Erza III

"Again!"

"Ya!"

"Again!"

"Ya!"

"Again!"

"Ya!" Erza watched as the man continued practicing their thrusts, using their farming equipment. This may have been the absolute most basic form of training, but it was all Erza could do for the time. One had to start somewhere, and what better place to start but at the basics? And they were making progress; she wouldn't want them in an actual battle, but they were getting there.

As for the count, he had been quiet in his castle, and no one had come out to challenge Erza. Glaring towards the castle, the scarlet haired knight knew it would only be a matter of time before something new came to challenge her.

"Lady Erza." Erza turned to see Fleur approaching her, carrying a jug of water, which Erza sipped from.

"Thank you," she said. Fleur smiled at her, but the smile faded, as she looked towards the training men.

"Will they be enough?" she asked, "What about when the beasts attack the village?"

"Even if they are not ready, I will defend you and these people. You have my word." Fleur nodded, but still looked nervous.

"However, it would certainly help if I understood what sort of threats you face," Erza said, "What are the beasts that stalk you?"

"Well…," Fleur trailed off, "I do not truly know. I only know what I have heard rumors of."

"Well, surely you might people who have seen or encountered such creatures." Fleur was silent, as she averted her eyes. Erza blinked, before it dawned on her.

"Have you ever left this village?" she asked, and when Fleur shook her head, she said, "So not only do these nobles steal your livelihood, but they keep you bound to the land, unable to leave or see more?"

"Why would we need to leave?" Fleur asked, "We have everything we would ever want here." Erza once heard something similar from an old slave in the Tower of Heaven. A life of subjugation was all he ever knew, and while these people didn't seem to be slaves, they were certainly close enough to them.

Erza suddenly heard rampant talking amongst the men, and when she turned to yell at them, she saw what they were pointing two. A figure was approaching from the distance, but as he got closer, Erza was able to identify him better. It was another knight, like the ones from before. But this one was obviously very different. He had thoroughly ornate armor with multiple colors, with what looked like a stylized cup on the top the helmet. As he approached, all the peasants bowed before him. Erza didn't have to guess why they were doing it, but she of course didn't do it herself. The knight was being followed by a young man also in armor, but it was far less ornate. He was likely a squire, of something like that.

"Hail!" the knight called holding up his hand as he came near.

"Hello," Erza answered, narrowing her eyes, as she took a position in between him and the people.

"I am Sir Charles of the Order of Grail Knights," the knight said as he dismounted his steed, "And this is my squire, Daniel." The young man waved slightly.

"I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail," Erza answered, "Why are you here?"

"I was sent here by his Majesty, King Louen Leoncoeur." Erza heard murmurings about the king, but she didn't care.

"What of it?" Erza said, "I am no subject of this king."

"So I gathered," Sir Charles said as he approached Erza, "Are you a mercenary?"

"Something like that," the mage answered.

"Well, word came that Count Castil had been 'viciously attack', but a red headed witch. I take you're said 'witch'."

"And if I am?" Erza could hear what sounded like chuckling through the helmet.

"He described you as being hulking and monstrous, like a red orc," he said, "I knew he was exaggerating, but would never had imagined such a beautiful woman."

"Stow your small talk, and tell me why you're here," Erza all but ordered. Charles seemed surprised by such a command at first, and Daniel opened his mouth, only to be silenced by a wave.

"The count issued a formal protest to the Royarch himself," he explained, "To that end, his Majesty sent me here to deal with the rogue."

"So I'm a rogue now, am I?" Erza asked, "I suppose for the crime of threatening the noble. Because if such is the case, let me say I was well within my right to teach him a lesson."

"Frankly, I agree with you," Charles said, "The count was being thoroughly unreasonable."

"Unreasonable?" Erza said, not bothering to hide the rage in her voice, "You call trying to strike innocent children 'unreasonable'? You call nearly starving your people 'unreasonable'?" The knight sighed slightly.

"Please understand," he said, 'We cannot have the nobility fuming over slights like these. If you were to perhaps leave, I'd be willing to pay you, and just say I drove you away. It would solve the issue then and there."

"And leave these people to the mercy of a tyrant?" Erza responded, "Not likely." Charles sighed again, before he gestured. Daniel then hurried over with a sword, which Charles drew, after which he put on his shield, which had a stylized dragon on it.

"I give you this last chance to depart," he said, "If you do not, I will have to forcibly remove you." Erza summoned a sword into each of her hands, which startled the knight and his squire.

"You are free to try."

"You should know using magic in a duel is beyond disgraceful," Charles said.

"So I won't use it. I won't need it anyway." Charles didn't respond that time, as he pointed his sword at Erza, who did the same. The two circled each other for a time. Before Charles made the first move.

The Grail Knight swung his sword at Erza, who managed to parry it. She swung up the free sword, which the Grail Knight blocked with his shield. Pushing her back, the knight thrust his sword, which Erza parried with both her swords. Quickly countering, Erza swung up her armored foot to kick, only for it to glance off Charle's armor, causing her to retreat.

Taking it up a notch, Erza flipped through the air until she was behind the knight. Charles blocked a strike with his shield, and spun around swinging his sword. Erza ducked, though the knight kicked a couple of her hairs. She then swung up both blades, but were glanced against the shield. Spinning around, Erza practically danced with her blades, moving at such a pace she was almost a blur. But to Erza's surprise, each strike was blocked by the Grail Knight.

"Take this!" Erza said, leaping into the air, and spinning around with her blades. Charles had to block with shield again, but the force pushed him back still. Grinding to a halt, he charged Erza, who managed to shift out of the way, and swung her sword, but the blades glanced off the armor. With that, Erza fell back again.

"You're a skilled warrior," Charles said.

"As are you," Erza said with a nod.

"If that is the case, I must not hold back anymore." With that, Charles held up his sword, and to Erza's surprise, it ignited.

"I take it magic weapons do not count as using magic?" Erza said with a glare.

"Magic tools are useless if not in the hands of a skilled warrior," Charles answered, "The magic itself is irrelevant." Erza was tempted to switch out her weapons, but she wasn't going to use her magic in this fight. She had to win this fight with her physical prowess, not her re-quip magic. With that, she jumped at Charles again, who blocked her blade with his shield, and swung her sword, which Erza dodged. The fire didn't do much for her; all the fighting with Natsu had given her pretty high heat threshold.

As she fell back, Charles managed to get the drop on her, as he swung his flaming sword. Erza grunted, as a shot of pain went up her face. She touched the side of her cheek, where a small nick had been made.

Erza ducked the strike and thrust her elbow into Charles' armpit. The force of it loosened his grip on his sword just enough for Erza to strike his hand and make him drop his blade. Not giving him time to gather his thoughts, Erza struck him in the face with the hilt of her sword. This stunned the Grail Knight, which gave the scarlet knight an opportunity, as she knocked the shield out of his hand.

"Sir Charles!" Daniel called. Erza then thonked the knight in the helmet again, before kicking him in the chest. The force knocked Charles to the ground, and before he could get up, Erza kicked his helmet off, revealing close-cropped hair, with a cleanly shaven head, with a scar running from his temple all the way to his chin. Erza put her sword to his throat.

"You are defeated," she said, "Yield."

"I yield," Charles said, holding up his hands. Erza then took a step back, and planted her sword in the ground. All around her, the people whispered in shock and awe. Apparently no one had ever defeated a Grail Knight in single combat.

"Please," Charles said, rising to his knees, and spreading his arms in supplication, "Take my life."

"What? Why?" Erza asked.

"I have been dishonored," Charles said, "I cannot live with this dishonor. Please end my life, so that I may die with honor." Erza thought about that for a time, getting an idea in the process.

"No," she said, as she sheathed her sword, "I'm not going to claim your life. Instead, I claim your service."

"What?"

"Your life belongs to me now," Erza said, "You wish to regain your honor? Perform an act of true honor, and join me in protecting these people." Charles looked surprised by that, before Erza offered him a hand, which he took, and was pulled up by.

"You have my word," he said, as he picked up his sword, and offered it to Erza, who took it, nodding her thanks.

"Send word to Couronne," Charles said to his squire, "This cannot go untold." Daniel affirmed the command, before he mounted his horse, and hurried off.

That night, Charles was amongst the people, who had hoarded around him like some sort of god. Erza had excused herself, and was catching her breath outside of the village. She had barely been here a week, and already she was causing trouble. As if to makes things potentially worse, she was going to be earning the attention of the king of this country himself.

As she watched the sun vanish beneath the horizon, a flash seized her attention. Looking around, she noticed something. It was a figure on horseback, that had an otherworldly green glow about it. From what Erza could see, it was wearing some kind of armor. Finding herself drawn towards the figure, Erza started running in his direction. However, as she got closer, a green mist set in over the hill, and when it cleared, Erza was alone.

"What was that?" she muttered, staring into the distance.

Note: Not only has Erza earned the respect of a Grail Knight, but now she's apparently seen a figure in green. You can probably guess who that is.

Based on lore I've read, the Grail Knights are true beacons of chivalry, because the Lady does not gift that title loosely. To that end, they do legitimately care about the common people as well, but they are unfortunately not numerous enough to do enough. Also, they are sometimes somewhat ignorant of the suffering of the people.

Please review. Next chapter'll see Mirajane with the Dark Elves. Five chapters until the end of Part I. The chapters up until then will be released daily.