Even if he couldn't see her, Natsu took comfort knowing Lucy was happy.
It was the day of Gray and Juvia's wedding, and Lucy's joy at being a part of the festivities bled into him through his scar. He lay locked in his chambers and let her feelings rush over him, closing his eyes in contentment. He was sure that if he focused hard enough, he could hear her laughing…
A knock at his door startled him from his thoughts.
Natsu grit his teeth, trying his hardest not to let his anger rise so that it would not carry over to Lucy. He did not want his own wild emotions to ruin her day; it was something he'd been very conscious of since she told him how his darkness affected her. Soldiers had even noticed he was no longer as quick to anger as he had once been. They seemed less afraid of him.
"Enter." He called to the door as he sat up in bed, his wings ruffling behind him.
The turn of a key in the door echoed through the dimly lit room before it creaked upon and a guard entered. To Natsu, he was just one of the masses. He didn't recognise this soldier anymore then he recognised one of the stable boys; they were all the same to him. The nameless guard stepped further into the room, wringing his hands nervously as his eyes looked anywhere but at The Demon Prince.
Natsu's own eyes wandered around the room as he waited for the guard to speak. They could furnish his chambers as lavishly as they liked, but there was no denying it. There were no windows, and chains hung from the moss covered stone walls.
It wasn't a room, it was a dungeon.
"Master," The guard finally spoke, "Your brother requests your presence in the library."
Natsu snarled. His brother thought he could summon him like a dog. Well, he could- No. No. He couldn't let his anger rise. He wouldn't let his bad temper ruin Lucy's day.
Which meant he could not see Zeref.
"Tell him I'm busy." He ordered the guard before slumping back down onto his bed.
But the guard did not leave. Natsu could hear his agitated heartbeat from across the room. The nervous shuffling of his feet.
"P-Please, Master," The guard stammered, "Your presence is urgently required. Lord Zeref has already destroyed half the library and-"
"What?" Natsu sat up abruptly.
"He is very angry, Master," The guard now looked panicked, "Three guards have already been caught in the crossfire-"
"I'll handle it." Natsu reassured him as he flung off the covers.
The guard nodded in gratitude before leaving, allowing Natsu to dress. He quickly threw on a pair of his usual haram pants and a long red coat that his brother had given him long ago. It was a beautiful piece of clothing, the sleeves lined with gold, and one of the few items he owned that accommodated his wings. His brother always told him that he looked more respectable when he wore it. More like the brother of a ruler. He hoped the sight of it would help to appease him.
Once he was fully clothed, Natsu left the dark confinements of his chamber and made his way through the fortress. The library was on one of the upper floors, and he noticed as he ascended the stairs that the closer he got to the room, the more uneasy the guards looked. Fear hung thick in the air, making him anxious.
The doors of the library came into view and his stomach filled with dread. All the guards had evacuated this corridor, and with good reason. The doors seemed to have been blasted open, the right one hanging by its hinges. Books spilled out into the corridor and he followed their trail like stepping stones.
