Hi all! So here's chapter two, thank you for your lovely reviews, they always make me so happy :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter too~ (bonus points if you spot the reference to a great ship ;D)

Chapter Two

Levy clutched her forehead, her eyes squeezed shut as she leaned over the counter of her desk. Her headache from this morning had not eased at all. Too many thoughts crowded her mind; Who was that strange man? What on earth had she witnessed last night? What could she even do about it?

Anxiety hounded her, and not even her books could distract her today. She cast an eye around her quiet, old library, a place that usually offered comfort, but not today, not after last night. She had stumbled home in shock, the mysterious man's intense gaze imprinted on her mind even long after they had dragged him away. Guilt warred within her too, should she have done something? But what could one person do against a group of armed men? Particularly Ivan's men.

She groaned again as her head throbbed. She should just go home, it's not like the place was busy anyway. She gathered her satchel in her arms and flicked the light switch as she headed towards the door. She stepped out onto the busy street, locking the door behind her and made her way towards the main square, massaging her temples as she went.

Sand bags lay strewn about the paths after the terrible storm of the previous night so many people had gathered to clear them up. "Morning Max," Levy called as she passed a sandy haired man, clearing debris away with the brush he never seemed to part with. He lifted a hand in greeting, smiling warmly, "Morning Levy."

Shouts and chatter of the townspeople filled the air as Levy continued on and her headache slowly began to ease.

The crowd began to thicken quite suddenly as she neared the square at the centre of town. She sighed and tried to rack her brain as to what could cause such a commotion. Coming up blank and unable to resist her curious nature, she pushed her way into the mass of the crowd.

The source of the bustle was immediately apparent, there was a large pen set up which held 4 horses ready for auction which meant the horse traders were here. A large podium was set up to the left of the pen where Ivan would surely stand and attempt to attain the most unreasonable price for the animals. Levy's stomach twisted, he was just about the last person she wanted to see. Images of him standing before that strange man flashed through her mind, the blunt end of the spear raised, the sheer malice that dominated his expression and the crack she imagined she had heard as he ruthlessly struck the man.

Bile rose in her throat, she couldn't stay here. She lurched forward, clutching her bag, in an attempt to escape the throng of people. She spotted an opening in the crowd near another wooden pen she hadn't spotted before. One horse stood alone in the centre of the makeshift paddock, nostrils flaring with its ears flat back against its skull. She pushed towards it, the crowd was much thinner here and a large gap extended between the people and the animal.

Levy's brows creased, this was strange. She reached the pen just as Ivan's voice rang out over the town's announcement system, but her attention was solely on the horse. His sides heaved and his eyes rolled as he impatiently kicked the ground. The stallion was much larger than any horse she'd ever seen and his muscles rippled beneath his midnight black coat as he stepped towards Levy.

The stallion reminded her of something; she just couldn't quite put her finger on it. He stepped closer again, his lips curling back to reveal slightly pointed teeth. Levy gasped as the realisation hit her, this was not a regular horse and the jet black coat and shining black mane matched that of the capall uisce she'd seen captured on the beach all that time ago.

The realisation rooted her to the spot, "so this is what has become of you," she thought, just as he reached the fence. Without so much as a warning he suddenly leapt forward, his sharp teeth ready to clamp down on the arm she flung up in petty defence. However instead of feeling the painful bite of his teeth, she felt herself falling as she was tugged harshly to the side. She collided with a solid chest as a small cry escaped her. Strong arms encased her and turned her away from the rearing, screaming horse. The sounds sent shivers racing through her body. The arms around her released her and a gruffly murmured "idiot" brought her attention back to the person before her. She looked up just as he turned his back.

"Hey wait," she called, throwing out a hand to capture his wrist. He turned, glaring at the small girl that contrasted so sharply with his own great height.

"Thank-," a small gasp escaped her, "it's you!" she breathed, her eyes widening as she took in his unruly black hair and captivating red eyes. His eyes widened slightly in recognition before his expression reverted to that of disinterest. She noticed small round studs that pierced his brows, nose and chin, something she had not been able to make out from her cliff the night before.

She could not help but stare at the odd man now that she could see him close up. She noticed a large bruise was beginning to form on the side of his prominent cheekbone, blackening his tan skin. She grimaced at the sight and oddly found herself reaching up to touch it. He growled something incoherent at her and pulled his wrist abruptly from her grip.

She snatched back her wandering hand, curling her fist, a light blush now dusting her cheeks. She watched his retreating back as he made his way to the unsettled horse. He jumped the fence easily and Levy watched in stunned surprise as he approached the horse calmly. The stallion reared again and Levy's hand flew to her mouth, he was going to be killed.

The stranger reached into a small pouch at the side of his belt and held up his hands in a calming gesture. The stallion continued to toss its head, snorting as his eyes continued to roll. The man reached out, taking hold of the horse's mane and began to rub what had been in the pouch on the horses face, down towards his nostrils. Levy watched in wonder, it looked like salt?

The horse instantly relaxed at his touch. The man whispered something in the horse's ear before stepping back and Levy watched in awe as the horse made its way to the far corner of the temporary pen.

"How did you do that?" she found herself asking, her voice tinged with admiration.

He merely scowled at her in return, irritation plain on his face as he came back towards her.

"I'm Levy," she tried again, offering her hand to the large man.

He took it grudgingly, "Gajeel."

"Gajeel," she repeated, as if testing the name on her tongue. "It's nice to meet you."

He grunted at her again.

"I've never seen capaill uisce behave in such a way with people, I-" she cut off suddenly, noticing the man before her was no longer even looking at her. He sidestepped her neatly and left Levy behind him, gaping at his rudeness.

Just as she was about to voice her thoughts on his behaviour, she noticed another man beckoning to Gajeel. She noticed the tension in Gajeel's shoulders as he approached the other tall, thin man. Levy followed quietly, pretending to take an interest in the auction.

"Prepare that beast, boss wants him up next," the man ordered, one of Ivan's, Levy presumed.

"You can't sell him. No one can manage that, -that thing!" Gajeel growled.

"Actually, we can, and you better keep him calm. I don't think I need to remind you what will happen if you don't," he replied, smiling menacingly.

"Someone's going to get hurt," Gajeel practically spat.

"You know, Gajeel, you're not exactly in a position to be arguing with us. Get him ready, you know what's at stake," a smug smile now firmly in place, the man took his leave.

Gajeel turned suddenly and slammed a fist into the wooden fence of the pen, his eyes glowing with barely restrained frustration.

Levy jumped reflexively and unintentionally drew the large man's eye. "You again," he grumbled, running a thumb over his now injured knuckle.

"Sorry, I-I didn't mean, I-," she began, cursing inwardly at her sudden inability to structure a sentence.

"Save it."

"I saw you last night, during-during the storm. What were you doing?" Levy asked, marvelling at her own boldness.

"None of your damn business, and what the hell were you doing anyway?" he demanded, a sliver of interest creeping into his tone.

"I like to watch them," she replied simply.

He snorted at her, "stay away from them, trust me, they'd prefer that."

"Well they seemed to like you."

A muscle in his jaw worked but he did not answer.

"You-you can't let them sell that horse, he's one of them, you know?" she babbled and consequently resisted the urge to smack herself on the forehead, what the hell was she doing, of course he'd know that!

"He's not," he replied. "Believe me, he's much worse," and with that he strode away and vaulted himself over the fence once more, leaving Levy to look after him in confusion.

Levy pushed her way to the front of the gathered crowd as Gajeel led the black stallion up to the podium where Ivan stood. One hand was firmly placed on his withers as he whispered to him. The stallion's ears were flat against his skull once again and he stamped and snorted repeatedly.

"Now, is this not the finest horse you've ever laid eyes on," Ivan began, calling out to the crowd, a forced smile pulling at his mouth. "A perfect horse and if you could just see him run, this stallion's speed would take your breath away. Shall we start the bidding at a mere 5,000?"

"6!" a man called from behind Levy.

"7," another yelled, this time to Levy's left, Levy turned as his wife inhaled sharply. "Seán we can't manage that beast! He's positively wild, what of the children?" she hissed at him, clutching his arm.

"What of them? This horse could bring in a lot of money for us," he snapped before yelling "9" in response to the next bidder.

"We can't afford that! Please, we could barely afford five thousand!" she cried

Levy winced at the anguish in her tone. A capall uisce such as this could destroy their home, if it went home with any of these people, they would surely be killed.

Anger flashed through her, how could Ivan do this? He was condemning these people.

"Going once," Ivan shouted.

Levy could not allow this to happen, no one knew what the stallion truly was, she had allowed this capall uisce to be taken on the beach, she couldn't stand by and do nothing again. "Levy, you barely even have the money," she hissed to herself. All she had was what was left of the money her parents had left her after they died long ago. But perhaps she could merely buy him and set him free, return him to the ocean…

Levy took a deep breath, her hands curling into fists, "10 thousand," she shouted.

The couple beside her snapped their heads to look at her in shock, the woman looked hopeful but the man looked furious.

"10,500," he cried.

"11,"Levy stated.

The man looked taken aback, "11 and a half."

"12." Levy would not allow anyone to die.

"13!" he cried, "Seán please!" his wife begged.

"14."

The man merely snarled at her, before pulling his wife away.

"Going once," Ivan began, the stallion stamped again, jerking his head away from Gajeel.

Levy turned to look and made eye contact with Gajeel who was looking at her with a mixture of confusion and anger in his bright red eyes. He turned back to the stallion again and traced something along a vein on the horse's neck.

"Going twice," Ivan said, a tinge of irritation contaminating his tone.

The crowd remained silent and finally after an extremely long pause, the words came that Levy found herself dreading.

"Sold."