Honeymoon Continued
Honeymoon Continued
Jungle
9:00 am
Edward had hired a guide and given them the co-ordinates recorded in His journal as the hometown of the Yao. Ed thought about asking Ling about it as well, when he saw Ling at the wedding, because this was much further south than where the Yao Clan had been located when Edward had visited, but since they all moved to the Imperial City, perhaps it was normal to abandon the old lands and claim new ones once a clan had seated the throne.
As it was, they had been prepared to spend less than a week here in Xing. Edward still hadn't figured out what it was he thought visiting these places once claimed by Hohenhiem, was supposed to do to help Ed, but
Part of it was he simply wanted to see the things the man had seen. If for no other reason to be able to envision the places talked about in the journals. He did make sure to spend three days wandering around the port city sightseeing with Winry before they moved on, however. He didn't want her honeymoon to be all about his father's legacy, no matter how much she claimed it was fine. She had insisted this was important.
The hike to the ruins of the former Yao village was less than a day, they would spend a few hours in the ruins, and then hike to the next town where the guide would leave them. It was then a short train ride to the dessert. They had set off just after sunup, at six. Ed had some choice words at that, but he had grumbled himself out over a second cup of coffee, and when they met the guide he had been in relatively good spirits.
Ed's mood was further improved by the guide's short cuts that shaved an hour off of the trip, leading them into the ruins just after nine. The guide then offered to let them split up for an hour or so before having a light meal and returning to the hike. Ed was hot and annoyed, the weather was pleasantly sunny, for which he normally was grateful for the weather being pleasant; though normally he isn't intentionally setting out to stir the hornet's nest known as family secrets.
They arrived in the village rather early in the day, it was evident that no one had lived here in a couple of centuries at least. The forest was over running the stones, even at the walls of the village. From what he had read, he knew the house Hohenheim had stayed in was one of the smaller homes on the edge of the village near the river.
They made their way through the ruins, some building on better condition than others, all of them were still standing as far as Ed could see which was remarkable. Winry was taking up the rear, Ed near the front, with several people surrounding them as they walked, which irritated them both. Ed was more than capable of keeping himself and his wife safe, he had only agreed to a team because he did not want to offend Ling.
When the official guide refused to allow Ed entry into a building for the third time, he was very close to losing his temper. When the man refused to let Ed walk with his wife, he had been annoyed. When the man refused to let him near the river, Ed finally reached the end of his calm, and felt the need to explain to the man that he was well versed in dangerous situations, which a river hardly counted as a dangerous situation. He knew how to react; he knew there were no bandits hiding out here.
They arrived at the house that had once belonged to the Yao family, years before Emperor Shi Yao had united the clans with the help of the Sage (according to the guide, who spoke of the Sage as if he were a god, Ed did his best not to scoff.) Ed moved forward to head into the house, and the guide once again tried to atop him as Winry distracted the others with her dazzling thing as Ed nodded a few times then slipped in when the guide was freaking out.
It wasn't a big house, but Ed hadn't expected it to be from the way the man described it. The stonework was well done, nothing inside crumbling despite years hidden away. If there had once been wooden furniture left behind, there was nothing now. Likewise, all of the doors, including the outside door, were gone to the ravages of time.
Inside, there was a long main room, one end stood a fireplace, the other stood a stone counter system with a basin. Windows were placed on either side of the entry, and above the counter. There was a narrow stone staircase that led to a loft area, and a doorway underneath that led to what Ed assumed was a bedroom. Up the stairs there was a long room that was open to below rather than closed rooms. It really was a very simple house. Behind the house, surrounded by a low stone wall, was what was likely once a garden, and next to it what had once been an outhouse.
They were rather close to a communal well, which was located down the stone street, where there also was a long building that had clearly once been a stable. Ed explored the area for a little over an hour, before they took a break for lunch and then headed back into the forest to ensure they arrived at the train station on time.
The guide and hotel had arranged for the Elrics' luggage to be shipped ahead so that it was waiting for them at the station. Once they arrived, Ed finally had an opportunity to call and check in with his Dad and the boys. Before they had left Aerugo he had checked in and included the change in plans that they would have to spend a few days in southern Drachma since they had spent the week with Cludio.
The boys were fine, and Roy was happy to have Ed check in. He was less happy to inform him that Grumman had decided to inform both Drachma and Creta that they would be visiting, adding not one but two weeks to Ed's trip. Ed immediately shaved it back down to one by cutting the time he had intended to spend in Xerxes down to a day. This disappointed him slightly, since he had intended to spend some time at the building site of the new school, but he could always come back to look it over later.
He also changed the travel plan so that instead of riding the train all the way to Central then taking a train to Briggs before crossing into Drachma, they would take a train to Liore, then hire a guide out to the Drachma border, which would apparently include riding camels. Ed had never seen a camel in person, so this part of the plan fascinated him at least. They would then take a train from Drachma to Creta, and after Creta would ride into Central, then a second train to Resembool.
Plan in place, and Roy updated, Ed and Winry boarded the train in the direction of Xerxes which they would arrive in just after dawn. Ed had bought tickets for a private sleep compartment, concerned that Winry would suffer from motion sickness again and wanted her to be able to lay down comfortably. He considered briefly, offering to let her return home as planned and go to Drachma and Creta by himself so that she wasn't forced to travel more than they had planned.
She seemed to read his mind one again and shot the idea down before it could truly take root. They fell asleep together shortly after he agreed that it was best if she joined him. The conductor woke them when they were ten minutes out from Xerxes, and Ed ran up to the dining car to grab them something quick to eat. Winry had learned that if she ate something shortly after waking it helped settle her stomach, which Ed had picked up on easily and had since made sure to feed her before she got out of bed.
Xerxes
They were able to leave their luggage at the station without a problem. There wasn't much traffic through Xerxes yet, though the station master explained they expected that to change once the school was completed, but he was happy to watch their bags while they explored the ruins.
Ed had had the chance to look through the ruins last year as well, Winry was impressed by what had once been a very vibrant city state. She wandered through the once gardens, as Ed went to the temple to see what he could find. They agreed to meet near the former fountain in an hour. If they could get through exploring fast enough, they would be able to look at the campus quickly before their train late this afternoon.
Ed found that he was drawn to what was once the library far more than the temple. It helped that he had already explored the temple, the remains of the array still in the same condition he found it last time he was here. He stared at it with concern. Soon, this place would be teaming with students and teachers alike. This array couldn't be rediscovered.
It had caused too much pain in this world already. Ed had it memorized, he didn't think he could ever forget it, but he could not let history repeat itself. Decided, Ed covered over the key pointed of the array, instead now warnings of dire punishment covered it. He knew that should someone truly wanted to cause destruction they would not be deterred by the warnings, but most casual observers would not be likely to dig further.
It would not be able to be restored anyway, not unless someone already knew what it should say, in which case they would have no reason to restore it. Ed decided as he made his way over to meet Winry, that he needed to try to hunt down any other possible copies of the array and bury them if not burn them. He would talk to his Dad and brother about it once he got home.
Together, Edward and Winry walked over to the site of the campus and looked over the area. It was going to be a nice size area, with several buildings already mapped out, and aqueducts begun so they could pull from the same underground rivers once used to maintain Xerxes' farms and people. There were planned gardens and Ed knew they intended to add a farm as well, since the intent was to make the Academy self-sustaining rather than reliant on the rail lines.
It would be another year or two at least before they were ready to open the doors to students, unless they decided to aide things along in construction. Even then, they still had a lot of work ahead of them in making it a fully functional school. Winry and Ed then made their way back to the station and were back on the train without a problem.
Liore
Ed had disliked Liore the first time he had been here. He had despised it the second time. This time, it just unsettled him with overlaying bad memories. The last time he come, it was to talk Rose into telling everyone the truth about who had fathered her child. Instead, before he had even reached her apartment thanks to seeing a second girl being mistreated, he had changed his mind completely.
He had taken Rose home with him, welcomed her and her child into his family, and accepted the role as her son's father, all with Winry's blessing. Then Rose had been kidnapped and killed, and Edward became William's only parent, just like Yuery. He was thankful Winry, who he had been in love with since before he even understood that's what he felt, was willing and happy to be his children's mother.
It didn't change how much he loathed the people of this town. They had tormented the women who had been victimized here. Before that they had blindly followed a madman claiming to speak for god. As far as Ed was concerned these people were fools. He Kept this opinion to himself, and also that he was busy patting himself on the back for how he had learned to control his tongue. His Dad would be proud.
His wife, however, was making fun of him. She seemingly read his mind, or at least knew him well enough to know what he must be thinking, so after they had checked into the hotel room, she began teasing him over how proud he was over NOT being a jerk. There were times when knowing his wife his entire life was a pain in the ass, like when she read his mind like this.
He grumbled to himself over her teasing, but overall, he was feeling hypervigilant about having his wife anywhere near this town and its residents. He knew she had been here once before herself, and that everyone around here was still talking about what a hero he was, even after he came and took Rose away. It didn't change his fear. The sooner they left, the better he would feel.
After they had checked in, and left their bags in their room, they had gone done to eat in the dining room. The waitress who had helped Ed track Rose down last year waited on them again. He recognized her, but was going to pretend he didn't until she had asked "No baby this time? That's a shame, he was adorable."
"No, we are on a long trip, so the boys are staying with my parents." Ed replied. He assumed she would know about what happened to Rose, since it had been in all the papers for weeks. He apparently overestimated how much Central news arrived to the ears of a border town waitress, since her next question was to ask if Rose was enjoying the city. Ed clinched his jaw but remained silent as the woman asked more about them settling in.
Eventually Winry interrupted when she realized that Edward wasn't going to respond. "Ma'am, Ed doesn't like to talk about it, but Rose is dead, she died months ago when some group of psychopaths kidnapped her in an attempt to halt the reconstruction of ishval. Ed feels terrible about the whole thing, so we don't really be it up."
"Oh no, I am so sorry! I had no idea. I don't read the newspapers. It's usually so depressing." The girl said looking very sad.
"That's alright. I'd rather not talk about it though, if its all the same." Ed mumbled. He still carried a lot of guilt, blaming himself for failing to protect Rose from a threat he only learned existed by her kidnapping.
The waitress nodded without further comment and the newlyweds were able to finish their meal and head to their room without further incident. Ed was glad to avoid more conversations with locals, until the next morning when they had to walk across town to the far side of town where they were to meet their guide.
Along the way, he encountered the man who ran the food stand shopping in the square. The man recognized Ed of course, and he remembered Winry as well. He asked about Al, and Ed reluctantly said that his brother was busy in Xing before attempting to excuse them by saying they were running behind. The man was confused, as he had assumed that Winry was involved with Al, which caused Ed to huff but not offer any further explanation instead simply dragging Winry away.
"There wasn't a reason to be so rude Ed." Winry said as they reached the edge of town.
"Yeah, there was, he was one of the men leading that crowd that was attacking the women who were raped during the occupation. I do not have to respect him, and I refuse to talk to him longer than I have to." Ed replied with a scowl. He relaxed when he saw Winry's expression, he wasn't going to have to say anything else about this, she wouldn't push the subject. She understood how he felt about the way Rose and the other women had been treated. Winry's felt the same way, as did his family. It was a relief to leave Liore behind, as they greeted their guide, and helped load their luggage. If Ed had his way, he would never have to deal with this town again.
En Route to Drachma
Edward and Winry had never ridden camels before, only horses. It was a new experience for them both. Their guide was a man who introduced himself as Alan, though they were uncertain if that was his first or last name. He was a friendly man, who was full of funny stories about travelling the area. Winry had been quick to ask how long they would be out in the sun, and he assured them they would be taking frequent breaks, and that he had been informed of Edward's leg.
As they rode, with Alan in front, followed by Edward, then Winry, then Alan's assistant Roger, and then two additional camels that carried supplies, Alan told stories of the area and previous visitors. Ed was worried about the heat and rough terrain were going to make Winry feel sick again, but she seemed to fair far better than when they had gone across the ocean. It helped, he was sure, that Alan stopped them frequently long enough to ask after Ed's leg and make sure everyone was drinking plenty of water.
They had taken a break to eat lunch under a stand of trees near a spring. Winry looked tired already but seemed to feel better after she had eaten. Ed was glad they would be traveling by train for the rest of their trip. He was doing a good job keeping his concerned glances and questions to the minimum. He didn't want to annoy her and end up with a lecture about his leg or something.
"Are you doing okay? How's your stomach?" Ed asked quietly as he offered her part of his sandwich.
"I'm fine, stomach likes camels much more than water it seems. Less than trains though. Eat your food Ed, you need it more than I do." Winry replied.
"I already ate two Win and haven't had a chance to work out since we left Xing. I'm fine." Ed replied.
"Automail and Alchemy burn calories Ed." Winry said as if Ed was unaware. Ed rolled his eyes in response but otherwise dropped the subject. Once Winry brought up automail the argument was over and they both knew it. Neither of them seemed to notice that their travel companions were laughing at them.
It wasn't long before Alan gave the five-minute warning to get everyone to regather their supplies and start moving toward the camels. Alan had explained while they were riding along earlier, that several people had gotten sick or died while in the desert. Luckily, Alan had never personally had a client die.
He explained that it was important to arrive on schedule since he would be picking up another group to lead back and they had also already explained what he wanted from them. They were so far on track, and everyone wanted to stay that way.
On the edge of the Drachma border Alan stopped everyone again to remind them all to eat and drink, before they thanked him again and headed to the train station across the small village, relieved that the trip was over.
03/03/04 (added in, clearly ripped from another book not found)
I am going to have to
Leave them soon,
My Trisha and Edward.
Little Alphonse.
His power is growing faster
Than I anticipated I need
To do what I can to slow
His progress. The boy
Isn't ready. Truth told,
I do not want him to
Ever be ready. Part of
Me wants to send them
Away. Far from here, and
Keep them safe. Alphonse
He's never to be involved. I
Promised Trisha. Edward, he
Has no choice.
I should take him with me when
I go. Begin teaching him now, but
I loathe to steal his childhood. No,
I will wait. When I have no choice.
When time grows near. I will return
For him, Until then let him enjoy
His time with his mother as a normal
Child.
_T.B.V.N.F.H