Child of Magic | jerza

Illusions [3]

"He might've drunk too much," I suggested, placing a hand on the prince's forehead. It felt hot and clammy, and I quickly withdrew it.

"I don't believe it!" Faust said. "Jellal would never drink too much. He never drinks wine!"

Porlyusica glanced at me. "Are you sure, Erza?"

"Well.." I shrugged. "I could be mistaken. But what else would scare Jellal so much? It couldn't possibly be a real person."

"Why don't we just talk to him?" Minerva asked.

"He's in too much shock, my lady," Porlyusica said. "I've just given him something that will calm him down. Prince Jellal should be fine tomorrow."

"Thank you Porlyusica," King Faust said. "You're a good friend."

"Thank you, sire."

~ ~ ~

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

Jellal seemed to be fine. He was sitting at the dining table eating a toast with butter.

"I'm fine," he said, scratching his head. "The thing is, I don't really remember what happened last night."

"Yeah," I told him. "You were definitely drunk."

Jellal leaned back in his chair. "Today, Father, Sieg, and I will be holding an important meeting in the Council Room."

"And?"

"I'd like you to come. It'll be a good experience."

"I'll think about it," I said, leaning against the table. 

He handed me a piece of toast. "That was an order, Scarlet."

"Whatever."

~ ~ ~

Minerva was leaving the castle. Again.

I had caught her several times in Jellal's room. She had told me she was checking on the prince. I didn't believe her one bit. As kind as Minerva was, she would never check on Jellal.

So I decided to follow her.

Which might be the bravest and most stupidest thing I've ever done yet.

It was quite a shock when I found her talking to a curly, blonde-haired woman. I crouched behind a log and listened.

"Jellal's fine," Minerva said.

"This is only the beginning," the woman said.

"Ah," Minerva whispered. "But what about Faust?"

"I'd love to tell you," the woman said. "But someone is eavesdropping."

I shot up from the log and made a run for it.

The woman muttered something and I felt metal chains wrap around me.

"That's Scarlet!" Minerva gasped. "She's a trainee knight!"

"Indeed," the woman said. I closed my eyes in fear. I could tell she knew I had magic.

"Minerva," I breathed out. "Please. You're siding with the wrong person!"

"You will never understand what it is to have magic," Minerva said, her voice shaking. "You're too nosy, Scarlet."

My eyes widened. Minerva had magic. My suspicions were right.

"What about Wendy?" I asked. "We worked together-"

"And you sided with Jellal and Faust and destroyed the camp!"

I had no response to that.

"You will never understand what it feels like to be different. To carry the burden of having magic. Morgause understands me."

Morgause. That must be her name.

"Leave her," Morgause said.

They left.

I screamed every magic incantation I knew. The chains wrapped tighter and tighter around me. Someone was going to find me. Natsu, Gray, Jellal, a hunting patrol, bandits..someone. I couldn't die here alone. I had a whole destiny to fulfill. I had to help Minerva. Help Jellal. Help Fiore!

Things got a whole lot worse when spiders began to crawl towards me. Big, hairy spiders. Ones that breathed fire.

I was doomed.

~ ~ ~

Jellal tapped the table impatiently. The meeting had long started and his knight was nowhere to be found. She was probably out running errands or something.

"As you know, we must take the West route," King Faust said. "Try not to go to Bosco- you might find some of King Ivan's knights there. Fiore is not on good terms with Ivan Dreyar and his son, Laxus.

Jellal was beginning to grow bored. Father had gone over this so many times already. He glanced over at Sieg. He was resting his hands on his lap, his eyes closed.

Jellal smiled. Good old, Sieg.

Then Jellal saw a little girl standing a few feet away from him.

"Jellal," she whispered. "Jellal.."

Water dripped from her. From her shirt, from her skin, from her eyes.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"I'm Chelia Blendy and your father killed me."

The Crown Prince sprang up from his chair and stepped away from the ghost-like figure.

"He executes men and women for having magic. He drowns young children. Burns the old men."

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"And now I will kill every single one of you, Fernandes."

"Get away!" Jellal yelled. "Stay away!"

The girl, Chelia, began to dissolve into blood. Blood began to pour from the walls. The ceiling. Blood everywhere.

"STOP IT!" Jellal begged. "SO MUCH BLOOD! STOP!"

~ ~ ~

One of the spiders began to climb up my arm. I stayed as still I could, praying the spider would mistake me for a rock and continue on its way.

Then I remembered. Igneel. The Great Dragon. He had always been there to help me. I had made promises to the dragon, and he had made promises to me.

"O drakon, fthengomai au se kalon su katerkheo deuro!" I yelled.

Fire rained down on the spiders, instantly killing them.

Igneel landed beside me and gently picked me up with his claws.

"I was really hoping you would forget about me, young sorceress."