A.N.) I mention some adult themes in the first part of this chapter, but please know that it was for the story and that I'm not perverted. This chapter was originally longer and completely different, but I decided it was very chopped and out of character, so I scrapped most of it and had to rewrite. I hope I don't disappoint anyone.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Oh, and thanks to all who review! Your comments were uplifting and very helpful for making me want to do the best I could. I'm very grateful.

What It Means to Be the Wife of the Emperor

Chapter 2: Finally Together, But Not Really

Ling had exactly what he wanted; now he had to protect it.

The newlyweds were just lying in their bed, holding each other; their bare chests held together. Lan Fan nuzzling his neck, giving butterfly kisses. Ling had one arm was wrapped around his wife's petite waist, and another was reaching to pull a mildly thin silk blanket to her shoulders. Once that was done, Ling held her, stroked her hair, and stared at the ceiling. Her arms crushed to her sides under the Emperor's assertive strength.

The moonlight seeped through the veil curtains, making the red blankets and pillows reflecting the same hue on the lovers pale bodies.

She's so… small, Ling thought, leaning his head against her distorted hair. I know for a fact she could easily break my jaw in one punch, but I can't help but notice how tiny she is. I could easily bundle her up in my arms. His right forearm grinded against the cold automail arm, and he shivered at the delightful sensation. The last thing she is is fragile; she is strong and devoted, but I just want her safe. He listened to the light clanks of her automail clenching. She's already paid enough for me. I won't let anyone harm her again.

Ling's voice was deep and focused. "You're quieter than usual, Lan Fan. Is something the matter?"

Lan Fan ceased trailing kisses to whisper, "Nothing is wrong, my—"

"Lan Fan…" Ling began to warn with edge on his tongue.

"—my… Love." It sounded more like a question than a statement.

He sighed, and tightened his grip on her. He knew her better than anyone, but he just couldn't understand why she wouldn't call him by his actual name. It couldn't have been something out of respect or duty; he practically ordered her to refer to his name, yet she still uses titles. He was about to question her about her resistance, until he felt her legs stiffen against his from under the covers.

"What is it? Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" he exclaimed, loosening his hold.

"I-I am fine, my Husband. Ah…" she dragged in a shaken tone. She would never bother him with anything. "I'm fine…"

Two days into their marriage, and Lan Fan had developed instinct to keep forward with her duty, which was basically to be around when he needed her, and disappear from sight until further notice. No one seemed to care. It didn't seem like it was bothering Ling in Lan Fan's eyes.

Four days had passed, and Lan Fan's vow to be a grateful, subservient wife was being challenged.

The situation she was facing was that the Emperor was needed to settle some business in the Southern Provinces, and Empress Lan Fan was to stay at the Imperial Palace. Guarded. Humiliating… she had thought with annoyance. She was once his personal bodyguard, and now he was having her watched by sentinels she trained. Awful enough that she couldn't go and guard him herself. She most definitely didn't like the idea of trusting others to his safety. Worst of all was that the thought of being at such a big distance from him put a big pit in her chest.

She mentally groaned. It was his direct orders to keep her in the palace. She had no other choice but to obey.

This is ridiculous of me! He'll only be gone a few days, not even a full business week, and I'll be busy myself seeing that I'll have to entertain our guests.

She didn't mind that she and Ling didn't have a private honeymoon; she actually preferred to spend as much time with her friends before they'd make their way back to Amestris. Ling was even taking the Elric Brothers on the trip with him, so that put Lan Fan at a slight ease; they would protect each other.

But none of that meant she had to like the sidelines.

Lan Fan and Ling stood at the center of their shared bedroom in a loving embrace. The light seeped through the east windows giving a warm and cozy atmosphere to hopefully alleviate the disappointment. Ling was fully dressed and ready to go, but he stayed back in their room for a few more minutes to make a proper departure from his new wife.

She had worn the lightest robes she had, which was a midnight red sash tie tightly around the waist of a gown with a tinted red corset top, a full-length skirt of mustard gold, and a crimson red silk to drape over her shoulders with long, swinging sleeves.

"Lan Fan… my sweet wife, such a beautiful flower," Ling murmured as his lips lightly brushed hers before closing in for a heavy kiss.

Flower? So I'm delicate?

He had one arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand caressing her cheek. Despite how busy her head was, her stomach always did back flips whenever he would give her these long, passionate kisses. She loved him and would tolerate what she'd have to for him. She kept her hair down just for him, and knew he appreciated it when his hand left her face to run his fingers threw her tresses.

Her hands went over his shoulders to massage his neck a bit before breaking their kiss. "Perhaps it is time for the Emperor to leave for his work before he gets distracted any further," Lan Fan said, pushing him away. She didn't want to be the cause for delaying his plans.

He chuckle lightly, pulling her back by biding her in his arms like snakes. "I was ready to go, but then I saw you and couldn't resist. I guess I married an enchantress."

"If I'm that much of a problem then maybe we should consider long-term separation. We have to think about the well being of you and Xing," she joked, though her unfaltering hard demeanor misled her poor husband into believing her comment was serious.

With a spark in his pupils, he tightened his arms, lifting her up to his lips. His happy grin had quickly changed to an ominous smirk, making him look determined and almost furious. "I'm afraid it's too late for that, Lan Fan. You see, our marriage has already been consummated, so you're stuck with me forever. "

"My Lord, I believe you misunderstood—"

He quieted her with a soft kiss.

"It's Ling," he reminded, looking into her big, dark brown eyes. He lips slanted into a small frown, which both confused her and made her have a panic attack in her thoughts. This look of his meant he was no longer teasing but was about to bring up something meaningful. But how could my comment have possibly affected him so severely? I messed up, didn't I? I couldn't have provoked him this badly by not using his name, right? Oh no…

He took a pause before speaking again. "Lan Fan, are you—"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Ling sighed in irritation.

"Your Excellency, everything is ready for your departure!" Ling's advisor called from behind the door. "We must leave at once, if you are to make it to the scheduled destination on time!"

Lan Fan untangled her companion's limbs from her form. On his face, she saw confliction; he didn't want to go. She smiled, hoping to comfort him. "It's alright. We can talk when you return." They stood there for a few more moments, just holding each other's hands, eyes locked.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Your Majesty, can you hear me?"

Sighed once more, he slowly broke their connection and left without a word.

For a minute, Lan Fan remained standing, staring at door.

She couldn't register what had just happened. In all the years they knew each other, she'd never intentionally separate herself from him. Well, at least he won't be gone for six months like in Amestris… She silently made her way to sit in a polished teakwood chair placed by the widest window at the perfect angle to just watch the sky.

Even with sunshine, she felt like she had been tackled by a wave of depression.

Her thoughts drifted back to King Bradley. Had he really been accurate?

"No more words that need to pass between us now…"

As soon as she caught the nerve to stand again, the door swung open as Ling approached calmly with both hands hidden in his sleeves. Lan Fan moved, slightly stumbling on her gown, to meet him back at the center of the room.

"My husband, is something wrong?"

He said nothing, reaching out with both hands to enclose in her flesh one. She glanced at his small smile with perplexity as to what he was still doing here. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. As they broke apart, he pushed his forehead against hers and whispered, "I will be back soon. I love you."

She blushed at boldness and the ecstasy. "I will be waiting. And I love you too," she whispered with a cold tremble in her tone, but smiled.

He grinned blissfully, giving one more kiss, before sliding his fingers away and leaving again.

Staring at the door for a short amount of time before peeking down at what he placed in her fingers. It was a flower with pale pink petals. (She didn't know the name. As a breaded warrior, she never had to know anymore about flowers than what was and wasn't poisonous.) The stem was wet, so she knew he had gotten in from a flower vase. There were probably hundreds in the hallways and rooms of the palace, but the gesture itself was incredibly sweet. She held the blossom up to her lips and gave it a peck as if transferring it to Ling. "No last words, huh, Homunculus?"

"So you almost banished a councilman? I didn't think you had it in you, Ling," Edward Elric commented before shoving two whole almond cookies in his mouth.

Ling Yao crammed down three at once and took a swing of tea before continuing his story. "Well, I really was going to, but Lan Fan had asked me not to bring much concern to it. I knew she'd feel guilt for the guy's fate, so I let him off with a warning. But don't get me wrong, I'm still keeping a close eye for when he screws up again."

Alphonse Elric sipped his drink before looking directly at the Emperor with his lips in a thin line. "Don't you think that's a little harsh?"

Ling scowled. "Of course not, Al! I'm not going to tolerate is anyone disrespecting Lan Fan."

"What exactly did he call her though?" Ed added trying to get the full detail.

"He referred to her as my concubine, a week before our wedding too."

"Well good you're going to eventually tear him a new one. He deserves it," Ed said so flat, Ling almost couldn't identify his inner anger. Lan Fan was a good friend and they did have a lot in common when it came to determination. Everyone knew Ed was overprotective of people important to him. The king was glad to have such companions.

The three men sat crisscrossed in a close circle on the floor mats of Ling's carriage. The road wasn't as bumpy as anticipated, so the group took advantage by drinking their tea with no chance of a surprise spill. It was very sunny at the Palace, but as they went further south, they could see rays of sunlight from the square window getting weak by clouds.

"It has only been a few hours, and I'm missing her as if it's been years," Ling said before biting into a cookie.

Edward rolled his eyes. "It's just the honeymoon phase anxiety." The former alchemist lounged back.

He looked past them for a few moments to compose his thoughts, but eventually, Ling spoke. "She actually talked about long-term separation, though she may have just been joking. I might have overreacted and got a little possessive. I tried to show her I wasn't anger or anything, but I don't think it was enough to get comfortable around me."

"You're saying that like she wasn't before," Al noted with some surprise. Even in Amestris, it was obvious the prince and his guard carried deep feelings for one another. Maybe he was naïve, but he didn't think Ling and Lan Fan would have this type of complication so early in their marriage.

"Lan Fan has been stiff and duty bound with me since the very first moment we came into range of each other, but now it different… It's actually getting worse!" he cried, clutching his knees. He was half complaining, half reminiscing.

"I just think I'm messing up with her. She became distant during our engagement. Now she just avoids me, so I hardly see her as it is. It's no fair! I didn't think this was possible, but she is actually more stoic than when she was my vassal!"

Ed was chewing on a cookie, staring at the ground with intense focus. "You know, you should consider that there could just be a little bad advice in Lan Fan's head. Mustang told me about something Scar told him a while after the Promise Day."

"What does that have to do with my wife?" Ling asked with skepticism.

"Scar was with Lan Fan when King Bradley died."

His eyebrows furrowed and his fist tightened. "What did he say to Lan Fan?"

"Lan Fan asked him if he had any last words for his wife, but he just said there didn't have to be any words because the wife of a king understands or something like that. If you want, just ask Mustang when we get back," Ed explained, making a gesture of turning his hand to show the palm, as if say "Here is the information, but it's hazed."

Ling took that knowledge and stared off into space. He did a hum letting people know he was acknowledging Ed's words and also found them intriguing. It became very simple in his eyes, just like putting two and two together. Advice from a former king basically saying a queen shouldn't have to be expecting loving gestures from her husband, and then mixed with Lan Fan's steel sense of honor and duty?

The Emperor sighed.

He's causing me problems even in death, huh?

A.N.) I am trying my best to show that even though Ling and Lan Fan love each other, they always had a problem with lacking communication.