Child of Magic | jerza

The Once and Future King [3]

The Final Day

Minerva mourned the death of Wendy that day. She made a simple headstone; a pile of rocks with the Druid symbol carved on top.

"You were a good Druid. A good friend, a good knight. I will avenge your death, Wendy," Minerva whispered, wiping away a tear. She turned on her heel, her dark cloak billowing, and didn't look back.

~ ~ ~

"Wake up!" I hissed.

"Erza," he gasped. "I'm tired."

"You have to stay awake," I urged. "You might not wake up."

"It's so painful though," Jellal murmured.

"I know, I know," I whispered, kissing his forehead. "But we're almost there. Just a few more miles."

None of us wanted to admit that he was getting worse. That the immortal blade had purged deeper into his body. That his blood was no longer clotting. He was losing too much blood, too fast.

I heaved him back onto the horse and we continued our journey. Once in a while, he would beg for me to stop, to take a break. He would complain that he was tired and wanted to stop. But I knew we had to keep going. Fiore couldn't lose their king; the destiny couldn't be incomplete.

This day, this final day, Jellal acted like a small helpless child- pleading and crying for me to stop.

But I couldn't stop.

I was Erza Scarlet, and I would never give up.

Sometimes he would ask for me to perform magic. Just a simple spell, he'd say. Maybe moving a leaf from one tree to the other, or creating fire out of thin air. Jellal seemed more accepting towards my true identity now. It made my heart swell with joy.

Everything was going fine until she came.

~ ~ ~

"It's the third day," Siegrain fretted, looking out the window from the Throne Room. "Are they okay?"

Porlyusica stood beside him, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Be patient. Erza will send up red sparks if they don't make it in time."

Prince Siegrain had been a lot more accepting when the physician told him I was a sorceress. The brothers were both very, very different, but also similar, in their own subtle ways.

Siegrain studied the Fioran ring Jellal had gifted him with. He knew he would never be a good king if...Jellal didn't make it. He wasn't trained to be a king. He was younger by a few minutes. He was quieter, less arrogant. Siegrain didn't want to be king. He was supposed to be the twin who stayed back at the palace, who memorized every single book in the royal library, the mapmaker, the peacekeeper, the strategist.

Siegrain Fernandes was never meant to rule a kingdom.

All he could do was hope that his beloved twin brother would come back home.

~ ~ ~

They mourned many knights that day. They waited for their king to come home that day. The battle was won, but things were still undetermined.

Macao Conbolt, slain by his son's friend had died in the battle. Fighting to the last breath.

Gray Fullbuster had lived to see victory but died afterward, at Minerva's deceiving hand.

Gajeel and Natsu and the thousands of other knights and citizens waited. Waited for their friends to come home.

~ ~ ~

When Minerva approached us, I panicked. Jellal slid off his horse and crept behind a bush at my command, but not before handing me his sword, Excalibur.

"My dear brother," Minerva laughed. "Cowering behind a mere girl. How embarrassing."

"You've lost, Minerva," I snarled.

"So..you're going to Avalon?" she asked casually, fiddling with the ends of her long, dark hair.

I was done with her games. I pulled out Excalibur, its blade gleaming a beautiful gold.

"No mortal blade can kill a High Priestess," Minerva said.

I stabbed her in the heart with the blade and ruthlessly whispered, "But Excalibur, a sword forged in a dragon's breath, can."

Minerva fell to the ground, convulsing with blood.

I kicked away her body, not even looking at her face, frozen with surprise and fear.

I am Zarina. Her destiny. And her doom.

~ ~ ~

We didn't make it far after that. My horse had run away and Jellal pleaded for me to stop dragging him. We were lost and it was growing dark. His breath was coming out in ragged gasps and he could barely stand.

"Erza!" he said harshly. "Put me down. I can't keep going."

And so I listened to him; my king, my love. He lay back, his blue hair bright against the muddy grass of the woods.

"Erza," he repeated, cupping my cheeks. "Riko, Zarina, Erza. Whoever you are. Listen to me."

"I'm Erza," I told him. "I'll always just be Erza."

"I love you," Jellal murmured, touching my hair gently. "But I'm not going to make it."

I could feel my heart thudding painfully in my chest, the grief spreading within me.

"I want to tell you something I've never told you before," he continued.

I stared at him intently, fighting my tears. I had to be strong. 

"Never, never change who you are, no matter what people tell you. I always want you to be you."

Jellal Fernandes, king of Fiore, closed his eyes, finally at peace. I held him in my arms, whispering to him that everything would be okay.

I held him in my arms until the young king breathed his last.

~ ~ ~

After he had passed on, I got up numbly and screamed my command for Igneel to appear. I was crying now, and I wanted the Great Dragon to come. I had never felt so alone and terrified in the dark woods before. I conjured red sparks into the air and wondered what Siegrain and Porlyusica would think.

Igneel came and took one look at Jellal before looking at me, his big eyes glazed with sorrow.

"I have one last request," I cried.