Memoirs of a Fated Past

Chapter 32: His Love and Vow

As I took it all in, everything was white. There’s nothingness, then there was light.

“Where is everyone? Mom? Mother?”, I thought, turning around to see where I am. There are ruins all over the place, somewhat similar to what I saw on the fallen kingdom of Extalia three hours ago before I travelled back in time. “Where am I now?”, I said. As I was adjusting to the sudden change of the surrounding, a flash of light appeared.

The light looks like a portal and then two people jumped out from it.

“Rito? I mean Prince Gray”, I said. Prince Gray was holding my 16 year-old unconscious self lifting as he stands. He walked staggering a little while holding my body. He looks worried, at the same time I can see in his fear in his eyes. I followed him until they reached the safest place in the ruins.

“Princess, I am sorry. I am sorry that you have to go through this. I know that when you opened your eyes, you may not remember anything, not even me, but I swear, I will save you, I swear that I will do anything to make you safe. I will make sure the Dark Lord won’t find you. You will live as a normal girl, far from danger, away from me if it is the best way to keep you alive. Don’t worry Juvia, I promise, I will look after you. From afar I will surely, protect you until you yourself will remember your fate”, Gray uttered, hugging my body tight. I saw a tear came out which flowed in his eyes.

“Oh Gray”, I gasped. I can’t hold back my tears any longer. I wanted to touch him, to hug him. “All this time, all this time you’ve been protecting me. All this time, you held back yourself from revealing what you are to me. Gray I….”, I said but I wasn’t able to finish. I heard something rustling on the bushes.

Gray laid my unconscious body down and he hid himself on one of the boulders. He positioned himself protectively, ready to sacrifice himself if he must. I just hope it wasn’t the Dark Lord. Two people came through the bushes.

“Mom, Dad”, I said when I recognized them. It was Erza and Jerald Knightwalker. They were both walking together while Dad is holding Mom’s hand. Mom is crying to her hearts out.

“Erza, I know its hard. But you have to pull yourself together”, Dad told Mom, brushing away her hair from her face.

“But, Wendy, she was very young! How can it happen? She…she….”, Mom said between sobs.

“All we can do now is do what she asked of us”, Dad said.

“You’re right, we must find her daughter, we must find Juvia. We have to raise her now that her memories were erased, that all we can do to help Wendy and Zeref’s soul at ease”, Mom said. Gray heard their conversation; I can see he was thinking something. He tried to stand, hesitating at first but then revealed himself to Dad and Mom.

“Who goes there?”, Dad warned swaying Mom to his back.

“Please, I mean no harm”, Gray started.

“Wait! Jerald don’t you recognize him? What are you doing here Prince of Edolas?”, Mom said going beside her husband, calming him down.

“It seems you remember me Lady Erza”, Gray said.

“Of course, you happened to be my niece’s fated husband aren’t you? You must have heard what happened to Extalia”, Mom said still crying.

“Yes, well, about that. There is something I would need your help with. You are the only one I could ask this for because I know you can protect her”, Gray said bowing down.

“What is it? Wait, her?”, Dad asked.

“Don’t tell me”, Mom gasped. Gray kneeled and held my unconscious body in his arms. He walked towards the couple. “Juvia!”, said Mom.

“I saved her. She lost her memory; I saved her prior to what Queen Wendy had asked me to. She’s not safe with me. I need you help/ Let her live as she wants, don’t tell her the truth please I beg you.”, Gray begged.

“Don’t worry, Wendy asked the same thing too”, Dad said, taking my body from Gray’s hands.

“I will entrust her to you”, Gray said.

“What about you? Won’t you be in danger for saving her?”, Mom asked.

“She was worth the risk. I would risk everything if it means her safety”, said Gray not taking off his eyes on my face.

“You’re very brave. Thank you Prince Gray”, Mom held Prince Gray’s face.

“If it’s not too much, can I ask yet another favour?”, Gray asked.

“What is it?”, Dad said.

“Conceal my identity to her. Let her forget about me, don’t tell her anything”, Gray said.

“But why?”, Mom asked.

“Just, please”, Gray said a little agitated.

“Alright”, Mom assured him. The three suddenly looked at my body when it started to make signs of waking.

“She’s waking up, I better go”, Gray said.

‘Will we see you again?”, Mom asked.

“I would always be near her my lady. I will always look after her from afar without her knowing”, Gray promised.

“That’s good, take care Gray”, Mom said.

“Rito Flameheart”, Gray said.

“What?”, Mom asked.

“By the time we see each other again, please call me with that name. I might need to conceal my identity when the time comes for Juvia to hunt her memories down”, Gray said.

“Alright, goodbye Rito”, waved Gray goodbye, he smiled and then he hid himself behind the trees.

I saw myself opening my eyes, waking from my slumber. “Who are you?”, my younger self said.

That was the part how I had my new family. I saw myself having a new life, entering Fairy Tail Wizard School, making friends, laughing with them, chatting with them, without knowing the past which was buried somewhere inside my heart. As I look myself, I can see Gray from the sidelines, looking intently at my improvement. Everywhere I go, he’s there; he stalks whenever and wherever I am. He follows me as I go to school and until I reach home. I see Mom smiling at the tree he was hiding from time to time, knowing he’s there.

 “I will look after you. From afar I will surely, protect you until you yourself will remember your fate”