Levy had dreamed of meeting Native Americans her whole life, but none of it she'd ever pictured like this. It was Lucy, poor and confused Lucy that had been likely taken in by the Faetaye, and Levy by the most feared Indians on the continent?

She was perfectly aware that life was unfair, but life was taking its 'unfair' leeway too far this time.

She'd been held on that horse for nearly half of an hour, wanting desperately to get off but knowing it would be her death if she did so. The terrifying man that had taken her did not speak a word to her the entire way, only gritting his teeth at the pain likely in his shoulder from that good shot by the boy that had been on the back of the horse that Lucy rode after her. Levy had known that it was hopeless, but she remained very touched at how hard Lucy had tried to get her back.

It hardly mattered now. As soon as tipis came into sight, real tipis, leather was lashed around her wrists and she was lifted from the horse. The other men with the group laughed and whooped as the scary guy, who she'd figured out was called 'Gajeel' from the others, tugged her along. His face was set in stone, bored and hateful all at once. His red skin, sculpted face, and body would have made him handsome if it weren't for his expression and the silver metal pierced along his eyebrows, nose, and ears.

Others in the village wandered out to see the commotion, either letting out hollers of laughter or shaking their heads in exasperation. It was a long row of them, all scattered along one side of a rushing river as the sun went down.

Levy's heartbeat seemed to speed every second that she was pulled along to the tipi on the far end of them all. Well, she did know this tribe spoke the same language as the Faetaye, only with a slightly different dialect. She'd be able to understand them, at least.

It was everything she'd always wanted to see; the canvas tipis reaching toward the sky, the leather and cloth clad Indians adorned in turquoise and bone… but all wrong. This was all wrong.

Finally, they stopped before the tipi. From within stepped a creepy-looking man with several fangs hanging from his neck and colors of black and red on his shirt. His hair was dark, sneer evident. He was an older man, and she assumed he was an elder. She wasn't supposed to speak unless spoken to, and no matter how much she disliked it, she'd rather not get shot.

So she remained silent and glaring until the one beside her, Gajeel, spoke. He obviously didn't realize she could understand him. In his language, he said, "I found one, Jose, as you asked."

"Good," responded the chief. "She is a tiny thing, but she has a strong face. Make use of her. You may keep her if you wish."

"Excuse me?" she burst finally in their native language. "What do you mean 'keep her'?!"

The chief's mouth fell open, and Gajeel dropped her wrists in surprise, bending down to stare at her in astonishment.

Irritably, she snapped, "Yes, I have a voice. And a name. And I will not be kept by anyone!"

With that, she spun, jerked her knee up into Gajeel's groin, and took off to the nearest horse.

She barely registered his high shout of pain, the angry exclamations of the other men as they bolted after her. Twisting her aching wrists, she made them come loose from their bindings and shook them out.

Her lungs burned as she reached the black horse that she'd arrived on. He was huge, a beast that could crush her under a hoof, but he seemed gentle enough. Levy had managed the element of surprise, but she prayed it would be enough. The others were approaching quickly, and so she shoved her heels into the horse's bare stomach and he instantly took off toward the west. Her freedom was on the horizon, until something was shouted, a name-

The horse skidded to a stop, ears perking up in recognition. Evidently, the horse responded to his name. She gasped, thrown forward slightly and dug her knees in again. "Move! What are you doing?!"

The horse just stood until she gave up, sliding off and running faster than she had in her life-

She screamed when men jumped down from their horses, roughly snatching her up so that her feet kicked the air. When she was lowered, a large hand slapped across her face with enough force to make stars flicker into her vision. She felt a drop of blood slip down where metal from a ring had sliced across her skin.

"Stop that!" came the deep voice of Gajeel as he stormed up, eyes flashing as he pushed the others away from her. "She is mine! You do not lay a hand on her if you don't wish for an arrow through your eye!"

They all backed off rather quickly at that, cringing and muttering apologies as they leapt up on their horses and took off to safety.

Levy shook in fear, trembling hands pushing him away hard by the chest and stumbling back so that she fell promptly to the ground.

Gajeel seemed rather unaffected, crouching down beside her and taking her again by the wrist. A calloused thumb carefully swiped the blood from her cheek. His scarlet eyes were intense, and somehow reassuring. "Come. I will not hurt you."

"Let me go," she whispered in Gilda, language of the Faetaye and its fellow tribes, eyes stinging. "Please let me go."

"Come." He did not sound gentle, but acted it, putting an arm lightly about her shoulders to lift her to her feet. "Can you walk?"

"I have to get back to my friend," Levy said, jaw tight in strain not to cry with frustration and terror for what was to come. "Please, I am of no use to you. I am not of the Faetaye tribe. I can speak like you and them but I can't give you information or anything else."

"I will not hurt you," he repeated. "Stop being difficult."

"You have no right to speak to me that way," she hissed at him, and he only rolled his eyes.

"Do you shut up?" he sighed. "Come with me already!"

She reluctantly followed, knowing there was no other option yet. Surely she could make her escape during the night sometime, but for now… he said he would not hurt her, and she'd have to trust that until her time for freedom arrived.

He took her to a roomy tipi of black, gray, and red, rolling up the flop of cloth over the door for her to enter.

It was a surprisingly cozy place, clean and fluffy furs decorating two places that looked to be used as beds. A fire crackled mournfully in the center, with a few weapons and keepsakes hanging from the ties of the canvas.

A woman, looking about Levy's age, sat at the fire, moving some meat upon the metal pot over it while humming to herself. She'd looked up when the door opened, blue, braided hair flicking around as her sad eyes brightened in delight.

Gajeel stepped in behind Levy, gruffly gesturing that she should go to the left and sit down. She did so, slowly, taking a seat beside the blue-haired girl. Seeing someone else with the same color hair was a very novel experience.

"I am Juvia." The girl smiled, patting Levy's hand. "You must be afraid, but it is okay. You are safe with Juvia and Gajeel."

"A-are you his wife?" Levy asked, hoping it didn't sound rude; Juvia was the first kind face she'd seen here, after all.

But Juvia only laughed at the suggestion. "Oh, no! No, no. Gajeel took Juvia in as a sister. Chief Jose ordered him to go find a wife, and when they raided my tribe, he brought me back to satisfy Jose." Juvia's face was haunted, a flicker of precious memory passing. "But I told Gajeel I was in love with my betrothed back at my tribe and Gajeel did not love me like that anyway, so he told Jose that I was unsuitable as a wife but he'd like to keep me to help with his tipi. Jose agreed; he loves Gajeel like a son."

"What tribe are you from?" Levy asked, eyes wide.

"The Faetaye," Juvia explained. "You must be of Gilda origin, with that hair and how you're speaking our language. Perhaps you are from the Lamia, or Pegusai?"

"N-no-"

"Do you know of my betrothed, Gray? Is he well?"

"I-I'm sorry," Levy interjected. "I am from England, and learned this language from my Faetayan mother. I have never been to their tribe before."

"Oh," sighed Juvia in disappointment. "I see. Well… Gajeel says he will get me back to Gray somehow. I believe him. And Gray is a good man… I am sure he is looking for me."

Levy felt a strange urge to comfort her. "I'm sure he is, too," she told her, squeezing her fingers.

Juvia nodded, seeming to come out of her daze and look Levy up and down. "Well, we must get you new clothes, perhaps a bath. We cannot have you looking all dirty tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" asked Levy in trepidation.

It was Gajeel who answered, laying with a bored expression atop his hides and twirling an arrowhead in his rough fingers. "Tomorrow is when you start pretending to be betrothed to me."


"What does it mean? Your name?"

The three of them walked across the plain together now, Natsu's horse following his master faithfully. Natsu had given them both food, this kind of flat, flakey, delicious bread that when she'd asked what it was called, Gray had only shrugged and said, "Bread from frying pan. Fry bread."

Gray rolled his eyes while Natsu frowned. "'e does not speak more Engleesh zan zat. You may as well ask the 'orse."

Lucy couldn't help but give a slight glare. "Well, I wasn't fully sure. It didn't seem polite to start talking about him right in front of him. What does his name mean, then? And yours?"

"'is name was geeven to 'im by 'is fazer," explained Gray, the feather in his hair restless. His English seemed to be improving while he spoke. "From a far-off place zat a trusted tradesman told us of. Ze word means 'summer'. But Natsu ees not 'is name anymore. 'e just chooses to use 'is birth name to 'onor 'is fazer who died protecting zis village. 'e was a good man."

"Oh," she said quietly, glancing in Natsu's direction. He was watching them in interest before impatiently speaking in his language to Gray. Gray responded while rolling his eyes, causing Lucy to ask, "What is he saying?"

With an airy wave, Gray just said, "'e wants to know what we speak of."

"Did you tell him?"

"I tell 'im we talk about how ugly 'e ees and to go play with 'is 'orse."

Lucy protested, "He is not ugly-"

Gray ignored her, continuing, "My name ees… well, eet ees simply the color. I 'ave an Indian name, but like to be called Gray for reasons similar to Natsu."

"What is his real name? You said it isn't… anymore?"

"As one grows," he told her slowly, "zey sometimes get name to match zem. Ze elders may give new name for a special happening to zem or when they become man or woman. Our chief name Natsu somezing zat means, euh… I zink… Fire Dancer, or 'e Who Dances weeth Fire, ees more, euh, accurate, when he turn sixteen."

"Why?"

"All zese questions," sighed Gray, rubbing his temples. "Do zey 'ave an end?"

Lucy gave a huff of frustration. Was it not logical that she'd have many questions? At this point, Natsu demanded again, "Gray! I speak Lucy. I speak."

Gray groaned. "Do you even know what we are saying?"

Natsu only furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Lucy, taking pity on him, implored, "Could you translate for us? Please? And without insulting him?"
Gray looked amused. "Oho, a lady standing up for Natsu. As my original people would say, 'ooo lala'."

Crossing her arms, Lucy began to lose her patience. "Do you mean to test me with your teasing, sir?"

Holding up his hands in the universal sign of surrender. "My apologies, miss. I am sure you 'ave 'ad a trying week." Clearing his throat, he began a string of deep and short words all put together to a foreign sentence. Natsu responded, eyes lighting up and nodding to her as if replying.

"'e says 'e 'as a geeft for you," Gray told her, sounding surprised. Gesturing from Natsu to Lucy, they stopped and Natsu began to rifle through his pouch. Soon, he brought out a necklace, several colorful blue and yellow beads strung on leather with a shimmering, circular stone like a thin opal. He passed it to her with a smile, saying a few words in the language she did not understand.

Gray translated as Lucy ran her fingers along the smooth pendant, "'e says 'e geeve eet to you because you are special."

"Special?" Lucy repeated, gazing down at her present with fascination. "Why?"

"You rode 'is 'orse," Gray answered. "Natai lets no one ride 'im except Natsu or someone riding with Natsu behind zem. Anyone else who tries get thrown off. 'e says you must be very special person if Natai let you ride. 'orses are very good at sensing zese zings."

"Oh," she said, looking back up to an expectant Natsu with a shy grin. "Tell him 'thank you very much', and that it is absolutely beautiful."

Gray repeated her words in Faetayan, Natsu beaming back when he heard them and saying something else. In return, Gray said, "'e wonders eef 'e might 'elp you put eet on. I assume 'e does not want eet broken."

"Y-yes," she responded, face slightly heating more at the thought. "Of course. Thank you."

After Gray relayed the message, Natsu nodded and came behind her, gently taking the gift and untying the back. From behind, his warm fingers brushed against her neck as he tied it into place so that it rested just below her collarbones. She touched it lightly, feeling a pleasant tingling when he smoothed a few loose strands of her hair back into place. Lucy turned to him with a smile. He regarded her with a curiosity, eyes traveling from her hair, to her eyes, nose, mouth, and back to her eyes. Eventually, he proclaimed. "English. I English speak. Lucy English I speak."

Gray groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Do not try to speak a language you only know about ten words in, you eediot." He repeated this in Natsu's language, or at least she assumed he did at the glare he received. Natsu's response was clipped and irritated, imploring.

"What is it that he wants?" she questioned.

"'e wants to learn Engleesh from you," sighed Gray. "So zat 'e can speak to you by 'imself. 'e does not like to need me for anyzing. I tell 'im zat you may not weesh to stay long after you find your friend, but 'e does not listen. And I tell 'im you cannot speak our language so you cannot teach translation, but 'e stupid."

"I have a book," she blurted. "My friend had a book with all the translations. I know how she wrote the pronunciations. It's back in her bag in the tipi. I-I could…" she shrugged meekly, looking up to Natsu's eyes and then back down. "I could teach him a little."

Gray let out a long suffering breath, throwing up his hands in defeat and told Natsu what she'd said. The way his face lit up when he heard was worth all of her hesitation. She made an undignified squeaking noise when he grabbed her hand and began racing with her down the hill, laughing, "Lucy! English!"

With a giggle in return, she let him pull her back to camp. Well, her goal was to get Levy back, but there was no reason she couldn't have a little adventure along the way.


Hallo!

Well, last chapter was long, but this was more normal sized. Got a little insight into Levy and Gajeel, some more questions answered about Natsu. It's been a little while since I posted anything; school is starting up with a bang as well as my anxiety issues, which leads to depression, which leads to being unmotivated to write XD Hope you enjoyed, and I don't know when I'll update next…

Historical Note:

The Gilda thing might be a little confusing. I made up that name, just like I made up Faetaye. It's the name of their overall tribe, and it splits into smaller groupings. For example, the Lakota tribe had sub-tribes such as Oglala and Hunkapapa. Gilda's sub-tribes so far are Faetaye, Phantom, Lamia, and Pegasai. It will be explained later the conflict that arose between Phantom and its brother tribes that brought them to war.

There was also a bit of confusion I saw in a review about how the dialog of the last chapter said "You know how the Lakota and Gilda like to play hero". That just meant that those tribes would be willing to save someone in need, like Levy and Lucy. The bandit was just giving them a reason why they couldn't let the Indians see the girls. When I mentioned the Crow, sorry if I'm insulting any Crow out there, but people were generally terrified of that tribe. I remember my grandmother telling me how whenever they saw Crow out in the Dakotas, they'd hide as quickly as possible. They used to be a more ruthless tribe, though I doubt they are now.

The pendent described by Lucy is the inside of an abalone shell. Natives often used them for jewelry; it's a clam-like thing with a white inside that reflects blue, purple, and green and it's very smooth.

Lastly, I posted on tumblr photosets and explanations of tipis and outfits I experienced/used in my last reenactment event. Check it out if you'd like to know more about them. :) In them I describe stuff that may help you see why Gajeel reasoned that Juvia could help him with the tipi and a lot more stuff. I'll repost them for you.

(omg and frybread is the most fantastic stuff make sure you put butter and cinnamon/sugar on it it's amaaaaazing)

Mizpah,

~LoneStorm