Natsu had never been so bored in all of his life. Here he was the crown prince attending a ball surrounded by the fairest maidens in all the land and he was so bored that he was about to fall asleep. The only reason he attended this affair was so that he could stuff his face at the buffet table but his father told him that it was most unprince like forcing him to ignore his stomach's desires and try to find a suitable wife.

"Natsu surely there is someone here you want to dance with." King Igneel told him.

"Father just leave me alone. Please!"

"I'm only doing this for your own good son."

Natsu groaned. He was sure that if he didn't die of starvation then he would die of boredom. At last his chance to escape arrived when a hush fell over the crowd and everyone's attention including his father's turned to the ballroom entrance. With everyone distracted Natsu quickly slipped out in the royal gardens.

What had captured the attention of the King and his guests was a woman with hair and a gown that was equal to the sun. They found themselves stricken speechless by her beauty and grace as she entered the ballroom thinking that surely she must be a princess. Lucy smiled when she saw their gazes but also blushed feeling shy and embarrassed. It had been so long since she had been to a ball where others stared at her.

She began to partake of some of the food and drink that had been served. It was exquisite. It reminded her of all the wonderful and delicious meals and treats that she had been served back at her castle. After she finished her meal music began to play and before she knew it hundreds of young men were asking her to dance. Lucy was flattered but she wasn't sure who she wanted to dance with.

Feeling overwhelmed by the attention she went outside to the castle gardens to get some air but shortly after walking into the garden she tripped over something or rather over someone.

"Ow!"

It was Prince Natsu who was lying on the ground.

"Oh forgive me your highness!" She gasped. "Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm-" But he suddenly lost the ability to speak when he realized that the loveliest woman he had ever laid eyes on was standing before him. Her beauty along with her golden hair and gown was beguiling.

"Is something wrong?" Lucy asked him.

"No. No I'm fine."

"If you don't mind me asking what are you doing out here?"

"I'm hiding from my father."

"Shouldn't you be inside enjoying the ball? It is being held in your honor."

"Yeah but I didn't ask for it to be held in my honor. My father is only having this ball because he wants me to find a wife and I hate balls!"

"Why?"

"Well between you and me I don't know how to dance."

"Seriously?"

"I know I'm a prince who can't dance. It's pretty stupid but it's the truth. Every time I dance with a girl I either step on her toes or get motion sickness from all the spinning."

Lucy giggled then took Natsu's hands into her own.

"Whoa now! What are you doing?"

"I'm going to teach you how to dance silly."

"What? But I can't dance!"

"I bet you can if you put your mind to it. Here let me show you."

She put his left arm around her waist, placed her left hand in his right hand, and moved her right hand to grasp his shoulder.

"Now just watch my feet and move your own in the same way." She instructed.

She took a few steps forward and back leading him into a simple waltz.

"Oh I'm going to be sick." Natsu groaned.

"Now don't lose your lunch just yet. Relax and listen to the music."

Natsu felt sick to his stomach and he assumed that it was because of the motion of dancing but after he took a deep breath, relaxed, and did exactly as she said. The sickness in his stomach was soon gone and he came to the conclusion that his nausea came from stress. Before long he found himself learning how to dance very quickly and having a good time dancing with Lucy.

"See? You're a natural." Lucy said.

"Hey this is actually kind of fun." Natsu admitted. "You know you're a very sweet girl. Most of the young ladies I know would laugh at me for not knowing how to dance."

"But you do know how to dance."

"I do? Hey I do."

"I have nothing more to teach you."

"Well I think there's one more thing I could learn from you."

"What's that?"

"I would like to know your name."

"My name? Why would you want to know that?"

"So that I may know who you are."

"I'm... I'm no one. No one important or worth acknowledging."

"What are you talking about?"

But before Lucy could answer she spotted Minerva retuning to the kitchen. If she found that Lucy wasn't there she would be in trouble for sure.

"I have to go! Goodbye!"

"Wait! Don't go!"

But she quickly broke away from him and ran away. Natsu tried to stop her but she vanished in the crowd of other dancers. By the skin of her teeth, Lucy had managed to get back to her quarters in the kitchen before Minerva did. She quickly took off her gown and put her coat back on.

"What are you doing still awake?" Minerva asked her.

"I just woke up from a strange dream that's all."

"Well keep it down! I need my beauty sleep!"

A sigh of relief came from Lucy's lips when Minerva left then began to fantasize about her dance with Prince Natsu. She really wanted to tell Natsu who she was and her name but she was afraid that he would be ashamed of her. A lost princess who had been reduced to nothing more than a dirty wench who swept the kitchen floors. She was sure that he would be disgusted and revolted.

As for Natsu he was confused. Who was that mysterious, sweet, and beautiful girl who had taught him to dance? Was she a princess? Of course she was! What else could she be? But if that was true then why did she refer to herself as no one important? And why wouldn't she give him her name? Would he ever see her again? He hoped so.

"Natsu is something troubling you?" Igneel asked him.

"I'm just thinking about a girl I saw."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know. When I asked her she told me that she was no one and she ran away."

"Perhaps you imagined her?"

"No she tripped over me and gave me a big bruise on my neck so if the bruise is real then that means so is she."

"What does she look like?"

"She had blonde hair and was dressed in gold."

"You danced with the princess in gold?"

"You've seen her?"

"No one could take their eyes off of her. She was the prettiest woman in the entire ballroom. Why I haven't seen anyone so fair since your mother God bless her soul."

"Do you know her name?"

"I'm afraid not. We all assumed that she was a princess."

"I have to see her again."

"Well how do you plan to do that if you don't know her name?"

"I can't believe what I'm about to say but Father I'd like you to throw me another ball."