ONE OF THE AUTHOR'S NOTE (The Queen of Tea) AND ONLY ONE BECAUSE THIS IS A DUAL FFN ACCOUNT:

Alright, listen up here, milk-drinkers. This is an FMA/Skyrim crossover AU and the only reason(s) this isn't in the Elder Scrolls crossover section is because:

Let's be honest, no one even checks that place, this fic would get nowhere there...

It's not so much of a crossover as it is a Medieval Fantasy AU, so really, you don't need to play Skyrim or any other Elder Scrolls game to read this fanfic.

Anyway, this chapter wasn't proof-read by another person or "an outside eye" as they say, so if anyone wants to volunteer as a beta-reader, you are welcome to. Leave a review or send me a message and I will get back to you. We have over 22,000 words written so far.

Yes this fic was written by two people (we call ourselves The Queen of Tea and The Amazing Pillow). It was written via tumblr roleplay posts because we figured it would be easier than to sit down and try to type it up each chapter individually or together, etc. I will provide a link to the blogs at the end.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE TO READER: Riza's age was changed for convenience and due to creative opinion (WE DO WHAT WE WANT). Just a warning so there will be no surprises or reviews stating that it is her incorrect age.

I'm done explaining, enjoy the read.

-Author's note ends-

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim belong to Hiromu Arakawa and Bethesda Softworks, respectively.

Rating: M for violence, sexual content in later chapters, coarse language and other mature themes.

Pairing: Royai (Roy X Riza), more will show up in later chapters.

4th Era, Year 201, 16th of Morning Star (January)

Roy pushed the tavern doors open and walked inside. He made his way past a few tables with chattering customers and took a seat at the counter. After dropping his bag at his feet, Mustang glanced at the inn owner from under his heavy hood. The Arch Mage was not in the best of moods, his face grim and unfriendly. His left arm was tightly bandaged under the layers of clothing that kept him warm, but the uncomfortable feeling of blood seeping through fabric was already getting on Roy's nerves. All he was really looking for here was a dry bed and a drink to warm him up after a long way in knee-deep snow.

"Nord Mead. One bottle will do."

Damn all the hirelings, every last one of them is no good... Why couldn't he just think faster, for Talos's sake? Roy leaned on the counter and reached for his coin purse, Ah well, it's all my damn fault anyway, should have known better than to hire a swordsman.

Morthal was one of the many dingy cities scattered across the cold and war-torn land. It is located in Hjaalmarch, just south of Solitude which is the capital city of the province of Skyrim. Just like any other city in this cold province, Morthal had its own inn that every visitor spent their nights at, if not at the brothel next door. It was known as the Moorside Inn, and the innkeeper was a woman called Jonna.

Upon seeing the overcast face of the hooded man donned in mage robes that entered her inn, Jonna knew right away that some coin was coming her way. When he sat down and took his order, she merely nodded and put down a single bottle on the counter under his nose.

"That will be five septims for one bottle. But I gotta say, you look like you are in need of something stronger," she said in an attempt to barter with the mage.

A roar of laughter erupted from behind him, and a barking command for the volumes to be kept down followed. It was not even ten in the eve yet, and some people were already chugging down mead and spiced wine to drink themselves silly, while others sat solemnly in their seats and rolled their eyes at such doltish behaviour.

Of the several hooded people in the food hall, one flinched in their seat, startled by the sudden noise. Riza sighed, keeping her head low and her face out of view to avoid unnecessary attention.

Honestly, this is only slightly worse than in Dragonbridge…do people behave like that in all of the nine holds? She picked up her fork and proceeded to finish her meal. The sooner she finished eating, the sooner she could leave the raucous and unruly hall.

Gods, the drunks were by far Roy's least favourite people. After assassins and the Thalmor… thought Roy, glaring over his shoulder as if his eyes could immediately silence the crowd. Upon turning his back to it, he noticed a bottle of mead standing before him. The Arch Mage's fingers untied the leather purse and pulled out five coins, his eyes looking over the woman behind the counter. He put the coins down.

"I said one will do."

To begin with, he wasn't even going to stop at Morthal. Mustang was travelling for the past three weeks; he was visiting Markarth in the far west of Skyrim and was heading north to Dawnstar, the capital city of The Pale. As much as it bothered Mustang to change his plans, this time it was necessary - there was a deep gash in his arm and now that Roy sent his hired companion to an eternal vacation, he had no one to cover his back.

"I also need a room for the night," Roy said and reached for his mead and opened the bottle, all with his right hand.

"That would be eight septims a night, special promotion today instead of ten," Jonna replied. She slid the coins off the counter into her palm, and tucked them away into her coin purse. The noise level at her inn hardly bothered her at all. Every day there are rumbles of the hearty laughs of Nords, or the bickering of stuck-up Wood Elves who would pick on a person of any other race apart from their own. She merely chuckled and shook her head at her customers' erratic behaviour, but had kept her eyes open on the likes of the Khajiit and Argonians, they were easy to spot since they looked like over-sized cats and lizards, respectively. People of those particular two races had a tendency to trade Skooma, which was illegal drug dealing business. Jonna noticed her customer's rather glum mood, and that the tone of his voice matched it.

"Something bothering you, boy?" she asked the mage, more concerned about her question being a conversation starter rather than an inquiry of his well being. Travelers were always interesting folk to observe for an innkeeper like her.

Roy looked up at the woman behind the counter as his right hand reached to get out more money. The coin purse was almost empty, but it was one of a few. The last thing Mustang had to worry about was money.

"Yeah, great time. You wouldn't like one of your arms injured because of someone who should be helping you fight your enemies, would you?" he took a sip of his mead, looking away for a moment. Roy was quite used to overly loud customers, but in his current mood everything seemed to be getting on his nerves.

"I don't do much fighting of my own, as you can tell," she said and gestured to her own age-worn face. "But no, I suppose I would not like that at all," Jonna answered simply. "You sure you don't need some healing potions rather than a bottle full of mead?" Jonna asked upon seeing blood seeping through his clothing on his left shoulder, which was not an unusual sight around here.

Behind him everything carried on as usual, despite of some irregular customers audaciously complaining about noise levels. A pair of Orcs eyed Mustang distastefully and exchanged a number of words (Orcs generally don't like anyone who isn't one of their kind). One of them had an axe strapped to his back; the second Orc - like many others in the inn that evening - carried a bow with him.

"Ah no, it's alright, mead will do. I've got potions of my own," he replied to the inn-keeper's question. Frankly, I already drank two on my way here. The wound was not life-threatening, but it was annoying to be injured out of the stupidity of his own follower. Roy looked back at Jonna, putting down his payment for the room.

"The wound is minor anyway," he sighed. "Unfortunately, I cannot conjure up a perfect companion for myself. Would have made things so much simpler."

"Having trouble with your traveling companions, huh? I've heard hired followers are a great help, perhaps you've just got bad luck choosing the right ones," she mused.

"Yeah, bad luck, that's for sure…" Mustang took another gulp of his mead, feeling his stomach warm up. Now that he was sitting indoors, the Arch Mage felt how tired he actually was. The change of course came up early in the morning, after one of the bandits who ambushed him and the hireling drew his blade across Roy's arm. He could have easily escaped the blow if it wasn't for his companion, a swordsman who mingled between Mustang and the attackers, standing in the way of the mage's spells. The bandits were all but unsuccessful, however Mustang was fuming and his follower did a smart thing to take his leave. By now the long walk in the snow, the heavy travelling bag weighing him down, and his bleeding wound exhausted Roy so much he just wanted to lie down anywhere.

"So you fancy yourself a mage, hm?" Jonna asked as a response to Mustang's comment on conjuring, she leaned closer against the counter. "Then no wonder you have trouble finding a good traveling companion, most of them prefer fighting up close; sellswords are a more common sight than skeevers, I swear. That's no good for mages, you should know that by now, young man," Jonna shook her head and wagged her index finger at him.

"Yeah, yeah, I've learned that alright," Roy looked up at woman's face. "I should probably find a good archer next time."

"That you do. You sure you don't want a meal with that?" Jonna asked, nodding at the bottle of mead in his hands. "Mead is prone to cause some trouble on an empty stomach, 'specially if you are injured," picking up a rag, she started to wipe the wooden counter-top.

Perhaps I should eat a little before resting… After all potions weren't enough to feed his body. Besides, the last thing Roy wanted to be doing was getting drunk. Injured or not, he tried to keep his appetites rather mild when it came to alcohol.

"I suppose you are right, I could use some food. Baked potatoes and a roast if you please. And an apple."

Reaching into his coin purse again, Roy realized that food was actually a very sound idea - his stomach growled.

"Coming right up!" Jonna chirped, put her rag away and jotted down his order. "Oh, and you're in luck, we've got something of an arrow-shooting target-hitting contest going on here in Morthal tomorrow morn near the bridge. That might be of some interest to you if you are looking to get an archer for a companion," she said and turned away to serve other waiting customers.

Archery competition, hm? Well am I lucky or what…. Mustang smirked to himself as the innkeeper turned away. He wouldn't have minded traveling alone for some while, but with his arm in such poor condition it would be preferable to have a companion at least for the first week. Of course he could stay in Morthal until it healed but Roy was never the kind to stall an expedition because of a bleeding wound. Besides, that scroll he was going after was way too rare to wait around.

Would only give somebody else the chance to get it first. Yet, precautions are never a luxury.

Roy took one more sip of his mead. He was always generous with the sellswords, and if there was an archer tomorrow who could impress the Arch Mage, they would be getting quite a coin for watching his back.

It was getting pretty late, but the inn was filling up more people who were looking to stay the night. Riza took it as a cue to leave and retreat to her rented room when a group of chortling travelers walked in through the entry door. Staying in a crowded area was not a good idea, she could risk running into someone familiar or be recognized, and then forced to go back to the Blue Palace in the capital city of Solitude. She stood up from her seat, fixed her short cloak, picked up her bow and walked up to the bar counter where the innkeeper serves her customers.

"A bucket of water for the barrel," Riza muttered and placed a few coins on the counter.

Jonna nodded. She picked up the coins, and walked off to tend to other customers. Riza plopped down on a bar stool, leaned forward on her elbows and sighed, her hood still looming over her face and casting a shadow down to her nose. She waited for Jonna to return with her order.

The inn was getting more crowded by the minute. Mustang shifted on his stool impatiently, his stomach nagging for food. The mead was already making him sleepy. His eyes watched Jonna as she took an order from a hooded female with a bow.

Come on woman, bring me my food…

Jonna made a few more rounds taking other customers' orders. She strode away, throwing a "Coming right up!" at a customer behind herself. Finally, she came back around and pushed a plate of food under Roy's nose, and then rolled an apple right beside it.

"Here you go, young man. Enjoy your meal." Jonna winked at him and walked away once more.

Riza watched the innkeeper buzz around behind the counter, walking back and forth between customers, and in and out of the back room. She sighed. Judging by the number of people waiting for their orders, Riza guessed she would be stuck waiting for a bucket of water for a while longer than she preferred.

A man sitting by her left laughed loudly and leaned back, pushing her. He swayed around in his seat and slurred out "Sorry, girlie."

Riza rolled her eyes and ignored him. The drunks are just begging to get shot. She shifted one seat over to the right, beside another man dressed in mage robes.

She leaned forward on her elbows over the counter again, shoulders slumping. Riza thought of the possibility of pulling the status card and demanding her order be given to her quicker, but she didn't want to be dragged back to Solitude for a price reward just yet.

Roy was growing tiresome of the continuous chatter and thundering laughter all around him. Being a traveller for the past ten years, he usually did not mind loud taverns (as long as he wasn't surrounded by raging drunks), but his current mood could hardly tolerate this level of noise.

Then finally his order was set in front of him. Grumbling something in his head, Roy managed to nod politely (or so he thought at least) at the inn keeper and picked up his plate, balancing it on one palm. No, forget it, I have to use a tray.

Luckily, the serving maids and the innkeeper herself were too busy with customers to keep everything in perfect order - there were a few trays within Roy's reach. Just when Mustang's hand clasped one of them, someone took the seat to his left.

Time to run, before people start sitting in my lap… Roy quickly gathered his orders and got up, holding the tray with his left hand. If any asshole pushes me as I walk, they will be in for some roasting…

Despite his apprehension, Roy's trip to his room was rather uneventful. The door was open, a very cozy-looking (or was he just feeling that exhausted?) bed placed right across from it.

Finally, thought the Arch Mage with relief as he closed the door, making the voices from the hall die down. Roy locked the door and crawled onto the bed, ignoring every table manner known to him and starting to chew on his meal before as much as kicking off his boots and pushing several scrolls off his bed. Just don't forget, archery contest is on the morrow…

Jonna had time to serve at least six more customers until she turned to Riza and motioned for her to wait some more.

This is taking a ridiculously long time. Grumbling inwardly, she peered at what was seemingly two of her "competitors" sitting around the corner of the L-shaped counter. It was a fellow Wood Elf man, and a woman who could have passed for a Nord or an Imperial (the difference is almost non-existent these days). They appeared to be bickering. Riza thought she overheard the Bosmer (Bosmer is another word for Wood Elf) boast to a flock of women earlier, but paid no mind to it. She quickly looked away as Jonna finally placed a bucket of lukewarm water in front of her (it wasn't steaming, but it couldn't possibly be cold, it would be too inhospitable if it was).

"What's gotten you so alert and worried, dear?" Jonna asked, squinting at Riza.

"Nothing. Thank you for your customs." Riza replied curtly, and practically snatched the bucket off the counter with her hands.

She could not see Jonna's face from underneath the hood, but supposed it was a good thing because it meant that Jonna could not see her face, either. Recognition is a risk Riza could not afford to take, even though most people had the least of an idea what she looked like, it may even be unbelievable if she were to tell them herself who she is. Still, it never hurt to be careful. She got up from her seat and hurried away to the barrel room where guests typically bathed. It wasn't much, and definitely not a luxury, especially compared to the basins at the Blue Palace she had gotten used to in the past couple of years, but it was enough and there was nothing better available for travelers anyway. She didn't take her time, and got out of there as quickly as possible.

Back at the comfort of her own inn room, Riza locked the door and leaned against it, breathing a sigh of relief. Every day of travelling was a gamble, because at any given moment someone will see her and make the connection that she is the same woman – or still a girl - who ran away from her grandfather, High King Grumman, eight days after the New Life festival (celebration of the new year all around Tamriel; Skyrim is a province in Tamriel out of several). She has been almost two weeks gone, and when she returns, an earful from the elderly man joined with a complete lock-up was guaranteed.

I just need a bit more time, two weeks at the very least least, and I might find out what to do with these three words, perhaps get rid of them...If only I could somehow make my way to the Grey Beards up at the Throat of the World...they might have the best ounce of an idea for what needs to be done.

Riza changed, put out the oil lamp on the end table, then crashed on the bed and slowly drifted to sleep. While slipping into unconsciousness, she hoped that some divine power from the eight gods will kindly allow her to win the prize money in the archery contest the next day, so she would be able to afford to travel alone for a while more.

Wonder what Riza meant by "these three words"? Oh well, you'll have to wait for the next update to find out. Next update will come in future time.

Here are tumblr URL names of both characters since links cannot be posted:

tumblr URL name of Roy's RP blog (Run by The Amazing Pillow who has no FFN account [yet?]): archmagemustang

tumblr URL name of Riza's RP blog (Run by The Queen of Tea): hawkeyedwoodelf

Please leave a review and tell us how we're doing so far, they will be much appreciated even if it's negative criticism.