A/N: Thank you so much for the readers who followed and faved the story and the warm reviews. It means a lot to me. Happy reading. I hope you'll enjoy this update!
Back at her house, Irene gently laid Erza on a soft cushion and retrieved a small jar of ointment from her cabinet. She knelt beside Erza and saw the child's knees scraped and bruised.
"This might sting a little," Irene said softly, trying to reassure Erza as she carefully applied the ointment to her wounds.
Erza winced slightly but remained still. Irene shook her head in surrender. She wants to use her magic and shrink the abrasion, but she doesn't want to shock the child with her prowess in magic.
"That's fine," she said after dressing the wounds.
Seeing her groggy figure, she gently lifted her and carried her to her bed. She laid Erza down, pulled the soft blanket to her chin, and tucked her snugly. Irene sat beside the bed and watched the little girl's breathing become slow and steady. She was about to leave the child when she heard her murmur in her sleep.
"Thank you for… not abandoning me, Irene,"
Irene paused in her tracks as the words struck her deeply. She felt a bitter taste in her mouth as she looked back and saw her unconscious sleeping form. How can a child blabber such things? She wasn't sure whether she was pissed with the thought of feeling a burning sensation in her eyes or was the child's candidness that caught her off guard that made her heartache. She could barely imagine Erza's terror, believing she had been left alone again.
With that, Irene settled back into her chair, watching her peaceful form sleep. It was the first time in a long while that Irene had felt a profound terror of losing someone in her life. It scares her for a fact that that growing feeling of attachment might bind her to the child, which may peril her to her destruction.
One week later
After traveling for five days straight, Irene sighed as she could finally see a familiar landscape clothed in white. They sat together in a train compartment, and the rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the tracks echoed in their journey. The air was crisp as winter as Irene had wrapped a thick, warm cloth around Erza's neck to keep her snug. Erza clutched her lap, her wide eyes taking in the scenery that rushed past the window.
"Is it too tight?" Irene asked, adjusting the scarf with a gentle touch.
Erza shook her head, a smile on her face. "No, it's perfect. Thank you, Lady Irene."
"Are we almost there?" she further asked before looking back at her.
"Yes, Erza. We should be arriving soon." Irene smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from Erza's face.
"I can't wait." She replied before looking back to the window.
As the train began to slow down, signaling their arrival to Stella, Irene lifted the child into her arms as they disembarked from the train. After making their way through the bustling crowd, they were greeted by familiar faces waiting at the platform's edge. Heine and Juliet stood there and waved their hand but were soon replaced by surprise when the child's face came into their view.
"Lady Irene!" Juliet exclaimed, striding forward.
"It's so good to see you, Lady Irene, but..." Heine said, trailing her gaze to the shy child.
"This is Erza," she said softly, shifting the child slightly in her arms so they could see her better.
"Erza, that's Heine and Juliet, my former students."
"Hi," she said.
Erza sheepishly bowed and greeted them but retreated to Irene's refuge as she wrapped her arms around her neck, seemingly uncomfortable with the new faces. Irene smiled and seemed contented about her behavior, further puzzling the two.
"Am I seeing things?" both of them asked in unison through telepathy.
Inside the cozy magic carriage, Erza sat comfortably on Irene's lap as she suggested, her small hands gripping the edges of Irene's cloak. Juliet leaned forward slightly to Erza's gaze.
"My name is Juliet, Juliet Sun. It's nice meeting you, Erza," she said softly, making her look up at her face.
"Hi, I'm Erza. It's nice to meet you, Lady Juliet."
"Oh, please excuse the lady. I'm not that notable for such a title." Juliet shook her head as she chuckled at the child's response.
"Just Juliet," she added before extending her hand to the child.
Erza blinked twice before beaming and accepting her hand. She is just as warm as her last name. She thought as she felt her slightly calloused hands against her small ones.
"That's Heine," Juliet said, pointing to the lady beside her spacing out in the window. "Although she might be too grumpy at times," Juliet whispered, making Erza chuckle.
Heine bowed her head as she greeted Erza. Considering Irene's reputation, she was still determining if it was the best idea to bring the child into Stella. She blankly stared out the window, seeing the kingdom in a distance. They could've used the magic scroll to take them to the palace, but Juliet insisted on using the magic carriage not to shock the child before her. What is so special about the child that doesn't even have the potential to wield any mana in her life force? She asked herself as she glanced back at the scarlet-haired child.
"Lady Irene told me a lot about you~" Juliet continued as the child started to engage in their conversation.
Seeing Irene smile in the corner made Heine wonder. It was the first time she had seen Irene act this way. Maybe she's fond of her because of their striking resemblance. She thought to herself, seeing Erza as Irene's younger self.
"We've arrived," the coachman said.
As the carriage came to a gentle halt and the door was opened, Irene carefully disembarked, carrying Erza in her arms. The little girl's eyes widened in awe as she saw a group of knights assembled before them, their armor gleaming despite the cold winter. The knights stood in a neat formation, awaiting Irene's arrival. Erza's grip on Irene's cloak tightened slightly as she watched the knights. Upon noticing the child's presence, they exchanged brief glances of surprise but quickly returned their focus to Irene and greeted her.
"Greetings to the esteemed sage of the Scarlet Moon," they greeted as they passed before them.
As they made their way through the formation of knights, Erza's eyes widened with new wonder. She turned to face Irene and saw a faint frown painted on her face. She had heard stories of powerful sages but had never imagined that Irene was one of them. Lady Irene is a powerful mage? And on top of that, a sage? She blinked in disbelief. Sages are powerful sorcerers who have achieved the highest forms of magic cultivation, resulting in their ability to stop the aging of the normal human body. In simpler terms, they are semi-immortals.
"I greet the sage of the Scarlet Moon," a familiar figure greeted.
"Invel," she coldly replied.
Irene's discomfort was immediate and palpable as she lowered the child from her arms. Juliet, noticing the sudden change in her master's demeanor, quickly stepped in.
"Erza, why don't you come with me?" she suggested gently, reaching out her hand to the child.
"I'll show you to your new quarters," she added as Erza stared at Irene.
Erza looked up at Irene, noticing the child's concerned gaze; she smiled and asked her to follow Juliet. "Go with Juliet. Make sure to change to something more comfortable, okay?" she asked before tousling the scarlet-haired child's hair, which made her blush.
Erza nodded and allowed Juliet to take her hand. The white-haired man before them raised his head slightly. "Lady Irene," he greeted once more.
"Didn't I tell you not to hold these fancy greetings, Invel?"
"As much as I wanted to oblige the Queen, Her Majesty was elated with the news of your return after 10 years." He commented as he led her to the Queen's quarters.
She was immediately enveloped in a warm embrace as he opened the door to the queen's chambers. Anna Heartfilia, the queen, beamed as her arms wrapped tightly around Irene.
"What kind of trivialities are these, Anna?" Irene asked.
"I've missed you so much! It's been far too long since we've seen each other. Oh, where's the child?" she asked, searching for a smaller mortal around her friend.
"In my quarters," she said nonchalantly.
"How can you not let me see your daughter?" she asked, pouting her cheeks, seeming pissed about Irene's actions.
"Daughter? She is not my daughter. Besides, is that a proper etiquette for a queen to have? What would your courtiers say if they saw you now?"
"Let them say what they will," she replied, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"What do you mean she's not your daughter?" Anna asked.
Irene shook her head, unable to suppress her disbelief. "A daughter out of the blue? Do you see me as a whore?" she asked as she took a sip of the tea she offered.
"I didn't say that, but what kind of news is this? Are you tagging a child along?" She cocked her head in disbelief.
"Indeed, but she's merely an acquaintance. A street orphan who clung to my feet when I found her dying on the beach," Irene stated plainly.
"You took pity on her and tended her because of what?"
"I don't know either. It just happened and I realized the child had already followed me around." Irene added, watching the Queen sit on her chair.
"How will you explain that to the nobles of the empire? How will they believe that the sage had brought a child that she took pity on the street?" Anna asked, concerned about the possible drawback her actions could cause to her reputation.
"Just as you stated, let them say what they wanted. I wouldn't mind at all," Irene emphasized.
"But if the news reaches him, how will you explain it to the archmage, then? Will he really believe your excuses knowing fully well that they said that the child somehow has an uncanny resemblance to you." Anna further prodded upon seeing the child from a distance.
"Isn't he away until the next decade?" Irene paused, looking at her reflection through the glass.
"I'll just need to educate the child here, and I will return her when she's older to her village," Irene said, seemingly unbothered by the thought of parting ways with the child.
Back in their quarters, Juliet knelt before Erza, carefully fastening the last button on the child's white sleeping garments. The soft fabric contrasted beautifully with Erza's red shoulder-length hair, and Juliet couldn't help but smile at the sight.
"You look absolutely adorable, Erza," Juliet praised.
Erza blushed slightly, her shyness returning under Juliet's kind gaze.
"Thank you, Miss Juliet," she mumbled, glancing down at her feet.
Juliet chuckled softly, reaching out to gently lift Erza's chin so their eyes met.
"Juliet, didn't I tell you to call me by my name? You don't need to be so shy, Erza."
Erza nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. Juliet stood up and guided Erza to the bedroom where Heine was reading a book. As Erza settled into the soft bed, she looked at Heine, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Do you want to read it?" Heine asked, lending the book to Erza's hands.
Erza shook her head vehemently, embarrassed by the thought of accepting the book. "I don't know how to read," she blurted, making Heine widen her eyes.
"How old are you?" she asked, making Erza fumble her fingers.
"I don't know, but I survived five winters, as far as I can remember," Erza said as she looked at Juliet on the other side, rummaging something in the drawer.
"If that's the case, I need to call someone to ascertain your age," Heine said as she stood up.
"You're embarrassing her, Heine. I can read the book for you if you want to, Erza," Juliet offered as she sat beside her, offering to comb her hair.
"Um, I'm alright Juliet. Do you know when Lady Irene will be back?" she asked as she felt her running the comb in her hair.
"I'm not sure about that; the Queen often talks with Lady Irene about some important matters; it might take a while though," Juliet said.
Noticing Erza's downcast look, she diverted her attention as she thought of a good idea. She smiled, seeing Erza's vibrant hair color. Lady Irene wouldn't get mad at me for playing with Erza, will she? Juliet thought to herself, exhilarated with the thought of her idea.
"Erza," Juliet began, her tone light and playful, "you have such beautiful hair. Would it be okay if I tried something fun with it? Maybe make it a bit longer and style it differently?"
Erza looked up at Juliet, her eyes filled with curiosity. "You can make my hair longer?" she asked with a hint of excitement in her voice.
"Yes, I can. It's a little bit of magic. It won't hurt at all, and we can always change it back if you don't like it." She reassured as she used her magic to bring the mirror close.
Erza beamed, seeing Juliet use her magic. Although she hesitated for a moment, once she saw Juliet's excited face on her reflection in the mirror, she nodded eagerly.
"That sounds fun!" she exclaimed, making Juliet clasped her hand in delight.
As Juliet's fingers wove softly through Erza's locks, it glowed, and slowly, it began to lengthen, cascading down her back in a wave of fiery red. Erza watched in amazement as her hair grew, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Wow!" she exclaimed, reaching up to touch her newly lengthened hair.
"You look beautiful Lady Erza," Juliet said before she deftly braided sections of Erza's hair, weaving intricate patterns and adding small, magical flowers she had created. When she was finished, Erza's hair looked like something out of a fairy tale and strangely familiar to her sight.
"It's beautiful just like Lady Irene's hair!" Erza said, looking at her reflection.
After a while, the door opened to reveal Heine, accompanied by a green-haired man who stepped in hesitantly. As soon as his eyes landed on Erza, his expression shifted to one of utter shock.
"Erza, this is Neinhart. If you let him, he can ascertain your age based on his calculations." Heine said, proud of herself about the possibility of knowing the child's age.
Nienhart remained silent; his gaze remained fixed on the child. He seemed momentarily lost for words, his eyes wide as he stared at Erza.
"She... she looks so much like Lady Irene," he finally managed to say, his voice tinged with disbelief. "It's as if I'm seeing her younger self."
Erza, sensing the intensity of his gaze, shifted her gaze to Juliet, shying away from him again. Juliet placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled gently.
"It's alright, Erza. Neinhart is just surprised to see you as beautiful as this. Doesn't my baby look like an angel who had magically appeared on earth?" she asked as she gently pushed the child forward for her to meet him.
Neinhart stepped closer, looking down, trying to ensure no harm to the child. After convincing her to let Neinhart touch her hand for the examination, she extended her right hand. Heine told him to be gentle, and he began to examine her. A few seconds after closing his eyes, he was even more dumbfounded than before, puzzled by the adults in the room.
"She's seven years old," he said, stepping back.
"Seven? Isn't she smaller than most seven years old in the empire?" Juliet asked, worried about her stunted growth.
"How is that possible?" Heine asked in confusion.
"Are you implying that a child can be this eloquent at this age?" she asked, remembering how most of the children her age behaved.
"The child is indeed special," Neinhart stated.
As the conversation paused, the room door opened again, and all eyes turned to see who had entered. The room fell silent as Queen Anna herself stepped inside the quarters with their master, Irene.
Juliet, Heine, and Neinhart immediately rose to their feet, bowing deeply in respect. Erza, noticing the adults' actions, quickly followed suit, doing her best to imitate their respectful gestures. She bowed her head, her small form trying to balance herself against the soft sheets of the bed.
"Your Majesty," they greeted in unison.
She struggled and later felt herself stumbling to the sheet before she realized her surroundings had changed and she was in Irene's arms, near the Queen.
"Good heavens!" Anna exclaimed as she saw the child closer.
Her eyes widened, and she took a step closer, her gaze fixed on Erza. Her long braided hair mimics Irene's thickly braided locks. My eyes were not playing tricks on me when I saw them from afar. The uncanny resemblance between Irene and this child is extraordinary.
"Your Majesty, this is Erza," she said softly.
Erza bowed again, greeting the Queen. Anna approached them, her eyes studying Erza closely. "It's as if I'm seeing a reflection of you, Irene," she murmured. "The likeness is uncanny."
"Hello, Your Majesty," she said in a small voice.
Anna's expression turned to laughter upon hearing her talk.
"She can't be your daughter for sure; my little scarlet is far too adorable to be the daughter of my that monstrous sage of the Scarlet Moon." Anna laughed as she patted Erza's head, making her blush.
"Should I take that as a compliment?" Irene asked, making everyone choke their laughter.
In the coldest mountains, nestled within a grand, ancient fortress, a letter arrived, its paper crisp and slightly frosted from the journey. The recipient, a silver-haired man with long, elegant hair and piercing ebony eyes, sat in a grand chamber surrounded by books about ancient magic.
He cleared his throat as he read the letter; his servant stood by, observing his master's reaction. No emotions painted across his stoic face, but his servant winched as he crushed the paper in his hands.
"After all this time... You did come back to the kingdom, and with a child on top of that?"
A/N: Thank you for reading. Kindly leave reviews!