A/N: I finally got around my writer's block on this story and finished this chapter. I kept rewriting it a few times because I sort of didn't like the way I wrote down the interactions, so I hope you all aren't too mad for the very, very late update.
PixieBix800: Thank you for liking this story! I have planned a few major events for this story in the future. What inspired me to write this? I really wanted to write a Jellu with a plot that hasn't been used before, so I thought why not when Jellal was still posing as Siegrain? It all started from there. For all of your other questions, you'll just have to wait and see~.
Queen-Disturbed-Haruka: Exactly! It's so sad that people who write extravagant fanfics of crackships get flamed and turned off from writing—just because some people hate the ship because it's not going to be canon and don't realize it's all for fun. A true shame.. :/ Thank you so much!
For the rest of you who took your time reviewing/favoriting/following, hell, even reading this story – thank you very much!
.
.
/As•trum/
Noun – Latin
a fixed luminous point in the night sky which is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.
Uranus
Change; Invention; Revolution
.
.
.
Tree. Tree. Tree.
Oh, what a surprise—another tree.
The thick, green scenery finally changes before her half-lidded, chocolate eyes. Spiky, tall mountains pierce the fluffy, bronze clouds as the carriage continues to shake from the rocks scattered on the abandoned road. The blonde peers her head out of the open window to drink up the view of several Rune Knights trailing behind them. A floating cage follows them through the gravel path. The corners of Lucy's mouth turn downwards as the magic-infused, metal bars shake when a ruined, white-heeled boot kicks out in every possible direction. Not a second later, a scalding wave of electricity runs though the captive's leg, just as Jude Heartfilia closes the lavish, velvet curtain, shielding the outside view before her eyes.
Yet the material does not block out the pained yells.
Lucy Heartfilia grips the material of her gown, wiping off the gathered sweat from her palms. She can count on the five fingers of her hand the amount of times she and her father had travelled this far alone together; last time being to a dinner party hosted by Jude's closest business partners. She gives out an unnoticeable shudder as memories of an undeniably corrupt politician residing in Shirotsume Town flashes through her mind. He was a short little fellow—but he certainly could cast a mighty long shadow if he wanted to.
That was years ago though.
Another memory she could barely remember is her short visit to Magnolia when her family had come to visit Everlue.
One thing that stuck to her then was the proud, fairly bright symbol of a fairy's tail fluttering in the night's air. She can still remember her younger self, questioning her parents about their adventures when they were a part of a guild, all the while running out of oxygen in her little lungs from the endless string of questions she asked that night.
Lucy sighs lightly, figuring she should stash away her hopeless dreams of guilds and fairies to the back of her heart. There was no chance for her to become a ''full-fledged wizard that belongs to one of the most famous guilds in Fiore'' as Sorcerer Weekly so bluntly put it.
No guild. No qualified wizard status for her.
Oblivious to his heiress's discomfort and inner turmoil, the blond man shifts slightly so he could gaze at the back of the carriage driver's head. As Jude asks the young man how far they still have to go, Lucy rubs and traces the glimmering keys hidden in the long sleeves of her dress.
It's growing heavier, Lucy notes in delight as she lets the key ring hang loosely from her pinched fingertips.
Before they left the Heartfilia residence, the blonde still had some time to meet her new friends as the military, stationed around her attacker, placed her under close watch so that the white-haired woman wouldn't be a problem for any further dealing. Even with the shackles around her limbs, Angel still managed to make shivers run down Lucy's spine as tales of horror rang through the lobby where she made the sacred contracts with her new spirits.
The first pair she summoned, in particular, had her slightly worried.
An orange-haired man and a woman in a dress made out of soft-looking wool.
They spoke of great mistreatment from their former masters. After the first one's unfortunate demise, they managed to fall to an equally rough woman. The man – Leo the lion – was a bit reserved at first, standing between the blonde and the pink-haired woman, scurrying Lucy for any signs of cruelty. When all he found was a warm smile and friendly eyes on their new soon-to-be-owner's face, the Leader of the Zodiacs graced the blonde with an approving smile as he picked out the days he was free to be summoned.
The others quickly followed suit after that.
Her long fingers graze lovingly over the patterns of her now 13 Celestial gate keys, stifling a light giggle when some of them rattle in excitement when a small portion of Lucy's magic unintentionally seeped into the gold and silver metals. The carriage gives a slight jerk, indicating the change of flooring. Lucy smiles in relief when she realizes she wouldn't have to rock around in the small, lavish box for much longer.
The wheels of the carriage roll smoothly across the cobblestone road of Era, the town that hosts the Magic Council in the heart of the city.
The blonde pushes back the curtain of her little window to glance around. She could see the town's people clearing a path for them out of respect for their military force that trails slowly behind their carriage. A wondrous smile stretches across her face when they made a sharp turn, giving her a generous eyeful of what Era has to offer. Little shops and bakeries surround the gorgeous town's square, yet she notices that the rather wide path they were on is quite deserted of any other buildings than the residential ones.
This is the path that the soldiers probably use to take the highly dangerous criminals to their highest authority, she muses.
Her brown eyes trail up and she lets out a frustrated sigh – much to her father's concealed amusement – when she notices that the Council headquarters is located on a mountain-like hill.
Joy.
.
.
.
Her father once said that showing weakness could get her, metaphorically, in the political world, killed.
That's what she keeps in mind at that moment when rage-filled purple eyes meet with her own.
Lucy fidgets in her seat, trying to keep a straight face as the beaten up woman turns her body around to fully face her. She leans her back against the wooden witness stand, not at all concerned if the several gathered council members found her actions offensive. Chocolate brown eyes watch from across the room as the white-haired Mage places her thumb on her jugular with slight difficulty, due to the chains that connect her wrist together, and swipes it straight across the length of her bruised neck.
Lucy gets the message loud and clear.
'You're dead.'
The blond man sitting next to his daughter scoffs at the young girl who dared to wreck his establishment. His eyes dart to the Celestial mage a few times as he straightens out his crisp suit.
He'll make sure she gets a proper punishment for all the damage she'd caused. Just thinking about all the jewels he'll have to spend on recreating some parts of his property makes his blood boil.
Thank God for insurance.
Black eyes count the number of unoccupied seats yet to be filled by the Council members. He feels a swell of honor that the magical authorities decided to come in the flesh instead of using holograms.
Of course, that is to be expected, considering all of their physical bodies reside within the walls of Era.
Just three are missing by the time the Rune Knights order for the captured Mage to turn to her authorities, which she doesn't, much to the irk of the military officers.
Lucy's squirming does not stop until she notices the slight change in her attacker's demeanor as the last of the Council members enter the room.
First one to step onto the lavish carpet is a small, elderly man. He seems quite cheerful; chatting rather enthusiastically away with a notably taller male who has a mop of bright, blue hair, half-covering his tattooed face.
Lucy silently, if not slightly ashamed, recognizes him as Siegrain Fernandes—one of the most eligible bachelors mentioned in one of her magazines.
Trailing right behind her two companions is a woman with dark, purple hair, straight bangs that framed her made-up face perfectly.
Angel's rounded eyes do not fasten on the tiny man, or the blue-haired male, who stares at her nevertheless. No, her gaze is locked onto the female that mirrored her exact expression. Shock is etched upon both of their faces, but the Council member reacts faster; she schools her facial features into a polite, neutral smile—fit for her role. Siegrain, too, leveled the powerless Stellar Mage with a calculating gaze before turning away from the woman altogether.
The blonde Celestial Mage does not miss the tiny interaction between the three Mages; her brown eyes shift from the restrained woman to the council members a few times, finding their reactions quite peculiar and odd.
The trio walk past her and the head of the Heartfilia Konzern without so much as a glance at their direction. The court falls into silence as the rest of the Council sits down on the first level of the podium in front of Angel, all in their respective armchairs.
Lucy tries to look around the interior of the court; anything to get her mind off of the fact that she'll have to talk in front of so many high-ranked people. Her chocolate eyes travel along the highly elaborated bas-reliefs adorning the square pillars on the frontal part of the first level podium, but the booming voice from the man on the second level breaks her musings.
''We will now start the mage trial,'' the chairman's voice bellows from the shadows.
If the court wasn't deadly silent before, it surely is now.
Lucy is afraid to even swallow the gathered saliva in her mouth, worrying that the sound would echo through the room.
''Defendant Sorano 'Angel' Agria–'' the frog-resembling humanoid read out in disdain, ''of Oracion Seis, please take the witness stand.''
This time, she turns to face the Magic Council without the guards telling her to do so. By the tension of her shoulders, the Stellar Mage could tell that she feels quite rigid.
''Concerning the assault of…'' The woman —or was it a man?—drowns on, reading the ink-printed words off of the piece of parchment. Lucy gulps then, as the accusations of various murders spitted out of the humanoid's mouth.
She heard of one already, though.
Karen Lilica—the previous owner of the newly-made friends of hers. According to the Lion spirit: Gemini, posing as one of Karen's guildmates, slipped poison into the lime-haired woman's drink when she wasn't looking.
Even her father becomes slightly uncomfortable as the list of committed crimes just doesn't seem to find an end. Lucy scans the different expressions on the Council members. Some of them look gleeful, wearing proud smirks at the prospect of capturing one of the members of the Balam Alliance.
(Oh, Lucy could only imagine how much information they'll try to pry out of her.)
While the others – the more elderly mages – seem solemn.
The conversations soon began to blur as the realization that she will have to give her own testimony gnaws at her resolve, making anxious butterflies flutter in the pit of her stomach. Under the invisible pressure, she finds her father's hand, tangling their fingers together. Jude glances at his daughter from the corner of his eyes as his own hand dampens from the wetness of her palm.
The longer he listens to the crimes of the Oracion Seis member being listed off, the more he couldn't believe Lucy's stroke of luck.
They didn't name her 'Lucky' Lucy for nothing, he supposes.
.
.
.
Blonde bangs hide her peering eyes as she looks up at her father's standing form from under her eyelashes. Lucy feels like the trial has been going on for long enough; even though not much time has passed since the start of it. It was already determined that her attacker would go straight to jail when her ruined boot had stepped into the court room, yet the Council seemed to drag this issue as long as they could.
Nervousness turned to irk quickly enough.
Just when she thought that this whole dilemma would soon be over, her father rose to his feet.
Every head turns to the owner of the Heartfilia Konzern, and with every pair of eyes straying to her, too, causes her to shrink back into the wooden bench she is seated on. As if the gazes have some kind of real pressure, her chocolate eyes close in a silent prayer.
Please, don't bring it u—
''I would like to request better security for my household," Jude says, tone forceful and self-entitled. At the same time, his heiress places her palm on her injured forehead.
Of course you had to bring it up, Lucy rues.
The court starts to flood in whispers as barely concealed incredulous stares from the Council meet the man's request. Angel, along with a select few from the podiums, scoff but restrain any comments.
''And why is that?'' An older man with a balding scalp, yet long hair inquires. Org, if Lucy recalls correctly, is his name. His words are met with a few sharp glares, her father's included.
''Because the men that you stationed in my residence couldn't even make it in time when they are called upon." He points his index finger at the crown of her head, making Lucy look up at him. ''My only heir could've died.''
The members of the Council look at one another warily from the row of seats they share, contemplating the man's words.
''And how did Sorano fall into custody if they didn't make it in time?'' Ultear, who hasn't spoken a single word during the length of the trial, challenges. She is much too inverted on the matter of one of the Oracion Seis members getting captured than some wealthy business man requiring manpower for his small imaginary kingdom.
Although, she knows that it isn't wise to set the walking wallet off. The Magic Council can get some profit from the units they could station around his house, after all.
Siegrain glances at the purple-haired woman, clearly seeing the gears in her head moving at an alarming rate. He puts his elbow o the table in front of him, placing half of his face in his palm, hiding the smirk that threatened to break out across his tattooed face.
This is all becoming amusing now.
He remembers how panicked Ultear had looked the moment the words had spluttered from the messenger's mouth. He was surprised at first – one of the Balam Alliance core members got captured, after all – then it all turned to amusement when the woman next to him threw a vase to the floor the moment they were out of praying eyes and ears.
'She'll ruin everything'. 'She'll blow our cover'.
The Arc of Time's Mage chanted the same sentences over and over again like a mantra.
Siegrain – or, more accurately speaking – Jellal, wasn't all that worried in comparison.
Even if the white-haired Mage opens her big mouth, even if she accuses them of the things they have actually done, who would believe a scum like her?
Of course, some of those old snots could start questioning the two of them and where their loyalties resided, but they have a clean enough slate up until now to let it slide or make up a quick intangible lie on the spot.
Like they usually do.
He glances down at the woman standing in front of the witness stand, her purple eyes never wavering from him or Ultear.
Siegrain narrows his dark eyes at this.
What does she expect them to do? Vote against her imprisonment?
If that is the case, then they should hand themselves in at this very moment. The blue-haired Mage couldn't understand the captured woman's logic whatsoever. Weren't Celestial mages supposed to be smarter than this? No wonder why they are nearly extinct. She looks back at him expectedly, but all he does in response is flicker his eyes to the old geezers sitting beside him in the row, signalling for her to drop her gaze or at least divert it to somewhere else.
Sorano grits her teeth together in barely concealed rage, not wanting to believe that this is the end of the line for her.
She doesn't want to admit—
''My daughter managed to vanquish her even before your troops arrived,'' The voice of Jude Heartfillia rings across the court, making another wave of barely hushed whispers wash over the court room.
—that that dumb, little blonde had managed to defeat her at her own game.
.
.
.
She can hear them—the comments flying around in quiet tones around the court.
Biting her bottom lip, she silently curses her father's need to always be in the centre of attention. She feels uncomfortable when she realizes the topic of everyone's conversation mainly revolving around her. Lucy hears the doubtful words of some people, but the Rune Knights who journeyed all this way to Era with them shoot the comments down in hushed voices.
''Oh?'' The blue-haired man drawls out, as if Jude just told him a bad joke. ''Your daughter is a mage? Or did she beat this poor girl up with a parasol?'' Siegrain inquires, mockery lilting his voice.
The blonde's hands clench into angry fists as the embarrassment she feels at that very moment fuels red color into her pale cheeks.
''Siegrain!'' An elderly woman scolds him, her long nose rising into a disapproving sneer at the man's immature words. The young man simply rolls his shoulders in dismay, scanning the blonde Celestial Mage with an analyzing eye.
She looks just as what he had described her—a proper lady.
Other than the rather large band aid on her covered forehead, that makes her look slightly wilder than she most likely is, she dons an expensive-looking gown filled with frill and lace.
The only thing that screams warrior—or at least Mage—from her general appearance is the bright fire burning in her glare, directed right towards him.
Lucy rises to her feet then, unable to contain her temper any longer. She thought that she'd be nervous if she had to talk with the magical authorities of her country. She thought she'd be able to act like a polite heir of the Heartfilia Konzern, just like her father wanted her to. She thought she'd never get her ego bruised on such proportions as all these skilled and experienced Mages laughed at the rather sexist joke of a man who didn't even know what she was capable of.
Clearly, she'd thought wrong this whole entire time.
''I am a Mage,'' Lucy verifies, pushing out her voice to make it sound stronger than it actually was, ''A Celestial Mage, at that," she pulls out the heavy key ring she keeps hidden in the sleeve of her dress. She smirks slightly as some of the Mages sitting on the podium marveled at the amount of keys she possessed at the moment. The different metals glint in the artificial light as Angel sneers at her hatefully before turning her gaze somewhere else as to not get electrocuted by a guard again.
''And, really, a parasol?'' The blonde questions as a smirk stretches across her face, ''I'd much rather prefer a whip." As the words left her mouth, Siegrain's blue eyebrows shoot up for a moment or two, his red tattoo stretching a bit as Ultear chuckles besides him.
Ah, that would explain the whip marks adorning Sorano's body quite noticeably.
A few of the Rune Knights wolf-whistle at her words before coughing up awkwardly when Reiji, a councilman who wore shaded glasses, steadies them with an intense glare. Jude Heartfilia looks slightly appalled by his daughter's inappropriate choice of words. He is about to comment, until a voice cuts him off before he could even utter a single syllable.
''8 golden keys, huh..'' Crawford Seam mumbles in his slightly booming voice, gathering everyone's attention, ''That's quite a lot. I do not recall the last time that a single Celestial mage had so many of them in their possession.'' He finally bites out, pinning the young Mage with a pointed stare, as if that is supposed to imply something.
She catches a few knowing, yet exaggerated eye rolls from the lower level podium, but chooses not to comment on it.
''We are getting strained from the task at hand." The bearded man gestures to the Oracion Seis' member, before turning his head back at the remaining Heartfilia family members. ''I'd be pleased to be graced by both of your presences after the trial.''
And with that, the commotion that both daughter and father had caused died down.
.
.
.
And just as she predicted it, the guards tightened the restrains on the white-haired woman, before dragging her down to the exit most—likely leading to one of their more secure cells. Lucy kind of feels bad as Angel's screeches resound from the staircases she is being led down to, but tries to brush it off.
She doesn't deserve her pity or anything akin to it after she tried to steal her spirits away from her.
The court room clears out little by little as the majority of the Rune Knights follow the wails of their new prisoner. The Magic Council, too, walks out almost one by one, some giving her and her father curious looks while some brushes them off like they aren't worth their time.
Lucy stares back at the tiny man who stays behind, recognizing him as the one who was talking to Ultear and Siegrain prior to the trial. She looks rather surprised when he starts walking towards them. She gives him a slightly awkward wave as he comes to stand before them. The man's eyebrows practically shielded his eyes, and Lucy starts to wonder if he can even see her small greeting or not.
''Jude and Lucy Heartfilia,'' he greets them with a curt nod, ''My name is Yajima, I'm the 6th seat of the Magic Council,'' he introduced himself. Lucy could hear the warmth in his voice, and her previously polite smile turns into something more similar to a grin.
''Yajima-san, nice to meet you! Is there something you need?'' The blonde asks curiously, leaning down slightly to get a better look at the man. Her father's stiff posture never seems to relax the whole time, yet he still manages a polite bow to the older of them two.
''As a matter of fact, I do," he starts, folding his tiny, wrinkled hands behind the small of his back, ''Our Chairman had some errands to run so he told me to make this proposition to you on his behalf." He explains as he turned his gaze—Lucy still isn't sure if he can actually see or not—to the empty second level of the podium. The two blondes follow his trail of sight before Jude clears his throat lightly.
''A proposition you say?'' The Stellar Mage looks down for a fraction of seconds, already all too familiar with that particular tone of voice. Yajima nods yet again as he glances up at them both.
''At this point of time, I'm lacking an assistant who would help me out. I'm afraid these frail wrist are going to crack if I continue to do all this paperwork by myself." To make his point across, he rubs his limbs soothingly while keeping his eyes on the young Heartfilia heiress. ''Between you and me, our Chairman has a good eye for talent, and Lucy-san seemed to have caught his attention.''
The blonde swallows, already figuring out what he is about to say next.
''So, he proposes that you would become my assistant here in the Magic Council." The little man finishes, staring expectantly at the blonde Celestial Mage.
Lucy's mind whirls at the images of her doing paperwork day in and day out, making an unnoticeable shudder run past her spine.
She has a feeling that Seam wants her just for her keys, but that's how it goes here, right? Only the most special and/or talented people get picked up to join the council. And, assistant? She has no experience and doesn't know the magical protocol, just the basic rules she – and every other wizard of the light – is wary to break. Something really doesn't add up.
''N-''
''Of course she'd love to!'' The blonde's head whips to the side as she stares, shell-shocked, at her father's gleeful face.
She knows that glint in his dark eyes.
He is selling her out.
She couldn't believe her ears.
After the span of a few days, her hope in their little family was starting to build up again. Yet with those few single words, that hope shattered like glass.
Of course he'd agree to it. This is almost as beneficial as marriage to him.
Lucy Heartfilia, the Magic Council member.
Who'd dare mess with Jude now that his little daughter is at the top of the magical community's food chain?
She should have known this would happen.
Her eyes brim with unshed tears as her thoughts keep racing through her head.
She doesn't even notice that the small man is still waiting for her agreement to the offer.
And you know what?
She'll take it.
For the past few years, the prospect of running away seemed more appealing as each passing day flew by.
Her rich heiress status wouldn't take her that far in here—and that is more than alright with her. She'd be her own person – no longer Lucy ''Lucky'' Heartfilia – just Lucy. Somehow, the drop of those last two titles make the invisible weight on her shoulders vanish into thin air.
She feels free, in a sense.
The most free she'll ever be.
''I'd love to,'' the blonde says, plastering a tight-lipped smile on her face. Yajima notices the girl's hesitance, but decides not to comment further as he leads the two into the spacious hallway.
.
.
.