Chapter 10

***Trigger-Warning!*** Infertility issues may bring up unwanted memories please remember this is fiction and not meant to hurt you or anyone near you! If you are able to finish the chapter you will see I tried to down play it as this IS a fanfiction. I hope you all enjoy the story as it is written.

Lucy's POV

It has been several days since our day alone at the hotel. For some reason neither of us felt the burning need for sex as we had up until then. We did have sex but it was on a much more normal level, I think? We went about our days and nights we would just cuddle into each other's arms. Baths together became an almost needed relaxation at the end of each day. It was a nice time to just relax into each other's arms as we let the stresses of the day soak away. 

We had been going around sightseeing, playing games and generally helping people here and there and it was finally our last day. Tomorrow we will board the train to go home. But today was the gratitude ceremony to the Star Dragon. 

Honestly, I'm really excited, all the places we had been to on this trip and we never got to go see the life size statue of the Star Dragon. The mayor just kept showing up out of nowhere and taking us to some other attraction or activity that was ONLY going on at that moment. It was exhausting. 

Natsu and I were dressed and I was currently getting my farewell morning kiss. It had become a bit of a routine that before we left the hotel we would give each other one really good kiss before walking out, like we were just good friends and not lovers once we left. I hate this part it means I can't kiss him again until tonight. As much as the fire in us had gone down I still don't like not being able to touch him. 

When I mentioned it to Natsu he laughed a little and told me, "It's just because we are still newly mated. It will relax after a few more months." I just wanted him to hold me! We could lay in bed all day fully clothed even if he would just hold me. The feel of his arms around me soothed my very soul. 

Then there was all the time we spent training. That was not a lie. We had been going out every day and he would put me through the paces. I was battered and bruised all over from how often I fell from the tree tops, which is where Natsu said was the best place for training. There was a couple times that I didn't know if I would be able to get back up and then Natsu would set me on fire, not to hurt me mind you, but to heal me. Turns out not only can I eat fire now, except my own, his fire is like a spa treatment to me. Apparently my fire does the same to him because he will moan so loud it would remind me of our sex induced exhaustion.

Natsu and I share our daily morning farewell kiss before leaving the room. It had become a bit of a routine because once we leave the room we will behave as if we are nothing but good friends. His kiss is deep and sweet. I think of all the things we have done since we came here. All the sightseeing and different kinds of food we have tried. 

Then there was all the training I have had to endure too because it was not a lie. Natsu has been taking me out training every single day and I felt like I was covered in bruises most of the time we had been here. To be fair Natsu always healed me right away coating me in his rich flames. As it turns out, not only can I eat fire now, except for his and my own of course, his fire feels like a spa treatment and if Natsu's moans say anything I would say my flames feel just as good to him. 

We were ready for the candle lighting; we were dressed in their ceremonial garb, I was wearing something like a strapless gold bikini with gold stones hanging from beaded threads that covered most of my stomach. The skirt I was wearing was like an oversized beach towel wrapped too many times around my middle but then it flowed out about my legs stopping about mid calf. Then I was wearing a sting of gold stones on both my wrists and ankles. Natsu however has been given a gold vest to wear and he had been given a pair of pants that were almost identical to his regular ones except they had strings of gold stones hanging from the waist overlapping over the white of his pants. He was also wearing the same bracelets and anklets as I was.

The sweet kiss ended far to quickly and we pulled away from each other and left the room. We met the mayor at the front desk.

Natsu's POV

We had met the mayor at the front desk. Damn Luce looked amazing, how in the fuck am I supposed to keep my hands off her while she is dressed like that? She looked like a belly dancer! Don't get me wrong I just want to hold her. To feel her warmth in my arms as I buried my nose into her silky hair.

I see Lucy turn towards me and twirl herself around, "What do you think?"

"Uh... What?" I hadn't been paying attention, I was too caught up in my thoughts of holding my beautiful mate in my arms and never letting go.

Luce smiled like she understood, "The mayor wanted to know if we would light the candles during the ceremony? Apparently it's the last thing before the festival is complete. He also said we would be able to leave as soon as it was done the train was all ready for us." 

Thank you Mavis! I wanted to scream finally going home, that meant that we would be able to tell our friends about us and finally stop hiding it from the world. "Sounds great Luce, I'm all fired up!" I slung an arm around her neck the small contact soothing me. "Can't wait to see everyone, it feels like we have been gone forever!" 

Lucy nods at this and the mayor jumps in, "Great we just need to put on the headdress and get you two to light the candles!" I want to groan, more weird clothes? But I stay silent as hard as it was to do, I still did it.

Lucy's POV

Natsu and I are walking down this long path together, in line with the procession of others who would attempt to light the candles, we were the last ones. When we were finally in front of the dragon statue I saw that it appeared to be carved from pearl despite it's huge size and the statue was positioned to look down between it's claws where we were standing. 

'Why do you hide the fact you are mated?' The voice seemingly from nowhere asked as I looked around us trying to figure out who said it and how they could possibly know that.

'Little one it was I the Star Dragon, Celeste, who spoke to you.' I hear her almost dainty laugh, dainty for a dragon at least.

"Hello I am Lucy," I introduce myself.

"Hi I am Natsu," I hear Natsu introduce himself.

'Hello dear ones,' We hear her dainty laugh jingle again. 

"How are you talking to us?" Natsu asked and I nodded my head in agreement hoping that we were not being rude. 

Her jingling laugh echoed again before she spoke, 'My dear I am always talking they are simply unable to hear me like you are.' 

"How can we hear you then?" I ask and quickly added, "I'm not trying to be rude, I'm so sorry."

'Your not my dear it is nice to have people respond to my words for once. Only true dragon slayers may hear me. Ones raised by dragons or their mates. So why are you hiding it?'

"Well we want to tell our friends and family first and not let anyone else tell them first!" Natsu answered her. 

'I see so it's because others will tell your loved ones instead of yourselves then. I suppose I can respect the desire to tell those close to you first before just anyone.' Celeste seemed to be musing out loud. 

I can't help but stare at her, "Are you stuck? Can we help you?" I waited for her answer not sure if we could or should help her. 

Her boisterous laugh reverberated around us; it should have scared us, I know it should have. But it didn't if anything it only relaxed us and we laughed a little ourselves. 'No my dear if you unlock this stone around me I will simply die of old age,' her laughter died down to a humorous chuckle. 'I enjoy just being able to watch the townspeople all day everyday talking and singing along and every year this festival is the highlight of the year. But thank you dear,' her soft voice softened as she spoke. 

"It was so nice to meet you Celeste shall we try to light your candle now?" I ask her ready to do as I was asking. 

'You can try but I will blow it out. Once the candle is lit the stone will break away and I will die. So instead I blow it out every year," Her words broke my heart. I looked at Natsu and he nodded we walked forward and extinguished the flames ourselves and bowed like the others before us. Before we could walk away she called out to us, 'Wait!' We stopped and turned back to her Natsu and I could hear the mummers from the crowd we had spent far to long up there than any of the others. 

'Can you two come back here please stand about two steps closer than before though,' Her voice was sweet and we turned to do as she asked. A golden light surrounded us as we heard the once whispered voices from the crowd turn to gasps and exclamations. 

The light made a magic circle glowing even in the now mid-afternoon light. I looked towards Natsu and see that his body was glowing as well. I look down to see myself, my very skin glimmered in the golden glitter as if I were made of stardust. I looked up at Celeste to see the eyes of the statue glow the same golden color as Natsu and I. I breathe in deeply feeling as if the stars themselves were filling my being. When I opened my eyes again I found that it was now late at night and Natsu and I were still glowing in front of the statue. 

"Celeste?" I asked out loud.

'My dear your love and compassion is to tender for me not to admire. I have blessed you both with Celestial Dragon Slayer magic. Just like the Fire Dragon Slayer magic you can eat the light of the stars during the night as well as the sunlight during the day. Always know that you will never go hungry,' Her voice became sad now. 'I'm afraid that it does come at a cost though. You will not be able to bare children, this year's mating season will pass you unscathed. However next year everything will be back to normal and you will be able to conceive.' Tears filled my eyes and I felt arms around me. I looked back to see Natsu holding me. 

"We understand and accept your food. After all we can wait one year I think," Natsu asked holding me tight in his arms. I curl up burying my face in his shoulder nodding my head trying to hide my tears. I know it will be better to wait a year but I somehow felt like something precious had just been taken from me. 

Natsu picked me up bridal style and carried me back down the same way we had come. The people of the town still surrounding us but parting out of the way as he walked. I can still see the shining gold glowing from our skin but I ignore it. I listen to the awed voices of the crowd as we headed back to the train our bags having already been packed and boarded ahead of us. 

"Let's go home Luce," Natsu's voice was tight as he slowly walked holding me as I cried into his vest. My tears flowing down my face as my heart felt like it was squeezing the very life out of me. Mating season would have started in just a week, two at most. Now we would have to wait a whole year before we could even try now. My grief was unreal as my very being throbbed, my very sense of self crying as well. I could feel the pain radiating from Natsu as if it mirrored my own. 

'My dearest slayers please do not cry, it is only postponed until next year the very same child will be born as if you would have had them this year,' I could hear Celeste call to us. 'You will gain many new abilities as well as being able to speak with me anytime from anywhere, you just have to think of me and I will answer.' 

"Thank you," I whisper slightly relieved somehow as I felt the tightness in Natsu's body relax as well. 

'Your very welcome my dear ones,' She responded before I felt her voice fade from us. 

"I want to go home, Natsu," I said and he nodded his head holding me closer as I buried my face in his neck no longer caring what others thought we were to each other. 

"Did you see that? They spent hours standing there glowing like stars!" "Do you think the Star Dragon blessed them?" "They must be super powerful to have gained a blessing from our guardian!" The town's people wouldn't stop talking amongst themselves. I tried to block them out but I couldn't. 

"They don't know we can hear them, they don't mean to frighten us, Luce." I heard Natsu's voice tight as it had been now a gentle sigh. "You eventually get used to it, as well as hearing people breathe and their very heartbeats. I know it's a lot to take in but it seems Celeste heightened our senses even more than before." I nod only managing not to cry by focusing on his heartbeat and breathing. Everything was so loud. 

We finally make it to the train the conductors part ways giving us the two smoothies and we downed them without tasting them. Natsu picked me up again, my legs still weak. I start to giggle to myself, "I wonder if we will ever stop glowing?" I feel myself growing hysterical even as I tried to calm myself. The conductors stared at me shocked. 

'It will only last through mating season my dear afterwards it will fade away,' I nod and Natsu sets me down on the couch.

"Can you bring us some food we are starving?" his voice hollow as he asked the conductors behind him before grabbing two pairs of glasses and a stack of books which I saw had been completely replaced from the ones from before. 

"Of course, sir!" The men ran out of the car sealing it behind them. I felt the sickening lurch as we moved forward and the food appeared on the table just as it had before. Natsu and I ate until we were full and began reading the books cuddled into each other's arms. As bland and boring as it may have seemed it was exactly what we needed. We spent the whole ride home like that. When three days had passed without incident we readied our bags and when the train came to a halt we disembarked. The things we had learned leaving a hollow feeling within the pit of our stomachs. But I don't think she meant to lie to us.