CHAPTER SIX – Crestfallen
Since Crocus is located in the heart of Fiore, it was a location wherein there was never winter – but the winters of the north had brought about the chilly air that now envelops the whole city. The climate does change, but it is only in limit of the dry and wet season. Thus, vegetation was rapid all throughout the city and it is the most productive field in Crocus.
And despite the chilly air brought about the winter in the north, the young Duke managed to walk around his manor – clearing his head off with the news he found about his future. He was still adamant about his decision to this wedding and had confronted Ivan Dreyar – his late father's adviser – to explain to him everything.
Though he seemed uncooperative at first, the middle-aged man gave in to his Duke's demand. The wedding was all for economical unity – given Magnolia's prosperous mining industry was thriving albeit moderately – and that his duchy was weakening. But there was more to it as Ivan says.
His supposed marriage was arranged by his great-grandfather and this girl's great-grandfather. Like what Loke had said. He thought. It seems as though both old men were buddies; and they decided to agree on letting their future great-grandson and daughter to get married out on a whim.
Which brings back Gray into his thinking mode once again.
He loathed this idea – much less it was the first task he's been given to as he was just formally entitled as Duke! What was he going to tell Lucy then? "Sorry. It seems as if my great-gramps had a deal with another old man and he wants me to marry another girl. Guess I'll be taking back my proposal now. See ya!" As if!
Gray groaned as he welcomed his palms into his face as he leaned back on a myrtle tree – which had lost its pinkish flora as the chilly air had drove it away – within his garden.
"What do I do now?" he asked no one in particular. He faced the lightless moon as his thoughts drifted into another person; someone who had been part of his past – someone who was very much alive within his heart.
"Could you give me some wisdom words here, Mom?" his eyes on the moon never faltered – his memories started to play along and tugged at his heart strings.
The very face of his mother, Ur. Her short brown hair and those chocolate brown eyes stared back into his dark blue ones as his recent memory of her played along his mind. It was her face of anguish and pain, when she lost her life to childbirth – and to make it worse, his supposed sister died along with her.
As he recalled that painful memory, a tear escaped his left eye without him knowing. He had lost his mother before his eyes and it took him more time to recover. But as she came into his life, she was able to change his gray persona.
"Why are you crying?" a voice spoke.
He turned to his left and saw none other than the girl who had brought him happiness. She was wrapped into brown-colored robes and her chocolate brown eyes stared at him – worry present at her very gaze.
"What are you doing here out so early in the morning, Lucy?" he feigned a smile. She didn't buy it.
"Are you crying because you remembered Lady Ur?" she asked as she stood alongside him.
"Maybe." He smirked. Though it was a rather… emotional scene, he couldn't help but tease her a little and take a look once again at her funny expression.
"Geez." She glared at him. "I know what you've been through. Care to even lean your burden along with me?" she smiled at him.
He smiled back and turned his face again at the now slowly-fading lightless moon in the sky. It was already lighting up – the sun was catching up with the moon's unyielding presence. It's as if both heavenly body was fighting over which was more dominant – and given the circumstance that it was turning into morning, the King Sun has in no doubt, won.
He fell silent all of the sudden, his smile turned into a blank one. Lucy didn't know what was now clouding his mind. "Lucy, I was…." He started.
"…given the task to marry the Countess of Magnolia, am I right?" she finished off for him.
His eyes widened at her statement. She knew? He thought. He looked back down at her – pain imminent at her charming features. She was suppressing her tears to come down as she bit her lower lip and her eyes cringing. "I overheard you and Loke as I was about to congratulate you." She stated as she recalled the memory.
His body tensed at the nearly-crying lady beside him. He wanted to touch her, pulled her into a hug and comfort her – but he had to held back. He can't do that.
She started to quiver from her place as she started to cry. Her sobs grew noisier as time passed by. Gray was about to give in to the crying lady beside him when she finally spoke. "N-no.. it's a-alright…" she said between sobs. She faced to look at him with a smile as tears flowed from her eyes to her chin. "I knew this was to happen one way or another…." She held his hands and firmly grasped them. "Congratulations for being the Duke. And, I hope you'll be happy…." She sniffed again as she loosened her grip and started to slowly run away. She ran back to her quarters – leaving a pained young Duke and his eyes following her every move until she was out of sight.
He didn't want to hurt her – but apparently, his title did. And how frustratingly ironic was that.
"Gajeel-kun!" the blunette dashed after his agitated best friend as he searched the whole manor for the senile man. He wasn't mad – oh no, he wasn't. He just wanted to ask the old man some things concerning Juvia's supposed marriage!
How come he never knew of that garbage?! Fine, he may only be someone serving under their orders, but heck – the blue-haired idiot was the closest thing he had to a family! Second in line was the old man, however.
"Where is he!? I'm going to have a little chit-chat with 'im!" he dashed from door-to-door in search of the little old man. Apparently, they've woke the whole manor up with his unpleasant shouting and his unruly actions of opening every damned door he sees! He'd be damned if he doesn't find that old geezer.
"C-calm down! He's probably still asleep!" the Countess followed her friend closely to make sure he doesn't make too much ruckus – which was probably an understatement considering he'd practically shaken up the whole manor! "Asleep my ass! He's an old man – and old people wake up the earliest!" he gritted his teeth in annoyance.
He can't find the damned Dreyar anywhere!
"I told you – "she was shortly cut off when Gajeel had opened a random door and found themselves at the familiar scenery of one of the manor's bathroom. To make it much worse, someone's taking a shower in this chilly morning.
"Kyaaaa!" a suspicious gruffly voice squealed in horror. Gajeel narrowed his eyes and pulled open the drapes over the bath tub – revealing a half-naked old man. Makarov! Gajeel inwardly hissed.
"Eeeek!" Juvia covered her eyes the instant the drapes were pulled as she witnesses the half-naked Makarov Dreyar in his shower cap. She was too young to have her innocent eyes be violated with something as…. horrible as that!
"Eeep. Don't you know how to knock!?" he demanded sheepishly. He covered most of his body (which was small) with the drape and a small tint of pink blush hovered over his cheeks.
"Can it, old man! I want answers, now." He growled, his eyes narrowed at Makarov.
"B-but before anything else, could the Lord put on some clothes first, Gajeel-kun?" Juvia shyly spoke from her now covered face. The spiky haired man sighed then turned to face her direction.
"Get dressed up old man! For now, Juvia must've feel so violated by your presence. Geez." He walked away as he grab a hold of Juvia's arm as he pulled her away from the bathroom, earning a snicker from the old man behind him which irritated him the more.
"Heeheehee. Overprotective big brother, aren't ya?" he snickered.
"Cut the crap, old man." He narrowed his eyes as he continued to walk away.
"Mou, that boy has no manners at all." Makarov pouted as he lay back at his tub, feeling the warmth of his herbal bath which was rudely interrupted by his student.
"He sure takes his time." Gajeel grumbled under his breath.
After the little havoc he had caused earlier just to find Makarov, miraculously, the manor returned back to its peaceful state. But the old man's tardiness aggravates him the more.
"He's old. Let him take his time." Juvia smiled at him from across the room. Both had leisurely sitted themselves at Makarov's office – waiting for his return.
"I may be old, but I can still pick up some pace." Makarov cleared his throat as he entered the room. It almost took him some time to get off his bath – as he didn't really want to go, but for a bastard of a student he has he had to – and got dressed.
Gajeel shot him a deathly glare to which the old man seems to ignore. "I need answers, old geezer." He warned. Makarov still ignored his perturbation and walked towards the blunette instead. He held out a freshly trimmed pink carnation to which the young Countess gladly accepted.
Makarov grinned as a slight blush formed on his cheeks. "A welcoming gift from winter." As if an invisible hoard of angels descended upon the room and happily trumpeted at the sight of the youthful-feeling old man. Gajeel rolled his eyes in irritation.
"T-Thank you, Lord Makarov." She sweetly smiled back.
"Oh for the love of all sappiness – you lecherous old man! Quit that! You're practically giving me the creeps." Gajeel scowled at the seemingly youthful old man.
"My son, I am only doing what a gentleman should do to his mistress." The old man swimmingly defended. He grinned at the spiky haired man as he scorned at his exasperation.
"Cut the crap. I want to know why did you let Juvia," he pointed at the seemingly pre-occupied Countess, "be married off to some stranger?!" he growled.
The seeming air in the room began to tensed up as Makarov's laid-back persona before became menacingly serious. "It's none of your business, young man." He addressed. Gajeel's eyes narrowed at his reply, his cool composure before seemingly thawed. He cares more about Juvia's welfare than anyone would've imagined. And he had also been placed upon the task of ensuring her happiness – despite any grave outcome there may be. How come he was never told of this?
"None of my business?! Bullshit!"
"Careful, you're talking to your superior. And those words of yours – keep them clean."
Gajeel restrained his anger, professedly forgetting the fact that he is his superior. And technically speaking, he does not have any say in this. He's only a servant – he was no one in power.
"Ummm…" Juvia tried to speak, but words failed her. She was in too much shock to absorb what had happen between the two most important people in her lives – but she knew she had to speak up and clear things for the best of the three of them.
"What is it?" Makarov turned to her, his expression softens.
"I've already thought it through last night… and I've decided to.." she trailed off nervously.
"Spit it out, child. You're a Countess and introversion has no place in politics." He reminded her.
"I've already decided to agree on the marriage." She announced quite endearingly and both men looked surprised at her disclosure.
Makarov smiled knowingly at her decision. I knew she'd come around. He thought amusedly. "A-are you sure about that? Didn't you tell me you didn't like to step out of Magnolia?" Gajeel tried to reassure her. Juvia gave him a smile. "Yeah I did. But Juvia had thought this through." Gajeel was still taken aback by her sudden decision. I just left for a few days, and now she's lost her screws? Come on, what'd I miss? He thought.
"That's massively good news, my child! Now I'd contact the Duke and inform him of your decision!" Makarov whistled happily as he hurried and left the office. The two teens were left, silence enveloping them.
Gajeel looked over Juvia with a worried look, and she returned it with a curious expression. Sure she just suddenly changes things with her ludicrous decisions, but maybe nothing major is wrong, is it?
Her look returned to the door where the old man was previously seen with his happy persona, gleefully exiting the room. Her face changed with a yearningly look. "I have my reasons." She simply stated.
"And those are?" he asked.
She pivoted to turn and face him, a longing look etched on her face. And he knew what that look meant.
"It's a chance to meet him – after all these years." She tenderly gave him a smile of content. Deep inside him, he felt himself disperse at the expression his best friend had given him. He knew that much to know what she was talking about. He was one of the people she had shared her secret with – the mystery boy she met at the party at the Duke's mansion who unquestionably took her innocent heart with him.
And he can't possibly interfere with her wishes – if that's what makes her happy.
I promise – they are going to meet in the next chapter. Hurray Author-chan. Hurraaaay. :D
Anyway, I'm glad GrayLu's come to its 'end'. Whoo. I just had to put it for plot, please don't kill me. And damn, tomorrow, I'm finally of legal age! And yeah, that's just me. :3