Ruthless Winds and Raging Seas

Chapter 30

As it started to become later in the evening the group of Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Juvia divided into two separate groups that went into different directions. Gray and Juvia had wandered off over to a nearby lake where the rested under a tree.

"It sure is peaceful out here." She said.

"Yeah, much better than that noisy market place." He glanced down at Juvia's feet and noticed that they were bleeding. "Juvia you're bleeding!"

"What? Oh..." She sighed looking down. "I guess I kind of over did it with the dancing." 

"Here, let me help." He grabbed a cloth from inside his shirt then with great care removed Juvia's shoes and proceeded to gently wipe away the blood from her feet. "What was I thinking making you dance like that? You're already suffering enough just by walking."

"Oh no. It was wonderful." She said. "I wish we had dancing back where I'm from. It would definitely make things more exciting."

As he wiped her feet she looked over at the sun setting over the horizon. It was a lovely sight and she wondered how much more lovely it would look if she got a little closer.

"Gray."

"Yes?"

"Would it be too risky for me to go into the lake? It's just that I want to be a little closer to the sunset and there doesn't seem to be anyone here for miles."

"I don't know." He said. "We may be the only people here but anyone could walk by and if they saw you with fins there would be trouble."

He looked to see a discarded but simple little boat just off the side of the lake.

"I've got an idea." He smiled.

After checking the boat for holes and making sure that it was in good condition, he and Juvia got into the boat for a ride on the lake.

"You're not scared are you?" She asked.

"Oddly enough...No I'm not." He said rowing the boat. "Then again a lake isn't as deep or out of control as the ocean."

"Not to mention there's so much to see above the water."

Indeed there was. There were lily pads floating, fire flies flying all around, ducks, geese, and swans swimming across the lake's surface, the wind was blowing through the trees, and apple blossoms were full in bloom. Juvia pulled out some leftover bread from dinner and started to feed bits of it to the ducks, geese, and swans.

"I've never seen birds like these before." She said. "What are they called?"

"Well the ones with the shorter necks are ducks, the ones with the longer necks and orange beaks are geese, and the ones with longest necks and the black on their beaks are swans." Gray told her.

"The ducks and geese are kind of funny looking but the swans are very beautiful."

Gray couldn't help but chuckle a little at her words because he thought that about her and her sisters. When he first saw the mermaids he thought they were strange looking like the ducks and geese but then he saw her and he thought she was beautiful like the swans. She was a swan among ducks and geese.

"What's so funny?" She asked after hearing him chuckle.

"Nothing." He said. "Just remembered something funny from awhile ago."

"Okay." She smiled. "You know I listen to that music box every night before I go to sleep."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's just so wonderful. Thank you for letting me use it while I'm on the ship."

"Not a problem."