Honeymoon
Honeymoon
Week One
Aerugo
The rolling green countryside they rode through reminded Ed strongly of home. He had thought so the last time he had gone through on his way to the coast, but this time there were less distractions as he watched the landscape slip by. He focused on this instead of the irritation that had bubbled in him upon receiving the summons to Prince Cludio's palace.
It had been their intent to ride straight to the coast before boarding a small private ship that was to take them the scenic route to Xing, which would take about a week. From there they intended to explore the jungle in southern Xing for another week, before (carefully) crossing the desert. They had it plotted out, and stopping by a royal palace was not part of the plan. Partly because now he was going to have no choice but to extend his trip another week or cut part of the trip out, to visit Drachma as well.
He understood politics well enough to know what a landmine leaving out one ally after visiting with the other two involved with the treaty. It was still annoying. He didn't want to leave the boys longer, and he didn't want to plan a second trip. Truthfully, part of this trip was retracing his father's steps in hopes of a better understanding of the man. Though he was doing it in reverse.
There was nothing to be done about it now, as he glanced over at his new wife, who was sleeping across from him. He had been impressed when she suggested this trip as a way to settle his roots for him. He had thought about taking such a trip, of course, and if not for the boys and his obligations he may have already gone on his own, but she insisted they use their honeymoon to do it.
They arrived at the palace a couple of hours later, and met with Cludio shortly after. Ed did his best to hide his irritation as Cludio offered his congratulations at the wedding, before offering to let them stay a few days and offered Edward access to his libraries. When Edward hesitated, Cludio mentioned casually that his library included a few books written by the mysterious Van Hohenheim. Ed internally cursed as he accepted.
They were shown to a guest suite, and given a letter from Cludio granting Edward permission to access the national library. Ed had agreed not to remove any books from the library, which meant he would have to read through them there. Not normally a problem but this was Winry's trip too, and he didn't want to leave her behind.
Winry assured him it was fine and that she intended to do some shopping, which she knew Ed hated, so he might as well go to the library. Cludio had even generously offered Winry a car and driver, which she accepted. Shortly after she left, he disappeared into the library in search of the tomes mentioned by Cludio. Soon he was surrounded by a pile of books at one of the available tables.
Winry was exploring the market, and enjoying all of the unknown wonders as she was guided by a member of the palace staff to prevent her getting lost in the market. Winry was drawn to the mechanical shops, of course. She also was looking into the toy shops, and was resisting the impulse to over buy, remembering that they still had a long trip ahead of them.
They had entered the third shop, and Winry was admiring a rather impressive block set before reluctantly setting the box down when her guide, Izabel, said "If you like, His Majesty has offered to ship anything you do not wish to carry on back to your home. That way you are not overwhelmed with trinkets on your journey as he knows you still have many planned stops."
"Really?" Winry asked, eyes sparkling with excitement. She quickly returned to the block set, and the train set next to it. Fifteen minutes later, she had purchased a dozen new toys for her sons, as well as a present for each of the Hughes girls, for Ling's sons, and for Hannah and Daniel.
Izabel had the driver loud these packages in the car, as Winry moved on to a mechanics shop nearby, that had a lot of interesting tools she hadn't seen before. Izabel found Winry's excitement delightful, and the two women enjoyed the morning as Winry slowly filled the trunk space of the car. They took a break for lunch, eating at an open air café that served pasta in a red sauce and fresh bread.
Winry had declined the wine offered, laughing off Izabel's assurance that the legal drinking age was sixteen. Winry's wasn't about to tell a stranger, even a nice one, before she told their family. She simply claimed that she preferred water. After lunch, they continued on the tour, now visiting a museum after Winry's worried she may have overspent this morning. Ed had given her access to his accounts, and she had money of her own from her business, but her new husband was also very careful with money. Unless it was for research.
She would be sure to talk to him about it this evening when they both returned to that palace, after all she had spent twice as much as she had the last time she had gone to Rush Valley. Though she had bought gifts for most of the people they were closest to.
They arrived at the palace just before dinnertime, and Izabel took Winry's packages to have them shipped home, before she made her way to their room to change before joining the Prince. Edward had still not returned, which was not a surprise since he had gone to the library. She would be lucky to see him at all before they had to leave for their boat.
She had bathed and changed into a light yellow summer dress , pinning her hair up in a bun, when she finally heard her husband return. She came out of the bathroom to offer him a kiss, before stepping bad with a frown. "What's wrong?" Ed asked, frowning with concern.
"I think I may have overspent this morning." Winry confessed. "I found both a toy store and a mechanics shop."
"How much did you spend?" Ed asked curiously. He was almost afraid of the answer after the way she was reacting.
"About twice what I spent in Rush Valley last January." Winry said, looking down.
"You had me worried Win!" Ed said with a sigh. "I expected you to spend money today, that why I called the bank and had money transferred to that account. It's fine. I mean don't go overboard, but that's about what I figured you'd spend while we were here."
"Really?" Winry asked, relieved. She did not want to start her honeymoon with a grouchy husband.
"I asked Izabel this morning before you left and she had told me she was taking you by some automail shops. I figured you wouldn't want to resist." Ed said as he hugged her. "Now lets get to dinner. Oh, and I managed to get them to give you permission to come into the library to retrieve me okay? We both know how I get lost in books. So anytime you would prefer I spent it with you, let me know."
They then went to meet their host for dinner. Cludio liked the couple, as much as he liked anyone. They fascinated him more than anything. Edward was frequently spoken of highly as a hero. He had been involved in saving whatever had happened to their country last Spring, and most importantly he was friends with Emperor Ling. Cludio would prefer to remain in good terms with him therefore, he had done his best to ensure their trip would be pleasant with they were here.
Cludio did like the young couple, he had not known much about them, however. He knew that Edward was a hero, he knew that Winry was as well, when need be, in a different way. He knew that if his people wanted their best chance at avoiding war with their country anytime soon, their best chance was befriending the new Fuhrer's grandson. So, though he liked Edward, his reasoning behind offering them a visit was political.
He intended to befriend them, it was just a matter of how to do it. Firstly, he needed to know how Ling managed it to see if he could duplicate it naturally. He decided most of the way through dinner that the best way to find out was to simply ask. "I understand that Edward is good friends with Ling Yao, but however did you manage that? There's a desert between the countries." Cludio asked going for a casual and amused tone.
"Ling was visiting last year, we ran into each other in Rush Valley. He complimented my kid. Winry ordered me to be friends with him." Ed said with a shrug. He thought the whole thing was amusing in hindsight. "Then he proceeded to eat his way through my monthly budget at such a rate that we were either going to be friends or enemies, he's funny so friends it was."
"I see. So do you often befriend people who eat your food and amuse you?" Cludio asked this time with genuine amusement.
"Nope. He's the only one. It's a Ling thing. We went through a lot together that's intentionally classified, but it cemented our friendship. He even gatecrashed our wedding." Ed said.
"Hmm. Are you enjoying the library?" Cludio asked, changing topics. He didn't want to make Ed think he was up to anything, because he really wasn't beyond wanting to cement bonds between their people.
"It's a nice library, yeah. Winry's glad you decided to bend the rules and let her in tomorrow that way I actually spend time outside of books while we're here. I tend to get lost in my studies." Ed said.
"Of course, of course. Might I suggest you visit the gardens before you go though? They are renowned throughout the continent." Cludio offered.
"Oh Edward, can we go for a walk after dinner?" Winry asked. She wanted to spend time with him but she liked gardens as well, especially gardens that she could just look at without being the one who had to take care of the weeds and watering. Edward agreed, and shortly after the couple excused themselves to go for their walk. Cludio was pleased, feeling he had made progress in befriending them.
Winry spent the next few days mostly with Izabel as Edward read his way through the library. On the day before they were to leave, she finally went to go retrieve him from the books. He had told her the night before that he didn't think anything of value was going to be found in the books, even the ones he'd been offered by both Hohenheim and Flamel were books he had already owned.
She found him quickly, actually sitting at a table for a change, and wearing a suit though he'd removed the jacket, which surprised her. She decided, and had taken the photo before he noticed her, then she walked up to him. She fully intended to show her father-in-law the photo as 'proof' Ed could behave normally around books.
They went out to lunch, which as it turned out was the reason he was wearing a suit, and then spent the afternoon sightseeing, before returning to the palace to get some sleep before their early start tomorrow when the headed out to sea. They had wished Cludio well at dinner, since they didn't think they would see him in the morning, he rarely joined them before dinner, though Ed said he had been to visit Ed at the library several time.
Week Two
Cselkcess Sea
Edward and Winry arrived just before dawn to meet the ship. It was a smaller boat than either of them had imagined, but overall, it was in good condition, and most importantly to them, they were the only passengers. Aside from the crew, who would be busy most of the time, they would have peace for a change. Generally, when they went out in public, and definitely the last time they took this trip, they were greeted by those who recognized them and wanted to talk to them.
The boat left port as scheduled, and soon they were out at sea. Winry went below deck to their room before they had gotten very far, and Ed followed her shortly after, concerned. It wasn't like Winry to be so quiet. He found her laying on bed, looking pale and frowning. His concern spiked considerably as he asked her if she was alright, while already mentally considering asking the captain to turn around. She laughed a bit at his panic, and assured him that she was fine, other than apparent motion sickness.
Ed sat on the bed next to her as he asked if there was anything he could do for her, but she just shook her head, before handing him her camera and asking him to take a few pictures before they got too far from the port. She had intended to do it herself, but then she had started feeling ill.
Ed complied, nearly filling the roll of film before returning to take a few of Winry, who had fallen asleep. He knew she likely would be upset with him for taking them while she wasn't feeling well, but he thought she was beautiful and decided to take them anyway. Afterward, he kicked off his shoes and laid down beside her intent on taking a nap himself.
A knock on the door woke them several hours later, when one of the sailors asked if they would be joining the crew for dinner. They arrived in the galley a few minutes later, and enjoyed the evening listening to the stories of the crew, who normally spent their time at sea commercially fishing. For them, they were considering this as much a vacation and the newlyweds.
Roy had made the arrangements for the boat, and had paid all the fees for this trip, so it was as much a surprise to Edward and it was Winry that this boat rarely took private passengers like them, or that Roy had spent so much to arrange it. He had told them that one of their wedding presents had been paying for their honeymoon, which was why the only thing he had given them at the reception was a silver picture frame with a photo of them smiling on the porch of Granny's house. Edward in particular was surprised, knowing how Roy could be about money, much like him.
The next morning, Ed woke to the sound of Winry being sick in the small attached bathroom. He frowned in concern, but couldn't even join her to hold her hair with as small as the room was. She came out a few minutes later, and saw Ed's expression. She sighed and said. "If it's not motion sickness it's the baby making itself known."
"Are you sure? Everything is alright? We can ask them to turn around or something and take you to a doctor." Ed said as he lead her back to bed. If she was sick he didn't think walking around on a constantly shifting surface would make it easier on her.
"I'm sure. I'll be fine Ed, I don't feel bad aside from my stomach. It's totally normal to feel sick in the beginning like this." Winry said as she laid back down. "I'm a bit disappointed I'm not getting to enjoy this leg of the trip but overall I'm fine, so don't worry so much. I'm sure I'll feel better when we get to Xing."
Ed hated to leave her like this, so instead of answering her he pulled a book out of his bag and joined her on the bed to start reading. If she was spending the day in bed, so was he. A few minutes later she had fallen back to sleep, and Ed slipped out of the room long enough to go to the galley to find something light for her to eat as well as his own breakfast.
He explained that she was having some problems with motion sickness, and the cook nodded in understanding since it wasn't unheard of to feel sick if you hadn't spent a lot of time on the water. He made Winry a light breakfast of fruit and biscuits and suggested Ed eat before returning to the room so as not to cause her to feel sicker with the smell of his own spicey gravy. Ed nodded in agreement and went to eat with the crew before returning to his room after nearly inhaling his food.
He returned to the cabin with Winry's light meal, and again offered to cut the trip short. Winry refused, and insisted he go above deck to get her some more photos. The trip continued slowly, Winry occasionally coming up to spend time with Ed but the sea air was not agreeing with her stomach. Ed, in turn, spent a great deal of time in the cabin with her reading through the journal entries that he and Al had copied out.
Ed still wasn't sure what exactly he hoped to learn by tracing his birth father's steps. Insite into his thought process certainly, but how it would help his own quest to help his son, Ed just hoped it came to him in time. If nothing else he agreed with Winry that perhaps he could find some peace from it all. He knew he didn't want to speak to Dante, aside from that, he just hoped maybe he's understand the man better. It was a long shot.
He was mulling over this when the boat shook slightly. Ed jumped up and rushed above deck to ask what was wrong. The small crew was scrambling around on the deck, several rushed passed him without bothering to stop, before the young deck hand, Emilo, said in rushed frustration that they were running into trouble with the sharks.
Ed offered to help wherever they needed him, and the captain barked that he needed to be back below deck. Before Ed could argue, the boat shook a second time. The captain shouted one last time for Ed to go below and rushed off to help the crew, wo were setting up the equipment to catch the shark. Ed worried that it would make another hit stayed in place waiting to see what would happen.
The crew finished just as a fifth hit shook the boat. The captain ordered them to get going. A harpoon was shot into the water in an attempt to catch the shark. They missed, and reloaded at a speed found by practice. A moment later they shot a second time, and judging by the taunt of the line they had hit the thing. The crew began pulling it in, when the line slacked slightly and the boat shook again. Emilo was knocked overboard by the hit, and Ed rushed forward to help. It was clear the crew were unable to let go of the line to help the young man, who was clinging to the edge, but that he would fall if left to try to climb back up himself.
Ed grabbed the back of Emilo's shirt and pulled him onto the deck, as the captain ordered them both to come over and help. They joined the others grabbing the rope and pulling the beast slowly on board. The captain let go with a warning, and moved to drag the shark on board. With in minutes they had the fish hanging above the deck, ready to be dressed.
Winry had come up while they were struggling to get the thing sorted, and insisted on taking some photos so she could show off Ed's 'biggest catch' when they got home. No one objected, though a couple though it was funny. As soon as she was satisfied she disappeared below deck so the others could finish taking care of it without her weakened stomach causing her trouble.
Ed offered to help, having taken care of the cleaning of enough animals in his life to know how it was done. The captain agreed, largely because they weren't needing to sell this catch to make up for the trip, so if the young man did do it wrong it wasn't going to cause hardship. He was pleasantly surprised to see Ed did indeed know what he was doing. Ed shrugged it off and explained he had spent e great deal of time living of the wild, and that he'd apprenticed at a butchers before joining the military.
When they finally arrived in Xing, the captain had thanked them again for choosing his boat, and insisted they take some of the salted shark meat with them. Ed thanked them in return, and accepted. He had written permission from Ling not only to visit the country, but any of the royal palaces, so Ed intended to go to the local leader with the letter and offer the meat as a gift. They couldn't really travel with it and he refused to waste it.
Once they were back on dry land, Winry's symptoms seemed to settle, which relieved Ed. He had been moments away from canceling the rest of their trip and booking a private car on the newly constructed railroad. Since she was both feeling better and insisting that she wanted to continue, Ed finally agreed to keep to the original plan, at least for now.
Journal Twelve
1885-1895
12/12/92
It has been too long, since I came to
See Andrew and Sonja. Their daughter
Trisha is getting bigger all the time. She
Is what I needed to create all along.
She has a powerful Core and an active Gate
But is incapable of accessing either. She will
Be the perfect mother for the child. I avoid her
For now. I have only met her twice, a third time before
She is old enough to consider would be obscene.
Instead I went to visit Albus. He is having
Problems of his own. It seems he may
Soon be facing troubles similar to my own.
He is also now Headmaster.
Does my vow include those I was
Already involved with once they
Become headmaster? Or does it
Only extend to Headmasters that I
Meet in the post? I am uncertain
But since I made the vow I get to
Decide if I'm breaking it, and I have
No intent to remove myself from Al's life.
T.B.V.N.F.H
12/12/93
I have been foolishly
Involved again. I refused
A teaching post, at least
However, Albus talked me into
Staying at the castle as an extended
Guest. Albus is entirely to persuasive,
I also loathe to return to
Perenelle's side.
I find she is the most difficult Perenelle
I have encountered. She is jealous constantly.
I have considered more than once the chance
To leave her, though I am untrusting of her.
She could ruin my plans easily if she chose.
She had said that she would more than once, should
I try to actually leave her. Though I am not overly
Concerned with what she could say, I have not entrusted
The Truth to anyone and am uncertain if I would.
T.B.V.N. F.H.