A/N: I haven't been able to write in a while due to a large number of schoolwork and other projects. I was so disappointed that I was unable to publish this last Mother's Day, but I hope you don't mind that I'm posting this now.


Illuminated by her enchantments, Irene's frantic gasps reverberated in the cave's empty chambers. After regaining her strength, she wrapped the still infant in spare clothing and held it to her bosom. How many hundreds of years had passed already? When Zeref returned her to her human form, she was undoubtedly delighted, but the joy she felt as she touched the baby was unfathomable.

"My c-child." She thought to herself as she rocked the child gently in her arms.

Numerous dark thoughts obscured her vision as she contemplated the possibility of escaping her cursed body. As she slipped the clothing aside to view her child's face more clearly, her lips twisted. She was apprehensive since the infant had been quiet since birth. She wanted to hear her voice and cry for the very first time. After hundreds of years of suffering in that cave, she desired to hear another voice reverberating inside it in order to assuage her need and alleviate her insanity. However, the infant remained motionless and oblivious to her presence. She hurriedly checked for her heartbeat and was devastated to find none. Was it a couple of centuries already? Was the infant stillborn in her womb? Irene severed the last thread preserving her sanity. Her sole chance of leaving her torturous existence was gone. She lost it.

"You cannot die!" she sobbed, holding out the lifeless infant.


Irene's lunacy has poured like ceaseless torrential rain since her birth. Her desperation to bring the baby back to life could not be restrained, so she poured all of her spells on her in an attempt to resurrect her. I cannot give up on the life that is rightfully mine. She's mine. She thought urgently to herself.

"I waited four hundred years for your birth for you to live and become my vessel." She muttered as she performed her last spell.

As soon as the blinding light ceased to engulf the desolate woods, screams were heard. Irene's lips quivered, and beads of perspiration ran down her forehead. She was uncertain as to whether her heart was heavy due to exhaustion from casting the magic or the child's joyous scream. Nevertheless, she rocked her arms, pulling the baby into her embrace and causing it to remain quiet. She hurriedly drew her close, fearing that the effect was just fleeting. However, as soon as her mother's hair touched the child's face, the baby giggled and extended her small hands to touch her mother's hair.

"Why are you laughing?"

She screamed as soon as her eyes were swollen with tears, fearing they might touch her cheeks. The baby giggled despite her protests, and she stayed frozen in place. She was no longer a human, she could no longer sleep or eat, so why did the little life in her arms make her feel so uncertain? It was the first time the queen felt genuine merriment flooding her heart.

"Don't laugh at me."

Irene endured more hardship than anybody else in the world. Her husband abandoned her, her people, and even herself. She lost Belserion, her kingdom, and her humanity in the course of the conflict, but this small human has brought her back to her senses for the first time. As she grasped her child's clothing, she whispered with shaking lips, unable to hold her emotions in control.

"My daughter."


A/N: What if Erza died when Irene gave birth to her? How would she have felt at the time? This story is entirely imaginary. Anyway, I apologize for the brevity of this post, but I wanted you to know that I'm really grateful for your support. I love Irene very much and had honestly hoped for a peaceful reconciliation between the two of them, but I don't believe this to be the case so far. Despite this, I hope you like this short update, and I hope I'd be able to update my other works if I can find the time during our academic breaks.