Hey guys! Guess who's back from the dead! I can't believe it's been so long since I updated—Probably more than half of you completely forgot about this story. But I keep getting requests to update and I'm feeling inspired by my recent anime binge watching, so here goes! SO sorry it took so long, I for one HATE it when authors abandon stories, so I'm being a complete hypocrite. BTWs thanks to everybody who left anime suggestions in the reviews, I love you guys!
If the King ever showed remorse for his daughter's kidnapping, I've never seen it. The news came to us a week ago: Princess Lucy Heartfilia, heir to the throne of Fiore, had been kidnapped by a fearsome dragon. Come to think of it, the only emotion the King ever showed was anger—at the fact that there was still a dragon left alive, not because his daughter was gone.
I stand at my post in the forsaken hallways; there aren't very many soldiers at the palace right now. His majesty has ordered every unnecessary soldier to search for the princess and her kidnapper. Being the captain of the guard, Erza has been sent to the front, so we haven't talked about our course of action yet. As soon as I heard about the kidnapping, I tried to take a leave of absence to go bash Natsu's brains in. But fortunately for him, I was needed at the palace.
I let out a heavy sigh. The moonlight shines through the windows, and I can only think of how I should be back home, in bed.
"Captain Fullbuster! Come check this out." I hear a voice from around the corner.
"What?" I say lazily as I round the corner.
"It's the princess's diary, sir. I found it hidden in a plant." The guard is Patrick, a recruit fresh from the academy. He can't be any older than seventeen.
I scowl. "And what am I supposed to do with a lady's private diary?"
His cheeks flush a bit, and he looks down at his shiny boots, embarrassed.
Taking the diary and putting it in my back pocket, I give him a light punch in the shoulder. "Use your head, private. Reading a princess's thoughts about corsets, dukes, and romance isn't in our job description."
"I-I'm sorry sir. I'll remember that next time." He stammers.
"Don't worry too much, Patrick. This is only your third week. You'll get the hang of it."
He nods and returns to his post. I reach into my pocket and pull out the diary. It is leather bound, and well used, the words For Lucy are written in gold font across the front. I resist the childish urge to open it and take a peek, and I return it to its place in my pocket, making a mental note to give it to the prince as soon as possible.
Suddenly, I hear shouting. "I DON'T CARE! YOU'LL DO EXACTLY AS I SAY AND YOU CAN GO TO HELL DOING IT!"
A crash and a loud SMACK, and a disheveled officer stumbles out of the throne room, clutching his cheek. I meet his eyes, which are frightened and a little bit indignant. I give him a sympathetic shrug; we all know what angering the King can mean.
The doors open and close again, and out comes the Prince, looking angry. I automatically stand at attention, and so does the unfortunate officer.
"I must apologize for my father's actions. You did what you could, and we require nothing more." He smiles slightly, charming even in his frustration. "Frankly, the King has grown infuriated that his armies failed to wipe out dragon kind. But that gives him no right to hit an officer."
"FIND THAT WENCH!" The shouts are followed by another crash, which sounds suspiciously like a vase being broken.
The prince winces. "Here, take this. I hope it will be sufficient." He retrieves a pouch of silver coins.
The officer blanches. "Oh, your highness, that isn't necessary. I can't take money!"
"Consider it a gift. For your service." The young prince gives a slight nod of his head, and turns back toward the throne room.
I clear my throat hastily. "Your Highness."
He pauses to face me. "Yes?"
I reach into my pocket and retrieve the diary. "This was found on the castle grounds, my lord. It belonged to our princess. I thought it would be best in your hands."
His face darkens as he takes the small leather bound book from my hands, as if he is concealing a great deal of pain under his princely stature. For a moment, he stares at the book, and I wonder if he will be angry with me.
He meets my eyes with a strange expression, grief and loneliness barely concealed in his blue eyes. He recovers himself and stands erect. "Thank you, officer. This will hopefully aid us in the search for my sister."
I pause, wondering how to respond. It is not my place to speak of such matters with the prince. "We will find her, your highness."
A ghost of a smile crosses his face. "I appreciate your faith. Without the princess, the people are becoming restless. But I'm afraid she may not want to return."
"…Why not?" I immediately bite my tongue. Asking such questions is discouraged.
"Let's just say the princess…..Oh, I've said too much. Very sensitive family business, you see. My father would have my head if he heard me." He cracks a grin. "But I promise you this: Fiore will be at peace once more in due time."
I understand what he means right away: soon the King will be dead and he will take his place as ruler, making a much better King than his insane father. And I hope that when Prince Malachi is King, Wizards and dragons will once again roam the nation freely. I think of my friends in Magnolia, sitting in their secret guild meetings, counting on me and Erza to send news from the Capitol. Waiting for the news that they no longer need to hide from the army. Waiting for a better future. For us, for the kingdom, for our children and their children.
"I look forward to it." I say in reply. As I watch him walk back into the throne room, I feel hope swell in my chest. Maybe Prince Malachi will be the one to make the change.
Lucy's POV
The smell of perfume and clean linens washes out from the closet the second I open the giant oak doors. I let out a gasp when I see what's inside: skirts, blouses, and dresses in every fabric and color imaginable. With a sigh of happiness I run my hands over the silks and cottons, feeling a little bit more normal and not so homesick. I pull out a dress; a simple blue thing that has long, flowing sleeves. Excited, I look through more dresses, finding a gorgeous scarlet ball gown with draping silk and fiery accents. The question enters my mind; why on earth does Natsu have a bunch of girl's clothing? But I dismiss it and continue admiring the white taffeta empire-waist on a floor-length dress.
I shut the wardrobe, looking around the room. It's fairly large, with a four-poster bed with a large chest at the end that I have yet to look through. I've spent the afternoon exploring the castle, which is so big that I honestly have no clue how to get back to my own room. So far, I've discovered a sauna, with a whole pool to go with it, a whole lot of bedrooms, most of which were bare, and an expansive main hall decked out with torches and a scary bearskin rug. I think I've made my way to the north wing of the castle, but I'm really not sure.
Outside, the sun is going down, dousing the whole room in dim light. It's barely enough to see by; at this moment it would be great to have Natsu around as a torch, but he said he and Happy had to go somewhere, some town called Magnolia. I decide that I need to start finding my way back, but first I walk over to the bed and open the trunk at its foot. The hinges are old and rusted—it must not have been opened in years. With a poof of dust and a loud creak, I pry the lid off.
Coughing from the dust and the smell of mothballs, I stare in wonder at the enclosed contents. Inside the chest are two separate outfits: the first one is an ornate set of silver armor, inlaid with jewels and with an elaborate headpiece. I recognize it as a ceremonial suit, meant for nobility. What kind of young woman once lived here that would own such an ornate thing? The second outfit is obviously meant for real combat. It's a simple set of leather armor and practical clothing, plus a pair of tall combat boots.
Underneath the gear, something glints in the fading light, catching my eye. I reach down and wrap my hand around it, pulling the object free from underneath the heavy armor. I gasp aloud, because in my hand is a tiny glass fairy on a necklace, spreading her wings as if she is actually flying through the air. The delicate wings springing from her shoulders shimmer with a thousand colors, as if someone captured the entire color spectrum in her glass wings. Clutching the treasure in one hand, I shut the chest.
I should find my way back, I think to myself. It's gotten so dark.
The final rays of the sun glance off of the necklace, just as I find my way into the hallway. In a split second, they are gone and I am submerged in darkness.
"Well, Crap." I say out loud. My feet carry me in the direction I think I came from, though it's impossible to tell in the dark.
I make a right turn somewhere along the way. How does anyone ever find anything in this place?
Finally, I admit to myself that I am completely, hopelessly lost, and it's impossible to do anything until morning. I find a spare bedroom and feel my way over to the bed, which smells distinctly of sage and lemon. Crawling into the bed, exhausted, I let sleep take over.
Thanks for reading! I'll try and release another chapter soon, instead of after the next six months. Feedback and reviews are always appreciated!