So this is my first Fairy Tail Fanfiction and it's for one of my favorite couples, Gajeel x Levy. Disclaimer, I don't own Fairy Tail, if I did, there would be more Gajeel x Levy moments!
"Please your highness, I wish to only stay for one night," The old woman's voice quivered as she seemed to long for the warmth of the fire inside the castle. Her face was horribly disfigured, with wrinkles covering her yellowing skin. One eye was wide open, never even blinking, and the other was dull and cloudy. An old hooded robe covered her weak and shivering body as she reached towards the prince. "It's utterly cold out here tonight and I am lost."
The prince wasn't fazed by the woman's begging. One of his hands held onto the door frame and the other was in a tight fist by his side. "No!" Gajeel roared with anger reverberating in his voice. He couldn't bear to look at such a disgusting person, and felt like she was wasting his time. He began losing his patience and his temper. "I thought I told you to leave, you old haggard! Quit dirtying up my castle and go!"
The old woman averted her gaze away from the prince's. Seeing her do so made him happy, thinking she would be leaving. But no, the old woman wasn't going to let the prince get away too easily.
"Isn't that a little harsh, Prince Redfox? Judging a person by their lack of beauty, that's so monstrous of you. " The old woman said as she held onto the hood of her cloak. Quickly she pulled it off, a glowing light surrounded her body and as it faded revealed a beautiful woman. He looked at her, eyes wide, in awe of her beauty. Long white hair cascaded down, framing her stunning physique.
"My lady," He began once he realized what happened before him was no trick or illusion. "Please come in. It would be a shame for someone like you to suffer out here." But before he could let her in, she interrupted him.
"It's sickening to see how much outer beauty stirs kindness out of you, Prince Redfox," She glared at him as she spoke. "Clearly you have nothing in your so called heart."
"No, please, Miss, I'm sorry for coming off so harsh," Gajeel began begging for her forgiveness, something that was quite rare for him to do. He looked up at her with hopeful eyes, his expression almost seeming childish.
However, the woman had already seen the true colors of the prince, and wasn't going to let him get away with not only how he treated her, but also the other people of his kingdom. "Your words carry no meaning, Prince Redfox. Everything you say is a lie. I guess the rumors of your cruelty are true. You must be taught a lesson then."
She raised her hand, clutching onto a metal blade she pulled out of the pocket of her cloak. Quickly she slashed the blade down his chest. He fell onto the ground in pain from the sudden attack. A silver light flowed out of the wound before enveloping him. An inhuman scream resonated in the castle. His skin suddenly grew hard. Scales began covering every inch of his body, piercing through the skin and overlapping each other. His canine teeth grew into long fangs as his fingernails became sharp claws.
"What have you done?!" He snarled when he looked down at his 'hands' and saw his new appearance. Knowing this was the woman's doing, Gajeel charged towards her with his new claws, ready to attack.
She held up her hand and with her magic she stopped him in his tracks. "Prince Redfox, all I've done is made your exterior match your steely heart. Now you're just as hideous as you are on the inside." In her hand, she held a mirror, allowing Gajeel to see how much his body had been altered.
The woman raised her hand up and the same silver glow covered the castle, "All who live here shall also endure this curse."
"Why make them suffer?" He growled after the spell had been cast on his staff. "They've done nothing to you."
"Maybe there is some hope for you, Prince Redfox," She muttered lightly, "You and your servants do not have to stay this way forever. If you can fall in love with another, and earn their love as well, the spell will be broken. However if you are unable to do so before your twenty fifth birthday, your beastly form will eat away any last drop of humanity you possess, making you into the monster you truly are."
The woman handed him a book and on the cover were five glimmering stones. "Each year, one will lose its luster. Think of them as a clock, counting down how long you have left till the curse takes full effect. Good luck, beast." She suddenly vanished without a trace.
Gajeel carefully held onto the book as he reentered his castle, nervous his new claws could damage it. His hands were shaking slightly as he looked down at the gems; all of them still in beautiful condition. None of his staff were anywhere in sight, so he quickly ran to his room where no one could see him. He along with the staff of his castle tried their best to find someone who could break the spell. But once people in the kingdom heard of the cursed prince, everyone fled.
With no chance of breaking the curse, Gajeel kept himself locked in his castle. His humanity continued to disappear, as the world around him changed. Four years eventually passed, and no longer was there any hope in the eyes of the cursed prince or his servants.
"Bye father, I'll be back from the village soon," Levy waved before leaving their new country side home. In her hand she held a basket, containing a few books she wanted to return to the book shop. It was a long walk to town, but she greatly enjoyed it. In one hand she held one of her books and read as she walked down the stone path, away from home.
Once the sounds of the village grew louder, Levy slipped her book back into the basket. As usual, everyone was very lively and busy with their everyday routine. All the little shops were full of bubbly customers and since it was morning, and the smell of fresh bread and coffee being brewed was very prominent.
Levy decided to get some for herself and some to bring to her father. So she entered the nearest bakery she could find. Instantly she was overcome by the delicious smells surrounding her. The owner was having a conversation with one of the customers ahead of her, so to pass the time she pulled her book back out and continued reading. She hated herself for putting it down once she got to town, but now she could freely continue it.
"Next in line," The owner called out, catching Levy's attention.
She went over to the counter and began looking over today's selection. Eventually she selected a small role for herself, and for her father a loaf that he could take on his next trip. Lastly she got herself some coffee, since she was feeling a little tired. "That'll be it," She assured the owner before paying for it.
"Alright then, have a good day Miss McGarden," He replied as he handed her what she ordered and her change. Levy moved away towards the door before placing everything in her basket. As she continued to walk to the bookshop, she drank her coffee. Calmly she pulled back out her book and read it, absorbed by the fictional world it depicted.
Ever since they moved here, Levy knew she was seen as an oddity by the villagers. Many of them spent their time working or were fortunate enough to have been born into great wealth, meaning they wouldn't have to work a day in their lives. Levy and her father weren't as lucky. Her mother had died after childbirth, so he raised her on his own. He was a merchant and they often traveled due to his occupation. But after many years of doing so, he wanted them to have a place to settle down.
Levy entered the town's book shop, a common place for her to stop by. She tried to come by at least once a day, since she always liked having new reading material. She would read anything and everything, no matter the author or genre.
"Hello," Levy said to the owner as she entered the store. The walls were covered in bookshelves, containing many of the books she had already read. "Did you get anything new?"
"Sorry Miss McGarden, but not since yesterday," The owner bowed his head as he chuckled. Levy sighed lightly under her breath, not wanting to hear that answer.
She went up to the fantasy shelf and looked through the multitude of titles. Carefully she ran her finger against the spine each of the book, "I guess I'll just buy this one," Levy selected a story she had gotten before, one of her favorites. "And as usual I'll trade it for another book," She handed him one of the books from her basket which she had finished. He assured her that was fine, and Levy left with saying a thank you and good bye.
Meanwhile, two men watched Levy leave the book store. One tall with orange hair tied back off his face. The other was his friend, with a large physique and black hair.
"Now's your chance, Jet," Droy said with joy, "But I still don't get why you're set on her. There are so many other girls in town that would kill to be with you. Doesn't she seem odd to you?"
"Well, Droy," Jet sighed, "That doesn't matter to me. When someone like me meets someone as beautiful as her, there isn't any reason why we shouldn't be together."
Jet moved away from the building he was leaning against. He had his sight on Levy's hand in marriage since she and her father moved here.
Levy was reading her new book as she walked back towards her house, wanting to bring her father the breakfast she bought him. However before she could even leave town, she walked into someone. She looked up to see who it was and apologize, but once she saw who, she knew she wasn't going to get home easily.
"Hello Levy," Jet smiled charmingly at the petite blue haired girl. He frowned slightly when he noticed she was too into her book and not paying attention to him. Swiftly he took her book out of her hands.
"Jet, give it back please," Levy tried not to sound irritated, but she was getting to the good part and didn't want any interruptions.
Jet and Droy looked through the book, both with clueless expressions on their faces.
"Levy, how can you enjoy something like this?" Jet asked as he continued to flip through the pages. "There are more important things in life than these fictional romances. A better way to spend your time would be to join Droy and me over at the bar."
He wrapped his arm around Levy's shoulder after handing her back the book. Levy tried to move away as he led her in the opposite direction.
"I'm sorry, Jet, but I have to go home to check on my father," Levy replied as she moved out of his grasp, "Maybe another time."
Levy quickly left before Jet and Droy could react and stop her. Once she arrived at her father's house, she found him sitting at their dining table, reading over a map. He seemed quite absorbed in his work, so she just prepared some tea for him and left the roll out on the table in front of him. She was slightly worried that he wanted to move again, since the map showed a nearby kingdom.
"How was your morning, Levy?" Her father inquired, looking up at his daughter before taking a sip of the tea she made.
She decided to join him at the table, and calmly sat down. "Alright I guess. I got a new book."
"That's nice, anything else happen?"
Levy sighed, "I ran into Jet and Droy again."
"Jet? Is he that boy that's always talking to you?"
She nodded her head, "But he's too oblivious to tell that I'm not interested. And not to mention he's self centered and rude."
"Maybe you just need to take the time to get to know him?" Her father suggested genuinely. But he knew his daughter's mind wouldn't be changed.
Levy took out the book she got and began quietly reading, trying to enjoy her time.
"Levy, I have to go out of town for a few days," She looked up at her father. "I have to meet with a merchant from another guild to discuss a new trade route. It's only in the next kingdom over, so I should be back in a few days."
"Will you promise me you'll be careful?" She asked him, concerned for her father's health.
He nodded his head, "And I'll be sure to get you something along the way."
She smiled lightly back at him, "Alright, I'll help you pack up."
Levy stood up on the porch of their house as her father rode their horse to his destination. She waved at him as she watched him disappear off into the distance. When he was no longer in view, Levy went back into the house and went back to reading her book. She tried to keep her mind off of her father, trying not to worry too much. Levy assured herself that he'd be fine on his own, but that didn't help.
A few days later, when Levy expected her father's return, she received a much bigger surprise. A large figure covered in a cloak was riding on her father's horse.
"Are you Levy McGarden?" The growling voice asked her. She was trembling, not just because of the strange man, but that he was on her father's horse. Where was her father? Had something happened to him? This man was the only clue Levy had of finding her father, and although she was frightened, she had no other choice.
"Yes," She answered calmly. "And what do you want with me?"
"Your father made a grave mistake, and now you will face the consequences!" The figure's hand reached and grabbed Levy's wrist. She squirmed around, trying to escape the tight grip that held her. However, it was no use, and soon the figure had her tied up. He rode her father's horse, with her riding on back into the forest. Levy tried to stay as calm as possible, but all she wanted now was to know if her father was alive.
Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! Please leave me a review, and I hope to have a new chapter either once a week or every other week.
- LolliGurlz