Pairings: Hinted EdxWinry.
Dedication: Hyrugi Kitsune, the second reviewer of Pocketwatch all that time ago.
Pawn
Edward sat under the pine tree, the small chess figure grasped in his white gloved hand as he toyed with it absently. He had come across a few things in the search for the ruby red stone all those years ago. He no longer even pleased himself by saying the name of it. After all, in this land, he could no longer do alchemy. What use was an alchemist without it? None. That he knew for certain. The strange thing was, this thought did not bother him. After all, he had never been so close to his prize.
The prize he had sought after all those years ago. Yes, it was true he had given up on it and no longer was tempted on the mention of the name of it. Or so he liked to tell himself. This realm had shown great interest in his prize many centuries ago, according to a book one of the men he had met upon his travels had shown him. Their so-called alchemists had tried to make it, just as he had. But they had all failed, and so had he. So why was he still so interested in it?
The Ogham Staves, of course. Runes. Runic divination. Whatever way you liked to think about it. He had thought it would help calm his mind about the idea of such a stone, just possibly. He had taken to alot of pieces he had found out about. The beth, or the birch. One of the first trees to grow on bare soil. Helped in the construction of the entire forest. The luis or rowan, the tree long known for aid or protection. He opened his hand, revealing the piece.
A pion.
Now, according to the Ogham Staves, the pine tree was evergreen. The needles of it were a valuable source of vitamin C and could loosen a tight chest. Supposedly could deal with feelings of guilt, like that he had when he saw the look upon her face when she realised he would be leaving again. Pine indicated issues of guilt within you. The look of hurt and anger. For sure, Winry brought out the best in him. But he had left her alone in the world, somewhere inbetween his and her reality.
Physically, in divination the pine was used to clear the slate with those you had hurt and renew your relationships. Well, it was too late for that. Mentally, creativity was supposed to be released as you released the guilt. The energy would change into a positive action. He had used them over and over, but still nothing came to mind. Spiritually, it was supposed to transform both you and the guilt. Fat lot of good that did, seeing as he still felt perfectlly the same as ever. Apart from the fact he was not in his own world. Near his own home.
In chess, the pawn was the weakest piece. So many to sacrafice, pointless and only capable of very limited movement between a bear minimum of black or white squares. They represented the infantrymen, although he preffred to think of them more as armed peasants. Although in the official rules of chess the pawn was not distinct, many players refused to accept it as a piece for the simple fact in was hard to utilise in a game. Pratically the sacraficial toy for the enemy to play around with.
Sure, when he had left his world Winry had been upset. But she had said one word to him that stuck in his mind when he had returned for that short amount of time. A sentence, infact. Of which one word stuck like fly paper or superglue, for certain. He would never forget it.
"Edward, stop being the pawn of the military! You deserve better!"
He would never forget those words until he truly figured out what they meant. She may have just said it as an offhand comment, but it still remained implanted in his brain and knawed at it viciously when he thought about her.
For a pine tree was a pion according to the Ogham Staves, and in French a pion was the chess piece. The one she had compared him to. The one she had pratically called him, if that had been the meaning of what she had said.
He was the pawn.
So, sorry if that confused you. This is set after the movie. The Ogham Staves are basically pieces used in Celtic divination. Of which one is the pine, or the pion as it is mostly called by followers. The pawn is also a pion in French, so something just clicked there. Search the Ogham Staved on google if I make no sense. It might be better for you to have direct information rather than my rather terrible explanation.
All those who have not yet recieved a thanks for your review(s), please expect it in my RoyxRiza 100 themes. I've decided to take upon the challenge of it soon. Probably later this week or next week. So anybody who actually reads my writing, more Fullmetal stuff will be out soon. Have some faith in me, difficult as it is. As this was the final chapter, the final piece in a game of chess. Although as stated, many do not count it as a piece.
All reviewers are loved.