The Gods of Fairy Tail

Chapter 14

Juvia enjoyed her room. She read a few books, admired the paintings, and played the harpsichord which filled the palace with beautiful music. In the evening she left the room and noticed a corridor lit with lanterns. She walked down the corridor which led her to a dinning room which was at the end of the hallway. In the center of it stood a table set with a delicious meal and wine while a candle lit chandelier hung up above it.

Juvia hadn't of realized it now but she had become very hungry and she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. She wondered if all this delicious food had been laid out for her or someone else. She sat down in one of the chairs but she didn't want to be rude so she did not eat or drink until she was sure that she was welcome to do so. Shortly after sitting down she heard the sound of footsteps walking very slowly down the corridor and into the room. At last she saw him, the great god of the underworld staring down at her with his serious eyes.

The two of them just looked at each other in silence for what seemed like to be an eternity. Finally Gray spoke to her in a voice that was respectful but at the same time intimating.

"Are you not hungry?" He asked her.

"No. I am but I didn't know if this food was meant for me or not. I didn't want to be rude."

"I see. Well the food was made for you so you are welcome to eat it if you're hungry."

Without another word Juvia began to help herself to the feast that had been cooked. It was very tasted and well seasoned too.

"Thank you for the meal and for allowing me to stay here as a guest."

"You are welcome. Would you mind answering a question for me?"

"No. Not at all."

"How did you come to be in my domain?"

"I didn't come here intentionally. I was just gathering flowers when suddenly the earth opened up and I fell down."

"Hmm..."

"Something wrong?"

"It's just that I'm supposed to be the only one allowed to open up the earth and the fact that somebody else did it worries me."

"When...When will I be able to return home?"

"Can't say for sure but hopefully a month at most. Please forgive me for keeping you here but I must make sure that no one who belongs down here makes it back up there."

"I...I hear that it's your job to keep the titans locked up."

"Not all titans, just the traitorous ones who tried to kill all the gods."

"Like Zeref?"

"You've heard of him?"

"Yes, but I don't know that much about him. I was a baby when he still lived on earth so I don't remember him or what it was like when he was around."

"Tartarus on Earth, that's what it was like. He was a monster."

"I heard he had children, three boys? The nymphs say that his younger sons are good but the oldest one is evil just like him."

"THAT'S A LIE!" Gray snapped in a voice that made Juvia almost fall out of her chair in fright. "I'M NOTHING LIKE MY FATHER! DO YOU HEAR ME?! NOTHING!"

"Father?" Juvia squeaked while trying to control her trembling. "You mean... You're one of Zeref's sons?"

Upon seeing the intense fear in her blue eyes Gray quickly calmed down. He didn't mean to get so angry, it just hurt him so badly when people would say that he was just like his father. The horrifying monster who swallowed him when he was a child and to this day haunted his nightmares.

Nevertheless he couldn't take his anger and hurt on Juvia. She didn't confirm that she believed those rumors, she didn't even know that he was the oldest son of Zeref. She was one of the younger Gods who were born when Zeref and the other titans were defeated meaning she had little to no memory of the whole thing.

"I'm so sorry." He apologized. "I didn't mean...I shouldn't have gone off on you like that."

"I... I'm sorry too for being so insulting." She apologized.

"You didn't know."

"Still I was being very rude and thoughtless."

She was still trembling, he had frightened her. He didn't mean to do that.

"I...I...I." She was stuttering. "I would like to thank you for the rooms and gifts but they're not needed."

"Do you not like them?"

"No. They're truly wonderful and I appreciate them but I do not deserve such luxuries. It's enough that you've given me shelter here after I intruded but please do not feel the need to spoil me."

"You don't need to feel like you're intruding. It is not your fault that you ended up here and I know how depressing my domain is, I do not what you to become bored or depressed while you are here."

"I see...Are you not going to eat?" She asked.

"I eat much later in the day, I have too much work to do right now. In the meantime if you need anything, just ask and it will be yours. My servants will tend to your every need without complaint and you are free to leave the palace and explore the underworld whenever you wish but I implore you not to leave without an escort and above all do not go to Tartarus."

"What is Tartarus? I've heard of it many times but I don't know exactly what it is."

"Bottom line, it's a place no one wants to go to and for good reason too. While you're down here you are not allowed to go anywhere near it, understand?"

"I understand."

"Good." He turned around and started to leave.

"Will I see you again?" Juvia asked.

He stopped.

"You'll see me in the evenings but only for a short while." He started walking away again. "Have a good evening."

His final words before he was gone.

Juvia was left feeling greatly confused. She had heard many stories about the god of the underworld, all of them saying that he was either a hideous monster or a cruel tyrant who delighted in killing mortals. But Gray didn't fit any of those descriptions. He was by no means hideous or cruel, in fact he behaved like a considerate gentleman. She wondered why so many people said so many awful and untrue things about him. And was it her imagination or did he seem very sad and lonely?