Tomb Of Time And Destiny: A Fairy Tail Fanfic

*700 views!!!!* Part Ten

Erza POV

Morning came faster than I was ready for. 'Other dimension or no, I'm going to wring that stupid rooster's neck...' Personally, I think I took the other dimension news quite well. At least the magic stuff made more sense now. Sort of. 'But that doesn't explain why- Argh! one thing at a time Erza, focus on finding Lucy and Levy.'

I reluctantly roll out of bed and move over to the basin of water to splashed my face. Feeling less groggy and a bit more awake, I pick up a brush and I ran through the tangles of my hair. The sun was just peeking over the land, I edged open my door and peeked down the hallway, half expecting Jellal to have posted a sentry at our doors, given our behavior the night before. But no one was there. Only the flickering, dancing torchlight moved. Juvia likely wasn't awake yet.

I edged out the door and closed it softly behind me. I moved down the corridor on tiptoes, past the door that led to the courtyard, to one of the turrets that climbed up to the wall walk at the top. Cautiously, I eased open the wooden door, pleased to see that it was not locked.

Would they be bothered if I went up there again? Surely, Jellal or one of his brothers had warned them all by now to watch out for their crazy female houseguests, willing to scale the castle walls to escape. I snickered to myself. I moved forward, gaining confidence as I did so, barely hesitating at the top. I ducked and pushed.

Nobody was in front of me, the guard already turned the corner so I took a deep breath, appreciating the cool of the evening breeze on my hot face. I closed my eyes and breathed in the familiar scents of spicy sage and sweet forest loam and warm, dusty oak. How can this place smell so right, so much like home, and yet be so wrong?

I blinked my eyes open. I was at level with most of the forest canopy, able to see for miles, to the parapets of the Phantom Lord castle, flying it's violet flag. I leaned forward, elbows on the wall, massaging my scalp, trying to ease away the tension there. Again, I picked up the scents of oak and sage, but now I could smell ripening grain. It was no wonder that Simon, Jellal's cousin, suffered so from 'lung ailments,' as Mira mentioned once- the air was thick with life here.

I tensed when I noticed a figure appear from the corner of my eye. It was Jellal, five feet away from me, hands on the castle wall, staring outward as I was. I straightened and touched my hair, which had become tousled up from the breeze.

"Your hair, do you usually wear it down?"

"If it is not in a braid," I said after a moment. "Or pulled back."

"Ahh." He looked at me from the corners of his eyes until I felt the heat of a flush climb my neck and jaw.

I hurriedly looked back to the forest, hoping he couldn't see my blush in the waning light. I'm freaking Erza Scarlet!!! It's downright embarrassing to be a blushing mess for some..some... guy.

'A hot hunk of a guy might I sa-'

"J-Jellal," I said, interrupting my own thoughts. "I wondered if we could borrow Castor and Pollux to visit any nearby towns."

"Towns?" asked a feminine voice.

I turned, knowing who was behind me already. Carmen paraded down the allure, Ava following behind.

"Goodness, you seem to be fighting the same hair battle as your sister?" she asked with a giggle. "Of course, this summer wind does nothing to help any of us," she added.

'Right,' I thought. 'Soften that dig. Neither of us missed it, did we?'

"Well, I think it's a good idea. I also want to go for a ride into town." Carmen sniffed. She glanced up at Jellal, searching his face for some reaction, but he merely nodded, almost imperceptibly. "It's been weeks since I've been out, and I really want to see to the details of our wedding ceremony."