Chapter 25

It's been 2 weeks of preparing for the assassination attempt on a princess who was visiting from a different kingdom. Natsu was put on guard duty as his job was to make sure the princess would not get hurt or harmed.

Easy enough said as he would boil water before she drank it, melt spoons that had poison on them, and scare away murderous birds… this was all to much to try killing a girl, right?

"So princess… why does this assassin want you dead?"

*natsu asked as she sighed, the princess was pretty. She had beautiful red curly hair with freckles that complemented her beauty spots on her cheeks. Other then that she was very cute, only thing was she was 7 years old….*

"I don't know, father told me it's because he did something bad that got attention from his enemies… now they want to kill me, his only daughter, to get back at him.."

*the little girl explained coldly as she was forced to mature quick.. she hated the life of a princess… she did rather be a mage or a happy girl..*

"Ahh I see.. you remind me of my girlfriend you know?"

*natsu began making conversation with the girl as she took interest to the sudden change of topic*

"How? Is she a princess with a bad father too?"

*natsu laughed now as the little girl tilted her head wondering what's so funny.*

"Yes, she used to be a princess let's say that… but she ran away to join the fairy tail guild oneday.. she met me and ever since we have been best friends, until recently.. I had asked her out you see.."

*natsu scratch his cheek as he looked up. The girl was amazed and fascinated by his story, she wanted to know about her 'guard' father had arranged for her.*

"Wow! So did you marry the princess mister dragon?"

"Mister dragon???"

*natsu asked as the girl only catching the way she addressed him then about marrying lucy...*

"Take it as a nickname Mr. Dragon…"

"Ah.. okay.. but I did preferred the name natsu.. "

*natsu said as he was stil skeptical about being addressed as a dragon?*

"So? Do you have any kids with your princess you kidnapped?"

"Okay, hold it one damn second!"

*natsu now saw why she began calling him that, was she under the impression he had turned into a dragon and kidnapped lucy?!*

"What? So you don't have kids?.."

"Uhh!!? No! We don't! And! Aren't you too young to know about the baby stuff?"

*natsu asked as the princess shrugged.*

"I catch my dad sometimes kissing my mom or see them wrestle at night… I assume that's how babies are made because my mommy is pregnant again.."

*the princess explained as natsu sweatdropped, kids were scary..*

"Ah. I see… let's change the topic, why exactly am I wearing this?"

*natsu found himself in a Prince Charming outfit as the princess dressed as the princess.. they both were having tea as he sat in a small chair.. he doesn't exactly remember how he got here..*

"Because your the prince! And I'm the princess! We are discussing about your relationship with my potential rival!"

"Huh!!? Rival?!? What are you talking about now princess??"

*natsu felt like he was going in circles, was this what kids were when they are little?*

"Ugh!! You are so dumb! But.. you look cool when you use magic!! I decided that you will be my husband after I grow up! So that makes your girlfriend my rival!!"

*the little girl professed her innocent love as natsu spit his drink. He was enjoy the tea and cookies up till now.*

"What?! Um! No! First, your too young for me… Second! I already got proposed to by 'my' princess. And third, NO! That's just wrong! I only met you today and will be here until me or my friends catch your assassin.. so keep dreaming pipsqueak!"

*natsu finished off as the little girl pouted. Natsu couldn't help but laugh now as it was amazing how much she acted like Lucy..*

"Fine! I'll just have to marry Mr. Ice Prince.. at least he plays nice with me.."

*natsu felt a blood vessel pop out his forehead as he already knew who 'Mr. Ice Prince' was… what a good way to end their tea party..*

But just as their conversation stopped a arrow came flying through the window as it hit natsu in the arm. He yelled in pain as he pulled the table up to block himself and the princess from the shattered window the arrow had came through.

"Did I ever tell you, HOW ANGRY I AM ABOUT TAKING THIS STUPID JOB!! Really it's ridiculous they want a-"

*natsu stopped screaming as he kept the table up and saw now how the little girl looked terrified… all of her cocky attitude and temper had vanished as she stared at his bleeding arm with an arrow in it.*

"Hey.. don't be scared.. look.."

*natsu pulled out the arrow fast as he bit his lip to not let him slip a groan of pain. He smiled at the girl as he showed her how he heals himself by taking a small candle that was still lit up with a small flame and ate it.*

"See? Good as new! So don't be scared.. I'm not letting them get to you."

*natus patted her head as the girl began to grow watery tears in her eyes. She hugged natsu's waist as she cried softly*

"I like you so much Mr. Dragon… you are so brave and nice..*sniff sniff* your girlfriend is really lucky to have you.."

*natsu felt a sense of a little sibling as he patted the girls back to calm her down.. not long gray came running through the door as he came in to let natsu know the assassin had been captured.*

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The princess finished her visit as a representative for her father as she bid goodbye to natsu, gray and Erza. She had fun for the first time in a while as she enjoyed riling up natsu about she is a better marriage partner then his 'Lucy' he kept talking about.

After all the goodbyes, the team decided to head home early, but before that they decided to shop for some souvenirs.

Natsu went into one shop as he picked a pretty blue bow for Lucy he liked. A old woman looked from the distance as she smiled as him.

"Is that for your daughter?.."

*natsu thrown off by the question looked at the woman as he blushed.*

"No.. um, it's for my girlfriend.. I don't have kids yet.. do i really look like someone with kids though?"

*natsu was curious as to why the topic of kids kept popping up in his life. The woman chuckled as she slapped her hand gently at how silly she was*

"Oh my, is that so? I'm sorry for assuming, you look like you would be a caring father when the time comes.. so don't worry about what this old hag says.."

"Really? .. I never really thought as myself as a father before, I mean! I hatched a exceed before when I was a child.. but having a baby? Is parenting that hard?"

*the woman frowned a bit as she pained seeing the youngster already selling himself short on raising a child, she proceeded to go to the back of her shap as she went to go fetch for something that might stir him in a good way.*

The woman returned as she blew off some dust off a box as she opened it pulling out done tiny baby shoes from within.

"Here… I think these look cute for a baby girl or boy since they are a pretty yellow pair of baby shoes… why don't you hold onto these and think.. woukd parenting be that hard?"

*natsu felt nervous and a bit burden about he kept getting himself into these things, but forgot about his worries as he cupped the baby shoes in his hands. He stared in amazement how light they were and soft. He picked one up from his palm as he looked at the shoe in a new angle.. he had a warm expression on his face as he began attracting old woman and other woman who had entered the shop.. they stared and giggled at natsu who looked like a nervous new father who was buying baby shoes for his baby.*

"No… if I got to hold my child everyday, and see them smile.. it wouldn't be hard raising them.."

*natsu answered himself as he returned the pair of shoes back to the woman but she only shook her head as she pushed back the shoes into his hands.*

"Keep them, they are one of a kind and too precious for me to put a price on them.. just pay for your girlfriends bow and I wish for a blessed future for both of you.."

"Uhh.. thanks? I really appreciate it.. thank you again"

*natsu payed as he stuffed the bow in his pocket and carried out the small box with the baby shoes inside them out the shop. He was surprised to see a flood of women entering the shop after him oblivious that they only entered to see how cute he looked a while ago.*

"Oi! What took you so long! Your going to make us miss the train numbskull!"

*gray told natsu off as natsu finally got his souvenir to take back to Lucy.*

"Shut up Ice stripper! I was held up with some old lady alright!"

*natsu barked back as he carefully held onto the box away from gray.. who knows what he would do or say if he found out he had brought with him some baby shoes..*

"alright boys let's go home! And natsu.. please don't puke on the floor.."

*natsu went green as he was reminded about his doomed fate as he boarded the train. He asked Erza to punch his lights out as he fell unconscious on the seat, he clutched the box as he slept on their ride back.. he dreamed of what it would be like to come home just like this to see Lucy and his child.. he smiled in his dream as he wouldn't mind have a baby now..*