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The Senators that Bai Lei had invited were especially tickled at her responsiveness. Everyone had been warned that she could only answer yes or no questions, so there had been no awkward pauses or kerfuffles. They continuously asked until Skye had come over, and pulled Zazzy away to eat her cake.

Tidas sat watching the crowds clamor over his scaly princess with both joy, and irritation. He was happy to see her so excited, but a part of him couldn’t help but feel like she was on display. Like she was nothing more than a simple beast in a cage to be gawked at, instead of the wondrous, and beautiful being that she was.

There were only two people specifically that were angering him, but he couldn’t really call them on it. The way that Tidas heard them wording everything was broad, but he could tell that they were speaking about Zazzy. Referring to her as ‘it’, and calling her no different from a snake or gecko.

It was quite surprising to Tidas to hear their digs, considering that most of Sai basically worshipped dragons. They were older women, most likely close to Peggy’s age. He was utterly taken aback by the level of their audacity, and as he looked around; Tidas realized that he wasn’t the only one.

Several other guests had looked at them disapprovingly, but no one had actually said anything to the women. He was trying to let it go when they started to talk about ‘the monster’s mother’. When their digs turned nasty, Tidas started to walk towards them, but wound up stopping halfway there.

Peggy had heard the women, and had ‘accidentally’ spilled a tray of drinks all over them. The placid look on her face as she apologized had infuriated the women, attracting a lot more attention than they’d wanted. Right as they were ripping into Peggy with no effect, Genie walked over..

“Pardon me, ladies, but haven’t you ever heard the phrase: if you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all? If you wish to stay on my brother’s property, then I suggest that you be like everyone else, and Politely enjoy yourselves..”

A woman in a deep red dress that was too tight for her scoffed; “Do you know who I am?! My husband is Senator Funni! How Dare you speak to me like that! You’re just a lowly ex-assassin! Be gone, you peasant!”

.....

“So yer name be Funni? That’s funny,” Skye muttered as she came to stand next to Genie; “I dinna ken yer husband, nor you. But I Do ken an insult when I hear one..”

Skye stood directly in front of the old woman; “Dinna think yer rank or decrepit age will stop me from slappin’ ya silly, then healin’ ya after. At yer age, ye should ken better than ta act a fool in public. Now apologize ta Zazzy, or leave the party.”

Mrs. Funni scrunched her face like she’d smelled something foul; “You have No authority here, foreign bit-”

“Princess Skye has Far more authority than you do, Jiao. Now stop embarrassing yourself in front of everyone, and go home! Take your sister with you! I will deal with you two when I get there,” came a surly voice from behind them.

Jiao Funni had instantly turned red before turning around, and nodding to her husband. She kept her head down as she scurried out, but she still managed to shoot Skye a death glare before leaving. Unperturbed by his wife’s attitude, Skye cut off the Senator’s apology, and greeted him with a radiant smile before speaking..

“Dinna worry, I ken her thoughts and actions dinna reflect yers, Senator. But there is one thing ya can do ta make up fer her rudeness..”

“I’d be glad to do anything,” the elderly, but healthy man replied.

Skye grinned mischievously; “Ya can help me keep Zazzy’s cake mess centralized.”

Senator Funni flashed a nervous expression, but he complied with assisting. He actually had a bit of fun since Zazzy wasn’t as messy of an eater as he thought she’d be. And she always thanked whomever wound up mopping up her mess with a smile, which earned her the reputation of being gracious.

As the pieces of cake for the guests were passed out, music began to fill the air. Some of the instruments being used were new to Skye, so she was preoccupied alongside Peggy. She had been the one to teach Skye how to play the violin, but hadn’t been able to play herself for a few years now due to her arthritis.

Skye had offered to heal it for her many times, but Peggy had refused. She wasn’t in any actual pain in her fingers from it, and she saw it as ‘a natural side effect of gettin’ on in years’. As much as she liked the conveniences created by magic, she didn’t like Skye healing her more often than she needed to.

“Tis natural fer things ta stop workin’ when ya get old, me bairn,” she’d told Skye on several occasions; “And I dinna want ta get used to ya healin’ me every time I get a splinter! I’ll lose me tolerance! Then when ya canna be around, it’ll feel like I got hit by a boulder. So thank ye, but I’ll pass.”

Tidas had told Skye that he thought Peggy just liked having an excuse for them to help her, and spend time with her on occasion; “Especially when she asks you to play the violin.”

As the memory of his words filled her mind, Peggy was chatting with an older gentleman that had been admiring the same instrument as her. He was explaining that it was called a Pipa, and that it was one of the oldest instruments in not just their history, but in the ancient cultures as well. As they talked, Skye noticed that the man kept placing his hand on Peggy’s arm.

As she listened a bit more, she caught him mixing in subtle compliments paired with the occasional salacious smile. Skye secretly watched them until Tidas came up to her, and asked what she was doing. After he did the same as her for a few moments, he burst out in laughter..

“That’s hilarious! That’s like the third guy to make a pass at her since we got here,” Tidas whispered after quickly collecting himself.

The odd looks that the other guests were giving him for his outburst had made him feel slightly embarrassed. Being in the spotlight as a royal since he was born had made Tidas very aware of how influential a crowd’s opinion could be, and how important it was to keep them on his side. After nodding his apologies and whispering to his wife, Tidas stayed by her until Peggy rejoined her..

As she came over, Tidas whispered as he passed her; “Get it, Peg.”

Peggy grinned; “If it’s worth gettin’, aye..”

Tidas couldn’t stop the sharp bark of a laugh that escaped him, earning him more awkward looks. He thought everyone would think he was rude for his continued outbursts, but it turned out that no one really cared. It was just common to look in the direction of a commotion.

When Peggy stopped in front of a wide-eyed Skye, she shrugged and smiled as she said; “What can I say? The men around here have good taste..”

“Yer like a bloody flame!” Skye exclaimed.

“Aye, but I be picky about which moth I let flutter about me.”

Skye smirked; “What about Sven? He’ll be heartbroken ta learn that yer keepin’ yer options open.”

“So? That’s on him, then,” Peggy replied with a shrug; “I told the man that I was nae one ta be tied down. I married once, and it’ll nae happen again! Besides, I doubt I be the only one warmin’ that man’s bed, anyway.”

“Ah! Me brain! Dinna Say such things ta me! Or are ya tryin’ ta scar me fer life?!” Skye exclaimed as she fought to keep the mental images away.

Peggy’s expression deflated; “Ima old, child, nae dead. And Ima still quite fetchin’ fer me age.. Just wait til ya hit yer sixties, then tell me if yer desire fer yer husband has waned.”

“Good point,” Skye replied as she looked over at Tidas.

He was standing next to Zazzy, and petting her while he spoke to Bai Lei and Genie. His hair had been mussed up from helping to decorate earlier, giving him a kind of boyish look about him. It reminded Skye of when they were teenagers, and it made her heart skip when he glanced at her, and smiled.

Peggy saw their exchange and grinned as she said; “Ya ken that you two got somethin’ rare, right? Most marriages aren’t as...we’ll say secure.”

Skye chuckled; “It just seems that way, Peg. We’re Both actually quite jealous by nature. But I think that’s why it works. We both get... territorial, from time ta time. The import thing is that we always reassure each other..”

Peggy grinned; “Sounds like a companionship more than a relationship.”

Skye quirked an eyebrow; “There’s a difference?”

“Oh aye, me bairn.. Anyone can be in a relationship. But it takes a true bond ta have a companionship wit another person. Also, tis less superficial, I think. And sex isna necessarily involved.”

Skye chuckled lightly; “Well then! I’d like ta keep it at a relationship level wit me husband fer a long while. He’s rather good at it.”

Peggy’s expression deflated, then soured; “So I’ve heard.. Who’s scarring who fer life?”

Skye laughed loud enough to draw attention to them. They apologized, then went back to discussing Peggy’s love interests before Tidas came over to them again. He said that Bai Lei was having the servants line up Zazzy’s presents, since nearly everyone was done with their cake.

The two nodded and followed after Tidas as they attempted to cut through the crowds. They kept getting stopped and roped into conversations, ranging in everything from the party, to why they were supporting Bai Lei. By the time they had reached Zazzy and the others, the presents were stacked, and Zazzy was practically foaming at the mouth to tear into them.

The pile was surprising, easily surpassing what she had been given in the Highlands. There, her gifts had been mostly food stuffs and meat, but Sai had a whole slew of customary gifts for dragons. As Zazzy stared at her haul with anticipation in her eyes, her parents called out to her from her side.

A large, flat present lay at Peggy’s feet, and her mother held a small box-shaped gift in her arms. As she craned her head down to better hear them, her father spoke loud enough for her to hear him over the party’s noise; “If it’s okay with you, princess, can you open our gifts first?”