On the other side of the barricades is fairy fanfiction. On the other side of the barricade. Estate warehouse B

Although the criminal group's ship was half the size of the Fairy Tail ship, it was distinguished by sophistication and wealth. A wide table stood towards the end of the room, behind it was a black leather chair. On one side there was a chest of drawers: large, with silver handles and some kind of Asian ornament. On it stood unlit candles, cones, and several small chests that were closed. On the other side of the room, the entire wall was covered with cabinets: a bookcase, a glass cabinet with porcelain and crystal dishes (how were they still intact?), a cabinet for clothes and even shoes. The abundance of paintings, be they portraits, landscapes and still lifes, caught the eye and at the same time caused laughter: why would scammers love and understand art so much? Lily stood on guard while two of his comrades inspected the office, deftly opening closed locks (Juvia was a robber) and examining every detail. - I think I found it! - she was at the wall that was completely hidden by various cabinets. Securities were hidden under a large stack of clothes, and other agreements, terminated for some reason, were on the lowest shelf with china. These were the same sheets that confirmed that the “Almighty Ones,” to whom the residents gave absolutely everything for donation, were ordinary buyers in the closed secret market of chosen people from all over the world. Only high-quality products and things were supplied there, and goods from the paradise island were priced very well and were in great demand. Loxar felt in her soul that in this luxurious, but dark and therefore terrible cabin, which was completely furnished on the lies of scammers and the naivety of the poor inhabitants of the island, there was something else. Something... something important, no less necessary for the implementation of their plan. Blue eyes examined the wall with hanging lamps, with paintings between them, with some Chinese symbols on rice paper, and hands immediately followed them. And everything seemed to be fine, everything was normal, but she still noticed a picture with an almost naked beautiful girl lying on a bedspread, surrounded by prickly branches of a rose: in some places the buds were open, in some places they were in the process of flowering, and in others and completely fell off like dead beautiful petals. This painting - although Juvia did not understand all the art and did not know how good this work was - attracted attention because it did not lie close to the wooden wall, as if something was preventing it from falling completely. But before the girl even had time to extend her hand, heavy steps were heard on the stairs that led directly to this cabin from the main deck. Loksar started up, and Fullbuster reacted at the same second, carefully putting the papers back in place, under a pile of dark clothes, and motioned for his partner to hide. He himself climbed into the closet, opening the door slightly to see what was happening, and Juvia did not find another convenient place other than the main table. It was large and hid it perfectly, but there was still one “but” - if someone wants to sit at the table, relax on a chair and put their feet on the tabletop, to which the map was glued, simultaneously studying it and smoking a cigarette, then the girl will be revealed. It's a bad place, but it would be impossible to get to Gray's closet and hide there. As soon as Juvia ducked down, the door swung open. All we could do was rely on luck. Juvia could feel her heartbeat in her ears and head. It was even scary to think that in the dull silence, interrupted by the loud ticking of the clock, this bald man with a snake tattoo on his head could hear someone’s heartbeat, which was clearly not his own. But he didn’t notice anything, he simply whistled and stepped with his heavy feet, shod in new knee-high boots, as if he was expecting to fall onto the lower deck into some storage room or prison - whatever they had underneath. - Dick! - a skinny guy with short-cropped black hair burst into the cabin like a whirlwind. There was a scar on his forehead in the shape of a cross. - I think we should leave earlier! Not tonight, but right now! - And why is that? - the man addressed the guy with such a harsh and dissatisfied tone, as if he were the boss here and could not tolerate the fact that some slugs were deciding for him what to do. “I saw an unfamiliar girl near the village,” he puffed because he was running at full speed, and held his hands in fists, as if by this he was proving the seriousness of his intention. - And what? Do you want to say that this someone is not our ? Juvia bared her teeth as soon as she noticed with what pronounced accent this dirty chubby bald man pronounced the word “our”, as if the inhabitants of this village belonged to their number. - Perhaps these are the same pirates... Maybe they didn’t leave? We were wrong? Or did they decide to return? Or didn’t they even sail away, but just deceived us? - You think a lot, fool. How many times have you been wrong and only damaged our reputation in front of others? Come back, I don’t want to see you! The guy who ran in didn’t say anything, he was so frightened both by the tone and probably by the menacing look of his comrade in the deceitful plan. He immediately ran away, offended and dissatisfied, only this Dick himself remained in the cabin and grabbed one chest on a large chest of drawers. - It would be cool if those lousy pirates were here. There are such beauties there! They will give you several times more if you bargain well. Who is worth more: the Koki sisters, the fighting Erza or the little cutie Wendy? “I would like everyone,” the bald man burst into laughter, so strange, as if he was not exhaling, but inhaling air into himself. His strange laughter filled the entire cabin, even the walls seemed to shake with fear. That is why Juvia, as if rising from the darkness, holding a rapier in her hands, looking menacingly and throwing lightning with her gaze, feeling anticipation and even excitement, was about to do something. No one had seen Loxar like this except Redfox: the past, which clung to her like a fly and did not leave her head, clouded her mind, returning that same phantom girl, as everyone called her, moving like a shadow, emerging from the darkness and appearing with the rain. Dick continued to laugh, and Juvia just raised her hand - there was fire in her eyes, a malicious smile on her lips, which in no way belonged to the cute pirate who was going crazy because of the object of her adoration - but the man’s hand stopped her blow, while the other closed mouth and dragged me back. The surprised girl, who did not immediately come to her senses, who did not even manage to utter a word, found herself locked in Fullbuster’s arms in a not very convenient closet with clothes. Everything happened so quickly that no one noticed: neither Dick, who had left alive and well, nor Juvia, who had lost control, nor Gray himself, who succumbed to instinct and inner desire. When they got out after a while, both looked at each other with tension and surprise so clearly visible on their faces. Only if Gray did not understand the situation that had happened at all, then Loksar, realizing all the reality and the pain of her heart, threw the rapier out of her hands and stopped holding back the trails of tears flowing down her reddened face, out of fear. Myself.

Something happened? - when Juvia and Gray returned to the ship, accompanied by Lily with a large booty, the captain immediately asked a question that worried him. Lucy and Happy stood next to him, the rest were still busy with business and could not meet their arriving comrades. “We found out that tonight, in a few hours, they are sailing away to the same place as always,” Fullbuster said, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the girl standing behind him, who exhaled and nodded. At this time, Romeo, Lisanna and Elfman came onto the deck and fed and watered the unfortunate guy. - Approximately how long are they absent when they swim away? And how many people are there on the ship? - the navigator asked these questions to Romeo, who immediately took on a thoughtful look and began to calculate and remember. - Three days on average. There are few people like me, knowledgeable and understanding, in the village. But we found out that these people always go to the same place not so far from here twice a month on the same day. It's like an illegal black market that attracts cunning traders and wealthy buyers. In total there are twenty-five people in the “enlightenment”, ten of whom are sent there. - If so, then it’s better for us. There are fewer people on the island, it’s easier and faster to defeat and tie them up. This means that in these three days we must do everything possible. Happy looked through documents, although he could not read, Lucy looked through portraits of girls. These portraits were hidden in a paper envelope behind that painting with a naked model among the roses. Time, as well as the tense situation between them, did not allow Juvia and Gray to understand who they were. More precisely, the navigator tried to change something, but the girl, unexpectedly for everyone and even herself, simply put a wall between them. “These are girls who were taken to be sold,” Romeo said, walking up to Lucy and looking at the portraits painted with dark paint. - I communicated well with many. But they all... - he didn’t need to finish. There was only one thing left to do: hope that everything was okay with them, that they were alive and well. “Wait, this girl lives in the village now,” a small finger with dirt under the nail poked at one portrait, which depicted in black and white a girl with straight bangs halfway across her forehead and long hair going behind her back, part of which was hidden under a cowboy hat. - She's the only one who came back. No one knows what happened to her because she hasn't spoken a word since that day. All of us, that is, normal people who understand the lie, thought that they cut out her tongue and threatened not to say anything to anyone: neither with gestures, nor with eyes, nor in any other way. This was the only way they could keep her alive. After Romeo’s unexpected story, Natsu and Lucy looked at the drawing in the girl’s hands for some time, then briefly thought about Cana’s fortune-telling, who explained something from the future five or six hours ago, and then looked at each other. Young woman. "Silence". The same one, that's their ace. - What is her name? - The captain looked from his partner to the boy. - Bisca.

At this time, Erza and Mira monitored the life of the village. Are they villages? From the outside, everything looked like a poorly executed show with actors who were constrained and not playing. They didn't smile, didn't laugh, didn't cry. The only emotions were manifested when talking about the Almighty, in whom they believed. There was no warmth between wife and husband at all, there was no warm atmosphere between acquaintances or friends. Even the movements seemed too sharp, as if they had been practiced for such a long time. Apart from this, everything remained normal. And when the girls were about to go to the next point, closer to the city center, they saw something strange and suspicious: a representative of the deceivers walked with a basket in his hands and, meeting certain people, took out from there a small test tube with a liquid with a small sediment. Erza pointed at this man with her gaze. Mira immediately understood her friend’s thoughts and nodded in response, giving her agreement. It’s good when too noisy guys don’t interfere with such missions: the female duo quickly and quietly approached the man in white who was handing out the cones, and, while no one was looking, they knocked them carefully from behind, turning them off with the first blow. Having each picked up several cones, the girls quickly rushed to the ship. Ideal crime.

In the next morning. One two-story house on this island in the village.

A girl with long green hair sat on a makeshift chestnut chair and looked at her reflection in the mirror. There was a coldness in her eyes that had settled with her since she returned back home. Mute, cold and distant, she was supposed to scare people or make them worry about herself, but, unfortunately, in this village people were so brainwashed that no one paid attention to her. Even if someone wanted it, after a while this desire fell away from the words of the so-called “enlighteners.” In one second, behind her, where almost her entire room was reflected, two silhouettes and one flying spot appeared, which were hidden in the shadow of the curtains. The mistress of the house's eyes widened in fear, but her mouth remained motionless. Turning around, she saw in the light of day, when they stepped out of the shadows, two pirates: a guy and a girl, and a flying blue cat on white wings. If the latter surprised her, Bisca hid it very well. Appearing unexpectedly, like snow falling on his head, Natsu, Lucy and Happy expected different reactions, having previously figured out in their minds various ways out of them peacefully, but not that Bisca would grab the arquebus standing near the dressing table and aim at them. “We come in peace,” the pirate captain immediately realized and raised his hands in a peace gesture, which his two comrades immediately repeated after him. So they tried to make it clear that they came with friendly intentions. - Please note that we did not take weapons. And this was indeed the case: Jellal, accompanying them, remained in the shadows outside the house with their weapons, so that they could show a good mood and a peaceful disposition. “I wouldn’t want to die so early,” Happy began to whine, sniffling, remembering the wonderful taste of Mira’s fish and Charlie’s smile when she mocked him again. Dragneel noticed that Bisca lowered her weapon, but did not remove her hands from it. She was ready at any second, as soon as the pirates said or did something wrong, she would lift her back up and shoot her in the head without hesitation. There was no doubt that she knew how to use an arquebus. But the pirates really had no intention of fighting and causing noise with the attention of almost three hundred inhabitants of the island. “All we want is to talk,” Heartfilia began cautiously, holding her hands up. Natsu saw how her limbs began to lower a little, and realized that they were numb, so Lucy wanted to lower them down, but his partner did not want to give any hint of hostility on their part. The captain smiled at the thought. - We heard your story. More precisely, what is known. And we know about the situation with the island. We're here to help. Lucy tried to speak as confidently as the situation allowed, because it was worth remembering that Heartfilia and Natsu were unarmed, and the interlocutor had a charged arquebus at the ready. The guy and Happy were silent, but the captain himself tried to show with all his appearance and firm gaze that their comrade was telling the truth and they really wanted to help. But Biska's eyes were glassy; nothing could be read from them. - But to help everyone, we need your help. Do you agree with our cooperation? We will definitely reveal the truth to everyone and prove that everything was a lie that they fed you for their own benefit,” even after these words from the guy, the girl with the weapon was still adamant. I didn't believe it. Dragneel felt the girl's panic begin to awaken from the thought that they would not succeed. Only the cat hanging in the air nearby tried to hide its fear behind knitted eyebrows, which turned out quite ridiculous. The cat's eyes betrayed his inner feelings. “We won’t force you,” the captain lowered his hands, causing Biska to perk up, squeezing the weapon tighter in her hands. But she didn’t pick it up. But Lucy's face became white as chalk. - We have one more day. Tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon we are waiting for you in one place, which Romeo will tell you about. We will go to the end,” Natsu’s steely voice truly inspired confidence. At least his comrades believed him even more than ten minutes ago. - If Fairy Tail promised something, it will deliver. You may not trust us, but this may be your last chance to save yourself before these scammers squeeze all the juice out of you. Whether you can speak or not, whether you can write or not, even your confident gesture in our direction will increase the winnings in this situation significantly. Just think. And having finished his speech here, the captain, still as serious, raised his palm to the almost numb thin hands of his partner and began to slowly lower them - he did the same with the paws of his flying friend. When Heartfilia nevertheless lowered hers, looking steadily at Bisca with the arquebus, Dragneel confidently took the girl’s hand and squeezed it tightly in his palm. And then, pulling him towards them, just as they flew into the window at Happy, all three of them flew out of it, alive and not shot.

The pirates were not very surprised when Bisca did not come to the appointed place, which Romeo told her about during yesterday's dinner. The pirates' wait, which lasted half an hour, was ultimately not justified, so they went back to the ship, moving quickly and quietly so that no one would accidentally find them. In fact, although Gray was upset by this fact, he did not understand such hopelessness on the faces of Natsu and Lucy. They trailed behind him, Mira and Lis more slowly, five steps behind, and looked really downcast, which was not surprising, because these two knew what Cana had not revealed to anyone else: the truth about Bisky's important role in their journey. As soon as they boarded the ship, Levi and Wendy ran up to them with wide eyes, in which a mixture of pride and joy splashed. Their facial expressions spoke for themselves, words were not needed - they understood what kind of liquid the inhabitants of this island were drinking. “At first it was a simple liquid,” Levy began to say, showing the same test tube in her hands, as if she wanted others to take a closer look at it and thereby understand something for themselves. “But these “enlighteners,” as Romeo called them, added something that slows down the process of brain activity and causes trance, followed by the magical effect of suggestion. From what we could discern and see, this is a decoction of various plants that are often mentioned in the legends of various peoples and nations. “We only have assumptions about which plants and components were used in this decoction,” Wendy said, not noticing that she was standing on her tiptoes from excitement and growing seriousness. Maybe psychologically she wanted to look taller, not only in words and actions, but also in height? For small, poorly growing people, their growth is a rather sensitive topic. “Nothing,” Jellal, standing nearby, put his large palm on the small head of their healer. - This is more than enough. Thank you for your work.

D-Day

The next day was very eventful. From the very morning, the pirates were ready, hoping to prevent a mistake and pull off their scam in order to save people who were fed a couple of times a month with a certain decoction that did not allow them to see everything that was happening in the right light. At this time, Fernandez and the other half of Fairy Tail took up positions in the morning, finding every remaining “enlightener” on the island in order to capture them and prevent the rest of the pirates from interfering. - Erza, don't worry. Several members of the pirate crew stood in the thicket of the forest and prepared to begin their mission to rescue the villagers. It’s not that the part of the pirates behind Scarlet gave her moral support, but rather the captain simply insisted that there should be more of them in order to, in a pinch, be on the alert. The captain's assistant, holding the hilt of the sword on the sword belt with her hand, sighed. “I think I’m the only calm one here,” she turned back, examining everyone. - Come on, pull yourself together, damn it. These are ordinary people, not some kind of monsters! Scarlet’s words did not calm her down in any way, but her steely voice gave results. Natsu smiled, urging everyone to show the honor and power of "Fairy Tail", causing the others to cheer. Lucy stood right behind Dragneel and felt like behind a wall behind his broad shoulders. Levy held the leaflets in her hands, clutching them to her chest, as if their lives depended on them (which, however, almost was the case). Elfman stood behind everyone and looked like an impenetrable rock. A little further away, biting her lips, stood Juvia, who was also holding some sheets of paper in her hands. No one recognized this closed and drooping girl as the same assistant navigator. And next to her, serious beyond her years, Wendy, fiddling with a bag with some important thing in her hands. And so, coming out of the forest, noticing surprise and mild panic on people’s faces. Someone tried to run away, someone remained rooted to the spot, someone, hiding, could not satisfy their surprise and looked out. Several people shouted for them to get out, someone called for help from that Almighty, someone even tried to throw tomatoes and eggs at them, but due to the shortage of their own food (which the scammers took) everyone stopped trying to hit them and transfer food . The pirates walked in a group, next to each other, with smiling faces that seemed to demonstrate their friendly intentions. Natsu and Lucy briefly tried to see green hair and a cowboy hat among the crowd, but so far their efforts to notice their owner were unsuccessful. “We all believe in something,” as soon as Erza climbed onto a kind of stage in the main square, which was surrounded by people, she immediately began to speak without unnecessary preamble, without even saying hello or introducing herself. - There is nothing wrong. Someone believes in loved ones, someone believes in themselves, someone devotes their life to believing in Someone standing high above us and watching our actions. And we would not have anything against if this were your desire, and not someone’s insidious plan and empty lie. The crowd began to thin out, surprised by the strangeness of the words of some girl with red hair, surrounded by probably the same strange pirates. Maybe inside their souls they were interested in listening, but the suggestion of the scammers told them to beware of strangers, so they ran into the nearest rooms and houses. Levy looked excitedly at Lucy, who looked at Natsu with the same look, who, in turn, looked trustingly at the back of Scarlet standing in front and smiled at her. Elfman stood with his arms crossed, only Juvia, more detached and withdrawn, was in a completely different state. - You don’t believe us, that’s understandable. You fools cannot believe. Tell me, how many times do you smile a day? How often do you laugh? Are your children happy? Do you treat your elders with the same respect and care? Perhaps your Supreme exists. But is it right to deprive yourself of all joys and become ordinary tools of labor, giving everything for free into the hands of those whom you have never seen doing the same work? Why should you be deprived of something, but they should not? Does your Almighty treat everyone differently? - the best way out is rhetorical questions that make people think. However, among the crowd there were more indignations than agreeable and thoughtful people. They are not so easy to break through. - You don't want to listen without proof, do you? That's why we brought them with us to reveal the truth about these damn liars. - Erza put her hand to the side, on which Levy immediately put the documents, almost tripping from surprise and the attention of more than a hundred people on her. - These are documents with a seal, see for yourself their authenticity. Your work is just a tool in the hands of these vile people who sell everything you do, find, cook and kill,” she threw several sheets in different directions. They flew slowly: first in one direction, then in the other, turning over, doing somersaults right in the air, and then landing right in the hands of the inhabitants of the island or falling at their feet. However, this was not enough. If someone tried to pick up and look into the sheets thrown by Erza, then it was of little use, and the remaining residents did not touch the documents at all. However, there was interest - this was evident from the way the crowd grew around the makeshift stage, slightly bent to the side. Scarlet turned back and looked at Juvia, who did not immediately understand why Elfman suddenly pushed her forward - mentally she was not here. She perked up, blushed, suddenly quietly apologized in the third person and went up to the captain’s assistant. - If that's not enough, we have more evidence. These are also papers directly related to the sale, but here everything is different. Parents, you must know the truth, to whom and where did you give your unfortunate daughters. And a new batch of leaflets swirled in the air. A sharp gust of wind first picked them up, spinning them over the heads of the residents, and then began to lower them. And this time they reached out to them. And this time, instead of talking about vile lies and the fact that there were evil spirits in the pirates, surprised sighs arose one after another in the crowd, and several ladies, feeling such a bright surge of emotions for the first time in a year, fainted. Their previous disbelief was replaced by interest and a slow realization of the words spoken, which no longer looked like a strange set of letters of devils who had captured the souls of pirates. However, this was still not enough for a clear victory. And the pirates had something else. - It's hard to believe, isn't it? When you live next to a lie, it is mistaken for the truth. But this still remains a lie. And only half of the blame for what happened to you and your daughters lies with you: you were all able to so easily succumb to the sweet speeches of people because of the special solution that they give you. What did they say about him? Surely something convincing and connected with the Almighty, but it is not so! This liquid is like a poison harmless to the body. After drinking it, you will accept any information as the truth,” Erza interrupted her speech because at that time she heard someone’s question about the antidote. So they are almost at the finish line! Lucy and Levi happily held hands, and a relaxed smile lit up the faces of the captain and Elfman. Loksar smiled faintly, feeling internal discomfort: it seemed that conflicting feelings were fighting inside, two sides of one girl, so she had to restrain herself in everything: until she understood who she really was. - The antidote is yourself. If you believe us and stop drinking this liquid, your brain will clear up and the pink film will disappear from your eyes. For some people right away, for others it will take time. The main thing is that you really want it. You will remember again what it’s like to cry and laugh, to feel anger and love, like... - Do not believe in the dark lies of the cunning devil! - one man in white clothes, which was a symbol of the “enlightenment”, came forward, and the crowd immediately parted in front of him. Scarlet fell silent in surprise. Lucy glanced anxiously at Natsu, who was already standing ready to fight: with weapons or in words - whatever it would lead to. The blonde decided not to worry, because the people, at least almost one and a half hundred, who surrounded them and did not hide in the houses, had already almost joined them. She was sure that everything was still in their hands. True, she did not calculate that faith in the stranger’s words was not so strong. The faces, which had cleared up just a second ago, returned to their previous stony state, as soon as this man with a bald head and pierced ears opened his mouth and began to read a prayer - or whatever his meaningless words were. Marvelous! Their three-day effort crumbled and turned to dust as soon as one rogue, who probably managed to escape from Jellal and Gray, appeared in the crowd. It's funny if you look at it from one side, stupid - if you look at it from the other, and sad - from the third. “It can’t be,” Levy whispered. Now the same people were looking at them as they had met half an hour ago. “But mothers’ hearts doubt,” Juvia noted hopefully. Indeed, the women holding portraits of their daughters in their hands could not fully believe the eyes of the man who came. But Heartfilia did not feel the positivity with which Loxar looked at mothers. Because she and Natsu standing next to her knew that their failure was predictable and only they were to blame. They blindly hoped that they could solve everything without Biska's help, but, apparently, she would actually become the very point that completed the mission. “Sorry,” the partners said to each other in unison and were surprised. Each of them saw their guilt in the fact that they could not convince the girl to help them. If they had burst into her in the morning and been able to catch her on the spot, if they had seen her before the start of their last move, then perhaps everything would have ended on a less dire note. And even though Erza tried to shout over the crowd, coming up with new beliefs on the go along with Levy, who had more experience in public speaking, and even though some mothers were still unsure and listened to Juvia’s words, the pirates were lost in failure. But here... - If you don’t believe them, can you believe me? - a hoarse voice, as if from a cough, came from the side of the crowd. The pirates looked over and saw Bisca rising towards them wearing a cowboy hat and a smug smile on her face. The hero always comes at the last moment, doesn't he? While Bisca was telling her story in a hoarse and breaking voice, Natsu and Lucy decided to detain the liar who had suddenly appeared so that he would not have time to escape. And the girl, taking the cowboy hat off her hair, talked about how she left the ship on time six months ago, hid, not believing what was happening, and was going to tell her family and the whole village the truth, but these “enlighteners” found her earlier, tortured her and were about to would have been killed if one guy, Alzack, had not accidentally passed by with his friends while out hunting. She told how she was threatened with death by her family and friends if she tried to squeak in their direction and reveal the truth. Her voice, hoarse after so many months of silence, gave her already sad story a note of sympathy. Not everyone believed it. But the majority who knew this girl well began to feel pain, to doubt what they believed in this year, their heads began to clear, and logic began to return to their minds oppressed by lies, as soon as one strong feeling touched their hearts. Romeo and the rest of his acquaintances, who were not under the pressure of impostors and lies due to their good immunity or refusal to drink liquid a couple of times, stepped forward and tried to convince the residents once again, gesticulating, telling real stories and almost crying.

Thank you, Natsu! - Romeo smiled so widely for the first time in a long time. Even though the clothes were shabby and the bags under his eyes had not gone away, the boy still looked like a completely different person: alive and happy. However, like almost every resident. Not everyone was able to immediately accept the truth, some still had to be worked on, but more than half of the people took off their rainbow glasses and saw the lie with their own eyes. They have a lot of work ahead: start storing food again for themselves, distribute among families all the things that were found on the ship that arrived in the evening with another part of the swindlers, create a special squad led by Biska and her boyfriend Alzack to hand over all the associated liars to the police , and also find, if possible, sold daughters. - Next time, Romeo, don't let anyone ruin your lives, okay? - Dragneel, with a wide and innocent smile, ruffled the hair of the boy, who immediately burst into laughter. - In the future I will become like you! - the boy continued admiringly, surprising Dragneel and Lucy and Happy standing next to him. - You are such a cool and cool pirate! - two comrades behind his back burst into fists, knowing full well how restless and cheerful their “cool and serious captain” was. But Natsu was not offended, although he still uttered a caustic phrase towards Heartfilia purely out of their pleasant friendly back-and-forth. No one could spoil his happiness: they helped the residents and, as a reward, a certain Laxus gave him a ball, dissolving and disappearing almost in the same way as the woman with the hut on their first island. And everyone decided to relax for the day, considering that they deserved it with their efforts and grueling travels. We stayed overnight in the residents' houses, finally lying down on a flat surface that didn't float forever on the waves. Only three girls felt nervous: Lucy and Cana could not get rid of the thought of death from fortune-telling, although everything ended well and without victims, and Juvia oppressed herself with unnecessary thoughts and questions about herself. However, we should not forget that Alberona’s fortune telling is not a joke or a pretense. It’s especially not funny when it’s connected with death, which came to the pirates so unexpectedly and at the most inopportune moment. All the residents were awakened the next morning by the screams of several women. Everyone, including the pirates, ran out to find out the reason for the sudden panic. And they saw it with their own eyes. In the main square, on the very stage where Erza stood yesterday, where the pirates, with the help of Bisca, were able to win, a man was suspended. Dead. All over his body one could see countless wounds and scratches with blood that had long since dried. He wasn't just scratched: the pirates realized that this man had been tortured in various ways. And, most likely, in the square at night, while everyone was sleeping after drinking, they hanged a lifeless man who died from torment and pain. No, already a corpse. But the picture of his face was terrifying. Eyes open wide and seemingly looking straight at you - but they could no longer see. His mouth was open in a scream, as if he was about to say something - but this man would never speak again. Is it possible that his heart stopped during the torture while he was screaming in pain? Lucy kept wondering who the person who was supposed to die during their mission on this island could be, but she never imagined, she didn’t even think for a second that it could be the lieutenant everyone knew. - Jackal…- Lucy whispered through horror.

The cards don't lie. They never lie. Not about how History begins. Not about how it will end.

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It was a calm, unremarkable morning. Already all the residents of the city of Magnolia, which was famous for its maritime trade routes from north to south, were up and doing their usual things: children studied in small one-story schools, doctors enjoyed peace and quiet, construction workers were renovating the residence of the main headquarters of the marine police, and merchants were already shouting with all their might about the quality of freshly caught fish and the pleasant intoxicating smell of medicinal herbs. This very town, which foreigners loved to come to, both for trade and just to relax, was thoroughly saturated with the aroma of sea salt, fresh fish and ale aged in oak barrels. Every day ships from all over the world sailed to the port. They stocked up on provisions, supplied goods for the small port town, and sometimes brought strange things from other continents. Life was in full swing in Magnolia. Fishermen in dirty shirts and bandanas tied around their heads pulled out heavy nets in which shoals of large fish with silver scales and blue forked tails were beating in their death throes (bluetail herring was found only off the coast of Magnolia). The sailors who arrived in the city walked the streets, smiling at pretty girls and hanging out in local pubs, and in the port itself there was an atmosphere of bustle and friendly warmth. The weather was good almost all year round, light, with sea winds and bright sun. The clean coast, which was protected by special environmental protection bodies, was one of the favorite places of absolutely every resident of the town: be it a romantic date, an ordinary meeting, or a desire to be alone. The distant singing of seagulls and the quiet splash of the waves created an idyll - an invisible dome, where all problems faded into the background, and only the sea remained in the foreground. And on this very morning, which became fatal, the alarm sounded about the invasion of a gang of pirates into the territory of the town. Hitherto sorting through piles of papers and documentation about petty robberies of crayfish and fruit, Captain Heartfilia went out into the street, searching with her eyes for her ever-disappearing assistant. “Yo, captain,” came a calm call from behind. Turning around, the girl saw the smug smile of her comrade, who seemed amused by the turbulent situation. - What a boil it got up in a couple of minutes. I didn’t even have time to really rest. What orders will there be? Having measured the contemptuous look that the captain gave to violators of discipline in the city or guilty subordinates, she sighed, redirecting all her emotions to protecting the city. Because that's her job. Because she has to. - Jackal, gather groups of five people and distribute them across all warehouses, from small to large. When the enemy advances, let them load the muskets with blue powder and hold them back as long as possible,” noticing his relaxed pose and his hands hidden in his pockets, anger sparkled in the girl’s brown eyes. - Fast! It was rare that the calm and peace-loving captain became angry, but if you dared to cross this border and felt Lucy’s anger, then be kind, prepare your own grave, or, if you’re lucky, get out of following the order. This is exactly what the assistant captain did. No, he didn’t go dig a grave, but ran to gather people into small groups. “The hell I’ll let some stinking and insignificant gang that imagines themselves to be real pirates destroy my city and leave with stolen valuables!” But who would have thought that after some time, a few days or even weeks, her opinion would completely change both about her work and the entire marine police, and about the “smelly and insignificant” crew of pirates...

About half an hour later.

The NCIS captain waited patiently on the tower of the residence and cast a focused glance at the places where the warehouses should approximately be. All this time, his right hand rested on the hilt of the sword, while feeling a certain security and confidence in his actions. As a pretty girl, Lucy always had to defend herself, strengthen her spirit, therefore, becoming a captain in the NCIS, she felt a victory. The tension created by the pirate attack slowly faded away. The captain’s posture became relaxed, only his right hand nervously fiddled with the lanyard* on the hilt, which did not let him forget the purpose for which it was there. Birds flying past from the sea made cheerful sounds, and the noise from the rocking boats on the water calmed the nerves, putting them to sleep. But this peaceful atmosphere was also destroyed by two... no, three shots of blue powder, with which the muskets of each member of the police were loaded. And they were all in the north of the sea, almost at the very slope of the mountain, which was the border opposite the sea. - Three teams of pirates were caught at once, and at the same time? - Squinting her eyes suspiciously, the captain took a closer look at those buildings from where the almost invisible blue smoke was coming. - Captain, we found them! - Mar de Gaulle shouted from the lower floor of the tower, waving his hand and pointing in the direction of three shots. Going downstairs, Heartfilia glanced disapprovingly at one of the subordinates, whose dark hair was again not collected in a proper hairstyle, which made Mar de Gaulle look like a villain. But Lucy promised herself never to doubt her people, because only on trust in her subordinates could she build a city with good discipline, absence of crime and a bright future, which is what the young lady dreamed of. It was just a sixth sense at play. It just seemed like it to her. There was no trick to it. An ordinary, almost successfully completed mission to capture the enemies of all seaports. There was no time for doubt. And even more so for doubting your people. - Okay, report the situation.

Meanwhile in another part of the city. Warehouse of the estate G.

Do you think our plan will work? - a quiet whisper broke the dead silence, from which my legs involuntarily shuddered. The voice seemed to belong to a child, but the enthusiasm that was evident in it was characteristic of a much more adult person. In the darkness, his large eyes looked very intimidating, which would make even the bravest men back away, if not run away. - What are you talking about, Happy? Of course it will work! “There’s no question,” an excited and slightly grumpy voice came from nearby. And suddenly, in the pitch darkness, where you couldn’t see anything even if you gouged out your eyes, a dim light flashed from a dusty light bulb, which hung ugly and somehow too ugly on the wooden ceiling with only two wires. This child turned out to be a pirate cat with blue fur and a cheerful grin that seemed to say that he could handle anything. And next to this cat-pirate, who was named Happy, stood a guy with funny tousled hair - you won’t believe it - pink, like sakura blooming near the mountainside, and a wide, insanely satisfied smile, like the one that happens to a person who has won a free kiss box of fish. But something was different in his image from the rebellious appearance of a thief and a real “bad” pirate... And this something was gray eyes, whose veil of seriousness obscured any childish babble, and in the depths one could read a real sea of ​​responsibility and understanding of something unreal. The eyes of a man who has seen a lot, but continued to move forward towards his intended goal, without doubting either himself or his people. The eyes of the Fairy Tail pirate captain, Natsu Dragneel.

Let's return to the NCIS captain and find out how their affairs are progressing.

Lucy, did something happen? - looking into the eyes of her friend, Heartfilia tried to understand whether it was worth talking about the fact that the sixth sense was still creeping through with cold tentacles and did not let go, fiddling with the bell under the sign of “alarm.” On the one hand, it seemed that Lucy had crossed the line of trust and no longer deserved her title, but in the very depths of her soul she could not get rid of the thought that everything was too easy. That everything went too smoothly and simply. “No, Levi, everything is fine,” she finally answered, biting her lower lip and looking away, because the captain herself didn’t know how to lie well. - Better tell us how things are going with ours. Lucy couldn't get rid of her friend's incredulous look. Well, McGarden, the faithful right hand of the NCIS captain, Heartfilia’s secretary, perfectly read all the feelings on the girl’s face. But, apparently, she considered it right to ignore the remark or simply postpone it for another time, which, undoubtedly, was wise in this situation. - There is now a battle going on in three warehouses on the estates of L., M. and O. All the pirates who encroached on our supplies were found. At each warehouse there are approximately three people in a gang. For some, the battle was transferred to the city square itself, so we couldn’t catch a single person, although we identified everyone,” Levi spoke confidently, quickly, her gaze was serious, even frightening, which did not at all fit with her miniature figure and kind smile, whom Lucy loved so much. Sometimes she even asked herself why such a sweet girl who did paperwork at NCIS was here, but she never dared to ask her herself. “And there is no doubt about it, these are Fairy Tail pirates.” - The same Fairy Tail that attacked us about a year ago and robbed almost the entire estate of Sh.? “Exactly,” Levy seemed not at all surprised by such pressure from her friend, and Lucy felt as if a sad, barely noticeable grin flashed across McGarden’s face. - But? - asked the captain, arching a questioning eyebrow. And to the silent question in her honey eyes, she added: “You’re clearly not telling me something.” Or there is something you want to say but don't say. Levi, you know you can trust me. And as an active NCIS captain, I order you to tell everything. “Eh,” a deep sigh, accompanied by hidden relief. - The strange thing is that none of these pirates were found with jewelry, gold or money. At the same time, among all the identified personalities, the most important one was missing... the captain of the Fairy Tail gang himself. Heartfilia did not inquire about why Levy frowned when she said the word “gang.” That wasn't important now. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, the very fact that it’s them, but without their captain, is too suspicious. This vile captain is not the man who awaits prey on his deck. The Fairy Tail captain is known for making a plan with his supposed comrades, and then independently leading his supposed people to steal. Then why?... So...” - This is a distraction! - Lucy said out loud, removing her hand from her face, because all the time she was thinking, she was biting her thumbnail out of habit. - H-how so? - Genuine surprise lit up McGarden’s face. – But Mar de Gaulle gathered almost all the people and took them under his command! - Mar de Gaulle? Where is that lazy ass Jackal? - Heartfilia roared, seriously angry. On whom? She herself didn’t know, probably at everyone at the same time: at herself, at Mar de Gaulle, at the Jackal, at the pirates, at her people and at this upstart captain who dared to twist them around his finger. Deceive her, Lucy Heartfilia, who has honorably taken the role of NCIS captain? No. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together, as a person of her position should. “So, Levi, gather all the people you can find in five minutes, and then we’ll make a plan and go to the warehouses located near the sea,” when her friend quickly ran away to carry out the order, having saluted before, Heartfilia clenched her fists until it hurt. - Just get caught by me, damn captain of Fairy Tail!

Looking at the gathered people, Lucy once again thought how stupid her idea was. On the one hand, what can ten people out of a hundred and two girls do against pirates? On the other hand, she was almost one hundred percent sure that her guesses were correct, and that this attack served only as bait. - Shall we start already, captain? - the Jackal drawled tiredly, who was rescued from the bar and sent to work in broad daylight. Sighing heavily, the NCIS captain pulled herself together. - This incident is just a diversionary maneuver, which was cleverly thought out by the pirates. Therefore, all we can do is find out the real reason for their arrival in the quiet town of Magnolia and, if possible, capture their leader - a slight insanity and a little excitement among their people did not escape the brown eyes. - This is not the time to think, we must act. Therefore, we count from one to three in order, and according to the number we arrange ourselves in small groups to the remaining three warehouses. Start calculation! In about seven minutes, Lucy gathered people, grouped them and sent them to warehouses that were closer to the shore. Walking at the head of her team, she tried to walk silently so as not to be noticed first. Tense bodies and quiet whispers behind her back did not at all add confidence to the girl or any kind of strength that a leader should have felt when leading his comrades... not to mortal combat, but at least to an important task. - Look, captain, pirates! - and sure enough, through the house, in a completely different block, two guys with dark hair were also calmly and quietly walking: one had it cut short with some kind of bandage on top, like a kokoshnik, the other had long, seemingly dirty and spiky hair with a bandage on it. the forehead itself; Next to him, on snow-white wings, a cat with chocolate fur was flying straight through the air, his head tied with a red scarf and a sword behind his back. Only one cold look did not make one doubt that they belonged to pirates. Before Heartfilia could assess the situation and come up with a plan of action, someone from behind shouted, “Battle!” - and all three rushed straight past the thin passage between two gray fishermen's houses. And before she realized that she was alone, and her people with the pirates (and the cat) decided to play cat and mouse, a satisfying silence froze around her. Well, it’s satisfying for an ordinary passerby, but not for a captain. Taking off from her spot, the girl ran past two tanks filled with something not very pleasant and rushed after her, but after a couple of minutes she realized that she had lost sight of the guys (and the cat). Cursing, Lucy looked around the place. She ran close to her intended target. A five-minute walk away was the warehouse she needed from some brothers, who could create a whole scandal for the loss of even one coin. And choosing the lesser of two evils, Heartfilia walked towards the warehouse. “If they are truly worthy members of NCIS, then I have no need to worry about them. Now it is much more important to ensure the safety of citizens, to preserve jewelry, money and other expensive things, and, if possible, to capture that captain,” Lucy either reassured herself or ordered herself, approaching the massive doors. Taking with her the service key, or rather even a bunch of keys, the girl, groaning over the many locks, finally entered this abode in order to protect it and think over a plan for further action. And what was her surprise when she examined this room! Compared to the warehouse we had seen earlier, this one was completely different: light whitewashed walls, visually enlarging the room, the same light ceiling with built-in bright lamps, which were not needed now (because it was day), and there were bars on the windows, like being in a prison, which gave the impression of being trapped. - Wow! - Closing the door behind her and locking it with several locks, Lucy’s mouth opened in surprise. And there was simply an indescribable amount of what the warehouse was filled with. Heartfilia herself, as a captain, never walked through such premises, giving such work to juniors in rank, but now all this only caused misunderstanding. And okay, you could ignore the gold, silver and rainbow-colored mountain of expensive things in the center, but (damn it) how many wooden boxes of various sizes were there. - Yes, there is enough gunpowder for every resident of our city, if not the capital. And god, there's even ammo in here that we haven't used in over a year due to the carelessness and safety of the residents. But if all this is stored here for an unknown amount of time, then... why? Why do they need this? Perhaps Lucy would have asked herself something else without receiving an answer, or come up with many options, basing them on her personal opinion, but someone’s footsteps were heard from the street, and then someone began to break into the warehouse. "Pirates!" - a thought flashed through the girl’s head, after which she quickly hid behind the bags, most likely of some grains, and held her breath. “Oops, here’s the last warehouse,” someone’s voice was heard, and Heartfilia immediately realized that it could belong to one of her peers or a person several years older, and certainly not to the two guys she met earlier . - What if we don’t find anything? - the second, more childish voice whispered with melancholy and such a plea that the girl, who had a weakness for children, had a ache in her heart. “No, don’t forget that they are pirates,” Lucy ordered herself, frowning and trying to concentrate. - This child is probably a slave. I just have to save him." - We'll find it. Necessarily. We can’t let everyone down when we have such a wonderful plan,” did she imagine, or did the guy’s voice really tremble? - So, Happy, start with the pile, which, most likely, will contain what we need. In the meantime, I'm examining these bags. Panic hit her head, giving a report of anxiety - if she doesn’t move, then she won’t get out of here, won’t protect the warehouse and won’t save the child. Quietly, crawling, Heartfilia went to the side and at the very last moment, when a teenage boy unknown to her approached the bags of grain, she hid around the corner, behind wooden boxes. Oddly enough, the pirates were quiet, even too quiet, completely immersed in their work as thieves and only occasionally exchanged phrases that she did not hear. And not because the hearing was bad. It’s just that the only noise surrounding her was her own rapid heartbeat, which made her feel hot, simply unbearable. And no matter how brave Lucy was, no matter how frightening her look was, and no matter how much she wanted it, the captain could not overshadow the fact that, first of all, she was a girl. And Heartfilia was afraid. Fear permeated every cell with a dead cold, passing through waves of hopelessness. Her body was shaking as if the temperature in the warehouse had dropped sharply, and she couldn’t feel her legs at all. Just a slight tingling sensation in my fingers. The only thing that kept the mind here, among the wealth and boxes with considerable supplies, was the hilt of the sword, which Lucy held, nervously fiddling with her fingers on the lanyard. That’s how she felt calmer, as if encouraging charges were passing through the steel, which made her feel better little by little. Swallowing a lump in her throat from somewhere, she moved her body in her arms towards the boxes, which were arranged so that they formed a small but large enough hole through which the NCIS captain could reconnoiter the situation. Taking a deep breath and, as quietly as possible, the girl turned her head: the light walls immediately caught the eye, along with the light that the mountains of boxes did not let through. Then she saw a cat with blue fur and beautiful angel wings shimmering from the light of jewels. There was an even grin on the cat's face. Moving a little closer, Heartfilia dimly saw pink hair and a checkered scarf that flashed not far from these boxes. Who would have thought that only a dozen wooden boxes full of ammunition would separate her from the pirate? Her stomach was twisting as if the captain had not eaten for several months, her head was spinning, as if after five glasses of draft beer. Is this how fear affected an ordinary girl? No, she wasn't just a girl. Lucy is a captain of the Marine Police, who has sworn to protect this city and its inhabitants, to prevent evil from consuming it in its languid desires and foggy future. What does she have to lose? Well, except for the happy years of youth with a wonderful first love, and after a friendly family and heirs. Nothing special. Perhaps, if something had happened to her, Levy would have cried at her grave, the Jackal would most likely have been put in her place, and Mar de Gaulle would have continued to worry her even in the Kingdom of the Dead with his mysterious behavior. “I’m sorry, Mom, I’m such a fool,” the NCIS captain said to herself as if she were praying, looking at the white and clean ceiling, and then she grabbed the pistol with her left hand, continuing to hold the hilt of her “confidence booster” with her right hand. Running along the wooden wall of boxes, Lucy stopped abruptly and deftly jumped over the obstacle, which, thanks to the efforts of the pirates, was up to her waist. “There is no doubt. This hair, these clothes, this cat and... - she met the not at all surprised expression on the young guy’s face, putting the muzzle of her pistol to his neck, and looking with contempt into his gray eyes. “And this insanely wide smile.” - Yes, criminals. Ugly pink hair, an old checkered scarf and a blue cat. Who would have thought that Natsu Dragneel himself would grace this small town with his presence!

One, two, three - the arrows of History began to take their course.

Notes:

Lanyard - thread/strap on hilt with medal.
The hilt is the part of the blade that consists of a guard and a handle with a pommel.

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"I did it? Oh yes, I actually did it. If such a situation were not so ridiculous and in some ways frightening, I would be able to appreciate my acting skills as a secret agent. But it's not funny to me now. Oh, how funny that is,” - in two seconds, thoughts became confused in my head, and my consciousness began to slowly float away through the sun’s rays and the light of precious metals. Lucy stood close to the guy, pressed a musket to his neck, on which an old checkered scarf was neatly tied, and looked into his gray eyes, hoping that her confidence would not be shaken. It started off so beautifully! And the captain of the “stinking gang of pirates” calmly looked at the girl, as if his life could not end abruptly in one split second. His steel eyes expressed so much confidence that it seemed as if they had switched places - it was He who pressed her to himself, it was He who held up the muzzle of the musket, it was He who was the manager of order here. - And what did we forget here, blonde? - Natsu smiled sarcastically, while Happy, his eternal partner on any mission, continued to enthusiastically search for something in the whole mountain of gold and silver. “Here I ask questions, dear Natsu Dragneel,” the girl muttered through her teeth, frowning even more, so much so that a thin wrinkle lay between her eyebrows. “I dare say I’m not welcome here,” Dragneel still smiled impudently, moving his body forward, pushing the girl aside. For a moment her face lit up with surprise, she hesitated, but in the next second she regained her former seriousness. - Since they know me here, it would be dishonest to remain covered in a mask of obscurity, don’t you think? “You…” it seemed that with these simple words the guy easily took all the oxygen from his lungs, causing Heartfilia to choke. She swallowed the newly formed lump in her throat and tried to ignore the sickening churning down in her stomach. - I am the current captain of the marine police, Lucy Heartfilia, who will show you all the sweets of prison life! - Show me what blondes are capable of, captain? “It seemed to Lucy that this pirate was playing with her, that he was amused by the change in Heartfilia’s face - from confusion to indignation. And this added fuel to the fire of hatred towards all pirates, especially this “vile captain”. - Just don’t cry and don’t scream that I didn’t warn you.

Estate warehouse V. Group under the command of Jackal.

Approaching the intended target, the leader of the newly formed group examined the space around them. An ordinary street: several two-story houses with small gardens and lawns in the yard; a smoothly laid road, which has not yet been damaged by carts and horseshoes; just a couple of grocery stores, from which came the pleasant smell of fresh baked goods and black coffee. “Junior lieutenant, we have arrived,” someone rapped behind him, bringing the guy out of his thoughts, who immediately adjusted his sword belt. “I know without you,” the Jackal barked irritably, and then took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. - So, here's what we'll do: two of us check to see if anything was stolen from this warehouse, and one of us inspects the premises for signs of forced entry. They dispersed quickly, there is no point in being an eyesore! After becoming a member of NCIS, Jackal looked forward to fun days with exciting adventures in capturing pirates. Every day I trained in wielding a sword, using bladed weapons, developed excellent reflexes and revived my thirst for battles and battles. And now he could only feel how his hands were itching, how the saber resting on the sword belt became heavy under the weight of such tempting thoughts about a clash with pirates. “I’m reporting,” a sharp voice from the side again brought the guy out of his own thoughts. “There are no signs of a break-in, but the state of the warehouse makes it clear: the pirates were here and, except for one bag, did not take anything with them.” “Idiots,” the junior lieutenant answered firmly after a moment of silence, turning his head to the guy standing next to him, so sweet, shaved, almost young and naive, that the lieutenant felt funny. I didn't like people like that. And working with them is even more so. - M-junior lieutenant! - shouted two arriving people, no different from the guy standing next to them. “Look,” like surprised teenagers, they pointed their fingers upward to the roof of a distant house, from where two dark-haired guys were running, jumping from roofs to carts and back, and a cat was flying next to them (we had already met them). And as soon as the Jackal bared his teeth, intending to finally enter into battle, the gaze of one of the pirates, who was approaching them with calm jumps, paralyzed the whole body. The look of the eyes, dark as a crow's wing, cooled the fire blazing inside, it seemed to even lower the body temperature of the junior lieutenant, and an unusual tingling sensation was felt in his fingers - and all this just from a glance, from one glance from a pirate who did not even bother to stop and ran further. At that moment, the Jackal realized how cruel reality was, how naive he himself was, how pitiful he looked when he came face to face with his enemy. And he didn't like it at all. “Damn it, captain,” the junior lieutenant hissed through teeth clenched from hopelessness and his own powerlessness. - I could not".

Estate warehouse B.

The sounds of sword blades touching echoed along the beautiful light walls. With a smug smile and excitement blazing in his eyes, the pirate captain easily defended himself and quickly counterattacked. The girl, clutching the hilt with all her strength, moved with lightning speed, ignoring the trembling on her skin. “And you’re pretty good with a sword for a girl,” Natsu remarked sarcastically, blocking a swift attack right at his throat. “We’ll see what you say when this girl defeats you,” the NCIS captain breathed shakily, but continued to stand firmly on her feet. “Hmm, that would really be interesting to see,” Natsu nodded, taking a step back and swinging his sword. “But it’s a pity that I won’t be able to see it,” he simply shrugged, as if it was a given. It seemed that the temperature in the room had risen much higher than before, which made Lucy ready to howl: the police uniform, while comfortable for running and fighting, could easily get tired. Only the cold sweat that washed over her with every deafening breath of the pirate cooled her body, even chilled her at times. Before her eyes there was only one clear image - Natsu Dragneel with his sword in his right hand; and in my head there was a measured plan for its attack. Like a mantra, she repeated her every step, tried to predict his attacks and sudden movements, trying to focus on her hatred for this man. The guy himself seemed to be just amused by this moment, enjoying the “interesting and pre-predicted battle.” This infuriated the girl so much that she lost concentration and, one might say, fell out of reality for a second. It seemed like one measly second, but it was enough for the guy to take the initiative, and for Lucy to stumble and lose her balance. Only the boxes at the back were able to protect her from hitting the floor. “I see your legs can’t hold you up anymore, captain,” Dragneel immediately scoffed, swinging at the girl, who at the last moment stepped aside, thereby allowing the tip to pierce the wooden surface and be sandwiched between small boxes of cartridges. “Oh, what a loss,” Heartfilia immediately inserted the word, feeling for the first time a light burning in her soul: she can win if she tries. Squeezing her hilt harder, the captain easily and quickly cut through the air with a barely noticeable sound, sighing languidly and groaning quietly in frustration. The guy bent down to avoid the enemy’s sword without obstacles, and now two points (one higher, the other lower) stuck into a smooth wooden plank. “Oh, what a loss,” the pirate captain teased, lowering his voice a few tones. And even if it didn’t look like a girl’s cry at all, it was enough for Lucy to also zealously continue the fight. "God, what is Natsu doing? - the cat with angel wings, forgotten by these two, muttered to himself and continued to further explore the golden mountain full of jewels. - If I wanted to, I would defeat her in an instant. Instead of playing with her, it would be better if he helped me.” The cat sighed deeply, even with a bit of annoyance, looking over the open and almost empty chest at his comrade and the blonde, who was resolutely advancing. Sparks flew in all directions after the next blow, but as soon as one of them stumbled, crashed into a box or bag of grains, the second one immediately attacked. It was a heated battle. By the middle, Dragneel himself got a little tired, without even noticing how he stopped giving in. The girl, breathing heavily, stood opposite, squeezing the hilt with such force that if it were not for the perfect work of the blacksmith, she would have broken the handle long ago*. “This can’t go on for long,” Heartfilia thought to herself, not taking her menacing gaze off the pirate. “I need to do something to win, otherwise my chances will decrease, and I can’t lose.” The honor of the captain of the marine police and the safety of the inhabitants (well, gold and gunpowder) stand before me. I shouldn't give up." There was no need to reason further, because Dragneel, having made a false lunge, sharply jerked his hand forward, and if not for his excellent reflexes, Lucy would have said goodbye to his hand. “Oh, sorry, captain,” Natsu said, looking guilty, taking his previous stance, ready for any movement. “It looks like you’re bleeding,” and that’s right, despite his quick reflexes, he was able to hit his left shoulder, cutting the blue fabric, which turned scarlet along the edges. “Oh, damn,” the NCIS captain hissed, already feeling the throbbing pain in that place and the heat from the flowing (albeit a little) blood. “You have a chance to surrender, then maybe I won’t touch you,” Dragneel suggested in a calm voice, which made the girl sick. Her stomach twisted with growing panic - she understood that her chances of winning were negligible, but to just surrender to a pirate like that? It's the last thing she would do in a situation like this. From the look in her brown eyes, the guy understood what she was thinking about, so he only sighed resignedly. “We have to finish, Happy can’t handle it alone, and we don’t have much time,” he thought to himself, noticing how Heartfilia’s thin fingers began to hesitantly squeeze her hands - it was a gesture that she was ready to attack at any second. And he was right - the captain of the marine police, with some incomprehensible cry, rushed forward, raising her sword with her good hand, aiming somewhere in his stomach. Lucy saw her opponent, knew that she was acting stupidly and recklessly, but it was better than standing and waiting for something unknown, and the thought that this was death turned her inside out. But she was hardly able to describe what happened in a matter of seconds, even when she came to her senses a few days later: gray eyes blazed with steely confidence as never before, gold earrings brightly reflected the light of jewelry, the blade caught the rays of the daytime sun with its smooth surface, and a light brown veil covered her eyes, which forced her to close her eyes. When Lucy, having rubbed her eyelids with the back of her hand, was able to open her eyes, she saw a point in front of her, which was aimed straight at her throat; It turned out that she had involuntarily let go of her sword, because her weapon lay near her feet; and the musket with only one very valuable cartridge rested calmly in the pirate’s free (left) hand. It was an unconditional victory. Heartfilia only now realized from her hands that Dragneel had thrown sand in her face, and it didn’t matter where the guy got it from. - Hey, that's not fair! - Lucy protested. - Nothing personal, blonde. “I’m a pirate,” the guy answered easily, who, most likely, had repeated this phrase more than once, it even seemed that it was his middle name. And the girl herself didn’t understand what infuriated her more: the loss or his arrogant grin, which she wanted to wipe off the damn pirate’s face.

Lucy didn’t know how much time had passed while she, tied with strong ropes in a skillful seaman’s knot, sat near the boxes: having long ago lost count, the girl simply watched the too impulsive couple. The cat with snow-white wings complained more and more often, dripping onto his brain with words that “he” was not here, when Dragneel, occasionally muttering not entirely censored phrases under his breath, continued to search and talk encouragingly with his comrade. And everything would be fine, but the white scarf made it difficult to pronounce any words other than mooing and howling-like sounds, my arms and ankles were already hurting because of the tight and terrible rope, and occasionally the things from the golden mountain “jumping” on it miraculously did not fall to the head. - Vvmtv! - Lucy hissed menacingly, realizing that no one understood what she mumbled, but how could she remain silent when the fifth thing with a characteristic ringing crashed into the wood right next to her? Natsu sighed, throwing warning glances at her that said instead of words: “Don’t interfere!” And Heartfilia felt like a guilty child for the first time when the eyes of color began to menacingly examine her face. What seemed strange to her was that she did not feel fear for herself, rather disgust for the cheating pirate and resentment for her loss. That's all. It was difficult to concentrate on anything else, because the pain from the leaking (no longer as profusely as at first) wound on the shoulder clouded the mind. - Senior Lieutenant, this is the last warehouse! - a voice was heard from outside, and all three, as one, were numb with surprise, only if Lucy could not say anything, the pirates involuntarily squealed, thereby attracting the attention of the police. - Did you hear that, Sir Mar de Gaulle? There are pirates there! “Mar de Gaulle? What is he doing here?” - flashed through the mind of Heartfilia, who began a new attempt to get out of the tight ropes, but it was all in vain. - Natsu? - Happy asked uncertainly, almost in a whisper, rounding his already large eyes. He was afraid - the girl saw it - and relied on Dragneel, who began to examine the room with his eyes, clearly considering his next actions. And when his gaze settled on her and flashed a disapproving gleam, Lucy’s heart began to beat faster inside her chest. “Well, well, blonde, you’re useful to us,” approaching the girl, Natsu squatted down next to her and took off her scarf. After the strange taste of the fabric, Lucy winced and began to smack her lips, trying to get rid of the disgusting sensation. - Are you scared? - the NCIS captain asked, spitting right at his feet. “If only,” Dragneel answered briefly, and his gaze was so hypnotizing that the girl involuntarily began to drown in them. It's nonsense, right? - Now scream, call for help, give any order that comes to your mind. - For what? - Lucy again felt like an ordinary teenager who did not understand a simple topic in mathematics or social studies. Natsu lifted her head by the chin, looking into her eyes, and with a malicious smile with only his lips he said: “Come on,” which undoubtedly infuriated the girl. Frowning her brows, she clenched her teeth and took more air into her lungs. “All units, surround the warehouse from all available exits and entrances, including windows, so that even a mouse does not slip through unnoticed,” they both looked at each other, not daring to look away. Common determination, confidence, and the desire to fulfill their duty united two captains of completely different worlds. - There are two pirates here, one of whom is Natsu Dragneel, the captain of Fairy Tail. Get ready for further orders,” the brown eyes looked down at the guy’s smile, crooked in satisfaction, and then darted up and back. Happy, meanwhile, continued to look for “him,” although Lucy was sure that the two were just wasting their time. - Senior Lieutenant Mar de Gaulle, this also applies to you.

The same warehouse. Near the premises. Two divisions under the leadership of Mar de Gaulle.

The senior lieutenant, hearing his name, involuntarily winced at the commanding tone and ran his hand through his dark hair - it was such a gesture when he was worried or everything was going against his plans, or something happened that he least expected. Half of the sergeants immediately obeyed the orders of the NCIS captain, while the other half hesitated, looking at him and awaiting his next instructions. - Do it already! - Mar de Gaulle barked displeasedly, crossing his arms over his chest and continuing to stare at the closed door that separated him from the pirate and Heartfilia. “Something is suspicious,” he thought. - What can a pirate, and even a captain, do for so long? Are they looking for something? But what? And why didn’t they kill this self-confident captain?” About five minutes passed until the tense silence, occasionally broken by the whispers and conversations of the residents (who were supposed to be hiding), was broken by a crash. It was the roof of the warehouse that broke, or rather, someone broke it, thereby leaving him free. In the blue sky with rarely passing clouds, a bright orange light appeared that blinded the eyes. - Prepare for shots! - the senior lieutenant shouted when his eyes were able to get used to the emanating light. But no one raised their muskets; moreover, everyone began to look uncertainly at their comrades and whisper excitedly. And as soon as the guy raised his head, he realized the reason for the commotion: the pirate, behind whose back there were snow-white wings (Happy), in one hand held a fiery sword, the flames of which did not melt the metal, and in the other, Lucy herself. Apparently, the pirate took her as a hostage and was right - no one dared not only to kill her, but even to simply raise the gun towards her. “Not bad,” Mar de Gaulle himself did not know whether he was angry or even happy at this turn of events. Smoothing his hair again, which continued to stick out in different directions, he smiled madly. - But even so you can’t escape. An ambush awaits you, Natsu Dragneel." “Senior lieutenant, they’re leaving,” he could barely hear the cry of one of his subordinates, who was trying to shout over the noise among the sergeants and the city residents who had run out. “More precisely, they’re flying away,” the blond guy immediately corrected himself, already standing next to the lieutenant. “Let it go,” he answered indifferently, turning around. - But they have a captain... - To hell with her, - he hissed under his breath. “Her death will not be in vain,” Mar de Gaulle said over his shoulder, measuring the boy with a frightening look, and left, not hiding his satisfied smile.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy. Somewhere in the air above the city of Magnolia.

The first thought that came to Heartfilia’s mind was the desire to kill the damn captain of the pirate gang for a mega-stupid and terrible plan in which she was his shield. Indeed, none of the police dared to aim their muskets at them; there was confusion, misunderstanding and clearly felt fear throughout all the ranks. Lucy had never felt so humiliated and trampled as to be gagged and hands in the steel grip of a satisfied Dragneel, who was even enjoying this moment. And when they rose, thanks to the flying cat, into the air, cutting through the lower layer of the atmosphere, smoothly rising higher, as if floating on the surface of the sea, Heartfilia felt a new feeling. She was breathtaking. Never before had her heart beat at such a pace due to flight, never before had she felt a slight tingling throughout her body and a pleasant pull inside her stomach. Inhaling the smell of the sea, which was felt more clearly in the heights, the girl involuntarily forgot about everything. And delight, and joy, and freedom pinched the soul with such force that it could not withstand such pressure. If at first Lucy tried to free herself from the clutches of the pirate or squeal, supposedly asking to let her go, now she was quietly hanging on his free hand (the other one contained the found artifact sword) and watching. The city was beautiful. No, she already knew that he was handsome, but the NCIS captain always watched him either from below or from low mountains. But now... she saw him as if in the palm of her hand, saw every street, every turn, every passerby, who looked like small figures standing in her office; all the familiar faces mixed into one spot, but this did not frighten, it was only captivating; she saw the roofs of houses, police residences, puppet and live theaters, shops with various goods for sale; green gardens, decorated with red, pink, white and other shades of flowers and fruits, gave the overall picture of the city their own, natural atmosphere. "Amazing!" - her eyes opened with delight and lit up with a bright sparkle of happiness, it was hard to smile, but even so she could not restrain the raised corners of her lips, simply unable to stop the enthusiastic facial expressions on her face. Heartfilia fell out of reality so much that she forgot about her position, did not notice the gray, equally brilliant eyes looking straight at her, and did not at all hear the whims of the flying cat, who complained about “how heavy the blonde is.”

That's it! - the guy swore, breaking such a reigning idyll. The girl perked up in surprise and surprise, and then turned her head and looked at the pirate: the satisfied smile disappeared, a veil of seriousness covered her eyes again, and her light eyebrows met at the bridge of her nose. Heartfilia looked at him questioningly, and then followed his gaze - they were at the very port, where almost the entire length was occupied by fishermen and traders from other places; as well as small and large vessels, simple boats and boats. And only one, so large with dark wood and black sails, has already sailed a sufficient distance from this place. For some reason, the girl had no doubt that it was his ship. - Natsu, isn't this an ambush? - and rightly so, having arranged themselves in two lines, many people in police uniforms pointed their muskets and, without regret, uncertainty or fear, looked at the approaching two (and the cat) people. “Who would have thought that the captain would lose his value so quickly,” Dragneel muttered his first thought, simply blurted out what came to mind, told the truth, and that’s why Lucy felt bad. These words, like an echo, scrolled through my head, not leaving my consciousness, but only squeezing my self-esteem. She didn’t understand a lot, but she knew one thing for sure: she had been betrayed. - Well, Happy. Do you think we'll break through? “If you use the artifact you found, then I think so,” said the cat seriously, who was still in the warehouse ready to howl in fear when they were discovered by Mar de Gaulle’s units. It seemed that in the air Happy was in his element. What happened next is difficult to describe in a couple of sentences, but even more difficult to describe in detail when Lucy, still with a bandage in her mouth, managed to squeal from sharp turns in the air. Every second she thought that Dragneel’s steel grip would weaken and he would let her go straight towards the flying bullets and gunpowder, but the pirate himself had already forgotten about the burden. Her life, future and fate were now in the hands of two pirates: one deftly maneuvered through the air, running away from targets, the other, using a fiery sword, melted flying pieces of metal. Unable to look any longer at this picture, which was painted in dark tones and a red tint, overshadowing that beautiful view of her hometown, Heartfilia closed her eyes. She hated herself for giving herself into the hands of a pirate like that, but the girl understood that there was no other way out. The sound of gunfire and wind in her ears did not subside even when she felt a hard surface beneath her. She fell with a very characteristic jolt. There will probably be bruises. Dragneel was on all fours on his ship, breathing heavily and trying to catch his breath. The familiar, familiar swaying on the sea surface and the boring smell of old boards underneath made me return to consciousness and find peace. He survived. They did it. “Captain,” a voice was heard not far from him. Natsu stood up, looking at the scarlet haired girl and smiling madly. - Of course, I’m glad that you are alive, moreover, I didn’t dare to doubt it, but who is it? And only now did Dragneel remember that he was not alone. I remembered how I took the NCIS captain hostage, using him as a shield. And I remembered how I completely forgot about its existence on the shore itself. - Damn it! - the pirate swore, meeting the enraged gaze of brown eyes looking at him menacingly.

This is just a simple accident that was outlined by the arrows of History.

Notes:

Cheren - the hilt of a sword.
Belt - belt for weapons.

Cover:
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Time stopped for Lucy, and the phrase spoken by her father continued to spin and live in her head. She understood what Judeau said, what every word meant, but she could not comprehend it. Yes, she realized that in her hands some kind of weapon - a sword, dagger, pistol or other object - should end Natsu's life. But she couldn't fully accept it. Turning my head towards the captain, I saw guilt, pity and pain on his face. He looked as if from under his forehead, as if quietly expecting a reaction, already preparing for it. “You knew,” Lucy said this in the affirmative, although at first it was meant as a question. Sometimes, knowing the truth, you just want to hear it personally from the lips of another person. As if there is only one last hope left that this truth will turn out to be a lie. “I guessed,” a trembling, uncertain voice answered. Natsu looked at the girl warily and read in her gaze... nothing. Even knowing a person well, it is difficult to accurately determine his condition, especially at such moments. It was unclear whether she had come to terms with her so-called fate, or had not fully realized reality, or was still hoping to hear about the joke. - In my memory, I saw a woman similar to you. And I guessed that it was your mother, you look too much alike,” a crooked smile.

Let's go back in time.

Thank you, Leila, thank you! - Igneel thanked tearfully and joyfully, holding the small, weak body of his seven-year-old son in his hands. In the woman’s hands was a sword, the metal of which was caressed by a black-scarlet flame, as if it was about to come out, but was chained to the weapon. Soon this black-scarlet flame, flaring up stronger a couple of times with a hissing sound, went out, and the sword itself became dark black, the darkest shade of black that exists in the world. “I was glad to help, really,” the woman smiled faintly. Even before that, she felt that she didn’t have much left: God forbid she could live at least one more year with her beloved daughter and husband. But using inner strength, she spent the allotted time and shortened it. She, of course, was not going to tell either Igneel or Judo about this, because she did not regret her decision just as she did not want to leave guilt in the hearts of men. Heartfilia looked at Natsu and her heart sank in pain. The past, their bad decisions, their stupid naivety and curiosity have ruined so many lives. Kiu is no longer around, and she herself has little left. But with their departure, this Curse, this black power will not disappear. She will see her future in their children. The woman more than once imagined what would have happened if their ship had not fallen into these strange waters, if they had turned around at the obstacles and had not continued on their way, driven by vanity and pride. “What if…” was spinning in my head every night, because this force, the Curse, never let itself be forgotten. And now she is punishing their children. - But you yourself understand that the power cannot be left forever in this sword. If someone finds out about her and takes her for themselves, then this world will not survive,” Leila spoke calmly and nobly, like a real lady, despite her shabby appearance, bruises under her eyes after saving the boy and dirt on the luxurious hem, as they were sitting right on sand and grass. “You will have to... return it to him,” a gentle thin hand touched the boy’s white cheek. - Will I have to give this power back to Natsu? It’s better that the world collapses than... “Igneel,” the woman’s tone rose so much that the father, depressed by the fate of his son, perked up and obediently looked at Heartfilia. - I understand you perfectly. I also look at Lucy and am afraid that after my death the curse will switch to her. But Natsu is a strong boy. He is Kiu's son. He is your son too. I'm sure when the time comes, Natsu Dragneel will make the right choice. It seems to me that he will be able not only to accept this Curse, but also to understand it, to unravel what we could not, and to dispel it, freeing the world from a terrible fate. - But... how to regain strength? This is only subject to you and your ancestors,” Igneel did not look like a man and the captain of a pirate crew. Now he was a wounded poor guy who was afraid of everything around him. I was afraid not for myself, but for my son. And moreover, fatigue directly covered him in a wave: drooping corners of his lips and eyes, wrinkles that appeared beyond his age and time, decrepitude of the body, a shabby appearance. At the word “your ancestors,” the woman winced. Realizing that she could do some things thanks to her blood, the blood of female spellcasters, those who (according to beliefs and legends) had a special connection with the stars and distant power, Leila thought more than once as if their appearance on the cursed island was not an accident . It was as if someone from above wanted to lure the descendant of the Heartfilies. When her fingers ruffled the boy’s pink shaggy hair, the woman thought that he was the reason for everything that was happening, that the conditions had been created for him so that both Kiu and she would get to the island, survive and feel the Black Power. Were they just an excuse, just a pawn for the real king and queen? “I think it’s not only me who can control part of the power,” the gaze of brown eyes moved to the boy’s thin hand, where a small pink bracelet flaunted and sparkled in the rays. Sadly familiar. “His hope is growing happily right now before my eyes.” And when the time comes when fate decides that Natsu has reached that level of skill and knowledge to appreciate the power of the curse, then my Lucy will appear in his life.

Present tense.

What normal person would do any business when at that very moment a hurricane was unfolding in the headquarters cabin (or a weak wind, the pirates could not determine for sure, but they had a presentiment of the bad)? Of course, only Levy continued to read books, as if removed from the entire crowd of pirates, even Erza and Jellal did not hide their interest and bad feeling. How much did their comrades chat with the “guests”? A couple of minutes? Hour? Couple of hours? Considering that the sun had not moved much from its place above their heads, apparently they had not stood for very long, although it felt like a week had passed. Then the first Natsu came out, followed by the father of their pirate, so similar to Lucy with his blond hair, lips and even nose, and behind him was Lucy herself, who was either encouraged or held back from something by Aquarius, patting her on the back. The last to fly out was Happy, whom no one was watching anymore (except for the cats), but with his whole body he perfectly conveyed the state after the conversation that had taken place: devastation, lowered head, sluggish wings, zero reaction to the call of his comrades. Calling over the blue cat, Erza was the first to ask the question: “What happened there?” But the answer was never announced. It seemed that Happy was in some kind of his own world, could not really formulate a thought - he just opened the cat’s mouth, but quickly closed it. From the outside it was strange to watch how the “guests” said goodbye to their captain and girlfriend. At one second it seemed that the man would rush into his daughter’s arms with an impulse, and at another - that he did not care about her existence. This misunderstanding puzzled the pirates, but it was impossible to decide to approach or squeak at that moment, as if they were just spectators. Only when the ship with unexpected guests sailed into the distance, almost disappearing into the horizon along with high, clean sails, did the pirates hesitantly step forward towards the two comrades, their next step became more firm, and in the end they even ran up with questions. Cana and Levy approached Lucy, Jellal and Gray closer to the captain, the rest decided to move a step further - not to push when there is so much space around. Heartfilia faintly muttered something, a completely weightless movement of her hand - and the girl left the crowd, heading to her cabin. She didn’t even have the strength to smile once again, because smiling in her case would be stupid. “Natsu,” Gray began, but stopped at the sight of the captain shaking his head. - Don't ask anything. I don't think I can explain. It's... very family friendly. This old man turned out to be not such a scoundrel as we thought when we first met - he coughed, adjusted his voice, pulled a wide smile on his face and clapped his hands. - So! Let's get to work! Having returned to the previous atmosphere of preparation and excitement, the captain urged the others to go about their business, continue to prepare for future battles and not fill their heads with unnecessary information. Everyone left except Erza, Jellal and Happy, who slowly sank onto his master's shoulder. “You are hiding something important,” Erza’s steely voice sounded like a statement that contained a question. She was almost sure of a positive answer, but still hoped to hear the truth from her friend. - What are you talking about? I'm telling you, it's family and personal, there's nothing to worry about! “It’s unlikely that you would be invited to listen to family conversations over a cup of tea,” Jellal arched an eyebrow, immediately throwing the proof in his face. Dragneel did not answer, but simply shook his head, asking him not to fill his thoughts with nonsense. Why he loved his old friends from the past: Fernandez and Scarlet never pressed, even if they understood that he was not telling something or was silent. Not because they weren't interested or didn't care about his pain, they just believed that sooner or later Dragneel would tell everything. After everyone had dispersed and Natsu was left standing in the cabin with the cat sitting on his shoulder, the guy stroked him on the head, calmly listening to Happy’s sobs, and looked at the horizon, where the dot-ship of the Heartfilia family could be seen in the last seconds.

There was a knock on the infirmary door. At Wendy's invitation, a blond head of cropped hair and clear blue eyes appeared in the doorway. Charlie and Wendy put the leaves, jars and mortars aside, surprised by the unexpected arrival of the youngest Strauss. - I thought maybe... I could help you? In the kitchen, Mira and Elfie can cope without me, and your work is very important for our journey. Young Marvel smiled cheerfully at Lisanna's shy appearance and invited her to sit opposite her, and Charlie remained silent, hiding a grin in which the answer to the real reason for the arrival of this pirate was hidden. - All basic first aid medications have already been prepared, even with a large supply. Now we are secretly developing new drugs, new medicines with the help of magical plants that we dug up on one island. I’m sure that’s why the chest came across our path: medicines can play an important role. Can you help? The fox sat with a surprised face, because she did not expect such serious thoughts and decisions from this girl. She didn't just make herbal infusions and painkillers, but she thought about everything ahead. “So was she influenced by the unknown and scary future, or was she always so determined and fearless?” - Strauss thought, looking from her beautiful brown eyes to the cat, their doctor’s faithful assistant. Charlie frightened her from the very beginning precisely because of the piercing gaze with which she was now calculating the cook. No wonder she already understood everything. “Of course, I’ll be happy to help,” Lisanna added more notes of enthusiasm to her voice, but wondered if she was faking it? She didn’t dare to come here for a long time, and even now she didn’t really know why she chose Marvel. She couldn’t say a word to her sister, she wanted to talk to Cana, but she locked herself in her room, she wanted to find Juvia or Levy, but they were too busy, and Lucy disappeared behind the cabin door. It wasn't that Lisanna underestimated Wendy, but before coming to the infirmary, she still thought about the young age of their doctor. Now she felt a surge of strength. Marvel explained everything about how to squeeze the juice from yellow leaves with red veins and how not to lose precious grams of this juice, which under the sea waves can flow onto the floor and clothes. For a while the work went smoothly, faster than the usual pace when there was only one pair of hands and two cat paws. Lisanna forgot about the reasons for her anxiety and lost herself in the lesson, realizing how important every movement of her hand was. And then Wendy’s honeyed, childish, but strong voice brought her out of her stupor: “Are you afraid?” Lisanna's hand froze. The already large blue eyes grew larger. The girl didn’t decide to look in her friend’s direction, but there was no point in lying - they knew everything. Marvel only seems like a small and naive girl, but her penetrating gaze can make her tremble, because this body contains a whole encyclopedic knowledge and many years of work from a difficult past, when she lived with a healer. - Aren't you? Yellow juice dripped onto the hem of Lisanna's blue skirt, but she didn't even notice it, although Mira, of course, will scold her sister for yet another carelessness, but now it doesn't seem like something important. - A little. And Charlie is afraid. And the rest of the pirates. And even Natsu... - Wendy remembered the state and indecision in which he arrived on the day when he discovered the past, but she did not dwell on it. Everyone has something in their soul that is difficult to tell others: sometimes you need to keep at least something from the ears and eyes of others. - Then why does everyone else behave so naturally and are ready to die? I... - the girl swallowed a lump, her hands were already shaking so much that the thick wooden stick fell out of her hands, leaving a very large mark on the white part of her blue dress. It really seemed to her that no one cared about the future, it seemed to her that she herself was a brave and heroic girl, but for the third night she woke up from a nightmare that she did not remember, and the fear was firmly lodged inside: she would like to get rid of it, but it’s unrealistic. “Because there are much more important things than fear,” Charlie said quietly, picking up the fallen stick, removing the yellow leaves and the plate to the side. - Because if you run away, you will remain safe, but you will never forgive it. Maybe because there is nowhere to run, because this is where we belong? Because even the captain can’t sleep because of a lot of thoughts (including fear), but he understands that running away is not an option? Or because we are pirates? “I think everyone has their own reason to stay,” Wendy smiled, taking Lisanna’s hand and looking into her eyes. “It’s okay to be afraid, but don’t let fear destroy you.” Whatever the conditions, Natsu Dragneel, our captain, the man who brought the team together, is the main reason why you are here too, isn't it? When Lisanna didn't answer, but only looked at her hands with a lost look, the girl looked at the cat with a silent plea for help in this situation. Despite the fact that Charlie understood a lot, saw and knew before the other pirates thanks to her instincts and some kind of sixth sense, the cat often stood on the sidelines and silently watched what was happening. And it’s not that she didn’t feel close to the pirates... it’s more that she didn’t want to interfere with what was about to happen on its own, because you can’t change fate. The cat chuckled. About myself. She looked at her owner, a trusting girl who from a very early age lived only with flowers, medicine and wounds, and surrendered to her inner self. “Fear is not so easy to get rid of, because the subconscious is much stronger than our intentions and desires,” Charlie began, sitting on the doctor’s shoulder, while Lisanna still did not raise her eyes. - But it’s not for nothing that they say that you need to look fear in the face? - making a statement in the form of a question is an important feature in manipulation or persuasion, which the younger Strauss fell for, raising her head in interest. - We are all afraid, but every pirate has his own subject of fear. Understanding its cause is your main task. This way you can use fear for your own benefit, guiding and pushing yourself to action rather than self-flagellation. So fear will become the reason for struggle and self-realization, the starting point for all actions and feelings. It would have been much worse if you weren't afraid. Fear makes us alive and strong. After a little speech, the cat took off and headed towards the shelves with jars to continue its work - be that as it may, they will soon cross the border of the first circle, which means the approach of enemies and dangers. Wendy also decided that that was enough for today with moralizing, which she herself doesn’t particularly like, and moved to the bench on the other side of the table, continuing to test new mixtures. Everything that one would like to say has already been said, the rest is not up to them. A little time passed while the blonde was thinking hard about something with her eyes closed, her eyebrows tightly knitted in an uncomfortable position, after which she abruptly stood up and slapped herself on the cheeks. - You're right. You are completely right, thank you! And with unprecedented zeal, she noisily sat down, took a stick and two more leaves of a different color, blue-green. If Marvel wanted to ask what Strauss came up with in the end, she decided to leave it to her personally. The main thing is that Lisanna understood them, accepted them as they were and made up her mind. You couldn’t tell from her happy face that just half an hour ago she was cowardly looking at the door to the infirmary. The girl laughed awkwardly, realizing what she should be worried about now first of all: “It seems that I’ll get into trouble first from Mira, and then from Erza for ruining my dress.”

In the evening, one half of the pirates gathered at a shabby oak table, on which hot food had already been placed, carefully prepared by Mira and Elfman (Lisanna stayed with Wendy the whole time). Everyone was so engrossed in their work that they rushed into the food like hungry children, as if they had not eaten for several days. But they all ate not terribly, squeamishly (not counting Gajeel), but with such a pleasant appetite that even a person who had eaten to his fill would wake up hungry. This is understandable - food tastes better after hard, painstaking work. Both Natsu and the Strauss looked at all this with a motherly smile, looked at each other without words and laughed. -Where is Lucy? - the question was asked from the end, but everyone, without raising their heads, understood that Levi mumbled. - She’s storming books with you in the library. If you don’t know, how are we supposed to know,” Gajeel answered with his mouth full and full, spitting out salads and potatoes on the table and on the girl herself. This was followed by a slap on the head. Surprisingly, so strong that the guy’s nose ended up in the plate (neither Gajeel nor his faithful Lily could understand how she got so much strength in one blow of her tiny fist). The question was addressed to Natsu, but he didn't answer, he just frowned. And if the captain hoped that no one would suspect anything strange in their behavior after the arrival of Judo and Aquarius, then he was mistaken. Gray constantly tried to bring him to the truth using skillful, resourceful methods, but the naive Dragneel at times did not succumb. Jellal and Erza fell behind, but the navigator and his partner tried to lead to a conversation in direct and indirect text - they were worried, it was obvious. Because Dragneel himself looked a little worried. Suddenly Lucy came into the cabin. A weak smile peeked out on her lips the entire time she reached the table, her chair, where she sat down right next to the captain. Without talking, unnecessary phrases or comments, she began to eat delicious food, surprising both the guy next to her and the others. No one said anything, they watched on the sly, but questions, various guesses and thoughts hovered in the air like an all too noticeable wind, which Heartfilia seemed not to notice. And she didn’t eat as tasty and desirable as the rest of the pirates, as if she was simply throwing vegetables and grains into herself without much pleasure. - Is there something on my face? - she finally asked Mira, who approached the table and brought plates from a tray to the place where Gray had recently sat. Having quickly eaten and thanked the cooks, the navigator ran out of the table to his workplace, clearly worried about Juvia, who had not eaten anything since the morning. It made me smile. “Only beauty,” the girl’s wide angelic smile and sugary voice would make everyone embarrassed by such an unexpected compliment. Heartfilia chuckled at this, but could not play along with a satisfied smile and a playful wink, as if not noticing how Natsu watched every change of her emotions, every feature. “If you are so worried about my father’s unexpected arrival, then... there is no need to worry.” He just told me a little about my mother, who, by the way, was also a pirate in the distant past. Believe it or not, she was related to Natsu's parents. So to speak, we learned, remembered, and were sad. No more,” Lucy looked meaningfully at the guy sitting next to her. He blinked a couple of times at her quick, sly head movements and raised eyebrows that meant, “Play along.” Surprise was too obvious on his face, because to some extent he expected Lucy to tell everything: about the Curse and about her mission. But no, the girl only generalized, while telling only the truth - you need to be so skillful with your words to honestly answer the question without finishing! When the girl pinched the guy under the table, continuing to fake a smile and hint at his reaction with her eyes, Dragneel seemed to wake up and nodded approvingly. - Right! Happy and I were also surprised at how closely we turned out to be connected. Everyone who was in the dining cabin let out a resounding “ah”, either feeling upset or breathing out a sigh of relief. With smiles and understanding, after some fragmentary phrases that neither Dragneel, nor Heartfilia, nor the quiet Happy heard, the comrades continued to have dinner, eating what was left on their plates, washing it down with the rum brought by Cana. At the same time, important issues began to be discussed: how much ammunition to distribute to each pirate, what medicines should be kept with them, what monsters they might actually encounter, or what natural elements they would yet have to face. Lucy looked at Cana, who never took her eyes off her the entire time. She continued to peer, as if she wanted to understand, find out, or confirm something. Heartfilia didn't understand what Alberona was getting at as she shook her head and continued eating.

Lucy deliberately did not speak to the captain all the time after her father left, only turning to him once at dinner. She didn’t look in his direction, didn’t listen to his requests, ignored him and looked away. It was impossible to talk in private: she kept dodging and running away. In general, she behaved like a child. Natsu understood this, feeling both anger and guilt. And Lucy herself understood this. I understood, but I couldn’t gather my thoughts. It seems that he will see him and everything inside will explode. She realized why Natsu, after awakening and revealing the secrets of the past, walked around dazed for the first time and could not concentrate. Thoughts were far from “today”: they wandered between time and could not stop their progress. Late in the evening, when every pirate had already eaten and the Strauss family was preparing snacks for the night watchmen, the captain asked Happy to keep his partner in one distant archive cabin, and then leave them alone. The cat did not ask about the reasons, did not even joke about privacy and the “sweet couple”, since he was present at the meeting with Judeau and heard everything, understanding and supporting Lucy’s condition. He thought, although he didn’t say it out loud: “Nothing will be the same again.” At that moment, when Heartfilia, on behalf of the blue cat, placed three folders exactly in the archive, which consisted of poor two shelves, not even completely filled, Natsu appeared. He carefully locked the door behind him so that no one would accidentally walk in and hear something they shouldn't have heard. The girl released the folder in surprise, holding back an escaping scream. He walked in so quietly that the door didn’t even creak, so I was scared when, when turning, I found another person in a small room. - We need to talk. A scary phrase that usually does not bode well. You want to immediately abandon the conversation and leave, but you stand there and stress yourself out, wondering where you did something wrong, what happened, what he’s going to say. But not in this case. The girl perfectly understood the topic of the conversation and assumed what he would say, which is why she did not want to listen. No excuses, no regrets, no reproaches. Therefore, without even lifting the folder, she clenched her fists and walked towards the exit, past the guy. It was naive to believe that he would miss it, wasn’t it? Natsu grabbed the girl's hand, stopped her before she opened the door, turned her around and pressed her against the wall. From unexpected sudden movements, Lucy closed her eyes, afraid to lose her balance and fall, and when she opened, Natsu’s calm but confident face stood in front of her. Exactly the one that struck her in the first days of her appearance on the ship, when in her soul there was hatred for him, and in her eyes - the image of a stupid and soulless captain who was happy to swing his sword right and left. And it was at that second, when her back met a solid wooden wall, her hand did not let go of her hot hand, and her breath caught from the proximity, right now the thought flashed through her head: “How long ago it was. My appearance, my hatred, my false thoughts.” “No, you listen to me,” Natsu said still calmly, although he was boiling inside. From different emotions. And feelings. - I understand that it’s not easy for you, but ignoring me and your future is wrong. You won't change anything. Whether you want it or not, you will have to... - the voice dropped to a half-whisper, - kill. Brown eyes widened. My heart began to pound furiously due to various circumstances: fear from the captain’s words, hatred of my fate, resentment towards my mother and father, and... love. You caught your breath, there was a lump in your throat, tears were coming - everything was the same as always, the same suffocating state when two sides put pressure on one of you. - Do you... understand what you are saying? Just accept? Resign yourself? You probably thought of telling me already on the island, before your death. Face the fact. Hand me a dagger, a knife, some other damn thing and ask me to kill you. Is that what you wanted? “No,” the guy blinked in confusion. “To be honest, I don’t know when I would be able to tell...” “How?” the girl shouted, cutting the guy off, taking him by surprise. - How can you say this to me so calmly? How can you ask to be killed? If you don't care, then how could you not think about me? How will I feel when I have to stain my hands in the blood of my loved one?! Dragneel pulled away. He was taken aback by the direct confession, although a few days ago they both understood each other’s feelings (however, it is one thing to understand, another to hear from the object of his love), he flinched from the girl’s tears and felt the blow of her fist in a fit of emotion on his chest stopped my heart, grabbed me captive and squeezed until it hurt. Not physical. Emotional. When the first tear, which had been standing in her eyes for a long time, rolled down her cheek, the girl struck a second time. Then again, stronger, with two fists, aiming straight at the captain’s hard chest, when these tears could not be held back. The cup of patience for the end has cracked. She had been holding back all day and hoped to accept it on her own, wanted to speak out and discuss the truth with Levy, Cana or Erza, but she couldn't tell them anything. And I didn't want to. After all, this is their secret. This is their common pain, based on love and gratitude. Which only they and their faithful Happy know about. Fragile bare shoulders trembled from under the fabric of the dress, calling for the embrace of men's hands. Natsu pulled Lucy in and hugged her, as tightly as tenderness could be expressed in this fortress. And how could Heartfilia resist if this was exactly what she had been waiting for from the very minute she heard about her “mission”? “I’m sure everything will be fine,” he carefully stroked his blond hair. “If your mother killed me to take away my power, but I survived, wouldn’t the same thing happen this time?” I think I need to die for the power to merge with me again. But I won't die forever. Lucy raised her head and looked into his eyes. She didn’t say anything because she couldn’t, the letters simply wouldn’t form words: they seemed to crumble somewhere on the tongue and disappear. - I promise. And a reverent kiss on the forehead. Which took the girl's breath away. She couldn't help but smile, finally feeling calm and confident. Will Natsu Dragneel keep this promise?

Despite a very active and productive day, full of events, actions and emotions, despite the burdens and objects that had to be sorted through in search and selection of weapons, despite the planned duty, no one slept at night. Some remained on the upper deck near Gray, who controlled the helm, while others sat with Natsu in the headquarters cabin. And everyone was waiting for the cherished time when they would cross the border and enter the first “circle”. There was silence in the office, despite the considerable presence of pirates. Capital sat at the beginning of the table, next to him on the tabletop sat a faithful cat, sadly looking at his owner. Next to one side is the confident Erza, imperturbably calm, although inside she is all compressed in trembling, on the other is Jellal, staring at the map and the drawn approximate circles, as if he was trying to see their ship in the drawn waters and check the route. Gajeel and Levy were also there: the latter continued to write and read something from the books that filled the table. The table was almost gone: maps, sheets, notepads, ink, stacks of books - the pirates were really preparing carefully. And they are still preparing. Cana sat opposite McGarden, in her hands - a half-empty bottle and a card, the suit and number of which no one could see, and boredom in her eyes. Anyone who looks at her will assume that she already knows what will happen, but this is not the case. She only felt, although she had no idea how their fate would turn out. Is it worth guessing again? Won't this cause even more trouble? Will he interfere with fate or just spy? “I’d like to ask something,” Gajeel’s sharp, low bass rang through each pirate like a little thunder that brought everyone out of their own thoughts. Natsu nodded in agreement, seeing that they were going to address him. He clenched his teeth from the rapid current of anxiety, but immediately relaxed, because before him were his faithful comrades. - What will happen next? I mean, once you have this strange power, what next? The question was very interesting both for the other pirates and for Natsu himself. It’s unlikely that anyone had time to seriously think about the consequences, about what would happen after the journey was completed. Everyone was thinking only about the immediate future, about how to protect themselves and others, and... not die. “I don’t know,” the captain admitted honestly. He closed his eyes in thought and searching for an answer, but everything was unpredictable. “I have a feeling that our adventure will not end with the return of strength.” As if something else could be waiting for us, as if this force would affect our calm, carefree life as pirates. What to do with Mar de Gaulle? Will Natsu change after accepting the power? What should they do with this power, just store it? Will it influence their team, their desire to live cheerfully and well? Many questions were swirling in Dragneel's head when Gajeel, unexpectedly for himself and the others, asked a reasonable question. Even Levy looked at Redfox with new eyes, as if she was discovering him from a different side for the first time. “But I liked that you didn’t even doubt that the power would go to us,” Dragneel winked at his comrade, stroked the cat on the head, who smiled, tensely and anxiously, but at the same time sincerely, and met the same smile on the faces of the pirates . - It seems that you are absolutely confident in our victory. - As if something would go differently! We are Fairy tail! - the boatswain hit the tabletop hard with his big hand, leaving a small hole in the shape of his palm (it’s good that he didn’t break it at all). Levy, sitting next to her, was so scared that she jumped up in her chair and felt her heartbeat speed up. And then she hit the guy in the back of the head. - You can be quieter! Not only Gajeel, but also everyone present fell silent. On the one hand, Gajeel expressed a good idea, on the other hand, he added more reasons for the headache. Maybe some people didn't take the new information very well, but Natsu, Happy and Cana could no longer focus on the present. Only now are they wondering if this is just the starting point, the first place in a whole story? Maybe this is just a drop in the ocean and there will be more to come? Maybe they are used for some purposes that are still unknown to them? The streams of thoughts were interrupted by firm, heavy steps on the stairs. Someone was descending from the upper deck, where the other half of the crew stood near the helm with Juvia, waiting for that very time when there was no turning back. Elfman ran into the headquarters cabin (which is not surprising, because the steps were very audible). He muttered something like “Captain” and “Dragneel”, although no one really understood in what order and with what other words, but it was no longer important. They have arrived. To the first round. Natsu stood up. Everyone else followed him, only Happy remained sitting on the tabletop. Everyone nodded - to someone, another pirate, to their thoughts or to Elfman, but it didn’t matter at all - and gathered for the exit. And when everyone else came and disappeared behind the doors, the guy turned to his cat friend. Happy is a bad actor, all emotions and thoughts are written on the cat's face. Dragneel was not going to smile sweetly to reassure his comrade, because he knew that it would not help, and also understood that no matter how sincerely he smiled, falsehood would find a place in the corner of the smile and would not hide from the cat’s gaze. Beads of tears appear on the cat's round eyes as the guy gently strokes his head. - I will protect you. “I won’t let you die,” Happy was going to say these words confidently and firmly, like a real hero (and Natsu knew it), but because of his emotions and tender gaze, he tremblingly uttered phrases that were too quiet for the others, but clearly audible for the captain. Natsu Dragneel knew that Happy's words were not just words. He knew that his friend would be with him to the end. And for some reason this made me feel not calm, but, on the contrary, sad. When the two had already reached the deck, where everyone had gathered around the helm, Natsu slowed down. While everyone around was looking at what was ahead, at what awaited them, the captain looked at his team. He clearly saw their fear of the unknown, and their confusion, because these waters were obviously of a completely different level of danger, and their excitement, spark, excitement. Pirates are not just bad boys who imagine themselves kings of the seas and want to find treasure on uninhabited or forgotten islands, which, however, is also part of the truth, but only a part and only about certain teams that Dragneel managed to see in his time. Fairy tail is more than just a band of sea robbers, as people on land interpret, they are a family that includes all those who have previously been rejected, who have suffered pain and who wanted to find their place in this world. Learn something new, see something unusual, find, fight, take away, if necessary, injure, if necessary, kill, protect, drink, rush into danger and Live. Therefore, the guy was not surprised by such a cocktail of emotions, when fear became one with joyful anticipation. There is a share of fear in every undertaking; in open waters, every minute can change the sun into clouds, light waves into violent ones, a breeze into a storm, and life into death. Natsu walked up to Lucy. She smiled at him and returned her gaze to the direction where everyone else was directed. The guy smiled back. And Happy flying above them too. If you look from the outside, without knowing the context, you will not understand that the pirates are sailing into the unknown. Lis and Mira calmly stand in front of their big and beloved brother Elfman - and it is immediately clear that he is their wall, which will protect loved ones. Next to the Strauss family, Wendy was leaning on the railing. The miniature body in a blue dress with delicate ribbons and this sincere light in the eyes made the medic stand out from the rest, as if an exemplary daughter was lost among the wandering pirate robbers. Levy, even though she slapped Gajeel more than once, still involuntarily pulled closer to him, feeling some kind of confidence in her abilities next to him, while the always serious Lily was in McGarden’s arms in a homely way. On one side of the helm stood Juvia, who steered the ship while Gray had previously sat with the captain on the deck. Now Fullbuster did not take the role of navigator for himself, but simply stood nearby. Very close. So close that their shoulders were almost touching, and the girl felt the guy’s warmth, which was very calming. On the other side of the helm stood Erza with her arms crossed over her chest - her favorite position. Nearby, Jellal also has his arms crossed. They did not stand very, very close, they did not try to take an extra step towards each other, they did not cast meaningful glances, but at the same time there was a feeling of loyalty. At first glance they do not seem very close, but from the second you understand that they are more than friends. Cana stood next to Lucy, arm in arm, like friends. If Alberona was worried, then it became much easier for her to breathe next to Heartfilia, to whom she told a lot due to an overabundance of emotions and thoughts. And this whole picture of people on deck shows more as if they were returning to their homeland - in anxiety, because after many years, in fear, because it is unknown how the return will be perceived, and in trembling joy from meeting with family and friends. But it's the other way around. They go to where no one is waiting for them, where they have not been, where no one wants to return (in fact, they cannot). And from where almost no one returns.

At some point, Lucy felt a sharp second, even millisecond pain in her head, as if someone had shot right through her. Having closed her eyes from the pain that had quickly gone away, she opened her eyes with a strange feeling. Everything is gone and changed. Dark tones with gray and outlines of rare purple and blue shades could not convey the picture of what was happening. In a split second, Lucy saw terrible scenes and moments, as if stopped in time: Elfman without one arm, Kana without feet, wounds and pouring blood, in which it was difficult to see the outlines of someone. And the smell was disgusting, disgusting, unlike anything, difficult to explain and comparable to anything. There was a scream in Heartfilia's ears. High, piercing through, chilling, causing fear. It turns everything inside into one hole, squeezing every organ. Only when Lucy returns back to reality, to her normal and healthy comrades, does she realize that this illusion or mirage, or something incomprehensible, lasted only two seconds while the ship entered the boundary of the first circle. Everyone thought that this “border” would be just a conventional line somewhere in the sea, but each pirate clearly felt how the color, air, and smell changed exactly at the point where it all began. And while the ship “entered” a secret place, Heartfilia observed terrible pictures. Apparently, she was the only one, since everyone was relatively calm. Of course, everyone was afraid, but they were also looking forward to it. But Heartfilia was seriously frightened, grabbing the hand of the incomprehensible Natsu for support. It took Lucy a second to realize that the scream belonged to to her. Screamed desperately she.

Notes:

Hello to everyone who remains and to the new ones!
Again I delayed the chapter for a long time, I apologize again, I’m really sorry!
But in response, she posted the biggest chapter among all the others. I hope you like it.
Happy start of the school year, schoolchildren, students and already working people!

Prologue. Introduction.

Paris...This famous city. How many centuries has it beckoned, attracted fools, brave men, romantics, and how many souls it has managed to destroy. Paris is beautiful in its cruelty. The deadly volleys of the Great Revolution had not yet thundered, the sharp knife of the guillotine had not yet cut off the royal heads, there was not yet a tyrant in power. But even despite this, it was possible to distinguish rare musket charges from around the corner of another street.

It was the night from August 26 to 27, 1648, it was a terrible time. The Queen Regent, today, ordered the arrest of the head of the parliamentary opposition, Brussels, to which Paris reacted, of course, not without someone's handout, very excitedly.

This was the first year of the Fronde, the same Fronde, the memory of which has repeatedly shocked more than one generation of French royalty. Truly a scary time. Although it was not marked by bloody executions and reprisals, someone still suffered more than one misfortune, caused by a series of anti-government unrest that raged in the country.

The princes of the blood rebelled against the first minister of France, who, according to secret denunciations, was the husband of the queen herself, who, by the way, lived with him in the same palace, which was important evidence of this. The king is almost a baby, a child who is not yet fit to rule the state. Chaos and riots are happening in the country, countless taxes are levied on the already disadvantaged people, which well explains the act that happened that night...

Led by the coadjutor of the Archbishop of the Paris diocese, Monseigneur de Gondi, a terrible uprising arises... While the supreme government sleeps peacefully in the Palais Royal, commanders, captains, lieutenants and other persons are appointed on the streets of Paris, raising the people. Several thousand ready for battle, furious and eager Parisians took to the streets of the capital that night. The population of the city seemed to be divided into several companies, detachments, dispersed on different sides of the city, despite this, everyone was busy with a common cause. And what exactly this “common cause” was, many simply did not understand. Each detachment was led by one or another person; I probably won’t go into names, because it is certainly difficult for the reader to remember and understand so much information. In just one night, more than one thousand two hundred barricades were erected around the Palais Royal, the palace occupied by the royal family at this time. The Parisians occupied their kings; they fought cruelly and mercilessly for some just cause. The city was besieged, but even the most ardent frontiers did not suspect that with her bold actions she could cause damage to herself...

Rene Louviere was not a nobleman, however, even despite this, he had a nobility that any scion of the nobility could envy. He did not fully understand why he was doing this, why he was breaking glass on the windows in the houses of the Mazarinists, why he was so furiously using his hands, erecting barricades, why he was yelling so loudly, calling on people to work more actively. Why go against the highest authority at all? He didn't know the answer to that.

This handsome, pale-faced youth, who was barely twenty-three, is an excellent example of a man of that time. Its whole essence lies in the fact that from time immemorial, from war to war, from revolution to revolution, man has been in search. He is looking for a better government, even if this one is good, he is looking for a better country, even if life is not bad in this one. A person is always looking, has been looking, and will continue to look, that’s just how he is. And you can’t blame a man of that era for a stable instinct, because he, just a resident of the people, just a peasant, a city dweller, a worker, never wanted anything for himself. He lost his voice at rallies, he broke his legs in mass stampedes, but he was always in hope. In hope for a bright future, in hope for improvements in the life of the country and people. This was the man of that time. Rene could also be considered such brave men, ready to give his head on the block for the people, for the faith, for the truth. But he didn’t even know where the truth was! He just walked, walked against fate, fought against what everyone was fighting against.

Gentlemen, it's already dawn. Raise this one higher and go to the outposts! “They will wake up soon,” Louviere shouted and hurried the sleepy but still enthusiastic Parisians. “I say, raise this one higher!” - he pointed to the barricade, and seeing a positive reaction, he ran in the opposite direction from the building, to the main square, which was already enclosed in a ring by other barricades.

Where are you going? Now the royal guard will go on duty, and you, after all, have been appointed our commander. You shouldn’t leave us, otherwise who else besides you will be able to command so intelligently. No, no, you can’t leave, you never know, the guards will come here, and without your control we will break the entire system! - a stooped, small worker who actively took part in the construction said to the departing Rene.

Calm down, Genevel, I’ll be back in a quarter of an hour,” Louviere reassured him and ran again, without stopping, towards the square.

The square itself surrounding the Palais Royal was quiet, which very successfully distracted attention from the unexpected buildings that the population of Paris had erected in just one night. All of them were located on the streets surrounding the palace, so that not a single living soul could leave there without knowledge. This whole system of barricades successfully surrounded the palace, but for Rene himself it was extremely unhelpful. After all, having taken charge of commanding his detachment, he completely forgot that his beloved was on the other side of the city. And only now he realized that there was an inextricable wall between them, that they were on the other side of the barricades...

Part 1. Opala.

Frantically breaking through the crowds of bustling Parisians rushing to take their places for the coming morning, Renee ran forward. On the next street was her love, her life, her Rene. The girl was separated from her lover by only one street, but by a dozen large barricades. But she rushed forward, she was ready to jump over any obstacle, and only because she loved, and in the name of love she was ready to do a lot.

Some strange, terrible premonition haunted Rene. Villeroy knew that he led his detachment, moreover, she knew him; I knew that he would go to victory, that he would shoot, rebel, she knew that he was brave, and that he would act just as bravely. She knew that he would not be afraid to be hanged, that he would not be afraid to while away his life in the stone walls of the Bastille. But the girl also knew that Rene loved her, and that perhaps in a few minutes, during the first round of the city guard, he could inevitably come under fire. Perhaps it was this terrible premonition that made Rene run, pushing people aside, just to see him, perhaps for the last time.

These were not the times when people could live a dream, build magical castles where there was a lot of happiness; no, these were cruel times when only kings could hope for a miracle, and for the common people this was strictly taboo. People lived relying only on themselves, and survived, most likely, only thanks to faith.

Near the first checkpoint, Rene was stopped. They didn’t heed her pleas, her tears, they didn’t let her through, that was the order. “Don’t let anyone go anywhere,” and Villeroy, willy-nilly, had to obey.

But the people on the barricades calmed down, became quiet and assumed their combat readiness. The Royal Guard entered service. The bypass of the city began, just when the detachment led by the captain of the guard stumbled upon the first barricade. And, probably, almost simultaneously with them, other detachments saw something similar. Messages about this were heard at lightning speed. The guards were at a dead end and immediately sent a messenger to the Louvre and Palais Royal to report the numerous outposts surrounding the city. There were no representatives of the highest authorities in the Louvre; the royal family and the first minister were in the Palais Royal, when it was surrounded by a whole system of barricades and a large crowd of people who had already emerged from behind the barriers. Almost instantly the crowd roared with its furious howl: “Down with Mazarin!” was heard from everyone’s lips. And within a few minutes the palace was on its feet.

Worried courtiers timidly walked along the corridors of the Palais Royal, while the no less concerned queen regent and her first minister gathered with the council and a messenger finally broke into the palace. The messenger described the situation in the city in detail: “More than a thousand different barricades surrounded the palace. Your Majesty, you are surrounded, you are almost a prisoner of your own people,” the messenger conveyed the words of the captain of the guards company, “The Parisians are militant, they demand the return of Brussels to them.” And they won't calm down. The windows in the houses of many of your followers have already been broken.”

Thousands of Parisians stood at the outposts, kept watch at the palace, without leaving or surrendering for a second. It could not do without victims on the part of the royal guard, and it could not do without victims on the part of the people. Musket balls rattled among the slender heights of Paris. Now on the battlefield there were nobles, noble, with their swords hanging on embroidered baldrics, and courageous, staunch townspeople, with improvised materials, in the absence of more impressive weapons. And if absolutely everyone, although in fear, was not devoid of enthusiasm, the day seemed shorter than usual to them, then for two Renés, a brave young man and his faithful beloved, the day seemed like an eternity. And even the alluring and warm August sunset, which painted the skies with ocher, could not distract the young people from sad thoughts. They still remained in obscurity, she thought that the young man had long been wounded, when he thought that his Rene, that his love, that she, the one more beautiful than whom he had never met, was defeated, and perhaps dishonored in the time of unrest. Being several hundred steps away from each other, they knew absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, Louviere, commanding his detachment of Parisians, put up great resistance to the guards, and Villeroy, lost in the crowd, but not losing her presence of mind, shouted almost the loudest of all, rushed forward with all her fury, warlike, ready to lead almost not the whole world.

Meanwhile, several people from parliament managed to penetrate into the occupied palace. And after long consultations with the queen and the minister, the following words were announced and conveyed to the captain of the guard and his guards:

“Due to the aggressive behavior of the people, anyone, regardless of class, gender and age, who is spreading unrest, should be taken into custody. Everyone will be placed in the Bastille, but if there are not enough places, then several people will be put in a cell. Each person will be tried will be carried out to eliminate the problem. The commandant of the fortress will be notified. They will threaten to shoot anyone who resists."

They hoped that with one such order they would be able to rein in the people. The people didn't think so. But nevertheless, entire convoys were distributed and with a clear military step walked through the streets of the city, taking into custody anyone who was too loud, as the order said, regardless of gender, class and age, under arrest.

As soon as they heard such an order, those who stood in front hastened to convey to the gallery what they had just heard, so that they, standing with their troops, had time to prepare or hide from the advancing guardsmen. These measures were necessary in order to retain as many people as possible in their units and to hold out the erected barricades for as long as possible. Rene, who was so actively leading the movement, received a message about the danger from a comrade, and immediately gave the command to his own. The detachment quickly found its bearings, hastily strengthened the barricade, and, led by Louviere, moved away, hiding, so that if something happened, they could quietly attack the convoy with the guards and neutralize them.

In the meantime, everything is going so well for Rene and his squad, let’s move on to those who are much less fortunate.
Indeed, Renee Villeroy, who shouted so loudly and acted so fiercely among the crowd of Parisians, was completely unaware of the approaching danger. Just during the next loud remark, she was overtaken by disgrace. The guards, forgetting about the respect that a man is obliged to show to a woman, grabbed the poor girl and, taking advantage of her misunderstanding, placed her in a row among themselves. Then, raking away the people like a shovel, they carried her and the other unfortunates somewhere far away. She did not utter a word as a sign of resistance, only from the roar of the departing convoy came a piercing, full of faith: “I will see you, my dear Rene!”

Part 2. Prisoner of the Bastille.

Rene Villeroy and others taken into custody were led to a formidable fortress, the very name of which brought everyone into fear - the Bastille. Oh, how many people died in these insensitive centuries-old walls, it’s impossible to count! But the girl had no fear, there was an incomprehensible feeling inside, and trembling, some strange trembling. And now the cavalcade enters the territory of the fortress, the commandant of the Bastille was notified, so the guards and prisoners were allowed through without hindrance. Actually, there weren’t very many prisoners themselves, so there was enough for each person to have a cell. It was in vain that Villeroy, in great excitement, looked for Rene with her eyes. Nowhere was such familiar hair to be seen, nowhere were there such familiar, usually such warm eyes, and the even line of lips, so serious and stern in appearance, but so charming when smiling, was also invisible. Louviere was nowhere to be found, despite the desperate search for the girl. Renee had already lost hope; She dropped her hands, and she, so devastated, with dull eyes, was led through all the gates, taken into the fortress and, along with the rest of the prisoners, screaming, struggling, she, calm, was taken away and thrown into a cell. But now people still complain about cruelty towards women! But then the guards were forgiven for this, they were given an order, and they were obliged to honor it. Moreover, the detainee is not even a noblewoman, so treat her with respect... Unhappy Renee!

It was always the woman who had the most difficult experiences, it was always the woman who had to suffer the most. Suffer for yourself, for a broken life, for lost love, for freedom. It is inherent in nature that a woman always strives for happiness, for ordinary female happiness. To love and to be loved. It seems so simple, but at the same time so difficult. It is always difficult to love unrequitedly, but it is much more difficult to love in return. For in the first case there is hope, invisible, small, but hope, it gives strength to live. But loving in return is much, much harder. When a woman loves and is loved, she finds true happiness. But the unspoken law says: You have to pay for happiness. The one who reaps happiness to the fullest pays much more. And perhaps all the sacrifices, all the suffering of people arise precisely as a result of great happiness.

Now Renee did not live, she felt, she saw and heard, but she could not live. She loved, loved him more than life itself. They understood that perhaps he did not know where she was or what was happening to her. The girl felt that no matter how life turned this carousel around, she would never experience such happiness again. Villeroy knew - she drank that cup to the end, and now she must pay. Renee was already preparing herself that she would never see her beloved again.

Separation is the word that people have in their nightmares. This is what every person is afraid of. Separation is probably the worst punishment for lovers, especially if it lasts forever.

Renee seemed to be staggering around the cell as if in some kind of fever. In this insensitive, gray cell, which caused so much pain, leading to despair. Such a miserable room, with a small bed and a window blocked by bars. Through it you can’t see the stars, through it you can’t see the sky, which both Renés loved to look at so much while walking at night, such long, seemingly ephemeral, alluring summer nights. How they loved to fall into the grass, forgetting about all decency, and just lie, talk, and be together. And she loved to look into his burning eyes, loved to listen to his beautiful aristocratic speeches, loved when he coquettishly tilted his head to the right, loved when he sang songs to her and tenderly held her hands in his. But that’s all it was! The memories were heartbreaking. When a person is free, he is free to himself, he can run wherever he wants, say whatever he wants. And even if he feels bad, he can cope with it...And here? Here the stone walls are the only interlocutors, but you can’t talk to them, and even if you tell them something, they won’t help. They will only put pressure on you, restrain you and take away your stories. They will keep them, as they keep the stories of many other prisoners, but they will never help. Rather, they will drive you to complete madness. And this is inevitable, such is the fate of all prisoners, all lovers; to be buried in oneself, to be destroyed in one's thoughts.

It is unknown how long Renee spent in this lonely, cold cell. Only now there was no former calm in her. Now the apathy has begun. Emotions, feelings choked her, there was a feeling of unsaidness, a lack of something. Rene was now choked by the thought that she had not finished speaking with her Rene, that she seemed to have not fully told him everything, that she had not fully made it clear to him that she loved him. That she did not save, did not save and did not prevent such a sad outcome of events. That she doomed him to torment, because he probably still doesn’t know that she’s in prison. He looks for her, worries, finds no place for himself, or maybe, deciding that she has died, he dies himself. Villeroy hated herself for this. The feeling of guilt and inferiority from something did not leave me alone. You know, this happens to a person when he gets tired of waiting for something and not waiting, of wanting something and not getting it, of going towards something but never getting there. It's like psychosis. The same thing happened with Rene. She threw herself around the cell, tore out her hair, sent curses to the sky and simply screamed heart-rendingly... Out of despair. Renee couldn’t do anything except pray, but during such rage she wanted to send the whole world to hell, hit the walls, yell, throw and turn everything back. Which is what she did. When her strength ran out, she, exhausted, exhausted, collapsed straight onto the stone floor and fell into oblivion.

And what tortures do people have to endure in the hope of happiness or what do they have to experience after tasting the fruit of happiness. A clear example is Renee, who was forcibly separated from her Renee. And it seems that she has already experienced the worst, but no, the worst was only awaiting her and him in order to finish them off, people who had once experienced happiness...

Part 3. Grevskaya Square.

All devastated, not understanding where she was, Renee lay on the stone floor of her cell. The capital had long been shrouded in night, dark, impenetrable, cold, and it seemed that everyone preferred the night before. That night when there were no bloody fights, when there were no imprisonments, and when two hearts could still meet each other. A chilly wind rushed into the dark chamber, but even this could not make the girl rise. Her thoughts were confused, her memory was dull, and only one word was pounding in her head: “Rene, Rene, Rene...!”

And time went on and on and seemed to hang over Villeroy like some strange cloud. There was silence. Only occasionally could the lonely cries of other prisoners be heard from other cells, but they were doomed to remain unanswered. Suddenly, completely unexpectedly, Renee jumped up from the floor and, after a long estrangement, ran as fast as she could to the door. There, pressed against the iron “wall”, completely turned into hearing, she stood and greedily absorbed the sounds of footsteps coming from afar. And as if Renee felt something familiar in them, either the familiar sound of heels or a familiar smell. It was he. Now the sounds of his steps could be heard more clearly on the damp stone walls, now his nervous cough and deep sighs could be clearly heard. They were only separated by a couple of meters! Hope is what possessed the girl at that moment. “He came for me! Yes, this is my Rene, he will free me, free me...” - her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the door lock, which forced Villeroy to recoil from the door. And then the door opened, behind the corpulent commandant he appeared to her. Just as courageous, slender, with the same deep gaze that seems to penetrate into your very soul. His disheveled hair; his white shirt, lathered with sweat and blood, torn in places by sharp spikes; his almost collapsed boots, worn out by dew - all this made Rene so beautiful in the eyes of Villeroy that any bad thoughts were pushed aside. Likewise, he, a formidable street warrior, completely forgot about the terrifying news that he had to tell, as soon as he looked into her eyes, so warm, filled with tears of happiness. And she still didn’t know what awaited them! Renee stood opposite her lover, not daring to take a step. And only now her eyes, already completely extinguished, having lost all hope, began to come to life. And even a dirty dress, with the hem long torn off, and even her hair, which a day ago had been styled in such a beautiful hairstyle, fell on her chest in one large, greasy shock, more like tow, did not prevent Louviere from seeing in her the former beauty whom he adored so much . It is unknown how long they stood, simply contemplating each other, but otherwise, why count? The lovers still, abruptly, without saying a word, rushed to each other, embracing each other and putting into them all the tenderness, warmth and trepidation that overwhelmed each of them during these days spent apart. Rene, with all the gentleness that he was capable of, hugged the girl, now and then gently stroking her arms, then her head, then her beloved’s face. And she just clung to him, absorbing every particle, every cell of this man whom she loved so much, adored, whom she admired so much. Now he was hers, and even if it was the last time, and he didn’t care about decency! Louviere covered her lips with his lips, for the last time enjoying the girl who amazed him so much, so inspired and encouraged him, for whom he lived. He kissed him tenderly and passionately, holding him tighter and tighter. He, too, did not care about decency, did not care about the fact that the commandant was pacing impatiently behind them, and that behind the commandant there was a detachment of guards. He didn’t care about all this, because he knew, now for sure, that he would never see his Renee again.

The kiss of the two Renés was interrupted by the gloomy commandant, completely tired of the long farewell of the lovers. In addition, the venerable commandant had to quickly finish the job he started.

Forgive me, dear ones, for interrupting you, but no more than ten minutes are allotted for goodbye. You’ve been saying goodbye for fifteen years already.
-Parting? What does this mean, Rene? - Villeroy was frightened, looking anxiously at the young man.

Rene, yes, this is our last meeting,” Louviere began with a heavy sigh. - when everything calmed down a little, I broke through the broken barricades, looked for you everywhere, in different houses, but people I knew said that you, my Rene, were taken and taken to the fortress. I ran to the Bastille, but they didn’t want to let me and several other unfortunates through here until we broke through by force. They immediately grabbed us, and were just about to leave us in our cells when we started screaming, rebelling, and begging. I was much luckier than them. I spent a long time trying to get you, the only woman imprisoned that whole day, to be released. They didn’t listen to me, they wanted to throw me into a punishment cell, but they waited, there was no order. Some man arrived, he was from parliament, from the queen, with a message to the commandant. Glory to the Almighty, he heard my screams - this kind man helped me, us,” Rene said confusedly, without taking his eyes off his beloved. - He saved you! He, as a person vested with at least some power, helped resolve this issue. I agreed to release you, an innocent victim who suffered through my own fault, but in return to imprison me, an ardent rebel who started an uprising, forgiving the first minister. And it is deserved! After all, how could I live in this world, knowing that through my fault you are imprisoned in this prison? I didn’t initially think of how to save you, but now...Now you are free, and I got what I deserved.

Rene, Rene,” repeated the girl, who had not yet fully digested the information received from him. -Have you thought about how I will live? I, knowing that you are sitting here, in this dark dungeon, instead of me!

Beloved,” he said with sad tenderness in his voice, “you are dear to me more than life, with you, my life, I’m not afraid even of death, I’m ready to lose my head, I don’t feel sorry for it.” The main thing is that you always remember and love me. After all, with the love of such a woman you can do a lot. I, God with me, will survive... After all, besides me, there are many unfortunate people here who are many times worse off than me.
I love you and will love you forever, just as I loved you forever before. If I am destined to while away my life within these walls, I will die with your name on my lips, because never, you hear, never have I loved anyone as much as you! You are not just a person to me, and I will give my life so that you always feel good.

But how will I feel good without you? How can I live with this? - repeated the girl, for whom fate had once again prepared such a blow.

You will definitely recover and be happy. You will meet someone else and he will love you, not like me, but he will love you. He will never leave you, will always be there, will be what I could not be.

But... - Renee just had time to exclaim, bathed in tears of despair, when she was immediately carried away from the cell by two guards.
-I love you, my dear Renee! - the young man exclaimed his last speech, addressing her as “you” for the first and last time. The iron door slammed shut.

No, Renee did not scream, did not fight off the guards, she was somehow strangely calm.
-What awaits him? – with the last glimmer of hope, Villeroy asked, once again watering her already wet clothes with bitter tears.

His? - the commandant seemed to think for a second, - Grevskaya Square, * - then he added, with, albeit a small, but a share of compassion that was not at all characteristic of him.

*Greve Square is the square in front of the city hall in the 4th municipal arrondissement of Paris. At that time it was a square where public executions took place. A more detailed description can be seen on Wikipedia.

Part 4. Rene!..

The morning was incredibly gloomy, as if the weather was also imbued with the very sad mood of both Renés.
The first ten days of September were much more reminiscent of December in its dankness, sadness, raging blizzards, and strong winds. And the uprisings continued to take place, even though the people were given back what they had been seeking for so long, but this did not change either the warlike mood of the people or the decision regarding Louvieres. Everything was going in a circle, a series of cloudy days were so conveniently intertwined with the mood of Renee Villeroy, who during this time was completely absorbed from the world around her, spent all her time walking around the city, along its outskirts, but the most frequent place of her visits was, of course, the Saint-Germain forest , near which the Bastille was located. Not a single news about him. The thought that he would soon be gone killed the girl from the inside, breaking all her will.

But the revolution was merciless; she did not begin to figure out who was guilty and who was not - she simply made a verdict. Terrible, bloody, making tremble not only those to whom it affected, but also those who simply knew and heard about it. She ordered, and it was carried out without considering anyone.

This fateful morning has come for many. Small groups of onlookers leisurely gathered on the pebbly ground of the Place de Grève. Usually there were a lot of people at executions, but either this time the people were so small that even this did not prompt all the lovers of bloody spectacles to come, or many were so carried away by the affairs of the masses that they decided to prefer the execution of some protesters... Nevertheless, people nevertheless, they were slightly excited, they crowded in a chaotic order at the scaffold, anticipating the spectacle. Renee came too. She got lost in the crowd and, covering her head with a massive piece of fabric, stood absolutely depressed, cold, impenetrable. Not a single muscle on her face moved, even her eyes seemed to blink somehow ephemerally, still not a drop, not wetting the pupils, which were dry to the point of impossibility.

Meanwhile, workers were busy moving the last planks, clearing the way for the approaching cavalcade of prisoners. The scaffold was small and not particularly high, but this did not deprive it of that gloomy, terrifying charm that, although it destroys lives, never ceases to attract people and captivate them with its terrible appearance. On this very dais, upholstered in black velvet, there was a mounted scaffold, and an impressive executioner with an already sharpened ax stood and waited. And finally, the guards brought the prisoners to the platform in front of the scaffold, read out the verdict and began to name each prisoner in turn, thereby inviting him to rise and experience his terrible fate. Renee rooted herself into the ground, motionless, fascinated by horror, and watched this spectacle. And he, still as slender, in the same tattered clothes, stood and looked into the distance with some impartial gaze, except that this time his handsome face was a shade paler. We don’t know whether he saw her or not, but perhaps it was her presence, their spiritual contact that helped him stay calm.

They called the first condemned man, who, shaking, every now and then, cried out a meager: “Jesus!” climbed onto the scaffold and, resigned to his fate, wetted the wooden boards with the first blood of that day. Ten more people followed him. We took a break; the executioner needed to sharpen his dull ax. The spectators were in some strange tension, only Rene, who did not even glance at the executions of the other convicts, stood just as motionless, not taking her eyes off her Rene.

It was his turn, he was the last.

By this time, some of the people, tired of so many deaths that had occurred, dispersed. The already small handful of spectators evaporated. Renee, who had been standing in the crowd until then, found herself alone. Only meters away from her were sparse groups of onlookers. A pillar, a statue, accustomed to everything that could await it - that’s what Renee Villeroy represented at that moment.

The verdict was read out and he was summoned.

The young man, meanwhile, with an even, dignified gait, climbed onto the floors of the scaffold, wet with blood. Proudly throwing his head back, gracefully, as if dancing a dance, he bowed one knee after the other and just as proudly, without saying a word, he bowed his head on the block, preparing for the final blow of fate.

The girl’s heart began to beat faster in her chest, even despite the loss of almost all hope, something, albeit weakly, was still fluttering within her.

Louviere moved his lips, so secretly, as if afraid that he would be heard, but only Renee, she understood the last word he uttered. At the same moment, the girl, who had not made a single movement before, screamed, so piercingly and desperately, immediately raising her palm to her open mouth and biting it painfully so that no one would hear. Perhaps it was this loud, piercing scream that could have delayed Rene’s sad death at least for a minute, distracted the executioner... But as soon as a slanting ray of sun broke out from under a layer of clouds, playing with flirtatious rays on the bloody metal of the axe, its sharp tip slid along Rene’s thin neck . She was late. At that moment, the head of the brave young man and beloved man fell from his shoulders and rolled to the very edge of the scaffold.

As already mentioned, Rene Louviere was not a nobleman, but this did not prevent him from dying with such dignity that perhaps Charles the First himself, who felt the same fate half a year later, could envy the endurance, inner strength and sophistication with which a simple Parisian left this world.

Looking at his lifeless face, lying on the same edge of the scaffold, some were in awe, some were horrified, and only Renee, with some incomprehensible feeling of clarity, looking at his parted blue lips, understood that he kept his word, he, as promised, he died with her name on his lips. “Rene” - there was that same light movement on his lips, which made it clear to the girl that while he was still alive, he was no longer there. He always kept his promises, and he kept them this time too.

The people dispersed, the scaffold was dismantled, and the bodies were raked up and taken to the cemetery for burial in a mass grave. And only Rene remained standing on the damned Place de Greve. The ray that peeked out from under the clouds during Louviere’s death immediately disappeared. It started to rain heavily. And even this did not make Villeroy move from her place, she never made a single movement, did not shed a tear.

“Callous?” - the reader may think, no. It’s just that what happened in prison, saying goodbye to her beloved, his last words, warned her. And no matter how undiscerning she was, no matter how much the girl believed in the miraculous salvation of her lover, she knew in her gut that it would be as she was told. Perhaps this is the incredible opportunity for lovers to feel each other. Despite the separation, restrained even by such an impressive fact as the walls of the Bastille, they were close, in souls. We felt each other. This is probably what prepared the girl for the fatal outcome that fate had in store for the two of them. The young man prepared Rene for this final blow with his honor, nobility, and most importantly, his promise to always be there. And while he lived, she lived too. And now that he's gone, what? Why did Renee spend the memory of her lover so dryly and did not shed even one tear in memory of this man? Why? Yes, because a person cannot feel, live, cry when there is no soul in him. The soul in her was killed, which means there is no longer any point in living.