It had been fifteen years since the meeting of the princess and the dragon. The king had fallen ill in his old age and had not much time to live. His daughter, Princess Lucy, still flew with the dragon boy, Natsu, every night that he came to visit her and he had missed not one night in the fifteen years they had known each other. They had grown very close since that Summer night and Natsu had even mastered his transformation skill and now lived inside the castle town working as a blacksmith. But as the king had fallen sick, the surrounding kingdoms had begun to strengthen and mobilize their militaries in preparation for the battle for power over the region which would give them a multitude of resources. There was much unrest in the Heartfilia Kingdom though there were no riots yet. Natsu had been getting busier and busier as the king had given him the task of arming the Royal Guard and the military since he was the best smith in the land. His forged steel was stronger than any other smith's blade and could cleave shields like they were nothing. His shields could withstand attacks from even the strongest of men. His steel arrowheads could pierce multiple foes and the armor he forged was nigh impregnable. Anything he forged, it was the best in all of Fiore. His skill with a hammer and forge was unparalleled even for someone so young. The townspeople were uneasy but still trusted in their king to take actions to protect them even though he was ill.

"Lucy, my daughter. Come here, my child." The king spoke from his bed surrounded by advisors, doctors, and Natsu who Lucy personally asked to be allowed to visit.

"I'm here, father. What is it?" Lucy answered sitting by him. The king started hacking and coughing as he tried to speak until he drank a cup of water.

"My child, I am getting old. Look at me I'm not getting any better any time soon and by then I fear it will be too late. I can still command my kingdom but I fear for our people. I fear this war looming over the horizon. Most of all, Lucy, I fear I will die without your forgiveness." He said.

"Father, you don't have to-" Lucy tried to say but was cut off by a raise of the king's hand.

"All those years that I neglected you, all those years of me not being there for you after...after your mother died. I wasn't there for you. I sent tutors to teach you instead of myself. I sent a maid to look after you where I should have looked after you. I should have spent time with you every second I could. I should have tucked you in every night when you went to bed and I am so sorry I never did any of those things." Tears were rolling down his face now but he maintained his composure through it.

"Father, no it's okay. It's okay. I know how much you loved Mother and how much it must have hurt. You haven't had anybody to lean on for support for seventeen years." She replied.

"That's not true and you know it Lucy." Her father said gently. "I have always had someone to lean on. Ever since you came into this world I have. And even after I recovered from Layla's loss, I didn't know how to be there for you, Lucy. So I pushed you away. No self respecting father, much less a king should ever do that to his one and only daughter whom he loves. I don't want you to resent me for that. Even though you have every right to. My dear Lucy, please forgive me."

"Father," Lucy whispered tears beginning to flow. "I forgive you. You don't have to carry that burden anymore. You may not have been the best father, but you've been a great king. Even if you weren't a king, I wouldn't want anyone else to be my father but you. I love you." She said.

"That's all I needed to hear from you my sweet child. But there's one more thing you must do for me as well as this kingdom. We have at our disposal a vast army, many tacticians, and weapons forged by the best in all of Fiore who stands here with us. I believe you are already acquainted. Our army can win this war for us thanks to those incredible weapons and armor, Sir Dragneel." The king told them.

"My Lord, I'm not a knight." Natsu corrected.

"You are now, master blacksmith. Kneel before me. Lucy, help me up and hand me my sword." He commanded. Natsu knelt and the gilded sword of the Heartfilia line was given to the king who stood before Natsu and unsheathed it.

"Natsu Drganeel, with God as witness, do you solemnly swear to protect the citizens, the kingdom, and Lucy Heartfilia with all your might, even at the cost of your own life? To be honest, loyal and brave no matter what?" He asked.

"I swear it, my King." He replied saluting with his right fist over his heart.

"Then with God and these people as witness, I dub thee, Sir Natsu Dragneel the Blacksmith.

Arise, Sir Dragneel." He commanded.

"Thank you, my King." Natsu saluted again.

"As I was saying, Lucy, this kingdom is going to need a king. Since you are the heir to the throne, you will need to find a man who will rule justly, bring peace to Fiore, and will love the kingdom only second to you. " He said. Natsu and Lucy instinctively looked at each other at the mention of the last part and the king noticed this. He laid back down and scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm maybe you already found him?" He asked and then nearly hacked up a lung from laughing too hard. "Man that hurt. But it was surely worth it to see the looks on your faces! You could have put tomatoes to shame!" He tried to stifle a laugh at the glare he was getting from his daughter but she couldn't hold the glare because she knew he was right. Soon she was laughing followed by Natsu and the other advisors. After the laughter died down and the advisors had left, Lucy sat beside King Heartfilia.

"I love you, Father. I promise I will protect our kingdom." Lucy vowed.

"Me too, Your Majesty. This kingdom is the only place I have ever felt like I really belonged ever since my mother died and my dad disappeared. These people, your daughter, they are the only family I have left. My dad taught me before he left that family isn't something decided by blood but by choice and you protect them no matter the enemy be it against the kingdom or the world. I will protect her." Natsu vowed.

"How are you so confident, blacksmith? You are so young. You do not look like you have ever had sword training before even though you forge perfect weapons. How is it that you are so sure that even if the city was breached, you would be able to protect her? Out with it boy, death is knocking at my door and he waits for no man." The king said impatiently.

"Father! Don't speak like that." Lucy protested. She locked eyes with Natsu and then pointedly looked at his back and then back to his eyes. Natsu let his head drop in defeat knowing that if he didn't let the secret out, she would.

"Just..Don't die of shock Your Majesty." Natsu mumbled as he hesitated and then used his magic to show his wings. He stretched them out to their full span and pulled his sleeves up to show the scales that covered his arms up to his shoulders and his whole torso as well as his legs.

"You're a..A.." The king said shocked.

"A Dragon." Natsu answered.

To Be Continued