Yay, chapter 2. Not much to say really.
Oh yeah, I won't be able to update for a while. I'm going to Minneapolis this Friday (Sept. 24) and will have no internet access. Even though I write the chapters on paper beforehand, I don't want to bring it because
a. Anyone can read it
b. I really don't want to lose it. -.-
So yeah.
Enjoy the chap. :D
A week had passed since Prince Solf and his parents came to visit.
Edward was reading in her room, reading a romance novel when a knock tore her away from her thoughts.
"Come in." she said as she buried her head into the book again.
Hohenheim walked inside. Edward could tell he was still angry with her.
"You know Edward, I am still very disappointed at your actions to the prince. You should apologize." he voiced in a serious tone.
"Why the hell should I? He's a sick bastard who just wanted to get under my skin. And after he groped and kissed me without my damn permission, all you can flippin' say is 'go apologize'? There's no way he'll be hearing any sort of apology from me!"
Hohenheim sighed before explaining the situation again. Father and daughter argued for a while before Hohenheim left the room, annoyed at his daughter's actions.
Edward was happy when he left her room. "Tch. That old man doesn't care. As long as I get married and have a child for the next heir is all he gives a damn about." she muttered angrily once she knew he was out of earshot. "I'm sick of life here." she growled before smothering her face into her pillow.
Hohenheim had retreated to his room, and Edward was pretty sure she heard snoring. She wandered the palace, looking for a maid. Many of them went home at night, and work in the day. Finally, she came across one who was packing up some belongings.
"Maid." Edward said as she approached the maid.
The maid was wearing the clothes an average 'street rat' would wear; she didn't want to wear anything else. She quickly straightened up. "Do you need something Princess?" she asked.
"Fetch me an outfit similar to the one you're wearing." Edward instructed.
The maid nodded before scurrying off. When she returned, the handed Ed the outfit that was folded neatly into a square. "May I be of any more assistance Miss?" she asked.
"No. You may go."
The maid bowed before taking her leave.
"I hate this damn palace." Ed whispered as she retreated to her room.
Edward looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing raggy clothes and a brown cloak with a hood that covered her whole body. She had even removed her make-up, hoping not to stand out.
"Hm, this should do it." she assured herself. "Now where can I exit? The guards at the entrance will get suspicious if I waltz on out of the palace in commoner's clothes." she stated. "Uhm...oh screw it, I'll climb out the back."
Edward slowly made her way to the large luscious garden in the back of the palace. Standing before it was a large wall and a very tall tree.
"Hmph. Too easy."
Edward climbed up the tree and went on the wall.
I'm going to run away from this wretched place.
Ed gulped as she looked down. The only thing standing between her and running was the height of the wall. "How the hell am I going to get down?"
She decided to risk it. She put her automail and human legs over the edge. "This is gonna hurt." she said before she slid down the wall.
THUD
Ed got up and rubbed her arm. "Ow..." she whined as she sneakily walked off.
Ed wandered around the town. She now regret the idea of bringing a lot of money, in case she gets robbed or something. Everything was quiet; all the shops were closed for the night and people were asleep somewhere, whether in a bed or somewhere not in a house.
The chilly wind brushed Ed's body. She shivered and covered her body more with the cloak. Her face was hidden under the dark hood.
"It's getting cold, and I need to find a place to sleep. Um..." Ed glanced around nervously. "Where the hell am I supposed to go...?"
She wandered around before coming to a secluded alley. Ed wandered up to the long rectangular box that was sprawled out on the ground. "It'll have to do..." she muttered before drowsiness overcame her.
The three men stared at each other in confusion.
"Maes, I thought you said no one ever comes in this alley?" Jean questioned his friend.
"It's true! No one has ever come here before." Maes defended.
"Apparently not, if she's there." Roy mentioned as he pointed at the sleeping figure.
Suddenly, a light bulb flashed above their heads.
They've never seen this woman before.
Who is she?
How did she find this place?
Is she alone or is this bait to lure the men into another fight?
Is it a sin for her to be so stunningly beautiful?
The three men looked at the other as those questions, and many more, ran through their heads. However, they deemed her safe when she stirred slightly.
"Urgh, Kimblee you bastard. Get the hell away from me..." she murmured in her sleep as she moved slightly.
"Kimblee? Is she talking about Prince Solf Kimblee that came not too long ago?" asked Havoc.
Before Maes or Roy could answer, golden eyes fluttered open and looked at the three men standing in front of her. It took her a few seconds to realize they had watched her sleep, and were a bit too close to her liking.
"Eep!" she squeaked as she backed up, folding the cloak over her body.
"Hey, hey, calm down. We're not going to hurt you." Maes said in an attempt to calm the fidgety female down.
"Yeah? Well then why were you watching me sl-"
Edward got cut off as something else squeaked by her. She glanced down to see a rat sniffing her hand.
She shrieked and jumped back, colliding into the metal trash bin with a clang. "Ow ow ow..." she moaned as she held her head. The three men were keeping a straight face, trying their best not to laugh.
"So, what are you doing here in our alley?" asked Roy.
The confused female looked up. "This is yours? Ah, I'm so sorry." she apologized.
"I don't really mind. Hey are you new around here? Never seen you in these parts of town before." said Jean.
"Well, I'm just new to this side." she confessed.
The men stared at her confused.
Edward blushed, uncomfortable at being stared at so intently. "Um, I ran away from home and wandered around here. I just happened to stumble in this alley, sorry again." she cleared up.
"Ah." said Maes.
"Well, I'll be leaving now." Ed said as she started to get up.
She got up and the men were about to move out of her way when a stomach growled very, very loudly.
Edward gasped. She held her stomach and blushed madly at the embarrassing situation her body had put her in. The guys couldn't suppress it anymore and laughed.
"Bit hungry eh?" Maes asked with his cheerful grin.
"Sh-shut up." she said embarrassed.
"No need to feel embarrassed. Come with us, we'll go steal something for breakfast." said Roy.
"Steal?" Ed asked perplexed. "Are you serious? Why don't you just go buy some?"
"We have no money, we're street rats you know." replied Havoc.
She looked at them like that was the craziest thing she ever heard. "Guess I have no choice." she said as she pulled out a small bag. Reaching into it, she pulled out some money. The guys stared at it, gawking. Ed put the bag away.
"What do you guys want? I'll pay. I have enough for the four of us." Ed said as she counted the money in her palm.
The four of them ate the delicious meal. Maes, Roy, and Jean were talking and laughing, and Edward would join every now and then.
Edward stared at Roy. This feeling... For some reason, the loved the way the man looked. The personality she had experienced so far, the looks, the laugh, the toned muscles visible under the shirt...
Roy caught her staring and made eye contact. He smirked and decided to tease her a bit. "Like what you're seeing Miss?" he flirted jokingly.
Ed blushed slightly. She looked the other direction, her messy braided hair slinging over her shoulder. "Hmph!" was her reply.
Roy chuckled. "Relax, it was a joke." he said as he took another bite.
Edward glanced back, the blush still on her face. "Whatever." she said before joining the conversation.
Before she knew it, night had fallen. She didn't like the idea of sleeping alone; she wanted company.
"Um..." she started nervously.
Three pairs of eyes turned to look at her. Edward looked down. "Is it alright if I join you guys tonight? You know, the place you sleep and stuff. I...I don't like being alone." she said quietly.
"Of course you can. We'll show you the other alley we use." invited Maes.
They lead her to the other secret alley. Ed went off in the corner, a fair distance away from where the guys were sleeping. She was cold, but she didn't want to burden them any longer, so she didn't say anything. Once she heard the snoring, she couldn't stop her body from shivering from the cold. "Brrr..." she whispered quietly as she closed her eyes to attempt to go to sleep.
Roy woke up, and for some reason couldn't go back to sleep. It wouldn't hurt to check up on Edward. She didn't want to sleep by us, and I can understand that. So Roy got up and glanced in the girl's direction. What he saw was something he didn't expect.
The poor girl was shivering madly from the cold. Her arms wrapped around her, he could see the metal of the automail hand, adding more cold to the body. Roy walked over. Ed was so cold and focused on trying to keep warm that she didn't notice the arm that slid around her and pulled her to something firm.
She gasped and tried to move away. "Relax." Roy said behind her. Edward blushed; the man's arm was around her waist and his body was pressed to her backside. "You're cold, so I'll warm you up with my body." he said. Ed snuggled a little closer, not caring she hardly knew the man and appreciating the warmth. And so she fell asleep in his arms.
Yup yup, there's chapter 2. ^^
Reviews are loved. :P