Solitary Princess - Nalu ✔️

Chapter 25

Natsu pov:
(One day earlier)

Natsu had been busy the whole week with meeting his friends in the evenings and training in the mornings and afternoons. He barely got to see Lucy and it made him want to rip out his hair thinking she might feel lonely.

Levy did tell him that she was getting to know Lucy of her own choice and started to rant about their interests before Gageel reeled her in with, "Aight Shrimp," and a pat on the head as she pouted.

Natsu normally would tease them with Gray, but he was lost in thought. How could he protect Lucy more? Some might call him paranoid, but Natsu had seen the work of the Dark Wizard's gang and wasn't ready to trust the winds to be in his favor. They needed even more protection for the princess.

He was watching Gray and Gageel threaten each other nose to nose absentmindedly. If he added more of his security, it would raise suspicion for sure. As they started to grapple, Natsu watched silently, thinking. Maybe he could- his eyes focused on the two full on fighting in the dirt. The idea came easily, like it was waiting to be discovered. He could just train Lucy to fight. Natsu was incredulous he hadn't thought of it earlier, but his focus had been so scattered the last week. 

He shook his head and devised a plan to talk with the king. He wasn't quite sure of the protocal because he hadn't reached that level in training, but he should be able to just knock on his office door and share his ideas...
It was worth a shot.

Determined, Natsu left his squabbling friends and headed to the castle. He glanced at the Sun's position, seeing it was lowering on the horizon as he made his way inside the castle. He asked a maid for directions and easily found the King's office door. He studied the sturdy wood for a moment before lifting his hand to knock. The sound was a little off-putting, but Natsu ignored the feeling as the King called, "Enter."

He twisted the knob and walked in, one foot after the other, carefully closing the door behind him before looking up to meet the eyes of King Jude himself.

The man was bigger than Natsu thought he'd be. Not in bad shape, but tall and sturdy. He had blonde hair like Lucy, but his had stripes of grey filling it in. His eyes had smile wrinkles on the sides from a time when he used them, but now they were icy blue- cold and sharp.

Natsu, shaking himself out of a daze started, "Your Magesty," with a slight bow, "I am the newest gen-"

"I know who you are," the king interruped sharply, "Now tell me why you came here."

Natsu quickly decided to get to the point and just use the truth. This man would not be fooled by any lie, "Sir, it has come to my attention that a group of... terrorists have made the princess their target. The other day I witnessed them stage an emergency evacuation while she was in the garden. They tried to take her with them before I called out and asked them what they were doing," he paused but the king stayed silent so he continued, "They had faces I did not recognize and have not seen since, as much as I've looked for them. They weren't following protocol and even attempted to grab her," Natsu took a deep breath, reeling in his anger, "This is not just information, though. I have a proposition: I have trained many of your soldiers to fight, and many respond well to my teaching. Other generals are overwhelmed with assignments already, but because I am new, I have none. I believe the princess needs to be protected at all costs and I can train her to be able to protect herself should we ever need the extra security."

The king just sat in silence, studying Natsu. The new general was sure he would reject his proposal by the time he finally said, "Alright." There was a deathly silent pause, Natsu not believing what the king said, "I have my own personal reasons for the trust, and I'll admit, I have been slightly blind to the conditions of my security but don't you dare start anything with the princess. Your role is to teach her to defend herself- nothing more, nothing less," he coldly studied Natsu, "You're dismissed."

Natsu left the room before the King could change his mind. The pinkette stopped one hall over and leaned on the wall, stunned. He had thought the King would for sure deny his request. There must be some serious things going on for the overprotective man to trust the boy so easily. Natsu shook his head and slowly made his way outside again, head filled with theories.

Lucy pov:
(Present time)

The Princess hit the ground again, dirt and grass coating her clothes and the unforgiving ground bruising her bum again. Natsu didn't laugh this time, he simply sighed and offered a hand to her. Lucy mumbled something, blaming the ground for slipping out from under her, as she got back in the position Natsu had just taught her.

He lifted the training cushion again, giving Lucy ways to fix what she was doing wrong. Lucy was barely able to deliver four solid kicks before she lost balance, her feet sliding out from under her again. She huffed in frustration as Natsu offered a warm hand again. Lucy gripped it as she stood, not really wanting to let go, knowing she'd fall on her butt again.

Natsu studied her silently before saying, "Let's try some punches now. We'll come back to kicks later."

Even though it was Lucy's first day in training, she was having a much harder time than she thought she would. Her body didn't respond how she wanted it to, and she kept making a fool of herself in front of the patient Natsu. He calmly directed her wrapped fist to the cushion slowly to tell her how to move.

Lucy was trying not to be distracted, but the hot air was doing things to her head. She tried again to focus on her movements, successfuly throwing a few punches before her limbs stopped obeying her and her breath wheezed out of her lungs. She was so out of shape. And it really showed.

She sighed as Natsu sent her on a small break for water. He was an amazing teacher, but Lucy hadn't ever done anything like this. She was trained to be elegant in a dress and heels, not a brutal fighter. The movements brought out the old clumsy Lucy who fell and scraped her knees constantly. Only now, she had no mother to kiss the pain away.

The princess wiped some cool sweat from her forehead. She didn't want to be helpless anymore. She was tired of being the dainty, useless princess everyone believed her to be. She was going to get through this even if it took practicing on her own instead of sleeping.

Lucy stood again, determined.