Surprise early next chapter, I can't say all will be this quick as I'm now caught up editing chapters I had wrote previously before posting this story. You guys have some great theories! I love reading them so keep them coming. Hopefully chapter six won't be too long and enjoy this update!
Dragon Souls – Chapter 5 - Breakfast and Ballgowns
It had been an eventful evening of trying, and failing, to fall asleep for Lucy.
Her mind generating a thousand and one questions for Lord Igneel the next day, hoping the Dragon Lord was more forthcoming in answering her queries about the Dragon Lands, than Prince Natsu.
Tossing back and forth beneath the cotton sheets, Lucy had eventually sighed and managed to drift off into a fitful sleep.
She had briefly gotten to know the two girls who had escorted her to her room, the youngest at thirteen years old, Wendy Marvell, was an orphan girl taken in by the late Empress Grandine, trained in the arts of healing magic, now taking her mentors place as Ignis's resident healer. Wendy was a friendly, polite and sweet teen who Lucy had the strongest urge could take care of herself just fine, despite appearances.
Levy Redfox, was just a few months older than Lucy, despite her size, the bluenette was a powerhouse of knowledge, far smarter than anyone she had ever met. The blonde had been very correct in her surmise that there was something going on between the tiny woman and the roughish pierced bodyguard Gajeel, the two were happily married and had been for nearly five years; with a youngling on the way in just a few months. Lucy had blushed when her mouth had blurted out without thought she hoped the baby took after Levy in looks, Gajeel was handsome, in a rough and barbarian sort of way; but his glare could fell armies in a single glance.
But the bluenette had simply laughed and smiled, telling her that her husband was secretly a big softie who regularly cooed and sang to her bump when they were alone together.
Their child would be a force to be reckoned with, Gajeels skills as a warrior, combined with Levy's mind would make for a deadly and cunning offspring.
Lucy had been lead down several dimly lit corridors, until the three women had arrived at a wooden door with heavy iron hinges securing it to the stone walls, the curious blonde felt as though she were in a video game, the room beyond housing vast secrets or was the home of a magnificent library to aid her in her quest.
The door had been swung open, to bring into view a large octagonal room, tall black wrought iron windows on three sides, a wooden candelabra hanging on a thick chain in the center of the room, the stone floor was covered in plush furs and rugs no doubt made from animal hides caught by Dragon-Shifters, a four poster bed stood to the right of the door, more furs and simple sheets made it look cosy and inviting. There was a desk against the far wall, a four legged stool beneath it and a gilded golden ornate mirror leant against the wall, a matching dresser and tallboy next to it, two leather armchairs sat by a large stone fireplace, mantle made of oak and containing a few oddities and curios she weren't sure had a purpose. Another door sat against the left wall, to which Lucy assumed was a bathroom or a dressing chamber of sorts.
Levy had announced briefly that the wardrobe contained a few dresses to change into but Lord Igneel had ordered the city's finest dressmaker to bring a selection of dresses for her to wear to the castle the following morning, she would be required to attend a fitting after breakfast. When asked if there was anything else she wanted to know, Lucy had asked if the castle contained a library or something of the sort, eager to pour over tomes from this world.
The bluenette had grinned and nodded, agreeing to show Lucy the next day.
With a final announcement that breakfast would be served at the eighth chime of the clock tower bell the next morning, the three females had given their goodnights and the two left Lucy to her own devices, the blonde grinning in excitement and eagerness to explore her surroundings.
Happy had promptly taken up a prime spot right in the center of her new bed, causing his mistress to roll her eyes, after years of owning a stubborn feline, Lucy knew once the handsome tom cat got comfortable; he wouldn't be moved.
She briefly entertained the idea of sleeping on one of the armchairs by the fire, but there was just enough space to squeeze in by her spoiled cat.
The day she had found Happy, was still fresh in her mind.
Having lost her beloved mother just a few months before, dazed, confused and lost in grief, an idea had popped into her mind one afternoon, having spent much of the past few weeks curled up in her bedroom, unwilling to face the world, sometimes hours spent just staring into space, memories flooding her of her mothers smile, the scent of her favourite perfume, sitting by the little wood burner in their tiny old living room one winter, Layla reading them their most treasured stories.
The first stage of grief was denial, Lucy would sometimes walk into her mother's old bedroom to ask her a question, only to find a neatly made bed, curtains blowing in the crisp November breeze, her ornaments, photo's and trinkets still sitting on the rickety old bookcase, gathering dust but still there. Lucy would then fall to the floor, tears falling at the emptiness not only within the house, but her heart.
The next stage, was sorting her mothers affairs, meeting with a lawyer to read over Layla's will. Lucy had frozen in shock when the sympathetic man had announced she was to receive a small fortune, their little cabin on the outskirts of the town where Lucy grew up. After ensuring all of the bills were paid, Lucy had decided to sell the cabin, finding coming home no longer felt the same without the beautiful and kind woman who was her entire world welcoming her home after school or work. Donating the decent furniture and furnishings, had brought about a sort of cleansing, Lucy had kept her mother's mementos, of course, from the ornate golden key collection that had been given pride of place on the shelf by the front door, to the many hundreds of pictures of Layla and her daughter, picnics in the park, adventures in the countryside, Lucy's graduation; all had pride of place in Lucy's life.
Layla's favourite saying had drifted into Lucy's mind that day, as she decided to shower for the first time in what felt like a week, brushed her long golden hair and gazed at her worn and defeated expression in the mirror.
'When the world feels unfair and you don't want to face the day, get up, make a plan, do something you have never done, even if it's just a smile; no matter how small, you will feel just a little bit better, Lucy.'
With no idea what to do with herself, Lucy had simply stared at her reflection...she could go get groceries, she hadn't eaten anything substantial in days. She could take a walk, or maybe she could adopt a pet?
That last thought, while completely random, had caused her lips to twitch upwards, the hint of a smile. Something she thought she wouldn't ever be able to do again.
Another soul to care for aside from herself, she would have to get out of her bed to feed, play with and care for another living being, not so much a distraction, but a way to help her move on.
Keep going.
With her hair in a messy bun, in joggers and an old band tee, Lucy must have looked a sight as she walked into her local animal shelter, the receptionist however hadn't judged her, only smiled kindly at her and asked what she was looking for.
The image of herself playing with a little white dog, ran through her mind.
With that idea, she had been guided through their holding pens, dozens of friendly, some timid and some snoozing dogs coming into view as she passed by; but none jumping out at her. The volunteer asked Lucy if she wanted to view the cats and kittens, to which she had almost said no, but something told her just to take a look.
She wouldn't have called herself a cat person, as she passed felines of every colour, age and personality, from tiny kittens freshly weaned off mum, to elderly moggies just looking for a quiet and warm home to spend the rest of their days.
It was the last pen that caught her attention, a single tiny blue-grey male tom of barely a year old, found curled up in a cardboard box at just a few weeks old, hissy and afraid of the rescuer who found him and anyone else who tried to handle him, the animal charity were advertising him as a rodent control officer, feral and only suitable to live on a farm.
The bundle of fur who had been snoozing, suddenly opened his eyes, stared at Lucy; before getting to his feet, meowing and butting his little head against the glass.
The volunteer had been astonished when Lucy had smiled and announced she would be taking this one home, cementing her decision when the pen had been opened, the handsome tom jumping into her arms and curling against her chest, purring contently.
It was kind of silly, but Lucy was convinced that Happy had been sent to her, he made her laugh, the way he quickly ruled her life, he made her cry, when he had gotten too confident while jumping from a bookcase; fracturing his back leg when his paws slipped on the hardwood floor. Lucy had spent a sleepless night at the local animal hospital with him, feeling like a worried mother in the weeks following his operation whenever he tried to jump onto her kitchen worktops or windowsills.
Happy curled up against her during her moments of upset or when she wasn't feeling well, she sometimes caught him simply gazing at her, those feline black eyes almost staring into her very soul.
Yes he was demanding, went off exploring sometimes and only ate fresh fish, but his little hops against her leg when wanting food, the way she had a constant revolving supply of elastic hair ties because he liked to bat them across the floor, to the funny sleeping positions; made up for all of his shortcomings.
She had no idea how the mischievous tom had followed her across dimensions, but she was glad he was with her, almost as though he was her protector in ten inches of shining blue-grey fur.
Leaving her cat to enjoy his new perch on her bed, Lucy unlaced and kicked off her boots, leaving her socks on, as the stone floor looked rather cold, went to see what was behind the mystery door to the left of her room.
Wincing as it creaked open, Lucy gasped at the sunken pool beneath a large iron window, giving a wonderful view of the outskirts of the walled city, no gaudy neon lights, no loud music, no drunken revellers stumbling from casino to bar.
A toilet sat to the left of the rectangular room, an ornate stone basin stood on a pedestal with a constant stream of warm water trickling from a spout in the wall, the bathing pool looked to be carved from a large piece of smooth and polished marble, the water steaming enticingly.
Silence, wondrous silence, greeted her as she opened the window, trying not to fall into the pool of warm water. It must be a sort of geothermal pool, probably heated by the volcanic activity of the region, her own personal hot spring. The city was lit by oil lamps, casting a soft orange yellow glow against the quaint cobbled streets, charming houses, shops and squares, a few people milling about by taverns, buying from market stalls or simply going for an evening walk.
It was the endless inky sea of stars that caught her attention however, constellations she had never seen before twinkling in the night, much to her astonishment, what looked like a city, tiny looking from her perch at the window, shone brightly in the night, almost as though taking place of a moon.
"Enjoying the view?" A male voice suddenly cut through the silence, Lucy shrieked in surprise and was almost sent tumbling head first into the bathing pool, before a rough and warm hand grasped her arm and forced her back to standing.
Lucy whipped her head round, finding none other than the handsome pinkette second Prince staring down at her with a teasing look on his face.
"People normally bathe naked in this world, Luigi. Not fully clothed." Natsu chuckled.
Lucy yanked her arm from his grip and used it to slap his hand away.
"In my world people don't normally sneak in without permission!" Lucy shot back angrily, this was the third time that this man had snuck up on her, and lately he seemed to be determined to leave her in a permanent state of heightened alertness, fully prepared to have him jump out from behind a corner and surprise her.
"Hey...I only came to see how you were settling in, thought I'd find you snoring but instead I find you staring off into the sky."
"I don't snore! For your information I was looking at the glowing city in the sky."
Natsu raised an eyebrow, confused as to what she meant, he breezed passed her and poked his head out of the window. Lucy watched as his eyes widened, then he turned to her with a sceptical expression on his face.
"What the hell are you on about? There's nothing in the sky 'cept the stars!" Natsu exclaimed, moving back to allow her to take a look.
With her eyes back on the inky blackness of the stars above her, she frowned.
Nothing, just billions of tiny white lights twinkling merrily above her, no city, or any hint of one.
"B-But...I just saw it...right there!" Lucy pointed up into the sky, Natsu following her direction, where he shook his head.
"Honestly, there's nothing there...I think you need Wendy to check you over." Natsu jested, poking her on the shoulder teasingly.
"I know it isn't there now! But I swear I just saw it..." Lucy sighed, starting to doubt herself, wondering if the long day had caused her to have a strange hallucination.
Natsu's dragon growled angrily at his teasing, wanting to pull the pretty blond into his arms and comfort her, feelings that were quickly stamped down by a stubborn Prince who refused to indulge his dragons baser instincts.
It wasn't as though the pinkette didn't believe the blonde, but he'd never heard of any sort of floating city in the night sky, there were rumours that the Celestial Realm sat nestled amongst the stars, but it was said to be so far away that even the strongest dragons couldn't reach it. So he very much doubted it was that she had seen.
Perhaps he would bring it up with his father tomorrow...
"So...why have you decided to pay me a visit, really?" Lucy inquired, a fair eyebrow raised suspiciously.
Natsu suddenly froze, when a friendly meow greeted them, the two looking down to find Happy winding his way round Natsu's boots, cheek bumping against him, demanding attention.
Lucy felt her mouth drop open as she was promptly forgotten about, the normally stoic and hard-headed Prince flopped to the floor, legs crossed as a grin lit up his handsome face, amber eyes alight and friendly; causing Lucy to hitch a breath at the sight of this man petting her normally unfriendly to anyone but her cat.
"Hi! You're a special little guy aren't ya?" Natsu cooed in a baby voice, causing Lucy to giggle airily.
It was quite something to see such a strong warrior, rugged and handsome, muscled and well defined male going soft for her fussy feline.
Happy purred...well...happily as Natsu quickly found his favourite spot behind his ear and scratched it enthusiastically, the tom cat rolling over onto his belly, demanding more petting.
"Guessing Blondie doesn't know what you really are buddy, eh?"
Lucy tilted her head in confusion as Happy suddenly pounced to his paws, her eyes widening in shock as the blue-grey tom suddenly began to glow a pure white. Lucy shrieked in surprise as her cat suddenly floated into the air in front of her, pure white wings unfolding from his back, the blonde suddenly ducked behind Natsu and hid her face in between his shoulder blades.
"What the hell?" Lucy suddenly yelled shakily, pinching her wrist as though trying to wake up from a dream.
"What's wrong?" Natsu laughed riotously.
"My cat is possessed!" Lucy squeaked, peeking out over Natsu's shoulder, ignoring the way her heart rate spiked at the pleasantness of his spicy scent. Happy was indeed floating before her on white feathered wings, looking strangely adorable and matching his white patches on his belly and tail.
"You've been pulled into another dimension with dragons and magic and you're really most shocked that your cat has wings?" Natsu deadpanned, reaching behind him to pull her from her hiding place at his back and stood her in front of Happy.
"W-What is going on?" Lucy stammered, squeaking suddenly as Happy floated silently into her arms, his wings disappearing in a shower of sparks as he nudged at her cheek with his little nose.
"Looks like you've got yourself a Familiar, that's what. "Natsu walked around her and stood in front of them both.
Lucy felt her eyes widen as she glanced down at the little bundle of fur curled up in her arms.
"A Familiar...like a witch or wizard would have an animal to do his or her bidding?"
Natsu shook his head, reaching a fingertip out to scratch a purring cat behind the ear again.
"Witches and wizards don't really exist in this world, magic is pretty commonplace, something anyone can learn given the right will and discipline. Familiars are more like a guardian, a spirit sent to you when in dire need or purpose; in your world, Happy is just another cat, but here, he can tap into his magic, he's probably just as confused as you are..." Natsu explained. "He's spent years as a simple house cat, so he's probably only just realising what he can do, but it might explain how he followed you into this world."
Lucy suddenly smiled as Happy meowed comfortingly, a tear falling down her cheek.
"I adopted him just a few months after my Mom died, I wanted a dog but this little guy jumped into my arms and demanded I take him home...he's been ruling me ever since."
Natsu chuckled and took a step back from Lucy.
"Wendy and Gajeel have Familiars, maybe you could talk to them. Right now why don't you bathe and get some sleep?" Natsu moved to turn away, but Lucy's next words stopped him in his tracks.
"Thank you, Natsu."
His breath hitched as the dragon inside him roared, his heart thudding in his chest, Natsu all but waved a hand at the beautiful blond and scarpered from her room, unable to stay in the same room as her without wanting to pull her into his arms, basking in her warmth and the smell of her golden hair. Natsu didn't care if he got no sleep that night, he couldn't allow his dragon to take over and claim her as his Chosen, no matter how much the beast demanded it.
No way would he give his father the satisfaction of knowing that he had began to fall for the sassy and exciting human from the forbidden world beyond the veil.
No way in hell...
Lucy had awoken just after dawn, well rested and comfortable in her plush bedding, Happy curled up in a ball by her feet, keeping them warm.
The sky was bright with flames once again, sunlight casting prismatic glows of reds, oranges and yellow on the stone walls of her room, she tossed aside the covers, got out of bed and made her way towards her bathroom to take care of business and get ready for the day.
By the time she had bathed, dried her long golden hair and dressed in a simple red gown with poufy sleeves and a golden tassel trim; a bell chimed eight times from the tower at the highest point of the castle.
Just in time for breakfast.
Lucy would be lying if she said she wasn't ravenous, as satisfying as freshly caught fish and venison cooked over a roaring campfire was; she was eager to see what the royal family had to offer for breakfast. She had a craving for a full fry up, sausages, bacon and all the trimmings, but she remembered that this kingdom was still recovering after years of war, perhaps there would only be simple grains, fruits and pastries.
Either way, she was eager to see everyone again, finding some comfortable flat slippers in a woven gold thread had been placed by her bathroom door by a maid while she was bathing.
They were slightly tight on her, but she didn't mind, they were rather comfortable, if a little flamboyant for her tastes. Red and gold seemed to be a recurring theme of decoration within the castle, in her matching dress and slippers, she almost felt like one of the curios on display in the various cabinets, sideboards and bookcases decorating the halls.
Thankful she remembered the directions back to the grand hall, Happy trotting along behind her, tail in the air, Lucy grunted as she opened the large doors, the mouth watering smell and sight of food making her smile as she found a long table and a dozen chairs had been set up in the center of the ballroom floor.
There was, to her great amusement, a pair of cats chittering back and forth by the door where maids were bringing food back and forth, so Happy soon trotted off to greet the black cat and white cat, tucking in to the selection of fish, and most odd of all, kiwis.
Laden with red tablecloths, plates, platters and trays contained freshly cooked bread rolls, what looked like real butter, cheeses, bowls of fruits, a steaming bowl of porridge, a tray of bacon and sausages, much to her delight; several familiar faces turned to greet her as she entered, and two unfamiliar ones.
Lord Igneel sat at the head of the table, Natsu to his left, an open seat next to him she assumed Igneel had left for her, Gajeel was sat next to Levy, Wendy and Loke nearby.
A handsome black haired male sat to Igneel's right, with a tiny but beautiful blond haired woman next to him; who would be opposite Lucy.
"Ah, good morning Lucy!" Igneel boomed good naturedly, beckoning her towards the empty seat beside Natsu, who paused momentarily from shovelling food into his mouth like he'd never eaten before and glared at his father, the black haired male curiously grinning privately at the tiny blonde next to him. "Please come join us, don't mind this buffoon's eating habits, I've taught Natsu many things but apparently table manners got lost somewhere, along with his charming personality!"
The table erupted into riotous laughter as Lucy took her place at the table, she smiled graciously at Igneel and began to help herself to a healthy serving of crispy bacon, sausages and a few fried eggs. A few maids were ambling around the table, taking away empty plates, refilling glasses of water, teas and coffee and even fresh apple juice.
Lucy wasn't worried too much about eating daintily, eager not to offend the royal family and staff, but when Igneel let out a hearty belch, complimenting the maids for a fantastic meal; Lucy relaxed. She thought for a moment she saw Natsu smiling at her when she began to tuck in to her hearty breakfast with gusto, but as soon as she met his amber eyes with her own; he had looked away.
"Wonderful meal as always, now you and everyone go enjoy your own breakfast, we are fine, Kinana."
A pretty maid who had just refilled the Dragon Lords glass smiled and bowed, along with the rest of the staff.
"Thank you, my Lord. We will take our leave now, do call if you require anything else." Kinana replied happily, obviously looking forwards to a break.
Lucy smiled at her as she walked away, it must be a hard job, but all of the staff seemed to enjoy pleasing their Lord; he was every bit as kind and just as Natsu had said.
It was strange, the pinkette had warned her that not only would she be feared, but unwelcome in these lands; but everyone she had met so far, from street vendor, to the man in charge himself, had been nothing but kind and courteous to her.
Only Natsu seemed to harbour any animosity toward her...
Lucy was shook from her musing as Igneel made to introduce the unknown male and female to him, she had a vague suspicion who they were, the whiteness of the handsome males eyes had given it away, not that she was to judge, he seemed to have no trouble getting about and doing things like a regular man, his other senses no doubt heightened by the lack of vision, he had his fathers eyes, but Lucy surmised he must take more after his late mother, as Natsu was the spitting image of his father.
"Lucy, may I introduce my oldest son, Zeref Dragneel, he is the one who shall take over as Dragon Lord of the Fire Lands when I retire or pass on, the charming and lovely lady next to him is Mavis, his mate and Chosen. Don't be fooled by her size, Mavis is a master tactician and strategist." Igneel complimented.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lucy!" Mavis smiled, raising a hand to wave across at Lucy, which she returned eagerly.
"Welcome to the Dragon Lands, I hear my little brother might finally have met his match." Zeref chuckled, smiling kindly at Lucy, who giggled at his comment.
"Oi! Don't you start too, 'Ref...it's bad enough coming from the old man.' Natsu grumbled, angrily spearing a sausage with his fork and shoving it into his mouth.
"You manage to wash the bushy eyebrows off your face, I see." Lucy quipped, smiling sickeningly sweetly at the second Prince, making the pinkette glare at her and the table laughed again. "You said 'Chosen', what does that entail?"
"Chosen are women of nobility who compete in grand tournaments for the chance to win the submission and love of a future Dragon Lord, each Lord rules over his own territory. You see Lucy, our dragons are fundamentally, a separate entity from our human form, they are spirits that exist within those chosen by the Dragon Gods to be taught their ways, my father before me was taught by his father and so on. In return for our coexistence with these dragon souls at it were, we take care of their sacred lands and their people, and allow them freedom to soar the skies, hunt, it is a mutual respect as it were. Our dragon side rarely chooses their mate as soon as they meet, favouring a strong mate who will cherish and protect her or his dragon and sire their young. Female shifters are exceedingly rare, only a few have ever been documented and as of this moment there are just two female Shifters in these lands, one is mated to the Dragon Lord of the Thunder Plains, Laxus Dreyar, he also happens to be grandson of the Leader of the Grand Council. The other is the leader of the Knights of Valour, Erza Scarlet." Igneel and several others around the table shuddered in terror at the mere mention of the last name, including Gajeel, whom Lucy had never seen look afraid of anything.
"The most terrifying woman in existence!" Natsu turned pale as though he was about to be sick, until Igneel continued his story.
"Tournaments differ from territory to territory, our own tournament was last held two years ago, when Mavis was chosen by Zeref. Candidates are selected by the Council if there are not enough volunteers, it is a three stage event, the first is a race of sorts, a mile swim from one shore of a lake to the other, then a foot race through the Lava fields and finally a climb up the jagged peaks of the volcano, the very rumbling giant where you and Natsu found one another. The three winners then go through to the next stage, a treasure hunt of sorts. The final stage is the toughest and most dangerous. The Chosen candidates must battle their Dragon Shifter to try and earn his submission." Igneel went on, earning a gasp from the enthralled and slightly intimidated Lucy, who had a sudden and very deep respect for the noble women who went through the tournaments.
"Wow, that sounds tough..." Lucy whistled, a little confused by the barage of information, but she could ask more detailed questions later. "Can a Shifter not choose his own mate?" Her question directed towards Gajeel and Levy.
"Not one of Royal Blood, to keep the nobility pure they choose a suitable woman of title, it's considered a dishonour to the other candidates if a Prince shows favouritism towards another." Loke explained. "Although technically it's not against the rules should a candidate make it to the final stage that the Prince can submit to his fondest contestant."
"That is how my Mavis won my heart, I was enchanted by her mind." Zeref spoke and turned his head to lean down and press a kiss to his mates cheek, Mavis blushed adorably and smiled at him.
"Regular Shifters don't choose their mates via a tournament. I met Levy when she –" Gajeel began to explain, before he suddenly blushed and looked at his plate.
"He used to make fun of me and called me a 'shrimp'...so one day I punched him in the face." Levy giggled, causing everyone to laugh.
"Couldn't resist after that, my girl has a mean right hook." Gajeel guffawed.
A comfortable silence settled over the group before Zeref once more directed a question at Lucy.
"So, my father tells me you are from Edolas, I've only read a few books on your world, most I feel are outdated and derogatory towards Humans, calling you barbaric, cruel and greedy but you seem perfectly polite, kind and gracious, are our ways strange to you?" Zeref asked.
"No, not at all. Your world is mysterious, beautiful and fascinating, I've spent years reading books about adventures of daring knights, perilous quests and rescuing the Princess. In fact it's quite nice not to have my phone going off every five minutes with my boss yelling at me!" Lucy chuckled. "Many in my world are rarely seen without technology, but give me a good book over my phone any day!"
Several confused faces around the table were to be expected, there was no technology here, no internet, no phones, computers or electricity.
"Fone?" Zeref asked in interest, eager to learn more from a direct source from Earthland, rather than centuries old books with archaic views and slander.
"How best to describe it?" Lucy spoke aloud to herself. "It's a device that allows you to speak over great distances with anyone, instantly. It's difficult to explain the science behind it but –"
"Most fascinating, so I assume it is like sending a letter but instead of words, voice?" Igneel asked, his attention fully on the blonde. "How ingenious, letters here are delivered on horseback or by dragon carrier if urgent."
"Yes it's very similar to that." Lucy smiled at Igneel, glad he seemed to grasp the vague concept. "We also have what is called the 'Internet', it can be used to access information anywhere and on any subject in an instant. It's like a fully stocked library in the palm of your hand."
Levy jumped from her seat excitedly, slapping her hands on the table.
"I wish I could visit your world someday! It sounds thrilling."
Lucy giggled and nodded, smiling over at the bluenette.
"Maybe one day, you can."
"You said your 'Boss', you have a job back home?" Mavis asked, taking a brief sip from her glass of water.
"Yes, I'm a journalist, a writer for a local newspaper." Lucy nodded, then frowned. "I'm not sure if you have anything –"
"Current affairs are written on a large roll of parchment and displayed in town squares, sadly not everyone can read or write so we also have criers who read to people in the streets." Zeref replied.
"Well newspaper's are a summary of the daily news printed on paper, made into booklets and are sold to the public, town announcements, advertisements for services and the like. Before that I was a historian of sorts for my local town." Lucy explained.
"Geesh, and I thought Levy was the only brainiac around here..." Natsu piped up suddenly.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Lucy asked, an eyebrow raised at him.
"Nah, just don't use any big words around Pinkie, you'll make his overinflated head explode!" Gajeel chuckled.
Igneel smiled and turned to Levy, before his warm gaze settled back on Lucy, ignoring the bickering between his son and his bodyguard.
"Mrs. Redfox is our historian and chronicler, perhaps, should you be here for an extended period of time you two could write a more current and realistic record of your world, in return you would be welcome to remain here and learn about ours."
Lucy gasped excitedly, nodding her head in thanks.
"Of course, I would be glad to if you would let me stay for a while, time here moves much quicker than back in Edolas so I can't say I'll be very much missed. The only family I have back home is a cousin, though I wouldn't say we were close." Lucy giggled, with her stomach filled from the delicious breakfast, Lucy turned the conversation towards the list of questions she had for the Dragon Lord.
"So, how would I go about getting in contact with my father, if he would want to see me?" Lucy inquired, she had spent most of the evening laid in bed, deciding back and forth between making contact. She had decided that with nothing to lose if he didn't want to know her, she wouldn't feel unaccomplished for not even having tried.
"I have sent a carrier with an urgent letter addressed to Jude, to be delivered to the Council of Elders, I await his reply in the coming days. Until then, try not to worry. I will have Natsu escort you should you wish to explore outside of the castle...do not protest Natsu...but I would request you, for now, stray no further than the city walls. My people shall not harm you under my command, but I cannot guarantee your safety outside of this city. There are Dragon and people alike who still fear humans and would wish you harm, even though you are clearly no threat to them."
"Thank you, I won't stray from Ignis's walls, you have my word." Lucy spoke truthfully, causing Igneel to smile, Natsu rolled his eyes at his father once more forcing him and Lucy together.
"Excellent, now, if you excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." Igneel exclaimed, rising from his chair and leaving the ballroom.
The rest of the table was quick to follow, Zeref and Mavis and Gajeel and Levy strolling off together, Wendy and Natsu were last to leave, the second Prince announcing he was going for a run around the gardens, the young teen however, motioned for Lucy to follow her to a part of the castle she had not seen before.
After what felt like several hours of being prodded, poked and stabbed with pins and a very sharp needle, Lucy had finally been fitted for several everyday dresses and even a few ball gowns. Apparently Igneel was holding a grand ball to celebrate Natsu's twenty sixth birthday the following week, inviting nobility and Dragon Lords from far and wide to celebrate with the Prince.
For Igneel, it was once again a chance to try and garner interest in his youngest son, but at this point it felt like he was fighting a losing battle; until a beautiful and lovely blonde had found herself in an entirely different world than her own. If it weren't for her having a life to go back to, and Natsu's obvious hostility to the very idea of claiming a mate; Igneel would have sponsored Lucy's entrance into the tournament himself.
Even if Jude refused to claim her as his daughter, Lucy could still potentially be granted leniency via a sponsorship via a member of the Council of Elders, if someone believed in her enough.
Until then, Igneel would simply act from the shadows, finding ways to push his stubborn son and the pretty blonde together, Lucy was a beautiful and kind, strong willed woman, and could already see the way she was worming her way into his youngest son's heart.
The chemistry between them was as electric and exciting to watch as his own feelings developed for his beloved Grandine, they would spend hours simply talking, Igneel captivated by her brilliant mind and the love of her people.
But Lucy, having no idea of Lord Igneel's plans of matchmaking, simply twirled merrily in her favourite of the dresses, the periwinkle blue dress made from silk and organza, off the shoulder seemed to be a trend for women of this land, a glimpse of tasteful skin without being scandalous, the bodice embroidered with flowers that matched more sparsely embroidered ones to the skirt. The gown twinkled under the light beautifully.
The brief wonder at how Natsu would like how she looked in it entered her mind, cusing her to blush suddenly, her heart rate spiking as she dampened down that thought.
The rest of her day had consisted of pouring over tombs in the library, a maid had brought her some delicious beef stew and some crusty bread for lunch, warming her body with it's heartiness.
She was unaware of the drama unfolding in the other side of the castle at that very moment...
Lord Igneel had spent much of his morning tending to his royal duties, apparently being ruler over a small kingdom required a hell of a lot of paperwork!
Changing of land ownerships between two local produce growers, approving plans to renovate the eastern wing of the castle, the upcoming Fire Festival to celebrate the start of the Spring Harvest.
He had received most of the confirmations of just who would be coming to the ball for Natsu, the Dreyar's, including Elder Makarov, the Fullbuster's, among many of his close and personal friends.
Curiously, a messenger had arrived promptly just after lunch, red in the face from rushing to the Lord's chambers.
"Yes?" Igneel let his eyes widen at the messenger wearing a familiar uniform from only one place in the Dragon Lands.
The Council.
"My Lord, I bring a letter of summons stating the immediate presence of your young guest to Era." The man spoke with authority.
"Jude got my letter already?" Igneel stammered.
"Tis a summons for the human girl to appear before the Council of Elders at the request of Councilman Jude Heartfilia, questioning the validity of your claim of discovering his daughter."
This was a shock to Lord Igneel, he had expected Jude to contest the existence of Lucy, but it was pointless to refute the hard proof that the pretty young woman was the perfect mix of Layla and Jude; but perhaps he would not contest it when he met Lucy in person, after all he had never seen her before or had even known of her existence. To do this publicly would announce to the Dragon Lands that there was a Edolas human among them, increasing the danger for the young maiden.
"When is Lucy required to appear before the Council?" Igneel asked tensely.
"In precisely two days."
Igneel nodded and dismissed the messenger, waiting for the door to his office to close before sighing and steepling his fingertips together, elbows resting on his best.
"Have you really grown so cold in all of these years alone, old friend?"
Well, that's it for chapter five, see you soon for the next installment!