Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST! *saddness*
This is twoshot...the first chapter is their wedding and the second is what Roy does to make up for it :) (nothing dirty :O ) PLEASE review...they are greatly apprieciated and a huge inspiration to keep writing.
The dress was high backed so her scar did not show and the sleeves covered the scrapes and scars from Ishbal but it was compensated for by the low cut, yet still tasteful, cut at the front. The dress clung to her narrow waist and skimmed her hips before finally flowing out into vast folds and crevasses that billowed around her legs to her feet, creating a two metre train. It had taken four seamstresses seven months to craft and condense the six meters of Xingian crushed silk, five meters of Amestrian hand woven lace, four meters of cream ribbon and miles upon miles of cotton thread into the white glittering gown. Two jewellers had hand selected forty-two Drachmarian ocean pearls to created the exquisite necklace that adorned her slendor neck and another three had been commissioned to cut the twinkling jewelled hair piece that now sat nestled in the tight curls and plaits of her up do.
Her face had been plastered with more alien lotions and powders that she knew existed, after the two make up artists had finished she couldn't tell it was her beneath the veneer of cosmetics. The hairstylist had been equally avaricious with her long blonde tresses. He'd pulled it back with as many clips as humanly possible, twisted and turned it into a tight bouquet of curls that had then been fumigated with spray. Riza Hawkeye looked stunning but as she stood silently infront of her long mirror she realised she had no clue who the woman in the mirror was.
The woman stared back at her with the same confusion and mild fear that must have been reflected in her own. She heard the dull tones of her bridesmaids hurrying about the room to finish themselves off before the wedding march began and she was ushered downstairs to the stately car, adorned with picture perfect flowers and ribbons. No doubt it was also surrounded by reporters already inebriated on the idea they would be spewing fairytale stories tomorrow about Amestrian's own Cinderella story, the prince and his servant...the Colonel and his Lieutenant. Crowds of people would be lining the streets outside the grand cathedral, waiting with flowers and confetti, ready to welcome the new First Lady of Amestris once the ceremony ended.
"Get it off she breathed..."
The women in the room stopped what they were doing and looked at their bride. They saw as her face began to crumble slightly into anguish ad she repeated but with more authority and slight desperation pinching her tone, "Please..Just get it off!" Riza's hand reached up to the neckline on her dress so she could claw it from her body if she had to.
Rebecca was first there, she reached up and practically started ripping the lace cords at the back to undo the dress. Eventually, it loosened enough that Riza could wriggle free and collapse on the small chair beside the mirror in just her silk underwear, stockings and cream heels, breathing heavily. She reached up to pull the necklace from her neck but before she could damage the clasp with the brute force of pulling it free Rebecca had reached around and feverishly toyed with the silver piece. When is slipped undone Riza threw it across the room. She then buried her head in her hands trying desperately to regain composure.
It wasn't meant to be like this. When she dreamed of marrying Roy, this wasn't what had happened. She had gotten ready with Rebecca and Maria at her old home, in her old room. They had done each other's make up and laughed about times gone by before all walking calmly down to the local church in the village she grew up in. The few guests invited were already sporadically placed throughout the church as she led her small wedding procession in, a large smile on her face and a bouquet of fresh wild flowers. Roy had looked at her with those large awe-struck eyes as he saw her for the first time in her dress. It was a plain white fitted dress that finished just below the knee, minimal detail. Plain, like her. No ribbons or lace or pearls or diamonds or annoying train. Just white and a pretty pair of cream shoes with little bows
There friends had thrown confetti over their heads as she smiled uncontrollably next to her new husband and they shared their first marital kiss. Armstrong cried and Maria and Rebecca had already started arguing over who was going to catch the bouquet. They then all made there way down to the quiet hotel for the small and simple reception.
"Riza? Are you OK?" the soft voice interrupted her thoughts and she glanced up at two very concerned faces. Maria and Rebecca were kneeling in front of her, their red gowns crumbling on the floor around them. During her reprieve someone had hung up the beautiful wedding dress to stop damage after been tossed haphazardly on the floor by Riza.
She swallowed and sat up shaking her head slightly. Maria and Rebecca pulled up chairs and sat across from her, "Cold feet?" asked Maria attentively.
"Not really," said Riza, looking at the hands in her lap, "There is nothing I feel more sure about than marrying Roy...I want to be Mrs. Riza Mustang. It's just..." She trailed off and looked at them.
"The fiasco?" finished Rebecca for her and Riza just nodded. Rebecca sighed, "It's still Roy arrogant arse hole Mustang at the alter Riza."
Riza let out a chuckle at Rebecca's description of her soon to be husband, "That's right, Riza," chimed Maria softley, she placed a hand on Riza's shoulder, "You're finally going to be with Roy completely and wholey. You're going to be Mrs. Riza Mustang."
Riza sucked in a deep breath and stood up, she dusted herself even though she was still prestine and checked her makeup in the mirror, "You're right," she said stoically, "This is my wedding day. I'm going to become Mrs. Riza Mustang. It's still Roy...just Roy."
The girls nodded encouragingly and Rebecca gathered the dress off of the hanger and held it open on the ground for Riza to step into. As Riza stood watching herself in mirror, letting Maria and Rebecca fuss over the lace and silk thread of the bodice to fasten it she kept mumbling, "still Roy, Just Roy. Roy Mustang. Roy-Boy. Just my Roy."
She turned and faced Maria and Rebecca once they had finished. She gave them a warm smiled in thanks and they all shared a brief sisterly hug before Maria manoeuvred around to hold Riza's train and Rebecca handed her a bouquet of deep red roses and glittering crystals. Riza looked at the grotesque over statement and sighed, "Still Roy," she mumbled and began to walk towards the door.
Roy stood at the alter, jigging from one foot to the other and back again. His fingers kept flexing and his shoulders needed consistent rolling to stop them becoming to tense. He couldn't sort out the emotions in the pit of his stomach, half of him was so excited about finally making Riza his, finally being able to declare in front of the entire of Amestris that he loved her. The other half was uneasy because of the crowd. Riza hated being centre of attention, hated the limelight and the loud public statement their wedding had become. Somewhere along the line the wedding had become less about them and more about the fantasy that encompassed their 'struggle for love' as it had been dubbed.
Havoc clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Hey Chief, chill, still our Hawkeye, remember," he grinned, slightly lopsided since the cigarette was not there to balance his usual grin out.
"Yeah, means she'll shoot you if you do a runner now," added Breda jokingly. Roy shot him a look. Havoc was the best man and Breda was on stand by to make sure things ran smoothly, both of them were part of Roy's security detail as orchestrated by Riza herself. Roy chuckled slightly when he remembered her pouring over the security plans for the wedding. Most women were paniced about their dress, the shoes, the bridesmaids falling out, the venue or the flowers wilting before all the photographs were taken. Not Riza. She'd poured over security information, exits, best seating positions for officials. To be honest, he thought it was one way she kept her mind off the thought of the wedding and what it would entail. He knew it was anything but what she would have planned.
He glanced at the clock. His brow furrowed and he looked back at Havoc and Breda who tried to smile reassuringly. The minister saw his unease and leant in, "Don't you worry, sir," he said kindly, "every bride is late on her wedding day, nothing to be alarmed about." Roy raised an eyebrow, Riza was not every bride. She was never late. Something was wrong if Riza was late.
He fidgeted some more, checking his cuffs and letting his eyes flicker down to the entrance of the cathedral. Roy's nerves were about to snap and he lifted his foot to take the first of the many steps towards the door when a man appeared at the door. The hushed whispers about the flowers and the bride soon ceased and everyone rose, turning to survey the large carved oak doors. The man pried open the doors slowly, releasing a creak that echoed through the cavernous cathedral.
Riza watched with wide eyes through her veil as the wooden slabs before her opened their heavy jaws to reveal a large congregation. None of whom were related to her and only a handful were friends, so why were they at her wedding? She bit her cheek to stop herself from saying something...possibly screaming. She sucked in a large lungful of air and took the first step down the vast aisle.
The cathedral was near the centre of Amestris and the spire reached for the heavens with voluptuous limbs sprawling out to create three caverns of the space of worship. Unlike Christian churches in the world beyond the gate, the term cathedral didn't apply to specific religion's worship space. In Amestirian the term applied to large, decadent and ethereal spaces used by Amestrians for grand state ceremonies. Each city had one and they were primarily reserved for official state business, such as the Fuhrer's wedding.
The music enveloped the congregation and everyone gasped and awwed at the sight to Riza wrapped in angelic silk and pearls. Some marvelled at her femininity despite her profession, some looked disappointment that he'd chosen her while others smiled reassuringly, secretly wishing her luck on the her pilgrimage to the minister and her fiancé. Riza suddenly felt very alone. All these en and women where staring down at her from the pews and she walked, unarmed, alone towards the end of the long hall. The veil creating an iron curtain between herself and the rest of the world as they watched her every breath, desperate for their fantasies, fuelled by the media, to be fulfilled.
Roy watched, still fiddling with his cuffs and every other moment shifting hhis wieght on hs feet. He was uneasy. Riza, he could even tell through the thin cascade of fabric hiding her face, was nervous. She was tense and her gait down the aisle as less than easy, he'd seen her march in section formation through the military parade grounds with more easy, her usual grace had evaporated. Her movements were ever so slightly jerky and he could see her eyes were not darting around the room or fixed on his, like he would have expected of the sharp shooter but instead she stared intently at a fixed point in the distance, similar to a cart horse with blinkers.
When she reached him, he loving took her hand and give it a squeeze. He didn't flash a smirk, it was to cheap for this occasion, instead he gave her a small even smiled and another squeeze. He saw her attempt a smile and love did flicker through her eyes when she looked at him through the thin white gauze but he saw, felt and almost smelt her unease. She didn't like the attention or the fuss. She didn't like their location or her dress. She didn't like her wedding. There was nothing more Roy wanted in the world at that moment than to sweep her off of her feet and carry her out and elope. He hated seeing her so uneasy and he wanted her to enjoy this. They were publicly declaring their love. They had never had this opportunity before, no more shadows or guilty whispers of love and devotion, this was the real thing. He felt his heart clinch at causing her so much unhappiness on what was meant to be her happiest day. To her, this day, this ceremony, this party, was all a chore, a duty she would carry out to fulfil her role to the Fuhrer of Amestris. His position as leader was still to precarious for something to go wrong or for a covert marriage, their 'love story' had sparked great sympathy among the public and, as much as hated to admit it, he needed to fuel that with this façade of a wedding.
The minister went delicately through the vows and outlined their new roles as husband and wife. He asked for objections and finally after the exchange of their beautiful hand crafted Briggs mined gold rings, the minister announced, "I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Roy Mustang," he flashed Roy a cheeky smile, "You may now kiss your bride, Fuhrer."
Roy turned to Riza and was suddenly overcome by an odd sensation, he was nervous to kiss her. He didn't know if it was the unease that seemed to radiate from her or the thousands of eager eyes, begging to be let in on an intimate moment between their two favourite sweethearts. He gently took the tendrils of her veil and swept it back over her head, letting the soft fabric float down to complete the waterfall from her pristine and un-Riza like hair style. He leaned in a woodenly pushed his lips against hers. Riza pushed back and then they broke apart, now daintily holding hands.
The congregation cheered and clapped as they walked down the aisle towards the large wooden doors leading to the street, where an even greater thundering roar greeted them. The crowds waved banners and confetti that cascaded from the clouds as if the weather had decided, just for today, to rain petals instead. Roy stood on the top steps of the cathedral and slipped his arms around Riza's waist and waved. The crowed cheered more, it seemed everyone had taken the day off to celebrate their Colonel and his Lieutenant's wedding.
Riza waved obediently before Havoc, Breda and the rest of the wedding party began to filter out behind them. Elysia bounded up beside Riza, wearing an adorable red silk dress with sewn white flowers attached to the sleeve and the skirts. She grinned up at Riza and gave her long tresses of ivory lace and silk an innocent tug. Riza bent down to lean more closely to her flower girl as Elysia said, "Miss. Riza, you look like an angel." Riza smiled, her first genuine smile of the day.
"Thank you Elysia, you look very pretty to."
The reception was held in a large ornate marquee that had been set up on the military parade grounds. It had incandescent drapes in golds and reds which matched the colour schemes on all the tables. Each place setting and been meticulously planned, with rows of regimented cutlery and uniform name cards. The flowers also matched the colours flowing throughout the grand marque, the gold being reflected in the large suspended candelabras, of which there were five down the centre of the space. There was a large dance floor in the centre with a small orchestra set up to play soft tunes through dinner and then more fluid tunes in the evening for ballroom dancing. It reminded Riza very much of formal military balls where networking was the main aim and the air was thick with pomp and prestige. Well, she had married the Fuhrer, what had she expected?
Roy and Riza posed for their delightfully fake wedding pictures. Them holding hands lovingly in front of a large green banner sporting the insignia of Amestris military and others with rows of people she had yet to meet. The food was divine and couples in the palette of tastes I stimulated and she found herself glancing at Roy. The look he gave her told her everything, he wouldn't have minded beef stew either. Their first dance was much the same as the rest of the evening. Cold. He held her properly with his hands correctly placed and very gentlemanly, they spun in time with the music as if it were a perfectly executed military procedure. They barely glanced t one another, again keeping up the appearance and correctness of Furher and first lady.
Eventually, a maid came to their table at the end of the evening. Many of guests had begun to filter out and Riza found herself thanking the heavens for Havoc and Breda who had provided comical respite from the rest of the day., Again, Riza was hit by the over whelming feeling that she'd spent her whole wedding day wishing it would end. The maid leaned in and gave Riza a soft smile, indicating it was her time to leave. Riza looked over at Roy and excused herself from the Generals and higher ups that now surrounded their table, desperate to butter Roy up on his wedding day in the hopes he would be more forgiving to promotions or proposals of more funding. As was traditional, the bride would leave first so that her husband could finish his discussions and be congratulated by his male peers and so that the bride could 'prepare' for her wedding night.
Riza walked back towards her car, finally pulling the heavy veil from her now messy style and heaving a huge sigh of relief. In just a few hours she would be curled up with Roy in a hotel far away from all this manic tradition and public scrutiny. She had spent the whole day performing. There had been no intimacy or personality. It was a motion and a spectacle for public to further permeate the idea that Roy was a good Fuhrer and now had the support of an honourable and noble Amestirian wife.
"Riza!" she had to stifle a groan but when she turned and saw Rebecca approaching her, her facial expression softened and she gladly greeted her best friend.
They embraced before Riza finally pulled away and said, "It's good to see you, we havn't had a moment all day...that include me and Roy."
Rebecca smiled comfortingly, "Well you got all night to spend with him now, hey?"
A faint blush touched Riza's cheeks but she still smiled, "Oh yes and don't I plan to make the most of it before the country snaps him away again!" They both smiled and Rebecca gave Riza another hug.
"I'm sorry that today wasn't everything you dreamed it would be."
Riza shrugged and a small smile crept on her face, "in a way it was," Riza watched as a confused expression crossed Rebecca's features, "Roy has achieved his goal and this was just cementing that plus, Roy is my husband isn't he? Isn't that what I wanted all along, grand cathedral ceremony or not?"
Rebecca crossed her arms and thought for a moment, "Guess you have a point there! Though that still doesn't quite explain why you agreed to marry him in the first place!" All Rebecca got in reply was a swift punch, yet gentle, slap on her upper arm and a chuckle.
"Night Rebecca, I am expected at the hotel." Rebecca nodded and watch Riza leave, a knowing smiled gently passing across her face before she turned and hurried back to the others still in the marquee.