"Mavis, what are you doing over there?" Zeref asked quietly, coming to stand alongside her as she looked over the edge of the cliff. Moonlight bathed the valley below them in a silvery glow, and treetops were as visible as the low-hanging constellations dotting the black sky. The weather was fair, save for a few clouds in the east which threatened to develop into a summer thunderstorm. Falling silent as he beheld the beautiful view, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of humid air.

Fatigue had carved dark circles into the skin beneath his eyes, and his mouth was set in a straight line. He'd had plenty of opportunity to sleep, but his anxiety would often cruelly keep him awake until the early morning hours. He could tell Mavis was worried for him and disliked disturbing her peace of mind, but until he was certain that both she and their baby were safe, he knew he wouldn't be able to rest peacefully.

'It's beautiful,' Mavis thought to him, referring to the quiet land stretching out before them as far as the eye could see. 'We spend most of our time focused on other things, but it's important to enjoy the simplicities this life has to offer, isn't it?'

"I agree."

Turning to face him, she smiled warmly, tilting her head in that way she had. 'As long as we're together, nothing can really stand in our way. For this reason, I'm positive our plan will succeed.'

Reaching for her immaterial hand, Zeref put his own through it and stood silently beside her. It was early in the month of July, and they were approximately five weeks' travel from Yashinoki. He knew they would make it on time, but it was what came next that was highly combustible fuel on the fire of his anxiety. There wasn't enough time to reach Alakitasia via boat, and not even he could expend enough magic power at once to teleport across an entire ocean. Intercontinental teleportation wasn't on the table; at least not in his present state. His auxiliary plan had been contingent on sailing there halfway and teleporting the rest of the distance, if worst came to worst. But if by some chance he couldn't reach Vistarion in time and he was all Mavis had...

Thoughts racing almost faster than he could process and certainly faster than he could align to make any sense, Zeref sighed heavily in frustration. He disdained weakness, in himself far more than in others. Yet in this scenario, he was forced to realize just how helpless he really was against the calloused hand of fate. Still he rejected it, had denied and rejected the inevitable every step of the way.

All of a sudden he longed to unburden himself to the girl standing by his side. For the last seven months she had been there for him, as much as she was able. They had cried together, laughed together, slept together, and she meant more to him than he'd previously thought anything or anyone could—which was precisely why the last thing he wanted to do was worry her further with his fears. He was sure she already had her own to contend with. But there was another matter on his mind, one that had to do with the potential of his curse—or more specifically, Mavis's possible death by his hand once she bore the child she carried.

Eventually, they would be forced to face this problem. If not in the next two months should Zeref fail to get her to Vistarion and the safety of his palace on time, then inevitably further down the road, unless they were to isolate themselves from one other permanently. And there was a decent certainty that they wouldn't. What then? he wondered. Is it possible to control my emotions regarding Mavis? Perhaps so, but I cannot imagine wielding that ability at the moment, nor am I willing to bet her life on it. But regardless...should I not at least try?

Because he loved her, he wished to spare her life, but in order to do so, he must cease to love her. The paradox, one of a thousand he had confronted in his lifetime, mocked him from behind the cracked door of calamity. No matter how far he progressed in his journey, he still came face to face with the same repetitive old problems.

Before he could spiral into another cycle of contradictory thinking, Zeref snapped himself back to the present. "You need to rest," he told Mavis neutrally, and led her away from the cliff. He hadn't noticed her distraught face as she watched him think, nor the expression steeling into her eyes as she witnessed the resolve flashing across his own.

Walking back to the place he'd laid her physical body on the hard ground, Zeref ignored the distant rumbling of thunder and stared at her quietly. His eyes drifted from her golden head, white in the pale moonlight, to her swelling breasts and the outline of her thighs through the fabric of his toga, then his gaze lingered on her stomach. It seemed to grow larger every day, their baby refusing to waste any time filling up the remaining space inside his mother's uterus. She was beautiful, he thought sadly, and his throat ached.

Feeling protectiveness mingle with love inside his chest, Zeref tamped down his emotions and knelt to lay beside her. Curling around her body as though he could save her from catastrophe by being a human shield, he allowed himself the satisfaction of firmly stroking his right hand over the taut surface of her protruding belly, his mouth quirking as he felt his son give an answering kick. No matter how dark Zeref's mood, feeling the babe's response to his presence never failed to lift his spirits at least a marginal amount. Resting his cheek over Mavis's by habit and loving the warmth and softness of her skin against his, he ignored the warning the rational side of his brain sent him. This intimacy with his family was one privilege he would allow himself.

At dawn the next day the couple was up and about early, like every other morning that month. However, Mavis sensed that something in the atmosphere between them was different. It began with Zeref's uncharacteristic coolness towards her regarding a trivial matter. Namely, her opinion that they should hire a person with the proper skillset from the portside town they were approaching to accompany them and captain the ship on their journey across the sea, and his insistence on shouldering the task alone. Mavis was by no means unfamiliar with Zeref's stubborn streak, but even so she was concerned.

'Zeref, I'm merely trying to spare you the stress of doing it by yourself. It really wouldn't seem suspicious if you were to hide my body in some luggage and promise the man pay upon completion of his task.'

"Did you hear my answer the first time, or should I repeat it?" he asked, his air of aloofness that morning making the sarcasm sting more than it would have.

'Nevermind. I'm sorry to have bothered you,' she backed off quietly, careful to keep her tone mild. But inwardly, Mavis was stumped. She understood that Zeref was worried, and she also understood why he would be on edge. But why won't he talk to me? she wondered dismally. This was more complex than mere stress.

Watching his blank face as he carried her, she ventured, 'Is there something on your mind?'

Looking up quickly, he shook his head in a tired gesture. "No, Mavis. Though I appreciate your concern."

'Whatever is troubling you, I hope you know that you always have someone who loves you. Someone you can talk to...about anything.'

His face softened. "Thank you," he said, sincerely. "You have the same in me."

Continuing to look at him long after he'd focused on the land ahead once more, Mavis couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. She only hoped she could keep the darkness from taking over her beloved, wishing he would truly understand that he didn't need to go through his troubles alone. She was right by his side and didn't plan on budging, no matter the cost.

...

A few weeks after the night Zeref had hardened his resolve on the starry cliff, he was carrying Mavis's heavily pregnant body pensively when she burst into his thoughts. 'Surprise! Guess what today is?'

Turning to look at her Projection, Zeref stumbled and would've dropped her body had it not been for the makeshift harness supporting it. Outfitted in a sleek, tightly fitting and very revealing bunny costume, Mavis was laughing at his expression playfully.

'My my, you look all flustered! I'm actually wearing this outfit in honor of our eleventh anniversary. Today is August 16th, the day we met.'

Trying to regain his composure, Zeref briefly remembered her reaction upon seeing him for the first time, naked in a lake, then made the mistake of looking her up and down again. He wondered how it was possible to be so amused and aroused at the same time. Trying not to grin like an idiot and failing utterly, he echoed, "Our eleventh anniversary?"

'That's right!' she giggled.

"I had forgotten the exact date," he said, somewhat apologetically.

'It's alright,' she replied smugly. 'Not everyone has as good a memory as me, of course.'

"Remind me to pay you back for that later," Zeref smiled. They walked together a few paces, the moment lingering between them, before his shoulders sagged and he chastised himself for his failure to put the necessary distance between himself and his sweet Mavis. It was far more difficult even than he'd expected it to be. But he had to succeed. It was a matter of life and death. In this case the end certainly justified the means, however difficult or painful they may be.

Sweat dripped from Zeref's brow as a result of an unusually high temperature, the light breeze doing little to relieve the heat. He preferred cooler weather, which was a trademark of the north even in the summertime, but at least Mavis seemed to be enjoying herself. She had a remarkable ability to stay cheerful under duress, though she was entirely capable of gravity should the moment require it. Both were qualities he found desirable. Feeling a pang in his heart, he looked away from her Projection silently.

...

"We're drawing nigh to the village. We should reach it by nightfall tomorrow," Zeref informed Mavis later that day as he soaked in the edge of a lake. The bath was long overdue, and he closed his eyes to the sensation of cool water permeating his skin. The sun slanted through a canopy of green leaves, doppling the water with a million sparkling diamonds in some areas. Having chosen a shady spot for some relief from the heat, he half-floated, half-stood with his arms beneath her ribcage as he held her afloat, her head resting on his shoulder. Her yellow hair formed a flowing curtain of silk around his legs, separating their naked bodies mercifully. Mavis watched him from the nearby shore, sitting in a sunlit spot with her legs tucked underneath her body Indian-style.

'Excellent. Then we only need to formulate a plan to safely steal—er, borrow-'

"You had it right the first time," Zeref interjected smoothly, lips curving in a sardonic smile. "Call a spade a spade, Mavis."

Unsettled, she looked down at the clasped hands in her lap. 'We'll ensure the ship is safely returned to its proper owner,' she insisted. 'You know that's the right thing to do.'

"Very well, if the matter means so much to you. I find it rather insignificant." Standing suddenly, he slid his arm beneath her dripping knees and waded from the lake while Mavis watched him pensively. Important thoughts slipped her mind when she saw the size of her stomach in the sun, as Zeref laid her body on the grassy bank carefully. Per usual, he averted his gaze from her naked form as he refastened the toga, a ritual she had grown accustomed to observing.

Noting that her breasts were almost as large as she'd wished for them to be during the past decade, she thought wistfully of how edifying it would be to experience her pregnancy physically. Not to mention all the fun things she could be doing with Zeref to celebrate their anniversary. She bet she could relieve his stress and extract some answers both in one go, if only she had her real body. With a ghost of a sigh, she rose from her position on the bank of the lake and went to join him.

He was more stoic and quiet than usual these days, and she couldn't seem to reach him at whatever remote realm he had retreated to. The thought depressed her, reminding her of the times when elusive silver minnows would slip through her fingers as a small child. Just as she'd begun to think to herself happily that she'd caught one, it would escape back into the wild of its natural habitat, leaving her with empty hands and a feeling of failure.

Shuddering, Mavis shook her head. She couldn't allow Zeref to slip away from her, but she had an eerie suspicion he was losing the only light he'd known. Stop being so dramatic, she told herself ruefully. He's under a lot of stress and it would be unnatural if he didn't act withdrawn at times. But she still couldn't shake the pervasive sense of doom hanging over their heads. Anxiety making her feel restless, she decided to look to the future and put her faith in the one she loved. Now was as good a time as any.

'Zeref?' she asked directly.

Pulling his black tunic over his head and letting it fall into place, he turned to face her as he accurately interpreted her tone. Looking into his opaque black eyes determinedly, Mavis said, 'I think now is the time for you to receive Fairy Glitter.'

Eyes widening almost imperceptibly, Zeref recovered and nodded once. Walking over to him until they were standing face-to-face—or rather, face-to-chest—Mavis looked up at him gravely. 'Before we begin, I'd like you to promise me something.'

"Yes?" he responded, searching the bright green depths of her eyes as she spoke.

'This spell contains the essence of my dream, and in effect the essence of my guild. It must only be used to further the pursuit of what I believe to be the things of utmost importance in life; namely, of both friendship and the essence of all magic...love.'

Understanding, he nodded seriously.

'Feelings are what fuel our magic power. And in the case of casting Fairy Glitter, they must be pure.'

"You've remembered my lessons well, I see," Zeref said with an ironic smile.

'Of course. They were what fanned the flames of my interest in magic into a roaring inferno. If not for you, I wouldn't have been able to do a great deal of things.'

And you never would have been cursed, either, Zeref silently added to himself. He looked away abruptly, but Mavis laid her illusory hand on his cheek, willing him to turn his face back to hers. After a moment he did so, but his gaze was shuttered as he felt the gentle warmth of the intangible presence. Troubled at the unpleasant memories that teaching her must have uncovered in his mind, she swallowed her soothing words—which she had a feeling he would be unreceptive to—and instead delved back into the topic at hand.

Letting her projected hand fall from his downcast face, she stepped back. Closing her eyes and starting to focus her magic power, she felt it gathering around her fist as her reserve began draining. She couldn't keep this expenditure up for very long, and hoped to heaven the transfer would work the first time she attempted it.

Zeref watched in interest and growing concern for Mavis as a spark of light similar to a golden flame grew in her hand, increasing in size as she concentrated. Feeling her magic power levels spike dramatically, he fought the urge to demand she stop immediately. This was their chance, he thought desperately.

'Give me your hand,' her clear, sweet voice ordered. Fighting an impulse to cover his face against the searingly bright light, he stretched his right arm out to her. She took his hand without hesitation, and suddenly Zeref felt an insane amount of energy course through him at all at once. If there were any way to describe the sensation, he would liken it to attempting to hold on to a reverberating magical core despite the unbearable shivers running up his arm that were neither ticklish nor painful. Crying out at the overwhelming intensity of the feeling, he grit his teeth and grimaced as pure, raw power surged through his body and blew his hair from his face. The light was blinding now, forcing him to shut his eyes. Though he couldn't see Mavis, he heard her voice within his head.

'I give you Fairy Glitter. May it forever shine in the darkness.'

Concentrating all her power on Zeref, Mavis whimpered as she felt what seemed to be the essence of her spirit leaving her. No matter how much magic this takes, I'm prepared to part with it, she thought grimly. Picturing the spell she wanted to give him, she channeled it into his arm quite adeptly for her first time bestowing another with one of her spells. Although she'd written the ability to be transferable into Fairy Glitter, she'd yet to gift it to any of her guildmates; the situation had never been dire enough to call for its use.

Just as Zeref was about to yell that giving him the spell was pointless if her projection was destroyed by expending every ounce of magic energy she possessed on him, the waves of power pulsating from her slowed almost as quickly as they'd begun. The light died more gradually, and he opened his eyes, panting as he tried in vain to catch his breath. The sun still slanted lazily through the trees, and a light breeze rippled the surface of the lake.

The awed stillness around them was punctuated only by Zeref's breathing. Looking down at his shaking hand, he saw a peculiar—yet somehow familiar—black tattoo covering his right forearm. Blinking in recognization, he remembered where he'd seen that symbol. On Mavis's body, the first time he had bathed her. Only hers was light yellow, and this was a slightly different shape: elongated, with stripes along either side tapering down to a point on the back of his wrist.

Glancing up from his arm, he watched in terror as Mavis faded slowly, static taking her place before the last trace vanished. 'Don't worry,' she whispered. 'I'll be back...so glad it worked.'

Standing in a numb trance, Zeref stared at the place her Projection had been. Time was lost to him as the yellow grasses waved in a warm breeze. He certainly felt the spell's power enhancing his own capabilities, and undefined memories surfaced at the fluctuation, the spell's incantation lingering in the deepest recesses of his consciousness. Shaking his head to clear it of the useless fog, he turned to all that visually remained of Mavis. Her body, lying on the grass at his feet. Quite a small person to generate such strength, he thought with a familiar flicker of somber pride, impressed with her power and courage. It was part of what had drawn him to her from the start.

"I know you're near, Mavis," he whispered to her unseen presence. "Thank you." It was time to push on to the next task: infiltrating the town without drawing attention to himself and securing safe passage to his empire. Mind set on the goal, Zeref couldn't help but feel a wave of fatigue at the drudgery of never-ending worry and emotional expenditure. Everything they accomplished only seemed to lead to the next tiring step. It was quite a change from his depressed apathy of several decades ago.

At first he'd had his deep love for Mavis to refresh himself with, but due to their current circumstances even that must be restricted. Zeref only wished for it to be over, to lay his head on her lap and finally rest in the knowledge that she was safe and happy, their son as well. Sucking in a breath as useless tears threatened to fill his burning eyes, he turned to a vision of his family that often brought him solace; the three of them, sitting in a shady field with the outline of Vistarion in the distance, basking in the comfort of each other's presence and love. Their golden-haired son laughing in the breeze, and Mavis looking after him with pride and tender care.

The vision faded into the humid air, and Zeref looked down at his clenched fist, his eyes following the dark markings winding their way along his forearm. They represented all that Mavis stood for, and she had trusted him with such power. Not that he couldn't wreak havoc without it, if he were inclined to do so, but his heart was warmed by the strength of her faith in him. Steeling his resolve, he shut her from his mind and turned to her body purposefully, preparing to infiltrate the village.

...

The next day as dusk slowly stole over the land, Zeref parted a cluster of bushes by the side of a road to ensure the path was clear. From what he understood, it was a detour that led to the small town. The air was pleasantly balmy, temperature lowering as the sun prepared to sink, and here and there a palm tree flourished in the somewhat rocky soil. From afar, the distant roar of waves crashing on the shore teased his ears.

Oblivious for once to the beauty of the land, Zeref rubbed his eyes and turned from the sight. He hadn't slept since Mavis's departure, since her urging was the biggest reason he'd occasionally rested in the first place. It was easy to imagine her big green eyes watching him reproachfully, but the mental image wasn't enough to slow his pace. He could still sense her presence, and for that he was grateful. Avoiding the road and skirting through the foliage towards the sound of the sea, he made his way through the tangled trees.

Mavis's magic power had replenished enough for her to communicate with him telepathically, but Zeref had advised her against it until she was back to her former level. Instead of conversing with her, he'd used the previous night to formulate a plan. Under the cover of nightfall, as the sunset's colorful rays of light faded from the western sky across the vast blue ocean, he swallowed against the ache in his throat as he remembered all the evenings he'd watched similar beauty with Mavis.

Climbing over the sand dunes to reach the moist shore, he walked steadily over the compacted wet earth; it was less difficult than plodding in the loose sand further from the lapping water. Breathing the ocean air into his lungs freely, Zeref looked up at the stars as they made their appearance in the night sky. There was a new moon tonight, so the only light to illumine his path was provided by the ancient compasses twinkling above. Perfect.

The shoreline side of the seaside town of Yashinoki Village was starting to settle, save for the crowded and noisy saloon, and the laughter of an amply numerous amount of people almost gave Zeref pause. It'd been a while since he had been in the midst of civilians. Walking underneath the cheerfully lit windows of the townhouses, he hefted a large brown carpetbag in his hand. He'd cast a basic enchantment spell over the handle, one he'd learned at the Academy, rendering it unbreachable to anyone but him. He'd had to break his commitment to never use magic to do so, but such a vow was vastly insignificant in the face of what he was fighting for. A future.

Inside the heavily woven fabric of the luggage bag he'd purloined—or borrowed, as Mavis would say—was his most valued possession. Even encumbered with his baby, Mavis's weight barely stressed the strength of one arm, and most people didn't glance twice in his direction. He was slightly surprised, for he'd braced for attention due to the strip of cloth binding his right forearm. Apparently the people in this city were the don't-ask-don't-tell type, which made him feel more in his element. A stroke of luck at last.

Zeref wasn't worried about harming anyone on the street, for his death magic hadn't surfaced for weeks now. And if his curse hadn't attempted to take Mavis's life, the common riff-raff around him would definitely remain unharmed, he was sure. Not that he particularly cared in his present state of mind, but Mavis would. Seeing a drunk swerving towards him on the boardwalk, he shouldered past her disdainfully, set on reaching the dock.

Ducking into a narrow alleyway to avoid the townspeople, he continued unwaveringly, intent on reaching his destination. Ignoring the putrid stench of garbage in his nostrils and looking up from the concrete to ascertain the length of the dim alley, Zeref felt his sixth sense prickle in warning. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to look behind him and encountered a figure looming in the darkness.

"Whatcha got in that bag?" a roughly accented voice asked in a tone as casual as one might ask about the weather.

"Did I say it concerns you?" Zeref replied calmly. He could sense no magic energy from the thug, but that didn't mean he wasn't harboring magical weapons.

Sighing tiredly, Zeref set Mavis behind him and spoke brusquely. "Pay heed to my words, for I won't utter them twice. I'll give you a chance to depart peacefully, or you can suffer the consequences. It makes no difference to me, except that I would presently prefer not to waste time on nonentities." It was a longer string of words than he'd uttered in weeks.

As he spoke, his magical aura strengthened, invisible dark energy swirling around his body and lifting his hair with unseen strength. It was a fraction of the power he possessed, but he didn't expect the fool to sense it anyway.

"Very intimidating. Prepare to get owned, kid!" Throwing his cloak to the side and unsheathing a flaming magical sword, the man swung it towards Zeref's neck smoothly, clearly expected him to duck and follow up with a counter attack. Instead, he simply stood there while his attacker stopped mid-blow. A powerful wave of death magic had surged from Zeref effortlessly at the first sign of a physical threat, draining the life force of any living creature in the immediate vicinity of the dark mage. Gasping for breath, the thief fell to the ground in a spasmodic seizure.

"Worthless scum," Zeref said under his breath, turning to leave. He could have ended the onesided fight just as easily with a few well-placed blows, but he was mentally exhausted and decided to be content with the warning he'd given the man.

'Zeref?' A scaldingly sweet telepathic female voice broke into his thoughts, and he stopped in his tracks as a light sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Uh...yes, Mavis?" he answered innocently.

'Why did you kill that poor man?!'

"I didn't kill him," he assured her instantly. Turning back to the thief, he kicked him lightly in the side. Groaning, the prone man coughed weakly. "See? Still breathing." He couldn't resist adding "Unfortunately," under his breath.

Intrigued, Mavis forgot her moral qualms for a second to inquire how he'd done it.

"By restricting the amount of magic power that was in that wave."

A passer-by looked down the alley quizzically, sneering as he saw Zeref talking to himself. Probably assuming he was drunk and delirious.

'You can do that?' Mavis asked in amazement.

"Normally, no. But Anksehram seems to have been in a good mood lately. Now it's your turn to answer to me for disobeying my advice to conserve your magic power until you'd fully recovered, dear Mavis."

'Oh, about that. Just a little while longer and I'll be back to normal, I promise. In the meantime, I have plenty of energy to talk to you.'

Hesitating, Zeref picked up the carpetbag and resumed walking. "Very well."

Upon arriving at his destination of the city's dock, he saw several large commerce ships docked, along with smaller fishermen's vessels and sailboats. Scanning them thoughtfully, he stopped when he saw the Alvarez crest boldly adorning the flag of a double-masted schooner. Walking towards it confidently, toting his precious luggage in his hand, he ran his prior calculations through his head once more.

Traveling at a rate of four to five knots on an eastbound trip and allowing room for vagaries such as weather and the expertise of the captain, they should traverse a distance of 3,213 nautical miles—the distance between the two continents—in approximately thirty days. After a great deal of deliberation, Zeref had changed his stance on the matter of the captain. On the one hand, such a person would be vulnerable to death should his magic act up, and it would be preferable for them to be closed-lip about the journey, but on the other Zeref was regrettably not assured of his abilities to the extent of betting the health of Mavis and their child on them. He needed the fastest method of transportation available.

Passing the dim light of lanterns in the dark, he headed towards the gangplank of his ship.

"Who goes there?" a bold feminine voice called.

Turning towards where she was peering through the dark, apparently attempting to make out his features, he answered authoritatively, "A traveler. Do you know where I may find the captain of this vessel?"

"You're speaking to her," the woman replied cautiously.

Nodding courteously, Zeref asked, "You're from Alakitasia, are you not?"

Stepping from the shadow of a crate, where she'd been leaning, the captain replied, "Sure am. Our flag is hard to make out in the dark, but it bears the crest of Alvarez." Pride was evident in her voice.

Smiling wryly, Zeref inquired, "Would you accept a passenger?"

"Normally, I would, young sir, but I'm here to transport a load of rare goods to a company in my country who placed a special request. A mission, if you will."

Thinking quickly, Zeref made his move. "How much were you offered for this run?"

Apparently she didn't feel threatened by his countenance and soft voice, for the captain answered, "Half a million jewel. Who wishes to know?"

"Your emperor," Zeref said quietly.

Silence descended for a moment, before she burst out, "What trifling joke is this? We were having an adult conversation, then you pull my leg like a child?"

'The strategic thing to do would be to prove your true identity to her, while drawing as little attention to yourself as possible,' Mavis told him quickly.

'Unfortunately, the odds of not drawing attention to myself went out the window the moment I decided to hire a captain.' Sighing, Zeref stepped into the lamplight.

At the sight of his youthful countenance and unmistakable face, known throughout the growing country of Alvarez despite his preference for privacy, the color drained from the woman's face. Shivering in the humid air, she fell to her knees in front of him, bowing her cloaked head to the floor.

"Emperor Spriggan," she said respectfully. "Please, Your Majesty...forgive me. I didn't comprehend who I had the honor of speaking to. Captain Keshra Tilner, humbly at your service."

"You're forgiven," he said calmly. "Prostrating yourself at my feet is hardly necessary. Go ready the ship at once. I want an emergency crossing to my empire—or more specifically, to its capital city."

Rising to her feet quickly, she bowed in acquiescence. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'll ready the crew at once."

Turning to leave, she froze when he addressed her again. "I'll ensure you're repaid in full, Captain Tilner."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said in relief.

"And Captain," he added, "I order you to keep our meeting—and my identity—strictly confidential. If your crew asks, don't tell."

Eyes wide, she nodded obediently. "Of course, Your Majesty. Whatever you wish," and sped away to make the proper arrangements.

Turning to the gangplank, Zeref crossed it and boarded the anchored schooner.

A/N: Long time, no see. I apologize. From here on, expect chapters similar to this one in length. I was reluctant to update today due to the certainty that I would read it a day later and see a thousand ways it could've been better, but I'm starting to get over myself. Writing with my favorite characters is therapeutic for me, and I hope it's equally gratifying for you to read.

Zeref can be either overly empathic or overly apathetic, similar to two sides of the same coin. He's a challenging but fun character to work with, difficult to pinpoint on interlinking complexities but ultimately relatable for some.

I'd like to thank Epicfani, one of my most appreciated readers, for her bunny suit idea for a Zervis scene. It was fun. ;)

Questions? Feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer promptly. Not to be too forceful, but I just wanted from remind you how much I loooove reviews. Have a lovely day, dear readers ^.^