As Lucy shared her interests and hobbies with Natsu, he guided her through the vibrant city, introducing her to its many exciting sights. They explored various shops and stands, where Natsu bought some fruit, nuts, and bread for their lunch later. He then led her to a lively area filled with performers: men juggling swords, belly dancers, contortionists, and other captivating displays of talent that left the princess in awe.

"Hey, check this out!" Natsu exclaimed, pointing to a basket where a man played a flute. A snake rose gracefully from the basket, swaying to the rhythm of the music.

"Eeep!" Lucy squeaked, instinctively clinging to Natsu in fear, causing him to blush.

"Uh... Are you okay?" he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"I'm scared of snakes," she admitted, her voice trembling.

Quickly sensing her discomfort, Natsu led her away from the performance.

"Here, watch this," he said, grinning.

With a flick of his wrist, he ignited a flame on his finger, swallowed it, and then exhaled a massive burst of fire that resembled a dragon's breath. The crowd gasped in amazement, but Lucy was the most captivated.

"That was incredible!" she applauded, her eyes sparkling.

"Thank you," Natsu replied, pleased.

"How did you do that?" she asked, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Sorry, it's a trade secret," he teased.

After the show, they found a quiet spot to sit, enjoy their lunch, and continue their conversation.

"My mother was the one who first sparked my interest in painting," Lucy began. "When I was little, we loved to paint the walls together, creating our own world where color came to life. After she passed away, I turned to painting as a way to cope. But then my father became fearful of the world and tried to keep me sheltered from it. So, what began as a means of coping became my only window to the outside world. I painted what I longed to experience."

"What kinds of things did you paint?"

"Landscapes, plants, animals—but my favorite was always the sky. The endless expanse of blue with fluffy white clouds, the pink and orange hues of sunset, and the most beautiful of all, the black night adorned with twinkling stars."

"That does sound lovely. Why is the sky your favorite?"

"I can't tell you. You'd laugh at me."

"No, I wouldn't."

"Yes, you would. My own father laughed when I first told him."

"I promise I won't! I swear!"

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"Stick a needle in my eye."

"Okay." She sighed, hesitating before answering. "The reason I love painting the sky is because I... I want to fly."

"Fly? Like a bird?"

"Yes. Ever since I was little, I've thought how wonderful it must be to lift off the ground and soar high above, seeing everything below. To me, flying represents ultimate freedom. I know it's impossible and a foolish dream, but sometimes I can't help but wonder what it would be like."

Natsu didn't laugh. She appreciated that more than he would ever know.

"What about you?" she asked. "Do you have any dreams or impossible wishes?"

"No, nothing like that for me. I'm a simple man living a simple life. As long as I have a roof over my head, food on the table, and Happy here, I'm a happy guy."

"You're so different from the boys and men I've met."

"Really? What are they like?"

"Very different. They always got on my nerves and never listened. Yet my father insists I marry one of those boorish men."

"Why is he trying to marry you off?"

"Because he thinks I can't make it on my own. He believes I need someone to take care of me, afraid something bad will happen to me like it did to my mother. It's infuriating."

"I can understand that. But at least you still have him. Both my parents are long gone."

Lucy felt a deep sense of compassion for him. "I'm so sorry. May I ask how they passed?"

"It was an epidemic that hit the city shortly after the war. The poorer parts of Lazan couldn't afford proper care or a physician." As Natsu recalled the tragic memory, a familiar sadness stirred in his heart. "I was little when my parents got sick. They told me to keep away so I wouldn't get infected. From a distance, I had to watch them suffer a slow, agonizing death, hearing them sob about how guilty they felt for leaving me an orphan. It was the worst experience of my life."

Happy rubbed against Natsu's legs in a comforting gesture.

"I lied. I actually do have an impossible wish: to have my parents back, just for a moment. So I could tell them how much I love them and that they didn't need to feel guilty. It wasn't their fault I was orphaned; they were dying, and there was nothing they could do."

Natsu didn't cry, but Lucy could sense he wanted to. She slowly moved closer and took his hands in hers.

"I'm sure they know," she tried to reassure him. "Love has a way of revealing things without words. That's what my mother always said."

Lucy's eyes locked onto his, and suddenly Natsu found himself speechless, frozen in place. A whirlwind of unfamiliar emotions surged within him, so intense that it left him dizzy. Who was this enigmatic girl?

"Can I ask you something?" he finally managed to say.

She nodded.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

In that instant, Lucy felt a rush of fluster.

"I... I don't know," she replied. "But I do believe in love."

They exchanged shy smiles, both trying to conceal the blush creeping onto their cheeks. Happy watched them intently, sensing a powerful attraction blossoming between them. He wondered if this was how humans chose their mates.

"You know what's funny?" Natsu said, unable to look away from her.

"What?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

"We don't even know each other's names yet."

Lucy, captivated, barely registered her own response.

"My name? Oh, it's... it's..."

Suddenly, she snapped back to reality. What should she do? He seemed so genuine and kind; she didn't want to lie to him. But what if she revealed that she was a princess and he started treating her differently?

"I... I don't know if I should tell you."

"Why not? I'll share my name."

"The thing is... I haven't been completely honest with you, and I'm afraid that once you know the truth, everything will change between us."

"I wouldn't do that."

"You say that, but trust me, once you know, things will never be the same."

"What do you mean? Are you a criminal or something? Hey, I don't judge thieves. Petty theft is nothing to me."

"No, it's not like that. It's more like... Oh, I just can't tell you."

"Don't you trust me?"

Before Lucy could respond, a royal guard rushed by and recognized her instantly. Since the sultan had discovered her absence that morning, he had ordered the guards to search everywhere for her, frantic with the belief that she had been abducted. When the guard spotted Lucy with a known thief, he jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"Get away from the princess, you urchin!" he shouted.

The guard, along with others, tackled Natsu to the ground.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Natsu protested angrily.

"Stay down and be quiet! It's the dungeon for you, street rat!" one guard barked.

Happy leaped onto the shoulder of the guard holding Natsu, attempting to bite him, but was thrown off.

"You are under arrest for kidnapping the princess!" the guard declared.

"What are you talking about?" Natsu replied, confusion etched on his face. "I didn't kidnap anyone."

Lucy stepped in front of the guard. "Let him go!" she commanded. "He hasn't done anything!"

"Princess Lucy, are you alright?" the guard asked, ignoring her plea.

"I'm fine! Release that young man right now!" she insisted.

"But your highness, he kidnapped you."

"He did no such thing! Now let him go! That's a command!"

"You're the princess?!" Natsu gasped, finally connecting the dots.

Lucy's anger faded into embarrassment as she saw the astonishment on his face.

"Yes, I am," she admitted, guilt washing over her for deceiving him.

"But why... why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"She doesn't owe you an explanation, boy!" the guard snapped.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Lucy replied firmly. "Now take your hands off him this instant, or I'll report you all to my father!"

"With all due respect, your highness, we have orders from your father to bring you home immediately."

Lucy sighed. "Very well, but let him go. I wasn't kidnapped; I left of my own accord. This young man is completely innocent, so let him be."

"As you wish," the guards replied, releasing Natsu, who looked up at Lucy in disbelief. He wasn't angry with her for keeping the truth from him; he was more surprised than anything else. He had spent time talking to the princess of Lazan City—the last person he ever imagined he would interact with.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said softly. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"Don't... don't worry about it," Natsu replied.

"I must leave you now," her voice was heavy with regret.

"Leave me? But when can I see you again?" he asked, forgetting how absurd that question might sound to anyone else.

"Never, I'm afraid," she answered.

"Never?"

His sadness pierced Lucy's heart. She hated to leave him with so many questions and doubts about whether he could ever trust her again. With the guards present, she had no choice; she could either go back with them or risk Natsu's safety.

"Yes, never!" the guard interjected. "She is the daughter of the sultan and is forbidden to associate with commoners, especially not a lowly street rat like you!"

"Stop calling him a street rat!" Lucy demanded. "He is a person, just like you or me!"

She moved past the guard and gave Natsu a tender look.

"Thank you for today; it was wonderful." Her smile was soft yet sad. "Goodbye."

"Wait!" Natsu called out, but the guards pushed him away, and soon the princess was out of sight. Once she was gone, Natsu crumbled to the ground, finding solace only in Happy's presence.

"Leave me," he murmured. "In that case, she should have let the guards chop off my head."

You see, when Lucy left Natsu that day, she unknowingly took his heart with her.