May 14th, X524 (11 AM)
Mayor House, IceFlask city

Going to IceFlask downtown for shopping was enjoyable, but not when her companion was a boring blond-haired prince. First, she had to restrain herself from entering one shop after another. Second, she felt bad spending His Highness's money. And last, walking side by a side with a handsome guy gained a lot of attention from others.

"Are you ever going to buy something or are we just continue walking like this?" the dragon slayer sighed, breaking their silence after walking for ten minutes.

"I don't know what to buy," Lucy replied.

"Clothes? Face paint? Spirit keys?"

"No, I have plenty of clothes and cosmetics in the manor. As for celestial keys. I got five new ones but still haven't made a contract with them, so no."

"Are you just telling the truth or you're using your new keys as an excuse or you are just avoiding spending my money?"

"Your Highness, have I done something to upset you?"

"You brought me here but you buy nothing yet."

"In this case, Your Highness, you volunteer yourself to tag along with me," Lucy answered back quickly, "I can go alone, you know," she whispered.

"You wish!" Laxus raised his voiced and looked at her, "I don't want my so-called princess consort being attacked by dark mages when she was in downtown."

Lucy looked around to see any sign of dark mages, "They're not here." She saw a restaurant, a cloth shop, and a metal shop on her left side. There were a small dessert shop, a pet shop, and an inn at her right. She smiled innocently, "I want something else," and then she ran toward the pet shop.

"So, fate couldn't be avoided," Laxus whispered before following the blonde girl.

Lucy went into the shop quickly. The side of simple decoration greeted her, and she saw many cages on display. It was a magical pet shop, inside the cages were a purple wolf cub, a small reddish fennec fox, a brown mongoose with rabbit teeth, a blue dove with a long tail, a reddish brown lesser panda, a yellow cat with fox ears, and a pink owl. Prices were written on pieces of paper that were attached to the cages.

Laxus followed her into the shop and walked a few steps before standing beside her. What caught her attention at a first glance was the small reddish cutie which was standing on its two feet, and looking at her. Its round hazel eyes were irresistible.

"So cute!" Lucy chuckled as she looked at the pet closely.

"Nine-month-old red panda. He has been here for five months," a middle-aged woman with wavy black hair wearing a green dress stood at the opposite side from her customers, "I'm Aiya, the owner here."

Lucy smiled at the woman, "What do you mean that he has been here for five months?"

"Magical pets are popular among mages, as these pets can use certain types of magic. For example, the fennec over there can use fire magic, and the yellow cat there can learn some quick attacks to take down the foes. However, this red panda can't do anything so people don't want to buy him."

"So, you're saying this to me because -"

"Don't get me wrong, miss," the shopkeeper replied, "Of course, I'm glad if you buy him because it is better than being stuck in my shop. However, you are a mage, aren't you? So, there will be some disappointment for you because he can't fight."

The celestial spirit looked at the woman with dislike. What the shop owner said sounded right but she didn't like the way she talked. It sounded like she was intruding on her personality or indirectly looking down at her. Besides, the way that woman looked at His Highness was more than normal.

"Who said I'll buy this cutie because I want to put him in some ruthless street battles? I'm capable enough to defeat my enemies alone," Lucy smiled, but her calmness was rather cold than a normal reply, "I'm buying this because he is cute, and I can take good care of it. Besides, my husband can protect me any time."

"Sorry for my inquisitiveness," the woman replied with a fine smile, "I don't mean to defend you." Knowing that the blonde wouldn't change her choice, she gestured her hand to the counter, "Please come with me." Laxus followed the woman to pay for the pet.

The blond-haired maiden smiled at her new pet quickly before picking him up fondly. She tickled his nose softly, which made the red panda shake his head vigorously. He stretched his little hand to touch the girl's nose. Lucy chuckled at his imitation.

"I heard that you're married," the woman said.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Noble Concubine Yui," Laxus replied to his stepmother, who was Ivan Dreyar's 3rd wife for five years before she left the palace after the dethronement.

The woman just smiled, "It was my past, Your Highness. Now, my name is Aiya." She looked at Lucy who was busy playing with her lesser panda. "Treat her well, okay? She is kind-hearted, gentle-mannered, and elegant."

"You sound like my mother," Laxus replied, before he changed his sentence, "Well, you were my mother." [Noted: Mother he meant was 'Mother-figure, stepmother'/ 'Not biological mother']

"She is waiting for you, Your Highness," the black-haired woman said.

Laxus nodded before walking to Lucy. Staring at the back of two blondies, the woman sighed slightly, "I wish you good luck in everything." In fact, most people in Fairy Tail wanted His Majesty Makarov back to his throne... as their ruler... Their hope never faded away and their faith was never lost.

• • • • •

May 15th, X524 (2 AM)
Viridan city inn

It was two in the morning. Lucy woke up due to a nightmare. Ignoring that she was sweating, she got up off the bed and walked to the window quietly, not wanting to disturb the blond prince from his sleep.

They were currently staying at an inn in Viridan city. The guards from IceFlask tagged along with them to Magnolia, since they also had to escort the captured dark guild members. In the public, the blond prince and his princess consort had no choice but to stay in the same room. She insisted to sleep on the couch, however, he ordered her to sleep on the bed, sharing with him.

Lucy opened the window to see outside. The cold breeze greeted her, she saw the trees in the yard dancing in the rain and swaying in the breeze.

Staring outside, she was lost in thoughts. It had been a long way since she left Sabertooth. She gained many friends, both celestial spirits and human friends. Improving her magic under the guide of His Highness was really effective. Leo told her about the crystal keys, and that she could open two zodiac gates at the same time with her magic level.

Asides from studying, battles, and royalty, she couldn't deny that she was happy with her spirits... with Juvia, Erza-san, Wendy-chan, Kagura, and Meredy.. with Sparky... and with His Highness. Probably because she was used to this life so quickly after time passed.

Staying like this sometimes made her guilty; 'Princess Consort Lucelia' wasn't her life. She shouldn't be happy like this. She was living in a series of lies, and people she called friends weren't her friends. And that so-called small family wasn't really her family.

The Lucelia-sama that Meredy called her, the Princess that Virgo nicknamed her, and 'Dear child' from Jiichan... motherly care from Madam Irene, and the respect from Three Clans Members... even the real Lucy Heartfilia that Angel felt guilty about, wasn't her.

The more her friends treated her well, the more guilty she became. She was just using their trust.

Why??

She was, after all, an ordinary pretending to be royal; It was who she was, both in the past three months, in the present time, and even in the unpredictable future...

On the other hand, the more she became close to His Highness, the more she realized that her feeling for him wasn't the same as before. It wasn't a girly crush, and she neither blushed whenever he was around nor was nervous when she talked to him. It was like a feeling of secure when she was with him, and wanting to rely on him more than anyone. Admiring his decisions and strong will, she was the one who secretly looked up to him.

How could she like him when she was just a substitute? In the midst of Kingdom affairs, he accepted her because he didn't want to create any bigger issues. For him, she was a girl who stayed in his manor due to an unavoidable problem, not to mention a subordinate for guild battles. When the time came, they would divorce and part ways... it was what they agreed, and it was what she wanted.

'Lucelia-sama, Laxus-sama and Spark looked like a small family' this was what Meredy said.. and it was what she thought sometimes... Maybe because both she and His Highness were good at acting in front of people.. But even if it was acting, she felt warm and contented. A painful feeling... one-sided like or love, whenever she thought of it, her heart ached. She had deep feelings for a guy who didn't have an interest in someone like her. Yet, she sometimes hoped for something that would never happen... if he might like her back.

Someday after the wars ended and the Kingdoms were in peace, she would live in a small village... away from FairyTail and Sabertooth, where no one could find her. And all of her past would become memories. Until then, she wanted to stay beside him, help him to destroy the dark guilds, and support him under the identity of Princess Consort Lucelia... Because it was the only thing she could do for him.

Within a short time, she had fallen in love with him... against all odds.

^_^