Chapter 20 - A Son of Light

Today was a good day, despite the stress of Edward behaving so reservedly.

Something had happened during the attack on the Ishvalan refugee camp that Ed refused to speak of.

Maes knew something but, unsurprisingly, was keeping it to himself as he did when it came to Edward.

The Ishvalan camp had been completely burned down, yet, aside from the injuries, no one had lost their lives and the officers who had started the blaze had been caught and imprisoned.

Their team's heroism compounded with the public services provided since Edward had joined their team had pushed public opinion over the edge.

Roy's advancement through the ranks was near guaranteed, no matter how much their Fuhrer dragged his feet or what Grand said about them.

Roy was indeed promoted to Brigadier General along with Maes who was promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel. They were even given medals.

Despite the recognition Roy and Maes received, it was Armstrong and Edward who deserved them, both too humble for their own good.

Edward for all he had done to get Roy promoted and Armstrong for housing all of the refugees of Ishval in his mansion. Many were planning to move on, but they were grateful for the shelter and food, especially as the weather remained unpredictable, cold, and wet.

Roy smiled as Grand was forced to pin the medal to his lapel.

Grand's scowl deepened before an ugly gleam entered his eyes as he leaned in to say in a low voice, "Tell me, Mustang, was your promotion worth losing your most valuable piece?"

Roy frowned, "I've lost nothing."

"I've signed the transfer papers this morning," Grand said before moving on.

"Whose transfer?" he asked, voice lowering with each syllable.

Grand smirked beneath his moustache, "Don't worry, your girlfriend isn't leaving you."

"You can't reassign Fullmetal," Roy snapped.

"I can at his request and with Fuhrer's endorsement."

Roy shook his head, "Fullmetal wouldn't leave his family."

Grand's smirk fell, "Rumour has it, Edward Elric was not an orphan, rather he is the son of the Light Alchemist."

Roy kept his expression stiff, "I don't know anyone in the military by the moniker."

Grand's eyes narrowed on him, "In the military, no, but I know about your trip to Resembool." He patted Roy's chest, "Enjoy your promotion, Mustang."

Roy had to steady his breath before he could think clearly.

Maes caught his gaze with a questioning one of his own.

Roy shook his head subtly.

He didn't believe Grand.

He didn't want to believe Grand.

The new information put quite the damper on the following ceremony.

Roy did his best to keep his unease to himself.

Riza caught on, because of course she did, but she left it alone.

Ed did a great job of avoiding him during the pleasantries, politics, and after party. Nina and Elicia seemed glued to him, Ling chatting happily to the three Hughes as if he had always been a part of them.

Maes had never looked happier, surrounded by loved ones and their plans for changing the country going better than they had ever dreamed.

It wasn't until Maes got up to take the girls to the restroom, that Roy saw his opening.

Ling saw him coming and gave Ed a kiss on the cheek before loping off to get another drink.

No sooner had Roy sat down, then Ed said, "I have the ticket already, don't tell Dad."

Anger and concern swamped Roy and equal measure, "He deserves to know."

"He deserves a night to enjoy his success and not worry about me," Ed said without looking at him, watching Ling from afar.

"Why are you running?" Roy asked.

Ed's golden eyes flashed up to him, "Hohenheim and Al have gotten themselves involved in something, or maybe I should say, Hohenheim started something. Al is already too deep in, I won't let it fall back on my sisters."

"If you tell—"

Ed shook his head, "No. You can't change my mind on this."

"Wherever you're going, will you find Al on the other side?" Roy asked.

Ed shrugged, "I don't know, I just know that I have to go."

"Go where?" Ling asked, back with drinks in hand.

"We'll talk about it tonight," Ed said.

Ling furrowed his brows but let it go for now.

Roy could have pushed the issue, but as Maes returned back to the party, all smiles, he couldn't bring himself to destroy the peace.

It wasn't until he was walking home with Riza did he say, "Edward is leaving."

"I know," she said.

He stopped on the sidewalk beneath a streetlight, "You knew!?"

She nodded, "Grand was too pleased with himself, but I didn't want to ruin your day."

"Where is he going?"

"North," she said.
"North?" he repeated. "You don't me…"

"Briggs," she said, voice hard.

"Why?" Roy demanded. "In what world does that make sense?"

She shook her head, "Edward was the one to put in the request."

Roy shook his head, "But why?"

Riza was quiet for the rest of their walk until they reached their door. "I think… I think it's something to do with Hohenheim, but I have no proof for that. It's just a feeling."

Roy suppressed a wave of foreboding, hadn't Grand mentioned Hohenheim as well?

The Light Alchemist.

The Sage of the West.

Hohenheim of Light.

A figure that was ancient as the City of Xerxes, the People of Gold, and just as mythical.

And Edward was his son.

oOo

Greed had come and gone earlier in the week. He had picked up Envy, now Enyo, without meeting with Ed, taking them to live with Izumi in accordance with Enyo's wishes. They wanted nothing to do with the military or Central any longer.

He regretted not being able to say goodbye before departing for Briggs. But Greed had made his choice to run.

Ed had made a similar choice.

It was painfully easy to pack everything he needed into a single suitcase.

Ling watched him mournfully as Ed finished clipping the case shut, "You don't want me to come with you, do you?"

"To Briggs, no," he answered.

Ling caught his hand, I know about the homunculi, please talk to me, Ed.

Ed squeezed his hand, walking forward to wrap his arms around the prince he had somehow fallen in love with, "When truth tells you that you're in danger that you need, I couldn't live with myself if something happened and I didn't listen."

"Ed, what if it's a trick, a manipulation?"

"So far my family isn't involved. And if the brass is angry with Roy or Maes then sending me away will appear as a major punishment to both. It may sate them."

"And here I didn't think you gave a flying shit about politics," Ling said flippantly.

"Politics killed you're entire clan, Ed said, sitting on Ling's lap. I have to keep them safe Elicia and Nina are two young."

"They won't be pleased you are breaking your promise and leaving."

"I know, but some hurts you heal from, and some hurts you don't. Leaving them will hurt but it's better than making them targets. Whoever Greed is so afraid of, I've now taken Envy, Lust, and Gluttony from them."

"Which leaves what, Sloth, Pride, and Wrath?"

"Yeah, and with those titles, I would rather draw their attention away from my family."

"And me?"

Ed pressed their foreheads together, "I would say you could take care of yourself, but I'm going to be really, really selfish instead."

"What?" Ling asked, voice clipped.

"I want you to protect my family while I'm gone."

"Ed," Ling breathed, closing his eyes, then in a swift movement grabbed hold of Ed and pinned him to the bed. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Ed cupped his boyfriend's face in his hands, "Because you are the only one who can see the monsters, and because I don't plan to be gone forever."

"So this is about Alphonse."

Ed sighed, "He got so mad at me… Mad at me for not fighting the military, about the homunculi. Something is happening that Al isn't telling me, something Greed and Enyo refuse to share. I have to go."

"And you think whatever this threat is, the best place to be is Briggs?"

"I think what happened to Xerxes can be recreated, and if I'm right, Briggs is the next dot on the map."

"Ling narrowed his gaze, then sighed again you make it so hard to hate you. Mr. Trying to save the world."

"It's what I do.

Ling shut him up with a kiss.

oOo

Mae's woke up to Elicia wailing.

With just his boxers on, glasses in hand not even on his face, he skidded down the steps three at a time.

"What is it!?" he shouted.

Elicia ran to him, sobbing, "Daddy, don't let big brother go!"

Mae's scooped his daughter up in one arm and put his glasses on with his free hand.

Nina was on the sofa staring up at a fully dressed Ed with silent tears running down her face.

Ed had his suitcase at his feet, looking gutted by guilt.

"Edward," Maes said.

Ed winced, gaze falling to his boots.

Gracia ran into Maes's back, she touched Elicia's head and back, assuring herself of no physical injuries before going to the sofa and scooping Nina into her arms. She looked wild in just her nightgown, hair mussed, "What the heck, Edward?"

Ed swallowed hard before looking up, "I've been reassigned to Briggs, my train leaves in an hour."

Maes felt his expression go blank as his mind tried to process this, "What?"

"I'm going to Briggs," Ed repeated.

"Why?"

"Because I requested it."

"Why?" Maes repeated.

"I can't tell you."

"Edward."

"Dad, please, you have to trust me and you cannot look into it. Not without putting everyone in danger. You have to trust me."

"Trust? Were you even going to wake me up?"

"Yes."

"It's because of Alphonse," Elicia said.

Ed shook his head. "No, it's not because of Al. It's because of Hohenheim. Al maybe being in danger is why I know I can't wait around. But more is at stake than just Alphonse. I think they will go to Briggs, or, at least that should go to Briggs."

"Why would you think that?" Maes asked.

"I can't tell you that I just need you to trust me please, Dad. I wouldn't be leaving if I thought I had another choice.

Maes was furious, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stop him so he said, "I believe you have a train to catch."

Ed's expression fell before it hardened, he nodded stiffly, "Goodbye then."

Nina and Elicia refused to say goodbye.

Ed stared at them for a long moment, before picking up his suitcase and turning to leave.

He never looked back.

Perhaps, if Mays wasn't in his underwear, he would've followed, but what do you say to someone who never changes their mind and is determined to break your heart?

oOo

AN: Thoughts, grey wolves, or feedback, pretty please?