Summary: Sort of prequel to His Royal Highness, Prince Natsu. Zeref is being pressured by his advisors to marry, so he throws Natsu and Lucy under the bus so to speak to get them off his back.
Pairings: Implied Zeref/Mavis, implied brotherly Zeref/Natsu, and implied Natsu/Lucy.
Author's Note: For LoveGlutton who wanted Zeref being besieged by advisors wanting a marriage for him.
To whatever positives there were to being a ruler there were many, many, negatives as well. Too many people dependent on him, too many meetings, too much cheering while he wanted a quiet walk, everyone bowing, and not to mention he can barely do anything for himself without at least five servants trying to do it for him.
But that's not the worst thing about being an Emperor. Oh no! There was something far worse than having three people squabbling over who will clip his toe nails (and yes that is what happened last night) and that was the constant, never-ending, forever persistent interest and interference in his love life.
His love life!
"You must understand Your Majesty," one wheezy elderly advisor croaked, "that you need an heir. Your vast and mighty empire would crumble without your bloodline to lead it."
"I am young," Zeref said evasively, "and not likely to die any time soon."
Especially not with this curse on him but his people didn't need to know that.
"But we don't know what could happen to you, Your Majesty!" another protested. "Not that we imagine your death or anything!" they added hastily, "Just that you could have an accident or be stricken with an illness."
"You make a valid point," Zeref muttered grudgingly. They did after all…..for a normal emperor, which he was supposed to be. "After all anything can happen."
"I'm glad you understand!" another advisor said cheerfully. "Now then we have been sending out feelers and already we have a long list of princesses and great ladies for you to choose from."
What?!
Zeref's eyes bugged out and he choked on his own spit.
"Now then," his elderly advisor said, "I believe a great lady from our own lands will be best. There are still some ungrateful rebels who need to be pleased in the outreaches."
"Indeed," another agreed, "some of the newer additions to our empire need to feel that they have influence."
"But then a foreign alliance can strengthen us just the same!" another one argued. "We could gain a trade and maybe, just maybe, Fiore could finally recognise us as a nation," they sneered.
This, went on for hours, and he means hours. Numerous ladies were suggested, portraits were show, of pretty girls and ugly girls alike. Wealthy ones, politically strategic ones, weird ones, boring ones, even the Fiore princess was suggested before three quarters of the room shot that one day without even pausing for thought.
Zeref sunk low in his throne and covered his face. "None of them!" he growled. "None of them are good enough. I don't want to marry any of them."
"Why not, Your Majesty?"
"Because…..because…..because..."
Because none of them were petite and childlike, none of them had long, fair hair that curled round her face, none of them got excited over the silly things, none of them liked to run round bare footed because she likes the feel of grass beneath her feet, none of them had those unique jade-green eyes…
"Because I said so!" Zeref said lamely. His cheeks burning with embarrassment as he coughed to clear his throat and regain his composure. "Because there could never be a woman worthy enough of this great nation to be its Empress," he said smoothly, "Because I am already married to my nation."
The advisors looked all a little touched at that and Zeref inwardly sighed in relief. Perhaps this would stop them going on about marriage for another six months.
And then by then he would hopefully be dead.
"That's all very well, Your Majesty," one of his advisors said, "but that doesn't change the fact that you need an heir."
"But I already have one!"
There was a moment of silence and Zeref rapidly paled as he realised exactly what he had just said. Crap baskets. As far as his nation was aware Zeref was an only child of an only child of an only child, who were all coincidentally named Zeref.
"You…..you do, Your Majesty?" his advisor blinked. "Who?"
Zeref decided there and then it would be the best policy to just go with the truth…..with some exaggeration. That way they were less likely to ask questions. "My brother, his Royal Highness, Prince Natsu," he shrugged. "He will be Emperor after my death."
"I did not know that you had a brother," one of his many advisors frowned worriedly. "Since when have you had a brother? Forgive me, Your Majesty" he suddenly flung himself on the floor and bowed in the most humiliating manner. "I have been in remiss in my duty to you and your family. Your brother-"
"Is a wild adventurer," Zeref interrupted quietly. "He has taken himself on many adventurers to make himself a better prince for his empire." Immediately his people were paying attention to him. Their interest in Natsu was strong and it had been a while that Zeref had an audience that didn't want to use him for some evil purpose or to kill him. "When he was but three years old he forced one of the servants to take him to a forest in Fiore, in which he encountered the Great and Mighty Igneel, King of the Fire Dragons and coerced the beast into training him in his magic before his slayed the beast as all Dragon Slayers do."
"Oooooh!"
Inwardly Zeref face palmed at how easy his advisors were all believing this story, outwardly, however, he simply smiled. "Indeed," he said sagely, "afterwards he encountered a guild of fairies who promised great adventure if he helped them with their tasks, unable to refuse due to his great love of exciting things, Natsu had taken down the evil flute Lullaby with the help of the greatest Knight in the land Erza Scarlet."
"The Tatiana?" someone whispered.
"Yes!" Zeref nodded. "Her reputation is great throughout the world. He was also assisted by his…..naked, gay, manservant, Gray Fullbuster, and his noble steed Happy, and the most radiant Lady Lucy who he had rescued previously." Zeref screwed up his face as he concentrated on the facts. While he could never watch Natsu personally (at least not all the time, people would notice if the guy in black kept lurking around a teenager's hut) he had placed spies on him and he was vaguely aware of the people that Natsu called friends. The only one that stuck with him properly was Lucy and that was because she was mentioned in every freaking story for the last couple years. "In fact it is because of this Lady that your Prince has stayed even longer than planned. He had gone on a great quest to win her heart, by battling demons on Galuna Island, rescuing her from Black Steel Gajeel and catching her when she took a great fall from a tower, and then the battle of Tower of Heaven, and Nirvana, and then there was a long difficult seven years where Prince Natsu had to use everything he had to finally win over Lady Lucy and her father. It was only just a few months ago I had signed their betrothal contract with Lady Lucy's father."
"Is the Lady worthy?"
"She is," Zeref nodded, "not only is she vastly wealthy and will bring lots of trade to our great empire but she is kind, warm," at least she smiles kindly at others and gave Natsu warm stares despite her violent nature, "strong," freakishly so, like all of Mavis' girls were, "intelligent and wise," she had to be with Natsu's stupidity, "and she is so blessed by the heavens that she can command them into her bidding." She was a Celestial Mage and he had never seen one do what she did to Jackal before. "And therefore with a contract with such a radiant lady has been made, you will have your Emperor and Empress one day," Zeref finished, "and a family full of heirs. Lots of heirs, if Prince Natsu was not so honourable there would already be one."
Zeref was honestly surprised he wasn't an uncle already considering all the reports he got about Natsu slipping into the girl's apartment window.
He was thankful though, he didn't need that on top of the craziness he and Natsu were already neck high in.
The while room was silent as his many advisors took in the information, and then -
"Hip, hip for Prince Natsu and Lady Lucy!"
"HIP, HIP HURRAY!"
"HIP, HIP HURRAY!"
"HIP, HIP HURRAY!"
Zeref leaned back satisfied that he had finally closed the subject of him marrying forever but he couldn't bring himself to smirk when a shudder suddenly ran down his spine.
Why can't he help but feel he just brought the wrath of a Fairy Tail girl down on him?