389 The Weight Of Duty
After they talked a bit more about the Reinbolt n, Skye and Tidas followed after the lingering soldiers to get food. As they walked, she leaned against him due to her lack of strength, which worried Tidas greatly..
Skye’s cheeks were slightly indented like she was starving, and her clothes looked loose compared to their skin-tight fit from before. It was like any and all of the fat in her body had been burned away when she had faced off against Richard..
‘I know using one’s Tank trait past it’s limits does this, but I thought that her necklace would’ve protected her? Or did her life have to be in imdiate danger for it to activate? Will this happen every ti she uses the fragnt?’
As Tidas’ eyes clouded over with unanswered questions, he and Skye made it to the food tables. She was literally starving, and felt like she could eat all of the food there herself. The idea to guard it like a rabid dog was tempting, by Skye was too exhausted and hungry to be cheeky.
The air was filled with tantalizing slls that beckoned Skye to fill multiple plates. The elk and wild rice stew with hearty chunks of carrots and onions was her favorite. She went through five bowls and two loaves of bread for her first round.
The second thing that Skye devoured multiple servings of were stuffed, twice-baked potatoes. She had taught the cooks to take out the innards, mash it, then mix it with bits of mushrooms, cheese, salt, and pepper. Refill the skins, and cook again for six minutes or so until crisp.
Peggy had taught her the recipe a long ti ago, but she had never actually made them herself before coming to the Highlands. She had suggested them in the bunker one ti after the Highlanders had given the RMC a ridiculous amount of potatoes after the harvest. After that, they had beco a favorite amongst the soldiers.
After eating about three large ones, plus the left over filling: Skye was nearly full. The last thing that she wanted was sothing sweet to end her the al with, which Tidas supposedly had for her in her tent. She hadn’t recalled seeing anything like chocolate or candy in there earlier, but he swore there were sweets there waiting for her..
When they practically crawled into her tent, the first thing that Tidas did was grab Skye, and snuggle her. He really had been scared when she’d fainted after changing the ground back to a lush, spring green. Seeing her body fall and be so still had sent a wave of fear through him that had shaken Tidas to his core.
.....
Skye laid with him for around five minutes or so before she started to call him a liar. She felt foolish letting him lure her away with the promise of sweets; like a naive child following a stranger..
“Yer an arse, Tidas MacArthur! Ye Do Not lie to a woman about sweets! Ever! Especially after the day we had!”
Tidas wanted to chuckle at her semi-fake outrage, but knew it was most likely a trap to extort more sweets. With a cocky smile, Tidas reached over, grabbed a small pouch from behind her pillow, then dropped it on her belly.
Like most of the soldiers, Skye only had her body suit on. Since she’d eaten, it didn’t look nearly as loose anymore, which appeased so of his worry. The other part wasn’t going away any ti soon..
Skye squeaked with happiness as she picked up the small, leathery pouch, and got candied pecans as her treat. Tidas had been saving them for when she needed a pick--up, and he figured that now was the perfect ti for them. As Skye shoveled, her husband spoke in a sincere tone..
“You seem to be a bit off.. Is there anything you want to talk about?”
Skye slowed in her munching as she focused her eyes on the tent’s wall; “Just didna think winnin’ a battle would feel so...hollow.”
Tidas nodded, understanding what she had ant; “The loss of life makes it hard to celebrate, yeah?”
“...Aye. I canna stop thinkin’ about Teresa and Michael.. Their families.. Bestie and her brothers are gonna be heartbroken, and I canna imagine how Mikey’s sister will react. Their parents died when they were young, so each other was all they had.”
“Isn’t she getting married?” Tidas inquired, positive that Skye had ntioned it before.
She nodded her head; “Aye, but tis not the sa as yer given family.. There’s a certain comfort that family ye been wit yer whole life gives ye. I wasna close ta parents, but we ca together at our weddin’. I feel terrible that Lucinda willna have anyone wit her on her special day..”
“Would you like ta be there for her? I can arrange it with my father. Given the circumstances, I don’t think he’ll mind taking ti off to accompany you.”
Skye grinned broadly at her husband; “Aye, I’d love that. I’d also like ta pay fer sothin’ special fer ’em. Like their honeymoon or sothin’, but I dinna want her ta feel like Ima tryin’ ta buy off her grief..”
Tidas shook his head in agreent, knowing all too well that people who were grieving did Not all react the sa way. So cried, so beca irrationally angry, and so shut down. There was a myriad of responses in between, but most could generally be categorized as one of the three.
Taking a breath, Tidas tightened his hold around Skye and spoke in an experienced tone; “Soldiers rarely celebrate victories that co with a high cost. We doubt everything for a ti at so point.. Was our choice to take action correct? Should we have retreated? Could a different call have saved lives?”
“A few never second-guess themselves until they retire, and the rarer few never second-guess themselves at all; writing it off as circumstantial. But we All have regrets, Skye. They may be big or small, but every soldier that I’ve ever t has so kind of regret..”
“It may be soone that they left behind in their forr life, or soone that left them because they had to join. There’s also survivor’s guilt, and PTSD.. I’ve t soldiers that regretted being born because their magic ant that they had to be indoctrinated.. Not everyone wants to go to war.”
“Is that why ye fought Magnus and Marco so vehently on the indoctrination age limit?” Skye asked as she paused in her munching.
Tidas nodded; “Aye.. If it were up ta , the military would be volunteer-based, not mandatory. But father and Marco would never go for that. They would lose a quarter of their current troops, and probably half of the ones recruited.”
Skye put the few pieces left in the bag to the side, and asked; “So, if you were ta beco king: ye would abolish the indoctrination law?”
Tidas smiled softly at her; “Aye, but I would make school mandatory for children between certain ages. Children with magic would take slightly different classes, but I think all of the children should be able to go to school together..”
Skye quirked an eyebrow at him; “And do ye plan on forcin’ the parents ta pay fer everything?”
Tidas scoffed; “No! If I make it a law for children to go to school, why wouldn’t the kingdom flip the bill? Smarter, more intelligent children ans smarter adults. Advancent cos from intelligent people, which benefits everyone. Plus, technically, it’s the young that take care of the old in one way or another.. I’d like my nurse to be competent and well-paid.”
Skye giggled; “I ken this is gonna be good: why do ye say that?”
Tidas smirked; “A well-paid nurse is a happy nurse. A happy nurse is a nice nurse.. I went with you those few tis to that retirent center. Those nurses looked ready to kill soone..”
Skye laughed out loud this ti; “Ye should stop by when we get back. They be is much better spirits since ye started donatin’ ta them.”
Tidas grinned cheekily; “Well, that investnt with your father is paying off rather nicely, so I thought I’d make a few other investnts.”
“Why in the nursing hos again?” Skye asked, genuinely curious about the real reason he was doling out gold.
After kissing her forehead, Tidas replied; “Mainly because my n will eventually go there, and I want them taken care of. The other is because we will probably wind up there so day, too.”
Skye scoffed; “You focus on helpin’ out fer yer soldiers’ sakes. I’ll pay fer private care in our own ho, though we probably won’t need it..”
While gesturing to herself Skye smiled as she added; “Shaman, rember?”
Tidas chuckled; “True.. But my original point was that everyone has regrets, love. We cope with them in many ways, but there’s one way that reminds us of our reason for fighting in the first place: our friends and families.”
“The troops might be down right now, but I bet you it all changes tomorrow when we get back to the bunkers..”
“What do ye an?” Skye asked as she snuggled against him.
“You’ll see...”
************
As the troops marched down the strath, Tidas was proven right. Large groups of the Highlanders stood waiting for their friends and family to return. All holding signs, and cheering for their victory.
A ssenger bird had been sent ahead with the casualty list similar to the report sent to the Capital. The families that had lost loved ones were notified as soon as they had received word. They were all at their hos now, grieving in private.
A morial would be held in a few days, but before then: the majority wanted to celebrate the defeat of the monster that had been plaguing their lands for years. As well as celebrate the heroes that had brought it down. Welco ho and thank you signs lined the path heading towards the bunkers.
Many of the troops had instantly lightened up as the smiling faces of their loved ones ca into view. The heavy atmosphere that had surrounded them slowly lifted the closer they ca. As spouses and children rushed out to embrace them, the soldiers recalled why they had risked their lives in the first place..
Zazzy watched the happy humans from above with a despondent expression. As she circled to land, she glanced at her smiling parents as several Highlanders greeted them... ‘I wonder what my punishnt will be for killing those soldiers?’
As the thought crossed her mind, several of the Reinbolt n watched her land with hatred in their eyes. Both Prince Tidas and the King of the Highlands had tried to sway them, but their minds were set. One way or another: they would have their justice...
Reviews
All reviews (0)