So yeah I reread the last chapter and I have to admit I am kind of embarrassed with it. How could I make so many mistakes?! :((((( Well anyway I hope you forgive me…
''Natsu!''
. . . Huh? Who's that . . . ?
''Natsu! Please wake up!''
Mmmn . . . Who the heck . . .?
''Come on!''
It was the third day since Lucy and Natsu had arrived at the Kingdom of Dragon's court. Natsu, still in prison, obviously, was slowly recovering from the 'punishment' Erza Scarlet, known also as the Bloody Queen arranged for him. Lucy, the new personal maid of the queen's was trying hard to get Erza's trust as soon as possible; more likely, before two weeks from then. As for now, she is desperately trying to wake up Natsu. Her hands are trembling and she is extremely nervous. Sitting on her knees, she is holding the bars of the cell, looking at the moving figure of Natsu's under the blanket. There were only a few hours until the dawn. She had no time to waste.
It was dark, but she could watch her dear neighbor finally approach the bars.
''Lucy?'' he whispered still half in the world of dreams, studying her shaking silhouette.
''For crying out loud! What took you so long?''
Her voice was trembling as well as she seemed quite troubled by something.
''What's wrong?'' he moaned sleepily.
''Listen, I was cleaning up the Queen's stuff when I found something.''
He watched her take something out of her clothes; something she must have been protecting carefully. He started being curious.
''What's that?'' he carelessly rose his voice.
''Shh! Keep it down!''
''Ok so what's that?'' he whispered.
''It the queen's 'Life Journal'.'' She whispered so softly, it almost sounded like the wind.
''A diary? So what?'' he again rose his voice.
''Oh, Natsu, I am begging you to keep it down! Can't you understand how desperate I am at the moment?''
She indeed looked quite horrified and the guy immediately felt guilty.
''If anybody gets me, I am dead.''
He looked in her big eyes somehow scared himself. This object she had gotten a hold of was amazingly important and he was just starting to realize this.
''Go on.'' he encouraged her.
''I . . . couldn't control myself and I read a little. Oh. . . you have no idea what I found in there. . . The thing is, I am in a lot of trouble if I get caught. There are political things that, if they are showed off in public, many people would have to be executed. I'm so scared. . . I don't know what to do, Natsu. I keep having this feeling I am followed and I always see myself get caught and killed by somebody. I used to like spending time alone with the queen just a few hours ago, but now I fear her presence most. What do I do? What am I going to do?''
Her voice has been shaking and now she started crying silently. Natsu stared at her not knowing what to do. He was quite surprised that she risked so much coming here just to tell him these, but he guessed she must have been in need for comfort.
''Why did you read it in the first place?''
''I don't know, I thought . . . I thought I might find something useful for me to get closer to the queen and for us to get out of here, but-''
''Heavens, Lucy! You knew you weren't allowed to do that! You knew you might get killed! Why did you do it?''
''Please keep it down. . .'' she whispered with pain. ''I don't know, ok? I just. . . don't know. I never imagined it would be something so serious, I just . . . And it's not like I want to hear it from you!''
He sighed deeply.
''Get back to the castle.''
She raised her head and looked in his eyes with surprise.
''It's even more dangerous now. So return before anybody kills you for real.''
''B-But. . .''
''Go!''
His serious tone hurt her. His face was showing determination and cruelty. Or so she thought.
''How can you say that?''
'' 'How can I say that'?! You said yourself you are afraid!''
''That's not what I meant.'' she whispered.
She stared at him a moment longer and then rose up and walked away. Her steps echoed in the silence of the sleeping prison. Natsu sighed as deeply as he could, trying to wash away the frustration he has gathered. He then spotted a little piece of paper on the ground which probably had fallen from the diary. With not little effort, he managed to catch it between his fingers and narrowed his eyes trying to decipher the hand writing in the dark. As he accepted he couldn't, he decided to wait until this dirty place would catch a little light.
He moved in the pitch black and laid against the cold wall. He closed his eyes tight and thought about what Lucy had told him. She most probably wouldn't get caught, but then again, she wasn't such a good liar and he was worried like heck. He had been kind of cruel sending her away when she needed his support most. This was a lot of frustration in addition, because she was probably hurt now. Heck, girls get hurt so fast!
But what felt the most awful of all was that he couldn't do anything from the place he was at the moment. He had to rely on Lucy for the time being and all he could do was mentally cheer for her. Which he was failing without problem.
Suddenly, he caught the distant sound of someone approaching fast. His heartbeats hurried without him knowing why. The way the steps sounded like told him there were two or three soldiers coming his way. He wondered what the reason could be. Nobody seemed to enter this place excepting special cases like bringing someone new in. His heart stopped for a moment only to start racing the next at the thought that filled his mind. What if they just caught Lucy?
He jumped off his place and hit himself against the bars, pressing his face through the metal things. He still couldn't see anything.
The steps were getting closer and closer. Out of the blue, another pair of steps echoed in the air while they were hitting the ground rapidly.
''Let. Me GO!'' a kid's voice sounded through the fast stepping. He probably had tried to get away from the soldiers and they stopped him, Natsu thought. The pink haired sighed with relief, curiosity replacing his nervousness. He thought he had heard that voice before, but couldn't remember where.
The creak and crackling that followed were made by the old grate opening and thrusting back, imprisoning another person. This time a bare child. It was only a little visible thanks to the light of the soldier's torch made, but the moment they left, Natsu began searching with his eyes through the dark to see the kid. It looked like his cell was somehow in front of Natsu's own, so it would be easy to see each other.
The silence fell in as fast as the men left. Natsu couldn't make a sound. After a few minutes, he could hear little sobs coming from the boy. He wondered what he could do in the situation. He wondered if he had to do something, in the first place.
''Yo! Newbie!'' he called over trying to sound big and scary, but couldn't keep an amused smile bloom on his lips. He hoped the kid – who flinched and stopped making any other sound – wouldn't be able to read through the rough tone.
''Stop crying like a brat! I'm trying to sleep here!''
After a little silence break, he added:
''Why did they bring you here, anyway? To wake us all up?''
''They said the prison was empty.'' the kid whispered and Natsu froze, a shiver traveling through his body. He had been alone all these hours? For two days, he had been sleeping alongside corpses?
''Well I'm here! So shut you little trap!''
Once more, he tried making the kid speak.
''So why did they bring you here for, huh?''
He didn't reply and Natsu started wondering after a while if this boy hadn't been just his imagination as he might've suffered from so many hours in silence and loneliness.
''For justice.'' The kid eventually replied making Natsu flinch easily.
''Why? What did you do?'' he asked in a pretty kind voice, making the boy feel a little more comfortable.
''Nothing.''
Natsu raised an eyebrow and waited for the rest of the answer. As the boy wasn't adding anything, he said:
''You mean you were arrested for nothing?''
''I was blamed for stealing. But I didn't steal anything.''
''… I see.''
Again, silence fell in. Natsu was listening to his own breathing while looking at the rocks on the floor, wondering if it was dawn yet. His fingers started playing with the hay on the cold ground while he tried to remember the smell of fresh grass like a drama queen he was at the moment. He tried to remember the rays of the sun annoyingly getting in his eyes in the hot summer days. But all he could see when he was closing his eyes were dark. And a beautiful face in the background, the face of a sad girl crying. He sighed deeply, feeling guilty for making Lucy sad and angry. Suddenly, the kid's voice interrupted his thoughts.
'' Say… What's a newbie?''
~~~~~~~~~~~ O-0-O
As the morning light was shining brightly through the clear windows and down on the large table from the dining room in the castle, despite the rainy weather lately, a few people were conversing in silence, waiting for the breakfast to be served. The queen was sat on her royal chair that looked like a throne at the end of the long table. Her elbows were fixed in the table, at each side of her plates, and her tangled hands were forming something like a hammock for her chin to rest on. Nobody was beside her; nobody was talking to her. You could tell how even her underdogs feared her to the point of trying to avoid her. But she didn't seem to notice. She was exigently looking at a certain blond maid. She didn't even blink.
While many maids and butlers robotically entered the room with as many plates with food apologizing at the same time for the hold-up, all those people who had the magnificent honor of dining alongside the Queen herself stopped their chatting and started taking their sits.
''Breakfast is served'' an important butler of the castle announced, but nobody seemed to hear or mind him.
Erza was still studying Lucy from the distance even long after her place had been placed in front of her. Why is she trembling? she thought. She has been trembling ever since last afternoon. Lucy was, indeed, very agitated. She kept looking with wide eyes from side to side, at every single person in the room, flinching at every move near her and sweating. The queen was having her doubts about her.
She didn't seem to notice a man pulling the chair beside her and sitting down. He looked at her for a while, then dared to speak:
''Your Majesty, your food is going to turn cold.''
Erza eyed him fast. Marcus Johnsgate. She looked at her plate and found it full. She sighed and straightened her back, getting her arms off the table. Her fingers surrounded the silver fork tightly and her narrow eyes studied the food. The commander looked at her amused until he couldn't hold up a laughter.
''Your Highness, I doubt the food is poisoned.''
The woman raised her look and glared at him. Not taking her eyes off him, she clapped her hands fast and waited. Lucy flinched and stared at the queen with wide eyes. She approached her fast.
''D-Did you call for me, Your Majesty?''
''Taste the food.'' Erza said simply, still glaring at Johnsgate.
Lucy gulped and looked in the plate. Vegetable salad, rabbit meat, something that looked like an omelet, humming-bird tongue (a deliciousness that only rich people could afford), bread; on a separate plate, all kinds of fruits and as a drink, wine. Lucy used a spare fork and took a little piece of meat. Her hand was visibly trembling even though she would have done anything to stop it, especially in front of the queen and the commander.
''Wait.'' The queen ordered. A little cold smile appeared in the corners of her lips. ''It would be troublesome if the food has, indeed poison. You are a princess too, after all.''
She made a quick move with her hand and called over to another servant. The poor man approached fast and eat the food instead of Lucy. The queen didn't even watch as if she was already expecting what would follow. The man suddenly stopped chewing and gripped his neck while his eyes were getting red. Lucy watched horrified and Marcus surprised and amused because the queen had been right as the poor man fell on his knees trying to throw up what he had eaten. His neck kept burning on the inside and his body kept fighting for rescuing while nobody moved a finger to help him. At last, his struggling ended when he died. Lucy was now trembling even harder while her hands were pressing against her mouth and stomach and her wide eyes shaking in horror.
The queen sighed bored and told Lucy to send the message to the chef that he is to be executed from her order.
Lucy started at the woman without being able to move an inch. She had to do as ordered, but she couldn't she was frozen.
''Didn't you hear what Her Majesty told you to do?''Marcus frowned.
Lucy stare moved to his face.
''B-But . . .''
''Lucy Sketchnik, do you want to share the same fate as this rubbish did?''
Erza waved above the corpse. Lucy looked once more at the man and couldn't take it anymore. She collapsed on the ground and felt the desperate need to throw up. She heard Marcus ask the queen if she would like for him to take her away. She didn't see the queen nod shortly and call over two guards with a move of her hand in order to have the corpse taken away and the chef executed.
The blond maid felt a strong hand grip her forearm and start dragging her to the exit. She tried to get up and walk herself, but she kept tripping, so she ended up being embarrassingly dragged like a sack. She whimpered under the pain of his strong grip while he opened the door and closed it, throwing her away. She raised her teary eyes towards him and felt in the atmosphere that this man didn't volunteer himself to take her away just to be a nice guy. He wanted something with Lucy and that made the girl be afraid.
The next moment, as she was rubbing the pain away from her forearm, he let his eyes drop down over her trembling body.
''You and I need to have a little talk.'' he said quietly.
He looked at her a moment longer and then turned around and told her to follow him.
She stood up slowly and the thought of running away stroke her agitated mind. But he was only a few steps away from her, wouldn't he catch her?
Even the profile of his back looked scary and she thought that it was worth trying at least.
She waited until he got a little further. But he seemed to guess what she was about to do, because, the next moment, he turned back around and looked at her frowning. Their eye contact took quite a lot of time, until Lucy decided not to change her mind. She was convinced herself that it wasn't worth trying to run away anymore.
But she was too afraid for now. She was too afraid to face even more fear.
She gritted her teeth and sprinted back. Marcus immediately jumped from his place and ran after her. The girl felt tears coming out of her eyes and falling in her hair. She knew what would follow. She knew she had to be punished for not obeying. But she was just too scared.
She passed a maid in her run and almost bumped into a butler. She turned around the corner and then another corner. Marcus was easily gaining distance between them.
So many tears fogged her eyes. She spotted the stairs in front of her. Jumping over three at once, she climbed them down. But Marcus was climbing down five at once. She reached the exit door. Her little door of escape. If she were outside, she could find many other opportunities to get lost of Marcus. But what was she saying? He was a trained soldier.
She trust her arm to catch the latch, when she felt his hand fall on her shoulder and grip it like his life depended on it. She screamed as his nails were jabbed into her flesh and he pulled her back. She fell on his chest and he caught her arm with his spare hand. She could hear his light pant while her own was breaking her lungs.
''Thinking about escaping, aren't we?'' he said through his teeth.
She screamed again as he shook her brutally. He then turned her around so he could face her. She watched horrified as his arm rose up fast and fell down even faster, slapping her and throwing her to the ground. The same kind of hit she got from Natsu back in their own world.
She took her cold, trembling hand to her red cheek, calming down the pain a little. But the next moment, Marcus surrounded her thin neck with his think, powerful fingers and raised her up from the ground. Her head turned red pretty fast and she struggled for freedom as her eyes were begging for mercy.
''Stand up!'' he screamed.
His face was deformed with anger and a vein could be visible in a side of his neck. He soon calmed down and stared at Lucy's red head right before deciding to let her go. He dropped her to the ground and looked at her pathetic figure caught between gaps of air and coughs. He swore and sighed.
''There's no point in hurting you now. You will be lashed anyway.''
While he was looking at the poor her, he was surprised to notice her beautiful forms of the body. He waited until she caught her breath and calmed down. His eyes rolled along the halls nearby. He was glad to see they were alone.
''Are you done being overly dramatic?'' he said through his teeth.
She raised her head and looked at him with those huge, chocolate, scared and trembling eyes of hers. She rose up slowly, making careful moves as if he were a carnivorous animal or something. He caught her shoulders before she would fall down again.
''How did you do it?''
She stared at him not understanding what he meant. Before he would hit her again, she said fast:
''W-What do you mean?''
He swore.
''Don't play dumb! I don't have the whole day, either. So tell me. How did you heal yourself so fast?''
The only answers he received were her big, teary eyes. He started angering again, but a sudden thought hit him like a rock, replacing anger with a little fear.
''Are you a witch?''
She didn't answer again. It was like she was mute and only her eyes could speak. Realizing how she didn't reply, he took it as an 'it's not impossible'. He took his hands off her in a rush and started looking at her like she had some kind of an illness. Disgust.
''You're a witch, aren't you?''
She didn't know whether or not to nod. This could have been her rescue. She only limited at doing nothing. The man sent his hand through his hair and looked at his surroundings with frustration.
''Damn. I should've known something's off with you.''
He looked the girl once more in the eye and found nothing but fear.
''Personal maid, huh?''
He thought about the danger the queen must've been in if this witch completed her task or whatever she planned by becoming the personal maid.
''Nah, she must've known. The way she looked at you when you weren't paying attention to her… Yeah, she definitely must've known.''
That was when Lucy realized in which danger she could be if the queen thinks she is a witch. Their – hers and Natsu's – plan would be doomed as she would be probably imprisoned as well and sentenced as a witch.
''N-No. I'm not a witch.''
He turned his attention back at her.
''What're you saying?''
''I'm not a witch. Think about it, If I were, I would have done pretty many things 'till now.''
''Then how do you explain the healing?''
She lowered her face a little and thought. She raised her shoulders then let them down.
''I just healed.''
''You just healed.'' he repeated raising his eyebrows. ''Just… like that?''
Hesnapped his fingerswith disbelief making her feel stupid. He stared in her eyes and let silence feel the atmosphere for a while.
''Who are you? What are you, to be exact.''
''Human?'' she whispered.
He laughed shortly without any happiness.
''I didn't mean that, trash. You are obviously not a bare princess who would like to serve the queen as a thank-you. I don't know is she noticed this yet, but I sure did. What are you? If you're not a witch, then are you a spy from another kingdom?''
He waved to his surroundings.
''Don't tell me this is all just you little play?''
She was looking down at her feet, feeling how she was getting dizzy. He narrowed his eyes.
''How about your little friend?''
Lucy flinched and Marcus grinned, revealing his white teeth.
''I don't know what your plan is, but I know that you won't manage to take it to an end. Or not you two together, anyway. At least one of you is going to die in exactly twelve days from now. So speak.''
She closed her eyes tightly, trembling from head to toe. Oh how she wished Natsu were with her. He would have found a perfect plan for them. He was already an expert in this stuff while she, an honest and trustworthy girl, wasn't prepared for a situation like this. Now she was caught between telling the truth and lying. One of these options will kill her sooner or later. She wished her heart wouldn't beat so fast, she wished her mind wasn't so crowded and agitated and she wished the clock would stop and give her time to think.
''I. . . ''
Think, think, think!
Johnsgate was waiting impatiently for her answers.
''Um. . . It. . . ''
Come ON, damn it! THINK!
''Commander Marcus Johnsgate?'' a sudden voice could be heard a few steps away on the hall they had come from. The man turned around and faced a short, plump butler dressed in a red simple uniform. Marcus swore for being interrupted while Lucy felt like she just saw an angel coming down from heaven in the body of a butler.
''Her Majesty is calling for her personal maid.''
''I have business with her right now. Go back and tell her she is coming right away.''
Marcus turned back and faced Lucy with cold eyes.
''Commander.'' the butler insisted.
Johnsgate spaced out overly pissed.
''The Queen needs her maid. Now.''
Marcus didn't say anything. He glared at Lucy. The girl read in his eyes a clear message: 'Don't think I'm over with you'. He sent her away with a fast move of his hand and she ran away from his presence like a little, scared mouse.
In the Queen's 'office', Lucy stood shyly while the butler who showed her the way was exiting silently. The girl didn't dare to move. Erza was writing fast on a piece of old paper and she didn't really seem in an excellent mood. But then again, she was never in a good mood.
The woman sank the fluffy goose feather in the little ink bottle once more and then continued writing.
''Sit down, Lucy Sketchnik.'' she said and Lucy immediately obeyed.
And she waited.
''Do you know why you are here?''
''N-No Your Majesty.'' Lucy replied confused and scared. Then she added fast: ''Forgive me.''
Erza looked at her for a second still not stopping her feather from slipping over the paper with rush.
''I see.'' she sighed. ''Then I guess you are, indeed, not used to the laws in a castle. Did you not use to punish your servants when they didn't obey back at your castle, princess?''
Lucy flinched and understood the whole situation.
''N-No, Your Majesty. I mean, I never liked to see people suffering, so I personally never did such a thing.''
''Then you do not know you are in the same situation right now, do you?''
''I… figured.''
She rose up from her seat and bowed down in respect.
''I am sorry, Your Highness! Please forgive my boldness, but I swear I wanted to do as you told me, but I just couldn't move. I never saw… anyone dying before… so I…''
Just remembering about the poor man, Lucy's stomach turned upside down. Erza finally stopped writing, placed the feather in the little bottle, sat her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her tangled fingers. She waited a while. You could tell she was somehow testing Lucy. Lately, all she was doing was for testing her personal maid.
''I understand, Lucy. I forgive you.'' she said simply and Lucy blinked. ''You will be spared and you won't be punished. But just this once. Next time, I will make sure you will suffer three times more than you would be supposed to. Do you understand me?''
''Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.'' Lucy said, but instead of feeling relieved, she was sad and afraid. Because all she could think about that moment was the diary. The queen probably hasn't noticed yet. But when she will…
She rose up and realized Erza was staring, almost glaring at her. She flinched with surprise and looked away feeling uncomfortable and being too conscious about her stare.
''Is this all, Your Majesty?''
''Not yet.''
Lucy bit her lower lip, her whole body suddenly sinking in sweat and started praying that Erza hadn't discovered she had read her diary.
''Why are you so agitated, Lucy Sketchnik?'' the queen asked with a little smile on her lips and in a bored manner.
The girl felt like someone was squeezing her neck so she couldn't speak.
''N-No r-reason, Your Highness…''
Erza laughed coldly.
''You are not a good liar, Lucy Sketchnik. Now calm down. You can trust me.''
There's no point in trusting you if you find out, Lucy thought. But she couldn't say anything out loud. She tried so hard to calm down and make it seem like nothing happened, but the queen was too sharp for her. Or more like she wasn't a good actress at all.
''It seems like you refuse to speak…'' Erza sighed. She rose up from her seat and took a look at her work – a long letter to the King of the Demons from whom she hoped she could get help in the war against the North Kingdom of Fire – and let a long break of silence fall in.
When she finished re-reading the letter, she turned a part of her attention back to Lucy. She sighed.
''Tell me, maid Lucy…''
Lucy tried to prepare herself for what would come next.
''What are you doing at night?''
She could swear she did her best to keep calm, but she couldn't take over that flinch and felt how the color of her face vanished under a great white.
''Well, s-… sleeping, of course.'' she laughed a little too forced.
''Hmm…'' Erza smiled. ''I see… You know, that makes me wonder just which one of you and the prison keeper, Jack, is telling the truth.''
What?! She has thought he had been sleeping both times she entered the prison.
''Why of course, I had to tell him that I had allowed to you go visit your dear kidnapper.''
She started walking slowly around the room.
''And do you know what he told me?''
She smiled.
''That you went to see him more than once. To be exact, you visited the prison twice.''
She started laughing and Lucy also forced a little laugh.
''Such a shame, right?'' she sighed. ''Well, I got angry, of course, and I told him my personal maid would never do such a thing. She would never leave my side. Because that's what she promised me.''
She looked Lucy in the eye to see her reaction. The girl turned even paler. ''So I had him sentenced. No way my faithful maid would do such a thing; so I concluded he is a liar; and there's nothing I hate more in this world than liars.'''
She smiled at Lucy.
''Right?''
Lucy also smiled shortly, but everything about her was terrified.
''I figured you must be angry because he lied like a dog. So I wanted you to take part of his execution. I know he only spoke to me this morning, but the sooner the merrier, right?''
At the sound of the work 'execution', Lucy flinched. She stared at the woman with fear.
''N-No, Your Majesty! Please don't! I don't want you to kill anybody!''
Erza raised her eyebrows, then lowered them and narrowed her eyes.
'''Kill'? Oh my, what a rough word you used there, Princess Lucy.'' she said through her teeth. ''I do not kill, but give people what they deserve.''
She stopped walking in front of the girl, dangerously close from her face. She grimaced.
''Or is it that you think the prison keeper doesn't deserve to be punished for his lying? Maybe you might know something that I don't and you want to keep it for yourself?''
Lucy felt like she could only resist a little longer before she would faint of too much fear and stress. It was already obvious that the woman knew everything. That made the girl wonder if everything also contained the diary reading. The queen's eyes slowly rolled towards Lucy's cheek. It was red- from the time Marcus had slapped her- and that made her frown a little. She raised her hand and touched it with her beautiful white fingers. That was when she also felt the trembling Lucy couldn't stop.
''What happened?'' she whispered and Lucy was thankful enough that she changed the subject.
''I … fell downstairs.''
Erza frowned.
''You just love lying, don't you? Now stop being so afraid of me and answer me fair and square. What happened?''
Maybe she actually had tried to sound comforting, but Lucy was too scared to realize it.
''I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but it is nothing important. Please don't mind me.''
''So you do acknowledge you are lying to me.''
The girl flinched.
''I am a clumsy girl. I really fell downstairs. After Commander Marcus had taken me away, I-''
She suddenly stopped, realizing what a big mistake she just made.
''Marcus, huh? Where did Marcus take you? What does 'away' mean?''
''He… um… t-took me downstairs where he would have… uh…''
The poor girl's mind was already too dizzy and confused. She didn't know what she was saying anymore. She dared to look in the woman's eyes for a moment and realized Erza knew as well as she did that she was caught. There was no escape.
''Truth or death, Sketchnik.''
Lucy couldn't feel her feet anymore. She started forgetting where she was and what was happening around her; her eyes were blurry but she didn't know if it was because of the tears or her dizziness. Her breath was suddenly cut and her shaking hands started agitating. She gritted her teeth feeling how the ground was slipping from under her feet. Her heartbeats were the only thing she could hear as soon as her ears popped and a sharp and little sound from her mind like a vacuum cleaner in the distance made her head feel like crushing under an invisible pressure. She threw the queen a last look and saw the woman's eyes widen with surprise as Lucy's fingers unconsciously grabbed her arm looking for something stable to keep her from falling. But nothing could stop it anymore. The last thing she knew was Erza's cold, but surprised look as she realized Lucy was fainting.
Then everything turned black.
Natsu liked the little guy. He was funny and kept calm despite the situation he was in. His name was Peter and the reason why he had thought he had heard the kid's voice before was because he had the exact same voice as his cousin; which was a reason in addition to like him. You could easily say Natsu got attached to him. They have talked the entire morning and got to know each other better. Well, more like Natsu got to know Peter better. He came from a poor family in the Kingdom of Fire, which was an enemy to the Kingdom of Dragons, the kingdom Natsu and Lucy were trapped in for now. Peter decided to rely on luck - though he didn't believe in luck- and left his sick mother and other two brothers in order to look for a place to work if anyone would have hired him. He ended up being brought here, in this bloody Kingdom, where he had been accused of thievery after he bought bread with his own money, earned with his own sweat. Natsu pitied him, but there was nothing he could do.
''I promise you, if I manage to get out of here first, I will do whatever I can to free you! You can count on me!'' Natsu had told him once.
''But what can you do against the queen's will? Everyone fears her because everyone knows how bad she is.''
''Don't worry. A friend of mine is working for the queen for now. She is trying her best right in this moment to get us out of here.'' Natsu winked in the dark and Peter already felt better, his heart filled with hope.
Now, the two were still chatting, when Peter remembered to ask:
''Why are you here? What were you accused to do? Because I don't think you actually did something; you seem like a really nice guy.''
Natsu laughed.
''Yeah, I didn't do anything to be imprisoned, anyway. Well, remember my friend I told you about; the one working for the queen?''
The boy thought for a second, then answered.
''Yeah, the one we're counting on for now.''
''Right. Everyone thinks she is a princess.''
Peter widened his eyes in surprise.
''Really?! Wait, you mean she is not for real?''
''Well, not really. You see, we two actually don't belong to this world. We were suddenly sucked in here.''
Natsu started feeling nostalgic as he remembered the day they were fighting in her room. They had been forced to apologize to one another and neither of them wanted to. That cursed portal appeared and stole them. He remembered about the ogre, the peasants that told him about the Princess Hunt. He smiled softly as he remembered how excited he had been when he won the hunt and was ready to meet the princess. He laughed easily recalling how shocked he had been to find out the princess was actually Lucy. Those were the moments when something in his heart had started blooming. Something called love.
''That's just ridiculous. Don't treat me like a little kid who would believe such a story.'' Peter chuckled.
''No, it's true.'' Natsu said in a serious tone. ''My friend was confused or something like that, with a princess. And then… I acted stupid and so, the two of us had to run away.''
''Why?''
Natsu hesitated.
''Well. . . in order not to get married with each other. We ran away and then my friend… died trying to protect me. Then I went to a witch, who managed to revive my friend. She sent us in this kingdom, where we had more adventures. Scary adventures.''
Peter kept silent a while.
''That's stupid. Who would believe that, anyway? I also didn't understand anything. Are you trying to make fun of me?''
''No, Peter, it's just… complicated. But it's true. I am not from this world.''
''Prove it!''
Natsu laughed.
''How?''
''How should I know? Show me something you have from your world!''
''I don't have anything left. I sell all I had.''
''Then I won't believe you!''
Natsu gave up and kept silent. It was probably noon already. He wondered how Lucy was doing. After a few minutes, Peter dared to speak shyly:
''How was your world?''
Natsu smiled amused.
''Big. Very big. Lots of people. Less trees and nature. Many machines that you won't ever even hear of. People in my world are all very smart. In my world, magic doesn't exist. Nor ogres, dragons, demons and stuff this kind.''
''REALLY?!'' Peter exclaimed with shock. ''That's impossible!''
''Not in my world.'' Natsu sighed. Thinking a little, he spoke as he realized himself the followings: ''But compared to your world, my world is pretty empty. People are stressed and always overworking. Teenagers are obsessed with computer games, drugs, alcohol and love.''
He grimaced, seeing himself perfectly in his description and being for the first time in his life, disgusted with himself. ''My world is dying.'' he added in a whisper.
''Then that means you're staying here forever, right?'' Peter asked hopefully.
Natsu widened his eyes and looked in the kid's direction. It was the first time he thought about this possibility. Not going home? Remaining in this crazy Fairy Tale world? Nah, impossible, he thought.
''Because I would really like to stay with you once we get out of here!'' Peter laughed. Natsu smiled.
''Yeah. I'd like to stay with you, too.''
But he knew such a thing wasn't possible.
Suddenly, a loud crash could be heard from the entrance of the prison, then a creak announcing the main gate opening. Natsu and Peter jumped from their places at the same time, taken by surprise and curious. They heard a bunch of soldiers making a ruckus over to the prison keeper's place. A lot of things were falling and they seemed to be fighting.
''What is the meaning of this?!'' they heard the old man Jack scream.
''From the order of Her Majesty, the Queen, you are to be executed for betrayal.''
''Betrayal?!'' the man yelled horrified. ''I didn't betray anyone! I swear on my life I always served Her Majesty with all my mind and soul!''
''You lied to Her Majesty.''
''I DIDN'T! I SWEAR! It was that blond maid, wasn't it?! The Queen doesn't believe me she came here two times, does she?!''
Natsu froze.
''You are sentenced to death in the name of the Queen. Say your last prayer.''
''NO! WAIT! STOP, PLEASE! I SWEAR I DIDN'T LIE! ASK HIM! ASK THE PRISONER SHE VISITED! PLEASE! I SWEAR ON MY LIFE I'M NOT LYING!''
''Your life is worth nothing.''
A slash could be heard in the silence and a light bump announcing that the old, faithful Jack had been beheaded. Natsu's hands started trembling on the cold bars and his wide eyes stared in vain. He then peeked through the dark in Peter's cell and saw the little kid holding his ears with his eyes shut tightly.
Do you have any idea how it feels to know a person, to watch him or her move, to hear them speak and be alive and suddenly all that's left of him/her is a corpse? Of course Natsu couldn't sympathize someone who was keeping him a prisoner, but Jack did nothing wrong. He was pretty kind and gentle with him and the other prisoners – if there were any.
But then he remembered what he had said about Lucy. So she had been seen coming here both times and he told the queen. 'The Queen doesn't believe me', he had said. If that was true, Lucy successfully managed to get the queen's whole trust. He was a little happy, but still disturbed.
''Mr. Natsu!'' Peter gained his attention with a whisper. The soldiers were approaching them. Peter backed up in the shadows of his cell and waited. They were two. They stopped cockily in front of Natsu and looked down at him.
''Ask the prisoner… he said.'' one of them spoke and the other one grinned. They were quite young, around twenty or something like that. ''I suppose he was talking about you.''
He bended forth and grinned down at Natsu. The said boy kept calm and looked at him without any expression.
''Probably he was.'' Natsu replied cautiously.
The one who had talked looked at his partner, then back at Natsu.
''So you're having a secret relationship with one of the queen's maids, huh?'' he said this time a little more friendly, but he only managed to anger the young prisoner.
''No, I am not having any relationship with anybody.'' Natsu frowned and gritted his teeth. ''And if you really want to know, she only became your queen's maid the day I became a prisoner here. So shut your trap and stop interfering in other's business.''
The man widened his eyes amused and a smiled bloomed on his lips.
''Whoa whoa there, kitty!'' he and his silent partner laughed. ''So you do agree to the old Jack. She visited you twice, didn't she?''
Natsu hesitated.
''I'm not saying she did, but if she did, why would your stupid queen punish this old Jack for lying? Does she trust her maid so much?''
They suddenly burst into heavy laughter.
''Bud, you think the queen didn't know the truth? Of course she knew your girlfriend came here twice; why would Jack lie about this? She is smarter than you think, idiot! Never underestimate someone like her.''
Natsu widened his eyes.
''What did you say?'' he whispered. ''Then why would she…''
The soldier bended forth once more and grinned devilishly.
''Because she is the devil itself. Who knows what reason she had this time? Maybe just to make your lady feel guilty of someone's death. Or maybe she tried to make her testify, but the maid kept lying and so, the queen had to be 'right' and killed the one who was said to be guilty. But lemme' tell you this: learn not to have faith in this kingdom. Don't make any plans for the future, you might not ever get to accomplish them; don't fall in love, you can see any moment your lover die right in front of your eyes; don't hope for a better day. Don't hope at all. It's useless. So don't think you're getting away with whatever you've done.''
Natsu stared in his eyes and in his mind only one question rose:
''Then what happened to her?''
The soldier raised an eyebrow.
''The maid? Her body is probably looking for her head somewhere in the queen's office by now!''
Both of the men laughed and left; their laughter still echoing in the whole prison. Natsu was spacing out with his eyes wide.
''Dead?'' he whimpered through his teeth. You couldn't tell if he was angrier than sad or conversely. ''You're saying she's dead?'' he laughed in a whisper.
Suddenly he had a burst of anger. His fingers circled the metal bars tightly and he rose up on his feet. He started shaking them brutally and yelling.
''Don't **** with me! You ******* assholes, get your ******* asses back here! How can you ******* say she's dead?! I'm ******* killing you all, you hear me?! I don't give a s*** about your stupid queen!''
He yelled himself hoarse.
''GET BACK HERE! I'M KILLING YOU ALL!''
He continued screaming like an animal until he heard another little scream:
''Stop iiit!''
He panted and looked at the place where the scream could be heard: Peter was crying scared.
Natsu, in the culms of his anger, ignored him.
''****! GET BACK!''
His voice was shut by his tears.
''Get back here!''
His gritted teeth felt like they were breaking under the pressure. His eyes sank once more in tears.
''Get back here… Lucy…''
He breathed in loudly and let out his frustration with the call of her name while letting himself fall down on the rock they called floor.
''Lucy!''
He started crying for real. His dirty palms buried his wet face and as much as he wanted to stop, he kept bringing out more tears. It couldn't be possible; she couldn't be dead! No, not the way they had parted…
''Mr. Natsu…'' he heard Peter's cry. ''Is Lucy your friend? Is she the one you were telling me about?''
Natsu didn't answer. He only allowed his whimpers echo in the silence and his shoulders shatter in pain and waves of cry. His silence approbated the kid's assume. Peter felt crushed. It wasn't like he hadn't heard what the soldiers said. It was obvious they were both going to be executed. They were both going to die…
After a few hours, long and painful hours, Natsu eventually calmed down. After thinking a lot, after evaluating everything that happened and the possibilities and after he decided to listen to his heart, Natsu drew the unsecure conclusion that he himself couldn't believe, that the two soldiers were wrong.
''She can't be dead, Peter.'' he whispered painfully.
Since the boy didn't reply, he looked towards his cell and saw him laying on the ground peacefully. Looks like the kiddo cried himself to sleep, Natsu thought with a sad smile on his lips.
He rested his head against the wall closing his eyes.
He smiled softly thinking that Lucy had to be alive. That's right. She couldn't have the guts to leave him alone in this cursed world.
She couldn't have the nerve to leave without saying goodbye.
She couldn't have the courage to face him in heaven after she left so fast.
That's right.
Wait for me, Lucy Heartfilia.
I will see you again…
… was all he wanted to believe.
Haah. Finally finished. So sorry for updating so late, I had looooots of things to do. School at most. I had to study and I weren't allowed to be on laptop. I passed an English test with a pretty good grade, which decided whether I go to an English class in High school or not (but I didn't study for this test – teehee!). Well, next I had to have my final tests and I am ending up as second the best student out of 35 students! *proud snort* Why not the first? Because my best guy-friend is insanely intelligent! Next, my parents had an issue with my big sis and internet was off for the next two weeks. Next, I had my banquet as for finishing the school (in my country, it's like this – kindergarten –dunno from what age- to 6 or 7 yrs.; school- 6/7 to 14/15 yrs.; high school, the next 4 yrs – you do the math!) and it was also a reason for not getting to finish up this chapter earlier (it was my first time on heels!). Next, I will be posting as a fresh high school student! Yay! The exams coming up next decide the high school I get to go to and I am pretty nervous because I am fighting to get into the best high school in Transylvania- the mother land of Dracula! Go vampires!
Well, sorry to have stolen the last few minutes of your life with such a boring thing that I bet you didn't even care about.
Audience: Heck yeah! Boo! Boo! Go home! *throwing tomatoes*
Me: Y-yeah, ow, yes, ouch, fine, OWW! OK CUT IT OUT ALREADY PEOPLE! I know this chapter wasn't so great, so I am sorry. The story needs to flow.
Btw I am already home!
Oh, right. As an apology, I will recommend you an anime I am sure you will all love: Lovely Complex!
I know it's ridiculous, the last paragraph.
. . .
OK, FINE! I AM ENDING THIS! HMPH!