Hello, everyone !

I'm back with the sixteenth chapter :D

I hope you enjoy reading it ~

Disclaimer: I only own this plot

Natsu was telling Lucy what he talked about with the king as they walked together. Lucy knew it was wrong, but Lucy didn't want to pull her hand away from Natsu. She was being selfish, she knew that. And she was aware she shouldn't be doing this.

Just let me be selfish this time., Lucy decided mentally.

"And we talked about the project as well." Natsu said. "We can go to the mine after lunch to see its condition and—"

"Natsu!"

Both Natsu and Lucy looked up and they widened their eyes upon seeing Lisanna running to them. Lucy quickly pulled her hand away, but Natsu was faster. He kept their fingers intertwined.

"N—Natsu." Lucy whispered but Natsu ignored it. Lisanna was getting closer, so Lucy decided to take a step back and stood behind Natsu. She hid their holding hands behind his back.

Natsu glanced back but didn't say anything. Damn it, Lisanna, why now of all time?

"Natsu!" Lisanna gripped his shoulders. "Are you okay? How's your motion sickness?"

"I'm fine." Natsu said. "What are you doing here, Lisanna?"

"I came as fast as I can!" Lisanna said. "I am so worried about you!"

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "I'm healthy."

"Why did you come here, Natsu? You know you can't handle—YOU!"

Lucy jolted as she could feel Lisanna's cold stare at her. She didn't need to look up and she didn't want to. Lucy kept her eyes on the marble floor.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Lisanna said as she reached out her hand to grab Lucy's hair. Natsu was faster though. He quickly positioned himself between them.

"Move, Natsu!" Lisanna said. "I need to teach that slut a lesson!"

"Enough." Natsu sternly said. "She has a name, Lisanna. I won't forgive you if you call Lucy 'slut' once more."

Lisanna stared at Natsu in disbelieve. "Natsu, I am your childhood friend! I know you way longer than she is! Why are you taking her side?!"

"This is not about taking which side." Natsu said. "Lucy is my betrothed."

"So you'll do the exact same thing if your betrothed is that Jenny?!"

"Of course not." Natsu replied instantly.

"W—wha—" Lisanna stared at him in a baffle. She then shook her head. "No. That's it! I've tolerated this long enough!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Come home with me this instant, Natsu!" Lisanna said and pulled Natsu's hand. "I won't let you suffer with that woman!"

"Stop this." Natsu said and pulled his hand away. "I have work to do here, Lisanna."

"You can ask someone else to supervise!" Lisanna said. "You have motion sickness, Natsu! And I heard that you must return to the palace every day! It's too much for you!"

"I'm fine." Natsu cut. "I brought Wendy's medicine with me."

"No!" Lisanna said. "Natsu, you cannot sleep unless it's on my lap! And definitely not on her lap!"

A vein popped in Natsu's temples but he held his annoyance inside. No matter what, Lisanna was still his childhood friend. He couldn't lash out at her.

"Lisanna, I can't leave." Natsu said patiently. "I can't leave Lucy to supervise here all by herself."

Definitely not with that spiky jerk here., Natsu added inwardly.

Lisanna glared. "WELL, SHE CAN GET LOST THEN!" she screamed. "Why did she have to supervise the project in the first place?!"

Lucy widened her eyes. Lisanna's hatred towards her were exactly the same as her own family. But Lucy could understand it perfectly. Which was why Lucy was convinced she wasn't meant for Natsu.

Lucy's fingers shivered in Natsu's hand and Natsu decided enough is enough. For the first time in his life, Natsu glared back at Lisanna and her breath hitched. "Lady Lisanna Strauss, this project is mine and Lucy has every right to supervise it as my betrothed. Now, we'll excuse ourselves as you are interrupting our lunch break. Please be careful on your way home."

Natsu walked away, his hand holding Lucy's tight. Lisanna stared at him in disbelieve and her eyes caught their intertwined fingers. Anger boiled inside of her and Lisanna fisted her hands so hard. Her nails dug into her palm but Lisanna didn't feel any pain. The pain in her heart was much more unbearable. She kept her gaze locked at their backs.

How dare she! One month into Natsu's life and she already became his priority?! It was so unfair! Lisanna would never agree to this condition!

NO ONE STEAL NATSU AWAY FROM HER!

"Natsu, I think you should talk to Lisanna." Lucy said.

"Why would I do that?"

"Natsu." Lucy squeezed his fingers and stopped walking. Natsu turned around and face her. "She came here because she was worried about you."

"So?"

"It's so mean of you to say those things to her." Lucy said.

Natsu sighed. "Lucy, do you know why I was pissed off at her? It isn't because she came here. It's because all those horrible things she said about you. I don't like that."

A lump formed in Lucy's throat but she gulped it down. "Natsu, I—"

"Our marriage might be political at first, but I am glad my bride is you." Natsu said as he brushed a hair from Lucy's cheek. "In the next three years, I want to know you better. I want to prove to you that what I'm feeling towards you is real. I know how much Lisanna is hurting, but she has to face the reality. She already has her own fiancé, I have mine. And I don't want to trade you for anyone else, not even her."

Lucy gulped down another lump as she told herself to not keep her hopes up. She just had to hold on for three years. After that, she must leave so Natsu could have someone else. Someone so much better than her.

"Lucy." Natsu took her other hand. "I know you have your insecurities about us, with those wars and all. I have too. But I know what I feel towards you isn't a lie. I will prove it to you in the next three years. Trust me, Lucy."

I know I love you for real too, Natsu., Lucy closed her eyes and nodded. I've fallen in love with you since the beginning.

"I trust you, Natsu." Lucy opened her eyes and smiled. "I have been since the first time we met."

Natsu smiled back and did what his heart wanted to do. He pulled her head closer and planted a kiss on her forehead. And just like him, Lucy let her heart took control. She closed her eyes once more, enjoying Natsu's warmth and kindness to her.

Just this time., Lucy pled. Let me have him for just this one time.

The food was delicious. Natsu took her to try every kind of food in town, as many as they could in their lunch break anyway. Natsu had tried some of them before, but he also tried the ones he hadn't had the chance to eat yet.

"This place might be dry and hot, but the food is great." Natsu said. "You like it?"

Lucy nodded. "It's one of the best foods I've ever tasted."

"How's the taste back in the Celestial Country?" Natsu asked as they sat down on a bench along the street.

"Plain?" Lucy said. "I mean, it's not as colorful as in here or in the Dragon Country."

"Jude doesn't like flavorful foods?" Natsu asked and stared at their intertwined fingers. Ever since stepping out of Lucy's room, their fingers had never left each other. "You know, I really like holding hands like this with you."

Lucy blushed. "M—m—me too." she stuttered softly.

"Really?" Natsu grinned. "Why?"

Lucy didn't dare to look at Natsu as her face felt hot. "I—it feels right."

"I thought so." Natsu nodded his head. "Funny how I can feel this way towards someone I've never met before. And now, I've known you for a month."

Lucy turned her head around and stared at their hands. She let out a smile. "It's been a month already."

"So, what do you think about me?" Natsu cheekily asked.

Lucy blushed and looked elsewhere instantly. "F—fine."

"Just fine?" Natsu asked again, his tone was amused. Seeing a blushing Lucy had never bored him.

Lucy cleared her throat. "W—well, you—you're definitely different from those rumors."

"Obviously." Natsu scoffed. "Tell me what you think of me after this one month."

"Y—you're fine."

Natsu tugged her fingers. "Turn your head this way, Lucy, and tell me."

Lucy's face felt even hotter but she turned her head and faced Natsu. She melted the second she met his eyes. "You're just like a prince." she softly said. "Sweet, kind, and protective."

Natsu grinned, his eyes were locked at Lucy's. He brought her hand closer to his mouth and kissed it. "I like the term of 'knight' better."

Lucy blushed again but she couldn't tear her eyes away. Not when Natsu's sharp and gentle eyes were staring back at her and how her fingers were kissed by him.

Simple gestures but it was more than enough to melt Lucy's heart.

This is bad., Lucy's inner softly said. I'm drowning even deeper by the second.

"W—why do you like 'knight' better?" Lucy found herself asking. Wait. How come she could even think of that? Or that was her unconsciousness asking? Because she knew both her heart and her brain were malfunctioning at the moment.

"It's manlier?" Natsu grinned. "'Prince' seems too soft for me."

"A prince's image fits you." Lucy said. Again, it was most likely her unconsciousness speaking. "But yeah, a knight's image fits better."

"Do you know why it fits better on me?" Natsu asked which Lucy replied by shaking her head. Natsu grinned. "Because it's a knight's job to protect his princess. In my case, it's you."

Lucy blushed again and it seemed like her unconsciousness also melted. Lucy couldn't think of anything. Her heart was beating way too fast and hard, and all she could see was Natsu's eyes. All she could hear was his voice and his breathing rhythm. All she could feel was his warmth.

"But it's a prince's job to love his princess." Natsu gave Lucy his toothy grin. "So, I like the term of knight better, but I am still a prince. I can totally become your knight-prince. Or prince-knight. Whichever."

Lucy's face turned redder and Natsu laughed. A streak of blush also adorned his cheeks, and don't forget about his own crazy heart. But he loved to tease her. Seeing Lucy's embarrassed reaction and her red face was so worth it.

"Come on, we should return now." Natsu stood up. "We can continue this later after we inspected the mine."

Lucy's rationality formed back and she also stood up. She cleared her throat as her face felt too hot. "Meanie."

Natsu couldn't believe it.

Okay, he might have thought about this before, but he couldn't believe he actually jinxed it. When he returned to the palace with Lucy, Loke called them to the throne room. Scorpio told them that they would be leaving for the mine in ten minutes. The king and Loke would accompany them, along with someone else to replace Aquarius—the queen—who wasn't feeling well.

Natsu instantly prayed that someone wasn't someone he thought. But of course, fate had its own twist.

That someone was—of course—Lisanna.

"Why are you still here, Lisanna?" Natsu asked after they left the throne room. Scorpio excused himself for a moment to visit his queen first, so they were waiting for him at the gate.

"As a member of one of the noble families, I am obliged to take care of you, Natsu." Lisanna said. "I must make sure that you will be safe and sound while supervising here."

"Why won't I be safe and sound?" Natsu asked. Seriously, what the hell is Lisanna's problem? Why would she keep butting in like this?

"I am obliged to watch over you, Natsu." Lisanna sternly said. "I've received permission as well."

"I don't remember ever—"

"Natsu." Lucy tugged his fingers which were still intertwining with hers. "It's okay. Lisanna is right."

"Lady Strauss, you mean." Lisanna hissed.

"I'm sorry." Lucy apologized.

"It's a good timing actually." Lisanna said. "It's about time I teach you some manners of being a princess in the Dragon Country. You might be a princess in the Celestial Country, but our custom here is totally different. I cannot let you embarrass Natsu."

"Lisanna!"

"Sssh, Natsu." Lisanna smiled as she placed a finger on Natsu's lips. "It's okay. Leave it to me. I'll prove to you that she isn't the right one for you."

A pain stung Lucy's heart but she didn't say anything. She knew Lisanna was right. She wasn't the right one for Natsu. But hearing it from someone else, someone close to Natsu like Lisanna, it felt twice as painful.

"Stop this." Natsu said. "You don't know anything about Lucy."

"Natsu, i—it's okay." Lucy dared herself to say, although she couldn't look at Lisanna in the eyes. "Li—I mean, Lady Strauss is right. I do have to learn how to be a proper princess of the Dragon Country."

"Which part of you isn't proper?" Natsu asked. "You don't have to listen to her, Lucy."

"Natsu, she's your childhood friend." Lucy squeezed his fingers. "Moreover, she's a member of one of the noble families. The Dragon Country is her country."

"But, Lucy—"

"It's okay." Lucy smiled. "I am thankful of Lady Strauss's concern of me and her offer to teach me."

Lisanna choked and Natsu let out a small smile. He then sighed. "Alright. But don't hesitate to tell me if you're in trouble. Any kind of troubles."

"I will." Lucy said.

We'll see, you bitch., Lisanna cursed inside. I'll make you lift your feet out of Natsu's life forever.

Done !

Honestly, I don't know why I portray Lisanna as someone nasty as this ._. I know Lisanna is a sweet girl and she is supportive of Natsu and Lucy's relationship. Please don't blame my imagination ._.

Anyway, what do you think ? Don't forget to leave your reviews and/or flames :D