Femslash Fairies
Prompt: Fairy Tale
Pairing(s): Erza x Mirajane, Gray x Natsu
May 16, 2021
"Are you sure he's going to be fine with you guys?" Gray fretted nervously even though he could already see that Aki was perfectly happy sitting next to Atlas on the sofa, both kids focused on the cartoon that was playing on the TV.
"He'll be fine," Erza declared, flashing him a reassuring smile, "You're actually doing us a favor. Atlas is much easier to manage when Aki is around. Just go and have a good time, we'll call if anything comes up."
The sound of Natsu's footsteps coming down the stairs echoed all around them, and it didn't escape Erza's attention that Gray had already begun to smile at the sound. It warmed her heart to see it. She'd never expected Natsu to find love again so soon after Lisanna, and she knew he still had some trouble accepting it, but she truly believed these two were right for each other.
Gray wasn't the only one who was aware of Natsu's imminent arrival, both boys looked up from the cartoon expectantly and were not disappointed as Natsu lunged himself at them in a mock tackle, both boys giggling as their sides were tickled.
Erza let them play for a minute, knowing the boys had been waiting but soon reminded her brother of his plans. "Hey, don't you guys have to be somewhere at 8?"
"Oh yeah!" Natsu flashed a grin at his sister, a recent development that she was thrilled with, having thought at one point that she'd never see it again. "Monster trucks wait for no man."
"Monster trucks?" Gray groaned in protest, "Seriously? What are we, five?"
"Hey, last week we went to the stuck up wine thing you wanted, it's my turn to pick. Trust me, you'll love it!"
Erza went into the kitchen, ignoring the bickering that was still going on behind her. She found Mira peering through a book as she waited for the microwave popcorn to finish popping.
"What's that?"
"Oh! It's a book that Aki gave me when they got here, I guess it's a collection of fairy tales," Mira explained as she handed the book over to Erza, "I was just looking through it. It's pretty cool."
Erza read the title on the cover, 'The Enchanted Closet' by Rogue Eucliffe, illustrated by Juvia Lockser. "Rogue wrote this, huh? That's surprising, he didn't strike me as the fairy tale type of guy."
"I know, right?" Mira chuckled, "They're not like any of the conventional fairy tales, though. The one Aki showed me is about a princess and a female knight. I skimmed it a little, it looks good."
"Well, assuming we ever get them to bed, I look forward to reading it. Hana might get a kick out of the story too. Did you know that when I was little, I dreamed of being a knight" Erza giggled at the memory as the microwave beeped, "I used to chase poor Natsu around the house with our dad's practice swords all the time, our cat too! "
"Why does that not surprise me?" Mira grinned, "I kind of liked the idea of being a princess myself."
They poured the popcorn into several bowls and took them and some juice boxes out to the living room where Natsu and Gray were still saying goodbye to the kids, Hana having joined them.
"Will you both get out of here already?" Mira groaned.
"Right!" Natsu smiled sheepishly, looking slightly uncomfortable at Mira's presence.
Mira sighed at him, "You have to get over this, I'm fine with it. Now go, have fun."
"Okay," Natsu bowed his head slightly before grabbing on to Gray's arm and dragging him out the door, calling out to the kids, "Please be good for your aunties." before closing the door behind them.
"It's going to take him a while to not feel guilty," Erza reminded her, "especially around you."
"I know it's just, he should be able to realize that Lis would have wanted him to be happy."
"Give him time, all of this is a big adjustment," Erza advised as she wedged herself in between Atlas and Hana, "Now, what are we going to watch?"
Mira climbed on the sofa, placing Atlas on her lap so she could sit next to Erza. It wasn't long before Atlas tugged at Aki's hand, urging him to sit with Erza so they could be next to each other again, and to Erza's surprise, Aki complied.
They let Hana pick the movie and settled in comfortably to watch.
"Alright, time for bed!" Erza clapped her hands with a smile once the credits started to roll, "It's way past your bedtime already."
Mira helped Atlas change into his pajamas while Erza did the same for Aki, and Hana dressed herself, recounting all of her favorite parts of the movie. They all went to the bathroom to make sure the kids brushed their teeth well, and then it was time to wish each other a good night.
"Story?" Aki bounced on his feet in hopeful excitement, soon joined by Atlas.
"Of course, I made sure to bring your book upstairs with us," Mira chirped, showing the book to the kids. Secretly, she was just as excited as they were to dive into the story she'd caught a glimpse of earlier. "But just one story, and then it's time for you to sleep."
Hana and the boys huddled together under the sheets in Natsu's bed, their eager faces waiting while Mira grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the bed. Erza took a seat right beside her, on the edge of the mattress, straightening her skirt as she sat down.
"The Princess And The Knight?" Mira asked, flipping through the pages of the book in search of the story. A loud, excited yes came from all three children, causing her to chuckle with delight.
"Alright then, I found it!" She made herself comfortable in her seat and brought her index finger to her lips, signaling for the kids to be quiet.
"So, Once upon a time…"
Once upon a time in a small village, there lived a girl, the only daughter of the town's blacksmith. Her mother had died when she was young, so she spent her days at her father's side, helping him with his forge and learning how to craft beautiful weapons. She especially loved his swords, which though ornate, were perfectly balanced.
Her father didn't only teach her how to make the weapons, he taught her how to use them as well, and many a pleasant night was spent sparring as she learned how to fight to defend herself and protect others.
Over the years, her skills grew, and she would fight anyone who would accept her challenge, including the knights who commissioned weapons from her father. Much to her father's satisfaction, she soon surpassed even them.
Yes, the girl was a talented swordswoman, but she was also rather lonely. Even though she was quite beautiful, with long scarlet hair that flowed down to her waist in soft curls, and kind eyes that shone as beautifully as any brown diamond, she was also intimidating.
Mira peered at Erza over the edge of the book, barely containing her glee when she caught the other woman rolling her eyes at her, and quickly continued.
The boys shunned her because they could not best her, and the girls didn't quite know what to make of her strange ways. No matter how much she tried to fit in, her advances were always shunned. And soon, she stopped trying, resigning herself to a life of loneliness. She resolved to work even harder to become a knight, even though no woman had ever achieved it, a fact that only made her more determined.
It was around this time that she began to hear of a princess trapped in a tower from the knights that often visited her father. Full of curiosity and always eager for a tale, she asked her father if he knew anything about it.
"What do you know of this princess the knights were talking about?" she asked him one evening as they sat by the fire after their evening meal.
"Do you mean the demon princess?"
"A demon princess?" The girl repeated eagerly, her curiosity aroused even further.
Her father chuckled, beckoning her to his side, and as she sat at his feet he grabbed a silver hairbrush which had belonged to her mother and began to brush out her hair, "It doesn't matter how old you get Pet, you still love a good story. Let me see, I'm surprised you hadn't heard of it before, this story has been going around for a long time. It began when I was a boy.
"Not too far from here, there lived a beautiful princess. The firstborn child of a king and queen that ruled over a vast and prosperous kingdom. She had been born with hair as white as snow, and eyes as blue as a summer sky, a recessive trait in the royal family that prophesied demonic powers."
"Just like us, auntie Mira!" Atlas exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, you two definitely have a demonic side to you every now and then," Erza joked, dodging a playful swat from Mira, "See?"
"Just let me finish the story! Now, where was I…"
"Yet as far as anyone could see, the princess was an angel, sweet and kind with no hint of malice to be found anywhere. 'Much like you, my Pet,' her father declared, and the girl rejoiced at the pride she heard in his words.
"But there were those that still believed that the princess held great power, strong demonic magic that had not yet manifested. So they sent an army to the kingdom, determined to capture her and control her magic to their will. This much I know to be true, for I remember seeing the clouds of smoke from the battle, which went on for days.
"The King tried to protect his family, but their kingdom was a peaceful one, the soldiers no match for the veterans that were at their door. One by one, her family fell dead trying to protect the princess, and all she could do was cry in fear.
"But then something peculiar happened. The pain and loss the princess suffered awakened the very demon that had lain dormant inside her and might have remained so had she been left alone.
"Those soldiers went in expecting to face an angel, but they were met with the wrath of a demon. None of them left that castle with their life.
"The princess, not used to the strange magic, collapsed from the strain and was locked away in the tallest tower of the castle, one of the few parts of the structure that was still standing. Wizards from the Magic Council set many measures in place to dissuade those who would attempt to obtain her power from ever being able to reach her. At least that's what people say, but I don't think that's what happened at all."
"What is it you think happened, Father?" the girl asked with interest, knowing her father to be a wise man.
"I think the demon princess was so horrified by her actions that she used the last remnants of her emerging magic to enchant the woods around the castle and set up trials and obstacles to prevent anyone from ever getting to her again. Then she locked herself in the tower, determined to keep her demon from hurting anyone else," he declared, his words laced with great pity as he continued to brush the girl's hair.
The girl remained quiet for a few moments, considering her father's words before asking a question, "Surely she must have known it wasn't her fault. She was attacked, did she not have the right to defend herself?"
"It's not so easy to deal with the guilt of taking a life, Pet, regardless of the circumstances. She was a young girl, and she was forced to endure a lot of death and violence. I would not blame her for wanting to hide away.
"Regardless of how it may have happened, many men have tried and failed to reach her. Some following tales of her beauty, while others sought control of her power, but none have ever succeeded. The few that have returned have never been the same again. They speak of monsters and other horrors, but their tales are all different, which I have always found interesting."
"What do you think it would take to rescue her?"
"I think it would require a noble knight, one who only wished to free her for her own sake."
The girl frowned, "Why must it always be men who perform the great deeds, Father? Women are just as capable, are they not?"
"I never said it had to be a man, dear heart, " the blacksmith retorted, eyes twinkling, "You did. I firmly believe the measure of a person lies in their heart, not their gender. And frankly, I know of no one with a purer heart than yours. If you set your mind to it, I have no doubt you could reach the princess, and convince her to return to the world she left behind."
The story of the demon princess captivated the blacksmith's daughter, staying with her as she grew older. The idea that she could be the one to rescue the princess had taken hold of her, giving her life a purpose it had previously been lacking.
Once she came of age, she decided to set out on a quest. To prove her skills and worth as a true knight, and to free the demon princess from the terrible fate she'd met.
'How lonely she must've been in that tower all those years ', the girl thought, especially if what her father believed was true.
She ventured out into the world, armed with nothing but a satchel of traveling supplies, and her own sword, the finest ever made by her father. She walked for many days until she came upon a large field covered in flowers of every color imaginable.
The girl had never seen anything like it before, and she spent quite some time examining all the different types of flowers. She soon decided she'd bring some to the princess, a small reminder of the beauty that lay beyond the confines of her tower.
Once she'd picked the most beautiful flowers she could find, the girl moved on, eventually reaching the enchanted forest that surrounded the castle. At first glance, it looked no different than the woods near her own village, so she entered it bravely, choosing the path she thought would lead her to the castle.
Soon, she began to hear noises, the crunching of twigs behind her, and unnatural growls, but she continued on, remembering how her father had said no one had ever had the same story.
The girl believed the trick to getting through this obstacle was courage. If the princess hadn't wanted to hurt anyone else, then it was likely that none of the things she would see or hear were real. She believed that with all her heart, and so she continued on her path, trying her best to ignore the sounds that came ever closer.
It was night time when the first creature approached her. It was wolflike in appearance, although it was larger than any wolf she had ever seen. With red glowing eyes that hinted at great cunning. It howled loudly, and soon others came, surrounding her and cutting her off from any means of escape. Their fangs dripped with saliva, making them look ravenous. They growled as one and moved ever closer.
The girl's heart raced in her chest, but she slowly removed her sword from its scabbard and held it in front of her to boost her courage. Reminding herself that nothing in the forest could hurt her, she ignored the wolves, pretending as if they weren't even there. With her head held high, she took a shaky step forward. The first one was the hardest, but once she realized the wolves were only looking at her with mild interest, she continued on her path, soon reaching what seemed to be a garden maze, the likes of which she had only seen in storybooks. There was no way around it.
The hedges that made up the maze's walls were tall and impossibly neat, giving proof of its magical origin. The girl soon realized it would be incredibly easy to lose her bearings once inside, so she climbed the tallest tree she could find, trying to see the inside of the maze, but no matter how high she climbed, the hedges seemed to grow taller blocking her view. It was pointless to continue, there was but one course left to her. She would have to figure out the maze as she went, but it would have to wait until the following day. It was dark, and she was tired. She settled down to sleep in front of the entrance content in the knowledge that she had made it past the first obstacle.
"What are you doing here?" A voice asked from behind her, and when the girl turned to see who it was, she was stunned.
A beautiful girl sat atop one of the wolf creatures from the forest, her long white hair billowing around her even though there was no wind, while her blue eyes peered at the knight with open curiousity.
"I've come to rescue the princess," the knight replied simply.
"Why would you want to do that? Do you seek her power?"
"I seek nothing but to free her from her tower."
The girl snorted, "Likely story, they always want something."
"I do want something," the knight confessed, her cheeks coloring at her admission. She grabbed her satchel and searched for the flowers she had carefully packed, taking them out to show the girl she suspected of being the princess. To her dismay, the flowers had wilted and now looked pitiful, "I was hoping to make a friend."
The girl looked intrigued, She climbed down from the wolf, grabbing the flowers from the knight. "Let me see those."
She blew softly on the wilted flowers, and much to the knight's surprise, they perked right back to life.
"These are very beautiful, thank you," the girl smiled, her eyes twinkling with the force of it. "A female knight, huh? Perhaps you might be different from the others after all. We shall see."
"Remember to follow the flowers," she proclaimed before climbing back on the wolf and disappearing into the night.
The knight jerked awake to find it was already morning. She scrambled to her satchel, dumping out the contents on the ground only to find the flowers she had picked so carefully were nowhere to be found. Not sure what to believe, she chose some of her provisions and ate a small breakfast, placing the rest of the items back inside the satchel.
She entered the maze slowly, keeping her eyes on the hedges. If they could grow taller, there was no doubt in her mind that they might also be able to move. She had a feeling this obstacle was going to be difficult. Each direction looked much the same as any other, and so she picked one at random, hitting dead end after dead end. It took her hours to reach the center, and she was growing discouraged. It was when she looked for her water canteen that she noticed the solitary red flower that grew on one of the hedge walls. It seemed almost exactly like one of the flowers she had picked the day before.
Remember to follow the flowers, the words came into her mind unbidden, and she blinked slowly as the dream reasserted itself. She thought about whether she had noticed any flowers before but couldn't recall, having been too focused on keeping track of whether she was walking in circles.
But now that she had seen one, she followed the direction it pointed out, finding more and more flowers along the way until she finally made her way to the exit where someone was waiting for her.
Or rather something. A creature with pointed ears, wings like a bat, a reptilian tail, and long, sharp claws stood before her. The demon's eyes were as white as her hair, and her skin was pale, almost translucent, showing the black veins that ran underneath it.
The girl knight took a shuddering breath as she faced her adversary, drawing her sword yet keeping her distance and assuming a defensive stance. The demon opened her mouth, but all that came out was a diabolical screech, and when she lunged at her, the girl knight had no choice but to engage in battle. Blow after blow, the polished metal of her sword clashed with the demon's razor-sharp talons, but all she did was counter and dodge the attacks.
"Please, I don't want to hurt you," the knight pleaded, jumping away from the fierce whips of the demon's tail just in time, "It was you who came to me in my dream, wasn't it? I still mean what I said, I want to be your friend!"
And as the knight spoke those words, she could distinguish the princess' sad voice through the demon's ear-piercing screams.
"Who would want to be friends with a monster like me? Leave while you still can. I can't hold it back, it's too strong! I don't want to hurt you!"
The knight thought of all the times the demon could have hurt her but didn't, and she took a huge gamble. She placed her sword on the ground and walked towards the demon who continued to hiss and spit, but as she suspected, didn't attack.
"You're no monster, and I have no intention of leaving you behind."
"Don't come any closer," the princess cried in fear as the knight moved towards her, "It will kill you, just like it did the others!"
The knight ignored the princess, having already decided on a plan of action. She didn't stop her charge until the demon was within striking distance. It peered at her in confusion, its tortured eyes looking incredibly tired. The knight smiled warmly before wrapping her arms around it in a tight embrace. The demon struggled until the knight murmured, " I'm here now, you don't need to protect her anymore."
"Thank you, brave knight," the demon finally spoke, it's voice receding as the princess appeared in its stead.
"I don't understand," the princess looked around her in confusion as the maze and everything else that had been a part of the demon's magic faded into nothingness.
"I think I do, The demon was always a part of you. It's a manifestation of your magic. When you were in danger, it came to your aid, and it has been protecting you ever since." the knight explained.
The princess thought about it a moment, clearly not entirely satisfied with the explanation, but soon she shook her head and smiled at the night shyly, "So, it looks like you did rescue me after all."
"That's a knight's job," the girl said proudly.
"And don't knights usually get a reward for rescuing the princess?" she teased, enjoying the flustered look on the knight's face. "Well then, brave knight, close your eyes."
The girl had no idea what to expect when she closed her eyes, but it was certainly not the soft pressure on her lips, which lasted but a second and was immediately followed by a melodious giggle.
She opened her eyes to find the princess grinning at her, eyes full of mischief. "Why did you do that?"
"Cause you're my friend," the princess grabbed hold of the knight's hand and ran, dragging the still flustered knight behind her. "Come on, slowpoke, I want to see everything that's waiting for us beyond this castle!"
And so they embarked on a new adventure, leaving the ruins of the castle behind them to discover all the marvels the world had to offer. Although the princess never reclaimed the throne, and the blacksmith's daughter wasn't officially knighted, that didn't matter to either of them. Somewhere along the way, they had fallen in love with each other, and nothing would ever be more important to them than that.
They lived happily ever after, forever remaining the princess and the knight in each other's eyes.
"The End," Mira smiled fondly as she closed the book, placing it on the nightstand next to the bed so that Aki could find it easily once he woke up. He'd already fallen asleep, a small smile on his face, and his teddy bear held tightly in his arms.
"That was amazing…" Hana swooned as she got up to go to her own bed, knowing her brother was likely to thrash around in his sleep. "Good night!" she hugged her aunts and left the room, still reveling in the fantasy world of knights and princesses.
"Did they eat a lot of cookies?" Atlas wondered sleepily, about to nod off as well.
Erza got up from the bed and tucked the boys in. "I'm sure they did, all kinds of delicious, freshly baked cookies," she appealed to him with a ruffle through his hair, and with that, the little boy closed his eyes and departed to dreamland.
"That was quite a story. You'd think Rogue would be a little more subtle with the casting, though, " Mira giggled.
Erza rolled her eyes, "No kidding. Come on, Princess, I think there's still some cake left in the kitchen."
"Whatever you say, brave knight," Mira smirked, grabbing Erza's hand and dragging her down the stairs.
Both girls had big smiles on their faces, their hearts filled with the fond hope of what could be. Someday.