ii


There are a handful of times Gajeel Redfox will admit to having succumbed to the emotion that is called "shock". This is one of those times.

For Levy McGarden of all people to pop out of nowhere at one of the most challenging events since the Grand Magic Games is something he did not expect, especially when she is bowling him over like a bat out of hell! Staring up at the slip of a mage sitting on his chest, Gajeel wondered if this were a dream or his mind playing tricks of Levy being here. Familiar round, brown eyes gaze down at him happily, her pixie face framed by waves and waves of thick, blue hair in some layered fashion from having grown past her shoulders. Her short frame looked thinner than usual, not to mention her outfit of some frilly white skirt and low cut spaghetti blue shirt revealed little to the imagination. The last couple months since the guild's disbandment had been good to her.

"You're under arrest!"

Gajeel's studded brow twitches in annoyance. As he turned his head to frown at the rude voice laced with too much authority, Gajeel then noticed they are surrounded by Valdis guards. He would not care as much if he were the one arrested (jail he can handle) had they not been pointing anti-magic lances at Levy. Red filled his vision as he realized one of his friends is being threatened!

Lunging to his feet, Gajeel set Levy to her feet only to shove her protectively behind him. In a blur of black and silver, a transformed Lily took the other side of Levy, his dark eyes narrowed on the guards in a warning to back off.

One of the guards angled his spear closer, "Back away. That girl is under arrest of-"

"Of what?" Lilly demanded, taking a step forward, "I saw the screen. She's registered to be here as our fifth teammate."

Instead of backing off, the Valdis guards raised their lances in unison then tightening their circle around the trio. Clearly intimidation did not shake these iron willed soldiers.

"Back down," the guard ordered, his tone firm and filled with warning.

Sneering defiantly at the soldiers, Gajeel prepares to defend Levy. He knows the arrest is bullshit. To protect her, he'll kick every one of these damned bastards asses! For a few minutes, the air is thick with violent tension until a flickering image of a man appeared before the head guard with sandy blonde hair and dark green eyes.

"Commander Klahan," the image greeted with an incline of his head where a glittering gold and crystal crown sat. As one, the entire group of guards fell to one knee with one hand clenched over their hearts.

"My King!" a chorus of male voices rang out in monotone reverence.

Blinking in confusion, Gajeel simply stared at the transparent man. Dressed in an expensive silk overcoat of dark violet draped over the shoulders of a black, satin suit and obsidian hessian leather boots, the middle aged man with graying short hair and cold, purple eyes clasped his hands behind his back. This is the King of Valdis?

A sharp elbow jabbed him in the hip, bringing his attention back to Levy. She glared at him from her position of bowing deeply at the waist as had Lily and the rest of Team Fiore were doing. Clenching his teeth at having to bow respect while trying not to get scewered by anti-magic lances, Gajeel fought to keep his temper. The bullshit just keeps coming.

The thought projection met the eyes of Commander Klahan with a smirk, "The girl is not a threat, Commander. Stand down."

"Your Majesty, she ran through two checkpoints without I.D. and the two other-"

"I know from a reliable source that these mages are trustworthy and the girl's identity will check out. Do you doubt my word?"

The commander stiffened from the veiled slight against his king and bowed his head, "As you wish it."

With a curt nod, the King glanced at Levy and her friends from over his shoulder.

"Miss McGarden, Princess Hisui sends her kindest regards to you and your friends. She is delighted to see you managed to enter the tournament."

Hastily, the girl bowed lower to their royal host, "My deepest apologies for the disturbance, Your Majesty. I am honored by my Princess. Rest assured this will not happen again."

A dusky, grey brow twitched in amusement, "Do not make promises lightly, young mage. From what I understand, you come from a guild of destructive but admirable history. Shouldn't you be guaranteeing me some entertainment?"

"Yes, sir!" she squeaked in response, her face heating up from embarrassment. From his position, Gajeel tightened a fist to keep from snapping at royalty.

"Carry on, everyone. Let the prelims commence." the King announced, waving a long arm over his head.

The entire guard of Valdis soldiers stepped to attention in a synced set of movements. "Yes, Your Majesty!"

The projection of the King of Valdis phased out just as Commander Klahan turned back towards Levy, a stern look on his stern face.

"Please accept our apologies, Miss McGarden..."

Levy waved off his apology, looking sheepish and guilty. "I should be apologizing for running in here. I was so desperate to join the tournament."

Miffed and irritable, Gajeel watched the guards disperse then whirled on Levy. The girl was already hugging and snuggling his Exceed who had deformed, gushing at how much she missed Lilly.

"Levy, what in the Seven Dragon Hells are you doing here?" he demanded, reaching out to pluck his cat from her grasp.

Rocking back on her heels, Levy smiled as she pointed at herself. "Just what it looks like. I'm fighting in the IMT."

"No you're not. This isn't like the Grand Magic Games, Levy. It's bigger, badder and not for you."

"Well how would I know what the difference is? I just cheered for everyone in the last one. Despite what you say, I have every right to be here."

What the hell? Where did this defiant, cocky attitude come from?! Glaring down at her, Gajeel leaned down to push his face close to hers.

"Don't make me drag you out of here because I will, no matter how many words you drop on my head."

That got a reaction. Wide brown eyes shook with hesitance and a bit of fear. It stung for her to be afraid of him but Gajeel had no choice. Despite the fancy presentation of this event, he knows better. The power level of half these teams are scary as shit. How can someone as smart as her ignore the obvious?

Clenching his jaw, Gajeel knows his next decision will upset her, But he couldn't let her get hurt here. Even after three months, the wounds from Tartaros are still fresh, the loss of his dragon father still causing his heart to bleed with pain and grief. He wouldn't be able to keep a lid on all of those emotions with her on the same battlefield, taking the same hard hits as him. To see her in any kind of pain, much less fatal, would wreck him in so many ways.

"You are disqualified," he growled, eyes narrowed in grim determination. Beside them, Lily looked from one friend to the other with concern.

"Since when?"Levy shot back, hands snapping to her hips.

"Right now," Gajeel grunts and then moves with a burst of speed. Dropping one shoulder to press into her stomach, the Slayer lifts the young woman onto his shoulder and lays a restraining arm over her short legs. It takes a few seconds for her to react but soon Levy tries to wiggle and thrash her way out of his grasp.

"Gajeel!" she shrieks, pounding her tiny fists against his back, "put me down this instant!"

Snorting, Gajeel turns on his heel to march to one of the field examiners who referee the matches.

"Gajeel-" Lily pleaded, skipping along to keep up with his friend's long strides.

"We have a backup team, with other members who can take her place. Even you must agree this place isn't safe for her," he growls, trying to keep Levy's boots from giving him a black eye and ignoring her tiny breasts pressing distractedly against his shoulder blade. "Hey you! I want this girl off my team, pronto!" Gajeel yells at an examiner who was reading something on a clip board.

The male staff member looked uncomfortable at the request, "Master Redfox, she has direct permission from the King himself!"

"I don't give a damn! You get one of the backup Fiore team members to-"

"Gajeel Redfox!" Levy screamed against his back, her tone shifting to one of honest pleading as her hands fisted themselves into the back of his shirt. "If you make me leave...I'll hate you!"

People hating him, Gajeel can live with. Seeing her fatally wounded as he stood by to watch? Hell to the never.

"No."

Growling into his spine, the Script Mage slashes at the air with two fingers to cast her magic.

"Solid Script: Fallen Fire!"

Eyes widening from the fact she would use her magic against him, Gajeel sensed the spell form above his head. From the air, words of summoned fire fell to the ground. Gajeel, Lilly, and two examiners danced and fumbled around to avoid the raining balls of the word 'fire', causing several teams around them to laugh.

"Levy?" a deep voice calls from near one of the stairs leading into the stands. A six foot, handsome man in his late thirites with white hair and piercing blue eyes stalked over to them, one hand resting on his black sword's hilt strapped to his waist. Dressed in a uniform of a deep green jacket with shining white trimming, white pants and polished brown boots, the man looked past Gajeel to the woman slung over his shoulder.

"Levy? Is that you?" he called again, his grey brows dipped in concern.

"Zied? Zied! Oh thank goodness!" gushed a relieved sounding Levy.

"Do you need assistance?" Zied asks, tilting his head to the side so a word of fire can sail past his ear.

"Nope!" she chirps and rapidly writes in the air over Gajeel's backside. The Dragon Slayer soon yelps and lets go of Levy to patt out the flames that burst over his butt. Finally released, Levy lands on the ground in a crouch and with a snap of her fingers, stops her fire spells.

Brows raised, Zied offers her a hand to help her stand, "You have been practicing. Color me impressed."

"Well if it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have pushed myself in training as much as I have."

They smile at each other as Zied squeezes her hand gently, "It is good to see you."

Levy's eyes soften, her shoulders sagging in relief, "You too."

Their brief reunion is cut short as a burnt looking Gajeel with smoking, frizzy hair stomps back over to them, red eyes ablaze in fury. Dropping his smile, Zied places himself in front of Levy. The protective gesture only infuriates Gajeel more.

"You the one who invited her?" Gajeel snarls in a heated whisper, scales starting to appear on his cheeks and hands.

Snorting at the Dragon Slayer, Zied crosses his arms over his chest, "No, I just informed her of the event. Also, you might want to check that temper and your tone. I don't suffer fools, rude or otherwise."

"She shouldn't be here-"

"Are you her father or husband? What right do you have to say in what she can and cannot do?"

That shut up Gajeel long enough for Zied to roll his eyes. "You obviously don't realize just how delicate her position is now. Not only is she here on recommendation of your Princess, but now the King who is hosting this event is looking forward to her participation. Politics dictate, she is honor bound to perform her magic as a favored participant. You make her leave, you are openly insulting the King of Valdis and the King of Fiore."

Before Gajeel could open his mouth to retort, Zied took one step forward. The move of intimidation would not have budged Gajeel had it not been for a bolt of fear that skittered down his spine. How was that? Despite his appearance, this Zied person is dangerous.

"Even more important? "Zied hissed, his blue eyes flashing in annoyance," Levy worked hard to be here. She can do this. "

"I have known her longer and I can tell you she doesn't have what it takes to be here!" Gajeel snapped, glaring back at the white haired bastard.

"You really don't think I can do this...can you?" asked the low but trembling voice of Levy, whom had inched her way out from Zied's protective stance. Gajeel winced from the hurt in her eyes. It about slayed him to know that her pain is his fault.

"I..."

Scoffing with disgust, Zied turns to Levy and reaches up to rest a hand on her shoulder. Their sense of familiarity, it bothered Gajeel. He doesn't trust the white haired bastard at all.

"As of this moment, you have the favor of Anatola. Three countries looking forward to your efforts, Levy. Don't let us down."

Levy nodded, all serious as she clenched her hands at her sides, "Thank you!"

Meeting eyes with the examiner, Zied gave him a nod, "Make sure to inform the needed parties of this."

"Yes, my lord!"

"Um, pardon on interrupting your funny drama but I think people are...leaving?" the young man with the red and yellow hair pointed out, his tone hesitant. Everyone looked up to notice the teams from around the arena who had gathered for the opening ceremony are leaving. The giant floating screen in the middle of the arena is shown to be pairing up only five of the twenty two teams. The country of Ethos versus Caelum versus Fiore versus Gatreeda versus Armanth.

"Oh, that? Those teams leaving are overqualified for this event. " Zied explained in a bored voice, not surprised in the least.

"Then why the five teams?" Levy asked, looking to Zied with a frown.

"For opening day, the five weakest teams are to fight each other until only one team is left standing. Random but effective in boosting the entertainment factor."

Team Fiore looked shocked and horrified as Zied turned away to remove himself from the arena. Raising a hand to wave farewell, the white haired man gave Levy a reluctant smile.

"Good luck making it to the main event tomorrow!"

At that moment, Levy looked as murderous as Gajeel. She wanted to punish Zied for holding information like this from her! Crestfallen, she followed her team towards the arena's center field to check in, but it seems Gajeel needed the final word as he leaned down to hiss in her ear.

"Congrats, Levy. You made it to the IMT, but we're gonna be disqualified before the first damn day."


The battle coliseum called Cadwaladr is a magnificent example of limestone architecture, ingenious acoustic manipulation and festive spirit. Similar to the Dolf Faldur in Crocus, Princess Hisui noted that the caeset or seating order in Valdis is different than back home. In Fiore, the people of all ranks sat among each other and royalty are to sit apart. In Valdis, there are three areas separated by thick, low walls to define rank. The bottom five rows of the stands held the general public of common birth, the middle area seats the middle class of higher rank and the third highest seats built into the very edges of the top arena walls hold royalty and fellow leaders of their country's respective governments.

Glancing discreetly down the rows and rows of plush chairs, high canopy umbrellas and bowls of fruit, figs and wine, Hisui wondered if showing off such wealth and comfortable accommodations is wise. Their host, King Acelan of Valdis, sits in grand oak chair with his country's flag draped over the back. To his right is his wife, Queen Era wearing a pale purple dress with shiny white lace and neon shaded ribbons of pink and white. The middle aged woman wears her pink hair pulled up into a grand sweep of pins and loops to sit atop her head like a swirl of icing on a cupcake. If not for the glitter and stars littering her bright tresses, Hisui would of thought it a wig. In her wrinkled hand, the Queen held a full glass of wine. Her rosy cheeks and constant giggles meant the monarch has been drinking for a while.

Stiffening her back and placing her hands demurely over her lap, Hisui tried her best to show dignity and reserved attention to the small group of teams gathering in the arena below. To her left, her father sat with a thoughtful frown on his wizened face.

"I understand your motives, my daughter, but your favor may come at a price. The Fairy Tail mage will be targeted for such favoritism."

Closing her eyes, Hisui looked deep in her heart and felt not a sliver of regret. She trusts the former mages of Fairy Tail, and their power to overcome such great odds. Arcadios would have cautioned against such a move too, had he been here but their knight stayed home to watch over the kingdom in their stead. It is one of the requirements Hisui demanded before their departure to Valdis, otherwise she would not have the will to sit here.

"Princess Hisui," King Acelan says in an amused but dry tone to her right, "I hope your mages give us some interesting entertainment for ones who have faced dragons...and lived."

It seems her moment of stupidity during the last Grand Magic Games is to be used as an insult to her person. Another reason Arcadios was left at home. Insults to his King or Princess, he would not have borne.

Lifting her chin proudly, Hisui met the cold purple eyes of her host, "Their strength fills me with pride , Your Majesty. Thank you for passing on my regards."

Smirking, the King nodded slightly in acknowledgment, "I strive to meet your every need, Princess."

Once the King's attention turned to one his guests sitting on the other side of his Queen, Hisui's eyes flickered to the empty chair that is between her host and herself. The seat of the absent Prince and Heir, Haizea of Valdis: her betrothed.


"This place is too fucking noisy," Cobra growled as he glared at the audience stands behind them. "Can't we sit somewhere quieter and watch the matches by lacrima?"

Next to him, Midnight rolled his eyes in exasperation, "You brought ear plugs for a reason, idiot. Besides, we are not here for you."

Both turned to the man sitting on the bleacher in front of them. Jellal sat with his body bent forward to watch the five team match.

"Right," the Dragon Slayer groused as he poked at their leader with the toe of his boot, "we're here for you."

Frowning over his shoulder, Jellal swatted his friend's foot away, "Will you behave? I am not in the mood to babysit you right now."

"Fuck, I'm bored! If that were us out there, we'd end this farce of a preliminary shit and go find some damn food!"

Meeting Midnight's tired eyes, Jellal shared in the exhaustion. When the Dragon Slayer of Crime Sorciere gets hangry, they all must hear it until there is food provided.

"Feed him, please. I'll keep your seats."

"Sorry."Midnight murmured as he yanked Cobra from his seat and left out the door that led from Fiore's backup team's assigned bunker..

Sighing heavily, Jellal turned back towards the preliminary match. Absently he ran a hand though his hair and is reminded of the ink staining his blue locks. Before entering the country, Jellal and Cobra disguised themselves since their crimes are so heavy that they are wanted internationally. Unsure their magic would keep a disguise spell long enough, they opted for real hair dye and make up. Foundation to cover Jellal's tattoo on his face and a shit ton of hair mousse to hide Cobra's pointy ears. Midnight had it easy since he simply removed his normal makeup and undid his braids.

All this effort to save his baby sister.

Like the guild she was raised in, Levy McGarden caused an uproar when she showed up in the arena earlier. For once he noticed her alone and none of her teammates in sight, which bothered him. It made front page news in all of Fiore that Fairy Tail had suddenly disbanded but for his sister to be left all alone...he ought to beat the shit out of that guild for their thoughtlessness.

"She will remember. Sucks to be you."

That white haired man from before interfered with something Jellal didn't have the time to fix until now. In a moment of rash idiocy during his youth, Jellal commited a sin that seared his heart worse than taking Simon's life.

Watching as the King of Valdis publicly give Levy his favor angered Jellal since that meant the King and Zied Grey put a target on his sister's back. He understood Redfox's attempt to get her to leave. It almost made him like the Dragon Slayer but no one worried for Levy like he did. Brown eyes narrowed at the open field with a dark determination.

Jellal will save Levy from the fate of dying a cruel death. Even if it meant sacrificing all the people in this arena, their lives meant nothing to her's.


"So...do we have a deal?"

Commander Klahan's hand shook as he lifted the metal goblet to his lips for a much needed drink. Just hours ago, he had almost arrested a Fiore mage and insulted his king at the same time. Now after being ordered to escort the Prince of Valdis to the palace, he regretted not sending someone else to do it. For the next words out of his mouth will determine if he walked off this ship dead or alive.

"What you demand of me is treason..." Klahan murmured, raising his eyes to meet cold, amethyst orbs much like King Acelan. The man lounging on the other side of a wide mahogany desk looked nothing like the scared, raging teen from thirteen years ago.

"If this is about before, your highness. I'm...please forgive me..."

The prince's full lips pulled back into a mocking sneer, "Commander, I gave you simple orders. Its up to you if you follow his...or mine."

Klahan closed his eyes, swallowing the guilt trying to clog his throat. Gods, to think that sweet boy grew up to be as much a monster as his sire.

"I'll join you," he said, the words burning like acid on his tongue.

Purple eyes gleamed in the darkness of the captain's cabin, dark and angry, "Say it and I might just forgive you in what you did."

"I'll help you...kill the K-King."


To Be Continued!

Cadwaladr roughly means Battle Leader in Welsh, is based on the Coliseum in Rome and I took the liberty of switching the seating order and terms that were originally in Latin to Welsh. The research was so much fun!

Looking forward to posting the third chapter and reading your reviews! Love you, my dear readers!