A/N: Hey everyone, I wish I had a better excuse for why this update has taken so long, but it's just writer's block (and everyone's been there.) Anyway, I'm back and hopeful that it won't take nearly as long to update next time. You're the best for sticking with it though so thank you! :)
Present
Natsu watched from the courtyard as the blonde as he appeared over the ridgeline, pausing in front of the lava moat and dismounting his red horse. Though the stone bridge would respond to Natsu's and Igneel's commands, it would heed no other's. The man would have to figure out a way across on his own merits.
He considered the moat for a second, then removed a crossbow from his saddlebag. Tying a rope to the end of a bolt, he loaded it, looking patiently down the shaft before firing. Natsu now stood at the entrance of the castle, just inside the gates so when the bolt hit the stone of the wall no more than ten feet from where he stood, he heard the resounding thwack. Natsu did not flinch.
The man turned to his horse, and Natsu's sensitive ears tuned in. "Stay steady, Lector, my friend," the man said, tying the rope to his steed's saddle. Pressing his hand on it to make sure it was taut, the man placed the crossbow over the rope then dove. In what would've been a heart-wrenching moment for people unused to such danger, he plummeted only to be caught by the rope and go sliding down towards the castle. His horse whinnied at the extra pressure but held fast.
It didn't take more than thirty seconds for the man to reach the other side, and he leapt down as soon as he was over the other side, keeping the crossbow and slinging it over his back. He had seen Natsu from the other side and now walked up to him.
"So you're the famous dragon," he said, his icy, dark eyes appraising. "You're smaller than I thought you'd be."
Natsu's scowl deepened. "You haven't seen anything yet.
The man's grin grew. "They did say this would be a challenge. I'm Sir Sting Eucliffe."
"You're a part of the Sabertooth Regiment," Natsu said.
The man looked surprised for a moment. "I didn't know you had the resources to stay updated on the world."
"I have eyes all over this kingdom," Natsu returned with a growl. "Enough to know of Sabertooth's reputation. You're King Jude's select fighting force, and you fought by his side since the entirety of the war. But the King is dead, and with him, all of your authority. However, now you seek to expand Heartfilia further."
"Now I've come to collect my reward," Sting corrected him with another lazy grin. "The people will only follow Sabertooth's authority for so long. By marrying the rightful queen, my ambition for Heartfilia will become a reality."
"To get to the princess, you have to go through me first."
"I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to let me in?" he asked, shaking lightly on the gates of the castle.
Natsu smirked. "As with the moat, it's another test in your bravery and cunning. I'm afraid to get the honor of fighting me, you'll have to first figure out a way around it." With that, he turned around to walk back in the castle. "I'll see you soon, Sir Sting… if you can get in that is." Natsu's keen ears heard the sound of him quickly drawing his crossbow and stopped. "Do you mean to shoot me in the back?"
"Perhaps. And why not? In your human form, you are much easier to fight and kill."
Natsu looked over his shoulder with a glare. "You're talking like your old commander, you know. I thought the whole reason you took over the Regiment was to clean it up and make it more reputable. I thought that you believed in honor, Captain Sting."
The man looked surprised again. He really thought the dragon was in the dark. He knew from Gray's reports all about Sting's take over of Sabertooth, even as young as he was, as corruption levels reached an all time high. Secretly, he had to admit that he admired the young captain for his work - and he was far more honorable than some of the men that came to compete for the Princess' hand - but that was going to make him hold back.
Sting lowered his crossbow. "So then… I'll see you inside."
"I'll looked forward to it," Natsu promised.
"Princess, you shouldn't worry so much," Levy advised her as she paced in front of the library windows. The library was the only room that had interior facing windows into the courtyard where Natsu liked to take the suitors to battle. That's where Lucy always watched though if Natsu ever caught her she'd be in serious trouble.
Natsu entered the courtyard, deadly focus etched into his face. His face was already calculating what was about to happen. As carefree and happy as the idiot could be, in this few moments, his training with Igneel and his own belief in his purpose in Fairy Tail Keep surfaced. These were the only times that Lucy really remembered why they were there.
Lucy stared out at him as a blonde man entered the courtyard. She couldn't hear anything, but she saw their mouths moving shortly before Natsu transformed. They squared up, ready to fight.
Clasping her hands and bringing them to her mouth, she whispered, "Mavis, please please please protect him from harm."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were rooting for Natsu."
"I always am," she told the book as Levy came up to hover by her face.
"Don't you want to leave this castle?"
"One day," she admitted as the man dove for her dragon. "But not if it means leaving him."
"Oh, Princess," Levy hummed. "We all have to leave each other someday."
"Not he and I," Lucy responded stubbornly, pursing her lips. "From the day we were brought together, we were meant to stay together. It's written in the stars."
"Princess?"
"Check the History of Constellations," Lucy said, unable to tear her eyes from the fight below here. "Chapter four. Long ago, the ancient inhabitants of Heartfilia named two constellations right next to the East Star: the Princess and the Dragon. So we're bound together. We always have been."
"If your Highness says so," Levy hummed, flying back to her table in an unconcerned fashion.
The princess continued her silent vigil and sent prayers up to Mavis once more. Please keep him safe… I love him.
He's tougher than he looks, Natsu thought wearily, having already sustained three wounds, one minor one on his face and two more severe ones on his forelimbs that were oozing red blood.
Sting only looked a little better than he did with a large claw mark across his chest having shredded his mail and left him bleeding slightly. The man was panting as another small stream of blood from a cut on his hairline dripped down the side of his face. Still, he held out his crossbow, circling the dragon warily.
"You're tougher than you look, dragon," he said, mirroring Natsu's thoughts. "But I'll best you. The princess will be mine, and as king of Heartfilia, I will bring the kingdom to a new age of peace and prosperity."
Natsu growled. All of that sounded fine - except the part where he claimed Lucy. Lucy was Natsu's. He'd been protecting her for seven years, and he'd be damned if some guy who'd never met her tried to take her away.
With new energy, he pounced on the man, managing to knock his blasted crossbow from his grasp. As Sting dove for his weapon, Natsu swatted him out of the air, leaving the knight gasping for air as he slid across the floor.
Natsu growled in triumph, crossing the floor as he prepared finish Sting off - or at least ensure that he never tried to come back to Fairy Tail Keep ever again. Formidable opponent though he was, Natsu had never been bested. That wasn't about to start now.
Natsu stood over him, peering down with his large, reptilian eyes at the still figure below him. Sting's chest was still rising and falling shallowly, a sure sign that while he was down, he was only subdued. The blond man was bleeding pretty significantly, but then, so was he. Natsu was weary; he began to turn away.
Suddenly, Sting reached up and slashed at his soft underside with a dagger the dragon had not seen on him. Natsu roared as white-hot pain bloomed from his stomach, causing his control over the transformation to slip. He fell back into human form, gasping and clutching his midsection as Sting rose to his feet.
"Do you give up?" the suitor panted, raising his bloodied knife.
"Never," Natsu grunted, grabbing his own dagger from his belt. He'd have to remember to thank Erza later. She was the one who suggested he carry a weapon in case he had to fight in human form. "I will never give up when her life is at stake."
"Her life?" Sting laughed raggedly, advancing on him. "I'm not planning on killing her, you know. I'm just marrying her.
Natsu growled. "You see though, that's the problem. Dragons, we're possessive, and you're trying to take my princess."
"You said yourself that I was honorable. I want to help this kingdom. Who better to marry the princess and watch over her?"
Natsu met his side swipe with a block, their blades making a harsh shriek. "No one," he answered, black spots starting to dance in his vision as he struggled to keep one hand on his stomach wound.
"No one? You would have the ruler of Heartfilia never marry and never leave?"
"I would protect her," Natsu corrected him with a snarl. "No man is worthy of her. No one may have her. That is why I fight as I do."
Sting looked at him sharply. "Mavis above… how didn't a see it? You're in love with her. You're in love with the princess!"
"Don't be ridiculous," he asked, swinging wide and failing to catch Sting's knife-wielding arm. "I'm her Protector."
"Which makes you the only man in the kingdom who can never have her," the suitor said with a shake of his head. "But that frustration…" he grunted, swinging with renewed vigor at the dragon. "Shouldn't keep a good man from marrying her! I want to help the kingdom, and Princess Lucy is the way to do that! You think you're helping her, but you're only hurting the kingdom in the process, you stubborn dragon!"
The best that he can remember, Natsu's vision went red at that point. His strength was rapidly leaving in the form of the hot, red blood oozing from between his fingers, but hearing Sting talk about marrying her for the kingdom and not for love… talking about her like she wasn't even a person with feelings, hopes, and wishes, only just a means of achieving the kingdom, made him angrier than he could ever remember being in his life.
He charged forward with a roar, his blade flashing against Sting's, overwhelming the suitor and knocking him to his back, the blade flying out of his hand. Natsu pressed his knife up against the man's neck so hard that it began to bleed. And he really thought about killing him… but the kingdom needed men like Sting. It really did.
Lucy didn't.
"You're bested," Natsu growled.
Sting nodded numbly. "I can honor that."
The dragon released the blade, staggering to his feet and dropping it. The room was starting to sway, but he saw Lucy running down the stairs still in that gorgeous red dress from before. Then the world turned upside-down and he was on his back, breathing shallowly as the world got dim.
"Natsu!" Lucy cried out, collapsing on the floor and gathering his head in her lap to brush back his hair.
His eyes swiveled up lazily to meet hers. "Luuuuuuuce," he said, his eyesight swimming.
"Don't talk," she said, sniffling. "Levy's getting Wendy right now. You're going to be fine."
"I like you… in red," he said.
She let out a startled little laugh. "You aren't making any sense, Flame Brain."
"So pretty…" he trailed off, closing his eyes.
"Stay awake," she said, shaking him gently.
He felt a drop of moisture on his cheek, and he smelled her tears, making his eyes open. "Don't cry."
"Then stay awake for me, please," she begged him, stroking his pink hair.
"I won… for you," he said. "I beat… Sting."
She nodded, her tears freely flowing now. "Thank you so much, my dragon."
"I won't… ever lose. So then… you never have to leave."
"Then I'll stay here forever," she promised, looking around, no doubt wondering where Wendy was.
"Good," he said, feeling the world slipping away from him. "That's good. Stay with me… because I love you, Luce."
Everything went black.