A/N: Hi all, thanks for being patient. Remember to review and favorite! Here's the next chapter~

Juvia awakened in a soft bed with dark blue sheets surrounding her. The clothes she wore to battle were gone, and she was now wearing a simple white tunic with tight black pants. She pushed herself up on the bed and scanned the room. It was nothing special, but definitely someone of higher class owned this space. Although there was no decorative material, the sheets were made of fine quality and the sparse furniture – two chairs and a table, her bed, and a couch – all were of high grade quality. Juvia slumped back into bed realizing that she could use none of this as a makeshift weapon. She just as quickly got up, realizing that she had large glass panel windows where the light trickled in.

She jiggled the opening. Locked. No matter, she would smash her way through the glass. Until she realized she was high up from the ground. A leap like that would have killed her, and it didn't help that there were men standing guard right below her window.

"They really aren't making this easy for me, are they?" Juvia muttered. She buried her face in her hands as she took a seat on the couch.

How is Juvia going to get back? She pondered. Juvia must make sure Gajeel is safe…

Then Juvia heard voices coming through the door. She quietly glided through the door barefoot, with her ear pressed up against the wood to hear the conversation.

"…You can't! Having an enemy, an assassin, in your living quarters is suicidal!" A man's voice cried out.

"He's right, Gray. She needs to be put in the dungeons, where we know she can't hurt anyone," A woman's voice rang out.

"She's dangerous, and that's exactly why I am keeping her in my living quarters. You have to understand that she took down ten of my men in a matter of minutes! I can't be responsible for any more deaths," Gray said, with guilt rising from his stomach.

Juvia gulped at his response and slowly raiser her hands. Guilt? Juvia hadn't felt guilt in a long time. After killing countless people, the effect of guilt wore off. Juvia never tried to think about the repercussions of killing someone, whether they had a family or had a high title. And she usually only took jobs where the victims were criminals- dark lords, murderers, or rapists- or committed an act of killing to protect herself. And besides, she had been overcome with a stronger feeling than guilt- the basic instinct of survival.

"Gray…" the woman's voice warned. "We don't know what she is capable of."

"Exactly. She could help us, be on our side. And we won't gain her trust if we throw her in the dungeon. At least… let me be the one responsible for her." Gray spoke with conviction and persuasion. "I can stop her with my ice if she ever gets out of hand."

Ultear and Lyon nodded. They understood that Juvia could cripple the Kingdom of Bosco, and Gray's magic was more advanced than both of them combined. Because Lyon and Ultear took care of most of the Fiore's matters, Gray was left to train his military skills and ice magic freely.

"Fine, a week, Gray," Ultear replied. "We will give you a week to see if your plan works."
Lyon simply nodded, not wanting to heighten the tension between his sister and brother any longer. With that, the siblings both departed Gray's living quarters.

Juvia felt her heart skip a beat when she heard Gray speak. He wanted to look after her, and take care of her. But Juvia wondered if it was for the right reasons. Why did they want her to trust them? What were their intentions? Juvia shook her head and pressed herself against the wall to continue the eavesdropping.

Suddenly, it was quiet. Before it was too late for Juvia to react, the door opened and the entirety of Juvia's weight fell onto Gray's chest.

"Ompf!" squealed Juvia. She placed her hands on his sculpted chest for support so she wouldn't fall. Gray simply stood there, strong as a rock, with confusion written on his face.

Juvia promptly pushed herself back as fast as she cold. Her knees were getting weak and she blushed furiously.

Curses, she thought to herself. Get a hold of yourself!

Gray raised his brow, staring at the blunette as she stumbled a bit before recollecting herself.

"You were listening to that entire conversation, weren't you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Juvia is just putting her skills to use," she replied back, as coolly as she could.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you did or not. We have a proposal for you. We want you to help us."

"Help? Why would I want to help you after you kidnapped me?!" Juvia shouted. She couldn't believe the nerves this Prince had. First they ambush and kill the soldiers she was with, now they wanted her to help them? "I am not a mere puppet for your entertainment."

"Aren't you a puppet for King Jose?" Gray questioned. His dark eyes were serious as the words escaped his mouth.

Juvia stood there, with all the color draining out of her face. She was a puppet. She was a puppet ever since she was selected to join the Guild of Assassins. She would do one job after the next, listening to the orders given to her by the rich nobles who hired her. Then she became captured by King Jose and worked as a slave in the coal mines. Now, she would be a puppet for the prince who captured her. Juvia had never truly tasted freedom- she had been a mere acquaintance of it, brushing by it from time to time but never truly enjoying it's company.

"I-I," Juvia stammered. Hurt spread across her face and she had felt like she had been punched in the gut. "I don't want to be a puppet for anyone…"

Gray watched the girl carefully as she dropped her head and her eyes stared at the ground. He was not expecting this from the young assassin. Rather, he was expecting her to be brash with her words and resist every suggestion he made. But as she spoke with her soft voice, she seemed a bit afraid, and a bit confused.

"Well," Gray continued, running a hand through his hair. "I'll give you a choice, then. Stay here in the castle for a week. Learn more about the history of all the Kingdoms during your stay. You can also freely walk around the palace as you wish. When the week is up, you can decide to join us and our forces or you can choose to leave."

Juvia's head shot up, and she looked at Gray with her large cerulean orbs. She was in disbelief from his proposal. Does he know that she could easily rob the place and run free by nightfall? How can this man throw is trust so complacently?

"What's the catch?" she questioned, with a skeptical look on her face.

"There's no catch," Gray replied. "Of course, I'll be keeping my eye out on you so you don't harm anyone. But you are not from Bosco, and I wouldn't punish anyone who was under the threat of King Jose."

"How did you know I wasn't from Bosco?" Juvia asked.

"King Jose sent 30 men to try to get information from my Southern Border. Sending such few men to breach the wall showed that he didn't care very much for who would have lived or died, as long as your Captain came back with knowledge on the Border. With such a risky mission, he would not send the citizens of Bosco, but rather, slaves that he has acquired." Gray said gruffly.

He's quite the tactician and observant, Juvia thought to herself.

"Why would I want to stay and risk my life when I could leave and enjoy my freedom?" Juvia asked, continuing her investigation of trying to understand why the Prince was so generous to her.

"There are ideas and beliefs that are much greater than an individual self that are worth fighting for," Gray said thoughtfully, as he walked to the window to overlook his kingdom.

"I don't understand," Juvia said softly as she followed him to the window.

Gray sighed and turned to look at Juvia. Her eyebrows were furrowed together as she contemplated his last response.

"You will soon understand when this week is over. But for now, how about the incentive of 8 million jewels if you help us?"

Juvia's jaw dropped to the floor. 8 million? She doesn't even know what 1 million jewels looked like! But imagine… 8 million! She could retire as an assassin with that kind of money. She could take that money, break Gajeel out, and then return to her kingdom and live like a king with him! She could be free.

Gray must have noticed her disbelief and excitement, because he let out a low chuckle. He imagined that she lived in poverty most of her life, so being in a castle and being offered so many jewels must have been something foreign to her. He decided that right then and there that he would spoil her a bit over this week- get her a few dresses and whatnot. There was no harm in that, he thought. Besides, the assassin had spent a year in the mines, so he thought he would show her around his lovely town. It would be a good opportunity for Gray to convince her to join sides with him after she explored and witness how wonderful Fiore was.

Gray cleared his throat to get Juvia's attention. She quickly stopped counting the things she could buy on her fingers and looked up to him with dazzle in her eyes.

"You've got yourself a deal, Gray-sama! I'll help you with your mission and take your offer on those jewels." Juvia said ecstatically.

"What's with the –sama all of a sudden?" Gray asked, with a surprised look on his face.

"That's how I address all of my employers," Juvia said with a wink.

"E-erm, sure," Gray managed to mumble, feeling his cheeks become slightly warm. "Well, convincing you to help me out was a lot easier than I thought. But you'll still have to stay here for the week so I can keep my eye out on you if you try to blight me."

Now it was Juvia's turn to blush. Even though Gajeel kept an eye on for her and took care of her, she didn't feel butterflies erupt inside her like she did with Gray. But she tried to shake away the mixed feelings she had. She was still on a mission to get Gajeel out of the mines and to run back to her home. Getting involved any further than she already is would only bring another nest of complications.

Eyes on the prize, Juvia, she said to herself. Do the mission, get the jewels, and leave.

"Well then," Gray began, interrupting Juvia's thoughts. "I have a meeting to attend to, so I'll be back in a little bit over an hour. Please clean yourself up in the bathroom to your left, and I'll show you around the palace when I return. And don't even think about trying to kill any more of my men- your exits will be guarded with my men and there isn't anything in this room that you can use as a weapon."

Juvia just nodded. She wasn't about to leave this place until she collected her prize money, anyway. And there was still the whole magic thing that she needed to confront Gray about - but she thought that she would bring it up another time once she got everything sorted out. Gray looked at her intently for a moment as if he were going to say something in response to her silent thinking, but stopped short and walked out of her room to attend his Princely duties.

Once Gray left, Juvia went to draw herself a warm bath. She could finally get rid of the dirt stuck underneath her fingernails and have her hair smelling like flowers again. She sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time today, still trying to understand the situation she was in. One moment she was with Erza trying to understand Fiore's defenses, and the next she was helping the Prince of Fiore take down King Jose. All of this gave her a minor headache, and it wasn't until she just came to accept the terms the way they were that they subsided.

Juvia closed her eyes and relaxed in the pool of water. She felt like her sores had disappeared the instant she melted into the tub. Juvia had always felt like she had a special affinity to water. Perhaps it was because she grew up next to the ocean, or because she loved to swim during her free time as a child. Whatever it was, she always found comfort in water that no person could ever give her.

Her thoughts drifted from Prince Gray to her Guild of Assassins as she sat idly in the pool of water. It wasn't until she realized that she had spent nearly an hour in there, contemplating her life and what was to come. Gray would be coming back to her room soon, and although she thought he was very attractive, she definitely did not what him to walk in on her in the shower. Juvia tossed her hair dry and put back on her white tunic and ebony pants. Just as she wrapped her hair into a messy ponytail, she heard a knock coming from her door.

"Juvia," Gray spoke as his knuckles continued to hit the wooden door. "I'm coming in,"

Juvia watched as the door creaked open and the tall, handsome prince stood before her.

"Great, you look ready. Let me show you around the castle now," Gray said as he extended his arm to her.

Juiva felt the butterflies she thought she killed emerge back into her stomach. She took his arm as he guided her out the door.

He gave her a lazy grin as they walked towards her door.

"Juvia, I think you've made the right decision. You are going to love it here in Fiore," Gray said decisively.

Juvia just gulped. Mavis, she said to herself nervously, still trying to sort out all her emotions. I hope I don't love this place as much as you say, or I might just stay here forever, she thought as she looked into his deep onyx eyes.

"So, here are my living quarters," Gray explained as he gestured down the hallway. "It's a bit small, but I take comfort in it."

Juvia almost had to stop herself from screaming out loud when Gray said that. Sure, it may have been small relative to the entirety of the castle, and hell, it might have even been small for your average prince. But to Juvia, Gray's living quarters, which only took a small portion of the castle, was the enormous compared to what Juvia was used to. Her room alone was already graciously spacious.

Despite Juvia's shock of the size of the rooms, she still made mental notes in her head to memorize the layout of the living quarters. Gray's room, which they did not enter, was at the end of the hallway. Across from his room was the guest room, where Juvia was staying. The next room they walked into was a small dining area, which Juvia supposed it was used for private meals with only room for a couple extra guests. Paintings hung from every side of the wall, and the room was decorated of busts and vases that looked far too valuable to be left unguarded. A small fireplace in one end of the room sat in front of a soft, handmade carpet. On the other end of the room held a modest size table, but it was made of high quality maple wood and had a beautiful finishing glaze to it. Above it hung a chandelier that looked it like it was built with hundreds of intricate ice shards. Juvia couldn't keep her eyes off of it.

"Do you like it?" Gray asked, when he noticed her eyeing the chandelier. He walked closer to her as she continued to admire it.

"It's beautiful," Juvia said simply. Her eyes did not leave the artwork.

"My father crafted it for us. He was always interested in those kinds of projects," Gray said, with a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Juvia simply nodded. She knew that Fiore had suffered due to the death of the late Queen Ur, and the disappearance of King Silver in a battle against Bosco. The chandelier was probably one of the few things left that Gray could cherish and remember his father by.

"Anyway, this is where we will be eating most of our meals, so make yourself at home."

"We?" Juvia asked. "You are the Prince- shouldn't you be eating with much more important people in the main dining hall?"

Gray laughed heartily at the notion it.

"Even the Prince gets tired of eating with noblemen and people in the royal court. I find it more preferable to eat by myself here, or with my soldiers after training."

"Oh," Juvia replied shortly. Even though her answer was simple, she felt a bit happy that she could share a meal with someone other than Gajeel. She loved Gajeel's company, but he never carried much of a conversation over their meals. He usually just scarfed down his food in silence and then carried on to his next task. Perhaps Gray would be different, and would like to talk from time to time over their meals.

"If you don't want to eat here, you can always eat in your room too," Gray said in response to her short reply, misunderstanding her completely.

"No!" Juvia said, a little too eagerly. "I mean, it can be nice to have company over a meal. I look forward to it." Juvia looked down to cover the hint of pink that crept up on her cheeks.

Gray chuckled at her response.

"I guess even you, an infamous assassin, can't resist having a meal with the Prince," Gray smirked.

Juvia immediately regretted what she had said. Although he was technically now her employer, she still had to be aware of the situation she was in- she was on no one's side but herself. How could she have let her guard down so easily and let her emotions over take her? The Guild of Assassins had taught her better- she suppressed her emotions and tried to recover from his comment.

"Juvia said it would be nice to have company-whether it be Gray-sama or anyone else, it is all the same to Juvia," she responded.

"Oh, I see," Gray said. Juvia said a tinge of hurt in his face- did the Prince's ego get bruised that easily? His face now turned into the stoic face that she saw the first time she met him.

"Let's move on to the rest of the living area," Gray said, his eyes hidden beneath his dark bangs.

The two moved in silence and awkwardness to the next few rooms. Juvia worried that she had hurt the Prince with her words, but shook that thought away as she tried to calm her mind. He was the one who was teasing her and being cocky anyway. He would get over it. Juvia breathed in relief as they headed to the next room-a library and work study room.

"The library," Gray stated. "Feel free to pick up some books or work at that desk if you please." His voice was a bit colder than before, but Juvia had barely noticed it as her eyes traced through the hundreds of books aligned against the shelves.

"Wonderful…" Juvia murmured to herself as excitement lit up her face. She hadn't read since she left the Guild of Assassins, and she was eager to gain more knowledge. "May I take one to my room to read?"

The question shocked Gray. He thought that most assassins would be more interested in slitting throats than reading dusty books in a library. He looked at Juvia's face which gleamed with delight. Well, he couldn't say no to that.

"Certainly," Gray replied, putting his hand over his neck. "Just make sure to return them properly. Some of these books are really valuable and contain a lot of information that I am looking up."

"What kind of information?" Juvia asked curiously. "Historical knowledge?"

"Something like that," Gray responded. He didn't want to tell her that he was researching ancient magic just yet. Better leave that one out until she brings it up, and he hoped that she never would.

Juvia just hummed to his reply as she walked around and let her fingertips glaze over the bindings of the books. One with a golden binding caught her eye. Juvia plucked it off the shelf.

Fairy Tales - A Collection of Magical Stories

"This one seems interesting." Juvia studied the cover of the book, which had a simple insignia of a single white wing.

Gray chuckled at her pick.

"What's so funny?" Juvia asked. "Is this book bad?

"I haven't read it. That book is meant for children. They are stories made up for their entertainment."

"Every tale has truth to it," Juvia defended. She was a bit embarrassed, since she wasn't a child anymore, but the book interested her and it would be a nice start to ease her back into reading. She clutched the book tightly against her chest and pouted.

Gray just nodded and walked out of the room. Juvia followed, stomping a bit too loudly. Gray pointed out a meeting room next to the library and a resting room that had a few couches and tables laying around.

"Well, that pretty much is the living area that belongs to me," Gray said. "I have to leave to discuss your stay here with Ultear and Lyon. The servants will bring you dinner at the dining area later tonight. I won't be able to join you, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the food nonetheless." He gave Juvia a deep bow and headed toward the hallway.

"Gray-sama," Juvia called out. He turned around immediately. "Thank you for providing me with a place to stay, and giving me such a generous offer."

Gray crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"I should be the one thanking you," Gray replied, and then walked away.

Juvia didn't fully understand why Gray said that, but she brushed it off and thought about what would come of her stay here, all the way until dinner time, where she stopped thinking to stuff her face with pork, turkey, cranberry sauce, and all other things delicious.

Later that night, before Juvia went to bed, she read a short story from Fairy Tale.

Long ago, dragons and humans lived in peace and harmony. They each shared mutual respect for one another, despite their differences in the way of life.

But that respect shattered when an evil man started slaying the dragons. The man had an abundance of magic, which allowed him to slaughter them. He laughed as he collected the scales and teeth of his prey. Not only that, but he was able to harvest some of the powers of the dragon to become even stronger.

At last, he had killed the last dragon of his time. But his magical powers could no longer control the powers of all the dragons he had killed. He eventually went mad, consumed with darkness, and lost part of human form, turning him into a man with dragon scales, claws, and wings. Unable to control the power pumping within his veins, he began to attack villages. No one was at his mercy - not even his own family.

And as suddenly has he had turned into a monster, he disappeared after causing turmoil in all five nations. The people wait for his return, ready to defend their land from his chaotic attacks.

Those who seek him find truth. Those who seek him find death. Rain will fall the day the Hero meets him, the Darkness, and should that fateful day occur, the world will turn anew once again.

Juvia sank into her bed. Dragons and magic…. what kind of story is that? She thought. That is definitely not a children's story, and it didn't even have a good ending! Juvia sighed. She hoped that the next story would have a more complete ending. She snuggled up against her pillows and closed her eyes.

Stay tuned for next chapter my friends! :D