His heels clicked on the polished marble beneath him as he walked a deserted hallway, the destination to which he was travelling to, not one to be excited about. The halley was decorated with glass, rays of the sun's light easily passed through and exposed all the dust in the air. The natural lighting gave a yellow hue to the floor, which was originally white. His walk was closed off, one that expressed the statement, "Do not mess with me." He had broad shoulders that were used like the neck of a cobra, to appear stronger and bigger than in actuality. There was a sword strapped to his left hip, heavy enough to make his walk slightly crooked.
At the end of the hallway a large double door emerged in his sights. Behind the door would be the end, the end for him and everything he knew. And although he had trained his whole life for it, he still feared it, didn't want it, was opposed to it. But he would always have to remind himself that he didn't choose the life that he lived, it chose him and he wasn't going to whine like a little baby about it.
His right hand, one tough and calloused from his work with a sword, reached out for the door handle, but stopped just moments before. He retreated a bit before forming a fist and knocking on the tough wood, hard enough to make a noticeable sound. Instantly the doors opened on their own, letting out a gravitating loud groan as the door resisted against the floor. He knew that the door must weigh hundreds of pounds. The room in which the doors opened to was as dark as he expected the devil's soul to be. That part of the castle had no windows and the hallway to seemed to be made to mock it. As he knew that he would most likely never see the light as it looks now, nor feel the warmth he did minutes ago.
"Zeref, please enter," A voice rang out, one so deep, so stern it sent shivers down the man's back and very embarrassing goosebumps on his covered arms. But he didn't let it show, his face was as blank and indifferent as always. His demeanor as uncaring and unfazed as supposed to be. He took more steps and entered the room, the darkness inside engulfing him whole, the doors closed behind him and the sound of his footsteps disappeared into the abyss.
She never understood the big deal, the big deal with the man with black hair, black clothes and an overall scary physique. She also never understood the meaning of him, why he took refuge in the castle and why he was always welcomed with open arms. From the stories she's heard, he's the devil. But even if he lives in the castle under the king's own protection, that didn't mean he was a liked man, he was hated.
But those thoughts migrated to the back of her head as she began to hum the melody to a song she had listened to last night. Her hair was tied back in a bun, strands falling out from the lack of effort, some disorientating her as they fell in front of her eyes. She was in the middle of her job, where she would walk up to the castle every morning and attend to the plants that surrounded it. It was a peaceful job, one she didn't have to put much effort into or stress, and one where she was never provoked by others.
The gardens were usually empty besides her, no one really saw the need to come out. Here and there she would see the prince but he would always have a mistress with him, trying to woo her with the beauty that she maintained. At times like those she makes sure to stay out of sight. That's why she never thought that she would ever come across him in the gardens. He looked lost, to be honest, his face, although neutral, showed signs of confusion and his dark clothes looked out of place in the bright colors of the garden.
"Are you lost?" She asked, her voice as soft and sweet as the garden she worked in every day. The man looked up and met eyes with her, his black ones with a glare of red falling weak to her bright and beautiful ones.
"Not really." He replied, his voice low and quiet yet not as scary as she expected from the things she's heard. He rested his left hand onto the handle of his sword, most likely a force of habit and began to stare up at the castle. There was a long pause of silence, one in which the girl decided to go back to work in. She bent down and, with gloves, began to weed the flowers in the bed in front of her.
"Do you work here?" His voice sounded again and she found herself confused, his voice a little too quiet to understand what he said.
"Sorry? Say again." She turned around and smiled at him, just like she would to everyone. But it was different, she smiled kinder, to show that she wasn't afraid of the scary devil that lived in the castle. To prove her bravery.
"Do you work here, at the castle?" Zeref found himself uncomfortable with the smile and looked away.
"Yes, I do. Everyday, for as long as I knew." She answered truthfully. The job that she did was all she knew, her parents before her, and parents before them all served the royal family. She was the only one left in her family, everyone else falling victim to a string of flues that passed through the Kingdom only a few years ago.
Zeref gave a nod before he exited the garden and began to walk towards the entrance of the castle. His walk was strong and powerful, but dead looking. A walk without a purpose, a walk that just looked it was walking to walk, no real destination in mind. She felt a pull in her heart as she watched him walk. She could see right through his facade.
Again he stood, in the room without any windows, one without any movement but dust falling from the ceiling. He always seemed to be in that room, ever since he first entered. He thought that over time the room would become familiar and then later comforting, but the impending anxiety never seemed to leave him every time he would enter. Today, like everyday he entered, he had no idea what the reason was. He would never ask, that wasn't how things worked. When summoned, he would show up, that's it.
"We have another task for you. Wanted specifically from the King." Zeref knows that it's not true, the King would have no part in what he does. It's just said as a comforter, a way to make him feel like what he was doing wasn't that bad. But it was, it was very bad.
Zeref left the room an hour later, a very boring briefing done and only a few weeks to complete the destined task that he had been given. He hated his job, but he's undeniably good at it, which only makes it worse. His footsteps echo in the deserted hallway, the sound a lot more hollow than what he remembered. He feels his purpose, his life draining him, creating hollow footsteps as he walks.
On her lunch break, she hangs at a local bakery with her friends. They begin to gossip about boys, their ages prime for marriage, left and right being asked by families to elope to their sons. Already 75% of her friends are already married and the rest are either choosing between boys or are engaged. She on the other hand was as single as they come.
"(Y/n), when are you going to get married? We've heard nothing from you about any boys. Is there even a guy who likes you?" Out of her group of friends, only one of them she'd actually call a friend. The rest just mirrors of the other, all stuck up and all shallow.
"Yeah, when was the last time you talked about a boy? Don't tell me, do you even like boys?" The girls started to laugh hysterically and the one in question rolled her eyes. She knew very well that she got more questions for marriage then all of them combined, but the answer was always a "no" from her.
"Yes, and I just haven't found the one." That was the explanation she would always give, always true and always laughed at.
"He doesn't have to be the one, he just has to have money." Another girl said, gaining agreeing hums from the rest of the girls.
"And that's your opinions. I should really go though, have a lot more tending to do." That was a lie, she had finished early today and planed on doing some shopping later. But the minute she would say shopping all the girls would leave in a rush to go to the nearest store. The girls let out their goodbyes as she cleaned up her food, stuffed some leftover bread into her pocket and made way toward the door.
"You're still up for dinner tonight, at my place, right?" Levy asked, (Y/n)'s only friend in the entire village. She gave her a soft smile and nodded before exiting the bakery.
He was on his way back when he realized the injury. In the moment it had happened, he didn't feel it, the adrenaline rushing through his veins and paralyzing the nerve cells that were screaming for help. But on his walk back he felt wet, he then felt a stabbing pain, and only when looking down had he noticed the large flesh wound that had appeared on his waist; no doubt from the slash of a sword.
He was going to ignore it, mask the pain until he arrived at the castle and then treat it with the help of professionals. But that didn't end up happening after she showed up. She must have been gathering berries, searching for beautiful flowers to bring to the castle's gardens, but either way, she was in the same woods as he was. She walked lightly on her feet, as if careful not to hurt the grass too much that she walked under. She seemed to float and the dress that she wore only accentuated that.
When she came across him she let out a gasp and dropped her basket filled with plants on the ground. Zeref expected a scream, one that would gain the attention of everyone around and become a pain in the ass. But she didn't, she locked eyes with him before her eyes moving to his wound. She then, without enough time for him to react, tore cloth from her beautiful dress and pressed it to his wound, causing the man to flinch.
"Sorry, but I have to apply pressure to stop the bleeding." Zeref began to relax under her touch.
"You know how to aide a wound?" He asked, the curiosity getting the better of him.
"Who ever said that tending to a garden was safe and peaceful, thought wrong." She smiled up at him before turning her attention back to the wound, the one that had decorated her white cloth in a strong red. Zeref, although guilty for ruining her dress, felt a smile tug his lips at her reply. "How'd this happen anyways?"
"I can't recall, I must have missed it." The girl chuckled but didn't make any act to question him again, content with his answer. Once there wasn't a trace of white left in the cloth, she tore some more from her dress, a much longer piece, one that was able to wrap around his waist.
"That should do until you arrive to the castle and get some real help, but still walk carefully." She straightened up and smiled at the man once more, the most anyone had ever smiled at him. He was a thing to fear, not to be smiled at. And although he was grateful, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. But then he remembered who he would be annoyed at and the feeling quickly dissipated.
"Sorry about the dress, I could get you a new one." He gestured towards the torn up bottom and the red that plagued some of it.
"Don't worry about it, I can always get a new one myself." She turned around and began to pick up her basket. Her back faced him and her long (h/c) hair strung into a french braid caught his attention, a view he wanted to remember. Zeref began to walk back to the castle as she stood up and waved.
"Thank you."
Days later and her constant questioning became and a nuisances to the village. After she found out that the dark mage was no where near as scary as everyone told her, she had to know his name. And for some reason, no one knew it. No one knew anything about the man with the dark hair and dark robes that spread fear into anyone who saw him, well everyone but her.
It was as the sun was setting that she saw him, he was leaving the castle, his normal attire, normal sword, normal black hair that fell over his forehead. He looked just as he did every time that she would lay her eyes on him, indifferent and menacing. But none of that stopped her from running after him in her dress that reached her mid thigh. A summer dress she had sewn herself, her feet barefoot as the grass was a soft as a pillow.
"Excuse me!" She yelled, stopping the man's walk and turning around to look at her. "A few days ago, I was unable to catch your name. Do you mind if I ask?" She made sure to be polite, maybe the reason no one knew it was because he didn't want anyone to know.
"It's Zeref." A name just as menacing as his image, and she felt a shiver ran down her spine. Though she was not frightened by him the slightest. His voice was just so smooth and silky, completely the opposite of his jagged appearance.
"Zeref." She tried it out and he couldn't help but love the sound of his own name coming from her mouth. "I'm (Y/n). Where are you off to?" He had never had such an easy conversation with anyone else after he had first entered the double doors, except now with her.
"Magnolia." He replied shortly, not sure if he should tell anyone.
"I actually wanted to go there and buy some flowers for the castle. Do you mind if I tag along?"
"Sure." He decided to be optimistic.
Who would have known that that was the best decision he has ever made...
"Kiss me."
What she said wasn't rash, or out of nowhere and without context. It made complete sense to Zeref, who had spent the entire day with her. They had walked in harmony together, no real conversation tugged their tongues. It was a very pleasant experience, following her around the village and watching her expressions as she spotted flower after flower. It was his perfect date; and there was no doubt that she was the perfect girl.
"I said kiss me," she reminded him, taking a step closer, her flowery scent taking over his nose, removing the dull smell that surrounded him.
Zeref didn't know what this girl did to him, but he found himself leaning closer, placing his hand under her chin to direct her towards him, and finally capturing her lips with his own. Zeref had never kissed anyone before, and same went for her. But somehow the kiss was perfect.
"Thank you," she thanked after the kiss ended. But he knew that he did nothing, it was all her; capturing his attention, making him feel normal and wanted. "I expect you to walk with me home the day after tomorrow, I know that you didn't come here just to watch me shop."
(Y/n) stepped into her hotel room, the one she stood outside of with Zeref, and closed the door. Zeref's face grew a smile, something he had been finding himself doing a lot around her. He turned, he began to walk towards his own room, and surprisingly, his footsteps were no longer hollow.
It was an obvious mistake now that she realized what the consequences were. She should have never told her friends about Zeref. She should have never blabbed her mouth on and on about the man of her dreams. Especially not if she ended up in a cell in the castle's dungeon. They said she wasn't in trouble, but she had a hard time believing it.
The village she lived in, one she was not fond of to begin with, exiled her, called her a witch, even threatened to burn her at the stake. It was so insane, it was laughable. That was until they actually tried. Then, to make matters worst, the guards of the castle came down to get her, rescuing her from the fire she was about to burn in, but then throwing her into the cell she sat in at the moment.
"(Y/n), the castle's gardener, is it?" A manly voice asked in the darkness. She shoved herself off of the stone floor and walked up to the door, standing right in front of the concealed man.
"Yes."
"You have an option, deny your relationship or perish."
"WHERE IS SHE?" he shouted, erupting into the King's throne room where he sat on his throne like he always did. The queen next to him and the prince on his other side, all looking at him as if he were crazy.
"I have no idea what you are talking about and it is unacceptable to barge in here like that." The king's voice was stern, leveled and frightening.
"WHERE IS (Y/N)?"
"SILENCE! If you are talking about the girl they found talking about being your lover, then I will inform you that she is being taken care of."
He felt his blood boil, he stormed closer to the king.
"Release her!"
"I will not. You are not allowed any relationship, let alone a romantic one. Unacceptable."
"FATHER! Let her go!" Zeref continued, not letting up. His heart slowly breaking.
"YOU WILL NOT CALL ME YOUR FATHER! YOU ARE THE DARK LORD AND THAT IS IT, NOT MY SON, NOT THE PRINCE, JUST THE MAN WHO WORKS FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR KINGDOM!"
"I KILL FOR THE KINGDOM! I'M THE BAD GUY SO THAT YOU CAN SAVE THE COUNTRY OVER AND OVER AGAIN!"
"THAT IS IT! Zeref off to your room, and don't think that Acnologia won't hear about this!" With the King's final words, Zeref stormed out of the throne room and up to his room.
"Igneel, don't you think that's a little harsh?" The queen's soft voice broke the tense silence.
''Don't you start too, that boy is no longer your son and not Natsu's brother either. We must forget about him."
"(Y/n)! (Y/n)!" She heard his voice whisper yell. Opening her eyes and pushing off against the uncomfortable stone floor, she saw him on the other side of the bars. Almost immediately her dazed and sleep state vanished and she became aware and alert.
"What are you doing here?" she questioned, standing up and walking over to him. "How are you here?"
Zeref shook his head, "It doesn't matter, I'm just here to get you out."
"You can't, you don't have the key."
"I don't need a key." Zeref's voice was different, lower. Zeref's hands grasped the bars and she saw him close his eyes right before the silver bars that he held onto soon grew a black color, vanishing under his contact. Soon enough, no bars stood in between the two of them.
"How?" she breathed, not sure what to think about what she had just witnessed.
"I'll tell you later, but we have to go." Zeref grasped her hand and only then had she ever feared him. Was what happened to the bars going to happen to her? These thoughts continued as Zeref dragged her out of the dungeons taking every correct turn like he studied the map for a decade.
Soon enough the two of them emerged out of one of the castle's back doors and onto the fields that surround it. Breathing heavily they finally stopped running. She had collapsed to the ground clutching her heart, fearing that it would jump out of her chest. He on the other hand, heavy in breath, but continued to look around frantically. And before she knew it, he grasped her hand again and urged her to run again.
"Stop! What is going on Zeref? What's gotten into you? What happened to the bars?" She resisted his pulls.
"I'll tell you later, we just have to run!" Zeref pulled again, harder this time, but she still resisted. She looked around, the deserted fields to the asleep castle they had just run from. No one was chasing them, no one was even awake to know.
"No! You are going to tell me now!" Zeref stopped his pulling and sighed.
"I don't want to." His soft voice was back, the panic that had recently taken over was gone. She almost felt bad for him, the way he spoke, so much like the man she loved. But she couldn't ignore what she just witnessed.
"But I do. Please Zeref, I need an explanation." She grabbed his hands in her's and forced him to look her in the eyes. He resisted though and pulled his own hands away, securing them behind his back and taking a step back.
"But then it would mean that this is over."
"What's over?" She took a step closer and tried to catch his eye, but he refused to look at her.
"You'll leave me." She opened her mouth as quickly as she could but it still wasn't quick enough, he continued. "They don't fear me for no reason (Y/n). I'm horrible, I do horrible things. I go and I kill people, I'm a monster."
She found herself speechless.
But for once he felt he could go one, voice his thoughts that have been trapped for years.
"I didn't want to be, I was chosen. If I kill people and become a monster then the King can save people, he can be known as the hero. I kill for the kingdom, but that doesn't make it any better. I still kill. I hate it, I really do, but that's the only thing I've ever been good at. Maybe I'm scared to stop because I'll never been good at anything else?" He gave a dry laugh, "I'm too scared to stop killing people, the irony."
"Zeref..."
He looked her in the eyes, "And now you'll hate me, you'll throw me away and ignore my presence. You'll do everything my family once did. And to think that I'm a monster for my father yet he won't even call me his son. I've already lost my family, and now I'll lose you, because I'm the Dark Lord." A single tear streamed down his cheek.
Immediately she engulfed him into a hug, pressing her tear stained face into his chest and securing her arms around him as tight as she could. She felt her own heartbreak for Zeref, felt his pain and wanted nothing more than to rid him of all the bad things he's ever done or experienced.
"I'd never leave you."