Fairy Tail's Matchmaking Mischief

Chapter 6: Gruvia

First, a thank you to...

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For voting, commenting, following, and adding my story to their reading lists. It really means a lot to me and I truly appreciate it. Now for the good stuff...

BTW if I missed one of you guys I'm really sorry. Gomen!

Chapter 6 Gruvia

Fairy Tale AU

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom there lived a poor man named Gray. Gray was an ice mason who lived beside the ocean, hoping to one day catch the eye of a traveling merchant who would take his goods abroad.

Gray was one of the most sought after masons in the land of Crocus, for his sculptures of ice never melted. Yet still he could not gain social standing, and therefore a wife. Gray's cool yet flippant attitude worked against him.

For years Gray's work continued, hoping beyond hope that someone would help him up out of his life of squalor.

And finally in one of the most bitter winters Magnolia had ever seen, that day came...

"Oi! You there!"

Gray spun around.

A short, squat man was approaching him. "I would like to take one of your ice sculptures back to my mansion in a far off land! Can you manage that? Boyoyoyoyo!"

Restraining himself from blurting out something quite offensive, he replied with a bow. "Of course sir." Each word internally strangled him. "Just tell me the time and place."

"My ship is the grandest at the pier. It shouldn't be too hard to find boyoyoyoyo! Be on the ship by sunrise, or you don't get paid, boyoyoyoyo." With that the fat, ugly man went on his way.

Gray just snarled at his retreating back. "I wouldn't have to you smelly old fart if I didn't have to care for Meredy."

Don't misread dear friends. Gray loves Meredy as much as a uncle can love his niece. But with the lack of profit during the winter, food was scarce and Gray had to take any jobs he could.

A small arm wrapped around Gray's upper thigh.

"Unca' Gray, are you otay?" Meredy asked as she peeked up at her younger uncle.

Gray picked her up and toted her in to the small hut. "Yes. Uncle Gray is okay." He sat her down on the roughly hewn table. "Meredy," he paused. "Uncle Gray is going to have to go away for a while."

Her eyes widened and tears began to roll down her rosy cheeks.

"Are you going to die like Mommy Unca' Gray?" She asked, "That's what Unca' Lyon said Mommy did. He said Mommy went away!"

The small girl clutched Gray's shirt, shaking violently from the great sobs.

Gray almost cracked a smirk at her young mind's reasoning. Almost. Ultear's death wasn't all that long ago, and the pain was still raw and fresh.