This is it. Chapter 26. This is the last official chapter. The only thing left after this is the epilogue, and then I'm afraid our story will have come to an end. It's been a long, yet still wonderful, journey. I would like to thank everyone who made this story such a success, everyone who followed, favorited, reviewed, and just simply read. Thank you.

S/O to hipnoartis, who has hopefully risen from the dead now that the next chapter is out.

Let us return to our heroes now…

Lucy screamed as someone jumped from the pews and pushed her. Her feet twisted in the dress and she twisted, slamming into someone else.

There were shapes moving everywhere. She could see shadows from behind her veil, scrambling around frantically. Screams and shouts rang through the air. She heard fighting, and the sound of swords clashing.

The person she'd fallen into helped her up, but still held her tightly. He murmured something to her, though she couldn't hear through the chaos. The person pulled her and she stumbled along behind, the dress still twisted around her legs. The heels didn't help.

They wound around people fighting, unmoving heaps on the floor, until she was pulled towards a wall. The doors opened and she squinted at the bright light. They were outside now, and the person was dragging her now more than anything, breaking out into a fast trot that felt more like an awkward, stilted run.

"Stop," She tried to tell whoever it was to stop, slow down, anything. Her voice came out muffled, even to her own ears, but the person still seemed to understand.

They changed directions, going only slightly slower now, and Lucy struggled to keep up. The damn dress was tangling around her legs like snakes!

There were large objects up ahead, all pushed together. They loomed high up, and were fairly spread out for the amount of available space. Trees, she realized as they drew closer, they're a bunch of trees. The person pulled her past the treeline and goosebumps broke out along her arms. It was surprisingly cool in the shadows, despite the light that broke through the canopy and occasionally blinded her.

Finally, the person stopped and released her wrist. It was a bit sore.

"We… safe he…" A voice came to her in pieces through the thick gauze obscuring her face. She nodded to signal she understood. The person- she thought it was a man, going by how deep the words seemed to be- seemed to accept that and started doing… something. Maybe he was looking for something? But she thought she could see his hands moving. He was messing with something on the ground, and as words floated to her, she realized he was talking again.

"…n't war… Sting… safe, okay? …The… hurt… Yukino." Lucy struggled to understand, but some words came through clear enough. Something about Yukino, something about Yukino being hurt. She felt her stomach clench in dread. Yukino must have been kidnapped. That was why the antechamber dressing room had been empty, it wasn't because she'd run away, but because she'd been taken! And this man, he had information about it, he knew what had happened. He even knew that Yukino had been hurt somehow!

She grabbed him and pushed at his shoulder, trying to communicate through the awful thing that was currently trying to choke her off. "What about Yukino, is she-"

"Shush, it… right…now…Yukino." He brushed at her hair (although it was more like he was petting her veil) and tried to calm her down. She shook him again and tried to ask more about Yukino but he did the same thing. Frustration welled up inside her and she reached up to try and yank the headdress off.

He covered her hand with his and made distressed noises, speaking frantically. "…cover….safe…her… Yukino? …listen…. We…" He stopped and looked at her, waiting. She shook her head again and he nodded, seeming to relax.

There was what appeared to be a tree stump near her and she went over to it carefully, still mindful of the choking fabric around her body. The man went back to rummaging with his thing on the ground. A knapsack perhaps? Definitely a bag of sorts.

When she sat down she found out that she had indeed been right, she was currently sitting on a stump. It was cold and there was probably fungus growing all over it, but it still gave her temporary relief from the heels that were killing her feet.

Well this is just… peachy, she thought, I can't see or hear, my dress is trying to separate my legs, these heels are too small, and I'm in the middle of a forest with a stranger while. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that the wedding is ruined.

…though I suppose this counts as a successful distraction. The wedding is definitely stalled now. Yay? Whatever.

Lucy suddenly perked up as she caught something. There were noises coming from the trees around them. Was it…? Yes, it was coming closer, she was sure of it. They were voices, though she wasn't sure of how many. More than one, she was fairly sure. About sixty-three percent sure. Maybe seventy-one. Maybe.

Friends of her… person? What to call this man who had spontaneously taken her from the wedding? A savior? An abductor?

The voices drew even closer and the man stood up quickly, looking around several times. He grabbed whatever it was he'd been rifling through and walked over to her. She stood up upon his approach and he grabbed her wrist again, pulling her towards… she didn't know. A different direction? It was the opposite direction from where the voices were coming from, though. So… the voices weren't friends? Were they foes? She still couldn't see anything very clearly.

Despite their brisk pace, the voices still seemed to gain on them, growing in pitch and intensity. The man pulled her along faster and faster, until he was running and she was tripping behind him as quickly as she could.

Footsteps pounded on the forest floor- so their pursuers had started running too.

The man abruptly stopped and Lucy slammed into his back, causing them both to stumble. He righted them and stepped in front of her. Lucy tried to step forward to see what was wrong, but he pushed her behind him more forcefully.

He pulled at something on his waist as the people came into view, and she heard the metal shnick of steel sliding against a scabbard.

Shouts echoed across to them and the man yelled back, the words bouncing off their surrounding and intensifying. There were more swords drawn, more yelling, and then she heard something that made her blood run cold.

"Lucy, run!"

She ran.

She tore through the trees, uncaring if it ripped the dress. The heels started to hurt and so she kicked them off and ran in her stockings. The veil still obscured her view but she could still run despite the impediment. There were more shouts behind her, and she pushed herself to run faster, quicker, quieter.

The scream ran through her mind over and over again, and she bit her lip. It wasn't the words. It wasn't the sheer desperation or terror in the person's voice. It was who the voice had belonged to.

It had belonged to Yukino.

Yukino, who was kidnapped and hurt. Dear god, she'd been so stupid! She knew Yukino had been taken, and she'd still blindly followed that man. That man who had taken her right to Yukino's kidnappers!

She broke through the treeline and caught sight of the church, making a beeline for it without question. Natsu would be in the church, and he would help her, he would keep her safe. She just needed to make it to Natsu.

Gray wrenched his arm free from the dead body beside him and spat the blood out of his mouth. It was a madhouse.

The guests were screaming and being otherwise useless, mindless idiots. Some of the more brave lords, and even a well-trained lady or too, had actually taken up arms and started fighting. The ambassadors, guards, and soldiers from Sabertooth seemed to be swarming everywhere. Fiore's people and soldiers were combating them as best as possible, but it was still confusing. Sabertooth's dark colors contrasted sharply with the bright wedding theme, and the various colors of the church's inhabitants only served to further complicate the color scheme.

There seemed to be no sense to the madness. A man had taken Sabertooth's fake bride and removed her earlier, and then Sting had attacked Natsu. Before he or anyone else had been able to help, they'd been assaulted themselves. Now Gray had no idea where Natsu was or what condition he was in.

He head Gajeel roar from somewhere far off and a feral smile stole over his face. He pitied whatever poor bastard had angered the steel dragon.

Juvia appeared beside him and he started in wonder. The woman was spotless. There wasn't a drop of red on her dress, despite the blood spatters dotting her face and arms.

"You okay?" She didn't appear to be hurt, but still.

"Juvia is fine. Gray-sama is also unharmed?" He nodded in confirmation and she smiled briefly.

"Where's Levy?" He would have expected Juvia to keep her close, but there was no sign of the slender pixie.

"Prince Gajeel swore he would watch over her while Juvia came to find Gray-sama." That explained it. He felt doubly sorry for the poor bastard Gajeel had most likely decimated by now.

A pair of fighting men stumbled past them, grunting and swearing. One wore Sabertooth's colors- a soldier- and another wore a brightly colored doublet that was torn at the shoulder- one of their braver lords.

Gray started forward, but Juvia beat him to it. She swiftly grabbed a nearby object- an ornate candelabra- and smashed it over the soldier's head. He automatically crumpled.

The lord looked at Juvia, down to the still soldier, and then nodded at her in thanks before running back to join the melee.

"Well done," He complimented her.

Juvia tsked and shook her head. "He was unprepared for such an attack. A fatal mistake in battle." Gray wasn't sure how one could be prepared for a candelabra over the head, but nodded in acceptance anyway.

Someone smashed into the door behind them and they whirled around. The door banged again and they fell into their respective fighting poses. There came a loud crash and the door flew open, leaving a person to fall inside at their feet.

They looked down at the struggling person incredulously and back at each other. The bride had literally fallen into their laps.

Before Juvia could do anything, Gray grabbed the person and hauled her to her feet. He adjusted her grip to better deal with her weak struggled and started dragging her back towards the altar. Whoever this imposter was, she was important enough for Sabertooth to have removed her before the fighting began.

He didn't know why she returned, or possibly for whom, but he knew she'd be tempting enough bait to at least stall the fighting for a short time.

The steps were easily traversed and then they were on the podium. He saw Sting and Natsu still rolling around on the floor below, both bloody and bruised, and walked over to the altar. The priest was covering behind it, but he quickly moved when Gray snarled at him.

He grasped the girl roughly and shook her as she spoke, his voice booming out over the chapel. "You wanted a wedding? Then here," He threw the girl onto the floor and pointed his sword at her. "HERE IS YOUR BRIDE!"

Everyone stopped.

Igneel dropped the bloody ambassador and looked up to the altar. His youngest was standing over the bride, his sword at her throat. There was a still woman behind him, completely clean except for some bloodstains on her face.

Everyone was still, unsure of what to do or what this event meant.

He slowly walked over the raised stage. From his peripheral vision he could see Gajeel and some blur-haired woman walking over, as well as Natsu and Sabertooth's prince. He walked closer and ascended the steps, glimpsing more people coming from outside.

All the guests, those from Sabertooth and Fiore alike, took their seats silently. He almost wanted to laugh. He'd wanted a wedding, and here it was. Macabre and twisted and gruesome, but here all the same. Irony was a bitch.

The boy from Sabertooth, both their prince and ambassador, broke the silence. "You will release her or face the consequences!" He started forward, but Natsu growled and shoved him back.

"Or what? You're on Fiorean land, you abide by our rules here!" Natsu drew his fist back and Igneel snapped.

"ENOUGH!" He roared. "I am the King here, and I will have order! If anyone here, and I mean anyone, says or does one more thing without my leave I'll imprison everyone in this goddamned church and behead those who would try to say differently, and to hell with the consequences! And you," He pointed to Sting, "You, boy, if you dare try to oppose me again I'll stick your head on a spike for the buzzards to feast on. I have be old, but I still have enough strength in me for this."

He looked around. "I don't know what disease has addled everyone's brain here, and I don't care. We will have order from here on out, this I decree by my power as ruler of this land. Now," He turned to Natsu. "What in the gods' name is going on here?"

"He attacked me!" Natsu pointed to Sting and bared his teeth.

"I had every right, you sonofa-"

"Be quiet!" He snapped at them. "Now, I want-"

The girl behind them whimpered and Sting pushed at Natsu, screaming at Gray. "Take that away from her or I'll kill you myself!"

Gray snarled and pressed the blade against her throat harder.

"That's it, guards!" He motioned them forward and all the soldiers in the room rushed forward at his command. They surrounded Natsu, Sting, Gray, and Gajeel for good measure, securing them in such a manner that they were incapacitated.

An eyebrow lifted into his hairline as he watched the woman behind Gray take down five guards before enough swarmed her to be able to secure her also. Huh. His son certainly kept interesting company.

"Now, as I was saying before I was interrupted," He sent a glare to Gray and Sting, "I want to know what is going on here and what has made everyone lose their minds so thoroughly."

"He attacked-"

"Not you," He cut his son off. "You," He pointed towards Sting.

"What happened is that we uncovered your plot, you slimy, disgusting bas-"

"What plot?" He rubbed his brow tiredly. He was too old for this shit.

"We know you're trying to force Yukino to marry your weakling of a son, old man! You sicken me, the lot of you! Only the vilest of humans would resort to kidnapping an innocent, defenseless girl who-"

"Us?" Gray broke in incredulously. "You hypocritical asshole! You're the one that kidnapped Lucy and-"

Sting yelled and surged forward, struggling against his captors. "How dare you, you-"

"Wait just a minute." Igneel held up his hand to sighed heavily, collecting his thoughts. "Now, I don't know who this other girl is or what Gray is talking about. However, it's true we employed your cousin, Miss Yukino, to stand in and pretend to be my son's bride until the wedding. But that is all, I assure you. I'm not exactly where she is at this moment, but-"

"I'm here." The woman in question emerged from behind a stand of guests near the door and walked forward to him. She was followed by several others, some of which he recognized. Rogue, Sting's brother and fellow ambassador. Jellal, his captain of armies. There was also a red-haired woman in a full suit of armor and a young boy who seemed extremely twitchy.

She walked over to Sting and smiled, caressing his cheek. "It's alright, Sting. I'm fine. You don't have to fight them anymore." Following her calm words, he stopped struggling and Igneel motioned for the guards to release him. He suspected the hotheaded prince was satisfied now.

Rogue ambled over to join them and looked at the King. "We thought you kidnapped Yukino. Our bad." He shrugged, and then paused. "Though I am curious… If Yukino's here, then who's Natsu marrying?"

Everyone turned towards the bride, who seemed to be struggling with her headdress, oblivious to the conversations and people around her.

Igneel walked over to the thrashing girl calmly and stilled her hands. He then undid the ties and fastenings in the back and whisked off her veil.

A blonde woman looked back at him and Igneel heard a collective gasp.

"Where, what, how- Natsu!" The girl bolted up and ran towards his son, rushing past the guards and slamming into him.

"Luce!" Natsu's arms came up around her automatically and he brushed her hair back. "What are you doing here?"

She just shook her head and buried her face in his chest.

"Gray-sama!" Igneel turned around just in time to witness the blue-haired woman escape her guards and tackle Gray. "Gray-sama attacked Lucy!" His son flailed under the onslaught and gagged as she choked him.

"Lu-chan!" Another blue-haired woman ran forward and hugged Natsu and the girl, laughing and crying. Gajeel appeared behind her and rolled his eyes, smirking.

"Is this some sort of joke?" Igneel asked flatly. "Because if so, I am largely unamused. Natsu, I realize you didn't want to marry, but this is taking it too far. I'm very disappointed in you, and furthermore, I-"

"Dad… what are you talking about?" Natsu looked at him questioningly. The girl looked up from his chest and peered at him in the same manner.

He felt like laughing. Or crying. Or both. "Natsu, this woman... Lucy Heartfilia… she is your intended. She has been all along. She was the one who was kidnapped, the one we managed to find just a few days ago."

"No, she's been-"

"Actually, that's a bit of a long story." The non-vicious blue-haired woman spoke up.

"I don't know what everyone is fussing about." A new voice popped up, and Igneel gritted his teeth automatically. The voice was annoying, nasally yet still high-pitched, and it grated on his ears horribly. "Of course she's the one that's marrying Prince Natsu, it's been absolutely obvious from the start." She sniffed and waved her hands arrogantly. "I've known it since the day they walked in my shop, I've a sense about these things. Still, I don't see why everyone is making such a big hullabaloo about this wedding when it's the other one that's fishy."

Igneel stared at her, feeling just as lost and confused as his son had a few minutes ago. "What are you talking about, woman? Speak clearly," He ordered her. She didn't seem to need much prodding though, as she immediately launched into another spiel.

"Well, I could immediately tell that Prince Natsu was royal, even though he changed his name, and I could also tell that his bride was of high birth too. It was useless for them to try and conceal it from someone as perceptive as me." She flipped her hair and preened. "It was the other wedding I was suspicious about, the one they said would be attached to this one. I had doubts, of course, because how many joined wedding do you see nowadays? The woman was also very fishy-acting."

"What woman, what wedding, which of my sons is eloping?" He glared at them.

Another voice joined the mix, and a soldier stepped forward meekly. "I think I can answer that one, sir. I also had my concerns about the prince's bride, as it seemed a very hasty engagement." He nodded towards the annoying woman and she simpered.

"Well, out with it!" He was losing what little patience he had left.

"Why, she's talking about Prince Gajeel's engagement to the Miss." He nodded towards Gajeel and the small woman beside him. "I myself reckoned it was because she must've gotten pregnant after that one night." He nodded sagely.

"What?" The woman screeched at him, outraged. "Ridiculous! I'm talking about Prince Gray's engagement to that awful, violent woman over there!" She pointed to where Gray and the woman were frozen in the midst of their tussling.

"Hold on!" A guest stood up and looked at them. "I thought only one prince was getting married, not all of them!"

Other guests murmured in agreement and confusion. Igneel himself was completely lost at this point. None of his sons had wanted to get married, and now all three were engaged? A vein throbbed in his forehead. How he wished his wife was still alive to deal with this. She'd always been better at handling these types of situations.

Natsu looked down and Lucy and smiled. "Well, I did kinda say I'd rather marry you anyway."

"Be a shame to waste everything, what with how much work we put into it." Gray croaked and tried to pry the hands from his throat.

"Tch." Gajeel scratched his piercing. "Might as well give these assholes a show." The girl frowned disapprovingly and smacked his arm.

That settled it then. "Priest," Igneel motioned him forward. "I believe you can handle it from here." The man nodded and Igneel went to take his seat, noting with satisfaction that everyone followed suit.

The day hadn't exactly turned out how he'd planned, but nothing ever seemed to when it came to their family. He supposed that was okay, though.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when his son stared down at the woman before him. "I do."

"I do." The reciprocating answer came automatically, and he smiled.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." They came together before he'd even finished, cupping each other's' face and smiling through the kiss.

"May I now introduce Mr. and Mrs.-" The crowd leapt to their feet and cheered, drowning out the words. The priest didn't seem to mind, instead smiling and shaking his head fondly.

Igneel laughed as the two joined hands and ran down the aisle, ducking the rice and flowers thrown at them.

Their family wasn't perfect, that much was true. Still, everything seemed to work out in the end. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

He walked outside to join the newlyweds.

GAH OH MY GOD OH MY GOD YOU DON'T KNOW WHO GOT MARRIED OR WHAT HAPPENED AND HDAFHDAKH AND THAT'S THE END (except for the epilogue) *gasps for breath*

Review, review, REVIEW, or I'll go all maniac like the wedding.

Some things for this chapter:

#1. Who exactly was it that got married? Natsu and Lucy, Gajeel and Levy, or Gray and Juvia? You'll just have to wait and see, won't you? Haha, yes, I'm evil like that.

Characters we've met so far:

Lucy Heartfilia- Daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia, only child. Lady of Magnolia. Engaged to Natsu Dragneel, First Crown Prince of Fiore. Living.

Levy McGarden- Orphaned only child. Employed by Jude Heartfilia. Companion to Lady Lucy Heartfilia. Engaged to Gajeel Redfox-Dragneel, Second Crown Prince of Fiore. Living.

Juvia Lockser- Orphaned only child of Jose Porla and OC. Employed by Jude Heartfilia. Companion to Lady Lucy Heartfilia. Engaged to Gray Fullbuster- Dragneel, Third Crown Prince of Fiore. Living.

Jude Heartfilia- Husband to Layla Heartfilia, father to Lucy Heartfilia. Lord of Magnolia. Living.

Layla Heartfilia- Wife to Jude Heartfilia, mother to Lucy Heartfilia. Lady of Magnolia. Deceased.

Jose Porla- Father to Juvia Lockser. Deceased.

Erza Scarlet- Orphaned adopted only child of Grandpa Rob. Former Royal Army soldier. First Bodyguard to Lady Lucy Heartfilia. Living.

Natsu Dragneel- Second son of Igneel Dragneel, King of Fiore, and OC. First Crown Prince of Fiore. Engaged to Lucy Heartfilia, Lady of Magnolia. Living.

Gajeel Redfox-Dragneel- First son of Igneel Dragneel, King of Fiore, and OC. Second Crown Prince of Fiore. Engaged to Levy McGarden. Living.

Gray Fullbuster-Dragneel- Third son of Igneel Dragneel, King of Fiore, and OC. Third Crown Prince of Fiore. Engaged to Juvia Lockser. Living.

Jellal Fernandes- Supreme Commander of the Royal Army of Fiore. Head of the Royal Search Party. Living.

Happy- Pet to Natsu Dragneel, First Crown Prince of Fiore. Breed: Exceed. Color: Blue. Living.

Jet- Castle runner/messenger. Living.

Droy- Castle runner/messenger. Living.

Mr. Sakinawa- Husband to OC. Owner of a flower shop in Fiore. Living.

Wendy- Assistant at a fabric shop in Fiore. Employed by Lacy. Living.

Lacy- Owner of a fabric shop in Fiore. Living.

Bianca- Formerly known as the Leader of the Cleaning Clones. Is actually the head of a secret organization within Fiore dedicated to keeping peace within the kingdom. Living.

The Cleaning Clones- Employees of the Lookalike Leader (aka Bianca). Employed at a glass shop in Fiore. Are actually a secret organization dedicated to keeping peace within Fiore. Living.

Oliver Cottonwood- Right hand man to Erza Scarlet. Bodyguard to Lady Lucy Heartfilia. Living.

The Belkbroth family- Two men and one woman that have some medical association and are employed occasionally by the royal family. Living.

Nurse Welde- a nurse in the Royal Infirmary.

Lily- Pet to Gajeel Redfox-Dragneel, Second Crown Prince of Fiore. Breed: Exceed. Color: Black and white. Living.

Marie- Servant in the Dragneel Royal Castle. Best friends with Katie. Dislikes Jessica. Living.

Katie- Servant in the Dragneel Royal Castle. Best friends with Marie. Got her job by sleeping with Henry. Dislikes Jessica. Living.

Jessica- Servant in the Dragneel Royal Castle. Unknown: background, history, family, friends, past jobs, how she gained her current position of employment. Living.

Henry- Head of the kitchen staff in the Dragneel Royal Castle. Is known to give positions to those who sleep with him (Katie is included in that not-very-exclusive list). Living.

Anthony- Soldier employed by the Royal Army of Fiore. Living.

Yukino- Woman from Sabertooth currently employed by the Dragneel family to act as a stand-in fake fiancé until Natsu's real fiancé can be recovered. Cousin to the Sabertooth Royal Family. Living.

Sting- First Crown Prince of Sabertooth. Very close to Rogue, Fro, Lector, and Yukino. Living.

Rogue- Second Crown Prince of Sabertooth. Very close to Sting, Fro, Lector, and Yukino. Living.

Lector- Pet to Sting, First Crown Prince of Sabertooth. Breed: Exceed. Color: Brown-red and white. Living.

Fro- Pet to Rogue, Second Crown Prince of Sabertooth. Breed: Exceed. Color: Green (though is usually encased in a pink frog suit). Real name: Frosch. Living.