Just as Lucy took a careful step forward, her hands itching to reach out and touch the dragon, the bushes beside her rustled and made her jump back into her hiding place. She could only watch as her father and another man approached the encaged dragon.

"Well done, Loke, well done," her father was saying to his orange-haired companion. "No one I've sent has been able to capture it, but you took it out so easily! Fiore is proud to have you as their dragon slayer."

Lucy made a face in disgust and bit back a retort.

The young man was handsome, with his messy hair and his body laden with muscles, the evidence of years of training. But the overconfident aura he gave wasn't something Lucy liked. "It was just luck," the man said, running his hand down the dragon's skin, to which the dragon growled in protest. Lucy wanted to whack his hand away. "I'm sure the next knight would have done the same."

Jude Heartfilia placed a hand on Loke's shoulder. "But you were the one who captured it, Loke. I don't know how to thank you. Now my citizens can cross the mountain without fear."

"You don't have to thank me," Loke insisted - Lucy was certain it was only a scheme to get something more - and sure enough, Jude shook his head.

"Ah, but I must. If you do not wish for treasures from my kingdom, then I can offer you my daughter. She is the fairest lady in the land of Fiore." There was a hint of pride in his voice, but it only made Lucy feel sick. How could her father just give her to some...strange man to be wed? She was supposed to find her own happiness! She wanted to find someone she loved, not someone her father chose for her. It was the least he could do after the years of suffering he'd forced onto her!

Tears of frustration burned in her eyes. She dug her nails into her hand, so deep that she felt a flash of pain. She was so upset that she missed the man's reply, not that she needed to hear it. Her fate was already sealed, as soon as her father opened that horrible mouth and those words came out. There was nothing she could do.

Her father spoke again. "Come, Loke. The kingdom is waiting!" The two walked away, leaving the forest silent once more.

Lucy sank to her knees, letting one single sob escape from her lips before straightening up. She was a princess, and she had to be brave. She couldn't cry.

A soft whine made the trees around her tremble. Lucy looked up to see that the dragon was watching her with warm brown eyes, beckoning to her. Of course he would know that she was there.

She walked closer, almost in a trance. She studied his reddish skin, which looked more pink in the afternoon light, and felt its warmth even from a foot away. The last thing it looked was dangerous.

"Hello," she whispered, afraid that if she spoke louder, her voice would break the magic spell that had settled in the forest.

A low rumble echoed through the trees.

Feeling a little silly that she was speaking to a creature who probably couldn't understand her, she cleared her throat and tried again. "My name's Lucy. I'm the princess of this kingdom. What's your name?"

There was no way the dragon could answer her, she thought to herself. She almost stumbled back in surprise when the dragon actually lifted one eye up toward the sun in response, and the air around her suddenly felt slightly hotter.

"Sun and heat...summer?" she guessed, putting the pieces together. "Your name is Natsu?" It was a strange name, a name she wouldn't have picked herself. But now that she knew his name was Natsu, it was a perfect match for him.

The dragon gave her a toothy grin. If it wasn't a coming from a dragon, she would have almost thought that it was adorable.

She smiled back. "Well, hello, Natsu. I'm Lucy." Giggling slightly, she gave him the most perfect curtsy. She hadn't even bothered to give such good curtsies to her father's contacts and friends.

She circled the cage once - it was so huge that it took her quite a few minutes to swerve around trees and bushes, but to her disappointment was unable to locate a keyhole to unlock the cage (she deduced that it must be sealed with magic), and proceeded to sit down against the iron bars close to his head. It was something typical princesses wouldn't dare do, but Lucy wasn't just any princess, either. "I wonder...what is it like, where you're from?"

Natsu gazed at her sadly. He must really miss his home.

"It must be beautiful," Lucy said, closing her eyes and imagining the scenery before her. "I wish I could see it...how blue the sky must be, how clear and crisp the mountain streams are, how sweet and lovely the flowers look..."

She paused, debating what to say next, then reminded herself that he was a dragon. What she said couldn't hurt him, and he couldn't really tell anyone else. This was probably the closest thing to a friend she could ever hope for. "I've never left my castle, you see. I had friends when I was younger, but after my mother was gone, my father shut me up in my room and wouldn't let me go out. He decided everything for me, and now, even my future husband."

She punched the ground angrily. Her knuckles scraped against the dirt, ruining the hand that was meant to be pure and clean. She didn't care.

"Love is the one thing I'm supposed to find for myself, and yet he chooses for me! Not to mention it's the man who took away your freedom!"

The dragon growled deeply in agreement. He too had heard her father's discussion with Loke earlier and hated every moment of it.

Lucy trailed off, and a peaceful silence fell about them. She had nearly dozed off when darkness began to spread, turning green leaves black. Lucy hadn't realized she had spent so much time there. "It's getting late," she groaned. "I have to go, now, but I'll come back tomorrow and see you again, Natsu!"

A sparkle in his eyes told her he was looking forward to her visit. She was pleased that she was beginning to understand him in the short while they had been together.

"And I'll bring Happy next time. I'm sure you'll love him as much as I do," she promised, pushing herself up. She hated the thought of leaving him, but her father was probably looking for her. And to think she had wanted to search for him only moments ago.

Natsu stared after Lucy's retreating figure, wondering who this Happy could be and thinking how lonely her small and fragile frame looked in the deep, dangerous forest.

It was no place for a princess.

Lucy sneaked back into her room, making sure no one noticed her muddy clothes. She took off her ripped dress and hid it under her bed - it was a good idea to save it for her future endeavors into the forest rather than ruin another of her fancy gowns and give her father a reason to suspect her.

She asked Virgo to set up the bath for her, then slipped into the hot bubbly water. It was nothing compared to the heat that had radiated off of Natsu earlier.

Natsu, huh...

Her skin tingled as she thought of him again. Her father would be furious if he found out that his daughter was speaking to a dragon, but this was a secret he didn't need to know. She hoped he would leave Natsu hidden in the forest, instead of showing him off to the public like some trophy. He deserved far more than that.

"Princess, your father is asking for you," Virgo reported, opening the door to the bathroom and poking her head in. At Lucy's startled look, Virgo requested with a blank expression, "I see I have disturbed your rest. Will you be giving me my punishment?"

Lucy blushed. "No, no, that won't be necessary. I'll be out now."

She glanced at the gown Virgo had picked out. It was a fancy purple dress, with frilly fringes decorating the bottom and a blooming purple flower that rested below the single spaghetti strap. Her father was clearly up to something, and she already had a good idea as to what it is.

Virgo helped her dress up, she grimaced at the tightness of her corset, before leading her into the room her father occupied. "The Princess is here, your Majesty."

Lucy took a deep breath, casting one last longing look at her maid as she was ushered inside. Her father stood at the end of the table with Loke beside him.

"Ah, there you are, Lucy." His stare was patronizing.

She knew what his hidden question was. She gazed steadily back at him. "I had just been out for a walk. At least you would permit that much, right?"

"The princess should have her fresh air," Loke put in. Lucy turned her sharp gaze on him, silencing him. She didn't need a stranger to speak for her.

"As long as you don't disturb anyone," her father said evenly, stroking his beard. "I'm sure you've heard of the news by now, daughter."

Here it was, the moment she had been preparing for. "If you mean the dragon getting caught, then yes, Virgo has told me."

"And here is the man who has defeated the beast," he continued, slapping Loke's back proudly. "This is Loke."

"How do you do," Lucy said politely, purposely making her curtsy a little off-balanced. She refused to look at him.

Loke flashed her a grin that probably had women fawning over him, but all that danced in Lucy's mind was the way her dragon had smiled when she correctly guessed his name. Natsu. "Couldn't be better," he said smoothly. "I am honored to meet you, Princess."

The way he said her title made her squirm.

"As do I," she repeated the words she had said to guests over and over again. This man, she told herself, was just another of those boring people whom she would never speak to again after they left.

But he wasn't.

"I have decided," her father interrupted their greeting, "that the man who slays the dragon will be worthy to be your husband."

"Really. Since when have you actually decided something with my consent?" Lucy snorted.

"You will be wed," her father said firmly. "No arguments. You should be pleased to have such a great man. Now, enjoy dinner and get to know each other."

With a clap of his hands, servants began bringing in food.

Lucy focused on her pot pie, spearing it with her fork and imagining it to be Loke's head. He chattered aimlessly about himself, about his job, his friends, and how annoying he thought the ladies he knew were, but Lucy ignored it all.

She wanted to run away, she wanted to leave this place for good. She could go far away, somewhere her father couldn't find her and couldn't force this pointless wedding onto her.

But it was funny. The one thing she couldn't bare to leave behind was the dragon.

Her dragon.

A/n: I forgot to put the ship label in the previous chapter! eek! I'm so grateful for those who still read it and reviewed, you're the best! Here's another chapter, just for you~

leave a review and let me know if you're interested?