Jellal, being the fair man he is, was kind enough to give Romeo a trial. Romeo stood in the middle of the Throne Room, two guards at his side.

"Did you kill the Fiore patrol I sent out?" Jellal asked.

"Yes," he snapped. "And it was no accident, mind you."

The young king looked surprised. "I see."

"And I wish I had stabbed you. It's a pity my aim isn't so good. You deserve to be dead, Fernandes."

"Very well. Romeo Conbolt will be hereby sentenced to death for attempting to kill the king," Jellal announced, his voice wavering slightly. "This trial is over."

Macao seemed to be pretending Romeo wasn't his son. I didn't even bother to see what Wendy's expression was.

The second I stepped out of the Throne Room, Wendy stood on tip-toe and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. Unsheathing her sword, she pointed it at my throat.

"You promised!" she whispered. "How could you?"

"I swear, I kept my promise," I said, trying not to tremble in fear. "Jellal found his footprints-"

"Now Romeo's going to die because of you!" she continued, her eyes getting teary. "I trusted you-"

"What is going on?" Gray asked, and Wendy quickly lowered her sword.

"Nothing," I said with a smile. "Wendy and I were having a friendly chat."

~ ~ ~

"Sire," Wendy said, knocking on Jellal's door. The blue-haired man opened it, his face revealing how stressed he was. 

"Hello Wendy," he greeted. "How may I help you?"

"Romeo is a good friend of mine," she began. "A Druid."

Jellal immediately looked interested.

"He's a bit angry and he was startled when you appeared in his cave. It was self-defense."

"My friend, Erza, knows the Druids well enough," Jellal retorted to her dismay. "The Druids are peaceful people. They use words, not killing, to fight. And Romeo recognized me immediately. There is no excuse for that, Wendy. I'm sorry."

"Please, sire," she begged. "Let him free. We'll leave for Bosco together. We won't ever come back to Fiore."

"I'm sorry, Wendy. I have nothing against you, but the law is the law."

~ ~ ~

"Wendy..Help me."

"Where are you?" Wendy asked.

"Down in the cells. Free me. We can leave Fiore together," Rome whispered.

Being a powerful sorceress definitely has its advantages. I immediately picked up on Romeo and Wendy's telepathic conversation. 

I felt bad for them. But Romeo would've killed Jellal if I hadn't been there. That was something I would never forgive.

I ran to Jellal's chambers, where I found him rushing out of his room. Bumping into him, I gasped, "Wendy! She's going to-"

"Free Romeo," Jellal finished. "Exactly what I figured. Let's go."

We ran downstairs to the prison cells, Natsu and Gray tagging along.

"They're gone!" Macao reported, running towards us. His eyes were wet with tears, as if he had been crying for his son. But his loyalty to the king was stronger than loyalty to anyone else.

"Sound the warning bells!" Jellal yelled. Sadly he whispered, "And if you see Wendy..take her to the prison cells."

~ ~ ~

"Hurry!" Romeo yelled, tugging Wendy's arm.

"Romeo.." she said sadly. "I'm sorry to have endangered you."

The teenage boy smiled and kissed her forehead. "It's okay. We'll be safe in Bosco."

~ ~ ~

We ran to the edge of the woods, catching sight of the two teens. Wendy approached us slowly, her sword raised.

"Wendy," Jellal said firmly. "Lower that sword."

She took another step forward, her hands visibly trembling.

"I'm giving you one more chance."

"Use magic and kill them!" Romeo yelled.

Wendy dropped her sword and raised her hand, ready to begin her spell. Before I could stop her, Natsu stepped out and knocked her unconscious.

"I'm sorry, Wendy," Natsu said softly, catching the blue-haired girl as she fell.

Growling, Romeo leaped out from behind a tree, but Macao caught him easily.

"You're both under arrest."

~ ~ ~

"Jellal?" I asked, entering his room.

Jellal was sitting at his desk, fast asleep. At the sound of my voice, he jolted up, looking around. I stifled a smile. He had been sleeping with his face in his food. His entire tattoo was covered in stew.

"Didn't mean to scare you," I teased.

Jellal, pretending to be a proper king answered, "You didn't scare me. I was asleep."

"Why were you sleeping with your head on the table?"

"I..fell asleep while reading," Jellal said after a moment.

"Reading what?"

Very discreetly, he glanced at his desk, trying to find a book.

He cleared his throat. "I am the king of Fiore. I don't need to answer to you."

I laughed. "Well someone got up from the wrong side of the table...Get it? Instead of the bed, the table?"

"Get out!" he ordered.

"Nah," I mocked. "I don't listen to people with food on their face."

Raising an eyebrow, he lifted the silver platter and looked at his reflection.

"ERZA!"

I smiled politely and raised a napkin. "Napkin?"

Snatching it from me he asked, "What do you need?"

My smile faded. "I was thinking..Maybe you should reconsider Romeo?"

~ ~ ~

"Once again, you've been summoned to the court," Jellal said. "Your friend, Wendy, remains in jail. I've come to ask you something. I will spare your life if you repent for your sins."

"Never," Romeo snarled. "You and all Fiore deserve to die."

Looking pained, Jellal whispered, "Romeo. I don't want you to be hanged."

"I wish you were hanged."

Those were Romeo's last words. That night he was publicly hanged.

~ ~ ~

Wendy sat in her cell and watched the execution. Screaming and crying, and with all the strength she had, she used her magic and blasted the metal bars apart. She didn't care what her friends thought. They weren't her friends anymore. In fact, they were her enemies.

~ ~ ~

"Wendy Marvell," Minerva said, enunciating each syllable. "You tried to kill me. Yet..here you are..kneeling before me."

"I wish to help you," she said. Her eyes were no longer warm and playful. They were cold and empty tunnels of darkness, matching Minerva's. "And I have a token of my loyalty."

"Oh?"

"I know who Zarina's true identity is," Wendy murmured, standing up.

"Who is she?"

"Zarina..Is none other than Erza Scarlet, loyal knight of Fiore."