Chapter 31: Chapter 31

***This Chapter Contains Trigger Material:

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Peggy’s jaw swung low as she stared at Maevis. Never in a thousand years would she’ve believed that fairies were real. Between Skye’s disappearance, her hair, and now a real Fae; Peggy’s head and heart were at their limit within seconds. She gripped Skye’s arms as the old woman tried to keep her balance. With wide eyes and a huff, Peggy said: “I think Ima needin’ to sit back down..”

Skye shared an apologetic look with Maevis as the wee fairy fluttered over to them. She hadn’t meant to drop her like she did. The relief of seeing Peggy unharmed made her forget Maevis was supposed to stay hidden in the folds of the blanket until they’d met with her father. Feeling terrible for her actions, Skye apologized as she opened the door to Peggy’s room.

“Forgive me, Maevis. I didn’t mean to toss ye like that. I forgot me self when I saw Peggy was alright,” Skye’d opened the door as she’d spoke.

“It’s You I should be concerned about! What the bloody hell, child?! Where were ye? Do ye know how worried I’ve been?! If yer tryin’ to get rid of me, there’s cleaner ways to go about it-” Peggy yelled at Skye, but the lass cut her off mid-tangent.

They three stood in the doorway as Skye replied: “Ack! Don’t rile yer self up, Peg. We were fine, we just couldn’t make it back by nightfall. Tidas was injured, and we made some new-or, rather old friends..”

.....

Skye nodded in Maevis’ direction, even though Peggy could guess whom she was speaking of. The first reason, however; caused Peggy’s eyes to widen. She huffed before asking; “Do I even want to know why, or will it kill me?”

Maevis patted Peggy’s shoulder and grinned at her before saying: “You raised a strong, fine lass, Ms. Peggy. She’s no simpering child in need of protecting, and you well know it, I think..”

Peggy studied the tiny old woman before her. She didn’t like the way she’d said it, but Peggy knew the fairy to be right. Even though she’d tried to keep Skye from using her powers, the lass never listened. She’d caught her more than once at the loch, making everything she could with water. It was a sight to behold, but dangerous. Genie had told her the same stories of indoctrinated magic users that he’d told Skye. It was a political way of saying warrior slave, in Peggy’s opinion.

The thought of Skye fighting in wars scared Peggy nearly to death. She wanted a happy, simple life for her bairn. Skye however, had never wanted that sort of life. She’d always been an adventurous little scamp, and never afraid of a fight. On many occasions, she’d come home with scrapped knees and knuckles. Her dress would be dirty and more often than not, have a little blood on it. Only one time had it actually been hers.

Peggy looked at Maevis and scoffed before saying, “Ye’d be correct, but it doesna mean Ima Ok with it.”

Maevis smiled at the old fairy before adding, “No caring mother would.”

Peggy chortled at the old Fae before asking, “Ye do know Ima servant, don’t ye?”

“Well, I’ve never been one to believe a familial bond is determined by blood.. You are family to Skye, therefore you shall be treated as such,” Maevis’ had fluttered over to Skye’s shoulder and sat down as she talked.

Peggy flashed her signature toothy grin at the old Fae before going back to her original thought: Skye’s hair. It was literally the color of gold. The light coming in through the windows reflected off of the white marble floors. Her hair shined so brilliantly, the old woman nearly had to squint. That, added to her pale skin and pink lips; Skye looked like a picture of a goddess Peggy had seen in one of the her books. Her red hair had been beautiful, but this color suited her well.

Skye knew why her faithful servant was staring at her. The change would be shocking to anyone that knows her. Skye truly did love her original color. But it was something she’d have to live with. And she did have to admit; it was a beautiful and unique color.

Peggy’s brow furrowed in confusion a moment before she said, “I won’t ask now, but ye will tell me why yer hair... is.. so-shiny?”

Skye chuckled at Peggy’s little joke, but then quickly changed to bewilderment before she said; “Wait: if you weren’t the one Jacob hurt, then who?”

Peggy’s demeanor shifted from surprise, to anger, to pity. She looked down, then back up with a huff at Skye. Her bottom lip curled inward slightly as she dragged her upper teeth across it and said: “Felicia.. The stupid milk cow.”

Skye’s stomach dropped out. She was the servant who’d bragged about sleeping with Jacob before her first wedding. The fact that he could treat someone he’d been intimate with like that sent a cold chill down her spine. Also that such a brutish man was almost her husband, made the nightmares she’d had about him seem more like premonitions now. She looked at Maevis, then Peggy before pushing the door to her servant’s room open wide, and walking in.

It was a modest room; with the same white marble floors found everywhere else in the main part of the castle. The walls were a purple lilac color with matching rugs, and a small fireplace. Her bed was a simple twin size with a plain wooden frame, and off-white colored bedding. Considering the other servants all shared a large room and only had cots, Peggy felt it was too good for her. But Skye wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

In the middle of the bed resting, lay Felicia. Her left eye was black and swollen shut. The bottom of her lip was split, and a bruise was forming on her right cheek. Skye was scared to see what the rest of her looked like under the comforter. Felicia stirred upon hearing multiple footsteps into the room. She opened her one good eye and tried to focus on the two blurs in front of her.

The lass smiled the best she could upon seeing people enter the room. When she spoke, her voice was strained and gravelly. When Skye came and sat on the bed next to her so she could hear the poor girl, she could see finger marks on the sides of her throat. She smiled at the lass again, then took and held her right hand that lay on top of the comforter.

Felicia’s eyes grew wide upon realization of her lady’s hair. She was one of the people who complemented Skye often on her color. Skye shook her head and said, “I’ll tell ye all about me hair later. First, ye need to tell me what happened to you. Can ye do that lass?”

“Are ye sure ye want to hear it my lady? Tis not something I honestly think ye should,” Peggy’s expression was filled with worry for Skye, and pity for the girl.

“I need to know so I can make sure the Son of a Bitch gets what he deserves,” Skye replied with badly concealed hostility.

Felicia’s face contorted in fear, then pain. Skye figured she must’ve been scared of repercussions from Jacob. She gently squeezed the girl’s hand, and in a determined tone said: “I will not let him hurt you again, Felicia.. But I need to know what he had done to ye, understand? Otherwise he’ll just keep making victims.”

Felicia sniffled and wiped a tear away with her other hand. In between labored breaths; the girl said; “I want to tell ye.. but I don’t... I don’t want ye.. to blame yer self.. for what he.. he did to me.”

Skye knew exactly what Felicia meant before she even told her story. Jacob had been furious at how everything had turned out. While he and his father kept the bride price, he’d lost out on the inheritance that came with Skye upon Lord Moonstone’s death. The vast land and wealth weren’t all he was angry about losing, according to Felicia.

As Jacob had beat and raped her; he’d complained about losing his ‘play toy’. He then proceeded to treat her how he would’ve treated Skye; how he would’ve ‘trained’ her to be obedient. He’d told Felicia how he had planned to marry Skye, then take and use everything she was and had. He’d planned to kill her father in some sort of accident after some time had passed. Then, he would’ve killed his own father too, and gained control of everything for himself.

Skye wondered why Jacob would’ve told Felicia his plans, and asked as much out loud. He was worse than some of the villains she’d read about in books; monologuing his plans like that. When Felicia began to cry, Peggy made a ‘tsk’ sound before saying: “She wasn’t supposed to live to tell the tale.. One of the prince’s men found her on his way to report ye two as missing to the king.”

This was the moment Maevis decided to pop out of Skye’s hair. She scared Felicia so bad, the poor lass fainted. Maevis hadn’t meant to, but the lass needed to rest anyways. The old Fae hovered close, listening to her heartbeat. She could tell the girl was stable, but proposed healing her to Skye. The suggestion hadn’t registered with Peggy at first. When Skye explained how odd it would look if the girl were suddenly healed after such treatment, Peggy knew something was amiss.

“Does the lady fairy have a Shaman trait?” Peggy asked with pleasant surprise in her voice.

Not missing a beat and to Skye’s dismay, Maevis replied: “No, but Skye does.”

The incredulous look Peggy gave her lady made Skye frown at Maevis. She hadn’t planned on telling Peggy until she’d had time. Skye very quickly told her bits of yesterday; promising to fully explain in her room. Once she’d finished, she’d waited for Peggy’s ire, but it never came. Instead, she just hugged Skye.

The fact that her bairn had been through so much in just two days overwhelmed her. She couldn’t imagine how Skye must’ve felt. That prince was lucky Skye’d explained what had happened before she saw him. It wouldn’t have mattered to her who saw what; Peggy would’ve whipped the prince’s backside until his skin peeled. And that was if Skye had been Ok.