A week of rebuilding. For a week everyone helped out to rebuild the kingdom. Commoners, knights, servants, princess, and even the king. They finished rebuilding the town. And now, they worked on the castle. It wasn't damaged too badly. Just a few towers, and a couple rooms, some smashed or caved in. If they were lucky it would take no longer than three weeks, with the help of the dragons of course.
Everyone helped clean out the area. The dragons cleared the collapsed towers, and helped carry the heavy stones. The girls passed out drinks and food to the men.
Natsu was sitting in the nearest tree, close to the towers, and watched them work. He was thinking. Igneel said Lucy was destined to be his needed to tell Lucy, but he couldn't just yet. Telling her wasn't the problem, it was the question of 'will she feel the same' . He wanted to find out if his feelings were true, if Igneel was speaking the truth. How he would find out, he didn't know. He figured it would just come to him. He decided telling her after the restoration of the kingdom was finished was best. It would give him more time to find out.
Lucy already knew how she felt. The pink haired boy, servant to Hades. She loved him, she didn't realize it until after the final battle, but she grew to love him. She loved him for finding her father, saving her and the kingdom. And most of all, giving her friends. Lucy, since Hades claimed the throne, had never had a friend before. After meeting Natsu, his friends showed up, and pretty soon they weren't just his friends, but hers as well.
Lucy gave a drink to her father and smiled. Everyone was working so hard. She couldn't lift heavy object, the best she could do was help out in the kitchens and serve the ones who worked. She looked up at the blue sky. There were some fluffy white clouds floating by, and the sun shone brightly. She noticed Natsu sitting in a tree not far from her. She smiled.
" Natsu!" If he heard her he didn't react. So she called again. He still didn't answer. So she made her way to the tree, and reached up with one arm, grabbing the branch above her. She pulled herself up, her feet kicking at the tree trunk, pushing herself up. She raised her other arm to grab the next branch. When she made it to Natsu's height she yelled his name. He jolted upright, to his feet and turned around fast. He fell as his foot slipped on the narrow branch. He hit the ground with a yelp. Lucy made her way back down the tree.
" Lucy! Don't sneak up on me!" Natsu said getting up, dusting himself off in the process.
" Haha, I'm sorry, but, what were you doing?" Lucy asked, " I called your name twice"
" You called my name?"
Lucy walked up to him and grabbed his ears, " You've got dragon hearing right? How could you not hear me?" Natsu grabbed her arms and pulled them away. His face was light pink, barley noticeable, but Lucy saw it.
" I was thinking," He murmured. " Why'd you call me?"
" You're suppose to be helping the others, " Lucy said placing a hand on her whip that hung from her belt, " Quit slacking off."
" Eh? That's it? Why aren't you working?"
" Because I'm the princess." She stated.
" So?"
" So I'm ordering you to get to work."
" That's not even a reason!" Lucy pulled her whip free and straightened it before her, raising a brow smirking, " Fine Fine. I'm going," He muttered, turning away," Girls..."
" We'll be bringing Lunch! So if you want some you better be working!" She called, he waved a hand. Lucy laughed and placed her whip back on her belt, and watched him walk over to the others. She crossed her arms over her chest, " Now... I guess I should help Mira with the cooking."
" Mommy?"
" Hmm?" Layla was helping little Lucy put on her pink poofy dress. Lucy didn't like it, but her mother insisted she wore it for the party.
" Are the dragons going to be there?"
" Why yes of course!" Layla answered, as she watched her daughter twirl around. Lucy watched her dress circle her. She stopped and looked at the mirror. Her mother brushed her hair and tied a tiny ponytail to the side leaving the rest of her hair loose.
" They always join the parties."
" Why?"
" They're close friends of mine and your father, they feel like they need to join. Didn't you want to see them?" Lucy turned around to face her mother and nodded, a smile breaking out across her face.
" You said I could!"
" And you will." Layla laughed and held out her hand. Lucy took it, and together they walked down the great hall down to their large dinning room where the party was being held. The room was crowded with people, most dancing around with their partners, the rest chatting away or eating. Lucy looked around hoping to see a dragon. She did not, at least she thought she didn't. Until her mother noticed her eager search.
" Lets see. I believe that is them over there." She pointed to the corner of the room, near the buffet table. Lucy recognized only the child boy with pink hair.
" How come there's only one? What happened to the big red dragon?" Lucy questioned.
" Remember? Dragon's have the ability to change into humans," Layla said , " That is them there."
" Can I go talk to them?"
" Of course," Layla smiled. Lucy ran over to the buffet table tackling the little pink haired boy to the ground.
" Hi! Remember me?" Lucy exclaimed, " I saw you a couple nights ago!"
" Huh? Oh yeah, you're that girl,"
" So, you're a dragon? "
" Half actually,"
" So that means... Wait, which ones the big red dragon that was with you?"
" Ah, you mean Igneel? He's over there actually." He pointed to a group of girls.
" Igneel's a girl?"
" haha, no." He laughed, " He being surrounded by the girls. He's uh... what do they call it..." He frowned in thought.
" Flirting?" Lucy said the simple word.
" Yup!"
" Why are you saying that proudly!" He shrugged, Lucy sighed.
" So... I knew him back then too." Lucy whispered staring at the chopped vegetables on her cutting board.
" Lucy?"
" Huh? Mira? What is it?" The white haired woman smiled.
" You spaced out. " She said. I stared at her work. She already had her dishes ready, and the food in the pot was already cooked. At stared back at my work. Only the vegetables cut. I haven't even made anything yet.
" Guess I did. Sorry Mira."
" It's fine. We have more than enough anyway." She said lifting the pot from the stove top.
" Only because you did all the work." Lucy walked over and took the pot from Mira's hands, " Let me take this. I'll go get it ready outside, and call everyone." Lucy carefully lifted the pot and walked out through the almost destroyed castle doors trying not to drop it as she made her way outside.
Everyone was working hard. The dragons were flying over head placing the large pieces of stones and stacking it. The towers were already looking like towers.
And Natsu was no where in sight.
" Natsu..." Lucy groaned. " Alright everyone! Food's ready!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing, the dragons retained their human forms, and in a crowd, they made there way to Lucy. Mira came up from behind her smiling.
" I got the plates. Now everyone line up!" As Mira, passed out the food. Lucy walked around looking for Natsu. He was back in the tree, sleeping.
" Natsu!" She yelled. He woke up, and stared down at her.
" L-Lucy?" Lucy put her hands on her hips.
" I thought I told you to work."
"I did. But then I got tired."
" Everyone's tired Natsu."
" Wait. If you're here. Than that means. Food?"
" Not that you're getting any." She said walking away.
" Wait, Lucy!" Natsu jumped of his branch landing in front of Lucy. " I'm sorry really! I'll work this time! Please don't starve me!"
Lucy laughed studying Natsu's pleading figure, " Fine fine, come on before Mira passes it all out." Lucy grabbed his hand and dragged him there. " Hey Natsu... do you remember going to any parties?"
" Explain."
" Do you remember being in this castle before, going to a party?"
" You mean the time, Igneel dragged me here? He forced me to go to one stupid party. Weird blonde girl was there, asked me where a red dragon was."
" W-weird?" Lucy growled.
" I'm kidding!" Natsu raised his hands, " But yeah, I remember Now that you asked. I had completely forgotten about it. " Natsu jumped on ahead, looking back at her," Say, you won't mind there being an extra large room in your castle right?"
" Depends on what its for." He grinned.
" For Fairy Tail of course!" With that he sped on ahead.
" W-what? Natsu! Get back here! What are you talking about!" She yelled running after him.