The Demon's Concubine

Chapter 37

"Jealousy…" Happy scoffed. "That's not a very good excuse…"

"Well, you won't have to be jealous any longer. Natsu and Zeref will find a proper role for you all, since you cannot handle being in this castle." Lucy tried to hold back her sympathy as she began to walk back inside, the staff all interpreting her words as if they would be executed. Employing them somewhere else wouldn't be as cruel, but she figured she'd let them freak out for now.

She nearly ran into Mavis as she walked back into the castle, laughing awkwardly at the fairy's knowing smirk. "I actually did the same thing when Zeref and I got engaged, though it didn't have as much of a satisfying end." She giggled, leading the way out of the castle.

"I couldn't help myself." Lucy smiled. She hadn't realized just how much she had in common with her sister-in-law. 

"Let's go out into the town. We can go shopping! We'll have to be back in time for dinner, of course." The blondes were both giddy as they walked towards the front gates, but they froze when they realized the crowd of people were still there, taking videos and pictures. 

Mavis puffed her chest out and placed her hands on her hips, putting on a stern expression and deep voice as she commanded, "Leave at once."

The crowd of people broke out into a fit of shouting, laughing and cooing, Mavis pouting at her blatant fail. "I'm too small to be intimidating." She whined, and Lucy panicked when it looked like she was starting to tear up.

She looked up at the crowd, taking in a deep breath. "Um… could you guys please leave?" The crowd silenced, staring at her in amazement. Lucy felt like a zoo animal with the way they were making comments as if she wasn't right there.

"I thought the people here were supposed to respect us." She groaned. 

Happy sighed. "Well, the paparazzi is always like this. Even Natsu has trouble with them. They only really respect Zeref because he could kill them at any moment." 

Mavis perked up, scurrying backwards to the front of the castle. Lucy watched in confusion as the fairy's hands began to glow before a figure formed in front of her, looking exactly like Zeref. 

The Zeref walked forward, and the moment it reached the castle gates, the paparazzi quickly back away. Mavis giggled and grabbed a hold of Lucy's arm, rushing through the gates and out of sight of the crowd. 

"Um… what was that just now?" 

Mavis smiled cheekily. "An illusion!" 

Lucy's eyes widened, in the 6 weeks she'd been in the fairy kingdom, she never witnessed Mavis' magic in action. "That's really cool…"

"Thanks! I haven't really been using my magic since I got pregnant, I'm glad I haven't gotten rusty." The fairy queen's giggles continued as they slowed their steps, passing through a clearing to get to the town. 

"We should go to the small shopping district in the next town over. It's not too far and there won't be a bunch of people, so you won't have to worry about annoying paparazzi again." Happy flew ahead, guiding the girls through the land. 

"I haven't shopped in this kingdom in so long!" Mavis raised her arms as a breeze blew by. "I wonder what the demon fashion is like now!" 

"I actually have never gone shopping myself before." Lucy began to feel giddy as she thought of actually walking into a store and picking out clothes.

Mavis stopped to gape at her. "Wait… you've never gone shopping?" She gasped when Lucy shook her head. "What!?" 

"Well, I never really had the opportunity to. Natsu gives me everything I wear."