Chapter 581: Chapter 581

581 A Gift From The Heart

Peggy turned her head so that Skye and Tidas couldn’t see the smile stretch across her face. In all honesty, she loved that they were so attentive to each other, even if it occasionally proved to be time-consuming. After they bantered back and forth for another few moments, Skye wolfed down her food, then they got to work..

The string of lights was massive; large enough to go all the way around the central courtyard. Which was almost half the size of the stadium in Alcon that they used for the Mage Trials. Peggy huffed as she, and several other people carried the lights across the crunchy, snow-covered ground.

She’d been running around all morning, and had only gotten around three hours of sleep before she had to get up. Folding laundry, helping the cooks with breakfast, organizing the groups of servants, and assigning them all specific tasks had already drained her, but it hadn’t stopped her.. ‘I gotta get a wee bit of extra time ta finish me gift for’em..’

Peggy gritted her teeth as she hoisted the lights above her head, and waited for Skye to use her magic. The string itself wasn’t all that heavy, but it was bulky, and hard to grip due to the extra bits attached. Garland and ornaments had been wrapped around, and permanently affixed to the thick and enclosed wire, which also added to the weight.

It was beautiful, and complimented the courtyard, but Peggy still felt that it was a bit over the top.. ‘What the hell was that bampot thinkin’?! Why did he have ta get one SOLID string of lights?! Why didna he just buy ones that can snap together, like a normal person?! That would’ve been SO much easier!’

Bai Lei didn’t want to damage his family home, so he’d asked Skye to create hooks in the walls. She was just reaching Peggy when she saw the old woman’s arms shaking with her efforts. Tidas was already finished with his section, so he came over to hold Peggy’s up for her. After she thanked him, which was odd in itself, she scurried away without a word to anyone else.

The two exchanged a look, but didn’t think any further on it. Peggy often disappeared to tend to her daily tasks, but she usually told them around a time that she would reappear. It wasn’t something that Tidas thought to worry about, but Skye was..

“Did ya see how pale she looked? I think Peggy’s overexerting herself again,” she commented with a concerned expression.

Tidas wrapped his arm around her shoulders; “Probably, but everyone kinda is today. Peggy’s a grown woman, and she knows herself better than anyone. If she doesn’t feel well, then she’ll tell us.”

.....

“Will she? Cause history would beg ta differ, husband,” Skye replied with a sarcastic tone.

“Maybe in Alcon, but she’s been very vocal about any and all of her displeasures here in Sai. If she needs anything, then Peggy will tell us.”

Skye sighed heavily at her husband’s words; “Will she, though? Wit everything that’s goin’ on, I dinna see Peggy tellin’ us if something’s wrong.. Ima worried..”

Tidas gently hugged her; “She’ll be fine, love. You worry too much sometimes.”

Skye narrowed her eyes on him; “And when have I been wrong?”

“....”

“That’s what I thought. Ima gonna go find her,” Skye stated, then walked off after Peggy.

Tidas turned and looked around at the people running about, and took in a deep breath before yelling; “Alright! Who needs heavy things lifted or moved?!”

************

Peggy was just reaching her door when Skye had caught up to her. She denied feeling unwell, but she wouldn’t let Skye examine her, either. The two began to bicker loudly, causing their voices to echo in the hallway.

“What is yer problem?! Just lemme check ye out! It’ll take two minutes of yer time, and I can even heal any fatigue-”

“And I Said NO, Skye! Ima fine! Now get back ta helpin’ out wit yer assigned duty! Or you’ll put everyone else behind!”

“Then stop bein’ so damn stubborn, Peg! Just let me heal ya right quick, and we can both get back-”

“Ima stubborn?! Yer the Stubborn One, here! And a bloody pest! Now get goin’! Dinna think that just cause yer a hero, or Catalyst, or whatnot! That I won’t bend ya over my knee, and Tan Yer Hide wit me bloody shoe!”

Skye’s face contorted with indignation; “I was just tryin’ ta help ya, ye old bat! And I’d like ta see ya TRY ta bend me over-”

“OY! What the Hell are ya two screamin’ about?! I can hear you two from the common rooms!” Ralph yelled as he came walking up to them.

Skye huffed; “Peggy is Clearly ill...physically and Mentally. She willna let me examine her.”

Ralph looked at Peggy as she blustered, then gave her statement; “And Skye be actin’ like an oversized brat! I said that I was Fine! If I dinna want ya checkin’ up on me, then that means ya dinna need to!”

Skye turned towards Peggy with an irate expression; “Ima just worried about ya! Why are ya getting angry about that?!”

Peggy glared at her; “Ya ken that’s not it! I TOLD YOU Ima Fine! Yer insistence is what’s pissin’ me off!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“OKAY! That’s enough ofa that! No More Yelling!” he screamed louder than the other two, which made them both shrink back slightly.

Ralph sighed heavily as he rubbed at his temples. He’d been listening to the two bickering since Skye and Tidas were children, but today was different. Peggy had never snapped at Skye like she was now, which was a giant red flag to Ralph.

“What’s goin’ on, Peg? You never yell at Skye like this.. And you, Skye, know better than to talk to Peggy like that. What the hell is wrong with you two?! The entire castle is trying to make Zazzy’s birthday and Yuletide special for us all, and to be frank about it: you two are acting like brats.”

The look of regret on their faces made Ralph want to chuckle, but he kept a straight face. They had needed a stern talking to for a month now, but no one had wanted the monstrous task of confronting the two; not even Tidas. Ralph saw the opportunity to chide them while they were clearly in the wrong, to lessen any backlash, which turned out better than he had thought it would.

Instead of biting his head off, the two apologized for their behavior, and yelling. Skye’s wasn’t a surprise, but Peggy’s was, which made him more suspicious than anything else. When she then tried to rush both him and Skye off, it prompted Ralph to say; “Is it just me, or does it seem like you’re tryin’ to get rid of us?”

Peggy huffed; “Because I am! I got a whole list of shite ta do, but I got somethin’ I need ta finish up first. Now do ya two mind?!”

Skye narrowed her eyes; “Aye, I do! And Ima not goin’ anywhere til ya let me do somethin’ about yer fatigue! So if ya really are in a hurry, then just lemme heal ya, then ya can get back to it.”

Peggy growled like she was about to snap again, but Ralph cut in; “OY! We just established that Yelling is counterproductive! Why don’t ya just let Skye heal ya, and be done with it? It’ll take her thirty seconds, then you can get back to whatever it is you’re doing.”

Peggy glared at Ralph, who didn’t even bat an eye at her perturbed expression. He’d seen it enough times to know when it was meant as a threat, or a death omen, and this was more of a pissy warning. Standing as if nothing was amiss, Ralph waited until Peggy had given in, and let Skye heal her.

After around a minute or so, Skye’s brow furrowed as she stared at Peggy; “You’re nae sleepin’ enough again-”

“That’s why I didna want ya healin’ me! I get a lecture every time!” Peggy snapped as she tried to yank her hand away, but Skye wouldn’t let her.

Keeping a firm, but soft hold on her, Skye replied; “Aye, aye, I’ll drop it...fer now. But ya gotta take better care of yer self, Peg. I want ya ta see yer grandbairns grow, not just meet’em.”

Peggy softened at Skye’s words, finally absorbing the fact that she’d simply been worried about her. She’d also caught the fact that she’d basically just called her a grandmother, which implied motherhood beforehand.. ‘Damn that child fer tuggin’ at me heartstrings just right.. I Must be tired..’

Peggy never liked giving Yuletide presents early, but her sentimental emotions got the best of her as she said; “Since ye brought up bairns, I might as well give ya yer present now..”

Skye perked up slightly, which made Peggy grin as she lead her into her room. Ralph called out that he would see them later, then went back to going about doing his own tasks. Once they’d bid him farewell, Peggy led Skye over to a comfy-looking rocking chair, where a small, light-green blanket sat.

After removing the knitting needles, Peggy held up the tiny blanket as she said; “I ken it’ll be a while before it’s used, but I wanted ta make this for ya now, just in case me health doesna hold out.. Tis yer old baby blanket, but I patched up the holes, and added an extra layer fer warmth. Do ya like it?”

Skye had smiled the moment her eyes had landed on the blanket, then chuckled lightly as Peggy showed her the adorable patchwork done to it. Shapes of animals covered where Skye had torn it over the years, and the extra layer made it feel brand new. As she hugged it to her chest with a soft grin, Skye mumbled; “I canna believe that ya kept this all these years..”

“Of course I did! Ya loved that thing ta literal pieces when ya were a wee bairn. Ya didna stop carrying it around til ya were eight, and that’s only cause ya couldna take it on yer adventures wit Tidas. Remember when ya made this rip? You cried for a solid twenty minutes, til I sewed it up.”

Skye beamed; “I remember.. You were makin’ cookies, and I caused ya ta burn a batch. Da thought that the castle was burnin’ down, haha!”

The two chatted and shared memories for a few more minutes until they heard a knock from the door. After giving permission to enter, Tidas wearily poked his head in, and looked around..

“No blood spatter, so that’s a good sign,” Tidas joked as he came inside; “I take it that you two are fine now?”

Skye nodded; “Aye, we be fine now. And look at this! Do ya remember this?!”

Tidas grinned cheekily; “Oh! Isn’t that your old blanket? I can’t believe you still have that.”

“I ken!” Skye exclaimed; “Peggy had it this whole time! And look! She mended it fer our future bairns. Isna that sweet?”

“So that’s why you’ve been waking up so early, and going to bed so late,” Tidas said as he looked at Peggy.

She shrugged before responding with; “I still gotta do me duties.”

“But this shouldn’t have taken you any longer than a couple of days to mend. What else have you been doing?”

Peggy clicked her tongue; “I made Zazzy’s present, too..”

After reaching under her bed, Peggy pulled out a massive blanket that was the same shade of green as Skye’s old baby one. Even the animal patches were similar, though not the same due to the size and pattern differences. Other than that, they matched.

“Is this for us?” Tidas asked as he grabbed one side, and stretched it out.

“Na, it be fer that overgrown lizard,” Peggy replied with a soft smile; “Since she’s me first grandbairn, I figured she needed a blanky, too.”

Skye and Tidas shared a looked, then they both hugged Peggy. She griped and complained about their sudden affection, but she couldn’t keep the smile from her face, either. As they pulled away, Skye spoke with elation; “Zazzy’s gonna love it! I canna wait ta see her open it!”

Peggy’s face went flat; “Shite...I forgot that I gotta wrap the damn thing..”

Looking at the two with a devilish grin, Peggy added; “Guess ya two volunteer!”