The Mansion On Drachmian Border

Chapter 18

„Look at what the cat dragged in,” Madame Christmas said as soon as she noticed him coming inside „I haven't heard from you in weeks.”

„A lot of things were happening at the same time,” he nodded „It's good to see you.”

„Good to see you too.”

He sat down at the bar and his aunt poured him a glass of whisky without asking. He took too long coming here, maybe he should have done it right at the beginning. Things got way out of control. And the call he got from Alex... He never thought Maes would try to kill himself. Not after how Maes used to reassure him he had much to live for after Ishval.

„What happened? You've got that face you always make when something's wrong,” she leaned on the bar.

Roy sighed. She always saw right through him, didn't she?

„Some time ago, I've got a strange call. A young woman claimed to be Elicia and said she needed my help. I thought she was lying at first but it turned out she was saying the truth. Then we found out Hughes is alive as well. We had to save him from an alchemist, who can move her soul from one body to another. She was using Gracia's body for years, but when we got there, she... She was already using Elicia's.”

„Oh, no.”

„And Maes... He wasn't even there, not really. He wasn't registering what was happening around him, he did move or speak or make any sounds at all. He came out of that state two weeks after we rescued him but... He's so different than before. He doesn't want to talk or eat. He just sits there in his hospital room doing nothing... And Edward encourages that by acting as if Maes was a child! He doesn't need to be babied, he needs to feel in control!”

Chris, who was nodding along the entire time he spoke, closed her eyes and pinched her eyebrows. She shook her head in disbelief.

„Roy, you idiot,” she finally said, „Tell me, how long has he been held prisoner by that woman?”

„Fifteen years.”

„And what was she doing to him all that time?”

Roy stayed silent for a moment, searching for the right words, but in reality, he didn't want to say anything at all „She... They have children... And Maes has scars from beatings and branding,” he almost choked on the last word.

His aunt looked at him with a serious expression „Did she force him?”

„Yes,” and it was a simple answer, but it hurt because he was finally admitting the weight of what has happened to Maes.

„And you think that he should just push through whatever happened to him?”

Roy didn't answer, he didn't have to.

„Let me get this straight, he doesn't owe anybody a fast recovery! You can't expect him to just stand up and walk back into your life as nothing happened! He needs time, security, care! He needs to know that he is safe and he has people, who are willing to help and protect him. He has to learn to trust you again, Roy, and you're not going to earn that trust if you keep pushing him... I know you've never been good at dealing with other people's feelings but you have to try for his sake.”

He stayed silent looking at his own hands resting on the bar.

„Roy-boy, don't destroy what you used to have. If you want him to be your friend again, you'll need to put in some serious effort to understand his behavior and help him accordingly.”