Summary: Getting lost in the woods is the least of their worries when Natsu and Lucy blunder their way into a cursed village and a prophecy that leads them to understand something about themselves.
Big thanks to Snogfairy for taking a look at this and giving me the shove I needed to actually fix a bunch of stuff I was waffling on!
Author's Notes: Mostly pretty PG-13, but there's a bit of violence, cursing, off screen death of OCs that happened long in the past, and a really NSFW scene towards the end. I'll admit this is a little weird and definitely darker in tone than my fluffy stuff. Nothing too bleak, I promise. I should probably warn everyone now that I have some strange kinks, though. It only seems fair to alert you all going into this.
For anyone reading this on FF net the NSFW section was primarily cut, so if it feels like there's something missing, there actually is. If you'd like to read that redacted part, hop on over to my Archive of Our Own account (there's a link in my profile) and you can find it there once we get to that section. It's not exactly important for the story, so you're not missing anything if you'd rather skip the naughtiest bits.
The time frame also got a bit messed up thanks to some things that happened during the Tartarus manga arc. I had originally planned this to take place in that ambiguous post-Tartarus future, but, well, Mashima had certain people show up...
Author's Note Addition: Since Poxxy asked in the comments, this story has seven total parts, but one of them is basically a long NSFW scene so I won't be publishing that part here on FF since they officially frown on that sort of content. If you'd like to read it (when it goes up), it'll be over at Archive of Our Own.
"Uh, what?" the Lucy uttered. All around them small groups of the villagers were kneeling, faces full of a mixture of fear and hope. "Hey, wait! You don't have to do that!" Lucy reached down and grasped the older man's arms, awkwardly pulling him back to his feet.
Natsu picked up the fallen pole, taking a second to study the accuracy of the dragon's head on top, and handed it back to the trembling chieftain with a warm smile. "Of course we'll help you break your curse."
"It is just as the legend says!" Maulin whooped, beaming at his fellow cheering hunters. "They have truly returned to us, and we were the ones honored to lead them here."
Radi nodded excitedly. "I can't wait to be able to visit Asauda village again. I wonder if Tanne is still waiting for me…" His eyes took on a faraway look as he pulled off his hunting mask and clutched it in front of his chest.
The sudden shift in the villagers' attitude was as much jarring as it was a relief. Making an 'x' shape with her hands, Lucy said, "Hold up. Legend? Chieftain, could you please explain what that means?"
"The celestial maiden and her dragon are the only ones who can break the curse that binds us. It is a prophecy we have known for ages. Our shaman is the only wizard in this village, so we have been unable to help ourselves…" His eyes were watery, and the man sniffed while his chin quivered. "I never thought I would live to see it. This is truly a momentous day."
"I dunno about a prophecy or whatever, but we'll do what we can." Scratching the side of his face with his index finger, Natsu grimaced. "We've gotta get out of here too. Our friends are waiting for us."
Daun rapped the butt of his stave against the ground, displacing a clod of grass. "This calls for a celebration! We shall have a feast in honor of the maiden and the dragon prince."
"Prince?" Natsu raised an eyebrow and let out a bark of a laugh. "I'm no prince." He crossed his arms over his chest, watching the scurrying villagers with interest when they started to stoke the fire pits and drag baskets of food out.
"Of course you are," the elder said. "What is a prince but the son of a king, be he ruler of men or beasts?"
Lucy tipped her head. "Huh… Actually, you kind of have a point there."
"So are you gonna call me 'your highness' now?" The fire wizard snickered at the blonde's exaggerated eye roll and disgusted expression. "I guess that makes equal, right? Since you were sort of a princess before."
"Let's… just not go there, okay?" she sighed. "Besides, you were the one who said I wasn't a lady."
He laughed louder and slapped her on the back, not caring that she glared at him for the jolt. "I guess I did. Man, that food is starting to smell good, and those fires look tasty."
"Please, let us find a place for you to rest. You must be tired from your long journey." Daun gestured towards the center of the village where the others were setting up for a roaring bonfire and bringing pillows and blankets for seating.
Following, Lucy spared a glance to the silent shaman who had barely moved since Natsu's revelation about his father. She frowned at the grim expression on Tarsk's face, but it evaporated when he caught her gaze. With a polite smile, he inclined his head and turned to go assist in preparations. Her eyes narrowed, lips flattening. Something about that guy…
"Hey, this is pretty great!" Natsu exclaimed. He dropped cross legged on a large embroidered pillow. Patting the cushion next to him, the fire wizard grinned his standard, untroubled grin. "Have a seat, Lucy."
She lowered herself to the pillow, taking in the makeshift canopy hastily erected overhead and how the other seats were arranged facing the two visitors. The villagers had certainly given them a place of honor. Observing the people beginning to cook the food, Lucy moved closer to her companion. "Natsu, is anything about all this bothering you?"
"Other than being trapped in a forest because of a weird prophecy?" he asked, waving at one of the curious children that was staring at him. The little boy gasped and scurried off to hide behind his mother's legs.
Worrying her lip between her teeth, Lucy kept her voice low. "Did you notice how everyone dresses and talks here? Isn't it a bit… archaic?"
Natsu lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "It kinda reminds me of Galuna island, though the old guy doesn't have those awesome sideburns."
"Exactly!" she hissed. "Galuna island was really remote and isolated because the demons had convinced people the area was cursed. No one went there. But this village is in the middle of a well-traveled forest, and it's still like this."
"I guess that's true…"
Lucy held up a finger. "What's more, there weren't any reports of people going missing in the forest or any maps that showed this village. If this place was really cursed and no one who enters can leave, wouldn't someone know about it by now?"
"Yeah, and they talk about dragons like they're all over the place." Natsu's grin had dimmed considerably, looking more locked in place than genuine.
"I didn't want to say anything, but… what do you make of that?" the blonde asked, feeling even more apprehensive.
He shook his head, eyes skimming the people starting to gather. Forcing a quick smile at the women who placed carved wooden cups filled with a sweet scented drink in front of them, he waited until they retreated. "I dunno. Even I only ever saw Igneel until the stuff with the Eclipse Gate. That old guy's stick sure looks like it was made by someone who's actually been around them, though." With a surreptitious sniff, the fire wizard decided it was alright to taste the offered refreshment.
Lucy stared down into the purple liquid in front of her. "Do you think we're safe?"
Sipping his drink, Natsu rolled the thick, fruity beverage along his tongue before speaking. "It's not poisoned, and I don't feel like they're lying to us. But the damage to this village was done a long time ago, and sure looks like it was done by a dragon. Did you notice how the craters have grown over? It's weird that the tents look like they were burned up just recently... Maybe they're not telling us something."
"This is all making me -" The celestial wizard stopped speaking when a group of villagers approached, laying out platters of fruits, nuts, and freshly roasted meat in front of the pair. Lucy offered them as warm a smile as she could manage when they stood back and watched expectantly.
She spied Natsu's incredible nose quivering, discreetly checking for any strange scents, before he beamed at them and slapped his hands together, giving them a quick rub. "This smells great!"
Wasting no time digging in, the fire wizard snatched up two large pieces of venison and stuffed one into his mouth. He chewed noisily, making sounds of appreciation when he tore off another strip of meat with his sharp teeth. Glancing at his partner, he noticed that she was taking in the smiling villagers, hands tucked motionlessly into her lap. He didn't bother to swallow the lump of food in his mouth and said, "What's wrong, Lucy? The grub's good."
"None of them are eating," she whispered back. "This isn't that much food for so many people… I think this is everything they've got right now."
The throng of anticipative people were watching them, but keeping a more than respectful distance. Lucy leaned forward, picking up one of the platters of sticky fruit and singling out a small girl half hidden behind her father. "This is too much for me to eat. Would you like to have some?"
Hesitant, the child glanced at her parent before moving forward. The blonde extended the food towards her, nodding when the girl reached out and plucked up a luscious looking stone fruit. She giggled when she bit into it, juice running down her chin.
"Lucy's right! No way we can eat all this," Natsu exclaimed. He gestured the villagers closer with his whole arm. "Besides, food tastes better if you eat it with other people. Get over here, you guys!"
He grinned as they cautiously inched forward, giving them encouraging motions of his hands. Their enthusiasm built when the first few took pieces of food, and quickly they were all joining in with infectious laughter. It seemed like whatever anxious spell had kept them back was broken.
Lucy felt a warm pool of satisfaction in her stomach watching the villagers celebrate in the waning sunlight. She had the feeling that they didn't get many opportunities for festivities. Her good mood was only hampered by the creeping tingle on the back of her neck that had her craning around to see what was behind. She locked gazes with the shaman who was studying her intently, but he again offered a cordial smile before heading off to another location.
She frowned and then spotted elder Daun standing nearby with a look of awe on his face. He cleared his throat and smiled gently. "Maiden Lucy, I must say thank you. Your generosity towards us is inspiring."
"Just Lucy is fine," she responded automatically, "and I think we should be thanking you. You've been very kind to two complete strangers."
"Oh, no!" The old man waved the hand that wasn't clutching his staff negatively. "You should understand that our village has been without hope since the curse struck us. This is the first time I have dared believe that we might be freed, and to find that the celestial maiden is truly as kind as the story says… I must confess I had not entirely believed it."
Embarrassed by his gushing, Lucy decided to change the topic. "Do you mind if I ask what a shaman is? It's not really a term we use where I'm from."
"Of course," Daun bobbed his head, happy to be of assistance. "Shamans are essentially wizards that, rather than roam as you mages do, provide service to the home that gives them birth. Their powers are more often derived from the natural world. Tarsk's family has protected us for many generations, and he in particular has fended off the dragons that try to raid our village. We owe him much," he stressed.
"I… see. Would it be possible for us to hear more about this legend you told us about?"
The elderly man's face lit with excitement. "Oh, yes! But I think it is Llamalla that tells it best." He eagerly waved forward the gray haired woman who had been listening in on their conversation, and she came without hesitation despite a small limp. The brightness of her eyes seemed to conflict with the creases in her skin.
Llamalla cleared her throat and the other villagers fell quiet, gathering around in a tighter formation to listen. Something about the smoothness with which this all happened made Lucy think it must be a frequent ritual here.
"Long ago, the celestial maiden, gentle soul and great champion, grace our land with her noble presence. She conversed with the spirits of the stars and called them to her side for aid. When she heard of a mighty dragon, she grew intrigued and wished more than anything to meet him. Others warned that he was a monster to be feared, chaotic and unpredictable, but the maiden had no fear in her pure heart."
"It was near a sea of green that she came to face the terrible beast, but at first she knew him not as such," Llamala's rich voice intoned. "His manner was strange, loud, and rough, though it only caused her mirth from the start. Her kindness and strength did sway him beyond doubt, and he offered her a boon should she request it."
The old woman paused, taking in Lucy's wide eyes as the story wove itself into shape. Some of it sounded so eerily familiar to the girl she could scarcely believe it. "It was too soon that she needed his help, and he revealed his ferocity as he tore down the foes that attempted to steal her light away. Still, the maiden knew no terror at his blistering breath for she only saw the heart of a warrior and not that of a monster. Indeed, the most fearsome of beings took her small hand in his and wished to share the secret places that he had once kept for himself."
"So it was that the Celestial Maiden left our lands for those treasured haunts, but when we fall under dire circumstance she will return to us. For it is only she and her indomitable dragon that may shatter the shroud of curse and return things to what they were."
Llamalla bowed just slightly as the villagers broke into applause and cheers. It was obvious this was a favorite story of theirs. Radi quickly jumped up to escort her to one of the seats despite the old woman scoffing kindly at needing his help. She tucked her arm in his, smiling and nudging the young man in the ribs playfully.
Daun watched the two visitors carefully throughout, feeling pleased by their awed expressions. "Quite excellent, is she not? I hope that helps to answer some of your questions."
Lucy nodded slowly. "Yes… It really does." Pursing her lips, she glanced back at her partner who was quickly becoming enthralled with the music the villagers were starting to play. Hide-skinned drums made heavy thumps while some kind of unfamiliar lute-like instrument and carved bone pipes created a jaunty melody. "I take it this story has been passed down through your history?" she asked, intensely curious now.
The chieftain's response was strangely hesitant. "I believe so. It is very strange, but no one can remember quite where it came from or who they learned it from. Llamalla, however, seems to know it best of us."
"Hmmm…" Before she could say more, shouts of alarm from the carousing villagers drew her eyes. Natsu had abandoned his seat for the bonfire, picking up a burning log and promptly stuffing the fiery wood into his mouth. There was a wide circle of shocked people around him. "Oh geez," she sighed.
"Wha?! Wha's wron'?" His words were muffled since his mouth was still full. With a slurping sound, Natsu popped the log out of his face and blinked quizzically at the startled villagers. "Your fire is really tasty. Is it special?" He turned to look at Lucy, shoulders slightly hunched and mouth stuck into a pout. "Am I in trouble?"
"You eat fire?!" Maulin gaped. The hunter seemed more at ease around the dragon slayer than some of the others but was still astounded.
Relieved it was all just simple surprise rather than him having chowed down on a sacred flame, Natsu chuckled. He casually tossed the charred log back into the fire pit, causing a cloud of glowing embers to shower out. "Oh, is that all? Sure. It's part of my magic."
"A-amazing!" Daun exclaimed. "Never have I seen such a thing."
"Pfft." The dragon slayer puffed out his chest. "That's nothing. Check this out." Tipping back his head, Natsu inhaled sharply and let out a fearsome blast of flame towards the sky. It dwarfed the great bonfire, lighting up the twilight scene and casting stark shadows. Gasping in astonishment, the people cringed back or placed themselves in front of loved ones.
It wasn't until the fire mage gave them all a reassuring, and quite cocky, grin that they relaxed. Natsu took a bow when many of them started to clap and call excited praise. "Pretty cool, right?"
Lucy snorted, but smiled indulgently. "Show off," she said quietly, knowing only his excellent hearing would pick up the words. It just made him grin harder, and he allowed several of the younger villagers to drag him into a dancing circle. He stumbled a few times as they taught him the steps, but the pink haired wizard could be strangely graceful, and he quickly worked out the sequence.
Lucy watched the group ring around the fire several times, laughing at how enthusiastic Natsu was. Something about the exaggeration in his motions and how his eyes sought her out made her wonder if he was doing it just to amuse her. Swinging back around, he stuck out a hand and grabbed her arm. "C'mon, Lucy!"
His momentum pulled her off her seat, and she staggered along, feet catching in the grass as she tried to keep up. Ignoring her protests, he corrected her movements. "No, it's left side first. Then twist a little to the right. There ya go!"
She was briefly embarrassed by how much less coordinated than her friend she was, but her chagrin faded in the face of his jovial shouting. "Now spin! Two steps left, one forward!" The blonde found herself laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath while following his instructions. "You got it!" he crowed.
The dragon slayer kept her hand clasped in his own as much as he could during the vigorous dance. Even if Lucy told herself that her flushed cheeks were due to exertion, some private corner of her heart admitted it had as much to do with the pink haired boy's exhilarating grin. His desire to share experiences with her was something she fervently hoped she wouldn't ever take for granted.
Tipping her head back, she let her laughter ring out towards the night sky along with everyone else's. Even as strange as all this was right now, it didn't feel so wrong to let go and enjoy the moment. In fact, dancing with her dragon slayer at her side just felt entirely right, fingers entwined and the warmth of his palm matching that of the fire. Far above them the stars winked at her lovingly.
The stars…
The stars!
Lucy tripped, staggering off to the side and barely regaining her balance in time to avoid smashing face first into the ground. Her fingers torn from his grasp, Natsu made a noise of concern and broke out of the circle to check on her. "Lucy! You okay? What happened?"
The celestial wizard pointed up towards the heavens, face pale and distraught. "Look! The stars are all wrong! For our location and this time of year… this isn't right."
Following her outstretched hand, Natsu looked up at the sky. He didn't know much about celestial bodies, but he knew enough to tell she was right. None of it looked at all familiar. "What does that mean?" he asked.
"It means we are no longer where we were." The two turned to look at Tarsk emerging from the knot of uneasy villagers watching them. "You are very astute to have noticed, my dear. It took us quite some time to become aware of the change ourselves."
"Have you been able to figure out where we are?" Lips turned down, Lucy's brown eyes traced patterns of light looking for anything she knew.
The shaman shook his head, giving her a wry smile. "I am afraid that for all our travels, we never encountered a place where the stars looked like this."
"Please forgive me for interrupting." All three glanced at the timid woman who bowed low. "I just wanted to inform our most honored guests that their accommodations are ready."
"Ah, it is growing late, is it not? Perhaps it is best I bid you goodnight, lady." The shaman bowed too, sweeping a hand in front of himself elegantly and receiving a tentative node from the blonde, before he left. It didn't escape her notice that he'd deliberately ignored the dragon slayer.
"That guy's pretty strange," Natsu muttered and was awarded an elbow to his ribs and a stern look from Lucy. Even if she agreed, it wasn't wise to antagonize their hosts.
The golden haired girl offered a gracious smile to the village woman. "Thank you so much. I am getting pretty tired."
"This way, please," the woman said, indicating a large tent with her arm. "I pray you and your good husband will find it sufficient."
"Hu-husband?!" Lucy squeaked, the comment managing to derail her frantic thoughts about the stars. "No, no, no! I think you've got the wrong idea." The celestial wizard waved her hands wildly in front of herself.
"Oh? You are not wed?" she asked. "But you are traveling alone together, and you said that you were partners…"
Natsu rubbed the back of his head, carefully avoiding Lucy's blushing face. She was probably going to blow a gasket at this rate, so it was better to clear things up. "We work together is what she meant." This kind of thing seemed to happen more and more often to them.
Flustered, the villager bowed quickly again. "Please forgive me, my lady! I misunderstood. I will prepare a separate tent right away -"
"Nah, this is fine," the fire wizard cut in. "With all the weird stuff going on, I don't like the thought of Lucy getting too far away. Besides, we sleep together all the time anyway."
"W-what he means is that we stay in the same room when we travel for missions," Lucy clarified hastily, cringing at how easily his statement could be taken the wrong way.
Cocking his head, Natsu gave her a bemused look. "No," he said slowly, "I mean I sleep in your bed with you when we're home pretty much every night."
"I see… So you are lovers," the villager said, sounding strangely awed. The others seemed to be taking a great deal of interest in the conversation too, even if they pretended to be occupied with their celebration.
"No! That's not it!" Lucy insisted. "You see… It's just that… I mean… We're just friends!" The excuse rang hollow even in her own ears, and the woman's dubious look didn't improve the burning in her face at all.
"It is not my place to pass judgment upon one such as yourself, my lady. That you pair yourself with a dragon king's son is written in prophecy, an immutable truth and our salvation." She bowed one last time and turned to leave. "May the stars watch over your sleep, Maiden."
"Thank you…" Rubbing at her brow with her thumb and forefinger, Lucy muttered quietly, "Wrong stars, though." All the bowing and scraping and talk of legends was starting to get on her nerves.
Heaving a sigh, she pushed aside the tent flap and was amazed by the furnishings inside. Though the form was practical, she couldn't help but admire the sophisticated techniques used for the ornamentation. The beautifully decorated blankets and pillows made a lush nest in the center of the space. One single nest, she noticed. "I guess I'll just have to live with it."
"Does it really bother you that much when people think we're like that?" Natsu had joined her and was already stripping off his one armed coat.
She shot him a glance at the odd tone of his voice. He kept his back to her so she couldn't study his expression for more clues. Sometimes she wondered… "It's not that. It's just easier if they don't get the wrong impression."
"Whatever," he mumbled, kicking off his sandals and shucking his belt. "It's not that big of a deal to me."
The fire wizard still wasn't facing her, and Lucy's mouth pinched. "Natsu… I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel like I don't... " She halted, not wanting to give away too much of herself. "Those kind of assumptions make things awkward, don't you think? And these people already have the impression that we're some kind of divinely sent saviors on top of it."
Shrugging, he dropped to his knees to crawl under the covers. "Why would I care what they think of us?" He hesitated, blanket already in hand, before he sat back on his heels to look up at her. His dark gaze was oddly penetrating, making the girl blush slightly while he considered something. Then he grinned. "Besides, it's kinda cool that everybody thinks that a girl like you would be with me."
"What does that mean?" she demanded while he clambered into bed. "You can't just say something like that and not -"
"Go to sleep, Lucy. We've got to start figuring out what the heck is going on tomorrow, and you're the smart one." Natsu sprawled on his back with his eyes sliding shut, though his mouth was twitching towards a smirk.
Grumbling, the girl toed off her shoes, taking the time to arrange them near the exit, and then joining him under the covers after extinguishing the small oil lamp that hung from the tent poles. She fell asleep feeling strangely like she'd missed an opportunity.