Hey everyone! I'm finally back! Thank you all for being so patient and understanding. I'm not going to lie, this chapter was really hard to write (and not just because I've been swamped with schoolwork.) Enjoy!

Chapter 9: New Questions and Answers

It had been three days since Natsu had yelled at me so harshly. I avoided him at all costs. I made sure that I didn't come into his room until after he had left. I would quickly do the list of chores he gave me and then I would go to slave hall to grab some food. I avoided the other slaves as well. I only interacted with Milliana once when I bumped into her getting some food. She gave me a small smile and then walked by me without saying anything.

I spent the rest of my time staring out the window, twisting the ring around my finger and imagining what Gray and my father would be doing if they were alive. Sometimes, I would start reading one or two of Natsu's books. But I made sure that I was in my own room with the door shut when he came in to sleep.

It wasn't just me avoiding him. He made no move to try and talk to me since that night. He only left me scribbled notes for chores and nothing else. He had given me the key to my shackles, but nothing else. He rushed in and out of his room every day, grabbing something from his desk and leaving in a rush. At night, he would stay up for hours at his desk, working on something.

I knew this because I watched him. I watched his every move, trying to figure out his patterns, his habits. Being ignored left an uncomfortable feeling in my chest, but I accepted it and used it to my advantage. Sometimes, I would shift something out of place on his desk and see if he would notice it. He rarely did. He only noticed if I pulled something out of his desk that he needed. That told me he was forgetful about how he organized his desk and never questioned anything about the mess.

I also noticed that he was gone early in the morning and he would only come back mid-day to grab something and then he would leave again. He wouldn't come back until late at night and even then, he would stay up for hours in the wee hours of the morning until he finally allowed himself a few hours of sleep. He had even gone a day without sleep during the time he was ignoring me.

I had all the data I needed. Today, I was going to find a window to escape from. Once I found the window, I would make sure that Natsu was fast asleep before going out to escape. I knew that he wasn't getting much sleep and that one day, he would crash. I just had to bide my time until that time. Once he crashed, he would give me at least four hours of a head start. If he kept ignoring me, like he has been, then he may not even notice my missing until a whole day later or days, even.

I pulled on the brown pants I had worn on my first day and a plain orange shirt. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and walked over to the door that would lead to Natsu's room. I put my ear at the keyhole and listened for any sign of movement. I could hear him walking around. I crouched down and sat at the keyhole, listening and waiting for him to leave.

Finally, I heard the sound of the door open and close. I didn't hear the sound of a key turning in a lock so I was lifted slightly. I stood up and opened the door only to see that he had left something at the threshold. I frowned and narrowed my eyes as I crouched down again. There was a pile of five books sitting there with a plate of food on top. Next to the plate was a note. I picked up the note and frowned as I read it.

These are my favorite titles. I'm sorry for the other day. We'll talk when I get back—N.

I crumpled the note in my fist and tossed it aside, glancing at the plate of food. It was a piece of cake and several slabs of chocolate. Was this his way of apologizing to me for being wasted off his ass? He was a little late. Three days to be exact.

I grabbed the stack of books and brought them into my room so he wouldn't think I had rejected them. I put the plate of deserts on my dresser and picked up a slab of chocolate, popping it into my mouth.

Okay, maybe I was taking the bait. In my defense, I hadn't had any real sweets for too long.

I told myself I didn't want to read his stupid pity presents, but I couldn't help but glance at the titles. I frowned, feeling slightly sad. They looked so interesting. I pushed them away and instead walked through my door and into his room. I glanced at his desk but saw no list of chores. He probably still felt guilty so he didn't leave me any chores. That was fine with me. All the more reason that today was the day I planned my escape.

I was about to leave when I paused, thinking that I needed an excuse. I glanced back at the room and grabbed the bag of laundry in my arms. I slung it over my shoulder. It would make a good excuse if I happened to bump into someone unpleasant, or even Natsu himself. I could just say I was being proficient and that I was doing his laundry. With everything in tow, my fingers brushed over my engagement ring and I sighed.

I turned to the door and opened it, stepping out into the hall. I walked to the staircase that Natsu and I had used once before and walked down into a different hall. I was cautious to keep my head down and look scarce if anyone were to pass me and wonder who I was. I tried to look as discreet as I could so the masters would think nothing of a slave girl passing through.

So far, I hadn't met any other guards or slaves. The castle felt unusually deserted but I tried to keep my mind from wandering.

I tiptoed into another hall and noticed a window that was large enough for me to fit through. I crept up to it and glanced around me before looking through it. I was still at least one story above the ground. If I jumped from here, I would probably sprain my ankle. It was better than jumping from Natsu's room, but it wouldn't help if I wanted to run for miles afterward. If I had a rope, on the other hand, then this would be a different story.

I marked this window for consideration when I heard an angry voice coming from the door behind me. I paused, peering behind me. It was a double door that I hadn't noticed before. It had elaborate designs decorating it in the wood. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked over to it, pressing my ear the door. I could barely make out what the person was saying from the inside, but I did get a couple of words.

"Can't… anything… letter… Fullbuster..." I gasped as I heard Gray's name being used. I crouched down on my knees and peered through the keyhole. I couldn't make out much except that it was a conference of some sort. There were many people inside but I couldn't pinpoint who they were. I turned my head and pressed my ear to the keyhole. Now I could hear more clearly.

"Our debt has grown over the past few weeks. Rosemary Village was only the beginning. Now that they've taken the profits of that village away from us, we have nowhere to draw our wealth. They will own us in a mere matter of months." Someone was saying. My breath caught in my throat as I heard a voice I knew all too well.

"Even if they do own us, they can't control what we do. This is not the first time we've gotten out of something like this. There's a way to get out of this, we just need to find it." Natsu said calmly. I heard a gruff voice angrily yell over Natsu.

"That's all very well and good, but what happens to everything we own while we figure out a way to escape their clutches? They can take away everything, including this castle and everyone in it. They can lock us in jail if they see fit." I frowned as I heard a woman's voice speak next, her voice sounding like a beacon of hope.

"What about the profit we're receiving from our raid on the Heartfilia Corp?" I took in a sharp breath at the mention of my company. "We did as our client asked. Heartfilia Corp should be ours now, correct? Why not strip their wealth and use it to pay our debts."

"If that were the case, we wouldn't be having this crisis." Natsu said gravely. "The Fullbusters planned this. They knew that we couldn't resist controlling an entire company. So they got us to take out their sole competitor. However, their contract stated that if a marriage were to occur between the Heartfilia girl and the Fullbuster boy, then we would have no rights to the Corp."

"But they're not married."

"No, they're not. But they are engaged. The Fullbusters knew that they couldn't trust us to raid on the day they planned, so they were going to try and get the two married as soon as possible. If we had raided a day earlier, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Natsu explained. I stared at the floor, my eyes wide. There was so much information and so many questions in my head that I couldn't sort through them.

"Hold on, engagements aren't binding. They can break off at any time so why is this still a problem?" someone asked. I pressed my ear against the keyhole again, eager to hear the answer.

"On paper, engagements are binding." My blood ran cold as I heard Lord Zeref's voice whisper and echo through the room. "If we had the agreement letter that the Fullbusters sent us, then we would be able to use the lack of marriage against them. Since we don't, and the police have assumed the entire Heartfilia family dead, the Corp is now in the hands of the Fullbuster boy."

"We have the Heartfilia girl don't we? I don't see why she's of any more use to us. We should just get rid of her before she causes any more trouble." My hands fisted and my eyes widened, hot fear prickling in the pit of my stomach.

"No!" my heart softened as I heard Natsu's loud protest. The room went silent for a few seconds while he recovered. "I mean, I don't think that's a good idea. She may be of some use to us still. Even if we can't get them to hand over the Corp, we can use her as bait or as hostage to blackmail them." My heart hardened again and I felt bitter.

"You're sure she knows nothing about the Fullbusters plot?" Zeref questioned. I heard a chair scraping and I assumed that Natsu had stood up.

"Yes, I'm sure. She knows nothing about who killed her father or who ordered the raid on her house. She still has her engagement ring so I'm assuming that she and the Fullbuster boy are somewhat… intimate. If we can use that to our advantage, then we still may be able to have a chance at…" I never found out what they'd be able to have a chance at. Tears were pricking the back of my eyes and I squeezed my eyes shut only to hear a voice behind me.

"What do you think you're doing?" Fear bubbled up within me and my mind raced for a solution. Thinking quickly, I pulled my ring off my finger and dropped it on the ground. I stood up and turned around to see a guard looking at me suspiciously.

"I'm so sorry. I dropped my ring and I was just looking for it." I said, trying to dispel the tears and the lump in my throat that was making it hard for me to speak. The guard barrowed his eyes and peered behind me. He pointed to a spot at my feet.

"Is that it?" he asked. I glanced at the floor and stooped to pick up my ring, feigning relief.

"Oh, yes it is! Thank you so much! I'll just be on my way now." I said, slipping the ring on my finger once again. I started to walk away when the guard grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing out here?" he questioned bluntly. I swallowed the bile in my throat and turned to face him, an innocent smile on my face.

"I was just bringing the laundry to Master Natsu's quarters. Is there something else I should be doing?" I asked politely. The guard released my arm and stepped back, a surprised look on his face.

"You're Master Natsu's personal serf?" he asked in disbelief. I nodded and he scratched the back of his head, stepping backwards. "Carry on, then." He mumbled, before scurrying away. I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding and all but bolted out of the hall and up the staircase.

I burst into Natsu's rooms and tossed the laundry bag aside. I entered my own room and shut the door, leaning against it. I tried to catch my breath, my heart still racing even though I had done almost no exercise. My heart pounded in my chest and I held up my left hand, staring at the ring.

It was Gray's parents who ordered the attack on my father. It was Silver and Mika who wanted my father murdered. And now, I knew that Natsu and his gang were responsible for the raid. They were responsible for everything I had been put through. Everything I thought was just out of cold blood was actually for something greater. They killed my father for money. All of them did. The Fullbusters did to get my company and the Dragon Slayer gang did for the profit.

Now that I was reduced to a slave, I had no claim to my company. No doubt they stripped me of my name and title. I wouldn't be surprised if they only called me 'buttercup' and my name was cast away into nothingness. I felt trapped, cornered like a dog. The people I thought I trusted became the people who were out to get me.

Was Gray a part of this? I dispelled the idea, clutching my ring. He couldn't have known. We knew each other for years and I knew he cared about me at least like a sister. If he had known about this plot, he would have stopped it. He would have told me.

I felt a steady stream of tears roll down my cheeks as anger took over my body. I wanted justice. I wanted to see all of them put behind bars. Not just for keeping me as a slave, but for using human life as a substitute for money and power. You couldn't put a price on human life and yet that was exactly what they did, what they were still doing. My hands fisted around the ring as the diamond dug into my skin. I reveled in the thought of my escape. If I could escape from all of this, if I could find the police and tell them all I knew, then I could watch them burn at the stake.

I could watch them all burn for destroying my life without a second glance.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out the letter I had found. It felt like months ago that I had noticed the Fullbuster symbol. I had thought nothing of it, then. I should have though something of it. I should have been suspicious right off the bat. My hands shook as the paper crumpled slightly through my tense fingers.

I wanted answers.

Suddenly, I heard the door open and footsteps walk in. Natsu was home. I stared at the letter in my hands and gritted my teeth, brushing away the tears. If they wanted money, then they would have to pry this letter out of my cold, dead hands. I was going to get my answers. I was going to take my position back. I was going to show them that the Heartfilia line wasn't as easily gotten rid of as they thought.

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So It's only the third week of school and I'm already buried neck high with work. This first semester is going to be hell on earth for me. After Christmas break, it's going to feel like a ton of bricks has been lifted off my shoulders.

Question of the Day: When was the worst crunch week you've ever had and what did you have to do for it?