Natsu and I stayed on the road until it began to start getting dark again, trying to get as much distance between us and the eventual royal search party. When I was about to collapse from exhaustion, we came across a quaint inn on the road. It was just outside of a small village, and looked unassuming enough.

Natsu bargained with the innkeeper and eventually got us a room on the top floor. Apparently, we were not the only runaways who wanted a bed for the night.

We went straight up to our room and I collapsed onto the bed, feeling my bones sink into the mattress in relief.

"You doing ok Luce?" Natsu asked, setting down our bags before exploring the furniture in our room.

"Yes. I just need sleep." I pulled off my shoes and outer layer of clothes and climbed under the covers. "You coming in?"

"Just a minute." Natsu was rifling through one of the wooden draws in the room, seeming to be struggling pulling something up. I heard a crack and Natsu fell back a few steps catching his breath.

"What the heck did you just do?" Natsu turned around with a shit eating grin on his face and a small chest in his hands. "What is that?"

"A chest." I just looked at him.

Natsu sat on the bed and started to pull at the lid. After a few moments of struggle, the lid popped, revealing jewels and coins inside. My jaw dropped to the bed and I looked at him again.

"What? I didn't survive on my own so long for no good reason. This is on a popular bandit route, they stash things in the rooms they use so that aren't caught with it and then they always have money when they come back." I nodded slightly impressed. This money should last us a good while, definitely for food and lodgings, maybe even for a ship off of this country. I yawned and snuggled my way back under the covers. Natsu put the box on the bedside table, before turning off the light and joining me.

…

When we woke up at noon the following day, we ventured downstairs to see what quality of food they served before beginning again with our travels. To our surprise, the dining room in this shabby place was packed with other travellers. Not a spare table in sight. We ordered food regardless, and sat down awkwardly at the end of a table with one other couple on, choosing not to talk unless word of our disappearance had already hit the towns, and occasionally smiled at each other from across the table. The other couple were bickering softly and I smiled at their domesticness. Would Natsu and I learn to bicker with each other like that, only to make up with stolen kisses and soft promises?

Our food soon arrived and I looked at the plate of food I had never eaten before. How could there be so much food I have never eaten before. I started on this pink piece of meat, and sat speechless when Natsu told me it was made out of the fatty part of the pig. How could something so bad for you taste so damn good?

"You look like you've never eaten fry up blondie." It was the man on the other end of the table. He had long black hair and piercings all over his face. Natsu answered for me as I had just put the biggest forkful of food into my mouth. It was so freeing not having to eat all proper.

"Yea, I was as surprised as you are. She's had strict parents."

"Aw, at least you're free of them now right?" It was the lady now, who was sat at the same side of the table as me. Her hair was about the same length as mine, but blue. I gently smiled at her and she moved in closer to me and offered me her hand. "I'm Levy, nice to meet you, and this brute is Gajeel." The man, Gajeel, feigned shock and looked around in bemusement.

"What brings you two to this neck of the woods?" Natsu said, who to my surprise had already finished all of his food.

"Well. I'm a little bit of an outcast, and I met little missy here on the road not too long ago. Apparently she really likes stories, and wanted to be a part of mine." Gajeel said, causing Levy's face to redden all over. "What about you."

"Same stuff really. Luce here fell head over heels in love with me and begged me to come work for her family. Then she begs me to help her leave them, and here we are." I glare at Natsu from across the table and he chuckles in response. He needs to be more careful, he's revealing too much.

"Your clothes are so fancy, where are you from?" Levy asks, tilting her head to the side.

"Just a rich family in Fiore, nothing special," I finally speak up. If she noticed my clothes, surely someone else would, so I ask, "would you perhaps know a place I could get some normal clothes so I don't stand out so much?"

"Around here, not a chance. No decent shops for hours, but," She looked me up and down, eyes slightly squinting, "give me a second." She stood up from the table and disappeared for a few minutes. When she returned, she was with a beautiful woman, about a head taller than her, with long flowing blue hair like a waterfall. Like Aquarius's. "This is Juvia. She's going to let you borrow some of her clothes as you're about the same size."

"Juvia is pleased to meet you." The new woman said and bowed deeply at the waist. "Would you like to come with me?" I was so unsure what to do. These people are so generous, and I don't even know them. I stood up, and saw Natsu tense from across the table, I could tell he was concerned what their motives were but I felt like I could trust them, so gave him a reassuring look and followed Juvia.

She took me up to the room she must be staying in. It was a lot nicer than Natsu and I's room, with blue accents it looked like it was made for her. She opened up the wardrobe which was white, with delicately painted bluebells, it was overflowing with all sorts of clothes and she disappeared into the cacophony of fabrics for several moments.

"Levy told Juvia you are a runaway from a strict, rich family, these clothes should help you fit in a bit more so they don't find you." She pulled out a beautiful blue halter top, with buttons running down the middle, and a short white skirt. I blushed at the scandalousness of it, but put it on nonetheless. I could feel a chill on my legs I had never felt before. I tried to hide my body as much as I could, I have never felt so naked.

Juvia again rifled through her wardrobe and put a few more outfits in a bag that she then handed to me. "You can keep them, Juvia has so many already." I started to argue but she grabbed my hands. "We all have our stories to tell. Levy's life has not been as carefree as she is. You have lived someone else's story for so long, it is time for you to take something back and live how you want, do you understand." I nodded my head and muttered a thank you. I tear escaped down my face and she wiped it away. "Now, off you go on your adventure."

When we walked back to the table, Natsu's jaw hit the floor. He was staring at every curve I had as if he had never seen my body before.

"Whoop, there we go, blondie has some legs on her," Gajeel hollered as I retook my seat. Natsu was in too much of a daze to tell him off.

"So, we have been talking, and we have decided to join your party. We're both wandering to nowhere so what do you say?" Levy had a hopeful smile on her face that I knew I couldn't deny.

"Sure, why not." Levy wriggled excitedly and her grin grew wider.

"Juvia, why don't you join us? You've been in this place too long. It's time for a fresh start for all of us."

"Juvia couldn't, what about my father, I couldn't leave him, and he's done so much for me."

"Juvia. You just told me to go on an adventure, why don't you go on one too?" Juvia looked down to the floor and took a deep sigh.

"Ok, Juvia agrees, Juvia will go." She said, and it looked like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

By the next hour, we were again on the road, but this time we were not alone. "Off we go to wherever the road takes us!" I excitedly exclaimed. In the first time in my life I was truly feeling free.

"Oh, the road is taking us somewhere." Natsu butted in, and I looked at him in confusion, I never thought he had a plan. "We're heading to an old friend of mines. Gray Fullbuster."

…

The door to the princess's room opened and her Lady in waiting Aquarius walked in. "Rise and shine princess, big day to-"

At the sight that greeted her she fell to her knees. The room was cold and empty. The princess was gone. A feeling in Aquarius's gut told her she hadn't just gone out for a morning walk. The princess had been kidnapped.

…

The Prince was next to enter the room, he had wanted to give her one last comforting talk before she met her King, as soon as he walked through the door, he froze in his tracks.

The Princess's Lady in Waiting was on her knees a few steps away, bawling her eyes out. No longer the strong woman she had always seemed to be. A chill slid its way down his spine as he looked at the vast room in front of him, empty of the essence that had always made it bright and cosy.

His sister was gone. The country was at war. And the King that could save them had just arrived.