The Waters of Lethe
Disclaimer:I don't own FMA, just the OCs I've created for this story. I just like to play around in it's world and torture Ed for awhile
Author's note: post series and very AU. Some movie events may happen, but differently
Summary: Edward recalls the few weeks of peace he enjoyed in Egypt.
Warning: may contain movie spoilers, also bad language, violence, death, and maybe sex.
Beta: Kittygirl109 (I wish to thank her for all her work, despite her not feeling well)
38. A Brief Affair (Kurse Angelgenheit)
It still seemed very quiet in the house, and Edward asked Emmeline, "Where is everyone?"
"Major Howard is probably on the way back from his dig site, but he's just stopping long enough to change, he's been invited to dine at some nabob's house in Luxor. Lady Howard has taken the twins to Cairo and she refuses to return until quote 'that madman is gone', unqoute."
Edward cocked his head and raised one eyebrow, "And you've been left all alone with the daft tutor?" he asked in mock surprise. "Who's left to defend your feminine virtue? All the servants think I'm a djinn, so even Daoud is a little afraid of me. You poor, poor woman."
Emmeline leaned closer to Edward and let her warm breath puff over one cheek, "But you are a friendly djinn, I know I have nothing to fear."
He raised himself up on his elbows just before their lips met.
Edward Elric didn't like to be outrun, outgunned, outfought, or outplayed by anyone. It still took a few games before he could match Emmeline at chess. After the day's lessons were over, he even took to sneaking into the library and "borrowing" some books on chess strategy. When the rest of the family rested after returning from the dig site, and before dressing for dinner, Edward and Emmeline would meet in the corridor outside the Major's study for a game, perhaps two.
The late afternoon sun pouring through a high window shone over their heads bent close together over the chess board, gilding their hair - her auburn, his blond - as each planned their next move. Edward was glad of his long bangs, which shielded his eyes while they ranged backwards and forwards over the board. Plus he could covertly study Emmeline's face this way.
Emmeline had ten years on him, but she was the sort of woman who was said to 'age gracefully'. Her eyes were green and looked out of a pleasingly symmetrical face. The cheeks were a little reddened by sun and wind, her nose was a tad too long, and her chin a bit too rounded. But Edward thought her ears were exquisitely shaped, and they balanced out those flaws. During the course of their games, she had told Edward her life story: father was a greengrocer who died young and left the family destitute, obliging Emmeline to put aside her dreams of universitiy and go into service to support her mother and three younger brothers.
Edward could understand the 'duty' of the eldest siblings, but the unfairness of it all still rankled. The same day he finally beat her at chess, he went out into the back garden later in the evening and found her weeping. Not because she had lost, but after yet another public humiliation at the hands of Lady Howard. She knew Emmeline would have outshone her in the looks department, so she made her companion continue to wear her hair very long and piled on top of her head. The clothes she had to don were rejects from Lady Howard's own wardrobe, and at least five years out of date.
He hated to see and hear women cry, Edward felt something had gone seriously wrong with the universe when females were brought to tears. He immediately sat down next to her on the stone bench, and after a moment to screw up his courage, put his arms around her shoulders. His shirt was soaked by the time she stopped crying, but Emmeline said it had felt very nice to feel his sympathetic embrace.
But the first time they kissed was a bit of a disaster. Edward held her too tightly, their noses bumped, and she accidentally bit his lower lip. Edward explained away the swollen lip to Daoud by claiming he had missed while attempting to swat a mosquito with his hairbrush and hit himself in the face. Major and Lady Howard never noticed, but the twins looked suspicious.
Like chess, kissing took a lot of practice.
After their lips finally broke contact, Emmeline gave him such a sad smile, Edward's heart ached, as if it was being clenched by an invisible fist. "Just two more days, and then you either leave on your own, or Major Howard will have you thrown out."
Edward lay back down, sighed and nodded. He hadn't meant to fall in love with Emmeline Childers, nor she with him. Now their brief affair was not only over, he would have to dig through his store of false identity papers and flee again. He looked up again at the sound of a bowl scraping on china, and now he noticed a tray on his bedside table. Emmeline had brought his dinner, a small bowl of savory beef and noodle soup. Plus a plate with a silver cover over it wafted fumes of roast pork, gravy, and mashed potoatoes.
His stomach growled and his mouth watered. With a soft grunt, Edward sat up in bed and he let Emmeline feed him. He ate slowly because he wanted to savor every moment, the taste of the food, and the memory of a beautiful woman.
Just two more days...