"Are you sure you want me to go back to Era next week?"
Siegrain Fernandes sighed upon his wife nodding and curling up against him, her head on his shoulder and one hand brushing against his chest. He kept one arm wrapped loosely around her, still surprised by the physical intimacy she had seemed to crave in the past two weeks especially but more than willing to support her. Their six year old daughter, Lana Marie, was on her father's other side, watching her mother's every move with wide eyes. She giggled when Jade reached over to tap her nose and ruffle her hair, and she hugged her mother nearly every chance she got. Siegrain tried not to focus on the difficulty he had with her in the past few days, more than once having reprimanded or taken his daughter out of situations (particularly in school, where multiple times in the past few days alone he had been called in because she had been "acting out") and there was no lack of stress that came with it. Still, he let it go. He knew that she was probably just upset about her mother's condition, and she was only six. Seeing how sweet and worried she was every time she saw Jade softened him, and he was more than happy to simply be there with them both.
"It'll have been nearly a month," Jade said tiredly, shifting slightly to lean up and kiss his cheek. "I'm able to walk most of the time, now, and I'll be fine here. My mother even said she'd stay with me to help with Lanie."
Lana Marie's eyes lit up in excitement. "Meemaw is going to stay with us?"
"Yes," Jade smiled. "I thought you might be happy about that."
"I don't have to go back until you're completely well," Siegrain gently said. "And you've barely been eating. I don't want you to get sick, m'dear."
"I'll be fine," Jade shook her head. "I promise, Sieg. I'll be alright. You're the chair of the Magic Council. It wouldn't look good for you to be absent from such a high profile trial."
Siegrain raised an eyebrow. "And you are my wife, Jadelynn. You're -"
He paused upon hearing the doors creak open, his eyes narrowing when he saw his brother but even more so when he saw the woman with him. Jellal put up his hands in surrender, having absolutely no desire to have an argument with Siegrain. He was well aware that his twin brother was going to be annoyed enough when he saw who he was with. Sure enough, the second Ultear swaggered in after him, Siegrain took in a sharp breath, looking rather annoyed. Jade, to the surprise of her brother in law, rolled her eyes and giggled a little, which was not much of a consolation to her husband. Lana Marie, more confused than anything else, looked between her parents and her uncle, trying to figure out what was going on. Ultear hugged the little girl the second she was within reach, taking a small step back and letting her go when Siegrain, looking particularly annoyed, stood up and gently tugged his daughter back, away from her and towards her mother.
"You haven't given me that look since we were dating," Ultear remarked, laughing a little. "Siegrain, you really need to relax a little. I would have thought Jade had taught you how to do that."
"Did you really have to say that in front of my six year old?" Siegrain scowled. "What do you want, Ultear? I don't imagine you would come all the way to Crocus and have to go through the spectacle of getting permission from the royal family just to make a few asinine comments about me and my wife."
"I have an idea or two about what really happened two weeks ago," She said, leaning against the bed post with her arms crossed. "And it actually relates to that crazy woman the Magic Council arrested."
"It does?" Siegrain frowned. "I have to ask: how do you know about that?"
"I'm not stupid," She replied. "Cornelia, actually, used to be a contact of mine. I haven't spoken with her in about...two, maybe three years now, but she has known Ivan Dreyar for decades. She even knew about what happened to your mother in law."
"And you didn't think to tell us you knew what happened to my mother?" Jade exclaimed, pushing her glasses up in disbelief and pulling her daughter a little closer to her. "What the hell -"
"I didn't know at the time," Ultear snapped, then taking in a deep breath to calm herself down. "But, before I upset you two further...can I hold her? Hi, Lana! I'm your aunt, Ultear!"
"You have got to be kidding," Jade muttered, probing her forehead.
"She knows more than she sounds," Jellal put in with a heavy sigh. "Really, she does."
Siegrain glanced between his brother and then nodded coldly. "Alright," He said, coming back to his wife and taking her hand. "What do you know?"
"I don't know what we should do," Laxus buried his face in his hands, Hisui beside him. She slowly rubbed his back, even more concerned for him than she knew he was for her. "I don't think we'd be necessarily safer if we left Crocus, even for a little while, but I'm terrified that something is going to happen to Lacey, or you, or the baby and that it will be my fault."
"I know, I know," Hisui murmured, worriedly looking to him. "But, Laxus," She gently cupped his cheek and let him kiss her forehead. "I'm scared too, but none of this is your fault. It never has been, and I just wish you could see that."
He stared at her for a few seconds and then wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her close in his arms. "I do believe you, 'Sui," He whispered. "It's just hard not to worry when things are like they are now."
"You've kept me, the baby, and our little girl safe," Hisui softly reminded him. "More than once. I know you'd do anything for us. You've done so much since even before we were married."
Laxus nodded weakly. "I'm sorry, 'Sui," He quietly replied. "I just can't help it...I'm terrified for you and our family, and nothing is going to change that, even if we can find my father. If he ever did anything to you or our kids, I would never…."
"He's tried before and never managed it," She shifted slightly in his arms, her head resting on his chest. "I worry a lot about it too, especially now, but…"
"It's out of our control," Laxus bit his lip, his fingers lightly grazing over her hair. "That's what I hate the most about it."
Hisui squeezed his hand when he looked over to where their daughter was sleeping soundly in her crib, curled up with her favourite toy bunny in her arms and a blanket lightly draped over her.
"You're a good father," She said with a smile. "Lacey adores you, and I know the baby will too."
Laxus turned back to her and then leaned down to press a few light kisses to her baby bump. "I hope so," He said. "I'd do anything for you and them."
"You always have," Hisui tightly embraced him again, letting him lightly cry against her. "Oh, Laxus," She sighed. "You've always been a wonderful husband, and even before we were married you were softer than you ever let anyone show. If there's anything I can do to make this easier, I'll do it. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I have never thought of you as anything like your father and I never will. You are nothing like him, and you never have been."
Laxus managed a smile and affectionately kissed her. "I love you so much, Hisui," He cupped her cheek. "I won't let anything happen."
"You never have," She whispered, moving in to kiss him again but pausing when she heard the door slowly creak all the way open. Laxus shifted a little, too, still holding his wife securely in his arms when her father nervously stepped in.
"I hope I'm not disturbing either of you," Toma glanced uncomfortably towards his son in law. "But I heard something rather disturbing, about what happened just over two weeks ago with Jade and Mira. Apparently it has, in fact, been confirmed that it was Ivan who had orchestrated it, if not the person who did it. Ironically, I heard this from perhaps the last person I expected to, Ultear Milkovich."
Hisui shared a knowing look with Laxus, who seemed to be caught somewhere between annoyed and relieved to finally know.
"I'm going to assume she told Jade and Siegrain first."
Toma nodded. "That would be correct."
"Is he…" Hisui hesitated. "Ivan's not in the city, is he?"
"Not as far as anyone knows," Toma said, unflinchingly meeting Laxus' gaze. "But I wanted to check….to see if either of you know anything else."
Laxus stiffened. "Are you suggesting I had something to do with this?"
"Please don't tell me you are," Hisui said, squeezing Laxus' hand.
"Of course not," Toma said calmly. "I was simply wondering if, by chance, he had heard anything, maybe -"
"You don't trust me," Laxus fell silent for a long moment. Hisui stared at him in disbelief.
"No, no," She said, taking his hands tightly in hers. "Laxus, I'm sure that's not at all what he means."
"I know you would never do anything to put Hisui or your kids in danger," Toma said, then shaking his head. "I just wondered if perhaps you had heard something I hadn't. You do, after all, have more….contacts."
Laxus sighed. "I know just as much as you do," He said quietly. "And, if there were anything else I could do….I would do it in an instant."
Toma nodded shortly. "Of course," He said grimly. "I suppose we really can only hope for the best."
Even before Cana had been brought forth to give testimony, Cornelia knew the case against her was strong. She was very much aware of the way each member of the Magic Council was eyeing her while she was brought in, still restrained and unable to use her magic. There was Kagura, whose long, sharp nails tapped menacingly against the wood behind which she and the others sat behind. There was Erza, who showed almost no emotion but was so clearly tense, her hands clasped tightly together and a rehearsed face presented towards the woman before them. Cornelia almost wanted to laugh, rather amused by the spectacle. She knew full well that she was likely to be found guilty, but she didn't care. She was never going to tell them what they wanted to know, anyways, and she was already prepared to enjoy humiliating one of the Council's members as soon as her niece was brought forth.
The mere thought of it was already making her smirk, and she didn't care what that could possibly make them think of her. Cornelia continued to observe them, rather enjoying herself. Evergreen was staring down at her with unparalleled contempt, and she knew full well that stemmed from her connection to Ivan. She didn't care. Then there was Sting, who seemed annoyed by every move she made, and by every sign of her refusal to bend a knee. She caught a slight glimpse of pity from Meredy, who was shifting a pen in her hands. Cornelia was almost certain she was imagining it. For any of them to feel any semblance of pity for her was almost too damn shocking for her to believe. She quickly set it aside, her eyes landing on the haughty gaze of Lyon Vastia, who had an annoyed look almost as cold as Sting's. They, however, were not who Cornelia cared about.
She took a look at Siegrain first, a small smirk creeping onto her face. He, she imagined, had no idea that she had planned what had happened to his wife and Princess Mirajane nearly two months before and that it had been executed perfectly, if not by the man they suspected she was so heavily involved with. No, Ivan, she knew, was not the culprit there though she was sure he was who the royal family and the Council would believe to be the most likely suspect. They had no idea that the perpetrator was a former official she had known from the Empire, albeit a low ranking one, and they had no idea that the person in question had already escaped the country. They would likely not be back in Fiore, and Cornelia didn't care. Alexander had done what she had needed him to, just as he had done what Ivan had asked him to those five years earlier. He had failed then, but not here. Her smirk fell, however, when she caught Mest's gaze.
You and I both know what you're trying to do here….and I will not let it work out for you. I will humiliate you, and I will do so without any hint of remorse. I don't care what happens to me, but I will get a great deal of joy out of watching you have to face consequences too.
"Cana Alberona, you have freely presented yourself as a witness against the actions of Cornelia Regina Arimin. What do you have to say of -"
"I have a rather grave objection, Mister Fernandes," Cornelia cut across Siegrain and he narrowed his eyes, catching the glint in her eyes and the smirk that had not left her face. "Cana cannot give any testimony against me. She's a blood relation. Aren't you concerned -"
"Blood relation?" Cana turned towards her, looking absolutely stunned. "That can't be right. I don't think I've ever -"
"Your dear mother never wanted me to have any contact with you," Cornelia started laughing. "But, of course, I never did want you when she died. I let that fool Gildarts take you...though he wasn't exactly a good father, now was he?"
"Blood relation or not, plenty of -" Siegrain began coldly.
"No, see, she should have known this and it should be considered before anything she says is taken as fact or not," Cornelia looked up at Mest in contempt. "And that man, a member of the Council, has known this for over a month and told me on multiple occasions that he would not tell her….her, his wife."
Cana looked between her and Mest, her hands shaking. "No."
"You are opening yourself to being charged with witness tampering," Kagura sharply warned her. "Even if what you are saying is untrue."
"I assure you it's not," Cornelia smirked, seeing the pain on Cana's face and the guilt that flashed across Mest's. "And all of you seem to know it."
