A.N. Hey guys I know I've been on hiatus for a couple of weeks. Really sorry. Things have been slow due to school and all the tedious amounts of work. Not too proud or this chapter. But I hope you still enjoy! Don't forget to drop me a review!
"Quite a magnificent site to have laying in front of you isn't it your highness?" The chairman stroked his long sliver beard on the way back to his seat.
The blank page in front on the king delayed his answer for a couple seconds. "Oh… Ah yes."
"Moving to a more important matter, I believe the council deserves a forward explanation as to why we found you and the captain draped around each other like a couple of horny teenagers in your shower today." The elderly man bit.
Jellal sat back in his chair. "Display my personal life on a billboard why don't you?"
The sarcasm being dished out by the king wasn't very appreciated among the council members. The times Jellal decided to flash this side of him were never very pleasant and made him almost impossible to work with. The chairman attempted to stay civil. "Your highness, please…"
"You want the absolute truth?"
A few nods were exchanged throughout the room before the chairman answered. "Yes."
The king had already played out this scene in his mind over a thousand times. The moment he would have to come before the council and state his true feelings, explaining how much he cared for Erza and that he was completely willing to defy royal law to be with her. Or lie to protect his position and her reputation. One way was risking everything and the other was completely safe. One was following his heart and the other was masking his true feelings. Erza's fear of exposing their relationship was beginning to all play out into Jellal's mind. If he rolled out the truth, what kind of image would that put into peoples minds? Not of him, but Erza? Would she be viewed as just another higher up who spread her legs to get into higher ranks? That image of Erza was the thing that scared him the most. For the past couple of years it was Erza who had been his loyal guardian. Now was his time to return the favor.
Jellal shifted around in his chair once more. "I've been in a great deal of pain lately and Er-" The king stopped himself and addressed her formally. "The captain was just helping me wash up." The next sentence was the real kicker. "It meant absolutely nothing."
"So the fact that we found you practically sucking each others lips off means nothing?" A council member blurted.
The mental image that sentence put into Jellal's mind made his stomach lurch. "That's correct."
"It just doesn't make any sense your highness." The chairman groaned. "Why take the chances and flirt when you know this is a crucial time in finding a queen for this country!?"
"I agree fully sir. It was risky and immature behavior of the captain and I. You won't find us doing it again." He added.
"Then why'd you do it?"
Was this a trick question? Jellal knew he'd have to be selective about his answer. "I admit to having my fair share of sleeping around but I can assure you the captain had no part in any of it." His hazel orbs glanced back at her. "It was a spur of the moment thing. Like I said before…" His stomach twisted again before saying his next words. "It meant nothing to me."
Erza gave no expression whatsoever at hearing his 'truthful' words. Which made it hard for the king to decipher wether or not he did the right thing in concealing their relationship. But if it protected Erza thats all that really mattered.
The meeting was coming to an end with the executive decision that the kingdom of Edolas was to host a winter ball where the king would openly propose to the next queen. Jellal's injury had put quite a set back on things and the council decided that it was best that they no longer deny their country a substantial queen. The king had no arguments against this of course, he cared for his country and all of those who dwell in it and carried no desire to harm them. But it seemed that the one person he deeply cared for was the only one he was hurting the most.
"So it's settled then! A winter ball will be held right here in the palace in a couple of weeks." The chairman chimed.
The council nodded in agreement. "This time however lets play it safe and maximize security." Jellal sighed.
"Of course your highness." The chairman looked to Erza. "Think you can do that for us captain?"
Her face contorted in disgust considering the whole 'maximum security' thing was her idea in the first place. "I have no doubts sir." She spat.
"Good." The chairman turned back to Jellal. "In the meantime the council will schedule a few dates for you to meet some potential suitors."
"I'm meeting them before the ball even happens?"
"Sir." An elderly woman spoke. "If you don't open up to them beforehand won't it be tricky proposing to them the night you met?"
He sunk back. "I suppose you're right."
"We always are." The chairman concluded.
The council room doors swung open as the members sauntered out. "Erza." The king called out just before she was able to escape.
Her body tensed. "Yes."
Jellal hesitantly walked behind her. "You okay?"
She finally turned around, but avoided eye contact. "Yes."
"Your giving me these one word answers here Erza. I just want you to tell me the truth" He pressed immediately.
"Jellal, I honestly don't know why you're so concerned right now."
"Maybe because I just publicly threw our relationship under the bus." His brows laced together.
It was true Erza was hurt hurt by the things he had previously said, but chose to hide her emotions. "I told you…" She trailed off. "Everything's fine."
"I'm only doing this to protect you. You know that." He reached up and placed his palm at her cheek. "Just like you wanted right?"
Erza pulled away and gave him a spurious nod before disappearing into the long palace hallways.
Reality was finally sinking into the scarlet knights mind. Everything the king said during the meeting, every word was all coming together now. Despite his words being lies, Erza found them to be one of the most true things she has heard in a long time. Everything, them, their relationship. It meant nothing. They couldn't express their affections out in public. Or in secrecy, due to the fact the council seemed to know everything these days. So what good is a relationship when you can't express your feelings? In the end they could never really be together. The knight wasn't royalty, and the country needed a true pure blooded queen. Not somebody with blood on their hands like her. With all these odds stacked against them was this so called 'relationship' really worth it? Probably not.
