Disclaimer: The characters in this story are properties of Hiromu Arakawa.
The Hour Before Sunrise
The light from the moon cast a soft silvery glow on the stone pathway that curved gracefully around the palace gardens. Lining the pathway were ornamental shrubs and tall trees whose rustling leaves whispered softly in the early pre-dawn breeze.
A pensive expression was on Ling Yao's face as he descended down the stone steps onto the pathway, his feet light so as not to disturb the stillness around him.
It was the hour before sunrise. The sky was clear, and as Ling gazed up, he could see the stars winking at him from above the canopy of the trees. In the distance, he could hear the stridulations of nocturnal insects calling out to each other from among the garden's foliage.
It was a picture of tranquility that usually soothed the young prince during those times when his heart was in turmoil. At that particular hour, however, the serenity in his surroundings did nothing to ease the disquietness in his soul.
Most of the servants were still asleep, save for those in the kitchen who were already busy preparing his breakfast, which he knew would be nothing short of spectacular - not because of his ravenous appetite, but because it was special, as he had been told. He knew that extra care was being put into this meal, for this would be the young lord's last in the palace before he departed for his journey.
And what a journey it would be, Ling thought as he watched the leaves around him flicker with the moonlight. Crossing the Great Desert was a feat in itself, but what troubled him more, what made him get up from his slumber at this hour, was what lay on the other side.
Amestris.
His destination, that land to the west where experts in alchemy resided, would perhaps hold the key to the treasure that he so desired to present to his father - the secret to immortality.
The young prince sighed as he looked out at the winding pattern of the stone slabs that made up the walkway. If only the path that he was about to take were as peaceful as this.
It was an ambitious undertaking, so full of uncertainties, that many of his most trusted vassals had counselled him against it. He had stubbornly held to his convictions, so utterly convinced that the only way he could assure his ascent to the throne, was to venture out of his beloved land of Xing in search of the legendary Philosopher's Stone.
But now that the day had come for his journey to begin, worry and fear started to fill his heart. The extreme importance of his success bore down heavily upon him that he couldn't even begin to fathom the consequences to his clan if he had failed.
As he went deeper into the garden, the apprehensions in his mind seemed to whisper pleadingly into his ear to just stay - stay in the comforts of his own homeland and just find another way. And with each step that he took, the pleading whispers turned into more urgent demands that got louder and louder, swarming his mind with their clamor and threatening to snuff out the last vestiges of hope that seemed to be fighting a dying battle within him.
But just as he was about to give in to the despair, that flow of energy, that warm presence - so comforting in its familiarity - gently wafted around him like the sweet scent of flowers on an early spring morning. It was faint, but he was sure of it.
She was close by.
Of course, she would be, he thought to himself. She sometimes meditated and trained in the garden before the sun rose - he knew that.
Was that why he came here, then? His brows furrowed as he shook his head quickly. No, of course not. He himself needed to meditate, to prepare himself for the great journey ahead. That was why he came here, he told himself.
But if he was here to meditate, then why was he walking towards her chi?
He found himself veering off from the premeditated stone path and going deeper into the thick foliage, his troubled soul drawn to the solace that seemed to beckon him.
As he drew closer, hesitation started to prod at him. He came to the garden so that he could be alone with his thoughts. He should not heading towards her. He was just about to change his direction when his eyes came upon her.
Right through the opening in the foliage, across the mirror-like stillness of the pond, was Lan Fan.
She was in her usual black uniform, sitting cross-legged at the top of a partially submerged boulder at the edge of the pond. She did not have her mask on, so Ling could see that she had her eyes closed, with the moon casting a soft glow to her features.
She looked so peaceful.
He was hidden in the shadows, but he knew that she, being trained in sensing other people's presences - and most especially his own - would already know that he was around.
He did not want to disturb her. He felt that he should turn around, but for some reason, his feet remained rooted to the ground. He was still contemplating on whether he should leave when she moved.
Slowly, carefully, Lan Fan stood up from her sitting position with her eyes still closed, seemingly taking in the tranquil energy that surrounded them. The darkness of her clothing hid the slight heaving of her chest as she inhaled deeply, but Ling could feel her intake of breath just as strongly as if he was right there in front of her.
Slowly, gracefully, she raised her arms toward the star-studded sky with her palms facing each other, her fingers relaxed and curving softly inwards. She then lifted her right knee in a crane stance. She held the position for a few more seconds, then curved her back as she spread her arms wide, with her palms now facing the ground. She moved her right leg back, stretching it behind her. She bent her torso forward even more, straightening her spine as she brought her outstretched leg up behind her in a vertical split.
She had just started her kata.
She twisted her waist slowly to the right. Still keeping her right leg straight up behind her, she then did a quick clockwise turn with her left foot. Her right arm traced a smooth upward arc as she shifted her direction one hundred and eigty degrees so that her right leg was now stretched straight up in front of her, with her body still in perfect balance.
She folded her right knee once again, back into a crane stance. Leaning forward slightly, she then bent her other knee to lower herself into a crouch. And with her weight completely on her left leg, she went down lower, lower, until her chin almost touched her knees. She then tucked her chin and positioned her palms on the boulder. With one fluid movement, she lifted herself up in a hand stand, making the strands of her hair that usually framed her face fall downwards towards her hands. And with her eyes still closed, she bent her elbows, quickly springing from the boulder to land silently on the railing of the stone bridge that arched over the pond.
Ling watched, mesmerized, as she continued her kata, her movements slow as if savoring each action. Each turn of the head, each flick of the wrist, and each shift of the leg was a precise and controlled motion, with one stance flowing fluidly to the next.
It was beautiful to watch.
Lan Fan held a battle stance for a few moments, then relaxed her arms as she slid her right foot towards her left. She was standing straight up now, still with her eyes closed, when she took a deep breath. A gentle breeze blew just then, fluttering her hair softly against her face and rippling the ends of the white sash that was tied around her waist.
Her eyes opened slowly, and Ling's breath got caught in his throat as he felt a slight shift in her chi. Peace was still emanating from her presence, but this time, interwoven with that peace was fierce determination and strength.
It was then that she started another series of movements. She leaped high from the railing, flipping in the air as she landed on the other end of the stone bridge, her feet hitting the pavement still as silently as a hunting cat's. She dug her right heel against the stone as she sunk low, letting her left leg extend fully in front of her. She then transferred her weight to her left foot, moving her arms in circular motions as she turned her head to the right.
Her movements were quicker now, but still executed with the exact same precision as before. She worked her way gracefully and seamlessly into different fighting positions, letting her body flow smoothly with the rhythm of the dragon's pulse.
Ling had seen her fight several times before - had survived many assasination attempts because of her, as a matter of fact - but this was the first time he had seen her train, and the young prince found himself enraptured by the beauty of her movements.
And just as the last shadows of the night retreat at the first glimmer of dawn, the young prince felt his doubts and apprehensions slowly fade away in the uplifting comfort of her presence.
Lan Fan, and the others in his clan, had placed their faith in him, and as liege of the Yao clan, it was his duty to look after them, to protect them. That was why he was doing this, why he was venturing out into the unknown, why he was risking his own life. And he could not - would not - betray their trust.
Lan Fan landed back on the partially submerged boulder where she first started her kata on, took another deep breath, then sunk slowly down to sit cross-legged once again.
The faint sounds of birds that were getting ready for the coming sunrise met Ling's ears, and Ling felt his heart grow lighter, the weight on his shoulders no longer overpowering him.
One section of the sky was starting to turn into its deep red and orange hues as Ling quietly turned around, making his way back towards the palace. He now felt refreshed, renewed, and ready for the great adventure that he was about to embark on. And as his feet met the smooth gray stones that marked the pathway, the doubts and trepidations that had threatened to overwhelm his resolve were replaced by several different emotions that now filled the young prince's heart – determination, anticipation, excitement, and most especially, gratitude.
Thank you, Lan Fan.
A/N: I'm a new fan to this fantastic series, so I hope I did justice to the characters. Feedback is greatly appreciated.