Monster of the Bell Tower
Prologue
"Hush, little one!" the worried young mother whispered to her child as she, her other son, and her husband raced through the empty streets of Paris. He quieted, and stared up at her with soft eyes of liquid gold.
"Is he all right?" her husband asked, his voice low as he turned to her.
"Yes, my love. He's calming down." she whispered. Her husband breathed a soft sigh that she echoed. I do not want to leave my Paris. she thought sadly. But Cornello is becoming crueler and crueler toward gypsies. We cannot stay. Oh, my Paris, how I shall miss you!
They arrived at the docks at midnight, as was planned. But instead of the boat they had expected, there were guards.
"Sacrebleu!" her husband shouted, trying to run. But they were captured before they knew what was happening. In the confusion, she was able to conceal her child under her cloak.
She held him close to her, hoping against hope he would not be noticed. There was a loud clopping of hooves as a horse drew close.
She leaned close to her husband, her other child, too big, now, to be concealed under wraps. Her husband wrapped his arms close to her and murmured a prayer. Oh, mon Dieu! she thought in despair.
The horse slowly drew closer and the rider dismounted. She had to stifle a scream.
Cornello himself! The most feared and hated among gypsies was standing before her! He scanned their huddle with a cold and precise eye, looking for anything that would convict them.
"Bring the vermin to the palace of justice." he said softly and scornfully, and oh! How she trembled! Her husband wrapped an arm around her.
"You there!" A guard's voice, and a kick to her ankle. "What are you hiding?"
"Stolen goods, no doubt." Cornello said, sounding bored. "Take them from her, guard..."
She gasped, and was filled with newfound strength as the guard leered at her. No one would take her baby.
She ran.
Gypsies were talented with the streets, and she knew the quickest ways around. But even a gypsy, who knew every side street, every shortcut of her beloved Paris, could not outrun a horse. She heard her husband run as well, and the guards followed him as Cornello gave chase after her. "Please, mon amor, save our Edward." she prayed softly. Save yourself as well, my love...
She took every twist and turn she knew, but he always seemed right on her tail. Finally, she saw the church in front of her. Notre Dame!
She ran forward and slammed her fist agint the door. Oh, mon Dieu! Locked!
"Sanctuary!" she screamed. "Please give us sancuary!"
She heard him behind her, and turned. There was a flash of silver as his sword came down. Then nothing.
No, she thought hazily. Do not hurt him...my baby...my Alphonse...
The baby began to cry and Cornello froze. "A baby...?" He picked the child up and looked into bright, golden eyes. Unholy, demon's eyes! "A monster!" he gasped and prepared to slay it along with its horrible gypsy mother. He lifted his sword...
"STOP!" cried a voice from the church. It was Archdeacon Marcoh, and even though he was not in time to save the mother, he WOULD save the child. He ran and knelt next to the dead young woman, with the brown hair and creamy skin, and he felt a wave of remorse. One more life that would not make a difference, one more gypsy that would not sing out in the streets.
Such a terrible waste.
Marcoh sighed and stood, facing Cornello and speaking in a soft, yet strong way. "See, there, Judge Cornello! Innocent blood has been spilt by your hand, and if it was not enough to kill a young mother, you would then kill her newborn?"
"The 'newborn' of which you speak, Marcoh," Cornello said smoothly, "is nothing but an unholy demon. The powers of evil must be stopped! This is why-"
"Do not lie, Cornello!" Marcoh thundered. "You can lie to yourself and become a broken man, and you can lie to those who believe you, and bring them down as well. But you cannot lie to our Father, for he knows all you have done, and what you will do in the future!"
Cornello recoiled. No! Could it be true? The Heavenly Father, he despises demons such as this! Then why should he be angry with me, for doing my duty? He stared at the demon child. This could not be one of our Most Heavenly Father's children! But if he needed to repent, to do penance...? "What must I do, Marcoh?"
"Care for the child." Marcoh said firmly. "Raise him as you would a son, for he is one of God's children."
"What..? I would be given this awful-" Marcoh fixed him with a cold stare, and Cornello sighed. "Very well. But let him live here with you, in your church."
"But where?" Marcoh asked.
"Anywhere." Just so he's kept locked up, where no one can see him, and associate me with his unholiness. "The bell tower, perhaps. You need a bell ringer, do you not?"
Marcoh sighed. "I suppose."
Cornello handed the baby to the archdeacon and turned away. "Good." Perhaps someday...this evil creature may be of some use to me. Perhaps.
A/N: Hi! I'm Ninjee, and I'm new to the site :) Please read and review! Hope you like my work!
I don't own FMA. If I did, Greed would have lived, somehow. (I don't care if that isn't logical.)
By the by, "sacrebleu" just about means "damn," "mon amor" is "my love" and "mon Dieu" is "my God," just in case you weren't sure. :)
Please R&R!
EDIT: I now have an image for this story! It was drawn by the lovely Hubedihubbe on deviantArt, and she's titled it Streets of Gypsies. She's given me permission to use it for MotBT! Everyone go and give her some love! 3