When Elkis agreed to go shopping with Minajane the next day she expected that we would just go out and buy a simple but decent dress. Maybe some better looking shoes. Nothing too crazy. But what she got was a full on makeover. Poor Mina just couldn't help herself. She took Elkis to Edolas's best boutique and bought her brand new dress. It was a short and strapless purple dress that fitted her figure quite well but wasn't too revealing. The shoes she bought for her were black, open toe heels and the jewelry consisted of a choker with matching earrings.

Once done with shopping, they went back to Nakku's apartment where Minajane did her hair and make up. Elkis's hair was style half way up while the rest was left down and flattened. Her make up consisted of a subtle yet flattering shade or lipstick, blush, and eye shadow. By the time she was ready it was a hour before Siegrain would arrive.

"There we go." Minajane said as she finished with her eyebrows. "Behold my master piece."

She stepped aside to let Nakku and the kids look over her handywork.

"Wow." Nakku said before giving a little whistle. "You look good in a dress Elkis."

"I don't know." She said feeling a little insecure. "You think it's too much?"

"No."

"You look fine to me." Greige said.

"That color really looks pretty on you." Nasha said. "Purple clothes and red hair make a very good combo. Also your make up is very akin to your natural tones so it's too flashy but at the same time it's bright enough to get you noticed."

Nakku and Greige looked at her in a weird way. As if they expected the knowledge and understanding of make up and clothes to not apply to someone like her.

"What?" She said. "It's just an observation I made."

They still stared at her.

"Alright sometimes I read the model and beauty articles in Sorcerer Magazine. I'm a tomboy with a girly streak. Sue me!"

"So Elkis you never did tell us who your date is for the evening." Nakku said.

"It is not a date." Elkis said. "It's a professional dinner."

"Whatever. Who is he?"

"Dr. Fernandes."

"Our therapist?" Nasha said. "You're dating a shrink?"

"It's not a date. We're just meeting to discuss certain matters in regards to you and Greige."

"So you're going to talk about how we're crazy?"

"You're not crazy. We're just trying to figure out how to make you two feel more at home here. The whole thing is strictly professional."

"Then what's with the dress and the make up?"

"The restaurant we're going to is very sophisticated. I can't just go there in a turtle neck and jeans." She said checking her appearance in a mirror. "Nakku you'll be watching the kids right?"

"Yeah." He assured her.

"Good. There's money on the counter that you can use for pizza. It's a Friday so Nasha and Greige can stay up late but make sure they do their homework." She instructed.

"Gotcha."

There was a knock at the door. Elkis checked her appearance again and went to answer. On the other side stood a sharply dressed Siegrain who was taken aback by the red head's stunning appearance.

"Hello Dr. Fernandes." She greeted.

"Hel...Hello Miss Scarlet." He said tugging on his neck tie a little. "Am I...Am I too early?"

"No. Right on time."

"What a relief. My watch broke so I had to um...Take a wild guess at the time."

"Shall we go?"

"Yes."

She grabbed her purse and stepped out the door to leave with him. She stumbled a little due to walking in new heels and the fact that she was as nervous as a seal in a shark tank. Siegrain didn't notice due to the fact that he was just as nervous but the kids noticed.

"Poor guys." Nasha said watching them from the window of the apartment. "They look as if they've never been on a date before."

"That's because they haven't." Greige said.

"How do you know?"

"Because they spent most of their lives living in a world where the term dating had not been developed."

"Don't start please." She said. "Not that I don't mind her dating but why did it have to be him?"

"What have you go against Dr. Fernandes?"

"I just don't trust shrinks. If you're not careful about what you say to them, they could convince the whole world you're crazy."

"I don't think he's going to convince Elkis that we're crazy. To be honest this whole thing probably even about us. They just want an excuse to see each other."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because they love each other and belong together."

"Greige they've only known each other for like a day and a half. They don't even refer to each other by their first names yet. How could they possibly be in love?"

"They've actually known each other for much longer than that. In fact they're more than in love. They're married to each other."

"What?!"

"It's true. Says so right here in my book." He said opening it up.

"What nonsense has that book put in your head now?"

"Elkis's true self, Erza and the doctor's true self, Jellal were in love back in Fiore. And they got married. See."

He flipped the page to an illustration of two characters resembling Elkis and Siegrain standing hand in hand at a ceremony. A ceremony which Nasha recognized as a royal wedding due to what she had seen in movies. They were both dressed regally and gazing at each other lovingly, a priest stood with them and crowds of people were smiling at the sight of their happiness.

"They loved each other very much." Greige said. "When the curse took hold they swore that one way or another they would find each other again and they have. Problem is they don't remember who they are or what they had."

"If they don't even remember who the other person is then how could they possibly find each other?"

"Does the phrase 'Love never dies' mean anything to you? They don't remember anything but the feelings are still there. Feelings that strong don't just go away. In fairy tales, love is eternal and cannot be destroyed. Why do you think so many curses and spells are broken by true love's kiss or a declaration of love? It's because love is the most powerful magic in the world."

"No offense but love is just a tingling feeling. There's no magic or power in it."

"You're only saying that because you haven't loved anyone yet."

"And you have? You're an orphaned kid like me. Who have you loved?"

"I love my mother."

"You don't even remember your mother. How could you love her?"

"It's just like with Elkis and Siegrain. I don't remember my mother but deep down I can feel the love she had for me. I can feel it when I read what she wrote in my book. Sometimes when I read those words I can almost hear her voice reading them to me. I don't remember her but I can feel her love for me so I love her."

"Well you have strong faith I'll give you that." Nasha said. "Even if in some cases that faith is wasted."

"You don't know that."

"Well it's wasted on my parents that for sure. Which is why I never think of them."

"Oh come on, you mean to tell me that you never once thought about what your parents might be like?"

"No."

"You're lying. No orphan goes through life not thinking about their birth parents at least once in their life."

"Alright I guess I thought about them a few times. When I was little I used to a play a little game where I would imagine what my parents were like and that's how they were."

"And what did you pretend they were like?"

"My dad had a sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. If he had raised me he would always make me smile and play with me. My mom was very affectionate and would always be there to hold me if I was ever sad or scared. I told myself that they didn't really give me away but somebody stole me from them and that they've been looking for me ever since. Stupid I know."

"No it's not. Maybe that actually happened."

"It didn't."

"How do you know?"

"Because when I was ten I looked on the internet to see if any baby girls had been abducted around the time I was born and none were. I wasn't stolen, I was abandoned. That's what happened and I've accepted it."

"But it still hurts doesn't it?"

"Not really."

"It's okay if does. Nasha just because you accept something bad happened to you doesn't mean it's not supposed to hurt you anymore."

"I really don't want to talk about this right now. In fact I'm hungry right now so can we just order the pizza now?"

"Yeah. I'll get Nakku."

...

Erza eyed the paper in her hand nervously, contemplating if she should write her message on it. The message was going to ask someone if they would be interested in meeting with her again. She was hesitant because she feared embarrassment and humiliation. After all she was a peasant and the man she was thinking about sending this message to was a prince. A prince who was engaged no less. Part of her felt like a harlot.

"I shouldn't do this." She told herself. "This is ridiculous. He's the crown prince, I'm a wanted woman. If I do this then I'm just asking for trouble."

Those words kept repeating themselves in her mind yet her hand still grabbed the quill and proceeded to write on the paper. She stop once or twice between writing to rethink her plan but ended up finishing her scripture anyway. She then rolled up the paper, tied it in place, and called for one of her owl friends. The wise looking bird perched itself on her open window and after one more moment of hesitation she gave the message to the owl and flew away to deliver it.

No going back now. No doubt that Prince Jellal would get that slip of paper and read what was written on it. Her request for him to visit her at her cottage if he could so they might be able to talk about somethings.

"He's going to say no." She told herself. "After all why would he say yes? His fiance is literally the definition of perfect. She's beautiful, kind, and a princess. That means she's rich and going to rule a kingdom. What man would turn down that opportunity?"

Hours passed and at sundown she was just about to accept that he had rejected her request and decide that she would never again think of him when the owl returned to her window with a new message in hand. She took the paper from the owl's talons, unrolled it, and read what was written.

Dearest Erza

Words cannot describe the joy I felt when I received your request.

I was so certain that our last parting would be the final moment I would ever to speak to you again and I was greatly depressed by that.

I know we haven't known each other long but for reasons I cannot understand, not a day goes by that I have not thought of you.

I am deeply ashamed by my acts of deception toward you and I so desperately wish to beg your forgiveness.

So yes, I shall come to see you at your cottage.

I shall come in the morning and although I do not expect you to forgive me, I pray that you will at least allow me to apologize and explain the reasons for my rather cowardly actions.

Sign, your prince.

Erza smiled in a touched manner and pressed the note over her heart.

"My prince." She sighed out loud in regards to what his final written words were. She blushed as she tried to picture those words being spoken by his voice. Especially the part where he called himself her prince. It made her heart flutter. But then reason kicked in.

"What am I doing?" She thought. "Oh God, am I really allowing myself to succumb to this? A peasant girl swooning over a prince, could I be anymore cliche?"

"Don't feel too be embarrassed Dearie. There are still princesses who fall for the whole knight in shinning armor cliche. I happen to know one of them." Erza was startled to find Gray in her house wearing his usual grin.

"Oh God! Don't you ever knock?" She said trying to control her sudden heart rate.

"Sometimes. I always knock before entering a lady's room."

"What are you doing here?"

"A little dove told me that you had recently been shot by the arrow of the Eros and that the face you gazed upon when you received this injury happened to be Prince Jellal. When I heard that I just couldn't resist popping by to see if it was true and judging by the look on your face it would seem the information I was told is correct."

"I don't know what you heard but it's not how it sounds. It's not love. At least I don't think it is, I'm not sure what it is right now but whatever it is it's none of your business."

"True but I still cannot help but be fascinated."

"Fascinated by what?"

"That you and your prince have begun to at the very least desire each other."

"Why would you be fascinated by that?"

"I don't know if I ever mentioned this to you but one the side I've been doing a little studying on love."

"You're studying love?"

"Don't sound so surprised. Love is actually a very interesting topic of study. It is the most complicated concept ever created. The most pleasurable of joys yet at the same time the most painful of afflictions. And of course the most powerful magic in all the world. It makes us sick, haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease."

"How could love kill?"

"In the same way a sword or a common bottle can kill. Love in a way is a tool which can be used to do anything. It just all depends on who's using it. Love in itself may not have been created to be used for sinister purposes but evil can twist anything to it's advantage. In fact one of the most evil people in Fiore turned away from the light because of how their love was used."

"You?"

"Me? No. But you do know this person."

"Who?"

"I cannot say anymore out of respect but remember this for the future, sometimes a heart will freeze because the flame of love that kept it warm was snuffed out."

His last words before vanishing and leaving her to ponder his words.