Chapter 1: The Aftermath
Lucy's POV
It's been about a week since all the chaos of the Phantom Lord attack. So much has happened that it's kind hard to keep up. I mean come on. I got kidnapped and our guild got destroyed, which I still feel guilty of by the way. All my friends were put in tons of danger all because of me. I couldn't help but cry because of all the suffering that they went through. However, despite it all they didn't blame me a single bit. I remember Master Makorov's words very plainly. "Lucy, though we may not be able to share our feelings of sadness and happiness entirely, we do share them to some extent. That's what happens in a guild. One person's happiness becomes everyone's happiness. One person's anger becomes everyone's anger, and one person's tears becomes everyone's tears. There's no reason for you to feel guilty. So, don't cry. You should already know how much everyone here cares about you. Hold your head high my dear because you are a proud member of the Fairy Tail family." Those words have continued to stick with me to this very day. The fact was I loved my Fairy Tail family. As sad as it is to say, they have been more of a family to me than my rich father ever has been.
That being said the after effects of it all were still great. We were without a guild hall and saying that the magic counsel was upset is a complete and total understatement. However, after we all basically had to confess our life stories to the counsel things did blow over. Though, as I'm setting here in my room writing another letter to my deceased mother I can't help but hold a certain resentment towards my father. I almost don't want to believe that he would go to a certain extent just to pull me back in, but I know that that's who my father is to a T. He thinks money solves everything. I looked down at the bruise that was still healing on my stomach.
"Ow, man." I said, "This ugly bruise hurts so bad!" I looked up to see a mother bird feeding it's young one and I couldn't help but think. I wonder why my father is so desperate for me to come home all of a sudden? It's not like he ever cared that I was there before. He'd do it again wouldn't he. Try and use his money to control me? No, I won't let that happen. Not this time. As if my body was filled with new motivation I got up out from my desk and locked my mom's letter away with the others. I then walked to my bedroom and proceeded to change. My outfit of choice? A pink tank top tucked into a dark colored skirt with some plum colored tights. I walked out the door of my small apartment and made my way to the train station.
"Two tickets, please! One for the way and one back." I said to the clerk. "Here you go. Safe travels young lady." He replied. I smiled at the elderly man and made my way onto the train and found a seat on the already crowded vessel. Once seated, my thoughts began to plague me once more. How all of this started just because my father wanted me home. A sigh of contempt fell from my lips as the train took off for the place I used to call home. The scenery was beautiful. It kind of made me realize that I did love my home and not because of my father either. Things just wasn't the same after my mother passed. Honestly, I don't believe I will ever be back once today is over. One last time father, one last time.
I woke up by the train whistle only to realize that I had completely dozed off. I shook my head a little bit to try and get the sleep off and made my way off the train. Up ahead of me was a beautiful like mansion structure. The very mansion that used to be my home. I made my descent down the hill and prepared myself to face my father for the final time. The closer I got the more I realized that things here hadn't really changed all that much. And upon finally getting there I realized just how true that was. I was immediately bombarded by people that I considered friends. My father's maids, servants, cooks, and others who knew me from childhood. They were all amazed that I had came back and were overfilled with joy. One thing I didn't miss…the dresses! Once I got inside and put one on I got the sudden rush back of feeling very constricted. Something I didn't like at all. However, now more so than ever I was ready to face my father, so I made my way to his study.
Once arriving I spoke. "Father, it's Lucy. May I come in?" he responded, "You may." I opened the door and very gently closing it behind me made my way to his desk. "You ran away without even saying a word to me. How could you?" I could definitely tell that the concern in his voice wasn't real. It was totally fake. "I'm sorry." I started, "I shouldn't have left without speaking to you. It was a poor decision on my part. One that I now deeply regret."
"I'm glad you came to your senses and finally left that guild. A lady of your status shouldn't be affiliated with those ruffians. I certainly wasn't looking forward to spending any more of my money to have it eradicated." He said this with such calmness in his voice and there was only one thing I could think. 'I knew it!' "You forced me to go to extremes Lucy." He carried on, "If you hadn't acted so selfishly I wouldn't have had to lash out of your guild. You're the one who brought trouble upon your friends. It's better that you don't associate with them anyway. You're a member of the Heartfilia family. You have nothing in common with those peasants. You come from a completely different world than they do. Which brings me to the reason why I want you home in the first place, dear. It's about our family. I have arranged for you to marry Duke Swaar. The Jenel heir."
I almost couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes at him. It's not like I didn't see this coming in the first place. "Yes, I suspected that might be the case." I couldn't believe him.
"Try and think of it as an investment in your future. Once you're married we will have access to the Jenel family's vast lands in the south. Which will allow us to expand the Heartfilia Railway and bring in millions. And I expect you to give birth to a baby boy. We need a Heartfilia heir. That is all for now! You may return to your room."
'Well it's now or never' I thought to myself. "I'm sorry father but that's not going to happen. I didn't come here to make amends. I came to say my final goodbyes. I realize that it was wrong of me to just leave without saying anything. It's a decision that I've regretted every single day. And so, I've come back to tell you exactly how I feel before I leave for good! All the money in the world can't buy you happiness! I learned that as a child! Finally, I'm truly happy! And I'm not gonna let you ruin it for me you hear! I'm warning you! You better not mess with Fairy Tail ever again!" I grabbed the front of my dress and pulled until it tore completely. "It doesn't matter that you're my father. If you threaten us, we will crush you just like any other enemy. It didn't have to be this way. You and I could have sat down together and talked things out. But now, I can't trust you cause you've hurt too many people that I care about. I don't need fancy dresses, a big house, or lots of money to make me happy. I just need to be accepted for who I am. I'm not Lucky Lucy Heartfilia anymore." I stated as I began to walk away, " I'm Lucy, of Fairy Tail. Those people treat me like family. That's more than you ever did. It was hard for me to leave this house. Only because I had so many fond memories of living here with mom. I care so much for everyone here it's really hard for me to leave them behind. But, it's time for me to move on. I truly believe father, that if mom was still alive she would tell me to always be true to myself and do whatever makes me happy. So this is goodbye, daddy." And with that I walked out of my fathers study and returned to my former room to get changed.
Once I had said all my final goodbyes to everyone I made my way into the courtyard. I stood in front of my mother's headstone and I had flashbacks on my past.
"Lucy!" I heard my name called and turned to see who it was. Sure enough there was Erza, Gray, Natsu and Happy running towards me with tears in their eyes. I couldn't believe that I have been blessed with such great friends! They were so scared that I was gonna lave that they were gonna come back and try and talk some sense into me. But let's face it. Whenever it comes to Fairy Tail? I'll never leave.