Ooop! Sorry! It's a day late I know, but I was busy with Halloween, and I didn't get home until nineish...and there was homework as well...(and I'm currently avoiding doing it now...XD)
Anywho! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! The next chapter *will* be up next monday! (For sure!)
Roy was more than a little shocked when the small blonde he had been roaring at suddenly fell face-first into him. Clumsily, Roy managed to catch him, growling at the back of the intruding blonde's head before swinging him over his shoulder. He ignored his servants' protests and stormed toward the staircase, heading for the tower dungeon. As he opened the door to the room, he shivered. The walls were completely made of stone, the wooden floor was splintered, and the roof had a hole in it which the rainwater from outside steadily fell through. The room itself had not been taken care of in years. Roy dumped the boy into the room before storming out and slamming the thick door shut behind him.
"Sir, that wasn't necessary."
"Master, we were only trying to help!"
He let out a beastly, outraged roar. This time, however, the three were unfazed.
"Roy. This is wrong and you know it." The teapot hopped forward, glaring openly at his master and best friend. Roy growled lowly but Maes ignored him, and continued, "The boy asked several times if anyone was here and he was very hesitant when he did enter. I know you could hear him explaining himself."
Roy flattened his ears and ducked his head away. It was true, he had heard the boy's excuses, but...
"He still trespassed," he whined childishly. Maes rolled his eyes and hopped backward near Riza.
"Master, have you even spared a thought towards the fact that he could possibly break the spell?" Roy stiffened for a moment before swinging his head to glare at Jean.
"I'm not gay-"
"Sir, at this point it doesn't matter; you have one year left. This is the first visitor we've had since the curse! The only visitor we are likely to ever have! You must at least try, sir!"
Roy growled and turned to look through the bared windows of the dungeon. The small blonde inside had his back to Roy but he could still see him shivering, rather violently, on the floor. Something in his heart stung a little at the sight.
"I'll...Move him to another room." Jean nodded approvingly and Maes muttered,
"It's a step in the right direction." Roy opened the door and winced inwardly as it made a loud creek that made the boy in front of him jump.
"Are you hurt?" He winced again as he heard how gravelly his voice was. He wondered how his...Visitor...Would react to it. It was dark and Jean had not followed him in, but instead was waiting just outside the door, lit -so they boy could not see him well. Roy did not know if this was a good thing or bad.
"N-no," Roy could hear his teeth chatter as he pushed himself into a sitting position before turning around. "W-who are y-you?"
"I am the master of this estate. And you..." Roy paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say next. "In exchange for entering my home uninvited, you will have to remain here forever." The blonde's head snapped up and Roy was shocked by the anger that glittered in the boy's large and expressive eyes.
"What?" His outrage overpowered the tremor in his voice caused by his chattering teeth. "I tried to ask if I could! But no one answered me!" Roy frowned a little, not used to being yelled at by anyone, other than Maes and Riza, and did not take it well.
"Perhaps I did not want you to enter, perhaps I didn't care," Roy growled loudly, watching as the younger flinched.
"Well, after I came in, one of your staff welcomed me," the other said firmly. Roy was a little amazed the small boy hadn't backed down completely. Then he remembered the boy still couldn't see him. Just as he was about to growl threateningly again, Riza whispered somewhere behind him,
"Be nice." Roy glowered a little as he turned back into what the younger was saying.
"-I have a little brother, and he needs me!" Roy vaguely remembered him mentioning someone living with him and his brother, though he couldn't fathom the reason why.
"What about this...Whinny girl you said lived with you?"
"It's Winry, and she-"
"She can take care of your brother. You will remain here."
"Bastard! This isn't fair."
"Not much in life is. Now stand up and I will take you to your room." Before he turned, he saw the anger become replaced by confusion.
"What do you mean? Isn't this-"
"Do you want to stay in this tower?" Roy watched almost bemused as he looked up at the ceiling and muttered a soft and hesitant,
"No."
"Then follow me." He began walking out of the room, picking up Jean as he went. After a moment, as he started down the stair he could hear the other following. He heard a gasp and knew the boy could finally see what he looked like, at least from behind. He sighed and ignored the somewhat concerned look Jean shot him.
'This is never going to work,'Roy's shoulders slumped as he continued to walk down the stairs.
Edward stepped out of the freezing room and found the stairwell a bit warmer. He then followed the bobbing light ahead of him, being sure to keep his hands on the walls to keep himself from tripping too badly. When he caught up with the light and the master of the house, he gasped.
The master of the estate wore a tattered black cape and the ends of his navy blue slacks were tattered as well. But what truly made Edward gasp was the tail he saw dragging behind him on the steps. It was long, black, sleek to start out, and fluffy looking at the end. His eyes slowly traveled up, and he saw a black, furred, clawed paw holding onto...What was his name? Jean? And his neck had what looked to be rather thick, black fur, all along his neck and head. He could even see little, almost dog-like floppy ears on the sides of his head. He winced a little as he could barely imagine what his face must look like.
Seeing the living candelabra turning to look back at him, Edward quickly turned his head to look like he was admiring the many, identical suites of armor lining the current hall they walked down. Ed bit his lower lip nervously as they continued down the hall, silent. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable and a little awkward. He felt he had to do something to break the silence, or else he'd go insane.
"My name's Edward Elric."
The beast in front of him jumped in shock at the breaking of the silence. Edward looked at the back of the black, furred head in front of him, as the creature did not respond. Ed waited a few moments while the silence settled back in, hoping for a response. "What's your name?"
Still silent. "Well?" The blonde prompted.
The beast sped up a little before he ground out,
"You are not allowed in the West Wing of the mansion, but you are free to roam anywhere else." Edward frowned, he could be just as stubborn, keeping pace.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"And what was your question?" Edward huffed. Now he was just being difficult.
"Your name. What is it?"
"That is no concern of yours." Edward ground his teeth in frustration.
"Well then what am I to call you?"
There was no answer. "Bastard," the Elric muttered under his breath.
He bumped into the creature in front of him and jumped back a little, finally able to see his face. He wore no shirt, his chest was covered with raven-colored black fur, that traveled both lower into his pants, and upward onto his neck. The fur on his face was barely a shade lighter than the rest of his body. His lower jaw was jutting out a bit more than his upper, showing off two large, fang-like teeth from his bottom jaw. His nose had a large, bump-like curve to it.
Before Ed could take note of his eyes, the beast had spun around again, and Ed realized belatedly it was because of the look on his face. Just as he opened his mouth to apologize, the other beat him to it by opening a door to his left and pointing inside.
"This is to be your room. And you are to join me for dinner; no excuses. And the black furred creature then stalked down the hall, leaving Ed alone in the hall, his mouth still open to apologize.
