Junjie Zhang ordered an espresso and an ice water at the bar. The Ninth Prince had a blinding migraine. Junjie knew it was coming when he started seeing spots an hour ago. Prince Junjie didn't often make use of his rooms at court, but now he was tempted to retire to them.
Instead, Junjie chased four aspirin with the shot of bitter remedy usually did the trick, but he'd waited too long to take it. He couldn't see out of his right eye. Prince Junjie hoped it was a side effect of the migraine.
The Ninth Prince's poor health was common knowledge. Only a select few knew the severity of his condition.
Junjie remained seated while he waited for his vision to clear. He drank his water slowly. He couldn't leave. Not yet.
Not until he had words with The Dowager Empress.
The Dowager Empress looked like she belonged on the silver screen.
Xue Yao stood gracefully in patent leather heels near the entrance to the hall. For once Xue's lips weren't stained scarlet. Instead they were painted the pale pink of a cherry blossom. The ice blue dress she wore glittered with silver beading. In addition to a fortune in tanzanite jewelry the dowager empress wore white evening gloves.
"There you are," Xue purred.
"Forgive me. I didn't realize you were waiting," Ling apologized.
Margot released the emperor's arm, stepping over to the dowager empress.
"Oh." Xue looked amused, and asked, "Did you think I meant you?"
"Here I thought I was your escort," Ling played along.
"I'm afraid you're on your own," Xue replied.
"Shame," Margot monotoned.
"Best of luck." Xue winked at him over her shoulder as she departed with Ms. Fontaine.
And so the Emperor of Xing was left to fend for himself.
"Your Majesty."
"Hm?" Ling glanced over his shoulder at Qiyin.
"Ten o'clock."
In the shadows near a pillar Lan Fan and Edward were a pair of wallflowers. The Fullmetal Alchemist had his back against the the pillar. Commander Liu stood next to him. He watched as his Lady Bodyguard surveyed the room. Ling noticed the close proximity of their hideout to the dessert tables.
And she wonders why I adore her…
Ed examined the white cube on his plate with ever growing suspicion. The supposed dessert was garnished with a single mint leaf. In an effort to gather scientific data the theoretical alchemist probed the specimen with the only apparatus at his disposal.
He poked it with his fork.
It wobbled.
"What the hell is it?"
"Coconut pudding," answered Lan Fan.
"The hell you say! I know what pudding looks like. This is not pudding."
"That's what it's called," Lan Fan insisted.
"I don't think you know what pudding looks like," Ed stated.
The Emperor of Xing rounded the pillar without warning.
"It's also called a coconut bar," Ling informed him.
"Ling!" Ed exclaimed.
"Hello," Ling Yao grinned at him.
He looked entirely too satisfied with himself. Truth be told Ed was glad to see Ling even if he was tempted to knock him down a peg or two. Nevertheless, the alchemist resisted. Instead, he pointed his fork at Lan Fan for emphasis.
"I told you it wasn't pudding."
"Your Majesty."
The Emperor of Xing marveled as Lan Fan Liu Zhang, commander of His Imperial Highness's Royal Guard and ruler of his heart, bowed like a proper lady of the court.
Lady Lan Fan Liu Zhang, you are beautiful.
Ling longed to whisper those words into the perfect shell of her ear. So why don't you? His mind played devil's advocate.
"Edward?" Ling kept his eyes on Lan Fan as he spoke.
"Yeah?"
"Alphonse is looking for you," Ling said.
"Oh right! I told him to hold the fort. Here, I don't want this."
Edward foisted the dessert plate and fork on him. Ling was more than happy to take the pastry off Ed's hands. He was starving. Ling carved off a corner of the coconut bar and put the fork in his mouth. The concoction of sugar, coconut milk, and agar was delicious.
"You'll eat anything won't you?" Ed wrinkled his nose in distaste
"I have an adventurous palate," Ling responded.
"Says the guy who once ate my boot."
"Alphonse!"
Edward found his little brother at the table where he last left him. More importantly, Lan Fan's little brother sat next to him. Ed walked up behind them. Alphonse shifted ninety degrees in his seat.
"There you are. Did you find Lan Fan?"
"Not before Mrs. Zhang found her. Speaking of!"
The former state alchemist whacked the minor Xingese dignitary on the back of the head.
"Ow!" Xiang cried.
"Thanks to you I've got your sister and your mom mad at me. You better go make an apology tour right now, or I'll kick your ass I swear to god."
"You don't believe in god," Al reminded him.
"I do for the purpose of this lecture," Edward shot back.
Across the table a man he never met before cleared his throat.
Sebastian Schuyler watched in alarm as Major Edward Elric casually assaulted a Xingese dignitary. The newspapers painted the military veteran as a hero. Ask anyone in Central or East City who ever passed a newsstand. Of course, The Central Times essentially functioned as a propaganda machine. Sebastian learned read between the lines. Edward Elric was a liability. More pressingly, Major Elric looked like he was on the wrong side of tipsy.
Sebastian cleared his throat.
Edward seemed to notice him for the first time.
"Major Elric, you are a de facto representative of our republic. I implore you to act like one," Sebastian beseeched.
Edward gave him an incredulous look.
"Who the hell are you?" Ed asked.
"My name is Sebastian Schuyler."
Edward looked to Alphonse for clarification, "Is this the bureaucrat you told me about?"
The diplomatic attaché bristled.
"I am not a bureaucrat."
"Okay," Ed mocked.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the arrogant alchemist. He knew better than to resort to ad hominem attacks. Nevertheless, Sebastian Schuyler sunk to Edward Elric's level.
"If it weren't for administrators, alchemists like you couldn't get so much as a potato battery funded."
"Who the fuck are you again?" Ed snapped.
"Edward!" Alphonse admonished.
"I'm a representative from the Department of Diplomacy."
"I take it this is your first day on the job?"
Sebastian's temper boiled over.
"I'd rather be a novice than a has-been."
"You motherfu-!"
"Wait a second!" Xiang interjected. He rose from his seat, holding his out like a lion tamer. "Mr. Schuyler, Edward is friends with my sister. He's basically an older brother. So, if you think about it, it's his prerogative to hit me!"
Sebastian stared at him.
"That sounded better in my head," Xiang laughed in a self depreciating manner.
The young lord's clumsy attempt to diffuse the situation wasn't without merit. For the first time all day Sebastian Schuyler didn't feel like he was on his own. The diplomat realized he'd missed a key piece of information.
"Who is your sister?" Sebastian asked.
Xiang Zhang's face lit up with joy. Even in the middle of a verbal sparring match Sebastian found it difficult not to get caught up in Xiang's excitement.
"Lan Fan Liu. She's commander of the royal guard," Xiang's voice rang with pride. "Do you like working for your government? I'm studying to take the Imperial examination next year, but I'd much rather join the guard."
The Fullmetal Alchemist hauled the young lord backward by the collar.
"You're still here? Apology tour. Now."
"It was nice to meet you!" he called over his shoulder.
Edward Elric gave the boy a forceful nudge in the right direction. Xiang looked over his shoulder one more time. A bashful smile spread across Xiang's face.
Sebastian wanted to take time to commit his smile to memory. He wanted to answer Xiang's questions, and ask about his exams. He wanted nothing more than to walk away from this exchange with Edward Elric.
Without Sebastian's help Alphonse Elric's deeply flawed proposal was dead on arrival.
He didn't have the charisma needed for a political career, nor was he persuasive enough for litigation, but he knew how to work the system.
Sebastian looked right at Alphonse, and said, "No one cares about your vanity project."
