"Why is it that your brother and sister insist on causing me nothing but trouble?" Gajeel's father, Igneel, sighed as he cast aside another newspaper. "I'll have to sit down and talk to them the next time they decide to come home."

Gajeel, seated across from his father, eyed the older man warily. His siblings had always been troublesome, but lately Igneel's patience for their antics had shortened drastically. "What have they done this time?"

Picking up the articles, Igneel held out the soft grey paper for his eldest son to take. "Nothing more than usual. Natsu started a brawl in Manchester, two people were hospitalized, and your sister, Wendy, was spotted partying at yet another Parisian club."

Matching his father's frown, Gajeel studied the pictures splashed across the front. Wendy was being carried into a waiting limo by one of their various security guards while her so called friends smiled and waved into the flashing lights of the press around them. His heart sank as he read the headline: 'Meet Princess Molly'. His eyes trailed over the images of his brother. Those were much less upsetting; Natsu at least was still grinning into the camera, despite his bruised cheek and swollen lip.

"Wendy promised me she would stop." Gajeel muttered, his eyes trailing over the grainy image of his 18 year old sister.

"She promised me as well." Igneel spoke; reaching for his tea. "It appears she lied."

Gajeel nodded; lying was nothing new for Wendy. She'd been doing it for years now, only getting caught when the press found her. In a way, they should be grateful that reporters followed her so closely. Otherwise the family might not have any idea what was going on with the young girl.

"As for Natsu," Igneel continued, setting his cup back onto its intricately decorated saucer. "It's time he grew up. He's 22 years old and still acting like a child."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue.

It was true, Natsu was well past the age where he could get into public wrestling and boxing matches. Especially given he was second in line for the throne, after Gajeel himself.

"What do you intend to do?"

Igneel was silent for a long pause, his eyes trained on his son. "What would you do? Soon you will take my place as King, if only in title."

Gajeel frowned. He didn't want to be the one to discipline his brother, but he couldn't refuse the offer either. Not now.

Cracking his knuckles, Gajeel spoke. "I would suggest calling him back to the castle. Natsu has been free to do whatever he pleased from the moment he left secondary school. He refused to go to university, something you allowed seeing as he wanted to see the world." Gajeel paused, eyeing his father's blank face warily. "But it's been a few years and Natsu has done nothing more than cause trouble for himself, for his family, and for his country."

"What will bringing him back here solve?"

Gajeel wrinkled his nose, he had his own reasons for wanting Natsu to return home, but he couldn't tell his father those. "Bring him home and give him some responsibility. Put him in charge of something or someone. He has never been given the opportunity and I believe he may surprise us all. He can be serious when he wants to, but he's never really been given a reason to be."

Igneel's mouth twitched. "And what exactly do you suggest I put your brother in charge of?"

"Natsu is most serious when it comes to his friends, he'd do anything to protect or help them. Plus he has an uncanny ability to find and cause trouble. Give him to Jude. Have Natsu help train a few of the new recruits or help plan one of the new security plans. He's bound to take that seriously, considering a few of his friends are employed with Jude, and it'll instill a bond between the newer guards and a member of the royal family."

Igneel's dark eyes twinkled and, for a moment, Gajeel believed he'd managed to please his father. "And what if he were to refuse?"

"He won't." Gajeel replied. Natsu was a moron sometimes, but even he knew better than to refuse their father so blatantly. "Not if you force him."

Igneel laughed. "I haven't had the power to force your brother into anything since he was 12, I doubt a decade will have made him less stubborn or hardheaded. Nevertheless, I will ask your brother to return. You're right, it is time he matures. If he refuses, then I may be forced to take other measures."

Gajeel's heart sank at the unspoken threat. Other measures usually meant a scheme that Acnologia, Igneel's advisor, had suggested. They always turned out poorly for the three siblings, which was why Natsu and Wendy stayed away from the castle as much as they could. The last scheme, had resulted in Wendy being shipped off to a German boarding school, only to be kicked out weeks later for partying. Igneel had been furious and Wendy had almost been disowned completely. It was only through the combined efforts of both Gajeel and Natsu that Igneel had relented and allowed Wendy to return home until a new school could be found.

"Now," Igneel spoke again, pointing at the other paper. "What are we to do about your sister? Once word reaches her school, no amount of money will convince them to overlook this as well. Acnologia proposes she be shipped off to America and taken into one of their military schools until she can learn to behave properly. What do you say?"

"I say Acnologia seems much too eager to be rid of all of us." Gajeel muttered; making his father laugh again.

"Acnologia is simply looking out for what is best for the crown, that is his job after all."

Gajeel bit his lip to keep from snapping at his father. He didn't understand how the older man could be so smart yet so blind. Every chance the slimy advisor got, he suggested shipping off one of the siblings to another country. The three of them had seen it instantly, but no amount of proof would ever convince Igneel that Acnologia had less than pure motives.

"Regardless, sending Wendy to an American school will not fix her problem. All you'd be doing is separating her further from the people who care about her."

"I agree and told Acnologia as much. That still leaves the question of what to do with her. I'm at a loss as how to handle her ridiculous behavior, perhaps your mother would have been better prepared."

Gajeel winced. His father had been bringing up their deceased mother more and more often of late; it was like picking at a half healed scab. Painful and pointless. "I do not think she would have been any better equipped to handle Wendy than you are father."

Igneel nodded, but his eyes were no longer focused on his son. They were distant, as if the older man was responding to a conversation he'd had years before rather than the one occurring right now.

This too was happening more and more frequently; leaving Gajeel's mind free to wander as well.

As with any time he had a spare moment, Gajeel's mind turned to a peculiar shade of blue that once haunted both his nights and days. Levy McGarden. She was a young maid who worked in the castle and they'd met when he'd had a particularly bad argument with his father. She'd been cleaning one of the chandeliers in the main hall and he'd been too distracted to notice the tall ladder standing at the center of the room. It had only been thanks to his quick reflexes that she hadn't broken her wrist or worse. She'd been incredibly grateful and had apologized profusely, but he'd simply shrugged them off; enjoying the bright red color of her cheeks contrasting nicely with her strange hair. And he'd gone out of his way to find ways to elicit that same color over the following weeks. Until she'd exploded at him; depending to know why he enjoyed bothering her so much. He hadn't given it much thought before, but her questions had made him realize he had feelings for the short maid and so he'd asked her out. She'd refused at first, but he'd refused to take no for an answer.

The first few months had been bliss. She'd insisted on keeping their relationship a secret he'd been frustrated, but respected her wishes, at least in the beginning.

Gajeel had fallen hard for Levy and went to his father with his intentions to propose to his maid. However, Igneel had been less than impressed with their secret relationship. He'd threatened to not only fire Levy but ensure she would never again find work. Gajeel's protests had died immediately, knowing how much she needed the job to support both her education and younger sister.

So he'd cut things off with her and Igneel quietly reassigned her to one of their other homes.

Despite having conceded at the time, Gajeel was still adamant that he would not marry anyone other than Levy. He was willing to sacrifice everything he had to be with her.

"Father," Gajeel began, waiting for his father's dark eyes to focus back on his face. "I wanted to talk to you about another matter this morning."

Instantly, Igneel's eyes hardened. "Which matter is that?"

"Levy McGarden."

If possible, his eyes hardened further. "I have nothing further to say on the subject. The girl may remained employed with us, so long as you neither speak to or go near her. Have I not made myself clear?"

Curling his hands into fists, Gajeel worked to keep his voice steady and calm. "I understand that you believe she and I have no future together, but your belief does not change that I love her. Neither will you forcing me to stay away from her."

"Gajeel we have argued this subject for weeks now and we will continue to argue until I go deaf or mute. Levy, while a wonderful girl, is not an appropriate fiancé for you. She has no royal blood. She has worked here for the past five years and has barely been able to get herself through university, let alone enough to properly care for her sister. You pose the perfect solution to her problem."

Gajeel opened his mouth to argue, but was interrupted by a heavy knock on the door behind him.

"Come in." Igneel called.

"Your highness," Acnologia greeted; eyeing Igneel with a smirk. "Prince Gajeel."

Igneel scoffed and waved the man in. "What is it Acnologia, my son and I were discussing important matters."

He raised an eyebrow; fixing a polite smile on his face. "I am sorry, sir. Jude Heartfilia insists on meeting with you. He claims it is urgent."

Igneel sighed, stealing a look at the grimace decorating his elder son's face. "Very well, send him in. Gajeel," the young man turned his gaze to his father. "We will continue this later."

"Yes father," Gajeel murmured; standing and brushing past Acnologia. "We will."

A/N: Sorry for the long break in updating guys, but I've decided to rework this story. You might not like the changes or you may love them. Sorry for anyone who wanted to continue with the original but it just was't working for me. Lots of love to all of you who have stuck with this story and my lazy ass.