It had been very early in the morning when Dan had gotten up. It had been a few days since the incident with Mary and Lucy. He spent the time making sure Lucy was in perfect shape to not be bed ridden. With Mary badly injuring her thigh, and other parts of her skin, Dan had to be certain it would all heal in time before the wedding. Being sure that her father would not see, or hear of any of the wounds that she had received.

Ares had attended with him while he walked down the spiral stairs and into the damp dungeon. His father had it built back when he was the duke, and since then Dan never had a reason to use it before.

However now, he stood in front of a certain cage, his dull eyes locked onto Mary. Her body had been slumped over, sitting on the dirt floor, with her small arms tightly wrapped around her legs. A sigh escaped his lips as he unlocked the door, and entered the cell. Mary's eyes had been peeking over her knees and had been staring at the floor, too scared to look at her husband, and afraid of what he would do to her.

"Why did you try to kill the princess?" Dan's voice broke the heavy silence. He rubbed his chin and kneeled down, trying to study Mary's buried face. When she didn't answer him, he rolled his eyes, "You almost ruined what I planned. I can't get you out of this mess. If you weren't such a jealous whore, maybe I could've helped you."

Mary bit her lip, trapping her words under her tongue. She hugged herself more as Dan raised his hand, fearful that he would strike her. But nothing came, instead Dan softly patted her head and stroked it with his calloused hands.

"You're like a rabbit, so timid." Dan snickered, while his hand landed on her shoulder. "Unfortunately, because of your actions, I no longer have use for you."

Tears formed in Mary's eyes, still keeping quiet. She knew what she did was wrong, but how could she let her husband marry someone when he had a wife? It was disgraceful, and when the other women in high society knew, she'd be done for. She'd become irrelevant, all because her husband couldn't keep it in his pants. Was she not enough for him?

Of course there were situations where a husband and wife divorced, but those had always been because the couple was unhappy. Or there had been affairs, but this was no affair and her husband wasn't cheating on her. As far as she knew, what he was doing was divorcing her then remarrying another woman. Society would think she wasn't good enough for her husband, and become a laughing stock.

"There is one thing I do want from you..." Dan's voice trailed off as he gradually began to move Mary's body, and take off her clothes. She didn't resist, it was almost as if she was used to it. Tears ran down her face, and she closed her eyes, accepting her fate. Dan let out a malicious laugh and licked the tear off her cheek. He bit her neck, leaving a mark on her, and then whispered in her ear, "Try not to scream this time."

***

The sun shined brightly against Lucy's delicate face. Her face scrunched up, disliking the bright light. She let out a groan, and pulled the blanket over her face. She always hated mornings, but she hated them more now that she was still in Malba.

Dan was constantly with her the last few days, and that made her want to get out of bed less. The only moment she had time alone, or to have someone other than Dan in her company, was when it would get late at night. Even then, Natsu would come to see her alone, but at least he didn't annoy her.

Because of how much Dan had been around Lucy in the last handful of days, Lucy still hadn't told Natsu about her pregnancy. She felt horrible about it, but she found her courage to tell him had gone non-existent when they were finally alone. Her energy had been put into entertaining Dan most of the day. He was like a child who constantly needed attention, and it had been physically exhausting for her.

And while she was mostly tired at night, she still had trouble coming clean about it. She would get nervous, and then couldn't find the right words. Lucy wasn't sure how committed he was to her. After all, she is engaged to someone else. How would he truly feel about it?

He had no idea of her baring his child. Would he be more protective of her? Or would they both have to continue the secret life they started together? Lucy had thought she would be able to use her pregnancy not to marry Dan, but it didn't feel right using an unborn child as her reason to abandon her duties. This baby would need a home someday, even if that meant she was unhappy. And if she were to have this child, she wouldn't want them to be kept secret from the world.

At this point, she felt stuck and she thought she might never tell him until it was too late. He may think and say he loves her, but how would she truly know that if she can hardly remember their past together? Lucy thought she was an awful person for not remembering him, but Natsu didn't seem to mind.

When Lucy was fed up with being in her thoughts, she finally yanked the blanket from her face and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes to the sunlight, and sat up taking in the warmth of it.

As if on cue, a knock alerted Lucy at the door. Juvia's voice had been slightly muffled, "Your Highness?"

"You may enter, Juvia." Lucy replied, placing her eyes on the door.

It swung open just enough for Juvia to push the rest of it with her foot. She stepped through with a tray of cooked eggs and a small loaf of bread. A large smile was plastered on her doll-like face.

"Good morning, Your Highness. I have some news this morning." Juvia said in a singsong voice. Lucy took the tray from Juvia's hands and gave her a nod of approval to continue. "Lord Dan has given us a carriage for the day. We are allowed to take you into town for the Day of Blessings festival!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, this event had been celebrated for the last nineteen years or so. It had happened after Queen Anna had abdicated the throne. Lucy had thought it was not something worth celebrating, personally. It all happened after Sorrow of Anna, an event that happened when Lucy was still a baby.

Many rich and well off families had been attacked in a city near the capital named Acalypha. The poor had been angry at Anna for not having been able to help her kingdom grow. People in lower society had a lack of food, money, and were killed for not being able to pay off their debts. So at the time, they had attacked the richest city at the time. It affected the growth of the kingdom more, having to fix things, but it took years before it was fully restored.

Layla had explained to Lucy that her grandmother only abdicated because of the overwhelming feeling of being queen gave her, but Lucy knew it was because her father convinced Anna to. Only because once she gave up the throne, Lucy's parents became king and queen. The people celebrated because Jude built the kingdom into what it is today. The Day of Blessings celebration is her father becoming king, and nothing more.

But even when Jude came into power, it didn't change a whole ton for the poor, it just made it easier to get by and make it seem like it wasn't as bad as before. Jude was incredibly good at holding fronts, and this event makes it one of many.

Regardless, Lucy felt a weight come off her chest. A whole day in town? She practically wanted to throw herself out of the door to escape the glamorous prison she was in. Lucy smiled happily at Juvia and began picking at the tray in front of her.

"That is some lovely news indeed. Did he explain why the sudden change?" Lucy asked, knowing she should be suspicious for a reason.

"Virgo told me that Lord Dan feels as though the sun will do you some good. That you've been through a lot." Juiva said innocently, but she smiled anyway, hoping to make the princess feel better. "It will be fun, don't you think?"

"Yes, let's make the most of it."

Juvia nodded and walked over to the wardrobe. She rummaged through the princess's dresses as Lucy ate her breakfast. The silence was nice between them, both minding the quiet company. Lucy could only think while she ate. While she disliked being in the Straight residence, she had to admit they had wonderful cooks.

Taking every last bite, Lucy got out of bed once she had finished and set the tray aside. The idea of leaving this building was thrilling to her, but it was one that made her happy. She had been reading non-stop and she missed being able to see the gardens back home.

As she did, Juiva yanked out a dark burgundy dress. It was a simple gown, and the lady-in-waiting helped Lucy disrobe. Pulling the dress on, Lucy could feel it hug her figure lightly, but it was thin enough to not overheat her in the warm weather. Its long sleeves were hung down to her wrist, it was a comforting dress, and it was most likely her favorite now. Lucy was never interested in tight fit and corsets.

Juvia loved helping Lucy with her outfits for the day, even with her hair. It was always a quiet situation between them, but neither of them minded. When they had finished with the dress, both women made their way to the vanity. Juvia was quick to put Lucy's long hair into a large bun and dress her in small jewels for the day.

Once satisfied, Juvia her voice spoke softly as it came out.

"I will go check if everyone is prepared to leave for the afternoon, Your Highness."

"Very well. I'll be down soon." Lucy replied as she kept her eyes on her reflection. She watched in the mirror as Juvia gave her a small curtsy and left the room.

Lucy's eyes fell to her stomach. She rubbed it softly, although nothing had been showing, she knew there had been life inside her. Her mind was still torn. Natsu needed to know, being the father, but she always hesitated when she went to speak of it. Maybe she felt as though her duty to the crown had been her reason for holding back. If news were to spread about an illegitimate child, she knew they would be cast aside, forgotten. And God only knew what would happen to her.

Throwing her head back, taking a deep breath, Lucy began her way towards the door. For now, she would be excited about her escape from the glorious cell she lived in, and enjoy the festivities. And most of all, getting to enjoy it with people she held close to her heart.

When she stepped out, the hall had been somewhat empty, a few servants doing their daily tasks, but there weren't nearly as many as there usually were. Had they also taken the day to see the town? She wondered just how often they would get the day off.

"You look like you're in good spirits this morning, Your Highness." A cheery male voice pulled Lucy from her thoughts and she quickly turned her head. Behind her, Natsu stood with a grin on his face, his eyes locked onto Lucy's. Would she ever get over his handsome face?

"Good morning," Lucy greeted, fully turning to look at her knight. "We get to see the town today. It is something to be excited about."

Natsu nodded in agreement and followed behind Lucy as they made their way downstairs. He was careful to always be professional around others. And Lucy had been grateful for that, however: she wished they didn't have to be so secretive about their relationship. Part of her hated the secrecy, but she knew it had to happen. Her duties to being a royal always came first, and her feelings were the last thing to worry about.

When they reached the bottom of the steps, the others had been waiting for them. Juvia came up to Lucy and led the group out of the castle. It was a comfortable silent ride into town, the sun was high in the sky, and Lucy was excited to finally get out of Dan's dusty mansion.

A sigh escaped Gray's lips, "Must we be in town all day? The town is going to be filled with people while the festival is happening."

"Quit your whining, ice freak. Her highness wanted to take the day to enjoy it. This is like the biggest thing to happen since we got here. So I think a day of walking in a crowd won't kill ya." Natsu said sarcastically, and made a face at Gray. Lucy had found out quickly that the two men loved to mock each other.

"Shut your piehole." Gray scoffed and turned to his wife, giving her a soft smile as the carriage slowly rode in the streets.

The town was bustling, merchants selling their items, the smell of freshly made bread and food had filled the air, and somehow masked its underlying stench. But Lucy had disregarded the negative thoughts. While she disliked the holiday, she did love a lively festival. She had been always locked up in the castle, so experiencing such an occasion was very rare for her.

Lucy's smile grew as they passed a stage that had been set up in the middle of the square. A play had been running its routine, along with a fairly large audience. Singers and dancers made the stage colorful with their gowns and robes.

Suddenly the carriage came to a stop, and before Lucy knew it, she had been standing in front of the stage, studying the actors as they moved and spoke. King Jude spoke highly of plays and events he would attend when she was young. Her father had enjoyed them in his spare time.

"Your Highness," Levy came up to her, pulling her eyes away from the performance. "We can come back when they have begun from the beginning. Why don't we take a walk?"

"Of course." Lucy agreed, making sure she kept close to her appointed knight. It may have been a festival, but something like that never stopped a criminal before. "You know, why don't we try some of the food these people have brought to sell?"

Merchants were always selling their best items of species, meats, wine, and even sometimes animals during such an event. With such a large crowd, and many coming from out of town, they knew they would get the most business. Setting up a small shop within the streets along with their best sellers, they would walk away with a good amount of money.

The group agreed with the princess, and set off into the crowd. It had been terribly hard getting through without at least bumping shoulders with another stranger. Of course, Lucy had been in the middle of her attendees, and no one would be able to get anywhere near her. She thought it was ridiculously silly on her end. She was barely seen in the castle town back home, these villagers wouldn't have a clue who she was at first glance.

Regardless, there was no speaking to any of them on the matter. Their duty to protect Lucy would always come first, even if that meant looking a little foolish. Soon they came to an area with many merchants lined on the sides of the road.

People were lined up at each of them, Lucy could almost pinpoint the lower class to the higher. Festivals were loved by all, and it was the one day that both classes would get along to enjoy the festivities, for the most part.

For the next few hours, the group had spent handfuls of money on bread, wine, jewelry, and food. Lucy had been lucky enough to avoid anything that would make her sick to her stomach, but she wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep up the slight change in her diet without someone like Levy noticing.

Now the group had arrived at a bar, something Gray had asked to go to. Along with the crowded streets, taverns were just as lively as the streets, if not more. Gray had explained to them that taverns were the 'go-to', if they wanted to have a good time while they were in town.

But as the ladies-in-waiting, along with Gray, had slipped in the bar. Lucy had been yanked by her arm and pulled away from the tavern's door. She quickly glanced behind her, seeing Natsu with a smirk on his face. He intertwined his fingers with Lucy's, "Let's get out of here."

***

It had been hours since Lucy and Natsu had separated from the others. The afternoon sun had set sometime ago, and the stars were out, shining brightly in the night sky. Thankfully, it was still warm out, so Lucy didn't shiver while she and Natsu sat on the grass.

She was sure Levy had been searching for them for hours, but the bluenette probably noticed Natsu's absence and didn't think of it too much, that was what she had hoped anyways. After all, the town wasn't as large as Fiore's castle town, so eventually they would come across them again.

Since their run from the bar, Natsu and Lucy had gone back to the stage, watched an entire play, and even found the town's park where there had been games. Natsu had gotten involved in a few, but ultimately lost to others in the small competitions. Lucy cheered at the sidelines, which she noticed Natsu's dementor had changed when he heard her voice.

Apart from the games, there had been music playing nearby, which led to the two of them dancing with other strangers. Lucy was winded by the end of the long dance, but she knew each and every person involved loved the festivities, which only made her happier.

Spending the day with her people had been exciting, yet exhausting at the same time. How these people had so much energy to party from dusk till dawn was beyond her understanding.

"Today was... thrilling." Lucy admitted suddenly, breaking the silence between her and Natsu. The two had been quietly sitting on a blanket they had bought in town, staring up at the stars. "Back home, I was hardly able to even see the town that laid beneath the castle."

"I am grateful we were able to have this day then. I'm sure that being at Dan's castle hasn't been much different from what you're already used to back home." Natsu said, keeping his eyes on the sky, and fingers still wrapped with Lucy's.

"It isn't much different, only this time I have an unbearable man who never leaves me alone." Lucy explained, "But it's been nice to have you there to lessen my worries."

"Of course, you'd probably go mad if you were alone." Natsu teased, and brought her closer. Lucy was now leaning against his chest, her breathing had begun to pick up. While she enjoyed the public affection, she was also scared Levy or any of them would see them. "Don't look so worried, we haven't seen them for hours now. Lord knows where they ended up."

"Yes I understand that, but just because these town folk do not have any idea who I am, there are people here that do. It is alright to be cautious, Natsu." Lucy sat back up, and explained to him. She had begun to get angry. While she loved this man in front of her, they couldn't have the life either of them wanted. Secrecy was all they had. "I know it has been hard to keep what we have hidden, but we both know what it will do for this kingdom. We still need to plan before anything."

"Yeah... You're right." Natsu's voice came out in a small mumble. A soft smile came across Lucy's lips, before she placed them on his cheek. The sudden gesture made Natsu look at her.

Her voice came out in a whisper as their eyes locked onto the others. "It will get better."