Tomb of Time and Destiny: Book Two

Chapter 3

Erza POV

I shivered as a light breeze picked up on our ride back, rustling the brown autumn leaves, testimony to our month's long absence. Natsu rambled on incessantly behind me to Lucy, telling her about a blue cat he found in the forest. Gajeel and Levy were riding silently together, too shy to look at each other, especially Levy once the realization of her actions caught up to her.

Gray and Juvia were riding together on Pollux so Laxus could ride back on Gray's horse. Pollux had been against it at first, but a bit of coddling and the promise of apples on Juvia's part quickly changed his mind. It had been quite funny, witnessing Gray blushingly request that Juvia ride side saddle while trying to avoid looking at her bare legs on the horse. The hilariousness of the situation doubled when Juvia almost slipped off of Pollux- because she didn't have a proper side saddle- and Gray panicked and hugged her to him so now she's practically riding in his lap with her face pressed into his chest in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

Honestly, they're making it hard for me not to squeal.

A heavy cloak landing on my shoulders startles me out of my thoughts.

"Thank you, Jellal." I smiled warmly at him as he leaned over and pressed his lips to my forehead, the action was so unexpected and tender I almost started tearing up.

"Are you here for good now, Erza?" he asked, pulling away to look at me.

"I-I don't know," I said, forcing the words from my lips. I wanted to say yes, Mavis, I really wanted to say yes, but I couldn't, not yet.

He frowned, although it looked more like a pout. "Why not? Juvia is healed, your sisters are safe, you all have a home here with Fairy Tail, what else do you need?"

"I don't need anything else," I reassured him, placing my hand on his arm. "but my sisters, it's a lot to ask of them."

Jellal looked dejected for a moment before saying, "We'll just have to prove to them that you all belong here."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his determined face. "Well that's easier said than done."

"Well, in case you forgot, Fairy Tail can be very convincing," he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes and smiled back at him. "No, Jellal. I haven't."

We rode in a comfortable silence for a while before Levy finally got over some of her embarrassment and mustered up the courage to break the silence.

"Um, Gajeel?"

"Yeah?"

"What are witch hunters?"

Gajeel and the others stiffened.

"They're exactly what they sound like, they're mages that specialize in tracking down and neutralizing witches."

Lucy's eyes widened. "When you say neutralize, do you mean they kill them?"

Their silence was answer enough.

Levy shoots Juvia a look but Juvia shakes her head slightly, pleading with her eyes that she not mention anything. Levy presses her lips together but Lucy beats her to the punch.

"Are you familiar with a witch hunter named Zancrow?"

Natsu immediately stops and turns Lucy around in the saddle, ignoring her startled protests. "What."

Startled by the severity of his expression Lucy stutters, "Z-Zancrow the witch hunter."

Jellal and the others also stopped and stared at her in horror.