Chapter 1: Chapter 1

A/N: This story is rated M for a reason. There will be betrayal, sex, and drama. If you are not comfortable with these themes, please do not read! To make the story easier to read, I've laid out below the speech formatting.

Thoughts: 'blah'

Speech: "Blah"

Letters / Request posters / Songs / Incatations : "blah"

Quotes within speech: "Blah 'blah' blah."

Scene Changes: ~Whatever is now going on, where, and time differences~

DISCLAIMER: Fairytail belongs to Hiro Mishima, this is just my own imagination running wild!

A/N 2: GOOD NEWS! I'm editing (just getting rid of the typos and the obsolete author notes) the story and continuing to it! Yay!

Chapter 1: The Only Way?

Nothing about today was normal. From the moment she woke up Lucy knew something was wrong. It all started with the fact the Natsu was nowhere to be found. He didn't crawl into her bed in the middle of the night, he wasn't pigging out on her food, and he wasn't trying to find her novel. However, everything really went wrong when she entered the guild. Everything was quiet, too quiet. Eyes were downcast and away from the celestial spirit mage, Cana was sober, and Natsu was getting along with Gray. Lucy was worried; Fairytail only got this way when something seriously bad happened. Knowing that Lucy still but on her priceless smile, she wouldn't let this odd day bother her. Maybe just maybe if she acted normal they would too.

" Hey guys!"

At her chipper greeting Master Makarov took notice of her and somberly started walking to his office, addressing her as he did.

"Lucy dear, come with me. There's something you need to see."

She followed Makarov to his office and gently closed the door. Once the big oak door was firmly closed, she took a seat in one of the comfy leather chairs that faced the oak desk.

"Master, what's going on?"

Makarov pulled something from his pocket and handed it to her.

"This arrived earlier this morning addressed to myself."

Lucy opened the letter and read it out loud.

"Dear Makarov Dreyar, Fairytail Guild Master;

I am deeply disturbed and sincerely apologetic to be writing this letter, however I had no choice. Lucy is to be wed to a nobleman unless you find a way to stop it. I did everything I could, yet Duke Whinningham of Bosco has said her hand in marriage, or war. He is desperate to marry the last remaining Heartfilia. The only way to stop this is if she is already married to someone of equal status. That was the most the Duke would budge on the subject. You only have three days before I must reply to him.

Forgive me,

Princess Hisui E. Fiore

P.S. Please tell Lucy how sorry I am that I couldn't stop this. The rest is in your hands. I beg you to find a way to save her when I cannot. Please Makarov. If there is anything I can do to assist further, please tell me."

Tears were streaming down her face as she read the end of the letter. Lucy dropped it, no longer having the will to hold onto it. Her voice a whisper as she uttered a single word. She had done so much to escape the same fate, had come so far; and yet here it was once again. She could never escape, never be free from the burden of her birth.

"No…"

Makarov walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"We will find a way. Levy and Freed have been searching…."

Suddenly two figures burst through the door. One was short and had shoulder lenth length blue hair, the other was of average height and had mid-thigh length green hair. Both were carrying a single book.

"Freed! Levy! What is the meaning of this?"

Levy was still catching her breath so Freed explained.

"We found a way for her to stay in Fairytail, permanently. However, this is the only way. The laws on these matters are too strict and have very few loopholes. Thankfully we found one."

Lucy suddenly piped back to life, her voice carrying some but little hope.

"How?"

"You have to marry someone within the guild that is also nobility, then the Princess can bump that person's status temporarily."

Lucy went from hopeful to depressed. 'I really thought that I could get out of going to Bosco and leaving my family behind.'

"That's impossible though."

Makarov was slowly starting to piece everything together and gave Lucy the one answer she so desperately needed.

"No, it's not impossible."

Lucy suddenly became almost angry. Makarov had never seen her so emotional before. Her words rushed and fierce as she spoke

"How master? Freed said so himself! They have to be nobility already for the Princess to…"

Freed cut her off by placing a hand on her shoulder, his voice low and soothing.

"Are you willing to marry someone to stay?"

She started to clam a little as she thought about it. 'Would I? I don't want to marry at all! But…I don't want to go to Bosco either. I don't want to leave my family, my Namaka. Is it worth it? To give up my freedom to someone I may not really know to stay? Yes, it is.' Her answer was calm and precise, her eyes unwavering as she looked at him.

"As long as I don't have to leave Fairytail. This is my family. I have no one left."

"Then I will tell you my secret. My full name is Freed J. Foudre. I go by my middle name so that people do not recognize me."

Lucy one again went through an emotion change. She now went from depressed, to confused, understanding, and ended at almost hurt. 'Why wouldn't he tell anyone. I could understand not telling other people outside of the guild, but the guild is family…"

"But that means that you are part of the longest living family in Fiore. Older than the family the country was named after."

"Correct."

The shock made Lucy numb and she could no longer process what was going on around her. Levy saw the change in her friends and walked over to her, giving her a hug.

"Talk to your father and see if he is willing to help us."

"I was actually expecting a visit from him..."

Suddenly a loud yell went through the guild

"FREED, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

Freed chuckled at Laxus and excused himself.

"More than likely he has arrived."

Freed left the room while Levy as still trying to calm down Lucy. A few minutes later he returned with an older man in tow. The man had the same green hair that Freed did, just considerably shorter. His eyes were a light green and showed his age, yet they were still kind. He was about the same height as Freed. He wore a simple white dress shirt ducked into black dress pants and accompanied by black half-calf high boots. He immediately went and shook hands with Makarov. Lucy looked at the man and wondered what kind of person he was. 'I wonder if he is like father and that's why Freed didn't say anything.'

"Hello. Master Makarov. My name is Lazare V. Foudre. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Thank you for watching over my son while he has been here."

"The pleasure its mine. Freed is a strong mage with an even stronger heart."

"Yes, and he has informed me upon my arrival that there was a matter you would like to discuss. How may I be of service?"

Makarov sighed and pulled out the letter. Levy knew that this was not a conversation she would be needed in and quietly left, that and Lucy had finally regained her composure. Once Levy was down the hall he handed the letter to Lazare as he explained the situation.

"To put it frankly one of our own has been put into a very bad situation that she had nothing to do with."

Lazare had finished reading the letter and handed it back to Makarov.

"I wish I could help, but even my family is not equal to the status of a duke."

Freed stopped his father before he could say more.

"Although that is normally true, there is a stipulation in the law that says that any member of the royal family can temporarily boost the status of any family when threatened with war. Therefore, it can work, all that would be left on our part is to create the marital contract."

"Although that is true son, is this something both of you are willing to do? Marital contracts for nobility are for life and cannot be broken. In other words, once this is done neither of you can get a divorce. It would also concrete you becoming head of the family. I know you don't care for the life of nobility."

Lucy looked up at Freed. 'I didn't know he was putting so much up on the line for me. Maybe he just didn't know. And I really misjudged his father too, he's nothing like mine.'

"I know father, but it's the only way for her to stay here. Fairytail is her family. I refuse to allow her to be torn from her family when there is something I can do to prevent it."

She looked at him with awe. 'He did know. I can't just take away his life….'

"Freed, you don't have to do this for me. I don't…"

Freed cut her off and started walking towards her slowly. Every step emphasizing his point.

"Lucy, listen to me. I know that we don't know a lot about each other. I am also aware of what this would entitle. However, I know something else as well. I know that you are the light of Fairytail. When you walk into a room everyone's day gets better, and I mean everyone's. You said earlier that you would marry to stay. Well I would marry to keep you here."

He was standing right by her now, the back of his right hand gently grazing her face.

"I am not one to jump into things blindly Lucy, yet here I am taking a chance. All that I ask is that you jump with me. You don't have the choice of Fairytail or Bosco, nor do you have the choice of mage or wife. The only option you have is me or him. I wish you had the option you desperately wanted, but I cannot grant that to you. There is no other way. So, I will ask one more time: Will you take a risk with me?"

"All I have to do is jump, right?"

Makarov and Lazare watched he interaction between the pair, their aged wisdom seeing what Lucy and Freed could not. The two had already fallen in love, or at least they were starting to.

"Yes."

"Then catch me."