Dragon's Requiem

Soldier Boy

          It's been four months since Natsu left. It feels like so much longer, but I have marked every sunset since he left on a tablet. Every tally I have made has been strengthening my hope, though. It means that I'm one day closer to seeing my beloved Natsu, again. But, as time passes, things without Natsu have been hard on my emotional state. Especially after recent events.

         He... he missed the birth of his first child. Our son, Cassian, was born just a few weeks ago. He has Natsu's eyes. And, even though he can't understand me yet, I like to tell him stories about his father. That is, when he's awake. He's a very easy baby, when it come to getting him to sleep and I'm not sure how many of Rohan's tantrums he has slept through. I don't exactly know how Juvia has been handling all of this without Gray, for so long. I hope the assistance from me brings some solace for her.

          It's pry the letters that Gray sends her, though, that give her the energy to pull through. Every week, two letters get delivered from the front. One for her and one for me; from Gray and Natsu, respectively. Sometimes, Levy even sends one and tells us about what is happening with the soldiers. From the sounds of things, the war is almost over. Levy's dismal, however. There's been many casualties, but no one from Fairy Tail, thank the gods, have been killed. She even says that most of the regiment's members are coming home. Erza and Mira are staying, being commanders. So are Laxus and the rest of the Thunder Legion. They all chose to stay since they were some of the least battered and most powerful.

          But the rest were coming home. When Juvia and I read our letters we both began to cry. We hugged each other and cried over  our letters, letting the tears fall on to the stone floor of the kitchen. We both only had a single thought  on our minds. Our husbands are coming home. Before, these thoughts would have simply been prayers to Minerva and Mars, hoping for their safe return, but now they had been answered.

          That night, I tell Cassian that his daddy would be home, soon. As if he understands what I am telling him, he takes a hold of my finger and coos at me, smiling, and refuses to sleep for the first time. It try rocking him and I try carrying him around the castle, but nothing works. Finally, when I return to our room, I sit in the chair next to his bassinet and I rock him steadily, knowing that it might help. And, for the first time since he was born, begin to sing to him.

Close your eyes I know what you see The darkness is high
And you're in ten feet deep.
But we've survived.
More terrible monster than sleep.
And you know I will be here, to tell you to breathe.
Tu sei il mio soldatino (you're my little soldier)
La ragione per cui vivo (the reason i live) Non ti scordar di me (don't forget me)
Io vegliero su di te (I'm watching over you) Stumbling lost.
The last choice of all that you meet.
It's the cost
Of ruling those 'neath you feet
Paths you've crossed, and trust you're trying to keep
You're exhausted
Listening for a voice that can't speak.
Ma nico mio caro.
Tu sei il mio soldatino (you're my little soldier)
La ragione ho vissuto (the reason I live)
Non ti scordar di me (don't forget me)
Io vegliero su di te (I'm watching over you)
So you run
Through shadows you roam seams undone By the love you thought you could own
but he's just one.
Of many that you might call home.
And maybe someday, the bitter will fade from your bones.
Fade from your bones...
Eri il mio soldatino (you were my little soldier)
Ira un principe oscuro (now a dark prince) Ma anche per te, c'e una luce (but even for you, there is a light)
che ad un'altra vita ti conduce (that leads you to another life) 

          As I sing to Cassian, I watch his eyes flutter as he, eventually, falls asleep. After pacing a soft kiss on his forehead, I place him in his bassinet. Then, I walk over to my bedroom window. I watch as the sun falls under the horizon. When its light is down to its very last, I light a candle. It is by this light that I make another tally on the stone tablet that I keep on my sill. With a sigh, I put it back in its place and go to bed, knowing that tomorrow will bring me closer to seeing Natsu, again.

          During the night, I tend to Cassian; feeding him and changing him in the candle light. As during most nights, he cries, is tended to, and sleeps for a couple of hours before crying again. But, as Juvia informs me, this is normal for a newborn. It happened with Rohan, too, but, thankfully, Cassian is more prone to sleep than the young Fullbuster is.

          When morning comes, I get to work on making breakfast for Juvia and myself. I walk out to the farmyard and tend to the animals, milking the cows and gathering eggs from Juvia's chickens. Then, I feed all of the animals, even sneaking in some treats for the horses. After that, I take the milk and eggs into the castle I set to work rationing the milk between butter and cheese making and dividing the eggs for what I want to keep and whet can go to the market with Juvia, later.

          After cooking some vegetables, I prepare some of the eggs. Juvia brings Rohan and Cassian down for breakfast and we all eat together. Juvia even gets Rohan to try some of the eggs, which he actually enjoyed. Then, we clean the dishes and gather our things. I have Loki help us load the heavy milk jugs into our cart. I dismiss him, so that Juvia and I can load the eggs, without his unneeded flirting with me. Finally, I hitch Nauta to the cart and we take the supplies into town and sell them to various buyers. The inn takes some, along with the bar and Levy's parents. Then, we travel back to the castle.

          "So, how much fighting do you think Natsu and my darling Gray are doing over there?" Juvia asks as we sit down on a set of chaises. 

          I smile down at Cassian as he lays in my arms and chuckle before saying, "If I know Natsu, he is going to be in the thick of it, doing whatever it takes to come home to us. I'm sure Gray is right there with him. They're pry even fighting each other, if I'm going to be honest. Those two bicker as if they were married to each other." Juvia laughs a little at my comment.

         "Yes, I wouldn't doubt it. Those two are are very competitive with each other. But, Natsu and Gray are like brothers. They are always there for each other and love one another, like family. Even when they are fighting," Juvia responds. Then, she turns her attention to Rohan.

          "Yeah." I look down at my own infant and stroke his head. I imagine Natsu's face when he comes and sees Cassian for the first time. I can almost clearly see how much his eyes will light up and how wide his smile will grow to be. I can only image him him hugging me and saying how sorry he was that he missed his birth. We both know that he wanted to be here for it.

          I'm knocked out of my chimerical thoughts by Juvia excusing herself to put Rohan down for a nap. I decide to accompany her as Cassian, and myself, by extension, had very little sleep, last night.

          I try to keep focused on whatever conversation Juvia is trying to drum up, but I simply cannot concentrate on what she is saying to me. My mind is fluttering with thoughts of my husband and how much I want him home. Just the thought if him being here makes me want to never leave my thoughts for the real world. But I have to. And I continue up the stairs, shaking the thoughts from my head, and lay my son in his bassinet.