"The Selkie Wife loved her children but she could never forget the song of the sea which called to her." Gray narrated to Juvia. "Many times she pleaded with her husband to return her coat to her but he refused. As the days went on, she gradually became ill with misery. Her children could not bear to see their mother this way, so one day the most clever of them, her son, followed their father to a secret spot where he had hidden the selkie coat. The child then swiped the coat and returned it to his mother. She embraced the boy and promised her children that she would love them forever. After that she put on her coat, once more became a seal, and disappeared into the sea. The fisherman and none of the villagers ever saw her again, but at night the fisherman's children would sneak out to the shore to where their mother would visit them always."

Juvia listened to him in amazement as she pictured the remarkable folktale in her mind. He was such an incredible story teller, so gifted in knowing the right tone to speak and describing each factor so well. She never thought she'd meet anyone who could tell a story as good as Levy could.

"Did you like that one?" He asked her.

She nodded.

"You know you're the first woman I've met other than my mother or Ur who actually likes these stories. You don't think they're stupid or juvenile. Can I tell you a secret?"

She nodded again.

"Okay the only other person I've told this to is Ur and that's because I'm pretty sure anyone else would think that I've lost my mind. But something tells me you wouldn't, would you?"

She shook her head.

"Alright then, the secret is my father believed that he met a selkie once."

Curiosity and interest shined within the little mermaid's eyes.

"Do you want to hear about it?"

She nodded.

"It was sometime after he had met my mother, he was off sailing across the seas in search of the perfect jewel to propose to her with. On the journey his ship was attacked by pirates and he was thrown overboard. But someone saved him and brought him to a small island. When he awoke with a brain fever and he was the house of a maiden. For days she stayed by his side and nursed him back to health with special remedies and healing methods that were unknown to most people. When my father recovered, he promised her anything she desired in exchange for saving his life and she told him that all she wanted was to become his wife because she had fallen in love with him during all that time they spent together. My father was kind and a man of his word, but he pleaded with her not to ask that of him because although he was fond of her, he loved my mother more than life itself and could never know joy again without her. The girl was heartbroken but she didn't hold him to his promise. Instead she blessed their love by giving him a boat to sail home with. He offered to let her return with him and to make her a lady of the court but she insisted that her true home was in the sea. The next morning as my father made ready to leave, he couldn't find her, he did however find the most beautiful jewel he could have imagined on board that boat and as he was sailing away, he noticed a seal watching from behind the rocks. A seal that had eyes just like the girl. He never really knew for certain if she was a selkie or not but he always believed she was one."

"She was a selkie." Juvia wanted to tell Gray. "You can always tell who a person is by their eyes. That's how I knew how truly wonderful you are."

At that moment, Panther Lily had finally managed to crawl all the way up to the Summer Palace and was now climbing vines that hung along the walls of the castle. He entered through a small open window and began to search for Juvia with the same stealth as a cat from the land. Sea-cats, unlike most sea creatures, were bio-elemental, that meant they could jump between two worlds. They could live on land or in water, though they usually preferred the sea.

He moved through shadows and corners, unseen and undetected, and using his strong sense of smell, he was able to locate Juvia. He crept into the dinning room and slipped under the table.

"My father used that jewel for my mother's ring and they never forgot her because if not for her my father may have died all those years ago." He heard Gray say. "They also decided to always regard the sea and its creatures with respect and decency. In Verdenshav, it's forbidden for any creature of the ocean to be harmed unless it's to feed our people."

Lily had to rub his ears to make sure that there wasn't any in water in them. Did he hear correctly? Humans in this kingdom were not allowed to harm sea creatures unless it was necessary for survival? It was a law written by their own king? But how could that be? He, Gajeel, and everyone who had witnessed the deaths of the former sea king and queen knew that the human king had conspired with the sea witch to destroy them. That's why it was a royal navy ship that killed Juvia's parents. It was ordered by the king of Verdenshav himself. At least, that's what they've always believed.

"Dinner is served." Ur came into the dinning hall carrying a tray with a finely prepared meal for them both, followed by Lahar carrying two glasses and a bottle of wine.

Juvia must've been hungrier than she thought because as soon as the plate was placed in front of her, she started to eat the first thing she grabbed and that was garnish. Lahar gave her a funny look but Ur and Gray thought it was adorable.

"Oh no dear." Ur chuckled. "You don't eat that, it's garnish. It's just for looks."

Gray started to laugh, Juvia's face made an embarrassed expression and she started to sink into her chair.

"Oh no I'm not laughing at you, I promise." He assured her. "I'm laughing because this reminds me of the time I was six and I was too hungry to wait for dinner so I tried to eat some seaweed that washed ashore. Remember Lahar? You caught me just about to put it in my mouth and you started screaming that I was going to poison myself."

"Well you were." Lahar insisted. "Who knows where that sea weed had been."

"It was sea weed Lahar, where else could it have been except for in the sea?"

Juvia tried to imagine Gray as a small boy, innocently looking and moving around, exploring anything in sight like she would often do everyday. It made her smile return. Gray liked her smile. As as if the light of paradise had suddenly flashed upon her angelic face, the happiest form of childish beauty suddenly appeared before your eyes, dazzling them. It was a smile so lovely that it could inspire joy just by looking at it and it certainly did make the prince feel joyful.

"Why Gray, that's the first time I've seen you happy in weeks." Ur remarked.

"Yes, this charming girl certainly knows how to make you smile." Lahar added. "My dear girl, you have the done the impossible, you've made our gloomy prince bright again. We are eternally in your debt."

"But we can discuss that later." Ur said. "Now hurry and dig in before your meal gets cold."

They were having stegt flaesk and oysters, a dinner that was unlike any course Juvia had ever eaten. Oh she had dined on oysters before but not ones that were not soggy and wet, but hot and well-seasoned with spices. It was sensational to her taste buds. The stegt flaesk was even better, she had never eaten pork or potatoes before. It was so rich, buttery, and salty. A pity they couldn't have food like this underwater.

When she first sipped the wine it was a bit of shock to her because alcohol was a beverage her kind had never drank. She thought that taste was very bitter and made a look of discomfort.

"Perhaps we should ease you into drinking wine, my lady." Lahar said taking the glass away. "I'll bring you some honeyed water to drink instead."

"And I'll go check and see if your room is ready." Ur said.

For an hour, Gray and Juvia ate and drank, and for another hour Gray told her more stories. Panther Lily listened to the stories as well and he was quite surprised to find a human so fascinated and knowledgeable about ocean lore. And here he thought humans were a rather uncultured and uneducated species. Especially in regards to anything under the sea.

"Wow I didn't know it had gotten that late." Gray said glancing over at the clock which hung on the wall. "We should probably turn in for the night now. I have to get up early and see to some boring arrangements, and you're probably exhausted by now."

Like a gentleman, Gray escorted Juvia upstairs to her new room, it was a splendid little suite with blue and cream color schemes, a canopy bed with velvet cushions, and a balcony window where a magnificent view of the ocean could be seen.

"I hope you'll be comfortable here." He said.

She nodded, giving him a pleased and grateful look.

"Good. Well I best go now and leave you to get some rest. Goodnight."

He then bowed and left, closing the door behind him, not seeing Lily slip in through the cracks.

"Finally!" He panted. "God, it's been years since I've run and climbed about on land."

Juvia picked up a night gown that had been laid on her bed and went behind the changing room divider to get undressed.

"Okay so I wanted to say that I've been watching and listening to this human you've become enamored with, and I'll admit he's not as awful as I presumed he'd be. I can understand the appeal, somewhat."

Juvia smiled at Lily as she came out from the divider, now wearing the night gown.

"But don't get comfortable." Lily told her sternly. "First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going to march straight home and tell your brother-"

Juvia quickly picked up Lily and shook her head, silently begging him to change his mind.

"Oh no, don't you shake your head at me young lady! I can already smell a disaster coming! There's no way you'll be able to marry this prince before the Summer Solstice! It's just not possible! Our best bet is to find Gajeel and tell him what's happened! He'll get that witch to return your voice, change you back, then you can go home and just be-"

But the expression Juvia's face made him stop. At first he thought that he had never seen her so sad before. But then his memory started to work and thinking back, he realized that he had seen her like this many times. Whenever the other merfolk made fun of her, whenever she was excluded from any activities unless it involved her singing, when she had the argument with her brother. The sea cat couldn't deny it anymore, she wasn't the least bit happy at home. She never was, and she never would be.

"Just be miserable for the rest of your life." He sighed. "Alright. I won't tell."

Juvia thanked Lily with a kiss on the head and then snuggled up into her new feathered bed. It wasn't long before she fell sound asleep with a content smile on her face. This was one of the happiest days of her life. For years she had hoped and wished and prayed that someday she would be able to explore the enchanting world up above and now it had happened. It was all she had ever dreamed of and wished for.

"Lord give me strength." Lily thought as he curled up on one of the cushions and fell asleep. "I hope I'm doing the right thing."