Ch. 64: Of Conwomen and Crows

Day: 63

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

Genre: Romance, Adventure

Summary: Lucy Hearfilia is a con woman in Victorian England. And boy, is she good at her job. But what happens when a crown prince by the name of Natsu Dragneel catches her eye?

Lucy turned a corner, feet pounding on the cobblestones. Her heart was going a hundred beats per second, and her hair was slick with sweat. Her breath came in thin gasps; corsets were most definitely not made for running in. Still, she sprinted forward on this street, sprinted forward in the darkness of this night.

Why in the world had I decided to con him? She thought to herself, though of course Lucy knew the exact reason why she had conned that man. It was the proud way he held himself, the regal tilt to his chin, the odd pink hair that fell messily over his face. But most of all, it was the fire that was contained in those emerald eyes.

She never could resist the wild ones. How was she supposed to know he was the crown prince?

...okay, maybe the crown perched atop his head was a strong hint. But still!

Lucy flinched mid-stride as the sound of hooves hitting pavement met her ears. The voices of soldiers echoed through the hollow night.

She pumped her legs harder. Come on, only a few more blocks and she had the perfect hiding place.

The blonde rounded another corner, only to bump right into someone's chest. The smell of burnt wood filled her nostrils, and Lucy gulped. She took a few steps back and craned her neck to see the stranger's face.

Much to Lucy's surprise, the prince's eyes were not narrowed in anger, but rather brimming with amusement.

"Nice performance back there." He said in his smooth, chocolatey voice. Lucy shivered despite herself.

"What do you want." She said harshly, cutting to the point.

"Firstly, your name."

The blonde nodded slowly. So that was the way this was going to go. "You may call me Jackal."

"Jackal, huh." Natsu looked thoughtful. "Makes sense."

Lucy's cheeks flushed. "Yes. Yes, it does."

"Well then. I guess I am now obligated to tell you my own name. It's-"

"Prince Natsu Dragneel, son of King Igneel and Queen Grandeeney."

Natsu looked surprised. "How do you know that?"

Lucy raised her eyebrow. "You are quite famous, being the king-to-be and all."

"Oh," Natsu coughed awkwardly into his fist. "Yes, well, back to the point."

"Yes, I would like to know why I have not yet been impaled by that sharp looking sword there." The blonde gestured to the scabbard hanging from the prince's belt. "I have attempted to steal from you, after all."

"But that would be rude." Natsu said, flabbergasted. "And I happen to require the help of someone as skilled as you in the art of thievery at the moment."

Now Lucy was interested. "Really?"

"Yes." He looked uncomfortable. "You know of my little sister Wendy, yes?"

Lucy tilted her head in affirmation.

"Well… she's been… taken."

The conwoman blinked. "Taken?"

"Yes. She vanished from her chambers overnight, and no one knows where she has gone. I think it might help to have someone familiar with crime to help."

Lucy shifted her feet. That seemed like a bit of a challenge, even for her. But, the sound of horses and soldiers was approaching now, faster than ever.

Natsu held out his hand. "I'll pardon you if you help me find her."

The blonde grabbed his hand and shook. "Deal."

The prince grinned. "I look forward to working with you, Jackal."

Comment if you want a sequel! :)

Replies:

Alyss Hatter: I'm glad your back, and look forward to hearing more of your criticism!