The Art of Trouble

Chapter 6: Lameria

A woman, who was at her late thirties was slowly striding along the woods. Her expression was serious, as she had cautiously passed by the large trees in a place like shadowed wilderness. She had deeply thought about her plan of assault to a raven haired lad who was currently living around the area. Ever since she had started training the guy, this would be the 4th time giving him a surprised attack. Her mind couldn't forget the 3rd time she did it, and she admitted to herself that Raven, or truly known as Gray, could learn so fast. It's even possible for him to make himself stronger every time he puts himself in a hard training.
"I should be strong, even if I bleed... For Fairy Tail, for my friends..."
That's what he told her, when she expressed to him her curiosity about his strong resolution to train harder than ever.
This had made the woman wonder, Is there really such a strong conviction for the benefit of one's friends? Perhaps, she was already used to being alone, that's why she had never felt something like that of Raven...?

She was a little lost in her thoughts before she realized that, around fifty steps from now, she would reach her destination, Raven's shelter.
This time, she was about to set 2 traps, and prepared herself in giving him wind attacks. Just a week ago, she had thought about what kind of attack she would bring about to him. Knowing the young man, he had always been preparing himself from certain attacks coming along his way. She knew this, because she was the one training him for the past 13 months, and truly he had improved twice as much from first time they met at the kingdom's yard.

Meanwhile, it was already past daybreak. Since, Lucy and Gray went to bed late the night before, the two had woken up a little late. Six days had already gone by since they agreed on working together as a couple, yet, they still didn't make a move to ask someone to give them a matrimonial ceremony. This was because of a particular reason. Gray hasn't trusted anyone yet. Although, to Lucy, the old man she met before she found Gray was someone they could trust. Still, she followed Gray's suggestive plan to wait for a certain person, the only one he has been comfortable in talking to. Moreover, the things that bothered them most were their own suspicions being sensed each night, making it difficult for them to have a restful sleep.
As of the moment, hunger had now transpired their bellies. Lucy prepared the ingredients needed to be cooked, while Gray started to set up some fire woods.

He had finished chopping the last wood, when he suddenly felt an odd presence. He paused for a moment to observe his surroundings but, he couldn't apprehend anything. Still, he was being cautious around him. However, just as he was about to pick the woods, a sudden gush of wind had approached him. Although, he managed to avoid the attack, it was still too fast that it made him stumble hard and hit one of his arms on the ground. Then, he began standing up, yet another blow was approaching him, making it hard for him to fight back. For the meantime, he decided to lie on the ground, half reclining, as the attacks were not yet hitting exactly on the ground. He was thinking of ways to get into the attacker, while creating an ice shield around him.
In the meantime, as the woman, who was responsible for the attacks had noticed that she wasn't angled well to get her own charges closed enough to her target, she moved to another tree, using her staff to leap speedily and almost invisibly from one place to another. When she knew she was on the right tree, she was slightly delighted. By this, she created a round and large aura of wind through her staff, then started to blow it off towards a certain mage who was lying on the ground. She didn't really intend to hit him squarely, only to the area that's really near his periphery. However, to the position where a certain celestial mage was seeing, the attack would give her dear friend a fatal blow. So, in order to save him from having one, she called out one of her spirits and managed to combine aura with him. It was actually Sagittarius that Lucy had conjured up with. And thus, the arrow that this celestial spirit has possessed came in upon the hands of Lucy, making it become a weapon to counterattack the blow that was going towards Gray.
It has been been two years since Natsu and Gray left the guild for this mission, and perhaps almost three. Lucy's power had improved then, so much more than it had when the guild had defeated Zeref, the ultimate, dark wizard, who happened to be her best friend's brother. The speed of Lucy's arrow as it made it's way towards the wind of attack around Gray was exhilarating.
When Lameria caught sight of the glowing light coming towards her ball of wind, she was stunned. It even made her at a loss of words as the light came in contact with her power. She had never expected that something would destroy such a large blow in a split second, and as far as how she remembered, not even Gray's immense ice power could do it during their first encounter, or just maybe because, Gray had held back his power during that time.
A few seconds after Lucy had struck Lameria's wind attack, the latter leaped from a humongous tree, and when her feet touched the ground, Lameria bowed down in surrender.

"Who are you?!" "Who sent you?!"
Lucy strongly demanded, while approaching towards the woman, who was now being submissive.
"I meant no harm, lady.. Forgive me for the intrusion."

"Lucy, she, this is Lameria. She's with us." Gray slightly panted.
As soon as Lucy heard his friend, she immediately paused, and pondered his words. "Why did she attacked us then? And it looked like, she was about to give you a deathly blow..." She stated, giving Lameria an indifferent glare.

"It was truly meant as a training, like we had been doing. I didn't know he had someone with him, until today." Lameria explained, puffing a breath after it, her eyes were still on the ground before she looked at Gray.
"Sheesh, Gray, I didn't know you had such a powerful woman..." She had then added out of the blue, which made Gray froze on the spot, and it wasn't because of his own ice, but rather, of Lameria's unexpected statement. At the same time, Lucy sweat dropped, the seriousness she had just displayed a while ago was totally gone. And it was all of what the woman had spoken off.
It wasn't meant to be as a banter, as far as Lameria could say, but, for the two mages it was quite hilarious.

"We're not...!" The two started to yell in unison, but, as both of them remembered their plan to act as lovers, the two decided to shut their mouths.
On the other hand, Lameria had observed the weirdness around the two, there was truly something they're hiding.
"Alright, Raven, I know there's something urgent we need to discuss."

Lucy looked at Gray, who had now stood up from his position. The wonders about the woman in front of them still lingered at the back of her mind. And Lameria, quickly saw this kind of reaction from Lucy.

"I'm sorry, perhaps we should be introducing ourselves first.
I am Lameria. I am the guardian of the northern kingdom of Arkimedea. I had been appointed by the king since I was 12." She modestly bowed. It was really accustomed to do this, since, back in their kingdom, bowing down has been part of giving self introductions, a sign of sincere courtesy.

"I am Lucy Heartfilia. I'm actually a F..." Lucy was supposed to say she's a Fairy Tail mage, but, she refrained herself from doing so as she looked at Gray for his approval.

"It's alright, I understand now. You're Raven's comrade. I have placed some barriers around us, so that no one can see us or either hear us. However, the effect will wear off as soon as the wind blows to another direction." Lameria told Lucy, and Gray nodded to her as a sign to trust the woman who was talking to them.

"With that, we need to go somewhere else."
Lameria began to stomp the staff she had been holding.
Right then, a blow of wind appeared from the impact that was made by the the object's contact to the ground, and just a short while, with the speed like that of a flying jet, the three disappeared from the position they just had stood from, leaving it deserted and full of dust from the gush of wind.