The Tale of Tales

Chapter 34

After Gray and Juvia had disappeared, Gajeel, Elfman, and Romeo began frantically looking for them. Unfortunately they couldn't search long because the snow storm started almost right after they came back. They were stuck in their house for quite awhile only leaving to search for them for a little while.

"Where on Earth could they be?" Romeo asked.

"I hope that they're warm wherever they are." Elfman said.

"I never liked the idea of Juvia being left alone with that guy." Gajeel said. "He better not have done anything to her."

They heard a knock at the door. Romeo went to open it hoping that it was Juvia but it wasn't. Instead it was Erza, Natsu, and Lucy.

"Please help us." Erza said. "Our friend here is unconscious and if we don't get her somewhere warm we don't think she'll last much longer."

Though suspicious of strangers, the dwarfs let them in. They laid Lucy in Juvia's bed, covered her with several blankets, and pushed it closer to the fire place where a warm fire was going.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Erza said. "We'll be sure to repay you for it eventually."

"Think nothing of it." Romeo said.

"But what were you doing out in this Godforsaken weather?" Elfman asked.

"Well we were searching for you all actually. That is, are you the three dwarfs who live up North from the Magnolia village?"

"That's us." Romeo said.

"Why are you looking for us?" Gajeel asked.

"Well it's not really you three were looking for. It's Juvia."

"Juvia? What do you want her for?"

"She's in grave danger. Queen Minerva wants to kill her."

"We knew that already but she's gone missing."

"Missing?"

"Yes." Romeo said. "A few days ago she went outside to look for a friend of hers who had gone to chop wood. Neither one of them came back."

"Do you suppose that they got lost in the storm?"

"Most likely."

"I think Gray abducted her." Gajeel said.

"Gray?" Erza said.

"He's some huntsman she met about two weeks ago, apparently he hurt his foot and she didn't feel right about sending him on his way without helping him. But I never trusted him."

"You needn't worry about that. I know Gray, he's cold and bitter but he'd never hurt an innocent woman. He claims that he doesn't care what happens to people but that's just an act I assure you."

"So what up with the pink haired kid over there? Is he going to be okay?" Gajeel asked pointing toward Natsu.

It wasn't until now that Erza noticed that Natsu hadn't left Lucy's side once. He just stood there by her bedside, watching and waiting for her to wake up. His black eyes filled with concern and fear, fear for her life.