I hope y'all are enjoying the chapters so far, I know that I enjoy writing them! ^-^ I am also thinking about doing another fanfic on Link and Zelda, should I do that? Well anyway enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 4

I was back in the castle, standing in the middle of a dark hallway. On the walls there were pictures of My family all together, and we were...Happy. I started to walk looking at the pictures as I went by. I soon came face to face with wooden double doors. I hesitantly pushed them open. On the other side I saw my mother messing with what looked like golden keys. My eyes started to tear up and I ran over to hug my mother. I quickly pulled her into a strong embrace and she squeezed me back. My sobbing got louder.

"Y-your alive" I said as if I was out of breath.

She suddenly had a sad expression on her face "I am sorry Lucy, but I am just in your dream"

I sniffled and wiped away my tears.

"I-I know I just wanted to believe you were alive"

A warm smile danced across her lips "I am in heaven now, but my spirit has come down for a bit to give you these"

She held out a chain that had golden keys, and I took them.

"What are they"

"These are the very rare Zodiac Keys. When I was alive I had collected all of them, but I can only give you one of these and the rest will be scattered around the continent"

I stared at them in awe. Suddenly all but one key started to fade. soon enough there was only one key left on the chain. Its sign looked like a water current. A bell started to ring. My mother looked at me sadly.

"It seems like my time is up, I hope you can live a happy life, Lucy. Oh and take this key too" she handed me a silver key "He serves as a nice pet"

"W-Wait don't leave!"

There was a sad smile on her face "I am sorry I left you at such a young age"

"WAIT"

I woke up screaming, and tears were rolling down my face. I put my hands to my face and cried in them. I then noticed the chain with the gold and silver key in my right hand. Was this real!? I thought it was just a normal dream. I played with the keys in my hands, they were very shiny and sleek. I was amazed, did I really talk to my mother last night?

"Hey are u alright?"

I turned to see Natsu sitting next to my looking at me with a confused and worried expression. I quickly wiped away my tears.

"Y-yes I am quite alright"

"Hey, what are those keys you have. I haven't seen them until now"

"Well, its a long story. Lets just say that I got these keys from someone special" I put the keys into my satchel.

"W-wait do you mean someone came here last night and gave them to you! Are they spying on us!"

I clasped my hand over my forehead and giggled. He showed a wide grin. I tried to get up, but I had forgotten that I hurt my foot. I winced in pain.

"Hey you shouldn't get up your still hurt"

"I-I know, I had just forgotten about it"

I stared out the cave entrance. The sky was different shades of yellow and pink, and nature was starting to wake up. I smiled at the beautiful sky.

"Hey Natsu"

"Yeah"

"Could you show me around the forest, I have always wanted to explore it and see the nature"

"I would be happy to, Lucy"

"Could you take me right now?"

"Of course!"

I put my satchel around me encase it was going to be needed. Natsu smiled and picked me up bridal style. I suddenly blushed as his muscular arms wrapped around me, as if he was trying to protect me. I have never felt as if I was protected. A warm smile crept to my lips. Natsu walked out the cave entrance and used his wings to fly up into the air. As he did this action I held onto his shirt.

He chuckled "Oi, you know I wont drop you so you don't have to hold on so tight"

"S-shut up" I mumbled, my face turned bright red

I slowly turned my body to look at the ground. There were many types of trees of all shapes and sizes. I could also see many small streams. My eyes twinkled with excitement and wonder.

"Oi, Lucy, I want to show you something, but it will take until nightfall to get there"

I quickly nodded my head. Whatever it was I wanted to see it.

Natsu flew and flew until the sky was dark. I was starting to get tired and achy from sitting in Natsu's arms all day.

"We are here~"

I rolled my eyes at the way he said it. Before I could look to see what it was Natsu quickly dropped to the ground. I held onto him for dear life and screamed. Once we landed on the the ground Natsu started laughing hysterically.

My face turned red and I hit him in the chest "S-SHUT UP, YOU SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME BEFORE YOU DID THAT!"

"B-but it was just too funny"

I started to pout and mumble about how he was rude. Natsu wiped away some tears.

"O-OK I am sorry I laughed at you" he put on a wide grin.

"Hold on"

Before I could say another word Natsu dashed through the forest with nonhuman speed. I buried my face in his chest to keep my from getting sick. Once we stopped I felt light headed.

"You can look now"

I slowly lifted my head, and my jaw dropped. There was an orchard of many big trees that had rainbows of glowing petals.

"The magic in these trees keep the forest alive, they are the life source of the forest" I lifted up my head to see Natsu talk "If someone were to destroy all of these trees, the forest would die." He looked at me with a small grin "you know, your the first human I have told this to"

"W-why would you tell me?"

He shrugged "you looked like you could keep a secret"

I smiled, no one has ever entrusted me with something this important. It made me happy that Natsu could trust me. I started to shiver even though I had my cloak on. Natsu held me tighter and warm coursed through me, I blushed at the action. He looked down at me.

"Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you" I said in a small voice.

"We should probably camp here tonight" I nodded in agreement.

Natsu had set me down against a tree and went off to go get wood for a fire. I sighed, I wish I could be of some help. I didn't need a man- I mean dragon. Wait what was he anyway? He looked half human and half dragon. I threw away the though, it wasn't what I should be focusing on. I should find a way to help. I remembered the dry food that I had brought. I dug some out of my satchel. My hand brushed against the keys, I took them out too. I had 10 pieces of beef jerky, 3 granola bars, and 4 apples which were starting to rot. I knew to only get dry food, but I couldn't help it.

There was rusting in a bush, and then Natsu appeared with his arms full of sticks. He set them on the floor and then with his finger he lit them on fire. He looked down at the food.

"Oi, it looks like you had some food with you" he tapped his nose "I knew I smelled something.

I rolled my eyes and gave him 5 jerky, 1 granola, and 2 apples.

"Thanks"

He began to scarf the food down. I again rolled my eyes. He eats like a slob, I took a bite out of an apple and looked up to the stars. I had read a book about constellations and could spot a few that I knew.

"Hey Lucy"

I turned my head to look at Natsu "yes?"

"How come you have never came to the forest yourself? I see people come in almost every day"

My blood went cold. Should I tell him that I am a princess and ran away? Or do I lie? Natsu can trust me, so I should trust him too. I let out a shaky sigh.

"W-well I was never aloud outside because that's how my mother got her disease and died. Also-"

"I understand if you don't want to talk about it" Natsu cut in.

I was glad because I didn't want to tell Natsu my secret, at least not yet.

I played around with the keys while I ate, it felt like they were giving of a magical aura.

I was starting to get tired and yawned. The night was chillier.

"Are you tired?"

I nodded my eye lids closing.

I could hear Natsu scoot over, and then he wrapped his arm around my waist. My eyes shot open. He pulled away just a little.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"N-no I just didn't expect you to do that"

He was about to let go of me entirely, but I didn't want him to.

"W-wait" my face was bright red. "I would like it if you held on to me" I almost said it in a whisper.

Natsu smiled and then put his arm back around my waist, I leaned my head on his chest and fell asleep.

I awoke to multiple male voices. I looked around in confusion. Natsu was behind a bush looking at what I guessed to be where the voices were coming from. I slowly and quietly made my way over next to Natsu to look. My eyes widened and I couldn't breathe. There were 5 Fiore guards inspecting the trees and one of them had an ax.

I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. It was really run writing it, but the next chapter is going to have some mage action.