i really had a thing for medieval!aus two years ago apparently. still not over it, but that's irrelevant.

{ quiet moments in the castle }

;;

"Sir, I need a new job."

"What's the problem with your current one?"

"It... I'm not cut out for this guard business."

"Nonsense! Look, boy, if this is just about me stroking your ego or something, I assure you, you're an excellent watchman for my daughter—"

"No, sir, I'm not. I... I would be more comfortable on the front lines, sir." The boy shuffles his feet, shifting uncomfortably. Rather than meeting Jude's gaze straight on, he glares sullenly at the king's feet. "Not much of a defender, me."

"Natsu, I'm telling you, you're perfect for the job. What the hell brought this on?"

"I can't do my job well, sir."

"That's not it, boy. You're lying through your teeth."

His head snaps up, eyes wide. "I'm not! I-I can't complete the criteria for guarding Lu— your daughter."

Jude scrutinises the youth. "Why not?"

Natsu pauses for a long moment, not knowing how to answer. "It... I just can't."

"Elaborate."

"Can't, sir."

"Why not?"

He scowls at the ground. "You'll fire me if I do."

"Damn it, boy, just spit it out!"

"You—..." Natsu lets out a heavy sigh. "You told me to... protect Lucy."

"And you've done a damn brilliant job of it so far, Dragon Slayer."

"You told me to... t-to protect her with my life. To hold her safety above everything, even her will."

"Yes. Yes, I did."

"You told me be wary, sir. To keep my distance."

Jude's eyes narrow. "You're speaking in riddles, boy. Be clear."

"You told me not to..." Natsu glares at the floor, his cheeks darkening, and utters the words as if he has to wrench them through gritted teeth. "Not to fall in love with her."

Jude's eyes widen at the revelation; he watches Natsu carefully. "And you've failed." It's more of a statement than a question.

"N-no, sir!" Natsu looks up at him with round eyes, shaking his head vehemently as he rambles, "Of course not! Gray was just saying that I should— I mean, not that I could, because I won't! I just— He was teasing me, I know I shouldn't take it seriously but..." He takes a deep breath, his fists clenching at his sides. "This whole mating stuff for Dragon Slayers... I don't know. To be on the safe side, I feel I should leave. It's... for the best. The princess has her responsibilities, and to get in the way of tha— A-And besides, I—" His scowl deepens. "I'm not a coward. I will carry out my duty, sir. I'm loyal to my guild and country."

Jude is quiet for the longest time before sighing deeply. "That you are, if nothing else." He scrutinises Natsu with a piercing stare. "So you fear you're in danger of falling in love with my daughter?"

He can tell it takes all of Natsu's effort to not run from the room. The tension radiates from youth as if every fibre of his being is desperately fighting to run from the throne room, to just get out of there, to not talk about this — but the boy grits his teeth, draws his shoulders back, and stands his ground. "It's... kind of plausible. Maybe. In some other reality, I mean, you know. I guess." He makes an uncomfortable noise in the back of his throat.

Natsu nearly jumps out of his skin when Jude startles him by bursting into a raucous round of laughter. It echoes around the vast room and it takes a whole minute for the king to regain enough composure to stop chuckling. The dragon slayer stares at the older man incredulously.

"Go, Natsu. Go guard my daughter," Jude says, wiping a tear from his eye with a grin. "You aren't permitted to leave, you'll stick to the job you've been given."

Natsu's jaw drops. "W-What!?"

"Leave, Dragon Slayer. She needs protecting, doesn't she?"

"B-but sir—"

"Don't argue with me, boy! Leave! Go fulfil your duty!"

Looking like it's the last thing in the world he wants to do, Natsu forces his muscles to move. He grates out a frustrated, "Fine," and painstakingly makes his way to the large doors at the end of the throne room. "I'll just have to try harder."

Only when the clanging echoes from the slamming door die out does Jude let the suppressed smile rise back to his lips. From behind the throne steps a young mage. His eyes are round in wonder, the pointed hat on his head crooked and leaning to the left. "Your M-Majesty," he falters. "Y-you... The Dragon Slayer was telling the truth. I can see it with my inner eyes, Sire. He believed what he said with his whole heart."

"Yes, yes, that's true." Jude chuckles deeply in his throat. "But it's a lie nonetheless."

The mage blinks in confusion. "With all due respect, Your Highness, it... it can't be. Honesty magic has never failed me, it's always—"

"No, the magic is as true as ever," Jude explains. "Natsu really does believe what he was saying, but..." Jude chuckles again; it's a hearty sound that seems to warm the throne room. "Even I was a boy once, a long time ago, and boys never change. I've seen many a fine lad come and go in this old castle. I know what's going through their minds, and I know what's going through their hearts." He points at the door Natsu left through. "And at his age, no boy would even consider the word 'love' unless it was far too late for them to do anything about it."

The young mage's eyes widen further. "Sire, you— you mean..."

"Oh, yes," Jude grins wickedly. "He may not know it yet, but that little Dragon Slayer has already fallen, and he's fallen hard." Jude chuckles to himself again. "Usually, fathers have to try their best to keep their daughters away from boys, but... well, Lucy's stubborn, Natsu's clueless, and they're both so damn obvious about it that it's almost painful to watch. It's absurd how the kid can't see it for himself. Oh, but he's about to have his eyes opened, that's for sure..."

"He is, Sire?" The mage gulps, half-wishing he hadn't asked.

King Jude flashes him a devilish smirk. "You would be surprised at the lengths a man will go to protect the girl he loves." His smirk widens. "And when that man is as reckless as Natsu and that girl is as wild as Lucy... Oh, boy." Shaking his head, the king sits back in his throne, chuckling lightly. "I doubt we'll have a single quiet moment in this castle for a long time yet."

.

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edit: thank you for all your lovely requests, but i won't be writing a second chapter. i have ideas for a multichap spinoff which i might get to at some point, but this is it for now! ^^