AN: Guys, you're all amazing. I'm touched by the number of reviews that have been left for the last two chapters, some extremely honest ones too. I loved every single one of them (especially the frank ones)! As much as I want to continue doing the individual shout-outs that I've been doing for each chapter so far, I'm afraid life is getting in the way. As of this chapter, I'm going to only add author notes when there are questions that need to be addressed (that won't be answered in the story or need more clarification) or to give you guys updates of schedule changes. This way I'll be sure to get these chapters out to you on time no matter what.
Today will be a double chapter update 'cause I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have time during the upcoming week to upload the next chapter. Life's happening. As fun as always :-)
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The bell of the broken down tavern rang its sober tune, announcing the entry of a tall, muscular man. The imposing figure surveyed the dim, small, dilapidated room, his gaze finally settling upon the hunched being wiping a dirty glass behind the grimy bar.
"Any chance a man can getta good ale in this God-forsaken hovel?"
The hunched man glanced up from his task, gazing blearily up at the giant.
"Eh? Ya gotta speak up, sonny. Didja say ya want a drink?"
The muscled man grinned, a twinkle of genial mirth in his eye. He leaned forward, just a foot away from the old bartender.
"Do fairies have tails, ol man?"
The man slowly lowered his glass to the bar top, glancing around his latest customer to discreetly scan the remaining occupants of his pub. Seeming to find what he was looking for, his gaze shifted back to the beefy man now openly chuckling.
"Ya got my attention, boy. Now head on down that corridor in tha back, first door on tha left. Ya know the password."
The man smiled broadly, throwing a friendly wink at the old bartender before he strode towards the dark corridor at the back. With a surreptitious glance around, he made his way through the indicated door, a whispered word granting him entry through the magical barrier just beyond its boundary.
His wide grin faded a little at the sight that met his eyes.
The usually loud and bustling Fairy Tail was quiet. A handful of patrons sat scattered about, most of them in a hurry to finish their dinners and be on their way. At the farthest end of the spacious hall, in a dim corner, he could make out a longer table where a larger group conversed. At the far end of this table, a safe distance away from its other occupants, two familiar heads of golden hair and brown leant close to each other, speaking in low, urgent tones. With a raised brow, the muscular giant made his way to the table.
"Ma sweet baby cheeks, watcha want from yer old man?!"
Cana looked up from her low conversation to throw an affectionate glare at her sire.
"Bout time ya showed up, Gildarts! I was so sure you'd forgot tha passwords and tha instructions I gave ya ta enter. Was gonna send a couple o these muscle heads after ya…"
Gildarts frowned, taking the seat at the table opposite his beloved daughter.
"Wha's with all this cloak n dagger anyway? Fairy Tail under new management or somethin?"
"Nay," A soft, melodious voice interjected, raising her eyes from the map on the table to focus on the burly giant of a man seated in front of them. "The illusionary enchantment you just experienced is temporary - a special request I made of my magical friends, for the express purpose of this meeting. We needed utmost secrecy and security, you see."
Gildarts smiled affectionately at the golden-haired lass, lost in the warm chocolate of her doe-shaped eyes.
"Well ma girl, whatcha want with me then? Comin from a beauty like you, a man can't say no to anythin…"
Lucy giggled, as Cana gagged. Stifling her titters, Lucy shot the burly man an amused look.
"You're as charming as ever, Gildarts."
Gildarts chuckled. "Now yer just butterin me up…"
"Oh for the love of all that's holy!" Cana groaned. "Jus get ta the point, Lucy! Ain't no way I'm watchin ya flirt with this ol bag o bones fer longer than I can help it!"
"O-of course, Cana, it was just a spot of fun - I didn't mean any harm. My apologies." Lucy shot her friend a sheepish smile, clearing her throat and sitting up a little straighter in her chair.
"I've called you today to ask a favor of you, dear Gildarts." Lucy said gently, her tone and expression turned sober. "And I wish to ask you this not as your daughter's friend… but as the Princess of Pergrande."
Gildart's roguish grin vanished, replaced instantly with a calculating look. The muscular man leaned back in his chair, gratefully accepting the mug of beer his daughter slid his way as he studied the golden-haired woman regarding him so solemnly.
"In tha case… I reserve the right ta grant it only afta hearin yer request, yer majesty."
Lucy nodded. "That is fair." Her gaze drifted from Gildarts to a table a few feet away, where two well-built, cloaked soldiers sat, finishing their supper with gusto. She caught the eye of one of the pair, and the two rose from their spots immediately, making their way to the long table. Gildart's glanced over his shoulder, his scrutinizing look completely unheeded by the two equally muscularly built men. The slightly taller man who had led the way threw back his hood first.
"Laxus?!" Gildarts exclaimed, gaping at the fair-haired, sculpted, soldierly man. "Whatcha doin here of all places, lad?"
Laxus smirked, but did not reply, his gaze drifting from Gildarts to Lucy - his address only to her.
"You called me, my leige?"
"Ma LIEGE?" Gildarts shot up from his chair, his mouth now hanging so low it could have scrapped the floor. "Are ya tellin me ya actually swore full-fealty ta the crown o Pergrande?! Are ya crazy boy?! Yer already half royal yerself, whydhya do somethin as useless as tha? An doncha know wha tha ol King of ours will make ya do? Ain't it bad enuf bein a soldier in his damn army? What possessed you ta…"
"Gildarts."
The musical yet firm tone had Gildarts halting his tirade instantly, his attention immediately drawn back to the lovely Princess. He frowned, prepared to fearlessly voice his opinions to her directly, but was stopped once again by a fair, raised hand.
"Allow me to explain, dear sir. You may pass judgment on Laxus and I as you see fit, after you have heard the whole story."
"Sit down ya ol bag o bones. Stop jumpin ta stupid conclusions. Use yer useless ears an listen ta wha Lucy has ta say."
With his daughter's encouraging words ringing in his ears, Gildarts plopped back into his seat, as the two new men took seats on either side of him. The second man's hood came off then, not to much avail, for the head beneath it was helmeted. Gildarts relaxed at the sight of the new man, chancing a friendly wink at him which was returned with a hearty chuckle and a slap on the back.
"Yer in on this to, eh Bixlow?"
"You know it, old timer! Gotta watch out for the big man, eh?"
Lucy coughed delicately, once again drawing the attention of the three burly men back to her petite form.
"First off, Gildarts, I would like to clear a misconception of yours. Laxus has not sworn fealty to the crown of Pergrande. He has sworn fealty solely to me."
Gildarts frowned. "So… Does tha mean yer father can't claim to be his leige-lord?"
"Precisely."
Gildarts nodded, the tense set of his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Well. Tha's betta I suppose. But this still don't make me feel all happy, darlin." Gildarts leveled a stern glare at Lucy. "I'm still not able ta understand why ya want his alleigence in tha first place - are ya lookin ta consolidate more power or somethin?"
"Quite the opposite, Gildarts." Laxus interrupted in his deep, bass voice. "So far, Lucy has not given me any orders that have helped her gain more power in the courts. She has primarily had me meet the common folk and perform tasks to aid them."
"She's trying to improve our meat-head's standing with the people. Making him a 'hero of the everyday man' sort of deal." Bixlow's wide grin was only accented by the edge of his helmet hiding his upper face from view.
Gildarts blinked. "Tha doesn make much sense…"
"It does with wha she's got planned, father." Cana interjected softly, her eyes soft and fond as she regarded the flushing young woman seated beside her. "She's tryin to make this ol gorrilla someone tha people trust an look up to. So that one day…"
"He can be the King of Pergrande. And I will finally be free." Lucy finished softly, her gaze fixed on Gildarts, her eyes filled with longing that broke the older man's heart.
"Tha's a sweet plan, ma dear." The burly giant began gently, reaching out a comforting hand and placing it on Lucy's smaller appendage. "But so many things could go wrong with tha plan. The biggest o which is yer own father…"
"That is why we need you, Gildarts." Lucy interrupted, the pleading in her eyes so deep that Gildarts took in a shuddery breath, struggling with responsive tears of his own. "Laxus is gaining the respect and love of the normal people of Pergrande… but what he needs now is the support of its hidden magical community. The one set of humans who cannot accept my father and who could tip the balance of power in his favor. The mages. For that purpose, I wish to send him to aid the demon wars alongside a group of able and willing mages whom he can also train in combat, thereby earning their respect just as he already has with his own loyal troops."
Gildarts sighed. "An where do I fit inta all this, lil one?"
Lucy squeezed his hand still encasing hers. "Would you go with him?"
"...How would tha help?"
"Oh for the lovah God, ya ol dunce!" Cana exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Yer a bloody hero among tha mage community throughout Fiore! If ya were ta stand beside Laxus and support him, it'll jus make tha job for this ol meat-head tha much quicker an easier! We're on a time-crunch here, ya see?!"
Gildarts took in a deep breath, folding his arms across his broad chest.
"But doncha already have tha support o tha magical community, Laxus? Yer boyfriend is an elf afta all, ain't he?"
Laxus blushed a brilliant crimson, the color clashing comically with his corn-husk hair. Cana let out a raucous laugh, leering at the fumbling man as even Lucy and Bixlow struggled to contain their chuckles.
"W-well, that improves his standing amongst magical beings, no doubt, but as you know all too well, dear Gildarts, our human mages are rather distrustful of everyone - including all the magical races." Lucy supplied, shooting Laxus a mischievous look in the process.
Gildarts stroked his short, reddish beard. "Yea. Can't argue with ya there." He smiled, his gaze turning gentle and searching.
"Very well, lil one. Ya have a deal. I'll go up north with tha boy, an use ma wonderful people skills ta get him in tha good graces of as many of our mages as we can."
"Hmph. If yer head gets any bigger, yer gonna fall over ya ol perv."
"Yer so mean ta yer ol man, ma sweetie pie!"
Cana chucked her empty beer mug at his head, scowling when the limber old man ducked away from the missile with ease.
Gildarts continued chuckling as he addressed one last question to Lucy. "Okay, ma girl. As happy as I am ta see ya gettin along with yer cousin, I'm a little surprised too. You two were neva close - I've heard Makarov complain enuf times about wha a burly ass you've been ta her, Laxus, and I've even heard him say ya ignore this boy like tha plague, Lucy. Wha changed ta make ya cousins so close?"
A mask fell over Lucy's face, the look of warmth and joviality snuffed out in an instant. She rose from her spot, ignoring Gildart's question as she called out to the burly men and women sitting at the opposite end of their long table, her tone brisk and business-like.
"Apart from Laxus and Bixlow, these will be your other main companions, Gildarts."
A beautiful warrior woman with midnight black locks approached them.
"This is Pisces."
Beside her stood a grinning young man with shocking white hair, dressed in pitch-black with a deadly sword attached to his hip.
"This is… Piscean."
A woman in an exotic dancer's dress also approached, only her sharp eyes visible over her thin white veil.
"...And this is Libra."
Gildarts blinked, a little confused by the strange magical signatures coming off the group of three.
"Who are ya?"
"We are your companions, as her highness said."
"Huh. But yer not human, tha's for sure…"
"They are celestial spirits." Lucy supplied, her tone softening as she took in the three quiet figures standing beside her. "And they are under my protection. They wished to participate in the demon wars, and therefore I gave them my blessing, and hoped that they will be safe with you…"
"Aye. Tha they will be, lil one. Ya still haven't answered ma question tho, ya shrewd lass."
Lucy sighed, a grim look upon her face and sorrow in her eyes. Before she could retort, Laxus' booming voice interjected.
"That's because it isn't any of your business, old geezer. Suffice it to say that I saw first-hand the extent of Lucy's love for her people… And it was so fucking crazy that it convinced me to swear fealty to this insane woman."
Lucy looked up, her eyes brightening with a glow of affection as she glanced at her cousin. She mouthed a small 'thank you' to the stoic and surly man - who merely nodded in response, hiding the gentle smile that threatened the edges of his lips. Gildarts watched the exchange in astonishment, chuckling as he caught his daughter's eye.
"Well, well. I won't pry. Ya two have a right ta keep yer secrets. And we'd betta get goin, lads and lasses."
Gildarts rose from his seat, a savage smirk on his lips.
"We're goin ta war."
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Two Days Later
A steady flow of conversation ebbed and rose amongst the richly bedecked gathering of humans, occasionally peaking as a topic of interest was broached.
At the farthest end of the spacious and rich chamber, was a raised platform upon which stood a handsome throne. Its occupant sat still and straight, her features and form masked by the shadows thrown by the drapes hung strategically from the low balcony above her. Only her slender hand, tapping impatiently on the armrest of her ornate seat, was clearly visible.
Besides her, smooth and eloquent, stood an orange-haired courtier, his charisma oozing as he deftly steered some of the more curious or eager nobles away from his irate monarch.
A nervous court announcer entered the chamber, trembling a little as he bowed before his ruler wrapped in shadows.
"Y-your majesty. The visitor from the north has waited the required period, and requests an audience with your highness."
The slender hand performed a graceful wave of acceptance, and the servant bowed, understanding his monarch's will. He scurried out of the chamber, eager to convey the news to the lucky guest.
Their guest did not keep the ruler waiting.
A tall, lean and fit man, with messy, short, straight dark-blue locks strode into the chamber, his maroon facial tattoo attracting the interest of the gathered assembly and his regal, foreboding presence causing a hush to fall over the occupants of the hall. He walked leisurely to the edge of the platform, his eyes focused only on the figure cloaked in shadows.
"Your majesty. My name is Seigrien, and I come from the far off land of Kentwood. It is with much regret that I must inform you that the nation of which I was once a wealthy nobleman, has since fallen into the hands of our cowardly enemies further north - Icegard. I, along with a small retinue of my men, are the sole survivors of the merciless assault upon my unfortunate kingdom."
Loke raised a curious brow, asking his ruler's unspoken question.
"You claim Icegard attacked you? But they have never shown interest in expansion before this - why now?"
Seigrien shot the orange-haired courtier a grim smile.
"Icegard's agenda has changed much since the start of the demon wars. Their drive to survive forces them to invade neighboring nations for supplies and men - and which of their bordering kingdoms could withstand their fierce magic? They are practically unstoppable…"
The hushed assembly broke out into a cacophony of panicked whispers. The blue-haired man smothered a smirk as he glanced around, the gesture not escaping the keen-eyed Loke. The growing hullabaloo was halted abruptly by the single raised hand of their shielded monarch.
Loke glanced at his ruler before addressing the visitor once more.
"And what do you seek of the Princess of Pergrande, sir?"
"I wish for my men and I to be granted sanctuary in your fair land. In return, I would be honored to swear fealty to her highness - my men and I would be at her command."
Loke nodded, having expected this request.
"Very well. Her majesty has judged you worthy, and you will be granted a lower court appointment tomorrow…"
"With all due respect, Lord Loke, I presume? I believe I would be eligible for an appointment in your high court."
The assembly grumbled, a few raising their voices in protest. Loke just scoffed, waving his hand in dismissal.
"Sir Seigrien, beggars cannot be choosers. You would do well to accept her majesty's generosity before she deigns you unworthy and throws you into the dungeons…"
"I was the treasurer of the kingdom of Kentwood. And when I fled, I ensured that all of its wealth left with me - to prevent it from falling into the hands of our usurpers, of course. It amounts to at least seventy million gold pieces, along with jewels and silver. Add that to the army of five thousand men I command, and I am confident that I am more than eligible to be named a member of your esteemed high court, your majesty."
The whispers surrounding him once again changed from chagrined to charmed, as the fickle high court officials gathered in the small chamber fawned over the requestor's abundant resources. Loke, however, looked grim and wary. He stepped onto the platform, leaning his torso into the shadows to converse in an almost indiscernible voice with his ruler. After a few minutes of low conversation, he reemerged, his face a blank mask.
"We are a little surprised by your claim, Sir Seigrien, for was it not your duty to proclaim the vast wealth you carried at customs when you first entered?"
"You are absolutely correct, benevolent Princess." Seigrien supplied in a smooth, honeyed drawl. "But given the circumstances of my departure from my homeland, and the state in which I arrived at your strong borders, surely you can't fault me for hiding resources which otherwise could have been misappropriated and misused?"
Loke sighed, not particularly surprised by the man's line of reasoning. It was, after all, each man for themselves in the courts of Pergrande - so it was no shock that this new entrant had decided to get a head start.
"Very well. Her majesty concurs - you will be appointed a high court official come morn. You are now dismissed."
The blue-haired, tattooed man sunk into a low bow before he spun on his heel - swiftly making his way out whence he came. An evil smile snuck onto his face as he exited, his eyes glistening with cruel intent.
As he made his way down the darkened corridor to his newly appointed chambers, Jellal internally cackled in delight. The first phase of his plan had worked perfectly. Now for the second part…
To find the keeper of the keys.