Hey all just wanted to say that I was inspired to write this after reading Nocturna131's Iron King. It's a fun read and I totally recommend it. I loved the premise they came up with and wanted to take my own shot at it, anyway hope you enjoy :D

The crowned prince sat rigidly on the throne, no crown sat upon his head, not yet. He ran his finger over the iron work feeling it's edges, the ambassador was droning on through the formalities. Gajeel clenched his jaw wanting to skip the pomp and get to the point.

"And so it brings me great joy your majesty to inform you that crowned Prince Natsu Dragneel and Princess Lucy Dragneel will be attending your conrination with some twenty Lord's and Lady's in attendance."

"Good." Gajeel said politely. "Please inform Prince Natsu I look forward to his visit." It had been nearly eight months since he had last seen his friend. That had been during his wedding to then Lady Lucy Heartfilia, their marriage had been arranged some three years prior, given that she was the only child of an extremely wealthy Lord of King Igneels it was a very good match. At first Natsu had been enraged at the idea of an arranged marriage but once he had met Lucy he was smitten and they had fallen in love. Gajeel had mocked him mercilessly for his attempts of wooing Lucy which while earnest had not always gone smoothly.

"Well if that is all my Lord's." Gajeel said rising from the throne, his crimson cloak rustled against his back as he rose from the prison of iron. From a distance the throne was beautiful intricately worked but in actuality it was the most uncomfortable chair in the world. One if Gajeel's ancestors had believed a king should never sit easily on his throne and thus the beautiful but terrifying throne was built. Gajeel walked towards the king's door which was set to the side of the throne his Shadow following close beside. The ambassadors and courtiers bowed as he walked away. Once they were into the hallway Gajeel let out a sigh,

"I knew being King would be hard but not this tedious." This earned a laugh from his Shadow, Panther Lily, the exceed had been assigned to the prince at his birth to guard him but Lily had become than a bodyguard he was Gajeel's closest friend and confident. Gajeel unclipped the heavy cloak and threw it to a passing servant.

"Let's get some training in." Gajeel said making his way down the hall towards the barracks, Lily close at his heel still in his battle form. Once they reached the training yard Gajeel removed his tunic and sword belt and grabbed a training sword. Ever since his father's death a year earlier he had spent even more time training, it was a wonderful distraction. His father King Metalicana had been assassinated but unknown enemies of the crown, his throat slit in his private study. After his death the kingdom had entered its year of morning. For one year the throne was to remain without a king and gave the royal family and people time to grieve and for the council to test the crowned prince to see if he was ready to rule. Gajeel's year had gone smoothly as the council had anticipated and a month ago had agreed that it was time he was coronated. The death of his father had hit Gajeel hard but he had put on a brave face for his siblings and kingdom, though he had taken to keeping a least one dagger on his person at all times. He had been the one find his father cold in a pool if his in blood, Gajeel knew the memory would haunt him for the rest of his life.

He and Lily spared for several hours, even though Gajeel could use magic like every member of the royal family he still believed in being skilled with a sword and lance like his soldiers. There were other mages and other means of nullifying magic. Lily landed a blow to Gajeel's side sending him staggering. As Gajeel recovered a member of the council came into the training yard, he bowed and spoke,

"Your highness there is a matter the council would like to discuss with you." Gajeel turned back to Lily and kept sparing.

"What is it now." Gajeel grumbled, the council always had something to discuss with him these days.

"Well with your majesties upcoming coronation we thought now might be a prudent time for your highness to consider taking a wife." He said quickly and clearly. Gajeel countered one of of Lily's blows. He had expected this to come up at some point. Gajeel had no arranged marriage that his father had put in place before his death so now it fell to Gajeel to pick his own bride.

"And who did you have in mind." Gajeel grunted pressing his attack on Lily. He was certain that they had several candidates in mind.

"With your highnesses permission the council will create a list of eligible ladies that will be attending the coronation. To give your grace a chance to meet the ladies before making any final decisions." Gajeel got his blade on Lily's neck winning the match. Gajeel looked over his shoulder at the councilor.

"Fine." He said curtly. The councilor bowed and left the field. "I think that's enough for today, Lily."

"As you say my King." Lily bowed deeply, Gajeel scowled at him.

"I'm not king yet." He snapped as Lily transformed to his smaller size and floated over to perch in Gajeel's shoulder.

"You should start getting used to it. The coronation is only two months away." Gajeel set his sword back in the rack and pulled on his tunic and strapped his belt back around his waist. Gajeel kept thinking about the council and who they would put on their little list. The two walked in silence back to Gajeel's apartments. Once the door was closed securely behind them Lily spoke up again.

"I'm surprised the council broached your marriage this soon. I thought they would have waited until after the coronation." Gajeel moved towards the sofa in front the fire unbuckling his sword belt and drawing out the blade to sharpen it. "I'm more surprised you agreed to let them draw up their list." Lily continued when Gajeel didn't respond,

"It will keep them out of my hair for the next few days at least." Gajeel grumbled as he ran the whetstone along the edge of his blade. "It doesn't mean I'll pick any if the women they present." Gajeel was keenly aware on why the council was pushing the marriage, it was so he could produce an heir. With the assassination of Metalicana the concern over the line of succession had become one if the council's top priorities. At the moment of his death the crown had passed from Metalicana to his eldest son Gajeel but Gajeel had no children so the throne would pass to his younger brother Rogue if he too was killed and finally to their younger sister Wendy. From there the line became more complicated with distant cousins that held claims on the throne. The council feared civil war if the line was broken. So the easiest way to avert this was for their new king to take a wife as quickly as possible and begin producing heirs just a quickly. Gajeel smiled to himself as he thought about his father, Metalicana had always said that Gajeel needed to smile more or he would scare away all the girls with his scowling. 'Well old man I'm sure you're getting a royal kick out of this.'

Gajeel had been right in agreeing with the council and for three days he had had peace and quiet. On the fourth day however one of the council members found him reading through some reports in his solar and informed him they had completed the list of eligible ladies.

"Good, give it to me." Gajeel said wanting to get through the process as quickly as he could. "Actually there is a bit more to this than a simple list. If your majesty would follow me." Gajeel stood up storing the report he had been reading in his desk and followed. The councilor led him to one of the rooms they typically used for council meetings. Inside the large table had been pushed to the side to make room for about thirty or so stands each holding a portrait of a woman.

"If you majesty sees any that interest you I can provide information about the lady." Gajeel looked at the portraits, something about the whole process made his skin crawl. It was like they were horses being trotted out for his inspection but he played along and started to looking at them. The first one he asked about was of a beautiful woman with long fire red hair and stern expression.

"That would be Princess Erza Titania Scarlet. She is an extremely skilled warrior but I will warn you she is known for her temper and is currently being courted by Lord Jellal." Gajeel huffed and walked on skimming over the paintings. He inquired about serval more to appease his councilor but held no real interest in them. His mind was more preoccupied with the report he had been reading earlier. The portraits all started to look the same after a while. Then one caught his eye, it was different from the others.

Most of the paintings held the woman front and center emphasising her features. But this one didn't, it looked as though it had been painted in a library the woman was sitting in a window seat reading. She had short cut sky blue hair and soft brown eyes trained on her book. Her clothing was simple and no jewels glittered on her fingers or at her throat. Gajeel thought of all the paintings this one looked the most honest.

"Who is this." He asked not looking away from the painting.

"That is Lady Levy McGarden. She is currently the paramount lady in waiting to the Princess Lucy." The councilor said. Gajeel thought it was odd he stopped there, all the other women had long histories being told to him why not her.

"Tell me about her." He prodded.

"There's not much to say, she is a bookish girl, spends most days reading. Her family is old but not wealthy, her father acted as an ambassador for King Igneel till his death. The lady was orphaned by the Belamur Fever three years ago. She has been a Lady in waiting to Princess Lucy since her marriage to Prince Natsu. It appears they were friends before the princesses coronation." 'Belamur' Gajeel thought darkly. The Belamur Fever had ripped through the continent three years before devastating every land it touched. Gajeel and his sister Wendy had both fallen ill to it, Metalicana and Rogue had been moved to a palace in the country side to protect them from the plague. Everyone in the Kingdom had thought that the prince and princess would die but their mother had saved them losing her life to the fever in the process.

"Lady McGarden." Gajeel said under his breath, he smirked, maybe there was hope for him after all.