Hey guys! I hope you like this story! I was struck with this story out of no where and had to write it!
The sound of rain and her feet pounding on the wet forest floor was all she could hear as she ran. She ran as fast as she could. Her feet hurt so bad, but she couldn't stop… Not if she wanted to live. So she kept running as far and as fast as she could. The rain made it impossible to see more than six inches in front of her face.
The girl slammed into something she couldn't see and fell to the ground. She panicked and rose from the ground to continue running. Just as she started moving her arm was grabbed. Her panic skyrocketed with the thought she'd been caught. She swung at the person with her free arm. The blow was caught by another hand.
"Whoa there calm down! I'm not going to hurt you." The person yelled over the rain.
She didn't trust them. She struggled against the hold of the stranger. Their grip on her left arm loosened then disappeared completely. She was sure she would get away from them, but the hope was quickly ripped away when she felt pressure on her neck and fell into darkness.
The person picked up the limp body of the girl and started in the direction she had been running.
Half an hour of walking later and the man carried the girl through the grand doors of a castle. Just inside stood a woman with scarlet red hair. She looked furious.
"Where have you been Gray?!" She yelled upon seeing him. "And who is this?" She inspected the girl in his hands
Her thin slip was soaked through and clung tightly to her body. The girl's blond hair was coated in blood and dirt and hung lifelessly from her head. Her feet were bare and coated in dirt and blood. All of her was coated in dirt and blood.
"Sorry Erza. She bumped into me in the woods. She was violent and scared. I couldn't just leave her there." He said cooly looking at the girl in his arms. "So... I knocked her out."
The woman took this in and spoke again "Why did you bring her here?"
"Where else would i take her? She was scared and running from something. What if she was running from someone or something dangerous? Maybe we could help her." His voice was cold but hopeful.
"Very well. I'll call for Mira to come clean her." With those words out she turned and beckoned him to follow her.
He walked behind her with the girl in his arms dripping a mix of dirt, blood, and rain water on the floor as they went.
They entered a large room on the second floor. The room held a king size bed with grand pillows and large blankets. A hearth across from the bed was surrounded by large chairs and a couch. A door five feet to the right of the hearth led to the bathing room where he took the girl.
Erza ran the bath then ordered the male out. She began to strip the young woman of her slip. Slowly she lifted the girl into the bath.
The door opened and a white haired woman stepped through. "Need some help here?" she asked with a soft frown on her beautiful face.
"Yes, thank you." Erza said as the woman placed the clothes she brought on the sink. She knelt next to Erza to help clean the girl.
The women worked in silence. The bath had to be drained and refilled twice in order to fully clean the girl. She was covered in bruises and cuts, but there was no mistaking who she was.
"Mira" she said softly "go get Porlyusica. If you see Gray on your way send him back here." Erza's voice left no room for arguments.
Mira left to do as she was told. After a few minutes Gray walked in.
"You wanted me?" He spoke.
She didn't look at him, only stared at the girl as she said in a softer voice than he'd ever heard her use. "Go tell the king that his Goddaughter is here."
He looked at her then, at the girl in the tub. "Are you sure that's her?" He asked.
Erza continued to stare at the girl. "No, but she looks exactly like her. We won't truly know until she's awake."
"Is there anyone else who could confirm her identity?" Gray asked. He didn't want to work up the king if she wasn't the girl.
"The king. Maybe Porlyusica. I sent Mira to get her, but it may be awhile yet before they return here." Erza's voice was so soft it scared him. "Go get the king, Gray."
There was no arguing with her. She sounded so scared. Why? Was she scared of the girl?
He'd never heard her voice like this. He turned to exit the room. "Fine." He said softly.
She waited until she was sure they were alone before she spoke again. "Oh Lucy… What happened to you?… Please be okay. Please wake up." Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at the girl.
After a few moments she dried her eyes and face. She finished right as the king and queen entered the room with Gray close behind.
"Oh!" Gasped the queen at the sight of the girl.
The king fell to his knees at the side of the tub. Tears streamed from his eyes as he beheld the girl. He placed his hands on the girl's face and pulled her to his chest thoroughly soaking his shirt. "My dear Lucy. What have they done to you?" His voice was soft and broken as he cried.
The room stayed this way for a long time. No one moved as the king cried and held the girl in his arms.
A soft knock at the door was heard to alert them of the arrival of Mira and porlyusica before they were seen. The women walked in the room and beheld the sight.
"What on earth happened to her?" Came Porly's Clipped voice. "What are you all doing just standing around? I'm going to need towels and clean warm water. Probably a lot of both."
Gray and Mira left to collect the items they would need. The queen stepped out of the crowded bathing room to clear the coffee table of it's decorations.
The doctor began to move towards the girl but stopped when a loud growl reverberated through the room.
Every person in the room froze and stared at the king. He never growled like that at anyone. For a long minute no one moved as the man stared at the doctor.
"I know. I'm going to do everything I can to help but we need to move her. If you aren't going to allow anyone else to touch her then you will have to do it." The doctor said in a strict voice.
The man hesitated for a moment before he dipped his hand in the water and lifted the girl out. Water poured off of her onto him and the floor.
Erza slowly approached with a towel to dry her off. The king silently allowed her to do so.
Once she was dry, the man took her to the table and slowly placed her down. At that moment the door opened and in walked three people. Mira handed the towels to porlyusica who placed them next to the girl. "Put those buckets on the floor over here." Porly said to the boys pointing to her left.
"Who is this girl?" Asked the pink haired boy next to Gray.
It was the queen who said "She is the last Heartfilia, Natsu."
Porlyusica and the queen began their work. She had too many cuts and bruises to heal them all. They healed the deepest cuts first. When all the cuts were healed they soaked rags and cleaned the blood off her once more. She was lucky there were no broken bones, But the bruises were bad.
"Grandine, I think it's time for the boys to leave this room." Porly spoke as she examined a large bruise on the inside of her legs.
"Yes, I think you're right." The queen spoke. "You heard her. All of you boys out." The two teens left without argument.
"That means you too Igneel" Porly said.
The king looked at her then to the girl on the table. He kissed her head and rose from the floor. "I'm only going to sit outside. I will go no further than that." He left no room for argument as he left the room and closed the door.
The women all turned back to the unconscious girl as Porly examined her womanhood. It was very apparent that she had been used for unspeakable things. She would likely have many mental scars from what had happened.
"What do you think they did to her?" Mira asked in a soft voice.
"From the looks of it she was beaten and raped. Likely many times for a long while." Porlyusica said curtly.
Erza looked at the girl. "Who would do such a thing."
The women sat in silence as they watched the rest of the exam. When it was finished Erza lifted the girl into the bed and tucked her safely under the blankets.
One by one the women left the room to find the king talking to a set of guards.
"We are finished. She will need plenty of rest and food. I'd have someone here to watch her for the next few days." Porly said to everyone. She pulled Grandine to the side and spoke to her softly. "If you see signs of pregnancy send word and i will come."
"I will have the girls watch for it as well. I think it best we leave the men of this family in the dark on this for now." She agreed.
The King stationed guards outside the girl's room. Erza decided she would stay with the girl and watch over her through the night.
With that, everyone separated and went to bed.