Author's Note: Hi people :) So I've never done an 'alternate reality' fic for Fairy Tail before, but I saw this picture with Juvia all dressed like a princess, Lyon dressed like a prince holding her hand and Grey at her feet, looking like a guard or something.

It really inspired me for this story- if you want to see the picture for yourselves then just PM me and I'll send it to you. It was kinda big, so it wouldn't fit on the cover image.

So yeah, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

xxx

Ever since Princess Juvia was a little girl, she had had one ultimate dream in her life.

Some girls want to be models; others want to be doctors, some writers, some artists- but Princess Juvia wanted more than anything else to fall in love.

Not to have a family, exactly, or to be the 'perfect wife'.

She just wanted that fairytale dream of finding that one other person to love and care about you your entire life.

And now, as the very first signs of spring began to grace Phantom Kingdom with cherry blossoms and sunshine, Juvia was closer to finding that dream than she had ever been.

After all, she was engaged to the famously handsome Prince Lyon.

True, Juvia had only met Lyon once before, when they were children, but she remembered a sweet, gentle little boy who had fallen head-over-heels for her instantly.

He had clasped her hands before she left and said: "Princess Juvia, someday you will definitely be my bride!" And she had agreed.

So, it was fate.

What else could it be?

Juvia took a step back in her chamber and examined her white-gold wedding dress where it was on its stand, glinting in the light.

There was surely nothing more romantic than things going exactly to plan.

xxx

Grey dropped his bag at his feet and took a step back to gaze at the enormity of Phantom Palace.

After two weeks of travelling across Fiore, he was finally here.

Phantom Kingdom- renowned for its wealth, known as the 'shining city'.

It was true, Grey thought. About what they said. The kingdom was set upon a high, chalk-white cliff, surrounded by circles of birds; the streets bustled in a constantly lively way, children played in the streets, every building looked well-cared for.

Before he had left his post at Magnolia Guard, his colleagues had teased him.

"I know why you've accepted the job!" Wakaba winked.

"To get away from you?" Grey suggested.

"The princess!"

"The princess?"

Macao slapped him on the back. "Don't be shy, there's no shame in it!"

"What're you talking about?" Grey frowned.

"Don't you even know?" Macao groaned. "I swear, these young ones…"

"Princess Juvia, of Phantom Kingdom." Wakaba said. "She's rumored to be the most beautiful girl in Fiore."

"That so?" Grey sighed.

"Don't you even care?!"

"I'm going to be a member of the Palace Guard," Grey reminded them. "It's not like I'll see her a lot."

"He won't be able to do anything about it anyway," Macao nudged Wakaba. "If there's one thing the Phantom Kingdom prides themselves on its separating their commoners and their nobility. Especially royalty."

"Yeah," Wakaba had agreed. "This lowly dog's got no chance."

"Oi." Grey muttered.

Now though, standing before the palace, he understood his friend's words.

Someone like him wasn't even allowed beyond the stairs of this place.

"Hey!" Someone yelled at him.

Grey looked over to see some heavily muscled guy with a mane of black hair waving at him.

"Open the gates!" The guy yelled.

Grey stepped inside as the iron gates swung inwards. "Morning!" He yelled. "I'm-!"

"Grey Fullbuster, the new Captain." The guy grinned. "Ge-hee. We've been expecting you."

Grey held out a hand. Wow, they're sure on the ball here. "How'd you do?"

The guy took it. "I'm General Gajeel. I've been sent to meet you. And I do great, thanks."

Grey rubbed the back of his neck. "But this sure is a place. It's massive."

"You can say that again," Gajeel led the way towards the guard house. "But security's tight, especially as the royal wedding's coming up."

Grey frowned. "Wedding?"

Gajeel gave that strange laugh again. "You livin' under a rock? The Princess is marrying the Prince of Lamia Scale Kingdom."

"Huh." Grey said. Wakaba and Macao are gonna be disappointed.

"As the new Captain of the Guard, your duty is to protect the Princess at all times. We'll assign you as her personal bodyguard as soon as possible…"

"Personal bodyguard?" Grey was surprised. "I thought I would be guarding the city-"

"You let me and the army worry about the city," Gajeel said. "The Princess is your priority."

Grey blew his fringe out of his eyes. Guess I am going to be seeing a lot of her.

They were interrupted by the sound of rattling carriage wheels on the cobbled ground.

A white carriage was coming towards them.

"Who-?" Grey began.

"It's the Princess." Gajeel frowned.

Grey blinked at the carriage. "Who? In there? Ow!" He started as Gajeel whacked his chest.

"What're you gawping at, newbie? Kneel!"

Grey quickly gathered his senses and, as the carriage came to a stop before them, he dropped onto one knee.

The carriage door swung open. Grey glanced at Gajeel. He was kneeling with one arm bent over his knee and the other braced on the ground, Grey quickly copied this pose, fixing his eyes on the floor.

"General Gajeel," A young woman's voice said. "Have the preparations for Prince Lyon to enter the city already been made?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Gajeel bowed his head. "Everything is in order."

"That's splendid. Thank you."

"Your Highness," Gajeel said quickly. "Allow me to introduce the new Captain of the Guard, Grey Fullbuster."

Grey could feel a pair of eyes boring down on him.

He bowed his head. "It will be an honor to serve you, Princess."

There was a second of silence.

"You may raise your head." The princess said.

Grey looked up and stared at the face before him. The rumors about her beauty had not been exaggerated. The girl was stunning with blue hair curling at her shoulders, heavily lashed blue eyes and porcelain skin- she looked like a doll.

Juvia stared back at him. "Y-you're the new…Captain of the Guard?"

Grey was a little alarmed at her faltering tone, he hoped his hadn't done anything wrong.

"Y-yes, Princess Juvia-"

"C-commoners are not allowed to speak my name!" Juvia said swiftly, going pink.

Grey backtracked. "Forgive me, Your Highness."

"Your Highness," Gajeel said. "I will make arrangements for Grey to come to your rooms immediately as your personal bodyguard-"

"M-my rooms?!" Juvia had gone dark red. "I-I'm not that kind of indecent woman!"

Grey and Gajeel stared at her.

"I-I have to go! Driver!" Juvia practically threw herself in the carriage and it sped off.

Grey coughed at the cloud of dust it left. He looked over at Gajeel. "Er…?"

Gajeel shook his head. "I don't understand, she's not usually like that at all."

"Uh-huh." Grey muttered.

"It's probably the stress of her upcoming marriage."

"Right."

"Don't take it personally."

"Sure."

Grey gave the now-distant carriage one last glance.

She may be a beauty, he thought. But she sure as hell is weird.

xxx

Thoughts?

Grey has a bit of a tortured past in this one- it's gonna be interesting to explore it.

Updating ASAP xxx