The boat was approaching the dock.

Knowing how stubborn the two of them were, no one even attempted to get Gale and Nashi to stay. Everyone knew they were emotional as well; that hardly mattered.

They were back in Adarian. Their home.

"We have to hurry," Nova said, grabbing her bag of things. "Don't do anything irrational."

"Not today," Nashi swallowed.

The team decided that there was too many factors to create a concrete plan. The king did this to draw them in, and without knowing his plan... they couldn't formulate their own. Not only that, but they simply didn't have time.

Their best bet was to go in and find the right time for action.

The ship safely made it to the docks, and the five sprinted off the ramp.

The night before, Wendy assisted Nashi with dying her hair, so it was back to a sleek black all the way to the roots. She couldn't stand out today of all days.

Nashi knew she was passing the streets to her house, but she couldn't do it.

Her parents were going to die. There's no time to stop.

"Wait!" Called a familiar voice, followed by the sound of horse trotting.

"Caleb!" Nashi's voice gleamed. He had a wagon attached to the horse he rode, with Miza next to him rising the second horse.

"You bunch are going to the execution," he murmured, almost as a fact instead of a question. "Get on."

Nova groaned at the sight of Miza. But hopped on the wagon willingly. Everyone had yet to find out what she had against her.

"What are you guys doing?" Nashi exclaimed.

Caleb responded, "to try and find you. I knew word must have reached you one way or another. And, to get some supplies while we were at it."

Nashi swallowed. She saw Gale and Storm staring at each other. They agreed that they'd be civil until they saved Levy and Gajeel, as that was the priority.

"Gale and Nova can't have any part in saving them," Reiki mentioned out of the blue.

"What?" Gale harshly reacted.

Reiki looked up from the wagon boards, "you're both wanted. They'll kill you without a moments hesitation."

"It's not the time to argue," Nova warned Gale, "he's right. They know what I look like- and this is the area of your home. Surely someone's bound to recognize you."

"Fine," he grunted.

"We'll stay back," Nova nodded, "we'll simply be back up while you and Storm do the main work."

"What about me?" Nashi said. "I'm not just going to do nothing."

"That's exactly what you're going to do," Gale said, "you'll stay back with me and Nova. It's too dangerous."

"I-" she stuttered. "Fine."

. . .

When Sylvia woke up again, she was starving. Not only that but, she didn't dream again like she would've wanted.

Tempester was in the room with a tray of food. She ate it in silence, not wanting to talk about the previous days events.

"Jenny brought up a dress for you," he said. Sylvia saw the dress laid out on the bed. However, it didn't seem like an indoor or lounge dress.

It was a slim dark blue dress. The hem had ruffles on the bottom and white trim. It came with a shawl as well.

She furrowed her brows, "am I going somewhere today?"

He hummed, "yes. We're going to Crocus along with the king."

"Can I ask why?"

"The king has forbade me from telling you. But please, hurry. I allowed you to sleep in as much as you could- we leave in an hour."

. . .

They got to the execution block. There was a lot more people than they were expecting- people came to watch these things but never was there this many.

Gale couldn't help but gasp.

"What is it?" Nova said.

"That's the king," he responded solemnly.

Nashi looked over. The whole thing was on a raised platform, and behind the block, was Zeref himself sitting on a wooden type throne. Crown and all.

The rumors were right. He hadn't aged a day over 25.

"Where's Gajeel and Levy?" Nashi asked. She had to ignore her biological uncle sitting right in front of her.

"Nova and I will try to find them quickly. The crowds will help," Gale said. After that, they snuck away to the sides of the platform.

The other three brought their attention back to the platform, and to the side, walked up one of his bodyguards. Everyone assumed it was a gate- based on clothing and appearance.

But behind him, was a girl.

"Sylvia," Storm nearly yelled. He was going to lunge for her but Reiki grabbed his arm and kept him back.

"I know this is hard," Reiki whispered fiercely, "but you go up there now and we're all dead."

Storm grunted in response, knowing he was right. He turned back to her at the same time she searched the crowd.

She made eye contact with him.

"Storm," she whispered, and Tempester grabbed her shoulder. She swallowed, "you knew he'd be here. Who is dying today?"

"You'll see," Zeref chimed in. "All you have to do is stand there."

She saw Reiki and Nashi with them. Nashi still had her hair black, luckily Zeref has never seen her before.

Zeref stood up, announcing to the crowd about Gajeel and Levy's crimes.

"Levy and Gajeel Redfox," he announced, "are being put to death due to direct treason to myself and the kingdom. Levy Redfox will now be escorted to the block."

No, Nashi thought. Nova and Gale didn't find her in time.

Sylvia's eyes widened, "no no," she pleaded, and turned to Tempester, "you can't do this."

"It's not my decision," he said lowly.

"Nashi," Reiki whispered, "Storm and I will take care of Levy- in the midst of panic I want you to get Sylvia."

"What about Rin?" Storm mentioned, "he's still in the castle and-"

"We need to deal with one thing at a time," Reiki said. "My gut is telling me he's fine."

Well. No one could argue with his gut.

"We're spread thin," Nashi reminded him. "What if they hurt her or Levy before we can-"

"Trust us," he turned to Storm, "and trust her to get your sister."

He hummed and nodded. The three managed to make it closer to the platform. Nashi's heart raced. Fast. She had one job. To get Sylvia and dash away.

But where was Gale? She couldn't do anything but trust
that he was okay. There was a lot of trust involved in this scheme.

Then, Levy was led up to the block. Levy made eye contact and swallowed. She couldn't do anything when she saw Nashi, and prayed that she wouldn't do anything stupid.

The executioner had a sack with holes cut in it, assuming to hide his identity.

Nashi couldn't stop sharing glances between Reiki and Levy, trying to deduce when the right time was. Reiki held his hand out as if saying, wait. She then shared her attention to Sylvia, who was standing next to the king along with a guardian.

"Who's that blue haired girl with the king?" A stranger asked behind them.

"I'm not sure... she doesn't seem to be a concubine..."

Nashi held in the urge to punch whoever said that, and also hoped that Storm wasn't hearing any of it.

The executioner held a giant axe. The crowd was close enough that if he went through with it, blood would land on their faces. Including Nashi's. He picked it up, and her heart raced, taking one last look at Reiki.

Just as he was about to swing, Reiki mouthed, "now."

Things got chaotic quickly after that.

Storm jumped the platform, Reiki as a sword in hand, and blocked the axe from coming down any further. His foot slid from underneath him, keeping his stance strong.

"Ms. Redfox!" He exclaimed, "go!"

Levy twisted around on her backside and could only share up at him. The executioner swung the axe back and...

She witnessed something she'd never thought she'd see.

His sword turned into a human. Reiki.

"Erza?" She whispered. Then looked back at Storm. "And you're..."

She whipped around, remembering that she saw Nashi next to them in the crowd.

Nashi sprinted up the platform, reaching for Sylvia. Sylvia saw her and ran towards her, reaching out their arms to grab each other's hands. The gate looked to be occupied with getting Zeref out of there.

Well. That's what he wanted them to think.

The two girls were ripped away from each other. The gate previously standing next to Sylvia was now behind Nashi, keeping her hands together. He forced her on her knees, and saw King Zeref before her.

The crowds were shouting and yelling as palace guardsmen and soldiers led most of the crowd away from the area, most with brute force rather than gentle persuasiveness.

Zeref and Nashi looked at each other. For once, Nashi was speechless. He was her biological uncle.

There was no way he could recognize her though, right? She didn't have her natural hair, and he didn't even see her as a baby. At least, as far as she knew.

"Your eyes look like your mother's," he casually mentioned.

Nashi's breath hitched. Brown eyes. What color eyes were Queen Lucy's again?

"And you look like a jerk," was all she could muster.

He couldn't help but smirk, "you've inherited my brother's ugly attitude as well."

"I'll show you ugly you-"

The gate keeping her in place was knocked over, somehow. Nashi immediately stood up and ran towards Sylvia- but she looked stuck.

Her eyes watered as she mouthed to Nashi, "I can't."

Nashi looked to the floor to find a cuff made out of black matter around Sylvia's ankle. When she looked up- she saw Levy, of all people, with an axe in hand and swinging it at the king.

"Sylvia..." Nashi said, "we have to try."

Sylvia shook her head, "you don't understand. His magic is impenetrable."

The executioner somehow got a hold of a sword, and Reiki was facing off with him while Storm was behind Nashi, fighting the gate.

"Rin is safe as far as I know," she said, "please, do whatever you can to storm the castle and I'll help in whatever way I can. Just run."

"Nashi!" Levy exclaimed, grabbing onto her wrist, "we have to go."

"Mom- Levy- I," she looked over to Sylvia, "I can't leave her."

Sylvia made eye contact with Levy, "I'll be okay- they treat me well in the castle, get her out of here."

"I'm sorry, Nashi," Levy said before dragging Nashi elsewhere.

"Reiki!" Storm had exclaimed. Reiki held out his wrist and Storm latched onto it- not long after, Storm held a stronger sword.

He quickly swung at the chain on Sylvia's wrist to which she shook her head, "Storm stop! You have to go!"

"Not without you!" he swung again, but nothing happened.

Watch out! He heard Reiki yell inside his head. Storm quickly spun around to catch an older man taking a swing at him. He quickly used Reiki to block him.

"Unfortunately the king needs her," he said.

Silver, Reiki reminded Storm of his name. He held a spear that looked to be pure white, and Storm knew it wasn't any crafted spear.

There was a burst of sheer cold from Silver, and Storm was forced to drop Reiki. To which he turned back into his human form.

Storm held on to his hand, "damn!"

He was forced on his knees by Silver, and Reiki by Tempester.

"You are way too outnumbered," Silver smiled.

"You were going to kill Levy," Reiki deduced.

"Bingo," Silver said. "Eileen."

The spear turned into the woman by the name of Eileen, red hair and all, "I truly despise when you keep me in that form longer than you need to."

Storm eyes went from Reiki to Eileen, finally making the connection.

"Where did the others go?" The king asked.

"I wouldn't tell you," Storm said.

Zeref looked to Reiki, who said nothing. He turned his head back to Sylvia, who stood with her hands trembling.

"You look exactly like your father," Zeref mentioned.

Before unexpectedly kicking Reiki in the stomach. Reiki yelled and recoiled.

"Stop!" Sylvia exclaimed. She stepped forward, but the black chain kept her from moving any more.

Tempester, still keeping Reiki still, looked at Sylvia. Almost begging her to keep quiet.

"Wait!" Storm said, "let my sister go- I'll tell you."

"I can't do that," Zeref said, "she's shown to be an important asset."

He kicked Reiki once more. He whispered to Storm, "don't tell them. Even if I'm dead don't tell them."

"Go to hell!" Storm yelled at Zeref.

"Oh dear," Eileen chuckled. She moved towards Sylvia, who tried to back away.

Then, she pulled a knife from under her clothes.

"Come now, Storm," she taunted, "where did the young princess run to?"

Eileen stood behind Sylvia, her left hand rested on Sylvia's shoulder while the other hand held the blade. It was waved around her face as a message to Storm.

Storm stayed silent. Unsure of what to do. Logically, he knew Eileen wouldn't kill Sylvia because of the King's use for her. Still. It made him pissed.

We got it, Sylvia heard a voice enter Eileen's thoughts, Varian came through. They were told not to return to Dreyar's ship, they're going to the Redwood Forest.

As Zeref backed away from Reiki, Storm gradually became more confused.

"They know!" Sylvia exclaimed, "Redwood forest- someone found out!"

"Oh, damn," Eileen muttered, "I forgot about that little trick of yours."

"No matter," Zeref said. "You know what to do with these two. Keep them apart. The other gates will retrieve my niece and other guardians."

"Gale and Nova are with them," Storm added hopefully, in his mind. "Good luck, dumbass."

Zeref couldn't help but smile, "I will admit, I'm not quite sure where your mouth is from. Your father was respectable, if that."

"Of course you of all people had a liking to him," Storm sneered.

"Then again," Zeref added, "I suppose you have to mouth off a few of the Dragneel name, isn't that right Silver?"

Silver chuckled, looking down at Storm, "if I'm correct, you didn't stop at mouthing off at one, right?"

Storms breath became shaken, "you are a-"

"Storm," Reiki stopped him. "Your sister."

Sylvia couldn't look at them. She seemed... guilty? But what was there to be guilty about?

"Sylvia..." Storm muttered.

Storm and Reiki were lifted up and led to two horses. Ropes were wrapped around their wrists. While Silver hopped on a horse, Eileen stepped up to Tempester and whispered something in his ear, to which he handed Reiki's rope off to her.

Storm attempted to concentrate enough to freeze the ropes, but his mind was too muddled. Between his sister, his grandfather, and the lady who was weirdly obsessed with him- there was no way he'd get his thoughts together.

Storms eyes followed Tempester as he entered the carriage in front of them, along with Sylvia and Zeref. He got an off feeling. Of course he did, Sylvia was with the king. And he knew that the king was forcing her to help him.

While Silver and Eileen rode the horses, Reiki and Storm walked alongside them. They both assumed that they'd walk like this all the way to the castle.

"I never understood what was up with our kids," Silver smirked, "that generation just didn't see the bigger picture."

"I agree," Eileen said. "Truthfully, it was most likely Prince Natsu spending too much time with the commoners who messed it all up."

"No doubt," Silver agreed. "Before him, everyone did exactly what they were supposed to."

"King Natsu simply saw what you guys couldn't," Reiki added. It surprised Storm, he didn't believe that Reiki had strong feelings or opinions on anything. "You were too high up on the totem pole to care about those lower than you."

Eileen had a look of disgust written on her face, "you sound exactly like your father."

"The peasant turned guardian? I suppose that's why you never liked him for mother."

"She just told you everything, didn't she?" Eileen muttered. "Erza was supposed to be better than her peers, instead she fell in the hole with them."

"At the least," Silver chimed, "you knew her peers and spouse. I've never met Gray's girl. He hated me too much to do introduce us."

Ah. So daddy issues was a Fullbuster thing.

"Is there a reason for that?" Storm asked.

Silver chuckled, "he adopted the late king's ideals. Before Prince Natsu slummed it up with peasants, Gray's only desire was to protect him and keep his status."

"If I remember right, which I'm sure I do," Eileen added, "Gray used his status to his advantage. As a teenager, he lhad a new girl with him every night."

"We respected each other," Silver said. "But, the prince had a way with words and convinced Gray and Erza that we were the enemy."

"You mean he taught his guardians empathy," Reiki said in a corrective tone.

"Perhaps," Eileen said. "But shouldn't one always put themselves before others?"

"At the expense of others suffering?" Storm scoffed, "no."

. . .

Sylvia wasn't quite sure what to say to the king or to Tempester. She needed to convince them to release her brother- but she knew it'd be near impossible.

She swallowed.

"Your majesty..." she muttered, "I..." a sigh. "My brother has done nothing to deserve this."

"He's been harboring the princess," Zeref explained, "assisting known fugitives. Pirates. And you say he has done nothing?"

"Please," she breathed, "I will do whatever you ask... just please let him go."

"I made a promise to myself that no matter the circumstances, I will run the country as I always have," he said. "Those two will be tried for treason."

"And why am I being kept at the castle," she said. "I have done nothing. I'm only there for your use."

Zeref stared daggers at her, "that is correct. I am running the country as I like, and that means doing what I want to."

Tempester could only look over at Sylvia and the king. He knew that this was wrong. But he also swore an oath to the king that he'd do whatever what was asked of him.

That included acts that were immoral or against his own thoughts.

All of a sudden, Tempester blinked and an arrow flew threw a window of the carriage. It broke the glass it was made with and landed on the door of the opposite side.

"Stop the carriage," Zeref had ordered. "You, keep her away from here." They exited the carriage and Tempester picked Sylvia up and began sprinting to the castle.

"Oh, your majesty!" They heard a woman yell out, "I'm afraid you have taken our friends from us. We're gonna have to ask you to give them back."

Problem was, they couldn't spot anyone in the trees. The trees were dead, so it was definitely a wonder how she or her group were hiding.

"It's Nova Dreyar, your majesty," Silver murmured to the king. He pulled the chains on Storm, he sneered.

"Under what premises?" Zeref yelled back.

"So you want to make a deal?" A boy said.

"Give me the princess," he said, "I'll let these two go."

"Three," Nova corrected.

Zeref sighed, "it doesn't matter. You will not hand me the princess."

"And you were never going to give us our friends back," the boy yelled.

The wind picked up slightly. Zeref's head perked up just a little more. "You brought friends, pirate."

Wood creaked and groaned, it was discovered that a strong wind was blowing the wheels off the carriage. No one knew who could do that- who had a magic powerful enough to control the weather?

Zeref grinds his jaw. He thought she was dead.

"This is a new low for you, brother."

The king couldn't help but snicker. Of course, of course she'd aligned herself with them. A princess longing for freedom and adventure with no rules to tie her down?

Yeah. Pirating was the life for her.

"Wendy," he muttered. He turned slowly, his sister coming into his full view little by little.

She was clearly unhappy. "I didn't want us to reunite like this, or at all, but you've left me no choice."

Meanwhile, Eileen was frowning and Silver cackled softly. Storm and Reiki were dumbfounded. Wendy? The king's sister? A princess? Captain of the pirate ship Fairy Tail?

Just what was going on?

"Your majesty," Eileen stated, "what would you like us to do?"

Zeref continued making eye contact with Wendy, "let them go."

"But-" Silver started.

"Did I stutter, Silver? Let those two go," he scowled, "I'm only doing this in respect of my sister making her return."

If there was anything he and Natsu had in common, it was the respect of their baby sister.

Damn. Zeref needed Sylvia to use her power on him again.

"This won't happen again, Wendy," Zeref held his head high. "Our relationship will not interfere with my plans again."

"So be it, brother."