The Divine Empress

Chapter 22

"Well, we'll be bidding farewell from here," Lucy said, lifting the shade and getting off the carriage. 

"Hope we don't meet again," Zeref said with a shady smile as he helped Lucy off. 

Kouen got off, too and pulled Lucy in for a hug. Zeref widened his eyes in shock and his mouth hung open as Kouen stuck a tongue out at him. A dark and sinister aura came seething out from Zeref as he shook in rage. Before he could say anything, Kouen spoke.

"I'll miss you Lucy," he said with a sad smile. "The next time we meet will be at Alvarez Empire on your wedding day." 

Lucy looked at him in the eyes. Her eyes flickered with shock for a moment but soon, she smiled her beautiful smile. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again!" she said happily. 

Kouen then turned to Zeref. "Although I don't like you, take good care of her." 

Zeref stopped raging and looked solemnly at him as he nodded his head. "I will." 

"Until then," Kouen said, bidding them farewell. 

He got onto his carriage and the soldiers, maids, and horses began continuing their walk. Koumei was atop his horse. He looked back and waved to Lucy and Zeref with a pleased smile on his face. Lucy and Zeref waved back with a smile. They stood there until Kouen and them were only tiny specks in the distance. The sun was high up in the air and not a single cloud was in the bright blue sky. Lucy turned to Zeref. 

"It was fun seeing Kouen and Koumei again," Lucy commented as she and Zeref started walking along the opposite road, going back to where they came from. 

"It was pretty fun. During the hundred years since you were gone, we didn't talk that much," Zeref replied with a thoughtful smile.

Lucy glanced at him and smiled. "I wonder how Nagi's doing," Lucy said freely as she stretched and looked up towards the sky. The cool wind blowing. 

"I'm sure they're taking good care of him," Zeref said. "You want to do that again? Just like we used to?" 

Lucy looked at him with wide eyes but her expression soon broke into a grin. "Of course!" 

Zeref smiled, his eyes beaming. He knelt on the ground, offering his back to her. Lucy hopped on and Zeref held her legs, careful not to drop her. 

"Let's goooooo!" Lucy yelled, pointing forward. 

"Here we goooooo!" Zeref replied back cheerfully as he ran full speed ahead. Their faces full of laughter and excitement as they enjoyed each other's presence. 

Meanwhile with the Kou Empire~

Koumei rode in stride with his brother's carriage, glancing at the carriage once in a while, wanting to ask him a question. Finally, Kouen spoke up.

"What is it, Koumei?" he said stoically.

Koumei looked at the carriage only to see the blind still down. 

"I was just wondering...was it really okay for Lucy-sama to go just like that? I thought that y-" Koumei began to say until he was cut off by Kouen. 

"Her happiness is my happiness," Kouen said, his voice still deep and stern but there was a hint of loneliness in them. "We have business to take care of back at the Empire. Talking about this won't help." 

"Y-Yes!" Koumei replied as he began to sort out the stuff that needed to be taken care of once they got back. Kouen, who hadn't budged a single bit, looked down on the carriage floor in deep thought. His mind wandered to the past of their childhood.