The Knight and the Beast
Chapter Five: The Switch
Erza was sitting in the yard. Sweat covered her body and her clothes were drenched in it. In her hand was an apple she was munching on. Her sword was in the ground to her right. Her long red hair was up in a high ponytail, swaying in the wind. Her brown eyes were concentrated on the orange glow of the sunset over the hills.
She sighed. Why don't I leave? Become a knight like Father, and lead my own life.
There was only one reason why Erza wanted to become a knight. That reason was he father was a knight and she wanted to live her life like him. Maybe even settling down with a nice family. At least, that's what she told everyone and herself even. The true reason was that she felt that there was something greater for her elsewhere. Becoming a knight, Erza felt, was the only way to get to the place she needed to be with respect and a position of authority.
She sighed again before finishing off her apple. "How am I kidding?" she asked herself, throwing her apple on the ground. "I'll probably end up Midnight's wife by the end of spring."
There was a neigh coming closer to the cabin. The redhead turned around and saw her grandfather's horse, Philippe, galloping towards her. She immediately stood up and jogged over to him. The horse seemed spooked. Erza raised her hands to calm the horse down.
Grandfather shouldn't be back for another two days, Erza thought.
Once Philippe did, Erza stroked the horse's head. She looked to the saddle and didn't see her grandfather sitting on it. Her brown eyes widened as she looked back to Philippe.
"Where's Grandfather Philippe?"
Philippe tugged his head towards the direction to the forest he emerged from. Erza followed his gaze and grabbed her sword from the ground, sliding it back into its sheath. She landed her gaze back to the horse.
"Wait here. I need to go get some things." With that, she ran into the house.
Running up the stairs, avoiding the dirty clothes and bottles the old man left around, she went to her room. Erza stripped herself of her sweaty clothes, putting on a black short sleeved corset that laced up in front and a thigh-high blue skirt. Erza threw on her knee-high black boots as she ran down the stairs and through the door. Philippe was waiting for her like she asked before jumping on the saddle and flicking the reigns.
"Let's go Philippe!" Erza yelled.
{Line Skip}
It was dark when Erza and Philippe reached the abandoned town. There was no light, no one living in the town. But, there was light coming from the castle in the middle of the lake.
But, Erza felt something emitting from there. That if she went in, there wasn't a chance that she'll be able to get out. Philippe led on though. Her grandfather, the last member alive in her family, was in that eerie castle. She had to get him out of there. Even if it meant sacrificing something in return.
It was quiet in the area. No humans lived around these parts and no animals seemed to be roaming around. The clacking of hooves against the stone bridge was all that Erza could concentrate on. Erza slid off the saddle and walked up to the gates to open them. The creaks echoed through the dark courtyard.
Erza gripped the reigns in her hands before she entered. Her knuckles turned white as she looked around. A smith's shop, a fountain, a sculpting platform. Everything in the courtyard seemed to be used recently. If not, that very same day. Erza let the reigns slip from her fingers before she turned around in circles.
"What is this place?" she asked herself, noticing the demons and trolls decorating the exterior of the castle.
She noticed that there was a coat of arms on the wooden double doors. The redhead walked up the steps to the crest. There was a layer of dust that she wiped off. The coat of arms was a fairy-like creature with a tail hanging off the end of it placed on a shield and a sword under its feet. The wording arched over the creature read FAIRY TAIL.
"Fairy Tail?"
Philippe let out a spooked neigh and started pounding his hooves against the stone ground. Erza ran down from the steps and raised her arms up in an attempt to calm the horse down. A shadow descended on her and the horse.
Erza looked up to see a red scaled dragon above her. Its body was completely balanced on the iron gates. Smoke puffed out from its nostrils and it bared its sharp fangs. Its dark eyes peered down to Erza and her horse.
Her brown eyes widened in realization that the dragon before her was the dragon that came into the village. Which would mean that Lucy was around here, right?
Whatever the case was, Erza had her sword out and ready. The silver blade gleaming in the lighting from the castle. Her grip on the blue hilt was tight as her brown eyes glared to the dragon before her.
"Wait…" a familiar voice said. The dragon immediately covered its fangs and pulled its large head back. "Erza?"
{Line Skip}
I smell an intruder, Natsu said as he moved his head up.
Lucy, who was leaning against him reading a book, looked up to him. She saw the determined look in his dark eyes and sighed.
She closed the book closed before placing it on the desk in her room. Next to her desk were a couple of daggers the length of her forearm. She never used them or even brought them along with her when she went into town. She had Natsu behind her and that's all she needed to be safe. But Prince Jellal insisted she carried them whenever on patrol or had left the grounds of Fairy Tail.
She grabbed the brown hilts of the black blades. The blonde tied them loosely to her belt before patting Natsu. He got up and went to the balcony. She followed him before looking back, thinking about the prince's, and everyone else's, condition.
Will we find someone in time? Lucy thought to herself as she turned back to see Natsu already hovering by the balcony. She noticed the condition that the enchanted rose was in the last time she was in Prince Jellal's quarters. It was wilting at a faster rate. Probably two months at most before all the petals fall off and everyone was stuck the way they were. Everyone…Including Natsu.
Her brown eyes fell upon the onyx ones of the dragon before her. She heard the slight purr from the back of his throat. The comforting sound he makes for her only. Her, and maybe Happy. That cat missed playing around with Natsu in his human self.
You okay Luce? Natsu asked, worry printed in his features.
Lucy shook her head. "I'm worried." Natsu waited for her to continue. "That Master won't find someone in time."
He will Luce, the dragon said, wrapping his tail around Lucy's slim waist and placing her behind his head on his neck. You know there's someone out there for him. We just have to keep waiting for her to show up.
"But we don't have time Natsu," the blonde said. "You saw the condition of the rose. We barely have two months left…before you and everyone else is stuck in these forms." She heard Natsu sigh. "I don't want to feel alone in Fairy Tail anymore."
You're not alone Luce. You're never alone. We'll be- He stopped. He started growling in the back of his throat and baring his fangs. He descended on the iron gates, balancing his weight on the iron.
Lucy managed to see who the person that Natsu was being feral towards was. A scarlet-haired woman about her age gripping a silver blade with a blue handle tightly. Lucy rubbed Natsu's head, causing him to pull back slightly.
"Wait…" Lucy said. Natsu covered his fangs while looking over his shoulder to look at the blonde.
What's with you Luce? Natsu thought.
"Erza?"
The redhead looked up to the sound of her name. Her brown eyes landed on a busty blonde on the back of the dragon. "Lucy?"
The dragon snorted. How does she know your name Lucy? he asked, ignoring that Erza could hear him.
"That-that dragon just talked!" she yelled.
Lucy slid down the dragon's leg. She stood in front of Erza, holding her hands up protectively. "It's alright. Natsu won't hurt you," she said suggestively.
Erza pointed her sword towards the girl and dragon. "To hell with that idea! You're standing in front and defending a freaking dragon!" she yelled.
Lucy held her hand up to a silent sign. Natsu wrapped his tail around Lucy protectively. The blonde placed a hand on his tail and the dragon eased up. "It's only because he's protective of everyone in this castle Erza. And please be quiet. I don't know who might hear."
"Too late Lucy," a voice said.
Erza looked around, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. "Who was that?!"
"Me, Idiot," the voice said again. This time, it came from right by her leg. The redhead's brown eyes looked down to see a dark grey hammer. Its dark blue eyes were judging her; Erza didn't like to be judged by someone (or, in this case, something) she just met. "And I thought you looked smart from a distance."
Erza had a dark aura around her. Lucy and Natsu felt it. The blonde noticed that the redhead's eyes were dark and covered by her bangs. Lucy watched as Erza picked up the hammer upside down and held it in front of her face.
"WHA-What are you doing wom-" the hammer started, but stopped in the middle once he noticed that there was a dark glint in her eye.
"I don't think that was a good idea Gray," Lucy whispered.
Natsu chuckled. Serves you right Stripper.
"Shut up you two!" the hammer yelled.
"Your name's Gray, huh?" Erza asked coldly.
"Yeah. What of it?"
"Next time Gray," Erza said. "THINK BEFRE YOU SPEAK!" As she yelled, the fierce redhead threw the hammer into the smith's shop, creating a loud crash.
"Shit!" Lucy squeaked. She cringed at what the possible punishments the prince would give the three (and now Erza) if he heard.
"Gray-sama!" a high-pitched voice yelled.
Erza looked to where the voice came from; the fountain. On the edge of the stone enclosure was a water jar with a brown base. It had gold and blue designs running over the pottery. Its navy eyes had a look of concern for the hammer named Gray.
"What is with this place? A talking dragon. Then a talking hammer. And now a talking water jar." She turned to the blonde, the seemingly only human around here for miles. "What's going on Lucy?"
"Well, everyone in this castle is under a curse," Lucy said, walking over to where Erza had thrown Gray. The blonde gingerly picked up the hammer, placing him upright, before he hopped off to where the water jar was. "Gray was a sculptor here at Fairy Tail. But he's a sculpting hammer now under the curse." Lucy turned to the water jar. "Juvia was a water maid, but she's a water jar now."
But at least her love for Gray never fades, Natsu said in a playful tone.
Erza sheathed her sword before turning to Natsu and Lucy. "What about you and Natsu?"
Lucy smiled sadly. She turned back to Natsu who had ducked his head away. "He was the head guard of the castle before he turned into a dragon, guarding this place." The blonde sighed. "And me? I wasn't around whenever the castle underwent the curse."
The blonde turned back to the redhead. "Why are you here?"
"I'm looking for my grandfather."
"Grandfather?" Lucy asked, her eyes widening. The old man…
"Yes. I though, because my horse brought me here, that he was in this castle." Erza's eyes connected to Lucy's. The blonde pulled away from her. "He's here, isn't he?" Lucy didn't answer. "Answer me!"
"Yes, he is." Gray had made his way over next to Lucy's feet.
Gray! Natsu yelled.
"They're family Natsu. Don't you believe that family should stay together?" Gray asked, looking coldly to the dragon. Natsu backed down.
"He is?" Erza asked.
Lucy sighed. She looked to Erza's eager face. She remembered having that look so many years ago when they just started living with the curse. Her face had lit up every time she or Levy had found something to help break the curse. Just like the way Erza's was at that moment. The redhead was hoping to see her grandfather. Just like how Lucy had hoped to break the curse.
The blonde faced the double doors. She picked up Gray and Juvia who had wondered over to her while following Gray. The blonde looked over her shoulder, ignoring the protesting looks from the dragon behind her.
"You can't stay long. Our master has already with us for caring in your grandfather," Lucy said, looking to the stone ground. "I'm not sure what will happen if you finds you here as well."
Luce, that's if he finds us, Natsu said.
Lucy sighed, turning to the front again. "If…If is a good."
{Line Skip}
Could she be the one Luce? Natsu whispered to the blonde on his right, glancing back to the redhead to see if she had heard.
"Of course Natsu," Lucy whispered back. "We'll talk about this later. Please!"
Alright, Natsu huffed as they continued down the spiral staircase that led to the dungeons.
Lucy looked back to a worried looking Erza before looking back. "We'll give you a few minutes with him Erza. But you will have to leave right after."
"What? Only a few minutes?"
"We're already risking our skins letting you in the castle," Gray said from Lucy's arms. "We'll end up worse if Master catches us."
Erza looked around the demonic looking art along the walls. "Who is this 'Master' anyways?"
"The prince of this castle that Juvia and everyone else lives in," the water jar said.
They reached a door that had a lock on it. Lucy grabbed her bronze key ring before looking through the individual keys. Once she got the correct one, the blonde unlocked the door. The air in the dungeon was musky and damp. As if no one had aired it out in decades. There were rows of cells along the walls. Erza looked around; none of them were being used except one. There was one at the end that had moonlight casting a shadow on a small elderly man.
Erza's brown eyes nearly flooded with tears once she saw her grandfather. "Grandfather!" she cried as she ran to the cell.
The old man looked up, seeing his granddaughter kneeling before her cell. "What are you doing here Child?!" he yelled.
"I needed to find you," Erza said, gripping the iron bars.
"Who brought you here?" The redhead looked back to the dragon and blonde. "You…"
"Make it quick Erza. We don't have that much time," Lucy said, glancing every few seconds to check.
We'll keep watch, Natsu said, following Lucy's gaze.
"That dragon just talked."
"Yeah…" Erza glanced back to her grandfather, taking his hand. "Yeah, he did. Your hands are freezing Grandfather."
"Erza, you have to get out of here-"
"But Grandfather!"
"Listen to me. I don't know what he'll do if he catches us-"
Shit! Natsu yelled.
"M-Master!" Lucy yelled.
Erza looked up and saw a big, burly figure towering over Lucy. She watched Natsu's tail curl around Lucy's feet protectively. She saw the figure glance her way quickly, giving her a look in his brown eyes. She noticed that there was something on his right eye.
The figure looked back to Natsu and Lucy. "I thought I was clear last time Lucy, Natsu," the figure said. His voice was deep and had a calming feel to it. At least, to Erza it did.
"I know Master," Lucy said. "But they are family. I couldn't let them be separated."
"That is why the old man should've thought of the effect it would leave everyone," the figure said.
"S-Sir," Erza spoke up, standing up in front of the cell. The moonlight lit up her features.
"Erza!" the old man snapped. "What are you doing?"
"What is it girl?" the figure asked.
Lucy looked from the corner of her eyes at her master. She had noticed that his breathing hitched when he laid eyes on the redhead across from them. Lucy looked back to Erza's bravery and determination. She thought that this girl before them would be the one. The one to break the curse and bring everyone back to normal. Bring back her Natsu.
It's not enough if Jellal just falls though. The blonde looked back to the prince. She has to too.
"Let my grandfather go-" Erza started.
"Erza! No!" the old man pleaded.
"You think I would let him go without something in return!" the figure said. "You must be really foolish if you would think-"
"Let my grandfather go, in exchange for me," Erza finished. She glanced up, looking in the figure's brown eyes with determination.
The figure chuckled. Lucy looked up to Natsu before turning back to Jellal. "Master?" she asked.
"You're brave Girl," the figure said. "You have a deal. Natsu, take the man back to the village outside of the forest."
"But Master-"
"Lucy, take Red to a spare room," he said. He glared back to the blonde; she backed away until she felt Natsu's scales pressed against her palm. "That's an order."
Lucy gulped down a sigh before bowing from her waist. "Yes Sir. Forgive me Sire."
"You are forgiven. Natsu, I will meet you outside."
Yes Sir. Natsu bowed his head before touching Lucy's hand with his tail and heading out of the dungeon.
The figure went passed Lucy who hung her head low. He stood in front of Erza before going into the moonlight in the old man's cell. Erza tried not to act surprised and shocked. But she couldn't miss those horns out of his head and the fur covering his tall body. Fangs peered over his lips. His brown eyes were looking down to her. There was a distinct red tattoo over his right eye that Erza couldn't pull herself to look away.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail Red," the beast said, before grabbing her grandfather and dragging him out of the dungeon without letting the two say goodbye to each other. As it was probably the last time they would see each other for possibly a long time.