Here is your second Bonus Round! WARNING: BLOOD / HORROR THEMES
I'm changing things up this chapter. I apologise if characters are acting a bit weird, it is purposeful. Mainly because this is all from one characters point of view. They're mostly her opinions. Also, age and experience changes everyone. I'm not even the same person I was last week.
I feel the need to write a small Igneel note: so, you've may have noticed that the dragons scales are based off their eye colours. If you hadn't… not like it matters. Igneel has red scales, gold eyes. I'm not writing him with red hair. Natsu's pink -salmon- hair comes from Grandine's side. Think Porlyusica. Don't have a heart attack!
* Glamour is a transformation magic. *
* (Anhard) Demons: queens / kings / prince(sses) are just levels of power. *
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Layla opened her eyes blearily. A quick glance at the light streaming through her windows made her groan. It was way too early. She huffed lightly, turning over and blowing blonde strands from her face. What could anyone want this early in the morning?
She rolled, pulling her sheets with her, landing on the floor in a tangled mess. She fought off tears at the injustice. And pain. What did a girl have to do to get some quality beauty sleep?
"Princess Layla, the queen wishes to speak with you." Virgo's voice called, before she opened the door and breezed through the room. Upon spotting the blonde sprawled across the floor, her head tilted cutely.
"Princess, why are you on the floor? Is your injury acting up again?" Pure concern washed over Virgo's delicate features.
"Virgo, what have I told you about calling me princess?" Layla held the edge of her bed and heaved herself off the floor, blankets and all. The muscles in her back protested and she held back the automatic flinch. She refused to let anyone feel guilty for what happened. Her guardians already blamed her current, broken state on themselves.
"Yes, sorry Layla." For a moment Virgo sounded as hopeless as Layla felt. The blonde just wanted to draw her friend into a hug and abate all her fears. Was it possible for their fractured family to come together once more? Or had it all been too much?
Each of the faerie's guardians were taking her condition differently. Virgo had thrown herself into working around the palace. Leo was chasing girl after girl. Capricorn was out on some sort of secret mission, behind enemy lines. The twins had taken one of the training halls for themselves. Libra was out, judging case after case. Ares had developed a nervous disposition. Scorpio had decided to take some time off with his girlfriend. Aquarius refused to leave the water. Cancer retired to the Spirit World and opened a hair salon. Sagittarius disappeared into the Eastern Forest. Taurus was working with the guards, increasing security in the palace. The mother and son duo were busy entertaining visitors and castle staff. It saddened her, seeing her family torn apart.
She refused to regret her decision though. As a faerie she was taught to handle problems on her own. She didn't call for their help because she shouldn't have needed any help to begin with.
"Miss Layla, do you need any help?" She nodded and Virgo seemed relieved. The pinkette wrapped a thin arm around Layla's waist and together they shuffled over to her closet. She sat on the leather ottoman just inside the doorway and watched Virgo deftly pull out a cobalt blouse and loose brown pants. She then walked over to Layla's extensive shoe collection and picked out her favourite riding boots.
She defiantly held her breath as Virgo approached. This was the bit she always hated. She was as useful as a babe.
Virgo's hands rested on Layla's shoulders briefly before pulling the ties of her loose nightgown. She watched as the pure white satin slid down and pooled in her lap. Her fingers curved into fists at her sides. Virgo's fingertips brushed against the bandages wrapping around the blonde's figure, hiding the hideous disfigurement from sight. Her touch trailed, feather light, along the white cotton's edge. She paused beneath Layla's collar bone and withdrew her hand.
Virgo made quick work of dressing her and she expertly twisted blonde hair into a lazy bun. They walked to the parlour, arms thrown around each other before Virgo excused herself.
A butler pushed open the door and assisted Layla to the closest chair, bowed and left. Mavis and Shagotte watched her, concern swirling in their eyes. They looked to each other briefly. Blue travelled just under Shagotte's skin.
"It's nice to see you again, Queen Shagotte." Layla spoke, raising her head and catching the pixie's eyes. Her brown eyes were mesmerising -a side effect of her glamour- and the blonde found it hard to look away.
"And you, Layla. Mavis was just telling me about your recovery." Her voice was soft and motherly. There was a strangle lilt to her words. She had an elegant, otherworldly voice. Layla had always liked it. It soothed.
"So, this is simply a social visit?"
"No, I can't say it is. Mavis called me here on political matters." They were watching her intently again. She felt like an attraction in an amusement park. There was a certain current in the air. She was sure she wouldn't enjoy this conversation.
"Layla, I'm setting up a new system of governing." Layla looked over to Mavis in shock. It was the first thing she'd said to her since she'd woken up a few months ago.
"Our current system is outdated. Makarov and I have decided we need to usher in a new era. We need a leader the people see as capable. We need a leader who can handle everything that's thrown at us. We need a leader who fits our ever changing world." Even though she agreed with everything Mavis was saying, Layla could feel a lump forming in her throat. Tears were quickly gathering in her eyes and she tried desperately not to let them fall.
"I was just telling Mavis that you should set up a tournament style event. It would be a great way to show off your strength." Shagotte smiled kindly and nodded to the door. It sometimes made Layla wonder how she could read her emotions so clearly when her own mother didn't seem to feel a thing.
"Your pink haired friend is outside." Thanking every deity she could think of, Layla hobbled out of the room and into Virgo.
"Come on Layla, stretch just a bit further. You can do it." She winced, biting down on her lip. Pain seemed to radiate up her spine. Each muscle screamed. She wanted to scream.
It had been almost a year since she was rescued and yet, the progress was pitiful. She could now walk on her own. For about five minutes. She could now dress herself. As long as she didn't need to bend over. That was pretty much it. She couldn't jump or run. She couldn't practise magic.
She couldn't fly.
She couldn't fly.
She couldn't fly.
It was a mantra. Repeated over and over. Not just in her head, although it featured prominently there too. It was the thought on everyone's mind. It was the comment on everyone's lips. 'I heard about what happened...', 'You poor thing!..', 'You're so brave, I couldn't possibly live if…'. Their words spun around in her head, reopening wounds and casting light in the darkest corners of her memories. There were things, hidden in the recesses of her mind, Layla never wanted to reach the light of day.
It was times like these that she longed for her best friend. If he wasn't so busy, she might have considered sneaking out like they did as children. It was probably for the best. Being seen with him, of all people, probably wasn't a good idea.
"Layla, focus. This is the last exercise." Makarov's voice broke her from her pain induced daze. She stretched her arm up as high as possible and lifted herself onto her tiptoes. Pain and frustration mixed. The tears she'd been holding at bay fell, splattering on the bright green padded mat. She wobbled.
She bought her arm back down and tried to stabilise her body, but it was too late. She was already careening into the ground. From the corner of her eye she saw Makarov grab Virgo's shoulder. This was something she had to do alone.
The floor rushed toward her all too fast. A year ago she would have curled her body into the fall. Now, she landed flat on her face. She just wanted to crawl in a hole and die.
Makarov eventually moved to her side and plucked her off the floor. He straightened her out and brushed down her clothes before grabbing her hands.
"Chin up, child. Have a warm bath and join in the celebrations." Makarov patted Layla's hands once before giving her over to Virgo.
They made their way back to the blonde's room, Virgo only leaving her side to draw the bath. She helped rid Layla of her clothes and nimbly removed her bandages. With her assistance, she stepped into the steaming bath. The hot water calmed her aching muscles and overwhelmed emotions. Virgo massaged lavender oil into fair skin, removing the accumulated sweat and strain of the days therapy session.
Once Layla was clean, she towelled her off, re-bandaged her back and dressed her for the festivities. Tonight the palace was holding a great feast. All the applicants for the position of 'Titania' would be there. As would several diplomatic embassies. Tomorrow would be the preliminary test. It was the first of ten rounds. Anyone who completed all ten of Layla's challenges would fight a mystery opponent. The winner, as decided by a panel, would become Titania.
The whole event was bittersweet. It was her creation. She had spent almost every waking hour designing each stage. Mavis, Makarov and Shagotte had been constantly updated of the progress, what each stage was testing and added their own input and advice.
As Layla was ushered out of her room, she bumped into a warm, sturdy chest. Immediately, long muscular arms wrapped around her waist. She could feel a smile curl her lips. Strands of black hair brushed against her forehead.
"Igneel!" A light laugh bubbled in her throat. She didn't think she had felt so happy since before she'd been taken.
"Lady Layla." Pressed so close, she could feel the reverberations in his chest as he spoke. She tilted her head and, upon catching golden eyes, beamed up at him. For once, she adored the way he towered over her. She felt safe in his arms. And toasty. Man, this guy was hot.
He squeezed her tighter, picked her up and carried her down the hall. This was precisely the reason why the formidable dragon king happened to be her best friend.
Hands reached out and grabbed at my flesh. Claws ripped, tore, pierced.
I screamed as blood rushed from the lacerations. Still, they came.
Red eyes glowed. Sharp teeth exposed in frightening sneers.
I cringed, pulling back my chains. Trying to break free.
Sinister laughs echoed off the walls.
SLAP
Filthy hands smacked my face, neck, arms, legs. Anything they could reach.
CRUNCH
They locked onto my limbs and squeezed. Tighter and tighter.
BANG
Talons tore out my hair as they bashed my head against the stone walls. Over and over .
RATTLE
Chains cut into my wrists, around my neck. All day. All night.
The cacophony intensified. A never ending symphony of horror.
Blood coated the walls.
The sun drifted higher. The moon came out. It started over again.
Pull. Please, stop.
Tug. No, please.
Rip. I'll do anything.
Tear. You can do anything, have anything.
Slash. Anything but that.
Shred. Kill me!
Cleave. Why won't you kill me?
Gone. Broken. Disfigured. Disgusting. Empty. Alone.
"Layla, have you seen Makarov?" Said blonde glanced up to see an almost frantic looking Igneel racing up the cobblestone pathway. In his arms was a small, blonde child. He didn't seem to be any older than the age of ten. At least, to her untrained eye.
"You won't find him here. He's gone to Vanima." The blonde faerie stood as she spoke. As they had gotten closer, she could see the blood crusted on Igneel's arms. More covered the child. She gasped and rushed to their aid.
"There was a raid. Anhard. Near Fleids." For a moment she was sure her heart had stopped. It had been almost seventy years and the name still pulled painfully at her heart. Layla knew, possibly better than anyone, just what the Anhard were capable of.
She brushed back light blonde bangs, letting a green glow envelope her hands. Healing magic was soft. It brushed against the wound. Caressing and comforting. It persuaded the muscles to repair, tendons to mend, skin stitch itself back together. It wasn't vastly different from her base magic but it had taken a long time to master. Combat was blunt and used a lot of your magical energy. Medicine was precise. It wasted nothing.
It didn't take long for her to patch the child up. His fae blood was weak but he welcomed her efforts.
"Could you bring him inside?" Igneel nodded and stuck close to her side as they made their way into the palace.
"His name is Laxus." Igneel muttered as he gently placed the child on the bed. Layla smiled lightly, without looking away from the child. His expression was so peaceful. Seeing the child, a child with the same hair as her own, lying on her bed made her heart ache. She had always expected to have her own child by now. So many things, she had planned on doing.
"Sit down. Take off your shirt." She almost wished she had turned around and caught a glimpse of his facial expression. She was sure it would have made her laugh. Did he expect her not to notice the gash along his chest?
Begrudgingly he followed her directions -orders- while she gave Laxus a final, full body scan.
"There's evidence of mental trauma but we won't know for sure until he wakes." She bit her lip and turned to Igneel. No doubt he knew what she was pondering.
"He's Makarov's." She nodded, appeased. The Dreyar's were all incredibly powerful. The child would be fine.
Without saying anything more, she patched him up. They found a spare room, close to Makarov's and set it up for the young dragon. She didn't need to ask about what happened and Igneel didn't offer anything. They simply worked, like a well oiled machine, communicating through grunts and gestures.
There was something bothering Igneel. Something he wasn't sure he could talk to her about. It hurt a little but she could relate. Never had Layla disclosed the details of the weeks she was missing. Not to her parents. Not to her doctors. Not to her guardians. Not to him.
"Layla, Grandine's pregnant!" Igneel's sudden shout boomed through the room. She placed a hand over her racing heart and tried to control her breathing. She had almost forgotten about this guys voice box. He could have blown an ear drum.
"Igneel Dragneel, how many times have I told you not to shout?" Yes, she was shouting too. He wasn't the one who was almost scared to death. She was going to kill him one day.
"Eh, sorry?" He rubbed the back of his head, messing up the already untameable nest of inky spikes. A light blush coated his cheeks. It reminded Layla of when they were children. They would get into all sorts of trouble. She just wanted to grab his cheeks and squish them. So cute.
"Ahem. Grandine and I are having a child." Layla blinked up at him. Her brain slowly comprehending the statement. Grandine. Grandine and Igneel. Grandine and Igneel and Child. Oh lord.
"Baby!" She squealed. She jumped up and he swung her around in his arms. Tears slipped over her cheeks. Her best friend was having his very own mini Igneel. She could already tell that his child would drive him mad. Ah, karma.
Layla could hear people screaming from her room. Smoke was rising in tall, billowing towers. She watched, eyes never leaving the two nuisances in the sky. Despite their, destructive, urges both 'children' were precious to the blonde faerie. It would probably be best if she defused the situation. Before the boys got too ahead of themselves. Or Makarov intervened. She shuddered, remembering the torturous punishments he'd dealt Igneel and herself. If she could save them from one thing, it would be that cruelty.
"Boys! Boys, get down here. Now." She shouted up at the two dragons. One was a smoky grey-blue, purple highlighted the undersides of its wings and along it's ribcage. Like the vicious storm cloud it resembled, lightning streamed from its mouth. The other, was a deep, fathomless black. A few gold scales decorated its legs and tail. It was spewing fire as lightning raced across it's body.
"Can Igneel do that?" She asked herself. She was torn between amazement and confusion. Surely fire and lightning wasn't normal. Beside her, Makarov sighed. So lost in the spectacle, she forgotten about the old man.
His arm grew until it was large enough to swat the two young mischief-makers out of the sky.
"Boys! What were you thinking? You can't lose control and destroy-"
"Makarov, let me take care of these two. Titania looks like she needs you and Mavis." He peered into Layla's eyes, assessing her resolve. No doubt everyone in Pel knew how lenient she tended to be with those two.
But she knew just the way to make them repent. Or rather, to make Laxus repent. Natsu was a lost cause. He was too young to full comprehend his actions. Or control his powers.
"Training hall five, boys." They scampered away quickly, thanking her under their breath. She smiled at Makarov and he nodded.
"Okay, explain and make it snappy." She glared at the two boys -one blonde, one rosette- sitting cross legged in front of her.
"You're not normally this mean…" The pink haired child whined.
"I don't hear an explanation."
"Okay, okay. Umm, Mavis told us we couldn't beat the maze. It smells really funky and gross, you know? So, I said that I could, duh. I'm a dragon. We're the coolest! And she said-" And on he explained. Wild hand gestures punctuated each proclamation. She nodded attentively. Just often enough to keep Laxus on his toes.
"So, I had to prove her wrong! Because, well, she's wrong. And dad's been teaching me to roar! So, I did. I took a reeeaaally big breath and my flames were really, really hot!" Sometimes it was hard to tell that this boy was forty. Dragons aged differently than other species. They spent the first five to ten years as reptiles before their first shift. After that, they only aged physically whenever their bodies decided to hibernate. Since Natsu had yet to go through his first hibernation, he was stuck with the mind and body of a ten year old.
"Natsu, I was asking you to explain how you were using lightning."
"Oh. Ah, I ate his lightning?" Mini Igneel indeed.
From her seat by the window, Layla watched as Shagotte was escorted from her carriage and into the palace. Her youthful face seemed troubled, something she'd never seen before. The faerie left her seat and walked out to greet the other woman. It had been a while since Layla had last spoken to the pixie queen. She was excited to hear news of her small child, a beautiful girl by the name of Carla. During their last visit, the little girl spent most of her time being entertained by both Layla and Makarov.
"Layla, darling, you're exactly the person I wanted to see." Shagotte's musical tone reached out to her from across the room. Layla smiled in greeting and led her visitor into her drawing room. After the new system of government had been established, the Titania had been moved into the western wing of the palace. It was convenient having her so close. Despite Layla's recovery, travel was difficult and uncomfortable and, acting as the advisor, she needed to be available at all times.
"I had a vision." The faerie sat down on the closest chair. It had been a long time since Shagotte had a vision concerning Pel. Her visions were well known for showing misfortune and ruin.
"It's nothing bad, Layla." She sighed in relief and Shagotte's tinkling laugh flowed through the room. Any tension immediately fled.
"I saw your soul mate. Laxus' too." The silver haired woman watched her closely, silently debating something. Despite her best efforts, Layla couldn't begin to figure out what it might be.
"Your love is human." Layla swallowed loudly. It wasn't necessarily bad news. There were merits to the human race. It wasn't unheard of for Fae or Elves to travel to Earthland. She could work with this. What was bothering Shagotte?
"Laxus' mate… she's a demon queen." Layla wasn't sure how she felt about that statement. On one hand, demons still haunted her nightmares. On the other, this was Laxus' mate. The lightning dragon had lived with her almost all his life. It had been about eighty years since he'd become a member of her family. His companionship had eased the pain of losing her guardians.
"I guess we'd better start packing." Shagotte smiled over at Layla, clearly pleased with her decision. Pride bubbled in her chest. For a long time, Shagotte had been a motherly figure for the blonde. Her approval meant a lot. Certainly more than most.
"Your companion is in the library." The pixie stood with all the refined elegance of her race and left the room, leaving Layla with her jumbled thoughts.
Eventually the faerie broke out of her trance and walked to the library. She wondered how much she should tell Laxus. There were two things that bothered her.
Firstly, dragons were a bit scary when it came to their mates. She didn't want him to scour the human realm looking for his demon. If Shagotte had seen them in one vision then their locations were probably fairly close. They should definitely stick together.
Secondly, although dragons could travel between the three realms with ease, they chose not to. Igneel once mentioned that in Earthland, magic didn't regenerate. It drains until their draconian bodies cease to exist. A dragon, stuck in their human form, don't consider themselves a dragon. Laxus could lose himself.
With that in mind, Layla pushed open the ornate wooden doors and shouted out for the blonde dragon. He ambled to her side and raised an expectant eyebrow.
"Laxus, you have to pack. You're accompanying me to the human realm." He gawked at her, incredulous.
"Oh, and don't forget to tell Makarov." She reached up and patted his head twice, turned and walked back the way she'd come. She had a so much to organise. Fake identities, living arrangements, currency, workplaces, school, a way to contact family in Arun. She needed to learn human languages, customs, hobbies. She needed to write official letters to Titania and Igneel. She needed Mavis and Makarov's approval.
Layla stepped off the street corner, diligently watching for incoming traffic. Laxus had come down with some type of fever and she was heading to the pharmacy to get some form of medicine for him. It was weird, relying on human potions when she'd become so accustomed to using her own healing magic. There was nothing she could do but comply to the strange custom. A dragon without magic lost their other form; a faerie without magic would have their life force slowly drain away.
She reached the other side safely, much to her relief, and set out down the road. She knew the pharmacy was somewhere along this street. She'd seen it the night, two weeks ago, when they'd first arrived.
Makarov, with the help of his old friend Porlyusica, set up the apartment she and Laxus were currently living in. They decided Magnolia was the best possible base of operations in Earthland. The only portal between here and Arun was about fifteen minutes out of the bustling city, guarded by Porlyusica. Since they were looking for a demon queen, this was the most likely place she'd come through.
The human was more anyone's guess. However, if Layla's predictions were correct, he'd be somewhere near the she-demon. The only real clue they had was his name. Jude. Apparently, Shagotte could hear someone calling for him.
"Please come back!" Layla looked up just in time to see a tall, blonde man run straight into her. Without time to prepare, they crashed onto the sidewalk. She whimpered. It had been years, almost a full century since her injury had caused her this level of pain.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking and- are you alright?" His concern touched something within her.
"Jude! Jude, where've you gone?" A voice called from down the street. His eyes widened in fright. He seemed rather conflicted.
"It's alright. Just an old injury acting up. Sounds like you better run." Layla smiled up at him, holding in her overwhelming excitement. This was him! And he was smiling at her!
"Go on, I'll distract him for you." He shot her one final look and turned, dashing quickly down the closest side street. The man chasing him was closing in fast. Layla waited, counting down until, BAM.
She stood, just as the skinny man was passing her, knocking them both onto the ground. This time she didn't bother to stifle the flow of tears. She could feel the tear in the delicate skin along her spine. If she looked down, she was sure, she'd see a splattering of blood droplets.
"Oh my! I'm so terribly sorry, ma'am. Please, let me assist you." She gladly accepted his hand and let him pull her to her feet.
A full ten minutes later, the man was rushing off in the opposite direction of Jude. Surely, that would constitute enough of a head start for the errant young man. From what she'd gathered, Jude frequently ran away from the man in charge of his studies. It made her laugh. She and Igneel had been the exact same. Ever to the displeasure of their parents.
She brushed any remaining dirt off her shorts and hurried down the road. Poor Laxus was either worrying back home or passed out from his illness. Either option was unsavoury. Jude would have to wait until her current objective had been completed.
Over the next year -almost five Arunian years- Layla and Jude continued to 'bump' into each other. By now, she almost knew him as well as she'd known several of her close friends back home. She certainly knew him well enough to know that there was something he was keeping from her. She couldn't be sure what, but it seemed just as integral to his identity as being fae was to hers.
She didn't mind in the slightest. It made her feel less guilty about his assumption of her species. She was curious.
It was this curiosity that had her out of bed at two am. Jude had called not long ago, asking her to meet him at their favourite hiding spot.
It was not so much a hiding spot, since Laxus liked to trail them whenever he was feeling particularly crabby or possessive. Which was more often than not lately. Layla would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she was worried about her fellow blonde. She quickly did the maths. If they left when he was 91, it would make sense to assume he was about 95. Assuming his body was still functioning on Arunian time. Sometime soon, he would mature and they were no closer to finding the demon queen. Without his mate's calming influence, Laxus could easily destroy the whole continent. It was worrying.
Layla had recently been losing sleep trying to solve all their problems. She knew there was an answer in there somewhere. She just didn't know how to find it.
Working quietly, Layla slipped into her leather boots and black pea coat. She didn't want to wake Laxus or, more likely, make enough noise for him to hear over his music. She'd bought him an iPod and headphones on their first day in Fiore. His ears had started to bleed and she'd noticed they were 'noise cancelling'. It seemed like a good idea. Now she couldn't get him to take them off.
She locked the door, as silently as possible, and ran to the stairwell. She and Laxus had agreed that the elevator was just too unnatural to possibly be safe. Plus, the stairs gave them a way to channel their excess energy. Running up and down all ten floors a few times each day was a great way to keep their sanity.
Jumping down two stairs at a time, Layla made it to the lobby in no time. She opened the door into the cold unknown and stepped out. The first few snowflakes were just beginning to fall. They crunched under her feet as she strolled down the road, around the corner and into Magnolia Park.
She could just make out Jude's broad shoulders, under their Cherry Blossom tree. He was slouched against the tree, fidgeting with something in his lap. He seemed really nervous. She walked over quietly and placed a hand on his shoulder, making him jump about a foot.
"L-Layla! I didn't hear you." He was looking at the ground like the undergrowth was responsible for hiding her approach.
"Mhmm, I'll bet." She looked at him fondly, shaking her head. Her human was silly.
"Layla, I have something important to tell you. I haven't been totally honest with you." She rolled her eyes but he looked so scared and earnest. How would he feel if she told him she had a dragon that stalked him in his free time? That probably wouldn't make him feel better.
"Layla, I'm prince of Fiore."
"And I was the faerie princess. I'm so glad we got this out of the way." He ground his teeth and clenched his hands into fists.
"I'm not joking. I really am the prince. That's why I'm always running away. I-" She cut him off quickly. If she wanted to have a clean slate –and conscience- she'd have to tell him now.
"And neither was I. I really was born into the faerie royal family." He was giving her a look. It told her everything she needed to know for her heart to break. He didn't believe her. Should she argue with someone who had already made up his mind?
"There's no such thing as fairies, Layla. It's anatomically impossible. Out of everything to pretend to be, why would anyone chose a fairy?"
Should she answer him? Should she just drop kick him into the closest ocean?
"I mean, fairies are tiny flower people. They're like, the least powerful of any mythical creature, ever."
Her left eye was twitching. What was that song again? Something like, 'dig a tunnel, just digging a tunnel'? Close enough.
"Jude." Layla's head was tipped forward. Her hair fell like a blonde curtain, blocking the murderous glare from his sharp eyes.
"Say one-more-thing. I dare you." He gulped, speechless. She realised it was probably the first time she'd ever been upset with him. It didn't really matter.
With precise movements, her fingers slipped shiny black buttons through their corresponding holes. She shrugged out of the heavy coat, cold air nipping at her arms and raising her flesh. She spun, showing Jude her back. Layla's hands gripped the edge of her shirt and ripped it over her head.
She felt his fingers brush against the puckered scars. Scars which were the physical representation of her suffering. Scars which were the truth of her nightmare. Scars which were all that remained of her wings.
"Layla, is this- what it looks like?" His voice was uncharacteristically quiet. She lifted her shirt back over her head and re-buttoned her coat.
"I was taken by a race called Anhard. They're demons. I was tortured for three weeks before someone found me. I still don't know who. I just woke up in the infirmary in the palace." He looked conflicted for a moment before reaching out and enclosing her in his arms.
"I'm sorry Layla. I'm so sorry."
For the first time in a long time, she felt peace.
Layla looked at the three year old girl staring back at her with bright brown eyes. She tucked her daughter in tight and ran her hands through shiny golden hair. Her little faerie was so beautiful. She had both her parents wrapped around her little finger. Laxus was like a protective big brother, teaching her to fly, hunt and the laws of magic.
"Ok, so which story do you want tonight?" She asked quietly, gazing fondly at her bundle of joy. The little girl grinned cheekily and tilted her head in mock thought. They both knew she would request the adventures of the faerie princess and her 'army' of brave warrior spirits. They were the only stories that remotely interested the younger blonde.
"Can you tell me more about dragons?" Layla looked down at her daughter in surprise. Just the other day one of the servants had tried to tell her a story about a princess and a dragon and she'd ended up crying.
"Are you sure Lucy? I thought you didn't like dragon stories?"
"Silly mummy, Amy told it wrong. She said the dragon was a meanie. Laxus tells me all about dragons. They're really big and nice and some eat funny things!" Pride burst through Layla's being.
"Hmm, since you know so much about dragons, why don't you tell me a story?" She watched as Lucy's little eyes grew wide. She could practically see the cogs whirling away as she decided on the best story.
"Well, there was once a dragon king."
"A dragon KING?"
"Don't interrupt." Layla smiled as she watched her daughter puff out her cheeks in anger. She moved her fingers over her lips, mimicking the motion of a zipper.
"Ok, there was a dragon king. He was massive and super powerful! But, he was also really nice and a lot of people looked up to him."
"One day, he found a baby dragon. He was wounded in a fight. His mummy and daddy was gone. Bad people had taken them away from the baby forever." Her daughters lips quivered, tears forming in her eyes.
"The king took the baby dragon to a really nice and pretty woman who healed him and said she'd look after him." Well, this story was a little familiar.
"The baby dragon was scared at first. He tried not to let anyone know. He had nightmares for a long, long time. He just wanted his mummy dragon." Her heart ached a little, thinking about the times she had gone into Laxus' room, she herself, wakened by his cries.
"The lady was like a mummy to the baby. He loved the lady very much. She kept him safe and made him happy. She even protected him from bad guys!" Layla thought back. She couldn't really remember Laxus needing protection from 'bad guys'. It was much more likely that they needed protection from him. Unless, was she talking about Makarov?
"Sometimes he was a bit naughty, but she was always nice and fun. She never made him feel bad when he messed up."
"Sometimes he couldn't control his powers. He would break things by accident. One time he broke a lot of things. He made some people cry. But she didn't tell him he was a bad person. Just because you do a bad thing, doesn't mean you're a bad person. He was just too big and rough." She watched as Lucy nodded her head sagely.
"One day, he found out that the lady used to have pretty wings. She was hurt by some bad guys too. The same bad guys as him. He was always scared of those bad guys. Even when he was a big scary dragon himself."
"He felt angry. The bad guys were really mean! He would never forgive them because they didn't say sorry. So, the dragon tried his hardest to make her smile."
"Then, the lady asked him to come on an adventure with her. He was happy. He didn't want the lady to go and forget him. She was his mummy, even though he was a big boy now."
"So, the dragon went with her on an adventure. And the lady met a man and they fell in love. And the dragon, he was lonely. It made him sad. He was scared to lose the lady."
"He tried to adventure on his own but it wasn't the same. Nothing is much fun when you're alone." Layla watched as her daughter stared at her hands sadly. Lucy didn't have any friends her own age. She was kept in the castle grounds at all times since she couldn't hide her wings properly yet.
"One day, the dragon smelt a familiar smell. It was the same as the bad guys. They were going to hurt people!"
"He followed the trail until he came to a house in the woods. He was ready to fight the bad guys but guess what happened!" Lucy looked up at her in excitement.
"Um, a giant cake fell on his head!" Layla looked down at her daughter who, instead of laughing like any other three year old, was staring at her peculiarly.
"No."
"Ah, what happened?" Lucy nodded and continued.
"A girl came out of the house! She told the dragon that the bad guys were her parents. She was very sad and all alone too, so the dragon decided to become her friend."
"She and the dragon went on lots of adventures together. Then, one day, she kissed the dragon and said she loved him." Here, Lucy sighed.
"The dragon loved her too, of course. She was fun and pretty and strong and very nice and she made the dragon happy. The dragon told his mummy that he was going to live with his girlfriend but he still came to visit a lot because he had a little sister he had to look out for." Lucy nodded to herself, clearly pleased with her retelling, and snuggled further into her sheets.
Layla left the room, walked quickly down the hall and into her own bedroom. She reached into the spacious dressing room and turned on the light. Walking inside, she headed straight to a chest of drawers. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a wrapped gift. She turned and made her way back to her daughter's room.
"Here Lucy. I'll give you this early." She handed the little girl the gift, smiling as her eyes lit up.
"But, why mama?" Lucy looked up at her with clear chocolate eyes. Questions swirling in their depths.
"For that lovely story. I liked it a lot." Lucy giggled, carefully unwrapping the gift. She pulled out a black dragon plushy. Layla watched her daughter inspect the soft toy critically. She'd bought it on a whim. It resembled the little flame prince too perfectly for her to pass up.
"What's his name?" She looked down at her daughter, a smirk pulling at her lips.
"Salamander." Lucy looked back at the toy and nodded in acceptance of the name. She hugged the toy tight.
"He's here to keep you safe." Layla whispered.
Layla sat out on the lawn, above her Lucy was climbing deftly. She watched her thirteen year old flutter between branches. She was at least four, maybe five, metres up in the air. Normally Layla would be apprehensive about the height. Recently, Jude had told her Lucy needed her own space to learn. If she fell, at least her wings would catch her. She probably would get a mild fright.
"Mum, I can see the whole city from here!" Layla lifted her hand, shielding her eyes from the harsh glare. Lucy was higher than she'd ever seen her before. Nervous dread curled in the base of her chest.
"Give her space. Give her space. Give her space." She muttered to herself. She averted her gaze, focusing back on her book. If she wasn't watching, it wasn't happening.
"Mum, hey mum. Look!" Once again, Layla looked up at her daughter. Lucy was holding on to a branch on the tree behind her. She was leaning out, back bend slightly. If she fell from that angle, her wings wouldn't be able to-
"AH!" Lucy screamed as she fell. Layla's heart just about stopped. She watched, in slow motion, as her daughter plummeted towards the earth. She saw her body smash against the ground. Helpless, she witnessed the delicate wings snap.
Not a moment passed before Layla was by her side. Her hands shook as she took in the sight of Lucy lying on the ground. There was blood everywhere. One of her wings was stabbed through her chest, narrowly missing her heart. No doubt it punctured a lung. The other, was bent at an awkward angle. Blood oozed across the thin membrane. It oozed from the wound in her chest. It flowed down her sides. It drenched the ground, absorbed into the dirt.
Without a thought, Layla pressed her hands to Lucy's side. She turned her little girl onto her side. With gentle hands, she pulled the bone fragments from the hole in her chest.
Layla's hands glowed, her magic flowing from her body and into Lucy's.
With a patience she didn't know she possessed, Layla watched as her magic poured into Lucy. Through the blood, she could see the effect of her magic. Lucy's body was re-sewing itself. Her own magic was flaring in response to Layla's. She would be alright.
"She'll be fine. She'll be fine. She'll be fine." On and on the mantra continued.
Once she'd finished healing Lucy's chest, she moved on to her wings. She would never let her daughter go through the same pain as herself. By now, Layla's eyesight was blurring. With one last conscious effort, she glued her hands to Lucy's head and began to lock away all her memories of being fae. Her repression would only be undone if Lucy ever managed to reactivate her powers.
A bedridden Layla was propped up with a multitude of pillows. She was fading and fading fast. It had been four years since she'd healed Lucy in the gardens. Each day she'd gotten progressively worse. But Lucy didn't remember a thing. She believed the lie about an unknown disease and spent hours by her mothers bedside each day. It hurt Layla to see the pain her daughter was in. It had taken three and a half years for her smile to really come back. It arrived with the latest addition to the castle staff.
A few months ago, Igneel contacted her asking for a favour. Young Natsu, as it turned out, was needing some guidance. He'd 'gone psycho' and destroyed a town and seriously injured Gray awhile back. Since then no one had been able to calm him. They had hoped the change of scenery would do him some good. Cool him off a little.
And it worked. When he'd arrived, he'd been stiff and almost unapproachable. Only Layla had been able to get a response from him. He didn't utter a word about Tornor or his family and it honestly scared her a little. As a species, dragons were fairly stable. Their personalities didn't fluctuate much throughout their lives. They were solid and dependable.
Natsu's complete shift had reminded her that he wasn't a full blood dragon. His attitude was so off that Jude hadn't wanted to introduce him to the already fragile Lucy. In a moment of desperation, Layla had called Laxus for his advice. He'd been all for the two meeting. It was enough to put Layla's worries to rest. Laxus would never place his 'nest-mate' in danger.
Since the day they met, Natsu and Lucy had been inseparable. Partially because Natsu was acting as her body guard. Something the dragon took very seriously. Partially because they just clicked. Layla had never seen her daughter take to someone so quickly. But then again, Natsu was the first person 'her age' she'd ever really interacted with.
Regardless, within the presence of one another, both teens had flourished. It bought great comfort to Layla. She knew someone was watching their backs.
In a few minutes, Lucy and Natsu would walk in for their afternoon visit. Layla had organised a bit of a surprise for the two.
She and Jude had decided to send Lucy to a normal university. She needed friends and with Natsu by her side, they had nothing to worry about. On the other hand, Natsu's surprise, if she'd time everything right, would walk in the door just after she'd informed them of their future studies.
Layla knew, mostly from talks with Igneel, how devastated Natsu had been after she and Laxus had left. While she'd been similar to an aunt, Laxus had been like a best friend and elder brother rolled into one. The little fire breather had awoken from his 'nap' to find both his favourite nakama missing.
They had yet to inform Natsu that the lightning dragon and his mate lived so close. Lucy had been specifically ordered not to mention him. It would be sweet for Layla to see two of her favourite boys back together one last time. She had missed the havoc and destruction -excitement- caused by the duo.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
This chapter took a looong time to write. I sat for hours. In various locations. Words were not forthcoming. I apologise for the angsty-ness.
On Monday, I went to a close friend's funeral. A week ago, she was celebrating her 20th. The next day, she was in the news. Life is short, my lovelies. I hope you can live without too many regrets. :)
To my guest reviewer: I hope you're somehow still reading this... You're so sweet! Your comments made me grin like a fool. I hope you liked this chapter, I tried to take your advice. :D
The double update is coming up next. This chappy wasn't really planned. Plot bunnies attacked.