Hi guys!
Ok, I know it's been a while, real life kicked me in the lady balls and I'm just now getting back on track.
Here's the newest chapter of The Reluctant Royal, I hope you guys like it!
Much Love,
BlackRose999
The Reluctant Royal
Chapter Six: The Winter Solstice and the Lies of a Father
~ Lucy ~
Jude's fury came swiftly. After her strongly-worded letters of hatred and refusal, he took to the public and openly disowned her. Had Igneel refused her and told her to leave, she had no doubt the last of the Astoria family would vanish into legend. Lucy Astoria. She didn't know why, but she liked that much better than Lucy Heartfilia.
But she didn't like it nearly as much as she loved the name Lucy Astoria Dragneel.
Natsu had wasted no time, no available second, before commissioning their silversmith; a dark-haired man named Gajeel, to make her something special. She smiled at the ring on her finger, a beautifully massive pear-shaped ruby encircled by small diamonds on a thick band engraved with ivy vines. Her thumb gently wiped a smudge off the shimmery surface, somewhat annoyed that it had somehow managed to have been smudged at all, and turned the stone this way and that. It glittered in the sun like a million starbursts tightly into tiny rooms.
"Sit anima tua clarius luceat in luce stellarum." Startled, Lucy turned to see her mother smiling behind her. She stepped forward slightly, her gown trailing behind her in the snow as she walked. "It means 'May your Soul shine brighter in the starlight'. The Astoria family motto." She sat beside her in the garden, smiling at the ring on her hand. "It's easy to shine in the sunlight my dear, it's always bright and warm there. But when the sun sets and the moon holds her sway, it's harder for someone to stay bright on the inside. It dims a little in the dark, making it harder to soak in the light from the outside world… So the mother of the founding family, Lady Lucilinia Astoria, created the motto as a ray of hope."
Layla reached out and took her hand. "Tonight you'll be leaving for Crocus Palace, where they host the Winter Solstice, and your father will likely be there. Show that serpent of a man that the Astoria family still shines in the face of darkness." Lucy felt tears rise in her eyes, and she laughed shakily. "I don't know what to wear mom… should I wear something from my future court?"
Layla smiled and pulled her into a hug. "No my love, wear something that shows who you truly are. The courts of your father and future husbands do not define you, they influence you sometimes, but they are not who you are on the inside." She tilted Lucy's head up so she could look into her eyes. "Shine my love. Let your light shine." Lucy leaned into her, letting her tears fall.
They were not tears of pain or sorrow, they were tears of hope.
~ Natsu ~
"You're overthinking again." Gray snapped at him as Natsu stared at the creation crafted so long ago, it was a small but rather ornate floral-themed crown that featured diamonds set into golden leaves. "Of course I'm overthinking you great icicle of a man, I've never made something like this before, and although she has adored everything else I've made for her… this… this piece of history… It's not mine… and I just… I don't know how she'd feel about being officially crowned as Magnolia's Future Queen."
Gray sighed, and then placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You won't know until you've tried."
Natsu smirked and looked up at the sound of someone knocking at his workshop door, and to his astonishment, Igneel swept into the room in full Royal Regalia. Now the Regalia wasn't surprising to him, he'd seen it thousands of times, after all, it was the fact that he wasn't in black. Igneel wore deep red with gold embellishments over raven-black trousers, his crown had been freshly polished and he wore the King's Jewel around his neck, a massive ruby set in a sunburst pattern.
"Father… You're - you're not in black!" Igneel looked startled and mockingly inspected the dark red of his sleeves, "Bright Havens you're right! Well, I suppose there's not much we can do about it now can we?" He gave his son a conspiratorial wink partnered with a jovial smile. "Now then! Natsu I -" He stopped and stared at the crown in his son's hands, a soft, pained smile dimming his mood slightly. "I'd wondered about that… May I?"
Igneel reached out and felt his eyes brim with tears as Natsu handed him the crown, slowly and gently, he let his thumb run over the center diamond.
"I'm sorry… I didn't think about the memory it would bring… I'll return it immediately." "You'll do no such thing, my son…" Igneel commanded softly, his eyes never leaving the crown. "Virillia… I'd bet both crown and country she would have put this on Lucy's head herself had she been given a chance." Natsu felt his throat tighten a bit, and even Gray looked sad. He'd been taken in at such a young age, a year before Natsu's birth and he very vividly remembered the woman who had never once treated him as anything other than her own. "Natsu, give her the crown. I give my blessing, she will be a wonderful queen."
Igneel smiled softly and handed the crown back to his son, and with a glance at both of the men he called his sons, he left, leaving Natsu holding the dainty crown in his hands. Natsu let out a shaky laugh, a palpable touch of utter relief leaving him.
And then he jumped when Gray smugly said behind him "I love being right."
~ Igneel ~
He could see her now… Magnificent strawberry-blonde hair that fell in waves down her back, eyes like stormy clouds, and a gentle smile on her heart-shaped face. He could see her as though she stood next to him, a vision of beauty, just like she'd been the day she was wedded to him and made queen. 'She has your fire Virillia… And your kindness too.' He smiled wistfully as he entered the throne room to join the Astoria Matriarch and his future Daughter-in-Law.
He was in for quite a shock.
Lady Astoria was a figure of icy beauty, clad in a pale blue gown with silver metallic ivy vines and shimmering stars delicately dancing down her skirts. Her arms were clothed in a sheer pale blue material, it sported no train but did flare a bit around the thighs to accommodate a sweeping hemline that pooled around her feet. Her hair was curled and braided behind her head and pinned with aquamarine flowers set in silver, and her dark eyes seemed to glow with renewed courage.
"Forgive me Igneel, we were told of the end of your Great Mourning, and we could not resist a bit of revenge toward my former husband."
Igneel's eyes shifted toward the woman beside her, and for a brief moment, he actually thought she was nude. When his eyes refocused, he realized that the gown was skin-colored with golden embellishments that made it easier to see that she was in fact clothed, her arms were bare but were covered by sheer draped sleeves that shimmered as the sun hit the fabric. Her ring was the centerpiece of her dress, enticing the viewer to stare at the sudden change of color. Lucy's hair was pulled up into a braided updo that allowed a few strands of curled hair to frame her face.
He was very pleased to see her eyes were full of confidence. 'For a highly patriarchal society that views women as objects… This incredible display of defiance will likely infuriate Jude into causing a scene and embarrassing himself in front of every kingdom in Fiore!' "My King… May I ask a favor of you?" He looked at the nervousness on Lucy's face and felt himself projecting warmth in return, immediately responding "Of course my dear, what might you desire that you do not already have?"
Lucy bit her lip and, eyes downcast in respect, shyly murmured "Your blessing. I know you said you'd be pleased to call me your daughter, but I wish to hear it from you directly, without Natsu's attendance… I don't mean to be rude sir, but… I fear you may have said it to please my future husband."
He smiled softly at her and gently pulled her chin up to face him, "My dear I have never spoken a word that I did not mean, put your fears to rest sweet girl. I said what I meant, and I meant what I said." The joy that lit up her eyes made him hug her close the way her father should have, and the breath of shaky relief that escaped her told him the last of her carefully-built walls of survival had fallen, and she was finally free. His throat tightened and an intense feeling of anger and newfound disgust washed over him, he'd known Jude was in some ways cruel… But to deny a child the warmth of her father was something beyond cruelty.
It was sinful, a wicked blasphemy of the honor of parenthood. And by the gods, he would never allow this child to know such cruelty again.
~ Lucy ~
The carriage rocked slightly as they moved along the cobblestone road, they'd been traveling for two days now, and with darkness setting in they finally reached Crocus, the center of Fiore that housed the High King and High Queen. They were the highest ranking Monarchs, their word was law and all kingdoms were required to obey.
Igneel approached their carriage first, taking her mother's hand and escorting her into the elaborate and incredible ballroom, and then Natsu's hand was holding hers. Time stopped, slowly returning as her lips touched his when he helped her out of the carriage. Her eyes met his and they both shared a secret smile as his thumb brushed over her ring before the majesty of the ballroom drew her attention.
The snow falling around them seemed to vanish as her dark eyes took in the incredibly detailed marble statues of a very small woman and a taller man looking at her with a soft adoring smile.
The woman had long hair, unconventionally long that bordered on what might be uncomfortable, and astonishingly bare feet. Her dress was long in the back but only covered the knees of her long legs, it was strapless and had a low back, the only thing keeping it against her chest was a jeweled back piece. The man in front of her wore a simple robe with a sash over his shoulder, embroidered with the sigils of every kingdom and sandaled feet.
Natsu smiled at her, seeing the puzzlement in her eyes and knowing she'd likely never heard of them before. "That is the First Queen of Fiore, with her consort." Lucy's gaze snapped to his, her astonishment must have been written all over her face as he immediately chuckled and put his arm out for her to take, in a trance she took it and clung to every word as he told her the story her father had hidden from her. "When the kingdoms were first beginning their foundations, Magnolia started its monarchy early. Being a relatively poor land and no Lord or Lady to govern them, they had no immediate choice for their monarch. One woman eventually came to mind."
"You're lying, it couldn't have been a woman! They had no standing back then and-!" "Women in Acalypha had no standing." "Don't interrupt, it's rude." She huffed cheerfully at him as they stepped into the ballroom behind their respective parents. She watched him roll his eyes mockingly and smirk at her. "You were saying, dear?"
He stopped suddenly, looking at her in very obviously fake anger. "Dear? I've been demoted?" Playing along she smiled and began to walk away, her hand drifting out of his. "Oh no, whyever would you think such awful things?" He gripped her hand tightly and pulled her back into his embrace, his lips brushing against hers and his hand around her waist as they stepped into a slow waltz.
As they danced he continued talking, "Her name was Mavis Vermilion, she was a fantastic strategist and unmatched in solving unbeatable equations and possibilities. When they explained their predicament, she happily agreed to do a trial run and govern them for a period of two years, afterwards they could either proclaim her as Queen or choose someone else."
Lucy clung to his every word, enraptured by the historic tale she'd been denied. She'd been brought up to believe women should have no standing or voice. That they were intentionally made by the gods to ensure the lineage of their husband's house. "How did her husband not become the head of their house?"
He smirked and spun her, no doubt seeing the utter astonishment on her face. "Do you want me to finish the story or not?" He chuckled as her eyes narrowed in a scowl.
"Sometime after a quarter of the first year had passed, she realized she was so busy taking care of politics that her relationship with her people was suffering. She went to her husband, a brilliant man with a gentle demeanor, and asked for his aid. They discussed it at length and eventually came to the agreement that she should remain the primary ruler and he would be her figurehead in the eyes of the other kingdoms."
Now she was confused, kingdoms required twin rulers, a King, and a Queen. How could there be a Queen but no King? He noticed her expression and continued. Explaining how their relationship had further strengthened their kingdom, and that she had later become the only queen in Fiore's history to predict and prevent a war between all the kingdoms when the royal line hiccuped in its line of succession.
"Lucy."