Fairy Tail and all of its characters belong to Hiro Mashima.
The title of this fic will change once I decide on one, so I apologize ahead of time for any confusion this causes.
Crickets sang in the darkness of the night. The woods surrounding the city of Magnolia were whispering from the light breeze that danced amongst its leaves. In the darkness, a shadow moved. With muffled footsteps, a woman stepped forth from the woods, anxiously listening for approaching danger. A midnight blue cloak shrouded her in darkness, casting deep shadows over her face.
The young woman approached the gates to the city, quickly slipping inside without the notice of the guards. Her worn boots pattered a faint rhythm against the cobbled streets as she made her way toward the center of the city. Her eyes darted into every shadow and weariness was etched in every line of her body. Her heart thundered in her ears as she worried her bottom lip. After some searching, the woman stopped at the tall wooden doors of the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. She took a final look around before discreetly opening the heavy oak door and slipping inside.
Even at this late hour, laughter and cheer reverberated in every inch of the massive room at the Guild Hall. She ducked her head, casting her face in shadows as she made her way between shouting men and women, keeping her profile hidden from any wandering eyes. The people she passed were nearly oblivious to her in their merriment, spilling drinks and laughing amongst themselves.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," a perky barmaid said as the woman approached. "May I get you anything?" Friendly blue eyes searched for the face hidden in the darkness beneath the hood.
"I am looking for the master of the guild," the woman answered. "I would like to meet with him in private if he is available." She kept her voice low.
"Certainly," the barmaid responded. "I will get him right away. May I ask your name?"
The woman hesitated. "Lucy," she finally replied. "He will know who I am."
The pretty barmaid smiled, introduced herself as Mirajane, and quickly turned on her heel and walked up the stairs at the side of the bar. Lucy's eyes surveyed the room with curiosity. Large oaken tables took up most of the available floor space. Towering wood beams supported a high, vaulted ceiling. A high oak bar formed a barrier between the guest seating and the kitchens. Scratches and stains adorned the bar top in front of Lucy.
The hall echoed with the laughter. Lucy watched in fascination as the men and women teased each other. Playful shoves were exchanged. Smiling faces were everywhere. Lucy huddled a little deeper into the folds of her cloak.
"Lucy."
She jumped at the sound of the voice, not having heard the barmaid approach.
"The master is available to see you in his study," Mirajane said. Lucy stood to follow the barmaid, her cloak still hiding her face.
At the top of the stairs, Mirajane lead Lucy down a hallway lined with doors. The sounds of the boisterous group below echoed up the staircase. At the end of the hall, the barmaid stopped, knocking on a door. A voice sounded, bidding them enter. The barmaid complied, allowing Lucy to enter before taking her leave, closing the door securely behind her.
A strange, small man sat behind a large desk. The man was immensely tiny, with white hair going every which way beneath an orange striped hat. A small, neatly trimmed moustache adorned his face. He looked Lucy over in surprise, taking in the state of her attire.
Lucy stepped forward, lowering her hood. Her hair was messily hidden in a cloth bandana, which she quickly removed, revealing dirty and tangled blonde hair. A cut marred her cheekbone, still slightly puffy and scabbed over. Lucy had rinsed her face in a nearby stream, but had been unable to do anything about the state of her clothes. Her skirts were shredded and coated in stains. Her cloak was mud splattered and torn. Dried blood adorned one shoulder where there was a gaping slash in the fabric. Her shoes had long-ago fallen apart and she had stolen a pair of worn boots, several sizes too large.
"Hello, sir," she said politely, offering her hand. "I'm Lucy. I believe you knew my mother, Layla Heartfilia."
"Please, my dear," the old man said, taking her hand. "Call me Makarov. Your mother was a trusted friend of mine. I was terribly saddened to hear of her loss." He gestured for Lucy to take a seat. "I must say you look remarkably like her." Makarov continued to look the girl over, seeing the striking resemblance between her and her late mother.
"Thank you, Makarov." Lucy replied, sitting with a sad frown marring her face. "Before my mother's death, she made me promise to come to you and seek your protection," she paused, staring down at her clasped hands. "The circumstances of my mother's death have not been made public."
"Layla had sent a letter a few months ago alerting me to the possibility of your arrival. She did not provide me with any details as to the situation, but I sensed that you both may be in danger." At Lucy's answering nod, Makarov continued. "I know this must be very painful for you, but I will need you to tell me what you can. I can only protect you if I am aware of what the danger is," he explained.
Lucy nodded before beginning her story, sparing no details. A few times, her voice broke and tears threatened to spill, but she willed herself to be strong. They spoke late into the night as Makarov devised a plan to protect the only daughter of his old friend. The clock tower chimed the two o'clock hour before the details had been settled.
Exhausted, Lucy's eyes drooped. She had been traveling endlessly for weeks in order to reach the safety of Magnolia where Makarov housed his Guild.
"Come, child," Makarov stood and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to put you up in a guest room until we can arrange a permanent apartment for you."
They stood as Makarov lead her down the hall to the available room.
"If you need anything, Mirajane at the bar can help you," he said. "I will give her orders to help get you settled tomorrow morning. Now, child, go in and rest. You've been through a terrible ordeal."
"Thank you, Makarov," Lucy said. She bent low and bestowed a kiss on the small man's forehead. "Thank you for everything."
With a warm smile, Makarov gently closed the door. Lucy quickly locked it behind him before moving further into the room. She approached the window, cautiously peeking at the cobbled streets below. Her gaze swept the darkened streets and alleyways below, then the rooftops above her vantage point. There was no obvious way for an intruder to climb in and no shadows signaled she was being followed. Lucy took a moment to gaze out of the window and into the dark heavens above. The stars twinkled merrily as if they were waving at her. A small ray of comfort struck her heard as she located her favorite constellations.
Finally allowing herself to relax, Lucy securely locked the window and firmly closed the blinds. Finding a bathrobe in the closet, Lucy quickly discarded her grimy traveling clothes and wrapped herself in the clean comfort of the bathrobe. From her discarded clothes, she pulled forth a small brown leather case. Blowing out the candle before curling up beneath the blankets, she sighed as she sank into the soft pillows. She hugged the small leather case to her body before placing it beneath her pillow. In the darkness of the night, she freely allowed her tears to fall. Her exhaustion finally overwhelming her, Lucy fell into a deep sleep.
Thanks for reading!