Hello, everyone !

I'm back with the twentieth chapter !

Wow, time sure flies so fast ._.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as the usual :D

Disclaimer: I only own this plot

In his entire 22 years of living, Natsu had only wished for morning not to come twice. First, when he knew he would be betrothed to a Heartfilia princess whom he was sure would be Jenny. Second, was now. When he knew his relationship with Lucy had taken turn to a worse condition and he couldn't do anything to fix that. Well, yet. But still, the way she wouldn't even glance at him was enough to convince him that their relationship was in the brink of being destroyed.

Natsu completely understood why Lucy avoided him. Dealing with Lisanna wasn't an easy thing, especially if you had gotten used to being poorly treated. Natsu sighed as he closed his eyes. Lucy had suffered enough back in the Celestial Country—although he didn't know any details of it—so why should she suffer here as well?

But Natsu couldn't understand why Lucy didn't want to ugh… try? He told her what he wanted about them. Heck, he even said cheesy lines such as being her knight-prince. Gray really shouldn't know about that or Natsu would be his laughing stock for the rest of their lives. So why did Lucy falter down easily because of Lisanna?

"Argh, I don't know anymore!" Natsu ruffled his hair in annoyance. He had to talk to Lucy as soon as possible and set things right with her. He wouldn't let her keep slipping away from him!

Natsu got up from his bed. Right. He had to find—or make—a perfect chance to talk to her, without Lisanna around. She had a knack for destroying their moments so he should be really careful.

If he had a son someday, Natsu would definitely teach him not to promise marriage to any girl before he reached 30 years old.

"Natsu!" Lisanna ran up to him and hugged his arm. "Good morning! How's your sleep?"

Not great thanks to you., Natsu mumbled inwardly. "Great."

"I have a great sleep too!" Lisanna smiled widely. "I dreamed of our future together! We're getting married and I'm wearing this beautiful dress which is—"

"Natsu, you should get going." Igneel cut.

"You're right, Father." Natsu opened the carriage's door.

"Coming through!"

Gray suddenly appeared in front of them. It took Natsu a few more seconds to recognize him because… well… His hair was orange.

"G…ray?" Natsu mumbled.

"Dude, I'm coming with you." Gray grinned. "Got a permission already from Igneel jii-chan."

Grandine glanced at her husband.

"WHAT?! WHY?!" Lisanna shrieked.

"You scared the hell out of me." Zeref muttered.

"AHEM." Gray cleared his throat. "I am aware of Lucy's new job to voicing out her opinion on the Sand Country's brand-new glass products. Her additional task would surely minimize her time to supervise at the mine. Therefore, I am here to help Natsu in organizing the mine."

Natsu's lips curved upwards slightly. Gray might be annoying as hell, but he was surely his best friend!

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Lisanna glared. "I am responsible of Natsu!"

"Can't a father give the best for his son?" Gray rolled his eyes.

"IGNEEL JII-CHAN!" Lisanna whined. "We don't need Gray! I am more than enough to take care of Natsu!"

Lisanna knew that if Gray came along, it would lessen her time to be alone with Natsu!

"This is still early in the morning, young lady." Grandine glared. "Pipe down or you'll wake my little boy."

"But, Grandine baa-chan…"

"Get going now." Igneel ordered, his head was spinning already from Lisanna's high-pitched voice. Honestly, how did his son put up with her all these years?

Gray and Natsu gave each other a fist bump slightly. Gray then turned his gaze at Lucy and offered his hand.

"After you, Lucy."

Lucy blinked out of confusion but took his hand and stepped inside the carriage. "If it wasn't because of your voice, I wouldn't know this is you." she chuckled as she sat down.

Gray grinned. "Gotta be careful."

Natsu helped Lisanna entered the carriage. "Gray, you knew about the political issue?" Lisanna asked.

"Duh." Gray entered the carriage as well and sat down beside Lisanna. "I was there when the meeting happened."

"What are you doing here!" Lisanna protested. "This seat is for Natsu!"

"Sssh." Gray swayed his hand. "What's so different about this seat and that one?"

"This seat—"

"Let's go." Natsu stepped inside and sat down beside Lucy. He closed the carriage's door and they departed.

"Change seats right now, Gray!" Lisanna said. "Natsu needs me! I'm the only one who can calm him down when he has his motion sickness!"

Gray ignored and yawned. "Man, I'm so tired."

"GRAY!"

"Oh, sssh." Gray said calmly. "Just enjoy the ride, Lisanna."

Lisanna protested again but her words were muffled in Lucy's ears. Her heart was beating way too fast.

Natsu was there. Beside her. A hand away.

Lucy averted her gaze away towards the window and clenched her dress in panic. No, calm down, Lucy., she ordered herself. Just stay calm. It'll be okay.

Natsu glanced at Lucy who clearly didn't want to meet his gaze. Well, there was only one way left then.

Let's just say Natsu was desperate to have Lucy's attention.

He leaned to the side of the carriage and closed his eyes. He scrunched his forehead as beads of sweats started to form on his forehead.

"Dude, you're okay?" Gray asked.

Lucy whipped her head and widened her eyes upon seeing Natsu's condition. Not more than five minutes on the road and he was sick already.

"His motion sickness!" Lisanna gulped down her protests. "Change seats with him, Gray!"

Gray didn't move a budge. Why would he? This was what he was planning for! Before they got into the carriage, Gray told Natsu to act as if he had his motion sickness. That was the only way to get Lucy's attention back to him and that was the first step. Natsu agreed and it wasn't hard for his motion sickness to appear. Especially with Lisanna's constant whining.

Gray yawned again. "Get some sleep, Natsu. I'll sleep too."

"WHAT?" Lisanna yelped. "Gray!"

Lucy looked at Natsu in silence. His face was so pale and his face was sweating. The carriage shook and Natsu held down his urge to throw up. Seeing him this way, Lucy's control slipped away once more. She thrusted her hands carefully at Natsu and pulled his head to her lap. She took out her handkerchief and she wiped his sweats.

Natsu sighed contentedly. This is it. This is what he was waiting for. Lucy gently wiped his sweats while her other hand gently massaged his scalp.

"YOU!" Lisanna growled. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK—"

"Lisanna, sssh!" Gray hissed. "I'm tired and Natsu's sick. And you're just making it worse."

Lisanna glared at Gray but he ignored her as he kept closing his eyes. She then glared at Lucy but the latter fixed her gaze on Natsu. Lisanna's heart boiled with anger.

How dare she! No one messes with Lisanna Strauss! Natsu belongs to her!

Natsu knew he shouldn't let Lucy out of his sight, especially for the rest of the day. With what happened in the carriage earlier, Lisanna wouldn't let her live if they were left alone. Lucy was also supposed to be aware of it. So why did she kept her distance from him again once they stepped down from the carriage?!

"Good morning, Your Highnesses." Loke bowed down. "I see we have an additional supervisor."

"Nah, I'm only here to take care of Natsu." Gray grinned. "In a true political and official way."

"Very well." Loke said. "I shall inform my king for your arrival, Lord Gray."

"Is the queen still sick?" Lucy asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, Princess." Loke answered. "The king apologized for his absence yet again today."

"What did the doctor say?" Natsu asked.

"The doctor is still trying to figure it out." Loke answered. "But rest assured, Your Highnesses. My queen is very strong."

"I hope she gets well soon." Natsu said.

Loke bowed down politely. "Your wish is her medicine, Prince Natsu."

"Now then, we better go, Natsu." Gray said. "The miners are waiting."

It was another hot and busy day. The sounds of axes hitting the rock were heard from everywhere as the miners were broadening the mine and also digging deeper. Natsu occasionally glanced back to where Lucy was, but he always let out a relieved sigh. When he was busy supervising, Gray was there to make sure Lisanna and Lucy weren't left alone.

Truly, Gray was his best friend.

But don't tell him that. His head would be as big as a balloon and it annoyed Natsu every time he had to pop it.

"Gray, I thought you're here to take care of Natsu?" Lisanna folded her hands in front of her chest. With Gray around, how could she give a private lesson to that witch?!

"I'm taking care of him." Gray shrugged. "Through my eyes. I can see he is perfectly healthy."

"Then what's the point of you being here?!" Lisanna asked.

"To take care of Natsu obviously." Gray let out another shrug. "Jeez, chill out, Lisanna. Why are you so irritated?"

Lisanna glared at him but she didn't say anything.

"Princess Lucy," Loke bowed down as he stood beside Lucy. "the product prototype is ready. We would like to have your opinion before the king approves it."

Lisanna smirked. This is her chance! "I'll go too—"

"Let's go." Gray put his hand on Lucy's shoulders. "I'll take care of you. Lisanna, you take care of Natsu."

"…What?"

Gray raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't want to take care of Natsu?"

"I—it's not that, but…"

"Then, it's settled!" Gray smiled and pushed Lucy slightly to walk. "Come on, they need your help!"

Lucy blinked in confusion but she couldn't say a word. Gray was… acting weird ever since this morning. It was as if… He was there to make sure that both Natsu and her would be okay?

But why? Gray couldn't possibly know about her past and Loke's step-brother! Did Natsu say anything to him? But Natsu didn't look like someone who loved to chatter about someone else's life.

And how Gray sat beside Lisanna this morning… It was if he was giving Natsu—or her or maybe both of them—a chance to be closer to each other? But Gray must have known about Lisanna's feelings for Natsu! So why didn't he root for her?

"I opted obsessive." Erza had once told her. "And it's burdening all of us."

Lucy glanced back at the flabbergasted Lisanna and her gaze softened. Lisanna's feelings for Natsu must have been so deep. She was obsessive because he meant the world to her.

So does he to you., Lucy's heart said. But you don't have to be obsessive like her. Moreover, you know Natsu lo—

Stop., Lucy's brain cut. Don't use that word.

…Okay, I'll rephrase that. You know Natsu has feelings for you. So why are you backing out?

I'm not supposed to have any feelings for him, and definitely not the other way around., Lucy's brain said.

Because you don't deserve him?

Yeah. Obviously.

Says who?

Lucy's brain went silent right away.

…You're right., it mumbled after thirty seconds of silence. Says who, Lucy?

You know you deserve happiness after all these years and Natsu is a part of it. A huge part. You can't push him away when all he wants is to get closer to you!

…Yeah, you're right!, Lucy's brain cheered. That's totally the most appropriate thing to do!

Lucy shook her head hard to get rid of the talking in her head. She really must have gone crazy.

"You're okay?" Gray asked. "Does your head hurt?"

"I—I'm fine." Lucy quickly said as she blushed out of embarrassment.

"Are you sure?" Gray asked once more. "Natsu will have my head if you're not alright."

"Which reminds me, why did Father suddenly send you to keep an eye on Natsu?" Lucy asked, diverting Gray's attention from her embarrassing attitude.

Gray grinned. "Because in a political way, I am so much more reliable."

Lucy glanced at him but she didn't say anything anymore. She didn't know what to say either.

"Say, Gray, what exactly is your position at the palace?" Lucy asked out of curiosity. "Erza is the imperial tutor, so what is yours?"

Gray smiled. "Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself properly, have I? Pleased to meet your acquaintance, princess. My name is Gray Fullbuster, I am the right-hand man of Prince Natsu."

Lucy's eyes glinted. "Right-hand as in like a personal assistant?"

"Or in my case, a babysitter." Gray scoffed. "But yeah, that's it. I know about his schedules better than he is. And since you are betrothed to him, I am responsible of you as well."

Lucy chuckled. "You mean, you have to babysit me too."

Gray smiled. "I'm sure you are way more not troublesome than Natsu."

"I'd be sure to reach your expectations, Sir." Lucy laughed.

Gray's heart tingled. That feeling was back again. What was it? Why did his heart… melts the moment he heard Lucy's laugh? It was a different feeling from what he had for Juvia, but as warm.

"We're here." Loke announced, bringing Gray's mind back.

"My, how beautiful!" Lucy picked up a glass shard and it glinted under the sunlight.

"What do you think about it, Princess?" The store owner asked. Loke had brought them to the market, where people were already waiting as Lucy inspected the prototype.

"It's really pretty!" Lucy smiled. "May I see the other colors?"

"It took us a while to color it, Princess." The store owner took out a basket full of colorful glass shards. "There aren't many plants that can be used to color the shards."

"I see you have basic colors here." Lucy said. "You can combine several different colored shards to make new ones."

"But these shards hardly have any value, Princess." The store owner sighed. "I can turn them into flowers, but that's it."

Lucy tapped her chin lightly then turned to face Gray. "Gray, can we ask for our jewelers to teach them how to make jewelries?"

"I can certainly arrange that." Gray nodded his head.

"Then that's settled!" Lucy beamed.

"Oh, Princess, thank you so much!" The townspeople applauded.

Lucy was stunned. This was the first time… People were so grateful towards her.

There you go !

Come to think of it, do glass shards must be mined ? Oh, well, let's just say yes *cry*

Anyway, what do you think ?

Don't forget to leave your reviews and/or flames :D