Fairy Tail's Matchmaking Mischief

Chapter 9: Jerza

Medieval AU

"Up you get Lady Scarlet!" A cheerful handmaiden called, bursting her way through the solid oak doors.

A small grunt came from the lump of fine linen sheets.

The white-haired maid rolled her eyes at her charge.

"Come on, Erza." She moaned dramatically, shaking the lump. "Get out of bed you lazy ragamuffin."

A hand snaked its way out of the mound and gave a halfhearted shooing motion. "Five more minutes, Mira. More sleep."

The maid sighed then plopped down on the bed.

"You know Erza, all those late night excursions have got to be taking a toll on you."

A red, porcupine-ish, mop of hair popped out of the sheets.

Brown locked onto blue.

"How do you know?"

"Lady Scarlet," she said in a mock offended tone. "You're looking at the head of staff for the entirety of Magnolia. Everything is reported to me, a wilting flower in the palace vases, an extra carrot in the soup, a woman climbing the walls... You know. Just to name a few." She smiled.

Erza flopped her head back on the pillow. "You scare me sometimes, Mira."

Mira nodded her head in satisfaction. "Proud of it too." she replied cockily. "Now," she said, springing from the bed and hustling to the wardrobe. "The king has invited all the Lords and Ladies of Magnolia to a late breakfast in thirty minutes. I want you dressed and ready in ten and in the hall within fifteen minutes."

"Why?"

Mira let out a sigh.

"You are the heir of the Scarlet forges and armor-smiths. The only reason you aren't head is because you haven't reached twenty yet. Yeesh, you need a husband."

"MIRA!"

"What!? Am I lying?" she yelled exasperatedly, throwing her arms up in the air for emphasis.

The white haired maiden dodged a fluffy pillow and made her way out the door.

Erza rolled out of the covers and got ready, muttering about Mirajane and her ridiculous matchmaking mischief. Mira was always on her about her lack of male companionship, though she never counted the endless hours she'd spent with Natsu and Gray: honing the guys' fighting skills so that they might impress the lady of their choice. (In Gray's case she chose him, but he loves her the same.)

Mira always asked her every day if she'd found 'her man' yet, and everyday she replied-

"I haven't found him yet." Erza spoke to King Makarov.

The old man sighed. The meeting had concluded ten minutes earlier, but the kindly king had held Erza back to speak privately.

"My dear, you must find a husband before your twentieth birthday. If not, your shops will go to your closest relatives. You know what that means."

Erza dipped her head. "Yes, sire." She began walking back to the entrance slowly.

"Lady Scarlet."

"Yes, my king?"

Makarov smirked behind his mustache. "Have you heard the rumors of a female vigilante sneaking about the village?"

A wry smirk pulled at her lips.

"King Dreyar, I don't even know what you're talking about."

She whisked out of the room.

The king let out a small chuckle.