"You have to eat."

Instead, Ezequiel spit in Silver's face.

Silver grabbed a handful of Ezequiel's hair and slammed his head against the wood floor, "if you don't eat-"

"What?" Ezequiel spat, "my moms gonna be upset? Why do you care?"

Ezequiel yelled as his head got bashed against the floor again. He laughed, "well- you obviously want me dead. That's good, cause I want you dead too."

"You bastard," Silver grumbled, "fine then. Don't eat. But don't expect those restraints to be any looser."

Ezequiel truly wondered what he meant by that- until Silver left the room.

The cuffs around his ankles and wrists became tighter- and he could feel his hands and feet become number by the second. He could lose his limbs for this, and for what? Pissing off his mother?

Actually, the more he thought about it, the sweeter a deal it became.

But no. If he had any hopes of escaping, losing his hands was definitely not an option.

He took a piece of meat with his numbed fingers and ate it. Immediately, the cuffs loosened and the feeling in his limbs came back.

"Screw you, Silver!"

Ezequiel downed the water that was given to him.

A couple minutes after he was done eating, he noticed things were unusually quiet. It was only lunchtime, and he would normally hear something in the hallway. Whether it be the servants talking or his mother's screeching- it was always something.

But then it was like he heard it all at once. Continuous clunking down the hallway until it reached his door, and it swung open.

"Oh, Mavis," the seemingly random man swore, "I don't have time for this."

Greying dark hair, unshaven beard, tall and obviously kept in shape. His eyes were just tired and one could tell he had only slept a couple hours if any.

Just who was he?

Ezequiel's eyes traveled from the disheveled man to the door and back to the man, "who in the living hell are you?"

The man rolled his eyes, "he has manners, too."

The man sprinted to behind Ezequiel and easily took the chains off the wall. Ezequiel didn't know how, as he's been trying for days, but only questioned what was happening when he was picked up and raced out of the room.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed, "put me down!"

"Can't do that," the man grunted.

"Let him go!"

The man paused. Ezequiel managed to peak around him and spotted his mother, pissed off as well as injured.

"Don't worry mother!" Ezequiel exclaimed, "I'll take my chances with a stranger! Nobody can be as psycho as you!"

"Just because you lost your own children doesn't mean you can take mine!" Mira exclaimed. It was then when Ezequiel noticed a dagger in her non-injured arm.

The man scoffed, "once you get mine back, I'll give yours back, deal?"

"This isn't like you," Mira mumbled.

"Yeah, I never would have expected you tie your kid up for no damn reason, so I guess we're both doing things out of our normal," the man said sarcastically. "Bye again, Mira."

"Who the hell are you?!" Ezequiel exclaimed as they sprinted down the hallway.

"No one important."

Ezequiel rolled his eyes. This wasn't the first time he's been kidnapped.

"Fine then." He murmured, "how did you get past Silver and my psycho mother?"

The mans mouth twitched. "I got lucky."

"Seriously what the hell do I call you?"

"Gray is fine."

Ezequiel was silent for a few seconds, "what."

"Can you do me a favor and just cooperate?" They reached a horse, Ezequiel assumed it was Gray's and it wasn't stolen. He threw Ezequiel near the front and got on himself. Then, off they went.

Ezequiel was silent the entire ride. He was kidnapped, he sincerely doubted that Gray would just let him leave- despite how big of a fight he'd put up. More than that, he really didn't feel like asking questions. He was tired. Being holed up for days with the only human interaction being Silver and his mother hadn't given him a chance to be exactly normal.

Lost in his thoughts, Ezequiel hadn't realized that they arrived at an above ground cave. It was beautiful, actually. Chilly, but pretty.

"We'll be staying here for the time being," Gray explained as he hopped off the horse.

There was already a camp set up. Gray was starting the fire, and next to it  were cots.

Ezequiel couldn't lie to himself, he did truly enjoy nice things. However, he couldn't say he was as shallow to refuse sleeping in a literal cavern. In the end, he didn't care.

Gray Fullbuster? Ezequiel pondered. He had to wonder the why here and now, but honestly he didn't want to get into it. And since he didn't want to ask questions, he had no clue what else he was supposed to say. It's not like it'd be appropriate to thank the man for kidnapping him.

Well. Maybe.

So instead, as exhausted as he was, he picked a cot and used the woven blanket to go to sleep. He'd deal with whatever came next in the morning.

. . .

"Gray Fullbuster has... made an appearance," the demon gate had to explain to the king. Seeing as how Gray somehow beat him, and quickly too, he was embarrassed. He'd do anything to keep that a secret.

Zeref's mouth twitched. What a coincidence. The princess is found to be alive, and then Gray's missing status is no longer applicable.

He had assumed that Gray abandoned his family, but maybe he had kept eyes on them from afar.

The king furrowed his brows, looking down at Silver from his throne while slightly upset, "what did he want?"

Silver swallowed. "He took Mira's son, Ezequiel. He wants to trade him for his children."

Rin, sure. Maybe then Sylvia would keep her mouth shut about him. But he needed Sylvia. However- he also needed Mira. She has grown to be a powerful asset. She was one with connections and money- he could not risk losing her. Additionally, she could also be used to lure Nova from the seas. Finding the princess will always be top priority other than building his power.

She's too much of a threat.

"Find your son," Zeref demanded. "Take the boy with you, trade him only. Sylvia stays."

Silver nodded, "understood."

. . .

Sylvia woke up with tired eyes once more. The room was different. She was on a bed, a taller bed. She looked to the floor next to her.

"Tempester?" She said sleepily. He was sat up, leaning against the wall, reading a book.

He smiled a toothy grin, "you're up."

She noticed the blankets and pillows on the floor, "did you... sleep on the floor?"

He closed the book and stood, "well I wasn't going to have you sleep in the floor. It's hardly comfortable."

She sighed, too tired to hold a conversation.

She noticed her change of clothes, and then remembered where she fell asleep.

"Tempester..." she whispered, "my clothes..."

"It was Jenny," he said. He didn't want to tell her than he was the one who found her in the wash room.

"Come," he said, holding his hand out to her, "you must be hungry."

She bummed, knowing full well that the king will need her once more. Sylvia took his hand, and as she did so...

The Fullbuster boy is being transported, she heard a voice. Don't let the girl near the west wing this morning.

She slowly looked up at Tempester's happy face.

Will do, she heard his voice say back.

Telepathy. Magic. She didn't know she could do that- but then again, she's never touched someone using telepathy.

She should've known better than to think he was her friend.

The first chance she got, she sprinted out of the room, barefoot.

"Sylvia!" Tempester yelled.

She ignored him, breathing heavily. Rin. Rin was in the west wing- where was he being transported to? Zeref said he wouldn't touch him as long as Sylvia did what he wanted, so what is this?

Tempester's heavy steps interrupted her thoughts. Faster. Run faster.

She knew she had made it to the west wing when she heard Rin yelling at the guards to let him go.

"Where are you taking me?!" He exclaimed, obviously fighting their grip on him.

"Rin!" She screamed, reaching out her arm to him.

He managed to turn his head, "Sylvia! I'm okay!"

She was almost to him. She could almost touch his shoulders. She noticed the pain in her feet from running on cold stones, however it is not as if she gave that much attention to it.

But her legs gave out on her. She wasn't sure why- it wasn't as if she tripped on anything. She was so close to him.

Rin's eyes lifted and saw the familiar face, "no! Stay away from her-!"

The guards quickly turned the corner, despite his struggling. Sylvia could hear his loudness all the way to the end of the hallway, where she heard a door shut. Her sobs were being freely let out.

She couldn't move her legs. Her night gown wasn't doing her justice when it came to warmth. She had travelled to the basement of the castle, so obviously it was more chilly than it was on the main floor.

"Oh, I suppose you overheard somehow."

Her eyes widened. Eileen.

She felt a tug on her hair, and then her body being lifted from the ground.

"Eileen!" She heard a voice say.

"Tempester," Sylvia muttered. Her scalp was on fire, but she was dealing with more than pain as of right now.

"You let her out of your sights, advisor," Eileen licked her lips.

"Zeref needs her," Tempester pleaded.

Eileen scoffed, "since when have I cared about what a Dragneel needed?"

"Eileen." Tempester warned.

"Look at her Tempester," Eileen grabbed Sylvia's chin and lifted her head with her other hand. "She's... perfect."

"That's enough, Eileen," a new voice entered.

Sylvia's eyes travelled to her left, the same side as where Tempester stood, and saw a older man.

Silver.

Eileen frowned, "there you are. Always appearing to ruin my fun."

She immediately dropped Sylvia, who scraped her knee on the stone floor.

"I don't know what you mean," Silver said, confronting Eileen.

She scoffed, "we both know that if I don't do what you want, you'll just have your way with me. I've always despised that."

"Oh come now," he chuckled, "hate your weapon form that much?"

Sylvia was hardly paying attention to the conversation. Silver was her grandfather. He looked so much like Gray, it was ridiculous. She could feel the temperature drop when he entered, and Gray unknowingly did the same thing. She always thought it was a weird coincidence. Now that she knew the truth about his past, she knew it was anything but a coincidence.

"You're..." she squeaked. "You're my... my dad's..."

"Sylvia, isn't it?" Silver said. "I can't help but wonder if he named you after me. To think he hated my guts."

Sylvia. Silver. The spelling was different, but she hadn't noticed that phonetically, they definitely sounded similar.

She swallowed.

"Your power," he continued, "you can take away pain, but you can't heal? Is that correct?"

She hummed.

In his left hand, he created a knife of ice. Sylvia flinched, not knowing what he was going to do.

He raised the knife and cut his right hand.

"Use it on me."

She nodded and stood from the floor. Her breathing shook as she touched his hand and did what she did a million times before.

"... impressive," he whispered.

"It..." she hesitated, "it only works while I'm touching the person."

"Still," he said. "It's still a neat trick you have."

She heard a voice again. Zeref's.

Where is she?

Then, Tempester's voice said, I'm bringing her up now, your majesty.

She side eyed Tempester. He stood there, waiting for her.

He knew that she heard.

"Time to go," he said aloud.

Sylvia let go of Silver's hand and followed Tempester down the stone hallway.

"Fascinating," Silver muttered.

Eileen rose an eyebrow, "what now?"

"She can hear the telepathy," he answered. "That's how she knew about her brother."

His head snapped towards Eileen, "you stay away from my family. Or else I will kill you, Belserion."

She smirked, "why of course, Silver. After all, I am at your beck and call. I live only to serve you and his majesty."

. . .

"Night gown. No shoes," Zeref started. "Would you care to explain, Sylvia?"

Sylvia had her jaw clenched, "I don't see why you care. My abilities don't change based on how I dress." She stared down at her bare feet, unable to look Zeref in the eye.

"Fine then," he said, exasperated, "Tempester, you may stay until I give further instructions."

Tempester nodded and bowed.

"Can you do a group of people?" Zeref asked, laying down on the bed.

"I-I suppose I could," she said, "if they have similar traits."

"My brothers guardians, then."

She nodded and touched his forehead.

Gray. Erza. Laxus. Jellal.

Laxus and Jellal kept to themselves and only bothered the princes if they had to. They did their jobs, and they did it well.

Gray and Erza, on the other hand, were two of Prince Natsu's closest friends. They butted heads with Prince Zeref and King Igneel often.

It got even worse after Igneel passed away.

"What on Earth do you think you're doing?!" Erza had exclaimed, only a few days after the previous king had died.

She had bursted through the doors to the advisory room. Standing on the other side, giving instruction, was Zeref. About Natsu's crowning ceremony.

The prince sighed, "I'm assisting with the ceremony planning."

"Like hell you are," Gray sneered from the entrance to the room.

"I'm afraid I don't know what the issue is," Zeref sighed.

"You're not an advisor," Erza called out immediately, "and these people are not advisor appointed, nor are they appointed by the King in waiting."

Zeref rose an eyebrow at the two, "I don't know what you're talking about. My committee is advisor appointed, and the king-in-waiting does not need approval for what his advisors do."

"Which advisor would ever-!"

Erza was cut off by Gray, "my father."

"Indeed," Zeref smirked, "did I shove a bigger wedge in your relationship?"

"Not quite sure that's even possible at this point," Gray stormed off, most likely to find the head advisor at the time, Silver.

"You won't get away with this," Erza wasn't afraid to say. "Your ability doesn't scare us, and you know that."

"I'm well aware, Scarlet," he replied cooly, "but as of now, I would focus on Natsu's best friend and primary guardian. Gray is seeming a bit unstable- don't you think?"

She could only scoff as she left the room.

. . .

Sylvia couldn't even process reality as she left Zeref's head. She fell right asleep- her head falling into the bed in front of her.

It was all Seilah's doing.

"Thank you, Seilah," Zeref said. "Tempester."

The gate hummed.

"Take her to a room, it can be yours, I don't care. Just make sure she doesn't get anything to eat today," he stated, looking at Sylvia as she slept next to his legs.

"Your majesty-" Tempester countered, "may I ask... why?"

"She ran off," Zeref explained, "she disobeyed you and me both, and frankly we don't have her brother as leverage anymore. Is that satisfying to you?"

"It is, your majesty."

. . .

"Where's my daughter?" Gray demanded of the captain.

He sneered, "look, I was only instructed to bring him. I've hardly even seen his sister. Now hand us the boy you have."

"Not until I have my daughter as well," Gray demanded.

"You are on thin ice," the captain sneered, "give us the boy by order of the king, or you'll have to face my men."

"Bring it."

And that, was how twelve soldiers plus their captain were on the ground, begging for their lives to spared.

Ezequiel could only watch in complete shock. It had happened in a few minutes- barely enough time for him and Rin to process.

"Looks like you're staying with me a bit longer, Ezequiel," Gray said extremely casually.

"Can you explain what's going on, father?" Rin asked, as he was more confused than anyone else.

. . .

"What do you have planned?!" Gray yelled at his father.

"Not sure what you mean, boy," Silver said. He stood looking out the window, at one the villages that looked tiny from it.

"I am Prince Natsu's primary guardian," Gray started, "I order you to tell me what you planned for his ceremony."

"We share the same amount of power in this kingdom," Silver sneered, "don't forget that."

Gray's jaw twitched, "you won't get away with this."

"So quick to assume that I want the worst for our soon to be king," Silver sighed, "truly, I believe you may be the issue, son."

"Oh, Gray," a feminine voice said softly behind them.

Gray frowned. And groaned.

Her hand stroked his cheek, and he flinched away, "can't you trust your father this time?"

He stayed silent. Knowing better than to humor Eileen.

"I'll be taking my leave now," Gray said lowly before storming off the opposite direction.

"I told you my son was off limits, Eileen," Silver warned.

She smiled coyly, "I know, Silver. But Gray has grown to be so handsome- you have to understand it's hard to control myself. Not only that but, you stopped satisfying me weeks ago."

"I've been busy."

"...you're not busy now, staring out a window."

Gray wanted to puke.

"Gray," Erza exclaimed from down the hallway. "You need to calm down."

"Erza-" he ran his fingers through his hair. "You know Zeref and my father. They're up to something- we know they are."

"Obviously," she said, "but we don't know what, and they're not going to tell us. The best we can do now is protect Natsu when the time calls for it. Speaking of-"

Gray's breath hitched, "it's been awfully quiet."

. . .

Sylvia woke up in a cold sweat.

There was no nightmare this time. It was a dream- no, a memory that didn't belong to her.

She looked down at her hands. Her father. She couldn't help but feel... threatened by Silver.

And Eileen... Eileen was always obsessed with her family? Was she only interested in those who had the last name of Fullbuster? Why?

Sylvia was starving, but she didn't dare try to leave the room without permission again. Instead, she tried to go back to sleep to solve the past of multiple broken families.