Chapter Five
The Kingdom of Celestial Lights
Sorano sighed inwardly as Lord Brain's prattle filled the marble walls of her throneroom. She did not have to look over at them to get an image of what her sisters were doing. Mira and Yukino both wore false pleasant smiles to mask their boredom, while Lisanna drummed her fingertips against her wooden armrest in a passive-aggressive way of telling him to get on with it.
"...so you see, much of the nobility has come to see your tax reforms as, well, problematic. If you'd only return to your father's economic model, raising the tribute for the peasant and merchant classes and lowering it for the gentry, we'd-"
Sorano interrupted his speech with a sharp amber eyed glower. "In case you and your playmates haven't noticed, Lord Brain, we are at war. The army is drafted from the peasant class, and they'll stand a better chance at winning if they aren't malnourished. You could stand to hold off on building your next marble staircases until after our borders are secure."
The royal advisor did all he could not to visibly twitch with irritation. Here he was, a seasoned general, taking orders from a petulant child. How far had the old ways fallen? "Your majesty," he said through gritted teeth, "you ought to mind your words, lest you alienate yourself from the nobility."
Sorano nearly snorted at this. "With very few exceptions, I do not trust the nobility. Nor am I in any particular need of their love." They had no loyalty. They would as easily slit your throat as they'd wine, dine, wed, and bed you if it brought them a step closer to the throne.
"Your personal preferences aside, my queen, the lords sworn to you-"
"Houses Lates, Blendy, Lilica, Neekis, and Tearm all swore their fealty to my father's kingdom, broke bread with him, paid tribute to his house for generations. And where are they all now? Ah, yes, prancing around in the northern court, trying to sell their offspring to Ur's children." Her lips curled into an imperious smirk. "But I assume your knowledge of this subject far exceeds my own, Lord Brain."
The man sighed deeply. At one point he would have sliced off his right arm to marry his son Macbeth to Lucien's firstborn, but now he wouldn't wish that fate upon his worst enemy. "What shall I tell them at our next meeting, your majesty?"
"Tell them," Sorano began, "that they can expect a permanent return to the economic system of my mother's ancestors, and that I won't rule a kingdom of starving degenerates while The Land of the Dark has a public library in each of its villages." Although, admittedly, that was mostly because of an initiative started by House Cheney and House McGarden.
"Very well. Will that be all?"
"Yes. You may go now." Sorano was glad for the break, as she was beginning to feel that familiar sensation of her chest being split open from the inside. The mages in the dark army were beginning to destroy her angels. She only had to make it to her rooms before it got too unbearable.
"Doesn't he ever grow tired of being proven wrong?" Lisanna wondered aloud.
"Some people are just set in their ways," Mira replied with a small shake of her head. "I can't imagine how hard it must have been adjusting from the norms of father's old kingdom to those here."
"I couldn't either," Yukino agreed. "If we're not seeing anyone else this afternoon, should we all have tea in the rose garden?"
Before anyone else could answer, Lord Byro scrambled into the throne room. "Your majesty-"
"We aren't hearing anyone else today." Sorano tried to keep her voice steady despite the searing pain she was enduring. "Unless it is a matter of the utmost importance, whatever you have to say can wait until tomorrow."
"A raven just arrived bearing a scroll marked with sigil of House Cheney." He pulled the parchment out of his robes.
The young monarch sighed. So much for sleeping off her misery. "What does it say?"
"The parchment is blank, your majesty."
"Bring it to me." The queen studied the scroll for a few seconds. "Blood magic," she decided almost immediately. "Mira, lend me your claw."
Wordlessly, the princess did a one-arm takeover spell and pricked her sister's index finger with her insanely sharp demon nail. A single drop of deep crimson blood fell onto the parchment, and immediately words in a neat cursive handwriting materialized on the page.
"To Her Majesty, Queen Sorano of the Kingdom of Celestial Lights," she began to read aloud.
Although we stand on different sides of a great conflict, I wish to congratulate you, as it is a victory for all of womankind whenever one of us has the opportunity to rule in her own right. If the dark throne were mine alone, an innumerable amount of things would have been handled differently. I believe your noble mother would have shared this sentiment prior to her most unfortunate passing…
Sorano sighed impatiently, scanning the page for the moment where the feigned solidarity and pleasantries ceased. "Ahh...there we are."
...I would like to propose a match between my son, Ryos, and one of your younger sisters. I anticipate your apprehension, but I wish to assure you that Ryos is quite different from his father and brother. I have taken great pains to ensure that he was raised in the erudite and compassionate tradition of my house of birth. After much deliberation, I've found that this would be the most humane way to permanently end the strife between our kingdoms. We await your speedy response.
The queen shook her head. "Well, that was a colossal waste of our time. I see they're getting desperate now that their older son is working against them. As if I'd ever let those barbarians anywhere near one of you. Just the thought of it makes me want to-"
"Sorano," Yukino began hesitantly. "I think there is some wisdom to what Queen Nyx has to say. Even if we are victorious now, the fighting will only continue when they build up their strength again. If it could bring an end to all this bloodshed, I'm willing to at least meet with this Prince Ryos."
"Lord Byro, please leave us." Sorano's eyes softened as she looked upon what some might call her favorite sister. She could not imagine what that dark, depraved place would do to her warm and gentle disposition. "Yukino, that is not a sacrifice you have to make. You are not a bargaining chip."
"I do not intend to be," the princess contended. "I will not agree to marry him, only to meet him. If I get the sense that he is not a good person, or that he'll hurt me, we can end things right then. But I do think we should try to end this conflict peacefully."
"If anyone has to do this, it should be me," Mirajane piped up. After all, she was the eldest after Sorano.
"But then we'd be at war with Sir Laxus," Lisanna said only half jokingly.
"It's true," Yukino added. "The Dreyars are one of the few noble families we can really trust. We shouldn't risk damaging our relationship with them."
"Laxus isn't that petty," Mira offered.
"Yes he is, Mira," the youngest princess declared. "And while we're on the topic of blond dragon slayers, doesn't Yukino have one, too? I mean, Sting's not as scary as Laxus, but..."
She shook her head, her face flushed."I...I'm sure he doesn't think of me in that way."
Mira and Lisanna exchanged a look at this. As perceptive as she was, Yukino's habitual self-depreciation often prevented her from noticing certain things.
Sorano discreetly started rubbing at her chest. It felt like someone had taken a cleaver to her lungs. "I might write her back. We'll discuss it more later. Now, I have other matters to attend to." With that she took her leave.
"What was that about?" Mira wondered aloud. It wasn't like her to dart out that way. Her movements were usually more deliberate. Imposing.
"Who knows?" Yukino's brow furrowed in concern for a brief moment, but then she shook her head. It was probably nothing. "Let's go to tea."
The Northern Empire
Ur sat in one of her staterooms holding a private meeting with her most trusted advisers to deliberate over what should be done about the situation in the Sea Kingdom.
Ultear sighed. The story kept growing sadder and sadder. "Meredy tells me she still thinks that Prince Gajeel will help her take back her kingdom."
"But that parfum seems to have gone foul," Lord Ichiya informed. "My spy in the Land of the Dark reports that the prince and his dragon have turned against King Erebus, men."
"It is also safe to assume that the young celestial queen won't interfere either," Sir Jura pointed out.
"It's never safe to assume anything," Ur pointed out. "But I believe you are right, Sir Jura. We are currently the only land with a large enough military force to deal with the usurper, if he is in fact backed by Zeref."
"There are many advantages to having a maritime colony," Lord Hades pointed out, eyeing the world map with lust.
"Colony is such an ugly word," Ur lamented. "Why breed resentment, and suspicion from the other kingdoms unnecessarily? If the sea princess were to marry Gray or Lyon, our interference could be construed as nothing more than a housewarming present."
Ultear shook her head, quite amused. If Gray had any idea what their mother was thinking, he wouldn't like it. Not one bit. "If at all possible, we should let things progress naturally between them. Gray will resist if he feels like she's being forced on him."
"Gray is the one who found her," the empress recalled. "And he may be fond of her. But Lyon tends to be more receptive to these matters."
"That would also be a most pleasant parfum for House Akatsuki," Ichiya added. It was known to all that Prince Lyon was the sole obstacle in the way of Ren's courting of the young Lady Blendy.
"The Solstice Ball will be upon us shortly." Ur shot her daughter a knowing glance. Despite what Ichiya and his political allies wanted, it was painstakingly obvious that Lyon and Sherry would wed someday, save for some act of unfathomable stupidity on his part. "Work on Gray."
The crown princess sighed inwardly. That would be much easier said than done.
"Princess?" Meredy knocked lightly on Juvia's door, in case she wasn't awake yet. She tended to stay within the confines of her room and often slept during the day.
"Come in." Juvia sat at her writing desk with a quill and parchment, crafting yet another letter to her best friend who just so happened to be extremely skilled at warfare. "Meredy, has any word come from the Land of the Dark?" It wasn't like Gajeel to not respond for such a long time.
"I'm afraid not." She shook her head slightly, before bringing a pink, rose scented piece of parchment to the sea princess. "But the young Lady Blendy has invited you for afternoon tea in her suite."
"House Blendy…" Juvia bit her lip, trying to recall her childhood lessons on the noble houses in different kingdoms. "Juvia knows this…she does...no, she doesn't."
"They preside over the southwestern province of Brago from Castle Lovelock, and are very close to the royal family," Meredy explained with a smile. As Ultear's lady-in-waiting she knew the ins and outs of all the nobility. "Lady Sherry is in age with you, I believe."
"But, why does she wish to talk to Juvia?"
Meredy looked away guiltily. She knew the exact answer to that question, but thought it better not to share. "Well, I suppose, since you spend so much time alone, people would like to get to know you."
"Is the lady a nice person?"
"Well that depends," she said with a hint of a smirk, "on whether or not you've set your sights on Prince Lyon. But since you seem to prefer Prince Gray, I think you two will get along quite nicely."
Juvia nodded, absorbing it all as she walked to her wardrobe to select something suitable to wear.
When the sea princess reached her drawing room, Lady Sherry was standing on a small platform having her measurements taken by a team of dressmakers.
"H-has Juvia come at a bad time?"
"Not at all, love." Sherry replied with a wink. "I'm just getting my gowns ready for Solstice. I thought, perhaps, you'd let my tailors dress you as well."
"Juvia would be honored," she replied immediately, remembering what her late mother told her about how northern women prized their fashion.
As soon as the words left her lips, a young woman hastily presented Juvia with a book of color swatches. The young royal turned each page with an increased sense of anxiety. She had spent her entire life by the sea but never once thought there could be so many shades of blue. "We dress quite differently in Juvia's land. What does Lady Sherry think would suit me?"
The Lady Blendy grinned. "Blues and purples suit your natural colorings. Amethyst for the tournament, I think, and indigo for the concert, and as for the ball..." She paused, humming thoughtfully. "My sources tell me that Prince Gray will be wearing a midnight blue tunic, if you wish to match him...are you getting all of this down, Lucinda?"
"Yes, Milady," one of the girls replied as she scribbled furiously onto a notepad.
Juvia lowered her eyes, trying to fight down a blush. "Isn't matching at social events something only established couples do?"
"What makes a couple anyway?" Sherry stepped down from her platform and walked over to Juvia. "It's just two people who care for each other, right?"
"Juvia supposes so."
"I think you and Gray have at least that kind of love. He saved you, didn't he?"
"Well, yes," the sea princess sighed. "But Juvia believes Prince Gray is just a good person. He would have done the same for anyone." That was part of what made him so gallant, in her eyes at least.
"You're probably right," Sherry allowed. "But it wasn't just anyone. It was you, Juvia, and he appeared right when you needed him can be a strange thing, especially around Solstice time." The Lady Blendy laughed after noticing the girl's blank expression. "Oh, you wouldn't know the story, would you?"
"What story?"
"Of how the empire was born. I have to warn you, it's a bit cheesy, but one hundred percent true."
The sea princess smiled. "Juvia doesn't mind at all." Truthfully, she was happy for the distraction.
"You see, the peoples of the north have celebrated winter solstice since the time before dragons danced in the skies of Ishgar. Before the ten year's war, royalty from all over the world would start spilling in each December, and often they wouldn't leave until after the new year. My grandmother always tells me about it." They drifted towards the plush guest futons and the servants brought them tea in artfully painted cups and an assortment of cakes.
Juvia nodded, blowing on the steaming liquid in her cup to cool it. "My…" She looked down. It was still difficult to talk about them sometimes. "My parents used to frequent Veterstark before we…" But it was just her now. "I...Juvia was born."
Sherry simply clasped the princess's hand, sensing that she did not want to talk about it, and continued with her story. "It's funny that you mention Veterstark, since that's where the festivities were held before everything changed twenty-five years ago. House Strauss was pretty well loved back then, and they made everything extravagant to celebrate their Prince Lucien's engagement to Princess Ur."
"The empress?"
"The one and only. But then love decided to have its way." The young Lady Blendy sighed contentedly, as though she were retelling fond memories from her own past. "During the tournament, a southern princess challenged Suzanne Lilica to a duel for the zodiac key, Aries."
"Ladies were permitted to do battle during the tournaments?" The Veterstark she learned about was incredibly patriarchal.
Sherry shrugged. "I suppose they weren't, but none actually tried until Alina Aguria. The king protested, but Lucien convinced his father to let the fight occur. They say he loved her at first sight and proposed marriage at the Solstice ball in front of all the world's nobility."
Juvia gasped. "And Ur was jealous?" Was that what started the infamous ten year's war?
"Not in the slightest," the lady laughed, nibbling on a chocolate eclair. "It gave her just the excuse she needed to break her engagement to him. And besides, Princess Alina refused his suit."
"No way! But, Juvia thought they were married." She remembered at least that much from her lessons.
"That was much later," she informed. "The princess said that she found him in no way lacking, but her heart belonged to another."
"Juvia has to know who!" For the first time in a while the romantic part of her brain was fully activated.
Sherry gave a conspiratorial smirk. "If you repeat this to a southerner, you'll get a fist to the face, but up here they say it was a woman. One Layla Heartfilia."
"Juvia though that was just something Gajeel's father says to be nasty."
"It's the truth. And Lucien's blunder allowed Ur to legitimize her relationship with Sir Silver of House Fullbuster."
"Sir?" Juvia repeated. Not Lord? "But knights can't marry royalty." In the Sea Kingdom, maybe it could happen, and definitely in the Flame, but the north had always been especially hierarchical.
"Most cannot. But most knights are not ice demon slayers."
Juvia's eyes widened as the pieces began falling into place. "Those in House Strauss with the strongest take-over magic transform into demons. He learned lost magic to battle Prince Lucien and...and...this is the most romantic thing Juvia has ever heard!"
"He had no kingdom to give her, so instead he forged an empire! It's the greatest display of true love imaginable!" She then shook her head, sullenly. "If only the late emperor had passed those genes on to his sons." If he had, she would probably be married by now.
"Juvia gets the feeling that she will soon know what you're talking about."
Oh, you will."
The two spent the rest of the daylight hours deciding on the fabrics, styles, and embellishments of their gowns for Solstice and passionately discussing their philosophies of romantic love.
Late that night the sea princess walked back towards her rooms humming, and envisioning grand romantic gestures.
"You seem to be in a good mood today."
Juvia did a double take when his voice interrupted her musings. "Prince Gray!" She hadn't been expecting to see him that night. And why, why was he shirtless? Would this be the night when they finally went all the way? She shook her head furiously, trying to keep the onslaught of fantasies at bay.
Gray leaned down to look at her more closely. Her face was turning inhumanly red. "Are you still running a fever or something?" She'd been bedridden for the first week and a half after he found her at the mouth of the eastern sea.
"No, Juvia is fine," she assured, as she turned redder still. "Just wondering why Prince Gray is only in his trousers."
"Again!" He looked down, dismayed. "I was just sparring with Lyon, so…"
The sea princess scrunched up her nose in confusion. "Is it customary to fight while unclothed here? This is something to keep in mind in case-"
"No!" he clarified a bit too quickly. Here he was, making a fool of himself in front of foreign royalty. "It's just a habit I picked up when I was a kid."
At this she chuckled a bit, smiling with her deep blue eyes. "I see."
"Never mind that. What have you been up to, lately?"
"I spent most of the day with Lady Sherry preparing for Solstice." She tucked a few strands of blue hair behind her left ear.
"That's some timing." Gray was surprised that she didn't run into Lyon on her way out. "Anyway, I hope you have fun. See you around."
"Wait!" the water mage called after him.
He turned to face her. "What's up?"
She stared at her shoes and balled her hands into tight fists, fidgeting incessantly. "J-Juvia will…"
"Come again?"
"JUVIA WILL WEAR A MIDNIGHT BLUE GOWN TO THE SOLSTICE BALL!" She gazed up at him expectantly, wondering how he'd react to such a bold confession on her part.
The prince looked at her, confused. "That's...nice. I'm sure it'll look good on you." He squeezed her shoulder lightly, before continuing in the direction he was originally headed in. "Night, Juvia."
"Goodnight." Her heart hammered furiously beneath her rib cage. "My prince," she whispered softly after he was gone.
As soon as the magic of his touch wore off, it occurred to Juvia that he did not at all process the meaning of her midnight blue ballgown.
"Juvia is frustrated!" And it seemed like she would be for quite some time.
The Sea Kingdom
Jiemma Orlando ultimately decided not to kill his daughter, although he did consider it several times. Instead he confined her to the dungeons, not to see the light of day until he found some prince or high lord from a strong enough bloodline to put a child in her and secure the line of succession. But that was only if he didn't produce a suitable heir himself.
"Please, King Jiemma, tell us more about the Dark Lord Zeref's power." The scantily clad concubine had scarlet colored hair that flowed down her back. She refilled his goblet with a stronger wine than what was customary for midday drinking. "Although it is nothing in comparison with your own."
He gazed unashamedly at her cleavage while drinking. "Alright. If you insist. What was your name again, girl?"
"Erz…" She was stopped by a sharp glance from the dark haired young woman who cooled the usurper with an oversized fan. "Ursula, your majesty."
"Ursula?" Jiemma narrowed his eyes suspiciously, and the swordswoman prepared herself to instantly requip if need be. "You're not from down there, are you?" He'd told his adviser to bring beautiful women from all the lands to his harem, but specifically demanded that there were no mermaids among them. "Because I don't care for fish."
Erza had to bite down on her tongue to keep from questioning who, exactly, 'cared' for whatever he was. It was a miracle and a half that he ever found someone to reproduce with. "I am not a mermaid, your majesty. Just a humble servant with an interest in power. Please, do tell me more about Zeref."
Jiemma snorted. "So that's what makes you hot?" Oh, if only he knew how her blood was boiling. "You're far more interesting than the ones before. Well, it all starts with the Books of Zeref, which are…"
"Why didn't we slit his throat?" Kagura questioned later as they made their way through the winding halls of the water palace. They were supposed to return to the harem den and await the king's arrival, but instead they were headed straight for the dungeons.
Erza tried to physically shake the murderous thoughts from her mind. "There are many people who deserve that kill far more than we do." She quickly requipped out of her seductive robes and back into her armor. "At least now we know a bit about what they're planning."
Kagura eyed her lifelong friend with envy. How she longed to be back in her regular clothes. "Are you sure we should even be doing this?" she whispered after Erza kicked down the locked door leading to the prison cells. "We don't even know if she'll join us. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you know."
"It must have fallen far enough, if she's down there. She's also powerful. We could use her on our side."
Minerva's cell was on the very lowest floor of the complex. Erza and Kagura heard the sound of rushing water as they approached it. Kagura huffed when her sandal clad feet began to get wet.
"Who goes there?" One of the two guards keeping watch demanded. Erza summoned twin swords and silenced them both deftly. Not to kill. Never to kill. But they would be out until long after they were gone.
A slow, mirthless laugh sounded from the other side of the bars. "And those were some of father's best men."
Kagura reached for her archenemy sword, which was strapped to her outer thigh and hidden beneath her long purple skirt. "We plan to fight against the forces of the dark wizard. If we release you, will you join our cause?"
She glanced up at them curiously. Her eyes were red-rimmed and betrayed her brokenness despite the confidence she attempted to exude. "It's useless. Acnologia cannot be stopped."
The other two young women exchanged a knowing look. Erza smirked before summoning her finest blade to cut Minerva loose of her chains.
"You've obviously never met the king of dragons."
Author's Notes: This update is really, REALLY late and I am so sorry. The combined forces of coursework and writer's block have had their way with me this semester. Anyway, this chapter was mostly politics and background information (necessarily so). The next chapter, if I stick to my outline, will be more focused on romance (Gajevy, Nalu, and Stingyu moments for sure). However, I'm also tempted to stay in The Northern Empire for the entire chapter and hammer out all of the Solstice festival scenes (there'd still romance, mostly Gruvia and some Sherryon drama). What would you guys prefer?
Thanks for reading, everyone!