#its basically just bare salamander skin right there

[rxttenfish]

ah yes my great secret that i never talk about. the fact that anytime miranda gets wet shes also Incredibly Slimy.

[doginshoe]

The Draconian Huntress X

Summary: In a time where there is an impending war to come, Lucy sets forth to find the Draconian people in order to shift the tides against the demon King Zeref that threatens to take over Fiore. read on ff.net here

She hadn’t expected the news that came. Though, she didn’t know what she was expecting - what could the answer be of a country that had locked themselves away from the world?

The Draconians had no part in this war. They wouldn’t be fighting for the greater good - their country was selfish, yet loyal to no fault. The Draco people looked out for their own and that was it. Wars that weren’t their own didn’t concern them. And riches? The city was built upon the most precious ores to be found. Lucy thought it would come to grovelling at their knees for a country that had everything, but...

“They what?”

It seemed that every kingdom had a price.

“This can’t be serious,” Gray stated in disbelief, “They’ll only accept to ally with us if Lucy agrees to marry him?”

“Apparently Lucy has been promised to the chosen prince since before she was born…” Wendy mumbled, flinching from Gray’s rising tone.

He turned around from the window, his dark raven hair a mess from its usual cool style. “These creeps planned to marry off a child?” He was close to popping a vein. “No! There has to be other terms we can agree on. One of them nearly ripped Lucy apart just before!”

“This is an agreement between the Heartfilia bloodline and the Draconians for centuries.” Wendy looked down nervously before her eyes met with Lucy’s. “When your Mother took you away she broke that agreement… Their trust has been wounded and they won’t accept any other way to mend it.”

The archer stared down to the marble beneath her feet as she tried to absorb what Wendy relayed from the diplomatic meeting.

To marry the people her Mother ran from? The very thought made her stomach twist with something she couldn’t quite place.

“This isn’t right. Lucy’s mother took her away for a reason! They’re too unpredictable.”

The blonde continued to brood as Gray raged on. His words held truth. The Draconians were dangerous. That was clear the moment she had been pinned to the floor by the very prince that now asked for her hand. Yet, there was something different about him.

Her gut twisted again as she remembered the gazes burning holes into her back as she left the room. The Lieutenant's look of fury that made a steely shiver wrap down her spine. Almost as if he was imagining himself stabbing her through the back in that moment, her presence extinguished before she could infiltrate their kingdom more than she already had. But, the other eyes she felt staring at her backside…

It was a hunger. Not a hunger for blood or lust - for her. It pierced through her skin, straight to her soul. Similar to when his eyes had flashed gold before he had begun to attack her… the feeling unnerved her as it drove her instincts backwards. They told her to lean into him. To not resist him.

Her body reacted in ways she hadn’t felt before, ways she didn’t know it could. It left her confused and angry. Now, she was being asked to take his hand?

There were too many unanswered questions.

“I’m not letting Lucy marry the prince or any one of them.”

Gray placed a hand on Lucy’s shoulder and she looked up at him with hazy eyes. His eyes were slanted in his anger, mouth set into a frown as he spoke.

“War or not. I won’t pawn you off to help our cause. We will find another way.”

“Gray,” Lucy whispered quietly and he shook his head. The winter sprite had few weaknesses, but his family was one of them. He would lay down his life before he saw someone he cared about get hurt. The blonde had witnessed that when she had first met the stubborn boy when he was sixteen. His normally cool gaze turning deadly when she had been injured, or even before when Erza pushed her too much in training. It was his eyes that lingered on her cuts and bruises so fiercely that she knew he hated seeing her hurt.

He treated her too much like a little sister.

“I agree with Gray, Lucy,” Wendy piqued up, but shrank back when both their gazes turned to her. The young girl grabbed her arm as she looked down before turning her eyes back to them. “In that meeting… The way they talked of your mother.” Her brows narrowed as she became set in her resolve. “They definitely knew why she had ran from the kingdom. I don’t believe it’s safe here for us, especially for you.”

Lucy nodded as she stood, the freshly bandaged wound feeling tight around her thigh. Gray hovered over her to steady her shaky legs but she brushed him off. A sigh left her lips as she began to speak, “I know Erza is counting on us to get back to the battlefield-”

“Lucy!”

“Gray, I know she will be proud to fight beside us whether we convince them to follow us or not,” the blonde cut him off, “but we will fail if we don’t have the Draconians joining our side.” Lucy looked both her comrades in the eye. “This I know.”

“I don’t know why my mother ran or why I was even raised here. My childhood… It’s a mystery to me.” Her eyes softened as she continued. “I know you’re both worried and I don’t trust them either, but this is my only option. For the war and for myself.”

The winter sprite turned his face away, his frown deepening with every passing moment. Lucy knew he could not come around easily - she herself wasn’t even completely convinced with her resolve. However, the war looming over them swayed her greatly. Gray would see her reasoning soon enough when he is not blinded by his protective side.

Another sigh left Lucy’s lips before small hands wrapped around her own. Her eyes flickered to meet Wendy’s, the young girl giving her a soft smile.

“I- no, we understand,” she said gently, “Even if we don’t like it we will still support you, Lucy.”

The blonde smiled. “Thank you, Wendy.”

“I’ve got your back no matter what,” Gray grumbled out and both girls looked towards him. His face was still set in an icy glare and Lucy knew she would get an earful if something were to go wrong, but he would be there at every step of the way.

Wendy grinned as Lucy nodded, the looks they gave each other all confirming their decision.

The Heartfilia’s would be reunited with the Draconian kingdom.

-

As Lucy approached the council room she felt her nerves rise up once again. She had fought beasts and wondered through some of the most feared places in the country, but there was something about being in front of royals that made her stomach churn and her palms sweaty, especially that her audience were Draconians.

“I have considered your terms,” Lucy began the lines that Wendy had instructed her but before she could even get a sentence out the old man’s hands raised to silence her.

“Please wait for the King to allow you to begin,” the advisor interrupted. His eyes turning to Natsu who sat at the centre of the table who sent the man on his right a pointed glare.

The archer could feel her face burn as she tried to hold her tongue.

“Uh,” Natsu coughed as he looked at Lucy, “you may… wait, what do I say again?” He turned to Yajima and a snicker could be heard from his left where the war General and Lieutenant sat.  

“You may approach, Lady Lucy Heartfilia.”

The prince nodded. ”You may approach…” He cleared his throat. “Lady Lucy..”

Her eye twitched as she tightened her jaw. What sort of ruler didn’t even understand his own lines. Even she could remember her basic etiquette despite having dropped her formalities years ago.

“As I was saying, I will accept your terms.” Her cheeks darkened for the second time. “To be your bride that is if my own conditions are met.”

Natsu’s eyes widened along with the other members on the table.

Lucy cleared her throat. “I will not be wed until after the Draconians have marched with us to the field of Mavis and the war is over, but I promise myself to you-”

“Bullshit,” Gajeel’s gruff voice rose up as his hand came down to slam on the table, “You’re the one asking us to fight your war. You can’t make demands!”

“Gajeel!” Yajima interjected but he silenced him with a deadly look as he pointed to Lucy.

“We shoulda just killed her now while she stands within our walls. Then Natsu can find a true mate,” he yelled and the archer took a step back to Wendy and Gray, her brows narrowing. Yet, there was barely time to mull over the words as a crash echoed throughout the large room.

Natsu had stood up, his chair falling to the ground as he gave Gajeel a fierce look with eyes that flashed gold.

“What did you say?” he growled.

“You heard me,” the Lieutenant snarled as he stood up himself, “Those Heartfilia bitches have done us no good since her mother ran outta here. We need a King! Not to be fighting war that aren’t ours.”

Natsu pushed his forehead against Gajeel’s.

“If you lay a single hand on her I’ll-”

“You’ll what, Salamander?”

“I’ll burn you to ash,” he snapped, as red scales began to form along his cheeks.

Gajeel grinned. “You ain’t strong enough to stop me. Not while you aren’t bound to her completely.” He let out a strange laugh before he jabbed a hand to the prince’s chest. “It’d be like fighting a raging squirt before he can fly.”

“Is that a challenge?” Natsu growled

“De provocatione ad throni.”

“Nam throni,” the prince spat as he turned away from the dark haired man.

“Laxus, prepare the Sanguis Pit whilst Yajima rings the bells,” he ordered, “and make sure Lucy has a good view. I want her to watch as I beat this bastard into the dirt.”

“Sire- Natsu, are you sure about this?” his advisor chased after him, but he only slammed the doors as Gajeel cackled.