Saying that lunch with his betrothed was exhausting might be an exaggeration, but there's no denying that it strained at his very social quota of the day.
"Did it go well?" Chelia asked, reaching out to divest him of his coat.
He raised a brow at the excitement in her voice.
"As well as expected." He said carefully.
The girl deflated in disappointment, giving him a look that he could not identified.
"I guess it's expected of a prince that has never even been in a relationship before, huh." She muttered under her breath.
"What—" He spluttered in indignation, glaring at her retreating back. "I don't have time for a relationship!"
Chelia glanced at him over her shoulder, her lips pulled in a sympathizing frown. Before he could be riled up by her patronizing look, a loud knock on his door cut him off. Ignoring Chelia's protest, he went to open the door.
"Lyon-sama!" Chelia hissed in irritation. "I told you to let me get the door!"
"Relax," he sighed. "It's only Sherry and Toby."
He might not be the best sensor in Lamia Scale, but he has completely familiarized with his attendants' magical auras. Anyone who wished to impersonate his attendants and sneak up on him would be greatly disappointed.
"How's the lunch date with Princess Minerva?" Sherry set down the silver tray of food on the table before turning an eager gaze towards him.
"Fine." He said sharply. Why was everyone so curious about his lunch with Minerva?
He dug into the bread pudding and lapsang souchong. The spiced swordfish had been a little too rich for his palate, and he has never really fancied wine anyway. Besides, he was not inclined to touch food that wasn't cooked by Sherry.
"I have been scouring the city since this morning." Toby said, his legs folded under his body on the bed. He was munching on a chocolate bar, oblivious to Chelia's distasteful stare at the crumbs littering the bed. "Delegates from the other nations are slowly entering Sabertooth."
"Anyone we know in particular?" He questioned.
"I saw Quatro Cerberus and Grimoire Heart banners." Toby answered. "Some other lesser Houses from Sabertooth and their neighbouring territories... I'm sure the other nations will soon be coming once the wedding invitations are sent out."
"Still," Sherry murmured. "King Jiemma sure moves fast, doesn't he?"
A knock briefly interrupted their conversation. This time, Chelia gave him a blistering stare when he tried to get up. She opened the door to allow Yuka in.
"How was lunch with the Crown Princess, Your Highness?" Yuka asked.
He groaned in vexation, deciding to ignore the steward's innocent query. Yuka looked befuddled by his response, glancing around the room at the women. His face pinched further in confusion as Chelia and Sherry giggled loudly.
"Any chances of Fairy Tail being invited?" Chelia asked enthusiastically. She was hoping to see Fairy Tail's genius physician Wendy Marvell. They have been exchanging letters since the younger girl's last visit to Lamia Scale, and Chelia wouldn't be averse to seeing Wendy again.
"Very unlikely." He frowned. "King Jiemma despises King Makarov. If Sabertooth hadn't been warring with us these few years, King Jiemma might have already turn his sight on Fairy Tail."
"Fairy Tail's military force and firepower is probably the only one out there strong enough to combat Sabertooth." Yuka commented. "Who do you think will win between them, Lyon?"
"Hard to say..." He said contemplatively. "Fairy Tail is full of freaks."
Sherry snorted in an unladylike manner.
"I believe that the only one strong enough to fight Princess Minerva is the Titania Knight Erza Scarlet." He continued. "And while I have never seen the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth on the battlefield before... I heard that the only ones capable of pulling them to a draw are Knight Natsu Dragneel and Captain Gajeel Redfox. It will be interesting, if those two nations ever head to war against each other."
"I hope not." Sherry raised a brow at him. "I think this world needs lesser wars at the moment."
"There will always be conflicts between nations." He shrugged. That's why he'd never be King of Lamia Scale. He's too much of a fatalist; whatever is meant to happen will happen. "Conflicts beget more conflicts. At least if Sabertooth turns their attention to Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale has more time to retreat and gather ourselves for an attack."
"Spoken like a true tactician." Yuka sighed in amusement.
Sherry shook her head in despair.
There's a loud tapping from the direction of his window. Everyone went silent instantly, their muscles tensing up with anticipation.
Lyon stood up and headed to the window, brushing the curtains aside. There's a bird waiting patiently outside his window, pecking the glass insistently. He slid open the window, reaching out with a hand. The bird hopped onto his palm, crumbling into soil. Between the soil was a crumpled piece of paper, smoking slightly with a faint hint of Jura's magic.
"I have been summoned." He sighed, freezing paper and soil and shattering them into nonexistence.
He's not looking forward to whatever Jura is going to say.
The wedding is set in two weeks.
So much time, yet so little time too. Just thinking about his upcoming wedding make his blood pressure goes up. Even the beauty of the rose garden and the gentle trickle of water from the fountain could not calm him down. The conversation with Jura had tested his patience and already fraying nerves.
He closed his eyes, felt the faint residue of magic lingering on the surface of his skin and brought it forth. Just a tiny amount, enough to shape his ice into a small magpie. It fluttered off his palm, circling around his head with its dainty wings, before settling down on his shoulder.
There was a low impressed whistle, startling the magpie into flight. He opened his eyes, glancing up to see the Twin Dragons approaching.
"You're an ice mage, Prince Lyon?" Rogue questioned, his red eyes glinting with curiosity.
His companion was not so reserved, bouncing up to him with an excited gleam.
"You're an ice mage?" Sting almost shouted. "Are you the Black Viper of Lamia Scale? General Jura's lieutenant and right-hand, an incredible ice mage who had held against the Siege of Margaret? Damn, I didn't get the chance to fight against him, but I saw the aftermath of our army!"
His expression remained unmoved. He gave the blonde a small, polite smile of disinterest.
"There are many ice mages in Lamia Scale, Sir Sting." He replied. "I am not the Black Viper."
He lifted his hand, calling for the magpie to land on his knuckles. The bird cocked its head at the two knights, and as beautifully carved and lifelike it was, it was not real. It was as silent as a ghost, a glacial art of beauty.
"I can only conjure up such frivolous tricks." He murmured.
Sting watched in disappointment as the magpie was disintegrated in Lyon's hand. He has a feeling that Rogue was not so easily swayed by his deception. Those dark red eyes narrowed thoughtfully at him, but Rogue did not say anything.
He glanced at the ice shards and curled his fingers in, beating back the voice of his grandmother, sharp and detached in her mockery—What use is your power if you cannot protect your own people? These scarred hands were the only things he could protect with his own power.
Maybe this was all he amounted to: a war's offering.