Warning: Evil queens do evil things. Read with caution.

- K. Chandler


It was about time.

Juvia pressed her lips together, watching the royal carriage splash its way up the drive.

Returning to her settee, Juvia waited for them to come up to her in her room, a tight smile pulling at her lips. Bora had some explaining to do.

A soft knock heralded their arrival. The door opened, revealing both Bora and Gajeel.

Bora smiled when he saw her. "We have returned, my queen," he said, bowing deeply.

Gajeel simply snorted, folding his arms over his chest impatiently, the joints in his artificial arm creaking.

"Gajeel, you may go," Juvia said, waving him away. "Not you, Bora. You stay."

Gajeel gave a slight incline of his head before marching off, his metal arm creaking with every movement.

"My queen?" Bora asked.

"You've kept me waiting," Juvia said quietly, keeping her voice soft and clipped.

"Forgive me. My humblest apologies, my queen," Bora said, prostrating himself further. "It won't happen again."

"No, it won't," Juvia said. "So, tell me. Did you do it?"

"As you instructed," Bora said. "I've taken care of Princess Lucy."

Liar.

Juvia smiled wider, stiff muscles tightening her face. "Well done."

"Thank you." Bora rose, his eyes hopeful, as if he were waiting for her to say more.

Juvia didn't. She just stared, her expression stiff and unchanging.

"Is something wrong, my queen? Is your knee injury bothering you?" Bora asked.

"No," Juvia said. "In fact, there are other things that I find far more troubling."

"What would that be, my queen?"

"Bring me my washbasin," Juvia said. "I'll show you."

A look of confusion flickered in Bora's eyes. "… yes, my queen. At once."

Bora returned shortly with her basin in hand.

"Is there anything else, my queen?"

"Fill it up for me."

Bora nodded, collecting rainwater from the open window before handing it to Juvia.

Juvia smiled, rising to set the bowl on her table.

"Was there something else, my queen? Or were you waiting for me to leave…?" Bora trailed off, looking to her for direction.

"You may stay," Juvia said.

"Yes, of course, my queen! As you wish!" Bora's eyes were wide and reverent as they gazed upon her.

It made Juvia almost want to reconsider punishing him. He was her most loyal servant. And he had served her for so long.

Maybe she could give him one more chance.

"So, Bora," Juvia said. "You did say that you took care of Lucy, did you not?"

"Yes, my queen," Bora said. "I delivered the bottle just like you instructed. I opened it in front of her was there and exposed her to your potion right there, at the festival."

"Is that so?" Juvia asked, her voice low and dangerous.

"I even got her to take it home with her! And she was none the wiser."

Juvia tapped the surface of her water with her fingertips as she summoned the image of Lucy. She was sitting in Isvan Palace, eating breakfast in the great hall as if she belonged here. The Crown Prince of Draghi was there too. That meant that they were there to stay.

Anger bubbled in Juvia's gut. Why was Bora continuing to lie? Clearly, he didn't appreciate her lenience.

"I would never disappoint you, my queen," Bora continued.

Did he think she was stupid? That she wouldn't find out what he did?

"Really? And what do you call that?" she sneered, stepping aside to reveal Lucy's image in the water.

Bora blinked at the bowl blankly, frowning. "I… I don't know," Bora said, shaking his head.

"Stop lying!" Juvia snapped.

"That's not it. I… I can't see in the water, Your Majesty…" Bora said, his voice unsteady and weak.

"It's Lucy," Juvia hissed. She yanked the hair at the back of Bora's skull, dunking his head into the bowl. "See that? It's Lucy! It's Lucy!" Juvia slammed his face under water with each shout.

"I… Majesty, please…" Bora sputtered, gasping for air. "I didn't—"

Juvia yanked him up, his face inches from hers. "You told me she was taken care of."

"I thought… She should have been…" Bora stammered, his chest heaving in panic. "I did everything you asked of me, my queen!"

"Yet Lucy remains at Isvan Palace," Juvia pointed out.

Bora bowed his head, his face soaking wet and flushed with shame. "I failed you, my queen."

"Yes, you did. Juvia is very disappointed," she said through gritted teeth.

Juvia released Bora, letting him drop to the floor with a fleshy thud.

"It won't happen again," Bora promised. He cowered, staying on all fours, pressing his forehead to the ground.

"No, it won't," Juvia said. "Do you know why? Juvia has no use for servants who can't follow through with their missions."

Bora's head snapped up. "No. Please!"

The dungeons hadn't been used for criminals since her father's time, but a few days in a cell might help Bora understand the meaning of obedience.

"If you want something done right, do it yourself!" Juvia muttered.

Bora had failed her. And Lucy was still in Isvan. Juvia could not allow that to happen.

She descended into her laboratory, hobbling down the steps with a clomp, clomp, clomp. Her injured leg had mostly healed, but it was still a little weak.

There was still kindling in the hearth from her last potion. It took Juvia two tries to light it, her hands trembling in her excitement. She fanned the embers until flames erupted from the wood. The smoke made her cough. Her lungs were still a little unsettled after her last creation.

But pain didn't matter because this was for Gray. This time, she would do it. This time, she would brew the perfect poison. This time, there would be no mistakes.

"Juvia will take care of this. Juvia will finally rid her darling Gray of that pesky Lucy. Lucy will go home. Then, Juvia and Gray will live happily ever after. The end!" Juvia cackled.

She wasn't interested in subtlety anymore. Lucy needed to understand the consequences of inserting herself where she wasn't wanted and continuing to throw herself at Gray. Juvia would teach Lucy the meaning of the word fear. And stupid Lucy would pack her bags and go home. And this time, she wouldn't come back.

Juvia hung a cauldron over the hearth, letting the flames lick the bottom of the metal vessel.

"We'll start with some day-old rain-water," Juvia muttered. "A good base for anything. And now, some wool shaved from a bat's wing."

Juvia uncorked the jar with her teeth, grimacing at the smell of decay. She pinched out the grey fibers and brushed them into the water.

"Dried tigersbite root. And some mercy weed to temper it."

Juvia poured a small dose of each in. The second let out a puff of fumes. Juvia held her breath, fanning the smoke away. She had learned her lesson.

"And the venom from a swamp viper, I think," Juvia said. The stopper was jammed in the jar, and it wouldn't open no matter how hard she tugged. She dumped the entire vial into the cauldron, smashing it open with a fireplace poker. The broken glass would give things texture.

"Some honey, for consistency and flavor." Because it just wouldn't do for Lucy to detect the surprise too quickly.

For forty-eight hours, the potion brewed, bubbling in the cauldron until it became syrup-thick and turned a deep, bloody red.

Now, Juvia needed someone to test it. Of course, she couldn't try the potion herself. If it worked as effectively as she had assumed, she would be violently ill for days.

Juvia ladled the gloppy brew into a small, glass vial.

Perhaps she'd give Bora a chance to redeem himself. She didn't want to stay mad at him. It was a little lonely without him around.

Testing her newest concoction seemed a fitting punishment for his failure. Then she'd consider him sufficiently punished.

With the vial in hand, Juvia visited Bora's cell. She crossed into the cramped room, carelessly sliding the bowl that held Bora's water ration out of the way with her foot.

"Bora?" she barked.

"My queen?" Bora scrambled across the floor of his cell, blinking up at her in surprise.

"Have you had time to reflect on your actions?" Juvia asked.

"Yes, my queen," Bora said. "I understand that I have failed you. And I understand that I have made you upset. But please know that I am your loyal servant to the very end. I would do anything for you, and I would do whatever it takes to prove my loyalty to you."

"Anything?" Juvia asked.

"Yes, my queen. Anything," Bora promised. "Until my dying breath."

"I do have some use for you still," Juvia said, nodding.

"Yes?" Bora looked up at her eagerly.

"Drink," she commanded, revealing the vial she had hidden in the palm of her hand.

Bora recoiled, hugging his arms around himself. "But—"

"Drink."

Bora whimpered, his eyes wide and fearful. But that was to be expected. Punishments were meant to be painful.

"Something wrong?" Juvia asked. "You promised you'd do anything."

Bora shook his head, uncorking the vial and raising the glass to his lips obediently. The viscous liquid flowed into his mouth and he swallowed hard. He fought a retch, looking like he was going to be sick. He lowered the vial with a quivering hand.

"Finish it," Juvia commanded.

"M-My que-en?" Bora whispered, visibly shuddering. The potion stained his teeth and tongue a dark red, making his mouth look like it was full of blood.

"Finish it," she hissed.

Bora's hand shook he slowly raised the glass to his lips again, his expression conflicted. "Y-you s-saved my l-life. Why—"

Juvia clamped a hand to Bora's jaw, using the other to tip the rest of the potion down his throat. The look on his face was one of pure betrayal.

But before he could say anything, his legs jerked out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor. The glass shattered against stone.

The muscles in his neck bulged, like thick cords pulled tight enough to tear. Bora cried out in agony. His mouth twisted, but the corners drew upwards. Into a grin? Or more of a grimace? Juvia couldn't tell.

Juvia took a step back as Bora writhed on the stone floor of his cell. Arms and legs shot out, flailing wildly, jerking out of his control. Suddenly, Bora arched against the stone, muscles tightening like a lutestring, spasming violently. Then he collapsed, curling in on himself. Then he contorted. And collapsed. Then he contorted again. He moaned, his voice incoherent with pain as tremors rocked his entire body.

There was something wonderfully satisfying about watching someone writhe, arms and legs flailing out of their own control. Watching their muscles throw them around like a rag doll and bend them into unnatural positions.

How long the symptoms would last before they wore off?

Bora jackknifed against the floor as full-body convulsions took hold. Bora cried out again, sobbing, despite the jack-o'-lantern grin that his mouth had tightened into.

This poison was more effective than she had bargained for. Maybe this wasn't a good idea…

But Juvia couldn't help but imagine Lucy thrashing on the floor like this. Crying out in pain. In agony. Maybe she'd finally get the message: Stay away from Gray.

After a few moments, Bora's convulsions eased. The uncontrollable spasms tapered backdown to shuddering.

The poison must have been wearing off. She wasn't sure what she would have done if it hadn't died down. She had no antidote prepared.

Bora stilled, a final, pained moan dying away.

"Bora?" Juvia said, her breath catching in her throat.

Bora didn't respond. His back was arched so far that his head and feet were bridged against the floor. His skin had gone a waxy grey, his face permanently frozen into that unsettling, sightless grin.

"Bora? Bora, wake up!" Juvia dropped to her knees, scuttling to his side, heedless of the broken glass that littered the floor. But she knew the truth before she reached him.

"Bora!" she shrieked.

He was dead.


We knew that Queen Juvia was unstable... but this is something else. There are probably some assertions here that may not make the most sense (there are multiple instances where she seems to contradict herself and twists her narrative to reinforce her beliefs), but that goes to illustrate her state of mind.

BTW, is anybody surprised by any of this? Juvia, Bora, any of it?

The poison used here is based on a real one. Does anyone recognize it? Agatha Christie fans may have an advantage here.

Next time, in Toxic, we knew the apple was coming at some point: In her laboratory, Juvia selected a ripe, unblemished apple from the basket. The skin was red, shiny, and irresistible with a soft luster that made it look crunchy and sweet. It was so perfect that Juvia had to stop herself from taking a bite. Juvia fastened the apple to a sling and lowered it into the vat of poison.

Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.