Sorry for the delay. My laptop's display was broken and it took a week to get it repaired.
Thx for all the wonderful reviews, faves and follows. Pls do continue to R/R and I will try to deliver my best.
Forests in the Outskirts of Crocus
The night was long and dark. Even the cicadas had stopped making noise, rendering the atmosphere more mysterious and scary. Yet, it could not detract the track of a young lady and her accomplices who made their way into deeper forests. The creepiness of night was nothing before their courage and strong will.
Princess Lucy was neither a porcelain doll that was made to dance to the tunes of the nobility nor a string puppet whose actions were controlled by the will of the puppeteer. She was always independent and had her own way of looking at things. Though she was always thoughtful, recklessness was also seen in her actions when her comrades were in danger. So, all of her accomplices were deeply committed to her and were die-hard loyal. They were even ready to sacrifice themselves in order to protect her; the desire of which was not borne out of duty alone, but also of admiration for the camaraderie that she displayed.
A gust of wind blew unexpectedly changing the atmosphere and trees began to sway frantically to either side. Droplets of water followed it indicating a down-pour. Still, she continued forward not caring for being wet as her sole focus now was on the solitary rider and his cryptic message. She accelerated the horse forward.
Suddenly, an arrow came swooping in which made her and her companions stop in their tracks. They looked around and saw that they were surrounded by the savages of the jungle who were pointing their poisonous arrows at them. All of them wore masks and had worn head-gears with leaves and feathers and clothes that barely covered their thighs which was made out of jute.
One of them had proper clothes. He came forward in his horse and gestured his team-mates not to do anything until he tells them to do so. His attire and actions shouted him being the leader of the group. He had spiky black hair which looked like a lion's mane which extended up to his waist and piercings all over his ears, nose and eye-brows. He jumped from his horse revealing his tall height and well-toned muscular body.
"Princess Lucy?" He asked in a gruff tone.
She nodded, clutching her sword. Who knows, when might she need it?
"I thought I told you to come alone. But you came here for a party." His men guffawed at his remark.
She knew that she had to act quickly if she had to save the young knight. "Could you please cut short the formalities and help the patient on board. He needs an antidote for poison."
"Do you think this as your domain, Princess? Cut it down. I am the lord here. So, you will do what I tell you here, not the other way round." He pointed his spear at her haughtily.
Her guards immediately came and stood forward as a protection. "May I know who I am speaking to?" her chief guard Arcadios asked.
"Gajeel Redfox, son of Metallicana Redfox and the Prince of this jungle." He roared. "Princess Lucy, the message that I sent to you was to bring you under my knees. I knew from reliable resources that you'd do anything for your brothers and the Kingdom. It was my luck that you never even cared to discuss the matter with your older brother."
"Wait, Metallicana Redfox was always loyal to the Kingdom. He would never…." Lucy gulped.
"Oh! He kicked the bucket last night. Now, I am the King. If I marry you, I can claim the throne of Fiore if I kill both of your brothers which is easy for us savages as we specialize in Guerrilla operations.'
"What if I won't budge to you …" She was stopped by Hisui who whispered in her ears. "Princess, our current priority should be to save the Knight. I think that he has some information which could wash away even our existence which is even more serious than this thug."
Lucy understood the graveness of the situation and said. "Well, I will agree to your terms, if you save this knight. Else, you will never get me alive and the whole Fiorian army will be upon you once they find me missing or dead."
"Only that?" Gajeel drawled. "I never cared for my life, Princess. I am there for the ride if there is enough thrill. But still, I'd like to give you a chance. You have to be my prisoner with your party until then, agreed?"
She agreed as nothing was now there in her mind except saving the Kingdom.
Summer Palace
She gazed at the stars in the distant horizon. They were immeasurable. Are they the souls of the dead? She just wondered. Why does it make us feel relaxed when we look at the sky as if someone is there to look after us like a guardian angel? Quickly, a shooting star gleamed and hastened its journey down. She closed her eyes, clasped both of her hands, held it towards her chest and made a wish. Satisfied at this, she opened her eyes slowly only to find Prince Sting smiling at her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see your lordship coming." She bowed and lowered her head to hide her embarrassment.
Prince Sting was a slim medium-sized handsome young man with spiky blonde hair with a tuft falling to his eyes and always wore a crystal-shaped earring on his left ear. He had a battle scar near his right eye. He had worn an elegant navy blue long-coat with golden embroidered trimmings that had beautiful beads and stones on its border and cuffs. His white pants were tucked into his armored boots.
Sting gently touched her shoulders with one of his hands and slowly raised her chin with his other hand.
"You don't need to feel ashamed, Princess Yukino. Consider this country just as your homeland. All of us including myself are ready to follow your orders." He had a playful smile on his face with a glint of naughtiness.
Princess Yukino resembled a snow fairy with her ghost-white complexion and silvery hair. She was strikingly beautiful and had worn a low neck corset with puffed white silky skirt. A beautiful tiara and a diamond necklace adorned her head and neck respectively. Her hands were covered with white net gloves up to her elbow.
"Thank you for your concern, your lordship. But I…. I….." Tears started dripping from her eyes.
Sting wiped her tears with both of his thumbs gently and hugged her.
"Princess Yukino, are you having second thoughts about the decision to come with me? I apologize if I had done anything wrong. Did anyone else trouble you?"
"Your lordship is so kind. No one in this palace behaved rudely to me." She whimpered. "It is just that I'm always a bad omen. His highness, my father used to say that our territory was shrinking ever since my birth. He called me 'the cursed existence.' May be I'm kind of bad for your lordship too." She nervously clasped her fingers.
Sting felt sorry for her. He had never expected a princess to be this fragile. She was just like a broken doll. He patted her back in assurance and said warmly. "Never ever consider yourself as a bad omen, Yukino. As for me, I consider you as my lucky charm. My elder brother never had any need of me. But it was because of you, that he summoned me and made me do something truly worthy for the Kingdom." He bowed on one knee and held her hand in his," thank you Yukino for making me useful. Also, will you grant me the opportunity to make you my bride?"
His confession was up to the point and straight forward. Yukino did not know how to respond. She blushed deep red and looked away from Sting to hide her embarrassment and said slowly, "I am lucky to hear such words from your lordship and it is my privilege to agree to your simple wish. But to be truthful, your lordship deserves someone better."
"Shhhhhh", Sting silenced her with his finger. "Not a word more. The days of hardships are over. Let us welcome the dawn with a smile."
At that moment, there was a knock at the door, which made them maintain their distance. In came a maid bowing, announcing the arrival of the King.
The Abode of Savages
The savages tied up Lucy and her group. Arcadios protested a lot for tying up Lucy but remained silent when Lucy asked him to do so. The huts of savages looked just like tents. They made those houses with whatever materials they got from the forests.
Gajeel whistled when he reached near a hut and a tall old lady came out cursing every human in the vicinity.
"Porlyusica, you have got job. Cure him and I will give you this stuff free." He showed her some opium that he had in his cloth bag.
"Curse you, Gajeel. Your father would never have blackmailed me like this. He just orders and I willfully follow him. Unlike you, he was a great leader with great morals."
Gajeel got irritated. "Old hag, do you want it or not?"
Porlyusica's eyes enlarged. "Dear me, I do want it and I'll do as you say as I need the stuff badly tonight. Where is the victim?"
She pushed Lucy and others and straight away went to Natsu Dragneel. "My, My! It seems that I need my finest apothecary skills tonight to save him and I love challenges. Girl, is he your lover?" She asked much to the chagrin of Gajeel.
Lucy blushed a little and said. "No, he is just an honorable brave knight." Though Gajeel did not like what she said, he chose to remain silent thinking that as soon as that irritating Knight awakes, he will just kill him off in a duel. He did not care even if he had to play dirty to remove the traces of that chivalrous knight whom she held close to her heart from Earth.
Courtyard of Summer Palace
Sting hurriedly made his way through the beautiful corridors that had exquisite statues, marvelous paintings and ornate tapestry glistened by decorative lights and chandeliers. The floor was covered with carpets of the highest quality. The archways were lavishly blessed with gold and silver. The summer palace was indeed an artistic marvel with its gothic style architecture.
The King was waiting for him at the large courtyard enclosed within the palace. Sting reached there as quickly as possible and asked panting hard. "Is there anything important for me to do, brother?"
Sting had not seen the short elderly man dressed in white silky robes with the King in his hurry. The old man scanned the young prince and said with contempt in his voice. "Prince Sting, is this the way you address His Highness? Where have your manners gone?"
The King amusedly watched this and said calmly, "Lord Yajima, forgive him for the time being. I will make sure that the next time you meet him, he will behave properly." Then he turned his attention to Sting, "may I know the reason behind your insolence? Is it just your youth or the rebellious streak that you hide deep within yourself? If it is the latter, then you are more than welcome to try it out in the field; but be assured that I would not hesitate to cut you down then as relationships hold no significance in battle field."
Sting was taken aback by these words. He never meant to insult his brother or the minister. He just blurted what was in his mind out of his excitement to see his brother. He had not seen him for more than three months. He missed his older brother ever since he became the King. The caring and loving older brother whom he knew was soon replaced by an emotionless monarch always surrounded by bureaucrats and guards. He had to wait for months to catch a glimpse of him or even talk to him. He stood like a lone star in the sky that was difficult to reach.
Sting bowed apologetically and said, "It won't be repeated your highness. I hereby apologize for my insolence."
Jellal accepted his apology. Then the three of them discussed the aftermath of Yukino's abduction in Frostia.
"It seems that rather than feeling sorry for his daughter's abduction, the King is rather happy at the turn of events." Yajima said.
"I think that this event made him think that he might gain political influence in this country, if this marriage takes place. It also means, if I were to be assassinated, Sting will be the new King according to him. So, he will definitely try to play dirty." Jellal said calmly.
Sting was awe-struck at his brother's composure. He could never behave like that. He said slowly, "so what should we do highness? We cannot let them have their ways."
"We will make him believe that his wishes are granted by the actions of his Princess and make him reduce his guard to later pound and overwhelm him." Jellal twisted his lips in amusement.
"Then what will happen to the Princess?" Sting blurted out.
"From now on, she will be confined to her chambers and you cannot meet her unless I give you the permission. Any objection?"
Sting bowed and said, "Nothing, your highness. This body is yours to command." But deep inside, he felt sorry for her and wanted to save and comfort her. But with his position as the Prince, it was virtually impossible. Anyway, he thought that he will work out some way to solve the issue though he was never known to be bright.
Royal Stables
The discussions continued for a while after which Jellal went straight away to royal stables and asked the guard to send a note to Lady Scarlet to come there while examining the horses.
She came there quickly dressed in her black armor; she had her favorite sword benisakura attached to her armor. She bowed to the King lightly who was now mounted on a horse. He showed her a wild horse and asked her to use it while watching how she does it amusedly.
She went close to the horse and brushed its mane slightly and with great care. Then she whispered something in its ear to which the animal responded by neighing and standing on its two legs. She patted him in order to calm him and slowly with care, she gently held the reins, put one of her foot on the stirrup and within a flash, she was on the top. But now, the animal protested and tried to shake her off. She was too stubborn to budge. She held its reins tightly. In a desperate attempt to shake her off, the horse started running wild and took deep into the woods behind the stables.
Jellal followed her. But he could not spot either her or the horse. Then by his own hunch, he thought that, they might be seen near the small stream flowing inside the castle which was a major source of water for the castle dwellers. Alas, he was right. For there stood near the stream, both of them pretty tired; but still she was successful in taming him.
He clapped his hands and said, "Kudos to you, Scarlet. None of the guards other than the Keeper Elfman Strauss was able to tame him."
Then he went closer to her and whispered in her ears, "do let me know that if you really want to tame humans. I will be more than obliged to co-operate."
She paid no attention to his tease but asked politely befitting a Knight. "I thought that your highness had some important job to do when you summoned me at this hour?"
He looked at her with deep interest and chuckled. "Oh! So, you are now ready for the 'night-time' jobs. I did not think that you would be so ready for it."
She held her head in pride and said, "I meant my job as a bodyguard and for your kind attention highness, I have never consented to be your concubine. I know that you can have it forcefully, if you try it as your power and skill trumps mine. But if you do so, you will do it only once as I will slit my veins soon after it as I prefer honor above anything."
He smiled inwardly at her words. She was indeed sanguine and he thought that he should be careful while dealing with her as she had the power to dispel his inner darkness which always served as a fuel for his ambitions.
"Oh! You won't do that, my dear. I hereby swear that I will make you willingly surrender to me and until then, I shall not touch you. Do not fear for I will not blackmail you into doing that. You will really fall for me within a month and that is a promise," He chuckled confidently.
"Is love also a game for you, your highness? Your mind is indeed too sick. Well, let's wait and see what happens."
"Resist as much as you can for the time being. But it won't last long which is my word to you." He paused and continued, "as for me summoning you, we are off to the forests for some hunting as I had heard something fishy is going behind my back in the jungles. We will investigate it tonight itself. Am I clear?"
"Yes, my lord and I, Erza Scarlet will faithfully assist you on this mission." She bowed with her right hand on her chest diagonally.
Together they took off in their horses to deep forests. He was a fast rider and it was very difficult for her to keep him within her sight. The horse was also not properly tamed. Nonetheless, she was successful in not leaving him far ahead. She pulled the reins once she saw that he had stopped his horse and looked at him puzzled.
His ever-so-calm face looked like blood has been drained from it. She looked where he had his vision and did not see a thing.
"Is anything the matter, highness?"
"Lucy… I thought I saw a glimpse of her in woods. What is she doing here at this ungodly hour?" Erza immediately knew from the tone of his voice that someone had booked his/her seat to netherworld.