It was in the middle of the night when Levy finally made it to where her friend Wendy lived. With her wings slowly but surely becoming frozen, her only chance to thaw them out without breaking them was to reach a warm climate. Wendy's house and garden that was magically protected from the cold by a warm barrier and atmosphere would be able to save her wings. When she arrived she passed out but Wendy hadn't gotten up to get some water so she saw her. Wendy quickly levitated Levy into her house and wrapped her up in a warm blanket. It was rather early when Levy came to and her wings couldn't move much but they were thawing out.
"Are you alright Levy?" She asked her when she awoke.
"Yeah just cold."
"I can't believe it's really you. I haven't seen you in years. Where have you been?"
"It's a long story. I'll tell you later."
"What were you doing in that awful storm?"
"I was with a group of friends searching for the princess of Fiore when we got caught in the storm. I managed to get them to a safe and warm cottage but my wings had become frozen so I came here where they could thaw out properly."
"Well you got here just in time. A few seconds later and your wings would have broken off. Why are you looking for the princess of Fiore?"
"Because she's now a prime target of Queen Minerva and if she successfully kills her then Fiore and heaven knows how many other kingdoms will be destroyed."
"How so?"
"The queen has been corrupted by the evil spirit that resides inside the mirror."
"Oh no. But I thought that mirror was lost forever."
"We all did but somehow Minerva managed to get her hands on it and now we must shatter the mirror with the weapon that can destroy it while also doing everything we can to keep the princess safe. If only we knew where she was."
"Good morning Wendy, did you sleep well?" Juvia asked walking into the kitchen.
"What was all the racket you were making last night?" Gray asked following her. "It kept me up."
"Sorry I was helping a friend who was hurt." Wendy said.
Levy looked at Juvia carefully and took notice of her features. Hair blue as rain, cheeks blush as the rose, and skin white as snow.
"Levy is everything alright?" Wendy asked her friend when she noticed her paying close attention to Juvia.
"Excuse me." Levy said to the blue haired and fair skinned maiden. "But what is your name?"
"It's Juvia."
"Are you the princess of Fiore?"
"Well...Yes I am...Or I used to be."
"Juvia you never told me that." Wendy said.
"I guess it slipped my mind."
"Thank goodness I found you." Levy said. "Listen to me you are in grave danger."
"I know. My stepmother the queen wants to kill me but I've got nothing to worry about she thinks I'm dead."
"Not for long. Sooner or later that magic mirror will tell her you're alive and then she'll go out of her way to kill you."
"How do you know so much about my stepmother? And what magic mirror? And who are you?"
So Levy told Juvia, Gray, and Wendy everything. About the mirror, the evil spirit, Minerva's past, and the horrible fate that would befall both the queen and the kingdom if her desire to take Juvia's life was fullfilled.
"That's awful...I feel so sorry for my stepmother but I don't understand why she wishes to harm me. I've never done anything to her." Juvia said.
"It's out of spite and jealousy because you've grown up to be more beautiful than her."
"Don't be silly Levy I'm no where near as beautiful as Minerva."
"Juvia I don't pay any attention to a woman's appearance but even I know you're ten times prettier than that witch." Gray said.
"Really? You think I'm pretty?" Juvia said smiling and blushing.
"Oh...Uh...Well You...I guess but I don't really care what a woman looks like." Gray said nervously blushing.
"You're lovely enough to be a fairy." Wendy agreed.
"Believe it or not Juvia you were born with surpassing beauty and unfortunately Minerva's vanity refuses to allow any woman to be more beautiful than her." Levy said. "So you must be extra careful."
"Excuse me I hate to interrupt." The four of them were startled by the sudden appearance of Evergreen.
"Where did you come from?" Gray asked.
"The outdoors. I came by to inform you Wendy that a wolf was trying to get through your barrier last night and then left behind this message."
Evergreen handed Wendy the message she found.
"It says here that your friends the dwarfs are looking for you Juvia." Wendy read. "They want you to meet them at the Magnolia village at sun down."
"What about the snow storm?" Juvia said.
"The snow storm is over now so it's safe for you to go meet them." Levy said.
"Not looking like that." Evergreen said pointing toward Juvia's dress.
"What's wrong with how I look?" Juvia asked.
"Yeah Evergreen. She's just going to the Magnolia village." Wendy said.
"I know but did you two forget what day it is? It's the day of the lover's festival."
"Oh my goodness I had forgotten all about that." Wendy said.
"Is it time for that already?" Levy said.
"What the heck is the lover's festival?" Gray asked.
"Every year the couples of the Magnolia village get together in the square to dance, eat, and celebrate their love with a grand festival." Wendy said.
"And every year we fairies go to the festival looking like human women and we bless couples to have romantic love lives that lead to long and happy marriages." Levy said.
"However part of the festival's tradition is that all the ladies must look their best." Evergreen said. "That includes us three and you."
"Oh...I understand that but unfortunately I don't really have anything nice to wear." Juvia said.
"Well lucky for you dear I'm a fairy of beauty and glamour so I can probably provide something suitable for you to wear and make you presentable looking. Come along now ladies we musn't doddle." Evergreen said pushing Juvia along into another room.
"Gray you just wait here until we're all finished. In the meantime help yourself to anything in the fridge." Wendy said.
Due to being magical, fairies could get dressed and do their hair in just ten seconds flat so the three of them decided to get Juvia ready first since she was human. Evergreen started first with trying to find her a suitable dress.
"The peasant look is so last year Darling. It's classic fabrics and heavy jewels at the moment." Evergreen told her.
She opened up a wardrobe that was filled with the most beautiful and radiant desses and gowns Juvia had ever seen.
"My heavens." Juvia gasped surprised. "I've never seen so many beautiful dresses. I don't even think the royal dress maker could sew dresses this lovely."
"Of course not. Don't you know that dresses made by fairies are always the most beautiful and extravagant in the world? It's because we make them from fairy dust and the beauty of nature for example." Evergreen pulled out one dress the was as blue as they sky, lined with white ribbon, and violet stitching.
"I made this gown. It the fabric was spun from fairy dust and I took some of the sky's blue to color it while also using actual white clouds to make the ribbon and had real violets stitched into the fabric."
"Oh it's beautiful."
"Yes but this one is Wendy's size so it won't do." She pulled out another gown. This one was peridot green with leaf stitching and scented with lime. "No not this one either green is my color."
"They're are so many choices." Juvia said. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to pick one."
"Nonsense we'll find something. Good Lord you have such pale skin but such rosy cheeks. Oh I know just the thing that might work for you." Evergreen went into another room then came back carrying a box. "Levy made this gown a long time ago for a wealthy king who wanted his daughter to wear it on the day she would meet her bethrothed. Strangely enough though I found it in the forest."
Evergreen opened the box and pulled out the gown which Juvia recognized immediately.
"My mother's gown! I thought that I had lost this forever."
"This was your mother's?"
"Yes my father gave it to me for my birthday. Levy made this?"
"Yes I did." Levy said. "You must be King Paris's granddaughter. He freed me from a fairy trap once I promised him anything in return. All he wanted was a beautiful gown for his daughter Princess Dianne. It was winter during the time so I used winter elements to make it. I took white from the snow to color it and snowflakes and moonlight to make the thread and ribbon. I made the slippers too from rain drops and ice."
"Oh may I please wear it tonight?" Juvia asked.
"Of course. As long as it fits." Evergreen said.
The gown and slippers were both a perfect fit. Once she was dressed Levy did her hair and make up. Whenever Juvia brushed her hair it would always end up in a tangled mess and it would hurt so much but when Levy brushed it her hair seemed to flow and untangle slowly while Juvia felt no pain.
"You have such lovely hair and it really brings out your eyes. No wonder you're the most beautiful woman in all of Fiore." Levy commented.
"Thank you but you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen."
"Thank you. Listen you're friends with dwarfs right?"
"Yes."
"Is one of them named Gajeel?"
"Yes how do you know Gajeel?"
"He...He was my sweetheart. Many years ago we were to be married but then Queen Minerva captured me and inprisoned me."
"So that's what happened. Gajeel told me about you and he thinks that you used him and abandoned him."
"Oh no! That's not at all what happened! I love Gajeel! I love him more than anything in the world!"
"Then you should tell him tonight at the festival. Oh he'll be so happy to see you I'm sure."
"I hope so. I hope he can forgive me."
"But there's nothing to forgive. It wasn't your fault. Believe me he'll be overjoyed once he knows the truth. You'll see."
"Levy look what I have!" Wendy hurried in carrying a bouquet of white anemone flowers. "Wouldn't these look wonderful in Juvia's hair?"
"They would. Quick pass me a ribbon and some of those pins." Levy said.