The Caged Innocence

Chapter 3

*Not Proofread*

Natsu quickly got dressed and left the Lucy crying in the hot springs before storming off. There were so many things conflicting in his brain. What the hell is going on in this castle?

A castle in which the princess doesn't attend the balls thrown in her own castle. A castle in which its princess is actively being abused and no one has anything to say about it. Natsu's first thought would be to confront Jude, while he didn't want to believe it he was sure that was the only person in the castle who had enough power to put their hands on Lucy was Jude. It would also explain why Lucy avoided her father like the plague. But when did this start and why? What else wrong with this kingdom since he left?

His mind constantly took him back to Lucy as he walked the forest trail. He should've consoled her, here he was using her as a tool of lust, while she might actually harbor love for him still. He figured that love would dwindle if she could hear the corrupted things that go on in his mind. It wasn't Lucy who changed, she was the still the angel he remembered, it was him who had become a demon.
He thought about the look of despair on her face when he betrayed her trust last night. It wasn't fair of him to be upset about the letters, she never personally harmed him, after all he had no idea what she had to put up with these ten long years.

Natsu wasn't sure how he should go about confronting Jude. The man would probably lie away and have some innocent bystander executed for 'hurting his daughter' Natsu wanted to kill Jude. Even more so than before, but he knew he couldn't just rush into it, all that would do is cause chaos and hurt Lucy more. Draconia also wasn't ready to leap into war again for the sake of one woman.

Natsu so deep in thought somehow got lost inside the forest that he knew like the back of his hand. He wandered towards the outskirts of the woods to come upon the sight of a watch tower. Soldiers were  stationed around the top and bottom of the tower. He watched as one of the soldiers shot down a tiny pigeon with a bow and arrow. The bird plopped on the ground and another soldier collected the letter wrapped around the birds feet. He then delivered the letter to what seemed to be the commander of the watch tower. 'Another thing that makes no sense kingdom' Natsu thought.

He made way over to the watch tower in smooth steps. "Your Grace." The commander and soldiers bowed to him immediately. Natsu motioned for the man to rise whilst he stared at the letter in the commanders hands. He stood tall  over the commander before speaking.

"Do you fellows just shoot down birds all day?" Natsu half jested grilling down the commander watching for any slip up in his composure.

"O-oh oh no your Grace. These.." the commander started, eyes motioning to the dead bird. "These are orders of the King."

"And what does the King get out of this?"

"I'm afraid I shouldn't say much more..." the commander said solemnly.

Natsu sucked in his teeth. "I don't see the need to keep secrets from your future king. I can always ask the King myself but he might be terribly upset that the person of command here couldn't even answer my simple question."

"F-future king?" The commander stuttered out. "But I thought you would be the king of Draconia"

"Yes I'll be managing both countries after marrying the princess." Natsu smiled to himself at the gasps in the background. It was unheard of such a young prince being in charge of two very strong territories.

"I-Im terribly sorry your Grace I had no idea!" The commander chocked out red in the face. "The r-reason that we kill the messenger pigeons is so that the King can inspect any letter that enters or exits castle grounds... if he approves of the he will send it back out with a new bird or he will have someone deliver the letter to the person it was intended for."