I forgot to mention that each chapter switches between Natsu's and Lucy's POV. This one's Lucy's. Decided to update this now to give it a little push, but also because I just finished chapter 8 lol. I like writing Natsu's part a little better ahah. Sorry if the story seems fast paced I can't help it. ^-^; Enjoy~

Chapter 2

The Princess

I, Lucy Heartfilia, am the princess of Fiore. I've lived in the castle my entire life playing with my childhood friend, well he wasn't exactly my friend, he's a little rough around the edges. He kept me company. He was the son of the leader of the Kings guard. And know he has become a knight of the King's guard. So I rarely see him anymore. We still talk just not as often. When we were kids he'd tell me about the towns around us. How cool it was. He was chosen to guard me back then even if we were just kids, the first son of every knight had an order. His was to protect me, until I was old enough. Like now I'm old enough, so he's gone off somewhere. I haven't seen him since I was 14. I'm 16 now so 2 to 3 years have passed since then.

I walked around my room. Glad that after my adventure out of the castle, I wasn't caught. Someone knocked at my door and I answered it. It was one of the very few outsiders that was allowed to enter the castle and talk to me.

" Gajeel," I said, letting him in.

" So, did you see how bad that town's condition was in?" He said crossing his arms. Gajeel would come and tell me how messed up Magnolia was, how every human in the town was poor, sick and dying. How the Guards were so... evil. At first I denied everything he said. But when I saw it for myself, I didn't know how to react. I couldn't believe it. Surely my father knew about it.

"Yes, I did."

"And?"

"And you were right. The people there are in trouble. But I'm sure my father will do something about it."

Gajeel shook his head, " Your father is the reason that town is in such a horrible state."

"What? Are you accusing my father, the King , did that? To his own people?" I asked,furious. My father, he would never do that. Ever since I was little he would tell me, that when I grew up I had to care for my people. That I should treat them as I would treat all my friends. Just like what my mother did. Why off all times would he just give up on them?

"Its true. If only you knew," Gajeel said as he turned to leave.

I sat there on my bed wondering to myself that maybe my father did it unintentionally? Or maybe it was someone else framing my father. Or Gajeel was just blindly accusing someone. I'll talk to my father tomorrow. I'm sure he'll do something about it. So I slept.

When I awoke. I got up, took a shower, and dressed in one of the fancy dresses the maids left me. I never liked the things, sure they were pretty, but they weren't exactly my type of thing, you couldn't move freely. Which meant no running.

I headed to my Father's throne. Knowing that that was where he would be. When I arrived at the door and entered I found my father sitting at the throne talking to one of the knights. My father looked up and smiled.

"Good morning, Lucy! " He greeted me, I smiled back.

"Hello father," I glanced at the man on his right. He was my father's advisor. Trustworthy,as my father put it. I never bothered to remember his name. But now staring at him, I wished I did. He just seemed so, mysterious.

"What brings you here so early in the morning?"

I shouldn't tell him I left the castle, "Father, I was told about the condition of Magnolia. The people, there suffering!"

My father nodded, "Yes, I understand that, but there is nothing I can do about it."

I shook my head, "What do you mean nothing? Of course you can do something, you're the king!"

" …"

" Your father has no time to deal with delinquents and problem makers. He needs to form an agreement with the other lands that are currently in war." The advisor said, "Now please, If you have nothing else to discuss, we must be getting back to our work, Princess." I looked up at my father, he nodded.

" I will be seeing you at lunch Lucy."

" Alright then, by your leave." I backed away and left the room. So, my father was busy. He didn't have time to help the townspeople. Which means, since I am Princess, I'll take care of them. I'm sure my father wouldn't mind. I went into my room and opened my closet. Behind there the back of the closet was torn off. Hiding the hole in the wall. A secret tunnel that lead around the castle. There were many of these in the castle. In the old days the king or any one of the royal family would use this to exit the castle unnoticed to get some fresh air. I found these exploring when I was little.

I walked inside, closing the closet door and shoving the clothes hangers back to block the view of the tunnel. I walked down the stairs that lead below the castle. Everything was old; dirt and cobwebs hung everywhere, and dust would wipe off on my hands as I touched the walls. I grabbed the torch that hanged in its place on the walls, still lit from the last time I came down. It took me awhile but soon I reached a trap door above me and opened it slowly, making sure no one was around. When I was sure I placed my torch into a empty slot on the wall and lifted the trap door open completely. The door lead me to the back of the castle, in the middle of a field that lead into the forest. Now I had to walk down to Magnolia, which was on the other side of the castle. But I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing me. I just hid behind the tree's until I reached the town below.

I still couldn't believe how sad the town looked. I walked around a bit until I found someone wandering around the streets. There was a woman holding a few pieces of bread in a napkin. Other people were talking to each other. And the kids ran around chasing each other. The adults stopped and looked up at me. Some glared whispering.

" She's the princess isn't she?"

" Yet her father isn't doing anything for us. I bet she's enjoying her life filled with joy. They have all the food they want while we're here begging for it.."

I looked down. I felt bad for these people. I needed to figure out a way to help them. There was no point in trying to talk to them seeing how they seemed to loathe me. I walked along the river and stared down at it. It was brown with dirt.

Where did this water come from? Did they actually drink this?

I continued my stroll until I reached a building at a dead end, from there there was only a right or left turn plus the way I came. It was the Fairy Tail's tavern, I've been here the other day; I had asked Gajeel- right after I met Natsu for the first time-where to find this place.

By the loud noise that came from within the walls they were having a great time. Maybe they can help me? I decided to walk in. They seemed to be enjoying themselves in there. Tables thrown back, cups and chairs flying across the room. I was trying my best not to get hit by any of the flying objects.

I spotted the pink haired teen standing on one of the tables fighting a black haired teen, I think his name was Gray, if I remember correctly. A red haired woman was enjoying a piece of cake, ignoring the fight going on around her. She seemed like the only one uninterested in the fight. Until someone bumped into her causing her to drop her cake. She glared at the man who did it and punched him, leaving him unconscious on the ground. I cringed and I walked towards the bar where a white haired girl stood, cleaning some of the dishes smiling to herself. She stopped when she saw me.

" Oh, hey," She smiled, " You must be Lucy, what brings you back to our little tavern?"

" Um, I was wondering, you see... I've been walking around the town." I had no idea what to say to her. I wanted to help the people here, but what if they hate the king... and me as well? I needed to be careful. " Would you mind telling me what happened to the place?" It was a stupid question but I wanted to see if she knew how it happened. I never noticed my father doing anything weird or any of the other nobles for that matter. She put down the plate she was holding.

" You mean you don't know?" I shook my head, " Oh, thats right, Natsu told us you lived up by the castle. By the way I'm Mira."

" You already know mine " I laughed lightly.

" Right, now you wanted to know what happened here huh? Well it did happen a while ago. Back when all of us were kids. See, every one of us here are orphans. Most of our parents died from the wars, others were just abandoned. Before that we were living normal lives, and that was when this place was so lively and beautiful. But when the war started, that's when things got serious. Some of our parents went off to help the knights fight in the war between the Acalypha kingdom and the Crocus Kingdom. Of course our Magnolian knights are just defending our borders from any intruders from the other side...Then slowly our town started to become what it is now. We use to have water that flowed from the river from the forest that leads up to the castle. But the guards did something to it, and it started to turn into the brown muck that it is now. People are getting sick from it, and eventually they die. But we still have the lake that only we know of in the forest. The kingdoms knights haven't looked there yet so for now we are fine. Some of us decided to check the kingdom to see what the king was doing. They found out, yes, but they were sent to a horrible place. Only some of us here has been sent, not all of us came out the same, some of us didn't come out at all. But one came back saying he saw the king talking to one of his knights or whatever the person was. He said the king thinks we are in his way, that he doesn't have time for us. He only needs to worry about the war. Well honestly, I don't think it's so hard to give the town clean water and food, and keep it from dieing, and worry about the war at the same time. But what the king does we can not change. It's sad don't you think? Some people gave up hope. No one believes in the king anymore. To us, he is the enemy."

" But what about the other nobles? The princess? " I asked. I couldn't help but wonder what they thought of me. And to think that all this happened and I was absolutely clueless about it. I was kept in the dark by my own father!

" Not everyone hates the nobles and the princess. Though some of the nobles are very arrogant, so their not very likeable . But what can we do? We have no power compared to them. And the princess? We haven't really heard much about her. But a lot of us, not me though, hate the royal family. They are together on this." Mira looked at me from head to toe, " You look sort of familiar though."

" I do? I'm sure I've never seen anyone here before. Maybe I look like someone you know," It was final, I wasn't going to tell anyone about myself. I guess the one thing I can do right now is clean the river. But how? There was another thing I was interested in though. This place the guards send people. Was it true? The guards are meant to protect the people, not hurt them. To think there was so much I didn't know. I looked outside. The sun was high in the sky. It was getting hotter. " Mira? What time is it?"

" Its around 11:30, do you need to be somewhere?" Dammit, My father told me to meet him at lunch. If I don't hurry I won't make it back in time to get dressed.

" Yeah, actually I'm meeting someone, I have to go, " I rushed to the front of the tavern.

" Your welcome anytime Lucy! Stop by when you have the chance!" Mira called out before I opened the doors.

" Bye!" I shouted back. I knew I would be dropping by again. And it might be soon.