A/N a smaller chapter, a huge thank you to Sassykitten1701 who had a good sized hand in the scene between Zen and Kurino. I appreciate those who keep giving me all the great feedback, keeps me at the keyboard!...DESNA
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Once on board the Aisipal Kurino, for the first time since he'd become a knight, gave Zen a direct order that removed him from her side. "Captain, you and your brother will report to the barracks to rest, as the last of my personal guard I want you rested and I don't require your accompaniment aboard this ship." She said firmly, face a mask of calm detachment that alarmed Zen a little.
She hadn't looked at him that way…ever. Like he was no different than any other soldier aboard the ship. He stood, narrowed his eyes on her.
"Kurino.." He began to object, not wanting to leave her side after all she'd just been through. Her eyes flew wide, the Captains mouth falling open at his use of her first name.
"You are my GUARD, you forget your place Captain Pradesh, I am grateful you got me to safety but I do not need a guard at my side aboard this ship now do as you were ordered!" She snarled.
Zens eyes narrowed and she saw the anger ignite in them. For a minute she was standing and they were glaring at each other and he was trying to figure out what the hell had just happened to make her suddenly talk to him like this. He pressed his lips together, but didn't argue, not in front of the captain of the ship, he respected her enough to hold his opinion until they were alone and turned with Vander to follow a crewman to the barracks for the ship.
Kurino watched him walk away and her heart lurched in her chest when he'd turned on his heel and left her. It was curel, what she'd just done, but she had to give him this opening, this chance to walk away, to have a life. She'd monopolized him, not let him start looking at his suddenly wide open world, and it bothered her.
Zen could have any woman, hell the Queen of Joya would have happily taken him to her bed, would have taken Zen and Vander both honestly, but he'd been a slave, locked away from life since he was a baby, he deserved the freedom to choose, to go anywhere he wanted, be anything he wanted to be.
Gods it hurt to watch his eyes blaze with anger and confusion when she'd…belittled him, hell she had too, reduced him to a "guard" but she had to give him a shove back or the mans ferocious loyalty would keep him at her side and he would miss all of the opportunities he deserved so much.
She knew she was right, he had to have space so he could think and he'd realize it, and when he pulled away, she'd let him go, she was too in love with him not to. It was the right thing to do, she was a cold woman, had hurt so many people, she didn't deserve him, couldn't steal him from whatever rich life he was meant to have. His first and final relationship couldn't be with a woman like her.
She turned to the Captain, swallowing hard, steeling herself. "Captain, get us underway for Capresa and show me where I'll be resting." She demanded and the Captain bowed. "Of course your majesty, this way, you'll have my personal quarters, we should arrive in Capresa in about 7 hours."
When Zen and Vander reached the barracks, he met his younger brothers eyes, "Why did she do that? Am I missing something? Help me out Van, I'm new to this…when I was in the coliseum women were just thrown naked into my damn cage and either they wanted to fuck or they didn't, most of the time I didn't say a word, hell half of them didn't even speak common so talking was out anyway…relationships…I'm at a damn loss." He growled.
Vander drew a breath "I wish I knew…no idea why the hell she just…kicked you aside like that…I could go…check on her?" He offered and Zen met his eyes for a moment and the two nodded to each other, Vander vanishing into shadows and immediately tracking the Princess down to the Captains quarters.
As he came into the room he took a spot in the shadows by a chair.
The Princess was on the floor, clutching a com lacrima, sobbing and he recognized the young woman on the small screen, Princess Aldiene, Kurinos younger sister.
"You shouldn't push him away Kurino, I know what you've done, and it was awful but you deserve to be happy, I don't understand…" Aldiene was frowning, worry all over her pretty face. She was married, to a duke in Midi, if Vander remembered right she already had a son too, had had him a year…maybe two ago…he really should keep up on the events of the royal family but he normally just couldn't bring himself to care.
If it weren't for his brother he wouldn't give a damn about Kurino either, he'd seen what she had done to Kaleb and Cristoff both over the last 3 years, especially Cristoff, no marriage offers though, she'd offered Cristoff a position as her consort a few months before he'd been sent to Fiore and had met Lucy.
At least she'd made Zen her suitor, declared him to the King directly as such too, but then she'd all but spat in his face when they had gotten on this ship, she'd acted really strange when they were back at the inn too, got so quiet while they were waiting for the Aisipal.
"I love him! Gods I love him…but I…I sort of swept into his life right after he regained his freedom Ali, I…I wanted him so badly I just monopolized his time, didn't give him a chance to start seeing other women, enjoy his freedom…I swept him into my life and I…it's all too much to put on him, he spent most of his life in a cage…I can't be his first and only relationship…I can't do that to him…I…I manipulated things, you know how I am…" she hiccuped and her sister frowned at her.
"You didn't make him a knight, father said you tried to talk Tesso out of that, and you didn't make him go with you on this trip, and he could have started seeing other women Kurino, you weren't with him every minute of every day I know you weren't because you visited me for a week a couple of months ago and you've taken diplomatic trips and not taken time off from your duties, he's HAD time." Aldiene protested, shaking her head.
She smiled a little then, "You…love him? Gods above Kurino if you love him why on Earthland would you want to push him away from you?" She sighed.
"I told you Ali…because he deserves a life, if he stays at my side…if he decided to…marry me…he'd have so many responsibilities, so many duties, you know how it is…he deserves the freedom he's lived so long without and life as royalty is almost…well, it an honorable Gods gifted never ending mountain of work and drama, courtiers, politicians, He's no experience with these things, doesn't know how hard it can be, I shouldn't have let things get this far, I…I was selfish…but as my suitor, he'll have rights, the Crown will give him freedoms others wouldn't have…I'll be certain of that…If I can get some distance between us, give him space so he can breathe without my crazy life hanging over his…then he can get back to his classes, chasing the dreams I'm sure he had while he was in that damned cage…" She said, hanging her head.
"You should talk to him Kurino, really, you don't know what his dreams are…how do you know what he really wants?" Aldiene asked her.
Kurino heaved a sigh, frowning at her sister "I have spent so much time with him, laid on the grass by a tree behind the White Sea Guild Hall in Pelerno, listened to him talk about what his life was like in the pits, the greatest dream he had was getting home to his family, becoming the Boscan he was born to be, learning and perfecting his magic….he was so certain he never would though, so sure he would die in there, he didn't let himself hope for more, didn't dream beyond that but he can now…it's just, if he's wrapped up in my life how could he?" She drew a breath, settling, sitting on her folded legs.
"All of this will keep him from even…dreaming Ali, you know it did it to me, to you, to Horatio, how could I do that to him? I realize now I just can't…I love him…I want him happy, free. He deserves to fight if we end up fighting Pergrande, and he can, the light chose him for leadership in the knights, he earned that and said he wants it, as a Knight, I'll see to it he gets his chance at the Pergrandian Kings throat…I really will, but while this is happening…I…I'll let him drift away from me, keep it…subtle. I know how to do it, we'll pick up the reserve knights and I'll have him take the command of them but have that division removed from my service when we return to Bosco, I'll assign him to Father, he wanted Zen to begin with but I…I demanded Zen be assigned to me…like a selfish bitch….anyway, in Daddys elite Battalion he'll see the action he wants, get his shot at revenge…and be kept too busy with his duties to worry about me, my mess, and everything around me. He can clear his head, take time to think without me there all the time, if he still wants me…Gods…I'll marry him Ali….but if he finds I'm not what he truly wants he'll be free from there, I'll make sure he's given whatever duty he wants with the knights, if he wants to become a guild mage he can, anything he wants…I'll make sure he gets…but I'm letting him go so he can chose without my influence…"
Vander almost fell out of the shadows hearing it all, he was shocked. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting really, more along the lines of how she'd fucked Zen enough, gotten all she wanted out of him and was working to remove him from her life now, but not this.
She was in love with him? He withdrew further as Kurinos sister tried to talk her out of her plan. The arguments that Kurino deserved happiness fell on deaf ears with Vander, in his mind, she really didn't, at least not at his brothers expense, but she was putting Zen first here…figuring out how to give Zen the time to get clear of her, and Vander and the whole family had been worried about that, about how Zen had not only taken Kurino on at first, but seemed to pursue her, made himself available to her, took every opportunity to see her.
Like Kurino, they worried she was his first relationship, and, considering Kurinos recent history with men, she wasn't exactly the best woman to start with but Zen had ignored the warnings, seemed unconcerned and unconvinced that she was as bad as he was warned she could be.
So, they had respected his choices, he was a grown man, he deserved the right to follow what he wanted, and that seemed to be Kurino, but like the woman herself said, it wasn't like he'd had time to meet anyone else.
So now what did he do? He couldn't lie, lies weren't in his scope of abilities, especially not to family. But he could withhold information. Did he tell Zen everything or just part of it?
He felt like Zen deserved the right to decide for himself, tended to agree with Kurinos sister this was something she should talk to him about instead of just reverting to her manipulative side and forcing what she thought was best on Zen.
Maybe his brother would benefit a lot from that space and time she wanted to give him, maybe he would decide she wasn't what he wanted, maybe he would, she'd said if he still wanted her she'd fucking marry him.
That also floored him, the woman wasn't trying to use his brother, that much was clear, she was in love with him, wanted him happy, and was willing to give all she was and use every bit of her power and influence to assure his happiness whether it was with her or not, he couldn't fault that…much as he didn't care for Kurino, he damn sure appreciated what she was willing to do for his brother. Still…Zen should know, she should talk to him…
Which left him hovering trying to figure out what the hell to do. Ultimately…Zen deserved to know why Kurino was pushing him away, and the reason wasn't that she was done with him, had used him and was tired of him, which he was certain Zen was worried about because it had been the first thing to come into his own mind when Kurino had kicked him aside like she had.
So he left Kurino, who was finishing her conversation with her sister and apparently preparing to go speak with the ships Captain about having someone get her clothing in Capresa.
When he stepped from the shadows in the barracks he wasn't surprised to see Zen leaning against the bunk they were assigned glaring out a window.
He spun as soon as Vander appeared. "Well?"
"She thinks you…need space, that you two have come together too fast and too soon after you got home…she isn't tired of you though, doesn't want to end things…just…I don't know man…thinks you should take time and think about things, she was crying like crazy to her sister on the Com, told her all of that, how she feels like she trapped you and shit. But Big brother…the womans ready to marry you, she said so, she's just…fucked up about it all." It didn't come out well, he wasn't sure he'd related it well at all but Vander was a spy, not a mindbender like fucking Kaleb. Holy Hell he wished their older brother were there, Kaleb would cut right through all of this shit in a hurry.
Zen frowned. "She trying to push me away to…give me space and time to think? She just lost a lot of people she cared about, people that were like family to her…she can't be thinking clearly…and I don't WANT space and time to think, I want to be with her damn it….shit, I thought I was pretty obvious about what I wanted…she didn't trap me…damn it where the hell is she?!" He demanded, starting for the stairs. Vanders eyes widened, barging into the Captains quarters on the crown Princess wasn't a smart thing to do on a Boscan military ship, Zen could get himself killed.
"Wait! Zen! You can't just…fuck!" Vander was after his brother, who really didn't need to be told where Kurino was, his damn nose told him that, he could smell her, and followed her sweet scent straight to the front of the ship.
He stormed right past the Captain of the ship, ignoring the mans protest that the Princess wanted to be left alone and went down the stairs and kicked the door open.
Kurino whirled and he met wide green eyes a little swollen, a little reddened from obvious crying were wide and for a moment, painfully wanting him, he saw it flash through those green depths before she slammed a frigid mask over her face and the hungry need turned to ice.
"Captain, you should be resting…" She began.
"How can I rest when you just belittled me and kicked me aside like I don't mean anything to you Kurino?!" He demanded, saying her name loudly enough that Vander ducked his head as he was intercepting the Captain who was hurrying after Zen, making the Captain gape at him in shock and Zen heard Vander shoot to the Captains side, lean in and whisper to the man, heard his "He's her suitor, acknowledged by the king himself…stay out of this if you value your neck." And added yet another thing he owed Vander to the growing list.
The Captains mouth snapped shut and he waved a hand at the men who had started forward and everyone backed off as the Captain whispered back "Thank you for telling me…"
"Captain Pradesh, you will remember your place, I am still your Crown Princess, you will not address me…" She started and he cut her off.
"Kurino, your damn name is Kurino, your own father told me I could call you that and, to watch out for how manipulative you could be, well you're up to something and I'm not letting you manipulate me Kurino, I never have before and I'm not about to now." He snapped, closing the distance finally and standing right in front of her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about! I want you rested, I don't need you at my side now, you'll receive appropriate assignment after we pick up the knights in Capresa and return to Bosco, until then, in light of what happened with the Golden Swans crash and me losing 67 people, the assignments existing before those people died are null and void, new orders will be decided in Bosco when we get there, until then, you are Captain Pradesh, a Knight of the order under my command and you will respect order from me!" She snarled at him.
"Bullshit." Zen snapped leaning in close, his eyes fiery with defiance and fury "You're up to something, I'm your suitor Kurino, your own father acknowledged that, you will not kick me to the curb and put distance between us, not now, not when you need me most." He told her and her eyes flew wide for just a moment, long enough for him to see the desperation there before the ice came back.
"How DARE you speak to me that way! I don't need you! I am the Crown Princess of Bosco, the future Queen! I decide where you will be!" She shouted at him and every man and woman within earshot cringed, Vander had pulled the door closed and stood outside keeping the Captain and crew at bay.
"And I'm the man you asked to be your suitor, the man who's shared your bed and kept you from Pergrandian Berserkers, the same one that until today you never let yourself get far from my side. What the hell are you trying to do? No more bullshit Kurino, I won't hear any more lies from you." He warned and her eyes flashed in fury.
"I am trying to let you live your damn life! I have not lied you arrogant ass, I do not LIE, I am your Commanding officer Zen Pradesh! Don't you dare threaten me!" She shouted back at him.
"I am living my life! Or trying to, until you went frosty bitch as soon as we set foot on the deck of this ship. Answer the question Kurino, what are you trying to do? Because until today you've done nothing but angle things so I could be with you, why the sudden change, the Captain out there a lover?" Zen demanded.
Vander watched the Captain blanch and shake his head rapidly waving his hands at the gathered crewmen and starting to send them on their way.
Kurino narrowed her eyes "Is that what you think? You can't believe I would be true to a suitor? How many times do I have to say I regret what I did before? You won't ever believe me will you? Damn you Zen, You were in a cage for 22 years! You have dreams! You deserve to chase them, dream more and chase those too but I got in the way. I saw you and just…couldn't turn away, I wanted you, at first it was just pure lust, I admit it, I just wanted to fuck you, ride you until you could breathe, but you stood up to me…made me think about what I was doing…made me realize just how badly my ambitions had turned. I couldn't stop then, I monopolized your time, never gave you time to look at other women, pursue anything because I was chasing after you. You need time away from me, to think, to be yourself without me holding you back." She said, waving her hands.
"You didn't monopolize my time, I didn't have to go to that tree every damn day, I made the choice to be there and where the fuck do you get off making choices like that for me?! What if I don't WANT time away from you, what if I say I don't need to think about anything?!" He moved toward her and she glared at him, reaching to the side and shoving the captains desk between them.
"You keep your distance! You haven't had a chance to experience life, you haven't even toured Bosco, I took up your time every chance I got and I'm your damn Princess! That's where the fuck I get off making choices for other people!" She hissed. Zen grabbed the desk and hurled it aside, lunging at her and she dove aside, slamming a wingchair between them and glaring at him.
"You don't make life decisions for me Kurino, I make those choices myself and if I want to be with you that's MY choice, unless you're telling me we're through, I'm staying with you and if you say we're through? I'm calling your father and getting him involved." He smirked, knowing that would get to her.
It did, her eyes flew wide and she just seethed "You wouldn't DARE! Why can't you see this is the best thing?" She demanded. Shocked he'd threaten her with her own father.
"Because it's a stupid idea Kurino! You and I are good together! You said yourself I make you feel safe!" He snarled ripping the chair from her grasp and lunging for her but she sidestepped him, hooked his ankle with her foot and rounded shoving him forward so her stumbled into a dresser and she moved back behind the slightly damaged desk grinning at him darkly.
"How does this help you? Damn it woman, don't you want me?" He demanded and she glared at him.
"Of course I do! I'm in love with you you jackass! I just don't want you regretting a life you could have had if I hadn't kept you from it, what sort of idiot goes from a lifetime in a cage to chaining himself to someone?!" She demanded.
"Being with you isn't chaining me Kurino! What sort of fool would walk away from a woman that made them feel free? You…wait…you love me?" He blinked, suddenly realizing what she'd said. Her eyes flew wide, realizing she'd said it.
"Yes! That's why I want you to consider your options, dream! Live the freedom you fought so hard to live for!" She cried.
"You make me feel free Kurino YOU! I don't want any time away from you I want MORE time with you if anything were to change damn it now come here!" He demanded and she lifted her chin defiantly.
"One word and I can have you tossed in the brig, I can make you do this Zen, don't make me take drastic measures to help you." She warned.
He glared at her, crossing the room "You will NOT keep me away damn you…I'm not losing you, I won't let you push me away right after I've realized what love even IS, what I feel for you, nothing, not even you will keep me away now that I know!"
She dodged again, but he cut her off so she flew at him, trying to take him to the floor but she couldn't get him off balance and when she got her hands onto his shirt she felt the heat of his body through the fabric, was close enough to see the gold in his eyes her whole body flared into fire and she twisted, lunged in and kissed him, she couldn't stop herself.
His hands were fisted in the back of her sweater, prepared to rip her off of him, but instead pulled her in and pressed her against him, groaning when her teeth bit his lower lip making him suck in a breath but he thrust forward into the kiss, met her tongue before it could take his mouth.
The heat, the spark that had always been between them turned into a blaze and the sound of ripping cloth could be heard even beyond the closed cabin door.
They were trying so hard to over power each other, their bodies rolling together in smooth movements before Zen spun around, slamming her into the wall of the cabin, not aware that it was actually the door, and not hearing the yelp that came from his brother on the other side.
Ripping his mouth from hers he was quick to tear the rest of her clothes from her, even as she did the same to him, bearing her to his hands as he tore his mouth from hers, nipping his way across her jaw and down to her neck, sinking his teeth into the skin there, marking her. Lifting his head, he met her lust filled eyes with his own, a low groan escaping him as he reached down to wrap her legs around him, pulling her tighter to him.
"You are mine Kurino, I don't want anyone else, and I swear here and now that if you ever, EVER fucking pull a stunt like that again, you WILL suffer the consequences of it." Zen stated firmly, pressing his straining erection against the heat that was drenching him in her essence. He smirked at the sight of the fury that flashed hotly into her eyes at his words.
"You would dare to threaten me, your future Queen?!" She demanded, clutching a handful of hair and yanking his head back.
"No, not threaten, it's a promise. You're not just my future Queen Kurino, you're my lover, my friend, my partner, my EQUAL, you're my future and I'll be damned if you're going to make choices for me without speaking to me first, especially concerning what we have. Do you understand me Kurino?" He demanded, using her name over and over driving home that piece of possession he had over her, stilling his movements, letting what she wanted tease her with being just at her fingertips. She grit her teeth, determined to not let herself crumble completely.
"Why couldn't you just let me do this for you?" She whispered, her eyes narrowing at him.
"Because I found my freedom with you, and I'm not about to lose it now." Zen stated with a small smile, and before she could say something in return, he pulled back, drawing a keening cry from her as the head of him trailed along her drenched heat, and in one fluid, hard stroke, he sank into her, his groan and her cry of pleasure mixing together even as her head slammed back into the door.
Setting a hard pace, he lowered his mouth to her shoulder, setting his teeth against her skin in another mark, sucking hard until her blood was drawn to the surface. The hard pace he set had the door rocking in its frame, and as he slid his hands down to massage her ass and grip it tightly, he angled her hips to drive into her better. Feeling her come undone around him had him moving faster, and the pain of Kurinos nails digging into his skin mixed erotically with the pleasure drowning him. Each pleasure filled cry spilling from her lips had him punctuating his thrusts with a hard push against that spot inside of her that had her clutching at him tighter.
"Z-Z-Zen I-I'm gon-gonna-" She stammered, her breath erratic and harsh, whimpers escaping between each word.
"That's right Kurino!" Zen snarled, pressing into her harder, gripping her tighter. Lifting one hand to bury it into her hair, he yanked her head to the side sucking on the skin below her ear, leaving another vivid mark behind. Easing back ever so slightly, he growled against her skin, delighting in the shiver and goosebumps he felt explode against her twitching skin. "Fucking cum for me, I want to feel it!" He ended on a roar, the feel of her climax tightening so much around him that he was torn over the edge with her. He gave her everything he had, his teeth gritted as he kept his gaze on her own, feeling something click further into place for him. He could feel every tremble, every shiver against him as she rode her high. He had thought she'd be done, but he was oh so wrong.
He was still buried inside of her, still hard, still craving her, and trying to catch his breath, forming ideas of what he would do next when he found himself suddenly flung across the cabin, landing hard on the bed that had managed to be kept in one piece. He landed with a harsh curse and before he could roll to his feet, he felt the air get driven from his lungs as he was pinned, mounted, and slammed down onto, as he gasped out in surprise, Kurino taking her turn in claiming him.
He met her gaze defiantly, panting, reaching to grip her hips once more, only to have her slam his hands into place at his sides. She lifted up slowly, ever so slowly, and with a knowing smirk, slammed back down, driving the air from his lungs again, and causing his head to fly back into the pillows with a loud growl.
Leaning down, she bit into his shoulder, leaving her own mark before beginning a punishing pace with her hips, feeling his growls and curses drive her lust higher. This time when she felt him grip her hips, and bend his knees to brace her, she didn't argue, instead she leaned back to put herself on display for him, driving him further mad with desire.
"Gods, yes Zen, fuck me!" She moaned, gripping his hands and hanging on as his grip tightened and started pulling her down onto him faster and harder, driving them further.
"That's it, take what you want, make me yours Kurino!" Zen groaned, each move pushing them further up the bed until with one last push he sat up to tangle his hands into her hair once more, yanking her down to crush his lips to hers. Another moment had his back pressing against the headboard as she continued to ride him. Letting his head fall back, he saw the lust filled face and knew that he would never be able to leave her. How she'd ever thought he could was beyond him.
"Mine alone Zen, only ever mine!" Kurino cried out, reaching out to grip the headboard, slamming her hips down onto him harder, driving them both higher. They knew what this was. Kurino couldn't avoid it.
This was instinctual, this was emotionally driven lust, finally, most importantly this was acknowledgment of something that they hadn't even realized had been happening from the first time they met. As the tension snapped with one last thrust, screams and roars of pleasure erupted through the ship, they could finally accept that through everything they had found the thing they're always wanted.
They loved each other.
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There were calls made, unhappy ones, and Lucy saw what a family like Cristoffs could do unfold. Arrangements were made, rough ones she wasn't sure she was happy with, but after sitting down with her friends and husband, with Arman on the Lacrima, she knew the right choices had been made. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle it, but they were moving forward.
Lucy and would board the Aisipal with Cristoff and fly to Bosco. She was a citizen of Bosco through her marriage to Cristoff, and as such, because she was over 15 and a mage, automatically enlisted in the military.
While Cristoffs division was the royal guard, the knights frequently contracted mages to assist in operations, so Lucys commission to the royal guard was already being taken to Tesso to be signed and approved. She would serve alongside her husband, as his wife, she had the right because he was a Dragon Slayer, and while rare, Bosco had provisions for them and their special needs. Cristoff was a healer, and while he had fought in the front lines on many occasions, that had always been by choice.
He didn't have to. He could remain back and handle the wounded and Lucy could assist in that, or, if they had to fight, well, she could do that as well.
There was no guarantee there would be fighting at all, right now, the knights were being recalled as a precautionary measure, a just in case. So the whole thing could end in them returning home soon just a little shaken.
She wasn't afraid for herself, or Cristoff, she had immense confidence in them as a couple, she was even hoping to see some combat, Draco hadn't had a chance to stretch his claws for her, and she was excited to work with him. She just wasn't sure about being away from Layla, who was going to stay with Arman.
Her grandfather was happy to take her, and stepped in to help make everything come together so Lucy and Cristoff wouldn't be separated. Yes they had been mated for a while, and handled being apart while they were on jobs fine, but this was different.
The uncertainty here made it so the worry and anxiety would hamper them both through the bond they shared. They were stronger together, they had fought side by side before, though not since they had become mated, Tesso though, knowing Cristoff and suspecting Lucy had to be strong, accepted it all without question, reminded of Cristoffs magic and the laws that were in place regarding handling Dragon Slayers.
Layla was Lucys concern, the child had never spent a night without one of her parents, and while Arman was well experienced handling children, and would have Cristoffs sister Xally there helping him, along with his house staff, which really was a lot more hands looking after her than she was used to, and Lucy knew Arman would spoil her rotten, dote on her, take her everywhere and she'd be lavished with attention, she was going to miss her.
Freed, Levy and Gajeel were already aboard a ship bound for Bosco with Layla, taking her to Arman since they weren't sure where the Aisipal was going, they knew it was eventually going to Bosco, but Tesso said it might get into combat in route, it was a high speed gunship, one of the best in the fleet, Layla couldn't be on it.
So now Lucy was arching herself into Cristoff, letting her husband take her ability to think from her with his body, something he was so very good at. He held her hips, pulling her against him as he leaned over her from behind, his hips pitoning against her even as his body covered hers and his hands slid from her, reaching down, hands coming beside hers on the mattress. They fit together perfectly, he was just that much bigger than her that this position was always so intensely satisfying, she felt enveloped in him, one of his hands lifted to slid between her breasts, cup one and start massaging the sensitive flesh.
It was that little bit more she'd needed and her body erupted around him, drawing a snarl of her name from him as she cried out an unintelligible version of his.
They collapsed together to the bed, Lucy immediately pressing back into him, needing him close. "We'll be together again soon honey…whatever happens, we have a baby, the Knights honor family, they'll keep you and I from the front lines and send us home to her, at most it will be a month. Dad will be just delighted having her that long." He said softly, but his own eyes were troubled, he didn't like being separated from Layla any more than Lucy did, he loved his daughter and wanted to be with her, wanted their family to be together.
"I love you, I love that you moved to Magnolia, that you joined Fairy Tail, that you made a home for us in Fiore even though you have built a life in Bosco before you met me. I know you made those choices because you love me, but I can't ever tell you how much it all meant to me that you did." Lucy said quietly and Cristoff smiled, nuzzling into her neck.
"I have my family, you have yours, mine we're a part of without a guild seal or residency, so, to keep the relationships you had with yours, we needed to live in Fiore, I got it, understood it, you can thank Bixy and Laxus for that, I learned it from them before I ever met you, what Fairy Tail meant to them, it means to you, and now to me, I want our children to know it too, so it was the right choice." He said softly, and she nodded.
"We should get a shower and get dressed, it's getting late, the Aisipal will be into port soon and we'll be expected aboard quickly when it gets here." He told her and Lucy nodded, sliding from the bed with him to join him in the shower. No matter what happened, they had each other, their families, and a daughter to get home to.