The Dragon's Princess
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 11
During the two weeks of mourning. Natsu Dragneel had been doing many things around the Heartfilia castle. One of those things was to stand beside Lucy when it was time to bury her father. He also had set up a burning for Silver Fullbuster. Which Natsu had done alone with Gray standing in the far background. He never went and faced the young Fullbuster about it. But knew it was his way of mourning for a father that he thought he had.
Natsu from that moment on had gained a shadow. Not knowing if this person will do harm or good, but thanks to his advanced hearing. He was prepared for the most part, for anything. Even his own guard had whispered it to him, a time or two. But for the most part, all believed that he was only watching for the sake of the people.
Natsu had found his way into the throne room, where Lucy and their chosen few were waiting for him. He placed himself into the chair that once belonged to the queen. Showing all, even his own men that he met what he said. Lucy was the ruler, while he was the muscle behind the throne.
He glanced up, after hearing the faint thud of a door being closed. Along with a dark, hardly noticed outline of Gray within the shadows. Natsu had to smirk, knowing that the young Fullbuster may not trust him. At least for the time being.
Lucy turned towards Natsu with worry in her brown eyes. "I was thinking about a few changes… even with the banner."
The pink-haired man turned to give his full attention. He knew it's her way of dealing with her father's death. "What is it, Lucy?"
"I want to add a dragon to the banner," she spoke with authority behind her words. Showing all within the room, to know she met business.
He glanced around and saw that her statement was met with many shocked faces, even Gray being one of them. Natsu made a clearing sound from his throat. "For what purpose?"
Lucy sighed, "I thought that would be clear." She turned to look into his eyes. "To show that our kingdom would be safe for all dragon kind. Along with sporting that I have my very own dragon to protect me." She gave him a heartwarming smile.
He heard from his fellow dragon halflings in the background. That every one of them would be honored for that small gesture. Making Natsu have a smile upon his lips. There are days he couldn't believe that he found the perfect woman, like Lucy. She was willing to add him and his kin into her kingdom. In more ways than one, from what he was understanding of her, she was willing to make many happy.
Natsu gave a heartwarming smile of his own, he reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. "Lucy, you are full of surprises…" He then glanced towards the banner above the chairs that they sat. "But what would it look like?"
"I was thinking about a dragon wrapping around the heart and crown like it was protecting them." Her voice became music to his ears, as he imagined the image that she was talking about. "I just don't know what colors to make the dragon to tell the seemterusses."
"Body mainly red, with yellow underbelly and accents," stated Natsu with wonder in his voice. "At least that was what Igneel looked like."
Lucy's lips pulled back to an even brighter smile. "I think I can manage that…" She then glanced towards the men around them. "Should they have their own banners? I mean…" She glanced towards him with worry in her eyes. "...you could make them lords and they can have a banner of their own, to where they're able to serve you too."
This caused many within the room to laugh, not including Gray. The young Fullbuster was still in the shadows, watching from his spot. Not believing what he was hearing. But still pleased to know that the princess was still in charge of everything.
Natsu glanced towards his men at large. "I don't know about my men, Lucy but it's kind of you to include them." Then he called out. "What about you, all? Would you like to become lords and have banners of your very own?"
Laxus chuckled, "You know Natsu. It's hard to take you seriously when you talk like a noble." He shook his head, as he glanced towards the others. "What say you a lot, do we want these things?"
Gajeel spoke up from his spot on the floor. He had been sitting, studying some of the weapons that were left in the room. Seeing where he could improve or just make brand new ones from a different metal. "Well," he turned to where he could see throne better. "I wouldn't mind having one for my smithery. Letting everyone know where to get the best weapons from."
Lucy smiled at his statement because it was a true one. Everyone should know where to get the best weapons, once he had opened his own shop. He may even travel with the army.
Wendy smiled from where she sat on the steps of the platform of the throne, with a smile on her face. "I wouldn't mind, having a banner for my clinic, wherever that'll be. Letting people know when I'm around to help them."
Lucy could tell that Wendy had made a point about her banner. Because she may travel to help the locals or even travel with the army to heal them too.
Sting and Rouge glanced at each other before Sting spoke. "Since we're going to be your captains, shouldn't we have our own banners. Letting our men know where to check in if we're ever in battle?"
Natsu sighed, "It sounds like we're going to need a bunch of banners made." He glanced towards Cobra for a moment. "Even poison-breath needs one. Since we've appointed him and Catherine to be the supporting rulers if something happened to us… Then again, Catherine is a lady and that would make Cobra a lord." He shook his head. "Dear God, what I've done… making him into a lord?" He shivered for a moment. "They'll be needing a banner as well then."
Lucy chuckled from where she sat. Seeing Natsu going through his train of thought that he had gone. "Alright," she chuckled while raising her hand to stop him. "I get it." She glanced around with a smile on her face. "I'll have the women come around to get your intake on what you would like on your banners."
Natsu smiled, "You know… we still need to talk about the wedding that… we need to do."
Lucy gave him a smile, knowing that she had already had thought about it. "I was thinking of having a double wedding, with you and me. Along with Cobra and Catherine."
Cobra gave a look towards the blonde woman with a surprised look in his eyes. "Have you talked to your cousin about this, because I don't want her mad. I've already messed up with her without asking for her input."
The princess waved her hand, giving the poor man a smile. "I have talked to her about it and she agreed." She glanced around the room, seeing that many were listening to what she was saying. "It was actually what she wanted in the first place," she gave a sad smile. "If you would have asked her, before she had gotten mad at you, Cobra."
The maroon-haired man sighed, as he glanced down towards the floor. "I love that woman… I just wish I had held in my feelings long enough to talk to her, to where I would have listened." He gave a smile, seeing it had reached his eyes. "At least I know she still wants to marry me." He then looked towards Lucy again, with a thoughtful look. "Do you know why she wouldn't talk to me?"
"Oh," causing the woman to blush, trying to look away from the man. "She said something about not wanting to see you until the wedding." She squeaked after seeing his hard look. "Because she didn't want you to lose control with her in the room."
Cobra chuckled, as his deep tones bounced across the stone walls. "That woman knows me well…" He shook his head. "So, when's the wedding?"
Lucy glanced in her hands for a moment. Natsu could tell that her mind was going fast through her thoughts. He could almost tell that she was forgetting something. He didn't know how he knew, he just knew that something was preventing her from speaking.
A squeak left her lips before getting up from her chair and ran out of the room. Causing many to have many forms of surprised looks across their faces. All any could have seen, even with their heightened sight, was a flurry of skirts as she left the room.
Cobra glanced towards Natsu with a scowl on his face. "Did I miss something?"
Natsu sighed while shaking his head. "With everything that has been going on. I think the day of the wedding was not part of the planning that came to mind." He saw understanding from everyone in the room, even Cobra. "So with that being said, let's plan on what to do with the knights and guards… Like what kind of training you're going to do and how are you weeding out those you don't want…"
Natsu sat back as he saw his men making their way to the middle of the room. Where he would be able to see them better. Along with seeing Gray Fullbuster, who stood up straighter as he listened. 'So this was what you wanted to know?'
He then glanced towards Cobra, who was looking into Natsu's eyes. Giving him a smallest of nods. Allowing him to know that it was what Gray was hoping to know. Natsu knew that Gray was a fighting man and wanted to know what the future held. He was somewhat surprised that Gray was the only man to sneak around wanting to know such information.
'Then again, maybe he wants to prove his innocence?'
Cobra gave another small nod. It was then that Natsu was going to have to sit down with Cobra. Along with Gray in the near future to see where everyone was going to be. He knew from that moment that he was going to have to include Gray in some things. Knowing then that he may have to bring him in, seeing that he didn't pop out of the shadows to debate with what he had learned. He was finding a lot of surprises from the kingdom so far.
