The land of Fiore was made up of seven kingdoms. The Heartafilla's had ruled these seven kingdoms for thousands of years with their dragons. That all changed when the capitol attacked, it destroyed the dragons as well as most of the Heartafilla's. The lone survivors were the king's two youngest children that were shipped off to Harragon far off along the eastern sea. The eldest of these children was Laxus Heartafilla, he was drilled from the age of 7 in all the knowledge of warfare and the seven other realms so to take back his rightful throne. All the while his beautiful younger sister, Lucinda would shadow him. Being born female she wouldn't need to trouble herself over anything except beauty and enchanting her future husband.

Today was Lucinda's sixteenth birthday and it was also the day she was to be married off. She was just finishing putting the diamond pins in her hair that Laxus had gifted her. Lucinda looked into the polished bronze at her golden image. Her cornstalk gold hair was pinned back to show off her heart shaped face and her lovely brown eyes looked forlorn and began to water.

"Lucinda, enough with your crying. You don't want your new husband to see your lovely face all puffy." Laxus said from the doorway of the room. Lucinda's head jerked up and she quickly wiped her tears away and showed her best smile. Laxus smiled down at his little sister but it was a smile without warmth and then he her gripped her chin roughly.

"That's a good girl. You wouldn't want to ruin this opportunity for me to get an army to take back my throne. I will let all those savages ravage you before I'd let that happen." He said before letting her go. And that was the relationship these siblings had. Laxus extended his arm and escorted Lucinda towards the front gates were the Igneous clan stood waiting. The Igneous were a fierce clan that were skilled in warfare and were rumored to be vicious cannibals that they ate the flesh of their enemies. This did not matter to Laxus, all her cared was having an army that would help him concur the seven kingdoms. Lucinda was to marry the clan leader Natsu. Her eyes scanned the crowd to find out who her future husband would be. It didn't take long, he stood at the center with long salmon hair tied back in a long braid down his back and his chest was covered in decorative red markings.

"They cut their hair when they lose a battle. Natsu has obviously never lost a battle. An impressive match wouldn't you say so?" Laxus said smugly. Lucinda swallowed nervously. She took an unconscious step back when Natsu came forward. The man had dark smoldering eyes that searched her face. He bowed before her feet and presented a basket to her. Lucinda went to pick up the basket but Laxus snatched it out of her reach and peered inside. He grimaced.

"Oh it's just a cat. A wedding gift, how thoughtful." He said full of mirth and the translator told Natsu. He extended his rough calloused hand towards Lucinda and she cautiously took it. The ceremony was done with an igneous style. They're hands were bound together with a leather band and water was dumped on top on them to purify the evils. There was no kiss to seal the marriage or bedding ceremony, Lucinda thanked the gods for that. She sat quietly beside her husband as her talked excitedly towards his clan in an alien language to her.

Lucinda picked at her food wondering all the while if she was eating another human and looked for her brother, she managed to see him wandering off with one of the Igneous women. She sighed and stroked her cat's fur, it was a rare Harragon cat that coat shone almost blue. Natsu realized she was upset and touched her cheek. He spoke words that she didn't understand.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what you're saying." She muttered. Her heart was racing and then she turned to the translator.

"He says you have the same haunting beauty as the moon." Said the translator. Lucinda had never heard someone say something so kind to her. Before long the sun had set and Lucinda knew what was coming. Natsu retrieved his horse and lifted Lucinda onto the saddle. She gripped onto the horse's mane so tightly her knuckles turned white. As they rode away Lucinda couldn't help but feel the inviting warmth that Natsu's body seemed to emanate.

They arrived at a tent overseeing the cliffs of Harragon. Lucinda tried to conceal her shaking. She knew the consequences of being a resistant wife. Natsu noticed her shaking and draped the cloak he wore over his bare chest across her shoulders.

"Thank you, you are very kind" She said knowing full well he didn't entirely understand her.

"Kind?" he asked and Lucinda smiled a genuine smile at this.

"Yes, Kind." He stepped towards her and lifted her chin so he could kiss her soft lips. He did so slowly at first and then it turned urgent and clumsy. He lay her on the cloak on the rich soil and began to move his hands across her body. Lucinda gripped onto Natsu's shoulders and prayed for the pain to go away.

After a few minutes Natsu was asleep and Lucinda was draped across his chest. It was then that she allowed herself to cry. Here she was with this stranger and now she was to spend the rest of her life with him. She never had the chance to experience a true family. All she has ever had was her brother. Though he was abusive he was familiar and this was not. In his sleep Natsu tightened his embrace around her.

"Lucy" He breathed. No one had ever called Lucinda that. This man was full of surprises and maybe he wasn't such a savage after all.