Chapter 39

Natsu's POV 

Layla was beautiful, I never got tired of watching my mate play with her or just simply taking care of her. Luna and Igneel loved playing with her too. Melody, Nashi and Luke having found mates of their own were already preparing for their own to hatch. I'm going to be a Grandpa and that is scary. Someone is going to be calling me gramps. I shudder at the thought. 

I look back at Lucy and Layla who had fallen asleep on the couch. Layla was about six Earthland years old now. I couldn't help staring at them as they slept. Finally I stand up and take Layla to her room. She loved pink just as much as her mother. Her room had a blue carpet but a large pink rug on top of it. I remember offering to change the carpet just to have her look at me horrified at such a thought. 

"But I like it like this!" She whined. I held up my hands in surrender and smiled. She is just as weird as Luce. Time continues to just fly by us. It was scary to say the least and when it was all said and done Melody and her mate decided to stay on Earthland at the Pietra castle. They seemed to love it there and I didn't have the heart to tell her no. I did tell her that she was welcome home anytime at all and it was never too late to change her mind. 

With her in Pietra's capital it has been much easier to get the locations of all of the dragons. And Troy was now one of her advisers, which helped because she already knew the location of a bunch of dragons. The red dragon by the castle was not Igneel but it turned out to be a cousin of his. Her name was Agni and she was a fire dragon as well. We were able to bring many dragons into the Dragon Realm healing them and freeing them, they all bowed to Luce and I but the excitement of seeing my dad again had gotten my hopes up. 

I was playing with Layla in the garden when the gate opened and Gajeel, Sting and Rogue walked through carrying yet another dragon statue. I called for Luce using our bond and she quickly came to our side. Hell she arrived before they could set the dragon down. 

"Hello, we are the current Dragon Queen and King. My name is Lucy and this is my husband Natsu Dragneel. We welcome you to the Dragon Realm of Fairy Tail." Lucy started the greetings before the slayers could move out of the way. 

"Natsu? A King? How long ago did I die?" I heard the dragon laugh a deep and hearty laugh. My breath caught in my throat and Gajeel erases the ink that had shrunk him. 

His bright red scales visible even under the stone grey coating that had frozen him in place. There before me stood the stone statue of my father Igneel. "Igneel?" I asked my breath hitching and my voice broke. 

"Dad is everything alright?" my little Igneel asked having just arrived with Luna. 

"Iggy," I smile. I just can't stop beaming at him. "Go get all of your sisters and brothers now. I'll get Melody!" I boom laughing. I pull out the device to call Melody. 

"Dad?" Melody's voice rang clearly. 

"I need you home now how soon can you be here?" I asked her my excitement mixing with nervousness now. 

"We were actually about to walk into the gateway now. Is everything alright?" she asked clearly confused. 

"Just hurry to the palace gardens! You don't want to be late!" I sang before hanging up, still beaming. I looked at Luce who was smiling just as much as I was. She knew, Oh Mavis she knew!

"Dad? When did you become a dad and also, Iggy?" Igneel asked both confused and somewhat happy. I could only nod laughing to hard to actually answer, as tears streamed down my face. 

It wasn't long before all of my children arrived including Happy as well as their mates with my grandchildren. I cough clearing my throat. "Introductions! Oldest to youngest the Dragneels! Happy, Melody, Nashi, Luke, Luna, Igneel, and Layla. My 7 children and my grandchildren!" I listed them off as well as the oldest was around five Earthland years old. 

I looked up at the dragon before meeting each of the Dragneel's faces, "This is your Grandfather Igneel Dragneel!" 

"NO WAY!" My kids exclaimed, I couldn't help the look of pride on my face as they all yelled and shouted at me. Luce just smiled tenderly at me before walking over and kissing me gently. I couldn't help wrapping my arms around her as she did. 

"Dad." I whisper my children's voices faded as they waited to hear what would be said between us. I looked at the terrifying stone creature before me unable to not see the kind gentle dragon who raised me. Tears spill from my eyes again as Luce hugged me. 

"Oi, are you going to introduce your mate or not?" Igneel chuckled a bit uncomfortable seeing me cry. 

I smile, "Of course but we were going to free you first." I waved a finger in the air and all of my kids circled him while my grandkids watched with eyes wide open. We roared our fire on him drenching him in our flames and celestial magic as Igneel remained quiet. My own roar containing both fire and celestial and soon enough Luce's fire quit so she could cast the incantation. The fire and starlight swirled around my father reaching into the heavens above after impacting his still form. 

After Luce was done reciting the incantation she started roaring again her own celestial and fire mixing with mine before multiplying the impact. It wasn't long before the stone started to crack and break away leaving Igneel and his blood red scales standing in the middle. The kids started to stop one after the other as they slowly ran out of either magic or energy or both. Luce and I were the last two holding on and Igneel just took it. 

It wasn't until I saw him stagger back a step that I finally released my magic letting Luce know to do the same. I looked at my father standing before me healthy and alive again as he yawned and stretched finally free of his stone prison. 

"Cousin!" Agni called out pouncing on Igneel before he could get a word in. 

"Hahahahhah!" Celeste laughed at the sight before looking down at us. "This is Natsu's father? I see where he gets his childish nature from." Celeste laughed again. Making Luce and our kids laugh along with her. 

"Grandma?" Layla called out seemingly concerned when Celeste looked down at her. "Is he really the Grandfather that Iggy was named after?" she asked I frowned, I literally just told her that. She looked at me and I saw an evil grin flash across her face telling me she was up to no good. I smile and nod giving my permission, whatever she had in mind was going to be good and I couldn't wait to see what it was. 

"Well yes, Layla. He is Igneel, the Fire Dragon King." Celeste froze realizing what she had just said. She just announced that there were two King of the dragons. She looked back and forth between Igneel and me before stepping back cautiously. The other dragons and dragon slayers who had gathered around following her example. 

"King." Is all I said, not a question, not a demand, not even really a statement. Just the word itself feeling as it rolled around on my tongue. 

Igneel nodded giving a toothy grin as he did. "You know I was the King for over 400 years almost 5 really." Igneel boasted as he stretched out his claws and neck. 

I laughed which only caused him to glare at me a little, "I have been King for over 500 years, almost 550." I start stretching myself. Pulling at my arms and legs making sure nothing was stiff. 

"You're not even that old Natsu." Igneel huffed only to hear Lucy's beautiful laugh chime in the air like crystals. 

"Oh we are well older than you think, we do not age here in the dragon realm and time moves a lot faster here than on Earthland." I couldn't help the purr I let out at the sound of her voice. "You two have fun but Natsu take him to one of the fire islands so you don't destroy everything while you play. Melody I have been waiting on your report of how Pietra has been progressing and whether or not we should grant them full citizenship in Fairy Tail or not. Happy you had better have an actual report on the fisheries of Fairy Tail and Nashi and Luke really? You're late again, you two are over 500 years old and you're still toying around with your reports. I understand you both have given me grandbabies that is not an excuse to skip out on your work!" Once Luce started she just kept on going. They each gave me hugs before running off to do their task before Lucy really got on to them. 

I wave for Igneel to follow me and I cast celestial wings jumping into the air leading the way to our battle ground. I couldn't help smiling at the thought of finally spending time with him without the world possibly ending breathing down either of our backs. We could just be us and that in itself was amazing. 

Lucy's POV

I watched as Natsu and Igneel disappeared into the distance before turning back to Melody. She handed me a report and then started giving me the verbal. Long story short all of the dragon statues in Pietra have now been recovered and freed. She spoke of her time in Pietra and how much she liked being able to rule it even as a figurehead in our place. I couldn't help smiling. So long as she wanted to remain in Pietra she could. Pietra is a part of Fairy Tail now but we still talk about it like it's not. Old habits I guess. 

Natsu and I have discussed the possibility of just letting our kids take turns ruling the country and then if they wish it our grandchildren. That way they could be King and Queens in their own right until they retire back here.

I could already hear Natsu and Igneel fight and many of the the palace guards and workers could as well judging based on the way they flinched every so often. I can't help smiling to myself, Natsu can finally be happy our family is now all together. We might not be done having kids yet or grandkids for that matter. I think to myself remembering the first time Crystal, my first granddaughter, called me Nana. But we are together at long last. 

'I love you Natsu!' I tell him through our bond. 

"Love you too Luce!" He yelled for all to hear. Yes our family is now together and life can't be more perfect than it is now. 

The End.