Chapter 8

A Little Unsteady

Laxus Dreyer was a strict man.

He believed in punctuality, order. He demanded the best of others and expected no less of himself. The Law was the Law. Made by the Monarchs of years past, crafted to protect the citizens of Fiore, the Law defined the land, not the other way around. But most of all, the Law was made to be upheld. Chaos, destruction and anarchy would undoubtedly follow any deviation from the Law and he had lived enough years to know that these deviations did occur despite his constant efforts to keep his Kingdom pure. Criminals who broke the Law were a certainty.

A criminal who broke the Law was the reason he had grown up without his parents.

And so, Laxus had joined the Fiore military. Composed of regular soldiers and more exalted Knights, the military was the symbol of stability and order that his beloved country so desperately needed in the magic-torn reality of the present day. It was a power-drunken rogue wizard who struck down his parents all those years ago and it was the same selfish mystical miscreants that tormented the nation today with their ethernano-born virus that extended as far as to ail the Queen at the very heart of Fiore.

Resolute and unwavering in his beliefs, Laxus had risen through the ranks of the military with frightening speed, gaining respect for his strategic genius and unmatched work ethic entirely separate from the innate acknowledgment he was given at his birth. Today, at the young age of 25, he stood as the Chief Commanding General of the Fiore Military. No one would dare claim that he obtained the position through anything else than hard-earned merit, but if they did, it would most likely be because of his grandfather, Makarov Dreyer, Head Advisor to the King.

Makarov, despite his short stature and graying beard, was one of the most respected men in the Kingdom. Having served King Jude and his father before him, the Dreyer name was cemented in its legacy of proximity to the Heartfilia's. Laxus, however, had not dwelled in his grandfather's shadow, but had risen beyond it, taking the respect his family had earned to the next level.

There was nothing more important to the young general than Fiore. It was his responsibility to protect his country and he firmly believed that there was only one way to secure safety for every law-abiding citizen in his home.

Order.

Unfortunately, order could not be exclusively seen in the steel of a Knight's sword or a document being signed into Law. As with everything, order had a dark side, a harsh reality that was his responsibility to suppress from the ordinary eye.

Boots clapping loudly on the chilled stone as he descended down a narrow staircase, Laxus departed from the airy light of Fiore castle into the murky depths of its dungeons.

The only light guiding his path came from sparsely located candles lining the dark walls, pockets of orange luminescence making the distant shadows seem even blacker and deeper. Nodding slightly to a watchful guard, Laxus continued on a path he had not yet had a reason to travel. This part of the dungeons hadn't been used in years, but current circumstances mandated it to resume its purpose.

The air was thick and cold, raising goosebumps on his skin and causing his muscles to shiver beneath the heavy fabric of his formal attire. He clamped his teeth shut, allowing his features to become even more solemn than before.

The blinding light of a lantern peeked through the blanket of darkness at the end of the dungeon corridor he was navigating. It was a temporary but bright light, not belonging in the shadows of such a desolate place.

Holding the lantern was an old man of short stature that he immediately recognized as his grandfather.

"Laxus, my boy." He said with a wry smile upon sight of his grandson. "It's about time you arrived. Waiting this long in the cold could cause an old man like me to wither away to nothingness."

"I apologize. You're summoning caught me off guard. I was preparing for the Contestants' Dinner tonight."

"Ah yes, I almost forgot about that. Should be starting soon, no?"

"In twenty minutes."

"Not to worry, this shouldn't take long." Makarov replied. His features hardened and the wrinkles on his face become deeper and more defined. His attention turned to the cell they were standing in front of. The cell at the very end of the corridor. The cell located in the deepest part of the dungeons. The cell belonging to the most dangerous man they held in captivity- a wizard. An extremely powerful wizard.

"What exactly is this?"

"The prisoner has made a request." The aging advisor said warily, eyeing the brooding man crouched in the corner of the tiny, bleak cell. His broad shoulders created a mighty frame that was filled out to its entirety with meaty bulk and bulging muscles. His light skin was tarnished with sheets of mud and grime, caked onto his entire exterior and sealed there with an abundance of greasy sweat that singled the man had not bathed in quite some time. Laxus wrinkled his nose. The man's smell also made that fact abundantly clear.

Around the prisoner's wrists were an unusually bulky and metallic-looking pair of handcuffs designed by the kingdom's most brilliant scientists to prevent their wearers from harnessing any magical power. And so, the once powerful mage was reduced to a powerless heap of muscle in dull gray rags of the incarcerated.

"He was apprehended by my men only days ago." The blonde general said to his grandfather, examining the prisoner closely. He spoke these words confidently, but everyone present knew the truth: no non-magic user in the country had the means or power to apprehend such a powerful wizard. The S-Class criminal in custody had offered no fight when a search patrol finally tracked down the infamous mage. "Surely he is not already in need of anything so grave that it requires our presence."

Upon closer inspection, unease settled upon Laxus' demeanor like a dark gray cloud. The wariness on the man's face and his unkempt appearance were both characteristics he was all too accustomed to seeing in long term prisoners. The dirt on the man's face and the grease discoloring his matted strands of auburn did not trouble the General. No, it was the look it the man's eyes that was most disconcerting. Those almond shaped orbs, appearing a colorless black in the lightless shadows, held purpose. A concentrated purpose. It was not uncommon to see fresh captives hold a sense of hope or mild defiance in their eyes, but this was different. No prisoner facing a life sentence ever held a sense of purpose in his eyes.

Until now.

"It is not my preference to listen to the whims of the imprisoned either, but apparently this man has been harassing the guards every time they come by his cell."

"About being released, I presume?"

"Not at all." Makarov replied with a stiff shake of the head. "Rather, all he requests is the opportunity to speak to someone."

"Who?" Laxus replied, stifling his surprise.

"Natsu Dragneel. One of the participants in the Coronal Contests."

Laxus narrowed his eyes. He remembered the name. Dragneel was the one that was with Princess Lucy when the assassination attempt was made on her life.

"Why?"

"He won't say."

"Of course." Laxus replied, rolling his eyes.

"Normally I wouldn't think much of this, but considering the danger the prisoner imposes and the already controversial nature of the contests, I thought it best if we deal with this personally."

"I agree." The general nodded, crossing his strong arms over his chest. "Where should we begin?"

"Well you could start by asking me a question." For the first time, the prisoner spoke. His voice was deep and raspy, but containing hints of boredom and impatience as well. "Or you could just go on talking as if I wasn't here. That'd be fine too."

Although there was no way to measure it, Laxus' blood pressure undoubtedly spiked at the prisoner's disrespectful and sarcastic quip. He showed no outward sign of annoyance, however, and retained his composure like a seasoned veteran.

"Very well." He said. "Why do you wish to speak with Natsu Dragneel?"

"There's something I need to tell him."

Laxus swallowed. He should have known better than to expect anything but a vague, generalized response.

"Not good enough." He replied smoothly. "However, even if you had given me an appropriate reason, I'm afraid I would have to deny your request. You are an S-Class criminal and will never again speak to another soul not directly involved in what I can assure you will be a permanent imprisonment."

The prisoner scowled but had no words to reply with. Laxus turned to his grandfather.

"Let's go. We aren't going to get anything out of him that we don't already know. It doesn't serve anyone to negotiate with criminals. We will investigate any relations he may have with Dragneel starting tomorrow."

"Perhaps a civil conversation with the man would save a good deal of time." Makarov said wisely, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Grandfather. This man is a wizard. He is powerful, dangerous, and carries no remorse for his sins. Imagine how many lives he has taken by contaminating the world with his magic. He is not the sort of person who can be reasoned with and certainly not the sort of person whose word can be trusted."

"And you've gleaned all that from a two minute conversation?"

"No conversation was necessary. As the head of law enforcement in Fiore, this is my decision. This man will remain here to serve his penance while I investigate the reason behind his request."

"Very well." Makarov dipped his head not in agreeance, but understanding acquiescence. "Let us get out of the dark, then."

With that, the two men sharing a last name turned to navigate the winding corridors of the dungeon back to the top where they could return to the world of the light. Just before they were out of the earshot, however, the prisoner called out to them.

"Just tell him that I'm here, will yah?" He shouted out, desperation leaking out of his raspy shout. "Tell him that Gildarts Clive is being held prisoner by the Kingdom of Fiore!"

XXX

"It's going to be a nightmare." Lucy insisted, gasping softly as her torso was mercilessly constricted by the corset-a lovely shade of salmon pink embroidered with lace- Levy was currently tightening from behind her.

"You're freaked out over nothing, Lu." The blue haired girl laughed softly without taking her eyes off her work.

"It's not nothing. I'm going to be locked up in a room with ten men who I might marry."

"Want to trade places?" Levy chirped, finishing the lacing on the corset as she stood back to admire the princess' regal albeit worried appearance.

"Not helpful!"

"There really is no need to worry." Erza, always the voice of reason, spoke from her seat in an armchair beside the younger girls. As usual she was dressed in a business like fashion and had her startling red hair tied back tightly into a high ponytail. "You aren't going to be locked in the room and you won't be alone either. Not only am I attending the dinner, but your father and a few other distinguished guests will be there as well."

"The fact that my dad will be there makes it a million times worse." Lucy moaned, threatening to disrupt her perfectly sculpted up due that weaved her silky blond hair into a spiraling maze of braids, twists, and a countless number of hidden hair clips.

"Yeah no exaggeration there." Levy admitted. "Dads always make things awkward."

"Still not helping, Levy!" The princess said in good natured exasperation. She knew there wasn't too much else her friend could say, but still her heart was pounding much too fast and her entire body felt stiff with tension. Tonight was the Contestant's Dinner and that meant that the ten men she had chosen at the Ball were coming to the castle for a welcoming feast. They would all get to know each other better and the details of the first contest would be revealed. It seemed good in theory, but now that the dinner was here, Lucy found herself in a state of panic. How was she supposed to handle herself in a roomful of potential suitors? The Ball was one thing, but this was totally different- she had expressed some level of interest in everyone in attendance so there was sure to be awkwardness, jealousy, competition and an overall weirdness that the blonde was not eager to participate in. How was she supposed to act? What sort of things was she supposed to say? What was everyone expecting of her? What if she messed everything up and the night was a disaster?

Lucy started tugging anxiously on her hair. Upon seeing her long time best friend's nervous tick, Levy stepped in and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"How about you tell us more about the guys you picked?" The Lady-in-Waiting suggested. "It may help you focus on the good parts of tonight and not the bad."

"Excellent thought, Levy." Erza agreed. "I am also interested in what direction your heart is leaning."

"Alright but my heart isn't leaning any direction yet." Lucy warned. However, the moment those words came out of her mouth she knew they were a lie. Her heart was unmistakably moving in a particular direction indeed, but she was definitely too scared and embarrassed to let anyone know that just yet.

"Yay!" Levy cheered. "Let's hear it then."

"Okay well first there is Prince Jet and Prince Droy from Bosco."

"Oh I talked to them!" Levy commented. "They seemed really cool!"

"They were nice but… well I only chose them because we are allies with Bosco and it would have been horribly rude not to select their princes."

"Figures." The blue haired girl laughed. She was much too adorable. With a delicate hand covering her mouth and eyes squinted closed in amusement, she looked just like a little baby doll.

"I see." Erza said, scribbling down vicious scrawls of dark ink onto a sheet of paper in her infamous binder that seemed to grow exponentially each day.

"You don't have to write this down-" Lucy stammered, eyes wide with fear at the thought of her dating preferences being permanently transcribed in ink. In fact, that was pretty much what the entire notebook was. It was essentially an outsourced diary about Lucy's off-kilter love life.

"I must know everything about these Contests! It's my responsibility to make sure everything goes precisely as you wish it, your highness."

"Yeah, but you don't have to… Oh never mind." Lucy said, brushing it off having become accustomed to Erza's antics. The whole kingdom was going to be closely examining her choices anyway, so a single notebook probably wasn't going to make too much of a difference. "Anyways, next there is Elfman Strauss. He's not from a particularly wealthy upbringing, but he was a pleasure to talk to and seemed genuine."

"Oh! He was the really big muscly one right? With the white hair?" Levy clapped her hands together in recognition.

"Yep." Lucy said before she pushed on through the list of names she spent a lot of brain power to formulate. "And then there is the other set of brothers- Sting and Rogue Eucliffe. Sting was very charming and smooth while Rogue is darker and more mysterious. I'd like to learn more about them."

Both of her friends were listening to her closely, searching her for the slightest twitch of a facial feature than may give away her feelings.

"Of course I also picked General Laxus Dreyer. This one was a no brainer. He's the Chief Commanding General of the Fiore Army and son of Makarov. It'd be a smart paring between us. Laxus would no doubt be a fantastic King."

"Not much of a sense of humor though." Levy said thoughtfully. "General Dreyer has always seemed really scary to me!"

Lucy laughed. Not because what Levy was saying wasn't true, but because the blue haired girl was being quite the hypocrite.

"I thought scary was your type, Levy." The princess said sneakily, unable to suppressed the devilish smirk that spread across her face. Immediately Levy's complexion flushed a bright cherry red and she hid her face in her hands in embarrassment.

"Lu!" She moaned, causing Lucy's laugh to only grow louder.

"Am I missing something here?" Erza asked, furiously whipping her head back and forth between the two younger girls, attempting to decipher what hidden knowledge was bouncing between them.

"You mind if I tell her?" Lucy asked her best friend. Levy gave a slight shake of her head to indicate her indifference, but still kept her face buried in the protective cup of her hands. The blonde turned to Erza and explained. "Levy has been crushing on one of Fiore's Knights for a while now. He was the most promising squire Fiore had seen in decades. He flew through his training and became an official Knight about a year ago. It wasn't long after that Levy went out riding in the woods. She got lost and was almost robbed by bandits until the same Knight swooped in and saved her. Levy's been daydreaming about him ever since."

"And who is this Knight you speak of?" Erza asked, interested at the prospect of a fledging love story.

"Sir Gajeel Redfox." Lucy replied with a soft smile.

"But he is one of the contestants you selected!"

"I know." Lucy laughed softly. "Between Gajeel's responsibilities as a Knight and Levy's… shyness, there hasn't really been a chance for them to get to know each other. I thought that if I selected Gajeel, he'd be around more often for Levy to make her move. It's not like Gajeel is interested in me. He is just ultra-competitive and wouldn't stay away any contest he was eligible for."

"Fascinating." Erza replied. "However, I must say I am unsure of your reasoning for many of your selections, Princess. It seems as though you are acting through responsibility and logic rather than your heart in determining your future husband."

Lucy shrugged but didn't comment further on the subject.

"Tell us about Prince Gray." Levy said, leaping back into the conversation once her face had returned to its ordinary creamy hue. "He seems like the catch of the whole Contest if you ask me."

"Gray is one of the most real people I talked to during the Ball. He's very blunt but laid-back and cool as well. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. But with Gray comes Loke, his childhood best friend. Loke is a player, but if Gray sees something good in that guy, then I have to give him a shot."

"Very cool, Lu. You're going to be really happy with whoever you end up with after these Contests. I'm sure of it." Levy said happily.

"Thanks. I do hope so." Lucy sighed. She then sucked in a deep breath. "Well, I suppose we better be off to the dinner. I don't want to keep anyone waiting."

"You forgetting something?" Erza asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Am I?" Lucy replied weakly.

"Natsu Dragneel. The tenth man you selected." Erza reminded her. "You conveniently left him out of the conversation."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about him! I never saw him at the Ball. What is he like?" Levy chirped up, excitement rekindling. Lucy's heart thudded as she searched through memories of the extensive vocabulary lessons she took in her youth for the appropriate sequence of words to describe Natsu. The only thing more difficult than Natsu to describe, was her feelings towards Natsu.

"Natsu is… unlike anyone else here." She said finally.

XXX

Natsu had a knack of judging someone's character just by looking into their eyes. Eyes, large or small, brown or blue, almond or round, were like these indisputable portals into the soul that not even the most skilled actor could hide. Even though Lucy was a rich princess, her pools of milk chocolate sparkled with the sun and were warm enough to melt ice. She had he flaws, but she was undeniably a good person. Eldia's eyes in contrast were small. Beady. Like two black bullets ready to sear through anyone that got in her way.

Sting's eyes were the same. Even though he was fortunate enough to get pretty blue orbs that helped him win over old ladies and young children (and apparently the Princess herself), Natsu could see the malice and pompous spite that hid behind a glassy surface clear as the sky.

And Natsu was getting a pretty good look at those portals of deception right now. Even though they stood far apart in opposing corners of a crowded room, both teenagers glared at each other with contempt. Natsu, eyes a piercing, fiery black, held back a hiss beneath gritted teeth while Sting returned the stare with his chin tilted slightly up in the air, eyelids half-closed over his blue weapons. Despite this Natsu could still see beneath them perfectly.

He really did hate that bastard.

Sting was the one to break the eye contact. Almost flippantly he turned away to talk to some other pompous "gentlemen" wearing tight suits. One of them was willowy and thin with a shock of orange hair tied back into a short ponytail while the other one was much chubbier and had tanner skin. Sting, with Rogue the ever present shadow at his side, began to schmooze the two young men who Natsu vaguely remembered as being princes. Ah well. That didn't really matter.

Natsu continued to sulk in the corner of the dining room by himself, angry fists shoved into the small pockets of his tight black dress pants. He didn't like the blinding yellow artificial light of the room, nor did he enjoy the sterile, tasteless smell of the air, or the intimidating presence of the long ovular table standing firmly as the focal point of the room. The farm boy was able to spy no less than seven forks and four different knives resting beside delicate china plates that he was sure to break at some point in the evening. He didn't want to come to this stupid dinner in the first place, but he was ensured that it was tradition for the Coronal Contests to have all the participants meet for a meal in the castle before the actual contests began. Natsu just wanted Lucy to get here already so he'd at least have something pretty to look at during what was sure to be a long and tedious evening.

"What you staring at?"

Natsu broke his burning eyes away from Sting's ugly profile to see that none other than Prince Gray had approached him, looking about as enthusiastic about the dinner as Natsu did.

"Your face." Natsu shot back.

"That makes no sense." Gray said blandly, rolling his eyes.

"Your face makes no sense."

"Jeez, are you always this angry?"

Before Natsu got a chance to reply, however, someone new walked up to the pair.

Natsu immediately disliked him too.

"So what you ladies talking about?" He said in a growly, condescending voice that screamed superiority in every sense of the word. His shoulders were broad and his arms were blatantly muscular in the way that made his limbs look like a series of boulders superglued together. His hair was just as wild. Pitch black and cascading down his back in thick, lethal spikes, his hair style made the various metal facial piercings in his pale skinned face appear friendly. And his eyes were red. Slender, stabbing red.

"Who the hell are you?" Natsu asked, crossing his arms across his chest. Although Natsu's arms were lean, they were still muscular in their own right. His strength came from performing hard acts of physical labor out in the fields while Gajeel's boulders came from pure and simple weight training. Two different methods from two very different lifestyles. Natsu could tell from the garments Gajeel wore that he was a Fiore Knight. They were the only ones who would wear something as obnoxious and arrogant as a black and grey surcoat with the Fiore Coat of Arms emblazoned on the front.

"Sir Gajeel Redfox." He said slowly, emphasizing the "Sir" so that neither boy would miss it. "But you can just call me Black Steel."

"I'll call you whatever I want, metal face." Natsu replied, unflinching and unimpressed by the title. He knew that he should probably cool down the insults, but he couldn't help it. Ever since his "chat" with Eldia the night of the Ball, he had been in a rotten mood. He was in a no win scenario. Either he succeeded in getting Lucy to pick Sting or Rogue as her husband, or he failed and Eldia would expose his secret to the world. Either way he would end up hurting Lucy. Either way things were going to suck for him. The only light at the end of the tunnel was that if Lucy did chose Sting or Rogue, then Wendy would be set free. That was the only thing that kept him going. It wasn't his fault that he had a bad attitude along the way.

"I'm sorry." Gajeel said, although his tone was definitely more patronizing than remorseful. "Did you think I was talking to you, farm boy? I was introducing myself to the Prince of Minstrel."

Gray stared back at the arrogant Knight for a while, taking in his appearance slowly. Then Gray let out a sigh.

"Yeah I'm really not in the mood for this right now." He said. "If you want to power struggle, do it somewhere else. I'm just here for the food."

To Natsu's surprise, Gajeel smirked.

"Not bad, kid." He said, breaking his steely exterior with a hearty laugh. "You're not bad at all."

Maybe Natsu wasn't too good at reading people after all.

Nevertheless, the secret Dragon Slayer didn't like the way he was talked to and wasn't about to let that slide. He imagined Wendy's sweet voice asking him to not get into trouble. Too bad trouble followed Natsu around like a dog. Incessant, loud, and in constant need of attention.

"Well I am in the mood." He said to Gajeel. He was a good five inches shorter than the beefier soldier, but he had a presence just as bright. "No one is going to get away with calling me a farm boy."

"Isn't that what you are?" The spiky haired man raised an eyebrow, as if he'd forgotten Natsu was there and was surprised that someone so small had spoken to him.

"You wanna find out?" Natsu said softly. His words were undeniably a challenge.

"You're not serious, kid?" Gajeel let out another raspy laugh. "I'm a Fiore Knight. You're from a backwater farm from nowhere. You don't know what you're getting into."

"Sounds like you're scared."

"Not a chance in hell. I never back down from a challenge. No matter who it comes from."

"Good." Natsu growled, raising his hands into fists. Gajeel responded by pushing up the sleeves of his tunic, smiling a crooked smile that revealed pointed canine teeth not unlike Natsu's own. Adrenaline pumped through his body, muscles loosening and tensing inside of him, reading to spring forward.

"Everything alright in here?!" A feminine voice shrilled through the commotion. The doors of the Dining Hall had sprung open and in through them hurried Princess Lucy, looking like the prettiest flower in her flowy pink dress. Her eyes were wide and cheeks slightly flustered, clearly distraught upon entering the room and seeing two contestants already about to get in a fight with each other.

"Princess." Gajeel dropped his fists and bowed respectfully to young woman. "Everything's just dandy."

Natsu huffed, disappointment replacing the adrenaline. He crossed his arms once more in frustration.

"Natsu?" Lucy pressed. Her tone shifting as well. From concern to accusation.

"Metal face and I were just getting to know each other." He said. He meant to say those words in a flippant, justified sort of way, but the way that Lucy was looking at him made guilt commandeer his attitude. Her brown eyes were full of disappointment and skepticism. He hated her staring at him like that. Not looking at Gajeel he huffed out a quiet "sorry" that got Lucy to nod her head in approval.

Choosing to move on from the tension, Lucy raised her voice to address everyone who was still mingling around the dining table.

"Hello and welcome." She said. "Thank you all for coming tonight. Now, without any further delay, let us be seated to enjoy what I'm sure will be a fantastic meal."

Everyone besides Natsu clapped respectfully and followed Lucy's lead to seat themselves at the table in their appropriate name card identified seats.

"Well done." Gray whispered in Natsu's ear.

"Shut the hell up."

XXX

No less than two hours later, the final course (Raspberry Soufflé with a white chocolate cream sauce) had finally been eaten with plates cleared from the table thanks to a top notch waiting staff who wordlessly accommodated to the guests' every need throughout the night.

Although the food was delicious and Natsu's belly was rumbling with a satisfied joy, he still looked back on the whole dinner experience with ire. There had been nine courses served and between each one there was a long period of waiting that was filled with either strained, polite conversion or awkward silence as attendants fumbled with their wine glasses.

Lucy was sitting at one end of the ovular table while her father- the King of Fiore- occupied the other end. Natsu couldn't deny being intimidated by him. He was a tall, broad man with a killer beard and a loud authoritative voice. He was often the one to fill silences as he directed his gaze around the table, asking different questions of those in attendance.

"So tell me, Prince Gray, how is the new trade agreement coming along between your father and King Jiro of Enca?"

Gray, having absolutely no clue, avoided the question with a vague answer about the weather. That however didn't deter the King.

"Prince Jet and Prince Droy, we were having a fascinating conversation about the border disputes to the East. Would you like to inform my daughter of your opinions on the matter?"

Lucy remained quiet for most of the evening. Except, of course, for when Sting spoke to her. He was fortunate enough to be sitting directly to the Princess's left and never stopped laying down the charm on her the entire dinner.

"You do look marvelous tonight, Princess Lucy?" He would say. "Would you like to hear about the Stag I hunted the other day, Princess Lucy?"

Every time, Lucy would reply with a smile and Sting would erupt into a charismatic tale about manly things such as hunting, business, or politics, causing nearly the whole table to hang onto every word of his fanciful tale.

Natsu, stuck in dinner party limbo in the middle of the table, remained quiet as well and did his best not to gag while Sting was speaking.

At one point Gray, who was seated on the Princess's right, shared a glance with Natsu and rolled his eyes. His message was clear.

This guy is full of shit.

That made Natsu significantly happier and allowed him to spend a little more time trying to decipher which fork he should use to eat a carrot and kale salad (course number 2).

Arriving late to the dinner was Laxus Dreyer, another tall muscular man who was participating in the competition. Natsu, however, knew who he was. The mighty blonde's reputation preceded himself. He was known for being a fair and capable General, the youngest ever to hold such a position. His dark eyes appeared stiff and troubled and Natsu could have sworn that they were watching him for a good deal of the evening.

The main course was some sort of fish. One of the servers announced what it was called but Natsu had no idea what language he was speaking when he said it. All he knew was that the fish's head was still attached to its body when served. Natsu didn't mind that, of course. He and Happy snuck off the farm to go fishing whenever Natsu was able to finish his chores early and he would eat the fish he caught all the time. The only problem was that Natsu had always been in a forest with a hunting knife when going about the process of removing a fish's head. He had no idea how to do it in this sort of setting. Everyone else seemed to know however, leaving Natsu staring at his fish, letting the savory smell waft up to his nose, tempting a hunger that the kale salad could not satisfy on its own.

"Use the third knife from your plate and the second to last fork." The person sitting beside him had hissed quietly from beneath the sing song noise of Sting's story telling voice. "First pull back the fins then cut between the head and collar bone."

"Wha?" Natsu echoed, surprised someone was talking to him, during one of Sting's stories no less.

Sitting beside him was a young woman probably not too much older than Lucy. She had smooth crimson hair and positively fierce blue eyes to contrast. He remembered her from after the assassination attempt on Lucy, but he never actually pinned down who she was. Still, she had entered the dining hall at the same time Lucy did so he assumed she was her friend or assistant. With royalty that sometimes meant the same thing.

"I can't watch you struggle anymore." She continued to whisper. "I'm trying to help you out so that you don't embarrass yourself any more than you have already."

"Oh. Hey thanks!" He smiled at her, picking up the correct utensils as he methodically followed her directions with extreme care. "These things should really come with instructions."

That was how he officially met Erza Scarlett, a proud young woman who he would later come to find out was the Coronal Contest Coordinator.

The dinner proceeded in that manner for two long and tedious hours. No one ever really addressed Natsu and he had learned it was probably best to keep his mouth shut for the moment. He didn't want to make things any more difficult for Lucy. He could tell from her posture and stiff smile that she was nervous and unsure of herself. Sometimes he would flash her an encouraging smile from across the table and she would return his grin with a lightened expression of her own. They shared little moments like this occasionally, but for the most part Natsu just hung back and allowed Erza direct him on which utensil to use and remind him to place his napkin in his lap (an utterly ridiculous practice).

He would also look around the table to see who his competition was. He was getting a good idea of all of the contestants' character- well expect for one. Natsu was pretty sure his name was Elfman. He was a well-built young man with messy white hair. Judging from his spot directly across the table from Natsu, the dragon slayer got the idea that Elfman was from a lower class family as well. Although better mannered, his hands were still calloused and his suit was slightly frayed on the sleeve. It made Natsu feel a certain kinship with him, but the young man made no move to speak during the dinner. He focused mostly on his food and had a glazed over look in his eye. Probably from nerves.

Tapping his foot, eager to get out of the cramped room, Natsu was pleased when Erza stood up to address the attendees at the conclusion of the meal.

"King Jude, Princess Lucy, distinguished guests, contestants, my name is Erza Scarlett and I will be serving as Coronal Contests Coordinator for the duration of the contests. If you have any concerns, trouble, or questions about the rules or proceedings of the events, please feel free to talk to me. I am here to make this an efficient and pleasurable experience for us all. Now with no further ado, it is my greatest joy to announce the official beginning of the Coronal Contests!"

There was a brief eruption of clapping around the table, but it only lasted for the bare minimum time that politeness allowed. Natsu probably wasn't the only one who wanted to leave.

"I'm sure you are all curious as to what nature of events the contests will hold." Erza said. "As confirmed by Princess Lucy, there will be three Contest events in total spread out over two months. In between that time, all contestants are welcome to reside within the castle and consort with Princess Lucy as she sees fit. Our long distance guests can assure you that no expense will be spared on your accommodations. Now for what you are all waiting for. The First Contest will be… a test of intelligence. The man who marries Lucy will share chief authority with her of an entire nation with a ultimate voice in matters of war and negotiations. It goes without saying that a King must be mentally prepared for the challenge of the throne. Further details will be discussed upon the start of the Contest which will be precisely one week from today. Until then, thank you all for attending."

Another polite round of applause filled the room. Natsu's stomach dropped. Why did it have to be intelligence of all things? He didn't even know how to spell intelligence. The First Contest was not going to go well for him.

Next Lucy stood up with a glass in her hand to address everyone.

"Thank you Erza." She said, nodding to the CCC. "And thank you all for such a wonderful dinner. I look forward to seeing all of you compete in the First Contest, but do not be concerned about the outcome of these contests. They are only in place to help me make the most informed decision I can about the next King of Fiore. No one will be immediately disqualified upon performing poorly. However, that does not mean I intend to be complacent. It is my goal to find the most suitable man as quickly as possible. I gave Erza the time frame of three contests in two months because I hope to make my decision by the end of the third contest. To save my time and yours, I will not hesitate to send anyone home if I know in my heart they are not the future King of Fiore. With that in mind, please do your best and I look forward to seeing you all again."

Everyone raised their glasses in a toast and then were dismissed from the table. Very agilely. Natsu sprung up, hurried over to Lucy, grabbed her wrist and pulled her off to the side where they could share a few brief words before being intruded upon.

"Great toast." He told her with a sneaky glint in his eyes. "You told everyone not to be concerned and then immediately told everyone that they should in fact be extremely worried." Then he raised his voice into his best Lucy impersonation. "'I will not hesitate to send anyone home'. Very scary, princess. Very scary."

Lucy laughed. Probably her first genuine laugh of the whole dinner.

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified. If I have to sit through another dinner like that I might die."

"I can't argue that." Lucy admitted sheepishly with a giggle. "I knew this was going to go terribly."

"It wasn't all bad." Natsu said. "At least I got to see you."

Natsu felt a great deal of pleasure when he saw a pale pink blush creep up on Lucy's face. His joy was immediately replaced, however, by an overwhelming sense of guilt. He was doomed to hurt her. They were never going to be friends. They were never going to be anything more than friends.

"At least I got to see you." Lucy replied softly. Natsu bit his lower lip. Lucy was watching the way his especially long canine tooth tugged on the pink flesh of his lip. "And speaking of seeing you, are you going to take up the offer to stay in the castle during the Contests? It'd be nice to be able to hang out outside of these… functions."

"No." He said suddenly. Hurting Lucy the least meant staying as far as way as possible while still getting her to keep him in the Contests. What? Damn this was difficult. His head hurt.

"Oh. Why not?"

"I can't leave my sister." He blurted out the first excuse that popped into his head.

"She could come too." Lucy said, brightly offering up the easy fix.

But there was no easy fix. Somehow he needed to find the right balance between Lucy liking him, but not too much. He needed some time to think this through. And possibly the help of a Fairy God Mother.

"No, I uh- I'll explain later. Someone wants to talk to you. I got to leave now. Bye!" With that, Natsu was out the door of the Dining Room, shaking his head as he went, thinking about how in the world he was going to get through these next three months.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey I'm alive! Yep, I know all of you probably thought I was dead, but nope! The heart is still plucking away strong as ever. However, that also means that I feel guilty for not having uploaded in what feels like ages (for both of us I'm sure). I assure you, I have a whole host of fantastic excuses for not getting this chapter written, but since you don't care about them I'll just get onto the part where I promise it (most likely) won't ever take me this long to upload again. The final tournament of my volleyball season is next week and summer is right around the corner, so I'll definitely be more diligent in the future once my time gets freed up.

I must say, though, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. That first part with Laxus was so much freaking fun to write. As much as I adore seeing what Natsu and Lucy are up to, it's a lot of fun to step away from them and get into another character's POV. Let me know if you enjoyed it too!

Next chapter will probably hold the First Contest, so you can go ahead an get hyped for that. It's all about the intelligence so it will be interesting to see how our dear Natsu fares.

Finally, considering how long it took me to write this chapter, I wanted your opinion on something. Would you rather wait longer for a longer chapter to be uploaded? Or would you rather get shorter chapters more frequently? Not saying I plan on changing anything, I'm just curious.

Thank you all so much for your support. It made me so happy when I came back from my writing hiatus to see all the new reviews, favorites and follows on this story. You guys are the best. Talk to you SOON. I promise ;)