Previously….

"Take her to her room. Have someone watch her, she is not to leave until I come back."

"Yes, yes of course." The land Lady bowed, and grabbed Levy by her arm, picking her up and dragging her out of the room. Levy didn't fight.

The sun was fair in the sky by the time they had departed on horseback. Natsu had his 'general', (a term Natsu was used to saying due to war, the general was a Knight loyal to Natsu) assemble around eight men so that ten persons were in company. Natsu rode with Gajeel, the Knight in charge of the Manor knighthood, his job was to rally the men and serfs from the village for war. Gajeel would train them hard so that Natsu's County would be infamous for the strongest segmented army corp.

Gajeel Redfox was also known as Black Steel, as was an S-force soldier. Trained for years in the Army, Gajeel also fell in love with passing time being a 'blacksmith'. He would make his own weapons out of the darkest of metal ore. Thus, his favourite weapon the 'Iron Dragon' sword was born, it was his strongest yet. It was long, heavy and deadly sharp.

"The Land Lady of this village said that one of the men died." Natsu began, the pack sack on the side of his horse brushed up against his right leg. He moved it to the side subconsciously so that it would not annoy him and further. "I want a full inspection of all huts."

"For any reason Sire?" Gajeel grunted. He kept his perspective forward and didn't fully acknowledge the Lord.

Natsu knew this was because Gajeel had heard the news of Levy. The two had become close recently as companions, Natsu didn't mind this just so long as it didn't interfere with their work.

"I want to make sure the serfs are respecting me and my rules. No illegal items, no secret stock, double check anything that may look too expensive for a farmer; and," Natsu stopped to make sure Gajeel was definitely paying attention. "No illegal magic."

Gajeel nodded. "Hear the decree," Gajeel shouted.

"No illegal items, no hidden stock, ensure precious pieces were appropriately purchased, all those in possessions of such things, must be heard before Lord Natsu Dragneel."

The footmen walking before the duo replied in a union. "Yes, sir!"

"All those who posses illegal magic will be arrested straight away." Gajeel continued.

"We accept the decree." The footmen responded.

Natsu's body swayed a bit from the movement of the horse beneath him. He continued to look forward along the path as they began to ride around Mount Che e enorme.

Lucy was a heap on the floor beside her father's bed, her hand still covered in blood, held onto his cold one. She had kicked out everyone that had came to see her hours ago. The men that covered her father's corpse left for the fields and promised to visit Lucy at noon.

But Lucy knew that her father would be gone by then, his carcass she meant. He had died in convulsions, choking on his own blood, the same blood that was cakey, dry and a dark brown now. She didn't look at his face, she didn't want to see what the torment of death looked like. She didn't see her mother's, so she wouldn't see her fathers.

Heavy footsteps approached from the beyond, and horse hooves could also be heard coming from the mountain path. It was the Lord and his men, Lucy knew. They came to collect her father's body to burn it out in the woods. He was a serf; the man didn't get a funeral.

Lucy didn't budge, she laid still, staring at the ceiling. She now had nothing left, she always thought that he would recover, that her father would live on to see his daughter get married and to have children, but it was not so.

The heavy foot steps stopped with a "Halt." Coming from, presumably the leader of the troupe.

Reins shifted, and two heavy thuds notified Lucy that at least two men had dismantled from their horses. "You." A deep voice spoke. "Water the horses at the well here."

"Right away." Came the reply, and a clippity clop of horse hooves followed soon after.

"My Lord!" Came a loud greeting. It was Mako, her Oak door shuttered close loudly, and for some reason, Lucy could picture the baker wiping her hands on her apron.

"Baker." Came a reply, the voice was different from the first. More sophisticated, clear and almost gentle. "I heard there was a deceased amongst the premises?"

Lucy slightly chuckled to herself, a little bit. Her head lolled to the side, so she could see her father's hand. That voice most definitely belonged to the Lord. No one spoke like that normally.

"Unfortunately, Sire, yes." Mako replied sadly. "He is in the hut just across from here."

A rustle of chain mail followed, accompanied by more movement. They were making their way over to her hut. "Baker, I am to inform you that we are also conducting an inspection."

The walking stopped. They were at her door.

Wait.

"Yes of course Sire." Mako replied.

Mako didn't know about it.

Lucy had forgotten about it.

The Potatoes she had grown under the bed her father and her shared.

A rustle and the door were already open, the state of Lucy, she could only imagine, was appalling. Her hair was dishevelled, her nightgown now a dirty mixture of brown and red. And Lucy knew that once she turned her head to meet the infamous Lord, they would see her blood shot eyes.

Her head turned, and she saw the tall figure in the doorway. His body was shadowed, yet she could tell he was of good height, dressed well and was clean. The opposite of Lucy.

"Is she..." The Lord began to talk.

"She is not contagious Sire."

The Lord shook his head, as if that was the wrong answer to his question. "No, is she alright?"

Lucy scoffed loudly. She moved herself so that she now sat on her knees, her left hand holding the cold dead one of her father's and the right in her lap. She faced the wall in front of her, before she turned her head to meet the Lord once again.

"You will have to excuse a woman like me my Lord." Her voice didn't waver. "I was not expecting visitors."

The Lord didn't laugh at her. Or with her. Instead, he moved from the doorway so that he stood a couple of feet inside her hut. She could see him in this light then. He had pink hair, was tan and wore a black sleeveless shirt with the chain mail top dangling at his waist (it had been too hot for him to wear the metal the whole time), he wore pressed creaseless pants, that were black and appeared to be made of good material and leather boots.

Lucy felt small compared to him.

She was filth and he was the glory. The only reason she was here was because he allowed it.

"Woman, I would not assume one who has endured such things would be joking." He spoke.

"Yes Sire," Lucy agreed.

She didn't say anything more, she was expecting him to proceed with whatever was meant to be done.

So, she rose to her feet, still holding onto her father's hand. She looked down at the sheet covering him, it was dull and had some blood on it. She released his hand and stood back.

She turned and faced the Lord and with much depraved skill, she curtsied.

"I've said my goodbyes."

"My Lord, shall we commence?" A booming voice interrupted. The man had pushed past Mako, who was standing silently at the doorway. The man was big, had long black hair and sported almost everything he wore out of metal.

"Proceed." The pink haired Lord replied.

Lucy watched him as he spoke.

"Leave this hut till last."

Lucy's eyes widened. They were having an inspection. She hadn't enough time to prepare, if she didn't think fast she would be caught.

The man left, and Lucy was left to think desperately. She looked between the Lord and Mako, almost as if she was a scared animal. Thank goodness she had sent Juvia on her way when she did, or she would have been caught by the Lord's knights.

She wasn't supposed to be here.

"I-I- "Lucy stuttered.

The Lord looked over to Mako. "Would you take her to your hut Baker?" He asked her.

"Of course." Mako replied.

Mako began to approach Lucy, and so in turn, Lucy began to back away from her 'friend'. "No."

Mako furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Come on Lucy, I know its tough but you need to leave him, come wi-"

"No, I will stay here, where my home is." Lucy spat back. She fidgeted with her jade bracelet as she fought back the urge to cry "Where my father is."

The Lord turned his head to the side, as if the words she spoke had upset him somehow.

"Lucy, please." Mako begged, her voice hushed a bit, as if she feared the Lord. "I need to get back to Miko."

"Go to Miko." Lucy wept, pushing back Mako. She refused to look at her. If she so desperately wanted to go, then she should have just left.

"Leave her."

The Lord spoke with such… Lucy didn't know how to describe it. Anger? Frustration? Sadness? Or just plain annoyance?

Mako looked back onto the Lord, she stepped away from Lucy then. She began to walk out of the hut, but not before looking behind her to see Lucy one more time. Mako left to go be with her daughter.

From where Lucy was standing (due to the door being left open), she could see Mako enter her hut, where some soldiers were leaving, nodding with a polite smile.

Lucy was alone in her hut with the Lord and she didn't know what to do.

"May I ask what you will do with him?" She asked.

The Lord moved toward the door frame, lifted two fingers and pulled them towards himself so that he signalled someone out in the village. "We will take care of him." He said, now facing her.

"What does that include."

"Nothing of your concern I am afraid Ms Lucy."

Lucy scoffed, her tears from before still, and dry on her face.

"I beg you forgive my incompetence." Lucy mocked the high language he spoke with. "But he is my father."

The Lord stared at her. He tilted his head to the side before he looked down. He clicked his tongue before he proceeded to walk towards her.

"Ms Lucy, I have been more than patient, with your mourning." He began so sincerely rough. "Yet I, Lord Natsu Dragneel have more important things to attended to than your father's funeral. I can assure you that his memory will be taken care of."

Lucy shook with anger and frustration. Just because he was born into a higher class than she! She had the right to know where her father was heading.

"I mean to see where he will be…" Lucy paused for a minute. "Where he will be ridden of."

The Lord, Natsu made it obvious to look up at her ceiling, it was obvious he was uncomfortable in this situation. Maybe he didn't like dead bodies? No, the man was a Soldier too. Or maybe it was the fact that he had to stand in a small filthy room.

"You may join us on the way back to the manor if you like, after the inspection."

Lucy widened her eyes and it was not due to joy. She backed her self back up so that she stood next to the bed once more, he legs hitting the panels. She felt with her foot to see if the potato patch was viewable from a distance. Her foot ended up being submerged under the bed frame for some time before she found the loose dirt. That was a good sign.

Luckily, Lord Natsu, didn't notice this. At this point, he looked at her with a slight bit of concern, still upholding a firm attitude though. In walked two men with a wooden makeshift stretcher, one that was meant for her father. They approached the bed, until one of them "ahem'd" to get Lucy's attention.

"Sorry." Lucy softly spoke out, she moved from their way, and stood by the door now. She watched as the men rolled her father onto the stretcher. The sight made her mad. Her father now faced head down, one arm dangling.

"Hey!" Natsu's voice was loud, it made the two men jump. "Be careful, that's someone's beloved."

The two men nodded and expressed their apologies. Lucy ignored them, they should have been careful in the first place. She lowered her head instead.

Her father's body began to be moved out of the hut, the sheet now replaced over him. Lucy watched as he was loaded into the back of a cart, pulled by a mule. It was then that she noticed that the men taking her father were not with the Lord.

"They did not come with you?" Lucy asked, now turning to Natsu.

"They did." Natsu walked to her. "I employed them for this job, they are called death watchers."

"How fitting." Lucy mumbled. She walked away from him, trying to figure out how to get away from a possible inspection.

In came the same bulky man from before. "Ready for an inspection of this hut Sire?"

Lucy whipped around, her nightgown flowed at her ankles, she panicked a bit.

"I-I have not changed yet!" She desperately called out.

She was probably making this worse for herself than she needed. They probably wouldn't even think to look under her bed anyway. Two more knights entered the hut and failed to acknowledge Lucy's presence as the began to look around.

"I can assure you Ms, that will not impede the inspection." The dark-haired man spoke.

"I do not wish my belongings to be sifted through!" Lucy desperately attempted. "I have just lost my father, you could ruin things!"

"We will be very careful Ms." Was the only reply.

Natsu stared at the blonde woman. She was in a strange mood, in distress and panic. He brushed it off as being due to her loss. "Come here." He told her. He proceeded to grab her upper arm and pulled her across the room.

Lucy bit her lower lip, as she walked over with the Lord. She watched as the Knights checked her fire place, the fire was out, and the coals smoked only slightly. When she came to a halt beside the Lord, she tried to move from him.

He only held her arm tighter.

"If you are going to be difficult, I'm going to have to watch you." It seemed that the Lord was getting either suspicious of her mood or he was trying to help calm her down.

Whichever one it was, she didn't like it.

One knight looked over her table, the other through her trunk where her father and her belongings of clothes lay. Mainly rags. The knight seemed satisfied with this and continued, checking in candle wielders and checking the window sills for loose tile.

The big man was by her bed, inspecting things around it, like the candle stool. Lucy became nervous. Whilst she was not paying attention, one of the knights grabbed her arm.

"Is this yours Ms?" He asked, a blank expression on his face.

Lucy pulled her arm out from him, holding the bracelet he was referring to in her hand.

"Of course, this was from my mother." She spoke, her nose flared a bit, she was getting agitated.

"Is she here?" The knight asked.

Lucy snapped her head to the side. "I lost her several years ago."

"I am sorry Ms I didn't mea- " the knight was cut off by Natsu.

"That's enough get on with it." He hissed out, it seemed that the Lord was getting impatient too.

The knight bowed in apology and moved on.

It was then that Lucy noticed the big man kicking at something under her bed, and to make matters worse, the first night walked into sight holding her apron, the same one that held the wheat she forgot to hide. His hand was in that very pocket.

And together in unison, they both said.

"What is this?"

A/N: Thank you so much guys, for everyone who has been following, favourited and reviewed this story. I am hoping that this story will go far, I am trying to avoid plot holes, and I do think I've done well to do so. Anyway Special mentions:

Thank you to:

- xMiyazono

- Belle64

- Monstergal31

- RainyRandom

For new Story Favourites (and all those who favourited beforehand)

Thank you (REVIEWS):

RainyRandom: I'm so glad you love this AU, you are encouraging me to write even more! I'm also glad that you are enjoying how I write as well.

Lily (Guest): I sure am sweet pea!