Queen of the Skies
"I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own"
-Viva la Vida by Coldplay
Her soft red waves covered her delicate cheeks as she slept. Slowly coming back to consciousness, her toes started to wiggle as she awoke. Stretching her long, gorgeous legs, she pushed forward on her massive bed. Its luxurious, velvet sheets wrapped around her extremities, like a wave of softness surrounding her whole body.
Her eyes snapped open with a start as she quickly realized what day it was. It had been months that she had been looking forward to this exact moment. It had been marked everywhere. Every single citizen in the entire kingdom had been in a state of perpetual worry, leading up to this day.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," a sweet voice rang out from next to her. Her first lady in waiting, Lady Lucy of Heartfilia, slowly came into view. Though it was a bit unorthodox, Queen Erza considered her to be her closest friend, her only true confidant.
Wordlessly, Erza stood up, her petite figure covered solely by the thin nightgown she adorned. She felt most at ease in her armours, but it was frowned upon to wear those all the time. Apparently, it was unsuitable for women to wear such heavy and unflattering clothes, especially in a time of war. It was seen as if she were mocking the soldiers on the front lines. That, of course, was the last thing in the girl's mind. Nonetheless, she stayed away from her precious suits of armour and settled for only the best couture in the meanwhile.
She made her way to the bathroom, where a large bath had already been drawn, the grand and ornate tub filled to the brim with sweet smelling flowers and herbs. Only the best for the queen, after all.
This day was special, especially to Erza. These past few months had been excruciatingly painful for her. Try as she might, it was difficult for her to push her own personal emotions aside to put on the proper visage of a ruler. Some days were easier than others and she had successfully managed to reign over her beloveded kingdom singlehandedly these past few weeks. The endeavour had been daunting but she had managed to succeed and, for that, she was rather proud of herself.
Soaking every part of her soft skin in the soothing water, she let her mind wander beyond her duties. She let herself think past the budget or the current war that had been so taxing on her people. She let herself enjoy the moment she was living in and prepare for her day. She allowed herself to smile at the thought of that day's importance.
It was finally coming to an end.
All her pain, all of her inner turmoil and suffering. By the end of today, there would be no more doubt plaguing her dreams, no more insecurities creeping into her everyday life. She would know for certain the outcome of the mission.
She would know if he was coming back alive or not.
The beautiful young monarch sat in silence in her tub, enjoying the peace the quiet gave her. She stayed there until her fingers began to prune, until she had felt completely at ease, a sentiment she hadn't allowed herself to feel since they left, over three months prior.
They had argued at great lengths before his departure. She had told him that he did not need to go, that it would be safer and better for the entire kingdom, including herself, if he simply stayed at the palace, where he could monitor and rule from his spot in the tower. Of course, being the stubborn and brave man he was, he disagreed and went on the risky mission anyways.
He assured her by telling her that he would be surrounded by only the best soldiers and that there would be no need for her to worry. He claimed that this mission would bring end to the dangerous war that had threatened their small but wealthy home for the past decades. He promised to come back safely.
He told her he would write to her every day.
Which he had. For the first two months, that is.
But in the past month, she had not heard a single word from any member of the mission. She felt sick with worry as she checked the mail every single day. The pain she felt inside was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. The uncertainty of their return, if they would even return. All the best men and women from the kingdom had been a part of that team. If they had failed and perished on the battlefield, then their small nation had no chance of winning the war.
All would be lost, including Erza's heart.
Attempting to flee from her own dark and ominous thoughts, she called to Lucy, who she knew would be waiting in the next room. The beautiful blonde woman walked slowly through the doorway, her long deep purple dress swaying with every step she took.
"Yes, my Queen?" she questioned with a small curtsey.
"May you please keep me company for the next two hours?" Erza requested, ringing out her long crimson hair with her hands. In two hours, the elite team was supposed to return. Until then, the young queen did not trust herself to be left to her own devices.
"Of course," was Lucy's soft response. Erza's eyes widened as she realized how difficult that day would be on her friend as well.
"Erik was a member of the mission as well, was he not?" the monarch asked, leaning over to rest a hand on her friend's arm to soothe her nerves.
"He was," Lucy informed her, looking away. "I have faith in him, he is the kingdom's strongest soldier. But I can't help but worry… It's been so long since we've heard news from the team and I-"
"Please don't fret, my dear friend." Erza tried to calm her best friend as she made her way out of the bath. "Cobra is infamous in the whole civilized world for his unparalleled skill and if anyone were to make it home safely, it would be him."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Lucy aided the queen as she dressed herself, having dismissed the rest of the maids. She felt in no condition to see anyone else and Lucy didn't mind helping her friend, knowing firsthand how difficult today would be for them both.
Erza, wearing only a robe, walked over to her extensive wardrobe, attempting to find a proper outfit to wear. She looked through some of the gowns she kept on hand, before finally choosing one she kept for special occasions. It wasn't covered with jewels like some of her others, nor was it made solely of lace and velvet like the majority. This one was a simple, raw-silk, strapless crimson gown, one that hugged her torso before flaring out into a large ballgown right below her bust. This dress may not have been the most extravagant dress she had in her possession, but it held a special importance.
It was the first gift that he had ever gotten her.
Her eyes couldn't help but water as she dressed herself. If he wasn't part of the group that came back today, that was it. He wouldn't be coming back at all. Every molecule in her body ached for him and she was at a loss if he didn't come back. She needed him to survive and it had been hard enough those first few weeks. Now, with only two hours left to wait, time seemed to be passing slower and slower. She felt broken, with a massive piece of her missing. The fear of having to live without that piece for the rest of her life frightened her beyond reason and she feared that she would lose her mind without him.
After getting dressed with a simple bronze crown in her dark hair, she sat on her balcony overlooking the capital city of her kingdom, Magnolia. From her seat, she could see as far as the town's walls and even further than that. Erza was in the perfect position to see the party of soldiers when they arrived.
Dipping her feather pen into some navy blue ink, she began to write in her leather bound journal. That simple action of writting (along with Lucy, of course) was the only thing keeping her sane. Having an outlet to convey her worries, fears and desires had allowed her to keep insanity in check, along with manage the nation in those dark months.
Erza seemed to have lost track of time because suddenly, she heard the loud sound of blaring trumpets in the distance, indicating the opening of the city's large gates. Realizing it was time, she ran down the stairs, sprinting past the guards and doors. Her heeled shoes weren't meant for that sort of sport, but she ignored the sharp, cutting pain in her feet and continued moving towards the palace's doors. There, her beautiful white stallion was waiting for her.
Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped on its back, neglecting to ride sidesaddle, the "proper" way. Pulling sharply on the reins, the horse kicked its front hooves high in the air, almost knocking the poor queen off. She held on, though, and soon, the two were zipping through the town's streets, making good time as they approached the town's gates where the military party would be.
Queen Erza ignored the looks and calls she was getting from her subjects, racing through the town. In those moments, a million emotions and thoughts ran through her. What if he wasn't there? What if he hadn't made it back? All these negative thoughts plagued her mind as she made her way to the city's entrance.
She tried to forget about the possibility of him not being there, attempting to concentrate on the positive. He would be there. He will have made it back. Because, that's just the sort of person he was. He would fight until the bitter end, trying to do the right thing. Then again, he's also the sort of person to sacrifice himself for others… But, Erza let herself believe that with people like Cobra on the voyage, he wouldn't have been allowed to do such noble things. Erik is the sort of person to keep the king in check, even if it meant being harsh. After all, Knight Erik cared little about policies, he cared only for fighting and war. Which would be strange if they had managed to end the war.
She approached the door at a startling speed. She soon was close enough to see the men on horseback, but unable to identify them as they were all covered in suits of armors. Once she arrived at the party, she jumped off her horse before it had even stopped galloping.
She pushed through the crowd, though they began to part as they saw their queen before them. All of the soldiers slowly got off their own horses, bowing in respect towards the queen. Uncaring of how crazy she seemed to everyone, she let her sane facade she had managed to maintain for the past three months fall and yelled for her true love, her king.
"Jellal!" she shouted, inspecting each of the soldiers. "Jellal, where are you?"
Her cries were desperate, her calls thick with emotion and internal turmoil. Every step she took felt like a million and every word she uttered made her throat feel parched. She was falling to pieces and she did not care if her behavior was unethical for a queen. Right then, she didn't want to be queen. She would give up everything she had in the world, her throne, her possessions, just to have him in her arms once more. That's all she wanted, all she needed.
She wanted to see his gorgeous face, feel her heart skip a beat as he whispered her name, run her fingers through his soft blue locks. She wanted to feel the pressure of his hands on her skin, see the desire in his eyes as he watched her. She wanted to feel completely at peace with the world, like she did when he held her securely in his arms. She wanted to fall asleep next to him again, hear the soft pattern of his breathing as he snored quietly at night. She wanted him more than anything and she could feel herself fall to pieces at the thought of never having him again.
"Easy, Erza," she heard a familiar voice call from behind her. She watched as Cobra pulled off his helmet, running a hand through his dark maroon hair.
"Erik!" Lucy screeched as she threw herself at the man. Erza hadn't even seen her friend but she felt herself smile as she heard Erik laugh and wrap his strong arms around his love. Though Erik liked to pretend he was cold and uncaring, he loved Lucy with all his heart and would do anything for her, as it was obvious in moments like that. The two lovebirds wrapped themselves around each other, ditching their horses as they walked hand in hand back to the castle.
Returning back to her initial mission, she searched for Jellal, growing more desperate with every second. She felt her heart start to shatter as she passed more and more people that were most definitely not Jellal.
A strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards their chest. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The scent of his cologne, the way he touched her, every element of his being let her know who it was.
Her Jellal had come home to his queen.
Burying her face in his chest as he wrapped himself around her, she felt secure and safe for the first time in months. He was everything she wanted, everything she needed and everything she couldn't have during those impossible days apart. But, now, with him in her arms, she felt all her fears and worries dissipate into nothingness. All of those late night dark thoughts began to flee her mind. She no longer cared about the threat of war, the worry of ruling a nation, the stress of being queen. None of that mattered in those moments with him.
He was her missing piece and she was finally whole again.