Summary: Lady Minerva discovers she's more than just a king's ward..

~ ~ ~

Shadows snaked across the battlefield, twisting up towards the smoky sky, leaving inky trails of blood behind. The shrill of iron and steel clashing against each other melded with the shrieks of terror that echoed somewhere in the endless distance. Two armies fighting. Fiore in ruins...

Minerva Orland sat straight up on her bed and screamed.

"Milady!" Mira cried, running to the king's ward. "What's wrong?"

Tears traced down Minerva's cheeks as she blindly clawed at the air.

"Milady!" Mira Jane said again. Guards were beginning to come in, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about. "I'm here! It was a dream!"

She buried her face in her maid's shoulder, sobbing hysterically. Mira wrapped her arms around the woman, tracing soothing patterns on her back. The king's ward let out a shuddering sigh.

"It's okay," Minerva said, quivering. "I'm fine."

The guards filed out of her room in silence.

"Nightmares again, huh?" Mira asked, stroking the other girl's ebony hair soothingly.

Minerva nodded, gripping her maid tightly.

"Maybe you should see Porlyusica again."

Minvera shook her head. "She's already giving me medication. It's not very effective."

"Try to go back to sleep, okay?"

She lay back down, but couldn't go to sleep.

She never could.

~ ~ ~

"Are you sure the antidote isn't working?" Porlyusica asked, eyebrows raised in doubt.

I looked up from the corner of the room. Minerva had entered and appeared to be distressed over something. Everyone, these days, seemed unnerved by something or other.

Porlyusica picked up a bottle of blue liquid and shook it.

"Erza, can you get me some of that rosemary?"

I quickly closed the book and tucked it away, under the table.

"Here," I said, taking the bottle from the old woman and sprinkling in some of the dried, shredded herbs.

Porlyusica shook it once more and handed it to Minerva. "This should work."

Minerva smiled weakly. "You're a good friend, Porlyusica."

The older woman smiled and leaned in. "What was the dream this time?"

Minerva shook her head slowly. I could see her hand trembling slightly.

"I dreamed of..some sort of war.."

Porlyusica nodded understandingly. Minerva smiled weakly and left the room.

I rounded on Porlyusica. "What was all that about?"

"Lady Minerva's been having..unusual nightmares lately."

"So?"

The pink-haired woman looked troubled, which was odd. Porlyusica was always calm.

~ ~ ~

"Alright," Jellal said. "We're going to be having a practice competition."

Natsu groaned, "Again?"

Jellal grinned. "But here's the twist. I'm going to pair you guys up with the senior knights."

I didn't dare complain out loud, but I knew this was going to include a whole lot of arguing and bragging from the senior knights.

"Sir Gildarts with Natsu," Jellal said, after pondering for a moment.

Natsu immediately perked up. "Yes!"

"Sir Macao with Gray. Sir Wakaba with Gajeel. You're dismissed."

I raised my eyebrows. "Um..I'm a knight too, you know."

Jellal studied me for a moment. "You're training with me."

I smacked my forehead with my hand. "I'm going to die."

"Too bad."

"Why can't I train with Jet? Or Droy? Or one of the other knights?"

"Because you still owe me."

"For what?!"

He didn't hesitate. "I defended you when my father wanted you to be executed."

"When was that?" I asked, scrunching up my face.

"Three months ago," Jellal said, matter-of-factly. "When you pulled your Mulan stunt."

"It's not a Mulan stunt!" I yelled.

He raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay!"

It was hard to imagine Jellal, the crown prince of Fiore, was destined to bring magic back and to unite the land of Albion, non-magic and magic alike.

"Scarlet!" Prince Siegrain called. "Father says he needs you to be on guard duty."

I opened my mouth to respond with a bitter retort, but Jellal slung his arm over my shoulders and grinned. "Sorry, she's with me."

Siegrain's eyes lit up with amusement, but his smile slowly faded as he said, "Minerva's been having nightmares. Father thinks it will comfort her if she has a guard in her room as she naps."

Jellal's face darkened. "That bad?"

He nodded. "I'm worried for Minerva."