AN: Just a head's up that I reposted Chapters 1, 31 and this one for the sake of formatting issues! No changes in the story, so no worries!
And as always, thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers!
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The bright afternoon sun shone overhead, filtering through the leafy canopy of the enchanted woods. A lone glaer trotted along one of the narrow forest paths with two draconic figures seated on his back, the riders arguing playfully as they made their way through the shadowy forest. The figure steering the glaer sat in front, her shapely and svelte form evidence of her feminity. The figure seated behind her was taller and more rugged - a missing right arm doing nothing to take away from his dignified and imposing stature. The glaer - a magical horse-like creature that possessed more intelligence than a normal horse - snorted in amusement as it absorbed the rise and fall of the voices of his masters.
"Really, Igneel! Of all the times and places to try out one of your pranks…"
"My own steed has grown soft! Twas a time when the old coward wouldn't have blinked at an explosion - now a little bang has him running away as if the ghost of a drake is on his tail! Simply unacceptable."
Grandine leveled a glare at her husband over her shoulder that caused even the stubborn King of the Southern Dragons to cringe a little. He returned her hostile look with a sheepish smile tinged with a little bit of guilt.
"Of course, I suppose I could have chosen a better place to test that fine piece of pranking material… But did you see the range that little missile had?! Imagine how easily it would reach Lady Aqualine's table at dinner!"
Grandine just groaned, whipping her head forward again to hide the small smile that had arisen on her lips unbidden. She could not fool her beloved, however, for the dragon man leaned forward, craning his head over her shoulder to poke her cheek with his left hand.
"Oh, don't you dare! There's a smile begging to be let out, I can see it..."
The beautiful dragoness gave up, releasing a soft titter as amusement lit up her eyes and a sparkling grin crept up to adorn her luscious lips. Igneel let out a soft sigh of pleasure at the sight - it had been too long since he had seen his Queen smile.
"That's much better. Very you."
His eyes softened as he nuzzled her neck, a rumbling sound erupting from deep within his chest as he heard her breath hitch at the intimate action.
"I've missed your smile. I've missed your laughter. Ever since I've come back from the war, you've been far too serious… Far too worried and grief-stricken."
"Can you blame me?" Grandine retorted, her voice a shaky whisper. "My husband comes home after losing his right arm and wing. My son is emotionally and mentally scarred - so much so, that he refuses to come home at all. My daughter is a full-grown bonded dragoness - solemn and serious thanks to the environment she spent most of her teenage years in. And I wasn't around whilst she grew! I wasn't there to comfort my son when he needed it most! And I wasn't there for you… to stop him from hurting you!…"
Igneel wrapped his good arm around his wife's waist, pulling her closer to his broad chest as he propped his chin on her shoulder, breathing in her sweet, breezy scent.
"It wasn't your fault, Grandine. You had to stay here. Without you, we would have had no home to return to."
Grandine bit her trembling lower lip, frantically fighting back the tears that threatened to escape from beneath her long lashes.
"But…"
"No buts. You kept up the morale of all those left behind. You formed an important and key alliance with our human neighbors. Heck, you protected Alagesia from a damn demon guerilla army!"
Grandine could control her tears no longer, giving into her grief as she halted their steed and twisted a little in place to bury her face in his chest. Igneel held her close, burying his nose in her hair as he murmured sweet words of solace into her dark blue tresses. A few moments later, Grandine abruptly drew back, swiveling back to face front and taking the reigns of their patient steed back in her capable hands - all as she struggled to regain her composure. Igneel cleared his throat, giving her a moment to collect herself as he leaned back a little on the glaer they both rode. He soon got lost in examining the woods around them, swiveling his head this way and that as he took in all the sights, occasionally making sounds of delight like an excited little hatchling.
"Thank you, my love, my dragon king."
Grandine looked over her shoulder, her soft and tender expression overflowing with the mighty affection she felt for her bonded. Igneel couldn't help but melt inside at the look of adoration she blessed him with.
"You could have so easily condemned me for hiding the news about the demons from you. But you didn't. Yet again you have proven to me how far more noble, righteous and truly dragon you are than I…"
Igneel chuckled, gently tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"Nay, my dear. You flatter me. We both know it was necessary, I would have just tried to be at two places at once had I known. You did right by keeping it from me. Do not ever feel less of yourself for making a hard decision! Being able to choose such a thorny path with courage - that is the true spirit of a dragon. You have always been the more dragon of us two by far - so fiercely protective of those that you love, that you would go to any lengths to protect them and ensure their happiness…"
"And yet I always manage to ruin their lives more, don't I?" Grandine interjected a tad bitterly. "First Layla, then Acnologia, and from there on it just grew into an avalanche of mistakes, did it not?"
Igneel remained quiet for a long moment, carefully pondering his next words.
"You are too hard on yourself, my dear." He finally spoke, his voice deep and steady. "You did your best for every being. The subsequent course of events was not in your control." He paused, coaxing his beloved's face to turn back to look at him once more. "And from what I can see, you've done more than your share to ease the trauma of the past. One very important step in that direction was getting to know her. You've become very close to Lucy over the years, have you not?"
Grandine couldn't help the soft, fond smile that crept up on her lovely visage.
"Yes. And she is amazing! You would adore her, Igneel! I do hope we can arrange for you to meet her soon, but she has been terribly busy with the Protectors these last few months…"
Grandine's voice trailed off, her entire form stiffening as a faint sound of weapons being drawn accosted her. Igneel let out a low growl, the threat instantly putting him on guard. His hand drifted to his side, his grip tightening on the broadsword buckled to his waist.
"Grandine…"
A sudden hiss was all the warning they got before three small, strange, pockmarked globes descended from the leafy canopy above them, each emitting a light blue gas. The gas engulfed the pair and their steed, the magical horse immediately sinking to its knees as its masters jumped off him, struggling to stand upright themselves.
"M-magic draining g-gas… Igneel… run…"
The ferocious fire dragon snarled in response, gritting his teeth as he took up a protective stance in front of his wife.
"N-never! It affects you m-more because they have poisoned y-your element, the b-bastards. There is no way a m-measly gas could take me d-down… And I'd never leave your side, Grandine!"
Just as Igneel finished speaking, their first assailant lunged through the gas, a lanky, arrogant human lad with a scowl on his face. Igneel barely moved as he skewered the hapless boy with a single swipe of his sword, immediately returning to his defensive position the moment the body fell to the floor. Their three remaining attackers who had followed the boy into the mist far more cautiously, remained outside the thick circle of gas now mostly obscuring Igneel, Grandine and their horse from view. Igneel growled in frustration, his legs trembling beneath him as he stubbornly held his ground.
"T-they will not attack n-now, my love. They will w-wait till we have b-been sapped completely of our strength…"
"W-why aren't they getting affected b-by the gas too?!"
"T-they are not m-magical…"
A movement from outside the edge of the mist distracted them all. Their three attackers whirled around, startled by the black-clothed figure who had appeared behind them as if out of thin air. The shapely new form stood still for a long moment, lovingly caressing the short blade she held in her right hand…
And then she attacked.
She took her three opponents by surprise with a whip strike that coiled around their legs, dragging them to the ground into a messy heap. The men yelped and squirmed as they tried to fight their way free of the twisted, glowing weapon holding them fast together. So focused were they on escaping, that they did not even see the lithe, feminine figure hovering over them, her blade glinting in the afternoon sun.
Swish
With three neat strokes the woman stabbed each trapped man, jumping back the moment the last one's heart was pierced through.
Sheathing her blade, the womanly figure stalked forward through the thick, swirling mist, straight towards the fire dragon king struggling to stay upright.
Igneel let out a low, threatening growl.
"Despicable human. You would kill your comrades to steal their prize? I will destroy you…"
As the enraged dragon raised his broadsword, three things happened at once. The black-cladden female halted in her tracks, her hands raised in surrender. Grandine lunged forward, whisking the human female protectively behind her as she faced her husband with a warning growl. And Igneel's eyes fell upon a very familiar shape fastened to the golden chain around the mysterious human's neck…
"Stand down, Igneel! She is not a threat… Darling?" The heat in Grandine's voice tapered off as she took in her beloved's stunned expression. The dragon man shook his head, as if trying to clear it.
"That medallion around your neck." He rasped at the human, his gaze intense and searching. "When did he give it to you?"
Before the maiden could respond, Grandine let out a pitiful whine, sinking to the forest floor as the effects of the gas caught up with her. The young woman wrapped her arms around the weakened Queen of the Dragons, gently hoisting Grandine back onto her feet, and slipping the dragoness's arm around her neck. With a jerk of her head, the masked maiden gestured to Igneel to follow her, as she led the way out of the stifling, draining gas to an airier part of the woods. Igneel struggled to his feet, coaxing the steed behind him to do the same, and followed suit, his gaze still boring into the mysterious woman's back. The woman led them to a small stream hidden behind a thick curtain of foliage, just a few steps away from the place where they had been ambushed. She gently lowered the dragoness into a seated position beside the stream, rummaging through a small pouch fastened on her waist the moment Grandine slumped gratefully onto the grass. Igneel released their steed and gingerly took a seat next to his wife, the look he threw her way just as questioning as it was concerned. Grandine responded with a mischievous wink.
During their brief exchange, the young woman had mixed some of the clear water from the stream into a few vials she had extracted from her pack. The vials now contained a slimy, bright green liquid, which she handed to the dragon couple. Grandine dutifully consumed her small portion, and her husband followed suit - after a grimace of displeasure at the offending smelling liquid.
The effect was instantaneous.
Igneel could feel his usual magical strength return in a rush, the powerful flow of energy searing his veins as it resumed its true home. He let out a sigh of relief, glancing at his wife to see her eyes closed and a similar expression of relief on her own features, as the potion worked its cure upon her too. Igneel turned to the maiden, even more curious than before about their savior.
His breath caught in his throat.
The young maiden had at last removed the black garment obscuring her face and hair, revealing exquisite porcelain features and a braid of long, golden tresses. She stood with her back slightly turned to the dragon King and Queen as she tended to their steed - patiently attempting to coax the stubborn beast to drink the same healing mixture she had given the royal dragon couple. Igneel watched her in mute surprise as she poured a small quantity of the liquid into her palm and spoke low words of comfort to the mount, offering him the medicine as gently as she could. At last the beast gave in - it licked her hand clean, the young woman giggling as its rough tongue scraped the last dregs of liquid off her fingers.
"Lucy?"
The woman whirled around, her eyes narrowing at the fire-dragon King.
"How did you know my name?"
Igneel flinched. How indeed. How could he not recognize that face and that golden hair? The last human woman to have had those features had been akin to a sister to him, and her loss as grievous to him as it had been to his wife. The added shock of her chocolate-brown eyes had Igneel sighing in sorrow - the maiden had inherited the most striking features of both her parents - it would have been nigh impossible for him to have missed her heritage.
"My husband has already heard so much about you from me, my dear. I am not surprised that he was able to recognize you from your singular features…" Grandine interjected softly, gesturing to Lucy's long, golden braid. The young maiden relaxed - a hesitant smile making its way on her face.
"Oh. Of course, Grandine. My apologies for my tone, I was just… startled. It is truly a pleasure to meet you, your majesty." Lucy dipped into a pretty curtsey, her shy smile directed at the fire dragon King. The dragon man graced her with a brilliant grin in return.
"The pleasure is mine, dear girl. And it is I who must apologize - for assuming the worst when I first saw you…"
She waved off his words with a laugh. "Nay, your majesty. You were right to keep your guard up - you were protecting your beloved bonded, after all. I entirely understand." She paused, cocking her head a little curiously. "What surprised me, oh King, is that you stopped when you saw my medallion… Do you know the dragon to whom this belongs too, your majesty?"
"Igneel"
"W-what?"
"Call me Igneel, Lucy."
Lucy flushed a little, her eyes flitting to Grandine's for permission. Grandine only returned her flustered look with a broad grin, laughing a little at the young lady's discomfiture.
"You needn't look so timid, Lucy. My husband doesn't bite."
"He's a damn dragon…" Lucy muttered under her breath, momentarily forgetting that dragons possessed exemplary hearing. "Of course he can bite…"
The pair burst into laughter, as Lucy blushed even harder, realizing her unthinking words had been heard. A few minutes later, as their obviously good-natured mirth still continued unhindered, she joined in with a light laugh of her own, relaxing completely in the company of the dragon King and Queen.
"Well?" She prompted softly, once their mirth had completely subsided. "Do you know him, Igneel?"
Igneel hesitated, glancing at his queen for help. Grandine sat stock still, a distant look in her eye, but the warning look she briefly offered her husband was enough to convey her thoughts. Igneel cleared his throat, carefully selecting his words.
"Err. In a sense, young one."
Lucy fell to her knees beside the royal pair, a look of intense longing and affection writ on her face.
"Is he well? Has he survived the war? Is he yet to return, or has he already come home to Alagesia?..."
"I cannot answer all of that, dear Lucy." Igneel interrupted her gently. "But I can say that he is alive… and reasonably well."
Lucy sat back on her heels, a look of disappointment marring her features. Igneel's heart broke for the young maiden, as he observed the yearning writ on her beautiful face as she clutched the medallion around her neck like a life-line.
"Thank you. I-I suppose that is all the information I have a right too."
Igneel frowned.
"What do you mean by that?..."
"It is best you leave right away." Lucy rose from her spot, hastily turning her back on the couple as she slowly approached their steed. "Your faithful mount has recovered - I'm confident he will be able to take you both safely to Alagesia." She deftly readjusted the saddle of their glaer to a more comfortable position as she took the reins in hand. "It would be best if you take the southern path, although it is longer, for then you'll have no further trouble - Brom and I just finished patrolling that path, we know it to be free from magic bandits now…" The last sentence was addressed to Grandine, as she handed the reins to the noble dragon queen. Grandine nodded her consent.
"We'll do as you suggest, Lucy."
"God's speed then. And I do hope we meet again, Grandine and… Igneel."
With a soft, shy smile of farewell, the young maiden turned on her heel, briskly exiting the small clearing with a soft yet swift tread. Igneel gaped at the spot where she had disappeared for a full two minutes before turning to his beloved with a gasp.
"She didn't answer my question, did she?!"
Grandine rolled her eyes, fighting back her amused chuckle. "No dear. She did not. And how could you expect her too? It was obvious that she feels guilty about something. She would not easily confess to such things, she is far too much like your old friend Jude in that regard."
With that retort, Grandine gracefully ascended their mount, beckoning to her husband to get on as well. Igneel chuckled, climbing up onto their steed just as gracefully.
"She loves him, doesn't she?" Igneel said in a softer tone. "The way she asked about our boy - it sounded like she cares for him immensely, did it not?"
Grandine sighed, but nodded in acquiescence.
"Aye. Although, knowing her nature better now, I suspect she will deny it until the end of time."
Igneel groaned. "Damn. In that case, that blasted son of ours better bond with her quick - otherwise, by the time these two get together I'll be too old to play with my grand hatchlings!"
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One day, the Kingdom of Icegard awoke to a flurry of activity just outside the massive entrance gates. Two separate parties were preparing for departure - one led by a blue-haired, and suave rebel, the other headed by the kingdom's treasured prince. A little away from the bustling preparations, the Prince of Dragons stood stoic and still, regarding one of the two parties with a look of disgruntled dissatisfaction on his face.
"It is highly unlike you to frown in this fashion. What exactly are you sulking about?" Erza's crisp question pierced his morbid reverie.
"I still don't think it's a good idea for Gray to go to Pergrande." Natsu responded with a scowl.
Erza harrumphed, glaring at the dragon.
"That is not your decision to make, Natsu."
"I have a right to my opinion, don't I?"
She frowned. "You do. But if you are so worried, why don't you accompany him?"
Natsu clamped his mouth shut, staring straight ahead at the distant snowy peaks of Icegard. He refused to meet his old friend's eyes, only piquing her curiosity all the more.
"Natsu?"
Natsu grit his teeth, eyes still stubbornly fixed on the horizon.
"I've heard that you were staying back to search for Acnologia's remains… but the true reason is something more, is it not?"
The fire dragon prince sighed in defeat, turning back to face his scarlet-haired sister.
"Yes."
Erza raised a brow, waiting patiently for him to collect his thoughts and continue.
"I am not ready to face them, yet." Natsu began abruptly. "My kingdom, that is. I've done so many horrible things during the war, and I've earned a reputation so fearsome and repulsive - that I fear my people will shun me. I hoped that a little time would ease the situation over there, and better prepare me to face it…"
Erza scoffed, her eyes narrowing as she examined the dragon's face.
"Liar. When have you ever been concerned about the opinions of others?"
Natsu pouted, his gaze dropping to his feet.
"Hey, I have feelings too, ya know!"
Erza chuckled. "Yes Natsu, you do. But sensitivity to other's opinions of you has never been one of them. In fact, the only being whose opinion has ever seemed to matter to you was…" Erza trailed off, as realization dawned on her.
She regarded the dragon with far more sympathy than before, a tender, understanding smile hovering on her lips.
"You're frightened about what Lucy would think of you, aren't you?"
Natsu's gaze shot up from its home on the ground, his eyes filled with surprise, fear and sorrow. For a long moment he just stared at her. And then he took a deep, shuddering breath.
"W-what if she hates me? What if she is scared of me? I-I don't know what I would do if she rejected me…"
Erza did not respond, her gaze instead fixed on the black and red patterned band on Natsu's right wrist.
"Natsu, what is that?"
Natsu frowned, following her gaze to the comfortable cloth encasing his wrist.
"Err… My wrist band?"
Erza glared. "What is that golden ornament attached to it, you idiot!?"
Natsu bit his lower lip as a blush arose unbidden on his scaled cheeks.
"Ah. Just a farewell gift from a friend…"
"That's Lucy's locket. The one that can open despite its miniscule size. What does it contain?" Erza muttered more to herself than the dragon before her.
She grabbed his forearm, ignoring his startled yelp as she twisted his hand to get a better look at the tiny piece of jewelry. Natsu tried to pull his hand away from her strong grip, creating a tug of war of sorts.
"L-let go, Erza!"
"Hold still, you stubborn dragon!"
Despite his squirming, Erza still easily managed to pry open the miniature locket, getting a quick glimpse of its contents before closing it once again and promptly releasing her friend's trapped appendage.
Natsu yanked his hand back, glaring balefully at her as he rubbed his slightly sore wrist.
"Ya didn't have to be so rough, ya know!"
"Oh, for goodness sake! You're a grown dragon warrior, cease whining like a helpless hatchling."
Natsu stuck his tongue out at her petulantly, to which Erza rolled her eyes.
"Do you know the significance of that gift, Natsu?"
The dragon blinked.
"Huh? What do you mean? She just told me it's a human tradition to offer a warrior a favor before he rides out to battle - to give him an incentive to come home safely…"
Erza smirked at him, her eyes glittering with suppressed excitement and glee. Natsu took an involuntary step back - that look was surprisingly scary.
"Is that all she said? Hmmm… Interesting…"
Natsu blinked again, watching her expression turn thoughtful.
"I think you should return home, Natsu. That gift she gave you means far more than that. And whether she gave it to you consciously acknowledging its immensity or not, it is proof that she will always accept you, no matter what."
"I-It is?"
Erza smiled at him, her expression turning gentle.
"Aye. Don't do her an injustice by distrusting the depth of the affection she holds for you, Natsu. She cares. Far more than she even realizes."
Natsu sighed, a happy smile making its way on to his lips.
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Natsu nodded slowly.
"Thanks Erza."
He cleared his throat, glancing around at the rest of the beings milling about, now almost done with their preparations and curiously regarding their tete a tete.
The parties departed soon after, the goodbyes and farewells ringing out in the crisp winter air. As the last of the horses faded out of sight, a lone draconic figure made his way back to his quarters, immersed in thought.
His scarlet-haired friend was right. It was time.
After the next fortnight passed, he would begin his journey home.