Title: Untangle Me Some More.
Series: Fairy Tail, AU.
Pairing: NaLu.
Rating: T for violence and character death.
Genre(s): Adventure, romance.

A/N: Untangle Me Some More is a Tangled!AU that parallels the Phantom Lord Arc of the Fairy Tail Manga while taking its inspiration from Disney's Tangled! It started as a game of fic tennis (in which one writer starts a story and the next continues it, this continues until the story is completed) between the both of us and eventually spiralled into a planned out fanfiction.

Summary: Having been confined in the Heartfilia Mansion by her overprotective father following the untimely demise of her mother, Lucy is offered a new lease at life when an unexpected visitor makes his entrance through the tower window.

Nalu Tangled AU - Chapter 1

The sound of footsteps echoed through the air and bounced off the walls, from where it was thrown back to the young woman walking through the big entrance hall. Her long, golden hair was elaborately braided, and an ostentatious dress accentuated her beautiful figure. She was a magnificent beauty, no doubt, but if you cared to take a closer look – which few people ever did – you would have noticed the missing sparkle in her eyes, and the nervous habit of her fingers to straighten her dress as she walked on steadily.

She came to a halt in front of a large wooden door. Nervously, she cleared her throat, and proceeded to knock timidly. When nothing happened, she knocked again, her knuckles making hard contact with the wood beneath. She would not be turned down. Not today.

"Enter."

With a deep breath, she stepped into her father's study.

He barely looked up from the paperwork in front of him, only acknowledging her presence with a short nod. "And why would my daughter disturb me at this time of day?"

"Well… father, you know what day it is today, right?"

Finally, he lay down the slender grey pen he had been holding, the sound of metal on wood momentarily being the only sound in the large room, introducing a defeaning silence right after.

"Of course I know what day it is, Lucy. It's my beloved daughter's birthday. And I shall spend some time with you as soon as I am done with my work. You know it takes a lot of time to rule over our lands, right?"

"Yes, father." She swallowed. "But, actually… I wanted to ask you something."

Skeptically, his cool, brown eyes fixed themselves on her face as he arched a thick brow. "And what would that be?"

"I thought, because it's my birthday, and all –I thought –" It seemed to cost her quite an effort to state her request. But then she seemed to remember something, and for the first time, there was joy in her eyes, making her face light up and giving her courage to speak freely. "You know that festival that takes place every year, the Lumen Histoire…"

His face fell.

"I was wondering if maybe this year, I could – "

"No."

Unable to control her emotions, the young woman's lower lip started quivering. "But-"

"I said no! We have talked about this before. You will not leave this mansion. Ever. The world is not a safe place."

"I- I know, but.."

"Do you mean to tell me you forgot about your mother? She died because she left the security offered by our home, and me."

"I know.." She had shrunken into herself, the glimmer in her eyes barely even existent anymore; her voice a faint whisper.

"I know best. Everything I do is to keep you safe and sound. Now, how about you go to your room and choose some activity that will not endanger your life."

No words left within her, the girl named Lucy left the study, all the energy and hope drained from her face. She managed to close the door behind her before hot tears started streaming down her cheeks, and before she knew it, she was running, down the corridor and up the stairs, ascending the spiral staircase built out of cold stone, upwards and upwards, until she reached her room, up in the highest tower of the grand building. Only here did she dare to break down, far away from the father who claimed to love her but never showed her true emotion, the father who had been keeping her locked away from the world for as long as she had lived, constricted in the walls she was supposed to call her home.

And all she had wanted to do was go see those beautiful lights. The ones you could only catch a glimpse of once a year, when they lit up the whole night sky unlike anything she had ever seen before, even from so far away. Oh, how they must look like from below. She had dreamt about those lights ever since she first had seen them out of her window one late summer night, many years ago.

Angrily wiping away the tears clinging to her reddened skin, she stood back up from her spot behind the door. She hated herself for crying. It made her feel so… weak. Maybe her father was right, after all. The world must be such a dangerous place. But how could something so dangerous contain something so beautiful?

Her mind wandered back to Lumen Histoire, the festival of a million lights – at least that's what she had heard one of the servants call it. No matter how dreadful a place the outside world was, no fear could put out the fire burning inside her, the curiosity pushing her on and on, to learn and experience, and to live life to the utmost possible.

Yet here she was, alone in her room, like she had always been.

Sometimes she wondered what might have been, had her mother not died. Had she known her face from more than just old dusty pictures. Would her father be the same? She could not remember him any other way; for her, he had always been cold and distant. But what good did it do to dwell on such thoughts? They would not change anything.

Sighing, she walked over to her desk, whose simple, mahogany surface shone brightly as the setting sun illuminated it. This small table was her haven, her safe place, where she could escape into a world of her own: a world with rolling green hills, lights in the sky, colours abound, maybe even a knight in shining armor who would take her on adventures. When she was writing, all her troubles melted away and she was lost in the moment, blissfully spinning fantasies of lives she dreamed of living.

The feather was scratching over sheets of paper now, only sometimes stalled to take up some more ink. Lucy was scribbling away, completely absorbed in her activity, when a knock on the door made her almost jump in surprise.

"Lady Heartfilia? Your father will receive you in the dining hall."

Abruptly ripped from her thoughts, she got up automatically, falling back into her usual routine and straightening her dress before walking towards the door.

The sun was already casting its last rays over the rooftops of the mansion when she came back from dinner an hour later, a bitter expression on her face. God, she had to get out of here. Dinner had not been pleasant. Of course not – it hardly ever was. But when he had told her that he would give her all the presents she desired, something in her had snapped. She could have everything, except what she truly wished for. With a scowl, she walked over to the window overlooking the estate, and placed her elbows on the window pane. She sighed, and let the sun warm her face until no more rays reached her, obstructed by the big hill in the distance.

A knock on the door disrupted her daydreaming. Surprised, she looked up. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Lady Heartfilia."

Her face softened when she recognized the voice of Aed, one of the many cooks, but definitely her favourite. He had looked out for her since she was a little child. Smiling, she opened the door.

His most prominent feature was his big, round belly, which he had continuously fed over the last years. His face was correspondingly shaped, and the eyes that were now fixed on her were old and kind.

"I'm here to bring you some more food. I saw you barely touched your dinner."

"Oh, you shouldn't have. Thankyou, Aed."

Something furry whooshed past the both of them and landed on the bed, where it rolled itself into a ball. The thing turned out to be a small white dog, who looked at her with big eyes.

"Hey, Plue!" While she proceeded to pat the ball of fur, Aed placed the pan with its steaming content aswell as a plate and cutlery onto a little table at the far end of the room.

"I'll just leave this here, Lady. Oh, and – I didn't see a thing." He pointed his index finger at the dog. With a wink, he was gone.

"Good night, Aed."

After changing into a comfortable nightgown – she had always insisted to dress herself and to establish her room as her own zone – she hopped onto the bed, still not having touched the food. Her appetite had abandoned her today. Plue snuggled closer to her legs, and she reveled in the feeling of his warm little body against her legs. Maybe in her dreams she would find some more company… her eyes dropped close as sleep began to overwhelm her, carrying her away into a world of her own devising.

It was still pitchblack when she woke again, and for a moment she wondered what had woken her. Then, a sound reached her ears and she was awake in a heartbeat. It was a voice. And it came from outside her window. Impossible. She was high up in a tower. How in all the worlds could anyone ever get up here? She must still be dreaming.

But after rubbing her eyes and pinching her cheeks - and still existing, she figured this must indeed be the real world. There it was again. Whispered curses, and the sounds of little broken bits of stones falling into the depths. Her mind was racing now. Someone… must be holding on to the walls outside. It did not matter how he had gotten up here, what mattered now was that she defended herself and Plue from that burglar – because that was what he must be, right? Her eyes fell onto the snoring dog at her feet. Fat load of help he was.

Another sound, closer this time. And then she could hear the intruder giggling, and going: "Nin, nin!"

She almost didn't believe her ears. If that was a burglar, he was doing a very bad job.

Her heart was hammering in her chest now. He would enter through her window, no doubt. It was the only one decorating the round little tower high up above the other parts of the mansion. Frantically, her eyes darted across the dark room, pointlessly searching for a weapon which she knew she did not have.

That was when she remembered the frying pan. Slowly, as to not make any noise, she slipped out of bed and quietly hurried over to the small table. Her eyes were getting accustomed to the dark now, and she could make out its contents. Lamb fillet in a creamy mustard sauce and fried potatoes. They would have to be sacrificed for the greater good. Her stomach protested, suddenly hungry again after a day of ignoring her. She figured she could keep the contents in. Maybe, against all reason, he would overlook her window, and she could indulge in her meal after all.

After grabbing the lifesaving weapon, she quietly hurried over to the window and hid in the darkness of the curtains. She cursed her heart for beating so loudly. It was all quiet, and doubts overcame her. Was there even anyone outside? How ridiculous she must be looking. A silly little girl with a frying pan, hiding from imaginary monsters. For a second, she wavered in her determination, but then there was another sound, and she almost didn't dare to breathe out of fear she might be discovered. He was exactly outside of her window now, and she could hear his strained breathing.

Then suddenly, everything was quite again. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath for real this time. And then, she could hear him – sniff?

"Mmmh. A quick snack won't hurt, eh." Was he chuckling? And was he able to smell the food? Damn, he must have a good nose. Her concentration broke and she arched an eyebrow, almost amused. He must be the worst burglar of all times. How fitting, since she must be the worst watchwoman of all times.

And then the window broke open with what must have been one single forceful blow, and before she could fathom another thought, her instinct took over, blood pumping through her veins and panic drowning out reason. Before she knew it, she was swinging the frying pan full force.

And hit.