Sat in the middle of the stony room , were 4 different women of varied appearances and ages that were each sitting behind an edge of the equally plain table that was between them. All that accompanied were the basic teapots and cups which held their warmed beverages for the time being , some biscuits on a ceramic saucer which were in the process of hardening , and the slight ricketing from the chairs that would sound every once in a while as the ladies pushed their weight against them here and there.
A thick silence had formed amongst the 4 women and seemed to drag with no warning as sharp and daring glances would be shared to and fro between observing eyes , trying to prompt someone to start the conversation that was planned to take place , yet it seemed each of them were in wait for someone else to take the dive before themselves.
Though of course that did nothing on behalf of making progress , and it was becoming obvious that no one would step up about that which all lingered in their minds due to all the stark tension present.
Eventually though , one of them bit the bullet to initiate the awaiting conversation as a deep sigh left her lips. Holding the generously hot teacup in her hands , her bandages soaked in the warmth radiated with measure as she gave a brief look up from her dark and potent beverage before continuing.
"She has been causing problems again hasn't she…?"
With Mika's comment , the thickness in the air seemed to intensify incredibly , yet somehow there was a strange relief present too , now that someone was beginning to address that which had been on their minds so avidly.
"Yes…"
A woman who looked just a bit younger than the dark , short haired lady mumbled quietly in response as her doe-like blue eyes looked at the others whilst subtly withdrawing into herself as she took a steadier hold of her half filled cup which had been slightly trembling.
"Her behaviour has gotten a lot more worrying recently…"
She said softly , maintaining brief eye contact with the darker haired woman before taking a timid sip from her cup , before bringing her hands away from her face as she felt a piercing gaze trained on her from the side , before she looked down.
"Considering what I heard about what happened , there is no doubt about that."
Mika's voice took on a stiff strictness as she passed an unforgiving glare at the woman with the dolled up face , silently sending daggers in her direction as it had been uncovered under whose mistake of administering the correct dosage needed that such madness even was able to take place.
"Mistress Alika , do you have anything to say on that?"
The woman in question pressed her lips into a bitter line as she knew just what sort of sly remark the dark haired bitch was making in trying to embarrass her. Her make up features creased on themselves as a hidden scowl formed on her already sharp features before meeting the dark haired woman's rigid gaze with a sourness of her own.
"She's already been causing problems before that incident Mika , and with what we inspected , she had been planning to break free from her restraints for time now , it wasn't a decision in the moment , so I don't know what you think you'll get from trying to pin this on me."
She hissed with undeniable harshness as she made an attempt to counter the accusation, that which the younger dark haired woman remained unimpressed by.
Though it was true by her words , upon observation what had been found out after Kaileen had been sedated after her latest most intense breakdown , that the attempt to break free from the shackles that bound her in one place was not something she simply mustered out of one spur of sheer will.
No, the chains had been broken and worn down bit by bit with consistent attempts , and done so cleverly enough that none of them caught wind of it even happening until it was too late.
Though with that thought in mind , it dawned upon them that what she had been found doing , carving her flesh with broken glass and such , it didn't seem to be something in the moment. But rather a premeditated decision to commit suicide , which was shocking to say considering with how insane the woman had become over the years , there was no believing she would be as cunning as she shown and truly it stated how much her mental capacity was being undermined even in the broken state it was.
Given the time when she would be unoccupied given the commencing of the most prominent festivities and the other priorities in their lives which they needed to tend to without having their hands full with her , she must have realised when their hold on her slacked and where she'd have an opening to execute her plan without failure.
And she could have been successful indeed…
Had it not been for that boy's intervention.
"She has a point…"
The quiet brunette said softly in understanding as it became apparent now just how much would need to be done to truly keep her behaviour from becoming so unruly again. As if keeping a constant watch over her wasn't enough , nor supplying her with drugs and the like in order to keep her under control.
"Even with the guards that have come to keep her in check , there's still been growing complaints from the clients."
The eldest lady amongst them by the name of Vera , muttered cynically as she shook her head at how much of a headache the tattooed woman had become. All she needed to do was give her body to those that paid for her , as a means of her punishment , as a means of what had been ordained due to her traitorship and accept the grim truth she still remained adamantly in denial about. But she had to make everything so complicated , to the point even when it came to giving her for her services , that guards had to accompany the act and keep her resistance from becoming more than manageable.
At the mention of the guards , a thin line pressed over Mika's face as her eyes seemed to dull at the mention of them. Becoming briefly engulfed in a unrelated thought before Irose's meek voice stole the attention.
"For someone who you'd think to be so frail , she surely has surprising strength."
The chocolate haired woman commented with an underlying tone of incredulity as she recalled how more than one guard usually had to be stationed to even subdue the ex priestess for her dishonoured duties. One guard was more than enough to usually keep anyone from becoming a handful through simple brute strength , but in her case 2 had to be there as a minimum , sometimes even 3 , considering how aggressive and merciless she could become before eventually succumbing to the influence and harshness inflicted by the watchmen.
"Probably has to do with that bloodline of her's…They had always been of the stronger and excelled ones who were the protectors."
Vera commented curtly , to which there was an avid hint of disgust when conversing about the woman in question compared to the solemn reverence that lingered when mentioning her forbearers.
"Ah…That is true."
Irose mumbled in agreement , remembering with Vera's words the exaltedness of the Fernandes bloodline that had been reigning high and mighty alongside the other sparse chosen lineages which were honoured with the revered duties of being the nation's beloved guardians.
"Both in magic and just most things in general."
Alika added to the elder lady's words , a sneer present in her speech as it was rather hilarious to think that those who had been working in the ranks of the high esteemed council themselves had been reduced to such a pitiful state as they were now.
That bloodline was one of the most prominent in nearly every trait that was required from the protectors of the nation. With possessing general prowess , high intelligence , indomitable will and courage of a lion to match. Alongside incredulous durability , strength , supreme devotion and many other things amongst which had the bloodline elevated against the others in the same ranks in ways that words could not describe.
Truly a lineage that was known for it's feats and their efforts were never ones that could go unrecognised.
But of all their accomplishments and value to the capital , the one that stood out amongst all from sheer level of natural affinity , was their ability to harness and master magic.
And though magic was something generally seen as forbidden in the lands of Almeta due to it's chaotic and destructive nature preached , such had been deemed necessary to learn and possess if any trouble could have threatened the country's peace. And the magic that had been bestowed by the gods was none other than which the nation prided itself off.
Heavenly Body Magic.
Possessing divine power of the grand heavens themselves , and was known to be one that was incredibly taxing on those who tried to learn it due to how demanding it was on a mage's potential. Practitioners had been known to fall chronically ill with prolonged usage or even die in trying to attain mastery as the complexity and affinity of the spells needed to be met with an incredibly demanding precision.
But these spells were gifted by the gods in knowing that this art was embodied with superiority and ability of incredible destruction which could wholly exceed any threat that could have amounted against it.
Though of course the appointed guardians of Almeta were the ones who could amount to such , each of the 7 bloodlines having been deliberately picked in regards to their magic capacity with other factors for the capital's interest taken into consideration. And each bloodline was tasked with learning the ways of the Heavenly Arts to the best of their abilities , some being able to learn more than others but all being able to do the necessary.
However in this aspect those of the Fernandes bloodline were known to also excel in this respect. With the seasoned descendants attaining mastery of the art and learning the depth in a fraction of a time compared to those in other lineages , and some having even shown wielding mind blowing potential as an unlearned mage from even just a few years of age.
Truly in another league of their own.
The Jack of All Trades.
There were not many that could challenge them or who would dare to challenge them as it was clear what defeat & embarrassment would follow. That being said though , shockingly they were not the cream of the crop , there were a few who were held in the same calibre or even excelled , but even with that in mind there were things that the competition lacked which the nation found prevalent in them.
Given , despite their levels of power , might and skill amongst the 6 other protectors of the nation, they remained the most fiercely loyal , dutiful and yet humble to the land and the gods of them all.
There was no wonder why they had been favoured by the capital for so long.
Regarding the Fernandes bloodline , with their degree of superiority in their abilities , there used to be a lot of talk about how a lineage could be so magnified in their feats. Both from the people of the lands and those even in the higher ranks of the order , but it was never truly revealed.
Theories went around such as the bloodline being enhanced by the capital's classified experiments , becoming tradition for the descendants to submit their natural abilities for the countries progression and research to help strengthen their vanguard even more than they were. Some would even go as far to suggest that because of the capital's liking for the lineage that they would sabotage the contenders to truly make the descendants outshine the rest.
Though of course nothing was actually ever known regarding the affairs of the bloodline. Regarding what secrets they hid under that immaculate appearance. Regarding what truly occurred behind closed walls when out of the public eye.
Nothing was known at all.
Other than the fact they were acknowledged as truly adept.
Whether that be through artificial enhancement or natural prowess , the fact did remain that the ability of the successors had remained potent , many descendants being near alike to superhumans , having rarely seen decline as opposed to the rest who would naturally falter due to demand that was near incredulous to be matched.
And because of that praises were sung graciously about the blessed lineage.
Even going to the extent of claiming the unknown as indisputable.
For the longest time , it had been said that the descendants of the bloodline would only improve in their skill and abilities , refining what would be passed on in the next generation and even enhancing the potential of those who would join the bloodline as their blood was supposed to be that superior.
Such inflated opinions that were spoken as if they were fact.
But that's what the people would believe with no doubt considering what the bloodline had been known to be capable of.
And before the name had been defiled to no end.
Irose's eyebrows furrowed on themselves as she was about to take a sip of her simmering tea , thinking about Vera's comment about Kaileen as her mind went back to an event that had occurred years back in the public eye as a result of her treason.
"Didn't…"
"Didn't they drain her though…?"
She asked with confusion as she remembered being amongst the spectators when the capital delivered punishment directly to the dark haired woman , even going as far to renounce her power as the ex-priestess through a gruelling and unbearable process of magic drainage.
She winced from just recalling the horrid occurrence , so much blood , agony and screaming , she was surprised how the woman was still alive after that torment , which was in her mind the pinnacle of her torment that she had endured , though of course that was what would be in wait for her given her treacherous sins.
From valiant predecessors or not , the capital truly showed that even with their favour over her esteemed lineage and her duties fulfilled towards the nation when priestess , it did not wane their judgement nor did they leave any chance of mercy when light came to her doings.
"Yes they did."
"But that doesn't mean what outside the threshold of magic would go alongside."
Mika answered Irose's question promptly as she took a sip in between from her cup , feeling the bitter contents pervade her mouth before she swallowed the warm liquid down.
Considering that Kaileen's strength had been of question , that must have just been something naturally imbued in the bloodline as that had barely suffered even after her status and abilities being stripped away from her.
And she wasn't even a descendant of the bloodline who had ever trained or tried to enhance herself in that respect like others. Hence that's why so much needed to be done to subdue the woman when dealing with her otherwise all hell could break loose and that was surely something they all dreaded.
Vera let out a sigh as her clouded light blue eyes looked downwards in scorn as her frail fingers touched against the cup she was drinking from.
"It's a shame though honestly…"
"That she had to bring such a stain to the Fernandes bloodline through her actions."
"There's no doubt her predecessors would be turning in their graves if they knew of her doings."
An exasperated sound left her as her disgust only built in relation to ruminating the tattooed woman's treasonous actions that had brought such an unforgivable shame to those whom they used to revere so deeply.
"All the actions of her ancestors to protect this country and she went against it…"
Alika scoffed as she knew of what standing Kaileen had held in the ranks of the capital just from being a descendant of that fabled bloodline by default. Not to mention her incredible beauty and allure that was envied by all and lusted by plenty , which gave her the name of 'The Beauty Of The Heavens'. That went hand in hand with the devotion and kindness she showed as the nation's priestess , making her a thing of radiance both inside and out and that had her held in the hearts of the people of the capital from their endearment.
Even being likened by some to the reverent Goddess Seren herself because of her calming and tender nature.
All which was proven false.
All of which was gone,
All of which was lost.
"Truly a pitiful woman…"
Irose said as her head shook softly in disapprovement of the ex-priestess's ways. In her heart she truly did feel sorry for the woman and that which she had to endure , but even with that being said , what was said next reminded her of the reason why she shouldn't have started to turn soft at her suffering.
"It's on her though for getting entangled in a devil's grasp."
Alika laughed inwardly to herself , amused by how the acclaimed 'Beauty of the Heavens' had fallen , all in the name of something as chimeric as 'love'. The mere idea had the golden haired woman sniggering as she still couldn't believe how foolish that woman had to be in order to become so infatuated by an ideal , especially with the monster she had chosen as her spouse.
"Everyone told her he was nothing but trouble. That he was nothing but a bloodthirsty psychopath. That he was using her and her lineage to advance , but she didn't want to listen."
Vera scoffed in irritation as she could feel her blood boiling at the feeble excuses and justifications that the dark haired woman would make on behalf of that man to try and get him to be more favoured by the public opinion , but only the foolish bought it.
Her on the other hand , she knew what a devil that bastard was.
She always had.
With that look in his eyes that cared about nothing and no one other than which that interested him. Always talking back to those who tried to advise him , having no respect for his elders , always trying to find a problem in things and causing mischief for no apparent reason.
On top of that screaming like a mad man a bunch of nonsense , avidly engaging in shocking violence when he could and causing nothing but trouble through his sprees of aggression that he seemed to believe he could take the world on with until he'd be put back in his place.
She and everyone else knew now , Rais was a greatly despicable man to begin with. Lacking in character and control , a savage criminal at heart and nothing more than that.
It was so obvious.
And he made no notion to make anyone truly think otherwise.
But Kaileen believed she saw something different in him , believed he could change and that there was more to him than just the mask of terror he wore and the fear that lingered around him from his mischief.
She didn't know what was more incredulous , the fact that some people actually bought her pleads for him and tried to abide with the opinion that he could be more than a criminal , or the woman herself who had claimed to have 'fallen in love' with such a brutal rogue and would be willing to go against the will of her ancestors and the capital alike just due to his influence.
Forget about falling in love , how in the name of the gods did someone of her standing meet someone so lacking character and profane like him? And for them to become so close and him to intertwine her around his fingers like it was no one's business.
It was truly incomprehensible.
All in all whatever horrible homicidal plans he had for the country had been abated , and that bastard was exposed for truly what he really was. Not just a criminal , but a devil .
In both mind and soul.
One that sought the pain and distress of many on such a large scale , and she couldn't help but feel so disgusted that this sort of being was someone that used to live amongst them and would dare to threaten the sanctity of Almeta.
"Now she has to pay the price for her farce."
"I have no remorse about that."
Alika stated curtly , to which the elderly lady nodded in agreement as the both of them took their awaited sips of their cooling beverages before the brunette amongst them spoke up again.
"What will we do about her then?"
Irose asked as her soft voice cut through the sharpness left by Alika as she looked at the accompanying three ladies. Worry was beginning to get to her regarding Kaileen's latest actions and intentions , and if what they had been doing as of recent wasn't enough , what more would they be able to do?
"What else can we do?"
"We will supply something stronger to get her behaviour controlled and less prone to outbursts. And remediate our previous mistakes by being more vigilant and doing better to subdue her."
Mika answered as she looked across at the brunette with her usual uncomfortably intense stare before taking another sip of her beverage , allowing her lips to be warmed by the heat coming off as her fingers tightened around the handle of the cup.
"At least for the most part she sleeps so she isn't as incessantly violent or raucous as before , but hopefully what we can get her next is more effective."
Vera told in addition , thankful to the gods that their duties weren't as demanding as they had been before due to how fatigued Kaileen would be now due to all the drugs that were made to infiltrate her system and incapacitate her. She was truly losing her own patience with the witch and feared one day she might go too far and act out of conduct.
"Besides she's not the only thing that has been on my mind as of recently…"
But that being said , she wasn't the only one that was getting under her skin for the past years now. Oh no , there was also another factor adding to her irritability as a scowl formed on her aged features.
"That brat is beginning to annoy me greatly."
"He looks too much like that bastard and it's getting to me."
The image of that little devil spawn flashed in her mind to her disgust. Possessing such a repulsive resemblance to that fiend himself ; with that abnormal blue hair she hated to see , alongside with his general features just nearly mirroring his father's just in a younger look and that look on his face which tried to feign innocence and genuineness when no such thing could be possible with one whose blood was filled with the devil's.
Seeing him nearly everyday only reminded her of her vicious hatred for that bastard himself , watching him age into something near alike to that brute's copy was an eyesore already as it was , and it was just impossible to quell the aversion she felt for that child due to how disgusted his appearance made her.
And it seemed like she was not the only one taking issue to the matter of the child either.
"And his behaviour is so irritating…"
"Always asking things , always questioning when no one wants to hear him , always with that stupid look on his face…"
Alika gritted , already getting incensed by her own memories of the bluenet and his tendencies which she had grown to absolutely despise.
"Even a dog is more bearable than that runt."
In her mind and most likely the others , that was truly the case. At least a dog would listen to orders and know when it's masters wanted to be left alone , and it wouldn't take much hounding to get a message through a mutt's limited brain , unlike the case for the blue haired brat.
Even with all the restrictions in place , even with all the commands to keep him at bay , he still found a way to cause trouble. He still found a way to irritate her. He still found a way to try and make himself present when it was clearly obvious how much of a burden he was to look at let alone take care of under The Capital's orders.
The Capital…
"I don't get what plan The Capital could have for a child like that…"
"He seems like a failure of the bloodline."
The golden haired woman sneered , having not ever experienced the profound skill or ability that those with the fabled Fernandes blood were said to harness in the brat. Not in intelligence , not in magic , not in anything reputable like the capital would have wanted or would have had use for.
All he seemed to show was an affinity for causing annoyance and irritation.
There was nothing about him that was abnormal like the bloodline was said to have. Other than his distinct appearance , which wasn't even due to the mother who was the descendant , but his father who was married in , which in all respects made him even more of an eyesore as if his ineptness didn't make him one already.
Sure one could argue he was durable , he could manage against exceedingly cruel torment and punishment and the like at such a young age and heal with no real difficulty when most his age would have most likely been hospitalised or even worse , but that was a given in the bloodline.
Hell, the descendants of that bloodline were known to be in front of death's door countless times through their duties to defend yet they'd still somehow come back in one piece (as long as the vital things needed to keep a human alive were intact/did not incur too much damage) , so the child's robustness wasn't something unexpected.
It's even why there hadn't been any real concern about the mad woman's inflictions as her body could go through literal hell and back without the brunt affecting her as much as it would with any other. Even in the state of finding her with leaking pools of blood and having endured violent gashes and deep lacerations , it still wasn't much of a worry as she had been through worse directly at The Capital's hand and order.
Though probably her ability to endure so much might have had to do with what was reserved in her as an ex-mage , even with her magic potential being rendered useless , there was the belief that the small amount of it which existed in her was what stopped her from being killed off through her inflictions like a normal human would be.
And that in a way was a curse and a blessing really.
As Kaileen wouldn't be able to escape the hell that was caging her for any time soon even if she tried to heighten the flames that burned her with intent to scald herself thoroughly , such would not be happening on their watch.
And thankfully that all made their jobs as her watch that much easier on them.
"To be honest though…"
The conversation was stolen as the greying haired woman spoke up after Alika's spat. Making all eyes shift towards the elder lady as she went on to add to the comments said.
"The bloodline was showing decline in their excellence gradually , but ever since that coward took up place for council it became obvious."
Vera scoffed with cynic as she remembered the councilman that had been in the ranks of the capital. Another descendant of the bloodline that was known , and just like the evident failures which they guarded , this man was not one the nation could pride themselves off because of anything supreme.
"Her father!"
"Gods knows how he became a member of the council."
"It must have been simply by holding the name of his ancestors , but he's just as much of a disgrace to the fabled bloodline with how weak and incompetent he is."
The older women discussed amongst themselves , evidently appalled with the man that had been known to be the representative of the lineage in the council for a sum of years now. He was already unpromising as it was with his lack of courage and his tendencies that seemed near effeminate , seeming to possess nearly no feats of his predecessors other than his affinity for magic and strength but that was it.
He wasn't anything exceptional , he wasn't anything profound. A irritatingly quiet man that preferred to be civil despite being placed at the nation's vanguard due to his ancestral feats. Alike to a doormat rather than a warrior like those of his lineage. His nonsensical emotions got the best of him in the worst ways and made him more of a burden for the nation to uphold rather than being their pride.
And if that wasn't bad enough , how on earth such a man could vouch for his only daughter/offspring to get married to a callous psychopath rather than the other men whom were more capable and worthy of being her spouse simply showed how he was not just a failure as a successor of the lineage but also just as an adequate human being.
"Something I see the child resembles a lot."
Vera commented slyly , making the connection how the young boy's personality wasn't alike to his father's ; known to be cold blooded , ruthless and violent. But like the incompetent man whom his mother came from ; overly sensitive , irritating , an outright fool and so on.
"No wonder he's such an eyesore…"
"Bearing that devil's looks , the incompetence of that coward and the irritability of that bitch."
Remarking on the azure haired boy , Alika was able to pinpoint all the factors about him which made the kid so unbearable to be around , seeing that he held all the traits which they all came to despise.
"It seems the bloodline was destined to face a fated decline sooner or later…"
"But the choice to marry in the corrupt seemed to hasten that."
Diminishing was something inevitable , that was the course of human nature. Nothing stayed at the top or near it forever , given a prestigious bloodline or not. And though there was obviously going to be one day when the Fernandes name would lose it's glory , no one would have expected that the reason why would be through the foolish doings of it's own successors.
"And that's why we've got spawn like him…"
"Gods it's merciful there weren't more bad seeds planted in the bloodline alongside."
With the decrease in quality from the heirs of the lineage being so prominent , it was something to be thankful that there wasn't anymore incompetent offspring planted alongside the brat by she devil and her lover's doings. And hopefully there wouldn't be anymore as there would be no one in their right mind who would wish to honestly procreate with a mad woman and a devil in the making.
Whatever plan The Capital could have had for these two hopefully when it would come to fruit , they could stop the name of their famed ancestors being soiled anymore with putting the end to such heathens.
"Honestly it's so pitiful…They were once our valiant protectors…they were once the ones who proudly honoured us…Now look at what they've been reduced to."
"Nothing, that's what. And that's all because of the choice to be marrying in men fit to be nothing but psychopaths and women fit to do nothing but being good for opening their legs."
"And we have to deal with the aftermath…"
With that note the current conversation came to an end between the lighter haired women who had worked up an increasingly bitter taste in their mouths from doing so. All the while Mika and Irose had remained silently following with the rant of the older women before something came into the mind of the brunette haired lady.
"I'm a bit concerned about something though…"
Irose admitted softly as her fingers played with a cup that held her significantly cooled tea as her baby blue eyes looked into the dark liquid in a pensive state.
"What is it?"
Mika raised a brow , having observed the normally quiet and withdrawn woman become upfront about something that was sure to be of issue if she was the one bringing it up. Taking another sip of her tea , her dark eyes trained on the lady sat to her side as she awaited for her to speak up.
"It's just…"
"The child…He still hasn't shown signs of possessing any affinity to magic like his predecessors…"
Her comment brought sudden interest to the pale skinned , dark haired woman as she sat more upright as she listened to the younger lady's concerns.
"Even the current chief and Kaileen were known to show some form of power from an incredibly young age like the rest."
Irose chewed her bottom lip , timid from all the attention on her and feeling her fingers itch to fumble with themselves as she wanted to revert to her usual mannerisms.
"H…He wasn't drained alongside her…was he?"
She asked with uncertainty , as when she recalled the dreadful event of Kaileen's revoking , she didn't' believe she remembered anything happening to the marked child of the like. A wince was hidden by her focus being in the tea , remembering that horrid occurrence was enough to send shivers down her spine , but it had to be done due to her treason.
"No."
Mika stated firmly in response to the brunette's meek queries before going on to explain about the details regarding the public denouncing of Kaileen's status.
"They could have killed him when they were doing so to the woman , which wasn't allowed so they opted out of it."
Considering how gruesomely taxing the process was on even a fit and well adult being , there was no question of a doubt regarding how critical it would have been if the child was to go underway the same thing. Especially when it occurred he had barely been a couple years of age , doing such to him would have unquestionably killed him with no remorse.
Durable or not magic drainage was probably the most painful to endure out of all the punishments that a human could receive. Though not the most grotesque visually , the mage's essence would be brutally extracted out of them , viciously filtered from their blood and their ability to produce the particles known as Ethernano becoming perished in the process , but not entirely.
Depriving a mage of their source of magic entirely had been learned to cause instant death , as this had to be avoided in Kaileen's case , they left her with enough to keep her alive but rendered her potential useless.
It was truly a harrowing process , one that was not an understatement to have caused hell in the veins of the sufferer , and with Kaileen being a descendant from a bloodline of pronounced affinity and reactivity to magic , it just made the process all the more traumatic and unbearable.
A process that the child certainly couldn't have been put through with the evident risks surrounding it.
Besides, the capital had already ordained a way to keep the child's magic potential contained without threatening his life if it were to ever erupt as predicted.
By the answer she received , Irose did seem content by the reasoning used, however there were still queries rambling in her mind that didn't seem to connect well with what she was hearing and what she witnessed when observing the behaviour of the boy.
"Those Ethernano blockers we've been giving him…"
"They shouldn't have rendered him incapable already right?"
Put simply , they were drugs.
Drugs that had been engineered by the capital's research to inhibit or reduce the production of magic essence to those who ingested it.
The drugs that were being used to subdue Jellal's possible magical affinity by slipping it into his drinks (notably his milk) if it were to surface like having done so for his predecessors.
Given that the forebears of the bloodline were all known to show incredible amounts of capability with magic even without being trained at youth , it made the order of the capital all the more vital to make sure his potential did not go unexamined or uncontrolled lest there would be a problem.
Especially with the rumour that the magic and ability of the Fernandes bloodline enhanced with each descendant , if that was true when the child's powers were to come to light , then there could have been a grave danger if precaution was not taken.
And because of such , it was best to get the child under control when he was young before he could have matured into something less stable and irrepressible that drugs might not cut on their own.
"No , the dosage isn't anywhere near as strong as it should be to do that."
"They gave us that to only control it if it occurred or if he showed symptoms like expected."
But since nothing of the extra-ordinary had been observed by the child , there was no worry that one day he'd all of a sudden obtain the legendary powers rooted in his bloodline and start causing mischief that couldn't be controlled.
Actually not even just that , Jellal showed nothing which pertained to possessing any affinity to magic at all , which was abnormal given how much of a magnitude of ability his mother's bloodline was said to have possess even at his age or younger.
If anything he just came off like a normal kid , having no form of possessing anything of the like or even less than that.
And that was noticed by all of them.
"He's still hasn't shown any sign of it though…"
'I still can't sleep…'
The young boy thought to himself with annoyance as he tossed around in his bed , huddled up in his blanket , trying to drift away as the night had come which would announce the new year since the awaited festivals had ended but it was just not working out.
He sat up on his mattress , his azure waves all jutting out in different directions as he felt his longish bangs tickling the end of his nose from how lengthy his hair had gotten since it's last cut. Usually his hair would be trimmed by the stone faced ladies (notably the quiet brunette) before it would reach any lower than past the top of his shoulders , being cut only when it would become too long to manage and it got tangled more easily and that would be to usually just a bit above his nape with his bangs cut shorter which he found the most comfortable.
But with the recent events and how busy the ladies had been , his bi-monthly cut must have been forgotten and now his hair had grown enough to start obscuring his vision much to his dismay.
His fingers took a hold of one of the pieces of his bangs that were falling against his face , notably a long piece that extended even past his nose and to his mouth when he stretched it before letting it go as a sigh left him.
If he could cut his own hair to make it less annoying , he would have done so. The length itself wasn't really a bother for him , it's just it made things like reading or even seeing harder to do without having to brush his shaggy bangs out of the way every few seconds.
He quickly got frustrated with his blue strands when he had been in the midst of trying to read from his favourite book , just to see a chunk of azure come out of nowhere and divide his vision despite his attempt to brush it out of his face continually.
At this point his hair would probably be as long as the stone faced lady with bandages if it were to grow anymore. Which wasn't really that much longer than his usual style as her hair just reached a bit past collarbone length , if she didn't tie it up , but that was the resemblance he could compare his own too.
But that was probably the least of his worries now if anything , as he had been struggling to get a decent's night of sleep recently given all that occurred. Both the festivals alike and the aftermath of what haunted his mind.
That incident with the mad woman.
Even nights after he had been suffocated in her grasp , he still felt the ghosted presence of her slender fingers wrapping around his neck , choking the life out of him whilst curtains of darkness concealed her. His fingers went to touch the flesh of his neck , anxiety subtly drumming away as he recalled the sticky and wet pressure that closed in on him and that sent down a chill down his body even now.
His eyes closed in grimace , fingers dragging down his collar as he wanted to stop reminiscing about that dark moment. Swallowing thickly he snuggled deeper into his blankets as his heart still beat painfully at the words he could barely recall being said to him , that soon got distorted as the ordeal went on and his consciousness had become addled.
'What did she mean…'
'It's all my fault?'
That question had kept him up for some nights on end now , making his blood pump and heart race as he remembered her shrill cries when blaming him for it all. It was horrific and incomprehensible in the moment , but now in the solace of his own thoughts , he couldn't help but wonder if those words held any weight to him.
It couldn't be though right?
How could he have been the one to make her suffer when he barely saw her. How could he have been the one to turn her life the way it was when he didn't do anything? When all he did was stay in his room unless the stone faced ladies asked something else of him or anything was of concern.
It must have been something she said out of her senses.
Because all his life he had been told that his father , The Devil , had been responsible for everything which happened to them. The cruelty , the strangeness , the problems , it was all his doing. Both she and everyone else told him alike.
So then why was she all of a sudden then stating him to be the reason why?
He wasn't his father.
He didn't even know of his father.
He never even met him.
And he didn't think he ever would.
Yet she was claiming him to be the reason why that man had done all this to her.
Even saying that man left because of him.
Rais.
That was the name of his father wasn't it? The first time he had actually heard him being referred to without mention of his usual monikers. The first time someone actually named him , confirming to him that in fact The Devil did indeed have a name like any other person.
But he knew because of that name he held , there was no way that he could have done anything in relation to that man. He didn't know anyone by the name of Rais , other than his father and the both of them had never met and most likely would never be able to.
He was sure of it.
Hell , he didn't even know what the man had looked like even to have known who he was in the first place.
Though he did have an assumption with how much the stone-faced ladies seemed to remark on his appearance and hair being alike to The Devil , that this man Rais had looked similar to him probably. To what degree he didn't know though , but he had the bad feeling that it was more than he would have liked due to how much scorn his appearance got.
But deep down he knew that shouldn't have deterred him as his face and look was it's own regardless of what similarities they shared. As The Devil looked like himself , and he looked another way.
Because they were two different people.
As he was Jellal.
He wasn't Rais.
And that meant.
He wasn't The Devil.
And The Devil wasn't him.
They weren't the same.
They couldn't be.
As he would have never done what The Devil did to his mother , to her or anyone else for a matter. He would never have wished upon anyone such pain , misery and grief , it was disgusting and inhumane. He wanted to be the reason that his mother smiled and could find comfort , never the one to strip away her happiness and condemn her to a life so cruel.
And from that alone he knew that he and the devil had completely different interests.
Different minds.
Different souls.
Different hearts.
Though he wasn't even sure if a being like that could even possess the last honestly.
But he did and that was the distinction.
So whatever the mad woman had sprouted could not be true as there was no connection between them other than appearances , how could there be? But that being said , it did hurt to hear her claiming to say that , with his mother's voice and his mother's grasp.
Even now he could hear her screaming even though the house was so quiet. Tormenting his hollow mind with her hysteria , lamenting wildly as punishment upon punishment was inflicted on her and all he could do was standby and listen.
Something he dearly wished would be changed with the promise of the gods now the ordained nights had passed.
Though if he thought about it now , he was surprised he wasn't as punished as he would have expected since he was found trespassing after hours. For something like that he was sure to believe he would get a beating or two , but possibly given how frantic the stone-faced ladies were that night , they forgot about him and he got away practically unscathed.
Speaking of them…
His head turned to the side of his room , seeing that the door wasn't exactly closed properly when it had last been used. And because of that he could hear the murmurings of the stone faced ladies as they went on with doing whatever they did. Which he wouldn't be annoyed by , but now since he had been expected to sleep , it was proving a bit difficult with what sounds he could hear coming through.
And not to mention the draft he could feel.
'I'll close the door.'
He thought to himself in confidence , hopping out of his bed and discreetly walking towards the door as he made a conscious effort not to be loud or have his footsteps heard lest that stirred up more commotion.
Though as he was nearing the crack opening , the sound of one of the stone-faced ladies' voices cut through the subtle murmurs with a raucous laugh before he heard the next words that had his small features furrowing in confusion.
"Pfft! Maybe he's defective?!"
'Defective?'
'What does that mean?'
That was a new word he hadn't really heard of , and coming from one of the stone-faced ladies's lips (notably the one with the nasally voice and painted face) he denoted it might have not had a good meaning.
And he couldn't help but wonder who was being spoken about in such a manner as he was slowly walking towards the door , though as he was in the midst of a step , what he heard next made him just as puzzled to hear.
"Fitting end for the bloodline before it's legacy gets more tarnished than it is."
'Bloodline?'
'What are they talking about?'
He didn't know why that word exactly sounded so familiar to him , even though he really felt this must have been the first time hearing it. However as he gave some thought to the word , he recalled the same thing being said in one of his dreams before , and being spoken about with importance and passion so he took from that it must have been a big thing.
Though why he couldn't really understand , as how did something related to blood seem so prevalent? Blood was just sticky red liquid in all of their bodies to his knowledge , but these ladies and those who spoke of it in their dreams seemed to hold it to a higher degree of notability than that.
So maybe the thing called a bloodline was more than that.
It made him wonder why.
Though before he could give proper rumination on the matter , what he heard next stole his attention and had him even more confused by the sudden solemnity which took presence in the conversation.
"What could The Capital want with him if that's the case though?"
"Wouldn't that render everything useless?"
'The Capital?'
Why would something that important be of mention? The Capital which he knew when being spoken of in a general sense , wasn't actually relating to the grounds of Taïr , but rather the body of officials and the acknowledged who governed the grounds of the capital and practically the entirety of Almeta.
Acknowledged by the renowned moniker of ' The Capital ' , but he had also known to be called other things too such as ; The Officials , The Order , The Council , The Chiefs etc.
But expanding on that , 'The Capital' and their affairs were usually of no ordinary person's business. So hidden and kept away from the public eye and those who were in it were tucked away in the heart of Taïr , which was an expansive city he didn't really have the privilege to explore.
They were always doing extremely important things from what he could tell and what others would speak about , doing things which weren't usual to the public but he came to know those in The Capital were incredibly knowledgeable and esteemed people. In fact they were the sort of people who were in charge of writing the knowledge everyone learned from , so he could only imagine how smart they must have been!
That aside…It made him wonder who the stone-faced ladies could have been mentioning in regards to The Capital's affairs. By his knowledge , someone wanted by The Capital was either extremely dangerous or extremely important.
What this person was though whom they were talking about , he didn't know.
But with what he heard next gave him a bit of an idea what an answer was.
"I heard of plans….Maybe making him a test subject for the research that went down in Taïr…"
"But that isn't anything concrete…"
Another voice added to his curiosity , one he noted was softer than the rest and that he felt the urge to get closer in order to pick up more of the conversation that was in pieces to his hearing. And to be honest with how curious the conversation made him , he was ready to do that.
Remaining light on his feet , he crept closer to the door's opening , hearing the conversation going on and becoming clearer to his senses as he did so with each step he took forward.
"What? That's the first I heard of this."
"It's just a rumour I heard floating about near the higher districts..."
"I would imagine much as we weren't given any information about this."
Eventually he neared the slit of the door enough that he was positioned just behind the door as he kept an ear out for what would follow in the conversation.
"If he's proven to be defective."
But soon regret filled him for that choice with what he came to hear next.
"Why don't we just sell him elsewhere?"
"Give him to one of those rich guys working the brothels in the upper districts and clean our hands off him."
"It's been six years practically and he's becoming more annoying by the day."
'Sell him?'
"Wha…"
Realisation started to settle into the bluenet as the revelation of this information caused his mind to connect unwanted details with both the direction of the conversation and the tones being used to refer to the 'him' that was in mention.
And to his grief his forming suspicion was confirmed with the comment he heard next from whom he could see was the darkest haired stone face lady.
"I doubt anyone would want to buy him with that ugly mark on his face."
His blood ran cold as he realised with the light on that detail whom they were conversing about. His fingers touched the right side of his face where the tattoo resided with fear as it all made sense to him then and there.
They weren't talking about some other man or boy that he didn't know.
They were talking about him.
His thoughts started to spurn on themselves in panic as the implications of what he had been hearing started to dig into him deeper. With the realisation that they were talking about selling him away , with The Capital having something to do with him , with him being something called 'defective'.
And knowing that made him afraid.
So very afraid.
And he didn't understand why they were saying such things.
He had heard he wasn't for sale , Mika told those strange men clearly when they came that they couldn't take him , so why was someone else saying something different now? Why was Mika not telling them what she told those scary rat faced men.
Had she been lying to them about that?
Had she been lying to him about that?
Why?!
Before those thoughts could uncover a deeper depth of confusion , what he heard next had his heart drumming away in his chest with anxiety as the conversation unfolded for him with apprehension.
"That doesn't stop the mother from being in demand."
"We could have wiped our hands off her if she was just a bit more manageable."
Vera scoffed in rebuttal to Mika's reasoning , knowing very well that stain on their faces had nothing to do with the market value of the mother and son. It probably had no form of influence over this sort of thing as the people who they would be sold to only needed a warm and alive vessel for their needs and which could conform to orders.
A mere tattoo wouldn't stop them from satiating their beastly desires.
It didn't stop the men that ravaged Kaileen to no end , so why wouldn't it be the same with the devil's brat?
Though of course her argument was also countered by the younger dark haired woman who had become more present in the conversation now.
"She's a different case altogether…"
"She was known to be lusted for greatly as the previous heavenly priestess."
It was no exaggeration to say Kaileen's beauty was something that all noticed. She was alluring to another league , many women envied her and many men fantasied about her and being with her with how she simply exuded feminine grace and natural radiance to a degree that could not be matched.
"I'm sure you remember how she would be revered as 'The Beauty of The Heavens'?"
Mika remarked , earning a look of bitterness across some of the women , notably Alika and subtly Vera too , allowing the thought to process in their minds before she went on with her point.
"She was acclaimed to be so beautiful that the most elite men of the country would pay handsomely just to be suited to her as a potential spouse or even to be with her for a night."
And not just that , but Kaileen had no lack of suitors interested in her. Both due to interest in her lineage and rank but the one that was the most sought after was her beauty. So much so that even after her condemnation and being marked a traitor , there was no reduction of those interested in satisfying their lusts with the services she had to provide.
Rather the want for her increased savagely.
Now being made The Capital's personal bitch , those who had dreamt about having their nights with the 'Heavenly Beauty' could do so until their hearts were content and did avidly despite the woman's notable madness and spite.
And that was something that couldn't be denied about her.
But bringing up such a desire about a madwoman put a sour taste in the mouth of the light haired women , both out of disgust and other things before a snarky comment was made about the midnight haired whore.
"And yet she tied herself down to a psychopath…"
Alika remarked sly , obviously bitter by the woman's feats of beauty and how men would go crazy from her sheer radiance , but that all went away when the cursed fate that the pretentious slut was destined had damned her for no reason other than the brute she decided to give herself away to.
It was so hilarious.
The woman , what she could have had and what she settled with. She was no short of a queen to such , but instead of getting married off to a king , worthy of her status , she settled for one less than a mere pauper.
A criminal.
A devil.
And despite her contempt for the mad woman , she honestly was baffled why she would do that. What did that guy possess which all the other men that she could have been suited to didn't? Sure she remembered that her husband was exceedingly handsome , both the men and women couldn't deny that fact even if they hated the look of his face.
But that shouldn't have been enough for a woman that was of her standing to just throw away her legacy like that? And he didn't have anything notable about himself which he surpassed any other potential candidate. No fortune , no standing , no traits that would have been desired by the bloodline , other than being a hot headed and barbaric savage.
The bastard didn't even hold a reputable name.
Was that really all that was needed for the beloved Heavenly Priestess to drop her precious panties?
What a characterless woman.
No wonder she fell for a devil.
She was disgusting.
But before Alika's contempt for the esteemed beauty could amount any further , Mika's voice brought her out of that subdued rage brewing inside.
"Yet you can see , she has accolades."
"He doesn't."
"If anything , his disgusting resemblance to that traitor makes him worthless in that respect."
She said with her usual sharpness before putting down her cup that she had been drinking out of on the table in front of her. Though her reasoning was understandable , there were still those who wished to challenge the logic of her being opposed to selling the child.
"I wouldn't say that…You'd be surprised how much money would go to spew hate on the child of that bastard."
If not selling him strictly to a brothel , then there were surely those that would eat up the chance of taking in the child of a traitor and doing what they wanted to him due to the contempt his father had caused. And what they could do would have been none of their business , that would have been a horror enclosed behind doors to whomever wished to pay the best price , which would be cruel but such was needed for a child with the devil's blood.
The urges and desires of man could be unsightly for sure , but in comparison to the devil's doings they could be pardoned.
As they were cursed beings to begin with.
Ones who rightfully earned wrath and enmity from their beloved gods.
They did not deserve compassion.
"Actually Mika…"
Irose spoke up for the first time in a while as she gave a glance to the dark eyed noirette whilst a recent occurrence recalled in her mind regarding what they were talking about.
"Wasn't…one of those men asking about him the other day?"
She asked with hesitance as she remembered how an older man who was incredibly well dressed yet stinking of their trademark concoction of exotic perfumes and booze , came to the home when she was in the midst of doing something and had asked about the pricing of not Kaileen but Jellal strangely.
Something which she had no knowledge about and was the first of her hearing of such as by her knowledge only the woman was for offer in that respect.
For that man to be asking about the child , she didn't know where he would have got the information that he even existed as nearly everything about him was to be kept on the down low.
Well at least definitely to the likes of those sort of people.
And even though this man knew of his features and the marks he bore and everything , he seemed adamant in wanting to purchase the child. To which Irose knew this wasn't a matter she could handle on her own and simply declined until further notice as she needed to check up on this information with one of the other ladies since she was still new to this all.
Though admittedly she forgot with all that was occurring and how life consumed them , given now this conversation had come up , it was the perfect time to bring up such.
Though of course the response she got to her query was one she was expecting.
"Hmmm? I had no idea…"
The noirette slowly remarked to the brunette who just nodded in understanding , though before the conversation could remain on this topic anymore , she added more to her comment before it could be questioned further.
"But regardless of that…We can't relinquish our control over him."
"Remember we need to keep them alive."
She emphasised , knowing well that if the boy was to be sold off into trafficking , with the grim and brutal nature of the sex industry , there would be no concern actually taken over his well being like they had been ordered to.
They would simply care about getting their needs satisfied and nothing more , and with how much hatred he would retain due to his resemblance to his father , it was no understatement that they wouldn't care if he was dead or alive.
Seeing that her points were being understood , the noirette took a breath. Reclining into her chair as her muscles had gotten stiff but before she could allow herself to relax , a distasteful comment was thrown her way by the courtesy of her superior.
"No question why you'd know about that…"
She was well aware what the implications of those words were meant to mean , her fingers started to curl in on themselves out of rancour for the lady as her dark eyes couldn't help but shoot a sharp glare at the older woman who was smirking through her snarkiness.
Though before the young lady's blood could have begun to erupt as Alika wanted , the timid brunette took notice of the woman's hands on the table that had crumpled on themselves in trying to suppress rage as her vision took in the sight of countless bandages that wrapped around her hands , her wrists and now up one side of her arm.
"You have so many bandages on yourself Mika…"
She gasped in concern as it seemed the amount of white gauze that would cover her skin never seemed to cease. Rather than reducing , she saw new additions to the noirette's collection that took up more space each time she would meet her.
The noirette who had been in the midst of seething had her fire stolen away from her with that comment from the brunette as her attention went to that of discussion as she could feel her muscles tense.
"How do you keep injuring yourself so much?"
"Ah i'm just incessantly clumsy…"
She retorted before folding her hands on each other and feeling the room become silent as the conversation was about to come to an awkward end , but then someone had to make an unnecessary comment.
"How do you expect to get married with that sort of look?"
"You look more like an inpatient than a woman fit to be a bride."
The golden haired woman sneered when seeing her jab at the younger woman cause a reaction to pulse in her as she watched the noirette's lips purse thinly as her fingers cracked with brimming irritation before she gave her curt retort.
"Thank you for your concern Mistress Alika"
"But I don't feel the need to compare myself to other women to validate my worth."
"Unlike some people."
Directing the same spite back to the older woman , her dark eyes glared with no fear as she watched amber-hazel eyes widen from her audacity. Tension started to brew between the two of them through silent glowering before a comment broke it up as it was about to get catty.
"Then how about the reformatory unit?"
Vera quickly asked about , instantly getting the noirette's attention as her features furrowed in regards to such being spoken about before more was explained.
"Your brother , he works closely with the capital in the guard force."
"Why don't you get him to sign the brat up there and have our hands be cleaned of him?"
The elder woman proposed , knowing this was a feasible plan compared to the brothel regarding the risks. The capital's reformatory unit was known to handle and discipline lost and burdensome souls for something more useful for both themselves and the nation in general.
In fact , if memory served correctly , his own father had been put into such and was a long recruited member from a young age due to his abrupt and untamed behaviour. Surely placing him in such a governance would have been beneficial and less worrisome as it would have been closer in relation to the capital's affairs.
But as the idea was posed , a cynical laugh inwardly came from the noirette as the whole thing seemed preposterous to her.
"You think devil spawn can reform…?"
She drawled out as she held the side of her face in one hand and carried on uninterestedly.
"You give him more credit than it's worth."
As the noirette spoke on , from the corner of her eye she saw a movement from the door in front of her vision that was not too far from them , creaking ever so slightly causing her to raise a brow. Her focus remained on the barely open slit before she soon caught notice of something incredibly out of place peeking from behind the door frame.
Blue hair.
He felt his heart clenching on itself as the door unexpectedly moved a bit from him being so close. The creak wasn't as loud as he feared , but enough to catch attention if focused. But thankfully that wasn't the case as it seemed nothing had been abruptly disrupted by his little movement.
'That was close!'
Before he could be whisked away by his sudden panic , his attention was sought back by the bandaged lady's voice cutting through and taking precedence in the conversation.
"That devil was also put in one but look what good it did for him. Those sort of beings can't change so I don't know what you'd expect out of his son."
"Besides…He'd be eaten alive out there and as much as I would love to see that bastard's brat suffer…"
"We first and foremost need to keep him alive."
"That was The Capital's orders."
He swallowed thickly as there seemed to be a lot of emphasis on this last point by the noirette. And he couldn't help but question why that was the case. Why was keeping him alive so vital for the capital? What plans could such important people have for someone like him?
Before he could ruminate on that train of thought , the sound of screeching hit his ears horribly as it sounded like a chair had been pulled back on the stone floor. And for some reason the voice that came after seemed to sound louder than usual as he listened on.
"They are symbols of those who desire to transgress and tarnish the trust Almeta put in them."
"And remember the most important thing."
What did she mean by that? The most important thing? Why was there so much mystery regarding all of this? Of course he wasn't meant to know probably in the first place , but having been listening in on such for a considerate amount of time now , there was still so much he felt left in the dark about and he hated it because he was well aware it was about him they were conversing about.
But with the new voices sounding alongside that he could hear , he believed he might have started to get a proper answer about all of this.
"It's been six years already…"
"I doubt anything will change….We won't be seeing him again…The conniving bastard fled the country long ago."
'Fled the country?'
The bastard was his father, wasn't he?
Wait…
Did this mean…
He wasn't in Almeta at all then?
Not that his whereabouts had really been of concern , but he couldn't lie and say he didn't wonder from time to time where the infamous devil everyone spoke about resided. To be honest the way that everyone spoke of him , it sounded like he had died himself but left hatred with his departure, he never got any notion from their words that he could have actually still existed.
'He's alive?'
Which was honestly surprising to hear as he always believed because the devil was gone , that they were suffering on his behalf for his sins. But if he truly was still alive , why didn't they punish him instead? Find wherever he went or what hole he tried to hide in and give him the chastisement he deserved?
Why were they being punished alongside for his sins?
Surely the gods would have known where to find him if that was the case right? With how powerful and knowledgeable they were claimed to be. Why didn't they do something to him themselves?
Was the devil stronger than them or something that they wouldn't or couldn't face him? Or did their godly powers stop working outside of the country so they couldn't find him and punish him properly or what?
This made no sense to him.
"Are you honestly foolish enough to believe he would come back when there's the minimum of a death sentence over his head?"
"He was a sociopath Mika , He wasn't stupid."
As he got engrossed in the conversation that went on and his curious mind couldn't help but question all the details that were being revealed through as it all interested him on a profound level.
'The devil is alive….'
Was this then what his mother was referring to when saying 'he left her?' Like he didn't actually leave her through death , but through actual conscious choice?
And now that he thought about it , he never once heard anyone actually claim that he was dead. It must have been something he believed in assumption as he never saw the man. But for some reason knowing this knowledge that such a dangerous being was still lurking out there and not locked away or punished , it filled his heart with a strange tension.
Though as his mind was in the midst of contemplating that fear , the sound of shoes clicking against the ground sounded , causing the bluenet to become confused by what he was suddenly hearing.
"I am aware of that…But I still put my trust in The Capital's plan…Whatever they ask, we must follow."
The sound of the footsteps got strangely louder and the voice speaking sounded a lot nearer. He didn't understand why that was the case until he took a peek from behind the door frame and his dark eyes widened in realisation,
'Oh no…'
"And the capital always has a reason for doing things whether we understand it or not."
She was coming this way.
"Then what do we do about the boy?"
Mika was walking this way.
Why? Had she seen him or something? Was she coming to punish him? To expose him for eavesdropping on them or? The possibilities of what the sadistic woman could have in mind walking in his direction made his brain rush with apprehension as he quickly bolted away from the door with the sound of her footsteps getting closer and closer.
"Mika?"
"Where are you going?"
His heart drummed away in his chest rapidly as he jumped underneath his blanket and pulled the thick fabric over his body , trembling underneath his dome of fabric as his hands clenched tightly in the material , only tightening with the arrival of the noirette that he could hear was now directly outside of his room.
'Oh no…'
'No…'
'She knows…She must have seen me..'
'She's going to hurt me…'
His breathing started to quicken with apprehension as his chest felt suffocated from sheer anxiety. Anxiety that only heightened as he heard the door creaking more and that made him hide further into the confines of his blanket , dreading the punishment that was to come at the dark eyed woman's hands.
Or that he thought would come.
SLAM
It took him a moment to process it , but a strong gust of wind blew over as the loud noise of the door being yanked shut rang through his ears. Initially feeling his body seize up in terror as he awaited for the woman to come and peel off his blanket that he tried to find cover under in futility.
But instead this is what he heard.
"Sorry I thought I saw a mouse."
Her voice sounded , but not from where he thought he would hear it from. His scrunched small features unfolded on themselves as he soon realised that her voice wasn't coming from in the room or anywhere in it.
That was odd.
He was sure that she had come this way after seeing him and was about to punish him for not listening to order again , for listening in to their conversation.
But that wasn't the case it seemed.
Why?
In a state of disbelief , the bluenet emerged from under the covers , his heart calming as he noticed the lack of presence in his dark and isolated room with only the shattering moonlight as his companion. And from that he grew incredibly confused.
Did…
Did she really not see him?
His heart came to steady itself as the moments went by and it became clear that there would be reappearance from the dark haired sadist and that he truly got away by the skin of his teeth.
Relief started to flow into him as a result however soon came horridly to a still with what he heard next.
"How about we…"
Her voice started to recede as her footsteps moved away from the door and her presence completely left around his room completely. Whilst that should have brought him some peace of mind , this time it did not. Given now he recalled what exactly was of their interest before she went and did that.
'They're talking about me…'
'They're going to do something with me…'
His heart was already seized by a pang of dread as he couldn't help but shiver as the implications of that which he heard being spoken in regards to him in that horrid conversation.
Brothels , being sold off , being made a test subject , reformatory units…Probably even more questionable choices that they would discuss between themselves in their privacy and he couldn't even listen to what. Though to be honest with how his blood became curdled from hearing the implications of those few , he didn't want to know what else they could have had in store.
Swallowing thickly, the bluenet couldn't help but clench his fingers tightly into his blanket as a chill settled in him, unable to be abated from the fate that was waiting to be chosen at the hands of these ladies. His breathing became hollow from trepidation as he curled up into himself tighter as certain thoughts ran amok in his head.
'Is this what the gods want to do with me?'
'Why?!'
'Didn't I do enough?'
'Did…they really not listen to my prayers?'
'Alzir? Ursa? Itrï? Zerith? Seren?'
'Did none of them listen to me?'
'Not even one?'
'Even though I tried so hard?'
'Even though I asked them so sincerely?'
'Did…none of what I did mean...anything?'
A lone tear rolled down his cheek as he couldn't help but stare into the plain wall that was beside him in desolation as his body wrapped tighter into his covers. Dread filled him slowly as he came to realise that fate that awaited him was most likely an unpleasant one. And he would wake up the next day and find nothing changed despite his efforts.
Instead.
It may have even gotten worse.
With what the stone-faced ladies were plotting amongst themselves about what to destine him with , Jellal couldn't help but feel incredible apprehension about what choice they would come to at the end. It wasn't going to be anything good , he had no reason to believe otherwise.
It was just waiting for that coming day for when all would be revealed and he would know what of his fate had been decided.
And that thought made his restlessness even worse than imaginable. Already he was beginning to struggle with sleep as it is , but the knowledge of this pulsing in his mind had his core twisting intensely.
He buried into himself deeper , heart pounding hard , knowing that time would not wait for him and that the day would come when his fate would change for the worse. That morning would come and they would have decreed what was to become of him. For what misery was to befall him more.
And though Jellal was someone that usually desired to remain optimistic and hopeful about what change the coming day would bring. Even with life having looked so bleak and colourless for as long as he knew. Believing that one day or another something would change and bring something better into his life like he would always dream.
A dream that felt fragmented now.
A dream that felt futile.
A dream that felt best to let go of.
As for the first time…
He didn't wish to see what the morning would bring.
Author's Note:
This chapter I wanted to focus on more world and history building for the extensive plot that I am crafting and a lot of it will tie into the future when things start to make more sense in later arcs! I thought it would be nice to see more POVs from different characters in the story that you'll become familiar with so it doesn't get too monotonous.
All in all more details have been revealed about Jellal's family background , his lineage , details about what has been happening to him and his mother alike. Details which may make you scratch your head at their absurd claims but it will all reveal it's self and come together in due time hopefully!
Thank you very much though for taking time to follow this story , it will start to pick up soon I promise you , I just really am dedicated in putting everything in place so it all comes together properly when the darkness and themes I am waiting for come into play!
Once again thank you for taking the time to read this story and leaving your thoughts! It makes me so happy to read them and I hope to deliver a terrific tale through these efforts for your enjoyment!
Please do keep well and stay safe!
Thank you again for your support and words!