Chapter Seven

Arrival of Amerstrian Dignitaries

Monday

A carriage carried the Amestrian Dignitaries from the coast all the way through to the Imperial City. They had arrived on Saturday morning, followed by two days travel, breaking only to allow the riders to stretch briefly and use the restroom, and switch out the horses and driver. These were done at the same time. The carriage was constantly surrounded by guards.

Inside the carriage rode General Roy Mustang, his adjutant Lt. Colonel Riza Hawkeye, Colonel Edward Mustang-Elric, his mechanic Winry Rockbell, and his twenty- two-month-old son, Yuery Mustang-Elric. They had been selected by the crown prince Ling Yao intentionally when he sent the invitations. Edward and Ling had met the previous year and become friends rather quickly. Ling knew and respected Roy Mustang as well, as both Edward's commander and his father.

They had survived one of the most insane years in history together. Most of what happened was a complete secret. It was nice, in Ling's opinion, to have someone who knew what had really happened there to celebrate with him. He had missed his friend. He also hoped their sons could grow to be friends in time.

Of course, after two days stuck in a carriage he was not expecting Yuery to be in a very pleasant mood. He doubted any of them would be and intended to give them several hours to recover in their private apartment before he bothered them beyond the original public greeting. Having recently traveled the same distance with a young child, Ling regretted that they had not been given the luxury of a day's rest his own party had received. Even if that day had simply been to prepare his clan to join his march it had still helped to improve his son's mood.

As the carriage arrived at the steps of the palace, Ling, Lan Fan, and Mei awaited their friends at the top of the stairs. Dressed richly in the red robes of the Emperor's house, Ling suddenly felt out of place. As if his friend would fail to recognize him, or worse make fun of him. For all their power and privilege, they were teenage boys, not the men they were forced to be.

First out of the carriage, in full dress uniform, was Lt. Colonel Hawkeye, followed by Colonel Elric, then General Mustang. After a moment's pause, as if waiting for something to happen, Ms. Rockbell exited the carriage dressed in the most formal outfit Ling had ever seen her in. It was a dark blue suit, just a shade darker than the uniforms around her, the skirt down to just below her knees and her hair swept up in a clip identical to Hawkeye's. She held Yuery's hand as she helped his out of the carriage. He was dressed in a shortsuit that matched Winry's and had a very deep frown on his face even as he stared around in open wonder.

They slowly made their way up the stairs until they reached the future emperor where all three military officers saluted him formally, before bowing. He bowed in return, and lead them inside without a word as the crowd that had gathered clapped. Once free of the eyes of his countrymen, Ling finally smiled. "I arranged for you to have the day to rest before you are expected in my father's court. It's a formality at this point, as he has been slowly shifting control over to me the last few weeks. I plan to come see you after lunch if that is acceptable."

"Of course, thank you." Mustang said, tiredness around his eyes but missing from his voice. Hawkeye and Edward simply nodded. Ling raised a hand to have a servant step forward and lead his guests to their apartment.

"I assumed you would find it favorable to stay in the same rooms." Ling said as the servants carried in their luggage and Winry picked up the tired and angry toddler. "Rather than separate units."

"Thanks Ling." Ed said tiredly in a quiet voice. "We'll catch up later."

Ling nodded and watched the others disappear before he returned his attention to matters of the state. Hopefully he could get all of his work out of the way this morning so he could spend the afternoon catching up with his friends before politics completely took over their visit. Lan Fan and Mei smiled at him before disappearing to their own duties.

1:00 pm

Ling had changed into far less formal clothing before visiting his friends. He was now in a red jacket and white pants with his hair in a ponytail. He knocked on the door of their rooms waiting politely. He had told the nurse to wait thirty minutes, then bring the boys to him here in their apartment. He assumed that Ed would want to see Ping again, but didn't want to overwhelm the children with too many adults moving about.

Ed answered the door cautiously , before rolling his eyes and gesturing Ling to come in. "So when it's my house you just walk through the door, but when it's yours you knock? What's the logic in that?"

"To be fair, it's my father's house still." Ling said with a shrug. Ed rolled his eyes and led the way into the sitting room where the others were all sitting.

Now that he was dressed closer to his normal style, Yuery recognized him and with a delighted squeal ran over to be picked up. Ling glanced at Ed to be sure it was alright before reaching down and lifting the child. "Hi, Yuery. You've gotten heavier haven't you?"

"Lin, go bye. Far bye." Yuery replied. Looking very solemn. "Wada. Mama bye!"

"I know. It's a long trip." Ling said smiling down at the boy.

"He also mentioned all the water, and that Mama doesn't like it." Ed said with a smile.

"Oh have you officially been promoted to Mama now?" Ling asked Winry.

"I better be, since I'm marrying his father." Winry said holding out her hand to reveal the ring.

Ling was excited for his friends and made sure they both knew it with his enthusiastic hugs, before turning to Roy. "So are you guys getting married too?"

"What. The. Hell." Roy groused. "I even leave the country and can't get away from the harassment. I haven't even taken her out to dinner. I can't consider taking anyone out seriously until I talk to my boys and make sure its okay with them. Why is everyone trying to channel Hughes because that was his worst trait and-"

"We're okay with it Dad." Ed interrupted.

"And- what?"

"We are okay with it. You and Riza. Al and I talked about it and we hope you guys finally just admit you love each other." Ed said smugly, ignoring his father's flabbergasted expression and Riza's blush. He had promised himself he wouldn't bring it up, but since Dad and Ling were already talking about it, it was fair game.

"I- that is. I. Riza's my best friend, but I'm sure she has no real interest in-"

"Roy, would you like to go to dinner with me?" Riza asked. The only thing she had been worried about was the boys. He grandfather, who was currently the leader of their country, had all but insisted they were to be married, so she wasn't worried about that. She had loved Roy since they were children, and he had loved her, so she wasn't worried about that either.

Roy stared at her blankly, before it sank it what she had said and agreed. Ling rolled his eyes before whispering to Ed loudly. "Why are grown ups so much dumber than us anyway?"

"I don't know, but I swear I'm not getting dumb just because I get old. " Ed replied with a smirk.

"Hey! Says the boy who screamed his proposal loudly in a crowded train station by offering her an equal trade." Roy said with a playful frown.

"Well…I… Ling didn't even properly propose!" Ed said. "I heard him, he made it sound like a business transaction. He didn't even mention he loved her until they'd been married three days!"

"Okay guys. I think that's enough now." Riza said calmly. "I think we all agree you are all bad at feelings. We will work on that."

The men begrudgingly agree, more because they fear Hawkeye than actually agreeing with her but she can live with that. Winry had begun to develop an eye twitch as well, the one that meant Ed was in serious trouble. Roy wondered if her being his daughter in law meant he now needed to fear it as well.

A knock at the door announced the nurse's arrival, and Ling announced he would get it before skipping out of the room passing Yuery to Ed along the way. A few moments later he returned with Ping in his arms, leading Huan.

Winry stood to join Ed near the door and asked. "Who's this?"

Ling looked playfully insulted as he said. "This is Ping, he hasn't change that much in two months that you should recognize him Winry!"

"I meant him, goof." Winry said as Huan looked around before raising his arms to Winry to be held.

"That's my other new son, Huan. He's very friendly, you may hold him." Ling said and Winry picked the boy up. Yuery immediately frowned at the sight of his Mama holding another child, but his dad distracted him. "I began negotiations with the other clans as I had planned. Huan was one of three survivors of his clan. I adopted him officially, the other two are here in the palace."

"That's terrible." Winry said, sadly over the loss of the clan.

Ling nodded before adding. "Overall the talks went well. I had one show up clanless, one try to kill my children, and three that agreed to the treaty, so about as well as I expected."

"Wait, what?!" Ed said, suddenly rethinking leaving Ping in Ling's care.

"Pssh. They never got anywhere close to the boys. I sensed them as soon as they tried, as did Lan and Mei." Ling said. "He's been dealt with."

Ed relaxed, it wasn't like he could undo it anyway, nor would he really want to after seeing how much Ling loved the boy… though he was tempted to insist Ling bring his family and come back with him. He didn't want to see any of them hurt.

Huan slid back down and was wandering around the room with interest, and Yuery climbed down to join him. The boys were not quite at the age where they played together, but were both old enough to show interest it the other's presence. They were soon having a conversation in baby babble that left the grown ups completely out of the loop but seemed to be getting along.

Ling handed Ping over to Ed without waiting for Ed to ask, they both knew Ed wanted to hold the baby, and so did the others. At least Roy and Winry. Ling trusted them with his children, it seemed a fair trade after all the time Ed had trusted him with Yuery last winter.

"So, apparently one of my sisters, who agreed to the treaty, already knows you Ed." Ling said as they all finally sat down.

"Mei?" Winry asked, she couldn't think of any others Ed might know.

"No, well yes Mei, but another one. I'm sure you remember her, you left an impression after all. Chen Li."

Ed stiffened at the name. He turned the shade of red that usually proceeded screaming. He shook slightly, then turned to Roy. "I swear to Truth, if you side with her again I'm going to scream. Then I'm going to leave and move back to Dublith."

"Why Dublith?" Riza asked.

"He'd follow me to Resembool, but no one would follow me to Teacher's." Ed reasoned.

"Edward. I already explained, repeatedly. I wasn't siding with her, I was being diplomatic." Roy said tiredly.

"Diplomatic shouldn't mean siding with her, a girl you didn't even know, over me!" Edward said with a pout.

"To be fair, I didn't really know you yet either. You had only been under my command for two months at the time." Roy said.

"I feel there's a story here." Ling interjected.

"Yeah. It was all Chen's fault." Ed said, and the other Amestrians groaned. It had been years since the incident with Ed and Al being thrown from the train and forced to wander in the general direction of the city with a princess in tow, but Ed seemed to still be offended over the event. He hadn't brought it up in years, so it had to have been bringing the girl up.

"Well. She's currently staying in the palace, so I'll have to ask her about it since you won't tell me." Ling said. Ed immediately launched into his version of events before Chen could convince anyone else he had somehow been the one who was wrong.

Ling listened with amusement carefully hidden about the adventure his sister and best friend had endured. Apparently, she had forced him to go shopping, then started an argument on a train with some criminals and gotten them tossed overboard, and they spent a few days wandering down the train tracks. "She refused to apologize for any of it! If she would have just admitted she messed up and was wrong I would have gotten over it year ago." Ed concluded. "Oh and Dad sided with her without waiting to hear what happened."

"Edward, surely by now you understand that we can not tackle foreign diplomats no matter how annoying and badly behaved they are acting." Roy said patiently. He had heard this story many times, and had in fact read the very detailed report Edward had submitted, he even agreed with his son that it sounded like most of what happened could have been avoid had the princess not antagonized the criminals, but he also needed Ed to understand that he couldn't behave like that now that he was almost an adult and a Colonel.

Ed pouted in return. He agreed his behavior at the time would be considered unacceptable should the situation repeat itself, which was all the more reason to never travel with the girl again. He had matured since then, but unless she walked in here and admitted her mistakes he was not going to believe she had. He hoped he could just avoid her for the month they would be here, or at least only be forced to see her in gatherings.

Roy sighed. Edward had matured a lot in his time in the military, especially in the almost two years since he had become a father. Sometimes it was easy to forget his son was still only sixteen, and prone to impulsive behavior. Roy was lucky to have had the boys come into his life, nothing was going to change his opinion on that, but that didn't make taking care of them easy.

Ling, meanwhile, decided it was time to change the subject, and asked where Ed and Winry planned on living after they got married. It was not something the couple had discussed yet apparently because they both looked completely lost at the question. "They'll be staying right were Ed is of course." Roy said, watching both teens look relieved. "I see no reason for Edward and Yuery to move out when it would be far easier to move Winry in. In fact, we have a spare room, if Winry would like to move in when we return home so that she has one less thing to worry about as she sets up her new shop."

"If you're sure Mr. Mustang." Winry said with a smile.

"I'm sure on one condition. Stop calling me Mr. Mustang. I'm Roy or Dad to you young lady. After all you are marrying my son."

"Okay Mr. Roy." Winry said as she hugged him.

"…Close enough." Roy said as he returned the hug.