Contracted
Summary: Times were rough when Lords sold their daughters for money and power. A contract was none negotiable once both parties signed. So what happens when Lucy finds herself amongst a group that will do anything for their beliefs? LaLu and other couples.
Authors note: This fic got a much better reaction than I anticipated it would! Thank you guys so much for your feedback. I would have posted this up sooner, but camping came up one weekend, then my office moved the week after and I had issues after that. But here is the new chapter! Sorry if it seems rushed! Let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I, in no way, own Fairy Tail!
Chapter 2: Burning Fear
A blast of heat shocked her from her sleep. She bolted up from her place on the floor, fear pumping through her veins. The intensity heat chased away the chill that had clung to her and left her sweating.
Red painted the stairs and Lucy squinted, trying her best to see through the smoke that filtered through the ship. Muffled booms echoed, and she hit the floor, leg aching as she jostled her wounds.
"What the hell?" She bit back a gasp as the ship rocked violently, sending her straight into the bars of her cell before it straightened, slamming her back into the floor once more, "That hurt..."
Her thigh felt warmer than normal and she cursed under her breath as she pressed against wound through her skirt. Her hand came away hot and wet, bright red staining her porcelain skin. She couldn't help but grimace at the sign of her infection, the acrid smell burning her nose.
"This way! Hurry up!" Voices that she didn't recognised yelled out from the floor above her, and Lucy backpedalled until her back hit the wall furthest from the entrance, "She's down here!"
She could feel her heart drop as she pressed herself into the corner. Her pulse thundered through her chest as people stomped down the stairs, flaming wood flying as figures descended through the haze. The smoke was quickly filling the lower levels of the ship, making her eyes water from the sting.
"Here." A feminine voice carried itself across an invisible wind, it's gentle and caring tone washing over the blonde.
"Who..." Lucy cough, licking her dry lips, "Who's there?"
Out of the haze stepped a small blue haired girl, a white cat floating behind her, "We're friends. We promise. Laxus would have come himself but he's tied up."
The little girl stepped aside as a pale skinned male stepped forward, his shirt missing and hair askew, "Just relax. The ship got attacked and he sent us to get you out." The man groan as the key refused to enter the lock and he huffed, his hand encasing the mechanism. It cracked and a blast of cold air blew across the room and just like that, the door swung open.
"Move. Wendy. You have to move." The white cat spoke and Lucy felt like her world had been turned upside down.
"Right. Sorry Carla. Loke!" Another set of feet appeared from out of the smoke and Lucy felt something inside her twist.
"Of course." A man with orange hair and blue glasses stepped into the cell, passing the young girl and the shirtless man, "Come now Princess. You need to get out of here."
The man approached, arms out and a dashing smile on his face but Lucy wasn't having any of it, "Stay back!" She stood on shaky legs, her back arched as she tried to protect her already battered body, "I don't know you. You're strange. Yet you're familiar. I'm not going anywhere till I find out what's going on."
The man that had broken the lock scoffed, turning his back on them, "Not my problem. Burn here for all I care. But if you get hurt before Laxus can return you, it'll be my head on the block. So you don't really have a say in what happens anyway."
"Then I'll definitely not be going with you." Her attitude had finally reared its ugly head without the presence of the captain, and she wouldn't hesitate to fight her way through them to get away.
"Lucy... Um..." The little girl fidgeted, worrying the hem of her dress as she looked away, "I was made aware that you were injured by Phantom. And I would heal you now but we don't have the time. So please, let us help you?"
Lucy felt her heart melt at the sight of the bluenette, the genuine kindness getting under her skin almost as easily as Gajeel's blades had.
"Come on Princess. We don't have much time before Natsu just sets the whole ship on fire. I promise, we'll explain everything after we escape." Something inside her shifted, her very soul memorising his words and burning them into her brain.
She hesitated, hand shaking as she stretched for him. But the ship rocked again, sending her flying into his chest. His arms wrapped around her and warmth bubbled in her chest, the familiarity blooming along with the recognition, "You're... you-"
Loke placed a slender finger against her lips and winked, lifting her up bridal style as he turned and left her cage, "Time for answers will come later." Was all he said as he took the stairs two at a time.
The smoke was thicker at the top of the stairs and Lucy coughed, covering her mouth as well as she could. Loke stooped down, holding his damsel as close to the floor as possible. Sweat almost instantly clung to him. Swearing and fighting could be heard through the haze, doing nothing to help Lucy's nerves.
She felt her heart drop in her chest when Loke stopped suddenly, his heels digging in to the wood, arms tightening around her painfully. A moment later, a solid beam of metal slammed through the side of the ship, crashing straight through it and obliterating everything in its path. An icy claw of fear dug itself into her heart as she struggled, trying to distance herself from the ginger haired man.
"Let go. Let me go!" Her voice came out as a whimper, her lungs filling with smoke. Violent coughs wracked her abused body, "You... need to let... me go."
Her wheeze did little to convince the man holding her and she couldn't hold in the moan when he re-adjusted his hold on her.
"Sorry Princess. But I won't put you down until you're safe." Loke ran the other way, barrelling through a group of people dressed in black and purple tunics and pants, "Especially with these assholes around."
Pain stung the back of her eyes and she choked, the tears rolling down her cheeks. The dread the pulled on her was dragging her back into the darkness of her mind and she fought to hold on to her consciousness with everything she had.
"That's her! Get them!" Loke turned to look over his shoulder to see the men they had run past were giving chase.
"Gray!" The shirtless man smirked before turning to face the thugs, arms together at his side.
"Leave them to me!"
Lucy gasped, trying to avoid choking on more smoke, "No! What is he doing? He doesn't-"
"Ice make: Lance!" The tingling in her scalp alerted her to what she already expected.
"Magic... You all use magic..." Her whisper sent a shiver down Loke's spine.
With a roar, Loke leapt through a wall of flames, the embers stinging their skin as they went. He kept going, legs pumping as he vaulted up the stairs.
The fresh air was sweet medicine to their lungs and the cold sea breeze refreshing. But despite it all, Lucy had to bite back a scream, her body reduced to a shivering mess as she looked across the deck.
A man with flaming fists was versing her previous caretaker.
Gajeel of Phantom.
"Loke! What the hell-" Laxus, face filled with rage, paused in his approached, fists flying as he took out a group of sailors that tried to attack him. With a shrug, he settled his glare back on the ginger haired male, "As I was saying, what the fuc' are you doing with her?"
Loke shifted, placing Lucy gently behind him, "I had to grab her. Natsu set the lower decks on fire... Besides, I have higher orders to keep her safe."
Laxus glared, his gaze piercing, "And where would those orders have come from?"
Loke hesitated, bouncing from one foot to the other, "From the King. My king."
For a split second, time stood still, silence ensuing as the blondes digested his words. But then they heard the laugh; the manic, blood thirsty voice echoing in their ears.
"I got ya little bunny. Time to stop running." Lucy screamed, scrambling away from Loke. Gajeel smirked at her, hands on his hips, ignoring the ship's captain and the ginger haired male.
"Princess!" Loke yelled, panic drenched his voice and Lucy hesitated, barely taking her eyes away from Gajeel.
"I won't go back! Not to Phantom. Not to my father! I won't!" She screamed, tears streaming down her face, her throat raw from the smoke she had inhaled earlier. She still felt the fire in her lungs and the vice on her heart. Fear made her blind, and she wished it could take away the image of Gajeels' face away from her.
"Lucy. Please don't!" Loke pleaded, his eyes begging for her to listen to him. But before he could continue, a steel fist collided with his face, sending him flying.
"Don't get any smart ideas bunny. I'll be taking you back!" Gajeel lunged, and Lucy screamed before turning and running. Lucy leapt, the wind stinging her face and her lungs straining for air. The last thing she heard before she hit the water was Laxus' yell her name.
Contracted
And there you have the next chapter. Hope it lived up to your expectations!
Thank you to the following people for reviewing the first chapter:
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