Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters; that right belongs to Hiro Mashima. I own the Original Characters (OC's) and ask that you do not use them without asking for permission first. Please respect this as I am possessive of my OC's and don't share as easily as other authors.

Author's Note: This story was written after having a particularly bad nightmare and talking with a friend about it. They suggested that I do this to help work through the nightmare and my phobias. One is lepidopterophobia or the fear of butterflies. And the other is Mottephobia or the fears of Moths. These are only two. And like any fear, there is a legit reason for it, one I do not care to share.

Author's Note 2: I do not want to break the ToS, have the Cultists or communities who think it is their right to harass people, and get their stuff and/or accounts deleted. But this is your warning; it gets darker and serious, hence the M rating to begin with. (Which if you read what is here and on the FFN App are two different things and contradictory.)

Lucy walked through the halls of the Palace with Al'Tana to the side and behind her. It had been nine days since she had been told that she could go to specific places in the Palace. Lu'Arna had cautioned her that this was probably a ploy to get her alone and vulnerable. And she knew those words to be accurate, since only a few days after Lu'Arna was sent out to do something or another for Rei'neira.

Sighing as she paused and looked out the window by her, Lucy saw the land stretching just past the walls that cut the Castle off from the rest of the people. The sight of the city that spread out on the other side of the barrier was breathtaking. A multitude of colorful buildings, teeming with life. And just beyond that was hills and plains that had grass that looked almost blue in color and fauna that made it appear prismatic with the different colors at the various times of the day. It made her heart beat faster at the beauty of it all.

"Miss Lucy?"

Starting, Lucy turned to look up at Al'Tana and gave a small smile. She felt like she was a prisoner once again. The reality was that Lucy wanted to escape to the outer walls and roam free and explore. To discover things she knows, she would probably never get a chance to see in her world. To experience the smells and taste and textures this world had to offer.

"It is okay; I just feel... trapped, you know?" She replied, giving a shake of her head before she continued walking towards the gardens.

The soft hum from the tall woman, followed by the quiet shifting of her massive wings, had Lucy chuckling. They shared that same feeling and talked a lot about that and other things since Lu'Arna was sent off. Easily hashing out any problems that the woman had with her and finding a friend and confidant. On top of learning that each of the various species of butterflies and moths they represented had their own unique talents and abilities. It was rather impressive, and she knew she'd take the inspiration and use it to write her novel, which she was still working on even in this world.

"Let us go to the Garden again, it is nice today, and I would love to hear more of the legends and myths of this world, please, Al'Tana," Lucy asked the woman as they continued on their way, getting another hum.

Erza kept her hands curled into tight fists as she sat there with the rest of the Guild and listened to what Yukino told them what she had learned from her spirits. Beside her was Laxus, who had over the last month and a half become a pillar of strength for her lean on. It was strange; they grew up together, hardly associated with each other. And until after, Tenrou Island hadn't shared any of the same ideologies. But they had more in common than she would have ever thought.

"So that is all. Lucy is doing good; she has been given some freedom to move around the Palace she is held in. The person who found her is gone leaving her in the care of his aide. But the feel of it from how Gemini, in Lucy form, expressed it was wary because the leader is a manipulative asshat she would love to beat senseless," Yukino stated, summing up the whole thing. "And from prior knowledge, Lucy has to tread carefully because if she messes up, this aide can be beaten bloody with an electric whip. Meaning Lucy would force her magic for more salve to heal the aide and tax herself."

Frowning, Erza narrowed her eyes. It hurt that much more than Lucy was in a predicament that put her in harm's way. That her friend wouldn't have a choice to give in or to cause pain to another person, it was sickening. Feeling light-headed, Erza exhaled the breath she wasn't aware she was holding and looked around the Guild. Her eyes landed on Natsu and Gray, who had both become silent and melancholy that their friend was gone. She knew that they both blamed themselves for it happening due to them doing their normal fighting.

Letting her gaze move, she saw others who looked tired, sad, at a loss, or angry at this news — a friend. A family member had been taken from them. Someone who always tried to cheer them all up, keep them together at all costs. It wasn't fair that this was happening, and she knew that the damages that the Guild tended to cause we're down big time for it. And she knew that the Rune Knights were not doing as much as they could to help find a way to bring Lucy back.

"Uh, I have talked to Libra a lot lately. And, well, she has come up with the idea that might help us get Lucy back," Yukino spoke up, breaking through Erza's dark thoughts.

Whipping her head around, she let her gaze settle on Yukino, making the white-haired Celestial Mage flinch a bit. But she needed anything that would help bring her friend back.

"There is a library that Lucy and I went to a while back when the Zodiacs were a bit crazy... They said that the Celestial King would allow a few people to find it easily and use it to help bring Lucy home," Yukino choked out, flushing darkly. "And uh... I am getting the feeling that he is in no rush, but that is something for a different day. So thank you all for listening, and I need to catch my train. Master Makarov, when you figure out who to send to the Library, contact Master Sting, and I will give you the train station that we are to meet at, okay?"

Erza felt stonewalled at what she was hearing. It angered her that Yukino wasn't more forthcoming, and learning that the Celestial King didn't seem to want to bring Lucy back quickly, which struck her as odd since the deity was damn near enamored with Lucy and claimed Al'Tana as a personal friend. This topic was going to be something she would discuss later in great depth with Yukino. But for now, she had to convince her Guild Master she needed to go to that Library.

He smiled as he walked out into the garden, seeing the blond beauty sitting and smiling so widely as she was told one of the more obscure Myths of their world. It lit her face up and made her dark brown eyes dance. Slowly moving forward and coughing, drawing the attention of both females. The smile's left each of their faces in turn as they looked at him. If he recalled, the Monarch Clan woman's name was Al'Tana or something like that. He knew she was completely loyal to his nephew and couldn't be broken.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but I heard one of my favorite tales from my childhood being recounted," Rei'Neira spoke up softly.

The twin slow blinks he got as a reaction had him keeping his own smile forcibly plastered to his face. Making sure to stay calm and collected, he arched an eyebrow at Al'Tana and tilted his head to indicate what he wanted her to do. Earning a deeper understanding from the woman.

"It is all right, Al'Tana," Lucy spoke up after a few minutes. "But do please stay in the garden."

When the woman hesitated a few seconds longer to leave then, she should have. It displeased him but arching an eyebrow as the woman bowed first to Lucy than to him. Rei'Neira made a mental note about the obvious disrespect. When he turned his gaze back to the blonde woman, he noticed that her eyes were no longer bright with laughter and amusement. No, they were cold and wary as she kept that polite, genteel smile on her pink lips.

"What does your Majesty require of me today?"

Making sure to keep his face a polite, friendly mask as he seethed inside, Rei'Neria gave a small tilt of his head in silent questioning. Enjoying the way Lucy's eyes crinkled at the corners as they narrowed. When she returned his gesture, he took no time to seat himself next to her, purposely sitting closer than he should have. This was a small victory for him as she stiffened but didn't move away, as she obviously wanted to do.

"Just your company," he replied as he looked the few inches down to her, smiling widely. "I do enjoy it. One can say, Lucy, it is the highlight of my day."

The slight pursing of her lips had him wanting to reach out and grasp her chin so she could taste them. There was a fight in her, and Lucy had shown him multiple times that she was intelligent. And he enjoyed the fact that the air around her and the feel of the energy she exuded was supernatural, a most addicting thing.

Lu'Arna let his gaze slide across several people as they knelt, bound, before him. His mind picked up their louder, stray thoughts. He knew now that his Uncle, His king instigated this whole situation. It was a serious gap in the social structure his ancestors and parents had adhered to, which caused the outlying villages to struggle and die out. A part of him was dying inside after learning all he had from the child's mind. They were selling kids to slavers, or those in the Royal Army who were out for longer periods of time from their families or mates.

He felt his lip curl upwards as a snarl fought to rip its way from his throat. Lu'Arna looked at the head of this small village, a few merchants who had small shops, and three of the men in his squadron. Men who had partaken of forbidden fruits, so to speak. These men were loyal to his Uncle and King. It was such an intricate thing to line his Uncles pockets, costing his country's citizens, no world, such strife.

"I see that morals are not important to any of you," he said, letting his eyes close halfway. "And do not think that you can hide your deepest thoughts or the memories of choices and actions. I will have them. The fact you all would care less for people and family, to line your own damn pockets. I see how far you all have fallen."

The pain had been nothing but a dull ache in the back of his head this whole time. But now, as he pulled forth more, he could feel the pressure build as it made that ache turn into a dull pain. He could see the prismatic glow of his eyes reflected in the fear-filled ones of those before him. It was time for him to make these men confess their sins. And it would be done by force under his power. A silent part of him was glad he had someone who could scribe well and fast.

"Let us begin," he said, allowing himself to smile sadistically. "I want you who have children to take them and shelter them for their safety. And those of you who do not want to witness this, leave now. Because I will not stop until I have gained all the knowledge from each of them."

TBC!

NEXT TO UPDATE is The Science of Love