The dark figure standing over Erza was startled, and was only half turned around when Natsu hit him. The knight heard a groan as Erza's assailant slammed into the dresser by her bed, but that didn't stop him from delivering a vicious knee to Natsu's stomach. He staggered back slightly and the intruder kept on coming, throwing a sharp jab at Natsu's throat. An arm came up to knock the strike out of line and Natsu retaliated by headbutting the man in the nose. Dark blood spattered onto Natsu and the floor as the assailant howled in pain, clutching his now broken nose. Natsu took advantage of his opponent's distraction and swept the man's legs out from under him, sending him to the floor. The knight threw himself down on top of the man and wrapped an arm around his neck, attempting to strangle him. The man started to buck and heave, wildly trying to throw Natsu off of him. He grimly held on, though his exhaustion was making it difficult. Slowly, finally, his opponent stiffened and gave one final jerk before languidly relaxing. Natsu held on for another ten seconds, squeezing hard now that there was no resistance, just to make sure that the man was dead.

The exhausted pink haired man rolled away onto his back and lay there for a moment, chest heaving, letting energy seep back into his tired limbs. After what seemed like hours but was only two minutes Natsu heaved himself off the ground and found a lantern and matches, lighting them with practiced ease. He hung it on the wall and then trudged over to Erza, putting a hand an inch above her mouth and sighing in relief as her breath hit it, 'If she died after all the work I did saving her today…'

Natsu finally turned around and bent over, rolling the dead body over so that he could look at its face. The familiar face filled him with rage, "Jose Porla, I should have known."

He spat on the corpse and then rifled through the man's ever present purple jacket, finding the sealed envelope that he was looking for on the inside pocket. He quickly tucked that into his own pocket and turned to check Erza one last time. She was breathing normally although her face was pale from blood loss and when he placed a hand on her forehead, "No infection yet, we'll be sure in a few days though."

After his examination he left everything as it was and went out into the guard's common room closing the door behind him. Natsu went over to one of the couches and sat down on it crossing his legs, throwing an arm over the back of it and staring at the door. While waiting for his compatriots to get back from the bath Natsu idly thought, 'This is what an evil mastermind must feel like, waiting for his intended victims. Well, the guys aren't my intended victims… The metaphor doesn't really hold up.'

The thoughts that were distracting him from the core of rage deep in his breast were interrupted when Gray, Gajeel, and Elfman walked into the common room, freshly bathed and looking exhausted. They all looked surprised to see the pink haired knight covered in even more fresh blood and were even more surprised when he said, "Draw lots. One of you gets to guard the door to my room tonight."

The three groaned and Gajeel grunted, "Why?"

Natsu stood up and said, "Jose Porla is lying dead on my floor and I'd prefer the King's cleaners not remove his body before I can present it."

Gray paled and sat down heavily on a chair, blood rushed to Elfman's face and he started shaking in rage, Gajeel only grunted again, "What's the King's assassin doing dead on your floor."

Natsu's face twisted in a distasteful smile, "Erza is wounded and unconscious in there. The King didn't take too kindly to that fact and so Jose Porla showed up. I found him guilty of attempted murder and executed him."

Elfman burst out, "It is unmanly to send assassins in the middle of the night to kill a wounded warrior!"

Gray cut in, "I'm more worried about what Natsu is planning on doing. Did Porla have authorization?"

Natsu took the sealed envelope that he'd taken off of Porla's body out of his pocket and showed his friend's the wax seal, "It's the King's personal stamp. The wax is still a little warm, he must have signed it in the past few hours."

All three guards verified it and then Gray said quietly, "What are you going to do Natsu?"

The pink haired man tucked the envelope back into his pocket while saying, "I'm going to go find the King, put a sword to his throat, and ask him politely why he tried to kill Erza."

All three of the other men simultaneously snorted and Gajeel said, "That's a bald faced lie. You're going to shove that sword straight into his throat."

"Just for that you get to be the one to guard Erza and the body all night."

Gajeel made a rude gesture towards Natsu but left to go retrieve his weapon from the armory. Gray shook his head and chuckled, "You're either going to be a King or dead tomorrow Natsu."

The Guard Captain stretched his arms above his head and replied, "Nah, I'll make Lucy Queen."

Elfman shrugged, "Lucy is a real man! She would be a good queen."

Natsu walked towards the door and patted the hulking man on the shoulder as he went by, "Yes, she would."

As he was walking out the door he heard Gray shout, "If you die I'm captain! Just think about that before you go and do something stupid."

Natsu chuckled as he pushed open the door to the armory, "Like hell I'd let that icicle become Captain."

He moved past Gajeel who was slinging his massive sword onto his back and grabbed his own sword, belting it on not thirty minutes after he'd taken it off for the day. On his way out past Gajeel he said, "Check on Erza too, make sure her bandages are clean and there's no infection."

Gajeel nodded silently and Natsu strode out into the hall and began making his way towards the interior of the castle, 'Where would the King be right now? His rooms? No, probably not. I bet he's in the war room, he should have interrogated his prisoners by now and figured out that they're rebels.'

Natsu strode through corridors filled with servants and guard, hurrying about with important tasks. All of them stopped to stare for a moment though at the Captain of the Princess' guard striding through the castle with an aura of deadly tension that promised death to somebody. They hurriedly got out of the way of the still blood speckled pink-haired knight. Natsu didn't pay attention to them, instead focused on the rage that he knew was going to lead him to make a stupid decision. He decided he didn't care and so when he came to the war room instead of knocking he kicked down the door. It crashed in with a satisfying bang and Natsu was inside before anyone in the room could move.

It was a large circular room with maps covering the walls and shelves containing more maps and various intelligence reports. There was a large square table in the middle with a world map on it, colored pins dotting the map showing troops and movement. Natsu was intimately familiar with the room so he noticed none of its features. Instead he noticed Makarov and Gildarts bent over one side of the table studying the map with the King across from them doing the same, flanked by his guards, Lyon Vastia and Jura Neekis.

Everyone started when Natsu crashed into the room but before they could move the pink haired knight had pinned the king against the wall by the neck and his sword was out and pointed at the guards. There was a shocked silence in the room until Natsu snarled, "What gives you the right to send assassins to kill your own daughter's guards in the middle of the night?"

King Jude blinked twice and then said, "I am the King. I have the right to do anything."

"You may have the right," Natsu said as he brought his sword around to place the tip over the King's heart, "but my sword gives me the power."

As Natsu tensed his body to deliver the killing thrust Makarov barked, "Natsu! What is the meaning of this?"

The pink haired man held off on the thrust and said through clenched teeth, "I found Jose Porla trying to smother Erza to death while she lies wounded defending the princess. He's dead, she isn't."

There was a muffled gasp as the air in the room became thicker with tension. Gildarts whistled and shook his head, "This is a mess and no mistake."

Makarov said in a low voice, "Where is your proof that he wasn't acting alone?"

Natsu used the hand he'd had at the king's neck, keeping him in place with the tip of his sword, and got the sealed envelope from his pocket, "Signed authorization and immunity assassination order with the King's unbroken seal I recovered from Porla's corpse."

Makarov shuffled forward to take the envelope from Natsu's hand and as he did the King burst out, "I am the King! I demand you release me at once! Guards, arrest this man."

Lyon said nervously, "Come on Natsu, let the King go. We can work this out another way."

Jura concurred, "Sir Natsu, you must unhand the King."

Natsu chuckled, his body shaking, but the point of his sword never wavering, "You two seriously think you can take me?"

Both Knights faces hardened and their hands, which had been on the hilts of their weapons, began to slowly draw the swords out of their sheaths. Before the promised violence could commence Makarov sighed and shook his head, "Jude how could you? That woman has given good service to your daughter."

The King's face was red as a tomato from anger and lack of breath due to Natsu's chokehold on his neck but he was able to burst out, "What kind of Knight is she if she gets so badly wounded in one little grrkkhh."

His tirade was cut off as Natsu tightened his grip across the King's throat and the pink haired knight snarled, "She was wounded killing twenty men by herself, alone in a back alley. Those were the men who were supposed to assault Fairy Tail from the rear. So, Your Highness, she singlehandedly saved your daughter's life!"

Both Makarov and Gilders paled and the taller of the two muttered, "I knew there was something wrong about that attack. It was too simple."

Lyon and Jura looked aghast but kept their swords trained on natsu's back. The King's jaw worked up and down but no words came out. Natsu smiled grimly, "That's right you slimy son of a bitch. That woman is a better knight than almost everyone in the kingdom. You on the other hand, have no fighting prowess and no honor. You play your little games…"

"What is going on here?"

A high, clear, commanding voice interrupted Natsu's tirade. He was intimately familiar with it and so didn't say anything, letting the newcomer come to her own conclusions. A deeper voice came after and said, "Natsu, what the blazes are you doing?"

This time Natsu did answer through gritted teeth, "Laxus, what did I tell you about keeping the Princess in her room tonight?"

Laxus drawled, "You know how she is when she wants something Salamander."

"An order from your Captain in matters of security supersedes anyth…"

Natsu felt a light blow on the back of his head and Lucy hissed into his ear, "Let my father down now! Or have you gone insane?"

The pink haired man growled, "He tried to have Erza murdered!"

Lucy set a small hand on his shoulder and said, "You knew exactly what kind of man my father was when you pushed him into naming Erza to my guard. You should have known the risks."

Natsu jerked his head around and said aghast, "Luce! How can you condone what he's done?"

The look Lucy gave him was withering, "You're a hot blooded fool Natsu Dragneel, if you think that I am not outraged and furious that my own father tried to kill one of my dear friends."

The King winced and Natsu flushed with chagrin. Lucy glared at both of them, "I assume you have proof Natsu?"

The pink haired knight said quickly, "Jose Porla's dead body and his letter of authorization. Makarov has it"

Lucy glanced over at the elderly mustachioed man and he nodded, "It's authentic with the king's seal."

Many of the men in the room began to sweat as the imperious blonde rounded on her father. A shouting match between the two ensued, everyone else in the room seemingly forgotten by the two. Even Natsu, whose hand was still clamped around the King's neck and whose sword was poised over his heart was forgotten by the screaming royals. The shouting ended abruptly though as Lucy screamed directly into her father's face, "If you're going to try and assassinate your own subjects then maybe I should let Natsu shove his sword through your black heart."

Natsu grimly smiled and lightly prodded the King's chest with his sword, "Don't think I wouldn't love to right now."

The King glanced around desperately seeking an ally but his gaze was met with stone faces. Even Lyon and Jura had lowered their swords from Natsu's back and were glaring at the King. Knowing that he was defeated, the king was still a proud man and he spat venomously, "Dragneel is just trying to protect his whore. I want a real…"

He was cut off by Natsu slamming his forehead into the King's face, breaking his nose. Blood spurted from it and Jude slapped his hands over it, shrieking in pain. The Pink haired Knight growled, "Don't you dare speak ab out Erza that way."

The King was too busy howling in pain and squirming in Natsu's iron grip to reply or even acknowledge the knight. The room was silent save for the King until Lucy finally broke it after a few tense seconds, "What do you want to do Natsu. You hold my father's life in your hand."

"I'd really like to speed up the succession."

The Princess sighed, "I'd rather you didn't. He is my father after all and the King. IF you kill him I will have to hang you."

The air was sucked out of the room as the occupants collectively held their breath in anticipation of Natsu's reaction. After an eternity Natsu abruptly turned and bodily flung the King across the room. The rather large man crashed into a cabinet and fell limply to the floor, groaning in pain. Natsu sheathed his sword in one quick movement before saying tightly, "If I see one of the King's agents anywhere near my quarters, I will slaughter them. Then I will come and slaughter the King, and anyone in my way. A king is supposed to be just, and firm, and kind. Jude is none of those things. I won't hesitate again."

Makarov gaped at him, "Natsu, you can't make threats like that! He is the damned King, for good or for ill."

The fiery guard captain leveled his gaze at Makarov, "Power is where you believe it lies. If you believe it lies with the King, then the King has the power. But if you believe that power comes from a sword," he patted the hilt of his own, "then I can make all of the threats that I want."

The elderly man slammed a fist down on the table and shouted, "That is a recipe for chaos! If we live by the power of a sword, then we can hardly even be called a civilization! We must follow the King's laws or our entire kingdom will crumble!"

Natsu began striding out of the room but said over his shoulder, "Then maybe the King should inspire loyalty in the ones that hold the real power, not try and assassinate them in the night."

With that parting barb he swept out of the room and back into the corridor. All of the yelling had brought curious servants and guards but when he exited they all scurried away. The Knight strode uninterrupted through the castle and back to his quarters. When he opened the door to his quarters he was greeted by the three grinning faces of Gajeel, Elfman, and Gray. Nearly naked, Gray asked, "So how'd it go? You've only been gone for about 20 minutes. I expected the alarms to start again and that you'd have to fight all of the guards to get away."

Natsu waved his hand tiredly, "Nothing so dramatic. There was some yelling, and somehow Lucy got involved, and then I broke the King's nose."

Each man winced and Gajeel rumbled, "That might come back to bite you Natsu."

The pink haired Knight grinned, "No way. His little stunt with Porla brought everyone over to my side so he has no allies anymore. Even Lucy was on the verge of letting me stab him for a moment. He won't be able to interfere with the guard of Erza ever again."

Gray sighed and said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "I wish you'd go that far for me. What do you think guys? If I had a figure like Erza's would Natsu break the King's nose for me?"

Natsu stiffened before throwing himself forward and punching Gray in the face, sending him falling over the back of the couch. Elfman looked shocked and Gajeel looked bored as Gray popped up from behind the couch and said, "Face it Natsu. You go above and beyond duty when it comes to women."

The guard captain gritted his teeth, "I do not. If the King had tried to assassinate any of you I'd have done the same."

Gray laughed, "But you wouldn't have done it with the same fire. Face it Natsu, you like this one."

Natsu's face turned to stone, "There is nothing going on between Erza and I, and there never will be."

Gajeel and Elfman chuckled and Gray openly laughed. The raven haired man said, "I haven't seen you this worked up since Lisanna's funeral. You feel something for Erza."

Instead of trying to deny or fight back Natsu sighed, his shoulders slumping wearily, "Just shut the hell up and go to bed. All of you. There's too much adrenaline in my veins for me to sleep tonight."

"Yeah, he'll spe…"

"One more word out of you Gray and you'll be on 16 hour shifts with no break."

Knowing not to test the fiery man's temper Gray finally acquiesced and retired to his room. Elfman and Gajeel stood up heavily and went to their own room. Gajeel couldn't help saying over his shoulder, "I told you that you go way overboard trying to get laid. There are brothels for that sort of thing."

The door slammed behind him and Natsu was left in an empty room. His body was exhausted but his mind was alert and there was no way he would be able to sleep, 'Especially if the King tries to clean up the problem. I could be up to my ears in guardsmen at any moment.'

He walked around the room blowing out all of the lamps and then entered his own quarters. The single lamp hanging on the wall still burned and using its light Natsu went over to Erza and gave her a quick once over. Her breathing was steady and a small amount of color had returned to her face. When he checked the bandages on her shoulder and thigh they were still clean, 'Good. That doctor did a good job stitching her up.'

With that he pulled the blankets back over her and then drew up a chair next to her bed. He leaned the other one against the door, wedging it under the handle so that he'd have an extra few seconds to react if somebody decided to break down the door. The Knight muttered as he settled into the chair next to Erza's bed, "I know I'm being paranoid but it's been that kind of day."

He drew his sword and settled it across his lap. Leaning back he balanced the chair on two backs and rested the back on Erza's desk. With a sigh he glanced over at the comatose red head, 'There's nothing going on between us. There's too much emotional scar tissue to try and rip through, for both of us. It'll never happen."

A few moments later, despite his earlier words, he was dead asleep.