Dragon's Love with Dangerous Letters
Chapter 14
Screams, explosions, chaos, feet pounding on the floor, all of these sounds were swelling in Artemis's ears as she ran. She lost sight of Igneel when a bomb came crashing through the wall in-between them as they were running. Igneel instructed her to go through the gardens in the back of the castle and wait at the northern border of the kingdom where he promised that Natsu and he would meet her which is what she was willing doing now. Half of the back garden was already ignited with smoldering flames that leaped and twirled in a fiery dance as they used the plants as fuel to expand in size. The brunette had ditched her heels some time ago not caring if they were burned away and thinking it would help for her to run faster. The garden's gate was just up ahead though she skidded to halt, a familiar voice piercing her ears with a scream. 'Romeo'. She shifted her weight and ran off in a different direction where the scream had resounded from. Near the castle's back fountain she found the boy struggling to his feet, his clothes were torn and burnt to a crisp in various places and the flames were crawling up to his feet. Artemis knew that she had to worry about getting out of here herself but she wasn't going to just leave without attempting to save at least one person first. Grabbing his wrist after reaching him, she pulled the boy to his feet and proceeded to make her way to the gate with him.
"Artemis! What are you doing here!? You should have already left!" The violet haired boy shouted trying to keep up with her pace as his slightly burnt feet yelled and protested against his movement.
"That's what I'm doing Romeo but I'm not just going to leave you here to become a burnt corpse! You can barely move as it is and I don't want to leave here and feel selfish because I didn't even stop to help save one life!" The brunette snapped back frustrated that he would question her actions at a time like this.
"But what about Natsu-Nii!? Won't he be looking for you?" He questioned.
Artemis pressed her lips into a fine line and didn't bother to answer his question. She didn't know what Natsu was doing or where he even was at the moment since he had ran off but he was a dragon slayer after all, he would be able to defend himself if it came to it and she was sure his father had found him by now. The female was more focused on getting her and the younger teen to safety, the ones who couldn't fight as well as Natsu and his father. She heard the boy groan at her decision to not answer him but it didn't faze her or think about reconsidering it. She reached her hand out for the gate's lock but an array of colorful flames twirled around Romeo and her making her pull her hand back and quickly tumble back away from the gate.
"Rainbow fire!? That's what I use!" The young boy shouted and startled to see his own magic being used against him.
"Non! Non! We have located our target. I'm sure his highness will be most pleased now."
Artemis spun around as Romeo shifted his weight to only turn himself half way. The fire around them dispersed to reveal three men behind them, one with a monocle, the one standing to his left who was the largest of the three was wearing a hat and blindfold while tears slipped down from underneath the cloth, and the last one had a black marking a crossed his nose and held the colorful fire within his hand. Though hurt and wounded, Romeo stepped in front of Artemis to protect her, his small hand lighting with a purple flame.
"Hey it looks like this little guy knows how to use my magic."
"Who are you!?" Romeo snapped as his patience was visibly slipping.
"Romeo, be careful." Artemis whispered pulling the boy closer to her.
"I'm sorry, we did not mean to be rude Non! Non! You see I am Monsieur Sol and this is Mr. Totomaru and Mr. Aria, we are his highness's most powerful mages. Non! Non! Non!" The one with the monocle stated while gesturing to each of them, "His highness, King Jose will be most pleased that we have found what we were sent here for. Non! Non!"
"Jose? That's Phantom's king! What are you doing here in Pyre!?" The young male inquired fiercely trying to pry himself away from Artemis.
The brunette felt herself tense up at the mention of PhantomLord and King Jose. The nights of her in that cold stone cell came flooding back to her and she felt her hands tremble slightly. That's why all of this was happening? It was because Jose wanted her that badly. It made her heated that this man, no this sick creature, would go even lower than he has just obtain one person, Artemis herself! Everyone in this kingdom was suffering because of her and she wished she had the ability to stop it all, stop the fire's spreading and the bombs from exploding onto people's houses while Phantom guards raided homes in their treasure hunt for her. She gritted her teeth and glared at the three in front of her.
"Why we're here for the female. You see his Highness has some unfinished business with her I'm afraid. Such a naughty girl to run away the way you did. If you wish for this torture to stop I suggest you willingly come with us." Totomaru told her, a small devious smile crawling to his lips.
"I won't let you hurt Artemis!" Romeo defensively hollered finally freeing himself from the brunette and throwing himself at the three mages.
"Romeo no!" Artemis snapped.
The older fire mage took a single step forward and swiped his hand out. Just with that simple gesture he was able to make Romeo hit himself with his own fire which caused the young male to make himself stagger backwards and fall to his back. Artemis rushed to his aid and helped the injured boy to sit up. If his condition wasn't bad before it was completely horrible now and from just one hit that happened to be his own. He had a burn mark a crossed the bridge of his nose and she saw a small drop of blood drip down from his nose as it added to the many burn marks on his legs and the four divided up among his arms.
"I told you not to attack them Romeo! What were you thinking they're Phantom mages!" The female snapped furious, more towards the fact that the boy was seriously injured than anything else.
"They aren't going to take you away! If Natsu-Nii can't protect you at the moment I will because I know how much you mean to him!" The boy shouted back.
Artemis parted her lips slightly and widened her green hued eyes at the younger teen. She loosened her grip on his shoulders and stood there completely frozen as the boy wavered up to his feet again ready to fight. She knew that Natsu cared about her but for some reason having Romeo say that to her was like a slap in the face. Images of the pinkette flashed through her mind at rapid speed and she clenched her eyes shut trying to get rid of them to have her mind focus on more important things at the moment.
"Aria, finish this brat off so we can take the girl." Totomaru yawned obviously bored with his current situation.
"It's so sad! To have to harm a little kid! So sad!" The taller one, Aria wailed as he held his hand up, wind swirling around it at quick speeds that could damage if contact was made with it.
"Romeo!" Artemis screamed tackling the boy to the floor and using her own body as his shield.
"Artemis no! What are you doing!?" The boy tried yelling but it only came out somewhat muffled due to his face being pressed against the ground.
"So sad!"
"Karyû-no-Kagizume[1]!"
Artemis lifted her head and watched as a flaming foot connected itself with the wind mage's back. The attack planned for her and Romeo never came as the man landed to the ground with an excessive 'thud'. The other two mages backed away startled by the newcomer's appearance. Obsidian orbs connected with the olive toned ones that belonged to Artemis. She inhaled sharply upon seeing the aggressive look plastered to his normally cheery face. Totomaru and Monsieur Sol quickly registered who the male was, their faces now reading fear a crossed them.
"Prince Natsu! Non! Non!" Monsieur Sol gasped holding up his hands.
"Leave my kingdom before I turn you all to ash!" The fire breather roared, small amounts of fire slipping from his lips as he spoke to them.
"Sorry pal but we aren't leaving until we have what we came here for." Totmaru replied though his voice was laced with fear that was obvious to Artemis.
Natsu glared harshly at the black and white haired male. Artemis didn't even see him flinch yet the dragon slayer was right in front of Totomaru faster than one could bat their eyes. One solid punch to the face allowed Natsu to send the man flying away into the spreading flames of the garden before he set his sights on the last man still on his feet. Monsieur Sol quaked with fear as he used his magic to lift the ground beneath Natsu blasting him into the air. Artemis watched in complete horror yet amazement as the group of mages fought before her. She never understood the concept of magic or anything that revolved around it but she was awe struck as she watched them all fight.
Natsu came barreling back down towards the earth mage, his foot ablaze as he yelled as if one were to do in a war, though when you thought about it this was like a mini war occurring right before them. Before the last standing Phantom mage had a chance to protect himself Natsu had connected his foot to the man's face. The man slammed against the ground with a loud crunching noise that made Artemis wince while Natsu flipped backwards off of him.
"Artemis! Take Romeo and leave! Now! They're after you so you need to get as far from here as possible!" The pyro shouted pointing to the gates behind the female.
"But Natsu you-"
"I'll be just fine! You need to leave!" He snapped once more.
Artemis froze at his harsh tone before slowly pulling herself off of the boy she was still hovering over. She felt Natsu watching her as she picked up the almost unconscious boy up. Romeo groaned and shifted himself onto his less burnt foot while placing a hand onto the railing of the fence connected to the gate before looking up at Natsu. Artemis watched the boy's eyes widen and his mouth drop open. The female fell into confusion until she noticed the large man standing behind Natsu, his hands wrapped in large and dangerous amounts of wind.
"Natsu-Nii!" Romeo shouted.
The pinkette's eyes widened suddenly feeling the presence behind him. Natsu lit his hand on fire but realized there was not enough time to protect himself. Leaving the boy to use the fence to hold himself up Artemis shoved herself between Natsu and Aria, her action's catching the prince off guard as she crossed her arms in front of her forming an 'x'.
"Artemis I told you leave! Are you insane!? Move!" Natsu roared reaching his hand out towards her.
The brunette didn't know what she was doing but she felt the need to protect him, like she could protect him without getting hurt. She felt something bubbling up inside of herself at a rapid speed that felt what she thought to be arm, that warm feeling moving to her arms. She screwed her eyes shut and moved her arms from the 'x' formation straight out in front of her and as if on instinct a blue glowing shell appeared in front of both her and Natsu faster than one could register what was happening.
"Baria[2]!" She shouted.
The wind casted off of Aria's hands and smashed against the blue barrier Artemis created. It cracked it slightly and bounced back and attacked its creator sending him plummeting to the ground. The barrier shattered and the brunette slid backwards as Natsu gripped her arms steadying her to her feet. She gawked at her shaking hands that felt numb and warm. Natsu looked at her amazed and finally understood what had happened.
"Artemis! You can use magic! You have supporting magic!" He laughed, a grin crawling a crossed his face.
"M-Magic. . ." She breathed out.
"I told you shouldn't give up! Look at you; you have the power to protect others and yourself now Artemis."
The brunette smiled gently down at her hands. It took forever but she had it, magic. She was the one who ended up with the lucky genes of her family she guessed. She felt relieved that she could at least do something for herself now than having to rely on others for help all the time. She could things for others now too and that made her happy. Grunting sounds broke Artemis from her thoughts and she watched as the three men stood up from their spots angrily. Natsu yanked Artemis behind him and lit his hand while he glowered at the trio.
"Artemis you can leave now. I can handle myself from now on. Take Romeo with you." Natsu muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
"But I can prot-"
"They want you Artemis! I understand you can use magic now but you need to get used to it before you start using a lot of it! Go Artemis because I can't fight and protect you at the same time!" He shouted frustrated with her persistence.
"She can go but I'm staying here!" Romeo interjected wobbling over to Natsu's side, "I'll help you fight Natsu-Nii I still have some fire power left."
"You sure Romeo?" The elder of the two asked earning a nod from him.
"What!? You're gonna let Romeo stay but I can't hel-"
The pinkette covered her mouth and picked her up throwing her over the fence to the other side. She gripped the fence and hoisted herself up, coming face to face with the dragon slayer. His stern expression didn't faze her one bit and she gritted her teeth at him clenching the railing tightly.
"Natsu I-"
She fell speechless when she felt something warm and soft against her forehead. She stared at him in shocked before he spun her around pushing her towards the forest just up ahead. She didn't bother to argue with him anymore after what he did and bolted past the trees and bushes, the more that she past the more she lost sight of the pinkette over her shoulder. As she ran she lifted her hand up to her forehead where she could still feel the ghostly touch of where Natsu made contact with her skin.
Where Natsu's lips had touched her.
[1]=Fire Dragon's Talon
[2]=Barrier