Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Her Knight In Shining Armor ❯ Feed the Children ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I do not own the characters Ed, Al, Winry or the basis for their past history. They belong to the creators of Full Metal Alchemist. I also don't own any of the fairytales mentioned. I don't own much of anything…

Warning: There will be some references made to the show. It won't give away anything about the ending… I don't think… Anyway there will be threats of rape and murder. Not too vivid though.

There will also be spelling mistakes due to where Lorna originates from. I allowed some spelling error because it's words she would use. And I don't want any flames on it. I'm from where she's from so I just had her speak the way I do!

Chapter Four: Feed the Children

After we had finished the shopping and were walking back toward the house Al said, “You know you shouldn't have done that.”

“Done what?” I asked innocently taking a bite of an apple I'd bought.

“You know what.” He looked down at me as I chewed smiling up at him. “You didn't mind at all did you?” This time he was serious and had turned his head to look off into the distance.

“No. I like being with you.” I took another small bite then looked over to a pond with ducks on it. “Let's sit for a while.” Al nodded and we sat down watching the birds swim.

For a long time we didn't say anything. We just sat reflecting on things. `I do like being with Al. It doesn't matter what others think.' It had never mattered to me. My friends were my friends, regardless of what they were like.

“Look.” He mentioned, pointing past me towards the end of the pond. There sat two little kids. The older was a girl and the younger a boy. They were watching us with great interest.

I smiled and waved with the apple still in hand. They returned the smile and walked toward us. To my surprise they were looking at the apple rather than Alphonse.

“Could we have it when you're done?” The little girl queried. The boy stood behind her peering around at me.

“What for?” I wondered aloud.

“My brother, he's hungry.” She explained, watching my eyes.

“What's your name?” Al inquired softly.

The little girl looked up as if just noticing Al. Then she shook her head. “Can't say. Momma said not to.”

“Momma said not to talk to strangers.” Her brother whispered behind her.

A worried look came across the girl's face as the realization hit her. I stopped smiling and held out my hand. “I'm Lorna and this is Al. You don't have to tell us your names, but now we won't be strangers.”

The girl smiled happily shaking my hand then requested again, “What about the apple?”

I looked at it. It was almost completely gone. “No, don't think I can, I wanted to finish it.” She frowned before I had a chance to finish, “But we happen to have a bunch of food I don't want. So if you'll show us where you live we can take it there for you.”

The girl's eyes lit up. The boy stepped around her and looked up at me. “Can we ask momma first?” I smiled and nodded, then the two ran off around the pond.

“Do you think they'll be back?” Al asked thoughtfully.

“Yeah I bet they will.” I smiled, “You know this means we have to go shopping again don't ya?”

“Yeah.” He laughed.

Soon the children were back pulling a woman behind them. She seemed shocked when first seeing us. `Perhaps she thought we were a story?'

“See momma, we told you!” The little girl pointed smiling.

“They said you…” She seemed to be in a wary shock, not sure of the truth. “You want to give us some food?”

I nodded standing to shake her hand, “I'm Lorna and this is Al.”

“Nice to meet you mama.” Al stood and shook her hand.

She seemed to go into a deeper shock as he rose. “You're… I've heard of you! You live with your brother and that mechanic in the country.”

“Yes, and now Lorna here is renting a room from us.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

`A gentle giant.' I thought looking up at him.

“We have some extra food if you want to show us where to take it.” I added turning my attention back to her.

“Oh!” She seemed to come back from her thoughts. “But… I've nothing to pay.” She looked at me with concern.

I shook my head smiling. “No payment needed.”

She nodded and we picked up the bags. I handed each of the kids an apple for on the road. Their mother seemed too dazed to eat.

When we arrived it was a shack on the edge of town close to the dump. There were no other houses around, just a few rundown stores.

“My husband died.” She explained solemnly “We were left with nothing.”

She opened the door and led us to a small kitchen with a broken table and one chair. Two upside down buckets sat on the floor to serve as seats.

Al and I sat down the bags of food. Looking around I noticed just how poor a shape the place was in.

“Let me go get some water.” She murmured heading out the back toward a well.

“I'll help.” I volunteered following her.

When we came back inside the table had become like new, as had the chair. Two small chairs also sat at the table. The kitchen stove had been fixed, as had the sink and other appliances. Both the mother and I looked around in wonderment.

Alphonse stood drawing a circle on one of the cracked windows with a piece of chalk. He placed his hands on either side and with a flash of light it was fixed. He turned and looked at the two of us.

I glanced at the mother who was now looking teary eyed at her belongings. “How?” She managed.

“Alchemy.” Al answered. “It's a science where I come from.”

I had never been so proud of anyone in my life. He didn't know these people. Yet here he was fixing their home without being asked.

I stayed as Al slowly fixed the rest of the house and furniture. By the time he was done the lights, pluming, and gas were all working again.

I had found out that the mother was Eliza Yourth. Her husband had died two years earlier when their boy William was only 3 years old. His sister Liza was two years older.

Mrs. Yourth had done a little laundry and housework, but it just didn't earn her enough to pay off the mortgage, which wasn't very much. The interest was what kept her from outright owning the place.

“All finished.” Al announced proudly looking around at his work.

“Thank you so much sir. You have no idea what a great help you have been.” Mrs. Yourth was on the verge of tears of joy.

“No problem. I'm glad I could help.” Al nodded.

I stood to go, after all it was getting late and we still had some shopping to do. “Well Mrs. Yourth I've had a wonderful time. Hope you won't mind if I bring my laundry to you.”

She smiled, “I could use the work.”

I nodded and walked out with Al who started to head for the market place.

Author's notes

Liza & William: Hurray for AL!

Joy: Aren't you two supposed to be doing your chores?

Liza & William: (Walk away with their heads down)

Joy: Keep reading, Lorna has an idea.

Lorna: Can I tell them?

Joy: NO !