Graveyard

You look at me (look at me)
With eyes so dark, don't know how you even see

-Halsey

Challenge 9: Frisbees

You hiked your dress up over your ankles to make the climb up the stone steps to the exam chambers. There was no preparing for this examination, Rosealba had told you. It came down to whatever King Bradley wanted to ask you. At least it wasn't a physical.

You were in good shape, but you knew the examiners wouldn't be worried about so much as the color of your skin, your hair, your eyes.

Roy was standing at the top of the steps with his second in command, Riza. You had met her only in passing. She seemed his ever-present shadow.

"Ready?" Roy asked, raising an eyebrow at the display of your tanned ankles. You had forgotten to drop the dress when you had reached the top. Your breath was shallow in your lungs, a stich growing in your side. You hated stairs, you decided.

All you could do was nod.

"It simply comes down to what Bradley wants to know," Roy reminded you.

"Any ideas what that might be?"

"Probably where your loyalties lie," Roy said as the three of you made your way to the chambers.

Ahead, you could see a middle-aged man leaving with his hat crushed between his hands, looking flustered. You tried to ignore the sudden swell of nausea in your stomach.

"We're early, Bradley will like that. Knock 'em dead," Roy said, ushering you in the dark, cool chambers.

There was a single light illuminating a three-legged golden chair. You studied it for a brief moment. The chair should not have been able to stand, but it was.

Part of the test, you decided and went to sit down, delicately crossing an ankle behind the other to keep your shaking knees together.

"Very good," King Bradley's amused voice rang out from the shadows. You let out a quick breath of air. First test passed. You dipped your head, showing deference to his position. In the dank lighting, you could see him sitting with a panel of unknown faces just ahead of you.

"Thank you," you murmured.

"Now, first question. Where are you from?"

You answered with the name of your village. The second question came almost as soon as you had gotten the first answer out of your mouth. You knew it was meant to catch you off guard. But you weren't going to let it.

"Who were your parents?"

You answered this too. If Bradley knew your mother, you couldn't tell.

The next questions were as innocuous as the first two; it was almost like having a stilted conversation. In the light, your beaded dress threw glimmers all around the room, giving everything a circus glow.

Bradley wanted to know your alchemy, what you had studied, who you had studied.

"Why do you want to join the military?" he asked you, leaning forward on his elbows, all traces of his smile gone. He had been playing with you before, just going through the motions. You could feel it down in your bones.

This was the question that you couldn't mess up.

"Honestly?" you asked but didn't wait for a reply. "I made a promise to someone a while ago, that I would follow them no matter what, no matter where. I'm a woman of my word. While my alchemy is not what the military is looking for on the front lines of battle, I add ethnic to your ranks. I am very good at theory and I don't stop looking for answers once I've started."

The room was silent, the last traces of your voice disappearing into the far corners. The air didn't even move.

After a few moments, King Bradley broke into a wide smile and a hoarse laugh.

"How could I refuse that logic?" he asked. "Passed. I look forward to seeing you at the practicals."

"Thank you, sir," you told him, keeping your voice calm.

"Dismissed," Bradley told you. You rose as gracefully from the chair as possible, your legs tingling from sitting so long without moving. You ignored the pins and needles feeling as you made your way from the chambers.

"So, how did it go?" Roy asked, waiting for you outside. You could see the dust on his uniform where he had probably taken a seat. How long had you been in there?

Riza was noticeably absent, probably sent on some task.

"Passed. I'm going to the practicals."

"I expected nothing less. They will be next weekend. Are you bringing experiments or are you going to put on another show?" he quirked an eyebrow up to let you know that he was teasing a little. You pushed the memory of his large hands on your waist as the two of you had danced.

"I think I'll put on another show," you told him, with a wink.

You lifted the hem of your dress to allow more freedom of movement. You wanted to kick your shoes off and walk barefoot on the sun-warmed white stones of Central.

"Why am I not surprised?" Roy chuckled, rich and low. The sound of it made heat pool in your belly, a shiver racing down your spine. He was so much better when he was amused.

You caught him glancing down at your calves and ankles.

"Like what you see?" you asked playfully, your heart a frisbee soaring through the air at having passed a second part of the test.

He shrugged, but those dark eyes moved over your skin in a slow caress. You felt a blush creep up into your tanned cheeks. You didn't care what his shoulders said, but his eyes said 'bedroom.'

"I have some free time tonight," Roy told you, as the two of you walked to where his car was waiting. He had actually driven himself this morning. "Would you be interested in going to celebrate?"

Before you thought about it, you answered, "Yes, I would."