Summary: The final battle begins…..will Natsu get to Lucy and their unborn child in time?
Pairings: Gray/Juvia, Ultear/Juvia friendship, Lisanna/Lucy friendship, Laxus/Bickslow friendship, implied Jellal/Erza, implied brotherly Laxus/Gray, and other family feels that I am too lazy to list, Natsu/Lucy, Parental Lucy/Nashi, and Parental Natsu/Nashi.
Author's Note: Okay first thing first: I am so sorry that this took so long. I never intended to make you all wait but a mix of writer's block for this particular chapter and a sudden new obsession of Miraculous Ladybug had distracted me way too much. However, despite how sorry I am for making you wait that doesn't excuse certain people from PMing me and reviewing my other fanfictions with demands to update this. I will update when I update this goes for all of my fanfictions and if I am to put something on hold I will announce it on my profile there is no need to constantly pester me about it. So please, in the future just be patient because I won't just suddenly abandon this fic. Secondly, a really big thank you (THANK YOU!) for not only giving me over NINETY SIX HUNDRED reviews but for the constant encouragement and support a lot of you have given me especially during a nasty time when I got a very abusive review. Your support is always appreciated. And finally, please enjoy this!
Snow covered the fields of England like a thick blanket. There was nothing to see but cold, empty, whiteness. Gray couldn't help but grimace as he knew that soon enough this white, blank, canvas will become blood-soaked. The streams would run red for days on end regardless of who wins the battle.
What a wonderful way to celebrate Yuletide.
That was probably the worst thing about this whole situation. That he was leading men out in the bitter cold when they could be at their own hearths celebrating in order to fight their own family and friends who happened to have sided with the Lancastrian faction.
His kingdom was divided and at war with each other at a time that was supposed to be about peace and good will. It quite honestly made him feel like a failure of a King.
To make matters worse he was also a failure as a husband.
After having left her to drift about in a damp basement of a cathedral for months, Gray was only reunited with Juvia for a few scant days before he had to leave her again, and now he had to leave her again with a chance that he was never coming back and that she would be at the mercy of his enemies.
At the very least he thought he could keep her safe in the Tower of London with the best fortifications and defence the city had to offer…..he was wrong. As he was preparing to mount his horse and leave, Juvia descended the steps of Westminster palace, dressed in her riding habit and her head held up high as her ladies followed suit.
A stable hand led her horse out and Gray strongly suspected he knew where this was going…..and hoped to God he was wrong. "Juvia," he said with a false calm, "what are you doing?"
Juvia stared at him directly in the eye with a serene expression. "Juvia is coming with you," she said simply.
"No," Gray said immediately, "Juvia is most certainly not coming with me."
Juvia's sweet, serene, expression did not even waver. "Juvia refuses to wait in London to see if she is to greet her husband home or surrender to the enemy," she said softy but sternly, "Juvia is coming with Gray-sama so she can support him."
"Juvia, I am going into battle," Gray hissed furiously. "It's no place for a lady."
Juvia lowered her chin down to give him a withering look that could almost match one of Ultear's scorning glares. "Erza is going," she pointed out.
"Yeah but Erza is no la- ouch!" Gray yowled as Erza suddenly leaned over from her horse and smacked him over the head. Hard. He turned to yell at her but his voice instantly died a quick, short, death when she stared back with one of her most terrifying glares. Knowing Erza was most definitely not going to help him. He turned pleasingly to his other, more helpful, sister. "Ultear, help me out here," he said beseechingly, "Tell her to stay with you."
"Of course she can stay with me," Ultear replied. And Gray almost leaped up in the air with joy at that when Ultear suddenly continued, "after all….I am going to."
It was a good thing he hadn't gotten on his horse yet because he would have most definitely have fallen out at that.
"What?!"
"Do you think I like waiting in London fearing the worst for you?" Ultear challenged as she raised an eyebrow at him. "I refuse to wait for days on end this time round."
"It's dangerous!"
"Everything is dangerous," Ultear said coolly, "We are at war."
"London needs someone to stay and govern."
Ultear actually let out a very unladylike snort at that. "You have plenty of old men who cannot fight any longer to do that," she argued, "Besides London governs herself with the merchants and the mayor, you do not need Juvia and me to do anything."
Gray couldn't argue with that at all. London was more than capable of defending itself when it wished too. He remembered the stories of London keeping their gates shut to the Lancastrians when they were allied to the Scottish. He had no doubt if they so wished to, they would do it again with just as much ease.
But still! He didn't want to admit this at all because that would mean he had to relent in Juvia's demand to go with him and then how would he be able to keep her safe and fight a battle?
As if sensing his inner turmoil (which was really not that hard to do as Gray's hands were beginning to untie his cloak), Laxus spoke up.
"May I suggest, Sire, that we house the ladies at the nearest manor owned by someone who is loyal?" he suggested. "That way the ladies will not have to wait for days on end for news but at the same time they are not put in danger at the battle."
Ultear and Juvia exchanged glances that spoke volumes before Ultear nodded slightly. Juvia then suddenly beamed radiantly as she turned back to face Gray. "Juvia thinks that sounds like a wonderful idea!" she said delightedly.
Gray took one look at Juvia's determined eyes, another at Ultear's equally determined face, and a glance round to see that no one was arguing against this.
"Fine!" he threw his hands up in the air. "Fine," he huffed again, "you win! But if the worst happens….." he trailed off . he didn't quite want to say the words. He didn't want to jinx it for everyone but it had to be said. He took a deep breath. "if you hear word that York has lost I want you on the first horse out of there and onto the nearest boat that will take you back to Spain. Do you understand me?"
Juvia nodded solemnly. "Juvia understands."
"If I tell you to leave me," Gray said seriously, "you would?"
"As much as it pains Juvia," Juvia said quietly, "Juvia would do as Gray-sama asks because….because Juvia is carrying something incredibly precious."
Her hands carefully cupped her stomach as she said that and Gray's eyes widened with alarmed realisation.
"You mean….?" Juvia nodded. "Well that settles it you are most certainly staying in-"
"Juvia was born in the middle of a battle," Juvia interrupted shortly. "Juvia's mother was commanding an army when she had to be rushed to her tent and give birth to Juvia. Juvia is made of sterner stuff than Gray-sama thinks. Juvia might not be a warrior like Erza or her mother but Juvia is not going to stay behind in a fortress. Juvia will support Gray-sama in any way she can. She will flee if Gray-sama commands but only so she can raise an army in Gray-sama's and Gray-sama's child's name. If Juvia did anything less she would not be worthy to be Gray-sama's Queen."
"Okay, okay!" Gray said quickly. A little frightened of his wife's newly found temper. It was nowhere near Erza's level of fury but…..it was certainly intimidating. "But remember, you promised, the first horse out of there when you can."
"The first horse out of there," Juvia promised.
And now he was here, at Tewkesbury Abbey. Where the Lancastrian army had made camp and York was going to make war with his wife only a few scant miles away from the danger….
He had everything riding on this battle.
Everything.
His Kingdom's security and well-being, his subjects' lives, his wife's safety, his family's safety and lives, his own life, the well-being of Lucy and her unborn child, and now his own unborn child's future…
He lifted up his sword. "A YORK!" he bellowed as he brought it down. "A YORK!"
His army bellowed and cheered behind him.
"A YORK!"
The battle has begun.
May God let it be the last.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Lucy was in utter agony.
After what had felt like a hell of a journey on that horrible cart and on the bumpy, holey, roads that sent her bouncing about all over the place, she could barely drag herself into the abbey that Ivan made his base of operations. There was no doubt to how he made the abbey give into him, Lucy was obviously a card he was still playing in his ridiculous plot. With only Lisanna and Virgo as her only support, Lucy had stumbled through the abbey, accepted the blessings, prayers, and kindness of the nuns, before she forced in front of Queen Karin and Prince Edward of Wales.
Queen Karin had stared at her coldly, sneered as she spoke to Lucy, and made some very cruel comments directed to the House of York and Natsu. Lucy paid her no attention, her eyes were fully on Loke who looked deathly pale and permanently had his lips compressed in a thin line of determination and resolution.
She had no idea what he had resolved himself to do but her heart went out to him despite of everything. After all, Loke never wanted to be King. This whole usurpation must be a complete nightmare for him.
With a cold dismissal from the Queen, Lucy was then ushered into a nun's cell. It was small, bare, and had no means of escape that wasn't heavily guarded, but it was clean and rather cosy. Lucy had then spent the next few days trying to ignore the rapid preparations for a battle as she clutched her aching belly, her sore back, her heavy limbs, and prayed to the crucifix nailed above her bed for her salvation.
She was half convinced that horrendous journey had somehow knocked the baby halfway out. Why else would she be in such agony?
To make things worse this very morning she woke up in smelly, damp, sheets followed with the utmost shame of having wet the bed. Lisanna, who had been sleeping beside her, had been very kind about it and reassured Lucy it was perfectly normal for pregnant women and she would fetch some clean sheets immediately but that had been a couple hours ago and it was now beginning to look like that both Lisanna and Virgo seemed to be detained for reasons unknown as Lucy had not seen her maid in waiting all morning either.
So with no bed and no other furniture to sit on (the rickety, aged, table was no use at all, for one thing Lucy could not jump up on it with her stomach in the way and the pain making anything unbearable), Lucy had to remain standing, and soon enough she became increasingly aware of a sharp pain across her abdomen.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Lucy thought panicked as she began to pace the room. "Not now!" she whispered mournfully. "Not after all these months. Don't let me lose you now, baby, please."
The pains increased over time in frequency and agony and to add to her plight she could her trumpets and bellowing from afar.
The battle had begun.
Natsu was somewhere out there fighting to save her and she was probably losing his baby this very minute. Again. Why did God hate her so much? What on earth did she do to deserve such punishment?
"LUCY!" Lisanna banged the door open and hurried in, clean sheets bundled in one arm, and a jug of water in the other. Virgo was behind her with a tray of food in her own arms. "I am so sorry but it was a nightmare to find anything. The battle has started and-"
"Lisanna!" Lucy croaked as she doubled over in pain. "I think I'm losing the baby."
Lisanna froze momentarily and blinked. Within an instant a look of determination and resolution took over and she gently but firmly placed the sheets and jug on the table and immediately rushed to Lucy's side.
"Right," she placed a cool hand on Lucy's stomach, "tell me everything." Lucy did so and the more words poured out of her mouth the more concerned Lisanna looked. "Right," she breathed out. "Good news first," she said reassuringly as possible, "you are not losing the baby."
"Oh thank G-"
"Bad news is that you are giving birth," Lisanna interrupted, "right now."
"No!" Lucy moaned. "No, not now, definitely not now, I cannot give birth right now. I just ca-ARRGH!" she screamed as the pain jolted back but a hundred times worse than before. "You have got to be kidding me!" Lucy sobbed. "We're in a middle of a battle! I cannot give birth here!"
"Baby comes when baby wants to come," Lisanna said unflinchingly, "I am sorry but there's nothing we can do but make you comfortable. You are not the first woman to give birth in a war zone and I doubt you'll be the last. Virgo," she barked slightly, "can you change the bedsheets? We are going to need to get Lucy as comfortable as possible."
"Yes, Sister."
"Lis…..Lis…..Lis…." Lucy panted desperately as she clutched the nun's arms tightly. "I do not think I can do this!" she confessed as tears ran down her cheeks. "I cannot do this. I am too scared to do this."
"Hush," Lisanna murmured gently, "you are one of the strongest people I know. You must be to put up with Natsu for as long as you have." Lucy laughed weakly and then immediately grimaced in pain, regretting her laugh instantly. "Your baby needs you to keep on being the brave and strong person you already are. So chin up, deep breath, and let me guide you into bringing your baby into the world."
"Okay, okay," Lucy panted, "but – ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH! – I need you to do me a favour."
"What is it?"
"If Natsu comes barging in anytime soon give him a great big kick up the arse for me," Lucy grumbled, "and then tell him that this is all his fault."
Lisanna giggled as another contraction hit Lucy. Her warm twinkle vanished as she allowed Lucy to squeeze the life out of her hands. "There now, easy does it," she murmured gently, "breathe in, breathe out."
"Sister," Virgo said flatly, "the bed has now been changed. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Yes, help me get Lucy into the bed and then you will have to hold her hand and give her all of your support as I check on baby." Virgo nodded and immediately appeared at Lucy's either side, together the three of them staggered towards the bed as Lucy clutched desperately at both her maid in waiting and her husband's childhood friend. "Now Lucy," Lisanna said imperiously in Lucy's ear, "I know it sounds ridiculously simple but I want you to do me a favour and breathe!"
Lucy screamed.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Blood, all he could see was blood. Just as all he could hear was the screams of anguish and the sounds of swords clashing round him. Just as all he could smell was blood, sweat, and dirt. Just as all he could feel was the sweat running down his neck as he swung his sword up and swiped down at some nameless, faceless, person.
The sky rained arrows, the snow turned red and black with blood and dirt, and the ground began to pile up with bodies.
There was a dark shadow that loomed in the corner of his eye and Laxus turned to see in the distance his father scowling on his horse.
Laxus angrily swiped the blood and sweat out of his eyes and met his father gaze head on.
Ivan Dryer's lips curled nastily.
Laxus growled furiously and lurched forwards with the intention of wading his way through all this blood and despair before he yanked Ivan down his horse and sunk his sword into his stomach with great satisfaction.
He didn't even get halfway across the field before a massive brute charged towards him with a mace. Another knight stepped between them and raised his shield to fend off the attack before he quickly sank his sword into the brute's stomach. "You ought to be more careful," Bickslow grinned beneath his visor, "Your Grace."
Another Lancastrian swooped towards them and Laxus quickly pushed him back with his sword before he could even touch Bickslow. "So should you," he said dryly.
"Hey," Bickslow grinned, "I got your back and you got mine."
Laxus smirked in reply and together they battled on. He could see glimpses of everyone else fighting just as valiantly. Erza terrified the opposition utterly as Jellal covered her back, Natsu was literally a monster as he left nothing but destruction in his wake, Lyon was swift, smooth, and deadly, and Gajeel swiped away his opponents with a lazy ease.
Then there was, of course, Gray who was leading the battle at the very front lifting the morale higher and higher as he slashed his way through the army of Lancastrians.
They were winning.
They were getting closer.
They were going to kill the man that murdered their father figure.
So it was no surprise at all when they heard the horns of retreat. "RETREAT!" he could hear his father bellow. "RETREAT!"
"Damnit!" Laxus cursed. "No! I'm not letting him get away." He snatched up a stray pike that had been abandoned by a dead soldier and flung it with all his might at his father's head.
It missed by three inches and pierced the bark of a tree as his father rode off towards the Abbey.
"No!" Laxus snarled. "Damnit! Damnit to hell!"
By the time the leading members of Gray's war council met up it felt as if an eternity had gone by. There had been so many wounded that needed ushering to the medical tent, there had been so many dead that needed to be noted down, there had been scouts to send out to follow those who escaped, there had been so many surrenders from remaining Lancastrians to accept….it had been exhausting.
And then he got the report from Freed about his father's whereabouts.
"They're retreating into sanctuary," he announced to the York family grimly. Sanctuary. There was nothing they could do while his father dwelled under the house of God. "The battle is over."
Everyone looked furious at this. Natsu was definitely on the verge of exploding, his face so red, and his cheeks puffed out childishly as he tried to keep what he really wanted to say quiet. Laxus was reminded far too much of all the times Natsu was on a verge of a fight with Gray as a child. Gray, himself, looked incredibly displeased and exhausted at the same time, Laxus knew how he felt.
"It's far from over," Gray said in a pinched voice, "Laxus."
"Yeah!" Natsu cried out. "We haven't got Lucy back yet."
Laxus rolled his eyes at that. Natsu sounded like a broken instrument playing the same tune over and over again. He hasn't spoken about anything other than rescuing his wife since he found out she had been captured. Laxus was all for saving the Duchess of Norfolk just to shut Natsu up.
"No one is leaving Lucy behind," Erza said calmly and soothingly, "Gray's spy told us that she was here in the abbey which we have surrounded. We can easily negotiate her freedom in return of a pardon or a period of grace for them to leave."
"No." Gray said firmly, "I want to end this today."
Everyone exchanged hesitant looks at that. It was virtually impossible to end the entire war today. They were at a complete stalemate with the leading generals of the other side hiding away in the abbey.
Yet no one seemed to want to actually say something.
Which meant Laxus had to because if there was one thing he had learnt from his grandfather it was that a mark of a good councillor was to tell the King something he didn't want to hear.
"Your Majesty, the enemy has gone into sanctuary there is nothing we can do to them," Laxus said bluntly. "They have been granted safety and security by the Church which no man has power over. We can either wait outside until they get fed up which will only lead to starvation and hypothermia for the soldiers or we can go home and make the best of the situation and plan for when they do finally make an appearance."
"And risk them sneaking out and escaping to France?" Gray shot back. "Risk them making another invasion attempt? Risk another bloody battle which divides our nation further?"
"And what about Lucy?!" Natsu yelled.
"Yes, there is that too," Gray said impatiently, "Can you imagine what your father and that French She-Wolf of a woman would do with a potential heir to both the House of Lancaster and York? We risk too much to let them stay in sanctuary."
Laxus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could really use his grandfather's help there. You know to suddenly come back and knock some sense in these morons. "May I remind you, Your Majesty," he said respectfully as possible between gritted teeth, "that when your wife fled into sanctuary the Lancastrian faction not only respected it but Henry himself ruled that no one should prevent the deliveries of food and supplies to her?"
"Henry is a saint that's why he's a terrible King," Gray said dully, "I am no saint Laxus. Also the people in that church are not a group of innocent ladies, they're soldiers, men with blood on their hands, men who will have more blood on their hands if we don't stop them. We're breaking sanctuary if you don't like it you can leave."
There were a lot of things that were considered immoral that Laxus was willing to do. Lots of things. But the one damn thing he would never even think of doing was leaving behind the snotty-nosed brats he had promised to protect.
Especially when they were all so nervous and anxious. As if they weren't hardened warriors. Gray was beginning to play with his armour and it would only be a matter of minutes before he was naked. Erza had stiffened to the point she looked as if someone had shoved a broomstick where he definitely won't name (because undoubtedly Mira would find out and slap him). Natsu had tensed as well to the point he looked as if he was about to snap in two and none of the other members of this war council looked particularly at ease either. How could he leave when they were all looking at him with a wide-eyed innocence that he knew they had never possessed?
His grandfather really would come back from the dead if he left now.
He met Gray's empty gaze with a blazing glare of his own. "I am not leaving," he said quietly but firmly.
Gray stopped playing with the buckle on his armour almost slumped with relief while Erza actually did and Natsu's face split into a wild, maniacal, grin.
"Tha-"
"Don't thank me!" Laxus snapped gruffly, "we'll undoubtedly be condemned for this."
But he'll do it anyway because, fuck it, he wants his future children to grow up in a country that wasn't divided by red and white roses. He wants to go home and not have to worry about the next battle with some dissatisfied Lancastrian who wants the good ol' days back. He wants to see his foster brothers and sisters live a normal life for once that didn't include kidnappings and betrayal and hiding in other countries.
Gray nodded understandingly.
"Then let's pray that God will have mercy on us," he said solemnly as he crossed himself. Everyone did the same and mumbled a prayer under their breath. Gray took a deep breath and whatever remained of the frightened little boy that Laxus had caught the glimpse of vanished in an instant as the hardened, icy, warrior returned. "Give the order."
Laxus did so.
And once again the world was turned upside down.
FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT
Another battle broke out with the remaining bits of the Lancastrian army outside of the abbey.
Natsu was only numbly aware of the screaming and shouting and sounds of war that surrounded him. He was too focused on his prize to really pay attention to it all. Buildings burned, women screamed, swords clashed against swords, and men died, any other time he would be keenly aware of this horror as he fought tooth and nail to make sure everyone he loved lived through this hell…..not this time.
This time he had his eye on the prize and nothing else mattered.
This time he pushed through the last struggling bit of the battle (which was happening right there in the abbey grounds breaking all sanctum and holiness of the place and any other time it would horrify everyone but everyone was too busy fighting for the right to live to notice) and chased after the retreating, cold, black armour that was Viscount Ivan Dryer.
The spineless worm had pushed and shoved his way past the brawling crowds back into the actual abbey and Natsu was determined to capture him and the beating the living shit out of him. He was going to make that miserable piece of shit tell him where his wife was, then he was going to make the arsehole regret ever killing Gramps, he will also throw in a few well deserved kicks for causing this entire mess and the mass loss of life throughout the country, and then finally, finally, he'll inflict a broken limb for every hair that was out of place on Lucy and their baby.
And then he might just kill him just to make sure none of this could ever happen again.
Viscount Dryer ran across the stone floored corridors and up a set of steep stairs. His metal boots echoed loudly against the stone slabs. Natsu followed without hesitation when he suddenly heard a familiar scream. His heart faltered as he tripped over thin air.
Lucy!
The closer Viscount Dryer and Natsu got to the end of the chilly corridor the louder the screaming got. And then suddenly it cut out and a baby wail could be heard.
Natsu's heart stopped completely.
His baby!
And immediately his heart started at a million miles per an hour as he sped up after the Viscount. His baby was born. His baby was alive. His baby had entered in a world and was in immediate danger.
All he could hear was his a heart loudly pumping and his blood boiling. It was all so loud that he almost missed Lisanna's shout of delight. "It's a girl!" she cried out cheerfully. "You have a beautiful baby gir-"
BANG!
The Viscount slammed the door open so loudly that Natsu could feel the vibrations from the floor. His back was turned away from Natsu but he could easily imagine the look of fury that must be etched in that bastard's face. He had seen the Viscount's splotchy, red, angry face from enough Council meetings to picture it easily now.
"YOU!" Viscount Dryer boomed as he pointed at Lucy. THIS IS YOUR FAULT! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS!"
Over the Viscount's shoulder Natsu could see Lisanna clutching something wrapped in linen to her chest as she stared at the Viscount with horrified wide eyes. The Viscount stepped forwards, his hand on his sword, and Lisanna immediately staggered back as she held the bundle closer to her chest.
"I will make you pay," the Viscount said with a deadly quietness. Chills ran down Natsu's spine at the implication. "I will make you pay!"
He then reached out to grab the bundle in Lisanna's arms when -
"Stay away from my baby!"
It all happened so fast and yet so slow all at once. One moment the Viscount was ready to strike out like a deadly snake and then the next thing Natsu knew Lucy had leaped out of her bed, jumped onto the Viscount's back (which sent him stumbling backwards and caused him to drop his sword which landed on the floor with a loud clatter) and furiously raised her arm in the air before she swooped down and dug a dagger deep into the Viscount's throat.
The Viscount let out a strangled scream. His sudden jerk backwards in agony sent Lucy flying back onto the floor. Crimson blood splattered against the grey stone as the Viscount gargled desperately.
He reached out for his sword.
Natsu moved without thinking.
One minute he had been watching dumbfounded as Lucy attacked a man five times bigger and stronger than her and the next he was sinking his own sword into the soft belly of Ivan Dryer.
It was incredibly satisfying to watch what little life was left to leave the cold, empty, eyes of Ivan Dryer.
The Viscount's body landed on the ground with a soft thump and Natsu's bloody sword followed much more loudly as he blinked, stupefied with what he had just done. The silence in the room was almost as deafening as Lucy's screams.
"Natsu."
Natsu looked up at the sound of Lucy's soft voice. She sounded just as shocked and scared as he felt but the fact that she could be heard and was here made something inside him leap with excitement. He took in her flushed face from exhaustion, she was breathless and tired, sweat soaked her making her blonde hair look darker as it plastered against her head and neck and her curves were enhanced as her white shift was glued to her skin, her eyes were wild and bright, and she was panting like a dog. She had just given birth and helped murder a man within mere minutes and yet she was absolutely stunning.
He fell in love with her all over again in this one second.
"Lucy."
It was as if his voice broke some sort of spell on her because Lucy instantly crumbled and let out a little sob. "Oh thank God!" she cried out as she flung her arms round his neck and tried to bury her face into his shoulder. "I thought I was never go-ARRRGH!"
Lucy contorted in his arms, her nails dug into his metal coated arms which made a horrific screeching noise, as she looked in utter agony.
Panic welled up in Natsu's stomach instantly. He felt like he was going to be sick. Had Dryer gotten Lucy without him noticing? Was she dying? Is this something caused by the baby? Is this why women die in childbirth? "What is it?" he asked anxiously. "What's happening?!"
"After birth," Lisanna replied shortly as she elbowed Natsu away. She had been bathing the baby while Natsu and Lucy were reuniting and there was now a damp little bundle in her arms which she immediately shoves into Natsu's. "Here Papa," she said briskly, "You take baby and go wait outside while I do my job."
His baby felt so light and yet so heavy in his arms. Lisanna was now guiding Lucy away from him back to the bed with the help of Virgo. Natsu stared after them feeling utterly hopeless as he had no idea what to do.
"But-"
"Now!" Lisanna barked. "Natsu or so help me God I will tell Erza that it was actually you who-"
"I'm going! I'm going!"
And before he knew it he was back out in the corridor with the door firmly slammed shut behind him. He briefly wondered what Lisanna would do with the corpse that was also in there but there was a little snuffle in his arms and he instantly forgot about it as he looked down at the tiniest, most fragile, thing he had ever seen.
She was all rosy cheeks, dainty features, and he could not say who she took after because she looked just like any baby in the world but she was his baby and that made her the best and most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
He sunk down gently onto the floor and shifted her carefully in his arms. His metal armour must be freezing and the thin piece of linen wasn't much to protect her from it. Her face instantly screwed up as she let out an indignant wail.
"Hey," he cooed gently as he rocked her, "hey baby, don't cry, I'm here, me," he wished more than anything that he was dressed normally and could hold her properly against his chest and share his warmth with her. "Hey," he said soothingly, "look at me, I'm your Papa."
And just as the sounds of war died down, the bells tolled, and the cheering for the House of York could be heard, Natsu's daughter's eyes opened for the very first time.
They were the same dark brown as Lucy's and were so full of innocence that it took his breath away.