A/N: Hello and Welcome to my new story! I hope you all enjoy! This originally started as a one-shot for Lucky, the second part to be exact, but I got carried away and wanted to write a whole story of this. Ed and Al are not the same, appearance wise, as the anime or manga. I changed their ages and appearances to match the AU a little more. Also, they are princes, and because they are in Xerxes, I wanted to give them names that I thought would fit. Any translations will be listed at the bottom. This is a major AU, so beware! Thank you for reading! Make sure to drop your thoughts in a form of a review!
Xerxes was not destroyed and it became the Desert's Oasis. Father was not created and the Homunculus are not a thing in this world, but Bradley is still the Fuhrer of Amestris. Van Hohenheim, after the extermination of the previous Royal Family, was chosen to be king of Xerxes. This story starts shortly after the Ishvalan Civil War.
Desert air was extremely dry so it made the blazing sun a little more bearable, but then again, growing up with the desert sun made one immune to heat one could suppose. Erfan walked through the halls with his trusted aide, Nima.
"Are you on your way to visit Prince Arya?" Nima questioned.
"Of course!" Erfan scoffed. "Not like the old man deserves my presence!" Erfan was never the refined prince who sat with nobles and sipped on their exotic Xingese Tea and spoke with sophisticated words. He spent time with the General of the Xerxian Military going through sets and battle plans. He snuck off of palace grounds and hid in the capital city. He was a free soul that didn't care about the fact that he was prince or that his father was king.
"Prince Arya should be in the Grand Library, Your Highness," Nima quickly informed. The older male didn't want his prince ranting about the king again. He spent days of his young life listening to nothing but spitefully rude comments about his king.
"As expected, my little brother is quite the scholar!" Erfan laughed heartily. Erfan, himself, was classified as a genius among the Xerxian Court, but Arya was just as smart and he loved to boast about that. The brothers were reading before they could walk and they were practicing alchemy before they were tutored. The princes were truly magnificent, but neither believed it.
Nima quietly trailed Erfan as the prince walked to the Grand Library. The walls were built to keep the desert heat out so the palace was fairly cool, or at least as cool as one can be in the desert. Erfan pushed the large doors open and stepped inside the sparsely lit room. "Hey, Arya, you in here?" he called out.
A few seconds went by before a meek voice replied, "I'm by the window, brother!"
Erfan followed the voice to the window and smiled at his brother. The golden sunlight streamed through the large window and bounced off his brothers' equally as golden hair. The teenager was situated in a modest chair with his back to the window. His face was shadowed, but Erfan could still see his smile.
"How are you feeling?" Erfan inquired. He took in Arya's appearance and scowled a little. His brother was too pale for someone living in the desert. The bags under his eyes were too dark for Erfan's liking. He knew Arya was sick, but that didn't mean he was used to seeing such a weak and frail looking person.
"I feel fine, brother!" Arya huffed. "Honestly, not a day goes by without you or Father asking!"
Erfan ignored the comment about the king and reached a hand out to ruffle Arya's hair. "I just worry, I can't help it."
Nima quietly excused himself as he went to go stand by Arya's aide, Iman. The two aides greeted each other with a smile before moving toward the entrance of the library to give the brothers space. They could hear their princes laughing as they talked about the things Erfan had seen in Pachis, the capital city. Nima and Iman couldn't be happier that their princes got along with each other so well. And despite the beliefs of Elder Prince, King Hohenheim was a gracious, wonderful man.
Soon the sun began to set and Erfan decided it was time for Arya to rest. He sent Nima to go get Junior Prince's meal. Arya hardly ever ate in the Dining Hall anymore. He only had the energy to make it to the library, and on a good day, to the Throne Room. Erfan hated seeing some so dear to him be so sick, but none of the Royal Physicians could figure out what plagued Arya.
By the time Erfan went back to his own quarters, the sun was gone and the desert air became crisp with a chill he did not enjoy. He bid Nima goodnight and buried himself underneath his silk and wool blankets. With promises to head into Pachis the next day and bring back the tales of the people, Erfan fell asleep.
It wasn't even daybreak when panicked shouts of the palace guards woke Erfan. In his sleep ridden daze, he couldn't tell what was being said, but he could smell something burning. Nima burst through his doors and ran straight for Erfan.
"Your Highness!" Nima exclaimed. "The palace is on fire! You have to escape!"
Erfan threw off his covers and jumped to his feet. "Not without Arya!"
Nima paced about before speaking. "You cannot go back for Junior Prince!"
Never had Erfan felt such anger towards his aide, "Why not?!"
"Because he's gone," Nima said in a controlled voice.
Erfan refused to believe the words of Nima. He stilled trying to process the new information. Information he did not want to hear. (In favor of Nima, the General passed by. The aide called out to the burly man for help.)
Erfan was being set outside of the palace when he regained his senses. He watched the palace maids and aides scrambling for water and the palace guards escorting the King. "I have to go!"
Before the General or Nima could get a hold on Erfan, the prince had dashed back inside. The fires were still raging, but he paid no mind as he raced towards his brother's room. Smoke attacked his lungs and he used his arm to keep it out as best as he could, but the flames were too much. He could feel the air escaping from his lungs and they felt as if they were on fire as well. Erfan reached Arya's room and searched every nook and cranny, but all he found was Arya's cat with the head severed. The prince wanted to vomit. His brother was indeed gone, but that didn't mean he was dead. Erfan was going to find him.
When Erfan arrived back outside, the fire had significantly lessened. His face was black with soot and his hair was wet with sweat. Nima began to fuss over him immediately, but he swatted the older man's hands away. The General suddenly reached and placed Nima beside him behind the prince and forced the aide into a bow. Erfan set his gaze forward and watched as the king led his personal army over. At eighteen, Erfan was taller than most men, just like the king (the prince refused to believe that he similar to his father in any way, though,) and his broad shoulders and perfect posture gave him an intimidating air, but when in the presence of the king, he was nothing but a puppy barking at a bear.
No words were spoken between the father and son, but in one swift motion, King Hohenheim raised his fist and punched Erfan straight in the jaw. The prince allowed his head to snap to the side to lessen the pain before returning his glare to the king.
"You could have died," King Hohenheim spoke slowly and with of sense of knowing. "I will find Prince Arya and bring him back. You need not worry."
The palace staff, minus the one working on putting out the fire, tensed as Erfan laughed. "You can't do anything." Erfan spat. "Sure, you help your people, but what about your sons? You didn't know that Arya was ill until years of him suffering! Have you done anything besides sign papers and study your blasted alchemy? I will look for my brother and I will bring him back. You stay out of it."
Before the king had a chance to reply, Erfan stalked back towards the castle with Nima close behind.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect, are you really going to let him search for Junior Prince all by himself?" the General asked.
King Hohenheim sighed. "I trust Erfan. After all, he would not want to disappoint his late mother." The king continued to stare at his long gone son and silently prayed to all of his deceased ancestors that Erfan would safely return with Arya at his side.
"Your Highness, please take me with you! I cannot bare to see you off!" Nima cried.
The sun rose a few short hours after the fire and Erfan was prepared to leave, but Nima didn't want to stay behind. Erfan shook his aide's hands off of his arm. "I told you already. I need you to stay here and alert me if Arya comes back. I can't trust anybody but you, Nima. Please."
Nima straightened as the prince spoke, but he couldn't help the tears that fell down his face. He had spent the majority of his life with the prince and he was dreading the days without him. He didn't trust himself to speak so he only nodded his head. Erfan – afraid that if he said anymore words, Nima would lock him in his quarters and never let him leave the palace – only patted his aide's shoulder and left the palace without a look back.
Translations/Meanings:
Erfan- Knowledge, awareness, learning
Arya- Noble
Nima- Just, fair
Iman- Faith