"Am I doing the right thing?" Jellal asked for the fourth time that day.

From beside him, I responded quietly, "If this magic can save your father...then it's the right thing."

Jellal nodded, not looking reassured.

"It's a hut," Jellal pointed out. "Maybe that's where the sorceress Zarina is."

"Yeah," I agreed, suddenly stopping. I hadn't known a hut was out here. Who's hut was it? The hut wasn't part of the plan.

"Well, let's go inside," the prince said, sliding off his horse.

"I, um..have to use the bathroom," I said lamely. I needed to leave long enough to use the aging spell.

"There might be one inside," Jellal told me, knocking on the door. "Can't you wait?" 

I grabbed the bag off of my horse and looked at him hopefully. "I really have to go..right now."

Jellal rolled his eyes. "When will you change, Erza? You need to learn to use the bathroom before we go on missions."

"Sorry," I yelled, running into the woods.

Hiding behind a tree, I changed into the dark black robes that Porlyusica had bought last minute at the market.

I looked at my reflection in the pond and gasped. I was still not used to the effect of my aging spell. Was this really what I would like when I was seventy? Would I have long white hair like this? And wrinkles?

 I stuffed my leather tunic and skirt back into the bag. 

I'll leave the bag here..

I dropped the bag and ran behind the hut, looking for a back entrance.

~ ~ ~

Jellal looked around the hut. It seemed like a typical sorceress's hut, not that he'd been to one. Glass beakers of potions and whatnot were lined up in shelves and on tables. Jellal hesitantly touched one of the vases. He heard the back door open and he jumped back, causing the vase to crash and shatter on the ground.

"That was my favorite vase!" I croaked, disguised as the old woman.

"S-Sorry," he stammered. "Are you..uh..Zarina?"

I smiled slightly. Scaring the prince was definitely something on my bucket list. This was going to be fun!

"Obviously!" I snapped.

Jellal grabbed a broom from the corner. "Should I..uh..clean up?"

"Nonsense," I grumbled, snapping my fingers and cleaning up the vase.

Jellal gasped and took a step back.

"What?" I challenged. "Are you gonna run back to daddy and complain about evil magic users?"

"No..actually...my Father needs your help," Jellal said, recovering some composure.

"Faust Fernandes needs my help?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"He's been stabbed by a poisonous blade and he's in a coma..He's dying.."

"Why should I help him?" I yelled, surprised to hear the anger in my voice. "That stupid, old, arrogant tyrant! Killing my kind ever since he was a prince!"

"Not him," Jellal said hoarsely. "Help me."

I paused for a moment. "Help you. But you're the same as your father."

"No, I'm not," Jellal whispered weakly. "When I'm king..things will be different."

It was hard to contain my excitement. Bit by bit. Piece by piece. The prophecy was slowly coming true. 

"Very well," I said softly. 

"You will be rewarded," the prince said, his voice returning to normal. "Name your price."

I hobbled forward and looked up at the prince. Jellal looked at me, and for a moment I feared he would see through my magical disguise. He did not.

"If I heal him..If I heal the king fully," I whispered, almost begging. "Bring magic back to Fiore. When you become king."

Jellal thought for a moment.

"I, Crown Prince Jellal Fernandes, promise to bring back magic to Fiore when I'm king if you fully heal my Father."

I smiled, tears forming in my eyes.

"I'll meet you outside the East Entrance," I said.

Jellal nodded a farewell and left the hut.

I hurriedly limped to the back door and hoped desperately whoever lived in this hut didn't return anytime soon.

~ ~ ~

"It takes half an hour to pee?" Jellal asked.

"I was guarding too," I said protectively. "Any good news?"

"Zarina agreed to help heal Father," Jellal said proudly.

I clutched the bag with the black robes. "Did you need to bribe her with clothes?"

Jellal hesitated before answering. "Not exactly."

~ ~ ~

"How did it go?" Porlyusica asked.

"Well," I said, smiling despite myself. "Besides the fact Jellal thinks I have bladder issues, the magic disguise worked fine."

Porlyusica laughed and hugged me. "You sure you can heal King Faust?"

"Positive," I said, full of confidence. "If I can age myself, I can do anything!"

I stared at the door, something still bothering me.

"Eat," the old woman said, pushing a bowl full of stew towards me.

"I have a question," I said, grabbing a piece of bread from the basket. "Why did Faust ban magic in the first place? I know it was because his wife died of magic, but..that can't be the only reason.."

Porlyusica sat across from me with a heavy sigh. "People used magic for the wrong reasons at that time. It threw the natural world into chaos. Faust made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."

"But now everything isn't chaotic.."

"King Faust is tied to his old ways," she said, taking a bite of the soup. "Some people will never change."

~ ~ ~

"There you are," Jellal said, standing upright. "I thought you would never come."

"I'm a woman of my word," I croaked. I brushed my brittle white hair with my hand. "Sorceress's don't lie. We're not all evil."

Jellal nodded impatiently. "Well, let's go."

"I'm an old woman," I threatened. "I can't walk so fast."

Jellal sighed. "Here, let me help."

I let out a yelp of surprise as Jellal swung me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I exclaimed. 

"Shh," he shushed. "We're entering the castle. I don't want anyone to know about your healing."

"And why is that?" I asked, just for the sake of time.

"My brother isn't too supportive of what I'm doing," he whispered. "And I don't want the citizens of Fiore to think using magic is allowed all of a sudden, and that Father is a hypocrite."

"In a way, he is," I said. "After all, I'm using magic to heal him."

"No," the prince said breathlessly, opening the door to Faust's chambers. "I'm the hypocrite."

~ ~ ~

"Zarina," Porlysucia said. "Long time no see."

"You too, Porlyusica," I replied. I strode over to Faust's bed and studied him. He was deathly pale and his breathing was shallow.

"Shall I begin?"

Jellal flinched and stepped backward. "Do what you must. But remember. If you hurt him-"

I raised my hands and began to chant, "Heilen zum wohle der könig der heilung!"

For a minute I thought everything was going to be okay. I thought the destiny was going to become true. I thought I had healed King Faust and Jellal would bring magic back to Fiore when he was king. I was so excited and ready. 

Faust stirred and lifted his head, looking at Jellal. "Jellal," he whispered. Then the king began to choke and spasm on the bed. He fell silent.

Porlyusica reached out to feel his pulse. She looked at me in horror.

"Father?" Jellal asked. "Father?!" Turning to me he asked, "What happened? Is he okay?"

"I..I'm positive I recited the spell right," I whispered, feeling flustered.

Jellal grabbed Faust's hand pressed his finger against his wrist.

"There's no pulse! He's dead!" Jellal screamed. He grabbed me by the collar of my robes. "You killed him! You murderer!"

I flinched and closed my eyes. Jellal was going to kill me. But I deserved it. I killed Faust. I should've studied the spell harder. I probably mispronounced something. But what really hurt was the fact Jellal was going to kill me in my disguise. Without ever knowing it was me, Erza Scarlet, his loyal knight.

"Jellal," Porlyusica said. "Calm down-"

"NO!" Jellal yelled. "GUARDS! GUARDS!"

"Gilgara lith!" I whispered, causing Jellal to slump to the ground unconscious.

"I don't know what happened," the physician told me. "But the king is dead and the guards are coming. Go downstairs and change back."

I nodded, my mind numb with pain. I killed the king. I killed Jellal and Siegrain's father.

I killed King Faust Fernandes.

~ ~ ~

I ran into Porlyusica's office and reversed the aging spell, quickly changing back into my armor. I opened the door and ran back out.

Jellal was there with his sword drawn. I managed to choke out, "J-Jellal w-what's wrong?"

"Did you see her? Zarina? Did you?" Jellal asked.

"No," I said. "Did she.."

"He's dead," he said gravely. "Because of me. Because I trusted magic. Father was always right. Magic is evil."

"Yes," I whispered.

"I'll have to tell the citizens he died of the poisonous knife," Jellal whispered.

I stared at his feet, not moving.

"It's my time to become king."