Solitary Princess - Nalu ✔️

Chapter 8

Day three of the General Games came and went uneventfully. Lucy had a late dinner meeting with her father and some other royalty and didn't have the energy to travel across the castle grounds to visit Natsu. She was really sad to let him down like that when she was sure there was something he wasn't telling her, but she knew he would understand.

Lucy's mind had been filled with thoughts of Natsu. She couldn't seem to pry her mind from the pinkette. He had changed so much. Same hair, same smile, same dumb humor... But he was somehow still so different. Not that Lucy really minded though. She almost thought he was fascinating.

Meanwhile, Natsu couldn't seem to get his mind off of Lucy. She had also changed so much. And not in a bad way. Just the kind of way that made him blush slightly. She still had that same laugh. Only now, the laugh seemed to mesmerize Natsu. But she was the same old Lucy he remembered and cared for. He felt terrible that he wasn't there for her when her mom died, but he couldn't have been. He knew her father had become uptight and overbearing. He felt sorry Lucy had to deal with it but knew there was nothing he could do. He would just have to mentally support her with all he had.

Lucy reflected that all the contestants that had stuck out to her were still in the rounds. Though, another man was added to the list. He had blonde hair, a fur coat, and a lightning bolt scar. His brute strength in the third day really stuck out to Lucy. The redhead, of course, had eased her way into the fourth day as well. The shadow-like man with piercings had beat his third competitor as well. Natsu had destroyed his third opponent easily and Lucy was sure he would make it at least to the final rounds.

...

Lucy woke up the morning of the fourth day feeling like she had purpose. She reached her arms up to the heavens and groaned slightly. Life was so much more fun during the General Games. For one, Jude was forced to eat breakfast with her because they were on a schedule. Lucy didn't really like her father, but she still wanted to spend time with him once in a while. She also wasn't alone all the time anymore. Lucy thought deeply as she allowed her maid to dress her and do her hair.

She walked down the quiet hallway. Only her footsteps could be heard clacking in her new and uncomfortable three inch heels. Lucy wanted nothing more than to rip off the stupid shoes and strip off her dress to roll through a field of soft grass, but she had grown accustomed to suppressing her urges and had good self control, so she kept walking, wondering what would be served for breakfast.

Lucy immediately smelled pancakes when she entered the dining room. She inhaled, her mouth salivating. She sat in her normal spot at the corner of the table and waited for her father to show up. Lucy refused to eat without him, even if he was late every time.

She sat, waiting about ten minutes before her father finally decided to show up. Jude sat down wordlessly and immediately dug in without a second thought.

"Good morning father." Lucy said before taking a bite out of her own pancake.

The king grunted in reply.

They continued eating in silence. Lucy sighed in contentment. Food really was much better with company. She did wish there was some laughter and talking, but she would take what she could get.

Lucy's father finished first and a maid immediately collected his dishes as soon as he left the room.

Lucy thanked the maid and followed her father out. It was time for the fourth day of the General Games. The risks were getting higher. Each battle more competitive than the last. This was the last day that there would only be one round. The next day had both rounds five and six because there would be less than 20 competitors.

Natsu was one of the 32 people left to see day four. Lucy's hope was only rising. What if Natsu really could win? He either had good luck or was skilled enough to put little effort into his battles.

Lucy did not like the hope he gave her because she did not like hope itself. Hope eventually led to hurt.

She cleared her thoughts as she stepped out of the castle and onto the raised platform where her father already sat.

Lucy sat gracefully and looked into the crowd. Immediately searching for a certain pinkette. She, of course, could not find him though.

Even with his pink hair, Natsu was sure as hell good at hiding himself. Lucy sighed at being deprived of seeing her childhood friend, but turned her eyes to the announcer as he began to proclaim, "Welcome to the fourth day of the General Games," the cheers that sounded were much quieter since some of the competitors that lost had left, not wanting to see the end results, "the same rules apply as before. No fowl play and use the weapons provided. You all know the rest, so without further ado, 43 and 112 step forward please."

Lucy watched with slight interest as 43 beat 112 to a pulp with a wooden staff. It was growing slightly boring as pretty much the same thing happened every day. She tried desperately to memorize all the winner's faces, but Lucy could only remember blobs of dark hair and tan skin. She inwardly groaned as she watched more boring faces. Maybe it was all about hair color to her. She remembered the redhead and Natsu easily. Well, maybe Natsu didn't count. She knew the girl with red hair, the guy with piercings, and the guy with the strange lightning scar. Nobody else who was remaining really had any weird attributes to offer.

Lucy sat still as she watched the blonde guy defeated another muscular brunette. She was glad the guy with the scar beat his opponent. Lucy was starting to worry she would be completely lost if another brunette won. She wanted to memorize how powerful each person was so she could have a better idea if Natsu would win or not.

She sighed again and listened as the announcer spoke the next competitors, "Numbers 68 and 79."

Lucy stirred from her daze as she recognized Natsu's number. He strode onto the field out of nowhere and the blonde with the lightning scar slapped him on the back. Lucy knew it wasn't malicious though, as she could clearly see Natsu's huge grin. She smiled softly for a moment then looked to his opponent. 89 had raven hair and appeared to be shirtless with a cape. Lucy saw a tattoo on his chest and realised it was the exact same symbol as the one she saw on Natsu's bicep.

The two nodded slightly at each other before lunging. Neither got a hit. Both seemed to be very skilled, but Lucy could somehow tell they were holding back. They both threw down their swords (and the raven haired man took off his cape) and bagan to wrestle on the ground creating a dust cloud.

Lucy gaped. Nothing like this had happened so far and she found herself worried the man would pull a knife or something on Natsu beneath the shelter of the cloud. She leaned forward, hoping to see better. After a few minutes, the dust cleared enough to see the raven haired man walk away, forfeiting.

Lucy sighed quietly in relief, very aware her father was watching her from the corner of his eye. She didn't know why, but she felt like that other man was more powerful than he let on.