A/N: Hello there, lovelies. Sorry for the delayed update, but this chapter took a little bit more planning than I originally thought.
Also, I might as well get this news over with, but we are nearing the end of the story. Don't worry! I am going to wrap everything up beautifully, and I promise you won't be disappointed, BUT, this was never meant to be a long one. Just a little spurt of imagination that come up on me from looking at ONE picture. Don't fret, there are still about 5+ chapters left, I just wanted to go ahead and let you all know.
Enjoy! ^_^
The sun had set, and the palace was quiet. There were no lanterns lighting the halls, no candelabras shining bright in any rooms. There wasn't a servant to be seen, either, and it was starting to make Natsu and Gajeel very nervous. The two had split up from Gray and Juvia, who had went another route to seek out Gray's personal attendant/best friend. Natsu and Gajeel were left to sneak across the courtyard, away from the prison that had held Natsu, and find a deserted door or window to climb into the main palace.
The two of them had been prepared to stay slinking in the shadows, even incapacitate a few of the guard, but as they entered the open spaces separating the two buildings, neither one of them could hear or smell another human. They chalked it up to dumb luck, keeping to the shadows while they found an entrance to the palace; but now, as they continued walking through the deserted halls, they were both on edge. It was entirely too quiet, too empty, considering the events of the day. Something was happening, or was going to happen, and the nervous energy pouring from the both of them had Natsu wound up. If there was ever a question as to why he had to find Lucy, then this eerie calm was the answer: the King was up to something.
"Oy." Natsu turned his head towards the deep-voiced whisper. Gajeel was scanning the room they were passing, coming up with the same result as all the other rooms: empty. "Think we should make some noise, bring them to us?"
The same question had gone through Natsu's mind, but he was certain in his answer. "No. The longer we can stay inconspicuous, the better."
A mocking grunt sounded to his right. "That your life motto or something?"
"It's worked for the last 19 years."
"Obviously."
Natsu ignored the dragon-born, continuing to scout the scene ahead of them. Lucy's scent was all over the palace, but the strongest smell was coming from somewhere up ahead. They had been following that path, staying in the shadows until recently, when they realized they were the only ones here.
"Just sayin, we could probably find out more about where they're keeping her if we bring them to us. At the very least, we could torture for information."
"I don't think we're going to run into anyone regardless of how much noise we make."
Gajeel laughed. "Bullshit. A couple of torn down walls and shattered windows will get that bastard King's attention. No matter what he's up to, I doubt he's gonna let a couple dragons tear down his place."
"The Royal Guard is tougher than you think."
Another laugh. "For you, maybe."
"A handful of them were able to take Lucy away and subdue me. The two of us wouldn't last against the entire force."
"Fuck you, flame brain; you've never seen me fight before."
Natsu opened his mouth to tell the metal head to shut up, but as he drew in the breath, he was caught off guard. "Wait." He stopped, looking around into the rooms next to them. Gajeel stilled, turning sideways to watch him. Natsu took another deep breath. "Her scent. It's getting stronger." Gajeel lifted his nose in the air and took a deep breath. Natsu did the same, and they both looked to the room in the northwest together.
Without another word, they started walking towards the open door, staying close to the walls. Natsu reached the door first, and he took another deep breath. Her scent was overwhelming, coating everything and seeping into the hallway. But there was something he couldn't place as well; it reminded him of...nothing. He looked back to Gajeel, who had the same look of frustrated confusion, and then he swiftly moved inside the room.
The two of them rushed into it, standing back to back in the center. They had obviously found her room: a canopy bed lay against the wall by the window, a dresser adorned with so much jewelry across from it. A plush sitting chair sat facing a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, a writing desk or vanity just beside it. Everything in the room was stained with Lucy's scent, but there was no one here.
Gajeel sighed, turning around to face Natsu. "Well, that was a waste. What the hell do we do now?"
"I'm afraid the answer to that question won't be so simple."
The two dragon-borns whipped around simultaneously to face the open door. Standing within the shadows of the frame was a small old man, his hands clasped behind his back, a long wooden staff held upright behind him.
"Do you know where you're going, Gray?"
"No. But I think that's the best direction to go. He wouldn't hide her away somewhere that would be easy to find."
The two of them had been searching the outer wing of the palace for what seemed like hours, but there was still no sign of Lucy or Loke. Neither of them had the over stimulated sense of smell like the two dragon-borns they had split up with, so they were going on pure luck. Which apparently had run out a long time ago.
The hallway they had been walking for a while now was straight, with no turns in sight. The walls were bare, the windows had no curtains, and there wasn't even a bench to break up the distance of the hall. Even more curious: there were no rooms. Gray was starting to get an overwhelming feeling that they were heading towards where they needed to go, but that feeling was wrapped with dread.
"Gray, Juvia has noticed...we haven't seen another person since before we rescued Natsu."
He kept staring straight ahead. "I know. Something is going on." If the two dragon-borns had been caught, then most of the Royal Guard would be with them, trying to subdue them. But the King wouldn't leave the Lucy unguarded. They should have seen someone by now, even if it was just a servant.
"Wait." Juvia grasped Gray's arm, stopping him mid-step. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted just a little to the right. Gray was stock-still and quiet; she may not have extra hearing or smelling abilities, but she was attuned and sensitive to the auras of the people she was closest to, people like Gray...and Loke.
She gasped, opening her eyes and staring straight at Gray. "We have to hurry!" Juvia grabbed his hand and pulled him forward, leading him further down the seemingly endless hall. They ran, and soon the hall started to curve. The feeling of dread started to push down on Gray even harder, and he released Juvia's hand and ran faster. He made it to the curve, took the turn way too fast...and almost tripped over a body.
Gray stopped himself just in time. He skidded to his knees and leaned over the body of the man that was sitting against the wall, legs splayed out in front of him, hands resting against his stomach. He reached out and grabbed the other mans shoulder, trying to look past the mane of orange hair and into the eyes of his best friend.
A small intake of breath was the only thing that saved Gray from a complete meltdown.
"This has got to be the stupidest shit you have ever pulled me into." Loke's voice was raspy, but his confidence was still there, and it gave Gray more hope than he thought he needed.
"Not true. Remember that time in Alcalypha?"
Loke gave a small laugh. "Oh yeah. That was definitely the stupidest."
"We don't discuss that adventure, remember?" Gray looked up to Juvia, who had kneeled down on Loke's other side. She started taking one of her alchemists bottles from her pocket, and Gray recognized the symbol etched into the glass as the same one she had used on him earlier; a dragon-born from the colony Gajeel lived named Wendy had given her a few of her scales, which made an incomparable healing potion.
Loke looked up at her, sighing. "Juvia, I've never been so happy to see you."
Juvia smiled at his friend, then started her magic. "Juvia never gets tired of hearing that."
Loke laughed. "I'll be sure to say it more often, then."
Gray watched the love of his life start to heal his best friend, and the range of emotions soaring through him almost became too much. Sorrow, rage, contempt, worry, regret; they all battled inside him for first place. After a moment, he looked to his blue-haired lover. "Is he going to be alright?"
Juvia looked up at him, her face calm. "Yes. It seems to be only bruising, a couple broken bones, including a rib or two."
Loke took a deep breath of relief. "Yeah, they were only going for hurt, not dead. Just to send a message, I'm sure." He looked back up at Gray, his eyes serious. "You need to go, Gray. He's taking her to the gardens in the back. He means to draw out the dragon-born...to ambush and kill him. In front of Lucy. He's snapped, and I don't know what he plans to do to her, but if he's going to kill his daughters first love, or whatever he is, in front of her, then she's nowhere near safe."
Gray stared at his friend, shocked and speechless. The King has gone mad, and Lucy might be killed as a result. Not to mention Natsu...
He looked back at Juvia, who nodded her head in reassurance. She would take care of Loke, and he knew better than to be worried about her being found by the Guard. There was a reason she lived in the dragon-born colony, and it wasn't only because she was a witch; she had a fierce temper, and her battle skills matched most of the dragon-borns she lived amongst. Gray leaned forward and smashed his mouth against hers, the swift kiss the only pre-battle pep talk he needed. He broke apart from her, and turned towards Loke.
"Whoa, now. You lean down towards me and I'll break that pretty little nose of yours." Gray laughed at his friend's ability to still be carefree.
"Don't lie, you've thought about it."
Loke smiled. "Just tell me I'm still pretty, and I'll be happy."
Gray stood up and began walking away from them. "You've always been pretty, Loke." He heard a light chuckle behind him, and then he took off at a run, back down the hallway and towards the main palace. The Gods could only hope that Natsu and Gajeel were still alright, because it was going to take all three of them to save the Princess from her father now.
"Who the hell are you? And why the hell can't I smell you?" Gajeel was the first to speak, the two of them facing the small shadow of a man blocking their only exit. He was right: Natsu couldn't smell him either. It was like there was nothing there; no air, no earth, no life whatsoever. Nothing.
The man lifted his head to stare at the tall dragon-born. "There's a reason why dragon slayers are born, and not made."
The statement sent a shiver down Natsu's spine. He's a dragon slayer.
"So what, dragon slayers are born without an identifying scent?" Natsu couldn't help but roll his eyes at Gajeel, who was obviously distracted and angry about not being able to sense the man coming up on them.
"That doesn't matter, Gajeel!" He turned back to the shadow, "Where is Lucy!?"
The small old man began to take a few steps towards them, and the pair braced themselves. "She is not here, in her room-"
Gajeel grunted, "No shit, old man."
He paid no attention to the tall dragon-born, his eyes fixed on Natsu. "-where she should be. Where she should have been for the last few days."
What? Confused, and becoming more furious by the second, Natsu lunged. If the man wasn't going to give any answers, then he wasn't going to waste any more time here. His intent was to knock the old man down, then continue running out the open door to find a new lead on Lucy's scent, but his plan was quickly foiled.
The old man was fast, and stepped out of the way at the perfect time. He caught Natsu by the arm and spun, his little size giving away no hint of the strength he actually had as he flung Natsu back inside the room and against the wall. As he made impact, he watched as Gajeel lunged himself forward as well, only to be knocked back in the same fashion, this time with the long wooden staff.
Natsu caught his breath, eyes burning towards the man. "You have no idea what you're talking about. I saved her from a group of men trying to hurt her."
The small dragon slayer fixed his stance, his arms behind his back once more, his confidence mocking the two of them. "Yes. And then you kidnapped her. You weren't content with just saving her and letting her be, you had to have what you thought was yours, regardless of the consequences."
Gajeel was the first to stand, and he made his way over to Natsu. The two of them stood side by side, their energies syncing for the apparent fight ahead of them. The old man didn't move a muscle as the two braced themselves again.
Without a word, they both moved at the same time, Natsu to the left, Gajeel to the right. Gajeel jumped high, extending his wings to help his momentum as he prepared to attack from above, and Natsu ducked low. The dual attack was all for naught, however; the old man was much more swift than they had planned. With seemingly no effort, the dragon slayer jumped away from Natsu's hands at the last second, swinging the staff down into the middle of his back. In the same action, he reached up and grasped the collar of Gajeel's shirt, forcing him to fall out of the air. A single flick of his wrist was all it took to fling the dragon-born back across the room, and he landed on his back, his head bouncing off the wall.
A quick breath later, Natsu heard a sword being unsheathed, and looked up to find the wooden staff split in two: one blunt end still jammed into the center of his back, another extremely sharp end inches away from his face. Seething with anger, Natsu moved his eyes to stare up at the man, who was still calm and collected.
He heard Gajeel groan behind him. "We're dragons, old man. We always get what we want."
The dragon slayer grunted. "The stubbornness of you two comes more from your fathers than it does from the dragons who cursed you."
The air itself seemed to freeze around the three of them. Shock ran through Natsu's veins, and his mind starting racing. "What did you just say?"
The man took the staff from Natsu's back, and air he didn't realize he was missing shot back into his lungs. The man stepped away, keeping the sword pointed towards him as a precaution. "I was there the day their lives as dragon slayers were ruined. Two separate occasions, two equally devastating events." Apparently sensing that he had the two of them beaten, and no longer felt the need to fight, the man sheathed his sword and returned to his previous stance. Gajeel was sitting up, his back against the wall, stunned into the same silence as Natsu. "Regardless, there is no reason present as to why I should let you continue on your journey to find the Princess. She is no better off with you than she is with her father. Even in his current state."
Natsu started to stand, his body more battered than he thought. The old dragon slayer obviously knew what he was doing; he barely touched the two of them and yet they were both out of breath and sore. "You're wrong. I could protect her. She would always be safe with me."
"Safe? You don't even understand what you are, let alone how to control yourself."
"She would be better off with me than inside of this prison her father has kept her in!"
The old man sighed. "She would be going from one prison to another. Yes, she would be free of the palace, but what kind of freedom would she have by constantly living in the shadows with you?"
Natsu stared at him, desperation starting to take over his anger. "There's a colony up north, we could-"
"The dragon-borns would tear you apart for bringing a human to live amongst them. Face it, son of Igneel. You may have the best intentions for her, but in your current state, you nothing but danger."
Natsu could do nothing but stare at the old man as the truth hit him like an avalanche of rocks. Behind him, Gajeel was just as quiet, and that only gave more truth behind the words. Natsu had no idea how to control his dragon side; he didn't even know that consuming his element, fire, would make him stronger, would help him hide away his wings and tail. He had been hiding in the shadows, away from humanity, his whole life, and it was cruel to ask someone he was starting to love to share in that lifestyle.
The dragon slayer sighed, then started to walk towards the windows at the back of the room. Natsu let him pass, content to stare straight ahead. "The King needs to be stopped. But I wanted to make sure you knew what exactly you were doing to her. He took her to the gardens, back here by the lake." Natsu snapped around, then rushed to the window and followed the direction the dragon slayer was giving. He could see a wide open space before the large body of water, a couple miles past the palace. Inside of it, directly in the middle, were two people: one tall and dark headed, the other small and blonde.
"Take warning: he means to ambush you. The two of you need to go together, and you need to work together." The old man walked over to Gajeel, extending his hand. Gajeel stared at it for a second, then allowed himself to be pulled up. As soon as he was on his feet, however, the dragon slayer pulled back a fist and punched Gajeel, directly in the gut.
"Oy! What the hell was that for!?"
"Payback for something your father did to me many years ago. Now go." He dismissed the two of them, reclaiming his post in front of the window, and Natsu spared no time in taking off, sprinting out of the room and back down the hallway they came.
Everything the old man had said played on repeat in Natsu's mind, but he couldn't let the heavy truth interfere with what had to be done first.
Lucy was in danger, and he was going to make sure everyone, everyone, responsible paid for it.
I hope you all enjoyed the pretty little banter from all of them. Figured some light humor was needed in the face of the darkness that is the King.
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