The doors of the large room creaked open and Layla looked up from her spot on the bed to see her husband walk tiredly into the room. He allowed the maids to take away the heavy cape on his shoulders before walking to the bed and taking a seat opposite his wife. Layla's brows furrowed in worry at Jude's tired face and she set down the book in her hands to the side. She rose and made her way across the bed to sit behind Jude, resting her head on his shoulder and rubbing his arm gently.
"What's wrong honey," she asked softly.
Jude sighed before shifting so that his arm was wrapped around Layla's waist while keeping her head on his shoulder. The fire crackling in the fireplace made the room warm and lit the place up with a soft glow, making the scene pleasing to the eyes and heart. However, the heavy weight of state affairs made Jude feel anything but calm and content.
"It's Stella. Their new king, Animus, has been conquering their neighboring countries. I'm afraid Fiore may not be able to escape the war path," he admitted.
"Stella? Do we not have a trade agreement with them?" Layla asked, confused.
"That, we do. It was established when the late king was alive. However, it's not certain that Animus will adhere to it and I will not gamble the lives of our citizens on a trade agreement. We need to prepare for the worst, I'm afraid," he explained, running a hand through his hair.
"Jude, we haven't been at war in over thirty years. Will our army be enough?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow I will send an envoy to Dragnof to propose an alliance."
Layla felt nervous butterflies in her stomach, but she pushed aside the feeling and planted a kiss on Jude's jawline, muttering soothingly, "It will be okay, my love. We can worry about it in the morning. Let's go to sleep."
Natsu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing intently at the crystal statue that stood at the foot of the palace. His eyes traced the figure slowly, despite having the image imprinted deeply in his mind already. Absentmindedly he thought that the sculptor did his disciple no justice. The smile on her face, the look in her eyes - they were all wrong. Her smile was supposed to be brighter, more illuminating. Her eyes were supposed to have more depth, more mischief, more warmth. The statue glittered prettily under the sun's rays and Natsu couldn't help but think that at least that was reflective of his disciple's bright personality.
"Natsu," a voice greeted him.
The god didn't respond for a moment, unwilling to tear his gaze away from the crystal statue in front of him. In the end, he turned his head slightly to see the god, Gray, standing a couple of feet away from him.
"Gray," he replied stoically, face void of any emotions.
However, the other immortal did not take it to heart and instead directed his gaze to the statue that stood proudly before him. The two were silent, each lost in their own thoughts before Gray broke the silence.
"It's been ten millenia already."
Seeing as Natsu didn't reply, the raven haired immortal paused before continuing, "Perhaps it's time to move on Natsu."
"What do you mean?" Natsu asked, deadly calm. For a moment, Gray was tempted to laugh it off and tell Natsu that he meant nothing by it - that it was just a poor joke. But, as he looked between the crystalized memory of the princess and the stoic Natsu, he knew that he needed to say this. It wasn't because he was trying to be an asshole, it was because he saw Natsu hurting. Despite them being rivals, despite them always arguing and fighting, Natsu was his best friend. As his friend, he wanted him to stop hurting, no matter how much he knew that Natsu would not appreciate the things that he was about to say.
"I mean it's time to let go of her Natsu. We are all hurt by her loss, but she sacrificed herself for peace. For us. This isn't what she would have wanted Natsu. She would want you to be happy, she would want all of us to be happy. It's been ten millennia and you're still hurting Natsu."
Natsu immediately became angry. His hands clenched into fists and he looked as if he were seconds away from punching the raven haired immortal in the face. "She died to save me, Gray. I was her master and I failed her! I swore on her grave that I would find her soul and bring her back. I failed her once and I will not fail her again, even if it costs everything I have."
"She wouldn't have wanted you to sacrifice anything! She exchanged her life for yours, Natsu! Your disregard for your own life because of your guilt is violating her final actions," Gray said, frustrated. Why couldn't he see reason?
"You don't know her," Natsu said lowly, anger rolling off of him in waves.
"I may not have known her as well as you, but I know that she would hate seeing you like this," Gray scoffed.
"You don't know anything," Natsu growled before shoving Gray aside to go visit Mavis.
"She would want you to be happy!" Gray called after Natsu, eyebrows furrowed in worry and frustration as he watched Natsu round the corner of the palace and begin the long walk towards Mavis' garden.
It had already been thousands of years since the war and so much has changed, but not Natsu. Ever since Lucy died, it was as if Natsu became a different person. Gone was the passionate and carefree fire god. In his place was a man haunted by a tragedy so great that the frostiness of his aura almost suppressed the warmth of his fire magic. Gray's gaze turned to the crystal statue of Lucy and he thought back to the day of the decisive battle. He still remembered it as if it were yesterday. Lucy's soul had already been consumed by the Etherion by the time Natsu had gotten to her. Gray had never seen Natsu like that before. The fire in his eyes, the anguished cry that came from his lips silenced the entire battlefield on both sides, and the pure anger that radiated from him made everyone unconsciously take a step back.
The massacre afterwards was one that would be written in the history books forever. When Natsu finally picked up Lucy's lifeless body, the ground was soaked with the blood of millions of Demons. It was then, as he walked off the battlefield, that Gray realized that Natsu's anger and sorrow would never fade.
They say that time heals all wounds, but he would be the first one to call bullshit on that statement. Even after all these years, Natsu still hasn't let go of the pain, the rage, and the sorrow that came with the Princess' death. A part of Gray suspected that Natsu's love ran deeper than just a master disciple relationship, but he wouldn't voice it, out of respect for both the fire god who lost so much and the Celestial Princess who ultimately gave up her own life.
Gray looked up at the vast and endless sky. When humans were struck with tragedy, they prayed to the gods for guidance and support. But when they, the gods, faced tragedies, who would they turn to?