Revised 8/02/16
A prophecy
In a time when magic ran like rivers through the land and dragons lived amongst people as respected beings, there resided a young princess. She was the heir to a kingdom known for it's spiritual summoning magic, and she came from one of the strongest magical bloodlines. The young princess looked like her mother before her, who looked like her mother, all the way to the beginning of the line.
The first queen was a strong magic user and she had collected many spirits in her time, forming contracts with each one in the manifestation of a key.
Among the summoned spirits in the land, there were twelve that were known as the strongest of celestial spirits; the zodiac.
Each spirit individually was strong, but they were strongest when united.
Once, these spirits were owned entirely by the royal family, all contracted to the members of the household so they could protect the family. These spirits strengthened the kingdom and brought safety to the land.
As time went on, one by one, the keys were lost to the royal family, spread amongst the kingdom and lost to the family. And as the spirits disappeared, the once strong realm was slowly weakened.
But when the princess was born, a prophecy was made by the fairies that resided in the mountains of the kingdom. It was a long prophecy, and the fullness of it was not revealed to the Royal family for many years.
But one line was.
"When all twelve keys are bound,
What once was lost shall then be found."
Because of the steady weakening of the kingdom, the King waited for the day his daughter would be strong enough to wield such celestial magic that could save their kingdom.
Why?
Because as his country grew weaker, they became prey to other kingdoms, particularly their neighbors to the East, who were strong in iron magic.
The Kingdom of Iron, like many other kingdoms, had many dragons living amongst their borders, bringing their magic with them.
In fact, the Kingdom of Iron was ruled by one of these dragons, Metalicana, after the death of the previous King. The King's only son was not yet old enough to rule, and so, he was raised by his godfather, the great dragon Metalicana.
Dragons throughout the land were teaching their magic to Royal offspring, in hopes of strengthening their bonds with the human race.
Many of the great creatures were very successful.
And thus, in a time steeped in mystery and magic, this is where our story begins.
The Kingdom of Fire
The kingdom of fire held a rich and ancient history.
It was filled with long bloodlines and powerful magic, as well as a never-ending grudge against a kingdom just north of them, known for it's ice magic users and cold weather. But the kingdom of ice is a story for another day.
The kingdom of fire had fertile soil and abounding natural resources. It had lush forests that grew on the edge of the volcanoes that separated the land from it's neighbors who lived in the water.
The realm also possessed a very young, and somewhat difficult prince, by the name of Romeo.
If it had not been for Romeo's actions, as well as his own feelings, this story may have turned out very differently.
And so that is where we shall begin.
Now Romeo, being of a marriageable age, (at 15 one was considered so) was expected to find a wife.
He had no parents and no siblings, and was raised by the infamous dragon, Igneel, a great fire dragon, and one of the most respected of all.
After the demise of the previous King, the result of another battle with the kingdom of ice, Igneel was left as his guardian. The hope was that the wise old dragon would teach the most powerful fire magic to Romeo, and guide him with his experience in the process.
Unfortunately, the plan hit a slight snag.
The snag's name was Natsu Dragneel.
Natsu had been found in the forest when he was only a child. Igneel, the kind and doting dragon that he was, took the child as his own and raised him.
And so, when Igneel went to court a decade prior, so did a ten year old Natsu.
And what five year old magic user doesn't practically worship a ten year old with similar powers, raised by a dragon?
And thus was Romeo's adoration of Natsu, whom he considered an elder brother and confidant.
So, what does this have to do with marriages?
I will tell you, if you will only be patient enough to listen and hear each part of this tale, letting it touch your soul, just as it touched the souls of those who claim this story as their own.
As I have said before, Romeo had his own feelings about the marriage market. Because of the fire kingdom's power, many other kingdoms sought a marriage alliance with them.
But Romeo had no desire for alliances. Only a desire for knowledge of magic, and for love.
And love came in the form of a young priestess of the Kingdom of the Sky.
But we will talk of this priestess and her floating Kingdom later. For now, we must stay with our warm blooded heroes of fire.
When most proposals were made, they went first through Igneel, who then handed the decision to Romeo. While Igneel did not love Romeo more than Natsu, whom he considered his own son, he still loved the boy dearly and wanted him to have a happy marriage, not simply one of state.
Normally, Romeo would chuckle at the attempts of sincerity offered by girls he had never met, but when an offer came from the Kingdom of Spirits, he was pleasantly surprised.
He knew this girl, this golden-haired princess who specialized in summoning magic. The one with the angelic smile and the fiery temper.
The one with the heavy prophecy.
Romeo could vouch for her intelligence, having often been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue, and he also could agree that she was beautiful. But her beauty was not for him.
The prince knew of the state of the Kingdom of Spirits, how they suffered for the spread of their magic. Personally, he enjoyed the country every time he was there, and he found the princess to be a good and reliable friend to have.
And this is why he did not laugh at this marriage proposal like he normally did before rejecting them.
For the proud Kingdom of Spirits to seek help through a marriage alliance, things must be dire indeed.
"Page, please fetch my brother, I mean, uh, Lord Natsu, for me," the Prince said, acknowledging the page the stood waiting in the doorway. With a nod from the dark-haired youth, the page was off in a flurry to fetch the Lord in question.
Lord Natsu was a very powerful Mage, trained by Igneel in the art of dragon slaying. The dragon slayer's parentage was unknown, but that fact never seemed to bother the boy.
When he first came to the court of fire he was in awe over the massive structures and strict etiquette. However, the boy quickly found that his passionate and volatile nature fit right in with the people of the palace.
He was also a brilliant fighter and strategist, something highly valued by the kingdom. He was as determined as he was ruthless, and fiercely loyal to his adoptive father and pseudo brother.
It's no surprise that Romeo relied on him so heavily.
After only a few moments, loud footsteps were heard outside the study before the doors were suddenly thrown open, revealing an out of breath young man, wearing a black tunic with a scarlet cape pinned to it.
His unruly pink hair stood out in all directions as he stopped to catch his breath, leaning against the doorway of the study for support.
Finally, he straightened, much to the amusement of the young prince.
With a groan, Natsu stepped forward. "What the hell did you call me for so urgently?" He grumbled. "Happy and I were practicing our flight maneuvers." The fire magic user sauntered over to the desk in exasperation before plopping down on the chair. "This better be good."
Happy, was the dragon slayer's exceed. He was a blue cat that possessed magical abilities in his ability to fly. Of course, the cat was more of a companion to Natsu than anything else.
Romeo turned his attention towards the page, who was still standing in the doorway, a green look on his face. After a nod from the prince, the page left the room, shutting the door behind him.
The prince had grown greatly in his years. Where he was once rambunctious and wild, running after Natsu in adoration, he was now much more thoughtful and rational, a change heavily inspired by an aforementioned sky priestess who walked in quiet ways.
Romeo rested his elbows on his desk and passed the letter containing the marriage proposal to his pseudo-brother.
"What do you know about the Kingdom of Spirits?"
Natsu glanced over the letter quickly, gathering the gist of the paper after only a few lines. He looked up in confusion before putting the paper down.
With a shrug, he answered. "Not much, I guess. They used to be really strong, but now they're not. Pretty sure they emphasize on summoning magic, and they're just to the East of us. We don't have a set treaty with them, but we've never fought them before."
Romeo nodded, though he was surprised at the knowledge the fire magic user possessed. While Natsu was five years older, his wild and care-free lifestyle often left Romeo feeling that he was actually the adult.
Natsu then smiled cheekily. "And now they're trying to marry their princess off to you, and you want to know if I approve," he said suggestively.
At Natsu's comment, Romeo's face turned sour. "No way in hell I would ever marry Lucy," he blanched.
The older boy let out a laugh at the statement. "Yeah, I heard she's pretty difficult," he agreed with a snort. "But if you don't want my approval, why did you send for me?" he finally asked, Natsu's expression turning serious. His obsidian eyes narrowed slightly in concentration as he observed his friend.
Romeo fidgeted slightly in his seat, finding the gaze his brother sent him somewhat unnerving. "As you know, there is a prophecy regarding this princess," he began.
Natsu nodded in agreement. Everyone knew about this to some extent because prophecies were so rare, being granted by fairies that so often vanished into the night once their work was done.
"What you may not know is how it involves us. I don't wish to get into the particulars right now, but I am certain we have a role to play in this story."
Natsu put his hands behind his head and leaned back into his chair. "Okay, I'm listening. So what do you want me to do? And if you say marry the princess, I will set you on fire right here, right now. Marriage isn't my thing, but beating the shit out of those ice bastards certainly is," he said gleefully, his eyes shining at the memory of their last visit from the dignitaries of the Ice Kingdom.
"It's nothing like that Natsu. Frankly, I doubt Lucy would even consider it since she's always been after a certain type as far as I could tell," Romeo answered nonchalantly. "But I do want you to offer our assistance to them in any way we can help. They're under a lot of pressure from those metal heads, and if they fall to them, I know we'll be their next target. I don't intend to let Gajeel take any more territory, do you?" the prince questioned.
The fire magic user clenched his fist when he thought of the metal-user. As much as he hated to admit it, that bastard was strong.
Almost strong enough to beat him.
Natsu cracked his knuckles, a determined glint in his eyes as shadows fell across his face.
"When do I leave?"
The kingdom of Beasts
Like all of the best tales, this story does not center around a handful of characters. It is not a simple course of events that could be followed by a string, but rather many small yet important moments that are interwoven by the hands of fate and our very brave heroes.
While the prophecy was made at the birth of a certain princess, it does not mean that she is the only princess involved.
For this story belongs to many people.
This part of the story belongs to those that live within the Kingdom of Beasts, a land known for it's takeover and transformation magic.
Most of this kingdom was covered in dense jungles that surrounded their large cities. Exotic and wild animals roamed freely throughout these cities, their lives not confined to that of the jungle.
It wasn't uncommon to see a large jungle cat living like a calico.
Within this realm, they were ruled by an even tempered and beautiful queen, known for her compassion in times of peace.
However, in times of war, she was known for fierce determination and fighting prowess.
The queen, Mirajane Strauss, had innocent blue eyes that hid the she devil within.
While most kingdoms passed their reign from father to son, the people of the beasts had no such cultural expectation. Even though the queen had a younger brother and no husband, they were content under her rule.
Of course, not all the of the residents of said kingdom focused on takeover magic like the royal family. One of their most renowned warriors, a woman by the name of Erza "Titania" Scarlett, practiced a unique type of re-equip magic.
Now this woman was destined for many great things in this tale.
"Elfman, have you read the letter from the envoy of the Heartfilia family?" Mirajane asked sweetly, her blue eyes searching the sitting room for her younger brother.
She quickly spotted him at the end of the room, deep in discussion with his betrothed, a brunette that served in the renowned "Lightning Fighters" from the floating sky kingdom.
"Elfman!" Mirajane barked, her eyes flashing when her brother looked her way, quickly rising from his seat to get to her side.
"Come on, Mira," he whined, "it's not manly to get yelled at by your younger sister." Even though he was grumbling, Mira knew very well he was simply embarrassed and not offended.
The young queen smiled good-naturedly at her little brother. Even though he was younger than her by a few years, he was a man, and a large one at that. He easily had a good foot on her when they stood side by side.
And yet, somehow, the ethereal queen seemed much more threatening than the young prince.
As she passed the letter to him, she couldn't help but wonder at the best course of action.
A few minutes passed while she waited patiently for her brother to finish reading the letter. Sure, her brother was a great Mage, but he certainly wasn't the best reader, something she noticed with a slight giggle.
Slowly, Elfman looked up at her, panic clearly written on his face.
"Mira, a man would never do this!"
The young woman laughed at her brother's panic. "And I'm not asking you to," she said, putting a comforting arm on her brother's shoulder. "But we should do something."
"We can't get involved in their problems-"
"It'll be our problem pretty soon if we don't do something. I like Lucy, and so does Lisanna. We're not going to abandon her and her people just because it might be difficult."
Elfman conceded that they did care about Lucy, and they shouldn't just abandon her. However, they had their own people to think about and what it could mean to get involved in their conflicts.
"I know we can't just abandon our friends, Mira, but how could we help them? Gajeel's kingdom is strong and we don't have the resources to stop Metalicana right now. And the Lightning fighters aren't ours to send. So what would you like me to do?" Elfman finally shouted at his sister in exasperation.
"Send Erza."
Elfman stared at her in shock. "We can't withdraw her entire battalion for this."
"I didn't say we would. I said we would send Erza. And just Erza," the white-haired Queen said through gritted teeth.
The young prince took a step back, knowing full well that if he pushed the woman further, the beast would be released.
And he did not want that.
Elfman felt his shoulders drop as he gave in to the will of his sister. No matter how strong her was, he would never go against the wishes of the white-haired girl. And not because she was his queen, but because she was his sister.
"Fine, call Erza from Fort Samira. Who do you want to send the message to her?" the prince asked.
Mirajane had a devilish look in her innocent eyes, one that hinted towards mischevious intentions. "Why, Lisanna, of course. She is our fastest rider," the queen said sweetly, clasping her hands together tightly in front of her.
The takeover mage shook his head at his sister's antics, knowing very well what she intended. "I'll send her out to-" Elfman began when the doors were thrown open.
"Your majesty!" a messenger called as her spotted the queen from across the room. The young man had black hair that was cropped close against his head and bright blue eyes. He wore the same blue coat that all messengers of the palace wore. "The warrior Laxus and his lightning fighters are here. Shall we let them in?" he asked.
The queen looked over to the green-eyed brunette that served with the lightning fighters, standing only a few feet away. A small smirk appeared on Mirajane's face when she saw Evergreen blush slightly and look towards the window.
"Evergreen, why would the lightning fighters be here?" she asked sweetly. "After all, your troop belongs to the Sky Kingdom, so I can't imagine what they would be doing all the way over here . . ."
Evergreen looked over at Elfman for support, but the prince only looked down at his feet, unwilling to get between his older sister and his intended.
The brunette fidgeted uncomfortably. "I-I suppose Laxus felt that it had been too long since had was last here, you know, on his rounds," she mumbled. Normally, the mage was a force to be reckoned with, but she felt herself crumbling under the scrutiny of the beautiful queen.
Mirajane stopped to consider this for a moment, her blue eyes softening ever so slightly. "Oh, I see. Well then, I suppose we should entertain our guests, now shouldn't we?" she said, turning her attention back to the page.
"Tell the Colonel that he and his mages are welcome to enter the palace."
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"Colonel Dreyar, what a pleasure it is to have you within our borders," the Queen offered from her place on her throne. She had her brother seated to her right and her sister on her left in their customary places for receiving guests.
Laxus Dreyar, the Colonel of the Lightning Fighters of the Kingdom of Sky, nodded for executing a quick bow to the white-haired monarch.
When he straightened, he looked over the Strauss siblings approvingly, having been away from the takeover kingdom for so long.
It was true what they said about the queen being exceptionally beautiful, and he would admit it easily.
"It's good to be here, your Majesty," the Colonel finally said, looking Mirajane directly in the eyes. "I trust my lieutenant has been no trouble in her stay here?"
"Evergreen has been an absolute gem," Mirajane said with a smile directed toward the brunette who was sitting quietly in the corner, her foot tapping impatiently at the polite exchange. "And where is your captain, the green-haired Mage?"
"Freed is at Fort Samira, working with some of Titania's troops, as you requested," Laxus grunted, annoyed to have his best troops spread out among him.
The Lightning Fighters were a small contingent of soldiers from the Kingdom of Sky, serving wherever they were needed. They were known for their unique skills and abilities, and they were often borrowed to complete difficult missions or train mages of other kingdoms.
This was rarely a problem, except it currently left the Colonel, known as the Lightning dragon slayer with only a handful of his best mages to complete his assignments, something he wasn't particularly thrilled about.
He was also worried about what Evergreen's marriage might mean for the team, but he kept those thoughts to himself for the moment because he wasn't a fan of the look said Mage was sending him.
Mirajane smiled at him, one that seemed sweet and innocent, but Laxus knew very well that there was a lot hidden behind that smile. "Oh, I guess I had forgotten about that," she said with a slight giggle. "Now tell me, what can we do for you, dragon slayer?" Her blue eyes narrowed in distrust as she looked the soldier up and down.
Laxus understood her distrust of him and his team, but especially of him. He wasn't always dedicated to his role as a fighter for the Kingdom of Sky, but now his loyalties were unquestionable. He grimaced inwardly, knowing that it might take awhile to regain the respect of this queen and her people. "I completed a mission nearby, and I thought this would be a good place to rest and regroup before heading back to Grandeeny for further assignments. With your permission, I would request to stay here for a few days."
At his words, Mirajane turned to her brother with a pointed look. "Then I'll leave you in the care of Prince Elfman," she said decisively, a smile never leaving her perfect features.
With those words, the queen stood up, causing all of the attending courtiers and her siblings to rise as well. "Elfman, please keep an eye on the colonel and his contingency," Mira spoke lowly so that only her brother could hear. "Lisanna, would you please come with me? I have job for you."
Lisanna followed her sister out of the room obediently while Elfman stayed behind with Laxus and Evergreen.
"Steward!" Elfman shouted loudly, causing his fiancee to send him a withering look. As an older man in a green velvet coat stepped forward, he bowed to the Prince and the colonel before asking what the prince would request of him.
"Have the chambers on the second floor of the East Wing prepared for our guests."
"Very good, your majesty, and how many chambers would that be?" the Steward asked kindly. He had served the family for many years and watched the young Strauss children grow up, and he was fiercely loyal to them.
"Just two. One for me, and one for Bickslow," Laxus stated clearly.
Evergreen raised her eyebrow at Laxus' statement. "I thought you said you needed time to regroup and organize your troops after a mission," the mage said with a snort.
Elfman shot a confused look towards Laxus. "It's not manly to lie to my big sister," he warned.
As the steward scurried off to make arrangements, Laxus strode ahead of the group, shoving his hands into his pockets, a wide grin on his face.
"Mira looks even prettier than the last time I saw her, don't you agree, Ever?" Laxus asked casually over his shoulder.
Elfman fumed inwardly, but didn't say a word, knowing that it Laxus put a toe out of line, the she-devil would kick the bastard's ass way harder than Elfman ever could. Instead, the takeover mage put his arm around the shoulders of his fiancee as they headed off to find some lunch.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Laxus."
The kingdom of Ice
Some would consider this kingdom to be the least hospitable in the realm. And they would probably be right.
The borders of the kingdom were made by mountains, and because it was so far north, the kingdom was cold for most of the year. Ice cold, in fact.
It was so cold that even dragons disliked the environment there. And yet, it was a civilization that thrived.
What many don't know about the kingdom is that while much of it is covered by snowbanks and dense, frozen tundra, in the more southern parts of the kingdom, there were small pockets of paradise. Areas that are cool during the year, but not cold. Countrysides that see only a few inches of snow at a time, and that is where many of its people resided.
But that is not where the mages lived.
And it is also not where the royalty lived.
The people of the Kingdom of Ice were lead by Queen Ur, whose husband had died many years prior, but not before she had borne three children to him. The oldest was a daughter with a startling resemblance to the queen, by the name of Ultear. The second was a boy who liked similar to his mother, but also had features to his father, a prince by the name of Gray. And the youngest was a boy that was the spitting image of his father, right down to the snow-white hair, who was known by the name of Lyon.
The three siblings didn't necessarily get along, but who could really expect them to when they all were potential candidates for the throne? Their childhood squabbles turned into full blown fights as they aged and learned to use their magic properly, but the three always knew they could count on each other if they needed to.
Another thing the three all held in common, was their adoration for their mother. While they had few memories of their father, they knew their mother well and loved her dearly, learning ice magic from her to the best of their abilities.
Even from an early age, the two princes showed great promise in ice magic.
Unfortunately, their sister did not share their gifts for this type of magic, and instead delved into other forms.
This would not have been an issue, except for the law of the kingdom, stating that the ruler must be a wielder of ice magic, by tradition of the people.
Even from a young age, Ultear knew she would never be queen like her mother, and so she spent most of her time away from the Kingdom of which she did not truly belong, leaving behind her two younger brothers to bicker over rulership for years as they developed their magic and learned.
Despite the similarities between the two brothers, their hearts beat so differently from one another, and their stories and desires would be different because of it.
And thus, we meet our frost-covered mages.
Gray, the older prince, was never one to stand on ceremony. He hated formalities and the pomp and circumstance that came with royalty.
Lyon was the exact opposite. The younger prince loved the formality and ceremony that came with his title, though he could do without all the bowing that people did, mostly because it was time-consuming.
"Ice Make; sword!" Gray shouted, creating the deceptively strong weapon that shimmered in the light of the setting sun.
It's not that the prince actually needed to be making a sword at the moment. He wasn't fighting anyone, and he certainly didn't plan on doing that anytime soon.
And yet . . .
He knew she was in trouble.
It wasn't so much in what she had said the last time they had spoken, but in the words she hadn't said. She had said nothing about her plan to find the keys and unite them again, something his friend spoke of often.
"Thinking about Lucy again?"
Gray didn't turn to look at his brother, barely managing to avoid rolling his eyes. He shrugged, unwilling to admit his concern, even to his brother.
"It's okay to be worried, Gray, she is your friend."
Gray's hand tightened on the railing of the balcony (which was made entirely of ice and held together by magic) and he felt his jaw tighten. Damn, Lyon. Even though he could be such a bastard sometimes, he still knew his brother better than almost anyone. "Why would I be worried about that princess?" he scoffed, hoping he could brush off his brother's statement with a little male bravado.
Unfortunately, Lyon didn't buy it.
Lyon ran a hand through his thick white hair, trying to relieve the tension from his body as he moved forward to stand by his brother, leaning his back against the same railing. "I heard she started sending out marriage proposal a few weeks ago," he finally admitted.
"Where did you hear that?"
The response that came from Gray may have seemed uncaring to the casual observer, but to those that knew him best, they could detect the tremors of concern and the way his knuckles turned white from gripping the railing so hard.
"A little birdy from the pyromaniacs told me."
"Oh, anyone but those bastards-" Gray began with a groan.
"Romeo isn't so bad," Lyon pointed out with a shrug of his shoulders.
"That doesn't make up for flame ass Natsu," Gray dead-panned.
There was a moment of silence between the two brothers, the only sound was the whistling of the frigid north wind as it whipped their cloaks in the air and against their bodies. The sun would finish setting soon and then the temperature would drop drastically, just the way the ice mages liked it.
"So did we get one?" Gray finally asked, his mouth pulling down in the corners to signify his displeasure. This was the question Lyon had practically been waiting for.
Even if it pained Lyon to admit it, his older brother had great strengths, especially when it came to loyalty. Once his loyalty was earned, it was nearly impossible to lose.
And Lucy had been in possession of his loyalty for years.
Lyon shook his head. "No, we did not."
"Really?" Gray asked, looking over at his younger brother in surprise. "It seems like if Lucy wanted to get married, wouldn't she want to marry someone she knows, at the very least?"
Lyon tsked at his brother's cluelessness. "Unless this wasn't Lucy's idea to get married."
"What, you think her old man put her up to it?"
"Jude has been put in a tough position from Gajeel's advances. He's probably reaching for any alliance he can get."
"That's not fair!" Gray shouted, slamming the sword he had made earlier into the ground. "What about Lucy? What about her prophecy? What about all the adventures she wanted to go on?"
"Hey," Lyon said, taking a step back and putting his hands up in front of him. "It wasn't my idea, I'm just saying why it might be happening. It doesn't matter if she gets all the keys if her country doesn't exist anymore."
Gray snorted, watching the ice shatter around him. "Well I'm not going to let that happen."
"You're not going to let her get married?" Lyon asked, confusion written across his face. "I mean, I knew she was important to you, but wow, I certainly didn't expect that," he blanched.
The older brother shot the younger one a look of disgust. "No, dumbass. I don't really care about that. What I care about is her finding all those keys. She has to," he finally admitted.
"Look, I know you've known Lucy for years and all, but this is her family and her kingdom. We can't get involved," Lyon said carefully.
"And why the hell not?" Gray growled at his younger brother.
"I'm sorry, would you like to tell Mom that you caused a diplomatic incident and incited the wrath of Gajeel and Metalicana? You know how much those metalheads want that land and they will stop at nothing to get it."
Gray choked at the thought of inciting his mother's wrath.
Even though Ur could be the most selfless and compassionate person, she did not take people's nonsense, especially from her own sons whom she expected to be able to run her kingdom after her death. Both boys had been on the receiving end of her scoldings on more than one occasion.
Not that she was planning on dying any time soon.
"I'm going to help her."
Lyon looked at his brother knowingly, expecting the exact response from the man. "What are you going to tell Mom?"
"Nothing. I'm not going as a prince, I'm going as Lucy's friend. I'm not going to let her give up on her dreams," the dark haired boy admitted, determination set in the lines of his mouth. "Do you think you can help me get out of the city tonight?"
A smirk settled on Lyon's face. "Already ahead of you. I have your horse saddled and ready for the journey there. It's in the stables by the East Gate, second stall on the right."
Gray couldn't help but grin at his brother's intuition. Sure, Lyon could be a pain in the ass, but sometimes, and only sometimes, he was the best pain in the ass Gray could ask for. With that in mind, Gray reached up and put his hand on his brother's head, messing up his hair in the process, despite Lyon's immediate protests.
"Thanks, little bro. Take care of mom while I'm gone."
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Prince Gray allowed his mind to wander as he rode his horse over the harsh terrain of his kingdom.
Of course, it wasn't harsh to him. In fact, he enjoyed the cold.
The ice mage urged his horse on further, knowing that vast distance he would have to cross quickly to be out of his mother's domain. If Ur found even a trace of him within the Kingdom of Ice, she would not hesitate to bring him back and reprimand him for his reckless behavior.
He knew he was risking so much by leaving.
Hell, his mother could easily disinherit him over abandoning his kingdom, and he couldn't say that he wouldn't deserve it.
And yet, he felt drawn to the distant Summoning Kingdom.
Gray knew that a part of it was his loyalty to Lucy, but there was at least a part of it that was related to something further.
It felt less like he was riding to his friend, and more like he was headed towards his destiny.
"Fire and Ice will meet with the help of the sword."
He couldn't understand why that phrase had been running through his head since Lyon had mentioned Lucy's predicament, but then it caught up to him.
It was a line from the prophecy. He didn't know where it belonged in the order, and he didn't know any other lines, but he had heard that one many times before, and somehow, he knew it involved him.
And that made his now uncertain future that much more bearable.
Something inside his soul told them that his life was not meant to be lived on a throne, but out in the world, doing something more.
Ur would kill him if she heard him say that.
And yet, he knew it was true.
He saw the sun rising distantly behind him, and he knew he was running out of time. He was still miles from the first border he had to cross, and he had to cross it quickly.
Gray grunted before squeezing his heel gently against his stallion's flank, urging him to run faster. The white horse whinnied before lunging forward into a dead run.
Together, they flew past the snow-covered mountains of his land and as the sun rose over the mountain's peak, he rejoined the main road that took him to the land of his natural opposite.
As streaks of orange stained the sky, Gray entered the Kingdom of Fire.
The Island in the Sky
While most of the world was confined to the land that lingered around the Ocean, the Kingdom of Sky was not held to such tedious restraints. In fact, just as it's name suggested, it was actually in the sky, held aloft by ancient self-renewing spells, monitored by wizards who specialized in gravity magic.
This unconventional location, however, did not stop the kingdom from thriving. The floating island, as it was often called, was a very special place that housed magic users and creatures of all types, living in harmony.
The floating island was held above the large Southern Sea, bordering the home to the Kingdom of Water, which had many inhabitants that dwelt within the depths of the deep blue waves. It was also nestled close to the border of the Kingdom of Fire, forming close relationships with them, as well as their neighbors to the south, the Kingdom of Beats, that lay just across the sea from where they resided.
Unlike many of the other kingdoms, those that lived in the sky were ruled by the great dragon, Grandeeney.
Grandeeney had ruled the kingdom for many generations as her predecessors had before her, teaching a select group of humans her magic with each passing.
And now, this chapter begins, focusing on a young orphan.
Wendy Marvel was left on the steps of the cloud temple just days after her birth.
The Cloud Temple was a classic piece of architecture, white marble columns holding up the temple with veins of sky blue running through them. The steps to reach the temple were numerous, lined with lamps that were constantly burning, even when it rained. Each lamp had been a gift from Igneel of the Kingdom of Fire, who had a long-standing friendship with Grandeeney.
Inside the massive structure, lived the great Sky Dragon, and her servants who aided her in running her small kingdom, as well as the select group of wizards she chose to teach her magic to.
When soft whimpers could be heard from the front of the temple, Grandeeney sent one of her aides, a heavenly body mage of about fourteen, to investigate what the sound could be. The queen was surprised when the blue-haired boy returned with a bundle of white fabric, wrapped around a baby that was emitting soft cries and whimpers.
"Your majesty, what would you like me to do with the infant?" the boy asked carefully, holding the baby tightly against his chest. He looked down at the infant, a smile creeping over his features as he looked at the squirming thing in his arms. Hell, he was already fond of the thing.
Grandeeney looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, walking over to get a closer look at the boy and the infant.
"Nobody has ever left a baby on my steps before," the great dragon mused gently, snorting in response. "Now what should I do with you, little one?" she asked, peering over the bundle.
The infant looked up at the dragon with large brown eyes, seeing far more clearly than the eyes of most newborns. Grandeeney couldn't help but smile down at the squirming child fondly, just as Jellal had done only seconds prior. "She seems to be an intelligent thing, doesn't she?"
Jellal looked up in surprise. "She?"
Grandeeney snorted, smoke wisping from her nostril. "Yes, she. That baby is a girl," she chided.
Jellal looked down again, his gaze softening at the baby girl. "Should we name her?"
"I don't see why not," Grandeeney answered briskly, once again peering at the infant. "So what should we name her?"
"You're asking me?"
"Young man, do you see anyone else here that I might ask what to name this baby girl?"
"I guess not," Jellal answered with a shrug.
Jellal paused for a moment, staring at the infant in concentration.
"Wendy?" He offered quietly.
At the suggestion, the baby girl looked up at him expectantly, her eyes locking with his as a small smile formed on her face.
Grandeeney snorted before nodding at her aide. "A fine name. A marvelous one, even, Mr. Fernandes. Of course, who will care for her?" the great dragon asked thoughtfully.
The young man looked down at the child again, an idea forming in his mind. "Perhaps . . . perhaps Mystogan and I could care for her? He is home most days now that he's finished his training. We could take care of her," he concluded, his arms tightening around the bundle as Wendy closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.
"While I would normally disapprove of two teenage boys raising an orphan, something tells me that this is the fates' design, and I would hardly want to disagree with the fates. So," Grandeeney conceded, "this child will live with you and your brother, but I will teach her."
Jelall looked at the queen in surprise. "How do you even know if she possesses magical abilities yet?"
"When you get to be my age, some things you just know in your heart, young Mage. Make no mistake, there is a sky priestess in your arms with the heart of a dragon and a spirit as free as the wind itself."
A foundling on the steps of clouds shall help remove darkness all around.
Remove darkness, little one? Grandeeney mused at the baby in front of her. I certainly hope so.
A/N: Okay, so I realized after posting the first few chapters that the pacing was poor and too spread out to be worth FIVE CHAPTERS, so I edited it and rewrote it into ONE prologue. Took awhile, but I like this introduction much better. It's cleaner and more concise. I know it's exposition heavy, but that's why it's a prologue and not the actual chapter. I hope you guys like the rewrite, and for those of you that followed the story earlier, the last bit is new, so there was something gained by reading this super long beginning.
-Wri