Solitary Princess - Nalu ✔️

Chapter 1: Childhood

Lucy trotted giddily down the cobble street behind her mom. She passed by many legs as a butterfly fluttered just out of her reaching grasp.

She was about to turn six and her princess duties were steadily increasing with less and less time to just play around.

She didn't mind, though. As long as she could still visit her pink-haired friend and play with her mom, she could endure any book her tutor Capricorn had to throw at her.

"Come now, Lucy. Hurry before the sun sets and we have to miss seeing Natsu." Her mother Layla called over her shoulder to the small girl.

Lucy sped up, no longer focused on the butterfly. Her small hand reached out to grasp her mother's skirt as her thoughts turned to Natsu.

She couldn't quite remember how she met him. Only that he had been her friend for a long time. Or at least what felt like long to her. His huge smile filled up her mind and made Lucy giggle at the thought of the next silly thing he would say or do to make her laugh. She would never miss a moment that she could spend with him. There weren't very many children at the castle and her father and mother, being king and queen, didn't always have time to spend with her. Lucy knew, though, that she wouldn't enjoy any other kid as much as she enjoyed Natsu. He was so lively and caring. She could only hope she was as fun to him as he was to her.

The bustling streets under the bright blue sky seemed to give way to the powerful yet kind woman that was Lucy's mother. People greeted the queen happily and the queen had an ever present beautiful smile ready to greet anyone back. Lucy loved that about her mother. She was gentle yet willful and her laugh could light up any room. Any time Lucy found herself scared or unsure, her mother was right there to pick her back up and sing a lullabye to make all her troubles go away. Her mother always said to 'be strong yet gracious to all you meet'. That's exactly what Layla was.

Lucy found pride that the most beautiful woman, inside and out, in all of the land was her own mother. She didn't really care if others thought differently. To Lucy, Layla was the most beautiful woman in the whole, wide world.

Things were perfect, just like they should be.

...

Lucy ran in front of her mother and proudly knocked on the sturdy wooden door. She waited about 10 seconds before it was thrust open by a boy slightly shorter than her. The most alarming thing about him was his bright pink hair.

Lucy cried out, "Natsu!"

The smaller boy's face lit up as he replied immediately with a loud, "Lucy!"

She hastily wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly. He pretended to gag, but returned the grip without complaint. Lucy giggled and looked up as her mother greeted Natsu's mom and dad. He tugged her hand as he quickly said hi to Lucy's mother and bye to his own parents.

Lucy allowed herself to be pulled by him but soon tore her hand from his grip as she raced him through the grass to the river behind his house. She knew her father might fuss at her dress getting dirty, but she didn't really care.

Natsu squatted with her in the mud and collected a bit to make a pie. Lucy firmly believed that one was never too old to make a mud pie. Besides, getting dirty was fun and it wasn't something she could do all the time at the castle. She relished in the feeling of mud between her fingers and enjoyed the sound of trickling water next to her.

Natsu stood up beside her, moving away a bit as Lucy focused on the second layer of her brown cake.

After a while, she noticed Natsu staying unusually silent. She looked around, not seeing him for a moment.

"Natsu?" she called in a questioning voice, "Where'd you go?"

She looked around again.

Then he leapt out of the grass causing Lucy to shriek in fear at the sudden appearance of her friend. She gripped her chest as Natsu cackled with laughter at her startlement. Lucy pouted while her heart rate began to slow. Natsu wiped imaginary tears as he looked back at her.

His eyes lit up as if remembering something, "Hey, Luce."

Lucy dropped her pout as she hopped over to where Natsu was. Anything he was excited about, she would be excited about too.

Natsu rummaged through his shorts as if searching for something.

Lucy took a step closer, "What is it?"

Natsu's expression lit up and he pulled out an electric blue lizard. Lucy stepped back in horror. She didn't mind creatures. Just one so... scaly... wasn't really her taste.

Natsu grinned as he said, "Say hi to Happy. I found him last week," he spoke as he stroked the lizard under the chin, "My dad said he'd let me keep him as long as I kept him somewhere he would stay out of trouble. So he hasn't left my side. Or... my pants, I guess..."

Lucy began laughing, losing all fear of the little creature as she lost herself in a fit of giggles. Natsu really was the best.

...

After a while of playing in the stream and mud with Natsu, Lucy was called back in by her mom and told that it was time to leave.

Layla said goodbye to the adults as Lucy hugged Natsu again.

"See ya' later Natsu."

Natsu grinned, "Yeah, yeah Luce, don't miss me too much. I've got Happy to keep me company now. He might just replace you."

Lucy stuck her tounge out as Natsu laughed at her. She grinned, though, as she reached out to stroke Happy's back. The lizard seemed to look at her in agreement.

Lucy said goodbye to Natsu as she followed her mother back through the streets, back to the castle, back to her boring life.