A/N: I do not own Hetalia Axis Powers. It belongs to Hidekazu Himaruya. Happy late Valentines' day! This fic is a bit corny but whatever. Image belongs to ppppocket on tumblr.
"Go, you bloody horse!" Arthur slapped his steed lightly.
In response, it threw him off its' back and huffed at him.
"Alfred!" the annoyed prince stood up and got back on the horse. "Fine..just a short ride.."
The horse neighed and galloped off into the woods happily.
Arthur felt the breeze and nature slowly surround him. He felt free here, away from those idiots back at the castle. Especially his father. God, his father was the worst. He had such old-fashioned ideas, which was tiresome to deal with.
Sighing, he slowed down his horse and rode on, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the forest.
Suddenly the horse stopped, its' ears perking up.
"Oh? Do you hear something?" Arthur asked and put his hand to his ear.
A beautiful singing voice suddenly echoed throughout the forest, startling the steed.
Arthur wanted to listen to the beautiful singing forever. However, his horse was panicking so he calmed it down with a carrot.
"I'll give you..two more of these if you find the source of the singing!" Arthur said to the horse, waving the carrots.
It neighed and seemed to shake its' head.
"Four carrots?"
It perked up and began galloping away. The voice drew closer and closer...
"Oh my, it's a fair maiden!" Arthur whispered to himself as he got off the horse and hid behind a tree, peeking at the sight.
Indeed, there was a beautiful stranger in peasant clothes, singing to the forest animals! The stranger clumsily danced along, looking absolutely ridiculous.
Arthur covered his mouth to stifle his laughter and watched the maiden sing to an owl, holding it up high.
"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream.." the peasant sang. "I know you..the look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam..."
Arthur, entranced by the beautiful voice, dared to step out of his hiding place but the fair maiden was distracted and did not notice him.
"And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem.." the stranger giggled. "But if I know you, I know what you'll do! You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.."
"I have to talk to her!" Arthur whispered to his horse, which grunted in response.
He slowly crept out and replaced the owl's position quietly.
"But if I know you, I know what you'll do! You'll.." Arthur joined in with the singing, grasping her hands lightly from her back. "-love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.."
"Oh my God aru!" the maiden jumped and turned around.
"Oh dear, I didn't mean to frighten you.." Arthur immediately let go of her fragile hands.
"Who are you aru?!" the maiden stepped back.
Arthur smiled charmingly at the gorgeous young maiden and held one of her hands.
"You do know me.." he said, playing along with her song. "You just sang about me..didn't you?"
The maiden blushed.
"I'm a man aru.." the maiden mumbled. "I was singing about a princess!"
"Oh?" Arthur blinked.
Then he thought: why should I care about his gender?
"Does my gender really matter in this situation?" he whispered into the peasant's ear.
The other man turned red and pushed the prince away.
"I'm not supposed to talk to.." he stopped halfway and looked up at the prince.
"But..I know you..I've walked with you once upon a dream.." Arthur sang.
"I..know you, the look in your eyes, so familiar a gleam!" the stranger smiled back, singing.
And so they began to dance rather clumsily, stumbling quite a bit, but singing happily together as they did so.
"And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem.."
"But if I know you, I know what you'll do! You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream..." Arthur felt the peasant leaned against his chest and his head suddenly felt his face turn warm.
"Who are you? What's your name?" Arthur asked, holding the other man's hands.
"My name..my name?" the peasant suddenly looked shocked, registering the fact that he danced and sang with a total stranger in the woods. "I..I have to go!"
"Wait! When will I see you again?!" Arthur panics as the stranger begins to run off at lightning speed. "Tomorrow? Next week?"
"Oh no, not tomorrow aru! Maybe even never!" the peasant pauses for a moment. "Tonight! At the cottage deep in the woods! Goodbye!"
Arthur watched as the beautiful stranger took off again. He leaned against a nearby tree, his heart beating so fast it might explode.
"..I'm in trouble, aren't I?"
fin