Title: Swept Away

Author: S J Smith

Rating: Adult/Mature

Summary: On an ocean trip to Xing, Ed and Winry get swept overboard, and wind up in the middle of a war with the local island peoples.

Disclaimer: Arakawa owns all.

Notes: You're getting the prologue and chapter one here at FFN. If you want the rest of it, you'll have to go to Archive of Our Own, as the story is too violent/has graphic sexual content and I've already had other stories removed from FFN for that in the past. Plus, it's illustrated!

Notes 2: This story focuses on Ed and Winry and a lot of original characters. Alphonse, Ling and Ran Fan do make appearances. I have based the islanders in this story on research I've done on the Maori, the indigenous Hawaiians, and the Tlingat peoples. No disrespect is intended.

Notes 3: Much thanks to D. M. Evans, SeeInBlackAndWhite, Dreamer1789 and EnemyToSleep for either assisting, illustrating, and/or inspiring this story.


Prologue

The screams echoed around the village, and A'umea raised her patu, the war club carved of greenstone, over her head, letting out an ululating cry to rally her people. Blood streaked the blade of the club, and gore speckled her body. Spotting the Kohona chief, A'umea screamed and charged across the ground to meet him.

Someone hurled a short spear at her but she bashed it aside with her club. Splinters gouged the flesh of her upper arm, the sting forgotten as A'umea flung herself sideways. The weight of her patu strengthened her downward stroke, and she heard a screech as she broke her opponent's thigh. Ignoring him, she drove forward to reach the chief.

He was armed with a short spear and his own patu, his tongue stuck out in aggression, his face contorted and his legs spread wide. A'umea curled her lips back, showing her teeth and sticking out her tongue. "Surrender, and some of your people will live as my slaves."

A small patch of quiet surrounded them, as if the other warriors refused to intervene. A'umea knew her warriors would follow her lead, would keep the Kohona back to the best of their ability, so they wouldn't attempt a rescue, or try to kill her. Brandishing her patu, A'umea leaped forward, screaming her delight as the club crashed into her opponent's collarbone. Blood splattered out of the wound as he dropped his patu from nerveless fingers. A'umea slammed her patu onto her opponent's skull, cracking it open. She sidestepped his body as it crashed to the ground, turning slowly to the battle.

Her voice raised in triumph, A'umea grabbed the hair knot at the top of what was left of her opponent's head. She hauled him up, high enough that others could see. "I have beaten your chief! Surrender!" she roared. "Surrender!" A smile curled her mouth. Soon, they would feast on his flesh. Soon, A'umea promised herself, she and the Mariori would control this entire island and the Kohona would be no more.

With a scream, she turned back to the battle, to those still fighting, leaving the body behind. It would wait for her return.

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