Save a Flower (TBA)

Chapter 1: Finally Answered

It's been almost three months since I sent my job request to all the wizard guilds. I went through the mail as I usually do, my heart full of hope, looking to see if anybody, from any guild had answered, to no avail. My heart had silently fallen. Perhaps I asked for too much? Perhaps I didn't tell enough? Perhaps I didn't offer enough? Perhaps I should just cancel it, I thought as I walked up to my door.

"Rose!" I heard my name called out as I grabbed the handle. I turned to the source. It was Mrs. Jeeves. She had run all the way down the street holding something I couldn't quite see. It was probably a recipe for me to make for my parents. She would often bring us recipes. The twice baked chocolate chip cookie recipe she gave us was well thought of. I had managed to get a small piece of one when Mother and Father weren't looking.

"Hello Mrs. Jeeves. Is this another recipe?" I asked beginning to gesture towards whatever was in her hand, stopping myself aburptly. She stopped by my door and looked at it once more. I could see the flap of an envelope and a red seal. I couldn't see any details on it.

"No Rose," she said, staring intently at it, "You know some very important people," she offered the letter to me front up. I could now see that it was a letter to me. I double and triple checked. Rose Foudua in Clover, Fiore. I looked at the return address. It said Fairy Tail. I carefully took the letter out of her hands and put it in my pocket, making sure my parents weren't watching.

"Rose, are you positive you want to go through with this? You can't visit me or your brother ever again," she whispered in a low voice. Mrs. Jeeves was one of the two people I trusted. The other being my older brother.

"I can send you mail and both of you can visit me wherever I end up. My parents are bound to be suspicious at this point. I need to go." I opened the door, gave Mrs. Jeeves on last look, who was more of a mother then mine ever was, then turned to face punishment.

Luckily, it was mild. They only had me wash all the dishes in the house three times in a row, whether they were clean or not. When I finally got some time alone, I went to my corner of the attic that served as my bedroom and levitated the letter out of my pocket, comforted by the silver light of the circle that appeared whenever I used my magic.

I only used my magic there because floor boards had a tendency to creak when stepped on, so I would hear if Mother or Father tried to approach me. I lifted the seal with one hand, keeping the other flat to hold the envelope with my magic.I pulled the letter out, and moved my arm to place the envelope in the small hole in the ceiling. I could magically move any solid non-animal object almost anywhere and control the intensity, all I needed to do was keep my hand flat.

Before I could read what it said, I heard creaking. I stuffed the letter down the blouse of my dress, then went to see what they requested. Mother required I draw a bath with the tub filled to 23 1/2 inches below the upper rim with three pumps of lavender soap and 2 1/2 pumps of jasmine soap. She told me that while she bathed, I was to fetch her a dress to wear. I chose a mid- to deep-red floor length dress with a slit up to mid-thigh. It had one full arm and was skin tight down to the hips.

Mother was a beautiful woman, I can see why Father chose her. She had waist length blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She was a tall woman with a body like the number 8, but quite thin. I cannot, however, fathom why she allowed her parents to force her to marry Father. He is a pig of a man. He's short and fat with a greasy brown comb-over that may have been light a longtime ago.

I utterly despised both of them.

I hurried through whatever meaningless tasks I was to do every day, so I could go back to my attic corner. I ran into father on my way up.

"Rose! Why are you running? A proper wife does not run." He hit me. He's hit me so many times that I couldn't feel the sting of the hit. I could feel his ring gouge deep into my left cheek. It was something I was aware of rather than hurting. I flinched out of the sudden rage, over something I had done countless times before.

"I apologize Father. I will not run again. What shall I do to allow you to forgive me?" He stopped to think for a minute, then smirked evilly.

"Go to the market to buy 148 garlic heads, but do not use a basket to allow the smell to get attached to you. Use your own money."

I went to my corner. I took my money out from under my pillow. I only had 100 Jewels to my name. I went to the market and asked for precisely that amount of garlic. Unfortunately, it was 200 Jewel to buy all of them. I started to wonder what I could do; meanwhile, the owner looked at my face.

"Doesn't that hurt?" he asked while continuing to look. I waited a second, then realized he was refering to my left cheek, which I just realized was sticky. I pressed my hand to it and realized it was still bleeding profusly.

"No," I replyed, "I'm forbidden to tell others why it is bleeding." He stared. I was beginning to feel anxious. I put my money on the counter. "This is all I have. I need the garlic. What do you require I do to lower the price?" He refused the money. He said I could keep it. My eyes started to widen, but I stopped myself, remebering why Father had hit me most for, showing extreme emotions.

He began to place the garlic in a bag while I put the money in my blouse, next to the unread letter. I told him I had to carry it in my arms. I grabbed the garlic and brought it back to my house. I was 10 minutes later than Father expected; as a result, I had to work in the yard for five hours, 30 minutes for every minute Father had to wait.

I had been working for two hours in the dark of night, when it started to rain. I was greatful, because it could wash away the smell. It was cold but I went numb quickly. It was how I clesned myself for 13 years, since I was five. I finished working after Mother and Father got back from a meeting, for buisnuss partners and their wives, then fall asleep. They always left me to do evening work. I worked quickly, so I could get back to the attic.

I kept one candle lit. I pulled the letter out of my shirt. I was almost positive I already knew what it was. I skimmed the letter to confirm or deny it. A team had accepted the request. I read the names multiple times. Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneal, and Grey Fullbuster. I noticed the date that they were to arrive here. It was tomorrow.

Before blowing the candle out, I floated the letter over the small flame, wincing slightly as flames engulfed the paper. I can feel dull pain in my hand if what I hold is damaged, but it was worth it. After the paper had a good fire burning I moved it over the hand I wasn't using to hold it. I caught all the ashes and procceded to press them into the skirt of my dress. Ashes would tell Mother and Father. They cannot know my plan.