Chapter Text
Chapter one - the Return
Court was in session.
The throne room was filled with people of various ages and divinities, some holding glasses of wine, other pints of beer, and some even with a tumbler of brandy or scotch. There were men and woman, boys and girls, each with their own unique appearance that even in the Kingdom of Fiore would be strange.
There remained, however, an empty seat raised upon a dais at the end of the room. The throne was clad in gold and crimson, and adorned in intricately carved designs. The dais it sat upon was covered in a beautiful ruby red carpet, as soft as silk. Behind the dais, on the cream stone wall, was a large tapestry depicting a silverine dragon and her clutch of eggs, overlooked by a moonless sky.
The walls on the remaining three sides of the throne room were the same light cream color, sparkling in the light from the overhead chandeliers. Said chandeliers were made of crystal and mithril, the glimmering from the flames within lighting up the room beautifully.
The floor was a light gray stone, the same sort that the walls had been made of. Leading up to the dais, the same carpet that covered the steps ran towards the entrance, stopping at the large oak wood doors, their golden door handles polished to perfection.
Along one of the walls, a long buffet table sat, its top laden with different meats, potatoes, pastas, and legumes. On the far side was a smaller table, holding a variety of pastries, cakes, and fruits for all to enjoy.
Servants wove in and out of the party-goers, carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres and different alcoholic drinks, stopping every now and then to fill a glass or offer a treat to a waiting guest. They wore traditional butler and maid uniforms, each one as clean as can be, showing impeccable craftsmanship and functionality.
In the corner of one of the rooms stood a man. He was quite tall, with bronzed skin and snowy white hair. His eyes were a shimmering silver, and held a distinct Asiatic shape to them. His muscles were toned, proudly displaying the effort he had put into them. He wore a black armored shirt, with matching leggings, along with a ruby red overcoat and waist covering. His boots were tipped with silveresque mithril, and on each of his sides he carried a short sword, one black and the other white.
He took a sip of wine, its crimson color similar to blood, and sighed.
“You look like you need a stronger drink than that,” a feminine voice said, amused.
He turned his head, frowning at the short girl beside him. He long chestnut hair was loose, and two red blossoms were on the sides of her head. Her two piece tangerine dress showed off more skin than was necessary, but he would not deny that it was appealing to the eyes. Her silver eyes danced with amusement, her ruby painted lips set in a smirk.
“I would need an entire barrel of the strongest brandy in the kingdom to get through a gathering such as this,” he replied, downing the rest of his wine with a grimace. She giggled, and he sighed. “What do you need, Mata?” he asked, his silver eyes staring her down.
She smirked. “You know that doesn’t work on me, Shirou,” she admonished, hailing a servant to fill her glass. She did not speak until after the servant had left. “There are rumors,” she murmured, staring at the throne at the other end of the room.
Shirou grunted. “Yes, I have heard them as well,” he replied softly, not wanting the others to overhear the conversation.
Not that it hadn’t been discussed before, but he did not wish for another debate of the subject to arise, especially in the throne room. Last time it took a week to repair the damage to the kitchens.
“I hear that Nagao asked to search for her,” Mata continued. Shirou nodded. “She is the best choice, and one of the least conspicuous among us. She will be leaving in a fortnight.”
Mata smiled. “That’s good. Without Her Majesty sitting upon the throne, Chaldea is in disorder. It has been 15’000 years since she last sat upon the throne, each time the body of her reincarnation being too weak to survive. Asclepius has foreseen her return within the decade, however. We must trust in him, or all hope will die out.”
Shirou smiled. “When Queen Luciria returns, Order shall be returned to Chaldea.”
I AM A LINE BREAK
Lucy sneezed.
“Are you coming down with a cold, Lucy?” the white-haired barmaid asked in concern, placing the strawberry smoothie in front of her. The blond waved her hand dismissively. “No, its probably just the dust in the air,” she joked, her warm brown eyes shimmering in the sunlight.
Mirajane smiled at her. “Let me know if you need anything else, Lucy!” she said, walking back into the Guild Hall.
Lucy sighed, laying back on the lounge chair by the Guilds pool. “It’s so warm today, I wonder if it’s Natsu’s doing,” she murmured, sliding her sunglasses on.
She regretted her thought a moment later, remembering that Natsu hadn’t spoken with her for the last month or so. In fact, she had been ignored by most of the guild ever since they had returned from Edolas, with Lisanna Strauss in tow.
She had nothing against the takeover mage, but the fact was that ever since she had come back from the dead, Lucy was lonely. Even Levy chose to turn her attention lo Lisanna instead, and Lucy had given up on her novel after that. In fact, the only people still speaking with her were Master, Mira, Gajeel, Wendy, Juvia, and Cana.
Lucy stared at her guildmark, noticing the shimmering above it, traveling up her arm. It was silver, just beneath her skin, twisting and twirling gracefully, as if dancing to an unheard tune.
“I wonder if they forgot me as well,” she sighed, memories of her family dancing at the front of her mind.
A blond woman clad in a violet and silver armored dress, her hair in a braid, violet eyes shimmering with mirth. An impeccably dressed man with strawberry blond hair and brilliant emerald eyes, a cloak over his shoulders. A pale teenager, cloaked in a thick white dress with a aqua blue cloak, and shimmering turquoise eyes. A pirate captain with bright fuchsia hair and violet eyes, the scar across her face adding to her beauty. A warrior clad in blue and silver armor, his long navy hair tied in a ponytail, his crimson eyes flashing with the desire for combat.
And on it went, the faces of those she had not seen in so long flashing before her, taunting her. Lucy sat up, shaking her head.
“Please find me.”