Chapter 2: As We Meet

.'.'.'.'.'.

"This is Gray fullbuster, he's our stable boy." The old man named Makarov said. Gray was the gentleman who welcomed me after the butler opened the door for me.

"This is Erza Scarlett; she's our local engineer, who fails to realize she is a lady."

Erza scoffed. She was very attractive. She had long Scarlett hair and striking brown eyes.

"This is Wendy, sir Dragneel's young cousin." He said, pointing to the little girl with long dark blue hair. She was absolutely adorable. She looked like one of the porcelain dollies Lucy used to collect as a child.

"This is Loke, Ivy, and Juvia, they're the chefs."

Loke sashayed over to Lucy, and took her hand gently. "A woman of such beauty shall not be a maid! Your fragile frame is like a sunflower petal. Thou woman of your beauty is too miraculous. How old are you my dear?"

"Se-seventeen." she replied.

"She is too young for you, Loke." A young man with pink-ish hair the color of salmon said as he slowly struts down the stairs. He wore a white button-down shirt with the sleeves pulled up to his elbows. He wore gray slacks, and his tie hung loosely on this collar. He looked like a schoolboy. It was Natsu, but he didn't dress how Lucy thought he would. Not only that, he didn't seem snobbish either.

"She is only four years younger." Loke smirked.

"Do not pay him any mind. He is a womanizer, and much trouble."

Once he reached the end of the stairs, Lucy gave him a curtsey, and he greeted her back kindly.

"I am Lucy Heartfilla."

"Lucy Heartfilla, a beautiful name for a beautiful young woman." Natsu complemented. "Are you in relation to the famous Jude Heartfilla?"

"Yes, he is my father."

"Well why on earth are you a maid? Your father has made millions!"

"Well, unfortunately, I did not gain anything from his many fortunes." she replied.

"Did he not create a will?"

"No, in fact, he was so boldly narcissistic. He thought he would live forever." she laughed, thinking back.

"I've heard the stories in the press, but is it true that he was poisoned?"

"Yes, one of the servants poisoned his food."

The room became quiet. Reliving that memory was quite tough. she missed my father, and wish she he could learn to be as humble as she had learned to be.

"Well, would you like to join me for breakfast?" he asked sweetly.

"Sure, sounds lovely."

.'.'.'.'.'.

After eating the savory breakfast, Lucy and the head of the Dragneel mansion, Natsu, sat at the table a few moments and spoke.

"Thank you that was an exquisite meal!" she complemented.

"Don't thank me, thank the chefs." Natsu said with a cheeky smile. "So, it must be very heartbreaking to lose your father. Where did you go after his death?"

It was a bit of a shaky, personal subject, but she managed to answer him without any tears. "I was sent to an all girls' foster home."

"What happened to your father?" she asked.

He stared down. Maybe she shouldn't have asked? Then he stood up, and proceeded to walk out of the dining room.

"You're not going to answer my question?"

"Let's not talk about him." He replied. That angered her. She could tell him something tragic about her past, but he couldn't do the same for her?

she rose from her seat abruptly and slammed her hands on the table. "I told you about my father, why can't you?"

-Silence-

He slowly walked back to his seat, and said, "Sit."

Lucy calmed herself down, and obeyed.

"You believe the press, don't you?" he asked, his eyes still on the floor.

"What? About you possibly murdering your father?" she started. "No, you can never trust the press."

He looked up with a shocked expression on his face.

"The press ruined my life." He choked. "They accused a twelve-year old boy of murder, people actually believed it too."

Lucy stood up, and walked over to his side.

"I highly doubt that, what incompetent fool would believe that a twelve-year old could do such an evil deed?"

"Apperently our local citizen." He huffed. Obviously, it was still haunting him. He felt reason for his father's disappearance. He felt that people still blamed him for such a crime.

"M-Master Dragneel?" Makarov said, coming opening the dining room door.

"Yes?"

"May I borrow the young maid to give her a tour?" he asked.

"You shall, Makarov." Natsu replied.

Lucy then gave more reassuring words to Natsu, and followed the little old man.

.'.'.'.'.'.

The inside of the mansion was equal to the outside; absolutely beautiful! After the wonderful tour, Lucy got comfortable in her new room. She put on my maids outfit, and headed to the kitchen with the other employees.

"Hello, Ms. Heartfilla." Juvia greeted.

"We meet again, my dearest beauty." Loke cooed, crawling to her side.

"Loke, please leave her alone…" Gray said.

"So Lucy, how do you like it here so far?" Juvia asked.

"It's beautiful. Reminds me of home." She reminisced. "Well, my old home."

"Well, you better get to work before Mr. Natsu says anything." Gray said.

"Yeah, I should…" she replied.

.'.'.'.'.'.

The first place Makarov told her to clean was the study, Natsu's study. She hoped it wasn't occupied by him. He was very mysterious, and intimidating. Not in a way that she felt in danger, but she got the chills whenever he looked her in her eyes. As if he could see her soul.

She knocked on the large cream wooden door, only to be greeted by him. She walked in, with her duster in hand; sweat trickling down the side of her face.

"May I dus-"

"You may." He insisted. She couldn't really see much, the room was dimmed by the light from outside, and a small candle on his door. It was rather dusty indeed. She began to clean off the table by the door, taking her time, not seeming too nervous around him. As she did her job, she noticed his legs folded upon his desk, and spectacles on his face. He looked very handsome that way. She bit her lip when she saw some of his top buttons unbuttoned, showing some of his shiny lightly tanned skin.

What is the matter with me! I should stare at him that way! She thought. She decided to change the thought of mind, and before looking back at her work, she saw that he was reading one of Shakespeare's playwrights: "The Merchant of Venice."

"Ah, so you know of Shakespeare?" He asked.

She jumped at the question. Had she said the title aloud?

"Y-yes sir. I know of him." She replied. She was in fact, very inspired by him. She wished to have as much success as him, and to stay in history's memory.

"What is your favorite of his?"

"I would have to say 'Romeo and Juliet.'"

"Ah, yes, tis' a favorite of mine also. I am intrigued. I haven't met many girls interested in such art. Do you like reading?" he asked.

"I absolutely love reading." She smiled as she stood up straight. "In fact, I do a bit of writing myself." She said as she nervously played with the hem of her skirt.

"Oh, you do? Sounds marvelous; you should come by sometime and read them to me." He said, returning the smile.

"You may leave."

"But, the study is still rather dusty….so offense." She continued on.

"None taken, but if you insist. I could use the company."

.'.'.'.'.'.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I hope no one was offended by me changing it. I only changed it because I felt like it was a bit rushed. I'm sorry. :/