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After she met Klaus and Ronnie outside her room like usual, Skye did her morning rounds in the palace Medical Ward. She had to stop her Shaman work temporarily afterwards, to see the diplomats depart. It was expected of her since she’d hit it off so well with the majority of them.

The Sync representative was the only one Skye didn’t familiarize herself with; or rather, couldn’t. He’d been either glued to Marco’s lackeys, or Marco himself the entire time. It was highly unsettling to her, but Marie had eavesdropped a good part of the night. She swore to tell Skye about it later...

On her way out, Skye met up with Lawrence, Shasta, and the twins. Lawrence usually stayed until after the Mage Trials, but his children had to go back to Ruscovic. They were far too young to travel by themselves yet, so he had to escort them home.

Shasta was sad to see them go. She’d grown quite attached to Victor and Anna in their short time together, and the twins adored her. They begged their father to bring her back with them, so Shasta had to explain her position as best as she could. They were shocked to find out that she was nearly as high ranked as their Uncle Tidas.

Anna didn’t care much, but Victor’s eyes shined as he pleaded with her to teach him grappling the next time he saw her. Shasta had chuckled and promised as long as he was good for his nanny and father.

Anna cried when they went to get into the stagecoach. She sobbed and hollered about ‘not wanting to leave her new kitty momma’. Tears welled up within Shasta’s eyes at the little girl’s words. She’d never heard a more bittersweet phrase.

Lawrence was ecstatic about his children’s reaction to Shasta. They were already seeing her in a mother role, which was exactly what he was hoping for. It may have only been for a few days, but for the first time since his wife had passed away: Lawrence felt whole.

His excitement was so strong that he’d woken his father up extra early that morning to begin discussing what it would take for Alcon to release Shasta from her responsibilities. Magnus had chuckled at his son’s enthusiasm before explaining his plan to put Skye in Shasta’s position.

.....

Lawrence had a new-found appreciation for his father’s foresight and understanding. He’d flat-out told his son that he’d never seen him so happy before, and that he would do his best to make sure that he and Shasta got to have the happiness that they both deserved. After an uncertain number of years; Lawrence hugged his father before heading off.

The diplomat from Sai specifically wanted to say goodbye to Skye. She entrusted a letter addressed to Genie with Mr. Fuu, whom was a little disappointed not to see Zazzy again before he left.

The Fire Nation’s Prince Abdul also wanted to make sure he said farewell to the princess. He lingered a little too long when he kissed her hand, which creeped Skye out. ‘Did he just sniff me?! Eww!’

After everyone had gone, Skye quickly hit all of the hospitals she usually did in the mornings before heading over to the fairgrounds. The Competitor’s Field had been cleared of the chairs and stands under Zas’ direction.

He wasn’t required to be present when the delegates and dignitaries left, so he’d gotten a head start on the deconstruction of the fairgrounds. Tidas hadn’t been there either, but she imagined that he was with Petrie, her parents, Magnus, and Marco. Discussing the Highlander’s treaty and raid.

Skye found it amusing that Petrie’s people referred to themselves as Highlanders instead of Nomads. According to her friend, the term ‘Nomad’ is only used by ‘southerners’. She made a mental note of it so as not to offend anyone when they traveled there after the trials.

Once at the fairgrounds, Skye sought Zas out before she stopped at Alfred’s stall for lunch. She had planned to invite him to eat with them, but he asked her if they could talk in private instead. After Klaus and Ronnie shot her a couple of worried looks, she followed behind Zas to a secluded area.

He paced back and forth several times before stopping suddenly. Nervousness creased Zas’ brow as he opened his mouth, but then shut it again right away. He went back to pacing for several more minutes before huffing in exasperation, and letting loose.

“I don’t know how to explain it or ask right, but Please Don’t go to the Highlands. Tidas is Obsessed with you! Your presence WILL affect how he commands and how he fights in a bad way.. I’m telling you. Please don’t go, Skye; you’ll get good men killed.”

Skye was utterly shocked, then appalled by Zas’ words. She thought he supported her, but it seemed the opposite. ‘Has he thought this the whole time?!’

Trying to keep calm, Skye asked; “Have ye talked with Shasta about me progress? About any of this?”

Zas snorted; “All she’ll tell me is that you’ve got yourself covered for the Mage Trials, and that I’ll see ‘your true capabilities’ then-”

Skye placed her balled up fists on her hips; “Do ye trust Shasta’s judgement?”

“Yes, but..”

“But what then? Ye trust her to judge the strength and abilities of all who wish to join the RMC EXCEPT me? Why?!”

Zas flicked his ears back out of frustration as he replied; “Because she’s almost as bad as Tidas now! Not obsessed, but her judgement is clouded when it comes to you.. The Mage Trials are Nothing like combat. Men lose themselves in it. They strike out at enemies and friends alike when fear takes over; anything that looks threatening.”

“All recruits have to go through at least a year of training after they join, but you get to jump straight in?! With hardly any real experience?! No.. I can’t just stand here and doing nothing while you get not only yourself killed, but-”

Skye’d had enough of Zas’ speculations. She knew that she was inexperienced in battle, but she wasn’t completely without it. The Nomads in Warrick Forest had showed her the complications that can happen with numbers.

The thing that really pissed Skye off was the implication that she would be the cause of Tidas’ death. He didn’t know what she was capable of either, but he trusted her to handle herself. Why was Zas so against her going?

Not seeing another option, Skye locked eyes with Zas; “Fight me then. If ye doubt me so much, then fight me one-on-one.”

Zas growled low out of irritation; “I know that you can fight, Skye. I trust Shasta to make sure of that. What I don’t trust is your idea of what an Actual battlefield is like! Are you prepared to see your husband smil-”

“Smilin’ as he cuts down people who are only doin’ what they’re ordered to? Am I prepared to do the same? Aye, for me home and family; I’ll do whatever I have to.. Even take you on!”

The harsh tone Skye had used at the end wasn’t something Zas was expecting from the princess. Nor the profound look of determination in her eyes. It jarred him a bit, but Zas wasn’t going to back down now.

“If I can’t reason with you, I’ll just have to stop you myself.. I’m sorry, Skye,” Zas stated at he walked passed her.

Unnerved by his threat, Skye whipped around and asked; “What are ye gonna do? Kidnap me? Just warnin’ ye now: the men who have attempted it in the past are all dead now.”

Skye wasn’t lying. The Nomads, Jacob Fowler, even the man who had tried to take her in Dragonhorn at the age of eleven, and awakened her first trait; all dead. Not that she thought that she could actually kill Zas, but it was a fact none the less.

Zas chuckled lightly at Skye’s attempted threat before he replied; “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything nefarious. It’s not my style.. I’ll prove you don’t belong out there; you won’t finish the trial, Skye... I’m sorry, but I won’t let you.”

Now it was Skye’s turn to laugh; “So it’s more of the same then? Unless ye were gonna take it easy on me before this?”

Zas finally flashed one of his regular, unhindered grins at Skye as he replied; “I always have to hold back with the recruits.. I hope you won’t hate me when you lose!”

Zas started to walk away after he spoke, but Skye called out to him; “So long as ye agree not to hate me when I mop the floor with yer fuzzy arse!”

Zas’ laughter echoed after him as he disappeared around the corner, and into the bustle of workers. Skye was happy that things ended less hostile than they seemed. She was still angry with Zas for trying to get her to drop out of the raid, but he did have a point. If Skye didn’t have multiple traits, she’d be forced to stay behind with the rest of the recruits.

‘That’s if I pass... NO. I Will Pass. I’ve been trainin’ and studyin’ for months. I know battle strategies, three different grappling styles, and I’ve bolstered me body to the point of no return.. I. Will. Pass. I know it in me bones.’

As Skye rejoined Klaus and Ronnie, they looked as pensive as the princess. When she asked what was wrong with them lately, Ronnie shied away. Klaus stepped forward with an apologetic expression, then bent down on his knee.

Before Skye could yank him up, Klaus said; “We apologize for our behavior lately.. But Zas asked us not to say anything. Now that he talked to you about it, we feel the need to tell you..”

“Zas asked us to help stop you from completing the trial. We instantly refused, but we couldn’t tell you about it until the general figured out how to talk to you about it-”

Ronnie cut Klaus off; “We’re so sorry, Skye! We wanted to tell ye sooner, but General Zas begged us not to!”

Skye smiled softly at her friends and guards in understanding. Zas was giving them special training because of the potential he saw in them. They didn’t want to betray him.

Nicolas had been working with Ronnie too, whenever he had spare time. He’d even showed the lad how to befriend a wolf.

It didn’t bother Skye that they’d kept Zas’ secret, but she did want to know if he’d elaborated to them as to why he thinks she can’t handle herself. He’d never stated outright; just that Tidas’ judgement would be greatly compromised if he was worrying about her the entire time.

‘So he’s just worried about Tidas, worryin’ about me to the point of distraction? It makes sense, but there has to be more to it. Least I hope so.. Ack! Screw it! I’ll show him in the trials!’

As the three discussed the General, a savory smell began to fill their nostrils as they closed in on Alfred’s stall. The food vendors didn’t break down their stalls completely until after the lunch break. That way, the workers didn’t have to venture all the way back to town for a meal.

Greeting the three jovially, not even Alfred saw the cloaked figure following behind them. Waiting for the moment when Skye found herself alone...