Once upon a time there lived a poor man with a heart rich with love provided by his large family. His family wasn't made up of relatives, but he considered them his children nonetheless, and looked after them and cared for them as if they were his own. They were the members of his guild – the members of Fairy Tail – and while they came to him from all walks of life, they never complained about what he couldn't provide for them. Quite the opposite – they set out to work and help the family and guild earn enough money so that they could all live comfortably – but taking care of such a large family cost, and it cost a lot, no matter what unique skills they might possess.
And so it was when one dark and stormy night the guildhall his large family dwelled in shook with the strength of an autumn storm. His "children" busied themselves around him so much so that they hardly noticed when someone knocked at their door. When he answered it, he was shocked to see a great big white bear.
"Good evening," greeted the White Bear with a polite dip of his head.
Shocked, the white-haired and mustached man took a step back, but still managed to respond, "Good evening." Regardless, his wrinkled brow furrowed suspiciously.
The White Bear had dark eyes, so dark they nearly looked black, but it was obvious they were actually blue. His gaze lingered inside the guildhall, carefully looking at each of his children before settling on one. "I know this may seem forward, but will you give me one of your daughters?" His voice was deep and slightly gravely, but something about it came across as young to the smaller, older man. "Specifically, that one," he indicated with his head the blue-headed wizard he was speaking about. "If you will, you shall be as rich as you are now poor."
The man before the White Bear truly had no objection to being rich, but he knew he could not give away one of his daughters without her consent first. "Give me a moment." The White Bear politely nodded and stepped back, allowing the door to be closed between them. At the solid sound of the door closing, the children of Fairy Tail raised their eyes to their "father", the Master of their guild. "Juvia!" he called, making all eyes turn to the owner of the name he had spoken.
Juvia Lockser, one of the newest members of the guild, and one of the most powerful, slowly stood up, brushing a lock of blue hair back behind her ear. "Yes, Master?" she asked softly.
"There is a White Bear at the door asking for you." When she immediately headed to the door, he stepped in front of her. He had to look up into her bright blue eyes, his head not even coming up to her hip. "He asked if I would give you to him," he warned.
A collective gasp was heard before cries of outrage, confusion, and even jealousy went throughout the hall. Juvia simply stared, her eyes wide, down at the Master of Fairy Tail. "What do you mean?" she finally asked.
"He asked if you would go with him, and promised to make the guild rich if you did."
"So it's like a job?" one of the guild members, a busty blonde by the name of Lucy asked.
"I don't like the way this sounds," Lucy's teammate Erza interjected.
"Why is a bear asking for Juvia?" someone else demanded.
"Silence!" Master Makarov finally shouted, his voice loud enough to rattle the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "This is Juvia's decision!" He turned steely eyes back up to Juvia's. "I know nothing about this White Bear, Juvia. I will not ask you to do anything you do not want to. This is completely your choice."
"But it would help the guild," she stated.
Only somewhat reluctantly, Makarov shrugged. "Yes, it would."
"Then of course I'll go!"
"But we don't know when he'll bring you back! We don't know what he means to do with you!" Levy, another blue haired wizard argued, coming closer along with Lucy and Erza.
Juvia turned to her friends, her family. She clasped her hands before her and smiled. "If I can help Fairy Tail by going with this bear, then I will go!"
"Juvia!" they argued.
Juvia showed the Fairy Tail emblem, visible due to the split in her dress along her left thigh. "As long as I bear this mark, I will forever be a part of Fairy Tail, no matter where I am!" She looked back at her guild mates, her family, with tears in her eyes. Tears shone back at her from many eyes as well before she rushed to say her goodbyes and gather her few belongings while Makarov hurried to tell the White Bear of her agreement.
Moments later, Juvia sat herself atop the White Bear's back with her bundle of belongings, and they departed. She waved to her family as they watched her disappear into the storm. Rain would not bother her – she was a water wizard after all. Her fingers gripped the White Bear's thick coat as she silently wondered where they were going and just what exactly she had agreed to.
When they had gone a great part of the way, traveling in silence, the White Bear asked, "Are you afraid?"
"No, I'm not," she answered, and she was telling the truth – or at least most of the truth. While she was curious, a small amount of fear slithered around the edges of her heart, coiling around it and trying to squeeze, but she bravely kept it at bay.
"Keep tight hold of my fur, and there will be no danger," the White Bear instructed.
Something in the White Bear's voice set her at ease, and even though she had been holding his fur tight, she relaxed her grip some – holding onto it more to keep her balance rather than in silent acknowledgement of her fear. She rode this way until they came to a great mountain. The White Bear made his way to the base, large rocks jutting up straight in front of them, and knocked on it. A door immediately opened, like the rocks split and opened just for them, and he crossed into what appeared to be an abyssal darkness; only the darkness was immediately transformed into a brilliant castle filled with brightly lit rooms shining with white, silver, and blue. Juvia felt as though she had entered some secret ice palace as she slid off the White Bear's back and landed effortlessly on the pristine white floor.
"This castle is your home now. You may go wherever you wish, and should you need anything, all you need to do is ring this," he handed her a silver bell, "and whatever you want will appear."
Juvia looked at the bell with wonder. It appeared like any other simple bell, but she had been around magic long enough to know that things were not always the way they appeared. "Thank you," she murmured, finally bringing her eyes up to those of the great White Bear before her.
She must have looked as tired as she felt for the next thing the bear said was, "You must be tired. Whatever you want to eat, you may have, just ask for it. When you want to go to bed, just ring the bell. I'll leave you to get situated."
Before Juvia could even think of a response, the mysterious White Bear sauntered off down the hall. She briefly entertained the idea of following him, but her growling stomach and weary limbs quickly talked her out of it. Regardless, she set about exploring the castle until she found a large hall with a table filled with more food than she had ever seen in one place. Her mouth salivated at the sight of it and she quickly grabbed a plate, forgetting all about the bell in her hunger.
Once her belly was full, Juvia's fatigue finally hit her full force. She scarcely picked up the bell before she found herself in a chamber where a bed stood ready made for her. The bed was larger than any bed she had seen before, with pillows of silk, and curtains of thick velvet to keep out the cold. Everything in the room was of white, silver, gray, or blue, again reminding her of a winter wonderland or an ice palace. Even the mirror in the bathroom was frosted around the edges as though a winter freeze were threatening to cover the glass. That didn't stop her from taking the most relaxing hot bath than she had ever had, the soaps and shampoos provided by the White Bear some of the most luxurious she had ever experienced.
By the time Juvia slipped beneath the covers that night, she was feeling at ease with her new situation. The White Bear seemed nice enough – he was polite and seemed genuinely kind. She had want for nothing and Fairy Tail was being taken care of. As she blew out her candle and snuggled deeper beneath the heavy comforter of the bed, she sighed happily. Perhaps this arrangement wouldn't be so bad after all.
Juvia was startled from the edge of sleep by the sound of her door opening and closing gently. Her eyes snapped open, her body on edge thanks to her years honed as a wizard. Something, or rather someone slipped into the bed beside her, settling under the blankets with a quiet sigh. They didn't touch her, didn't move closer, didn't bother her in any way; simply lay down and settled in. Her brow furrowed as her mind raced, trying to place who could be in the bed with her. What is the meaning of this?!
"Good night, Juvia," came a quiet voice from behind her and Juvia inwardly gasped. It was the voice of the Great Bear! But this was a man's body in the bed with her! Even as her heart jumped into her throat and started racing a mile a minute, she forced herself to calm down. Clearly he still meant her no harm, and he thought she was asleep. Little did she know, that it was the White Bear, who cast off the form of a beast during the night, simply trying to get some rest at her side. Once his breathing grew deep and steady, she too quickly fell into a deep and restful sleep; but she awoke alone the next morning. She never saw him.
This routine went on between them for some time. Juvia passed her time throughout the day as best she could, but she was all alone, and she was not able to go on any jobs to earn any sort of money or living or feel useful. She had the White Bear's company, but only when he was a bear. He only came to her as a man after she had put out her light, and always went away before daylight appeared. And he never once touched her, and she never once gave any inclination that she was aware of his presence, despite her desire to understand what was happening. He was kind, and she came to learn that they shared a lot of common interests, including magic. As the inside of his castle would indicate, he was an ice-make wizard, but his magic was extremely limited (the way he told her this made her suspect that there was more to the story). She found herself drawn to him, and wanted to be near him, but there was still a large hole in her life – a hole that he could not fill – and she gradually grew sad, until he asked her about it one day, when they were out walking in the fields outside of the castle, and it was uncharacteristically raining – her rain.
"Juvia," he started, looking up at the dark gray clouds that had descended over them. Her rain pelted down on them, coating his fur, but the rain formed droplets on his coat and ran off of him in rivulets that she watched, distracted. "Is something wrong?"
She didn't want to look at him. Didn't want to look at his dark blue-black eyes. Didn't want to try and imagine what his man face might look like beneath that White Bear image. "I miss my family," she mumbled, rain and tears streaming hotly down her cheeks.
White Bear looked at her, cocking his head to the side and plastering his ears down along his head. "I can do something about that," he said, "if you would just promise me one thing."
Juvia immediately perked up, the rain around them greatly lessening. "Yes?!"
White Bear hesitated, his eyes shifting away from hers uncomfortably. "Promise me that you won't talk with your mother alone, just when the others are there too." Juvia opened her mouth to argue that she didn't have a mother and he held up a large white paw to silence her, closing his eyes. "I know you don't have a mother, I'm talking about Mira Jane or Erza, the ones like mothers to the guild. They will take hold of your hand," he said, gently taking her hand in his large paw, "and will want to lead you into a room to talk with you alone. But you must not do that. If you do, it will bring great misery on both of us."
Confused, Juvia's brow furrowed, but she nodded. "Okay." Her cheeks grew warm as she took a step closer to the bear, feeling drawn to him more than ever before. Without thinking, she ran her fingers through the silky fur of his face, a smile curling the corners of her lips when he closed his eyes again at her gentle touch.
"Good. Then I will take you tomorrow."
Her soft smile turning into a grin, Juvia squealed with delight. It was no longer raining.
They set out early the next morning, Juvia ready for White Bear the moment the sun broke the horizon. She could swear he was smiling at her eagerness as she climbed once more onto his back, and struck out on their long journey. Their journey took them to the edge of the town of Magnolia, along the waterfront, where a new guildhall now stood with a large sign out front. The sign included the Fairy Tail insignia, along with Fairy Tail's name. Juvia beamed when she saw it. "This is their new guildhall," the White Bear told her, as if he needed to explain. "This was all possible because you decided to come with me."
Juvia was blushing when she slid off White Bear's back. "Thank you." Her hand remained on his shoulder slightly longer than was necessary, but she pulled it away the moment White Bear continued.
"Don't forget what I said to you, or you will do much harm to both of us."
"I will not forget," Juvia promised.
White Bear nodded. "I'll come back for you this evening."
Juvia watched as the great White Bear turned and headed back toward the mountains they had come from. The moment she stepped inside the guildhall, cheers and cries, and hoots and hollers erupted from all around. She was swarmed. She was picked up. She was hugged and crushed and kissed until she couldn't breathe. She was thanked so many times, over and over, her ears started to ring. Everyone was so grateful to her for all she had done for them. Now they had everything they needed, everything they wanted. They wanted to know how she was doing. She was inundated with so many questions she couldn't keep up with them. Then someone stepped on someone else and fighting ensued. She smiled as she made her way to the bar. This was the way Fairy Tail was.
"Is he treating you right?" Erza demanded once she joined her at the bar. The consequences for the bear if he were not were evident from the tone of her voice.
"Of course he is!" Juvia defended him.
"What's it like where you're staying?" Lucy asked, her eyes wide with wonder as her imagination kicked in to overdrive.
"I bet there's hair everywhere, isn't there? There has to be so much hair! That's so manly!" Elfman chimed in.
"Will you let the woman breathe?!" Mira Jane commanded, handing Juvia a plate of food and a tall glass of wine.
"I am really happy there," Juvia insisted, her mind turning to the nights and wondering why White Bear was a bear during the day and man during the night.
"You seem sad," Mira pointed out.
"I just missed you guys! Now please, tell me all about the jobs you've been on without me!"
And so the catching up continued on into the afternoon. Mira Jane kept the drinks and food coming, not like the members of Fairy Tail needed much help in that department. Juvia found herself completely at ease in her guild's new home, but soon enough, all happened just as the White Bear had said it would.
"Can I talk to you alone a minute?" Mira asked her, coming around to the front of the bar for a change.
Juvia gripped her glass tightly, White Bear's words in her mind. "About what?"
"Let's go upstairs."
Juvia could feel the blood leave her face. "Anything you have to say to me can be said down here with everyone else."
Mira's face pinched as she looked at the water wizard closely. She could sense the hesitation in Juvia's voice but wasn't sure what to make of it. So she settled for her answer for the meantime and went back to serving while Juvia continued catching up with her family, her friends.
As the afternoon wore on and turned close to evening, Juvia knew the White Bear would be coming for her soon. She didn't know how it happened, but suddenly she found herself alone with Mira, upstairs, and she was telling her everything. Juvia was telling her how every night a man came to her bed when the lights were all put out, but how he never touched her – just said good night, how she never saw him because he always went away before the sun came up in the morning, and how she was drawn to this man, whether he was in his bear form or his man form. She wanted to see his face, wanted to know why he was a bear during the day and a man at night, wanted to see him perform his ice-make magic, wanted to understand why his magic power was so limited right now, wanted more company than a bear during the day!
"Oh!" Mira Jane cried in horror, "What if you're sleeping with a troll?!"
Juvia looked at her as though she had just said her head was on fire. "A troll? Seriously? You sound like you've been reading too many of Lucy's novels."
Mira glowered at her a moment before placing a finger on her chin in thought. "I've got it!" she shouted. "I know how you can see him. I'll give you a piece of one of my candles, which you can take and hide. Look at him with that when he is asleep, but take care not to let any wax drop on him."
Juvia's face lit up as Mira explained her idea. "Perfect!" So she took the candle, hid it in her dress, and when evening drew near, said goodbye to her family before riding off on the White Bear's back. This time when she gripped his fur, she felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement. She had gone against his wishes, but she was going to see him! Was it terrible to feel excited and anxious about that?
When Juvia sat atop him in tense silence, the White Bear finally spoke. "Did it not happen as I foretold?"
Juvia frowned, looking at the back of his neck. The thick chain of his necklace, a silver cross, could barely be seen through his dense fur. "It did. Mira asked to speak with me in private."
"Then if you have done what Mira asked, you have brought great misery upon us both."
"No! I have done nothing!" she adamantly argued, but her hands trembled.
They traveled the rest of the way in silence, Juvia's heart hammering nervously in her chest. She'd lied to him… And it felt so wrong to do so… She went to bed quickly and without ceremony, both because she couldn't stand looking at him when he looked upon her with such trusting eyes, and because she couldn't wait to actually look upon White Bear's face. When she settled in to bed that night, it was just like all other nights, and once her lights were extinguished, a man came and lay down beside her, murmuring, "Good night, Juvia," before falling asleep himself.
After some time had passed, and she could hear his breathing turn deep and even, she crept from the bed and lit the candle Mira had given her. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and padded to his side of the bed, letting the light fall upon his sleeping features. What she saw took her breath away, the light trembling in her hands. His hair was black, tousled and unruly as it fell across his forehead, hiding a scar above his left eyebrow. His features were strong and handsome, his jaw and chin chiseled even with his lips softly parted in sleep. He lay partially on his back, one hand on his stomach and one thrown above his head. When her eyes moved lower her cheeks darkened – his shirt was partially unbuttoned and open – and the muscles she saw made her want to touch him, but she knew she shouldn't. It was the necklace – the silver cross lying half-hazardly across his neck that confirmed the man's identity. This was White Bear. In that moment, she realized she was in love with him. She had been in love with him as a bear, but now that she saw him as a man, she was even more in love with him than before – so much so that she felt she might wither up and dry if she didn't kiss him at that very moment.
So she did kiss him, so softly her lips scarcely brushed against his. She was so nervous she trembled, but then the hand that had been above his head came down to her waist, and his lips gently pressed back against hers. Her hand holding the candle faltered at his touch, dripping three drops of hot wax upon his shirt, and he awoke with a start.
"Juvia?!" he cried, his nearly black eyes suddenly open mere inches from hers.
"Ahh!" she shrieked, jumping back from his startled cry as blood rushed to her face. She covered her mouth with her free hand, mortified, while he sat before her, his chest heaving and his eyes wide.
"What have you done?!"
"Why can't I kiss you? You're the one sneaking into my bed!" she shouted back, anger rising at his accusation.
White Bear, even though he was no longer in a White Bear form, ran a hand through his hair and Juvia's stomach flipped. "You lied! You did speak with Mira!"
"I didn't mean to!"
White Bear sighed. He raised his arms as though he meant to pull her back into them, but then dropped them as he changed his mind. "If you had but held out for one year, I would have been free! I would have been able to marry you." Juvia's heart swelled near to bursting at his words before he shattered it. "I have a stepmother who has bewitched me so that I am a white bear by day and a man by night."
"Why couldn't you just tell me that?" she chastised. He tsk'd and looked away. "I-I love you even when you are a bear."
His eyes slowly returned to hers and the depth of his pain physically hurt her. "But now this is over," he murmured. "Nothing can happen between us." He rose from the bed, his eyes sad. "I must leave you and go to her."
"Go where?"
"She lives in a castle which lies east of the sun and west of the moon. There is a princess there that now I must marry."
Tears sprung to Juvia's eyes. "Why?! Why couldn't you tell me this before?! You could have warned me!"
White Bear slowly sunk back to the bed at her side and took her hands in his. It was the first time their hands touched as humans, and he performed the movement slowly, carefully. His hands were cool, but given his ice magic, she wasn't surprised. Regardless, she sucked in a breath at his touch, pleasant tingling shooting up her arm and settling in her heart. "It's part of my curse that I am prevented from speaking about it. She designed in rather perfectly that way." His voice was quiet and sad as he spoke.
"I don't want you to go," Juvia mumbled, collapsing into his chest and dropping the candle at their feet. The flame went out, casting them in darkness. At first White Bear stiffened at her touch, but then his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly. His cheek came down to rest on the top of her head and he sighed.
"I don't want to go, but I have to."
His words were like deep rumblings against her ear and she squirmed closer against him. "I don't even know your true name."
"Gray. Gray Fullbuster."
She gasped. "The prince?"
He nodded softly, just once, but enough that she felt it. "C-can I come with you?" she stuttered, her tears soaking his shirt. He shook his head no. "What if I talked to your stepmother?"
He laughed, the sound rich to her ears even though it was without humor. "You could do that if you'd like to die." His arms tightened around her, his heart rate picking up within his chest – she could hear it against her ear. "I'm sorry, Juvia. This cannot be. Not anymore."
"Gray!" she cried. He kissed the top of her head and stood up, carefully extricating himself from her arms. "Can you tell me the way then, and I will search for you? I must surely be allowed to do that!"
He smiled softly, the smile sad. "Yes, you may do that," he said, "but there is no way there. It lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and you would never find your way."
Determination lined Juvia's face, even as he pressed her back to the bed with a hand on her shoulder. "I will find you," she vowed, reluctantly allowing him to tuck her back into the bed.
The curse was already enacted, so it seemed like such a moot point to avoid it now. When he pressed his palm to her cheek, Juvia partially sat up and kissed him again, holding him there with a hand at his neck. He immediately returned her kiss this time, his lips soft and gentle against hers before he reluctantly pulled back. "Good bye, Juvia," he whispered. "I love you too."
When she awoke in the morning both Gray and the castle were gone, and she was lying on a small green patch in the midst of a dark, thick wood. Her heart ached in her chest, feeling broken and empty as her eyes stung with tears. Dark clouds gathered above and rain quickly started to fall – it was her rain, depressing rain. But she was a wizard of Fairy Tail and she would not give up. Once she managed to force her tears away (but not the rain), she set out on her journey to claim back the bear, no the man, who had claimed her heart.
Juvia traveled far. She walked east day after day until her feet ached and her legs grew weary. Through her travels she asked after the prince, searching for her darling Gray, but no one knew how to find a castle east of the sun and west of the moon, until she came upon an old woman living in the mountains. This old woman lent her a horse, but still sent her further on in her journey, insisting she continue to travel east until she come upon the East Wind.
And so Juvia continued her search, nearly collapsing with relief when she finally met the East Wind, only he was not what she expected.
The East Wind was tall and strong, with long and wild black hair that resembled a mane and several piercings along his nose and eyebrows. He looked fierce, but when Juvia sent the horse back to its master, she approached the East Wind without fear. She was more than a little surprised to see him playing with a spinning wheel – twirling it around his finger or creating an iron stake to spin it around. When she explained her plight to him, he looked at her with sharp red eyes. "You want me to do what?" he grumbled.
"Please," she begged, clasping her hands in front of her. "I am trying to make my way to a castle east of the sun and west of the moon."
The East Wind's eyes narrowed and flashed. "So you're trying to make life difficult for that Ultear witch?"
Juvia swallowed dryly, and nodded. While it wasn't the entire truth, it also wasn't wrong. "Yes."
The East Wind smiled and pointed west. "I will send you to my comrade, the West Wind. He may know where you can find the castle, for I've never gone that far. I'll get you there."
The way his eyes flashed both excited and scared Juvia. "H-how will you do that?"
Smiling, the East Wind rose to his feet. "First, take this," he offered, handing her the spinning wheel. "It might prove useful to you."
"Thank you," Juvia said graciously, even as her brow creased in confusion as she looked at the wheel now in her hand. The East Wind didn't give her time to ponder the significance of the object before issuing another command, "Turn around," and she quickly obeyed. She heard him suck in a deep breath behind her and closed her eyes, bracing for some unknown impact.
"Iron Dragon, Roar!" he shouted.
Juvia suddenly found herself propelled forward with such incredible strength and speed that she bent partially backward, her hair billowing out behind her as her eyes squeezed shut from the sudden rush of air past her face. With a barely suppressed shriek, she clutched the wheel tightly to her chest as she called, "Thank you!"
When Juvia landed, she was surprised to see the West Wind lying at her feet. A tall and burly man, the West Wind had blonde hair and a scar marring his right eye. He smirked up at her as he threw the golden apple he held up in the air before catching it. "You the girl the East Wind told me about?" he asked, his voice deep and gruff.
Juvia startled, surprised the East Wind could have warned him so quickly. "I am."
"And you are searching for the prince and the castle east of the sun and west of the moon?"
"Do you know where it is?"
The West Wind shrugged and lumbered to his feet. "No, but I can send you to the South Wind. He's roamed far and wide and he might be able to tell you what you want to know."
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, relieved the West Wind's gruff exterior didn't match his personality.
Eying the spinning wheel in her arms, the West Wind appeared struck with a sudden idea. "And take this. You may need it on your journey," he insisted.
Juvia didn't have time to say anything else before the wind's strong hands turned her to face south. Much as the East Wind had done before him, he sucked in a deep breath and she closed her eyes to brace for the impact of his roar. "Lightning Dragon, Roar!" he cried, and she was propelled forward with a resounding zap in the air that tingled every fiber of her being as she flew through the air.
"Thank you!"
When Juvia dropped from the sky, her hair continued to sizzle, waves of electricity running down her blue locks for several seconds before it was able to stop. She looked around for the South Wind and immediately headed toward the mess of pink hair she saw in the distance, lounging. He wore dark pants and had a white scarf that looked an awful lot like scales around his neck. "Are you the South Wind?" she called as she approached.
The owner of the pink spikes turned, green eyes blazing. "Are you the one looking for the prince?"
She was used to not asking questions by this point. Clearly word traveled fast among the winds, but what was she expecting? "I am," she admitted with a gentle nod. "Do you know where I can find him? Or his castle? I was told you have wandered far and wide."
The South Wind pursed his lips and closed his eyes, turning his face to the sky as his fingers ran over the golden comb he held in his hands. While Juvia's rain had stopped with her mission of finding the prince, the sky was still overcast. He was not getting the sunlight and warmth he wanted, although he did not know the reason why. "I have," he admitted, "but I've never seen the castle east of the sun and west of the moon." His eyes opened and returned to hers. "However, if you want, I can send you to my sister, the North Wind. If she can't tell you where this castle is, then no one can."
"Thank you!" Juvia cheered, her heart swelling with warmth and gratitude for the winds for helping her search for her love.
The South Wind slowly rose to his feet and offered her the golden comb he was holding. "And take this," he commanded. "It might prove useful to you."
Her eyes shining, Juvia took the offered comb. "Thank you so much."
The South Wind smiled and shrugged, his smile wider and brighter than any smile Juvia had ever witnessed. Familiar with the routine, she turned around, her back facing him as he sucked in a deep breath before shouting, "Fire Dragon, Roar!"
Once more Juvia was propelled forward; this time with a burst of heat and flame at her back that immediately flushed her skin a brilliant pink that she suspected matched the South Wind's hair. She clutched her newest gift, the golden comb to her chest, as she once more shouted through the air, "Thank you!"
The moment Juvia arrived in the north she could sense a difference. The wind was wild and frantic – cold gusts felt a long while before she even got there. When the South Wind finally dropped her before the North Wind, Juvia couldn't help but gasp in surprise. The North Wind, oftentimes considered one of the most powerful winds, was just a young girl probably no more than twelve! Her hair was a darker shade of blue than Juvia's, pulled up into long twin pig-tails and her eyes were a rich coffee brown color; but Juvia found herself unable to meet them for long and she shivered.
"I hear you are looking for the prince and the castle east of the sun and west of the moon?" the North Wind finally asked, her voice soft and gentle.
Juvia nervously ran a hand through her hair. "Yes, I am. Do you know where this castle is?" She didn't want to admit it, but doubt was beginning to worm its way into her chest and she was trying her best to fight it.
"Yes," the North Wind started, "I know where it is, but the journey there is hard and long. I cannot guarantee I can get you there all the way. If you are not afraid, I can try and blow you there."
"I must get there!" Juvia exclaimed, "And if there is any way of going, I must try. I have no fear, no matter how fast you go."
Already receiving her report from the other winds, the North Wind knew this woman spoke the truth. "Very well then. Brace yourself and turn around."
Before listening, Juvia stepped forward and pulled the North Wind into a tight embrace. Tears stung her eyes, but they were happy tears, relieved tears. She was going to see Gray again! "Thank you! You have no idea what this means to me!"
Smiling, the North Wind set her back from her before turning her around. "Brace yourself," she cautioned. Once Juvia had spread her feet and bent her knees, ready, the North Wind sucked in a deep breath and yelled, "Sky Dragon, Roar!"
Juvia immediately was propelled forward and up, high up into the air as if she would not stop until she reached the very end of the world. She went so high the air grew thin and it was difficult to breathe. She flew over forests, the trees shaking in her wake; over the prairie, the tall grass rippling behind her; and over the ocean, creating waves in her wake that splashed her feet. The further she went, the more tired the North Wind became, and the lower she sank until at last the North Wind could blow no more and waves lapped at Juvia's feet.
"Are you afraid?" the North Wind asked again, her voice weak.
"I am not," Juvia affirmed. And it was true.
They were not far from land, but just far enough that the North Wind's strength gave out just before Juvia had reached the shore and she was dropped into the shallow surf, a wave immediately hitting her from behind. Had she not been a water wizard, she would have been knocked over. Instead, she simply moved with the wave, and took no damage whatsoever. The water soothed her, rejuvenating her strength, and she stayed there a moment, observing the quiet stillness of the castle and trying to come up with a plan. It was then that she noticed a beautiful woman walking along the beach. Is that the princess Gray is to marry?
Unsure of herself, and very intimidated by her competition, Juvia gradually made her way to the shore, her eyes on the tall black-haired beauty before her. The woman wore her hair long and down, with bangs cropped straight across her forehead. Her hair was held back from her face with a white headband. She was so beautiful, Juvia nearly balked, but then she thought of Gray, and the sadness in his eyes upon leaving her, and she had an idea as she pulled the golden apple from her pocket and began tossing it as she approached the woman.
The princess, who loved and wanted all things beautiful and powerful, immediately caught a glimpse of the apple when the sun reflected off of its golden surface. Her eyes sparkled and she turned, immediately approaching the blue-haired woman leaving the water. "How much do you want for that golden apple of yours, girl?" she asked, her voice harsh. Her deep purple cloak billowed out behind her in the breeze off the sea.
"It cannot be bought with gold or money," Juvia answered vaguely.
"Then what will buy it?" the princess demanded, her eyebrows drawing down and her eyes flashing. Juvia was beginning to see why this Ultear was considered a "witch" by the winds.
"Are you the princess that is to marry Prince Gray?" Juvia asked, smart enough to make sure of her target.
Ultear scoffed and tossed her head, violet-black hair flipping along her back. "Of course I am!"
Juvia's heart stuttered in her chest and she fought to control the sudden shaking in her hands. "Then if I may go to the prince and be with him tonight, you shall have it."
The princess thought a moment, her eyes traveling up and down Juvia's form carefully. Juvia shifted, her cheeks darkening under Ultear's scrutiny. "You may do that," she finally answered, her own eyes sparkling.
With a smile, Juvia bowed and handed the princess the golden apple, but when she was shown to Gray's chambers that night, he was asleep. She crept in quietly, at first not wanting to startle him, but when she sat on the bed at his side and he didn't stir, she became concerned. "Gray," she whispered, her hand on his arm. "Gray," she tried again, slightly louder as her grip on him increased. "Gray!" she yelled, putting both hands on him and shaking him. Still, he did not budge. His body was limp in her hands. She could not wake him. In her panic, she checked to make sure his heart still beat, which it did, strong and slow, but nothing she did could rouse him, and tears immediately fell down her cheeks, dotting his chest. "I made it Gray," she whispered, burying her face in his chest as she wept. In the morning, as soon as the sun crested the horizon, the princess Ultear drove her out again.
Later that morning, Juvia sat on the front steps of the castle, running her fingers over the golden comb that the South Wind had given her, much as he had done before giving it to her. The princess Ultear saw the flashing gold of the comb, and all happened as it had before. She asked her what she wanted for the comb, Juvia told her it couldn't be bought with money, but for a night with the Prince, and the princess agreed. But just like the previous night, when Juvia went to Gray's room, he was again asleep and could not be woken. She cried at his side, drenching his shirt with her tears, until sleep took her. Princess Ultear again drove her out just as the sun rose the next morning.
It rained that day. Juvia was unable to stop the rain for it reflected the sadness in her aching heart. She knew something wasn't right, but she was so blinded by her desire to be with and see Gray, that she couldn't understand what it was. So she sat on the castle steps, the rain soaking her without her notice, and toyed with the golden spinning wheel given to her by the East Wind. When Princess Ultear saw this, she wanted that too and their same agreement was made, Ultear's dark gray eyes shining evilly.
Little did Ultear know that one of her other prisoners, a tall blue-haired man with a red mark around his right eye, had heard a woman crying in the chamber next to his for two nights in a row. He knew the prince resided in the room next to his – they had met on several occasions and had grown to respect each other greatly – so he also knew of the woman Gray had wanted to marry, the blue-haired water wizard that he had described as looking an awful lot like the woman he had seen around the castle the past several days. So that afternoon, as soon as he got the chance, he told Gray of his suspicions.
"Juvia?! She's here?!" Gray shouted, trying to keep his voice quiet despite his obvious excitement.
Jellal, Gray's only friend in this lonely place, smiled at the prince. "I believe she is the one that's been coming to your chambers. I hear her trying to wake you."
Gray frowned. "I have been waking up feeling strange the past few days," he mumbled, his eyes growing distant as he thought. His hand unconsciously drifted to his chest, where he had found his shirt oddly feeling slightly damp upon waking in the morning. His fingers curled into a fist as he suddenly exclaimed, "I have an idea!"
Jellal smiled again at his friend and the two nodded at each other before going their separate ways. Ultear did not like seeing them talking to each other. "Can't wait to meet her!" he whispered with a wink.
That night, when Ultear brought Gray his nightly drink, he took a careful look at it and walked to the balcony. He pretended to drink it, but instead threw it away, suspecting that she was putting something in it to make him sleep. Ultear went away that night with no suspicions, smugly smiling with satisfaction, and Gray found himself pacing his room, unable to relax knowing that Juvia was there, waiting to see him.
When Juvia quietly slipped into Gray's room later that night and found him awake, she nearly screamed in surprise, but he clamped a hand across her mouth and shook his head. A smile broke across his face, something Juvia had not truly seen before, and tears of happiness sprang to her eyes. He saw this and immediately removed his hand. "Gray!" she whispered before throwing herself into his arms.
Gray hugged her, burying his face in her blue locks and deeply breathing in her scent. "You've come just in time," he breathed. "I'm supposed to marry the princess tomorrow, but I cannot marry that woman." He pulled back just far enough to look into Juvia's wavering blue eyes, his hand gently cupping her chin. "Do you remember how I told you my magic was greatly depleted before?" Juvia nodded. "That was my stepmother's doing. Now that I'm here in the castle east of the sun and west of the moon, my powers have been restored." He placed his hand carefully over hers and a faint blue light shone between their hands for a moment. When Gray removed his hand, a perfectly shaped ice sculpture of a swan rested in her hand, barely three inches tall, but every detail perfect. Juvia gasped at the tiny figure, lifting her hand to her face to look at it more closely. "We're ice and water, Juvia," Gray breathed, so softly she almost couldn't hear him. His words brought a pleasant heat to her cheeks.
More tears gathered in Juvia's eyes as she looked up at him. "This is beautiful."
Gray's eyes grew dark and serious. He had a plan, but it wasn't 100% perfect, and Juvia had to know that. "Juvia, Ultear has magic too – Arc of Time magic. She's very powerful." Juvia swallowed. "But you alone can save me. I will say that I want to see what my bride can do, and that I must be sure we are compatible in every way. I will insist that we perform a Unison Raid together."
Juvia's mouth fell open. "A Unison Raid?! Gray, I've never done that!"
Gray shrugged, averting his eyes and fixating on her shoulder while one hand slid down her arm to grip hers. "Neither have I," he admitted. "But Ultear is prideful. She'll consent to it because she thinks she can do anything, but it won't work. When she fails, I'll insist that I will only marry the one who can perform a Unison Raid with me, and I know that you can."
Juvia's shocked expression slowly melted into a loving smile, but uncertainty still haunted her eyes. "You really think so?" she whispered. Unison Raids could only be performed between wizards exhibiting great trust between each other. Their magic could not be the same, but could feed into the other, complimenting it the way their water and ice did. Trust, love, and respect were vital components of a Unison Raid, but even with that, most wizards trained for years in order to pull one off – often with someone they knew for a very long time…
His eyes finally met hers again before he bent to press his lips to hers. Juvia at first gasped at the contact and he squeezed her hand – now that his magic power was fully restored he was very cold – but quickly recovered and kissed him back, her heart jumping into her throat at his openness and his confidence in her abilities. When they separated, they were both smiling. "Now you must tell me everything about how you got here," he insisted.
They slept very little that night, spending time in each other's arms, talking openly and honestly about their time apart and their lives before they came to know each other. Gray expressed genuine interest in her guild, and promised to return her to them. "Only if you promise to come with me," she insisted.
Chuckling, Gray squeezed her and kissed her temple. "Once I'm free of this place, I will do whatever you wish."
Juvia smiled at that and snuggled into his arms, the two of them dropping into a peaceful sleep for just a few short hours before Ultear drove Juvia from the room. Gray wisely pretended to still be asleep.
Later that morning, when Gray's stepmother came to insist he prepare for his inevitable wedding, he stood his ground with his arms folded across his chest. "I must see what my bride can do."
"What do you want to see?" he stepmother demanded.
"I want to make sure we are compatible in every way," Gray began. "I want to see if we can perform a Unison Raid." He waited for understanding to dawn in her eyes. "I will only marry the one capable of performing a Unison Raid with me."
Gray's stepmother gasped and took a step back. "Fine," she retorted. "I will inform Ultear. Head to the water."
Gray smiled at his stepmother's back. The water, huh? Perfect.
Moments later, Gray stood with his pants rolled up to his knees and his feet in the surf – he had neglected to put on a shirt. Ultear stood beside him, her cloak billowing behind her and her brows drawn down. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded. She did not see Juvia watching quietly from the steps or Jellal peering from behind the castle tower.
Gray allowed the disdain he felt for the woman to show in his eyes. "I won't marry you unless we are completely compatible. Which means we have to be able to perform a Unison Raid."
"But people train for years to do one!" she argued.
Gray shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets, acting disinterested. "Then I guess you don't even want to try?"
Ultear's face scrunched into a scowl and she stepped closer to him, turning so her back partially faced him. "Fine," she spat. Gray positioned himself in a similar fashion, holding one hand behind him and pulling his other back to it in a fist. Juvia's eyes widened at seeing his stance – she had never seen him perform his true magic before.
"Ice Make, Lance!" Gray shouted, and projectiles of ice shot out from around him as he threw his left arm forward, materializing the ice from the air. At the same instant, Ultear cried, "Arc of Time!" But she couldn't reverse time to the ice being water without destroying Gray's attack and she couldn't speed up time to the water being ice because Gray was creating the ice. It was what she attempted in an effort to boost the number of his projectiles, but in the end, her magic cracked and shattered his lances and they fell into the water in broken, shattered pieces.
"Nooooo!" Ultear cried as Gray stepped away from her with a frown. She stared at the falling ice with her mouth open, her eyes wide in horror.
"See? I cannot marry you," he spat, his eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
"What?!" Gray's stepmother cried, splashing into the surf as Gray's lances continued to fall around them. "What is this?!"
"You did agree to my condition, didn't you?" he challenged.
Gray's stepmother balked, her face paling as she stepped back from the wizard. "I did," she began, her mind racing as she tried to decipher the implications of his words.
Gray looked at Juvia and she immediately rose to her feet, silently running to his side. "Then let her try," he demanded.
Having no other choice, Gray's stepmother nodded. "Fine," she snapped, her lip curling up at Juvia's appearance. She sensed power coming from the young wizard, but immediately could tell she wasn't royalty.
Without saying a word, Gray offered his hand to Juvia, who gingerly placed her hand in his. He led her back out into the water before turning his back to her, and she to him. They pressed close together, their shoulder blades touching as Gray loosed her hand to pull his hands back to his rear hip, in preparation for his attack once more. "Are you ready, Juvia?" he whispered, turning to peer at her from over his shoulder.
Juvia's breath caught in her throat at the sight of Gray's eyes sparkling at her from over his shoulder. The wind tussled his hair, blowing it off the scar over his eyebrow and making her want to run her fingers over it, to find out how he came to be marked so. Her heart hammered in her chest as her stomach clenched tightly. She was going to do this because Gray wanted her to, because she wanted Gray to. Pressing her lips together in determination, she nodded, holding both her hands slightly up at her hips, her fingers curling into fists. "I am," she answered just as quietly. Her eyes flashed, making him smile as he looked back out at the water.
"Ice Make, Lance!" he cried, throwing his left arm forward again. He no sooner started speaking than Juvia threw her right arm forward, her fingers spreading, and shouted, "Water slicer!" She poured her heart and soul into her attack, her water immediately mixing with Gray's ice and freezing, multiplying his lances so that they became hundreds of projectiles, stronger, longer, and denser than he could make on his own. While their attacks would normally stop relatively quickly on their own, since they were touching, their magic was joined and the lances continued to come, having a steady supply of water from Juvia. They disappeared into the horizon, the strength of their mutual attack blowing their hair wildly about while a faint blue light emanated from around them.
"Nooooo!" Ultear screamed, running into the water and shoving the two mages apart. To the couple's surprise, Jellal appeared from behind the castle and tackled the princess, sending her beneath the waves. He stood between her and the new couple, crouched and ready to battle when she came sputtering to the surface. "What is the meaning of this?!" she screeched.
"I do believe you've lost," Jellal pointed out calmly. His hands were held in front of him in a peculiar position, like a magic sign.
"You tricked us, Gray," his stepmother admonished.
Gray turned, his arm wrapping protectively around Juvia and pulling her slightly behind him. "You expected any different after what you did to me?" he demanded.
His stepmother flew into such a rage, shouting curses and obscenities, pulling on her hair and stomping her feet, that suddenly she burst, disappearing with an implosion of purple light. For all her screeching, Jellal quickly sent Ultear after her.
"Jellal, my friend, I do believe you've been holding out on me," Gray teased as he moved to shake his friend's hand.
Jellal smiled and snapped his fingers. "You can thank me later." His hazel eyes rose to the sky where the four winds suddenly appeared, bringing with them a flurry of wind that swirled around them from all directions, pressing Juvia into Gray's side. "For now, let's get away from this castle east of the sun and west of the moon and to this place known as Fairy Tail."
A/N: This was my group's final project for Fairy Fest 2017 and my first time adapting a story already in existence like this and I'm pretty pleased with it, even though it got written pretty quickly thanks to Hurricane Irma! Please review and let me know what you think! Short little note about the Four Winds and the dragon slayers... They were given their roles based on their characteristics, not their strengths (i.e. Natsu is warm, so he was the South Wind). I'm not sure who actually wrote East of the Sun and West of the Moon, but I cannot take credit for the original idea! I also do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters, they all belong to Hiro Mashima. Credit for the cover image goes to my teammate SuperNanigirl on DeviantArt. There's another piece for it too on there created by PandaPoodle, so if you're interested, check us out there - I'm under the same name!