Summary: Lucy Heartfillia was just a normal girl, that was until she met Natsu Dragneel. The man who turned her life upside down and changed everything Lucy thought she knew about her life. I'm sorry the summary sucks!
Note to reader: There isn't any Nalu in this chapter because it's just a prologue to build up the stories entrance but there will be some in the next chapter, I'll try to get it up as quick as possible if people seem to want more! Please be gentle on me this is my first Fanfiction!
PROLOGUE
"Story time mommy! Story time!," little Lucy Heartfillia called to her mother already tucked away under a mountain of blankets, and surrounded by too many stuffed animals to count. Layla laughed "Of course my darling, and what story would you like to hear tonight?" "My favorite one, please mommy!" little Lucy responded, Lucy always loved bedtime, because bedtime meant that her mother would tell her, her favorite bedtime story. A story overflowing with romance and princesses and knights and dragons, but this story didn't follow your typical fairy tale story line. "Of course my dear," Layla began "Long ago in a land far faraway there stood a kingdom known as the Celestial Kingdom, a kingdom said to be blessed by the stars," "I already know all this mommy! Can't you skip to the good parts already?," little Lucy stated Layla chuckled, "No, my dear the beginning is just as important as all the good parts," at this Lucy sighed but Layla forged on determined to finish her daughter's favorite bedtime story. "And in this kingdom lived the Queen of the Stars, along with her loyal and faithful servants that are today known as the twelve zodiac spirits, the Queen never saw them as servants, the Queen saw them as her very best friends. Even though the Queen was surrounded by her closest friends though she still felt lonely, she wanted to find her one true love," At hearing the word love Lucy squealed and sat up a little straighter, causing some of her stuffed animals to fall off the bed knowing that the good parts of the story were getting started. "On a day when the Queen was feeling her absolute loneliest, she decided to wander around in the woods just outside of her kingdom and it was there that she stumbled across a man she had never met before 'What are you doing here stranger? 'The Queen implored, immediately the man recognized the woman before him as the Queen of the Celestial Kingdom, but that is not why the man stared gapping at the woman, he stared because she was by far the most beautiful creature the traveling businessman had ever laid eyes on, 'I am but a traveling business man, my lady.' The man said finally snapping out of his stupor to answer the Queen's question. 'And pray tell my good man what are you doing here in the woods? Do you perhaps intended to do business with the animals? I can assure you they don't make for the best negotiators.' The Queen stated giggling a bit to herself at the end, and giggling harder when she saw the mans confused and shocked expression 'It was only a joke,' the Queen stated. 'Oh, o-of course, m-m-my lady,' the man stuttered 'I-I was on my way to try to get some work in the Celestial Kingdom, but become lost in these woods,' the man saw the Queens eyes soften a bit at his story before she said 'Come with me my dear man, I will lead you back to the Celestial Kingdom.' "And then the Queen and the man fell in love and got married!" Lucy hollered before Layla shushed her so she wouldn't wake up everyone in the house. "Sorry, Mommy," Lucy whisper shouted at Layla "I just want you to move on with the story!" "Seeing as you've given the summed up version of the man and the Queen's love story, I suppose I can move on, but if you'd like me to finish the story, please no more interruptions." Layla said smiling down at her daughter before continuing on. "From the King and Queens love a Princess was born, and when she was born the love they already had only seemed to grow. It wasn't just the King and Queen that loved the their daughter, the spirits loved her as well and vowed to protect her with their lives. While happiness was blooming in the Celestial kingdom an all-consuming darkness was growing ever closer, seeking to destroy this blooming happiness." Layla added a slight edge to her voice to make the story more dramatic for her daughter as she continued, "The darkness saw the Celestial King and Queens happiness and how it seemed to spread a joyful light across the land, and the darkness could not allow light to overcome him once again, and so he hatched a plan. Darkness was going to destroy the thing that had brought the light into the kingdom, darkness was going to destroy the Celestial princess." Layla paused dramatically, yawning and acting like her story was done there for the night when she heard a little voice say "Mommy aren't you going to finish? No way darkness can't destroy the princess!" "Would you like me to go on with the story Lucy?" Layla asked smirking at the little girl "OF COURSE I DO MOMMY!" Lucy shouted, once again causing Layla to shush her. "Okay then," Layla said "Well unbeknownst to darkness, the King and Queen had caught wind of his plan to destroy their light and had a plan to cut him off before he could get anywhere near their light, their world, their Princess, but to protect her the royal Celestial family was going to need help pulled straight from myth. The royal family was headed to Dragon Island, the question now becoming as to whether or not they would be welcomed on Dragon Island or blown away before they even had a chance to ask for help. It took three days for the Royal Family to travel to meet the dragons, and when they got there they were greeted by two dragon guards known as Skaidrum and Weisslogia, 'What brings the Celestial royal family all the way here,' Weisslogia drawled in a bored tone. 'We've come to speak with Igneel King of the fire dragons,' the Queen stated. Skaidrum looked over the family skeptically before asking 'What business could you humans possibly have with a dragon like Igneel?" The Queen took a moment to gather her courage before looking Skaidrum right in the eye and defiantly stating, "That is the business of Igneel the fire dragon, and his business alone," The dragons looked at the Queen before looking at each other and bursting out laughing, 'This one sure has some fire, doesn't she Skaidrum?' Weisslogia barked out between laughs. 'That she does, let us see if that helps her when speaking with Igneel,' Skiadrum chuckled before looking at the family commanding them to follow him. When the King and the Queen made it to where they would be meeting Igneel, they were not surprised the Igneel himself was already there waiting for them with a bored look on his face. 'The royal Celestial family has come to speak with you, Igneel,' Skaidrum stated before turning and leaving the family to face the King of the fire dragons alone. "What could possibly be wrong that the royal Celestial family would come all the way to Dragon Island to speak with a lowly dragon such as myself?' Igneel asked. The Queen stepped forward to answer him "Igneel, King of the fire dragons, please we the Celestial family beg for you and your dragons help to defeat the darkness that is threating to destroy the Celestial families light," with this admission the Queen fell to her knees and wept, the stress of the situation finally getting to her. "A darkness is moving in to destroy the Celestial Kingdoms light?' Igneel question surprised by the Queen's request and admission. This time the King stepped forward to respond to Igneel 'Yes, Igneel, the darkness wishes to take away the Princess who has brought a new, brighter light to the Celestial Kingdom and he wishes to destroy her so that her light will never be able to overcome him,' Igneel was a bit taken aback by the Kings admission but he admired the fire he saw in the King and Queen he could even sense a bit of fire coming from the small bundle being held securely in the kings arm, and this is why he decided to help the Celestial family. 'I will help you,' Igneel stated surprising both the King and the Queen, ignoring their surprise Igneel continued 'I will help you on the condition that you do me a favor as well," Igneel waited for the King and Queens response. The Queen spoke first, 'We will do anything to protect our kingdom and daughter.' Igneel nodded and then spoke, 'My favor is a truly simple request we wish the children raised in your kingdom be taught that us dragons are not some stupid, fire-breathing monsters that are only concerned with where there next meal will come from, but rather we are creatures of our own culture who hoard what is ours with a spirit that is not to be trifled with and that includes the people we love. We are intelligent creatures and use many types of magic and we like humans, also believe in family, and moral values. I will tell you I request this for selfish reasons, and that is all I will tell you.' The King and Queen shared a confused look before looking at Igneeland stating "We as the King and Queen of the Celestial Kingdom make a vow to you Igneel King of the Fire Dragons, that from this day forward the children raised in the Celestial Kingdom will learn that dragons are to be respected and to be treated no different than anyone else in our Kingdom.' Hearing this Igneel smiled and told the King and Queen that he would be there when they needed him, and with this they were dismissed. After their meeting with Igneel, there was no sign of darkness coming to damage the kingdom or trying to destroy their light. The King and Queen had decided that the threat was gone, but kept their promise to the Fire Dragon teaching the children of the Celestial Kingdom that the dragons were not monsters. Little did anyone know that darkness had decided he was not strong enough to face the dragons at their full force so he would lay in wait till they were weaker before he went to destroy the Celestials Light. Little did darkness know that Igneel and the other dragons had already been a step ahead of darkness and his plan." Layla looked down expecting to see her daughters deep golden brown eyes staring back at her begging her to finish the story but instead she found her daughter sleeping soundly clinging to her favorite bright red stuffed dragon. Layla leaned over and kissed her daughter on the forehead….
Lucy woke with a start jackknifing up in bed, it had been years since she had dreamed that particular dream, or even thought of the story that her mother use to tell her. Every night her mother would tell her that story that was of course before Layla Heartfillia got sick, before she passed away, and before she bestowed upon Lucy this strange key ring with a few keys attached to it. The only thing her mother ever told her about the keys was that they were a family heirloom and had been passed down through the generations, and needed to be kept safe, and that Lucy would know what to do with them when and if the time came. Lucy flopped back down in bed hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep before she had to start her day. If only Lucy realized then how important that old story was about to become. TO BE CONTINUED…