What is gong on?! Feeling tears run down her face as questions raced through her head. She struggled to stay on the horse as it galloped down the path.

Her hair was a mess as the black headband slipped off at one point.

Knuckles turning white as she gripped the reins tighter feeling a sob escape her. Why did this have to happen? The castle gates came into her blurry view.

Almost there.

Karma Demon neighed loudly at the guards who started to rush towards her at sight of Gajeel's horse galloping towards them.

Slowing down quickly as possible on the cobblestone before the guards, trying compose herself.

"What happened my Lady? Where is the King?" A guard questioned as they ran up to Levy.

"These two men...they just appeared saying someone wanted him dead!" Her voice nearly cracking from the distress. "He just jumped off the horse and told me to go."

"Please we need to help him!"

The guard nodding before telling the guard next to him to get some men to join on horse back.

Looking back the path they took earlier with worry still etched on her face.

Levy wiped her eyes and looked at the guard who gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry our King wouldn't go down easily.

"Boze we have the men getting ready!" The guard rushed back over to them leading a white horse by the reins handing them to Boze.

"Just give us a few more minutes Lady McGarden." Red haired guard stated before bowing and running back to the stables.

Levy taking a deep breath to calm down giving her a clear head and loosening her grip slightly on the reins.

Climbing up onto his own horse and riding up next to her with his own horse who was slightly dwarfed in size.

Several uneasy minutes passed by with Demon shifting his weight under her wanting to get back to its master.

Stroking the horse and feeling herself calm down after the shock from the events. "Do you know who would want him dead?"

Her reddish eyes looking at Boze who shook his head. "No..."

Looking at her and pushing back his glasses. "I really wish I had an answer. But many would love to had the Kings head."

Hearing the rest of the men and their horses trotting over to Levy she looked at Boze who nodded. "Looks like we are ready."

Gripping the reins again and slightly to face the men. Straightening up in the saddle with a determine look in her eyes. "Let go!"

Karma Demon neighed before turning back towards the path breaking out into a gallop with Boze next to her with the rest of the men behind them.

Gajeel I hope you are ok...


Grunting as he pushed back the archer who blocked the sword with his bow but the force of the push cracked the bow damaging it heavily.

The green haired man stumbling back with a curse and throwing the now useless bow to the ground. He then pulled out his own sword charging towards Gajeel.

Bracing as he blocked the blow, Gajeel could felt his muscles tense up before he overpowered the other man sending him stumbling back. "Who sent you?"

Listening as the green haired man crackled again. "What's the point?" Watching as man lifting his sword up. "Not like the dead talk anyway."

Gajeel smirking at the man and cockily dropped his sword down slightly while mocking him. "Alright you better start talking then."

His red eyes watched in amusement as the man screamed at him before charging wildly at him. Paring with his own sword and disarming him as he sidestepped.

Grabbing the shoulder and roughly pinning him into the ground with knee in the man's back feeling the satisfaction of the man howling in pain as he put more weight into it.

"Talk!" Gajeel growled at the man pointing his sword at the neck.

"Screw you!" The man hissed at him before letting another pained cry as Gajeel gripped at the shoulder harder feeling the claws sinking through the fabric and into the flesh.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blond haired man flying through the air and into a tree before sliding limply down onto the ground. Good job Lily.

Smirking down at the pinned man. "Looks like your buddy wasn't so lucky with Lily there so I'd start talking now."

Feeling the man labored breathing he knew it wasn't much longer before he would cave in from the pain and fear. The man nodded weakly not making eye contact.

"Good. Now who sent you?" Gajeel demanded while not moving his sword away.

"Jose..."

Gritting his teeth and hissing at the man. "What?!"

The man squirmed in pain as Gajeel involuntary gripped again at the name mentioned. "He wants you dead." Cried out in agony.

"Where is he?" Easing up on his grip slightly so the man would not pass out from pain. "He's here." The man grunted out.

"You rat show yourself!" Gajeel yelled out. Knocking the man out and standing up as blood dripped from the claws.

He locked his eyes on the slim figure that stepped out from behind the large tree.

Jose cackled at him. "Seems this trash here couldn't even put a scratch on you, how disappointing.

Lily running over to him. "Gajeel stop." Clamping a hand on his friends shoulder he could see his eyes filled with furry.

Yanking his shoulder away from the hand and snapping. "You know what he has done Lily!"

"And you will be killed if you rush into like this." Lily pleaded at him.

"Yes just like your father was killed Gajeel." Jose sadistically taunted at him as he walked toward him.

"You seem to have changed since the last time I saw you my King." Jose sneering the title. "Letting yourself have a soft spot for a blue haired women how careless of you."

Cocking his head to the side. "Be a shame if she was your undoing."

Gajeel's eye widened. No! "What are you planning?"

Unsheathing his sword and pointing it at Gajeel. "First I kill you and then take your Kingdom from you."

Jose's face twisting into a screwed up smile. "Now I would need a Queen wouldn't I and that pretty little women of yours would be perfect."

Gajeel could not contain the anger he felt towards the man as his body shook in rage.

"GAJEEL STOP!" Lily shouted as he watched him rush at Jose letting out a roar of bloody murder.

"DON"T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Gajeel shouted at Jose as he clashed with him only feeling his rage growing as Jose just sickeningly smiled at him.

"Does that bother you? Seems I've hit a sore spot." Laughing at him as Gajeel shoved him back before aiming for his neck.

Missing as only enraged him further but his own experience kicking in and quickly putting space between them as he knew his emotions was affecting his aim.

Shoulders still tense as he breathed deeply while they circled each other. "You have no honor do you."

Gripping at the sword as the memory flashed through his head. "Targeting me to get to my father."


Metalicana rested under the shade of the tree as he watched Gajeel sparing with Lily. Practicing in the mountains was preferred by him and trained his own son the same way.

The wind blowing through his short silver hair as dark clouds moved in blocking the sun. Laughing slightly as he watched his son try to take Lily down with some frustration.

Wrinkles around his eyes crinkling as he grinned when Gajeel knocked back Lily sending the sword flying.

Standing up before walking over to him and slapping Gajeel on the back. "Good job. You might just have a chance to finally beat me in a duel."

Rolling his eyes and turning to face his father with his own grin. "Yeah yeah whatever you say old man."

"Lets get back home." Metalicana turning to walk back to the horses with his back towards him. "Wendy must be wondering where we are."

Gajeel nodding. "Alright, she must be worried.." his sentence being cut off as he was slammed into the ground harshly by someone.

His head was spinning as he tried to figure out what just happened, he could faintly hear his father calling out his name as he was struck with a hard object.

Blood dripping from his head as whatever slammed him down was thrown to the side and large paws lifted him back up.

"Gajeel are you ok?" Lily asked as he moved in-between him and the attacker.

Stumbling to the side slightly as looked past Lily to the tall figure. "Head took a hard blow but I will be fine." he grunted out.

"Who the heck is he?"

Trying his best to focus on the man who's face twisted into sickening smile as he clutched his dagger. "Well I didn't expect it to be so easy knock you down."

Metalicana approached the attacker, eye's narrowing as he noted that Gajeel was lucky to be standing from that blow to the head, a blooded rock not that far from them.

"Lily take him back." Puling out his sword and stepping in front of them. "This man is not meant to be taken lightly." Metalicana circled the man cursing his luck by not being prepared for a fight.

Gajeel struggling as Lily dragged him back towards the horses. "I can still fight!"

Snapping back at Gajeel. "No this man is Jose the Phantom Mercenary." Feeling the chainmail shift as he moved. "You are in no position to help especially against him."

Jose rushed at Metalicana who parried his attack before slipping past him to target Gajeel who freed himself from Lily's grip.

Gajeel grunting as the pain from the blow was intensified as he moved refusing to let his father fight alone.

Jose aiming for his gut he twisted his body away from the dagger before knocking it from his grip before Gajeel's footing failing him as he leaving himself open for an attack.

Metalicana grabbed Gajeel by his tunic turning to the side throwing him to the ground as Jose pulled another dagger aiming for his back.

Landing on his back Gajeel watched in horror as the blade pierced the chainmail and into Metalicana's back. Seeing his father slump forward and hit the ground hard.

"FATHER!" He cried out feeling Lily helping him up to his feet again looking as stunned as he was. "He needs to die Lily." Gritting his teeth while pulling out his own dagger.

Running forward towards Jose who was gloating in his victory stabbing him in the shoulder. Only feeling some satisfaction as Jose cursed at the pain.

His small victory was short lived as Jose punched him in the head forcing him to step back allowing him to escape.

Lily was trying his best to slow down the bleeding as Gajeel ran over to his father. "Is he?..." he hesitated asking holding his own head.

Laying the body back to the ground knowing his efforts were in vain and nodding. "Yes he's gone..."

Gajeel falling to his knees as tear's flowed freely clenching his teeth. "If I only saw Jose coming then..." Feeling himself shake as the loss hit him hard. "None of this would have happened."

"Gajeel we need to get him back." Lily urged him. "Word will spread that Metalicana is gone and other Kingdoms might try to invade...we need to be prepared."

"The Kingdom might be in danger now."

An eerie silence fell between them as Gajeel stood up with a dark look on his face as he looked down his hand covered in blood.

"His head it's mine." Gripping his hand and looking back at Lily. "and I will not let anyone get in my way."


Jose made the first move. "Who cares about honor." Clashing again with Gajeel who stood his ground. "Your father is dead and I'm still here.

The blades scraping together as both of them tried to overpower each other.

Dodging to the side as Gajeel let his blade down causing Jose to fall forward.

Kicking him in the back sending Jose to the ground he aimed his blade between plates of armor.

Jose's face twisting in pain as Gajeel twisted his blade though the back. "This is the pain he had to go through!"

Ignoring Lily's shouts as he lifted his sword up over his head. "This is for Metalicana!" He shouted before swinging it down.

Splatter of blood covered Gajeel's face as he watch the head roll from the now limp body. The sword falling to the ground as he let go breathing heavily as the adrenaline wore off.

It's finally done. Turning around to face Lily he was caught off guard to instead see Levy standing a short distance away.

"Levy...why? I told you to go away." Taking a step back in shock not wanting to look at her.

"I couldn't leave you..." Levy softly speaking to not upset him walking towards him.

The armor never felt as heavy as it did now, looking at his hands noticing the dried blood on it. "You saw me kill him didn't you?"

Nodding her head. "Yes..." She could see him flinch slightly at her answer as she stood in front of him.

"I'm a monster, can't you see that?" Hands shaking as he tried to regain control nearly jumping out his skin as a delicate pair of hands grasped them.

"Levy don't..." Gajeel began before being cut off. "No listen to me. You did want you had to do to protect me."

Eyeing the beheaded man quickly before looking up at Gajeel. "Boze told me who that man was when we rode up."

Blood still covered his feared filled face knowing she had witnessed what he had done. "He's the one that killed your father right?" Her hand reaching up to wipe the blood from his cheek.

Nodding his head numbly before falling to his knees holding her close to him in his lap. "I had to do it." His voice muffled against her.

Levy feeling his body shake against hers she slipped her arms around his neck as Gajeel rested his face against her shoulder.

"Its alright." Stroking his hair as his arms tightened around her waist all she could do was place a kiss on his head. "I doesn't change the fact that I still want you Gajeel."

His head snapping up looking shocked. "Why? I don't deserve you."

Resting her forehead against his and smiling softly. "Yes you do and I'm not leaving." Kissing him lightly and nipping at his lips playfully before pulling back seeing his face break into a grin.

"Let go back home Gajeel."

"Gihi. Yes." Closing the space between them and kissing her deeply.

I have to ask her to be my Queen.


Author notes:

Don't worry there is still more to come, this was just a little longer to write. I'm just happy I was able to include Boze and Sue from the Phantom Lord Arc being anime only characters in this story.