The Tale of Tales

Chapter 48

Minerva was feeling very proud of herself. She had successfully rid herself of her pesky stepdaughter and was now going to make Prince Natsu her husband. She sat up in her room applying make up, dressing into her most elegant gown, and putting on her finest jewels. Once she was ready she slipped the love potion into a goblet which she was planning to serve to Natsu.

"Everything is finally coming together." She said. "One sip of this and the prince will be mine forever."

"Be warned my queen all may not be what it seems." The mirror spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"The potion and poison can wound anyone,

But there is a way both can be undone."

"Are you saying that there is a way for the spells and potions I used from that book to be broken? How? What way?"

"A force that originates from the heavens above,

This great power is called true love."

"True love?"

"By a kiss from one who loves with their whole their heart and soul,

Then good shall take it's toll, the spell will break,

Natsu will be free, and Juvia will wake."

"A kiss from their true love? No fear of that. As we speak Juvia is being buried alive and Natsu won't even remember his true love when I'm done with him."

Once she was finished she sent for the guards to fetch Natsu.

"The queen requests your presence." The guard told Natsu.

He and Gray looked at each other. Now was the time to put their plan into action. As soon as the door to Natsu's cell was opened Natsu began to attack the guards who tried to restrain him and put him in shackles. He jerked the keys out of the guard's hand and tossed it to Gray who unlocked himself. Both men were soon fighting back against the guards. After knocking out all four of them they attempted to make their escape from the castle.

Unfortunately Minerva had seen them escaped and she quickly summoned more guards to recapture them. Natsu and Gray were both strong young men with great fighting skills but even they didn't stand a chance against twenty men.

"There's too many of them!" Gray said.

"You need to get out of here!" Natsu told him.

"What about you?"

"She wants to marry me so she needs me alive but you'll hang if you get caught. She wants you dead! I'll hold them off for as long as I can but you need to go now!"

"Alright but I'll come back with help!"

Natsu grabbed a nearby battering ram and threw it at the guards knocking a lot of them down and while he fought the the ones who remained standing Gray climbed up a rope and escaped out the window. He then nabbed a horse from the stables and rode off toward the forest. The royal archers shot arrows at him but he managed to get away. Poor Natsu wasn't so lucky and ended up getting recaptured and brought to Minerva's bedchamber.