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“Because you need to see what she does before you have a right to judge her in any way. Not that you have a right to judge anyone at all,” Maevis replied sardonically.

**********

Shortly after Shasta had slipped the note under Skye’s door, she saw Zas in the hallway. They greeted each other and did a bit of small talk before Zas asked her where she was coming from. When she told him, he asked why she didn’t just have one of her servants wake her.

Shasta scoffed; “She has but one old, surly servant that tends to her, and the old bat told me to leave her be. Apparently she and Tidas had a long night, so she was still sleeping.. Laziness. But, she is a princess, after all.”

“Shasta..” Zas said in a strained voice, but Shasta wasn’t listening.

“Even before that, she was the daughter of a rich lord. I guess being spoiled is just commonplace for her..”

“Umm, Shasta..” Zas was pointing behind her, but she kept going; not actually looking at Zas at that moment.

“I mean, she wants to join the RMC, but she doesn’t seem the type to cut it.. Haha, she’ll probably complain about everything. Bugs, the weather, not being able to bathe every day.. I don’t think miss priss can handle it..”

.....

“And exactly what makes you an expert on my Wife?” Tidas spoke in a deep, ominous voice.

Shasta whirled around to come face to face with Tidas, Nicolas, and Maevis. All three had their arms folded across their chests. The two fairies were shaking their heads in exasperation while the prince just glared at her.

Tidas knew his wife was beginning to like Shasta. She had spoken about her with a smile while Lawrence had taken her for a stroll in their courtyard. Skye had even chided Peggy for a couple of stingy quips she’d made at Shasta’s expense. If Skye had heard Shasta say what she just had, it would hurt her deeply.

Shasta could feel her face grow hot and her stomach knot as she looked at her commander and friend. She was openly insulting his wife, a princess; in the main hallway of the palace. If it had been another time of the day, servants and guests alike would’ve heard the exchange between two of the three top RMC members. Damaging Skye’s reputation, and her chance of joining the Mage Trials.

“I tried to tell ya,” Zas stated as he shrugged his shoulders.

Shasta bent her ears back in hostility; “You’re in trouble too.”

“No I’m not.”

“No he’s not,” Zas and Tidas had spoken at the same time.

Shasta snapped her head back to Tidas; “How is he not in trouble?!”

Maevis fluttered forward; “Because He didn’t say anything bad about Skye, you did. And after she was so kind to you last night..”

Shasta perked her ears up; “What?! What did she say?”

“Skye didn’t say anything to me. It was Peggy, when I saw her this morning.. She does Not like you at all,” Maevis finished with a cheeky smirk.

Shasta crossed her arms with a huff; “The feeling’s mutual.”

While she didn’t like Peggy, she actually did like Skye. Shasta felt that Skye was the type of person that she could confide in, but she fought it bitterly. The handful of times she’d trusted in humans, she’d been hurt every time. Tidas being the only exception, and one other from a very, very long time ago...

“Why would you insult my wife in the hallway, Shasta?! Do you really not like her that much? Or are you just stupid?” Tidas’ voice was cold and harsh as he spoke.

Shasta was surprised by the underlying anger he’d had in his voice. As much as she really did like Skye, she really didn’t think she could make it as a fully-fledged member of the RMC. She honestly didn’t mean it to sound as bad as it did, but her cocky attitude ran away with her.

Shasta honestly felt like Skye would never be able to keep up with the lifestyle required when out on missions, or on the battlefield. The way she smelled let Shasta know that Skye bathed at least once a day, and her skin and hair were too pretty to not have some kind of routine behind it. However; none of her opinions meant Shasta didn’t like her.

“I know you love her; I actually kinda like her-just a little bit! But even you have to admit that Skye is too pampered to be in the RMC. Grant it, she’s pretty powerful.. She’s got a lot of potential, but I don’t see her keeping up at all-”

“I guess we’re going with stupid then..” Tidas cleared his throat; “I guess you’ll just have to be educated..”

A cold shiver ran up Shasta’s spine as she asked; “W-What do you mean by that?”

Tidas grinned like a demon at Shasta, then turned to Zas; “Tell Ronnie and Klaus that you won’t be joining them for a while, and pay no attention to Shasta as she trails them unless a problem arises, alright? And tell them not to tip Skye off, either.”

Zas stared at his friend a moment before his face broke out into a knowing smile. Shasta claimed to know Skye, so Tidas was going to make her follow his wife until she understood exactly what type of person she really was. Knowing Shasta, it would most likely take several days to get the truth to stick, but she would come to see whom Skye really was by the lass’ own actions, not her assumptions.

“Are you sure that you don’t want me to follow her? To make sure she doesn’t sneak off?”

Shasta glared at Zas for knowing her too well. It was exactly what she was thinking about at the moment he’d said it. Her ears flattened in anger as a throaty growl escaped her. She was about to snap at him, but Maevis cut her off.

“I’ll babysit the wee kitten for you; beats going to that meeting.. I don’t understand why you were dragging me along anyway. You know I hate politics.”

Nicolas fluttered forward to align himself with Maevis as he spoke; “I thought you’d be bored, sitting in our room by yourself.. And many of the nobles seem to like you, for some strange reason.”

Maevis huffed; “They like me because of how I look and What I am, not Who I am. I have no interest in dealing with sycophants today. Besides, isn’t General Zas required in the meeting too?”

“Aye, he is. My father has a few papers for you to sign that transfer certain tasks to me, now that I’m officially the commander again,” Tidas added.

Maevis smiled and lightly clapped her hands together; “Then it’s settled! I’ll babysit the furball while you gentlemen go to the meeting. Say hello to Magnus for me!”

**********

As Shasta and Maevis watched the three file out of Skye’s room, she exhaled in boredom and frustration. She had planned to get nicely warmed up with some of the other rookies before Skye was going to meet her in the arena. Her plan had been shot when Tidas pulled rank and ‘assigned her guard duty’.

The first place the princess went was up to the medical ward on the third floor. She stopped and chatted with Dr. Gohan a few minutes before going from room to room. It confused Shasta at first, until Maevis explained that she was healing the patients. She made a snarky remark about making money off of the sick and dying, but Maevis told her that Skye never accepts any money.

At first, Shasta didn’t believe her. She knew that Skye hadn’t accepted money in Dragonhorn, but not doing it in the capital was shocking to her. Especially in the Royal Medical Ward. Soldiers primarily used it, but the other patients were nobles. She could’ve charged a pretty penny for instant healing.

“She’s stupid not to charge the rich..” Shasta said spitefully.

Maevis kept her placid tone; “No; actually it’s quite brilliant what she does.. Instead of asking for payment, she asks the rich to donate to the charities, orphanages, and commoner’s hospitals. When they agree to it, she throws a fit about how ‘generous they are’ and how ‘the title of nobility suits them’. All hogwash to me, but Skye is a sincere person.”

“She doesn’t think anyone has the right to take another earns, but she also believes it’s the responsibility of those plentiful few to share their over-abundances.. There’s not many like her in our world, but she tries where she can, with what she can,” Maevis finished as Skye was coming out of a room at the far end.

Meeting Klaus and Ronnie halfway, Skye waved goodbye to Dr. Gohan, and headed towards Maevis and Shasta. They were on the stairway the group needed to use to get to the stables. In a panic; Shasta grabbed Maevis with her hand, and used her speed to zip down the staircase.

At the bottom floor, Shasta released Maevis. She instantly fluttered to the back of Shasta’s head, and kicked it as hard as she could. It felt like a hard flick to Shasta, who was now rubbing the spot and asking why the fairy had done it.

“A little Warning Next Time! I thought my lungs were gonna collapse! I didn’t take a breath before ye took off! Yer supposed to let me take a breath! Do ye know nothing, ye bloody animal!” Maevis yelled with indignation.

Shasta flinched at the insult. She didn’t think before she took off. All she thought about was not letting Skye see her. The orphanage she frequents had gotten many donations lately, and it was thanks to Skye. Shasta wasn’t sure how to process the situation, then Skye started heading her way. The rush of information caused her to panic.

“I-I’m sorry for that. I panicked when Skye-”

Maevis cut Shasta off; “I get it, just don’t do it again!”

Before they could continue, Shasta heard the three targets talking as they neared. She grabbed Maevis like a doll mid-air again, then went around the corner. The three passed by, not noticing their shadows as they headed for the stables.

The princess spent her entire morning and afternoon going around to all the hospitals, shelters, and orphanages on the west side of the capital. She healed anyone she saw with an issue she thought she could fix. Anyone she couldn’t help, she sent on to the doctors.

After her Shaman rounds, Skye headed down to the smitty shop for armor. Shasta wasn’t aware of the rift between the father and daughter blacksmiths, but Maevis gave her a quick version of the story Skye had told her. After packing the armor on the beast horse, the three moved on.

It was nearly two o’clock by the time Skye and the others stopped to eat. From what it looked like, the only reason she was stopping was due to Klaus and Ronnie chiding her. Shasta could only catch bits and pieces over the roar of the crowds, but it was enough to get the gist of their conversations.

Maevis was a little surprised that she didn’t have to convince Shasta to keep on Skye. She was willingly and attentively tracking and watching the princess of her own accord. Maevis was beginning to believe that Shasta truly cared to learn about Skye, but it was still too early to tell.

Skye truly did intrigue Shasta. She wasn’t like any other human she’d ever met, except for one. Their faces and dispositions were similar too, but the little lass from Shasta’s memories had died a long time ago. She wondered if her odd reactions to Skye’s kindness were due to their similarities.

As Shasta watched her from the distance, she couldn’t help but wonder: ‘If they’re so alike, does that mean I’ll cause Skye’s death someday too?’