Erza wandered around in the forest for hours. Not sure where to go or what to do. It had been almost a whole week since she fled from her home and began a new life in the wilderness but she had no place to live, no friends or family to go to, and she had run out of all the food she had brought with her. She tried to look for work but she couldn't find a village anywhere. This forest was an endless maze. What would she do now? She couldn't return home. Not if she wanted to forced into a life that frightened her so. But if she stayed here she would eventually starve to death because she had no idea on how to survive in the wilderness.

Suddenly she heard the sound of horses approaching. Horses usually meant that people were nearby. Perhaps she could find someone who would lead her out of this forest. She hurried to the source of the sound of horse shoes clattering and saw four proud stallions walk by pulling a grand carriage. Erza waved to the driver hoping to get his attention. The driver grabbed the reins of the horses and made them stop.

"What do you want woman?" He asked in an irritated tone.

"Please excuse me for disturbing you but I've been lost in this forest for days and I can't seem to find any form of civilization." She said. "Would you mind telling me where the nearest village is?"

"Useless peasant! Don't you know that this is the royal coach?! How dare you delay her journey!"

"I'm sorry I-"

"You must be punished!" He snapped and pulled a whip from his belt. He would have struck her with it had a voice from the coach not called out.

"Claude why have we stopped?"

The door to the carriage was opened and out stepped a pretty young blonde with regal bearing.

"A thousand apologises your majesty." The driver called Claude said. "But this peasant had the audacity to the interrupt our journey for a petty reason. I will see to it that she is punished immediately."

"Oh Claude there is no need for such barbaric actions." She said gently. "Please put that whip away."

"As you wish."

The blonde then turned her attention to Erza.

"Now tell me young woman why are you keeping me from my destination?"

"I'm very sorry your majesty." Erza said curtseying respectfully. "I didn't mean any harm. I was only trying to find the nearest village. I'm lost in this forest and I was hoping that one of you could tell me how to get out of here."

"I see. In that case there should be a pathway leading to a village just over that hill."

"Thank you."

"But I can't allow you to leave just yet."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well look at you. You're shivering and you look half starved. Why not come back with me to my castle? Before I send you on your way please allow me to warm you up and give you a proper meal."

"That's very kind of you to offer but I couldn't possibly accept."

"I insist. Please."

Not that Erza didn't appreciate the kindness being offered but she didn't want to be a burden on anyone. On the other hand she didn't want to be rude especially to someone who was royal.

"Alright if you insist your majesty."

"Wonderful. Claude help her into the carriage."

The driver reluctantly did as he was told and proceeded to get the horses pulling the carriage to start going.

"I am dreadfully sorry for my driver's brutish behavior toward you." The woman of royalty said to Erza. "Tell me did he harm you? If he did I will have him punished immediately."

"No your majesty I am unharmed."

"Thank goodness. My servants are loyal so I try to be as forgiving and lenient as I can with them but sometimes their cruelty and indifference to those non royal disgusts me. Then again I suppose it's not entirely their fault. After all my father the king insisted that they behave that way."

"Your father's the king? Then that must mean that you're the royal princess."

"I am. Princess Lucy of Eastern Fiore."

"It is an honor to make your acquaintance your majesty."

"Likewise. And if I may ask what is your name?"

"Erza. Just Erza. I'm no one important. Just a commoner trying to make her way in the world."

"Well aren't we all just trying to do that?" Lucy joked.

"I suppose so."

"Where are you from? I might be able to arrange for a carrige to bring you home."

"Actually I can't really go back to where I came from. Let's just say I have some extreme issues with my mother."

"I can understand. My father and I have a very complicated relationship. I'd run away if I could but he'd only send the guards after me. It's not easy being the daughter of a king."

"I bet."

Erza couldn't believe she was actually riding in a royal carriage to a royal castle with the royal princess. When you've been living alone in the forest for days with only roots and berries to eat you don't expect something like this happen to you. She wondered what the castle would be like. She hoped that it would be as grand and beautiful as she always pictured it would be. But there was one thing about all this confused her. It was the fact that the king of Eastern Fiore had a daughter. Before today she and everyone she knew thought that King Xavier didn't have any children. In fact a lot of the subjects of Eastern Fiore feared that the kingdom would fall into anarchy due to the royal line ending with him. Then again King Xavier wasn't really the best ruler. At least that's what she heard a from most people. According to the peasants he was a tyrant and the worst king ever.

As for his wife Queen Esme she wasn't exactly much of a ruler. Before she died she never really did anything besides stand by her husband and according to some, looking either terrified or miserable. The only positive thing she had heard be said about the monarchy of Eastern Fiore was about the former king of Eastern Fiore. Lucien, Queen Esme's father. Erza wasn't born when Lucien ruled but those who were around during his reign said that he was a benevolent king and greatly adored. She wondered what kind of ruler Lucy would be when her time came to take the throne.

...

The next day Elkis was determined that Nasha would go to school. So determined that to make absolutely sure that she would go to school and to punish her for skipping Erza decided to walk Nasha to her first class for a week.

"But Elkis this is do embarrassing." Nasha complained during the car ride to school.

"Well maybe you'll think twice before skipping school young lady."

"Elkis if you do this I won't speak to you again."

"Fine by me. At least I'll know for sure that you're getting a proper education."

"I don't need a proper education. I'm street smart. I can get by on that."

"Funny you sound just like Nakku." Elkis chuckled.

Elkis parked her car and the two of them got out of the vehicle. During their walk to the school building Elkis accidentally bumped into someone. It was a sharply dressed young woman with blonde hair.

"Oh sorry about that Mayor Heartfilia. Please excuse me." Elkis said.

"Why don't you watch where you're going you clumsy oaf?!" The blonde snapped.

"There's no reason to get so upset. It was an accident. No harm done."

"No harm done? You almost took my eye out. Why must you always be such a useless pain?"

"Hey lay off!" Nasha said to the blonde. "It's not like she did it on purpose!"

The sharply dressed woman turned attention to Nasha, surprised at the child's outburst.

"What did you say to me young lady?"

"You heard me! What's wrong with you?! It was an accident and she said she was sorry!"

"Nasha don't be rude." Elkis warned.

"Well she was rude first!"

"The doesn't mean we have to stoop to her level." Elkis whispered to Nasha so the other woman wouldn't hear them. "Mayor Heartfilia again I apologise for bumping into you. It won't happen again."

But the woman barely heard Elkis's words. Her focus was completely on the child. She looked at Nasha as if she was a piece that didn't belong in something.

"Who's this?" She asked Elkis.

"Mayor Heartfilia this is Nasha. The foster child I've taken into my care." The red head answered. "Nasha this is Lusha Heartfilia the town mayor."

"I don't recall this girl living in our town." Lusha said.

"That's because she just got here a few days ago."

"What? You mean she came from outside of town?"

"Yes. She's from Sycca and Gregie is from Stella."

"There's two of them? Two children from outside of Edolas?"

"Yes. Why are you so surprised? You knew I was taking in foster kids."

"Yes but I didn't think you would be taking in kids from other places."

"Well none of the children in Edolas need foster care."

"What about that girl Wendell? Her parents are dead."

"Yes but she lives with her grandmother. Now then I hate to be rude madam mayor but I have to get Nasha to school so if you'll excuse me."

Elkis continued on toward the school building, taking Nasha with her. Nasha looked back and saw the mayor still staring at her. Her demeanor had changed. One minute she wore the face or composure of someone haughty and arrogant now she was full of worry and fear. As if she had just found out something terrible was coming for her.

"Don't stare Nasha. It's not polite." Elkis said.

"Why was she looking at me like that?" Nasha asked.

"Nothing you need to be worried about. The mayor just doesn't like strangers coming to town."

"Why?"

"I don't know I guess it's because she can't really control strangers."

"Control? You mean she controls everybody here?"

"Not exactly. I mean she doesn't control she just intimidates and manipulates people."

"Why? What's her issue?"

"I've been asking myself that for years. Nakku thinks it's because she's secretly miserable and thinks that pushing everyone around will make her happy."

"How can bullying people make someone happy?"

"Truth be told Nasha it doesn't. Sometimes when certain people are angry or sad or hurting they'll do just about anything to make those bad feelings go away. Even if it means hurting someone else but that only makes the bad feelings stronger."

"Do you think she might be this way because she's angry or sad?"

"Maybe but I don't what could have made her like this. She has wealth, power, authority, what more could she want?"

"Maybe she doesn't have any friends."

"Oh I know she doesn't have any. Pretty much everyone in this town either hates or is scared of her. But it's her own fault that everyone feels like that way about her. I mean what can you expect when you go around trying to ruin other people's lives?"

"Does she really do that?"

"Not directly but that's pretty much her goal in life."

"If she's so awful then why the heck is she mayor? Why did everyone vote for her?"

"Huh..." Elkis said thinking. "Honestly I have no idea. I don't remember ever voting for her. In fact I don't even remember there being an election."

"Elkis how long have you lived in this town?"

"My whole life."

"And you don't remember the election of the mayor?"

"No. No it's the strangest thing." Elkis thought back hard. Tried to find some sort of memory of an election happening in this town but nothing came up. It was completely blank. Also if she had lived her entire life why couldn't she remember her childhood from here? Why couldn't she remember her childhood at all? It hadn't occurred to her until now but pretty much everything in her life that happened before the past ten years had been completely wiped out of her mind.

"Elkis are you okay?" Nasha asked upon noticing the distressed look on her foster mother's face.

"Yes I'm fine. Come on let's get you to class."

"You sure you're alright?"

"Yes I just...I just need to do some thinking when I get home."