To Dance With Fairies

Author's Note:

This is my second Fairy Tail story, (the first also not having been finished yet.) So I hope it's okay and makes sense and all that. This is a definite AU, so no real spoilers going on. Some characters may be slightly OOC. There will be reasons for it though. The world setting is different. The main characters come from Edolas, but it's not the same Edolas in the series. It's similar but not quite. Just don't get hung up on geography because it isn't set in the normal universe. It is loosely based upon the 12 Dancing Princesses.

I just want to say straight off that yes I have thrown characters together in family units that are not actually related, but just go with it. Also this chapter is intentionally darker to set the tone for the world in which these characters come from, but it will be a much lighter fiction over all.

It is meant to be a romantic/friendship-esque/adventure story. There will be pairings all around, some obvious, some not and then a few that I'm on the fence about. (Like I'm not sure whether I prefer NaLu or GraLu yet.)

Reviews are always appreciated, as is constructive criticism, but flames will be deleted.

Disclaimer:I do not have any rights to Fairy Tail or claim any of the characters and write purely for my own enjoyment and earn no profit from this. Disclaimer for the whole story.

Chapter One:

The Portal Opens

Wendy, the youngest princess in Edolas, laughed as she ran beneath the foliage of the trees. Her blue hair streamed out behind her, carried along by the endlessly blowing winds.

"Wendy, don't get too far ahead!" Carla, her magical flying cat exclaimed from high above.

"Where's the fun in that?" She called out in response, laughing once more as she heard Carla grumble about losing her amongst the trees.

There wasn't much left of Edolas that could sustain green growth like this forest. Much of the earth had turned grey and no longer supported life. Apart from the gardens in the Royal City, it was a struggle to live in this dying world.

Wendy rarely got the chance to escape the confines of the Royal City. Today she had snuck out with Carla's help to enjoy some fresh air away from the palace. The young sky-mage stopped to take a breath, letting her hands reach to the sky as she stretched luxuriously.

"Gotcha!"

Carla came crashing down, pushing them both to the ground without warning.

"Mhmpf," Wendy ground out as she hit the forest floor. She was uninjured though from the soft earth and began to laugh with Carla.

"I wasn't paying attention."

"I know you weren't." Carla remarked, brushing off dirt and leaves from her immaculate white fur.

Wendy giggled once more as she regained her footing. The young princess seemed surprised at where she had ended up. It was shadier here and felt more isolated than the rest of the forest had been.

"Carla, can you feel that?" She whispered.

Her companion nodded solemnly. "I feel great magic coming from over there." She pointed in the direction she detected the magic.

"Let's go and see." Wendy suddenly exclaimed, taking off without warning.

"Wendy, wait!"

Carla struggled to keep up as Wendy made her way through the undergrowth and seemed to disregard the foreboding feeling that started to intensify in the air as they moved on deeper into the darkness.

The young mage suddenly stopped, her eyes wide as she gazed at the giant moss rock found amongst the shadowed path of the forest. It was huge and reached up through the canopy of the leaves, allowing small shafts of light to fall through. But was most interesting was the human-sized haze of magic that floating in the centre of the rock.

"A portal?" Carla asked disbelievingly.

Despite their magic abilities, most of the country's magic and life had been degenerating over the last year. Every month Wendy felt her magical capacity dull. And yet here lay a dormant portal which must have a huge amount of magical energy to be maintained in two areas.

"This could lead anywhere." Wendy breathed, reaching a hand out.

"Wendy!" Carla leapt forward, grasping her friend's wrist and pulling it close to her. "Don't be reckless, please. Portals are dangerous." She insisted.

The young sky-mage shook her head as if she had been in a trance. Her expression softened when she looked upon her frightened friend.

"I'm sorry," she told her gently. "I've never seen magic like this before and it got the best of me."

"Let's go, it doesn't look active right now which is good. Who knows what could happen with it?" Carla meowed, pulling Wendy along with a gentle tug.

Wendy took one last look at the portal, her gaze curious, before she allowed herself to be directed back to the Royal City.

Things weren't any better than when she had left, Wendy knew from the moment she snuck back into her quarters.

There was a secret passageway on the second floor of the city that connected to some tunnels dug into the side of the mountain in which the city was created from. This allowed her to effectively sneak in and out at will. As far as she knew, none of the servants had discovered the passage. All of her siblings used that passage for their own needs, so they all worked to keep it hidden.

However her siblings were older than her, with demanding responsibilities. They rarely had the chance to use the tunnel. Whereas Wendy, who was not yet a teenager, was watched with less frequency and for the most part was disregarded by the staff.

Using such opportunities, she quite often let herself have a break from the city.

Her room was full of luxuries the common person couldn't dream of affording in Edolas, as befitted her title. Her cupboards were full of expensive dresses, gowns and shoes that were worth a fortune. Yet Wendy took no pride in the material possessions she had, as she wasn't blind and could see the torment and suffering the people of Edolas went through. It was only because of the strength of the Royal Army and the power the Nobles and the King had that she was still a Princess.

Life wasn't easy for one so privileged though. She had yet to fully experience it, but occasionally she was summoned to stand alongside her sisters and brother to represent the power of the monarchy in court.

A soft knock came to her door, causing Wendy to squeak in surprise and hurry to fix the state that her hair was in.

"Wendy?" A clear voice called through the door.

Wendy dropped her hairbrush at the sound, knowing immediately who it was. She raced to the door and swung it open, beaming at the sight of her eldest brother Jellal. "Brother! I haven't seen you in so long!" She exclaimed with great joy. He moved forward to allow her a hug, while she wrapped her much smaller frame around his stomach.

Jellal removed her carefully after a few moments, allowing his arms to hold her at a distance. "I'm sorry; I was investigating a rebellion in the South."

Wendy's expression turned sad as she lowered her gaze. "Another one?" She asked quietly.

Her elder brother nodded solemnly. "Yes, they're becoming more frequent." He saw no point in lying to his much younger sister because she was no longer ignorant like she had been a few years ago.

Back then, everything was much simpler. The world was in balance and the Royal City was the jewel of Edolas.

Then, an unknown evil came to the land and started to devour magic and life. The people of Edolas rose in rebellion and after a series of magical attacks; the King's remaining Consorts had died as well as most of his heirs. Jellal had shielded himself and Wendy as well as his two favourite sisters. He had no chance to save the others and still felt guilt at that day. Even still after all the chaos, King Faust reigned supreme and beat down the revolution. Jellal was not satisfied with his position as some sort of tyrant-prince, but saw no good coming from the defeat of his father just to regain his honour. He needed to discover the source of this corruption before he changed the politics in this world.

Jellal shook himself from his memories and thoughts and placed a hand reassuringly on his sister's head. "You've been summoned to Court to sit with us. Get ready please, don't keep Father waiting."

Wendy trembled in fear at the prospect of facing the Court. She wasn't able to put on a passive or neutral face like her siblings and struggled through some of the conversations or petitions brought before the King. But she merely replied with, "Yes brother," because she knew Jellal could not help her get out of it.

The blue-haired prince nodded in satisfaction before leaving to allow her the chance to get ready.

Wendy emerged from her rooms not long after, adorned in an expensive white and blue gown that showed off her eyes. Her hair was half-pinned up on her head, while the rest hang straight past her shoulders.

She glanced back into her room with a rueful expression. Carla waved from atop her bed and smiled encouragement. The feline wasn't allowed in the Court rooms and so she usually stayed in Wendy's quarters when her friend was gone.

Taking a steadying breath, Wendy made herself calm and then proceeded out the hall. One of the Royal Guard members assigned to her room subtly assigned himself to escort her down the hall.

Eventually, she arrived at the entrance to the throne room, where Court was typically held.

She entered silently and immediately made her way to where her sisters sat at the left-hand of the King's seats. To his right sat Jellal who showed no emotion or disinterest despite what was occurring before him. It seemed there were some nobles accused of withholding tax or commodities from the crown and were being held against their will for it. There was a lot of begging and shouting going on.

Wendy settled herself in her chair, glancing to the right when it became obvious that no one cared about the youngest princess. Her two sisters Lucy and Levy sat side-by-side, each wearing similar gowns to Wendy. She liked to think of them as twins, as they were the same age. However it was evident from Lucy's blonde hair that she had a different mother; as Jellal, Levy and Wendy all sported the same deep-blue hair from their mother. Despite the slight difference in parentage, the remaining royal siblings were very close. It probably helped that the constant threat of outside forces meant they never even considered inheritance. But Wendy believed that neither Lucy nor Levy were interested in taking Jellal's place at the side of the King. It wasn't a glorious position.

Levy who was closest to her, let her hand reach to the left and under the armrest of her chair to settle over Wendy's and give it a reassuring squeeze. The small act of comfort sustained the young sky-mage so that she could fake the uncaring attitude that was expected of her.

The afternoon dragged on as complaint after complaint came forth. It was all a farce really, as most of the people brought forward had been forced to their confessions and no peasant in their right mind approached the King to complain about the problems they had. It was all an act for the amusement of those in power.

At some point however, a young man made his way forward, bowing to King Faust before him. Wendy immediately felt herself become more aware as his magical talent radiated from him. She was sure the others in the Court noticed this as well, as muttering began in the rafters above the hallway.

She was curious as to what he wanted, especially with the smug expression he had. However her father strangely dismissed her and her siblings from the room. Disappointment surged through her as she was dragged along by Lucy's hand.

Jellal led the way with a stiffness in his shoulders as he walked.

"Why did he let us go? That was the most interesting person today." Wendy whined.

Her older brother turned to raise an eyebrow at her. "He was probably a hired assassin or something Wendy, bringing back something for a reward. Father doesn't want us meddling in his affairs." He explained.

Lucy let go of her hand and smiled at her youngest sister. "I'm sure we can find something interesting to do now we've been given the night off." She insisted.

Wendy brightened at that and grinned. "Well in that case, I wanted to show you guys something."

Levy had a finger to her chin as she contemplated the idea. "I suppose we can go somewhere."

Jellal frowned at the three. "If you're planning on leaving the city again tonight…"

Wendy gaped at him, completely caught off-guard by his correct prediction and his knowledge of her morning escape.

"Wendy!" Lucy chided. "It's not safe out there." Levy finished for her, both of them expressing concern.

The young sky-mage pouted at all three of them. She was in no mood for a lecture. "But I found a latent portal." She told them, hoping to invoke some interest.

They all indeed seemed curious at the prospect of such a magical wonder. Jellal even seemed to consider her idea.

"Where did you find this portal?" He asked her after some thought.

"In the forest to the north. I was playing with Carla and we found it. It didn't seem to be working but I didn't really try it out." She confessed.

Jellal nodded slightly as his mind worked to take in what she told him. "Alright," he decided at length. "After dinner, we'll go investigate it. I might not get another chance for a long time otherwise." He told them. In truth he wasn't too interested in helping with his sister's boredom and instead wanted to discover any uses he could gain from this so-called-portal.

Wendy grinned at him in response, hugging him quickly, before she dashed off to tell Carla.

The three siblings smiled at her retreating form, all a little envious at her enthusiasm.

It was much later that night, when she was still dressed for dinner, (which was even more formal than her dress for Court,) that Wendy made her way through the secret passages with Carla, emerging in the northern part of the forest.

It was much less inviting now that the dark had fallen on the forest and despite her interest in the portal, she wasn't prepared to look at it at night without her siblings. Levy and Lucy were strong mages as was Wendy, but Jellal rivalled them all.

"Wendy!"

The young princess turned at the sound, hearing the sound of her sister's voice. She and Carla walked forward timidly, both feeling a rush of relief when they saw Lucy and Levy walking side by side.

"You made it!" Wendy called out in excitement.

Levy brushed back her short blue hair and put a finger to her mouth. "Shh, remember. You don't want anyone to hear us." She reminded them both.

Lucy nodded and smiled happily.

They didn't need to wait long before Jellal appeared. He approached them with confidence, subtly taking in his surroundings as he made his way forward.

"Well then, let's find this portal shall we?" He asked them all, indicating with a hand that Wendy should lead the way.

The four siblings followed the path before them, with Carla's scent of smell guiding them along the way. They chatted companionably amongst themselves, unused to the sudden freedom they had. However the closer they got to the spot where Wendy swore the portal had been, they grew quieter as the dense forest became much more ominous at night. Each of them could all begin to feel the magical presence of it too as they drew nearer.

Soon enough, Wendy pointed with her finger at the slightly visibly haze of magic that was before them.

Jellal held out an arm to keep his sisters back as he moved forward to take a better look. "This portal is active, that's for sure." He told them after a few moments of observing it.

Wendy frowned and explained, "But I'm sure it wasn't working when we were here before."

The prince shrugged with his hands in the pocket of his coat. "Well it's working now."

"What do we do about it?" Lucy asked with uncertainty.

Jellal took the time to formulate an answer, knowing his response would cause objections from at least one of his sisters. "I want to check it out." He admitted aloud. His desire to seek an answer to the corruption in his world burned as he faced a possible solution. "If it's a portal to another area, it could be really useful."

Wendy crossed her arms stubbornly. "Well I want to come too."

"No," all her siblings replied without hesitation. She stared at them in disbelief.

"I need you two to look after Wendy please." Jellal asked both Lucy and Levy. They nodded in return. And without further discussion, Jellal thrust his hand through the portal, resisting the urge to stop himself as he essentially attempted to punch a rock. But as first expected, his hand fell through, almost as if it was within water. Suddenly his whole body felt the pull of the portal's other side and he obliged, stepping forward until he completely disappeared.

Wendy cried out in warning, but was immediately held back by Levy. Despite her short stature in comparison to Jellal, Levy was strong and locked her arms securely across her sister's chest. "Levy! Let me go!"

The bluenette stubbornly refused to give up, shaking her head sadly.

"Wendy, Jellal might not come back, what would we do if you disappeared as well?" Lucy asked her gently.

The young sky-mage struggled to no-avail. "Then why did you let him go?" She asked them both.

The two sisters swapped glances before answering. "Well, do you think we could if we wanted to?" Levy asked her.

Wendy paused in her struggle and then shook her head in confusion. "That may be so, but if he doesn't come back…What do you think will happen to us? Jellal is Father's heir; he thinks he's supporting him. We're just nuisances really."

Lucy knelt before her youngest sister and brushed a stray tear from Wendy's eyes. She was struck by how intuitive Wendy actually was for her age. She tilted her head up and met Levy's eyes. They both made their decision through silent communication.

Wendy felt the arms around her relax and she immediately pushed herself forward, jumping into the portal. Carla gave a shout of fright and followed her.

Lucy and Levy sighed in exasperation and then nodded at one another.

"It can't really be any worse than here." Levy voiced optimistically.

Lucy simply shrugged. "We can hope not."

And with that the two followed their reckless siblings through the portal, into the unknown.

A/N: Please note that the characters will not be so dark/gloomy from now onwards. It's a façade they need to maintain to survive in this world. Jellal right now is meant to be similar to his Edolas counterpart, but probably will change. Lucy and Levy will most definitely develop their own personalities and differences like in the actual series. I kind of like Wendy's rebellious attitude though so that may or may not change!

Please drop a review or a follow/fav if you enjoyed this, it will be an interesting project to work with so many different characters and pairings :)

- Mae.