Hello everyone!

Don't have much to say today except enjoy!

Lily xx

P.S. Love you all :)

Gajeel looked at Levy dumbfounded. He may haven't really listen to the old woman story, he still had heard the detail on the birthmark of the deceased little princess... supposedly deceased... Levy. For one of the few times in his life, he was out of words. Not because he didn't want to, like most of the time. No, this time, he didn't know what to say.

"Are... are you sure?"

"That it's a birthmark?" she ended his stupid question for him. "I think I know my body well enough to know that!"

"Gihi! How well?" He laughed, giving her a look full of innuendo, even though he knew very well what she was referring to, making the young woman blush.

"You really have a twisted mind!" She yelled at him, pulling back down her shirt before crossing her arms, turning her back to him.

"Don't get all worked up shrimp" he said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Could she really be a princess? To him, she'll simply stay a shrimp, no matter what, not because that was a bad thing, on the contrary. To him, Levy was way higher in his esteem than any noble who's only merit was to be born in the right family.

He couldn't help but feeling a glimpse of happiness. His parents didn't die in vain after all. They may have failed in saving the king and queen, Levy's parents, he remembered with difficulty, but at least their daughter was right in front of him by some kind of miracle.

He was about to tease her on her knew revealed royalty when he felt small jolts under his palm. He turned her to face him to see tears dripping sour on her face.

"Hey! What's the matter?"

"I don't want any of this" she said. "Can you really picture me as a princess?" She added more to make a point than to ask a real question.

"Yes" thought Gajeel. She was beautiful and gentle like any of the princesses in those stupid kid's fairy tales. So why not her?

"Princess or not, a royal shrimp is still a shrimp" he however said.

"You really are an idiot, Gajeel Redfox" she said, a small smile on her lips.

The young woman felt a wave of relief. She hated the idea of having this much attention on her. She couldn't even picture living a spoiled life with endless wealth, where she could barely make decisions concerning her own life, where she would be the princess rather then Levy. And all of that if, of course, she wasn't spending the rest of her life in exile.

But as stupid as could be the comment, Gajeel had managed to reassure her. No mater how every body else would look at her, at least him would always see her as Levy... or shrimp... well, for what she really was. Always... the word she used in her reflection resonated in her head. She surprised herself wanting him at her side, whatever which of those two scenarios, exile or royalty, the future would drag her in. It was ridiculous... she barely knew him for a week, but in his weird way, he made her feel good.

"You know... if you don't want it this badly, you just have to keep silent on the matter and not claim your title", he said as if everything was simple.

"What?" She asked, wiping a tear.

"Let them handle their own load of crap" he added. "If you don't want any of your royalty, just ignore it".

Levy starred at those red eyes, processing what he just said, slowly realising that she wasn't limited to two closed options, two fates she wasn't at all interested in. She then threw herself in his arms.

"Thank you" she said, her face against his chest.

"I didn't do anything" he said, not understanding her burst of gratefulness.

"You reminded me I still have a choice".

"Gihi!" he answered after a moment. "If it's the only thing it takes to make you happy..."

After a moment, she finally realised she got caught up into the moment and let go of him, her face crimson once again.

"By the way" said Gajeel, "how can someone curious like you never asked any questions about your parents?"

"I asked those questions" said Levy, weary. "But M. Makarov told me they died in a fire and that the man who managed to save me brought me to him at Fairy Tail.

"So the old man lied to you".

"It's possible even him doesn't know were I'm really from..."

She suspended her sentence.

"Do you think Phantom's accusation could be linked to my origins?" She asked.

Gajeel's features hardened. He was so focused on the news of Levy's origin that he didn't thought it through.

"Gajeel!" Called Juvia's voice. "Oh! Is Juvia interrupting something?" She added seeing Levy's reddened eyes and Gajeel's frown.

"No, don't worry Juvia" gently said Levy. "What's happening?"

Juvia looked at Gajeel.

"Juvia is starting to wonder how much Phantom really is...good".

Gajeel growled. Juvia knew it was his way to agree to what she just said. She continued.

"They condemned Gray only because he happened to be with Gajeel, Levy and Juvia..."

"The only fact they sentenced you to death only for deserting a single mission in ten years is enough to me to know how much they really are bastards" added Gray.

"For once, I have to agree with the pervert" said Gajeel, his arms crossed.

"Who are you calling a pervert, metal head?"

"My love... Gray could maybe put some clothes on?" Intervened Juvia with hesitation, handing him the clothes she just picked up from the ground.

"Shit!" Exclaimed Gray realising that, at some point, he dropped everything but his boxers.

"Gihi! Just what I was saying... pervert".

"We don't have time for this!" Exclaimed Levy.

All eyes were on her.

"I have something to tell you."

Juvia saw Gajeel's look softening, looking at Levy with surprise.

"Your sure shrimp?" He asked with a worry that Juvia never knew he could have for anyone, despite the fact that he would strongly deny it if she pointed it out.

She confirmed whit a nod.

"We're all in the same boat. And I have the feeling that all of this is related to my origins".

"Do as you wish" he said without however seeming convinced.

"What the hell are you talking about Levy?" Asked Gray to his friend.

She gave Gajeel a last look before pulling up her shirt once more to reveal her birthmark.

"What?" Exclaimed Juvia. "But... but... my God!" She let out, out of words.

"I thought your parents dies in a fire!" Said Gray, himself astonished.

"And until I heard the woman's story, I also thought it was the case" said Levy, staring at her feet.

"But that means..." continued Juvia, still destabilized, "Miss Levy has to do something! Maybe with that title she could..."

"Leave the shrimp alone, would you", growled Gajeel.

"Gajeel can't call the princess shrimp!" Said Juvia, offended.

"No, Juvia. Please, act as nothing happened. I haven't changed you know..." said the uneasy young woman.

"Gihi! Didn't know you liked that nickname this much" laughed the young man behind her.

"That's not what I... Ah! Stupid Gajeel!" She exclaimed once more, hitting his chest with her small fists, triggering even more laughs from the later, looking down at her, his arms crossed.

"Oh my God! They're flirting!" thought Juvia. She looked at the scene, half-surprised, half-tenderized. Never had she saw Gajeel smile that way. As for Levy, she seemed true to herself, regardless the huge news that just fell on her shoulders. The young woman promised herself to act as if nothing happened. It was somehow true. Levy always had the same blood running through her veins even though now they knew about it.

"We should speak to M. Makarov" interrupted them Gray.

"Why would we do that?" said Gajeel.

"If someone knows something about the situation, it's Makarov himself".

"But..." started Juvia, uncertain about that idea.

"Don't worry Juvia, Makarov is one of the only persons in this world I would entrust my life to. If someone can help Levy, it's him."

"I... I agree" said Levy with shyness. "And if all of this is related like I think, I also believe he can help all of us."

Juvia and Gajeel gave each other an understanding look. In the past, they learned to trust only one an other. They also trusted Phantom and, well, that didn't end up well. It was only both of them for all those years, but Gray and Levy had faith in the man that had welcomed them in his home. Despite the reflex the ex members of Phantom had from those years, they nodded. It was their only option. Tomorrow, they would go see Makarov.