I'm so touched! Double the reviews since I posted the first chapter. Thank you all so much!

Also, special thanks to OmegaSage037 for noticing one of my mistakes. I've reread my chapters many times to check for errors, but I still miss a few on my own. I've gone back and fixed the errors mentioned to me, as well as a few extra that I found myself. I'll apologize ahead of time for any mistakes in this update.

Thank you all again! I feel as if I can never say that enough or that I may be saying it too much, but I really am grateful to the responses I've received for Flame's Desire!

Also, I was inspired to write this story by a collection of songs on Youtube. The first two chapters were written while I was listening to them, but I've now compiled them altogether to help me write for further chapters as well. Today's chapter was inspired by a song called Flame's Dance by Marcato Sound.

-CGP


"And we have the Seven of Swords reversed! Is there something you're being dishonest about, Romeo?"

The dark haired boy flushed, "N-no!"

Smirking cheekily, the fortune teller took a swig of ale and tapped her fingers on the small wooden table. "This card here says otherwise, kid. It's tellin' me you've been sneaking around about something. Whatever it is, I'd suggest returning it before your dad finds out."

Looking far too sheepish for a kid supposedly innocent, Romeo swiped at the card placed in front of him, only to miss as the card reader slid it back into her deck. He frowned and promptly stood up, clearly aggravated by the woman. "It wasn't from my Father you fraud!"

"Oh, but I got ya' to admit ya' took something, didn't I?" She looked very pleased with herself as the boy's face grew to a complete different shade and he sputtered in embarrassment. Without another word, he took off across the camp to return the item he had taken, Lucy presumed. Watching the fortune teller laugh at the boy brought a smile to her face even as she shook her head.

"I can't figure out how you do that."She said, watching the woman shuffle her cards before draining her ale mug dry."Is there a trick of some sort?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ain't no trick, blondie, I just know what I'm doing." She leaned to the side where a keg sat beside her and refilled her mug, not even sparing a glance towards the girl who had been watching her for half the morning. With a hiccup, she drank deeply of her refilled mug of ale and covered her mouth when a belch issued forth. "Whew, 'scuse me." Cana Alberona, was the farthest thing away from being a delicate, classy woman.

Lucy couldn't help, but wrinkle her nose from the smell, but made no comment on the drunk woman's actions. She had learned that no amount of coaxing could convince the card reader to ever drink something that wasn't made of alcohol. It had only been a week since she had been allowed to stay, but she was slowly getting used to the habits of these mix-matched Roma. Cana was well-known for her drinking just as much as she was known for her fortunes, but as she almost toppled off her stool from leaning too far; ale mug practically attached to her lips, Lucy couldn't help but feel exasperated.

"You're going to fall and hit your head one of these days." She muttered, but the woman only toppled forward instead, clinging to her small table with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Didja say something, blondie?"

"I said you spilled ale on your cards."

Cana's answering chuckle revealed her disbelief. "I'd never do that, Lucy." Effortlessly, her fingers began to shuffle her cards once again and she hummed under her breath. "So..why's Natsu not with you?"

The blonde Romni huffed and crossed her arms. "Why should I care? I should be thankful he's not hovering around. Sharing a tent with him is bad enough!" Noticing the fortune teller still chuckling, she furrowed her brows at her."What?"

"S'nothing..." Cana drawled, eyeing her cards with a serious stare. "Chief said you're his responsibility, he can't help it if he's gotta keep n'eye on ya. I just find it amusing how hostile you are to him."

Lucy blanched, "I'm not that hostile..."

"Not physically, no, but you seem to get your bloomer's all in a twist every time he opens his mouth." Now red at the mention of her under garments, Lucy opened her mouth to retort, but was quickly interrupted. "Hey, I'm not saying he can't be aggravating, because he can. God knows I've wanted to slug him a few times, that's for sure, but maybe you can cut him some slack? He's not used to this either, y'know."

Now feeling guilty, Lucy's shoulders sagged and she sighed again."You're right... I probably should." It's not as if she had wanted to be mean to the pink-haired man that had saved her. She just felt compelled to snap at him when he was around. It didn't help that his snoring was atrocious at night and his ability to walk into his tent just as she was changing was so prompt that it was suspicious. Just how often could a guy get away with accidentally seeing a girl with her pants down before he was doing it on purpose? She had a hard time accepting that he was just that clumsy.

The abrupt end to Cana's shuffling pulled Lucy from her thoughts and she snapped her eyes to a lone card that had flipped out of her deck. "Well now, looks like this one's talkin' to me!"

Confused, Lucy brushed her comment aside, "That's nice Cana, but I still don't understand how that's supposed to make any-" Her words died in her throat as she caught the sound of her name being called from a tent across the way. "Oh! Here comes, Mirajane!"

"Uh huh, that's nice.. say blondie, ya think this card is tellin' me something 'bout you?"

Lucy didn't hear the fortune teller, she was far too distracted by the white-haired woman trotting towards them with a basket of clothes on her hip. Despite the obvious signs of work, her hair looked smooth as ever and she moved with an almost ethereal grace. "Lucy! How are you this morning?"

"I'm doing well, Mirajane, and you?" Lucy couldn't help the smile that lit up her face at the woman's approach. Ever since Makarov had instructed Mirajane to teach her everything there was to know about living with the tribe, they had become fast friends. The sweet woman was far too nice to distrust and Lucy greatly enjoyed spending time with her. "You haven't been doing the laundry by yourself, have you?"

Smiling, Mirajane shook her head. "Oh no, I was coming over to see if you'd like to assist me? I just need to get these buckets down to the stream and we can wash them together before lunch. Will you help?"

Standing up, the Romni nodded. "Of course I will. You know I'll do what I can to help around here after all." She brought a thin staff up with her, placing most of her weight on the wood. Her wounds had all healed, but there was still a stiffness in her leg that kept her from being able to walk on her own. One of the other women in the tribe, she believed her name was Laki, fashioned her a cane to use in the meantime. "Though, I may not be able to carry anything..."

Mirajane waved her off, "Don't worry about that, Lucy, I just need you to help clean and dry the shirts for me."

"All right then!" Smiling, Lucy turned to follow Mirajane out of the camp to the stream, but stopped in a half step and looked back at Cana."I'll see you at dinner, Cana!"

"Dinner, sure..." The card reader replied distractedly, hardly noticing when the girl left. She was still staring at the card she had dropped pensively. "The tower reversed?... now that's interesting."


It was a good morning and the stream Mirajane took Lucy too was clear and clean. She could see the pebbles that littered it beneath the surface. A part of her wondered if it connected to the stream Natsu had found her at, but she paid the thought no mind. Anything that revolved around Lucy's entrapment was something she did not wish to think about. Especially in such nice scenery.

Mirajane, seemed to agree. "It's so beautiful here." She gushed while lowering the three baskets full of clothes. It was a marvel to Lucy that the thin woman could carry the woven baskets with such ease, but she seemed to not think it out of the ordinary. She placed them side by side, checked that they weren't going to tip over the uneven ground and cast Lucy a bright smile. "We even have a good size tree nearby to hang the linens on, isn't it perfect?"

"It certainly is." Lucy smiled in return. Mirajane's optimism was contagious. In no time at all the girls had set everything up and were steadily scrubbing shirts in the clean waters with heavy bars of soap in their hands. They hummed and spoke little at first, but soon they found themselves in a quick rhythm that was calming and both relaxing.

Lucy was surprised at how happy she was. The tribe was still new to her, and she still found the concept of them a little strange, but the daily chores she was allowed to do and the all-around friendly atmosphere was calming to her heart. She had a lot to thank Mirajane for. Once she had left Makarov's tent, the woman had been nothing, but a fountain of information, joining Natsu as they gave her a tour of the entire camp.

She knew they wouldn't stay here for much longer. Like other Roma tribes, they were nomads and with a slave caravan being destroyed on the main road, it would soon be unsafe to stay. It was no surprise to her that they would soon pack up and travel, but for now, she was thankful to be able to stay in one spot. For once, she felt safe.

"Do you like it here so far?" Mirajane asked after a time, smiling gently as they worked.

Lucy hummed a reply as she strung a shirt along a low-hanging branch and sighed. "It's different from my tribe... but I definitely like it." Reaching for another wet cloth, she continued, "I had never heard of a tribe before that was a mixture of many others, but the differences every where is refreshing. Once I think I've remembered something, I'm shown something different: Fortune tellers, elemental controllers and even healers. It's been so much already, but I feel at home here."

This answered seemed to please Mirajane as she giggled and tossed another shirt over the blonde's head. "That's good! We want those who stay here to feel at home, always. So you will have a place to come back to if you ever leave."

Something akin to guilt nagged at Lucy's senses as she wondered briefly about her stay here. Would she stay in the end? She wasn't sure. "...like your … partner was it?" She was surprised to learn that weddings were not prominent in this tribe. Their courtships were done through dances and other festivities and those partnered together were hand-fasted. Mirajane, she had learned, was fasted to the Chief's grandson,but he had left on a journey over a year ago and had yet to return.

Mirajane smiled wistfully. "Yes. Like him." She turned back to her washing and changed the subject. "Are you getting along with Natsu any better?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" Lucy sighed and shook her head. "Even Cana was on that earlier."

"Well, of course we ask! We all know how Natsu can be and everyone heard you both yelling this morning." Mirajane's smile grew almost devious. "Do you want Makarov to place someone else to watch you? I can ask, you know. Though, I think Natsu is trying his best."

"No..that's not necessary." Lucy hedged, "I've already noticed he's nice enough and I'm not going to whine about it when I'm being allowed to stay here." She paused in her work and bit her bottom lip, another thought occurring to her. "Actually..I have a question if you don't mind..."

"Yes dear?"

She worried her lip a little more as she tried to find the best way to word her thoughts, "Natsu... I've seen him use fire... on many occasions... I've also seen two others with power over fire as well, but I know they're not related. I've noticed some things about him that don't seem quite human." Lucy remembered watching him eat, fascinated by the sharp glint of fangs he had for teeth and the way his throat would rumble into a growl when agitated was not something she could ever hope to emulate.

Not phased, Mirajane set back and washed her hands of the soap suds. "So you noticed?" Lucy stared at her, drying off as the woman giggled again. "He's human, of course, but, like you, he comes from a rare tribe. Have you heard of the Draconis?"

Suddenly, it all seemed to click and she gasped. "Draconis, but..that.. that tribe doesn't even travel! No one knows where their base camp is!" Glancing to the sky, Lucy's mind ran a mile a minute as she tried to recall any rumors she had heard of tribe known for having the blood of a dragon running through its people. "They're said to have different skills, all relating to the dragon in their blood line.. Natsu's from that tribe?"

"He is." Mirajane's voice was soft. "I'm not sure on the particulars, but he was found wondering the forests as a little boy. For all we know, he was abandoned, and he's never told us any different."

Abandoned...suddenly, she felt almost bad for treating him so harshly. "I see..."

The crunching of twigs and leaves interrupted them and both girls froze as the very subject of their conversation walked through the brush with a string of fish hanging off his shoulders. His shirt hung down his hips as he spun a fishing rod in his hand and his dark eyes glittered when he noticed them.

"Hey, what are you two doing so far from the camp?" He asked with raised eyebrows while his nose bunched up. "Whew, that soap is strong!" Setting his fish down by the bank, he surveyed the laundry and smiled at the two. "Were you needing any help?"

Standing up, Mirajane patted his shoulder. "Thank you for the offer Natsu, but I think we were just finishing up. That and if you've been handling fish, we can't have your hands touching everything now can we?"

He frowned a moment and grunted. Lucy wasn't sure, but it almost looked as if he were pouting. What sort of man sulked at being unable to help in laundry? She was certain she had heard other men around the camp complaining if they were so much as asked to help cook dinner! Shaking her head, she grabbed the tips of the hanging shirts and shook them, testing the weight of them.

"We may be awhile, Mirajane."She said after a time. "The shirts still aren't dry yet."

"Really? Oh, that's no good, we can't be late for lunch!"

Natsu's voice grew smug. "I knew there was something I could help with! Hold on for just a moment, Mira."

"Be careful not to do what you did last time!" Mirajane cautioned. Confused by their conversation, Lucy stopped testing the shirts and was just about to ask about his help when her entire body tensed up and her heart suddenly stopped.

Without any warning, he had come up behind her, drawing his hands over hers to keep the shirt still and his breath ghosted over the tip of her ear. "You're a little slow, Lucy." Too stunned to retort, her breath inhaled again, feeling far too full in her lungs as she watched him take in deep breath over her shoulder.

"H-hey, w-wait a minute, just what do you think-" She felt through her clothes his temperature increase as an exhale of steaming air escaped his lips, blasting onto the fabric. It brushed her hair and cheek, sending a wave of warmth and shivers down her spine. Twitching, she tried to remove her hands, but his own were like iron over hers as he worked.

"Hold still." He ordered, eyes focused on his task and while she still struggled to collect her wits, he was gone as suddenly as he had embraced her. Shocked at the sudden chill in the air and shakiness in her legs, Lucy finally stopped holding her breath, letting it out in a low gasp that left her chest heaving. Her mind in shambles, she watched him grab the other shirts hanging as he treated them in the same manner, not even noticing that she could barely hold herself up anymore.

Grasping her cane at the trunk of the tree, she balanced herself and was finally able to fully process what he had done. Every shirt he passed over flapped in the wind effortlessly, no longer weighted down by the water and completely awe, she glanced from him to Mirajane with her jaw unhinged as words continued to fumble and fall away before she could speak them.

"Wonderful, Natsu!" Mirajane applauded, tossing the now empty baskets to the tree so she could drop the shirts into them. "And not a single one singed this time. You've been practicing!"

Cheeks slightly pink, the man shrugged his shoulders and sheepishly picked up his fish and pole once more. "Nah, it wasn't that difficult. I better get these back up to the camp so we can cook 'em! I bet I caught more than Gray this time around." Mirajane giggled as he walked away, crunching through the underbrush once more.

Still caught in her own stunned thoughts, Lucy didn't notice when the white-haired woman turned to look at her. "Is everything all right, Lucy?"

She blinked. "Eh? Oh. Yes, yes, everything's fine." Finally brought back to her senses, she helped the woman load the baskets once more and asked, "So...he's burned the shirts before?"

Mirajane laughed. "He likes to help, but he doesn't always have control of himself."

"I- I see..." Lucy replied, voice far away. Shivering again, she neatly folded the shirts and forced out a laugh. "Well, thanks to him,we got everything done so much faster. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he knew to come here for us."

Still smiling brightly, Mirajane lifted the baskets, shocking Lucy yet again, "Oh, he definitely knew. He'd been watching upstream since we started." Seeing Lucy drop her cane and splutter only made her laugh return. "You didn't know? He's taking his job very seriously. I'm so proud of him!"

Lucy wasn't entirely sure she knew how to respond to that.


Cana was judiciously shuffling her deck of cards again by the time Natsu made it back to camp. He was used to seeing her either entertaining others with her fortunes or drinking the entire camp out of the liqueur supply so it made no difference to him when she snapped her head up at his passing and pursed her lips intensely. Greeting her as he went by, the fortune teller waved him off with a snide remark to his catch of the day and life went on.

He had a mission to be the one with the most fish caught for today's meal and he was not going to be last to the central bonfire where most of the other hunters would have gathered for lunch. He didn't have much time to really consider the look Cana sent him behind his back or notice her draw a card slowly from her hand, staring him down.

Glancing to the card, her intense stare turned to concern. The Hanged Man reversed as well?


I actually have studied the use of Tarot cards and card meanings just for this chapter. I just really wanted to have fun with Cana here as the story moves itself along! I'll place a brief description of the meanings below, in case any of you are curious. For those of you who actually study Tarot, I was using the meanings from a Druid Craft Deck.

Seven of Swords Reversed: Dishonesty or deception may be revealed. Stolen goods being returned.

The Tower Reversed: Protection from full release. Avoidance. Imprisonment.

The Hanged Man Reversed: Inability to surrender. Denial of parts to the self. Lack of self-awareness or intuition. "Victimhood."

There are more, descriptive meanings, but where's the fun in that?