As always - Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima and everything Pradesh belongs to Desna.
A/N - I can't believe I actually made it to Chapter 20 when this started as a oneshot! Anyhow, I like the way this chapter turned out, I hope you do as well. Please read and review. :)
Vander awoke feeling more refreshed than he could ever recall. It was like the constant pull on his magic from the voids was dimmed. Even as a child he had to tightly reign in his magic all day every day to keep the void demons from using his magic to escape. He failed once and his entire family and village paid a hefty price. That was when Arman found him and adopted him. He was probably one of the most disciplined mages out there because he had to be. Between that and what he went through working for the Steel Council, it was just habit and instinct to be alert and controlled at all times. He tightened his grasp on the blonde snoring softly in his arms and breathed in the scent of her hair. Strawberries, of course he thought and smiled. She snuggled into him more and he just couldn't bring himself to wake her up or even move. He didn't understand it, but he didn't want it to end so he just lay there and reveled in the sensation knowing it wouldn't last.
Lucy woke to a warm feeling all around her. For a second she thought Natsu had climbed into her bed again, but even her sleep addled mind recognized she wasn't overly heated like he usually caused. She was pressed against a bare chest, held there by warm arms and she tried to defog her brain enough to recall the happenings of last night. Dimly she heard some sort of knocking sound and the arms around her tightened. A soft "Sorry" was whispered against her forehead before she suddenly was colder than ever before in her life. Plopped onto a soft surface, she opened her eyes to see Vander standing next to her bed with an apologetic look in his eyes as he pointed to her door and vanished.
There was another knock and she, now being fully awake due to the blast of cold, she realized it was someone at her door. "One sec," she called out as she ran a hand through her hair to straighten it and pulled her robe closed and tied it. She couldn't figure out why she was only wearing one slipper so she kicked it off and walked over to crack open the door.
Bickslow was on the other side just wearing sleep pants, his blue/black hair still disheveled from sleep. "Sorry," he looked at her sheepishly, "but Hisui sent a guard here to request your presence at nine."
Lucy frowned, "How the hell does she always know when I'm here? Ugh." She saw Vander walk up behind his brother already fully dressed and composed. How she wished it were that simple for her to get ready in the morning. "I don't have much choice I guess. Will you guys take Lucas to the ship while I go have my chat with the lunatic? I don't want to bring him to her."
"Not so fond of your new Queen?" Vander asked. He could hear the disgust in her voice and she'd never spoken like that about another person to him before. She was the most forgiving person in the world so he had to know what had put the Queen on her shit list.
"Bitch used me and Yukino... used our magic to release the dragons here. Then once we sorted all that bullshit out she ends up fucking up the Celestial Realm and I had to fight my own spirits. So no, she doesn't get a pass ever. But I have to pretend to be friends since she's royalty." Lucy spat out. She left out the part about watching her future self die, only Natsu, Levy and Rogue really knew what had really transpired. It had actually taken her and Rogue both a long time to be comfortable around each other afterwards.
"Sounds like valid reasons to not trust her," Vander stated. Slapping a hand on his brother's shoulder he proposed that Bickslow take Lucas to the airship and get him settled while he escorted Lucy to the Palace. He'd done this sort of thing plenty of times for Farron in the past. He could show up completely unarmed and still be 100% lethal, the perfect bodyguard.
Lucy tried to wave him off, "You don't need to, she just wants to talk like we are friends."
"Nonsense," Vander replied with a smirk. "I've just got to meet the one person that fucked up so badly the Light of Fairy Tail won't forgive her. Didn't really think it was possible to be honest, you are kind of weird like that…" Lucy rolled her eyes and closed the door on the two, calling out Virgo and Cancer to help her get ready.
Vander grinned and followed his brother to his room where he started getting ready. "Appreciate you going with her," Bickslow said. "I don't think she's up to anything suspicious, but we've learned not to trust her the hard way. Also, I'm pretty sure there's more to that story than Lucy let's on. Something else happened during that whole Eclipse Gate bullshit that she doesn't talk about. But anyhow, I feel better knowing you are there."
Flipping a dagger in his hand lazily while he leaned against the wall, Vander replied. "Not like I don't do this sort of thing for a living or anything. It's no big deal and it makes sense. I agree that Lucas shouldn't go. He's not technically a citizen and I don't really know the Fioran laws on that shit very well."
"Yeah, me either. We can ask Fare about it when we get to the airship."
"What's an airship?" Both turned to see a sleepy eyed Lucas standing in the doorway. Bickslow grinned, finished snapping on his visor and walked over to whisper in the boys ear. His eyes went wide. "You mean up in the air? Like flying? But how?"
"I'm about to show you. So go get ready." Bickslow grinned at the speed the kid had while he tore back to his room and slammed the door behind him.
"You are really good with him," Vander observed.
"Yeah, I like kids. They are honest. You're pretty good with him too. I'm sure that you'll make a great dad someday," Bickslow teased back.
Vander scowled. It was something he had decided long ago, to never have kids and pass along his magic. No one should go through what he did. Let it become a lost magic once again, that was fine with him. "Not gonna happen bro. Won't subject a kid to my magic. That wouldn't be fair."
"You could adopt like Dad did." Bickslow said, surprised at his brother's statement. He'd never really discussed children with him before.
Vander was smirking and back to his normal carefree attitude in a flash. "And ruin all the fun I get to have? Why on Earthland would I do that? I'll just spoil my nieces and nephews when the rest of you get their heads out of their asses and make Dad happy. There is so much I can teach them about…"
Bickslow groaned imagining it. "You will be the worst Uncle."
"Best Uncle. The kids will love me." Vander corrected.
"Their parents will end up killing you."
"They have to catch me first. Good luck." Heading back to his room to pack up, he called once more. "Best Uncle."
Bickslow vowed to himself then and there that he would never ever let Uncle Van babysit when he eventually settled and had a family.
Lucy hugged Lucas and promised to see him on the ship in a few hours. Lucas was practically hopping up and down in excitement to see a flying ship. The foursome waved goodbye and split up going their separate ways.
Virgo was left in the room packing up their things and was on the hunt for the missing slipper. She finally found it in the Shadowquip's room, tangled up in the sheets on the bed and smiled. She wanted nothing but happiness for her Princess and hoped this would be just that. She knew from Leo the request from Natsu and Gray and she was incensed about it, but he had firmly told her that it was none of their business and that Lucy needed to make her own decisions. She could tell by the firm set of his jaw that he was just as angered. A little tryst with a handsome young and powerful mage might just be what her Princess needed. And that particular mage had wicked eyes that promised oh so many things. She shivered just thinking about the possibilities. Leo eyed her warily when she showed back up in the Celestial Realm grinning. That was never a good sign in his book. Virgo saw him look at her and she continued to smile and ignored him, going about her normal business.
