Like A Phoenix

by Desna

Gajeel has been taken down by Bradman, the Alvarez Empire has invaded Fiore, Irenes spell Universe One has torn their world apart and shuffled it so they barely recognize it. The chance of Gajeels survival spurs Lucy and her friends to take a chance, and Lucy has to sacrifice a good mans freedom and her own morals in exchange for that.

20. Chapter 20 Get started

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Lucy walked along the beach, eyes trying but failing to see around the scattered tropical trees, ferns and foliage that kept one from being able to see far. Zen had sort of disappeared on her and she was hoping he'd chosen to stay on the ground instead of retreating to the sky.

She smiled faintly, spotting red/brown gold streaked hair and a long bare well muscled leg. Coming around the tree she found him, head leaned back against the tree, eyes closed and, boldly, stepped over him and sat on his thighs, relieved his lips turned upward instead of pressing together. Yes they were closer, yes he loved her…but she didn't want to take liberties if he wasn't open to them…not ever again.

"I was missing you." She admitted. An arm came up and pulled her into his chest, she went willingly, partly because he was topless and she still got a serious thrill out of touching his skin, she often wondered if that would ever stop and hoped very much it never would.

"I was thinking...needed a break from all the craziness. I...still sometimes need to step away, too much crowding and too many voices for too long...even at home...and I get...uncomfortable." He admitted haltingly, he was so much better than when he'd come home…for a time he'd been almost feral, lethally lashing out if even people he truly loved managed to surprise him, grateful endlessly that wasn't easy to do…his senses were keen and he was far from easy to sneak up on, Vander managed it, and Kaleb could…but only Vander actually tried to, and had regretted it…the whole family had regretted it…Vander needing Cristoff's skills and a week of recovery when he had snuck into Zen's room one night, hearing him having a nightmare…honestly just checking on him…and Zen had reacted like he did when guards would try and sneak into his cell…slipping drugs into his food, when he was young they could get him to where he was near unable to move or respond using enough of the sedatives they had for the berserkers on him, and didn't mind raping someone who was unconscious…but as he got older, bigger…topped his 6' 5" final height and was heavy with muscle honed in endless combat..the drugs didn't work, nothing worked reliably and he'd killed so many of them he'd lost count…sometimes he didn't even fully wake when they crept into his cell, thinking the drugs they had given him had worked…that they would be the first in years to have him, they would be the first to taste the adult Dark Eagle who had killed hundreds upon hundreds of opponents in the coliseum.

But his wings never slept..his magic always coursed through his body no matter how many cancellers and suppressors they put on him. Karadin had started collecting the magic those devices drained…used in weapons it was highly effective against a variety of foes and the King had plans for it…his Alliance with Alvarez, with the Emperor…shaky. And milking the magic out of an Archangel Mage…well…the labs of Pergrand were still trying to sort out how to make it work best, get more than just a weapon enchant out of it.

Vander creeping into his room as he'd thrashed in his bed under a nightmare…he'd felt on the edge of his consciousness someone there…his wings had snapped out, ond had sharpened, hardened…and Vander had taken flight feathers through his right side, hips and thigh, Zen waking to find his little brother impaled on his wing, the other poised to remove his head and he'd screamed for help mentally and physically. Kaleb's magic had hit him like a train in an instant too, freezing him in place, even his wings unable to move…quivering as Cristoff had exploded into the room…Arman right behind him…they had gotten Vander off the wing as Zen had slumped against Kaleb dissolving into the first real tears he had shed since he was a child. Certain he'd destroyed everything, killed his own brother…he was a monster and now his family knew it.

That hadn't been the case at all though, Once Vander was on the floor and Cristoff was working to heal him, Arman was right there, pulling his sobbing son into his arms, kissing his hair and forehead, whispering soothing words that it would be alright, they would get past this…he would be ok, he was loved, cherished…

He'd learned then about all the times his siblings had…done similar things. It was a house full of rare and powerful mages that Arman Pradesh had raised and there had been no shortage of accidents…of times one or more of them had lost control as they had grown, learned…matured and mastered their magics. All under Armans loving pale jade eyes…all spending time in their fathers arms, reassured they were not monsters, they were precious, loved and understood and nobody was angry, nobody ever even thought they weren't wanted. Their fathers love had seen them all into strong and stable mages…and it had done the same for him, but he'd had less time with his father…and was still adjusting even now, but he'd learned ways to cope, to handle himself better, and taking walks or long flights above the clouds was how he often did it…the horses too…Arman had a stable of fine horses and grassrunners and Zen had deeply enjoyed learning to ride, favored his fathers large buckskin gelding…so, if he wasn't at the house, he was always either walking, flying or out on his favorite horse…thinking and getting his balance back.

Lucy nodded, her fingers gently tracing the eagle tattoo on his side. She knew...she had shared his memories when they had mated...they haunted her, that she had been a bad one even though now he was happy about their relationship, still bothered her. He caught the little wave of sadness and regret.

"Don't…" He said quietly, a hand tipping her chin up so she met purple eyes.

"I love you Lucy, I'm grateful we're together…" He said softly and she cut him off, kissing him because she couldn't help it and she loved that he felt the tremor of sadness and just knew what it was.

"I love you...Gods I love you so much…." She breathed against his mouth and he hugged her to him.

"There's so much to do...White Sea...it's been my dream for a long time, and the Academe Celestine...I can learn more about my magic there than anywhere else in Earthland, I need to go there, I want you with me…" He said softly and she smiled, kissing his chin, along his jaw back toward his ear.

"Marry me Lucy….I'll propose formally to you...now if you want, but say yes...say you'll give me control of when and where, how, we will marry." He whispered and she closed her eyes. It was a huge thing, she had wanted a big wedding with all of her Fairy Tail family, but...Zen deserved choices...He'd had far too few of them and she had taken so much from him already.

"Yes...anything you want, any way you want, any time you want...I just want to be with you, I want your name...you...you're all that matters…" She said and he smiled kissing her again when she winced as magic…not pleasantly or nicely, lanced through her. Zen made a low soothing sound, amethyst eyes knowing and understanding on her.

"Not accurate love...Fairy Tail matters to you...I know it does." He said softly and she bit her lower lip. She'd been dreading talking about their future because she knew he loved his guild and she absolutely adored hers. She'd started to work on accepting she might have to leave Fairy Tail, if Zen asked it...she'd do it, for the same reason she handed over her dream wedding without hesitation.

"I say we compromise. Stay in Bosco while I'm in school, that's two years,then...we return to Fiore. I'll join Fairy Tail." He said and her mouth fell open.

"You….you would…" She breathed and he smiled, nuzzling into her

"I love you...I want you happy. White Sea will rebuild, and for most breaks from school, because they won't be long, I want to be part of that, but I'll let Laxus change my guild seal tonight if you want to go with my idea. We can spend summers in Fiore, the rest of the year in Bosco until I'm through school." He said and she was almost crying.

Her tear brightened eyes searched his and found only warmth, a small smile, his hand sliding up and down her back while the other played with the glittering ends of her golden hair. He wouldn't sacrifice everything for her when there was a choice, he felt strongly there had to be give and take, but Fairy Tail had suffered losses, bad ones, he knew Kaleb already planned to gift their sister guild with a management system like White Sea had, and Fairy Tail had just over a hundred members when the war had started. Their losses had been bitterly painful to the prosperity and future of the guild. White Sea would flourish, he had no doubt of that, and, Fairy Tail needed another strong mage, he was already S-class, and now, because of the mating to Lucy with his magic expanded, he had the potential to get much stronger quickly, especially when he did finally decide to go beyond just marrying Lucy and take the step to make her his mate, this time…by his choice and truly…forever.

The bottom line though, Fairy Tail needed them, White Sea….didn't.

It wasn't over, far from it. Alvarez had lost their emperor, and while alot of their forces had fled, the patriots would want to finish the job of crushing Fiore and Bosco. Those forces had to be taken apart, like all of the remnants of Kurinos betrayal. Rebuilding would be difficult but White Sea, at last count, still had well over three thousand mages, Kaleb would orchestrate a rebuilding, he didn't doubt for an instant his brother could handle it all and he did have Hestor at his side to help him.

Queen Hisui had lost her chances with his brothers though, Farron was curled up with Freed right now, getting stronger by the day, that his relationship with the Rune mage wasn't a passing fancy was obvious, he wouldn't be considering marrying Hisui. Zen was rather fond of the quiet green haired man, the sudden need to Bond when they had saved Natsu had shown Farron a lot of things…and…his older brother was clearly falling in love with Freed, so…probably soon he'd have Freed as a brother-in-law and that made him happy. It also added another reason…that his family would have a lot of ties with Fairy Tail and Fiore.

Kaleb, facing rebuilding a guild and a city with the King wanting to award him a General position in the knights and pull him into more work with the crown as the King rebuilt the government and his precious personal guard would never leave Bosco, he was too needed and far too devoted, to their homeland…that and…Hestor. Zen knew Kaleb and Hestor had been together every moment they could manage since Hestor had made it to Crocus what felt like forever ago…Kaleb was Hestors "One" and…Kaleb had been in love with Hestor for years according to Vander and Farron. Zen didn't doubt that…his prickly hot tempered best friend was…he knew…head over heels in love with Kaleb…and had been for a long time. Keeping his distance only because of his key set…the Hall…if he hadn't managed to get all the keys he'd have become a dark mage…and Hestor hadn't wanted Kaleb put through that, dragged into the darkness with him. But…if things kept going as they were…Hestor would also join the family, and that also…was a major joy for Zen, because Hestor was so special to him. Seeing Hestor happily sitting by Kaleb, leaning on him, his brother absently putting his arm around the smaller man, kissing his temple without thinking about it…yes…that was happening.

Hisui had requested any uncommitted Pradesh in her last request, the woman wanted one of Armans sons badly enough she was abandoning being choosy. So Cristoff and Bickslow were considering going to meet with her. The idea of Cristoff as a king wasn't so far fetched, Bickslow? Not so much, though Zen knew his younger brother could do it, a serious crown though wouldn't happen sitting on Bickslows brow.

Vander was the last unattached brother, and Vander as a king? God help the country beneath him. Hisui would rarely be able to walk right, and he'd ram sexual acceptance and social freedoms down the aristocracy's throats and probably trigger some sort of civil war and end up assassinating half the aristocracy. Gods...Vander would just break Hisui, Zen had met the woman when accompanying Farron to a conference last year, she was the picture of an uptight Fioran. Having his lusty younger brother as a husband would wreck her.

The thought had him smiling and Lucy tilted her head, kissing his neck and tugging at his hair to bring him back to her.

"Sorry, thinking, you know Hisui sent a request for marriage to my father, requesting any unattached Pradesh male as a possible husband for her. I was trying to imagine Vander in that role." He told her and Lucy's eyes flew wide for a moment then she threw her head back and laughed.

"Oh Gods...Vander with Hisui?! Oh my Gods….Oh he'd ruin her! The wedding night he'd reduce her to a brain blown jelly kneed mess unable to think and knowing Vander...he'd keep her that way!" She laughed.

Zen couldn't resist her mirth "King Vander…." He snorted and both of them fell apart into peals of laughter.

When they finally got a hold on their composure again Lucy was on her back in the peach colored sand and Zen was beside her, propped up on an elbow, he looked down at her, meeting her serious gaze. "I have a small apartment…" She admitted and he smiled.

"My house was destroyed when White Sea was taken out. It's ok, we'll buy a place in Magnolia...or maybe build one considering how much of the city was damaged in the fighting, we can decide before we go to Cellis, maybe go back to Fiore after Kurinos trial and figure that out?" He offered and Lucy smiled, running a hand up and down his arm, marveling at the hard muscle under the smooth skin.

"I'd like that." She said and Zen nodded, turning to look out over the Sea.

"Then we'll do that. When we get back, we'll get married in Cellis, be sealed in the light there...and then...you can study to your heart's content...and maybe…" His voice trailed off as her turned back to her, a hopeful hungry look in his eyes as he hovered over her, bent and started trailing kisses along her neck, nuzzling into her.

"And then? Zen…" she prompted, she wanted to know what he wanted, she had catching up to do with him but she was so…torn, miserable over what had been done to her. She couldn't just…have babies anymore…those fucking slavers had taken that from her and she…would never give birth to a child that was really…hers and Zen's…because she'd talked it over with Xally over the com…had spent many conversations with the youngest Pradesh at this point on the subject…Xally insisted she would still be 100% the mother of the children she had, and Lucy knew she would love them completely, but there was still this part of her, that was sad…mourned the loss…that it would not be a part of her joining a part of Zen and creating their children. They would have to have the help of doctors for every child they had…

He pulled back, eyes so hopeful she wanted more than anything to give him whatever he was thinking of and inside…it was such a bittersweet moment because she felt through their bond that hope and sensed somehow what it was…

"Start our family...Lucy...I want children…and Xally knows a clinic that's in the same country we rescued you and Hestor out of all that time ago…when…the Pergrandians stole what they did from you." the two years at school, safely tucked away in the small peaceful community of Cellis would be the perfect time, their baby would be born in a place rich with Celestial magic, where stars blessed the ground. He wanted that, Gods if he had his way they would have two while there.

"I had Farron check into it…it's a famous clinic, the brothers who run it help a lot of people have children and Farron is going to see if they would let us bring Xally or Cris with us, so we have a healer with us we trust…then…we can have children." Zen said, smiling at her. He knew how devastated she'd been when the Pergrandians had taken away that crucial part of her body, and how insecure she'd been feeling since then because…the Spirit King himself had told her how crucial it was that Zen fathered children…the future of his magic hinged on it. But even he couldn't restore Lucy…her ovaries were gone…there was no fixing that. They would have to use other methods.

Lucy bit her lip, she wanted children, had always wanted to have a family of her own..She'd never thought of more than 2 or 3 children, but Zen's eyes were so full of hope and longing and she felt it all through their connection.

"I want that…" She agreed softly and he was kissing her and she would do…anything for him, even face this…she loved him so much. When Zen slid into her body a few minutes later and they started really making love there on the beach, she let herself embrace the idea and realized how perfect it would be, if they could have a baby in Cellis, starlight permeated everything there, Stellanium laced most of the property, converting starlight to energy, Lacrimas charged with starlight power were made there where better than bathed in starlight beneath the Stargazer mountains would they have their first child? It didn't matter that they couldn't conceive without help…Zen wasn't upset…wasn't worried…and while she still was…grieving…her loss to Pergrand she wouldn't let it stop them from becoming parents and building a life and family together.

Staring into a gazing pool, Leo cried softly…perhaps he wouldn't be watching the conception of an Archangel…the rebirth of that magic within his princess tonight…but soon…soon she would carry that child…and he would love them…protect them…forever and seeing Zen love his Princess…seeing the devotion building, the love…Leo and Lucy's spirits all felt it through the bond the couple had…and looked forward to the day that bond deepened into the mating they all felt would come. This time…a real one.

In another part of the Celestial Realm dark eyes narrowed, watching…not Zen…but Kaleb, in bed with Hestor, the couple lost in each other, writhing together under the soft silk sheets of Kalebs bed…ancient words coming from Kaleb…a sacred vow that Archangel mages naturally just knew…that their magic led them through when they fell in love and trusted and wanted the other person enough and it had the spirit hissing and stomping a foot in anger..

"Nooo…don't do it…don't you dare…not to him…I will destroy you…like I did the others, I won't have a choice…don't…" the spirit said in a raspy broken furious voice.

"All that I am, all that I will…ever be…Hes…I give myself and all of it to you…forever…I love you…" Kaleb gasped and moaned out as the couple feverishly moved together, as he spoke the Archangels wings slid out, lighting up…and Hestor cried out a moment before Kaleb did, his slender hands gripping the ridges of the shimmering white wings…the couple reaching the zenith of their pleasure in each other…a magical shockwave crashing out from them as the mating of an Archangel…by their own will and through their willful use of their magic and full acceptance of their soul…happened within the Pelerno branch of White Sea.

The wave crashed over the guild, and every mage was effected, flooded with feelings of warmth, affection, their magic raging to life inside of them, almost all were soon in private alcoves or stumbling into their guild apartments, the baths…even booths in the main hall, clothes coming off to share the feelings of elation and pleasure that had just crashed through everyone.

"Damn them…damn them to Hell…these unions…I will not let them stand…Un-natural…fuck the Heavenly host and their lack of damned sexual orientation! Male female is how it damn well works in the human world! I will not suffer this with the magic that I will command…the mages that WILL belong to me! You're open now Kaleb Pradesh….vulnerable like you would never understand and your choice in a mate leaves me no choices!" The spirit hissed, waving their hand over the gazing bowl and watching as Freed Justine curled up with Farron…the pair sitting together reading and sipping wine, turning to kiss, Farrons soft whisper "I love you Freed.." making the spirit snarl before smashing a fist through the bowl and splashing the image away with an infuriated scream.

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Kurino's trial lasted just over 6 weeks, she was publicly executed, the execution broadcast across all of Earthland, her own father wielded the sword that ended her life. That his eyes were filled with tears when he did it made his nation love him all the more. He did not name a successor just then, his youngest daughter was newly married to a Prince of Enca and his son had wed a Prince of Minstrel two years prior. He wasn't certain which would better fill his shoes if either even would, and had vowed not to make a hasty decision, he could name anyone, it did not have to be one of his children.

His eyes fell meaningfully on the Pradesh family, Kaleb, Farron...both men were devoted to Bosco, both had sacrificed, suffered for her without hesitation, they were men, Boscans, that every person in the country could respect. Farron had returned to work with the Rune mage from Fiore at his side and had already reopened Boscos relationship with Stella and Bellum.

He was in White Sea the day after the trial with the rest of his family, going right to work on rebuilding the razed city. Even Arman had been seen pushing a wheelbarrow and shovel. The City of White Sea had become a symbol to Bosco of what had happened, how they had lost something precious in Kurino's betrayal, and the whole nation was behind rebuilding it better than before. Honoring those who had died there and the White Sea guild flag was flown all over the country with Bosco's own flag as a symbol of solidarity and remembrance, that the country would rise like White Sea to reclaim all of its former glory and more.

Lucy sighed a little wistfully as she leaned on the railing of the airship Zen's hands holding the railing on either side of her, caging her in comfortably, his body lightly against her back, chin on her shoulder so he could randomly tilt his head and kiss her neck.. After a couple of weeks of helping Bosco's people start the work of cleaning the wreckage and sitting in on rebuilding plan meetings, she had a beautiful diamond ring on her finger, in the band was the symbol of White Sea on one side, on the other, Fairy Tail's. When Zen had given it to her, they were still at the clinic/spa in Xillian, having undergone a week of the careful care of the Brothers Bulane and Michaelis, who meticulously prepared donor eggs and had handled Zen with immense respect for all the man had endured and how touchy he was ABOUT being touched.

Lucy had finally just…interjected, after they had talked for more than an hour with Bulane about how to get Zen's semen to fertilize the eggs, how Lucy's genetics would be incorporated all of it and Zen scowling because he…really wasn't comfortable with it all, as important as it was, the men made him uneasy, especially with their evasive ways of talking.

Collecting from Zen though had become…their barrier…Zen was reactive…violently so…when anyone approached him or touched him that way unless he wanted it…and even though he technically DID want this and wanted it very much, he had not masturbated growing up because of where and how he had…men in Pergrand would have paid HUGE amounts of money to see the Dark Eagle pleasure himself…so…Zen had bitterly, stubbornly…NEVER done so. Sure he'd learned some from his Sudehpah training when he'd come home, but even that was limited in that area because he was more focused on becoming comfortable with lovers…learning NOT to react with lethal violence when a man propositioned him or touched him. Because…Cristoff had already had to reattach one mages hand and…the whole thing with Vander was an honest trauma in Zen's mind. He'd almost killed his little brother..who had honestly for once not been up to no good…he'd just heard Zen in a nightmare and come to check on him.

So…Zen was…far beyond the touchiest, shyest clients Michaelis and Bulane had ever had and…it was an issue. Three days into their stay at the spa and Lucy was soothing him again, trying not to find it funny that this massive man, who was so powerful and so gruff and so fearless in the face of just any enemy right into the very depths of Hell itself….had a problem with cuming in a cup. She had really expected to be the one who would be the issue…but Michaelis had been very certain they could give her a genetic match nobody would ever be able to tell apart from herself and after a check…had told her with certainty she would carry a child fine and this would all work beautifully.

If Zen could ever be collected….

He sat scowling at a flustered looking Bulane and terrified lab technician who had just offered to help him…Lucy holding his arm keeping him from lunging at the technician.
"I didn't fucking ASK for help!" Zen snarled and the tech paled, backing away behind Michaelis and Bulane.

"They're trained to help men relax so that we can get the most material to work with…the food, drink, everything you've experienced here is designed to help this process be as…comfortable as possible Mr. Pradesh…she meant no insult at all…maybe you would prefer a male tech help you?" Bulane offered and Lucy squeaked as she was lifted off her feet when Zen took a menacing step toward the man "Men do NOT ever fucking touch me that way!" Zen snarled and Bulane's eyes widened a moment but to the man's credit…he held his ground and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Then we need another answer here…we can not collect you out of your fiance's vagina, there is too much acidity and other things involved in that area that would taint the collection, it has to be clean Mr. Pradesh…no saliva either so…blowjobs are out…I am sorry but the method needs to be done by hand and the collection needs to be meticulously done…" Bulane sighed

"I don't want….fuck." Zen growled, stepping back and Lucy rubbed his arm, looking at Bulane "Why can't I do it?"

"You aren't trained…we could teach you but it would take time, the procedure isn't overly complex, the collection part…but, if you make a mistake…well…I'm sure Mr. Pradesh doesn't suffer fertility issues but…we need to test that…find out motility and concentration…there's a lot involved and if the collection has any sort of issue…we get the wrong results and…" Bulane shook his head.

It wasn't a lie, and he KNEW about Zens magic, he and Michaelis were being very careful around Zen's Honesty enforcement, that passive truth magic…considering the fact they could guarantee Lucy would be happy with the donor eggs because…well…they were her own eggs that would be used…something they obviously would NOT be telling this couple. There had been a few moments the brothers had considered denying the request that came from Farron Pradesh, setting up this whole thing for his brother.

But then…getting genetic material, samples directly from The Dark Eagle himself, considering Karadin would likely pay ten times what he already had for the current child they were making for him to have one right from Zen himself? Not to mention access to the Archangel genetics…no, they couldn't pass this up, especially since Kaleb Pradesh was mated to Hestor Kedanza now and if this went well…Farron had said Kaleb and Hestor would likely come use their services to have children…and Farron himself had said he might himself…no…they couldn't turn Zen and Lucy away even with the potential disasters that could happen given Zen's truth magic…

Staff had been changed, the whole facility had been reworked to assure Zen and Lucy didn't come into contact with anyone or anything that had been around when Lucy and Hestor had been there before. The mages had been unconscious the entire time, had not seen anything or heard anything…cut off from their magic even while there to prevent their spirits from knowing they had been there…every precaution had been taken. Michaelis and Bulane hadn't gotten where they were by being stupid or careless.

Lucy's own eggs…that they had…would be used to impregnate her…they just had to collect from Zen…

If Lucy collected…she would know how much they took…and they planned to collect all they could, had been feeding Zen, lacing his food and drink with fertility stimulants, three days in the man was…by now…a seriously virile fertile beast and they needed to collect from him. The more they got the better, and they had mages here, ready to draw his pleasure out, ready to have him relive it a few times, put him into a magically induced cycle to get him to cum for them at least 4-6 times…it was all set up around the little room they used for this…but Lucy certainly couldn't be the one in there watching her fiance get…milked for all he was worth by the fertility clinic so they had plenty to use for more than just…creating babies for her and Zen.

"There can't be a mistake…" Lucy frowned, chewing her lip, her own insecurities and worries about messing this up rising enough she looked up at Zen "Is…is there any way? Maybe we could get some mages from White Sea to put you through some illusions?" She said frowning because Zen's magic saw through lies and deceptions…

"It would only work if I…were drugged for compliance…" Zen sighed…he already knew how that worked…it had happened plenty in Pergrand while they were trying so hard to get him to breed…the scientists had worked out they could put Zen through illusion driven states where he damn near did what they asked…compliance drugs meant…succubus venoms…done right and mixed with other things, he wouldn't doubt what was happening so much, unfortunately for Pergrand…Zen got MAD, and adrenaline and his magic rising to defend him kept the whole thing from working every time, that and he wholesale murdered entire teams of scientists every single time until the whole of the scientific community of Pergrand cringed and called in sick if Karadin asked them to do anything with his prized Gladiator.

"Succubus venom…laced with some sedatives and sexual stimulants…and I can be led through an illusion process as long as I don't go into it angry." Zen said, looking at Lucy, the hope and fertive bright shining need for this to work was all there in her eyes and…he couldn't stand that this whole thing was being messed up by his own fucked up issues created by his past.

"I'm sorry Lucy…" he said quietly and looked at Bulane and Michaelis "I'll work with you…I stay calm and willing and it will work…just…make the tech a woman and make her look like Lucy and it will work…" he said.

That had been it…Bulane had the serum to inject into Zen in less than an hour and Lucy was waiting, pacing in their room for another hour before Zen was brought back, eyes unfocused, smirking…looking for all the world like he was drunk. He had stumbled into her arms and she'd been carried to their bed and it had been the next day before she'd been able to find out it had worked…the facility was able to collect what they needed from Zen and…not surprisingly, his fertility would not be an issue at all.

The donor eggs… they assured her it would work and be fine…were implanted into her and Bulane and Michaelis had told her to take things easy, keep her mind off of it. They had wanted the couple to stay until a stable, certain pregnancy was established, but the rebuilding efforts had begun and Lucy and Zen had wanted to be there for that and Kittar was available to come get them so…she had been remanded to Cristoff's capable care.

The ring on her finger had been given to her by a kneeling Zen when they had found out the implant was successful. she'd cried at all of the meaning in it.

The slender gold band around Zen's left wrist bore her birthstone and her name engraved in the gold. Boscan men wore the wrist bands to signify they were engaged, later, when they were married, his ring would attach to the band with a slender gold chain and as they had children, their children's birthstones would be added to his wrist band. It was a way Boscan men displayed their love and commitment to their families.

Arman wore one, though he no longer wore the wedding ring attached to it since his wife had been gone for so long. On Arman, because there were the gems of children and his wife's name was now no longer on the band, it let the world know he was a widower. It also meant he was not closed off to a new relationship, it had taken his children years to get their mothers name removed from the outside of the band and engraved on the inside and the wedding ring from their fathers finger, but they had finally convinced him, and Arman was frequently propositioned these days by hopeful women who would love to have such a handsome successful man with his silver touched black hair and pale jade green eyes along with Bosco's top Ambassador as a lover or even better, a husband.

Lucy reached over to trail her finger over the band, it had been Armans idea, not all Boscan men wore them when they became engaged, but...her father-in-law to be had taken her to his favorite jeweler and insisted she pick one out for her fiance the day after Cristoff had, after hugging her, set her back on her feet with a strange crooked grin, tears filling his eyes and looked at Zen "You...Lucy...Lucy you're pregnant…twins." He'd managed, voice rough with emotion. Zen's eyes had flown wide and he'd snatched his stunned fiance from his brother and swept her up into his arms kissing her ecstatically and spinning her around. The brothers at the spa had not disappointed…just four days there and he, Lucy and Cristoff had returned and Cristoff had been watching Lucy like a hawk ever since…so happy when the implanted eggs had settled…and Lucy was truly, wonderfully expecting.

They had been right in the middle of all the activities, Lucy covered with dirt and sweat from working alongside everyone else and within moments people were laughing and cheering and she was being hugged by all the Pradesh men, Freed, Bickslow, everyone to the point she was dizzy. Arman had snatched her away, insisted Zen had to take her back to Pelerno, that she shouldn't be working doing heavy labor in her condition and the two men had overruled her protests and taken her back to the city.

Now, they were leaving Bosco, heading back to Magnolia. Laxus had gone on home right after Kurino's trial, needing to get the guild organized, there was rebuilding to do, restructuring, Vander and Emzadi were with them on the ship, accompanying the guild management system of Kaleb's design that would be incorporated into Fairy Tails rebuilding. Vander and Emzadi would install it, calibrate it, and teach the guild how to use it.

Lucy had always felt a little plain around beauties like Mira and Erza, Emzadi...was worse. 6 feet tall, a double s century class Dragon Slayer with waist length honey blonde hair all streaked through with reds, golds and platinums. Orange eyes that looked like fire framed by long sooty lashes, full pouty lips she kept painted red, red fingernails, golden tanned skin, a large bust and wide hips with a tiny waist.

Emzadi exuded power, elegance, predatory strength and pure raw primal sex that had men drooling on themselves in her wake. She was also bold, full of humor, optimistic, open and friendly.

She sometimes made Lucy feel very small, never intentionally, like Erza and Mira never meant to make her question her own appeal, but, she was simply too fun to resist. Like Vander, and the two of them together were overwhelming.

"Zen, you have to buy her a dress, a beautiful wonderful dream dress, I'm serious." Emi was saying firmly. She was stretched out on a lounge in a tiny deep red bikini that barely covered anything, gold bangles on her wrists, gorgeous golden hoop earrings with tiny dragons made out of gemstones clinging to the hoops. A hammered gold choker with the emblem of White Sea in the middle of it and red flip flops finished her ensemble, her luxurious hair up in a high pony tail. Her legs over her younger brother's lap, Vander displaying his immense experience handling women by doing an incredible job painting her nails while she was talking with Zen and Lucy.

When she moved her foot trying to sit up to better emphasize her point Vander pinched her and she growled at him, flashing long fangs.

"Don't you give me fang sister, I paint you nail fo fwee, normal I charge heap big pussy time fo this, women love me long time before I paint nayels. So sit you ass and hol still or I paint you face." His attempt at a Sinnish accent was too much, Lucy gaped and Emzadi narrowed her eyes, pressing her lips together.

"What if I arrange heap big love you long time with something pretty? Can I avoid the pinches? I need to express myself brother dear, I'm a Dragoness not a kitten." She returned.

He shrugged, already back to her nails "You arrange, I no stop you being flappy, I just deal." He agreed and Emzadi smirked

"Deal, now...ZEN, the Boscan wedding ceremony is gorgeous, two days to perform and then two weeks of partying? I mean. Lucy will need a wedding dress, then lingerie for the week of privacy and then swimsuits and such for the week with the family because I'm assuming you'll have the ceremony in Pelerno right? I have to call Dean Kalperden and see about the traditional two weeks, since you'll be getting sealed at the Academe." Emzadi sat back and Vander snatched his hands back and dodged her bouncing foot as she thought.

"I've got it, Cristoff, he can teleport into Cellis after your week of privacy is up and bring you to Pelerno for the week with family! We can get Lucy's friends from Fairy Tail there, it's perfect!" She declared.

Zen heaved a sigh "Emi…"

"Nope, Zen, time to be the dutiful fiance, Lucy has agreed not to have one of those huge insane Fioran weddings and go with a Boscan one for you, the least you could do is get her some new clothes, a spa day to get all gorgeous before the wedding, I mean, she's pregnant! She deserves pampering!" The Dragoness declared.

Zen rolled his eyes and looked at Lucy "You know it's up to Lucy, she can wear whatever she wants to the wedding, I'll be in a traditional Boscan suit and...I like the idea of having our first week in Cellis, means you lot can't come barging in on us." He smirked and Emzadi rolled her eyes.

"Some brothers I have, really Lucy, I don't envy you, now, If you'd mated with Cris? I'd envy you, Cris is my teddy bear. I'll likely resent whoever he mates with." The woman said airily, though the last part she said with a dangerous edge to her smile.

Vander pinched her and she gasped, slapping his hand from her hip, wine colored eyes clashing with fire. "I thought I was your favorite brother." Vander challenged.

"You're my favorite for fun, Vander, you know that, there's nothing like a night out with you as my wingman." Emzadi said affectionately which seemed to satisfy the shadowquip because he returned to painting her nails.

Zen laughed "Emi, you have never been one to mince words. Gods, see? This is why you will not be our child's Godmother." He said and Emzadis pout caused a man walking by to trip over a lounge and fall into the pool.

"For that? Lucy, I plan to help you find the most expensive extravagant wedding dress on Earthland and make Zen pay for it." The Dragoness declared. Lucy chuckled at that, noting her fiance's resigned sigh.

Vander caught Emi's shifting leg and lifted it so he could set the closed bottle of polish back in her bag before shifting to stretch his tall body out beside his sisters and enjoy the sun.

"Speaking of fun, Vander dear, I was thinking we should check out the ship's nightclub tonight, it being our last night aboard I'd like to have some fun, there are a few handsome things I've spotted that look like they might hold up for more than 10 minutes." Emi said and Lucy's eyes widened. She hadn't quite gotten used to Emzadis Boscan bluntness with some topics.

Vander didn't open his eyes, waving a hand "Good idea sis...I haven't had a good fuck since we left Bosco, I'm sure we can scare up some suitable fun." He agreed.

"Lucy and I will have dinner without you then." Zen chuckled and Vander smiled, still not opening his eyes or moving, he was enjoying the sun too much.

"Yeah well, you two have each other to fuck and considering Lucy's condition you're both clearly good at it, so, while you two enjoy couple status bliss, Emi and I will go fuck our way through the suitable singles we find at the club tonight." Vander said in a sighed out breath.

Lucy smiled, leaning back into Zen, her fingers sliding down his arm to slide over his band again, she loved it, had seen some of the women on the ship get way too interested in him and start approaching then see that thick band of gold on his wrist and look disappointed but smile and move away.

It didn't deter any of the non-Boscan passengers of course but Zen mostly ignored the attention he drew from women, he was focused on her, even more now that he knew she was pregnant. Now he doted on her more than ever. He'd been affectionate before, but now he was cuddly, wanted to touch her, and needed those touches to be skin on skin.

Hestor had informed them their pregnancy would work a lot like a dragon slayers did. She would carry the baby about 7 months, so a little longer than a slayer, it would develop faster because the babies were forming with their magic in place, developing using her and Zen's magic to build their own. So, to assure the babies didn't overtax Lucy, they needed to be close.

"The best way is to let the baby feel the bond you have, to let your magic wash through you,and it does that best…" Hestor had trailed off giving Zen a bland look at the mans smirk "Our magic flows between us most when we're having sex."

Hestor had nodded "Exactly, so...every day, as many times as you feel drawn to, instead of craving foods like a normal pregnancy Lucy, you'll be craving Zen." the silver haired celestial mage had rolled his eyes at the wolfish looks from both Lucy and Zen.

"Honestly…I should draw a salary for putting up with these talks I have to give." Hestor had huffed before he'd left.

Loke waited until Lucy was happily soaking in a bath to appear again and Zen had turned with a curious look on his face because usually Lucy's spirits appeared with her…not before him.

"The more celestial magic the baby gets, the better." Loke said by way of greeting, having finally worked up the courage to discuss possibilities with Lucy's husband. He and all the spirits had felt the difference, it was intoxicating, being pulled through the gate into a wash of not just Lucy's magic, but the delicious pure power of the Archangels magic, it made them all stronger, the bond Lucy had, and they were all keenly looking forward to what it would be like when that bond became a full one, and the couple mated.

There was more that could be done though.

"We haven't exactly been fighting either of our urges, Loke." Zen replied, Lucy was in the bath soaking and he was heading for the shower because they had just spent a couple of hours in bed fucking each other senseless, their pasion was heightened, by the baby it seemed, and it had already been pretty healthy before, now, now they were wild once they started, he'd been contemplating the broken headboard of the bed when Loke had appeared, Lucy had snapped a large bit of it off gripping it for leverage while she'd ridden him into oblivion. Gods he was still sweaty from their exertions and the spirit was here what...wanting them to do more?

"I know, but...well...if you brought in one of us...I know Lucy will be hesitant to consider it, worry about using us and such but...all of her spirits, we all are eager to be part of this and I figured I would mention it to you first." Loke said.

Zen quirked a brow and tilted his head slightly. He'd not missed the appraising looks he'd gotten from Loke a few times recently, and Virgo was hardly subtle.

"You want to join us in bed?" He asked to make sure he was getting this straight. Loke nodded and Zen's lips tilted up into a smirk that had even Loke's breath stutter and he'd been a hell of a lover for centuries...but never with an Archangel involved…there were wells of power he had never been able to visit, the pure heavenly magic of Kingdom Plane was such a place, and if he and Lucy's other spirits worked enough with Zen, his ability to gate into other planes…could well allow Leo and the others to gain access to Kingdom Plane…the home of the Heavenly Host…where the 7 Archangels of Enoch that made up Hestors keyset lived and because of that…the spirits of the Hall had started going into Kingdom Plane…it was a bridge into allied planes that had been hoped for…for millenia…and he wanted to be part of it.

"I'll mention it to her, don't hold your breath though." He said, moving toward the Lion spirit, amethyst eyes narrowing on the ginger haired man. He had only a small towel around his hips right then, but he'd spent years naked under thousands of eyes, had sex before crowds, in Pergrande such things were well paid for. Zen lacked any form of modesty or shyness.

He wanted to trust Lucy's spirits, his relationship with them was going to be important going forward and while not a fan of sex with males, he'd enjoyed it with Hestor the one time that had happened, and Virgo would be fun...any of the spirits would be...well...not some...he couldn't fuck Lucy in front of Plue, he had no idea why, but the little white dog spirit was already like a child to him and he just couldn't, had stopped with Lucy against a wall just yesterday because Plue had popped out, angry at not having been summoned for a few days and seeking candy.

Lucy found it funny that he could fuck her until her legs wouldn't function with any of her other spirits out, knowing all of them could and did watch through the viewing pools in the celestial realm, but if Plue came out, he was turned right off under those little dark eyes.

She'd nicknamed her little dog spirit "Cockblocker" over it.

Loke had shuddered and returned to the spirit realm, seeking Aries and delighting the ram spirit by grabbing her up and pinning her to the door as soon as it closed, giving her one hell of a serious few hours of lion lust, all the while, imagining sharing it all with Lucy and Zen.

Zen tightened his arm around her, leaning his head back in the lounge they laid in. Lucy in a little bikini, him in swim shorts, the contact was just what he wanted under the mid-day sun, her hand skimming across his abdomen to trace the eagle tattoo on his side, something she loved doing.

They lay in companionable silence for a while before a distinctly Boscan woman approached them, long straight dark brown hair and deep beautiful hazel eyes along with the standard sunkissed skin typical of Boscans and clan tattoos running down her right side, in her case, Grass Runners accentuated her clan identity. Clan Bronal was a large successful clan, they raised Grass Runners and were currently the top clan on the Grass Sea. It was odd to see a member walking normally and so far from their home.

The woman's eyes skimmed down Zen's tall frame, hovering over the black eagle Lucy's slender fingers rested on, then Emzadis dragons and Vanders Havati serpents. She bowed slightly when Lucy's eyes met hers.

"Forgive my intrusion into your relaxation, I know that you and he are spoken for, I wondered though, if he is?" She asked nodding toward Vander who appeared asleep but Lucy knew better, So did Zen who cracked an eye and kicked the lounge Vander was sharing with their sister.

"He is not." Zen growled as he did it and Vanders eyes opened, moving up the woman appreciatively. He smiled, shifting and settling his hands behind his head and even Lucy, curled up with her head on Zen's shoulder deeply content with her current contact with her mate, noted how panty dropping seeing Vanders muscles move as he shifted and stretched his arms up was.

The Boscan woman licked her lips at the sight. "I'm Kastia." She introduced herself.

"Vander, my sister Emzadi, brother Zen and his betrothed Lucy." Vander responded, nodding toward each. Emi managed only a weak wristed wave, too content soaking up the sunlight to move. Kastia smiled and cocked her head at Vander.

"I would very much like to invite you to the baths with me." She said and Vander grinned, moving to his feet in a fluid movement, sliding an arm around Kastia who happily accepted it, reaching up to pull his face around so she could kiss him, eager for a taste of the man. Her friends were at a table not far from where he'd been sunbathing, he'd noticed them when he and Emzadi had walked into the pool area, three beautiful Boscan women, Vander never failed to observe beauty.

"Let's get right to that Kastia, I've had enough sun for now...I'd like to feel myself wrapped in a different warmth…" He purred and the woman laughed and pulled Vander away with her.

"An 8 on the lame lines scale, really I need to kick him in the nuts next time I see him…" Emzadi mumbled, turning over to give the sun access to her back side.

Lucy snickered, and hummed as Zen started rubbing lotion over her back, shifting so she could lay down fully and smirking as he untied her top so he had unrestricted access. Lucy didn't mind at all, his strong fingers kneading into her flesh felt divine along with the soft music drifting around the pool area and the sounds of people splashing about in the pool, the warm sun and soothing breeze now with a massage from her fiance...yep...Heaven.

She'd wondered for a bit why she wasn't getting morning sickness or something, she felt nothing but good, and Loke had grinned at her, nodding toward Zen.

"Your mate is an Archangel Princess, healing magic comes with him and so...it's in you now, part of why you won't age anymore and, why you aren't getting any of the sickness that usually comes with the first trimester. The aching back and such? Yeah that will still happen later." He chuckled.

So she was still warm and happy with her pregnancy, the barest little bump starting to show now, Cristoff said she was a little over a month along, which meant that everything had worked and even though her beloved Archangel had been awkward and uncomfortable…he'd done what he needed to. He'd been so very affectionate that day, and they had been in that suite for hours, three long mind melting rounds of passionate sex, it was no wonder she had gotten pregnant, that and the fact that well...almost every day leading up to that one and most every day since they had gone at it a few times at least and she hadn't seen a single 24 hour period yet since they had accepted what they were to each other, that she wasn't in some way saying Zen's name while pleasure overwhelmed her.

She had no complaints either. Zen was everything she'd ever dreamed of, prayed for, and more. She groaned as Zen worked at a tight spot between her shoulders and Emi chuckled.

"You sound like you're getting more than just relaxation out of my brother's attention Lucy." The Dragoness observed. Lucy smiled faintly. "I am...I do...every day…" She managed and smiled more hearing Zen chuckle.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Mother of Gods, why the fuck are these so damned small?!" Emzadi snarled and Vander jerked backwards, letting the little jet of fire that curled from his sister's fingers as she waved her hand in annoyance fly past his face narrowly avoiding it catching his hair on fire.

Mouth quirking he kept his eyes on his task, finishing the install of the job board connected to the system while Emzadi was finishing assembling the 250 lacrima that would be linked to the system, setting each to the Fairy Tail guild symbol and tuning them to the central server.

"Well, small handheld device and all...try not to melt all the screws, we don't want to have to wait to order more in." He managed to sound calm and have no tremor of humor in his voice so notched up a point for himself. There was a reason he was such a well decorated spy for his government…keeping a straight face around his angry sister…training man…pure training.

"They're not so bad, this is kind of relaxing." Erza commented from across the table, she was assembling the devices, Emzadi had shown her how and how to tune them and set them for Fairy Tail.

Emzadi shot her a withering look, kicked her brother, smiling when he cursed, and continued working, snarling when she dropped the tiny screw again but plucking it back up off the table and getting it into place on the third try.

Laxus sat a short distance away with Bickslow and Freed, the trio inputting guild data into the system, which was as simple as feeding it the mountains of paperwork, member files, everything. He kept glancing up at Emzadi, smirking when he saw her smile after kicking her brother and making him curse.

Fuck she was gorgeous. He wasn't a complicated man really, Laxus liked what he liked, pursued what he desired with singular determination and strategy and those things were all pretty straight forward.

He loved Fairy Tail, good whiskey, beer, lemon cookies, lean red meat cooked over an open fire, lusty vigorous sex that lasted for hours because if he wasn't exhausted when he was done then he wasn't satisfied, he'd keep going until he was, slacks instead of jeans, boots over trainers, button downs or muscle shirts over t-shirts, Elluris made of course, his music, his house and his Elluris made coat. He also really...really...liked female dragon slayers...ok...just one female Dragon Slayer because Wendy, while adorable, was way too young for him.

Emzadi though,with all her blonde waves of hair, fiery orange eyes and voluptuous man melting curves, now she was a woman he could sink his teeth into, fuck hard and know she'd just come back for more. Thing was...his dragon liked her...a whole hell of a lot, as in the whole "MINE" and "MATE!" screaming in his head while his dick about drug him across the room to her.

Yeah, he had more control over himself than the other Slayers though, Laxus wasn't going to be dragged into a committed relationship, life long soul deep till never do us part thing by his damn dick. One eyed traitor could deal with the lesser women he fed it and be happy. But damn if Emzadi wasn't a feast for the bastard between his legs.

Watching her work putting together the magetech devices Kaleb had designed with her brother had been a serious turn on, the gorgeous blonde out of her usual veil dresses and in snug faded capris, white canvas shoes and a white tank top that stretched looking ready to rip across her ample chest, her luxurious tresses held atop her head by a gold band so the waves of hair were mostly out of her way. She got along with everyone well, and wasn't afraid to put anyone back in line who stepped out of it for any reason.

Natsu and Gray had gotten started and made her drop one of the tiny screws and both were still unconscious in heaps kicked off to the side by the vengeful Solar slayer.

She had marched over to them grabbed them both by the backs of their necks and slammed them together repeatedly until they had crumpled to the floor in heaps, Erza had grinned and raised her tankard of ale to the woman as she'd kicked the twitching men off the pathway up the center of the guild and let her blazing orange eyes cut through the guild menacingly.

"Anyone else want to start shit and make me drop things again?" She had demanded and every set of eyes that might have looked down. Laxus had almost cum in his pants. Gods he wanted her so bad.

Biting back a growl he tried to be subtle about reaching down and adjusting himself, around Emzadi his pants never fit right. Bickslow...naturally...noticed.

"She likes you boss." He said, not taking his crimson eyes off what he was doing, Bickslow was flying through the work, his agile fingers, used to intricate woodwork for a hobby, had no trouble with assembling the little egg shaped devices.

"I didn't ask." Laxus grumbled and Bickslow grinned, still keeping his eyes on his work.

"I know you didn't, but you're tugging at your pants more often than I did at the club on ladies talent night." the Seith chuckled and Laxus narrowed his eyes on his friend.

Damn the man and his keen observation skills, so good on missions, so bad when Laxus was getting a hard on watching the guys baby sister.

"Fuck you Bix." He growled, feeding a new stack of papers into the scanner.

"No can do Bossman…madly in love with the Poisonous piece of nasty I find so adorable."

Bickslow snickered but didn't say more, glancing toward his sister and seeing her ruby lips pulled up, orange eyes sneaking a look at the glowering lighting slayer.

Emzadi had been watching his friend for a while, since she had arrived really, and Laxus had been uncomfortable around her right from the beginning, way way more than he'd ever been around any woman, even Lucy who he'd harbored a little crush on for a while.

It was unusual for Laxus, he only got awkward around a woman he respected, he never had trouble with any of his one night stands. Bickslow was perfectly happy with the idea, his brother Zen was already going to be a member of his beloved Fairy Tail, getting Emzadi to move here as his best friend's mate? Serious win for him. So the Seith sat quietly, smiling as he assembled lacrima and helped Laxus feed papers into the scanner, noting that his friends eyes went to his sister every time there was a lull in activity, hells yeah, maybe he could get fucking Cristoff a mate too and then he'd for sure get Christmas in Magnolia for once!

Lucy watched it all resting against Zen while he was piecing together a control console. He'd recently rebuilt the one for White Sea in Pelerno so was moving through the process pretty easily and she was enjoying shifting her lazy gaze from Erza to Emzadi, to Laxus and then back to her husband, who looked damn good when he was intently focused, lips slightly parted as he concentrated on the precision work he was doing.

It hadn't been that long she realized, just a few months, maybe a little more, since she had first laid eyes on him. Since she had first felt his arms around her as they had slept or tried to, on that long trek to Crocus. Since she had taken him against his will and bound him to her, and she'd learned some hard painful things about herself.

He'd resented her, and she had hated herself for what she'd done to him, but they had worked through it, Now here they were, engaged, planning a wedding with friends while house hunting. Zen had wanted to be in Bosco, help with the start of the rebuilding, but when they had learned Lucy was pregnant he'd abandoned that idea, being around the dust and dirt, heat and building materials involved wasn't where a pregnant woman should be, he and his father had hurried her off to Pelerno and now she was home.

Running her hand unconsciously over her belly the action drew Zen's eyes right to her hand then up to her face, his gentle smile made her heart feel ready to burst out of her. Three months ago, she had felt beyond lost, miserable, lonely, struggling with her friends and their seeming complete lack of understanding or concern for how their abandonment had affected her.

She felt like nobody would ever understand or care about her, like...she could disappear and the only ones to miss her would be her spirits. How much one man had changed her whole outlook on life just...staggered her, he really had too, she was happy, excited about the future, about being with Zen, being...loved. She was, she saw it in those purple eyes of his, felt it through their bond...he loved her, truly loved her, and she was hopelessly in love with him.

His hand slid into hers then, eyes watching her as their fingers laced and she leaned back, surprised when he moved so she slid between him and his work, his other arm catching her though and he dipped his head as soon as she was reclined across him, kissing her.

"I love you...:" He whispered and she felt tears sting her eyes, happy ones as she reached up and cupped his cheek.

"I love you too…" She managed, voice hoarse with emotion.

She wound her arms around him, reaching up to press her lips into his again, needing the contact, the feel and taste of him as close as she could get him. So much had happened, so much pain suffered. She had lived through it all, and now… she would never be alone again.

Zen tilted his head a bit, adjusting Lucy in his arms so she fit against him well and could relax against him as they kissed, he still had work to do, finishing what he was working on was important, but she was much more so.

"As enjoyable as all of this looks…I have gotten responses from the north and we have a mission to plan." All eyes lifted, Emzadi cursed, growling as the sound of a tiny screw hitting the floor could be heard.

Hestor was walking into the guild carrying a tablet and a case. He had been away doing serious looking into the Six Points of Humanity as well as traveling to a few ancient temples from the Holy Wars era to try to find more information on the Archangel magic set. Flanking him was the tall broad shouldered Encan shifter, Kittar Blaise, the Displacer Mage was splitting his time between Seven and his Guild, White Sea and had been ferrying Hestor all over Ishgar so he could do what he needed to.

Cana blinked as the pair walked by…her eyes suddenly going wide when she pulled them from Kittars firm ass that was encased in red leather, enjoying how the panther tail swished as he walked…how the rounded feline ears atop his head swiveled….right until a heavy bootfall made her gaze travel back then up….and up…to a man near 8 feet tall with black hair and yellow eyes, a wolf tail emerging from snug dark blue pants, tall wolf ears poking out of thick shiny black hair…he was handsome…but the man beside him…while nowhere near as massive…had her mouth falling open.

6 feet, black hair, clad in the black gold and white of his nation, a golden dragon emblazoned on the shoulders and a golden circlet with a dragons body wrapped around it settled on his head…emerald eyes scanned the room as he walked.

"The King of Seven…." Cana breathed

Lucy looked up in surprise, feeling Zen tense a bit…he'd fought more than a few of the Shifters from Seven…knew what this young King had refined. He understood the man was not his mother…and was now restoring his nation, freeing the shifters from their lives of forced serving in the military…and he knew how loyal those shifters were to their young King and why…but seeing him there…it made him very anxious…Kings didn't stop by at Mage Guilds…

Laxus stared in disbelief, but had enough presence of mind to stand up as Hestor approached, walking ahead of the King of Seven as if he were walking with…mages from his guild.

Hestor stopped by Laxus and Zen, "Is the link ready? I'd love to use the guild system to show everyone some things." he asked, seemingly unaware of the King who was looking over the guild system with interest.

"I…yeah…it's working, we're still feeding it data but it's working." Zen replied, getting to his feet and setting Lucy on hers.

Hestor nodded "Excellent…" He plucked a cable from his breast pocket, plugging it into the tablet he held and the other end into the guild system and the 4 large lacrima screens that had just been installed that morning lit.

"Now…oh…hmm, yes manners. Laxus Dreyer, Master of Fairy Tail, White Seas sister guild in Fiore, this is Nuryev Alsaidian, the King of Seven and the man beside him is General of the Sevenese Pack…which translates somehow to something like a legion or…brigade or…something…" he waved his hand dismissing that and waved toward the massive man beside the King. "Anran Darkhaven of the Black Pack of the North. Gentlemen…Fairy Tail, they're aware of the Six Points of Humanity…ah…there's Farron." Hestor smiled as Farron emerged from the stairs to the library beside Freed, both men blinking, Farron recovered in just one of those blinks and smiling, bowing.

"Your highness, news of your efforts is inspiring, I understand our squadrons reached Seven last week, I hope they've been helpful." Farron smiled and Nuryevs cool gaze warmed on the blonde.

"Yes, thank your Father for negotiating that for me…the airships have helped us drive nearly all of the Pergrandian forces from our lands…we control all but a few outlying townships now." Nuryev responded and eyed Hestor.

"I do not want Archangel Mages going into Pergrand…we've discussed this…the King's brother Ramire has a magic sight, not like mine, he can not take or move magic…but he can identify magics, it's how the King knew to start doing what he's been doing…" Nuryev said, frowning between Zen and Farron. The two brothers were…hugely desired in Pergrand, mostly because of Zen being the Dark Eagle all those years…and sons of Arman, who for reasons nobody fully understood…was hated by King Karadin.

"They aren't going…they're staying here and Kaleb is staying in White Sea City overlooking the rebuilding work. Laxus and I will decide on teams." Hestor said and Laxus scowled at him

"You? Who died and made you…." His voice trailed off as Hestor held up his left hand, the wedding ring, with chains to the band on his wrist had been explained to Laxus, who had attended Lucy's wedding and understood the meaning…the fact the seal of White Sea was on that wrist left no doubts about whose birthstone the blue diamond was. Kaleb had made it official and had married Hestor.

"I am Kaleb's husband and the CoMaster of White Sea, I have the authority to assign White Sea mages where they need to go." He eyed Farron, eyes softening apologetically for a moment, he knew Zen wouldn't want to go there…and Farron wouldn't really either…but he also knew who he was hoping to convince Laxus had to go…and it wouldn't make Farron happy…

They didn't have time though to shelter people's feelings.

Farron didn't miss the look and tensed, glancing at Freed then Hestor, his eyes closing as he made certain there was no sudden worry and pain in his bond with the man he loved…because he knew in that instant where Hestor was going and was also informed enough about what was happening to know…there wasn't wiggle room.

Hestor let out a breath, drew himself up and looked at the King who nodded.

"Pergrand has two of the points we know about. Xavier Magnusen, the man who raised me and kept my mother and her sister from turning me into the pliable fool they wanted me to be. He is the Starseer, Seven has loved him for decades and we want him BACK." Nuryev said fiercely. Anran stepped forward, even Laxus forced to look up at the big man as he spread pictures out on the table of Xavier, who honestly looked…like a slightly older version of Nuryev himself, just with dark brown hair instead of Nuryevs black.

Anran then set out pictures of a beautiful slender man with long pale blonde hair and fluffy silver feline ears spotted in dark silver atop his head. These pictures were taken from afar, and almost all showed the elegant man naked except for a great deal of silver and gold jewelry glittering with precious gems, elegant chains in silver and gold and even stellanium draped his body and provided an artistic frame for the man's well toned lithe body. Even the fluffy spotted tail had bands of precious metals and jewels on it and the collar he wore had to be worth hundreds of millions. "This is Giermo Lusing, I…" Nuryev sighed reaching to touch one of the pictures frowning bitterly "He was the first Celestial Summoner our laboratories ever successfully altered…he had one of the keys of the Starwalkers set before my mother…gave him as a gift to the King's brother Aram. He was then and still is according to my best spies…a kind and peace loving man who doesn't fight…Aram is in love with him, which has kept him safe and well cared for, allowed him to complete his key set too, the King calls on him often…we know he demands answers to questions about summoners, a subject Giermo has been allowed to study because Aram makes sure he has access to all he needs to do so…Aram protects him, but the King has gotten far more demanding in the last year since the alliance with Alvarez became solid. " Nuryev nodded to Anran then and the man pulled out a large map of Ishgar.

"We know the Alvarez forces here in Fiore were largely put down by the spell you did…" Anran said, his rich deep voice making a few of the people present blink…he had a distinct accent and it wasn't Sevenese.
"Alvarez allied with Kurino of Bosco, Karadin in Pergrand and…Demias" He pointed to a country north of Pergrand along the western coastline.

"Demias has been seeking to expand its borders and holdings for the last 75 years with little success…they wanted land in Ishgar and had planned to take Bellum once the Allied forces overran it…" Anran said, glancing at a small weasel that was perched on Nuryev's shoulder…Louis was barely noticed by anyone, the shifter a member of the Kings elite personal guard now and…the King's top spy. He was who had gathered their intel and who had taken most of the pictures they had.

Hestor hummed and moved forward, tapping Fiore on the map "We've been unsure how this all tied together into the points and the hunts on Celestial mages…until we looked into what Cobras former associates had been doing and…how they were funded and helped in doing it."

"The fish?" Lucy blinked…that had been a horrific experience for her…and the lead up to it had seen the deaths of 9/10ths of the Celestial Summoners on Earthland…a reality nobody had believed possible and the Oracion Seis…being a small guild of dark mages had never seemed able to pull something of that scale off…without help.

"I've been to Pergrande…I've been to the palace, I've even been to the stadium and watched the fights…attended some sessions of parliament. Macbeth was really well spoken when he wanted to be…and Karadin stepped right up, gave us money, resources, assigned teams of slave hunters to us to hunt down the summoners…Pergrande was instrumental in us pulling that whole thing off…Karadin was even who told Macbeth about the Infinity Clock, he said something about wanting the herd thinned anyway, too many women…and he wasn't wrong…I'd say out of the few thousand that were hunted down…only one in every 40 or so was a man." Cobra said, standing beside Bickslow nearby, eying the pictures on the table.

"Two percent. Male summoners were two percent of the totals before all the deaths," Hestor said absently, "now…i think it's…" he paused, looking thoughtful, "closer to seventy percent.."

"The Six Points of Humanity is mankind's link to the makers, to the very weave that is…existence. When Summoners developed as a magic type…they linked the Celestial with the Mortal…allowed humanity to join forces with the divine…why do you think your magic type is hunted so much?" Nuryev said, looking between Lucy and Hestor. "It's because you are literally gating between the divine realms and humanity…Celestial Summoners have a Patron Goddess…Mehturt herself, the mother of the stars, wife to Set and Ra she is the cornerstone of life and the Celestial planes. She is what brings the Light of Ra into balance with the Black fabric of space that is Sets domain. You Summoners tap into that Cornerstone every time you summon a spirit…a spirit that can come from any plane of the Celestial realms…even the planes of Hell." The King said looking meaningfully between Lucy and Hestor.

Lucy stared, the scope of her magic was an unknown to her, one she was hoping to fill in a lot more at the Academe when she and Zen left for him to start school, she had been granted a place there herself to learn and study while Zen did.

"Yeah…well, we didn't know all of that, what we knew when we started uncovering the Infinity Clock was that a Summoner would be the only way to open up it's full potential, we had to get one that we could meld with it so it had access to everything…Heaven and Hell." Cobra said shifting his feet and unconsciously moving closer to Bickslow who smiled faintly and slid an arm around him tugging him all the way back so he could lean back against his mate and soak up the comfort he provided as Cobra was recounting memories he was none too proud of.

"What we need is to recover the two points we know for sure are in Pergrande. I already have teams from White Sea out searching for the others." Hestor said and Laxus frowned.

"Ok, the Six Points are humanity's link to the makers…what the FUCK does that even mean?" He demanded. King or not, Fairy Tail was rebuilding, they had been kicked in the damn face had lost a lot of mages, yes, White Sea had sistered with them and they were fortunately now recruiting all over Ishgar thanks to that, he had some damn good new mages in his ranks, Zen bore the Fairy Tail seal and while Farron as the new head of the Boscan Embassy in Fiore enjoyed dual citizenship..he also wore Fairy Tails seal.

"Language Laxus…this is the King of the Nation of Seven." Freed chided eyes hard on the big man who huffed…Freed was still and always would be one of few people who could get after Laxus for things like that and the man almost listened. "Sorry.." he grumbled

Nuryev just looked amused, his people, his closest friends, were far from well mannered, so it didn't faze him. He preferred honesty.

"The Six Points of Humanity represent mankind on what is known as the Court of Creation, it is the only place where the beings created by the makers may have brief audience with them." Hestor said and Laxus stared at him.

"You…you mean people…in the presence of the makers themselves?" He said in a small voice, he wasn't religious, but he also wasn't uneducated, he knew the makers of existence were more than a story, that the Heavens were real and so was Hell, there were planes of existence, a massive weave of dimensions and planes, light and dark. He held magic, he'd SEEN shit, he'd watched a Godslayer work…had witnessed real demons walking, knew through Bickslow souls were a person's real identity and the body was their vessel. Above it all stood the Gods, the pantheons of faith and belief who worked with what the Makers had made, molded and shaped it.

Above the Gods…were the Makers, the consciousness that was at the center of idea that mortal man could actually…be somewhere, be heard and seen by the Makers…was huge.

"Yes, precisely so. Balance is key to the stability of the weave, and the Gods decided that Humanity, a growing species with perception and scope capable of understanding or at least respecting the grand design, deserved a seat in the Court. Mehturt petitioned, and presented her favored Mages, Six of them…to represent humanity as they, through their magic and contracts with heavenly spirits, could be in the presence of all in the court without being overwhelmed by it." Hestor said and produced a couple of books, narrowing his eyes on Laxus even as Freed's eyes widened on the clearly ancient tomes and Levy made a soft sound of infinite excitement from where she sat.

"These are Stellan…property of the Temple of Mehturt, I am happy to let your mages read and research from them…but I want them well protected from damage, if anything harsh happens to them they have wards on them to return them to the shelves in the temple and I went through a LOT to…borrow…them." Hestor said, raising his chin and looking supremely innocent as he shifted on his high heeled boots.

"He means he probably had Romino steal them." Zen said wryly and Hestor shot the man a scowl.

"I said it in your presence Zen Ralkier Pradesh, your magic would have hit me had it been a lie…I borrowed them, with full intent of returning them…someday." Hestor added the last just to be sure Zen's magic didn't hit him…

"Yeah…and Romino has been transferred to work the library under you…he's broken into the Stellan Temples to catalog books how many times? Yeah nobody probably knows with him." Zen teased and Hestor sniffed, handing the books to Freed as Levy rushed over determined to not let Freed monopolize BOTH tomes.

"I'll rune them…Levy and I both will put protections on them." Freed assured Hestor, letting Levy take one of the books while he hugged the other to his chest smiling. The prospect of a book from the temple of Mehturt in Stella…where none but Stellans authorized by the mother seer herself were even allowed to walk into those libraries let alone study the books…more than half of which were handwritten one of a kind treasures of ancient knowledge…he was about giddy about getting to look through this.

Laxus drew a breath "And King Karadin…of Pergrand…the nation that allows no women to live within its borders…hunts them…" He glanced toward Lucy, his Nakama…she was pregnant right now…but had gone to great lengths to get that way because Pergrand had done to her what they universally did with any woman they got their hands on…stealing from her the essence of what she was and her ability to pass that on. She and Zen, for the rest of their lives together…would have to get special medical help to have children because of what Pergrand had done…he hated the country already, it's hard line hateful views against anything that wasn't their views. "That piece of shit country wants to control the points…" he growled and Nuryev was the one who nodded.

"Raimarc Karadin…King of Pergrand…was furious when my mother gave Giermo to his brother…years later she placated him by giving my advisor, my teacher…the man who taught me to be strong and to think for myself…who gave me the knowledge and strength to fight that fucking bitch and her sister…Xavier to him." Nuryev's voice held, smooth, silken, the edge of rage beneath it making the ears on Anran slide back and the wolf general growled, his King's rage elevated his own against those who had worked with the Black Queen.

"He wants control…I was not privy to much, when I was there it was usually to relay what my mother wanted from Pergrand and…to get fucked by Karadin. Believe me…nobody…hates him more than me." Nuryev said and Zen narrowed his eyes.

"Don't bet on that." Zen said and Nuryev looked at the man smiling faintly

"I saw how you suffered…could do nothing…I tried, I had no power then but that power? It's shifting now…we have the opportunity to stop Karadin from this power grab he is working at. I know he kept some of the mages the hunters went out and caught, tested…and reported killed to the Oracion Seis, there are Celestial Summoners other than Giermo and Xavier there. I'm uncertain the purpose he had in keeping them, but I know they were sent to the Magic research and development labs…which are a nest of horrors in experimentation and plying the dark arts to yield weapons for Pergrand." Nuryev said and Zen nodded, arm tightening a bit around Lucy.

Lucy pursed her lips "I can't be involved in this…not directly." She said with her hand going to her abdomen, smiling faintly when Zens joined it.

"No, but…you are positioned to be a help because you will be at the Academe Celestine, the Dean is prepared to give you access to the locked libraries…to help you find information for us as we work on this, we need to know what keys are unclaimed in the world that would grant the titles. Two we know nothing about, the Starbinder and the Starlight, we need to know about them, need to know where the keys are, everything you can find." Hestor said firmly and Lucy nodded, smiling a bit that she wasn't going to be unable to be part of this, but she wouldn't risk the babies she carried, they were far too precious, she loved them both too much already.

Laxus pressed his lips together "You want me to make a team to go into Pergrand don't you…because White Sea already went in to save Zen and they probably have a beat on the guild seals…" he said, they knew how to do it…White Sea actually had more than one Runic mage and a Tomic mage who could write alarm runes that sought out certain guild seals, even if they were hidden, made them pulse so the mage could be tracked down, it was one of the ways White Sea hunted dark mage guilds down. They were not the only ones who used those spells…Pergrand had a list of guilds that had assaulted them and White Sea was public enemy number one after they had rescued Zen.

They had all of two members who could go into Pergrand, Vander and Presca, and that was because their seals had been woven into their Bloodhunter seals, the Black Ops branch of Boscos military bound the guild seals of their mages and not even White Seas Tomic Dragonslayer could write trackers to trace either of them.

Hestor drew a breath and nodded "Yes…because Fairy Tail mages can go into Pergrand without triggering any public defense wards."

"Men…obviously you can only send men…and…you'll need someone who can work with wards and runic traps." Nuryev said.

At his words Farron tensed, his arm going around Freed and tightening, pale blue eyes narrowing a bit on the King but Freed reached for and gripped his hand, bringing those eyes to his. "It has to be me…" he said firmly.

Nearby Laxus growled "It will be the Raijinshu…Evergreen working support from Iceburg." He said quickly. If Freed had to go into that God forsaken country, he wasn't doing it with anything less than the team he knew best…Laxus wouldn't have it any other way.
"Besides, Cobra has been there more than any of us, he and Bickslow are mated...Freed knows us, works with us…better than anyone."

"I can keep things running in your absence." Farron said drawing a breath "I've run White Sea…Erza is still away and…if Freed and I are going to be separated…I'll need to stay busy."

Hestor nodded, giving his lifelong friend a sympathetic look "Your bond will make it uncomfortable…but there's nothing else we can do…" he said "I…am not happy being so far from Kaleb, I feel every mile between us, But I will be in Iceburg at the Safehouse White Sea has near the Pergrandian border in Silver Cliff City so I'm close enough to be the relay and information point. This isn't the only team out…as I said, I've sent out teams from White Sea, this is a…massive…mission we are working on spanning across multiple nations across Ishgar, The King of Seven is not alone, the leaders of Bellum, Bosco and Minstrel are also heavily invested in seeing this through even as they continue to fight back the Allied forces and work to end Alvarez's occupation forces."

Farron nodded "We're unsure as of yet who assumed leadership when the Emperor went down, but we do know…there is a new ruler, he had a successor. And They have picked things up and are pushing hard, more forces came when Fairy Law terminated so much of what was in Fiore…as has been said…this war isn't over."

"Demonic forces have joined what we're fighting." Nuryev said and there were some gasps, a lot of widened eyes…not Farrons…he knew…he was not allowed to talk about that yet though, King Altiene of Bosco was still his King, and had asked that the rise of demonic forces being seen not be broadcast yet until they knew more.

Nuryev…was under no such restrictions, and…he didn't give a shit what other rulers felt needed to be kept quiet, he'd made certain his people knew the moment they started seeing demons fighting with the reinforcements from Alvarez.

Hestor pressed his lips together…this was bad…if Demons were rising and growing their strength and presence on this plane…it meant the Archangel mages HAD to get ready, they along with the Celestial, Holy and pure light mages would become instrumental if fighting demons came to be a more than an isolated uncommon thing. Kaleb had finally learned to actually LAND without eating the ground he came down to but as a group…as The Triad…the three brothers were NOT ready for combat against demons…well…that wasn't true, he had no doubt that individually, each was capable to fighting demonic opponents…but, journals from the Holy War era told of how the Triad worked together, and…as a team…could take on entire legions of demons with Unified attack spells that completely overwhelmed even the greater demons. But Hestor hadn't had time to start work on their training as a team yet…they had been spread out…Kaleb was sorely needed in Bosco and Zen and Lucy had just finished working out a contract to have a house built in Magnolia while they were away at the Academe…plus…Lucy was Pregnant…she couldn't do combat work with Zen.

It was a problem for…later, it had to be, he couldn't do everything right this minute, they had to get the Points safe from Pergrands control and interference.

Farron listened while Laxus and Hestor started talking about the mission with the King of Seven, how Seven would help them get into Pergrand, how the White Sea Safehouse would be their fall back point and the more he heard…how they would pass through Damascus…the Slave City…where the massive numbers of slaves brought into Pergrand to be sold…where the women captured were "processed" before they were sent to Romell to be used to "Blood train" the Berserkers…

He tugged Freed's hand, pulling the rune mage away from the group and over to the entrance way to the Library downstairs where it was quieter and they had a small bit of privacy. Freed frowned, but went with him without saying anything, feeling through their bond that Farron needed to talk with him and it was important so the Ambassador met questioning teal eyes when he stood and faced his husband.

"You know I've been there…in Pergrand, that I have gone on diplomatic missions into the country…a total of 7 times since I became a formal Ambassador in service to Bosco…and of course…before…when I was a boy." Farron said, forcing himself calm, thoughtful…but his eyes on Freed's were firm, fierce even and Freed nodded, stepping to Farron and sliding his hands to the man's shoulders.

"I know…I know how much pain that country, that King…has caused you and your family." Freed said. "You know I'm careful, you know I will take the utmost care, I'll have Laxus…your brother…Cobra too, there with me." he curled his fingers along the ornate slender braid that always hung over Farrons shoulder, the held the beads given to him by each country he has helped…it was custom across Earthland to acknowledge Peacekeepers like Farron, who worked to keep trade and good will alive between nations. Farrons braid held 9 beads already even at his young age.

"I know…but I know what that place does…how it works there…the people…the customs. Freed…you're going to have to be more than careful, more than strong…you're so beautiful…" Farron said, smiling faintly as he cupped Freed's cheek with a gentle hand. The answering blush from his husband made his whole being respond…right along with the fierce need to protect his beloved and cherished mate. Freed already wore a golden feather, hanging from his left ear, pulled right from Farrons wing…and he knew how to call Farron to his side…had taken to that immediately and could do it almost as well as Hestor could bring Kaleb to his side. Still…

"They can take freedom…we'll do all we can, I'll call Mr Elan…we'll get the special inks, put a military brand into all of you…it's the only thing that will make a slaver back off is if the freeman has a brand of military service to Pergrand…Mr. Elan was once a high ranked Captain in Pergrands Military and knows how to place those brands and spell them…we'll do that…but even with that…if you make a mistake…offend the wrong person…or entice the wrong person without meaning to…" Farron shook his head "I don't want a slave collar to ever touch your neck…and I've had to do things while I was in Pergrand…I'm Boscan…and I freely admit sex is a tool I've used in negotiations…I've had to use it in Pergrand to keep a collar away from my neck…it's why I don't go there, can't anymore…too many high powered men there want the brother of the Dark Eagle…the son of Arman Pradesh as a trophy...and Freed…you're so beautiful…they'll want you there."

Freed pressed his lips together "I'd be lying if I said I haven't used my looks to get things on jobs Farron…I've used sex too…" he admitted and Farron smiled, gentle fingers sliding through Freed's hair.

"I love you Freed, and it's crucial you know now…and understand it…that whatever you have to do while you're on this mission…I will love you no less, want you no less, think no less of you because…I've had to do a lot myself on missions there to assure I and the people with me…made it home. So…" he leaned forward, his forehead pressing to Freeds "No matter what…come home to me, and if things get bad…don't hesitate to bring me to your side so I can fight with you…for you…because you are the most important thing in my life now and I want you back."

Freeds eyes welled some then, happy tears though, always happy since Farron had firmly placed himself in Freeds life. "I love you too…I understand Farron, and I will come home to you." he managed before he was being kissed so thoroughly he really stopped thinking.

Laxus frowned "Freed?..." they were in the middle of planning, and Freed was important in this…a better strategist than himself if he were honest.

Bickslow kicked his shin and he snarled but followed the Seiths eyes to the Library doors and snorted though he smiled faintly. Seeing his friend so happy was such a change, as long as he'd known Freed the man had struggled, with his family, his sexuality, his choices in life…everything…Bickslow was usually who went with Freed to the gay clubs and such, and usually who Freed went to when things went wrong in that part of his life…but Laxus had been there too, more than once…had even hunted down the old man who had raped Freed in a damned club bathroom back when they were teenagers…he'd almost killed the man too…because nobody messed with his kin…and by then Freed had already been that to him.

So seeing his friend…so happy, with a man he knew was going to be good to him, it made Laxus pretty damn happy himself and made the dragon within him just about purr.

"Yeah….we'll fill him in later." he said turning back to the King.