Hi guys!

Back with a new story for you, and before you read it I'd like to explain some things. This is royalty-based fanfiction. The Guilds are Palaces and the towns have been changed to cities. I researched what towns certain guilds are based in, such as Acalypha Town for the 'Love and Lucky' guild Lucy's parents met at.

I did a lot of research for this story, and I'd appreciate any help or feedback you guys might have! Please give me suggestions, issues you have, or other stuff you might think would be good for the story.

I love you all so much and I greatly value your comments!

All my appreciation and love,

BlackRose999

The Reluctant Royal

Chapter One: A Royal Decree, where to draw the line between a Mother and a Queen?

~ Lucy ~

"... And then they say Lady Lisanna attacked the woman, who shall remain nameless since she's been shipped off to some lord in the Sabertooth Kingdom to wed their prince, and now the king is putting her aside! She's no longer betrothed to the prince!"

Lucy idly listened to the chatter and gasps of horror from the girls, thumbing through her little book to find where she'd left off. She loathed these people, but as a Lady-in-Waiting, she was required to be in their company. The queen put aside her embroidery, eyeing her Ladies with obvious annoyance. "My dear princess, you seem to be of good sense, accompany me to the gardens."

"Yes, your majesty." She followed the golden-haired woman through the palace, the queen wore white and gold; the only colors allowed for female queenship for they signified 'Elegant Purity' to the menfolk, and held her head high as she walked through the whispering corridors.

As Princess Royal, Lucy Heartfilia was required to hold herself to the same standard as her mother; Her Royal Majesty, Queen Layla Heartfilia. Her elder brother, Lawrence was first in line for the throne, so she was to be wedded off and sent away like common cattle. Perhaps to a disgusting pig, an old man, or a cruel and ruthless tyrant? Who knew? Certainly not her, her father never told her anything. And her mother was just in the dark as she was until his decision was made, and then it was irreversible.

A king's word is Law after all…

She was dressed as any royal would be, with gold-threaded designs into her red and pale pink accented gown. She sported a dark red hooded crown that featured a black half-train, covering her golden hair almost completely. She was constantly clothed in a red cloak with a fur trim, no matter the warmth of the weather. Outwardly, she was every bit the perfect princess; called the Rose of the Palace, but to anyone who knew her she was as wilted as a winter flower. She was uninspired, unimpressed, and unimaginably bored here in Acalypha Palace.

It was always politics, dancing, poetry, and musical arts in her schedule. She wanted wit, fiery conversation, passion, someone to whom she could bare her soul. None here at the court held her interest, nor her heart. She hated the passivity of the women here, she hated the 'kind-souled' expectations. She was a woman of fire, of strong will, and wanted to learn so much more than singing and dancing.

"Lucy, are you listening to me?"

Lucy started and bowed her head apologetically. "My sincerest apologies queen mother, I was in thought." Layla smiled, and eyed her daughter with care, "Ah yes, you seem to be 'in thought' quite often nowadays. Maybe we should send you to the Pegasus Palace in The Blue City and finally find you a match… Does that little threat persuade you to pay attention?" She bit back a scoff of disgust, knowing it would offend her mother. "Yes queen mother, you have my full attention. Forgive my insolent ignorance."

"Now there's no need for sarcastic remarks Lucy, I was only teasing." She paused to look at the roses, white ones this time, Lucy noted, and bit her lip slightly. She did that when she was nervous. "Coincidentally, your father… Has made a formal proposal for your hand in marriage to the king's son in Magnolia." She hesitated, knowing the weight of her next words. "And it is to my understanding that their king has agreed."

Time stopped for Lucy as the words reverberated around her head, she was to be married. To a prince, she'd never met and made a queen when her husband's father had died. Such notions would have made a normal princess weep with joy, but for her, it was a soul-crushing death warrant.

She'd never be alone with her thoughts, she'd be accompanied everywhere, and she'd soon be married to a man who may never quite understand her… Etiquette coming back to her, she straightened her wilted posture and forced a happy disposition.

"That's… Wonderful, my queen. I'm glad to be of service to this kingdom. When do I leave for Magnolia?"

Layla eyed her daughter and sighed. She'd hoped for a warmer response. She knew very well that Acalypha Palace bored the poor child to tears, and she had been hoping against hope that the prospect of going somewhere new would reignite that fading spark within her.

She had appeared to only further dampen it.

~ Natsu ~

"Natsu!... Where is my son?"

Looking up from his crafting, Natsu eyed the door to his workshop. His father was a fiery man, and while loving and kind, he could be boisterous and loud. The king of Magnolia waltzed casually into Natsu's solar-turned workshop, the vaulted glass ceiling giving him optimal light to create his jewels.

Natsu was a decidedly 'odd' prince, he did not believe princes should be left without some sort of skill set that could provide for them if, IF, the kingdom should fall and he be removed from any sort of power. His chosen skill was crafting Jewelry. King Igneel loved his son, he found him rather difficult sometimes but loved his son still. Had his wife; Queen Virillia, lived after childbirth, he knew she'd have been able to understand their son.

Perhaps much better than he ever could.

Igneel eyed the new ring his son was created, it was a beautifully crafted pear-shaped ruby surrounded by a halo of glimmering diamonds. The golden 'lacework' design between the ruby and its halo only makes the piece all the more elaborate and unique. 'An engagement ring perhaps? Wonderful, perhaps the news might excite him!' Igneel thought happily. "Natsu, I've come bearing great news. I've found the perfect princess for you!" Natsu paused and gave his father a calculating and unimpressed look.

"You 'found' me… a wife?" He repeated.

Igneel paused, uncertain of his son's mood concerning the news, and very concerned as to which emotional direction his hot-headed offspring might turn to. "Yes? It's my responsibility as your king and father… Is it not?"

Putting his latest work down carefully, Natsu stood with all the grace of a hostile lion. "It is, however, I was under the impression that you'd given me permission to find my own bride. On my terms."

Igneel sighed, he should have seen this discussion coming. "Yes, I did agree to that. However, if you'd like to remember the details, that agreement was made two years ago and you've yet to even attempt to look. So yes, I took steps. I do not, and will not apologize for it." Natsu deflated and looked at his father with a tired expression. "Father, please understand, I do not wish to marry yet. I've only just turned 20, and I doubt my would-be-bride is of the same age."

"She is actually, and she is well-educated and apparently clever-minded and quite the spitfire herself. I thought you two might get along rather well." Natsu suddenly looked down, eyeing the magnificent ring with a peculiar look in his dark eyes. "I can't explain it… But I had a strong intuition to make this a few weeks ago. Like something inside was directing me to do so…" Igneel smiled softly, and gently grasped his son's shoulder.

"Perhaps this betrothal won't be so bad after all, hm?"

~ Two Weeks Later, Lucy ~

Lucy eyed the oddly beautiful green landscape as it flew by through her window, the carriage swaying slightly with each hoofbeat her cream-colored Fresian horses made. They were utterly beautiful creatures, the silken horsehair looked like melted white gold in the sunlight, and their white manes fluttered in the wind they'd created. Everyone who beheld it in Acalypha knew who's horses they were, but now she was a stranger in Magnolia, and only the beauty of her elegant stallions gave her authority away.

She felt strangely hopeful, as though some inner part of her was soothing her anxiety and reminding her of the possibility of a good match. She doubted it, but couldn't deny its existence. "STOP, IN THE NAME OF THE KING!" A booming voice shouted, and her carriage came to a stop. Remembering proper etiquette, she immediately sat up from her leaning position against the window and put on her most angelic face. They'd entered the castle grounds, which meant she would be announced and shown to the king and her might-be husband.

Her luggage carriage behind her also came to a stop, the white quarter-horses snorting impatiently. It was stacked high with books, jewels, elegant gowns, and art. 'I may be damn a princess but that doesn't mean I have to be simplistically air-headed like one.' She snarled inwardly. She could only pray this prince was as educated and hungry as she was. "Who enters this castle? And what papers do you possess?" Asked the booming voice.

"My apologies monsieur," her french driver, Sol, exclaimed. "I carry the Crown Princess, Lady Lucy, from Acalypha. I was told you'd be expecting us." "Ah! We'd wondered when you'd get her, excellent timing too, both king and prince are present at court. She'll be presented to His Majesty immediately, please proceed once you've given me your official papers." After a moment, her carriage moved again. She was greeted with an astonishingly tall and muscled mountain of a man bearing a large blackish scar over his eye, he wasn't dressed in the king's livery, but clad in what must be specially made scaled armor.

This man smiled kindly at her as she passed, and for once she gave a genuine smile and a small wave in return.

Perhaps this place wouldn't be so bad after all…

~ Layla ~

"... I'm just saying Jude, we should have waited longer for her to adjust to the notion of her marriage before shipping her off to a foreign land like a broodmare." Layla quietly argued with her husband. Cautiously reminding herself she was married to a king, and not just a man, she eyed his agitated demeanor speculatively.

Jude Heartfilia was a strict and rigid man, one who did not bend to anyone easily. Occasionally she could softly bully or persuade him to her side of thinking or perspective, but mostly she was in turn bullied into submission.

"I will remind you, Layla, I am the king of this place, and while you are my dearest queen I'll not have you question my authority or my decisions." Layla sighed and switched tactics. She slowly moved toward him, turning into the demure and passive wife once more to calm him. "I know. You are my king first and my husband second, but this is our daughter. A child I carried and bore for you." Softly, she asked him "Does her happiness mean so little to you?"

He relaxed a bit and bowed his head. "Of course it does, but you must understand, she is mine to do with as I please." "Jude… She's not an object." Layla said gently. "I know." He snapped, in no mood for a lecture. She shrank back, not wanting to provoke him. "My apologies, I'll leave you now." She quietly left the room, feeling her heart sink. Her daughter, the child she'd been allowed to feed on her breast and raise herself without a nursemaid or a governess, was gone.

Sent away like a meaningless letter.

What would she do now? Lucy had been her only constant, and while the poor child had been unhappy, she'd been comforted by the solace her presence gave her mother. She was accosted daily by Ladies who only served themselves or their families, none of them could be trusted with her secret thoughts… Now she understood how her child had felt. How lonely she'd felt.

Was this to be her fate too?