Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or Scarlet Heart Ryeo
"Court Lady Aquarius," Lucy jogged to catch up to her superior, who was walking at very slow pace, an arm wrapped her waist, seemingly in discomfort. "I never really go to say this earlier, but thank you for stepping in. I don't know what I would have said to the Queen if you hadn't shown up. What actually happened was-"
She was cut off as Aquarius' hand suddenly flew out to slap her cheek. With the blow, Lucy accidentally dropped the basket in her hands, the teacups falling to shatter across the stone path they were walking on.
The blonde tentatively reached up to run her fingers over her cheek, her eyes wide with surprise at what her superior had just done.
"I told you to stay away from the Crown Prince. There's no end to your arrogance. I never should have taken you in. I regret it."
Lucy hesitantly looked up at Aquarius's face. Her expression was fierce, but her eyes seemed slightly pained.
Her superior wasn't telling her something, but the blonde had no idea as to what it was.
A single tear slipped from Lucy's eye, her irritation at the unfairness of this place and time rising as she shakily breathed out, "Court Lady Aquarius. What…what have I done so wrong? You make medicinal herbs for the Crown Prince. So why is it so wrong when I do it? I know how to help him, so I can't just ignore him. You lecture me and punish me more than any other court lady. I can't figure out why, no matter how much I think about it!"
Aquarius clenched her jaw, her eyes beginning to quiver slightly, "You don't know what the palace is like!"
"No, I don't know," Lucy admitted, her voice slightly choked with her growing fury. "So why don't you teach me instead of expecting me to know what to do and then punishing me when I get something wrong?! I…" more angry tears began streaming down her cheeks, "I feel like all of this is so unfair. I'm always trying so hard to just get through all of this…So why is it that you hate me so much?!"
All of the resentment disappeared from Aquarius' face, and her voice was uncharacteristically weak as she clenched her hand in front of her stomach and breathed out, "Because when I look at you…I'm reminded of myself."
Lucy couldn't help but be taken aback when tears began streaming down her superior's face.
The blue haired court lady inhaled shakily, her expression uncharacteristically solemn, "You trust others and help people without fearing the consequences. A girl like you…shouldn't be trapped in this palace. A girl like you could be killed without hesitation for her kindhearted actions. That's why…that's why I can't let you make mistakes. I-"
Aquarius cut herself off with a restrained whimper as she suddenly fell forward onto her knees, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
"Court Lady Aquarius!" Lucy's eyes were wide as she hurriedly kneeled next to her superior, catching her upper body as the woman lost consciousness. "Court Lady Aquarius! H-help! Somebody help!"
When Lucy entered Aquarius' room later that evening, the woman was awake and seemed to be in less pain.
The blonde smiled gently at her as she set her tray on the table next to the bed, "Are you feeling better?"
"What happened?"
Lucy tentatively sat next to the woman, "You had severe stomach pains, so you lost consciousness. The doctor snuck out of the Cheondokjeon Palace to see you."
"He did?" Aquarius swallowed heavily, "Does anyone else know?"
The blonde shook her head, "Don't worry. I'll keep it a secret." She reached for the small table and pulled it so that it rested in front of Aquarius, "This is pine nut porridge. The doctor said that it helps with stomach pains and should be alright to eat. He also said that you should eat more than just plain porridge from now. Your stomach pains were caused by your lack of proper meals."
"I'm alright," the woman started, her eyes avoiding Lucy's. "So you can leave."
The girl grinned softly, "I'm not leaving just yet. I'm going to stay and make sure you finish eating. I'll only go once it's all gone."
"Don't be stubborn. I'm your superior, and I told you to leave. So go."
Lucy shook her head again, "Speaking to me like that won't work."
Aquarius quirked a brow, "What?"
The blonde sighed, picking up the bowl of porridge and a wooden spoon, "I know why you treated me the way that you did all this time. You were worried that I'd make a mistake and be executed…and you treated the cut on my wrist. You said that I remind you of yourself, Court Lady Aquarius. You've been able to survive in this palace for so long, so…I'll follow your example, and be very careful, just like you," she smiled brightly at her superior. "And maybe you could learn something from me then in exchange. You should learn to depend on others when you can't carry your burdens yourself. It's okay to be weak sometimes…that's what makes us human."
Lucy held the bowl out to Aquarius, "Please eat." When the woman only gave her a blank stare, the blonde pursed her lips, "Come on. My arm hurt so much from grinding up the pine nuts."
Aquarius accepted the bowl with a small laugh. She choked slightly after taking her first spoonful, "You call this porridge?"
Despite its imperfections, the court lady finished the porridge, not leaving even a drop behind.
Loke watched on worriedly as his father shakily made his way to a standing position, only to lower himself to kneel before the small temple once again.
The King had been repeating the action for hours, the sun beating down on him mercilessly the entire time. Igneel was growing old, and Loke knew that his body wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer.
But Igneel was a King devoted fully to his people, and they were in desperate need of rain. So he repeated his prayer over and over, pleading with the heavens to send them relief.
Loke rushed to steady his father when the King suddenly faltered as he tried to stand.
"Your Majesty, why don't we let one of princes take your place?" Gildarts suggested eagerly from his spot among the royal advisors that had accompanied the King to the temple. "If one whose energy overflows with water were to lead the ritual, the people would surely understand."
Igneel leaned heavily on Loke as he shakily breathed out, "The Crown Prince is gone…so who would be worthy of such a task?"
"The King has ordered each of you to place the plaques with your names inscribed on them in this vase. His Majesty will draw one from it, relying on the will of the heavens to guide the correct plaque into his hand, and the prince whose plaque is chosen by the heavens will lead the rain ritual," Gildarts informed the princes, a pleasant smile on his face. "There will be no objections, though I can't imagine why there would be any. To conduct the rain ritual is a great honor, and you should feel proud to have been allowed the opportunity."
There was a loud clanking sound as Gajeel violently dumped his wooden plaque inside the vase, glaring at Gildarts the entire time.
The astronomer only continued to smile pleasantly at him as he remarked, "Oh, Prince Gajeel. You were born in the year of the dog. A worthy candidate."
The Ninth Prince only sighed irritably through his nose before stomping away.
Gray stepped up to the table next, clutching his wooden plaque nervously as he leaned in close to the astronomer, his eyebrows furrowed as he pleaded, "Gildarts, can't you just leave me out?"
"Pardon?"
"I…I don't like being included in these things. What if I'm picked and people criticize me? That wouldn't be fun at all…"
"Gray, life can't always be easy," Sting took his younger brother's plaque from his hands, dropping it into the vase along with his own. The raven haired prince stared after his plaque sadly, a pout forming on his face as Sting dragged him away by his arm.
Jellal sighed heavily as his plaque joined the others, "Regardless of who's picked, rainfall is what's most important."
"I wasn't old enough to remember the last time the King held a rain ritual. What happens if it doesn't rain?" Loke asked curiously as he dropped his own plaque into the vase.
Laxus smirked, chuckling to himself, "You die. That's what happens."
The orange haired prince's eyes widened, "Die?"
"Before this nation was founded, the people killed the royal family themselves if they were unhappy with their way of life," Laxus stated coldly as he slid his plaque into the vase. "It is said that they were used as sacrifices, and the people offered their blood in exchange for a downpour. So if you're picked and you don't succeed in bringing the rain…you'll be slaughtered for sure."
Laxus' smirk only grew as he saw the fear that surfaced in some of his brothers' expressions, particularly Gray and Loke's.
"G-Gildarts!" the raven haired prince ran over to the astronomer, clutching onto the sleeve of the man's hanbok desperately. "You have to take my name out!"
"If it really is like Laxus said," Gajeel began, his expression uncharacteristically showing slight concern, "the whole nation will be angry if it doesn't rain…so how can we survive that?"
The room's occupants were all solemn after his question, none daring to answer it. Even Laxus' amusement at his brothers' fear faded as he allowed his thoughts to be consumed by the fact that he, too, was at risk.
They sat in unsettled silence for a moment before Natsu thoughtfully remarked, "It won't rain because of the rain ritual…you perform the rain ritual until it rains." They all looked to him with furrowed brows as he continued, "A person can't control the will of heavens. You just need to make it look that way."
All of the King's royal advisors had accompanied Igneel to the temple once again, though they remained at the base of the stairs that led up to the small structure, their heads bowed respectfully as the King prayed in preparation.
The princes stood in two lines along the sides of the stairs, waiting nervously for the King to rise and draw a wooden plaque from the vase that Gildarts held in his arms.
There was a collective intake of breath as Igneel finally stood, and the astronomer carefully removed the lid of the vase, bowing his head as the King reached inside.
Some of the princes watched on solemnly, their expression showing only acceptance. But others, like Gray and Gajeel, seemed to be praying to the heavens that that their plaque wouldn't be picked.
When the plaque became visible as he withdrew his hand, Igneel clutched his fingers around it tightly, unsure of how to feel about the name that was written on it.
He breathed out heavily as he turned to face his sons, his eyes zeroing in on the prince that the heavens had chosen, "Fourth Prince, Natsu."
The princes all looked to said prince, different mixtures of surprise, gratitude, pity, and envy on their faces.
"W-what?" Natsu's eyes widened a fraction, his expression otherwise blank. He couldn't fathom why the heavens chose him. The people of Ishgar saw him as a demon, but now he was expected to save them from their suffering.
The King's advisors seemed to be in disbelief as well, muttering amongst themselves as they looked between Igneel and Natsu.
"It is heavens' will," the King stated, "Tomorrow, we will hold the rain ritual, and you will lead it."
Natsu and Gildarts remained at the temple long after everyone else had left, Natsu to do some praying of his own and Gildarts to keep the Fourth Prince company.
"Does it make any sense that I was chosen?" Natsu suddenly asked, his hands fisting in the skirt of his hanbok as he kneeled in front of the temple.
"I suppose the heavens felt that you were necessary," Gildarts' lips quirked in a small smile. "There's no need to worry, Your Highness. And it isn't good to doubt yourself."
The salmon haired prince sighed heavily, acceptance flashing across his face, "You're right. I was chosen by the heavens…so I should be fine."
Despite Gildarts' reassurances, Natsu couldn't help but still feel unnerved at the prospect of leading the rain ritual as Laxus' words from earlier resurfaced in his mind.
"Before this nation was founded, the people killed the royal family themselves if they were unhappy with their way of life. It is said that they were used as sacrifices, and the people offered their blood in exchange for a downpour. So if you're picked and you don't succeed in bringing the rain…you'll be slaughtered for sure."
AN
Oooo...some exciting stuff is coming up! The next five or six chapters contain some of my favorite moments from the show, including the rain ritual. So I'm very excited for you all to read them!
I think everything in this chapter was pretty clear, but let me know if you would like me to clarify something that doesn't quite make sense. I've been immersed in Korean culture for a while and I've seen Scarlet Heart Ryeo several times, so I'm not always positive about what I should explain because it's all so familiar to me. Plus, I could talk about this show and even just Korea in general for days, so don't be afraid to ask me questions! I'll do my best to answer them without spoiling anything :)
Thank you so much for reading!