The air was musty with the scent of incense burning through his nose as he made his way through the marble structure of zeref's palace. The shackles around his wrists were little more than distractions for all the good it would do at stopping him; even if they managed to repress his magic he was still inhumanly strong. The mages flanking him on either side would pose more of a threat, but at this point they were serving as his escort to see the emperor. Natsu's sharp vision cut through the dim light and smoke, making a mental note of all the faces he saw hidden in the shadows, before his eyes focused on his true target.

Zeref lounged in his throne, expression bored; Natsu would have bought the act if he couldn't see the humor in his brother's eyes and smell the excitement coming off him and the others around him. He searched for Lucy but she wasn't there. Gritting his teeth Natsu breathed through his nose, exhaling smoke past his lips as he tried to keep his temper in check. At least until he knew his girl was safe. After that, all bets were off.

Zeref simply smirked, "Oh my dear little brother, come to play have you? Or is it that girl you're wanting to see?"

"Where is she, Zeref?" his voice was pitched low, gravel in his throat as he tried to lock onto Lucy's scent.

"Oh the delectable little thing will be down momentarily, I just had to put on a few finishing touches before she was ready for my court." Zeref's voice remained monotone, his boredom seeping through as he rested his chin in his hand. Relaxed, as if he wasn't about to get his head ripped from his shoulders. "Tell me Natsu, have you actually fucked her yet or were those images I saw in her head just her imagination?"

A growl tore through Natsu's throat before he could catch himself, lurching forward and dragging the two mages along with him as they tried to hold him back. "If you've hurt her I swear that not even the god that gave you immortality will be able to stop me from killing you." He heard the woosh of the steal lance coming down before he felt the weapon strike him across his back; It shattered on impact. As his rage built Natsu felt his leash on his magic relinquish, the cuffs around his wrists breaking like twigs as the heat began to rise.

Ripping the collar off his throat, the fire mage rotated his neck at the feel of freedom before settling his eyes on the dark wizard. His once brilliant emerald eyes now the color of tar, so full was his rage that not even the whites of his sclera showed anymore. He was pleased to note in some part of his brain that the scent of fear increased as his guards burned themselves trying to reign him in. His smile widened as the courtroom grew hot enough to melt, his incisors seeming to elongate as he shot towards the throne. Fist on fire as the palace burned around them, Natsu was nearly there until a flash of golden hair and the smell of sunshine and parchment invaded his nose. He stopped himself just shy of Lucy as she stood in defense of the black wizard.

"Lucy!" The overwhelming feeling of joy at seeing her alive and safe plummeted as he took her in. Her normally expressive mocha eyes were dull, no sparkle of mischief or laughter to be found. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, but it didn't hide the collar around her throat. The long flowing skirt settled around her legs, the golden bra glinting in the flames that were still burning around them. He had her dressed like a court whore and it made his vision turn red.

Natsu took a step back, observing the blonde as she moved closer to Zeref, the man's fingers twirling a strand of her hair. "Good job, my pet."

"Thank you master," The blonde responded in a monotone voice.

Natsu's rage increased even more as he witnessed Lucy under Zeref's control. He'd promised the blonde years ago that she'd never again be subjected to a man's will and here she was like a puppet on a string for a bastard that wouldn't fucking die. It's set the pinkettes pulse on fire to witness his beautiful girl like this.

"Lucy, fight this." He pleaded, "I know you can you're too fuckin' stubborn to let this bastard control you."

The blonde remained motionless, those dead eyes locked on him unseeing as Zeref continued to play with the golden curls falling down her back. It tore at his heart and felt like a knife to the gut to see her look at him without recognition.

"It's no use Natsu, the poison running through her veins gives me complete control over her, and the collar around her neck keeps her powers from fighting against it." Zeref hummed. "The true irony is that if you hadn't claimed her as your mate she never would have been targeted in the first place. But now I have a beautiful new slave to keep me company and once you're out of the way there won't be anything stopping me from doing whatever I like with her."

Natsu's snarl tore through the courtroom, the temperature of his body rising in response to his claimed being touched by another. The sand on the floor started turning to glass with the immense heat and he could smell the fear coming from their audience. If Zeref wanted a show for his court, he'd give him one.

Zeref merely chuckled and snapped his fingers. In a flurry of silk and chiffon Lucy came at him with her Scorpio swords drawn; graceful in her attempts to behead him. Natsu dodged, accustomed enough to Lucy's fighting style to know her weaknesses, not that it would do him any good in the long run because he'd die before hurting her.

She was fast, slicing centimeters from his face as she danced in an out if range. Natsu continued to dodge, trying to figure out a way to make it passed her to Zeref without hurting his mate.

Then he noticed it, the slight hesitation of every swipe at him that could only be caught with enhanced eyesight like his. She was fighting the control as best she could, and he kicked himself for not realizing sooner. The same bond that stopped him from hurting her also stopped her from hurting him. No matter that she couldn't fight Zeref's control, the mating bond wouldn't allow harm to come to her dragon.

A vicious growl ripped its way from Natsu's chest as he recognized his opening. Dodging her attack, Natsu was able to get behind his little mate. One strong arm curling around her waist, the other hand wrapping around the collar at her throat as he held her imobile. She struggled in his arms, as he steadily let the heat of his body rise, his fanged grin close to her neck as he whispered in her ear. The deep, raspy voice she loved so much burning through the haze of Zeref's mind control. She could feel the heat of his magic burning through the poison in her body as her memory came back and with it control of her being. Her body relaxed into her dragon as she wrapped her hands around his and with one final tug the collar constricting her throat gave way and the haze went away completely.

Natsu's lips descended on her throat his fangs scraping across the mark on her neck and sending shivers down her spine. That smokey voice of his resonating in her ear as he ground his hips into her ass, the hardness of his cock making her breath catch in her throat. Natsu chuckled, hand tightening minutely around her throat, "You're in so much trouble when we get home, princess."

"Promise?" She whispered back, catching sight of his emerald eyes before they turned black again.

"As soon as I take care of this fucker."

"You're delusional if you think you're taking him on without me," She hissed.

Natsu thought to argue before he saw the rage in her eyes, that spark of fire that had been missing while she was under another man's control and he smiled an evil smile. Zeref may not be able to die, but he will wish he could by the time his mate was done with him. The thought probably shouldn't have turned the dragon slayer on so much, but he couldn't bring himself to care as the two shared a telling look before descending on the dead man walking.