Today was the day that Juvia had to depart from her home in the Water Kingdom and travel to the Ice Kingdom in order to be with her betrothed, Prince Gray. The two had never met before since it was dangerous for royals to leave the castle during a heated war, increasing the nervousness and anxiety flooding the emotional girl.
What if he didn't like her? What if he was cruel and abusive? Her friends back home told her that Prince Gray was extremely handsome, hopefully that was true. She had poured in excessive energy into looking good, donning a light blue gown and an elegant silver tiara in her wavy blue hair.
The carriage ride was fairly short given the proximity of the regions, but she could feel the air getting colder as they neared the country. It came to an abrupt stop before a grand, snow white castle with high towers with intricate designs. Stepping out, she rubbed her arms to generate some heat in the frigid air and carefully walked across the moat.
There was not a large crowd inside waiting for her, only the queen and her children along with guards. Queen Ur was beautiful with short black hair framing her radiant face, though Juvia noticed that she looked a bit pale. Her daughter appeared extremely similar, though her hair was much longer and she wore vibrant red lipstick. Prince Lyon's silvery white hair stood out a bit, his eyes were black just like the others although they were pointed.
A young man with raven locks, a slim and muscular body, and dark eyes came forward. "My name is Prince Gray Milkovich, it is a pleasure to meet you." Juvia felt her cheeks burning up, he was even more charming than her friends had described.
"S-Same to you, your highness."
"Just call me Gray."
"Very well, Gray-sama." She longed to stand beside him and intertwine their arms, but the white haired man rushed up before she had the chance, clasping her hands. "Is this what they call love at first sight?"
Bewildered, she eloquently responded "Eh?"
A twinge of annoyance flickered through Gray at the scene. "Hey that's my fiancée!"
Happiness surged through Juvia at those words, it had been less than a few minutes and he already referred to her as a "fiancée". Lyon on the other hand smirked at his younger brother, "Technically she's MY fiancée now, after all, she is supposed to wed the person who is first in line for the throne."
"I'm first in line, right mother?"
"No I am, I am the elder."
"But too much of the kingdom believes you are illegitimate!"
"Hush, boys!" All heads turned to Ur. "It is undecided who will be crowned king, therefore Princess Juvia shall remain engaged to Gray as planned until further information on the matter is disclosed."
Juvia breathed an inward sigh of relief, Prince Lyon seemed nice but her Gray-sama was just so dreamy and charming, making her heart go doki doki. Brightening up, she latched herself onto one of his arms and smiled up at him. "Will Gray-sama show Juvia around?"
"Um…"
"She is a guest at our home and your future wife, treat her like one!" Glaring at her son, Ur sent Gray squeaking and running off with Juvia.
Ultear let out the giggle she had held back, "You sure made a fool of yourself, Lyon!"
"I am a man in love, and I will let nothing stand in my way of capturing Juvia-chan's heart!"
"Baka, she is engaged. Besides, it's not like mother is going to declare you legitimate in these times so you don't really have a chance."
"You pessimists shall have no effect on my desires, mark my words, she will be MINE!" Unsheathing his sword, Lyon took an overly dramatic stance and clutched his chest. Unbeknownst to them, a girl was watching from behind a heavy curtain.
Sherry Blendy grew increasingly agitated at the sight, she did not want Lyon to fall for another girl. She was his mistress and they were supposed to elope once Lyon officially became a bastard child, he absolutely could not be made legitimate. Something had to be done about this, and she wasn't going to wait for the Princess to be captivated by Lyon's romantic gestures, no she most certainly was not going to wait.
"There's the dining hall, to the right is the kitchen, the sunroom is over there. Let's go upstairs and I can take you to your room along the way, it's getting late."
"Hai, Gray-sama." This was simply a dream come true, never in Juvia's life did she think that she would get the perfect man she wished for but here he was, holding her arm. She hadn't really paid attention to the tour as she was far too busy admiring how toned he was, perhaps he served in the army.
"Here's the bathrooms, Ultear's room is on the far left and we have a room filled with messenger birds at the very top of the tower that connects to the stairs over there." Snapping out of her trance, Juvia realized that she should listen so she could send letters to her friend Gajeel.
To her disappointment, their time together soon ended and he left to return to his chambers, which she unfortunately did not know where they were. Sighing, Juvia entered her extravagant room and flopped onto the feather bed.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted some fresh ink and paper sitting on a wooden desk. She grinned and walked over, lifting the fancy quill and dipping it in the ink.
Dear Gajeel-kun,
Juvia has just arrived at the castle, it really is breathtaking. The climate here is a bit chilly for her liking but she's sure that she will get used to it. Prince Gray, or Gray-sama, is amazing and so handsome! Juvia cannot wait to spend more time with him, he is the man of her dreams! Gray-sama's older brother Lyon confessed his love for Juvia, and Juvia might marry him if Queen Ur declares him as her legitimate son. Right now, we don't actually know who will ascend the throne, but Juvia personally hopes it is Gray-sama. Is that mean? Juvia takes back her statement, both brothers deserve to be happy with their lives. Since Juvia is on this topic, how are things going with the cute scribe over at the Fire Kingdom? Please do not tell Juvia that Gajeel-kun has not made a move yet, hurry up or she will get stolen! Gajeel-kun told Juvia that the gardener and the messenger boy are after her, so why has he not asked her out? There is nothing to fear, Gajeel-kun. Be brave like Juvia and tell her your feelings! It's late and Juvia is tired from her journey, so this will be all for now.
Sincerely,
Juvia Lockser, soon to be Milkovich
Juvia blew on the ink to help it dry, taking out a wax seal from her bag. She certainly couldn't use the Milkovich family stamp because it would took too suspicious traveling to the Fire Kingdom. She and Gajeel met years ago before the war, when he was taking a vacation in the Water Kingdom. They bumped into each other on the street and quickly became good friends after spending a lot of time together, Juvia having spilled water on his clothes and dragging him to the castle to get dried up.
Safely tucking the letter into the folds of her dress, she creeped outside and peered around to find the hallway deserted. Juvia quietly went up the staircase and up the tower, opening the final door to find about thirty birds sleeping in their cages, arranged by locations.
She unlocked a cage containing a pigeon, the most common messenger bird that would not stand out, and tied her letter to its legs. Releasing the bird, she shivered in the night air and hurried back to her chamber before any of the staff noticed her.
She had almost reached the door when a cloaked figure blocked her entry way. "Stay away from Lyon-sama."
Stumbling back a bit, Juvia recomposed herself and stared at the mysterious person. "Juvia has no intentions of doing anything with Prince Lyon, her heart belongs only to Gray-sama."
"Oh what a relief! My name is Sherry; I'm Lyon-sama's mistress. I hope we can become friends, you seem to understand the ways of love in the same way I do." Drawing back the hood, she was revealed to be a pink haired, blue eyed girl about Juvia's age. With a small wave, Sherry left as quickly as she had came, Juvia stared after her for a few moments before heading to bed.
'It is only Juvia's first day here yet she has already met several interesting people, she wonders what will happen tomorrow.' Relaxing on the soft pillows, she pulled the blanket over herself and fell into a deep slumber.
"I win again, Natsu. You need to improve on your swordplay, knights do not ride cannons onto the battlefield, especially not the prince." A scarlet haired beauty pointed a sword at a muscular, pink haired boy who was panting against a tree.
"Aw come on, cannons are the best invention in the world! Besides, I can fight with my fists just fine. Let's arm wrestle instead of doing boring stuff like fencing."
Lowering the weapon and walking back to the training grounds, she sighed and repeated what she had explained a thousand times. "You cannot constantly rely on brute force and charging things head on. I have less physical strength then some of the male soldiers, yet I manage to beat them in seconds because of my sword. Swords require intelligence and accuracy to be used to the best of its ability, swinging it hard is nothing if you miss the target."
"I know, I know. You've said it to me like a million times, just loosen up a bit. Father won't mind if I fight along the infantry instead of on a horse, the most important thing is to be brave."
"Of course your father won't mind, he's just like you." She mumbled under her breath while getting a drink of water.
Natsu's unusually sharp senses picked up the sound. "Huh? Did you say something, Erza?"
"I said to clean yourself up before our guests arrive, we do not wish to make a poor impression on the Strauss family and I'm sure you want to look good in front of Lisanna."
"Lisanna and I are just friends, how many times do I have to tell you that?"
"As many times as I have to tell you to use a sword instead of punching every enemy you see. You two aren't children anymore and it's time for you to find a potential bride, you are already 18."
"I…I don't wanna marry anyone." That was a lie, Natsu secretly had a crush on someone he knew.
"Don't be silly! Although we are in less of a hurry than the Ice Kingdom, you still need to begin preparing for being king one day, starting with a wife."
"Well I'm not going to marry Lisanna, both of us feel nothing but friendship for each other."
"You're a royal, Natsu. Royals do not have the privilege of being with whoever they please, perhaps you can find a nice mistress." He highly doubted that the girl he had a crush on would willingly become a mistress.
"Can royals marry anyone as long as they are not commoners?"
"I suppose so, but only those in the upper class elite. Why, is there someone you have in mind?"
"No…just curious." Brushing himself off, Natsu trudged back inside to change into formal attire for the feast tonight. 'I wonder if exceptional knights count as upper class elite, but I guess this is a special case.'
A line of servants came during the feast carrying endless platters of food to both impress the Strauss' and to feed Natsu's insane appetite. The boy alone chomped down five full plates of food before the hour was up, though the guests knew him well enough not to be repulsed. King Igneel claimed that the celebration was merely for recreational purposes, but Natsu knew that he wanted him to marry Lisanna.
Igneel broke the silence and spoke to Lord Strauss. "Our children have really grown up, haven't they? Lisanna was only eleven the last time we saw her, it's hard to believe that this young woman is the same little girl. What do you think, Natsu?"
Swallowing a mouthful of chicken, he reluctantly responded and attempted to move the topic elsewhere. "She looks nice, I guess. Elfman really bulked up in these couple of years, is he going to serve in the royal army?"
Elfman gruffly talked while pounding his chest. "Fighting for the country is manly, it is my duty as a man to protect the Fire Kingdom and my sisters."
Lord Strauss spoke up. "Surely my son shall receive a high position?"
Igneel nodded. "He may begin in one of the strongest company's in my army, I will promote him to whatever rank I see fit while he gains experience."
Stifling a yawn, Natsu's twelve year old cousin Wendy asked to be excused. Not wanting to stay either, he immediately went with her and exited the dining hall. Lisanna watched him leave and stood up as well, running after him. "Natsu! Natsu, wait!"
She caught up to him out on the balcony, proceeding to stand next to him. A few minutes passed and Natsu turned his head to look at Lisanna. "You know why your family was suddenly invited to the castle, right?"
"Yes, I am no fool."
"Then you should know that…that I enjoy being friends with you."
"Oh Natsu you don't have to be so awkward, I don't want to get married either."
"But…" Frowning in confusion, Natsu thought back to when they were kids.
Eleven year old Lisanna and twelve year old Natsu sat in their secret hideout in the woods, a simple straw shack they had built together. Along with them was a stray kitten named Happy that followed Natsu around for hours until the king finally allowed him to keep it. Natsu went outside for a little while to gather some firewood, having an uncanny ability to start fires with ease. Rushing back with an armful of twigs, he shouted "I'm home!"
"Welcome back!" Lisanna replied with a big smile as he dropped the pile in the middle of the hut and rubbed the twigs together until a warm fire blazed. She took out some fish they had caught half an hour ago and stuck it on a stick, roasting it in front of the fire and laughing while Natsu drooled. The two, well three, joyfully munched on the fish and mindlessly chattered like children.
"We're like a family, aren't we? I'm the mom, you're the dad, and Happy is our son."
"So we are husband and wife?"
"Yup! Hey Natsu…"
"What?"
With a slight blush, Lisanna looked at him with big eyes. "When we grow up, will you be my real husband?"
Equally blushing, Natsu shyly agreed.
Her face fell a bit, recalling the same memory. "I know what we promised as kids, but I'm not eleven anymore. I like you, Natsu, you're my best friend aside from Mira-nee but…I don't have romantic feelings towards you."
"Really? Is it because you already have a boyfriend or something?"
"No, I just don't feel anything. Why, do you?"
"…"
Lisanna's demeanor turned 360 degrees and a giant grin lighted up her face. "You do! Who is it, tell me!"
"N-No one!"
"Natsu Dragneel I know you better than anyone, tell me or I will suggest that you marry Mira-nee instead!"
Shuddering, Natsu thought of the girl who mercilessly bullied him and loved seeing him cry. "Alright fine, I see she has taught you about blackmail! It's…well…it's…Erza…"
"Her?! Oh my goodness! I knew it! I KNEW it!"
"How the hell did you know?!"
Lisanna scoffed. "Well if it isn't obvious, you were like her lapdog as a child. Now she's become so voluptuous and gorgeous that there is no way you two can train together so much and NOT like each other."
"I was not her lapdog!"
"Oh please, it was always 'Erza, fight me!' and 'Erza, I ate your cake!' and 'Erza, I'm gonna beat you!' You vied for her attention every day and smiled even though she creamed you in every fight.
"…You can't tell anyone."
"You know, there might be a chance. Generations ago there was a princess who married the army general instead of another royal or a nobleman."
"Yeah but, Erza's a girl."
"Hmm that IS a problem. Does Erza know that you like her?"
"…no."
"Why haven't you told her?"
"Because I think she loves her childhood friend Jellal, and I wouldn't want to ruin our friendship."
"Who is he?"
"Jellal and Erza were both slaves when they were little, they worked at a labor camp until everyone escaped during a revolt she led. I don't really know anything else, except that they are separated."
"How sad, I wonder what happened."
"Yeah. It's getting late, I'm going to bed. Good night, Lisanna."
"Goodnight, Natsu. And Mira-nee is nothing like she used to be, by the way."
Gajeel Dragneel, Natsu's older cousin, was not present at the feast. Simply put, he was more distant than the rest of them and he didn't want to spend a night with his uncle and his uncle's friends. He feigned a stomachache and stayed in his chambers the entire night, something very boring and hungry because the servants didn't bring him any food since his stomach 'hurt'.
On a whim, he thought to check the mailroom to see if Juvia sent him anything. To his delight, there was a pigeon carrying a letter with a wax seal on it. The seal was very plain, just a red blot with the letter J engraved in it. To anyone's eyes, it was completely average and normal with nothing special, on the off chance that anyone asked he could just say it stood for his friend Justin's initial.
Heading back to his room and opening it up, he commenced reading the passage. 'Geez, rain woman's first day and there are two guys fighting over her. Geehee, Gray-sama, she really is hopeless. Why haven't I made a move?! What the hell, that is not… Hurry up or she will get stolen?! I am NOT afraid!' Appalled, he whisked out a quill and a piece or parchment, furiously writing back.
I am not afraid of asking her out, rain woman. In fact, I'll invite her to lunch tomorrow! And you don't have to feel bad about wanting that Gray to be king, who cares about his brother. Just don't get too clingy or attached in case Lyon DOES take the throne. Pinky over here is gonna get engaged as well, to that chick he knew as a kid. He doesn't look too happy about it. I'm fucking hungry. See ya around.
Gajeel
"Fuck. Now I have to ask her out."
"Do not go out so late, Miss. It is dangerous for a girl like you to stroll around the streets at night." A maid stood by a blonde girl with big brown eyes dressed in a fancy blue and yellow dress.
"I'll be okay, Virgo. I just feel sick staying inside all day and the cool air will refresh me, Loke will be with me."
A young man with wild orange hair, glasses, and a suit stepped forward to escort Lucy outside. The Heartfilia's were the wealthiest family in the Ice Kingdom and Lucy was their only heir, making her a huge target for kidnappers and enemies. When the war began two years ago, Jude Heartfilia decided to hire a bodyguard for his daughter and keep her indoors. Now seventeen years old, she was quite used to her caged lifestyle and all the staff constantly around her.
"No harm shall come upon you, my lady. Come, let us take a romantic walk in the moonlight." Exiting the vast mansion, the two ambled around the block for a few times before heading back.
"That was too short, Loke. Tomorrow morning, I want to visit town and have some fun at the marketplace, there is a large bazaar coming up that I want to attend."
"We can go for a while, but the crowd will be dangerous. It would be disastrous if you were to be separated from me, the bazaar is a maybe."
"I hate this. I am not a bird, I would rather go and live out my youth to its fullest despite the risks than sit here doing nothing."
"You are not doing nothing, my lady."
"Yes I am, I have read just about every book in the house and there is nothing left for me to do."
"Why don't we have some tea in the garden tomorrow?"
"Read and have tea, that is all I do. I wish I could have an exciting adventure!"
"Be careful what you wish for, my lady."
A/N: So this is my new idea! Natza and Gruvia are definitely going to be a part of this, maybe Lyvia. Other characters like Evergreen, Romeo, Levy, Cana, Makarov, etc. will come up soon. Natsu and Juvia in the Ice and Fire Kingdom, respectively, will be the main plot but there will be a lot of subplots. Oh and I love Juvia and Gajeel being pen pals because their letters are both a summary and a preview of what will happen. I know this chapter is a little slow but I promise the story will pick up with more action and drama. And I'm not titling the chapters just because there are way too many parts to each one for each of the characters.