Chapter Ten

"Thanks for joining me for lunch," Avaron said, smothering a slice of venison with a sauce made from dried lingonberries.

"The last time I was invited to lunch it didn't go well," Riza said, her eyes haunted. She stared at an area of brick red silk wallpaper just to the right of her friend's shoulder. "Almost put me off coming."

"I guarantee I'm far better company than your uncle," Avaron replied tartly. "Have you heard any more about that?"

Riza shook her head, tracing a pattern on the high gloss polish of the cherry wood table. "It's at a stand still and I don't want to talk about it."

"Agreed, no unpleasant talk." Avaron said, taking a bite of the whipped potatoes laced through with white wine. "So how much fun did you and your major have here yesterday?"

Riza blushed, shifting around on the white damask seat, the one she was always afraid she'd drop something on. "So, right into the sex talk?"

"You said nothing unpleasant…it wasn't, was it?" Avaron asked with a fox smile.

Riza's blush deepened as she leaned back on the acanthus flower carving of the seat back. "Far from it. What is it with you and details?"

"Just seeing if you're ready for one of the books on various ways of doing it…so you don't get bored." Avaron's eyes danced.

"There are books?" Riza blurted out.

"Ah, so naÏve. Let me get them out for your next visit. I'd let you borrow one but planting too many ideas in the heads of soldiers might be a bad thing," Avaron said, heaving a melodramatic sigh.

"I doubt getting caught with a book like that would help my cause any," Riza added, thinking that would be the perfect excuse to get her expelled.

Avaron laughed then turned the conversation to picking Riza's brain about Central where the military base was. Riza gratefully accepted the change of topic, regaling her friend with all there was to do in the big city. Lunch flew by and Riza reluctantly took her leave. She turned down the walk outside of the fence, which was nearly lost in the hedgerow. Riza could barely see the majestic house behind it.

The sounds of a car stopping behind her surprised Riza. She turned and saw Keddrick step out of his vehicle. It seemed to her that he was dressed more for riding than for anything else and the walking stick he carried seemed out of place. She braced herself for what surely would be an unpleasant talk, the words, 'I'm not permitted to talk to you' balanced on the tip of her tongue. Riza never got to say them. Unprepared for him to get physical, the blow from the walking stick caught her along the cheek, cracking the ceramic topper to the cane. Keddrick dragged her toward the vehicle, Riza's split cheek trailing blood on the snow, and he stuffed her into the back seat of the car before pointing it toward the Hawkeye estate.

X X X

Roy slowly opened his eyes, unsure of where he was and why he was so cold. Sun dappled down through the trees, so pretty that he didn't want to move. It was like the forest was simply illuminated, looking so pristine, so utterly beautiful that he didn't want to do more than lie where he was and admire it. It was the type of splendor that moved men to poetry.

Bit by bit, it occurred to Roy he shouldn't be just lying in the woods. The only time he ever went into the woods was on patrol. Why was he on the ground? He couldn't possibly have fallen asleep on patrol. Gradually it sank in that something was wrong – especially since he couldn't even remember waking up in the morning, let alone what he had been doing - so he sat up. His vision swam and a drum started in his head. His shoulders twinged and everything felt bruised.

Roy rubbed his head and his gloves came away tacky. "Must have hit my head," he muttered. That would explain why he couldn't remember anything. Blood spotted the snow. Roy knew he had to get up and get moving before hypothermia set in. Surely he couldn't be alone. "Maes?" he called softly. "Riza?"

There was no answer. Roy got up and started down the hill, unsure of where he actually was. He hit a trail and started walking faster. Surely this would take him somewhere. He could see the hoof prints in the snow. Who had the horse? Him? Unfortunately, his head really began to hurt. Roy sat down on a fallen log, stamping his feet trying to warm them. He gave up on that and set another nearby log on fire. That felt better, only he was getting sleepy. Roy barely looked up when he heard a horse approaching. It was taking a lot of effort to keep his attention on the dying fire.

"Roy, what are you doing? Every rebel in the mountain is going to see that!" Maes cried, swinging off his horse. "Where's your mount?"

Roy squinted at his friend. "Why are we out here? Patrol?"

"What do you mean…" Maes' eyes fixed on the blood on Roy's collar. "Roy, you're hurt."

Roy touched his head. "I think I fell. Did I fall off a horse?"

"I don't know, buddy." Maes examined Roy's head, his breath hitched. "Son of a …Roy, do you remember anything at all?"

"I remember last night…that was nice but nothing since we left Avaron's house." Roy's brow knit. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think you fell, Roy. That looks like a bullet hole," Maes said, his voice shaking as he touched the hole just behind Roy's ear.

"Can't be." Roy's gloved fingers strayed to his head as Maes went to kick snow on what was left of the fire.

"Let's get you on my horse." Maes helped an unsteady Roy up into the saddle and swung on behind him. Roy made an unhappy noise and Maes didn't know if it was about pain or not wanting to ride double. "We have to get you home, Roy. Just hang on, we're going as fast as we can manage."

Roy didn't say anything. He just grit his teeth as all the jarring made his head hurt so much thinking, even seeing, became impossible.

X X X

Riza's head hurt more than she would have thought possible. Her hand went to her throbbing cheek even before her eyes opened but she couldn't really probe the injury; it hurt too much. She pried her eyes open, though the one on the side of pain was barely able to peel open with all the swelling.

"I guess you didn't kill her, you idiot." Her uncle's voice held a note of panic as it rasped along her ears. "I can't believe you did this."

Was she actually relieved that her uncle hadn't known Keddrick was going to attack and kidnap her?

Keddrick spun away from the huge fireplace in the den, his green eyes rolling. "Your way of doing things wasn't going to work, old man." He stabbed a finger at Riza. "She was going to convince them that she belongs in the military and negate your guardianship."

"He's not my guardian," Riza said, trying to sit up on the couch, surprised she wasn't tied down in any way. As much as her head hurt and her stomach churned, her concussion was fetters enough. "Mustang is."

"I've seen how he takes care of you." Keddrick grabbed her arms, shaking her. "You couldn't wait to spread your legs for that poor, little Squint."

Riza got her hand up but couldn't manage more than an energy-less slap. She wondered if Keddrick had fractured something in her face given the sheer amount of pain. He cocked a hand up to hit her.

"Did your father have any idea about your and his apprentice, Riza?" Bob asked, getting a hand on Keddrick and dragged him off of her.

"He gave me to Mustang for a reason," Riza growled. Let them think her father knew they were lovers. She needed time to hopefully pull herself together. Not tying her up would prove to be a mistake, just as soon as she got her bearings.

Her uncle shook his head as he settled back into a high-backed chair. "You naÏve little girl, letting that man control you."

Riza tried to smile, flinching from the pain. "Got it wrong, Uncle Bob. I'm the one in control."

"Easy to do when you have your mouth wrapped around his cock," Keddrick growled, grabbing her chin. His fingers dug into the rent in her cheek, bringing tears to her eyes. "You let that freak put his mark on you, that horrible thing on your back."

Riza kicked him, forcing him back. The effort drained her, making her vision swim. Her concussion had to be severe. "Wrong again. Who do you think taught Roy his alchemy? I am my father's daughter." She brought her chin up defiantly. "No matter what else Roy is, at least he's not a pathetic, rich, little pervert who can only watch others enjoying their lives."

Riza managed to shield her face as Keddrick swung on her. His fist hit into the meat of her arm. She reached for the gun in her holster but it was gone. A wordless cry of frustration dropped from her lips.

Keddrick unfurled his smuggest grin then produced her gun out of his pocket. "Looking for this? I have your knife, too."

Riza felt along the small of her back. Her knife was missing as promised. "Bastard."

He looked utterly amused by her fury. "What language."

"You really have no idea what you've done, do you, you spoiled idiot?" Riza hissed. "Do you think the military will just sit back and let you get away with this?"

"You overestimate your importance to them." Keddrick waved her off. She saw his pride wasn't going to allow logic in.

"She might not be when it comes to the alchemist. He'll come looking for her," Bob said uneasily, his eyes flickering in between Riza and Keddrick. "This was…impetuous of you at best, Keddrick."

Thorne struck a pose, leaning on the marble mantle, using his body to convey his disdain. "Oh, I'm not worried about the Squint."

"You ought to be," Riza said, finally able to stand up. The room bobbed and weaved and she tried to blink away those effects.