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Taking a few deep breath as an attempt to calm her nerves to meet people, Rae insecurely pulled her sleeves and hugged her cardigan tightly around her frail body—given by Yukino to hide her bruises. Her legs were still sore and weak to walk but she tried to hold on, after all she couldn't just stay in that room, she had to gain information about this world. There were many questions lingering in her head and to be honest, she didn't really trust Sting and others yet. It's normal for her to be distant since she hadn't had human interaction for months.
Before this, she was all alone in that wood, just the sounds of demons and blood slurping accompanied her every second and if she was lucky enough, she would hear birds chirping sometimes. Those abstracts kept her sane and the ring on her finger encouraged her to hold on. Talking about that, earlier she just realized that there was another ring inside it. It was hidden in the ruby and it can be seen only if it was exposed to sunlight. She didn't know how did she get such beautiful jewelry but, her heart felt warmth whenever her eyes saw that glistening piece.
Her blonde hair was tied in a bun and she had to hold onto the wall to keep walking. Her ears could catch unfamiliar voices coming from outside, it was loud and obviously it was strange for her. She didn't know what they were talking about but she was sure they were saying her name earlier. Seemed like those people really knew her, perhaps they might know her family as well. She wondered if they could take her home if she had one. Her daughter, she still couldn't believe she had a daughter. Did she get married at young age?
"Oh, Rae-chan, what are you doing here? You should be resting—" Sorano who was just passing by to go to the kitchen found her leaning against the wall, maybe Rae was just taking a short rest. The silver eyed girl smiled, saying she was just on her way to go downstairs, it was natural for her to go and meet people who had saved her. Seeing her wasn't going to her room even after telling her to, Sorano eventually giggled, she really missed Rae King, that stubbornness of hers never changed and it felt like a few years ago when they lived together during the disbandment of Fairy Tail.
Sorano lent her hand to usher her downstairs and as if the air suddenly turned cold because of winter, everyone in the hall automatically froze on respectively spot once they saw 'the should be dead Rae King' walking down the stairs. It was still unbearable for them to completely interpret the situation since everyone in Fiore knew, Rae King was dead in the incident last year, she died in honor, at least that's what the public had been told. Her steps stopped as many eyes were staring at her and she didn't really adore that feeling.
As if Rogue could sense her uneasiness, his eyes immediately flickered to others, silently telling them to settle down to make her feel less scared while Sting and Minerva quickly rushed to her, asking if she needed anything. Rae softened her eyes, feeling grateful for their concern however, she had a small wish. It had been a day since the Dragon Slayers found her. Yesterday, she was spoiled by the girls as they frequently visited her to check on her, Yukino even offered to feed her and Rae would ask her about this world.
Right now, she's in Fiore, a kingdom where most people had magic power and she's currently at a guild called Sabertooth which Sting was the guildmaster. Rae knew she had no magic, even Minerva said something about not sensing any magic mana in her body even though, the old Rae King was supposed to be the strongest mage in Fiore. Rae couldn't believe she was once the strongest but the girls especially Sorano refused to let her feel down. Sorano told her many stories of the Dark Enchantress, an alias Rae went by before. However, Rae was still doubting about it.
"Thank you for saving my life." Rae bowed to everyone, surprising the crowd.
To think the Dark Enchantress would bow to mere mages was absolutely mind-blowing and Sting was flustered, he seemed to be panicking a little. "Rae—Rae-chan, you don't have to—" The girl shook her head. If both of them didn't rush to treat her wounds, she might have died alone there, she had troubled them enough. Although they said they were once her friends, Rae felt really bad for burdening them. They gave her food, clothes, medicines—she couldn't pay them enough.
"Don't worry too much." Minerva placed a hand on her shoulder. "I was wrong to you and your family many times before, this is nothing."
Rae looked down on her bandaged hands. "You are a nice person, why would you do wrong to me—"
The dark haired girl chuckled. "Those are stories for another time alright? But we've been meaning to ask, how did you end up like that? What happened to you?"
Yukino pulled a chair for her and Rae stared at everyone's face, trying to interpret something from their expressions. At the same time, she was conflicted whether she should tell them or not, her trust issue was still clenching her heart but her instinct told her it was alright for her to talk about it. Although it had been only a day, she could see they were truly sincere. And Sorano—now, she was hissing at everyone who's trying to approach Rae, her hands wrapped around her body and Rae was thankful for that.
"I—I don't really remember much, I was trapped in this forest alone for months?" They heard her talking about demonlike creatures taking her blood every day and as if things were normal to her, she couldn't even die after many days of starvation and without water. Her life was hell for months until one day, there were troops capturing her and taking her to somewhere else. "I couldn't understand their language, but I know it is a language I have heard before. They knocked me out and once I woke up, there was a fight."
"A fight?" Lector, the exceed asked.
Rae nodded. "There were other people there. They fought this devil some kind of monster." Her eyes looked at Rogue. "Haruka—that girl, she was there with them."
"They?" Yukino gasped. "Could it be they were there to save Rae-san?"
"Then, seems like Fairy Tail already knows she is alive." A man wearing a fedora hat stated.
Then, something snapped in her head once he mentioned those two words as if her brain was electrocuted, alerting everyone. Her hands immediate reached upwards to her head, she didn't know why that sharp pain happened, her only guess was those words were meaningful to her. She could hear incoherent voices surround her yet she only focused on the voices in her mind. There's someone calling for her sister yet there's no image of her appeared. "Fairy Tail? What's that?"
Her lips let out groans but as soon as her eyes landed on a strange mark on the back of her hand, the pain suddenly eased but it was still there. "What is this? What is this mark?" Of course she had tried washing it off with water before, but it didn't come off. Was it a tattoo? She didn't know. But she had seen Sting and others also had marks on them, but they were different than hers. "I—I remember seeing this somewhere." But where? Rae didn't remember it clearly.
"Rae-chan, it's a guild mark. We all have it on us." Yukino gently grasped her hands in hers to calm her down as she noticed her getting restless. Lector and Frosch later showed Rae their proud Sabertooth mark and Rae was confused.
"I'm in a guild?"
"Frosch thinks so too!"
"Don't think so, Frosch. She's in a guild." Lector rolled his eyes.
Sting grinned at their interaction and nodded his head to Rae. Though, he had mixed feelings to tell her about it, he was afraid if the news would be too much for her to handle. But he knew, Rae had every right to know the truth. "That mark, on your hand is a mark of Fairy Tail's. You are a Fairy Tail mage." He stopped to see her reaction and surprisingly, she's taking it well. Well, shocked face of hers was still considered as normal reaction and Sting continued. "Fairy Tail is your family, Rae-chan. It's a place where you grew up, I believe."
The poor girl felt a sudden bliss in her heart. "I have a family? Then, those people back then—they were trying to take me home." It clicked her right away, that's why that blonde girl was screaming 'nee-san' with such undescribable pain in her crack voice. That girl was her baby sister. Home, she never believed she had a place to call home. It was a foreign feeling for her but she felt nice. Hearing that from him and others, Rae now was more confident on her decision. If her family was now searching for her, then she should try her best to remember them. "Everyone, I'm sorry for troubling you but I have one more request."
Orga, the big guy laughed. "Tell us, lady, trust me, it's an honor to serve the Chairwoman of Magic Council."
"The what now?" She was taken back. Was she mistaken or did she just hear him saying she was the Chairwoman? Was she that powerful?
Rogue sighed. "Don't mind him for now." He crossed his arms and tilted his head, signaling her to continue.
Rae nodded unsurely. "I'm sure you have matters to be done but I would like to stay here for a while."
"You're not going home?" Sting quickly leaned forward, almost falling on his face when his elbow slipped on the table. His tone sounded happy though. Then, once he noticed weird looks from the girls, the master of Sabertooth regained his cool and straightened his back. "Go on." His voice had a 180° turn, it sounded deeper and raspier. Rae talked about how she's going to work there, helping them with the kitchen and cleaning as a payback for their kindness. She would do anything for them, she just needed more time to process things in her head.
"I will help you with paperwork, anything, I will help you with anything. Just let me stay here for a week."
"But why? Shouldn't you quickly head home? They must be looking for you?" Minerva asked.
Rae pressed her lips together. "I know I should but, I don't think I have enough courage to meet them now." Her fingers dug into her cardigan. "I don't think I want to see their frustrated faces when I tell them, I don't remember any of them. I don't want to hurt them—"
Yukino shook her head. "They won't, Rae-san, they love you too much. They are worried about you—"
"That's the problem. If they really love me just like you told me, it would hurt them even more when I can't talk to them like I used to before. You told me, I have a daughter—I can't even remember her face, I don't even remember their names, how am I supposed to face them?" There were tears in her eyes and Sorano knew, Rae King was indeed that person, the type that would selflessly prioritize others' feelings before hers. Rae simply didn't want to disappoint her family. "Please, just let me stay here for one week, meanwhile, you can tell me about them more. I promise I will do the cleaning, cooking—I will work for this."
"Rae-san—"
The blonde girl jolted up and did a 90° bow desperately. She didn't care about the work she had to do later, all she wanted was time. "Please—just let me stay here." Her hands gripped each side of her long dress, desperately begging for their final words. She didn't think she could meet her family in that state, if it were her, she would be heartbroken to know one of her family member forget about her. Although one week might not be enough for her to gather all information, but she could try her best.
"I told you earlier to not bow your head, Rae-chan." Sting's loud and cheery voice made its way to her ears and Rae found herself lifting her head slowly when his fingers touched her chin. "Of course you can stay here. You are welcomed here anytime you want and how long you wish for. Sabertooth is a home for you too, Rae-chan."
"Yeah!"
"Frosch thinks so too!"
"You heard the master, everyone." Rogue tightened his ponytail. "Seems like we will be having a banquet tonight to celebrate our new family member." He turned to her with a side smile with roars and cheers from other in the back.
Rae bit her lower lip and closed her eyes tightly while lowering her head down to wipe her tears with her sleeves. "Thank you—thank you, everyone." A small laugh broke out as Sorano bumped her shoulder with hers in order to cheer her up and Sting immediately demanded no one to hold a eating contest. Seeing such lively scene with everyone was smiling from ear to ear made her wonder if her family, Fairy Tail liked to have parties like them as well. It must feel so good to have a family and home.
"Thank you. Thank you, everyone."
"Blaire Dragneel or Rae King, whatever the name you go now, I will find you and soon, you will be perished in order to attain a world of white. It's a shame that your husband is no longer here however, your death is enough for both of you."
7/9/21
hi :)