Keeping Promise

III

"Natsu, you ready to leave?"the Scarlet beauty asked coming up behind the pinky.
"Yeah, where is Gray and Happy?"he stood up straight, looking around to only see her and a wagon filled with many things.
"I came early, you looked upset,"she stated.
"I was, I've calmed down now."
"You scared us, you don't normally become so angry like that."
"It's nothing."
"That's a lie."
"It's personal."
She nodded.
"It's not as important as getting this job done," he stated, his mind lingering to a recent thought as he looked away,"I was just remembering something from years ago."
"Could be tied with The Golden Castle where the Heartfillia royal family had once lived?"she pried, he gave her a side glance. Obviously not wishing to speak about it.
"It was a promise someone had made to me, and I'm still waiting for it to be made,"he sighed.
"Why must it be them to make it? A promise goes both ways. If you don't try-"
"I've been trying!"he burst, hanging his head with closed eyes,"But no matter how hard I've looked and searched... I can't find her."
Erza stared at him with a sympathetic gaze,"May this 'her' just be the Heartfillia Princess?"she asked, crossing her arms,"She is the sole survivor known of the royal family of the Golden Castle after that tragic accident."
"She has a name, and yes. Luce was taken, and after I promised to protect her three years prior of the accident,"Natsu lifted his hands, staring down at them.
"You were a guard at the castle? Servant?"
"No, nothing close. I was some kid they picked up after my father brought me to the castle as an advisor. He left me there to be taken care of by the family after the late queen had passed. I was immediately graced with happiness for the new home and Luce had a fun time teasing me since she was four years older. I could always make her laugh when she was upset, though I often didn't see her sad. Even though I knew she was at some points, but she always smiled and made sure to take care of me."
"She sounds like the perfect sister," Erza sighed, sitting down next to the tree.
"Far from it,"he smiled lightly,"She would try to cook and clean, learn from the servants so she could take care of me that way. But she kept making a bigger mess and she would make the cutest face as she held in her irritation as I cleaned up her messes. Unlike her, I had been raised with lessons from my foster father who abandoned me on how to cook and clean, and wash laundry."
"You do make some killer pancakes,"Erza licked her lips.
"They were her favorite. Even though I can only make simple dishes, she always chose me cooking over the elaborate and fancy dishes the maids would prepare, and his majesty would agree indefinitely."
"So you were close with both King Jude and his daughter Princess Lucy?"
"Yes, very. Though I didn't see his majesty very often, he would always make sure we had gotten to sleep, or during Luce's lessons that I was entertained and made sure each day wouldn't be boring for us. He was a good king to his people and to his daughter. I highly respected him for his kindness and leadership."
"I had heard of many of his great deeds from Master. He used to be a friend of the late King."
"I had never seen him at the castle, not once. But I had heard of him from his majesty, he would speak of him with the title: 'the shortest grandpa'."
"I'm sure master was not too thrilled of that being his title."
"I would doubt it."
Erza looked up at him, seeing his soft smile as he spoke of his past that he had not shared once, until now,"Tell me more of the Princess,"she said, intrigued.
"Luce was very smart and would often read in the grand library. She was their most days, unless it was sunny out and the flowers were blooming in the garden, she would go out and sit on the white bench just beside the hedges and gazebo where there would be Saturday's afternoon tea. She may not know how to cook, but she did know how to make tea and bake cakes and cookies, and other assortments if desserts. She was the one to set up Saturday's afternoon tea where his majesty, me, and herself would sit the gazebo and eat and drink her creations. I would make sandwiches as well while the servants would go out and decorate the garden and gazebo. After that, we would play games with the servants outside. Luce and I would even plan during the week on what we would make, and the servants helped us. To be honest, everyone, even the servants seemed like a family. Everyone knew each other's name and would smile all the time."
"I hear a 'but' coming."
"And you'd be correct,"he chuckled meekly,"About seven years ago, Luce was called by his majesty. I became suspicious after awhile had past. The servants said Luce had gone back to her room and I immediately went there. I wanted to know what she spoke about with his majesty and she gave me a harsh and blunt answer, which was a bit of a surprise. Luce doesn't usually speak in an ill mannered way and checks herself if she does. She called me a child and it kind of hurt since she worked hard on teaching me to be mature and to be a gentleman when I had turned ten. But I wasn't one to complain about what I was called by others, I wanted my answer. She eventually answered and said that a threat was sent to his majesty stating if he didn't do as they said, Luce would be taken."
Erza nodded,"That explains the irregular behavior. She probably felt a lot of stress after discuss that only recently with her father. I can't imagine what her or the late King had felt after that threat."
"I promised I'd protect her," Natsu hid his eyes beneath his messy hair, but he still smiled a bit," After I said that she smile but added it was a bit discouraging for her protector to be shorter than her."
Erza chuckled lightly,"I forgot, how much older was she from you?"
"Four years, I was only eleven when I told her that. I said one day I'd be taller than her."
"Well that explains the hight difference you spoke of, but that also means she's the same age as me and Mira."
"Right now Luce would be... Twenty two."
"When's her birthday?"
"July first."
Natsu looked up at the sky,"She was taken just a week before her birthday as well, about to turn Eighteen. Everyone was so happy and already planning a surprise party. It was stated that once she turned Eighteen she would become more involved with royal duties and that made her so excited to held his majesty in political affairs and being more involved in countries economics. She studied every day and would go to sleep with a book open and under head. I teased her that if she continued to sleep like that she would be sucked into the book, the next night I found her with her favorite fantasy book open and under her head,"Natsu laughed a bit, remembering it so clearly,"I knew she was working hard so I decided to become more involved as well and decided to try and become a guard and protect her as I said and started sword training with the guards. They would tease me a lot but they all helped me out a lot. We all saw happy days ahead, and we all would laugh and smile everyday. That's when the castle was attacked, and I tried my best to fight. I fought so hard I became sore and tired and still continued, even after my arm got slice and I could barely move it. I knew I had to try my best and protect the his majesty and Luce. The head guard pushed me after I had my arm injured badly and told me to find Luce and get her to safety."
"Was she not there?"
"No, she was. She was in her room, she was probably told to stay there. She blocked off the door and aided me, pushing me under her bed. I was so tired and weak, I couldn't move. I begged her to run and leave me, but she just ignored me."
"She seems to put others safety before her own, much like yourself,"Erza sighed, leaning back on the tree.
"She promised we'd see each other again. Then she told me something she had heard from her mother when her highness was still alive: ' Hiding doesn't mean giving it up, it's to leave to become stronger til you know you can win'."
"Her mother must've been a wise woman."
"Luce was her daughter, so I wouldn't doubt it. But what caught my attanetion was... That was the very first time she had spoken of her mother to me. I hadn't thought of it at the time, but after-"he stopped, remembering on how he had been brought to Fairy Tail in the first place,"Well after I awoke in the infirmary of the guild hall I remembered."
"Master was there when there was an attack? I had heard through him the Golden Castle and the Heartfillia royal family was destroyed, but not that he was there."
"He was, but he was too late. The castle was falling apart from the fire when he had come. And in my state I blamed him for taking Luce and tried killing him,"Natsu spoke quickly.
"I would kick you, but I don't blame you. Your home, your family... It was all taken right in front of you, I would've thought the same thing. Luckily you were stopped and brought to Fairy Tail,"Erza stood up, realizing that was probably the end of his back story,"You hear all that Gray? Happy?"she looked over to the bushes at the side and out walked the Raven hair man and the flying blue cat.
"so you're into older women?"Gray teased Natsu making him blush a bit.
"Shut it Droopy Eyes,"Natsu growled.