Chapter Text
Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom called Fiore—a land of dragons, faeries, trolls, and exceeds—there lived a king named Igneel, and his heart was heavy with sorrow. He had lost his queen.
Igneel belonged to the ancient family of Dragnof, a rare bloodline of humans descended from noble dragons. Their lineage gifted them with draconic power and majesty—scales that shimmered like gold, eyes that burned with fire—but it also made them feared. When Igneel was young, he was gentle and kind, a boy who longed for friendship. Yet no one dared approach him, terrified of the dragon's blood that ran through his veins.
No one, that is, except the young Princess of Fiore. She saw past the scales and glowing eyes and recognized the frightened boy beneath. With compassion and warmth, she offered him friendship. Friendship soon turned into love, love into marriage, and marriage into the birth of their only child—a son named Natsu.
For five peaceful years, the little family lived in happiness. Then tragedy struck. The queen fell gravely ill and passed from the world, leaving Igneel brokenhearted. He vowed to mourn her for the rest of his days, finding solace only in raising his beloved son. But the people of Fiore urged him to remarry, fearing instability without a queen. Reluctantly, Igneel agreed to an arranged marriage with Selene of the family of Diabolos, who, like him, descended from dragons.
On the surface, Selene appeared devoted to her husband and affectionate toward her stepson. But in truth, she was selfish, cruel, and ravenous for power. She desired absolute control over Fiore—and feared anything that might threaten it. In secret, she banished all other magical creatures from the kingdom, driving them deep into the forest where they could never challenge her rule.
When those creatures vanished, King Igneel grew uneasy. Something was terribly wrong. He began to investigate, venturing into the forest himself. One dreadful day, he never returned. A venomous serpent struck him down, and the king died beneath the ancient trees.
Queen Selene became the sole ruler of Fiore. Yet even with the crown secured, fear gnawed at her. She knew that one day Prince Natsu would come of age. If he were to marry, the throne would pass beyond her grasp forever. And so she resolved to prevent him—by any means necessary—from ever meeting the maiden destined to share his true love's kiss.
Among the creatures Selene had banished long ago was a faerie maiden, a mortal shepherd who had fallen in love with her, and their baby girl, Juvia. The exceeds of the forest took pity on them, offering shelter and helping them build a new life far from the kingdom that had cast them out. Juvia grew up sheltered by love—her parents' gentle care and the constant companionship of the exceeds. She blossomed into a beautiful young maiden with a pure heart and a bright, tender spirit, she enchanted all who knew her. But happiness, once again, proved fragile. After her parents passed away, loneliness settled over her like mist.
Few humans lived so deep within the forest, and as a half-faerie, Juvia never truly belonged in towns or villages. Though she was never abandoned—the exceeds watched over her lovingly, and she cherished them in return—her heart still yearned. For it was only natural to long for something more. She dreamed of human companionship. Of true love. Of a bond like the one her parents had shared. More than anything else in the world, that dream lived quietly in her heart, waiting for the day it might finally come true.
"I had that dream again, Panther Lily." Juvia said as she stepped into the cottage, a basket of freshly gathered flowers resting against her hip. She smiled dreamily at the sleek black exceed. "And it was even more lovely than the last one. This time we were holding hands, dancing... and he sang softly into my ear."
"Are you certain it was the same man?" Panther Lily asked, arms folded.
"Yes. It's always him." Juvia replied without hesitation. "So that must mean he's real."
"But you don't even know what he looks like."Said a fluffy white exceed, tilting her head. "You always forget his face when you wake up."
"Well, I do know he's handsome." Juvia said brightly. "And strong. And he has blue eyes."
"Like yours?" The white cat asked.
"No his are darker. Deeper, and he's kind and dear with an unselfish heart.”
Panther Lily let out a quiet hum.
"You realize that description could fit nearly any man alive. Even if he does exist, how would you ever recognize him?"
"I'll know." Juvia said simply. "Because there's so much more to him than that. He's kind and dear with an unselfish heart. Just from the expression in his eyes and the warmth of his smile, I can tell he would do anything to protect me and bring me joy. And when we finally meet, he'll take me in his arms, and we'll share true love's kiss."
Juvia closed her eyes, striving to picture the young man from her dreams. It was peculiar; she couldn't see his face, but she could feel his presence. She twirled around the room, longing for the warmth of his real arms embracing her as they danced. At just twenty-six, she felt the weight of being considered a spinster in Fiore, where most maidens were married by sixteen. Every day, she heard stories of young couples falling in love and living happily ever after, while she remained alone, yearning for someone to love.
It felt unjust. Though she was different from many women, like them she still had a hand that needed to be held, lips that needed to be kissed, and a heart that she desperately fought to keep from being broken in two by the ache of loneliness. So, she held tightly to her dreams, clinging to them as a lifeline against despair.
"I don't get kissing." Chimed in a blue exceed, flopping onto a chair. "Why don't you humans feed each other fish? That's way more romantic. Right, Carla?"
Carla only rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of fish." The blue exceed groaned suddenly, clutching his stomach. "Do you hear that, Juvia? My stomach is roaring! I feel faint, oh no, I see stars—!"
He collapsed to the floor with dramatic flair.
"Alright, alright, Happy." Juvia laughed. "I'll have your breakfast ready in just a moment."
"As if you could actually die of starvation." Carla scoffed.
"Yeah." Panther Lily added. "You eat better than any of us, Mr. Official Royal Pet."
"Hey, I bring you leftovers from the royal feasts, don't I?" Happy protested.
"What you should be bringing." Panther Lily said quietly. "Is something for Juvia, after all she's done for you. Saving you from drowning during that storm, nursing you back to health, and letting you hide here from the Queen."
"For your information, I bring her plenty of things." Happy said indignantly. "Flowers and fruits from the royal gardens. She says they're the best gifts she's ever received."
"Of course she says that." Carla replied. "She's too modest to ask for what she truly wants. Like new clothes. Shoes. Jewels. Or at least some silk, so she can make herself a proper dress." She paused meaningfully. "Something nice to wear when she meets that dream boy of hers."
"If he even exists." Panther Lily muttered.
He glanced toward the kitchen, making sure Juvia was too busy cooking to hear him.
"I worry about her. She believes in that dream so deeply. She needs someone real."
"I agree." Carla said softly. "But you know how the village folk see her. They admire her beauty, yet find her too strange to court. The fools think her faerie blood brings bad luck."
"Yeah." Happy added. "Remember Sir Bora?"
"Shhh!" Panther Lily hissed. "We agreed never to mention his name. It still makes her cry."
"She shouldn't waste tears on someone like that." Happy said firmly. "Invites her to the festival one moment, then abandons her the next because of a few whispered rumors. She deserves better than a pompous, womanizing, shallow nobody."
"For once." Carla said, nodding, "I agree with you."
Juvia deserved better. She deserves a prince. Wait, A prince...
Carla turned to Happy.
"Happy, you're the prince's official royal pet, am I mistaken?"
Happy blinked.
"Nope. That's me."
"And how old is the prince now?"
Happy scratched his head.
"Uh... twenty-seven? Maybe twenty-eight?"
"Around Juvia's age. And still unmarried?"
"Yeah, but not for lack of trying." Happy said quickly. "He wants to get married. It's just that every time he gets close, he's dragged off on some heroic nonsense—troll hunting, monster outbreaks, saving villages. Stuff like that. Hard to meet ladies when you're always on a quest."
"And what kind of man is he?" Carla asked, interest sparking in her eyes.
Happy grinned. "Well, I don't know much about human beauty standards, but the ladies all say he's gorgeous. As for personality—he's the bravest and most heroic man in the kingdom. A little simple-minded, kinda full of himself... but he's fun. Loyal. Honest. And." added proudly. "A total hopeless romantic. His parents were real lovey-dovey so he wants that someday."
"And how would he feel about a woman who's half faerie?"
Happy shrugged without hesitation.
"He wouldn't care. I mean, the guy comes from dragons."
A beat of silence followed.
Then Panther Lily's eyes widened.
"Then." He said slowly, realization dawning. "He's perfect."
"For what?" Happy asked.
"For Juvia, duh!" Carla snapped. "They have to meet. When does the prince return from his next quest?"
"Actually he's heading out tomorrow. Another troll hunt."
Carla's eyes lit up.
"Then he'll be in the forest."
Panther Lily nodded slowly.
"You could lead him to her."
"I could?" Happy paused. "I mean... yeah, I could. But are you sure he's right for her? He's a great guy, and she's a great girl, but he's kind of violent, bold, and really loud. And she's... well—more on the peaceful, reserved, and quiet side."
Carla crossed her arms.
"Do you know of any better options?"
Happy thought about that. Carla had a valid point—neither Natsu nor Juvia had better options. Both of them were his dearest friends. He had known Natsu since he was just a kitten, and Juvia had saved his life and always been incredibly sweet to him. He knew they were lonely and he wanted so much for them to be happy. Perhaps this was the best solution after all.
"No. Not really."
"Besides every girl wants to be a princess."
"Yeah, but I'm not sure every girl wants to be a queen." Happy said, frowning. "Once Natsu gets married, he'll be king. And... I don't think Juvia is really the type to rule a kingdom. I'm not saying she couldn't do it but I don't know if it would make her happy. She seems like she just wants a simple life. A family."
Panther Lily considered that, then nodded.
"As long as she's loved, she'll be happy in any life."
Happy let out a small sigh.
"If you say so. So... what's the plan?"
"Alright, here's what we're going to do." Panther Lily said, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Tomorrow morning, Happy will accompany the prince as usual. And the moment he has even a sliver of free time..."
From the kitchen, Juvia's gentle humming drifted through the cottage—unaware that, by tomorrow, her quiet world would change forever.