Summary: It's time to start cleaning up after the war…
Pairings: Loke/Lucy friendship, Natsu/Lucy, parental Lucy/Nashi, parental Natsu/Nashi, sisterly Ultear/Gray, Ultear/Juvia friendship, parental Ultear/Meredy, Mirajane/Ultear friendship, some implied Lisanna/Bickslow, Laxus/Bickslow friendship, Lucy/Lisanna friendship, Gray/Juvia, Juvia/Lucy friendship, Gray/Loke friendship, Lucy/Loke friendship, mention of Loke/Aries, one-sided Lyon/Juvia, implied Lyon/Sherry friendship, implied Sherry/Ren, mentions of future Lyon/Chelia, Sisterly Ultear/Lyon, implied parental Silver/Ultear, and lots and lots of friendship and family feels in general.
Author's Note: Thank you all for giving me over TEN THOUSAND AND THREE HUNDRED reviews! I hope you enjoy this latest instalment because it was certainly beginning to feel it was never going to end…
After Lisanna helped Lucy through the after birth, and the corpse of Viscount Dryer was cleared away, and Lucy was bathed, and the bed was re-made with clean sheets, Natsu and the baby finally re-joined Lucy in what had been her prison cell for the last few days and was now her guest bedroom.
(How the Wheel of Fortune was always turning.)
Lucy was beyond exhausted. Her body ached in places she hadn't thought possible, her eyes drooped persistently to a close, and her brain has stopped thinking altogether as she could barely muster a smile in Natsu's direction as he entered the room again. She didn't know what to feel either. She was such a wreck with emotions and feelings, she wanted to cry because she had been so scared and she was so relieved now but she was also so terribly sad.
Loke was dead.
She heard it being shouted out by all the men down below.
Her cousin, her childhood friend, her protector, and the only friend and family she really had all the time was now gone.
Gone forever.
And yet she wanted to laugh and smile because she was safe and sound and more importantly her baby was safe and sound. She wanted to laugh so hard that it would turn to tears of joy and happiness. She wanted to smile and smile and smile as she took in her baby's features and held her properly for the first time.
And then there was the guilt.
The guilt for being happy despite all the sadness. The guilt for being so relieved that it's over even though it meant Loke was dead. The guilt that she had murdered a man and she did not actually feel guilty about it. Viscount Dryer had deserved it for many reasons and Lucy was never going to regret plunging the Dragneel blade into his throat before he got his grubby mitts on her precious little girl…..but Lucy was always going to feel guilty about not regretting it.
(Did that make her a monster?)
And then there was the constant ache. The aches in her back, her legs, her...private parts, from the birth, and the ache in her breasts with the burning need to feed her child, and the ache in her arms longing to hold her child. Lucy ached all over, inside and out.
So when Natsu came in and grinned manically in her direction, she was only able to muster a weak smile before she held her arms out demandingly. "My baby," she murmured, "let me hold her. Please."
She did not need to ask twice. Natsu carefully, so carefully it was uncharacteristic of him, place their child in her arms and within seconds Lucy was relieving the pain in her chest as her baby fed on her.
Natsu stared wide-eyed but thankfully he did not make a comment on it. Lucy was all too aware that she was not supposed to be breast feeding her own child. That there was supposed to be a wet nurse ready and waiting. But just like every other abnormal thing about her pregnancy and giving birth this was another aspect that had to be ignored. It was unlikely a wet nurse was somewhere near the battlefield.
Besides, after everything, Lucy did not want a strange woman coming in and feeding her child.
Lucy took the opportunity to fully take in her child in her arms. She was so small and warm and had the lightest fuzz on her head and the sweetest, chubbiest, face that ma difficult to discern any features as of yet. The baby stared up at her with wide, dark, eyes, and Lucy felt the twinge of disappointment that she hadn't inherited Natsu's green eyes wash away with the wave of overwhelming love as she beheld the innocence and wonder in her child's eyes.
This was her baby!
She wanted to count her baby's little fingers and toes but her child was already bound up in swaddling clothes and pinned to the board to keep her posture.
"She's been swaddled already," Lucy observed out loud, "did you….?"
"Nah," Natsu shook his head, "Erza did it." Lucy immediately jolted into action as panic swept through her. Erza was brilliant at many things but knowing her own strength was not a talent of hers. Lucy already feared her child's circulation had been cut off. "But Lisanna unwrapped her and re-did it as soon as Erza's back was turned," Natsu continued oblivious to the rapid changes of emotion his words were causing his wife. "Lucy…..we have a baby."
"Yes," she replied, "we do."
And then she burst into tears.
"O-o-oi!" Natsu stuttered, a look of sheer shock and horror dashed across his face, "Why are you crying, you weirdo?"
"I-I-I-it's just that I did not think this could be possible," Lucy sobbed, "a-a-after miscarriages, and then being kidnapped, and the threats, and the war, I….I….I just did not think this could be at all possible!" she waved her arm to gesture to everything. The victory, Natsu being here, the enemy being dead, and their baby being born alive and well. She let out another hiccup-y sob. "I keep expecting someone to barge in here and take it all away!"
"Hey," Natsu wrapped a warm, comforting, arm round her shoulder and pulled her close, "you're being silly," he informed her, "It is all over. Queen Karin is captured, her cause is as dead as Viscount Dryer, who trust me is definitely dead, Laxus made sure, and those that have escaped have Erza hunting them down. They're not going to come knocking here anytime soon. It's all over Lucy," he squeezed her tightly as possible without jolting the baby in her arms, "I am not going anywhere," he promised her fiercely, "and I am not letting anyone take our baby away. I promise. It's all over."
"It's all over," Lucy repeated in a dazed murmur, "it's all over."
She found it so hard to believe. Did they not think it was all over when King Henry forced Gray's father into peace? Did they not think ti was all over when Gray's father took London and had himself named King? Did they not think it was all over when Lancaster pushed the Yorks out and beheaded both the Duke of York and Lord Igneel Dragneel? Did they not all definitely think it was all over when Gray took the throne?
Lucy doesn't think it will be all over until they were all dead.
"It's all over," Natsu said again, forcefully and confidently as he rubbed reassuring circles on her shoulder. "And I am not going anywhere, nor is our baby, now go to sleep."
Lucy would have argued but Natsu's warmth was so inviting and alluring after so many months being held in drafty rooms with the enemy lurking outside her door. She leaned in and soon enough her head found a comfy spot on Natsu's shoulder and as she breathed in his delicious spicy scent her eyes drifted shut and her body relaxed ever so slightly.
She fell asleep with her baby still in her arms and Natsu's own firmly wrapped round her. She tumbled into the peaceful darkness of deep sleep without a second thought.
It was all over.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
It was not all over for Ultear.
She had been waiting impatiently for days to hear news when the never-ending silence and anxiety was finally broken by a panting messenger. They had been sewing the solar….well Juvia and her ladies were, Ultear just paced up and down as her mind ran through all the possibilities and worst case scenarios.
She knew Juvia was just as anxious and concerned as she was despite the sea of calm she portrayed. Her eyes kept darting towards the window and every so often she pricked herself with her needle due to her lack of attention to her work. When the messenger burst in Juvia leapt out of her seat and threw down her embroidery immediately.
"What news?" she demanded. "What news is there from Gray-sama?"
"I…." the messenger wheezed. "….I…..I…."
"Hurry man!" Ultear barked. "What news is there of my brother?"
"Victory," the messenger croaked. He gasped desperately for breath as everyone in the room stiffened, victory for who?! They all thought desperate. "Victory," the messenger repeated with a pant, "for the House of York."
Juvia almost collapsed out of relief and Ultear sighed as she felt a heavy weight of worry and fear suddenly be lifted of her shoulders. "Juvia must go to him," Juvia said quietly, "Juvia must be at Gray-sama's side as he deals with the aftermath."
"Yes," Ultear agreed as she reached out and squeezed Juvia's arm affectionately. She and the others have most certainly made the right choice when they pushed Gray into making a betrothal agreement with Spain. She was certain no prissy French princess or a lady from Italy or Germany could have matched the iron will and unwavering loyalty that Juvia has shown these last few months alone. "I will have the servants pack our things and get the horses ready. We leave as soon as possible."
Juvia smiled as she batted her eyelashes furiously. Tears of relief and joy had started to build up in her lovely blue eyes but Ultear could tell Juvia was furiously squashing the urge to wail and sob in order to be the Queen her brother so desperately needed. "Thank you," Juvia managed to choke out without sobbing as she gripped Ultear's hand, "Ultear, thank you so much."
And soon enough they were riding through the cold, frozen, barren countryside of England as they raced to meet Gray at Tewkesbury. The close they got, however, the slower they went. Not because they did not want to get there as soon as possible but because the utter carnage they encountered horrified them to an almost stand still.
They were passing through a small village not so far from the battlefield Gray would have fought in when they discovered it to be worn-torn and fire damaged. The people looked terrified as they peered out from the doors, their eyes were sunken in as their bones protruded outwards, starvation, fear, and cold has taken its toll on all of them.
"PLEASE!" there was a loud screech as Juvia's horse reared back in fright as a peasant threw themselves before it. Juvia almost fell off as she forced her horse back under control and steered it back from the prostrating peasant who were on their hands and knees before her. "Please!" they begged pleadingly. "I am begging you, kind lady, sweet lady, gracious lady…the children, they have no food."
A closer inspection of the drab person dressed in grey and brown revealed a very plain, hard-worn, looking woman. Concern and fear was so firmly etched in her face that it had prematurely aged her for the worse. She was probably in actual fact no older than Ultear but she looked decades older.
"Have you suffered a poor harvest?" Juvia asked sympathetically.
"No, Your Ladyship," the woman said keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the ground. "It was the soldiers. They took everything. Our livestock, our food, our ale and beer, and even our grain. It's all gone. We have nothing to live on. Nothing to feed our children with. They have even taken our men."
"Who?" Ultear demanded. "Was it the Lancastrians?"
"Does it matter?" the woman's eyes flashed furiously. "York or Lancaster it was still great men who trampled over us and took everything without a single thought to our well-being."
Ultear flushed, mortified at being scolded by a peasant, and what's worse the peasant was right. Not a single one of them, York or Lancaster, ever bothered to think what the little people might be suffering from their own actions. All they had cared about was who was going to sit on the throne.
"Juvia has some supplies," Juvia said solemnly, "they're not much but Juvia thinks they can be stretched out to feed your village long enough to get you through the worst of the winter. Juvia could also leave some money to purchase further supplies."
"Juvia!"
"Oh thank you!" the peasant cried out as a little, treacherous, sob of relief escaped their throat. They bowed pathetically and repeatedly. "Thank you! Thank you so much! Kind, sweet, gracious lady, thank you, thank you, thank you."
"Juvia!" Ultear hissed. "I know you want to help these people but it will be exactly like this at the next village and the next village, and we cannot feed them all. No matter how much we would like to, it's not realistic."
"Juvia knows," Juvia said calmly, "but we are not too far from the Abbey now so Juvia doubts there are many villages left but if there is Juvia will have to provide them with gold rather than food. These are Juvia's people," there was a fierceness in Juvia's eyes that surprised Ultear, "the people that belong to Gray-sama's kingdom. What sort of Queen would Juvia be if she did not try to help them after such devastation?"
Ultear had to admit that Juvia had a point and truly she did feel sorry for these people whose only crime was to live in the wrong place at the wrong time…..but Ultear struggled to really care about more than a few people. It wasn't anything personal it was just that she placed her brother's interests first, always. So she wished more than anything to leave this village and carry on, so she could make sure that Gray truly was fine because knowing the noble git that was her brother, he could have lost an arm and still make it out it was just a scratch and nothing to worry about.
Ultear tapped her fingers impatiently as Juvia had their men set up a stall where they could hand out their supplies as rations to the people. The population was small but it was still big enough to make the line feel never-ending as each woman and child and elderly person had to thank Juvia over and over and over again.
She huffed irritably and rolled her eyes.
That was when she caught sight of her.
She stood on the outskirts of the crowd, close enough so she could slip through and help herself to some food, but far enough to obviously not belong to anyone. She was too skinny (as everyone in this village was), too pale, and could have been so pretty under the right care. Her blue eyes were dull and sunken in, her pink hair was ragged and unkempt, and her clothes were contradictorily too big and too small on her. Ultear could see her skinny ankles that looked as if they could snap in two as clear as daylight but the rough woollen dress was far too baggy on her despite the rope wrapped round to keep it from falling off. It was certainly not enough to keep her warm as the little girl trembled in the icy wind and puffed out little wisps of air between her blue-ish lips as she tried to rub her arms warm with her fragile, very breakable-looking, hands.
She was just too skinny!
Ultear felt an irrational urge to feed this child and wrap her up in a blanket. She wondered if this is what they mean when they talk about a maternal instinct because suddenly Ultear wanted nothing more than to bundle this girl into her arms, feed her, and dress her properly, and care for her.
She moved without a single thought as she plucked up a loaf of bread from the supply stall and made a beeline for the little girl. "Here," she murmured softly, the little girl stared up at her with a terrified expression akin to a deer having just caught sight of its hunter. "Take this home to your family." The girl did not move as she continued to stare at Ultear, her big, wide, blue eyes watered ever so slightly at that. "Go on," Ultear encouraged her, "I won't bite," she promised teasingly.
"It would be a waste, Milady," the girl mumbled, "I have no family."
Ultear felt her breath catch in her throat. A little mite like this was entirely on her own? Where was the justice in that?
"No one at all?" she questioned. "Then who is taking care of you?"
"Meredy is a ward of the parish, Ma'am," an elderly man explained, "She became one very recently. Her parents had owned some land on the outskirts and some soldiers trampled in to take the food. Her parents put up a fight, God bless their souls, and they certainly didn't like that."
Ultear felt a stab in her heart at that. There must be hundreds and hundreds of sob stories like this. Not just here in England where they have been tearing each other apart but all over the world where there has been war and destruction….but none of these sob stories had a breakable girl crying noisily right in front of her like this one.
"I see," Ultear murmured, "and there is no one else to care for her?"
"The parish will, Ma'am," the man said respectfully, "we will all pull together and do our best for Meredy and the other little ones."
But the village had just admitted that they could not feed themselves whatsoever. So how could they care for a little girl who needed just as much food and warmth and clothing as the rest of them? They couldn't take care of themselves let alone another human being destined to be bounced around from one place to another until….until what? She takes vows at a nunnery or becomes a prostitute because there is no other way?
The mere thought of it all made Ultear's blood boil and before she knew it, she was leaving the village with one more addition their riding party.
"You know," Lady Mirajane smiled teasingly, "It will be exactly like this in the next village and the next village," she said deliberately repeating Ultear's earlier words, "are we to be expected to adopt every orphan we come across?"
"Oh shut up!"
Lady Mirajane giggled in reply as Ultear nudged her horse to speed up. There was a small gasp and the arms wrapped round her waist clung to her all the more tightly as Ultear felt Meredy bury her head into her back. The child was now bundled in one of Ultear's spare cloaks to fight off the wind that blew in their face and Ultear wondered if she had taken a temporary leave of her senses in just simply picking up a stray orphan and taking her home….
But it felt right, and good, and rather nice, and something that Ultear had not realised was empty was now suddenly filled to the brim with warmth and unexpected affection. She was a mother now. God! She was a mother now! She had a child that needed her attention and care and love….
It both scared and thrilled her but it was something she knew she could do, after all she had taken care of Gray and Lyon…Ultear found herself smiling despite the grim circumstances she was currently in.
She had a whole new adventure for herself to enjoy….just as soon as she finished helping Gray clean up his latest mess.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Lisanna wondered if she was ever going to get the blood out.
After helping Lucy give birth and seeing to her immediate care, Lisanna instantly moved to help Natsu get rid of Ivan Dryer's corpse, and then as soon as she saw his carcass hauled in the wagon amongst all the other Lancastrian dead (and Laxus watching stonily just to make sure he was definitely dead), Lisanna was whisked away to help tend to the wounded. Lancastrian and York a like were all bundled into the abbey as Lisanna and all the ecclesiastical members tended to them and desperately tried to save their lives. Lisanna had to help try and push a screaming and withering soldier's guts back into his body, stitch up sword wounds, bandage up amputations, and set broken bones without a single second of respite.
Her hands were now scarlet red with dripping blood and she wondered if they would ever be clean again as another wave of exhaustion and utter sadness for these men took over.
A groan grabbed her attention and she rushed to the next makeshift bedside only to gasp at the sight before her.
Bickslow was draped over the bed, his eyes bright and dazed, his face flushed, and his stomach bandaged from an obvious sword wound he received in battle. He looked unnaturally weak and pathetic as he groaned once more.
"Bickslow!" she cried out, horrified.
"Little Lis," he moaned disbelievingly, "is that you?"
They only knew each other briefly before. Bickslow joined Laxus' household as Lisanna was preparing to leave secular life for one with the church. Bickslow spent the entire time she knew him training with Laxus, serving Laxus, and basically being Laxus' shadow while Lisanna was either out playing with the others or in church praying. She had been only a little girl while he was a lanky teenager on the cusp of manhood. They had barely interacted with one another but that had never stopped Bickslow from bestowing a patronising nickname on her (just as he had for all the children reminding them they were children while he and Laxus were men).
And now he was a wounded soldier and she was his nurse.
Life was cruel.
"Little Lis," Bickslow breathed in wonder, "you have all grown up."
"So have you," Lisanna attempted to smile but it came out so strained it was more of a grimace, "I would say you are looking great but….well…." she gestured uselessly to his sword wound. "What can I do for you?"
"There's nothing you can do Little Lis," Bickslow murmured, "I am dying."
"No!" she burst out immediately.
"Hush," Bickslow shushed her. "It's okay," he reassured her, "this is exactly how I wanted to go. I got this," he said proudly as he patted his wound and then winced, regretting his action instantly, "from protecting Laxus' back in the middle of battle. I have kept my vow and kept my lord safe. I can die happy."
"You deserve to die as an old man peacefully in your sleep!" Lisanna felt tears burn in her eyes at the unfairness and injustice of it all. "Not when you still have so much to live for!"
"I lived, believe me I have lived," Bickslow murmured as his eyes fluttered shut and his breathing slowed drastically. "Please…." He mumbled. "Just stay with me till it's all over."
"I will," she gripped his hand despite the blood that coated her skin. She suspected that Bickslow was in no fit state to even care as he was still covered in cuts and bruises and blood from his enemies. What was more blood being smeared onto the palm of your hand when the wound in your stomach won't stop bleeding and staining your bandages? "I will!" she whispered fiercely as she squeezed his hand tightly.
But the last breath had rattled out of his lungs three seconds ago and he had not heard her promise whatsoever.
Lisanna sobbed for him, for all the men, for all the women and children they had left behind, and between tears of sorrow and anger, she prayed for them desperately.
She does not know how long she had been there but eventually she felt Laxus' guiding hands pull her away and push her in the direction of the brothers with firm instruction she sorted herself out. she turned back to see him gaze mournfully over his fallen friend before he ducked down and pressed a loving, chaste, kiss on Bickslow's forehead.
"You did good," she heard Laxus mutter, "You were one of the very best."
It was enough to make her want to cry all over again before she collapsed on something that was akin to a bed and slept for a century to get over the exhaustion and pain this afternoon alone had caused.
She had no chance of doing anything like that whatsoever as she immediately collided into Lucy. "Lucy!" she gasped as she clutched her chest. "You scared me!" a cross look flickered across Lisanna's face. "What are you doing here?!" she hissed furiously. "You should be in bed resting. Are you trying to catch childbed fever?!"
"It could hardly be called childbed fever if I am not in bed," Lucy tried to joke but it fell limply between them as Lisanna stared at her unimpressed. "I cannot rest. Not here. Not when there are people out there that need help."
"You are in no fit state to help, Lucy," Lisanna scolded, "I know you mean well but you are more likely to collapse on a wounded soldier than help heal him. Go back to bed."
"I can't," Lucy said grimly, "Gray wishes to speak to us. The Queen and her entourage have arrived and Gray would like all of us to strand together and make a point as a regiment takes her predecessor, Queen Karin, away in chains. He wants a word with us all as well."
Lisanna sighed heavily.
She knew Gray had his reasons but this was hardly the time! There were men that needed her tender care and Lucy so desperately should be in bed.
"All right then," she said dejectedly, "let's get this over and done with. The sooner, the better, because you should still be resting. Ideally for another six weeks at the very least before we can get you Churched."
"That will have to stay an ideal," Lucy replied dryly, "I do not have the luxury of resting for six weeks currently."
It was just as Lisanna took Lucy's arm so she could rush the blonde out of the sick room as quickly as possible while also providing the much needed support for Lucy to lean on (she looked so close to collapsing herself!) that Lisanna realised that Lucy was without her baby. Something she did not think likely considering the earlier event of the day.
"Where is the baby?" she asked worriedly.
"Natsu has her," Lucy said, "I would not be able to leave her otherwise. He won't let her go so she is in the safest hands possible."
"Good, good," Lisanna sighed in relief, "and how is Natsu taking to fatherhood?"
"Like a duck to water," Lucy said cheerfully. Her smile was so breathtakingly radiant. It was the first time Lisanna ever saw it. Lucy had not opportunity to be truly happy at all during the entire acquaintance until now. "He thinks the world of our baby already. We have had some arguments over the name. He thinks she should have something unique and entirely her own."
"He's right, your baby deserves it," Lisanna smiled softly, "have you agreed on one yet?"
"No, not yet," Lucy shook her head, "but we have agreed on the godparents. We want her to be baptised as soon as possible – once we have agreed on a name that is!"
"Oh?" Lisanna pried. She was desperate for a distraction after the afternoon she had just suffered. "Who will be the godparents?"
"Well, it has been agreed that it was the politically correct, and right thing to do, to ask Gray and Juvia," Lucy said, "it would strengthen the bonds of the House of York and simultaneously I know Gray would protect our baby to his last breath." Lisanna nodded in agreement. "But for the second godmother….we were hoping you would accept the task."
Lisanna's eyes widened at that. "Me?" she asked disbelievingly.
"Of course," Lucy said emphatically, "you have already protected her for the entirety of her short life! Who else could be a better godmother than you?"
"I am flattered," Lisanna smiled. It was the first true, real, happy smile that she had since this whole mess started. "In fact," she continued, "I am honoured. I would be honoured," she corrected herself, "to be your daughter's godmother."
"Thank you!" Lucy embraced her. "Thank you so much!"
And for the first time Lisanna actually felt hope for the future. She could see, properly, a light in all of this death and despair.
She could wash the blood off of her hands now.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
They had all stood together united as they stared down Queen Karin one last final time.
Gray stood at the centre with Juvia at his right hand and Natsu on his left, his sisters, Jellal, Lucy, Laxus and his wife and her siblings, and, of course, Gajeel all stood round as a united front against the defeated remains of the Lancastrian faction.
The Queen that had always looked so hard and glamorous, who had always been dressed her best and covered in jewels, looked small and diminished. Her face was chalky white, her hair greasy and straggled as it fell out of a simple white wimple and her plain black dress looked as if it had previously belonged to a nun. Her eyes were rimmed red which surprised Lucy because she never thought her having much of a heart to be able to cry.
But she supposes with her husband locked in the Tower of London, her army destroyed, her main general that supported her campaign murdered, her son, and therefore the sole focus of her cause, was dead….Queen Karin had a lot to cry about.
She was certainly defeated now.
"Your son is dead," Gray said coolly, "you have seen his body and know this to be true, and therefore your cause is dead Madam. You have nothing left to fight for."
"My husband is-"
"- unable to recognise you, his wife, let alone rule a kingdom," Gray interrupted Queen Karin's retort. "You will remain my prisoner until I have negotiated your release with your cousin and then you will be sent back to France to never return to these shores. I banish you." He declared loudly. "Take her away," he ordered to the soldiers guarding her, "start the journey towards London. We are not so cruel that we will not deny her one last reunion with her beloved husband in the Tower."
And with that Queen Karin was dragged away. Humiliated and repressed, she was chained to a horse which was being led by a foot soldier as they left the abbey grounds. They all watched in silence until Lucy's baby, who had been asleep the entire time, woke up with a startled cry.
"Sorry!" Lucy flushed as everyone almost fell down the stairs out of shock. "She needs feeding again."
"Tend to your child, Lucy," Gray ordered, a great deal more softly than before, "and then meet with us in the chapel. There is still some things I need to discuss with you, all of you," he added as he glanced round the others.
They all nodded and parted to tend to their duties temporarily. Natsu remained with Lucy as he guided her to a private nook so she could feed the baby. He stood guard as he covered her and protected her modesty. Soon enough her baby was full and content once more as she smacked her lips with satisfaction and her eyes fluttered to a shut as a little, adorable, peaceful sigh left her.
"She is beautiful," Juvia murmured as she appeared out of nowhere. Lucy yelped and jumped at the sudden appearance of the Spanish Infanta and Natsu whirled round, his hand ready at his sword before he caught sight of Juvia and visibly slumped in relief. "Juvia is sorry!" Juvia flushed. "Juvia did not mean to startle you!"
"It's okay," Lucy reassured her, "I am just….a little jumpy."
"It is understandable," Juvia said awkwardly, "with what everything that has happened…..Juvia is sorry," Lucy's eyes widened as the Queen of England, the daughter of two of the most powerful monarchs of all of Christendom, bowed her head towards Lucy. "Juvia is so, so, so, sorry. It was Juvia's fault that you were in danger. Juvia's fault that you were unprotected. Juvia's fault that you got captured and held prisoner. Juvia was jealous. Juvia believed the worst of you and sent you away because of this. Juvia is sorry. So very sorry."
"I forgive you," Lucy whispered, "You were tricked by someone you trusted. You had your emotions played with and your judgement clouded. It was not your fault. You had been played just as much as we had been."
Juvia shook her head and there were tears sparkling in her blue eyes. "That does not excuse Juvia's behaviour! Juvia should have been the better woman!"
"Yeah," Natsu agreed, "you should have be- ow!" he yelped as Lucy stomped on his foot, hard. "Lucy!" he whined. "What was that for?!"
"For being an idiot," Lucy said haughtily. "Your Majesty," she said softly at Juvia who was wringing her hands nervously, "I forgive you," she said firmly, "If I had been in your shoes and thought my husband was with another woman I would have acted the same way. Perhaps worse."
Lucy would have yanked the bitch's hair out and that would have just been the very beginning of the hell she would then continue to inflict on the hypothetical mistress.
"Really?" Juvia asked hopefully.
"Really," Lucy nodded with a small smile, "so do not worry about it. Water under a bridge. Let's just make a fresh start and try again."
"Juvia would like that," Juvia smiled timidly, "Juvia would like to know Gray-sama's beloved cousin better."
There were a few more pleasantries and smiles exchanged before Juvia then took off to meet with Gray. Lucy readjusted her dress so she would like more appropriate for whatever meeting Gray wished to hold while Natsu rocked the baby on his arms with a small scowl etched into his gorgeous face.
"Do you really just forgive her?" he asked. "Just like that? Her actions got you kidnapped."
"She had been tricked," Lucy shrugged, "she was just as much as a victim as we were." She took the baby from Natsu and held her close to her chest. "Although," she whispered, "if our baby had not survived it would have been an entirely different story," she admitted shamefully.
"That's understandable," Natsu reassured her as eh tucked some loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "I would have never forgiven her either. Ah!" he moaned in exasperation. "I suppose I should forgive her too. It was really Dryer and that stupid ambassador's fault anyway."
"That's the spirit," Lucy encouraged him as she pecked his cheek affectionately.
"You are such a weirdo!"
Lucy laughed and merely walked away towards the chapel as Natsu grumbled and moaned and whined behind her. Already everyone else was gathered at the doors. They all looked exhausted as she felt and she prayed Gray was not going to keep them for long because everyone obviously needed a very long nap now.
"Right then," Gray coughed awkwardly. "This stays strictly between us," he said sternly, "but I felt the need to reveal to you my spy in the Lancastrian faction. It is time that you all knew the truth."
"Oh," Lyon rolled his eyes, "just get it over and done with you Drama Queen, yo know none of us will tell anyone."
"What was that, you little-?!"
"Hem, hem," Ultear coughed pointedly.
Gray flushed with embarrassment, laughed awkwardly, and then coughed once more to clear his throat. "Right, yeah, the spy," he mumbled. "Well. Here he is."
And with that he opened the chapel door and a familiar red-headed, handsome, man stepped out. Lucy's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened as she drank in the sight of her very not dead cousin….
"LOKE?!" everyone else bellowed. They all sounded just as shocked as she felt. "You're the spy?!" Natsu added in loud disbelieve.
Loke smirked in reply as he knelt before Gray in a grand show of fealty and submission. Gray let it last for about three seconds before he grabbed Loke's arm and pulled him up, they collided into one another with a loud smack as they hugged tightly and loudly patted each other's backs.
It was then Lucy remembered that Loke had actually spent time in the Warwick household. That there was an actual brief period where he spent every waking second (and probably sleeping second as well) with Gray and Natsu and Erza, and he had loved them. She could remember his sorrow and bitterness about being taken from what he considered his home by his so called mother and having to march into war against the only few people in the whole world that he thought of as his friends.
It should not surprise her at all that all this time it had been Loke slipping information to the opposite side.
Loke had never wanted to be king after all.
"Wait," Gajeel said rudely, "if you're here then who the hell are we burying?!"
"A soldier that had enough likeness to fool everyone else," Gray shrugged, "we found him on the battlefield already dead and dressed him in Loke's armour."
"Classy," Gajeel snorted.
"Oh shut up!" Gray snapped. "It's the best I could do on such short notice. We weren't sure either of us were going to survive this to plan this far ahead."
"Always the ray of sunshine, Gray," Mirajane said dryly, "your optimism is inspiring to all."
"What now?" Laxus asked shortly interrupting Gray before he could even think of retort to Mirajane's snark. "I am assuming we are not all here because you are going to suddenly abdicate in Loke's favour."
"God no!" Loke snorted in disgust. "I would like to actually live my own life and enjoy it to the full without the burden and responsibility of a whole nation on my shoulders. Nah, Gray could have all that."
"Thank you," Gray said sarcastically, "so much for that."
"You are welcome!" Loke said cheerfully. "No," he shook his head as a more solemn smile took over, "I am going to live life in seclusion on a little estate somewhere in the country with the woman I love and never again will I be bothered by battles and politics and manipulations."
"Sounds lovely," Lucy smiled, "just the sort of reward you deserve."
"You do not mind, do you?" Loke asked anxiously. "If I were to take your maid in waiting Aries away from you."
"As long as it is what you both want then why should I?" Lucy replied. "I just want you to be happy and alive, Loke. The details don't matter."
"I am glad you said that," Gray spoke up, "because I was hoping you would grant him a deed to small manor in your holding. No one would ever think to look for him in Norfolk of all places."
He said it was if Norfolk was some backwater, inbreeded, ditch somewhere that no one would be caught dead living in. Lucy tried not to be insulted at that….which was rather easily seeing as despite her title being Norfolk, her home was actually in Suffolk. "I can do that," she said easily, "but you can pay Loke's pension. He has expensive taste."
Gray looked horrified at that while Loke laughed delightedly.
"Loke's pension is the least of your worries," Ultear pointed out, "you have a lot to do now with the Abbey and dealing with the traitors and then going back to London to sort out the government there before you worry about Loke draining your treasury."
"I have changed my mind," Gray moaned melodramatically, "you take the throne. I'm going on holiday."
"Nuh-uh!" Loke said childishly. "No backsies. I am going to live the quiet life as a country gentleman whose only worry is paying the tax while you can deal with the ambassadors and backstabbing courtiers and the merchants moaning about taxes." Gray groaned but it was ignored because everyone knew he didn't mean it. Much. Loke stepped forwards and awkwardly hugged Lucy while trying to avoid knocking the baby. "I am sorry," he murmured as he pressed a kiss on her temple, "that I did not protect you well enough."
"You did your best," Lucy whispered, "besides…..it all worked out in the end."
It was time to stop looking back and feeling guilty. They had their whole lives, full with love and friendship and good fortune, ahead of themselves to live, and what was better, was that it promised to be a good future. One with peace and stability and no more dark shadows stalking their every move….
And Lucy was determined to live this future to the fullest and make it as good as possible for her little girl.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
When a noble woman gives birth typically she spends six weeks in bed before she is ceremoniously churched. She does not move from that bed, not even to see her child being baptised, until those six weeks were up and the midwife could confidently say she was fully recovered.
Lucy was not a typical noble woman, and the circumstances of her child's birth was certainly not typical either.
Therefore it was no surprise to Ultear when Lucy gritted her teeth, ignored her pain, and climbed into a wagon (which was all they could find in terms of transportation) for the long journey back to London only three days after giving birth. Both Lisanna and Mirajane sat in with her and held her up during the worst of the journey and they distracted her, and soon, a very welcome break occurred when they approached the nearest untouched holy place they could find.
It was time to get baby Dragneel baptised before the demons corrupted her for good.
(Ultear felt this might already be a lost cause this was Natsu's daughter after all.)
As Natsu and Lucy conferred with the priest on the details of the ceremony everyone else milled around a little helplessly. Juvia knelt before the altar and prayed fervently for her own child growing in her stomach while others were either giving thanks or gossiping quietly in the corner.
This left Gray quite alone and Ultear saw the opportunity to bring up a sensitive topic and seized it immediately before it got away again.
"You have not said anything," she observed quietly, "about my adopting Meredy."
Gray blinked dumbfounded at that. "I am surprised," he admitted, "aside from the fact you never strike me as the motherly sort," that set Ultear's eye twitching slightly. Not the motherly sort? Not the mother sort?! Does he remember who was the one that took care of him for all of these years?! Urgh. Little brothers. Before she could retort Gray had continued, oblivious to the surge of irritation he caused for Ultear. As usual. "You do realise there are plenty of orphans out there in need of a guardian that aren't peasants from a small village, right?" he pointed out dryly.
"Such a snob!" Ultear chided him teasingly. "Besides those children would have been raised to view us as the enemy. It would be hard to win affection from a child like that."
"True," Gray mumbled. He briefly remembered one of his father's wards who had been raised to hate the House of York and shuddered. That had not been a pleasant experience. Thankfully that particular foster brother was dead and buried long ago. "You know you could have just gotten married and had children of your own if you wanted one so badly," he said instead.
"I am beginning to get too old, Gray," Ultear said calmly. It was not something she particularly liked but it was not something she was afraid or ashamed to admit. "There isn't much time left for me and besides," she scowled slightly at the reminder of the taint she had to carry these last couple decades. "I am not exactly desirable enough on the marriage market."
"You are the King's Sister!" Gray cried out indignantly. "How is that not desirable?!"
Ultear smiled with fond exasperation. Gray was a wonderful warrior and an excellent King but he wasn't half stupid when it came to people and their views and their feelings. Half the time she had been the Italian half-sister of a usurper that people would like to behead. There was nothing desirable about her hand in marriage for a sensible man. It was something he could never quite understand.
Then there were, of course, the men who actually did want to marry for the very reason Gray said…..no one would want to marry a man like that, no matter how charming he appeared.
"And immediately anyone who would want to marry me would want it so they could have influence over you," she pointed out curtly." Something I could never allow. Take that away and I'm an Italian bitch who refuses to submit to a man's will. I have very little money and land of my own that could entice a man to ignore my flaws. No," she shook her head, "I am not marriage material, but that is okay," she reassured Gray quickly, "because I now have everything I could possibly want."
Gray and Lyon were both alive, well, and, most importantly, safe. She had a home, she had all that she needed in terms of material goods, and now she had someone to care for and pour her love into without fear of interference.
She was very happy.
"Well," Gray said awkwardly, "if you are happy…."
"….I am," Ultear said serenely, "but you know who should get married?" she raised an eyebrow meaningfully seeing an opportunity to close the door on one last problem. "And as soon as we can arrange it?" Gray stared at her in bewilderment. "Lyon!" she growled in frustration. "Lyon needs to get married!"
"He does not ne-"
"He is still in love with your wife," Ultear said flatly. Lyon had been in Juvia's vicinity all day and did nothing but gaze at her longingly and sigh in a melodramatic love-sick fashion. It was fine for now as they were surrounded by family and close friends but it was not something that could carry on once they were back in the public eye. Besides….Lyon deserved to be happy too and this was not making him happy. "He still stares at her longingly and the whole world can see it. If you do not wish the rumours to start up again, you will arrange a pretty wife to distract him."
Gray sighed in a long-suffering manner. "Who do you have in mind?" he asked….because he knew she would not bring it up unless she had something planned already.
"Well, there is always the Blendy family," Ultear named a small but wealthy knight's family that had been in the service of the House of York since there had been a House of York. The current head of the family and his brother both had daughters and no sons. Marrying one of them would mean a tidy inheritance that could set Lyon for life. That, and he had grown up with the eldest Blendy girl and had been good friends. Lyon needed more friends. "He always got on well with that family."
"Sherry is married already," Gray pointed out rather sharply, "Ultear."
Ultear had almost forgotten that. Mistress Sherry Blendy had caused quite a scandal when she ran off with some Moorish merchant. Her family had cried out for her to be disowned but Gray had stepped in at Lyon's request and to this date Ren Akatsuki has been one of Gray's best loan sharks.
He had in fact been the one to 'invest' in this particular invasion.
"Yes," Ultear drawled out slowly, "but her cousin Chelia is not."
"Jesus Christ, Ultear!" Gray cursed. "She's fourteen!"
"Twelve us the age a person can legally marry at, remember?" Ultear said haughtily. "She is old enough. She is also cheerful, sweet, and apparently has the healing touch, she would be the perfect little distraction for Lyon." Ultear decided firmly as she remembered the small girl that used to play with one of Erza's wards. "In fact she also comes with a nice inheritance of a few estates that will need managing. Lyon would be so distracted that he will no longer be fluttering round your wife and the rumours will die down."
"Fine," Gray scowled sulkily. "I'll think about it," he grumbled and Ultear smiled triumphantly. She had won the battle and soon, she would win this particular war. "But it's not going to be anytime soon," Gray said warningly, "Do you have any idea how much I have got to do now?"
"A lot," Ultear said blandly. She was all too aware of what Gray had to do because she had been making an itinerary of it for him later. "you have to deal with Queen Karin," she counted on her fingers, "reorganise the government, sentence the traitors, deal with the wards of the Crown and arranged them new guardians, repent for the Abbey and help it be re-consecrated, strengthen your hold on the throne, and," she smirked as Gray paled rapidly and began to fiddle with the fastenings of his doublet." you are becoming a father soon I hear."
"And I want to have father reburied," he confessed, Ultear's eyes widened – startled – she had no inkling that her stepfather had been praying on his mind during all of this mess and chaos and stuff to do. She barely had time to think about eating let alone about Lord Silver. Lord knows Gray had even more to think about. "Now that it is all over," Gray mumbled shyly, "Father deserves to have a proper funeral and to be buried besides our mother like he had always wanted. I need to arrange that too when I can."
Ultear smiled sadly at that as she reached out squeezed Gray's shoulder comfortingly.
"That is a nice thought," she murmured softly, "I could do it, if you like, I can organise it all for next year."
"That…..would be perfect," Gray swallowed as his eyes looked suspiciously damp. "I think you loved him best out of all of us. You would make sure it was perfect."
"Yeah, I would," Ultear promised solemnly. Her mind already mentally flickering through the prayer books for the right ones to be used in the ceremony. "But you have to sort out a marriage for Lyon," she said sternly, "I mean it Gray, it's time he was settled before some other uppity noble sees an opportunity and-"
"All right, all right!" Gray yelped as he threw his arms up in an 'I Surrender' gesture. "Sheesh!" he growled. "I'll marry Lyon off before the end of the year, happy?"
"Very," Ultear said stiffly.
Nothing else was said as that was when the Dragneels and the priest walked in and immediately everyone gathered round to witness the ceremony. Ultear pulled Meredy, who was drowning in one of Ultear's spare dresses, close to her and kept a hand on her shoulder as she eyed the newest addition to the House of York curiously.
After all it was not just the House of York that gained a new heir but the House of Lancaster too….this baby could be very special indeed.
The priest uttered some prayers, Gray, Juvia, and Lisanna all solemnly promised to care for the baby's spiritual well-being, and then soon enough the baby was being splashed with holy water.
Ultear could see why this was believed to release evil spirits because the unholy shriek that the baby let out certainly sounded demonic enough.
"In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit," the priest chanted, unbothered by the fact the baby in his arms was screaming on the top of her lungs as he splashed more water over her, "I baptise thee Nashi Dragneel."
There was a beat of silence as everyone took in exactly what they had just heard and then -
"NASHI?!"