Roy crashed into the unforgiving freezing black water so hard, he almost lost the air he'd sucked in. Immediately, he began sinking, as though he'd never learned to swim like the river was actually a black hole. The waterfall nearby made the current unpredictable and dangerous, and Roy had no idea which way it had carried Riza. Right, or left, forward or backward. He had to pick a direction, and he knew he would only get one shot to find her.
But, Roy couldn't tell which way was up or down and the roar of the falls clouded his thoughts. He just began to swim through the vast, empty space, his hands wildly flailing around him as they searched for something human. His ears pounded from the pressure and his lungs burned from lack of oxygen, but he was determined to continue searching until the very last moment.
After what felt both like an eternity and no time at all, that moment came, and Roy knew he would have to push himself up to the surface to get air. He found the riverbed floor and planted his feet on the ground, bending his knees as he prepared to shoot upwards. But, as his right arm returned to his side, it brushed against something. He wasn't sure what it was, but it felt different from the rocks and gravel he'd pushed through, so he grabbed it, hugged it close to him and shot upwards towards the surface.
The second he was above water he began to gasp for air and he coughed as bits of the water splashed down his throat. He turned his head and found that he had managed to grab Riza who was coughing and sputtering as she clung to his side. Relief washed over him at the same time another wave crashed into the paid, and he half pulled, half dragged her through the water to the riverbank.
When the river became shallow enough to stand on the rocky bottom, Roy carried Riza the rest of the way to solid land. She continued to cough violently, gasping in cool gulps of air in between her hacks. He noticed that her eyes were not just closed, but squeezed shut as tightly as she could force them and her wet fists clenched around his soaking wet shirt. But, he figured, as she shuddered against him, she was breathing, and that was all that mattered in the moment.
He trudged out of the water and onto the riverbank and then into the thin grass that created the line between the dirt and the forest. It was there that he sat Riza down and followed onto his knees so he could sit her up and hold her shoulders steady while she coughed. She lurched forward, wet hair dripping onto her knees which she had brought up to her chest. Her back rested against Roy's left hand while his right hand rubbed circles between her shoulder blades. He felt like he should say something, anything, but he couldn't bring his lips to move. Perhaps there was nothing that needed to be said in this moment.
Finally, her coughing died down to the point where she was just weakly choking every few minutes. Riza continued to shiver and didn't move away from her friend, but she turned to look at him with a steely gaze. "Where's my bow?" she asked in a scratchy, soft whisper. Roy's mouth opened and he almost told her not to speak, but the hard look she was giving him caused him to reconsider.
"Up on the cliff," he replied. "It's fine, we just have to go get it." Riza relaxed immensely at that. Her shoulders slumped, her breathing became more even and she closed her eyes for just a brief moment. Roy glanced over at the river and then looked up to his right. The tall cliff loomed above them, which in the dark veil of night, he hadn't immediately seen. At least he wouldn't have to cross the river to get back to the town. It would be some time before Roy felt like going anywhere near a body of water again.
"I'm assuming Lust got away," Riza said after clearing her throat. There was no judgment in her voice, just a question that she already knew the answer to. Roy looked away.
"Yes," he replied as he grit his teeth. "We have to get to Risembool, but in your state and with how far away it is, I don't know how we're going to manage that."
"My state doesn't matter," the woman said in an even tone as she worked to balance her breaths with her speech. "You're right, we need to get back to those boys. We have no idea what Lust wants them for or why she has such a need to get to them." She sat up straighter and Roy knew her next move would be to stand and walk. "Let's go."
He wanted to convince her to rest, but that would be futile. Besides, there was no way either of them was going to sit on the riverbank all night. Their first order of business was getting Riza's bow and then getting back to town. Roy didn't verbally agree, but he nodded and he helped Riza stand. She swayed, unsteady on her feet as she found gravity again, but it only took a minute for her to gain her bearings.
It was when she stood up straight that Roy noticed the blood on her shoulder. His eyes flew to the wound Lust had created before throwing her off the cliff and he placed a hand right next to it. "Your arm," he started.
"Is fine," Riza quickly snapped in a harsher tone than she had intended. She mentally cursed herself when Roy's face fell and softened her eyes. "Don't worry about it," she told him as she tried to drop into a kinder way of speaking. "I'll be alright. We have to get going."
Again, Roy wanted to stop, to check out her shoulder. He wanted to bring her into town and get a doctor to wrap it up, but he knew she would never agree. And, she would be right of course, as they had to get going if they wanted to catch Lust before she managed to find her way to the two young boys. The man hated his hesitation. Normally, nothing could stop him when the situation was urgent, but Riza was his one weakness.
Still, he didn't argue. They made their way to the cliff side and collected Riza's bow intact. She gave it a thorough check over to be sure the string wasn't broken and the length of the bow wasn't bent. Satisfied with her inspection, they made they way through the thick forest and back to town, which took longer than either expected, since they'd both forgotten the way they came in.
By the time they stumbled through the door of the inn, it had started to rain. Both figured it was more a blessing than a curse; now they had an excuse as to why they were soaking wet. When they came in the door, the half-asleep clerk startled to attention at the sound of the door closing. It was very late and few people ever came through the doors at this hour.
"Caught in the rain?" the innkeeper asked. She was older than the girl that stood there just hours before, and Riza guessed she was her mother or aunt, or at least of some blood relation.
"Just a bit, ma'am," Roy said as he went to the desk with soggy footsteps squeaking behind him. "We need a favor. I've just heard my wife is deathly ill in Risembool and I need to get back as soon as I can." Riza, who had followed behind him to the desk, was surprised by his assertion, though she tried to keep a straight face. It was amazing how easily Roy could come up with a story.
"I'm so sorry to hear that," the woman replied with a look of genuine concern on her face. She also looked a little confused, as though she wasn't entirely sure how she could help with that.
Roy reached into his backpack and took out all the money he and Riza had brought. It wasn't much; really, it was only supposed to last them a few weeks until they could pick up odd jobs or find some other kind person to let them stay free of charge. "Can you rent me a horse and tell me the fastest way to get to Risembool? I know it's not much, but it's all I have and I need to get back to my wife before…" Roy trailed off. He had twisted his face into an anguished expression and he artfully hitched his voice at the end of his sentence to show how deeply upset he was.
The innkeeper looked at the money warily, knowing immediately that it wasn't enough to cover the rent of a weak child's horse, nevermind a horse strong enough to get Risembool quickly. "I… I don't know," she whispered, afraid to tell the man no.
"Please," Roy pleaded. "I have to get to her side. I need her to know I love her, just one more time." His tone arched into a frenzied whine and Riza had to consciously stop herself from rolling her eyes. She'd known Roy for years and even his best acting couldn't fool him. The innkeeper on the other hand…
"Of course, sir. Of course!" She now had tears in her eyes, completely convinced of Roy's fake wife's impending doom. "I have a steed out back, a retired workhorse. He's only just been taken off the fields this week, so he's strong." She didn't even take the money, so when she hurried to the back door, Roy inconspicuously slipped it back into his pocket. They went outside, greeted by the lightly pouring rain. It had been so quiet inside the inn, they had all forgotten about it.
They were led to the stables where many proud horses stood. They walked all the way to the end before the innkeeper pulled out a key and unlocked the stall of an older, beautiful brown stallion. The horse was easy going and allowed her to lead him out of the stall. He glanced indifferently at Roy and Riza, and then expectantly back to the other woman.
"Can I ask you a favor?" she asked as she handed the reins to Roy. "I have a cousin in Risembool who is visiting me in the next few weeks. They were originally going to rent a horse to travel, but if you bring my horse to them, she can ride him for the trip here." Roy nodded. The woman paused and looked up at the steed. She gave him a reassuring pat on the side and turned back to the two travelers. "Please bring him to my cousin. Her name is Rosalie, she shouldn't be hard to find. We just need the horse back, please."
Roy reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I promise you, we will absolutely get this horse to your cousin and back to you. We're good people, we just need a little help." She swallowed thickly and nodded, whispering a thank you that only he could hear. And then she was gone, back inside the inn, and Roy and Riza were left in the stable.
Roy was in the front guiding the horse, and Riza was behind him, clinging to his back as they rode rapidly down the dirt path that led out of the village. The rain whipped at their faces and Riza's hair blew wildly, but they dared not slow for anything. They had to get to Risembool as quickly as possible. For all they knew, it would be too late.
It was a miserable ride for Riza, who had barely been able to catch her breath before they were whisked away on another adventure. Her shoulder throbbed, her lungs burned, and she felt weak. Not to mention, she had been freezing since she was pulled out of the river. It took all of her effort not to fall asleep on Roy's back, which would have normally been impossible with the bumpiness of the ride.
She couldn't believe how quickly her life almost ended. It was also the second time in only a few months that she'd gotten herself thrown off a cliff. Of course, the first time was by her own desperate choice. This fall, however, felt like the longest fall of her life. She was sure she was going to die and it pained her to think she would never see the boys again, or Winry, or Pinako. Or Roy.
As they rode through the night and she pressed herself against Roy, partly for warmth, and partly to avoid being thrown off, she thought about how much her life meant to her now. Before, as a soldier, she didn't give much thought to returning home at the end of the day. Of course, she wanted to protect Roy. It was not only her job but her mission in life. She'd promised herself to help him achieve his goals. It was lonely, though, being alone in that house every night. She had never been able to please her father and she could barely please herself.
But now she had this new life, one filled with uncertainty, but also filled with friendship. She and Roy were growing closer, yes, but she had also met two amazing boys, a kind little girl, and the most generous older woman. Where once she was just a "dog of The Crown," now she was just Riza.
She wondered who Riza was, who Riza could be. Her identity was no longer hinged on keeping her gender a secret and serving the Royal Family. She felt so different, and yet at the same time, she knew that this Riza was always deep down inside her, waiting to break free.
"Riza. Riza!" Roy's voice came crashing through her thoughts as he shouted above the rain and the wind. She shot up, careful to keep a firm hold on him so she wouldn't go flying off the horse.
"Yes, sir!" She managed to call back to him, as though he were miles away instead of right next to her.
"You okay?" He didn't elaborate, but he felt her slipping down his back and was worried she was falling asleep. "How's your arm?"
"It's fine, sir!" she replied shortly. She didn't feel she had the voice to carry a full conversation, and she also didn't want to talk about how she was feeling. She felt like shit, but there was nothing to be done about it, so it didn't matter.
Roy was not thrilled with her passiveness about her condition, but there wasn't much he could do as they rode through the night. She wasn't in danger of falling off the horse, so everything else was going to have to wait. He thought about saying something more, perhaps telling her to let him know if she felt worse, but decided against it.
They rode for hours until the sun slowly crept up upon the weary land. They rode as the rain stopped and the sun climbed, though neither Roy nor Riza felt any touch of warmth as the world brightened. They stopped twice along the way to give the horse some water and a short break, but they were soon back at it again.
It had taken them two weeks to reach the town because they were traveling only by cover of night and only through the thick forests. They also stopped for a night or two at small villages and traveler's inns, gathering clues and taking their time. However, the main road only took them the better part of the day before they were back in the familiar hillside town of Risembool. Roy had never been more grateful to see a town in his life. In a strange way, it was like coming home, though he felt even more anxious as he traveled through the farmland towards Pinako's large house. There was no telling what they would find.
Riza would have been more excited and anxious, but she was fighting to stay conscious. Her shoulder had gone from throbbing to burning and, though her lungs only stung, she felt that she wasn't taking in enough air. The cold bite of the river water still lingered and throughout the trip, she drifted between states of frigid pain and complete numbness.
Finally, as the sun was just about to slip below the horizon, they pulled up in front of the old wooden house. Roy hopped off the horse first and tied it to a post before he helped Riza down. He wasn't sure if it was just a trick of the dim glow of twilight, but Riza's face looked ashen. Bags lingered under her eyes and he felt her shiver. Still, once on the ground, she didn't sway or stumble and looked at him with those hard brown eyes.
They looked upon the house as they had many times before and found not a single board or blade of grass out of place. Everything seemed normal, and yet there was a feeling of dread that lingered in the air. Had they been too late? Were they too early? Or did Lust lie to them, choosing to poke at their fears instead of act upon them?
With only one way to find out, the pair walked up the front porch and knocked on the door. It wasn't too late, perhaps about time for the children to go to bed, but Pinako would surely be awake. And, sure enough, the door opened in an appropriate amount of time, revealing a short older woman who looked at them with a mixture of shock and happiness. She said nothing but gathered the two of them in as big a hug as the small woman could give.
"I didn't think you'd be back so soon," she said, pulling away. "Come in, come in. You're both soaking wet. What happened?"
"A lot," Roy replied, glancing around as he walked through the familiar hall and into the familiar kitchen. Everything was right where it was before. Nothing seemed out of place. "Is everyone here okay? How are the boys?"
And that was when Pinako's face fell into an expression of great uncertainty and contemplation. It was as though she was considering not responding to the question at all and then, at the last moment, decided to be honest. "We had an incident."
Roy's blood ran cold. Riza froze. "What happened?" she asked in a whisper, her voice barely carrying through the nearly empty house.
Pinako opened her mouth to answer, but she never got the words out. Heavy footsteps filled the room accompanied by the familiar squeak of a wheelchair on old wooden floors. All of the adults turned their heads towards the main hallway. Pinako's frown deepened as two figures emerged. One was Edward, perched in his wheelchair. He looked much better and healthier than he had two weeks prior, but his face looked tired and worn.
The other caused Riza to breathe in a sharp gasp and Roy to place a steady hand on the kitchen table. It was a large suit of armor that could move on its own. It looked like nothing an actual person could fit themselves into, perhaps it was a sculpture or an artistic rendition of old knightly armor. But, it pushed Edward's wheelchair through the house before it stopped in front of everyone at the kitchen.
"Hey, that dumb mage is back," Edward said in a voice that sounded somewhat cheery, though his tired expression didn't waver.
"Hi, Roy! Hi, Riza." It was Alphonse's voice for sure, but Alphonse was nowhere to be seen. It also didn't sound right; it was like Alphonse had his head stuck in an old milk bucket somewhere far away. And yet, they knew, the voice was coming right from the armor that stood before them.
"Alphonse?" Roy asked, taking a step forward and reaching out to touch the suit. It nodded. The expression on its face didn't change, but it seemed to slump over and look saddened by their realization.
"Yeah," he said sadly. "It's me."
"What happened? Why are you in there?"
Wordlessly he reached up and placed two gloved hands on top of his head. He pulled the helmet off and bent over so that all could see there was no physical person in the suit. "Brother bound my soul to this suit of armor after the witch came for my body."
"No," Roy whispered, his eyes widening at first and then narrowing. He slammed a fist down on the table. "Dammit!" Riza placed a hand on his shoulder, but she didn't say anything. There was nothing to be said, they were too late.
"It's okay, really!" Alphonse insisted as he placed his head back on. "It's pretty cool being this tall now! And I can still practice magick. In fact, I might even be better now!" This, however, did not convince Roy, who had taken a seat and had his head in his hands.
"Hey, don't go feeling sorry for yourself," Edward scolded. "We're the ones who got attacked! Besides, now we just have to get Al's body back along with my arm and leg."
Roy glanced over, shaken by the brutal honesty of a young teenager. As much as he hated to admit it-and he would never, ever admit it out loud-Edward was right. There was no use feeling sorry for what couldn't be prevented. They could only move on. Maybe that was a lesson one could learn from the boys whose entire reality relied on picking up and continuing to move after hardships. He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and even tried to paint a small smile on his lips. "And the rest of you? You're alright?" he asked.
"That witch was on a mission," Pinako sighed as she moved to the stove to make some hot water for tea. "She touched nothing else in this whole house." The woman turned back and, for the first time, noticed Riza, who had unconsciously placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong with your arm, dear?"
Riza looked startled at being addressed. "Oh, it's nothing."
"It certainly looks like something. Let me see." Pinako moved across the kitchen and pried Riza's hand away. The woman sucked in a breath at seeing the shoulder wound, still bloody and now weeping onto her shirt. "Oh dear. How did this happen?"
"The witch," Roy answered for her. "We met her in the woods… a night? Two nights ago? That's how we knew she was going to come back here. We came as quickly as we could."
Pinako didn't care how long it took the two of them to come. Instead, she focused on examining the wound. She reached up and placed a hand on Riza's cheek. The woman leaned into the kind touch. It had been a while since someone so lovingly attended to her. "Sit, sit," Pinako ordered and Riza did as she was told, sinking into the chair next to Roy. Pinako then rushed out of the kitchen and towards her office.
Roy placed a hand on Riza's and leaned forward. He was shocked at how exhausted she looked now in the glowing light of the fire. He could more clearly see the defined bags and her pale skin. Her eyes were lowered to the ground and she made no eye contact. "You look awful, Hawkeye," was all Roy could think to say.
"Gee, you must be a hit with the ladies," Edward retorted from behind him and Roy whipped around to shoot him a glare before returning his attention to Riza.
Riza just shrugged as much as she could with the injury. "The most important thing was getting here, sir."
"Well, we ended up being too late. You should have told me you… You…" He wasn't sure what she should have told him, but he felt she should have said something. Riza picked right up on that and her eyes flickered upwards to meet his.
"Told you what? That I'm cold? Sick? Hurt? That much is obvious. We had to get to Risembool quickly."
Damn her voice of reason. Roy sat back in his own chair, but he didn't take his hand off Riza's. She let out a sigh and seemed to relax a little in her own seat, but she ended up letting go a little too much. As she fell unconscious, she nearly fell off the chair, but Roy lurched forward and caught her. The commotion caused his chair to scuff the floor as it moved back, and Riza's body pushed her chair out as well. Roy ended up gathering her into his arms as he sunk them to the floor.
"Riza? Hey! Riza!" he called to her, shaking her lightly. Pinako came running back into the room.
"Alright, come on, let's get her into a bed," she said calmly. Roy glanced up at her, uncertain since she'd passed out so quickly, but he trusted Pinako's medical advice. He lifted her up and hurried behind Pinako into the same guest room they'd stayed in weeks before. Edward and Alphonse followed close behind.
Once Riza was settled into bed, Pinako ushered everyone out of the room so she could change the woman into warm clothes and wrap her shoulder. This left Roy, Alphonse, and Edward in the hall. Once the door was shut on them, Roy turned to the boys and said with genuine emotion, "I'm so sorry."
Edward shrugged indifferently. "Whatever. It's fine, we'll be fine."
"What brother means is that we'll get our bodies back eventually!" Alphonse corrected. "And that we're grateful that you and Miss Riza care so much about us."
Edward rolled his eyes at the correction, but he nodded. "Yeah, sure, that too." He smirked up at Roy. "Now that you're here, you can convince that old bat to give me surgery."
Roy frowned and shook his head. "I'm not a doctor, kid. You have to listen to her."
"Yeah, but we don't have a lot of time, right? We have to get moving!"
"Riza and I will get moving," Roy explained, though his voice faltered at the mention of his partner, who was currently laid up. "Eventually. We need to make new plans anyway, so just hang on, okay?"
Edward was going to rebuke him, but the door opened and Pinako stepped out. "Exhaustion, fever, and a nasty infection on her shoulder," she explained dryly as she closed the door behind her. "She'll be alright with rest and observation. Now, you two boys get to bed. And Roy, I'll get that tea ready for you if you want to change into something warm and dry first."
"Perfect," the man said with relief. "Thank you."
"No, no problem," the older woman waved him off as she ushered the two boys to bed. "We're just glad to have you home."
Home. Yes, this certainly felt like home. and Roy was so grateful to be here.
Happy New Year! I got back from vacation on Sunday and started typing this up as soon as I could! I hope everyone had a great winter holiday season! I can't wait to keep writing this and my other stories, so stay tuned!