The steam from the large round tub fogged up the windows and left a comfortable mist around the room. Riza sunk further into the warm bath, enjoying the feeling of a warm hug on her weary bones. The second Winry left her to the bath, she had ripped her clothes off and jumped right in, audibly sighing with relief when the water hit her. And then, she could barely find the will to move around. She was so comfortable, she had to keep watch that she didn't fall asleep. The water was like a warm blanket and she realized she was so tired. Glancing at the window, she hoped the day would go quickly so she could climb into a real bed.
But, she also hesitated to remove herself from the warm embrace of the bath because she was worried about talking with Pinako, who clearly knew they were hiding something. She sounded like someone they could trust, but Riza wasn't about to blindly share their secrets with her. And surely, if the woman was truly trustworthy, she would understand why they couldn't divulge all of their information. Perhaps it was just concern for the kids, and Riza understood that well. Part of her hoped Alphonse would wake soon so he could tell them more about what had happened to him and his brother. It was all a lot to take in and the archer found herself marveling at the fact that her life had been relatively normal just a few weeks ago. Now, nothing made sense.
A knock at the door broke her of her thoughts. It was not a knock, no turning of the handle, but Riza moved to cover herself. "Um, Miss Hawkeye?" came the timid voice Riza instantly recognized as the young Winry. "Granny says she's serving dinner now."
"I'll be right out," Riza called back and didn't move again until she heard the patter of feet slowly fading down the hall. She sighed, leaned back, and closed her eyes so she could take in the warmth for one more moment. But, she figured, it was about time she got out. The water was cooling off after all.
After scrubbing down her arms and legs with the provided bar of soap one last time, Riza drained the water and stepped out of the tub. She wrapped herself in a towel and put a brush through her wet hair. It was so unlike when she was stuck in the rainstorm the night before. Her hair stuck to her similarly, but was warm and felt so clean. She wished she could just stay at this inn forever, taking warm baths and sleeping in comfortable sheets, but she knew she had more pressing matters to attend to.
Before taking the bath, Pinako had laid out a simple white dress with brown accents for her. "You look to be my daughter-in-law's size," she had said. "It'll just be something to wear until your other clothes are clean." And now Riza thumbed the fabric, feeling the soft cloth against her skin. It felt weird wearing a dead woman's clothes. She'd never even worn her own mother's dresses after she died and instead purchased all new clothes for her new life. But now, the few sets of clothes she did have were tucked in a drawer at her abandoned old house far away from there, and the one set she did still have was dirty from days of wandering in the forest.
She pulled the dress on over her head and found it to be a little loose. She turned, checking her profile in the mirror above the sink and wondered how much weight she'd lost in the past few weeks. She was unconscious for a few days, and then barely ate after waking up. And then when she could keep food down, there wasn't much to go around, plus they had been walking miles a day. She lifted the skirt of the dress above her waist and inspected her stomach. Still flat, but losing muscle. She needed to train more.
But for now, all she could do was let the dress go and pat down her still damp hair. She found it strange, letting her hair down for the first time in seven years. Not enough pins had been recovered for her to be able to put her hair up securely, so she had worn it down for the past few weeks. Although she regretted before that she'd been able to bring herself to cut it, she was glad now that she hadn't given into the urge. Her hair was pretty and fell just below her shoulders. She found she quite liked the image of a long-haired Riza in a dress, though her fingers did itch for her bow and the movement of air around her legs felt weird.
Not wanting to stall any longer, she made her way to the door and stepped into the upstairs hall. The second floor of the home was much smaller than the downstairs, but there were a few rooms on the level. One was the bathroom, which was at the end of the hall closest to the stairs. Across from her was what she suspected was Winry's room. Then there was Pinako's room next to it, and another room further down and on the same side as the bathroom. She'd barely caught a glimpse of the room, but it seemed to be where the automail was produced.
She made her way down the simple, creaking staircase that announced her arrival to everyone below in the kitchen. Between the steps, she heard talking and more specifically heard Roy's gruff voice, so she knew he was out of the bath and with the Rockbell's. It seemed to be him and Pinako chatting amicably. Winry either wasn't around or wasn't speaking, and Alphonse's voice was absent as well. Riza figured he must still be asleep.
But the first thing she saw when she turned the corner from the staircase was the blonde girl looking at her bow with awe. Riza resisted the urge to run and grab it. Afterall, Winry was just looking at it and was respectful enough to not handle it or touch it. But, that bow was precious to the archer, not just because it was her only defense against the unknown, but because it had been passed down in her family for generations. It had always hung above the fireplace in silent reverence to the Hawkeyes it had served, but now it was Riza's trusty companion, second only in her life to Roy.
Winry noticed the woman before she could speak. "I'm sorry," she said, jumping, though she hadn't done anything wrong. When Riza's eyes softened, the girl became bolder and with a careful hand touched one of the engravings on the bow. "It's so pretty, though. It's yours, right?"
"Yes," Riza confirmed, looking only at the bow and not the girl. "It was my father's, and his father's before him. But, it hasn't gotten much use until recently."
"I can see why, it looks like it belongs in a museum," Winry commented, taking her hand away, but keeping her gaze steady across the engravings in the bow. She was absolutely right, the bow was as beautiful as it was functional, with engraved runes and lettering in a language long since forgotten. "Do you know what all this means?"
"I don't," Riza admitted. "I asked my father a few times, but he didn't know either. More than likely it's just a design." Winry looked up at her with uncertain eyes, and to be perfectly honest, Riza didn't quite believe what she'd said either. But it was what made the most sense, especially since she certainly couldn't read what was on the bow. So, the girl just nodded and smiled before turning to walk to the kitchen.
Riza followed and Roy glanced up as the two blondes entered the room. He met Riza's gaze and smiled and she returned it. He looked so different from the man carrying the gravely injured boy just a few hours before. His hair was washed and darkened because the dirt and soot lightened had actually lightened it. His skin, on the other hand, was much paler, with the dirt scrubbed off, but his cheeks held a rosy healthy glow from the warmth of the bath he'd just taken. He wore brown pants and a plain collared white shirt, which she guessed belonged to Pinako's son.
He looks so handsome, Riza found herself thinking and immediately her face heat up from the intrusive thought. She did her best to push it away and sat down at the table as Pinako set down bowls of warm soup. Riza was grateful for something else to focus on and thanked the woman for the food, realizing for the first time that she was very hungry and longed for real hot food.
"Thank you," she said breathlessly as both she and Roy were encouraged to begin eating. And they did, hardly stopping for a moment to speak to each other. The soup was made of meat broth and potatoes and more than likely wasn't even the best soup in the world, but in that moment it sure tasted like it.
Roy was the first to finish and he pushed his bowl away with heavy satisfaction. "How are the boys?" he asked. With his hunger quelled, he was able to focus on other issues.
"That Edward boy is in very rough shape," Pinako replied honestly. "But as long as none of the wounds get infected, he should be alright. Alphonse has a fever. He'll be fine, just needs rest." She took her place at the table and began to eat her soup. Winry sat next to her quietly, though she stayed attentive, listening closely to every word the adults were saying. It wasn't often that they got guests at the inn, and she couldn't remember the last time other kids came through. A selfish part of her wished they weren't sick so they could play with her.
"Now," Pinako said. "I see we have a mage and an archer here. And," she turned to Riza. "Judging by the conversation you and Winry just had, I assume you're the archer?"
Mustang and Hawkeye sat in stunned silence for a moment, unable to believe the woman had guessed who they were so quick. Were they truly that noticeable? Perhaps the bow was an easy giveaway, but how would she know that Roy was a mage?
"I am," Riza nodded, knowing a lie would not be believed. "But how did you-"
"I'm an old woman," Pinako chuckled. "I've seen many things. My eyes may be tired, but they're still sharp as ever. I know a good mage when I see one." Roy looked paler now, the rosy glow gone from his cheeks. His mouth was parted, as though he wanted to say something, but he couldn't pull the words from his throat. "Don't worry," she continued. "You're safe here. So are the boys."
"You know about the boys too?" Roy asked.
"Of course, those injuries could only have been sustained by magick," Pinako reasoned. "I could tell the energies on the wound were from one experienced hand and one inexperienced hand. Though, neither were particularly trained in healing."
Roy couldn't believe she could tell all of this from some injuries and simple perceptions. "Are you a mage too?"
Pinako chuckled. "Oh, no," she laughed. "Just an old woman. Anyway, what brings you all the way out to Risembool? Was it just the boys, or something else?" She took a spoonful of soup but leveled her gaze at the two guests as though she already knew the answer to her question.
Roy and Riza exchanged a glance. It was amazing, after all those years together both in their past and as comrades in the Royal Forces, and through the revelation of a few weeks ago, one look could convey everything. There was no lying to this petite old lady. She would see right through them.
"We're from Central," Roy said.
"Ah, yes. Troubling times. I assume you escaped?"
"We were in the military," Riza explained. "But then they turned on the mages. Banned magery altogether. I assume the order has even reached the East?"
"Oh, yes." The woman sighed and shook her head. "People taken to Central, children with gifts hidden away. It's been a tough few weeks here. I wouldn't be surprised if those boys are running from it as well."
"We wonder that too," Roy nodded, a shadow falling over his face as he considered the people and children hurt by the King's order. It was tough growing up with a gift, as special as it may seem to an outsider. If you were born in the wrong area or to the wrong family, you risked being made an outcast. His childhood had been rough at times, but at least he never had to be hidden away for fear of imprisonment. "It seems the boys have no parents. He mentioned trying to bring back his mother. It sounded like they made some sort of deal with dark magick."
"That's a grave sin," the old woman said softly, finishing her soup and reaching immediately for her pipe. "Magick takes in the essence of what is on Earth and uses that to bend nature to its will. When a soul dies, it becomes not of this Earth, and magick cannot reach it anymore. To try to return a soul to earth using magick not only would never work but comes at a great cost."
The mage nodded. He'd known about the dangers of using magick for something such as this but didn't pay much attention to it because he couldn't ever imagine being desperate enough to try it. Then again, as he'd told Riza days before in the woods, he couldn't miss someone he'd barely met, so the longing to bring his parents back just wasn't there. But, for two young boys, alone in the world without their mother, he could absolutely see them being pulled into the dark arts.
"I just wish we knew who they were," Riza commented. "We could see if they have any next of kin, any family friends who are looking for them."
"If they are trying to bring their mother back from the grave and no father has stopped them, I dare say they have no next of kin," Pinako sighed. "We can ask when they wake, but I bet it will not be a happy story."
"There seems to be a shortage of happy stories these days," Roy muttered bitterly as he stood to help wash the dishes that once held their soup. Riza frowned at the pessimism, but she had no rebuttal. The old woman, however, tisked.
"There are only no happy stories if you chose to look away from them," she said sternly, but with the undertone of grandmotherly wisdom and love. "You saved those boys. That's a happy story. And you're alive too when you might not otherwise have been." They reached the sink and turned on the water for the tap. Roy didn't respond, but he nodded, and he understood that she was right. There was a lot of things going wrong in the world today, but if they looked a little closer, they could find happiness even in the worst of times.
"Now, Winry, off to bed with you," Pinako said, ushering her granddaughter upstairs with no protest from the girl. It had been a short, but exciting day, and she was tired from the unusual bustle of the household. Riza glanced behind her at the window and saw that the sun had already set. Well, at least she would get her wish of going to bed soon. "Let me get your room made up." The older woman bustled to the hall closet and pulled out some choice linens before hurrying off to another of the rooms. Roy and Riza were left there in the kitchen in the blink of an eye.
"I'm going to check on the boys," Riza stood, pushing herself away from the table before making her way down the same hall Pinako just went down. She pushed open the door to the room the boys were sleeping in and lit a candle.
Edward hadn't moved a muscle, but the color was starting to return to his face and the blonde woman was very grateful for that. She wondered what kind of boy he was when he was conscious. Of course, he must be a selfless one, to take upon himself the punishment meant for his brother, and Riza wondered if, should she have had a sibling, she would have done the same.
She moved to the other bed and placed a hand on Alphonse's forehead. Sweet Alphonse, the timid younger brother who was, in fact, a good few inches taller than his older brother. She wondered what he was like beyond this capacity, in a world that wasn't out to get them. Riza felt a sisterly protectiveness for the boy and admired his resilience in trying to find help for his brother. She assumed she would feel the same fierce passion for Edward as well when he woke up and she got to know him better. Her life had changed quite a bit in the past few weeks, but now she clearly saw that she was meant to find these boys. They played a bigger role, that she knew. But, they were also children, and they needed rest and happiness.
Unbeknownst to her, Roy Mustang lingered in the doorway, watching her face flicker in the candlelight. He hadn't said anything and did his best to hide his face when she appeared, but she looked beautiful after her bath. If he was honest with himself, she was beautiful before then. He wanted to scold himself for finding the woman he once thought a man to be so attractive because he knew that wasn't fair. Like she'd told him so many times already, she was the same person as Hawk, so for him to suddenly find himself attracted to her just because she was now a woman felt wrong. But, he had long since lost Hawk and now was rekindling a friendship with a woman he'd been fond of as a boy and long thought dead. Now that they weren't actively running for their lives, he had time to process these thoughts and feelings and sort through them in his mind. He had eyes, after all, and Riza was objectively a very attractive woman.
He also admired the way she carefully bent over each boy, feeling their forehead with care and love. He thought the world of her for putting others before herself, and he wondered how that would affect them as they continued on this journey. She was selfless, that was for sure, and Roy wished he could be half the person she was in times like these. Riza never jumped to the worst conclusion. Riza settled for what she was given and made do.
"How are they?" Roy's voice was only a whisper, but it seemed loud in the quiet room and Riza jumped as she turned to him.
"Better," she said. "Pinako's right, they should both be alright. Alphonse's fever is coming down and Edward has some color now. Hopefully, he'll wake up tomorrow."
Roy nodded and took another step into the bedroom, hearing an old board creak under his weight as he placed his foot down. "That's good."
"I wonder what life would be like," Riza started and lifted her head to meet Roy's eyes. Her lips danced with a smirk. "If we lead normal lives."
The man laughed. "Well, we wouldn't have found those boys, which would have ended badly for the both of them. So, I guess an abnormal life is good for something."
"True," Riza hummed. "But it seems like the cause of our abnormal life is also the cause of their pain. I hope we can get to the bottom of all of this."
"We will. But through all of this, you've been able to stop living a secret life," Roy reasoned, attempting to do as Pinako suggested and be less pessimistic. "So, that's a good thing."
Riza just shrugged and turned back to tuck the youngest brother more firmly into the bed. "You put a lot of weight on who I was versus who I am now," she said. She wasn't accusing him of anything and her tone was soft, but she didn't meet his eye. "I don't. I haven't changed. I fixed my appearance to the standards set for me and used a different pronoun and that was about it. But, this is the person I've always been."
Taken slightly aback by the words, Roy just nodded, but he let a smile linger on his lips. She was absolutely right and he knew he needed to part with the idea that Riza and Hawk were somehow different people. "Have you always been this caring?" he asked.
At this, she turned to look at him, confusion painted on her face for a moment before it ebbed away into a grateful smiled accompanied by a faint blush that couldn't be made out in the darkness of the room. "I've always tried," she responded.
"Well, you used to be pretty harsh with me if I didn't get all my work done!" Roy joked eliciting a full laugh from Riza.
"Well, sir, despite how you sometimes acted, you actually are not a small child."
Roy thought briefly about protesting but instead shot her a knowing smile. He had been a difficult one, but Riza was the only person in the entire castle who could put up with him. And she had, so diligently, and all the while asking for nothing in return.
As he opened his mouth to speak, Pinako returned, the creak of a floorboard giving away her location before she appeared. "Your beds are all made up," she said. "Right in this room over here." They followed as she crossed the hall and opened the door to another, very similar bedroom, with two beds and a candle on a nightstand for light. "I hope it's alright. Let me know if you need anything."
"This is perfect, thank you," Roy replied quickly with a smile. He'd only barely looked in the room, but the idea of sleeping on an actual bed and clean sheets was enough for him. He didn't care if it had the atmosphere of an abandoned shack, he just wanted to get to bed.
After exchanging goodnight's, the older woman left the two, closing the door behind her. Riza walked over and sat on the bed closest to the wall. The bed was soft and the sheets felt warm, and she, like the mage, was also excited to get to bed.
"How long do you want to stay here?" Riza asked as she pulled the blankets and laid down on the bed. Roy shrugged as he snuggled under his own covers, a sigh of content escaping from his lips.
"I don't know," he replied as he rolled over to swiftly blow out the candle. In a flash, the intimate, flickering light in the room was gone and instead replaced by the dim glow of the distant stars. "I suppose we'll gather as much information as we can around the town, make sure the boys are doing alright, and head back up towards Central. The closer we get to the capital, the better because there will be more information in towns near there."
"Right," Riza affirmed, blinking her eyes so they would adjust to the darkness of the room. "I wonder where those boys came from," she said, her voice rising to form a question, though she knew there was no answer.
In the darkness, the mage shrugged. "Who knows?" he replied noncommittally. "Hopefully the younger one will be awake tomorrow to tell us. And hopefully the other will survive."
"Yes," Riza replied, rolling over away from the man as she gazed out the open window. The cooling light wind blew the curtains gently and she closed her eyes as the air hit her face. She was so comfortable, but her heart was so heavy. It was a strange feeling, to be so worried about everything, yet so content physically. "I'm sure Edward will be alright," she said. "But I still find myself stuck on the same question over and over again… Who takes a child's limbs and leaves them to die? All for just wanting to see their mother one last time?"
Silence fell in the room, and Riza thought she had spoken in such a low, anguished whisper, that Roy hadn't heard her. Or, perhaps, he had fallen right to sleep. So, she closed her eyes and sighed, allowing her muscles to fully relax into every comfortable curve of the bed.
And then, just as she was teetering on the edge between awakeness and sleep, Roy spoke. "Something more evil than you could ever imagine."
In a surprising turn of events, I am actually still writing this fic, but Stranger Things kinda sorta ate me for a bit, and is admitaedly still taking all my free thoughts! But I am still writing this and working on some direction. I adore this fic and this couple, so it's absolutely 100% going to get finished! Thanks for waiting and thanks for the support!