The trembling hands that clung onto me in desperation were hers. The tears that silently fell and glistened under the sun, amidst the shadow of the leaves and wisteria that fell on her face were hers. The hair that set aflutter, kissing her wet cheek, draping over my arms was hers.

The warm breath, the warm body, the warm kiss – all hers.

But she…

She is mine.

All mine.

A Tale from Thelua

[26] gathering

The woman in his arms was cold as if the winter had returned and engulfed her whole. She was trembling, shaking, and he thought that she was like a snowflake – silently fluttering and falling alone, and gone in an instant even with the touch of the slightest warmth. She was gentle, but also fragile. Cold, but also fiery. Impassive, but also sensitive. She was delicate yet turbulent, despite the calmness she showed, the stillness and the indifference that he once thought was all of her.

Even now, she is breaking.

And he was keeping her from falling apart, holding her in place; he was afraid that if he let go of this woman, then she would just go into the air. Like a snowflake.

He held her tight while silently listening to her frantic breath and suppressed cry. When he looked at her eyes that were like melting chocolate and the glistening tears that fell quietly, he thought of the night when he told her about his past. They had switched places now, but still, she was quick to cry.

He wondered if things would change if they meet sooner in their lives. They would be introduced to each other sooner and thus gave them more time to socialize. Perhaps the relation between Thelua and Feliose would be better from that point on, and there would be no need for the closed conference between them.

Then she would not meet his brother.

He was informed that time; that his brother would be joining Thelua's delegate entourage for the sake of guarding Makarov. But he heard that Zeref left days earlier than the entourage did. And then, in the city of Feliose which bordering Thelua, where the conference was held, he met her. And then, they both fell for each other.

There were things that he always had been meaning to ask his brother. Things that had been bothering his mind for a long time. Things that had been asked if only he was brave enough, things that he should have asked since a long time ago.

Why did you leave?

Why did you give your position to me?

Why did you go to the front line?

And–

Why her?

Why, of all the ladies he could have, why Lucy?

"–ord? My lord?"

A hand was filling his field of vision. He blinked then, once, twice, before rising his head to see his knight whose face was full of confusion. He retracted his hand then coughed. "You've been spacing out for a while, my lord," he said, placing a hand on his hips and sighed. "And you've been doing this for days. Seriously, Natsu, what is wrong with you?"

Natsu noticed the remark Gray made, the way he used his name instead of the usual polite title he used to call him. "Have I, really?" Natsu asked instead of answering him. He returned to read the paper in his hold that, he supposed, had been left unread for a while. He heard Gray sighing aloud, an act he always did once he got annoyed by something.

"Fine, let's hear whatever you want to say," Natsu sighed inwardly, returning the paper to the desk and pinched the bridge of his nose with eyes closed.

"You'll be late for the tea party," the knight said.

Natsu's eyes promptly shifted to the calendar that rested on the corner of the desk. There was a number encircled with a red-inked pen. Apparently, that was today's date.

"Will there be someone I have to greet?"

Gray shook his head. "I was told that it's a ladies' gathering. Didn't the princess inform you?"

"She did," he replied. "I don't think neither the ladies nor I will find it good for a man to meddle the gathering of ladies, yet you insist on me going."

"The princess is inviting her," Gray narrowed his eyes, "that woman."

Natsu threw his gaze somewhere else. The sky was clear today. Such perfect weather for having an outdoor tea party for the ladies. He quickly thought of the conversation he had with his wife three days ago.

"I only invited the ladies and their female attendant. It will be a ladies' gathering, so you don't have to be there, Natsu."

"If it's only for a brief while, I can make a quick visit."

"No, no, really. It's alright."

She looked a little bit troubled when he told her he could visit. Must be that was the reason, he thought.

"It can't be helped," Natsu said as he stood to stand beside the window. "My wife really minds about rumor and gossips, after all. If she doesn't invite a lady who also holds the title of duchess, it might be the talk of the ladies once the gathering over."

In his opinion, one should not mind much about the rumor that circulated among the nobility. Nothing useful could be gained from that, except one used it to bring another noble down. But he understood. For Lucy's point of view, even for someone who held the second-highest title in the nobility, the ladies of Thelua were strangers she needed to gain the favor of. To strengthen her footing in this kingdom. To establish her foundation as the future queen.

Innocent as she was, Lucy was still a princess. Once of Feliose, and now of Thelua. She knew how to make her way there, he mused. But a little support would not hurt, especially coming from someone who held the title of the crown prince, who also her husband.

"It seems like you are not going to leave me alone until I go and make a visit there, will you now, Gray?" He asked, turning to him.

Gray let out a laugh. "You know how it is, my lord."

The two left the study and went to the garden. It was supposed to be held in the east garden, precisely in the crystal palace, as Wendy had told him yesterday. And if what his sister said were true, then Her Majesty should be attending the gathering as well. It has been a while since his mother was attending such a gathering herself, remembering that she did not particularly take much interest in it. That trait of hers was surely passed onto him.

As the two neared the east garden, they saw, in the grassy path that led to the crystal palace in the center of the east garden, a woman whose silver hair was covered with a blue bonnet and her female attendant. Natsu stopped; his lips formed a thin line and eyes silently gazing at her back. Behind him, his knight clicked his tongue almost disdainfully.

"That woman," Gray murmured, "still as presumptuous as ever; arriving at a party later than the hostess does."

Natsu said nothing at the remark. He could picture the kind of expression the knight had right now. Gray never liked her, even in their childhood, he would rather stay away from her than joining in. Natsu never asked him the reason; he used to believe that it was just a fit of childhood jealousy between friends, but now he thought that there could be something more.

He didn't know what kind of luck she was in, but as the wind blew, it also blew the bonnet away and it was stuck on the tall camellia tree. Both she and her attendant turned around, and as the attendant was panicking over the stuck bonnet, her eyes met his. She promptly curtsied before glancing into the tall tree.

"That kind of hat shouldn't be light enough to be blown by a mere breeze," Gray commented. "What shall we do, my lord?"

Natsu didn't answer him and walked onto the grassy path. He stopped several meters away from her. The woman once again curtsied along with her attendant, smiling a little bit. "Greetings, Your Highness," she said. "I'm afraid I will be late for the gathering."

"You mean even later than you already are," Gray mumbled, yet it was loud enough for the lady to hear as she sent a quick glare at the knight.

"Good day, Duchess," Natsu returned the greeting. He then gazed at the bonnet that was hanging on a branch. "I shall fetch someone to get your bonnet later. You have a gathering to attend, already as late as you are now."

"I thank you for Your Highness' generosity," she said. "Shall we go together?"

Behind him, Gray was badmouthing her inwardly and Natsu had to cover it if he didn't want to embarrass her any further. "I will pick some flower for Her Majesty first," he said. "And I believe the hostess is more important now rather than me. Good day, Duchess."

The woman stilled. She curtsied, mumbling her excuse to go first and left with her attendant. Natsu spared one last glance to her before glancing at his knight.

"Please don't tell me you are ordering me to get that hat," Gray said in horrid, "because, my lord, I am not going to do that."

Natsu shook his head. "Just go and get someone to take that bonnet and have it delivered to her just before the gathering ended. I will be picking some of the flowers for Her Majesty."

His knight murmured something along the line of 'too kind' and 'she can throw some pebbles like how she used to get a persimmon from a tree' but complied. As he left, Natsu was left gazing at the bonnet. What luck, he thought as he picked the camellia, but felt not apologetic to it. On one note, he had to agree with Gray – she was too confident that it bordered on shameless. No married woman would ask for the escort of a man who wasn't a part of her family.

She has changed.

As Gray returned with a gardener, Natsu promptly continued his walk to the crystal palace with flowers in hand, followed by Gray. As he neared the building, he started to hear the soft chatter of the ladies. A particular voice picked his interest; his wife had a different tone when she talked to other people compared to when she talked to him. It was more composed, mature, controlled – as if she knew how to direct the whole gathering and maintain a pleasant conversation between the ladies.

It was easy to locate his wife; she was dressed in a light pink dress that made her stand out yet wasn't as lavish. Her hair was let down without any trinket over her head and the jewelry she wore was kept to her marriage ring and a necklace she brought from Feliose that complimented her dress. The way of her conduct was impressive as if nothing was amiss. Only then that Natsu realized how true it was when she said that people deemed her as a perfect lady, a perfect princess.

Her eyes suddenly met his and she stood immediately, followed by the other ladies who just realized his arrival. They all greeted him and flashed him a polite smile that he knew was just a poor attempt of luring him in. His eyes quickly scanned the ladies but failing to see his mother among them. He then proceeded on returning the greetings.

"Good day, ladies," he said. "I hope my visit here doesn't cause any discomfort."

"Of course, that will never be the case, brother," his sister replied. "Here, come sit beside sister."

"No, it's fine. I'm not planning to stay, just in case having men here would disturb the ladies' talk," he referred to his and Gray's presence, which returned with a smile from his wife.

"Her Majesty is not feeling well today so I'm afraid I can't force her to come," she said as she noticed the flowers in his hold. "Please do visit her, my lord."

"I will," he replied. He was staring at her, earning a questioning look from her. Though she was already standing out, she really needed to wear something to emphasize her golden hair. He approached her, earning a panicked look from her that he caught as soon as it went, and placed a flower on her hair.

"Perfect," he said, smiling as her face started to redden slightly.

So, she's capable of making that expression too.

He took the chance of her silence to take her hand and kissed her there. A hushed gasp could be heard from the ladies around him and his wife's face reddened even more. Natsu thought that it would be fine to tease her like this – such an adorable expression she made right now.

"Well then," he turned as the ladies quickly return to their best manner, "Please enjoy the gathering. Good day." He bowed as the ladies curtsied and left with Gray, whose face was as white as sheet.

After they walked quite the distance, the knight finally voiced his thought. "What was that, my lord?" He questioned, sounding horrified. "Not only the flower but also a kiss? What– Who are you?"

Ahead of him, Natsu chuckled. "You were the one who told me to do something about the rumor about her and my brother."

"But isn't it too much? You haven't forgotten my existence there, have you, my lord?"

"Well, my wife is indeed beautiful so why can't I make any proper things that could be done between a married couple?"

The knight fell silent. "Well, the lady is indeed beautiful, but I never expect you to do those things, Natsu."

"Then you may expect yourself to get used to it starting now."

The casual banter died out as Natsu noticed the appearance of a man with a black cape. He stopped in his track as Gray swiftly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Natsu stared the man quietly before greeted him. "Good day, brother."

"Good day, Natsu," he returned the greeting. Natsu gestured for Gray to guard the area around them as he had some things that he wanted to ask his brother.

"This is the only way to reach the east garden," he said. "What kind of business my brother has to a gathering of the ladies, I wonder."

This earned a chuckle from the older man. "A messenger came from Feliose, in another word, a letter came for Lucy."

Lucy. Of course.

"I will hand the letter to her," Natsu said, voice thick in suspicion, "Please, pass it to me, brother."

The man's eyes gleamed before it disappeared behind the lids as he smiled. "Very well. Please do hand her the letter. I shall return now."

He left, and Natsu was left with a letter which seal belonged to the royal family. It must be from the king, he thought. For a messenger coming here, it must be something quite urgent. Yet seeing it was addressed to his wife, it shouldn't be something serious. His Majesty, his father, should be receiving a letter as well for it was considered as rude for addressing letter aimed to one of the royal family members without sending one to the king.

Keeping a firm hold to the letter, Natsu thought of having tea with Lucy this afternoon. He couldn't keep her in the dark about the letter, and just in case it was something she had to pay attention quickly as well.

He only hoped that it was nothing serious.

After all, laughter and smile fit her best than tears.

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