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Chapter Text

In a kingdom far away in the lands of Fiore, was a princess who hid away from her citizens. She was a charming young lady who charmed all those around her. She had the hair of a swan and a body of a vixen. Her voice was a lovely tune that caused all around her to coo and smile. Her eyes sparkled as she greeted everyone who came to the castle.

But one day, out of the blue, she disappeared from all those in the castle. A guard who had an outpost outside of the castle saw a light flicker in an abandoned tower. Her older brother and sister, without a moment's notice, came to her side. They waited outside of the tower's door; calling her name over and over.

"Lisanna-nee!" they called.

She never replied. She just sat inside of the room with her head between her knees as she listened to the cries of her siblings. A tear formed in her eye and crawled down her face as the sunset against the horizon. Soon the pleads stopped, and Lisanna sat there alone in the tower. Her siblings were forced back into the castle by the butlers of the family.

Two years passed and she never said a word; not to her brother who visited her every night and brought her meals; not to her sister who could only visit when the silver-haired was sleeping. Elfman would stay at her door all day long as he carried their one-sided conversations. Mira, as she was the firstborn and heir to the throne, would come to her sister's tower at night when both of her siblings fell asleep. She would calmly wake Elfman up as it was common he fell asleep against the tower's door.

"Goodnight Lisanna," she murmured as the two left to their rooms.

They were both worried for their dear younger sister.

The King, who was withered with age, sat on his throne and sought any possible solutions to bring the princess out of that tower. He looked at the nobles, at his servants for a possible way to get his wonderful granddaughter out of the tower. He sent guards, nursemaids, princes, and even peasants; but they all came back with the same result.

The castle had a different mood after the princess disappeared. The guests creep into the dark hallways without being greeted by the usual cheerful princess. The servants never smiled and distanced themselves away from the ruling family. Even the King felt the impact on his citizens of the kingdom. They all cared for the princess since the day she was born. She gave them the time of the day, and always treated them like family. But without her, the link between the King and his people disappeared.

But one day, a stranger came to the castle with a single request. "Allow me to get the princess out; in return, I will be the castle's knight."

He heard about the princess and this was a single opening for him to be recruited into the castle. He was just a stranger in this kingdom. He didn't know anyone and he only wandered around without the main purpose, till she heard about the tale of the princess in a tower.

The King nodded his large head. Out of all of the guests who came, this lad was the most determined as he set out right away to get the princess. The King showed him the tower that the princess lived in for two years; a shadow appeared in the window and then ducked back down. The King could only hope, that for once, someone would be able to get his granddaughter out of the tower. He missed her smiles, her giggles, and the mood she had on others.

Natsu stood in front of the tower door as he looked for a way inside. The door was locked from the inside, but it had a large enough hole to get plates of food through. The pink-haired looked at the hole and decided to put his hand within it to unlock the door. As soon as his hand went through, something smacked his hand right out the door. He fell back on his backside and itches his head.

"Princess?"

As always, there wasn't a reply. There were only shadows that moved across the wall and small footsteps. This was the princess's way of answering. This was the only way that the guards knew she was even alive in the castle since she has disappeared so long ago.

The lad grumbled and rubbed his butt as he stood up. He looked above and saw a small opening; a window. He cracked his knuckles and stood right under the window. He grabbed a brick and climbed up the wall. When he got halfway up the wall, he mistook his handling on the wall and fell. He waited for impact, but instead, he landed safely. When he opened his eyes, he faced a big buff man. He heard a tiny giggle from inside the tower.

"Another one?" the man sighed and his eyes rolled as if he witnessed the whole failed attempt. He lowered Natsu to the ground and walked over to the tower's door. He placed the plate within the hole that Natsu used moments ago. "Lisanna-nee, here's your lunch."

There was some movement inside of the tower.

The man smiled as if that was a thank you. He sat next to the door and started chatting to the person inside. Natsu saw this as a sign to retire for the day as it seemed the two wanted to be alone.

All he knew, was he would get that princess out of the tower one way or another. No matter how many times he failed.

He needed this job more than anything.

Chapter Text

Lisanna glazed from her window into the night air. Her eyes darted down to the grassland surrounding her tower. She could still see Elfman's and Mira's shrinking figures. She sighed at her view of their backs. Elfman tipped from one side to the other; he fell asleep at her doorway once again and Mira woke him up.

"Goodnight Lisanna," Mira had said with her sweet tired voice. She had grown weary from her burdens of the head of this family with their grandfather stepping down from the post.

Her hand rose in the night air and the air traveled down her pale skin. She took a deep breath of the night air and glazed along the horizon to the castle. That was where they all lived and she spaced herself away from them. Making them travel outside of the castle's doors just to spend some time with her.

A man sat along with the trees and stared at Lisanna's window and the siblings. His lip twitched and he noticed the longing in the sliver-haired woman's eyes. "So this is the Princess…" he ushered with a yawn. He leaned against the tree before forming a plan in his mind. He stood up from the ground and walked slowly to the castle as if the Princess would spot him and run away like a deer. He stood in the path leading to the door and looked up to the window she gazed out from. "Princess Lisanna." He knelt to the ground, "I am Natsu of Fiore. Here to do my bidding."

Lisanna glanced down to the knelt knight and walked away from the light. She didn't notice the pink-haired coming near her; she was focused on two disappearing figures and a mighty castle. She hide in the shadows, but her eyes remained on the man. She had didn't know his intentions, nor his business at her place.

"I am not here to harm you, my lady," he bowed his head to the ground. There were thousands of rules in greeting those with royalty blood in their veins, and he tried to think of the others as quickly as he could. He shifted his position to where both of his knees were on the ground but changed quickly back to one knee when he remember that was the position when dining with the royal family. He stayed in that position and his legs cramped. He gazed at the ground, obvious to what the princess was doing; another rule was to never look the higher ranked in the eyes, or above them.

Lisanna took a step forward into the light and she chuckled at his actions on the ground before her. She wanted to say he didn't have to do that, but she kept quiet and Natsu took this as a sign of him to leave or either appeal to her.

"My lady stays in this tower for two years and the King requests to get my lady out. My la-, I mean, Princess Lisanna, please come out." He had to stop himself from calling her "my lady". It was a term only for bodyguards and knights of the castle, in which Natsu was neither of them. He had to call her by her title. Maybe one day he would be able to call her "my lady" but that was only if she came out of that tower and the King kept his word.

Princess Lisanna nodded her head once but then shook it. She knew about this; millions of guests and visitors have come and gone with the same words; every time she stayed within the tower. She knew her grandfather wanted her to leave this tower fit for peasants, but she will not.

Natsu cleared his voice and his annoyance was becoming visible with each passing minute. From all of the tales he heard of this vixen princess, none of them stated for her to be stubborn as a mule. 'I need this job. I need this job. I need this job. I need this job,' he chanted over and over.

If she wasn't going to speak and act like a princess, he wasn't going to act like a knight.

He stood up and unsheathed his sword. He lunged forward and slashes against the wooden door; he broke an unspoken rule and would be counted as an act of treason for unsheathing his weapon in front of a higher rank, but he didn't care. It creaked from the crash and inside of the tower there was running.

Lisanna ran down the stairs into the ground level and took chairs and pushed them against the door. She had done this practice a couple of times from angered nobles. "Come out here!" he roared from the outside. He huffed and puffed and thrust again, but Lisanna pulled all of her weight behind the door.

It stayed intact.

Natsu groaned and pulled back. Now that the princess was near the door, it would be possible to damage her if he tried hacking the door into pieces. That wasn't a good way into getting the job if on his resume he had a criminal record of killing a princess.

"Come out already!" he hollered. She didn't reply. She stayed against the door in case he tried breaking it down once again. He sheathed his sword finally and used a different approach. He laid his items on the stones of the tower. He patted them into place and lay down. It was uncomfortable. He turned and rolled until he found some sort of comfortable spot. "I'm not leaving anytime soon."

Lisanna peeked through the crack; she couldn't see anything that he was doing on the other side of the door. For all she knew, he was tunneling under to get to her. She rested her head against the wall and sighed tiredly; usually, she would be asleep in the patted mat in the highest room of this tower by the time Mira and Elfman left. But Natsu came and distracted her till the moon was already high in the night sky. She slept kindly on the blanket against the wall. Her light snores were echoed by a Natsu in a louder intake.

The moon hide away from the sun and the birds hummed their lovely tone. Lisanna slowly awoke from her place on the blanket. She stretched her arms outward and lifted her bottom from finest red velvet from the land. Outside she heard snoring and remembered the pink-haired knight from the day before. She squeezed her forehead and prepared herself for his attempts at getting her out of the tower. She made a check on all the floors as if he tried to tunnel; blocked the wooden door with a piece of wood and two chairs. She placed her mat over the window; she just hoped it wouldn't fall.

Natsu finally awoke when he heard the noises of her covering the window. "Awake already? But the sun is barely up…" he moaned. He lifted his head from the ground but he dropped it back onto his bag. It was too early.

Chapter Text

Natsu rubbed his back. He finally entered the castle after spending the whole night outside the tower. Mirajane greeted him at the door; apparently, she was waiting for him to come. She rearranged all of her meetings today to meet with the young knight. She had hope in her eyes as she welcomed him inside the dining hall. Maids crossed their paths and offered to get them some breakfast.

Natsu's stomach grumbled at the sound of breakfast. With all of this going on, he had forgotten the need of eating.

Mira giggled at his reaction and turned to the maid. "Yes, thank you."

The maid nodded her head and went to the kitchen; leaving the knight along with the soon-to-be queen. Mira gestured him to sit down across from her. The other seats at the table were empty and the butler was wiping down the end of the table. From what Natsu would see, they had just gotten done with breakfast before he arrived.

The food arrived and the maid positioned them in front of the two. She bowed and left them alone once again. Mirajane nodded her head to the bowl of soup, and Natsu did likewise. He shifted in his seat to get into a comfortable position. A spoon wavered the soup's surface and leaked into the oval shape. It lifted from the soup and entered her mouth. Her eyes stayed on the bowl when her mouth opened. "How is she?"

"Who?" Natsu asked without a second thought. "Oh…Princess Lisanna," he lifted his hands above the table and his hand was bruised from his attempt at getting inside of the tower by the door. "She's living, I know that," he tried to joke. He shook his head. He was in the presence of the upcoming queen and he was acting like a fool; she was even laughing at him. He took a deep breath and started again. "Princess Lisanna is stubborn in staying inside of the tower. But I will get her out of there."

Mirajane looked up from the bowl into his eyes. She reached over and grabbed his hands. "I trust you, Sir Natsu. I trust Lisanna in your hands. Soon she will be out…" Her voice quieted at the thought of her sister. So much has changed within the last two years that she wished to see Lisanna more than ever. "After we feast, we can go visit her tower together. I haven't been there in the sunlight ever since my days were piling up."

"Queen Mirajane," a butler bowed.

"That is not my correct title, I am just a princess," she smiled at the old butler.

He nodded at his mistake, "Princess Mirajane, visitors are waiting for you inside the Great Hall."

"I am not taking any meeting today, though," she looked at him.

"I told them so, but they still stayed rooted outside for you." Natsu's eye twitched. He had an idea of who could be outside, but it was far too early for him to arrive. He just wished that the visitors weren't the ones he was thinking of, or then problems may arise.

She sighed and dropped the spoon into the soup. She lifted out of her seat and bowed to Natsu, who became uncomfortable at the gesture. "I am sorry for this sudden interruption, hopefully, you can forgive me."

"it's fine," he waved it off. "A knight of my status shouldn't be taking up your time."

She nodded her head at his remark and left the hall. Natsu finished his meal quickly and left the hall as well. He walked out the door and bumped into a pillar. In front of him were Elfman and some other lady who was busy giggling.

Elfman bowed forward; not even taking notice of Natsu's presence. He moved in and flirted with the girl who blushed and giggled once again. Natsu shook his head. After his first meeting with the young man, he didn't think he had such a good first impression that would allow him to live another day if he interrupted this meeting between him and this lady. Natsu turned around and quickly left the two to do their biddings and whatnot.

Maybe he could get a peek of the castle's visitors; he wondered.

He opened the door and entered the great hall. The grand door of the castle closed as soon as he arrived and he saw Mirajane's dress fluttered out the door. He cursed under his breath and followed after the princess. He would have caught her if it wasn't for Elfman catching him.

"You're the knight from yesterday?" he questioned.

Natsu turned around and finally came to terms with Elfman's huge figure. He nodded his head at his question; at least the guy remembered him so that was a good starting point.

"I'm Prince Elfman of Fiore; The Man. It wasn't a man of me to not introduce myself to you."

"It's fine. Seeing as how I fell from the sky…" he started but never finished.

"This is your second day?" Natsu nodded once again, "Most never get past that. Since Mirajane trusts you, I will help you some. I haven't given Lisanna her breakfast yet…" He itches his head and hoped his sister wasn't angered at him, "So you could give it to her."

Natsu tilted his head and gazed at the older man. "That's all you got?" He wasn't speaking formally anymore to the young prince. And his voice reeked of annoyance.

"That's better than nothing."

…

Natsu walked out into the yard. Mirajane was nowhere to be seen with her visitor and he had a hot plate of food to deliver to the princess; so he decided against taking a peek at the visitor. If the visitor is the one that he thinks it is, then he would hear about the guest soon. He held the plate close to his chest and stayed on the path. This way he wouldn't look like an intruder like the other times. He wanted to get this princess out, so he had to stay calm as can be.

"Knight Natsu at your service, Princess Lisanna," he bowed down. He waited for some gesture or sound to tell him he could approach the tower, but none came. He cursed under his breath at the princess' silence throughout all of this.

'The Vixen Princess speaks no word, but her eyes tell all,' a voice drifted into his mind. He encountered many people in his travels and some spoke of the princess. How her tongue was limp but her smile never creases. Her footsteps pattered but not more than a whisper. She was called the Vixen Princess for these traits of being light on her feet and her posture.

Even though nobody has seen her in years, myths surround her each passing day; each one becoming more unearthly as the next.

"Here is your breakfast," he stepped up to the door and slide the plate through the hole; the same one he used for his first attempt. Instead of being welcomed by a smack, something with the texture of a baby's skin gently took the plate out of his hands. He sat down in front of the door like Prince Elfman did yesterday. He sat on his knees and lowered his head to the ground. "Your voice is never heard, not by your family, nor servants. Your face hides in the shadows each passing day. Why do you hide, Vixen Princess?"

There was no sound; not none of eating or backing away.

He tried once more, "Your eyes sparkly whenever night sky is viewed, but none shall see it. You're timid as a mouse that hides in fear of the next day. Why do you fear, Vixen Princess?"

Once again, there was no answer.

He let out a breath of air, "Your brother counts another woman but always comes back to you. Your sister worries about the kingdom, but you are her priority. Why do you stress, Vixen Princess?" He knew he hit a sore note when there were crashing sounds within the tower. He didn't know what else to do. "Your citizens create tales about you as if you are only a myth. Your pretense lingers in this kingdom and slowly fades each passing day. Why do you linger, Vixen Princess?"

There was a deep huff behind the door and she dropped to the ground. Her hand lingered on the doorknob but it never opened. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. Her fingers pressured the skin around her neck as if that would help but only sounds of crying could be heard.

"If you're the princess then act like one!" He finally stated as his face turned red. He stood up suddenly as if he was about to bash the door in, but he backed away before he allowed his anger to outwit him. "Princess Lisanna, even if I'm only a knight, not even that, I'm ranked as much as a peasant. BUT UNLIKE YOU, I DO MY DUTY!"

He turned around and stumbled away from the tower while the girl wept from within.

Chapter Text

The door pushed open and a small foot stepped into the moonlight. She looked out into the open grassland before stepping out of the doorframe. Light shined down on her silver hair and she felt the shreds of grass on the palms of her feet. Her eyes darted in the treeing; she was looking for any lingering guard.

Princess Lisanna waited till nightfall after her siblings left her tower. The knight hasn't been seen since her breakdown.

She tiptoed down the path and find whenever she found a sound. She used a secret passage to get inside of the castle where that dear to her rested.

Her white dress drifted with the wind before the door shut and she followed the tunnel into a storage room. Bottles of unopened wine wrapped in cobwebs sat along the wall.

"Why do you linger, Vixen Princess?" a voice echoed in her mind. She shook her head; shaking his words away. Those words held weight to them and harmed her on the inside. She knew they were true. If Elfman and Mirajane didn't visit her tower every day, she would not have had any contact with the outside world. She was caught in her trap of separating herself from the others. Even her villagers don't think she still exists in this world. That she was only a fragment of their imagination.

Her hand felt along the stone wall. This was the southern wing where nobles lived. Pictures lined up along the walls of the royal family and those close to the throne. These were people before her time; her grand grandparents and so on. These were her grandfather's family.

She walked down the hall and stopped slowly to observe the newer pictures. She came across one of her grandfathers and grandmother. The two held each other hands while smiling at each other. They were young and glowing. The next picture she passed was one only of her grandfather. He looked away from the painter and out the window. He was in the same room as he was in for the first picture and older than before.

After his pictures, there was one of her parents. They looked lovely together. He had an arm over her shoulder and his face very close to hers. They were almost smooching. Their silver and gold hair mixed over his clothing.

She faintly remembered them. They died when she was only a small toddler. They died together in a war against a neighboring country; a war that is still ongoing on the borders of the country. They had no second picture; the next picture was of all three siblings standing next together. This picture was painted four years ago; two years behind she hid away.

"Why do you hide, Vixen Princess?" his voice entered her mind once again.

She had no real answer. Her hand reached up to her throat and felt the ragged skin that stretched across her neck.

"A scar?" his voice entered her mind once more, or so she thought. She turned and there he was, the knight. He stood there leaning on the same wall. He was standing near where Mirajane's picture would be hanged once she is crowned Queen.

She covered the mark and backed away from the knight.

"You do not speak because of that?" he questioned once again. He walked wards her and moved her hand away from her scar. "The damage is deep and close to your sprain. Only a miracle could allow you to live to see another day," he looked up at her eyes.

She nodded her head. It was a miracle; indeed. A bandit raided her carriage and tried to behead her, but a piercing arrow flew through his heart and he fall to the ground. The shooter pulled her out of the carriage and rescued her. She didn't know how or even who, but she woke up the next day beside the tower; away from the castle as if the shooter was hiding. She woke up without a voice.

"Is this why you hide?" Natsu questioned as he rubbed his finger over the scar once again.

She started to shake her head but started nodding. She didn't know how to answer this so she made a motion with her hand. It wobbled up and down as if she was saying kinda. She held on to her throat, and on his hand, and looked up at the picture of the three siblings. A tear formed in her eye.

"What about them? They would understand. They would be glad, even!" he argued as he held onto her hand. "They spent two years away from you. They want you back, Lisanna," he paused at the name usage but went on, "You are their sister and they miss you."

Lisanna looked up at the pink-haired. She didn't know how to explain what exactly she meant. She held up both of her hands and tied them together, but slowly pulled them apart. She looked up at him, hoping he would understand her gesture.

"Moving…away?" he questioned.

She laid her head down and thought of something. She flattens her hand and with her other hand, she acted as if it was a pen. "You want…ink and paper?" he guessed and she nodded. He turned away and took off down the hall.

She waited and the moon lowered in the distance. She tapped her foot hoping to keep awake and ready in case any nobles would come out. Natsu finally came back and handed her the ink and feather, and the tiny piece of paper. Lisanna turned and laid it on the wall. She scribbled on it and finally handed it back to the knight.

'As the years pass as will each of us. Mirajane will stay here and rule the throne. I am destined to leave to another kingdom, as will Elfman. Being in that tower was the only way to stay close to Elfman and Mira.'

Natsu's eyes darted from one end to the other. A frown formed when he finally finished reading. He looked down at the girl. "By staying within that tower, you stress all that cares for you. What's the point of staying there if you can't even contact them?!"

"Why do you stress, Vixen Princess?" his statement echoed once again.

She looked down at her pale skin. She knew the burdens she had on others, but this was the only way she could keep the three of them together. Once she steps out of the tower, the three will go off in different paths; she didn't want that. She wanted her two siblings. She loved them with all her heart and she didn't want to leave the comfort of her two siblings.

She looked back up at him and placed her hands together once again.

He shook his head and sighed. He bent down; below her to not disrespect her. "You will be stuck in there while they live their lives. They both have duties within the kingdom and soon they won't have enough time to visit you. Queen…I mean Princess Mirajane has little time as it is to travel the night and say goodnight to you. One of these days their visits will shorten and not come at all. What will you do then if you are stuck inside of your tower?"

Once again she didn't have an answer.

Natsu felt her neck and looked into her eyes, "Go on with your life, Vixen Princess, and allow them to go on with their lives as well. Everyone wants you out of there. Have you seen the kingdom? The citizens tell tales about you as if you are a myth. They don't smile as they used to. You were the kingdom's shiny star."

She tapped her scar once again.

"It doesn't matter if you cannot speak. Just your smile brightens everyone's day. Your eyes gleam and lighten the hearts of your people. Even with a scar, you are a unique gem."

A tiny smile appeared on her face. She touched her scar once more. Instead of feelings of regret and sadness, she felt good and enlightened.

"So will you leave your tower?" he asked.

She paused but finally nodded her head at his request. He held her hand and helped her up. "Let's go and greet the King." She stayed in her place, but he moved her along.

She was going to met her Grandfather.

Chapter Text

As the sun rose against the horizon, people began waking from their sleep. The King was already dressed and present in the court before the nobles showed. The guards stood their ground next to the pillars. Mirajane was buried with business in the back room. The guest that showed yesterday stayed overnight and stared over her shoulder while she finished.

Elfman courted the lady with bronze hair that curved around her form. He smile and stayed in the shadows away from others. The lady feared onlookers and wanted to keep this relationship hidden. This was a prince she was flirting with. A man with power.

Everyone within the castle started their tasks for the day when a pink-haired knight stepped into the court. Two nearby guards glanced at him curiously. Their mouths dropped and they had to wipe their eyes; they didn't believe what they were seeing.

Princess Lisanna stepped out from the hallway and into the court.

The Vixen Princess who was never seen in two years was inside the court.

One of them stepped back onto the green velvet carpet and caused others to look their way. They gasped in shock from the appearance of Princess Lisanna. Some bowed down in respect of the Princess; while others ram their heads into the wall.

The Princess blinked her lovely blue eyes and slowly walked past the guards and onto the green carpet. She turned and slowly walked forward to the throne where the king sat. She held her hands at knee level and halted in front of the steps that lead up to the throne.

"Li…Lisanna…" he muttered. His jaw shook up and down. He just stared forward at his young granddaughter.

She nodded at the sound of her name. Her mouth stayed close while the room was filled with chatters. The nobles stood on the sidelines and questioned what was happening. Natsu stood between the pillars and allowed Lisanna to freely talk with her grandfather. This was a moment everyone was waiting for, and he allowed them to do so without his interruption.

The king stood up on his feet quickly and raced down the fleet of steps. He stood in front of Lisanna who was three heads taller than the king. His arms wrapped around her waist and she lowered herself to the ground and hugged him. Tears of happiness floated down their cheeks.

The news of the princess spread quickly throughout the castle and the siblings arrive. Elfman stood on the right of the green carpet and stared at the two figures hugging in front of the throne. He didn't even notice Natsu or his sweetheart noble girl. He only noticed his dear sister. He raced forward and hugged her from behind. "Lisanna!" he cried as manly tears appeared.

Mira stood in the doorway which was behind the throne. She stood there as if she saw a ghost. When her legs allowed her to walk, she went down the stairs and hugged Lisanna. Elfman's hands pulled her closer.

"Aren't this beautiful…" a soured voice muttered from the same doorway Mirajane was just at. The man rolled his eyes and went back inside of the meeting room.

Natsu cursed under his breath. That man was the one person he didn't want to see today or any other day. Not when something so powerful just happened. That man just came to ruin the moment. Natsu made a fist and walked wards the back room. He didn't care if anyone saw him. A lonely peasant, who hasn't gotten the job of the castle's knight, goes inside of a royal room. If this was somewhere else, he would have been killed on spot.

That man was observing the important documents laid out on the table. Natsu's muscles tensed as he glared at the intruder. "Why are you here, Asshole?"

The blonde-haired looked up with a smug look on his face. "Under what business do I have to tell you?"

Natsu smirked, "As this Castle's Knight."

Sting put a finger on his lip and narrowed his eyes at the pink-haired. "Is that so? From what I have heard, you hadn't officially gotten that title, have you?"

"What do you mean?"

"King Makarov hasn't placed the title of honor upon you, peasant. Till then, don't talk to me."

The pink-haired bites his lip from saying anything else. If he did since a thing whenever the royal family was having a moment, he could be cast beside. Or Sting could take it upon himself to give the knight a punishment for his actions. This was a world where rank mattered and Natsu was at the lowest. He had to be patient to finally attain the title of the Castle's Knight.

The pink-haired did remove the documents from the table and stored them away out of the blonde's sight. At least he could do something against the blonde; even if it was a small thing.

Sting cursed as Natsu finally left the room. He entered the Throne room. The family of four finally had broken away and allowed for the sliver haired to breathe. She looked at each of her family members. Her face glistens as she turned and looked at Natsu. He made a slight gesture and walked over to the family. He bowed respectfully in front of the King, Princesses, and the Prince. "Natsu Dragneel, at your service."

"My boy! You got her out! This calls for a feast!" the King cheered. The nobles were excited at this statement. A feast with a king was grand.

"You are a man among men!" Elfman stated while wiping his eyes. He swung an arm over her shoulder and gave a ting squeezed. It has been so long since he saw his beautiful little sister.

"Natsu-kun! You're the best~!" Mira said with her eyes closed. She wiped away a tear that flowed down her cheek.

"It was only a part of the deal," he stated. Lisanna narrowed her eyes but questioned anything about it. It was only a deal that led Natsu to help her. She didn't care; she was with her siblings.

"Oh, that deal! Sir Natsu Dragneel, I welcome you into our kingdom with open arms!" the King declared for all to hear.

"Welcome to the castle!" Mirajane smiled. Elfman turned back to Lisanna and patted her shoulder.

Sting exited the room and bowed in front of the group. It was as if on cue. "With the papers in order, I will be leaving now."

"Farewell Sir Sting," the silver-haired girl nodded her head. Lisanna did likewise, but she had to glance back up at the blonde. His eyes pierced through her skin and she shivered. She looked away from his deadly eyes and into the protection eyes of Natsu. This was when the nobles saw a flash of dark uneven skin on the Princess.

"Is that a scar on her neck?" a noble questioned.

"When did she get a scar?"

Mirajane looked down and gasped when she sighted the scar across Lisanna's neck. She has never done this before. When could this have happened to her? "What happened to you, Lisanna?"

All of them stared at her but she could give no answers. Natsu took the lead for her, "She cannot speak. The scar was from a wound that was deep in her neck."

Chapter Text

A kingdom created in the middle of two larger countries is bound to pick a side or encounter a battle. The king of the Kingdom fought in the front lines against the Sabertooth Empire ever since the first century. The battles were about the territory that the kingdom was placed.

This is where Natsu came into place. He was a young peasant taken into the care of Sabertooth's Castle. His duties were simple, listen and obey to get the daily meal. But, as a mere peasant, he attains information he wasn't supposed to gain.

A sneak attack against the Fairytail Kingdom.

Troops were arranged to gather in the land on the other side of Fairytail, Ravenheel territory. There they would gather and march into the Kingdom's Castle. Everything that wasn't supplied would be burnt and used as a campground.

As soon as Natsu learned of these plans, he escaped the castle that night and traveled to Fairytail. He wasn't one for betraying his homeland, but Sabertooth wasn't his homeland. He lived within Fairytail's borders with his father for five years before a battle took place and he was pushed into Sabortooth's lands for the next thirteen years.

When he heard of those plans, he knew he had to leave the Kingdom of Sabertooth and enter Fairytail once more. There he ventured through Greenland and came upon the castle.

He was only a peasant.

They wouldn't believe such nonsense words from a lower-ranked peasant who didn't even live in the Kingdom's grounds. Once he heard about the Vixen Princess, who he only heard rumors of, he made a deal with the king.

The once peasant boy waited within the meeting room with Princess Lisanna. The girl stayed by his side ever since she exited the castle. He was the only one she left comfortable with, other than her siblings; who were always on the go

Mirajane just entered the large room and sat across from him. She took a slip of the waiting drink on the table and glanced at the pink-haired and then to her sister. She placed a cup of tea in front of Lisanna and smiled gently at her sister. It has been a day since she came out of the tower, but with Mira's busy schedule, she only saw Lisanna a few times. "Sting-kun. You say you know him?"

Natsu leaned back in his chair and placed a hand on the table. He felt unused to these chairs that had the same height as the royal blood. "I know him, even if I don't want to. He's in charge of Sabortooth's military affairs."

"He came yesterday to establish some trades between the two kingdoms…what do you think of it?" The sliver haired looked up from the tea. Reports came in through the knights and nobles of the castle about Natsu's last household.

"He's a jerk face two-timer. It's a lie."

The girl couldn't help but giggle at that statement. "There's bad blood between the two of you?"

"Worst than that, but let's not talk about that. They are planning an attack later this week. They are heading to the castle."

"Attack?!"

Lisanna gasped and her seat jerked. The castle hasn't been attacked since the King was alive. The enemies only attacked the borders, like how Lisanna's parents died, raided on the streets on the west.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Mira questioned once she cooled down.

"Then you would have known I was a peasant from those lands. Wouldn't listen to me."

"That is understandable….but now we have little time to prepare… If that is all, then the meeting is over. I'm going to go discuss this with Elfman and the generals, so please prepare." Mirajane stood up and gave a slight bow before leaving the room.

Lisanna's eyes lowered to the ground. This was what she was avoiding. The times spent without her siblings were growing and greater. At least within the tower, one would stay all afternoon and the other would visit at night. But with the business going on, it was futile to have time with either one of them.

Salamander placed a hand on Lisanna's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Wait until things settle down and they will gain more time."

Vixen Princess nodded and took the last sip of her tea.

At least Natsu was there. Someone who had more time to spare for her. She was just getting used to this world, which she needed someone to rely on until she could get back on her feet.

…

"A rat escaped and ran into that dump"

"Spilling all of our information to the enemy."

"Little shit."

"We can't wait any longer. Tonight, we attack."

…

Fireballs shoot through the sky and crash against the walls of the castle. Nobles ran for their lives. Guards protected the royal blood and the castle with their very own lives.

The pink-haired unsheathe his sword and trusted into the lines of the incoming forces. They thundered closer and he had to back up. Behind him was the Vixen Princess. She had no weapons, only her sleeping dress. She had no way to protect herself from the enemies. They were ill-prepared for this attack.

She did the only thing that she could.

With the force of a sheltered princess, she threw her slippers at them.

"Can't you do better than that?!" Natsu yelled bitterly at the young princess.

She gulped and shrugged her shoulders.

He rolled his eyes and thrust his sword forward at an incomer. "Grab some poles from the windows! Use them as spears or something!"

She nodded quickly and ran up the stairs. She gathered the poles she crossed, which there were only four. She threw one down at Natsu. He grabbed it and blocked a sword from slicing his face. The princess ran down the flight of stairs and stood at the last step. One of the poles crashed to the ground, and she speared the attackers. She was above them, so she was protected from low blows.

"That's it! Now, try it with two!"

She nodded once again and grabbed the second pole. She did the technique that Natsu was using and poked the guards on the other side of the wall.

Three swords clashed down onto Natsu's, and he had to pull back. He retreated up the stairs, and Lisanna grabbed all the poles she dropped. They ended up at the top of the stairwell. There wasn't space for Lisanna to attack from, so she stayed behind Natsu. She was his watch.

A fireball landed right above them, and the ceiling began to crumble. "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" Natsu pulled Lisanna out of the way and rolled into a nearby door. They ended up outside of the castle. Bricks stacked on top of each other lined the path.

They had a great view of the battlefield. The castle was still standing. Only one hit was able to damage the inside. Natsu glanced down and saw Elfman protecting Mirajane with other guards. He sighed in relief. At least they were together and safe. He just needed to do his job as the Castle's Knight and protect the Vixen Princess from harm.

Blonde hair pushed against the crumbles and pushed through.

Sting.

He stood there with blood dripping down his chest. He picked up his sword and smiled at the pink-haired. "Why isn't it the little rat!"

"Sting," Natsu growled. He glanced back and instructed Lisanna, with his eyes, to travel down the stone path. Away from him and Sting. Just in case things went too intense for the princess.

Their swords clashed against each other and neither allowed the other to gain an upper advantage. He clashed downward, but it was blocked with the other sword. Natsu unsheathe the pole he used earlier, but it was scrapped away within a minute after he pulled it out. "Living in the enemy's castle as if you are a Big Shot! Hahahaha! And they made you into a Castle Knight! I didn't know they could get any pitiful than there was!"

"Speak for yourself, Asshole!"

"At least I'm not betraying ANYONE! YOU LITTLE SHEPPARD!"

"This was where I WAS BORN! I WAS BETRAYING THEM AS SOON AS I WORKED UNDER YOU!"

"Then you should have stayed!" Sting lifted his sword above his head and slashed downwards. Natsu went to block, but the strength was unexpected and Natsu's sword clattered away into the grounds from below.

Natsu jumped backward before the sword could pierce him. "LISANNA! LEAVE! FIND SHELTER!" he yelled while keeping his sights on Sting. The blonde grinned and thrust forward; which Natsu dodged. He didn't have any more weapons. He was at a disadvantage.

He backed up but tripped over the fallen pieces of the pole. They were too small to even use in battle.

Sting hovered over the pink-haired and lifted his sword once more.

He thrust forward.

An arrow, shoot from behind, came piercing through Sting's armor. He fall over, off the ledge, and fell to his death. Natsu rose quickly and tried to spot the person who shoot the arrow that saved his life.

He didn't see anyone.

Just a hooded shadow and blue hair.

"Je…" Natsu rolled off his tongue, but he shook his head and got up to his feet. He ran across the path and found Lisanna; who was standing at the door looking at the place where the hooded figure was. She was holding her throat, but Natsu pushed her inside of the castle before she could do anything.

…

The two forces fought against each other for the rest of the night before the Sabertooth retreated once they found their fallen leader.

The victory was theirs.

Everyone cheered in delight at the won. Elfman lifted his two sisters in the air. Mirajane squealed, and Lisanna held onto his hulky forearm. They giggled as he blushed when a fine lady passed him. The king danced with Natsu and drank.

And before the moon lowered from the horizon, Natsu stole a kiss from the Vixen Princess.

A kiss that bonded them forever.

The king, drunk from the wine, declared their love and had a wedding the next day. They lived together within the castle. Their friendly auras enlighten the castle for every guest that enters. After the deadly battle that lasted one night, the castle recreated itself from two years prior. With Lisanna at its head.

Mirajane became the Queen once the elder King stepped down. She ruled the lands with her brother as her advisor and general. A prince from afar away kingdom came and engaged the Queen and they ruled together on the throne. Elfman finally courted the woman he had been chasing after; Evergreen. Their wedding followed after Mira's and the two lived in Noble's Wing.

All three siblings were finally together, under one roof. Their paths in life encountered each other daily.

They were finally together.