Natsu's dragon form was something that Lucy was not expecting in the slightest. While she had seen him transform into a half-dragon, she knew he would obtain the similar qualities but what she wasn't expecting was to see a full-fledged dragon.
What could she expect from such a large fire breathing beast like the dragon king?
Once she had agreed to tagging along, Natsu had claimed he had to transform to get to his kingdom faster. While he could still do it while halfway transformed, he claimed it would be fastest if he changed completely.
So as the princess stood there in the forest, she could only watch with wide eyes and a slack jaw as Natsu transformed into a very large beast with claws bigger than a house and a body the size of a ship. He notified her that if they were fast enough, he could zip through the skies and be there quickly but now as the princess was struggling to take in the sight of the dragon, she now panicked about the idea of having to ride him.
There were obviously no seats on him and having to think about clinging onto him as he took flight sounded scary.
Luckily, Natsu being the gentleman he was, gently tucked her in his claw and carried her all the way back in his arms.
The sight itself was godly and Lucy found herself in awe, watching the sight of her very kingdom whip by as Natsu flew above the sky. She made sure she was secure in his palm while she leaned over to watch the scenery.
The princess had never left her kingdom walls before and having to see what else was out there was fascinating on its own. She couldn't believe her eyes as she took in the vast lands and large mountains. Such a sight for her to see, unknowingly these were right outside her very walls and she had missed out on so much during her entrapment.
It made her eyes prick with tears as she let out the breath she was holding in, fisting her hand into her dress while she could feel the darkness begin to leave her body once again.
She was safe now… back with Natsu and on their way back to his kingdom where he would take care of her. No more duke to terrorize her, no more step-mother to give her disappointing sneers and comments, no more duties to withhold while she struggled to even survive.
But the itch inside of her chest where worries of the duke and her father plagued her and she wondered what was to happen now that the princess had been captured. Would they believe she was taken by someone or would they know the dragon king did it? Would they even come looking for her? Would they want her back? Did she want to ever go back?
It made the princess dizzy to think about all of this and as her fingers cramped from her strangling her clothes, Lucy tried to focus on the good rather than the bad.
Coming up on border walls, Lucy could feel the heat before anything else. She peeked over Natsu's talons to see and she was stunned at the sight of the Dragon kingdom.
It was a very large and very hot place with a gigantic volcano smack dab in the center of the kingdom with all sorts of red, gold, and black walls and decor. Puffs of smoke and ash filtered from the top of the volcano and even for such a dark place, Lucy could tell this place was run with a gentle hand and compassionate heart. The people didn't look scared or terrified and all Lucy could see was gentle faces with bright smiles and wide ranges of buildings.
His kingdom was much greater than hers was just by seeing the size of it and her eyes were wide with sparkling glee when she took in the very sight, seeing how it was nearly the opposite of her very own bright, prestigious kingdom. In contrast to her white, gold, silver, and pales, the Dragon Kingdom consisted of all dark, gold, red, and black. With gigantic walls to protect the very kingdom and a bubbling mountain full of magma.
Being able to see Natsu's home made her heart squeeze inside of her chest and as they approached the kingdom, the heat had become comforting rather than suffocating and the princess was content, curling up against the claws of her lover.
Natsu's deep chuckles vibrated within his belly and it only made her blush and smile, peeking up at the very large head of the dragon.
Even seeing the large rows of sharp teeth when Natsu flashed her a grin didn't scare her as she was too excited and too happy to be back with the one and only dragon king. She knew that this was the one person who would never ever hurt her intentionally and never put her in any types of danger so why would she be afraid of him?
"Hold on, Luce," his deep voice rumbled against her ears. "We're about to enter the palace."
Lucy just nodded, holding onto his claws as he curled his fingers in to ensure she was safe. Natsu began circling the giant volcano, flapping his wings and trying to find the perfect time to land and Lucy's eyes widened at the realization of what he was trying to do. She stared down at the boiling lava pit where bubbles bursted and steam rolled off, sizzling and popping into the humid air.
"Y—you're not going to dive right into the volcano… are you?" She squeaked out, feeling her skin breaking out into a sweat.
The glance Natsu gave her was all she needed to know as his lips pulled into a smirk. Lucy's eyes widened at his mischievous expression and she just knew he was up to no good as he brought her closer towards his chest.
She opened her mouth to protest but didn't have the chance when Natsu suddenly dived and jerked her towards his chest, a loud scream escaping her lips when she watched them plummet towards the boiling magma.
The princess squeezed her eyes shut and hoped the death wouldn't be so painful as they plunged into the volcano.
Expecting her skin to start melting off and her body to begin burning, Lucy inhaled sharply to scream but she was surprised when she couldn't even make any noise. She popped open her eyes and nearly choked when all she could see was flickers of orange, black, and red.
And before she knew it, Natsu had come crashing down into a landing where the entire place rattled and forced Lucy to gasp in air, being thrown against his chest with the force.
She yelped, half-expecting her to be dead and burning alive but when she slapped at her skin, she was thrown into a bigger turmoil when she was safe and in one piece.
Confusion was clear as day on her face as Natsu shrank back down into size and she fell against his bare chest. The princess stumbled, being caught by the dragon king as she had a hard time processing everything that had just happened. She blinked rapidly, staring at anything and everything at once, her fist still clutching the front of her dress.
"Are you alright?" Natsu's voice murmured in her ear and Lucy didn't even know how to respond as her lips parted and she gaped like an idiot.
The place they had landed in was just a very large open room with minimal decor and furniture pushed towards the corners of the walls. A very large bookcase was pressed against one wall, a small fireplace flickering in the very center with a table set with two chairs stayed. The entire place smelt like pinewood and smoke, exactly how Natsu smelt and Lucy found herself feeling comfortable and relaxed.
"W—where are we?" Her voice was still wobbly from the wild experience and as she turned around to face the dragon king, her eyes instantly zoned in on his bare chest before they darted down to see he was completely bare.
Her entire face bloomed with color and she gasped, taking a step back as her hands flew up to cover her flushed face.
"W—w—why are you n—naked!" She shrieked, trying her best to keep her sight covered.
The deep chuckle that came from Natsu made her feel even more flustered and as she felt his hands come down to peel her hands away from her face, she felt dizzy.
"You think my clothes grow with my dragon size?" He asked, amusement laced between his words. The corner of his lip twitched as Lucy stared at him in horror, face beet red and mouth ajar. "Why are you so flustered, princess? Nothing you haven't seen or touched before." He purred at her and Lucy started to sputter, flailing her hands in the air.
"Stop saying such embarrassing things out loud!"
"Why?" He questioned as he went over towards a dresser that was pressed against the wall. "It is just us two."
Lucy could only glare at his backside, sneakily getting some peeks at his nice round behind before forcing herself to look at anything else.
Such a shameless man, indeed.
Taking the opportunity to finally take in her surroundings, Lucy was doing a full circle as she looked around. She took in every detail, mesmerizing the place. She had never ever been anywhere else besides her own and knowing she was in a whole other kingdom was baffling. She knew the dragons probably had a magnificent kingdom and were very large since they were such giant beasts but she did not know that the palace would be inside of a volcano.
The tinker of gold caught her eye everywhere she looked and the sleek black, red, and white coloring really made the place look sophisticated.
How could she be inside of a volcano right now? How can any of this be real? Was she dreaming?
"What do you think? Is it everything you thought it would be?"
Lucy spun around to face the now dressed dragon and she blinked stupidly at him as he approached her, buttoning up his sleeves. He had a grin on his face, his body heat warming and soothing her.
"It's magnificent," her eyes gleamed with mirth, a smile stretched across her lips. "How is it that the palace is inside the volcano? I was expecting to burn."
Natsu laughed as one arm came to wrap around her waist, pulling her closer where her chest pressed against his own. Her cheeks bloomed in color as he peered down at her lovingly.
"It's a security measure since only dragons and those who are granted permission could enter. Anyone who tries without permission would perish."
Lucy was in awe of the information he had given her and she could tell the Dragon kingdom was already ahead of their time.
"Come, princess, let's get you out of that dress and ready."
"Ready?" Lucy echoed as Natsu grabbed at her hand to guide her across the room. "Ready for what?"
"Ready for your welcome feast," Natsu flashed her a grin. "Everyone has been so excited to meet you."
The princess was stunned by his words as he dragged her out of the room they were in to enter into a bathroom. Sleek black marble flooring with crimson walls stood out to her the most and as she took in the golden clawfoot tub with the giant golden mirror hanging right above it, Lucy barely missed the chandelier that hung above.
Her own chambers weren't even this lavish.
"I can call someone to help you," Natsu brought her attention back and she turned to face him. "Or I can do it myself."
Her face popped red and she scowled when he smirked again, giving her a mischievous look.
"I—I think I can manage on my own," she muttered bashfully, looking down at her wedding dress that now had dirt and grass stains on it as well as some parts of it burnt off. "But I will need something to wear."
"Don't worry about that, I will get you everything you need," Natsu came to stand in front of her, running his hand down her arm. She tilted her head up to look up at him, chocolate haze clashing with his dark golden ones and she could feel the shift in the air.
Everytime she got lost in the dragon's eyes, Lucy felt like it was truly only him and her left in this unforgiving world. She only had eyes for him as she held her breath, enchanted by the soft gaze Natsu held. He brought his hand back up to cup at her face and it made her wince when she felt him brush against the bruise. Natsu noticed the change immediately as Lucy tried to twist her head away but he grabbed at her, forcing her to face him.
His eyes were dark as his eyes roamed her face and Lucy cringed, not wanting to see the judgment in his eyes when he finally realized what had happened.
"Lucy—" he spoke as his hand clamped down on her wrist and Lucy winced again, feeling her arm pulsing where she knew another bruise lay.
Natsu's arm immediately loosed on her and his eyes widened, seeing how conflicting emotions flickered across his face.
"Natsu, it's—" She tried to speak but was cut off when Natsu grabbed at her neckline and suddenly ripped her dress open. She didn't even have a chance to register what was going on as she felt the air nip at her exposed skin and she gasped. Trying to be quick to cover herself up, Lucy wrapped her arms around her exposed body but it was already too late.
Natsu had seen the scars and bruises she desperately wanted to hide and she knew he had because his expression darkened and the temperature had risen, flames licking at his skin.
The dagger dropped out of her sleeve and bounced off his marble floors, clanking loudly and making the two turn and see what it was. Her eyes widened at the sight of the dagger she had hidden and she turned back to see Natsu was staring at it himself, his eyes flickering between gold and black.
He whipped his head back to look at her, seeing how she was curled within herself and trying to hide. He lunged at her, forcing her arms to unravel and show him her tainted body. Hot tears pricked at her eyes and she didn't even try to fight him off, knowing she wouldn't even be able to have a chance.
She felt so ashamed and embarrassed, showing the dragon king her battered body. Showing him the damage the duke had done to her and what resulted in his abuse. Showing him how weak she was that she couldn't even protect herself.
Lucy wanted to cry again as she remembered the scene of him screaming and touching her, her eyes squeezing shut. She didn't want to see the judgment in Natsu's eyes or see his disappointment.
It was her fault any of it happened, anyway.
"Tell me, Lucy," he pulled at her, forcing her to come closer and look him in the eyes. She could nearly see the fire that burned in his eyes as his searing grip held onto her, his heat made her break out into a sweat. "Who do I need to kill?"
Lucy parted her lips in shock, staring wide-eyed at the dragon king who was baring his teeth in anger and forcing the room to be bathed in scorching heat.
She had never seen him look so angry.
"It's nothing," she tried again, her frame trembling slightly as she dipped her head down. "Please… I—"
"How is this nothing?" Natsu's voice rose an octave, fury brewing deep inside his chest. "You are covered in bruises and scratches!" He roared angrily.
Tears fell from her eyes as the painful memories came flooding in. How could she tell Natsu the duke had done this to her? How could she confess that she allowed another man to touch her and see her like this? Made her into this ugly, battered woman?
"Was it the duke?" Natsu questioned, his voice hard.
Lucy could only squeeze her eyes shut, nodding her head as a small whimper escaped. "I—I'm sorry…"
"Sorry?" He echoed, confusion crossing his handsome face. "Why are you sorry?"
"I—I couldn't stop him," Lucy cried, feeling her bottom lip wobbling as her heart squeezed painfully inside of her. "I—I tried to b—but he found the letters and I—" she could feel her throat restricting and her chest feeling tight. A sob bubbled out of her throat as she tried to speak but she had resorted into becoming a blubbering mess once again.
Why was it always with Natsu when she became such a crybaby?
Natsu didn't say anything but pulled her into a hug, nearly crushing her frail body against his strong one. The air escaped her lungs as she was shoved into his chest and as his comforting scent filled her nostrils, Lucy grew stiff in his arms.
"Don't," his voice was harsh and she could feel himself trembling as well. "Don't you ever apologize for him," he commanded, his face shoved into her neck. She shivered when she felt his hot breath tickle her skin and she could only blink back the tears that continued to spill from her eyes. "I should be the one apologizing to you… I should never have stopped writing to you… I shouldn't have abandoned you…"
Lucy was surprised to hear his voice wobble, his arms tightening around her while he trembled against her.
"I should have…"
"Natsu," she spoke his name softly, running her hand down his back. "It's not your fault."
"I should have killed him when I had the chance," he hissed under his breath and when he pulled away to look at her, she could see the distress and sadness lingering in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Lucy," he whispered, caressing the side of her face that didn't have a bruise. "I'm so sorry…"
"It's okay," Lucy grabbed his trembling hand that was pressed against her face, holding it tightly in her own. "I'm with you, now," she tried to look at him but he wouldn't, avoiding her gaze. "I'm safe now, right? You said you'll protect me so I don't have to worry about anything else… right?"
When his eyes found hers again, she could see the resolve he had committed to. He leaned in to press his lips against hers and Lucy was surprised at the sudden action, her eyes widening before they fluttered shut to accept his kiss.
The familiar warmth she felt came rushing back and filled her once cold, empty body with flames, lighting her up in the best ways and bringing her back to life. She melted into his arms, pressing her lips against his where tingles rushed down her body and all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes.
When he pulled away from her, she was breathless, staring up at him with wide, expectant eyes.
"Get in the tub, princess," Natsu whispered to her, reaching behind to unravel her hair from her bun. Golden locks caressed down her shoulders and back, framing her red face. "Let me take care of you."
Lucy could only nod, unable to speak during a moment like this. She shrugged off her dirty, ripped dress off her shoulders, allowing Natsu to help tug the entire thing off as she now stood bare in front of him.
Once loving eyes that gazed at her so softly were now twisted into sadness and pain, dark golden eyes roaming around her beaten body.
It felt worse standing in front of him like this, seeing his eyes pin on the deep red scratches and dark purple bruises that painted across her pale skin. So thin and frail since she hasn't been eating. And of course he had to witness the dagger she was going to use to kill herself with get tossed out of her sleeve.
Thankfully he hasn't said anything about it.
Lucy refused to look at him as he took in her figure, not wanting to see the emotions that lingered behind those irises. She heard him turn on the water to the golden tub, soft squeaks of the metal echoing in the silent room. Water rushed out, splattering against the gold and filling the tub.
Natsu came back over to her and she only knew because she could see his feet, her own head dipped down to hide her embarrassment. When she saw his hand extend out towards her, she lifted her head to see he was giving her a pinched smile, trying to hide his discomfort in all of this. Reaching for his hand, Natsu pulled her over towards the golden tub, turning them and gently pushing her down so she could sit on the edge.
Natsu kneeled down in front of her, his eyes pinned on her body where she could see him tracing the scratch marks and bruises. His lips pressed into a thin line and eventually he let out a sigh.
"I'm going to kill him," he muttered under his breath and Lucy couldn't find it in herself to tell him not to.
She wanted the duke dead as much as Natsu did. She hated that man with every being in her body and she hoped that one day, he would be brought to justice with how poorly he had treated her.
She flinched when she felt Natsu's hand caress her body and with her cheeks blooming in color, Lucy was feeling bashful as he traced the marks. It felt nice to have his gentle warm hands touching her skin and while she could still see the horrors of the duke pinning her down, Natsu's touch was completely different from the dukes.
Her frame still trembled though as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to steady her breathing. But they came out in harsh pants, fear crawling up her throat once more.
You filthy fucking whore!
"Lucy," his voice was soft, rattling her of her nightmare. "My star," his whisper made her choke. "Look at me, baby."
Lucy struggled to open her eyes and look at the dragon king with hot tears stinging her eye sockets. Her throat felt like it was closing up and as she gasped for air, Natsu's warmth was the only thing she could root herself against.
The duke wasn't here nor was he anywhere near yet she was still frozen in fear and trapped in his abuse. When will she ever be free? When will she ever be able to live her life without the fear of being taken back and imprisoned for life?
"Lucy."
Lucy gasped as her eyes snapped open and she looked up to see Natsu right in front of her. His hands came to cup at her face, forcing her to keep her eyes on him and keep her head up. He leaned in to press his forehead against hers, warming her thoroughly.
"I am here and I won't be going anywhere," he declared, staring into her wet wide eyes. "It's okay. It is just me and you." he continued to say as her chest heaved with her panicked breaths. "Nobody will ever hurt you, again, I swear on it."
Tears spilled down her face as she saw the determined look on his face and she could only nod, whimpering out pathetically. Natsu held her again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pushing her face into his chest. She buried her face into his shirt, inhaling his scent and forcing herself to calm down.
Natsu was here now and he wouldn't ever let her get hurt again. She didn't have to worry about someone trying to hurt her anymore. She didn't have to worry about the duke bursting into her room and throwing her around. She didn't have to worry about her step-mother talking down on her any longer.
Because Natsu was here.
Her heart felt as if it was swelling inside of her and Lucy could only wail as the overwhelming warmth swallowed her.
"Lucy, I'm going to heal you, now, but it might sting a bit." He warned her and Lucy blinked up at him, shedding the last couple of tears she had leftover. "I won't be able to heal the bruises but I can call someone to help with those," his fingers gently ran across her bruised skin, his lips pressed into a tight line. "But I'm going to at least get rid of these scratches."
"H—how will you do that?"
"Do you remember the night I first took you to the healing springs?" Natsu asked as he moved over to shut the water off. Lucy was surprised to see the tub had filled up all the way, the hot steam rising off the surface. "I told you how dragons can heal one another with their saliva."
Lucy's face popped red as she gave the dragon king a baffled look, feeling bashful all of a sudden at the thought of Natsu licking at her body.
Normally, she may have been eager to allow him to do such a thing but over her marks? When she looked like this?
"I—I don't know about this Natsu, I'm not even—"
"Don't act so coy now, princess," Natsu purred her way, smirking at her crimson face. "I've already licked every inch of you before. It wouldn't be different, now."
"i—It is completely different!" Lucy squawked, trembling in embarrassment as she wrapped her arms around her chest. "We—we… we aren't… you and I aren't…" Her face was bright red as she couldn't even finish her sentence and the way Natsu snickered had her crying out. "It is not funny!"
"Would you be more comfortable if we were doing something?" He asked, quirking a brow her way which had her short-circuiting on the spot.
Lucy could pass out right about now and hope she woke up thinking all of this was a maddening dream.
Natsu was laughing at the face she had and as she turned her head to scowl at him, he merely laughed louder, the dragon king hunched over the tub as he cackled. Lucy huffed, glaring at the black marble tiling as she could faintly see their reflection.
"I won't do it if you don't want me to."
"I—I do… I just…" Lucy trailed off again as she felt her blush consume her. She fiddled with her hands, unsure how to feel about Natsu healing her wounds. As much as she wanted Natsu to touch her and heal her, she was still panicked about how it would feel. When the duke was touching her, Lucy felt like her entire world was shattering before her eyes as her body felt cold and empty. She was sure Natsu wouldn't make her feel like that but the only memories she held with intimacy was now linked to the cruel duke who had tainted her deeper than she thought.
It scared her.
"Would you like to take a bath first?"
Lucy could only nod her head, unable to speak her mind as Natsu rose to his feet once again. He placed a gentle hand on top of her head, giving her a soft smile as she blinked up at him.
"I shall fetch you something to wear and I'll heal you once your bath is finished." He leaned down to press a kiss on top of her head, leaving her feeling warm and tingly. "Call me if you need anything."
Lucy watched the dragon king leave her presence but not before he went right to the dagger that laid on his marble floor. She held her breath, wondering if he would say anything but he simply gripped it tightly before leaving the bathroom with it. She let out a sigh of relief, glad he didn't say anything about the weapon she had.
Looking back up at the closed door one last time, Lucy finally turned over her shoulder to look at the nice inviting bath Natsu had made for her.
The princess was used to being bathed by others but it was somewhat nice to be alone for once. She dipped her hand in to feel the water before she was submerging herself inside. She hissed when the hot water touched at her scratches, jolting in her spot. Tears pricked at her eyes but she didn't dare let them fall as she blinked them away.
She let out a shudder of breath, trying to relax into the tub.
Today definitely did not go the way she thought it would. She thought she would have been dead by now and being mourned instead of celebrated. She thought she would have been with her mama by now, hugging her and crying.
But now as she laid in a tub inside of the Dragon Kingdom with the dragon king himself, she couldn't find it in herself to feel anything but gratitude towards the king for saving her.
This would be her second chance. For her to actually live a life she wanted to.
It'd be better off if her kingdom thought she had died, then they wouldn't work together to try and force her back home.
Would they even come for her?
Surely if they found out the dragon king had taken her, they would. The duke would most definitely try and take her back.
Lucy couldn't imagine the chaos that would bring and she wondered how it would end.
It only had her shivering.
The princess made haste to clean herself, trying to get herself presentable since Natsu had said there was a feast waiting for her. Lucy couldn't even remember the last time she had eaten such a meal, her appetite lacking and her usual fear of gaining weight dragging her down. Would it be any different here?
Once Lucy had finished her bath, she drained the tub and found a nice fluffy towel to dry herself with. She was careful when going over her scratches and bruises, the skin still sore to the touch. But now with her clean and relaxed, she felt a lot better about everything.
Opening the door to peek out into the room, Lucy wondered if this was Natsu's room. He did have spare clothes and a bathroom in here but where was his bed?
Natsu was already waiting for her as he was seated by the fireplace, one of his legs kicked up to lean his ankle against his knee while he held a book in his hands. As soon as he saw her, he closed it and rose, smiling brightly at the bashful princess.
"How was your bath?"
"Well needed." Lucy said, smiling softly as he approached. "Do you happen to have a hair dryer?"
"A hair dryer?" Natsu looked insulted as he echoed her words. "Why would we have a hair dryer?"
"To dry hair?" Lucy said right back as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Natsu rolled his eyes, reaching for the princess who happily gave her hand to him. "Come, Lucy, let's get you ready."
Lucy didn't know why Natsu acted so weird when she asked for a simple thing but she let him take her over towards the table set, sitting her down where the warm flames brought her comfort. She settled into the chair, clutching her towel tightly around herself as Natsu came behind her.
She turned her head to watch him but he spun it around, forcing her to face forward.
She felt him push his fingers into her damp locks and instantly she felt the heat rush down her head. It made her want to groan out at the sensation of his fingers combing through her hair. The heat radiating off of it and gently caressing her scalp. She had never experienced such a thing and it made her want to roll her eyes back and drown in his flames.
"A hair dryer…" Natsu grumbled his breath, scoffing into the air. "I am one hundred times better than a stupid hair dryer."
Lucy could only hum in agreement, leaning back into his hands.
Once he was done, Lucy could feel her hair poof out and fluff around her head and shoulders. She felt the tips of her hair, noticing how soft and shiny it was.
"Wow," she said, surprised that Natsu had styled and dried her hair better than anyone else ever had. "Are you secretly a hairdresser?"
"Ah, yes, king of the dragons by day and hairdresser by night, how did you ever discover my secret, princess?" Natsu gave her a coy smile as he came back around and she could only snort. He came down to squat in front of her, his large hands placed on top of her knees while his eyes found hers again. "Are you ready to get healed?"
Lucy felt her cheeks darkening as he asked his question, squirming in her spot. "H—how does this work?"
"It's simple, really, all I have to do is just lick at your wounds and it should begin healing on its own. It will sting though," he frowned, giving her an apologetic look. "You know I won't hurt you intentionally, right?"
Lucy nodded, swallowing thickly.
"So… forgive me if it hurts too much."
Lucy was most worried about the pain since Natsu was making it seem like he was going to perform an organ transplant. Her eyes rounded out and she trembled slightly but the calming presence of the dragon king helped her focus.
Natsu merely stared at her as he tugged on her towel and as she squeezed her eyes shut and leaned back against her chair, she could feel the air nip at her naked skin once more.
She heard the soft growl that came from Natsu and she didn't even want to watch what he was going to do. She knew his expression had twisted into anger again and as she felt his burning gaze on her naked body, she could only hold her breath.
She felt his breath on her skin before his tongue, her body jolting with the sensation. As soon as she felt his tongue slide up her skin, she felt the sting immediately and she felt tears well into her eyes once again. She wanted to be strong and not cry nor scream but the more he ran his tongue over her scratches, the more intense it began to feel.
Lucy cried out when he licked up her chest, making sure to hit each and every mark on her body. Her body trembled as it grew hot and flushed, the pulse of her injuries being the only thing she could focus on.
She bit down on her lip, wanting to not scream out in pain but it was so hard when each and every spot began to burn as if she was lit on fire. She gasped out, tears streaming down her face. She tried to push him away out of reflex but no matter how hard she pushed, Natsu did not budge.
He crowded her, forcing her to sit in her seat with his large strong arm on either side of her on the armrests.
"It hurts..! It hurts!" She cried, withering in pain while Natsu continued to lick at her wounds.
"I know," Natsu murmured against her skin, his hot breath tickling her flush skin. "Bear with it, please."
Lucy let out a scream when he went over a particularly large one and she wished she had not clawed at herself like this. She wished she had not been attacked by the duke where it had made her think she was still being touched.
By the time he was done, Lucy was spent, sobbing and trembling while curling in with herself. Her body pulsed and throbbed in such a painful way and she had no idea how long he had been at it but it felt like hours as her torture was now done.
Natsu scooped her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style while she leaned into him, sniffling.
"I'm sorry." Natsu whispered to her and she could only whimper out.
Lucy kept her eyes closed shut, her harsh breathing returning to normal. She could hear Natsu's heart pounding behind his chest while he carried her out. She wasn't even aware that she was still naked as Natsu entered into a whole other room. She tried to focus and take in her surroundings but she felt too weak to even look around.
Feeling something soft beneath her, Lucy blinked up at Natsu who was now laying her down on a bed. He gave her a reassuring smile, slipping his arms from her body.
That was when she noticed the clothes that were laid out beside her and she shifted slightly, trying to push herself up on her elbows where she winced.
"The pain will subside in moments time," he assured her, coming over to grab the gown he had for her. "And I'm sure once you have eaten and gotten some rest you will feel a lot better."
Lucy could only nod, sitting up on the mattress to dress herself. But she found herself feeling embarrassed when the dragon king came over, kneeling in front of her with a pair of underwear.
"I—I can dress myself," she said, holding her hand out.
Natsu gave her the clothes to put on since she insisted she could do it herself. She didn't know what was worse, him standing there watching her dress or him trying to dress her.
Turning her back to him, the princess blushed furiously at the feel of his burning gaze. She quickly rushed to put her clothes on and as she looked down at herself, she was surprised to see nothing but smooth skin. All her scratches had disappeared leaving only the bruise on her arm.
It was fascinating to see how fast her wounds had healed.
"Let me help with that," Natsu came up behind her when she finished putting on the deep red satin gown he had prepared for her. Lucy was not used to wearing such… racy clothing but she supposed this is what the Dragon kingdom wore.
With a deep neckline that nearly had her breasts spilling out and long sleeves to hide her nasty bruise, the gown reached down to her feet. Natsu was even thoughtful enough to bring her some shoes and she was surprised when they fit almost perfectly.
"You are radiant," Natsu's eyes gleamed with joy when he turned her to face him. His eyes dragged down her figure with a slight hungry gleam to it and she felt her cheeks flush.
She moved her arms to cover up her chest and she tried yanking the material up but it only made her breast bounce.
Natsu let out a low groan and she felt the tips of her ear burning along with her chest.
"You're such a tease, princess."
"I am not trying to be!" She sputtered, scowling at him. "You cannot possibly have thought I could have fit into this dress!"
"You're right," Natsu immediately said, making her reel back in surprise. "It doesn't fit you well but you will fill it out eventually. The only part it fits is your breasts."
"T—That's not what I meant!" She cried out making Natsu snicker, his eyes flicking down to ogle her breasts again. She gasped and curled inwards, turning away from him to cover herself up.
She squealed when she felt his arms wrap around her from behind and she gasped as he tugged her against his chest.
"You are too cute," he flashed her a grin, leaning his chin on her shoulder. "Shall we head to the feast, now?"
The princess could only feel the overwhelming fear and anxiety swallow her, again.