Archive of Our Own

Lucy's father burst through the door of their small cottage.

“Layla’s Heart has just made port in Hargeon,” he said excitedly.

Lucy gasped. “I thought the Heart was lost at sea,” she said, watching her father begin to pack a bag. She moved to the kitchen and began filling a bag with food. “I assume you're going to meet it?”

“Of course! This is it, Lucy. Our luck is finally changing.”

Lucy smiled wistfully. Her father had once been the richest merchant in Fiore and they had been a happy family. After her mother died, the business suffered. Shipments were lost at sea and caravans were raided by thieves. Soon, faced with bankruptcy, Jude Heartfilia had sold their mansion and nearly all their possessions and moved with his daughter to a small cottage in the country. He would do almost anything to have his trading empire back again.

Lucy would give it all away if she could talk to her mother one last time.

But that was the difference between them, she mused as she helped him prepare for his journey. She bit back a sigh as he started promising to bring her back fine dresses and jewels as a gift. Surely he realized that one ship wasn't enough to repay their debts and make them rich. Perhaps once he was on the road and calmed down, he would come to his senses.

He was off within the hour, promising to return in a week.

The week went by quickly. Lucy caught up on some housework and spent time with her elderly neighbors. But her father didn't return. Nine days after her father left, she started to worry.

“The weather might be bad,” she told herself. “Or it might be taking longer to get things settled.”

Two more days passed and Lucy grew more tense. Surely if he had been delayed by business, he would have sent word (though a small part of her wondered if he would really bother).

Thirteen days after his departure, Jude finally stumbled back through the door, just as Lucy was sitting down for breakfast.

“Father!” She helped him to the table, taking in his ragged condition and singed clothes with horror. “What happened?”

“Pack your things,” he said grimly. “I'm afraid you have to go away for a while.”

“Why? Is something the matter? Are you hurt?”

“No questions!” His sharp tone made her flinch. “Just go! Pack a change of clothes and anything else you want to have. We leave in an hour.”

Lucy fled to her room, fighting tears. She quickly filled a bag with some clothes, what remained of her mother's jewelry, and the few books she owned. She changed into a sturdy pair of boots and tied a scarf over her blond hair, hoping the journey wouldn't be long.

“Where are we going?” she asked as she entered the living room.

Jude whirled around, hiding a small sack behind his back.

“To repay a debt.”

Lucy scowled. “I already told you, I will not marry any potential investors.”

“Not that,” Jude said as he set the bag down. “Come, it's time to leave. I'll tell you as we go.”

They shut up the house and set off down the road, heading south towards Magnolia.

“There was a bad storm that delayed me when I started back,” he said. “It didn't seem as though it was getting any better after three days and I was anxious to leave. The ship was badly damaged and only carried a fraction of what it was supposed to. I sold what I could but all the money had to go to the crew and a few other moneylenders.”

He scowled. “We got nothing from that shipment, nothing! Anyway, I finally decided to chance the weather and leave. I got terribly lost just past Magnolia. It was night, it was raining; I wasn't sure I would make it home. Then I stumbled across the most amazing thing.”

“What was it?”

“A castle out in the middle of nowhere and seemingly abandoned. The gates and doors were all open so I took shelter inside. I thought it was a wizard’s home because everything there seemed touched by magic. Furniture moved on its own, voices spoke though there was no one there. I was led by a moving light to a dining room, where I was served a dinner fit for a king. I should have left then, but I couldn't help looking around.

“It was spectacular,” he said with a faraway look. “So many incredible things. Rooms full of cloth or books. Enchanted instruments that play on their own. A room with the ceiling made to show the sky. Then I found a room full of jewels and riches.”

“Father, tell me you didn't take anything.” Lucy's stomach churned with dread.

“I did. I had to, Lucy, don't you see? A few necklaces and rings wouldn't be missed and I can sell them and use the profits to rebuild the business. It was a perfect plan.”

“So what went wrong?”

“It wasn't a wizard’s home,” he whispered, a haunted look in his eyes. “Or maybe it once was, but not any longer. The moment I picked up a necklace, a dragon stormed in.”

Lucy gasped, tears filling her eyes. “Do you really think we can run from a dragon?” she whispered.

Her father shook his head. “We can’t. The dragon asked what I was doing and I panicked. I thought if I told him that I was taking them for you, for my only daughter and all that I have left, he might be merciful.”

“Was he?”

“No. He seemed very interested in you. He told me to bring you to him, that I could keep the few treasures I had taken if I did. I have no choice, Lucy!”

“You would abandon me to a dragon, all for the sake of a few trinkets?” Lucy knew her father’s business was important to him, but she had never dreamed he would go so far to rebuild it.

“It’s not forever,” he promised, eyeing her warily. “Once I earn enough money, I’ll hire someone to get you, or offer a reward for your safe return. You’re a persuasive girl, just keep the dragon from eating you for a few years.”

Shocked, Lucy hardly noticed the time and distance passing as her father led her to her fate. She looked up to find they were in front of a pair of ominous looking iron gates. A stone wall extended to either side, covered in ivy and barely visible in some spots. Jude pushed the gate open and slowly stepped inside, pulling Lucy with him. He pushed her in front of him.

“I have returned as promised, Dragon,” he yelled. “And as agreed, I have brought my daughter. I pray you show her kindness!”

With that, Jude ran out of the gate, slamming it shut behind him as the thrum of wingbeats filled the air.

Dust began to fly, making Lucy cough and her eyes water. She heard a loud thud. As the wind settled, Lucy squared her shoulders. She was her mother’s daughter and there was no way in hell she’d go down without a fight, dragon or not.

She gulped, her resolve wavering as she caught her first glimpse of her captor. The crimson dragon towered over her. Two massive wings, deep red, were folding into its body as it settled on its four thick legs. The long neck reached toward her, the dragon’s head as long as she was tall. It examined her with onyx eyes.

“Will you marry me?” the dragon asked in a gravelly voice.

Lucy didn’t think that anything else could shock her, but she was wrong.

“What?” she practically shrieked. “Of course not! You’re a dragon.”

“Darn,” the dragon replied. “Oh well. It was nice to meet ya.” It turned, clearly dismissing her.

“Wait,” Lucy said. “That’s all?”

The dragon turned back to her. “Of course. What more did you expect?”

“Do you mean I’m free to go? You’re not taking me prisoner?”

“What? Of course not!” The dragon sounded quite offended at the implication.

Lucy rubbed her forehead. “My father said you wanted to hold me captive.”

“That is not what I agreed to. Is it, Happy?”

Lucy wasn’t sure who the dragon was talking to until she heard an exuberant “Aye, sir!” above her. She looked up to see a small blue Exceed flying eye level with the dragon.

“What would you want with a person,” the winged cat said, “especially a girl-person?”

“I wish I knew what was going on here,” Lucy muttered.

“Oh!” The dragon perked up. “I can help with that!”

Lucy started, not realizing the dragon could hear her. “How?”

“There’s a mirror somewhere in the castle that can show people’s memories. I can show you what happened when I found your old man.”

Lucy curtsied. “Thank you, O dragon, for your kindness. I would be most interested in seeing such a thing.” Hopefully, her best manners would keep her on the dragon’s good side.

The dragon eyed her for a moment. “Has anyone ever told you that you talk weird?”

Then again, maybe not.

She followed the dragon toward the castle, practically running to keep up with its long strides. She was sweating and panting by the time they reached the front door.

“What’s wrong with you?” the dragon asked.

“I think she’s fat,” the exceed giggled. “She’s so out of shape that walking is too exhausting for her.”

Lucy scowled at the blue cat. “I am not out of shape. You just walk too fast. Besides, I had to walk all the way here from my home.”

The dragon rolled his eyes. “If you say so.” He walked through the open doors and called out “Hey, Virgo!”

A young lady in a maid’s outfit appeared at Lucy’s elbow, seemingly out of nowhere.

“Yes, master?” she said.

“Can you show us where that mirror is? You know, the one that shows memories or the past or whatever?”

“Of course. If you and your guest will follow me.” The pink-haired maid turned and strode briskly down a hallway. Luckily, the pace was one more suited to Lucy.

The halls seemed built to accommodate a dragon, though it was still a bit cramped. Lucy had long lost track of where they were when they finally stopped in front of an unassuming door.

The dragon grumbled a bit. “I can’t fit in there,” he complained. “Can you move the mirror to the doorway?”

“Of course.” Virgo did as he asked. “Will there be anything else?”

“Can you bring me a snack?”

“Right away.” The maid bowed and vanished with a soft pop.

“Alright, let’s do this,” the dragon said, narrowing his eyes at the mirror. Nothing happened. He turned to the cat. “Do you know how this works?”

The cat shook its head and the dragon turned to Lucy.

“Maybe just try asking it?” she suggested weakly.

The dragon shrugged. “We’d like to see what happened in the treasure room yesterday.”

Nothing.

“Say please,” Lucy hissed. The dragon sighed.

“We’d like to see what happened in the treasure room yesterday, please.”

Much to their surprise, the mirror began to glow. Lucy shot the dragon a smug look as an image began to form in the middle.

Lucy’s father stood in a room, surrounded by gold, silver, and gemstones. A gleeful look took over his face as he took out a bag. He reached for the nearest pile, grabbing a handful of jewelry and coins and stuffing them in his sack. Suddenly, the view switched to the hallway outside the room.

“Why didn’t you tell me someone was here?” the dragon asked Virgo.

“I apologize, Master. Would you like to punish me?”

“No, just take me to our guest.”

The dragon walked through the wide double doors, crouching to fit through. Lucy’s father stood stricken with fear.

“Hello,” the dragon said. “This is my castle. Who are you?”

Lucy’s father threw himself on the ground.

“Forgive me, great dragon! I meant no disrespect!”

The dragon saw the sack of treasure. “Oh, did you want some of this stuff? Probably not a great idea. Some of it’s magic and most is normal, but some of it’s cursed and I have no idea how to tell which is which.”

Jude, trembling in fear, barely seemed to hear him. “Please, great dragon, I only wanted a few things for my daughter. We are poor and she has no dowry. I thought perhaps if I brought her a few small pieces of your great hoard, she would finally be able to marry!”

The dragon perked up at that. “She’s old enough to get married? Can I meet her?”

A calculating look crossed Jude’s eyes. “I will bring her to you if you let me keep what is in my bag.”

“Sure!” the dragon replied. The man rose and ran from the room as the dragon shouted after him. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you if any of that stuff turns out to be cursed!”

“See?” the dragon asked Lucy. “I never said you had to stay or anything like that.”

Lucy was trembling with rage. “That. . . that. . . bastard!” she shouted, startling both the dragon and the Exceed. They eyed her warily. “Did you see that? Did you see how easily he threw me under the carriage just for a few pieces of treasure? Do I really mean so little to him, that he would give me to a dragon with no thought for my fate?”

The shaking turned into gut-wrenching sobs as rage gave way to sadness. “Doesn’t he care about me at all?” she whispered, collapsing on the ground. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and buried her face in her knees as the stress of the last few days and weeks caught up with her.

There was a slight nudge against her shoulder. Lucy looked up and came face to face with the dragon. He was staring at her with concern, looking for all the world like he wanted to give her a hug and was frustrated that he couldn’t. A small paw rested on her shin and she gave the small Exceed a watery smile.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, wiping away the tears. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“What do you mean?” the dragon asked. “You aren’t a prisoner, you can leave, go back home.”

She gave an unladylike snort. “Yes, return to the father who gave me to a dragon for a few golden baubles. That sounds lovely.”

“Well when you put it like that,” the dragon muttered.

“Don’t you have other family or some friends you could stay with?” the Exceed asked. “Or you can travel anywhere you want!”

“I don’t have any family besides my father and he never allowed me to make friends. And I need money to travel, but I have none.”

“Well,” the dragon said slowly. “If you want, you can stay here until you figure it out. You'd be a guest, not a prisoner and could leave whenever you wanted to. And you can have any of the treasure, but like I told your dad, I have no idea what's magic, what's normal, and what's cursed.”

“Thank you,” Lucy said, smiling at the rather timid dragon. “I'd like that. My name’s Lucy, by the way.”

“Sweet! This'll be fun, just wait! I'm. . .” The dragon's voice trailed off into a choking noise. After he caught his breath, the dragon gave a soft growl of frustration. “Stupid magic. You can call me Salamander, I guess.”

“And I'm Happy,” the Exceed chimed in.

“It's nice to meet you both,” she said.

At that moment, the pink-haired maid reappeared with a plate the size of a table, loaded with food. Lucy had no idea how the small woman managed to hold it with such ease.

“Here is your snack, Master,” she said with a bow.

“Awesome!” the dragon said, drooling a bit at the sight of what appeared to be a whole roast boar. “Oh! This is Loopy. She's gonna stay for a while. Can you find her a room or something?”

“Of course.” She disappeared again.

“You have magic servants?” Lucy asked, awed.

The dragon shrugged. “I guess,” he said around a mouthful of food.

“They're bound to the house,” Happy said helpfully. “The wizard who used to live here managed to contract some celestial spirits. They serve the house and whoever owns it until they can find a new celestial mage to change the contract or set them free.”

“And how did you get the house?”

“A mean dragon named Acnologia killed the wizard and set up his hoard here. He was terrorizing the villages and cities nearby, so we decided to kick him out!”

“And according to dragon law, the victor gets the hoard.” At least, that's what Lucy thought the dragon said. It was hard to tell as he gulped down bite after bite, barely bothering to chew.

“Oh.”

The maid reappeared, two men in tow. This time, Lucy saw that she popped out of a hole in the floor that quickly closed after her.

“A room has been prepared for your guest, Master. I took the liberty of bringing Capricorn and Leo to meet her.”

“Cool!” Salamander said. “This is Loony. She’s gonna stay for a while.”

“It’s Lucy, actually.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lucy,” one of the men said with a bow. As he stood, Lucy stifled a gasp. He appeared to be part goat. “I am Capricorn, the head of the household. I hope you enjoy your stay.”

The other man sidled up to her, taking and kissing her hand. “And I’m Leo, head of security. It’s lovely to meet you, Princess.”

Lucy flushed. “Oh, I’m not a princess or even a lady. I’m just Lucy.”

“Would you like a tour?” Capricorn asked.

“Oh yes please!” She started to follow the goat-man, but paused when she saw no one else moving. “Won’t the rest of you join us?”

“I’d be honored to accompany such a beautiful woman,” Leo said silkily.

“I’m afraid I have other duties to attend to,” Virgo said, swiftly disappearing.

Salamander gazed at the floor. “There are lots of places I can’t fit,” he said. “And I’m sure you’ll want to see them. Besides, dust makes me sneeze. I’ll see you later.”

Lucy spent the afternoon with the flirtatious Leo and the stoic Capricorn, exploring the mansion (Capricorn was very insistent that it was merely a large mansion, not a castle) and meeting the other spirits who were bound to it. Cancer, a man wielding a sparkling pair of scissors, served as tailor and hairdresser and he was quick to offer his services. Apparently a dragon didn’t need much in the way of clothes or hairstyling.

A rather intimidating man named Taurus ruled the kitchen, bossing around a pair of twins, Gemi and Mini, and brandishing an alarmingly large cleaver. Virgo introduced her to her fellow maid, a shy girl named Aries, who blushed a vibrant scarlet at the sight of Leo.

Outside, Lucy met Aquarius and Scorpio, the keepers of the impressive grounds and gardens. Lucy wasn’t a bit ashamed to admit that Aquarius was one of the most terrifying people she had ever met. And that included the dragon.

Sagittarius served as the game warden, keeping all the inhabitants well fed. He boasted of his prowess with a bow, and told Lucy he could teach her if she was ever interested.

A young girl named Lyra was found in a room full of instruments. Some of them played themselves, others sat silent. She cheerfully offered to host a concert whenever Lucy wished.

Lucy’s favorite room of the castle, by far, was its enormous library. It spanned all three stories of the mansion, full of various reading nooks and tables for study. There appeared to be a large, metal cross at one of the tables and Lucy heard a snoring sound.

“Crux!” Capricorn called. “We have a guest.”

To Lucy’s astonishment, the cross began to move. It, or rather he, startled out of sleep, squinting at the three people in the doorway.

“Ah, lovely, lovely,” he said in a deep voice. “Been too long since we had visitors here, much too long. I am Crux, keeper of knowledge. You are welcome to browse and read whatever you like. If you are looking for something specific, just ask.”

With that, the cross leaned forward and began snoring again. Lucy shot Leo a questioning look, but he just shrugged as they left. Lucy gave the library a wistful look, promising herself to return.

Virgo and Aries were waiting for them in the hallway.

“We’ve prepared a room for you,” Aries said softly. “If you’ll follow us, we’ll take you to it.”

Lucy waved to Capricorn and Leo as she followed the two women upstairs.

“The second floor is entirely residential,” Virgo said. “Of course, none of the rooms are currently occupied. Your room is at the top of the central staircase, so it will be easier for you to navigate.”

“Where do all of you stay?” Lucy asked.

“Servants quarters and workrooms take up most of the third floor, as well as storage space,” Aries explained.

Lucy frowned. “Surely Salamander doesn’t mind if you stay in the rooms on the second floor, does he?”

“Not at all,” Virgo said. “But the rules of our contract are very clear. We are to behave and live as servants. We are lucky our current master treats us as well as he does. The wizard who bound us was not so kind.”

Aries paled and started to shake. Virgo put an arm around her, somehow comforting despite her stoic demeanor.

“The dragon who defeated her, Acnologia, mostly ignored us after he realized he couldn’t eat us,” Virgo said. “But because he never gave us new orders, we were stuck following the wizard’s orders. When Master defeated Acnologia, he didn’t even care about the treasure or the house. He simply wanted to get rid of someone who killed for sport. When we explained our purpose, he gave us new orders. We were to keep the household going however we saw fit. We weren’t to work ourselves to exhaustion and we were to have free time to pursue our interests. Even if he never sets us free, we are indebted to him.”

“He's very kind,” Lucy said. “Not at all how I pictured a dragon.”

“Oh, he hasn't always. . .” Aries trailed off into the same choking noise Salamander had made when introducing himself.

“Is something wrong?” Lucy asked.

“Part of our contract,” Virgo explained. “We are prohibited from revealing anything about our master that he would not say himself.”

“Then what made him choke earlier?” Lucy mused. “It must have been some sort of magic.”

Virgo simply smiled.

Lucy eyed her. “So he wants to tell me something but he can't?”

“You're very perceptive, Princess.”

“Please don't call me that.”

“But that's what Big Brother calls you.”

Lucy sighed, grateful when she found that they had arrived. Virgo pushed open the door and Lucy was hard pressed not to gape like a fish. The room was even nicer than the one she had at the height of her father’s success. But it wasn't ostentatious. A large bed sat in one corner, a desk in another. A sitting area with chairs, a couch, and a fireplace took up the other half of the room. Two doors were on the opposite wall and Lucy peeked in to see a changing room and wardrobe through one and a private bathroom through the other. She immediately promised herself that she would take a bath every day, as the bathroom had the most incredible bathtub she had ever seen. Shelves lined two of the walls, filled with even more books.

“This is too much,” she whispered. “I'm just a visitor. There's no need to give me this room.”

“It would be sitting empty otherwise,” Aries said. “And you deserve something nice.”

“What do you mean?”

“We all saw the way your father treated you. It wasn't right.”

“I'd be happy to punish him for you, Princess.” There was a wicked gleam in Virgo’s eyes that Lucy found unnerving.

“That won't be necessary.”

“It certainly won't,” Aries said primly. She smiled. “Besides, I'm fairly sure one of the pieces of treasure he took was cursed.”

“Will it hurt him?”

“No, I believe it was a lesser curse. It may make his hair fall out or something like that, but it won’t seriously harm him.”

“Oh.” Lucy wasn't quite sure how to react to that. Part of her wanted to see him suffer after all he had done to her. The other part, which sounded a lot like her mother, said that he was family no matter what.

“Would you like to rest before dinner?” Virgo said. “You've had an eventful day.”

Lucy was about to protest that she was fine when she yawned. She blushed. “Maybe I'd better.”

Her words started a flurry of activity and before she knew what was going on, she was dressed in a soft nightgown and bundled into the bed. Aries drew the curtains, lighting a small candle across the room. Between that and the fire, there was a soft glow in the room. The two maids left, easing the door shut behind them.

Lucy's eyes soon fluttered close and she drifted off to sleep.

She found herself in a garden. As the haze of the dream cleared, she saw a young man about her age, lying on a stone bench and sleeping fitfully. He had pink hair and Lucy couldn't help but appreciate how muscular he was. He was simply dressed in a vest and pants.

She walked closer. He seemed distressed, sweating and thrashing.

“Help,” he muttered. “Please, help me.”

“How do I help you?” She asked.

His face twitched and he started mumbling again. She leaned closer to hear what he was saying.

And immediately leaned back as one of his fist came flying towards her face.

She jerked awake, slightly disoriented as she looked around the dark room. She realized that someone was knocking on the door.

“Come in,” she called, sitting up.

Virgo swept in, opening the curtains and searching the closet. She came back with a beautiful blue and white dress, laying it carefully over a chair.

“Dinner will be ready soon,” she said. “Do you need any help dressing?”

Lucy eyed the dress and decided she could manage for herself. Virgo promised to return in a few minutes to show her to the dining room.

Lucy fingered the fine fabric. It was a simple enough dress, but of high quality. She slipped it on and hesitated. She didn’t want to wear her clunky walking boots with such a fine dress, but she had no other shoes. Instead, she sat down at the vanity and brushed her hair, tying part of it up to one side with a ribbon.

“Are you ready?” Virgo asked when she returned. She eyed Lucy’s outfit, frowning at her boots. She walked into the closet and came out with a pair of blue shoes.

“I wasn’t sure if there were shoes or if they’d fit,” Lucy said sheepishly. She sat down and changed her shoes.

“The closet is spelled,” Virgo explained. “The contents fit whoever occupies the room. The wizard who contracted us was very vain. She didn’t want anyone to know her measurements but wanted all her clothes to fit perfectly. It was a complicated piece of magic.”

The two set off downstairs and Virgo led Lucy through the maze of halls until they reached a large dining room. To Lucy’s surprise, Salamander had made his way through the large main doors and had settled down at one end of the large table. He perked up at the sight of Lucy and Virgo.

“Finally! I thought I was gonna starve before you got here, Loopy.”

“It’s Lucy, actually.” She took a seat at the other end of the table in the only chair.

“Sure, sure. Can we eat now?”

A set of doors opened and Taurus, Gemi, and Mini walked out of the kitchen, each carrying more platters than it seemed possible to hold at once. Lucy supposed it must have been part of their magic. She was awed by the amount of food that filled the table until she saw the look on the dragon’s face. He was practically drooling. As soon as the last plate was set down, he started eating. Lucy had never seen anything like it. He didn’t appear to chew anything, inhaling food faster than humanly possible. A slurping noise caught her attention and Lucy looked halfway down the table and saw Happy, emulating the dragon as best he could. He was quickly making his way through a pile of fish that was taller than he was.

Lucy watched the two, eyes wide, until she realized that the food was quickly disappearing and if she wanted to get any, she needed to act, and eat, quickly. She filled her plate, but couldn’t quite abandon the manners her mother had spent so much time teaching her. Sure, she was dining with a dragon and an Exceed, but she wanted to hold on tightly to every reminder of her mother she had.

“So,” Salamander said through a mouthful of food. “Tell me about you.”

“There’s not much to say,” Lucy said. “I’ve led a pretty sheltered life until now. My father was a merchant and my mother taught me about history, literature, and things like that. She died three years ago. Father never recovered from her loss.”

The dragon grimaced. “Losing parents sucks. My old man disappeared on me 16 years ago. He was the greatest man I’ve ever known, taught me everything I know.”

“You mean the greatest dragon you’ve ever known,” Happy corrected.

“Yeah, yeah,” the dragon said impatiently. “Happy and I have been looking for him ever since. That’s how we ended up here, actually. Heard a rumor about a dragon in the area and came right away, only to find that bastard Acnologia terrorizing the townspeople.” He scowled. “I couldn’t leave, so I challenged him to a duel. I’m not really sure what to do now, not with this. . . .” He trailed off with a choking noise.

“Curse?” Lucy guessed.

“Yeah!” Salamander’s eyes brightened up. “You’re pretty smart, huh?”

Lucy blushed. “I suppose so.”

“Great! You can figure out how to break it!”

“Don't you know?”

“Well sure. But I can't do it alone and I can't tell anyone the details. So you'll have to figure out how to reverse the spell on your own.”

“What?! But I don’t know a thing about magic!”

“Oh.” The dragon frowned for a moment. “Well, Happy and I can help you. We know a lot about magic!”

“Really? You’d teach me?”

“Well, I don’t actually know how to teach magic. But I bet the spirits could help.”

“I would be happy to help you, Lady Lucy,” Capricorn chimed in. “Learning to harness and understand magic is a noble pursuit.”

“I’ve always wanted to learn magic!” Lucy said, an excited gleam in her eye. “Father forbade it because it wasn’t ladylike. But I’ve always dreamed of becoming a wizard.”

“Perfect! I guess that makes us partners, huh?”

Lucy smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”

“We might have a problem,” Salamander said a few days later over lunch.

“Oh?” Lucy asked, suddenly nervous.

“Well, not so much a problem as a warning. My old home, from before I was cursed, well, they got worried when I didn’t come back. They sent some people to look for me. I told them what I could. They’re working in the city to try and figure out how to break the curse, and every few months they send one or two people to come check up on me.”

Lucy nodded, pulling out a notebook. “Then the curse keeps you stuck here? You can’t leave?” She was still working on figuring out what exactly the curse did to Salamander.

“That’s right!” Salamander smiled. Lucy was starting to grow accustomed to the terrifying, toothy grin. “Anyway, I’m due for another visit soon. My friends shouldn’t bother you, and they might even be able to share information with you that I can’t. But I wanted to warn you, just in case I’m not around when they get here, or I’m sleeping or something.”

“I’ll keep an eye out,” Lucy promised. “I assume all the spirits know them already?”

“Unless someone new comes, which I doubt will happen.” Salamander ate in silence for a few moments before his face brightened up. “Hey, you had your first magic lesson with Capricorn this morning, didn’t ya? How’d that go?”

Lucy beamed. “It went really well! He taught me how to meditate and we found out that I have more than a little magic, even without training. We’re trying to narrow down what kind of magic, but there are just so many types, it’s pretty slow going.”

“That’s awesome! I bet you have some super cool and powerful magic, just wait. Hey, maybe when my friends get here, they can help. They’ve all got magic and know a lot about that sort of stuff.”

Four days later, Lucy was in the library. She was taking notes from a few books Crux had pointed her toward about curses. She jumped as Virgo popped up next to the table where she was studying.

“Excuse me, Princess, but guests have arrived.”

“Oh, is it Salamander’s friends?” Lucy asked.

“Yes. I believe the Master left for a flight a short time ago, but I would be happy to introduce you in his stead,” Virgo said.

Lucy closed her books, carefully marking her place. “Lead the way,” she said.

Virgo led her to the front hall, where two people were waiting, chatting with Leo and Capricorn. One was a woman in armor with bright red hair. The other was a man with black hair who, much to Lucy’s shock and mortification, was in the process of stripping off his shirt.

Lucy squeaked and covered her eyes, face ablaze.

“Gray!” a feminine voice scolded. Lucy peeked through her fingers to see the redhead punching the man’s shoulder. From his wince, she didn’t hold back. And her gauntlets looked sharp. “Now is not the time for your poor manners.” She turned to Lucy. “I apologize for my companion. I am Erza Scarlet, of the Fairy Tail guild. This is Gray Fullbuster.”

Lucy shook the offered hand. “I’m Lucy Heartfilia. You said you’re from Fairy Tail? You mean the wizards’ guild?”

Erza looked pleasantly surprised. “You’ve heard of us?”

“Oh yes! I’ve always wanted to learn magic and Fairy Tail seems like such a fun guild. Now that I’m learning magic, maybe I’ll try to join eventually.”

Gray smiled, having put his shirt back on. “We’d be happy to have you, I’m sure. Leo and Capricorn were just telling us that you’ve been staying here with Natsu.”

“Natsu?” Lucy looked at them, confused. “It’s just me, Salamander, Happy, and the spirits. I don’t know any Natsu.”

Capricorn cleared his throat. “I believe they are speaking of the Master, Lady Lucy. While the curse prevents him from speaking his true name or any other details that pertain to the curse, and our contracts bind us to a similar fate, others are not so constricted.”

“I see,” Lucy mused. “Maybe we can compare notes about what we know so far?”

Erza studied Lucy for a moment before smiling at her. “We can, though I’m afraid we might not be too much help. Our friend Levy has been heading up the research and has all the information. We’ll invite her to come on our next trip, though, if you think you’ll still be here in a month or two?”

Lucy realized Erza was probably trying to find out more about how long Lucy planned to stay. “I imagine I’ll still be here. I don’t really have anywhere else to go at the moment. Salamander - I mean, Natsu - has been kind enough to let me stay here as long as I want. And I don’t really want to leave while he’s still cursed. After all he’s done for me, it’s really the least I can do, helping him break the curse.”

“That’s very admirable of you, Lucy,” Erza said.

Gray scoffed. “Seems like a waste of your time, if you ask me. He’s been stuck like this for years and I’m sure you have better things to do.” He shrank back under Erza’s glare. “But yeah, it’s nice of you and we’re happy to help you however we can,” he added hurriedly.

Thudding rang out through the house and Salamander - Natsu - came skidding around a corner. “Erza! Virgo told me you were here. I want a rematch! Fight me!”

“Rematch?” Lucy asked weakly, as Erza drew her sword.

Gray sighed as he headed toward the kitchen. “Well, they won’t be long. Got any food laying around here?”

“Shouldn’t we stop them? What if Natsu accidentally hurts her?” Lucy trailed after him, darting worried looks at the other pair who were headed outside.

Gray stopped short and burst into laughter. “Like he could, even if he tried. Nah, Erza’ll knock him around for a while before she gets bored and drags him back inside. I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes quicker than usual. I’m sure she’d rather be in here getting to know you.”

“Is . . . is that normal?” Lucy asked. “Them fighting each other?”

“Yeah, it’s how they show affection. The idiots.” Despite his words, his tone was fond. He turned to face her, suddenly serious. “Look, you seem like a nice enough person. Are you really happy to stay here? If you want out, just say the word. I don’t care what that stupid dragon has said or done. If you’d rather go, you can.”

“That’s sweet of you,” Lucy said, squeezing his arm. “But I’m really happy here.”

“Alright. Anything you need, whether it’s to get out of here or if you want us to bring you something from town, just say the word, got it?”

“Well, there is something you could do for me.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“Put your clothes back on, please?”

“Alright,” Natsu said. “You’ve been holed up researching forever! Come hang out with me and Happy outside. It’s a really nice day out!”

Lucy stood, stretching out the kinks in her back. “I’d think you’d be happy that I was making progress on breaking the curse on you.”

He eyed her. “How much progress have you actually made?”

She sighed. “I’ve narrowed down curses into three major categories, each with specific parameters for breaking them. That’s about all.”

“What are the categories?” Salamander asked, leading her to one of the patios overlooking the garden.

“Curses that require specific items to be found or destroyed to break them. Curses that require specific actions to be performed. And curses that involve emotion, which are the hardest to break, as they tend to be more abstract and interpretations can be difficult.”

“Damn,” Natsu muttered.

“I take it your curse is of the emotional variety?” Lucy asked drily.

“Yeah.” Natsu paused, seemingly surprised that he was able to say that.

Lucy eyed him speculatively. “So, you can’t say anything about your curse.”

“Right.”

“But you can confirm if I get something right.”

“I guess so.”

The two settled down, Lucy at a table, Salamander on the grass with his head resting on a bench near her.

“Hm. I wonder if you can only speak of it if I learn something or if you can confirm guesses,” Lucy mused.

“What do you mean?” Salamander asked.

“What emotion is your curse tied to? Forgiveness?”

Natsu tried to respond, but couldn’t.

“Happiness?”

Again, he couldn’t respond.

“Love?”

Nothing.

“Repentance or regret?”

Natsu snarled in anger, frustrated with his inability to answer.

“Alright, those are the most common emotions tied to curses. It seems that you can’t tell me if a guess is right. That’s unfortunate. But enough of that, you’re right about it being nice out!” Lucy bounced in her seat. “Let’s forget about all that for now. What should we do this afternoon?”

“Tell me a story?” Natsu asked. He averted his eyes, unusually shy. “About you when you were little, or something made up. You tell the best stories.”

Lucy’s heart melted a little at his request. “How about one that my mom used to tell me? It’s about a girl called Cinderella. . . .”

A few hours later, Lucy was on her way back to her room. She wanted to freshen up before dinner. To her surprise, she found Aries and Virgo waiting for her there. Virgo held out a folded piece of paper.

“Your presence is humbly requested at a ball to be held in your honor tonight,” she read. A smile took over her face. “Dinner will be followed by music and dancing.” She looked at the two maids. “What . . . ?” She trailed off, unsure what to ask.

Luckily, Aries seemed to understand. “It seems your story inspired the master. He insisted we put this together for you and we have been instructed to dress you in a fancy gown, though he did say glass shoes weren’t allowed.”

Lucy broke into giggles. “I hope the rest of you will be attending as well? It’s not much of a ball with only two of us.”

Virgo nodded. “The master insisted on that as well. He wanted to ensure you had partners for dancing.”

The three raided the enchanted closet, finding a beautiful blue gown with silver trim. After Virgo did her hair, Lucy insisted the two spend time getting themselves ready. “I can finish up the last few touches, I promise,” she told them.

After they left, Lucy pulled out the pack she had brought with her. She pulled out the three pieces of her mother’s jewelry that her father had deemed too cheap to sell. Luckily, they were Lucy’s favorites. Their sentimental value was beyond their material worth. She fastened the necklace, a silver chain with a key shaped pendant on it. Her mother had worn it almost all the time. The bracelet featured several small stars and matched a pair of simple earrings.

A knock on her door startled her out of memories of her mother. She opened it to find Leo, looking rather dashing in a tuxedo. He bowed to her.

“You look ravishing tonight, Princess. I hope you’ll allow me to escort you to the ball,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Lucy rolled her eyes fondly as she took his arm. “You may, but don’t get any ideas.”

Natsu was waiting in his normal spot in the dining room. “Lucy! You look just like that Cindy-Eller!”

Lucy blushed as she took her seat. “Is that what gave you this idea, my story from earlier?”

“Well, yeah, I guess,” Natsu replied, shifting back and forth. “You looked interested in the whole ball thing and it’s not like we don’t have the space and stuff. Plus, I thought it’d be a nice change of pace. For all of us, not just you.” Natsu waved a clawed hand around the table, where the rest of the spirits sat.

“That’s very sweet and considerate of you. Thank you, Natsu,” Lucy said softly. Dinner was fantastic. And after, Lyra led the way to her music room. The furniture had been cleared from the middle of the room to make space for dancing. Lyra enthusiastically set the enchanted instruments to playing. Lucy happily danced song after song, reel after waltz. Even Natsu joined them as much as he could, snaking his head and neck through the doorway and swaying to the tunes.

It was nearing midnight and Lucy was recovering from a rather vigorous jig with Taurus when Capricorn approached, offering her a glass of water. She thanked him for it, pulling her hair back to place the cool glass against her neck.

“Lady Lucy, what is that?” Capricorn asked in a strained voice and motioning toward her neck.

“What, my necklace?” She held the pendant up so he could get a closer look. “It was my mother’s. She used to say it was a gift that reminded her of a dear friend.” She smiled, the memory becoming clearer. “She once said she would introduce me to the friend, teach me how to speak with him, but she died before she could. I can never remember who the friend was, though.”

“May I?”

Lucy wasn’t sure why Capricorn would be interested in the trinket, but pulled off the necklace and held it out to him.

Capricorn gently picked up the pendant, eyes wide as he examined it.

“Lady Lucy, do you know what this is?” he asked.

“It’s just a necklace, I thought.” She was starting to doubt that, though.

“This is a celestial gate key.”

Lucy gasped. Their conversation was starting to attract the others’ attention.

“Are you sure?” she whispered.

“Look here,” he pointed to the top of the key. “This is the symbol of the constellation Canis Minor, or the Little Dog. I wonder if you would indulge my curiosity.”

Lucy shrugged. “Sure, what do you have in mind?”

Capricorn summoned a piece of paper and a pencil, scribbling down some words. “I would like you to focus on your magic, like you do when we are meditating. Hold the key and recite these words.”

All eyes were on them as Lucy took both the key and the paper, doing as he asked. “I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate,” she recited. “Open, Gate of the Little Dog!”

With a burst of light, a small, white dog-like creature appeared.

“My dear lady,” Capricorn said, breathless with excitement, “it seems your mother was a celestial mage. And you have inherited her ability.”

“Does that mean I can free you all?” Lucy asked, near tears.

All the spirits seemed to deflate for a moment.

“I’m afraid it’s not quite so simple,” Aquarius said. “First you have to find our keys. They are hidden in this place, but we are forbidden from getting them ourselves, or telling others where they are. And most of our keys require more power than the silver keys, like that one. You’ll have to work hard to build enough strength to wield them.”

Lucy clenched her fist, determined. “Still, I promise I’ll do it. Whatever it takes, I’ll free you from this place.”

She was immediately swarmed by the grateful spirits.

Lucy was beyond happy to have met Levy. In her, she found a kindred spirit who loved books, research, and learning. After being introduced, Levy started making regular trips to the mansion, visiting every two weeks to exchange notes with Lucy and talk through whatever the current theory was about the curse.

“Wait, you’ve been having weird dreams since you’ve gotten here?” Levy asked after Lucy made an offhand comment.

“I guess so,” Lucy said. She realized that it was a little strange to keep dreaming of the same stranger, even after all this time. “All about the same guy.”

Levy opened up a new notebook, pen poised over the page. “Tell me everything you remember. It might be tied to the house or the curse.”

Lucy dutifully described the young man she had seen over and over. He was always sleeping, and often mumbled something about “staying” and “forever”.

“Well, that sounds like Natsu,” Levy said with a frown. “I’m not sure what the words mean. Maybe he’s starting to get worried that he’ll stay this way forever? I hope he’s not getting discouraged. We’ve actually made a lot of progress since we started working together.”

Before she could respond, a nearby window slammed open and a terrifying man jumped through. He was tall and muscular, his skin studded with iron piercings. He looked the two of them over with red eyes. “Is one of you Lucy?”

Lucy grabbed Levy’s arm, stifling a shriek. “Who are you and what do you want?” Lucy asked, faking bravery. She fingered the keyring on her waist. So far, she had only managed to find keys for Aquarius, Taurus, and Crux. Aquarius could only be summoned in water, Crux wasn’t a fighter, and Taurus had just asked to spend a week in the Spirit world after being stuck in the mansion for so long.

“Look, are one of you Lucy or not? I’ve got to rescue the chick from some monster and then I’ll be on my way. Not that I’ve seen any monster,” he muttered. “And this seems like a pretty nice place to be held captive, but whatever, the money’s good.”

“What? I don’t need to be rescued! Who’s paying you?” Lucy demanded.

The man grinned sharply. “So you’re Lucy, then? Good.”

He lunged forward, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder, before jumping back out the first story window.

Lucy started screaming, then, hoping against hope that one of the spirits or Natsu might hear her, or that Levy could track one of them down before she got too far.

“Put me down!” she yelled in the man’s ear.

He flinched. “Geez, quiet down, would ya? I’m just doing my job.”

“Your job of kidnapping me?!”

“Rescuing you,” he insisted.

“Who on earth would be paying you to rescue me? I chose to be there and could leave any time I wanted!”

He shrugged, jostling her. “Some guy called Jude.”

Lucy froze. “Not Jude Heartfilia?”

“Sounds right.”

“How does my father have money to pay you?” Lucy wondered, more to herself than anything. “Last I heard, he was broke.”

“Not anymore.” They were nearly at the front gate. The wind picked up as they got closer and Lucy smiled, recognizing the sound of wings. The man stiffened, seeming to hear them as well.

“Oi, give Lucy back!” Natsu roared as he landed between them and the gate.

“What the . . . how the hell? Who the hell are you?” The man sounded more confused than scared, like most people would be when faced with an actual dragon.

Natsu also seemed confused. He leaned forward, sniffing carefully. Lucy squealed as his breath threatened to flip her skirt.

“Hang on a sec, I know you.” Natsu sat back, head tilted to one side, looking like an overgrown dog. “Yeah, you’re Metalicana’s kid. Gajeel, right?”

“You know my old man?” Gajeel asked. “How?”

“Oh, yeah, I guess I look kind of different right now. I’m Igneel’s kid. Remember me?”

Gajeel dropped Lucy, who immediately scrambled away from him, and laughed, walking forward to headbutt Natsu. “Fire Breath, really? Last I heard, you had joined some wizard guild. How the fuck did you end up like this?”

“Well, it's a long story.” As Natsu started to fill him in, Lucy stood up and breathed a sigh of relief, hugging Levy as she came running out of the house. Leo and Capricorn trailed her, magic at the ready.

“This is not what I was expecting to find,” Levy murmured to Lucy.

“Yeah, I’m a little lost. It turns out they know each other?”

“Hey, guys, meet Gajeel!” Natsu said, noticing the rest of the group. “We grew up together!”

“Weren’t you raised by a dragon?” Lucy asked.

“Yeah, Gajeel was raised by another dragon called Metalicana.”

“Awesome,” Lucy said, still keeping a few people between her and Gajeel. “Now can you please ask him not to kidnap me?”

“Yeah, what’s up with taking Lucy?” Natsu asked. “Not cool, man. I have dibs.”

“That’s not exactly the issue here,” Lucy deadpanned.

Gajeel scratched his head. “If Natsu can vouch for you wanting to be here, then that’s enough for me. But I’m just one mercenary. If I don’t go back, your old man will probably just hire someone else.”

Lucy narrowed her eyes. “Then I’ll just have to tell him to back off myself. Gajeel, can you take me to where you were supposed to meet him?”

“Sure, if that’s what you want.”

“Lucy, you aren’t leaving, are you?” Levy asked. “I thought you were happy here.”

“I’m not leaving for good,” she reassured her friend. “I’ll just be gone long enough to tell him I’m safe and happy. Hopefully that will be enough for him to stop sending people to ‘save’ me.”

Natsu looked uncharacteristically small. “But you will come back, right?”

Lucy smiled. “I promise.”

“You know, you’re kind of scary,” Gajeel told Lucy on their way back two days later. “For a little bunny of a girl.”

Lucy growled at him. “Yeah, well, take that as a sign to stay on my good side.”

Gajeel snickered. “Sure thing, Bunny Girl.”

Lucy’s conversation with her father had been . . . interesting. It took several hours of yelling to make him understand that she was safe, happy, and unwilling to return to his new home with him. Apparently he had been able to sell most of the pilfered treasure (except a cursed iron rose that made him need glasses to see anything clearly) and used that money to successfully restart his business. He had reluctantly agreed to stop sending people after her, especially after hearing of her plans to join a wizard’s guild that would no doubt take offense to one of their members being constantly kidnapped.

Lucy wasn’t sure why Gajeel had decided to accompany her back to the mansion, especially after her father had ended up paying him for delivering her, but pulling answers out of the sullen mercenary was nearly impossible and she had given up trying.

She perked up as she caught sight of the mansion’s walls, picking up her pace. She nearly tripped as she walked through the gate, not noticing Natsu camped out just inside.

“Whoa!” she yelled, arms flailing as she tried to catch her balance. “Natsu? What are you - have you been waiting here all this time?”

Natsu rammed his head against Lucy’s torso, the nearest thing he could do to giving her a hug. “Lucy! You came back!”

Lucy put her hands on her hips. “Of course I did, dummy! I promised you, didn’t I?”

“I thought you might change your mind when you talked to your old man. Family is important,” Natsu muttered.

She smiled gently at him. “Yeah, but you all are my family now too, dummy. I never break my promises, and I promised to come back.”

“For good?”

“Natsu.” She leaned down to look him in the eye. “I promise that I will always stay with you. Ok?”

A bright light engulfed the pair and Lucy staggered back a few steps. She blinked, trying to clear the spots from her vision, when she felt two arms wrap around her, spinning her in a circle. She swung out blindly.

“Hey, put me down, whoever you are!”

“You did it! I can’t believe you did it!”

She recognized that voice. Her vision cleared and she came face to face with a pink-haired man. The man from her dreams. Who Levy said was. . . .

“Natsu?”

Natsu pulled her close in a tight embrace. “I knew you could figure it out,” he whispered. “You saved me.”