Worth Is Measured In Love

Chapter 17

Once inside the carriage, Jellal instructed Natsu to lay Gray down on his bed. Next the man set to work putting together an ointment to treat Gray's wounds with Natsu bringing him the right tools and ingredients. Juvia just stayed by his side the entire time, her mouth was silent but tears continued to drop from her sightless eyes. Her weak heart had been broken many times like this. Whenever Gray was hurt, she could do nothing but suffer and sob.

"There, there, Juvia." Jellal said. "He'll be alright."

"Oh Jellal, how could they do this to him?" She wept. "Why does the world treat him like this? Why can't they see that all he wants is to live life the best he can like everyone else?"

"Because Juvia, they cannot see as well as you can. It's a very cruel irony. Those people who have perfect eyes, look upon him and see a monster. But you are blind and when you look upon him, you see a man. You see what God sees and that in itself is a tremendous thing."

"It is." Natsu agreed. "It really is."

"But what good is it if I cannot help him?" She said. "At times, I wish so much that I could protect him and chase away all those who hurt him. But I can't do any of that because I can't see."

She broke down in sobs.

"Juvia why don't you go outside and get some air?" Jellal suggested. "I'll take good care of Gray, you just try to calm down."

"You can bring Happy with you." Natsu added. "He's a great friend to have around when you're sad."

To prove his master's point, Happy walked right straight over to Juvia and started to brush up against her. She smiled softly and began to rub his head in gratitude.

"Well aren't you a sweet boy?" She sniffed. "What breed is he?"

"A Maine Coon." He answered.

"So is Carla. Carla come here! We have a new friend!"

The female, white, Maine Coon came at her mistress's call. Juvia greeted her with a rub to the head as well and then made introductions.

"Carla this is Happy." She said.

Happy and Carla looked at each other.

"Schwing! Hello beautiful!" Happy said to her in the language that only cats could understand. "Hubba-hubba, what a set of paws. Hey gorgeous, what do you say we go nose through the garbage together, Huh?"

But for Carla, it wasn't exactly love at first sight.

"Ugh! What dog dragged you in?" She replied in disgust.

"Actually I was brought in by a guy not a dog."

Carla rolled her eyes.

"You're not familiar with the phrase with metaphor, are you?"

Natsu opened the door of the carriage for Juvia and the two cats led her outside.

While she was gone, he and Jellal talked.

"Your sister is one remarkable woman." The solider said. "I don't think she has a selfish bone in her whole body."

"She probably doesn't." Jellal said. "She probably thinks that she can't ever afford to be selfish because since the day she went blind, Gray and I have done everything we could to take care of her. Now that she's older, she tries so hard to return the favor."

"If I may ask, what's the story between those two? Are they like foster brother and sister?"

"I wish, it would make things so much less complicated." He chuckled. "She's loved him since she was seven years old and now at seventeen, what she wants more than anything in the world is to be his wife."