Erza IV

Erza wasn't sure what exactly to think when she got word that the king of Bretonnia, who was referred to as a "Royarch", was coming to the village. The people all seemed thoroughly struck by the notion, which Erza figured she should expect. To that end, she re-quipped into her nicest armor, and put her sword in the ground as she watched an entourage approach from the distance.

The people of the village were already kneeling to their king, even though he wasn't even close. Standing beside Erza was Sir Charles, his helmet under his arm, and his sword also in the ground. Earlier, he had given her a great stream of protocol that apparently had to be observed with meeting the Royarch, though Erza only paid it partial heed. She watched as a company of maybe a hundred men approached. Each one of them was armored fully, and a few wore similar armor to that of Charles.

"Are those Grail Knights?" Erza asked.

"Indeed," Charles said, "The Grail Knights are the most chivalrous of men, and the Royarch is the most chivalrous of Grail Knights." Erza wanted to believe that, but a true king should not have allowed his kingdom's people to suffer like this.

The party approached the village, but upon arriving, they came to an abrupt stop. Erza looked around.

"Where is the Royarch?" she asked. Nobody answered her, but instead they all fell to one knee, as did Charles. That was when she heard a screech, and she looked up. Flying over head was a winged creature. It soon landed, and Erza got a good look at it. It looked like a combination of an eagle and a horse, which is to say the front half was a bird, the back half was a horse. She'd heard of creatures like those in story books; they were called hippogriffs. But then Erza saw the man on its back.

Louen Leoncoeur was a tall man, with dark hair, and a short beard and mustache. He wore a great brilliant crown, with a red and blue cape lined with fur, with a breastplate with the sigil of a lion on it. He looked ever bit a king as he dismounted the hippogriff, and approached Erza. To that end, the scarlet haired mage fell to one knee in deference.

"You're Grace," Erza said in respect.

"Rise, my Lady," the Royarch said, gesturing. Erza did as told, and despite Charles' advice, looked the king straight in the eye. He at first seemed surprised by it, but then smiled.

"So, I heard you defeated Sir Charles in single combat," he said.

"That is true, your Grace," Erza said, "It was a fine fight."

"Oh, that I do not doubt," Louen answered with a nod, "What is your name, my Lady?"

"Erza Scarlet."

"Well, Lady Scarlet, I also hear you bested Viscount Castil's men in combat as well. I take it that was not a good fight."

"No," Erza said honestly, "They called themselves 'knights', but they were not anything of the such." Louen frowned briefly, as he folded his arms behind his back, and strolled over to his hippogriff, running his hand over its brow.

"I suppose they weren't," he eventually said, before looking to Erza, "Where did you learn to fight?"

"Myself, mostly," Erza admitted, "A combination of trial and error, and learning on the proverbial fly."

"I suppose there is no greater teacher," Louen responded, "Where are you from?"

"Fiore," Erza answered, "Nobody here knows where that is."

"They probably wouldn't," Louen said slowly, as he went back over to Erza, "But I'll admit I haven't heard of such a kingdom. Where exactly is it?"

"I'm afraid I couldn't tell you," Erza said, "Perhaps if you had a map…"

"A pity I don't. But what brought you to this kingdom?"

"Would you believe a magic portal?"

"Perhaps," Louen said, arching an eyebrow.

"Aside from that, walking. I came to this village, and found the people tormented by the Viscount. I could not stand by and do nothing." Erza bit her cheek slightly. She did have more to say, but wasn't sure if it was her place to say.

"You seem like you wish to say something," the Royarch said, "Do you?"

"I do, if your Grace would let me speak," Erza said. Louen just gestured. With that, Erza took a breath.

"Why weren't you here?" she said, "What manner of king stands by and watches as his own people are oppressed by the nobles he bequeathed the lands to?"

"Mind your tongue, foreigner!" one of the Grail Knights said, putting his hand on his sword, but the king held up his hand, silencing the knight.

"It is the duty of a king, and a knight, to protect the innocent," Erza said, "In all frankness, your Grace, you have failed in that respect." Glancing around, she noticed some of the villagers looking at her in horror. Some of the Grail Knights, including Charles, looked to shout at her, but Louen held up his hand to silence them again.

"Lady Scarlet speaks harshly," he said, "But she also speaks truly."

"Your Grace…"

"I do not do enough," Louen said, "Nor do we of the Grail Knights do enough." While Erza couldn't see the Grail Knights' faces, their body language said quite enough.

"You are skilled warrior, and you have a noble spirit," the Royarch said, "It would be a crime to not reward such service. Now kneel." As he said that, he drew his sword, and Erza was surprised as she realized what he was doing. The other knights seemed equally spruced.

"Your Grace," a man who wasn't in armor said as he approached, "It is my duty to advise restraint in this matter. Knighting a commoner…"

"Would offend many a nobleman across the kingdom," Louen finished, "Those fools barely leave their palaces. They can complain if they want."

"Sire…"

"She defeated a Grail Knight in single combat," Louen interrupted, "She could have fled, but stared here, to protect these people, knowing very well it could lead to her death. Are you suggesting that is not deserving of a royal knighting?" The adviser step back paused, before nodding, and take a step back.

"Again, kneel," he instructed. Erza at first wasn't sure, but then fell to one knee, as she put a hand over her chest. .

"Erza Scarlet," he said, "I will now recite the Seven Commandments. Are you ready?" Erza truly wasn't sure, but after a deep breath, and remembering her duty to the people, she affirmed.

"Do you vow to serve the Lady of the Lake to the best of your ability and beyond?"

"Yes, your Grace."

"Do you vow to defend the domains entrusted to you, as a knight of the realm?"

"Yes, your Grace."

"Do you vow to always protect the wake, and fight of the right?"

"Yes, your Grace."

"Do you vow to always fight the enemies of virtue and order?"

"Yes, your Grace."

"Do you vow to never give up the fight until the foe be defeated?"

"Yes, your Grace."

"Do you vow to never break faith with a friend or ally?" (like that one even needed to be asked)

"Yes, your Grace."

"And do you vow to always display honor and courtesy?"

"Yes, your Grace." With that Louen gently tapped both of Erza's shoulders with his blade.

"By the might of Bretonnia, and by the grace of the Lady, I, Louen Leoncoeur, Duke of Couronne, and Royarch of the Kingdom of Bretonnia, hereby dub thee, Dame Erza Scarlet, Knight of Bretonnia," Louen said, "Rise, a Knight and Viscountess of Brionne." Erza got that first one well enough, but then she heard that second part.

"Viscountess, your Grace?" Erza asked. The other knights and nobles seemed equally surprised by that as well.

"Bring him forth," Louen instructed, snapping his fingers. The party parted, as the Grail Knights dragged a familiar figure forward.

"Your Grace!" Viscount Castil said, "I beg to know what this is about!" Louen approached him, and promptly back handed him.

"Viscount Pastil, I hereby strip you of you're lands, title, and possessions," he said, "You violated one of the rules of honor. You fled from a foe without tactical cause. As far as I concerned, by raising her sword, Viscountess Scarlet challenged you to single combat, which you fled from. A man who would do such, does not deserve to call himself a knight of Bretonnia." The now former Viscount could only babble incoherently as the knights dragged him away.

"The castle is your's now, Viscountess Scarlet," the Royarch said, gesturing, "Make yourself at home, because it is". Erza was for a time lost for words.

"Thank you, your Grace," she eventually said.

"Your Grace," Sir Charles said, "I would remain with the Viscountess. She defeated me in fair combat, and claimed my service."

"If you so wish, Sir Charles," Louen said. He then looked up, towards the people, who were still all kneeling before him.

"We have some extra food," he said, "These people probably need it more than I do."

Not longer after he had finished distributing the food to the village, the Royarch left, and Erza got moved into her new castle. This was all thoroughly confusing to the red head, but she knew it wasn't her place to protest, so she tried to make herself comfortable in the castle. It was a nice enough place, if not rather extravagant. Castil had filled his castle with various ridiculous paintings and sculptures, that Erza made a note to get rid of. She eventually got to the bedroom, which had a portrait of Castil, which Erza promptly pulled down. Taking a breath, she walked over to the window, and looked out. She could see the faint lights of the village from the castle, as she sighed.

"I'm really making a mess of things here," Erza said, as she looked into the distance. That was when she saw something green. Looking closer, it was the same green figure she had seen a couple days prior. But before she could act on it, a green mist cloaked the figure, and faded away. As Erza wondered it was, she then heard a knock not he door, and after giving permission, Sir Charles entered.

"I hope you are comfortable here," he said.

"I hope so too," Erza answered, before looking back out the window.

"Something troubling you, Viscountess?" I hope he doesn't start something with that Erza briefly thought.

"Twice now, I've seen a strange green figure in the distance," she said.

"A what now?"

"It was a figure that glowed green, and was surrounded by a green mist," the viscountess clarified. At first, Sir Charles was surprised, but then he smiled slightly

"That was the Green Knight you saw."

"The what?"

"The Green Knight is a figure that wanders the length of Bretonnia," Charles explained, "No one knows where he came from, or who he is. But he appears in times of great trouble to Bretonnia, to slay its greatest enemies. If you have seen him, then you clearly have some sort of destiny here in this land." Erza thought about that for a time.

"I wonder what that is?" she asked out loud. The Grail Knight was silent for a time, apparently thinking about something, before an idea came to him.

"Well, if I had to take a guess," Charles said, "You've proven yourself a masterful warrior, and a woman truly pure of heart. You could do well amongst our ranks as a Grail Knight."

"Well, how would I become a Grail Knight?" Erza asked, now intrigued. Charles pursed his lips.

"It is not a simple task," he answered, "You will have to go on a Grail Quest."

"And do what?"

"That would be up to the Lady, or whatever gods you pray to," Charles answered. He took that as an opportunity to leave. Erza watched, as he did, before looking back out to the village. Ever since being spat out into this kingdom, quite a stream of adventures had reached her, and quite a few decisions. But of all the things that had happened to her since she came here, she had certainty about one thing. She was going to go on a Grail Quest.

Note: So here's the beginning of Part II.

Some might wonder why the Royarch would be so willing to knight a commoner, and a foreigner at that. But based on the lore I've read, King Louen is a man with a strict code of honor. It seems like it would be more out of character to me for him to not knight Erza. Also, there's the matter of him making Erza a viscountess; for him, the previous viscount violated the sacred laws of chivalry, and to that end, doesn't deserve to be a noble of Bretonnia. Also, the Royarch is functionally more absolute a ruler than the Emperor in the Empire.

At any rate, this will likely have consequences in the future for Erza, and probably for Bretonnia at that. Take note that Castil wasn't married, and had no children. Aside from his servants, he lived alone in his castle.

Please review. Next chapter we'll be seeing Natsu.

It should quickly be said that Mavis was actually in Nordland, not the Chaos Wastes or Norsca.