My Scarlet Rose (A Jerza Fanfic)

Chapter 9 - No Escape

"Would you like some tea, Mr. Fernandes?" Jefferson, the butler, asked. When Jellal was told to come willingly, this isn't what he imagined. Instead of being tortured, he was being pampered. He was given his own room; Jefferson brought him breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and he was given anything that was requested of him. "Um, n-no thank you." Jellal replied and dismissed the butler. He still wasn't use to the royal treatment. In fact, he didn't even think of himself as the royal type. Having people serve him wasn't his style. The fancy food wasn't his style. None of this was his style. But he did it to protect his friends. Or at least that's what he thought.

"Good day, Jellal." Rick greeted as he entered Jellal's room. "The boss asked me to come check on you." He added. "I'm fine." Jellal informed. Jellal just wanted to be left alone. Well, he actually wanted to leave this place and get back to Crime Sorcière. However, this "boss" wanted him to stay even though he had never met the guy. Something was going on here. Jellal knew it. "If you say so. I'll go check on the others." Rick said, turning to leave.

"Others?" Jellal panicked. Surely it wasn't . . . "Your friends, sir." Rick looked at Jellal through the corner of his eye.

"They're still here! It's been three weeks! You said-"

"Yes I know what I said. I said that I wouldn't hurt them. I said nothing about freeing them."

"Where are they?"

"Alive."

This was bad. True, Rick said nothing about letting everyone go free, but Jellal couldn't let his friends stay trapped in here. Especially, Erza. It was like the tower all over again. Unless, they were getting the same treatment that he was. "Are they being taken care of?" Jellal asked.

"Pardon?"

"My friends. Are they being treated well?"

Rick stared at Jellal for a moment. He can't be serious, he thought. "I suppose you want the truth." He sighed and Jellal nodded. "All of your friends are in a cell in the dungeon. They can't use magic in the cell so they can't escape. However, one of your friends was never placed in the dungeon. We put her in solitary confinement in order to keep you well behaved."

"Solitary Confinement? Wait, it isn't-"

"I'm afraid so. Ms. Erza Scarlet is under our constant watch."

"Why? Just let her go!"

"If you behave, she will remain alive."

"Why are you doing this, Rick?"

"Orders, sir."

With that, Rick left. Jellal was left to sink in his own thoughts. What was he suppose to do now? He had to get his friends out of this place. From the sound of it, they weren't getting the same special treatment that he was getting. As the sun set and the moon rose, Jellal quietly snuck out of his room in search of his friends.

He walked up and down the hallway before going downstairs. Maybe I should go outside and go around back, he thought. And that's exactly what he did. He opened the front door and walked through it only to be brought back to his room. "What the-" he trailed off, caught off guard by what just happened. "You can't leave, Jellal." Rick said from the doorway. "Release Erza and my friends." Jellal demanded.

"Afraid I can't do that." Rick shrugged.

"Why?"

"Think about it. If I let them go, they'll only come back to rescue you. And you must stay here."

Rick had a point, but that didn't mean that Jellal was gonna stop trying. Eventually, he was going to leave. He had a mission to complete. Defeat Zeref. Besides, who was this person that wanted Jellal here so badly? Someone he knew? An enemy of the past? "Who is your boss?" Jellal asked.

"I cannot disclose such information."

"Please, Rick. I only want to speak with him."

Rick raised an eyebrow at Jellal's remark, but shrugged it off. "I'll see what I can do." He said after clearing his throat.