Façade | Jerza

27 | Little Things Lead On

The day after the Blossom-Viewing Festival, Jellal was at the funeral of Gran Doma's daughter. It was unexpected, but it would have been an insult on Jellal's part to not give his condolences.

An assassination. A threat to kill off his daughter for the Magic Council's information.

Jellal did not ask for the specifics, but one thing was for certain.

Gran Doma chose the fate of Ishgar over his daughter's life. Jellal still didn't know what he would do if he were placed in such a situation.

Just as Jose said:

"Tell me this. If the entire world was doomed, and the only way to save it is by sacrificing Erza, would you do it? Or would you save her, instead, letting the rest die?"

Was it noble on Gran Doma's part to prevent the spread of dangerous information, or brutal to let his daughter die?

The tears he shed at the funeral were those of a parent mourning over their child's loss. Not of a chairman who acted on the better part for his nation.

Jellal could not imagine how hard the decision was.

Amid his sobs, Gran Doma turned to Jellal.

"I now see why you rejected the position as chairman. You knew of the lives you'd lose because of this twisted Magic Council."

Jellal gave a slight nod, knowing it may have been selfish of him to place the burden of chairman on someone else. He could not live on knowing he must protect whatever twisted legacies the former chairmen left behind.

Only now did all the members understand why Jellal left the Magic Council. People killed for a position on the council, only to realize how duty bound they would become.

"Jellal...do you love someone?"

He went quiet for a moment, pondering if he should be honest. He humoured Gran Doma with the truth. "I do."

"Then you must never let them get into harm's way, or else you may end up like me. At a funeral, and mourning their death."

Jellal's throat constricted. "I will protect them, I promise."

Belno's ears strained at the sound of his vow, and knew that the boy from a young age assumed that responsibility.

A boy without parents, a boy that was once a slave, and a boy that lost many things.

Eugene's cries rang in Jellal's ears as he awoke abruptly, barely sweating and right beside Erza.

She sighed in defeat upon Jellal's awakening. "You weren't even five minutes into your sleep when he began crying."

Jellal sat up, staring at the wall in front of him. Erza was here, Gran Doma's daughter did not die, and he was no longer a council member.

"Are you alright?" she inquired softly, studying his countenance.

"I had a dream," He replied in uncertainty, stunned that it had only been five minutes.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He swallowed, but it was not noticeable to Erza. "I'm alright." He padded towards Eugene's newly bought crib and gently swept him off the mattress.

The child would not stop crying for a while, not when Jellal rocked him, walked around, not when he tried putting the child back to sleep.

Erza emerged with the formula bottle, taking Eugene from Jellal and feeding him. He suckled furiously for the milk, now quiet. "You can likely assume that his sudden awakening is because he is hungry or needs his diaper changed."