Three days passed without Lan Fan by Ling's side. A long day of receiving nobles and their various complaints in the throne room left Ling restless and agitated. His shoulders were stiff and he felt a tension headache coming on. He decided on a bath to ease his discomfort. The emperor was left alone to relax after the two guards attending him did a cursory patrol of his private bathing hall. In the middle of the room was an extravagant pool more suitable for swimming than the act of bathing. Ling sank down into the satisfyingly warm water. The steam rising from the water held the fragrance of eucalyptus and sea salt. He unbound his hair, breathed deep, and sank beneath the surface. Closing his eyes he welcomed the temporary sensory deprivation.

'Where have you been hiding a woman like that?' Greed had said the night Lan Fan found them in the woods outside Central. The homunculus had been intrigued by the woman Ling insisted on sending a message. That he'd written it in Xingese script was enough to annoy the one who possessed his body. Yet he'd managed to keep Lan Fan all to himself over the many months apart. He tried not to think of her as he'd last seen her; maimed and weak from blood loss. Instead, he envisioned her on the day he met her along the road. Hair disheveled, cheeks rosy from the winter wind, cloaked in autumn red.

Ling sat up against the side of the bath and wiped water from his face. He wanted to cling to that image now, but all he could think of was her subjugating herself on the floor of his study. As brilliant as a prism and in that moment as easily broken.

He stayed in the bath until he began to feel stifled by the humidity. Taking his time he dried off and clothed himself in the clean robes hanging by the door. Ling lingered a few minutes more in the quiet while he combed his hair. To avoid the resurgence of a headache he left his dark mane of hair down.

Resigned to the company of his guard detail Ling slid the door open to the corridor. Leaning against the opposite wall with a bottle of some liquor in one hand was Shu. The cut on his lip was scabbed over. Apparently not grievous enough a wound to see an alkahestris. Or purpose he'd rather not discuss the circumstances behind it.

"Let's talk."


A wail of pain pierced through the quiet house.

"That a girl," Margot soothed. "That's the worst of it."

Lan Fan was unaccustomed to the agony of reattaching automail. She remembered throwing up the last time. This time was no different. Nausea overwhelmed her and she tasted bile. Madeleine was already there with a basin. After a few moments of retching the sick feeling subsided. She laid her head back on her mother's lap. Madeleine had tried to dissuade Suyin from being in the room for this part, but she'd insisted on staying with Lan Fan.

While Margot fixed the bolts in place Suyin ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. Lan Fan allowed her eyes shut. When she was small her mother often soothed her to sleep like that. Nights when her father was home were another matter. Zheng would tuck her into bed and tell her folktales while her mother sewed. She wished she could remember more of him. The door to her room slid open and Xiang stuck his head in.

"Is she okay?"

Lan Fan could hear the worry in his tone.

"'m fine," she muttered. Over the last three days her little brother had found any excuse to hover about her room. He'd pestered Margot with automail questions until she's had enough. Madeleine intervened before Margot could physically toss Xiang out. She set about teaching him several card games. They played quietly for hours while Margot worked and Lan Fan slept intermittently.

"Can I see?"

Xiang was at Lan Fan's bedside before anyone answered. He looked at her arm closely without touching. The basic framework of her automail remained the same. It gleamed with a fresh application of polish. Adjustments were made to accommodate the amount she'd grown since fifteen. Though the arm had continued function more than adequately over the years Margot chose to replace most of the wiring. The electrical work took the most time, but the engineer also took the time to buff out what scratches and nicks she could. The concealed blade only needed a bit of sharpening.

"Leave your sister be," Liwei called from the doorway. At the sound of his voice Lan Fan opened her eyes. Her stepfather beckoned to him. "Come set the table."

Xiang sighed in exasperation but obeyed nevertheless.

"I'll make you some tea," Suyin said. "Unless you'd prefer I stay?"

Lan Fan shook her head and sat up gingerly. Her mother kissed her temple before heading to the kitchen. Margot ran Lan Fan through a circuit of movements to test her dexterity and range of motion.

"Very good."

Standing up Margot stretched her arms over her head and arched her back. She looked tired but satisfied. The room smelled of sweat and machine oil. Madeleine opened the window to let fresh air in and Margot gathered her tools.

"When are you leaving?" Lan Fan asked.

"At the end of the week."

"We'll stay as long as you need, my love."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," snapped Margot.

"We can discuss it later."

Madeleine gave her lover a tight smile.

"There's nothing to discuss," she replied. Madeleine responded with a diatribe in her native tongue. Having none of it Margot slammed the lid of her toolbox shut. "Don't shout at me in Cretan!"

"We could be happy here!"

"I thought we were happy. I've spent the last nine years trying to make you happy. If you've tired of our life together then by all means stay in Xing!"

Despite her upset Madeleine moved closer to cup Margot's face. A smudge of grease marred the engineer's cheek. She wiped it away with her thumb and kissed Margot's frown. Lan Fan diverted her gaze for the sake of their privacy. Displays of affection seemed to come so naturally to other people.

"You know I don't mean such things." Madeleine whispered such that Lan Fan barely heard her words. Sitting on the bed Lan Fan remained silent to avoid intruding. "It's only that our Lan Fan is here. My heart could not beat without you."

The two of them parted swiftly as footsteps sounded in the hall. Though the matter wasn't laid to rest it would have to wait.


A fire warmed the small chamber to which they'd retired. The blacksmith crouched before the hearth to stoke the flames. Shadows danced across his features. Ling picked up the liquor Shu brought and read the label. It was a bottle of bourbon whiskey older than either of them. Likely ill-gotten if he knew Shu, which these days he wasn't sure he did.

"I don't suppose you paid for this."

"You did actually." A faint smile tugged at the corner of Shu's mouth. "Wei had a case of it imported. He has it on good authority your General Mustang is fond of it."

"Of course I did."

Ling cracked open the bottle to pour them each a drink.

"I haven't been playing fair," Shu admitted. He stood and accepted the offered glass.

"Have you ever?"

"I don't suppose either of us have. You've gotta admit the deck is stacked in your favor on this one." Shu clinked his glass against Ling's and took a swallow of the expensive alcohol. After a moment Ling followed suit.

"I wonder…" Ling muttered into his glass.

"How is she?"

"You don't know?"

A trace of venom seeped into Ling's tone.

"Would I ask if I did?" Shu quirked an eyebrow at him. Unwilling to admit he didn't know Ling took another drink. A silence descended upon the room broken only by the crackle and occasional pop of the fire. Shu finished his drink first. He fetched the bottle to refill his glass. Not asking he topped off Ling's as well.

"You should've told me."

"Which part?"

"Everything!"

Shu gave off a long suffering sigh.

"You don't get to know everything. If Lan Fan chooses to keep a secret from you it's not my place to divulge it," Shu declared.

"And what's your excuse for keeping secrets from her? She told me you kept the truth about her place in the Zhang clan for years. Out of loyalty she says. I don't buy it!"

"Because it was so damn important to her to be your guard! There's nothing Lan Fan wants more than to stay with you. She didn't want you to know."

"You didn't want me to know!" Ling accused.

"Of course I didn't. If I had you would've made her your empress years ago. Don't act so surprised. We both fight dirty. Only we're not on the same side this time."

"How long?"

"You'll need to be more specific," Shu said.

"How long have you been in love with her?" Ling asked. He didn't have it in him to ask if she loved him back. If they were lovers already.

"Well…" Shu sat in front of the fire and set the bottle of bourbon between them. He lifted his glass to his lips. "Not as long as you."


The palace was quiet when Lan Fan returned. Late enough that her charge might be asleep. If the emperor intended to dismiss her from his service for her transgressions she wanted one last night to be near him. Margot and Madeleine remained at her family's estate. Perhaps she would go with them back to Amestris if Ling decided her usefulness had run out. It was a thought she didn't entertain long.

Lan Fan would never leave Xing.

Should the emperor cast her aside in disgrace she'd endure the shame. Even if her name was dragged through the mud she'd remain. There were many people capable of protecting her master. Of the two of them Shu was the indispensable one. Shu would likely allow her to serve as one of his agents. In whatever capacity she could Lan Fan intended to continue serving the it had to be from afar then so be it.

In her room she lit a single candle. She dressed in her uniform and armor. The comb Ling had given her was tucked in a drawer of her vanity. Though Lan Fan no longer thought herself worthy of the gift she chose to wear it. She pinned a section of her hair back with it as before. Once she'd put her mask and cowl she regarded her reflection. Everything was the same but she felt like a shell of herself.

At this hour he was usually either in his private chambers or burning the midnight oil in his study. Instead she located his guard detail outside a receiving room. They were stationed on either side of the door. As Lan Fan approached she heard a commotion. The guard on the left winced from the sound but showed no signs of alarm.

Lan Fan dismissed the pair. They exchanged a glance but didn't question the orders of their commander. When they'd gone she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. Within the room she heard muffled conversation. Half an hour passed and then another. It wasn't until sound of shattering glass reached her ears that Lan Fan entered.

In the middle of the room Wei gingerly picked up shards of glass. He was dressed in sleeping robes looking altogether irate. The emperor lounged on the floor by the fire. Next to him on the floor a deck of cards was scattered. A tray of delicacies sat close at hand on a low table. Standing near Wei taking a swig straight from the bottle was the last person Lan Fan expected to see.

"Oh calm down," Shu chastised. "It's only a glass."

"It's crystal!" Wei snapped back. He looked over at Lan Fan and relief washed across his face. "Thank goodness."

"Lan Fan!" Ling said her name in delight. He held a crystal tumbler matching the broken one. Her master beckoned her closer. The contents of his glass sloshed on the floor in the process.

"There's our girl," drolled Shu. "We're playing daihinmin. Wei is a being a sore loser."

"Join us!" Ling chimed in.

"Are they…?" Lan Fan began in disbelief.

"Drunk!" finished Wei.

"Someone should go get Jin," Shu added. "He's missing all the fun!"

"I'm certain Jin would rather stay at home with his wife and baby," said Wei. "He's the only one with any sense." As he picked up another shard he sliced deep into the heel of his hand. He dropped the piece with a hiss of pain. Blood poured down his hand. Wei went pale at the sight of it and looked as if he might faint.

"Hey!" Shu caught his friend before he collapsed face first into the pile of glass. He gave Wei a few light taps on the face to get him to focus. "It's just a little blood. You're fine."

Lan Fan stepped forward to help but Shu waved her off.

"I've got him." Shu stumbled a bit but managed to haul them both to their feet. "Come on. Let's go see old man Hsu."

Drops of Wei's blood pattered to the floor as they swept from the room. Lan Fan crouched down to clean up the mess. She wrapped the broken crystal in her handkerchief. If Wei was still concerned about it in the morning she could ask Alphonse to restore it. The alchemist had a talent for such things. If only everything could be so easily mended.

"You're here," Ling said. He seemed to sober in her company. Lan Fan said nothing. She didn't trust herself to speak. She knew she should be relieved Shu and Ling had managed some sort of reconciliation. In place of relief she felt resentment. A glance about the room revealed nothing suitable to wipe up the blood. She stood and set the cloth bundle on a side table.

"I was afraid you wouldn't return."

"This one was not certain she was welcome to return," she said flatly.

Lan Fan stood at attention but kept her eyes turned down, watched his hands as he gathered the cards into a neat pile. He separated the stack in two and shuffled them with perfect technique. Something he'd picked up from the homunculus. During his six months in hiding with Edward, along with the chimera Heinkel and Darius, they passed much of the time with various card games. Greed had been quite the card shark. Insisting all the while that bluffing was not the same as lying.

"I missed you."

Words barely audible over the whisper of cards. Being apart from him these past few days was misery. She'd thought him glad to be rid of her. Ling spread the deck in a line. In a fluid motion he flipped them over and back again. His hands stilled and he looked up at her with remorse. "I was arrogant to think you were mine alone. I believed you knew my feelings without ever saying them."

Her world spun off its axis.