Chapter 393: Chapter 393

393 The Conscience Of A Dragon(Part Four)

As Tidas and Skye filled in Murdoc and Amara, Zazzy looked over at the men that had wanted to kill her. The ones that had gathered outside were grouped off, and talking amongst themselves. Wondering if they would all have to be banished.

They weren’t under the Eric and Shane’s command, and had all acted on their own accord. The only saving grace they had was the fact that Tidas had kicked their asses before most could make a move. No one seemed angry about the outcome or situation except the two brothers.

They kept whispering with hostile expressions, making it look like they were either angry, or arguing. As Zazzy strained to listen, she realized that they were talking about her..

Shane was holding his older brother’s shoulder as he spoke intensely; “We can still do this if you back me.. If we switch targets, the future King will still accept us-”

“No! I won’t be a part of your downfall! If you want to sacrifice yourself, then do it without me! I’m done! Do you realize that you have put my family in jeopardy?! Prince Marco might make a move on us because of you!”

As Eric took a shaky breath, Shane tried to convince him once again; “Then help me! We can go back to rewards! You might even get promoted! And I won’t have to be banished! PLEASE brother?! Are ya really going to abandon me now?!”

Before Eric could say another word, Zazzy was sticking her head in between them. The younger one was obviously making his brother uncomfortable, and Zazzy knew whom he was trying to target.. ‘It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let anyone hurt my Da or my Mom..’

As the thought crossed her mind, Skye caught what was happening out of the corner of her eye, and had immediately tried to walk over to intervene. Tidas had grabbed her hand gently, and winked before whispering; “Just watch for now..”

Shane looked like he was going to piss himself, but Eric only looked concerned for his brother. Zazzy wouldn’t hurt them unless they openly threatened either her parents, or someone that she knew. And she knew that Shane was talking about her father.

.....

It apparently took quite a bit to anger a dragon, but Zazzy was nearing her limit. Her nostrils flared as she huffed at him, freaking him out. As Shane stumbled backwards, she heard the other man say; “Please don’t hurt him.. He’s a fool, but he’s my family, too.”

Zazzy bent her neck to look at the other man clearly. His demeanor was pleading, making her attention waver. When Eric’s eyes went wide, it didn’t register right away.

An odd pinging noise coupled with a strange, phantom tinge on her neck had Zazzy whipping her head around..

Shane stood with a sword in his hands, and a confused expression on his face. He didn’t think that his sword would literally bounce off of her scales, and nearly smack his face. As a shallow cut on his collarbone started to bleed, Zazzy realized what had happened.

The first thing she did was roar so loud that it shook both the ground, and the nearest few bunkers. Skye and Tidas were instantly next to her again; both with their swords at Shane’s neck..

Eric watched on helplessly as Shane crumbled to his knees. There was no saving him this time. They had already pardoned him, and had been discussing where to put him in the Highlands. Now: he was rightfully screwed.

Murdoc and Wallace went to his sides, and hoisted him to his feet. As Skye pulled her arm back, ready to end Shane; Zazzy started to make odd trilling noises. Tidas and and Skye shared a confused expression between them, then looked to her and asked at the same time; “A weird smell?”

Skye’s rage was boiling over as she fought back the urge to run him through right then and there. Tidas was controlling his emotions surprisingly well as he looked between his wife, dragon, and the bastard who had tried to hurt his scaly bairn. As he debated with Skye over who would kill him, an exasperated Zazzy stepped forward..

To those on the outside, it looked like Skye and Tidas were just looking at their dragon, but they were actually in a very deep conversation with her. Zazzy’s head whipped back and forth as begged them not to kill him, but Skye and Tidas were adamant.

She kept saying something about a weird smell, but it was familiar. Kind of like how Richard had smelled to her. Neither could sense any of the Dark and Ether magic from before, so they didn’t believe her. Fed up with arguing, Skye snapped at Zazzy a bit..

“I know ye feel bad about what happened durin’ the battle, but he is a Very Bad Man, me scaly bairn! Yer Da and I Will Not let him try ta hurt ya again! And I dinna care ta hear another word of it!”

As Skye went off, the bunker doors flew open, revealing a steady stream of curious RMC and Highlanders. They had felt Zazzy’s roar, and many had seen Skye, Tidas, Murdoc, and Amara run out earlier. As everyone gathered around, one person that had been in off to the side of Zazzy’s house watching slipped back into the crowds...

Skye whirled around, and looked at the cowardly man before her with her sword drawn. Shane yelped and cried out for his brother, but Eric could only look on with restrained emotions. Skye glanced over her shoulder at him, then looked at Zazzy again.

Only she and Tidas could hear her telepathic pleas, but everyone could see Zazzy’s tears, and hear her whimpers. She was clearly begging for the man’s life..

Looking at the uneasy expressions of everyone around her, Skye stabbed her sword into the ground as she yelled; “Dammit! Why does she gotta be so Stubborn!”

Tidas flashed her a small smile as he said; “She takes after her mother..”

“Not the time, husband!” Skye yelled in response before adding; “Fine! I’ll examine him! If there’s nothin’ amiss wit ’em, Ima killin’ him! Ye ken?!”

Zazzy nodded in the positive as she happily trilled, and leaned down and forward to nuzzle against her mother. Skye huffed, then grabbed her horn, and lightly shook it while saying; “If he’s clean: he’s dead without a fuss, alright?”

With a final trill of agreement: Skye walked over, and roughly placed her hand on his forehead. It only took a second for her to feel something off within him.. ‘Why does it feel so familiar?’

As the thought crossed her mind, Skye recalled that it was Marco that had put them up to it.. ‘I suppose it would make sense fer him ta be manipulatin’ the ring leader..”

“Dammit..”

Tidas quirked his eyebrow; “Was she right?”

Skye straightened up, then walked the couple feet to Zazzy and said; “Ima sorry I doubted ya me sweet bairn.. I just canna handle the thought of someone wantin’ ta hurt ya. Can ye forgive me?”

As Zazzy nuzzled against her in reply, Tidas asked what she had found to change her mind. She sighed heavily, then told him to hang on..

“I can show ya after I take it outta him.”

“...What?” Tidas asked, utterly confused by her statement.

“Remember when ye found out how I made yer armor? The incident that followed? With that shard from Marco? I assume that this was his desired result,” Skye replied as she walked towards Shane.

He squirmed and tried to yank his arms free, but Murdoc and Wallace weren’t letting him go anywhere. He started to flail his legs, and kicked at Skye any time she stepped towards him. Becoming irritated, she reached into her pocket, and grabbed a couple grapes.

As Tidas fought off a chuckle, Skye dropped the grapes, and almost instantly started to grow vines to bind Shane’s legs with. As they wrapped around him, he screamed and started to flip out to the point of Skye needing to bind his arms as well. When she walked around to look at the back of his neck, Shane was practically foaming at the mouth.

Skye ran her fingers along the back of his neck, and almost immediately felt a slight bump. Turning to the spectators, she asked if anyone had a sharp pocket knife. Several volunteered, giving Skye a plethora to choose from. Once she found the correct blade type that she needed for a small incision, Skye got to work.

Eric actually had to come and hold his brother’s head steady before Skye could make a cut. She didn’t want to stab Shane’s spine and paralyze him, or kill him. Once he was still, it took Skye two minutes to pop a small sliver of what looked like black glass out of his neck.

Skye recognized it as soon as she saw it: it was a piece of Marco’s amulet.. ‘He was bein’ manipulated, but since when? Since he left Alcon? Or did it activate when he saw Zazzy and Tidas? Or maybe gettin’ so close ta Richard activated it?’

As a million thoughts ran through Skye’s mind, Tidas asked what she had found. Flashing him the black sliver, his features shifted into smoldering fury. Skye was going to pull him aside to talk to him about it, but their conversation would have to wait..

As soon as Skye had taken out the piece of amulet, Shane’s mind and heart had almost instantly cleared. His memories were a bit hazy, but the feeling of teetering between reality and insanity were gone. As his eyes focused and he saw his older brother, Shane reached out and asked where they were..

Zazzy was elated that Shane wasn’t trying to kill her, but wondered why a tiny piece of rock would make him want to hurt her. As she listened to the humans talk, she kept hearing the name ‘Prince Marco’ over and over again. Remembering that he was the creepy guy that threatened to have her either locked away or killed; Zazzy made a mental note to find out more about him.

“Zazzy?! Ye listenin’ ta me, lassie? Do ye want me ta toss out these bears or not?!” Skye bellowed from over near her house.

As she trudged over, Zazzy telepathically asked why she had zipped over to her house. Skye made an excuse about how ‘she could smell the bears from where they were’, but it was a lie. She just didn’t want Zazzy to hear Tidas interrogating Shane and Eric.

As Amara walked over and joined Skye and Zazzy, Tidas started off by asking Shane if he had been aware of Marco’s amulet fragment. When he told him no, Tidas grinned internally to himself, then locked eyes with Shane..

“You’re lucky that Zazzy is such a loving creature, or you would be dead right now.. Was the hate for her planted? Or do you hold a real grudge that was amplified?” Tidas asked with a calm expression.

Shane sighed as he looked at his older brother for confirmation; “It was planted, just as the shard was. What will happen to me now? Will I really have to stay here in the Highlands the rest of my life?”

Right as Tidas was about to answer him, Zazzy started to flip out. She had asked to look at the shard, which Skye hadn’t technically touched bare-handed. The moment she had, Skye fell over: unconscious and unresponsive...