[FMA Big Bang fic] Down the Road - Chapter 10
Title: Down the Road
Author: bay115
Beta: The lovely and great alchemyotaku75
Artists: seta_suzume, ghosthax (thanks so much you two!), and bay115
Genre: Drama, Action, Flashback
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 36,028
Pairing/Characters: Ling/Lan Fan (UST), May, Shao May, short appearances from various OCs and canon characters (including one from the Daughter of the Dusk FMA Wii game)
Warnings: Violence, deceased body being carried throughout this story.
Summary: Ling, Lan Fan, and May took the long road back to Xing by passing through Aerugo and crossing the ocean, carrying Fu’s deceased body with them. As the group was traveling, they got to know Fu better by reading his journal. Unfortunately, the journey doesn’t go smoothly as a water alchemist, the Aerugo royal family, and thieves make sure to delay the trip.
Author's Note: For the 2010-2011 fmabigbang . Last chapter! *wipes sweat from forehead and crashes*
Chapter One: Before the Trip
Chapter Two: Meeting With May
Chapter Three: All Quiet on the Southern Front
Chapter Four: Ada of Rainington
Chapter Five: The Camiburn Tale
Chapter Six: King of the South, Prince of the East
Chapter Seven: The Five Thieves
Chapter Eight: We Encounter Wind
Chapter Nine: Tender
Chapter Ten: Finally Home
Ai Yao couldn’t stop her hands from shaking while holding her tea.
Ever since her son and his guards left, she kept watch out at her bedroom window at night. The letter she had read from Ling mentioned they would be in Amestris for a while. Had they left nine or ten months ago, or maybe more than that? She had lost track of time. Once in a while, would dream that everyone was dead and the servants would have to calm her down.
I wonder if they’re okay…
Ai flinched when she heard a horse neigh. She poked her head out the window to have her breath stolen away at what she saw. Ling stopped the wagon and waved at her. Lan Fan sat beside him, along another girl the lady never saw before.
“Mother, I’m here!” the prince shouted.
Ai’s heart swelled with warmth. The woman quickly rushed out of the palace to embrace her son.
“Welcome home,” Ai mumbled, tears flowing from her eyes.
“Thank you,” her son whispered.
Mother and son broke their embrace. Ai took a quick glance at everyone and had a petrified look on her face when she didn’t see Fu. Her mouth quivered.
“Fu…don’t tell me he’s…”
Her son nodded solemnly and pointed to the wagon. Not wanting to go look for herself, she held Lan Fan tightly and sobbed.
+++
After Ling and the girls were able to calm Ai down, they told her everything over mooncakes and tea. The lady of the Yao clan took a deep, shuddering breath.
“I see, so that’s how Fu died and how the journey back here went.” She sipped her tea and giggled sadly. “Fu wanted his death to be like that. He never liked peaceful endings.”
Ling bit his lip. It was true Fu and his mother knew each other quite well, but he didn’t realize she would take the news of his death quite like this. Then again, he didn’t expect to feel the same way.
“Mother, where is Grandfather?” the young man asked, changing the subject.
“He’s away to negotiate with the Daizu clan. While you were gone, they tried to invade the palace several times.”
The prince clenched his fist, knuckles turning white. His oldest sister was the new leader of the Daizu clan. She had invaded different clans and it wasn’t until recently she gone to ambush the Yao clan.
“What kind of negotiation?” May asked.
“For gold and men, mostly. I’m fine with it since we have quite a few soldiers already.”
Everyone fell quiet, then only the sounds of munching and sipping could be heard. Ling began thinking about what would happen after Fu was buried. He knew, of course, they would go to the emperor’s palace and he would become Xing’s new leader. After that? He wasn’t exactly sure, except for wanting his goal of helping his people achieve a better life be a success.
“My son,” Ai suddenly said gently, making Ling flinch. “I know you can’t stay here for long and need to go down the road once more. This makes me realize I probably won’t ever see you again.” Tears started streaming down from the lady’s eyes, but a smile spread across her face. “I want to say though, I’m proud of you for taking the long journey.” She then turned to May and Lan Fan and smiled at them too. “And I want to thank both of you for helping him out.”
Sorrow ripped open the prince’s heart; he wouldn’t be able to see her ever again. Even though he wished Ai had been more of a mother, he could tell by her eyes she was going to miss him deeply and that she loved him very much. Feelings of love toward his mother welled up in his heart.
Ling wanted to say those things, but all he could muster was, “I’m glad to hear you say that, Mother.”
+++
Ai insisted everyone to get some sleep after traveling for so long. Ling went to his room while Lan Fan went to her room at the guard’s quarters. May was going to stay for a few days, so Ling’s mother showed her to one of the guest rooms.
Once inside her room, the guard slumped onto her bed with a miserable expression on her face, thinking back to the hug she had given the prince earlier. Usually she would lash at Ling for being emotional, but this time she had comforted him, something she had never been good at.
Guards should protect their masters, not comfort them.
She wanted to show Ling how much she appreciated him; he had done so much for her without realizing it. The guard wasn’t sure when she would die in cold blood like her grandfather, but it was now or never to let Ling know about her true feelings.
Her hugging him wasn’t just out of comfort and caring. She loved him-May was right about that. The only problem was, she was a guard while he was the prince, about to become the emperor. Their relationship wouldn’t be approved by the public. She wasn’t sure if the prince had the same feelings for her, but that didn’t matter. Even if Ling loved her back, he would say them being together would be just wrong, and it pained her to think that.
“Lan Fan, are you all right?”
The young woman’s eyes grew wide and she turned to see Ai looking at her with concern.
“L-Lady Ai,” she stuttered, immediately getting up and bowing to her. The older woman nodded slightly before sitting down on the bed.
“Again, I’m so sorry for your lost. I know how much your grandfather means to you,” Ai said. Her hand lightly gripped Lan Fan’s flesh shoulder.
“The young lord loved Fu, too.” The guard smiled. “He thought of us more as his children instead of granddaughter and master.”
An awkward silence hung in the air between the women. Lan Fan took a quick glance at the table, where the pieces of Fu’s journal were scattered.
“Lan Fan, what are you going to do with those pages now?”
“I don’t know.”
She felt a tug at her heartstrings. For hours, Lan Fan had tried to decide what to do with the torn pages, and still wasn’t sure. The young woman then noticed Ai looking at the pages too and swallowed back the lump in her throat.
“Those are pieces of Fu’s journal, am I correct?”
Lan Fan nodded, not saying anything. Ai chuckled, as if she had known the man had kept the book for a long time.
“What have you learned about him that you never knew before?”
“Many surprises.” The young woman lowered her head, not wanting Ling’s mother to see the intense sadness in her eyes. “I don’t know why he never said what was on his mind.”
“Sometimes we lie to not hurt someone’s feelings.” Lan Fan gasped in alarm when Ai got up and walked to the table, picking up a few of the pieces. “Fu probably kept this journal to record his feelings.
Lan Fan raised her head and gazed at Ling’s mother with realization. “I understand.”
I know what I must do now.
She retrieved the candle from the stand next to her bed. With slow steps, Lan Fan walked up to Ai’s side and set the candle aside on the table. Ai raised a quizzical brow at the guard, then glanced at the torn papers she was holding before smiling back at Lan Fan. The older woman released her grip and let the pieces fly onto the flames; smoke billowed and everything turned to ash. After Lan Fan gathered a handful of the torn papers, she did the same.
There was no need to exchange words. Both knew Fu would tell them to burn those pages, anyway. Lan Fan had learned everything about him and would never forget.
+++
A funeral for Fu was held at the palace’s cemetery garden where anyone who had served the Yao clan was buried for his or her honorable deeds; guards were no exception. All the servants, soldiers, and administrators were there dressed in white, paying their respects to the fallen man. When it was Lan Fan’s turn to see her grandfather, her chest tightened. This was the first time since Fu’s death she saw his face, pale and slightly dried up. Throughout the journey back home he was bundled up. It took a while until the young woman smiled.
“We’re finally home,” she whispered and kissed him lightly on the forehead.
After the service was over, Lan Fan went to the palace garden. She gazed at the trees, admiring the beauty of the cherry blossoms. In her mind’s eye, she could see a young girl and old man practicing their kicks as they sparred. The man ducked away from his granddaughter’s kick in time, then grabbed her leg and pinned her down. The girl got up and complained that was cheating, only to end up laughing together.
(Art by seta_suzume )
“Lan Fan?”
The young woman turned to see Ling approaching her. When he sat down, he rested a hand on her shoulder.
“I remember when Fu would get mad at me for not concentrating on my chi. Every time I did, he would break off one of the branches to hit me with.”
Lan Fan giggled. “My grandfather loved the art of chi. You shouldn’t let your mind wander during his lessons.”
“I know. As I became older though, I took my lessons more seriously. I’m glad I did,” Ling said with a heartfelt smile. He became silent for some time, then frowned. “I never expected him to live much longer, but his death by Bradley’s hands…I wasn’t prepared for that.”
Lan Fan was quite shocked over Fu’s death, too. She knew his life would always be at risk for protecting Ling, but thought she would be ready when the time came. Seeing her grandfather killed in a gruesome matter had shown her otherwise.
“No one is ever prepared for a loved one’s death.”
“True,” Ling said, chuckling sadly.
The two were silent. Lan Fan shivered, the cold air chilling her. That was when she grasped just how fascinating Fu’s story would be for future generations. The guard of the prince and his granddaughter helped him cross the Great Desert to help in his search for immortality. They made it to Amestris, but gone up against talented alchemists. Eventually, the foreigners and the alchemists decided to work together to fight evil beings like no other. One of those beings framed an innocent woman, and the elder guardsman had taken her to safety. He went against someone with powers no one would believe, and that was how he had met his end, but not without putting up a valiant fight. She was proud of her grandfather for making those achievements, and this caused her to smile with pride.
“My grandfather shall be remembered for the heroic deeds he did for this clan.”
Ling smiled too. “And indeed he will.”
Lan Fan nodded and smiled wider. She was glad Ling thought the same way. Her grandfather’s journal might be gone, but his deeds would still be remembered. When the time came, she would tell her children and grandchildren the great things Fu did and his story-
No, it wasn’t just his story. It was their story, too-her, Ling, May, Shao May, and even Ada Gautier. The story would pass down from generation to generation. Sure, it might be fabricated, like all tales were, but the young woman didn’t mind. As long as everyone was remembered, she was content with it.
+++
The day after the funeral, the group was getting ready to leave the palace to travel once more. The girls were already on the wagon, waiting for the future emperor to join them.
Ling was still inside his room, looking over the palace garden. A sad smile appeared on his face.
This will be the last time I’ll see this palace.
For most of his life, the Yao palace was his home. He leave, and come back, only to leave again several days later. This time, it would be for good. His hands began to shake from nervousness.
Here we go, once again.
A part of him wondered how the trip to his father’s place would fare. Would there be more unpredictable events coming the group’s way? More obstacles they would have to face?
The prince couldn’t help but chuckle. He was now looking forward to this journey and whatever plans that awaited him and the girls.
It wasn’t long he left the palace and rushed to meet up with Lan Fan, May, and her panda. When Ling reached them, he bent to grasp his knees as he took in deep breaths. The prince’s half sister gasped in dismay.
“Are you okay, Ling?”
“I’m fine,” the young man said as he straightened again. “I was just thinking about how exciting this next trip will be.”
“Me too!” the princess said, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Ling nodded to May then climbed onto the wagon and next to Lan Fan. He took the reins and was about to shake them when he heard footsteps. The young man turned to see Ai run to the gate and stop to wave at him. Lan Fan and May did the same, looking at the woman in puzzlement.
“Mother?”
The prince swore he saw tears flowing down his mother’s cheeks.
“Again, good luck on your journey! The Yao clan is looking forward to you being the emperor, my son!”
A stunned expression settled onto Ling’s face. His brain went blank, leaving the prince unsure of what to say. He then laughed and waved back, a huge grin brightening his face.
“Thanks, Mother!”
The girls waved and expressed their thanks as Ling shook the reins, urging the horse forward. Lan Fan and May continued to call back their goodbyes as the cart pulled away and shortly, they left the palace grounds. Ling looked up at the sky for a time, ignoring Lan Fan as she smiled at him.
“My grandfather shall be proud of you after you become emperor.”
“Excuse me?” Ling asked, blinking at her. He noticed May was just as confused as he was.
“One of his dreams was to see you, my lord, take the throne. Grandfather’s not in this world anymore, but if he were, he would tell you that.”
The young man shook his head and grinned. Without Fu helping him during his search for immortality he wouldn’t be leaving today to see his father. He thanked him for that.
“I think Fu is already proud of me. Not only that, he’ll be able to see me take the throne, even if he’s in hell.”
It was funny to Ling that the old man would think that would be his path in the afterlife. He might not know where Fu was now, but he liked to think hell wasn’t it. At that moment, he knew what the first thing he would do as Emperor of Xing.
“Fu shall be given the greatest honor and his story shall be remembered. I’ll make sure certain of that after I claim the throne,” the prince proclaimed in a calm but determined matter.
Because they hadn’t expected him to make such a bold promise, both Lan Fan and May were left speechless and gave him astonished looks. ‘Their astonishment didn’t last long and they smiled with enthusiastic approval.
Everyone set their sights toward the journey ahead of them. It would be another long trip, but certainly a fun one that they would love every moment of.
Author’s Notes 2
If you guys haven’t guessed it yet, inspiration for this story came from William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. The book is really quite good, although a couple of the characters I can’t stand, LOL.
seta_suzume, ghosthax and alchemyotaku75 get special mentions. Thank you, Suzume, for doing lovely art for this story and showing your undying enthusiasm for it. Thanks ghosthax for able to do at least one art (which is awesome by the way!) and letting me know last minute that you enjoyed this story. Also thank you, alchemyotaku75, for helping me out making this story better, writing style wise, even with your busy schedule and many things going on with your life at the moment. I owe you big.
A lot more I want to say over the story, but I already pretty much said them in previous author notes for each chapter, heh. I hope you readers enjoyed this story as much as I had fun writing it and looking forward to the comments!
Author: bay115
Beta: The lovely and great alchemyotaku75
Artists: seta_suzume, ghosthax (thanks so much you two!), and bay115
Genre: Drama, Action, Flashback
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 36,028
Pairing/Characters: Ling/Lan Fan (UST), May, Shao May, short appearances from various OCs and canon characters (including one from the Daughter of the Dusk FMA Wii game)
Warnings: Violence, deceased body being carried throughout this story.
Summary: Ling, Lan Fan, and May took the long road back to Xing by passing through Aerugo and crossing the ocean, carrying Fu’s deceased body with them. As the group was traveling, they got to know Fu better by reading his journal. Unfortunately, the journey doesn’t go smoothly as a water alchemist, the Aerugo royal family, and thieves make sure to delay the trip.
Author's Note: For the 2010-2011 fmabigbang . Last chapter! *wipes sweat from forehead and crashes*
Chapter One: Before the Trip
Chapter Two: Meeting With May
Chapter Three: All Quiet on the Southern Front
Chapter Four: Ada of Rainington
Chapter Five: The Camiburn Tale
Chapter Six: King of the South, Prince of the East
Chapter Seven: The Five Thieves
Chapter Eight: We Encounter Wind
Chapter Nine: Tender
Chapter Ten: Finally Home
Ai Yao couldn’t stop her hands from shaking while holding her tea.
Ever since her son and his guards left, she kept watch out at her bedroom window at night. The letter she had read from Ling mentioned they would be in Amestris for a while. Had they left nine or ten months ago, or maybe more than that? She had lost track of time. Once in a while, would dream that everyone was dead and the servants would have to calm her down.
I wonder if they’re okay…
Ai flinched when she heard a horse neigh. She poked her head out the window to have her breath stolen away at what she saw. Ling stopped the wagon and waved at her. Lan Fan sat beside him, along another girl the lady never saw before.
“Mother, I’m here!” the prince shouted.
Ai’s heart swelled with warmth. The woman quickly rushed out of the palace to embrace her son.
“Welcome home,” Ai mumbled, tears flowing from her eyes.
“Thank you,” her son whispered.
Mother and son broke their embrace. Ai took a quick glance at everyone and had a petrified look on her face when she didn’t see Fu. Her mouth quivered.
“Fu…don’t tell me he’s…”
Her son nodded solemnly and pointed to the wagon. Not wanting to go look for herself, she held Lan Fan tightly and sobbed.
+++
After Ling and the girls were able to calm Ai down, they told her everything over mooncakes and tea. The lady of the Yao clan took a deep, shuddering breath.
“I see, so that’s how Fu died and how the journey back here went.” She sipped her tea and giggled sadly. “Fu wanted his death to be like that. He never liked peaceful endings.”
Ling bit his lip. It was true Fu and his mother knew each other quite well, but he didn’t realize she would take the news of his death quite like this. Then again, he didn’t expect to feel the same way.
“Mother, where is Grandfather?” the young man asked, changing the subject.
“He’s away to negotiate with the Daizu clan. While you were gone, they tried to invade the palace several times.”
The prince clenched his fist, knuckles turning white. His oldest sister was the new leader of the Daizu clan. She had invaded different clans and it wasn’t until recently she gone to ambush the Yao clan.
“What kind of negotiation?” May asked.
“For gold and men, mostly. I’m fine with it since we have quite a few soldiers already.”
Everyone fell quiet, then only the sounds of munching and sipping could be heard. Ling began thinking about what would happen after Fu was buried. He knew, of course, they would go to the emperor’s palace and he would become Xing’s new leader. After that? He wasn’t exactly sure, except for wanting his goal of helping his people achieve a better life be a success.
“My son,” Ai suddenly said gently, making Ling flinch. “I know you can’t stay here for long and need to go down the road once more. This makes me realize I probably won’t ever see you again.” Tears started streaming down from the lady’s eyes, but a smile spread across her face. “I want to say though, I’m proud of you for taking the long journey.” She then turned to May and Lan Fan and smiled at them too. “And I want to thank both of you for helping him out.”
Sorrow ripped open the prince’s heart; he wouldn’t be able to see her ever again. Even though he wished Ai had been more of a mother, he could tell by her eyes she was going to miss him deeply and that she loved him very much. Feelings of love toward his mother welled up in his heart.
Ling wanted to say those things, but all he could muster was, “I’m glad to hear you say that, Mother.”
+++
Ai insisted everyone to get some sleep after traveling for so long. Ling went to his room while Lan Fan went to her room at the guard’s quarters. May was going to stay for a few days, so Ling’s mother showed her to one of the guest rooms.
Once inside her room, the guard slumped onto her bed with a miserable expression on her face, thinking back to the hug she had given the prince earlier. Usually she would lash at Ling for being emotional, but this time she had comforted him, something she had never been good at.
Guards should protect their masters, not comfort them.
She wanted to show Ling how much she appreciated him; he had done so much for her without realizing it. The guard wasn’t sure when she would die in cold blood like her grandfather, but it was now or never to let Ling know about her true feelings.
Her hugging him wasn’t just out of comfort and caring. She loved him-May was right about that. The only problem was, she was a guard while he was the prince, about to become the emperor. Their relationship wouldn’t be approved by the public. She wasn’t sure if the prince had the same feelings for her, but that didn’t matter. Even if Ling loved her back, he would say them being together would be just wrong, and it pained her to think that.
“Lan Fan, are you all right?”
The young woman’s eyes grew wide and she turned to see Ai looking at her with concern.
“L-Lady Ai,” she stuttered, immediately getting up and bowing to her. The older woman nodded slightly before sitting down on the bed.
“Again, I’m so sorry for your lost. I know how much your grandfather means to you,” Ai said. Her hand lightly gripped Lan Fan’s flesh shoulder.
“The young lord loved Fu, too.” The guard smiled. “He thought of us more as his children instead of granddaughter and master.”
An awkward silence hung in the air between the women. Lan Fan took a quick glance at the table, where the pieces of Fu’s journal were scattered.
“Lan Fan, what are you going to do with those pages now?”
“I don’t know.”
She felt a tug at her heartstrings. For hours, Lan Fan had tried to decide what to do with the torn pages, and still wasn’t sure. The young woman then noticed Ai looking at the pages too and swallowed back the lump in her throat.
“Those are pieces of Fu’s journal, am I correct?”
Lan Fan nodded, not saying anything. Ai chuckled, as if she had known the man had kept the book for a long time.
“What have you learned about him that you never knew before?”
“Many surprises.” The young woman lowered her head, not wanting Ling’s mother to see the intense sadness in her eyes. “I don’t know why he never said what was on his mind.”
“Sometimes we lie to not hurt someone’s feelings.” Lan Fan gasped in alarm when Ai got up and walked to the table, picking up a few of the pieces. “Fu probably kept this journal to record his feelings.
Lan Fan raised her head and gazed at Ling’s mother with realization. “I understand.”
I know what I must do now.
She retrieved the candle from the stand next to her bed. With slow steps, Lan Fan walked up to Ai’s side and set the candle aside on the table. Ai raised a quizzical brow at the guard, then glanced at the torn papers she was holding before smiling back at Lan Fan. The older woman released her grip and let the pieces fly onto the flames; smoke billowed and everything turned to ash. After Lan Fan gathered a handful of the torn papers, she did the same.
There was no need to exchange words. Both knew Fu would tell them to burn those pages, anyway. Lan Fan had learned everything about him and would never forget.
+++
A funeral for Fu was held at the palace’s cemetery garden where anyone who had served the Yao clan was buried for his or her honorable deeds; guards were no exception. All the servants, soldiers, and administrators were there dressed in white, paying their respects to the fallen man. When it was Lan Fan’s turn to see her grandfather, her chest tightened. This was the first time since Fu’s death she saw his face, pale and slightly dried up. Throughout the journey back home he was bundled up. It took a while until the young woman smiled.
“We’re finally home,” she whispered and kissed him lightly on the forehead.
After the service was over, Lan Fan went to the palace garden. She gazed at the trees, admiring the beauty of the cherry blossoms. In her mind’s eye, she could see a young girl and old man practicing their kicks as they sparred. The man ducked away from his granddaughter’s kick in time, then grabbed her leg and pinned her down. The girl got up and complained that was cheating, only to end up laughing together.
(Art by seta_suzume )
“Lan Fan?”
The young woman turned to see Ling approaching her. When he sat down, he rested a hand on her shoulder.
“I remember when Fu would get mad at me for not concentrating on my chi. Every time I did, he would break off one of the branches to hit me with.”
Lan Fan giggled. “My grandfather loved the art of chi. You shouldn’t let your mind wander during his lessons.”
“I know. As I became older though, I took my lessons more seriously. I’m glad I did,” Ling said with a heartfelt smile. He became silent for some time, then frowned. “I never expected him to live much longer, but his death by Bradley’s hands…I wasn’t prepared for that.”
Lan Fan was quite shocked over Fu’s death, too. She knew his life would always be at risk for protecting Ling, but thought she would be ready when the time came. Seeing her grandfather killed in a gruesome matter had shown her otherwise.
“No one is ever prepared for a loved one’s death.”
“True,” Ling said, chuckling sadly.
The two were silent. Lan Fan shivered, the cold air chilling her. That was when she grasped just how fascinating Fu’s story would be for future generations. The guard of the prince and his granddaughter helped him cross the Great Desert to help in his search for immortality. They made it to Amestris, but gone up against talented alchemists. Eventually, the foreigners and the alchemists decided to work together to fight evil beings like no other. One of those beings framed an innocent woman, and the elder guardsman had taken her to safety. He went against someone with powers no one would believe, and that was how he had met his end, but not without putting up a valiant fight. She was proud of her grandfather for making those achievements, and this caused her to smile with pride.
“My grandfather shall be remembered for the heroic deeds he did for this clan.”
Ling smiled too. “And indeed he will.”
Lan Fan nodded and smiled wider. She was glad Ling thought the same way. Her grandfather’s journal might be gone, but his deeds would still be remembered. When the time came, she would tell her children and grandchildren the great things Fu did and his story-
No, it wasn’t just his story. It was their story, too-her, Ling, May, Shao May, and even Ada Gautier. The story would pass down from generation to generation. Sure, it might be fabricated, like all tales were, but the young woman didn’t mind. As long as everyone was remembered, she was content with it.
+++
The day after the funeral, the group was getting ready to leave the palace to travel once more. The girls were already on the wagon, waiting for the future emperor to join them.
Ling was still inside his room, looking over the palace garden. A sad smile appeared on his face.
This will be the last time I’ll see this palace.
For most of his life, the Yao palace was his home. He leave, and come back, only to leave again several days later. This time, it would be for good. His hands began to shake from nervousness.
Here we go, once again.
A part of him wondered how the trip to his father’s place would fare. Would there be more unpredictable events coming the group’s way? More obstacles they would have to face?
The prince couldn’t help but chuckle. He was now looking forward to this journey and whatever plans that awaited him and the girls.
It wasn’t long he left the palace and rushed to meet up with Lan Fan, May, and her panda. When Ling reached them, he bent to grasp his knees as he took in deep breaths. The prince’s half sister gasped in dismay.
“Are you okay, Ling?”
“I’m fine,” the young man said as he straightened again. “I was just thinking about how exciting this next trip will be.”
“Me too!” the princess said, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Ling nodded to May then climbed onto the wagon and next to Lan Fan. He took the reins and was about to shake them when he heard footsteps. The young man turned to see Ai run to the gate and stop to wave at him. Lan Fan and May did the same, looking at the woman in puzzlement.
“Mother?”
The prince swore he saw tears flowing down his mother’s cheeks.
“Again, good luck on your journey! The Yao clan is looking forward to you being the emperor, my son!”
A stunned expression settled onto Ling’s face. His brain went blank, leaving the prince unsure of what to say. He then laughed and waved back, a huge grin brightening his face.
“Thanks, Mother!”
The girls waved and expressed their thanks as Ling shook the reins, urging the horse forward. Lan Fan and May continued to call back their goodbyes as the cart pulled away and shortly, they left the palace grounds. Ling looked up at the sky for a time, ignoring Lan Fan as she smiled at him.
“My grandfather shall be proud of you after you become emperor.”
“Excuse me?” Ling asked, blinking at her. He noticed May was just as confused as he was.
“One of his dreams was to see you, my lord, take the throne. Grandfather’s not in this world anymore, but if he were, he would tell you that.”
The young man shook his head and grinned. Without Fu helping him during his search for immortality he wouldn’t be leaving today to see his father. He thanked him for that.
“I think Fu is already proud of me. Not only that, he’ll be able to see me take the throne, even if he’s in hell.”
It was funny to Ling that the old man would think that would be his path in the afterlife. He might not know where Fu was now, but he liked to think hell wasn’t it. At that moment, he knew what the first thing he would do as Emperor of Xing.
“Fu shall be given the greatest honor and his story shall be remembered. I’ll make sure certain of that after I claim the throne,” the prince proclaimed in a calm but determined matter.
Because they hadn’t expected him to make such a bold promise, both Lan Fan and May were left speechless and gave him astonished looks. ‘Their astonishment didn’t last long and they smiled with enthusiastic approval.
Everyone set their sights toward the journey ahead of them. It would be another long trip, but certainly a fun one that they would love every moment of.
Author’s Notes 2
If you guys haven’t guessed it yet, inspiration for this story came from William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. The book is really quite good, although a couple of the characters I can’t stand, LOL.
seta_suzume, ghosthax and alchemyotaku75 get special mentions. Thank you, Suzume, for doing lovely art for this story and showing your undying enthusiasm for it. Thanks ghosthax for able to do at least one art (which is awesome by the way!) and letting me know last minute that you enjoyed this story. Also thank you, alchemyotaku75, for helping me out making this story better, writing style wise, even with your busy schedule and many things going on with your life at the moment. I owe you big.
A lot more I want to say over the story, but I already pretty much said them in previous author notes for each chapter, heh. I hope you readers enjoyed this story as much as I had fun writing it and looking forward to the comments!