Tomb Of Time And Destiny: A Fairy Tail Fanfic

Part Twenty-Four

Juvia POV

The games went on for another couple of hours, but Lucy and Levy’s dramatic victory was all people really talked about. The games wrapped up with a pretty speech from Simon, who honored us again for our bravery and heroism. I tried to leave afterwards, hoping to return to my room to lie down and pray this ache in my stomach would pass, maybe even get a few minutes of sleep in, but the people wouldn’t hear of it. I was carried on my lounge into the Great Hall and put in the center of the room. A cup of wine was placed into my hand, and a plate of grapes set beside me. Erza, Lucy, and Levy tried their best to stay as close to me as possible, but they were constantly drawn into conversations and introductions with other people that were eager to meet the heroes of Fairy Tail.

The doctor was there then, with us.

“How is your pain, Miss?” He bent and took my wrist in his small hand, feeling for my pulse.

“Juvia no longer feels any pain from her wound,” I said. I gestured for him to lean closer. “But Juvia believes that the medicine is upsetting Juvia’s stomach.”

He frowned and rose. “Impossible. I’ve never had a patient who had a reaction like that. Have you been eating?”

“A little.”

“Clearly, not enough. Do you have pain now?”

“Just a bit,” I said, trying to process his reaction. Why was he so defensive? Because I was younger? A woman? Questioning him?

“Take another dose now,” he instructed more nicely, handing me the flask. “Another at bedtime, and so on.” He reached into his bag and pulled out the small packet of powder he’d sprinkled on my wound earlier. “Tonight, before you go to bed, have your sister administer some of this, and sleep with it open, to the air.”

I nodded, puzzled. It sounded as if he was leaving. Did he not intended to remain nearby? Didn’t he promise that he would be available?

“I need to go. I have to visit another family not far from here.” He gave me a stern look. “You will take your medications as instructed?”

“Yes,” I said. A part of me was glad. He was weird. He made me nervous. Like he could hear my thoughts or something.

He waited, and I realized he wanted to see me take my next dose in front of him. Obediently, I took a swig, making it look like a bigger mouthful than it was.

Satisfied, he nodded once and moved out through the crowd. By the door, I saw him stop to speak with Bora, receive something and pocket it, then exit through the tall doors. Was this Carmen's family doing? Did they send him on to a new patient just to leave me behind?

I shook the idea out of my mind and lifted my gaze to the room.

My attention was caught by a woman in a fine tapestry gown, her hair in an elaborate headdress, as she stopped in the center of the room. The crowd took their seats, and wine was passed around. The woman folded her hands, held them slightly away from her body, and began to sing without accompaniment, perfectly on pitch.

She sang of love, loss, victory. She captured the attention of everyone in the room. When her last note rose and rose and rose, a shiver ran down my neck and I was half worried the mirrors were going to break.

I wished I could turn and see Gray, see how this singer affected him, but I couldn’t. Gray, Simon, and the others were behind me, at the table with Carmen and Ava’s family and the other nobles. To turn and catch his eye then would’ve been seen by all. Besides, he had no feelings for me. That much was obvious.

And I was with my sisters now. We have to leave soon. Every hour we stay only brings more angst.

I shifted, glad that the small dose of medicine was dulling my pain, but feeling a rolling wave of nausea came over me again. Only worse. Much, much, worse this time.