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“Oh, aye! Shoulda killed the One witness we got to you confessin’ to Drexel’s plans, and takin’ Petrie.. That would’ve made So much sense for us to do,” Skye’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.

The Highlander grumbled and cursed at her, earning himself a good punch to his side for it from Klaus. Angus grunted and tried to wiggle free, but all it did was earn him another punch. This time, Klaus made it hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

Skye smiled and thanked him as the other squads came into view. Seeing the Highlander slung over Klaus’ shoulder made them abandon the little gear that they’d brought with them, and immediately mount up. They rendezvoused with the rest of the company relatively quickly, despite the extra baggage that Klaus had.

When Tidas saw Skye returning, he was already aware of what was happening. The chipmunk had relayed to Ronnie, whom in turn relayed it to another Tamer via their raven Companion that he had with him. As the Commander approached, the Highlander became rather quiet.

Tidas was a legend in the Highlands because he was the only person to ever give Murdoc a good fight. They were both Hybrid Tanks, and both were the strongest that each territory had to offer. Seeing the legend up close zapped the last of his fight..

After some back and forth between Angus and Tidas about his honor code, he’d gotten the man to agree to speak to Murdoc honestly. He swore that if he got the chance, he’d run away. But if Tidas could put him in front of Murdoc safely, then he would do it.

Tidas felt conflicted about his wife’s quick thinking. He was quite proud of Skye for how she had handled herself. It was something he would’ve done, but that also worried him..

He’d found himself in many extremely dangerous situations due to his impulses, and worried that Skye’s would lead herself into similar situations someday...

.....

Once Angus was given some food, and the villagers had offered him whiskey; he sat quietly while Skye reported. Tidas’ worst case scenario was proving to be true, and that distressed him greatly. He knew that there would be casualties if Petrie had failed, but now it was resembling the beginnings of a massacre.

The mountain pass was the only route to the valley that didn’t take weeks to traverse. If they couldn’t break through, then the entire mission was a waste of both time, and life.

Realizing the extent of the risk, Tidas explained the whole of the situation. Once he had concluded, he then asked the Platoon Commanders if they thought that they should turn back. The two that Skye had recognized from the banquet room wanted to turn back, while she and Arthur wanted to continue.

Skye watched her husband’s disposition turn afflicted, making her heart twinge. He truly cared about the men and women that he commanded, and didn’t want to risk their lives any more than he had to. They weren’t just nameless pawns for him to move around until he got the results he wanted; they were good people.

Skye looked around the mostly broken-down camp, and sighed. The snow was sprinkling down now, and would only grow heavier as the day progressed. As she looked around, a young lass walking alongside a lad caught her eye..

The lass fussed about the snow getting into her hair, so the lad took the end of his long coat, and covered her head. The lass giggled as she snuggled up to his exposed side, then continued along their way.

Skye whipped her head around; looking at all the domed rooftops on the tiny houses of the Highlanders’ village. The snow was sticking to them now, leaving a thin sheen of white across the dark wood used to construct the homes.

“I got it! I know what to do! It’s so obvious to me now.. We need a roof!” Skye exclaimed with a smile.

“What?” Arthur and Tidas asked with confusion all over their features.

“The mountain pass! Ima gonna turn it into a tunnel!” Skye stated triumphantly.

Tidas and the others stared at her with dumbfounded expressions, then large smiles bloomed on their faces. Tidas wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and kissed the side of her head. It was a brilliant idea, but had one problem..

Klaus, Ronnie, and Kari were standing just a few feet away from the gathered commanders. After hearing her idea, Klaus commented; “Don’t you have to be touching the rocks along the mountain pass to do that? Because it’s such a vast area?”

Skye looked over at him with a deflated expression; “Aye, Klaus.. But I can do that before the bulk of the soldiers enters the pass. The ones leadin’ will be in danger, though..”

Looking up at her husband, Skye stated; “I’ll have to be in the lead for this.. Can ye handle that?”

Tidas immediately started to protest, which got all of the other commanders on his case. Telling him that Skye isn’t just his wife: she’s a soldier now, and that he needed to learn to cope with the fact. He knew they were right, but his instincts were hardly ever wrong.. And they were telling him to send her away.

Swallowing hard, Tidas compromised; “I’ll agree to the Scouts going first, but only if I’m going with you. And you have to promise to continue on to the Old Capital while the rest of us preoccupy the Highlanders. We need to rescue Petrie, if he’s still alive.. I don’t know if Murdoc will take the word of a captured man betraying his friends-”

“Hey!? I don’t Have ta help, ye know! And accordin’ ta you, Ima savin’ them!” Angus bellowed.

Tidas looked to him with a straight face; “You are, but that doesn’t mean that Murdoc will believe you. It would be best if we could save Petrie.”

Skye sighed. She knew that her husband was right, but that didn’t mean that she liked it. Her gut twisted when she thought about not being on the battlefield with him.. ‘What was the point of it all if I can’t be there to cover his backside?!’

Seeing the princess’ dismay, Arthur whispered low; “Don’t you worry, lassie.. I’ll cover him-”

“No, you’ll be going with Skye’s platoon to make sure that she stays on mission,” Tidas stated as he turned and looked at Arthur.

Skye broke away from his arm; “What? Why?! It’d be better if he was with you!”

“I’ll be fine, Skye, but I don’t trust you not to turn back halfway there,” Tidas replied without thinking.

Skye folded her arms across her chest as she tried to keep her ire in check; “I don’t need a babysitter, Tidas..”

“Aye, you do. This is your first official mission as an RMC member, and you haven’t had any proper training in our tactics, or how to work as a unit. Like it or not, Skye; I’m treating you like I would anyone else within your position..”

It was a lie, but Tidas wasn’t about to tell her his real reason: he was worried about her. Murdoc was bringing what he had assumed to be the whole of the Highlander forces down on their heads. They would be outnumbered three to one, at the least, and Tidas didn’t want his wife to get caught up in the bloodbath.

The soldiers all knew what they were getting into; Tidas had been transparent in his briefing. However, it didn’t change the fact that Skye didn’t fully understand.. ‘How could she? She’s never seen war before, and that’s exactly what this fight is turning into..’

Skye protested for another ten minutes or so, until the soldiers had finished their preparations. All of their horses were saddled, refreshed, and ready to go. The only thing delaying them now was the arguing amongst the commanders..

Klaus, Ronnie, and Kari all readied themselves and Thoth for Skye, then mounted up. Arthur had walked away from the make-shift table, and gotten both his and Tidas’ horses. The royal couple was still arguing as they mounted up..

“I’m not giving you special treatment, Skye! If anyone else were in your circumstances, I’d do the same thing to them as I have done for you.. It’s not about you being a princess or my wife! It’s about your lack of experience! That’s why I assigned Arthur!”

Skye glared at him; “Yer so full of shit! Ye can say that those are Yer reasons all ye want, but the truth is that ye just want to ‘keep me safe’! Dammit, Tidas! Ima no damsel in distress! I don’t need-”

“That’s because I’m keeping you Out of distress! Are you forgetting that you’re responsible for the lives you command? I’m not just saving you, I’m saving them!”

Skye’s fury flared; “Oh, so yer savin’ them, Hmm? Don’t trust me that much, do ye? FINE. I’ll handle the pass, then I’ll ride towards the capital to find Petrie.. But the second I do, Ima comin’ back, but don’t expect me to save yer arse!”

Tidas nodded with a stern expression as he mounted his horse. He knew that he was in for an earful later, but that was only if they survived the next few hours. Skye would need to use a Lot of her magic to turn the whole of the mountain pass into a tunnel.

The pass itself was just over sixty miles long. If they kept the horses going at their top speeds the entire time, they should be able to make it out in less than an hour and a half.. But that was if nothing went wrong...

Tidas gripped his reins as his anxiety skyrocketed. He didn’t care about himself; just his troops and wife. The dark part of him was chomping at the bit to get thrown into the chaos of the battlefield, but his focus remained on Skye, which was dangerous..

He knew better than to ride out for battle distracted. As he took his position next to his wife, Tidas said; “I love you, Skye.. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you..”

Skye’s expression softened, but remained impassive as she spoke; “I love ye too, Tidas. That’s why I want to be at yer side.. Ima more than capable of protecting me self.. And Ima gonna prove it.”

Skye trotted Thoth forward slightly, then turned him to face Tidas; “I am the Catalyst, and I Will Save Everyone. After this fight, ye better never doubt me again..”

Tidas’ smile was edged with worry as he spoke; “If we make it through this, you can lead the entire army for all I care: just so long as you live..”

Skye grinned cockily; “Aye, I will.. You better, too, or not even the gods themselves will save the Highlands from me wrath..”

Tidas chuckled, then moved his horse to be even with Skye’s. He kissed her passionately, which dulled her ire a bit, but she still flashed him a hard stare. After a nod and a wink in his wife’s direction; Tidas raised his fist into the air.

The RMC Company cried out like the warriors that they were, then Tidas called out; “Soldiers, With Me! For Glory! For Peace! For Alcon, We Ride!”