A/N: did you guys read that new chapter yet? What did you think? Let me tell you right now: EPIC!
Nyway, chapter 10 is up. Thank you for reviewing, favoriting, and following! You are the most loyal, supportive, and amazing fans aN author could ever dream of!
"I know a place where we can hide out for a little bit," Gray shouted, slowing his horse down to run alongside Erza, who was taking up the rear of their escape party.
Erza nodded tersely, biting her lip in pain. Gray eyed her warily. she was holding the reins with one hand, her other pressing tight to her stomach to try and stem the bleeding. Gray could see the blood leaking through her fingers, dripping down in a steady stream on her mount's shoulders.
"What's this place called?" Erza asked. Gray nodded his head in Natsu's direction, who had the lead. "It's called Bar Sun. Natsu, myself, Mira, and some of the others would gather there on our off days. Jellal too, before he married that woman. The bartender knows us, and he's got a secret lair hidden under the floorboards. He stores his really expensive liquor down there. We can shelter there for now, bandage our wounds, and figure out what to do from there." He said, eyeing the redhead. She was turning pale, and Gray could see the toll the ride was having on her.
Erza nodded quietly. "I say once we've recovered, we get the hell out of dodge," she murmured. Gray had to strain his ears to hear her.
"Erza, do you want to rest-"
"No!" She snapped a bit more forcefully, cutting Gray off. "We need to get out of this place as soon as possible. Shigeru will have his hounds searching this city at day break. We have to go to Magnolia. I know a safe house we can stay at."
Gray nodded silently. His eyes searched the darkness ahead, making out Jellal's prone form on Natsu's horse. His heart clenched. Please, he begged silently, let him be alright.
Suddenly, Erza groaned, and Gray's head whipped around to see her collapse forward, slumping on her horse. The stallion, sensing her weakness, slowed down to an easy trot.
"Natsu! Guys, hold up!" Gray yelled out pulling his horse to a slow trot. The animal snorted distastefully, having just found his wind.
Gray reached over and grabbed Erza's reins, pulling her horse to stop. The stallion snorted, and turned his head as much as he could, trying to nudge Erza. Gray pushed his head away, not unkindly, and dismounted.
Ahead of him, the others reined their horses in, turning around and trotting back to see what was going on.
Gray reached up to erza, brushing the strands of hair out of her face. Her skin was white as a ghost, and clammy. Her fingers were still clenched around her wound in her stomach, blood still leaking out. She's losing too much blood, Gray realized.
Natsu dismounted and walked over to Gray. "What's wrong?" He asked worridly.
Gray pulled Erza from the saddle and laid her flat on the ground. They were most likely being persued, but he couldn't have their most valuable warrior dead. He looked up at Natsu. "Hand me your shirt," he said, holding a hand out. "She's losing too much blood. We need to stop it, otherwise she's going to die."
Natsu didn't hesitate, whipping off his white dress shirt and throwing it at gray. He turned to Gajeel and Cobra, who were waiting patiently on their horses, watching the others with concern.
"You guys go ahead. Get to the Sun, and bring Jellal. Have Minamoto dress his wounds. We'll meet up with you."
Gajeel nodded, turning his horse around and trotting over to where Natsu's horse stood, Jellal still slumped in the saddle. Checking to make sure his king was secure, Gajeel gathered up the reins.
"I'll have Minamoto keep an eye out for you," Cobra said, reining his horse around. Natsu nodded, and the two men took off, disappearing into the night.
Gray concentrated, tearing the shirt up into thin strips and binding Erza's wound, being careful not to jar her battered body. The wound she had received was deep, probably from a bow, and Gray was surprised at how resilient she was.
"You didn't have to stay behind," Gray muttered. Natsu shook his head, keeping his eyes on the look out for any enemies coming. So far, the forest was quiet.
Gray slung Erza up in his arms, one arm hooked hooked under hooked under her knees, the other cradling the small of her back. She winced and opened her eyes, foggy with pain. She turned her head groggily. "Put me down," she mumbled, struggling to get loose. Gray tightened his grip on her. "I got you, Erza. Relax, you're badly injured. Let me take care of you until we find a place to hide."
Natsu swung up onto Erza's horse. His eyes narrowed. "Heads up, Gray. I can hear hoofbeats. They're coming." He snarled, putting a hand cautiously on his flamberge.
Gray nodded his thanks and walked over to his horse. The mare turned her head, and lowered her neck, giving Gray flexibility to slide Erza on to the saddle, then clambered up after her. He leaned her back against his chest, her head in the crook of his arms, and sheltered her with his arms, holding onto the reins.
"Let's go," he whispered to Natsu. The pinkette nodded and flicked the reins, sending his horse flying into the brush, Gray following suit.
Jellal opened his eyes, immediately putting a hand to his pounding forehead. He frowned, confused, feeling the coarse edges of a fabric tied around his head. He sat up slowly, wincing, and blinked, taking in his surroundings.
He was in a cold wine cellar. He recognized it as the basement to Bar Sun, his old hang out with Natsu and the others.
He wasn't alone. Beside him lay Erza, covered in a blanket. She was sleeping soundly, with a bandage showing on her upper right shoulder.
Jellal looked around. No one else was in here. But from the racket upstairs, he could deduce that maybe 10 pro were in the bar.
Erza moaned, and Jellal turd to her. She winced, scrunching her eyes before opening them. She turned her head, fixing her beautiful brown eyes on Jellal. She blinked, her eyes widening, and she sat up abruptly, then winced, cursing. She put a hand to her stomach and hissed.
"Erza!" Jellal exclaimed worridly, reaching a hand out to her. She smiled tiredly at him. "It's ok," she whispered. "I'll live."
He frowned, and scooted over to her, and leaned over, flipping her blanket back. She hissrd, grabbing for the blanket, but it was already out of reach.
His eyes widened. Her whole chest was bandaged in thick, white strips of heavy material. Her right shoulder and abdomen were tinted red with blood that had still leaked through.
He looked at Erza, meeting her angry brown eyes. "Erza," Jellal whispered.
She blushed and looked away. Jellal reached out his fingers lightly brushing her bandaged stomach. His eyes fell on the curve of her breast and he blushed in spite of himself.
"How did Ultear hurt you?" She asked quietly, still not looking at him. Jellal rubbed his temples. "She walked me over the head with a wine bottle once I tried to run when the alarm bell rang. Before that, she gave me a glass of wine, but I threw it at her. It contained an acid like poison." He murmured, remembering the erosion of Ultear's blue dress. He shuddered, remembering how close he was to drinking that stuff. He'd probably be a puddle of goo on the castle rug if it weren't for that bell.
Erza sighed. "You scared me." She whispered, turning to look at him. "When I walked in and saw her almost cut your throat. You were laying in a puddle of blood, Jellal. She must have done a number on you with that bottle."
Jellal smiled ruefully. "Well," he murmured, "She does have a pretty good arm."
He then realized how close he was to her. He was leaning in, his hand arcing protectively over her body, his right hand grasping hers. She wss leaning back, proving herself up so she could stare directly into his eyes.
Jellal shuddered, his body tingling with having her so near. He raised his free hand and cupped her face. "How do you think I felt," he breathed, caressing her cheek softly. "When I saw you get shot by that arrow? You fell, and I thought you died," he said.
Erza leaned into his hand. "But I didn't," she whispered, raising a hand to grasp his softly. "I'm here, and I'm alive. You won't get rid of me that easily."
Jellal laughed. "Who would want to?"
He pulled her close, being careful not to jar her, and rested his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, and her body relaxed.
"How I wish I could court you properly, Miss Scarlet," Jellal breathed. He sighed. "Then we wouldn't have to sneak around like this, catching small moments with eachother. There so much I want to do with you, Erza. See the world. Travel, fight, love. You don't know how much I want to-"
She pressed a finger to his lips, opening her eyes. "It's no use thinking of what could have been. Right now we have to think about now, and what is going on in the present. There's no point in living in the past. We must live for the future, and what will become of it."
Jellal stared at her. "Can I," he paused, licking his dry lips, suddenly nervous. He cleared his throat in embarassment. "Can I kiss you?"
Erza's eyes widened. Well there's something you don't see every day, she thought, eyeing his lips. She nodded hungrily.
Jellal shivered in surprise, but wrapped his hand around the back of her head, pulling her closer. Her eyes closed in bliss, and Jellal felt the slightest brush of her lips against his….
"They're down here," a distinct voice suddenly said, and a trapdoor suddenly opened above their head. Jellal quickly pushed himself away from erza, blushing from head to toe. Erza cleared her throat awkwardly and looked anywhere but him.
A ladder came down from the opening, and Gray climbed down, dressed in a pair of black trousers, a chain mail shirt, gauntlets on his wrists and a pair of this leather boots on his feet. He eyed the two questionably, noticing the awkward feeling in the air.
"You're awake," he murmured, looking at Erza with concern in his eyes.
Erza nodded. "My wounds still hurt, but I'll survive." She murmured.
Jellal rose to his feet unsteadily. Gray walked over, grabbing onto his friends arm to steady him. "What happened?" Jellal asked.
"Besides the fact that we ran with our tails between our legs?" Natsu suddenly said, poking his head into the cellar. "Nothing much. We got you and Erza out of the castle, and fled into the city. Shigeru already sent men out to the city to check for any escapees, so we hid in the alleys until they finished their rounds. Then we came here. I filled Minamoto in on our predicament, and he's gonna hide us until we're ready to leave."
Natsu turned, noticing Erza was awake. He brightened. "Oh, hey Scarlet. By the way, your blonde friend is here. She said that if you died she was going to strangle you or something."
Erza chuckled. "That's just like Lucy," she murmured.
Jellal turned back to Gray, eyeing his armor. "Where'd you get that, and where can I get some?" He murmured.
Gray grinned. He walked towards the back of the shelter and moved a few barrels. Behind them were stacks of armor and fresh clothes. "I may have stored several things her over the years, just in casr. Looks like paid off." He said, wiggling his eyebrows.
A groan alerted Jellal, and he turned. Erza hobbled to her feet wincing from the pain in her side.
"Jesus Christ Erza, don't push yourself. I didn't carry you all the way here for you to further do harm to your body," Gray scolded, rushing over and grabbing her arm to steady her. Jellal felt a pang of jealousy.
"Where's Lucy?" Erza murmured.
Natsu jumped down into the cellar. "I sent her to Magnolia with Mira, Cana, and Wendy. They're taking the southern route. Gajeel, Elfman, and Lisanna- another servant- are taking the southern route. Cobra is going to stay behind in Crocus to look for stragglers and see if any of his men survived the invasion. You, me, Gray and Jellal are hitting the back country. We're bushwacking our way to Magnolia." The pinkette said, thrusting a long black sword at Erza. "By the way, this is yours. I took the liberty of cleaning all the dried blood off of it."
Erza smiled and grasped onto the sword, her eyes brimming with gratitude. Gray eyed her with concern. "Let's get you upstairs. I'll have Minamoto change your wounds." He murmured, placing a hand on the small of her back and guiding her up the ladder. She climbed up, cradling her sword in one arm gingerly. Her eyes met Jellal, and he blushed, looking away.
Once she was gone, leaving just Jellal and Natsu in the room, he turned, rummaging through the pile of armor until he found a change of clothes, a leather jerkin, and steel gauntlets. He pulled his shirt over his head, hissing when the fabric caught on his bandage.
"Well, now you have a good reason to leave Ultear," Natsu joked, leaning against the wall. Jellal threw his ruined shirt at his best friend, who easily dodged. Jellal glared at him. "That's not funny," he snapped.
Natsu shrugged. "Who said I was being funny?" He murmured. "Give it some thought." He winked, before making his way to the ladder and climbing up, leaving Jellal to his own devices.
Jellal sighed, and pulled on a new whirt, then throwing the leather jerkin over top of it. He changed into a fresh pair of trousers lacing on a pair of comfortable boots. He shoved the gauntlets under his armpit and climbed up the ladder.
The bar had emptied. Minamoto, an elderly man with white hair, wss closing the shutters on the windows. Erza was sitting on a table, a young woman tending to her wounds. Jellal turned his gaze, giving her privacy, with so much exposed skin showing. He blushed.
Natsu and Gray were sitting at the bar, each with a glass of water. Jellal pulled up a seat next to them.
Gray looked over at him. "I was able to pick up Curtana front your office before we fled," he said. "It's among my things. We're probably going to leave in an hour or so, when the night is at its peak. Well arrive in Magnolia at around 3 in the morning."
Jellal nodded quietly. Minamoto came back to the bar, smiling happily at Jellal, who he knew ever since he was a child.
"Minamoto, if any more fugitives from the castle escape, can you give them a safe have here until it's out of the danger zone?" Jellal asked. The bartender nodded. "Anything for my king."
Jellal shook his head. "I'm not a king. Not now. I'm Jellal Fernandes, a fugitive with no other choice to flee and recuperate."
Minamoto plopped a glass of water on the table, refraining from alcohol knowing the boys had a long journey ahead. "Until the day I die, you will always be my king."
Erza walked over resting a hand on Jellal's shoulder. He shuddered, craving her touch. "We're here for you. No matter what, you ate the rightful king." She murmured. Gray nodded in affirmation. Natsu grinned.
Erza looked at the pile of clothes on the ground, seething. Was there really no comfortable woman's clothes? She eyed the only thing with distaste.
It was a sort of dress-cloak contraption. Unfortunately, it was the only thing for a woman here. She couldn't very well walk around in a half disintegrated dress now, could she?
She sighed and pulled the new article of clothing over her head. It slipped on smoothly, fitting her to her like a second skin.
It's bodice was a mess of laces and strings. Erza eyed it distastefully. The sleeves were tough leather, which would help if she was in and serious predicament with no other means of defense. This leather had been seasoned expertly, giving it a hard shell. Not saying it would stop a battle ax, but it would hold off a sword strike long enough for her to get the hell out of there.
The bodice flowed down into a half skirt, ending a little above mid thigh. It then split into three, exposing her legs, giving her a free range to move around. It was like a skirt, with a long cloak with two slits in the middle attached to it. Tough, thigh high leather boots meant for running completed the ensemble, and Erza nodded approvingly, noticing the secret pockets in the boots, for storing and dagger of some sort.
Erza pulled up the hood, hiding her vibrant red hair. She twirled experimentally, relieving in the fact that the length did not hinder her movements too much.
She turned and climbed up the stairs, her eyes focusing on the three men standing by the back door of the bar. Each was wearing a cloak with the hood pulled up, hiding their features. They turned, eyeing her new outfit.
Erza stormed up to the bar, grabbing Benizakura and slipping it over her shoulders, resting it comfortably across her shoulderblades. She walked up to the men, feeling Jellal's gaze burning into her. She refused to meet his gaze, for fear of blushing.
She still could feel his lips brushing against her own. She wanted nothing more to press her lips against his right now, but she needed to focus.
They said goodbye to Minamoto, who said a little prayer for them. Erza stepped outside, her eyes adjusting immediately to the darkness, another skill she leaned from Fairy Tail. The streets were deserted.
In the back stood their horses, making not even a single peep. Soul raised his head eagerly, but didn't make a noise.
Erza gave the signal, saying it was alright to move, and walked over to Soul, hoisting herself up gently in the process, not wanting to reopen her wounds.
The others got themselves situated in the saddle. Erza glared up at the castle, easily seen from this distance. She could hear clanking and men shouting orders, even for this far away.
She turned to the rest of the group. As the only one who knew where to go, she'd be the leader of the group.
Gray stared at her expectantly. Natsu was looking back at the castle, as if he was going to invade it and retake the fortress. And Jellal, well, he was staring at Erza intensly, sending shivers up and down her spine.
Under her, Soul rumbled, anxious to get going. She leaned forward and patted his neck soothingly. "We'll be back," she murmured, loud enough for everyone to hear her. Her eyes fixed themselves on Jellal. "So our king can claim his rightful place on the throne."
Natsu nodded in affirmation. "Aye! Now I'm all fired up."
Erza turned Soul around, hissing quietly to herself when she pulled at her wound. She shook off the pain. She flicked the reins, sending Soul racing down the deserted city roads, the others chasing after her. She didn't look back.
Ultear slowly opened her eyes, her torso burning. She crawled over to the fireplace to hoist herself up, groaning in pain.
Once she was up, she looked around the ruined room. Her eyes fell on the decapitated soldier, her dagger, and the small pool of blood- evidence of her fight with Erza.
She gritted her teeth. That bitch, she thought angrily, wanting noting more than to rip the life out of that woman.
Someone is going to pay.
A/N: O_o sh*t is going down.
Well, that's it for now, see ya soon!
-Wolf