After dinner was served and eaten, the guests returned to the ballroom for more dancing. Jol, being seated next to Elysia, had offered to escort her into the ballroom. They stood together for a couple of minutes at the edge of the dance floor watching the other dancers. Elysia had expected Jol to ask her to dance but he seemed frozen to his spot and he didn't utter a word. But just as Jol had worked up the courage necessary to ask Elysia for a dance, the Fullmetal Alchemist, General Elric, was before them bowing to Elysia as he lifted her hand and gently guided her toward the dance floor. Jol, not knowing how it had happened, was soon disappointed and angry with himself for letting Elysia slip away from him, so he ended up making his way to the refreshment table and stood there, watching Elysia dance with the General.
"That was a bit rude," Elysia chided Edward as he slipped his arm around her waist and turned her toward him as they began dancing to the waltz. Edward just gave her a sly grin.
"Perhaps," he said in his defense. "But I think it would have been a while before he got up the courage to ask you to dance and I could tell you wanted to dance right away."
"But it was obvious he was going to ask me," Elysia said looking back at Jol by the refreshment table. She felt bad for him but she had to be honest with herself that she was glad that Edward did come along.
"Well, you'll have more fun with me," Edward said with a conceited grin.
"Oh will I!" Elysia exclaimed. "Have you always been this conceited?" She asked jokingly. Before she could brace herself Edward started spinning her around in circles. Soon he was dancing with her with such flourish many of the other dancers had to get out of their way.
"It's just gotten worst the older I got," he finally answered with that same conceited grin giving Elysia a fit of giggles that she tried very hard to stifle.
Elysia danced most of the night. She danced with the Fuhrer and Colonel Havoc and some other officers who had been good friends with her father. But she always ended up back with Edward. Except when the Fuhrer steered clear of Edward and guided Elysia toward Jol with the pretense of getting something to drink. The Fuhrer, pronouncing he was too old to dance another one, suggested Elysia dance with Jol. They danced but not for long when Edward once again intruded. Elysia, not feeling so bad for Jol this time, just felt great relief for her poor feet that Jol had trod all over.
"Where did you learn to dance?" Elysia asked. "You're the only one who hasn't stepped on my feet a dozen times."
"Winry," Edward said. "During the celebration when Mustang became Fuhrer. I did a lot of damage to her feet and she vowed to teach me to dance, even if it killed me. And it nearly did."
Elysia laughed. "I'll have to thank Winry next time I see her."
Edward looked down at Elysia and laughed. She looked completely worn out and a bit dizzy. "You don't look so good," he told her.
"Let's see how good you look when you've been spun dizzy," she answered back. At the end of the ballroom stood tall, glass doors that opened out into a vast garden that was lighted for the guests to stroll through and enjoy the cool night air. Edward slowly guided Elysia towards the doors, weaving his way carefully through the other guests. As they stepped out Elysia took a deep breath of the night air and felt some relief from the stuffy ball room. They walked together in silence, Elysia still holding onto Edward's arm to keep the dizzy feeling from overwhelming her and partly because it felt right to her and she didn't want to let go. Slowly they made their way to a metal bench next to a water fountain and sat down together.
"You know, I just remembered something," Edward said as he lit a cigarette and leaned back casually.
"What's that?" Elysia asked kicking off her shoes gratefully.
"We share the same birthday," Edward said looking up at the clear, night sky filled with stars. Elysia glanced at him and smiled then turned to look up herself.
"I remember that night like it was yesterday," Edward continued thinking back twenty years ago. "That's when I performed alchemy for the first time without a transmutation circle."
"How did you do it?" Elysia asked interested. She knew Edward and Alphonse were there at the time of her birth but there wasn't much else she had been told regarding that day.
"I accidentally heated up a tub of water," Edward remembered fondly. "Al and I were so scared Gracia was going to die. Though it didn't help that she kept yelling she was going to."
Elysia laughed along with Edward.
"It was really something to see at the time, being as young as I was," Edward said thinking back to that cold snowy night. "To see this tiny person born from another…"
"I think the only one brave enough to hold you was Nina," Edward continued but stopped suddenly. Before Elysia could ask who Nina was Edward stood up.
"We should get back," he said. Elysia watched him curiously as he dropped his cigarette and ground it out with his boot, wondering why the sudden change in his attitude. His face was a blank mask but she could tell he was trying very hard to hide what he was really feeling and she noticed he was trying to avoid eye contact with her as well. Reaching down to put her shoes back on she asked, "Who is Nina?"
"Just someone who died a long time ago," he said abruptly, without realizing he was using the same tone he usually reserved for lower ranking officers to make it clear to drop the subject.
More secrets, huh, Elysia thought knowing he was trying to hide something from her. What kind of government has Roy put together? Promising an open government for the people, yet there is always something that doesn't fit. Just like my father's death. Telling me he was a war hero but at the time of his death he was stationed in Central and the civil war in Liore had just begun. Oh yes, I'm not stupid. I know how to read, how to put two and two together, Elysia thought bitterly, getting angry and feeling slightly hurt from the tone of his voice.
"Perhaps you're right, we should get back then," Elysia said getting up and stalking past Edward her anger clearly heard and showing.
"What's wrong with you?" Edward asked a little surprised by her sudden open hostility.
She turned around and glared at him. "Nothing," she said in her sweetest, most innocent voice with the look of the devil in her eyes.
As Elysia reentered the ballroom fuming with anger, the first person she bumped into was Jol Haren.
"Oh, hello Ms. Hughes," he greeted her blushing.
"Hi," Elysia said still angry and realizing she was no longer in the mood to be sociable or pleasant. But when she saw Edward step into the ballroom after her, she suddenly had a change of heart. Turning her attention back to the young doctor she gave him a warm, friendly smile.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" She asked hoping she put just the right amount of interest into her question to make it sound believable that she really cared.
"Not really," he answered blushing again at her sudden friendliness but feeling very pleased by it. "I'm not much of a dancer."
Elysia looked him up and down and smiled. "We'll see about that," she said as she took his hand and dragged him to the dance floor, her aching feet forgotten.
Edward had just spotted Elysia as she was dragging the poor young doctor helplessly to the dance floor. Feeling a roar of jealously tear though him, that surprised even himself, he did an about face. He did not want to watch Elysia dancing with someone else and started to head back outside. But instead of being able to follow through with his plan, he bumped into Colonel Havoc. Edward, without acknowledging the Colonel's presence, tried to maneuver around him but soon noticed how uncooperative the Colonel was being.
"Before pulling rank on me, Ed, let's talk," Jean said before Edward could say anything and motioning for the General to follow him. Edward, hoping Jean would talk about something that might make him forget the fit of jealousy he was feeling, went along after the older Colonel.
"That poor kid," Jean said as they came upon the dance floor with Edward wishing he hadn't followed a fool of a lower ranking officer. But instead he was forced to stand and quietly observe the other dancers and he tried very hard not to glare so much at Elysia and Jol dancing.
"This better be good," Edward said annoyed with Jean.
"He was looking all over for her and now that she's with him, he doesn't seem to know what to do next." Jean said nodding towards Jol and Elysia. "He wasn't the only one to notice her absence, or yours," he continued after a pause.
"What do you mean?" Edward asked looking sharply at the Colonel.
"Nobody is as well trained as me to NOT be distracted by such a lovely party," Havoc said reassuringly. "But when you're a mother and your only daughter is surrounded by officers you can't expect her to not worry when her daughter leaves with one," he explained then dropping his voice so only Edward could hear continued. "Gracia rushed over to the Fuhrer and had a rather intense whispered conversation with him." Edward didn't say anything feeling a little embarrassed and distressed, though he didn't understand why he would be feeling so distressed.
"He's not who she wants to be with right now," Havoc said motioning toward Elysia and Jol as they swept by, Elysia clearly leading Jol and avoiding any eye contact with Edward and trying very hard not to look his way.
"Since when did you become a mind reader?" Edward asked annoyed.
"Ed," Havoc laughed slapping Edward on the back good-naturedly. "The two of you are horrible at hiding your emotions. It was very obvious that Elysia enjoyed dancing with you and you made it very obvious you enjoyed dancing with her."
"Why don't you mind your own business," Edward grumbled feeling another rush of embarrassment. Could you have been more obvious Edward?, he thought to himself.
"Well, there's something you should keep in mind," Havoc said leaning closer to Edward and ignoring his last comment. "There is a reason Roy seated the young doctor next to Elysia." Edward looked at Havoc in disbelief then sought out the Fuhrer. When Edward found the Fuhrer amongst the crowd he noticed how Mustang looked very smug and rather pleased with himself as he watched Elysia and Jol dancing. Edward wasn't surprised that Roy would do such a thing, it was just like him to meddle, but his meddling with Elysia gave Edward another reason to want to kick the living flame out of the Fuhrer.