Commander Gao entered the room.
"Her ladyship's family approaches," Qiyin apprised.
The Emperor of Xing rose from his chair.
"How do I look?" Ling inquired of Ms. Fontaine.
"Like a loved one," Margot made no bones about it. "I'll talk to them while you get your act together."
The automail doctor pushed herself out of her chair. Margot made for the door. The bodyguard bowed her through it before closing the door behind them. In the meantime, the emperor buttoned his tailcoat, adjusted the collar of his dress shirt, and combed his fingers through his bangs. Belatedly, he wished he'd thought to have someone bring him a change of clothes.
He looked at Lan Fan once more. She seemed stripped of self in this state. He wondered if her mother's presence would upset her under the circumstances. If Lan Fan would want her family here at all. It stung that Lan Fan's second in command knew her wishes better than him but he understood it. Too late for second guessing at any rate.
Ling adjusted the covers laid over her. He lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. The warmth in her fingertips reassured him. He kissed her cheek for good measure and whispered in her ear.
"Wish me luck."
Margot Fontaine entered the hallway with Qiyin as Lan Fan's family arrived accompanied by Alphonse Elric and Mei Chang. The automail surgeon wanted to speak to her patient's parents before they saw her. The several days she spent residing in their home resulted in a personable rapport. Lord and Lady Zhang looked relieved to see their daughter's doctor.
"Ms. Margot," Lord Liwei said.
The doctor heard the hoarseness in his voice.
Margot asked, "You're sick?"
He stifled a cough and cleared his throat.
"I have a cold," Liwei admitted.
"The flu," his wife corrected.
"You can see her but you're going to need to wash your hands and wear a mask," Margot stated. "And keep your hands to yourself while you're at it. No touching."
Lan Fan did not need to contract a respiratory infection right now, but considering her condition Margot couldn't bring herself to bar him from the room entirely. Instead, the doctor decided to enforce precautions. Margot hoped she wasn't making a mistake. Then again no one had ever accused her of being too soft.
"Is she awake? Is she all right?" Lady Suyin demanded in distress.
"Lan Fan is stable but still unconscious."
Margot swept her eyes over the visitors. Lady Suyin held onto her husband's arm. Alphonse Elric stood off to the side with Mei and Xiang. As far as Margot was concerned there were way too many people here right now. Too many at least to let in the room all at once. She wondered how the emperor intended to keep all this a secret with so many people milling about, but she decided it wasn't any of her concern.
"The two of you can see her now. I need everyone else to wait here."
The automail engineer ushered Lord and Lady Zhang inside.
"Can't I see her, too?" Xiang asked.
"Wait your turn, kid."
Xiang wasn't happy about waiting his turn. He wanted to see his sister. The door shut behind his parents. It wasn't fair. He didn't have time to dwell on it. Suddenly, he found himself surrounded and under scrutiny. The formidable lieutenant commander towered in front of him. Mei Chang and Alphonse Elric stood on either side of Xiang. In other words the two of them had him flanked.
"Young Lord Zhang, the empire has need of you" Qiyin stated.
"Huh?" Xiang blinked at him.
"Your sister has suffered a serious blow. News of her injury circulates the palace. When she will wake we do not know."
Xiang stared at him speechless.
"It's imperative Commander Liu is seen in His Imperial Highness's shadow. She prevents plots against the emperor with her mere presence."
The implication didn't sink in.
"I don't understand. How can she be seen in his shadow if she's unconscious?" Xiang questioned.
"He wants you to pretend to be Lan Fan," Princess Mei explained in plain terms.
"As acting commander I have authority to appoint you as a member of the guard," Qiyin elaborated.
Xiang widened his eyes.
This isn't happening.
This wasn't how this was supposed to happen. Lan Fan was supposed make him her apprentice before appointing him to the guard herself. He wanted to serve under his sister's command. To fight back to back with her.
"You don't have to do this," Al chimed in.
"Alphonse," the alkahestris admonished.
"He doesn't," the alchemist insisted.
Xiang dropped his eyes to the floor. His hands shook at his sides. He curled them into tight fists to hide the tremor. Day before yesterday he'd proclaimed his desire to serve the emperor. Now he dithered. 'Hold your head up, Xiang,' Lan Fan's words resonated in his head. He thought of what Lan Fan would do in his position. Xiang planted his feet, squared his shoulders, and held his head up high.
"I serve at the pleasure of the emperor," Xiang Zhang declared. Alphonse Elric sighed in resignation on his right. Princess Mei put her hands on her hips. Xiang saw her smile in satisfaction.
"There's the resemblance right there," she said wryly.
Commander Gao on the other hand was all business.
"I hereby appoint you to His Royal Majesty's Guard."
Ling stood straight as an arrow as Lan Fan's parents entered the room.
He locked eyes with her mother. Lady Suyin looked like Lan Fan in a panic. Her arresting, raw umber eyes were wide and watchful. Part of him thought Suyin's expressions would appear wholly different from her daughter's. Similar to how Greed had metamorphosed his face with his distinct personality. The homunculus had been his own entity from the beginning, but by the end their emotions had blurred at the edges.
Even Edward had a hard time telling who ran the show until they spoke.
Indeed, Lan Fan inherited more from her mother's than a pretty face. Ling expected the woman to arrive in tears, but Suyin held back waves of emotion like a seawall. He realized she probably prepared herself for this sort of scenario long ago. From the look on her face Ling was the last person she wanted to see.
Last night Ling meant to make amends with Lady Suyin. The emperor had planned to ingratiate himself to her. He intended to impress his care and consideration for Lan Fan upon her. To charm her with his wit and sweep her off her feet with his newly acquired dancing skills. In the end he hadn't even gotten the chance to say hello.
"Lord and Lady Zhang. Thank you for coming," Ling said.
He afforded them a bow above their station in an effort to humble himself before them.
"Your Majesty," Lord Zhang greeted.
Lord and Lady Zhang demonstrated their respect in turn. Lan Fan's ladylike bow from last night had imitated Lady Suyin's exactly. Ling noticed Lord Liwei looked unwell. He had color high in his cheeks and his eyes were glassy with fever. Margot whisked him over to sink. While Liwei washed his hands Margot went through the supply cupboard. The automail surgeon produced a procedure mask and proceeded to tie it into place for him.
"Suyin you should wash your hands and wear one of these, too," she instructed. "To be on the safe side."
Suyin heeded the suggestion.
Liwei went to Lan Fan's side in the meantime.
Of all the members of Lan Fan's immediate family Ling was most familiar with Liwei; however, everything he knew of the middle aged man was circumstantial. Lord Liwei Zhang ranked among the lesser nobility. He held modest estates in the Imperial City and neighboring Zhang province, and served in a meritorious if low level government position. A family man who loved Lan Fan enough to insist on adopting her as his daughter.
"Lan?" Liwei intoned. He stifled a cough. "Lan Fan?" Lord Zhang's brow knit. He looked over Ling's shoulder at Margot. "You've removed her automail?"
"Lan Fan had hypothermia."
The automail engineer washed her hands as well. Lady Suyin joined her husband at their daughter's side.
"Darling?" Lady Suyin combed her fingers through Lan Fan's hair. "Lan Fan, sweetheart, mother is here," she said in dulcet tones.
"Alphonse told us she hit her head," Liwei raised himself up. He did not raise his voice. Lan Fan's stepfather wasn't the sort of man who had to raise his voice in order to make himself heard. "Now you tell me she had hypothermia. What precisely happened to my daughter? I want to know why we weren't sent for sooner."
Lord Zhang aimed the question at Margot. The declarative statement he directed at the emperor himself. Ling Yao didn't have a response. He hadn't thought to have someone fetch her family. Margot took them through the sequence of events and treatments that led to Lan Fan's current condition. Liwei listened intently with his eyes trained on Lan Fan's doctor; Suyin fussed over her injured child.
Ling watched Suyin hands as she smoothed imaginary wrinkles out of the covers. Lan Fan and Suyin had the same hands, but the latter's nails were lengthy and lacquered cherry. He remembered the one and only time he'd seen Lan Fan with her nails painted. After her last visit home before they set out on their journey. The color chipped and cracked in short order. Lan Fan scratched the flecks free with her thumb nail in front of the campfire one night.
"Comatose," Lan Fan's father repeated the doctor's words.
Margot nodded in affirmation.
"Shouldn't she be in a hospital?" Liwei inquired.
"No," Ling and Margot answered at the same time, though for entirely different reasons. The emperor and automail engineer blinked at each other. Ling hadn't expected her to be on his side with this one. Margot explained her reasoning, "Hospitals are the worst place for her right now. Lan Fan is at risk for pneumonia. She needs to stay in a sterile environment with minimal exposure to airborne illnesses."
"I want to take her home. She should be at home," said Suyin.
"Not a good idea," Margot reiterated.
"She's right dear," Liwei agreed. He stepped away from Lan Fan's bedside. "It's only a matter of time before the whole household comes down with the flu." He tucked his hands into his pockets to keep from touching anything. "I shouldn't even be in here. If you'll excuse me."
Liwei let himself into the hall leaving Ling alone with the women.
Lord Zhang discovered those in the corridor in congress with his son. Liwei shut the door soundly behind him, lifted his hand from the door pull, and stepped over to the foursome.
"Xiang," he pulled the mask down around his neck. "You may see your sister now."
His son stood before him like a man.
"Xiang?" He questioned.
Xiang looked at him with determination etched into his features.
He said, "Father, I've decided to serve the emperor."
Liwei stared at his son for a short time.
"Have you now?" Lord Zhang lifted an eyebrow at him.
"Lieutenant Gao asked me to impersonate Lan Fan until she wakes up. I said I would. I want to help."
"I see," Liwei said emotionless.
"I know mother won't like it, but I hope you'll both understand," Xiang said.
"I can tell you now your mother will not understand," Lord Zhang stated.
Xiang winced. He asked, "Do you understand?"
Liwei looked at his son for what felt like a long time. He sighed in resignation. His lungs spasmed and he pulled the mask back into place to cover his cough. He could feel his fever climbing. The headache he had all morning throbbed.
"I respect your decision."
Xiang's expression lightened.
"But I don't support it," Liwei declared.
His son's face fell.
Xiang bowed before heading into the room where his sister laid unconscious.
"I promise, she'll receive the best of care here at the palace," Ling emphasized.
Suyin cut him a look so sharp it struck bone.
"At the palace?"
"As Ms. Margot maintains sending her home or to a hospital is ill advised," Ling said.
"Absolutely not," Suyin stated.
"It isn't your decision," Ling reponsed.
Lady Suyin moved to the side of the bed. Putting herself between him and his beloved she spun to face him. Margot stayed out of it.
"She is my child," Suyin seethed.
Fortunately, Lan Fan's forethought worked in Ling's favor.
"Lan Fan chose a medical proxy. Unbeknownst to everyone save for her proxy, a notary public, and a counselor-at-law it seems. It doesn't matter if you're her mother. She didn't trust you to make these decisions."
Lady Suyin screamed in anger and anguish. She lost all self control. Suyin slapped the emperor across the face. Blood beaded along the angry lines left by her lengthy nails. She drew her hand back to hit him again.
"Mother!"
Xiang hooked his arm around her waist. The look on Ling Yao's face put the fear of the gods in him. He hauled her furious form out of reach of the emperor. Suyin spit at Ling Yao like a feral cat.
"Please forgive her I beg of you," he pleaded.
He held his mother with all his might.
Xiang had never seen her in such a state. She burst into tears, turned in his arms, and buried her face against his neck as she sobbed.
The young lord looked at his liege.
"She's not herself."
