Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Fairy Tail. All original characters and concepts belong to me. Please do not use without my consent. Cover art is property of Kwesi Abbensetts.
Warning: This fic contains some material that may be triggering. (Mention of non-fatal choking, a character being overstimulated, and mentions of anxiety).
Just a reminder that these warnings are a precautionary measure to make this fic equally enjoyable for all readers! What may seem like not a big issue for you or I could be a big deal for someone else. If there is something in the fic that you think needs to be mentioned in the warning, feel free to comment or send me a PM to let me know!
Even living in a place as large as the castle in Fiore, Gajeel had grown up with little to no privacy. Around every corner, someone would be working or cleaning or decorating, all under the watchful eyes of Charle's mother, Shagotte. The kitchen was never quiet, with cooks working around the clock to feed the large number of court members that called the castle home. It was like a colony of ants tucked into the mountain side; constantly buzzing with motion and noise. Even when he had been on his two-year tour, the barracks were so crowded and loud that he would have gladly given all he had to go back to the familiar noises of the castle.
Gajeel remembered the day he first got his personal study, thinking that he finally had a private space all his own that wasn't his bedroom. It was quiet, had a wonderful view of the cliffs surrounding the castle, and his cousins gave him about half an hour to enjoy his delusions of tranquility before bursting in to wreck it. Gajeel had retained that lesson well ever since.
There was no peace or privacy for a Blood Prince of Fiore.
His fellow Heirs, however, still liked to remind him of this fact from time to time.
It had started with Natsu, the younger Draygn happily standing from the breakfast table as Gajeel pulled out Levy's chair for her and asking brightly "So what're we doing today?" Both Gajeel and Levy had frozen, looking at Natsu with matching expressions of confusion; which were apparently hilarious, judging by Wendy's poorly concealed snort of laughter.
"Well, we're going on a tour of the island," Gajeel said, offering Levy his hand as she stood. "I don't know what you're doing today."
Natsu didn't get the hint. "A tour sounds great! Where are we heading first?" he asked, still smiling brightly as he practically bounced to Levy's side. The princess gave him a small smile, but Gajeel could see how tense she had gotten. As an only child, she probably didn't have a lot of experience dealing with pushy relatives, but that was Gajeel's area of expertise. If he was lucky, one of his fellow Heirs would have mercy on Levy and distract Natsu long enough for them to get away. But a quick glance at the Draygns still sitting at the table, he knew there would be no help from them. They were all wearing the same shit-eating expression that Gajeel knew from years of experience meant he was in trouble.
"Don't you have something else to do today?" he asked, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly at the younger Draygn.
"Not until four."
A growl was building in the back of Gajeel's throat when Ardelle cut in with a small smile and laughter in her voice. "Why don't you accompany me this morning to a few meetings I have to attend?" she offered.
"That sounds boring, though," Natsu whined, causing Metalicana to give him a warning look over the top of his mug while Cobra snorted a laugh into his breakfast.
"Exactly," Ardelle said with smirk, pointing her fork at the pouting Draygn. "Imagine how less tedious it would be if you were there with your beloved Aunt, keeping her company?"
Natsu frowned at her suspiciously, his eyes narrowed. "How often does that work for you?" he asked.
"Every time your father visits," the Titania said with an innocent smile. Natsu considered her for a few moments more before shrugging.
"I'll accept that," he said with a grin, sitting back down and helping himself to another serving of breakfast. Gajeel quickly nudged for Levy to follow him out of the room while Natsu was distracted, and the two made a clean getaway into the hallway.
And then Wendy had popped up right as they were about to exit the palace.
"I wanted to visit Cana today!" she chirped happily, latching onto Levy's arm with an innocent smile. "Do you mind showing me where her stall is again?" Levy looked up at Gajeel with a sheepish smile, gesturing to the young woman helplessly, and Gajeel nearly groaned aloud.
"Come on, Wen," he said, ruffling her hair as he passed, "let's get you to your faery."
"Thank you Gajeel," Wendy sang, and when he turned to tell her it was no big deal, she was grinning at him in a way that made shivers run down his back and suspicion take root in the forefront of his mind.
When Juvia was waiting for them at Cana's stand, wanting to discuss something with Levy about the "fascinating" tidal trends on Tenroujima and leaving him to Cana's questioning, the suspicion turned into an itch.
When Rogue walked up to the pair while they were looking at some journals in the market and stuttered at them for a solid minute before turning on his heel and quickly walking away - while a voice that sounded suspiciously like Sting's hissed at him to not be a coward - the itch grew into a burning ache.
When Sting followed them for several minutes, chattering away like he hadn't a care in the world, and had to be dragged away by a flustered Rogue after Gajeel's growling reached a volume that threatened violence, Gajeel nearly screamed in frustration.
Then Cobra appeared at his side with a strange, native fruit in his hand, looking bored with the whole situation as he calmly informed both Gajeel and Levy, "I'm here to spy on you."
Gajeel couldn't stop himself from groaning loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he contemplated faking his own death and disappearing off the face of the planet just to get some peace. "At least he's being honest about it," Levy said wearily, and Gajeel peered at her from the corner of his eyes. She looked exhausted, and it was barely noon.
"Sting had the best intentions, but you two don't need chaperones," Cobra said, "or the stress." He gave them a pointed look and Gajeel wondered whose brain he had pulled that from.
"Ah, so you're the one that reads minds," Levy said with a small smile, her cheeks beginning to darken.
Oh. Shit.
"'Hear thoughts', not read minds," Cobra corrected, taking a bite of his fruit.
"There's not much of a difference," Gajeel reassured Levy.
"Oi, it matters to me."
"You agreed to this whole 'chaperone' thing, I owe you exactly zero favors right now."
The Poison Draygn sniffed disdainfully, inspecting the fruit in his hand. "And here I was going to let you two escape while I was 'distracted by the crowd'," he said disinterestedly. Gajeel's head snapped towards him, and he could feel Levy's tail flick against his calf as she perked up in interest.
(No, the sensation did not send shivers down his spine, he was fine.)
(Stop smirking, Cobra.)
"Would you?" Levy asked, sounding hopeful. Gajeel instantly felt guilty, knowing that they hadn't had any peace because the other Heirs were all being protective of him. He hadn't been very quiet about his frustration with the Princess during the two days she had avoided him, but having seen how nervous and scared she was while apologizing to him had been almost like an awakening.
For him, if the marriage didn't work out he could just go home. He'd still be in the running for the Fioran crown; he wouldn't have to leave the castle where he grew up, where he'd spent his last days with his mother. Yes, they'd have a harder time fighting the Pergrande armies, but they'd managed so far, and Fiorans were a resourceful bunch.
For Princess Levy, if their betrothal didn't work, she would lose everything. Her crown, the respect of her people, her home. No wonder she was constantly on edge.
Having her every moment with him being carefully observed by a bunch of virtual strangers had to be like walking on coals for her, especially since she was already nervous. One glance at Cobra confirmed his thoughts, and he was overcome by the urge to find a quiet spot to just let Levy sit down and unwind for a few moments. Gajeel wasn't a huge fan of the crowds of Fae that were constantly watching them either, so he wouldn't mind terribly if their "tour" was put off for another day.
"You two head towards the center of the marketplace," Cobra said, leaning down to get a better look at the daggers that Gajeel and Levy had been inspecting together moments before his arrival. "I'll wait a few minutes and then I'll tell the others that I lost you in the crowd. Rogue already wants to head back, so it shouldn't be too hard to convince Sting to let you two be. Your Highness," he said, looking out of the corner of his eye at the very interested princess. "Gajeel would love it if you were to take him there."
Levy glanced at the taller Draygn before looking back at Cobra shyly. "Are you sure?" she asked, and Gajeel would gladly travel to the nearest active volcano for a swim if it would stop her from sounding so unsure.
"Of course," Cobra said with a smirk. "There are very few people in the world that know Gajeel's head better than I do. And while we're here, I would like to give you the same assurances I gave your mother. Your thoughts and secrets are safe with me, Princess Levy, I swear to you."
"If you're truly in my head, then you know my response already," she said with a small smile.
"When one can listen in on thoughts others' do not always want to share, it's best not to assume anything, your Highness."
"All right; then I thank you for your discretion. And please, call me Levy."
Cobra laughed, grinning at the princess and the visibly-startled Blood Prince. "Thank you for your trust in me, Levy. Now, you two had better make a run for it; Rogue's got Sting distracted and you can make a clean getaway if you go now."
Gajeel needed no further urging from the grinning man, and judging by how well she kept up with him as he began to run towards the center of the market, Levy didn't either. The two made their way quickly through the crowds, only stopping when they had to call out an apology to any irate faeries they bumped into as they passed. Gajeel kept his eyes on Levy's swinging blue braid and the golden, sleeveless jacket she wore over her dress as not to lose her in the crowd, slightly envious of her smaller stature that allowed her to pass through the tightly-packed crowd with ease.
"This way," Levy urged, grabbing his hand before making a sharp turn, leading him down an alleyway so narrow Gajeel's shoulders nearly scraped the walls. They darted past homes and tiny shops, under clotheslines that Gajeel nearly had to bend in two to successfully avoid and up winding stairways, until the colorful buildings disappeared; leaving just the two of them alone in the Tenroujima jungle.
"Where are we going?" Gajeel asked, not entirely minding that the princess was still holding his hand. It was interesting, having her much-smaller hand wrapped around his own, and even more interesting having her be the one to initiate the contact.
"To visit a friend of mine," she said cryptically, turning her head so she could grin over her shoulder at him. "Don't worry, the other Heirs won't be able to find us there."
"You're underestimating their determination," Gajeel said with a small grin, shaking his head. But Levy's grin only got wider.
"And you're underestimating mine," she replied teasingly, seemingly giddy from the small amount of freedom they had been gifted with. She let go of his hand so she could run further ahead, and Gajeel was almost so confused by her statement that he didn't notice the loss. The princess came to a halt underneath a large tree and, much to his confusion, began the tedious task of untying her sandals. They were laced up to her knees in a complicated, crisscrossing pattern that Gajeel couldn't begin to understand, but Levy began to untangle them with practiced ease, using the tree as a brace. Her slitted skirt parted as she lifted her leg, and Gajeel rushed to her side to help her stay upright just so he had something to do instead of stare at her tan, freckled thigh.
"Why does our escape require you to take off your shoes?" he asked as he offered his hand to her, eyebrows furrowed together.
"Sorry, Jji-ooba won't let me in the house if I show up with sandals on," Levy admitted. She dropped her first sandal on the ground before switching legs, taking his hand with a grateful smile. "He says it messes with the natural flow of magic since it blocks us from the island."
"I... see..."
Levy laughed, and the sound made his heart trip over several beats. "It sounds odd, I know," she said, "but trust me, it'll make sense soon."
"Do I need to take off my shoes too?" he asked, looking down at his boots.
"Not until we get there," Levy said, shrugging shyly. "I just like it this way." She peered at him from under long, blue curls of hair, and Gajeel suddenly felt like he was being tested. Not necessarily on what he'd do, but on how he'd react to what she was doing. After that first morning when Levy had arrived at breakfast in a sleepy state of disarray, Gajeel hadn't seen her when she was anything less than put-together; hair carefully styled, clothes perfectly in place, and shoes on.
She had also looked ready to jump out a window.
Watching the princess throw her golden sandals carelessly to the ground while wiggling her toes in the grass felt almost intimate, like she was giving him a peek at the woman behind the title to see if it was something he could handle- or if she could handle him seeing. With a small smirk, Gajeel pulled his boots off as well, tossing them next to hers after he tucked his socks inside. He was curious now, and was willing to play by her rules to see where it would take them.
"Lead the way," he said, grinning, and the princess blushed prettily.
"It shouldn't be too far from here," she said, turning and beginning to trek through the thick vegetation. There wasn't any visible path Gajeel could see, but Levy strode forward confidently, occasionally making a turn or small adjustment in their heading. As they walked deeper into the jungle that sprawled across what Gajeel knew to be the southern half of the island, he began to feel almost a tingling sensation running from the balls of his bare feet all the way to his fingertips. It was an odd feeling, almost like the way he could feel the residual magic in the castle back in Fiore whenever he walked through the halls; seeping into his blood and bones until he felt well and truly at home. This sensation was more raw, in a way. Less of an echo of a symphony played long ago and more like feeling the vibrations from the orchestra through the floorboards as the music swelled in real time.
Levy turned to look at him over her shoulder again, and smiled. "Starting to feel it?" she asked, and Gajeel nodded slowly. "Feels like you're suddenly full of energy, like you could run for miles and never tire out?"
"What is it?" Gajeel asked, and Levy beamed at him, robbing the breath from his lungs.
"The island saying hello," she chirped, the hem of her sleeveless jacket fluttering around her thighs as she hopped over a fallen tree. He followed after her carefully, looking around the jungle they were in as if he were expecting someone to jump out yelling "Hello, Gajeel!"
"It must really like you," she continued, moving her skirt out of the way as she made her way up a small, steep incline. "Normally it takes a few hours for newcomers to start feeling it once they enter the jungle."
"Wait, the island likes me?" he asked, coming to a halt. "Like, it's alive?" Levy stopped, shrugging at him. She was still smiling, and Gajeel wondered what he had done right to earn such an expression from her.
"You know how sometimes, magic lingers?" she asked, turning to face him and leaning against a nearby tree. Her eyes were positively glowing, and Gajeel was enraptured. "How if the emotion is strong enough, it sinks into the foundation of a building for dozens of generations to remember?"
Gajeel nodded. "The castle in Fiore is like that," he said, and Levy's smile grew wider.
"Well here, the whole island soaked it up," she said. "The magic here is so thick that it naturally draws things like that in. Battles from before my people were here, the hopes of a new kingdom when we docked on its shores, the struggles of all the years since; the island took it in and remembered it all."
"So," Gajeel said slowly, looking up at the canopy of leaves and vines overhead with wide eyes, "it formed a consciousness of its own using the magic it soaked in?"
"It made itself a heart," Levy said, tapping her own breastbone with a finger. "Those of us who are connected to it can feel it the strongest, but it's present everywhere. The beating heart of Tenroujima; kept by the people that it loves."
Gajeel nodded slowly, looking around the jungle with a new respect for the land he stood on. It was lush and green, and even this deep in the jungle, there were ribbons and bells tied to different branches and strung from tree to tree. If the island truly lived and loved the Fae, it was clear the Fae loved it back.
"That's incredible," he murmured. "I've never heard of anything do something like that. Buildings, yes, battlefields, yes, but whole islands?"
Levy smiled sweetly, stroking the bark of the tree she was leaning against lovingly. "It's one of a kind," she said softly.
"I'm guessing it likes you too, huh?" Gajeel said, finally approaching her. She shrugged shyly, tugging on the peak of her ear.
"I do spend more time on the ground than most faeries here," Levy said, looking away from him with a wry smile. "You could say we're close."
Gajeel held his hand out towards her. "And your friend?"
"Jji-ooba?" she asked, taking his hand and letting him pull her back upright. "Oh, he knows the island better than anyone, even my mother. He's been here for longer than most faeries have even been alive."
"Sounds like my grandmother," Gajeel said with a smirk, following Levy as they once again began to make their way through the jungle. "Some days I swear she can actually talk to the castle walls. We could never get away with anything when I was younger! She'd always know." Levy giggled, covering her grin with her hand.
"And now?" she asked, still grinning.
"With Cobra and Kinana and Sting and Rogue, I don't think Grandmother wants to know anymore," he said wryly, and Levy burst out laughing. It was a fuller sound than Gajeel expected, louder than someone so small should be capable of making. It compelled him to laugh along, and he did so gladly.
"S-sorry," she said between bouts of laughter, covering her mouth again to try and hide her smile. Gajeel shook his head, still chuckling.
"It's fine, Princess," he said. "It's funny to think about. She constantly has this pinched expression now, like she smells something rotten."
"Does she not like that they're married?" Levy asked curiously.
"Cobra and Kinana are married," Gajeel clarified, "Rogue and Sting are mated, but technically not married yet. And you could say that." Levy's eyebrows scrunched together.
"There's a difference?" she asked, and Gajeel nodded.
"It's kind of in-depth," he said with a shrug. "Marriage in Fiore is the same as it is most everywhere else; two people being joined by law so they can spend the rest of their lives together. But for two Draygns to be mated is something... different. It's one of the 'perks' that comes with the whole 'Dragon blood' thing," he explained, making air quotations as he talked.
"Aay," Levy said, nodding. She looked like she was about to ask further, but they turned a corner and suddenly a large, stone building sprawled out in front of them. It looked like the jungle had taken the building over; vines clinging to every wall, plants jutting out from where ever there was a crack in the stone. With the midday sun filtering through the leaves overhead, the plant life was even more vibrant and colorful against the cool, grey stones, and Gajeel whistled lowly.
"This is where your friend lives?" he asked, and Levy nodded, beaming.
"Yes! Isn't it amazing?"
"It's certainly obvious that the island likes him back," he said with a bemused grin. They carefully began to make their way down towards the home, Gajeel occasionally reaching out to offer the princess a steadying hand as she made her way down the steep incline. When they reached the edge of the property, Gajeel noticed a familiar man working in the yard, waving his hands over a selection of plants in what looked to the Blood Prince like a vastly overgrown, but still well-tended, garden. Levy whistled loudly, waving her hand once she had caught his attention.
"Eebwalen, Droy!" she called out, and Droy waved back with a wide grin. It was the same man that had worked the dragon puppet at the banquet the first night Gajeel had arrived, only now Droy was dressed in casual clothing covered in soil instead of the rich silks and thick canvas he had been wearing that night.
"Eebwalen, Levy!" he called back, pushing himself up to approach the two. He reached out to Levy when they arrived, the two clasping each other's arms in greeting. Droy turned to Gajeel and bowed his head respectfully. "Your Highness, it's a pleasure to see you again."
Gajeel returned the bow, his smile much more subdued now. He had never done exceptionally well around strangers, and he didn't know Droy enough for him to be anything but. "The same to you. You did a wonderful job at the dinner the other night; I apologize that I didn't say so to you sooner." Droy surprised him by laughing and punching him lightly in the shoulder.
"No worries! You rather had your hands full, I believe," he said, chuckling. "Levy's not being too rough on you, is she?"
"Droy!" Levy hissed, her cheeks flushing.
"Oh hush, aabeila," he chided gently, giving her a look. "Jet told me all about your game of hide-and-hide-better with the prince over here. We were a few short hours from coming and getting you out ourselves when you finally emerged." Levy's flushed cheeks darkened, and Gajeel couldn't tell if he should feel defensive on her behalf, or highly amused.
"Dro-y!"
The taller faery laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Easy, aabeila, I'm just teasing."
"Ay's breijja ji-faluut, bwatehn," the princess grumbled, making Droy grin.
"Saavehn a~"
"Aay, aay, palouna."
Grinning, Droy gestured towards the house. "I'm assuming you didn't come just to be teased by me. He should be awake, you can go right in," he said.
"Thank you," Levy grumbled, smacking his stomach with the back of her hand as she passed, and Gajeel grinned. It seemed his earlier thoughts about Levy not growing up with siblings were wrong.
"A good friend of yours?" he asked, humor in his voice. Levy nodded, sighing.
"Unfortunately," she said dramatically. "I've known him practically since I was born."
"It shows," he laughed. Levy just pouted. "So, he's not the friend we came to visit?" he asked as they drew closer to the house, and Levy shook her head.
"No, he's related to Jji-ooba though."
"Should I wait out here while you go greet him?" Gajeel asked. "I don't think he'd be expecting me to tag along."
"Oh, don't worry," Levy said, "he probably already knows we're here." Gajeel turned and looked at her with a questioning frown, and she grinned. "You know how Droy's area of expertise is in plant magic?"
Gajeel nodded.
"He doesn't hold a candle to his great-grandfather," Levy said cryptically. "He probably knew we were coming the moment we set foot into the jungle."
"Shee tambah bor ah ii kav-alhaa!" a voice called from inside the house, and Gajeel watched as Levy lit up, smiling brightly. He stood stunned on the threshold as she raced into the house, laughing giddily and calling out "Jji-ooba!" He'd never seen her smile that brightly or widely before, and it was like staring into the sun.
Once Gajeel could feel his feet again, he made his way into the house, looking around curiously. If the outside of the house looked like it had been overrun by the jungle, the inside had been completely taken over. Lush grass lined the floor, flowers blooming wherever sunlight streamed in through the cracked roof. Vines crawled over the walls and hung from the roof, and various trees blooming with flowers and fruit grew in clusters around the edges of the room.
As Gajeel made his way inside, careful to stay on the dirt path that led deeper into the house or risk stepping on one of the plants that lined the path, the buzzing of magic he had been feeling since leaving the market only intensified into a constant, internal hum of energy. With each step, he could feel the metal ores hidden deep in the rich soil and the stream flowing by the house. He had to stand still for a moment to try and sort it all out, breathing slowly and deeply. Normally it took him hours of meditation with Grandine to feel this attuned to the earth, but the island was practically screaming at his senses, demanding his attention.
"Ma uuliom uuhai a's Bavaho' wei Tenrohjima, paetii prei," the deep voice from before hummed, bringing Gajeel back to his body somewhat. "Pohya uuhai savv ahl?"
"Gajeel?" Levy asked softly, laying her hand on his arm. "Are you alright?" Gajeel blinked dazedly, shaking the burbling of a running stream out of his head and trying to swallow down the taste of iron on his tongue.
"Yeah," he murmured, giving Levy a strained smile. "It's a lot of new magic all at once."
"Draagnis yuul majho' ei wo'ha jha crahtjja aah's tayii, ma na'waalei ahl eis breijja errga'ambai."
"Hah'ir awn uuhai wa'omb?" Levy called back into the other room.
"Travaj ahl ei co'el." With a nod, Levy pulled gently on his arm, leading the dazed Draygn further into the home. Gajeel was distantly aware of his feet leaving the dirt path and walking onto stone, but his attention was still split between the reality in front of him and the world his senses told him existed outside his body. He felt his body being led over some sort of short bridge and lowered to a sitting position, and he swayed in his spot. A cool, weathered hand rested on his knee, and suddenly everything stopped.
Gajeel blinked owlishly as all of his extended sense snapped back into place, leaving him feeling heavy and sluggish. The hand on his knee was wrinkled, but strong, with several rings weighing down their fingers. He followed the arm up to find the oddest looking faery he had ever seen looking at him with a grin.
"Salbaru-mai," he said, and Gajeel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Was this Levy's friend she had talked about? The faery truly looked like he was older than the tide, deep wrinkles lining his face. His skin would have been a dark, rich brown if not for the odd green tint that made Gajeel think that moss had begun to grow on him, and the way that his hair grew thickly away from his face reminded the prince of branches on a great, grinning tree. His wings were a milky, opaque brown, unlike the glimmering wings Gajeel was used to seeing around the island.
"Na-breezha roolah, ya'ahl?"
"Brei eylsa, Jji-ooba," Levy said, kneeling down next to Gajeel with a worried expression. "I'm so sorry," she said with a grimace. "If I had known the island's magic would have affected you so strongly I wouldn't have brought you out here at all. Do you want to go back to the palace, o-or to the market again? It should be fine now-"
"I'm okay, Princess," Gajeel reassured, interrupting her with the hope that if he stopped her panicked babbling she'd take the breath he knew she desperately needed. "I just wasn't expecting it. I'll be fine."
With another quick glance at the grinning faery that sat across from him, Gajeel looked around the room slowly. It was wider than the atrium, and the flora here appeared to be a little tamer. It came to the edge of the large, circular stone platform in the center of the room, growing in neat clusters of plants Gajeel couldn't even begin to name. The stone circle itself led off to a simple kitchen to one side of the room, a sectioned off part with a cot and several jugs and baskets, and the center where Gajeel was with the two faeries. They were sitting on a platform above a pool of water much like the glass one in the amphitheatre on the top of the Tenrou Tree. Small stone archways led to the floating platform, and the water lapped against the edges.
Even with… whatever the older faery had done to quiet his senses, the room was still so soaked with magic Gajeel felt light-headed. It was incredible, and more than a little frightening. The small faery fluttering over him nervously was supposed to rule this island all on her own someday?
Not on her own, he remembered. That was what he was here for.
"Ahl yuuls majho' fraa galaloht'mei naem Makaroov'ya, waaleijja," the faery said, patting Gajeel's knee twice before pulling his hand back. Gajeel braced himself, wincing as he waited for his brain to be flooded by information about the surrounding island again, but everything was still quiet. "Eita'l brei havaalat, ma guutjah bah'ayeit jha majho' tambatra."
"Jji-ooba, ahl na-breezha Maabahrut," Levy said, still glancing at Gajeel nervously out of the corner of her eyes. He had hoped getting her away from the crowds and the other Heirs would help her to relax, but maybe she just needed to get away from him. The thought made some deeply-buried part of him snarl in annoyance, asking 'Didn't we already give her all the time she needed? Haven't we been more than lenient? Fiore doesn't have time to coddle her.'
Gajeel mercilessly smothered that voice with a grimace.
"Oo, ma wah-maahj, paetii prei," the faery said, grinning. "Boh, n'irr a yirahjja soovo'hay?"
"Yirahjja… Oo!" Levy straightened in her seat, cheeks burning a deep red as she looked at Gajeel with a sheepish grin. "Prince Gajeel, this is my good friend and mentor Warrod, son of Arohi and Oobai jha Jiima," she introduced, gesturing to the older faery with a smile. "Jji-ooba, tiiba Bahl-hoobe jha Fiiore, 'Ajjeel."
The princess's face pinched oddly, and she covered her eyes with her palm. "Ga-jeel," she enunciated carefully. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me."
Was it? Gajeel hadn't even noticed, he was too busy picking his heart up off the floor.
The distant, angry voice faded away as the princess smiled shyly at him, golden eyes peering at him through long coils of blue hair. She was trying, he reminded himself. Cobra had told him so, the Titania had told him so, Sting had told him so (with an almost frighteningly serious expression for the Light Draygn), and Gajeel could see the evidence of her efforts in front of him. She had gone out of her way to seek him out ever since Sting had dragged her out to the training fields; either to start a conversation or ask for his input. She had invited him into the home of someone who appeared to be one of her very close friends, shoes abandoned somewhere in the jungle and bare, dirty feet splayed out from under her skirts.
As she and Warrod got deeper and deeper into their conversation - speaking the old Fae language so quickly that Gajeel with his very limited vocabulary couldn't begin to keep up - and Levy began to loosen up even further, laughing and teasing him back, Gajeel found himself enraptured. This was what had drawn his attention to her so firmly when the stage on top of the Tenrou Tree had first flooded with light to reveal her slight frame; the energy and warmth the princess radiated was incredible. She seemed to be caught up in the story she was telling to Warrod, gesturing with her hands as she spoke and smiling brilliantly. Her tail was flicking back and forth rapidly, and Gajeel was suddenly grateful that Cobra hadn't followed them. His mental fumbling over how cute the action was to him would have sent his fellow Draygn into hysterics.
Gajeel let himself relax, pulling his feet in towards his body so he could rest his arms over his knees as he settled in to watch Levy and Warrod go back and forth. Even if he couldn't follow the conversation, it was fun to watch their expressions as they babbled at each other. Levy in particular got more and more expressive as the conversation went on and she relaxed further. She would stop occasionally to glance at him, a worried expression on her face, but Gajeel would wave her concerns away with a grin. It was a nice change of pace to not be expected to join in the conversation, and he was enjoying the break after the past several - stressful - days.
Gajeel had lost all track of time as he began to look around the room, trying to guess at what each of the plants in the room were good for. By the time Warrod stood up and brought Gajeel's attention back to the conversation, a couple hours had already passed. "Wuulm a ii Gajeel oltnaa yaaim luceidi, paetii prei?" Warrod asked Levy, and the princess nodded with a smile.
"Ata, geijah Jji-ooba," she chirped.
Milky wings spreading wide, Warrod picked himself off the ground and flew over to what Gajeel assumed to be the older faery's kitchen. Gajeel was happy to watch and see what the Fae used as an ice box on the island - a question he and Wendy had been debating on one of the days when Gajeel had been unable to see the princess -, but then Levy turned and smiled at him and his attention was solely on her.
"You still doing okay?" she asked, placing her hand on his bare forearm after a split-second of hesitation. "We can leave at any time if you want to."
"Princess, really," Gajeel said, putting his hand over hers. "If there was a problem, I'd let you know. Whatever Warrod did to help me out hasn't worn off yet, and I'm not feeling as light-headed anymore."
"'As light-headed'?"
Gajeel laughed, patting her hand. "Really, I'm fine. A lot of new magic at once can kinda overwhelm a guy." Levy looked sheepish, tangling her fingers into hairs at the base of her braid and pulling a few curls loose on accident.
"Thank you," she murmured. "For coming with me, I mean. I know this probably isn't a lot of fun..."
"But it is very relaxing," Gajeel reassured. "I love my cousins, really, but one can only spend so long in close quarters with them before being driven slightly mad." Levy laughed into her palm, and Gajeel grinned. "It's also nice to see you actually relax," he said before thinking, and Levy's smile tightened at the corners, her laugh turning nervous as she ducked her head. Mentally, Gajeel was cursing enough to turn a storm. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut!?
"You wouldn't believe how many times I've had someone say that to me today," she admitted quietly, tugging at her ear before stopping and glaring at her traitorous hand. She sighed softly before turning back to Gajeel and smiling. "But I'm fine," Levy reassured him, and Gajeel could almost believe it.
But her eyes were dilated and her smile was tight. Not to mention that her heartbeat was beating such an irregular rhythm that any human would have been having a heart attack. Gajeel didn't have Cobra's hearing or Natsu's sense of smell, but he was the Heir with the greatest sense of people. He could read the mood of a room in a moment, and Levy's nerves were practically screaming at him.
Gajeel opened his mouth, but before he could say a word Warrod flew back over with a smile. "Co'el uuhai irr," he said, handing them each a clay cup filled with with something that smelled wonderfully fruity and refreshing. Gajeel took the offered drink, happy for the distraction so he didn't accidentally stare at Levy. She took the glass with a soft smile, thanking Warrod with a nod and taking a long pull from her cup.
The cup was cold to the touch, which was something that Gajeel was very grateful for seeing as the sun was still near its peak in the sky and there wasn't any sort of a breeze on Tenroujima. He'd been warned it would be hot, but he didn't think he'd have to pull out the clothes he normally only reserved for long boat trips with his grandparents on only the fourth day. The thin cotton was already sticking to his back, and he took a long pull from the drink with a quick "Geijah-ta".
He couldn't decide if Warrod's laughter was a result of the way he had butchered the pronunciation of his thanks or of the way his eyes had widened the moment the drink had hit his tongue.
The only way he could think of describing it was "Magic".
And not in the good way.
Gajeel choked as the effervescent drink was violently rerouted up his nose, burning as it went and causing his eyes to water and him to drop his cup onto the ground. He could vaguely hear someone laughing as he tried not to choke, and he felt annoyance begin to burn through his panic.
The last Heir of Fiore to be poisoned had been a Sky Draygn nearly six hundred years ago, and Gajeel was not looking forward to being the next on that list!
"Breathe," Levy said between giggles, placing one small hand against his chest as her other began to rub in circles against his back. "You're fine, just breathe."
It took Gajeel a few minutes to get his lungs back under control, and when he had finally managed to sit back up, Warrod was still laughing hysterically. The older faery was nearly falling off the platform laughing, and if his mother hadn't raised him to always be respectful of his elders, Gajeel would have kicked him into the water below. Now that he was breathing right, Levy was having to fight harder to control her laughter, and the reproachful look she was giving Warrod bordered on a grin. "Jji-ooba," Levy said, "a tol aah-va na-oltnaa Bahtiil ei Fiiore."
"A-ahl's facha!" he gasped out between giggles, slowly pushing himself back up until he was sitting upright. The broken clay shards from Gajeel's cup floated back to the kitchen with a dismissive wave of his hand, and he grinned at the frowning prince before looking at Levy. "Toohbyir preima rir a's tahtanin oltin Bahtiil?"
Levy's eyes widened before she began to laugh hysterically. She clutched her stomach as tears of mirth began to roll down her cheeks, rolling onto her side as she snorted and laughed inelegantly. Her hair was beginning to fall out of its careful braid and her jacket was so skewed that Gajeel could see her short wings fluttering rapidly.
Gajeel could have sworn she was glowing.
Looking away from the still-laughing princess as he felt his ears begin to burn, Gajeel accidentally met Warrod's eyes, the older faery smiling with a humor that ran deep in the lines on his face. He looked at Levy - curled up on the floor and giggling up a storm as her tail curled and twisted through the air - and back at Gajeel, and winked.
Gajeel's eyebrows shot upwards, his mouth gaping. Had… Had Warrod planned this? Playing a prank on him just to get Levy to relax and laugh? It had certainly been effective if he had, although Gajeel could have done without the "mortal terror" part. As Levy began to push herself up, having to reach out to Warrod for help as her giggles kept sending her back to the ground, Gajeel felt a smile begin to grow on his face, and knew that it had been worth it.
Seeing Levy relaxed and glowing with joy, golden eyes sparkling and twin dimples on either side of her bright smile, was most certainly worth it.
"Jji-ooba," she said as her giggles began to fade, "brei eylsa!"
"Ma ihm eylsa!" the older faery said with a laugh, holding up his hands in surrender. His laugh turned into a deep yawn, his eyelids drooping heavily. "Ii roh, ma uuliom eita's rir oor aa wei selbiid," he said, holding his hand out towards the atrium. A long, gnarled walking stick was drawn to his palm with a sharp 'snap', causing both Gajeel and Levy to jump. "Wa'omb aa yip, Bahl-Hoobe, ii cei ma a jaht'oi wei pohrta'." Warrod held his free hand out expectantly towards Gajeel, and he knew enough Old Fae to recognize his title and a command when he heard one. He stood too quickly and stumbled as he realized that his legs had managed to fall asleep while the two faeries were visiting, and Levy began to giggle again into her palm. Once he regained his balance, Gajeel helped Warrod to stand; acting as a brace for his surprisingly heavy and muscular body to lean against until he got his feet beneath him. Levy had stood as well, stepping to Warrod's other side to help him.
"Jji-ooba, yahm aa-"
"Ma'tam eit, ma'tam eit." With a push from his wings, Warrod balanced himself upright and tapped the ground impatiently with his walking stick. "Kahva uun, ma jaael wei hak'waa selbiid!"
Levy snuck a look at Gajeel and rolled her eyes, causing the prince to grin. "Is he kicking us out?" Gajeel asked, his voice barely a whisper.
She nodded. "Time for his Majesty to take a nap, apparently," she whispered back, and Gajeel snorted a quick laugh. When Warrod stopped and turned to face them with a suspicious glare, they both smiled innocently back at him.
When they passed back through the atrium, following the dirt path back to the front door, Gajeel was wary of the island's magic pulling him down once again. But Warrod's magic held, and the ore and the stream were a whisper against his senses instead of a shout. Levy's hand hovered near his own, almost like she wasn't sure if her help was needed or wanted, and Gajeel grinned. He followed her out into the mid-afternoon sunshine, taking a deep breath and letting the smells of the jungle fill his lungs.
"Geijah oor yahmjja hai kahva oovai," Levy said to Warrod, easily stepping into the larger faery's open arms and hugging him around the waist. Warrod smiled softly in response, pressing his lips to the crown of her hair.
"Respeerai, paetii prei," he murmured, and Gajeel almost wanted to look away from the intimate moment. "Yahm Maateim fahgei a'ii a tyah tol ahmbal."
"Ii mya Maateim fahgei a wei a's ahmbal ihs wah." Levy kissed his cheek before trotting back to Gajeel's side, and Warrod's attention was on the Blood Prince. He held out his hand and grinned, and Gajeel mimicked Levy and Droy's actions from before and gripped the older faery's arm tightly just below the elbow. Warrod nodded in approval, taking Gajeel's arm in return.
"Na-yahm el luuy a erajh'tahnd," he said with a grin, and Gajeel looked at a blushing Levy with furrowed eyebrows.
"He's basically repeating what Droy said earlier," she muttered, and Gajeel found himself grinning with Warrod.
"Ma n'tyah." Gajeel grimaced at how his tongue felt thick and awkward as he attempted to respond, but Warrod just smiled.
"That's what I like to hear," Warrod said with a grin that only grew when Gajeel's jaw dropped as perfectly-accented Fioran flowed from the older faery's lips with ease. "Now you two get home safe, and don't dwadle! The wildlife on this side of the island always begins to act up around this time of day."
"W-wait! You speak Fioran!?" Gajeel asked, aghast. Behind him, Levy was nearly in tears again as she laughed, clutching the doorframe for support. Warrod just continued to grin.
"Well, of course! Where did you think I lived before Mavis decided to drag me around the world to find this place?" he said with a bark of laughter. He patted Gajeel's shoulder, leaving the prince stunned on his doorstep. "Have a good evening, you two. Give your mother my best, Levy, and don't forget to do your breathing and meditation exercises tonight. Ardelle told me you had several headaches after your performance at the banquet and you should know better after using that much magic."
Levy's "Ata, Jji-ooba" was nearly lost in her laughter, but Warrod nodded at her before giving Gajeel one final, cheeky wave and disappearing into the house.
It took Gajeel several minutes to move again, grumbling under his breath about tricky old faeries, and it took several minutes longer for Levy not to burst into fresh peals of laughter every time she looked at Gajeel's frowning face.
"It's not funny," he growled, fighting the urge to cross his arms and pout like a child as they made the trek back through the jungle and back to society. Levy giggled, shrugging apologetically.
"It sort of is," she said with a grin.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you knew!"
Gajeel rubbed his face with a groan, trying not to let it show how quickly his irritation was fading the more she laughed. "I probably looked like an idiot," he muttered, and Levy patted his shoulder.
"He probably just thought it would be funny to see your reaction. Warrod's sense of humor is an acquired taste," Levy reassured. They had made it back to the tree where they had dropped their shoes, and Gajeel stopped to stare in confusion when he had to look up to find his boots. The laces had been tied together and they looked as if they had been flung over the branch nearest the ground, Levy's sandals dangling next to them.
The princess just smiled, hopping up to snatch one of her sandals and tug them down, looping them around her neck. Gajeel took the time to slip his boots back on, but left the laces untied and tucked his socks into his pants pocket.
"I think my palette's still a little unrefined, then," he said with a huff. Levy smiled.
"Give it time," she said, and Gajeel felt his own lips pulling up into a grin.
Time, huh? He could do time. If all went well the next two days, they would have as much time as they needed.
The walk back to the palace was done mostly in comfortable silence, the princess occasionally pointing out a stall or vendor to him as they passed through the market, and Gajeel sometimes leading her through the crowd with a hand barely hovering above the small of her back. They stopped at one stand that was selling some sort of meat dipped in a sweet batter for lunch, and Levy once again fell into fits of giggles as Gajeel hesitantly placed the first bite in his mouth, not eager to repeat the Bahtiil incident from earlier. It was delicious - and safe - and Gajeel happily devoured the treat, finishing up just as they walked back into the palace through the doors at the base of the Tenrou Tree.
"I'm surprised Sting and Natsu haven't hunted us down yet," he muttered, looking around the hall for a flash of either Natsu's distinctive red hair or the sound of Sting's grating laughter. All he saw, however, were faeries milling about their business, bowing in greeting to the two passing royals. Levy chewed on her lunch, hiding her mouth behind her hand.
"I don't think they'll be looking for us," she said, a mischievous gleam in her eyes that Gajeel recognized from years of living with Wendy.
"Oh no. What happened."
"We may have passed through a grove of caalleryahna trees on our way to see Jji-ooba," Levy mused, one dimple appearing as her lip curled into a grin. "They're known here for their sharp, rotten scent. When you were with me, I could dull the scent so it wouldn't affect you as badly; but for, say, two Draygns trying to track someone using their senses of smell..." The princess let her unsaid words hang in the air, still grinning coyly as she began the trek up towards the living quarters in the palace.
Forget time, Gajeel was ready to propose to her now.
"You're amazing," he said with no small amount of awe in his voice, and he saw her tail begin to twitch back and forth. "I've been trying to figure out how to get rid of those two for years."
Levy stopped on the stairs long enough to turn and give him a bright grin. There was a hint of red to her cheeks that made pride bubble in his chest. "I told you you were underestimating me," she nearly purred. "Knowing how Igneel reacted last time he accidentally caught a sniff of caalleryahna, they're probably either sick in the bathroom, or attempting to sleep it off." She stopped and winced. "Actually, now I'm thinking I may have gone overboard."
"Nah," Gajeel said with a dismissive wave, "they deserved it. Is it possible you could teach me how to identify that tree, though?" he asked. Levy laughed.
"Why? Don't want to catch a whiff on accident?" she teased as they stepped out onto the level of the palace where the throne room resided. Gajeel crossed his arms as he bent down to Levy's height, smirking at the blushing princess.
"Well, since a certain someone seems to take quite a lot of joy out of watching me be caught off guard," he began, "I'm beginning to think I need to be prepared ahead of time for anything that may come my way." Levy's blush deepened prettily, and his smirk only grew wider.
The princess opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get a word out, they both stopped at the sound of an argument coming from the throne room. Gajeel hadn't heard anything when they had been by the stairs, but now the shouting was increasing in volume. One voice he recognized as the Titania's, her voice taking on a tone of anger that he hadn't heard since the welcoming banquet. Her voice was nearly a hiss, and it sent shivers clear down his spine.
The second voice was much deeper than Ardelle's, and their loud shouts felt like they could shake the whole island. Gajeel didn't recognize the voice, and he turned with furrowed brows to look at the princess next to him.
Levy had gone completely still, her muscles tense and her tail curled around her feet. The happy flush had drained from her cheeks, leaving her dark skin looking ashen, and her bright, golden eyes were veiled by a dark emotion Gajeel couldn't recognize. The deeper voice yelled again, speaking the Fae's tongue so quickly that Gajeel wouldn't have been able to recognize any of the words he did know, and she winced.
Before he could ask what was going on, Levy had grabbed his hand and began to walk away from the throne room. Gajeel was sure that his presence was the only thing keeping her from running. He looked back to glance one last time at Titania Mavis's frozen smile before they turned the corner, the shouting slowly getting quieter and quieter as the doors disappeared from view and they left the throne room behind.
They were halfway to the guest quarters before Gajeel spoke up, his hand still clasped in hers. "Princess?" he asked quietly, and Levy never broke her stride. The fabric of her jacket jumped, and he could easily imagine her wings twitching in agitation.
"I'm fine," she said softly.
Jji-ooba (jay-oh-bah) - Grandfather
Paetii prei (pah-tie prey) - Little one
"Eebwalen, [Droy!]" (E-bwah-lin) - "Good afternoon, [Droy!]"
Maabahrut (May-ba-rut) - "Mother Tongue", the language of the Fae. Called Old Fae by Ishgarians due to the fact that it is a language mostly spoken by Fae not from the mainland. New Fae is a blend of Fioran and Maabahrut, and is the common tongue among Ishgar Fae.
Oobai jha Jiima (Oh-bye jh-a Jeye-ma) - Father of the Island; A title of respect given to Warrod by the kingdom due to his age, power, and role in the creation of Tenroujima. Warrod is known as one of the four founders of the island kingdom.
Bahl-hoobe jha Fiiore (Bal-hoe-bae jh-a F-eye-ore-ay) - Blood Prince of Fiore
'Ajjeel - Gajeel's name said in a very heavy Maabahrut accent. It's considered very impolite to the Fae to mispronounce someone's name wrong. Levy is horrified. Gajeel thinks it's adorable.
Bahtiil (Baht-eel) - A carbonated juice served on Tenroujima. It is a mixture of several fruit juices that is given its distinct bubbly properties by magic. It's not a drink found on Fiore. Obviously.
"Yahm Maateim fahgei a'ii a tyah tol ahmbal" - "Let the Goddess guide you and you will know peace"; a traditional goodbye between Fae.
"Ii mya Maateim fahgei a wei a's ahmbal ihs wah" - "And may the goddess guide you to your peace as well"; a response to the above.
Hahahaha I'm not sorry.
"But Silv," you ask. "Where are the rest of the translations!? There was so much Maabahrut in this chapter and I don't know what it means!"
"That's the point!" I bellow from my high, lofty throne. "Gajeel doesn't know what's happening and it's in his POV, so you're all boned, aren't ya!?"
By which I mean I only have thirty minutes to finish posting this chapter and don't have the time to make the post on my writing tumblr with all the translations right at this moment. I will be posting it tomorrow when I update the A03 chapter, but I don't have time at the moment. There are translations, I swear! This chapter was a fuckin' monster to write specifically because I wanted the language they spoke to be an actual thing. It's still coarse, but there is definitely the bones of a whole language here. I promise, you aren't losing anything in this first read-through by not having the translations; in fact, I think it adds to it! I will edit this note when the translations are posted to my tumblr; voedaa.
Edit: The translations have been posted! There should be a link on my profile page, and if not it can be found on the voedaa blog under both #vows fic and #maabahrut
With that said, I really do love this chapter. A lot of hard work went into this, and I'm so proud to have it done. Shout out to my new roomie and best friend of almost 10 years for helping me out and letting me ramble at her when I got a headache trying to come up with all the words. Maddie, you're the best!
Going to try again to do another monthly update (what do you mean it's already March it's technically still the last week of February I totally made my deadline), and let me tell you guys, I think you're really going to like the next one~ No surprise angst next month, oh no! With that said, I aim to have the next chapter up the first week of April. Again, you can follow my writing tumblr, the newly-renamed voedaa for updates.
This fic has almost passed 50,000 words, which is a HUGE milestone for me! Thank you all for your continued support, it truly means the world to me.
See y'all in April! Don't forget to fave and review, and thanks again!