The Precious Gem
In a small kingdom, named Amestris; a land completely isolated from the rest of the world until a bridge is built connecting it to the nearest land point.
The King and Queen were very soft souls, who were kind to their entire kingdom. But the queen, pregnant with their first child fell ill, terminally ill. There was no hope in saving her or the child until the palace learned of a gem which had fallen from the heavens; which had the power to cure any illness, heal any wound, no matter how gruesome; to the one who consumed it.
So after mass searching, the palace guards found it and took it to their queen. She took it and soon gave birth to a tiny blonde boy, perfectly healthy, and she was cured also. The king and queen sent lanterns into the sky to signify his birth. The kingdom adored the new prince. He was their beacon of joy.
…
A calm, cloudless night drifted along. The King and Queen stood at their window, gazing at the midnight stars.
"He's my little star," the queen smiled, cuddling her baby close. He gurgled, holding out his stunted arms as if to reach the twinkling lights in the sky.
"Trisha, and my little Edward, you are both my stars," King Hohenhiem kissed his wife softly on the lips. Edward stuck his tongue out at the sight, which made the new parents laugh.
…
"Goodnight, Edward," Trisha soothed as her child settled into a deep sleep. She skipped back over to the bed in her nightdress, and snuggled up to Hohenhiem. Within moments, both were asleep.
The night hummed by, and in the depths of the darkness, only illuminated with the moon and the stars, a shadowed, hooded figure climbed through the still open window to the royal quarters.
They approached the blue cot which held the peaceful tot, and looked down at the sleeping child. He was one of immense beauty, just like the legend foretold.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy, when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you,
So don't go take, my sunshine away," they sung the sweet lullaby softly, stroking Edward's tiny face.
Suddenly, his soft peachy skin began to glow like the moon. Still in the clutches of sleep; he seemed unaware, but unconsciously cuddled into the touch of the figure. His newborn skin scuffed their wrinkly hand; withered with a long lifetime. As the glowing reached their fist; their skin rejuvenated itself and the wrinkles and lines subsided into nothing. They looked young and beautiful; which was why they had set out to find him in the first place. He was the sacred gem, to heal the weak, withered and dying.
They reached out, cupping the newly reborn hands around the child's small form. He wriggled and squirmed as they lifted him closer to their chest, and rushed back over to the window.
Edward let out a small cry of frustration, which awoke his parents in a start. But they barely had time to notice their precious child tucked in the arms of a stranger; when the intruder whipped off into the night; along with their newborn son.
"Guards! Guards!" The king shouted, and the guards rushed to the doors.
"An intruder has kidnapped our son! Set out immediately with everyone available. We must find him, we must!"
Months passed, and still every day the guards returned empty handed; adding to the grief and pain of the King and Queen.
On what would be their son's first birthday, they got everyone in the kingdom to send lanterns into the night sky; in the hope that their little boy would see them and return home. Their enchanting carol echoed through the sky.
Let the light guide you, to all those whom you love.
Do not forget or hate us, for everyone here calls your name,
Our sweet little child, our boy,
Please hear our call and listen,
And come home to spread the joy….to spread the joy.
…
"And stay out, or we'll get ya!" the thug shouted after the fleeing Amestrian.
"Why do they hate me so much?" the traveller, Roy Mustang asked himself as he leapt over logs as he cut through the masses of forest enveloping the country of Drachma.
…
Still checking behind him at the two that had continued chasing him; Roy noticed a cavern in the side of a rock; camouflaged by a leaf curtain. He slipped into the shadows of the hidden place.
"Hmm, let's see where this leads," Roy mumbled to himself, venturing into the cave. "Wow…" he gazed in awe as he emerged out the other side of the tunnel. He had discovered a hidden place; a safe haven unknown between circles of cliffs. And standing tall in the middle of the opening; was a large tower.
Roy sauntered over to the tower; and reached into his satchel; taking out two ice picks which he had used in the northern places of the planet, to climb mountains of ice. He then proceeded to climb the tower; until he reached a boarded window which was open.
Slipping inside, he gasped at what looked like a living room. There was a couch in the middle, surrounded by books either open and strewn all over the place or stacked in waiting for their owner to read.
"Woah…seems cosy," he mumbled, then suddenly something toppled on him from behind, knocking him to the floor.
"What the?" he grunted; spinning onto his back to face his attacker.
"Who are you and why have you come to my tower?" a blonde haired, golden eyed boy glared at him. Roy couldn't help but notice his semi-long hair flowing down his back. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt, and black trousers. In his fists he gripped a wrench.
"I-I'm Roy Mustang," Roy smiled nervously, holding up his hands in defeat. "I'm from the island of Amestris, and I am a traveller. I happened to come upon your tower by mere chance, amidst being chased for reasons unknown to even myself." The boy glowered at him, assessing him, and then slowly dropped his arms,the wrench along with them.
"You're not as mean as Mom says people of the outside world are," the boy sighed, climbing off of him, and shuffled over to the window. Roy sat up, and turned to look at the boy, who stared out of the window; his face void of any emotion.
"What's your name, kid?" he asked from his spot on the clean floor. The boy turned and glared at him.
"I'm no kid, I'm almost sixteen," he hissed. "But…my name's Edward."
"Right, gotcha," Roy nodded. "Say Edward, have you ever left this tower?"
"No…." Edward sighed, continuing to stare into the sky. "My mom forbids me to leave. She says I am safer here."
"Hey….I know it may seem scary at some points, but most people out there are really friendly," Roy mumbled. "At least, Amestrians are. Especially around this time of year." Edward turned to face him; a curious look pasted on his face.
"How come? And who are Amestrians?" he questioned, clearly interested. Roy sat with his legs crossed and grinned.
"Well, at this time of year, they have a festival. It signifies the birthday of the lost prince of Amestris," he explained.
"What happened to him?" Ed asked.
"He was kidnapped, a short time after he was born. They still send out search parties to this date. The king and queen are still distraught, and once a year, on the child's birthday, the whole island releases lanterns into the sky, in the hope of the lost prince seeing them. They've been doing it for almost fifteen years now. Ever since his first birthday they've carried on the tradition in the hope he is still alive out there," Roy mumbled.
"Do you ever join in the celebrations?" Edward asked. He sat on the edge of the windowsill, rocking his legs back and forth. Roy nodded.
"I come back every year to attend the festival, and to sing the carol when the lanterns are sent up," he said. "I'm close friends with the royal family, so I understand their sorrow. They do have another child, Alphonse, who also wishes to get his elder brother back. He'll be turning fifteen in a few months."
"When is the festival?" Edward asked.
"It's been going on all week, but the lanterns and carol singing is for Thursday, the lost prince's birthday," Roy explained.
"Thursday? That's my birthday," Edward said. "I always watch the lights in the sky. They're my only escape from my life here."
"Would you like to see the lanterns in person?" Roy blurted out of nowhere. Edward turned to face him, his golden eyes brimming with excitement.
"Of course I would!" he exclaimed. Then, his face dropped, his bangs falling forward to shade his face. "But mother visits every day. She would track me down, and would hate me."
Before Roy could reply, a feminine shout came from outside.
"Oh Edward, I am here! Let down the rope, sweetie!" cried the voice. Edward's eyes filled with panic. He jumped from the windowsill, and shoved Roy into a closet.
"Please, stay in here! She will kill you if she finds you have come in!" he pleaded, and then shoved the doors closed.
…
"Hello mother. Have you had a good day?" Edward asked as his mother stepped inside the window. She cupped her wrinkled hands to his soft face, and smiled at him.
"Great now I have seen you!" she cooed.
"Well mother, there is something I wanted to ask..." Edward started.
"Ah, ah, ah! You know what we do first before speaking," she scolded, pressing a craggy finger to his lips. Edward nodded, pulling up a stool to an armchair as she sat. She put her hands on his, and he began to sing.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy, when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you,
So don't go take my sunshine away," he sang the sweet melody. Roy looked on through a crack in the closet, as Edward's skin glowed, thus causing the wrinkles on the old hag to disappear.
"Now, what was it you wished to ask, dear?" the newly rejuvenated woman smiled. Edward beamed.
"Well, I decided what I wanted for my birthday!" he exclaimed. The lady raised her eyebrow. "I want that special paint! You know the rare one from Xing! I've run out and I need it to finish my painting!"
"Edward, sweetie that is a four day trip! I don't know if I could leave you alone for that long! Especially the fact that your birthday is in two days time! I would miss it completely!" the woman protested.
"But mother, we can celebrate it when you get back! I don't mind waiting a few days longer," Edward replied.
"Fine, but you'd better behave yourself while I'm gone," the woman gave in, kissing the boy softly on the forehead. "I love you so much."
"I love you more," Edward replied.
"And I love you most!" the woman smiled, patting his blonde locks softly and retreated back over to the window. She grabbed hold of the rope, which was tied to the roof, and leapt. Landing gracefully on the ground, she rushed off, away from the haven.
"Right, you can come out now," Edward said, pulling the closet doors open. Roy tumbled out.
"That… was freaky. What is with your skin, man?" Roy exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. Edward simply shrugged.
"It's just been like that ever since I can remember. You sing the song, and my skin repairs any wound, cures any illness, and also makes withered old things young again," he mumbled. He rushed over to the window. "Okay, she's far enough away now, lets get going."
"I liked your decoy to make her leave," Roy complimented as Edward secured the rope, and then tied it around his waist. He grinned.
"She knows I love painting and reading when I am finished with my chores," he said, pointing to the walls and ceiling of the room. They were completely filled with intricate patterns and paintings.
"You have a natural skill at art," Roy mumbled. But, when he had turned round, Edward had already leapt off the windowsill and was on the grass below.
"The grass feels so good on my feet!" the blonde exclaimed. "Here!" he tossed the rope up to his new friend, who repeated what the boy had done.
…
Once both were safely on the ground, Edward skilfully pulled the rope from its place on the roof. He wrapped it into a ball and placed it in a satchel he was carrying.
"C'mon, let's get to Amestris as soon as possible!" Edward cried, rushing off to the cave leading out of the haven. Roy rolled his eyes and followed.
…
"What's that place?" Edward asked, pointing at a secluded bar in an opening in the forest.
"That is a bar. It's where you go to have a drink," Roy explained. "Now, let's move on." He attempted to usher the blonde away, but Edward defiantly pulled from his grasp and strode over to the bar. Roy knew this was a Drachman bar, and he would not be welcomed.
"Wow, this place seems cool!" Edward exclaimed as he pushed through the crowd of burly Drachman men.
"Ed…I don't think this is a good idea," Roy mumbled. But Edward was already sitting on a stool, happily chatting to a young barmaid. Roy sighed and took the seat next to him.
"So, what would you two guys like to drink?" the redheaded girl asked.
"What is there?" Edward asked curiously. The barmaid chuckled at his innocence, and passed him a list. After in turn asking what each thing was, Roy told the barmaid to just get the boy milk.
"No! I hate that stuff! It's like cow urine!" Edward protested. Roy sighed.
"Get him an orange juice then. He's too young to drink just yet," he muttered. "And I'd like a beer please." The barmaid nodded, and went off to get the ordered items.
…
"Hey, thought I told you never to show your face here again, Amestrian," a tough looking brown haired man grunted at Roy, who was paying for his and Edward's refreshments. Roy turned and groaned.
"It wasn't my idea to come in here," he mumbled.
"So, you still shouldn't have come," the man grunted again. He grabbed the front of Roy's white shirt, pulling him off his bar stool.
"Hey!" Edward shouted. "Get off of him!" He jumped on top of the man, whacking him in the back of the neck with the wrench. The man immediately dropped to the floor, out cold.
"Hun! Hey, what did you do that for punk?" another burly man stood forward, seizing hold of Edward's tiny frame from behind. The blonde tried to struggle from his grasp, but the man clenched harder.
"Get off of him!" Roy yelled, running forward to punch the guy. Instead, the man dropped Edward and slammed his large fists into Roy, who flew backwards over the counter, surprising the barmaid.
"Roy! Are you okay!" Edward cried, whizzing over and flipping over the counter. Roy lay on the floor, bleeding badly from broken glass. "Hmm, I'm gonna have to heal this. But not in here." Edward, with sudden strength, hauled the injured man onto his back, and charged out of the door, pursued by several men.
…
"Finally got rid of them," he mumbled, placing Roy down on the stony beach which he had rushed to. Roy was slipping in and out of consciousness. Edward pressed his hands on Roy's chest, knowing there was not much time.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy, when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you,
So don't go take my sunshine away," he sung, his skin glowing with almighty power. The wounds quickly healed, and Roy's eyes blinked open.
"You…saved me?" he stuttered. Edward nodded.
"You're my friend; of course I was going to save you!" he laughed, and then looked out at the glimmering waters. In the distance was an island.
"Is that Amestris?" he exclaimed excitedly. Roy followed his gaze and smiled.
"Yes, and it's only a boat ride away, or if you want, we could walk along the bridge," he said. "But I must warn you it takes two days to get there." Edward scrambled to his feet and headed in the direction of the bridge. Roy hastily got up and followed.
In the shrubs, Edward's so-called 'mother' had been watching. She had seen him heal Roy, and felt the closeness between the two friends. Roy wanted to protect Ed; like a big brother.
"So that's where you went," she mumbled sinisterly, slipping back into the woods.
…
"Wow! It's so…big!" Edward exclaimed as they approached the gates of Amestris. His golden eyes were filled with astonishment and curiosity, and it made Roy beam. That such a small thing could make someone so happy.
"C'mon Roy, let's go and explore!" Edward yelled as he ran ahead, examining the city which was only just waking up. Roy sighed and followed the young blonde.
…
"Is that the lost prince?" Edward asked, pointing to a mosaic mural. It had the king and queen and a small baby boy smiling on it.
"Yes Edward. That's Prince Edw… Oh My God!" Roy suddenly cried, shoving his hand over his mouth. Edward looked at him; his head tilted in confusion.
"What is it?" he asked. His golden eyes were so full of innocence, as he was clueless as to why his new friend had such a horrified expression on it.
"Y-you're the lost prince…" Roy mumbled. He looked at Edward, then at the baby in the mosaic, and back again. The resemblance was striking and noticeable; he couldn't believe he had not realised. Edward's face turned into a bemused, lopsided smile.
"Roy, I think you drank too much in that tavern earlier," he laughed.
"No, Edward! You are the lost prince! His name was Edward, he disappeared almost sixteen years ago…and he had blonde hair and golden eyes! I need to get you to the palace now!" Roy grabbed his hand and ran towards the large palace.
…
"Roy, I'm really not sure about this…" Edward mumbled as the two stood on a balcony which was high above the city below. If you were to fall from this height, you were unlikely to survive. Roy ignored his nervous comments and proceeded in chapping the large door.
"Yes? Oh, hello Roy. Back from your travels?" a guard greeted them.
"Tom, go get the King and Queen, this is urgent! And I mean urgent!" he pointed to the blonde beside him, and the guard realised.
"The lost prince…" he mumbled. "Okay, one minute." He disappeared inside the large stone building.
…
"Sire! Sire!" Tom cried, bursting into the royal chambers. He stood breathless, and then caught his breath, saluting the King and Queen who had been chatting with their young son Alphonse. The three faced him with confused expressions. "You…must come outside! It is urgent! The…the lost prince has returned!" The three jumped to their feet, and ran hastily down the many flights of stairs to the main doors.
As they got to them, they thrust the doors open with all their might, to find two people standing on the marble balcony, looking at the city.
Roy turned around first, and smiled, patting the shoulder of the blonde beside him, who turned to face the three newcomers.
And awkward moment hung in the air, until young Alphonse managed to utter out a word through his oncoming sobs.
"Brother?" he asked, the tears flooding down his cheeks as the blonde across nodded, smiling through his own tears. "Brother!" Al ran forward, leaping at his elder sibling, clutching onto him to make sure he would never disappear again. The King and Queen followed, resulting in a huge family hug. Roy leaned on the marble rail of the balcony, smiling at the scene.
Trisha held out her hand to him. He took it, intending to shake it, but she pulled him into the large embrace.
…
"No!" came the yell. An old woman swooped in from above, snatching Edward backwards out of the enfold. The others seemed awestruck for a moment, wondering what had happened. That was until Roy recognized the old hag.
"You…" he muttered, glaring at her. The old woman hissed at him and at each of the others in turn.
"If I can't have him…neither can you!" she shouted, and in a flash, they saw the glimmer of steel, and then Edward was keeling over.
"Seize her!" Hohenhiem shouted, and guards rushed forward; taking the hag into their custody.
Edward looked up at his family and friend in obvious pain. He took his hands away from his stomach, to reveal the dagger poking out, and blood encrusted his hands.
"Edward!" Roy shouted, rushing over. He frantically tried to find a way to help the boy; but there was nothing. "Edward…can't you heal yourself?"
"Only works on others…not the bearer of the power…" Edward mumbled. His skin was paling into a pastel gray.
"Brother…no…" Al sobbed. Edward looked up at him, smiling through the pain.
"At least…I got to see you…" he grinned. Al beamed through the tears. Suddenly, Edward fell forward, and Roy quickly caught him and turned him over.
"Edward…don't you dare die on me. You saved my life, I should save yours," he said. Edward smiled faintly.
"You've been…such a great friend…You helped me escape, so saving you was the only way to return the favour," he mumbled. "Thank you…for reuniting me…with them." He gestured toward the family he never knew.
Before Roy could say anything else, Edward's eyes dimmed, and a faint, shallow breath escaped his body. He went limp in Roy's arms, causing the man to lift him up and hold his body close, yelling to the heavens to bring the boy back.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy, when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you,
So don't go take my sunshine away," he sang softly, rocking Edward's body back and forth, staring into his dull eyes. He was sunshine, a glimmering light among so many dark shadows.
The clouds above finally gave in, and cold, wet rain thrashed down on them. It was fitting for such a sad scene.
…
Suddenly, a stray beam of sunlight shone down on the golden haired boy's body. Roy blinked at his skin began to glow, and the wound slowly disappeared. The dagger disintegrated into dust, and Edward took a sharp intake of breath.
"Edward…" Roy smiled through tears as the golden eyes twinkled up at him; full of life again. Edward sat up and shoved his arms around Roy's neck. His skin was warm and peachy, as it was supposed to be.
…
And so, the festival for the return of the lost prince carried on for a whole week. Endless dancing, partying, drinking and singing filled each waking moment. And, at the end, everyone sent lanterns up into the night sky, including the returned Prince Edward.
Roy came back on many an occasion, to visit the family. Each time he bore gifts from the lands he had travelled to. Each time the blonde child he knew grew older, and soon enough, Roy had to return to witness the marriage of the young prince and his lover, a girl from Amestris, Winry Rockbell.
The next time after that, he came back to a house full of new children. Winry and Edward had just had twins; both boys, and looked so grown up.
So, even if it sounds cheesy; they did live happily ever after…except from during the sleepless nights filled with the shrieks of newborn infants…
* The End *