Chapter One: A New Beginning
Fairy Tail Fanfiction
Characters are owned by Hiro Mashima
Alternate Universe
AN: Hooray, an AU! This idea has been in my mind for quite some time now but I've been hesitant to pursue it. It might start slow at the beginning, but I'll try to make it interesting enough to capture your attention. Let the randomness begin…
….
Hot tears ran down Lucy Heartphila's cheeks as she slammed her door, frustration building up inside of her as she screamed obscenities to the world. How could he… how could he? Desperately trying to remove her beautiful, long-flowing dress, she clumsily ripped the material and muffled back a sob. She didn't care. She hated this. She hated him. The dress ruined beyond repair, she continued to rip the beautiful, satin material, victimizing it until it became a pile of rags.
She wiped the mascara that was running down her face as she looked outside the glass-paned door that led to her balcony. The moon winked, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be alright. Bullshit. Things were not going to be okay. Her father was the most powerful businessman in Fiore and was handing her away like a sack of potatoes. To make matters worse, it was a short, stumpy prince who was the heir to some powerful corporation.
Lucy's body shook, remembering her father as he told her his "wonderful plans." She would marry the "handsome" Prince Sawalu, the son of the Julenelles, so that her father could expand his railways to the south. She cringed. Prince Sawalu was round and she remembered her first impression of him. He sweated when he was nervous, and he would not stop perspiring when he met her. She remembered forcing a smile on her face as she unwilling greeted him hello.
But she didn't hate her father for choosing a distasteful groom. No, she hated him because he had decided the engagement on his own, and didn't tell Lucy about it until the day before the wedding.
"You will be wed tomorrow morning at exactly 10 o' clock sharp. A banquet hall is being prepared as we speak, by Prince Sawalu and his servants. You will marry him and be happy. Do you understand?"
Biting the bottom of her lip, Lucy placed her head between her knees, hugging herself as she tried to keep warm. She was only wearing her undergarments, but she was too emotionally distressed to care. Resting her back against the head board of her bed, she tried to distract herself by looking at her surroundings.
Her room was beautiful and pink, with lacy curtains hanging from the windows to shield her from the sun. Her bookshelves and drawers were carved with beautiful designs, made by the best craftsman in Fiore, and was painted white to match the pink room. Her room displayed a princess theme and was chosen by her parents, who were inspired by the many fairytales Lucy's nanny read to her when she was two years old. She had lived in this mansion her whole life and was living her last day of freedom. She felt tears well up in her eyes again.
This wasn't fair. She was seventeen for crying out loud, not five years old! She could make her own rational decisions! She recalled demanding her father to reconsider, but he snapped before she could state her reasons.
"Lucy, when will you stop being selfish? If you continue to act like this, you will have to suffer severe consequences. You're the daughter of the Heartfilia estate; you can't live your life like other girls. This is your destiny."
Her hands gripped her knees, feeling humiliation tickle her ears and cheeks. No, she wasn't being selfish… she was just trying to live her life. Shifting her position to stare her bedside table, she spotted her mom smiling at her and grabbed the picture. She hugged it to her chest, and closed her eyes. "What would you do if you were in my position mom?" she mumbled.
A few minutes passed, and the only sound Lucy could hear was the clock, its pendulum swinging back and forth as it ticked the seconds away. Her breathing began to regulate as her mind tried to erase her father's cruel words. He was always like this… ever since her mother passed away. The only thing he cared about was his work and he was blind to see his daughter's pain.
If she ran away, he would never notice.
As if lightning had struck her, it took her a few seconds to realize what she must do. Her nerves were jumping with anxiety, as blood pumped into her ears. Yes, she knew exactly what to do. Lucy Heartfilia would not stand for this injustice.
With this new resolve, her eyes flashed with determination as Lucy gingerly placed her mom's picture on the bed. She lightly ran her finger down the frame, saying a quiet prayer before turning her back. Grabbing a bag, she began to shove clothes and necessities before zipping it shut. Changing into a tank top and skirt, she grabbed her favourite sweater off its hanger and slipped it on, buttoning it up to her neck.
Now how was she going to do this?
She opened her balcony doors, the wind embracing her body as she slung her bag over her shoulder. It was too high to jump. Maybe a makeshift rope would do, but what materials did she have? At the corner of her eye, she noticed her pile of rags and grinned, thanking God that the result of her frustration was a blessing in disguise.
Going into her closet again, she went and took out several beautiful dresses. Not giving it a second thought, she began to rip the dresses, careful not to be too loud to wake the servants. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her throat as she ripped and tied the pieces together. The last time she did something this naughty was when she was three years old and discovered that white walls were not made to be canvases.
Deciding that her rope was secure, she took the long string of rags and ran back to her balcony. She tied it to one of the steel brackets and slowly dropped it down, watching as the rainbow of colours fell and hit the floor. One of the maids owned the rooms below her, and Lucy knew the old woman always closed her curtains before she slept. She also knew that she was a heavy sleeper and would not hear the commotion that was happening upstairs. She could feel her heart race.
She couldn't believe she was doing this.
Tugging the rope to make sure it was secure; she gripped the handle of her bag and looked back to where her mother laid. 'I'm finally leaving mom,' Lucy thought, feeling guilty that she was leaving her precious mother alone. Maybe she would come back one day, to visit her mom, when her father decided he wanted to be her father again.
Maybe one day.
Climbing over the banister, she could feel the wind nibble her ankles as she shivered, suddenly regretting her choice of clothes. But it was too late now as she slowly started to climb down, using the rope to support her weight, and being careful not to slip. She should have worn her shoes, but in her rush, had shoved them into her bag. Her feet were cold, and it felt like she was going to get frostbite by the time she hit the floor.
Her hands felt clammy, nervous that she was sneaking out of her house for the first time. To calm herself, she tried to imagine that she was going on an "mini adventure". She was the princess, tired of her father's selfish ways, and was finally escaping her tall tower. There was no prince, but Lucy didn't care. She didn't need a prince; she was independent and could take care of herself.
Her feet hit the ground, which made her 'oof' as she clumsily fell to the floor. Ouch. Standing to brush her bottom, she checked to make sure she was in one piece and sighed when she saw no scratches.
When she noticed there were no guards, Lucy slowly started to jog before breaking out into a run. The grass was cool below her feet and she pumped her arms, looking only at the road ahead. Reaching the Heartfilia gate, she cursed, forgetting it was locked and attempted to climb it.
Finding it too difficult, she spotted an alternative and dashed towards the large oak tree her mother planted before Lucy was born. She remembered her mom explain that trees were good for the environment because they released oxygen for humans to breathe in. Her mother didn't realize that her tree was also good for climbing and escaping hellholes.
Struggling, her feet stung as they dug into the bark, lifting her up as she squirmed her way towards the branch, the one that would lead her to her freedom. Tongue stuck out in determination, she dropped herself, her hands holding on for dear life as she slowly started to swing. Feeling like a monkey, she continued to swing her body towards the end of the branch until she was perpendicular to the ground.
When she landed, Lucy felt herself keel over. Panting, the beautiful blonde felt her legs throb with pain, tired from all the climbing and running. She deeply regretted not taking physical education seriously in private school.
Catching her breath, she looked back and thanked God once more that it was still quiet outside her house. She could see one of the rooms lit up, which Lucy guessed was her father hard at work. His curtains were closed, and it almost made her feel disappointed that he didn't care to stop her. Not that he could see her anyways.
The Heartfilia heiress continued to run, worried that if she didn't keep moving someone would see her and wake the household. She ran and ran, through dark forests and mud puddles. Her feet were frozen now, but she wouldn't stop until she was far away from her father.
Falling to the floor, Lucy gasped for breath as she rested her back against a tree. There were too many damn trees in this forest! She wasn't even sure where she was going, or if she was running in circles. Spotting a river close by, she crawled before dipping her dirty feet into the water. Cleaning them, she noticed her reflection and grimaced, before proceeding to wash her face too. She had forgot about her appearance and looked like a raccoon with her mascara smudged unattractively.
Taking her feet out of the river, she frowned, noticing the deep cut that was on her left foot as she slipped on her shoes and socks. Her eyes were feeling heavy, and she made a pathetic attempt to use one of her shirts as a blanket. She was finally out of the house, but was cold, hungry, and unsure of tomorrow. Was this a decision she was going to regret for the rest of her life? Lucy shook her head. No, this was what she wanted. Being cold and homeless was better than being married to a prince she didn't love.
As Lucy quietly slept, she was unaware of the strong arms that picked her up, the figure's pink hair shining under the moonlight as he carried her out of the forest. A blue cat floated beside him, concern washing over his face as the animal looked at the blonde. The three walked in silence until they finally reached their destination.
Colourful flags fluttered and toys sat quietly in their shelves, patiently waiting for customers to come and try to win them. Hovering the area were large, metallic beasts, eager to be ridden on as their bodies twisted in loops and spirals. The sound of orders being shouted could be heard as workers desperately tried to put the finishing touches to their wonderland.
"Damn, she's heavy."
"Aye!"
Welcome to the Magnolia Carnival.
