Ghosts of the past

Chapter 11 : Makarov

Hello everyone!

Don't have much to say today except enjoy!

Lily xx

P.S. Love you all :)

Gajeel looked at Levy dumbfounded. He may haven't really listen to the old woman story, he still had heard the detail on the birthmark of the deceased little princess... supposedly deceased... Levy. For one of the few times in his life, he was out of words. Not because he didn't want to, like most of the time. No, this time, he didn't know what to say.

"Are... are you sure?"

"That it's a birthmark?" she ended his stupid question for him. "I think I know my body well enough to know that!"

"Gihi! How well?" He laughed, giving her a look full of innuendo, even though he knew very well what she was referring to, making the young woman blush.

"You really have a twisted mind!" She yelled at him, pulling back down her shirt before crossing her arms, turning her back to him.

"Don't get all worked up shrimp" he said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Could she really be a princess? To him, she'll simply stay a shrimp, no matter what, not because that was a bad thing, on the contrary. To him, Levy was way higher in his esteem than any noble who's only merit was to be born in the right family.

He couldn't help but feeling a glimpse of happiness. His parents didn't die in vain after all. They may have failed in saving the king and queen, Levy's parents, he remembered with difficulty, but at least their daughter was right in front of him by some kind of miracle.

He was about to tease her on her knew revealed royalty when he felt small jolts under his palm. He turned her to face him to see tears dripping sour on her face.

"Hey! What's the matter?"

"I don't want any of this" she said. "Can you really picture me as a princess?" She added more to make a point than to ask a real question.

"Yes" thought Gajeel. She was beautiful and gentle like any of the princesses in those stupid kid's fairy tales. So why not her?

"Princess or not, a royal shrimp is still a shrimp" he however said.

"You really are an idiot, Gajeel Redfox" she said, a small smile on her lips.

The young woman felt a wave of relief. She hated the idea of having this much attention on her. She couldn't even picture living a spoiled life with endless wealth, where she could barely make decisions concerning her own life, where she would be the princess rather then Levy. And all of that if, of course, she wasn't spending the rest of her life in exile.

But as stupid as could be the comment, Gajeel had managed to reassure her. No mater how every body else would look at her, at least him would always see her as Levy... or shrimp... well, for what she really was. Always... the word she used in her reflection resonated in her head. She surprised herself wanting him at her side, whatever which of those two scenarios, exile or royalty, the future would drag her in. It was ridiculous... she barely knew him for a week, but in his weird way, he made her feel good.

"You know... if you don't want it this badly, you just have to keep silent on the matter and not claim your title", he said as if everything was simple.

"What?" She asked, wiping a tear.

"Let them handle their own load of crap" he added. "If you don't want any of your royalty, just ignore it".