Dragon's Love with Dangerous Letters

Chapter 17

Artemis was overwhelmed by this point. She had so much to handle and she had no clue what she needed to settle first, well she knew it'd be best to get Phantom out of the way fist but her other problems seemed to be bothering her more than that was and she was having trouble just focusing in on one at the current moment. She ran her fingers through her brown locks and curled her fingers before pulling hard making her head tilt to the left quickly. If only that would solve everything, she'd pull on her hair hard enough and jerk her head around so that her problems would just be jerked out of her mind and she wouldn't have to remember that any of this was happening. If only life were that simple for her but no, life was throwing one surprise after another at her and she couldn't seem to handle any of them.

Sighing, the teen stood from her resting spot on one of the garden benches and began making her way back into the castle. If fresh air wasn't helping her stress then she would at least try a shower and a small nap. Artemis would try anything at this point to make herself calm down and forget all of this even if it wasn't for forever. Her hand reached for the handle of the door that led back inside and when she opened up the door she was met with Grandeeney and Wendy, and two men on the other side of the door.

The one to Grandeeney's right wore dark purple and black garments and his hair was brown and spiky. A scar ran over his eye that he kept closed. The way he stood with his arms folded over his chest didn't make him seem too friendly. The other man didn't seem that friendly either but at least he wasn't standing in some position that seemed as if he blocked himself off from you. His hair was blonde and shorter than the other's and he also bared a scar over one of his eyes but his wasn't just straight down like the other's, his looked like it formed a lightning bolt.

"Oh I wasn't expecting to see you here Artemis, sorry if we startled you." Grandeeney apologized.

"Ah, no it's alright I was just heading back to my room." The brunette replied.

"Well how about you join us? We were going to have lunch out here and I'm sure it's been awhile since you last ate."

As if Artemis's stomach understood it rumbled quietly making the teen become embarrassed. The queen chuckled softly and beckoned her to follow after all of them in which she did. Artemis stayed close to Wendy and Grandeeney not feeling comfortable by the unknown men standing behind her. She was seated next to Wendy at one of the garden tables and a crossed from the male brunette, the blonde male sitting next to him and Grandeeney at the very end of the table. One of the butlers came around and poured them all drinks before bowing and walking off to go get their lunch. Artemis stared at her darkened reflection within her glass and licked her lips to keep herself from being the one to break the silence that she hated.

"Artemis," She heard the young bluenette whispered next to her, "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

The said teen shook her head no and looked back down into her cup. She wasn't normally this shy, she was able to introduce herself rather well to Natsu and Sting and then Rogue and Gajeel back the ball. The brunette just didn't feel like announcing who she was because for all she knew everyone might've known that PhantomLord was after her by now and that she was the reason why Pyre had been burnt down. She didn't feel like having that reputation for the rest of her life but she guessed that she couldn't change that now.

"Artemis," It was Grandeeney this time, "This is Laxus and the other one is Cobra. They're both from the royal families of the countries not far from here. Laxus is the heir of Fairy Tail and Cobra is the heir of Oroceain Seis."

Artemis nodded politely at the two and gave a hello as each one was distinguished before Grandeeney told them who Artemis was. She shyly looked down at her lap not wanting to see their reactions just in case they did know who she was and pinched the fabric of her dress. She felt them staring at her and Wendy poked her arm which caused her to look up slightly so that her eyes were aligned with her beverage again.

"You're the one PhantomLord is after aren't you?"

Artemis wasn't sure if it was Laxus or Cobra who had asked her the question but she nodded her head to let them now that she was indeed the one who started all this chaos. A firm grunt came from the other one who hadn't asked her the question since the voice sounded different and it made Artemis stiffen in her seat. She felt uncomfortable in this situation and wished that she was up in her room taking her nap right now.

"So that's why you asked her to join us?"

"Yes." Grandeeney answered.

The brunette shifted her head and glanced confusingly at Cait Shelter's queen who gently smiled back at her. Just what was that supposed to mean? She wasn't invited for eating but for something else? Well she should've guessed that princes from other kingdoms wouldn't just travel away from their homes to another kingdom to have lunch and it certainly wouldn't be common that princes from two different kingdoms would end up coming to the same one to have lunch. Artemis internally groaned at herself for not realizing that sooner but if that was the case why would they need her for what looked like some royal meeting?

"You probably have her confused now." Laxus sighed.

"Most likely." Grandeeney agreed and looked back at the brunette, "You see Artemis, almost every kingdom has been waiting for a chance to get at PhantomLord for the past few years. We didn't always dislike the kingdom it just so happened that we began to dislike it after its rightful king had disappeared-"

"Gajeel's father Metalicana."Artemis interrupted so that Grandeeney knew that she recognized a little of what she was talking about.

"Well it seems that know a little about it already."

"Yes and that Jose has claimed the throne until Gajeel has gotten married so that he can take the throne like he's supposed to. . . It sounds like he's caused more problems than just this, hasn't he?" Artemis asked.

"Indeed he has. Igneel and Weisslogia have caught him doing; well I'm sure you probably can guess what they had caught him doing since you were almost a victim to it." Grandeeney sighed.

Artemis nodded her head and shivered slightly. The image of her dungeon friend Juvia came back, the picture of the axe flying down onto her wasn't to pretty and it made Artemis press her lips into a fine line as she closed her eyes to erase the memory before opening them again. When she really thought about it she knew that the one who really should've been up there was her and not Juvia but Juvia took her place because that girl knew what Artemis wanted, Juvia had saved her so that Artemis could see Celestine at some point in her life.

"He murdered innocent people who weren't even from his kingdom and he even abused those who did live there. I met someone there though who was really nice and she's one of the reasons why I'm still alive. She told me that. . . Jose makes his people believe that everyone on the outside of his kingdom is their enemy." Artemis explained, her eyebrows pulling together as she tried to figure out if she said that right.

". . . I figured as much. Jose just wants power and that was pretty clear awhile ago." Cobra sighed and folded his arms once more.

"Is there anything else you remember that may help us Artemis-San?" Wendy questioned.

"Well . . . I believe that Juvia said he locked her up because he had been upset with her but I don't know if that helps. He also told me himself that no outsider has ever gotten out of his kingdom, well except for the royal families that is." Artemis answered.

"I see and now Jose is coming after you because you were able to escape. I guess he's doing it so that you don't end up telling anyone from other kingdoms what he's really like but it's a little late for that." Laxus chimed in.

"Well I guess he really doesn't care if anyone figures out what he's up to anymore, I mean he has already destroyed all of Igneel's kingdom and I'm sure he won't just stop there. Knowing that he was after you he might come here to Cait Shelter next." Grandeeney stated and leaned forward in her seat.

Artemis's green hued eyes widened as she stared into her glass. Her lips parted as she thought of another kingdom being burnt down all because of her, all because Jose was after some commoner like her. She didn't want that to happen to Wendy's family too it just wouldn't be fair to them. The brunette didn't believe that everyone should have gotten involved. It was moments like these that the teen wished that Sting hadn't stepped in to save her, that Juvia hadn't stepped up to save her life. She heard the sound of plates being set down in front of her and noticed that their lunch had arrived but the previous conversation had wiped out any appetite she had built up. As the others began to eat she stood up from her chair and pushed it back in.

"I'm sorry but I'm not hungry anymore. I'll be up in my room if you need me." She mumbled and walked away.

She could hear Grandeeney telling one of them to leave her alone and let her be. The brunette was at least grateful that she heard someone sticking next her and understanding the stress she was going through but alas there were times when she wished her hearing wasn't as good because it would let her hear things she wished she didn't, those things leading to her becoming hurt or angry or upset just like the last thing she heard made her curiosity bubble up and bother her once again.

"Poor girl is so stressed already I just can't help but wonder how she'll handle herself when he arrives."