Elkis was working a little later than usual at the diner Friday so the kids were told to come there and wait for Elkis to finish up. 

"Elkis your kids are here." Mrs. Marvell announced when they walked in. Mrs. Marvell the owner of the diner was a very crabby old woman who was easily annoyed by things like lazy employees and incompetence. She and Cara would bicker from dawn to dusk over how the brunette would make her business slow though many wondered why she hadn't of fired her yet if Cara was that bad of employee. However the pink haired senior wasn't without her soft side. She was always polite to customers, she paid very well, and gladly gave Elkis a job despite her situation with that court hearing. 

"Alright." Elkis called back. "They won't be any trouble. They'll just sit there until my shift ends." 

"Can I get you two anything?" The elderly woman asked the two kids.

"No thanks." They both replied before sitting at a table and getting started on their homework. 

Greige finished his first and when he looked up from his worksheet, he glanced over to one of the diner's windows which allowed him to spot Lusha watching him again. It was from a distance and she was sitting in her car but he could tell that she was watching him. Watching him and Nasha.

"Nasha." He whispered to her.

"What?" She replied.

"She's watching us."

"Who?"

"The mayor."

He subtly pointed in the direction of her car that was parked across from the diner.

"I think she might be on to me."

"On to you for what?" Nasha said. "That you try to cheat at math?"

"No and for the record using a calculator is not cheating. Anyway what I mean is I think she suspects that I've figured out what's really going on with this town."

"Oh man you're not talking about that stupid book theory again are you?"

"It's not stupid and now I know for sure that I'm right about this because she keeps stalking me."

"I think you're imagining things. Why would the mayor stalk you?"

"Because I know her evil plan and she wants to get rid of me before I get everyone to believe me."

"No offense Greige but no one is going to believe you about this because it's not real."

"Then why is she stalking me?"

"She's not stalking you."

"She approached me at school when I was alone and now she's spying on me from across the street. I'm no Einstein but I'm pretty sure you do that kind of stuff when you're stalking someone."

"Hold on she came to your school?"

"Yep and she tried to take my book."

"Okay that's creepy."

"Ya think?"

"Maybe we should call the cops."

"That won't do any good. The police are all her henchmen."

"Henchmen?"

"Alright her goons then. Her lackies, her slaves, her bootlickers, the point is the police won't help us if we go to them. Besides they don't arrest people for being creepy."

"That's true. If they did you'd be in juvenile court by now."

"I am not creepy."

"You sneak around and eavesdrop on people. That's pretty creepy."

"Oh yeah if reporters do it they're just doing their job but if I do it's creepy. I swear this whole world reeks of hypocrisy."

"Hmm...Finally something we can agree on."

At that moment another car drove by and parked itself across from the diner. But the driver came out of the vehicle and walked into the local drug store. It was Gren.

"Hey maybe he could help." Greige suggested.

"Who?" 

"Detective Fullbuster. He's not in the mayor's back pocket."

"But Nakku says crazy and shouldn't trusted."

"True but he also happens to be the only person more powerful than the Princess of Darkness and if he's more powerful than her then maybe he has his memories in tact."

"So he actually believes that he's a hideous demon from your book?"

"Not believe, remember and it's only a hunch. I don't know for sure if he remembers who he really is but if he does he might help us."

"Us? What is this us you speak of?"

"Well obviously we have to break the curse because we're not victims of it. There's no force that's trying to stop us."

"Greige I think I made it perfectly clear to you that I don't believe in this. Therefore there is no us in this deluded plan of yours."

"But I can't do this on my own. I haven't even started puberty yet, how am I supposed to fight the forces of evil by myself?"

"Okay first of all between you and me I haven't started puberty either-"

"I kind of already knew that." He said gesturing to her flat chest.

"Ugh! I'm trying to be nice here so don't make me hurt you!" She said with a blush of anger. "And second of all there are no evil forces for you to battle. We live in a small town located in literally the middle of nowhere, not a medieval kingdom in some fantasy land."

"Okay I can see that if I want you to help me I need to change my approach." He thought for a moment and in about five minutes an idea came to him. "I've got it! Let's make a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"You don't want to help me break the curse because you don't believe in it right?"

"Duh."

"But what if you did believe in the curse? Would you help me break it then?"

"Sure. Why not?" She joked.

"Alright so here's the deal. Today is January 8th, on March 3rd of exactly midnight it'll be the tenth anniversary of when the curse was first cast. If I can convince you that the curse is real before that will you help me try to break it?"

"Are you serious about this?"

"Yes."

"I guess I could agree to that but what happens if you don't convince me by that time?"

"Then I'll never talk about it again. I'll accept that it's not real and that everything I've read in my book is just a story."

"Okay deal."

She held her hand out to him and he shook it.

"Now you promise to help me if I can get you to believe?" He said cautiously. "You won't back out? No matter what as long as you believe?"

"I promise."

"Cross your heart?"

"Yes I cross my heart."

"Then do it!" He insisted.

"Fine." She took her right pointer finger and used it to cross the part of her chest where her heart was. "Satisfied?"

"Yes. Now I know for sure you won't break our deal because once you crossed your heart you made a promise to a friend and you never break a promise to a friend."

"We're friends?" 

"Yes. Why do you think I need you to help me with the curse? Okay yeah you're not effected by it but heroes can't always rely on themselves to fight the villains. Sometimes they need help. They need a friend."

"Oh..." She said looking at him in an unexpected manner. "Well I....I...I've never really had a friend before."

"Neither have I but I'm always trying to find one and you're my first."

"But I thought you didn't like me."

"I like you. There are things you do that I don't like, like when you try to act like you know everything and everyone else is just an idiot but I think you're a good person and I'd like to be your friend."

"Um...Thanks."

"You're welcome."

...

Ever since Levy had revealed her true self to Juvia and had given Gajeel those magic boots that allowed him to become human, things had started to get a little easier for the young scullery maid. True she still had to suffer by her mistress and the elder daughter and she had to be very careful to keep them in their doll and cat forms when others were watching but whenever no one was around which happened quite often Levy and Gajeel would take human form and help her in anyway they could. Then later in the evenings they would converse for hours in the attic where no one could hear them. 

Levy was a friend that many people in Juvia's situation needed. She was always so kind, considerate, and eager to help. With the fairy magic she had been given she was able to do Juvia's most difficult chores with just the snap of her fingers. She usually helped out with the garden, sweeping the chimneys, and sorting out through all the dirt, ashes, and lentils that would be strowed out on to the floors by Briar as an act of cruelty. When work was done Levy would wash Juvia's face and combed her hair properly so that she wouldn't always look such a sight. She would also use magic to fix Juvia's worn out frock and shoes.

Gajeel was quite clever for a cat. He always been clever, ever since he was a kitten but being animal limited use of his talents. However with the human body given to him by the magic boots he was able to finally put his cleverness to better use. Melanthe always gave Juvia so little to eat so Gajeel thought to change that. With his heightened feline senses mixed with his new human strengths, he was able to hunt better than anyone in town. He would go out into the forest and bring back bagfuls of plump quails, partridges, or pheasants for them to enjoy. Though Juvia forbade him from hunting the doves from the old cote despite his tempting hunger for them.

All in all, Juvia was much happier now. Her work was no longer strenuous, she longer would have to worry about going to bed without being fed, but most of all she was no longer so very lonely. However she had to make sure that no one knew about her secret friends because she was certain if Melanthe knew about them she'd do something horrible.

"I won't be long." She told them one morning as she was preparing to go to the market to buy groceries for the dinner being prepared for her mistress and her family. "It's just into town and back."

"If it's so quick why can't I come?" Gajeel asked.

"Because Gajeel we live in a village where people talk." She said. "And if Melanthe gets word that I've been seen with a young man you know she'll get suspicious and angry."

"Why would she be angry if you were seen with a man?"

"Because she would suspect that I'm being courted and hell will freeze over before she let's me marry before Briar does. She may never let me marry at all."

"She has no control over if you marry or not. You're not that woman's property." Levy said. "Honestly they way they treat you. I don't know how you put up with it."

"I just remind myself that if I don't put up with it I'll become homeless and starve."

"You don't need them anymore Juvia. You're a grown woman now, not a little girl. You can leave and find work somewhere else. Anywhere has to be better than this."

"Perhaps but it's not exactly easy for me to find work. I have considered working as a maid for other households but Melanthe has spread throughout the entire town that I'm lazy and a thief. And no one suspects that a wife of the king's best merchant would lie. No one will take me."

"Horrible woman." Levy scoffed. "She'll get what's coming to her soon enough. You mark my words, the wicked and unrepentant never go unpunished."

"I'll just be grateful when they leave for that ball next spring and I'll have the house all to myself. For once I'll be able to take a break."

"Can you imagine that hag and her daughter at the castle?" Gajeel said to Levy. "The palace guards would probably mistake both of them for witches and have them burned. Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Gajeel." Juvia scolded. 

"What? We'd all like for that to happen."

"That's not a very nice thing to say and I don't like you thinking like that. Now while I do believe that they should have some comeuppance for their actions, burning to death is not one of them." She said. "Anyway I have to go now so you two change back and stay out of sight until I come home."

Levy snapped her fingers and shrank back into a doll. Gajeel tapped his left footed boot and changed back into a cat. Then Juvia left the house and went to the market place. Things seemed to be very calm and quiet in town today, nothing eventful she had hoped because she wanted to get the groceries and be back as soon as possible. Unfortunately her hopes of a quick trip were dashed as soon as she saw crowds of people gathering around. She would have stopped to see what all the commotion was about but again she was in a hurry to return to the house so she just kept walking.

What had riled up all the people was the sudden visit of his royal highness, Prince Lyon. Once in a while he and his squire Yuka would take a horseback ride through the kingdom to look over the land and watch how the peasants spend their days. He was a very handsome and gallant young man who had many women swooning over him and yearning for the prospect that he would choose one of them to wed at the ball next spirng.

"Looks like you won't have much trouble finding a wife at your father's ball your highness." Yuka told him as they made their way through the village. 

Lyon glanced over at the numerous attractive young women fluttering their eyelashes and waving at him in attempt to get his attention. Lyon gave them a smile out of politeness but none of them seemed to hold his gaze for long.

"I suppose." He said to his squire.

"You suppose sire?" Yuka replied.

"I don't think finding a wife will be as simple as it looks."

"What do you mean your highness? The village is filled with charming young women who would jump at the opportunity to be your bride." 

"True but the women here are all the same. I'm looking for something different."

"Different how?"

"I'm not sure. I guess it is their looks. Sure they are all pretty but I'm looking for the fairest of the fair."

The two continued on their horses with the intention of not stopping at all until Juvia walked by on her way home and the young prince was instantly stricken with her beauty. So stricken that he almost lost control of his horse.

"Oh my!" Juvia gasped when she saw the startled animal.

"My apologies dear lady." Lyon said getting down from his steed to calm it down. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's alright." She said. "You can't always predict what an animal will do."

"Indeed."

"Young maid where is your respect?" Yuka said to her. "How dare you not kneel before the crown prince."

"The prince?!" She squeaked in embarrassment. She immediately grabbed the skirt of her frock and curtseyed before Lyon with her head turned down. "Forgive me your highness. I did not recognize you for I have never seen you before."

"No need to be so timid. You shall not be punished for this harmless mistake. Please look up."

Juvia did as he requested and faced him.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"It's Juvia sire."

"May I ask where you live?"

"I reside in the household of Ulrich. The king's trade merchant."

"I did not know Ulrich had three daughters."

"I am not his daughter. I am a maid servant to his wife."

"Well I never expected a maid servant to be so captivating. Will you allow me to escort you home Miss?"

"I thank you for your offer but I'm afraid I must refuse. The likes of me should not be seen riding with royalty." She said.

"Oh but I must disagree with your statement. Dare I say you would look quite fetching on my arm."

"Again I thank you for your kind words and offer but I cannot accept. Now I beg your pardon my Lord but I must be going. Goodbye."

"Wait."

However she was already hurrying off and before he realized it she had disappeared into the crowd.

"Yuka." Lyon said to him.

"Yes your highness?" His squire said.

"I want to know everything about that maid. Find out whatever you can."

"Yes sire."