Chapter 6~
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Light trickled into Juvia's bedroom. Her heavy eyelids fluttered open as the birds sang outside her window. She had slept well the other night, despite the exhausting tour of Gray's chambers and all the food she ate by herself at dinner. Just as soon as she woke up, a knock appeared at her door.

"Coming," Juvia said groggily. She dragged her feet to door and swung it open.

"Erm…Do you need some more time?" Gray asked. He looked at Juvia, who was still in a daze and had just gotten out of bed. Her gentle curls were tousled in an unordered manner, and she was still wearing her night gown that was a bit too short….

Gray quickly looked away before his imagination got to the best of him.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia asked as she rubbed her eyes, fully unaware of the effect of her night gown. "Was Juvia supposed to get up earlier?"

"No, I forgot to tell you last night. I am going to take you around town to understand more of our kingdom," He responded, with his dark eyes meeting hers eyes- and only her eyes.

"Ah, in that case, let Juvia get read-" But before Juvia could finish her sentence, a strange man entered into her room and grabbed her by the hands.

"Hello, beautiful" said the stranger. He had white, spiky hair and wore a dark blue tunic. His eyes were sharp but his features were attractive.

Juvia flinched at his hold and wasted no time in a counter-attack. In a flash, she kicked the stranger and dropped him to the floor, pinning her arm around his neck.

"I saw…your panties…" the stranger mumbled blissfully.

Juvia blushed furiously and tightened her grip on his neck, causing him to pass out.

Gray smirked as he looked at Lyon sprawled on the floor. He never was much of a fighter.

"Gray-sama! Who is that? An enemy? Shall I dispose of him?" Juvia shouted protectively. Her eyes frantically darted around the room and outside the hallways for any more suspicious intruders.

Gray tried to hold in his laughter.

"That is my brother, Lyon," Gray looked annoyed as he introduced the unconscious body to her.

"And you don't need to protect me, Juvia. I can take care of myself," Gray replied, looking at the blunette oddly. Usually, he's the one protecting a girl, and not the other way around.

"But Juvia is-"

"A world-class assassin, I know. But that didn't stop me from beating you last time," Gray announced, a bit too proudly.

"That didn't count! You used magic!" Juvia accused. But once she let the word magic slip out of her mouth, Gray's playful expression dropped into a stoic one.

"You remember that?" He asked as his brows furrowed together.

"Yes…I want to know more. I thought magic had been decimated." Juvia approached this with caution.

"Ugh…" Lyon started to stir awake.

"We can talk about this more as we head to town. Let's go now, since it's already late," Gray said hastily.

"But what about Prince Lyon?" Juvia asked. She looked at Lyon, who seemed like he was about to regain consciousness at any moment.

"Forget him," Gray reassured. "I don't wanna hear what he has to say to you when he wakes up, which seems like any moment now." Gray then grabbed Juvia and pulled her out of her room.

"But Juvia haven't changed yet!" Juvia cried as she was dragged by Gray. Gray just looked at her and tossed her his coat.

"We will get some stuff at the market as we go," Gray said. He didn't know why, but he really didn't want to be there when Lyon woke up. He had a suspicion that his brother was going to court Juvia, and that would be completely bothersome to their training. Yeah, he didn't like the idea of him being near her one bit.

"Gray-sama, please tell me more about your magic," Juvia asked sternly, as the two headed to the marketplace in town. She didn't seem to notice the stares she was receiving due to her outfit- a pair of black boots and Gray's coat that hung just above her knees.

"Tch," was all Gray said. He should have let her change, because now all the men were staring at her. On the other hand, nobody seemed to recognize, let alone, notice Gray. He was in dark casual attire with a hood over his face- it would be hard to recognize the prince out in public unless someone took a really good look at him.

"Juvia knows it's a taboo topic, but I will not help you unless you tell me about your powers," Juvia replied stubbornly. She gave him a pout with her large blue eyes.

"No - I mean- I was thinking about something else. Of course I'll tell you about my magic." Gray said openly. He cursed himself for getting off-track again, which seemed to be happening more and more often. "I am of royal Fiore bloodline, which means I can inherently use ice magic."

"But your mother…"

"She was killed by King Jose because she openly practiced magic and tried to fight back against him." Gray said dully. Despite his lack of concern in his voice, Juvia saw his eyes flicker a bit.

Juvia placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry to hear that. I heard she was a lovely Queen."

And it was true. Queen Ur was loyal to her people, and never initiated conflicts with other territories. She had even heard Gajeel once talk about how he wanted to move to Fiore because of how peaceful it was there. The silence lingered and hung heavy in the air as they paced to their destination, both thinking about how the Queen's reign ended too soon.

The silence made Juvia tense up a bit. Was this still a sore topic to Gray? Perhaps she shouldn't have asked about his mother.

But Gray didn't seem to notice, and steered the conversation back on track as they moved into the bustling city life.

"Anyway, magic hasn't completely disappeared. Since the killings from King Jose are only targeted at those who can use magic, we've ordered our people to practice in secret. Despite our heeds, many of them have either been kidnapped from our country or lost at war."

"So it's not gone?" Juvia asked. She could barely comprehend the situation around her. Never in a thousand years had she imagine she'd be walking alongside a Prince who could utilize magic, and that magic was still out there. It had been as if she was living a lie.

"Of course not. Magic is persistent and stubborn. Even if you kill us all, magic will find a way to leech back into our lives. It is Mavis' will."

"Do you actually believe that fairies like Mavis are still around? To grant us these powers?" Juvia asked. She figured that the fairies should have already appeared by now, blessing everyone with magic to stop King Jose. But nothing has happened yet.

"No, as far as I'm concerned, fairies were only around in the beginning of our time. They should be long gone by now. Their magic in us lives on though, as many claim." Gray responded quietly. The townspeople around them paid no attention to their conversation, too busy with their own lives to care about a couple of young adults passing them by.

"Teach me." Juvia demanded. She halted and looked at him with determined eyes.

"What?" Gray asked, shocked. He stopped walking mid-step as soon as he heard her request.

"Teach me magic. You said you would train me. Why not just teach me some of your ice magic? It'll blow through the enemies much quicker." Juvia stated.

Gray scoffed at the idea.

"Magic cannot be taught. It is given to you as a gift once you are born. If you hadn't discovered it by now, you most definitely do not have it." Gray said as he turned his back to move forward again.

"How do you know if you haven't even tried to teach me?!" Juvia shouted. She was eager to learn magic. She needed to be more powerful, if that meant getting Gajeel back to safety and protecting herself from King Jose if he caught her.

Gray stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. Even though the hood over Gray's face shadowed his face, Juvia could tell. A look of rage spread across his face, one that made Juvia quiver in fear for a second.

"Do you think magic is some kind of game?! People are dying because they have this gift-and it wasn't a choice they could make! And you want to learn this to kill more people because it is more convenient?!" Gray yelled, with his fists were clenched.

Juvia couldn't believe he was shouting at her. Had she been wrong to ask such a question? She lost her temper too, and began to retaliate.

"Then what's the difference of you making me help your army?! It's also a matter of convenience to you! At least I am not using a human to do my dirty deeds- I am trying to learn how to defend for myself!" Juvia angrily replied. She couldn't believe it. She had though Gray would be different- a little more compassionate than King Jose. She didn't think she would be yelled at for asking a simple request. But he was just the same- using her to win the power struggle between kingdoms.

"Keep it down!" Gray growled. His eyes shifted to the streets. Some people stopped and stared at the bickering between Gray and Juvia. Others quickly moved along, not wanting to be bothered if a sudden fight were to occur.

"Don't need to tell me twice," Juvia spat, as she walked away from the scene.

"Where do you think you are going?!" Gray scowled.

"To explore the town- wasn't that your original plan? I'll do just that- without your help," Juvia sneered, waving him off with her hand. And with that, she had disappeared into the crowd and left Gray standing there with his mouth ajar.

"Son, you better treat your girlfriend over there nicer. That's no way to treat a lady," an older stranger commented. "Gotta keep 'em and make sure they don't slip away."

"She's not my girlfriend! Ugh!" Gray exclaimed, with frustration straining his voice. He walked opposite the direction that Juvia was headed to.

That impossible girl! Did she not know that magic has threatened the very lives of his people? Of his mother? It isn't something of a side hobby, and yet she treats it so. And the way she talked to him - he was a Prince! Never had Gray been so disrespected in his life, adding the fact that he was even scolded by a stranger on the streets because of her! Gray muttered angrily to himself as he walked around town to clear his mind.

Juvia fumed as she walked around town. Today, she thought, would be a good day. A nice relaxing day with Gray to look around the town and become accustomed to Fiore's culture. Boy, had she never been so wrong. What was up with him anyway? Magic was so sparse all her life, yet Gray had all the secrets to it. Would it hurt to try to teach her? Magic had been locked away all Juvia's life- it was only natural she was curious. Juvia sighed deeply and shoved her hands into her pockets.

But then she felt something in her pockets, and realized this was not her coat. It was Gray's. And inside was the sound of money rattling in his pockets. She pulled it out and gasped at amount in her hand. It was more money than she had seen in a lifetime. Was this what royals considered…pocket change?

"I'll take five of those fishcakes," Juvia said, with food stuffed in her face. Her cheeks were swollen like a chipmunk with food that she could barely swallow before new food entered. The owner of the food stall looked a little disturbed…how was it possible that a girl could all that food at once?

"Er, that will be 450 jewels," the storeowner said with a tinge of disgust.

"Keep the change," Juvia said, as she handled 500 jewels to the owner. Juvia sighed with contentment. She had now eaten 5 fishcakes, a few steamed buns, a bowl of noodles, and fresh fruit from around town. She couldn't help but enjoy herself right now, despite the fact that she had gotten into a heated argument with Gray earlier. Although after she had calmed down, she did feel a bit bad for not considering Gray's feelings when she talked about magic. She would surely apologize to him later.

But, she couldn't think about it now. She had jewels to spend and a new wardrobe to fill, as she eyed a cute boutique not too far away. She began to walk to the store until a stranger stepped in front of her.

"Ah, I've been waiting for you little lady," the brunette woman said. Her breath reeked of alcohol. She had long, wavy hair and was wearing nothing more than a bikini under her white crop top jacket and white shorts. Golden bangles hung from her wrists and jingled as she made her way toward Juvia.

"And who might you be?" Juvia asked, wary of the woman before her. She adjusted her stance and prepared herself to fight in a moment's notice.

"I am Cana, the fortune teller. My cards told me you would be here today," she sang.

"Well, I had no intention to have my future dealt before me. And quiet honestly, I don't want to have my money scammed," Juvia said politely, as she turned to walk away.

"Ah, but that isn't your money, now, is it? I would even dare to say it belongs to someone of…royalty," Cana purred.

That made Juvia turn around and quietly walk up to the woman.

"How did you know?" Juvia whispered with a sharp stare.

"As I've said before, I am a fortune teller. Come, I have a message for you." With that, Cana walked into a small alleyway and turned into a dimly-lit store.

Juvia followed her. She knew her curiosity would kill her one day, but for now she would live at it's mercy. At a glance from outside the store, the place looked like a total scam. The sign outside the window read:

CANA'S FORTUNE TELLING: ALL THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Juvia rolled her eyes and walked inside. The store inside was small, and filled with oddities left and right. Goblets of all different assortments were placed throughout the room, along with skulls, decorative statues, and aromatic incents. And surprisingly, a lot of wine and beer that seemed to be randomly placed throughout the store. Cana had already been seated at table with cards placed in front of her.

"So, what's the message? Or am I supposed to pick out one of these cards?" Juvia bluntly asked. She had no time to play around in such a questioning place.

"Your future will lay itself out in front of you soon. You don't need to pick out a card. I have something for you," Cana said mysteriously. She pulled out a thin blue box and set it on the table. Juvia reached for the box, wondering what could be inside.

"Not yet," Cana insinuated. She pulled the box away and looked at Juvia with a devilish smirk.

"Really?" Juvia complained. She look out money from her pocket slapped it on the table.

Cana took a look at the money, then continued to stare at Juvia, with an insisting look on her face.

"More money? Do you really expect me to give you more money? You are the one who forced me to come here, and now you want me to give you all my money for a mysterious box that contains who-knows-what?" Juvia accused.

"I was told by my cards that you wanted to learn more about magic. Fortune telling is a sort of magic as well. And my cards tell me you will need this more than any amount of money can buy," Cana replied, with a serious look on her face.

"I can't believe I am doing this," Juvia muttered. She emptied out her pockets and put all that she had on the table.

"It's not like it was your money to begin with anyway," Cana winked. She took the money and stuffed it inside her bra. "Here it is."

Juvia took the box from Cana's hands and opened it up. Juvia eyed the item intently. There laid a silver cross necklace that looked to be a relic of some sort.

"What is this?" Juvia asked. "It simply looks like a regular necklace to me."

"I am not sure. The person who dropped it off for me told me to give it to you, and instructed me to tell you to keep it on you at all times. Said that it'll protect you. She then left without another word," Cana responded, taking out a bottle of beer and chugging it indecently.

"Who was she?" Juvia asked. "And why me?" Her fingers began to trace over the necklace unconsciously.

"Who knows? She was a blondie, but I never saw her again. I tried to figure out who she was but my cards gave me nothing," Cana answered. She began to pour herself another drink.

"That's it? This seems completely unreasonable. This is probably a necklace for some silly superstition. Give me back my money!" Juvia demanded.

"No can do, sister. She told me it was very important that I give this to you. The look of urgency on her face was too much for me to say no. And besides, it took me several attempts to locate when you would be in this part of the town. I also gave it my all, you know? It would be rude of you not to accept this necklace," Cana explained, her words getting more and more slurred with each passing drink.

Juvia internally screamed. It was no use arguing with her now, when she was getting drunker by each passing second. So she put the necklace on and left.

"Member, girlie, and kept it 'round ya at all times! It'll protect you from evil!" Cana hiccupped.

"Prince Gray, welcome!" The waiter greeted him with a soft smile. Gray's stomach had been crying out for food for a while now, so he stopped by his favorite bakery to pick up some food. The store was cozy, with a bustling fire pit next to several small tables. Candles were lit on the counters and freshly baked bread still wafted in the air.

Gray looked around to see that the bakery was empty. He pulled down his hood and smiled back.

"Hey Mirajane. It's good to see you again," Gray smiled.

"It's good to have our favorite customer be back," replied Mira. "What'll it be? One caramade frank?

"Actually, make that two. I'll take it to-go." Gray explained.

"Ah, is the extra caramade frank for someone special?" Mira winked. "Perhaps…a girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Gray replied, which seemed to be the ongoing phrase of today.

Mirajane looked a bit surprised.

"Ah, it was just a joke Prince Gray," Mira said apologetically. She handed him two caramade franks in a brown bag.

"Sorry, Mira. That's not what I meant. It's just been a long day, is all."

Mira simply giggled. "Not a problem. But you better get going, it's going to be late and I'm sure you don't want to keep your friend waiting."

Gray nodded as he reached for his pocket. Then it hit him; he left all his money in the coat he had given Juvia. Gray cursed himself. It was a lot of money he had brought out that day, and he wanted to spend it adequately on Juvia by buying her some nice clothes and whatnot. But knowing her, she probably had spent most of it on food or something petty…

Gray grumbled to himself and looked at Mira.

"Look, Mira, my jacket-" Gray started.

But Mira simply smiled and put her hand in front of Gray.

"Don't worry about it, Prince Gray. You are constantly helping us. This is the least I can do. Please, it's on the house," Mira said generously.

Gray embarrassingly said his thanks and left the store. With a sigh, Gray looked at the sky. Dusk was coming, and it was getting late. Even though Lyon did a good job keeping most of the city safe, Gray wasn't stupid. He knew that crooks and thieves came out at night to play. He decided to start looking for Juvia, and hoping she hadn't spent all his money on something stupid.

Eventually he found Juvia stalking down the streets, looking utterly lost. He walked up behind her and swallowed hard.

"Hey," Gray said calmly, as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Juvia jolted and turned to face Gray.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried.

They both looked at each other. Silence ensued, and awkwardness grew heavy between them.

"Look- ", "I wanted-" Both of them started to say at the same time.

"Let me go first," Juvia decided. "I wanted to say sorry about earlier. I sometimes forget how sensitive of a subject magic is to you. I should have been more considerate." Juvia, a world class assassin, saying sorry for not being considerate was truly unusual.

Gray's face softened and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"It's okay. I acted a bit out of place too. It's only natural you'd be curious about it. I'm sorry I can't teach you magic - I don't know how and there has never been any documented case of someone learning magic without being born with it," Gray explained. He put his hand on the back of his neck and scratched his hair.

The two stood awkwardly again in silence.

"Um, we better get going. It's going to be late and I have duties I need to attend to tonight." Gray said, breaking the silence. "Oh, and I got you a camarade frank. I was supposed to take you there to the bakery today." Gray felt a little strange saying this, as if he felt ashamed that he hadn't taken her out like he wanted to.

"Eh? But how did you pay for that?" Juvia questioned.

"So you knew I had money in my pocket! Exactly what did you buy?" Gray cried. He felt like he had just been robbed.

"Not a lot, not a lot! I just bought some food and a visited a fortune teller," Juvia announced in excitement. "The food was really good!"

Gray face palmed himself. She bought exactly what he had hoped she wouldn't have bought.

"Well, at least you didn't spend all of it. Those activities are quite cheap, so it would probably only be a small portion of the money I had," Gray said with relief.

Juvia began to feel her palms sweat.

"W-w-why are you so concerned? I mean, that's pocket change to you right? Since it was in your pocket…?" Juvia stammered.

"No, that was a big portion that I took out. I usually save most of my money for emergencies but I took some out today," Gray explained. "Why are you so nervous? Wait… don't tell me you spent all that money?!"

"The fortune teller made me do it!" Juvia choked.

"You just got scammed! How could you fall for that?" Gray scolded.

"She told me I wouldn't be protected if I didn't give her the money!" Juvia whined. She did feel a bit ashamed for giving the fortune teller all of the jewels.

Gray just sighed and began walking back to the palace. But before Juvia could figure out if he was upset at her again, his voice started up again.

"You don't need to be protected with rubbish like that. I'm right here, so forget about those fake fortune tellers," he grumbled.

Juvia stared at Gray's figure, with his back slowly walking back home. Juvia, of course, didn't need anyone to protect her, but she felt a bit warmer inside knowing that Gray would watch over her as well. She held on to those words a little more than she should have.

"Are you coming home, or not?" Gray asked, walking further away from Juvia.

"Coming!" Juvia exclaimed, as she quickened her pace to meet back with Gray.

The sun slowly set behind them, as the two talked about how to eat the caramade frank. Despite the crazy day Juvia had, she felt a bit more comfortable living in Fiore. Little did she know, her adventure was just beginning.

Hi friends! Hope you liked this chapter~ Initially, I was just going to write this chapter about them going on a cutesy date and enjoying themselves and Gray spoiling her with clothes. But then, I was like "fuck it!" and decided to make them fight and go their own ways while traveling to town. Hope you all found it more interesting! :3

Again, pleaseeeee review as it really is the motivation for me to write the next chapter. And again, my chapters will now be longer (in my standards) so bare with me while I slowly upload! Thank you!