Chapter 9: Cecilian Engagement
"Why are you here, Griffin?" I ask as we walked through the streets of Magnolia.
"I was sent here by the Tribunal to find you and give you a message when I did. I admit that it took slightly longer to find you than I thought it would be."
"And that message would be...?"
"We are to be married." he said flatly.
"MARRIED?! Why the hell would I want to marry you?"
"Oh come now princess. You're hurting my feelings."
This caused me to stop in my tracks and grab him by his collar to bring him to my obviously shorter level. "Don't play with me pretty boy. You know exactly why I could never marry you!"
"Ah, yes. That ice mage. Gray, was it?" he whispered.
I stared darkly at him. "This isn't about him." I let go of his shirt. "This is about you betraying me all those years ago!"
He gasps.
"You let him do that. You let him lock me up. It was you who took my memories and tortured me all those years when I was in that cell. That was all you. Do not make this about Gray when you couldn't even protect me like you said you would!"
"I did what I thought was right at the time."
"You didnt do enough-!" I whisper as I step away from him.
"I COULDN'T BETRAY MY DUTIES. Surely you could understand that right, Princess. Remember all those times you snuck away to the mountains to 'hang out' with your wolf friends? All the times I had to cover for you with your mother and father?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It has to do with everything," He took a couple of steps toward me. "Everything I did. I did for you. He told me you would be safe-"
"And then he had you escort me to my cell to spite me." I laugh darkly.
"I LOVED YOU!"
I looked at him wide-eyed. "Dont say such things."
"Why? Is it because you know it's true?" he took more steps to me until I was embraced by his muscly arms. "Did you not feel the same all those years ago."
"Let me go, Griffin. People are starting to stare."
"Then come with me to see the Tribunal with me and hear them out. He says in my ear softly. His grip on me tightened for a second only to loosen just as fast as it came.
"Fine." I huff.
I agreed to go and visit the Tribunal with Griffin. To be honest I was looking forward to it. I haven't seen them for over 2-300 years or something. I wonder if they missed me.
I stopped by Lucy's before I left figuring that that's where everyone would be. I told them that I was going on a 'mission' for a few days. I figured that telling them that an ancient dragon organization summoning me to talk to me about a marriage that I don't want to be apart of would be like beating a dead horse. I didn't tell them about the dragons, I haven't told them about Griffin, and I'm not telling them about father. Now that I think about it, I probably should have told... too late now I suppose.
It would take about 2 days to get to get to the crystal caverns in my fully released form. It sure has been a while. I chuckled at the way my scales looked now versus that day when they were still a dull shade of turquoise. Things have changed.
~Time Skip~
I wasn't wrong. Things did change.
When we flew over Cecily, the supposed 'Golden City' it looked pale and lifeless. All of the buildings and houses were boarded up and ruined. The statue of great, great grandmother Cecil was in pieces all over the town plaza. Head to the right, tail the left, and her arm in a fountain that no longer gave water.
The cavern was the only thing that was still intact. It's magnificent diamonds hung from it's ceiling. The three dragon floated upon there pedestals sitting criss crossed as usual. There was Faron, the water dragon; Eldin, the fire dragon; and Lanayru, the thunder.
I bow as soon as I enter the cave. "Hello, great Tribunal of the Crystal Cavern. I was told that you summoned me."
"Rise now child. We do in fact have matters to discuss." Faron spoke.
"Yes about the future of Cecily." Eldin added.
"We have decided for you to wed Sir Griffin Pearl the Golden. In your absence he has been of great service and the newly freed citizens have taken a liking to him." Lanayru interjected.
"Before we get into the details of this matter, come and give your Aunt Faron a hug." I approached the colossal water dragon at full speed. She was at least six time bigger than me but, still seem surprised by the strength I had in my human form. "I missed you so much."she said.
"Now, I hope you aren't forgetting us." Lanayru chuckled heartily. I joined him in a laugh and hugged him as had done his younger sister.
I then went over to hug Eldin which earned me an angry "Get off of me, you annoying child."
"Aww come on, Din. We haven't seen the girl in ages. Don't be so mean." Faron said, scoldingly.
"Do we not have business? Faron? Lanayru?" The water and fire dragons soon start arguing over how he should be nicer and how she should be stricter. I sweatdropped at the two 'Almighty and Wise' Guardian dragons. I look at Griffin, who was just leaning up against the cave wall, with a confused look. He just shrugged as he watched the scene unfold.
"I do apologize for my brother. Anyway. Brother! Sister! Now that the greetings have been had, let us commence our meeting."
"Yes, well. Why are you having me marry Griffin?"
"Are you questioning our methods?" Eldin fumed.
"As a matter of fact, I am! I simply cannot agree to marry I do not love. What would be the purpose of our marriage anyway?"
"It would simply be to help in the rebuilding of Cecily."
"And I have to be married to do that?"
"We found it to be the best choice."
I imediately peel away the golden collar of me shirt to show the dragons tge guild mark on the left side of my neck. "Do you see this mark on my neck?" I ask and receive a single nod from the three. "This is the mark of a Fairy Tail wizard. Everyone there uses different types of magic and they are a family there. They are my family and for some reason, no matter how many times I have hurt them, they forgave me-"
"Arion! Hold your tongue!" Eldin roared. "if you would like to remember that on the right side of your neck you have the mark of the sun. Have you forgotten? Have you forgotten what that truly means?"
"I don't know." I mumble under my breath.
"What was that, girl?"
"Eldin!"
"Calm yourself, Brother!"
"DO YOU REMEMBER WHY I GAVE YOU THAT MARK?"
"No. I don't."
"Because you are worthy. Only those with a true warrior spirit can be a Child of the Sun. I've known since that day..."
