Ling kept his gaze on the koi pond as he tapped his nail against the side of a tea cup. In his inattention the drink had gone cold. His mind was far from the atrium and the company of his mother. He'd been agitated throughout the council meeting that afternoon, something Xue hadn't failed to notice, though his advisors were none the wiser. The dowager empress sat across the table dressed in robes of emerald and gold silk. Her long nails shone with a clear lacquer. In her right ear she wore the red feather earring her son had gifted to her as a child and had plum blossoms woven into her long hair.
"Has something happened?" Xue asked. She set her cup down, refilling it, and added a single cube of sugar.
The tapping of Ling's nail on porcelain ceased but his eyes remained on the fish glittering among the water lillies. "Nothing of consequence."
Xue swirled a spoon in her cup then set it to rest on the saucer. She lifted the cup to her lips but did not drink. Instead she savored the aroma of the rising steam as she regarded her son. As a child Ling had always come to her with his troubles. She'd trusted him to share his burdens. If not with her then Fu. But Fu was gone and Xue was unaccustomed to prying. She blew softly across the surface of her tea. The commander of the guard had been notably absent today and the emperor's displeasure was palpable.
"Commander Liu isn't in attendance today. Is she unwell?" his mother asked.
"She's..." Ling propped his chin on his fist and afforded her a glance. "I've upset her, I think. I can't read her like when we were children. Things are different between us."
"You've grown up."
"It's more than that." His face twisted with frustration. "She keeps me at a distance."
"As distant as the stars, I imagine. What do you intend to do about it?"
Despite wearing a dress Lan Fan found the hall of records far too easy to break into. The back entrance was dutifully bolted but someone had neglected to lock the transom window above it. She boosted herself through to the other side and landed silently in the darkened corridor. It would've been simpler to stroll in during business hours, but that would mean curious looks and questions she'd rather not answer. A bored clerk might not have cared who she was but requesting copies of records meant paperwork. It would inevitably get back to Shu that she'd been here. The man was annoyingly well informed. Better to find what she needed under the cover of darkness than make his work easy for him.
Lan Fan kept the hood of her cloak up and her face concealed. The mask she wore was painted with a black and gold harlequin pattern; a spare she kept hidden beneath a floorboard in her bedroom at home. It took longer than she anticipated to locate the appropriate archive, but she'd only had to duck out of the sight of a guard once. Several times she thought of turning back. Seeing the truth would make it all real. If all she had was Xiang's word perhaps she could convince herself it was a lie. Yet she knew she had to see for herself. Lan Fan slipped into the records room and the door snicked shut behind her. It was too dark to properly search the files. Lan Fan risked the light of a nearby lamp and set to work.
Half an hour passed before she laid hands on her objective. She read the documents thrice before using the ditto machine tucked into the corner of the room. She removed her gloves to save them from ink stains. Thankfully her hands were steady. Barely enough time passed for the ink to set before she heard footsteps in the hall. Lan Fan returned the originals to their drawer then tucked the duplicates into an envelope. When the echo of steps faded into the distance she made her escape. She receded into the shadows of a side street several blocks away. Lan Fan removed the mask. It'd been years since she'd cried and she wasn't about to start now. Instead, she curled her hand into a fist and assaulted the brick wall with blows. By the time she regained control her knuckles were a bloody mess and her shoulder reverberated from the impact. Her fourth and fifth metacarpal bones were broken. She only had herself to blame for the fractures. Even upset she knew better than to be careless with a punch, but the pain was something to focus on.
"Damn it," she uttered. "Damn it. Damn it!" Lan Fan leaned against the wall and turned her eyes to the moon. It was well after midnight. Her absence must've been noticed hours ago even if Xiang kept her departure quiet. Going home would mean facing her mother and stepfather in the morning if not tonight. Not step. Not anymore, her mind corrected. 'Zhang, Lan Fan Liu' the amended birth certificate read. Instead of Feng Liu her father was listed as Liwei Zhang. The adoptions records were dated February 7th, 1914. Finalized during her last visit before Amestris. Signed by Liwei and Suyin Zhang but the greatest betrayal of all was her grandfather's name scrawled on the witness line.
Grandfather, why didn't you tell me?
Ling opened his door at daybreak to find Lan Fan in place of his guard from the night before. She was dressed in her uniform and armor, but hadn't covered her hair nor put on her mask. In her hair she wore the comb. It was as lovely on her as he'd always imagined. His pleasure at the sight was short lived, however, as he noticed the fresh bandages wrapped around her hand. His was staring and concern showed on his face. Lan Fan dropped her eyes to the floor and bent forward into a bow. What happened? The words died on his lips as she straightened. If she'd slept at all it hadn't been well judging by her careworn look and the dark circles under her eyes.
"Lan Fan, what have you done to your hand?"
"It's nothing, sire." The bodyguard averted her gaze as she answered. It was clearly something and the emperor became angry. He was angry with her for evading his question, angry with himself for allowing her to get away with such behavior time and again. Perhaps if he'd demanded she be forthright in the past she would share her burdens with him.
"I'll be the judge of that," snapped Emperor Yao. He held out his hand for hers. Lan Fan's small hand was bulky with gauze. The tips of her pinky and ring fingers stuck out from the bandages, the skin marred with bruises. He palpated the digits and felt her wince. Broken. Ling clinched his jaw. "How did you make such a mess of your hand? Answer me, Commander."
"I lost my temper."
"That's not a proper answer." In his frustration he wanted to shake her. Ling wanted to shout at her. He wanted her to speak without being ordered. Most of all he wanted to kiss this infuriating woman who caused him such worry.
"I punched a wall," Lan Fan confessed. "More than once."
"Why?" Ling demanded. "Look at me."
Lan Fan closed her eyes, drew in a measured breath, and looked at him. "I was upset over a personal matter."
"A personal matter?"
"Something I still need to sort through." She was silent for a moment then lowered her eyes to his hands still cradling her wounded one. "I didn't thank you."
"Thank me?"
"For the gift," she answered softly.
"You don't need to thank me."
"But I do. I'm grateful."
"It was always yours, Lan Fan."
Emperor Ling ordered her to see to her hand before she resumed her duties. In exchange she ordered three additional guards to his escort until her return. Lan Fan made her way to the south wing of the palace where the alkahestry master in residence kept an office. Master Hsu had in fact worked for the Yao family nearly a decade. He'd been the one to tend to their cuts and bruises after many a training session with Master Fu. The door to his office was shut, but she could hear the murmur of voices beyond it. Lightly she rapped on the door and a moment later Master Hsu slid it open.
"Commander Liu! Remarkable timing as always. Won't you join us for tea?" Master Hsu ushered her inside. At the table by the window Alphonse Elric sat with an open book in one hand and a teacup in the other. He appeared properly rested and was dressed in a suit and tie.
"Alphonse?" she uttered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Ling is busy until this afternoon so he asked Mr. Hsu to let me shadow him today. He has quite the collection of alkahestry texts," Al replied.
"I can hazard a guess at what brings you by this morning, Commander. May I?" Master Hsu had her sit on the exam table against the wall and gently unwound the gauze from her hand. The knuckles were split and oozing blood and much of her skin was bruised. Her two broken fingers were swollen and stiff. Master Hsu clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Come take a look"
As instructed Alphonse came over and upon seeing the damage he swore under his breath. Al blushed at his own language and cleared his throat.
"As you can see from the bruising this injury occurred four to six hours ago. Without the intervention of alkahestry the lacerations would require multiple stitches and the fractures splinting. What is our immediate concern?"
"Infection."
"Correct. Fetch me the disinfectant from the cabinet. A basin as well," Master Hsu sighed, shaking his head. "One would think you'd take better care of your remaining hand. Any reason in particular you didn't come to me straight away, Commander Liu?"
"It was late."
"Late indeed," he scoffed. Lan Fan held her hand over the basin as instructed. The disinfectant burned like fire as he doused the cuts. She managed not to scream, but gripped the edge of the table with her automail that the joints creaked. When the pain subsided she let out the breath she held. "There now that's the worst of it, my dear. Now, Alphonse, we'll proceed with closing the wounds."
Master Hsu drew an array on the table with practiced ease. The transmutation took well under a minute, a process that was relatively painless save for a stinging sensation as her flesh and bones knit back together. Though quite faded some bruising lingered. The alkahestris tested her range of motion and instructed her to flex her fingers. Satisfied with the results he nodded. While he deposed of the soiled bandages Alphonse stepped closer to speak with Lan Fan.
"Where did you disappear to yesterday?
"Something came up."
"What a bar fight?" He looked skeptical. Instead of answering Lan Fan put on her mask and cowl. Al sighed in exasperation. "I hope you've at least let your family know you're all right."
"I must return to my duties. Thank you, Master Hsu." The bodyguard bowed and left before Alphonse could harangue her further. She tried to ignore the guilt thoughts of Xiang conjured. None of it was his fault. He'd apologized profusely, begged her not to leave. He'd stumbled upon the truth ages ago, kept the secret to protect her, and how had she repaid him? By shutting him out once again. Xiang deserves better. Lan Fan took a deep breath. Fu was gone but there was still one person who might have the answers she so desperately needed.
