Chapter Four:

Her Need

I sat in the huge oval shaped bath, flexing my legs as the sweet smell of vanilla, jasmine and an earthly, almost warm scent that reminded me of the fields just beyond the castle walls, surrounded me. When I closed my eyes, I could almost feel the warm spring breeze, and the softness of the grass against my feet.

I sighed softly, stretching my legs out a little as the muscles in my thighs clenched lightly. I stared down at them, wondering if it was healthy to wish for your body to change. Of course, I had always been fairly certain of my figure, but there were things that I'd like the opportunity to change.

My hips, for one. A little too wide, not exactly measuring up with the line of my shoulders. The hips of a whore, my father had once told me. He had said it was hard to find clothes that made me look dainty and gentle – as all princesses should be – and that I should focus on wearing bands around my hips to attempt to pull the hips in closer. I had seen what corsets could do to ribs, and decided against it.

And if that wasn't bad enough, my legs weren't as thin as I would have liked. Or my father would have liked. I suppose when I was with him, his opinion was mine also. I followed him through thick and thin, obeyed his every command, tried my hardest to strengthen our Kingdom. I stared down at my legs, which were a little thicker, and had the slight stress of muscles along the calf and thighs.

My fists tightened, and I lifted my hand up to the side of the bath, bringing it down against the stone that surrounded it. Anger burned through me, a rage so powerful that it brought a power deep inside me, slithering to life. In my head, I pictured a cave. And the power, wasn't black. No, not black.

It was white.

The brightest white slithered towards the cave entrance, peeking out, as if wondering why it was being summoned when nobody was dying. My father's words bounced around my head, increasing my anger.

"Princesses are supposed to be seen, nobody wants to hear your bleeding heart. Your duty to this Kingdom is to find a Prince and give me an heir."

The creature at the cave lingered before slipping towards the long hallway inside of me. It didn't make any sense to say it out loud, but I knew, at the end of that hallway, was my mouth. That the power would race up that distance and shoot out unless I got control of it.

I slammed my fist down on the stone again, harder, as his words rushed around my head.

"Lucy, don't be such an insolent child. Slaves are bought and owned. They have no emotions."

I remembered the feeling that I had gotten when he said this to me, and the way I spat, "You have no emotions, you greedy, disgusting, pig." Then the shot of fear when he raised his hand to strike me. But he didn't. He couldn't harm my appearance, not if there was a Prince coming along soon.

That light inside of me, so different to the darkness I had once believed was there, morphed into a creature. I wondered why it did that. The scream was pure power, whether it was brought by my anger or by a death.

My fist halted in its downward stroke, the faint taste of pain keeping me concentrated enough to watch the light change into something with fur and claws. I recognised this. At the table, last night, when Eileen had asked, I was so busy drowning in the power, I hadn't realised that my power had a failsafe.

Ideally, Eileen couldn't have pushed down my scream. It was my nature, who I was even though I would like that changed. For her to even attempt to do it, she would have to have a similar magic to me. And I had felt the magic she wielded, it was nothing like mine.

Mine burned, and drowned you in the darkness. Hers, let you fly and bask in the light.

That was two operate ends of the spectrum.

But somewhere inside me, had decided that it needed to fight back. And the only way it did it, was by helping my power take a shape that a strong individual could hold down and force back down. When I was close to losing control, some instinct had kicked in, and found Eileen as the strongest. So, it changed the shape to something she could control.

Eileen, along with most Royal rulers, had an animal to call.

For Igneel, he was a dragon. So, he had overwhelming power of reptiles of any sort including dragons.

For Eileen, she was a fairy. But her animal to call was leopard. It meant that a shifter, whether royal or not, could come into her lands and seek refuge as long as they were part leopard. It also meant that, if need be, Eileen could call and force someone to change shapes – whether to heal or for punishment.

I had heard rumours that she was also able to keep someone from changing, but I had never believed it.

During my self-discovery, the power melted away into a mist and slowly sunk back into the darkness of the cave. It moved like air, fluent, and gentle. But I knew how dangerous it could be.

I stood up swiftly, deciding that I needed to bring my suspicions to light.

I had found Natsu, Eileen and Erza in the library. Erza and Natsu were arguing. Eileen was watching them both amused. Her smile dropped when she noticed me, as if sensing the mood, that I was in. She probably could read my aura, and I momentarily grumbled at how much I didn't like that.

I loved Eileen, and Erza, but sometimes, aura reading felt too personal.

When I had almost reached the table, she spoke.

"What troubles you child?" I held onto my wrist, the stinging pain of my knuckles distracting me for a moment. It was only until I had gotten half-way to the library, when I realised, I had really messed up my hand. Whilst I didn't have strength alike Natsu, or maybe Erza, being a Banshee had strengthened me a little.

Or maybe my rage did that.

Either way, I would not be surprised if there was the shape of my fist against the hard stone. It had cut and ripped off some of the skin along my knuckles, bleeding lightly. The nerves there twitched and sung in pain. I felt like it calmed me down, reminding me to stay cautious because my power was still in that cave, waiting for a chance to escape.

I walked over to her, and opened my mouth to speak but a sharp pressure in my head warned me against it.

Not strong. Yet.

It was like these baser instincts knew I could possibly hurt some people, if I tried to speak. She watched me closely and I glanced at Natsu and Erza. I really didn't wish to write everything I had thought down, and took two steps towards Natsu.

He had been watching me also, and it took him a second to understand that I wanted his help to explain. His hand reached out slowly, and touched my temple, the power that echoed through his touch made me shiver but if he noticed, he didn't attempt to say anything.

He nodded once, as silent as I was and I began to relay all my thoughts to him, so he could tell Eileen. Once he had finished, I had the attention of Erza also, who was listening to my words in surprise.

Eileen brewed over the words he had repeated before stating, "I agree to a point. When your power flared, the first moments, I knew it wasn't something I could touch. But when you severed the telepathic tie with Natsu, I felt it mould itself into a leopard. That is when I shoved it back down."

Was it hard to do?

She nodded, "The power wasn't leopard, dear Lucy. It simply created itself in that shape. A lesser power than mine could not have battled it. But I have had much training and many circumstances when I've had to force someone to swallow their change, whether it be to protect themselves or others."

I knew that newly awakened shifters took time to get used to having an animal skin, and that strong leaders within their animal groups could help control the change. Of course, Eileen wasn't just a leader, she was a Queen with an affinity to leopards.

I wasn't sure what the leopard prowls called their leaders. I knew wolves had alpha, beta and omega stances but I hadn't researched leopards enough to know. Natsu heard my thoughts and decided to relay them, as a simple connection, so Eileen would know what I was taking so long to think about.

"Leopard prowls normally consist of an all-mother. She is called, a Nimra. Most leopard groups are subservient and peaceful, aside from hunting nights. Not many Nimra's accept male help because of the... dominance that the male might threaten her children, which are the other leopards that join her." It suddenly made a lot more sense that Eileen had a connection to the leopards, even though it was a royal family trait that was inherited in the Fae Kingdom. She was a mother to all.

Could a strong Nimra stop it, if need be?

Eileen shook her head sadly, "No, I do not think so. Shifters are part animal Lucy, you, are not. Your creature is full of power, and magic. Whilst it can be argued that the change from human to animal, is magical, once they are animal, they do not have magic anymore. They are simply, animal."

It was Natsu who asked a question, "So you were able to do it because you're a creature that needs magic and grows magic to survive?"

"Indeed."

I felt the glimmer of hope that I could control it a little better shatter. I couldn't ask Eileen to come with us, and I knew, the chances of death were much larger on the road. Natsu remained quiet during my sadness, as if he understood I didn't want anyone to know that I had been hoping Eileen could help me control my power. But she couldn't, because I wasn't a shape-shifter or a leopard.

I was simply, something that nobody knew how to control.

A soft touch on my hand made me look up as Eileen smiled, "Do not lose hope. I have called for one of my most… promising scholars to find any history we have on Banshees. She is a capable pixie."

I nodded silently, and Eileen turned to Erza, "But she should have been back from the library by now. Erza, could you-"

"Make sure she isn't buried under books?"

My eyes widened in fright as Eileen laughed, "No fear, Lucy. She is simply… easily excitable around books. Any burying would have been completely voluntary."

I felt the shard of fear creep away and I gave her a small smile, as Eileen left us, and Erza followed her, not before shooting a scathing glare at Natsu.

Why is she glaring at you?

"We are having disagreements on the best way to get to the Vapids." He told me, and I nodded, a sharp pinch of pain making me wince and look down at my scraped knuckles. During the discussion, I had almost forgotten the damage to my hand. The bleeding had stopped, but the pain hadn't, leaving my other hand to grip my wrist tightly, although I wasn't sure why that soothed me.

I, once again, forgot that Natsu was still in my thoughts and glanced over to him to find him staring at the hand I held. His eyebrows furrowed and his voice was a little rough when he spoke, "You've injured yourself."

Why did he sound like that?

Natsu laughed softly, "I apologise Lucy, I just… Blood isn't only a vampire thing. Many creatures find it…" He trailed off, a wince on his features and I knew he was being sincere. It took me a few moments to realise, my blood was affecting him. I wanted to be afraid but Natsu simply glanced away and dropped his hand, taking a smooth step backwards.

I tilted my head at him, the pain causing my eyes to water as he breathed, "I will call a healer to mend the skin." He kept his eyes away and I noticed the way his shoulders were drawn taught, as if he didn't trust me. Or perhaps, he didn't trust himself.

I took a step closer to him curiously, and his eyes snapped up to me, the beautiful warmth of red catching me by surprise. It swallowed the previous colour, leaving only a glowing circle of fire, with the darkest black pupil inside it. Something inside me fluttered dangerously, and I wondered why.

I found Natsu attractive – you would have to be blind, not too – but why did I suddenly feel so warm?

"Lucy, I urge you to… Not, shit… Okay, look, I don't want to freak you out here but any closer and I'm going to grow wings."

I stopped moving, settling on staring at him strangely as he flushed a little, "Don't forget what I am. Dragon's used to capture Princesses, no matter what royalty dictated. Not saying I want to capture you, but it's in my power to want that. And now you are bleeding, and you smell really good. It's sort of ripping away my control."

A smile began to creep onto my lips and he turned away completely, and stated over his shoulder, "Smiling at me, will not help."

I couldn't help it. Not really. Natsu may be a dragon, but sometimes, I found his attitude about things like this strangely charming. And amusing. I hadn't forgotten what the dragons of old did, but for a very dim second of something made up out of the amusement, fondness and that warm feeling flowing through my body, I wondered if being captured by Natsu would be so bad.

"Have you stopped smiling?" He glanced back and found me biting my bottom lip to keep my laughter in, still holding my hand. His shoulders dropped entirely, and he shook his head, turning away again, looking upward. I noticed he talked to the sky a lot, I wondered if he was truly asking question to the gods.

I crept closer as he was muttering expletives, curiously and lifted my uninjured hand to press against his back, to offer him some sort of comfort since I couldn't really speak and tell him that his urges were fine.

At least his urges weren't to scream and destroy things.

But the moment I invaded his chi, he spun around and caught my wrist. Power flared between us and he closed his eyes from a moment, jaw tensing as they opened once more. The red was brighter than before, but the pupils were so large, it only left a very slim ring of it.

He opened his mouth to say something when I thought, hoping that he could hear it, even if he wasn't concentrating.

I am sorry for making you uncomfortable. You don't need to feel ashamed or embarrassed of who you are.

His mouth closed, before a slightly amused smirk slid over his lips, "Do you normally give people advice that you, yourself, aren't willing to take?"

When I'm feeling particularly hypocritical, sure.

He laughed lightly before glancing down. We both looked at my hand, and I found myself asking one of the questions that had me curious about him.

Are you really attracted to my blood?

His eyes found mine and he nodded, "Not like I want to bathe in it or anything. That would be weird, I don't even know why I said that. It just smells like warm blood, and I'm affected by it."

I stifled a smile, before asking, what do dragons usually do with blood? You don't need it to sustain yourself like vampires do, right?

He gulped a little before asking, "What do you know about dragons?"

Not much.

He cleared his throat and tried to remain impassive but I could see how tight he was about this conversation. I wondered if I should tell him to forget it. He shook his head silently, and I assumed he was reacting to my thoughts.

"Smelling your blood makes me want to taste it. But not for food, or anything like that. It's more for comfort, when a female becomes injured within a flight of dragons, a male must tend to her. Heal the wounds, provide comfort, lick the blood away, whatever he can do to help her pain. It's a call, or a duty, Igneel told me once. I've never really experienced it. Until now."

So, dragons protect and heal dragonesses. I summarised and he nodded, so I asked my next question, what do the dragonesses do for the dragons in return?

"They lead." Natsu smirked a little before leaning closer, as if sharing a secret. I leaned into him, wildly curious as he asked, "Do you know what old dragons used to say? Before the treaties were formed, and the Kingdom's were fighting for power?"

I shook my head, my thoughts turning quiet as he murmured, "A King can't be a King, without the strength of his Queen. It was their promise, to protect the dragonesses within the flight. Igneel told me they used to roar it in the middle of battles, because they knew, without their Queen, without the dragonesses, the fight would leave them."

My breath stuttered and I blinked a little, struggling to find my composure. He remained silent, watching me as I asked, my thoughts a little slow.

I'm not a dragoness, but you still feel the need to heal me?

"I don't know what you are Lucy." He stated softly, "I don't know you well enough to know that. But there are moments, where you are a Princess, born and raised. Just the way you smile, or carry yourself, when you know people are looking."

That's because I am a princess.

He didn't argue my thoughts instead, just finished his words, "But there are moments where you aren't a Princess. It's like that power fills you, and instead of frightening me, it just gives me a glimpse of something darker. It shows me what you are capable of, when you aren't fighting your true nature."

Does it scare you?

"Yes. It does." I bit my lip and a little splinter of hurt began to push into my heart.

"Now ask me if you scare me?"

I didn't see the point but I did so anyway, looking up into his eyes full of fire, Do I scare you?

"No, you don't."

Why not?

"Because I can tell, when push comes to shove, you'll fight that power and learn to control it the best you can. You aren't one of those people that let the creature control you. Maybe you've got a little bit of dragon in you." His words turned into a gentle joke at the end, but I could hear the sincerity in his voice, and couldn't help but feel flattered. Natsu didn't know me, not like Erza, or Eileen did. But he had put his faith in me, for some unknown reason, because he had seen something in me, worth helping.

I wondered what it was, but I think I knew that I wasn't going to get anything else on this level of honesty from him today. But for all his worth, I felt like I owed him something. And maybe, just maybe, watching Natsu do something that he accepted as his nature, could help me with mine.

I lifted my other wrist and he frowned, eyes glancing back and forth, as I nodded.

"Why?"

I don't know.

I truly didn't. I mean, there must have been some reason, deep inside me but I couldn't access it. Perhaps I could pin it on curiosity, or a reward for Natsu but I didn't think that was the real reason so I hadn't told him that. He had been nothing but honest with me, and I would return the favour.

Is it going to hurt?

"I don't know." He took a shaky breath in, before admitting, "I've never done it before, especially to a female."

Did it hurt the male?

He gave me a playfully sour look, "I misspoke. I have never done it before, to anyone."

I smiled a little and he dropped my other hand, lightly grasping the wrist of my injured one. The connection between our minds strengthened and coiled around us, and he eyed the scrapes.

"How did you do this?"

I got angry and took it out on the stone besides the bath, I informed him, and he closed his eyes.

"Heaven help me, don't talk about baths right now."

I felt the need to laugh press at my chest but I ignored it, favouring instead, to watch him observe the damage. I remained quiet until he seemed to finish, deciding to ask for a small favour of my own.

Do you mind if I lean against you?

His eyes glanced to me and he shook his head, "Knock yourself out." I took a tiny step forward and pressed my head to his warm chest, my eyes slipping closed at the contact. I never realised how much I relied on human contact until Virgo, or my other friends weren't around to help me. I felt starved, and that was probably one of the reasons I seemed to be perpetually cold lately.

"Is that a nymph thing?"

I'm not a nymph, so I doubt it.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but…"

I sighed softly, I enjoy close contact Natsu, there's nothing sexual about it. I think I'm a little touch-starved because at my kingdom, I had people constantly around me. And now there isn't.

He was quiet for a few seconds before asking, "Can I help?"

You are helping enough, I told him truthfully, letting my thankfulness seep into my words when I realised he wasn't going to think I was strange, or clingy. I really couldn't change that part of me, I loved feeling skin on skin, cuddling and all those fun things. It soothed me, helped me think straight, and I could probably blame my own up-bringing on that one.

The hand that had been lying limply beside him, slowly wrapped around my back. I jolted and gasped a little, but didn't move as he tugged me towards his chest, settling to simply hold my body tightly against his. Warmth and bliss sung through me, and I felt a wave of sleep hit me.

My hand still hurt, but the pain was bearable, a dull ache among all this warmth and touch. I barely felt the touch of his lips against my knuckles, but the long soft stroke of his warm tongue gave me a slight shiver. I felt my body sag as the stress and pain of my last few days sunk away and I sort of understood why dragonesses might have liked this.

His tongue stoked and soothed my raw, and hurt skin softly, but it felt like so much more. It felt like he was healing me from the outside but somewhere inside me, he was also healing away the rougher effects of my emotions. When his mouth brushed against one of my knuckles, I made a small noise of pain and he murmured something in a different language.

He was patient, and soft. Despite his body which was hard, and firm against my own, I felt like I could just melt into him. His tongue moved and caressed my small injuries and my heart slowed down to a point where my mind was fuzzy and my power was settled inside me. My breath hitched when he lightly bit on a knuckle, but it didn't hurt, it felt lovely.

A second later, he spoke, "All healed." His voice was deep, and rough, causing a strange tingle to start from my toes and slowly crawl upwards. When he shifted, I felt my throat let out a small whimper, and the newly healed hand grabbed at his soft shirt, as if not wanting him to go. Embarrassment rushed through me, and I went to take a step back, and apologise but he just held me tighter against his body.

"Don't… Take all the time you need."

I settled back against him, breathing in his scent. He was made up of spice, warmth and an edge of something dangerous. It smelled amazing. My eyes remained closed and he settled his hand on my shoulder, thumb lightly stroking against the dress there.

I had been playing it careful, and extremely cautiously, only taking his body heat and touches but once he touched me, I felt everything slip away. All thoughts of decency and pride melted from my body, leaving me with only my vulnerability and need.

My body latched to his firmly, pulling him against me and he breathed out, "Christ. You really need this, don't you?"

I didn't want to admit that I did, but I felt like a part of me that I had forgotten or had cut off, was slowly coming back. That tender part of me that I hid, and always forgot needed attention. I wondered if it was the reason I was getting angrier easier.

Aquarius had told me that if I went without touch for too long, I could suffer anger and sadness on a different scale. It was hard to tell if it was my new awakening as a Banshee or the fact that I hadn't had this sort of comfort for the last few days.

If I had known it would get this bad, I would have… figured something out.

His thumb stroked against my shoulder again, the movement inching my dress a little further down so it touched my skin and warmth spilled over me. It took my breath away and I felt my body move suddenly, as if nothing else could have stopped me at that moment. He made a noise in the back of his throat and when I opened my eyes, I realised, we were on the floor.

His hand slipped away from my waist to rub at his head, and I dimly felt the need to apologise for practically tackling him, even though I didn't remember doing it. My body had other ideas. My knees shifted and I curled into his chest, covering his upper body with my own. My head rested on his collar bone, so close to his neck and the heat that lay there.

Natsu went still, his heart pounding underneath me before he breathed out slowly.

"If someone walks in, they are going to get the wrong idea."

If I wasn't so comfortable, I would have cared.

Hands cupped my face, drawing me up so I could see the blended version of green and red, which meant he was either slowly regaining control of fighting instincts of his own. I wanted to ask which one it was but my mind was so foggy, and relaxed, I couldn't think straight.

"Lucy, why didn't you tell anyone that you needed this?"

I shook my head, unable to answer in this state of mind, before nuzzling against his hand and he took a shaky breath in, watching me with wide eyes that I couldn't really read. Something like wonder, maybe a tinge of sadness. He relaxed under me, and he whispered, keeping his eyes on my face as I continued to nestle into the rough heat of his large hands.

"You know how I said it was a male dragons job to look after the dragoness, to heal, and comfort and protect?"

His voice was all deep and honestly, I couldn't really comprehend what he was saying. Being this close, and having gone so long without human contact, my brain wasn't working like that. It had three orders.

Hold, touch and breathe.

"That includes this." He continued, as if my silence meant something to him. My eyes found his and he traced his thumb against my cheekbone, "I want to be able to help you. So, if you need to be… held like this, then I will."

His words made my conscious swim back to the front for a moment and I managed to think, you don't understand what that means.

He truly didn't. Nymphs lived off casual touch. If I wasn't already a Banshee, I would assume I was a nymph because this is exactly what I would be doing. When a nymph came into power, it normally found a person that it could link with and they would help them survive. It was sort of like vampirism but less messy, it included warmth, and taking little spurts of power from a being.

The fact that he had offered, meant he didn't understand. I didn't blame him, he would see it as his duty, but to offer something so large, in my head, was alike asking for companionship. It confused me for a second, because if I wasn't a nymph, then why did I care so much?

Why wasn't I accepting his offer?

"Help me understand then." He murmured, as another voice softly came into focus.

"I am not sure she can, Natsu." Eileen approached us, and I clenched my hands into his shirt, my body already claiming the person underneath as mine. Natsu's eyes never left me, soothing me unknowingly with a soft touch to my jaw again.

"Do you know what's happening?"

Eileen crouched down, her red hair sliding over her shoulder.

"Lucy's royal creature should have been a nymph. Do you know what happens when a baby is born into nymph heritage? They leave the baby for weeks, sometimes months, to build up a need for touch. I have no doubt, that Lucy also went through this." I could dimly remember feeling unbelievably lonely, and cold but that was it.

"That's child abuse." Natsu's voice was low with threat and it made my body shiver against his. It sent a rush of warmth down my spine and the only thing I could think about was how the noise was made to protect.

I had a dragon underneath me, offering companionship, and he was willing to protect me.

"There are certain customs in your Father's Kingdom and mine, that would also fall under that category. I did not say it was good, but it is needed. Up until this point, everyone believed she would be a nymph." Eileen explained lightly, careful not to touch me. I appreciated that.

This dragon was mine, after all.

"She keeps calling her hers. And talking about companionship."

I had almost forgotten Natsu was in my mind, and I probably would have been embarrassed but there was something curling around my body, reminding me of a large cat. Not a leopard, but something… else.

"Companionship is much like a bond. Nymphs survive on touch, that is where they get most of their power from. When someone offers companionship, it means something to them. It's like an unspoken agreement that the person offering it, will always be there to touch. The stronger the creature, the more impressive the bounty. She is probably not in the right mind, so I urge you to take caution. What were you talking about before… she latched on?"

"Dragons. She messed up her hand, and I explained to her about healing. Somewhere along the way, I realised she was… weak."

"Weak?" Eileen prompted and I ignored both, closing my eyes whilst laying my head on Natsu's chest which was thumping an echo of his heart.

"She told me she might be touch-starved. I hadn't realised what that meant until her entire body just… melted. It was like all this tension, and anger was holding up inside her."

"Nymphs do get upset and suffer moods when they are without touch."

"But she's not a nymph. She's a Banshee."

Eileen was quiet for a few moments, and I was thankful for it. I was thankful for her, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Natsu was right, I shouldn't have been affected by touch since I was a Banshee. They didn't seem like the type of creature that needed touch to survive. I ate on death as a Banshee, so why would I need a living touch to keep me calm?

"There are probably many reasons why she is reacting like this. One of the most likely explanations, is that she is simply… filling the void. Her body was trained for being a nymph, her mother left her with that power. It was the Gods decision to give her the Banshee, but they may have made a fail-safe. She may carry some strand of nymph so she can balance herself out."

"Do nymphs die if they don't get touched often?"

"Yes. But I do not think that will be true in Lucy's case. She is a Banshee. Her nymph-like traits simply… keep herself calm or give her another way to be calm. I believe, if Lucy truly wishes it, she could break free of this. She would simply become ill for a time, and then the last of that creature she was supposed to get, would vanish."

"But she doesn't have to do that?"

"Not if she doesn't want too, no."

They were both quiet and I lifted myself up, my arms trembling, as I looked at Eileen, willing her to hear my thoughts.

Help me let go of him.

"I understand what companionship is now, Lucy. I still offer it." Natsu didn't repeat my words but Eileen caught on quickly as I replied to him in my mind.

I fear I have captured you Natsu. Let me move away and if you still want to offer it, I will think about it.

"Captured me? What do you mean?"

"Nymphs are sensual creatures, Natsu." Eileen's voice was gentle, compassionate, "Lucy is worried that she has captured you in her thrall. In a position of extreme starvation, Nymphs can simply look at a person and demand attention. She is concerned that she has done that to you."

"Would I know if she did?"

"You would find her…" Eileen glanced at me, giving me an apologetic motherly look and I closed my eyes, feeling the embarrassment wash over my cheeks as she continued hesitantly, "Physically compelling. Like you were not able to look away, or defend yourself against her. That you would do anything for her."

"She's been physically compelling from day one, so that is a moot point."

"And did she touch your skin when you met?"

He and I thought about it and I tried to remember but he cut me to it, "No. Not skin. She was passed out by the time I picked her up and flew her to the castle."

"Perhaps your dragon is too strong to be captured in her thrall." Eileen murmured thoughtfully before adding, "Or, perhaps, a mutual attraction is all you need. She doesn't need to ensnare you, because you would come willingly."

My cheeks burnt red at her thoughtful words and Natsu closed his eyes for a second. We remained quiet and I inwardly squirmed with embarrassment. I understood I was a pretty woman, but mutual attraction meant more than that in these Kingdoms.

Besides, would Natsu really like a woman who has the hips of a whore?

"No thinking about hips whilst you are on top of me. In fact, the words Lucy and whore, are not to be used in any sentence together." Natsu growled out, eyes still closed and I fidgeted for a moment before thinking.

Does that mean he does like women who have hips like mine?

He groaned lowly, "Stop thinking about it. I beg. I plead."

"What is she saying, Natsu?" Eileen's eyes glanced between us, a sliver of amusement in her dark eyes and I looked away bashfully, struggling not to think about my hips. But it was pointless because now Natsu had told me not to think about it, and all I could do was think about it.

What did Natsu like in a woman?

Probably someone with scales.

With dark hair, and maybe a little more Erza's size.

Erza had normal hips, good for being feminie but also good for being dangerous.

She was also tall.

I was short, with legs that had enough muscles to break someone's neck, if I knew the technique.

Perhaps I could ask Erza to teach it for me.

I mean, if I was going to have tree trunks, then I may as well use them for something other than carting my whorish hips around.

The body beneath me struggled with laughter and it broke my thoughts as Natsu's abdomen seized with his joy, and he swallowed laughs to hide them from me. I eyed him before realising that he had heard everything I had just thought about it. The embarrassment was enough to make me sit up and take my hands off his body, settling on straddling his upper stomach.

Do not think about Natsu.

Do not think about hips or any other body part.

Do not think about Erza.

It worked for a few seconds but then the idea flowed through my mind and it begun another spider web of incredibly awkward private thoughts.

Of course, I wouldn't be thinking about Natsu at all if he had told me he found hips like mine unattractive.

So really, it's all his fault.

It's not really my fault that I was born like this.

And that I didn't have scales.

I was practically a pale beacon.

The only spots of darkness I had on me was the freckle on my ass.

And the one on my ankle.

It's not like I wanted to be attractive to Natsu!

He can have all the fun he wants with his scaly, tall, dark-haired women.

I don't even like pink hair.

Yes, I do.

But he looks stupid with it.

Natsu had stopped trying to keep his laughter in and his body writhed with it, causing me to tumble off his abdomen and to the side, breaking our connection. I avoided his eyes with a grumpy pout, annoyed with him and me. It may have been his fault that I couldn't stop thinking about it, but dammit, it was my fault for not being able to control my thoughts.

"Lucy, I do not believe he is under the effects of your thrall." Eileen spoke, her voice tight with her own amusement as I glanced at her. She gathered herself up, and held out a hand, helping me up also.

Natsu slowly got to his feet, holding his stomach and I purposely avoided him all together, keeping my eyes on Eileen who seemed to understand I was nursing my hurt dignity.

"My scholar is ready to see you now. It might be beneficial if Natsu accompanies us. I can make a few potions for your trip that will help with your nymph touch-symptoms. Have you ever had one of them before?"

I nodded, remembering the multiple times Aquarius had given me one, just to get my body used to it. It was like a hug captured in a bottle, that is the only way to explain it. But even though it soothed me, it still didn't feel as good as the real thing. I was grateful Eileen wasn't telling me to get rid of it, because it felt like it was the only thing connecting me to my Kingdom and my mother.

"I will also be considering finding a cure or perhaps… a substitute until you are safe to use your voice. Do you still feel the need to scream when you open your mouth?"

I sort of shrugged because it wasn't that, not really. When I opened my mouth to speak, I felt like my whole body was washing over with that power, making everything tingle. I didn't want to speak because I didn't want to accidentally scream.

Eileen nodded and began to lead us out, "Please, follow me. Levy McGarden, the scholar-in-training awaits. Perhaps she has some information about the Banshee's power."

Questions to answer:

So, END will be here in this story, can Natsu control he or not? I have no comment for this ;)

Is END like another personality or just Natsu with demon abilities? NO COMMENT.

Will the other demons be here too? HELL YES.

And Acnologia too? Can you all see right through me?

Will the ending end in happiness or in tragedy? (:

Will Happy talk or will he be just a regular cat with blue fur? Happy will be a simple cat with blue fur with no ability to talk but he does have a back-story that you will hear later-erer.

Trust me when I say this guys, you will want the next chapter ASAP. Questions will be answered, you'll see the Pixie version of Levy, hell, if you though the Nalu in this chapter was something else… You will die.

But thems the breaks for reading what I write, a little bit a sweet with a little bit of death!

It's 15 comments to get the chapter earlier – I only got 13 before so it's a bummer I wasn't able to upload this sooner!

As always, my loves, stay fresh

xo freshprincess.