The next morning, Gajeel angrily bursts through a door in the palace.
"I'VE NEVER BEEN SO INSULTED MY WHOLE LIFE!" he screamed in frustration as he stormed away.
As Gajeel did, a small, white Exceed with pink fur, pink ears, and brown eyes wearing a mustard yellow and pink dress with a pink bow tied on her neck and tail appeared. Her name was Carla, the Prime Minister of Magnolia and Princess Wendy's caretaker.
"Prince Redfox? You're leaving so soon?" Carla asked in surprise, before she noticed a hole in his pants, revealing his underwear. "You were here yesterday!"
"See if anyone else would want that spoiled brat!" Gajeel growled. "Good luck marrying her off! I'm outta here!"
As soon as the angry prince left, Carla sighed in disappointment, "Wendy."
Carla sprouted wings from her back and flew out into the courtyard where a 12-year old girl was sitting in the fountain. She has long dark blue hair tied in two ponytails at the left and right side. She wore a white dress with white sleeves cut from her shoulders, a red bow tie, a red sash tied in her left hip, white long stockings, and red petit boots. Her name was Wendy Marvell.
"Your Highness! Princess!" Carla called. "Wendy! Wendy! Wendy…"
Suddenly, a small white dragon with blue eyes and scales in its body resembling a bird jumped in front of Carla with a piece of fabric in its mouth, surprising her.
"Oh, confound it, Grandeeney!" Carla yelled, as she grabbed the piece of fabric and yanked it out of Grandeeney's mouth. "So, it's no wonder Prince Redfox stormed out!"
"Oh, Carla," Wendy giggled. "Grandeeney was just playing." She turned to her pet dragon and spoke in a cute tone, "Weren't you, Grandeeney? You were just playing with that awful, creepy, bossy Prince Redfox, weren't you?"
She petted Grandeeney until she noticed the stern look on Carla's face. Wendy cleared her throat.
"Now, child, we've been through this a thousand times," Carla reminded. "You've got to stop turning away every suitor that comes to call." Wendy rolled her eyes as Carla added, "The law requires…"
"…you must be married to a prince…" Wendy recited along with Carla.
"…on the very eve of your 18th birthday," Carla finished.
"The law is wrong," Wendy protested, as she took a bird out of a cage. "You know I hate being forced into people who treat me differently. I just wanted to be accepted for who I really am." She petted the bird. "And besides, when I grow up and I do get married, I want it to be for love."
Carla sighed, "Wendy, it's not just the law that's important. When your mother, Queen Grandeeney, passed away from an illness, I've done the very best I could to raise you. Her parting words were to make sure you're going to be taken care of, to be provided for a future husband." Carla took the bird from Wendy and placed it back in the cage. She placed a paw in Wendy's shoulder and continued, "And sadly, like your mother, I won't be around much longer, my days as Prime Minister weighing heavily on me…"
Wendy brushed Carla's paw from her shoulder and walked away. As she sat down by the fountain, she sighed, "But Carla, don't you understand? I've never done anything on my own before." Wendy swirled her hand around the water, petting a fish. "I've never had any real friends!" Grandeeney looked up at Wendy and growled with an annoyed look. She giggled, "Well, except you, Grandeeney. No wonder my mom named you after her. But it's my favorite name for a pet!" Her face turned serious as she continued, "I've never even explored the world outside the palace walls."
"But Wendy, you're too young to explore the outside world!" Carla protested. "You're a princess! And you should behave like one!"
"Then maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore!" Wendy shouted, splashing the water in the fountain. This made Carla groan in frustration and storm back into the palace.
But before she did, Carla frowned, "Children are always so self-centered and immature!" She turned to Grandeeney, "Heaven forbid you should have any daughters!"
Grandeeney was completely puzzled as to what Carla said before she left. Wendy sighed and walked towards the bird cage, opening it. All the birds flew away and Wendy watched them leave with a silent smile.
"I just want to be free…" Wendy whispered to herself. A single tear fell from her cheek as she longed for freedom from her boring palace life.
Back inside the palace, Carla goes over to a model city of Magnolia, fixed with a model sphere of the moon and the sun.
"I just don't know where Wendy gets it from," Carla sighed sadly. "Before Queen Grandeeney died, she was never this stubborn. I hoped she would be as poised and graceful as her mother. But I was wrong…"
Before she could play with the model sun, a black shadow loomed over Carla, scaring her at first. But she was relieved when she saw it was only Brain, the same man who attempted to enter the Dragon Cave of Wonders.
"Ah, Brain," Carla sighed. "My most trusted advisor. I am in desperate need of your wisdom."
"It is an honor to serve you, Prime Minister Carla," Brain greeted while bowing. "What seems to be the trouble, my lady?"
"Princess Wendy refused to choose every suitor we've contacted," Carla explained. "We were running low on candidates, and the kingdom seems to be in decline."
"Decline? How so?" Brain asked.
Carla continued, "Over the past three weeks, countless members of Magnolia's bravest heroes and protectors, the Fairy Tail Guild, have been reported missing, and several parts of the city where they were last sighted witnessed significant damage and casualties. Among them, Kardia Square has received the heaviest casualties due to our army's weakened defenses. More than half of the square had been almost completely destroyed. Unconfirmed sources have also reported seeing six mysterious individuals in Kardia Square."
"The Oración Seis?" Brain questioned, placing a hand on his chin. "I've heard the rumors of a band of renegade wizards plotting to overthrow the kingdom, but now…"
"That is why finding a suitor for Princess Wendy is of the utmost importance!" Carla added with an authoritative flare. "Whatever happens, we must keep our kingdom strong and united by a strong king and queen. If the Princess cannot marry a husband on her 18th birthday, there will be no one to take the late Queen's place on the empty throne, the royal system will collapse, and anarchy will erupt in Magnolia. And who knows? The Oración Seis might succeed."
Just then, Carla noticed Cobra, the snake on Brain's shoulder. She smiled, "Ah, look! It's your pet snake!" She pulled a cookie out of a cookie jar nearby and giggled, "Have a cookie, pretty snake. It's your favorite: Poison Ivy Chocolate!" She stuffed Cobra's mouth with the cookie, and his face turned green. Cobra tried to swallow the cookie, and both Carla and Brain laughed.
"Oh, Prime Minister, you certainly have a way with animals," Brain chuckled, making Cobra glare at him. "Now then, perhaps I can find a solution to this thorny problem of yours."
"If anyone can help, it's you," Carla agreed. "You are the only one I can count on if there is any situation regarding the royal system, the Princess, Fairy Tail, or anything else for that matter."
Brain smiled, "Ah, yes, of course. And solving the problem would require a certain sacrifice on your part. Like, what say you, a mystic blue diamond?"
"The Queen's ring?" Carla asked, looking down at the ring on her finger hesitantly. "But it's been in the royal family for generations before the Queen bestowed it upon me as a gift. I can't hand it over."
"But it is required to help Wendy find a suitor, correct?" Brain interjected. As he said this, he raised a staff with a skull on top and its teeth holding a crystal ball wide open. The skull's eyes glowed yellow. The room darkened. When Carla gazed on the skull's eyes, she appeared to be hypnotized. "Don't worry," Brain said in a slow, deep voice. "Everything will be fine."
"Everything… will be… fine…" Carla repeated in a trance.
"Now, can you give me the diamond?" Brain asked.
"Yes, Brain," Carla whispered, taking the ring off her finger. "Whatever you need will be fine."
Everything but Carla returned to normal as Brain swiftly took the ring. He grinned, "You are most gracious, my lady. Now run along, play with your little toys, and I'll have the Royal Chef cook the finest fried fish available."
He pushed Carla towards the model city. Still in a trance, Carla squeaked, "Yes, that would be very nice."
Once Brain left, Cobra spat out the cookie stuffed in his mouth with a disgusted look on his face.
"I can't take it anymore!" Cobra screamed. "I swear, if I have to choke down one more of those disgusting cookies, that cat lady will have more than her whiskers removed!"
"Calm yourself, Cobra," Brain said as he pulled a rope, which reveals a hidden entrance to his secret chambers. As the doors closed behind Brain, Cobra slid downwards from Brain's shoulder to the floor. He magically transformed into his true form: a man wearing a long white coat with a dark shirt, red pants wrapped in belts, and simple brown shoes. His maroon hair remains the same, but his face sports a serpentine look.
"Our mission has been successful in taking the diamond," Brain continued, looking over the ring in his hand. "We'll take this to the lab and ask our other friends to get the machine ready. Until then…"
"…I'll use my Poison Magic to rip out that cat's heart!" Cobra continued his rant, throwing his fists in the air.
"All in good time, my friend," Brain smiled evilly. "When all of this is over, our ultimate goal will commence. I will be the King of Magnolia, not that ape of a confidante to an inferior cat!"
"And then, I get to shove a whole ton of cookies down her throat!" Cobra laughed as he followed Brain deeper into the secret passage.
Later that night, someone ran through the courtyard dressed in a cloak, revealing to be Wendy in disguise. She began to climb up a tree until something tugged on her. She turned and saw Grandeeney.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Grandeeney," Wendy whispered. "But I can't stay here and have my life lived out for me." She gave her pet dragon a hug, "I'll miss you."
Grandeeney helped Wendy climb the tree and up the wall. "Good-bye," Wendy said softly, before she slipped over the wall. Grandeeney lied down with a sad look on her face.
Wendy's journey had begun.
To Be Continued…