"Are you sure this is a good idea?" it was the princess who spoke, though I'm not sure why she was attending the war meeting.

"We believe that she will be able to carry out the mission on her own, your highness." The captain of the elite forces, Erza Scarlet, assured her.

"I don't doubt that at all! I wholly believe in her ability to complete the mission. I just worry about her, as a friend." She was wringing her hands, wrinkling the fine silk of her gloves.

I cleared my throat. "Your majesty, I am right here, please do not speak as if I am not." I had finally grown tired of being talked about while my presence had been forgotten.

"Oh, sorry you were um, very quiet." The princesses' complexion tipped towards the rosy side. A messenger boy entered through the heavy wooden door and bowed deeply to the ranks.

"Speak." Captain Scarlet commanded.

"Lieutenant Fernandez says the final preparations for the mission are nearly complete."

"Very well." The captain waved him away; he bowed again and retreated back out of the room.

"Levy, are you sure about this?" the princess, Lucy Heartfilia, had called me to her chambers after the meeting.

"Luce, relax I'll be fine. I've been on solo missions before and I've been in enemy territory several times." I tried to comfort her.

"I know you have but, never like this!" she hugged herself with uncertainty.

"You get worked up every time I'm preparing to go on a mission. I've come back in one piece every time, haven't I? Why should this time be any different?"

"This is the most dangerous mission you've ever been on."

"I know it is." I said softly. "That's why we're preparing so carefully this time. We've been preparing for nearly a year and a half and you know it." I gently laid my hand on her arm in silent support. She looked up at me; she was on the verge of tears.

A small group had come to see me off at the palace's small side gate. I waved out of the carriage window as the horse began trotting down the cobble stone lane. I leaned back in my seat once they had become specks on the horizon. Lucy had probably started crying. I already miss her.

I wiped my sweaty hands down the front of my shirt. I had exchanged my flashy robes marking me as the royal tactician of the fairy kingdom for a baggy fading green shirt, tight black pants that hugged my curves a little too much for my liking, and knee high combat boots. Something closer resembling a commoner's clothes to help me look like a convincing traveler.

I pulled my old worn cloak around me, I'm going to sleep; I have a long time before I reach the border.

I was jolted awake by the sudden stop of the carriage; it threw me to the floor. I sat up silently cursing the driver and his poor stopping skills. We couldn't possibly be at the border already. Could we? I stuck my head out the window to see why we had stopped.

I was right but, I was also wrong. We'd stopped near the border, about ten miles from it. "This is as far as I go." The driver peered around the side of the carriage from his seat. Again I silently cursed the driver. I grabbed the one bag I had brought with me, which mostly contained books, and hopped out of the carriage. The driver stuck out his hand expecting payment.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You've already been paid." I said flatly; his eyes flashed surprised before rearranging into anger from me seeing through his scam immediately. He pulled on the horses reins and trotted back the way we had come. I mumbled under my breath. "Lousy scam artist."

I shifted my attention to the task at hand: getting to the border. I was not dreading the walk but, I was definitely not looking forward to it. I slung my bag over my shoulders and began walking down the dirt road.

I arrived at the border wall quite ready for a cold drink of water but, sadly I hadn't brought any with me, an unwise decision. "Halt!" the stern voice of a guard commanded. "identification." I handed him my fake but, flawless ID and passport. To him I would seem like an innocent farm girl returning to her home territory from a trip to see her aunt. He inspected them while another guard searched through the contents of my bag. Everything checked out or that's what they thought.

I had to go through several other extensive searches before they finally let me pass through the gate into the Aes kingdom. It wasn't a bright or lively place -not that I ever imagined it to be. Even the sky seemed duller here.

My destination is the capital, which is the heart of the country. I have a long journey ahead of me.

Eight weeks later…

It took me longer than expected to reach the capital city. I looked ragged from hardly having a proper place to eat, sleep, and bathe. I felt as bad as I looked or damn near it. None the less it made my weary traveler disguise all the more authentic.

I could see the castle – my target – even from the outskirts of the city and the capital is a very impressive sized establishment. I could see the obsidian towers spiraling upwards like thorns ready to pierce the sky. I could see the blood red stained glass windows; they appeared small though I knew they were many times larger up close.

I pulled my cloak hood up over my head; my sky blue hair was drawing too much attention as I pushed my way through the crowded street. I was pushed every which way myself and nearly run over by a cart being pulled by two oxen. Geez, the people of this country are so big. What on earth do they eat?