Chapter Four: Explanations and Excuses.
Igneel and the others searched the castle grounds. Loke had been right; Zeref had disappeared. The search then went on throughout the kingdom for the missing prince, but nothing was found, no trail or evidence to show he had even been there to begin with. The longer they spent searching, the less preparation was made. Yet, the enemy had shown no signs of attacking or invading.
Things began to become even more tense between the many kingdoms. Some even had civil wars and riots breaking out within them, their people stating it had nothing to do with them and to end their alliance with the countries that were determined to fight. One such country being that of Sora. Of course Grandine had retaliated with "If we do not stand with our allies we are nothing but cowards and enemies of them! We will become weak and may suffer from invasions and attacks from this unknown enemy regardless! Our defence will be non-existent!" To which many had quieted down after for their queen made a valid point. Another country of the 'Other' was Muertos. For they were not demons and so believed that they should not be involved or even interfere with their wars. Lucy attempted to plead with her people, make them understand that they, too, were in danger as the demon's of the enemy wanted their kind to become slaves, or to be annihilated. Her people were not as understanding as the demons and creatures of Sora. Instead, they began to turn on their royalty, claiming that she was not one of them as she was born and bred from the DNA of demons. And so her life became endangered. Muertos was no longer a strong, powerful country, and seeing it's weakness, the Tartaros demons took advantage of them. Destroying and killing everyone who lived within the kingdom, before attempting to claim the land for their own. Lucy had tried to fend off the attackers, however there wasn't much she could do on her own against an army of demons. Nevertheless, if Lucy were to die protecting her country, she would die with honour, for it was the responsibility that had been given to her bloodline for so long. She could not allow them to take it. She knew that Tartaros wanted the country for awhile, in order to attack the human realm and claim it for themselves as well as Other. Unlimited power and food. With her remaining people still against her, she had no choice but the call to the other leaders for help.
And help she had received.
The battle had lasted for another six years before Tartaros fled back. However, her people suffered a great loss, and only few survived. Thos few still attempted to take Lucy's life.
The search for Zeref had been halted during this period, and the few that still looked found nothing once more.
Ten more years had passed, and only small war's had broken out due to Tartaros, though most had been from the people of the countries against themselves from the fear of this unknown group.
Still, Zeref had not been found.
It was approaching Natsu's birthday when news of Mavis Vermilion going missing had been announced, confusing people even more since she had been Zeref's lover. Had she, too, been abducted? Or had she ran away in hopes of finding her lover alone? No one knew and she had left no message behind. Though Natsu was now twenty three in years, he hadn't grown any more than that of a twelve year old. Something to be expected due to the fact that it took longer for a demon to mature. This only caused Igneel to worry more.
It was at this point that he began to mentally crack.
"Lucy, please, you must protect my son! I'm begging you!" Lucy frowned, biting down on her lip as the pinkette watched his dad, worriedly.
"Luce...he's been acting like this for a while now…" Natsu murmured, eyes downcast, glancing up at his crush every so often before looking away from both embarrassment and awkwardness. Embarrassed that she may have caught him stealing glances, and awkward because he didn't know what he was supposed to do in this situation. Lucy sighed before resting a hand on his head and ruffling his hair.
"Don't worry, Kiddo" a nickname she had taken a liking to for the child, though it mainly stuck since Igneel always referred to him that way. "You're dad's just stressing out is all". Lucy turned back to Igneel. "Igni, he's going to be fine, he's got you! Don't worry, we'll find Zeref, I know his disappearance i-"
"That's not it! You don't understand" Igneel began to hyperventilate slightly, "There's a reason why I hid Natsu away from everyone for so long! Luce...He's...he's different to the others…" That caused the attention of all the leaders in the room to focus on the Fire Leader.
"Hid..him?" Lucy mumbled, thinking back on it...he actually had hid Natsu's existence from the other leaders for twenty-odd years, and was continuing to hide it from all of his people and those of other kingdoms. "Why is that?". Igneel swallowed thickly, nervously looking around.
"I-it's his blood...when he was born...as you know...Anya had passed away during his birth. We said it was because she had fallen ill...that was actually true. During the pregnancy...Natsu's power was too great that it had poisoned and weakened her, feeding off of her...it was also killing him once he was born and so we...went through a ritual...to dampen the burden on his life...in order to do so...his soul was split in two" Everyone gasped, Lucy looked to Natsu, seeing that he was looking down, shoulder's slumped. So he had known that? Lucy could only imagine how it had made him feel growing up. Igneel continued as Lucy placed an arm around the boy, smiling down at him, though he wasn't much shorter than herself. Natsu gave a small, half-hearted smile back before leaning further into her. "However..if Tartaros manages to get their hands on both him and Zeref…" Igneel sighed, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Zeref has the power to trap souls, a rare gift that no one but him, Natsu and I knew of. He had trapped Natsu's other half within a book and sealed the book away somewhere unknown to anyone but him. Unfortunately, due to that...it...took a great deal of magic for him to do so and he...that's how he got the curse of Akhseram...it also split his own personality. Once the other, darker, side takes over, it has no feelings of guilt or remorse, it only has a thirst for destruction. It was this side that was known as 'The Dark Mage' four hundred years ago. This side that had created the demon gates" Igneel fell silent, unsure of how to continue. Lucy glanced around, seeing how some leaders gave him a sympathetic look, others outraged by his secrets. Some even casted looks of disgust towards the pink-haired boy within her arms, causing him to mumble apology after apology. Lucy clenched her teeth, pulling the boy towards her to protect him in her arms, not caring that the boy's face was in her breasts, and not noticing how his face lit up bright red from being in that position. She was pissed that some of their own friends had even dared to act like that.
"Igneel... It's okay, I can understand why you did what you did." She turned to the others "He did this to protect his children. You would do the same, would you not? We're his Nakama! Friend's and allies stick together, no matter what mistakes are made. They are there to support each other and help each other through those difficult times!" Lucy sighed, showing Igneel a small smile before asking him to continue. The others looked away guiltily, knowing she was right. If they had been in that position, with those options available, they would have done the same thing. Grandine, Lyon and metalicana stood at her side, smiling softly as Grandine mouthed a 'Thank you'. The blonde gave a soft nod before Igneel began to speak once more.
"Lucy...I need you to protect my son, unlike the rest of us...you're the only one capable of doing so. Please take him away, run, hide...You're strong like us, yet you no longer have any subjects and responsibilities to your kingdom" Lucy flinched, she knew he didn't mean it in an offending way, but it still hurt, "Sorry...I know it's a touchy subject...but you're the only hope I have left". Could she really protect him though? After all, she couldn't even protect her people.
Cana chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Igneel, this child is the one of the prophecy, isn't he?" Lucy tensed. Please say no. She felt guilty for thinking that, but there was no way she was ready to be chained to a child and in something so huge!
"I believe so"
"How is this child related to E.N.D?" Cana's question caused the small amount of bickering from the mention of 'prophecy' to halt. Igneel hesitated.
"...Because his other half is E.N.D. This child is none other than Etherious Natsu Dragneel. The strongest demon to ever live. The one who will kill us all". A heavy silence fell. It felt as though Lucy was about to suffocate. Her eyes widened and her pulse throbbed in her ears. This child...within her arms...was the truly feared E.N.D. The demon that had once lived amongst their kind, killing for enjoyment and pleasure. The demon that was the reason her kind were created, in order to sate his thirst and hunger. The demon that loved nothing but to torture and tear apart other demons. Was this really the Natsu who had his arms wrapped around her so tightly?
"So...if the demon gates, which are the strongest members of Tartaros, get their hands on both Dragneel princes...not only will the Dark Mage Zeref be released, but also the almighty E.N.D?"
"...Yes". All eyes fell on the blonde, including her brunette oracle.
"So...Lucy." Cana smirked, wickedly, causing the blonde to gulp. "It appears fate as finally caught up to you. Are you willing to accept your responsibility? To protect this young boy? You're life will be at his mercy, and he will forever be in your protection. Are you ready to be chained to him, for better or for worse? Because you can't say no now". What even was this? A wedding? Or her funeral? She didn't like the sound of either. She shook her head slightly, it was almost unnoticeable. "Sorry sweet cheeks, but you can't say no to fate".
"I-I'm...not ready" her voice was barely a whisper. She really wasn't ready. If she screwed up...if she takes her eyes off of this boy for only a moment...what if he was captured? E.N.D would be released. She'd be dead. Everyone would be killed. Was she really capable of carrying that burden?
"It's okay, papa, Luce...You guys...don't have to...protect me" Natsu's voice broke a few times, tears running down his cheeks and dripping from his chin to the floor. He couldn't force them to give up their freedom and lives for him. Couldn't expect Lucy to do this for him. He was nothing but a friend and a child to her. Lucy frowned, pulling the pinkette to her chest once more.
"Shh...Don't worry Nats, I'll protect you, it's my job after all" She pulled away to wink at him. "However...it's up to you if you actually want to go through with the ceremony".
"Ceremony?" four voices rang out in confusion: Grandine, Igneel, Metalicana and Natsu's. Lyon and Cana stood there with smirks, though confusion also appeared in their eyes. Lucy sighed before clearing her throat awkwardly.
"It's the only way for me to always be able to protect him. I'll know where he is, how he's feeling, if he's in danger or hurt. He'll also obtain my abilities of faster regeneration. It'll also heighten his senses, strength and durability as well as stamina. And lastly, it'll cause him to mature at a much quicker rate. Something that will be necessary if you want him to be safe out there" At the explanation, the others immediately understood. A Mating Bond. The strongest bond known to their kind. Lucy turned to face Natsu, a faint blush coating her cheeks, causing him to tense slightly, his heart speeding up. Had he caused that?What… he swallowed down the lump that had began to form as her face came closer, her lips to his left ear and her warm breath ghosting over his skin. He shivered slightly. Okay, so he was a pre-teen, but that didn't mean his hormones were dormant. Most pre-teen males had their fair share of magazines...or video's...in his case imagination...okay, so he wasn't used to the new hormones that had recently been acting up...for like six months…
"Natsu..listen carefully okay? This bond...it's not a normal bond...and it'll feel strange at first...but you have to trust me, it's only going to be temporary and will only last until your body matures, for obvious reasons, but it'll also be incomplete so it'll be difficult to grasp at first...it's called a mating bond." Natsu understood what that was. So he nodded before replying.
"I-I k-know what a m-m-matin' bond is...b-b-ut-"
"Shh" Lucy pulled back, giggling at how red the pinkette's face had gone. "It'll be incomplete" she announced in a louder tone, the others had obviously figured as much. "But..it should last until he's matured, so roughly eight years, maybe less if the bond is strong enough and matures quickly. If not, could be even longer" Lucy glanced at the boy from the corner of her right eye. She nervously gulped before stuttering. "I-it'll just be blood sharing, a-and it doesn't mean we're m-mates or anything, so you won't be stuck with me for l-life, kiddo" she ruffled his hair "So don't worry about being trapped with a fake" She winked. Natsu frowned slightly. So she didn't feel the same way? Sure, she's older, but he'd mature and then they'd both be...he groaned..she'll forever see him as a kid, won't she? But she was his mate, so didn't that mean he was hers? So why didn't she feel that...that feeling? That pull? The attraction! He just wanted to pull his hair out. Maybe once he's matured...it would make more sense. Then again, it's not like she was going anywhere. She'd have a temporary mating bond with him until he had matured, meaning that she wouldn't be able to create one, not even a completed one, with anyone else. Not to mention that she'll be with him for so long. Even if they were 'on the run' they'll only have each other!
"Erza, Gray, Levy, Gajeel and Wendy will also accompany you at least until you make it over to Mizukori. Once there you will split into multiple groups. Erza will go to find Crime Sorciere, Gray will take Wendy and they'll will go to Juvia and inform her of the situation" Lyon began before Grandine continued on with the rest.
"Erza and her group will then report back to us via Cana's card" She turned to Erza, the scarlet haired warrior bowed slightly before taking the card from the beautiful queen, placing it inside her armour before leaving to pack. Grandine turned round to Gray and her young twelve year old daughter. "You two, you will collect Juvia and then meet up with Erza and Crime Sorciere, you're in charge of searching for Zeref under the guise of Nomads" Gray bowed as Wendy began to tear up, hugging her mother tightly before following after the raven-haired, half dressed male. Metalicana stepped forwards towards his son and daughter-in-law. "You two, be safe. You will be looking for the whereabouts of Tartaros. Give this to Gray" he handed Levy a small card, before handing one to Gajeel "And this one's your's. Report every week or so on your safety as well as any updates on information. We will also contact you all at some point". Gajeel nodded as Levy gave the tall, pierced king a hug before pulling away and linking her arm with her mates. Leaving the room so only the monarchs and their advisers were left in the room with her and the young pinkette. Igneel walked over towards them, a sad smile on his face. "This is for you" He gave Lucy the card before turning to his son, "And this, is yours now" He took the scaly white scarf from around his neck and placed it on his sons. "Take good care of it, we'll meet again soon, my boy. I love you" He lent down and placed a kiss on Natsu's forehead, his eyes glossing over as a tear escaped from his right eye. Natsu sniffed before pouncing onto his red-haired dad, his arms wrapping around the older male's neck.
"I love you too, Dad".