Chapter Thirty-Five

Layla watched as the Dragis kissed both of her daughter's eyes and her breath caught. Dragis didn't kiss. She, as all Zodiacrians, were taught about the rest of the major races from childhood on. Dragis were a major player in the United Interstellar Alliance. Despite that; they were considered a rough race; their signs of affection tended to be; to most other members of the UIA, violent.

But kiss Lucy, the Dragis named Natsu, did. And he was gentle. She'd noticed it last night. He had constantly stroked her cheek, booped her nose; or gently squeezed her hand. The sworn statement that he believed her to be his growlkin settled over her. He truly believed it. And she was starting to believe it to.

Lucy tilted her head back and looked up at Natsu and Layla watched as her daughter nodded to whatever he whispered to her. He ran his hands down to her waist and squeezed gently before stepping back. Only he stopped not more than half a step backwards because her arms were still around his waist. He tilted his head and Layla watched as Lucy leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her forehead to his. He smiled softly as he sank into it. She moved her arms from his waist to his neck, wrapping her hands around each of her own forearms.

"Lucy." Jude called out after watching the two and getting irritated. Layla slapped his arm. She watched as her daughter stiffened before she leaned back, her arms sliding down and her hands cupping Natsu's shoulders. Natsu straightened but still looked down at Lucy and then her daughter grinned. Natsu grinned and then Lucy snapped at him.

"Lucky Lucy!" Layla scolded. Fang-snapping not lost on her at all. Natsu snapped back and Layla covered her face with her hands.

"What does that mean Layla. Layla?" Jude looked from his wife to his daughter and back.

"Nothing you need to know." Lucy told her father and walked over. Natsu helped her settle on the stone he'd been using as a seat and he leaned against it behind her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and stared at her parents.

"Lucy…"

"Are you going to apologize?" She cut off her father who stuttered in outrage. Layla put her hand on his arm and he settled down.

"Lucy, you know now that…."

"Selling me for a business deal does not protect me from Mard Geer and we both know it." Layla looked away and Jude looked ashamed. Natsu stiffened.

"You sold Lucy?"

"Tried to." Lucy corrected. "I found out and publicly announced that I would never have anything to do with the man my father had made the deal with."

Natsu huffed and smoke came out of his nose. Jude leaned back a bit and Layla closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. She squeezed her husband's arm until he leaned back forward.

"Lucy…" He cleared his throat. "I apologize. I truly do mean it. You were reaching an age where we feared Mard Geer would return for you. We…I…"

Jude stumbled over his words when Layla elbowed him and Lucy's eyes narrowed. "I thought if you were married and had a child it would be over."

"So you decided to sell me as a broodmare instead of telling me the truth and letting me decide how to handle the situation?"

"You don't have to be so flippant."

"Oh I've yet to be flippant." Lucy scowled.

"What does flippant mean?" Natsu whispered in her ear and suddenly her disposition changed and she giggled and shook her head. "Luce?"

"It means not showing a serious or respectful attitude…basically being bratty or insubordinate."

"Don't teach Gramps that word…he'll use it to describe me in all his reports." Natsu shook his head and Lucy laughed, covering her face with her hands as the tears fell as she struggled to breathe. Natsu looked down at her in an air of offense that made her laugh all that much harder.

"He…so…would." Lucy choked out and he huffed, a circle of smoke settling around her. She started to calm down and she patted his arm. "I'm sorry. So sorry."

"It's fine." He sighed dramatically, his arm hooking around her waist to help straighten her so she could take several deep breaths of calming air. "Better?"

"Much."

Layla stared, in awe that Natsu could help Lucy navigate her emotions so flawlessly and easily. Lucy's eyes were bright, brighter than she could ever remember them being; other than the few times she'd taken her out to look at the starry skies and fill her with as much magic as she could….as she dared. But now she realized, with more shame than anything else; she had done her daughter a disservice.

Lucy stood shoulder to shoulder with the members of the Guild Station; respected even; by being herself. As it was; after two years apart; she was human. What little Zodiacrian magic/blood was in her; at it's weakest; probably untraceable. But she had fought Draconics, protected her friends and helped care for them for two years. Survived. And she'd seen the respect in the eyes of not only the General of the Guild but also his grandson—who most humans on the Guild held in fearful regard. But he had respected her daughter; often talking with her and taking whatever she said at face value and moving on.

She remembered last night as he was drunk on spiced rum; how he had endured the scalut's defenses to muss her hair as he held her with one arm and told her that she was worthy of being his second in command on Earth if she wanted. Freed had apparently broken down in tears hearing that but Lucy had merely laughed and told him to bring it up when he was sober.

And now, she was realizing how brightly her Little Star shone in the light that was given off by the Dragis at her side. She tightened her grip on Jude's arm and he looked down at her. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes and she looked back at her daughter. Lucy was now on her knees, pulling on Natsu's hair as he tried to shield himself from her playful attacks.

"Luce? Your mom." Natsu's voice had Lucy turning and looking at them. Layla wiped at her tears.

"Mom?"

"I'm fine." She shook her head. "I just can't believe you are so…happy. After everything. It's more than I could have ever wished for."

"Mama." Lucy left Natsu and pulled her mom off of her seat and into a hug. Jude watched and cleared his throat as softly as he could. The two separated and Lucy leaned against the rock, Natsu instantly resting his chin on the top of her head.

"He's like a hoodie." Jude muttered and Lucy's lips quirked, especially when she could feel Natsu bristling with curiosity.

"It's a type of warm clothing that girls steal from guys to stay warm."

"Do they not sell this to girls?"

"They do. But we still the hoodies from guys we like so we can be surrounded by their warmth and their scents. And to show dominance. That we took it and don't give it back." Lucy said and he nodded.

"So hoodies are like scaluts? They identify that a girl belongs with a particular male on earth?"

"Ehhh….kinda but not really. I've stolen the hoodies of friends before. It didn't mean anything. I would just borrow it and forget to give it back and then by the time they said something it no longer smelt like them and they complained that it had shrunk."

"And did you shrink them?" Layla asked and Lucy shook her head.

"No. It's not my fault that the freshman fifteen is a thing." Jude scoffed and Lucy shook her head.

"Mama…Father. We need to talk with Gramps. About everything."

"I don't want anyone to try and force your mother into anything. Just because she's Zodiacrian…" Jude interjected. Lucy bristled in indignation. Layla turned to her husband.

"They…"

"We won't." Natsu and Lucy stated together. Lucy looked at her father.

"I have reason to still distrust you. But do you have any reason not to trust me?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I will do everything I can to keep Lucy's word as well." Natsu said and thumped his chest.

"That's better than the alternative." Jude conceded. "Thank you for that."

"Mama…what makes Zodiacrians….Zodiacrian?" Lucy asked, looking at her mother with forlorn wonder on her face. Layla felt her heart constrict. Her daughter knew nothing of her birth right.

"So much Little Star." Layla murmured. She rested her head on Jude's shoulder. "Before my world was destroyed; we originated in a great cosmic realm. Time flowed so strangely there and we were so plentiful. While loud, we were peaceful. There were some warriors among us…but most of us were just…peaceful. Innocent."

"Mama?" Layla's voice had dropped.

"Before I was born, the realm fell…darkness crept in."

"Mard Geer." Lucy guessed and her mother nodded.

"He had lied to the Celestial King. Befriended him and then used the trust shown to him to lead a few towards the darkness. Promising them things they had never thought to want. And then, as it does; the darkness spread. The Celestial King gathered as many of his people as he could and relocated them to a far off world. Sending small units out in various directions as decoys."

"Then what?" Natsu asked as he watched Lucy's mother fall into her memories.

"Seireikai was my home, from the moment I was born. I knew every person who lived there. There wasn't a stone I didn't know; a path I hadn't played along, a light I wasn't familiar with. There were eleven very good friends, thirteen near the end who stood with me along every adventure. No matter the difference in our ages or backgrounds, we were friends. And we had so many adventures. But then, as I reached the age of maturity…darkness started to creep in. And then, the night of the Celestial Mage's Coronation…I was kidnapped."

"Oh no." Lucy covered her mouth and Natsu wrapped her tightly in his arms.

"My friends came after me; even while the guards protected the Celestial King. They didn't hesitate to risk it all…" Layla sniffled. "They got me away from the henchmen and we managed to outrun the draconics. We got to a launch pad and I was shoved into a shuttle by myself due to the fighting. Then I was jettisoned. I saw their shuttles take off amongst the lights of fighting. But…."

"You hit the storm and got lost." Natsu finished and Layla nodded.

"But mama…what makes Zodiacrians so special that Mard Geer would want to take one as a bride?" Lucy asked.

"It wasn't just any Zodiacrian in the prophecy." Layla inhaled. "It was one who was chosen by virtue and lineage to be chosen as a Celestial Mage."

"What's that?" Lucy and Natsu asked in unison.

"Celestial Mages were rare because the amount of magic required to perform their specialized skills."

"Mama?"

"Celestial Mages could call on the Zodiac Guards; the strongest and bravest of the Zodiacrian army to fight when the need arose. If they were swayed into darkness…there would be no race that could stand against them. There would be no world left unscathed by them and their ruler."

"But…wouldn't they be friends of the Mages? Who would ask their friends to do those things?"

"Oh my sweet little joy." Layla sighed. "You still think as you always did."

"Not always." Lucy shook her head, memories overwhelming her.

"Not all Mages cared for the Zodiac Guards as friends. Some saw them as servants and nothing else."

"So you were a Mage Mama?"

"No." Layla looked downcast. "Unfortunately my ceremony was interrupted."

"I'm so sorry Mama."

"It's quite fine. I gained something better." Layla looked right at Lucy when she said it and her daughter's eyes filled with tears. She shifted her gaze, and once again, Natsu was looking at Lucy with adoration.

"That's why you wanted me to stay away from the windows…in case I felt a pull to the stars." Lucy guessed.

"Yes. When Seireikai fell, before the meteor storm; there was a great explosion. And the essence of Seireikai and all the lives that couldn't escape; were spread far and wide. Birthing stars that shot wildly away; crossing cosmos unknown even now."

"It's how your mother managed to keep her magic up even on Earth." Jude stated and looked at his wife. "But also…"

"Also what?" Natsu asked.

"The stars know."

"Know what?" Lucy asked, her brows pulled tightly together.

"Everything." Layla sighed. "They know when life is born and loss. They know when lovers meet…and when love sours. They know when power comes to be and when it's lost as well."

"The falling stars the other morning?" Lucy asked and Layla and Jude nodded.

"What did those mean?" Natsu asked and felt his breath hitch.

"I don't know…They were so…"

"Loud." Lucy finished. Layla looked at her.

"Lucy?"

"When Natsu brought me up…I heard the stars giggling." Layla's eyes widened. "And the shooting stars…they woke me up. They were so loud."

"What did you hear?" Jude demanded but Natsu waved him off and cupped Lucy's cheek.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"We had so many questions already…and then the Festival…It didn't seem important."

"Luce?" He prodded and she looked up at him. Her lip quivered and she shrugged.

"I might have worried I was going crazy. A little."

"Oh Lucy." He pulled her into a tight hug and ran his hands up and down her back. She sniffled into his neck and gripped the back of the vest he wore. As she inhaled his scent, she felt a calming warmth wash through her.

"Little Star." Lucy turned her head, resting her cheek on Natsu's chest. Inhaling deeply as she looked at her parents. "What did they say to wake you?"

"There was more laughter…and voices saying that the princess was rising to power. And that the past would not go unavenged."

"Oh…" Layla straightened.

"What's that mean?"

"It means…they know."

"Know what?"

"That Lucy was going to come into her birth right." Jude said.

"Not just that." Layla shook her head. She looked at her daughter and then Natsu. "It also meant that she had found a protector who would stand beside her and help her rise to power."

"I don't want power." Lucy shook her head. Natsu tipped her chin up.

"You don't have to keep power. Just free it. And I will definitely stand by your side; protect you and help you free it."

"Oh Natsu…you…idiot Dragis." Lucy inhaled on a shaky breath. He smiled at her, and traced her cheek. Layla and Jude shared a look. Memories rising up within them. Of simpler times when their love was new too.