*The next morning - Fairy Tail Guild Hall*
Master Makarov sat behind his desk, his small frame dwarfed by the ornate chair as he studied the intelligence reports Levy had brought him. The guild hall buzzed with its usual morning activity, but there was an underlying tension that hadn't been there the week before.
"So the prince believes these attacks are coordinated," Makarov mused, stroking his mustache thoughtfully. "And he's offering the assistance of his Magic Knights."
"Yes, Master," Levy confirmed, sitting across from him. "Prince Damian is genuinely concerned about the threat to our guild and the town."
"I'm sure he is," Makarov replied with a knowing twinkle in his eyes that made Levy blush slightly. "The question is whether we need his help. Fairy Tail has faced dark guilds before."
"Not like this," Levy said seriously. "The intelligence suggests they're planning something much larger than usual. Multiple guilds working together, coordinated timing..."
"Child," Makarov interrupted gently, "do you trust your guild? Your family?"
The question caught Levy off guard. "Of course I do, Master. But—"
"Then trust us to handle this," Makarov said firmly. "I appreciate the prince's concern, and his intelligence is valuable. But Fairy Tail doesn't hide behind royal protection. We protect ourselves and those we care about."
Levy nodded slowly, understanding the deeper principle at stake. "I'll relay your decision to Prince Damian."
"Good. But Levy," Makarov's expression grew more thoughtful, "tell the prince that if these dark guilds prove to be more than we can handle, Fairy Tail will not be too proud to ask for help. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is admit when you need assistance."
---
*Several hours later - Magic Knights Headquarters*
Damian paced the length of his office like a caged wolf, the intelligence report from Levy's meeting with Makarov crumpled in his fist. Tycun sat in a chair nearby, cleaning his sword with methodical precision while watching his prince struggle with the decision.
"He refused," Damian said for the third time. "Makarov actually refused our help."
"As is his right," Tycun replied calmly. "Fairy Tail is an independent guild. They're not obligated to accept royal assistance."
"But if they're walking into a trap—"
"Then they'll handle it as they always have," Tycun interrupted. "Your Highness, this is exactly what Miss McGarden warned you about. You can't protect everyone, especially those who don't want your protection."
Damian stopped pacing, his emerald eyes fixed on the window that offered a distant view of Magnolia Town. "It's not about protection, Tycun. It's about doing what's right."
"Is it?" Tycun's granite gaze was unwavering. "Or is it about a blue-haired mage who's gotten under your skin?"
Before Damian could respond, Captain Marcus burst through the door without his usual ceremony. "Your Highness! We have an emergency."
Both men immediately snapped to attention. "Report," Damian commanded.
"The city of Hargeon is under siege," Marcus said breathlessly. "A coalition of dark guilds has taken control of the port and is holding the entire population hostage. They're demanding a massive ransom and safe passage out of the kingdom."
Damian felt his blood turn to ice. Hargeon was one of Fiore's major port cities, home to nearly fifty thousand civilians. If dark guilds had truly taken control...
"How many guilds are involved?" Tycun asked, already standing and reaching for his weapon.
"At least four, possibly more," Marcus replied. "They've blockaded the harbor, set up magical barriers around the city perimeter, and they're threatening to start executing hostages if their demands aren't met within twenty-four hours."
"The Magic Council's response?" Damian demanded.
"They're... debating the proper course of action," Marcus said with obvious disgust. "The earliest they can mobilize a response force is three days."
"Three days," Damian repeated, his voice deadly quiet. "Fifty thousand people, and the Magic Council wants to debate for three days."
This was it—the exact scenario he'd created the Magic Knights to address. While bureaucrats argued about jurisdiction and proper procedures, innocent people would die. But it was also the worst possible timing, coming just hours after Levy had asked him to trust Fairy Tail to handle their own problems.
"Your Highness," Tycun said quietly, recognizing the internal conflict playing out on his prince's face. "Hargeon is not Magnolia. This is not about Miss McGarden or Fairy Tail. This is about our duty to the kingdom."
Damian closed his eyes, feeling the weight of command settle on his shoulders like a lead cloak. When he opened them again, his expression was resolved.
"Mobilize the Magic Knights," he ordered. "Full deployment. We leave for Hargeon within the hour."
"Yes, Your Highness," Marcus said, already turning to leave.
"Wait," Damian called, then looked at Tycun. "Send word to Levy. Tell her what's happening and that we're responding to Hargeon. Make it clear that this doesn't change our position regarding Fairy Tail's situation."
Tycun nodded approvingly. "Showing that you can separate duty from personal feelings. Wise."
As Marcus departed to rally the troops, Damian moved to his armor stand and began donning his silver plate mail. The weight of it was familiar now, a reminder of the responsibilities he'd chosen to bear.
"Tycun," he said as he fastened his dark blue mantle, "what if I'm making the wrong choice? What if while we're saving Hargeon, something happens to Levy and the others?"
The red-haired captain was quiet for a moment, considering his words carefully. "Your Highness, you cannot save everyone. But you can save those you have the power to save. Fifty thousand people in Hargeon need you right now. Miss McGarden and Fairy Tail... they have each other."
"That's not particularly comforting."
"It's not meant to be," Tycun replied bluntly. "Leadership isn't about comfort, it's about making the hard choices. Today, the hard choice is trusting that the woman you care about can take care of herself while you take care of those who can't."
Before Damian could respond, a familiar voice called from the doorway. "That's good advice."
Both men turned to see Levy standing in the entrance, slightly out of breath as if she'd run to get there. Her brown eyes met Damian's with understanding and something that might have been pride.
"Levy," Damian breathed, moving toward her. "I thought you'd returned to the guild."
"I was on my way when I heard about Hargeon," she said, stepping into the room. "I came to tell you something important."
"What?"
"That you're doing the right thing," she said firmly. "Hargeon needs you. Those people can't protect themselves, but Fairy Tail can. This is exactly what the Magic Knights should be for—helping those who have nowhere else to turn."
Damian felt something tight in his chest begin to ease. "But what if—"
"What if something happens to me?" Levy finished, moving closer. "Damian, you can't live your life paralyzed by 'what ifs.' I'm a mage, a member of Fairy Tail. Danger is part of what I signed up for."
"That doesn't make it easier to accept."
"I know," she said softly, then surprised him by reaching up to adjust his mantle. "But this is who you are. This is why I... why I believe in what you're building. You're someone who puts duty before desire, who protects those who need protecting even when it costs you personally."
"Levy..."
"Go save Hargeon," she said, stepping back with a determined smile. "Show the kingdom what the Magic Knights can do. And trust that when you get back, I'll still be here to tell you all the ways you could have done it better."
Despite the gravity of the situation, Damian found himself smiling. "I'll hold you to that."
"You'd better." Levy's expression grew more serious. "But Damian? Be careful. This feels bigger than just a ransom demand. Dark guilds don't usually coordinate on this scale unless someone very powerful is pulling the strings."
"We'll be ready for whatever we find," Tycun assured her, then bowed slightly. "Miss McGarden, thank you. Your words mean more to him than you know."
As the sound of assembling troops echoed from the courtyard below, Damian took one last look at Levy, memorizing her face. Then he turned toward the door, his expression shifting into the mask of command.
"Time to go," he said simply.
But as he reached the threshold, Levy called out one more time. "Damian!"
He turned back to see her smiling, though her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
"Come back to me," she said quietly.
"Always," he replied, and meant it with every fiber of his being.
As Prince Damian E. Fiore led his Magic Knights toward their first major deployment, he carried with him the trust of the woman he loved and the weight of thousands of lives depending on his success. Behind him, Levy watched from the window until the last knight disappeared over the horizon.
In Magnolia, dark forces continued their own preparations, unaware that their target's protector had just chosen duty over desire. The stage was set for multiple conflicts, and the kingdom would never be the same.
---