As always - Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima and everything Pradesh belongs to Desna.
A/N - I promise next chapter they will arrive in Bosco finally! Please read and review :)
Although it took mere minutes for them to arrive, Lucy's teeth were chattering by the time they emerged. "H-h-how d-d-o you st-stand the c-cold?"
Vander laughed and started rubbing her arms to warm her up, "You get used to it." The blond in his arms shook her head as she proclaimed she would never get used to it. "Come on. Let's go find the others and-" He was interrupted by Lucas shouting the blonde's name and running down the hall to hug her.
Lucy turned and hugged him back to see Bickslow and another man walking towards them. The stranger, who she assumed was Farron was a sight to behold. He was nearly as tall as the Seith mage, with an athletic build, long dark blond hair with one side in a braid over his shoulder. His clothing was immaculate and tailored to fit. He had a gentle look in his blue eyes.
"Told ya she's a knockout." Bickslow nudged his brother who nearly halted in his tracks when he and Lucy made eye contact.
Ignoring both of his brothers he approached with a soft smile and pulled Lucy's hand up to give it a kiss as was proper in Fiore. Farron had to admit he would have much rather greeted her Boscan style. "Miss Heartfilia I presume? It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I've heard much about you from my brother and yours." He winked at Lucas who was still hugging her from the side.
Lucy blushed lightly while Vander rolled his eyes and walked around the trio to stand with Bickslow. She bowed her head in respect, "Ambassador Pradesh, it is an honor to meet you. I am a fan of you and your father's humanitarian works. The world is a better place because of people like you. Thank you so very much for allowing us to tag-along on your return trip home. I hope that Lucas and I aren't a bother."
"Please just call me Farron. Normally these journeys are just myself and the crew so I am looking forward to having such lovely company for the next few days."
"Is he going to let go of her hand at some point?" Vander quietly asked Bickslow, who simply laughed in response. "Hey can we get some food? Had to miss breakfast due to the royal inquisition." He loudly asked the group.
"Absolutely. I do hope our accommodations are not lacking Miss Heartfilia as this is more of a military ship than a luxury one. We do maintain a very well stocked galley." Farron moved her hand to the crook of his elbow smoothly. "Shall we?"
A still slightly flushed Lucy nodded and took Lucas's hand in her other as they began to walk. "Please just call me Lucy. I am not an aristocrat, I am a working mage."
"And yet you had an audience with the Queen. Please tell me all about it." Farron prompted.
Bickslow poked his younger brother in the arm, "You are going to get a headache if you continue to roll your eyes that hard. Come on, you wanted food after all." If this was an indication of how meeting the rest of his family would go, he couldn't wait to see it. He couldn't stop laughing as the imagery flooded his mind until Vander punched him in the arm. Hard. Unfortunately, that just prompted a whole new set of cackling.
Lucy was amazed at the large kitchen and the appliances available when they arrived. It was much larger and cleaner than she expected, a large table that could easily seat 20 in the center of the room. "Would you mind if I cooked?" She timidly asked the Ambassador at her side. "It has been quite some time since I've been able to use modern equipment."
"I would love to sample your cooking," Farron replied, releasing her arm and seating himself at the table. Lucas joined him as Virgo's gate opened. Bickslow and Vander joined shortly after.
"Princess, how may I assist?" the maid bowed to her. Lucy hugged her spirit and then they started digging through the refrigerator for supplies. She found an apron and the two got to work, Lucy humming to herself the whole time.
"She didn't use an incantation?" Farron asked his brothers. Bickslow had already informed him she was a Celestial mage.
"Lucy is unique. She doesn't need to use them. Heck some of her spirits just open their gates themselves. She also has this stardress thing where she can use their powers herself." Bickslow answered.
"Do they all call her Princess?"
"No, but most do. She refuses to let them call her master but most won't use her name out of respect I think. Loke told me once that Princess had to do with her relationship with the Celestial King. I guess he kind of treats her like a daughter so her spirits do as well."
"Loke?"
"Oh, that was his name when he was banished to Earthland. He is Leo the Lion, leader of the Zodiac. She has most of their keys."
"Interesting, so she is beautiful, intelligent and powerful then." Farron mused to himself while noticing the slight frown on Vander's face. He had many questions still, but preferred to ask the blonde mage herself.
"Lucy is the most amazing mage in the world!" Lucas chimed in.
Farron smiled down at him and agreed. "She is definitely high on the list."
After being well fed, Farron insisted the brothers clean up after. Virgo asked her Princess to call her once she had been shown to her room and vanished. Lucas meanwhile gave his big sister an update on everything he had seen on his tour. Lucy was fascinated with his description of the large bath and was looking forward to partaking in that later. Once cleanup was completed, she was shown to her room which was adjacent to Lucas'. Her jaw nearly dropped when she entered. It was larger than her apartment.
After she and Virgo sorted out all of hers and Lucas' belongings, she wandered out to explore. When she reached the deck she was amazed at the view, she hadn't even noticed when they took flight. For a while she just leaned against the railing, enjoying the wind and the sight below. "It's amazing isn't it?" Bickslow asked, coming up behind her. "I've never seen anything that can quite compare to seeing the world from up here."
"It is. As a writer, I'm ashamed to say I don't have the words to describe it." she smiled at her friend. "Lucas wasn't any trouble was he?"
"Never. He's just had so many questions that I couldn't answer, neither could Fare. Poor Kaleb is going to get an earful when they finally meet." Bickslow laughed. "Speaking of trouble, how was the meeting with Hisui?" Moaning in disgust, Lucy gave the Seith a run down of the request. "Oh man, you are right about Laxus. He will definitely not go. Probably send poor Freed instead." They chatted about the list of mages she had been given, all single men of course, until Lucy yawned. The sun had set already. "Hey, why don't you get some rest? It's been a long couple of days."
"I'd like to get a bath in before bed, Lucas mentioned a large one on the ship?" Bickslow knew that bath was communal as was Boscan tradition but decided not to say anything and instead just gave directions.
Lucy was smart enough to have read up on Boscan baths and knew it wouldn't be separated between men and women so she went to her room to change into a bikini and robe before adventuring out to find it. She only got lost once and was able to backtrack and find it. As she entered and approached the large steaming pool, she breathed in the scent of the water. It was a scent she didn't recognize but loved very much.
"I import the water from the Grass Sea for my baths on the ship. There are some things from home I simply cannot do without." Lucy startled, realizing that Farron was already soaking in the bath. She started to apologize, but he interrupted her immediately. "Nonsense. Please this bath is large enough for the entire crew, join me." He watched as she nervously disrobed and he greatly appreciated her royal blue bikini that left little to the imagination. She moaned almost sexually as she entered the water and he truly wished she was Boscan at that moment.
The water was the perfect temperature, Lucy thought as she seated herself a few feet away from Farron and let the heat do it's magic. Her hair was up in a messy bun with some strands falling around her face. She tried not to look directly at Farron, but she could see the upper portion of his chiseled chest and the top of a tattoo from above the water.
"I hear you have most of the Zodiac? That is impressive." Farron started.
"Yes, I've been very lucky to find them. Although some were passed down to me from my mother. They are all precious to me and are my dearest friends."
"Most Celestial mages don't think of their spirits in such a way from my experience."
"Well then they are stupid," Lucy responded. She knew that other mages just used them as tools, but she couldn't understand it. "I would do anything to protect them just as they would me. I love them all."
"We will have to arrange that you meet with the head of the Academe Celestine while visiting. I know he would love to speak to a mage such as yourself. Can I ask you about something Bix mentioned?" Lucy nodded. "What is the stardress?"
Lucy bit her bottom lip a little as she thought how to answer, "I can change my dress to one created by my spirits that allows me to use their power. I guess it is probably easier to show than explain." She decided that the only appropriate dress in this situation was Aqarius. She might have broken the key, but she had been left that gift. She took a deep breath and shifted her dress and started to manipulate the water in front of her. She had practiced in private a few times so that she could use this gift.
Farron watched in amazement as not only her clothing and hair changed, but a tattoo appeared on her chest, while she created a dance of water droplets in front of her with some waves of her hand. She dropped the stardress and the droplets fell harmlessly back into the bath. "You can control water?"
"To a degree, it is very hard to keep that one to a non-destructive level." A few tears were brought to her eyes as she recalled being washed away by tidal waves more than once by Aquarius. "Some of the other ones are easier to use."
"Well, Xally will be very excited to meet you. She is our youngest sister and a water mage."
The two discussed her spirits and his siblings that she had yet to meet for a while before deciding to turn in for the night. Farron bid his farewell and proceeded to exit the bath. Lucy slapped her hand to her face to block her vision when she realized he was 100% naked. She would forever deny that she peeked once his back was turned.