Prologue

On a small island where the Goa Kingdom is situated, there was a young girl of about twelve years old, traveling with her father. He had said it was a very important trip for their future. The little girl nodded with excitment, she was just happy to be able to spend time with her father, who always seemed to be completely encompassed by his work.

They head from the ship into the city with a giant wall surronding it, and to a large manison in the center. Her father knocked on the door and it was answered by a butler.

"I am Mr. Jude Heartfellia, here to see ."

"Yes, of course, do come in,"replied the butler.

The butler brought them into a over decorated room, and told them the master would be with them in a moment. With a nod from Jude he briskly walked away.

"Now listen closely Lucy, I need you to be very well behaved while we are here."

Lucy nodded her head, "Okay daddy." Jude nodded his head looking pleased with her reply. Suddenly the door to the room opened to let in a man who didn't seem to know the meaning of diets. He was very fat and looked to be out of breathe from his very short walk from where ever he was (probably the kitchen) in his manison when he got word that his visitor was here.

"Jude, it's so good to see you," the man said shaking Jude's hand.

"Likewise, and thank you again for having me and my daughter here at your magnificent home. I can't say I've ever seen anything like it."

"You are quite welcome, and what is your name" said the other man finally sitting across from Jude and his daughter.

The little girl stood and curtsied, "My name is Lucy Heartfillia, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, you have a very beautiful and polite daughter Jude" said Mr. Radcliffe

Jude beamed, "Yes, I can't take credit for her looks, as she looks exactly like her mother, but I took extra care with her schooling, and by the time she is of marriagable age I'm sure she will be the highlight of society,"

"I agree, she defiently has the potential of being a great wife to my son."

Lucy froze. What was this man talking about, surely her father hadn't brought her on this trip to use her as a pawn for futhering his career.

"Yes, I'll be sure to keep up her schooling and ettiquette lessons, now should we meet the young man that I'm sure will be my future son-in-law."

Mr. Radcliffe laughed, "Unfortunately, he is away at school at the moment, but he'll be back for supper time, if you would like to join us this evening."

"Yes, that sounds delightful, we'll head back to our hotel and prepare for tonight."

Jude and the fat man shook hands again and after a polite good-bye from Lucy she followed her father outside the room and out the house feeling the unsettling stares of the master of the house.

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Back at the hotel Lucy sat in front of the mirror as the maid did her hair for the dinner. She had been told to wear the most elborate dress she had brought with her, that was an disgusting mixture of bows and ruffles. "I think the sewing machine threw up when it made this dress," Lucy thought hating the itchy feeling of it on her skin.

There was a knock on the door breaking Lucy from her own mind. "Come in," she replied

Jude filed in just as the maid was finishing her hair. "Good, your ready, let us go otherwise we will be late."

Lucy nodded, "Maybe I'll get lucky and this young man won't be so bad."

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How wrong Lucy had been. This boy was not only the spitting image of his father but was also arrogant, self-centered, and stared at her like she was a lolipop. Lucy held in her cringe and smiled politely, anything to make this dinner go by faster.

"So Samual would you approve of Lucy becoming your wife one day," asked Mr. Radcliffe

Lucy held her breathe hoping that if she held it long enough she would wake from this nightmare and realize she was still at home with the servant that cherished her.

"Yes, she is quite stunning and I'm sure she would make beautiful children with me." The men all laughed. Lucy shuddered.

"Well we can sign the betrothal papers tomorrow then,"Jude said standing from the table ready to walk into the mens study for cigars and an alcolhol beverage.

"Is no one going to ask me what I think," Lucy thought trying to find any other way of getting out of this situation.

"Lucy dear, why don't you go back to the hotel and get some rest, I know the trip was hard on you."

"Yes father, thank you for the consideration." He nodded at her reply and walked into the study with Mr. Radcliffe.

"So your going to be my wife one day, I hope you know how to put out, it'll be bothersome if I get stuck with a wife who is like a nun," Samuel said walking past her and into the study closing the door behind him.

Lucy took a shuddering breathe and walked thorugh the front door and into the chilly night air. Trying to hold back her tears as she walked. "I don't want this, " she whispered to no one.

"Then why do it," was the reply she heard from one of the allies on her right.

She hadn't realized that she had been standing there staring into the dark trying to make out where the voice had come from. All she could make out was the shape of another human, she assumed a boy by the deepness of his voice.

"I don't have a choice, my father says it's whats best for my future and the future of the company." She didn't really know why she answered, but once she did the young man came out into the light. He was thin and pale with blond hair, a top hat on and some of his front teeth were missing. Lucy felt instantly comfortable with him and she wondered why.

"You know I used to be just like you, always following rules and wanting to be free."

"What happened?"

"I finally had enough and was lucky enough to meet two boys who became my brothers, they showed me freedom, fun, loyalty. They were the best thing that ever happened to me."

Lucy gave a soft smile, "That sounds amazing, I wish I could find someone like that.

The young boy lifted his hand towards her. "Well if your sure, you can always come with me."

Lucy looked at the boy in surprise, "Are you serious?"

He chuckled, "Only if you promise never to wear a dress like this one again."

Lucy couldn't contain her laughter. "It's a deal," she said giving her hand to the young man.

"My name is Lucy Heartfillia."

"I'm just Sabo," he said as he started pulling her away. "Maybe we should get you some other clothes, with that dress your gonna be a target for the guys outside of the gate, plus it'll be really difficult to run if you need to."

"Yeah, I have some casual clothes back at my hotel, but I can't garuntee that we won't run into my father while we're there."

"Hmmm...I might know a way, wait right here a moment," he said running off to the other end of the ally and returning a few moments later with a pair of ripped jean capris and regular black t-shirt. "This should be okay for the time being, now go change on the other side of that dumpster and I'll keep watch.

"Right," she said nodding and running behind the dumpster. After she had finished changing she threw the dress into the dumpster (Where it rightfully belonged) and headed back out to where Sabo was waiting. "Okay, I'm ready," She said and then her and Sabo were off. Lucys heart was beating so fast that if it wasn't for Sabo telling her when to duck and when to go she would have long been caught and hauled back to her father. Once they made it past the outer ring of the city Lucy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't relax just yet we are still in danger here, even more so than we were in the city."

Lucys eyes became huge, he chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll protect you." She relaxed a little at his words. "I know a way through here that if we are lucky nobody will see us, but if we do get seperated or I tell you to run, head toward that forest in the distance. When you get a little ways in start yelling for Ace and Luffy their waiting for me there."

Lucy nodded her head letting him know that she understood. "Okay, well then let's go, the sooner we make it through the faster we will be safe."

"You know your really brave," she said making his cheecks turn a light shade of pink.

"Thanks, but it's nothing that me and my brothers don't do on regular basis," and with that they were silent trying not to attract attention to themselves. When they finally made it to the edge of the forest, they made sure the coast was clear and then walked in.

After a few moments of walking Lucy was starting to wonder if his brothers had left him there to fend for himself, but just as Lucy was about to ask he started yelling, "ACE, LUFFY, GET OUT HERE!"

"Oi, shut it, I'm trying to sleep over here."

Lucy looked up into a tree to see two figure laying on a large branch with their feet hanging over the edge, and while one woke to Sabos yelling the other one was still snoozing away without a care in the world.

"The cranky one is Ace, and the one who is dead to the world is Luffy," Sabo said loud enough so the boys in the tree could hear.

"Who you calling cranky, jerk,"Ace said finally sitting up and noticing the girl with Sabo."Care to explain."

"She's like me."

Ace's eyes went wide for a moment then they got soft when he looked towards Lucy who was still nervous about the whole situation. "Really now, well then welcome to freedom miss..."

"Lucy," she finsihed for him.

"Lucy, I like it," he said as he stood up on the branch and looking towards the other boy still snoozing on the branch. "Hey, Luffy time to wake up." There was no reply. "Okay, you asked for it." With that said he kicked Luffy off of the branch and let him fall to the forest floor.

Lucy gasped and without a second thought ran to Luffy's side to make sure he was all right.

"Ouch, Ace why did you have to go and do that,"Luffy said finally opening his eyes and seeing a beautiful blonde haired girl sitting above him with a worried look on her face.

"OH MY GOD! ACE KILLED ME!"

Everyone was quiet, "Why would you think that," said the young blonde still sitting above him.

"Because your an angel so I must have died."

Lucy's entire face turned beat red. Seeing this both of the other boys burst into laughter and Lucy had a smile cross her face. " Well thank you, but no your not dead. I'm Lucy, Sabo saved me from an arranged marriage. By the way are you okay that was a really long fall."

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm a rubber man after all."

"A rubber man," she questioned

"Yeah, I ate a devil fruit that turned me into a rubber man."

"Wow, that's must be so cool."

"Yeah, It is, watch this, Gomu Gomu Pistol!" As Luffys arm streched out he lost control of it's trajectory and ended up tying himself to the tree.

This made both of the boys burst into laughter again while lucy was giggling.

"I meant to do that,"He said trying to save some face in front of the pretty new girl.

"That was amazing, I'm sure you'll be very powerful one day."

And with those words Luffy fell hard and fast.

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That day Lucy became a permanent member of the family. She was so happy, she didn't think there could be anything else that could make her any happier. Until the boys surprised her by asking if she wanted to become their little sister.

She had actually teared up at the thought of finally having siblings and then three brothers at that.

"No, I don't wanna become her brother," Luffy said with his arms across his chest.

"What are you talking about Luffy we all discussed this before hand," said Sabo with a confused look on his face.

"I don't wanna become her brother because I want to marry her one day."

Everyone was silent and then he looked at her both of them blushing.

"I'm not saying it has to be anytime soon and I know you have dreams of joining that guild, just like I wanna become the pirate king, so I'm asking if we can make a promise to marry each other one day."

Lucy was dumbfounded for a few moments, "Yes," she whispered. Completely embaressed to be talking about this in front of the others. She looked back at Luffy who had a giant smile on his face. In that next moment Luffy had lifted her up and was twirling her.

"Well I guess we will drink sake to the promise that was made here today, cause either way me and Sabo get a new sister."

"I have three conditions, " she said stopping the celebration. "First I will leave at the same time as Sabo and Ace in order to join my guild."

"Awww, why so early," Luffy said pouting.

"Because I need to start working if I wanna have the wedding of dreams."

Luffy smiled at that, "okay."

"Second, I will join your crew when you make a name for yourself."

Luffy nodded as a reply.

"And lastly we can't get married until you become pirate king."

"Challenge accepted," he said pulling his blonde angel againist himself and kissed her on the forehead.

And with that a promise had been made that would define all of their future decisions.

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At that time no one realized what hardships they would have to face in the near future, but a few weeks later when one of the mountain bandits ran up to the hideout and told them what happened none of them could believe it. Ace became extremely mad and ran off while Luffy just ran off to follow him and Lucy crumpled to the ground in complete shock.

"No,No,No," Lucy thought in complete denial, "Why am I always losing the most important people to me, why?" Lucy did not hear or see anyone. In her pain her mind complete closed itself off from everyone. At one point Lucy had to be force fed. When her mind finally came back to her, it was night and she was curled up againist Luffy. Tears started falling down her face as she buried herself into his chest.

"You finally came back to me," she heard Luffy say as he held her tighter.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," she said with a hoarse voice.

"It's okay, " he said placing a kiss on her forehead. "He left a letter for you."

Lucy took in a deep breathe. "I'll read it in the morning." And with that Lucy cried herself to sleep with Luffy holding her in his arms.

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The next morning she woke up before the others. She sat up and noticed the small envolope with her name on it. She grabbed it and as quietly as she could she walked out of the house to the cliff. Where she finally got the courage to open the letter.

Hey Lucy,

Sorry I left before the scheduled time if I had stayed any longer they would have put me back in that cage, and I can't go back. I know what freedom feels like now. But don't worry I'm sure we will meet again one day. I'm so happy I found you on that street that night. Your the best little sister I could have ever asked for. Your smart, funny and you know how to handle Luffy. You one time told me that I was very brave, but It seems that you don't realize how brave you are. It takes a certain kind of person to leave everything they have ever known in order to gain a freedom, that could possibly destroy them. You are braver than you realize and I am sure you will grow up into an amazing woman. I love you lil sis. Make sure to care of Ace and Luffy for me, their gonna need it.

- Sabo

P.S. I bought something from the market before I left and it made me think about you. I hope you like it.

Lucy had tears rolling down her face by this point, but she looked into the envelope anyway. At the bottom was a silver chain that turned out to be a necklace as she pulled it complete out. At the bottom of the chain was a charm that was shaped like a star. On one side of the star there was a diamond in the center, on the other was and engraving.

May you always know I'm thinking of you when you look at the stars. -Sabo

Lucy couldn't hold back her sobs as she gripped the necklace with all her might.

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Once her sobs had calmed the boys joined her.

"We have to be strong and face our futures head on," said Ace

Lucy nodded, " I wanna make him proud."

"I want him to see us get married."

Lucy gave a small smile and hugged Luffy.

Ace came and hugged them as well and with that they all mourned for their loss.

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A few years later all three went their own ways. Luffy stayed to keep training, Ace went to start his life on the seas, and Lucy went to finally join her magic guild. They knew that one day they would be reunited, and when they did they would be stronger than ever. Lucy couldn't wait to see them then.