Narrator's POV

Lucy Heartfilia woke up on a beautiful Sunday morning. She wasn't just some ordinary girl. She was the princess of Fiore. She stood up from her enormous canopy bed and walked up to the balcony. She couldn't deny how beautiful the view was. Looking at it she wondered how it would be like to live a normal life. Lucy wasn't cut out to be a princess. She didn't want all the jewels, crowns and fancy dresses. She wanted to have friends, go on adventures,… Not that the servants at the castle weren't nice to her, but it got quite lonely sometimes. She only had one good friend. And that friend was standing outside, waving at her.

Natsu Dragneel was her best friend and they did everything together although her father didn't approve of this. Lucy didn't care though. No one could take their friendship away. The only reason why her father didn't like it was because he wasn't royalty and oh, yeah, he's a dragon. At least, part dragon. A dragon slayer to be exact. Aside from the horns on his head and the few red scales on his muscled arms, he looked like an ordinary human.

Natsu could also control fire, being the dragon slayer that he is. She had always admired it. It was so beautiful. He even could make some small fireworks if he wished to.

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled "Do you want to go fishing?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a moment!" she yelled back.

She dressed up and ran out of her room. She carefully tried to avoid the servants. That way she wouldn't have to explain she was going fishing with Natsu again. Not that they cared, but what they would do was tell her father. And that never turns out well. She finally reached the front door. As she gave herself an imaginary hive five for not being spotted by the servants, she heard someone yell "Lucy?! Where are you going?!" She turned around to see Spetto.

"I'm going fishing with Natsu. Bye!" Lucy yelled before running outside, making her escape. She heard Spetto say "She's so much like her mother..." just as the door closed but she didn't think of it too much. Lucy found Natsu sitting on a marble bench in the flower garden at the back their house.

"You look beautiful as always." he said while standing up.

"Thank you" Lucy replied, trying not to blush "Shall we head for the forest?"

"Yeah, I know a great spot for fishing."

"Okay, let's go there."

Lucy's POV

We reached the lake in the middle of the forest. I was glad that I didn't wore a long dress but instead a short blue skirt with a white top that had a blue cross on it. I hated dresses. Way to inconvenient. I looked at Natsu and noticed he had been holding a basket.

"What's in there?" I asked.

"I thought it would be fun to have a picnic when were done fishing." he smiled.

We sat down near the lake and started fishing in silence. After we've had our picnic an hour later Natsu asked if I wanted to go for a swim with him. It was very hot that day so I immediately agreed. Luckily I was prepared and wore a white bikini underneath. When I had took of my top, skirt and shoes, I looked over at Natsu. He was wearing orange swimming trunks which looked great on him. Only now, I noticed how muscled he really was. When I looked up at his face I saw that he was staring at me as well. I immediately looked away as I started blushing. Suddenly I was being tilled into his arms. He held me bridal-style as he started running towards the lake and jumped in it, still holding me.

As we got in, I immediately started shivering "It's too cold!"

"Wait, let me heat it up for u." Just as he said that, it already started getting warmer.

"Thank you. That's a lot better."

Then suddenly he went underwater. I didn't trust this. Just as I thought that I was being thrown in to the air. I landed with a big splash back into the now heated water. When I came back above, I saw him laughing at me.

"You're gonna regret that" I laughed.

"And how are you going to do that? You can't catch me. I'm a ninja. Nin-nin."

I splashed him in return.

"You wanna start a fight?" Natsu dared me.

"Bring it on!"

Natsu and I started splashing each other until we stopped ten minutes later. We swam to the shore and lay down in the warm rays of sunshine.

"That was fun" I laughed.

Natsu smiled "Yeah and I totally won"

"No, you did not."

"Yes, I did."

I playfully slapped him on his shoulder as he looked at me.

"Hey Lucy, what do you actually think of me?"

"Well, you're an amazing person, you're funny, you always cheer me up,… Why?"

"Oh, no reason... So, do you like me?" He asked as he sat up.

"Of course I do silly. You're my best friend!"

"Your best friend, I see."

Natsu suddenly looked sad.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked concerned.

"No, it's just… What if I like you more than just as a friend?"

"Natsu..." I looked at him confused. Was he telling me he loved me?

"You know what? Let's just forget about it. I'm going home." He stood up and started walking away. I immediately chased after him.

"Natsu wait!" I yelled just as I got hold of his arm. He hesitatingly turned around but didn't dare look me in the eye.

"Do you love me?" I asked him.

"Lucy, just forget what I said-"

"Do you love me?" I interrupted him.

"Yes." He answered quietly. I almost didn't hear him. But I did and what he said was all I needed to know.

I entwined my hands behind his neck and pulled him close. Just as he looked up at me, I kissed him.

At first he was hesitating, as if he didn't believe this was real, but than he took hold of my face and kissed me back. When we were done kissing, he pulled me close into his arms.

"I love you too, Natsu. I've always loved you. I just wast afraid to tell you, afraid that it would ruin our friendship if you didn't love me back."

"I know what you mean. Let's go home." He answered.

I nodded in return. He took hold of my hand and entwined our fingers. That's how we walked back home again. Hand in hand. My life couldn't get any better.

When we reached my house, I looked at Natsu.

"Clime up to the balcony in about thirty minutes. I left the balcony doors open." I told him.

"Sounds like a plan." he answered.

He gave me a kiss and walked away.

I went inside my house and went straight to the dining room. My father was already waiting there for me. So I quickly sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

"You're late." he says.

"I know, I'm very sorry father. It won't happen again." I answered.

"That's what you tell me every time. When will you start to realize that you have a duty to fulfill for this country, Lucy? You're a princess. Start acting like it."

"Yes father."

"So, first of. Stop wearing those peasant clothes. This is not how a princess should be dressed. What will the people think? I've tolerated it, up until now, but I won't do that any longer. From now on you'll start dressing like it should be. You understand?"

"Yes father."

"Secondly, I heard you were gone with that dragon boy again today. You know what I think of him."

"Yes father, but about that. Natsu and I are-"

He interrupted me "Hold you're words until I'm done. I'm not finished yet."

"Sorry, father."

"As I was saying. I don't want you hanging around with that dragon scum."

Now I was angry "He isn't-" I started yelling but he interrupted me again by holding up his hand.

"I don't want you hanging out with that boy! And that's it! Also, the other thing that I wanted to tell you is that I found you a betrothed. What will he think of me when he sees you hanging out with men other than him?!"

I was in complete shock. What did he just say? Betrothed? Did I have to marry someone that I don't know? There was only one person that I wanted to marry and that person was Natsu.

He continued speaking "You're betrothed is a wealthy prince named Loki. This marriage will do good to our family and kingdom. You're lucky that I could arrange this marriage seeing it will bring good prosperity to the kingdom."

"But father, I don't want to marry someone I don't know. I want to marry someone I love. You see Natsu and I, we're in love and-"

"Enough! You will marry the betrothed I chose for you, inherit his riches and rule the kingdom together! That's final! And I don't want to hear any other word about that outcast!" He interrupted me for the millionth time.

I stood up from where I was seated and spoke up "I see, money is more important to you than you're daughter's happiness. I won't forgive you for this. Ever!" After saying that, I stormed off. I went up to my room where Natsu was already waiting for me.

"Hey Lucy" he said as I closed the door "What do yo think about going to town tomorrow? I heart there will be a feast to celebrate the engagement of some prince and princess. It sounds like a lot of fun and-" He stopped speaking as he saw tears streaming down my face as I turned around.

"Lucy, what's wrong? Don't you want to go to the festival? If you don't want to go it's fine." He asked me.

"No Natsu, that's not it. What's wrong is that that princess is me." I told him.

He seemed confused as he asked "What do you mean?"

"I'm engaged, Natsu. My father found a betrothed for me. He told me just now." I explained.

"But that can't be," Natsu continued "You're mine, Lucy. I love you. Maybe if we tell him he'll understand. Maybe-"

"You think I didn't try, Natsu?" I interrupted him "I told him you're the only one I love, the only one I want to marry. But do you think my father cares? The only thing that he does care about is money."

He went silent. He looked at the ground as he balled his fists.

"God dammit!" He yelled as he hit the mirror next to him to pieces. His hand came back bleeding.

"Natsu, you've hurt yourself. Go sit on the bed." I said and ran over to the bathroom that was adherent to my bedroom. There, I took a pair of tweezers, a wash cloth that I made wet, a towel and a bandage. I ran back to my room and started getting all the tiny mirror pieces out of his hand with the pair of tweezers. After that I washed the blood away. While I was bandaging his hand, the tears started running down his face as well. "Lucy please. I can't live without you. I love you. I couldn't imagine my life without you. Please..." He started begging which made me cry even harder. "I don't want to leave you either Natsu. But there's nothing I can do. If only there was a solution..." I explained heartbroken. After that he didn't say a word.

"There were some pretty deep cuts. You should go to a doctor to get some stitches. I'll come with you." I told him as I finished up.

He took grasped my hand when I stood up. I looked down at him. He still was looking at the ground as he said "There is something you can do." Than he looked up at me and continued "Run away with me, Lucy."