Genie again, and it made his temper flare irrationally..

As Skye finished off her third plate of food, Tidas said; “You’ve been staring at Genie off and on for the past half an hour. Is there something I should be worried about?”

As soon as he’d said it, Tidas tried to figure out how to not sound like the overbearing ass that he just had. He saved himself by playing it off like he wasn’t acting like a jealous fool, but a supportive one. Skye had obviously noticed that he hadn’t really meant it, so she let it go, but both were left wondering where his mood swings were coming from..

The banquet was filled with great food, and happy, chattering guests. Skye and Tidas were the main subject of discussion, but the other competitors were being praised as well for standing their ground against the power couple. The atmosphere was filled with good times...Except at a gloomy corner of the King’s Table.

Karena had been quietly sulking for nearly the entire game. She had gotten her hopes up a bit that Skye and Tidas’ match would put at least a little strain on their relationship, but it had the opposite effect. As she downed glass after glass of wine without eating, the Crowned Princess’ rage began to grow unbearable.

.....

Every time she heard their names, Karena wanted to run across the room, and stab Skye and Tidas.. ‘Why is it Always Them?! I guess it’s better than that beast woman getting as kind of good attention, but she’s that bitch’s friend, too.. I bet they’ll start to play music and dance together soon, like usual.. Without me..’

Karena huffed loudly as she stewed.. ‘I am the future Queen! Not Skye! I’m a Real Princess, unlike her.. I was raised with the poise and elegance befitting of my lineage.. That stupid country bumpkin Bitch doesn’t even know which fork to eat a salad with! She’s a commoner whore! And has no place in my palace!’

As her thoughts turned nastier, and her level of drunkenness reached it’s peak; Draco took away her cup. She glared at him like he had just dumped it on her instead, then slapped him after he had set it on to the table. Hardly anyone noticed because it was some-what common for Karena to abuse Draco in public, but Skye had seen it.

Knowing that talking to her over her behavior was pointless, Skye went straight to Magnus, and asked to have her removed. He hesitated at first, but she told him what she had just seen, and explained that she was ‘trying to stop a scene before it could happen’.

Magnus agreed after, and called Marco over to him and Skye. The King quickly told him why he wanted Karena gone, and added that he would be paying her a visit himself tomorrow. To have a detailed discussion about her behavior lately. Marco agreed and left, then Magnus turned to Skye..

She had an unusual look on her face that was akin to worry, but edged with a kind of fear that he’d never seen her have before. Magnus had known Skye practically her entire life, and had never seen her look so apprehensive. As he motioned to Tidas to come over as well, Magnus hoped that the issue was something pertaining to Karena, and not anything between Skye and Marco...

‘The last thing I need if for those two to be at odds right now.. At least it’d be a change from the usual lovers rumors.. Why do these bairns have to cause me problems? I’m too old to deal with this shite anymore.. These kids better figure these things out now: I can’t live forever..’

Skye exhaled shakily as Marco walked away. She was still freaked out by the fact that he was the Dark man from her dreams, and didn’t want to be anywhere near him without Tidas next to her. He was less than ten feet from her, but Skye still felt unsafe when facing Marco by herself.

The realization infuriated her.. ‘How the bloody hell can I be afraid of Him?! He’s creepy as hell, I’ll give’em that, but why does he scare me so? What is it that me senses are tryin’ ta tell me?’

As the thought had crossed Skye’s mind, Marco instructed Draco to take his drunken wife back to their quarters. She went to complain, but the look in his eyes brooked no arguments. Their two children looked on with fear for their mother until they felt a gentle hand on their shoulders..

“Are you lads alright? How about I have Mrs. Peggy take you two back to your rooms? With a wee bit of pie?” Tidas asked his nephews.

The happiness and relief that overtook their features was heart-wrenching to Skye as she watched from a distance. The two were happier out in the country than in the palace. Although they had told their uncle that they liked their mother’s home the best..

Karena’s brother adored his nephews, and spoiled them every time they visited. Since they grew up in a more humble manner than their cousins, they didn’t act spoiled, and used their manners without a thought. King Victor thought that Karena had simply taught them well, but anyone from Alcon could tell him that it was just that they were unaccustomed to not caring for themselves.

As Tidas flagged Peggy down to help, he saw her and Skye exchange an odd look between them. He figured that Peggy would be irked by the way Skye’d behaved during the game, and her playing the final round in pants had proven his theory. But he didn’t understand how it could’ve resulted in an argument.

After Peggy took the lass off, and Marco went back to his seat, Tidas asked what had happened between her and Peggy. Skye’s expression soured as she told him of the lecture she’d gotten, and her subsequent retorts about being an adult. Tidas nodded in agreement with her, although it was hard not to smile when Skye had stated that all of it was said while Peggy had helped her dress.

Skye went dispondent, Tidas rubbed her shoulders as he said; “Don’t worry, love. You two just need some time to cool off. I’m sure everything will be alright by tomorrow.”

She nodded with a sad expression, so Tidas kissed her sweetly to show that he was there for her. Skye smiled at him after, but she didn’t seem as chipper as she was earlier. As Tidas stood there unsure of what to do, a small commotion broke out near the lines of people waiting to dance with the royal couple.

Two women had gotten into an argument over who would dance with Tidas first, and slammed into another. A fight had broken out between multiple women, and the men were starting to get into it. Murdoc and Amara were trying to straighten things out, but they looked ready to start throwing punches as well.

Skye and Tidas rushed over, and calmed the situation down after a few minutes, which brought a small smile to Magnus’ face.. ‘Those two truly have a gift for crowd control.. I hope Marco understands their value; he’ll need them when his time to rule comes..’

Magnus looked over at his eldest son who was talking with the same people that he always did. He never engaged with someone that he couldn’t benefit from in some material way. Which, in Magnus’ eyes; was not the way a king should conduct himself..

‘I worry for my kingdom, but I worry more for my sons.. Because they have the power to tear this land apart, or heal it.. If they can’t get along, then a war is likely to break out,’ Magnus glanced at the Highlanders; ‘And all they do is complicate things..’

Murdoc and the Highlanders were the guests of honor at the banquet, and openly favored Skye and Tidas to Marco and Karena. If the worst came down to it: they would support them in a war. If Sai took a liking to Skye and Tidas, then they might show favor to them if a civil war started..

‘And what of Lawrence? What would he do? ...I’m too old for this shit.. These are all problems for when I’m gone, but they’re my boys.. Please, gods; for the sake of themselves and the people: let them get along. I do what I can do about them and for them, and I’ll do it for as long as I can.. But please look after me brains..’

As the King of Alcon watched his court with both happiness and apprehension, the dancing, eating, and drinking went on into the night..

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

Anyone with noble status was allowed to attend, so the palace was packed. The Highlander soldiers that had been asked to join in the Shields game had also been allowed to stay for the food and party. They were a bit rough around the edges, but a few of the nobles were able to stand them.

Murdoc, Amara, and Petrie were accepted by more of the nobles than the guards were, but everyone wanted to avoid Wallace. He gave off a ‘don’t speak’ aura that was working well until Skye had asked him for a dance. Turned out that Wallace was an excellent dancer, and he had been asked by a handful of the more daring ladies after.

Everything was going well until a married noble got a little grabby with Amara. She slapped him across the face hard enough for it to echo within the room. The man was of high rank, and a large farm land holder towards the south of the kingdom’s boarder.

Magnus felt his blood pressure skyrocket as as he went to slap her back, and Murdoc grabbed his wrist. Everyone thought that he was threatening the lord, but he was in fact saving him from being roasted alive. The man ripped his hand away and glared at Murdoc as he yelled; “You need to control your women! She should be punished for her impudence towards me!”