The Sun's Shadow Redo
Chapter 1
Levy POV
It was a normal day for me as I watched from afar the people going to Lu-chan's temple and praising her for just existing while I go to try and fix my temple's roof with yet another wooden slab. I glare back over at Lu-chan's temple as the sun had practically made it glow. It's ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF. I feel tears well up in my eyes.
After I fix it temporarily, I see Jet and Droy come down the path towards my temple I make sure I'm not seen on the roof and I'm back in my main room. I do a 3 2 1 and income Jet and Droy come in.
"Levy! Can we come in?" Jet called his head poked into the room. I put up a fake smile before he saw my frown. I nod as they come in. They come bounding in like excited puppies.
"Hi, guys. What's up?" I ask as I try to get up to get them something to drink. However Jet is faster and he gets 3 cups of Kiwi juices and hands them out. I inwardly frown as he sits me down on the softest chair I have.
"Levy you don't have to serve us, you're way too delicate to do that, " Jet tells me as he and Droy smile and then they start complimenting me for being so cute and then start fighting over who I'd choose over the other. I start to tune them out as I began to think about his words of me being too delicate to do anything.
I felt so trapped here that I stand up and turn to look at the still arguing guys. I clear my throat and they stopped their argument.
"Jet and Droy, while I know that you care about me enough to try and stop me from doing things so I don't injure myself, I must ask you guys to stop coddling me. I am not some helpless little girl. Now if you may excuse me, I'm going for a walk. I need some time alone to prepare for the festival next week, " Levy told her friends as she left the cottage like a temple and fled into the forest.
She ran through the forest until she was at a small cave. She entered it and collected some of her precious moonstones that she hid there. Then she decided to stroll back.
However, on the way back, she was caught in an illegal hunting trap. Immediately she screamed for help that probably wasn't coming. Suddenly, a group of bandits popped out of the surrounding trees.
"Well, it isn't the little moon wench? Catch of the day. I have a feeling that if we hold you for ransom, your precious kingdom will pay to get their moon maiden back, " the lead bandit sneers as he throws a dagger at a support rope. I feel myself fall as the net fell to the ground. I am then dragged out of it and my arms are tied behind my back. They try pushing me forward towards one of their horses, but I refuse to move. They try shoving me forward but then I end up falling. The leader then picks me up by my arm and starts dragging me to his horse. Right, when he was going to put me on his stallion, a group of soldiers comes across the clearing we are in.
"Drop the moon goddess, in the name of King of the Shadowlands, " an exceed calls out to the bandits. The soldiers wait cautiously for the bandit's answer. Then the lead bandit puts a dagger to my neck.
"Unless you want the moon maiden to get her neck slit, I'd stay put, " The leader sneers as he puts the dagger closer to my neck. I lean forward and bite his arm and in anger, he shoves me to the ground.
Before he can react, an iron dagger is thrown at him and the lead bandit jumps away as another soldier helps me on my feet and leads me away from the fight. The lead bandit tries to stop him but the exceed holds him off.
After a while, the bandits are in custody of the soldiers from the Shadowlands. I am untied and ungagged. The soldier that held off the leader was the king of the Shadowlands' personal knight. Turns out the soldier who got me away from my captors was the king himself. He was a tall man with long black hair with ruby red eyes. He cared for my rope burns and bruises from the bandits' attempt of taking me hostage. That is more than I'd get if i had tripped and twisted my ankle. The king of the Shadowlands actually talked to me, and not like I was a shadow of the sun but like an actual person. It feels so good, I can't stop myself from tears forming in my eyes.
Flashback
"Hey lass, you okay? Do you need medical attention?" the black haired man asked as he untied my arms from behind my back. I rubbed my sore wrists.
"I'll be fine once I get back to the temple. Thank you, for the rescue. If you hadn't come when you had, they would've tried holding me for ransom, though like anyone from this kingdom would've noticed me even being there, " I say as put my arms to my sides and I sit on a large rock. He cocks an eyebrow as I look at the ground.
"What do you mean by that?" he asks as he sits next to me.
"Well besides 3 people, no one bothers to try to even talk to me. And when one of them do, it's about how great Prince Natsu is and how everything is so wonderful. The other two treat me like I'm a child instead of a normal person. This is the first actual conversation I'd had in years that didn't involve Prince Natsu or me being too delicate, " I explain as he widens his eyes at my tone. "Not only that but every year when at different festivals no one but the three mentioned remembers my name. Hell, the prince of this kingdom can't remember my name so he comes up with one every damn year, " I add in a sad tone. I feel tears well up in my eyes, but this time I can't push them back. The man who I was sitting with then took me in his arms and held me in a supporting way. I pull out of it after a few minutes.
"I'm sorry to hear about all that, those bastards should treat you with a whole lot more respect than what they show. Hell if you were in the Shadowlands, you'd get a lot more respect and I have a feeling, you'd be so much happier there than you are here, that's for damn sure, " he tells me as he gave my hand a supportive squeeze as he releases it. We gaze into each other's eyes as if the moment won't end if we do this.
"Your Highness, the bandits have been apprehended. Is the moon goddess alright?" the exceed from before asks, as he, the other soldiers, and the bound bandits come into the clearing that I had been sitting in. I look wide-eyed at the soldier sitting with me.
"Your Highness? Wait that must mean you are the king of the Shadowlands, King Gajeel Redfox!" I gasp as I feel my face turn red in embarrassment. "Oh my gosh, I feel so embarrassed! I just told you my sob story you probably didn't want to here, and I haven't even told you what my name is, " I add on as I put my hands on my face.
"Well no time like the present, right Shortstuff?" King Gajeel chuckled at my facial expression turning from shocked to annoyed.
"I'm Levy McGarden, please do not call me by that type of nicknames, " I respond as sweetly as I can.
"Well, Levy, I hope to see you at the festival and maybe we can have some time together before it and during it, " Gajeel responds as he helps me up and then offers me a ride back to my temple. I nod as he helps me mount his horse so that I sat in right in front of him. When we arrive at the temple, it attracts Lucy away from her swarms of admirers.
"Levy why are you on that brute's horse? Also, where have you been? I needed help picking out my dress for next week's festival, " Lucy rudely asked as I jumped off the saddle and land on my feet.
"Lucy, stop making assumptions on someone like that, this man is the special guest that Prince Natsu invited to the festival! This man is King Gajeel and his personal guards and advisors, you shouldn't be so rude, " I remark before Lily, the exceed, could defend his king. Lucy pales as she realizes that she made a mistake and at how I wasn't my normal pliable and demure self.
"Well sorry for being worried about the festival and most of all you. If you don't want to help me and choose complete strangers over your best friend, that's all on you, " Lucy grumbled and then stormed off to her temple where her followers swarmed her. I sighed as I turned back to find Gajeel waiting as he sends his posse off. He dismounts from his horse and leads his horse after me.
When we get to my home, Gajeel is growling at the sad excuse for a temple I have. I open the door and he was got even angrier at how the condition of the temple was kept, comparing it to the sun temple.
"It isn't much, but it's home. And while it's not what Lu-chan has, it's enough, " I say before he starts having a tantrum. He gives me a look as I roll my eyes. I get two cups I made myself and pour in some wine into them. I walk back into the living room to find Gajeel looking at my attempt to patching up the roof. I clear my throat and looks at me.
"What happened to your roof?" Gajeel growled out.
"A couple of years ago, some of Lucy's super crazed followers decided that I needed to be punished for the eclipse that happens every year. So they ransacked the temple of anything they thought was valuable. The spot where I had they're used to be a beautiful moon stained glass window and they outright shattered it, " Levy whimpered as she handed Gajeel his glass of wine. He takes it and they sit on Levy's loveseat.
"So what happened to the thieves that pillaged your home?" Gajeel asked after he took a large gulp from his cup.
"They were asked to retrieve my stolen things but they had destroyed them. So they were imprisoned for about 5 months and then they were released. The only reason they were released is because of their family being able to pay their way out, " I squeak out as I take another small sip. I turn to look at Gajeel to find him almost breaking the cup in his hand. I reach out and take his hand. He looks at me and sighs while he puts his cup on the small table in front of us.
"How do you put up with this treatment?" Gajeel asked as his eyes pierced my soul.
"I honestly just don't think on it much, because it doesn't change the neglect. Anyone with eyes can see that this temple is in such disrepair. However they are blinded by the sun, " I gritted out. He then took my hands into his gently.
"Levy, I want ask you something. Would you allow me to court you for a time? If you say yes, you'd have to come with me to the Shadowlands, but I firmly believe you'd be much happier there, " Gajeel asked me as we started into each other's eyes. I immediately blush, after all it isn't everyday a king is asking to court you, " he asks looking right at me.
"I would love to be courted by you, your majesty, but I don't think Prince Natsu would be happy if I had just left. Same with Lucy, " I reply while sighing sadly.
"It's not up to them, and seeing as the people here don't pay the proper homage to you, its not like they'll notice, " Gajeel countered as he took my hands. I looked into his eyes and nodded. He grinned and lifted me up and spun me around the room. I giggled as he sat me down. "Levy I have to go to the castle before Lily comes looking for me," Gajeel told me as he took my hand and kissed it gently.
"See you at the festival!" I say as he leaves my sight. He smiles and waves as he gets back on his horse.
End of chapter 1
Hey Readers,
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Hope to have more out soon. I am taking a poll to see who should be our main antagonist, Acnologia or Ivan! Please comment or message me to let me know what you think.
Later Taters,
Finch6