Payment to a Pirate

The Shockingly Surprising News

Lucy's POV

The familiar smell of the sea was absent when I awoke. I jumped up with a start. As I looked around, the surroundings was familiar, just faded by memory. I was in my palace room. Everything was the same as it was when I left many months ago.

Or had I even left at all?

Was it all just a dream?

I rose off the bed and went to the vanity mirror, gazing at my reflection. Some sign that Natsu Dragneel wasn't just a figment of my imagination. Squishing and pulling at my skin, I desperately looked for a sign he made his mark on me.

But to my dismay, there was no sign of his existence on my neck, chest or collarbone. I began to feel frantic.

No... I thought. Natsu can't be fake. It felt so real, so vivid.

I ripped at my clothes, still desperately searching. My heart relaxed when I saw a large purple bruise under my breast. I sighed in relief, but then immediately tensed back up.

If Natsu Dragneel truly existed, and we was together, then where was he?

Pulling on a new dress out of my closet, I raced out of the elaborate doors.

Guards around me was shouting for me to stop and slow down, but I couldn't. All I could think about was him.

The man that made me whole.

I continued running down the labyrinth that is the palace until familiar arms wrapped around me and jerked me to a stop.

"You must be careful, princess." Loke said to me. I jumped and jerked myself away.

"Loke?" I ask, tucking stray pieces of hair behind my ear.

"Are you alright, Your Grace?" He asked, placing his hand.

"Yeah, I'm-" My sentence was interrupted by the bile rising up my throat. I emptied the little contents of my stomach into a nearby plant, a plant that probably cost more than the houses that peasants lived in.

"Princess Lucy,  you aren't well. Let me escort you to your room." Loke offered, taking my hand in his and began walking me back to my room.

As I stumbled across the marble floor, I couldn't help but ask Loke about Natsu. "Loke? Where's Natsu?"

Loke stopped so suddenly that I bumped into his chest. He turned to look at me with a steely look in his eyes. "I haven't the slightest idea of what or who you are referring to. You really must be ill, aren't you, Princess Lucy? It's best to not mention this around others, they might think you're going mad." And with that, the journey to my royal suite began again.

"But, Loke-" I started.

"Just shut up!" He yelled, clenching my dainty hand until it ached.

I winced and tried to break free of his grip. "L-Loke...you're hurting me."

His eyes changed from anger to their usual professional look. "My apologies, m'lady. But, it is wise to not mention that certain topic anymore."

Natsu's POV (WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!)

I slammed my fist against the wood wall beside me.

"D@mn it!" I roared.

My heart felt as if it was torn into two pieces. And now that I finally had a taste of what it felt like to be whole, I craved that sweet poison even more than before.

"We have to get her back!" I yelled, startling everyone.

"Natsu, we've an enemy!" Gray shouted  from the other side of the ship.