Silence hung heavily in the air inside the carriage as it cut across the dark streets. Natsu peered through the drapes, trying to make out the passing scenery. The darkness was too thick for his eyes to penetrate, making the world seem nothing more than blurred shadows. After some time, Natsu turned his attention back inside the carriage. Lucy had not spoken since their departure from the House of Myths. A multitude of documents she had pulled from a leather briefcase retained her attention. He assumed they pertained to whatever business of which Lucy was in charge of because they contained several charts and graphs he couldn't understand.

"Ms. Heartfilia—" Natsu began.

"Lucy," she interrupted, not even taking a moment to glance up from the paper at which she continued frowning. "We are now Man and Wife, so you may address me informally. Although, the man this charade is all for will not arrive until two days time, it would be best to normalize ourselves with speaking to one another in such a manner. Wouldn't you agree, Natsu?"

"Y-yes, I would. I—"

"Splendid. Now it will be some time before we arrive at the manor. I have business matters to attend to, and I doubt you are used to having a night off, so might I suggest you take advantage of this time and rest?" Lucy slashed through a portion of text on the document she was reading before turning the page, her eyes racing across the text.

Back at the House of Myths, Natsu had received at least the basic information about the client in order to craft his performance. He was going to suggest that they use this time to figure out their story so their marriage performance was more believable. However, Lucy's words seemed more a demand than a suggestion. Despite being wrapped in polite words, the underlying message was clear: she didn't want to be disturbed.

Natsu resolved himself to peering outside the carriage once more, unbothered by Lucy's shortness. If she didn't want to work on their charade, he wouldn't concern himself with it either. She had said it herself; the results of her business deal would not impede on the promise of his freedom. He would do his best, and whether it was believable or not didn't matter.

The scenery still hadn't changed outside, but Natsu tried to imagine the sights he would see once he was free. Madame rarely had let him or any of the other Myths leave the facility. Much of the world remained a mystery to him. He had hardly let himself dream of traveling, but after this job, he would have more than enough means to discover the world in its entirety. He rested his head against the cushioned wall of the carriage, watching the dark shadows pass by, imagining a world full of color and possibilities.

A loud tapping made Natsu jerk awake. He blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the half-forgotten dreams from his vision. He noticed it was still dark outside, so he hadn't been asleep for long. The carriage had stopped, and Lucy was nowhere in sight. Instead, Erza stood outside, holding the door open.

"Forgive the rude awakening, but we have arrived, sir," Erza explained. Natsu stepped down from the carriage, his feet shifting slightly on the gravel. The carriage started moving, and Natsu looked back to see someone driving it down the path. Presumably toward the stables.

"My suitcase—"

"I have it here for you, sir." Erza indicated to the suitcase by her side. "Now, I am to show you to your quarters. Please, follow me."

Erza grabbed his suitcase and started walking briskly up the stone steps that led into the manor. Natsu wasn't given time to assess his surroundings or even ask questions. He jogged to catch up to Erza—her long, confident strides left no room for dawdling. Natsu only caught flashes of luxuries as he followed Erza up winding staircases and down long corridors. She finally stopped before a pair of oak doors. Opening them, she stepped aside to let Natsu pass through first.

The room was luxurious beyond anything he could have imagined. Madame had tried to dress herself and her personal quarters in finer materials that she never allowed her Myths to receive, but her tastes were a hodgepodge of outdated fashions. It made the overall effect tacky and off-putting. This room was the complete opposite: it opened up to a cozy receiving room with plush furnishings, heavy drapery that hid tall windows, and a roaring fireplace.

"Ms. Heartfilia picked these quarters specifically for you. Although you cannot see it now, the view is one of the best in the entire manor." Erza set his suitcase down by his feet before striding across the room and inspecting the fire. "If there is anything you should need for your comfort, please do not hesitate to ask." She placed a fresh log on the fire before turning back to him. "Ms. Heartfilia has instructed the staff to ensure that you do not lack even the most minor of comforts."

"Where is Ms.—" Natsu paused to correct himself. "Lucy?" He had a role to play, even though he didn't know exactly how to play it yet. "I thought she and I could talk a little more to familiarize ourselves with one another." Erza arched her brow questioningly. "I only mean to make our performance more convincing."

Erza watched him for a moment, her dark eyes assessing him quietly. "Ms. Heartfilia is an extremely busy person who adheres to a strict schedule. She already has allotted the necessary time she needed to spend with you this evening. As for making your pretense all the more compelling, Ms. Heartfilia has scheduled time for that tomorrow. Now, you only need to concern yourself with getting as much rest as possible." She walked to the side of the fireplace and opened the door situated there. "Your bedroom is through there, as well as your washroom and closet. Everything in these rooms are now your possessions. Please use them without hesitation."

"Um, Er—" Natsu didn't know the proper way to address her. Was he allowed to call her by her first name? He didn't really understand her position in the manor. Was she just Lucy's attendant or something more? From the way she dressed and carried herself, she seemed like she should be overseeing her own manor.

"You may call me Erza, sir." She draped her arm across her chest and gave him a slight bow. "While you are the husband of Ms. Heartfilia, I will be your willing and humble servant as I am hers."

"Erza, then." Natsu nodded, slowly starting to understand the hierarchy of the manor. "I do have one question before you leave."

"Ask, and I shall answer to the best of my abilities," Erza replied, her eyes dancing with slight amusement.

"Why is Lucy afraid of love?"

The moment he asked the question, a hard shadow passed across Erza's face. She walked to the main door briskly. Natsu thought she was going to leave without answering him, but she paused in the doorway. Her voice was flat as he spoke, and she kept her back to him. "Ms. Heartfilia is not afraid of love," she answered and then turned around, gripping the door knobs tightly. "A word of advice, sir: love is something we do not speak of here. It is forbidden. I trust this will not be a problem for you. After all, why speak of something you don't even believe in?"

"I understand," Natsu assured her. It was true; Natsu didn't believe in love. The life he had lived made it impossible for him to entertain that such an emotion could exist, especially when women paid for and doted on love like they would pearls or a fur coat.

"Well, if that is all, sir, I bid you goodnight." Erza closed the doors to his quarters, her retreating footsteps disappearing as she left him alone with his thoughts.

"Love is forbidden here," Natsu mused aloud as he picked up his suitcase and went into the bedroom. He stripped out of his clothes and exchanged them for the night garments draped across the bed. They were made of silk, and for a moment, Natsu thought they would slip off his body into a pool at his feet. It was the finest piece of clothing he had ever worn. He climbed into bed, his head full of questions about his mysterious new wife who forbade even the talk of love.

The morning sunlight drifted into the room, waking Natsu from a dreamless sleep. It shocked him that he had been able to sleep without any of his usual nightmares. Being away from the House of Myths was already doing wonders. He stumbled out of bed, not wanting to leave its comforts but curious to see exactly where his final job had taken him. Blinking from the sunlight, Natsu pulled apart the curtains and gasped.

The sky was gold with flecks of blue peeking from behind the hazy clouds. A fine layer of mist covered the rolling green lawns, making the world look ethereal and endless. His hand reached out, half-certain that he could reach out and capture the moment. The House of Myths was a nightly operation, so he couldn't remember the last sunrise he had seen. Standing there, Natsu could have been content to stare at the sight forever.

"Forgive the intrusion, sir," a voice called to him, and Natsu whirled around. A tall man with blue hair and an intricate face tattoo stood behind him, smartly dressed in a tailored black suit, similar to the one Erza wore. Except, this man sported a blue tie instead of the scarlet one she had worn.

The man bowed slightly to Natsu once their eyes met. "My name is Jellal Fernandes, and I have been assigned to personally oversee your needs during your stay at the estate. I have brought your schedule for the day." Jellal handed Natsu a leather bound portfolio before heading toward the wardrobe. He opened it and began pulling out pieces of clothing as he continued speaking. "Your first appointment of the day is with Ms. Heartfilia. You are to dine with her for breakfast in the Yellow Room to further discuss your arrangement." Jellal arranged the clothes he had selected across a chair before turning his attention to the bed. He started straightening the rumpled sheets and rearranging the pillows. "Afterwards, you are to—"

"H-hold on," Natsu stammered, trying to process everything Jellal was saying.

"Forgive me for speaking too hastily." Jellal stopped his dressing of the bed and bowed slightly. He inclined his head toward the portfolio in Natsu's hands. "Once more, your schedule is contained in there. Please take a moment to review it while I draw your bath."

Before Natsu could stop him, Jellal strode into the washroom to finish his morning preparations. Natsu frowned as he skimmed over the schedule neatly written out for him. He closed it and set it on the nightstand. Having his day planned out for him was something he was used to back at the House of Myths. The scenery may have changed, but he couldn't let himself forget that this was a job. One more week of someone dictating his life, and then he would be free. He would just have to continue like he had under Madame's care: emotionless and focused on his job.

After fighting off Jellal's assistance in the washroom, Natsu bathed, dried himself, and dressed in the clothes lain out for him. Jellal had selected a tan, tailored suit with a wingtip collar, a pressed white shirt with ivory buttons, a light pink tie, and brown boots.

Satisfied with his presentation, Natsu went to find Jellal.

Jellal was waiting in Natsu's receiving room, checking a silver pocket watch. When he noticed Natsu, he closed and pocketed it. A slight nod from the man indicated his approval of Natsu's appearance until his eyes rested on Natsu's hair. Natsu had tried to tame his spiky pink hair, but no amount of grooming helped, so he just shrugged in response. Jellal looked at his pocket watch again and frowned, silently deciding there wasn't time to fix it.

"If you'll follow me, sir, I will escort you to the Yellow Room. Ms. Heartfilia awaits."

The manor was a maze of corridors and staircases. There was no way Natsu could remember the route back to his quarters. Like Erza, Jellal moved across the manor with quick, long strides. The pace provided Natsu no time to further investigate the manor and get a sense of his bearings. He wondered if this was to discourage any unsolicited wanderings on his part.

Jellal opened a pair of double doors which led into a brightly lit room. The room was circular with windows framed by drapes the color of honey and walls painted a hue of yellow that most resembled sunshine. Natsu could see why they referred to this as the Yellow Room.

A light, grey table table took up most of the space in the room with upholstered chairs neatly arranged around it. On top of the table, a giant breakfast spread covered nearly the entirety of the surface. Natsu spied a platter of flaky pastries next to bowls of fresh fruit. A maid brought in a tray of crispy bacon and placed it beside a tray of sausage links. Everywhere he looked, delicacies in which he had often witnessed guests at the House of Myths indulging were piled onto the table. At the head of it all was Lucy, who was flipping through a stack of papers with Erza standing behind her chair.

"Mr. Heartfilia," Jellal announced as they entered the room.

Heartfilia? Well, I guess it would be weird for Lucy to take my last name, since I don't even know what it is. Natsu stepped further into the room, unsure where he was supposed to sit. Jellal followed after Natsu and then headed toward the chair to Lucy's left. He pulled it out, indicating for Natsu to sit.

"Good morning, dear," Natsu greeted Lucy as he sat down, already easing into his role as her husband. Lucy glanced up from her documents, irritation written across her face. I guess the loving husband isn't her type, Natsu noted.

Lucy looked toward Erza who produced a pocket watch. Noting the time, the irritation smoothed from her features. "Right, yes, of course," Lucy spoke more to herself than to him, still ignoring his greeting. She nodded to Erza, who took the documents and placed them in a briefcase. "Breakfast may commence."

On cue, Jellal took Natsu's plate and began filling it with the assorted spread in front of him. He placed it in front of Natsu when he was done and stepped back to the spot behind his chair. Natsu watched as Erza merely poured Lucy a cup of coffee and placed a small plate of berries in front of her before also moving to stand behind Lucy again.

"I trust your quarters are satisfactory and to your liking." Lucy sipped her coffee, her attention finally on him. Her large, brown eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze intense and observing. It seemed she was waiting for something.

"Quite satisfactory. Thank you," he replied. Natsu still didn't know how exactly she wanted him to act around her, so he decided to just play it safe. The etiquette training Natsu had been given under Madame's insistence kicked in. He draped his napkin in his lap and picked up the appropriate fork and knife before cutting a delicate bite of his sausage link. Out of the corner of his eye, Natsu noticed a small nod of approval from Lucy as she set down her cup. He held back a laugh at the absurdity before remembering he had to remain emotionless.

"Splendid." Lucy dabbed the corners of her mouth. "Now, let us set pleasantries aside and discuss the business at hand. Erza." On command, Erza stepped forward and produced another portfolio. She set it next to Natsu's plate before resuming her post.

"Jellal already gave me my schedule." Natsu set his utensils down and reached for the portfolio instead.

"The contents do not pertain to your appointments," Lucy clarified. "Inside you will find a detailed report about myself. It will also provide you with my expectations while you assume the role as my husband. Read it by this evening, and if you have any questions, please direct them to Jellal. He is well-versed on this matter and can answer confidently. Along with your assigned appointments for today, I would also like for you to procure a similar report on yourself. The documents that Ms. Lisko provided were superficial at best. Please have this done by noontime. I will send Erza to retrieve it."

Natsu flipped through the pages of the report and closed it. "This won't work."

Lucy's eyes hardened slightly, the only indication she was annoyed. "I assure you, Natsu. Anything you need to know about me or what I expect is contained in that report."

"At the House of Myths, we have consultations with clients before their assigned appointments. In order to put on the best performance, we need to hear directly from them what they want. I can't read about you or what you expect. You need to tell me yourself," he explained. "We are trained to pick up on the smallest of nuances and detect desires that even the client doesn't realize she wants."

"Interesting," Lucy smiled, but the motion did not reach her eyes. "I am not like your usual clients, Natsu. I am not a woman who amuses herself by being coy. I speak plainly and directly, unreserved in stating what I want. And what I want is for you to read the report and have yours prepared for me by noon for Erza to collect."

"As you wish, I'll read your report, but sending Erza won't be necessary," Natsu replied.

"Whyever not?" Lucy pierced a berry with her fork, clearly irritated by his constant objections.

"I can tell you whatever you would like to know right now. There's not much to say though. Whatever Madame—" Natsu froze for a moment. She wasn't Madame to him anymore. He had to remember that. "—ahem, Ms. Lisko wrote about me in those files is all there is."

"You mean to claim no preferences of your own? No favorite food, music, or book?"

"No, I was raised to be a shell. My likes and dislikes changed based on the client. I was to have no opinions of my own." The words came out with as little emotion as Natsu could suppress, but he found it difficult to swallow the bite of eggs he took after.

The hardness in Lucy's eyes softened as she looked into her coffee. "That won't do," she said softly.

"I will gladly like and dislike whatever you choose for me, so do not fear. I am more than confident in my abilities to—"

"Jellal," Lucy cut in, snapping her attention to her employee. "What is my husband's schedule for the day?"

"After breakfast, we are to travel into town and purchase specific items at several of the shops. Along the journey, he is to familiarize himself with the contents of Ms. Heartfilia's report and transcribe one of his own. I have been charged to test him on his absorption of the contents throughout the day as well. Afterward—"

"Thank you." She held her hand up, silencing him. "Erza," she called next. The woman stepped forward and produced a portfolio similar to the one that contained Natsu's schedule. "Hmmm. That could be moved around. The reports are already sent for that, and I could…" Lucy spoke to herself as she read over her schedule. "Right." She snapped the portfolio shut. "Erza, there will slight changes to my schedule for the day. Please retrieve our coats and send word that the carriage is to be prepared and brought to the front."

"Yes, ma'am." Erza bowed slightly before striding off to carry out her orders.

"Jellal, you are to bring Mr. Heartfilia to the main foyer once he has finished breakfast. Make sure both of you are readied for travel."

"Certainly, ma'am." Jellal inclined his head.

Lucy stood from the table, and Natsu rose to his feet. "Now, more pressing matters require my attention, so I'll leave you to finish your breakfast, dear husband."

Before he could reply, Lucy was already marching out of the room, leaving Natsu bewildered and staring after her.

"Is my wife always like that?" Natsu asked, sitting back down to finish his breakfast.

"Your wife, sir, is a very busy woman," Jellal simply replied.

Natsu noted the half-finished coffee and untouched plate Lucy had left. Too busy even to eat, it seems. "I see." He turned back to his plate and finished off his breakfast in silence. The moment Natsu set down his utensils, a maid swiftly removed his plate from the table, carrying it off the kitchen.

Jellal helped push back Natsu's chair, ushering him to leave the room as well. Natsu glanced behind him as he left the Yellow Room and saw a team of maids quickly removing the full platters of food. He wondered what they would do with all the uneaten food.

They stood in the foyer dressed for travel, Jellal having retrieved their coats and a hat for Natsu. Glimpses of maids and butlers going about their duties was the only activity that made the manor seem somewhat inhabited. Natsu wondered how Lucy could live in such a large place all by herself. The quiet alone would have driven him mad.

"Ah, right on time." Lucy strode into the foyer, her heeled boats clicking sharply on the tiled floor. Erza walked a few steps behind her.

"Are you coming into town as well?" he asked, noting she was dressed for travel also.

"Indeed." She stopped in front of him, slipping gloves onto her delicate hands. "It appears my husband is in need of taste, so I'm going to help him find it."

"But I assure you I can adapt to whatever you choose for me," Natsu protested. Although he had no preferences of his own, he was confident in his abilities to give a convincing performance that he had them.

"No, that will not do," Lucy said, her brow furrowing. "Although this may be a marriage of circumstance, I would never marry a man who could not fashion an opinion for himself. Our true relationship may be factitious, but the content of your character will not."

Natsu didn't know what to say. He was stunned by Lucy once again. He simply stared at her, unable to put a finger on the emotion that stirred inside of him. Unfamiliar with feeling anything, he didn't know what to call it. All he knew was, like that sliver of hope she inspired in him, he was unable to suppress this feeling as well.

"Shall we be off then?" Lucy offered him her elbow. Natsu took her offered elbow, gingerly looping his arm through hers and giving her a smile that wasn't entirely an act.

A/N: Hello stars!

Always first: THANK YOU TO MY AMAZING BETAS! Raz, Yulia, and Nina you three are just A-MAZING! Thank you for always being willing and available to look over chapters. I just adore each of you. Your work is the only reason these chapters turn out so well.

Now, I hope everyone has been doing well! Who is else is loving that the final arc of Fairy Tail is being animated? Is anyone reading the spin-off? I love these characters so I'm enjoying all the content. Anywho, thank you all for being so patient for the next chapter of this fic. I'm so sorry it's been over a year and no update. Since I'm taking a short hiatus for APYJCK, I have renewed energy and focus for my other stories that aren't finished yet. Jumping back into this story has been a real treat. It only took three hours to write! I hope you enjoy this update. As always, lots of love and thank you for your support!