Die Augen schließ' ich wieder,
Noch schlägt das Herz so warm.
Wann grünt ihr Blätter am Fenster?
Wann halt' ich mein Liebchen im Arm?
(I shut my eyes again,
My heart still beats warmly.
When will you leaves on the window turn green?
When will I hold my beloved in my arms?)
- "Frühlingstraum" by Wilhelm Müller
7 o'clock, 8th April 1849, Dresden, Saxony
"Roderich. Roderich-"
The Austrian woke up upon the whisper. He didn't know how much he had slept – probably quite long, since his arms did not feel sore as much as before. He must have had sufficient sleep to replenish his energy exhausted last night.
Lying right next to Roderich was a muscular man with albino hair; his shoulder was bare in the air. With a mischievous smirk, he swiftly removed the velvet blanket above them, revealing their unclad, candid bodies. The Austrian shivered promptly. He was not ready to be exposed to the chilly air of spring yet. As he attempted to take back the blanket, or even, return to the man's muscular chest for his warmth, the albino already grasped the Austrian by his hip, offering warm, wet kisses on his bare neck and chest after a few licks on his sensitive collarbone.
Roderich moaned softly, panting like a maiden's last breath.
He often lamented his uncontrollable display of femininity in front of this man; he wished that he would eventually be able to dominate the albino completely, both publicly and privately. Nevertheless, he did not want to be reminded of his private life. He simply closed his eyes, enjoying the warm and tickling sensation from his bare chest. His heart melted consequently.
What a disastrous but beautiful spring.
"So?" Breaking the silence, the Austrian gently pushed away his lover, recreating some distance for a better, less biased conversation. "Something must have happened that made you telegraphed me to meet here in such a rushed manner… Elisa spreading rumours of declaring independence from me? Knew that. "
There was not much talk done last night when the two met in the inn, as far as Roderich remembered; it was a night of rapturous songs with no words, of rejoice from the liberation of all worldly affairs for a moment of celebration. The revolution temporarily freed both German men from the tutoring duty they had every month in three decades. To ensure Ludwig's safety and well-being, they have agreed to send the boy in a Grand Tour in England until they finished dealing with the chaos and turmoil in their perspective lands. What a rare, albeit undesirable freedom.
The albino man attempted to close up again with his lips approaching Roderich's cheek, but it was not successful. He sat up instead with a timid smile, lying against the bed frame and gazing down at the other, touching his hands fondly.
"Speak." Roderich demanded, clutching onto the blanket that he was deprived early on, casting his sharp, dissatisfied eyes at his lovers.
"Roderich-" The albino paused a bit before resuming. He had difficulty finding the most appropriate word to use.
"The Diet… offered the King and I the Imperial crown-"
Roderich's eyes froze immediately; he was stunned at the news. Did that mean the German states considered Gilbert as a better guardian for Ludwig?
"-but I didn't accept it." He finished his words.
"…Why?" Roderich was immensely relieved. He felt like this was the most sensible question to ask.
"'Monarchic power is maintained by the sword, not through the height of revolution', said the fourth." He continued after swallowing his breath. "I did ask him to accept it, but he said, 'Go ask Frederick the Great, he has been your man. I, in all honesty, am not a great ruler.'"
Roderich felt more puzzled than resolved after hearing his explanation. He also sat up right next to the albino so he was not being "looked down" at, clutching at a pillow to provide himself more warmth.
"I… find it difficult to believe that you and you monarchs are still unable to weaken your obsession over Frederick the Great after six good decades." Roderich could not criticise them for their obsession; he, too, still could not forget the bright classical era and his beloved Maria Theresa. Six decades were long enough for a normal human to obliterate their memories, but a tad too short for embodiment of nations to forget.
Hiding his annoyance for the albino's insensitivity for bringing up undesirable past events, Roderich kept his tone flat and continued asking. He extended his hand to mess with the silver hair fondly; it always felt soft and fluffy, like a young bird with newly grown feathers.
"Gilbert… Why are you informing me about this right away? You can surely know or guess my viewpoint regarding the results of the National Assembly at Frankfurt."
"That's not the only thing I want to tell you, Roderich. Listen," Gilbert continued in a flat, serious tone, but all got disrupted when Roderich decided to come closer and touch him gently. He cursed to himself – he couldn't resist and retain a solemn posture to speak matter-of-factly. "Because I trust you will support my ideas, even when my people don't."
That peaked Roderich's interest. He stopped the pestering. "Such as?"
"Your place is in quite a mess, isn't it? Your nationalities have been getting unruly, and you need more time to focus on strengthening the order. Leave the Germans for me! Hold on to your inferi- I mean Croatian, Hungarian, Romanian, Czech subjects, and I can take care of the German princes for you. And we can rule together- I am totally fine with titles like 'Commander of Chief of Germany' or 'King of Germany' – not necessarily 'emperor'."
Roderich rolled his eyes a bit, which made the Prussian feel very insecure.
"...I mean it! I don't want to accept the throne without letting you simply because of the domestic issues you are facing. I want it to be righteous and not hidden, and I want you to be part of this united German sphere. Especially when my guy, Stockhausen, think that your Radetzky is pretty cool." He laughed, adding a sound of assurance.
The Prussian king was a dreamer; he dreamt of the glory and greatness of the traditional Hapsburg Empire, and he was infatuated to be part of the splendour. At the same time, he also loved himself, and he did not understand enough how conflicting those two ideas were. Gilbert understood this and he identified with him. Love blinded him into thinking such fantasies were rational.
Roderich kept silent and merely sustained his smile at his lover. Gilbert didn't cease to look at him with high anticipation.
"Rule with me."
"We will make it work out. "
"Germany is going to be awesome."
With a frown, Roderich finally replied. "…I must agree that Deustchland is destined to be a great power of Europe," his voice revealed a hint of hesitation, "I shall consult my ministers before reaching a definite conclusion. I will send you an express letter shortly after a decision is made. "
"Why can't it be now?" The albino continued to stare at the other with an expecting pair of eyes, albeit tainted with disappointment.
"Because I am not an absolutist monarch like Napoleon. And, not to mention…."
Letting go of his pillow and wrapping around Gilbert's neck, Roderich nuzzled his cheeks and slowly proceeding towards his lips, licking the upper lips first with the tip of his tongue; a little chapped, perhaps savory on the surface, but the sweetness was implicit and endearing. He then kissed the man fully but in slight frustration, with his other hand reaching for Prussian's semi-erected member, rubbing and caressing the tip until the Prussian could not think and slip out a moan.
"It is our iron rule not to bring that business into the bedroom," whispered the Austrian, and finally withdrawing his hands, relieving Gilbert from the little teasing. "Have you forgotten?"
Damn this, Gilbert muttered to himself again, and with an evident smirk, he snorted and effortlessly pinned down the Austrian. "Ha, you wish," he laughed, with his legs in between Roderich's, and his tongue trailed down from the smooth, hairless chest down to the abdomen, a few pecks given before he took a different route down, biting and sucking at the firm inner thigh muscles. The Austrian quivered involuntarily with a mellifluous moan, and that made him immensely satisfied. It was rare to see Roderich being mad and initiative in private, so how could Gilbert miss this opportunity to suppress his anger?
"All businesses I have with you are to keep violating you until you scream out loud to the entire Europe," He pecked a kiss on the sensitive, engorged member nearby. "Private businesses," he added with a grin, after swallowing the disappointment of having his voice getting censored. He understood the other's reasoning very well, though, and he chose to comply with it.
"Let's resume this business. Talk later at coffee house. Adalbert might interrupt, but who cares?"
Little did the Prussian notice the omen which his right to fantasize would later be crushed and stepped upon; little did the Austrian know that his rejection to the Prussian proposal would finally stabilize his position to dominate both publicly and privately.
Little did those two wretched souls understand that a man, who is still rising and aspired, is forever risen and aspired. Bringing the man back down to his knees would only guarantee his revival, and more destruction to follow.
It was the Austrian who was overly ambitious beyond his capacity, and it was the Prussian who was overly suppressed under his capacity. It was their last moment of peace, last minute for pleasure, last second to fully enjoy themselves before their flame of love once again burn their hearts into unrecoverable ashes.
They have chosen the key signatures and the meters of this prelude, and once it began playing, there was no way to revert it.
I hope you find this oneshot enjoyable! Here are some historical explanation, if you would like:
1. The fourth means Frederick William IV of Prussia. He fantasised about Germany following the old model under Habsburg rule, and he thought that the crown offer was from a gutter (Frankfurt Parliament), so he declined it in 2nd April, 1849.
2. Hungary declared independence from Austria on 14th April, 1849. It was short-lived.
3. There would be May Uprising in Dresden starting from 3rd May, 1849. Prussia had been the one helping other German states to suppress uprising, and the upcoming one in Saxony was on exception.
4. Adalbert is the name for Saxony that I came up with. There are considerably many "Alberts" and "Adalberts" through Saxon history, and since Saxony was around at least from 800CE, when the spelling "Adalbert" was more prevalent, I think it is a very suitable name for him.
5. In this ficlet, Ludwig is also "reborn" as the German Confederation - his death as HRE was temporal during Confederation of Rhine. I see Ludwig as the continuity of HRE, whose name shall be Heinrich.
This is my first on FF, so please do review this and offer me some concrits. I have a lot of headcanon that I want to write out, and I appreciate any encouragement or criticism from you all.