A/N: Hey friends, I'm back with a new fic. This is a short prologue to sorta test the waters and see what the response is. I've got the first official chapter written and ready to go but I won't be posting it unless this gets a decent response.


"Lady Lucy, I beg of you, please reconsider this plan of yours."

The girl in question, Lucy Heartfilia, turned to her maid with a sombre smile. "I'm sorry Coco, but I won't reconsider. There is nothing left for me here. Surely you understand?"

The maid opened her mouth to protest but instead nodded solemnly.

Lucy understood her maid's concerns. Outside the walls of the Heartfilia estate lay a world she knew next to nothing about. Her father had only told her that great dangers lay in wait for a girl like her. That had been enough to keep her from venturing beyond the walls all these years.

However, now that her father had passed, she no longer felt obliged to obey the orders to stay. Her wicked step-mother had begun showing her true colours mere days before her father's death. Lucy could only imagine how much worse things would get if she stuck around.

"This house isn't the happy home it once was. With Papa now gone, that horrid woman and her two daughters will set out to make my life a living hell and I won't allow it." Lucy said with a firm stance. "I suggest you get to bed immediately before you're found up here. I would hate to get you in trouble and not be here to help."

"But my lady, when they see you've fled they'll come after you." Coco protested.

"Which is why I must leave now," Lucy explained. "So that I can get as far away from here as possible before they figure out I've left. Now please, Coco, leave before you get yourself into trouble."

"Okay my lady," The maid conceded, reaching into her pocket. "But before you leave, I must give you these." She pulled out a golden key ring with five gold keys and five silver keys. "Your father entrusted these keys to me before he died. He said this key ring belonged to your mother and that it was extremely important these keys do not fall into the wrong hands. Only you are meant to have them."

"He told me to give them to you when the time was right," Coco continued, placing the key ring in her mistress's outstretched palm. "And since you're leaving, I think that time is finally upon us."

Lucy gaped at the gift, admiring the soft gold and silver colours. "These belonged to my mother?"

"Yes," The maid smiled softly. "And your grandmother and your great-grandmother as well. These keys have been in your family for well over a century. You must do everything in your power to keep them safe."

"B-but what do they do?" Lucy asked, running a finger over one of the smooth gold keys. She could've sworn it glowed ever so subtly, but she shook her head knowing it was just her overtired mind playing tricks on her.

"I was never told the purpose of the zodiac keys," Coco admitted, bowing her head. "Master Jude took that information to the grave. I think he wishes for you to discover it on your own."

Lucy stilled at her words, "A-are they… magic?"

The two girls tensed at the taboo word. Lucy had whispered it but they still found themselves glancing around the room just in case.

"For your sake, I certainly hope not. The King does not show mercy to magic users." Coco whispered solemnly. "Your punishment for keeping an item like that hidden away would be..." The girl trailed off, refusing to say the word.

But Lucy knew it.

Death.

The reason the wizard population in Ishgar had been dropping steadily over the last fifty years. The King was determined to wipe them out, and the death penalty was his way of doing it.

Well, that and his annual "Wizard Purge" event. Lucy had always found it disgusting how many people actually chose to take part in the King's event. Every year, thousands of men set off across the continent on the day in search of "outlaw" wizards hiding away from society. Their job was to capture them and bring them before the king, where they would either be tortured or slaughtered on the spot without a trial. If the wizards happened to be exceptionally powerful or considered 'useful' to the king, they were sedated and locked up in an anti-magic prison cell in the castles South Tower. Unfortunately, every year the men who set out on the barbaric hunt were successful and a good one hundred or so wizards perished. It was truly horrific.

Lucy managed a small smile despite her extreme unease. "I'm sure it's not a magical object."

The maid eyed the keys skeptically but said nothing.

Lucy tucked the key ring into the pocket of her dress and wrapped her travelling cloak around her, fastening the star shaped clasp. She then turned to her maid and gave her a big hug.

"Thank you Coco for all your help. I hope we meet again someday in better circumstances."

The young girl's lip quivered as she returned the hug, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. Despite being far above her in social rank, Lucy had been the closest thing she'd had to a big sister. Coco knew not many girls in her profession were as lucky as she was, working in such a warm, welcoming home. She would miss it greatly when Lucy left and Master Jude's horrid widow took over.

"I hope so too, Lady Lucy."

Lucy released the girl and smiled softly, "Just call me Lucy. I'd like to part ways as friends if that's okay with you."

The girl's lip quivered again, her vision beginning to blur from the tears forming. "Y-yes I'd like that. Good luck… Lucy. I hope we meet again someday."

"Thank you Coco, I'm sure we will."

Lucy offered the girl one last smile, then with a swish of her cloak she disappeared into the night.


A/N: Please review/favourite/follow :) I loooove reviews. They are my bread and butter!

[Edit: This story is inspired by several different shows/books. The most prominent being: Robin Hood, Once Upon a Time, Cinderella and Tangled. I do not own any of these, nor do I own Fairy Tail. But I must give credit where credit is due. If I use material from any movie/show/book it will be credited in the Author's Note]