Dragon's Love with Dangerous Letters
Chapter 1
No one knew how it happened but one day the children in the royal families gained magic, magic to slay dragons, dragon slaying magic. I've never laid eyes on them and I never thought I would but who knew one little letter could get myself so involved with them.
It was finally sunny out. The kingdom of Magnolia was finally out of its gloomy hole of rain that had kept coming down for that past week. Everyone was out and about celebrating and preparing for the festival that had been delayed due to the rain. Banners were strewn between gaps of houses downs tons of streets with each holding a dragon either being red, green, blue, black, white, yellow, or purple, and lampposts were covered in flowers of those specific colors as well. People from each edge of the small country had been working hard to put all of it up since the crack of dawn for this festival, a festival meant to celebrate the dragons and the children in the royal families who hold dragon slaying magic. This year's festival was meant to be extra special though because the children who held this dragon slaying magic were said to be coming here to Magnolia themselves just to celebrate. Everyone was in high spirits for it, well almost everyone.
A girl living on the poorer side of town wasn't all that excited for this festival like her dad and everyone else. She would have rather enjoyed the rain's company a little longer unlike everyone else. She knew that since the rain was gone it meant that she would have to go back to working long shifts and leaving her father at home. It wasn't something she liked to do, leaving her father, not since the incident with her mother ten years ago when she was only eight. Leaving anyone she cared about was just not ok with her.
Staring up at the medical sign hanging above the rough wooden door the brunette made her way in and stalked over to the pink haired woman behind the counter. The lady lifted her head to see who it was, not a smile or a welcome coming from her since she wasn't one to be fond of other humans.
"I thought I told you not to come today Artemis, did I not? It's a special day, one not to be ruined by work no?" The pinkette inquired.
"You know I need the money Porlyusica. My father and I are running low on food and need more money to get more." The girl replied placing her small brown bag on the counter.
"Very well, the only thing I had planned was to decorate the building. You can start pulling things from the bag over there and place them as you please, oh and I do mean to decorate it inside and out." Porlyusica pointed out vanishing to the back.
'For someone who wanted me to take a day off she sure is putting me to a lot of work' Artemis grumbled inwardly. Then again if she knew Porlyusica well it was probably a punishment for disobeying her and showing up today when she should be home with her father, which of course is where the brown haired girl would love to be if her father hadn't forced her to come here.
Letting out a sigh since she knew she'd never win, Artemis pulled out two banners from one of the bags that held decorations, one holding a red dragon and the other a white one. She dragged them outside along with a stool she would use to reach the tops of the windows and some tacks to pin them up with. Each one hung above each window, the one with the white dragon on the left and the one with the red dragon on the right. Artemis thought it looked well enough and presentable but I guess someone passing by didn't exactly agree with her.
"You think it might look better if the banners were switched around?" A curious voice sounded from behind her.
Artemis climbed off of the stool and looked behind her, her olive toned eyes spotting a young man standing there with his forefinger and thumb pressed against his chin. A fluff of pink rested upon his head and his eyes were like onyx stones that held wonder as he stared at the two banners that were hung up moments ago. Artemis found his clothing rather odd for it looked like nothing sold here in Magnolia and it appeared as if it was made of very high quality materials that Magnolia didn't have at its disposal either.
"Really I think they'd look better if hung the other way since the dragons are facing away from each other wouldn't they look better if they were facing each other as if they were fighting? I think it make it look more interesting don't you?" He asked Artemis once more while finally fixing his gaze on her and showing a warm smile.
Artemis didn't answer but backed away to look for herself. The boy was right, they would've looked better if hung the other way. Making her way over to the stool she climbed on it once more and took down the banners from where they were before switching their spots like the young man had suggested. When she finished and backed away se found the boy giving her a satisfied smile.
"I told you it'd look better!" He beamed walking closer.
"Not to be rude but who are you exactly? You don't look like you're from around here." Artemis stated and pointed to his clothing.
"I'm not actually. I live in the kingdom next door and came here for the festival you guys hold here. I'm Natsu by the way, Natsu Dragneel." He replied and stuck out a hand.
"That explains the clothes. Artemis, Artemis Elise.", the brunette informed him and shook his hand," Thanks for the advice by the way. I'm sure Porlyusica would have told me to do that too anyway."
"No problem! Hey I'll help you if you want. I've got nothing else better to do until later this evening so I'm free to give a hand." The young man, Natsu, offered.
"You don't need to do that." Artemis told him while turning to head back inside for more decorations.
Rushing over to the door to hold it open Natsu smiled and replied with a, "Well I want to so I will."
Artemis was bewildered with his persistence and urge to help. Usually when someone from another kingdom came to Magnolia they never really asked to help anyone they may have seen struggling in the streets, technically they looked like they enjoyed watching them struggle especially those who looked extremely poor just like Artemis herself. Having this done for her was really rare so she shut her mouth and accepted the help the pinkette gave her.
He was a cheerfully one she had concluded but was rather dense too though Artemis was used to it due to the denseness that occasionally wafted off of her friend Gray Fullbuster who lived only a few houses down from where she did. Natsu kept smiling as he worked and assisted Artemis in her work, that flashy grin never faltering even when he had made a mistake in putting something up. While working Artemis managed to learn more about the boy than just his name as well such as the fact that he had came from the kingdom that lay north of Magnolia called Pyre.
Artemis never knew much about the other kingdoms and when Natsu seemed to figure that by the way she acted he began to tell her all about it like he was some proud historian who had been working to learn everything about it himself for the past couple of years. He told her about all of its festivities and the way it looked. He rambled off his favorite stores and restaurants he had visited thus far into his life and all of his favorite foods from each place although that information didn't matter much to Artemis. The thing that Natsu seemed to explain with more pride than anything though was the castle and the king of his kingdom. He kept repeating how amazing their king was and how kind he was with everyone and described in every detail to the best of his ability the castle in which that king lived. If Artemis had to guess she'd say that Natsu might even be related to this king with the way he described and knew so much about him.
"Your kingdom sounds wonderful." Artemis hummed after the excited boy had ceased to speak.
"Maybe I can bring you to see it sometime." He suggested reaching up to hang a pot of red flowers underneath the banners.
"I don't have the money to travel to such a place." The girl replied and let out a dry chuckle.
"No need to worry about little things like that! I'll take care of that for you but really if you ever want to come I'll take you." Natsu insisted.
"You're persistent." The brunette sighed.
"My dad says that often." He snickered and backed away to look at their work, "Looks great!"
Artemis took a step back to observe for herself. In all the years she's had to decorate this place she had to admit I never looked better than this and she had Natsu to thank for it all. It also looked as if more banners and flowers were scattered among the wall than ever before, how that one was managed Artemis couldn't tell.
"You're right, it does look great. Thanks for the help by the way." She said and turned to face the charcoaled eyed boy.
"No sweat! I didn't have anything scheduled at the moment so I though lending a hand would be nice." He shrugged and looked at the clock tower that peaked out above the shingled roof houses, "Oh no! I'm gonna be late! I guess time does fly when you're having fun doesn't it? You'll be at the ball being held at the castle here tonight won't you?"
"I'll check my agenda." Artemis replied.
"Well I hope you do come. I'll see you later Artemis!" The boy shouted over his shoulder, his figure disappearing down the cobble-stoned street.
After Artemis couldn't see a single inch of the young man she slipped back inside where she was met with Porlyusica who had been peering out the window behind the counter. Normally Porlyusica wasn't one to pry into what Artemis would do, actually into what anyone would do, so it confused her as to why she was looking through the curtains where she and Natsu had been previously standing.
"Porlyusica?" Artemis questioned the elder.
"I don't mean to be rude Artemis but who was that young man helping you?" The said elder asked letting the white curtain slip from her hand.
"Oh that was Natsu Dragneel. He said he was from the kingdom north of here called Pyre and came down to celebrate the festival. He insisted on lending me a hand." The brunette simple answered.
". . .Very well. You still have the inside to do before you leave for the day so get to it if you plan on having any time before tonight's festivities." The woman monotonously said before disappearing to the back once more.
Grabbing the last bag set on the floor Artemis proceeded to pull out sealed flower pots and place the randomly, the ball that Natsu had mentioned still running through her mind.