- Present -
The land was barren of anything, but blood and gore.
Bodies were strewn everywhere and the ground was painted in a deep red color. The grass was now dead, symbolizing the destruction which had formed all around. The trees swayed, as if trying to rid the world of the travesty, the breeze trying to bring away the smell. While air had become a crisp, cold, chill and was zooming past the land, as if calling to the spirits of the dead.
Erza stood between it all, her faithful katana, Furīfenikkusu, next to her and her Scarlet locks whipping around her in an increasing fever. Just because she was the head Captain and the temporary Queen, didn't mean she enjoyed these types of slaughters, but it was the only way to keep her people safe. Taking in a deep breath, Erza cringed at the putrid smell that entered her nose. She didn't know how it had got into there makeshift home, considering the fact that the campsite was no where near the battle ground.
However, there was no mistaking the scent. It was blood.
"Bishamon - taichou, Bishamon - taichou!"
Sighing, the strong willed female turned to see one of the castles, messengers and cooks, Kinana, running straight at her. She was a petite figured female, her head adorned in a light purple hair, which often led to some rising eyebrows.
'How odd,' Erza thought, looking at her. 'What is a castle maid doing here? If there was a major problem, Natsu could've sent a hawk.' Once the young girl stopped in front of her, Erza raised an eyebrow before speaking, her voice neutral. "What seems to the be the problem, Kinana - san?"
Panting, the young girl paused before saying, her lips exhaling tiny gasps. "Natsu - sama has asked for you Bishamon - taichou. It's something concerning the town square."
"And he sent a person just to let me know of this?"
"Ah, hai." The younger girl replied, ducking her head sheepishly. "He said that the castle birds, were all being used."
'Smart girl.' Erza thought, seeing the disbelief on Kinana's face.
"I see, tell him that I shall return home after clearing up a few loose ends. " Erza replied nodding towards her thoughtfully. Her eyes blinked softly at her, the confusion taking a hold of her heart. What did Natsu do this time?
"How long should I tell him that you shall take?"
Erza hesitated, before pursing her lips and saying, "Tell him that'll be back within a week and a half."
"Hai! And if he whines?"
At this the scarlet headed female formed a slightly malicious grin. "Tell him that i'll deal with him."
At this, the young girl shuddered. "H - Hai!"
Adopting a cold look, the general nodded towards her once. "You may leave after resting, and please be careful on the journey back; i'll have a guard go back with you."
"Arigato B - Bishamon - taichou." The purple haired child said, softly, before bowing once, deeply, and running away.
Watching her leave, Erza sighed at the newest mess she had to deal with. Not only that, but she was sure that she had a huge stack of paper work sitting on her desk back at home. A small probing formed at the back of her head, and she felt the urges of a familiar headache settled onto her skull.
"Taichou!" Another voice, called out behind her. "We have a problem, it's the main road, someone has blocked it!"
The scarlet haired female moaned, as the pounding in her head increased once more, before sighing in frustration. Erza was sure that with all of the jobs she had, by the time she was thirty, she would have grey hair and wrinkles.
And how pleasant that would be.
_._._._._._._.
"YOU DID WHAT!?"
Natsu winced at the tone at his older sister was currently using. His pink tresses were ruffled by his hand, as he went to clapse the back of his neck, almost bashfully. As his onyx eyes closed, sheepishly, the young male began to speak, biting his tongue in the process.
"N - Now, Erza l - let's not be.."
"Don't tell me what to do," Erza snapped, her eyes narrowed in anger and her fists clenching together so hard that they were soon turning white. Slowly, her breathing increased and her brown eyes turned red.
Natsu wisely fell silent, he knew that whenever the general, got into these moods it was just best to let her ride them out. Gritting his teeth together, he tried to quell the fear inside of him; but to no avail.
"What's worse is, it that you managed to destroy, no burn, not only the town garden, but also the statue that was the image of our fifth leader. Which is odd, considering the fact that it was fireproof. F.I.R.E.P.R.O.O.F."
"So what? That man was a hoax anyways." Natsu blurted out, forgetting the consequences of his action. When he realized what he did, he winced, before covering his mouth.
Erza froze, her hand stuck in mid air. Her eyes narrowed as her cheeks turned a dark crimson in color. Paling slightly, the pink haired pyro realized his mistake and tried to say something, anything that would get him out of the hole he had dug himself in.
"So... what?" Erza hissed, her eyes burning in anger. The black circles underneath her eyes only exposed more of the emotion, she was currently feeling.
With that, she exploded.
"DO YOU KNOW HOW HOW MUCH MONEY THE THINGS COST! FIRST IT WAS THE WATER FOUNTAIN, THEN IT WAS THE DAMAGED TOWNS. DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT YOU AND GRAY DO WHEN YOU'RE FIGHTING. ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME GO BROKE! TELL ME, WHAT'S NEX-"
"As much fun as I am having now Nee - chan, we really need to be going."
Turning around, the red faced warrior glared at the person at the door. Only to be sighed at.
"Honestly, you act as if this was the first time that Natsu - nii has done something this stupid. Let it go this time, don't worry, by the time we get back, you'll have something else to yell at him about."
"Thank you Ruki- hey!"
The girl in question, also known as Rukia Dragneel, smirked at her older brothers expression. Erza sighed, before closing her eyes and calming down. She waited until her burning blood lowered down into a simmer and her thumping heart to pound softly, before rolling back her tensed shoulders. Releasing her clenched fists, the woman opened her eyes, her mad expression long gone, with only traces to mild irritation left on her face.
"Fine, but I better not hear that you burned down another building when i'm gone."
"Yes, ma'am."
Rolling her eyes, Erza lifted up her metal held hand and cuffed the back of the pink haired boys ears, "Don't be cheeky."
Watching as his expression turned from relieved to outraged, she sighed once more, before hiding a amused smiled behind her hair.
"Oww, that hurt," Natsu whined, a pout pulling at his tanned face.
With her smile twisting into a glare, the twenty one old female sighed, before threatening her brother again. "This won't even compare to the pain i'll give you, if i've found another thing destroyed after I leave."
Gulping, Natsu nodded quickly, his head looking like it was about to fall off. Finally he put his hand behind his back, as his eye twitched, and he his mouth muttered the word, 'scary'.
Huffing, the red head glared at him, before marching out of the door; a snickering Rukia following her close by.
"Sayōnara Natsu - nii."
"Bitch."
"Natsu Dragneel, WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, I WON'T HAVE A RUFFIAN FOR A BROTHER."
"Y - Yes, ma'am."
Shaking her head at her siblings' behavior, Rukia sighed before following her older sister out of the door. With her mid length onyx hair flowing behind her, the younger girl skipped along; a large smile planted on her face. She was quiet excited, after all, it had been a while, since she had seen her older sister.
Erza was the first one to break the piece, her eyes gleaming softly as she spoke. "Are you well? How did your mission to the Raitoningu (Lightning Tribe), go?"
Rukia smiled slightly, even after seven years her older sister was still bad at small talk and was extremely blunt. Sighing slightly, she shook her head, before leaning back of her arms, her eyes lighting up slightly.
"Don't worry Nee - chan, I am fine. The business meeting has gone splendidly."
At this, Erza raised an eyebrow. Hiding the slight smirk that was forming on her face, the scarlet haired woman rose a single eyebrow, before talking; her voice was dipped in curiosity. "Oh? But your letter said that you had some...turbulence."
Rukia growled, low in her throat. "If you mean by turbulence, an annoyance, then yes, I met one." She said, here twitching in barely contained anger.
The scarlet haired female shook her head, before sighing. "What happened?"
"Minerva fucking Orlando, that's who."
"Orlando?" Erza asked, quizzically. "Isn't that the head general of the Raitoningu tribe?"
Rukia grumbled under her breath, her previous good mood long gone, finally she frowned her eyes rolling, in anger. "Yeah, she is - but I swear, she really pisses me off."
"How-" Stopping at the forked hallway, the redhead knight paused before ruefully staring at her younger sister.
"Oh no, I know that look. Don't tell me, you have another job to go to. We were supposed to go hunting together today." Rukia said, her eyes widening in confusion.
"I'm so very sorry imouto, but I almost forgot, I have a meeting tomorrow and I will take at least six hours to reach there. I need to leave now." Erza said ruefully, watching as the younger girls expression turned even more dejected.
"Couldn't you postpone it?" The onyx haired girl asked, groaning underneath her breath.
"No," The scarlet haired woman said ruefully, "I did that last time - for your birthday, remember. I can't do that again."
"Fine."
"I'm really sorry." Erza said, biting her lip in guilt.
"Don't worry about it, and tell Lucy - nee if she's there, that I said hi." Rukia said, sighing softly, in worry. "Just, be caureful, alright? Don't overwork yourself."
"Thanks," giving her younger sister a small, guilty smile, the noble heads off in the opposite direction.
Finally reaching the stables, the noble opened the paddock that held her horse, Knightwalker, before running a hand through her hair. Whining softly, the crimson haired horse nudged her nose delicately, his eyes looking as if they were yelling at her.
"Hey girl." She muttered, laughing softly, when that expression turned sharp. "You know where we're going, don't you?"
Pouting softly, the female horse got an irritated look on her face, as she shook her head.
"I agree." Erza said softly. "It's time to meet some nobles - most of who have a lot of sticks up their asses. How simply riveting."
...
...
"And that is why it is important to make sure that nobody touches our gold!"
"Hoteye - san, although I do appreciate the concern, this meeting is supposed to help expand our crops, not to worry about money."
"Yes, but gold is important." The man, Hoteye, fought back.
Erza sighed, before righting herself upwards and masking her face. She really did hate these meetings, people always droned on and on about random things and how it was important to protect their kingdoms. As if she didn't know any of this stuff already.
"If I may interject, I have a proposition."
The room immediately quieted down and many people leaned forwards in their seats in order to hear her talk. Erza sighed, her eyes twitching as she frowned.
"Ah Bishamon - san, what may that be?" Simon Mikazuchi, the new leader of the Chikyu Tribe asked, slightly curious.
Keeping her head raised and meeting the gaze of the other nobles, Erza spoke, her voice calm and serene, "Recently, a new area has been mapped. I had the soil tested, and crops are able to be grown on it - this may benefit us."
Raising an eyebrow, Erza paused and let the statement soak in before speaking up again, "If we divide the profit equally among us all, I see no reason of why it shall not satisfy our civilians stomachs for the next two years."
"An interesting proposal Bishamon - san, we shall think on this and come upon an answer by the next meeting. I thank all of you for giving us your time and energy, for today, the meeting in closed." Elder, Makarov Dreyar spoke, dismissing all of them for that evening.
The hall was filled with the squealing of chairs, and the sounds of silent chatter. Smiling politely at the people around her, Erza moved her way over towards an exit, her hair scratching against her back, when she was stopped by a rough voice.
"Bishamon - san, do you mind me taking a minute of your time?"
Plastering a (fake) smile onto her face, the so said Bishamon turned to the voice that spoke. Her eyes softened a fraction, when she saw who was next to the said person.
"Ah, Heartfilia - san, what can I do for you?"
Clearing his throat, the older Heartfilia spoke, his voice hoarse and low. "As you know my daughters 16th birthday was two months ago and that means that it is time for her to find her soulmate."
"Well Heartfilia - san, Lucy has plenty of time in front of her to find her soulmate."
"I know, but the earlier she can find one, the earlier it is off of her shoulders." The stern man asked, his cold eyes boring into her own.
She didn't even flinch. "And how may I be of help to you in this scenario?"
Jude Heartfilia answered back, his voice sharp and business like. "I have already made Lucy tour the Chikyu tribe - "
Erza's mind spun at the information. It had hardly been two months and yet Heartfilia - san was already pressuring Lucy to find her soulmate? Many waited for years, before going to hunt for their future lovers.
" - and since she didn't find her soulmate there, she needs to tour the Kasai tribe next. I was wondering whether you could be ever so gracious and take her back with you?"
Erza mulled over the topic for a few moments. She had a lot of work to do when she got back and the fact would be that Jude was asking her to personally take care of Lucy, but she just couldn't say no. After all, Lucy was her favorite pupil.
"I would be happy to Heartfilia - san. Would like me to provide a horse for Miss Lucy?"
A small gleam of amusement settled in Jude Heartfilia's as he uttered the next words. "Not at all, I have already provided some transportation for both Lucy and yourself to be...comfortable."
_._._._._
"Erza - san, are you alright?"
When Lucy Heartfilia had woken up that morning, she knew what was going to happen. She was going to attend a business meeting with her otōu - san and then was going to be sent off to the Kasai tribe to find a permanent partner. Her father had drilled it into her mind so many times, she couldn't forget it now even if she wanted to. When she had heard that she would be going with her mentor, that had made the news much more bearable. What she had not been expecting however, was to find out that her teacher, Erza Dragneel, absolutely hated carriages.
"Filth, absolute filth!" Erza hissed, as she curled her legs closer to her body.
Lucy had to snicker at that.
Currently, the two females were sitting in a lavish carriage, one that was very expensive. The only discomfort that one could ever have sitting in this carriage was that -
"Why is it so, so, pink!?"
"Because father thinks that it is the perfect color for me," Lucy stated bitterly, before raising an amused eyebrow. Her lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Don't you agree, Er - chan?"
Glaring at her, the redhead waited until she flinched, before saying, "If I could burn this place down I would and do not address me by such a ridiculous name."
Giggling, the blonde just couldn't help it as she teased her. "So now you're saying that you're afraid of a pink carriage - "
"Nonsense, nothing can scare me," Erza said sharply, before shooting to her feet.
Tentatively, the female knight sat down; looking very uncomfortable in the process.
"You look like you have diarrhea."
"Oh be quiet."
After several moments of peaceful silence, Lucy finally spoke up.
"Would you really burn the carriage?"
Pausing to contemplate her thoughts, Bishamon sighed, before stiffly saying, "No not really, although I wouldn't put it past my idiot brother to do so. He hates transportation."
"You have a brother?" Lucy asked, slightly curiously, her mentor had never mentioned him.
Erza paused, before shaking head and letting a small smile slip onto her face. "No, Natsu is my cousin. We're just very close, so I think of him as my brother."
"You don't talk about him much, what's he like?" Lucy asked. If she was to meet him soon, she might as well get to know him.
"A dense, hothead."
Bursting out in laughter, the blonde bucked over and placed a hand around her waist.
Sparing the younger girl a small smile, Erza continued onwards.
"Honestly, he will be the sole reason of why I shall be driven to an early death. His favorite pastime, is finding things to destroy. He's earned a name for himself."
"Salamander, right?" Lucy asked, remembering from the magazines she had read.
Erza snorted. Taking that as a yes, Lucy trudged on, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully in the process,
"I've heard about him in the newspapers. Is it really true that he destroyed half of Haregon Port?"
"Yes." Erza winced. "It is true."
"Wow," Lucy said, leaning back.
"Don't even get me started on the trouble that Gray and him cause when there together. I swear, during parties I can't have them both in the same room without breaking something."
"That must cause a lot of stress for you," Lucy asked, cautiously.
Erza sighed before rolling her eyes and saying,
"To be honest, it grinds on my nerves and a lot of the time I just want to strangle him. But he's part of the reason of why our family stays so cheerful, you'll never see without a warm smile in his face."
"That must be nice," Lucy said, wistfully, thinking about the cold and darkness that was her home.
Erza smiled at her, before saying, "It is. Oh, you should see him Lucy. When he's concerned about our tribe he gets this look in his eyes that I know for a fact will demolish anyone that stands in his way. Even though I told you that he's an hot head, he's ever so kind and goes out of his way to make people feel welcome. It makes up for my formality."
Lucy heartstrings tugged slightly at this. Frowning, she shook it off. That was weird.
"I just know for a fact that one day he'll become an amazing king, if only he can learn to think with his head."
"But that's what you're there for," Lucy blurted out.
Erza paused before letting a small smile go over her face.
"Yeah."
Lucy fell silent, before fidgeting with her hands. The talk with Erza about her brother had somewhat calmed her nerves, but now they just popped up again. Studying the younger girl, Erza sighed before asking, "What's wrong?"
"Huh?"
"You've been tense the entire ride and due to the fact that I am trained in the human body, I know when something's wrong. So tell me."
Lucy sighed and let a small smile grace her lips, slowly, she leaned back against the cushions, her eyes tearing up slightly. Honestly, it was times like this, when she hated how blunt her mentor was.
"You know how much I respect my father," Lucy started, biting her lip in the process.
"Yes, I do."
"It's just that - I feel, almost as if he is trying to sell me off." The blonde answered, tears welling up in her eyes, at the prospect.
"What do you mean?" Erza asked, slightly confused. Placing her larger hand on the young females own, she nodded, encouraging her.
Lucy sighed before saying. "My birthday was only two months ago and father has already has already made me tour one kingdom. He had also said that if I don't find a soulmate at the Kasai tribe, he's having me directly go to the Kiku tribe (Wind tribe)."
"Lucy..." Erza spoke, patting the younger woman on her shoulders.
"What's worse, is that he made me only tour the castles!"
Erza frowned at this, "But that's not how you're supposed to -"
"I know." She answered exasperatedly, her eyes closing on their own violation.
"You don't men..." Erza said, immediately, understanding what she meant by that.
Lucy cast her eyes downwards, "Father says that he will only allow me to be with my mate, is they are a noble. If they aren't, father will not allow me to meet with them."
Anger spiked up Erza arms and her blood boiled warm. Her eyes saw red and she clenched her fists so hard, they began to crack underneath the pressure she was inflicting onto them. Slowly, she exhaled, before shaking her head, before regaining her regular composition.
"We can't have that now, can we? How about this, I'm going to take care of your entire tour, that way I can make sure that you can complete the whole process and if Heartfilia - san has any complaints, he may come to me."
"Really?" Lucy asked, eyes wide and mouth slacked, her arm clasped together, and her body shook, almost as if she couldn't believe it.
Smiling lightly, Erza nodded, her eyes softening. Patting her on the back and enveloping her in a hug, she replied, her voice coated in honey.
"Of course, nothing less for my pupil."
...
...
...
Alright, so what did y'all think~!
Ja ne.
- Titania of Fairies.