Haha, I'm actually quite a fan of OT3 (Ling/Lanfan/Greed) but this just popped into my head one day, and it had to be written? There are a few things about it that are a bit off, I think.
It had been a long, quiet sort of trip, although it felt comforting to be around familiar scenery, again - lush forests, cool, misty mornings, terraced rice fields and the sense of chi permeating through the very earth.
They had returned the young lady, Mistress Chang to her home in the foothills of the Western mountains. Lanfan had, surprisingly, found her company to be a bit more enjoyable than she'd anticipated - she was a kind, sweet, funny girl (if a bit unrealistically romantic, at times) and her family had been very generous to her and the Young Master during their brief stay at their home.
During their stay, they received the news that the Emperor had passed away. Respects were paid, as due, but that was about the extent of their mourning.
The Young Master formally extended an open invitation to Mistress Chang to visit the palace whenever she pleased, (when he took his rightful place as emperor, anyway.)
Although their hearts had been lightened by the company, they began to grow a bit heavy again as they made their way south. Even Master Ling, who was so typically optimistic, seemed rather quiet and caught up in his thoughts. (Which was something that worried her greatly, as he tended to confide in her at all opportunities.)
She would find him brooding, at times, over the Philosopher's Stone - if that's what the cursed thing could be called - liquid and ruby-red, resting within the tiny phial. She refused to touch it, herself - there were too many painful energies emanating from it.
One night, as they sat, watching the moon rise across a valley, he admitted to her that he'd simply use it to secure his place on the throne - to secure the safety of the Yao Clan (as well as the other clans) - but he did not intend it for any other purpose.
"I don't think I'd be happy living beyond what a normal human being should live." He had admitted, "Besides, I think the Stone would be better used towards helping others, healing… No one man alone should keep such a thing for themselves - no matter how greedy they are." He'd laughed.
Their travels had changed them - and had changed something between them, as well.
They were both very respectful of each others' privacy while camping, (although they spent most of their travels staying in separate rooms at inns along the way), but something in the way he looked at her made her flush even more than usual, and made her enormously grateful for the mask she wore. It was something akin to affection, and… it wasn't her place to hope for such things, but, possibly, love.
While she didn't make her feelings known, (at least, as far as she was aware), she'd certainly grown much closer to the Young Master, and become even more fiercely protective of him. He was all she had, now.
Her grandfather had been cremated before their departure from Amestris - and his urn was currently, very carefully, packed away in the saddlebags of her horse.
When they finally reached the Yao lands, the afternoon light cast gray slanted shadows of the narrow, craggy Southern mountains across the flat, green farmland. (She found herself feeling glad for the tempered metal of her automail - otherwise, it would have begun rusting already in this climate.)
Master Ling was greeted very respectfully by the servants. Word had been sent ahead of them that he would be arriving, shortly, and they had prepared a veritable feast for him (and she was always most welcome to dine, as well.)
In spite of his tiredness, Master Ling had been ecstatic about the prospect for a moment, but, then stopped, face growing serious. He glanced at Lanfan, and then told the servants to keep the food warm for a while, as he had a few matters of business to attend to.
"We must show our respects to the deceased, first and foremost." He insisted, and Lanfan slowly nodded in agreement - although he was truly being too kind.
Their families shared plots, so it was simply a short walk down the road through the softly dappled light of bamboo groves.
Soon, her grandfather was sharing a place next to her grandmother.
The two of them, wearing white scarves, lit incense and offered their prayers. For the first time in many, many weeks… Lanfan let more of her emotions show. She hadn't really considered mourning, or crying - her main objective had been to return the Young Master safely to his home. But, somehow, the weight of a lifetime of memories finally became too heavy for her to bear.
She'd thought she was hiding her tears well, until the Young Master gently placed an arm around her shoulders and drew her near.
"I… miss him too, Lanfan." he said, quietly, and they both held each other close, each crying into the other's shoulder.
They pulled away after a little while - a bit embarrassedly - but she was glad for his company and comfort.
"We had best be getting back, now, Young Master." Lanfan stated, drying her eyes surreptitiously.
"Wait." he said, "There is still one more person we need to say goodbye to."
Lanfan understood immediately.
They lit two more sticks of incense.
He surprised her by reaching out and grasping her right hand. She pushed away her initial instinct of shying away, and, instead, wove her fingers through his.
"…Thank you, Lanfan." the Young Master murmured. "It… really means a lot. We can never forget Greed's friendship."
She squeezed his hand more tightly, "It will not be forgotten, Young Master."
After a moment, he spoke up, again, "You know, you can just call me Ling. All of this formality and the statuses between houses is… tiresome."
Lanfan blushed, "Ling.", she whispered.
And they embraced again in the quiet afternoon light.
