"You can be more that this young child." The kind, small man offered her a smile that looked out of place from his position; lying chained and bloody, bruised to the bone.

"You don't have to follow whatever Jose says. He's a maniac. I think you of all people know that." His eyes trailed to the whip wound she had on her arm. She flinched, recalling what had happened just minutes ago. "In my place, we treat everyone equally and we're a family. We protect each other and encourage each other, not like this hell-hole." He gave her a serious stare. "I can see the sadness in your eyes. Please, allow me to help you."

She hesitated, not believing the words at all, but so desperately wanting to.

She was born into poverty, with literally nothing but she rags on her back to call her own. Her parents were abusive and so was the village she was raised in.

Everything akin to family was foreign to her, save for Gajeel, the only person who ever gave a damn about her well-being. They were the only family for each other, a family that both so desperately needed.

If she were to escape this place, what would happen to him?

The old man looked at her hesitation and smiled.

"I know that that young man is very important to you. Have no fear. Because of your love for him, I know that he is not as cruel as I originally thought him to be. I know he only needs some good guidance." He looked at her in the eyes, making her see that he was, indeed, serious about his offer. "I can give you both a better life."

She still hesitated, having heard similar words before. And where had that gotten her? Into an assassin's guild, having to kill for food. But something in his eyes bade her to trust him, and at once she steeled her resolve.

Hoping that she could trust him, she stepped forward.

Juvia smiled at the memory as she continued to fix up the bed of her beloved master.

It had been only two weeks since she had saved General "Master" Makarov, and she had been loving every second of it.

After freeing the general from his confinements, she immediately convinced Gajeel to come along. At first, he was adamant on staying and killing the old man, because he feared that their guild would find and assassinate the both of them, and he wouldn't dare risk the life of his best friend on a chance that seemed to outrageous to be true.

But Juvia was having none of it. She said that if there was even a glimmer of chance for a better life, they'd better take it. Grudgingly, Gajeel agreed and together, the three of them escaped through the tunnels.

And Juvia never turned her back since.

The kind general found them both jobs in the palace where he served as the supreme high council to the king, Jude Heartfilia; her as a maid to the princess, and Gajeel as the royal blacksmith. Both of them were free at last from the guild, and started to move on with their lives.

The seventeen-year-old gently patted down the covers and smiled at the elegancy that she created from the simple sheets. She, in truth, was very thankful for her master. At first, she feared that the princess would be abusive and hurtful, but, ever since their first meeting, nothing even close to that was shown by Lucy-sama. She was kind, beautiful and friendly, and would often try to get her to drop the -sama.

She was the perfect princess.

Juvia gave one last look around the bedroom and, feeling satisfied with her work, went to visit her best friend. So far, other than Cana, another maid who was often seen drinking the beer she somehow smuggled in, and Loke, Lucy's personal, and extremely flirty, bodyguard, she had not seen much of the other people living in the palace.

'Maybe Juvia will see them on the way to give Gajeel some lunch.' She smiled happily to herself. 'It would be nice to meet new people!' She stopped by the kitchen to make a sandwich and some soup, before heading towards the armory.

'Juvia hopes that Gajeel is hungry! Juvia made enough to feed an entire battalion!'

Gajeel wiped the sweat off of his face before pounding on the white-hot metal in front of him. Silently, he was thankful for his unchallenged skills in welding, which earned him the title of 'Metal Dragonslayer' in Phantom. Without it, that chummy old man wouldn't have been able to give him a job at all.

He heard the doors open, before hearing the loud yells of the captains fighting again. Groaning, he put the metal back in the furnace for it to heat up as he looked up at the figures that were coming into his domain.

"No! I was the one who took down more rebels than you did!" The annoying captain Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel yelled out to his raven-haired rival. The raven, Gray Fullbuster, replied with a yell of his own.

"Like hell you did! All you did as swing at those idiots! I was the one who binded their hands!"

"Did not! I did help with the capturing!"

"Oh really? Tell that to the puke stains on Christina!"

"That horse had it coming! She was going way too fast! We were going to jail, not dropping a bomb!"

"Idiot."

"Stripper."

"Flame-breath"

"Ice Princess."

"Salmon-head!"

"Droopy-eyes-!"

Gajeel smirked, partly amused by the idiots. He cleared his throat.

"I, frankly, don't give two-shits about what the fuck you guys are interested in." He crossed his arms. "But since you're here, I'm guessing you have some business with me." He gave them both a glare. "What do you fucks want?"

Unfazed by the disrespectful language, Natsu yelled, again.

"I want a sword that's bigger than his!" He pointed at Gray. "Bigger, longer, and sharper!" This made Gray glare and turn sharply towards Gajeel. "I want the biggest sword you ever created!"

"No! Mine should be bigger!"

"No, mine is!"

"No way! Yours must be tiny and lacking in size!"

"If mine is small yours needs to be seen with a magnifying glass!"

"Mine's bigger!"

"No, mine!"

"Do you want me to show you up? HUH?"

"Bring it on!"

The sound of a dropped picnic basket alerted Gajeel of another person inside his armory. Once again, he smirked. 'This is going to be fun'.

"Why dont you ask her for her opinion?" The young man asked, head nodding towards the door. Immediately, the two rivals looked at that direction, where they set their eyes on a beautiful bluenette maid, who was blushing furiously.

A small pause.

"Ga-Gajeel..." She stuttered slightly as she picked up the fallen basket and walked cautiously towards the trio. "I-its noon already and Ju-Juvia thought that you would want some lunch." Carefully, she set the delicious-smelling food on the counter and then turned towards the stunned captains.

"Ju-Juvia apologizes f-for in-interr-rupting your lovers' quarrel." She bowed, and then scurried out the door.

One...

Two...

Three...

"WHAT!?" Both boys screeched, eyes bugging out as they finally processed what the young maiden said. Gajeel laughed hard.

"I'M NOT GAY! Wait! Miss!" They ran out the door. "This is a HUGE misunderstanding!" After hearing that, Gajeel laughed even harder, falling unto the ground and fists pounding on the floor.

Yeah, life is good right about now.

Planned one-shot, but, depending on the demand, might add a couple more chapters. xD