As I'm sure you've all figured out...I, most unfortunately, don't own Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, or I would have been sued for taking such a long hiatus.
Just Another Playing Piece
Chapter Seven:
Concubine in the Capital
"Wake up, you imbecile!"
For the better part of a half hour, Tianxian had been hard at work attempting to extract the hand of Ling Yao from strangling her palm. Her patience, which was already near non-existent to begin with, had all but fled from her body. Any warm feeling she had previously held towards the prince holding her hand disappeared as her fingers settled into an unnatural shade of blue.
The concubine's eyebrow twitched angrily as she sent her fury blasting full force at the other occupant of the room, "Well, what are you just standing there for? Help remove this oaf from me!"
Garfiel, startled at the demand, squeaked a bewildered, "Oh my!" before prancing over to provide aid. He gave a quick tug on Ling's wrist, which did not budge, then turned to Tianxian with an expression that read, I tried my best.
"Food. Now." The girl ground out from behind a vicious set of bared teeth.
"Oh?" Garfiel blinked at the sudden change in subject, "Well, what would you like?"
Tianxian rolled her eyes, "I could care less. I just need something to wave in front of this moron's face."
The man, to his credit as ever the gracious host, skittered away to find something to appeased his less than polite guests. Moments later he returned with a scone and a cup of tea. He held them out for the young woman with a hopeful expression.
Without so much as a word, she hurriedly snatched the scone from the plate and rammed the confection in Ling's slightly agape mouth.
As if a switch was flipped, the lethargic prince began animatedly chewing, the natural olive tone of his skin returning, and his thin eyes popping open, "Mmmmmmph…~"
Ling nearly choked when Tianxian yanked the tip of his ponytail to get him to look at her. The concubine's expression was livid beyond all belief. Mighty armies would have fallen at her feet to free themselves from the heat of her ferocious glare.
Speaking through a mouthful of scone he greeted her, "My, wha a luffly e'pression you ave der, Mufer."
Without warning, the consort's face was a breaths away from his, their noses just barely brushing against one another, as she attempted to drill holes into his skull with her eyes.
"Yao brat…" The even calm of her voice clashing with her expression.
"Mmm…" Ling swallowed the remainder of his meal, "Yes?"
Tianxian closed her eyes and exhaled a shallow sigh, her breath fanning his cheeks. The young man went cross-eyed looking at the bridge of her nose. He could not help but to ultimately focus them on the slight bump on the bridge, recalling when he had nearly been decapitated by the woman before him after he had tried to reset it.
Suddenly her eyes were open.
And, for less than a single second, he thought he saw something within them. Something startling. Something that tickled his curiosity.
Was it…that emotion that shone so strikingly in her navy orbs for only the briefest of moments…was it...fear?
Then his arm was being twisted at an awkward angle and his eardrums popping as the concubine's shrill squawk filled the room.
"REMOVE YOUR HAND FROM MINE AT ONCE AND REFRAIN FROM TOUCHING ME FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR EXISTENCE, YOU ABHORRENT YAO CLAN MONKEY!"
Ah.
Perhaps, it was just anger Ling had seen in the young consort's eyes.
Nevertheless, he complied with her demand. Long, thin fingers slowly unfurled from her palm. When had he grabbed it in the first place?
"LOOK AT THIS!" Tianxian moved her face back to replace its space with purple fingers, "MY HAND IS SULLIED BY YOUR MERE TOUCH!"
Yes, it was definitely anger he had seen there.
The Yao heir gave a high-pitched chuckle choosing to ignore his countrywoman in favor of taking note of the individual cowering in the corner of the room, "Tell me, Mother, who is this handsome fellow?"
"Who? Me?" The shopkeeper immediately perked up at the compliment.
"Of course!" The prince grinned, releasing every iota of charm stored up within his body.
Tianxian was nearly blinded by the amount of natural-born charisma seeping out of the Yao heir, who she had just realized was much too close for her liking.
Garfiel blushed, twiddling his fingers in mock shyness, "Why, aren't you just the sweetest thing?"
"I am!" Ling positively beamed at the praise, his tone too cheery for such a pigheaded statement.
The man at the other end of the conversation winked, "Oh, I like you."
Ling agreed once more, "So do I!"
The raven haired girl stood slack jawed, gawking at the pair as they found a friend in one another and excitedly made small talk as they poured tea.
It was like the two men had forgotten her presence all together. The audacity!
Then that ever present grin was beaming out at her again, Ling's head tilted in an unasked question. He waved a hand at the third cup of tea sitting patiently before him.
"How many sugars would you like, Mother?"
Ire sizzled at the back of Tianxian's throat, the remainder of her indignant shout dying on her tongue. Though the troughs of anger still wrestled in her gut, a sigh made its way from her pursed lips.
Brow still furrowed, she took sluggish steps towards the table and muttered, "I am not your mother, idiot."
However, the young prince took note, the usual frustration was absent from her statement.
Nevertheless, she finally answered in a resigned voice, "Two, please."
"So…this is your capital? Not a beautiful as ours back home, but I'll take it."
A triumphant smirk played on Tianxian's lips as she raised a hand to shield her eyes from the early noon sunlight. Disembarking the train, a sense of relief flooded her being. Finally, some progress had been made.
Everything about this moment would have been great if the concubine hadn't suddenly found a trained kunai aimed at her aortal artery.
"Shi wretch, what have you done with to the young master?"
Tianxian bit back a bark in Xingese, "I did not realize that I had been lowered to the status of his wet nurse. Correct me if I wrong, which I am not, I do believe that tailing the Yao brat is your job, right?"
Slowly, as if it truly pained Lan Fan to do so, she lowered the kunai before returning it to the pouch at her hip.
"Good dog," Tianxian simpered, gracing the crown of the bodyguard's head with a patronizing pat.
Lan Fan recoiled at the touch, but not before "accidentally" elbowing the higher class woman in the ribs.
With an air of disinterest the concubine watched as the two bodyguards took to skimming roofs tops in search of their master, who had jumped out of the compartment window the moment the train reached the platform, until they became black smudges in the distance. Turning her attention back to more immediate matters, she eyed the three Amestrian friends as they began laughing at the expense of the smallest of the bunch. Meanwhile, Tianxian stood alone on the train depot platform, a misplaced observer of the hustle and bustle.
Rather than fall into the melancholy that being alone in a crowd can sometimes inspire, the girl took the afforded moment to rehash the events of the last few hours in her mind.
Not long after Ling Yao of all people had coaxed her into enjoying late afternoon tea, the Elric brothers had reappeared at Garfiel's shop looking every bit worse for wear. After a fiasco in which the royal status of the fanciful prince was revealed, Edward finally connected the dots as to the reason behind Ling's reproachable nickname for her, "Mother." The pint-sized alchemist responded looking just as nauseated as Tianxian had always felt about the moniker.
Not long after that the automail mechanic girl, of which Tianxian had already forgotten her name, returned complaining about the mess she had most unfortunately been a part of that day. Following a series of blows, it had been decided that the group would set out for Central by train the following morning, thus leading the concubine to where she stood now at this particular moment in time.
"Hey," A grouchy, unmistakably recognizable voice called out over the din of the crowd, "You coming or what?"
Replacing her blank expression with one of practiced snootiness, Tianxian bumped shoulders with Edward as she passed him on her way out of the train depot, "Of course. I have certainly had enough of waiting on you lot. You doddle worse than Old Woman Bao, and she is a 102-year-old blind arthritic."
"Whatever," The blonde teenager shrugged, quickening his pace to match the concubine's swift stride, "The sooner we get you to the Fuhrer, the sooner we can escape your inflated ego."
Without turning her head, she glowered out of the corner of her eyes now that they were in step with one another, "Likewise, heathen."
Alphonse and Winry tailed the two, the former looking exhausted by the banter despite his never changing face and the later laughing nervously under her breath while a sweat drop eased its way down the side of her head.
"Wow. Don't they get along spectacularly?" The gear junkie muttered just loud enough for the armor next to her to hear.
Alphonse groaned, drawing a palm down the front of his helmet, "You have no idea. This is tame compared to three days ago."
"Really, now…" Winry scoffed in awe.
The younger Elric nodded, "Neither one of them are much on cordiality, or manners for that matter."
"Oi!" The shout resonated before the genial pair pulling them out of their chat.
Both Tianxian and Edward had halted midstride, and were looking over their opposite shoulders with suspicion.
Together they called out, "Do you have something you want to share with the class, Al/Armor Boy?"
"Oh! Uh…uh…" The suit of armor clinked with nervous tremors. "N-nothing! Nothing at all! Let's hurry on our way to Central Command, yeah?"
Winry did her best to try to stifle her giggles.
Appeased, the duo eyed their companions, one with a look of distrust and the other with a look of disdain, before they resumed their stride as well as their bickering.
Alphonse and Winry exchanged a glance…
It was going to be yet another long day.
Tianxian bounced on her heels nervously as she entered the plaza of Central Command flanked by her guides. Dark eyes took in the gray-stoned building looming ahead, lingering on the green pennants decorated with the insignia of the alchemists which littered the courtyard. The muscles in her calves twitched, resisting the urge to bolt as the gaggle of teenagers entered the building.
No turning back now, the consort ruminated as the soldiers just beyond the entrance gave her a rather thorough body search for concealed weapons.
Once cleared, Edward flashed his State Alchemist's pocket watch at the guards, "I am a State Alchemist, codename: Fullmetal, requesting an audience with the Fuhrer. I have a dignitary, Tianxian Shi, from Xing in my party. She needs to discuss receiving entrance to Amestris as a political refugee with Fuhrer Bradley."
The guards aimed suspicious glowers Tianxian's way, most likely recognizing her exotic clothing as non-Amestrian, but nevertheless, they acquiesced.
"I see…" The older of the two guards murmured, leading them towards a long stretch of elevators, "It's been quite a busy day for immigrants in the Capital. Not too much earlier, my partner and I picked a vagrant off the street while out on patrol."
Tianxian tuned in to the small talk, "Is that so? Try not to let the common foreign folk sully your view on immigrants. I assure you that I am a cut above the average droll you would find amongst the gutters."
"Right…" The man with the graying hair drawled at her haughty comment, "Anyway, this man's passed out in the middle of the street, doesn't have a cenz in sight, and claims to be the Prince of Xing of all things!"
The group paled considerably at the title, Alphonse and Winry exchanging worried looks while Edward and Tianxian attempted to remain as straight-faced as possible.
"Did you…Did you place this man in prison?" The raven-haired girl asked attempting to seem only mildly interested.
The guard nodded affirmatively, "The only proper place for an illegal alien."
Again, Tianxian spoke surprising her companions, "Pardon me if I am mistaken, but this individual sounds a bit like my," – she seemed to struggle with the next word – "…son."
"Your…son…?" He questioned skeptically.
Flipping the short strands of her bob cut, unwilling to get into an hour-long explanation of the royal family tree, "I look exceptionally good for my age."
"Uh-huh…" The guard responded clearly unconvinced, "Well, pending your meeting with the Fuhrer, I can see what can be done about your son's release."
Tianxian gave a firm nod, anxiously picking at her cuticles.
Nausea settled in her stomach. What on earth had ever possessed her to arrange something beneficial to Ling Yao, the irritating prince who referred to himself as her devoted son? He was such a damned pain, and yet she had vouched for him. She ultimately chalked up her good will to karma. If she paid it forward here, perhaps Fuhrer Bradley would, in turn, do the same unto her.
She noticed the Elric brother's blonde friend looking her way, and immediately ceased her fidgeting.
The automail girl gave her an onceover before fitting an encouraging smile upon her lips, "I'm sure it will go well."
Tianxian spared her a glance as they entered the elevator together, "Yes, of course."
After that the group fell silent.
As the elevator attendant pulled the lever to raise the lift, the middle-aged guard called out, "I'll phone in your arrival. If the Fuhrer is unoccupied, you shouldn't have to wait more than a few minutes for entry."
Once they had reached the seventh floor, the attendant opened the safegate, and Tianxian walked out alone. She turned realizing her companions had not exited with her. She raised a brow in inquiry.
"I suppose this is where our paths diverge…" Though all three of the childhood friends stood shoulder-to-shoulder before her, Tianxian's eyes were solely focused on amber irises.
Edward shoved his hands deeply into his pockets, grunting out, "Yeah. Not a moment too soon if you ask me."
"I had no intention of asking," The raven-haired concubine scoffed, nose tipped in the air, "However, the feeling is mutual, I assure you."
Ignoring their squabbling, Alphonse chirped, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Lady Shi."
Tianxian almost smiled at the suit of armor. "The pleasure is mine. You are infinitely more agreeable than your heathen brother."
"Okay, we're leaving!" Edward snapped, pulling the lift crank himself as Winry said her goodbyes through a repressed snicker.
As the concubine watched the elevator lower, a soldier stepped forward, "The Fuhrer will see you now, miss."
For once the girl seemed bereft of a snotty comeback as she simply bowed in thanks and briskly strode into the awaiting office she was ushered towards.
Once both feet had crossed the threshold, the large oak door was promptly closed behind her. Vision slowly adjusting to the dim lighting, she surveyed the room. Amongst the plush blue décor and mahogany furniture sat a middle-aged man with a posture so stiff she was sure that his spine must have been made from automail. Warily eyeing the mustachioed man's eyepatch, the concubine approached the person she considered to be her endgame.
"Miss Shi," The brunette man gestured to the single chair before his desk, "take a seat."
"I'd rather stand if it is all the same to you," She responded once she stood parallel with the chair.
A brief moment of silence passed before he nodded, "Very well. I am sure our customs differ."
A tightlipped smirk decorated her face as her only reaction.
Taking control of the meeting, the man she knew to be Fuhrer Bradley began, "I have been informed that you are a member of the Xingese royal court and desire to discuss matters of immigration with me?"
"Yes, about that…" Tianxian unbuttoned the top two fasteners of her cheongsam and pulled a piece of folded parchment from beneath the vibrant fabric, "I believe this will clear up a few questions."
The parchment was neatly folded though the corners were lightly curled, showing its age. It was yellowed, speckled with what appeared to be dried stains. When it reached Bradley's hand, it was warm from having been carried so close to her flesh for a considerable amount of time.
Without an ounce of gentleness, the man unfolded the parchment and scanned it with his unrestrained eye.
"I don't read Xingese, Miss Shi." His tenor gruff.
"Really?" Tianxian's short brows raised in surprise, "A pity considering Xing is your largest neighboring country, and you happen to be a world leader."
Bradley gave no reaction.
"I'd have thought a man your age would have had an ample amount of time to brush up on languages. Forgive me for my faux pas." She muttered plucking the letter from the Fuhrer's grasp.
The Fuhrer bit back a growl, attempting to remain unflustered, "Do you know just whom you are speaking to, Miss Shi?"
"Hm?" Tianxian looked up disinterestedly from reviewing the letter in her hand, "I am well aware."
Then her eyes briefly shone that odd topaz beneath their usual navy color.
"The question is, Fuhrer Bradley, do you?"
A silence passed between the two individuals. It was finally broken when Bradley spoke.
"Why are you really here, Miss Shi?"
"For political asylum from my tyrant of a husband, of course." The girl shrugged, "And, perhaps a bit more."
If possible, Bradley sat straighter in his seat. "Go on…"
"However, the second half of my business is a touch more delicate than the first, you see. Your poor grasp of world languages complicates the situation quite a bit. It would be a shame for the wrong pair of ears to overhear such fragile matters." She said a little too flippantly for the situation.
"Listen, girl," the Fuhrer barked out though his voice was evenly calm, "I am not the person to play games with, especially when you come asking for favors."
Tianxian muttered a curse in Xingese before her salacious expression fell, and a seriousness spread over her face. Weighing her options carefully, she came to a decision. She hated when all of her cards became disclosed, but…
In a voice that held no trace of her former capriciousness, Tianxian purred,
"Tell me, sir, have you heard of The Promised Day?"
Author's Note: I AM SO SORRY! It's been nearly a year since I have updated this story, and I apologize to all you loyal readers that had continued to support and encourage me. That being said...how does Tianxian know of The Promised Day? Just who exactly is our haughty heroine? Merely an innocent concubine or something else entirely? More shall be revealed next chapter, and fear not Tianxian and Ling will be reunited soon.
A BIG THANKS TO: Thanks to X.Creature. , Supreme Genrral Joker, Peaceful Watcher Soul, SongsofSiren, AsamiAiko, thatswhatbeesaid, twistedlittledoll, Roseoptic, and sesshy13 for following last chapter! Thanks to X.Creature. , Supreme General Joker, Peaceful Watcher Soul, RichPauper, SongsofSiren, AsamiAiko, thatswhatbeesaid, twistedlittledoll, and sesshy13 for favouriting last chapter! Thanks to mun3litKnight, Stacked Waters, BananaChips, thatswhatbeesaid, and Roseoptic for reviewing! Those reviews...you people are why I was determined to get this chapter out. Without your reviews, this wouldn't exist. Thank you so much for your support and love.
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