Chapter 4: Take a chance

"With open hearts, despite the stakes we take a chance on our mistakes"

Being in panic was sucked quite a lot. Even if a person had been training for years not to succumb to it, there was always that first moment, when it completely devoured the conscience and didn't let anything else to be in control. Lucy must had overcome this problem by now. During the years spend on the battlefield, she learned to make quick decisions, which affected not only her, but also Icenberg's men. Thousands of lives depended on her. It wasn't much different now. True, she was surrounded by the enemy, she was completely alone, without a single ally on her side, but she was the strategist and the priestess of Icenberg. Her power was exactly in finding ways out of the most difficult situations.

In the next hour Lucy looked around the room. She went through the cupboards, checked every corner, every hidden place. She tried to go downstairs and see what she could find there, but was stopped on the first floor by the two guards, who ordered her to go back. When Lucy went to the terrace, she observed the perimeter around the tower more accurately. Relief passed through her body as she found, that there weren't many tents in this part of the military camp. The reason for that was probably, because the tower was not in the outlying parts of the camp and the vast lands of Pregrande were behind it. That's why the General had wisely ordered more warriors to stay in the outskirt in case someone from the No Man's land attacked.

The No Man's land. Territories, ruled by no country in particular, but for some reason most wanted by everyone. Pregrande and Icenberg's hatred towards one another had been born because of the No Man's land. It wasn't that the territories were fertile. On the contrary, the earth was actually plain, hard and only pines grew there. But for decades the land was considered to be holy. There were a lot of ruins, ancient stones and half-destroyed sanctuaries, remained from times when the gods and the stars had been still properly honored. When the prayers and the rituals were part of everyone's life, not just of the priests and priestesses like now. Still, according to Lucy, it wasn't a logical enough reason for this brutal conflict between the countries. Sometimes she wondered if the King of Icenberg, Gray's father, had truly lost his mind. She knew he was cruel and cold, but he wasn't a stupid man. Oh, no. He was cunning like a snake. And dangerous too.

Lucy shook her head to push away her thoughts. She had to concentrate on the important thing, which was the fact that around the tower there was a small number of tents and the warriors, who were walking around, were more relaxed and wouldn't expect something to happen in their part of the camp, like for example a prisoner to escape.

Lucy went back to her room to think over everything she learned and then she made a plan in her head, which could go wrong in so many different ways, but still… it was a plan. She felt like these days she had to depend on such imperfect strategies but whatever. Maybe the heavens wanted to challenge her.

The only thing that she needed for her to put the plan in action, was a weapon. Where, in the name of the moon goddess, could she find a weapon in this room, when she couldn't see a single sharp object?

Lucy looked around the room again. What could she possibly use?

There was almost nothing except for the cupboards, the bed, the vase on the wooden table, the wardrobe…

The vase.

Lucy rushed to the table, grabbed the vase and lifted it in the air. It was made of glass.

She sat on the armchair, putting the vase in her lap and shifted her gaze to the ceiling.

Lucy had everything she needed. The success of her plan now depended on her and on how much luck the stars were willing to give her.

Natsu felt as if his body was a sack of potatoes, sluggish and heavy. It didn't just suck, but it was also quite surprising, because he could usually fight for days without a stop and even then he hardly ever got so tired.

The General opened the mantle and went in his tent, which he had been using since they had made the camp two weeks ago. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't sleep in the luxurious bedroom of the tower, but he used a normal tent like his subordinates. It had the same conveniences, a sleeping bag, short wooden table and a place for his weapons. The only difference was that the ceiling was a lot higher than a normal tent and Natsu could easily stay up in his full form without stooping.

He untied his belt with the sword, left it on one side and then undressed the armor pieces one after another. The sudden fleetness made him feel a little better, so he decided to remove his linen shirt. He felt hot, tired and in desperate need of a cold bath.

What the hell was wrong with him today?

Natsu sank down on the pillows half-naked and spread his arms, staring at the ceiling. The last two days had been so fucking weird. From the moment that huge wave appeared and killed his men to the meeting of the strategist and her peculiar behavior. For the first time in a while Natsu felt as if he was floating in the endless sky without direction or a purpose, which was just plainly stupid. He always had a goal set in mind. A kingdom for conquering, princes for killing and towns for seizing were all waiting for him.

Then why did he have this feeling, that with the kidnapping of the strategist he had set the beginning of a chain of events, which would radically change his life?

A soldier from the group of the maintaining the weapons went in the tent and left a bowl of icy water and a towel on the table. After Natsu thanked him and sent him away, he dipped his palms in the cold liquid and splashed his face and neck.

Thank the Deity of the Sun! It wasn't enough to cool his fiery blood, but it still dulled the heat and calmed his thumping heart.

Natsu was used to the fire storm, raging in his body every time he was burned by a stronger emotion. It was just a side effect from the blessing of Zhulong, the Torch Dragon, the God of the Day and the Night. But why did Natsu's body react like that today?

The strategist had managed to get under his skin, that was for sure.

Natsu put his hands on both sides of the bowl, staring at the water, while drops were falling down his nose and wet hair. He sighed loudly, "This will be harder than I thought."

"What will be?"

Natsu clenched his teeth. He couldn't get a single minute alone, could he…

Gajeel Redfox, his first cousin and Lieutenant General, second in command after Natsu, came inside the tent with crossed arms, filling the place with his huge body.

Gajeel was also without his armor, standing only in a dark shirt and trousers, bit was still keeping the belt with the sword on his waist. Natsu shook head, besprinkling the table with water, then grabbed one of the pillows and hurled it at him.

"Who gave you permission to come in as you please?" growled Natsu when his cousin easily dodged the blow.

Gajeel lifted his eyebrows.

"Salamander, do we know each other? When have I ever needed permission to do something that would annoy you? I thought that for fifteen years you would have learned."

Natsu dropped his body on the sleeping bag.

"I am so kicking your arrogant ass." He tried to sound intimidating, but it came out quite weak.

"Keep lying like that, looking like a desperate wreck, and that kicking will happen only in your dreams. We already kidnapped the strategist, didn't we? Why the pouting?"

Gajeel's tone was cold, but his eyes gave him away. They were wary and considerate. Gajeel was worrying about him.

Natsu pursed lips.

"I am not pouting."

"Sulking."

"Shut up."

Gajeel came closer and lightly kicked Natsu's leg, ignoring his glare.

"Come on, Salamander, spill the beans."

Natsu's nostrils flared and he deeply signed. Suddenly he rose in a sitting position, resting his elbows on his knees. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to share his troubles with someone he trusted.

"This whole situation with the strategist and Icenberg…It's just not right. I can smell the coming problems in the air."

"What problems? The strategist seems tough, but you've managed to claw information out of even more stubborn enemies." Gajeel fixed at him with careful awareness. "You just don't want to hurt a woman, do you?"

Natsu threw him a bored look.

"Gender doesn't have anything to do with it." He shifted his gaze away, knitting eyebrows. "She withstood my intimidation attack."

"What?" Gajeel barked.

"I was literally millimeters away from her and she looked me straight in the eyes and declared in my goddamn face that she would not lose to me." Natsu laughed, not in his usual confident way. He laughed in confusion and wonder. "Do you have any idea how many people have managed to oppose me when I am intimidating them with the powers of Zhulong?"

He lifted a hand, bended his thumb and forefinger together, making a circle.

"Zero."

"That's… that's not possible…" insisted Gajeel, surprise written on his face. "That would mean…"

"The strategist isn't a normal human. She is something more."

Gajeel shook head as if he still couldn't believe it.

"Do you think she is, you know, like you?"

"Blessed by a Celestial God?" Natsu stretched his arms and loudly yawned. His lips formed a confident smile. "Nah, no one's like me."

"Moron. The Torch Dragon isn't the only Celestial Being, who can grant blesses."

Natsu shrugged.

"Even if she is actually blessed, it doesn't matter. The only thing that concerns us right now is to figure out a way to make her talk."

"Well, there is one really fast way I can think of."

Gajeel pulled out a knife and pointedly cleaned the sharp part with edge of his shirt.

Natsu clicked with teeth.

"I doubt that a knife would scare her. You saw her on the boat. That woman was ready give up on life because she didn't want to step on Pregrande's land."

"Nobody is capable of enduring a strong pain, no matter how strong the will is."

Natsu shook his head.

"You haven't seen the look she gave me. I think that she will bring us more problems than we can imagine."

Gajeel signed heavily, throwing a skeptical look at his cousin.

"And I think that you are totally whipped."

The General hurled the second pillow so fast and suddenly and this time it made contact with its target. Gajeel lifted his eyebrows and Natsu could almost hear the unspoken words in his head. Are you fucking kidding me, Salamander? Brat. So seemed to say Gajeel with his famous grumpy glare.

"I suggest you stop thinking then, because you don't seem to be particularly good at it. We are in a war, Gajeel, and you know me. Winning is always the goal for me and I don't let anyone stand in my way. But I can't just ignore the fact that there is something strange with that woman."

"Hmph. Whatever you say. Then why did you give her time until morning if you knew she would not agree so easily?"

"That time is not for her, but for me. I needed to figure out what I would do when she refuses to cooperate."

Gajeel opened his palms expectantly. "And? What did your great mind think of?" He closed his mouth, because of the stare he received. Natsu's eyes were two glowing green spheres, promising mischief and danger. The eyes of a predator.

"It's quite simple, cousin." Natsu started. "I will beat her in her own game."

"What are you blabbing?"

Natsu stood up, a terrifying flame roaming his eyes. "I will use whatever is necessary to make her talk. Whatever it is. I'll have to try everything. From physical torture to the goddamn shaman magic of Kingdom Fiore, if I have to. Let's see then who will give up first, me or her."

Something flickered across Gajeel's face, an emotion close to worry. It was also expressed in his tone.

"Look, Natsu…You haven't tortured women before. It's completely different especially when your prisoner isn't really a fighter either. Completely different." For a moment a dark shadow of shame and fear conquered his eyes. "Are you certain that you can do this? If you want, I…I can…"

Gajeel couldn't finish the sentence, so he left the unspoken suggestion to fly in the air, as if he wasn't sure about what he had been about to offer.

Natsu understood what that suggestion meant for Gajeel, who in the last few months had drastically change his views on women and torturing as a whole. The General's heart overflew with a warm, pleasant feeling of gratitude. On the outside he just shook head.

"No. I am in charge, so the responsibility rests on my shoulders. And cut the bullshit with the strategist being a woman. I have eyes and can perfectly recognize the distinctive features of the female gender. In the first place she is the enemy. And what do I do with enemies?" Natsu opened his palm and suddenly closed it tightly into a fist. "I destroy them. That is what will happen this time too."

"Now, why the hell, do you look so excited?! Five minutes ago you were being so fucking miserable."

Natsu shrugged.

"You've seen her in action. She isn't physically strong as Erza for example but she stands proudly in front of a danger." Both of them evidently shivered when they heard the name of the fearsome General of Fiore Kingdom. "She is interesting. And unpredictable. Would be a total delight for me to win her little game."

He winked with the glint of a powerful dragon.

Gajeel signed for the hundredth time, turned around and before the tent's exit, stopped.

"You know…" he started. "Your father was right about you being obsessed with winning."

Those words reached a deep, hidden place in Natsu's chest, a place, he thought was long forgotten. He certainly wasn't pleased to feel the things he felt right now because of his cousin's way of showing concern. So he did what he'd always done when being shaken up. He acted as if he didn't have a single care in the world, being too awesome for actual feeling and all that deep shit.

"Don't really see anything bad in that, metal head. If my memory isn't failing me, I would say that you'd been the same as me. Remember that? Or you've forgotten about it already?" And now Natsu was acting like a goddamn asshole. Great. He knew that he shouldn't open this topic, shouldn't open Gajeel's wounds so soon, but it seemed his tongue had a mind of its own and stupid words spew out of his mouth. "Now that I think about it, you've changed quite a lot for the past few months, cos. Since the time you came back from that mission in Fiore, to be more precise. And then you say I am whipped, heh."

That laugh at the end was too bitter even for his own taste. But it was too late for taking everything back, so he had to just suck it up. After all, Natsu Dragneel never ever apologized.

Gajeel's nostrils flared, his eyebrows curved and his large body stood even straighter, filling with the new-come anger.

"Shut the fuck up, Natsu. You have no idea what you're talking about." He grunted. "That…thing, me, before was nothing more than an empty shell. A monster, who didn't live, just existed. I despise what I had become and I'm thousand times grateful to the Emperor for sending me on that mission in Fiore. Let me tell you something. You need a solid change too, Salamander. And you need it desperately. You've been acting like an arrogant brat, crying for victories for as long as I've known you, and that is a very long time."

He closed his lips when he met Natsu's steel glare.

"Careful with the rubbish that comes out of that mouth of yours, metalhead." Natsu's voice went down with a couple of octaves, which usually meant that he was really pissed, not just annoyed. "You don't want me to show you who's the brat when I kick your ass."

Gajeel snorted. "Tche. I am done lecturing you." He opened the exit of the tent and before completely disappearing managed to say another infuriating bullshit." I hope the strategist wins in your little game so that I get to see your miserable face afterwards."

"Hope is all you'll ever get." barked Natsu after him, but Gajeel was already outside. Still, the General couldn't stop himself, so he also yelled, "Don't you come back here until the morning! I need a huge dose of sleep and your ugly face will give me nightmares!"

After pouring out his frustration, Natsu Dragneel, The General of one of the biggest armies on the continent and a twenty-five-year-old man, dropped his body on the sleeping bag and with a dissatisfied murmuring nestled in the coverings.

It was a common knowledge that best time for running out of prison was during the night. You didn't have to be a strategist to figure that out. Still, it was easier said than done. The sun hadn't set down yet but was scarcely burning out at the end of the horizon, throwing muddled orange rays onto the warrior's tents.

Lucy deeply took breath.

It was now or never.

She took the vase and with a swing splashed it on the floor, thousands of glass pieces flying in different directions. The noise was too loud and as Lucy guessed, she heard the rushing steps of the guards, going upstairs.

She grabbed two bigger pieces of glass and involuntarily pressed the edges to her skin, sharp pain building up her veins. Lucy hid her bloody palms in the General's mantle, which was still on her shoulders, and waited.

The two guards appeared at the doorstep and Lucy suddenly bended her body, as if someone had kicked her in the stomach.

"I feel unwell." She cawed and for an even bigger effect crouched to the ground, her knees almost touching the glass pieces. "Help."

The guards rushed to her, one of them even dropped his weapon, to catch her right side with both hands. They didn't doubt her ridiculous acting, not until they helped her get up and saw something shining in her hands. The second guard widened his eyes but before he could get the chance to do something, Lucy lifted palms and drove the glass pieces in the hollow of their knees. A painful cry tore from the guards' mouths and they dropped to the floor.

"The strategist is running! The strategist is run-…" started one of the guards, but Lucy grabbed the sword by its blade, ignoring the stinging pain in her palms, and stroke their faces with the blunt part of the hilt.

Everything happened for less than a minute but to her it felt like ages. The guard, lay unconscious on the broken glass and Lucy stood above them, breathing heavily and with bloodied hands.

There was no time to waste. Lucy went to the staircase, looked downstairs and signed with relief when she saw no other men to check on her. Nobody had heard the noises.

Lucy went back to one of the guards and began removing his armor. It took her quite some time until she figured how to do that but finally she managed to take off all of the armor parts. Although, her hands hurt as hell. She didn't let herself open them to see the damage, knowing it would make her feel sick if she did that. At least the blood had stopped flowing.

Lucy tore the skirts of her nightdress in a couple of bands, then tied each around her ankles, so it became as some sort of weird shalwars. The dress would only make things harder for her, so she needed the practicableness of the pants. She managed to put on the armor considerably fast, knowing already where and how the different parts worked. The helmet on her head was the last part and the only thing that was visible now was her face. From afar and in the darkness, ruling outside, would be hard for anyone to recognize her.

Lucy threw a last glance at the bodies on the floor, the guilt clouding her mind for some seconds. She shook her head. She couldn't allow herself such weakness. That's why she gripped the sword, sheathed it and with a confident step went outside.

At first she startled, when a couple of warriors passed around her, laughing at something. They'd passed just centimeters away from her, but no one turned their attention to her. Lucy blinked and tried to focus on her expression. She had to seem calm on the outside.

Looking around, she saw that there wasn't a single man who suspected her, so she kept moving.

She knew where the best place to go right now was because she had an amazing view from the terrace in her room. She couldn't just go straight for Icenberg, not if she wanted to pass through thousands of tents. No, she had to go south. It would be a lot quicker, moving around the camp and then going to the No Man's land.

Lucy was walking through the camp with steady, rhythmical steps. The only thing, shining over the path were the torches, sticking in the ground. She was now in the outskirts, where the tents were a lot more, there were also more awaken men, who were guarding the end of the camp. Lucy hoped they wouldn't watch out for those who were exiting.

She passed through one of the darker places, where there weren't so many torches and there weren't any people, so she became a bit calmer.

"Where are you going?"

Lucy froze. Her heart pounded loudly against her ribs so hard she thought they would break. She turned around and was left surprised. The warrior, who had called her, was at least a head smaller than her and wasn't wearing a helmet, so she could easily see his face. He was a boy, no more than fifteen years old. His jaw and cheeks were still soft, his eyes filled with childish innocence.

"If you continue down this path, it will lead you outside the camp." The boy said, with wrinkled eyebrows. "Don't you know that?"

Lucy frowned and tried to give herself more manly pose by trusting forward her chest.

"Gotta take a leak. I'm kind of the shy type." Her voice was lowered." And what are toy doing here, kid? Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Would these questions worry him? Because she was pretty sure that in Pregrande the Emperor forbid men under seventeen to participate in battles, even if they were volunteers. That led her to think the boy probably broke the law.

He opened and closed his mouth like a fish on land. Bingo!

"I'm a soldier like you." He answered, but his legs, which stepped on one foot to other, gave the lie away.

Lucy laughed rudely, "Whatever you say, kid."

She turned again and kept walking as calm as possible.

"Hey, wait! Your hands… they are…" he went after her, but stopped when she stomped with her foot. "…bleeding."

The gods were laughing at her.

"Well, yes." She replied. "That's what happens when I drink a little bit too much. I broke the bottle on the ground, thinking that I was fighting the damn Icenbergers." Her lips formed an arrogant smile and she winked. " Don't become a drunken moron like me when you grow up."

Drunken she may not be, but a moron who let herself be captured… well…

The boy moved his eyes from her palms to her face. Distrust was coming from his whole body but he nodded. Lucy smiled, "Be right back, kid."

She coughed, her throat too sour from making lower voice. But the boy didn't stop her this time and soon she was in the forest, without a single soldier, who guarded the end of the camp, stopping her. She just told them the same thing she'd told the boy about her desperate need of a private toilet, so they let her go, snickering at her.

The forests in Pregrande weren't the same as in Icenberg. Lucy knew the danger, lurking in the deep, wild places of her kingdom. The climate was conductive to frost giants, the river nymphs, the wolf changers and many other creatures who roamed the ice vacant land of the north territories. They were truly terrifying but at least she knew what could be expected from them.

Pregrande was a large empire, filled with mountains, lakes, lowlands and valleys. The climate was different in the different places, which meant that the richness of the dangers also grew.

Naturally, Lucy had read books about creatures living in Pregrande but her knowledge couldn't capture even half the stuff. Also the creatures she had read about… well, she didn't want to meet them. Like, at all.

At least she had a sword. She could try to protect herself. It wouldn't help her much, but still it was something.

Lucy didn't know how much time she'd walked and after a while she lost her sense of direction too.

Great.

Just what she needed right now. Getting lost was something she hadn't done before but after getting kidnapped and assaulted she figured there was a first time for everything. The moon was full enough to clearly see where she was going, but it didn't do her much good. After some time, she decided to lean against the trunk of a large tree. She couldn't keep going this way. Lucy had to know at least where exactly she was heading if she wanted to get out of there alive.

Maybe she could climb a tree… but she'd never done that before…

"Don't move."

Lucy jumped and without thinking pulled her sword out, pointing it at the newcomer. When she saw who that was, she didn't know whether to be relieved or worried.

The boy from earlier stood a few steps away with a spear in his hand. His hands were visibly shaking, the spear moving unstably in the air.

"Put the weapon down, kid. You're barely holding it." Lucy lifted her hand in a careful way, as if trying to calm an injured animal.

"They are looking for you in the camp!" the boy shouted, a nervious smile on his face. "I immediately understood who you are, when they said Icenberg's strategist had escaped. Now I will catch you."

"Let's calm down and put the weapons away, alright? You'll hurt yourself." Her voice was quiet, reserved.

"I am a warrior of Pregrande." He stepped forward, anger written on his features. The spear was now barely reaching her chest. "I know what I am doing, so if you don't want to get hurt, put the sword down! Now!"

Lucy raised her sword, "Alright, alright."

She carefully put down the weapon, not letting his eyes out of hers. "What's your name?"

"Romeo. Now go towards me! I want to see you in front of me!"

She followed his order, but with slow steps, while talking to him.

"Romeo. If I stay in the camp, your General will most likely torture me to get information. Is that what you want?"

His face twisted in a shocked grimace. Doubt crept in his eyes.

"N-no." The boy stuttered. "Natsu wouldn't do that. But…even so…Even so! You are an enemy to Pregrande!"

Lucy realized at this moment that this boy worshipped the General. She saw it in his stare, felt it in the way he familiarly pronounced the General's first name.

The stars were totally laughing at her now.

"Are you really going to let them…" she was cut off by a sharp sound, coming somewhere above them. They both listened and looked around.

A complete silence followed after that.

Lucy and Romeo casted a glance at each other.

Suddenly something fell with a lightning speed in front of Romeo's feet. The boy forgot about the priestess and pointed the spear upwards.

"Who's there? I am from Pregrande's army! Attack me, and you attack the Empire!" the boy shouted, desperately looking at the tree's branches. Lucy tried doing the same, but the darkness was too thick for her to see anything.

Then she saw two bright spheres. Then another two, and another two, and another…

Dozens of eyes appeared on the trees, surrounding both Romeo and Lucy from all over the place.

Romeo took a step back, his own eyes widened and filled with fear.

"The Forest people…" he whispered, terror ruling over his voice. He shouted, "We are not your enemies! We just want to leave your territory with peace."

Lucy bit her lip. The Forest people were one of the little creatures that weren't afraid of the humans. On the contrary. They did everything possible to embitter their lives, and sometimes even attacked battalions. Two warriors on their territory weren't any kind of authority to them.

This wouldn't end well. Romeo was kind of stupid and naïve child, but he was simply that. A child.

He was going to die if she didn't do something.

While Romeo was busy talking to the Forest people, she kept coming closer to him until she almost touched him.

She felt it, then. The stirring of the wind, the killing intention, dripping in the air and promising death… The gods were whispering her to move away from the boy, to run in the opposite direction.

Seconds later from the branches above them blazed a light and a wooden stake flew straight for Romeo. The boy had no idea what was to happen, but Lucy was already on the move. She threw her body in front of Romeo and a powerful wave of pain hit her back.

Her mouth opened widely, but she barely even registered her scream. The agonizing tearing of her skin was the only thing roaring in her head, as if someone spilled molten gold on her back. She was drowning in pain, but never reaching the point of dying. An endless torture. Somewhere far away in the fogginess of her mind she addressed her body crashing down on the ground, heard familiar voices, but nothing more. Her sight bleared and the pain weakened its cruel hold on her, giving path to the darkness, which consumed her thoughts.

The last thing she sensed, as her mind slowly faded, was the smell of burned skin and smoke.

Yes, I am still writing this story, no worries.

Am I slow? Well, yeah, you could say so... but in my defense life is busy and motivation kind of runs away from time to time.

I hope that you liked this chapter, cause I kind of dig it. I love how Natsu turned out. He is a little asshole, but if he was perfect from the begining then there wouldn't be any place for growth, right? Deep down, and I mean deep, deep down he is a soft guy. Good thing Lucy appeared, cause she is gonna help our boy figured out his issues.

Tell me your thoughts and follow if you like the story.

I am gonna be honest, if it weren't for the commentors and the followers( you guys rock!), this story would be totally left unfinished. :D

Until next time,

xoxoxo

elssiie