Sororibus

Super Secret Garden

After getting dried, the maids brought Erza a pretty white sun dress and a black cardigan with short puffy sleeves. They combed her hair and gave her a pair of shiny black shoes. Erza looked herself in the mirror, as the maid complimented her. She felt pretty. Once she exited her room, she met with a very excited Lucy. The blonde was wearing a sleeveless red dress with a huge black ribbon at the back. She took her hand and pointed down.

"Look, we match." And lo and behold the girls were wearing the same pair of shoes. "We're like twins."

Erza blushed softly before laughing with the girl. "Yeah we are!"

The maids ushered the girls to the dining room where Layla was waiting for them alongside her husband. Once again Erza was impressed by the beauty of the place as she took everything in. The room was huge, with just as richly decorated walls and the same rose tinted windows. In the middle was a very long dining table with a pure white tablecloth. At the head of the table stood a man who introduced himself as Jude Heartfilia. He shook Erza's hand before telling her to feel like home. At his left was Layla who smiled kindly at the girls. Erza and Lucy took the seats across from her as they patiently waited for food.

A few minutes later the maids brought them their meal. Erza doesn't think she ever saw this much food before. There was also a lot of cutlery that she had no idea how to use properly. Lucky for her, Lucy picked up on her distress and explained what fork to use and when. The food was delicious. She ate mashed potatoes once at the tower, but it never tasted this good. And the meat was amazing. This was the first time she ever ate lamb.

After they ate, the maids brought what Erza had to classify as heaven on earth. The most delicious, sweet and amazing thing she ever tasted. Strawberry cake! It was so good she had to ask for seconds. Layla merely smiled at her and told the maid to bring her another slice.

After eating, the girls went to the huge garden. Lucy led her friend through the labyrinth until they reached a hidden clearing surrounded by lilies and hyacinths. There was a willow in corner next to a stone bench. The two girls took a seat under the willow tree.

"This is my super secret garden. Sometimes I come here at night to watch the stars. I secretly planted the lilies and hyacinths because they are my favourite flowers. Nobody knows about this place." said Lucy.

"If it's so secret, why did you bring me here?" asked Erza.

"Because you're my friend silly. And friends are supposed to tell each other everything."

"I'm your friend?"

"Yeah!....Do you not want to?"

"No, no. I do want to be your friend."

"Great!"

The two girls stood under the willow tree and talked about everything and nothing. At some point they made flower crowns for each other before night started coming. They stargazed together as they continued talking. Erza revealed to Lucy that she was on her way to Magnolia to join the wizard guild Fairy Tail.

"That's amazing! Maybe when I'm old enough I can join the guild too, and well make an awesome team and go on adventures together!" exclaimed Lucy.

"Yeah, I'd like that!" said Erza.

"Miss Lucy, where are you? It's time for bed." said one of the maids. The girls quietly sneaked out of the super secret garden in order to not give away its location. They met with the maid and she led them to Lucy's room since the girl was adamant they have a slumber party. They gave Erza a powder blue nightgown with frills that reached her knees, it was identical to Lucy's pink one.

After the maids left, Lucy led Erza to her huge closet and told her to pick some outfits for the road. Erza refused at first, saying that Lucy and her family already did enough for her and she couldn't bare to take anymore, but the blonde wouldn't have any of it.

"You're my friend and I take care of my friends. I have so many outfits, I won't miss a few. Besides I can't send my friend to Magnolia barefoot wearing rags. So pick whatever you like and I'll have miss Spetto put it in a suitcase for you." said Lucy while she pulled out an outfit. In the end this turned into a dress up session for Erza. The girls were lucky that they were the same height, with Erza being slightly slimmer due to malnourishment. Lucy made sure to pick the most practical and easy to move outfits she had for her friend as well as one formal outfit. Just in case.

Aside from the outfit she wore today, Erza picked 2 more normal ones and the formal one Lucy insisted she takes. It was a very pretty short sleeve purple dress with frills and white flowers. Erza refused to take anymore outfits from her friend and Lucy had to relent. Once they were done, Lucy sneaked out of her room and took a book from the library. It was a book on the history of Requip Magic. She thought her friend might enjoy reading about her magic. The two girls fell asleep reading on Lucy's bed.