Winter's POV

I exhaled a quiet sigh, not quite in the mood to obnoxiously annoy Lucy. Speaking of, my sis sat at her desk, scribbling away at a letter she'd marked To Mom. It wasn't the first; certainly wouldn't be the last. Luce liked to keep Mom updated on our misadventures. Sometimes, I doubted she cared all that much about the little squabbles we had, like the time Lucy had detailed a letter to her describing how I'd "vandalized" one of her shirts by tearing off one of the sleeves.

It had been an accident (I assure you I'm not lying) and yet it had still devolved into a useless argument between the two of us.

Then again, maybe Mom did get a kick out us fighting like toddlers. Might've reminded her of the good ol' days.

I shifted the arm I'd tossed over my eyes, peeking at Lucy's progress. From the way the paper was positioned, she'd almost finished, her quill moving slower as her thoughts raced. Living with her for seventeen years, I'd picked up on her little quirks, and knew that she was contemplating something she'd rather erase from her memory.

A memory of Dad, maybe? I mused, sliding my arm down again so as to block out the world. To my displeasure, this gesture didn't succeed in blocking out unwanted thoughts.

Dammit, Dad... You really went too far this time. There were so many other ways to handle it, so many other roads you coulda taken. I mean, I knew you were always a little prone to violence. I guess I have you to thank for that, after all... But this was outta hand on some extreme level I can't even fathom. 

Images of the ruined guild flashed just behind my closed eyelids, lighting up the welcoming darkness with bloody shades that stained my sought-after peace. One second, everyone - Erza, Natsu, Gray, Master, Loke, Levy - was smiling, happy, at-ease; the next... another bloodbath. The shivers crawling up and down my spine, the way my thoughts continually came back to one point - it was obvious. 

This was going to happen again, and again, and again - until Daddy got what he wanted.

Trapped in my frazzled mind, it barley registered when the chair scraped backwards and Lucy stood, her footsteps quick and purposeful as she made her way to the cabinet not too far away from her writing desk. It opened, followed by a short burst of unreasonable amounts of shuffling paper, then shut with an ominous clack. She didn't move for a while from what I could hear.

Remember, now, no twin telepathy, but that didn't meant I wasn't aware of when my twin was hurting.

I was up from the couch and pulling her into a hug before my name had even left her lips.

"Winter," she coughed, her throat tight with worry, "we can't leave this alone... He's just going to--"

"I got it," I sighed, dropping my forehead against her shoulder, my own shoulders drooping with unyielding weariness. I'd had enough of running. If Dad was gonna give chase, we'd just have to turn around and stand toe-to-toe with him again. He was too headstrong to understand anything otherwise. "We'll go back, because we're sure as hell not letting our guild come under fire again."

"Wait." Lucy put her hands on my shoulder, gently pushed me away. "You're not doing this, not again," she told me firmly, shaking her head. Her eyes reflected my own perfectly, and I had to wonder which of us looked more distraught. "It's just me he wants to see, Winter."

A smirk turned up one corner of my mouth, and I swatted off Lucy's hands so that I could clasp one between us, inching forward to look down my nose at her. "Exactly" - I squeezed her hand more fiercely - "I'm going just to give him hell."

_______________________

It didn't take much for Lucy to agree with me. She knew how I got when I was dertermined to see something through.

Being a stubborn bitch was really such an asset at times like this.

We packed lightly and purchased two tickets from the Magnolia train station and boarded about thirty minutes later. The train was near-empty, which would have been unusual if not for the designated stop. Our home wasn't exactly a popular tourist destination.

I folded my stuff into the overhead compartment, adding Lucy's in when she tossed her bag to me. She was already slumped in her seat, glazed eyes staring blankly out the window. She wasn't seeing the pretty scenery passing us by; no, I figured her vision was full of darker things. I briefly wondered who she was thinking about: Dad, Mom, or the mages of Fairy Tail.

As for myself, once I'd claimed my seat and kicked my heels up onto the free spot beside Lucy and linked my hands behind my head as comfortably as I could, I dozed. The train ride would be long, and if I could escape my unhappy thoughts for a while, that would be just great. 

I nodded off just as we officially left Magnolia behind.

_________________________

"Hasn't changed much, has it?"

Lucy glanced at my reflection in the mirror, which was squarely opposite hers, causing  the two of us to be caught between limitless mirror-images of each other. Her expression seemed wearier than my own

"It's a little... unnerving, actually," she admitted, fidgeting as the maid - Gertrude - fussed about her dress and her health and have you been eating alright since you left? and more motherly things that shouldn't have been her responsibility. 

"I know what you mean," I agreed, tossing my head back, trying to ignore Thalia as she pinned another fold of silk higher up the train of my dress. I'd been forced into the fitting room not ten minutes after arriving, doing my customary kicking-and-screaming act because I didn't even remotely like dresses. Alright, that's not strictly true; I didn't hate dresses, I hated the reason for them. 

Daddy wouldn't allow his girls to look like the common riffraff.

Any other pair of seventeen-year-olds would be flattered to parade around in such lovely silks.

Lucy and I were mentally counting down the time until we'd be able to tear them off and walk away.

"Ow!" I hissed, jerking away from Thalia's nimble fingers. She'd pricked me, goddammit! 

"Oh hush," she chided, dragging me back with one hand, the other already reworking the mistake she'd made in my fitting. "Still haven't learned to be still during a fitting, have ya, Miss? To think, seventeen-years-old and can't stand still for a single moment! I wish I had your energy, Miss!"

Energy had nothing to do with it. I was uncomfortable, put simply. I didn't want to be be here, didn't want to wear these expensive clothes, didn't want to see him. But there was no need to take it out on the staff. Without them, Lucy and I probably wouldn't have survived to seventeen in this house. Sure, I made sure to sneak out and mess with the local kids (unlike Lucy who trapped herself in the room and read and reread countless books), but coming back at night was hell for me. We barely had any social interaction, and it would've driven us mad if not for the maids who kept us company whenever Daddy was too busy.

Gertrude and Thalia could recite our favorite bedtime stories - verbatim - without looking at the books once. 

Does that explain just how often Daddy tucked us in at night?

Thalia and Gertrude finished up not long after, pinning up our hair and brushing a dash of make-up onto us despite my vehement protests. I had sensitive skin when it came to products, and I had a tendancy to break out in hives. 

My protests went unheard.

The maids shooed us off with smiles, oblivious to our gloomy moods. Luce was doing her best to stifle a grimace; I proudly displayed my twitching scowl as soon as we crossed the threshold into our father's office.

Lucy, averting her eyes, greeted him with a breathed, "Hello, Father..."

I remained stonily silent, watching as he turned to face us, hands clasped stiffly behind his back, expression unreadable beneath heavy brows. His flinty eyes skimmed over me without care and settled on Lucy. "I'm glad you came back, Lucy," he said, "though I wish you'd come alone."

He'd already dug the barbs in plenty when I was younger; they couldn't dig any deeper as I stood there, unflinching, raising a challenging brow, urging him to come up with something more original.

Lucy, however, flinched for me. She quickly recovered her composure and dipped into a respectful bow while I crossed my arms uncaringly and refused to break eye contact with my father, even if he wasn't quite looking at me. 

"I apologize for leaving home without a word." Lucy's voice was quiet, and it made my skin crawl. Only Dad could tone down her spirit like that. "I deeply regret my actions."

The lie tasted foul on my tongue, even if it wasn't me who spoke it.

"You've made a wise choice," Father informed her, his tone crisp and flat. "If you had remained any longer with that guild... I was on the verge of using my wealth to destroy."

Blood pooled across my tongue, sharp and bitter: the result of me biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself in check. What right does he have...?!

He continued to drone on, heedless to our silent requests that he just shut the hell up.

"You've finally grown up, Lucy. And, to some extent, I suppose you have as well Winter, seeing as you learned that your loyalty is forever to the Heartfilia name. You are both daughters of the Heartfilia family; you live in a different world than everyone else."

Bite me! I hissed silently, seeing Lucy's gaze fall further downards, her eyes misty with his scathing words.

"The reason I have called you back," he went on, "is because your husband has been decided on, Lucy. Winter," he added, giving me an indifferent glance, "I've yet to find someone who... suits you."

I shrugged. Didn't matter to me, anyway.

"In any case, Lucy, he is Prince Sawalu, of the Julenelle. I'm sure you remember, as he expressed interest in you before."

I forced back a shiver, thinking of the creepy groper who'd tried to woo Lucy at some fancy part a few years back. Not cool, not cool at all. No way in hell is that guy ever getting close to Luce.

"By marrying into the Julenelles, the Heartfilia railways will be able to expand to the South. This marriage has tremendous value to the future of our family. And you must also give birth to a son, to continue our family name." With that, he turned his back on us, hands still stiff behind his back. "That is all.  Return to your room."

The frightful smirk I'd been suppressing finally won out and my eyes flashed with gleeful anticipation. "Luce," I said - frank enough that our father stiffened slightly, head cocked as though listening in. "Is it my turn to talk?"

She broke out into a small, relieved smile. "Go for it, Winter."

"Alrighty then!" I tore the bindings from my hair, shook my head so that the blonde strands fell messily about my shoulders. Grinning crookedly - and feeling immensely better - I strode forward, arms folded beneath my chest, some sort of wicked aura around me. "Listen here, Daddy," I growled, earning a full about face from him, "you can take you grand scheme for the future of the family and shove it up your ass. It ain't happening."

"Lucy." Father's voice fell an octave, turning icier, more rigid. "Control your sister. You know how she gets."

"I do, Father," Lucy agreed as she stepped up beside me. "But right now, she's speaking for both of us."

The shock on his face was priceless.

"You shouldn't misunderstand me," Lucy continued. "Winter and I only came back to make ourselves clear."

"Lucy was the only one who felt it was wrong to just ditch your ass without a word, so be thankful we're here at all," I interjected, seething.

Lucy placed a calming hand on my arm, her eyes never leaving Father's. "We came to express ourselves, more than we ever did in this house. We're leaving!"

"And we don't plan on ever coming back!" I added, daring him to refuse.

All he managed was an astonished, "Lucy...?" Guess he wasn't used to his compliant princess standing up for herself. Me, he was used to. We had a mutual understanding that I would never willingly agree to anything he said. It had been that way since Mom's death.

"By the way," I said casually, as though I'd really only just thought of this. "That whole arranged marriage thing is really outdated. People like to marry for love nowadays, ya know? Just something I thought you'd like to hear."

Lucy nodded her assent. "That's right. I would never go through with that kind of marriage, especially with someone so... so..."

"Disgusting?" I suggested.

"Exactly!" Lucy plainly shivered at the mere thought of the nasty little prince. Ugh. He was not marriage material. Just no. "And also..."

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Fairy Tail again!" we exclaimed, the room swelling with our forceful words, the air becoming stifiling, boiling, like it was ready to burst at any moment. We simultaneously ripped apart the gorgeous gowns prepared for us, tossing the remains to the ground, with me tacking on a fumed stomp just for good measure. 

"Next time you try, Daddy Dearest, I will not hesitate to declare war on you, and I'm pretty sure I know a few crazy wizards who wouldn't at all mind having my back." I smirked as his face paled, becoming so chalky-white one had to wonder if he was even breathing. "You made a terrible mistake making our guild an enemy."

"Fairy Tail is our other family," Luce declared, her voice rich with a familiar pride. "They're much more caring than this one ever was!" She took a deep breath, gathering her broken composure once again. "I admit, because of the memories I made here with Mother, it was painful for me to leave this place..."

Not so much for me... I loved Mom but... this place was never home once she'd left...

"Ms. Spetto..."

"Grandpa Bello..."

"Libon and Eido..."

"Oh and Thalia and Gertrude!"

"It was difficult to part with all of them," Lucy said. "But... if Mother was still alive... I know she would tell me... tell us" - she linked her land with mine, offering me a small smile, to which I could only grin - "to follow our hearts."

Lucy turned to leave, shoulders stiff, back straight. I followed after her, glancing back over my shoulder only long enough to say, "Bye... Dad."

And with that, we swept out the room without another word. 

______________________

"Haa, I feel better!" I cheered, stretching my arms high above my head. We'd ditched our fairytale clothes in favor of what we'd come in. We'd also said some proper goodbyes to the staff and taken the chance to visit Mom's grave. I hadn't seen it for over a year and yet... somehow, it felt like I'd only just seen it. Seen her. 

"You don't think we went a little overboard, do you?" Lucy asked, rubbing anxiously at the back of her neck.

I playfully poked her forehead, grinning from ear-to-ear, and proclaimed that he did no such thing. He deserved whatever horrible, gut-wrenching guilt he was feeling right now. And if he felt nothing... well it just confirmed that he was the unfeeling bastard I thought him to be for the last however many years.

We were just setting off for the closest train station when Lucy was suddenly ambushed by a blue-furred flying cat.

Don't see too many of those around, do ya?

Next thing we knew, Erza, Gray and Natsu came crashing up the drive, demanding to know why we had suddenly left the guild. Startled - and just the teensiest bit embarrassed - we tried to explain that we'd only left to tie up some lose ends with our Dad and visit Mom's grave. 

Upon hearing our explanation, many tears were shed, Gray and Natsu nearly died of shock, and I couldn't have been happier.

They came all this way... to convince us to come back. It felt nice, to be loved again, like this, by so many people.

When our reunion had come to a close and the quartet was accompanying us back to the station, I fell into step beside Gray, who gave me an exasperated look and knuckled my head away when I tried to lean it against his shoulder. "You cause me way too much stress," he sighed.

I laughed. "It's called being a woman."

He had no response to that, so he simply ignored it. "Oh," he said, looking at me from the corner of his eye, "the little runt wanted me to tell you something."

"Candor?"

"Yeah. He's still in the hospital, so he couldn't come himself--"

"Wait, you went to tell him where I'd gone?"

Gray raised a puzzled brow. "Course. Why wouldn't I? He's a member of your team, isn't he?"

"Ah, yeah..." I'd nearly forgotten about that. "Carry on."

"Anyway, he wanted me to tell you that if you didn't drag your ass back to the guild, he would personally come and stick a dagger through your heart, because there is no way in hell you're leaving him with a bunch of delusional freaks."

"...He's a sweet kid, ain't he?"

"...My thought's exactly."

Funny thing is, I was smiling the whole way home, Candor's murderous words bouncing around in the back of my mind.