Æ Guð...

Enraged and pained screams echoed down the palace's halls while Emil hid underneath his blankets. He gave up on stopping the fights long ago; Besides, his room was locked by the king's orders.

Whack!

"Kneel, you insolent bastard!"

Slam!

"Aldrig!"

Thwap!

"I said: KNEEL!"

Snap!...whimper...

"I told you, Berwald: I will only hurt you when you refuse to obey me. And you of all of us should know how I hate damaging my property. So why is is that you won't LISTEN!?"

Crunch!

Emil wept quietly as Berwald's agonized cries weakened audibly: The poor man certainly earned a new set of broken ribs. The young Icelander wrapped himself within his covers, attempting to block his sickened terror.

"Why? Why does he do this?"

A scarred hand softly caressed his tear-stained cheek, shushing him.

"Because Big Brother loves his little Emil."

Author's Note: "Æ Guð" is Icelandic for "Oh God"; "Aldrig" is Swedish for "Never". I don't own Hetalia and do not profit from these works. Constructive critism and comments are always welcome. Additionally, if anyone who reads this is fluent in Icelandic or Swedish, would you please tell me if I messed up.

Thanks for reading!

-Gray Carolean