A Road Less Travelled

by Desna

A noted Archaeologist has made a major discovery but needs keypieces recovered that are scattered all over Earthland. Team Natsu and the Raijinshuu join forces to recover the Keypieces and hope to bring home a lot of jewel, find excitement and a once in a life time chance to see more of Earthland, and maybe, find new friends and some romance along the way.

26. Chapter 26 The Golden Fire Salute

"Zen…seriously bro, you need to…holy shit this room is fucking wrecked…" Zen shifted carefully, smiling faintly when Kurino whined in protest at his slight movement away from her. Vander stood by the door, looking around the devastated cabin shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Zen pressed his lips together, realizing just how violently he and Kurinos…talk…had been.

Vander reached down and picked up the white shirt, ripped in half, he had been wearing and Zen closed his eyes.

"Damn it." He said quietly. Disentangling himself from Kurino who made another indignant whimpering sound but accepted him pulling the blankets around her as he slid from the bed, not quite waking.

Vander now had his jeans, which, aside from the missing button, were still in tact, his boxer briefs he spotted also shredded by the broken desk against the far wall.

"Think this is the sole survivor from your already non-existant wardrobe brother dear." Vander chuckled, handing him the jeans which Zen snatched from him.

"The leather armor is still in the bag, mind getting that for me?" He asked. Vander smirked "What? Don't want to walk out on deck half naked after the show you two have put on for the last…shit…four hours?" he snickered.

Zen glared at him, shoving the man hard enough he staggered a step but Vander vanished, leaving the room as he'd entered via the shadows, partly because it was faster, partly because Zen had screwed up the doorframe when he'd kicked the door in initially and now the door was jammed shut from Vanders efforts to try and at least keep the members of the crew from seeing any of what they were hearing.

Zen picked up the green sweater he'd bought Kurino in Lauren and sighed, he'd torn it from her body and there was no way it was going to serve as clothing again. He was hoping she still had her veil dress in her requip holding because if she didn't…her jeans were ruined too, he'd been…well, she'd gotten him worked up, not like his clothes had faired a lot better under her hands.

He looked over to where she lay on the, he winced…broken…bed, they had broken the beds frame, she'd cracked the headboard in half when she'd been on top of him, he'd felt it give but had been too consumed in her to think about it, he remembered moving away from the broken pieces though, rolling with her to the foot of the bed, where they had clearly broken the footboard, he did remember bracing himself using that as he'd driven into her from behind, remembered it coming apart in his hands so he'd drug her from the bed and bent her over the desk…that was not in better shape than the bed against the opposite wall.

The room looked like a tornado filled with rabid beasts had gone through it.

Glancing down he smiled faintly, seeing Kurinos bite marks on his chest, he knew he had them on his neck and plenty of claw marks on his back as well, the skin was bruised from more than one hicky around the eagle on his right hip too.

Looking at her again his eyes softened satisfaction filling him seeing she sported his own marks on her smooth skin, well up her neck, she wouldn't be able to hide them, which had been part of why he'd done it, her attempt at distancing him, pushing him away and denying them had infuriated him and deeper down…terrified him.

He'd barely figured out his feelings for her were more than just friendship, barely started embracing that idea and letting himself enjoy it and she had tried to push him away.

Smiling faintly he remembered her unintentional confessions of love for him, her desires for them as a couple. He shared them, though he hadn't said so, he'd been to angry, to determined to get across to her he wouldn't let her walk away from what they had barely started building.

That and letting her know she wouldn't be making choices for him, she'd damned well talk to him in the future.

Vander returned, their meager bags in his hands.

She has another sweater in here but I think she'd do better with my black shirt considering you ruined the button and zipper on her jeans…" He snickered. Zen rolled his eyes at Vander, snatching the bag containing his leathers from him and dressing, grimacing a little at the initial stiffness of the pants, they'd been rinsed out but he needed to clean them properly and get some oil into the leather, it had endured one hell of a flight through a snow storm. Kurino stirred, opening her eyes and looking up at the two men, Vander rifling through a couple of bags and helping Zen apparently search for clothes for her.

Zen in his black leather again, she smiled faintly, knowing she'd ruined the clothes he'd been wearing but she didn't feel the least bit bad about it, he wanted her…he'd made it very clear he wanted nothing at all to do with being separated from her, didn't want to think or have time, he'd called her his freedom.

Her heart about sang in her chest, he'd not directly said he loved her, but he'd implied it and if he needed more time to get comfortable with that, she'd give him that gladly, he knew she loved him, she blushed a little remembering all she'd told him.

He hadn't shrunk away from any of it though, hadn't even flinched when she'd said she wanted to marry him.

"Fuck bro…is there a piece of furniture in here you two didn't break?" Vander asked with a chuckle and Kurino looked around the room then, worrying her lower lip, good Gods she and Zen had just…devastated the captains quarters.

"Shut up. We were working through some things." Zen snapped and Vander smiled "yeah you were, you fucked your way through a bed, a desk, and what the hell happened to that chair?"

"Shut it Van." Zen snapped again.

"Hey you owe me, seriously, I want like a case of X710 spiced red for holding the Captain and crew off while you and the Princess…worked through some things." He grinned.

"Merlot, Burgundy or Pinot Noir?" Kurino asked, sitting up, not bothering to try and cover herself, Vander had already seen every inch of her in the baths aboard the Golden Swan when they had entertained the Joyan Queen.

"Burgundy, the Merlot tasted like crap that year." Vander replied grinning at her.

Zen came and sat on the edge of the bed, handing her Vanders black silk shirt and the last bag from the clothing store he'd hastily grabbed in Lauren hoping she could put something together.

Kurino slid forward and wrapped her arms around him from behind, getting up on her knees so she could push her face into his hair.

"We'll owe the captain a case too." Zen chuckled.

"I'll get him three if he wants them…we really messed this room up…" She giggled, it was a real one too, she was just…happy, a heavy worry had been lifted right off of her, Zen had just taken hold of her doubts and fears and ripped them right out of her grasp, placing himself firmly in their place.

"Understatement. How far are we from Capresa?" He asked. Vander shrugged, trying, but failing, to get the wing chair to stand upright so instead he seated himself on the edge of the broken desk.

" bout two hours give or take, the Aisipal is at full speed according to the Captain so we're hauling ass." He replied.

Kurino had happily discovered Zen hadn't only bought her one set of underwear and was putting on a pale blue set of panties and a matching bra before she pulled on her jeans, using a sleeve torn from Zens ruined white shirt as a belt to hold them up and buttoning up the black silk shirt.

She'd about be willing to kill for a hairbrush; her fingers were hardly enough to handle her thick waist length black hair but she did her best. Finally sitting beside Zen. She frowned then, going over to the desk and reaching past Vander, who didn't bother to move out of the way, the desk broken like it was he had little space to work with in the first place.

She pulled a sheet of paper from the drawer, found a pen and stared writing things down on the paper, Vander looked over her shoulder curiously.

"A shopping list?" He asked and she nodded. "Yes, unlike you two I am easily recognized so I'll have to get someone…not you…you did fine in Lauren and I'm grateful, but I need some things I'd rather not send either of you after." Kurino said wryly looking at Zen and Zen and Vander both shrugged, neither overly concerned. Shopping for a woman wasn't high on either mans lists of things they wanted to be doing.

"Ok, well, I'm going to get a nap in before we reach Capresa because I NEED some things while we're there and want to be awake enough to fucking find them." Vander said, standing from the desk and vanishing leaving a few dissipated curls of shadow in his wake.

Zen watched Kurino silently, the faint smile on her lips and flushed happy look on her face warming him. He wouldn't dwell on how close they had just come to parting ways, he didn't want to think about it.

He just hoped he'd made it clear he wouldn't let it happen well enough she'd never entertain the idea again.

"You should go with Vander, he'll know where the good stores are, I've sent him to Capresa myself on a couple of missions so I know he knows the city." Kurino said, looking up at him.

"I'll go with him to get some clothes maybe, I do need some." He kicked his ruined jeans lazily and she smirked but her smile fell and she came back to him, not bothering to sit next to him, instead pushing him back so he laid back on the bed and crawling over him.

Once settled, his hands on her thighs straddling his hips she held his face in her hands and was searching his eyes.

"We…we're ok…I didn't read too much into all of that did I?' She asked and Zen heaved a sigh, bring a hand up to the back of her head and dragging her down to kiss him.

"Are you done making decisions for me?" He asked and she nodded. "Done making decisions about us without talking to me?" He asked, another nod.

"We're fine. I will be right with you through whatever comes." He said softly. His mouth was sliding over hers again and she let the butterflies play through her, let the happiness fill her.

"I love you." She breathed against his lips and he kissed her harder, his free hand leaving her hip to slide to her lower back and hold her against him.

It was igniting again, the desire for each other they had in abundance but Zen wanted to clarify something before he just gave in to it. "We're together Kurino, you and I, I'm not here to be a temporary lover, a consort, any of that, if we stay together I want to be yours and I demand that you're mine in return, I'm going to be your husband, not a permanent boyfriend." He said firmly.

Her face absolutely lit, a grin spreading over her kiss swollen lips "You want to marry me then?" She asked and Zen groaned pressing his face into her neck "Gods, yes, I have to just spell everything out? I'm not used to all this second triple and quadruple guessing women do…you make things so much more complex than they are! I love you Kurino, of course I want to marry you!" He said in exasperation.

Kurino was giggling then, unable to help herself, his frustrated face was just, funny, and he had said it, spelled it out plainly like she needed to hear it, he loved her, Gods he loved her!

At her laughing he narrowed his eyes "Now you're laughing at me huh? Drive me half crazy and laugh at me will you?" His hands slid to her sides, right into the sensitive places he'd found a while ago and she shrieked.

"No! I wasn't la….ZEN!..." She dissolved into fits of laughter then as he flipped her to her back and pinned her down tickling her.

Her writhing and happiness though made her body warm, and his grin turned lecherous, lips skimming over her neck as his hands slowed, went from tickling to massaging other places and Kurinos laughs turned into moans beneath him. They wouldn't get much rest before Capresa, but he really didn't care.

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"Cristoff?! Lucy?!" The couple looked up and somewhat dazed expressions turned into shocked surprised ones.

"Vander! Zen!...Princess." Cristoff bowed and Lucy did the same, though the woman before them looked little like the one they had visited with over 7 months ago after Layla was born. In jeans and a hugely oversized black mens shirt. Her hair was tangled and she sported…what suspiciously looked like hickeys and bite marks on her neck but Lucy kept from staring at them.

"Cristoff…what are you doing here?" Kurino asked, frowning.

"I was in Capresa with Lucy and some guildmates on a job and Tesso called me and informed me I was activated and to meet the Aisipal tonight prepared to be put into a new guard detail for you Princess." Cristoff replied. Not masking the fact he wasn't entirely thrilled with the whole thing.

Kurinos eyes narrowed "No, that's unacceptable, I was going to dissolve your commission Cristoff, you have a wife…a child." He was shaking her head and Zen was frowning.

"Is Uncle Tesso out of his mind? Fuck, I get you I guess Cristoff but why the hell is Lucy here?" Zen asked and Cristoff drew a breath.

"I'm a Dragon Slayer, she's my mate, large extended separations weaken both of us, so, to prevent that, Lucy was given a commission to the Knights so she could stay at my side. She's a citizen of Bosco by marriage, it…was all we could come up with…Dad and I." He admitted.

"I'll fix this, I promise you Cristoff, Lucy, where is Layla?" Kurino asked and Lucy bit her lip.

"She left with Freed, Levy and Gajeel aboard the Nebulus a few hours ago, heading for Bosco, Arman was going to look after her for us." She said.

Kurino squeezed her eyes shut. "I…apologize for this Lucy…Cristoff. Please, come aboard and get situated, the Aisipal will leave in 4 hours and is the fastest way to get to Pelerno, where we're headed next. You will be back with Layla as soon as I can get you there." She said with a dangerous tremor in her voice.

She looked at Zen and Vander "Well, you two can go take care of your errands, I already have an aid handling mine. Lucy, Cristoff? Please let me personally show you to where I'll have you staying while you're aboard the Aisipal.

The first mates quarters weren't grand by any means, but they were private, there was a bed big enough for both Lucy and Cristoff to share and they would be right next to the Captains quarters where Kurino was staying.

"Please forgive my appearance…I lost…everything when the Golden Swan went down…I'm having clothes brought but I'm embarrassed I was forced to greet you like this." Kurino said quietly, watching Cristoff hang his cloak over the desk chair.

"I'll leave you two to get comfortable." She said, forced to step into the cabin for a moment as crewman carried the last of the broken furniture from the Captains quarters. Lucy looked curiously as two men hefted a busted up bed frame past and Kurino blushed.

The woman looked so lost, flustered, once Zen and Vander had left to hurry into the city, also needing clothes it seemed, she'd gotten quiet.

"No!...Princess? I'm sure you're getting brushes and such sent but could I help? I have a spirit who is just incredibly talented with hair and well…I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now…with all you've been through…"

Lucy understood royalty, she'd rubbed elbows with Nobility through the first part of her life and while she didn't miss that, she did understand. The Princess had lost everyone aboard her ship except for Zen and Vander, that meant handmaids who had probably been with her most of her life, servants who looked after her that she could talk to and rely on.

Being without all of that would be hard on her, knowing they had died? Terrible. Add in having to still work and behave as a Princess while she knew she looked a mess? Well, no matter what all Kurino had done in the past, she had changed enough Cristoff had forgiven her and Zen certainly seemed to like, so did Vander, so Lucy wanted to help. Everyone deserved a second chance, and anyone hurting deserved a hand…or some skilled scissors.

Kurinos eyes widened and she looked at Lucy in disbelief. Cristoff smiled, hands on Lucys shoulder "Let her help Princess…that spirit keeps her looking gorgeous, I'll go report in with the Captain of the ship and see if there's anything I can help with so you two don't have me to trip over." He said, leaning in and kissing Lucys temple. Kurino saw it, the same warm look Zen had given her before he'd left between Cristoff and his wife.

The tall slayer strode past her, she honestly wished the scent of him, like a cool night breeze wasn't familiar to her.

"I couldn't ask that…" Kurino started and Lucy waved her hand "Nonsense, I think I'd be bald by now if I didn't have Cancer to help me maintain my hair, all the crazy things I end up into being a guild wizard!" Lucy laughed and her hand slid to gleaming keys at her waist.

A moment later the celestial spirit she had spoken of appeared "Hey there Ebi, what can I do for you?" The multi armed man asked.

Lucy grinned and the next thing Kurino knew she was sitting in the little desk chair and "Cancer" was working all of the knots out of her long hair and Lucy was so sweet, so kind and everything just came pouring out of her, losing Lula and Nena and how much that had torn her apart, what she had tried to do to Zen thinking she was making the right choice…everything down to a dozen or more tearful apologies for what she had done to Lucys mate.

Lucy was actually relieved, surprised, but relieved, suddenly Kurino seemed human. She'd heard so many mixed up things. Cristoff hadn't told her much, just a little about Kurino trying to position him into becoming a consort for her before he'd been sent by the magic council to Fiore.

She knew the family had been very worried about Zen spending so much time with her but as they sat and talked and Cancer got the womans hair finally combed through so it hung in shimmering curtains of black again he offered to do her nails as well while the women talked.

Something as familiar and relaxing as a beauty regimen Cancer knew well had a restorative soothing effect on human beings. He'd been around a while, Lucy was not his first female master.

Cristoff kept himself out of the way, his dragon hearing keeping him apprised of what was happening with Lucy and Kurino while he stood on the top deck and looked out over Capresa waiting for his brothers to return.

Everything that had happened over the last four days just made his blood boil, from the brazen attack on Kurinos private ship to their flight through the mountains between Joya and Minstrel dodging a Pergrandian airship and winged berserkers. 67 people, all of Kurinos private staff, were lost.

Hearing Kurino confess what she had done to him, not in detail, just that she'd hurt him, and how sorry she was had surprised him, but everything about Zen just stunned him.

She loved his brother, planned to marry him, had made him a suitor already, had tried to shove him away apparently just a short while ago and then Zen had apparently not only put his foot down with her, but had gotten her to back down in her, to Cristoffs mind, completely crazy ideas, and keep moving forward with him.

That Zen cared about Kurino had been obvious months ago when she had been at the estate with the King. Cristoff had certainly seen it, they all had. Zen hadn't backed down about seeing her or spending time with her either, had continued doing so through the last 7 almost 8 months. He wasn't surprised it had gotten more serious…a lot more serious.

He stood on the deck and finally saw Zen and Vander, laden with bags trudging across the Skyway, an emissary from Minstrels palace and several aids carrying a multitude of bags were short behind them too.

Zen was no longer in the black leather he'd been in when Cristoff had first seen him, instead in some black slacks and a black button down, Vander was also in new clothes and both men looked a little more comfortable.

Cristoff smiled at them both, honestly relieved to see them, even more relieved after hearing Kurino fill Lucy in on her plans to all but hog tie and beat his uncle for activating his commission and dragging Lucy into everything in the process.

Kurino may have been many things, but she had never been one to lie or not deliver on promises and she had promised Lucy she and Cristoff were going back to Pelerno, to Layla, and then home to Fiore or back to Capresa since they had been working a job there, whatever they wanted, She was going to terminate Cristoffs commission with the knights, something only Kurino or the King himself could do.

So he was in a much better humor when his brothers arrived, and they stood together watching as aids and craftsmen came up the skyway.

Cristoff noticed Zens smirk when they brought new furniture aboard and carried it to the front of the ship where the captains quarters were. The Captain was smiling too, while he hadn't been pleased about the utter destruction of pretty much everything in his cabin, the beautiful new furniture was far nicer than the standard military issue he'd had in there before. When Kurino left, he was going to have the finest quarters on any Gunship by the looks of it.

Aids had also taken bag after bag of what looked to be clothing to the front of the ship as well.

When they ventured there they found Kurino and Lucy had moved to the Captains quarters and were laughing, Plue sitting on a beautiful new ironwood and marble desk working on a lollipop and the doors to both quarters were open including the ones leading into a small meeting room between the two areas that had been outfitted with a temporary bed so Vander could stay near.

When Zen bent to kiss Kurinos forehead she drew in a deep breath, noting he had probably visited the baths in Capresa with Vander because he was cleaned up, shaved, his long hair brushed out a falling around his shoulders missing the tie it had been kept in for the last few days.

She smiled smugly, knowing she and Lucy had commandeered the ships bath area and with Virgos help, both of them were in comfortable new clothes, Kurino happily sharing some of the wealth of things brought to her, clean and Kurino felt almost normal, better now that Zen was sitting on the edge of the desk by her arm, even if he was distracting her in the nicely fitted black slacks that hugged his muscular legs and flawless ass.

She knew she looked just as good, and saw Lucy casting somewhat heated looks at Cristoff. The ship was already leaving the docks and would head out at full speed for Bosco as soon as they cleared the city. Once clear of the city they went to flank speed and most everyone stayed below decks, the airflow over the ship at this speed could knock a crewman down and rip him right off the deck.

So once everyone was settled, Sleep overcame everything else. For Zen, Kurino and Vander it had been nearly two days since they had slept at this point.

Kurino curled in against Zen smiling, "We'll tell my father in person when we get to Pelerno." She breathed and Zen eyed her. "Tell him what?" He asked and she narrowed her eyes "That we're going to get married." She replied, frowning slightly and looking at him cautiously. Zen tightened his arms around her smirking and she slapped his bare chest.

He laughed "After all you just put me through I deserve to tease you at least a little." He protested, keeping hold of her when she tried to wriggle from his grasp.

She started putting more effort into it and he laughed again "You ready to buy more furniture?" He asked and she stilled, a distinct pout on her face and he leaned over her, kissing her until she smiled and relaxed in his arms again.

They kissed languidly, touches slowing until both of them lost the battle to stay awake.

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It was several hours later the alarm claxons sounded through the ship and Zen slid swiftly from the bed, snatching his slacks from the chair by the desk and yanked them on while Kurino was scrambling to grab a robe.

"We've slowed.." Zen observed, rushing to the door as soon as he'd yanked his boots on, not bothering with buttoning his shirt as her raced for the stairs to the upper deck, Vander just ahead of him, Cristoff right behind with Lucy and Kurino.

Before they even cleared the stairs Vander ducked down as a fiery orb of energy shattered the covering to the mouth of the stair well showering them with smoldering splintered wood and a dark form flew by.

Vander hurried out as soon as it passed and everyone else spilled out behind him.

It took Zen only a moment to assess what was happening and requip into the black armor, long black swords appearing in his hands as he charged forward. Ahead of them the winged Berserks had landed and mowed down crewmen, one tearing a screaming woman off the large deck gun to Zens right and flinging her from the ship before crawling onto the gun and starting to try and tear it apart.

"I've got the one on the gun." Zen called. Vander was already overed in black aromor, his own swords coming forming from shadows "I've got this one!" He called back and in an instant he'd vanished appearing on the beasts back and swinging his swords down through the membranes of its wings it was using to cleave crewmen apart.

"Try to fly now fucker." He sneered and vanished as the beast screamed and tried to reach for him, a moment later the shadows beneath it released him and he rammed both of his swords up into its chest before vanishing again as it curled down to try and grab him.

Zen had reached the berserker on the deck gun and slapped aside it's wings with his own before lunging in and grabbing it, ramming a sword through its back and ripping it from the gun to fling it, it's wings now shredded by their contact with his from the gun.

It swung at him as it fell, claws ripping across the armor sending sparks then ripping a plate away and tearing flesh but it fell.

He turned from the gun, and saw Cristoff stepping back, in his armor, having beheaded the berserker Vander had been cutting through and they all ducked as a new blast came from the enemy ship.

Kurino was shouting orders, Lucy grabbed the keys at her hip Cristoff went to Zen to take care of his torn shoulder.

"Come through the gate Draco." She called and the spirit appeared and Lucy grimaced slightly at the drain to her magic, heavy cost, but once he was out…

Draco smiled "Princess, how may I…" he started to bow but another blast from the other ship hit the deck about ten feet from them sending splintered wood flying they had to raise their arms against.

"Draco, we need to take that enemy ship down…" Lucy said and the spirit smiled, bowing low and turning and jumping from the deck of the ship, in an explosion of light the man in the black suit vanished and was replaced by a dragon larger than both ships combined that banked away from the ships so his wings wouldn't bat them from the sky.

"We need the ship!" Kurino called and Lucy nodded "Hear that? Share your power Draco…stardress…" She called and was soon encased in shimmering black scaled armor, long swords in her hands.

Zen smiled, eyes flashing as Vander vanished into the shadows of his wings. "Lets go take a ship…" He said and slammed his wings down, shooting skyward.

Cristoff met Lucys eyes and she bit her lower lip, they had been practicing her teleports before she'd gotten pregnant, and she tapped into the cool pools that were Cristoffs magic, feeling the location of the moon, expanding his senses so she could feel the moonlight hitting her, then the ship, then the enemy ship and narrowing her eyes on the deck of the enemy ship, knowing Cristoff would be right behind her and Draco was airborne to catch her if she missed.

They'd never practiced a moving target before but she tapped the magic and whispered the words, feeling herself shift.

In the blink of an eye she was on the upper rear deck of the enemy ship, Cristoff right beside her and both of them lunged forward into the shocked Pergrandian crewmen manning the main cannon.

Dracos knowledge of swords guided her movements, she was training, but wouldn't trust her own skills solo in a situation like this.

"Hold onto something!" Cristoff shouted at her, and she didn't question him, sheathing a sword and grabbing the railing around the canon as she swung the other at the two crewmen manning it.

She didn't see Zen had climbed high above the ship, or his decent to the deck at a speed that had Vander about to panic and gripping into the feathers of the wings with his shadows for all he was worth. It seemed almost suicidal, and when Zen swung his legs forward, aiming his boots at the forward upper deck Vander was sure his brother meant to shatter his legs and kill himself.

Then magic coursed down, he saw the golden flames lick along Zens body down his legs and when they hit the deck he didn't break anything or kill both of them, but he did make the whole ship lurch nose down and fling most of the crewmen not clinging to deck guns from the top decks of the ship screaming even as that forward upper deck shattered around them, Zen magic creating a shockwave from his landing and devastating the wood, giving them clear access to the lower decks via the hole he'd just created.

Vander was out of the wings and cutting through scrambling crewmen in an instant and Zen did the same, moving forward and smiling faintly when some of the crewmen shrank back a bit at the sight of him.

Matte black armor with what looked like an eyeless black helm in the shape of an eagles head, thanks to the Boscan armorer who had seen the eagles of his clan in his tattoos when he'd been measuring Zen for the armor, black wings like a strange cloak on his shoulders, at 6'3", in the black armor, he looked like a nightmare.

"Came hunting for the Dark Eagle did you? Well here I am." He sneered. Getting a strange satisfaction out of the fear that flashed over several faces before he raised his swords and started taking the men down.

Vander glanced toward his brother, watching him jump across the hole in the ship and down to get to the next deck down, leaving a wake of dead men behind him, Zen was merciless. Not a single movement was wasted trying to injure or subdue, he killed with deadly precision and accuracy.

Narrowing his eyes Vander stayed close, doing much the same, they may have grown up in very different ways, but both of them, when unleashed, were walking death.

While Draco kept the enemy ship from being able to maneuver or fire effectively at the Aisipal, occasionally swatting the Pergrandian ship with his tail and making it lurch sideways several dozen feet at once, Lucy and Cristoff stripped the crewmen from the deck guns, Cristoff rendering them unconscious and Zen and Vander laid waste to the lower decks.

The battle lasted for nearly an hour before Vander slipped under the sealed door of the bridge, killed the two men guarding it, kicked it open for Zen and brought the Captain to his knees, grabbing him by his hair and yanking him back from the controls, laying a dark blade across the mans throat while Zen caught his hand that was lifting a weapon and wrenched his wrist around, the snapping of bone audible right before the mans shriek of pain.

There was chatter over the com before them and they could see a man in a well decorated uniform glaring at them. Zen stepped forward.

"You will never stop me, you hear? You tell your King the Dark Eagle will have his heart on a plate before the festival of blood." He sneered in Pergrandian, making Vander frown because he didn't know the language but the way the man on the com reacted to what Zen said left little doubt it had an impact, the mans eyes flew wide.

"You're not the Dark Eagle." He denied and Vanders eyes widened as Zen dropped his sword ripped off his helm and lifted the breast plate of his armor, shoving down the waist guard to uncover the Gladiator brand on his hip. The man looked sick then.

"Tell the king…his days are numbered." With that Zen slammed his fist down on the com shutting it off and rounded on the captain whose eyes were huge now.

"You know who I am?!" He demanded and the man nodded slowly "Have you seen me fight?" another nod.

"Good, then you know what I can do to a body before I let it die. What were your orders?" He demanded. The man swallowed.

"Track down and capture the Princess using whatever means necessary and…capture you, we were not to kill you…the king wants you back so you could watch him…." The man swallowed hard "Fuck your whore Princess until she broke." He closed his eyes expecting retaliation but none came and when he opened his eyes another man was beside the Dark Eagle whose eyes met the captains and a moment later consciousness left him.

"What was all that you said?" Vander asked. Zen let out a breath, working to calm, battle had him so riled up he almost couldn't think. Years they had pumped him with Berserker mutagens and potions, always his magic purified him, but conditioned bloodlust from a lifetime of needing it was something else entirely.

"Their orders were to hunt down the princess by any means necessary, capture her and me if they found me and bring us back to Pergrande so the King could…fuck Kurino in front of me until she broke….I told them I'd kill their king first." He replied and Vander heaved a breath.

"Ok…well. You know, threatening a King to some guy who looked like he was probably important I can see but identifying yourself…yeah not so much." Vander said.

"I'm an ex-gladiator not a spy Vander, I don't do much subtlety." Zen replied.

"Yeah, well, what you did wasn't just "not subtle" Zen, you just about personally declared war on Pergrande." Cristoff chuckled, shaking his head as Lucy came up beside him.

"Draco is pushing this ship up beside the Aisipal, can you slow it down to make things easier?" She asked.

Vander nodded, stepping forward.

"How do you know anything about piloting an airship?" Cristoff asked incredulously.

Vander smirked.

"Captains quarters are always comfortable, so whenever I travelled if there was a pretty lady captain…well, I had some fun on some bridges and usually slept in a bed with company instead of the damn bunks." He replied with a shrug.

Cristoff rolled his eyes.

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The enemy ship was commandeered, a skeleton crew placed in control of it to bring it to the shipyards outside Pelerno. Back aboard the Aisipal the Pergrandian Captain was put in manacles and dumped in the brig, Zen turned with Vander from the crewman to barely catch Kurino who, after watching him land, blood dripping from the black armor, wings and swords, hand off the prisoner and turn, couldn't stand still and wait for him to come to her.

There were knowing smiles around the deck now, nobody surprised anymore when their Princess threw her arms around her tall suitor and kissed him. Vander snickered, walking past the couple and heading for the showers, he had way more blood on him than he liked to leave.

"You know I'm all bloody." Zen smiled, Watching Cristoff requip out of his armor and snatch Lucys hand and pull her down the stairs toward their quarters.

Kurino grinned "as long as it's not yours I don't care." She said, kissing him again, her clothes smeared with blood now and he laughed, lifting her off her feet and carrying her toward their quarters.

Once through the door he set her on her feet and requiped out of the armor down to just his slacks and boots that he'd run on deck in, wings vanished and he pulled her back to him kissing her. "I need to shower, and now so do you." He observed.

She nodded toward the door at the back "Captains private bath." She smiled and Zen grinned, kicking the door shut and pulling her into the small bathroom. There was just enough room in the shower for both of them, especially once Zen had Kurino pinned to the back wall of it.

"You took down a berserker alone…" She breathed, wrapping her legs around his waist and gasping as his fingers gripped her rounded rear, lifting her, angling her so the next time he moved it was to drive himself into her.

Zen closed his eyes, letting out a breath and pressing into Kurinos soft body, withdrawing slowly then driving back in hard enough she gasped. Once her heat had closed tightly around him and their bodies were pressed against each other he felt the tension, the fury, the last remnant of the bloodlust melt out of his system, leaving behind only the warmth of her and his desire for her.

"I've fought them before…" He said, taking up a steady rhythm with her, pushing in hard enough he could slide his hands up her sides, pull her arms from around his neck and press her wrists to the wall beside her head so only their bodies touched, his lips sealed onto the skin of her neck, sucking at the damp spot, licking the water away, grazing his teeth over her and drawing whimpers of pleasure from her as he moved.

She pulled her hands free through, leaving his pressed against the wall and slid her arms against it at her sides, pressing back for leverage and angling herself to meet his thrusts, rewarded by making Zen hiss through his teeth at the new depth he was given "F…fuck…Kurino!..." He rasped, sealing his lips over hers, his tongue pressing into her mouth hungrily.

He drove harder, as the tension tightened in both of them her thrusts against his got more insistent, whimpers drug out of her into his mouth.

"Gods! Zen!... Please! Harder!" She begged, tearing her mouth off of his and lunging forward to scrape her teeth over his neck. He growled at her buy responded, pounding into her at a punishing pace , her arms making squeaking noises on the wet tile as she pressed against it for purchase until finally it all snapped, she arched her back from the wall into him as her orgasm hit her.

"Kurino!...shit!" Zen gasped out, his own end taking him he buried himself inside of her one last time, her body clamping down on him like a vice, pulling every drop of seed he had to offer from him into her body.

"Wish I'd killed em both now…damn." Zen chuckled and she laughed breathlessly.

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When Cristoff got Lucy back to their cabin he whirled her into his arms and lifted her off her feet.

"You did it, you fucking teleported onto a moving ship! Shit Lucy! That was amazing!" He cried, kissing her roughly, pulling back breathless and grinning at her "draco didn't overtax you like you were worried about either, you fought great, didn't even need me there!" He told her and she was laughing, blushing, the fight had been a brutal one, but he was right, she'd done so much better than she'd been worried she would after calling Draco and using his stardress.

"I'm so proud of you." Cristoff was murmuring against her neck and she couldn't stop smiling. Nobody ever acted like this with her after a fight…nobody had ever said the sorts of things he said, it made her feel amazing and happy and like she could do anything.

She leaned back and pushed upward to catch his mouth again, winding her arms around his neck. "Proud of me huh? Do I get a reward?" She grinned breathlessly a minute later.

Midnight blue eyes warmed with a smile "what do you want?" He asked and she bit her lip, pulling her hands from around his neck to grab his belt and start pulling it open. "I want my Dragon on his back…" She purred and Cristoffs eyes narrowed "Yeah? How bout I just go down and drive you to the fun you're after with my mouth?...you know you love my mouth…" He purred back and Lucys whole body was rapidly alive with need, his hands were smoothing up her arms and she felt him channeling magic, closed her eyes and felt her skin coming alive. "Oh Gods…I love it when you do this…" She breathed.

Cristoffs healing gave him the ability to ease pain, soothe nerves, dull senses, but he could reverse it, it was why he was so deadly helping with interrogations, he could intensify pain, focus it, but he could also bring nerves alive for pleasure.

He didn't do it often, not as much as Lucy would have liked, and she didn't question it, enjoying the variety he seemed to endlessly provide her. She might have been uncertain about being with a man who had literally been taught how to be good in bed and who had at least as much if not more experience with women than Laxus or Bickslow, but one thing was certain, Cristoff was never, ever, predictable in bed.

He was hers too, all hers, and she would never have to share him or worry about him straying.

Cristoff let his magic flow through his mate, gritting his teeth as the bond made it flow through him as well, he could share pain with Lucy, share pleasure, and when he channeled his magic through her, it was almost too much for him, he'd have to close himself off a bit, and be careful doing so because it dampened Lucys perception of him and had scared her once. So this was a treat he didn't pull out often for her, but he knew she loved it, and there were so many ways to use it.

He'd not tried it when she was receiving most of the sensory input before, only when he'd been inside her. So he stripped away her clothes, letting the clothe dragging over her skin send shivers through her and start her going, making sure it hit sensitive places as he laid her back on the bed, pulled her to him and started massaging her legs.

Lucy was already writhing before he even reached her thighs and he smiled, trailing kisses and sharp nips with his long canines up her hyper sensitive flesh and making her jump with jolts of sensation followed by pleasured moans that made his whole being hum. His dragon just preened when he did things like this, lavished pleasure on his mate. Ultimately he felt he got as much from it as she did, he sure did enjoy it.

Fingers trailing along her thighs he lifted them to his shoulders as he slid between them, ghosting his fingertips over the heated drenched folds of her center as she gripped the blankets and writhed in his hold. "Cris!..." She gasped when his mouth finally reached her center.

To him his mate was sweeter than chocolate, finer than wine and add in her writhing before him naked in the throws of pleasure? The Lunar Slayer was lost in his task to drive Lucy to heights of pleasure so she could touch her stars.

Lucy could hardly breathe, hardly stand what he was doing, so much sensation, so much intensity to it, maybe this was why he didn't use his magic this way too often with her, it was so overwhelming. Midnight eyes paled with silver lifted to hers every time she looked down her body, and he'd give her that smirk and her eyes would roll back and she'd almost forget her name again.

When she was skimming the edge of release, panting raggedly, groaning out his name and begging him in breathless whimpers he smirked up at her "Tell me what you want…" He growled fingers skimming over her swollen flesh.

Lucy was breathless, quivering "please…Cris…make me…ah!...I want to…" She couldn't quite get it out and he smiled leaned down to pull her bud between his lips and roll his tongue over it, Lucys hips came off the bed and she screamed out his name, coming so hard she saw spots over her eyes for a few moments before her grinning husband slid onto the bed with her and pulled her panting limp body against him.

The fact he was now naked didn't escape her notice, nor did his suddenly silvery eyes, she smiled, feeling a thrill go through her, if he was coming into bed with silver eyes, she wasn't getting any sleep. Not that she wanted any, Gods, the longer she had Cristoff the sexier the man got. He hadn't stopped his work outs, training, or any of the things that kept that body of his mouthwatering.

He slid over her and she growled at him, loving that his eyes narrowed and he growled right back. "No…no my reward…" She said and the next thing he knew he was shoved onto his back and pinned, Lucy swinging one of her long slender legs over his body and wriggling her rounded hips just right so as she sank down he was sheathed inside of her and his closed his eyes, she was always so tight on him he damn near came when she took his full length into her and started swirling her hips, smiling down at him.

She really, really enjoyed being on top, something his dragon was never really fond of even though his body sure enjoyed it.

Lucy had these mile long, toned and powerful legs and she could clamp then onto his hips and just grind on him until he couldn't see straight, like she was doing now. When he was drunk half out of his mind he'd do it all night, any position she wanted was fine with him as long as he got to be inside of her.

Much as his dragon didn't like him being dominate by his mate, Cristoff leaned his head back bracing his feet on the bed so he was matching her downward thrusts with his own, their bodies hammering against each other and Lucy made small whimepering noises of pleasure with each meeting. He'd honestly made peace with his wifes desires and wicked need to to pin him to the bed whenever he'd let her get away with it, he'd give her anything she asked, she had only to push just that little more, or pout like she had, he was utterly helpless in the face of her pout and lucky she didn't use it often.

Lucy dug her thighs into Cristoffs hips, grasping the headboard behind him for better leverage and changing her angle, her breastsalmost over his face as she came up his length and she felt his fingers digging into the flesh of her thighs as he thrust up as she came down making small cries rip from her throat with every thrust, she loved this, loved just owning him this way.

He was a good sized man, his length and girth always pushed her limits and when she was on top of him, something about the angles just made him hit an edge in her that made her teeth clench and body shudder.

When she finally came she felt his body go rigid beneath her as she took him with her, he'd pulled his magic back a good bit, but the sensory boost was still there and the orgasm was wrenching in how it consumed them both. She felt the heat of his seed filling her and groaned raggedly as she rode those delicious waves, milking him dry.

Gods she wanted another baby, she really did, wanted to feel life growing inside of her again, his children inside of her, their magic combining to help them grow within her.

"I want another baby…" Lucy breathed and Cristoff pulled her to him, cupping her face with a hand and smiling into her eyes "Thought you wanted to wait until Layla was over a year?" He reminded her, they'd talked about it already, a couple of times now, but Lucy kept having this strong feeling, this growing need.

He couldn't deny he felt it too. He adored Layla, loved being a father and more children just appealed to him deeply.

Besides that, they were coming up on another full moon soon, and he always seriously wanted to make babies when the moon was full and Lucy stretched out under him with moonlight bathing them….heaven.

"I don't want to wait…" Lucy said and Cristoff smiled, drawing a deep breath of her scent, sliding a hand over her belly and closing his eyes, a moment later his magic was flowing again and he smiled, looking up at her "I wont stop the next one…you want to have more children, you'll be ready about when the moon is full…and you know I sure will be." He chuckled and Lucy grinned, he was still inside of her, semi-erect still too, she didn't know if it was just Cristoff, Boscan men or Dragon Slayers or what made his stamina like it was but she knew she usually gave out before he did, not always, Gods during full moons when his magic was just drowning them both she could drag him down from those heights he reached.

But she rolled her hips on his and his eyes slammed shut, a breath hissing through his teeth. "Wicked woman." He growled and lifted her off of him but grabbed her before she could try to climb back on him and moved, pulling her to her knees and yanking her by her hips back against him, his length now hard again as he leaned down and scraped long canines over the back of her shoulder.

"Nuh uh…not twice without that Moon Ai'Lunis" She bit her lip, Ai'Lunis was the Boscan word for Moonlight, Cristoff had been telling her she was his moonlight since they had mated, he didn't say it often, preferred to show her, prove it to her, but it was engraved inside her wedding band. Mei Ai'Lunis.

He slid into her and she smiled when she felt his hands grip her shoulders "Then you'd better give me all the Dragon in you, Mei' Sen." She purred and heard his growl of approval right before he drew back and slammed back into her and she couldn't think anymore.

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They overslept, not that it surprised Zen, they'd slept so little for days on end when they finally were able to sleep pretty much un-interrupted both he and Kurino just slept right through the sun pouring in through the widows over them until they felt the soft shudder and angle changes of the ship maneuvering and Zen saw a skyscaper pass their window that could only mean they were coming into port in Pelerno.

He smiled, Kurino was stubborn about waking up, even when she woke she refused to open her eyes and start moving for a while, preferring to enjoy the warm comfort of the bed. "We're getting ready to dock Kurino…you need to wake up." He said, turning toward her, pushing her hair out of her face to find her smiling faintly.

"If I let you go you're going to put clothes on…" She mumbled and he grinned

"That's the plan yes, I need to go home and get cleaned up so we can talk to your father…and I need to talk to mine." He murmured against her jaw near her ear making her shiver.

She grabbed the blankets and yanked them away, pushing him back and herself up on her other arm, letting her hand slide across his hard body and smiling when he closed his eyes and growled "Woman…hey!" He grabbed her wrist when she started to wrap her fingers around his soft cock, pulling her hand away and laughing when she whined.

"Later." He said firmly and she smiled "Promise?"

He met her eyes with a lecherous smirk that made her breath hitch. "Oh I promise." He growled, slipping out from under her and she bit her lip when he stood, Gods his body, like flawlessly chiseled rock under sun kissed tan skin.

The dips at the sides of his ass where the muscle curved in, rigid definition of his abs when he turned and seeing his back, all the muscle across it stretching and flexing as he pulled on a snug pair of maroon boxer briefs before pulling dark blue jeans on that hugged his long legs and that hard rear. She was so tempted to reach out and scrape her nails over it.

He looked over his shoulder at her as he shrugged into a white long sleeved button up, his sun streaked dark hair covering his mouth but she saw the edge lifted in a smile.

"Get dressed you lecherous thing, I can smell what you're thinking." He chuckled and she heaved a sigh, enhanced senses, his were nearly as keen as a Dragon Slayers. Archangels were said to have fought the escaped beasts from the upper plains of hell during the holy wars, and so it made some sense. The beasts had to be hunted, and required a specific kind of magic and abilities to take them on the Archangel mages had been made to face.

Like Dragon Slayers were made to hunt the massively powerful dragons, so were Archangels made to hunt beings that had escaped from Hell. Their holy abilities had been the foundation of the Immaculate light orders that used to be all over Earthland but now were very rare. Bosco still revered the light of the heavens, and while the country worshipped many Gods and there was no national religion officially, Kurino had always felt the light in a way encompassed them all, served them all, the good ones anyway.

Her eyes slid over the wing marks across his shoulders before he pulled his shirt on, she had run her fingers over that many times now in wonder. Unlike his tattoos the lines of the wings in his skin were slightly raised, her nails would catch on them when she drug them over his shoulders, and she'd seen those wings out when he'd had no shirt on, asked him if it hurt when they came out and he'd shaken his head.

"No, I feel their weight, they're almost like arms, the flight feathers like…fingers…almost, that's the best way to describe how they feel to me." He'd shrugged. He could harden the feathers so they were like metal, make the top edge of each wing sharp enough he could use them to slice right through things, she'd watched him shred the wings off of the Berserker when he'd fought it, wondered if the beings from hell were similar to the Berserkers, she'd always felt they had to be close, Berserkers were so…dark and twisted.

He turned then, shirt still not buttoned so she got a nice view of his chest as he reached for her and pulled her from the bed into his arms, her hands slid right into the open shirt, she enjoyed the feel of his skin too much to pass up any chance to touch him.

"You're going to marry me." She breathed as he kissed her and he smiled "I am." He replied between kisses.

"But only if you get dressed so we can get off this ship and tell our families." He chuckled and Kurino sighed, reluctantly pulling herself out of his arms and going to get dressed.

Kurino went to the long white limousine while Zen, Vander Lucy and Cristoff slid into the black consulate car and Zen watched the limo slide away through the traffic while the car he sat in curved toward the beach to carry them to the family estate.

Kurino was sitting in her car glaring at Tesso already on the lacrima.

"I don't give a damn what your reasons were General, you drug your own nephew and his wife away from their 7 month old baby!? Seriously Tesso! Lucy, the mother who was attacked by a Pergrandian assassin and lost a child, who this country cried for, erected a monument to her lost child on the palace grounds for, you drug her and her husband from the surviving BABY and you thought that was ok because there was a crisis? You KNEW I was dissolving Cristoffs commission, removing him from the reserve duty status and retiring him from the knights, you knew it because I fucking told you!" She snapped.

Tesso was glaring back at her. "He was one of only 8 knights in Mistrel that could be called to protect you Princess, I was stunned when I learned he was in Minstrel, if he hadn't been I wouldn't have called on him but because he was close enough to be brought to your side I made that choice, it was the right choice too, his wife was instrumental in the seizing of the enemy ship was she not? And Cristoff is a seasoned battle healer, if there had been serious injuries the ships medic could only do so much, I apologize for the inconvenience it put him and his wife through your majesty but I still feel it was best he and his wife were with you for the trip to Pelerno."

Kurino narrowed her eyes. "You're removed from roster command General, I'm taking away your ability to activate, assign and call in knights and giving that duty to General Falia, she will hopefully be more mindful of the lives she is handling when she gives MY knights their assignments and stations. The Knights of Immaculate Light are not the general military General, we adhere to a different code, no divine power of light would rob an infant of BOTH of their parents and throw BOTH into peril. I am ordering you to revisit the temple and spend time reading the orders missions and directives. You seem to need a reminder of what the Knights actually stand for." She snapped and shut off the lacrima.

She was facing a difficult few days, bringing Tesso to heel was one of the minor things she had to do, establishing an entirely new staff was the other and that was a daunting task, how did one go about replacing people who had been at her side most of her life?

Looking down she smoothed her hands over the simple grey slacks she was wearing. Forcing herself to calm down, and when she reached for calm only Zen came to mind and she smiled. The only task she faced right now that was…the most wonderful of her life. She would tell her father as soon as she reached the Palace and had changed into suitable clothes. She oddly was looking forward to getting into a veil dress, they were so comfortable and familiar, she liked the casual clothes she'd been wearing since Lauren but Boscan traditional clothes were what she had worn her whole life, veil dresses and the high waisted flared legged tight ankle pants and wrap tops with the glittering chains and gems she was accustomed to.

Zen would come to the palace with his father later and according to the customs of a wedding for Royalty, Zen would sit with her father and she would sit with his for private talks. She wasn't sure what to expect from Arman, but Zen had been powerfully clear that no matter what, he was going to be with her, her heart sped a little in her chest remembering just how angry he'd been, how passionate and determined. For her.

It was humbling, and there was little in Kurinos life that made her feel humbled.

When the car stopped the door was opened for her and she strode swiftly to her quarters, a little relieved when some of her sisters former staff were there to greet her, since Aldiene had married her staff had been absorbed by her fathers, but knowing she was completely without anyone, he must have pulled them aside and sent them to prepare her quarters and assist her when she arrived.

It was a relief, she knew most of them and smiled gratefully when they fell in with her to help her prepare to see her father.

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Cristoff and Lucy all but bolted from the car and Layla was giggling and holding her arms out for them from Armans arms as they reached her, Lucy pulling her to her "Momma! Dada!"

Arman was smiling but moved past the happy parents and pulled Vander and Zen into almost strangling hugs. He'd almost lost them both, he knew it too, knew what had happened, that for 4 days they had been struggling to cross mountains that had never been crossed on foot and Zens wings or not, what they had done had been dangerous, and they had been flirting with death the entire time.

He'd wanted Vander moved a little farther away from that flirtation, it was bad enough he did it just because his magic had the voids shadows always near him, and the mission should have been an easy one, if not for Pergrandes vengeful King.

Zen, dear Gods Zen, as if his son hadn't been through enough already. Zens heart was as fierce as his mothers had been, that much was clear, in spite of all he had endured the young man seemed determined to face more.

When they got inside the smell of cinnamon and chocolate cookies had Vander pushing his way to the kitchen and they found Gajeel and Levy out on the back deck enjoying the sunshine and the soothing breeze off the Grass Sea.

"Shortest tour ever." Gajeel grinned at Cristoff and the pair both laughed. "Yeah, Kurino was furious when she found out, Tesso hadn't told her I was one of the knights she'd be getting in Capresa and he sure didn't tell her Lucy had been commissioned." Cristoff said, accepting a tall glass of iced tea from Levy as he sat and grinning, took Layla from Lucy so she could go get the pitcher refilled.

"Dada" Lyla said, grabbing his hair and peppering him with sloppy kisses. "I won't be happy to see her leave, I barely got any time with her at all, I was thinking, since I took time off from work to be here with her, I might go with you all whichever way you head next, Capresa would be lovely this time of year, and of course a stay in Magnolia to see Bickslow, and everyone would probably do me good…besides, she hasn't learned to say Grandpa yet."Arman was saying, coming out to join then and sitting across from where Cristoff had sat on the bench by the hot bath, which Cristoff noted had a cover on it, his father had rapidly adapted the house for his speedy crawling grand daughter.

"She'll learn…Layla? You love your Grandpa right? Want to have Grandpa with us?" Cristoff rarely baby-talked at Layla, Lucy did sometimes, and most of Fairy Tail did, but Cristoff spoke to her, clearly, tried to get eye contact with her because then he could see her sharp little mind working.

Layla was watching him, eyes darting from his eyes to him mouth and he smiled "Grandpa..you can say Grandpa right?" He asked, she narrowed her eyes "Gum" she managed and he grinned "Grandpa."

"Gumpa" She said tilting her head a little. Arman gasped, eyes huge and bright and he held his arms out eagerly "YES! I am Gumpa! Oh give her to me! Come to Gumpa my angel!" He laughed and Layla said it two or three times more delighted by the happy reactions she got from Arman who had been reduced to a mushy bit of goo in a suit.

They discussed the events of the last few days and Layla was zooming around the deck or pulling herself to her feet using various pant legs, her uncle Vander keeping her from getting too near one edge while Cristoff handled another and Zen the third of the deck.

Finally Zen drew a breath, exchanging looks with Vander. "Dad…Kurino and I are going to marry." He said. Arman turned wide eyes on him.

"You…but you barely became her suitor a few weeks ago…" He breathed. Zen nodded "I know…but we've decided we're not waiting, with things how they are…it's wiser not to, and besides…neither one of us have any doubts about each other…I love her, I'm going to marry her." He said, it was so simple the way he put it, but Arman knew there was nothing at all simple about what his son was taking on.

"Zen…she's not an easy woman to handle, she never has been, I watched her grow up…and the responsibilities you'll take on are…immense." He said. Zen nodded "I know that, and I'll even admit I'm sure I'm underestimating just how tough it's going to be adapting to it, but…she's worth it, she's all I want."

Arman looked at Vander sharply and his youngest held his gaze and nodded. Looking at Cristoff then he got a shrug and a thin smile from him so he looked back at Zen.

"When?" He asked.

Zen smiled, seeing the resignation but also warmth in his fathers face. "I'm supposed to bring you to the palace today Dad, and…everyone here, you and Levy too Gajeel, if you'd come."

Arman heaved a sigh "Today…Gods the King is going to be insufferable…"

Looking at Zen he smiled faintly "Go call Farron, he's at the consulate, he'll want to be there…I know the King wont wait for your siblings to all get here, He'll want you to seal your vows before you have time to change your mind." Arman snorted and everyone was smiling.

Zen reached down and caught his niece who was bee-lining for the edge of the deck by him and pulled her up into his arms, grinning at his father.

"You'll consent then?" He asked.

Arman rolled his eyes "You're in love…how can I refuse that? I'm going to lecture you all the way there, there are unique things about royal marriage rites and ceremonies you may not like my son, you need to be ready for what you're actually facing doing this."

The family ate lunch and piled into two cars to drive to the palace.

They were, not surprisingly, quickly ushered inside when they arrived. "I told you he'd hurry this along." Arman was saying as they were led to the audience chambers.

Lucy nibbled her lip, brushing imaginary things from her dress and feeling horribly underdressed. Cristoff was carrying Layla with one arm, his free hand in hers and he squeezed her hand, winking at her. He'd told her several times she looked fine, but a little to her other side Levy was doing much the same thing with her plain dress, neither woman had packed expecting to visit a king or attend a wedding.

Arman had brushed their worries aside insisting both women were breath taking and Layla in particular was just lovely in her baby blue dress. She already had pretty thick golden hair that Lucy had put a blue bow that matched her dress in. Dragon Slayer children matured fast the first two years.

The King stood from his throne as soon as the doors opened, a huge grin on the big mans face. His green eyes swept over everyone but locked right on Zen, who Arman had made go change into a dark gray suit.

Even Vander had caved and changed into slacks and a sport jacket, he'd sliced the tie off with a dagger in the car though.

Kurino stood in a deep red veil dress, golden chains and rubies glittering across her forehead, chest and waist. On top of her head, a tiara of rubies and golden topaz. She looked, every inch, the crown Princess she was.

And her dark green eyes were only on Zen who gave her a warm smile when they all stopped before the throne.

"Arman! I told you getting the contracts done was wise! In light of all that is happening, I've agreed to a small private ceremony to seal their vows, later, when things have settled down, there will be a formal one and Zen will be coronated as the Crown Prince beside Kurino…." The King said, looking then at Zen "I am…very happy about this, I've watched you my boy, since I knew you existed, and I couldn't be happier with my daughters choice. Her marriage to you will strengthen her and Bosco, I am confident you will be strong at her side." The King said firmly.

Zen bowed and the doors to the side opened, he recognized the livery of the Knights on the priests that came in.

"By tradition, Kurino will go to speak with Arman, and Zen will come and speak with me. The rest of you, please, be seated, refreshments will be brought." The King said, nodding Zen to follow one of the priests while Kurino followed the other with Arman.

They were taken to a comfortable sitting room, a deep rich wine poured into glasses by the priest and Zen could smell the spices and the age of it.

"Are you ready to become royalty Zen?" The King asked. Zen met the kings eyes squarely, it wasn't in him to show too much respect for anyone he didn't know well, and while the Priest narrowed his eyes the King smiled.

"I told my father I'm sure I'm underestimating how hard this will be, but I'm not the least bit afraid of it, I don't have any doubts, Kurino is what I want…all I want, I'll handle everything that comes with her and I won't fail." He said firmly.

The Kings smile widened a little "You will marry her today, in a few minutes, did Arman tell you what all you will be doing? Marrying a Princess is not the same as marrying a normal person in Bosco. I'm telling you now as well, she's been removed from birth control, she wasn't happy about it, but I want grandchildren, as the Queen of Bosco she's expected to have a family, so, as her husband, you're going to be fathering those children, MY Grandchildren." He said firmly and Zen held his resolved expression but inside, that news made some panic stir.

He was 24, still young, like Kurino had reminded him on the ship, he'd seen so little of the world. But he'd known his responsibilities would tie him to Bosco, he was very much unsure about what sort of father he'd be, he wasn't Cristoff, didn't have his brothers calm nature or kindness, he was a battle hardened former Gladiator, a Knight and a mage.

"I'll be the best father I can be." He said, it was the best he could offer, he just didn't know, certainly wasn't prepared, but if he and Kurino would face starting a family as soon as they were wed, well…he'd sworn to her he'd take on anything that came.

The King clapped his shoulder and stood, leveling a look at the Priest who hurried to go and open the door then scurried from the room.

"That was all I wanted to know before I consented." The King admitted. "Lets get this started."

It was a little longer before Arman and Kurino came into the room and they were led out some large doors behind the throne out onto a massive balcony. Beyond stretched Pelerno and the Grass Sea.

A priest in the Livery of the Royal house and bearing the seal of the Knights bowed to the king. Zen stood beside his father, who put a small black box in his hand and nodded to him, smiling.

Kurino was beside the King, trying not to chew her lower lip, giving Lucy a small smile before settling her eyes on Zen.

The Pirest held his hand out and Zen drew a breath, it was happening fast, he knew it would once it had begun, but he kept his eyes on Kurinos, she was what he wanted, this, all of it, he would handle for her, he'd never, not ever wanted anything to do with royalty, certainly hadn't wanted to join their ranks, but he couldn't help who his heart wanted and he didn't want to.

"Zen Pradesh, son of Arman and Ganier Pradesh, you stand before the King of Bosco and its Crown Princess, state your intentions." The Priest said. Zen moved, knelt before the King and Kurino and opened the box, pulling out the ring inside it and almost forgetting why he was there.

He knew the ring, it had belonged to his mother. "Kurino Endivosh, I ask to take you as my wife, to keep you at my side, a partner for all our lives, share my bed, bare my children. I shall honor you, protect you, keep myself only for you, do you accept?" She smiled "I accept." She replied.

The King drew a breath. "Zen Pradesh, I Altiene Devah Endivosh, King of Bosco, consent to this union, You will become Crown Prince of Bosco at my daughters side, you will keep the health and security of this Kingdom, defend it, rule it with her when she becomes Queen as its King. You will provide her with heirs, give her and this country your undying unwavering loyalty for the rest of your life. Do you accept?" He demanded and Zen bowed his head "I accept, pledge my life, my heart, all that I am to Bosco and it's Crown Princess."

The King smiled and nodded, Zen pushed the ring onto Kurinos finger and his father came up beside him and bent over it.

"I give you my son with my blessing, Kurino Endivosh, Crown Princess of Bosco, I give you his…life, to become the Crown Prince at your side and promise as your father I shall be ready with council or comfort, safety or support and give our family to the crown to stand by it and both of you and all of your children to come forever going forward." Arman had nearly cracked giving over Zens life, he felt he'd barely pulled it from a cage, barely gotten any time with him at all and already, he was handing all that his son was over to the crown, to the Princess. He loved his country, had served it loyally all of his life, but this was a huge thing to give.

"Bosco accepts the offer of Arman Pradesh and the Pradesh family, this union will be blessed by the Crown and the Kingdom." The King said.

Farron, who had barely arrived, came forward and bent over the ringed hand of Kurino, looking at the ring on her finger and smiling faintly, he glanced at Zen and spoke.

"I give you my brother, and promise as yours from this day forward my council and comfort, safety and support, my loyalty and life for the Crown and Kingdom of Bosco." He said, kissing her hand.

Cristoff was next with Lucy and Layla, he spoke softly over Kurinos hand, repeating what Farron had said then kissing Kurinos hand, Lucy did the same then stepped back as Vander came forward.

Smiling as he always did, he bent over her hand and repeated the words, kissed her hand and backed away.

Kurino reached for Zen and he took her hand and stood to face the Priest. "Knights of Bosco, you shall be sealed within the Immaculate light, that it may purify this union for all time." The Priest declared and unlike Cristoff and Lucy, who had stepped into the lacrima, this time the priests called down the light directly and it engulfed the couple as everyone stood back. Zen drew a slow breath, feeling the familiar sensation of the light coursing through him again. There was no discomfort, a slight burn where the seal on his chest was, but otherwise, it was like a warm breeze blew over him. He felt Kurino stiffen.

It had been years since she had bathed in the light, and it had no mercy for darkness of any kind within her, the burn was a searing pain through her as it sought out the things she had come to harbor over those years since her last bath within it. The seal on her chest burned as well, and she grit her teeth, refusing to cry out during this ceremony because it was an admission of the light having to purge part of her.

It was a private thing, how much the light burned, nobody ever asked, but this was her wedding, Zens hand was in hers and as the light bathed her she knew it would make him share her burden because it was unifying them.

She felt his hand tighten on hers as it happened, he gave no other sign, nobody could see them, they couldn't even see each other, but she knew he felt everything she did, the light was absolute honesty, it hid nothing, and wouldn't let Kurino hide this or keep it from the man she married.

So as a couple they endured the pain of Kurinos sins for what felt like ages but was only minutes and then the light was gone, washed out through the group like a warm breeze and Kurino could see Zen draw a steadying breath, felt his fingers lace with hers.

Attendants came and the Priest bowed "The Light bless you both Knights of the Light, Princess and Prince of Bosco. Your consummation awaits."

Zen watched Kurino take a step and waver slightly and he pulled her closer to him, held her up. The King watched with knowing eyes, so did Arman, both men knowing well that Zen had just endured the searing purge of the darkness both of them knew had plagued Kurino, that he held her up, and walked strongly with the attendants from the balcony, spoke volumes about his strength.

Tradition demanded their consummation be special, the union of future Queen was the future of the country she would rule, so, once at the chambers she had grown up in, they were taken to the bath that held steaming waters of the grass sea purified by the light.

Two attendants each stripped them of all of their clothes and walked into the water with them, washing their bodies as they faced each other and Zens eyes widened as he looked at the brand over Kurinos heart. He had seen it many times, the Cross of the Knights with the crown, but now black wings wrapped around the cross.

Kurinos eyes were similarly on the brand over Zens heart, smiling faintly at the crown that now adorned the Cross.

Bodies washed they dried and taken to the bedchamber. The Attendants took positions around the bed and Zen drew a breath as he followed Kurino onto it. He'd been watched, he wasn't shy, wasn't nervous, the presence of the attendants didn't bother him and he was perfectly fine with what he needed to do now, it was what would come that he knew he was going to struggle with some.

Kurino lay back and reached for him and Zen slid into her arms, smiling down at her. "You better make me happy." She grinned "I still haven't put a ring on you." She remined him and he narrowed his eyes, hands moving up her sides he dug a fingertip in and made her shriek with laughter.

Watching her get bathed had been enough for him, he didn't need any help from her though she pushed her body up into him urging him to move.

"You're so going to regret teasing me." He warned and her eyes widened a little but slammed closed when, without warning he thrust himself into her body.

It was so easy, he loved her, she loved him, he was becoming hers and she was his. It was all he wanted, the rest he'd deal with. He gave himself to it, the need and hunger he had for her, that had become so strong when she'd threatened it.

He'd felt the purge, that pain had been a shock but not a surprise. He knew the light would probably have work to do in her and that he would share the burden of bearing it because they were being sealed.

Their first time as husband and wife was not just about assuring he could please her, and Kurino was being plenty vocal about how well he was doing that.

When she came, and he did a few moments later, they lay panting, still trying to catch their breath and he tensed as hands slid over his shoulder, urging him to move. The old woman who met his narrowed eyes wore no expression, but was unrelenting.

"Zen." Kurino said softly, pushing at his chest and he drew a breath, he didn't like this part, his father had warned him in the car and Lucy, Gajeel and Levy had all been horrified and a little repulsed but this was because Kurino was to be Queen, and the union wasn't complete until the ring was on his finger tomorrow.

Growling he slid from Kurino and moved aside, frowning as the old woman made Kurino move and pushed a small lacrima right between her legs making her hiss her breath between her teeth.

Zen could only reach down and brush his fingers over her cheek, The woman pulled back with the lacrima and stepped back smiling faintly.

"Our Prince is virile, fertile my Princess, he will father children with ease." She bowed and placed the lacrima in a box and left, waving the attendants back and only two remained, Zen and Kurino would be watched through the night. He narrowed his eyes and felt Kurinos hand run up his arm, when he looked down she was chewing her lip looking very apologetic.

"Not your fault." He said with a sigh and laid back down beside her, pulling the blankets over them. She smiled, sliding against him and then on top of him, nipping and kissing across his chest and finally drawing a grin out of him when she ran her tongue over the crown on his chest.

He lifted his hand, lightly skimming the wings now on hers and she looked down, drawing in a breath when she saw them.

"Your wings…I need to check in with the researchers and see if they've figured that out yet." She said smiling.

He reached up and pushed a hand through her hair, fisting it at the base of her neck and pulling her down to him, kissing her hard enough she moaned and writhed on him.

"I love you." He breathed against her lips and she kissed him fiercely "I…love you too." She got out between kisses as the fires in both of them rekindled.

The two attendants sat silent, eyes veiled but the young woman looked at the man beside her and smiled faintly, nudging his leg and he smiled nodding just enough to be seen by her but not be obvious. Nobody in the palace had expected their princess to find someone like this, to hear breathy confessions of love, see the playful laughing and teasing, it was heart warming and gave hope of a bright future for their Princess and new Prince.

The family was kept at the Palace, which had surprised Lucy but Cristoff said it was all part of the process.

The following morning before Breakfast they were all brought to the same balcony they had been on the day before. Kurino in a deep green veil dress this time Zen in a black suit. He knelt in front of her again.

Arman stood beside the King and handed Kurino a thick golden band. "Princess Kurino Endivosh, my son kneels before you, if you accept him as your husband I ask you place this ring on his finger." He said. Kurino smiled, reaching for Zens hand and sliding the ring on his finger "I accept him as my husband." She said brightly. The king smiled.

"This man has been accepted and proven as a husband, as the King of Bosco, your father, I ask you my daughter, do you accept this man to rule at your side, to become a Prince of Bosco and one day a King on the throne with you?" He asked. Kurino took the band of gold from her father than and set it on Zens head, "I take Zen Pradesh to become a Prince of Bosco and rule at my side one day." She said proudly.

The King grinned. "Then stand a Prince of Bosco…my new son and Husband of my daughter."

Zen stood and the Priests at the balcony released lacrima into the air that exploded into brilliant golden flames. Above Boscan Gunships took up the salute and cannons fired into the sky.

The King grinned "That is going to drive the media insane wanting to know why the golden fire salute announcing the marriage of royalty just happened over the palace!" He guffawed and clapped Armans back, fortunately, Arman wasn't a small man and wasn't sent stumbling but his eyes widened before he smiled.

"Lets get some breakfast! I'm starving!" The King said brightly and led them from the balcony.

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A/N heading in for possible surgery tonight so not sure when I'll be updating again, might be a few days, this weekend probably. So I wanted to give you guys a big chapter. Thank you Sassy for all of your help and input and thank you to those reviewing, you influence these chapters a lot more than you know!