The Dragon's Princess

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 7

While they had been holding onto one another in the library, Lucy had fallen asleep in Natsu's arms. He had carried them back to his room, where he placed her on the bed and climbed in after her. Holding her while she slept, enjoying the sound of her heart. It was music to his ears. Seeing her calm face, he wished he had the gift of sculpting things out of clay. Because she would be worth trying to make a likeness of.

He took a deep breath, allowing her hands holding onto his arms. Making him believe that she was trying to secure herself to the world that she had found herself in. He had to smile, he found someone that he was willing to be soft for. Because it was something that most humans would never believe about dragons. The monstrous creatures that have been known for destroying and killing off things. At least that what his father had told him.

His eyes moved towards her face. 'She looks close to the pictures of angels that I've seen in books.' His lips pulled into a smile. 'Other than my mate, is she also my angel? Here to save my soul.' Natsu shook his head after thinking that. 'What would the others think, if they could only read my mind?' Then he remembered something, 'I forgot that one can.'

Natsu saw her turning in her sleep towards him. Allowing him to see her sleeping face. He didn't want to share her time with the other half-dragons. He wanted her all to himself, but he knew he couldn't. The night before, before he was able to get any sleep. He was visited by the group that lived near him. Each one of them stating that they understood that she was his but wanted to meet her. He nearly wanted to kill them but knew that he couldn't keep her all to himself. Especially if he needed them to win over a kingdom.

He gave her a hug. He knew his halflings would be dragging them out in a couple of hours if they hadn't made it out of the cave then. He wanted to give her time to wash and changed if she wished. "Come on Luce, I'm sorry but you need to get up."

"Why," she whined out in her blurry sleep.

"Well," he didn't know what to get her up. "My men want to meet you. I'm trying to get you to have time to wash up before they come raiding in and drag you out."

"What," she asked as her eyes popped open.

Natsu couldn't help but smirk while seeing how much awake she was after telling her the reason that needed her up. "I'm sorry, Luce but they wanted to meet you." She made a moan sounding groan that he nearly drove him to mate with her. But knowing that he had to hold back. "Come on, I'll heat up the water and allow you to go into my father's treasures to see about some clothes."

"Okay," she sighed out.

He gave a warm grin before getting out of bed and doing what was he had told her that he would do. He closed the door behind her before making his way towards the water pool. When he reached the edge, he lit his hands and shoved them into the water. Making the water boil with little effort. When he believed that he couldn't make it anymore hotter than what it was. He heard her footsteps making their way to him.

He glanced up to see her sway towards him. He didn't know was coming over him. He never felt anything like this before. His heart skipping beats, while seeing her not so much in her best. But seeing her as the most beautiful creature that he had ever seen. Natsu pulled away from the pool, turning away from her.

"Where are you going?"

He turned around, giving her a smirk. "I'm giving you some privacy, milady. I'm also standing guard at the entrance. I'm not allowing any of the men to come in while you're bathing."

She gave a heartwarming smile, "Thanks, Natsu."

He turned and made his way towards the entrance and sat down on his own doorstep. Allowing himself to enjoy the sounds of nature, as they wake up to the rise of the sun. Natsu hadn't taken the time to hear the sounds of the birds for a very long time. 'Does having a mate bring a new outlook on life? It must be…'

After a while, he heard a hissing moan from the back of the cave. Telling him that she had just gotten into the pool. He wanted to join her but knew that wouldn't be possible, knowing his men wouldn't allow them time alone. Plus she probably wouldn't allow him to join her in the first place. 'A beautiful princess probably hasn't been been around men before…'

Before he could allow his brain go any further. He heard voices along with footsteps making their way towards him. He knew from the deep voices and tones, he knew it was his men. After a few moments, they came into his view, seeing him sitting outside of his cave. Every one of them came to him and gave him an unreadable look.

"Hey Salamander, you and the new misses not getting along?"

Natsu gave a glare towards the one with maroon hair and purple eyes. "That's not it, Cobra!" His growl rolled over his body, showing all that he was in charge. "She's taking her time waking up and none of you are allowed in my cave."

"Okay hot shot," an older looking blonde spoke up. "Are you going to tell us about her or what?"

"Why talk about her, Laxus. When she'll be out soon." A couple of seconds had passed before anyone was able to hear any footsteps coming from the cave to them. "You can talk to her openly with her…"

Everyone turned towards the opening of the cave, where Lucy came walking towards them. Wearing a noble women's clothing. An off the shoulder teal wool looking dress with a gold silk shawl. Every one of Natsu's men were in astonished of what they've seen of her. He saw the uneasiness in her brown eyes, as her eyes glanced towards the men before her.

Natsu had gotten upon his feet, taking her hand into his own. Trying to use his good manners that his father had beaten into his head a time or two. Saying that he may have to act properly in front of a noble. He pulled her gently to where she was standing next to him. Giving each other a small smile.

He faced his fellow half-dragons. "Everyone, this is Princess Lucy Heartfilia."

Lucy felt nervous as she stood before what she could only imagine as the Dragon Guard. She felt every one of their eyes on her but found that they were unreadable. She could only imagine the hurt and the pain that they would have been because she was her father's daughter. She saw Natsu walking from one person to the next in front of her.

"This is Laxus, he deals with lightning." She saw that he was the eldest of them all with spiky golden blonde hair. A darker blonde than she was.

"Princess," stated Laxus in a dull sounding voice, which made her feel uneasy.

Natsu walked towards the next. "Cobra, his thing is with poison and reading souls." She gave the maroon dangerous looking man a once over. She had a feeling that he would be great in undercover work.

"As your assessment of your wandering soul about me should be noted, milady." His voice purred with danger, which made her shiver down her spine.

"What did she say," Natsu asked the maroon haired male.

The poison welder smirked, "She thinks that I would be great for undercover work because of what I can do."

Natsu gave him a look and growled, "I wish I should have thought of that." He then turned to the next one. "Gajeel, iron and steel are his weapons."

Lucy gave him a glance and noticed that he was tall, dark and sexy. She imagines that one of her friends in the castle would have liked him.

Gajeel gave a small bow, "Princess."

Natsu went to the next dark haired male. "This is Rogue, he works within the shadows."

Lucy saw that he seemed younger than Natsu, by a few years and a few inches shorter as well. But he nearly looked like Gajeel but smaller in size. He simply bowed, which made her believe that he hardly talked.

Natsu then walked towards the last of the males. "Sting, he's a light welder."

"Yo," the loud sounding youth called out. Lucy could tell that he was about the same age as Rogue and the same size.

Then he walked towards the shortest and youngest of them all and the only female. "And this is Wendy, our healer and sky welder."

"Hi," the little girl squeaked.

Lucy couldn't help but feel very strongly for the young girl in the midst of all the males. She almost wanted to make her into a young sister but that was what she felt like. She also felt like that might be unwelcome because the young girl hadn't known her for that long.

Cobra walked towards Lucy with a smirk upon his lips. "Don't worry princess, many of us have adopted the little tike as our little sister."

Wendy gave Lucy a small smile, "You think of me as a little sister too?" When Lucy could only nod, the girl jumped. "Oh, I would LOVE THAT." Then came and jump into Lucy's arms for a huge hug.

The two girls could only giggle at one another before the males had gotten restless. The one that Lucy remembered as Sting came up to Natsu. "Come on fire-breather, let's have ourselves an all out duel."

Wendy grabbed one of Lucy's hands and dragged her away towards the lake. "Let's get out of their way. We wouldn't want to get caught in the middle of their fight. They go all out to test their abilities on one another and it's never pretty."

Lucy nodded, allowing the young female leading her towards the lake. She can only imagine that amount of damage that they could do on one another.