When Lucy learned of her father's arrangement, she was most displeased. She had no intention of meeting this prince of the Verdenshav Kingdom, she didn't want to focus on finding a husband or any other duties that are required of a princess. Since meeting Natsu, all she wanted was to see if him again and make sure that he was alright. The palace guards had not arrested him but she knew how rough those men could be with peasants. She feared that they may have tried to pull a little scare tactic on him. Taking him out somewhere in an alley and beating him up. It wouldn't be the first time they had done something like that. She had pleaded with her father to let her find the young man and properly make amends for the incident but the sultan refused.

"Absolutely not!" He had told her. "After what you've done, you're lucky I'm letting you out of your chambers! How could you just leave the palace like that? aAnd then go wondering about in the city alone! You could have been killed!"

"Nothing happened."

"But something could have happened. Something dangerous. This city is full of unsavory characters who would gladly do you harm given the chance. Do you want to end up like your mother? Brutally murdered in the street by bandits!"

"Just because Mother was killed doesn't mean the outside world holds nothing but danger! She wouldn't want us to live in fear like that!"

"She would have wanted me to do what is best for you!"

"Well I think you're only doing what is best for you!"

"How dare you use that tone with me!" He scolded. "You are my only child! My life is completely devoted to you, every choice I ever made was for you! Since your birth, I have not thought of myself once!"

"Then why can't you let me make my own choices?"

"Because you have yet to understand how the world is. You are eager to join the world but you are naive to its wicked ways. The world will destroy you if you cannot understand it."

"Then make me understand. Talk to me Father. Instead of focusing so much on protecting me from the world, teach me about it."

"I am teaching you. You are just impatient."

"I can't learn everything from books and scrolls Father. I need to see the world, I need to know people, I need to do more."

"And so you shall. After you are married."

"I can't be confined here til my wedding day."

"You won't be. I told you, before you are wed, you will be spending the Summer at the Magnolia Nation. It is a new land that you have never seen before. New cultures, new people, it's what you've always wanted."

"But there are strings attached. I'm going there to marry a prince."

"Not marry him, you're going there to get to know him. You wish to fall in love before you married, very well. I am giving you the opportunity to do so."

"You can arrange for someone to fall in love Father. It has to happen naturally."

"Nonsense. You're just being stubborn. Now I hate to do this to you Lucy, truly I do. But you've forced my hand. I'm giving you two choices. Accept the prime minister's invitation and make an attempt to love the prince before you marry, or I shall command you to wed the next suitor who comes to the palace regardless of your feelings."

"But Father-"

"Not another word! You have until tomorrow to make your choice!"

Though it feel like much of a choice to Lucy. In the end however, she chose to meet the Prince of the Verdenshav Kingdom. At least there would be a chance for true love on that route and at least she would get to see some of the world. The next few days before the trip were spent getting her ready. Her father bought her brand new robes and garments, shoes, jewels, and other things to adorn herself with and he prepared a magnificent dowry. A chest full of gold coins and jewels would be more than enough.

"He says that he's giving me an opportunity to fall in love." Lucy said as her hand maids dressed her for the trip. "But what if I don't fall for this prince? What then? Will Father force me to marry him anyway?"

"We cannot say my lady." Aries said. "We can only pray that all goes well."

"I wish you two could come with me. I don't know how I'll face this alone."

"You'll be fine." Aquarius assured her. "You're stronger than you think you are."

"You really think so?" Lucy asked,

"I know so. Have courage and walk with your head held high. Let everyone at this nation know that you're not going to be anyone's trophy wife."

"Thank you Aquarius." She smiled. "But it's not just meeting this prince that makes me uneasy. Father is inviting that awful Zash to accompany us. I can't stand him."

"What woman can?" Aquarius said.

"I swear whenever he's near I feel like I'm in the presence of cobra that's just waiting to strike. I don't know how my father can trust him."

"How did he become the royal vizier anyway?" Aries said.

"One of life's great mysteries. All I know is he started out as the royal magician and before I know it my father says he's some kind of miracle worker who has all the answers. With how protective and paranoid my father is, you wouldn't think he'd be so quick to make someone like Zash an advisor."

"I hear that he's a very cruel man your highness." Aries said. "Now keep in mind that they're only rumors, but I've heard many say that he's arrested and sentenced prisoners to death without even consulting the sultan first."

"He wouldn't dare." Lucy said. "Such actions are forbidden, punishable by death."

"Well as I said they're only rumors. I haven't seen any evidence proving them true."

"But I wouldn't ignore them just yet." Aquarius said. "I've heard that he practices dark magic and that he's been sneaking off at night, doing suspicious things. If I were you, the first moment you have a chance alone with your father, tell him what we've heard."

"I'll keep that mind." Lucy said. "If what you say is true, then at least some good will come from my being forced to marry. Because once I'm Sultana, I will have the power to get rid of him."

But unknown to the princess, Nebaru had overheard the entire conversation in his parrot form. He quickly flew off to report this new information to his master. When Zash heard this he was seething like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

"If only I had gotten that lamp!" He snarled.

"Looks like Selene is our only hope now, otherwise we'll have to keep kissing up to that chump Jude and his chump daughter." The imp-parrot said.

"No Nebaru, just until she finds a chump husband, and once she uncovers the truth about me she'll have us banish." He put a hand to his throat. "Or beheaded."

"Ewww!" Nebaru said, shuddering at the thought. Then he got an idea. "Wait! Zash, what if you were the chump husband?"

"What?!"

"What I mean is, you marry the princess and become the sultan. After that you execute your new bride and father in-law, make Selene the Sultana and with your power combined with the trident, provided she gets it, you'll rule not only Lazan City but the whole world."

Zash pondered Nebaru's words carefully and pleased expression slowly appeared on his face.

"Hmmm...The idea does have merit, and with me going along to the Magnolia Nation, I can personally sabotage this courtship between the prince and princess."

"Exactly! Of course you'll have to make it clear to Selene that you're just going to marry the princess to become sultan and then you'll get rid of her and make Selene your true bride. Right?"

"Yes, yes, yes of course." He said. "I'm sure she'll be open to the idea."

But when Zash contacted the sea witch through via, image message and told her the plan, she was not pleased at all.

"How dare you even consider marrying another woman!" She screeched. "I thought we were in this together!"

"We are." Zash said. "I'll only be married to her in name and once I become sultan, I'll get rid of her and marry you."

"Oh really? Do you think I'm stupid?! I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen way you look at any young, pretty, human thing. The lechery couldn't evident. You make me sick!"

"So I get the wandering eye once in awhile, you know I've always been loyal to you."

"Somehow I still doubt you."

"Look Selene, without the lamp I have no other way to become sultan. The power of the trident alone isn't enough to make the world ours! And isn't that what we always wanted?"

"I suppose." She said re-considering things. "But one problem, I'm counting on this arranged marriage between the Princess of Lazan and the Prince of Verdenshav, because if they marry then Juvia's soul will be mine and it's my only bargaining chip for the trident. If you go through with this, the prince could fall in love with and marry Juvia, which will ruin everything."

"I will see to it that never happens. Everything will go according to plan. I'll gain control of Lazan City, you'll gain control of Verdenshav Kingdom and with both our great powers combined, we'll easily takeover the three remaining realms. The world will be ours! You have my word, my sweet!"

"Very well." She agreed. "But I warn you Zash, if I even think that you're planning to double-cross me, I swear you'll find yourself as a new edition to my garden! Is that clear?!"

Zash and Nebaru both gulped nervously.

"Clear as bell." Zash said.

"Good." She said. "And remember, I'll be watching."

...

On the day Lucy and her father left, they were carried in a litter across miles of desert, going over sandy dunes and through fierce wind. In about two days they reached the boarder to their realm and were taken down Lazan's trade route until they arrived at a place that Lucy had never seen before. The ocean. They would travel by the ship the rest of the way to Magnolia Nation and the young princess could not help but be amazed. They boarded a most splendid ship that floated on the endless blue water below and to Lucy it seemed like magic. How she longed to lean over the ship and reached out to the waves, feeling the salty-sea water on her fingers for the first time. But she could not do such a thing for she and her father were to stay in their own private quarters until the journey ended.

In a day and a half, the ship docked in the harbors of the Magnolia Nation and they were met by a carriage that was to take them to the Summer Palace where they would be staying. The carriage had open windows which allowed Lucy to look out and really see the new world around her. It was unlike anything Lucy could have ever dreamed of. The entire realm was a huge array of habitats and ecosystems that ranged from small islands of subtropical hammocks and rock lands to vast dry prairies, sand hills, scrubs, flat woods and floodplain forests. There were so many plants and animals foreign to where she was native to. Grass, Maple Trees, Oak Trees, Shrubs, Apple Trees, Blackberry Patches, Strawberry Groves, Cherry Trees, all of them so green and not at all dry. As for the animals there were White-Tailed Deer, Raccoons, Black Bears, Alligators, River Otters, Storks, Swans, Ducks, Rabbits, Squirrels, really there were too many to name.

"What do you think?" Jude asked her.

"It's amazing." She admitted.

"I thought it would please you." He chuckled.

"But must we go straight to the palace Father? Can't we stop carriage and take a moment to explore?"

"Patience my child, you will have all Summer to do that and more. But now we must get settled and we must express gratitude to the prince and the prime minister for inviting us."

"Yes Father." Lucy said.

The princess began to think that maybe going on this trip wasn't going to be as bad as she thought. Maybe she would even end up enjoying herself this Summer. Only time would tell for now.