If one positive thing could be said about the hovel where Natsu lived, it was that it came with a great view of the royal palace. A colossal estate that seemed to tall enough to reach the heavens above and was filled with countless rooms that held more riches than anyone could ever dream of. But the most precious jewel that resided in that palace was not a stone or a coin of material worth. Not it was a jewel of flesh and blood. A jewel that was called Lucy.

She was the sultan's daughter and the princess of Lazan City. An attractive young woman who's hair and skin was said to be of the purest gold, who's wide brown eyes could shimmer in a way that shamed diamonds, and who's cherry red lips  enticed even a holy man. A pretty face and a sunny smile, born just to delight and bred to behave, that's how many would describe her. But just like Natsu, she was so much more than what others thought of her at first glance.

Though very pretty, that wasn't her only quality. She was smart, had a fair and just personality, and was a very talented artist. The palace walls were almost completely decorated in murals that she had painted herself, and the way she used color and design was almost like magic. All she needed was a brush and some paint, then her imagination would take shape on the marble canvas. This was a skill that she had learned from her late mother, the Sultana Layla.

What a remarkable woman the Sultana had been. Wise, fair, good, and very loving toward her daughter. The two would often ride their fine horses through the city during the day and at night, just after dinner, they would paint the white walls together. This would then be followed by the Sultana tucking the little princess into bed and kissing her goodnight, leaving the girl to fall asleep with a smile on her face. Yes indeed, when the Sultana was alive the princess only knew happiness. But alas, happiness cannot always last long.

When Lucy was still just a child, her mother went out riding in the city alone and it was on that morning in which bandits of the desert came rioting into Lazan. The innocent woman lost her life when one bandit fatally stabbed her in order to steal her jewelry. The murderer was captured and executed for his crime, but this did nothing to bring back Lazan's beloved Sultana. The loyal citizens were all devastated by her death but no one more so than her husband, Lucy's father, the Sultana Jude.

Layla was the light of his life and with that light snuffed out, the poor sultan could not cope. His wife's demise caused him to fear the outside world and believe that danger lurked at every corner and no one could ever be trusted. So his daughter became secluded and isolated. Her father hardly ever allowed her to leave the palace for he could not bear the thought of losing his only child just as he had lost the love of his life.

However the older Lucy grew, the more she yearned for freedom. She desperately longed to go out and explore. To see what else there was in the world besides the Lazan City. To see what kinds of other people and creatures there were. Oh she tried her best to keep these desires under wraps and to be satisfied with just her paintings of the outside world, but by the time she reached her seventeenth year, it was no longer enough.

"Don't you ever wonder what's out there Aries?" The princess asked her handmaiden the next morning, as was looking out the window of her bedchamber, just to gaze at her thriving city. "Beyond the palace walls and past the boarder of our land?"

"Beasts and savages I imagine." Aries responded, helping her mistress dress into her silken shalwar   and silken robe.

"There must be more to the world than that."

"Why would you want to leave your good home?"

"Because it's not the same home anymore." She mumbled quietly. "It hasn't been for a long time."

"What's that my lady?" Aries asked due to only hearing a little of what she said.

"Nothing." She sighed. "Nothing at all."

"There we go." Aries said putting the finishing touches on Lucy's ensemble by styling her hair into a silken head wrap and adorning her with gold jewelry. "Now you look stunning. Prince Dan won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

Aries meant it as a compliment, but Lucy looked disgusted. Since she turned seventeen, princes and noblemen of Lazan's lesser known but equally prosperous lands had crossed the scorching deserts to see her and each one had vowed to conquer the world for her love. But as for Lucy, well, she's had enough of half-witted princes and bragging noblemen. If only one of them would show a little intelligence, some kindness, honesty, and a sense of humor wouldn't go amiss either.

Besides, she didn't even want to get married right now. There was still so many things she wanted to do first. Places she wanted to see, people she wanted to meet. Why did she have to get married so soon? Why couldn't she just wait?

"Your highness." In walked her other handmaiden Aquarius. "Prince Dan of the Eastern Isles will see you now."

"Oh, must I see him?" Lucy groaned. "I already know what he's going to be like."

"Unfortunately yes." Aquarius said. "Your father has commanded it."

"Don't feel too bad Princess." Aries said hopefully. "Who knows? Maybe he might actually be nice."

"Doubtful." Lucy said. "But I can't disobey my father. His command is law. Like it or not, I'll have to meet this suitor

"Yes, there's no getting out of a meeting." Aquarius said. "But what if you weren't exactly what this prince thought you would be?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well he'll most likely assume that you're the perfect princess. Beautiful, intelligent, obedient, calm. An ideal royal bride. But what if you weren't?"

Aquarius had a mischievous gleam in her eye, which Lucy liked.

"What's your idea?" Lucy asked her intrigued, and Aquarius began to explain her plan.

"Oh dear." Aries said shaking her head worryingly. "This isn't going to end well. I just know it."

About five minutes later, Prince Dan in ridiculously ornate garb, entered the princess's chambers in order to court her. Just outside her chambers and in the royal throne room, the Sultan Jude waited eagerly for the results of this meeting.

"Oh, I just know that this suitor is the one Lucy will fall in love with." He thought to himself. "He has everything a future husband should have. Prestige, wealth, and an excellent education on how to run a kingdom."

Although his thoughts were proven wrong when half an hour passed and Dan furiously returned with his clothes torn and covered in oil, seeds, and bread crumbs.

"I've never been so insulted!" Dan scoffed.

"Great balls of fire!" Jude gasped in horror at the prince's state. "What happened?!"

"I have never been so insulted!" He scoffed. "That girl and her hand maids threw sticky oil on me, followed by seeds and bread, and then they shoved me out onto the balcony where I was attacked by birds!"

"Surely you jest! My daughter would never be so disrespectful!"

"Then perhaps you don't know your daughter as well as you think!" He said stalking toward the nearest exit. "Good luck marrying her off!"

Once the prince was gone, the sultan released a frustrated huff and hurried into his daughter's chambers where he found her and her hand maidens laughing without a care. Jude was not amused.

"Lucy I am shocked and dismayed!" He said. "How dare you treat a royal prince in such a deplorable manner!"

"I was nice and courteous to him at first Father,  but then he started talking about how he would run our kingdom and once I heard that I knew right away that he was not the husband for me." Lucy explained.

"Lucy if he is to marry you then is it wrong for him to give you an idea on what kind of ruler he would be?"

"No, and what he told me gave me a good idea on what kind of ruler he would be. He said that once we were married, he would make all the decisions and he would decide what was best for me. In other words, he had no intention of letting me rule my own realm."

"Dearest you probably misunderstood what he meant by that. He probably meant that once you two were married, he would tend to your needs and try to shoulder the burdens for you. That's what I did for your mother."

"Father I don't think that's what he meant at all."

"Even if that's true, you still had no right to respond that way. This is not how a proper princess behaves." He scolded. "I raised you better than that."

"Well he refused to leave when I asked him to."

"Is that so? Well I-" Yet he stopped and turned to Aries and Aquarius. "Would you two be so kind as to leave me to speak with my daughter in private?"

"Yes your majesty." The two hand maids answered before leaving the room.

"Lucy I cannot allow you to embarrass our family with this juvenile approach."

"Then call off this whole search for a husband and I'll behave more properly."

"Lucy you know that our laws say that an heir cannot ascend the throne until he or she is married first."

"I know but why? Why is that a law? Can't you change it?"

"It is not that simple. We have certain responsibilities to our title and we must make certain sacrifices."

"Like my freedom? Like the idea of marrying for love?"

"You will learn to love your husband just as your mother and myself learned to love each other. That's how all marriages in our family have been. Your mother and I were betrothed before we met each other, and we were very happy. You will be happy too."

"And if I'm not?"

"I will ensure that you marry a man you can love."

"Father it's not up to you to decide who I can and will love. It's not up to the law either."

"Lucy it's not only this law." His voice became more gentle. "I'm not going to be around forever, and I just want to make sure that you're safe. That someone will always be around to protect you."

"But I don't want to be protected!  I want to be free. I want to leave this palace and see the world for myself. Maybe even go beyond the Lazan City."

"It is not safe beyond Lazan City. You cannot possibly understand how evil and dangerous the world can be."

"So I should hide from it? Do I have to be contained for the rest of my life? Father I'm not some bird you can keep in a gilded cage. I want to go outside."

"Lucy you're a princess, you can't just go out in the world. You're not ready."

"How can I be ready for anything if you won't even let me have any experiences?"

"You will have them when I know you that you can handle them. When will you realize just how fragile you are?"

"I'm not fragile!" She insisted, before storming off toward the gardens, slamming the door in the process.

Aquarius and Aries quickly moved out of her way and stared at each other.

"She's definitely not fragile." Aquarius whispered to Aries who nodded in agreement.