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Levy chuckled to herself as the sound of a battle roared outside. It had been this way for months, a prince from a neighboring kingdom coming to her tower to challenge the dragon who guarded her.
“You will not keep the fair princess captive any longer, foul beast!”
She frowned at that, moving to peek out the window. The prince had little chance against the dragon; no one had been able to even pierce his shimmering scales. Levy winced as the dragon flung her misguided rescuer into the sky, making a mental note to tell him to be a bit more forgiving as the man ran off.
Contrary to what neighboring kingdoms thought, Levy was not, in fact, trapped in the tower or terrorized by the dragon. In fact, both of them often went down to the village that sprawled in the tower’s shadow.
Boot falls up the staircase clued the end of the fighting and Levy smiled at the huge man that made his way through the door.
“Jeez, shrimp, can’t you do something about these rumors when you go to town?”
“You say that like you don’t come with me, Gajeel.” Levy responded, not looking up from her book.
“No one listens to me there and you know that.” He sat down behind her and pulled her into his lap, looking over her shoulder. “What’re you reading?”
She smiled, kissing his cheek. “I know no one does. And I’m just reading some draconic history.” She close the book and turned to face him. “The rumors might be easier to deal with if you let people up here without launching them halfway back to their palaces.”
He grumbled, but leaned into her. “They’ll just try to take you from me.”
“And I’ll explain that I’m happy here, with you, just like I did with my parents.”
“Like that’ll help.”
“Hey, they’re letting us get married.”
“Yeah, but only after we stay here for two years.”
Levy shot him a look. “Do you regret it?”
Gajeel softened, pulling Levy close and pressing a hand to the base of her wings. “I could never regret it.”
“Me either. I fought to get you, I’m sure as hell gonna keep you.”
“Gihee. I’m keeping you too. Isn’t that what dragons are supposed to do?”
“I suppose it is.” Levy giggled.
And so life went on for those next months, until it had been nearly a year in the tower. Somehow, though, the number of suitors at the gates never decreased. Some of them were even repeat customers. Gajeel continued to fight them off and Levy continued to half-heartedly scold him for it.
So it was surprising when Gajeel asked, “Hey… do you think your parents started the rumor that I kidnapped you?”
Levy frowned. “Why would they?”
“…Because they don’t want their precious princess to marry the vicious dragon?”
“You’re not vicious.”
“I know I’m not. But people think I am.”
“And… they said they were fine with it.”
“Levy… I may have saved your life, but I’m still a dragon prince. They may have said it, but they didn’t have to mean it.”
“I’m sorry my people are like this.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “What? Prejudiced? Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it.”
“You shouldn’t be.”
“That’s life.”
She leaned into his hand. “Well… if you’re right… and my parents are spreading this rumor… then talking to the princes that come isn’t going to help. They’re not really coming to rescue me, they’re coming to kill you.”
Gajeel growled. “Good luck to ‘em.”
“I don’t like you fighting,” she pulled away, shaking her head. “It just perpetuates the idea that all dragons are violent and you’re not. It’s not true.”
He smiled a little. “You can’t fight years of prejudice and fear by yourself, shrimp. Besides, there isn’t much we can do about the fighting part. I ain’t just gonna lay down and let them kill me.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to.” She flared her wings out and flew up to his face. “What if we left?”
He wrapped his arms around her to hold her. “You’d leave your people?”
“I mean… I don’t want to.” She relaxed into his hold, gently placing her legs on either side of his chest. “But if my parents are trying to kill you...”
“The people aren’t.”
“My parents are the king and queen, Gajeel.” She leaned forwards to kiss him.
He sighed, resolve crumbling. “Okay. Say we left. Where do we go?” He shifted a little and her wings flared out.
“We could go to your kingdom.”
He startled, hands falling away from her. “What?”
“Hey!” Her protest was half-hearted, having expected it, but she voiced it anyway as she regained balance, hovering beside him. “You’re a prince, right? We could go to your kingdom, until all of this blows over.”
“Levy… I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Dragons… well we don’t really have kingdoms persay. Just territories. I’m a dragon prince, not the dragon prince. My father has the title dragon king because he’s the strongest iron dragon.”
Levy flew up to hover at his face, eyes sparkling. “So there’s more than one dragon king?”
“And there are battles to keep the title.”
“I’m still not seeing why we can’t go to your territory.”
He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms under her thighs again. “Because I don’t want you to be pulled into the middle of the fighting.”
“I’m already in the middle of fighting!” She reared back as much as his grip let her. “At least if I go with you, I’m not the reason or the target of it.”
“Lev…” Gajeel sighed, pulling her close again. “I… fine. I suppose… we can go. You should meet my father, at the very least…”
She grinned. “You mean it?”
“Of course I do.”
She squealed happily and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He responded in kind before pulling back.
“There is something I have to tell you. I was going to wait until this… thing with your parents blew over but… if we’re going to my territory it’ll have to happen sooner rather than later.”
Levy tilted her head. “What is it?”
“Dragons… mate for life.”
“So… we’ll have to get married sooner?”
Gajeel shook his head, moving to sit on the bed. “Dragon mating is… more. It’s deeper than marriage.” He looked down, playing with her fingers.
“What do you mean?”
“I… I don’t really know how to explain it. Dragons are possessive. Once we’ve claimed our mate, we’ll defend them to the last. Anyone stupid enough to hurt them will face a dragon’s full wrath. No other dragon will make an attempt on them. Each partner will also know when the other is in distress and will be able to find each other more easily.”
Levy smiled. “Why didn’t you want to tell me?”
“I was afraid… I didn’t want to scare you.”
“Do dragons choose their mates?”
“Sort of,” Gajeel shrugged, “Metalicana could probably explain it better. Some dragons have to fight to find someone compatible, others just know. I just… knew.”
“When?”
He flushed, glancing at Levy and quickly glancing away. “…when I saw you.”
She flushed in return. “O-oh.” Levy smiled. “I… I would be honored to be your mate, Gajeel.”
He chuckled. “Come on, shrimp. We’ll leave tonight.” He leaned down to kiss her. “And you’ll see the wonders of the Dragons.”
“I look forward to it.”