Excitement and fear washed over Juvia while looking outside the tiny window of the quarters she shared with her old aya; they had finally arrived at the Ice Lands.
From where she was standing, the Marchioness could only see the docks and she was surprised when noticed that things weren't all white like it was in her thoughts. The port had ships from all over the country, as the flags were signing. She observed four ships from the Duchy of Summer their flag with the symbol of three yellow Suns side by side; two ships with the official brand of the Duchy of Spring: four tulips with a yellow background.
And of course, she could see lots of ships with the flag of The Duchy of Winter: two white icebergs with a dark blue background.
The Marchioness could also see the different people. There were some with white hair, yellow hair, pink hair and she even spotted one with green hair! Back at the March, everyone had dark hair and wore grayish clothes, while Ice Land people wore colorful coats.
"This is the Ice Lands..." Juvia whispered to herself and she felt butterflies in her stomach. That was the land she would live from that moment on. Would she be well accepted there? Or people would treat her badly?
"Girl." Marge, the aya, said. "Don't let your hopes up too much. You don't know these people."
"Juvia knows, Marge." The Marchioness said still looking outside. "Juvia knows."
#
"Enter." Juvia's soft voice was heard through the door and Jose Porla opened it. The man smiled widely when he saw the young girl. She was wearing a dark blue dress with long sleeves, which had white fur by the wrists. Her hair was still in her usual curls but this time she was wearing a hat over it.
"You look nice, child." Jose said and entered the room, offering a stare to the aya, who immediately ran away from the room as she always did when that man appeared to talk to the Marchioness; and with reason, since everyone knew how fearsome he could be. He was a powerful man, after all.
"Thank you." Juvia smile widened with the compliment. It wasn't usual for people from the March to say nice things to one another; they usually kept their opinion to themselves. Actually, they usually kept everything to themselves. "Juvia is so nervous..." Jose looked at her severely for a second and she corrected herself. "I am so nervous about our arrival."
"I know, child." Jose walked towards the young woman and put a hand on her face. "This is the moment everything's gonna change for us."
Juvia nodded understanding what he was saying. Since she was a child, she knew that whenever she married, it would be to benefit the March and its people, and that was the reason she was born in a noble family.
The Marchioness believed that everything happened for a reason, and the marriage was a part of a bigger plan from fate, destiny or whatever people would like to call. She had to believe in something, otherwise, what else would be the reason she lost her parents so early? What else would be the reason her father ignored her? What else would be the reason Jose Porla raised her?
Destiny had to have a bigger purpose to her.
"And Juv..." She stopped herself before Master could give her a look. "I will do everything in my power to make the March grow with this wedding."
"You are a good child." Jose smiled, pleased with her and deep inside, Juvia was happy to fulfill his expectations as if she were again five years old. "You remind me of your mother."
She always liked to hear him say that. It reminded her that she had a mother once; that she had a family, even if she had them for a few minutes when she couldn't even remember.
During her life, Juvia always tried to fit in somewhere and never did. Not in her castle, that's for sure. Even when she saw the pictures from her ancestors and saw the resemblance to herself, Juvia would think how much different her life would've been if she had someone left alive with her own blood to teach her everything about running a land.
"Thank you, Master." The blue haired woman said smiling softly.
"Anyway..." Jose's face darkened. "We have arrived; and child... we'll be going to Avalanche Castle in an hour."
"Yes." The Marchioness nodded.
"And I have to warn you again that not every person from this place likes the idea of a foreigner marry the Duke." Jose crossed his arms. "So, I need you to be extra careful until the ceremony."
"Yes, Master." Juvia nodded again.
Master Jose explained to her that some people opposed to the ceremony because it would bring out the March of Rain of its crisis, and somehow put the Duchy in a doubtful situation. Which was unlikely since the Ice Lands had a handful of mountains full of gold.
"You need to make him help the March, Juvia." Jose said looking extremely worried. "You have to gain his trust, so he can see the situation back home."
"I'll try my best, Master."
'Juvia will help her people. She will help everyone that put their hopes on her' She thought and really hoped that she would actually do something right once in her life.
#
Juvia didn't understand why she needed to wear a hood and why all of her personal guards were surrounding her and when asked about it to Master Jose, who was standing by her side, the old man just smiled sweetly at her.
"It's a foreign land, my child." He patted the hand he was holding lightly. "We never know who might want to harm you."
Juvia frowned when heard Gajeel snort from in front of her and looked to Porla again, only to see a glimpse of rage in his eyes, but lasted a moment; it was so fast that she thought it was all in her mind.
"It's the Ame Onna!" Someone from the big group waiting for her to came out yelled and Juvia was surprised, even if she knew that she wasn't welcomed there.
"Go back to where you're from!" Another voice yelled.
"This is the Ice Lands! We don't want any rain, Ame Onna!"
The insults kept coming, again and again. With each word, it was like a knife was piercing through Juvia's heart. If that's what she would expect from the people, she would be better off back in the March.
"Out of the way!" Gajeel yelled and pushed some people away, while was trying to guide Juvia and Jose through the crowd.
Gajeel was trying to be an understanding guy and not kill anyone like Jose asked him to; killing a person from the Duchy of Winter at the arrival day would not be good, but those idiotic morons were pissing him off. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a tearful Juvia and, even though he would never admit it, he felt bad for her needing to go through all of that; but said nothing. Instead, he would take his frustration on the first person that threatened the young Marchioness again.
By the corner of his eye, he saw a small hooded figure reach for something inside his hood. Imagining it was some kind of knife; Gajeel didn't even blink before reach the man's neck as fast as he could and throw him on the muddy ground with all his strength, and kept him there.
Except that the person with the hood wasn't holding a knife.
It was a bunch of flowers.
And wasn't a 'he'; was a 'she'.
Gajeel frowned when looked to the petite young girl he was holding on the floor; she had brownish eyes and light blue hair and she looked terrified and confused.
"Gajeel-kun!" Juvia shrieked when she saw the blue haired girl's terrified face. "Let her go!"
He looked strangely to the terrified small figure he was holding on the ground and for a moment considered let her go, but time had taught him to not trust easily. Juvia was too trustworthy and he had to watch her back, otherwise she would end up hurt somehow.
"Who are you?" Gajeel growled to the petit woman and tightened his grip on her neck.
"I... I..." The girl tried to say something, but her breath was hard because of his hand and she was scared out of her life.
"She can't talk! Let her go!" Juvia grabbed his arm and pulled, but he was too strong. Gajeel looked to Jose, who nodded and the younger man loosened his grip on her neck.
"Talk. Now." He said dangerously; Gajeel didn't let the girl get up.
Gasping for air, the young woman looked to his red eyes in utter horror, and with a quiet voice she said, sobbing:
"M-my na-name is Le-Levy. Levy McGarden and I... I wa-was sent f-from Avalanche Ca-Castle to wel-welcome the Marchioness."