This is a fic that I've been mentally working on for a while. It's a lot more serious that most of my other stuff. I wanted to take a more critical and realistic approach to Royai, addressing that they are in fact war criminals (so a look into what Riza said would ideally happen once Roy became Fuhrer in episode 30). So while there are some Royai moments planned, there won't be much in terms of "fluff."

Summary: Riza and Roy struggle to turn Amestris into a democracy as several people seek to eliminate them for the transgressions of their past.

1908

Dusk fell over the deserts surrounding Ishval, creating shadows in the dunes that seemed to swallow anything that traveled into their darkness, rendering that thing invisible. At least, invisible to most. Private Riza Hawkeye shifted in her perch at the top of a tower, scouring the terrain for any signs of movement. There.

Her breath caught in her throat as she watched a small group of Ishvalans scurry through the sand, making their way toward a dune that would conceal them even from her once they reached the other side of it. Three women, one of them old and struggling with a walking stick. Two men, both older, but firm enough to walk without as much assistance. And two children, a girl who looked no more than fifteen and a boy who couldn't be older than seven. Hawkeye watched as the boy fell, soon to be helped up by the girl. The younger women likewise helped the elders, sinking into the previously untrod sand on aged, shaking legs. What little light reached them was reflected in their silvery-white hair, the women wearing theirs in braids that reached their waists.

"Did you see something, Private Hawkeye?" Her commanding officer's voice startled her. He must have heard her gasp. She glanced at the family. They were halfway to safety. But she was a soldier, and to lie to her superior and defy orders could mean her own death.

"A group of Ishvalans, sir, trying to escape through the desert."

The officer grunted. "Take them out. The last thing we need is for the Ishvalans to start congregating outside of Ishval and attacking us from another front."

"Yes, sir." She raised her rifle.

Focusing on the family through the scope, her sight first landed on the teenage girl. She quickly shifted it, a knot forming in her stomach. She shot down the old men. The family began to panic, running now, some in different directions. One woman took the boy into her arms as Hawkeye fired again, the bullet passing through both of them. One at a time, she took out the other women, until only the girl was left. Poised to fire, she paused, confused - the girl had disappeared. But then, she saw movement as the girl finished tucking herself beneath the body of one of the old men. Had Hawkeye not been focusing, she never would have been able to tell that a girl was hiding beneath the corpse.

Sensing her pause, Hawkeye's officer spoke up again. "Did you get them all?"

Hawkeye lowered her gun. "Yes, sir."

Hawkeye didn't sleep at all that night. She wasn't sure how she expected she would feel - relieved? Instead, it gnawed at her. She hoped that the girl was able to escape, and that she was able make her way across the desert into one of the Amestris' Eastern towns, where possibly an ally to Ishvalans would take her in. She wanted to believe that she had done the right thing, but she had defied an order. If someone were to find out, it was a death sentence.

12 Years Later (1920)

Captain Riza Hawkeye tried not to smile as General - no, Fuhrer Roy Mustang shook her grandfather's hand. It had finally happened. After years of working as a team, fighting together on the Promised Day, and making moves to rebuild Ishval together, their efforts were paying off.

Roy took the podium and faced the people of Amestris.

"I am truly honored to be your new Fuhrer," he began. "This has been a dream of mine for many years, as it has always been my goal to help our nation achieve greatness." He paused for a moment, briefly catching Riza's eye. She understood the message - this was it. The necessary step to truly make amends for the wrongs of their past.

Roy continued, "And as your new Fuhrer, I would like my first proclamation to be a movement to end the military rule of this nation. While this will take some time, and while I shall stay your Fuhrer during that time, our country will soon be a democracy, run by a president." There were murmurs throughout the crowd. He waited for them to die down "And with that in mind, I would also like to declare my candidacy to be elected as your future president."

Riza was shocked by the explosion of cheers that came from the crowd. The people really had come to love him. She relaxed the tension from her shoulders that she hadn't realized she was carrying. Roy shot her a grin, which she returned with a smile. They needed the people's support in this, and they clearly had it. Peering out over their audience, she caught a few familiar faces. The whole team stood together near the front, whooping and hollering at Roy's announcement. The Elric Brothers grinned up at the stage, a very pregnant Winry Elric standing next Edward, and a giddy Mei Chang hanging on Al's arm. She even glimpsed Scar, standing in the back of the auditorium with his back leaning against the wall, stoically nodding in approval.

With the noise from the citizens, she almost didn't hear it. The click was all too familiar, even as far away as it was. The tension returned, she leaped onto Roy, and tackled him just as a bullet whizzed past her ear. The cheering turned to screams.

"Sir, are you injured?" Riza had to shout to be heard. Security was already running toward the stage, but not quickly enough. The sniper was likely still in position.

Roy struggled to sit up beneath her, his brow knit in confusion as he stared at the damaged wall that had been struck by the bullet. "Riza…"

"Sir, you have to stay down!" She couldn't understand his forlorn expression. Was he really so surprised that someone in Amestris had it out for him? They had discussed the possibility of an assassination attempt, and had even come up with a plan of action, all of which was thrown into jeopardy by Roy's current state of bewilderment. In an instant, his face turned red in anger.

"The bullet wasn't meant for me!" His words escaped his mouth in a hiss of rage. Riza whipped her head around, studying the wall behind them. He was right. Had she not dodged, the path of the bullet would have been directly toward… her head. Riza felt the remaining blood drain from her face. This hadn't been considered; they hadn't thought that someone might want to assassinate her.

It took Roy half a second to flip their positions, so that now his body was shielding hers.

"Sir, no! Your life is more important!" Riza willed herself to move, but found that she was frozen in panic. She didn't know what to do.

"I'm not losing you!" He scooped her up, hurrying to take shelter behind the podium. The second bullet struck before he could do so. In through Roy's arm, out through Riza's abdomen.

"Riza, no!" Roy was screaming, but already Riza was finding it hard to breathe. His own blood trickled down his arm as he cupped her face. "Stay with me."

Riza licked her lips, trying to form the words she knew still needed to be said. She could feel her blood pooling around her on the floor, a sensation she had hoped to never relive. No sound came from her mouth, though, and everything went black.

To be continued.

Thoughts, feedback, suggestions? Thanks for reading!