Chapter 10:
A/N: Im sorry this chapter is so short, but no worries the next one will be out shortly.
Her confidence wavered as she heard him grunt in frustration behind her. He must have jumped onto his horse moments after she had taken off. There was no way he could have caught up to her in such a short amount of time, without having left immediately. That image made her happy, but his persistence would only hurt them more. He obviously felt deeply for her to have followed after such harsh words. The game of cat and mouse had started again and she was warring thin of trying to convince herself it was worth it.
His voice came out frustrated and winded. "Winry stop this!"
Winry's chest heaved with stifled sobs. Finally, unable to ignore his calls any longer, she abruptly reigned in her horse. The beast reared its legs up before shuddering to a stand still. Edward back tracked to her side, his face creased with worry.
She wanted him to stop coming back to her. There were so many words that could break him, but she only needed a few. "Edward, I told you…I don't love you enough to do this anymore."
"What if I choose not to believe it; what then?"
"Then you are not as smart as I thought you were."
He glared at her, masking his pain behind useless anger. "And you are a liar; you can not tell me that you don't feel anything."
She knew she would slip, she just didn't expect it to come so soon. "Edward…please."
He shook his head as he slipped off the back of his horse, walking towards her with a fierce look in his eyes. Before she could react, he had his arms around her waist. She sank into his arms, allowing him to pull her from the back of her horse. The tears were starting to fall down her cheeks, his touch reminded her only too well of how badly she wanted to be with him.
"Edward…please…don't."
Once again he shook his head as he pulled her close to him. She wanted to scream at him to leave, she wanted to do the right thing…but that look was irresistible. Without words he kissed her lips. It was nothing she had ever felt before, this kiss was hardly ordinary. He was saying not to go without words and it was the sweetest touch. She was getting the feeling that the truth was pouring from her lips as they stayed locked together. How could she deny him when she felt only too aware of her own feelings?
His muscles tightened around her as the kiss turned into something more. Opening her eyes she broke the kiss as a horrible wave of regret surged through her. It was worse then she dreamed; she had fallen in love with him. Winry tried to find the strength to separate herself from him, but her body ached to be close. It was all too easy to let him pull her back into his tight embrace.
His lips traveled slowly towards her ear. "Why are you lying to me?"
The tears fell down her face but it wasn't until his hands tangled in her hair that it all came rushing back. With a jerk she pushed him back, the fear rolling through her. A low moan of pain escaped her lips as she slumped to the ground. Her lower lip trembled as the sobs racked her body. She could still feel the power and fear that the duke had unleashed upon her only moments before. His hands on her scalp, the words piercing her heart, all of it had become a painful reminder of how useless she was.
Through her tears she saw Edward's forlorn expression and it tore her to pieces. It was too late, she was already hurting him. Why did he have to be a gentleman at this point? He could be uselessly stubborn and rude at times, so why did he gaze upon her with the most loving expression? It was like watching a beautiful vase fall to the floor, she had slipped and the damage was done.
Edward knelt by her side his hands finding hers. How could he be so calm? She wished the selfish part of her heart, the part that yearned for him no matter the cost, would fall silent. Closing her eyes she stifled her sobs, she needed to be stronger than this.
Edwards's voice cracked as he tried to wipe away her tears. "What did he do to you?"
Her hands trailed down the front of his chest, till they grasped the material firmly within her tight fists. Leaning her head into him, she squeezed the fabric tightly wishing she could will it all away.
His fingers traced her jaw line until he was able to pull her chin up, their eyes meeting at last.
Lying to those warm amber eyes was impossible, so she spoke of the truth. She was no better at running than she was at lying.
"I don't want you to die…not for me…not like this."
Edwards head tilted to the side as the skin on his forehead crinkled in question. "Winry I am not dying."
Winry bit her bottom lip stopping the tears, she had to stop this. "Edward, I can not do much for you, but I can give you your life back."
Before he could answer her declaration they both turned at the sound of carriage wheels echoed, along with an array of hooves pounding along the path. The fabric of life sometimes comes undone and there are no patches that will mend the damage. Of course this should not have been unexpected. The carriage slowed to a stop, but not before she had identified the man leading it. He noticed her right away, his eyes showing a weird emotion…was it sympathy?
She had already pulled away from Edward, but she knew the woman being helped out of the carriage had seen it coming for some time. The same blonde hair, but colder blue eyes met hers and she instantly felt sick. Perfect, brilliant, absolutely delightful…of course of all people that should find themselves in the midst of her pain, it would be her mother.
Her vibrant red dress went perfectly with the anger on her face. But as the true lady she was, she hid it quite well, only a trained eye would have noticed.
Edward bowed slightly, "My lady Rockbell, what a surprise."
She tilted her chin up ever so slowly, as if mocking their inferiority. "I must say, I wasn't surprised at all."
Her gaze switched to Winry, her face crinkling in disgust. "Have you just taken a tumble my dear, you look dreadful. I do hope you didn't visit your future husband in such a state."
The right answer on her part would have been to bow her head in shame but Winry was fighting a losing battle with her tongue. "Oh mother, don't be silly I didn't take a tumble. In fact the Duke had his hand in my appearance."
Wrong thing to say, Edward's head snapped towards hers, realization clouding his horror struck eyes. Her mother shifted her position slightly as she took in the hidden meaning behind her words. The words that came from her mouth caused Edward's fists to clench.
"If he had a hand in your appearance then I have no doubts that you deserved it."
She took for granted that she was used to these kinds of words from her mother. Edward stepped in front of her, protecting her from her mothers glare. "You are a wretched woman to suggest that your daughter deserved this."
Sarah's eyes widened, "My dearest Winry, why do you insist on running with wolves when there is a perfectly sound gentlemen waiting for you."
Edward took a daring step towards her mother, "You think he is a gentleman for treating her like that? I don't understand how you can deny your daughter to this extent; you are blessed to have such a person result from your upbringing. I would even suggest you thank god that she did not turn out like you."
Winry placed her hands on Edwards back; this wasn't helping in the least. Though his words lifted her spirits she needed to stand on her own two feet.
"What are you doing here mother? What could you possibly tell me that I don't already know?"
Sarah's frown deepened as she turned on her daughter and began to make her way back to the waiting carriage. "I didn't come to tell you anything."
Winry froze as she heard her father's voice come from the carriage. How had she not noticed this? He motioned towards two of the servant hands waiting by the doors of the carriage, "Enough of this, its time."
Before she had a chance to gather what was going on, Edward had been taken from behind. His body fell forward as his limbs went limp.
"EDWARD!"
Her father jerked his head towards Winry. "Grab her."
It took all of the strength of one of the servants to keep her in line. She struggled violently against his hold on her. "LET. ME. GO! EDWARD!"
Surely he would answer her call, so why wasn't he moving? Her mother sat unfazed in the carriage as the man next to her stared at the whole situation without any emotion.
"It's for the best dear."
She wouldn't stand for this. She had lied to Edward to save him and now he was hurt in more ways than one. What had she done? Screaming she tried to free her hands. "What have you done?! Let me go! Please…" Her voice broke, "He's not moving!"
The man beside her grunted in frustration, "Sir, I can't hold her like this."
Sarah turned her head away from her daughter as Winry's father nodded his head, "Then do what you must."
Winry had one stolen glance at her Edward lying face down on the ground before everything went black.
