Biting her lower lip, Maria Ross squinted her eyes and tried hard to focus on the moving masses displayed in the scopes of her binoculars. She adjusted the magnification until the figures were clear, and the soldier had to stifle a gasp when she realized what it was.

"Colonel," she whispered, eyes still watching the movement before her. "They're starting to move, but I don't think they are aware of us being here just yet."

Hawkeye nodded and mounted her sniper, joining the several other assigned soldiers on the lineup.

Three teams arrived first near the borders of the eastern desert. The rest of the soldiers drafted for the restoration efforts were set up in bunkers in Womiob, awaiting orders for advancement. Riza spearheaded the vicinity check, as she had received several reports of altercations in the past few months happening in the path that would lead them to the ruins of Xerxes, where the majority of the Ishvalan people were seeking refuge.

It seemed that a rebel-smuggler group consisting of Aerugonians and Amestrians alike had been dominating the few spaces of the desert just outside the borders of Amestris' Eastern area. This group had several run-ins with the Eastern soldiers, and it prompted them to settle outside the territory of Amestris, where the military had no jurisdiction.

However, it meant that they were free to antagonize the remaining Ishvalans and take advantage of their current destitution to extort whatever little scraps of money that remained with their victims.

The situation put a damper on their plans, but it was something they can't leave for the state to clean up. After all, they were near the scenes already; they could very well take on the job.

Through her sniper's scope, the commander of the Ishvalan restoration watched as their decoy group approached the camps of the smugglers. Her chest felt cramped as she sighted the messy mop of black hair, and Riza had to grit her teeth.

With his abilities as an alchemist, it was no brainer that her husband would be on the front lines of any such battle. However, it didn't mean that knowing such fact made it an easier thing to swallow. The Colonel gripped her sniper as she shook the sentiments away. Right now, they were working, and such frailties wouldn't help with the success of their mission.

"Colonel," a different, but familiar voice called out to her. "Every single one of their reinforcements are closing in the campsite, just as you inferred. Around 15 men coming from our right, and not more than 10 coming from the left. Both groups are armed, but nothing more than old pistols and revolvers."

"Thank you, Brosh," she whispered. Hawkeye adjusted the headpiece and turned on the mic. "Ground group, your situation? We have around 25 armed men approaching camp."

Darius cleared his throat gently. "All in position, Ma'am. The MPs are ready with their vehicles and arresting equipment."

Riza adjusted the microphone setting once more to allow her message to be heard all throughout the communication lines. "Zero casualties," she reminded firmly. "Disobedience will not be tolerated."

"Aye, Ma'am," the soldiers answered.

"Men, aim," she commanded, watching as Roy's group got near the camp.

Maria Ross handed the binoculars to the awaiting Kain Fuery and mounted her own sniper quickly. She reported her last observation, "The reinforcements have stopped their movements, Colonel. On your command."

"Men, fire on my signal…And go," Riza breathed before she pulled the trigger, aiming at a leg of one of the rebels before seeking another target.

It wasn't long before they downed the rebellious group, and Riza watched as the Military Police swiftly careened towards the immobilized agitators. "Cease fire. Elevated snipers, aim towards the arresting group, provide support if needed. There could be alchemists within their units. Ground group, advance to the camp to provide support for the infiltrating group. Be wary of the operations at both sides."

"Aye, Ma'am."

The commander didn't realise that she had been biting on her tongue all this time until she tasted the metallic flavor of her own blood. They may have subdued the reinforcements without much trouble, but the real fight was within the camps.

Being his adjutant and bodyguard in the past, there was always a hushed fear regarding her husband's safety. Riza came to realize now that such fear was merely tangential to what she experiences now that she is stripped of the duty to watch his back. The markswoman fought the urge to hurry down and join the ground group, choosing to trust Roy and his own brand of leadership.

hr

The suspicion and hostility were expected and the infiltration group were quick on their feet to scatter throughout the campsite, proceeding with Riza's crafted plan to vanquish the rebel group. Roy remained at the center of it all, barring any member of the rebel group from interfering with his squad's search mission.

Six months after being faced with the Gate of Truth and he still wasn't used to clapping his hands together to use alchemy. Then again, he was delighted at the fact that he would be much more useful in combat now, especially if fire was off the table. His wife had made it clear that he couldn't char the rebels to his liking. She was the commander of the mission, so every soldier must follow her decisions, regardless of rank.

Roy sank to the ground and laid his hands on the sand, creating metal prisons for the rebels who came to greet them at the centre of the campsite. "Search every tent. Retrieve victims, if they have. Engage them if armed, but remember: zero casualties!"

His eyes scanned the view before him quickly as each subordinate set to fulfil his orders. His ears picked up on the familiar cocking of a gun and he rolled towards a stack of barrels, transmuting them quickly to a thick shield. The Brigadier General brought his hands another time and stuck his neck out to check which captured rebels were armed, before laying them on the sand once more.

Fire razed the ground and sand turned into melted glass at the heat of Roy's flames. Tendrils of these melted glass clasped around the armed rebels, pinning them securely to the ground. The alchemist allowed himself to smile at his handiwork. At least he won't be completely useless on rainy days now, with his enhanced alchemical abilities.

Another gun cocked and his eyes squinted before he transmuted the sand he was standing on to a metal board to shield himself on all sides. What he didn't take into account was how close this new gunner was, and the bullet grazed his shoulder before the metal board could extend to cover him fully.

The bullet pierced the wooden shield in front of him, relieved that it was severely off target. Roy winced as the pain on his injured flesh introduced itself. Whilst inside the protective hub that he built around himself, he set the ground afire with his alchemy, making sure that the flames' heat was at a non-lethal degree. Once he determined the location of his gunner, Roy stood up and stepped out of his makeshift shields.

"My lady won't take too kindly to this injury, you know," he growled, transmuting metal tendrils to secure the bastard of a gunner to the ground.

"Fuck you, alchemist," the gunner screeched, an unfamiliar accent colouring his speech.

"Aerugonian," Roy hummed then grunted. "Interesting. I'm curious to know of your objectives once we get you barred in our nice little prisons."

"There are more of us, you smug bastard!" the man bellowed. "Even with your power, you won't be able to protect yourself from the bullets when they rain!"

Just as the gunner finished his threats, several screams and howls of pain were heard from the outside. Roy perked his brows up and tapped his foot. "Oh, you mean them?"

"What the hell did you do?! There's more of you?!"

"Yes, we have friends," he said, tearing a piece of fabric from a shirt that hung nearby to press against his wound. "But don't worry. We've been commanded not to kill any of you."

"That's not nobility. That's plain cowardice," the man spat before he yelped in pain some more.

"Oh, I beg to differ, Mr. Gunner." Finally, the Flame alchemist took pity and put out the fire that threatened to roast the man's skin.

He heard several gunshots firing outside, and while he wanted to come out of the small camp to check the situation, Roy chose to stay as his abilities were needed to keep the more powerful rebels in check. The young general was quick to note that majority of those whom he captured were alchemists.

Soon, the Military Police and some of the members of the Ground Group entered the campsite. The members of his own infiltration group were slowly returning from the search. Not all of them were dragging out other rebels, while some of them were escorting hostages.

Considering his job done, he let the rest of the team handle the cleanup of the situation. Havoc tied the cloth to his shoulder to stop the bleeding, and he was grateful for it. With the smell of his own blood making him nauseous and the heat of his own flames rendering the atmosphere stuffy, Roy struggled to stay on his feet.

"Chief, you don't look so well," his adjutant noted, quickly offering support to his side.

Roy mustered up a faint smirk. "Yeah, I think I lost more blood than I had initially thought."

"The Colonel's going to get you for that, Chief."

"I know. I'm not looking forward to it. Anyways, let's head back to camp the debriefing. We should hope to finish by the time Miles have gone back from getting Scar."

"Yes, sir."

"Good job on your first active mission after getting back, soldier," Roy commended before he passed out.

hr

The smell of antiseptics assaulting his nose was the one that woke him up. Roy held his breath as the events of the recent mission came back to him quickly. Suppressing a groan, he opened his eyes slowly, ready to face the pair of brown eyes that were sure filled with a mixture of worry and anger.

He couldn't hold back the disappointment when it was pitch black that covered his vision, instead of those warm honey-brown eyes. Roy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. A sharp, frustrated sigh escaped his slightly opened mouth.

"Of course, she isn't here, you idiot. You can't be seen together during this whole mission," he groaned softly to himself.

Roy ran his hand to his face and then balled his fist, laying it on his forehead. The Brigadier General couldn't remember the last time he felt this desolate after being injured, but there was no room for selfishness at the moment. They have shed all their luxuries when they boarded that train to the East, and he shouldn't have expected his team waiting on his needs while his wife held his hand till he woke up. He wasn't even sure why such expectations came to mind.

"Who're you talking to?"

The voice startled him and he jumped slightly, his shoulders starting in surprise. The reaction made his injured flesh ache sharply, and Roy was unable to hold back the grunt of pain. He glanced to his shoulder and cussed under his breath when he saw the light-coloured bandage darkening.

"Roy?"

"Are we alone?"

Riza sat up and hummed in affirmation. "Wouldn't be lying on the bed next to you if we weren't."

"Right," he replied, seeing the logic.

"How could—"

"Lovey, I think I reopened my wound," he stated, cutting her rant off before she could start.

Roy heard a sigh of exasperation before the narrow bed dipped. "Of course, you did. I'll get a medic. Don't do any more reckless things."

"Aye, ma'am."

hr

The Brigadier General chewed the end of his thumb in thought after his wife reported the results of the debriefing, interrogation, and the initial conversation between Riza and Scar. "A desert country, huh?"

"It's the least of our concerns at the moment. While we cannot exactly reach out to Aerugo for their knowledge regarding this matter, I made sure Grandfather will cover all bases to know if there are still Amestrians in either East area or South area who have connection to this rebel group," Riza assured.

He balled his fist once more and frowned deeply. "I need to—"

"You are deployed to assist on the mission of Ishval restoration, Roy," Riza reminded seriously. "Unless you ask to be re-assigned, I cannot consent to you running off and taking another matter into your hands as you please."

Swallowing, he closed his eyes tightly and took a few breaths to calm himself. "I apologise."

"It's fine."

"Will it not affect restoration efforts? A part of Aerugo and a strip of land in the Ishvalan territory share a border, after all," the Brigadier General asked.

Riza shook her head. "Scar has disclosed a brief history of Aerugo offering them help during the extermination through outdated weaponry. However, such amicable relations were halted short after the Aerugonian monarchy refused the Ishvalans' request to seek shelter. He says he has no reason to believe that Aerugo will antagonize the land if our side does not do anything that will harm their territory or people. Besides, the border struggle in Fotset is keeping their hands full."

"You are correct, of course," Roy nodded with a sigh. "I can't help but wonder how we'll settle the border struggle in the South and the West, though."

"How about we take care of Amestris' internals before we resolve neighboring problems?"

Roy looked at his wife with a determined expression on his face. "Right, one thing at a time."

A comfortable silence reigned over them as Riza changed from her military uniform to civilian clothing. Roy watched with a bit of sadness, knowing that they wouldn't be coming home to each other starting that evening. In his lonesome, he remembered an important question. "Any word from Scar on whether we'll be tried for our actions in the extermination?"

Riza paused her movements and turned to look at her husband. She took a breath before she spoke. "He has said that he has discussed it with the whole community, and that he would like to speak to us both tomorrow, so I didn't get any details of said discussion."

"I see."

Roy stood from the bed and walked over to stand behind his wife, wrapping an arm around her waist. From her reflection in the mirror in front of Riza, Roy could see the heaviness of both dread and guilt weighing in her eyes. "One thing at a time, my love. This is the moment we have prepared for."

The Colonel turned in his arms and nodded, laying her forehead on his chest. Riza closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth of her husband, her arms snaking around his waist. "I know. I'm more than ready."

"Whatever happens to either of us," he started, tugging her closer to him as much as possible. "Know that I love you very, very much."

"And I you," Riza breathed. "To hell and back."

"To hell and back."

Their heads angled to accommodate their proximity, and their lips merged in a tender lock, slow, indulgent, and long. When they parted for air, their foreheads touched and the sides of their noses pressed against each other so they can bask in the hardest luxury they needed to give up for the many days to come…the luxury of oneness.

"I already miss you terribly," he whispered.

"Please don't make this hard," she breathed back.

"I will see you tomorrow, my beautiful Queen?"

"I shall make sure you do, my darling King."

They sealed away every desire and longing, every ache and wanting with one last kiss before parting. They both knew it was finite and temporary, but they also knew that the separation would be as difficult as going through Promised Day once more, with both of them coming close to losing each other.

"Currently, we have restarted our religious studies. While the military is recuperating from that day, I took on the part of recalling Ishvalans and re-organizing the community with the help of Major Miles' team," Scar said, tapping on the ruins of Xerxes on the map that Riza had laid out. "Our latest headcount is 327: 127 women of ages 13 and up, 155 men of ages 13 and up, 25 girls ages 12 and below, 20 boys ages 12 and below.

"We have been surviving through food we obtain through trade with the goods I make with my alchemy, as there are several peddlers from Xing who cross the desert. Still, we are rather inclined to resettle in Ishval," Scar finished.

Riza nodded, taking notes of his report. "And that is what we will be helping you with for the coming months. We will be working on stabilizing the Ishvalan community, and eventually, your re-integration in Amestrian community. I'm not saying you'll be granted amnesty, since that would entail your community is in trouble with the law, when you are not. It is the Amestrian state who has failed its citizens, as spearheaded by the late Führer."

"I realize that my own community has been accepting of me as its spiritual leader, despite the atrocities I have caused in the past. Will it not be an issue in the future? You said you will be re-integrating us in the society once more," Scar finished. "If they see me, they might associate me first with the crimes I have committed against the military. Those in the know may understand, but the general populace will not."

Roy shook his head. "Your elusiveness during those times had become quite helpful today. Only a handful of the military have determined your true identity, so it was easy to do damage control on our part. That being said…"

Her eyes swiped to her husband's direction and she nodded in understanding. "Regarding the stunted conversation that we had yesterday, Scar-san…"

The man in question sat against his chair and wordlessly urged the mission commander to continue. Major Miles excused himself from the room, knowing that it was a conversation he had no vested interest in hearing.

"We fully realize that the Brigadier General and I have committed actions nothing short of crime during the war," Riza started. "Our initial plans have been to get him to the top, transition this country towards a democracy so that we would be tried for these war crimes."

"But…?"

"But we realize that the actions we committed weren't against the state of Amestris, but against the Ishvalan community," Roy continued seriously, lacing his hands together.

Frowning, Scar took a breath. "What, then, are you trying to imply?"

"We would like to be tried in Ishvalan court," Riza concluded. "There is a chance that there might be bias if we are tried in Amestrian court. He is a high-ranking officer, and I, not so far behind. We would like justice to be delivered fairly. We believe that it is only through the Ishvalan community that true justice for our acts in the war will be served.

"However, whatever your court may decide, it will not dampen the efforts of the restoration. The Führer would like me to reiterate that fact," the Colonel finished.

"Our court, hm?" the Grand Cleric hummed in thought, his face passive.

Riza wrung her hands on her lap, hoping she wasn't overstepping her boundaries or sounding far too selfish with their intentions. "It doesn't have to be very formal. Whatever your community decides regarding our past actions, we will very well accept them."

"And what of the other people who have contributed efforts in the extermination?"

"Those who can are all here," Roy supplied. "Many have already died or are out of commission due to health complications. Those who are here have had individual conversations with the Führer himself. It was either join the restoration efforts and face whatever Ishvalan judgment may be, or face Military Court Martial.

"There are a lot who have chosen court martial. They have ended up demoted to the lowest rank of the military without any chances for promotion, offering life service. However, they will be put into prison once they set any hair out of the line," the Brigadier General finished.

"And did they know of these conditions?" Scar asked.

"No. The military wants to pride itself in creating soldiers who know how to properly discern their own actions from morally right and wrong. The Ishvalan extermination was nothing but crime, and if there are soldiers who do not believe that even after that it was already an established fact, then we have no use for them running around with luxuries and freedom," the alchemist nodded firmly.

"I understand. I shall bring this matter up with the community," Scar replied solemnly. "Do you have a preferred time of this trial?"

Riza looked towards her husband now. She was unsure when he would be called back to start his own mission with Xing. "Ideally, we are not in a hurry. I—we believe that the restoration takes top priority. This is not to say that justice isn't as important as—"

Scar held his hand up, which cut Riza off immediately. "Don't worry about such proprieties, Miss Riza. If it were I alone, I'd have deemed us equal since I have committed crimes against lots of people, most particularly State Alchemists, in a fit of misplaced anger. However, I do agree with you that it is the community who will get to decide. I only ask for you to allow me to convene with them first, and I will let you know once we have reached the decision. On the meantime, I think it's more important to commence the repatriation and restoration efforts first."

"Of course," the blonde Colonel nodded. "Thank you, Scar-san."

Their discussion and planning spanned the whole morning, until Scar left after they had lunch to go back to the ruins of Xerxes to gather his community. The military couple was left inside the small meeting room, only the sound of diningware clashing with diningware filling the sound of its wooden walls.

"Honestly, I hope the verdict comes before I get deployed to Xing," Roy whispered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "At least by then, I would have already decided on who to send in my stead."

"Noble thought, dear," Riza acknowledged softly. "But if this restoration is the last thing we'll ever get to do, we can't keep such thoughts occupying our head. This is number one on our short to-do list."

The Brigadier General nodded and sighed, taking her hand carefully. "I know, love. I know."

The only time such a huge number of military trucks were congregated in one area was during the end of the war, Riza had thought. How ironic it was that they come in peace now, instead of spilling blood on their holy land.

She jumped off the truck once it had parked at a safe distance from the Ishvalan ruins. There was a chill that went up her spine and stayed, but she gritted her teeth and fisted her hands to keep the emotions from taking over her. It wasn't the time to be ridden with emotions of haunt, but of emotions of determination.

Her eyes scanned the place and watched the shadows as they danced from the rays of the sun setting over the horizon. "We've got dwellers, it seems. And not the friendly kind, since they didn't greet us with welcoming arms. Stay here, Becky. I will consult with Scar and the elders on what to do. It is, after all, their land."

When Riza returned with the rest of their team, Mustang's men (noticeably without their leader), Scar, and Major Miles, Rebecca frowned at the party, noting the absence of alchemists save for the Grand Cleric himself. "We're allowed guns, but we're not allowed alchemy?"

"It's their land, Major. Their rules are what we are under right now. Remember the zero casualties protocol, men," Riza reminded firmly, as she turned to the rest of the units. "Don't shoot unless utterly necessary. Some of them may be Ishvalans themselves."

Roy's voice sounded through her headphone. "Everything's ready on my end, Colonel. Good luck out there and…"

The blonde hummed in understanding, knowing what words he wished to say but cannot.

She gasped sharply in pain as the cloth doused in antiseptic was tied tightly around her slashed arm. Honestly, it was a small gash, not entirely deep, but she wasn't going to complain about her whole team fussing over her. If she were to succumb to injury —in the desert, of all places— then she wouldn't be able to do her part in the restoration.

The only thing she found even the slightest bit funny was her husband struggling not to show his panic. Even then, she couldn't find it humorous for so long since the last time he ever saw a blade cut her skin was when he almost lost her.

Several hours after, the tents were pitched in the ruins and she commanded the first shifting group to take their posts around the borders of Ishval. Firearms were strictly bound to these guards. They were going to have to double their efforts in keeping rogue individuals from entering the restoration site, lest they wanted a scuffle to break out within the holy land.

The Ishvalans had gone through one of the most tumultuous ordeals any citizen of Amestris could ever imagine, and Riza wanted nothing more than for them to finally feel safe in their own home.

Once the sun had set in the desert, the whole Ishvalan community had gathered in the ruins of their old church, and Scar had officiated the first ceremony after more than five years. Riza's lower lip quivered as she watched the sight before her. Some of the Ishvalans were dragging the soldiers and volunteers inside the chapel ruins for them to take part in the ceremony.

It was a small step, but it was a step nonetheless, that some of them had extended and accepted olive branches. The nervousness that she kept at bay for the longest time regarding this mission was slowly withering away. Now, she couldn't wait to get to know the community more, and immerse themselves in a culture that has never had the opportunity to shine in Amestris' society.

The Colonel felt a hand lay on her back gently, and she checked their surroundings just to see if anyone who weren't privy to their relationship would notice. Most of the crowd had gathered in the spacious chapel, and they were blocked by a wide pillar that was slashed in half.

"How are you holding up, darling?" Roy asked, voice careful not to be more than a whisper.

Deeming it as safe, she leaned back against his muscular chest and relished in his warmth. "I'm…I'm all right. I used to be nervous about this whole thing, but I think I can be excited now."

He smiled and dropped the quickest of kisses on the crown of her head before retracting all of the contact he had offered once some more people began filing inside the holy place. "So am I."

"It's not that I don't appreciate it, but we need to stop stealing these little moments, Roy," Riza said reluctantly. "There is so much at stake and we can't tell ourselves that we can weasel our way out of this when it comes to it."

The alchemist closed his eyes and let out a long, staggering breath. "I know that," he stressed, his voice still hushed in a whisper. "Don't you think I know that? But knowing it doesn't make it any easier."

"I'm sorry, but we're going to have to endure," she says emotionless, before Riza walked away from him to join Rebecca and Maria standing near the aisles.

Extreme guilt flooded her as she realised that she must have sounded pretty annoyed with him, but her guilt was short-lived as her mind rationalised that this was something that was needed to be done. Roy cannot just sneak up on her and offer physical contact, as she would automatically return it. It was a luxury that they agreed to shed whilst they were in Ishval, and she was hell-bent on keeping her end of the rope.

Dinner was, as expected, a rowdier affair than the holy ceremony. With the supplies that the military had brought, the soldiers, volunteers, and the Ishvalans all took part in making food for the whole community. The Colonel shared smiles and friendly banter with subordinates, volunteers, and Ishvalans alike, over activities in the outdoor kitchens.

The desert had grown several degrees cooler, but the warmth inside Riza was as prevalent as the first time it sparked. She finished giving the last rounds of command quickly, ensuring that no stone was left unturned. She retired to the tent she shared with Rebecca and Maria after taking a quick shower. Her adjutant followed not shortly after.

"Makes me think back to our days as bunkmates, eh, Ri?"

The Colonel nodded and offered her best friend a faint smile.

"You all right there?"

"Yes, just exhausted," she assured her friend. "And I am thankful for it."

Rebecca laid a hand on her commanding officer's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Look, I know you're worried about this whole nightmare thing, but who isn't? Ross and I may not have them as severely as you do, but she and I agreed that we'll help each other out. You're going to have to lower some of those walls of yours, as we're going to be in this for a real long time."

Riza frowned, but nodded in understanding. "I know, Becky. Thank you."

The Major clasped her hands together and smirked devilishly. "That being said, how far have you gone with Mustang?"

Her cheeks immediately heated up and she was extremely grateful that the insides of their tent were dim. "I'm not lowering my walls ithat/i far!"

"You say that now, but one of these days, I am going to make you talk."

Silently, the blonde hoped she would have enough willpower to prevent such a happening.

A/N: They finally arrived in Ishval! We have about two more chapters about the restoration before we move on.

Again, an endless amount of gratitude to you, my dear readers who continue to go with me on this journey. It's not the most exciting fic out there, and it certainly needs a lot of work cohesion-wise. My only wish is that I hope you're still enjoying reading, as I am still enjoying writing it.

Like always, a review regarding the story content, pacing, or whatever it is that you feel like you need to tell me about the story is very, very much welcome and appreciated. (I really don't want to seem like I'm fishing for reviews, but it'd be nice to know if I am still making sense. lol Cheers!)