"The Dowager Empress."
Xue Yao regarded Wei with worry. The raspy sound of his voice barely rose above a whisper. The fine line of reddened scar tissue running horizontally along the side of his throat hinted at the harrowing attack. He had a hollow appearance, but his color was better than she expected.
"You're Ling's mom?" Edward Elric asked.
Xue heard the note of incredulity in his question.
To say nothing of the unspoken inquiries.
"I am," Lady Yao answered.
"What are you doing here?" He gawked at her.
"I'm here to speak with Wei."
The Dowager Empress brushed by the Fullmetal Alchemist. Xue removed her gloves, pocketing them along with her fan, and afforded Wei the royal touch. Taking his small hands in her petite ones she peered into his russet amber irises.
"Hello dear one," Xue smiled.
"Your Majesty," he managed.
"It's good to hear your voice," Xue told him truthfully.
"Tell me who hurt you," Lady Xue implored.
Wei took a gasp of air and held it. Anguish etched into his features like an inscription on a gravestone. He dropped his head forward. Wei's hair shadowed his sunken eyes. Xue swept the mop away his face.
He had a far away look in his eyes.
"Wei," Xue whispered.
He drew in a ragged breath.
"Peizhe," he named his attacker.
The novice guard followed Ling from his room to his private bath and back again. He reminded Ling of a duckling. Underfoot albeit adorable. The emperor stopped short several feet from the doors to his room. Lan Fan's little brother bumped into his back.
"Sorry!" Xiang stage whispered.
"No more or less than five steps behind me," Ling glanced back at the boy over his shoulder. "Got it?"
The bodyguard hopped several steps backward and bowed.
"Let's have a chat."
Ling stepped inside his room. He waved Xiang inside and shut the door behind him. Taking a bath helped his headache. Xiang took up watch by the door, while Ling went to his wardrobe to search for something suitable to wear. The emperor selected shoes and pants in black along with a vermilion changshan. Ling tossed them over the changing screen and stepped behind.
"Have you learned how to throw a knife?" The emperor inquired as he removed his bathrobe.
"Lan Fan showed me but I don't have a lot of practice. I don't have my own kunai," Xiang added, hastily, "Your Eminence."
"Let's forgo the formalities for now," Ling suggested.
The emperor emerged from behind the changing screen. Xiang found the sight of him in changshan as surreal as everything else he'd experienced today. He wondered if the emperor always acted this informal around his bodyguards. The emperor's apparent romantic entanglement with Xiang's sister aside.
He hoped said entanglement was indeed romantic.
Xiang Zhang did not wish to challenge the emperor to a duel for his sister's honor. The young lord would be hard pressed to win against the prince who fought homunculi and lived to tell the tale. Or rather Lan Fan told him the tale. Now he wondered if she'd told him the whole story.
"I suppose you have some questions," Ling Yao mused.
Xiang's heart hammered in his chest.
"I don't have any questions," he replied in a hurry.
In fact Xiang had a number of questions he didn't dare ask.
"Not a single one?" Ling sounded skeptical.
He walked over to the dressing table and fished a hair tie out of the top drawer. Xiang watched him comb his fingers through his hair. The emperor swept the strands up into a top knot, though he let his fringe fall to the side.
Xiang worried his lower lip between his teeth.
He asked, "How come you invited us to the party?"
Ling glimpsed himself in the mirror. "I wanted to apologize to your mother," he said. The emperor angled his face to get at a look at the scratches running alongside it. "As you can see I'm not exactly in her good graces."
Xiang winced in response.
"I didn't thank you for saving me from your mother's wrath," Ling Yao turned on his heel.
Xiang didn't say it was the other way around.
"This one is honored to be of service."
He hoped he sounded obsequious.
"Thank you all the same," said Ling Yao.
Xiang felt awkward and averted his eyes to the pile rug at his feet.
"Perhaps you can tell me how one does get in Lady Suyin's good graces."
"I don't think you want my help. I'm not exactly in her good graces right now either," Xiang muttered.
And the emperor laughed. Good naturedly at that. The sound of his mirth caught Xiang off guard. He lifted his gaze to the satisfaction of his curiosity. Even though the emperor smiled he still seemed sorrowful.
"Ah. Well, at least I'm in good company," Ling commented.
Xiang couldn't help but turn coral at the compliment.
The borrowed yin mask hid his bashfulness.
"Shall we?" asked the emperor as he approached the door.
The bodyguard hurried to open it for him.
"Where are we going?" Xiang inquired.
Ling Yao passed through the door with Xiang at his heels.
"To put in an appearance with General Mustang."
"The Flame Alchemist." Xiang exclaimed, "Seriously?"
"Thank you for your valiance," Lady Yao gave him a graceful bow.
Edward flushed at the descriptor. He didn't see himself as valiant. Ed did what anyone would do in his position
Or so he thought.
"I stayed with him that's all," Ed waved off the thanks in what he hoped was a polite manner.
Xue Yao smiled in a knowing sort of way.
"Hey," Ed realized he had an important question. "How's Lan Fan? Master Hsu said she fell. Does she have a concussion?"
The Dowager Empress's expression closed off in an instant. The icy detachment in her demeanor reminded him of Colonel Mustang. Not the real Roy, but the cold facade that convinced Edward the Flame Alchemist had burned Maria Ross alive.
"Lan Fan is still unconscious."
"W-What?"
"Doctor Margot diagnosed her as comatose."
Shocked, Ed said, "You're kidding."
Xue Yao did not look like she was kidding. He felt sick at the news.
"How is Ling?" the alchemist asked.
"Beside himself."
Lady Yao lifted Wei's chin up to look into his face.
"Follow the doctor's orders," The Dowager Empress commanded.
Wei acquiesced.
Edward watched her walk to the window.
"I have to return to the palace before my absence is noticed. I'll have a car sent for you."
"I don't think Wei should be left alone," Ed voiced his concern.
"I'll send one of our own to watch over him."
"Your Majesty," Ed called out.
The Dowager Empress's hair whipped like the tail of a kite as she about faced.
"Is it safe for you to wander around without a bodyguard?"
"I never said I was here alone," Lady Yao winked.
Without further ado she leapt out the open window.
Edward Elric rushed over to ensure she landed safely. Three stories below a man caught The Dowager Empress in his outstretched arms. The bodyguard set the lithe lady on her feet.
Xue raised her hand in farewell. Edward returned the wave. As he watched them disappear into the darkness he wondered if Ling took after his mother, or if Lady Xue took a page out of her son's book.
"General Mustang," The Emperor of Xing greeted him with familiarity.
Roy Mustang bowed in reverence. He wore a charcoal three piece suit, double cuffed dress shirt of crisp white linen, and a gold and black paisley tie for the occasion. His fashion forward foster sister Vanessa gave him the tie for his thirty fifth birthday.
"Your Majesty. Thank you for the invitation."
"I appreciate you accepting at such a late hour," Ling said.
The Emperor sat in one of two armchairs facing the fireplace in his study. Behind him stood the resilient bodyguard. A crystal decanter and two tumblers set on the table separating the chairs. In addition to the woodsmoke, incense fragranced the air with a hint of some sort of spice Roy couldn't place.
"Please sit," The Emperor invited with a sweep of his hand.
Roy gave the bodyguard a polite smile as he took his seat.
"Good evening, Commander Liu. I take it you're right as rain?" Roy asked after her health.
The bodyguard bowed in what Roy took as affirmation and acknowledgement.
"Forgive me. I've thrown off our itinerary by an entire day," Ling apologized. He removed the stopper from the crystal container.
"Think nothing of it," Roy responded.
The Emperor did the honor of pouring them both a bourbon neat. Roy reached for the rocks glass closest to him.
"Health to Your Eminence," he toasted.
"To the continuing friendship of our countries," The progressive emperor added.
The two of them clinked their tumblers together.
They took a drink and settled in for an evening of conversation in front of the roaring fire.
"I had the pleasure of dining with your mother this morning."
"Doesn't she throw the best brunch?" Ling lavished.
"And one hell of a party," Roy agreed.
Late that night Margot brought Madeleine to see their girl. The singer went straight to the sink to wash her hands. Princess Mei slept curled up in the armchair beside Lan Fan's bed; Xiao-Mei laid across Lan Fan's middle. The panda lifted her head to growl in warning at their approach.
"I can reinstate the no furballs on the bed rule," Margot threatened.
Xiao-Mei behaved at once.
"Ma coeur," Maddy kissed Lan Fan's cheeks and cupped her face. "I hear Margot has ruined your hair."
"I saved her higher brain function," Margot monotoned.
Madeleine combed her fingers through Lan Fan's obsidian hair.
The alkahestris asked for a moment of Margot's time. The automail engineer stepped away to speak with him. Madeleine removed her heels, and situated herself on the bed. Under her breath she sang La Mer to her brave, beautiful Lan Fan.
The armor and the replica automail weighed heavily on Xiang. Hours of standing at attention had his feet and back aching in increasing agony. He hadn't expected the task to be so exhausting. Xiang reminded himself how much worse it was for Lan Fan. The steel appendage weighed significantly more than the gauntlet Alphonse fashioned for him.
The novice guard hadn't had a drink of water in hours. He wet his lips with his parched tongue. He talked himself out of asking Tingzhe for a break. The two experienced guards stood watch outside the door. Xiang knew he should ask for a break, but he didn't want to appear weak.
An hour passed by listening to The Flame Alchemist and The Emperor exchange words about expanding the trade agreements between Amestris and Xing. The conversation turned toward tariffs, which he found moderately interesting. The tax on imported goods nearly cost him his prized possession. Xiang's eyes glazed over as they discussed the price of grain. He wondered if his mother would sell the apple red racing bike while he was away.
Xiang worried over his parents. He hoped his mother was all right and his father felt better. Half of those residing at the main estate had come down with the flu. He hoped cousin Junjie hadn't come down with it. The prince was prone to collapse, something he learned Junjie had in common the emperor. The boy's mind wandered to New Years. He wondered if his family would celebrate at the main estate or here in the city.
The grandfather clock chimed.
Xiang brought his attention back to the present.
"Why don't we continue this chat over breakfast?" The Emperor suggested.
"A fine idea," Roy polished off his drink.
The gentlemen stood and shook hands to Xiang's surprise.
"I hope this is the first of many such meetings, Your Majesty."
"Likewise, General. Or should I say the next Fuhrer of Amestris?"
Roy Mustang's smile shifted to a subtle smirk.
"Prime Minister."
Margot Fontaine and Master Hsu discussed Lan Fan's continuing care at length.
"As the moxa burns the meridian points warm improving the flow of blood and qi," Master Hsu explained the course of treatment.
"Let me get this straight. You're telling me you want to intentionally burn Lan Fan with mugwort?"
"Moxibustion is a legitimate medical treatment," Master Hsu defended.
"What Lan Fan needs is a central venous line and total parenteral nutrition," the doctor insisted.
"In conjunction with-" he tried to regain control of the conversation.
"It's a staph infection waiting to happen," she snapped.
"I've looked after Commander Liu's health since she was a child," the alkahestris argued.
"The guy who gave up on her doesn't get a say!"
