The Knight and the Beast
Chapter Seven: Beautiful Things Have Their Thorns
It was morning in Fairy Tail. Erza had cried herself to sleep. The sunlight rays seeping through the curtains of the window reached her closed eyes. As her brown orbs opened, she flinched from the sudden change of darkness to bright light. Once her eyes got used to the change she rubbed her eyes from drowsiness. She looked around and saw her surroundings. The fancy room that she was to live in for who knows how long.
Erza sighed before a knock was heard at the door. The person didn't wait for Erza to answer before bursting in. A couple of black dusters with white hopped into the room with Lucy trailing behind. The redhead looked for the dragon that the blonde seemed to always be with. Lucy had come to her room alone.
Erza looked to the two dusters before looking up to Lucy. "Who are these two?"
Lucy picked them up before placing the dusters on the bed beside Erza. There as a distinct difference between the two. One had a longer handle than the other. Their sapphire eyes glowed brightly in the morning light.
"My name is Mira," the longer duster said, happily smiling to Erza. "I'm the head maid here at Fairy Tail." She turned back to the other duster. "This is my little sister, Lisanna, who's also a maid here."
"Hello Ms. Erza," Lisanna said.
"Hi," Erza said. "You can just call me Erza."
"Let's go," Lucy said, walking over to the doorway. Her brown eyes looked over her shoulder. "Master is waiting."
"For what?" Erza asked, standing up.
"Wait!" Mira yelled. The blue eyes eyed Erza's dirty outfit. "You need to change."
"What?" Lucy asked.
"Excuse me?" Erza scoffed.
"Don't you want to make an impression on Sire?" Lisanna asked, hopping down from the bed and hopping behind her sister to the wardrobe.
Erza laughed sarcastically. "Of course I would want to impress the person who's keeping me here for God knows how long."
"That's the spirit!" Mira yelled, looking through the clothes.
Erza's eyebrows were raised in confusion. She turned back to Lucy and pointed to the elder duster. Lucy nodded her head quickly.
"Yeah, she's always like that," the blonde answered.
"O-okay…" the redhead mumbled. This place gets weirder and weirder every time.
"How…about…this one?" Mira asked, tugging now a bright pink dress. Erza walked over and pulled it out of the wardrobe. She saw the gaudy pink on pink on pink designs and nearly puked. "That's a no I'm guessing."
"No duh Mira-nee," Lisanna said. The younger maid looked around. She tugged on a black, funeral looking, dress. "This one?" Erza shook her head. Lisanna looked back to the dress and tilted her head to the side. "I guess it looks too dark for breakfast."
"This is taking too long!" Lucy yelled, stomping over to the wardrobe and pulling the three away from it. She looked down the rows of fabric. Her hand landed on the sleeve of a dark blue dress. It was simple; almost similar to her own with the lack of white fabric underneath the blue. Lucy pulled it out and handed it to Erza. "This one. And hurry up."
{Line Skip}
Jellal stomped back and forth in the dining room. Loke and Gray watched his movement while Natsu was laying on the floor by the entrance. The dragon rolled his onyx eyes. Gajeel was next to Natsu's head, snickering at the prince's fidgeting.
"Why are they late?" Jellal asked out loud.
"Girl talk?" Gray suggested.
"Maybe they're having one of those pillow fights that Loke always talks about," Gajeel snickered.
"Pillow fight, eh?" Loke said. He hopped down from the table and hopped over to the entrance. "Shall I check on them Sire?" Loke had a grin in his eye and a perverted glint in his eyes.
Natsu glared down to the candle holder before blowing fire on the wax. Loke freaked out, trying to put out the flames. Gajeel held up one of his anvil arms for a high-five and Natsu's tail slapped the anvil. A grin formed its way up to Natsu's face.
"Natsu!" a female voice said behind him.
The dragon looked behind him to see the blonde with Mira and Lisanna.
Lucy!
"I told you to stop doing that to Loke," Lucy said, walking passed the dragon. She knelt down to Loke and blew out the small flames. "Sorry about that Loke."
Loke swatted the smoke from his face and smiled up to the blonde. "Not a problem Lucy."
Lucy nodded and stood up again, missing Loke sticking out his tongue to the dragon and Natsu's low growl towards the candelabra. Mira walked up to the two fighting and shook her head. Gray had shown up beside the anvil and the two were snickering until Lisanna came over to them.
The blonde bowed before Jellal. "I'm sorry for the wait, My Prince." She looked back. "Don't be embarrassed. You look fine."
"More than fine actually," Loke commented.
Erza walked out from behind Natsu. A blush of embarrassment was dusting her cheeks. Her hair was still in a ponytail from the night before. Her navy blue dress had long sleeves and reached the floor. It was very fitting and stuck to her like a second skin. Erza held her arm behind her back. Her brown eyes were eying the floor.
Lucy looked back to Jellal and saw his reaction. Eyes wide, mouth open. She smirked before clasping her hands together. "Time to eat!"
Jellal blinked out of his trance and coughed. "Of course. Take a seat."
Lucy took her usual seat next to Jellal and across from Natsu who stayed where he was. Erza took a seat across from Lucy. She scooted her seat a little bit away from Jellal, which noticed it but didn't say anything. Mira walked to the door in the corner of the room and came back with Lisanna rolling a cart along.
When the cart passed Erza, the redhead picked up one of the three plates and placed it in front of her. Jellal and Lucy did the same thing. On the plate were eggs, sausages, bacon, toast, fruit, and side dishes of jams and butter. Essentially the works.
"Thanks Elfman!" Lucy yelled out to the kitchen.
"It's manly to cook for his family!" a male voice yelled. "MAN!" There was a blast before smoking started seeping out of the kitchen door.
Lucy and Jellal smiled. Mira sighed. Lisanna freaked out. Juvia was yelling about putting it out and something that it was Lucy's fault, which made the blonde laugh.
"Man?" Erza asked, putting her fork into the eggs.
"Elfman's the chef of the castle. He thinks that it's manly he cooks," Jellal explained stuffing his face.
Erza looked to Jellal with a face of confusion mixed with disgust. She caught his eye and Jellal pulled away from his food, avoiding eye contact with Erza. Erza turned to the side with a small smile that went unnoticed to everyone but Lucy. The blonde smiled to herself before looking down to the plate of spiced bacon strips. She threw them over her shoulder, towards Natsu.
"Do you usually feed the dragon?" Erza asked, taking a sip of her tea.
Lucy shook her head. "Only with bacon. Mira usually prepares Natsu's 'buffet of a meal'. I stay away from raw meat as much as possible."
"Oh, I see."
Everything stayed quiet, saved for Natsu's crunching on Lucy's bacon. Jellal stole glances at Erza when she wasn't looking. Taking in her beauty. Her scarlet hair, developed stature, deep brown eyes. He wondered if she was a kind person like he strived to be and if he kept her around she might manage to influence him more.
"So…" Lucy said, wiping her mouth clean. "What are we doing today?"
"Well, Natsu and I have to speak about some things around the castle. So, we won't be joining you for lunch in the gardens."
"It seems that it won't be outside today Sire," Lisanna said, moving the curtains. She revealed dark clouds forming in the skies. "It's the start of winter today."
Jellal looked out of the window and nodded. "It would seem so." Jellal stood up, leaving the napkin on his plate. "Ladies, if you will excuse me, I must attend to matters with Natsu."
"Yes My Prince," Lucy said with a bow of her head.
Erza nodded.
Jellal nodded to both of them before walking over to Natsu. The dragon stared to the blonde for a few seconds before turning back to the prince and walking with him.
"So, what shall we do Erza?" Lucy asked.
Erza shrugged. "I don't really know."
Lucy smiled before getting up from her chair. She raced over to the redhead and pulled her chair out from under the table and sliding it across the marble floor.
"Well, luckily for us, I know exactly what we'll do."
{Line Skip}
Taking a tour around the castle and meeting everyone in it. It was kinda what Erza was hoping for. She didn't want to be stuck in this castle for the rest of her life and only knowing where three rooms are.
Lucy took charge of the tour mostly, with Levy, the librarian. Everyone else was doing their daily routines of cleaning the castle, preparing the meals, or repairing some parts of statues or hallways that were damaged over the ten years they've all been living there. With Lucy being the only human to actually do the things that the others couldn't, not a lot could be done in one go.
Erza met a lot of different characters that lived in the castle. Like Gray, the hammer. He used to be a sculptor at the castle. Or Evergreen, the garden hoe. She was the gardener. Wendy was a young healer; she was turned into a medical kit. Max and Warren, who were butlers, were now clocks. Reedus, the castle painter, was a paint brush. Macao and his son, Romeo, were a matching tea set. Wakaba, who was the caretaker of the castle, was a pipe because of his habit of smoking (at least, that's what Lucy told Erza).
There was a library, Levy's domain. It had four levels filled with books that the little book said was read all by herself and hr blonde friend. Outside was the plaza where Reedus and Gray's studios were, along with Gajeel's, the blacksmithing anvil, shop. The fountain was where Juvia hung out most of the time, as it was the best place to watch her beloved 'Gray-sama' as he worked. Natsu, according to Lucy, followed the blonde wherever she went; sorta like a lost puppy always wanting to be near someone (well, this someone was Lucy).
{Line Skip}
As the small group of a hammer, water jar, anvil, book, teacup, medical kit, and a couple of dusters hopped their way beside a blonde and a redhead, they were nearing the end of the tour and dinnertime. Lucy needed to show her one last thing.
Erza looked around the hallway they were in. On the right were the usual demonic looking paintings and on the left was a dark staircase. There wasn't much light leading up the stairs and down the hall. She could barely make out that the paintings along the walls were ripped up and destroyed
The redhead stopped and looked down the hall. Her hand landed on the black railing before she started walking up the steps. Lucy looked back, the hammer and anvil following her gaze and even mimicking her gasp when they saw the redhead going up the stairs. The anvil and hammer hopped in front of Erza, spreading out whatever limbs they have in making a wall.
"What are you doing?" Erza asked, switching her gaze to the two at her feet and then to the hallway behind them.
"The real question is, what are you doing?" Gajeel asked.
"Just checking out what's up there," Erza said, walking over the two and continuing her way up the steps.
"Hold it," Lucy's voice said behind her. Erza felt an arm pull her down a step. The redhead looked over her shoulder and stared in the blonde's eyes. "That's the West Wing. I've told you that only certain people are allowed."
"Yeah," Gray said, hopping down the steps. "I'm not allowed to go in but that Flame-Brain is."
Lucy rolled her eyes before swiftly kicking the hammer down. "That Flame-Brain is the only reason why this castle is protected Gray."
"Sure it is," the hammer muttered under his breath. "Explain why two humans have already found this place?"
"Shut it Gray!" Lucy hissed. She took a deep breath while closing her eyes. "C'mon Erza. There's one thing I should show you before dinner's ready." The blonde let the redhead go before heading back to the group.
"And what might that be?"
"Our armoury and training field," Lucy said, looking over her shoulder. She caught the happy glint in Erza's brown eyes and smiled. Gotcha. "I figured you might want to check it out."
"Sure!"
"Splendid!" Mira cried out.
The blonde walked down the hallway as Levy started blowing up facts about great battles, fighting techniques, and other things along those lines. The others hopped along the hallway, talking over each other. None of them noticing the redhead staying behind.
Erza knew she shouldn't be doing this. That this could lead her into trouble with the prince. But, what can't kill you makes you stronger, right? So Erza went up the stairs quietly and sped down the hall. The redhead could see that the hallways were in bad shape and that no one had come down this way to fix it up.
Figures, Erza thought. No one but Lucy and Natsu go down this hall. Along with that prince.
As she continued to walk down the hall, she saw that the paintings that were hung along the walls couldn't be made out. The canvases were ripped up and destroyed beyond repair. It made Erza wonder if Reedus made those artworks and he had ripped them up from shame. A fine coating of dust had settled on the suits of armour that stood firmly along the hall.
Erza looked down to the end and saw red double doors at the end. The wooden doors had gold designs painted on it. It seemed to be the only thing in the wing that was in good condition. She noticed that it was slightly open and she opened it fully.
Inside of the room reflected a condition in worst shape than the hallway. Curtains were draped on the rotting wooden beams. Clothes that were either ripped or not were scattered all around the floor. There was a rotting smell that Erza hoped came from the rotting wood. There was a mattress on the floor with a bundle of dirty blankets on it but no bed frame.
She turned around and saw a little round table near the glass balcony doors at the back of the room. On the tabletop was a mirror with a crystal blue handle and frame. Next to the mirror was a glowing rose that had most of it petals fallen off and covered in a glass case.
Erza's brown eyes reflected the image of the rose as she neared it. Her hand landed on the table while the other lingered around the glass case. Her head was cocked to the side.
Why would something this beautiful be off limits? she thought.
She placed a hand on the glass case, but couldn't hear the claws gently scrapping against the marble floor.
"What are you doing here? I thought I told you that the West Wing was off limits," Jellal said, coming up directly behind her.
With Jellal's sudden appearance, it scared the female knight; causing her to jump. Her arm brushed against the glass case, making it fall off the table. Jellal's eyes widened and Erza's did too once she realized. Jellal pushed Erza to the side, jumping to grab the case with the rose. Erza couldn't see the shape of the rose as the prince was hunched over, protecting the rose in the glass case.
"Why are you so protective of that rose?" Erza asked.
She heard him mumble something low.
"What was that?"
"Get out."
"Wha-"
"Get out! Get out! GET! OUT!" Jellal roared, echoing throughout the castle. Certainly getting the others' attention.
Erza had a scared face on as she backed away from the prince and ran out the door. Tears pricked at her brown eyes but she refused to cry. She wasn't going to. Not because of the beast.
Jellal watched her as she backed away from him and ran out the door. He sighed, letting the remaining anger in him fade away. He shouldn't have done that. But she shouldn't have entered the West Wing either.
{Line Skip}
"GET! OUT!" Lucy and the others heard roared.
The blonde's whipped her head around, looking for the cause. She noticed that a redhead was missing.
"Dammit!" she yelled, picking up her skirts and backtracking their steps.
"What's happening Lu-chan?!" Levy asked hopping next to her blonde best friend.
"That girl! That girl went into the West Wing!"
"Told ya we couldn't trust her!" Gajeel said with a laugh.
"Now's not the time Gajeel!" Gray yelled.
"Juvia agrees with Gray-sama!" Juvia chimed in.
"When don't you Juvia?" Lisanna asked.
"Now's seriously not the time Guys!" Lucy and Levy yelled.
Lucy managed to catch Erza as she ran down the steps. "Erza!" The redhead turned around and saw the blonde running after her, causing her to pick up speed. "ERZA! DAMMIT! What did you do?!"
"I'm leaving!" Erza yelled back.
"What?!" Levy yelled. "You can't do that!"
"I don't care! I'm leaving this place and that's final!" Erza yelled as she reached the entrance doors. She pulled them open, unleashing a cold blast of freezing wind through the castle. "I can't stand another minute of this place!" She went through the doors, slamming them behind her.
Lucy huffed and ran after her.
"Where are you going Bunny-Girl?" Gajeel asked.
"Going after her!" Lucy yelled, reaching the doors and opening them herself. "A blizzard's about to start and she's going to be caught in the middle of it! I'm not letting her freeze to death!"
Lucy ran out to the courtyard and saw that the wind had picked up. Flurries were all about and blinded her. Herself and Erza weren't going to last long in this weather without proper clothing.
Better make this quick then! Lucy thought, running through the already piling snow.
She felt a large hand on her shoulder, pulling her back slightly. Lucy looked up to see a blur of brown and blue run pass her. She was about to run after him to help him look for Erza but a tail wrapped itself around Lucy's waist, pulling her towards something. She felt scales against her exposed skin.
Lucy's eyes met with onyx. "Natsu…" she breathed out.
Luce, you're shivering, Natsu said to her, warming up his scales to accommodate her.
Lucy didn't notice until he pointed it out. She turned back to where Jellal's paw prints were in the snow. "What about Erza and the prince?"
She heard Natsu chuckle and she shot him a glare shutting him up. Sorry. But, you know Jellal. He won't let anyone go out into a storm like this.
Lucy sighed. Sometimes the dragon knew more than the smartest girl on the grounds. She nodded, feeling his tail wrapping around her tighter.
Now let's get back inside and wait for those two and warm you up. You're freezing, Natsu said, pulling Lucy back to the castle with his tail. She let him. And what were you thinking Luce?! Going out into a storm underdressed?!