Summary: The Lancastrians are in power, most of the Yorkists have been forced to hide within England or in exile, and where exactly is Lucy?
Pairings: Gray/Juvia, Mirajane/Juvia friendship, Loke/Aries, Loke/Lucy friendship, Gajeel/Natsu friendship, implied one-sided Siegrain/Erza, implied one-sided Mystogen/Erza, Erza/Jellal, Natsu/Lucy, brotherly Gray/Natsu, brotherly Gray/Erza, some mentions of Lucy/Lisanna friendship, and implied Natsu/Lisanna friendship.
YouTube Prompt: Natsu/Lucy video to 'Gorecki' by Lamb.
Juvia felt the cold through her very bones.
Although it was summer, it was an English summer, and that meant there was more rain than shine, and a cold breeze started to pick up as August quickly came to a close. This, coupled with the fact that Juvia had spent the last couple months living in a cold, damp, wet basement of a cathedral, meant that Juvia felt the cold more than she ever had.
A shiver ran down her spine as another Lancastrian barge pushed pass her window in the river. The sole window of her room had a good view of the Thames, and for the last few weeks royal barges decorated with the red rose, carrying cousins upon cousins, into the palace to meet with Henry VI kept passing through.
The very reminder that her Gray-sama was out there somewhere, fighting for his life, made Juvia colder than ever.
She kept having nightmares of him on a boat in the middle of the ocean tossed between storms and never coming home.
The memory of it made her shiver.
"Your Majesty must keep herself warm," Lady Mirajane murmured softly as she draped Juvia's cloak over her shoulders, "The King would be upset if he came home to a bedridden wife full of flu."
"Juvia doubts that Gray-sama would notice at all," Juvia said gloomily, "but Juvia thanks you, and apologises once again for trapping you with her in this pit of despair and doom."
Lady Mirajane shook her head. "You did not trap me anywhere, Your Majesty," she took Juvia's hands into hers and squeezed them comfortingly and gently, "It is those Lancastrians forcing us into a corner because they can. If we were not in here you would guarantee we would be under house arrest in the same or worse conditions simply because we have married our husbands."
"Still," Juvia felt her eyes sting with tears once more, she had been crying more and more since the night the Lancastrians invaded London, and she hated it, "it was Juvia's ambassador who had helped the Lancastrians."
"But not Juvia," Lady Mirajane said firmly, "I apologise Your Majesty for being so personal, but it must be said, this is not your doing, it is not your wish, and it is not your fault. The blame lies entirely on overly ambitious men."
Juvia opened her mouth to argue, she still firmly believed she had been to blame, if it had not been for then most of these ladies would be outside enjoying what was left of the sunshine and be with their husbands as there would have been no Jose Porla to plot with the Viscount, but before she could point any of this out more royal triumphant could be heard, and unlike the many other Beaufort cousins, these ones were greeted with loud cheering.
"GOD BLESS THE DUCHESS OF NORFOLK!"
"THREE CHEERS FOR LADY LUCY!"
"THE RED ROSE! THE RED ROSE!"
Disbelieve flittered across everyone's faces as they scrambled towards the window. Much to their horror, it was indeed the Norfolk Barge that went pass. The barge that Natsu despised as he spent every moment of it hanging on the side and groaning as he struggled to keep his meal down.
"I do not believe it!" Mistress McGarden breathe. "It cannot be Lu-Chan! It cannot! She adores Natsu. She would never betray him like this!"
"Perhaps she has been held captive?" Lady Mirajane suggested. "She had been targeted by my father in law in the last rebellion."
"If she was held captive," Lady Bisca shook her head solemnly, "then she would not be on a barge being greeted as a beloved Royal Cousin."
"She is not," Ultear frowned, "that is not the Duchess of Norfolk."
Everyone turned to face Ultear. She was the last person to ever defend the Duchess of Norfolk, Ultear had always firmly believed the Lancastrian girl would be a threat to Gray and now she had been proven right, she was arguing that it was not the Duchess of Norfolk.
"What do you mean, My Lady?" Mistress McGarden asked. "Do you know who that person is?"
"No," Ultear shook her head, her eyes firmly narrowed onto the barge, "I do not know who that lady is but I can tell you one thing, she is far too tall and slender to have been the Duchess of Norfolk. I would know, I have watched that lady carefully enough in the past."
"Then," Mistress McGarden said worriedly, "where is the Duchess of Norfolk."
Ultear remained silent. Her lack of knowledge of the Duchess of Norfolk's whereabouts obvious and everyone stood there, silent, fearful, and worried.
The Duchess of Norfolk was not safe. She was obviously in the hands of their enemies who was using a fake for their own propaganda, they were cold and hungry in their damp basement under the Cathedral but at least they were together, at least they were safe from Lancastrian hands, for all they knew the Duchess of Norfolk could be in a dungeon beneath the Tower of London awaiting for execution.
And it was all Juvia's fault.
She was the one that sent the woman away to danger after all.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Loke stood in the shadows feeling utterly mortified as he watched his father persistently pour water over one of his youngest cousin's hands. The implication of King Henry VI trying to baptise some terrified boy was apparent to all as was his insanity.
This, this, was what they had overthrown the young, healthy, competent Yorkist King for. An old, sad, madman who had no touch of reality within him as he dreamily walked past everyone. How can anyone trust this man to govern a whole country?
They couldn't.
That's why a circle of royal Beaufort cousins have appeared, why all councillors and lawyers turned to the Queen, why people were beginning to look at Loke as if he had all the answers. Oblivious to the fact he just wanted a stiff drink, the comfort of his lady, and a quiet place to rest his head.
Oblivious to the fact that his dearest and best friend was not here despite her barge pulling in and a lady dressed in Lucy's best gown had entered the castle.
He was missing Lucy more and more as the days at Court dragged on and on.
Loke was surrounded by Lucy's – and his own – cousins, there were fragments of her everywhere, some had her dark eyes, some had her blonde hair, one, very rare cousin, even had her smile, and yet he never felt lonelier before.
They all looked at him and saw their ambitions and dreams. They saw Edward, the Prince of Wales, the future King of England. They did not see Loke, the flirt, the friend, the man who wants little in life.
He could not bear it anymore especially as his father gazed out of a window with a glazed over expression and ignored a member of parliament's petition.
If his father could escape mentally then Loke could do it physically.
He barely made it to the door before his mother caught hold of his wrist. "Edward!" she hissed and he grimaced at his Christian name. "Where do you think you are going? Your people need you to reassure them that the Lancastrians are united and strong."
"I think you and my many cousins are doing that quite well," Loke replied icily, "or as well as possible while Father is proving every Yorkist rumour to be true."
His mother slapped him for that. He was proud to say that he barely flinched as his cheek stung with the briefest of pain, he had become used to her and her blows. "Bite your tongue and mind your manners!" she snarled. "The Yorkists are not worthy to even grovel at our feet let alone whisper blatant lies about your royal father, yourself, and my own person."
"Blatant lies?" Loke tilted his head. "If they had been saying that Father is insane, that I am a careless fop, and you are a bloodthirsty she-wolf, then they are not that far off from the truth, are they?"
His mother raised her hand again only this time the Viscount Dryer appeared in time to smoothly take her hand and kiss it. "Your Majesty," he said reverently, "you are more radiant than ever now you are in your rightful place." His mother shamelessly preened at the flattery as the Viscount turned and bowed deeply to Loke. "And Your Highness, I do hope your humour has improved since our last encounter."
"If you mean when you had kidnapped my cousin and knocked me out," Loke said bitterly, "then I must say no. I am still very much resentful towards you."
"You were being unreasonable and irrational, Your Highness," Viscount Dryer smirked, "you over-reacted to my presence when I had merely come to assure the Duchess of Norfolk's safety."
"If that is the case," Loke said calmly as possible as he tried to hide his fury at the man's sheer presence, "then where is the Duchess of Norfolk."
"I do believe that she is in her rooms," the Viscount lied smoothly, and Loke knew it was a lie because he knew who was in the Duchess of Norfolk's rooms, and who was wearing her dresses, and who had been on her barge….and it was not the Duchess of Norfolk, "it had been such a long journey from Norfolk that Her Grace was in need of much rest."
"No," Loke gritted his teeth, "where is Lucy?"
"In her rooms as I had just said, Your Highness."
"You and I both know that is not Lucy," Loke said quietly, "now I want an honest answer. Where is my cousin?"
"I am sorry, you must be more specific," Viscount Dryer said in false politeness, "Your Highness has so many cousins."
Furious and frustrated, Loke unintentionally growled. "I will find her," he swore, "I will find her and keep her safe from you."
The Viscount's mouth curved into a sinister smile as if he was daring Loke to challenge him. Unable to bear being in this loathsome man's presence, his mother thoroughly distracted by a courtier, and his father still staring into nothing, Loke stormed out of the Great Hall with the full intention of never coming back.
Without a second thought he made his way to the Duchess of Norfolk's rooms, and banged on the door.
Aries opened it immediately and one look at her terrified, sweet, face, and Loke's anger evaporated into nothing.
He couldn't be angry around her.
She would think he was angry at her which couldn't be further from the truth. That, and her sheer presence soothed him in ways nothing ever could.
"Loke," she whispered, "I mean, Your Highness, I-"
"Shh," Loke murmured as he placed a finger on her lips, "there's no need for titles or any more of that nonsense. Can I come in?"
"Of course, of course," she opened the door wider and he stepped in quickly before the door was closed firmly behind him. "Would you like some wine?"
"Please."
She wandered to the side table, and shakily, she picked up the flagon of wine and began to pour it out. her hands – no, her whole body – shook so hard that she spilt the wine all over the table and suddenly the flagon slipped out of her hands and crashed to the floor. "I am sorry, so sorry!" she wailed. "I am so sorry….it is….just…. I am scared, and weak, and I cannot be brave," tears ran down her cheeks, "I just want to go home, I want to see my sister, I want to serve Her Grace, Lady Lucy, and I want….I want… I am so, so, so sorry."
"Shh," Loke pulled her into his arms and held her tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry for, I am also scared and weak, and there are times I have behaved like a coward. We are surrounded Aries by the most dangerous, selfish, people in the world, and we must do what it takes to keep ourselves alive."
Aries sniffled and looked up to stare at him with her watery gaze. "And Her Grace?" she asked worriedly. "And my sister?"
"I will find them," Loke said determinedly, "I promise you, I will find Lucy and Virgo and I will keep them safe." There is a moment of silence, Aries either believed in him or was unable to voice her disbelief, Loke did not wish to question which one it was. He was not sure he would like the answer. And then, unable to not ask, Loke burst out with a question. "How is the boy?"
With his parents in exile, and hi powerful uncles with them, considered the greatest traitors in England, there was no one left to protect Lord Edward, heir to the Dukedom of Somerset.
In fact his inheritance had placed him in the greatest of danger.
The original Duke of Somerset was one of Loke's many cousins. Edmund Beaufort, and a great favourite of the Queen's. The Yorkists had taken a great pleasure in cutting him down during one of the first battles in the war and his son was attained as a traitor, forcing the title and lands to go back to the (Yorkist) Crown before it was given to Erza and Jellal.
Edmund Beaufort's son had followed the Lancastrians to hell and back, and undoubtedly he would want his title back which would place Erza's son in the greatest of dangers.
Fortunately before anyone could remember the boy's existence, Loke had swooped in and taken him from the nursery and placed him in Aries' care.
"Lord Edward is scared but well behaved," Aries said quietly, "he misses his mother and father but he does not cry or throw tantrums. He merely plays silently and spends a great deal of time staring out of the window."
Loke's eyes closed.
At least he was safe.
The world was falling to bits. Gray, Natsu, Erza, and so many others were now in exile, there had been rumours that Erza had been cut down in battle and no hint that she was still living, the Yorkist Queen was forced into Sanctuary, probably shivering and falling ill in the cold, dampness of Westminster Abbey, and Lucy…..Lucy was somewhere, anywhere, in great danger, or safe and sound….
He had so much to do if he wanted to right this….and yet he was powerless.
All he could do was wait, wait for Gray's return. Wait for the inevitable fall of his father, wait for the never-ending destruction and death to come back, and wait for a sword to plunge into his own heart, ending it all…
Until then, though, he will keep Erza's son safe and sound. It was the very least he could do.
FTTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Natsu hated Flanders.
It was unfair to the country, which he was pretty sure was nice, everyone seemed nice, but the sad fact was every time he had been in Flanders it had been because of bad stuff.
The last time the Duke of York was being forced into temporary retreat and in order to keep them all safe the Earl of Warwick sent them to Flanders. Several months later they got the news that both Silver and Igneel had been executed and to rub salt to the wound, Silver was crowned with a paper crown.
This time round they had been driven out of their home, forced to abandon their wives who could be in great danger simply for marrying them, and Erza…..Erza….
Natsu has not seen Erza since they arrived at the Duke's palace and she was instantly swept away by a pack of physicians that the new, young, and creepily besotted with Erza, duke had paid for Erza's care. The days leading up to this arrival had been hell on earth. They had been forced into hiding, which Natsu never liked, and Erza was bleeding out so rapidly that they almost did lose her.
They were fortunate that monks took pity on them and provided the best care possible and as soon as Erza's wound stopped being an immediate threat (and stopped bleeding) they snuck through the night, stole a rowing boat, and crossed the channel with a dangerous chance of night making it.
Then there had been the travel on land to get to where they were now.
It was a wonder that the deathly pale, exhausted, and slowly starting to bleed again, Erza had managed to make it Flanders alive at all.
But then again, Erza always could do the impossible.
"Stop pacing," Gajeel growled, "you are driving me insane."
"Then fight me!" Natsu snapped. "Give me something to do. I cannot just sit around and do nothing while Erza is locked away, Gray does nothing but sit around and talk, and Lucy…" Natsu shuddered. He had no idea what was happening to Lucy. For all he knew she could have been violated and killed by Lancastrian soldiers by now.
"I am not going to fight you," Gajeel said sourly, "it will not help with anything. Erza is resting, the doctors think she is making a swift recovery and will be up on her feet beating us up in no time, and Gray is not doing nothing, he is negotiating. If we are going to take England back and save our women, we are going to need an army and surprise, surprise, the Duke of Flanders has one. As for your wife…..she survived you, did she not? I am sure she can hold her own."
"I suppose so," Natsu mumbled, still unable to shake off the sick feeling in his stomach. And then….realisation sunk in. "What is that supposed to mean?! 'she survived you' are you trying to imply something about me?!"
"Yeah," Gray grinned in the doorway, "You are a pain in the ass."
"Why you little-" Natsu cut himself off as he realised it was Gray, the annoying git that had been in meetings all morning, standing in the doorway, quickly bowed, and before he stood up right. "So?" he demanded.
"It is very disturbing to see a man that looks like Jellal but has an arrogant, sneering, tone constantly," Gray shuddered, "and it is equally disturbing to see another one but is utterly silent the entire time."
Natsu agreed wholeheartedly. Siegrain, who had inherited the title, was arrogant and over-confident to the point of cockiness while Mystogen had stepped away from all riches and took a vow to be a brother of a church. It was very weird to see his brother in law's face on these two very different men.
"That is not the most disturbing thing," Laxus muttered, "the most disturbing thing is that all three of them are besotted with Erza."
Everyone shuddered at that. They loved Erza, they honestly do, but they cannot comprehend how three men who all looked exactly alike to the same birthmark but were incredibly different, fell in love with her.
"Yes, yes, I get that," Natsu snapped impatiently, "but what is going on?"
"My sources have kept me and the Duke well informed," Gray rolled his eyes, his only rebuke for Natsu's rudeness because he understood why, "the Earl of Warwick is in Ireland, massing an army there."
"We hope," Laxus mumbled, "Grandfather enjoys the parties there far too much."
"He has never let us down before," Gray said confidently, "and the Irish loves us. I have great confidence in him. Henry VI is out of the Tower and installed in Westminster Palace with his wife and child. The Beauforts have descended on the Court like a plague of locusts, Erza's title has been revoked and given back to Edmund Beaufort, Edward's whereabouts are….unknown but I have been informed he is safe. Likely a small knight household holds his wardship currently. Juvia and Ultear…." Gray faltered a bit, "They are currently in sanctuary," he finished, "waiting for our return."
"And Lucy?!" Natsu shouted.
"My sources have told me that the Duchess of Norfolk had betrayed us," Gray said flatly. "That she is part of the Lancastrian Court and has been seen on the Prince of Wales' arm." Natsu had opened his mouth instantly to protest this because he knew Lucy would not betray them. He knew. Lucy loved them. Loved him. She would not…Gray however, quickly spoke up again. "My best spy however," Gray stressed before Natsu could interrupt him, "has told me the Duchess of Norfolk the people has seen in public is an imposter, and the real Duchess of Norfolk has been held captive somewhere as she is, and I quote, 'great with child by the Duke of Norfolk."
There was a moment of silence at this. Natsu stood there frozen as he tried to comprehend exactly just what Gray has said….great with child by the Duke of Norfolk….great with child by the Duke of Norfolk…..great with child by the Duke of Norfolk….
Lucy was pregnant.
Lucy was more pregnant than she has ever been before if they were hiding her away.
Lucy was pregnant, with his child, and alone, in an enemy's hands…
"Oi," Gray waved a hand in front of Natsu's face, "are you even in there?"
"Get out of my way," Natsu growled, "I need to go to England and fucking kill that Viscount before I carry Lucy back home and lock her in her chamber for all eternity!"
"Natsu!" Gray yelped as he grabbed hold of Natsu's tunic. "You cannot go rushing in without a pl-"
"LIKE HELL I CANNOT!" Natsu exploded. "She's my wife! And she is carrying my child and she is in danger. I am going to save her even if it kills me!"
"Yes," Gray growled, "but if you just wa-"
"Get the hell off of me Snowflake!" Natsu snapped as he elbowed Gray in the stomach, hard. The half-naked King (Lord knows when he lost his shirt but it had been long before he entered the room) keeled over and groaned, letting Natsu free. "Where's the nearest harbour?! I need a fucking boat."
"You," Laxus cracked his knuckles, "are not going anywhere."
Natsu punched him first.
The next five minutes were a blur as Natsu soon found himself fighting not only Laxus but Gray, Gajeel, and Lyon (who had been thankfully silent this whole time), as they screamed abuse at one another.
Much to Natsu's chagrin, the other four were able to subdue him and he found himself panting against the cold, stone, slabs as Gray, Lyon, and Gajeel all sat on him.
"Now!" Gray snarled in his ear. "If you would just fucking listen to me-eeeeeeeeeeep!" he squealed as he caught sight of something terrifying.
Natsu lifted his head up to mock him when he too caught sight of the terrifying monster heaving furiously at the door.
"Erza!" Gray cried out. "You should not be up, the doctors said-"
"How," Erza spat out in her most terrifyingly furious voice, "can I rest when you fucking morons are making so much noise?!"
"WE ARE SORRY!"
Erza glowered at them as she lifted her arm up, presumably to hit them all, only to cry out in pain and stagger back into the doorframe.
"My love," Jellal appeared behind her, "you should not exert yourself so much," he chided her gently as he took her into his arms. "Let me escort you back to bed."
"No," Erza shook her head, "not just yet. I need to know….Gray," she fixed her intense, dark, eyes on Gray's face. "What is the plan?"
"Well," Gray flushed slightly, all eyes were on him, and he was embarrassed and ashamed to admit his plan was absolutely bonkers. They had already been led into danger by him, into the battle, and then into retreat which had been equally dangerous with men pursuing them. Erza had a hideous mark on her stomach that would one day be a permanent scar because of him and his stupidity. "It is….a rather insane one," he admitted sheepishly, "one that Siegrain was very reluctant to fund."
Lyon raised an eyebrow. "How is that any different from your plans before?"
"Shut up!" Gray snapped. "It is a dangerous one."
"Gihihihihihi," Gajeel snickered, "I like the sound of that."
"Reckless."
"Nothing new there," Laxus muttered.
"And we'll be risking everything," Gray stressed, "it is not impossible but it is incredibly difficult and many have never successfully pulled it off."
"Oh come on!" Natsu cried out irritably. "Just tells us, Damnit!"
"Yes, get to the point!" Erza snapped impatiently. "What is it?!"
"We," Gray smirked, "are going to start a winter campaign."
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Lucy did not know where she was but it was boring as hell. The walls were beige, lacking in fine tapestries and portraits, which mean the room itself was freezing. There was no window and therefore no natural light, Lucy had to entirely rely on candles, and there was nothing to do but stare at the ceiling, nibble on her lip, and worry.
She worried all the time now.
She worried about Loke, who seemed so desperate and terrified the last time she saw him. He hated his position as Prince of Wales, and with the Lancastrians in power he would be forced to be responsible for the people he despised most. She worried about Aries who she had not seen at all since she had been captured, and feared the worst for the most gentle and timid maid she had ever met. She worried about Aquarius, and Capricorn, and Scorpio, and all the other many members of her household, who were probably imprisoned or worse. She worried about Gray, who must be in hiding or buried in a field somewhere. She worried about his wife, Juvia, who must be terrified and confused as her position was taken from her, her husband gone, and the whole country suddenly against her. She worried about Happy, the cat, who was probably starving in her castle, alone and scared. But more importantly, she worried about Natsu.
Where was he? Was he safe? Was he even alive? Of course he was alive, Lucy thought firmly, I would know if he had died.
Her baby kicked in agreement.
Lucy never thought there would be a day where she wished she would miscarry again but here it was. She was a prisoner in enemy's hands and she kept having nightmares of her baby being murdered the moment it was born.
"You would have been safer in heaven," she murmured to her stomach, "it is not that I do not want you but you are not safe with me."
Her baby kicked her defiantly.
There was no doubt in Lucy's mind that this baby was going to take after Natsu. It had already proven to be strong, stubborn, and fiercely protective. Lucy could easily see her son's bushy pink hair as he comes into the world ready to fight for their lives.
Her stomach rumbled and this time her baby kicked in complaint.
Although her stomach had swelled to a size of a pig as her baby grew, Lucy overall had actually lost weight. One of Loke's last warnings, through Virgo, had been not to trust the food. Loke feared, and Lucy shared this, that Viscount Dryer would do anything to get rid of her baby. The likelihood of her food being laced with a potion to expel her baby from her womb was too strong for Lucy to risk it. Therefore she depended entirely on Virgo to find food and sneak it into Lucy.
Which was becoming more and more difficult as Virgo was just as heavily watched as Lucy was.
The door opened and instead of the pink-haired maid that Lucy wanted to see, preferably with a plate of food, a dark, miserable, shadow loomed in the doorway.
Lucy smiled coldly as Jose Porla scowled in her direction. It amused her greatly that the ambassador, so ready to betray his own Royal Family for a ghost of a chance to take their Infanta, had been degraded to a lowly stooge of a Viscount with no rewards other than the honour of guarding her.
And she did not make it an easy job.
The first time she had asked for privacy to use the chamber pot, Porla only turned his back on her, and she took advantage by kicking him in a sensitive area before running out. Unfortunately she only got so far before she was dragged back into her prison, there was a huge disadvantage in being pregnant, but she has never stopped making Jose Porla's life difficult.
"Your Grace," Porla bent in the smallest of bows, "I am sure you would be pleased to hear that the Viscount has decided to do something about your numerous complaints."
"So am I finally to be allowed to walk out of the door?" Lucy asked disbelieving. "And walk on straight home."
"Heavens no, that would be ridiculous," Porla sneered, "I merely meant that the Viscount has graciously found you a midwife."
"You mean my right to one that any other chivalric knight, no matter how much he hates my kin, would have given me is finally being acknowledged?" Lucy asked sweetly. "How nice and yet such a shame. I was enjoying your sympathy to all of my problems."
In other words she enjoyed torturing Porla with vivid descriptions of the agonies of being with child. A bachelor who obviously had no women in his life found it highly uncomfortable when a lady started discussing certain pains.
"Alas I have more important things to think about than what is brewing in your stomach," Porla said, "but you will now have a companion who will take great interest in you and your well-being."
Lucy's mind whirled with ideas at that. Someone who would be interested. A midwife. A woman, who would be sympathetic. A woman who would not hurt a child. A woman who might, might, just be the key to her escape.
Her hope must have flickered on her face because Porla smirked. "I would not get your hopes up," he taunted her, "Sister Mary Jane belongs to a certain nunnery that Viscount Dryer donates generously to. She was, in fact, his ward during her childhood, and all loyalty she has is to him."
"Funny," Lucy said coldly, trying to hide her fear at the idea of another enemy, "I thought her loyalty would be to God."
"Everyone's loyalty is to God first," Porla said, "and then afterwards we choose who to be loyal."
"Do you even understand the concept of loyalty?" Lucy provoked him. "How is your Spanish Infanta with her husband's enemies circling round her?"
He shot her a disgusted glare. "I wish you luck with this one, Sister," he said nastily, "she may be a Duchess but she has the manners of a common tavern wench."
And with that he stormed out of the room and left a small, hooded, figure in his wake. Lucy did not know what to do with this newfound threat but she knew, for the sake of her child, she had to keep away, and as soon as the nun stepped in, Lucy started to edge away. Desperately grasping for anything to use as a weapon.
Much to her frustration though there was nothing, not even a candlestick, and she had to resort to crawling backwards on her bed.
"Do not come any closer to me!" she snarled furiously. "I am warning you! If you do anything, anything, to harm my child, I will make your life a misery. That is a promise and I have you know I always keep m-"
The nun suddenly curtsied deeply before her and then knelt beside her bed. "Your Grace," she said soothingly, her blue eyes were piercing and fierce, her beautiful face was achingly familiar, and yet Lucy could have sworn she has not met this woman before. "Do not fear me, I am not here to harm you," the nun said softly, "my loyalty has never been to the Viscount, and never will." Lucy gasped refusing to believe the nun especially when she had just pulled out a dagger, and tried to scramble away from the pretty-faced nun. The nun was not having any of it though and grabbed Lucy's wrist gently but with the strength of an ox as she held on tightly and pushed the dagger, handle first, into her hand. "You will need this," she said bossily, "keep it on you at all times. I might not be there to protect you though I promise you, I will do my best. I will do whatever it takes to keep you and your child safe, Your Grace."
The dagger's handle was cold but beautiful. Lucy's eyes widened at the sight of it as she took in the familiar engraving on the handle.
"Pretty is it not?" the nun smiled. "It was a birthday present many years ago from my dearest friend."
The engraving was a dragon but not any dragon…It was the fiery dragon that was only ever seen on the Dragneel Family Crest.
"Now then," Sister Mary Jane, previously Mistress Lisanna Strauss, smiled, "shall we check up on baby?"