Chapter 3: Levy

"So, who's the new guy?" Lady Alberona was leaning heavily against the door frame, twirling her fourth flute of champagne in her hand. Cana had been promoted to Lady Status fairly recently and she had already soiled her reputation. That didn't make Levy love her as a friend any less, though. Cana was one the boldest, most out-spoken ladies Levy had ever known, which was what made her so appealing to the gentlemen. Not that Cana ever let them near her enough to receive a simple introduction. Her bar-maid drinking habits made sure of that.

"The new guy?" Levy asked innocently, tilting her head to the side. Cana gestured to Sir Redfox with her flute, nearly spilling the bubbling contents all over the ballroom floor.

"Him," she said simply, shrugging before taking a long drink. "He's one of us, isn't he?"

"Yes," Levy confirmed, "he's new. According to Na— Sir Dragneel, he recently came over from Phantom Lord."

"Phantom Lord, eh?" Cana raised an eyebrow, peering over the rim of her glass at Levy. "Now that's some interesting gossip."

"Oh?" Levy raised her own brow as well. She wasn't one for spreading rumors, but she also wasn't one to turn down a good gossip either. Cana nodded gravely, motioning for Levy to move in closer before taking a more chaste sip.

"Phantom Lord lost social standing just a little while ago, you see. It's been said that a few members have begun to look for ways to return to society. In fact, I actually ran into a former member back at the manse a few days ago. Her name was…" Cana trailed off, face contorting in deep thought. "Jane? No, it was…" More thinking, another sip. "Jeanie? Juvia?" She nodded. "Yeah, it was Juvia. Blue hair, but darker than yours. Shares a figure with Lucy, but a little quieter. An emotional little thing, really."

Levy nodded absently, half-listening as Cana rambled on about how ladies ought to be more assertive. The rumors seemed about right; she had once overheard Mirajane and her fellow Duchess Erza Scarlet speaking about how the members of Phantom Lord rarely showed up to dances. Lucy had yet be invited to a ball hosted by the princess regent herself, Hisui E. Fiore, so Levy had never before had the privilege of meeting anyone from Phantom Lord. Rumor had it that they only attended the most high-class events. That must explain why she had never seen Sir Redfox before.

"Do you need smelling salts or something?" Cana was poking Levy in the arm, her now-empty champagne glass hanging from her hand at a precarious angle. Levy reached out and took the glass from her, signaling a waiter and setting it down on his tray.

"No, no salts needed," she said, laughing softly. Cana didn't look convinced, but didn't press it. Instead, she took a wine glass from the next waiter passing by and took a long drink, draining half of it in one take. Forget the bar-maid habits, Levy thought wryly. She's a full-on seaman.

"Good evening, Lady Alberona; Miss McGarden."

At the sound of a high, gentle melodic voice, Levy turned and smiled brightly as she bobbed in a curtsey. "Lady Agria! It's good to see you."

"You as well." Yukino Agria, a member of the Saber-tooth society, wore a small smile. She looked quite demur and proper, her hands placed delicately at the front of her skirt as she dipped her head in a sign of polite acknowledgement. Cana simply waved a hand and nodded her head towards Yukino, not a care in the world for the rules of etiquette.

"This really is a splendid dance," Levy said, gesturing to the ballroom as Lucy and Natsu waltzed past. "Thank you for inviting Lady Heartfilia. I'm glad to have been able to attend."

"Why, thank you Miss McGarden." Yukino flushed slightly. "However, it was Duchess Orland who orchestrated the whole affair. I merely sent out the invitations."

"Duchess Orland? She's returned, then?"

Yukino nodded. "Yes, she has and in as good as spirits as ever. When she announced that she was leaving Saber-tooth, I must admit, I was quite worried. But she's returned, and the whole manse has celebrated."

"Then, is this not a celebration ball for her return?" Levy asked, looking out over the crowd again.

Yukino nodded thoughtfully, her smile growing on her lips. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"Good evening, Ladies. What seems to be our conversation topic tonight?"

"Lord Eucliffe!" Yukino's eyes widened slightly and her cheeks took on a deeper color as a blonde gentleman wrapped an arm around her waist with a gallant smile.

Levy curtsied again, still smiling brightly. "Good evening yourself, Your Lordship," she said. "We were just speaking of Duchess Orland's return."

"Oh, that? Yeah, we're pretty happy about that!" Though being of the nobility, Sting Eucliffe's speech was comparable to Natsu's – loose, carefree, and friendly. It made it hard for Levy to remember to call him by his title rather than just "Sting".

"I most likely won't get the chance to thank her for the invitation, so please thank her for me," Levy said.

"Of course," Yukino replied, again graciously inclining her head. She and Sting excused themselves to greet other guests, leaving Levy and Cana alone again.

"Isn't that Redfox guy your escort?"

"Hm?" Levy looked up at the brunette, who had another flute of champagne in hand.

"Your escort? As in, dancing with you and stuff? He's acting more like his secondary job of guard." Cana chuckled. "He looks more like one too."

Levy glanced at Sir Redfox, who was brooding against a wall and scanning the crowd with a calculating glare. He looks more like a rich spoiled brat to me, she thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. If he didn't seem like he was trying to be so scary, he might actually look like a little kid.

"What are you smiling at?" Levy jumped, forgetting that she was in another's company.

"I-I…" She stuttered, trying to get herself out of the predicament she'd just gotten herself in.

Cana laughed uproariously. "Someone's smitten."

"Smitten?" Levy chuckled a little as well. "Far from it, I'm afraid."

"Oh?" Cana lifted an eyebrow, then smirked. "Then I'm sure you won't mind if I take a stab at it?" Not waiting for a response, Levy watched in stunned amazement as Cana picked up a wine glass and staggered over to join Sir Redfox. The conversation between them was very one-sided, with Cana rambling and Sir Redfox not saying anything while Levy's heart constricted. She didn't understand it; she'd just met this man and now he suddenly consumed her every waking thought.

"I need a drink of my own," she muttered, shaking her head and accepting a flute of champagne from the next passing waiter. A small sip later had her throat tingling from the bubbles and her eyes closed as she savored the taste. What she really needed was to just forget about him. He was only an escort, and he'd be attending many other dances with many other ladies. Besides, he really wasn't her type.

"Miss McGarden?" Her eyes fluttered opened and she smiled.

"Lord Sarusuke, how are you?" Jet Sarusuke had been a friend of hers since she who knew how long, as well as his twin brother Droy. They'd grown up together in the Fairy Tail Manse, having nowhere to go and being admitted by the kind old man known as Duke Makarov Dreyar.

"Very well, thank you. And you?" He swept her hand up in his and planted a gentle kiss to her fingertips.

"Quite well myself." Levy laughed, tactfully removing her hand from his grip. He was always so forward, so desperate, with his affections towards her. Droy wasn't much farther behind, but she wondered how long she could truly hold Jet off before he tried to make a serious move.

Jet seemed to try and hide his disappointment. "That's good to hear…" He trailed off, eyes widening a little and he visibly paled. Levy tilted her head, confused by his strange behavior – Jet wasn't one to shut up unless there was something or someone to make him.

A chill ran down her spine as she surreptitiously turned around, only to be met with a broad chest and the faint smell of metal. Looking up, Levy met cold scarlet eyes and her heart leapt into her throat. Mavis, he looked so… Intense.

"Dance with me." That was all Sir Redfox said before he captured her hand in his and dragged her onto the dance floor, leaving Jet behind with his jaw to the ground.

Extremely shocked as well, Levy struggled to pull her hand free of this man's iron-like grasp. "Excuse me?!"

"What?" Her escort shot her a hard look and she unconsciously shrunk back. A flicker of familiarity passed over his eyes, as well as something akin to remorse. Then he shook his head, as if to dismiss a thought that peaked her curiosity.

"That is not the way to ask a lady to dance," Levy said, stomping her foot. The man lifted one of those unusual, metal-studded eyebrows of his before giving sizing her up. Not like a predator would his prey, but as if he were determining her worth. Oh how that thought grated on Levy's nerves; how dare he judge her when he had barely even spoken to her?

To her complete surprise, he loosened his grip and gently held her hand in his. Bowing over her fingertips, Sir Redfox gave her a very strained smile. "May I have this dance?" He asked, his voice a low growl.

Levy hesitated just a moment; he seemed so sincere, but had he learned his lesson yet? Not in her opinion.

"… No." She withdrew her hand, putting both of them on her hips and giving him her best defiant smirk. He should learn he couldn't have what he wanted with an attitude like that. The way he scowled was enough to tell her that he hadn't learned yet.

"Miss—"

"Lady," Levy cut in, raising a stern eyebrow even as she questioned herself about adopting a title she did not own.

Sir Redfox sighed in exasperation. "Lady McGarden," he amended, holding his hand out to her again and looking straight into her eyes. "Would you… Please… Do me the honor of granting me just one dance?"

Well, he wasn't perfect but at least he was trying now. "Yes, Sir Redfox." She demurely placed a gloved hand in his. "You may."

"It's about d-n time," he muttered under his breath, surprising Levy with an expert ballroom posture and unexpected grace that made her forget to correct his foul language and took her breath away as he whisked her away to the music.

The man didn't speak to her; he didn't even look at her. But his dancing made up for it as they waltzed, his hand on her shoulder blade and hers resting on his bicep. And on Mavis' grave, he did have biceps. She could feel his muscles rippling underneath the suitcoat that he wore, straining to be free of their tight confines. He was obviously accustomed to such formal wear, as well as such formal gatherings, though Levy did wonder how he'd managed to be regarded so high up in society with manners as such as he had.

Then again, she thought with a slight pang of disgust, if you're rich enough, your manners don't really matter. If there was one thing she hated about the upper class, it was that conceited assumption that they were entitled. They most certainly were not entitled to anything, especially not where it concerned her.

And Sir Redfox didn't seem to be exempt from this stereotype, as he pulled her closer and Levy felt her cheeks grow warm. They were now scandalously close, their chests barely touching and legs intertwining in sync as their feet moved to the rhythm. His eyes gazed intensely into hers and she could feel the world around them begin to fade. Those eyes; they were so red in a mix of warmth and anger. And the best part? They spoke volumes of the type of person he was. That person both frightened and intrigued Levy. He was like a mystery novel just waiting to be solved.

"Who are you really, Sir Redfox?"

Levy's whispered words were the end of that moment, and the escort quickly took a step back from her as he relaxed his grip on her. The ballroom came hurtling back at hyperspace speed and she found herself tumbling into reality with dizzying speed. She suddenly realized the song was over and that they were now the only couple not dancing to a lively jig.

"None of your business," Sir Redfox said, eyes narrowing and clouding away any of that story she'd read in them just moments before. His lip curled in contempt and he turned away from her. With a parting wave over his shoulder, he muttered, "I suggest ya don't get involved with someone like me."