Fairy x Adventure

by Magnafeana

In a new era after the Alvarez War, Lucy, Natsu, and the rest of Fairy Tail not only face new challenges but watch as their kids go on new journeys, learn new powers, and battle new enemies and old! Join Luna, Nashi, and the upcoming generation of Mages on Fairy Tail and more on their never-ending adventure!

103. Adventure 103

Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it, nor any pop culture or classical references. All original plots and characters are mine.

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In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.

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PREVIOUSLY, on Fairy Adventure: Ena's warm-up turns serious and scary when Silver loses control for a hot minute. Nora's feeling the effects of the poison he ate last night, but he's determined to face Ena with his Black Sword—even if Ena reluctant to battle a sick opponent. And it looks like two Holy Knights invited to the duel are also looking forward to the results. To help Ena relax, Silver decided to scour the castle to find the kitchen and get lemon for her tea—and daydream a little bit—but his plans come crashing down when he overhears Irina and High Brother's plot for Ena. Just as Silver is ready to bolt to tell Ena the bad news, he's arrested and put where no one will find him. Ena and Nora start the duel, but things don't go as planned when Ena recognizes Nora's sword and its pain. Their fight takes a violent turn for the worst, however, when two unknown lurkers get the drop on them both and eat Ena to near-death. But don't worry! Looks like our Prince of the Sea is here to say the day.

'I missed you… I missed you… I missed you…'

"Silver…"

Just how did Silver end up saving the day? Look no further and tune into day's episode of Fairy Adventure!

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OPEN.

The focus had double-vision, but it could see vague browns and torches pass by as someone mercilessly dragged him across the ground. Rough steps bumped his body, but he could not move his mouth to warrant a complaint.

CLOSE.

OPEN.

The flames kept such a low light, but the stench of piss and shit and blood were clear in this place. The steps had been traded for rocky ground.

CLOSE.

OPEN.

Someone brusquely threw him onto the stone. The focus saw hay had been stashed in a corner and could smell the dampness of wet earth. Something had roughly grabbed his mouth and the gag was taken off with clear blood on the cloth.

CLOSE.

OPEN.

Someone was moving away, but the focus could see cell bars and the low oranges of this prison cellar.

CLOSE.

OPEN.

Silver groaned. His body ached, and he knew his attacker displaced his jaw. His head rested against the stone as he struggled to keep his eyes open against the seductive instinct to sleep and dream. His mouth opened with great strength to rasp, "E-E-Ena…" But the pain from speaking shot lightning up his veins that he dared not press his luck.

Ena… No… Have to…save her… Silver resisted the pull with all his might, but he was so tired, so in pain. He comforted himself with the pieced-together image of Ena when she was scowling or smiling or blushing or laughing or sleeping. With her red hair that could stop traffic and warm dark brown eyes. With that sweet scent she carried, floral and homey.

"Silver…" he could hear her call him.

Ena… Silver gave a pathetic tug to his sealstone cuffs. I'm here… I'm…here… I'm…coming… His eyes fluttered. I'm coming… I…. I…

"Silver…" The Ena in his head lovingly purred his name and coddled him with such kindness and her sweet scent. "Silver… Silver…"

Silver… A different woman whispered in his head and overtook Ena's voice from him. Silver… Silver… Silver…

His vision faded as his body slackened and his pain was forgotten. But the smell of the ocean filled his nose with the sway of the waves rocking him. He could feel the sea take him like he was a newborn babe and needed extreme care.

Silver… My sweet prince…

The scent of a rose. A maternal smile.

Don't you remember me?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Itsu datte kimi no sono-te wa

Itsu demo sekai o kae reru yo

Tsudzukete ku koto yamecha dame datte

Kon'na mon janaidaro? Susume!

•

Mukuwarenai sono doryoku wa

`kabe' o `tobira' ni kaerukara

Kowagarazu ni sa~a nokku shite

It will be OK

Let's go sonosakihe

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

It felt nice to be on the beach.

The sand felt nice underneath his little feet. He could hear his parents in the distance as they laughed and flirted and rekindled their romance. Julia was somewhere, but he could hear how she tormented Gary the way siblings do. He did not mind, though. He liked sitting on the sand and giggling to himself how the sand felt between his toes.

"My sweet prince…"

He beamed. He could not speak all that well, to be honest. His own voice made him nervous and shy-spirited. But he beamed as he turned to the great sea waiting for him with its consistent tides. He pushed himself into a stand, but his balance was still off. Land never agreed with him. But he wobbled step for step to get closer to the tides. But the sea did not touch him. It circled around him, parting the way, as though afraid to accidentally sweep him away. He could not help how excited he was to play with the sea. It shoved back to give him a perfect view. A sea turtle swam by, intrigued, and he giggled. A silly little shark flashed him its stomach.

He wobbled forward and stuck his hand into the water, all smiles and laughter about how nice and friendly the sea felt on his skin.

"There are you, silly prince."

He stamped his little feet and put his fingers in his smiling mouth. He saw her eyes first, dark and playful, and her smile, but her body was difficult to see. But she breached her arm through the sea. It was formed like a normal arm, but it was crafted out of water.

"Are you ready?"

He eagerly took her hand and was unafraid when she pulled him into the water. The sea accepted him with cool touches. His eyes were wide open, but his face pinched, and he whimpered when his neck hurt. He could feel her comforting presence cradle him and rub his down his back.

"I know it hurts," she soothed. "It'll get easier, my prince, I promise. No need to cry."

The hurt faded away after another moment. He took a deep breath and looked down at his skin to see translucent scales blended to his skin tone had emerged. Giddy, he wriggled to get down so he could play—

She laughed. "Naughty prince." She blew raspberries into his cheek, which made him laugh. Offering him a kiss, she clutched him to her bosom. "Let us swim. We have much to see today." She adjusted him before she pierced through the water with a leisurely stroke.

There was nothing like the sea. It was expansive and deep with so many mysteries and unchartered depths that easily, you could spend an entire lifetime studying it and still having only scratched the surface. The floor they drifted off was colorful with all sorts of fish and reefs and seaweed and coral. The names of the fish sounded nothing like how his parents spoke on land, but he did not mind. He smiled when the fish took an interest in him as though he were a shiny object. He was just as curious about them as they were about him. A few braver ones had swum alongside him and his protector to graze his flesh, and his giggles startled and enticed them.

A shadow passed him.

He looked up, amazed, as a giant manta ray floated above. The white of the sun pierced below the sea, but the light was tame and calm. Vibrations picked up, and he curled into his protector's arms when a large shadow jetted far up on the surface.

She thumbed his cheek and cooed, "No need to worry, my prince, it's just a boat. You'll learn how to avoid them when you get older."

Their graze through the sea was relaxing to the core. On occasion, she would stop and comment on sights that intrigued him, or he would blink around to look at what the ocean had to offer, but he could only stay awake for so long. He sighed and nuzzled into her arms, sleepy, but he made a grumpy noise when she thumbed his arm.

She tittered. "We're almost there, my prince. A little further."

He yawned and rubbed his eye, but he tried with all his little heart to stay awake. But after another minute of fighting sleep, he was rigidly awake. A gummy smile wove onto his face, and he tried to leave the comfort of her arm to pitch forward and swim on his own.

"That's right. He came to see you again."

He gave his babyish gurgle, eager and yearning. They approached the ledge of the ocean floor, and she drifted there, bobbing up and down. But he could feel it. He felt the ocean tremble, and he could not help but babble, impatient. He stuck his fingers in his mouth as bubbles and a rush of waves shot up from the cavern and a shadow swallowed them whole.

Glowing blues.

He gurgled, reaching forward, and she held him and helped him get closer. His little fingers found purchase at the hardened horn. He kissed it before giggling.

'My son.' The croon came from this giant creature with sharp teeth and love in those glowing blues. 'I have missed you too.' Those blues went to the woman. 'Thank you for bringing him to me. It has been far too long.'

"Of course, Your Majesty," she murmured.

When the horn pulled away, his bottom lip trembled, hurt, and he threatened to cry. He reached forward, whimpering, but he was smiling again when the horn came back and giggled when warm breath and bubbles ruffled his hair.

'I wish I could see you grow,' came a remorseful rumble. A growling laugh came when little hands gripped the horn and he blew bubbles. 'You shall have horns just like me when you grow up, my son. A crown suited for just you.'

He giggled and placed another kiss on the horn.

'Yes, my son. I love you too,' came amused rumble. 'I love you further than the tides and as deep as the sea.' Those blues were doused in grief and shifted to the Protector. 'I could only spare a moment. The Sea Kings have gathered for a summons. But I thank you, Protector."

She bowed her head. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Brief hesitance. 'Perhaps his land sire and dame have reconsidered?'

"No." She shook her head and bounced him on her ship, making him cutely laugh. "In fact, I know my pupil will be furious you've seen him."

A long sigh. 'I know.' The horn nuzzled him again. 'I am sorry we did not have more time, my little wave. But know that I love you dearly and think of you often.' The horn pulled away. 'Protector. I leave his care to you.'

He did not understand. His little hands reached out, and he gurgled, upset, when the shadow disappeared back into the murky depths of the abyss. He tried to follow, but the protector cradled him and swam away. He sniffled, eyes burning, and let out a wail.

"One day, my sweet prince, you'll be able to follow him," she promised him over his loud cries with clear sympathy. "But not today." She rubbed his back as she glided over the ocean floor and tried to quell his cries. He wailed and wailed and wailed until all his wailing exhausted him. He sniffled and whimpered, but he nuzzled into the crook of her neck and kept staring back into the ocean as if hoping he would see that shadow again.

Muffled voices caught his ear.

He turned to see them rapidly approaching the beach again and whimpered. He remembered this would hurt, but she did not stop as her feet landed on the ground and she forced them both to breach. His face screwed up when he could not breathe and his neck pained him, but it took only five seconds before that pain receded. He had forgotten it when he saw the faces of his parents, and he beamed again, wanting his mother's warmth and his father's winter.

He sighed, happy when his mother rushed forward to smother him with an embrace and kisses, but now he was tired. His little eyes drooped, but he could hear something wrong when his father's voice raised.

"You can't keep taking him away!" his father thundered, angry beyond belief. "He's our son—!"

"Gray, please," the Protector begged of his father. "He has more than two parents now and more than one home. His Majesty deserves to see him—!"

"To Hell with that!" His father's snarl sounded distant. "You can't keep doing this! He isn't his son—!"

"And does that make me less of your parent?" the Protector argued.

A furious snarl. "Don't. Don't even compare that. You tell him to keep to his word and stay away from him until he's older! You tell him…!"

But he could not hear much when his mother hummed for him and rocked him. He let out a yawn and shifted before he shut his eyes and greedily basked in the milky warmth and endless love he could feel from his mother.

"Sleep now, Juvia's precious prince." Something cracked in his mother's voice, but he was too tired to understand it. "Go to sleep and dream good dreams."

With another sigh through his nose, he did just that—

His eyes opened, but he was elsewhere in his own body. He floated and felt like he was back in the ocean, but it did not feel like the ocean. He was floating in some sort of blue sea, but he could see his mirror image before him. He was glowing in blues and teals and turquoises. But the image of him rippled. A human did not stand in front of him. A creature with scales and electric whiskers and horns shaped beautifully. It did not bare its teeth, but it looked back at him with those mayan blues as though it understood him. When he blinked, it blinked. When he moved, it moved.

But he was a human.

And this creature was a—

"Silver?"

Both creature and human looked up to the surface. Ena stood above the water with her scarlet hair and clear worry on her face as she caterwauled, "Silver? Where are you?"

'Ena.'

Both cut through the sea with ease and speed to get to the surface. 'Ena. Ena. Ena!' They climbed higher and higher to get to the surface, both snarling, longing, and his hand reached as the creature tried to pierce the surface. But it felt like they were trapped. The surface bubbled, stretching, pulled hard as both human and creature tried to breach, but it would not let them go. They were not strong enough to surface.

"Silver?" It was noticeable how shaken Ena sounded. "Please! Where are you?" She could not see the struggling below the surface as she wildly looked around. "Silver!"

'Ena!' Human and creature tried hard to breach, but the ocean would not yield. Feral panic filled them both as they crawled at the stretchy surface, desperate to surface. 'Let me go!' he snarled while the creature roared. 'Ena! Ena!' The panic intensified when he heard her whimpers and her tears dripped down into the ocean. 'Let me go! Let me go! Ena!' he cried. 'ENA—!'

RAAAAAAAAAAAA—!

• — • — •

Silver woke up, drenched and rattled. He coughed up and wreathed as his body flailed against his cuffs. Something in his chest spasm and clawed at his throat, but he was too out of sorts to try and translate what that uncomfortable sensation meant. He floundered and flailed until he was able to calm himself down with deep and steady breaths. The ache of his bruises set into his bones, but his headache was fading. His vision captured he was in a disgusting cell, but he could see fine even with the low lighting.

Where…am I? What happened to me?

"Children like you only know how to run their mouths."

A glinting ring.

Silver gasped, then he cringed when a bit of pain messed with his temple and throat. He fought back the agony with righteous anger. The Marchioness and the assistant… That High Brother person… They have a plot against Ena. He cared not for his aches as he thrashed from his cuffs. He tried to move his feet, but it finally registered someone had cuffed his ankles to impede any sort of escape.

Dammit! Without the powers—his eyes pressed shut—I'm completely useless! All that talk about being her shield, and I can't do a damn thing! His teeth ground, but a sharp sting went up to his head. This is just like Margaret Town all over again! I'm complete crap! I should've fought back, kicked—done something—but I let them take me!

Frustrated tears crowded his eyes. Ena trusted her life to me, and I broke it by being this weak. Why? Why can't I protect her once? If I had just trained more… If I had tried harder… I could be out there instead of in here. She'd be safe and sound. He harshly sniffed. Who am I kidding? She's one of the strongest people I know. She doesn't need my protection. But still… That doesn't mean I won't offer it anyway.

His struggling made him cave into the anguish of his aches and bruises, and his body needed a moment to rest. Stop crying, you pathetic idiot. Ena wouldn't cry. She'd figure out what to do. But what can I do without my powers? He hated feeling the heat from his tears. I'm useless. But I… I just…

Soft dark chocolates. "I trust you, Silver."

A fiery resolve empowered Silver. No! I can't talk like a quitter! I'm not a quitter! I just…! I just need to think! Think, Silver, think! What can I do? There has to be something!

Eyes centered with a ringed pupil and three dots attached and that horrifying smirk. "I'm just going to speed up whatever the Hell's inside you to come out sooner than planned."

Blues widened. That's it. His body tensed. That Caeryssa person was insane, but… She and that Nano Leaf lady… They freed something inside me. They caused me to have all those dreams. I'm not a Devil. And I'm not a—

It hit Silver all at once. Wait a second. She said…Julia was…a Hunter? But that's not possible—! He scrubbed himself free of that particular memory. Focus, Silver, focus. I… I'll figure out things with Julia later. Ena comes first. Maybe if I can tap into that power, I could get free from the cuffs. But…

'Come home…'

Those blues hardened. If I'm going to use it, it'll be on my terms. I'm not going anywhere. Ena is my priority. I'm using this power for her. He shut his eyes and maintained steady breaths. Focus and breathe… I can remember what it feels like… Like…like the beach…

The crash and withdrawal of the tides and the salty taste of the sea flooded back to him like a good dream.

And…the sea…

The vivid blues of the ocean swarmed him in a mother's embrace. He could see the life of the ocean spread before him with schools of fish and squadrons of manta rays and the straying shark. He could see how hard the fish worked to build their homes. He could see magical sea creatures pass him by, from the Abaia with its oceanic electricity winding around its body, to monstrous humanoid beings that hunted a whale for dinner.

A snarl washed his ears, and he was pulled under.

• — • — •

He knew he was human. But his reflection was not in these blues depths. But he knew those mayan blues across from him were just as determined and rebellious as he was. And he knew that his beastly reflection shared his same thought and craving.

He held out a hand against the invisible barrier that separated him and his reflection. But when he spoke, his beastly reflection listened. "I need this power to save someone I care about. But this is my power. I'm in control. And I'm staying here for her. Got that?"

His beastly reflection waved its whiskers with charges of lighting and bared its teeth, but it was not a threat. It was snarling its impatience to make haste.

"Good. Then if you'll work with me…" He clutched the barrier. "Ena… I'm coming for you!"

The barrier shattered—

• — • — •

Glowing mayan blues were wide and furious. A mouth stretched open to show sharpened teeth.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 103

•

Revelations

•

発現

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• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

The spectators who sat in wait for the duel to be over all had crinkled brows when the sunny day had been reduced to strong gray clouds and blustery winds that carried the nauseating scent of the sea. Anxiety spread through the thicket of people with glances spared to the Marchioness. None could leave without her official order, but she stayed where she was with her opera classes. But even she had concerned as the thunder shook the skies tantamount to an earthquake. Lightning streaked the sky, but it blazed a cyan blue.

Irina looked into the forest with a worried frown. Where is he? She could not help her own scattered nerves when thunder abused the skies and lightning spanked it. She asked Trinity, "Should we end the duel? A storm is coming."

"Aye. It is." Cinders had said this with his arms crossed and a contemplative expression on his face. "She a strong storm too." He took a deep breath and aimed his judgmental stare for the seething sky. "And she doesn't smell natural."

DON!

Shrieks and screams erupted at the ground-splitting eruption. Smoke had gone up just as a hailing ran pounded down in such a slaughtering downpour that it stung those it hit. Mass hysteria struck the crowd as fearful eyes turned to the estate to see that the explosion had damaged it. No one cared about the word of the Marchioness as they abandoned their seats for cover from the painful rain and to find shelter from a further explosion. Knights had come to surround a stricken Irina as Trinity made sure she was covered under an umbrella.

Cinders and Mauve stayed seated through the chaos.

"Cinders?" Mauve called him. "What say you? Should we go inside?"

"I think we're better out here, Knight-Commander."

PIKA-PIKA!

Cinders narrowed his eyes on the clouds as a flash of lightning showed the fast-moving silhouette of a large serpent. "Time for us to go hunting for a beast."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Waking up after your near-death was a bitch and a half to do.

Nora grunted. Crusted eyes shuttered open as he poured life back into those grayed yellows. Even with the curtains closed, any source of light pained him and made him cringe as his head throbbed. His stomach felt weak and empty, demanding food that it was not ready for, while his throat was dry and raw. He could feel the comfort of his bed surround him with his hands bandaged and a cold, damp towel across his forehead. The draining agony from yesterday had dueled into aches and pains one would get when a storm was coming or they drank too much and had consequences to deal with.

He took down the towel and grunted as he sat up. His dueling attire had been stripped for breathable pajamas. He put part of his head into his hand. Yesterday… The duel…

"How dare you!" Furious browns. "How dare you!"

Ena… He remembered her fury and her fighting spirit. And then him…

Glowing blues.

A deep breath later helped shift some of the pressure in his chest. An ambush. I should've foreseen it. This entire thing was a plot, even with me eating the poison. I was just an instrument in Ena's attack. They knew she wouldn't leave me behind and would stand her ground. His jaw clenched. His eyes seethed. The pieces are there. They beat her. But for what? Were they going to steal her away? She's too famous for that, but… It happened to another Mage. I've heard about the three-year-long kidnapping of Gary Fullbuster of Fairy Tail. Were they the same people?

"You're awake."

The voice surprised Nora. He turned to his left to see Odette at his bedside in a short-sleeve blouse and a long green skirt with her hair pulled back. "Odette…"

She closed her book with a sky. "You worried us, Nora," she told him without any chiding. "When the knights brought you back, Mother was distraught."

Nora straightened up with his hands tight on his sheets. "What happened?"

"I was hoping to ask you that," Odette confessed. She placed her book on the bedside table and adjusted her skirt. "No one could have predicted the storm. It came on so suddenly. And an explosion destroyed the northeastern wing, which added onto all the confusion."

"What?" Nora's eyes went wide in shock. "An explosion?"

Odette somberly nodded. "Yes. The Guard arrived to take statements, and we have alerted Father. But no one knows the source of it. With so many knights on the grounds, it should have been impossible for us to have a bomber. Mother's extremely stressed out about and you. The physician drew your blood to be sent to the coroner's office for a toxicology report, but he'll be by soon enough." She gave her brother a look. "It was dinner last night, wasn't it?"

Nora looked down, but he nodded. "Yes."

"If you knew it, then why did you take Ena's plate?" Odette wanted to know. "Her servant found something wrong in it. We could have simply asked for another plate—"

Nora gripped his sheets. "You don't think I'm regretting my actions right now?" he bit. "I'm furious at myself for not thinking ahead. Because of me…"—he ground his teeth—"Lady Ena had to be hurt in horrible ways. I know what I did was foolish, but I thought I was doing my best. And now…"

"Now you know better," Odette softly completed for him.

Nora looked at her. "How is she?"

"Recovering," Odette sighed. "Sylvie's been demanding entry to her room and even tried to use her title, but Ena's servant has turned everyone away. I had to convince Mother not to visit either. I had a feeling he'd turn her away and end up arrested. The physician saw her, though, but he couldn't give us a report outside of Ena making a slow recovery." A flare of admiration and respect came into her eyes. "Her servant is very loyal. I've never seen someone so dedicated."

Glowing blues.

"Yes." Nora loosened his grip on the sheets. "He's loyal without fault." His loyalty… I guess that's how to word it, but… I've never seen that sort of power or violence. His Mage Profile said he was a Water Mage, but… I don't know how much of that is true.

He coughed. Odette poured him fresh lemon water and offered it to him. He thanked her and took some gulps before he asked her, "How long have I been out?"

"Not that long. You woke up when the knights moved you, apparently, but you've been in it and out," Odette informed. "The physician warned us you wouldn't be lucid, but it was good you were waking up. It's about dinnertime, but I let Mother know I'd eat dinner with you."

Nora offered a wry smile. "I take it Sylvie didn't share the sentiment?"

"No. She said she'd have dinner in her room," Odette relayed with a shake of her head. "I know she can be brash, but she does have a good heart. I think she's still a little betrayed how…quickly Father remarried."

Believe me. I understand that sentiment. Nora sighed. "I can't fault her for that. She never liked me, and I won't force her to. But I know she is a good person, and she shows she cares about me in very little ways." He threaded a hand through his hair. "I know it wasn't easy for any of you when I came here. I know it was a shock to me. But I am grateful to all of you." His hand slowly came down. "Being in this estate… It felt daunting. Eyes were always on me, and I felt I couldn't trust anyone. But the Marquis and you have been more than kind to me. And I'm extremely appreciative of that. I don't mean to cause all this trouble—"

A hand touched his, and he looked up. Grayed yellows clashed with warm darkness.

"You're my brother, Nora," Odette affirmed. "It's okay if you cause trouble from time to time. So does Sylvie. It's what makes you both my siblings. I don't mind, and I know Father doesn't." She smiled. "He always wanted another son. And he has you. And you have no idea how proud he is of you, Nora."

That surprised him. "Really?"

Odette laughed. "Yes. He talks about you when I have to accompany him on trips just as much as he talks about the rest of us." Her eyes softened. "You could've coasted by and lived off your allowance. You weren't required to do anything outside of eat with us. But you chose to become a 'lord' and work. It makes all of us proud of you. And if you make mistakes or a little chaos, it's okay. We're family." She gave his hand a squeeze. "We're still on your side either way."

Nora blinked. For a moment, his eyes clouded, but he blinked it away. "Thanks, Odette. I mean it."

"Of course." She pulled her hand back. "Do you want some more time to rest, or should I go ring up Richard to have our dinner brought in? Maybe I can convince Sylvie to join us, but if Tristan is coming, I'm not sure you want them arguing while we eat."

Nora chuckled. "Tristan let me know earlier today he'd be holed up in the library until nightfall. I'd be happy if Sylvie could join us." He made a face. "As long as I don't have to hear her rave about the Duke of Aronia."

"He is very pleasing to the eyes." Odette simpered when Nora gave her a disgusted look. "I'll give you a moment to yourself and go to the kitchen." She peeked to the window. "It's still raining outside. We dried you off, but you might want to take a shower. If Sylvie joins us and you smell like rainwater, she might not keep the comments to herself."

"I know she won't," Nora dryly said. "She never does."

Odette's eyes twinkled in mirth, and she playfully ordered, "Shower. I'll be back. And don't strain yourself." She stole her book and kicked up her skirt with a hand before she swept herself out of the bedroom.

Nora blinked, touched. When I first came to the estate, Odette had always been the nicest to me outside of the Marquis. She made me feel welcomed and not a burden. But to hear her say she's on my side…it means a lot.

"Ah… And Nora?"

He looked up to see Odette had come back with a slight grimace. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I forgot to mention to you. Father won't return until tomorrow as planned, but, um…" Odette wrung her hands. "Well… We do have one early arrival that happened while you were out, and, well…."

Nora felt his stomach clench. "So he's home?"

"Yes." Odette let out a breath and winced when the other door opened, and polished boots stepped inside. "Atticus is home."

A poisoned smile. "Hello, dear little Nora," came cheerful greeting. "I came to cheer you up. You had a very eventful day, I hear." Those cunning yellows darkly glinted when Nora's jaw went taut. "I heard you have quite the intriguing guest. So, please…"—white gloves thumbed strands of scarlet behind his back—"tell me all about her."

°•°•°•°

Ena thought she was floating. It felt so real that she was floating, and she did not understand why. But she had been set adrift on a wave that treated her well and gave her a soft deposit onto a soft beach of pillows and sheets. But as reality pulled her down, her body filled with lead and her head was full of air. A quiet breath escaped her from the aches. Where…am I…?

Something moved around her, and something cool shocked her system as it was laid on her forehead. But she appreciated the cold reprieve. Her eyes cracked open, dull and blearily. Darkness had shrouded the room to save her from more pain, and the hum of the rain beat against the windows, but she registered a masculine silhouette. Is…? Is that…? The colors came in as the shadow moved in to show vivid blues.

She whispered before she could help it, "Silver…"

Silver stopped what he was doing to tend to her side. Her presence was a chink in his stoic armor, and his expression softened just the slightest. "Mistress," he murmured as he brushed her cheek. "You're awake. That's good."

Ena hummed and tried to sit up. She was too tired to protest when Silver brought about pillows to help prop her up. Her vision stabilized, and she swept her bedroom. Her temple pulsated, but she ignored it. She licked her lips, expectant they were chapped, but it surprised her she felt fine. Achy, sure, but her lips were soft and her throat wetted. "What happened to me?"

Silver sat down on the chair Ena did not realize had been dragged over. That softness left his face for an expression that could rival Penelope's. "You were ambushed," he relayed. "Your attackers tried to gas you, but when that didn't work, they injected you with Anti-Ether and beat you."

"I see…" Ena looked at her lap. The memories are hazy, but… I remember being beaten. And Nora— "Nora," she breathed as she looked at Silver. "Is he—?"

"He's fine." He clenched his hand on his thigh. "He's recovering."

Ena sighed her relief. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried about him."

Silver's knuckles turned white.

"What happened after I passed out?" Ena asked of him.

Silver explained in a dead tone, "I came and got you. The attackers were gone when I got there. Nora thought it was best if I left with you, so I did. I brought you back in here and made sure to dry you and get you in fresh clothes. The Anti-Ether is out of your system, thankfully, and I made sure to keep your body hydrated. You'll feel sore, but I'll do another treatment."

"I see." Ena closed her eyes with a smile. "You truly are incredible. I had resigned myself to going out alone. I didn't think anyone would come for me." Her eyes opened, sad and accepting. "Why would they? For a moment…I thought my father came for me." She fisted her sheets. "How pathetic. Thinking a man I've never known would come for me. But for some reason, I've always wished for it to happen. And I had hoped he had come for me. And yet…it had been you who saved me when you didn't have to."

She sighed. "I'm sorry you had to get involved. It wasn't my intention. I couldn't leave Nora alone, regardless that their plot was obviously for me. Nora was used to cripple me." Her eyes darkened. "It makes sense now. They had to have known Nora would eat the poison rather than me. Either that or they adjusted their plan once it happened. They knew I would defend him until the bitter end. Fairy Tail never leaves anyone behind. But at least Nora is recovering. That's good. I had been worried about him all day."

Silver locked his jaw.

Ena rolled her head, wincing about her aches. "I really do feel tender."

"We'll do another treatment."

"Silver—" Ena could say nothing when Silver peeled back the sheets and scooped her into his arms. But she frowned up at him as he carried her to the master bath. Normally, he's so easy for me to read, but… I can't read him at all. That made her realize. "Silver, put me down. You shouldn't be walking on your ankle."

Silver paused and showed confusion. "What?"

"Your ankle," Ena repeated. "It's sprained, isn't it? Please, put me down, you should be resting—"

"My ankle isn't sprained."

Ena stopped. "What?"

"My ankle isn't sprained," Silver repeated as he went to the master bath. Red was everywhere with porcelain fixings and a deep bathtub. He gently set her down on the vanity stool. "Why would you think my ankle was sprained?"

"That's what Enid told me," Ena explained. "She told me you sprained your ankle after a nasty fall and that's why you were absent being my Second for the duel." Suspicion arose. "But that's not the case, then? What happened?"

Silver's shoulders tensed. "I didn't sprain my ankle, but I did…fall and get hurt. But I'm fine now, don't worry."

"Are you sure?" Ena pressed. She gripped his chin to stare him in the eyes. "Don't lie to me, Silver. Answer me honestly. Are you injured?"

Silver did not deter from her stare. "I'm not. I'm fine."

Ena searched those blues before she was satisfied and let him go. "That's good to hear, but please take care of yourself," she scolded as Silver moved to prep the tub with water and bath salts. "I don't want you injured in any way; do you understand?"

Silver nodded with a quiet, "I understand, mistress."

"Good." Ena crossed her arms to watch his back. He really is quiet. Maybe he is straining himself and trying to put on a brave face. I'll have to force him to rest. Maybe I'll call L. She'd have some good ideas to cheer him up. She's sweet like that. I'm sure Silver will smile hearing from her as well.

A quiet breath and a darker expression. Pushing that aside, this deliberate act won't go unturned by the Marquis. While it is possible the Marchioness was behind it, I know her type. She isn't a puppet master. She's a puppet who can scarcely act. I'm sure this will be in the papers as an act on Nora's life rather than mine. He is a noble. Thankfully, this means there will be more security measures. Whoever conducted this attack no longer has a window of opportunity. And with too many knights about to come to the main estate, so long as I remain in the public eye, this conductor won't have a means to take me.

She tightened her arms around herself. But the question is: what was their motive? The Holy Eye is aware that kidnapping a registered Mage and administering let alone possessing anti-Ether is a federal offense and could land them in Magic Court and the Fioren judicial court. No. This wasn't the work of the Holy Eye. But then who?

"It's ready."

Ena blinked and looked up to see Silver rising to his feet. "Oh. Thank you." She winced as she picked at her clothing—

"I'll help you undress, mistress."

That perplexed Ena when she could not see any telltale signs of him being flustered. An impenetrable mask had been pressed upon his face. "I… I see. I appreciate it then."

Nudity in Fairy Tail was a given. Of course, it varied. Both had parents where nudity was nothing special, though, while Gray took it very liberally with his inappropriate stripping (and his eldest, much to Nash's despair). The body was a body. Lines were there about boundaries, obviously, when it came to the time and place for admiration and touching, but most in Fairy Tail took the approach that nudity was another natural state, and you should not care much about it.

Ena felt jarred, however, as Silver helped her. She cared little about her body. It was just a body, and she had never feared Silver would cross a line. But as Silver helped her get out of her clothes, she could not help but think, He's touching me like I'm breakable glass. It's like…he's put up a wall. He feels so cold now. She tried not to let it bother her.

Silver folded her clothes to put on the counter before he returned for her. He picked her up to carry her six steps to the tub. He did not mind his sleeves getting wet as he made sure to dip her into the water and let her get comfortable before he retracted his hands.

Ena stopped him before he could speak. "Would you mind if I soaked for a while? The water feels nice."

"As you wish, mistress." Silver stood up. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Enjoy your soak." He gave her his back and could feel her eyes watch him as he left the bathroom up until he closed the door. He stopped with his teeth gritted and hands in fists, but he pulled away and went to get clothes for Ena.

GORO-GORO-GORO-GORO.

Thunder had softened its blows, but its growls meant it was still angry. It matched the pressure in Silver's chest as he sorted through Ena's clothes to find her comfortable pajamas and undergarments without a single drop of pink on his cheeks. But the more he focused on his tasks, the more the thunder amped into a snarl.

GORO-GORO-GORO-GORO.

Silver slowed to a stop. Why?

Ena curled into a broken and battered ball.

He gripped the clothes. Why? Why? His grip turned brutal. Why did I let them go? They didn't show her mercy, but I… I let them go.

PIKA-PIKA!

Lightning flashed in the sky like the crack of a whip.

I had them. I could control them. So why…? When the lightning flashed, an electric blue filled Silver's eyes. Why did I let them escape? They deserved so much more. They deserved it. I had the power to do it. So why…?

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

Silver shut Ena's drawers to stand up.

"I had resigned myself to going out alone. I didn't think anyone would come for me." Ena's words echoed in his head. "But at least Nora is recovering. That's good. I had been worried about him all day."

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

Silver showed fang. And why…was the first person she worried about—those blues darkened like a raging sea—him?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

And then…

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ena opened her eyes when a knock came on the door before Silver slipped inside with that expressionless mask on. She arched her back for a moment and tried to lighten the mood. "I think I understand why cats like to laze around all day. It's heavenly."

Silver put her fresh clothes and towel on the counter before he hovered over the tub. Tone monotonous, he asked, "Are you ready for your treatment, mistress?"

Ena's smile faded. "Yes. Of course." She stared into the tub. "Proceed when ready." She closed her eyes and relaxed.

After a few deep breaths, Silver moved his hands like a Shaman crying to the Spirits. The water in the tube was receptive to his Magic as it glowed a bright blue. His hands combed through the air and with each time one hand moved through the air, cyan blue waved through the pool and onto Ena's body. He kept a steady stream of air in and out as he kept working his Magic through the water. The only way he could describe how it felt was similar to combing through hair and getting the kinkiness and gnarls out or perhaps digging through a layer of wet earth until you reached water. He could not stop until he felt no resistance.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« Water Healing is a technique all Water Mages can use, but many don't because the technique is difficult since it requires deep levels of chi pathways and how to find them. Done incorrectly, the patient could end up in more permanently damaging pain than before. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ena opened her eyes with her skin glowing from the vibrant blues. It's so strange. Whenever I got hurt, L either took care of me…or I took care of myself. It's not that Mother didn't want to, but…she was always so busy that I felt bad causing her more stress. Aunt Lucy and Aunt Mira taught me a lot of first aid, and Miss Wendy was kind enough to help me learn basic healing spells. And yet… It feels nice when someone cares for you.

Those browns softened. Everything has been changing right before my eyes. A year ago, I was content to shoulder my workload alone, and now… I'm about to present to the investors the complexes I had picked out for expansion. With Silver getting more and more efficient, I'm not as stressed with my calendar and schedule. And even now… He's here with me, caring for me. He'll come with me to Caelum. But even more than that, I have someone else in my life to care for.

She wriggled her toes in the water. I wonder how he found me in the woods. Then again, considering how overprotective he's been, he might've silently snuck out and followed me into the woods. And the Anti-Ether… The softness hardened. It troubles me that someone wanted me that badly to give me that. And their motives are lost on me, let alone suspects. Whatever the case, I'm fortunate it was a low dose that it cycled out of my system as quickly as it did.

Silver finished after another five minutes with a cool-down gesture with his hands going to his center and a deep exhale. "Your chi paths should be unblocked. How do you feel, mistress?"

"As good as new." Ena extended her hand. "I feel better than I had been prior to the duel. You truly have a gift." She sighed. "I suppose I should get washed up..." Her words trailed off when Silver got a washcloth. "You don't have to—"

"Please."

Dead blues clashed with browns.

"Allow me, mistress."

Ena's arm fell into the water as her lashes lowered. "Very well."

Silver lathered the washcloth and took his time as though he were polishing fine Zhōnguá and did not want to break her. His sleeves dampened as he lifted one leg after the other to get her feet and nudged her forward for her back. His eyes remained muted and so did he. Once he was finished washing her, he shampooed and conditioned her hair, even using her wet brush. He rinsed her hair and made sure no soap remained before he dipped his hands in and picked her up out of the bath.

Before Ena could say a word, Silver kept going. He dried her with a fluffy towel and lotioned her, massaging out any leftover tenderness in her muscles. She got on her own deodorant while he was busy washing his hands and slipped into the comfy t-shirt and panties he provided for her. He dried her hair with the blow dryer, even combing her hair. By the time his thorough care of her was finished, her stomach growled, and she felt too content for her own good. She did not fight it when Silver picked her up.

She did softly remark, "Would you ring the kitchen for my dinner?"

"Mister Caine already came with dinner. I'll bring it to you, mistress." Silver put her on the bed and made sure she was settled before leaving the room. He returned with a silver platter and a chrome dome. After putting the tray on her bedside table, he unveiled her dinner was a simple seasoned salmon dinner with a Vitamin C cocktail decorated with mint.

Ena laughed when Silver forked a morsel. "Silver, you don't—"

"Please, mistress." Silver did not lose his stoic mask. "I insist."

Ena blinked, but she leaned forward and eat from the offered fork, feeling childish. Perhaps the her from a year ago would have snapped and threatened him with her sword. Heck, she would have done that a month ago. But Silver's indifference was unnerving, and she swallowed down her defiance to eat from his fork. He even made her drink from a straw. It bruised her pride at being catered to like an incompetent babe, but she was wise enough to not rebel.

I want to tell him I'm older than him and can feed myself, but… Ena accepted the next forkful. I feel that if I rebel, he might do something I'm not ready for.

The phantom sharpness prickled on her neck.

She kept quiet, and he fed her piece by piece. It took some time until she had eaten her whole plate and drank a majority of her cocktail. Finished, her stomach felt satisfied, and her energy had regained to a good portion of its normal capacity. She bit back her rebuke when he blotted her lips with a napkin and deigned for something much more appreciative. "Thank you for—"

Silver stood up. "Excuse me, mistress. I need to return the tray to the kitchen. Would you like your after-dinner tea?"

"I…" Ena tried to soothe, "Silver, if you're not okay—"

"I'll return with your tea, mistress. Excuse me," Silver spoke, as though he had not heard a word she said. She could not bring herself to stop him when he abandoned her to her room and slid her doors shut behind him.

Ena clutched her sheets. What's happening? Why is he acting like this? It's like…he shut a door in my face. She felt hurt pang her chest, foreign to her. I don't like how this feels. He's supposed to be…smiling and flustered and perky. And now… I can't read him at all. She listened to the zaa-zaa of the rain and felt it appropriate to her darkening mood.

Is it me? Did I say something? Do something? Her heart sunk as she shored up the comforter and drew up her knees. It must've been something I did. He must be upset he had to rescue me. Her eyes glistened. I should've known. Mystogan was always annoyed when I asked him for anything. Silver must feel the same way. I'm becoming a burden to him like I've always been. He's stayed this long before he pitied me for being the spare, but now…

Shadows covered her eyes. Now I… I'm just…

Silver came back soon enough with a cup of warm tea in one of the mugs he had wrapped and packed into his suitcase and a slice of chocolate fudge cake. He set the tray on the bedside table, but he remained on his feet. "Your after-dinner tea and dessert, courtesy of Erica, mistress." He turned away from her. "I'll let you rest—" He stopped.

Ena had pinched the back of his shirt.

Silver kept his expression neutral as he looked at her. "Anything else I can assist you with, mistress?"

Silence.

Silver prompted, "Mistress?"

Ena clenched her jaw. "No. Nothing at all. You're dismissed. I…" She dropped her hand. "I let you go."

Silver nodded. "Yes, mistress. Please call for me if you need anything." He was ready to walk away—

"Go home, Silver."

He froze.

The thunder outside went mute, and the rain quieted its shower.

He was slow to turn around to face her, confused and hesitant. "Mistress?"

Ena locked her arms around her knees. "I know, Silver."

Sharp panic crossed his face. "Y-Y-You do?"

"Yes. And I…I understand." Her arms tightened. "I'm sorry that I've been nothing but dead weight on your shoulders. I understand how agitating it must be for you to be in the presence of someone like me. I don't wish that on anyone. I understand you were looking for a way out from me…so I'm giving it to you."

Silence.

Ena continued as she hid her face behind a curtain of hair: "I'll explain your absence to the Marchioness and have Hollifield come for you. If you're worried about your last paycheck, it'll be deposited in your account. I'll have HR submit your resignation effective immediately. I-I can…" She pushed through the grief that webbed her throat. "I can…make sure you always have a glowing recommendation if you need it. You're tenacious and ambitious and a kind spirit. I'm sure whatever you do next…you'll excel at it. And I know it means little when it comes from someone you can't stand, but… I'll continue to support you. I-I—"

She bowed her head further. "I hope…that everything works out for you and that lady you're smitten with. I truly do. I'll make sure L doesn't know what happened. I'll be cordial and stay out of your way. You won't ever have to see my face again—"

Teeth gritted. "Shut up!"

Shock coursed through Ena when her hand was taken, and her head jerked. As thunder boomed and lightning flashed, teary dark chocolates clashed with furious mayan blues.

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

Ena held her breath as she took in his dark anger. "I… I was just…trying to give you what you want. I didn't…" Her eyes clouded as she looked away. "I didn't mean to become another burden to someone else," she lamented in a whisper as the tears fell. "I…respect your feelings against me, and I swear to you I'll disappear from your sight if that makes you happy—"

"Shut up!"

The comforter fluttered.

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

Ena was laid flat on her back with her wrists clenched together, pinned and worried and mourning. But she dared not wrestle for her freedom when a seething Silver was on top of her and the storm, jaded and wrathful, scored the earth. She tried a pitiful appeal with her cheeks wet and her shame laid bare, "Silver—"

"I told you to shut up," Silver growled at her. "You really think that's what I wanted the most? To abandon you? To never see you again? You think I wanted that? You might be one of the smartest people I know"—his eyes burned—"but that was some of the stupidest crap I've ever heard!"

Ena's bottom lip trembled as the storm raged on. "I-I just—"

"No. You're done talking. It's my turn," Silver snarled at her and squeezed her trapped wrists for emphasis on her position. "You have no idea, do you? You have no idea how wrong you are about ever thinking I'd want that. You have no idea what I want. And you have no idea how out of my mind I was with you being in danger!"

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

"You want to know why I'm angry? Why I'm upset? Yeah, it's because of you," Silver sneered. "It's because you put yourself in danger when you didn't have to! You risked yourself when you never had to! It's because you laughed at me when I told you this was a bad idea and it was! And it's because I had to see you look like you had shattered, and I couldn't protect you from that!"

GORO-GORO!

PIKA-PIKA!

Silver breathed hard, but he snapped at her, "You trusted me with your life, and I couldn't save you from that! I broke that trust! You were hurt, Ena, you were hurt, and I did nothing! I couldn't stop it! I couldn't save you from it! I let those motherfuckers h-h-hurt you!" Those blues clouded and stung, but he raged, "I-I couldn't stop them when you needed me to! I couldn't be there when you needed me there! You trusted me to take care of you, and I broke that trust! Do you have any idea how much I hate myself for that? Do you have any idea how worried I was for you when you passed out in my arms?"

DRIP…

DROP…

Rage and grief warred on Silver's face as the flash of lightning lit up the stream of angered tears drenching his cheeks and dropping on Ena's shirt. "An-And you wake up and you give me this bullshit that you're fine dying alone and then you think about Nora instead of yourself! It's bullshit! It's complete bullshit! You should be thinking about yourself because you're so talented and amazing and the world needs you to be safe and alive! But you were worried about him, and you were fine with going out alone and it drove me crazy! How could you say that! How could you say that you're okay with that! How you could tell me that you're lacking and invisible and no one sees you!"

Silver shouted through his tears, "I see you!"

DRIP…

DROP…

Ena could not even blink through all her shock and tears. Silver…

But he was not done. "I've seen you every day for the past almost four months, and you know what I see? I see the strongest, bravest, smartest, and most beautiful person in the world who doesn't give a fuck what other people think about her! I see how passionate and driven and thoughtful you are! You don't think I noticed all your silent donations! I'm your assistant, Ena! Of course I know it!

"I've seen how you'll fight anyone who touches someone you care about! I've seen how hard you work to make sure your mom can sleep easy, and you shove down all your pain and sadness because you keep thinking it's your burden to bear! Well, guess what? It's mine too! It's mine too, okay, because I…! I…!"

The tip of it was on his tongue, heavy and waiting and ready, but the tears were too much, and his emotions were too raw for him to say those three little words that could make a world of difference. He had not meant for one of his tears to hit Ena's cheek or her neck, but he could not control them. The battling lighting and thunder ceased fire as the rain picked up, shedding just as his tears did.

His next words were full of anguish and hurt as he murmured wetly, "I-I-I saw you there… You looked so small and…broken…and there was blood… I couldn't—" He shoved down his cry. "I was so scared. I was so scared I came too late. And I couldn't stop thinking about what would've happened if I had. You could be dead. And it would've been my fault. You trusted me, Ena, you trusted me, and I promised you that you could, and I broke it, and I just…"

He fell apart above her with his open sniffling and trembling bottom lip. "I'm so sorry, Ena," he whispered. "I should've been there. I should've protected you. And I tr-tr-tried so hard to get them back, but… I couldn't do it. And you just looked so small… I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He shut his eyes as he offered a shuttering inhale and exhale. I should've sensed a sneak attack. I should've made her listen to me. Instead, because of me, she was hurt. And I couldn't do what her attackers would've done to her. I let them go. I let her get hurt. I…

Another sniveling breath. I failed the one I love.

Hands slid upon his cheeks, but they bypassed to wrap around his neck and cup the back of his head. Ena helped him down and he immediately embraced her with his nose in her neck as he cried. Her cheeks were wet, but her eyes were dry as she held him against her and threaded his hair. She closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she loftily apologized. "I've misunderstood you again. I didn't mean to. I guess I'm so used to being left behind that…it's in my blood. But I should've known you would've never left me behind. You were right. You're not my father. You're not Mystogan. You're my faithful Diaval. And you're here to stay."

Of course he was worried. I've brought L to tears too when she worries about me. He's no different. But with L, we've been friends for years and I've constantly assured her. I haven't done that with him. But before I do that…

"However, the fault is mine when it comes to my injuries," Ena told him.

Silver sniffled. "Ena—"

"No. You've talked. It's my turn." Ena threw his words back at him. "With every reward comes risk. I didn't properly weigh them to see which would have more quantity. For that, I apologize to you. Your concern came from my judgment error." Her eyes cracked open to look at the ceiling. "I might've been raised to think things through, but even I make mistakes. And today, I made a large one that resulted in something worse than my injuries."

Silver hiccupped and asked in a watery tone, "What's that?"

"Making you cry," Ena told him and meant it. "Don't cry because I made a fatal mistake. I'm not worth your tears, but you're worth an apology. You never broke my trust. I still have faith and confidence in you to care for me. The fault in all of this is mine. I might've been fine suffering alone…but making you cry…it's something that I can't stand. Your tears and L's… They hurt me more than any blade ever could." She thumbed the hair close to his nape. "I would give anything so neither one of you would have to cry ever again."

Silver sniffed. "Really?"

"Aye. Really. You both mean the world to me." Ena's smile faded. "When I woke up and saw you weren't smiling… That pained me more than my own pain. I never want you to feel like withdrawing from me is better than telling me how you feel. I'll always want you to speak your mind. You had no problem doing it to me before. And you can do it to me now. So, please, don't cry. I will always trust in you. And I'm sorry for making you worry."

She pulled him up to stare into his watery gaze. "My Diaval… My Silver…" She offered a half-smile when she saw how that endearment affected him. "A mighty sword is nothing without the shield who protects her. And you make a brilliant shield for my blade—and the only shield I'll ever want," and she added meaningfully, "or need."

"You…" Silver blinked, astonished. "You need me?"

Ena's smile widened as she thumbed away his tears. "Yes, Silver, you wore me down. You win." Her eyes twinkled. "I do need you." She tried to tease, "But don't let that…" Her words died.

Silver had bent his head, eyes closed, and kissed her forehead.

The rain ended with a quiet hush and those storm clouds moseyed away without any emotion to fuel them.

Ena froze.

Silver pulled back to look at her in pure adoration, respect, and happiness. "I need you too, mistress." He cradled her cheek. "And I promise you…"—he reached for her hand and drew it up to his mouth—"I'll lay down my life and become your trustworthy shield for all time." He kissed her knuckles. "Always." He drew away his lips for those blues to sear a heartfelt vow into awed browns.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Ena reached up when Silver bent his head to kiss his forehead before she laid back down, soft and compliant and lax. "Silver, I—"

PEKO-PEKO.

Ena quirked an amused eyebrow while a wild blush steamed off Silver's face as he shot his stomach a betrayed look. "Hungry, are we? You haven't had your dinner yet?"

"I didn't want to eat until I knew you were okay," Silver weakly reasoned.

Ena simpered. "Of course. Go to the kitchen and get your dinner." Her smile broadened. "I'd like to return the favor."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Lying side by side, Ena reveled in Silver's embarrassment as she fed him his dinner. "It's not nice to be treated like a child, is it?"

"No, mistress," Silver mumbled, humiliated. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Ena raised an eyebrow. "You mean if I had said anything while you were in your previous state, you would have let me feed myself?"

"I…" Silver's blush deepened, and he opened his mouth for more food.

Ena chuckled and fed him.

Silver chewed, but his mind drifted back to Irina and High Brother and Trinity. I need to tell Ena what I overheard. I still don't know who this 'High Brother' person is, but they're clearly an enemy. So far, no one has come down on me for the explosion. I'm sure the Marchioness and Trinity know it was me. They probably can't justify imprisoning me in the first place. And Ena will take my side once I tell her the truth. His eyes darkened. In two days, this place will be crawling with enemies. And we have to be ready.

Ena's singsong voice brought him out of his thoughts. "All gone."

Silver frowned and looked at the empty plate. "That's it?"

"Well, yes." Ena shifted the plate to the bedside table. "What, are you still hungry?"

"I am a growing boy," Silver mumbled as he patted his stomach. But…yeah. I do feel hungry still. Huh. I'm normally full after one plate… He caught Ena's yawn and softened. "Tired, mistress?"

"Indubitably," Ena sighed as she propped her head up on a hand with her elbow on her pillow. She smiled at Silver's confused look and explained good-naturedly, "Basically, it means 'aye, sir'."

Silver scowled (but he looked like an upset child than an annoyed teen) and huffed, "I knew that." He smiled when Ena laughed and thumbed her cheek. "Should I leave you to go to sleep? You had an exciting day. We wouldn't want you to endure such mortal emotional distress, would we, mistress?"

"Quiet, you," Ena laughed with a smack to his chest that would have taken him out (she really underestimated her strength). "Will you be okay using your bed to sleep?" She slyly remarked, "Then again…I always hear it's the love stalkers like you who creep into beds…"

"I-I-I don't do that!" But Silver thought back to his older brother and his mother's giddy stories and, well… He felt a dreary aura over him. Sometimes, I'm so glad Dad and Nashi gave in, or else Mom and Gary would be convicted. He noticed Ena trying to hide her yawn and hid his disappointment. "I should let you sleep—"

"Silver," Ena chided. "Speak what's on your mind."

Silver fidgeted, red-faced. "Well, I just… I…" He huffed through his nose and mumbled, "I…want to sleep with you…"

"I see." Ena ran her hand through his hair. "Did you need me to hold you to keep away the nightmares?"

Silver shook his head. "C-Could I hold you? I just…" He confessed with a bit of embarrassment, "I just need to know you're okay."

"Oh, Silver…" How could Ena refuse that? "Why don't you go shower and change?" she suggested. "You can come in once you're finished. Hand me my Compact on your way out." She added at his disapproving frown, "My personal Compact. I'd like to call my mom and L while you're in the shower."

"I can do that." Silver shimmied out of the bed and went over to retrieve her Compact from the charger. He had not meant to startle the poor device awake, but the screen lit up on his way back to Ena, and he frowned when he saw messages from Jasper. Is he bothering her? Ena said they were fine and everything, but… Friend or not, I don't want him making her upset. He shut the screen off as he handed it to her. "I'll be quick."

"No need," Ena called after him. "My calls could take a while. Take your time."

Silver slid her doors shut and crossed into the maid's quarters. The reminder of his unused bed still got him flushed, but he dug out some sweats and a swim team crop top (he had a brief flashback of when Julia laughed at him for having it, but he reveled when Gary had shut her up the moment he showed up with matching crop tops for all three of them, and she felt like she was in Hell) before he darted to the bathroom.

SHHHHHHHHHH…

His ears pricked, and even from the bathroom, he could hear the soft tones of Ena speaking on the Compact. He stripped down and sighed happily underneath the heated spray. He combed through his hair first and let himself get drenched, but as the water washed over his flesh, it gave him time to think. That power I used… He looked at his hand.

It glitched. For a moment, he was back under the downpour in the woods, and the hand he stared at was scaley and clawed. But then, he was back underneath the spray with a hand of human flesh.

I'd never…felt anything like that before, Silver admitted to himself, blues contemplative and somber. I didn't even know I could do all that. I felt so out of control, but… It felt right. He watched as a drop of water swept down his vein. I could control their blood. I could make their bodies boil. I could make them bleed without touching them, he remembered, thoughts dark. And since Ena had open wounds…I could separate the Anti-Ether from her body. I don't know how I did, but I did it. All because of that power.

He closed his eyes and, with a steady breath, he tentatively reached for it again. The swell of the ocean played in his ear and in his soul, but he was too skittish to take a dip into that sea of power. He let it go quickly and decided to lather himself up with soap.

And my dream… Was it a dream or a memory? That woman… I know her and…Dad and Mom know her… But Dad's my only dad, so… What was that thing called me his 'son'? Everything is so confusing. My dreams were one thing, but now my memories? And on top of that…

"Your brother is an Ice Devil." Those unusual eyes that spoke of dark mirth. "And your sister has all the fine makings of a Hunter."

His eyes darkened. Caeryssa said Julia was a Hunter. She could be lying, but… She wasn't lying about me that something was inside of me. I've never actually seen Julia train. She blows me off when I offer. I just thought she was being stuck-up like usual. But… He could not believe it. But…she can't be. Hunters took Gary away from us. They're monsters. Why would she give up her powers to become one of them?

He disbanded the thought. Either way, that power inside me… It's strong. It's really strong. But still…

"Silver, as much as you are determined to stay by her side"—dark kobichas—"are you certain there's nothing that would pull you away from her? Because, Silver, as your Guild Master, I can tell you there will come a day Ena will need to go to a place you cannot follow. And you too will have to walk a path alone."

His father's voice circled him. "And the first Dragon we encountered in Giltena was none other than the Sea King Dragon Mercuphobia. In fact, the temple you drew was a temple in ode to him."

"We did meet Mercuphobia." Erza's words were back "A strange man, but he had an honest heart. I'm sure he would be impressed with the Prince of the Sea of Fairy Tail."

"I don't know, Silver. Do you think he's alive?"

'Welcome home, my prince.' A paternal warmth and love. 'Welcome home…my son.'

SHHHHHHHH…

Silver's matted hair boxed his ears as he let the spray clean his suds. Those blues glistened. Mercuphobia… My dreams… That temple… And this power… What does it all mean? I don't understand any of it. I don't want to, but…it was this power that let me be Ena's shield. It'll help me get stronger, but… I can't leave her. Can't I have both? Isn't there a way to stay here and get stronger?

None could answer his question.

I'll think about it later. He went for his shampoo to wash his hair. Right now, I just need sleep.

He was quick to finish washing and cheated with his Magic to draw himself off. After brushing his teeth, throwing on his pajamas, and grabbing his Compact, he hurried out of his room and tried not to look too eager as he opened the doors to Ena's room, slipped inside, and shut the doors closed. He slipped onto his side of the bed and tamped down his hope as he came to her side. "Did your calls go okay?"

"Mmm." Ena did not mind when Silver engulfed her and scrolled through Insta. "I spoke with Mother, but I let her know some conversations are better in person. I couldn't get a hold of L." She rolled her eyes. "I have a feeling it's because of your cousin." She showed him her Compact.

Silver snorted when Gale's Insta popped up with a picture of a title sequence of a well-known Magia movie with two bowls of macaroni and cheese with obvious two sets of feet beneath a blanket, and he captioned it:

The Hell I endure for my princess

"It makes sense he and Julia are best friends," Silver mumbled into her shoulder. "Both of them are huge bullies to me. I never needed to train with Gale, but he'd always growl at me whenever I was close to Lulu. And whenever he and Julia would play lacrimagames, they'd make me their slave."

Ena tittered as she tapped her Compact's settings. "Admit it. You were desperate to hang out with the cool kids."

"N-N-No!"

"You sound so believable." She locked her Compact and traded it for her eye mask. "There, there. Everyone always wants to fit into a clique. Lucky for me, I was always the cool one and L was always the sweet one. She's lucky I was wrong to fend off all the creeps." She huffed. "I guess she could thank Igneel, but he was an asshole. I would've won if I fought him." She turned off the lamp to let darkness surround the room.

Silver snickered. "I would've paid to see that. He ignored me a lot of times, but he clearly cared about Lulu. But he hated Gale. Revenge felt so sweet for all his bossing me around whenever Igneel put him down."

"I never took you for having a dark side," Ena said in good humor. "But I also enjoyed watching Gale being knocked down a peg or two." A three-beat pause. "As upset as I am with him for doing that to L…I do hope both of them find happiness, be it with each other or someone else."

Silver agreed. "I know what you mean," he murmured. "When Emma left the day after Gale's birthday, I'd never seen Gale so shaken. He might've been bossy, but he never made fun of me when I got into my mom's make-up and didn't like sports."

"'Emma'?"

"Yeah, she's…" It donned on Silver. "You probably wouldn't remember her," he supposed. "Emma is Gale, Livy, and Galileo's older sister. I don't know why she left. My parents told me that she was going to a boarding school, but she never came back." He shrugged. "I don't know. The whole situation was weird. Gale looked really shaken about it all whenever he came over. And we never celebrated his birthday ever since then."

"Huh…" Ena pulled down her eye mask and adjusted her position. "I never realized we don't celebrate Gale's birthday, but to each his own." She yawned.

"That's enough talking tonight. You should sleep," Silver encouraged.

"I think I'll take you up on that." A six-beat silence. "I'm right here, Silver. I'm safe."

Silver let out a breath as he inhaled her sweet scent and let that calm him. "I know." He tightened his hold on her. "For all time?"

Ena sighed back, "Always."

Silver could sense Ena had dropped into sleep as she slackened in his hold (somehow, the queues of her chainsaw snoring was not enough for him) and nuzzled her skin. For your sake, I'll take more time to think about this new power. If it can be used to protect you—his eyes fluttered closed as his chest heaved—then I'll hone this power…and become your shield...

He felt himself drop into sleep

…my Ena…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

And later that night…

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

HOO… HOO… HOO… HOO…

Clouds feathered the sky with a waning moon hanging in the sky. Savant Hall was quiet with patrols not shifting for another hour. Counters had been wiped down and food had been scrapped. A few lights had been left on, but it was not because anyone was occupying the rooms. It was commonplace to have a few lights on.

Ena snorted like she was the embodiment of death metal rockers while Silver kept her in his arms with his leg between hers. He snorted on occasion and sniffed, but he was far too deep in his sleep to realize. And while his hold of Ena chased away the fears of leaving, his face furrowed due to a different dream.

• — • — •

The world blurred for him, and he did not understand why. It was as though he was getting used to his environment. But this dream felt like it had sprung from an old truth that been buried. He could now understand what was around him. He could understand that blues had mounted the walls with a healthy mural of marine life. He could see a dolphin mobile spun lazily above him. And he could understand the voices that, long ago, sounded like gibberish.

"Tell me you didn't," came the plead of a stubborn woman. "Please. Your Majesty, you couldn't have—!"

"That's enough," came a tired command. "You're sounding like a broken record, and I grow weary of it."

Another appeal. "Your Majesty, you could have chosen one of the seven Sea Kings. Please, reconsider!" The voice was closer now, obsessively insistent. "Benin, Enki, Mazu, Watatsumi—even that arrogant Shenlong would have been a better option! And you chose that thing?"

"'The thing' comes from the same race as you," came dry reminder. "You will respect my choice because I have made it. What's done is done. And I know I have made the right choice for us and my people."

The blurriness appeared, but he recognized black gloves had come into his domain and swaddled him in one of the softest blankets he had ever felt. He was lifted upward.

"And I have to remind you to address him with respect," came kind chide. "He's your future king." Those black gloves drew him up and while the blurriness could not make out distinguishable outlines, he understood that whoever had him had blue hair and horns that he had a phantom emotion of being fascinated with. But the blurriness focused on a light blue eye and the tattoo over it. "And he's now…my son."

• — • — •

DDU-DU. DDU-DU. DDU-DU. DDU-DU.

Silver groaned when the bubbly ringtone went off, and the light from Ena's Compact stung him. But he reached over Ena and pawed for her Compact. He squinted when he saw Luna was FaceCalling and answered it, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, Lulu."

"Oh, sorry, were you asleep?"

"Yeah, but it's fine now." Silver blinked the sleep from his eyes only for a goofy grin to take over his features when he saw Luna was in a black hoodie that clearly was not hers. "Lulu… Where are you calling from?"

Luna flushed as she shifted. "Nowhere."

"Lulu…"

Luna groaned as she brought up her blanket and tugged on the drawstrings of her hoodie. "I didn't mean to fall asleep in his basement," she whined with her tone pitched low. "But it just…happened, okay?"

Silver's grin broadened. "Mmm-hmmm…"

Luna half-laughed half-groaned. "Silver…!"

Ena hacked and snorted, but she half-woke up to Luna's whine like a mother responding to the cry of her child. She peeked up her eye mask to show one eye and squinted when she saw Luna. "L. Why are you in Redfox's sweatshirt?" she demanded to know. "Where are your clothes, young lady? What's the meaning of this? Why aren't you in your room?"

"You tell her, mistress," Silver amusedly urged.

Luna colored and muttered, "What is this, a parental interrogation?"

"I'm too tired to deal with you," Ena mumbled with a yawn and offered a blown kiss. "I love you, L. Silver, you talk to her." Curling into Silver's chest, she shoved down her eye mask and within seconds, she was snoring like a chainsaw again.

Luna dryly whispered, "Well, she's a barrel of laughs."

"She's had a long day," Silver reasoned as he tucked Ena under his chin. He grew wary of Luna's sly grin. "Lulu, wait, this isn't what you think, okay? Don't look at me like that!"

"Mmm-hmmm…" Luna's grin broadened when Silver shot her a crass middle finger, and she chortled. "Well, since it's not anything, then you won't mind if I saw you both look totally adorable, and the captain of my ship says you'll have some smooth sailing?"

Silver's cheeks heated. "I hate you."

"You love me, baby," Luna cooed. She broke into a laugh when he gave her a withering look. "But seriously. Sorry I missed Ena's FaceCall earlier. How's everything been at Savant Hall? I'm offended at the lack of pictures of all the hot knights and that one hot lord."

Silver tried to bite down his jealousy towards Nora. "Everything's fine. We'll send pictures soon, um…" He debated on what to say and decided on, "We'll tell you the whole story once we're home. Some things are better to talk about in-person."

Luna understood as her expression shifted to somber. "I get it. Are both of you okay?"

"We're better," Silver remarked. "We're okay."

"That's a relief," Luna sighed. "As long as you're both okay. Just text me if something happens and I'll come there with Icarus to kick butt."

Silver chortled. "We'll just get them to make you cry and that will be the shot heard around the world Igneel hears to burn them to the ground."

"Sometimes, I miss having a brother who would commit arson if someone made me cry." Luna and Silver shared a laugh. "But seriously, Silver…"

"We've got it handled," Silver soothed. "Don't worry about us." Concern filtered onto his features. "I'm worry about you," he murmured in truth. "How are you doing? Are you sure being over there is the best move right now for you and your mental health?"

Luna blew out a breath and hooked a finger to draw back a lock of hair. "Everything is…weird," she relayed. "It's weird. I want to have a friendship back with him, but sometimes, it feels like it's teetering into something I'm not ready for or he's ready for. It's like we're walking a tightrope. It's weird, I know, but…" She tugged on her sleeve. "He makes me feel safe, y'know? I can leave Magnolia without panicking and…I miss leaving Magnolia without feeling scared."

Silver's heart went out to his best friend. "I know how much he means to you, Lulu. And I'm happy he can help you leave home. I just want you to be careful. I don't want you to get hurt again. I just want you to feel better about yourself and everything. That's all. I want you to feel safe alone."

"I know," Luna mumbled. "I know, I know, I know… I'm trying."

"That's all you have to do: try," Silver assured her. "And you know I'm here for you too if you ever need anything." A little smile. "I'm not as fabulous as Carlisle, but I promise I'm still a good option."

Luna chortled. "You're my best friend, Silver. I know you're here for me." She shifted on whatever she was laying on. "And I'm here for you too." Now it was her turn to be Mother Hen. "How's everything going with your nightmares?"

"A little better." A partial lie, but a bigger truth. He scratched his jaw and took the plunge. "Do you…? Do you think they could mean anything?"

"What do you mean?"

Silver exhaled. "I mean…" He tried to figure out the words. No fear sprung up about judgment. This was his best friend, and nothing was too sacred or off-limits. "You have visions and dreams and everything, right?" he checked. Once she slowly nodded, he continued: "And you always tell me they mean something to you, but… Do you think mine mean something to me?"

Luna hummed, thoughtful. "I think they do."

Silver shifted with his hand on Ena's back and threw his leg over hers to get more comfortable. He tried not to think how adorable it was Ena was mumbling in her sleep about chasing after a model to get their measurements. "How do you know?"

"I don't." Luna was honest in that. "You're the only one who can know if they mean something. But I believe they do." Those chocolates glinted in understanding. "I know it's overwhelming and sometimes…you don't want these dreams and visions. Whatever they're telling you might not make sense, or they make sense, but their meaning is plain horrible." A haunted look turned her face gaunt, but she tried to shoo it away. "But Mama told me dreams and visions have a purpose and can help guide us just like the stars."

Silver swallowed. "And I guess…I can't ignore it?"

"You can, but in my experience, trying to ignore it makes everything worse," Luna confided. She saw the plain discomfort on Silver's face and added softly, "But you can take your time to figure it out, Silver. No one is pressuring you. There might not be a time limit."

"What if…? What if there is a time limit?" Silver rasped as that fear rehashed itself. "What do I do then? What if…I have to follow what they're telling me sooner than later?"

Luna sighed and stared at him with those browns that had much more love and wisdom he felt he would cultivate in a lifetime. "Silver, I can't tell you what you should do. I don't want to make choices for you. But I've had my fair share of visions and dreams. Some of them haven't come to pass. Others happened so suddenly that I had to act. But what was the most important thing about it was that they were my visions. They were my choices to make. Maybe it's wrong of me to say this, but…that knowledge is yours and only you can choose what to do with it without anyone trying to influence you."

"But—"

"I know. I know what you're going to say. I know what you're worried about, Silver," Luna told him She took a beat. "Igneel left, and we all felt a little lost. For so long, I felt so upset. I hated that he left. I wished that he could have…" Tears prickled her eyes, but she controlled herself. "But it wasn't up until recently that I realized, even though he's gone, he isn't really. He watches over us in his own ways. And he'll come home when he's ready. But I'm starting to understand he had to leave. Maybe you don't have to leave now. You can still figure out what you need to. But we'll still be connected."

Silver felt his own blues tear up, and he jested, "Through the power of love and friendship?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds so lame!" Another amicable laugh was shared between best friends. Luna crooned to him in sweet lyrical, "In the light of the day… In the dark of the night… When you're rarin' to go… When you're tired from the fight… When you're losing your mind… Let me give you a thought… I'm gonna be right by your side no matter way…"

Silver laughed a little as he knuckled away a tear. "Lulu, c'mon, it's late."

"Then you should hurry up," Luna teased him, a tad emotional. She sang to him, "Through whoever you've been…"

Silver crooned back, "Through whoever you've been…"

"Through whoever you'll be…"

"Through whoever you'll be…"

"Through whatever you lose…"

"Through whatever you lose…"

"You will always have me…"

"You will always have me…"

"At the end of the road…"

"At the end of the road…"

"I'll be holding you taut….

"I'll be holding you taut….

"I'm gonna"—Silver added his voice to her in a harmony—"be right by your side… Be right by your side… Be right by your side no matter…what…" Their watery laughter came mixed with sniffles and a few tears.

"You know I love you, Lulu," Silver murmured with his eyes shining.

"I love you too, baby," Luna whispered. "Really. I don't—"

A grumpy yet tried drawl crackled from Luna's end, "Who the fuck are you calling 'baby' and serenading this late at night? Is that your ex?"

"Wait, Gale—!"

The FaceCall shook for a moment before a squinting Gale showed his face with his hair a mess and it was clear he was shirtless from his naked shoulders and collarbone. Jealousy was clear on his face and agitation, but it cleared when he saw a frozen Silver. "Fuckin' A. You call my cousin 'baby'? Seriously?"

"Gale, give me my—!"

Gale ignored her, and the FaceCall went black with noises filtered through. Silver wisely stayed silent until the video returned. Luna looked done, emotional moment gone, as Gale had come over to cuddle with her and now it was even more obvious he was shirtless. He offered a lazy smirk and a peace sign. "Sup, Fullbuster?" He squinted and brought the Compact closer. "Yo, yo, wait… Hold up…" His eyebrows flew up as he laughed. "Dude… No fuckin' way that's Red you're in bed with!"

Luna smacked a cackling Gale's chest while Silver felt a full-body flush touch his skin. "Gale, don't be mean," she growled at him.

"Nah, principessa, this is dope! Fuck, I gotta text Lady J about this—"

"No!" Silver blurted, panicked. "No telling Julia!"

Gale reached for his Compact. "I'm totally telling her."

"Y-Y-You can't or…! Or…!" Silver scrambled for some type of threat and ended up blurting, "Or I'll tell Lulu about when I had to stay the night and I woke up because I heard you—!"

Gale let out a soul-crushing groan as he flopped back without his Compact. "Not fucking cool, Fullbuster," he grumbled. "Fine. Lips are sealed with your secret. Asshat." He rolled over and brought Luna into his arms. "Blondie, hang up and come back to bed. I'm way better than my pussy cousin."

Silver muttered, "Asshole."

Luna nervously laughed when Gale nuzzled her cheek. "We're not sleeping in the same bed," she tried to explain to Silver in that tone that meant I'm panicking and I need the world to end. "H-H-H-He's just kidding about that, I swear—!"

"Ah, so you want to play a little roleplay game?" Gale saucily grinned. "Fuck if that ain't hot."

"He's tired!" Luna blurted, wide-eyed. "He's just very sleep-deprived—stop touching me, you jerk!" She tried to fend herself from Gale with several whacks to his arm, but she was not match for his determined strength. "I need to go home, Gale—!"

"Fuck are you going home right now," Gale whispered against her cheek. "It's late, Blondie. Don't be stupid. You're staying right here with me." He flashed a red eye up to Silver and ignored how flushed Luna had gotten. "Yo, Fullbuster. You be careful sleepin' over there. Never know what you might wake up to find having your girl in your arms."

Silver's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Yeah, no, I'm not explaining that to you." Gale stole back the Compact to flash him a fangy smirk. "Just try to keep your dreams very Church-like, yeah? Wouldn't want an awkward morning."

"But what does—?"

"'Kay, you're boring me now and Blondie is getting me all excited playing hard to get." Gale's red went to the side as he bit his bottom lip and grinned over Luna's spluttered as she tried to get away. "Don't do anything I would do. Trust me." He eyed Luna like a man with a lot of ideas, and Luna looked like she was the sacrificial maiden given up to a greedy Dragon. "Don't." He winked and blew a mock kiss that ended in a middle finger. "Later, pussy."

"Wait, Gale—!"

And the FaceCall dropped.

Silver blanked as he looked at the screen. Wow. That… That just happened. He reached to put back Ena's Compact on the table before he sighed and snuggled her into him. Gale can be mean and crude sometimes, but… He's still family. Lulu's good for him. She keeps him tamed. Like an owner and a feral dog. He envisioned a pimped out chibi-Luna with a leash and muzzled and obedient Gale the Rottweiler-Pitbull. He drank in Ena's scent. Lulu always knows how to make me feel better… Another sigh as his eyes shut. I'm going to be right by your side, Ena…no matter what…

And when Ena shifted as her dream took a turn for the worst, he was too far gone in his sleep to notice his chest was making a nose again on reflexive response—he was purring. And Ena instantly relaxed with a soft sigh.

---

The Redfox basement was blackened except for the glow of the LV that was stuck on the MagiX home screen. The glow showed off the excess books on all shelves and stocked alongside vinyls and weapons that could not fit upstairs. Olivia's drum set was gone from the soundproof practice room, but the other rooms had been closed off.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Redfox Residence

Magnolia Town

Fiore, Ishgar

12:34 AM FST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Icarus sighed as he slept in Dog Form on his back with his tongue hanging out. He was not prudent to Luna's exasperated giggles nor Gale's teasing. The pair of them were on the couch with their bowls licked clean of their late-night snack and the blanket tangled around them. Gale had changed into an old pair of basketball shirts and had taken off his bandana with his Fairy Tail tattoo on his shoulder and his scars loud and proud while Luna had gotten one of his sweatshirts and hated how big it was on her.

"Gale…!" Luna laughed when he cuddled her. "Friends don't do this!"

"Get out of here! Of course friends do this!"

Luna laughed even more when Gale nuzzled her throat. "Gale…!"

He groaned and pulled back with a wolfish grin, but he kept her in his arms. "All right, all right, I'll stop." He pinched her side and cackled when she squeaked. "Sorry. Couldn't resist. That's totally on you for being pretty damn cute."

"I thought we were going to bed," Luna reminded him, smiling.

"I thought so too, then I wake up and you're away from me and calling some fuckboy 'baby'—"

"It was Silver!"

"I think that's worse."

Luna smacked him with a playful roll of his eyes while he barked his laughter. "You jerk." She shook his head. Oh, this incorrigible Dragon of hers. "Seriously, Gale, I should be going home," she tried again, but she was unsuccessful in prying away from him. She huffed. "You're so clingy."

"Believe me. You have not seen 'clingy'," Gale muttered. "And stop talking BS. I'll bring you home in the morning. You let your parents know you'll probably fall asleep here anyway and I'm taking advantage they're entrusting me—the noble Dragon—with their precious maidenly princess. Talk about an inverted fairy tale."

"I don't know. You'd make a good villain," Luna told him, tone dry. She sighed and shifted to bring herself into his chest and threw her leg over his while her other fell between his. "What are we doing, Gale?" she lamented. "We said we'd be friends and we wouldn't make mistakes."

"We're not making a mistake," Gale soothed her. "We're cuddling. Friendly cuddling. And nothing's going to come from it." He felt Luna sigh and could smell her unease. He pushed the joking aside and murmured in somber tones, "I'm not used to this new friendship either, Blondie-girl. Do I wish things were different? Hell yeah, I do. Do I hate that I was out of control? Of course." He added meaningfully, "And do I wish I had waited to be with someone I cared about? All the time."

Remorseful rubies connected with sad chocolates.

"Maybe we could date now, but I know I can't be what I should be towards you," Gale told her, honest and ashamed. "And as much as I'm fucking ecstatic you still feel safe with me after everything, I'm not selfish enough to want you to be dependent on me. Maybe I was before, but… I want there to be a day you can go out and feel safe in your own person without me. I'm so proud of you for getting back into the swing of things with training and taking lessons with Granny P with potions and basic med training with Aunt Wen. So damn proud. It'll help you feel protected and prepared when you go out again."

"I'm scared, Gale," Luna whispered.

"I know, principessa," Gale murmured back.

Luna shook her head, eyes glassy. "No, Gale, you don't understand." Her tone trembled. "It's… It's…"

"Blondie, look at me right now."

She sniffed and looked up at those intense eyes.

Gale stressed in repeat, "I know."

She sadly shook her head. "No, you don't—" Her heart stopped. Everything in her froze. Her mind went quiet until a panic swept her away, and tears came to the corners of her eyes. "N-No… You… You didn't…"

"Blondie-girl," Gale breathed as he held her when his heart broke smelling her grief and self-loathing and the salt of her tears. "I'm so fucking sorry for invading your memories like that. I didn't mean to, honest. But I saw it and I just… I didn't know how to tell you I knew why you felt so anxious and sad when I had invaded your privacy like that." He curled her into his chest when her shoulders shook.

"I don't have the words or the knowledge of what to say to make you feel better or apologize. And I hate that. But I want you to know that I care about you so fucking much. That fucker did something terrible to you that's beyond words, and I will kill him on-site." Gale said those words with a minor snarl that was a promise of blood. He reigned it back for her sake.

"But you are still Luna Dragneel, one of the sweetest, kindness, and purest people I know. And nothing will change that for me or anyone else. You say the word, and I'll do whatever you need me to do. I'll support whatever you need. I'll listen to you if you feel comfortable. I'll just listen. No talking, no advice—nothing. You'll have my undivided attention if you want it." Gale nuzzled his cheek to her temple. "But you're still you, Blondie."

Luna sniffled. "I don't feel like me."

"Not now. Your boundaries got destroyed, and your choices were taken from you." Gale added softly, "But I believe that one day, you will feel like you again. Whenever you're ready to find a way to get back there, I can help you or just silently support you—whatever you need. But that's your choice and your right—no one else's."

Luna cried into his chest. "Please don't tell anyone."

"I'd never," Gale hushed her. "Your body, your trauma, your choice who you share it with. I hate that I took that choice away from you—"

"N-No." Luna pulled away to wipe her cheeks and looked up at him as she sniffed. "No, I… Luke…knows a little, but…" She lowered her lashes and rubbed her nose. "I know he's trying. I just…can't face him yet. I promised Nashi I'd tell her if he"—she roughly swallowed—"went inside me, but h-h-he didn't do that. It was just his"—her throat contracted—"f-f-fingers…" A wheezing inhale.

Gale rubbed her back. "You don't have to force yourself to talk about it if you don't want to. I'll listen if you want me to tonight, but you don't need to say anything." He gently added, "And if—and a big if—you ever wanted to talk to someone with more credentials—no pressure—they won't make you speak about every detail. The good ones—the really good shrinks—will listen to you and support you and help you feel safe again."

"Why can't that be you?"

"I can listen and support you, and I will do that," Gale promised her. "But there are some things that a professional can help you with that I can't."

Luna sniffled. "Like with Emma?"

"Yeah, Blondie. Like my stuff with Emma." Gale kissed her forehead and made sure she was comfortable. "So we both have some scars still healing. Our personal realities are pretty fucked and warped right now. And maybe our friendship is unconventional. But I want to work on myself and on whatever the Hell our friendship is. And you know something, Blondie? I think you do too."

Luna closed her eyes with a deep breath. "I do," she confessed. "I just… I don't want to keep hurting you or me or anyone else, Gale."

"I can't promise shit won't come up," Gale said. "But I can promise we can work to talk about it instead of dealing with it how we did before. My shrink might be a pain in my ass, but he's teaching me how to talk about my feelings without being in my feelings, so I don't hurt the people around me when I'm the one hurting. But it doesn't matter how much he teaches me all these psych tips and tricks. I have to want to do them." A long exhale. "And I do. I want to get to that point, so I'm going to bust my ass unraveling the clusterfuck in my head, so I can be good enough for everyone—for you— and most importantly, for me.

"People like to brag about how much they did all this shit for someone else," Gale went on. "Hell, it pissed me off when we had some suicide prevention lecture at my university, and the advice was disgusting. We're to remind the person contemplating the jump about all the people in their life and all the good. But that's a horrible method, especially when you don't know it. Your mental health shouldn't rely on anyone else like that. Be selfish with it. You pull yourself out of the darkness for your own sake. Anyone else is an afterthought."

Luna sniffed. "But… Isn't that a little backward? We fight for other people, don't we?"

"First and foremost, you fight for yourself," Gale told her. "There's nothing wrong with fighting for someone else's. But the second that other person is your end-all-be-all and you don't even think of yourself as a person, but they've become your religion? That's where you need help. Don't ever do anything because you live solely for this one ultimate being. Do shit for you. Be selfish with your health and take no shit from anyone. And if anyone gives you lip over it, you just tell me and I'll fuck them up, for reals."

Luna quietly laughed. "A professor one minute and a beast the next. You can't just punch everyone who disagrees with you, you know."

Gale arched an eyebrow. "Says who?"

"Me. I says. You make enemies that way."

"Okay, and? If someone wants to be my nemesis because I decided to put myself and my health first, let them be the Doofenshmirtz to my Agent P, please. Like legit, I have exactly zippo time to deal with that sort of foolishness."

Luna smiled. "Thanks for listening."

"Anytime, Blondie." Gale grinned and teased her, "Not like I mind listening to your sweet voice all day…until you give me a whole debate with a PowerPoint presentation on why you don't want to watch Fast and Furious."

Luna huffed. "Okay, listen."

"Oh, here we go. 'Bout to go Mother Theresa on me." Gale cracked up when Luna smacked his arm. Luna ended up snort-laughing with him which sent them both into peals of laughter with tears coming out of their eyes. It took them a minute until their laughs and snorts subsided into little chuckles and amicable sighs. "Holy shit. I think I got a whole workout in just from laughing that hard."

"Right?" Luna knuckled away a tear of mirth. "I thought I was going to choke."

"Seriously. What the Hell was so funny?"

"No idea," Luna told him. "But…we needed a laugh like that."

"Couldn't agree more with you, Blondie-girl."

A friendly silence birthed into the room as the pair even out their breathing and basked in each other's warmth. Gale was the one to grunt and move first to grab the MagiX controller and turn off the system before he went for the remote to turn off the LV. A soft black sheathed the room, and Luna closed her eyes as Gale slipped back into his position with them tangled in each other.

"Gale?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for being my friend."

"It's whatever, principessa. Thanks for being mine."

"I don't mind. But if you're really thankful—"

"Beautiful, don't even try it."

"Jerk."

Gale snickered into an exhale. "We're going to get strong enough to lift our heads off the ground, Blondie," he promised. "And then, we'll lift up each other. And just know, the second I'm ready and you're ready, it's game on." He readjusted with her tucked under his chin. "I'm gonna love you so hard, I'll ruin you for everyone else and you won't ever think about your ex."

Luna laughed. "Right." She nuzzled into his skin. But it feels like you already have. And neither one realized it. But a subtle rumbling purr snuck between them, intimate. And it sent Luna into a dreamless night.

---

— • — • — • —

sugu ni aitai noni aenai

kimi ni sotto chikazuite yuku

honto no koto kikutte kowai keredo

tashikame ni yuku yo

•

aitai noni aenai

hibi mo zutto kimi no tame ni waratta no

"arigatou" tte saigo datta tte

kaomisete baby

— • — • — • —

---

The night watch supervisor was one of the head guards, and he slow-walked to check on the guards at the entry points of the estate. Knights who had come for the reception ball and the exam had been put on rotation at the borders of the property with hourly reports needing to be submitted, even if nothing had happened. But sleep touched the nobles and guests within Savant Hall.

Except for one.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Savant Hall

Larkspur County

Fiore, Ishgar

1:47 AM FST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Tristan had a lantern burning as he secluded himself in the library. He had raised a little Hell when he said he would be staying in the library well into the night, but Nora's approval had been all it took to allow him to stay in this expansive library with rare texts that rivaled his college. He had a shawl over him and several books splayed in front of him, and Gale-Force Glasses on as he read.

When Nora asked me to do this, I was surprised, to say the least. He shifted to the next book. But I couldn't refuse him when he sounded so serious.

"You want me to what?"

• — • — •

The focus was in an outdoor environment—a college campus. The institution had gone through its upgrades with buildings being added and revitalized. This section of the campus housed the equestrian area for horse-riding, horse racing, and horse shows. Some students had come on their breaks with their assistants or maids—depending on their status—and had an afternoon meal out on the green or took up one of the benches in their uniforms of navy blue with different color ties to signify their year.

It was no secret that one of the sons of a Duke had fallen ridiculously in love with one of the scholarship students and made profound love confessions to him like a man possession—much to his mortification. Another couple was watching the horses and looked too intimate for a public setting. A professor had decided to come outside for her meal, but since she was blessed with curves, beautiful deep brown skin, and gorgeous curls, her eyebrow twitched in agitation as the student and faculty admirers all eagerly fawned over her and would happily do as she wished if she gave them the time of day.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Erigeron College, an institute that has existed since the official establishment of Fiore as a royal academy for any and all nobles and commoners who pass the entrance exam or get a recommendation and are awarded a scholarship. Magical nobles are often given private classes on top of their normal work, but not many nobles have Magic. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Tristan and Nora had gathered on one of the large stone steps that only a few students at on as they chatted and eat. The focus swung to a calm Nora as he sat his meal. "Nora, you're not serious, right? I thought you were into her and now you want me to investigate her? I'm pretty sure she passed the background check if she's coming to your house."

"It's not an investigation," Nora explained. "But you're the only person I can trust with this."

Tristan swung his legs. "All right. What are you asking for?"

Nora slowed in his chewing until he swallowed. "I need you to find information about someone called the 'Scarlet Angel'."

"'Scarlet Angel'?"

"Yes," Nora confirmed. "They might also go as the 'Scarlet Despair', but I'm certain they were called the 'Scarlet Angel'. I tried searching for it myself, but I've found nothing online."

"I'm sure that has nothing to do with you being an old man when it comes to technology," Tristan said dryly.

Nora shot him an impatient look. "Will you help or not?"

The focus bobbed. "I mean, yeah, sure, that's fine. The 'Scarlet Angel'. If there's nothing online about this person, then it'll be written or spoken about somewhere. But how does this relate to your crush on Ena?"

"I'm not sure," Nora admitted with a grimace. "But I have a feeling that it does, and my feelings aren't wrong. Find whatever you can about it this person and let me know what it is." He paused. "And also… Could you find information about the first Enchanter? My…feeling tells me that it all might be connected."

Tristan rubbed his hands together. "I'm on it. Another long project and days in the library are going to be some party."

Nora snorted. "I don't understand how you can be so gifted in history and research, but you're such a manwhore. You do realize if one of your flings comes to you with two blue lines, your father will disown you?"

"I'm careful," Tristan defended as he slung his arm around Nora (who looked at the arm like it offended him). "And besides, you're fortunate to have such an experienced best friend. I can give you all sorts of tips and tricks about how to get your crush to like you back…!"

"No thank you." Nora roughly jerked off Tristan's arm, but a blush tinged his cheeks. "I don't need any help from the likes of you. And I'm not hosting her to win her hand. I have to focus on my goals and my duty. Everything else comes second."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, the whole thing with the Holy Knights, but listen. Having self-discipline is great and all, but you know how good it feels having a hot girl cheer you on?" Tristan pitched-up his voice and cooed, "Oh, Lord Nora, you're so sweaty. Here, let me towel you dry all over—!" He cackled when Nora shoved him away, but he saw the red on Nora's face. "I knew it! You totally do want that!"

"Shut up," Nora gruffly rebuked. "It doesn't matter anyway." He sighed and stopped eating his food. "I can't give up on my goal, and I don't want her tangled in it. Romance has no place in my life right now. But if I can at least figure out this much"—grayed yellows glinted—"that's enough for me."

• — • — •

Tristan sighed as he finished his next book and looked at his stack. "No dice either."

I was able to pull some strings and take home some books from the college library and order some from the royal reserves. Nora explained to aim my search to the Dragon King Festival, but it was difficult to track down books with that knowledge. We still don't know everything about the event outside of the chaos. Word-of-mouth probably exists, but that's not reliable.

He shoved his Gale-Force Glasses into his hair and stretched. Still, though. A project like this gets me going. When it's improbable to find an answer, it makes me want to find it even more. And Nora asked this of me. Considering all he's done for me, doing a project like this is peanuts. He put back on the glasses and scanned for another book. Let's try this one. The title read:

LOST IN TIME

CREATURES OF THE DARK AGES

COMPENDIUM OF THE RISE AND FALLS OF EMPIRES

Tristan settled down and got to work. The Magic in his glasses activated on his first page turn and words whizzed past him as he blew past pages. I doubt I'll find anything in here—

He stopped. Wait…

He took off his glasses to manually read the section. Hold on… This is talking about a kingdom called…'Dragnof'? His brow furrowed. A kingdom that had humans and Dragons coexist. I mean I partially knew kingdoms had that, but their names were lost in time since they were obliterated with no survivors—or so we think.

He furthered his reading. It says here that from what a researcher found out… Dragnof existed over four hundred years ago. No ruins remained, but Dragnof was said to be located in Seven. Dragnof wasn't necessarily a kingdom but did have a Queen. And the recount says she was named queen due to her strength. She was recognized by…

His eyes widened. No way… She was recognized for her scarlet hair…and the researcher believes that she was the founder of Enchant, but sources can't confirm it. People of the kingdom had called her an 'Angel' due to the way she defended them.

He sat back, shocked. Scarlet hair… Angel… She had to have been the Scarlet Angel. It's a toss-up if she truly was the founder of Enchantment though. Magic Origins are almost impossible to prove unless we look at a direct bloodline—like the Heartfilia bloodline starting Celestial Spirit Mage or the Von Hohenheim family with Alchemy.

He rubbed his chin as he skimmed the text. There's not much about Dragnof. I'm sure whoever did the research did it by the skin of their teeth. Any kingdoms that had Dragons or even deities from the Middle Era and Old Era are difficult to track down since the Second Black War. So many stories had been destroyed and burned in that war from Spiritless and magical people alike.

His brow furrowed. Hold on… It says here that a source did confess that the Queen of Dragnof had a companion—a Dragon, apparently. And not only that… The researcher says here that there is a hypothesis about Enchant, but… He frowned. I have to read…Lost in Time…Fae Edition? His frown deepened as he looked at his assortment of books. I thought they had volumes, sure, but I didn't realize there were specific editions. I'm sure it'll be difficult to track down.

He tried to think. It's pretty much a throwaway to blame the Fae and Elves for a lot of the Magic types we can't explain. At least, Doctor Redfox said in her lecture she finds it a cop-out. But Enchant is pretty rare. A handful of people around the world have it. But maybe… He pulled out his Compact and went to Goggle to search:

Fae enchantment origins queen of Dragnof

Tristan expected his messy search question to give him pages of irrelevant links. But he clicked through and clicked through until he came across a blog that did fantasy art tailored to the Lost in Time series.

He sighed and scratched his chin. This was a fluke. I don't there's…

His eyes widened. Holy shit. He clicked to expand the fantasy art and looked at the sensual woman with a ring of Magic in her eyes and a unique staff in her hands as she fluttered with the most beautiful wings he had ever seen. She has…scarlet hair too… And wings like an Angel… She looks so much like Ena. But she's not the queen of Dragnof. She's described as—

"Lord Tristan."

He jumped and shut off his Compact when a hand slipped onto his shoulder. He looked up with a slapped-on smile when he saw Mauve smiling down at him. "O-Oh. Hi, Knight-Commander Herring."

"Just 'Mauve' is fine," Mauve assured as she let go of his shoulder. "Pardon me for the intrusion. I saw there was light in the library and let the knights know I would investigate since I transitioned as the supervisor on duty. You're not off to bed?"

"My bedroom is the library," Tristan jested. But he got to his feet. "But it is getting late. I should be getting to bed." He closed his book and started stacking them—

"You're reading some interesting material, Lord Tristan. I never expected a lord as young as you to be interested in such history from the Middle Era."

Tristan laughed. "I know, but I guess I'm just a history nut like that." He gathered his books in his arms. "Would it be okay if I asked you to get the candle…?" His smile died when Mauve circled the table to stand on the other side. "Dame Mauve?"

Mauve kept up her closed-mouth smile. "Lord Tristan, have you ever heard of the quote, 'To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe'?"

Tristan offered her a hesitant nod. "Yes. By vos Savant, right?"

"Very good," Mauve praised. "But people tend to forget the rest of that quote. 'To acquire power"—her eyes cracked open to show those star pupils—"'one must conquer'." She swiftly picked up the oil lamp tray to let the flickering fire add a touch of darkness to her features. "You should be getting to bed, Lord Tristan. After the chaos of today, you need to be alert for any more attacks."

"I, uh…" Tristan bobbed his head. "Right. Yeah. Sure."

Mauve trilled with a cock of her head, "Good night, My Lord."

"Right. Good night." Tristan offered a hesitant smile before he scurried away with his books and left the library for his room in the annex.

Mauve kept her eyes on him until the doors shut. The candle flickered, and the shadow she had cast had turned into that of a cloaked man with predatory yellow eyes. His voice—muffled from a mask—asked of her, "Is he the prey for my knives?"

"No, Chase. Just a curious child in the meantime who reads far too much. After all"—Mauve gave a hum of light laughter as her star pupils glinted—"according to my watch…it isn't his time yet." And she blew out the candle.

---

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

— • — • — • —

Silver Fullbuster – Yuri Lowenthal

Ena Fernandes – Xanthe Huynh

Water Woman / Protector – Kira Vincent-Davis

His Majesty – Dave Wittenberg

Gray Fullbuster – Newton Pittman

Juvia Fullbuster – Brina Palencia

Caeryssa – Kristine Chenoweth

Irina Gosling – Pamela Merrick

Cinders – Brandon McInnis

Mauve Herring – Shelby Lindley

Nora Gosling II – Brad Swaile

Odette Gosling – Tia Ballard

Atticus Gosling – Steve Cannon

Erza Fernandes – Collen Clinkenbeard

Gray Fullbuster –Newton Pittman

Karameel –

Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Tristan Lauderdale – Chris Burnett

Mauve Herring – Shelby Lindley

Chase – Jason Liebricht

• — • — •

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

⌜OPENING SONG

⟪ HANDS ⟫

BLUE ENCOUNT

Lyrics by

Junichi Tanabe ⌟

•

⌜INSERT SONG

⟪ No Matter What ⟫

Zach Collison and Michaela Dietz

Lyrics by

Rebecca Sugar

Composed by

Rebecca Sugar, Jeff Liu, Aivi & Surasshu ⌟

•

⌜ENDING SONG

⟪ Long-Distance Train ⟫

Aoi Yamazaki

Lyrics by

Aoi Yamazaki⌟

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— • — • — • —

Next time, on Fairy Adventure

•

Episode 104

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WHAT ONCE WAS, WHAT NOW IS

— • — • — • —

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WITH GREAT POWERS COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY