I wrote this listening to Mitski First Love/Late Spring. Highly recommend listening once Lucy meets Natsu again towards the end while reading. Enjoy x
"No… stop it! Let me go!"
The princess cried out as she was tossed onto the mattress, her skin burning and feeling feverish in the places he had touched. Her entire body trembled as tears welled in her eyes, fear consuming her all over again.
"Please.. stop..!"
"You think anyone would want a whore like you?" His voice bellowed and all she could do was curl up, trying to protect herself from his hits. "No man would ever want someone like you! Be grateful that I am even taking you after all you have done!"
"No, please! I didn't do anything!"
"You worthless piece of shit… you call yourself the princess of this kingdom and you are this weak?! No wonder your father sold you off! You are nothing!"
Nothing!
Lucy shot out of bed, a choked gasp spilling out of her mouth. Sweat clung onto her skin like another layer of skin and as she breathed heavily while looking around the dark confinements of her bedroom, the princess looked around with wide, fearful eyes.
His voice echoed in her brain, rattling her out of her sleep and forcing her to sit up on her bed with her legs pulled up and her arms wrapped around herself. She shivered violently as if she was plunged in cold bath water and she had no idea why considering it was the middle of summer.
She was drenched from head to toe in her sweat and her skin felt hot to the touch.
The high moon brought in some source of light into her bedroom, shining brightly and offering its protection. But Lucy felt anything but safe at the moment as her nightmare had been so vivid, she could feel his searing touch on her body. Hear his voice ringing in her ear. Feel the throb of her heart and the sting of her tears.
She was so tired of being haunted by this man and everyone else. She hated that he still had such a strong grip on her that she was even forced to deal with him in her dreams.
All the princess wanted to do was live a happy life with plenty of love and plenty of fun. Why was that so hard to accomplish?
The bitterness she felt when she would see young children running around and enjoying themselves was awful and even when she would see young ladies around her age being courted and going out with their friends and family, it still made her sick to the stomach.
When was the last time she got to do what she wanted and not what someone else wanted her to do?
When will she finally get the chance to be happy and not because of someone else but because of her? Was happiness in her cards? Probably not. What could make her happy? She had no idea. She didn't even know how to be happy anymore. All the fake smiles and conversations she has with everyone around and all the exhausting things she had to do to upkeep her appearance was just weighing her down further and further.
Sure, she could probably just end this all and do the job but Lucy couldn't find it in herself to abandon the kingdom she had grown up in.
At least, not yet.
The least she could do was help them before she passed on and this alliance was going to help them in that.
Maybe she could even push the timeline up. As long as they had the peace treaty signed with the dragons, all would be well. There would be no point in the duke since the dragons would offer protection and once they had formed this alliance, she wouldn't have to work her butt off to make sure the future of the Heartfillia kingdom will thrive.
Though she was the only one in line for the throne through Heartfillia blood, she had distant relatives that could possibly help with that. Or be forced into it.
After all, after she and the duke married, the duke would be future king and ruler and she definitely was not going to stick around for that mess.
Cradling herself and calming herself down in her dark room, Lucy rocked back and forth while she whispered reassuring words to herself. The shaking had stopped but she couldn't stop crying. She didn't know if it was because she was so incredibly scared or sad.
Sad that she was gifted such a life and sad that she won't be able to experience such a free, happy life. Not even one day.
Sad that she was going to be forced to take her life in order to take charge.
She wondered how Natsu would react when he found out about her death. Would he be sad? Angry? Upset?
Or would he even care at all?
Sitting at her vanity, the princess could only stare at the dull reflection of herself. With dark circles and bags under her eyes, she looked like a ghost still dressed in her thin nightgown.
She could not properly sleep last night. A lot of it had to do with her nightmare about the duke and the other part of it had to do with the fact that the negotiations were tomorrow and she was so busy stressing about it that she couldn't fall back asleep.
How did she even get to this point? Nearly every day was the same and now with more trouble brewing in her kingdom, Lucy had no idea what to even do.
Her timeline was still on track and if she could get these negotiations under control as soon as possible then she could easily return to what she was doing. She had lots of things to do before her departure and if she wanted this kingdom to have a peaceful, successful future, then she had to work harder than ever.
She still had to figure out the tax reforms and send those out to discuss with the nobles. She also had to continue figuring out ways to help the lower class and even figure out what is going on with the slave trading.
While that wasn't a topic she was in charge of, she still oversaw it behind the queen's back. Especially since they were to ensure no more slaves that were of dragon descent were still in their possession.
With the amount of stress, no wonder the princess felt so drained and dull but those small tasks were just the cherry on top of her dystopia.
Having her maids get her ready for a day out in town, Lucy was dressed into a beautiful pink floral gown with hand stitched flowers sewed on her gown made out of the finest silk. With the summer days growing hotter each day, Lucy had a nice hat tied to her head, giving her the protection she would need from the harsh hot sun.
The one thing that helped the princess clear her mind was always walking in the gardens but today, she felt like she needed the chatter and the warmth of her kingdom to help ground her. She really enjoyed seeing the children run around and the people of her kingdom trade off goods and spend their days shopping and whatnot.
While it made her a bit bitter to see such careless happiness within the people, it could only make her smile to know her kingdom was thriving.
And Lucy enjoyed speaking with the townsfolk and buying from family businesses. Even if she knew some of the products were cheap and not made out of the finest things like in the royal kingdom, she knew these people put in lots of hard work and hours to produce such things.
With her golden curls tied up into a bun with beautiful jewels adorning her locks, Lucy had set off for town where her carriage took her, Coco, Michelle, and Mrs. Spetto down the dirt roads. She had two royal knights with her as well, aiding protection if needed but things rarely happened during the day.
And who would be dumb enough to attack the princess in broad daylight?
The streets were busy with patrons and citizens, shopping and marketing their products. Children ran around the streets with wide grins and carefree attitudes and Lucy could only smile at them as they zipped past them. All sorts of pop up shops littered the side of the roads, vendors and shops offering all sorts of goods.
"These florals are beautiful," Lucy cooed as she held a blooming bud in her palm, smiling down at the tulip that was trying to open up. "Could I get a bouquet of these as well as some of the tiger lillies?"
"Of course, your highness!"
While she watched the shopkeeper rush to get the flowers she requested, Lucy moved on to look at the others. Her three maids stuck right behind her, also enjoying the sight and summer day while carrying the things the princess purchased.
Once they had received the bundles of flowers, Lucy was moving on to the next shop where they only sold fabrics and yarns.
Usually, the princess did not care for such things but the arrays of pink caught her eye for some reason. Maybe it was because it made her think about the dragon king because of his hair but Lucy stopped at the shop to stare at the yarn and fabrics.
She had dabbled in cross stitching and knitting for a bit when she was a bit younger and had more time on her hands. It wasn't something she loved doing but enjoyed from time to time. Maybe she could get back into it and make something for the dragon king as a thank you since he did send her a beautiful dress that she couldn't even wear. Maybe she could knit him something like a hat or even some socks or maybe something for his room back at his very own kingdom.
But what could she make a dragon and what would be considered a worthy gift for him?
"Good afternoon, your majesty!" The shopkeeper came rushing over, her eyes wide and sparkly. She had streaks of white in her once dark hair and wrinkles adorning the corners of her eyes. Even though she was an older woman, she still had lots of youth and mirth twinkling in her eyes and Lucy could only offer a smile. "What can I do for the princess today?"
"I was looking into your fabric and yarn and I wish to knit something to gift to a friend… is there any you would recommend?"
"Why, of course! Anything you have in mind? Perhaps even a favorite color of said friend?"
Lucy pressed her lips to a thin line as she stood there staring at the items.
She didn't even know Natsu's favorite color and yet she called herself his friend? What did she know about the dragon king besides the basics? His favorite color? His favorite snacks? How does he like his morning tea or coffee?
She didn't even know what she was going to do with the fabric once purchased and she felt a little silly standing there, unable to answer the women's simple question.
"Um, well, I—" Lucy's eyes flickered over to the side to see a certain ball of fabric catch her eye. "Oh! Actually, could I see that one right there? The one next to the black and gray fabric?"
The shopkeeper rushed over to what the princess was pointing at and when she came back over to hold it out to her, Lucy's eyes were wide in awe, reaching for the seemingly innocent item that only she knew what reminded her of.
The ivory colored fabric that had black stitching, it almost reminded Lucy of scales and she could only think about how it looked almost like real dragon scales.
Granted, she's never really been able to properly see it and or feel it but Lucy felt as if this fabric was the best out of all the others.
Without a second thought, Lucy purchased the fabric with some others that Mrs. Spetto could play around with and create more pieces for her and then they were off.
The princess was feeling a lot better by the time they were halfway through their trip and as she could feel the warm rays hit her skin and bathed her in sunlight, Lucy could only softly hum to herself while caressing the flowers that bloomed on the side of the road.
Today… will be a good day, the princess decided. Her days were limited so why waste the rest being miserable when she could do such things like this?
She will surely miss her maids and her very kingdom once she is gone but there was nothing that could change her mind.
Unless her entire life could just turn itself around overnight, Lucy didn't see herself changing any of her plans and she knew it was one in a million.
"Princess…" Coco said while catching up to the blonde. Lucy turned to look at her youngest maid, humming in response. "Is this friend you wanted to make something for… possibly the dragon king?"
"H—huh?" Lucy was caught off guard by the question that she nearly stumbled over her shoes. Three pairs of arms shot out to catch her but the princess caught herself, quickly adjusting her posture to turn and scowl at her maids, a heavy blush painting her cheeks.
"So it is!" Michelle confirmed, her own eyes widening with a grin stretching across her lips.
"Princess, so does that mean you and the dragon king are friends?" Coco's eyes sparkled with glee, expectant eyes waiting for an answer.
Lucy was horrified at the question her maids were throwing her way and she didn't know how to react or respond as her jaw dropped and her entire body felt hot. Even Mrs. Spetto was hiding her smile behind her hands, giggling like a little girl while the other two continued to bombard her with questions.
"I—it is not like that!" Lucy cried out, wanting them to settle down as she looked around anxiously. "We are simply friends, nothing more, nothing less. We have established a good relationship and have built trust. It is mainly because of our treaty."
"Maybe to you, princess, but it doesn't seem like the dragon king thinks so." Michelle held her hand up to her lips, snickering at the red-faced princess.
"Yes! The dragon king seems to truly adore you, princess! He sends you gifts, invites you to dance, and he even goes out of his way to greet you!"
Lucy didn't know how to process such words as the two bounced back and forth, leaning further into her space and talking even louder to jumble all their words up. Lucy felt dizzy as she looked back and forth between the two and she fluttered her eyes over to Mrs. Spetto for some help, seeing how she had no idea how to even approach the topic of the dragon king like this.
"Now, girls," Mrs. Spetto chuckled, trying to settle the two young girls down. "You are crowding the princess, give her some space."
Michelle and Coco leaned away from the blonde to give her the space but Lucy still felt hot and bothered.
There is no way the dragon king adored her like these two claimed he did. They were friends. Just like he mentioned, they were friends so why wouldn't he show her such kindness? It did not mean anything at all. The two were trying to build a cordial relationship to ensure this proposal would go smoothly.
"The dragon king and I are just friends," Lucy stated, giving them a stern look but trying her best to not look too embarrassed. "And please remember that I am still engaged to Duke Porla. We cannot keep allowing these rumors to spread."
She didn't know why it was so difficult to say those words out loud. The fact alone that she and Natsu were friends was exciting on its own but to say that she was an engaged woman to someone like the duke only made her words come out bitter.
And her words seemed to have done it since Michelle and Coco frowned, dipping their chin down.
"Apologies, princess."
"Nothing to apologize for," Lucy brushed it off, sighing out loud. "Please understand that the dragon king and I are simply friends and there is nothing more to it than that."
They continued their walk and Lucy was feeling a bit bad for snapping at her maids like that. They were just trying to be excited for her and having someone as handsome and caring like the dragon king showing the lonely princess some attention was surely something to talk about.
She knew everyone was still talking about them behind her back. Some of them were crass enough to do it when she was near as she could hear the whispers of their secret affair.
Of course the princess never cared for idle gossip and she ignored it all. Though, she can't say so for anyone else since even after a whole month, the rumors had yet to cease.
"Princess.. what would you do if the dragon king truly did fancy you?" Coco leaned in to whisper and Lucy was caught off guard with the question, jerking in her spot.
She turned to face her maids once more, her blush returning tenfold at the personal question. "Impossible. Nothing to concern myself or yourself with since it will not happen."
"But what if—"
Smelling a delicious scent coming from one of the stands, Lucy whipped her head over to see a similar stand. With smoke coming out of the tent and delicious kabobs slathered in some delicious sauce, Lucy felt her mouth watering and her stomach gurgling.
It reminded her of the night she had first met the dragon king when she had snuck out of the palace and she could not resist walking over to peek at the cooks and vendors.
So much so she left her maids standing there in confusion before they scrambled to follow the princess, sticking close behind her as she ventured over to the stall.
Such wild flames that flickered beneath charcoal cooked the meats, sizzling and popping loudly. They had one person taking orders, another cooking the meats, and another packing.
She swallowed thickly at the sight of him grabbing the brush to bathe the meat in some type of glaze and Lucy had to hold back the moan that wanted to slip out. These kabobs made her instantly think of the dragon king and she wondered if she should buy some for said dragon when she returned back to the palace.
"Two meat sticks, please."
The voice beside her startled her out of her daze and Lucy reeled back to look at them. Her eyes widened when she saw the familiar rosy locks and dashing grin, her heart throbbing obnoxiously behind her ribcage.
"Y—you're majesty, the dragon king!"
Natsu merely gave her a wink as he was exchanging silver coins with the man. She could only gawk at him while taking him in, seeing as he was just out and about with no care in the world just like the same night she had met him. Not a single knight around or any of his representatives to keep him safe.
But for a dragon, he didn't necessarily need the protection…
Wearing his usual white joggers, Natsu had a loose fitting black tunic over his torso and a black cloak over his shoulders. With his hood down, his vibrant pink locks were on display but it seemed as if the dragon king did not care if anyone noticed him.
But why was he wearing the hood?
"Here," he thrusted the meat stick out to the blonde and Lucy nearly dropped it.
He was quick to bite into his own kabob, sharp canines ripping through the meat stick in almost an animalistic fashion.
Lucy was too stunned at the sight to even eat her own meat stick, trying to process what on earth was happening. How does she always run into this man even when she wasn't trying? How did he just pop up as if she was thinking about him or needing him?
"You alright there?" The dragon king quirked a brow at her, seeing how he was already done with his own kabob.
Lucy blinked stupidly before she felt her cheeks flush. She quickly looked over her shoulder to see her maids were still there but now a bit further away, giving her slight smiles and pretending they weren't listening in.
This was just adding fuel to their gossip and Lucy scowled, shaking her head back and forth before looking back at the king.
She felt as if she was in awe, finding out her heart was racing inside of her chest at his kind features.
"T—thank you," she managed to get out, bringing her gaze down to the meat stick in her hands. She brought it to her lips, taking a bite of the charred flesh where the instant flavors bursted in her mouth and earned a groan of approval.
Natsu simply grinned at her as she scarfed it down, not even minding that she was being sort of a slob right now.
"What a surprise to see the princess roaming the streets of the kingdom at a time like this," He mused, watching her finish off her snack. "And to be ogling the meat sticks like last time? Must be fate."
Her cheeks were rosy red as he cackled out in laughter and Lucy found herself shyly dipping her chin down.
"I was not expecting to see you either, your majesty. What are you doing in town?"
"I had some business to tend to on the outskirts of town," Natsu said as he reached for his handkerchief in his pocket. "I came into town thinking I could grab a quick snack and see what it had to offer and to my surprise," he offered a small smile as he wiped the corner of her mouth. Lucy flinched as he cleaned her up and she felt her cheeks flaming up even more as he gazed down at her softly. "I see the princess standing at a meat stand praticallying wanting to inhale the entire place."
"I was not!"
"Does the princess enjoy fatty foods?"
"Absolutely not!" Lucy protested and the way he snickered at her made her huff out in annoyance. "You are being incredibly rude, your majesty!"
"Am I now?" He drawled, tucking his handkerchief back into his pocket.
"Yes!" She puffed her cheeks out and he was chuckling again.
"Well, my apologies, princess," he purred her title, making her reel back slightly, looking at him with wide eyes. He held his hand out towards her, expecting her own and she hesitated slightly before slowly placing her hand in his outstretched one. "I must say, you look absolutely stunning in this gown." He complimented and she shivered slightly when she heard the soft growl rumbling from him. She watched how he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on the back of her hand, his dark eyes pinned on hers the entire time he did so. "There seems to be nothing in this world that cannot suit you."
Lucy felt as if she was melting and had no idea why. Her face felt hot from her embarrassment and as she stood there almost gawking at this shameless man, Lucy could only slip her hand out of his and clutch her imaginary pearls.
She had never ever heard a man compliment her with such fever and make her feel it as well. Usually the compliments she receives she just brushes off and never truly find it meaningful but what was it about Natsu that when he said it to her, she felt as if it was true. As if he truly did mean his words.
"T—thank you for your kind words, your majesty," Lucy shyly tucked a strain behind her ear while turning her head away. "I truly appreciate it."
"Will the princess be staying in town for a moment longer?"
"Um," Lucy turned to see her maids staring right at them but the moment the princess looked they all turned in different directions, pretending to point out this or that. "I was about done shopping so I should return back to the palace soon."
"Oh, what a shame," Natsu said, shaking his head back and forth while clicking his tongue.
Lucy raised a brow at him, tilting her head to the side. "Where is the shame?"
"The shame is that I had just walked past a stand that had those strawberry shortcakes we really liked last time. And I was pretty sure I saw someone selling some dango, too…"
Lucy's eyes widened at the mention of the delicious treats and her stomach rumbled in protest. Her cheeks reddened as she hoped he didn't hear but the amused expression he had made her aware he did.
"Oh, well… it would be a shame if I returned without tasting such delicious treats…" Lucy placed a hand on her cheek, peeking over to see her maids still trying to listen in. "Maybe I can spare a few more minutes to accompany you in your adventure."
"Oh, no, I can't possibly impose on the princess' schedule. I am sure you are plenty busy." He placed a hand on his chest, giving her a cheeky grin.
Lucy held her hands up, waving them around. "No! Not at all! I would be more than happy to accompany you, my lord."
"Is that so?" He hummed and Lucy shyly nodded her head.
Turning around to face her maids again, the three grew rigid and quickly looked away once again.
"Mrs. Spetto, Coco, and Michelle," The three turned back to face her. "You three may head back to the palace. I shall be accompanying the dragon king around town for a little longer."
"How will you return back to the palace if we take your carriage, my lady?"
"Do not worry about such a thing like that," Natsu spoke, waving his hand in the air. "I will ensure the princess will return safely at the end of our time."
Her cheeks felt hot as she saw the looks they were giving her and Lucy simply turned her head away, keeping her blush hidden and her gaze anywhere else.
The nerve of her maids trying to suggest something… she and Natsu were friends. Friends can hang out and spend time with each other without there being anything more.
Even if this certain friend made her cheeks flush and heart pound, he was still a dear friend to her.
Waving goodbye to her maids who had left the two in town, Lucy watched them disappear into the crowds before turning back to Natsu who was already watching her. She felt shy under his gaze as she dipped her chin down, using her hat to hide her bashful expression.
"To the strawberry shortcake or the dangos first?"
"The answer to that is: both." Natsu grinned and he held his hand out towards her. Lucy looked down at his open palm back to his face, seeing how he stayed frozen. "Well? Are you going to hold my hand or are we going to stand here all day?"
"You could use your words, my lord." Lucy huffed, placing her hand on top of his as his fingers wrapped around hers. The instant warmth that spread up her arm and through her body was comforting.
"But what's the fun in that?" He asked and Lucy was finding herself thinking about the very first night she had ever met this fiery man.
As he held her hand and helped weave them through the crowd, Lucy could only stare at the backside of the dragon king.
Who would have thought the man she met that one fateful night would be the dragon king? Someone who claims to be her friend and someone who cares for her for her. She had never met anyone like Natsu nor did she think she ever would. Someone as careless and simple as him was rare, especially in the world they lived in, and she could only thank the very stars for bringing her such a friend.
"Are you all prepared for our negotiations tomorrow?" Natsu asked as he slurped up the syrup that dripped from his fresh dango.
Lucy simply giggled at the way he was trying to eat the sticky treat, her very own in her palms as the warmth of the gluttonous treat seeped through the paper plate in her hand. "I believe so. Though, I am unsure if we should be talking about such matters out in the open."
"You're right," Natsu said as he popped one into his mouth, pointing at her with his stick. "No more talking about work while we are out. We are ruining the mood."
"Could not agree more, your majesty."
Natsu finished up his treat in less than two bites while Lucy was trying her best not to get any of the sticky residue on her. But it was nearly impossible since her dango was almost as big as the paper plate they provided her and she was not used to eating such treats.
She looked a little silly as she tried to twist her stick this way and that, trying her best not to drip over her gown nor be messier than she had to be.
But even Natsu seemed to find amusement in her struggle as she flushed and scowled at him. "Stop laughing at me."
"Laughing?" Natsu spun around to see if someone was near, a playful expression on his face. "Do you hear laughter because I do not."
"You are looking at me with that look on your face! Do not lie! You act as if you are innocent!" Lucy pointed her dango at him and Natsu held his hand up to his mouth, masking the grin that was spreading on his lips.
"I am not laughing, your highness," he chuckled and Lucy puffed her cheek out. "Okay, now I am because you are making such a face!"
"You are making fun of me for how I am eating my dango."
"I am not! I am simply observing how the princess is eating her dango."
"It is not my fault! I have never eaten one of these before," Lucy growled in frustration as she looked down at the treat. Her fingers were covered in syrup and it was a miracle she did not get any on her dress.
"You surprise me every time, princess," Natsu murmured as he came closer to her, his handkerchief pulled from his pocket once more. "Allow me," he grinned, holding his hand out to her and Lucy huffed before holding out the stick. Natsu delicately wrapped his handkerchief around the stick and moved it from her sticky hand to her other one. "There."
"Should have done this from the start," Lucy grumbled under her breath and the way Natsu laughed had her flushing even more. "But now I am all sticky."
"Let me worry about that," He said and Lucy wasn't sure what she was expecting him to do but it definitely was not shoving her fingers into his mouth.
Her eyes widened and she nearly dropped her dango as she felt his warm tongue wrap around her fingers and she shuddered at the sensation of it. Her entire body grew hot from embarrassment and as Lucy stood there in shock with her strangling her dango stick in one hand and the other being sucked on by the dragon king, she didn't know what to do but gawk.
How could a man be so shameless? And towards the princess of this kingdom? Out in public?
Lucy felt faint as she watched him clean her sticky fingers and she nearly passed out. The way his tongue stroked along her fingertips and skin made something inside of her stir and she had no idea what this unknown tingly sensation she was feeling but it made her want to moan out. She could feel her frame tremble as he licked her clean and as he popped her fingers out of his mouth, he gave her a devilish smirk.
"There. All clean."
Gawking at the dragon king who didn't seem to care he just sucked on the princess' fingers, he took the empty paper plate she had to toss it into a nearby trash bin.
When he looked back at her, he tilted his head to the side to give her a confusing look, making her wonder what in the world went on in his head.
"W—wh—wh—what was that?!" The princess nearly shrieked, still frozen in place with her clutching the dango stick as if her life depended on it. "Wh—why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"S—stick my fingers in y—your mouth!"
"You said you were sticky. I took care of it for you. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Wanted you to clean my hands off with your mouth and tongue?!" Lucy was screaming and she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, looking to see others were looking their way. Shrinking in her spot, Lucy cleared her throat and looked back at the king, scowling and blushing furiously while lowering her voice to a growl. "You are a shameless man, you know that?"
"I know," he grinned. "Never said I wasn't."
Lucy stood there staring at him with an incredulous look for a moment. Honestly, what was this man thinking?!
"Are you going to eat that or just hold onto it?" Natsu asked, pointing at the stick in her hands and when Lucy looked at it, she felt her appetite disappear and she could only stick it out to the dragon while scowling at the ground.
Natsu happily took it from her and swallowed the entire thing, leaving her huffing and glaring at him.
"I cannot believe you."
"I can," he groaned as he tossed the stick into the trash. "That was amazing! The Heartfillia kingdom definitely has a lot more sweets to offer than the Dragon kingdom."
Lucy wanted to slap him silly and scream in his face about how ridiculous he was and how he should be more embarrassed that he had done such a thing but it seemed as if she was the only one concerned about this because he was scanning the area for more sweets.
"Come on, Lucy, let's go see what else they have here. You don't have long, right?"
Turning her head away, Lucy merely puffed her cheek out and huffed. "Right."
"Aw, come on, what's with the long face?" Natsu leaned into her eyesight and Lucy turned her head the other way, scowling. "Are you mad that I ate your dango?"
"W—what?" Lucy turned to face him, gawking at his pouty expression. "It is absolutely not about the dango!"
"Then what is it? Is it the duke?" His sharp eyes turned to look around and Lucy was one second away from punching him in the throat.
"The du—no! It's not the duke!" Lucy was screaming again and she pressed her hands to her face, groaning.
"Then what is it? Must you use the bathroom?"
"Bath—? Ugh! No, you shameless dragon! It's because you—!" Lucy looked around to see if anyone was listening and she leaned in to whisper-shout at him. "You cannot go around sucking on princess' fingers! It is considered improper and highly inappropriate!"
Natsu quirked a brow up, looking at her with a look of confusion. "I don't go around sucking on princess' fingers if that's what you're implying."
"I am talking about what you did!"
"Helping you out? What is so wrong with helping the princess clean her fingers?"
"What is wrong is that you should be like a normal person and get me something to wipe them off with, not sucking them clean!" She hissed, not understanding why he wasn't seeing it more of an issue.
The smirk that stretched to his lips had her gulping but when he leaned in towards her with her leaning back, she stared wide eyed into his dark golden eyes as he flashed her his teeth.
"Well… I'm not really a normal person now… am I?" She watched in mild disbelief as he ran his tongue over his teeth and gave her a good look at his sharp canines.
Her eyes were darting from his eyes to his lips, feeling her small frame quivering under his heated stare while wondering at the same time what his lips would feel on hers. Would they be as soft as they felt when they pressed against her hand? Would they be sticky right now and taste sweet like the dango they just consumed? Would he taste like he smelt with all the smoke and ash he liked to produce?
Lucy shivered and took a step back from him, dipping her chin down while she clutched her imaginary pearls.
"I—I suppose you are right…"
"I apologize if I may have offended you by doing so, princess but I felt it was the easiest thing to do. You did take my handkerchief."
"You didn't offend me! You…" Lucy didn't even know how to describe the tingly feeling she felt when he was sucking on her fingers. Or the heat that pooled in her belly or how her heart pounded inside of her chest as if it wanted to escape her body.
Was that her actually enjoying it? Enjoying the dragon king sucking on her fingers and cleaning them off?
She really must be crazy if she was thinking about something like that and she obviously was not in her right mind to be standing here and arguing with Natsu about it.
Shaking her head back and forth, Lucy took another step back to ensure she was at a safe distance and let out a huff. Flicking her fan open, she hid her massive blush behind it while keeping her eyes averted.
"Let us continue our walk and see what else may intrigue your majesty."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Natsu was back to being his carefree grinning self as they began to walk.
The crowds were not as bad as they were but there were still lots of people out, trading and shopping and eating. Children's happy squeals echoed throughout the courtyard and as Lucy watched with endearment, she could only hope these people would prosper.
Lucy cared immensely about her people and being the one to delegate all the issues when it came to society, she understood most of what they were complaining about.
There were less jobs which meant a lot of families couldn't work which meant a lot of them starved. Shipment supplies were becoming limited with the recent attacks and robbery by the borders so it was hard for the citizens to even find things to eat and use for suitable attire. The summer was a bit easier to manage since it was hot but when it came to winter, the Heartfillia kingdom went through some harsh conditions. The taxes of the lower class were too high and the taxes within the higher class were too low.
While that was a separate fight on its own, Lucy had to make sure she could find a middle ground to help everyone and not just one side.
She did only have three more months before her wedding day.
Ceasing her movements, Lucy's eye caught a beautiful pair of earrings. While it may not be real, they were still beautiful and vibrant, made with rubies in the shape of a heart that dangled. The red is what really caught her eyes since it reminded her of a certain fire breathing dragon and the adorable heart shape ruby shimmered as if it had fire trapped in it.
Enthralled by it, the princess completely forgot about her company and nearly jumped out of her skin when he came beside her to look.
"My goodness you scared me!"
"Apologies princess but I thought you knew I was here?"
Scowling at the dragon king with her face flushed, Lucy simply huffed at his irritating behavior.
"Did something catch your eye?"
Lucy glanced back over at the set of earrings before shaking her head. "No, just looking. Let us go." She was first to move and she placed a hand on her chest to calm her pounding heart.
One of these days, she was sure her heart would leap right out and into the hands of the dragon king. He certainly acted as if he wanted it, always scaring and always making her feel so flustered.
She still couldn't believe he had sucked on her fingers so casually and the embarrassment was swelling inside of her again.
Shaking her head to get rid of her indecent thoughts, the princess turned to see where her company had gone and she was surprised to see him not beside her. Usually Natsu was always on her tail, following her around as if he was some lost dog.
Doing a circle to scan around the crowd, Lucy tried to look for a head of pink hair but couldn't find him at all. Turning back, Lucy nearly screamed again as the said devil stood right in front of her.
"Can you stop doing that?!" She screeched, her hand fisted into the fabric by her chest. "I will drop dead if you continue to scare me!"
Natsu simply snickered, his hands shoved into his pocket. "Not my fault you're a jumpy person," he gave her a grin while she scowled. "Are you ready to head back?"
Letting out yet another huff, Lucy nodded. "Yes, perhaps now is a good time to head home."
Holding his arm out towards her, Lucy glared at the gesture before relenting in the end, wrapping her delicate hands around his large bicep. It felt warm and hard to the touch and she couldn't stop her cheeks from growing hot. The duke certainly did not have a hard body like this nor was he warm. He was all bones and cold but Natsu was all muscle and hot. She most definitely preferred his company than the duke's and if she had to say, Natsu was the better looking one.
Peeking up at the dragon king through her hat, Lucy could only wonder, what type of woman does he prefer?
—X—
Sitting in her chambers after a long, eventful day, Lucy sat at her vanity while running the brush through her hair. Even though Michelle had just brushed it not that long ago, Lucy always liked the act of doing it herself. It calmed her down and allowed her to see her full length in the mirror as she ran her brush through her golden locks. She especially liked how smooth and soft it was, golden strains framing around her figure and leaving rays draped over her shoulders and back.
It had been many years since the princess had gotten a haircut and while she was younger, she had shorter hair, now, she liked the look of long hair.
Even though it was annoying to deal with most of the time, the princess truly did love her long hair.
It reminded her a lot of her late mother who had long hair.
The soft taps coming from her balcony door caught her attention and as Lucy set her brush down, she could only stare in confusion.
The last time this happened…
Realizing it may be the dragon king, Lucy hurried out of her seat and rushed towards the balcony, the persistent urge to see the rosy-haired king growing inside of her. The idea of seeing him twice in one day made her heart swell with excitement and when she opened her balcony doors, he was already perched on top of her railing, grinning at her with that charming boyish look.
"Hello, princess," he purred at her, one knee bent while he leaned his arm against it. "You look lovely in that. Are all your sleeping gowns as stunning as your day gowns or is it just simply because it is you that is in them?"
Lucy could feel the blood rushing to her face once again as she flushed crimson, finding her legs feeling weak at the sight and compliment he sent her way.
"What are you doing here?"
"Can I not just come because I simply wished to see you?"
"We saw each other not that long ago," Lucy watched how he stepped off the railing to stand, taking long strides across the balcony towards her. "Surely you did not break into my chambers just because you wanted to… see me?"
"And what if I did?" He asked, reaching forward to brush her long locks away from her face.
Her breath got caught in her throat as she felt him tuck her hair behind her and she felt weak. Staring up at him, Lucy found herself in a trance, unable to tear her eyes away from this gorgeous man.
"So beautiful…" He whispered and it only made her grow redder. "I actually did come for a reason," he then said, taking a step back from her. "I hope I did not wake you."
"Oh, no, you did not. I was getting ready since tomorrow is a big day," Lucy gave him a look which he only nodded to. "You should also be in bed getting ready for tomorrow's negotiations."
"I will," he murmured as he began to dig in his pocket. "I just wanted to give this to you beforehand."
Lucy looked down at his outstretched hand, seeing how he held a small jewelry box. She stared at it with a questioning gaze, slowly reaching for the gift he held out to her.
"I promised you next time I got you a gift that it would be only for you so I decided to gift it to you in person. That way, there won't be another mixup again." He winked and Lucy was in awe of this man who had now handed her the jewelry box.
Lucy looked down at the gift, unable to process the fact that he brought her a gift and hand delivered it so it wouldn't go missing and it would just be for her. She had never had someone think of her so kindly and highly. Why did the dragon king go to such lengths for her? What was it about her that made her so special in his eyes? Or was he just this type of person with everyone?
Opening up the gift box, Lucy was shocked to see what was inside. The same pair of earrings she was staring at when they were in town earlier that day laid beautifully inside of the jewelry box, shining up at her with the moon and stars high above them.
She didn't even mention anything about these and yet he knew which ones she was looking at. When did he stop to purchase these for her? And why did he purchase these for her?
"I was taking a wild guess but I figured it was these you were looking at… right?"
Lucy could only nod, unable to speak as he had taken her breath away.
"You deserve to get yourself nice things, too, Luce," he spoke softly and she could see her hands trembling. "I told you before and I'll tell you again, you are worth more than you think."
His reassurance and gentle words struck her like a bus and it made her eyes well with tears.
Again and again the princess was always so shocked at how the dragon king operated and she was now realizing that it was not out of obligation or because she was the princess but because this was truly who the dragon king was.
He was a compassionate king who paid attention to those he cared for and if these earrings did not show how much he truly saw, the many other times he had been there for her can show for that.
Looking up at Natsu, she could only take in his hard features where the moonlight brought such a brilliance to him that he looked like an angel. Tears streamed down her face and with her bottom lip wobbling, she knew she would be a blubbering crying fool once again.
Not wanting him to see her bawl again, Lucy did something bold and took a step towards him, flinging her arms over his shoulders and bringing him into a hug.
He must have not been expecting it since he stumbled back and made some sort of noise from the back of his throat, his arms held out as if he was unsure if he should hug her back.
"L—Lucy?"
"Just… please," Lucy whispered against his chest, her small frame trembling while she clutched on him tight. "Please just… let us stay like this for a moment longer."
She could hear his heart beating inside of his chest and as she absorbed his warmth, she soon felt his arms wrapping around her and holding her closer towards him. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, resting her head against his chest and inhaling his Smokey scent.
There were a lot of things she would miss once she was not part of this world but the one thing, the one person she would miss the most would definitely be this crazy king.
"Thank you…"