So I have zero idea on what to call this besides the "Monarchy AU that nobody asked for", so you know what, that's what it's getting called! Although the name isn't quite as fitting anymore because there are already people on tumblr who've told me as much, haha

These are just going to be random interjections, not even in chronological order. I've got two pieces done for this AU, and am working on a third. Dunno how many I'll end up writing. I'll probably go ahead and put this on "complete", since it's not like the random pieces are leaving any cliffhangers.

Natsu huffily stomped along the carpeted hallway to his father's study. He'd already retired for the night! Lucy was trying to tell him something, and it seemed important! But no, his dad just had to insist on fetching for him!

"Father, whad'ya want? What did I do wrong now?" Natsu whined as he slammed the door open.

Igneel chuckled. "Well now that you mention it, you missed meetings with both the Minister of Wealth and the High Priest," he teased his newly crowned son. "But that's not what I needed to talk to you about right now."

Natsu cocked his head, curious, but still impatient.

"The thing is, you've recently been crowned king, you've been married for almost a year now, and the people are getting just a bit… Anxious."

"Anxious? About what? I thought the people liked me, an' liked Lucy! Well if they don't like her, I don't care-"

Igneel gave a hearty laugh, interrupting what was about to become his son's rant. "No, nothing like that, our people still adore Lucy. Which is probably why they're all the more eager for the announcement of an heir."

"An heir!? What do they want an heir for!? I'm not gonna be dying anytime soon!"

Igneel chuckled again. "No, but you two are getting to the age when there's usually a child or two on the way…"

Natsu scoffed. "We just haven't talked about having any yet…"

Igneel took a drink out of the glass in front of him and was silent for a moment. "Well, this really isn't anyone's business but your own, I suppose, but Grandine can't help but feel nervous, as well."

"What, just 'cause we haven't popped out a baby yet?"

"Well, yeah," Igneel responded, a hint of laughter still on his lips. "Because we know how much you've 'consummated', and it's well enough that the odds of bearing a child are pretty high."

Natsu flushed. "I mean, we just- Like I said, Lucy and I haven't spoken of having kids yet…"

"Your mother is just worried that perhaps Lucy, or even maybe you, well… Aren't able to have children. Infertile. She thought it would be a good idea for you two to check in with Porlyusica about that."

"Well, we've been… Avoiding pregnancy, to be honest, Dad." Natsu scratched the back of his neck nervously. "We try to... not do it during that part of the month, you know, and Lucy's been taking that herbal stuff they made to… Prevent that."

Igneel was silent as he stared at his son.

"And- it's not that I don't want kids! Quite the opposite, I'd love it if I went back to our chambers and Lucy told me we had a baby on the way! But… I dunno, I just didn't wanna push her, I guess?"

Igneel took another drink. "Well, as I said, having a family is your own business, as much as we'd love some grandkids sometime soon. It's not like not having an heir will ruin the kingdom, you do have your sister and cousins who are all perfectly capable of continuing the Dragneel lineage. Grandine just insisted I share our concerns. As long as you're sure you're fine, I'll drop it."

Natsu nodded. "Are we done now? I can't say I fancy being questioned about why I haven't knocked my wife up yet…"

Igneel laughed again. "We're done with that discussion, yes." Natsu moved to leave, but was interrupted by his father talking once more. "Now, about those meetings you missed…"

oOo

Natsu groaned as he collapsed on his bed next to his wife. Lucy stirred next to him and cuddled into his side. "You were gone so long, I almost fell asleep," she mumbled teasingly.

Natsu wrapped an arm under and around her. "You could've, you know. You didn't have to wait for me."

"Well I didn't get to tell you my news yet!" she cried indignantly as she leaned up on an elbow.

"And your news was too important to just tell me in the morning?" Natsu teased, playing with a lock of hair that tickled his cheek as she leaned over him.

"I'd certainly say so!" Lucy puffed her cheeks out in annoyance. "But first, what happened with Igneel? You seemed frustrated when you came in."

"Not frustrated, just tired." He pulled Lucy to lay on his chest. "The tail end of it was just more scolding for shirking some of my duties-"

"What did you miss?" she asked with disapprovement in her voice.

"Oh, just some dumb meetings early this afternoon."

Lucy didn't miss the cheeky smirk on his face as he admitted it and glared at him accusingly.

"Early this afternoo-" Lucy flushed as she remembered just what - or perhaps the better word was who - he'd been doing then. "Natsu Dragneel, you didn't! You told me you were done for the time being!" Natsu just snickered some more, so Lucy whacked him with a pillow.

"Well, anyway, that was just the last thing we talked about. Apparently the main reason he called me in was because they're - er, he, Mom, and the people - are worried that we haven't had a baby yet. You know, an heir." Natsu continued tangling his fingers in that same lock of hair and he saw her eyes widen a bit.

"Well…" Lucy's expression was unreadable. "What did you tell him?"

"Basically just that we hadn't talked about it yet?"

"Hm…" Lucy used her fingers to trace along his face. "And what'd he say?"

"Nothing much, although he did tease that he wanted some grandkids," Natsu laughed.

"Well tomorrow, I want you to tell him something else," she replied, a smile on her face.

Natsu stared at her in confusion. "What's that?"

"That they don't have to worry about not having an heir anymore."

Natsu was still confused. And what was with that weird smile on her face? "O… kay?"

Lucy giggled at her husband's obliviousness. "Natsu, I'm pregnant."

"You're pregnan- you're pregnant!?" Natsu sat up in surprise and would've thrown Lucy off his chest had he not caught her in his arms. "You're pregnant!?"

Lucy smiled brightly. "As far as I can tell, yes."

"You're pregnant!" he shouted excitedly. Lucy laughed at his shock. Apparently he'd been rendered unable to say anything else.

"Yes, you, your Royal Majesty, King Natsu Dragneel of Ignis, have made a baby with your wife, Queen Lucy Dragneel."

"Luce, this is- I just-" Natsu pulled her face to his and kissed her fiercely, a kiss Lucy returned eagerly. "You're pregnant! We're having a child!"

"Yes, we are!" she squealed excitedly. "We're starting our family!"

They met each other for another kiss, but the big grins on their faces made it hard to deepen it. Natsu pulled back and was surprised to see tears filling his wife's eyes.

"What's the matter!?"

"Nothing, nothing!" she insisted, wiping at her cheeks while still grinning. "We're really having a baby!"

Another wave of shock and happiness swept over Natsu and he kissed her again, rolling them so they were laying down again, him on top of her.

"Think I can get another one in there?" he asked with a joyous laugh, kissing her cheeks and moving towards her neck.

"I'm not sure that's how it works, Natsu," she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. "But you can certainly try."

Thank you for reading!