AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out this story! I just wanted to tell you a few things before you dive into the first chapter. First of all, this story is set in an AU although it is fairly similar to the actual Fairy Tail world. For example the name of the kingdom is Fiore, but obviously our characters are going to be in much different situations. Secondly, if you didn't get it from the title/summary, this story is based off the main plot of Cinderella. I just flipped the roles a little bit and made Lucy the royalty while Natsu is the one with a very evil stepmother. Don't worry, I'm definitely not going to follow the story line of Cinderella exactly. You can expect a lot of twists, turns and probably a much more realistic take on one of the most famous Fairy Tales in history.

Disclaimer: Of course, I do not own Fairy Tail. But I'm guessing you guys already knew that.

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 1

Once Upon a Time

Lucy gripped her mother's hand tightly. While her own fingers were smooth and strong, her mothers' were frail and withered far too much for her age.

"Lucy, no need to hold on so tightly." Layla whispered to her daughter from her place on the bed. She was lying down with her torso propped up on a mountain of pillows consisting of the finest silk and extravagant lacy patterns. "You're hurting me."

"Oh right, sorry mom." She replied, slightly embarrassed as she loosened her iron grip into something more gentle. Her mother smiled weakly and then closed her eyes, drifting off into sleep.

The pillows weren't the only luxurious items in the room. Far from it, the walls were a deep scarlet and the floors were covered with polished gray stone. The bed itself stood prominently as the centerpiece of the room with its golden silk bedspread and tall head board extending up with wall with a mahogany sheen.

Lucy was sitting beside her mother, dressed in a blue satin dress that hugged her body tightly before flaring out into a full skirt decorated with an intricate design in a lighter shade of blue. Standing not too far away was her father, a tall confident man dressed in the finest green suit money could buy. In fact, the only thing in the large bedroom that wasn't perfect or sparkling was Lucy's mother.

Layla's face, which was normally clear and bright, resembled a pale shade of gray, matching the toneless monotony of her eyes, which were covered by drooping eyelids. She was dressed in a simple white nightgown, although that garment was hidden beneath the heap of blankets that covered her as she rested. Despite the layers of warmth, the sickly woman still shivered.

"Capricorn." Jude, Lucy's father, called out in a steady voice upon seeing his wife in discomfort.

Immediately, a tall man dressed impeccably in a black suit entered the room. He had neatly groomed white hair and was wearing sunglasses that blocked any outside view of his eyes.

"Yes, your majesty." Capricorn dipped his head.

"Fetch Layla another blanket. The queen is cold."

Capricorn nodded once more and left the room without a word. Lucy swallowed with worry. Her mother hadn't been of good health for many years, but this was the worst Lucy had seen her. Her mother had always been able to walk and put up a strong pretense for others, but currently, the woman was helpless and not able to even feed herself let alone continue her duties as Queen of Fiore. Lucy closed her eyes and prayed that this was nothing severe and her mother's illness could be cured.

"Dad." Lucy whispered softly. "Is mom going to be okay?"

She didn't dare look at her father's face, preferring to study her mother instead. The woman had only fallen back asleep, but her unmoving form caused Lucy to wonder what it would be like if she never woke up. Layla twitched in her sleep, causing Lucy's heart to skip a beat.

"We will just have to wait for the doctor to return with the results of his tests." Jude replied, diplomatically. Lucy sighed. She shouldn't have expected anything else from her dad. He was a King, after all.

As if her father's comment summoned his return, sure enough a knock was heard on the door before the doctor entered. He was a man of average height and his most defining feature was the stark white lab coat he wore over his wealthy clothes.

"I have her majesty's test results." The doctor said slowly, standing a good distance away from the royal family with his clipboard in hand.

"And?" Her father prompted him.

"It is not good news, I'm afraid." He said. "I've detected abnormally high levels of ethernano in her blood. It seems that the magic particles are interfering with her ordinary bodily functions. This ailment is what we call the ethernano invasion virus, or EIV. It is a very serious condition and there is no known cure. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to help her recover."

With those few words Lucy felt a thousand knives rip through her heart. She closed her eyes and pretended it was all a dream. How could this be real? Her mother couldn't be…

"What do you mean?" Jude said angrily, his voice raspy and uneven. "She will still be able to recover without your medicine, won't she?"

"Of course it is possible, but… not likely. Such a thing has never been done before."

"I've heard of this virus before. I've heard stories about people all over Fiore who have died from this pestilence, but I never would have imagined it would invade my own home…"

"If I may, your majesty. EIV has only started to become more prominent rather recently and very little is known about it. The only thing we are confident in is the fact that it is deadly. There have been no confirmed cases of recovery thus far."

Lucy started to shake her head in denial while Jude fell silent for a few moments. He dipped his head and stared at his feet, shielding his eyes with a hand on his forehead. He let out a deep sigh containing hundreds of emotions that he could not show on his face.

"How much longer does she have?" He asked.

"6 months, by my guess, your majesty." The doctor replied.

Lucy collapsed onto her mother's chest and cried into her night gown, feeling the whole world crash down around her.

XXX

Natsu's hands were dirty and his back hurt. That's what happens when you spend hours upon hours pulling weeds out of the ground.

The teenage boy was in the middle of a giant field of strawberry plants. There were countless rows of tiny leafy bushes that were just beginning to bud with small red berries that looked tantalizingly delicious to the boy after hours of hard work. Spotting another weed that was leaching from the soil he worked so hard to fertilize, he plunged his hands into the dirt and pulled it out, tossing the weed into the bag he carried beside him. In vain, he wished that strawberry plants were taller. They were only about a foot high, so they did little to protect or shade him from the harsh sun overhead.

"Hey, Happy, do you want to go get me some water?" Natsu asked his little friend, who was sitting on the ground beside him, watching him work with mild interest.

"No way, I'm not your servant, Natsu!" He protested dramatically, crossing his arms with gusto.

"Ah come on! It's hot and you're not helping me at all!"

"I help you with the chores all the time, but I need a break."

"So do I!" Natsu said as he ripped another weed from the earth. "But that's not exactly an option for me."

"I know…" Happy sighed, looking at his friend guiltily. "Fine, I'll go get you some water."

"Thanks, little buddy. You're the best." Natsu said, brightening up with a smile.

Happy scampered away and the boy allowed himself a few moments to watch his friend go. Happy was a cat, a small blue cat that was able to talk and he was his best friend in the whole wide world.

Well, that being said, Natsu's world wasn't all that wide. He was born on a farm and had lived there his whole life, only leaving for a quick trip to the market or walk in the woods. Up until he was eleven years old, he didn't mind being confined the ranch. For one, it was beautiful. It was centered in the middle of a thick forest that didn't allow for any neighbors and forced their dirt driveway to be several miles long. That shabby road led directly to the most beautiful three-story ranch house that sported white paneled walls, large windows that would let light stream into airy interior rooms, and a wide wrap-around patio that was adorned with wicker chairs and even a swinging bench handing from the balcony above it. Behind the house and to the right was a classic bright red barn where the horses stayed for the night and cows would graze all day in the fenced field to the side. Directly behind the house and extending for acres beyond it where fields of strawberries, blueberries and pumpkin.

It was strange. He used to love the farm and fields with all his heart. He used to enjoy coming out here, tending to the crops and caring for the animals. The house used to feel so warm and the fruit he picked used to seem so bright.

But then the witch and her two bastard sons ruined his life.

Now Natsu was angry with the memories, tugging at the weeds with more rigor and strength as he remembered the sequence of events that changed his life from peaceful to the worse sort of hell.

It all started when his mother died. That happened when he was six. Back then he had a happy family. His father Igneel provided authority and warm support whenever necessary while his mother, Grandeeney, contained all the heart. He had precious few memories of her, but from what he did remember, she was kind, gentle and full of love. Rounding out his family was his younger sister, Wendy, and she was so young when their mother died that she had no memory of her at all.

Natsu grimaced at the reason why Wendy never got to know their mother. Grandeeney died in childbirth. Wendy made it but their mom did not.

That was one of the darkest days of his life and it definitely was the worst for his father. Igneel was never the same after he lost his wife. After a short period of depression and emptiness, he brought home another woman, claiming that he was in love with her. They were married within months and she moved into their farm home, bringing her two children with her. Suddenly Natsu found himself with an extended family that actually turned out to be no family at all.

Natsu hated the lot of them from the beginning, but his father was too blind to see it. He became obsessed with his new wife and although he still did the best he could to set time aside for his children, nothing seemed right any more. That woman was selfish, controlling and clearly was taking advantage of both his father's money and emotional state. Natsu thought that things were as bad as they could be, but he was wrong.

Things got worse.

When he was seven, his father disappeared out of the blue. He never said goodbye and he never came back. Eventually, Igneel was declared dead and his wife inherited everything, including his farm, his wealth and his children. The newly widowed woman, however, showed no signs of grief as she promptly adjusted to a luxurious lifestyle that was all her own. She forced Natsu and Wendy to do all the farm work and house work while she and her own two sons stayed inside, screwed around, and did whatever the hell they wanted while Igneel's two children were treated like dirt.

That had been Natsu's life for eleven years now. He was eighteen and there was no sign of change in his life. Every day he would wake up at dawn and do his work out in the fields until dusk. He would sleep for the night and then wake up and do it all again the next day. None of it was fair. If only his father knew how his children were being treated-

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched scream.

Natsu jerked his head up from his work and saw two figures approaching him. His stomach dropped as he recognized them immediately.

It was Sting and Rogue, his two evil stepbrothers. Although they were twins, the only common feature between them was their height. Sting sported impeccably styled blonde hair and blue eyes while his brother was rougher around the edges with his drooping black hair and narrow black eyes. Both were dressed in spotless tailored clothing that was void of any wrinkle and was made of the finest materials. Their skin was smooth and unblemished and their hands probably didn't even know what the word "callous" meant.

Most disturbing, however, was what Rogue was clutching in his pampered hands.

It was Happy. Rogue held the small blue cat firmly in one hand, gripping the top of his head so that the rest of his fragile body hung down limply, swinging back and forth as the teenage boy walked. Natsu gritted his teeth in anger and balled his hands up into a tight fist.

"Let go of him." Natsu ordered in a deathly low voice as he stood to his feet so that he could look at his "brothers" face to face. Sting only laughed at his request.

"Look Rogue." He said, pretending as though he came across something rather hilarious. "The little farm boy thinks that he can order us around."

"I'm not going to say it again." Natsu said. "Let him go, or I'll make you let him go."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Sting asked, tilting his head with a confident smirk.

Natsu cracked his knuckles and returned a similar grin.

"You pretty boys spend all day inside playing piano and eating fancy cheese. You would stand no chance against me."

For a moment, a hint of hesitation flashed through Sting's eyes as he contemplated what Natsu was saying. However, he quickly regained his confidence as he remembered who was in control.

"That's bold talk coming from a slave." He spat. "You must realize that's all you are to us. You and your little bitch of a sister-"

And then Natsu punched him in the face. He smashed his eager fist into his stepbrother's perfect pale skin, enjoying the feeling of finally unloading his anger on someone that he truly despised. He could allow himself to be hurt and made fun of for days, but he wasn't going to let anyone say a word against his sister.

Sting let out a yelp of pain and fell to the ground from the force of the punch.

"You little…" He growled in rage as he slowly stood back up, brushing the dirt off of his fluffy white pants. "I'm going to make sure you pay for that."

"What? Are you going to tell your mother on me?" Natsu taunted, still angry, still wanting to fight. It was like he had a fire raging in his belly and he wanted nothing more than to unleash it right then and there.

"Yes. But not before I've finished having my fun with you." He said in a venomous, maniacal voice. Then he turned to his brother, who was still holding the whimpering blue cat. "Rogue!"

"Whatever." Rogue said, rolling his eyes. He then placed both of his hands around the cat's neck, as if he were about to choke him.

"Get on your knees." Sting ordered. "Or that cat you are so fond of dies."

"You wouldn't."

"I would." Rouge answered evenly, tightening his grip around Happy's neck. The cat squealed and Natsu's eyes went round with fear. He dropped down to his knees just like Sting asked.

"Now bow to me." Sting said with a sick smile on his face.

"I ain't bowing to you." Natsu spat.

"Then his death is on you."

Natsu growled in frustration. He looked from Sting, to Rogue to his little furry friend, who was scared out of his mind.

Just suck it up and do it. Natsu told himself harshly. Going against every muscle in his body he bowed before Sting. The blond teen laughed with pleasure.

"Now kiss my boots and don't forget to address me with respect."

Natsu clamped down on his teeth hard. He was shaking with anger, but there was nothing he could do. He wanted nothing more than to stand up, punch Sting again in his arrogant face with all his power and then take Happy back. He wanted to break Wendy out of the Ranch house and take her with him to any other place than here. He used to love this ranch so much, but now all he felt for it was hatred. He was trapped here and had no choice but to sacrifice everything that he stood for.

"Yes… master." Natsu choked out the bitter words and even more reluctantly dipped his head to kiss Sting's boots. It was abrupt and brief, but he still felt like all of his pride had disappeared on the spot.

"Idiot." Sting laughed some more and then kicked Natsu square in the jaw while his face was still so close to his stepbrother's feet.

Natsu grunted at the dull pain as his head was snapped backwards in a whip-like jerk.

"No wonder you never have any woman." Sting laughed. "With a mouth that kisses like that, not even a whore would date you."

All Natsu could do was glare at him with fiery eyes from his spot on the ground.

"We done here?" Rogue asked, looking rather bored with the whole situation.

"Yeah, whatever, this slave isn't worth my time." Sting agreed. "You can let the animal go."

Rouge released Happy from his grip; the cat dropped to the ground with a thud and began gasping for air.

"Don't forget to clean up all the horse shit in the barn!" Sting jeered at him one final time over his shoulder before the twins walked away, back towards Igneel's beloved ranch house.

"Damn it." Natsu cursed to himself before looking at his little friend who was finally regaining control over his breathing. "You okay, little buddy?"

"I'm fine." He squeaked. "What about you, Natsu?"

"Same as usual."

"That bad, huh?"

And so, Natsu resumed his chores for that day, finishing the weeding before moving on to the stables to shovel piles and piles of horse manure.

XXX

Lucy's corset was tight. She liked the way it hugged her waist and made it look tiny, giving her a lovely hourglass shape fitting of a princess. Nevertheless she maintained a habit of complaining about how tight it was. Sometimes it would feel like she could barely breathe as the hard fabric was tightened relentlessly against her figure. Today, however, she didn't mind the strain or stiffness. The truth was, over the past few days since her mother's diagnosis, she would often think that the corset was the only thing holding her together.

She was standing anxiously outside of the council room. Her father had summoned her for an "important meeting" and she was waiting for the King's council to adjourn before entering.

She leaned back on the stone wall of the castle corridor, not caring that a princess should never compromise her proper silhouette with such a casual stance. She noticed that the two castle guards standing stiffly in front of the council room doors glanced briefly in her direction, probably commenting snidely in their heads. Lucy really didn't care though. She had lived in this castle all her life and she had grown used to perpetually being under the watch of someone. Whether it was her handmaids, castle guards, servants, or nobility, Lucy always felt like she was under observance twenty four hours a day. That was one of the few drawbacks of living in such a fine castle. Positives included living in Crocus, the capital of Fiore, having maids that could style your hair to perfection every day of the week, and discovering the best spots in the ancient, winding castle to read a great book.

Most people didn't know that behind the grand throne room of the Fiore Castle was a more covert meeting place for the King's council which consisted of the King and only his most trusted advisors that helped him run the kingdom. Until recently her mother Layla would also take place in the council meetings but these days her health would not allow it.

Lucy only had to wait a few more minutes before the meeting broke and several of Fiore's most influential noblemen exited the chamber with the usual blank faces and wealthy clothing. Lucy straightened up immediately upon their presence and each one of them dipped his or her head in her direction, acknowledging the only princess of the kingdom.

"You are looking lovely today, your highness." Bob, a fat but amiable man, greeted her as he passed. His appearance was somewhat unsettling with his crimson lips and bald head, but he was always nice to Lucy. She had known him since she was very young; he was the head of a large trade federation in Fiore and has served as the King's head economic advisor for the past thirty years.

"Thank you." Lucy smiled and dipped her head in turn. Normally she would try to extend the conversation, but these days she never really felt up to chatting.

"My best wishes to her highness, Queen Layla." He said with a very sympathetic smile. "May she regain her health soon."

"I appreciate it. Have a wonderful afternoon."

"And you as well, princess." He replied with a hearty wink, before walking away with his peers. At his words, Lucy felt another slight pang in her chest as she remembered that the true status of her mother's health was being kept a secret to all those outside the King's closest circle. He did not want to raise panic throughout the kingdom, nor did he want to worry his council more than necessary. Her father simply told them that Layla had contracted a serious and possibly severe illness. He just didn't tell them that the possibility of her death wasn't really a possibility at all.

According to the doctor, it was certain.

Last to emerge from the council room was her father. Lucy smiled as she saw his broad shoulders, golden hair, full beard, and golden crown topping his head. He looked every bit the role of a powerful king, appearing steady but sympathetic, strong but intelligent.

"Ah, there you are, Lucy. Please come in, we have a lot to discuss."

She nodded and followed her dad back into the room, through the large doors and into a large but simple room with a long ovular table at the center of it. At the head of the table was a plush chair with a high back. Jude took his seat in it and motioned for Lucy to sit in the smaller chair to his right. As the door closed behind them, Lucy realized that she was alone with her father and he had a very serious look on his face. Suddenly, the girl was wishing that he looked a little less like a king.

"What is it we need to talk about?" She asked anxiously, clamping her hands together in her lap.

"Things are changing, Lucy. Life goes on whether we want it to or not." He began slowly, letting out a heavy sigh.

Lucy didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything at all. She didn't like how this conversation was going so far, so she decided to just stay silent for the moment and let her father say what he was meaning to.

"I'm sure you've covered this in your lessons regarding Fiore Law, but I need to remind you of the law concerning the presence of a king and queen."

"Yes." Lucy nodded, remembering the lesson well. "The law says that there must be a partnership of a king and queen ruling Fiore at all times. It's a rule that not only prevents dictatorship, but also promotes unity between our nation's leaders that is meant to transcend through all social classes."

As she recited a familiar quote from one of her tutors, Lucy slowly began to realize the implications of the law. It hadn't really meant much to her before while her parents were happily married and at the helm of Fiore, but with her mother's illness…

"Yes, yes and I'm sure you already realize what it means for us. If… when, Layla passes, I will be without a wife and be in violation of the law. I could, of course, take another wife, but I feel doing so would be an insult to your mother's memory. What I must do is clear. When the day of your mother's death comes, I will step down as king."

"What?!" Lucy immediately stood to her feet in protest. "You can't step down! You're the best king Fiore has ever had. You're kind and fair and the people love you-"

Her father chuckled at her outburst, throwing his head back in what was probably his first genuine laugh in two days.

"Now, Lucy, there is no reason to be upset. The world will not end if I am no longer the one sitting on the throne."

"I know, but… I mean, you are the king. Why can't you just change the law yourself?" Lucy sat back down in her chair with her arms crossed.

"If I did that, then I wouldn't be a good king anymore, would I? The law is the law for a reason and it is not my place to change what has held true for so many years."

"That doesn't change the fact that the law is stupid." Lucy grumbled. Her dad allowed himself another chuckle, before returning to his serious demeanor.

"Nevertheless even we must adhere to it."

"But if you do step down as King, then what will happen? I guess I'm next in line, but I'm not married and there's no way I will be in six months…"

Lucy trailed off as she made eye contact with her father. No, she didn't like where this conversation was going at all.

"That is what I wanted to discuss with you." He said stiffly. "A combination of selfishness and pride prompts me to want the crown to stay within our family line. As I nor Layla have any immediate relatives to turn to, you are the one who must become Queen in order for the Heartfilia name to remain on the throne."

"That still doesn't change the fact that I'm not married." Lucy said softly.

"I know this is a lot to ask of you, Lucy, and I know that this is not how you expected to take up my mantle, but I must ask it of you anyway."

"Ask me what?" Lucy said, although she already knew the question.

"I want to reassure you that this is ultimately your choice. I would never force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"Ask me what?" Lucy repeated. For some reason, probably because of the overload of emotions she had constantly rolling around in her heart, the princess began to feel tears well up in her eyes as she waited for her father to ask the question that had the potential to completely shatter any dreams she had for the future.

"Lucy. Will you protect our family's legacy by walking in my footsteps to the throne of Fiore? Will you sacrifice your future freedom for the betterment of our people? Will you, in the next six months, find a suitable husband and future king of this nation to marry? Will you do this for me… and for your mother?"

Lucy felt her face go pale. This was all happening too fast. Two days ago she was a carefree princess who dreamed about going places, meeting people, and following her dreams for years and years to come while her parents happily ruled the kingdom. Yes, she considered the future possibility of becoming Queen as it was her right and irrefutable destiny, but that notion always seemed so far off in the future that she could never even consider it fully.

But here she was, faced with the question of whether or not she could greet her destiny sooner than expected. Could she really become Queen of Fiore in just six months? Could she truly marry someone while she was still so young? Even more frightening, could she honestly find a worthy husband in such a short amount of time? Would she love him? Would he love her? Was she doomed to spend the rest of her life in a loveless arranged marriage while ruling over a kingdom that she barely even knew?

And there her father was, looking at her intensely with pleading, desperate eyes that were begging like a king should never have to beg. Lucy thought of her mother, slowly dying in a lubricant bed.

If she said no, her mother would never see her get married.

"Can I have some time to think about it?" Lucy asked her dad abruptly, silencing her thoughts with the memory of her mother.

"Of course, take all the time you need." He said, relived that he did not receive an immediate no. They both stood up and Lucy quickly excused herself, hurrying swiftly out of the room, trying to keep her tears from falling before she made it back to the solitude of her bedroom.

Even though she told her father that she needed time to think, deep down in her heart she knew that she could never refuse.

Her whole life was about to change and there was no way that she was ready for it.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Well, that wraps up the first chapter! How'd you like it? Unlike the first story I posted on here, I'm writing this one as I go. As a person who normally likes to plan everything out, that is a little intimidating for me. However, I simply did not want to wait because I'm really excited about this story and I wanted you guys to see it as soon as possible.

I'm sorry for making Sting and Rogue so mean! I just had like this crazy stroke of inspiration in which I realized that they would make the perfect evil step-siblings.

I know you probably are left with a ton of questions, but I do know where I'm going with this despite not having the whole thing planned out!

And finally, I am going to put in a shameless plug for my other story, A New World. It's all complete except for a pending epilogue, so if you enjoyed my writing here and want more, I recommend you go check it out. It's another Nalu romance in which Natsu gets transported to another world called America, where Lucy is currently living as an ordinary teenage girl.

Okay so this author's note was a little all over the place, but I'll just finish by saying that I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and stay tuned for more!