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Yan Chang loves her niece. Mei Chang was one of the princesses of Xing and a skilled alkahestrist on top of that. They weren’t extremely close, but Yan can confidently say that she wasn’t part of the group that wanted Mei killed so the Changs could try again for a male heir. Yan had been the one to help Mei first learn alkahestry and Mei would go to Yan when she had problems. When Yan first heard of Mei’s idea to go to Amestris to search for immortality, she immediately objected. While Mei was extremely skilled, she was still young. Mei was only eleven, not even a teenager yet! And honestly, Yan didn’t have much faith in her niece. The search for immortality was a fool's errand that would never come to fruition. Eventually, Mei left for Amestris, with no one, not even Yan, being able to change her mind.
When Yan all but lost hope, Mei had come back home. Honestly, Yan was surprised. She had heard the rumors of what was happening in Amestris. Something about a corrupt government, a god, and everyone dying? Yan wasn’t one to listen to rumors, but you had to be stupid to not see the huge flashes of light coming from across the desert. Something had obviously happened in that horrid country, something that Mei might have not lived past. That was also ignoring the fact that there were rumors of the Yao prince going to Amestris. But Yan, and most of the Changs if she was being honest, were wrong. Mei had come back perfectly fine in one piece with her pet panda Xiao Mei perfectly fine as well.
When Mei came back, it was an ordinary Tuesday. Yan had been sitting down, drinking some tea, when Mei walked into the room.
“Hello Auntie Yan! I’m back from my journey in Amestris!”
Yan wouldn't lie, she definitely shrieked a little as she ran up to Mei and pulled her into a hug. Mei hugged her back, with Xiao Mei also joining in by jumping onto Yan’s head. When they finally separated, Yan could see that Mei looked guilty.
“What’s wrong dear? I can see the guilt all over your face…”
Mei sighed, almost as if she was afraid to answer. “I… I lost the secret to immortality! I did find it! (But not before Ling…) And then instead of going home straight away, I decided to stay and help Amestris, and good thing I did because my alkahestry definitely helped. But, I ended up losing my key to the throne…”
Yan blew out a sigh of relief. As surprising as it was to hear that immortality did exist (and it was found in Amestris?), it was better to hear that Mei was okay. Maybe it was a good thing that Mei lost whatever granted immortality! She was too young to be Empress either way. (Yan was ignoring the fact that Mei might not live much longer if the new emperor will be anything like the one they have now.)
“It’s fine Mei. I’m just glad to see you alive. … Wait, did you say Ling? Like Ling Yao? The Yao prince? He acquired the secret to immortality?”
Mei nodded, but she didn’t seem too afraid. “Yeah, Ling ended up finding it before me. But he was …stuck… in Amestris for a while, so he didn’t come back to Xing until now. He’s not the worst person to become emperor. He didn’t even try to assassinate me when we crossed paths! Though maybe that was because of everything else happening at the same time… But, we did make a deal! Ling said that he wouldn’t get rid of any of the other heirs to the throne. He also said that he’ll try and protect all the clans. I told him that he’s being too greedy.” Mei then laughed like she was telling a joke that she expected others to laugh at, but got no response instead.
Yan was shocked. She had heard rumors about the Yao prince, but to be this stupid? To offer aid to all the clans? It was like he was asking to get assassinated. But, if Mei was telling the truth and the Yao prince found immortality, then he didn’t have to worry much about any assassinations coming his way. Maybe that’s why he decided to promise something so incredibly idealistic.
Yan sighed. Mei did look actually optimistic on the idea, Yan wouldn’t dash her hopes by calling the idea stupid. She walked back over to the couch she was sitting on before, back to the tea that was probably cold by now. Xiao Mei finally jumped off her head and onto the table below. She patted the part of the couch next to her. “Why don’t you sit down Mei? Tell me more about your journey in Amestris.”
Mei smiled and sat down next to Yan. “Now where should I begin? I have so much to talk about! Maybe I can start with my dear Alphonse, or I could start with Mr. Scar…”
Yao smiled. It was nice to see her niece again. She can worry about the mess with the Yao prince and immortality later.
Later was apparently around a month later when a letter came in the mail. It was for the official coronation of Ling Yao, … as the new emperor. She knew it would happen eventually due to what Mei told her, but it was still a shock to see. While Mei was very forthcoming about some parts of her adventures in Amestris, she glossed over the actual important parts of the journey. Yan still didn’t know what the secret to immortality was (not that she truly wanted to know) and Mei still wouldn’t explain what happened on what she called the “Promised Day”. Yan had no idea how the Yao price made it on the throne but she hopes he’s as nice as Mei says he is.
Mei had gasped when she saw the letter, her mood lifting instantly. Yan could tell that Mei was muttering under her breath about how “they didn’t forget”. Yan didn’t know who “they” was supposed to be, but Mei probably would avoid the question if she tried to ask her.
The coronation was … opulent. The room she was standing in was grand with high ceilings, stained-glass windows, and fancy decorations all over the walls. Yan had never been to a coronation before, being too young and poor to go to the one for the previous emperor. Mei also looked out of her depth, hugging Xiao Mei tightly and scanning the room like she was looking for something or someone. Mei must have found whoever she was looking for as she smiled and ran to another part of the room. Yan was never good at using the Dragon’s Pulse, so she couldn’t tell if Mei actually found someone or if she just saw something and went to go take a closer look.
When Yan went looking for Mei later, she saw her niece talking with someone with a mask on their face. Yan couldn’t make out anything about the figure but would bet money on that being the Yao prince's (emperor’s?) bodyguard that Mei talked about.
Overall, the coronation was… good. It was certainly a new experience to be in a palace so fancy, with the Changs being too poor to ever have anything this extravagant. Mei also seemed to have fun, as when Yan saw her nearing the end of the event, Mei was smiling brightly. Yan had seen her with a few different people, the masked person she saw earlier, two older men that looked Amestrian, and a teenager dressed in fancy robes and what looked like gloves for some reason. Maybe that was the new emperor. He certainly looked the part, even with the gloves that were never seen on any previous emperor.
As the event was nearing to a close with people already moving to the large doors at the end of the hall. As Yan was about to join the other Changs that were starting to leave, Mei ran up to her.
“Auntie come on! I have to introduce you to someone!” Mei had grabbed her arm and started to pull her in the opposite direction from the exit doors.
“Where are we going, Mei? Everyone else is already leaving. I don’t want us to be late and miss everyone leaving.”
Mei blinked, like she hadn’t realized what time it was. “It’s fine Auntie! If everyone somehow leaves without us, we won’t be stranded. I can just ask Ling if he can figure out a way to get us home.”
Yan paused and looked at Mei. The Emperor was already more generous than the previous Emperor considering he hasn’t killed Mei or the other heirs but to be so relaxed with him and ask for help? This Yao kid must be completely out of his mind to let Mei be so un-regal around him.
“Wait, Mei, who are we even meeting?”
Mei turned to Yan and giggled. “The Emperor of course! Who else would I know around here? Ling wanted to see me at the end of the ceremony for something more official. He asked me to bring an adult I trust with me, so I chose you!”
Yan was touched. She knew that Mei wasn’t as close to the other Chang members, but to be so far removed from them that she chose Yan as a trustworthy adult? Yan knew that Mei wasn’t close with her mother considering she wanted to kill Mei to try again for a boy, and that sort of resentment is hard to hide but she didn’t think that she was truly the closest adult Mei had in her life. Apparently Yan was wrong.
Before she knew it, Mei had led the two of them through a pair of doors and into a room smaller than the room they were in before. On the other end of the room, the teenager she had seen earlier was sitting on one end of a table. She wasn’t sure earlier, but this was definitely the new emperor. Oh his sides were the two Amestrian men and the masked person she was earlier. There wasn’t anything on the table, but there were two chairs facing the emperor, presumably for herself and Mei.
Yan bowed respectfully to the Emperor, with Mei doing the same right next to her. The Emperor stared at the two of them, it felt like he was trying to read their very souls. Yan had heard rumors of him being extremely skilled with the Dragon's Pulse, so maybe he was trying to do something with it. (Yan never really knew what the Dragon's Pulse was, even with Mei trying to explain it to her multiple times). Then, he smiled, pleased with whatever he saw in her and Mei.
“Come sit down! I took out chairs specifically for you.” Yan nodded and almost pulled Mei towards the chairs. When they sat down, the Emperor continued to speak. “Thank you for coming to see me. You must be Yan Chang, correct?” Yan nodded. “Good, Mei’s told me about you. I wanted to see someone she trusted because I have a proposal for her. I want Mei to become an alkahestrist at the palace. Or more specifically, for me. I wouldn’t be all the time, but I would want her to come in sometimes and work for me. Mei’s an extremely skilled alkahestrist, better than some adults I’ve seen. Also, I’m not very good at alkahestry myself.” He laughed at the last part, as if he was telling a joke. Yan did hear rumors on his lackluster alkahestry skills, so he probably wasn’t lying about that part.
“There must be a reason why you want Mei specifically. I know my niece is an amazing alkahestrist but she’s still a child. Does she know something that you don’t want to be spread around? MAbye about that immortality that you supposedly found in Amerstis.” The Emperor’s face darked, like he didn’t expect Yan to bring it up. “I don’t know anything about this immortality, Mei just mentioned it to me. She didn’t tell me anything about it, just that it existed. It must be a large secret. I won’t ask any questions. I’m not sure I want to know.”
The Emperor’s face calmed. “Yes, that’s right. I want her help because she knows about my immortality, but she’s still an extremely accomplished alkahestrist that I would be stupid to pass up on.” The Emperor blinked, and it was like his face completely changed. “To be honest, I’d probably ask for Mei to come to the palace even if she wasn't a skilled alkahestrist. We definitely bonded in Amestris and on the desert trip back and it would be nice to see her again without having to sneak out and go to her home to visit her.” He laughed after his last statement, but Yan could tell he wasn’t joking. Mei also looked especially happy, like she hadn’t expected to hear that.
“Thanks Gr-Ling! Please don’t try to sneak into my house, Lan Fan would kill you if you ran away from your duties.” Yan noticed that the masked person beside the Emperor nodded, agreeing with Mei.
The Emperor giggled he’s only four years older than Mei, the Emperor is a child “Alright fine, I won’t sneak out of the palace, but I wasn’t lying about wanting Mei to stay here sometimes. Obviously, I still-sadly-need adult permission for Mei. Apparently it’s wrong to have children work.”
Yan nodded, it would be rude of him to basically kidnap Mei, even if he was the Emperor. “Alright. If this is something that Mei actually wants, then there’s no way I can stop her from coming. God knows I wasn’t able to stop her from going to Amestris.
Mei nodded. “Thank you Auntie Yan. I know mother would have tried to make up some excuse for me to not go, just because she knew it was something I wanted. I’m glad I asked you instead.” Mei beamed, and Yan almost cried. Mei might not be her child, but she has a special place in Yan’s heart that no one could ever try to replace.
The rest of the “meeting” went well, though it was mostly Mei and the Emp - Ling talking, with his guards and Yan interjecting at times. Ling was definitely a lot different than she expected, he was definitely nicer than the rumors made him seem, even if it seemed like his personality would switch every few seconds. When Yan asked Mei about it later, Mei just smiled and said that it was normal.
Mei’s journey for immortality definitely changed her for the better. Before her trip, Mei was a lot less silent, opting to stay in the shadows. Now, Mei was happier, speaking out, and being more open. Even if Yan would never learn what happened to Mei on that trip, she’s glad that Mei went.
Mei is truly a child that Yan is happy to love.