(A/N: Are you ready for this, guys? This is the chapter that really gets the story going!)

"We're going to have to sneak past them," Jellal instructed. "We're no match for immortal people."

"Right," I responded.

"My Father is most likely in the Throne Room. This evil sorceress..whatever her name is.."

"Morgause," I blurted out.

"Morgause," Jellal repeated, looking at me curiously. "I'm not going to ask how you know that. Anyway, Morgause probably wants to take over Fiore. Which isn't going to work because my people will never accept someone without Fernandes blood."

And then it hit me.

Morgause didn't want to be queen. She wanted Minerva to be queen. 

Minerva was a Fernandes.

"We need to hurry," I whispered.

The corridor leading to the balcony above the Throne Room was surprisingly empty. According to Jellal, he had often sneaked up here to spy on his father's council meetings.

We crouched behind the railing and peered down.

From that moment on, our lives were turned upside down.

From below, Minerva sat on the throne, Morgause stood beside her. About a hundred of Ivan's immortal men stood before her. Faust was chained to the ground. Lahar had a book open and was feebly reciting the oaths that would make Minerva queen. Two of Morgause's soldiers were pointing a knife at Lahar's back.

"M-Minerva.." Jellal whispered, his voice cracking.

It was a shock when I realized what path Minerva had decided to take. Imagine Jellal. Minerva was like Jellal's older sister. His role model. Sweet, innocent Minerva- now a sorceress who used magic to get revenge.

"Minerva," Faust murmured. "Please. Everything I did.."

"You lied," Minerva said, her words poisoned with hate. She got up from the throne and paced, back and forth, back and forth. "You were ashamed I was your daughter." Her pacing stopped. "A woman who might have magic. You coward."

"S-Sister?" Jellal muttered. He looked sick. "I have a sister?"

The crown prince looked like he wanted to jump off the balcony.

I held his arm, just in case.

"M-Minerva, my dear."

"You will never understand how much I hate you!" Minerva hissed, looking down at her father. "Take him to the cells!"

Some of the immortal soldiers took the king away. From beside me, Jellal didn't make a single sound.

Lahar closed the book with trembling hands and whispered, "Long live the queen."

Ivan's men shouted out, "Long live the queen!"

I tugged at Jellal's hand and we left the castle.

~ ~ ~

"Jellal," I repeated. "Say something."

The prince said nothing.

I sighed and continued guiding him towards the woods. We needed to meet up with others who had evacuated. I had no clue where they were.

A rustle in the bushes stopped me. I unsheathed my sword and looked around. The sun was now setting, and things were getting dark. I really hoped there weren't any more bandits. The entire castle and Inner Sector of Fiore were completely taken over. 

"If it isn't Scarlet," a voice said silkily.

A smile spread across my face as I turned around. "Ultear?!"

Ultear grinned and hugged me.

"G-Gisei," Jellal mumbled. "Gisei's a girl.."

"I'm Ultear Milkovich actually, sire," Ultear said modestly. "And this is my companion, Lyon Vastia."

The man beside Ultear nodded his head. "Is the crown prince always like this?"

"Lyon!" Ultear scolded. "The castle is invaded by Morgause and Ivan's immortal army, Minerva is actually his sister and is also the traitor, and his twin is missing. He's in shock!"

"We'll catch up later," I said, casting a wary glance at Jellal. "Do you know where Porlyusica and the knights' are?"

"Yeah, they found a cave. I'll take you there," she said, leading the way. "Mira Jane and Princess Lucy are there also."

"And King Jude?"

Ultear shrugged.

~ ~ ~

It was big cave, I guessed. We were camping out in the main chamber. No one had bothered to patrol the smaller chamber leading deeper into the cave. Everyone was fine. Stressed and scared, but fine.

Gajeel and Macao had managed to find food, while Porlyusica and Mira had found herbs and other necessities.

"I'm so glad your safe!" Mira cried, wrapping me in a hug. "I made you a makeshift bed over there," she said, pointing to one of the many corners of the cave.

"Thanks."

Since Jellal wasn't speaking, I took charge and got everyone to sit down. We managed to ration the food and water. Jellal wouldn't touch his food.

"Eat," I commanded, dipping his spoon into his bowl of soup. He stared blankly at the ground.

"I'm serious," I said, managing to maintain my cool. "Please, I'm begging you."

"No, I'm not hungry," Jellal responded. "I don't deserve food anyway. I deserve to die."

That did it. I set the bowl down hard, causing some soup to spill over the edge. "YOU SELFISH, IDIOTIC JERK!" I screamed. Everyone got quiet. "DON'T YOU SEE? EVERYONE IS RISKING THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT YOU, YET YOU'RE DOING NOTHING! NOTHING! YOUR FATHER AND BROTHER ARE GONE, MINERVA IS A TRAITOR AND FIORE IS CRUMBLING, YET ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SULKING LIKE A CHILD!"

I reached out and slapped him across the cheek. Hard.

I took a deep breath and managed to control myself. 

Great. I just slapped the prince.

"You arrogant fool," I muttered, turning on my heel and walking over to my makeshift bed. I turned my back to him and closed my eyes.

No one dared to come near me.

~ ~ ~

"Erza," a female  voice whispered with delight. "You've grown so much!"

I stared at the woman in shock. "Mother?"

I wanted to reach out and hug her. I wanted to cry, and cry and have her hold me. Have her comfort me. But I couldn't move. My feet were rooted to the ground.

"My baby," she murmured, stroking my hair. 

"I need help, Mom," I begged.

"That's why I've come."

"Is this a dream?" I asked.

Mom's eyes sparkled, but she didn't answer.

"Go to the lake."

"The lake?" I repeated.

"I will guide you. Just go to the lake."

"Mom..but you're dead," I said sadly.

"That doesn't mean I'm gone forever."

~ ~ ~

It was dark when I opened my eyes. I must've been asleep for a while. Everyone else was asleep. Natsu, I noted with amusement, was sleeping awfully close to Princess Lucy.

Jellal was still awake though. He was on the ground, scratching something into the dirt. Cautiously, I walked over to him, sitting beside him.

He was drawing battle plans.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't have been so hash."

"I have a brother and sister too," I continued, when he didn't say anything. "Their name's are Simon and Kagura."

Jellal didn't reply, but he stopped drawing in the dirt.

"I was never close to Kagura," I said softly. "Only Simon. And when Simon died..Kagura and my Father got angry. They changed. And so I left."

"But..it's not your fault," Jellal finally said. "You never killed him."

"No."

But I did. The truth was, I did kill Simon. I was young and couldn't control my magic. And so he died. And ever since that day..I kept my powers a secret.

"I'm the prince," Jellal whispered. "Sieg is..missing and Father is being held captive. I don't care if Minerva is my sister. She's taken over Fiore. She's working with Morgause. She has magic. Therefore she is my enemy."

I nodded.

"You were right. You're always right, Erza," he said roughly, looking up from the ground for the first time,

And the next thing I knew, his hands were wrapped around my waist, his forehead against mine. He kissed me, softly at first, each kiss fiery and sweet, making me cling to him as if he were the last thing that remained on earth, the only thing I could see in my dark and dizzying world.

I forgot about the immortal army, and Morgause and Minerva, and the Dreyars', and magic. I forgot about the fact that he was a prince, betrothed to Princess Lucy who was laying meters away from us.

It was just me and him.

A prince and a knight.

A sorceress and her prince.