Chapter 2: Voices.

By the time that Ed had reached Izumi's quarters, it was falling dark and the moon was rising in the sky. He found himself yawning in exhaustion; luckily he'd managed to escape from the plotters but he still hadn't found the places where he was supposed to deliver the medicine. He was dreading Izumi's wrath when she found out that her patients had gone untreated.

The teenager groaned as he stumbled into his room, flopping down his bed and causing it to give out a protesting creak that went ignored. After all the running about he'd done today, he was knackered, which made him easily fall asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

And so he slept, dreaming of angry glares and yellow bottles dancing around his head, calling out in taunting voices.

"Edward... Edward Elric..."

He shot upright as he heard a high-pitched voice calling him, golden eyes widening as they flew open.

But there was no-one there. His room was empty, save for a few flies that were circling round his room, leaving buzzing noises in their wake.


"Ed! Edward! Wake up!"

The sharp voice cut right through him but the teenage blonde only groaned and curled up more under the blankets of his bed, mumbling for people to leave him alone.

The loss of blankets only made him shiver and moan more. It was the sudden soaking that really woke him up.

"A-AHHH! COLD, COLD!" Ed shot out of bed to see a scowling Izumi looking unamused as she held a recently emptied bucket in her hands.

"Next time, wake up when I call you." She gave him a sharp look before turning, strolling out the room to leave the dripping boy in bed staring after her, still in shock from the cold water.

About an hour later, a damp-looking Ed stumbled out of his bedroom, fully clothed and muttering irritably under his breath.

"Stop that." The muttering cut off at once.

"Did you manage to deliver all the medicine last night?" Izumi glanced at her nephew over her shoulder as he plopped down into a nearby chair, her question causing him to freeze.

"Uh, eheh... I kind of got... lost..." He ducked as a bowl narrowly missed his head, looking alarmed when he popped back up from behind the table again.

"W-What the-" "FOOL! Now my patients are untreated!" Ed winced as another bowl was slammed down in front of him, half-full of a rather unappetizing grey sludge which could supposedly be called porridge.

"I didn't...-!" "When I want a job doing, I'll do it myself next time!" Izumi gave him a sharp look as the blonde prodded at his breakfast, before seeing her harsh gaze and promptly starting to shovel it into his mouth.

"You can spend the day exploring the city whilst I go tell my patients why my medicine wasn't delivered to them."

Ed perked up and raised his head at the prospect of getting to know the large city, hopefully so he wouldn't get lost again.

"Mmfkay!"

"Don't eat with your mouth full."


As soon as Izumi was gone, Ed was out the house; strolling down alleyways and looking up in awe at the large buildings around him. This place was so huge!

A crowd of people in the street caught his attention and he paused, hands in his pockets as he casually dawdled up behind, standing on his tiptoes to see over the many heads.

"Hey. What's going on?" He asked a nearby boy who was staring out at the street with wide, awed eyes.

"The princess is here!" He waved his tiny hand frantically as the people around them cheered, making a variety of calling noises.

"The... princess?" Ed frowned and then he caught sight of a young girl - he guessed she was about the same age as him, give or take a few years -, walking down the street with a basket full of bread, a soft smile gracing her lips as fitting as her dress was; the fabric was bright blue and clung to her waist where gold trim finished it off, sleeves loose against her arms as she handed out pieces of food to anyone who stepped forwards.

"Isn't she beautiful? And so kind too!" The boy standing next to Ed tugged at the teenager's trousers, causing him to blink as he realised he'd been staring at the princess' blonde hair, watching as it twirled in the gentle breeze...

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure she's very nice." He went to turn away when the kid squealed, causing Ed to pause as he heard a feminine voice behind him.

"Hey, you there... Want any?" Ed's gaze fell on a piece of bread held in a slender hand as he turned slightly, lifting his head to meet a pair of brilliant blue eyes.

"...No thanks." He tore his gaze away from hers and began to walk away, feeling her stare still on him from behind. Smirking lightly, he tilted his head back as he heard someone ask "Are you alright, m'lady?" which gradually faded into a "Yes yes, I'm fine..." as he moved away from the scene. Eventually he came to the large forest that skirted Camelot, eyes focused on the floor, deep in thought.

"Princess, huh... Pretty kind for royalty..." Ed went on his way, mumbling to himself before pausing, glancing up.

...And finding himself facing three men, all holding knives in their hands which were almost as threatening as the looks on their faces.

"I uh, sorry, I must have..." His boots made scuffing noises as he stumbled back with wide eyes, only to bump into someone, freezing as he felt a blade on his throat.

"It may have just been a case of the wrong place at the wrong time, but unfortunately we have to kill anyone who could cause a threat to our operation, my young friend." The voice hissed in his ear and the blonde squinted his eyes shut, gulping.

"I don't know what you're-" Ed started but was cut off as the blade pressed hard against his throat, the voice spitting again. "Don't lie. We know it was you, so shut your mouth."

What the voice wasn't expecting was the boot lifting to kick right in his crotch, causing the knife against Ed's throat to jerk violently, leaving a narrow cut before dropping to the forest floor, sound muffled by the dead leaves.

"You little-!" The man cursed as he doubled over, motioning painfully for his partners to advance on their victim, making Ed stumble backwards into a nearby tree.

He could only close his eyes... and wait for death.


Author's Note: Oh, hi there cliffhanger.

Chapter 3 coming soon.