The Dragneel Affair | NaLu

Chapter 10 - The French Strike

Her dress was getting wet. It was hard to walk in it, too, she was beginning to miss the pants she was used to wearing. People stared at her as she walked through the town, she assumed it was because of the red hair or the fact she was stopping through snow while wearing her green and red coat. She was headed towards the edge of town, to the forest.

It wasn't as thick as she had remembered it being. She could make out foot prints and followed them towards the old campsite. She found the glove once she reached the camp site, it reflected the light better than the snow. As she reached down for the glove she heard snow crunching behind her. She spun around and came face to face with a blue haired man and a shining gray sword.

"What do you know about the Heartfilias?" He asked in fluent Russian, with a French accent.

• • •

Lucy was seated next to Natsu in the living room, along with the rest of the troop. Makarov had asked them to come in for an announcement. Natsu couldn't quite stand on his own, so Lucy had helped him down to the room. Makarov had asked her to leave, but she refused, as did Natsu and Gray. Gray didn't see why she couldn't be told anything.

Makarov sighed, "We need to leave. As soon as possible."

"What? Why?" Natsu asked. Lucy stared out the window, upset that they had to discuss this Russian.

"Count Heartfilia doesn't want us here any longer. He feels that we would be drawing attention towards him and his family." Makarov wouldn't make eye contact with any of the soldiers.

"We just got here! He can't kick us out so soon!" Natsu argued, he was clutching Lucy's hand. She listened in nervously.

"Where will we go?"

"Back to Russia, I've received a letter from his highness that we should go back."

"But we can't leave so soon," Gajeel stated.

"I thought you would be thrilled. You were the one who complained about leaving."  Makarov took a glass of wine off the table as Gajeel blushed and stared down at the floor. Gajeel was the only one in uniform. The others were dressed in clothing the Lucy had found in her father's closet that didn't fit him anymore. He wasn't well dressed, though. His shirt was untucked and his coat wasn't buttoned.

"He's been with that petite blue haired girl, lately," Loki said as he poked at the fire in the fire place.

"It doesn't matter anyway. . . I'm sorry, Gajeel, please don't give me that look. Pack your things, we'll leave before dinner." Makarov slid off the love seat and walked towards his. The other soldiers followed him. Natsu was last, he walked with his arm over Lucy's shoulders, unable to make eye contact.

• • •

"You can't fit all that in there." Lucy was trying to fit extra necessities into his knapsack, like a book and two extra boxes of matches.

"I can and I will. You need these things." Natsu had explained to her what Makarov had told him and the others. She was shocked at first but quickly started packing for him anyway. She was walking around the room, digging through draws and cabinets. Natsu was seated at the foot of his bed, taking things out of his bag that he didn't need. She was running back and forth. Natsu could easily tell that she was trying to hide that fact that tears were forming in her eyes. As she walked past him, he took her arm, forcing her to stop.

She wouldn't look him in the eye, she could feel a warm tear slide down the side of the her face. Slowly, he reached for her other arm and turned her towards him. She looked down at the quit on his bed, focusing on the intricate patterns. Natsu shuffled on the bed so he could kneel on his legs and be taller than Lucy. He rested his forehead on the top of her head, taking in the scent of roses coming from her perfume.