Disclaimer: If you look at me under the right light, then close your eyes and imagine the author of Fairy Tail, I'm still not Hiro Mashima, so I don't technically own anything. Oh well, he's awesome!

(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

And now the chapter you've all been waiting for... The next one! Yay! Another freshly toasted bread out of the oven! Smell the deliciousness of it! Smell it! Yeah, another thing that got away from me...

(＞人＜;)

IMPORTANT:

Ok, I really want to apologise for the über late update. Believe me, your all laugh at how unlucky I've been. At first, I rewrote this three times. First time I lost it, second time it turned very... Disturbing... And third time I had an epic idea. So before the fourth rewrite, I went to hospital (again) to see if they FINALLY found out what was wrong with me, and I got some bad news. It was a maybe, that they need to run more tests, but they said I probably had another lifelong disease, not majorly life threatening. For crying out loud, I'm only 15 years old, I shouldn't be dealing with this... So... Meh, that's why.

ALSO:

In the manga it says 1 day in the Spirit World is equivalent to 3 months in Earthland. I assume that it means 12 hours (because they obviously didn't spend a whole 24 hours partying) so in this 1 day in the Spirit World = 6 months in Earthland.

*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*

Oh. My. Flaming monkey butts. Over 125 followers. Over 100 favourites. I think I had a heart attack. So as a thank you, there's a party and you're all invited (please note that there is no party, and I'm only distracting you to steal your wallet).

(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

Now, this chapter includes...

ZERCY!

(´･Д･)」

So again, I plea to ye: the finest sirs, the fairest maidens, and the little brats that call themselves children (just joking, but seriously, you shouldn't be reading this) to review, favourite and follow this story. Without all the support it's had, it would be left in a cold heap of dead fish on the floor.

~Nom Nom :3

PS: I would love to say that I'm high on drugs so that's why it sounds so stupid, but I don't do drugs. So I can't. Ergo I didn't. The end. Goodbye.

My Dark Queen - Part II : The Seven Years of Darkness

Seventh:

The Job Request

Year 0 Day 0

Lucy bit her thumb. She had just watched her old nakama disappear, protected by the black dragon. And she knew what Fairy Tail was like. They were like rats, always surviving, always there to annoy people and just be in the way. The magic they used was old and powerful, but at a cost. She knew that they had been removed from existence, as she was unable to sense their magic.

"Fuck!" She scowled, looking out to the sea. The six of them were on the dragon's back, as it was flying away, presumably to the mainland.

After a moment of watching Lucy, Zeref clapped his hands, and sat down on a black chair he summoned with his magic. He ignored the world around him, his mind deep in thought for a plan. Yes he wanted an heir, and Lucy was the only other Mage in existence who could bear him a child, but that didn't mean she would. His emotion-manipulating magic could only go so far, and the more he used it on people, the more they became immune - an irritating drawback - and she would practically unfazed by it by now. He hoped that the seeds he planted were enough, because he...

Because what?

He felt funny. When he though about the fact that Lucy might never be his, his bod reacted violently. His heart sped up, his hands gripped the arms of his chair, and his teeth clenched. He felt like killing someone, but why? Just of the thought that Lucy might never be his? What kind of logic was that?

Wait, since when did Lucy need to be his?

What was wrong with him? He was Zeref, the darkest, evilest and most cruelest Mage in history, so why did she affect him like this? Was he...

He shook his head. No he was Zeref, he would never feel that... He looked over at Lucy, and gulped, his throat suddenly incredibly dry, and increasingly aware of his body. He would never feel that...

Right?

Year 0 Day 4

Acnologia landed on the mainland shore. Lucy was glad to finally be able to get of the dragon's scaled back and stand on dry land. Before Zeref stopped talking to her, he was insistent on riding the dragon the whole way, not just teleporting away to Fiore. The entire ride wasn't pleasant, with Lucy being forced to eat, sleep, dress and even bathe on the dragon (experiences that she would safely say she wouldn't do again), so she was looking forward to a decent sleep without the wind howling around her ears (because dragons didn't need to sleep, or eat, or even rest)...

Or she would've been if she wasn't so damnright nervous about Zeref. They hadn't spoken in four days (well, three and a bit, but still...) and whenever she tried, they were brought apart by Juvia, Mirajane or Gajeel. Now, she had had enough, and was going to confront him. It may have just been a few days, but it had felt much longer to not talk to the one she loved.

Yes, she loved him. She didn't know when she started doing so, maybe when they first met, with him appearing when she most needed someone. Or maybe it was when she finally turned her back on Fairy Tail and her old love. Or when he brought Mirajane and Happy with him to keep them company. Or maybe when he... There were so many times when she could've, she was surprised that she only fell in love with him the one time.

So instead of talking to him, she talked to the new additions Ultear and Meredy. Meredy was quiet and wary, but that only lasted a few minutes until Mirajane broke the shell faster than anyone could say 'huh'. Ultear, on the other hand, sat and planned with Lucy. They had matching personalities, right down to the desire to humiliate people, so they bonded instantly, and found the perfect plan. But she still couldn't stop worrying about Zeref, so she decided that it was time to act.

It was now or... Later. She turned around, looking for said man, but being rewarded with Gajeel, who was grinning sadistically.

"H-Hey..." She greeted him warily. His smile was making her feel really uncomfortable.

"Hey, bunny girl, Z wanted me to give you this." He said, thrusting a piece of paper into her hand. She sighed at the nicknames. You'd think Gajeel was allergic to saying other people's names.

"Thanks, scrap metal." She said rolling her eyes, earning a small chuckle from Gajeel before he teleported away in a black mist. She knew exactly where he teleported to, a small town about three miles away, and he was with Zeref. Side effects from the bonding, she now knew wherever they were, and they can borrow each others magic in small amounts. Thus the teleporting ability.

Sighing, she opened the small letter. It was on a piece of parchment, making Lucy snort. She knew Zeref was old, but he had heard of paper right? Then she imagined him writing this with a feather - no, a quill... She shook her head of the ridiculous image and read the letter:

Lucy,

Meet me at Shark-tooth bay in two days, at seven.

Zeref

PS - Mira says 'dress to impress'

Lucy snorted in laughter. The last line was obviously scrawled in by Mirajane, the elegant and cursive handwriting the polar-opposite to Zeref's untidy scrawl. You'd think a few hundred years of living would neaten up his handwriting...

Still smiling, she folded up the parchment in half and shoved it into her pocket. This was why he was avoiding her, so he could ask her out on a date? Wait, a date? With Zeref? Her mind went into overboard. What should she wear? What colour? How should she do her hair? Her makeup? Through all her panic, one work silenced her, and made her relax from the thought.

Mirajane.

Smiling, she teleported herself to the said Mage. She was with Juvia in a flower shop, admiring the blood-red roses. The two noticed her as she walked in, stepping over the bound-and-gagged young seller. When she raised her eyebrow, the duo just giggled.

"For later!" Mira smiled to her, before jumping up onto the shop counter and sitting down on it, crossing her legs in a seductive manner. If any man saw the way she was sitting, they'd hit on her first chance.

"So, Zeref asked me out... I think." Lucy watched them share a knowing look. "But you knew that already. But that's not why I'm here." She flicked her hair over her shoulder. "I have no clue on what to wear. Or anything else."

Mirajane's eyes sparkled ominously. "You mean we get free reign?"

"Y-Yes?" It came out more like a question.

She regretted it instantly.

Year 0 Day 6

Lucy stumbled onto the bay. For the past two days, Juvia and Mirajane had been fawning over her none stop, making sure that everything about her was perfect. Currently, she wore a black strapless dress that wrapped tightly around her body, which had a deep silver fringe, coming off her knees and resting just above the ground, making the dress look like a miniature ball gown. The dress has red stones stitched into the weaves of the fabric, making sunlight glisten off the jewels and give a bloody-red aura around her. She had various pieces of jewellery on her person: a small silver necklace with a diamond crescent moon pendent, twin silver earrings in crescent moon shape, and a single silver hair stick, which held her hair in a ponytail down her right shoulder. Its end was in the shape of a crescent moon, like the rest of her jewellery.

All in all, the things that Lucy was wearing could easily finance her to re-buy her family's estate.

Her years at the Heartfilia manor did not fail her, she elegantly glided across the sand in her high heals (a feat that took years to master, especially when her father had an eye on a prince from Desierto, a pudgy, short man that always smelled of cheese) looking for Zeref.

It was surprisingly difficult to locate the dark Mage. The bay was empty, and all she could see was golden sand and the amazing sunset, which made her heart speed up. She sat down on the sand and faced the sunset. Now all she needed was Zeref, and it'd be a perfect first date.

As if on cue, Zeref appeared beside her out of the black mist. He was wearing a black designer suit, with a white undershirt, which was unbuttoned, revealing his body. His suit and shirt were both torn and singed, with large splatters of other people's blood on it. Multiple people, Lucy could tell, by the scent. That surprised her. Somehow, she had developed a stronger sense of smell and could smell not only the different blood, but she could smell what they looked like. There were a dozen, all big ugly people that overestimate themselves.

He sat down beside her, and both remained silent. It was an enjoyable silence, both content on watching the sunset, but Lucy knew she couldn't dance around the issue. So she went against everything she learned from both the Heartfilia manor, but also Mirajane (she taught EXACTLY what she learned at her manor, right down to the small details. When Lucy asked, Mirajane just shrugged and said that she "wrote the book on elegance").

"Do you want me?"

Lucy silently cursed herself at her idiocy. It sounded incredibly childish and spoilt, probably why it was advised against, and just completely cheesy. It made her cheeks burn, but she remained silent, looking at her lap, and she waited for his reply.

Zeref, on the other hand, smiled when he saw his Lucy blush at her words. Yes, his Lucy. It took two days and over three thousand lives in Bosco, but he finally came to terms that he loved her. He wasn't supposed to love her, only use her to get his heir, but he couldn't help it. He had fallen in love with her. And what was stopping him? He could love her, he needed to have sex with her anyway, why not enjoy it and make it last? For the first time in his 400+ year old life, he felt something other than the pain and anger of revenge. He felt love.

"Lucy..." He said, sounding condescending on purpose, making her tense. "You're a beautiful girl. You're smart, funny, sexy, honest, powerful, strong, loyal and fun. I do want you..." He trailed off on purpose, enjoying teasing her.

"But...?" Lucy said solemnly, the exact word he wanted her to say.

"But?" He echoed, feinting ignorance.

"Just tell me why you won't!" She shouted, turning to look at him. Her eyes were filled with tears, and when they met his laughing eyes, she realised what he meant.

"You JERK!" She screamed, and motioned to punch him. He flinched and closed his eyes, and was met not by a fist, but a pair of soft lips on his. He opened his eyes just in time to see Lucy moving away from him, her cheeks bright red, matching his.

He smiled and leaned in again, their lips touching once more. It was gently, and Zeref used the very tip of his tongue to glide across the opening of her lips, and when she opened them, he just continued to trace the edges of her lips. After he had made a full circle, he pushed his tongue deeper into her mouth until the tip touched the tip of her tongue. A spark passed between them, and all rationality flew out the window. They wanted - no, they needed each other. The want, the need... It consumed them. Their tongues fought an insane battle of dominance, twisting, turning and rubbing every single bit of the others mouth. It was the hardest battle either have ever had.

Yet, as soon as they started, they broke apart with force. Both jumped back away from one another, creating a space of about two meters between them.

"Did... Did you feel that...?" Lucy whispered to him, and he nodded. What she meant was the magic between them. Somehow, them kissing created some magic between them, but nothing like either had ever felt. It was powerful, but not dark nor normal magic.

It was insanity.

The magic was crazy, untamed, and... New. Completely new and powerful, like The One Magic. He had never felt that before, but he knew that it must've felt something like that. It scared him, a hard feat to do, but it also enticed him. For such power to appear before him... His lust for power began to grow again. But it was not alone. The lust, the need he felt for Lucy, it remained. She looked much more appealing to him (not that she wasn't to begin with) and he felt his cheeks burn.

Lucy felt... Different. She felt the insane magic grow between them, but when they broke apart, it drained straight from her in an instant. But it changed her. She felt her magic scream at the separation as it tried to get to it, as if it was a small child reaching for its mother. She took another look at Zeref and suddenly he looked more manly (she mentally scoffed at the fact that he could've looked more many then he did). Even the blood didn't put her off, no, it turned her on.

But before anything could happen, Zeref disappeared, making her blink. Then it hit her.

Was she just rejected?

Year 0 Day 12

Juvia and Gajeel stood in front of Zeref. The were worried about Lucy because, last they saw her, she was angry and on a mission. All she said was she needed to release some stress, and took off, hiding herself from being followed. That was almost half a week ago.

Both of them were frustrated with him. The attraction was obvious. It only took Gajeel and Juvia a grand total of three seconds to notice it. But for them, it took longer. Lucy had just realised it, while Zeref was yet to get there. Because of this, Juvia was pissed and wanted to slap Zeref, but only Gajeel's presence was stopping that, even though he wanted to do the exact same thing.

"Yes?" Juvia said, smiling an obviously fake smile. Zeref noticed this, but didn't pry.

"Well, I've got a job for you two." He said. "Something important."

Both listened to the Mage intently. The more he explained, the more shocked the two got. Once he was done, Juvia's was staring at him like he told her to strip, and Gajeel was grinning like a maniac.

"Well I've gotta say." Gajeel laughed. "I'm glad we ain't following a pussy!"

"Juvia is shocked." She said. "This is indeed a daring plan." She smirked, an evil gleam in her eyes. "We will do this... For a price." She grabbed the tie of the suit Zeref was wearing and dragged him close, so that their faces were close, their noses almost touching.

"Don't hurt Lucy again." She hissed, before storming off, Gajeel hot on her heels.

Zeref blinked, them rubbed his sore neck. The water girl had some strength in those small, rather deceiving arms. He then sighed. What did she mean, 'Don't hurt Lucy again'? He had already hurt her? His heart ached at the thought, making him confused. What was wrong with him?

He shook his head. That girl was very confusing, and would be the death of him.

Year 0 Day 13

Mirajane tapped her heel impatiently on the floor. She was angry - no, she was furious. For one week - for seven whole days - she had heard absolutely nothing. Last week, she had planned Lucy's date with Zeref absolutely perfectly, right down to forcing Gajeel to clear the bay of everyone present, and putting Lucy in the finest clothes money could by. Yet according to Lucy, who came back depressed, they kissed but he rejected her. And since then, she hadn't seen Lucy for five days, and Zeref for the whole week.

"Mirajane-san." Ultear said from behind her. Damn, she lost herself in her thoughts again. Putting her face to the perfect smile that she had perfected many years ago, she turned to her.

"Yes?"

"The mission request sent by the Lalique Family has been sent to a guild of Mages, Mirajane-san." Meredy said in a small voice. "A small guild called Sabertooth."

Sabertooth... The name was familiar. It was the name of a guild that declared to be Fairy Tail's rival over 10 years ago, but sometime in those ten years they disappeared under the folds. They didn't really have anyone spectacular, but rumours said that they had recruited a few extremely powerful Mages. Their prices weren't much, so that's probably why they were chosen by the Lalique Family, who she *cough* borrowed *cough* the clothes from.

"Meredy, it's just Mira." She smiled. "You too Ultear. We're family now. Anyway, what time will they arrive?"

"It will take them about two months to get to our location, presuming they don't travel by train. By train, it will be about nine days when it is accepted. That will take about a week though."

Mirajane thought hard. That was a big time frame. But it also meant more recruits for them... If she managed to get just two people, that would be fine...

Year 0 Day 15

Lucy was really not happy to see Zeref.

She couldn't deny that he was needed, but it was another thing actually seeing him again, after he so obviously rejected her. But she tolerated it as he made another two bonds between Lucy and Wendy and Carla.

Wendy and Carla... She was ecstatic that they finally turned to her way of thinking. It took seven years - seven FUCKING years - for them to finally realise, but they did. Wendy, now 19 years old, was as stunning as she was in Edolas, with long blue hair, a large chest that rivalled her own chest, and a body models would turn green with envy for.

When Horologium took Carla, Happy and Pantherlily, he took them to a secluded place. Horologium now confused Lucy, because he now could manipulate time, dimensions, etcetera, which made Lucy zone out. She recalled something about quantum... something, but nothing else. Whatever happened, worked, and Carla was completely against Fairy Tail now.

Wendy, on the other hand, she sent someplace special. She sent her to the Spirit World to her spirits. Apparently, it was becoming back to its original state, and once all twelve Golden Zodiac Keys turned black, it would completely turn back. Anyway, all of them had created a small space where they altered her memories. It took years to completely rewrite most of them, but now the true colours of Fairy Tail showed through, where they would abandon their nakama when it gets too hard.

Once the ritual was done, and while Wendy reacquainted with Mirajane and was introduced to Ultear and Meredy, Zeref turned to Lucy. She gave him a look which clearly stated 'this is your only chance'.

"Why did you run?" She asked quietly, sounding more hurt than annoyed. Zeref thought back to how he felt. He was confused, but also scared. He had never felt that way for someone, he was never meant to, but he did. He ran because he didn't know what to do. Hell, he still didn't know what to do. So he remained silent.

Apparently it was the wrong thing to do.

Lucy's eyes teared up. "Oh, so that's what it was." A single tear escaped her eyes before they turned hard and cold. She growled at Zeref before disappearing into a black mist.

Zeref blinked. He was completely and utterly confused. What the hell had just happened? He didn't say anything, but apparently there was nothing else that would've made it worse.

"What happened between you and Lucy, Zeref?" The menacing voice came from behind him, making him gulp. Mirajane. In all his 400+ years, he had never met anyone so unique as the people he knew now, Mirajane being the only person to have ever scared him, other than 'that person'. And, right now, her voice was enough to make his skin crawl and make him want to cry. Trying his hardest, he tried to fix the situation.

"I didn't mean it." He rushed out. "It was never meant to happen." He said, hoping that it worked. Apparently though, this was the only thing possible to make things worse, as her eyes narrowed and she glared at him, making him shrink back. Silently, he cursed himself. What had happened to his cool composure he had just a few days ago?

"Never meant to happen?" She hissed. "You wimp."

Although it was a weak insult, it hit him like a tonne of bricks. Yes, he was acting strange, like a weakling. From manipulating the Fairy Tail Mages against themselves to flinching from a look by a woman... He had really let himself change, and that needed fixed.

Wordlessly, he took a quick glance at Mirajane, who was startled by his cold eyes, and vanished away in a black mist.

His plan didn't just require an heir. Other things were needed too. His heir could wait.

Year 0 Day 27

The old man eyes the two new recruits curiously. They were strong - even he himself was slightly startled by their magic power - but they were... strange. In all his years, he had never seen people with their type of magic. It was dark, borderline evil, yet they never used it. Even for the entrance test into Sabertooth, the pair never used their magic, just their brute strength. And even after passing, they refused to join, and stated they were observing things in their guild. Normally, he himself would never allow that, but these two actually made him think twice. He hoped that they would change their minds and join, but he was doubtful, so he settled on having strong allies.

"Master J." Someone said, interrupting his train of thought. He turned to the feminine voice to see his daughter Minerva standing there with her hands on her hips. Even though they were family by blood, both had a mutual unspoken agreement that power went before family.

"What is it, Minerva?" He asked.

"I don't trust the newbies." She said. "They refused out guild mark, but you still let them stay around. Why?"

His eyes narrowed and his voice grew cold. "That is my decision, not yours to question."

She frowned for a moment before bowing. "Of course. I'm sorry Master."

She wasn't happy. The new comers were strong, but not part of their guild, meaning they were a threat. If their Master wouldn't act, she would.

Year 0 Day 31

"What about this mission, Rogue?" Sting asked his black-haired friend, pulling a request off the job board. It was the only somewhat challenging one, and the only one with a fight. It read:

WANTED: Mages to recover stolen goods

LOCATION: Around Fiore

REWARD: 1,000,000 Jewels + Favour with the Lalique Family + Guild Renown

DETAILS: A single female Dark Mage stole priceless jewels and gems from the Lalique Family household. Wanted dead or alive. May not be alone.

Rogue eyed it emotionlessly before nodding. Sting whooped, and was about to say something before he noticed the newcomers approaching them. "What do you want?" He hissed at them.

"We wish to accompany you." The woman smiled, her blue hair flowing freely down her back. "That's ok... Right?" On the last word, her eyes turned cold and she glared at them so viciously that they were worried that they had done something atrocious to her. Uncharitaristcallcy, both nodded wordlessly, eyes wide.

"Good." She smiled, all traces of ill intent gone. "Juvia and Gajeel will wait here for you two." With that, she walked off, leaving Gajeel to stare them down with his red eyes. Rogue had always wanted to meet him, but since they met a few weeks ago, Rogue's appreciation had reached a whole other level.

"Fucking pussies." He grinned, showing pointed teeth, before he walked off after her, making Sting question that last comment. Rogue, however, looked happy, like he had just heard brilliant words of wisdom. Sting shook his head, bemused at the whole thing. Now all he needed was Minerva to come over and say she was joining...

As usual, life listened to the sarcastic remark and granted it.

Minerva walked over, dragging another new member Yukino. The whole guild watched as she marched over to the two Dragon Slayers, dragging the poor Celestial Spirit Mage.

"We're coming too." She stated, leaving no room for argument, before trotting off, her grip still tight on Yukino.

Sting blinked. In the space of three seconds, Juvia, Gajeel, Yukino and Minerva joined the request, set a meeting place, and the ever-emotionless Rogue was smiling like he had just won the lottery. Sting felt like the only sane person, and he wanted to bang his head against a wall and scream.

No one noticed a small pink-haired girl who didn't belong slip out of the Master's office.

Year 0 Day 39

Lucy wiped her bloody hands on her dress, the once white colour smeared red. This was the fifth loose end she had cleaned up, all created by Mirajane. Lucy was absolutely stunned at the unique talent Mirajane now had at pissing anyone and everyone off. This was a family which she stole god knows what from them, and just left them to post a mission request about it. Lucy hoped she was quick enough to stop the trail from reaching-

A knocking sound interrupted her train of thought. She froze, hoping it was just her imagination.

"Hello? Anyone in?" Called a voice. Apparently, it wasn't.

"J-Just a second!" She called before she could stop herself. She cursed at her stupidity before springing into action. Clicking her fingers, she summoned Horologium (part of the new contracts) and used him to hide the bodies in his realm. Then she summoned Virgo, and after convincing her that she really didn't wanted to be punished by the spirit, Lucy's clothes were changed to more a expensive and cleaner gown in an instant (apparently certain parts never changed). Finally, she summoned some demons - curtsy of Zeref (even the name pissed her off) - all traces of blood were disposed of.

Turning around, she let her years of lessons from her old home flow through her, and she felt her body shift to that of a noblewoman's. Gliding across the floor, keeping her back straight, she walked to the large door to her false home (doing all this while mentally kicking herself at killing the family in the entrance hall).

But before she herself reached the door, another man was there, wearing a butler uniform. "Welcome to Blackharts Manor." He said, in perfect polite speech, bowing to the precise degree that would've taken years of training. "The Lord and Lady are inside waiting. Please, come in."

Lucy listened as the mansion around he came to life with noise. Maids and butlers roamed around the hall, entering different rooms, holding supplies and just generally doing work. She stood there patiently, her years of training not failing her, and watched as the main butler escorted six people towards her. Two boys, two girls and Gajeel and Juvia.

"Hi." The blond man said awkwardly. He was wearing an open white vest with black pants and boots. "We're from Sabertooth."

"Hello." Said a familiar voice from beside her. It took all her strength and willpower not to turn around and slap him in the face. Or kick him somewhere it would hurt. "I am Zeren Blackharts, and this is my wife, Lucillia Blackharts." On her false-name, Lucy did a small curtsy and smiled. "Please, follow us."

Zeref walked through the manor, with Lucy the customary one step behind, and lead them into a large room. On the way there, Lucy noticed how the mansion's interior had substantially changed. The colour scheme had changed from gold and red to black and silver, and the era changed from modern to something older, like from hundreds of years ago. The portraits had changed to images of her and Zeref, some also of Mirajane, Wendy, Gajeel, Juvia and Ultear. There were also some of the exceeds, but none of Meredy.

"Please sit down." He gestured to an antique black and silver settee, while he sat down on the love seat opposite it. Lucy took the remaining seat. "So, you are from Sabertooth, correct?"

As soon as they arrived, Minerva knew there was so something wrong. When they first arrived to the huge mansion, there was no one there. No gardeners, no security patrols, nothing expected from a home of its magnitude. Even the building itself was eerily quiet, but before she could do anything, the idiot blond knocked. There was no reply so he tried again.

"Hello? Anyone in?" He shouted. There was the sound of rustling inside then another voice replied.

"J-Just a second!" It was feminine and elegant, like a voice you'd expect from the lady of the house, not a servant. But, as the voice called, the mansion sprung to life. Guards, maids and butlers all appeared as if from nowhere, all donning black and silver attire, with the same silver 'BH' in a black heart with a silver outline embroidered over their own heart.

"Welcome to Blackharts Manor." Said a man, who she suspected to be the head butler. He bowed and stepped to the side, gesturing towards a woman, dressed in a priceless black and silver dress. Se had blonde hair with streaks of different colours in it, and she was so attractive that even Minerva herself was envious. "The Lord and Lady are inside waiting. Please, come in."

Next to her stood a man, in a black and silver suit, with black hair and black eyes that looked like a pit. He smiled, and if it were any other situation, Minerva would try her luck with the man.

"Hi." Sting said, his voice unsure. "We're from Sabertooth."

"Hello." Said the man. "I am Zeren Blackharts, and this is my wife, Lucillia Blackharts." The woman called Lucillia smiled politely and performed a perfect curtsy. "Please, follow us."

The six of them followed the married couple though the mansion. It was all black and silver (something told her that it was the family's colours), with priceless antiques lining the halls. There were portraits of Lucillia and Zeref, and some of two other women and even some cats. Yet, what really caught her eye was the portraits of Gajeel and Juvia. They were connected to the Blackharts Family, but what about the Lalique Family?

"Please sit down." Zeren interrupted her thoughts, gesturing to an antique black and silver settee, while he sat down on the love seat opposite it with his wife. "So, you are from Sabertooth, correct?"

"Yes we are." Sting said, taking control much to Minerva's displeasure. He introduced each person and pointed to them when he said their name. "My name us Sting. This is Rogue, Minerva, Yukino-"

"Gajeel and Juvia." Lucillia finished them. Looking at his confused face, she continued. "Juvia is my sister, and Gajeel is the head of security, but we treat him like family."

Minerva blinked. When Lucillia was talking, for a second she sensed something... It was powerful, incredibly so, but it disappeared in an instant. They were hiding something, and she knew it. Smiling evilly, she decided to take charge.

"So..." She said, gaining everyone's attention. "What happened to the Lalique family?"

Zeren just smiled, but it was slightly sinister, but that only made her more exited. "They are a close friend to our family, so we are being the middleman, so to speak." His voice had an edge to it, almost forcing her to drop the subject. But, she didn't.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because of a favour." Zeren replied, stressing the last word.

"Before you get into this pointless disagreement." Rouge said, remaining unfazed by the glare Minerva was directing to him. "Can I leave?"

Everyone blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?" Lucillia asked.

"I'm bored. Want sleep." He said, looking out the window to the setting sun. "Can we stay here?"

Zeren smiled. "But of course." He clapped his hands, and four maids entered the room. "Show our guests to their rooms." He said to them, and they nodded.

Minerva watched the married couple with suspicion. She was the last to leave, and she only caught three words.

"Minerva... Rogue... Kill..."

Oh gosh, I'm finally done! Wow that took forEVER!

Ok, the reason for the way it is set out is because I thought of very good ideas that require the days (I think) so it's like that. Also it is for other reasons you will soon see.

Thanks for being patient! I would love it if you could review for me! And also the questions I wrote at the end of last chapter... Thanks for all the replies! Lots of people gave so many responses, but I'm not gonna say who is right or not (don't want to spoil the surprise).

Also, this was a sort of filler chapter, that's why it was so hard to write. Even I don't think it's that good, but it needs to be there. I was planning on doing the full first year here, but I thought differently.

~Nom Nom :3