Dragon Instinct

Chapter Thirteen

"Why can't I come with you?"

"Because it's too dangerous."

"But they're going with you!"

"They're highly trained mages."

"But I'm a mage!"

"Who's just learnin' to use her magic."

Freed sighed rubbing his forehead. Laxus and Eliana had been having the same argument all morning. He gave the Dragon slayer credit. He'd been calm the whole time, keep her on task. Despite not wanting to, the girl was dressed, and on her way to Fairy Hills with them. Freed would have given up at this point and not answered Eliana's questions, but Laxus was being infinitely patient. Freed wasn't sure they would have made it out the door if he had been in charge.

Eliana frowned looking down at the ground with a pout and Laxus put his hand on her shoulder gently.

"Listen, we'll be back soon. We have to do this. These people are dangerous and they need stopped."

"Why can't the magic council do it?"

"Kid, I hate to be the one to tell you, but the magic council is useless."

Freed fought back a grin at the look of shock on Eliana's face. She was still young enough to think the magic council was looking out for everyone's best interest. He was glad Laxus was the one to break the girl's illusion. Better for that to happen young with her being a member of Fairy Tail. Although it seemed as if the Magic Council's grudge Fairy Tail had faded in the seven years they were on Tenrou.

"Papa, that's mean!"

"You'll learn kid, besides, we're just gonna weaken them so the magic council can come for them."

"You'll come home?"

"Nothin' will keep me away kid, I promise you that," Laxus said smiling putting his hand on her head.

Eliana grinned up at him slowly as Laxus pulled his hand away. Freed watched them with a small smile on his face. He loved watching Laxus with his daughter. They bonded so quickly and easily. It was extremely sweet watching someone as gruff as the dragon slayer be so loving and affectionate with someone. He wished he'd been able to see Laxus with an infant. He could only imagine how he would have been with a newborn, watching how he was with Eliana at her age.

He shook himself out of his thoughts as Laxus knocked on the door to Mirajane and Lisanna's room.

"Hello," Mirajane said as she opened the door.

"Hello Mirajane," Freed said giving her a small smile.

"Come on in. Hello Eliana," she said smiling widely letting them into the room.

All five of them walked in slowly. Eliana moving closer to Laxus as they did.

"Thank you for watching her for us Mirajane," Laxus said quietly. "I wouldn't leave if I didn't feel like it was necessary."

"Oh, I understand Laxus. You have to protect your family."

Laxus nodded slowly kneeling down in front of Eliana who looked up at him with a pout.

"You'll be good right? You'll listen to Mirajane and Lisanna?"

Eliana frowned looking away from him crossing her arms. Freed could see this goodbye was going to be difficult for both father and child.

"Eliana...come on, don't be like that."

Eliana turned to him slowly letting her arms fall to her side biting her lip. Laxus sighed seeing how her bottom lip trembled. He didn't want to see her cry.

"I don't want you to go! What if you don't come back?!"

"I'll be back, you can count on that," he swore putting his hands on her shoulders. "Trust me."

"Your daddy is one of the strongest wizards in Fairy Tail," Mirajane said proudly looking down at Eliana. "With his team at his side, he's practically unstoppable."

"Really?"

"It's true," Lisanna said walking up with a smile. "He used to scare me, but now I know he's a big softy."

Laxus frowned at that as Freed hid a grin. The Dragon slayer would not be happy that his image had been ruined. But Lisanna wasn't wrong. Laxus wasn't nearly as intimidating as he used to be. Everyone noticed the change in him since Eliana showed up.

"Here's a bag of her things Mirajane. It's a couple outfits, and some of her favorite books," Freed said passing it to her. "She refused to leave her stuffed dragon at the house."

"If Freed's runes weren't so ruthless I would have suggested you guys stay at our house, but then he'd have to rewrite them all." Laxus said with a laugh standing up again.

"No, it's fun this way. It's like a big sleepover, right Eliana," Mirajane said with a grin, and Eliana nodded slowly.

"I'll see you soon kid," Laxus said ruffling her hair affectionately. "Be brave for me all right? We'll be back for you soon."

"Okay papa."

Lisanna stepped forward slowly looking at Bickslow quietly.

"Are you going with them?"

"Of course I am. Wouldn't let the Thunder Legion go without me."

She nodded slowly looking away from him biting her lip. Freed frowned watching her. He knew there was something more she wanted to say but was keeping it to herself. That seemed to be the biggest problem between the two of them. Neither of them said what was really on their mind, so they never got anywhere. Obviously Bickslow seemed to feel the same way because he finally spoke up.

"What is it Lisanna?"

She looked up at him before throwing her hands in the air.

"Oh, what the hell," she said stepping before kissing Bickslow wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her back slowly. Freed smirked a bit looking at Laxus who shook his head as Lisanna stepped back.

"Come back safe okay?"

"Sure thing Lissy."

She turned to Mirajane, who shook her head with a small laugh.

"I'll go put Eliana's things up," she said softly taking the back from her. "See you guys soon."

"Guess we better go then. We'll be back as soon as we can Mirajane." Laxus said heading for the door.

"Papa!" Eliana called out hurrying forward.

"What is it?" He asked turning around.

Eliana ran towards him and he leaned down catching her in a tight hug. She buried her face in his chest hanging onto him sniffling a bit.

"I love you papa," she said softly.

"I love you too kid. I'll be back before you know it okay?"

She nodded pulling back turning to Freed slowly, wiping away tears.

"You'll take care of him won't you Freed? You'll make sure he comes back?"

Freed knelt down in front of her with a smile running his fingers through her hair.

"You have nothing to worry about Eliana. I won't let anything happen to your papa."

"Thank you."

He leaned forward hugging her tightly, kissing her forehead.

"Be brave for your papa okay? And be good for Mirajane. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Eliana nodded slowly pulling back from him.

"Okay Freed. You be careful too! Papa and I would be very said if anything happened to you!"

"I promise sweetheart." Freed said softly kissing her forehead before standing up smiling at her encouragingly before they walked out the room. Freed slipped his hand into Laxus' quietly giving it a squeeze.

"We'll be back soon Laxus."

"I know. I just hate leaving her behind."

"Of course you do, you're her father." Freed said with a small smile. "But you're doing this to keep her safe. We both know when they destroyed that village they did so to get to you. We need to do this."

"I know."

Freed gave his hand another small squeeze. It was obvious having to leave Eliana behind was eating at the Dragon slayer. Freed hoped it wouldn't distract him from the fight they were sure to face. The last thing he needed was for Laxus to get her because he was distracted.

They had to take the train. Of course they had to take the train. The guild hall for the Serpent's Tongue was far enough away that it would have taken over a week to reach by foot. As it was, it would take a full day's train ride, and then they would have to rest at an inn for the night before traveling any further. Freed took pity on Laxus and cast his Bliss Ecriture on him, but that meant they had to stay in a compartment away from Bickslow and Evergreen. There was no way Laxus was going to let them see him like that. It was bad enough people were commenting on how much he's changed since Eliana showed up. Laxus could have jumped for joy after the train pulled up to their stop and Freed ended the enchantment. It was a good thing Freed knew most of his secrets as it was, or else he would die from embarrassment. He could see why Freed had learned the enchantment now. It was a great interrogation tool.

They stepped off the train joining Bickslow and Evergreen on the platform. All of them looking to him for a plan. He frowned looking at the map he'd made for his grandpa and nodded to himself.

"Looks like the best place to crash is the next town over. We'll be able to make a plan while we're there. The guild's headquarters is a half a day's walk from there."

"Well, lead the way Laxus," Evergreen said with a smirk. "It's been a long time since we got to follow your lead."

He shook his head, leading the way from the train station. He had missed this. His months in exile, separating him from his team. He wasn't used to working alone. As much as he always boasted he didn't need a team, he enjoyed working with the other three. They were a team for a reason. They knew each other's strengths and weaknesses. That was another reason why he'd listened to Freed when he suggested letting Eliana stay with someone else while they were gone. There was no other team he could work with as well as he worked with the Thunder Legion. They knew when to back off and let him fight, or when to join him to take someone down. They knew each and every attack they had, and they knew how to communicate what they were going to do with just a positioning of their body.

If Laxus had tried to take another team, he knew it would have ended in disaster. That is why he had originally planned on taking Natsu and his team. Even if Laxus couldn't communicate with them like he did Freed and the others, he knew they could communicate with each other. It would have lessened the chance for disaster. However, Freed was right, as usual. He was much more comfortable taking his own team than depending on someone else's. Especially when it was his daughter he was trying to protect. This guild had attacked and murdered Eliana's entire home town. They were after her for a reason. Something had spooked them and they left without taking her, but it was obvious they were after her. The only thing Laxus could figure was his father had sent them to capture her because he found out she was born with Dragon slayer magic. It was someone he could manipulate and control in a way he had never been able to control Laxus, and Laxus was not going to let that happen. He would do anything to keep his daughter from falling into Ivan's hands.

"Laxus? Are you okay?" Freed asked falling into step beside him.

"Just thinkin' about our plan of attack," he said quietly. "Whatever we do, we can't fail. If we don't stop them, I think my father is gonna to keep comin' after Eliana."

"You really think that was the plan all along?"

"It's the only thing I can think of. Either he wanted to get her, or he wanted to draw me out."

"Then we might be falling right into his plan?"

"It's possible. But I'm not gonna to sit around and let him bring the fight to us. He's going to have to deal with me bringin' the fight to him."

"What's the chances that your father will even show his face? It's possible he'll let us go after the guild and never show up."

"That does sound an awful lot like your old man," Bickslow chimed him. "He may be pretty damn strong, but he's a coward."

"I know." Laxus said with a nod. "But I'm not lettin' him win this one. He put my daughter's life in danger, and for that alone he's going to pay."

"We hear ya man."

"What Bickslow's trying to say," Evergreen began touching Laxus' shoulder. "Is that we've got your back no matter what Laxus."

"I know you guys do."

Freed looked up at him giving him a small smile, and Laxus reached over slipping his arm around the other man's shoulders slowly. Freed stepped closer moving into Laxus' embrace happily and Evergreen rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"If you two are going to act like this the whole time, I'm going to need a heads up," she said good naturedly. "I'm used to Freed looking all love sick over you, but this is just going a bit too far."

"Aw, Ever give them a break! They're still in the honeymoon phase," Bickslow said laughing.

"Yeah, which is why I'm getting a room down the hall."

Laxus looked over at Freed amused who was turning even more red by the second moving to bury his face in Laxus' chest causing him to laugh loudly.

"You are way too easy to embarrass Freed, especially for being a member of Fairy Tail."

"Shut up," Freed mumbled quietly.

Laxus shook his head with a grin, continuing the walk in companionable silence. He was glad Evergreen had broken the tension. All of them were way too aware of how dangerous their mission was. This guild had wiped out two entire villages overnight. They'd managed to kill everyone man, woman, and child with leaving barely a trace. The four of them going against an entire guild meant they had to plan extremely well or else they weren't making it out of the fight alive. Thankfully strategy was always a strong suit of Freed and Evergreens. They could both plan a mission so airtight that they accounted for almost every move and attack their enemy made. With Freed's runes it was easier to make who they were going against do what they wanted. He could make it to where they couldn't use a certain type of magic, or make it to where they could only use defensive magic and render them unable to attack. It all depended on how much time and space he had to draw up the runes. He may be able to write runes faster than anyone Laxus had ever seen, but rune magic was very intricate and the more complex the enchantment the longer it took to write. If Freed tried to rush through writing them, there was a chance the enchantment wouldn't work at all.

They got to the inn more quickly than Laxus anticipated. He suspected it was because they were all caught in their thoughts and were talking like they normally did on a mission. This was definitely not the mission he would have chosen for them to get back out in the field again. He would have chosen something easier and more lighthearted so they could enjoy being a team again. Preferably a mission so easy he could have taken Eliana with them. Leaving his daughter behind after so little time together was driving him insane. Part of him just wanted to get back on the train and ride it all the way back to Magnolia so he could be home with her again, motion sickness be damned.

He sighed shaking his head to clear his thoughts before walking to the desk and paying for their rooms. It wouldn't help him to keep thinking about home. He needed to keep his mind on what he was doing.

He took the keys from the innkeepers and led the others up to the rooms before heading into the room he was going to share with Freed. Freed looking at him concerned as he followed him.

"Are you okay Laxus?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just want to get home as soon as we can."

"We all do."

"Yeah well, we need to come up with a plan to make that happen," Laxus said pulling some papers out of his bag. "This is all the information we have on Serpent's Tongue. Help me come up with a strategy so we can take care of them and get back to m...our daughter."

Freed looked up at him slowly blinking.

"Our daughter?"

"Yeah...our daughter," Laxus said thoughtfully. "You're my mate. That makes us a family Freed."

Freed couldn't help but stare at Laxus in shock as his jaw fell open. He'd never expected such an open declaration of affection like that from Laxus.

"Don't look at me like that," Laxus grumbled, looking away from him. "Just statin' a fact."

"O…Of course Laxus."