The change was so drastic that even Wendy, who after years of living with her cousin, had become used to some extent with his different faces, was surprised, the second the doors of the hall closed, the King of all dragons, became a simple male who had been carrying a burden too heavy for a long time, he bowed as if being crushed by the weight of his responsibilities, his wings spread across the floor, the veins of magma in the hall lost their shine, even Gajeel, who normally pretended not to notice, let what he felt appear when he looked at his cousin.
"That dream again, Natsu?" The concern was evident in the general's voice, Natsu had told him only once, more than fifty years ago, what the dream was like, that was the last time he saw his cousin cry.
He just nodded in confirmation, silently opening the letter from the fairy queen.
Many of the subjects of the kingdom, had the impression that the most frightening face of their King was the mask of indifference he wore most of the time, but Wendy and Gajeel knew that was not true, the most frightening side of their cousin was that in front of them now, his body had been taken by red scales, his eyes were flaming slits, which looked more like pools of blood, flames surrounding his body, but for those who lived among the dragons it was normal, they were a very expressive people, emotions such as anger and sadness were shown naturally, in their true form they communicate by telepathy, which does not make it easy to hide feelings, what was really scary on his face, was the smile, more a showing of sharp teeth than anything else.
Wendy had never seen that smile, and if it depended on her alone, she would never see It again, from the stories she had heard about Natsu, The Dragon King had only smiled like that once, on the day he had crushed his father's killer, and turned him, along with an entire city of innocent humans, into ashes.
Natsu, like all dragons, had an instinctive attraction for conflicts of any kind, they just loved to see the confusion spread, when they were with the family, that instinct was converted into games, innocent provocations, or among males, into fights, against enemies, it was an uncontrollable urge to destroy them until there was nothing left, to erase their existence from the world, but even if he were a dragon, Natsu was not like the others.
On the day that he destroyed his father's killer, The day he sat on the throne of the dragons for the First time, he ceased to be Natsu, son of Igneel, cousin of Wendy and Gajeel, and became Natsu, the King of dragons, the most powerful being in the world.
Since that day Natsu has learned not to show his feelings, especially his fury.
"Erza is really brave, or very stupid." Wendy felt the exact moment when her cousin regained control of his emotions, it was as if the sun disappeared from the sky, the world seemed to get colder.
"What's written?" She approached him, trying to read the letter over his shoulder.
"She is inviting me to a meeting" Natsu stared at the door. "After more than two hundred years without a single word, she is proposing an alliance against the Black King" He looked from one cousin to the other, those two were the only people in his Kingdom, which he trusted enough to ask for advice, and who had the courage to answer it sincerely. "What do you think?"
Gajeel, was the only one of the two who knew what it really meant for Natsu to fight the Black King, he knew that if his King decided to fight he might lose any trace of emotion left in his heart, but he also knew what was at stake.
"I think you should go." The two males looked at her in silence, and Wendy, even though she The two idiots would choose to die before letting anything happen to her, felt a shiver go up her back. "I didn't know him, not like the two of you, but I can't imagine, he wanted things to get to this point. "Sadness washed over them, as well as a nostalgic air." At first, he might have been right, but now, I think he can't stop. "
"What do you mean, Wendy?" Natsu let his sadness show in his voice.
"He went too far, Natsu, I think he doesn't even remember why he is fighting." She felt a tear run down her face, she might not have met the Black King, but she knew he had been someone important to her family. "Perhaps he is waiting for someone who really cares about him, someone to stop him. "
"And You, Gajeel?" The Iron Dragon had the same sadness in his eyes as the King.
"I agree with her, maybe, now is the time, Natsu, not to fight for the fairies, but to let him rest, to bring him back home." The King closed his eyes, and stood completely still for what seemed like hours. but in the end he sighed, tiredly.
"Wendy, ask the servants to help with the bags." He was smiling, but it was completely different from the previous one, it was sad, the smile of someone who had made a decision, and hated himself for it. "Gajeel, ask one of the soldiers to take the messenger back to Fiore, tell him to warn the Queen that we will be arriving in a few days. "
The capital of the fairy kingdom was visible on the horizon, the Mercury castle shining in the midday sun, even from afar it was an incredible sight.
Lucy had left Stella almost eight days ago, luckily during the whole journey she had not had any kind of obstacles, with the exception of a group of bandits, who had found her carriage, without any kind of escort, an easy target, but they had learned a terrible lesson, Lucy did not travel without guards because she wanted to be discreet, but because she simply had no use for them, besides being able to defend herself very well on her own, sitting in front of her was one of the most powerful beings in this world, Makarov Dreyar, one of the few giants left.
"Makarov." The old man opened his eyes slowly, as if he were too tired to stay awake. "I know that by coming to Fiore, by involving the people of Stella in this war, I made a dangerous decision, although necessary, but I would like to know your opinion. What are our real chances of winning? " He took an ivory pipe out of one of his coat pockets, put some tobacco on one end, and before lighting it, opened all the carriage windows.
"I can imagine three scenarios." He took a drag from his pipe, and blew smoke into one of the windows. "In the first, Stella, Fiore and Minstrel's humans unite against the Black King's army, in which case we will be destroyed . "As if he had not foreseen a terrible future, Makarov calmly took another drag on his pipe." In the second, the Northern Wolves join the cause, and we lose. " Lucy looked at her advisor in disbelief. "In the third, the dragons join the other Kingdoms, and we manage to force the Black King to retreat."
"Do we have any chance of winning?" Lucy knew that the war would be difficult, but she didn't think it would be that hard.
"If everyone would let go of their own interests, their differences, their past hurts and feuds, if we really succeed in that feat, we can undoubtedly succeed in overcoming anything. Unfortunately, this is a future that I can't see, but I would love to. "
"Damn" Lucy hardly ever used vulgar words, but at that moment with only her most trusted advisor she allowed herself. "We are completely screwed."
"Yes" He tapped his pipe against the carriage window to get rid of the rest of the tobacco. "The secret to achieving the best future, My Queen, is winning the support of the dragons." As if to emphasize the words of the old giant, a shadow covered the carriage, the sound of huge wings flapping was interrupted only by the screams of fear of the soldier who guided the carriage.
When Lucy stuck her head out of the window, the creature was far away, almost in the fairy queen's castle, but it was enough for Lucy to understand the meaning of Makarov's words, the dragon was just a yellow dot on the horizon, simply by still being visible, meant that it must be massive up close, the fact that they could move so fast would be an unimaginable advantage in the war to come.
The sun was setting when they arrived in Fiore, but that did not change the beauty of the city, the walls that surrounded it were covered with plants, the watchtowers were like trees, the streets were surrounded by stone houses, many of them they had been completely dominated by vegetation, and at the center of it all, mercury, the castle of the Queen of the fairies, seemed to have been carved out of an immense oak.
When she arrived in front of the palace steps, Titania's advisers were waiting for her: Gildarts Clive, the eldest of the three, was the commander of the fairy armies, and a Fae with wings like those of a bat of the same orange color as his own hair; Mirajane Strauss, a white-haired elf, and the voice of the people at court, and Levy Mcgarden, a Pixie, and the Historian, responsible for maintaining all knowledge of the continent.
"We were not expecting you today, Queen Lucy." Gildarts, despite being curved in a bow, did not try to hide his dissatisfaction, with her arrival ahead of schedule. "Max informed us that you would arrive the day after tomorrow."
Lucy was not hearing a word he was saying, she had stopped in front of the Pixie, and was looking angrily at the top of her head.
"Levy Mcgarden, what's the meaning of this?" Gildarts and Mirajane were tense, looking worriedly at their co-worker, telling her, mentaly, to keep her head down. "After so many years, do you dare to receive me this way?"
"Your Majesty, ..." Levy reflexively started to get up, worried that she had offended the Queen of Stella in some way, but was surprised to be pulled into a tight hug. "Sorry, Lucy." the same strength. "After so long, I didn't know if you would still consider me a friend."
"You are an idiot Levy" She pushed the Pixie away, but kept her hand on her friend's shoulder. " Of course, you are my friend. "
Gildarts watched the scene in confusion, while Mirajane just smiled.
"My Queen, we must leave the conversation for later." When Makarov got out of the carriage, Gildarts stood at attention, as did all the other soldiers nearby. "First of all, we must greet Titania." He looked at each of the soldiers, focusing on the youngest of them, a boy who shouldn't have been more than fourteen years old. "Boy, what's your name?"
"Romeo, sir." The black-haired boy left the formation of the soldiers, and stood in front of the giant, his right hand over his left chest, in a salute.
"What's going on Makarov, did this boy do anything?" Lucy was curious, it wasn't always that the old commander acted that way, especially with a child.
"No big deal, My Queen, I just noticed something interesting about this boy." Lucy's curiosity, and probably everyone in that place had doubled, Makarov rarely showed interest in other people, the few exceptions had proven to be out of the ordinary , like Gildarts himself. "Answer me Romeo, while all the other soldiers are concerned about me, Why are you looking at Queen Lucy?" The boy seemed to panic, seeking help from his commander, but Gildarts seemed as curious as Makarov.
"Exactly because the others are looking at you" Romeo looked again at Gildarts, but The Fae encouraged him to continue talking. "You are the greatest threat, but that does not mean that she is not one too, Queen Lucy is very close to the counselor, if she wanted to do any harm, the others would not have time to react. "Everyone was surprised at the boy's audacity, after all he had just suggested that the sovereign of another country could demean herself to a murderer. and that if possible he would attack it if a threat was proved. "After seeing the two together, I know the chances are low, but they still exist, we cannot lose one of the advisers now."
"Romeo, do you have any idea what you just did? Insulting a sovereign is a crime liable to death. " Despite being scared before, the boy didn't even blink at the possibility of dying, as if he had accepted that it could happen.
"Gildarts" The Fae was completely still, looking worriedly at the giant. "This boy ..." Even with the giant focused on him, Romeo did not shiver, or showed any weakness, he had accepted his fate, and he did not regret it. "Give him to me."
"WHAT?" Everyone, even the soldiers shouted at the same time, unable to understand what was going on. "What are you talking about, Makarov?" Gildarts was the most confused of all.
"He will be my apprentice, probably the last one I will have." Makarov had trained all of Stella's soldiers, known as some of the best on the continent, but in his entire life, he had only two apprentices, one was Gildarts himself, while the other was the second-in-command of Stella's forces, and his official successor, Jellal Fernandes, both monsters who defied the logic of the world. "I like him, he is not stuck in the same way of thinking as the others, a boy who is not afraid to do what he thinks is right, even if it could harm him. "Romeo looked at the most powerful giant, confused, even he, who was an orphan, had heard of the giant, about The adventures during his life, especially about his fight against the old King of Dragons." What do you say, Gildarts? "
"That decision is not mine, Romeo is one of my soldiers, but not my property, if he accepts, I doubt that My Queen will oppose any request from you." Gildarts looked at the boy waiting for his answer, but Romeo looked like he was about to pass out.
"Tell me Romeo, what do you want for your life?" Lucy approached him, the poor boy was pale, but no one could blame him, after all it was not every day that he became the focus of the attention of the commanders of the armies of Fiore and Stella, of the advisers to the Queen of the fairies, and one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, a Queen, he had insulted. "Do you want power? Wealth? Fame?"
Romeo was speechless, throughout his life he had never stopped to think about what he wanted for his life, after his mother died, all his attention was focused on surviving, becoming a soldier in Fiore had just been an easier way to survive.
"I don't know, Madam, I never stopped to think." Since that awkward moment had started, this was by far the most shameful for Romeo. "I haven't found out yet." He felt a soft hand touch his face, and force his chin up, so that he looked into the eyes of the Queen, who had the kindest smile he had ever seen.
"I see, that is a good thing, you are still very young, but can I give you some advice?" She waited in silence for a few seconds, until he nodded in confirmation. "Accept his proposal, no matter if in the future you decide that you do not want to be a soldier, Makarov will not only teach you how to fight, he will teach you how to live." She removed her hand from his face, and headed for the castle doors. "You don't have to decide now."
"If I accept, will I be able to stay by your side?" Even he was surprised by what he Just said, he hadn't stopped to think, but he didn't regret it. The moment he saw her turn away, he knew he would regret staying behind.
"Yea." Lucy smiled at the boy, for some reason she had liked him, perhaps for the honesty she was not used to.
"I will be in your care, Master." Romeo knelt in front of the old man, but his eyes were on the Queen.