The very next day when Gray went to visit Erza, she already knew about his little incident with the honeybees and she wasn't very pleased with him about it.

"I taught you that spell to help others not hurt them." She scolded.

"But Erza, they had it coming. They were unfairly cruel to Juvia."

"You were also careless, if someone had seen you create those bees, you might have been in a world of trouble."

"No one saw me do it and if you had seen the way they treated her, you'd think different."

"I most certainly would not."

"Oh no? Use your glass to look at them. You'll see."

Gray wasn't really trying to prove a point to Erza. He only wanted to see how Juvia was fairing but he wasn't going to let Erza know. If she found out that he had taken an interest in a girl, she'd mercilessly tease him.

"Very well then." Erza said.

She produced her glass sphere and again used it to spy on the Lockser Farm. The first thing they saw was Hector and Ilse at the kitchen table.

"Oh dear." Erza said. "So it's true, Juvia's father has remarried the Widow Thronewood."

"You know her?"

"I know of her. Ilse Thronewood is a very greedy, haughty, and conniving woman. When her first husband died she refused to find work for herself so she decided to marry again. However no man in her town would have her because they knew her to be a dreadful woman. That's why she came here, where no one knew her and she could easily manipulate her way into the marriage bed of some poor unsuspecting man."

"Like Mr. Lockser?"

"Yes. She and her selfish daughter Briar have no doubt convinced him that they're just a poor mother and child wanting to start anew."

Hector and Ilse began to talk.

"Juvia is a burden, don't you think?" Ilse asked.

"A burden?" He replied shocked. "I should say not. She is a blessing. I cherish her. Why in the world would you say such a thing?"

"I meant no offense dear husband, it's just that she's so awkward and clumsy. She makes it very difficult for me to keep up with the housework."

"Well I'm sure she doesn't mean to. She's only a child."

"But children must not learn not to cause trouble. Perhaps we should have her do more work around here? Assist me in my wifely duties."

"That's not a bad idea. The children could do with a little experience. It's a good way for Juvia and Briar to learn."

"But Hector my sweet Briar is much too delicate for manual labor. She's not as strong as Juvia nor is she used to house work."

"Maybe so but she can learn just as good as Juvia can. They're the same age and they're both in perfect health. They can both help you with the spinning and the gardening. They can both tend to the sheep and they can both pick up around the house. We'll instruct them carefully on how to do each chore."

"As you wish, but let me do it. After all I know more about housework than you do."

"Somehow I don't think she intends on instructing both girls." Erza predicted.

"But her father said that he wanted them both to help around the house." Gray said.

"Yes but he's not home very often and because of that, his wife may do as she pleases and he will never know."

"Can't Juvia tell him?"

"She could. But she may choose not to."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Let's watch and see."

They looked back at the glass sphere. Hector had left the room and gone outside to chop firewood. Ilse then called Juvia into the house and proceeded to give the child orders.

"Your father says that you need to do more work around the house. You're growing up and it's time you learn how to make do. You shall take care of the cooking and the cleaning. You'll tend to the sheep and do all the gardening. You're to do the spinning and you're to wash and mend all the clothes. If you refuse to do any of these chores or if you complain then you shall be punished. Either by being denied food or lashed."

"Papa would never allow you to punish me like that."

"Your Papa doesn't know how to properly discipline children and if you whine to him about me or my daughter, I'll tell everyone in town that he assaulted us and he'll be lynched."

Juvia shuddered.

"No one would ever believe such a lie. Everyone knows my father could never harm anyone."

"Oh no? I was able to convince him that I loved him and that I wanted to be your mother. Hector is a smart man but he'll believe every word out of my mouth, and the people in this town will do the same. But if you don't believe me then go on, tell your father, and once a lynch mob kills him the farm will be mine and I can throw you out on the streets, where you can live out your days as an orphaned beggar girl."

Gray gnashed his teeth at the woman.

"We can't allow this to happen, can we Erza?" Gray asked.

"I'm afraid it's out of our hands." She answered sadly. "There's only so much I can interfere in."

"Her father only married that woman because he's too poor to look after her. If he's not poor anymore then he won't need his second wife. Make his land fertile again Erza."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. Minerva's magic is what made that land barren and I can't overcome her hexes. At least not ones with such a strong effect."

"Then make money appear for Mr. Lockser."

"I can't do that either. I have limitations you know."

"But there must be something you can do. What about that potion you're working on? The one that can turn words into valuable things."

"Well actually there are two potions I'm working on regarding that subject. The first one, once ingested by someone, every word they speak, a flower or a precious stone shall fall from their mouth. The second one however, with every word spoken, a toad or a snake will from their mouth. Although I'm still trying to work out the kinks in it. So far the first one turns the drinker into a flower and the second turns the drinker into a toad."

"I'd like to turn Juvia's stepmother into a toad."

"Gray that's reckless. You need to learn to balance your emotion and reason. If you don't then the results of your actions will be catastrophic."

"I just don't think it's right for us to just ignore someone in need of help."

"I never said you had to ignore people who needed help. But sometimes you can't act instantly. You have to wait for just the right moment."

"When is the right moment?"

"Not now. Not when you still have so much to learn. But worry not, those who are good hearted and have faith, will never be truly abandoned by the Lord. If we can not help her now, you can be certain that our father in Heaven will send someone who can."

Gray was still too young to understand what Erza's words meant. But she was right. Someone would always be there for Juvia and she would not suffer alone. That someone came about three days later. Juvia was out tending to the sheep when she heard her stepsister Briar screaming.

"Get away from me you nasty creature! Mother! Mother!"

Juvia quickly ran inside the house and found Briar beating something with a broom. Drawing closer, she saw that what the vile girl was beating a black cat. Beating it to the point of where it would lay motionless.

"Stop that!" Juvia cried yanking the broom from her.

"You did it didn't you?!" Briar snapped. "You put this ugly thing in my room as a joke, didn't you?"

"Oh look what you've done." Juvia said only paying attention to the injured animal. "You probably killed him. Why did you do that? It's not like he was going to steal our food like rats or locusts."

"Because it's ugly and dirty like you! But at least you're useful!"

"You have no right to kill a creature without good reason. What you did was needlessly cruel! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"I'm telling Mother!"

But Juvia paid the brat no mind and when Briar ran away, Juvia bent down toward the seemingly dead cat. Her eyes full of deep sympathy and compassion.

"You poor thing." She sighed. "I'm so sorry. No one's life should be taken if it can be avoided."

That's when she heard a weak mewl.

"You're alive?"

He was alive but very weak; he could only open his eyes for a moment to look at Juvia. With great relief, she took off her apron and carefully picked up the cat, wrapping him in the white cloth. Then she took him down to the local farmer's vet.

"Nothing's broken but he has a sprained foot." He told the girl. "He's also very weak from hunger and he's exhausted. He needs food and rest but his injury has made it very hard for him to heal by himself."

"Then I'll take care of him." She said petting his ears. "I'll fix you up, and feed you, and I'll keep you away from my stepsister until you're feeling all better."

To Juvia the cat was nothing more than a poor, helpless, feline who needed a little kindness. But there was much more to him than she realized and he would be the one to look after her and keep her safe until Gray would be able to help her.