"And then Pyxis led me to him.
He held my tiny two-year-old daughter in his arms. He was protective of her, snarling at me the second I appeared, though he relaxed when he saw just who I was. He mused that Lucy looked like me before handing her straight into my arms. He was a strange man. I requested to know who he was.
He answered with the most interesting answer that I've ever heard. His name is Igneel. And he is the Fire Dragon King, the leader of the dragons, though he wore some kind of human appearance at the time. He apologized for frightening me, that he'd rescued my daughter, something that I will forever appreciate. In return, I promised him a favor that he promised to someday collect on."
~Layla (via diary); Between the Lines, Chapter 94
As she stared at the bodies before her, Layla Heartfilia felt numb. She was barely aware of the two Spirits beside her, one on each side. Pyxis was silent, looking up at her anxiously; Scorpio quietly rested a hand on her shoulder, face dark as he leaned in and murmured, "Miss Layla, what would you have us do?"
She didn't answer right away, staring at the bodies. Each was charred beyond recognition, burned to a crisp. Layla's fingers tightened into fists against her pant-clad legs. She'd exchanged her normal large dresses - as hated as they were - for them, in order to search faster. Jude had remained in the Estate, much to her disgust, as they spent hours upon hours hunting through the trees Layla had once felt so safe to leave Lucy with Leo in..
But each body was burned beyond recognition, as she'd thought over several times. Blood stained the grass beneath them, where the grass wasn't charred. The guards accompanying Layla were silent, waiting for orders.
"Miss Layla," Scorpio said suddenly, "if I could speak-"
"Then speak," she ordered, voice dead.
"None of them are Miss Lucy," said Scorpio.
Layla stilled. Slowly, her head turned to face the Spirit, who met her gaze seriously. "What?" she breathed.
"None of them are Miss Lucy," Scorpio repeated, gesturing to the charred bodies. "They're all too large. They're the men who took her, I'd be willing to bet, but that means Miss Lucy is alive. Whoever did this...they took her from them, killed them, left. She's alive."
Layla breathed out a massive relieved gust of air. "Thank you." She whirled around to the guards. "Search the area. If you find a man or woman with my daughter, bring them to me. Alive. Do not harm him or her unless they are threatening Lucy, am I clear?"
"Yes, your Majesty," a soft-voiced guard murmured, and then everyone was spreading out.
Layla turned to Pyxis, resting her fingers on its head. "Lead me to her. Lead me to my daughter, Pyxis."
Pyxis nodded curtly and closed its eyes, the compass upon its head spinning as it sought out her daughter. Scorpio and Layla remained silent, watching the Spirit intently until it suddenly snapped its eyes open and scurried forward. Layla took off at a jog after it, Scorpio following from behind to keep an eye out for danger. Her fingers trembled, her dark eyes serious as they ran through the trees, looking for Lucy.
And then a sound brought them to a stop. Scorpio hovered over her shoulder, his gaze lethal. "Summon Leo," he ordered, listening to the rumbling snarl that echoed through her ears. Layla inclined her head.
"I will," she decided, wary of the thing that might be making such a sound. In the modern day, there were still odd magic-based monsters that wandered the world. They weren't nearly as common as they had once been. But it worried her that one might be near Lucy.
Scorpio vanished and Layla summoned Leo without a second thought. The suit-clad Spirit appeared beside her, his green eyes shimmering behind a set of shades. Layla searched his gaze when he met her eyes. "Is she okay?" she whispered.
"Princess," Leo reassured, touching her shoulder affectionately, "is safe. Come."
Leo took the lead as Pyxis disappeared in a flash of light. Layla followed her trusted Spirit forward, her fingers fidgeting. There wasn't much she loved in her life as the queen. Jude once, but he'd long since become someone she could hardly tolerate. Yet she couldn't help but be thankful for the gift he'd given her: Lucy.
When they stepped out of the trees, the first thing Layla heard was the soft pealing laughter of her daughter. Layla's shoulders loosened, tears of relief in her eyes. The second thing she took note of was the man that held her daughter, his expression soft as he playfully kept her occupied from where he was seated in the grass, long legs sprawled out before him. Long red hair, spilling over his shoulders, with green eyes so sharp they could have pierced her like an arrow. His body was clad in older clothes, worn and ragged, but working.
And he looked up at her after a moment. He looked at Layla, and his expression became dark, murderous, as he bared his teeth and snarled at the young queen. Layla stiffened and Leo put an arm in front of her, growling himself. "Igneel," he seethed.
"Leo," the dragon retorted, growling low in his throat.
In the circle of his arms, Lucy giggled and squealed at the sight of her mother. "Momma," she crooned.
"Lucy," Layla breathed, voice quivering. She threw out her arms and was somewhat surprised when the dragon lowered his curled lips and studied her before standing, carrying Lucy straight to her. He extended his arms, holding Lucy out to Layla, and the blonde woman took her daughter with a sob of gratitude.
"She looks like you," he mused. "You're her mother, I suppose."
"Yes," Layla breathed, burying her face in Lucy's hair. Lucy giggled and murmured something unintelligible. "Thank you. Thank you." She took a deep breath and then pulled back to look at the dragon. He stood taller than she did, and he was looking at her with interest. "Who are you?"
"Igneel," he rumbled, cocking his head. There was an unreadable expression on his face. Layla thought it might have been gentle interest. "I am the Fire Dragon King, leader of the dragons." He jerked his chin at Lucy. "I found the men in the trees, contemplating what the ransom for her would be, and took her from them."
"Thank you," Layla breathed again. "I am truly grateful to you for saving her. Is there...is there something I can give you in return? I'm Layla Heartfilia, the queen of Bosco. Anything...anything you want, it's yours."
Igneel studied her closely and said, "I have nothing I desire as of right now. But perhaps later."
"When you find something, tell me." Layla was serious. No matter what he might request, this strange dragon, she would agree to it. She would forever be appreciative of the fact that he'd saved Lucy. It wasn't something that she would ever forget.
After giving Lucy a final hug, she gently slid her daughter into Leo's arms. The Spirit looked nervous, as well as caught by surprise. As if he couldn't believe that Layla was entrusting Lucy to him after he'd lost her the first time. "Hey, Princess," Leo said lowly, propping her on his hip in a manner he did often.
Layla smiled warmly at them and then turned back to Igneel, who was watching them curiously. "Celestial magic," she said proudly. "The Heartfilia bloodline is the only one that passes on the magic through its genetics." She shifted her weight slowly.
"Mages," Igneel chuckled, "have always fascinated me. You're merely human; you have the life spans of humans, yet you are so much more." He glanced at Leo, who grumbled upon having a dragon look at him. "And those of you who can befriend and use the skills of creatures of magic proportions…"
"Dragons," Layla repeated with a warm smile, "have fascinated me for as long as I can remember and I was entirely unaware that they actually existed. To find out that they do is an amazing opportunity I never expected to have."
Igneel chuckled and then said, "It has been an honor meeting you, Queen Layla, but I must be on my way. I'm headed to the Alvarez Empire to do some investigating. Supposedly there is a man there that is causing problems…. Have you heard anything about it?"
"No," Layla replied, shaking her head. "I apologize."
"It's alright," Igneel reassured and then smiled warmly when Lucy giggled and waved her small hand at him. "It's been an honor, your Highness," he rumbled to the young princess, "and a pleasure, Queen Layla." He bowed his head almost playfully, and then turned to leave. He paused, however, when Layla called his name.
Layla offered him a smile. "Feel free to stop by and visit if you come this way again, Fire Dragon King," she told him. "I don't get company very often and I wouldn't mind talking again."
Igneel looked startled, but studied her with a new light. Finally, he said, "Perhaps I will stop by." He offered a final smile and then disappeared into the trees, leaving Layla alone with Leo and Lucy. In the distance, they heard the callings of guards searching for the queen, growing more worried by the moment.
"Layla," Leo said suddenly, entirely serious. "You need to be careful. The dragons are not a group to take lightly."
"He seems to be a good person," Layla said dismissively, but stopped when Leo caught her shoulder and forced her to look at him.
"Do not," he said quietly, "dismiss my warning as nothing, Layla Heartfilia." His eyes blazed, and Layla stilled, surprised. He so very rarely grew angry with her like this. He studied her closely for a while and then told her, "You promised a dragon a favor without setting limits, Layla, and it will not end well. I know Igneel. He was there when my previous mistress sealed away the chaos dragon centuries ago - when she died because she didn't think ahead. She did it with her own willpower. She agreed to it. Do not - do not - let him turn you into what Anna became."
"I won't," Layla said gently, surprised with the fierceness of which he was speaking. "I promise you, Leo. I won't become what Anna became. I will not die for the Fire Dragon King. I promised a favor, not my life."
Leo didn't look at his mistress, staring into the trees after Igneel as he informed her grimly, "That's what Anna said, too."
Tears rolled down her face as she slouched to the ground, her magic drained. Her breath heaved in her chest and she forced a reassuring smile to her face when Leo dropped to his knees beside her, fretting. She could feel that drain down to the depths of her soul. It was not something she'd recover from, she realized, head spinning in circles. "Layla," Leo began, his voice thick with agony. He'd approved of Igneel's plan, even broken the orders and vows he'd been given and given himself, to help, but it had killed him. Would kill him, when his mistress inevitably died.
Various people would see to the placement of her keys, she knew. And she knew that this death would be slow; she would be able to see to everything and ensure that things went as they should. She clutched Leo's arm, resting her forehead on his shoulder. He let her, offering what support he could. He knew that their contract would end shortly, when he was punished. The Spirit King would not let him escape unscathed.
"Leo," she breathed, "do you think that this will work? Do you think that this will keep Acnologia imprisoned until-"
"Yes," he murmured, "and I'll make sure it does. You know I will."
"Oh, Leo," she said, shaking her head. A sob left her and Leo drew her closer, hugging her tightly. His heart was filled with agony. Their time together was coming to an end. She would die. He would have the contract broken off before being punished. He didn't even know how just yet.
But it wasn't Leo who Layla was crying over.
Only one name filled her mind with guilt, even as she knew her friend would suffer.
Lucy.
She'd be alone, so alone, with no Spirits and no mother. She'd have no one.
As if reading her mind, Leo snarled. "She'll be safe," he promised her in a whisper. "Lucy will be safe, Layla. I promise you. I will ensure her safety as soon as possible." She sobbed harder, uttering "I'm sorry!" under her breath over and over again, and Leo pressed his face into his mistress's hair, offering what comfort he could.
Her words echoed those of another.
"I'm sorry," Anna had breathed, her face buried in his shoulder, unable to face the result of what she'd done. The betrayal had been written across her lover's face permanently, for all to see until he was somehow freed from the trap she'd set. "I'm sorry!"
Leo wondered just briefly if the cycle would ever end.
Really excited to release this piece! I hope you enjoyed!
