iv.
More than two months in, disaster almost strikes.
They aren't paying attention, or maybe they were but on the wrong things. A child's shriek is all they get before they see Ultear being whisked away by one of the dark mages from the dark guild they were taking out in the area.
It's dark with rolling clouds overhead. Woods as far as the eye could see but trees so narrow and far apart it was no wonder they found her hiding. Jellal moves to take aim at the kidnapper, mind already racing with the worst possible outcomes of this fight. Before he can do anything, however, a screech of pain erupts from the attempted kidnapper's mouth as he falls to the ground, flinging Ultear a few feet away. A bright pink maguility line circles around his arm as he collapses.
Jellal takes the opportunity to dash over and scoop up Ultear before calling, "Retreat!" Meredy grits her teeth and stops her assault on the dark mage she had linked to the kidnapper and runs in Jellal's direction. Eager for a reason to flee, the remaining dark guild members decide not to take any more chances and run in the opposite direction.
Jellal pants. They've lost them. Or where they even being followed in the first place?
The weight in his arms reminds him of the reason they fled and he can feel the frustrations of the past couple months once again build inside him, until….
She's crying. Not the tantrum cries he's grown used to, or the occasional cry from falling down or getting hurt, but this is just full on sobbing. Her tiny fists close tight around his undershirt and he realizes that he's holding on just as tight. He drops to his knees and wheezes, completely out of breath.
Meredy stumbles in just behind him, already reaching towards Ultear's tiny shaking body. Tears are streaming down her cheeks as she pants, "I-Is she ok?"
"She's-" Jellal stops from answering to look down at the child in his arms and then at the woman whom he risks life and limb with every day. He steadies himself, not letting go of Ultear as she continues to cry against him.
"I don't know if she is, but we're not going to be if this happens again. Meredy." He looks his partner dead in the eye, "if this child is to stay we need to make some more changes," his own eyes flicker a dangerous intensity, "soon."
I just realized Meredy cries at the end of all of these so far. Everyone gets a little break from tears from tears next chapter I promise lol.