"He has not changed at all, Lev." I grumble, walking beside my best friend who was happily munching on a snack while we headed towards the festival grounds. While Levy was in high spirits I had found myself irritated and concerned about Natsu's sudden outburst. I hadn't seen or spoken to him since then and I was growing anxious and more irritated as time passed. 

"It sounds to me like he was getting jealous," she shrugs and shoots a glance my way. "and you are trying to find any excuse to distance yourself from him emotionally."

I abruptly stop walking, causing Levy to stumble sightly and turn back to me. 

"Natsu is just using me, I have every reason to distance myself," my voice is terse.

Levy raises an eyebrow and throws a hand onto her hip.

"The Natsu I saw when he came to me after you found out about Lisanna was certainly not using you. He was scared you had run away and gotten hurt, and he had no gain from asking me to come comfort you. Not to mention, you have the demeanor of a girl lamenting her lover's absence. " she points out. 

I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh, trying to ignore the rising heat on my cheeks. "Levy, he was angry, the guards told me so. And I am not a girl lamenting anyone's absence!"

Levy shakes her head, "Yeah, he was pissed they let you go when you were in such a vulnerable state. That is precisely why he came to me. He wasn't angry with you at all, Lucy. I can tell he cares for you, and you for him. You keep sighing and you're just as sad as you were that time the boy at the market didn't notice you had dressed up for him."

I pause, brushing loose hair out of my face before gathering myself to respond.

"Lev-" I am stopped as a loud voice calls out to me from behind. I turn to see Prince Gray making his way towards us with an escort, he smiles and winks at me as soon as we make eye contact and I wave and call out a greeting to him. Natsu is nowhere to be seen and I glance at Levy who comes up beside me. 

She leans into me and whispers, "I definitely understand what this is about now." My brows furrow in confusion and she turns away and as she starts to walk back towards the festival grounds she glances back at me and says, "I'm kinda jealous, too."

***

Prince Gray and I spent the majority of the afternoon visiting booths and attending a few ceremonial events around the grounds. Many people stared, and a few people asked me what living in the castle was like. I politely declined most of the conversation, as I wasn't entirely sure what sort of answer I should give if any at all. Gray talked most of the time about his kingdom and I happily listened as we explored. 

We come across a stage where the beginning of the kingdom is being reenacted by teenagers from the town. 

"Do you want to watch?" 

Gray turns to me and smiles, "I would love to since I have shared so much about my home today, it only seems fitting I should learn more about yours as well."

As we watch, the oldest kids reenact the war of the dragons and use effects to mimic the flames and magic of the dragons who established our home. It reminds me of Natsu and I sigh, as I then remember what Levy had said. I shake myself from my thoughts as Gray places his hand on mine and I send him a startled look.

"Are you alright, Princess?" he questions with concern.

"Oh! Yes, I am quite fine, thank you," I wave my hand dismissively. 

"I can tell you are upset, or at the very least distracted. Please, let me have the honor of entertaining you and lifting your spirits. A woman as beautiful as yourself should not spend her time fretting." I am frozen as he stands, and since the play has just come to a close, he is engulfed by the standing crowd. The students are leaving the stage as Gray ascends the stairs, and before anyone can ask what is happening he is suddenly summoning water to himself. I stare in awe as he morphs the ball of water into different shapes, eloquently guiding the water around and across the stage in a marvelous show of magic. 

I watch, unable to tear my eyes away from the mystifying show, having never truly encountered the magic latent in royal families. It was rare, few members of the royal families possessed the ability to wield magic and even fewer ever displayed such abilities to the public. 

As Gray releases the water in a shimmering shower above the crowd he bows, and as he uprights himself his eyes meet with mine and I smile. He makes his way towards me again and after the crowd clamored about him for a bit he reaches me again, and we make our way out of the large crowd and begin walking through a florist's display of festival flower crowns and other items.

"That was... absolutely stunning. I am truly at a loss for words, your majesty."

Gray stops and turns to me, brushing hair behind my ear and letting his fingers linger longer than they should. I freeze instinctually, unsure of how I should react to him. He draws closer to me, a small smile on his lips. 

"You are what is stunning here, dear." He whispers and he leans towards me. I stumble backward suddenly, recoiling from his closeness. 

"Sorry! I don't know-" I begin to fumble out an excuse when a hand wraps itself around my arm and I look up to see Natsu and relief floods my body at the sight of him. His eyes are locked onto Gray, and though he has a straight face I can feel the anger rolling off of him.

"Horribly sorry to interrupt, but I just need to speak with my fiance for a moment," Natsu speaks with an even tone. A smug look crossed Gray's face momentarily as he bowed. 

"Of course."

Natsu turns around and pulls me with him, bringing me out of the florist's stand and down the stream of people. My heart races and as much as my eyes beg him to turn and look at me I am equally terrified of what will happen when my eyes meet his. I had almost forgotten how tall he really was. How broad his shoulders were, and how his hair shifts as he walks. My eyes drift down to his hand and I bite my lip as I ponder why he showed up at precisely the worst possible moment. 

We finally slow to a stop when he pulls me into a small alleyway that was mostly blocked off by stacks of crates and a random assortment of supplies that various vendors placed there until they were needed. Natsu sigh's heavily before he looks at me. I feel my heart lurch, and I force myself to remember how he had treated me last time we spoke. I try my best to harden my gaze.

"Why was that bastard so close to you?" he asks heatedly.

"I don't know, one moment he and I are walking together and talking about his magic display and the next he is in front of me, I-" I stammer and Natsu's glare worsens.

"Why did you let him get close with you?" Natsu draws nearer and I take a deep breath, refusing to lose ground to him. 

"I did not let him do anything, Natsu. I moved when he drew too close, I was trying to be inoffensive since he is a diplomat," I grit out, trying to ease my own anger. "not that you would know anything about that."

"What?" he spits out.

"You practically manhandled me the last time we spoke, all because I was being polite!" my fists are balled in anger at my sides now.

"He's playing with you, Lucy. He wants you because I do, you're nothing more than a toy to him, something to possess until he is bored of you," he growls as he steps closer still and I glare at him.

"Oh, and you're any different how? Kidnapping me, making me your princess for your own benefit, ready to toss me aside as soon as you're done with me? You princes are all selfish pricks," I huff.

Natsu stands toe to toe with me, his head bent over to face me, and I look up to meet his steady gaze. "Yes, Lucy. I am selfish. Especially when it comes to you. I refuse to share you, with anyone. Ever."

My breath catches and I try to steady myself, attempting to sweep his possessive statement away. "What was that about destroying me, then?"

A sad half-hearted smile flicks across his lips. "I was trying to scare you into refusing to escort the prince. I had no say in stopping you, and I spoke out of anger and frustration."

"Is this some sort of apology?" I raise my eyebrows. "Because you are doing a terrible job."

"I don't usually have to give them, that's why." he mutters, "but I am sorry for what I said to you. Gray knows how to get under my skin and I took it out on you."

Now I am truly caught off guard, and I press my hands against his chest. "Alright, well I still have a job to do, and you are insufferably close." 

He doesn't move. 

"Lucy." I turn my head away.

"Natsu, I do not have time to play games with you like this-"

He places a hand on my chin, gentle this time, and he turns my face towards his. "This is no game."

Red color flushes my cheeks. "Well since I am not truly your fiance and not truly yours that is exactly what this is," my words come out breathy, and it dawns on me how hard it has become to breathe.

He draws closer to me, his eyes dropping to my lips. "It isn't to me," he murmurs.

Just as his lips are about to connect with mine a series of shouts jar us out of our moment and he quickly steps away from me, trying to turn away before I can see the flushing of his cheeks. As he moves away from me I brush my fingertips over my lips, feeling the ghost of a kiss not fulfilled. Sadness washed over me and I found myself realizing, as I watched Natsu recover himself, that I had wanted him to kiss me.

My eyes widen and I stammer out a hurried excuse about needing to return to Prince Gray before quickly throwing myself back into the crowd, in search of the Prince, desperate to finish my chaperone duties and retire for the day. 

***

well, what a development that was, hm? exciting things are happening!

i actually am finding more time for writing in my schedule so hopefully more frequent updates will follow :)

thank you all so very much for reading! i love and appreciate all of you lovely people.

also ps, for paige, i told you that you would like this (mostly, lol)

-kels [9:55pm, 1/30/2020]