Gray Pov

I kneeled in front of the river, trying my best to scrub the makeup off my face. Juvia was still unconscious in the cave, resting on the make shift leaves bed. I threw myself back and laid there staring into the sky above, there was a gentle breeze blowing at me. I smiled.

"You seemed relax." The voice sat down beside me, hugging her knees and looking out into the woods.

"How are you, little Princess?"

"Fine." She mumbled. There was a comfortable silence in between us.

"Juvia?" Her eyes were closed and she rest her head on her knees. She replied with a mumble. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"How did you know that it was me?" She opened her eyes, looked at me and smiled.

"Of course I know it's you, silly." She paused, the smile faded a little but it was still there. "No matter how much make up you wear, I'll always be able to tell it's you."

"But how?"

"I just will." I looked at her. Her hair shines in the Sunlight, her features were clearer and her smile makes something inside me bubble. She then turned her attention to a squirrel that was running across the trees at the other side of the bank. I let my eyes linger on her before I returned to look at the sky. A tear fell from the corner of my eye.

"Sad Prince?" She called as I sat up.

"What is it?"

"Where did you get this dress?" She questioned, looking good down at the simple sky blue dress she had on.

"Oh. Lucy gave it to me as I was running out of his room." I blushed when I recalled holding her in my arms while she had nothing but her underwear on. She giggled and held my hand.

"Let's take a stroll, shall we." We got up, hand in hand. The forest was dense, we had to slice some of the vines and branches that were in our way.

"This is nice, Gray-sama?" She commented.

"What? You mean all the leaves and sticks in your face?" I joked and she laughed, hitting me on the shoulder playfully.

"Well, this is an adventure to me and being with you is just so..........." She dragged dreamily then snapped out of her trance to give me a embarrassed smile which I returned with a half sided grin. We continued to walk then I felt something slice me side. I silently cursed under my breath, looking for the cause. I thought maybe it was a stray branch of something but I couldn't see any. I looked down at the wound, three cuts.

"You're bleeding." Juvia shocked, gingerly touching it making it sting a little. "I'm sorry." She pulled her hand back.

"It's fine." I said while freezing the area to stop it from bleeding. There was three big slashes in the suit and the jacket.

"Something wrong?"

"No it's nothing." I said and she started to walk again, I turned around to inspect the area again but I saw nothing that could have done this.

We arrived at an open space in the middle of the woods and decided to take a break. I saw a shadow move in the trees, turning to see if she saw it too but she didn't seem to. She came over to where I was standing.

"How is you wound?"

"Fine." I said, distracted by the shadow.

"What is it?" She asked, looking around as well.

"I thought I saw someone." There the rustle of leaves, Juvia and I went into battle stance on instinct.

"Who is it?!" I screamed. "Come out you coward!" Juvia's body stiffen beside me when the figure started to step out of the trees. I held my hand out in front of Juvia protectively.

"Bastard." Her voice was somewhere in between a whisper and a whimper.

"What do you want you freak?!" He laughed, a fully deep, belly laugh and an evil grin pulled across his face. There in front us stood the guy with a blue tattoos running down the right side of his face.

"What I want? That's simple." His eyes trained on the Juvia, she moved so that she was hiding behind me, gripping my shoulder as if for support. "You know what I want."

"As if I'll let that happen!" I shot a beam of ice in his direction and was shocked when he managed to escape just in time.

"Gray.....oh....Prince Gray. Still so weak." He shot a stream of magic at me, I created an ice shield but it broke and the magic hit us. I grunt as I stood up, helping Juvia up as well. "Why don't you just give it up already?"

"Never!"

"Suit yourself." He kept the attacks going, we tried to keep dodging them and retuning his attacks at the same time. Juvia and I were both panting and dirty but Jellal on the other hand was standing perfectly at where he was, not even a single sweat to prove in was in a fight. I looked over a Juvia and we nodded.

Juvia kept a blast of water in Jellal's face, blocking his vision just enough for me to attack him from behind.

"Ice cannon!" He fell unconsciously forward onto to the ground. I hit him a few more time, just to be sure. "Don't ever look for her ever again." I took Juvia's hand and hurried into the forest ahead.

Juvia pov

"Where are we going?" Juvia panted, trying her best to keep up with me.

"To find a way out of here before he finds us." We kept pushing through all the thick trees and tall grass.

Soon, night fell upon us and I sat by a huge tree while Gray was creating a small hut for us to stay in tonight.

"Gray?" I whispered, looking up at the dark night sky for a moment before bring my eyes down to him. He had his attention on me, kneeled down at the side of the hut made of leaves, twigs and a little help of his ice.

"What's up?"

"I was wondering........." I dragged, shifting my eyes. "if maybe....." He waited patiently. "You like to go out with me?" I rushed in one breath then waited for his response. His face fell even in the dark I could tell that he was upset. "I mean it's fine if you don't want to......." I stumbled and was cut off by Gray pressing his lips against mine. It was a soft but long one, sending shivers down my spine. I looked at him in shock when he pulled back.

"I'm sorry, Juvia but I can't."

"What do you mean 'you can't'?"

"Trust me, I just can't."

"No. I won't accept this. At least give me a better explanation." I begged, my eyes were wet and I bit my lip to hold back my tears. He looked around, rubbed the act of his neck and scratch his head. Finally he let out a sign as if in defeat.

"Truth is. I'm not a Prince."

I smiled.