Worth Is Measured In Love

Chapter 5

The fire breathers were always Natsu's favorite act to witness at the fair. This was because he had always been fascinated with fire breathing creatures of lore known as dragons. When he was very little, he liked very much to pretend that he was a dragon soaring high above the sky and creating massive flames just by releasing a breath.Of course he knew dragons were real but at such young age, he assumed that men who breathed fire at the fair were the closest things he get to seeing dragons.

The boy laughed and marveled the entire time he watched those incredible men apparently swallow lit matches and then produce fire from their mouths. Some especially talented ones juggled as they did this and others even did this while walking on a high wire. And through it all not one person was burned nor did the flames spread to anything or anyone. It was truly astonishing how these men could pull off such a spectacle without causing any damage.

"I want to learn how do that Father!" Natsu said.

"Well why don't we just focus on teaching you how to read first son?" Igneel told him. "Why would you even want to do a crazy and dangerous thing like that anyway?"

"Because then I'll be like the dragons in the stories that you and Mother read to me."

"Well my boy breathing fire doesn't exactly make you a dragon. For one thing dragons are reptiles, you're a mammal. You have hair and soft flesh for skin not scales. You walk on two legs instead of four, you'll never grow to be the massive size that a dragon is, and you don't have a tail or wings."

"Then I'll be a dragon in human skin."

Igneel smiled at the boy's innocence.

"Besides, knowing how to breathe fire will be an excellent weapon."

"Weapon? Weapon for what?"

"For when I become a solider of the court. When I grow up I won't to fight and protect the people of London from injustice."

"My, my, quite a career goal you've chosen for yourself."

"Do you think it'll actually happen one day Father? That I can really become a solider?"

"I believe you can do anything that you sent your mind to."

"Can we go eat something now? I'm starving."

"Alright. I'm feeling a little peckish myself anyway. Let's go get some of those chestnuts."

Igneel took Natsu over to the stand where bags of roasted, tasty chestnuts were being sold to anyone who had a craving for them and the money to buy them. Igneel purchased two bags, one for himself and one for his son. These chestnuts in particular had been roasted and seasoned with butter and spices, giving them such a warm and sumptuous falvor.

"Are they good?" Igneel asked Natsu.

"The best chestnuts ever!" He declared, popping another nut into his mouth.

"Mr. Dragneel!"

A man in the crowd called out to the farmer. His age was somewhere between late twenties and early thirties, he was very muscular, and had a red beard. His name was Gildarts, he was once the servant of a very wealthy lord but then his employer died and the man's house, money, and staff was seized by the king and given to an officer of the royal court. That's who Gildarts served now and his new employer paid him very little. Which was especially sad for he was a widower with a young daughter. He was also a neighbor of Igneel and a good friend.