The Demon's Concubine

Chapter 2

Natsu decided to oversee Lucy's questioning with Mard Geer. She was binded to a chair with magic sealing stone around her wrists and ankles. The poor girl looked so lost, but Natsu refused to show any pity. 

Mard Geer asked her simple questions, like where she was from, if she could use magic, and what her last name was. Natsu was surprised she didn't know the answer to any of them, a good spy would've at least made something up. She looked like she wanted to cry as she quietly asked, "Why am I being restrained?"

Mard Geer responded calmly, "You are restrained because you cannot be trusted. The area around the castle is marked with powerful runes, only a very skilled mage would be able to break through them. We know you're here for trouble. We won't let you get what you want."

Lucy shook her head, looking more confused than she had all day. Before she could say anything, Mard Geer stood and stepped out for a moment. Lucy turned to Natsu, her big brown eyes glistening with tears.

"What's going on? Why won't anyone explain anything to me? And what was that man talking about?!" She looked panicked and scared, but Natsu remained silent. Mard Geer re-entered with Seilah, and the woman carried a leash and collar in her hands. 

Seilah attached the magic sealing collar onto Lucy's throat and undid her chair bindings. She ignored all of Lucy's questions, only telling her that she'd be going through a different method of questioning now. Natsu had to look away as Seilah dragged Lucy out of the room by the leash.

He took a deep breath once Lucy's voice grew quiet as she was carried further and further away. 
"I think she was telling the truth," he remarked coldly, glancing at Mard Geer. The guard was momentarily shocked. He cleared his throat, responding, "We mustn't take any risks, Lord END. Seilah will take her to Kyouka, and Kyouka will use her methods to get proper answers. I also advised her to make sure the intruder bleeds, just to be sure." 

The king scoffed, causing his guard to stiffen. "She doesn't need to make the girl bleed. Even if she is an angel, there's not much she can do now. Her magic is sealed and she's come all alone, she's no threat to us now." Mard Geer nodded hesitantly, mindful not to go against his king's words. Natsu thought for a moment before sighing loudly, "I'm going to oversee Kyouka's questioning. Then, once this is over, the girl will become one of my servants." 

Mard Geer raised a brow, but much to Natsu's satisfaction, did not oppose. Natsu walked down the halls to the dungeon, speeding up when he was sure no one was watching him. 
 
Whatever this chick was, Natsu couldn't help but be drawn to her. Maybe it was because he hated leaving someone when they were in need. Yeah, once she has all her memories, this strange attachment will fade…

Once he entered the dungeon, the sound of a whip snapping and screaming began ringing in Natsu's ears. 

He decided to keep his distance, disgusted with the many guards that had gathered to watch the scene. Many were making bets on what the colour of her blood would be- black would mean she's a demon, gold would be an angel or goddess, and red would be a mortal, which was highly unlikely. 

Seilah stood about two feet away from Kyouka, holding white robes, and it was just then that Natsu realized Lucy had been stripped. 

"What is your business here?" Kyouka demanded before striking the blonde again, earning a scream before she could even answer the question. 

It became clear they were all getting a kick out of simply torturing the girl. Natsu knew this happened to everyone sent to the dungeon, but he'd never felt this guilty before. The king took in a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to do.

"Stop." 

Kyouka froze before turning to her king. All the guards that had been gathered had fallen silent, the dungeon room given a deathly aura. Seilah whispered, "Lord END?" 

Natsu shook his head as he approached the victim. She was writhing in pain, tears streaming down her face, and Natsu was sure she hadn't even noticed Kyouka had stopped. 

"That's enough. I'll deal with her now." He spoke strongly, offering no room for objections as he undid Lucy's bindings that were holding her upright from the ceiling. He removed the cuffs on her hands but kept the sealing collar on as he carried her bridal style. 

"But… Lord END… She's a trespasser. And likely an angel, just let me check her blood…" Kyouka shifted nervously. 

"There's no need for that. She's harmless. I will deal with her and that's final." Natsu didn't look back as he carried Lucy out of the dungeon, hearing the quiet whispers of the guards already guessing about Natsu's plan to make Lucy a servant. 

Once he entered his chambers, he laid Lucy on his bed as he walked to his washroom, running the bath water himself and filing through his cabinets to pull out the ointments he had stored. 

He dumped a bottle into the bath, causing light blue bubbles to rise to the surface. He sifted through the ointments in his hand before deciding on the best, placing it on the edge of the large tub and returning to Lucy. 

The blonde squirmed, her pain still unbearable and her body still trembling. She shuddered as Natsu examined her naked body, feeling nothing but fear at the sight of his serious expression. She understood that he was the king here, that everyone followed his orders. Why did he bring her to this room? What did he want with her?

"A...are you…" Lucy panted as she struggled to speak, her vocal cords still stinging from the screams of pain she had let out. "Are you going to...ra-"

"Hush." Was all Natsu said before lifting her limp body and carrying her to the bath. As she was lowered into the warm water, Lucy immediately felt a wave of relaxation. The bubbles made her skin tingle, but in a good way. She had to fight the urge to fall asleep, still not trusting this demon king. Her heart stopped when she saw him reach into the bath, but she calmed down when she noticed he was just wetting a rag. Her eyes widened as he ran the rag along her front. He was… bathing her? But why? Wouldn't this be a servant's job? And hadn't she just been getting tortured?!

Lucy couldn't help but flinch as he applied ointment to the bruises and welts that had formed along her skin. She watched in awe as the marks nearly vanished completely, silently wondering if the ointment had a magical element to it. Once satisfied, Natsu returned the ointment to the cabinet and drained the bathwater. 

He dried Lucy's body with a fluffy towel, cringing at the way she flinched when he went to run his fingers through her hair to dry it with his magic. 

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said in a voice softer than Lucy had heard before. She decided to trust him, it wasn't like she had much of a choice anyway. 

She was finally able to appreciate the chamber. It was huge, probably the size of a 1 story house, and it had Lucy wondering just how big this castle was. 

The walls were white, but every piece of furniture was black and accented in red. There was a large TV across from the bed, and she couldn't help but assume they were the only things he used in this room, as they were the only things she hadn't noticed a layer of dust on. 

As she was set on the bed, Lucy felt like it would swallow her whole. It was huge, and could probably fit 6 of her. 

"Are you hungry?" Lucy's head snapped to the king at his question, and it took her a moment to realize what he'd just asked. 

"Uh...no. I'm just tired." Natsu nodded at her answer, glancing around the room for a moment before directly meeting her eyes for the first time since she'd entered the castle. 

"The ointment in the bath has that effect. You should get some rest." He gave her a small smile, and Lucy found herself thinking that the expression suited him much more than the stern one he'd had since she met him. 

She was tired, and she knew she should probably get some rest while she had the chance. She'd probably wake up back in the dungeon, ready for round 2 of her torture. Or maybe she'd wake up in her own bed from wherever she'd come from, and this would have all been a dream. Whatever, that was future Lucy's problem.