Little | Future Jerza

Chapter 20 - Sovereign

"No one ever told me that
⠀⠀⠀grief was so much like sorrow."

– C.S Lewis ( A Grief Observed )

「✬✬✬✬」

C h a p t e r⠀XX -
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀S o v e r e i g n

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Maybe time had stopped. Maybe the clock had froze in its state recklessly, or who knows what controls the ticking noises made it stop moving. Although that was nowhere near possible. Everyone was still moving, everyone's heartbeats were still pounding rapidly with chills that ran through their spines. The moment was filled quiescent and dead air, with stutters roaming wildly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"He will be dead in the next forty seconds that will pass."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Erza suddenly held Eric tightly, making a chest to chest contact with him. She gently supported him by resting her hand at the back of his head and her other hand under his bum, but she did not give joy towards it. Her eyes were twitching, while her lips were parting, but it was not only her that was hitting the pins and needles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀After hearing the unlucky news like everyone did, Jellal gasped without moving. His eyebrows began to narrow, as he brought his legs up and stepped back. He flung his arm forward that came back beside him as he clenched his fists. They all looked at him and Jeraline even turned and shivered.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You didn't cast the spell on him already, did you?" Jellal asked, baring his teeth. He sighed bitterly as he took short breaths. "If we don't do anything sooner, in the matter of time he'll. . ." He cut off his own breath as he sent out protruding eyes at Jun, Ryo and Maikeru.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Erza trembled. All that was in her head was Ultear, who could control time, although that woman was already gone; Erza did not even want to mention her because it may lead to sadness in her children, her husband and herself. During that time when Jellal mentioned her name when their past has been brought up to Jeraline and Eric, Ultear was not primarily asked who she was. Erza just found out there was nowhere near saving her second child.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The three men did seem in high spirits to see the anger of the Fernandes family, although they returned a tightness in their eyes and their expressions. Although Maikeru, who was the one who sent out the magic, gave a dismissive glance.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Thirty seconds have already passed, my friends," he claimed. He walked around in a small circle like a flame retardant, and he finally stopped and faced Jellal and the others.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I could surely cancel that spell anytime!" he suddenly mentioned, which made Jellal, Jeraline and Erza gasp to their amazement. "That's a condition of handing Jeraline to us."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jellal and Erza suddenly pressed their lips tight when they heard the last news. They couldn't make a deal with something like that; it was almost like asking who they love more and who they'll save between their two children, but there will never be an answer to that. It was not fair if they only paid attention to either one of them, both Jellal and Erza love their two children as equal as possible.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Mama, Papa. . ." Jeraline stuttered, as she watched her parents look at her gently. They showed a hunched posture as if there was no possibility for a response to the deal.