Chapter 17: The Party

Princess Hisui had arrived early the day before and her guard captain was sweeping every corner of the building and surrounding grounds with is men for any threat to both the party's attendees and the Princess herself within five minutes of being greeted. Freed, Lucy, and Lazare were glad to see that they were efficient and organized, but then again, they didn't doubt it either. Now on the day of the party they had taken over the entire security force, handling everything from checking in guests to securing the grounds allowing for the mages to hunt down whomever was there to hurt Mika.

The mages were separated into three teams. The first one was to guard the exit ways incase they got past the royal guards and to assist the guards, those mages were given a pedant by the princess herself to identify them to other guards. And they were all Dragon slayers. The team was made of Laxus, Gajeel, Wendy, Sting, Rouge and Natsu. They figured they better make the strongest, and best trackers, they last line of defense.

The second one was to watch for anyone making an active attempt to take the girl, or if someone did grab her. These people were from the other guilds, but they specialized in illusion, shadow, and sleep magics. The third and last team was team 'Mika' this team was made up of the Foudre family itself. Mika was told to stay close to her family, so this was her first and foremost line of defense. Freed, Lucy, Lazare, Michelle, Michael, and Felecia. Each of them was a mage and could fight if needed, but that wasn't the plan. No, the plan was already told in detail to Mika. If Mika saw her father at the party tonight, no matter how hard it was, she would point him out and would go over to him in front over everyone…and that's when their plan would unfold. She just had to be brave and know that everyone was there for her, even the Princess was.

~6pm The Start of The Party~

The Foudre's were greeting guests along side the Princess herself. Many taken a back by her presence. Inside food and rink were being passed around. Earlier that day before the actual festivities freed laid down some more runes so that magic could not be used in the grounds, just to make the place safe for all the mages gathered. Mika was marveling at all the different types of clothing people were wearing. It was different from the gala, it was still formal but this time mages were involved, and their version of formal was eccentric and wild, and Mika loved it. Some looked almost royal, while others looked almost feral. She was looking forward to greeting the next person when she stiffened, she knew the plan, so she wouldn't do anything right now, she had to wait. But right in front of her so close he could touch her, looming over her, was her father.

"Welcome! Apologies I recognize your face, but I can't seem to place your name."

"No worries, my company is small it happens frequently. Its Lenn Pomwell."

"Ah. Well I hope you enjoy you evening Mr. Pomwell, Welcome."

The man looked down then, for the first time and he was going to take a step taking notice of Mika.

"Mika? Is that you?"

Mika shifted uncomfortably away from him. 'I didn't do anything why! I was following the plan!' That's when Princess Hisui spoke up her guard coming to surround her.

"Mr. Pomwell do you know this little girl?"

"Of course, I do! She's my daughter! Better question is what she is doing here?!"

"Well why don't we talk about that privately hm? Captain continue inviting the guests in, no reason to ruin a good party. Lazare. If you would."

"Of course, Princess."

The captain of the guard nodded and continue inviting guests in, mages baring his princess seal surrounding him. He assumed they were there to make sure no one followed the man in.

~Lazare's Office~

Lazare offered his office chair to Hisui knowing she needed to show her authority right now, and she gratefully took it. Lazare taking an office chairs and setting their backs against the wall. Two royal guards, Laxus, and Gajeel also entered the room taking their spots by the princess. Hisui being the one to speak first.

"So Mr. Pomwell. I can see you are very distraught after seeing your daughter today. Why is that?"

"Because I thought she was dead. I saw on the news my ex-wife was dead, killed by guild mages and I thought she was too."

"Hmm…I see seems you got some mis-information. I will also have to clear up the news sources a little I cant have legal guild having a bad name. Lucy, Freed. Please educate Mr. Pomwell on what really happened that night."

Freed stood up since Lucy was comforting Mika, his voice smooth and calm.

"Yes Princess. Mr. Pomwell. I am Freed Justine Foudre, and my wife is Lucy Ashley Foudre. Formerly Heartfillia. On the night in question your ex-wife knocked on our door in a panic, and guilded mages, no as Fairytail mages we could not let it go unanswered. So, we let her, and your daughter into our home. Your ex-wife explained how she had been running from someone and had tried several other homes but had all turned her away and how she had suspected that the person hunting them had been sent by none other than you. She also explained to us how she left because her daughter had come to her in tears after not being able to take any more physical or sexual abuse from her own father, and how with substantial evidence in that case the courts had awarded her full custody. I was able to confirm that much with the courts, even though the divorce records were sealed, and we could confirm not who you were, and she would not tell us due to law. She also explained to us how you had taken her from Joya, wooed her and brought her here, married her. She begged us to keep her daughter safe as she made plans to get back to Joya with her and away from you. We agreed. She gave us temporary guardianship, full guardianship in the case of her death. Then the next day as she steps foot outside our protective runes all three of us inside making plans to go shopping we hear a scream. We run out to investigate and we see her, dead not even a foot from the runes. Assassins already gone. They had been waiting."

Hisui looked at Mr. Pomwell who was now sitting down his hands clasped over his mouth. Waiting for his reply. Finally, after a few minutes it came

"I... I know how it looks."

Lazare was the one to reply.

"But you weren't the one who ordered the hit were you?"

The now solemn man shook his head.

"No. I wasn't. After she left me, and I was taken to court I lost everything. Yes, I still have my company but that doesn't matter to me. I'll be honest. I never wanted kids, I hate them. But I did love Veseria. I was a fool for what I did to Mika."

He looked up strait at Mika.

"I mean to you. I thought If no one found out I would be fine. I took my frustrations of having to deal with a kid out on you. I'm sorry. It won't fix it though."

Hisui turned and looked out the window.

"Well this doesn't solve our little problem then. Who is after our sweet little Mika enough to enrage me?"

Lenn Pomwell Looked at Hisui.

"What do you mean? Someone is after her?"

Lucy was the one to speak up.

"Yes there was another attack not that long ago, a direct one. People with suicide capsules. They said it would be 'bad for their employer to get caught' but before that they also said they were here to bring that 'little girl back to her daddy'. So that's why we assumed you were the one who started everything."

Lenn sighed his face grim.

"As much as I'm very happy to see she's alive I'd rather her be with you. As I said before I'm not good with children. I know it's a lot to ask to raise someone else child, but I didn't do a good job the first time, and I probably wouldn't the second. With Veseria gone if she were to come with me she would have no one that she would like."

Mika spoke for the first time the whole conversation.

"I don't want to leave Lucy, Freed, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Mike, or Aunt Felecia. They teach me my magic and play with me and buy me pretty clothes and toys, and I'm a member of Fairytail too."

She raised up her hand, so her father could see her guild mark.

"So, I can't go even if you want me too, cause then gramps Makarov would be sad, and Jellal says I need to practice my magic every day or I can hurt people, So I can't go I can't."

Tears were now fully falling down her face, little sniffles heard every now and then.

"And and and…"

Laxus was the one to walk over to her and envelop her in a hug.

"Hey kid remember what gramps said when he put that mark on ya?"

"That we are Nakama and that no matter wha…"

BOOOOM! There was a loud explosion right outside the runes. Lenn screamed and ended up on the floor from the unexpected noise. Hisui sighed as everyone else looked at offending thing. Lazare letting out a light laugh.

"Thank Mavis for Freed's runes. Well I think we've confirmed it's not Lenn. If it was that Magic bomb would have killed him too."

Hisui nodded. "I agree I think it's about time to greet our newest guest."

The group made its way down stairs and into the grand ballroom, the royal guard already moving non-mages deeper into the estate now that the runes were pretty much useless. Several dozen mages stood at the ready as three hooded figures made their way inside. With cackling laughs. Freed could have sworn he had seen one of these hooded figures staring into the guild hall not that long ago, looking at Mika. Had he misjudged intent so poorly. That wasn't like him. The figure in the middle look off its hood and there was a stunning red-haired woman, with emerald eyes.

"This is a warning, and you only get one. Look how well you played the fool. That little girl was never the target. You all were, and you played the game oh so well. We are Crimson Ploy, and you are now our pets. Whether you like it or not. I'm not talking about just Fairytail either, I'm talking about Fiore. Fairytail was just the ploy this time. We can make you believe anything, do anything so even if you resist us asking, you will still do it even if you don't think you are. For example. You got everyone here for us to talk to. How very nice of you."

The royal guards went to rush them, but just as they got their hands around them, they dispersed into smoke. Nobody liked this. Not the Princess, not the guilds, and sure as hell not Fairytail. They had all been played, that was worse then threatened or hurt. It meant that their intelligence was abused, and they didn't like it.