The start of something new – or: The Lady is NOT interested
Characters: Charlotte Llewellyn, Leroy Grumman, King Bradley
Timeline: during her father's, Fuhrer Llewellyn's, funeral
The press adored her. She was a petite young woman with long, golden hair and deep green eyes. Her pale skin was smooth and her shape was perfect. She liked to dress in a fashionable way and all in all, she had been a perfect daughter of a Fuhrer. She was well-educated, polite and had never gotten in trouble. After her father's tragic death, many rumours circulated around the possibility that she might marry King Bradley who was a good candidate for the big seat even if he was just twenty-one years old.
The young general had read the papers to check if someone already suspected him to be the one who had ordered the death of the very popular and peaceful Fuhrer Jonathan Llewellyn when he had read the rumour that General King Bradley would marry Miss Charlotte Riza Llewellyn. And somehow, he had found the idea quite interesting. It would be perfect. Miss Llewellyn was a well-known member of the high-society and she held good contacts with the Armstrong-clan … and she had an old name with a good reputation.
And she looked not that bad, so she would be a good first lady – especially since she was known as a really obedient and submissive personality. She would be a wonderful pawn.
He waited until most of the other attendants of the funeral were already gone before he walked up to her. She stood in front of the gravestone with a posture that was fitting for a true queen and had her eyes closed. Two steps behind her stood a black-haired teenager with glasses who held her jacket and her handbag. He seemed to know her quite well but he said nothing when King Bradley tapped Charlotte Llewellyn's shoulder.
"Miss Llewellyn," the future Fuhrer said carefully. "I really apologise for the disturbance but I would like to discuss something with you. I know that it is neither the time nor the place but…"
She glared at him. "You have really no manners," she stated icily. "I just lost my father and you are talking to me like we are old friends? Really, I knew that you were arrogant but I never thought that it would be that bad, General Bradley. There is nothing I want to discuss with you."
He sighed deeply. "Miss Llewellyn, you don't even know what I want to talk about," he said.
"You are wrong there," she hissed. "I know that your supporters were asking my father to give you my hand in marriage and honestly, I am not interested. There are other men I consider as more fitting for me and my temper. And to quote my father: 'A good marriage always consists of to equals.' You would never see me as an equal, General Bradley. You are interested in me as your wife because I have a good name. You know nothing about me as a person, so I don't want to marry you. Furthermore, there is someone else who asked years ago and my father gave him already his consent." She smiled slyly. "And really, who ever said that I would be a good wife?"
He sighed deeply. "Miss Llewellyn, you are one of the most eligible single women in Amestris."
"Is that so?" she asked. "Really, that's too funny. But on the other hand … they really don't know who I am as soon as the eye of the camera isn't focused at me any longer."
The black-haired stranger came closer to hand her the jacket. "We need to leave,Charlotte," he said calmly. "It's getting cold and I can't have you ill, can I? Really, girl, and you say you are a nice little girl who always obeys her doctor's orders? Please, don't make me laugh, Jewel."
She pouted while she grabbed her jacket. "It's my father's funeral," she said. "How could I miss it?" She looked at King Bradley. "You heard my answer. If you should ever ask again, you will get a broken nose. Honestly, I hate men like you … just marrying a status and no person."
The young man who had to be her servant or something like that hurried to her side, glaring at Bradley before he started to speak. "If you will ever bother Charlotte again," he said calmly but it was obvious that it was a threat, "I will make sure personally that it will be the last thing you will ever do. And just for your information: Fuhrer Llewellyn disliked you greatly."
"And who are you to know something like that?"
"Leroy Grumman, Charlotte's best friend," the teenager smirked. "Jonathan was my godfather."
Charlotte's eyes flickered over the both men before she wrapped Leroy's arm around her shoulders. "And father always wanted us to get married," she said in a light-hearted tone that was obviously faked. "C'mon, Leroy, I need to get back to bed before my doctor knows that I got up in first place." She grabbed his hand and dragged him away before she kissed him lightly on the lips. "You know I love you," she said loud enough for Bradley to hear.
The general frowned. 'Perfect daughter, maybe. Submissive, never.'
And that was the event that started the hatred between Miss Charlotte Llewellyn and Mr King Bradley.
