Chapter 9: A Royal Affair
Once upon a time, as all Fairy Tales of old began, there lived a king. His rule and deed were just. The people lived contentedly under him without fear or doubt in the kindness extended to them.
Castle Magnolia stood tall among the rolling hillside obscured by a dense forest. Life was lush, and the villagers had learned to strike harmony with nature. They took only what they needed to survive and no more, allowing the wild things to thrive in their own right.
The night the ruler grew ill, it had been an evening filled with the first winter storm of the season. The stone-built quarters were harder to keep warm now, but the servants managed. Such a vigilant man stoked the fire in the hearth with a practiced hand, only stopping when the blaze roared uncomfortably warm in his face. Pushing the sweat from his brow, he straightened and looked back at his friend and lord, nestled firmly beneath several pelts.
"Are you feeling the warmth, your Highness?" The gentle tenor of his voice warbled among the cracks and hisses of the logs.
"The title isn't necessary while I lie here in such a state, Lu." The king sighed from his bed. "I'm comfortable enough I suppose. I'll just have to wait out this blasted cold, it seems." The prospect made him feel miserable, his delicate brow pinching together beneath the shimmering blue sea of his hair.
"I'm only calling you this because it seems to light a fire under your backside, Levi. You could use one now, I think." The servant quipped, winking as he tied back the loose blond hair that had escaped to fly about his face.
"What dedication you have." The king sniffed, hiding his grin in his hand. "With friends like you, who needs enemies, I swear it."
Lu simply smiled, grabbing the stool that sat near the fire and placing it nearer the bed so they could speak more intimately. His shadow fell onto Levi, obscuring his expression in the night save for the moon reflecting back from his eyes.
"How did today fare?" he asked as he sat, dusting his palms off against each other. "Lady Jet seemed to enjoy your company…"
Levi's smile waned ever so slightly, his gaze falling to the wolf fur he'd burrowed beneath. "I suppose she did. Much to Lady Droy's dismay." He wanted to admit to his closest confidant that all these matches his advisers were presenting him with were completely useless, but felt like complaining about something like that was in poor taste. They were only trying to ensure the bloodline continued, now that he assumed the throne.
"So they DID squabble earlier. Lady Jet ought to know better than to pick a fight with someone quite a bit larger than herself…" The two laughed at that before Levi shivered involuntarily and reburried himself. Concerned, Lu reached over and felt the kings forehead with his hand and frowned. "Still chilled. I'll fetch some water and herbs to help you sleep. Try to relax, if you can."
Hazel eyes shutting in fatigue, the ruler hummed in acknowledgement, snuggling deeper into the bedding. "I'll do that."
The fire crackled in the low-lit chamber, the light creeping through his lids. The shadow of his friend passed over him on their way to the door. Sighing, he heard Lu mumble to someone outside before heading off down the corridor, the door shutting behind him.
All laid quiet for a while, with only the fire and the howling wind shifting through the silence. Levi sniffled, but felt his upturned nose protest and he prepared to sneeze. The percussive action had him bolting upright, his face buried in a cleaning rag. The force caused his lungs to itch and soon he was coughing wetly into a fresh portion of the cloth, struggling to sit himself more upright.
Clanking steps grew near at a slightly hurried pace, a guard that had entered the room upon Lu's absence stood beside him, preparing his bedding in a higher position. Once they'd finished, they placed a hot metal hand on Levi's shoulder to lay him back.
"Thank you." He sniffed, trying desperately to right his sinuses.
"Always, Your Highness." A low, feminine voice echoed metallically through the guards helmet.
Levi paused and looked up at the retreating knight in full plate. "Steel?"
They stopped, turning abruptly and fisting a hand over their heart. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Stop that," the king sighed in exasperation, and gestured to the stool beside him, "I think we're past formalities at this point, don't you?"
Hesitating, the knight slowly took her place next to her king, pushing her sword so that it wouldn't hit the floor suddenly in it'd scabbard. Unsure of where to place their hands they simply placed them on their knees in a posture of discomfort, saying nothing.
"I've missed you, my love." Levi crooned quietly, reaching a hand to caress the thin sliver of skin exposed between helm and neck. "I can't stop thinking of you. Everytime you're forced to go out, I worry you won't return."
"Your worry, Your Highness, is unnecessary. Ain't no one taking me out." The warrior sniffed haughtily, unmoving from her post.
The king's hand fell reluctantly back to the furs he pulled more tightly around himself. "Gaj, Save that talk for battle. Be yourself… please?"
The response came back strained. "Sire, let us stick to our stations, if it's not too bold to say."
"Gajeel." The king grouched again, now trying to remove her ebony head gear, the firelight surrounding the inlaid dragon design and nearly bringing it to truth.
"Levi!" She hissed, catching his hands and placing them back in the rulers lap. "Lily suspects us." The armor around her shoulders shook with emotion. "Don't think he'd say anythin' but… please understand, I have a family ta feed. I can't go off gettin' executed cuz the King won't settle a bride while his whore knight lives."
"Enough." Levi's demeanor shifted slightly, his affection becoming a scold. "I will not allow such talk. Not while I still breath. Not even from you." Gajeel said nothing, the widening of her eyes hidden beneath layers of armor.
"I've been looking into it and... my love, I'm so close to finding a loophole that will allow us to be together. No other woman shall wear the crown of leaves. I swear it." He continued, placing her metal hand on his chest. "The squires shall rue the day they taught me to read, but there will be no doubt that you are my Queen. Not from anyone."
"Who said I wanted ta be Queen?" Her quiet, contemplative voice buzzed against metal. "I wasn't born ta wear dresses'n attend fancy parties."
Levi glared at the knight, nose pinching angrily. "Remove your helm." He ordered, his tone giving Gajeel the chills. She knew she'd gone and said something stupid. With some effort, she tugged her head from the metal casing and deposited it in her lap. She ran a hand through her raven hair, cropped short to lay just above the lip of her gear for safety.
Sure that she looked terrible, all sweaty and unwashed from a hard days work, the knight tried to smooth out her hair and dab at her face with her forearm. Until she realized it was both metal and would not properly meet her face in full armor.
"Look at me," The king asked a little softer this time, guiding her chin with a curled finger. "Now, you know I do more than live lavishly. In fact, if you think I've touched a ground tuber since the famine, you have another thing coming." He coughed then, and Gajeel waited patiently for Levi to continue, eyes lowered in shame.
"I make hard choices, and have to stand by them. Do you understand how taxing it is to tell people there is a drought I can do nothing about?" The ruler rubbed at the tired bags under his eyes then looked up at her. "They all still look to me, expecting some solution from thin air- but there isn't always one to be found."
"Didn't mean anythin' by it." Gajeel grumbled, hastily looking into her lap and examining the firelight dancing around her metal knuckles
"You did, but it's fine. There's nothing saying being king is less noble than being a knight." His pale fingers played with a stray bang that had escaped the others. "I'd be happy to have an accomplished fighter and begrudgingly compassionate woman as the queen of Castle Magnolia."
Gajeel's eyes met his, and while her own were uncertain, the pure warmth and acceptance that met her gaze stole her breath. The king was… undoubtedly handsome, his hazelnut eyes sparkling with firelight and love. His nimble, clever hands reached for her, taking her metal shoulders in his grasp to bend her closer.
"Take this off…" he whispered into the shell of her ear. His sigh was warm just beyond her lobe, tickling the fine hair on her nape.
"Do ya think this is a good idea?" She worried, but her raised heart rate called attention to the spaulders she had just removed with some effort. His grin became devious, his oversized canines shining back at her.
"It's the best idea." He growled, his voice sounding much deeper… almost as if it wasn't his own. "You gonna make me wait, Shrimp?"
Gajeel scoffed playfully while continuing to unhook and discard her armor, the metal falling to the floor with heavy clangs. "Keep it up." She chastised knowingly, the remainder of her armor, the plates running across her thighs and shins appeared large on her, almost as if they'd been made for a person much taller than herself. "I won't be held responsible for what happens should you push me too far."
His eyes widened at that, grin curling even further and his brow furrowing. In the darkness, his hair looked black, shadowy and long around his shoulders. Something about the look seemed peculiar to her, almost as if she was seeing him for the first time… again?
All of this was...so familiar...
"Ohhhohohoooo… are ya gonna get me, Shortstuff?" he teased. Those eyes, they were those of a hunter, crimson, unblinking and overly aware. "Fuck, I'd love it if ya'd try…" Everything about him looked hungry, down to the sharp claws that dug into the furs beneath him.
Stepping out of the remaining gear, Gajeel gingerly climbed onto the bed. The moonlit window she passed made her short hair shine like the morning sky and her tanned skin pale. "You think you're so tough, but I'm not convinced," she said, her quiet grin remaining unbothered by his attempts to rouse her.
An odd feeling settled over her when she spoke, as if she were not herself. Her limbs felt strange, heavy even, but the look the love of her life gave her quieted the anxious bounce of her nerves.
"C'mere… I have a point to prove..." His hands tugged her forward and slid down her bare sides. Where had her under things gone?? "..and I know what you like… Levy."
Their eyes widened together, his salacious grin falling. "...Levy…?"
The stonework. The winter storm. The firelight. Memories... flooding them both.
Their wedding night away in an old-world cottage in the woods. Away from prying eyes.
"How" She said, suddenly panicked, her eyes scrutinizing her surroundings and body trembling but not for the chill of the winter night still howling outside the window. "Why are you here, Gajeel?? You need to leave...NOW!" Levy's heart was pounding, and nervous tears collected in her eyes.
The dragon flew from the bed after her when she slid off and worried her head in her hands. "What is it?" He asked putting hands on her bare shoulders. Gods… feeling her this way… it made him feel whole again.
Levy flinched, her bare feet slapping the stone floor when she turned and took his hands in hers. "Listen There isn't much time! You have to leave right now!! He's coming!"
Gajeel's fists clenched in her hands, and his teeth ground uneasily in his mouth. "Who's comin? I ain't leavin' without you, Shorty." There would be nothing standing between them, and He'd maim anything that tried.
"You don't understand! You have to go right now! He'll…" Levy's eyes bulged, and she roughly grabbed hold of his face and seemed to struggle with her words, breath ragged and forced. Gajeel was about to question her, but her voice managed to choke out despite her numb lips.
"Th-the seed of life! The seed of life!! Protect them! Protect… fr-om hi-him! Gaj! I m-meant to t-tell you! I-" She clutched herself around the middle, openly weeping. "H-have to st-stay! Pro-"
The door burst open, Lu barging in with eyes livid and black gnarled vines creeping round his forearms. A glass of water shattered in his grip and fell to the floor, noxiously fizzing a hole into the stone floor. "COME TO ME, DRAGONKIN!" His smile twisted, elongating into a familiar face-splitting grin.
The world around them began to melt into blackness, Levy's fingers grew sharp, and an angry bellow that reverberated Gajeel's whole body spat from her mouth. "YOU SHAN'T TOUCH HIM, VILE CRETIN."
A hand closed around his wrist when he tried to aid her, and he reflexively swung around with his fist. A silver haired woman caught it easily, and called over his shoulder. "I'VE GOT HIM! GO!"
Levy nodded, not taking her eyes away from the blight snapping in front of her. An inhuman rumbling came from her chest, coal colored scales slid over her skin and she inhaled deeply.
"IRON SHADOW DRAGON'S ROAR!"
A vortex of violently swirling grey and black spewed from her mouth just before black vines wrapped themselves around her shins and climbed her trembling legs. The poisonous plants were everywhere, swallowing the space around her.
"LEVY!!!" Gajeel bellowed, trying to break free of the grip on his arm. To his dismay, he was dragged easily backward into a… hole… in the darkness. "GET YER FUCKIN' HANDS OFFA ME!"
"Language." The silver haired woman chastised him when the void swallowed them up.