CHAPTER 15: THE PALACE OF KINGS


When the dragon soared over them again, darkness swept over Erza's world.

Everything in her life eclipsed as all would fade into the black womb of death. The end had come so fast, too fast for her to grasp. She just wanted Jellal could be there and hold her as they'd die. She lost the touch of herself, her mind grumbled into nothingness as utter, complete fear took over her – but then a sudden light pierced through the dark.

She stood in the wheat field, unable to believe how she could even stand. Her legs felt numb as if she didn't have them at all anymore. The dragon landed in front of her, and she felt the earth quaking underneath her, even smelled the blood and smoke in the beast's breath. It locked eyes with her, but she couldn't see. She couldn't see anything at all. Her mind threw her back into Rorikstead's crops she had harvested with him, for a Nords last thoughts should be of home.

Jellal's face faded as the dragon turned away and flapped its wings like a trapped bird. Erza's vision sharpened again, a small pink spot appearing in the middle of the mist. The dragon roared as something struck something into its neck – and Erza understood it was Natsu with his dagger, mounted in the dragon's back. Erza blinked in awe. Blood sprayed from the dragon's wounded shoulder, crimson droplets landing on Natsu's face. He shouted something about running away, but why was he still there? Why didn't he run?

Suddenly Erza realised running wasn't his intention at all.

A bright blue wisp flew through the air and hit the dragon's wing. The beast jerked from its strength. Erza turned her gaze to the direction where it had come from and flinched. Lucy stood there with a gleaming bow in her hands, drew another arrow and loosened. The arrow hit the dragon's chest and flames burst from the wound, a hollow screech escaping its lungs. Erza could not believe her eyes. What were these suicidal mages doing, setting up a fight against a dragon? Why were they even fighting in the first place?

Why wasn't she fighting with them?

Erza tried to reach for her sword, but her arms didn't move. Her fingers were frozen, those which had grabbed the hilt a thousand times in the past without a single hint of fear. She, the bravest warrior amongst the Companions, now petrified in terror. A deep shame washed over her – she had left them to their fate. She hadn't even tried to fight by their side, and even death wouldn't wash away that stain. How could she ever step into Sovngarde now? The doors of the Hall of Valor would never open to cravens.

And then Lucy's arrow pierced through the dragon's skull. The arrogant, magnificent creature screamed cowardly as it collapsed to the ground. Air stuck in Erza's throat as she watched how Natsu jumped from the dragon's back, running to the side as scales begun to evaporate into the sky. Had the mages really defeated the dragon? The beast's lifeforce escaped, its soul taking a form of white mist.

But the soul didn't dissolve into the wind. It changed direction and flowed straight into Lucy. Erza's eyes widened as the girl fell on her knees, enveloped in the dragon's soul as it seeped into her body. Natsu ran to her and upon her instinct, Erza followed him, the fear in her legs melting away.

"Are you alright?" the mage shouted to Lucy. "What was that?"

Lucy didn't answer. Natsu grabbed her shoulders and shook her, but it did not help. Crimson marks stained Natsu's white scarf and his pale fingers, making Erza notice the cut adorning his arm. Had he really fought the dragon wounded like that? Lucy gasped for breath, beyond shocked by what was happening to her. But Erza knew in her bones what it was. Even though the dragons were invincible creatures, there was one they feared. In their tongue, it meant;

"DO – VAH – KIIN!"

Dragonborn.

The monks of the Throat of the World sensed what happened, and so the whole world quaked as they announced the Dragonborn's newfound existence. As if the mightiest rumbling of thunder, their whisper carried all over Tamriel. Erza could not believe she was right there, witnessing the miracle who would save them all. Natsu, startled from the noise, turned his head to the skies in awe – he knew not of the lore of the ancient Nords, unlike Erza. She had heard stories of the End Times since she had been a child, those legends and prophecies forever imprinted into her mind.

Upon the return of the dragons, the Last Dragonborn would appear as well.

"What… what's going on? I don't… I don't understand…" Lucy mumbled against her palms, her voice weaker than a whisper. "What did I do? What... What's all of this?"

"You killed the dragon!" Natsu exclaimed with sparkling, wide eyes. "And that was so fucking cool!"

Erza stared at the two, still unable to say a single word through her astonishment. She had never been silenced by hope, but in that moment she understood it was the greatest power of all. Hope, the dawn which broke after the darkest hour of the night.

"I can't believe it", the warrior said then, both Natsu's and Lucy's gazes turning towards her. "You're Dragonborn, Lucy."

The girl blinked, shaking her head. "What?"

"In the very oldest tales, the Dragonborn would slay dragons and steal their power, and that's what you did, isn't it? Absorbed a dragon's power?"

Lucy's face lost all colour as disbelief flooded over her. "I don't know what happened to me! And what was that… noise?"

"The Greybeards", Erza answered. "They summoned you to the High Hrothgar, like the old Tiber Septim himself."

Erza reached out to catch her when Lucy's eyes slipped closed and she collapsed to the ground. She held her like she was the most precious and fragile thing in the whole world. Natsu stood by their side, losing the sparkles in his gaze as he understood what had truly happened. He turned to look at the dragon's skeleton, its life now withered away. They had really killed it. Just a moment ago it had wreaked havoc, but now it was gone, taken down by mere humans.

Calmness fell upon the battleground, like a morning mist shrouding the wheat fields. The fires died down, but the storm clouds parted, letting moonlight enlighten the world.

Erza followed the mage with her eyes as he left. Natsu picked up the orcish blade he had tossed away. It was unrecognisably misshaped, and Erza doubted even Eorlund Gray-Mane couldn't fix the weapon now. Natsu held it in his bloody hands for a while, then he walked to investigate the dragon's remains. He shivered from head to toes, and his skin was as pale as clam meat. Erza wanted to command him to rest, but felt like she had no right.

"What are you doing?" Erza asked. The dragon's jaws were left open, so wide the mage could stand straight in its bony mouth.

"Taking a memento", the mage answered. He used the twisted blade to remove one of the dragon's smallest teeth. He struck the dagger to the root of the bone to loosen it, but it held on tighter than he had excepted. Cursing, he used every bit of force had left to extract the tooth, and finally it came out. It was only the size of his finger, while the fangs as large as his whole arm. Why'd he done that? To have it as a keepsake or fetch a good price?

The trail of her thoughts became interrupted by the approaching sound of galloping horses.

Natsu shoved the dragon's tooth into his pocket when a group of Windhelm guards and Stormcloak soldiers arrived behind the inn. There were two dozen men, half of them on horseback, all clad in blue cuirasses. A boy at Natsu's age followed them and broke into tears as he saw the destruction the dragon had left behind. He ran to one of the charred corpses and smashed his fists to the ground. Erza forced her heart to harden – she wouldn't show any weakness in front of Jarl's men.

Erza lowered her eyes to Lucy, and suddenly she felt angry; angry for the soldiers who had taken so long to come. They were too late, forcing an innocent girl to risk her life to protect Kynesgrove on her own. Everyone knew a dragon's grave was there, and the Jarl should've sent troops there before all of this happened.

One of the soldiers, probably their captain, rode his white horse closer to them and stopped. "You there!" the man shouted and took off his helmet, revealing his black hair. "What happened? Is the dragon really dead? Did one of you kill it? Was it you, Companion?"

Erza shook her head as deep shame struck through her heart, again. She couldn't blame the soldiers. She hadn't done anything either.

"It wasn't me, it was her", the warrior answered and looked at Lucy.

"Can't be. She's just a little girl, how could she do it?"

"She did", Natsu told sharply. "And she's the Dragonborn."

Another soldier rode to the commander's side, whispering something to him. The commander nodded. "Skulvar, you check this place with half of our men. Count the dead and gather the survivors, and then report back to Ulfric", he said before turning towards Erza. "We'll take you to the Jarl right now. He's got to decide if that's true or not"

The mage took a step back. "To the Jarl?"

"Jorleif! Vlad! Lokir! Seize them!"

Erza watched in shock as the guards grabbed the mage and tied his wrists together. He did not resist, but the look on his face told he did not approve it either. It would be futile to fight, for they were no match for the Jarl's men in their current condition. Another man came to bind Erza's hands, even Lucy's, even though she was unconscious. They confiscated Erza's sword and the mage's dagger with no explanations, then they tossed Lucy on horse's back, leaving her head hanging down.

'Is this how the Stormcloaks treat the hero of Skyrim?' Erza wondered as they set forth.


Every step felt like walking on shards of glass as he followed the guards to Windhelm. His head pounded in a frantic rhythm, the exhaustion and the bloodloss taking their toll on him. The dark road seemed to go on forever, and he envied Lucy who got to ride on horseback. Except that she just laid there almost lifelessly, quiet sobs every now and then showing she still lived.

When city lights began to flutter in the distance, an enormous wave of relief flooded over him. Whatever the Jarl would decide, it would surely be better than this. Having his hands tied reminded him of being the Legion's captive. At least this time his hands were bound in front of him, which he didn't really understand. The Imperials back then had used special enchanted rope which prevented him from using any magic, but the Stormcloaks seemed to lack that kind of warfare. He could burn the binds into ashes anytime he wanted… except that he was completely out of magicka.

They passed the stables and stepped on the bridge which crossed the White River. Soldiers patrolled on the walls, and Natsu felt their gazes on his back as they walked to the gates. He had been in Windhelm many times before, but he had never felt as unwelcomed as now. The soldiers probably thought of them as Imperial spies and the dragon attack as a Thalmor trap or something. Igneel had some Dark Elf friends in the Grey Quarters, so maybe the guards remembered him from causing troubles there? Whatever it was, coldness spread in Natsu's chest as the guards opened the city gates.

Lucy lifted her head a bit, but then she fell down again. Erza walked somewhere behind the horses, her hands tied all the same. Citizens of Windhelm were sleeping in their homes, but the streets weren't empty. The homeless had gathered around the brazier in front of the Candlehearth Hall, unfriendlily staring at Natsu. They weren't welcomed in the Inn for they had no coin to pay their stay with. If Natsu remembered right, he had seen some of their faces before right there, in front of the same fire, many years ago. Some lives never moved forward.

"Move along, mage", the dark-haired soldier said and poked Natsu's back with the tip of his sword. "The Jarl is waiting."

"At least not the headsman..."

The soldier stared at him, a deep frown forming on his forehead. "What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"Just because you might have killed you a dragon it doesn't mean we'll treat you like a hero. Until there's actual proof about it, we won't believe it."

"The dragon was dead", Natsu grunted. "What else do you need?"

"It's up to the Jarl to decide, not to us. He'll decide if you can be trusted. I don't know about that Dragonborn business, but something surely made the Greybeards go wild. But Ulfric made one mistake before, and he won't do that again."

Natsu understood why Ulfric wanted to be cautious. He had been captured by the Legion in his own land, and it wasn't like the Imperials wouldn't try to kill him again. As their first attempt failed, who'd know what they'd try next? Faking a dragon attack to send assassins to murder him? When it was put that way, it almost made sense.

"Do we look like the Thalmor to you? Or Legionnaires, huh? We're just mages from the College of Winterhold, that's all."

"You think that'll make the Jarl trust you? Think again, idiot."

Natsu wanted to say about Erza being a Companion but kept his mouth shut. The city street went straight to the other end of the town, the route seeming so much shorter at night. Guards lifted the portcullis, opening the entrance to the courtyard of the Palace of the Kings. It was as far as the horses could go. One of the soldiers picked Lucy from horseback and roughly tossed her to his shoulder. Natsu bit his cheek as he held back the urge to punch that soldier. Lucy didn't show signs of waking up soon, but he hoped the soldiers would be more careful with her.

She was their only hope, after all, even if they couldn't prove it yet.

The doors of the palace were large enough for a giant to pass through. It was the oldest building of Windhelm, maybe all of Skyrim, built by old Ysgamor himself. Soldiers pushed the doors open and urged them to move forward, and the warmth surging into Natsu's aching bones almost made him welcomed as he stepped into the great hall.

The hall ran the whole length of the palace. Blue Stormcloack banners hang on the walls and a large table stood in the middle, the leftovers from dinner still uncleaned. Natsu's gaze moved to the far end of the hall, to Jarl Ulfric sitting on his stone-carved throne. How had he survived Helgen, Natsu didn't know, and it didn't even matter now. Another poke of a sword forced him to move forward.

When they had crossed the hall, the soldier carrying Lucy dropped her to the ground. Natsu flinched, but when Lucy turned around and fluttered her eyes, he was relieved to know she was okay. Relatively, at least. Ulfric Stormcloack stared at them in silence for a good while until he clapped his hands, dismissing the extras out of the room. Only three of the most high-ranked soldiers were allowed to stay.

"So, who are you, and where are you from?" Ulfric said when the soldiers had left.. His long, light-brown hair was combed to the back, and the dust on his face had been washed away. He looked completely different compared to how he had been in Helgen, his pride now restored.

All three of them looked at each other in means of deciding who would speak. Natsu took up the role.

"Natsu of Dragonbridge", he started. "From the College of Winterhold."

"Erza of Rorikstead", the warrior followed. "I fight for the Companions."

Lucy was the last to speak, her voice as quiet as a whisper. "I'm… Lucy… H-Heartfilia. I was… from Helgen."

Ulfric's face stayed still as calm water, as none of the names said anything to him.

"And what happened in Kynesgrove?"

"We were going to investigate the dragon burial mound there, but then a dragon appeared", Natsu said. "The same which destroyed Helgen. It raised another dragon from the dead and left."

"And then you killed the dragon which was raised?"

"Yes. Lucy killed it."

"Her? That little girl?" Ulfric scoffed. "She can't even stand up."

Natsu grinned, the anger in him beginning to boil over. "Maybe that's because she used up more magicka than she even has, you buffed-up ignorant -"

"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!" the commander shouted, and Natsu felt the sword against his back again. Damn, he would punch that bastard if he'd poke another hole through his robes.

Gladly, the Jarl wasn't affected by the mage's outburst. "Let's keep this brief and clean. I need to know if you can be trusted, that's all. So, girl, you really killed the dragon and stole its soul?" Ulfric said to Lucy.

Lucy lifted her chin from the floor so she'd look the Jarl into the eyes. "Yes, that's… That's what happened."

"There is only one way to prove that. Try to Shout. Only the Dragonborn can Shout without years of training."

Natsu sensed how Lucy tensed in anxiety. Pressuring gazes were all on her, crushing her with anticipation. It had been said that Ulfric had Shouted King Torygg to death, thus betraying the Greybeards who had thought him the Way of the Voice, or the Thu'um, or the language of the dragons, Natsu was too confused to even think about it. He just knew that the Voice was supposed to be used for the worship and glory of the gods rather than martial exploits.

"I… I don't know how!"

The Jarl only raised his brows and sighed. "Then I'm afraid you aren't worth my time."

Guards behind them got restless. Would they be sent to the dungeons next? Natsu wouldn't allow that to happen. None of them deserved to go to jail for what they'd done. They saved a fucking village. He glanced at Lucy, gaining her eye-contact. "Hey, Lucy, remember anything that read on that wall? Or what the dragon said? Try that", he whispered, unsure if it would work, but she had to try.

Lucy nodded and withdrew to her memories. Ulfric watched idly as she concentrated, not even trying to hide his mocking disbelief.

And then Lucy uttered a single word, the magic of the dragons echoing in her voice.

"Fus."

The power of her whisper almost threw Natsu off his feet. He barely managed to keep his balance as the force hit his body, a force similar to a dragon's. It reached the Jarl, staggering the doubt and mockery out of him. Even if it had been quiet, her word had the power of a dragon, pushing aside anything on its path.

Natsu's eyes widened in pure excitement, but Lucy raised her hands to cover her mouth. Everyone in the hall stared right at her, as if the situation wasn't hard enough for her already.

"By Ysmir, it's true", Ulfric exclaimed in utter surprise. "You are Dragonborn."

Lucy fell on her hands and knees, curling into a fetal position. As the guard no longer held him back, Natsu hopped to closer and crouched by her side. Lucy's eyes closed again as she passed out. Her body and mind had reached their utmost limits.

"See?" Erza asked. "We're not your enemies."

Ulfric furrowed his brow as he studied her with his eyes. He could surely trust a Companion, but could he trust a mage? "You definitely aren't", the Jarl said and turned towards Natsu. "But are you my allies either?"

"It depends", Natsu answered. He stood up and extended his arms. "But there's no negotiating while our hands are tied. Free us, and then we can talk."

Jarl nodded, and the commander cut the ropes around their wrists. He started with Natsu's, then the warrior's, and lastly, he turned Lucy over to release hers. Lucy's arms fell to her sides, powerless and limp. Concern built up in Natsu's guts. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't worried about her state.

"You, mage, you were the Legion's captive", the Jarl started to catch Natsu's attention. "If I pardon your crimes by my right as a Jarl and the true High King of Skyrim, will you be of my service?"

Natsu silenced. Was this the moment he had waited for? To take up arms and fight for the honour of his fallen brother? Suddenly, he felt nothing but reluctant resistance. "Of your service as a soldier?"

The Jarl's response was stern. "A soldier you'll never be. It would be waste to put you in the battlefront. What I want is for you to escort the Dragonborn to the High Hrothgar. It's a dangerous pilgrimage she can't do on her own. Escort her to the Greybeards, then you'll be a free man to do whatever you want. That's what I ask from you."

As the words sunk in, Natsu realised he had been hoping for something like that. When he had made up his mind about becoming a soldier, he couldn't have even imagined Lucy would be the Dragonborn. She had been just a girl who wanted to be a mage, that was all. He'd take her to the College and then move on, no strings attached, but everything changed when she killed a dragon.

That's why he'd seen her as a swan amongst the chicken.

She was a dragon amongst the mortals.

"Okay", Natsu answered straight up. "I'll do it."

Ulfric moved on and looked at Erza. "And you, Companion, what would you want as a reward?"

"Nothing", she said, keeping her eyes locked with the Jarl's. "I was a coward and didn't do anything in the battle against that dragon. These mages are the only ones to thank, so all I ask is for you to treat them well. They're heroes today, and they need all the rest they can get."

There was a certain kind of bravery in admitting one's weakness, and Natsu admired her for that. He heard quiet mumbling among the Jarl's men. None of them would have thought of mages as heroes. No-one ever did anyway, until now.

"All of you can stay in the Palace of the Kings tonight", Ulfric told, silencing the muttering. "There are vacant beds in the sleeping quarters upstairs, with food and drink as much as you need. I'll think of a suitable reward for the Dragonborn and announce it tomorrow. Until then, suit yourselves."

"What about our stuff?" Natsu asked. "They're still in the Braidwood Inn."

"Your belongings will be collected from Kynesgrove and returned to you tomorrow."

"We have their weapons", the Commander said, and the Jarl agreed with a nod. The man took Erza's sword from his bag and gave it to her. Then he pulled up Natsu's dagger, and laughter roared in the great hall as he tossed it back to the mage.

"You fought the dragon with that?" Jarl Ulfric laughed.

Natsu grinned. "Well, I used to have a glass dagger, but the Imperials took it."

"We retrieved some of the things the Legion stole from us when they captured us. I'll have my men looking for a glass dagger, in case we picked up yours."

Natsu thanked with a nod as he secured the bent dagger on his belt. He'd like to have it as a keepsake. Once he'd grown grey and old, he'd want to hold it again and relive the moment he struck it into a dragon's neck.

"Erik, will you show our heroes to their room?" Ulfric asked from the commander. He agreed and commenced to pick Lucy up, but Natsu stepped in his way. He wouldn't let anyone else handle her poorly. The promise he had given to her had a whole new meaning now.

'I'm going to keep you safe', Natsu thought as he picked Lucy up. 'I'm going to keep you safe until I leave this world.'

And then Natsu knew Igneel would've wanted that. Maybe the damn elf had known it all along, seen it in a dream or something – and it made Natsu feel so small. Igneel had known Natsu's path wouldn't end in Helgen. His death had changed the course of fate, and instead of avenging him, Natsu decided to make sure Igneel's sacrifice would be worthy.

'I've got this, brother.'


Lucy didn't understand what was happening. It felt like she was walking up the stairs, except that her legs didn't move. Her head leaned against something soft which smelled of smoke and blood. She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see was black. People spoke in the background, and slowly the words came unblurred as her consciousness started to return.

"Hey, Erza", she heard the mage say. His voice sounded louder than the others, but it still had a strange echo. "Lucy's in pretty bad shape. Could you go ask the court wizard for some potions for magicka regeneration?"

"Sure. Do you need anything? That wound looks pretty bad."

"It's all good. I'll just wash and bind it and it will be fine. But Lucy got herself a pretty good magicka deficiency. Its usually not this bad, but she just… Damn, I think she used a week's worth of magicka at one shot."

Lucy couldn't say anything. Was that the reason she felt so horrible? She had only had hangover once in her life after drinking with Loke, but it didn't even come close to how she felt now. As if her whole life had drained from her body, leaving an empty vessel behind. Strange, considering she had just absorbed a living dragon's soul. Maybe her soul was rejecting it? She was too small to hold a soul so colossal.

"I've never even heard of that kind of an illness."

"It's a mage's thing, really. It happens to every novice at some point. When one uses more magicka than the soul can regenerate, the person feels more weary and tired. If they keep going, they'll get more symptoms, like passing out. But Lucy will be okay with rest and some potions, I think. She probably won't be able to use magic in a while though..."

Lucy tried to move her hands. Slowly, they inched closer to each other despite the immense pain flaring up in her every cell. Her fingers clutched into the same softness her cheek leaned at. Footsteps faded into the distance and a door creaked as it was opened. The coldness on her skin disappeared as she came into someplace warm and cosy. Flames of a hearth painted to the blackness, and as her vision gradually regained, she saw Natsu's white scarf touching her face. He had given her a piggyback ride upstairs, and Lucy was too exhausted to mind. She even preferred that over being carried by a soldier.

Natsu noticed she was awake and laid her down to sit on the edge of a bed. Lucy studied the room; it was a small chamber with four beds and two closets. Orange lights and black shadows danced on the walls, and the crackling sound of burning wood filled the silence. Erza weren't there, and Lucy assumed she was off to fetch the potions.

"Lucy?" the mage called as she kept staring at the wall behind him. "You know what's funny? You thought the Last Dragonborn would be me."

Natsu sat next to her and Lucy bit her bottom lip. There was nothing funny about it at all.

"It… It should have rather been you", she whispered. Each word left her more strained. "Gods… This world is doomed. I… I can't do anything, I'm not strong enough, I'm not -"

"Lucy."

"What?"

"You conjured a fucking bow you shouldn't have been able to cast in years. I've never seen anyone learn magic as fast as you. Even my brother wasn't as talented."

Lucy wanted to shake her head but didn't. Her head felt as heavy as a barrel full of water. As her arms tired to support her position, she lay down on her side and pressed her face into a feather-filled pillow. She didn't understand why they were allowed to stay in a Jarl's place. Why weren't they thrown outside like the commoners they were? This wasn't what they had planned. They were supposed to spend the night in an inn. If her legs would carry, she'd walk there and restore the illusion of being just an ordinary girl.

She didn't want any of this.

"And I can't… I can't even stand after casting that spell", Lucy muttered into the pillow and was surprised when Natsu answered. Her voice had been so quiet it wasn't supposed to be heard.

"So? It would've cost you your life if you were a normal person."

"But... What if I can't use magic ever again?"

Cold chills ran across her body as she realised she hoped for that. She hoped she had used up all the magic she would ever have. The legacy of her mothers behind her would've been wasted, but maybe it was for the best. Her parents had known better. She should've listened to them when they had tried to crush her dreams. They were protecting her from all of this, after all.

"Don't be silly. Of course you can", Natsu answered. "Erza's going to get you some potions to help you feel better."

Lucy turned around, her legs brushing against the mage who sat in the other end of the bed. She stared into the ceiling as her chin began to tremble. He didn't lie. Lucy shielded her eyes with her elbow as tears welled up. She felt Natsu's gaze on her, and hated herself for crying again, for she knew he hated it when she cried.

"I'm just so… scared", she whispered, holding back the tears.

"Scared of what?"

Lucy's voice cracked as she answered. "Of this fate."

Natsu fell quiet. Lucy listened to the fire dancing in the hearth. Its melody carried her back to Helgen again, to her home burning to the ground. She had never understood how fragile life was. Like a piece of paper thrown into the flames, all could turn into ashes in a blink of an eye. All a dragon had to do was exhale and a city would be reduced to dust.

She flinched as a horrifying insight cleared in her mind. "I just realised… The black dragon attacked Helgen because it sensed my power there", Lucy spoke her thoughts to make them real. "It destroyed the whole town so the only one who could kill them would be eliminated. Everyone died because I was there. Mother and father, my friends, Haming, the chickens and the dogs and everyone -"

"I didn't die because you were there."

His interruption put her thoughts on hold. There was nothing she could do about it now. She couldn't turn back the time. She had survived, Natsu had survived, that was all there was left. The two of them standing among the ashes of their lives. She moved her arm away from her face, turned towards the hearth and let the tears fall.

"I… I wanna go home. I just want everything to be as it was, I don't want this stupid adventure anymore, I don't want to be -"

"You're the only one who can save us now, Lucy", Natsu said quietly. "You're the only one who can stop the dragons."

She closed her eyes, as if it would make that truth go away. In the Nord tradition, the Dragonborn represented everything a Nord should strive to be. A great and powerful dragonslayer, a fearless warrior who'd be the end of all Skyrim's foes. Why in the world was that gift given to her?

"But how do I do that?" she asked.

The dragon she had killed – she still struggled to understand she had actually killed it – hadn't been in full strength. Its lifeforce was maybe a quarter of what it could be. How could she ever kill more of them? And about that black dragon… Lucy didn't even want to imagine it.

"Well… I don't know, but I'm sure the Greybeards will know", Natsu answered, making Lucy wince. She was done hearing about the monks. "They summoned you there after all. They'll guide you forward."

"I don't want to go there."

"Why?"

"Because Ulfric commanded you to escort me to High Hrothgar and then you'd be free to go, to live your life as a soldier, or whatever you'd want."

Suddenly, Lucy regretted saying that. It was the same as saying, 'I can't do this on my own'. Would a Dragonborn rely on anyone else's help? It made her feel more like a coward.

"Is that why you're so upset?" Natsu asked.

Her silence answered in her stead – even though she couldn't admit it, he was right.

"I won't go anywhere if you don't want me to."

Lucy's eyes flitted from the hearth to the mage. Had he truly said that? Did he mean it? Lucy blinked as she stared at him, tears running down her cheeks.

"But you've got your friends death to avenge -"

"You know what? I was supposed to be the first of us to go to the block", the mage started. "I was supposed to die first. All was going good until Igneel said something stupid and got dragged to the block in front of my fucking eyes. Then he was dead, and I was alive. I don't want his death to be in vain. He died for a reason. And what would be a better reason than letting me help the Last Dragonborn to fulfil her destiny?"

"But -"

"We'll be a team, right?"

Lucy blinked. "A team?"

"Yeah. A dragon-slaying team. Just how cool is that?"

When Lucy smiled through her tears and nodded, she realised she had almost prayed for that. Had it been the Jarl's command or a decision of his own, Lucy didn't know. Natsu reached out his blood-stained hand. Whatever made him change his mind, it made her destiny as Dragonborn lighter to carry.

"Okay", she answered and grasped the mage's hand, curling her fingers around his. "Let's be a team."


A/N: Merry Christmas and better New Year to everyone! Thank you for reading, hope you liked this chapter!

I'm going to take a little break from writing for the holidays. I've got to organise my projects and declutter my home and all and all, and maybe finally finish my original short story. But I'll be back in January!