Prologue: Memories we cherish

AN: Alrighty! This is Land of Legends and Secrets - Mark II! Hope you all enjoy it and hopefully all your questions from the previous story will be answered. This one might be (probably will be) longer and more complex but I hope it will meet all your expectations. Oh and it will still keep its crazy/confusing/out of this world kind of feel. Its just that there will be more characters joining the party!

Beautiful emerald eyes blinked open for the very first time and the first thing they met was the intense crimson and identical emeralds. A smile welcomed her and the newly born child felt warm strong arms hold her close to a warm broad chest. It felt safe and familiar. She naturally snuggled closer, breathing in the scent of wild mountain flowers and wet wood after the rain. A large hand ruffled her mop of golden hair and a voice whispered in her untrained ear.

"Welcome Albion. Welcome to the world my sister."

She let out a delighted laugh and the entire forest resonated in synch with it. In a world of green, the rain drummed down on them, celebrating the birth of a new life.

And that is how it all began.

"No! Alba! Cymru! Eir! Alba! ALBA! ALBA! ALBA!"

The calls sounded empty and lonely, cancelled out by the heavy tears of the sky. She felt scared and hurt. Her people's pain … she felt it like poison running through her body. Their cries of war and agony rang in her voice, driving her mad. And all she could see … was the intense crimson. But no emeralds. Just pure red.

Blood.

Her white robe was torn from her running in the woods. She could no longer feel the protection of her mother and father. Nothing. All she felt was the loud drumming of her heart and the dread growing in her as she witnessed disaster. She watched them fall. One after the other.

'Don't get back up! Please! Don't! Don't fight! Stop! No more!'

Cymru was down first, his head hitting against a tree and his arm twisted in an unnatural way. He was breathing, thank the gods! Then Eir. He was sent flying, a deep cut across his face and left eye. It will probably leave a scar. But that was nothing compared to Alba.

Alba.

Alba.

ALBA!

"ALBA!"

No matter how many times he got punched, cut, hit, kicked, slashed, the young red hair just wouldn't give up. The older man hissed in annoyance upon the pathetic sight of the boy getting back up once more. He was covered in blood as red as his hair and his emerald eyes glowed of an insane rage and battle-thirst. The taller and older man smirked despite his irritation. He had to congratulate the determination of the young nation. Brave young little nation. Foolish little nation. So foolish.

"You should have stayed down, boy. I'm not here for you. You know what I am looking for now hand her over."

Alba growled but his throat burned with each sound he made and he barely managed to breathe. Having Rome crush his throat was not really helpful in making him talk, was it? Not that he would talk either way! He'd rather be sent to hell! Instead, the boy spat at the Roman's face, earning himself a dark angry glare from the golden eyes of the invader.

"Foolish boy."

The screams resonated across the mountains and the land cried in agony. She watched in horror as Rome purposefully broke one by one the boy's limbs. Slowly starting with the legs and finishing with the arms, and each time, he would take his sweet time so that Alba truly felt the pain and agonised as much as possible. Before breaking each limb, Rome would repeat his question but Alba never answered. Silently, the boy prayed his sister had time to escape.

"With this, you won't be getting back up anymore."

"FUCK YOU!" the boy yelled with a broken voice. The Roman stared down on him, an insane look in his eyes as he smiled eerily.

"Is that so? Maybe I should silence you permanently, little pest that you are!"

The blade rose high. Alba watched with fearful eyes at the sword as it moved towards his neck. This was it. He was going to die. And nothing can protect him anymore. Slowly accepting his fate, the boy watched the blade grow closer. It all felt like time went into slow motion. Maybe that's why he was shocked to see a flash of gold and white. He didn't even have time to shout and could only stare with horrified wide eyes.

Rome's eye twitched and he restrained the shivers of his body, his golden eyes frightfully staring at the small druid child. Golden long strands of hair fell to the ground along with drops of blood. But standing tall and protective, Albion held her arms open and her position in front of her fallen brother. Her hair had been cut short and a cut ran down her cheek, blood sipping out of the wound. Her neck held a soft grazing mark and had barely avoided the impact had Rome not changed the trajectory of his blade at the last minute. Her cat-like emerald eyes glowed brighter than any jewel on the planet or any star in the universe. Her white robe tainted of blood.

Not her blood.

Rome's golden eyes met the furious emeralds of the young girl and he could not understand why he felt his world stumble or his body freeze. He felt his pulse accelerate and … was that fear he felt? Impossible. Not from such a young nation barely able to stand on her two feet! And a woman at that! A barbaric woman from the north barely able to stand as a shield for her pathetic excuse of a protector. He could not be afraid of that!

"ALBION! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! WHY DIDN'T YOU HIDE LIKE WE TOLD YOU! YOU SHOULD HAVE RUN! RUN! RUN ALBION! AL- …" The desperate boy silenced his broken voice as he felt a soft hand caress his cheek fondly. Albion smiled at him warmly and kissed his forehead.

"Alistair … I'll protect you. All of you. It's my fault. I'll fix it. I'll fix it all and you won't have to be in pain anymore. I promise." She kissed him again, on his lips this time. Not a lover's kiss. Nothing of the sort. She was simply sealing a promise. This was a promise she made to her most precious person in the whole world: her brother.

"Aly … please don't … don't you dare …!"

"I love you, Alba. And I love Cymru and Eir too. And Mum and Dad. And I love you the most! So …"

She silenced for a short moment, emeralds boring into emeralds. Time seemed to stop before Albion spoke her last words.

"Please live."

With that said, the small 7 year old looking girl walked away and towards Rome, leaving the 14 year old boy to his despair. He called her desperately but she never turned back once. He cried her name but his tears melted away with the rain. He cursed the smirking man carrying his precious sister away but his body remained frozen to the ground. And after that, all was left was the painful silence of defeat. And he cried. And cried. And cried.

"I didn't think you'd show up to me of your own will!" The Roman smiled amused at his new conquest. He didn't know why his sister had requested him to check on that child but he didn't regret it. The blond girl was adorable. Especially wrapped up in chains and glaring savagely and hatefully at him. Cute as a wild kitten~!

"Remember our deal, Roman." Her voice sounded too mature for the childish pitch it held but then again, nations evolve differently from normal humans. Despite being in the body of a child, the mind could be one of an adult. Rome hummed a chuckle.

"Who would have thought? That all I had to do to make you mine was the break down your precious brothers!"

"Our deal!" She hissed threateningly, causing the man to laugh loudly.

"Do not fluster yourself, kitten. I will hold true to my word. I shall not harm either of your siblings as long as I obtain your full cooperation as my loyal servant."

"… Yes Master." Albion bowed her head and shed a silent tear that she refused to show her new master. In her mind, she could still hear her brother's cries calling for her.

He shall be safe and the blood shed for her safety shall be repaid by her own. Nothing else matters.

Ever since a year ago, strange things have occurred in Feliciano Vargas' life.

1 - He's the only one who remembers the death-games with Alice in that freaky castle

2 - He realised that he's in love with Arturo but recently rediscovered the memory of his lost forgotten love Albion, also known as Alicia

3 - Can the dead come back to life? Because …

"Nonno! Where the fuck did you put my laptop, dammit?!"

"The hell are you calling 'Nonno'?! I'm the Roman Empire! Don't you forget it, squirt!"

"I don't give a fuck, just give me back my fucking laptop!"

"I don't have your devilish device thing!"

"Sure you don't! I saw you look up porn on it the other night!"

"What's wrong with admiring beautiful women?"

"Do it on Stupido's laptop, you pervert! You're worse than France!"

"Who the fuck is France?"

And it went on and on and on until Feliciano called them both for either lunch or dinner. Really … things could not get any weirder. Not only did his long-dead Nonno return to life (and was speaking only Latin which doesn't help in the world considering it's a dead language) but he also seemed to have come back younger than Feliciano has ever seen him. This was not his Nonno. Not yet. This was still a young Rome in the early prime of his Empire. He still hadn't conquered others except current Italy and Greece. And of course, he doesn't know a thing about his future heirs. The only reason the old nation hasn't left the house in over a year is because nobody aside from Lovino and Feliciano spoke Latin.

"I hope Arturo finds a way to fix this soon …"

Flash back of a year ago in Canada ...

Arthur blinked in shock and Feliciano almost saw fear in his green eyes as the man came face to face with the younger version of the Roman Empire. He barely looked older than his early twenties and was scowling a dark glare similar to Lovino's if not darker, when the memory of the Roman Empire in Feliciano and everyone's mind is of a cheery man in his late thirties.

"Who the hell are you people?" The old nation spat coldly in Latin. Needless to say only a handful of nations understood him.

Oddly enough Arthur understood him, which surprised most Latin-speakers. Feliciano tilted his head as he heard the blonde Englishman answer back to the Empire.

"The future. And you've clearly been dragged out of your time frame by someone. We'll need to send you back." Arthur's tone was harsher and colder than Rome's and the (future) older man must have noticed as he suddenly showed some interest in someone since the moment he woke up in this future world. His eyes looked Arthur down, gauging him, and Feliciano felt a twinge of anger at the wandering look in his (future) grandfather's golden eyes.

"The future? You people? Nations?"

"Yes. And I'll send you back personally."

"Personally? Hm … does that mean I get to know you personally?" Rome's face turned from furious and threatening to teasing and seductive. Much to many nations' surprise (and anger) but Arthur barely lifted an eyebrow at the comment.

Nothing new here. That's definitely Rome.

The blonde smirked back and took a step closer to the Roman. For a split second, Rome didn't understand what was happening and he suddenly felt his toga being yanked forward and his face inches away from the smiling face of the Englishman, an eerie aura of promised death emanating from the blonde.

"You'd be wise not to try and get too personal with me … you'll most likely regret it." The British Empire purred and was glad to see the Roman shiver slightly. Arthur then turned his emerald eyes to the worried Italian nation.

"I need to make a call. Give me one year and I'll get him back to where he came from."

Feliciano nodded, unable to speak another word as he watched the growing darkness invade Arthur's beautifully featured face. He didn't like seeing Arturo angry. He wanted to see Arturo smile. And be happy.

"Bloody Latin wanker just couldn't stay in his bloody timeline!" Arthur mumbled to himself but Feliciano heard him. The Italian could only wonder how Arthur knew Rome, and how to speak Latin. Now that his memory was fully recovered, Feliciano was well aware that Alicia - Albion is still alive and was taken over by Rome years ago. But not Arthur - England.

Feliciano shook his head and turned to see his (future) grandfather staring at Arturo's lower-back.

This is not going to be an easy year.

The tall man in white checked his pocket watch, the golden chain hanging from his waist-coat polished to a perfect shine. Midnight. It's time. He claps his hands, the candles light up. He points at the cold fire place, roaring flames rise. He glances at the table, dishes blink into existence all more succulent than the other. He snaps his fingers, the piano's keys come to life and a soothing melody invades the castle. Standing proudly at the door, he smiles in satisfaction at his work before facing back to the large wooden doors. Moving into a bow, the doors opened and revealed to him the approaching figures.

"Welcome home My Lady."

She smiled. Her hair looked shorter. Had she cut it again?

"I'm home." She spoke and walked in followed by another man.

"Master? Will you be staying too?"

"Just dropped her off. I have to attend parliament tomorrow. You'll manage, right?" He asked while glancing worriedly at her. He always worried, even after all those years. She nods.

"I haven't died of boredom yet." She joked lightly but that only increased his sadness and a guilty expression took over his facial features.

"I'll find a way to make it permanent one day …" He mumbled more to himself but he soon fell silent at the touch of the girl's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I can manage. Go. Meeting." She shoes him out and closes the doors herself.

Leaning against the closed doors, she waits until she hears the distinct sound of the man's vanishing, the sound of a firecracker followed by a soft hum and a blue light. Once she was sure that he was gone, the girl turned back to her butler. Tall, white, pocket watch in hand and red eyes awaiting his orders. She smiles.

"Let's go bunny, I'm starving."

The sky outside was clear blue and the sun shone as bright a golden as her hair. The man grinned maliciously and motioned her towards the dining room.

"At your orders, Mistress."