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Edward's foot bounced up and down impatiently, the ride to the palace from Xerxes to Xing was a long one and with nothing else to do other than look out the carriage's window and unto the seas of golden sand he found himself bored to almost death.
"Stop fidgeting, brother." Alphonse spoke, scratching his pencil down on the notebook he always carried around. "We're not too far."
Edward groaned loudly pressing the ball of his hands on his eyes.
"You said that hours ago."
Alphonse just hummed at him, leaving Edward to his sulking.
"I didn't even want to come here. We could've just gotten the books sent to us." He grumbled, crossing his arms and burying himself on his seat. "This is stupid."
"Good sources are lacking where we looked for, it's best to head to Xing where the Alkhaestrists are, we won't be here for long anyways, so stop whining."
"I'm not whining!"
Alphonse rolled his eyes at him. "Sure you aren't."
Edwars turned to the window again and remained silent.
The walls that surrounded Xing became more visible after what felt like 5 hours, the tall red wood held some intimidation to it, and he guesses that's to expect, Xing was one of the biggest countries he knew, as well as powerful. It didn't have any conflicts with neighboring countries, not even with the rising militarized Amestris which seemed to have a hobby for picking fights with bigger countries around it, he blames that on the fact that there's miles after miles of desert between them as well as his own Xerses.
But Xing wasn't free of war or fights, while also being the biggest and most powerful, it was also the one that held the most inner conflicts he knew of, the clans fighting with each other, making allies only to backstab them before they backstabbed you, he'd heard stories from the immigrants that came from Xing looking for shelter from the damage the conflicts between the clans had. It was kind of sad if he were to be honest.
Their carriage passed the giant doors and entered the exotic Xing. Edward felt as if this wasn't going to be the most normal diplomatic trip.
Edward carried his bag on one hand the other holding his coat, Alphonse walked in front of him holding his own baggage and following the guard down the long hallways of the palace.
They were being led to his own rooms, one right next to the other.
"The emperor is expecting you, after seeing him, I shall take you to the libraries."
Alphonse bowed at her and said his thanks in an almost perfect Xingese, Edward following clumsily, finding the pronunciation of the foreign words hard on his tongue.
"We won't take long." His brother promised, he looked at Edward nodding towards his room. "Go set your things, we have a long day."
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and groan.
"I'm not a child." He mumbled as he made his way to the jade colored doors.
He pushed the door open with his hip, balancing his stuff on his busy hands.
The room was big, bigger than he'd ever seen a room be, definitely bigger than his own, not even the one at the King's palace that he was given was as big as this. The bed looked comfortable and held itself with elegance, golden carvings on the sides and sheets made of green shining silk. The walls had traditional paintings portraying working men at rice fields.
Edward felt out of place with his Xersian robes and worn down sandals, he probably should've worn some of his fancier robes for this. He was meeting an Emperor after all.
He looked at his bag.
It'd probably be for the best he changes.
When he came out of the room dressed in crimson robes and his hair tied in a tight braid Alphonse didn't say anything and hid his small laugh behind a fake cough. Edward elbowed his side.
"Ah, the Elrics." The emperor dressed in long layers of golden, he sat on a throne that seemed… An exaggeration in Edward's eyes, it was tall, and held the emperor in a position that out him above whoever was seeing him, making him look down at the brothers. He's old, that's an understatement, but he doesn't hold the wisdom such as a fictional king, like the ones that ruled with a golden heart and an iron fist, he looks... snobbish, he looks like an egocentrically prick if Ed's honest.
Most rulers do anyways
They both bowed in respect.
"I hope your trip was pleasant."
"It certainly was, we are thankful for your hospitality, Holy Highness, it is kind of you to let us stay here for our studies."
"Of course," The Emperor spoke with a loud booming voice, he held himself with authority, "Xerxes is a respectable city and a valuable ally, we are glad to help in your studies. How is Hohenheim?"
Edward couldn't help the grimace that his mouth formed into, but Al smiled as respectful as ever and answered.
"He's incredibly sorry that he could not attend, his presence was needed by the king and couldn't personally thank you for your help."
"Do not worry," He dismissed them with a hand motion. "Now, I will not hold you back from your studies anymore." He turned his head towards the guard that accompanied them to the throne room. He spoke Xingese to her, and Alphonse leaned towards him to translate quietly when he saw him curiously watching the exchange.
"He's telling her to guide us to the library." He whispered to him and Edward nodded.
"Follow me." They bowed to the Emperor once more and said their thanks.
The guard opened the doors to the and left them with a curt nod.
"Now this is right up my alley." Alphonse laughed at him and shoved him lightly.
"Shut up." He gave a look over to the tall shelves of books and scrolls. "Now let's find those Alkahestry book. There has to be some Xerxian translations, there's a copy of every book published in Xing here."
Edward gave a low whistle as he walked towards one of the shelves, he pressed a finger to the leather.
"I'll start here."
Alphonse nodded at him, and then headed to the other corner of the room.
"I'll be here if you need me!"
"Alright!"
It wasn't even a solid hour before he was interrupted by the door slamming open and a tall man scurrying inside, a small pouch grasped tightly in his hand.
"What the-"
"Shh!"
The man made frantic hand motions as he spoke rapid Xingese. Edward heard the commotion coming from outside. Guards seeming to shout at each other in pursuit of someone. The man pressed the door closed with his entire weight and laughed quietly as he regained his breath, Edward looked at him bewildered, angry and confused because of the intrusion.
"Who-"
" Shh! " The running footsteps soon left and the man breathed out in relief, slumping against the door and opening the pouch. Edward looked him over, studying him. He wore loose pants and the golden silks of the top he wore were almost as shiny and pretty as the ones the Emperor had, his lower torso was wrapped in bandages and his knuckles held tiny scars in them. His long black hair tied up in a snug ponytail, he had a wild smile as he breathed heavily.
"Who the hell are you!?"
Edward screeched, standing up from his place at the cushions on the floor.
"Xerxian?" The stranger looked at him with half open eyes, he grabbed what looked like a small pastry from the bag and tied it close once again. "Want?" His Xerxian was choppy, but he had some way to communicate.
"What? No!"
He shrugged and ate it instead, he opened the door to peek at the hallways. He looked at Ed again and flashed an almost sheepish smile at him, and if Ed wasn't as angry as he was he might've blushed. Might've.
"Thank you!" He said opening the door and heading out. "For help." He clarified and closed the door.
Edward was afraid to ask about what he really helped with.
"Oh," Edward startled at hearing his brother's voice from behind him. "So you met the prince."
"The WHAT!?"
—
Alphonse had explained that the man who caused havoc at the palace was the prince himself, the twelfth son of the emperor, Ling Yao, he was supposedly one of the four heirs most fit for the throne (a fact Edward thought unlikely). Alphonse had met him before, at one of the trips he had accompanied Hohenheim to. He was fond of the country and Ling and him had met at the library almost in the same kind of situation Ed had met him, Ling had curiosity over Xerxes and Alphonse had gladly answered his many questions and taught him some Xerxian which he absorbed as quickly as he could, a feat Ed had some sort of respect for, Xerxian wasn't the most simple of languages to learn.
His interactions with the prince weren't any less hectic since the first time he met him. He didn't know too much Xerxian and Edward knew only basics of Xingese so communication between them was a little scarce if Alphonse wasn't with them, that didn't stop the wild prince from popping out of seemingly nowhere to annoy Edward as much as he could at the library. He had a knack for it, almost a gift, a natural talent at being annoying and loud and he came by whenever Ed was studying, too often he brought food to the library, which he refused to share most of the time.
"Don't you have important stuff to do?" He addressed Ling when he came inside the library, chewing grapes he must've stolen from the kitchen.He tilted his head at him, a habit Edward recognized by now. "Like prince tasks?"
Ling laughed loudly, covering his full mouth with his hand.
"Don't worry!"
He looked at the alkahestry book Edward was reading, studying the Xerxian characters with interest, he did that a lot. He suddenly pointed at one word and looked expectantly at Ed. Another habit he had, he'd point at words and then wait for a translation. Edward wrecked his brain to find this one.
"Uhm, that's gold… means uh… Jīn."
Ling perked up, an enthusiastic smile taking over his face.
"Gold." He tested out the word on his own tongue, and Ed felt amused at his antics, as annoying as the guy was, when calm he could be good company. "I like that." He said, leaning on the table Ed was using almost draping himself like the cats he saw Alphonse petting at the royal gardens.
Ed averted his gaze to continue his studying.
It wasn't that simple with the prince looking at him and smiling like that though.
—
"So," Al began, reshelving the books he and Ed were using minutes ago, the way he spoke just told Ed he was in it for Alphonse's relentless teasing. "Ling huh?"
"What about him?" He feigned ignorance, looking over the scroll in his hands but not being able to retain any information from it.
"Oh, come on Ed!" He finished restoring the last book and threw himself at the cushions beside Ed. "He's always doing the eyes at you!!"
Edward buried his face in the scroll feeling the way his face reddened and he moaned pathetically.
" Shut up. "
Alphonse squealed at him and hit him on the arm repeatedly. "I can't believe it!! My brother finally pays attention to something other than books and sparring!"
" Al! " Edward threw the scroll at him as he whined.
"What? This is an important day. We should make it a holiday."
"I hate you."
" Sure you do."
Both of them stayed silent, Alphonse rolling the scroll to put it away and Edward letting the heat on his cheeks cool.
"I say you go for it." Alphonse handed the scroll back.
"Al, I can't, even if he was…" He placed the scroll on the wooden box he first took it out from. "Interested-"
"Which he definitely is."
"You don't know that…" Edward held his head between his hands. He breathed out from his nose, tired.
"We're not kids, he's a prince. There's- There's rules. I'm not even from this country." Al looked at him, silently letting him speak his worries. "He's a prince. " He repeated, this is why he tried not to think about Ling.
"Sorry." Alphonse pressed his weight on Ed, a comforting presence for him.
"Not your fault, Al."
Both of them didn't really feel like studying anymore.
—
"Ed!" Ling came to him running, grabbed hus wrist and kept running, dragging him along.
"Hey, what the hell!?"
"Come!" Ling's sandals paddled on the floor and Ed found it hard to keep up with the initial surprise and Ling's long legs that took up more space in one stride that he did.
"Where the fuck are you taking me?"
Ling only looked back at him and smiled, all wide and bright, and Ed found it easier to just shut up and let the prince lead him to wherever he wanted.
Ling guided him through corridors and hallways, ones that Edward had never seen, so in the core of the palace that he didn't even know existed. A part of him wanted to worry about being here, telling him that it was wrong, that if the Emperor found out the punishment would be severe.
But seeing Ling's enthusiastic smile, feeling the warmth of his hand grasping his wrist –Edward was sure that Ling could feel his rapid pulse under his long slender fingers–, hearing his breathless laughing, it all filled Edward's chest, he was overwhelmed, drowning in Ling, in his laugh, his smile, his warmth, his eyes such a dark blue that were almost black, Edward's head was reeling, his mind lost his footing and only sunk lower into the boy, he found that he didn't want to come back up for air.
Wherever Ling wanted to take him, he'd follow.
Rules be fucking damned.
"What…" His own words got choked up in his throat.
"It's a hidden garden. My favorite one." Ling's grasp slid from Edward's wrist to his hand, gently leading him to the center of the garden.
Ed found himself breathless his eyes taking in the golden flowers and their vibrant colors, the tall trees almost shadowing everything and only letting small rays of sunshine in small openings in between the leaves, the garden took him in as well welcoming the both of them and beckoning them to come closer with its nature.
"I… God, this is beautiful." Ling looked back at him, smiling so softly that Ed's heart couldn't help but hammer in his chest pathetically.
"It is." He agreed. "Come." He tugged on his hand again, gentle.
Ed still found himself speechless, he felt light, he felt so endeared by Ling's subtle shyness, when he looked at Ed every now and then to look at Ed's expression. How his palms sweat and tremble with anxiety.
Ed really wasn't any better.
"Here." Ling let himself fall on the grass, pulling Edward down with him, the fall cushioned by the soft green plants. Ling laughed at Ed's startled yelp.
The trees opened up at this part, letting the sun in completely. They both laid under it, soaking in it's warmth.
They wouldn't speak, caught up in studying every single detail of the other's face, laying face to face.
"I leave today…" Edward told him quietly and his chest felt heavy when he saw Ling's smile turn sad.
"I know." He answered softly as he squeezed his hand, which he almost forgot he was still holding unto. He didn't add anything and Edward's heart felt like bursting when Ling sat up and looked down at him the sun's light shadowing him.
"Ling?"
Ling hummed in response his hand letting go of Edward's to settle on his face cradling his head. His hand felt rough, scarred and calloused, and yet, he held him so gentle, so lovingly, Ed breathed out.
Ling leaned down and Ed's heart almost jumped out of his ribs.
He felt Ling's lips softly press on his, Ed closed his eyes his own hand finding a place on Ling's neck pulling him closer. Ling's hand caressed him, holding him, grounding him, letting Ed grasp at him, Edward felt as if he would just phase through the ground, desperately holding onto Ling in fear of this just being fake.
Ling pulled away, and looked into his eyes so intensely that Edward felt as if he was dying.
He'd die happy if he died right now, he thought, dazed.
"Write me, jīnsè de tàiyáng?"
–
"You seem awfully happy." Alphonse spoke once out of the palace.
Edward loaded his bag in the carriage. He hummed at Al, and he raised an eyebrow at him.
"Where were you anyways? You just… disappeared."
"I was…" Ed coughed into his hand. "At the palace." He brushed a stray hair behind his ear. A small golden petal fell on the floor from his head. "With Ling." He added quietly.
" Oh." Alphonse smiled at him slyly, bumping him as he loaded his own bag right by Ed's. "I see then."
He got in the carriage first and then looked at Ed from his seat.
"Come in, we have a long trip to do, brother."
Edward didn't doubt it.