They walked past the massive doors and found themselves walking on polished marble that was scored in places from the passage of massive dragons in the past. Freed wasn't really containable anymore. Laxus even shocked him once but it didn't stop the man from moving swiftly from one side of the massive passageway to the other to look at runes, inscriptions and murals.
"Draconian, oh I can complete my study, learn the language in its entirety just from these!" He almost giggled "I'll be the first authority on it in over a hundred years, ones I teach Levy our guild will become the best resource for it…" He was muttering and writing swiftly in his leather-bound notebook. Laxus was impressed when he saw that come out, Freed had one for each language he worked with and never wrote in them unless he had solid information he knew contributed to current understandings about the language.
Gajeel rolled his eyes, he wasn't immune to the significance of what Freed was going on about, quite the opposite, Freed and Levy gaining working knowledge of Draconian meant that he could too through them. It was just the Rune mage was ignoring the rest of what they were walking through.
He heard the doors close behind them, but when he went and ran his hand over some runes on the marble doors that were inlaid in gold, the runes lit and the doors opened so it wasn't a trap, the doors just didn't remain open, closing on their own after allowing time for even a massive dragon that would have probably filled the passageway to get through them.
The passage was 100 feet high and about 50 feet wide. Glossy white marble laced with silver and gold made up the floor and the walls stretched up to the ceiling in another slightly darker off white marble.
Lacrima, crystalline, some actual precious and semi precious gem stones were spaced down the passage and provided light in an interesting multi color faceted way that Gajeel found enhanced his vision incredibly. He could see so well it was a little weird until he adjusted to it.
The smell of Dragon was powerful, but old. Like he had told Lucy it wasn't that it was recent, the thickness of it was due to just how well visited this place had been, how many dragons had been here, if legends were true about it, most dragons for the last several thousand years had been born in this place in brood chambers somewhere inside.
"No treasure hunters can ever come here…" Laxus said softly. Cana looked up at her mate, his stormy eyes were wide and entranced gazing at another intricate mural depicting more dragons, this one was an elegant white and gold creature with brilliant blue eyes, she lay partly on her side, her body curled around a brood of tiny dragonlings, her head dipped toward them, eyes showing real affection, she was massive, the picture showed her size because a robed human stood by one of her talons gently rubbing the back of one of the dragonlings.
The top of the dragons resting foot was waist high on the human, one of her talons bigger than the person.
"Her name was Tupengai, First Dragon Queen of the Northern Tatsu, Brood mother to…wow" Freed breathed "Brood Mother to 2191 souls. Mate of Jevras Alpha of the North. That must be him behind her."
Laxus reached out, running a finger over the large, but only about half the size of the Queen, male dragon, he was a dark green color with red eyes and while the Dragon Queen had curving horns that curled like a rams adorned with beautiful bands of gold inlaid with gems, the males horns were sharp, angular and he had more of them.
"What's a "Tatsu"?" Wendy asked, she had moved ahead and was looking at another mural depicting a massive red Dragon.
"A Tatsu for Dragons is a kind of family, the dragons in it aren't usually related, they just claim each other as kin, serve under an alpha pair to protect each other, work together, long ago there were enough dragons that Tatsus were common, it was the only way Dragon Queens would accept each other, in a Tatsu they had security, not just their mates protecting them and their broods but if something happened to one, their brood would be raised by the others, protected and cherished." Gajeel answered, he was looking at another depiction of two queens, this wasn't a happy picture like the one across from it, these queens were in battle, killing each other, a dead male on the ground, another male wounded, likely fatally not far from the first. From the looks of it, none of the dragons in the picture would survive the conflict.
"It would be good to see a Tatsu form again." Everyone froze, even the Exceeds ducked, the voice hadn't belonged to any of them, and it hadn't sounded…human. It resonated in more than just the ears too, Cobra actually winced and he yanked Nola against him, his arms going around her protectively.
"You've nothing to fear here, Dragon Slayers. You and your companions are ever welcome within this sacred place. The Palace is Sankuchuari, those of Dragon blood and their servants are protected here from harm." The voice told them.
It started then, Laxus saw it first then Gajeel, a soft light seeping from the ceiling through a large crystalline lacrima, it formed into a luminous creamy colored ball and drifted down.
"I am Ora, spirit of this place. I welcome you, Dragon Slayers, to the Palace of the Dragon Queens. While you are here, you will be under the protection of the Palace. Should you have questions, need assistance in any way, merely call me, I can materialize anywhere within the Palace and its grounds." The voice centered then, coming from the glowing ball.
"You're..a spirit?" Lucy was, of course immediately drawn to this.
"Yes, Celestial Queen, mate of Gajeel. Though not celestial in nature, I am a spirit similar to those you work with. I was created by the great Queen Tupengai, who was a Celestial Dragon herself, I am the manifestation of the will of the Dragons who created this place, Tupengai was the mistress of this place, part of her soul is still within it, hers and many other Queens, they power this place for all eternity and are what forms me." Ora replied.
"So you're like a whole bunch of ghosts all in one." Gajeel summarized and Ora chimed, the sound pleasant and soft "Yes Gajeel son of Metalicana, I am. If you please, I will show you into the Palace where you may refresh yourselves. I have been watching your trek since you came to the barrier stone, I am certain you are all ready to enjoy the hot springs and refresh yourselves before you begin your exploration of the Palace, which I will assist you with if you would like." Ora told them.
"You know who my father is?" Gajeel wasn't completely surprised, but he was impressed.
"Metalicana, the Iron Dragon, you are his. His soul resonates within you Iron Dragon Slayer. Just as the soul of Mezas resonates within Laxus Lightning Dragon Slayer, Grandina resonates within Wendy, Sky Dragon Slayer and the Queen Keristanza resonates within Cobra the Poison Dragon Slayer.: Ora said. Laxus and Cobra both went still, staring at the glowing ball in shock.
Neither knew the names of the dragons their magic came from, at least not until that moment. Gajeel turned at looked at Cobra with wide eyes "You have a female dragons soul in you?!"
Cobra narrowed his eye at the Iron Slayer. "Seems so, got an issue with that? Not like I picked it out." He snapped.
"It is not common for female dragons to accept a male slayer, it is however an immense honor, those raised by Queens were always the strongest. The lacrima within Cobra carries the soul of a great Queen of immense strength, her image adorns one of the murals ahead." Ora stated smoothly and started drifting up the hall.
"Thank you…Ora." Nola bowed slightly, while none of the others seemed able to think clearly enough to display manners yet, Nola was Joyan, raised a slave but she still had her peoples heart within her.
"It is my pleasure to serve, Nola, Fox mage. Your mating with the Poison Slayer is incomplete, it is good you are here, many Slayers claimed their mates within these halls, thousands of dragons did as well. It empowers the process to do so within this place." Ora said.
"Ora, does the Palace have a library?" Freed asked hopefully. Stories claimed it did.
"Of course, it has several, the main one though is on this level for ease of access to those not wishing to delve deep within the halls. Travel to the others would take a few days." Ora replied. Freeds eyes watered, "I…would very much like to see it." He whispered.
"I shall be happy to show it to you once I have shown you all to the chambers you will enjoy during your time here." Ora answered and Freed clutched his notebook to his chest, almost drooling at the thought of the books he would find within the ancient place.
Ora led them down the passage for another 20 minutes and then Gajeel sniffed "Water, I smell a lot of water." He said.
"The hot springs fill the central chamber beneath the sculptures of the founding Queens. From that central chamber branch the passageways to the other complexes within the Palace as well as access to the lower levels, transport system, kitchens and training halls. And of course, the main library." Ora added when Freed had drawn a breath to ask.
The temperature continued to rise and then they could hear water. When the passage opened up into the central chamber they all stood with their mouths open.
The central chamber was massive, stretching so far you couldn't see the opposite side. The ceiling about 200 feet up held the sculptures Ora had mentioned, life sized sculptures of the founding Queens and suddenly, though Gajeel had stood by Metalicana and even Igneel that were both to him massive dragons, he understood why Metalicana had spoken a little reverently about true Dragon Queens, why he had told his Grandina was a small female.
Above the founding Queens were sculpted in marble in flight, wings outstretched as they circled each other, wings overlapping, tails touching. He saw Tupengai was the biggest, recognized her curling horns and the adornments on them. There were seven in total, and each was at least double the size of his father.
The hot spring lay before them, basically a lake, there was even an island in the middle of it and by the slow gentle movement of the water at the edge it was clear the water flowed somewhere so was freshened. Ornate and beautiful tiles took over from the marble as the got near the waters edge and stretched out under the water until it was too deep to see the bottom anymore.
"The waters are enchanted, with healing properties among many other things, meant to rejuvenate the Dragons and Dragon Slayers who came here." Ora told them leading them to the right and following the edge of the water in a slow curve. There were doors and human sized hallways branching off and Freed mentioned them.
"Quarters of the worshippers who used to live here. Very basic housing. As Slayers you have more suitable accommodations." Ora told them.
After another decent stretch of walking a good sized hallway branched off and Ora led them into it. "These are the halls of the Slayers, where Dragon Slayers were brought by their Dragons to study and train, the kitchens are through there," The bright ball sent a little spark in the direction of a double doorway that unlocked and opened when it was touched.
"The Library is through there " another spark drifted off the ball toward a pair of large doors that audibly unlocked and slid open. "At the end of the hall are the doors to the practice areas, all of the doors on this side of the hall are living quarters ready to provide you comfort." Lacrimas lit brightly all the way down the hall to where two huge doors started opening apparently to the practice areas while doors unlocked all down the hall to their left where Ora had indicated there were living quarters.
"I shall leave you to refresh yourselves, if you have need of me you have only to call for me." Ora said and then the ball drifted up and disappeared into the ceiling, leaving the group standing silently looking around the large hallway.
"Well I'm checking out these living quarters…" Cana said, heading to the first door and pushing it open. As soon as she stepped inside lights lit up and she stood in shock looking around.
It was like a suite of rooms might look in the royal palace only…better, more opulent, antiquities decorated it, not just Draconian in origin either. Soft hand made rugs laid about providing a break from the pale marble floors and a large fireplace was at the back. Guzy curtains of red and gold separated the area and Cana moved through them grinning, Laxus close behind her.
Ora said they were safe and protected here, but he still wasn't…relaxed about it all, it was so foreign, these halls had not been walked in how long? Yet no dust, no hint of neglect was anywhere.
Everyone claimed rooms, there were so many Freed didn't need to share with Wendy. Each room varied a little in décor, different colored curtains separating each area, unique rugs and decorations. It would have been a treasure hunting guilds greatest dream of all time.
Gajeel watched Lucy walk around their chambers in awe, running her hands over curtains, staring at paintings and sculptures then falling over onto the massive semi-circular bed at the back near the fireplace that was covered in thick plush blankets and pillows.
"Nesting seems to be expected." She chuckled, tossing a pillow at Gajeel who caught it with a smile. "Told you it wasn't uncommon in Dragons or Slayers." He replied. He knew Laxus was still hesitant but if he had to be honest, Gajeel felt at home, at ease like he rarely did, even in his own house in Magnolia.
"Well, I want a dip in that spring out there…" Lucy said firmly pulling out her keys.
Virgo took everyone their bags, visiting each room in turn, and Lucy didn't hesitate, stripping down and pulling out her bathing suit. She hadn't expected to be swimming honestly, but the possibility of needing to bathe in the open had occurred to her so she had packed one and knew the other women and Wendy had as well.
Gajeel smirked, sitting on the bed watching her while he leaned back on his arms.
He loved watching the woman undress and even enjoyed watching her shimmy into clothes sometimes, but the undressing was his favorite by far.
Lucy tossed his swim trunks at him "Come on "Black Steel" your ass could use a swim too, don't make me go alone." She finished tying her bathing suit up and went over to him, pushing his coat back off his shoulders and starting on the buttons of the long sleeved black shirt beneath it.
"Enchanted water with healing properties…set up to rejuvenate Dragons…it does sound good doesn't it?" He smiled faintly, just watching her undress him and not moving to help.
He enjoyed her touch too much, he always had. It got worse the longer they were together too, he just needed her more, loved her more with every passing day. He knew she loved stripping his clothes off of him as much as he liked doing it to her too, so he stood, shrugging his shoulders out of the shirt when she got it undone and let it fall to the bed, tossing it aside then going right back to leaning on his hands again while she undid his belt.
She smiled up at him, stepping between his legs and pressing herself against his body loving the feel of his bare skin on hers. His arms came around her and he thread his fingers into her hair, just holding her for a few minutes.
"Why do I feel safe here?" Lucy asked quietly.
"I do too Bunny, the place is just saturated with dragon magic, and the scent of Dragons is in everything, it's…soothing." He admitted.
"I want to go warm up in the water, then I want you…naked…on this bed." She decided with a smirk.
"Demanding…I like it." Gajeel kissed her then, drowning himself for a few minutes in his Bunny before finally kicking off his boots and getting into his trunks so he could go to the springs with Lucy.
Wendy was already out in the water when they got out there and surprisingly, so was Cana, Laxus was even waist deep in the water.
Glancing around Gajeel smirked…Freed he was sure was already in the library probably having multiple orgasms and humping book cases at whatever he found in there.
The Poison Slayer and his little mate in the making weren't out with them though. He couldn't blame them, first privacy in more than a month, definitely the first since they had started the process, hell even Ora acknowledged they needed to finish the process.
He still had to hand it to Cobra, he'd have fucking killed people if he'd had to share Lucy with anyone while they had been mating and Cobra, so well known for being a hard core asshole, had handled it really well. His beautiful little mates natural serene demeanor probably had a lot to do with that.
The weakness of one is filled by the strengths of the other, the two combine to reach a balance. It sure had worked that way for him and Lucy. He swept his mate up into his arms, ignoring her screams of protest and her attempts at gaining her freedom, charged out into the water and plunged in dragging her down with him.
He was right about the new couple too, Cobra was keeping Nola to himself for once and she wasn't objecting. There was a massive tub in the chamber and it filled with steaming water and the couple were now in it, Nola pressed up against Cobra, laying on top of him in the water, lavishing kisses onto his lips while her hands slid up and down his body.
He hadn't been able to enjoy this, not really, their love making had been fractured at best, his inexperience coupled with his anxiety along with hers then the fact their first true coupling had been in a cramped tent in the middle of the mountains and he was damn near ashamed of how he had "romanced" his mate.
It was different now though, they were in this miraculous place, surrounded by a history, a culture that he had never really had the luxury to think much about yet belonged to him. He felt safe here, knew their privacy would be protected somehow, and he wanted to finally take the time and show Nola just how much he felt for her.
So he let all of his fears go, she had already proven his awkwardness, lack of experience and anxieties didn't concern her or make her want him less. His hands were free to explore her skin. He marveled at it, hers was tanned, lighter than his though, his was a caramel/coffee color, hers was like a creamy latte.
She was so soft, with full curves he so enjoyed sliding his hands over, he curled his fingers around her smooth rear, cupping each cheek in his hands and squeezing until she smiled, made that sexy little fox growl and he hummed into her mouth, drinking in the taste of sugared nutmeg, reveling in the feel of her skin on his, her breasts pressed against his chest.
Two bites he had into her, knew that this one mattered most too. The third bite sealed the mark and completed the claim. He honestly loved they would be doing it here, in a holy place for Dragons, it made it feel so much better, like what had led up to it didn't matter anymore because this was ideal.
They bathed each other, took their time with it, there was no rush, no reason to hurry. Their friends were nearby, Wendy had said she was going to swim in the massive lake-like spring and Cana and Lucy, even Laxus and Gajeel had been thinking along the same lines.
Freed had been almost giddy about getting into the library and Laxus wanted everyone to relax. They had found the Palace, they could rest knowing now they were safe here and start exploring after they had a chance to, as Ora had put it, rejuvenate.
So nobody would be bothering them or looking for them, he could hear them all, all of their souls happy out in the spring, Freed dumb struck in the library.
The presence or Ora was everywhere, like it had said and the Palace was…alive, with magic so deep, ancient and powerful his mind had a hard time processing all it sensed.
But he was drowning in Nola now, laying her back on the huge soft bed, the fireplace blazing, warmth surrounding them for the first time since they had started this. He ran soft kisses up her long legs.
He had thought Lucy was pretty curvaceous, and she was, but Lola, shorter than Lucy, was voluptuous, soft and so incredibly inviting. He was smirking up at her as she watched him slide onto the bed by her feet, he pushed her legs apart and slid them over his shoulders and immediately drew a prolonged oh so sweet moan from her as he finally, after wanting to so many times, buried himself in her core.
Cobra had a serious sweet tooth, he was addicted to candy, sugar was a natural poison so it only made sense he loved it so much and as a Dragon Slayer, with his sense of smell as powerful as it was, a woman, especially an aroused one like Nola was right now, smelled intoxicating.
It was possible to taste a scent, the stronger the sense of smell, the easier it was, and Nolas jasmine scent was sweetest here, at her core, and he pressed his tongue into her, tasting her at her purest source. Jasmine, honey, slightly copper tinted but all of it sweet.
Add in her writhing, her soul crying out in pleasure at his every movement and Cobra was immersed in his mate, in what he could make her feel.
I can't take this…it's so good…Gods I love him…I love everything about him…ahhh! How can he make it feel so hot…..I can't…think…ahhh, I want him inside me, I need him, need that mouthwatering cock….Gods…Erik…damn you…I know you hear me!
He chuckled then and bit the inside of her thigh.
"Yes ,love, I can hear you, so impatient…I want…" He paused, lingering and drawing his tongue over her center again languidly, his ego enjoying the slew of curses in common and Joyan along with the rants about no man should be allowed to cause a womans body to feel this way. "…to take my time…"
You will NOT, Gods if you don't fuck me right now… so help me I know as much about tormenting you…
He was chuckling as he slid up her body, eyeing her with that cocky smirk and she didn't care, she meant it. Until just now if a man bent between her legs it meant horrible things, but oh Gods what he had just done to her.
When he took firm hold of her hips and slid himself inside her she couldn't hold his gaze, her eyes glazed over and finally closed as her lead tilted back and she felt his mouth close over her neck, he started nipping and sucking at the skin there and she arched her body up as finally he began moving against her.
No, Cobra hadn't been a sexually active man, he had a lot of reasons for that, his fucked up past being responsible for all of them. But the more he was with Nola, and now, knowing, she was his mate, forever, their bond would seal them together permanently, his body would only be for her, hers only for him, he loved it.
Monogamy was something he really liked, he was a private person, didn't let his business out for anyone to know a damn thing about if he could help it. One woman, ever, was perfect for him. That his woman happened to be a sexy beautiful creature that could challenge every part of him from his mind to his body and soul just meant the rest of his life was going to better than it ever had been before she had come into it.
He held her to him, one arm around his waist, his free hand in her hair keeping her head tipped back so her whole throat was exposed to him as he snapped his hips into hers, harder and faster moment by moment, more and more entranced by her soft sounds, the throaty little fox purr that would cut off when he increased the force of his trusts into her body.
While she remained arched back, giving him full access to her upper body, Nola had braced her feet on the bed and was meeting his thrusts, delighting in the moans and throaty curses she drew out of him. It built slowly, the delicious tension, though he had wanted to do so even slower there was a voice intruding into his thoughts, he'd heard it before, his dragons voice telling him to take her, to finish it, to pump her full of all that he was, claim, take because she is MINE.
"Harder, she's close, and once the mark is set we can rejuvenate in the pools, bring her back, and have her again and again, we are in the Palace, here, we can make babies." It purred
He was too involved, too drowned in the way Nolas body was undulating beneath him, how her hands were all over him and kept pushing into sensitive spots he didn't know he had, she was toying with his golden earing and that was driving him out of his fucking mind, making him start to hammer himself into her harder and harder.
He'd normally have delved into that bizarre claim by his dragon soul but he was busy, Gods was he ever.
Her walls were fluttering around him now, clenching and unclenching on him, almost massaging his damn cock as he was slamming it into her and he couldn't think, he could barely maintain breathing and a regular heartbeat at this point as her finger swirled over his earing, her other hand traced down his spine to his lower back them slid over to grab his ass, her nails digging into his flesh as her soul screamed for him to go harder, deeper.
She hitched a leg up, nimble thing she was she brought her own knee nearly to her shoulder and suddenly, oh God the new angle, so deep, her body clenching him and she was so hot he felt it.
She was about to come and so was he, he was slick with sweat, his breathing ragged, he couldn't stop the sounds he was making that melded with hers and he lunged in, sinking his teeth into the mark hard, her blood flowing into his mouth, molten, filled with her magic and the taste of passion as she tensed and came with a scream of his name.
Her sharp teeth setting into him was the end for him, he was pumping his magic into her, she'd been building a tolerance for it for a month and this was where it all came to completion. His body shuddered but he didn't removed his teeth from her, he couldn't, he'd lost all control then. Magic flowed between them and the waves of pleasure seemed to last for days, raking through their bodies, heartbeats, breathing, everything coming into sync until after several long minutes both released their holds, kissing and licking over the wounds they had inflicted until even that was too much effort and they collapsed.
It was a while before he could move, he didn't know how long but he knew he'd fallen asleep, when he came too he could FEEL magic moving in Nolas body, feel it flowing down her arm as she sent a jet of fire to the fireplace and it roared up in response.
The chamber was wonderfully warm, just how he liked it. It was no secret one of the reasons he loved it in Nolas room in Bickslows house was because of the fireplace in it, the room could be made deliciously warm.
He slid his hand from where it had been resting on her hip up to one of her full breasts and swirled a finger around the nipple, earning an appreciative purr from Nola.
"God that's sexy as hell, you know that? Little Fox purr of yours…makes me want to get back between your legs woman." He said lazily.
"Mmm, I wouldn't mind that at all…" She admitted, a foot sliding up the inside of his thigh. He grinned…ok, swim in the pool after one more round….