Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end. Lemony bits ahead.

Lucy's golden brown eyes fluttered open and a small, sleepy smile formed on her lips. With a long blink, she took in the room around her. Double doors leading out on their patio were thrown open, letting in the tantalizing smell of the Grass Sea. In the last year that she had spent in Bosco, she was yet to find a word that truly fit the smell. The closest she had come to hitting that nail on the head was 'vital.'

Her slender, slightly tanned arms rose above her head as she arched her back for a stretch, a small moan leaving her lips from the angle of her torso. A soft grumble escaped the man next to her and she couldn't help but smile. This was how every morning had been for the last year and a half. She would wake, stretch, make some noise and find herself being growled at by the hulking man beside her whether he was awake or not.

Relaxing out of her stretch and bringing her arms to her chest she rolled to face him. Long blue-black hair fell over the white pillowcase. His face was gorgeous. He had high cheekbones, a sharp, sloping nose, and full, kissable lips that made her melt every time they touched her. And while she was fairly certain she was a mess in her sleep, he looked softer, more innocent, and peaceful. Not to say that her mate wasn't a peaceful, soft man awake, but sleep took all of his edges and rounded them out. He looked like an angel. His massive form was bare to his hips leaving his chest and shoulders wonderfully exposed. Relaxed, one still couldn't help but notice every breath he took contracted and relaxed his extremely muscled, caramel-colored frame. Each movement caused a chain reaction to another that made him look like he was rippling like a drop of water in a bath.

Oh, yes, Lucy thought, that sounds wonderful. Running the back of her knuckles across his bicep and placing a tender kiss on his shoulder, Lucy gently rose to her feet and padded softly to the bathroom attached to the room. Once inside, she placed her long, golden hair into a high and messy bun before turning on the water in the huge stone tub. Bathing alone made her feel like she was in a small community bath. But put the giant man in her bed in the tub with her, and she understood why the tub was as large as it was.

Turning off the water, Lucy stepped in, sinking in up to her shoulders, breathing in the smell she had grown to love. Being surrounded by waters of the Grass Sea made her soul soar and her mind calm. She was certain there was nothing that couldn't be fixed by a bath in its waters. A small contented hum vibrated in her throat as she leaned her head back against the polished stone tub's edge. She opened her eyes just in time to see the man swing his legs over the tub and join her. Turning to press her back into his broad chest, Lucy smiled.

"I hate that you're a morning person," he grumbled softly into her neck as he nuzzled it. She laughed softly. "Someone has to lure you out of bed," she answered, letting her head fall to expose her neck to his affections. His large hand slid down her side under the water and settled on her hip, tracing small patterns there while the other traced the tan lines of her bikini on her shoulder with his fingertips. "Or we could just stay in bed," he whispered against the shell of her ear, nipping it lightly. She loved the way his sharpened canines felt as they grazed her skin; It was a thrill every time.

Her hand came out of the water and tangled in the blue-black hair at the base of his neck. She looked up into his midnight-blue eyes and felt her breath catch. He still took her breath away. Leaning up and pulling him to her, she slanted her mouth over his. "But I love mornings like this," she whispered against his lips, feeling his hand on her hip slide toward the apex of her thighs.

"I'm going to rip that lion's tongue from his head with my bare hands!" Cassiopeia was seething, her hands forming claw shapes and shaking at her shoulder height. She couldn't believe he had walked out of the room where he had been told to keep his damn mouth shut just to walk into another and spill his guts. Andromeda sighed, watching her furious mother pace the room. "Mother," she started before being cut off by another outburst. "And he had the nerve, the NERVE, to try to say that it didn't go against the order from the All-Mother HERSELF!" The woman barked a dry, harsh laugh. "' I didn't sway her choice, I just sped things along. Our Princess would have come to it on her own,'" she mocked Leo's voice.

"Mother, he is right," Andromeda said softly, watching her mother's pacing halt. Cassiopeia leveled a glare at her daughter. "And how do you figure?" she asked, not bothering to keep the venom out of her voice. With another soft sigh, Andromeda met her mother's glare. "He knows the Starbringer better than perhaps anyone but her mate. She would have realized that she could choose her fate eventually." Watching her mother wind up for what appeared to be a nasty retort, she held up her delicate hands. "I'm not saying what he did was right or even excusable, but if Leo, knowing the risk of disobeying the All-Mother, made the choice to talk to her about it, then perhaps we should trust his judgment."

Cassiopeia's eyes softened and her lips parted in astonishment. For just a moment, she looked dumbfounded at her daughter. The moment was over far too soon. "WHAT?!" she shrieked and resumed her pacing, the fabric of her dress billowing furiously around her legs as her hair swung around her hips. Andromeda settled into the lounge she sat in. They were going to be here awhile.

Lucy stood in the kitchen with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. "I can't believe you thought that would be ok!" she shouted, her tone exasperated. She hated when he took the choice of anything out of her hands and he damn well knew it. But here he was saying he had done it again. "It's not like we hadn't talked about this. I thought you'd like the surprise," he snapped back. The broad dragon slayer in front of her was irritated. She could tell. And maybe she was overreacting a little, but dammit, he had done the one thing she had asked him not to from the very beginning. "Cris, it's not like I don't want to be here with you. You know I do, but you took away my choice. Why would I want that?" He leveled a hurt face at her. "I did it for you," he said. "And that's the problem," she answered.

Yes, she was going to apply for a work visa to Bosco. And yes, she wanted nothing more than to spend all of her time with him, but she had a life in Fiore. And she had responsibilities there. Lucy moved a hand from her hip and brought it to her forehead, running her index finger across it, trying to calm herself with an exhausted sigh. This was their first fight and she realized that she hated fighting with him. Cristoff felt the exhaustion through their bond and stood, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. He hadn't wanted to upset her. He just thought he'd speed things along. "I only did it because I miss you," he said softly into her hair. She felt her anger evaporate. "I miss you too. I just need to feel like I get a say in this. These aren't what we are going to eat for breakfast decisions."

He smiled into her golden locks. "I know," he purred. "And I'm sorry that I didn't let you take care of it, me radila. I know you have things to take care of in Fiore as well." Her hands seemed to move on their own, wrapping around his body and moving in soft circles over his lower back. She couldn't stay mad at him. Not that she wanted to, but not it seemed she just wasn't capable. He was sorry. And she loved it when he spoke Boscan. And there may have been a chance that she overreacted more than a little. "I'm sorry too. For shouting. For not trusting that you are always looking out for me. I'm just so sorry," she said softly into his broad chest.

"Lucy, I love you. I miss you. I'm tired of seeing you board an airship. I don't think I can take anymore of it," he pleaded softly. Her arms tightened around him. She felt the same way. They had been mated and had spent six months together in Fiore adjusting to the bond, but Cristoff was a knight. And he had a country to serve. She knew this. She accepted this. But she also knew that the last six weeks of being apart more than together was putting a strain on them. "Me too," she replied, the emotion heavy in her voice. Cristoff pulled himself away from her body and took her small hands in his. "Then promise with me. It'll provide us more stability, legal rights that we don't have now. And we both know dad will be over the moon," a smile spread across his face as he spoke and danced in his eyes.

"Of course!" she shouted, flinging herself back into him, her mouth catching his in a searing kiss.

Zen felt the pulse of magic as she awoke. It was enough to make him feel like he had been punched in the chest. "Lucy," he whispered seconds before a bewildered-looking Arman jumped to his feet and ran out of the mess hall. Zen ran a finger over the cuff on his wrist, dampening his magic. His purple eyes saddened as he felt the familiar pull in his chest. "Go. And tell dad I'll be back," he said as he, Emi, and Xally all stood to follow their father.

He joined them as far as the stairwell and headed out onto the deck. The glass dome that covered the ship glistened in the light of the afternoon. "Excuse me," he asked, his voice stopping a crew member that had walked past him in her tracks. The woman met his eyes and felt the air hitch in her chest. "Yes?" she answered, trying to keep the tremor that was building in her body out of her voice. "Where are we?" he asked, ignoring her obvious reaction. Zen knew he still looked feral. They had given him clothes, he had bathed, but he knew that compared to the other people on the ship, he still looked like a caged animal. "We entered Boscan airspace an hour ago."

That was all he needed to hear. He nodded his thanks and moved to the glass door that led to the escape pods on the deck. In one fluid movement, he opened the door and pulled his shirt from over his head, discarding it onto the deck. His head leaned back as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his skin. The air was warm and the wind whipped his long hair into a frenzy. Walking up to the rail, Zen placed his hands on the smooth wood and took a deep breath. The pull to go to his sister-in-law's side was still there, almost brutally pounding into his chest. His deft fingers made quick work of the clasp on the magic canceling cuff on his wrist and he took another energetic punch to the chest.

He needed distance. Peace.

Vaulting himself over the railing, he heard the scream of the crew member. Zen allowed himself to free fall for a few seconds, watching as the clouds streaked by him. Before he could make the decision, his wings snapped from his back, catching the updraft and pulling him back up to be level with the deck of the ship. He barely had time to register the woman clinging to the rail looking for him. With a faint smile to her, he beat his wings and was gone.

Lucy moaned wantonly. "Gods…. Oh, please." she gasped, feeling the spring her pelvis wind itself tighter. He slid himself into her again with a roll of his hips, causing her to pant harder as she looked up into the eyes that we locked with hers. His fingers dug into her hips and arched deliciously. The mark on her neck throbbed his emotions through her, telling her she was wanted, loved. His blue-black hair hung like a veil around their faces as her eyes slid closed, unable to keep them open any longer. With a soft moan, Cristoff latched onto the mating mark on her and sucked hard, sending pure ecstasy through her body, making her shudder from head to toe.

He felt amazing. His body wrapped around her, his hips grinding into her own. "Lucy," he moaned her name into her ear as he fell over the edge, spilling everything he was into her at once. His seed, his love, his desire. It was all too much. As he went rigid in her arms and thrust one last time into her, she felt the spring snap, sending white spots into her vision and making her cry out, his forehead lowered onto her shoulder. Their breathing was ragged and they both had a sheen of sweat over every inch of their bodies. But neither moved. She kept her arms around his body and he snuggled further into her neck. When she had found some semblance of normal breathing, Lucy rubbed her hands down his wide back and nibbled his ear. "I love you more than anything," she breathed. Her words were met with a purr. "I love you, too."

Kaleb hovered over the corner of the bed by her feet as their father burst into the room accompanied by his sisters. He noticed the absence of Zen curiously. "Zen," he asked through a private link. "I needed some space." His brother replied simply. Kaleb could sense the joy in his mind. Arman dropped into the chair he had occupied for hours on end and took Lucy's hand into his own. With a gentle kiss to the back of it, he placed his other on her forehead. "Lucy can you hear me?" he asked softly. She turned her head to look at him, sorrow carved into her usually bright and beautiful features. Her eyes swam with tears, his eyes misting over at the sight. He knew what she was going through. She knew his pain. They felt the loss of Cristoff more than anyone else. "I know, dear girl," he said softly, his voice full of emotion, pulling her hand to his forehead for a moment before releasing her as a tear slid down her pale cheek.

He looked across the bed to see two more of his children crouched there, both pairs of similar eyes looking at him. Bix and Vander met his gaze, his jade eyes taking in the sight of them. His two most devious and entertaining children looked unsure, sad, and nearly desperate. There was no snark, no tongue wagging laughter. Just pain. A small sniffle caught his attention as Xally walked over and sat on the edge of the bed by her brothers. "We thought we'd lost you too," she said to the blonde, laying across her sister's legs.

Kaleb was unsure when Farron had arrived, but he was glad everyone was there. Well, almost. Farron wrapped his arms around a silently crying Emi and pulled her into his shoulder. "Where is Zen?" Arman asked Kaleb through their link. "Said he needed some space. He'll be back, Dad." Arman nodded. He wished that he could hold all of his children in his arms. But having almost everyone there had to be enough.

Her arms were wrapped around his chest and over his shoulder, holding her body as close to his as she could physically be. Another gut-wrenching sob shook her whole being as she felt the ripping sensation in her chest again. He was gone. She knew it. That tearing, searing pain in her chest was his soul leaving hers. It was gone. And she was alone. She looked for the bond but there was nothing. She looked around the street where they lay and there was nothing. Suddenly, everything went gold. The light was blinding and she felt a drain in her body catch up to her all at once, letting darkness swallow her.

Two days later, Vander looked down the golden head of the woman who had finally fallen asleep and nestled into his chest. He continued humming to her, running his thin fingers through the tips of her waist-length hair. It was a tuneless song that he had been humming for what felt like days. But he found it just as soothing as she did, so he would hum forever if that was what it took.

His sister-in-law snuggled closer under his right arm, the magic canceling cuff on her wrist digging into one of his ribs. His left side was taken by Emi, Xally laying in his lap. Bixy laid with his head on Emi's full hip and Zen, complete with magic canceling cuffs, sat propped up against the footboard of the king-sized bed. Vander couldn't help but feel a smile pull at his mouth. This was Zen's first time in the pile. Farron had been running himself ragged with the relocation of the freed slaves of Pergrande and had climbed into his bed, spooning Lucy.

He felt Zen's gaze on him as he kissed the crown of the blonde in his arm and pulled her closer. They had been close since they'd met, Vander spotting a kindred spirit in the Celestial mage. She was more than welcome in the family as far as he was concerned. And the fact that she had made his brother whole? Even better. Cristoff had deserved the love he had longed for. Real love. Mate levels of love. Vander locked eyes with his brother by the glow of the moon and the dim lacrima lighting in the room. He'd always preferred it to be darker in his room, even as a child.

Lucy felt a hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the chair in front of the casket. White, paper-thin fabric billowed around her legs as she took a deep breath of the air off the Grass Sea. Emzadi had gotten the traditional Boscan veil dress for her. It felt odd not wearing black. At her mother's funeral, she had worn a black plain, long sleeve dress that flowed to her knees. Black knee highs had been a stark contrast against her creamy white skin. And the shoes she had worn. Shiney and new with a little silver buckle.

But today, she stood the widow of a clan-born Boscan. A knight of Immaculate Light. A dragon slayer.

The cuff chained to her wedding band shone with a midnight blue stone, the gold glinting in the sunlight. This was unlike any funeral she had ever attended. His whole family sat in rows of high chairs in front of the casket, which was open. Each person that greeted them put a hand over their heart and kissed the family member before them, bowing slightly before moving onto the next. Lucy shifted slightly, making herself comfortable in the chair again, bringing her hand up to the crown of lilies that had been placed on her head. She had been told generally what to expect from a Boscan funeral by Arman two days before. But nothing could have properly prepared her.

She still couldn't believe the marked difference between Fiorian and Boscan funerals. The service had been led by both a priest and a maiden of Immaculate Light. There were colorful flowers everywhere, arches over doorways, strewn over tables, in vases on every flat surface. She could hardly believe her eyes when she had walked out of the back door of the Pradesh family home to find tents and flowers everywhere. The priest and maiden had placed bouquets of lilies into the hands of each of the family members, each attempting to keep themselves together. Of everyone, Arman and Xally were the only ones that couldn't contain their ragged sobs as they took their lilies, the rest of them resigning to tears shed silently, except for Zen and Lucy.

Lucy cried all her tears. They were gone. She had been starting to wonder if she was ever going to cry again, never mind smile. There were easily a thousand people who had come to see the family and bid a kind farewell to the man that had touched so many lives. Hundreds of White Sea members, his comrades and commanding officers in the knights alike, Cristoff's Uncle Tesso, at least a hundred people who he had helped over the years, saved, every known dragon slayer in Earthland. And of course, nearly all of Fairy Tail had come for Lucy. Laxus and Freed had stayed the whole time, their airship bound for Fiore with Evergreen's remains would be leaving at noon the following day. Bickslow had been adamant that he would not be accompanying them, Laxus and Freed understanding. He needed to be with his family and grieve the loss of his brother.

After what felt like days, the line of people greeting them had tapered off, much to Lucy's relief. The cuffed bands on her arms had been dampening her magic, made special for her by the local jeweler who had sold her and Cristoff their wedding bands. The woman behind the counter had bustled around to hug her tightly before taking the magic canceling cuffs that Lucy had brought with her and listened to the blonde's request. For Lucy Pradesh, anything, the woman had replied.

Sliding gracefully off the chair, Lucy touched Arman's arm, the man meeting her eyes and nodding. Her chocolate brown eyes were full of sorrow, much like everyone's eyes were. Every person that had come to say goodbye would miss the dragon slayer.

She walked slowly down the slope of the yard, relishing in the peace of being alone. She hadn't been alone for days, though she had never felt more alone surrounded by everyone that cared. All she heard was the gentle ebb and flow of the Grass Sea and the hiss of the small waves retreating from the sand on the shore. That was until the peace was broken by a deafening roar. The dragon slayers still under the tents returned the cry, their roars matching the pain in the first. Lucy let out the breath she had been holding without realizing it when the midnight blue scales of Nurem glinted in the dying sunlight, shining beautifully against the setting sun.

The Lunar Dragon landed and knocked Lucy gently over nuzzling her so intently. "Nurem," Lucy whispered, the growingly familiar sting of dry eyes where her heart wanted there to be tears straining her eyes. "Daughter," Nurem answered. The dragoness whimpered softly. Of all the creatures in Earthland, the only one that knew exactly what Lucy felt was Nurem. There was a part of her soul in her son, just as a part of Lucy's soul had been in him. And when he had left their plane, she had felt the loss of a piece of her just as intensely as Lucy had. The mother or father and the mate of a dragon slayer were the only ones that truly knew what it meant to lose them from their very souls.

Arman strode down the beach as Lucy stood and placed her forehead on the snout of the dragoness. Her face, for the first time since their arrival in Romell, looked at peace.

He greeted Nurem with familiarity and love and they stood together as Lucy waded into the Grass Sea, her veil dress plastering itself to her skin as it soaked up more and more of the water. "Kaleb, send Vander down," he asked his son through their family link, knowing Lucy would hear it too. "I'm coming, Dad," Vander replied, placing a hand over his heart and touching his forehead with the other, bowing to the casket. His final goodbye.

Bix stood up from his chair, passing the open palm of his hand over the casket of his brother without touching it, honoring a Lupen clan tradition. One did not touch the body of a dead Lupen clansman. Until the next plane, brother, he thought, walking toward Vander, his father and Nurem who had settled into holding one another in their grief and Cristoff's widow, kicking his shoes off as he walked, his siblings all following him at their own pace.

A/N:

Holy moly this one fought me!

I cannot express enough gratitude for the folks reviewing (you got thanked via PM too), favoriting, and following. Truly. You are amazing.

As I am writing this note, I'm sniffling. This chapter was hard to write not only because it fought my every bit of the way, but because it was emotional. I really hope I did boscan culture and the Pradesh family right with Boscan funerals. I'd love to get feedback on what you thought, dear reader.

Hopefully, the next chapter of this will come a bit easier and it'll be something I'm more happy with. We'll see.

WS: I am thrilled that you're enjoying the story. Leo is loyal, but wily. I've always loved that about the character. And there is nothing he wouldn't do for Lucy, even if it means the All-Mother's wrath. Thanks!

Nik