The Princess's Protector

Chapter Four: Bitter Sweet

Natsu's arms, clenched into fists, shook in anger, fear, and disbelief.

Zeref.

Here.

"How...what--"

"Don't get your hopes up." Zeref snapped. "I'm not back for you. It's the girl I'm after."

Natsu's veins filled with ice. No.

"What do you want with Lucy? Huh?        Zeref, you come barging in here after ten years of disappearance. Ten fucking years, just to tell me off or something!?"

Zeref visibly sighed, almost as if he had anticipated his brother's anger.
Craved it, even.
As Zeref advanced toward Natsu, step by step, more rage-filled Fire licked up Natsu's fists and sculpted arms, illuminating his fury-ridden face.

"Does dad know you're here?" Natsu, almost inaudibly, whispered.

"No."

Zeref was a foot away from Natsu, his own black dragon fire adorning his fight ready arms.

"I came here to tell you to stay out of my way. I'm taking the princess with me, and that's final."
Zeref brushed Natsu's shoulder on his way out, opening and then closing the door to Natsu's room as he left.

Natsu thought hard. Maybe...maybe this was a blessing in disguise. If Zeref took Lucy, and Natsu didn't have to marry her--

Nope.

Natsu bolted out of the door down the hallway to Lucy's chambers. The door was already swung wide, the bodies of the princess's guards littering the floor.
Inside, Zeref stood over a cowering Lucy, grabbing at her frail wrists and pulling the girl from her crouched corner.

"Get away from her!" He screeched, lunging at his brother with no apparent plan than to punch and save.

But that was a good a plan as any, right?

Zeref dropped Lucy, and, at the same time, whirling and grabbing Natsu's fist an inch from his face in a one second motion.

Natsu growled, pulling his hand back before launching a kick to Zeref's side, which he dogged with expert skill.

"Lucy! Get out of here, now!" Natsu yelled to the cowering girl. Natsu had one glimpse of the running blonde as assurance before launching another punch and kick combination at his brother.

Zeref only dogged, a slightly agitated expression adorning his face because of Natsu's interference with his plans.

Slowly, Natsu began to realize that he and Zeref were....equally matched. A stalemate. That's what this battle would come to if he didn't end it right now.

Natsu leapt back from the flurry of arms that was his brother. Zeref cradled his left arm; Natsu wiped blood from his lip.

Without warning, Natsu puffed up his big chest, controlling his fire, pulling it from within himself to answer to his aid, and he let out a "Fire dragon rawr!"

Panting, Natsu didn't wait to see what became of his brother as he bolted through the door to find the princess.

~

She fainted. And was wounded.

Lucy lay, motionless, at the foot of the staircase in the main hall, which was where Natsu found her.

He scooped her up into his arms and ran for his father's rooms. Upon arrival, nudging the doors, oh so familiar, wide open, Natsu beheld his father.

On the ground.
Panting.
Heaving.

"Dad!" He yelled, rushing to his side, maneuvering around Lucy's limp form.

Natsu adjusted his father so that her was lying on the ground, his back in contact with the cool marble.

"Natsu, is it-- has he--"

Natsu swallowed. "Yeah, it's Zeref. He's back, and after Lucy, for some reason."

Igneel's eyes went wide. "Go," he rasped desperately. "Go, Natsu, and take Lucy somewhere safe. Go right now. Zeref cannot get his hands on her--" he sputtered into another coughing fit.

Natsu lunched to support him, but his father shoved him up until he was once again standing with a bloody Lucy in his arms.

"Father.." He whispered.

"Grab some jewel and run, Natsu. Run faster then you have ever before."

Tears were streaming silently down both men's faces as they stared at each other. The loud explosion from the other side of the castle the trigger bringing them both back to reality.

"I love you, dad!" Natsu yelled, almost sounding accusatory. He turned and immediately ran out with Lucy, not looking back.

He didn't see Igneel silently plea to come back, to turn around, to stay with him.

Igneel was glad, though.

He sat up, his back supported by the stone footboard, staring at the entrance, beholding his long lost son.

Igneel had but one second to whisper "Natsu.." Before the black mass of fire and rage and death invaded his body, erasing him.