Fic - Immolation of Man's Pride Ch 4
Jun. 5th, 2006 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessImmolation of Man’s Pride
D M Evans
Disclaimer - not mine
Rating FRMAO (Nc-17)
Pairing - Roy/Riza
Time Line - Manga verse Pre-Ishbal, based off revelations of ch 58 but mostly written before 59 came out so we can safely say it contains spoilers for 58 and is totally AU after that
Summary -Riza finds herself caught on the horns of her past and the pride of the powerful men in her life with dire consequences
Chapter Four>
“How could this happen here?” Rozamond Mock shrilled, slamming her hands down on her mahogany desk. “What are your soldiers doing about it, Elemer?”
Roy glanced at General Householder and decided that he’d rather be out in the field with Maes and Riza who were inspecting Rennsalaer’s shot-up riding stable. It would be better than being trapped in Mrs. Mock’s office with the headmistress and four of the town’s most esteemed members, including Thorne senior and his son. Keddrick stared at him as if Roy were the one to pull the trigger on the stable.
“We don’t even know if it was the Drachmaians, Rozamond. What would they have to gain by shooting up a barn?” Elemer Householder replied, trying to put Mock and the concerned fathers at ease.
“Well, how should we know, Householder? That’s your arena,” Thorne grumbled, absently twisting a thick-banded ruby ring around his finger.
“Your stables are rather close to the forest’s edge, Rozamond. It could be a hunter got a little overenthusiastic and blasted the barn by mistake,” Householder replied, standing more stiffly and sounding more formal than Roy had ever heard him.
“That’s the best you can do?” Fabel rubbed a hand over his huge belly where it strained the limits of his suit jacket’s strength.
“No, sir, the best we can do is to double our patrols in the area and two of our men are at the stables conducting an investigation,” Roy said, his temper getting the better of his judgment. Householder just raised an eyebrow at him as if shocked Roy had taken the initiative.
“Who is this boy, General?” Gardyner glared at Roy for his intrusion. No one had to tell the young man he was deemed unworthy of even being in the same room.
“He’s Major Roy Mustang and he’s in charge of the investigation,” Householder said and Roy decided that probably wasn’t to his favor. It was a convenient way for Householder to avoid the blame if things didn’t go well.
“My son knows the little scrag, some vintner’s boy. You couldn’t find someone educated to head up the investigation?” Thorne said, looking at Mustang as if he had stepped in manure before coming inside.
“Elemer? This boy?” Mock sounded hesitant, as if unsure why her school was being treated so lightly as to put a teen in charge of the investigation.
Householder had laid a subtle hand on Roy’s arm and he was grateful for it. It was the reminder he needed that he couldn’t speak his mind to Thorne. “Mr. Thorne, I assure you, Major Mustang isn’t some uneducated child. He’s a State Alchemist, very intelligent, and he was trained right here in Portsmouth. He was Hawkeye’s apprentice. You don’t get to be an alchemist if you don’t have a good head on your shoulders. It’s exacting mental work.” Householder took a step toward the window, looking out as if examining what might be going on at the stable. “He’s one of the two officers I asked to fill your request for the ball, Rozamond.”
Her washed-out blue eyes swept over Roy. Her level of approval for him seemed to be on the rise. “A State Alchemist? I’m sure we’d all feel safer with one of them around.”
Roy tried not to be offended at her sudden change of tune, at least it was in his favor.
“Speak for yourself, Rozamond,” Fabel said, wrinkling his nose at Roy. “I don’t trust the freaks, never have.”
“Thank you for saying so, Mrs. Mock.” Roy spared the man a tight look but said nothing to him. “I’d like to speak to the groom who was in the stable when the shooting happened, if I may. He might be able to shed a little light on whoever did this.”
“That would be Geoff Eld. I sent the lad to his room since he was so shaken up. The grooms board with the cooks and maids across campus. Do you know where that is?” Mock asked, settling down at her desk.
“I’m sure he’s well acquainted with the servants quarters, Rozamond,” Gardyner said, managing to package enough snobbery for ten people into those words.
“I can find my way,” Roy said through gritted teeth. He couldn’t afford to sacrifice good sense for sake of pride.
“I think that about concludes our business here,” Householder said, turning towards the door in Mock’s austere office.. “Mustang and his men can handle the questioning.”
“That’s it?” Gardyner asked. “Shouldn’t you at least look at the stable yourself, General?” He didn’t seem very eager to trust Roy’s judgment.
Householder looked at Roy, his big moustache twitching. “I suppose that wouldn’t be out of order.”
“I’d welcome your input, General,” Roy said expansively. When he was awarded his State Alchemy paperwork and named ‘Flame,’ Roy had been told by the bored colonel who did the indoctrination that there would be many times in his career as an officer that he’d have to know whose butt to kiss and when to kiss it. Right now, in front of these snobs, when it would hurt his pride the most, seemed to be exactly the right time. The look on Householder’s face said Roy wasn’t wrong about that.
“Rozamond, if you and your patrons want to come with us just for a quick look-see, please do,” Householder said, and none of them looked thrilled by the idea. Roy also knew that they couldn’t afford to say no, now that they had put up such a fuss about his credentials.
The soldiers waited for the wealthy patrons and the headmistress to suit up for the cold and they all started trudging towards the stables.
Keddrick finally broke his silence on the way. “I don’t see how alchemy will help in this situation.”
Householder paused and Roy followed suit. The general glanced at the young man then over in the clearing away from both stables and school. A heavy fire ring of stone sat stuffed with trash and broken branches from the last snow fall. “Is that for burning, Mrs. Mock?” He pointed to the fire ring.
She nodded. “Today’s burning day but they haven’t gotten to it yet, what with all the disruption from the shooting.”
“Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Mustang,” Householder said, waving at the ring.
“Of course, General.” Roy took a step away from them and slipped on his static glove. With a snap of his fingers and a quick transmutation, a bonfire started in the pit, crackling loudly.
“Major Mustang is also known as the Flame Alchemist,” Householder said proudly. “Mustang is quite a potent weapon.”
“Oh my!” Mock pressed her fingers to her lips. “That is...well, I hope that nothing like that will be needed at the ball. I don’t want to save the girls only to lose the school.”
“I’m quite careful with my abilities, ma’am,” Roy assured her, sparing a harsh, ‘don’t mess with me,’ look for Keddrick. The other young man had gone very pale from the demonstration of power.
“I should hope so. That isn’t a power that should be put into the hands of a boy,” Fabel grumbled, seemingly impressed in spite of himself.
“No one put the power in my hands, sir. I earned the skills through my own efforts. Alchemic powers aren’t just given. I know all too well the risks inherent in what I can do,” Roy said evenly. He didn’t want to overplay his hand. “Hawkeye gave me a deep respect for the power I wield.”
No one seemed particularly convinced of that. Roy just tried to put it out of mind as he trudged through the snow to the stable. Both Hughes and Hawkeye were outside, taking measurements of the bullet holes and the angle at which they might have gone into the wood at. They straightened up and saluted as Mustang and Householder approached. Roy looked at Keddrick out of the corner of his eye. His rich rival didn’t seem happy to see Riza in the military blues.
“Anything to report?” Roy asked, trying to sound officious and in control. His friends looked annoyed at him.
“Not yet. We found some footprints in the snow but there’s not much they can tell us. There’s a trail just beyond those trees,” Hughes said, gesturing. “There are many different sets of footprints.”
“We did find something odd here,” Hawkeye said, beckoning Roy closer to the stable. A shotgun blast patterned the wood near the window. “That’s the grooms’ area.” She pointed to the chairs snugged into the excess hay and tack that hung on the walls. “Where they’d sit to take a rest. It could be the shooter was aiming at someone in the window.”
“They wouldn’t be a very good shot if that’s the case,” Roy said, examining the blast pattern. “There was a groom inside at the time of the shooting. Hughes, can you finish here alone? I’d like to take Hawkeye with me to question the groom. She might know the boy, which would help.”
“I have things in hand,” Hughes replied, looking slightly unhappy about getting left behind in the cold.
“Good. Then, if there’s nothing else, General Householder, Mrs. Mock, I’d like to go talk to Geoff Eld before he forgets something that might be important for us to know,” Roy said.
“No, you go do what you need to, Major,” Householder said, looking pleased with Roy’s conduct. “I’ll tie things up here.”
“Thank you, sir. Come on, Hawkeye, you’re with me,” Roy said, his eyes on Keddrick, the challenge evident.
“Of course, sir.” Riza walked past Keddrick with a challenge of her own, Roy noticed. He also noticed Keddrick didn’t seem deterred. Roy didn’t have time to dwell on it, however. He did have a job to do.
“Sir, I have to ask,” Riza started once they were well away from the stables, cutting across campus to the forgotten corner where the servants lived, “can I expect all these showings of pride and the gnashing of teeth over me all the time or do you think you’ll get it under control so only a few people will see it every time Keddrick baits you?”
Roy felt the color going to his cheeks. “I don’t know what you mean. I did need you along for this. Those patrons know you. Keddrick made sure to tell them all I’m some vintner’s son. Gardyner more or less asked me if I could read. Wait until he finds out I’m escorting his daughter to the dance.”
“Oh, it is going to be such a fun night.” Riza pinched the bridge of her nose. “Try not to let the insults to your pride get the better of you, Roy. Keddrick knows he can make you do stupid things and he’ll be sure to manipulate you into doing them.”
“I know,” Roy said bitterly. “I’m trying not to. I thought I did pretty good with those men.”
“That bonfire had nothing to do with you showing off?” The look she gave him seemed overly harsh to Roy.
“Householder ordered me to. Keddrick called into question my usefulness. The General thought a demonstration of power was in order,” Roy said defensively.
Riza just shook her head. “Do you honestly think Geoff knows anything about this or was that just a show for Keddrick?”
“No, it wasn’t. You pointed out that someone might have been taking a shot at whoever was in the window. That would be Geoff. I don’t think Drachmaian insurgents would take the time to pepper a riding stable. What would be the point? If it wasn’t someone poaching on school grounds, then I have to consider a groom might be a target for whatever reason.”
“Well, Geoff always gave me the impression he was trying to look down the girls’ shirts whenever he’d help us mount up.” Riza wrinkled her nose. “Then acted offended when we were offended that he’d try, as if it were some compliment.”
“Guys rarely think that girls don’t want us to see them naked. We just assume you do,” Roy said, wincing at his honesty.
“I’ve figured that out. At least you mostly never ogled me when you lived with us,” Riza said, something in her tone sounding disappointed.
“Your father knew the secrets of flame alchemy. I thought it wise not to arouse his temper and me having anything to do with you seemed to do it,” he admitted, thinking he would have liked to have seen her naked even without the tattoo.
Riza crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a sad look. There was a frisson of shame in her eyes. “I know.”
Roy was afraid she thought he didn’t find her attractive so he tried to explain himself. “I know why now, of course, but I’ve wondered ever since did he think you’d never-”
“I don’t want to talk about this, sir!” Her tone was so strident, so upset that Roy gave her a wide eyed look and dropped the subject.
They both sank into an uneasy silence until they arrived at Geoff’s tiny room in the rambling servants’ quarters. The teenager peered at them with wide, nervous eyes. “Can I help you? Have you gotten lost?” he asked.
“No, we came looking for you, Geoff,” Riza said, drawing the groom’s attention.
He blinked at her. “Miss Hawkeye? I didn’t recognize you, ma’am, in that uniform. Why would the military be looking for me?”
“You were there when the stable was shot up,” Roy said, pressing into the room. “We’d like to talk to you about it.”
“Of course, but I don’t know anything.” Geoff looked around his room as if expecting chairs to suddenly manifest themselves for his visitors. “I can’t really offer you a place to sit.”
“It’s all right. This shouldn’t take long. Why don’t you sit?” Roy said in a tone not to be argued with, expertly manipulating the young man into a position of submission. “Tell us about this morning.”
“There’s not much to tell. I was in the stable and I heard the blast hitting the wall,” Geoff said raising his hands and letting them fall.
“That’s it?” Roy gave him a look of disbelief.
“Where were you in the stable Geoff?” Riza took the notepad out of her jacket pocket and made a production of writing something.
“Giving the horses some oats and corn,” Geoff replied, eyeing the pad nervously.
“You weren’t taking a break, maybe?” Roy pressed. “Sitting in front of the window, maybe?”
A fine beading of sweat broke out over the boy’s face. “Well...maybe I was done feeding the horses by then. I guess I could have been sitting down.”
“There weren’t any Drachmaians roaming the woods were there?” Roy smirked, moving into Geoff’s personal space. “You know who shot the barn.”
Geoff shook his head, worming away from Roy.
“What happened, Geoff? Are you afraid Mrs. Mock will be angry if she finds out the truth?” Riza asked, her tone gentle.
Geoff crumbled. “She’ll sack me.”
“Let’s hear it,” Roy demanded, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Aneta Vance’s father did it. He caught me with Aneta last night and promised to make me regret it,” Geoff whispered, not looking at the soldiers. “Are you going to tell Mrs. Mock?”
“I don’t see as we’ll have a choice, Geoff,” Riza said. “If you get lucky, she might not blame you for what a girl’s irate father does.”
Geoff’s face said he wasn’t holding out much hope.
“I’d stay out of sight if I were you,” Roy cautioned wisely. “I’ll speak to the General and see how he wants to handle Mr. Vance.”
“Thank you, sir,” Geoff replied glumly.
“Hawkeye.” Roy gestured to the door. They walked silently in the cold for a few moments.
“I suppose you weren’t too wrong to worry about what my father might have done if he caught you looking at me,” Riza said morosely, once they were crossing the campus once more. “Apparently fathers can’t be expected to keep their wits about them where their daughters are concerned.”
“Some can’t,” Roy said in a tone that suggested experience. “Riza, I’m sorry about before.”
“I was about to say that to you. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” She seemed pale and somehow diminished. Roy hated seeing her like that.
“No, it’s all right. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you. It’s just....I don’t know why he made you part of the great work, not like that.” Roy wet his lips. “But I understand why you don’t want to talk about it. Why don’t we just report back to the general and Mrs. Mock and maybe get the constables out to Mr. Vance’s home before he actually figures out how to aim his shotgun.”
“That sounds like a reasonable course of action, sir,” she replied, but her eyes were far away, looking backwards in time, Roy didn’t doubt, probably wondering if there was something different she could have done in regards to her father.
X X X
“Damn it.” Roy slammed his hand against the barely warm radiator.
“I swear Roy, if you whine about it being cold, I’ll start at the beginning with Damariss’ latest letter to me,” Maes threatened, turning down his covers.
Roy glared. He already heard more about Maes’ newest girl than he cared to. “I wonder what I could do to get a room with a fireplace?”
Maes stretched out on his bed. “I wouldn’t argue with that. At least then you’d be useful.”
“Die.” Roy yanked the covers down and huddled up under them. “I think there’s a hole in this wall or something.”
Maes snorted. “Again I say, if you didn’t weigh only forty kilograms, you wouldn’t get so cold.”
“I weigh more than forty kilo,” Roy grated out. He rolled onto his side and looked across the room to his friend. “Do you think I’m acting too proud where Thorne is concerned?”
Maes smirked. “You? Proud? Perish the thought.”
A hurt expression filtered across Roy’s face. “I’m being serious, Maes. Riza accused me of it.”
“I wonder why. Could it be that you’re the most prideful man I’ve ever met?” Maes laughed.
“I am not!” Roy wore a truly shocked expression, as if it never crossed his mind he was too proud.
“Roy, you are arrogant. Not that you don’t have good reason to be. What you can do, that talent of yours, you walk around here with the power of a god and you know it,” Maes said, sobering. “You aren’t normally too obnoxious with your pride, not like Thorne is. He likes putting it in everyone’s face that he’s better than we are but you do have your moments. Lately, whenever Thorne is around is a moment.”
Roy tucked his covers up to his chin, contemplating that. “I’m that bad?”
“Not most days but sometimes, yes. Being male doesn’t help. We tend to turn into peacocks whenever a peahen struts by,” Maes replied with amused practicality.
Roy seized on that face-saving suggestion. “True.”
“So, why do you care what Riza thinks of you? I thought it wasn’t like that!” Maes crowed.
“It’s not!” Roy blushed. “She said I was giving the wrong impression to the town fathers and I was worried, that’s all.”
“You could set your bed clothes on fire with that blush. Go peddle your crap elsewhere. I’m not buying.” Maes set his glasses on the night stand. “Again I remind you that she’s off limits, Major.”
“Shut up, Lieutenant.” Roy made a face. “Well, at least all the military will do is reprimand me. Her father would have set me on fire.”
“I suppose that would be a deterrent, yes.” Maes rolled up on one elbow. “Roy, be careful around Thorne. I don’t like the feelings I’m getting from that guy. He’s dangerous.”
“I know. I only remember him a little. I didn’t have much to do with the Rennsa....whatever crowd or in his case the Mesick crowd,” Roy said. “But what I do remember I don’t like. There were reasons Teacher wouldn’t do business with the Thornes. They get what they want at any cost.”
“And what he wants seems to be Hawkeye,” Maes said, his eyes hard and flat.
“Hawkeye can take care of herself without any help from me. I think that might just piss her off,” Roy said, wondering how to best handle the situation with her and Thorne. “Not that that would stop me if he tried something.”
“Or even if he didn’t. You and Thorne are definitely fire and gasoline and the last thing the Flame Alchemist needs is more fuel,” Maes said wryly.
“Yeah, well, he’d do well to keep his fuel away from Riza. Thorne does that and there’ll be no problems,” Roy huffed, picturing Thorne with Riza and hating it.
“Because it’s not like that at all, Maes. You’re imagining things.” Maes laughed.
Roy mumbled something particularly rude as he flipped the covers over his head.
Maes laughed louder. “If the old adage is right and bastards and cream really do rise to the top, I’ll be calling you General Mustang before I know it.”
Roy’s comeback found a new level of rudeness.
D M Evans
Disclaimer - not mine
Rating FRMAO (Nc-17)
Pairing - Roy/Riza
Time Line - Manga verse Pre-Ishbal, based off revelations of ch 58 but mostly written before 59 came out so we can safely say it contains spoilers for 58 and is totally AU after that
Summary -Riza finds herself caught on the horns of her past and the pride of the powerful men in her life with dire consequences
Chapter Four>
“How could this happen here?” Rozamond Mock shrilled, slamming her hands down on her mahogany desk. “What are your soldiers doing about it, Elemer?”
Roy glanced at General Householder and decided that he’d rather be out in the field with Maes and Riza who were inspecting Rennsalaer’s shot-up riding stable. It would be better than being trapped in Mrs. Mock’s office with the headmistress and four of the town’s most esteemed members, including Thorne senior and his son. Keddrick stared at him as if Roy were the one to pull the trigger on the stable.
“We don’t even know if it was the Drachmaians, Rozamond. What would they have to gain by shooting up a barn?” Elemer Householder replied, trying to put Mock and the concerned fathers at ease.
“Well, how should we know, Householder? That’s your arena,” Thorne grumbled, absently twisting a thick-banded ruby ring around his finger.
“Your stables are rather close to the forest’s edge, Rozamond. It could be a hunter got a little overenthusiastic and blasted the barn by mistake,” Householder replied, standing more stiffly and sounding more formal than Roy had ever heard him.
“That’s the best you can do?” Fabel rubbed a hand over his huge belly where it strained the limits of his suit jacket’s strength.
“No, sir, the best we can do is to double our patrols in the area and two of our men are at the stables conducting an investigation,” Roy said, his temper getting the better of his judgment. Householder just raised an eyebrow at him as if shocked Roy had taken the initiative.
“Who is this boy, General?” Gardyner glared at Roy for his intrusion. No one had to tell the young man he was deemed unworthy of even being in the same room.
“He’s Major Roy Mustang and he’s in charge of the investigation,” Householder said and Roy decided that probably wasn’t to his favor. It was a convenient way for Householder to avoid the blame if things didn’t go well.
“My son knows the little scrag, some vintner’s boy. You couldn’t find someone educated to head up the investigation?” Thorne said, looking at Mustang as if he had stepped in manure before coming inside.
“Elemer? This boy?” Mock sounded hesitant, as if unsure why her school was being treated so lightly as to put a teen in charge of the investigation.
Householder had laid a subtle hand on Roy’s arm and he was grateful for it. It was the reminder he needed that he couldn’t speak his mind to Thorne. “Mr. Thorne, I assure you, Major Mustang isn’t some uneducated child. He’s a State Alchemist, very intelligent, and he was trained right here in Portsmouth. He was Hawkeye’s apprentice. You don’t get to be an alchemist if you don’t have a good head on your shoulders. It’s exacting mental work.” Householder took a step toward the window, looking out as if examining what might be going on at the stable. “He’s one of the two officers I asked to fill your request for the ball, Rozamond.”
Her washed-out blue eyes swept over Roy. Her level of approval for him seemed to be on the rise. “A State Alchemist? I’m sure we’d all feel safer with one of them around.”
Roy tried not to be offended at her sudden change of tune, at least it was in his favor.
“Speak for yourself, Rozamond,” Fabel said, wrinkling his nose at Roy. “I don’t trust the freaks, never have.”
“Thank you for saying so, Mrs. Mock.” Roy spared the man a tight look but said nothing to him. “I’d like to speak to the groom who was in the stable when the shooting happened, if I may. He might be able to shed a little light on whoever did this.”
“That would be Geoff Eld. I sent the lad to his room since he was so shaken up. The grooms board with the cooks and maids across campus. Do you know where that is?” Mock asked, settling down at her desk.
“I’m sure he’s well acquainted with the servants quarters, Rozamond,” Gardyner said, managing to package enough snobbery for ten people into those words.
“I can find my way,” Roy said through gritted teeth. He couldn’t afford to sacrifice good sense for sake of pride.
“I think that about concludes our business here,” Householder said, turning towards the door in Mock’s austere office.. “Mustang and his men can handle the questioning.”
“That’s it?” Gardyner asked. “Shouldn’t you at least look at the stable yourself, General?” He didn’t seem very eager to trust Roy’s judgment.
Householder looked at Roy, his big moustache twitching. “I suppose that wouldn’t be out of order.”
“I’d welcome your input, General,” Roy said expansively. When he was awarded his State Alchemy paperwork and named ‘Flame,’ Roy had been told by the bored colonel who did the indoctrination that there would be many times in his career as an officer that he’d have to know whose butt to kiss and when to kiss it. Right now, in front of these snobs, when it would hurt his pride the most, seemed to be exactly the right time. The look on Householder’s face said Roy wasn’t wrong about that.
“Rozamond, if you and your patrons want to come with us just for a quick look-see, please do,” Householder said, and none of them looked thrilled by the idea. Roy also knew that they couldn’t afford to say no, now that they had put up such a fuss about his credentials.
The soldiers waited for the wealthy patrons and the headmistress to suit up for the cold and they all started trudging towards the stables.
Keddrick finally broke his silence on the way. “I don’t see how alchemy will help in this situation.”
Householder paused and Roy followed suit. The general glanced at the young man then over in the clearing away from both stables and school. A heavy fire ring of stone sat stuffed with trash and broken branches from the last snow fall. “Is that for burning, Mrs. Mock?” He pointed to the fire ring.
She nodded. “Today’s burning day but they haven’t gotten to it yet, what with all the disruption from the shooting.”
“Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Mustang,” Householder said, waving at the ring.
“Of course, General.” Roy took a step away from them and slipped on his static glove. With a snap of his fingers and a quick transmutation, a bonfire started in the pit, crackling loudly.
“Major Mustang is also known as the Flame Alchemist,” Householder said proudly. “Mustang is quite a potent weapon.”
“Oh my!” Mock pressed her fingers to her lips. “That is...well, I hope that nothing like that will be needed at the ball. I don’t want to save the girls only to lose the school.”
“I’m quite careful with my abilities, ma’am,” Roy assured her, sparing a harsh, ‘don’t mess with me,’ look for Keddrick. The other young man had gone very pale from the demonstration of power.
“I should hope so. That isn’t a power that should be put into the hands of a boy,” Fabel grumbled, seemingly impressed in spite of himself.
“No one put the power in my hands, sir. I earned the skills through my own efforts. Alchemic powers aren’t just given. I know all too well the risks inherent in what I can do,” Roy said evenly. He didn’t want to overplay his hand. “Hawkeye gave me a deep respect for the power I wield.”
No one seemed particularly convinced of that. Roy just tried to put it out of mind as he trudged through the snow to the stable. Both Hughes and Hawkeye were outside, taking measurements of the bullet holes and the angle at which they might have gone into the wood at. They straightened up and saluted as Mustang and Householder approached. Roy looked at Keddrick out of the corner of his eye. His rich rival didn’t seem happy to see Riza in the military blues.
“Anything to report?” Roy asked, trying to sound officious and in control. His friends looked annoyed at him.
“Not yet. We found some footprints in the snow but there’s not much they can tell us. There’s a trail just beyond those trees,” Hughes said, gesturing. “There are many different sets of footprints.”
“We did find something odd here,” Hawkeye said, beckoning Roy closer to the stable. A shotgun blast patterned the wood near the window. “That’s the grooms’ area.” She pointed to the chairs snugged into the excess hay and tack that hung on the walls. “Where they’d sit to take a rest. It could be the shooter was aiming at someone in the window.”
“They wouldn’t be a very good shot if that’s the case,” Roy said, examining the blast pattern. “There was a groom inside at the time of the shooting. Hughes, can you finish here alone? I’d like to take Hawkeye with me to question the groom. She might know the boy, which would help.”
“I have things in hand,” Hughes replied, looking slightly unhappy about getting left behind in the cold.
“Good. Then, if there’s nothing else, General Householder, Mrs. Mock, I’d like to go talk to Geoff Eld before he forgets something that might be important for us to know,” Roy said.
“No, you go do what you need to, Major,” Householder said, looking pleased with Roy’s conduct. “I’ll tie things up here.”
“Thank you, sir. Come on, Hawkeye, you’re with me,” Roy said, his eyes on Keddrick, the challenge evident.
“Of course, sir.” Riza walked past Keddrick with a challenge of her own, Roy noticed. He also noticed Keddrick didn’t seem deterred. Roy didn’t have time to dwell on it, however. He did have a job to do.
“Sir, I have to ask,” Riza started once they were well away from the stables, cutting across campus to the forgotten corner where the servants lived, “can I expect all these showings of pride and the gnashing of teeth over me all the time or do you think you’ll get it under control so only a few people will see it every time Keddrick baits you?”
Roy felt the color going to his cheeks. “I don’t know what you mean. I did need you along for this. Those patrons know you. Keddrick made sure to tell them all I’m some vintner’s son. Gardyner more or less asked me if I could read. Wait until he finds out I’m escorting his daughter to the dance.”
“Oh, it is going to be such a fun night.” Riza pinched the bridge of her nose. “Try not to let the insults to your pride get the better of you, Roy. Keddrick knows he can make you do stupid things and he’ll be sure to manipulate you into doing them.”
“I know,” Roy said bitterly. “I’m trying not to. I thought I did pretty good with those men.”
“That bonfire had nothing to do with you showing off?” The look she gave him seemed overly harsh to Roy.
“Householder ordered me to. Keddrick called into question my usefulness. The General thought a demonstration of power was in order,” Roy said defensively.
Riza just shook her head. “Do you honestly think Geoff knows anything about this or was that just a show for Keddrick?”
“No, it wasn’t. You pointed out that someone might have been taking a shot at whoever was in the window. That would be Geoff. I don’t think Drachmaian insurgents would take the time to pepper a riding stable. What would be the point? If it wasn’t someone poaching on school grounds, then I have to consider a groom might be a target for whatever reason.”
“Well, Geoff always gave me the impression he was trying to look down the girls’ shirts whenever he’d help us mount up.” Riza wrinkled her nose. “Then acted offended when we were offended that he’d try, as if it were some compliment.”
“Guys rarely think that girls don’t want us to see them naked. We just assume you do,” Roy said, wincing at his honesty.
“I’ve figured that out. At least you mostly never ogled me when you lived with us,” Riza said, something in her tone sounding disappointed.
“Your father knew the secrets of flame alchemy. I thought it wise not to arouse his temper and me having anything to do with you seemed to do it,” he admitted, thinking he would have liked to have seen her naked even without the tattoo.
Riza crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a sad look. There was a frisson of shame in her eyes. “I know.”
Roy was afraid she thought he didn’t find her attractive so he tried to explain himself. “I know why now, of course, but I’ve wondered ever since did he think you’d never-”
“I don’t want to talk about this, sir!” Her tone was so strident, so upset that Roy gave her a wide eyed look and dropped the subject.
They both sank into an uneasy silence until they arrived at Geoff’s tiny room in the rambling servants’ quarters. The teenager peered at them with wide, nervous eyes. “Can I help you? Have you gotten lost?” he asked.
“No, we came looking for you, Geoff,” Riza said, drawing the groom’s attention.
He blinked at her. “Miss Hawkeye? I didn’t recognize you, ma’am, in that uniform. Why would the military be looking for me?”
“You were there when the stable was shot up,” Roy said, pressing into the room. “We’d like to talk to you about it.”
“Of course, but I don’t know anything.” Geoff looked around his room as if expecting chairs to suddenly manifest themselves for his visitors. “I can’t really offer you a place to sit.”
“It’s all right. This shouldn’t take long. Why don’t you sit?” Roy said in a tone not to be argued with, expertly manipulating the young man into a position of submission. “Tell us about this morning.”
“There’s not much to tell. I was in the stable and I heard the blast hitting the wall,” Geoff said raising his hands and letting them fall.
“That’s it?” Roy gave him a look of disbelief.
“Where were you in the stable Geoff?” Riza took the notepad out of her jacket pocket and made a production of writing something.
“Giving the horses some oats and corn,” Geoff replied, eyeing the pad nervously.
“You weren’t taking a break, maybe?” Roy pressed. “Sitting in front of the window, maybe?”
A fine beading of sweat broke out over the boy’s face. “Well...maybe I was done feeding the horses by then. I guess I could have been sitting down.”
“There weren’t any Drachmaians roaming the woods were there?” Roy smirked, moving into Geoff’s personal space. “You know who shot the barn.”
Geoff shook his head, worming away from Roy.
“What happened, Geoff? Are you afraid Mrs. Mock will be angry if she finds out the truth?” Riza asked, her tone gentle.
Geoff crumbled. “She’ll sack me.”
“Let’s hear it,” Roy demanded, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Aneta Vance’s father did it. He caught me with Aneta last night and promised to make me regret it,” Geoff whispered, not looking at the soldiers. “Are you going to tell Mrs. Mock?”
“I don’t see as we’ll have a choice, Geoff,” Riza said. “If you get lucky, she might not blame you for what a girl’s irate father does.”
Geoff’s face said he wasn’t holding out much hope.
“I’d stay out of sight if I were you,” Roy cautioned wisely. “I’ll speak to the General and see how he wants to handle Mr. Vance.”
“Thank you, sir,” Geoff replied glumly.
“Hawkeye.” Roy gestured to the door. They walked silently in the cold for a few moments.
“I suppose you weren’t too wrong to worry about what my father might have done if he caught you looking at me,” Riza said morosely, once they were crossing the campus once more. “Apparently fathers can’t be expected to keep their wits about them where their daughters are concerned.”
“Some can’t,” Roy said in a tone that suggested experience. “Riza, I’m sorry about before.”
“I was about to say that to you. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” She seemed pale and somehow diminished. Roy hated seeing her like that.
“No, it’s all right. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you. It’s just....I don’t know why he made you part of the great work, not like that.” Roy wet his lips. “But I understand why you don’t want to talk about it. Why don’t we just report back to the general and Mrs. Mock and maybe get the constables out to Mr. Vance’s home before he actually figures out how to aim his shotgun.”
“That sounds like a reasonable course of action, sir,” she replied, but her eyes were far away, looking backwards in time, Roy didn’t doubt, probably wondering if there was something different she could have done in regards to her father.
X X X
“Damn it.” Roy slammed his hand against the barely warm radiator.
“I swear Roy, if you whine about it being cold, I’ll start at the beginning with Damariss’ latest letter to me,” Maes threatened, turning down his covers.
Roy glared. He already heard more about Maes’ newest girl than he cared to. “I wonder what I could do to get a room with a fireplace?”
Maes stretched out on his bed. “I wouldn’t argue with that. At least then you’d be useful.”
“Die.” Roy yanked the covers down and huddled up under them. “I think there’s a hole in this wall or something.”
Maes snorted. “Again I say, if you didn’t weigh only forty kilograms, you wouldn’t get so cold.”
“I weigh more than forty kilo,” Roy grated out. He rolled onto his side and looked across the room to his friend. “Do you think I’m acting too proud where Thorne is concerned?”
Maes smirked. “You? Proud? Perish the thought.”
A hurt expression filtered across Roy’s face. “I’m being serious, Maes. Riza accused me of it.”
“I wonder why. Could it be that you’re the most prideful man I’ve ever met?” Maes laughed.
“I am not!” Roy wore a truly shocked expression, as if it never crossed his mind he was too proud.
“Roy, you are arrogant. Not that you don’t have good reason to be. What you can do, that talent of yours, you walk around here with the power of a god and you know it,” Maes said, sobering. “You aren’t normally too obnoxious with your pride, not like Thorne is. He likes putting it in everyone’s face that he’s better than we are but you do have your moments. Lately, whenever Thorne is around is a moment.”
Roy tucked his covers up to his chin, contemplating that. “I’m that bad?”
“Not most days but sometimes, yes. Being male doesn’t help. We tend to turn into peacocks whenever a peahen struts by,” Maes replied with amused practicality.
Roy seized on that face-saving suggestion. “True.”
“So, why do you care what Riza thinks of you? I thought it wasn’t like that!” Maes crowed.
“It’s not!” Roy blushed. “She said I was giving the wrong impression to the town fathers and I was worried, that’s all.”
“You could set your bed clothes on fire with that blush. Go peddle your crap elsewhere. I’m not buying.” Maes set his glasses on the night stand. “Again I remind you that she’s off limits, Major.”
“Shut up, Lieutenant.” Roy made a face. “Well, at least all the military will do is reprimand me. Her father would have set me on fire.”
“I suppose that would be a deterrent, yes.” Maes rolled up on one elbow. “Roy, be careful around Thorne. I don’t like the feelings I’m getting from that guy. He’s dangerous.”
“I know. I only remember him a little. I didn’t have much to do with the Rennsa....whatever crowd or in his case the Mesick crowd,” Roy said. “But what I do remember I don’t like. There were reasons Teacher wouldn’t do business with the Thornes. They get what they want at any cost.”
“And what he wants seems to be Hawkeye,” Maes said, his eyes hard and flat.
“Hawkeye can take care of herself without any help from me. I think that might just piss her off,” Roy said, wondering how to best handle the situation with her and Thorne. “Not that that would stop me if he tried something.”
“Or even if he didn’t. You and Thorne are definitely fire and gasoline and the last thing the Flame Alchemist needs is more fuel,” Maes said wryly.
“Yeah, well, he’d do well to keep his fuel away from Riza. Thorne does that and there’ll be no problems,” Roy huffed, picturing Thorne with Riza and hating it.
“Because it’s not like that at all, Maes. You’re imagining things.” Maes laughed.
Roy mumbled something particularly rude as he flipped the covers over his head.
Maes laughed louder. “If the old adage is right and bastards and cream really do rise to the top, I’ll be calling you General Mustang before I know it.”
Roy’s comeback found a new level of rudeness.
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