Chapter 1

The Prince's Life

Edward arrived at the lake where he usually would just sit and read to pass time. He looked around him and saw no one. Only the trees and the calm water in front of him. Perfect! He sat down under a big weeping willow so he wouldn't get noticed but he was still facing the water. He opened his book and started reading calmly. A book about the war that happened around 200 years ago. A war where the vampires got tired of hiding from the humans and decided to take weapons in hands so they could have their place on this earth too. Blood flowed on the streets and even in the countries of the whole world. Vampires succeeded in the war, obviously, and made humans their slaves for blood and entertainment. Some cities of humans still stood with the help of the vampire hunters but they only had a better chance of surviving after the vampires made a contract with them. They would leave the human cities alone only if they didn't release the vampire hunters out of their cities. In exchange, vampires would still keep their slaves but won't enter the human cities and leave them alone. If a stupid enough vampire was to set foot in one of them, they would be killed on the spot by the hunters.

Edward sighed as he read the lines of the book. He already knew all that so he skipped and skipped the pages which were all the same. He wanted some new information. Something new he could fill his head with like real history! What was the world like before that!? He read about something called government and military but nothing of that existed now. Only castles with kings and vampire hunters at their services. At least, trade was a thing now too so that the humans outside the cities wouldn't die. Vampire gave their money in exchange for food for their slaves. Sadly… Some people still sold humans as slaves from the cities to the vampires… Edward skipped more pages that talked about the first king of the humans… Useless information… He finally arrived at what he wanted. Information about the vampires themselves!

Apparently, they have long teeth to bite into their prey so they can suck their blood from their body. They only live at night since they are nocturnal not like the humans. There was this legend that vampires burned at the touch of the sun but that was fucking lie. They just hate the sun because they can't see when it's too bright. Edward just continued to devourer the pages even though he already knew those things… Vampires preferred human blood above all else and can't live without it. Just like food for humans. They can live super long too but Edward never knew the oldest a vampire could really live. All the books from the castle were so censored…

Edward sighed again as he closed the book. Nothing new again! This was so frustrating… He brought his head up to look at the calm water of the lake and he felt a sudden hand on his shoulder. He couldn't help but let out a surprised yelp and looked around. He calmed down when he saw his little brother by him, smiling.

"What are you doing here brother?" Asked the youngest one.

"I was just reading…" Said Edward.

"Reading again? You know the books in the castle have nothing new for us."

"I know but I got my hopes up when we got this new one… I thought I had a chance of learning something new but its always the same!"

Edward threw the book in frustration and it landed in the water of the lake.

"What?!" Yelled Alphonse. "No fair! I wanted to read it too!"

"It had nothing, trust me."

"You can't just be egoist like that! Maybe I could've found something myself!"

"I said trust me! There was nothing!"

Edward looks at his younger brother as he pouted. He then put a hand on his head to reassure him.

"Maybe we'll get luckier when I become King."

"Even if you become King, vampires still strictly watch what goes inside this city… All the good books are on their side."

"I could work something out… We just have to befriend them some way or another… You'll help me when I become King right?"

"You know I'll always be by your side brother. I'll just stop you the day you go too far."

They giggled a bit at the thought. Sure, the oldest one liked to get in trouble a lot but it just made sense to him to see where the limits of his little world were. They were both Prince of this city full of humans The King was their father so they still had to watch what they were doing or where they went but Edward, being as stubborn as ever, never liked that. Maybe the day he will take the place of Hohenheim, he will know what's really going on outside of the city.

"Father wants to see you by the way." Said Alphonse.

"What does he want again?!"

"Again? You hardly ever see him!"

"Well if he actually paid attention to us, maybe I wouldn't call him Hohenheim anymore. I don't see him as a fatherly figure."

"I know but still… He is our father."

Edward got up and stretched for a bit while answering him.

"I don't care. I'll never care about him either."

He saw his little brother pout but just took his hand to help him get up too and they both walked to get back to the King's castle. They parted ways in the halls so that Edward could get up the stairs to go see his father in his study. He got in without knocking and looked at the man that was sitting in front of his desk and watching over some random documents.

"Alphonse told me you wanted to see me, Hohenheim."

He heard the old man sigh before answering.

"I already told you to knock before entering Edward…"

"What good would it do you?"

The older man just changed the subject before getting into another argument with his eldest son.

"I wanted to tell you that your fiancée will be arriving tomorrow so you must be on your best behavior, do you understand me?"

"Why do I have to get married to some random girl again? Why can't I just find love somewhere else?"

"Love isn't something us royals should think about, you know that."

"Those rules are stupid."

"We have been following these rules for centuries and you will follow them too!"

The king banged his hand on the desk as he said that last sentence, sending shivers up Edward's spine, not from fear but from the surprise. The blond then pouted.

"Why don't you really tell me the truth? I know that marrying this girl is something so fucking important for you that you are ready to explode in my face! So why the hell do I have to marry someone of royal blood too?! What is so important in our blood?!"

"Enough questions Edward! You will do as I tell you! I arranged this date tomorrow for you and your fiancée so you better not fuck it up!"

Edward couldn't help but give a smirk to his father. The man wanted to look so high and mighty but Edward always knew how to pull his strings and make him get out of his 'King' character. Hearing his father swear was one of the best revenge he could manage for the old man.

"Now, get out of my study!" Almost yelled the King.

"Sure thing, Hohenheim."

He gave him an amused smirk, showing the King how he won over him but the old man already had turned his golden eyes on his documents. Edward started walking down the long hallway while wondering if he will turn out like him when he will get older. The question he asked him still lingered on his tongue though… 'What is so important about our blood?' For centuries, his family and ancestors have been Kings and Queens and always had to have arranged weddings with other royalties. They only did that after the war though. Before that, he guessed his ancestors could get married to anyone they wanted to. He continued to walk and soon arrived in front of his brother's bedroom. He came in without knocking and looked at his brother. He was sitting on his bed and looking at some papers.

"What are you doing Alphonse?"

His younger brother turned his eyes to him and smiled.

"I found a picture of your fiancée!"

"Really? Let me see."

The blond walks closer and sat on the bed next to his brother. They then both looked at the picture. A pretty girl with long blond hair, lighter than his own and bright blue eyes. Alphonse started to speak first.

"She's pretty at least."

"Yeah… Do you know her name?"

"Apparently, her name is Winry Rockbell."

"Winry? What a strange name."

"Sure, but she looks nice. I'm sure she's nice too! Plus… If you really get close to her, maybe she could tell you some new information… She's from another country you know. Maybe it's different over there."

Edward widen his eyes while looking at his brother.

"You're right! I have to befriend her now!"

"You can't really befriend her…"

"Huh? Why?"

"Well… You'll eventually have to marry her."

"Oh… Right…"

Edward pouts a little and looks at the picture of the girl again. She is good looking at least. He just doesn't have any attraction for her. He always was like that. He never had any attraction for anyone. Maybe he was asexual? Or just never met that special person. He never even had a crush in his life but it is pretty hard to meet someone new when you're just stuck in a castle all day long… Edward did escape the castle from time to time but never really met anyone important. Thinking about outside, maybe it was a good idea to get out today… He could go buy a new book for his brother since he 'drowned' the last one he read.

He still stayed a while longer with his brother, finding things out about his future fiancée and when his little brother yawned, he let him rest and got out of his bedroom. He then went to his own room to get a long coat. He put the hood on his head and walked out of the castle. Guards really didn't care if the princes wanted to get out once in a while. They knew they were safe in the city with the vampire hunters around.

Edward walked in the roads of the city and quickly got to the closest library. The library was pretty small and he already read most of the books but that didn't stop him from coming by once or twice per month to see if there was anything new. He walked across the isles, looking at the titles of the books, looking for that special one that he didn't already read. After a while, he found one with a blood red cover. He took it and started looking at the pages and noticed that he never read that one! What a chance! He kept the book in his hand and went to see the bookkeeper.

"Is this one new, Scieska?" Asked Edward while showing the book to the woman.

"Yes Prince Edward! We got a delivery the day before. We didn't receive a lot of new books but at least we got some new ones"

"I'll come back for the others."

Edward took the change he had in his pocket. It was more than what the book was worth to rent but he didn't care. He left the change on her desk and went back outside. He didn't want to return to the castle to read so he thought about the lake by the castle. Why not? The night wasn't really cold and with the moon high up in the sky, he wouldn't have any problem reading.

He started walking and arrived at the lake soon after. He sat near the water since he couldn't read under the leafs of the weeping willow. Everything was calm and quiet around him. It was just too perfect not to pass on this opportunity so, he opened the first page and started to read.

Vampires are fearful creatures, way stronger than humans. The power they have comes from the blood of their prey so even if they killed each of the humans, they would just die. Edward widen his eyes as he read something new for once! There it was! That line that said 'Vampires can survive on the blood of another 'kind of human' but they are quite rare and their blood just makes them want to have more. They are –'

He never had the chance to finish the line. He heard a 'crack' behind him and he looked up to see what was behind. He only saw a pair of dark eyes, watching him closely. They looked at Edward with a strange glint in them… As if they were waiting for the opportunity to catch their prey… And then… Nothing.