Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own and I doubt that will change during the progressing story.

Coming home

AN: 'Coming home' is just the beginning of some related one-shots of our favourite Xingese couple, Lan Fan and Ling. Don't hate me, AlMei-fans, I refer them as the Amestrian-Xingese-couple ;-)

Prince Ling Yao lay in the grass and stared at the clouds as light footsteps came closer.
"…and you are sure that I can do it, grandfather?" a young, female voice asked. "Do you think I am ready?"
"You have known him since your childhood," Ling's most trusted bodyguard, Fu, replied. "You are ready."
"Alright," she sighed. "And he is really okay with it?"
"He doesn't know about it because we didn't know that you would come back today."
Ling couldn't contain himself any longer. He got up and as he saw the girl, he grinned. "Lan Fan!" he said.
She bowed. "Young Master," she said respectfully.
"I overheard you talking with Fu … so, you're my new bodyguard?" he looked at her. "That's great! I missed you while you were away from here!"
Lan Fan had been his shadow during his younger days, but then she spent one year away from his palace in order to become a strong warrior like her grandfather.
"It's also nice to be back," she said and bowed again. "Young master," she added quickly.
He grabbed her hand and dragged her away from her grandfather to their secret hideout.
"There is no need to call me 'Young Master' as long as we're alone, Lan Fan," he told her. "We are still friends after all!"
She sighed. "It's highly improper," she whispered while she relaxed.
He just shrugged. "Like I care," he said. "Well, how old are you now?"
"Fourteen," she replied. "It has been exactly one year that I spent away."
"Yes – and I even have a present for you!" he grinned. "Happy birthday, Lan-Lan!" He grabbed her hand again and stared at a small scar on her wrist. "How did that happen?" he asked angrily.
"I had some trouble with another girl during my training who claimed I was flirting with her boyfriend," she said and shrugged. "It's no big deal either way."
"Ouch," Ling said as his fingers danced across the thin line. "Were you flirting with him?"
She just glared at him. "Never," she said. "My loyalty is dedicated to our clan, Ling. You should know."
He grinned at her as he sat down. "Of course I know," he said. "Well, you should open your present," he advised and threw a little parcel at her. "And please don't use a kunai, alrighty?"
She sighed as she took off her gloves to open the parcel. It contained a small yet beautiful bracelet made of silver. She turned around and looked at her childhood friend. "What's the meaning of this?" she asked and a faint blush appeared on her pale cheeks. "You cannot offer me something like that, You- Ling," she said as she held it out to him. "Have you any idea of the meaning of such a gift?"
He shrugged. "I always thought that a boy gives his sweetheart a bracelet to ask her if she wants to become his girlfriend," he said nonchalantly. "Well … you know how bad I am with words, Lan-Lan, so I just wanted to ask her this way."
Tears started to stream down her face. "You have no idea of how much I would like to be able to take it," she said, "but it isn't allowed. I am just a guardian, Ling. I hardly qualify as your girlfriend. I am sorry."
He tilted his head. "I don't think that I can allow your duty to mess up with my dreams for the future," he said. "Both of us are human being … we are equals in this aspect. I don't care about the fact that your family isn't noble. I just care about you … because I love you, Lan Fan. I can't stand the idea of some arrogant warrior coming along and taking you away from me. And … when I can make my dream come true, I will need someone I can trust without any doubt. And you are the only one who I can imagine as my future wife … and as my future empress," he said and took her hand again. "Please, Lan Fan. Let's forget the goddamn duty for once. We can make it work. You know that we can do it."
She looked at him and wiped away her tears. "One thing we can be sure of," she sighed, "if my grandfather ever hears something of it, I will never hear the end of it … well, and he will most likely kill me."
"I am sorry," he said as he hugged her tightly before he slipped the bracelet at her arm. "Everything would be much easier if I wouldn't be a prince."
"Please don't tell me that you are apologising for being wellborn right now," she sighed.
"I can't help myself," he said as he kissed her lightly. "Welcome home, Lan Fan."
She smiled at him. "As long as I am with you, I am home," she said.