I'm writing in the last few hours of 2013; it's a weird feeling… It feels like it had been the last sunset in my life, and the following dawn is going to fresh and bright, marking the beginning of a brand new day, a brand new year, a brand new life, a brand new world… Tomorrow my whole life will have a new color and perspective, I will have new dreams and feelings, I will smell new ways to the future and I will see things I've never seen before.
Just kidding, I'm feeling like it's going to a long night and then a late morning. Enjoy the chapter.
Previously:
Before Lucy or Natsu could answer, somebody from the fourth round answered instead.
''No, but I heard he only just got married last night. We could use the queen in his place!''
The enormous crowd started mumbling surprised with their hopes raised again. As for Lucy and Natsu, the words had struck them and panic began to slowly arise inside them.
''A Queen! But that's just wonderful! It's even better and we might even use her with her own will!'' another one exclaimed.
Gungeon Bother entered the room with no door stepping silently. The crashed cement on the dirty floor told the story of a fierce battle that had happened in that place. He slowly spun his eyes across the furniture that was either destroyed, either removed from its location. The strong smell of blood greeted his delicate sense and he made a weary face covering his nose with the back of his hand. He took another step and looked at the ripped curtains.
His new shoes stepped out of the blue in pinkish water. He frowned wondering what the generator of all this unreasonable mess could be. The weak light was struck by new rays of the morning sun when he removed the curtains fast, not daring to be in contact with that disgraceful, miserable place.
When the Minister had bothered his breakfast bringing the unfortunate news regarding the death of the King, he had been most surprised and dejected; but would've thought that they would dare to leave the issue of finding the body and the cause of the incident in his hands? A merry wedding followed by the death of the groom; how very, very misfortunate.
Gungeon's eyes fell upon the corpse and a strong feeling repulsion overwhelmed him. He looked at the slop of blood and water, in the middle of which the King was placed, at his ripped and covered in blood shirt and at the white, skinny, wrinkled face along with the white hair of his. He removed his eyes from the terrifying figure of the man's with disgust.
The magic that had been keeping the King alive for all those centuries had been blown away by his death. And now, being retrieved the appearance that he was supposed to have, the King looked so old that he could have been confused with a skeleton. Gungeon's affair was to answer the question 'why'. Why did he die? Everybody knew he was immortal. Why did he suddenly, in good health, die? Why did his chamber look the way it did? Why was the King covered in blood? Why was the door laying on the ground, or the curtain ripped, or the window broken, or the walls cracked? Why? But the other main question that the whole Kingdom was wondering was, why is the queen nowhere to be found?
Gungeon's grimace deepened and he finally left the image of his King's corpse. He left the entire room and, after rushing down the stairs, he left the entire palace, disturbed by the events.
''Lord Bother'' a soldier called out, but Gungeon ignored him. He continued his fast walk down the alley of the garden. That garden had once been filled with miraculous vegetation; the frozen roses were the main attraction. But now, the flowers were nothing more than a dead ball of petals, water slowly dripping from them. It was an unexpectedly sunny day. He threw a fast look in the direction on the giants, gathered all in the central market, talking to the minister. He didn't know the details about their unexpected, brutal appearance in the Kingdom of Frozen Roses, but as long as no disturbance to his own inner tranquility was made, he couldn't care less about this visit.
''Lord Bother, please wait. The citizens are making a ruckus at the gates. They insist they are in the urgent need to speak to you, milord.''
Gungeon faced the knight and sighed. He obeyed to the necessity of his presence and left in the direction told. He walked fast, trying to get over with everything. A little crowd of people were fighting with the wall of soldiers that were trying to keep them from getting to the palace.
''Sir? May I help you?'' the leader addressed to him not recognizing him.
''Lord Gungeon Bother, in charge of King Gray Fullbuster's - may he rest in peace – death case.'' Gungeon introduced himself fast, his attention directed to the crowd of peasants and citizens from the capital.
The soldier, as soon as he heard the name, straightened his back and made a reverence.
''Milord'' he saluted.
''What's the situation?''
The knight threw his head in the direction of a fat woman dressed richer than the rest of the people.
''She insists she saw the Queen.''
Gungeon's eyebrows rose.
''She requested for your presence. We didn't know whether to believe her or not, so we called for you.''
''Were you not informed that I am in the middle of the case with His Majesty?''
The soldier hesitated.
''We did, milord, and we also tried to speak with the Minister, but he told us to see you instead.''
The Minister had, in the following moments, the pleasure of not hearing any of the silent curses Gungeon addressed him.
''I will see the situation later. I am engaged in another business at the moment.''
''But Lord…'' the soldier began, looking for the right words.
Bother sighed and looked at the woman.
''So she is pleading she saw the Queen? The real one?''
''Milord!'' the woman called out with red face from the effort of trying to get pass the soldiers. Gungeon moved his hand and ordered them to let her do as she wants. ''Milord! I swear on my head that I am not pleading anything!'' she screamed approaching him fast.
The soldier that had accompanied the lord stopped her before she would jump on him. She was panting desperately trying to get more words out of her mouth than she was able.
''I saw that woman with my own two eyes!'' she screamed angrily. The lord stopped her with his hand. He looked in her eyes with a superior air.
''Are you not concerned about the possible consequences for your way of addressing the Queen herself, in front of a high-placed person as myself, woman?''
''How could I be! She deserves this way of addressing better than anybody else! She is a traitor! A murderer, I'm telling you, Milord!''
''Oh?'' Gungeon raised his eyebrows surprised. He was beginning to get interested in this conversation. ''And on what truth are your words based, woman?''
''I saw her! She was running away from the palace, from the capital! She was running away from the King, whom she had married for the purpose to MURDER!'' she yelled and threw herself forth; luckily, the soldier was holding her well.
''She MURDERED our beloved King!''
And here's another victim to the spell of our dear prince, Gungeon thought bored and feeling pity for the woman, knowing that many women had been falling in love with the prince out of the blue.
''And how can you prove that?''
''Let me finish, Milord!'' she screamed almost too loud; luckily for her, almost. ''I saw her running away with the salmon haired visitor of His Majesty! A girl in town told me she saw them KISSING!''
''And here I though his hair is pink.'' Gungeon mumbled ironically and with a bored attitude.
''She ran away with her lover after killing the King! It's all so obvious!''
'' Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, woman, but it doesn't seem obvious at all for me.'' the lord said sighing. ''I can't see how the situation resolves the problem if, in the first place, the Queen is already on the run and there is most probably no chance left of finding her assuming we do search our lives out which I doubt the soldiers would be in the mood for and, in the second place, is based on no valid truth.'' He paused ''How do you know he Queen killed the King?''
''I just know so, Sir!'' she yelled shocked. ''She was in love with her lover so she killed the King!''
''First of all, '' Gungeon sighed ''The King's visitor was the Queen's friend, whom she was travelling with. There were obviously no restrictions regarding a relationship between them if they had been together alone for such a long time before meeting with the King. Secondly, the Queen fell in love with the King, they married, and then the Kind died suddenly. No sane woman would kill her loving husband whom she agreed on her own accord to marry and would give up on all the treasuries and comfort her position would imply for no reason. If, on the contrary, that hypothesis is true and the Queen does have a reason for doing so, then it must be a big one and we have to find out. What I am trying to say is that you can't prove anything you said. And, on top of all, considering you saw the wrong person and took her for the Queen, then I will have the pleasure and full right of keeping, after an eccentric ceremony of a decapitation, your head; since you swore on it.''
The woman looked at him and finally shut her mouth, her face slowly losing color. Gungeon gave her a last glare and then directed his attention to the leader of the bunch of soldiers. He straightened his back and began:
''What is your name?''
''Harold Geborn, Lord Bother. At your service.''
''Despite this woman's improper way of sustaining her beliefs, we will still consider them. I want you to listen to everything she has to say about what she saw and learn everything you hear; it might turn out useful. For now, woman,'' he said, directing his attention back to her ''I'd like to hear out where the one you affirm as being the Queen left. In which direction did she go?''
''M-Milord,'' she began hesitatingly ''I'm sure I saw her going in that direction.''
She pointed in the distance near a group of giants gathered around something. Gungeon lo- wait! He frowned. A group of giants gathered around something?! He raised his eyebrows and smiled.
''Did you watch carefully the direction of her going?''
She eyed him surprised.
''Oh no, Milord. As soon as I saw her, I rushed over to you to announce what I have seen. I only caught the glimpse of her departure from the place where she stood when we looked in each other's eyes.''
He smirked and let out a short laughter.
''Then if what you're saying is, indeed, the truth and if we're lucky enough…'' he looked at the gathering of the giants ''…then the Queen is caught in the middle of the giant circle, right under our noses.''
…
Westminster looked at the odd reaction of Lucy and Natsu and wondered what the reason for that could be. Fotherson had also noticed it and started being suspicious.
The girl looked for Natsu's hand through the grass and, when she found it, she squeezed it between her fingers. She placed it on her lap and held it tight somehow feeling a lot more secure. He stared at her surprised and worried.
''Well then…'' Westminster said with a smile '' I hope you'd be kind enough to tell us the location of your Queen instead.''
Natsu opened his mouth to say something, but none of them could speak. Fotherson spoke in their place:
''Are you sure it's alright to have the Queen instead?''
''Why not, my friend? Isn't a woman in usual terms a lot more willing than men are?''
''Not my woman!''
''What do you want form our Queen?'' Natsu spoke.
The two dwarfs looked at him and saw him hugging protectively Lucy and hold her hand tight. The look in his eyes, the look of a man ready to give his all to protect his loved ones, was piercing through them.
''We can't tell you. We can't tell commoners such as you that kind of precious information.''
''Fotherson, my friend,'' Westminster frowned exchanging looks between the two humans, for the first time since he had met them, noticing their way of clothing.'' I'm not that sure it's commoners we're talking about here.''
They all went silent.
''What the heck happened to your clothes?'' Fotherson expressed his not-getting-the-point. ''You're full of blood and the material's ripped.''
''Heavenly mushrooms!'' a dwarf called out referring to Natsu. ''Now that I look closer, those things weren't his skin's decorations! They're wounds!''
''Did you fight? Did an animal attack you? Did you fall off a cliff?'' were some of the questions that could be heard in the wave of voices that followed.
Westminster looked confused at all of them.
''My friends! My friends!'' he calmed them down. ''You aren't seeing the healing ability in the herbs! You are not seeing the essence! Look at their clothes! They're rich!''
''They are?''
''Well, I ain't seein' any snowdrop sap pearl on the clothes!''
''Foolish dwarf!'' Westminster commented. ''Humans aren't garnishing their royal clothes in the same way we do! Look at the golden thread and diamonds as buttons!''
They all kept silent for a while.
''Well it sure looks different than the rags the other people are wearing, but I still think there's nothing royal about them. Well, Westminster, you are the only one, after all, who'd studied the ways of people, so I should rely on your words without doubting them. So where are getting at?''
''Who are you, people, and what are your positions in the human world?'' the smarter dwarf asked.
''Yeah! And why are you wounded!'' someone screamed.
Natsu hesitated.
''We are… a married couple and-''
''Prove it!'' the suspicious Fotherson cut him off.
Lucy had already smelled where Natsu was trying to get. She looked away embarrassed and raised her hand, revealing a ring shinning in the sunrays. It was the ring she had received from Gray, but who could've known? The precious stone was continuously changing color. They all looked amazed at it and immediately recognized it as being the Healzee or, with the commonly known name or the 'blushing' stone. It reflected most of the times a group of colors somehow giving an image to the possessor's feelings. If the person was angry, the colors were blue, turquoise and green, unexpectedly. If the person was calm, there was yellow and white. If the person was shy, the color was pink and it was turning salmon and then orange if he or she was beginning to feel embarrassed. If the person was feeling love and peace, the stone was light violet or other weird mixtures, depending on the type of love. Red was the color for passion. Of any kind. Broun was rarely shown; it appeared in the weirdest cases, like getting scared or surprised. Black was for fear and worry.
Not many people knew these combination and, happily for Lucy and Natsu, none of the ones present knew them. The stone was very dark shade of violet. It almost looked like black, it you didn't look carefully.
Their gasps of surprise ended, but the confusion still remained.
''How did you get a hold of such precious treasure?''
Natsu looked at Lucy and she looked back at him. He took the best decision when he said:
''It's … a long story.''
''So you are rich, indeed.'' Westminster commented. ''Then you surely know where the Queen is.''
''It's been a long way and it's true that we've heard all the rumors and news about the wedding and the new Queen…'' Lucy began. ''But we never heard more than that.''
She confused them even more.
''You see, we come from the Kingdom of Black and White.'' Lucy continued and all the ones present gasped.
''The Kingdom of Black and White?'' somebody asked. ''I've never heard of that Kingdom before.''
''Neither have I!'' somebody else called out amazed.
''Is it far away?''
''Very.'' Lucy smiled. ''It's a beautiful country, but it has no color. My husband and I decided to go on our honeymoon travelling through the world.''
''Well,'' Natsu continued ''in the end we were caught by robbers and ended up as you see us.''
''So that's why you're covered in blood!''
Westminster looked at them convinced and amazed.
''The Kingdom of Black and White…'' he whispered as if they were magical words. His soul of a researcher was waking inside him the desire to travel to that place and study everything he could about it. Nothing has color? That must've been a really amazing and out-of-the-nature-laws place.
Fotherson moaned not pleased and asked:
''So did you have an important position in that Kingdom?''
''No.'' Natsu said.
''Yes'' Lucy said at the same time.
They looked at each other and the Healzee shined with the black color.
''W-We were, indeed, the leaders of that Kingdom. A Prince and his wife, a Princess, if you'd like. But that place is so small that you could barely call it a Kingdom. So we don't really consider ourselves important because we make comparisons with the other Kingdoms and the wealth of the other Princes and Princesses. And also,'' she added giggling '' my husband is a very modest person.''
Natsu smiled and they both felt relieved they could wash away the doubts.
Westminster was absorbed by her words regarding their made-up kingdom and was just about to ask her more about it when Fotherson cut him off.
''What are your names?''
Another short pause of silence and hesitation.
''Ustan and Culy.'' Lucy said fast and Natsu thanked her for her fast thinking with his eyes. Their old 'usernames' were back in business.
The dwarfs remained silent. Westminster was the one to speak out everyone's thoughts:
''W-Which one's who?''
''Oh'' Lucy giggled. ''Pardon me. I am Culy and this is Ustan, my husband.''
''So can I understand that…'' Westminster continued ''you don't know the location of the Queen?''
''Shouldn't she be at the palace?'' Natsu asked sheepishly.
''No, we require a specific location. The room, for example, in which she is.''
Lucy and Natsu looked at each other surprised. These people (if they could be called so) wanted to know where the woman was exactly? Well how in the world would a mere commoner know that?! Maybe she was using the friggin bathroom!
And that was when they truly understood how not even the leader of a bunch of idiots could be any smarter to make such a stupid plan.
''Why did you say –our Queen- in the past?'' somebody said out of the blue surprising the rest.
''E-Excuse me?'' Lucy asked worrying a little.
''Yeah, you said you were part of another Kingdom.'' another voice agreed.
''Um, we already told you that we moved here.'' Natsu answered as if it was obvious.
''What?!''
''No, you didn't!''
''Yes we did!'' he frowned and looked at his 'wife'.
''No, honey, I think we didn't…'' Lucy replied playing the same game.
It was going perfectly. Their acting was good enough to fool them perfectly.
A giant screamed and whimpered and then looked down behind his back. A soldier had hurt him trying to get through. He then passed the other lines and walked towards the center of the huge, weird group of races. At first nobody noticed the commotion that was slowly growing in intensity, but when the little group of knights managed to reach close to the two humans, almost the whole gathering was making a ruckus about the unexpected, rude visitors.
''So, once again,'' Natsu continued the girl's idea '' once we reached The Kingdom of Frozen Roses, we were stunned by its beauty and bought on the spot a nice modest house which was decided to be something similar to a vacation house. We stayed in this place for a bare week which became enough to consider ourselves citizens. We love this kingdom and I think it's one of the most wonderful places, which means it's ruled by wonderful people. We had heard the news of the wedding while we were still travelling around the town in which we live, so nothing was familiar to us yet. We were then attacked and we lost our home. Your appearance made me suspicious; we don't know if the true reason for your arrival has anything to do with us. We don't want to bring trouble to this Kingdom, so I can't assure you of any response to your questions until you bring reasonable explanations.''
''I told you, we don't intend anything dangerous for Her Highness, we just wan-''
''So Her Majesty the Queen does indeed hide her identity in front of not trusted people.'' a fierce voice pierced through the air and everybody's heads turned around to face the soldier who spoke. He pushed the last dwarfs in his way and eventually reached the middle with a grin. Lucy immediately recognized him with terror as being one of Gray's personal guards whom she had seen many times before. Her face paled and she looked away clinging unto the hope of not being noticed. But she knew it was an impossible possibility.
''What are you talking about? Who the heck are you?'' Fotherson asked angrily raising up and looking straight into the rude stranger's eyes.
''I sincerely hope Her Majesty won't deny her identity in front of her own people.'' he grinned wider, his entire attention concentrated on Lucy. The girl sweated with panic felt her hands trembling in Natsu's. She was busted.
And for some reason, she felt the need to resist with all her might against the idea of being found out in front of those creatures. She was feeling sympathy for them and she didn't want them to think bad of her.
The man stopped his feet beside her shaking body. Natsu rose up slowly and didn't know what to say. Was it already useless to go on with the acting?
''The Queen? Hiding her real identity? What are you talking about?'' Westminster asked confused. His hairy eyebrows frowned slowly.
The soldier fell down on his right knee and bowed his head in an obeisance.
No, Lucy was whimpering inside her, don't do that. Don't bow. Stand up and leave, you cocky bastard!
''I am glad we have found you…''
The rest of the group bowed as well in respect, leaving a bunch of three hundred dwarfs confused.
''…. Your Majesty.''
And then a huge wave of mumbling and talking and gasping rose up from the crowd.
''Her Majesty?!''
''She's the Queen of this Kingdom?!''
''But I thought she was the Princess of the Kingdom of Black and White!''
''They lied to us!''
And then, after the insults were over, to the humans' surprise, things like ''Great! We're freed of the trouble of searching for her!'' and ''Even if that was a lie, they sure got us. What a nice story it was!'' or ''She looks like a nice person, maybe she'll help us!'' began to be heard.
Lucy raised her head and looked with big, teary chocolate eyes at the two dwarfs, Westminster and Fotherson. They were looking back at her and a faint light of disappointment shinned inside their narrow looks. She bit her lower lip and rose up slowly. Some dwarfs gasped amazed to see how tall compared to them she actually was. Her dirty dress fell on the grass and her ripped long sleeves fell along with it. She held her hands together and didn't tell the soldiers to rise. Instead, she directed her attention sadly to the little creatures in front of her.
''I-is it true that you are the real Queen of the Kingdom of Frozen Roses?'' Westminster asked quietly.
After a pause, Lucy answered.
''It is.''
And another round of gasps echoed from dwarf to dwarf and then to giant (who didn't do anything else than copy their riders since they couldn't understand a thing from that situation).
Natsu wasn't moving.
''Why…?'' Westminster asked ''I think I am not wrong when I say that we have showed you enough kindness not to engender any feeling of enmity. Why did you lie to us like that?''
''May I?'' the leading soldier dared raising his head towards the Queen. She didn't have a choice but to nod.
The man raised up and straightened his back. He directed his attention to the aged dwarf.
''It's because Her Majesty does not consider your attention worth her time, so she pretended to be someone else. In order not to affect her reputation, that is.''
''That's not wh-'' Lucy began angrily, but the man cut her short.
''Her Majesty the Queen is much too important to lower her head in front of such repellent creatures as yourself. But even so she did, so you must be grateful enough. Not I strongly advise you to take your leave before She takes action.''
The dwarfs raised up offended and angry. How dare he insult them like that?!
Lucy alerted and opened her mouth to say something against that man and in behalf for those dwarfs who had showed her and Natsu no rudeness at all. But the soldier cut her short and addressed to her directly:
''Your Highness, Lord Gungeon Bother is requiring your presence in the name of the Minister. You are to take part in the investigation of the King's death and your position will partly serve as a witness's, but in view of the information already gathered, Your Majesty will unfortunately be placed in the seat of a suspect.''
A strong shiver went down Lucy's spine and her eyes widened.
''Suspect?!'' she screamed shocked. ''What for?! What have I done?''
''A witness's confession observes Your Highness as the last person to see the King before his dead body was discovered by a maid.''
Lucy was speechless.
''Are you not suspecting the maid instead?!'' Westminster yelled gaining their attention. Lucy eyed him surprised and with gratitude.
''She is, as well as Her Majesty'' the soldier addressed him lacking interest ''on the suspect list. ''
''But the Queen can't be the murderer! She looks so innocent!''
''I haven't known this young lady for a long time, but I can say for sure that she knows how to lie well!'' Fotherson commented loudly winning a smug grin from the knight. Westminster and the rest eyed him hatefully as if he was a traitor. ''But…'' he continued ''I can also say for sure that she is not a bad person. I can understand that she had had a reason to lie to us. I can never, under any circumstances, see her as a murderer of anybody.''
Lucy smiled and looked at him with so much warmness that the elder dwarf felt a little embarrassed and blushed.
''Even so, Your Majesty, I am merely following my superiors' orders. And since I've been commanded to bring you over to the Minister, I shall have to choice but to ask you to come with me. If Your Majesty is not willing to do as asked, I will be needed to use force.''
''How dare you! She's your Queen!'' somebody screamed angrily.
''Yeah! Just tell your dumb Minister that she isn't guilty of anything!''
''She didn't kill anybody!''
''Queen, order him to shut up and leave!''
''The Queen'' the man who had already lost his patience said louder than the other voices ''will come with me even if she likes it or not. She will take part to the judging and will be free to leave once it has been proved that she is innocent. If not, she will be beheaded.''
The small creatures surrounding the humans gasped shocked.
''Hold it! If she is taken by you, then who is going to help us?!'' a little dwarf called out worried. ''Your King is dead and there is no heir to the throne! Who is going to help us, I ask?''
''Mind your own business! The Queen has no obligation to help you. We don't care about a lower race's issues! Return to your own small Kingdoms and get somebody else's help.''
''Aren't you even going to listen up to what they have to ask of us? To ask from me?'' Lucy asked amazed of the cruelty a human can possess. She angered and decided for the first and last time to make use of her position. She raised her chin and threw him a superior glare. ''I demand you listen to the dwarfs' requires and I will the one to decide whether we are interested in obeying their request or not.''
The soldier smirked and let out a short, quiet laugh.
''Your Majesty, allow me to make something clear for you. For the moment, as long as you are a suspect in the investigation about the king's death, you are not to 'demand' anything nor order around to anybody. Your authority is given ground for the moment and, with the Minister's blessing and approval, I shall have authority over Your Majesty. You shall have the respect required as-''
''Don't talk nonsense!'' she yelled losing her patience. ''There's no way you can do all this! Why are you being so rude to the poor creatures?!''
''That's enough, My Queen. We have lost enough time with unreasonable and useless talk. You shall be coming with me or I shall take you by force.''
She looked deeply into that cold and strict pair of eyes and immediately knew that he was enjoying his position at the moment. The reason for his aversion towards her was still unknown.
He thrust his arm to drag her after him, but another hand caught her faster and it pulled her. Taken by surprise, she fell on Natsu's chest. He let go of her arm and hugger her tight. She couldn't see that fierce glare directed to the soldier.
''Finally, he moved!'' a dwarf mumbled pissed.
The knight frowned slowly and resisted Natsu's eyes on fire quite well.
''Don't be kidding with me, loser.'' he groaned. ''She's not going anywhere.''
He wrapped his arm around her protectively and after a long pause of silence, the dwarfs started cheering, jumping with joy and throwing insults at the dirty soldier.
''Tell me, Queen!'' a short finger tapped their legs. Lucy looked down and saw a midget jumping up and down enthusiastically. ''If we protect you, are you going to help us?''
Lucy hesitated before agreeing carelessly.
''What do I have to do?''
''Your race has been treating us badly, especially the Kingdom of Frozen Roses. We wanted you to sign a contract in which you swear your behavior will be improved and you will no longer treat us as strangers and repulsive creatures. We will have rights when on your territory.''
''Is that all?'' she asked surprised.
''From what I remember, yes.''
She smiled happily.
''Take me safely to your lord and I will sign that contract.''
And then, the dwarf's eyes sparkled and he ran through the crowd, announcing happily the news:
''The Queen has agreed to help us! The Queen will sign the contract! Take her safely to the lord! Hurry! She is going to help us!''
All the creatures, including the giants, began making a whole ruckus over the Queen. They were all so happy, over such a small and innocent reason like that! They had definitely won her heart and she was under no circumstances going to take the humans' side on this matter!
She felt her dear's arms leave her reach when she was raised and taken away by tens of strong little hands carrying her away. The soldiers had long begun to fight the dwarfs and, even if the little ones were no match for them, the giants crushed them mercilessly.
She looked at Natsu alarmed from being parted with him, but he had left her in the hands of the dwarfs whom he trusted. He was momentary battling with the leading soldier, the only one left. She called out for him, but he never heard her. An enormous hand took her between huge fingers, squashing her a little, but not killing her, and placed her or the shoulder of one of the giants. She grasped the material of his shirt tight when she felt unsecure on the moving creature. She closed her eyes tight and held them so until she got used to the scary, slippery motion.
''Hold on tight, your Majesty!''
An arrow flew beside a giant's head and a second one entered a confused one's chest. The blonde watched horrified how a rain of arrows started falling out of the blue. What in the world was happening? Why were the humans attacking?
''Careful! Take cover!'' Westminster's yell could be heard above the army of giants. Every dwarf was placed back on his giant and even the one Lucy was sitting on had a dwarf riding him. The stupid creature was taking his hands in front of his eyes without bothering to dodge the actual danger. One after another, they started falling down.
The hoarse shouts of the creatures pierced the air and the dwarfs were also giving desperate commands so that it was a total chaos. They couldn't tell what was happening, but in the glimpse of an eye, Lucy saw it all: the humans, gathered on top of the wall, thrusting their bows and listening to the commands of the despicable leader. Another army of humans was running through the gate swinging their swords from side to side, cutting off beardy heads of loving dwarfs and ending completely innocent lives. She covered her mouth horrified when something that scared a yell out of her throat happened. Five arrows pierced through her giant's head and, after stumbling and making the girl lose balance, he fell to the ground. Lucy shut her eyes waiting for the impact out of instinct, when she realized the fall had only felt like a strong shake and strike. She climbed down the creature with tears of regret and sorrow in her eyes. She tried looking for a familiar face, but everything around her was just battling between dwarfs and humans, giants falling everywhere after crushing a few men. It was an amazingly sad sight. She panted scared. Her weak and trembling body crashed to the ground and her head got dizzy. She was still hurt from the other night, the hunger, lack of sleep, effort and overwhelming feelings she had felt.
In the middle of the unstoppable fidget, a hand jabbed its fingers in her arm and pulled her with brutality. Her heart stopped. She shot her head backwards and didn't even have time to feel relieved when she saw Natsu, for the guy threw a fist in her stomach and left her struggle with pain before she lost consciousness.
Natsu dropped her body to the ground, his cold eyes watching carefully if anybody had seen his action.
But a few meters away, a shocked Westminster looked at the scene and couldn't understand what had just happened.
Waitwaitwaitwait! Hold it! What in the world in going on here? This is not the way I intended things to turn out! Why did Natsu just punch Lucy?! NOOOO! This isn't right! How's he suddenly bad?!
It's obvious that since it's 5:38 am. and I've been writing the whole night (right, right, how do you do 2014?), my hands are writing on their own and I can't even control that anymore. Well, I have plans anyway. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As for me, I definitely did!
Happy New Year! This is my present for you (this chapter), so leave me a present in return in that beautiful alluring box below, 'kay? Oh, and, press 'post' or whatever before you close the tab, 'kay? Because it might happen sometimes to some people. And somebody (me) is going to be really sad if that happens.
For all the writers out there that know I'm reading their stories, hurry up and post, alright? For the ones that don't know I'm reading their stories, you can still hurry up and post. Gosh, it's obvious I'm drunk. Drunk with lack of sleep, that is. I can't even think normally in my native language anymore… I've been thinking in English for the last ten hours (without exaggeration) so bare with me, okay? Oh and also-BEEP! ATTENTION! DUE TO THE STUPIDNESS OF THE AUTHOR, THIS NOTE MAY NOT CONTINUE OR OTHERWISE WE'RE STRANGELY AFRAID THE READER MIGHT BE CONTAMINTAED!
GOOD NIGHT TO YOU ALL FROM THE STUPID AUTHOR BEARING THE USERNAME 4ever-a-fairy!
Pssssshhhhh! Imma tell you a secret since I'm this absent-minded already. My real name is Iulia. Not Julia nor Julie nor Julian nor George, but you may call me however you want. I'm a guy and I'm living in the world of the rainbow unicorns. Too bad they dyed a long time ago, so I'm actually living alone with my watch and Spider-man and-BEEP! I SAID GOOD NIGHT, STUPID 4ever-a-fairy!