Sapphire

Chapter 13

Morgan could feel the light blind him, sending a searing pain into his head. He fell back, the side of his head colliding against the cave wall from the force of the sudden light.

What in the bloody blazes just happened? Morgan thought, rubbing a particular sore spot on his head.

"What in the Vin Deisel was that?" Atlantis said, running his fingers on a scrape of his forearm.

"I believe it came from Dimitri," Morgan murmured, slipping himself back into the water where he could come close to the young human. 

Or rather, he used to be.

Dimitri no longer looked like the human he once was. Gone was the short black hair, replaced by long strands of the brightest blue. His once human eyes replaced by a pair of glowing orbs, the white part of his eye no longer visible beneath the blue glow. Dark blue tattoos covered his neck, swirling down into a v-shape in front of his chest. The tattoos continued from the biceps of his arms to the top part of his hand. The tips of his rather sharp incisors protruded from his upper lip, digging into the plump lower lip. 

"Dimitri?" Morgan whispered, afraid to approach the newly bonded Dimitri.

Blue eyes flashed, the dark blue pupil landing on him, "We need to go. Seraph has warned me of an incoming danger that lurks within the Sapphire walls."

Atlantis frowned,  "What danger? When Morgan and I last went everything seem fine." Morgan rubbed his chin, a frown on his lips. Their was nothing wrong. Just the rather strange letter the twins had previously sent. A letter that told of their older brother's fate.

"Atlantis," he murmured, "Do you remember why we came here?"

The ex prince furrowed his brows, "Wasn't it because of the wedding?"

Morgan nodded, "A wedding that involves the High Prince. And do tell me, who is capable of marrying royalty but also practice the dark arts?"

Atlantis paled, "Lilith."

*********

This is it, Zeref thought, wrapping his fingers on the hilt of his sword as he took his place before the throne, facing the the two giant doors the would open when his fiancee was ready. Members of the council and their families seated in their prospective places, courtesy of his mother who insisted of only inviting the elite members of the kingdom instead of inviting the rest of the people. Zeref couldn't bring himself to care. The less people their were to witness his reluctant union, the better.

"You look handsome," he heard his brother say. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again to glance at his young sibling. Pollux merely gave a half hearted smile, his white teeth twinkling with the many diamonds that adorned his hair, a few of them delicately placed on the tattoos that covered half of his face.

Zeref clenched his jaw,  tucking a strand of black hair into the crown as he tried to forget the fate that awaited before him, "Where is Castor? He should be with you."

Pollux rolled his eyes and glanced behind him, where his lover absentmindedly twirled a small blade around his fingers, "He's depressed."

For some reason Zeref felt his heart squeeze at his brother's state of mind. Castor had always been the brightest of the siblings, his laughter always contagious amongst the crowd that accompanied the royal family. Dark was the day when the young Prince Castor did not smile, and today seemed to be very bleak. 

"It's only for today," Zeref murmured, trying to encourage his younger siblings. 

"And for the rest of your life," Castor muttered, his eyes flashing along with the harsh light from the diamonds that covered his body, "Did you ever think of yourself dear brother?" Castor lashed out, his blue orbs glittering fiercely, nearly surprising the High Prince "For years you've always have done what mother said!  Always doing her bidding!" Tears brimmed in Castor's blue eyes, "When will you be happy?" Zeref felt his lips part in surprise. Since when did Castor becoming so angry? The twin always seemed so happy and outgoing, what had brought this outburst?

"Cas- I," Zeref began before the trumpets began to signal the arrival of the bride.

Castor clutching Zeref's forearm, "Zeref, please. Don't do mother's bidding and ignore her just this one time."

The Prince desperately wanted to follow Castor's advice and throw away the responsibility that had been handed down from his father, a responsibility that was meant to protect the kingdom. Sadness clung to his heart, once upon marrying the mermaid, he would never be able to see Dimitri again.

It's for the good of the kingdom, Zeref repeated in his mind once more.

He gently tugged his arm from Castor's grip, looking away from the sorrowful blue orbs, "I'm sorry, I can't. It is my duty to fulfill, and something I wouldn't want to pass to you."

Once he spoke those words, the music began, the massive blue doors opening widely to reveal the beautiful maid cloaked in silky blues. 

The color brought out the darkness in her skin, the golden threads in her hair replaced by silvers chains. She would've looked beautiful if it weren't for her violet eyes that seemed to clash violently against the sapphire silk that adorned her voluptuous body, some of it hiding half of her face.

He could hear the gasps that sounded from the crowd, his own mother grinning from the corner of his eyes. Lady Lillian was beautiful, and yet he couldn't feel his heart thud in his chest like it did with Dimitri. Lillian set herself besides Zeref, her purple eyes glittering with a smile. 

In time I will learn to love her, he thought.

"I thank you all for coming to the union of two mers who have come before our god to bring their request for matrimony," The Queen said, her blue eyes as hard as diamonds as she repeated the following words, "Does any member of the council object to the union that is about to take place?" Zeref knew no one would go against the wishes of the Queen, and many of them approved of the union the Queen had formed.

Perhaps he may have spoken too soon, or maybe it was a twist of fate that someone had the courage to speak out.

"I object."

Zeref whirled, a rather familiar figure floating at the entrance. Sure, his appearance had changed, but he could recognize the human anywhere.

"Dimitri," he whispered.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it <3

Another lovely work by Sakimichan.