I hope you guys like where this story is heading. I just see Auren getting into so much trouble even though he tries his hardest to be a good little diplomat.
Angry at the whole affair, Auren and Gregor, both in convincing disguise, boarded the train without waiting for their Amestrian comrades. As they traveled Northward, Auren stared out of the window with a permaglare.
"He will be fine, Emil."
"I know. But you know he will be homesick very quickly."
"Bernie held out very well."
"Bernie is not Erik. Bernie likes adventure. Erik likes routine."
"Until we bring the peace, he'll have to learn a new routine." Gregor sighed and relaxed as best he could, readying himself for a nap. "Rest, General. I have a feeling we are not out of danger yet."
Upon exiting the train, neither Auren's low black ponytail nor Gregor's auburn hair could fool the trained eyes of the aptly named Lieutenant.
"Edward!"
Auren froze at the sound of Roy's voice, golden eyes meeting angry black ones.
"I understand not waiting for us, due to the circumstances," Roy said in a rather angry tone; "but to leave Erik behind and willingly out yourself, risking the safety of your Amestrian family?"
"Are they alright?" Auren asked in concern. "They did not-"
"No, they didn't. The Elrics are trusted so infallibly that their word is treated as law." Roy sighed. "You are so goddamned lucky for that."
"I did not want to bring danger to them," Auren growled. "You are one who make me go!"
"You knew it had to happen sooner or later," Riza took Roy's side on the matter.
"I-yes," Auren grumbled. "But now I must return to-"
"Without Erik?" Roy glared at both Drachma men, about to receive an angry tongue lashing from Gregor until Auren held up his hand.
"Erik chose to stay in Amestris, as a symbol of peace. I did not want him to go, but chyolre his good heart, he want to aid in our mission, no matter the cost."
Roy and Riza frowned, knowing the treatment a Drachma soldier would receive in the South...until worse, he was transferred to Central.
"He won't have plans to escape, like your friend Bernie, will he?" Roy asked hopefully.
"Of course he will, Colonel," Auren answered. "Erik is smart man. Only...he will not use them. He will stay willingly until legally allowed free."
"And that will only happen..."
"When a peace treatise is obtained," Gregor finished Riza's sentence.
"We had better move forward with the diplomacy then, yeah?"
"Da," Auren said with a grin. "Now let us begin the proper way, from home and not looking to be invaders. That would send the wrong message!"
"Not for the infamous Edward Elric," Roy laughed. "But I agree. I could use a drink at the Kruza before all of this excitement goes down."
"You are coming with us?" Auren asked in surprise, though this time he seemed not annoyed, but eager.
"As it probably took two men to save your ass on the way over the mountains and you're now down by one, I think it's the best option."
"Ey! I can handle the trek just fine! Isn't that right Gregor?" He turned to his loyal friend who just had a reserved smile on his face. "Traitor!" He barked at the man in Drachman.
"That settles it. Let's begin moving; it's miles to the border through snow and I heard we may have a blizzard today." Roy pulled his coat tighter to him, no amount of fur and layers enough to keep him warm in the northern weather.
"Home we go," Auren said in a low but content voice, revealing a rare relaxed smile that both Amestrians noticed before smiling at each other.
Though they missed Edward, Emil was beginning to grow on them.
But never this cold!
Miles from Xolemir and with the mountainous border in sight, the group felt they were making good time-but they had no idea how quickly their travels would be interrupted.
Before they could travel another hundred yards, their path was peppered by gunfire, halting them in their tracks. Understandably in shock, it took them a moment to find their assailants-a group of Briggs soldiers to their right, the unmistakable outline and hair of General Armstrong in the distance.
Both alchemists stared at the scene and grumbled in unison, "You have got to be kidding me..."
"Colonel," Riza said in a very low voice; "We cannot outrun them to the border, and fighting them would be treason for us and counterproductive to Drachma for peace."
"Understood, Lieutenant," Roy muttered. "Emil, can your alchemy create enough of a distraction to let all of us escape?"
"I have not used it in such magnitude in years, but I can try."
"I'd really rather not get court martialed and sent to prison," Roy complained.
"They'll discover us nowhere in the country anyway," Riza sighed. "And the Elric's word wouldn't be so golden when this is all connected."
"Govno, we're screwed no matter what," Auren grumbled. "Well Colonel, it is your call. Peaceful explanation, or alchemy and run."
Roy knew he had to decide quickly, as the guns-drawn soldiers were nearing rapidly. On one hand, escape would hide their association; though he knew he would be found out eventually, given the last ten years of involvement with Drachma...and explanation would be harder after this final apparent defection to Drachma.
But would Armstrong listen to his and Auren's words? Or would they all be thrown into prison?
"Let's try our first round of diplomacy," he said with disarming enthusiasm, finally settling into fuck-it-insanity-mode.
"Colonel you always will be insane," Auren grumbled as he clapped his hands, returning his hairstyle to his usual color and design, the simple act of alchemy causing the Briggs soldiers to freeze from yards away and re-cock their guns.
"People, please!" Auren stepped forward, hands up in surrender. He proudly wore his Drachman military coat right-side out as they were in the cold North, and it called him out blatantly as the man they were looking for. "There is no need for friendly fire here."
"Friendly fire?" General Armstrong stepped forward. "Drachma and Amestris are hardly near this status."
"Are you sure?" Auren said with a sneaky grin. "When was the last time your soldiers fought against Drachma? When last have you caught an invader? You have heard radio silence for years, yet still you accuse us of wanting war!"
"Because you have shown inaction on surface, do you really expect us to believe that's what you're doing deep within Drachma?"
"You know well what we are doing," Auren sneered; "for we have caught several Briggs men inside our country. The joke is on you General; they have defected to Drachma!" He laughed raucously, stopping only as he felt a gun to his forehead.
Gregor was quick to train his firearm on the man holding his General at gunpoint, but relaxed it Auren sighed and commanded him to.
"Do not be angry, General Armstrong," Auren said. "It cannot be helped if Drachma is such a rich country to tempt even the most well-trained men."
"Drachma is so rich, yet you always desire more land."
"Does Amestris not do the same? Constant wars with Aurego and Creta and Ishval seem to show this."
Roy stiffened at the mention of Ishval, but remained steadfast at Riza's side, trying to remain uninvolved and unidentified.
"Our intentions for war are no excuse to find a group of Drachman men on the wrong side of the border, General Auren," Armstrong stated strongly.
"If Drachma is to make peace, she must see the current state of the country, yes?"
"Peace?!" One of Armstrong's soldiers blurted in disbelief before reprimanded with a harsh glare from his General.
"Is it such a hard thing to believe, really? War for land and resources causes only bloodshed. Emigration and immigration are troubled by politics. What have we to gain from continued state as enemies? Drachma has no further desire to wage war. Even our President deep in heart of Drachma wish for peace, and to visit Amestris on day, as friends."
"A very inspiring speech from a foreign General illegally on Amestrians soil."
"Amestrian snow," Auren corrected, earning a mental facepalm from the others in his group.
Armstrong pierced Auren with her glare, but it didn't faze him a bit. After what seemed like minutes, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, his features finally identifying themselves in her memory.
"Edward Elric?"
Everyone else cringed, most of all Gregor. He only hoped Emil wouldn't be too negative in his reaction-
"That was my name, once upon a time," Auren answered, surprising his friends. "After my abduction, I was persuaded to join Drachma for a greater good and set my goals to peace between our great countries." His Drachman accent remained proud and strong as when the encounter had begun. "You may call me just what your military intelligence has on file-Emil Van Auren."
"One battle with Drachma and you turn tail and retreat to their country, traitor?"
"I am no traitor," Auren retorted, the level-headedness leaving his words at a dangerous rate, just as his friends had been fearing. "Nobody at Briggs came for us. Where is your loyalty there?"
"When you joined the military, you knew the risks you signed up for."
"Amestris' southern soldiers care more for each other than the cold-hearted Briggs soldiers of the North," Auren spat, digging himself deeper into an avalanche by each word. The others could tell this was a rather personal matter to Auren and that it must have festered inside him even as Edward.
"Your temper speaks nothing of peace," Armstrong responded in an almost taunting tone, watching Auren carefully as he glared angrily at her behind fogging glasses.
"Because my General has a foul temper and mouth does not mean his heart is the same," Gregor stated, coming to Auren's rescue just as the man could have gotten violent. "With all due respect ma'am-"
"Sir," Ed corrected Gregor, crossing his arms nonetheless.
"-my apologies, sir; your appearance hides underneath a very talented and capable General who has led forces to keep Drachma at bay for many years. Appearances can be deceiving."
"So you were abducted, got upset that we didn't come for you, joined the enemy, and now you want to claim peace between our countries? I hardly see the truth in any of this."
"Regardless of what your snow-blinded eyes may see, General," Auren said cockily; "This is the truth and Drachma intends to go through with the plans for peace."
"A promising statement. If you gentlemen will follow me to Fort Briggs, we can discuss the matter of peace further."
It took Auren and Gregor one short glance to agree on joining them to the fort. Auren spoke his reluctant agreement, beginning the trek to the fort with the others.
After a mere five minutes, General Armstrong began speaking to one of her men in a language alien to Gregor's ears but one that Edward had learned through books and travels, if nowhere near fluency.
Emil was able to pick out the barebones of the Ishvalan, no doubt a language Major Miles had shared with his fellow men and General; enough to hear the Amestrians' clear doubt for Auren's intentions and how he was just a vengeful traitor trying to get Amestris' guard down.
Sure, Auren could understand the resentment and reasoning, but he refused to be judged and let Drachma be judged on those bases. He listened a few minutes more, hearing traitor a few more times before working out that they weren't going to get much of a chance to even plead their case to get out of prison, let alone act as diplomat in their mission.
Emil glanced at Gregor with a warning glance, readying his comrade for the ensuing chaos. Though he couldn't warn his Amestrian friends without alerting the Briggs soldiers to the plan, he knew they could adapt quickly enough and with a muffled clap of his gloves hands, the action was set into motion.
Alchemy sounded throughout the valley as the light snowfall grew heavier and windier, triggering the start of a much smaller battle between the countries than the last one from ten years ago.