Letters to You

Chapter 2

Sir Redfox,

I wanted to thank you for your lovely letter, I lost count on how many times I have read it this night. My name is Levy McGarden, and yes that was my father, not my husband.

I'm not sure on what to write you dear sir, but I must say, I am a bit excited to see you again. There is something about you that won't let me rest, maybe it's your crimson eyes that are brighter than any jewel Iv seen. Maybe it was that small smile that you gave me as you caught me with your gentle grip, yes I did see your smile. I wish I could see it again. 

We may be from different classes, but I feel we may be the same in some way. My house may be large but it is empty, there is no freedom here. I feel like a caged bird within these walls, only taken out when my owner sees fit. Just yesterday, when we met, my father was taking me to meet potential husbands, but I want nothing of it. Tomorrow is the same, the meeting of another man I'm sure I will not love, and it will always be this way. Handed from one man to the next until my father finds one he likes or sees the most to gain out of. How I wish I could live a life of freedom like you, Sir Redfox. 

I wanted to thank you again for your letter, and allowing me to write back. I do hope for a letter in return, though I understand if you wish otherwise.

Yours,

Levy McGarden

~~~~~

I stared down at the letter in my hands, slightly shocked that she had actually written back. “Levy, eh?” I chuckled. “That’s a pretty fitting name for the Shrimp.”

“Hello, Gajeel.” At the sound of my friend’s voice as she entered my small home, I tried to stuff the paper into my pocket.

“Juvia!” I snapped when she grabbed it out of my hand.

“What is this?” She asked, quickly reading it before I could snatch the letter back. “Is that a love letter? From Lady Levy McGarden?” Juvia gasped, her blue eyes widening as she gaped at me.

“That’s none of your damned business, rain woman,” I frowned.

She grinned at the nickname I had given her long ago because of her love of the rain. “When did you meet her?”

“Yesterday when I was on carriage duty. I saw her again this morning, too. And I’ll see her when I pick her up from the meetings this afternoon.”

“Are you going to write back?”

“Of course,” I snorted. I’d have to be crazy  to! She actually replied, which means she wants to talk to me, so why shouldn’t I?

“Juvia doesn’t know if that is such a good idea,” she frowned.

“Why the hell not?”

She raised her eyebrow at me. “Gajeel, you read the letter. She has been meeting prospective husbands. She is the daughter of a great samurai, so Juvia knows that you realize what that means for a future together.”

There can’t be one. “So? They’re just letters, Juvia.”

“For now,” she said, smiling sadly. “What if you fall in love with her?”

“I’m not dumb enough to let that happen,” I frowned.

“What if she falls in love with you?”

“She won’t. Like you said, she’s a noble, and I’m a poor carriage driver. Besides, the letters will probably stop once she’s married, anyways, right? So, why not write them for now, until I don’t have the chance to?”

She sighed. “Juvia doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Though, she can’t help but admire you for being so brave and going after what you want.”

I smiled, ruffling her hair. Juvia had been in love with one of the Fairy Tail samurai clans’ sons for a long time—the two years she had been a maid in the house of clan Fullbuster—and had fallen (almost madly) in love with their oldest son, Gray. Because of the class separation, she hadn’t ever tried speaking to him. She told me once that she feared he didn’t even know she existed.

“Well, Juvia needs to get back to the house to do her afternoon cleaning,” Juvia said. “Good luck with Lady McGarden.”

“Thanks, rain woman,” I grinned.

Once she was gone, I sat down on my bed—a sad-looking futon on the floor—and pulled out a piece of the stationary I had bought the day before in the hopes that Levy would write back. I grabbed a pencil, and began writing back to the beautiful noble.