The Dragneel Affair | NaLu

Chapter 8 - The Confused Russian

She couldn't sleep. She was sitting by her window when she heard the clock tower strike twelve. She was dressed in her night gown with her shawl resting on her shoulders. She was staring at the woods across the town lake. The camp fire there had gone out ten minutes ago, she was expecting the troop to be asleep.

It was her worries that kept her awake at night. It was the middle of winter, and the soldiers slept outside in tents. But the fire went out. The fire usually went out on its own. Slow and steady. Tonight it was quick and rushed. She stared at the woods until she noticed a tall, lumpy, hooded figure climb over the fence. He was far from the main entrance to the estate, where all the horses and carriages were. He stood halfway from the fence when a gust of wind came and blew his hood down. She recognized him as one of the Russian soldiers who didn't like her very much when she brought soup on New Year's Eve.

She quickly reached under her bed and pulled out an old pair of boots, lined with otter fur. She slid the boots on and ran out of her room, trying not to slip on the wooden floor. She ran down the hall until she reached a staircase hidden at the end of the hall, she ran down the stairs and reached an exit, which was used mostly by the servants. When she opened the door, the cold wind blew against her. She shivered and pulled her shawl over her head, protecting her ears. She trudged her way through the snow, towards the soldier.

He noticed her quickly and started running towards her. "Oi, blondie!"

"Blondie?" Lucy asked, but was ignored. Once the soldier was in front of her, she could see why exactly he looked so lumpy earlier. Natsu was laying across his shoulder. "What? What happened to him?" Lucy quickly went around him to look at Natsu. His face was pale and his finger tips were turning purple.

"I don't know. We reached the campsite and he started coughing and he fell. . . Can you stop mumbling and help me get him inside?"

"I'm not mumbling."

"I know, I wanted you to not be embarrassed about crying in front of me. Just help me get him inside." Lucy lead him into the estate and helped him up the stairs. She directed him into a guest room, closer to her room this time. She pulled the covers off the bed and let the soldier lay him down. Lucy stared at him for a moment, before he looked at her. He was standing at the opposite side of the room, leaning against the white and blue floral wall.

"What?"

"I don't know your name," Lucy stated simply. The soldier raised an eyebrow at her. Part of him assumed that Natsu would've mentioned him at one point.

"Gajeel,"

"Gajeel," Lucy repeated. She was holding one of Natsu's hands into hers, attempting to rub warmth into it. "Do you know what's wrong?"

"Ezra suggested something. . . But I don't know what you call it."

"Pneumonia?" Lucy asked. Gajeel tried to repeat her, but it came out wrong (Ne-moon-nee-ah). "It's a sickness that happens when someone is cold for too long. Or something similar to that."

"I think that's what Ezra said." Gajeel told her. He was focused on the candles on a night stand, they made the room smell like vanilla. Lucy rested her index and middle fingers on Natsu's wrist. His pulse was racing.

"You should bring the rest of the troop here," Lucy said, "I don't want the rest of you to end up this way. I'll get other rooms ready." Before Gajeel could agree, she had already left the room.

• • •

Gray had finished the bottle of champagne and was singing a nursery rhyme when Gajeel arrived. He said he wouldn't be carrying Gray all the way there. He was pretty set on his word until Ezra shot him a glare. Gray insisted to be carried like a bride, "because how else will I be comfortable," he explained when Gajeel asked him why.

Ezra carried Makarov in one arm and both of their knapsacks in the other. He began to regret that decision a few minutes later. Loki was carrying a bottle of wine and a few of the tents on his back. Gajeel lead the troop to the estate. Lucy was standing at the entrance he had used earlier, wearing a coat this time. She helped Gajeel put Gray in his room and directed the others to there rooms. When all was done, Lucy was left with Ezra, who was staring at her intently.

Lucy had never met him, she didn't recognize him from her encounters with the troop in December. Ezra looked different from the other soldiers. Well, they all looked different. But, Ezra seemed off. His pants were baggy, as if they didn't fit him right. His coat seemed to engulf him (his hands barely peeked out of the sleeves). His face was soft and pale, almost feminine. His hair was red, like a ruby or a scarlet dress. He was looking Lucy up and down, as if examining her.

"I miscounted rooms," Lucy told him. Ezra blinked. His expression was blank. Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Do you speak Austrian?"

"Я не говорю по австрийца," She said. Lucy eyes widened. So this is what Russian sounds like. Ezra knocked on one of the rooms. Loki stepped out, his shirt untucked.

"Какие?" He asked.

"Переведите," Ezra pointed towards Lucy, who was listening closely.

"Узнать австрийца," Loki insisted.

"Нет." Ezra crossed his arms over his chest.

". . . Штраф." Loki stepped out of the room. "Ezra doesn't speak Austrian. He was more interested in fighting than studying."

"Oh. I was trying to tell him that I had miscounted rooms I was able to get set up." Loki turned to Ezra and translated. Ezra listened and sighed. She spoke to him and waved picked up his knapsack.

"What?"

"He said it was alright, he'll find space at a hotel."

"What? No. I mean . . . Uh, нет!" Lucy said. She assumed that word meant, 'no,' she had heard Natsu say it occasionally. He taught her simple Russian. Like family members, "Да," and ,"нет," (yes and no).

"Я . . . tell him he can stay with me." Lucy expected Loki look at her like she was crazy. But she was very surprised when he agreed and told Ezra about the idea. Ezra followed Lucy to her room. Neither of them spoke. Lucy pulled out extra blankets and pillows and made him a bed. Ezra thanked her and took off the hat he had been wearing. Immediately, long, red locks of hair fell from his hat. Lucy stared in amazement. She wanted to tell him that his hair was beautiful but she couldn't form the sentence.

"Красивая," Lucy said. She had heard Natsu mumble that word a few times. Ezra turned to her, blush rising in his cheeks. He smiled warmly.

"Спасибо," Ezra replied. Lucy smiled back, assuming he said, "thank you."

• • •

Author's Note:

Sooo many of you didn't want the last chapter to end, I felt bad making you wait a week for this. But I hope you're happy I updated now???

Does Russian scare you guys? I remember that it scared me when I took Russian for a semester in 8th grade. I'm slowly learning Russian now (through Duolingo (I use it with my German too)). I know a few words but I can't really form sentences. Russian looks a little frightening to me, but in it's own way, also kind of beautiful. I dunno, maybe it's just me.

Until I write again,

~ Lucy

• • •

Russian Translations:

• Я не говорю по австрийца; I don't speak Austrian

• Какие; What

• Переведите; Translate

• Узнать австрийца; Learn Austrian

• Штраф; Fine

• нет; no

• да; yes

• я; I

*If you speak Russian and see mistakes, let me know and I will do my best to correct them*