Yukino's POV

The next morningI woke up to find Lady Minerva in front of me. She was glaring at me really scarily. If looks could kill I would probably be dead by now

"M-mistress M-minerva?" I asked timidly. What did she want?

"Good morning bitch." She sneered hatefully. She pulled me up by my hair. My hair was short so it hurt a lot as she pulled the hair nearest to my scalp.

"Aaaahh!" I cried out in pain. "M-mistress M-minerva! Please stop!"

Lady Minerva smirked and pulled harder. I felt as if she was going to rip out my hair from my head. It was so painful.

"I saw my darling Stingy bee looking at you yesterday during preparations for my wedding!" Lady Minerva yelled angrily. "Why was he looking at a lowly little pathetically weak slut like YOU when he could be graced by the beauty and glory of ME!"

"I don't know Mistress Minerva!" I cried out. My head burned. Was she really going to rip my hair out?

I sobbed and she kicked me in the knee making me collapse.

"I better not catch you with my Stingy bee again! You hear bitch!" Lady Minerva screeched.

She let go and kicked me in the stomach once. Then she left the room, her 5 inch heels clicking on the floor. I was sobbing on the floor when I heard the door open.

"Yukino?" A very concerned and gentle voice asked.

I looked up to see my sweet prince, Sting. "Y-your h-highness?"

"Yukino! What happened to you! Why are you crying?" Sting rushed over and knelt beside me, holding me in his arms.

I sobbed into Sting's chest for about a good 10 minutes. Then I pulled away, wiping my eyes free of my tears.

"I'm sorry for troubling you your highness." I said in a shaking voice. "I didn't mean to ruin your shirt with my tears."

"Yukino..." Sting said. "Three things, first of all you can just call me Sting. Cut all the 'Your Highness' crap. It doesn't seem right with you of all people calling me that. Second, my shirt doesn't matter. I am the prince so I have plenty of these. A few tears aren't going to do any damage to it. And third, why are you crying? Did someone hurt you or threaten you because I swear that I will have that person punished and make their life a living hell if they did anything to you!"

I sniffled and blushed a little. A rosy tint on my cheek. He cared about me. No one's really cared about me except for my sisters, and my parents and maids from before the fire. My sisters were all I had and now there was Sting. My handsome prince.

"No one threatened me yo- Sting." I tried saying in a confident voice, but I know I failed and my voice came out frail. I couldn't tell him that it was Lady Minerva's doing. She'll probably skin me above if she could and feed me to the royal animals. I shuddered at the thought.

Sting's face scrunched up in worry. Then it shifted to doubt. I don't think he believed me. He started to say something bit then closed his mouth after a thought.

"Alright then. If no one threatened you who did this to you? Who maid you cry?" He asked in a very worried and gentle voice.

"It's nothing Sting. It's nothing that a prince like you should worry about" I said in a quiet voice hoping he couldn't hear the sadness and fear in my voice.

Unfortunately for me, he heard. Even my sisters, except for Wendy, couldn't hear me well when I talked in a quiet voice. Suprisingly he heard me. He must have super hearing or something like Wendy.

Sting frowned for a while. Then he shook his head and smiled. "Alright Yukino. I won't push you but if you want to tell me, I'm always free for you." He smirked.

I blushed. "Um... Were you looking for Lady Minerva because we are in Mistress Minerva's chambers right now."

He shook his head. " I wasn't looking for Lady Minerva. I was heading to the dining hall when I heard sobbing here. I came in here to find you bawling your eyes out on the floor."

My blush spread. "Thank you for your concern Sting. It'd very kind of you."

"No problem Yukino. I'll always be here for you." He smirked another one of his devishly cute smirks.

"You better head to the dining hall now. You might be late." I told him.

His smirk turned to a panicked face. "Damn it! I am so going to get roasted by my brothers and parents!"

I laughed. "Well you better go now."

Sting stood up and helped me off the ground. "I will and remember, I'm always here for you Yukino. If you want to talk to me, tell ome of the palace maids or butlers this 'The Key is the Rose'."

I smiled a true smile. "I know and I won't forget Sting. I'll remember."

Before I could think about it, I kissed his cheek. A gentle kiss. I blushed and Sting's face turned red.

"See you in the dining hall Sting." I smiled and quickly turned away. My mind processing what just happened. I walked to the bathroom.

I had just kissed the fourth prince of Fiore. On the cheek but it was still a kiss anyway. Sting was starting to bring some of the boldness from deep inside me out. The boldness that was locked away after the death of my parents.

Was it possible that I was in love with the fourth prince of Fiore?

Sting's POV

I just stood their in shock. My mind processing what happened. Yukino kissed me. On the cheek but who cares about that. It was a kiss and from the sweet girl I loved. Her smile could cause all creatures on the Earth to bow down and look her way. Her laugh was like the beautiful tinkling of wind chimes on a breezy day.

I smiled as she went into the bathroom. Thus hotel had truly stolen my heart. What more could she do?

But what had happened that made her cry. Why did she look like she was in pain? She was hiding something and I was going to figure it out.

I went to the dining hall, hoping that I want late. Luckily every one had a late start today so they were just starting to file in. I took my seat next to Rogue. He looked at me oddly.

"Why the big smile Sting? I've never seen you smile like this since they announced your marriage. Did something happen?" Rogue asked in a questioning manner.

"Something did happen. Something amazing. I'll tell you later though. Breakfast is about to be served." I said smiling.

"Alright. If you say so." Rogue said.

A bell like noise wrang throughout the dining hall, stopping all conversation. It was my father. He had tapped his spoon against his glass of water.

"Good Morning everyone. I hope you all have had a good morning so far. I have an amazing announcement to make. Since the end of autumn is approaching, I have decided to have an Autumn Ball. But this is a very special ball. It's a masquerade ball. Everyone is to wear a costume of your choice along with a mask that goes along with the chosen costume. A costume could be a butterfly, knight, and many other things. All of the palace servants are welcome to wear costumes and can ask the dress makers to make their costume or make it themselves. It will be very eventful. The ball will be in 2 weeks. Another announcement I have is that the weddings are in the Spring. Just as Spring ends and Summer begins, the weddings will take place. Thank you for your time and enjoy breakfast." King Igneel said.

Once father finished talking, everyone started talking among themselves. This was very exciting news. A costume masquerade ball would be amazing and mysterious. I'm pretty sure I could spot Yukino easily though. I could spot her from miles away.

Me and my brothers were sitting in a circle on Laxus's huge bed. We were taking of the Autumn Costume Masquerade Ball. We were discussing costume ideas.

"I'm going to be a pirate!" Gray said. "I've always like the ocean!"

"I'm going to be a demon!" Natsu exclaimed. "I would look so wickedly awesome!"

"I'll probably be a knight!" Romeo shouted. "Knights are so cool!"

"I suppose I could be dressed as a shadow in all black." Rogue said in his usual voice.

"I'm going to be the big bad wolf!" Gajeel boasted. "I'm going to be in all gray and black with scary wolf features!"

"I'm going to be a detective. They're simple and I've always liked mysteries." Jellal said.

"I'll probably be Thor. You know the amazing Norse lightning god?" Laxus said with his arms crossed.

"I guess I'll go as a hunter. They're pretty cool." I said smiling.

We had our ideas chosen. All we needed now was to tell the royal dress makers our costume ideas.

Laxus is Thor.

Jellal is a detective.

Natsu is a demon.

I am a hunter.

Rogue is a shadow.

Gray is a pirate.

Gajeel is the big bad wolf.

Romeo is a knight.

This was going to be an amazing Autumn Costume Masquerade Ball.

Yukino's POV

Me and my sisters were all sitting in Mira and Juvia's shared room in Lady Angel's suite.

Mira had just gotten back from the infirmary and told us all what happened. It was so cruel of Lady Angel but Laxus was so sweet to Mira. I believe they like each other.

We told Mira about the Autumn Costume Masquerade Ball. We were all very excited. It would be so much fun!

Lady Angel was going as an angel. Her name was Angel after all I suppose.

Lady Minerva was going as a ice queen. She did have a heart of ice.

Lady Lisanna was going as a dove. She wasn't pure though.

Lady Flare was going as a psycho sexy clown. She is after a little psycho.

Me and my sisters had come up with amazing ideas for costumes but we had finally chosen the perfect ones.

Mira was going as a dark angel.

Erza was going as a knight.

Lucy was going as a phoenix.

I was going as a peacock.

Kagura was going as a swords woman.

Juvia was going as a mermaid.

Levy was going as Little Red Riding Hood.

Wendy was going as a princess.

We just had to get the fabric and materials then we were all set.

The ball was going to be amazing.

A/N: Hi everyone! I am so sorry for not updating sooner! I've been so busy lately. This is a short chapter but I promise that the next chapter will be a long one. ?

The next chapter will be the Autumn Costume Masquerade Ball. Happy Reading everyone! If I don't update before the end of the year then Happy New Year everyone!

How will the ball go?

Will there be tears or kisses or maybe both?

What are the four 'ladies' going to do once 8 sisters outshine them?

Find out in the next chapter of Dumpsters to Diamonds

Chapter Seven: The Autumn Costume Masquerade Ball

Please review!

~StarshineRose18