Chapter 3: The Dragonia Castle

The sun was high in the sky when the large carriage finally came to a stop. Lucy's eyes fluttered open as a small yawn escaped her lips. Surprisingly enough, she had fallen asleep on the journey.

After a few moments, Gray opened the door and beckoned them to get out. No sooner than Lucy's feet hit the ground, her jaw just about dropped as her eyes drank in the sight of grandiose castle in front of her. It was huge—too huge. The structure's stark white brick walls had to be several stories tall and took up what would be at least an entire block of houses in her town, and its roof was the color of the deepest rubies. Beyond the building's boarders was an extensive expanse of emerald grass and tall trees, as well as a few more buildings here and there. A true testament to the king's wealth, the property seemed to extend for miles. It was almost unbelievable.

Under different circumstances, the prospect of visiting the royal palace may have been exciting.

The other girls from her town seemed to be equally as taken aback, save for Evergreen and Karen, who seemed unfazed by the situation.

Karen's eyes met Lucy's, causing the girl to flinch involuntarily. An arrogant grin crossed the green haired woman's face.

"Nervous, Lulu?" She asked, approaching her with a snooty expression. Her crony, Evergreen, followed close behind with her arms crossed and a similar expression. "Don't worry, the king wouldn't want an undefined bumpkin like yourself." Karen paused as she placed her hand to her chest and raised her nose in the air. "Don't worry though, when I become Queen, I promise I'll help that poor little town we came from. So, don't fret your little blonde hairs."

Lucy scowled and constricted her hands into tight balls. Her nails dug into her palms from the force, but she could care less.

"And," Evergreen added, pointing at the remaining girls from the carriage, "you country fools better not embarrass us. Just let the real beauties shine." She rounded off her statement with a wink.

"May I remind you you're only here because you begged?" A gruff voice cut in before Lucy could argue with them.

The blonde turned to see Gray standing directly behind her. His face screamed annoyed, and the shock of his words coupled with his expression sent Evergreen into a sputtering mess.

"Now, if you're done gloating, please follow me inside the castle without doddling. You all are already behind schedule, and I do not want to get my ass handed to me because of you. Understand?"

Evergreen nodded slowly, a fierce blush coating her cheeks. Karen simply stared at him.

Gray patted Lucy on the shoulder lightly as he headed toward the castle gates. The touch was so light and casual she had to consider if she imagined it. However, the angry glares from Karen and Ever coupled with the rounded "o's" on the mouths of the other girls confirmed that the interaction did indeed happen. Rather than think too hard on it, she hurried after the knight in the hopes that he would not turn around and bitch at them because they had not moved.

It was only then she noticed a few more carriages were arriving and countless more were already parked. She also noticed that many model-esque women were emerging from said vehicles. Their beauty made Lucy feel somewhat insecure, but she shook the feeling away. It was better that there were women more beautiful than her there anyway. It decreased her chances of getting picked.

The serene vibes from outside the castle walls promptly flew out of the window once they stepped onto the property. The castle grounds were full of busy, stressed looking soldiers, servants and maids running every which way. Gray seemed unfazed by the organized chaos, but the scene dizzied Lucy.

A gentle tug at the side of her dress distracted her from the disorder. She turned to see the ever timid Juvia who, despite nearly being the same height as her, looked small and scared.

"Are you okay, Juvie?" Lucy asked with a small smile.

The bluenette nodded slightly and cast her gaze toward the ground. "You think you'll be picked, Miss Lucy?" She asked after a moment.

Lucy snorted. "Probably not. Goodness, I hope not." She paused before asking, "Do you want to be picked?"

Quietly, Juvia answered, "Juvia hopes not either. Juvia wants to go home."

"Me too."

Gray abruptly stopped in front of the castle doors, nearly causing Lucy and Juvia to crash into him.

"Watch where you're going." Gray said coldly before turning to count the small group he was leading.

His gaze gave Lucy the shivers. So much for the kindness he displayed earlier. Juvia, on the other hand, seemed enamored.

Once he finished counting them, he turned back to the castle doors and pushed them open. "Stay close to me." He said to no one in particular.

The doors to the castle opened revealing an impressively vast foyer decorated in shades of gold, royal reds, and regal purples, as well as a pristine marble floor that practically sparkled. Much like in the courtyard, servants, guards, and maids were bustling around in all directions—though much more quietly than those on the outside.

In the center of the room there was a giant marble staircase that rivaled something out of a fairy tale. It appeared to lead up to the second and third floors. There were way more than three floors in the vast building however, each lined with sculpted railings, impressive white columns, fixtures, and archways. To top it all off, a dazzling red, gold and blue mosaic bordered the wall near the ceiling, but from the ground floor it was hard to tell what it was depicting.

Lucy's eyes were drawn to the impressive dragon etched into the center of the floor. It was an intricately designed fire dragon with bright red scales tipped with gold. Fire spewed from its mouth, and a sun blazed behind it.

It was all too beautiful. Lucy had to refrain from gasping at the display, and the other girls were just as stricken as she was.

Gray rolled his eyes at the enchanted women.

"Welcome to the royal palace." Gray began in a bored voice, continuing into the castle. "Please follow me to your chambers, and do not doddle."

They all collectively nodded and followed their tour guide through the vast hallways of the castle.

After what seemed like miles of walking, Gray finally stopped in front of a door—much to the relief of Lucy's feet. Excited but muffled chatter was pouring out from room.

"Here you are ladies." Gray said, opening the door.

Decorated in hues of deep burgundy and gold and lined with mini vanities and plush chairs, the massive boudoir was an impressive sight to behold. The room was filled with at least a hundred other elegantly dressed women. Many of their eyes flitted to the door to survey the newcomers, but they quickly redirected their attention back to gossiping and doing their hair and make-up.

The newcomers turned to Gray awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Before he could say anything further, another castle guard ran up to him and whispered something into his ear. A scowl immediately formed across his face.

Gray clapped his hands together loudly. Almost immediately, eight maids popped up in front of each one the newcomers.

"See to it these women are fixed up properly and ready for the ball this evening." He instructed.

The maids nodded and took each girl by the hand. Without another word, Gray turned heel and hurried out of sight.

Before she could even realize what was happening, Lucy was in the middle of a gigantic wardrobe being stripped, prodded, and measured for her ballgown. Heat found its way to her face—everything was happening so fast, and she didn't even know the name of the woman taking care of her. Right as she worked up the courage to ask, the woman disappeared into the sea of dresses.

Lucy sighed. It would probably be a long day.

Meanwhile...

Gray rolled his eyes as he stalked through the castle to find a certain moody king, per the orders of Mard Geer.

"Has anyone seen the king?" Gray asked to no one in particular. He swore under his breath when no response met his ears.

Why was he assigned to find Natsu, you ask?

Apparently Mard was just "too busy" with the preparations, and Gray was one of three guards Natsu halfway liked—fortunately and unfortunately for him.

Since leaving the boudoir, he had visited the courtyards, the throne room, the dining hall, five of the balconies, and even the library—all to no avail. It was unbelievable that no one knew where the king was, but then it occurred to him he was probably hiding in plain sight. Now, Gray was on his way to his final destination: Natsu's bedroom.

After a bit more walking, he abruptly stopped in front of the large door that led into the king's personal chambers. Steeling himself for the wrath he was potentially about to encounter, he knocked thrice on the door.

No response.

"King Dragneel?"

Again, no response.

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Coming in, your heighno—highness." He called.

Gray peaked his head into the room and was unsurprised to find the king relaxing on his back with his eyes closed. The guard's lips fell into a straight line full of annoyance. Just as he figured. Honestly, no one thought to check his personal chambers?

No, the more likely story was that no one else wanted to approach his personal chambers.

"Were you going to call me heinous?" The king asked, not bothering to sit up.

Yes. "Of course not, your majesty." Gray responded, kneeling to the ground.

"You may stand, Fullbuster."

Gray nodded and stood to his feet. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"What have you disturbed me for this time?"

"King Dragneel, the handmaidens and tailors have been trying to find you all day." He said matter-of-factly.

"For what?"

"The ball, your highness...?"

"Oh, that is today, isn't it?"

Gray simply nodded again, fighting back the irritation brewing in his chest. How could he forget when he was the one bitching about how lonely he had been feeling lately? Nevertheless, he held his tongue.

"I suppose that is why it's so damn noisy today." The king muttered as he stood up and stretched. "Whatever, it is no matter. Let the servants know I am ready for them now."

"On it, sire." Gray saluted before turning to the door.

"Oh, and Gray?" Natsu added, stopping the man in his tracks. Rarely did he ever call him by his first name anymore.

"Yes, King Dragneel?" Gray replied, turning back to face him with a curious expression.

A myriad of emotions crossed his hardened face. He sighed. "Never mind. You may go now."

"Right..." Gray responded, evidently confused. Rather than dwelling on it, he ran off to complete his task.

By the time Lucy was dressed and ready, she was beyond exhausted.

First, her original dress was deemed cheap and unsightly, and was thus discarded. Discarded! She had no time to protest said actions because they shuffled her around the dressing room like a sack of potatoes. Before she realized, she was stuffed into a glittery ruby red dress, coupled with diamond earrings and a golden necklace. Next, the doll was shuffled to the hair and make-up area where they applied some light make up and pinned her hair into a high bun and stuck a star shaped clip in front of it. Once they were finished, they left her be in front of a vanity mirror before running off to attend to someone else.

She could barely believe the woman staring at her through the mirror was indeed Lucy Heartfilia, but there she sat, looking more doll like than human. To make matters worse, she could feel glares digging into her from all directions.

What did she do to deserve this?

"H-Hi there!" A voice squeaked.

Lucy looked up to see a skinny, blue haired woman with brown eyes beaming at her. She, too, looked like a beautiful doll. No, she looked like a fairy.

"Can I sit here?" She continued, looking at Lucy with hopeful eyes.

"Of course!" Lucy replied with a smile, grateful to have a positive presence nearby.

The woman's sparkling orange ballgown fanned out as she sat at the vanity next to her. "I'm Levy McGarden of Filo. What's your name?"

"Lucy Heartfilia. I'm from Konzern."

"Oh nice!" She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with glee. "Is it a nice place?"

"Uh, yeah it is." Lucy answered awkwardly. "Very nice actually." The girl seemed very interested in her town, so she went on to tell her about the people, the culture and the folklore. Levy hung onto every word.

When she finally finished talking, Levy let out a relaxed sigh. "Sounds amazing. I wish my hometown was that peaceful."

Lucy cocked her head at the remark. "Is Filo not a peaceful place?" She'd never even heard of it before.

"Well," Levy began, casting her eyes downward, "It used to be peaceful. Too peaceful in fact. Filo is a very boring town and I've wished to leave that place my whole life. However, it's nearby Hammond… a city that recently tried to insight rebellion…"

Lucy's mouth dropped into a little "o" as her eyes lit up with understanding and sympathy. She'd heard rumors of the Hammond's actions and the mitigation instated as a result.

Noticing how concerned the blonde looked, she frantically waved her hands and continued nervously, "We're far enough away though, so there's simply a little palpable tension! A few less supplies here and a few more soldiers there… But maybe if the king picks me, I can escape that little town and simultaneously return it to its former boring status!"

Lucy wasn't sure she could dislike the king even more than she already did, but that story was the nail in the coffin. It was one thing to punish the rebels themselves, but to punish the surrounding area just because he could? It was despicable to say the least.

She forced a smile to reassure her new friend before pressing the conversation onward.

The longer their conversation went on, the more Lucy felt like she'd known this girl for her entire life. Levy had a pleasant, positive aura about her that could make anyone want to keep talking to her forever. It helped that they were similar too; they both loved reading, writing, and volunteering, amongst many other things. They'd both lost family members dear to them—Lucy had lost her mother and Levy lost both parents. Hell, they were both insecure about being in this situation.

However, that was where the similarities stopped, and the differences began. Aside from Lucy loving her hometown and Levy hating her hometown, they had very different objectives for the ball tonight. Lucy just wanted to go home and forget this ever happened; Levy was hoping the king would choose her, even if it was a longshot.

Lucy supposed that was what she liked most about the girl: she was the definition of half-glass full.

At some point, Juvia made her way over to the duo. She was absolutely stunning. The maids had dressed her in a deep blue ballgown that accentuated her curves and highlighted her hair and complexion. The look was completed with seashell themed jewelry. Lucy was more than happy to introduce her to Levy and was impressed by how easily Juvia opened up to her.

If what came of this day was a closer relationship to Juvia and a new long-distance friendship with Levy, Lucy wouldn't mind this trip so much after all.

"I hope you cretins don't actually believe you stand a chance with the king."

Lucy gritted her teeth and turned to meet the owner of that "nails to chalkboard" voice. Karen stood with her standard smug expression on her face. Lucy had to admit she did look good in her purple dress, but it was ruined by her personality. Not too far behind her was her main crony, Evergreen, who was dressed in green, and to Lucy's slight surprise, Aqua, who was dressed in blue. A few other girls she did not know rounded off the snooty clique.

Honestly, Lucy was wondering when they'd come bother her again.

"All that make up won't fix your nasty attitude." Lucy glared.

"Shut up, ugly." Ever spat. "How dare you talk to us like that! You've always thought you're better than us, haven't you?"

"You're one to call someone else ugly." Levy retorted with a grin.

"Wha-?" Evergreen stuttered. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I'm Levy McGarden of Filo," Levy answered back without missing a beat. "It is a displeasure to meet your acquaintance."

The two groups glowered daggers into each other, no one willing to say anything else. Luckily, the door swung open for the first time in hours, effectively dousing the flames of the situation. Ever the master of timing, Gray stood at the door dressed like a knight in shining armor. Lucy snickered when she noticed the lovestruck expression on Juvia's face. She would be sure to tease her later.

"Attention!" He shouted. After a few moments, everyone quieted down. "Thank you." He walked further into the room and pulled out a thick scroll from behind his back and began to read. "Welcome, beautiful women of Magnolia, to the Dragonia Castle. You are here because your beauty was deemed worthy of King Dragneel. Tonight, one of you will be selected as the King's Queen. You will have no choice in the matter."

Lucy recoiled at the words but managed to keep a straight face. She had a bad feeling.

"It is now time for the King's Ball. As you will be in the presence of King Dragneel himself, mind your behavior and take care to avoid disrespecting the king. It goes without saying that anyone deemed as a threat will be executed. Expeditiously."

He looked up from the paper to survey the room. In the process, he locked eyes with Lucy once again, much to her chagrin. He remained expressionless as he returned his eyes to the paper.

"We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to crowning our new Queen. Without further ado, please listen carefully for your name and exit the room when you are called. There are maids and guards standing by outside to direct you to the ballroom."

Gray began to roll names off the list, starting with the last name A.

Now that the announcement was over, Karen redirected her attention back to Lucy.

"You're lucky I can't risk sullying my outfit." Karen said.

"Oh, stuff it." Lucy replied. "Why don't you bother someone who cares?"

Karen's face contorted into an animalistic snarl, a face which simultaneously amused and terrified Lucy. "Look bi—"

"Evergreen Angelic." Gray announced, catching their attention.

"Looks like I don't have time for this." Evergreen declared. She flipped her hair and turned toward the door. At the last moment, she glanced back at Lucy, Juvia and Levy and said, "May the most beautiful woman win." Then, she walked out the door.

Trust me, you can have him. Lucy thought in annoyance as she watched her figure exit the room.

"Come on ladies, let's wait somewhere else." Karen instructed before walking away.

Lucy let out an audible sigh of relief and relaxed in an unladylike manner in her seat. Seriously, what did she do to deserve this abuse? They were being nastier to her than they ever had before. She didn't even want to be here!

"Well, they're a bunch of bitches, aren't they?" Levy said when they were out of earshot. Noticing how disgruntled Lucy appeared, she rubbed her back and added, "No use stressing about mean spirited people."

Lucy sighed. "You're right."

"Juvia seconds that. Juvia also thinks they are jealous of Lucy." Juvia added, which made Lucy snort.

"They can shove that jealousy up their own asses. But thank you two, for real."

If Lucy was honest, she hoped neither Juvia nor Levy would end up with the King. In fact, she desperately hoped Evergreen or Karen would be stuck here with that cruel bastard forever, and that she would never have to see either of them again. All there was to do now was wait for her name to be called, and hopefully she would be back in Konzern before she knew it.

X—/—/—X

Andddd scene! This chapter took longer than expected, but I hope it was worth the wait. Next chapter the fun begins!

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AF1