Alex Louis Armstrong was 32 years old at the time.
His older sister, Olivier Mira Armstrong, was 35. She was the commanding officer charged with the protection of Amestris' northern border at Fort Briggs and also the head of their family, the Armstrongs. Being the severe woman she was, she had a fearsome and commanding presence.
Olivier was stationed at Fort Briggs which lied at the border of the country. Alex lived with their parents, and when they both eventually passed away, the large property where they lived was transferred to the primary heir of the illustrious Armstrong Family, Olivier. The determination of the heir was decided by a duel between the two siblings in which the older sister had emerged victorious.
Soon after the death of their parents, Alex received the shocking news that Olivier, as the owner, had sold their mansion. Olivier had swiftly traced a buyer whose substantial offer was found pleasing to her and the house was sold immediately.
When he called up his older sister to question her about it, Olivier coldly stated that the mansion was of no interest and use to her. The money that it was worth was much more beneficial so selling it was naturally the most logical and reasonable decision was what she told him.
It should not have come as a surprise to him as he of all people, who had known his sister his whole life, knew her personality very well, but he was still unable to believe she could give away their heritage without any hesitation or second thought. Their mansion had been passed down the Armstrong Family for generations! (Author's Note: Sorry, I had do that.)
However, it was not just that. It was their home. The place they were born. The place their parents were born, and their parents' parents' parents too. It was where they spent their childhood and where they grew up. Did those memories really not have a place in her heart? As cold as she was, did she really not have any emotional attachment at all?
No matter how hard he tried to persuade her to change her mind, she remained firm with her decision. With no success, Alex had to give up.
It was a gloomy feeling whenever he was in the mansion where they grew up, observing the movers pack old pieces of furniture to carry away. He knew how seriously his older sister took her commanding role, but he tried phoning his older sister anyway to tell her that she should see their home one final time. Needless to say, she was incredibly resistant and unwilling. She said she had no intention of leaving the fort, and with that, she hung up.
The last day Alex would be allowed to enter the property had quickly arrived. He was standing in the big living room when he was astonished to see Olivier outside the window. It was Sunday afternoon. The sky was clear, but it was extremely chilly. The breeze gusted her waist-length hair around. She was dressed professionally as usual, with her appearance in a good condition. It was like she was dressed for a military exercise.
When Alex opened the door for her, he immediately gave her a heartfelt hug by wrapping his arms around her.
"I knew your heart still had it in you," Alex said while he hugged her and bursted into tears of joy.
"Ugh!" Olivier groaned as she ended the embrace, "Ok, enough! Let's go inside."
To be continued...