Solitary Princess - Nalu ✔️

Chapter 39

Lucy looked back to the man questioningly.

Who was Zeref?

The man let out a low chuckle that slowly built into uncontrolled laughter.

Nobody else seemed to get the joke as Lucy racked her brain for why the name sounded so familiar.

Then it clicked, Natsu's brother was called Zeref. The man had said something about his brother. Was he referring to Natsu?

But Natsu said himself that Zeref was dead.

But was he?

When the man's laughter finally subsided, he responded, "I'm shocked you still recognize me. I thought for sure that I'd killed and buried the old me along with our parents' corpses."

Natsu flinched, taking a step back as he shook his head, "How..."

Zeref's remaining smile dropped, "Same as you, I'm assuming. Parent sacrificed so child could live. It's cliche really..."

Natsu flinched at his bored tone and biting words, but remained silent in shock.

Zeref gestured to the scarf that always seemed to be around Natsu's neck, "Well that's just morbid. Wearing a dead man's scarf."

Natsu shook his head, "I wear it to remember him," his eyes narrowed at his brother, "What happened to you Zeref? Why'd you do all this?"

Lucy didn't like the accusatory tone in Natsu's voice. Wasn't he happy to see his brother? Her own anger had left the moment she realized that he was Natsu's family.

She could only remember a faint memory of a boy a few years older than her with black hair. She never would've recognized him.

Zeref sighed and plopped back down on the throne, "You want the long or short version?"

Natsu grunted, "Short. Believe it or not, we don't have that much time."

Zeref chuckled at Natsu, "Fair enough. So many years to sum up..." He paused, thinking, "Dad saved me. I passed out from the smoke and he must've carried me to safety, because I woke up and a group of men were standing around us. They slit his throat before I even knew what was happening. Would've killed me too if their leader didn't see my potential. Hades pretty much raised me after that. He made me realize that the descent of the kingdom was all the faul of a weak king. Him and his men just needed a way to survive. And I realized he was right," Lucy tried not to flinch as his empty eyes met hers, "I rose in the ranks and saw countless times how horrible the kingdom had become and how desperate the people were just to survive. Hades wanted to take over the kingdom and lead its people back to glory, but I knew he wasn't going to be the one to do it," he paused, shifting in his chair, "I never forgave him for killing our parents the way he did, so I killed him. I became head of the gang and there was nothing anyone did to stop it," he looked at Natsu with a blank look, "I will save this kingdom from the royalty who poisoned it, and I will save you from your useless distractions," he nodded to Lucy, "Starting with her."

Natsu stood frozen, processing his brothers words.

Zeref continued, "I knew you were alive from the beginning. It started as a feeling, but eventually I caught wind of a pink haired menace uprooting my businesses. My blood had finally returned to the light," he sighed, shaking his head sadly, "But I found out you had some useless people around you, keeping you from your full potential by my side. Then, you attached yourself to an even more useless princess. So now, I'm going to save you from your attachments so that you can be powerful like me."

Zeref smiled an almost kind smile at his younger brother, but Natsu shook his head slowly in disbelief.

"How could you..." Lucy looked at Natsu to see the light had gone from his eyes as he stared at the ground in rage, "Not only did you abandon me even when you knew I was alive; you demean the family who did take me in, you blame royalty for what the gang members did to our family, and then you JOIN them? How could you destroy so many innocent lives?" he looked up at his brother, hurt and confusion on his face, "Who are you?"