Once Upon A Time

Chapter 39

The two young women talked during the entire walk back to the cottage and once inside  Erza seated Juvia to a table and prepared the tea. They continued chatting as soon as the tea was served and Erza found Juvia to be such a delight. She was so sweet, polite, humble, and though beautiful was obviously unaware of it. Erza didn't see many women like that. She only hoped that Juvia was actually who she said she was because if she turned out to be another fake, Erza would just give up on friendship altogether.

"So how long have you been working for this employer of yours?" Erza asked her.

"About a month now." 

"What's he like? Is he one of those old bachelors looking for something young?"

"No. He's young, about a year or two older than me. He's not really interested in a romantic relationship though oddly enough he's very fascinated with beauty. Natural beauty that is."

"Huh...Is he hard to look at? I hear if a man isn't exactly what you would call an Adonis, they'll be obsessed with beauty and not have any relationships with women."

"Well." Juvia said thinking. "He's not what you would call conventionally handsome but he's not ugly. His appearance is more along the lines of...Well...Terrifying. But you know he has a certain charm to him if you look at him the right way and he has very beautiful eyes."

"How about his personality?"

"Very complicated. When I first started working for him I thought he was an outright monster. Mean, coarse, unrefined, had deplorable manners, an unsettling sense of humor, and his temper my goodness. He didn't get angry often but when he did he would just lose it. Shouting and making demands. Refusing to listen to any kind of reason. At least any kind of reason that came from my mouth."

"With all due respect, aren't servants supposed to obey employers without any objections and keep their mouths shut?"

"They are and I did. I obeyed every order he gave me and I never complained but if he was ever  unnecessarily and unfairly cruel to anyone I drew the line."

"Did he whip you for it?"

"I expected him to but he didn't. We bickered and he threatened me but I stood my ground and eventually I appealed to his better nature. I even got him to apologize once. He knows when I'm right but hell will freeze over before he admits that he was wrong about anything and he acts like he doesn't listen to me but I think he does. He's recently become more decent and in someways dear. Dear, unsure, and a little anxious."

"Sounds like your classic love story."

"Love? Oh no. It's not like that. It's more like a mutual respect and friendship. I mean I could never...And he could never-"

"I was jesting."

"Oh. Of course. Truth be told I've never been in love and I don't think it's in my future. I would like for it to be but unfortunately I was sentenced to be lonely for life as soon as my father passed. I have some friends and maybe I'll make more but a husband and a family, never."

"I can relate." Erza said. "So far my only companions are a gluttonous knight and some owls."

"What a small world, I'm friends with doves."

"Really? I thought I would be considered odd for associating with birds."

"It is unusual to some but if you think about it plenty of people associate with animals. Even royals, they have their prized horses."

"True."

"But what about this knight friend of yours? Do you think there could be something more?"