What Lucy didn't know was that the man she had just encountered was Natsu the crown prince of Alvarez and he was on the run. You see his older brother, King Zeref was pressuring him to take a bride. But the young prince didn't even want to think of getting married right now. He didn't understand why his brother was so dead set on getting him married. He was the oldest, the first born, which made him the king. Natsu being the second born and youngest would never be king so shouldn't Zeref be more concerned with finding a wife for himself?
He grabbed the nearest horse he could find and made a run for it. But he underestimated his brother's trackers. All too soon Zeref's men found him and brought him back to Alvarez.
"From now on you are restricted to castle grounds." His brother told him.
"So I'm under house arrest? What's next the dudgeon?" Natsu said annoyed.
"I wouldn't have to do this if you would stop running away to another kingdom."
"I wouldn't run away if you would stop trying to get me married! Geez Zeref why are you doing this?"
"You need a wife Natsu and heirs."
"You're the king not me! You should be the one trying to get married!"
"Natsu you don't understand I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?"
Zeref sighed and gave him a look. A look that Natsu recognized as one that said: I have something awful to tell you but I really don't want to. After a moment of silence that seemed to last forever Zeref finally spoke.
"I was hoping to put off telling you this until you were married but I guess that I have no choice but to tell you now."
"Tell me what?"
"I'm dying Natsu."
"What?"
"Natsu I've been very sick for a long time and soon I will have to go."
"Well why don't we find another physician? Try a different medicine?"
"Natsu I've tried everything. There's no hope for me and when I'm gone you'll have to take my place as the new king. That's why I'm so desperate to get you married."
Natsu couldn't speak. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His brother was dying? No. No that couldn't be true. It just couldn't be. Natsu was only three years old when his parents died in a shipwreck while they were sailing over seas to attend a business in another kingdom. After their demise Zeref had become king and had spent the last seventeen years running the kingdom while also raising Natsu. Zeref was the only family he had ever known and the thought of living without him scared him. Zeref had been born with extremely weak health which had been getting worse for years. Natsu always suspected that it would eventually lead to Zeref's death he just never thought it would be so soon.
"I've thought about marrying and having a child of my own but I didn't want my wife to be widowed too soon or my child to grow up fatherless. Natsu I know it's not fair of me to ask you this but please, please, I need you to take my place when I'm gone. I need you to become king, find a queen, and produce an heir."
"Alright Zeref." Natsu sighed. "I'll...I'll try. I'll really try."
"Good. Listen to remember King Hector of Fiore?"
"Yes."
"Well his daughter Juvia has just turned seventeen and from what I hear she's grown up to be the most beautiful woman in the world and that she's very kind. I would like you to go to Fiore and meet her. Try to get to know her."
"Funny I was just in Fiore."
"I shall send a message to Queen Minerva informing her of your arrival."
Zeref quickly sent word to the queen.
"Why would I want some spoiled little prince here?" Minerva asked her advisor Rogue.
"Well his brother King Zeref was hoping to arrange for him to marry Princess Juvia."
"Marriage? But she's just a child and I doubt this prince is one himself as well."
"Actually your majesty he is twenty years old, very handsome, strong, very wealthy, and according to Zeref in desperate need of a wife."
"Really?" Minerva said becoming interested but then upset. "Ugh. But he's a prince. Not a king, that marriage will lead to nothing."
"He won't be a prince for much longer."
"What do you mean?"
"From what I've been told King Zeref is dying from illness, once he passes Natsu shall ascend the throne."
"So if I were to marry him I would be queen of two kingdoms."
"You? Marry him? Correct me if I'm wrong your highness but aren't you already married to our king?"
"Yes but Hector has been missing for three months and there's been no trace of him. I've accepted that he's dead and so has everyone else and I've gotten so lonely since his death. I could use another husband."
"But wouldn't the princess make a better choice? After all she is closer to the prince's age."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Now don't get upset but don't you think you're just a little, teeny, weeny, tiny bit too old for him?"
"No! I am not! Twenty-nine is not that old!"
"But you're not twenty-nine."
She gave him a death glare.
"Okay I'll be quiet now."
"Good now then tell King Zeref that would be delighted to have Natsu attend our kingdom and that we'll be holding a ball in his honor."
"A ball?"
"Yes. One more grand than ever before."
"But your majesty how exactly do you plan to pay for this? I don't mean to alarm you but you're broke."
"It's called taxing Rogue."
"More taxes? I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Why?"
"Because the people are starving and some are homeless."
"Since when I have I ever cared for what became of the people?"
"You used to care."
"That was when I was foolish. Now go into the kingdom and squeeze every last penny out those peasants if you have to."
"Yes your majesty."
Word spread quickly about Minerva's ball for the prince. Every noble man and woman in Fiore was invited and they were excited about attending. Especially Sorano and Yukino.
"What do you think Sorano?" Yukino asked. "Should I wear my blue dress or my white one?"
"Go with the blue." Sorano said. "As for me I'm going to buy a new gown that's made from the finest silks."
"You know the queen is paying for this ball by taxing the people." Lucy said.
"So? We can afford to pay."
"But not everyone can. A lot of the people can't even afford a loaf of bread let alone expenses for a ball."
"Who cares?"
"I do. If you ask me Minerva shouldn't be the queen."
"Careful what you say Lucy." Yukino said. "If you're not careful you might end up in the dungeon."
"Well it's the truth. Ever since King Hector disappeared she's been plunging this kingdom into ruin and I bet this prince is just as bad as she is."
"I would give anything to marry Prince Natsu. He's the most handsome man in the world." Sorano said. "Or so I hear."
"You've never even seen the man and you already wanna marry him? What if he's cruel?"
"He's a prince. I don't care if he's cruel or not."
"You mean you only want to marry him because he's a prince? What about love?"
"You poor naive girl. No woman can afford to marry for love alone these days especially with the kingdom running low on wealth nowadays."
Lucy rolled her eyes and left to go back to the kitchen in the castle. She hated to admit it but deep down she wanted to go to that ball. For as long as she could remember she had always dreamed of going to a real royal ball. But what were the odds of that happening?
