So I swear I started this chapter like four months ago, but I just got around to finishing it this week. So I thought to myself: 'Self, you should post that shit up.' So I am (:

Long time for this too? Well since I updated Inside Beauty (big thanks for all the support on that story bytheway!), why not start doing this one again as well?

Well, here it is. No beta. Just spell check and me. Yay.

Finding Eden

Chapter III

Roy stared at the young man sitting in front of him, his face stern though his thoughts were rushing with questions and confusion. The blonde wasn't at all what he had suspected, once he was up and in personal in his office space compared to what he saw outside. Sure, he was still as mistakable as a woman as the prince first thought from way down in the garden, but on further inspection, it was almost uncanny how his beauty beseeched his title. Much like Miss Riza had pointed out, he thought.

It was an appearance meant for someone of great stature, and he was curious as to how a servant acquired such looks. Unless he was one fallen from title, it was shocking even to a man like himself. And words, well thoughts of these were different from a person like Roy who thought everything was for himself with little thought to anyone else.

Besides those he trusted enough. And there weren't a lot of those he could name. He could probably use one hand.

The younger man was looking at him with perceptive eyes, head slightly tilted in a questioning manner. It must've been odd for him, to be called up to see his master when he hadn't done the slightest thing wrong, but Roy wasn't having any of that negative thinking in his room. But with those golden irises peering into his own, almost like he was reading his mind and soul, it was so different from the eyes he had seen challenging him from the courtyard.

The ones before held knowledge and a victorious gleam in them, while these were more drawn-back and focused, with an almost saddened truth hidden deep behind the beautiful gold that presented itself forward. Roy couldn't crack the code by just looking at him, which was something that frustrated him a bit because usually his servants and maids were easy to read. But this one…

A clearing of one's throat in front of him made Roy focus, trying to give as much attention as he could muster to the male. His eyes were still the latter he had seen, a bit demure and submissive to something unknown to the prince.

"I'm sorry, but what was the reason I was sent up? I do hope I'm not already a burden to your house, sir." He spoke with a quick, soft tone as if after everything he said, there was still more that he couldn't even begin to explain.

He was leaving himself out in the open going first, as attentively as he did it and Roy liked it, that manner. Assertive, though he doubted Edward knew he was being it.

"Oh, no no no no no." Roy started, waving his hands palms vertically to dismiss such a notion from the blonde's thoughts.

"Nothing like that at all. Just a bit of an assessment if you will, to see if Riza got someone right for the house." He said with bright eyes and a giant grin, making Edward as unconvinced as ever.

"An assessment?" Edward echoed, with a dry tone.

"Yes, just something to make sure that you will be right for this house." The prince answered nervously, completely thinking of reason on the top of his head encase he had to make something up again. He leaned forward in the chair, glancing at the misplaced papers on his desk that Miss Riza had given him to fill out and sign sometime this afternoon. "So, where did you work before you came to the house?" His voice echoed in the rooms for a moment as the younger man stared at him, eyes never wavering. It was quiet for a few minutes.

"I'm not sure." The answer was soft-spoken, confusion dwelling behind his words.

Roy looked forward, eyebrows scrunching and mirroring the look the servant was sending him. "You don't remember where you came from? What, something like amnesia?"

The younger man nodded. "Yes, I guess something like that. I remember working but I don't know where. I was kicked out of where I was and I wandered around for awhile before stumbling here. I remember hearing about this mansion from someone in a few towns earlier and thought I'd try here." He spoke, sitting back in his chair properly with perfect posture, like it had been beat into him as a child. Roy had been taught to sit like that as well, but it never really stuck with him.

Roy's face pulled together with a mixture of worry, confusion and quite possibly bridling on disposed anger. So it was possible that his birth was of royalty, especially since he couldn't remember his life prior to some months ago? No, he wouldn't let the servant get away with that trivial reason. His confusion was his reaction to wanting to keep this boy closer, like an invisible wire was pulling him closer and closer until it would be physically impossible to separate. He had never felt this way, looking across the desk at the younger man he had just spied outside his window some hours before.

He could feel his mouth drooping into a frown, eyes lowering as Edward stared back with a flat expression. Then it happened. Suddenly, Edward muffled out a screech, bending forward to clutch at his upper chest and his throat, as the sudden movement left him gasping for air.

Roy was on his feet in one second, dodging his desk to drop on one knee beside the younger man, brow knotting with concern.

"What's wrong?" He asked, placing his hand on Edward's knee only to receive a vile shock as the sensation rang through his veins.

Edward slowly lifted his head, blond hair matting his face as the same dark gold eyes peered at him from before. His eyes had changed in that one moment, and now they looked dangerous and foul, like Roy had seen challenging him from the garden.

"Nothing…now." The voice was different now as well, twisted as his mouth twisted into a devilish grin. "Now that I've found you, our paradise can be completed. Don't look so haste at my words, for it's a long way coming."

Roy had been staring at the young man's body, confused, though his body had jump started at the promise of paradise and the way he said that it would be 'their' doing. What. The. Hell was this? And how had it come so suddenly?

"You know it sounds wonderful to you, to get out of your confines and join the quest for eternal gratification and salvation. All you need to do is search fo—"

The sentence was cut off as Edward snapped from the spell, furiously shaking his head and throwing his arms up to grab his skull. "Get out, get out, get out…" He muttered, barely legible for Roy to hear even though he sat at such proximity.

The room had been subdued back into the eerie quiet, as Roy stared, dumbfounded, at Edward. The blond had his eyes transfixed on the floor, as if he was in a daze and the conversation that should be spoken was raging inside of his head.

"What… wha- I mean, are you mental? I mean I know Riza usually has such a great mentality for gathering servants but she's never gotten me an asylum escap—"

"No! I'm not crazy. I-I mean, I'm just fine. There's nothing wrong with me! I can assure you that that never happens and I must just be tired, and I- I—"

Roy stared as he tried to explain the situation, though quickly noted he was still bowed down on the floor. He stood in a flash, patting his clothing down with his hands before turning to gaze down at the blond. His eyes were still seemingly unfocused as he tried to spit out what that whole situation was about.

But it wasn't normal…was it? It was like he was a completely different person when he had been staring up at him before, then someone different when he first entered Roy's office. But for that moment, for that split second… it was like the boy had morphed back into that personality from earlier.

Was he mental? Wasn't there some sort of term for people with different personalities? Roy tipped his head back in thought, though came to no conclusion a moment or so later. He internally shrugged; he'd ask Riza about it later.

"I apologize for my outburst." He whipped his head down in a flash, staring at the bob of golden hair. The pale face of its occupant still gazed at the floor below. Roy's lips turned in a frown, pocketing his hands in the dark slacks as he turned back around and went and sat down behind his desk. "Are you sure you're alright? I can't have insane people running amuck in my house. I've already got too many problems to deal with –"

"You mean your parents do, you smug wannabe!"

"What!"

"I mean, don't your parents usually take care of these sort of interviews? I don't mean to intrude on your business, but it seems a bit much for the prince to care for a king's job." Edward stated over whatever that outburst had been, once again. Was this little servant actually insane? What the fuck was with this attitude that was little and light one moment, than harsh and vile the next? Roy didn't realize he had been gaping at the smaller man, his mouth hanging open a bit as he openly stared.

He should be pissed at that comment, but it more so confused the hell out of him. It truly was like something he had never experience before. Roy realized finally of his embarrassing face, and slowly turned his head downward to start shuffling papers upon his desk, before finally gathering the gusto to lift his head.

He didn't meet golden hair this time, but eyes, staring courageously at him, like it took all his will not to shoot something vile towards Roy. Maybe he just had tourettes or something…

"Were you finished?"

"Wha?" Roy questioned dumbly, only to see a weak smile cross the other boy's face, only to be pushed away a second later as he opened his mouth to speak. "You were saying something about lunatics running around in your house. I promise not to add to your list of crazies, rest assured. But I should probably be going soon. Abraham still had things for me to do." He prompted, nudging his head towards the door leading out of the office.

Oh yeah, the insane people. Did he have crazy people in his house? Well his parents topped the list because they were crazy fuckers. That's all he could say about his father and mother without being disowned. Not that he ever called them that to anyone besides himself anyway. The women here were nutty in their own ways as well. Susanna couldn't clean anything without being prompted with a special kind of cleaner and Sarah was a bit rough in making beds if anyone else were in the room with her.

See, crazy women. And though Edward wasn't female (though Roy had first assumed differently), he almost seemed to fit into the crazy category that he associated most of his servants with. Sure, everyone had their way to do things and flaws, but even then, some things just added up.

"Ah, yes. Well then you should go and meet up with him. Just be sure to get rest and keep that problem or whatever that was under control." He said, dismissing Edward who bowed his head and muttered thanks before getting up and making way to the door.

But as the seconds ticked away and Roy began to go back over their conversation, he stopped dead in his tracks. How had he known…?

"Edward!" Said blond whipped his head around as he placed his hand on the doorknob.

"Yes?" His head tipped to the side.

He had spoken without knowing what he wanted to say to the servant. How had Edward possibly known about his quest for paradise? It wasn't something people logically thought about day in and day out, was it? It wasn't like the passage of time or the garden overlooking his window where he had first spotted the blond; there couldn't be a coincidence on how he had gotten spot on.

"What am I supposed to search for?" The answer had been cut off when Edward had his little attack back to his normal self, and it made his curious. Search for what? What would someone need to seek to find paradise?

"What do you mean? Search for—Oh." He stated, realizing what Roy had been referring to. His expression turned downcast once again, staring hard at the brass knob in his grasp. "I'm not sure myself. Don't worry about it though, because it's not important. And if it is, then it will be revealed." He turned the knob, ready to let himself out.

"But wa-wait! How do you openly accuse someone of wanting salvation in paradise? Do you even know if such paradise exists? There's not a place in the world where a paradise would exist." Roy stood, pressing his palms hard on the flat desk, glaring at the man's back.

"The world is a mediocre place and there is no way in this world that a paradise would exist. If you wish for a paradise, you must seek it out." Edward turned emotionless golden eyes his way, like this was old news to him. "You should stop thinking about it though. Right now, your search for paradise hasn't even left your desk." He pointed his finger towards the thick, heavy bound book on the corner of the wooden desk. The bible.

Roy opened his mouth to speak, before closing it as Edward opened the door. He had never spoken so openly about what he wanted before, not even to his tutor. Why was it so different with this young man he had only met for the first time now? It was almost like… he was speaking the same language as Roy. The same language and quest for something just out of reach. Roy's was just starting; Edward appeared like he had been looking and failing for a long time.

"Edward…" Roy could out one fruitless time. The blond was halfway out the door, but turned his head to glance back over his shoulder. "How is your stay coming along? Everyone treating you well enough?"

The slighted smile appeared once more. "Yes, they are all quite kind. Have a good day, sir." And with that, the door was shut and he was gone.

Edward shook his head, sighing in exasperation as he almost cried out in the frustration building up in his mind and body. He grabbed at his skull, shaking it back and worth as he fought for control. She was speaking to him, chiding him along to say things the whole fucking time! He had been in control and having her serve him for so long that it hurt to be in this again. This servitude.

He wasn't crazy; oh no, he just had a voice in his mind. This voice had been with him for ages, since he could remember. It was like another side of him, a meaner, crueler, feminine side. He knew it wasn't normal, since other young men never had voices talking and taunting them day after day.

It was all because of him. Because of Roy that she was freaking out like this, trying to take command of their body and make his lips breed lies that weren't true. Or at least say things that couldn't be fulfilled yet. And she knew it. And Edward knew it. But he didn't want her to take control, because once she reached her full power…

He didn't want to think about his other being reaching control of his power. He didn't want to think about being submerged by her, being clouded over and forced to watch her make him move, make him say things and have no power over it at all.

She was drawn to him. That was the real reason she had brought them here, because she wanted to check out the prince for herself. And it seemed like she found who she was looking for. But Edward clearly wasn't about to let her come out this suddenly and have her way with him.

'Great going, Edward. Trying to break our secret on the first day?' She sniggered; if she had been looking at him, her eyes would have been upturned into a glare.

'You cannot be serious. You know our deal! I take you where you want to go to search for the man we are seeking, and you say quiet. That is the first time you've done that to me in ages, much less in front of someone neither of us know. You can't just force yourself on me!" He heard a growl come from his head, as his voice tried to place the blame on anyone but herself.

That's what she wanted, to find some special man. A man that would set them free. Or break them apart.

'But I think this is the one, Edward! That this is one we have been searching all these years for.' Edward rolled his eyes at the plea she gave, though her voice held little doubt as it did every time she stated this. But this time… He was afraid to admit that he felt something too in front of this one, that this prince could be the one for their paradise.

He pushed from his point at the door, not wanting to look like he was just loitering around muttering to himself, and took down the hall.

"You always say that!" He didn't realize he had said that aloud, before he almost literally ran into Abraham walking towards the dining hall.

"Oh, Edward my boy, there you are. Listen, I finished up everything outside, but could you go and ask Deborah if she needs any help with dinner? I've got to go and speak with someone." He waved a thanks and walked the way Edward had just came, to which the younger boy nodded and gave a fake smile away, before heading forward once again.

Had he seen Edward muttering and talking to himself? He hoped not, though he was sure the old man wouldn't say anything even if he had. The younger man narrowed his eyes, not at Abraham but at the voice, shoving his hands into his pockets and strolling into the swinging door of the kitchen.

'You always say that, with all the other people we visit. How are you so sure now? I think your need of release is fogging your mind. You can't speak to him of paradise yet; what if he's the wrong one?' The voice huffed, muttered something that heard a lot like preconceptions and cursing towards the man, before going silent. He wondered for her but she didn't answer.

She didn't answer because they both knew he was the right one. Their searching would be done. Unfortunately, he didn't know if that was good or not. He didn't know what would happen when they convinced Roy of paradise because they had never gotten this far, sucked a man this far into their promises on the first try. So far, it had been easy. But here came the hard part.

Edward softened his glare now that she was gone from his mind, before shoving the door open and into the kitchen. A woman stood at the stove, stirring something in the large pot. Her light brown hair was tied into a loose bun at the base of her neck, pale skin dipping out beneath the strands at the top of her long maid uniform. She turned at the sound, fixing Edward with gray eyes.

"Hello young man. What do you need?" Deborah asked. She insisted on calling him that, though she knew his name. He had been introduced to her by Abraham before his tour around the garden earlier in the day.

He ventured in, wandering to the island in the middle of the kitchen and sitting at the stool. It was natural to do this, like he used to do this at his own home as a child. Watch the maids cook while watching them. It calmed him down from the recent events as she looked at him with a happy gaze.

"Do you need any help? Abraham finished everything while I was talking to the prince…" He said, dropping at the end as the memory of that began once again in his mind. But Deborah only nodded before checking her brew once again.

"I could use the help with cutting those vegetables over there. I'll need another helping now that we've got a few more mouths of feed." Edward stared questioning at her as he slid off the stool and went to stand beside her.

"Well, you for one."She counted on her left hand. "And Roy, followed by the king and queen." Edward noticed how most of the servants referred to the prince by his first name when they weren't in his presence, though they still respected the king and queen with their titles. Was it out of disrespect they did that, or had she been there long enough to call him that without a title?

He grabbed the carrots and began chopping those first. "I've never seen the king or queen. What are they like?" He asked, nearly missing his finger one time as Deborah stirred calmly next to him. It was quiet in the rest of the large kitchen, beside the door swinging open and close every now and then as servants hustled to and fro, readying dinner.

"The king can be jolly and caring towards his people, but almost apathetic sometimes. Roy takes after him in wanting to do what he wants, but he isn't power hungry. I remember when he first took the place when the last king died, almost thirty years ago. He's calmed down a lot since then, thank the Lord." Deborah chuckled to herself, looking down at him. "I don't think anyone could handle his crazy ideas for much longer, not even his wife." Her voice turned into a slight whisper, before barking with sudden laughter.

Deborah turned down the heat on the stove, moving to the right to lift up the top of something stewing on the back burner. "The queen was always a medium between the king and her son. Quite the beautiful woman, but age and toil have taken some toll on her over the years. You'll like her a lot when you meet her. She'll most likely dine with Roy and the king tonight, so it'll be perfect. The sooner you meet them, the better." Her voice took a sad tinge then, as she grabbed two towels and lifted the back pot from the stove and turned, carrying it over to the island.

"Why is that?" He had been thinking the entire time, while repressing his voice and making sure she didn't interrupt. His employer already believed him to be a crazy with a split personality; he didn't want to frighten her off as well.

Deborah sighed as she mixed a few spices in. "Well, people grow old after awhile, you know. Oh, yes dear please put those in the stew. Anyway, they aren't getting any younger and soon Roy will become king and all that will be left of our current rulers will be us and this house."

Edward did as he was told, before capping the stew and turning back to where Deborah was. He reached to the stack of bowls, fixing spreading them out for when she needed them. It seemed like things had already started to be prepared and had been sent out; he wondered if there was another kitchen or if she had been preparing for long while already. "Do you think the king will die first?" This wasn't good. If he took throne, then what would happen when they needed Roy to complete their paradise? One couldn't live with a foot in both sides.

Deborah shook her head and shrugged. "Who knows? We servants just pray for them every morning and night and thank that we have a successor."

Edward bowed his head, dwelling on it. That means he would have to speed up the process, so his voice was a bit right after all. He couldn't wait to see what happened; her breakthrough to him about paradise wasn't that much out of line anymore. If Roy was going to be taking throne soon… then their paradise would have to be completed sooner than that. Before that. They had to find paradise prior.

He felt a tap on his wrist, and looked into motherly gray eyes. "Now, let's switch to happy thoughts. Grab that stew for me? My bones are getting rather old on me and I'd rather not spill dinner all over the floor." And with another soft smack, Deborah set him on his way, directing him into preparing everything for the family they served. All thoughts of paradise were put on hold as he scurried away, thankful that his voice stayed in his mind.

Comments, questions, concerns? See spelling mistakes?

I'd adore a review. (:

Confused? Good.

It'll be explained; don't worry ;]

xo Mazzie