The Family (IV)

19: Loyalty

Loud rumbling sounds of thunder clashed across the sky.

Dark grey clouds enveloped the heavens as heavy drops of rain poured over every surface of the earth...on every inch of the entire compound.

The early night sky took over the reign of the sun, as if taking away the color of life and replacing it with the shade of grief.

Tall opened windows of the large room made way for the cold wind to enter. White thin fabrics draped over the bed, swaying as the cool wind brushed them.

There laid Wendy Fernandes.

Plain white sheet covered her up to her clavicles. Her body was neatly washed by the women in the Family.

Her long hair was loose. It spread over the cushion with its color of brilliant blue.

Her skin as white as snow, lips so pale and lifeless.

And her eyelashes, never to flutter open once more.

There was silent weeping as sorrow consumed the space of the room. Everyone had shed a tear since morning until sundown. Now, nothing was left of their tears but silent sobs. Nothing could bring Wendy back even if they died crying.

The bronze-colored double doors of the room forcefully opened.

"Where is she?!"

It was Jellal.

His eyes were red from crying...and he still was.

Then there he saw her, in bed. Dead.

"Wendy!" he cried out as he went and knelt on the side of the bed.

Erza never looked as terrified as she was that very moment. She had her hands over her mouth as she stared at the little girl's body.

When they received news about what happened, not a second was wasted as they headed straight back to Japan.

"Wendy..." Jellal continued to cry as he slowly turned her pale face to his direction, "No...no, no..."

As they all listened to him, they had to fight back the urge to cry all over again.

"Not you...not your innocent life..." he continued.

His fingers moved to her forehead to push back the hair from her face.

And he wished he didn't, because it only made it clearer for him that she was brutally murdered. Not what she deserved.

At the center of her forehead revealed a clean shot. There was a bullet hole that should not have been there.

With the rage he had within him, he stood up carrying a look of pain and anger.

"WHO DID THIS?!" he shouted carelessly, his gaze passing everyone in the room, "WHO WAS IT?!!"

None of them spoke. Even Natsu just looked at him with his hollow eyes.

Jellal grabbed the antique vase on the bedside table and smashed it on the floor.

"TELL ME WHO KILLED MY SISTER!"

And when no one made a sound, he aggressively trudged towards the Don. His face was still wet with tears, the sadness not a secret. Of course, he was her brother.

He harshly grabbed Natsu's black suit. Lucy jerked in dissatisfaction when she saw this.

"WHO WAS IT?!" he shouted, forgetting his place like a madman, "TELL ME! I DESERVE TO KNOW!"