Chapter 7:

A/N. sorry about the long wait you guys hope you like, I did this when I thought I had time, looking back probably should have been doing assignment layout but CBF. On with the chapter I say.

Disclaimer: sniffle, sniffle, I don't own it. But I will, I will, I tell you.

Slinking around the walls of her cottage "the" Tilpi wondered running her grayed fingers across the yellowed wallpaper.

A shrieking sound vibrated from her palm, buzzing through the house; calling them.

A smirk twitched at her decaying features, pulling the slack skin. Her laugh lines portraying a sick humor, 'the fun was just beginning.' She thought as shadows crowded the corridor, seeping through the wall and floor. These shadows convened around Tilpi, their faces hidden behind the black smoke; only their wide grins visible through the smog.

"The Prince will fight? Well this just become a much more enjoyable game."

Natsu sat with Lucy all that night; he wouldn't leave her. Nor would he let her sleep.

Yawning Lucy rubbed her eyes, she was tired and it showed on her face. She had bags under her eyes. Looking into the mirror Lucy couldn't stand it, taking out her make-up back Lucy went to work; first with the concealer and then foundation. She hated being stared at by random people whether if it was positive or not.

A few minuets later Lucy came out of the bathroom, Natsu sat fully dressed on her bed looking at his phone screen. Seeing her approach he stopped and stood up, he looked determined.

"Ready to go?" he asked holding out his.

He had been like this since last night, not letting her out of his sight and always within arms distance. It really bugged her when she wanted privacy, cause he would just argue that he was protecting her and end up standing outside the door. Which was embarrassing to say the least.

But when it was stuff like this, her stomach would flutter and she would blush. Doing so now she took his hand and they walked out of her room, down the stairs and out the door. Hearing Natsu let out a sigh, she breathed in; the air was damp from the rain of the night and felt cool in her lungs.

Walking along the dark wooden path leading away from the cottage Lucy felt relieved out in the open some anxiety left her –which was funny because she hadn't even noticed the added stress until they where a good distance away from the structure.

A few minuets later they arrived at the front lodge. Late last night Natsu had been on the phone to Risa, they had agreed that the two would join Risa and her daughter for breakfast and she would explain then. Lucy with not a clue of what they where referring just kept walking, she knew that this explanation had something to do with her nightmare –she wasn't an idiot- but the urgency they both displayed didn't seem to fit.

Being shown into the dinning/kitchen area in the back of the lodge by Yosei Risa' daughter, she was about thirteen in appearance with flame coloured hair. Yosei was about five one with a cute pixie face and caramel eyes; overall very pretty and she would become quite the knockout.

"You really suit your name Yosei, like an actual Pixie." Lucy said to the younger girl, smiling widely leaning her head on her held hands.

As a reply Yosei drawled, "I think that's why I was named it." despite her appearance Yosei' voice resembled that of a bored cranky bookkeeper. The image caught Lucy off guard. She never did like bookkeepers, they where scary and would yell at you for almost no reason.

Forgetting about her past with the stubborn library workers, Lucy craned her neck around the room searching for anything that would make a good topic of discussion, finding none Lucy gave up and asked, "So how is your holidays going?"

"Fine, but I have very little time to go out because of the inn and studying." She replied her voice still monotonous. Nodding at the girl Lucy didn't know what else to do. Seeing Risa in the kitchen Lucy all but ran for her, chucking a quick "Excuse me" behind her.

Now standing in the kitchen Lucy let out a breath.

"Well hello there, is there any particular reason why you are sucking in air as if you'd just run a marathon?" Risa asked, a brow raised with a smile edging over her cheeks.

"None in particular no." she replied –though like she would come out and say 'yeah just running away your government issued daughter.' No, that would definitely not do- Lucy smiled tightly as she lent on the bench, she felt so utterly awkward standing there having nothing to say.

Luckily for her Natsu chose that moment to saunter into the room, the monotone army major following, now that the room was full Lucy felt kind-of closed in un-afrontive.

"So we invited you for breakfast," Risa said turning back to the pancakes that Lucy hadn't noticed, "I'm almost done with these, so why don't you guys go find a seat?" she finished flipping the pancakes in the air.

"Yeah sure, that sounds like a good idea." Lucy said making her way out of the kitchen. Looking back in after Natsu, she looked at him her question well illustrated in her raised brows and questioning pout.

"I'll be out in a bit Luce. Save me a seat, right?" with that she left the room.

Natsu looked over to Risa, the innkeeper was still musing away at the stove.

"You told me last night that you would explain, and I find that I can't wait until after breakfast." Natsu said, his voice deeper then usual. The way he said it made Risa' skin prickle slightly.

Turning her head in his direction, the innkeeper said, "Your quite protective aren't you."

"Of course she's my bes-"

"And that goes hand in hand with love." She said cutting him off.

Sputtering Natsu glared at her. He didn't like to be taken by surprise –in fact he hated it- although it seemed many things were sneaking up on him lately.

His cheeks on fire Natsu whispered, "That may be so, but she is also my best friend."

"Friend zoned?" Risa asked her words had a very sympathetic and smug tone to them; which irked Natsu something shocking.

"No." he said quickly, completely dismissing her comment.

A minuet passed after Risa' voiced her blunt observation, Natsu still stood in the kitchen; the innkeeper had finished with the stove and everything thing was still. Except Natsu' mind, it was a whirling mess of stress. The psychological tornado stilled only when Risa began to explain, "It's an old story, that the cottage your staying in was once owned by a family of nobles. –

"They would come to Magnolia during the summer season, the family consisted of a of a little girl of no more then seven years, and her parents. Their name lost to time, that is why it is scene as a legend, a fairytale of gruesome tragedy.

The family would come every year; they would bring friends and servants; their party some times would reach into the twenties, but the little girl was the only child in the family. The wife of the man became ill after having the girl and could not have any more children after that, their daughter never understood and would always ask for a sister, a sibling to spend her time with. But it never happened and the usually spoilt girl could not take that what she wanted would never come.

It was when she was ten that the young lady gave up on her mother ever bearing another child. For she had fallen sick in the winter and had yet to leave her bed, the city where they lived was no longer a home, they moved out to Magnolia hoping the clear air would help and it did she prospered there and eventually got better.

Though the girl hated being confined to the dreariness that was the countryside, she had made friends in the city and they would never come here. The girl was very lonely, her mother bedridden most of the time and her father away at business. There was nothing there that could occupy the mind of a tart ten year old.

It was when the young mistress turned twelve that disaster struck, the girls' mother was out on a trip to the doctors, and she was cured it was great news something to smile about.

But as they opened the doors to their home expecting the previous Tili Pie to be waiting in the foyer like always they where struck with the sight of their daughter collapsed on the floor below the top landing, the light lilac of her dress distorted by the red seeping through the fabric.

Balustrading scattered randomly around her small body.

They say she had fallen over the landing when she ran to see them, that the railing must have given way and that was how she died."

"And as I've told you before her parents left with only the name to remain." It seemed the kind of speech that at the end of it someone would be taking a drag out of a cigarette, sighing the smoke into the atmosphere. But no there was none of that; the people that had stood there before stood there now.

Shaking off the rooms' mood he leaned further back against the bench, "I still don't get it,"

"What? I just told you the story and you still don't get it?" Risa was incredulous.

"No I'm not meaning that, just that why you've only said thing that cant effect us. Yet it is, WHY? There has to be something else." He said, voice growing heavier towards the end.

"It should be obvious; that little girl died there, she was a spoilt little princess who lived in fantasy and probably never understood that she was dead just like she didn't understand that she couldn't have siblings." Risa whispered harshly, this boy was grating at her; making her hair stand, he made you want to fight him.

Suddenly his head jolted, directing his view away from the previously fascinating floor tiles. Natsu' eyes looking fixedly onto her face, "What didn't you just say?" his eyes widened, he shook his head trying to work whatever had warmed its way into his brain out.

A princess, someone who never realized that things weren't possible, a person like that wouldn't stop not like how Risa said Tili stopped. She would've held it in, still thinking her will would be done. A princess. A princess. Natsu eyes widened, I called Lucy a princess, Tili is targeting people to be her family.

Straightening Natsu felt as if he would bonce in any and every direction, "We have to get out of there, that crazy 'THING' is after Lucy, it's searching for a family that it doesn't have. Not only that but a perfect family like one from a story, made up of fairies and crown wearing queens. I called Lucy My Princess last night, nothing had happened before then because she wasn't interested, but now she is I'm but we have to leave." He was in a state of hysteria, his arms up and swiveling around his body unconsciously guarding himself.

"Oh my God."

"I know it's short notice and-" Natsu Stopped mid sentence, Risa' face was contorted in horror. Pivoting around Natsu saw it; a Spector stood, arms to its sides black dirt smudging its pale arms and face. Flesh slipping off bone, muscle so dead it lay flat, following the sag of rotted skin he saw Lucy and Yosei, being dragged, their bodies limp against the floor.

"You can't leave now prince, the princess is here," it said, lifting Lucy above it's head, suddenly a smoke enveloped her and she vanished. "or was anyway." Its scratchy voice broke into laughter.

"Bring her back!" he growled looking closer he realized that Yosei was gone too, angry Natsu charged at the ghost only to sail straight through her body.

"Oh come on, you must know how this goes. The valiant knight must fight in front of the fair maiden; you have to prove your worthiness to serve."

"Tili don't, you can't create a family like this. Your actually taking others away from theirs, do you want to hurt other people the way you've been hurt?" Natsu shouted.

"What? Of course I don't, everything will flow the way I direct it; and you will KNIGHT, fight, win and be with your princess. Lose and…" releasing what could be called an upper classes snort of derision. "I'll see you later, but hopefully not to later; I haven't dealt with living guests in quite awhile and I fear I might be out of practice." She said as she too faded into nothingness, a masochistic smile the last thing we saw.

END CHAPTER:

So sorry about the long wait, and I know I say it every chapter but I was busy. Any who I hope you liked the new chapter don't be shy to Review I love them and I now I haven't thanked the people who just 'read' my stories as well as fav and follow them. I love you all and wish I could name and shame you all (in a good way) right now but then I'd be giving people to much hope on how long this chapter is. Love you guys read, review and go bloody nuts for all you like. I'm out see you lot and hopefully some additional readers next time. J