The Dragon, the soldiers, and the Captain went ahead of the procession. The cage was left unprotected from all sides and the mages did nothing to hide the Dragon - instead, he was paraded down the streets openly so all could see. The eyes of the peasants, angered yet fearful, watched the unveiled monster as he went by.
The looks at both Dragon and royalty worried Lucy. They weren't happy with the King, hadn't been in a while, and no one seemed to want to do anything about it. It was almost like there was an unspoken code between officials, one that said "Hey, so there's this major problem where the peasants don't like us, but if we ignore it, it'll go away!" But now there was a new threat to the poor, one that could quite possibly destroy whole cities if he so desired. This would be a controversial topic for a long time to come. And the news was made public. This brought a slew of things that could go wrong.
Neighboring countries would be on high alert, thinking of the Dragon as a potential threat to their homes. Of course, the best defense for them would be to get a Dragon of their own, and that meant more excavating of the Uncharted Forest, which put even more Dragons in danger. Lucy frowned and wrung her hands, attempting to remain somewhat professional through her fear.
Why did they have to do this, why why why why . . ?
He would be treated badly, she knew he would be. The nobles, who saw him as a weakling to mock and blame for past destruction, already ridiculed him. The peasants, who saw him as a threat and a tool, would most likely try to kill him.
He doesn't belong here, he doesn't belong here . . .
Lucy and her father were slightly behind the Dragon and the soldiers. They rode on horseback, along with several other higher ranking officials and nobles. Everyone else was on foot. Lucy's three handmaids, Juvia, Levy, and Cana (who must have snuck some booze at some point, she was a little off kilter) stood all around her. Levy was at the horse's bridle, diligently leading the animal (it was considered unfashionable to give a lady reign of her own horse in certain circumstances), and the other two stood to either side of the princess.
Lucy had a perfect view of the Dragon from where she sat. He hadn't moved since she had first seen him, but she could tell that the jostling of the cage had not been good for him. There was more blood than there had been moments before, and his skin seemed just a tad bit paler.
Lucy looked away from the boy, hoping to avoid being sick. She felt a nudge on her right calf, a gesture from Juvia that she understood Lucy was upset.
Up ahead, perhaps only thirty yards or so was a meadow that rose up to a hill. When she was younger, maybe five or six, she and her mother had often walked up and down this very road at midday. They had one guard, an elderly knight, whom Layla had adored. The knight was never armed, confident in the people's love for the Queen and princess that he wouldn't need to be forceful with them. Lucy remembered that it had been early spring, and the snapdragons were blooming all along the edge of the road. They were a multitude of colors, ranging from deep purple to a pale yellow, and Lucy had loved them with the deepest part of her heart. The presence of her mother had only made the short outings even more special to her.
Lucy peered down at the side of the road where the flowers had been when she was younger. In the place of the snapdragons stood dahlias, sunflowers, cosmos, irises, and marigolds. Summer flowers.
Lucy sighed. Although the flowers were gorgeous, they couldn't beat the memories she had of the snapdragons in the spring.
The procession rounded the last corner, and there before them stood the castle. It wasn't the largest castle in the world, but it certainly was enormous compared to the homes and businesses of the peasants. It was made of marble and granite. The walkway was cobblestone, of course, and there was a tiger fountain centered before the castle. The tiger's head was bowed towards whoever was entering the courtyard, a noble greeting.
The windows of the palace were grand and tall, the double doors massive and plated with gold and silver. There were multiple balconies on the building, and three towers, one of which could not be seen from the front. Ten gargoyles rested, ever watchful, along the top of the roof. One could not see their ugliness from the front courtyard. A gentle river wove its way around behind the castle. Lucy knew that it ran through the royal gardens and into a lake. Trees, all meticulously trimmed and upheld for image, shadowed the lake. In the summer the men would go fishing there, and sometimes even swim.
Levy pulled back lightly on the bridle of Lucy's horse, and she stopped. The King stopped next to her. He waved his hand at two of his guards and then dismounted. Stable boys came running out of the barn and took the horses from them. All the soldiers under Captain Straight (apparently this was his name) bowed to the King, and then stepped back. They would leave once the King and his daughter were inside.
Lucy dismounted from her horse and Levy handed the mare off to a stable boy. He stared at Lucy, mesmerized as he took the horse. Lucy smiled at him, and he smiled shyly back. She leaned around the horse towards him and the boy's blush grew.
"There's a locked, metal chest in the grain shed. If you get the stool and look up in the rafters directly above it, you'll find the key to it. Open it up. Inside are three sacks, apples, carrots, and the third has some sort of horse treats. I'll get the chefs to fill them up later on today. Go ahead and take them. You boys deserve a treat for everything you've done." Lucy whispered to him. She quickly looked around to make sure no one could hear them. "After dinner, take all the boys to the river. If you go behind the watermill, you can't be seen from the castle." The boy's eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth to protest. Lucy waved a hand at him, eyes laughing. "I won't tell if you won't."
He blushed once more, and then nodded.
"Thank you, your highness." He bowed and trotted off with the horse, arm waving to get the attention of his fellow peers. The boys gathered around each other, some with horses and some without. The one Lucy had spoken to began to chatter excitedly with the others. She could see their eyes light up at the news. Apples were difficult to come by, especially since the King owned all the orchards in the country.
Lucy looked to Levy, who nodded. She had heard the whole thing.
Lucy stepped to a circle that consisted of her father, Captain Straight, two Royal Guards and two soldiers. They all nodded to her (except her father) and got in line to lead her up to the conference room. The two soldiers (apparently they were also mages) once more used their runes to lift the Dragon and his cage and bring him into the castle.
The walk to the conference room was silent. The Captain seemed to be mulling over what he was going to say to the King, and the King seemed to be scrutinizing the princess. Lucy stared straight ahead.
The doors opened to her father's private study, and the two Royal Guards took their places on either side of the door. They were left to wait outside the room.
The soldiers squeezed the Dragon into the room. His cage was slightly too large to fit through the door, so they had to make it smaller. He let out an agonized groan, and Lucy turned her head away, hoping that no one noticed the anger and sorrow on her face.
Once the cage was through, the soldiers let it extend back to its original size. There was no moan this time.
Lucy took a moment to investigate the room she was in, hoping to forget (if only for a moment) why she was there. Bookshelves lined three of the four sides to the room, only sometimes interspersed with windows or doors to other rooms. A desk was located in the back of the room facing whoever entered. It reminded her of a prison, a room set up for interrogating a suspect. Although that rarely happened anymore; now it was more like spontaneous arrests and imprisonments.
The King gestured to the desk, and Captain Straight and Lucy sat. He failed to pull her chair out for her, and Lucy was relieved. There could be no accidental touch if he didn't move her chair for her.
The King sat opposite them and eyed the two mages who stood in the middle of the room with the Dragon.
"Captain Straight." He started. The Captain sat up a little straighter in his chair. "You tell me that you have placed this monster," at this he gestured to the Dragon, "under a spell that would tie him to my daughter. Explain this to me." The Captain smiled easily at this.
"As I have told your daughter, it is a spell that forces him to become her protector. Not like a physical bond, as in he can't get too far away from her, but an emotional one. If the princess is afraid, he will be compelled to protect her by destroying whatever it is she fears. If she wants something, all she has to do is give the command. If he dares to try to attack her, not only will he be forced to stop what is causing her fear, which is himself, but he will feel the pain that he caused three times as strong! He will become her servant. And with his power, fire magic, he will be even more useful. There are not many mages in our kingdom, as you know, and if someone dared to try to hurt the Princess, he would have a distinct advantage knowing magic. He is not a fool, I will tell you that your Majesty. You would not need to hire multiple guards if the Princess were to leave the castle, or the town, or the country, to protect her. He is quite capable.
The only thing we must do now is to complete the spell. It is only a one-way spell. This way, she is in control of him. If it were two-way, the Princess would have to obey his command as well as force him to obey hers." The Captain nodded his head and waited for the King to speak.
"You can guarantee that he will protect my daughter?" Lucy rolled her eyes internally at this. The Captain nodded.
"And if it does not work, if I decide I no longer want to have this Dragon in my home? Can we nullify it?" Once again the Captain nodded.
"It is only permanent as long as the spell is in tact. In order to destroy it, the caster, and only the caster, would have to undo the spell."
"I see."
The King nodded solemnly and leaned back in his seat. He eyed the enthusiastic redhead and the tense young woman who looked so much like his late wife. Lucy peeked over her shoulder at the Dragon in the cage. He still hadn't moved. Looking closer, Lucy noticed his skin was even paler. He couldn't have lost more blood, right? Or was she just hallucinating? Anger burnt in her heart. Cruel, sadistic, inhumane . . .
"Lucy." She looked up at her father, anger burning brightly in her eyes. "What do you think of this arrangement?" Her glare darkened.
"This is not something Mama would do."
The sudden chill in the air was tangible, coating the people present and leaving the Captain scratching his head in bewilderment.
"Huh . . . wonder where that came from."
The King perfectly understood what she was saying. "This is not something Mama would do." Layla wouldn't want him to be a slave. She'd want him to be free, to go back home. She'd make sure that he was fed, that he healed, that he was taken care of until he was set free. This would have been a given to her.
But she wasn't there to say these things to the man she had once loved with all her heart. Only her child, her successor, was there to make amends.
Neither princess nor King let their stare waver as they glared at each other.
"Is this your final decision?" He asked, eyes narrowing once more. Lucy nodded silently. There was no need for words when he could understand her perfectly.
"Very well then." The King finally relented and stood to face the windows that overlooked the royal garden. "If that is your decision. Straight, I'm sure you will be quite capable in executing my next decision, as you have proven to be." The man jumped out of his seat, looking far too excited. Lucy stood as well. Her left shoulder almost touched his. The King continued.
"The laboratory east of this castle is known for their high-class medical professors and mages. I'm sure they would love to have this specimen to examine."
"Wait-" Lucy interrupted. Of course, of course he wouldn't have let me win that easily. Her hand came forward to reach for her father.
"Bring him to the lab and keep him locked up."
"Stop-" The best thing that they could do there is KILL him.
"I will pay you for-"
"STOP! Stop! Ok! I'll take him!" Lucy screamed. Her hands clenched at her sides, fisting the white of her dress. Her eyes lowered to the ground and she let out a quiet sob. "I'll take him." She could envision the cruel smile on her father's face, but she wouldn't face him.
He can't go there, he can't go there . . .
"Good decision." It was almost not heard, but it was there. Lucy turned her head away from her father, eyes closed. She could not bear to look at the man who was intent on flipping her life upside down. Her father continued on, ignoring her.
"There are many things we must discuss about this beast. Does he know our language? How strong is he? Can he shift his shape into that of a Dragon? Where will he sleep? How long will it take for him to accept his role?" The King stopped and looked at the Captain. "Call in one of the guards." The Captain signaled one his men who opened the door and gestured one of the guards in.
"Yes, your Highness?" The guard bowed low and then stood straight once more.
"Tell the servants that I want half of Princess Lucy's balcony to be set up as the Dragon's home. There is an overhang on part of it. I want several blankets out there for him to sleep on. I also want a chain to be set up. He'll stay there at night, and there is no way that I want him able to get near my daughter." The King turned to a stunned Lucy. "You have seen the anger of peasants. If any of them try to attack you, especially if they can use magic, then there is a very good chance that they will come through the balcony. I want him there to stop them." The King turned to the Captain. "Set up runes on the balcony as well. At night I want him unable to get into her room to hurt her."
"And what if they manage to get past him and into my room?" Lucy spoke up sarcastically. Her father quieted.
"True. I will think on setting up runes. But the chain will still be set up. I understand he is powerful enough to break that if needed." The King nodded to the guard, and the guard bowed back.
"As you wish, your highness." And he left. The King looked back out the window.
"Set up the spell as I think." The Captain stepped forward and gently grasped Lucy's arm. He led her to the side of the Dragon, and Lucy dropped to the ground beside him.
"The Princess's personal guards shall be transferred to the night guard." The King stepped towards his desk and pulled out a piece of paper. He began to write. "He will be taught our language so he can better serve my daughter. He must be clothed properly, and the clothes must be tailored to fit his features. A healer will come to see him to make sure he is in good health." Lucy glared at the cage for that. Couldn't he see he already wasn't in good health? "He will be taught basic combat and learn to control his magic." The list went on and on with things that the Dragon would need in "order to serve the princess."
Lucy turned to the three men standing before her. They were watching the King, but as soon they realized she was watching them they began to prepare for the spell. One of the soldiers wrote runes against the cage.
"What are you doing?" Lucy questioned. He finished writing the runes and then answered her.
"I am removing the barrier, but making sure that he remains unconscious for the spell." Lucy nodded and watched as the runes of the cage began to dissolve. In seconds it was gone completely.
Lucy shuffled closer to him and reached out. Her hand touched the lukewarm scales on his right forearm. She felt the tight muscles in his arm contract and then relax. The tenseness in his shoulders loosened by a minuscule amount and his breathing came slightly easier. She moved her hand across his scales to the human skin on his elbow. It was soft and smooth. Once more her hand moved, and she began to stroke his hair, a light pink that was much softer than she anticipated.
This time she could visibly see his shoulders and back relax. The crease in his brow dropped off his face slowly, leaving him looking much more peaceful than he had been moments before. Lucy smiled softly at the boyish look on his face.
I'm sorry . . .
A pen clattered to the desktop, and a bell was wrung for a maid. Lucy continued to pet the boys head, ignoring the scoff her father sent her.
"You may begin the spell when you are ready." Her father stated.
One of the mages stepped forward, and he knelt down beside human and Dragon.
"Are you ready, Princess?" She looked into his dark blue eyes. He seemed kinder than she had first anticipated.
"Yes." He nodded to her, and then leaned back, out of her peripheral but still very close. His voice began to chant, but Lucy only focused on her Dragon. The magic began to glow bright gold in the air. It enveloped her body, penetrating through her clothes to rest on her skin. Lucy closed her eyes, and she felt the magic dust her eyelids. It coated her lips thickly, forcing her to open her mouth. It poured down her throat and into her heart. It tingled in her chest and the lub-dub lub-dub was so loud it was pounding in her ears. She wondered if the others in the room could hear it. She was sure her Dragon could.
There was a gasp in the room and Lucy opened her eyes. The magic around them was still glowing gold, but wherever it touched her skin, it turned a light pink. It looked very similar to the color of the Dragon's hair. On him, it did the same thing, only instead of the magic turning pink, it turned bright red. The magic was sticking to his back, trailing across his face and forcing its way down his throat. She hear another lub-dub lub-dub, slightly slower than her own, and she immediately knew it was his.
Lucy's eyes found a gash trailing from shoulder to bicep. It was one of the infected ones, she could tell. Her hand traced over the wound and the Dragon let out a soft noise. It wasn't pained.
The magic was beginning to drain from their bodies, and Lucy quickly pressed her hand to the injury. Most of the magic had settled on their skin, but what had stuck on her right hand drained down to his shoulder. It poured off her hand and began to settle along the tear in his skin. The blood on his shoulder began to disappear, and the skin began to scab over.
Lucy's eyes widened. Was she . . . healing him? The scab, over five inches long, began to disappear. The red glow on his own skin covered the wound, until finally it disappeared, only to leave a scar, hardly even visible, in its place.
Lucy pulled her hand away.
It was like nothing had happened. The boy still hadn't moved. He was still covered in blood, cuts, bruises and scrapes, and she was still kneeling before a Dragon, dressed the same, feeling the same, and in the company of two mages, a Captain, and the King.
"What happened?" The King asked. "What happened Lucy?" She looked over her shoulder. Did he seriously not see that?
Not getting an answer, the King turned to the other three. "Did something go wrong?"
"No." The mage with blue eyes answered. "Everything went fine. The color change that we all saw is normal. It shows how the two will work together." He turned to look at the King. "I think this transition will be go smoothly." He smiled.
The King nodded and crossed his arms. "Good. But did something happen when she leaned forward?" Lucy froze. So he had seen her heal him?
"No."
What?
"She touched a scar on his shoulder. I think she might have been wondering what it was from?" The mage turned back to her.
Oh. Oh. Oh. He was covering for her. He had seen what she had done.
But the others hadn't. They couldn't have, because the runes mage was practically kneeling over both her and the Dragon. They couldn't have seen through him. He was pretending that he hadn't seen what had happened, and was protecting her and the Dragon from whatever problem could have been caused because of this.
"Y-yes." Lucy stuttered. She cleared her throat. "Yes, I was looking at this scar," she pointed to the one she had just created, "because I didn't know what it was. It looked like a spider." That was lame. But now that she looked at it . . . it kind of did look like a spider. It would make a huge spider, that was for sure, but it had all these little spindles that extended out from it.
The King stared at his daughter long and hard, before finally letting it go.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in." It opened to reveal the guard that had been sent off earlier.
"We have completed your wishes, your highness." The King grabbed the list he had made and handed it to the guard.
"Bring this to the servants. Have them split the duties amongst themselves. I want someone to train him in both combat and language. I don't care if it has to be two different people, I just need someone capable. Send the tailor to get whatever measurements he needs, and several maids to help clean him up. I refuse to send him into my daughter's room looking like this." The guard bowed once more, and then took his leave.
"You may leave, Lucy. We have many things to do to prepare him for you, and we can't have you here while we do it."
Lucy stood stiffly then curtsied to her father.
"Thank you, Father. " She turned without looking at him, and marched out of the conference room.
Nothing would ever be the same again.