Demon Tail (Book 2)

Snow and Curses

Chapter 7

All but a step. A single push forward and she'd be gone already. That simple second of hesitation is what lead her to this point.

"Juvia" someone calls to her, she spins around hoping to see him just for one last time. Her expression falls to disappointment

"Not who you expected to see my dear" the woman chuckles

"Madam Porlyusica" Juvia does a little bow out of habit, Juvia rises and stares up at the older woman with a small smile

"My my, you do bring trouble everywhere you go don't you" Porlyusica says

"I realize" She laughs "Well I'm getting out of your hair for now at least"

"I too think it is for the best." Porlyusica looks at Juvia with much concern, she vowed centuries ago to help each and everyone of them try to break the curse. Non were ever successful, their love was always greater than their hate, but not this time.

Juvia gives her a small unsure smile, she wants to leave, to get as far away from him as possible, the sooner he forgot about her...the more he hated her, the better, for everyone.

"Ye-Yes" She manages averting her gaze

Porlyusica sighs, it would seem that the hatred had already begun to change "What ever you do Juvia, you must not fall for my king " she warns "It won't be good"

"I know that!" She shouts, everyone kept repeating the same thing over and over again. Stay away from him, don't catch feelings for him, he's a tyrant you must hate him.

"I know that if I don't...If I don't I will die" She looks up at Porlyusica with desperation in her eyes, she was confused, she knew what needed to be done but she couldn't bring herself to do it" But how can I when everything and I do mean everything, leads me right back to him?!"

"It is true that the further apart you are, is the stronger it gets, the more you seek each other out unknowingly, but when you are together... the feelings that you develop when you're together...I only want to see it end"

Juvia straightens up "I'm grateful for your concern Madam, but I know how to break my curse"

"No you don't" Porlyusica snaps "This curse, its not something you can get rid of with a snap of your finger. Kyoka made sure of that"

"How do you even know so much, since I've been here you've always seem to know more than anyone else, you and prince Lyon"

Porlyusica turns away from Juvia, "I was there when your first lives were cursed"

Juvia laughs "You must be joking right, that would make you over a thousand years old"

To Juvia's surprise Porlyusica laughs too "I stopped counting after a while"

She faces Juvia, her stunned expression was one for the books.

"But-"

"I've seen the in's and out of this curse for a very long time Juvia, It has been my duty to help break this curse, the closest I've ever come to success, well what I thought was success was..." Her eyes well up but she calms herself "Please princess-"

Porlyusica turns her nose to the castle "It's best you get going" she warns and begins walking away

"Madam-"

"Now princess!" She snaps walking away

Juvia looks towards the castle doors, she senses something, something coming at full speed, something filled with rage. Juvia swiftly turns away and bolts through the castle gates.

*

Heavy steps stomp after her as she dashes through the forest.

Her breathing rapid, her feet pounding against the ground beneath her, she dodges the branches that seem to purposely block her way, she stumbles over a rock and falls to the dew filled grass . She grabs hold of a tree catching herself, she pushes off the trees for an extra boost, just a bit more, maybe he would give up and just let her go - she doubts it-.

She trips again and again, she had just gotten back her legs, she curses her inability to get use to this form. Juvia reaches the end of the forest and enters the winter zone, the temperature drop was immense, her feet sunk within the thick snow, icicles fall from the equally white tree barks. Juvia advances, she had been in this forest once before, it wasn't a good experience at all, she hoped herself lucky this time.

Luck wasn't in her favor. Juvia wasn't dressed for the occasion, with so much of her body exposed, she begins to shake, the snow like darts slapped violently against her fair skin. Her speed decreases, her body shakes more rapidly, yet, she continues on.

Her pursuer came closer and closer. He was almost there. Her feet sunk deeper within the snow until she was practically dragging them along. The climate's fierce rage was too much for her to handle. She falls to her knees, stopping to catch her breath, just for a second.

"You can't run from me mermaid" His voice growls out, it was calm yet filled with such irritation. The snow beneath her begins turning into ice, holding her captive, she struggles within its grasp.

"Let me go Gray!" she demands looking around trying to find him.

He chuckles "One year away from home and you forget how to use titles"

Juvia spins her head around, Where was he?

"You're making a big mistake Demon King!" she warns.

Gray strides out from behind the trees in his shirtless glory. Juvia's face gushes red as she sees him and averts her eyes. Gray stops before her kneeling frame, he pinches her chin between his thumb and index finger and turns her head to face him.

"It's extremely rude to leave without saying goodbye" He says his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Juvia scoffs and shakes him off "That's a lot coming from you."

Gray grabs his chest in fake agony "Oh princess, my how you've gotten feistier"

"Gray, you have to let me go...for your sake. The curse it will change-"

"I determine my own destiny Juvia" He snaps, the playfulness subsiding " Not you, not my brother and not some Demon goddess from over a millennia ago "

Her face falls in shock, the last time Juvia checked Gray didn't know of their curse.

"How do you-"

"I won't let you go, never again, you are my prize to keep mermaid or have you forgotten" Power radiates from his body as he looks down on her. He was serious, he was done playing games. He hated feeling as though he was being used, he is a King not some pawn playing on fate's chess board. Maybe it was the so called 'curse', but now he was indebted to her, she had saved his life, something he was beyond grateful for.

"I already made a deal with Lyon, you can't break it, you'll be a traitor and trialed!"

"You really think that a piece of parchment can stop me from claiming what's mine?!" he laughs

Gray places his hand on her chest, his hand became shrouded in dark energy, Juvia tries to free herself but to no avail. It felt like small needles were sticking into her chest. Gray removes his hand and the ice which held Juvia begins to melt, Juvia falls forward but wastes no time in getting to her feet, she gathers up magical energy and raises a wall of water between her and Gray before running off in the opposite direction.

Juvia was almost by the tree line, almost free, but then her body stops moving, it felt like she was being controlled as her body turns to face Gray.

"This" he announces gesturing towards her chest "Is how demons make deals "

Sure enough, where Gray had laid his hand on her chest, was a design similar to Gray's curse mark.

" You'll never leave my side again Juvia."