Hello again everyone. I'm back with a new chapter for you all to either like or hate.
Enjoy, or not, I don't care you all have your opinions.
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Chapter Eight: Setting off
Some time has passed since they all had something to eat. Currently it was now night time as mostly everyone was now asleep. Natsu, Nixxiom, Moocluck, Ragtagg, and Matty were given their own rooms to sleep in by the king.
However, only four of them were currently asleep. The pink haired fire dragon slayer was still awake. Currently he was out on a balcony as he looked at the night sky. Despite the city below still alit with lights, he could still see many stars in the sky. The full moon was also out. Honestly, it looked rather beautiful.
Natsu was currently deep on thought to himself as he looked at the night sky.
'A lot has surely happened recently,' the pink haired male thought to himself with a soft smile as he continued to look at the sky above. However he then had a small frown as he thought of his old guild, 'I wonder... how they are doing right now? Did they notice I left? Or have they not?' These thoughts made Natsu feel a little depressed.
"I see that you're still awake." A female voice spoke behind him. Natsu turned to see Hisui still awake.
"Oh, hello you're highness," Natsu spoke while a small blush appeared on his face from seeing the green haired princess, "What are you doing up at this time?"
"I simply couldn't sleep, so I figure I walk around the palace," She told him as she went up right next to him as she observed the night sky. Since there were guards all around twenty four seven, she wasn't worried about being up at this time, "It a rather beautiful night out don't you think?" She asked him as she looked at the stars above with a smile.
"Y-Yeah," Natsu replied as he thought, 'Not as beautiful as you though.' As he looked back at the night sky.
They simply remained silent for a moment, until Hisui spoke again.
"It must be nice." She started to speak, which got Natsu confused by her words.
"Huh? What's nice?" The pink haired fire dragon slayer asked her, wondering what the princess was referring too.
"How you and your friends get to travel all around the world to your hearts content. To have the chance to see things you can only see in books or pictures. It must be nice to have that kind of freedom, to explore the world." Hisui told him as a small frown appeared on her face. This got Natsu to be concern.
"Is something wrong?" He asked her in worry, as the green haired princess sighed.
"I wish I could do that," She started to speak, "To be able to explore the world. To be able to see what the lands beyond have to offer. To not be cooped up in a single city. I simply wished to be able to go beyond the city's borders, to see what the rest of the world is like."
Natsu could only frown by her words. That must suck to wanting to go out into the world, but yet force to stay in the only place you know. That's a problem with being royalty, as it was considered to dangerous for someone like Hisui to simply travel freely. He could understand. Not only does wondering what the world excite the dragon slayer, but the chance to find Igneel out there also motivates him to go out into the lands beyond what he knows.
Hisui then felt a hand on her shoulder, as she turned to see Natsu giving her a smile.
"Don't worry Hisui. I'm sure you will be able to do just that one day. If I were you though, if I see an opportunity to go out into the world, then I would take it. I don't know when it will be, but don't give up on that." Natsu told her. He wasn't really good at comforting people like this, but he hoped what he said would cheer Hisui up somewhat.
It seemed to work as Hisui simply smiled again at Natsu.
"Thank you Natsu, that really means a lot." She told him with a small blush on her cheeks. Luckily, Natsu didn't seem too noticed.
Natsu simply smiled back, glad that he managed to cheer her up even if it was only a little bit. The pink haired dragon slayer then let out a yawn as he began to feel tired. Hisui was feeling the same way, if the yawn she let out was any indication.
"I guess I should head to bed now." Hisui spoke.
"Yeah, I guess I should do the same." Natsu told her as both of them left the balcony.
The two of them turned to each other as their rooms were in different directions.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight Hisui." Natsu told her as he left to return to his room.
"Goodnight Natsu." The green haired princess told him as well as she headed back to her own room. Natsu's words filled her mind as he headed back.
'NEXT MORNING'
"Thank you for letting us stays for the night your majesty." Matty thanked King Toma as they and everyone else were outside the palace.
"Thank you for the wagon and supplies as well." Ragtagg also thanked the King as Moocluck and Nixxiom were loading cases and supplies on the back of the wagon.
"It's no problem. It's the least I can do to help." Toma replied to the warrior and monk.
The King offered the five travelers a wagon for them to travel in as well as some supplies for their journey. Luckily the wagon had two horses for them to use to move the wagon, and the transport was large enough for all five of them to fit in as well as all of the cases and other supplies. Natsu didn't like the idea of traveling by a wagon due to his motion sickness, but unfortunately for him the others out voted him on that.
"Gosh, this case is heavy. What exactly is in this?" Moocluck questioned as he was carrying a large case big enough to fit a person in it as he put it in the back of the wagon.
"Beats me." Nixxiom told the red robed male as the blue armored male put down a large sack of supplies in the back as well.
Natsu looked around, as he noticed a lack of a certain princess.
"Where's Hisui?" He questioned, not spotting her anywhere.
"I'm afraid something required her attention, so she was unable to see you all off." Toma answered the pink haired male. However the King himself didn't know what acquired his daughter's attention. But he didn't think too much on it.
"Oh." Natsu was rather disappointed in that. He would have like to see her once more before they headed out. But she was a princess after all, so she no doubt had duties to do after all.
"Don't' worry Natsu," Matty spoke up, getting the fire dragon slayer's attention, "I'm sure we can come back here to visit sometimes." This seemed to cheer up the dragon slayer a little bit.
"Yeah, you're right." Natsu agreed with the leather wearer, knowing that they can just come to visit anytime.
Eventually, they got everything they needed onto the wagon. Ragtagg sat upfront as he was in charge of the horses as everyone sat behind him.
"Farewell your majesty!" All five of them called out to Toma as Ragtagg got the horses to move. Immediately Natsu's motion sickness kicked on as he was now leaning on the side of the wagon.
"Already?!" The other four shouted, surprised and annoyed that Natsu was already affected by his motion sickness.
Toma could only laugh as he watched and hear them. He simply waved as they exited the city. Once they were out of site, the king and the guards with him headed back to the palace.
'LATER'
The five travelers were currently making their way through a forest. Ragtagg made sure to keep the horses on the right track so they don't wander themselves off.
"I'm so bored." Nixxiom spoke as he was leaning on the side of the wagon. Natsu was still feeling awful as he leaned on the other side of the wagon.
"Well there isn't really anything we can do right now Nixxiom." Moocluck told his friend, even though the warlock himself was getting rather bored.
"W-When can we s-stop?" Natsu managed to ask despite the current state he was in. He really wanted the wagon to stop moving for at least a moment. He would gladly walk next to the wagon then be in it.
"I don't know." Ragtagg replied to the dragon slayer with is eyes still focus on the path before him. Natsu simply let out a groan from that. He wanted to get out of this blasted thing!
One of the wagon's wheels then went over a small hole in the ground, causing the wagon to shake for moment from the sudden collision.
"OW!" A voice was heard from behind the wagon.
The others eyes widen as they heard the voice. Ragtagg got the horses to stop moving as he and the others, including Natsu who was glad the wagon stopped moving, looking behind them as they look where the supplies were.
"…You guys heard that too right?" Matty questioned, as everyone else nodded to his words.
After making sure the horses weren't going to run off, Ragtagg got off the wagon with the others following suit. They all looked at the cases in the back to see where the voice came from. Ragtagg then looked at the person sized case, figuring it was best to check that first. Slowly, the warrior went up to the case as he began to open it.
Without warning or thinking, he flung the case open as simply prepared to strike whatever was in it, thinking it was a thief or something. However before he could…
"Wait!" The voiced called out; as the others looked to see that it was a person in the case.
However their eyes widen in both shock and horror as they saw who it was.
"HISUI?!" They shouted in shock, as it was indeed Princess Hisui herself in the case. She looked rather embarrassed from being discovered so soon.
"Uh…," The green haired woman didn't know what to exactly say at the moment. So she simply smiled nervously, "H-Hi."
Okay, there's that chapter.
See you all next time, whenever that will be.