Chapter 26
[Have I mentioned I've put too much of my life into this? I've got this main storyline, which might take place over multiple fics just a heads up, I've got one shot ideas taking place before and after this story line, and I've got two arcs that are going into their own separate fic for reasons. If I write everything I plan, I'm going to be doing this for a while, aren't I?]
Merek picked Pride up, sword still to his neck. He went up the stairs, slipping past the group in the dinning hall, and to a small staircase hidden behind a tapestry.
"I didn't know this was here."
"Staff hall," Merek supplied. Pride got the feeling he was shrugging.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Arthur's room."
He wasn't impressed. Merek was answering this all very easily, and seemingly very honestly. So he kept going.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"That depends on if you answer the questions."
Pride seriously doubted he was in danger. The Doctor might come swooping in to save the day at the last second like she had before, but there was no guarantee, and he didn't need her to. He started thinking of ideas himself. It would be easy to transmute Merek's sword into a useless lump of metal. He'd just have to wait for it to be a little farther away from his neck. In the meantime, talking held some power.
They reached a door and entered. The room inside was nice, though not as big and extravagant as the "guest" room he and the Doctor were staying in. It also had papers scattered everywhere and pinned up to the walls, despite there being a desk. It seemed Arthur just wrote on the first surface he could find. He didn't seem to be writing in code either. What a stupid decision.
Arthur was standing by his bed. He spun around as they entered. "Good, you got him."
Merek nodded, setting Pride back down.
"What do you want?" Pride asked, letting some of his genuine annoyance slip in.
Arthur just seemed amused, convinced he held the power here. "I want to talk about this alchemist of yours, Edward," Arthur replied.
"You said I was making him up," Pride said.
"Yes, and it's a good thing too, or Frederick would be leading this conversation. An under educated buffoon like him? That would be a waste, at best."
Pride noticed Merek tense up behind him. Convenient.
"Isn't he your Lord?" Pride asked innocently. "That sounds like an awfully rude thing to think of him."
Arthur sighed. He plopped down so he was at Pride's level. "You're young, so I'll cut you some slack. But a life lesson for you, how many people do you think actually respect their rulers? No, the general population is kept in line by fear, or hope they'll gain some of that power themselves."
Well no arguments from Pride. Both were reasons so many humans went along with Father's plan. Arthur might, however, get some argument from Merek. His sword was starting to tremble, and Arthur was too focused on Pride to notice.
"Is that what you're going to do?" Pride asked, trying to sound the proper amount of scandalized. "If I tell you about circle-less alchemy, are you going to turn against Lord Frederick?"
Arthur seemed to actually think it over. "Well, I probably won't dethrone him if that's what you mean. Even if I won, which I could, that's a lot of work. And the people around probably wouldn't be very happy with me. It's better to threaten him in secret, or go to a castle where I'm a stranger."
"What?" Merek asked in that sort of, quiet rage tone. Arthur looked up in surprise. "You've used me for this? You conniving, self-centered, basted. You used me to overthrow the ruler of this castle, the one who gave you this much power in the first place, and I bet you'll just discard me soon.
From Arthur's expression, it seemed he knew how hypocritical Merek's comments were. Merek's sword drifted towards Arthur's neck now. Arthur put on a placeating smile, but Pride didn't have to put up with this any longer. He wasn't in immediate danger. He clapped his hands together and put one on Merek's sword. The sword shattered, the half Merek was still holding dulled around the pointed sides. It would still hurt to get hit with, but it shouldn't cause bleeding.
Both men seemed surprised. Arthur's expression was to stare at him, blinking stupidly. Merek's mouth opened in the shape of an 'oh', and he lowered his sword arm.
Arthur recovered first, standing to full height with a glare. "So, you're the one with circle-less alchemy."
"Yes, don't act so surprised."
"I hope you realize this makes my job easier."
"Hey! Don't forget about me!" Merek shouted. "If you think I need a proper sword to fight, you're gravely mistaken."
Oh enough of this. With Merek in front of the door, it would be easier for Pride to just alchemy an opening, rather than take the exit.
Pride stepped to the side, clapping his hands together. Arthur's eyes widened. He quickly pulled out a piece of parchment with a very familiar symbol. Blue transmutation sparks crackled through the air, and the air around became unbreathable. Pride tried to gasp, and he was certainly sucking something in, but it wasn't oxygen. Merek was also struggling, dropping his broken sword.
Pride didn't know much about using alchemy on thin air, admittedly. But he'd seen Arthur do so a few times, including the reverse circle he'd used after Erthon went to sleep. With that and his notes just out in the open in the room like this, Pride was pretty sure he understood the concept well enough to copy. He clapped his hands together and put them out. It was odd to use alchemy on oxygen. It was just pressing your hands against air, but it worked. More oxygen instantly filled the air and he took a few breaths.
Actually, maybe that was a bit too much oxygen. Breathing still felt funny, and he was starting to get a headache.
"You didn't free Merek," Arthur pointed out, stepping in front of his desk. "How cold of you."
"He tried to kill me," Pride pointed out, trying to take shallower breaths.
"On my orders."
Well this much oxygen probably wouldn't do Merek any favors. Pride turned his attention to the wall again, and almost missed the fact Arthur picked up another piece of parchment. This one had a different transmutation on it.
It was like being hit by an invisible fist. He must have condensed the air or something. It knocked Pride right off the ground and into the wall, at which point he passed out.
[This seems to be the first arc where there's any kind of fight scenes. It won't be the last.]
