Have you ever watched a duck walk? They lead with their chests and therefore waddle pretty much everywhere. That also seems to be how pregnant women walk, but they led with their bellies, more so when they were close to the birthdays of the baby, or in their particular case, babies. While their story was similar to that of most young parents, theirs was still different in a big way.
They were nations, his beautiful wife was the Representation of the United Kingdom, and he was the Republic of France, and one might ask some important questions, such as…
How in the hell did they get babies?
They weren't colonies, they weren't adopted, their babies were their own flesh and blood. They had twins, both little girls. One took after him (technically because she has his heart, but more on that later), and her name was Edith, his own petite songbird. Their other daughter took more after Alice, and her name was Vicki. He really did try to persuade his wife to pick another name, but she was Hell bent. In her own words "it's the name of a Doctor Who companion, and it's short for Victoria, one of my best queens!" Then she grabbed some ice cream from the freezer, and so the issue was settled.
So then, how did this happen? To answer that would require a bit of anatomy classes, but for the most part, it was magic. Seriously. How else could a nation get pregnant without a bit of intervention? However, all of this truly started a few weeks after the night of magic, when they made the announcement.
He had almost fainted, Alice knew that he would. Now, she wasn't one for grandness and so she had simply told him one day while they were out at the store, they passed by the baby clothes and she let out a calm "We should start looking at these, or the babies is going to have nothing" and with that Francis was all to pieces in the middle of the mall. They had both suspected something a few days before, due to a certain event, but they didn't have confirmation until she told him in the middle of the mall. So perhaps she should have told him a different way, but now that they had to tell everyone else at the World meeting there was simply no other way to go about it.
"Francis, promise me one thing?"
"Yes my beautiful wife, the love of my life?"
He had truly been laying on the compliments thick recently, but she actually didn't mind since often her quickly changing hormones caused her to need sweet nothings like that.
"Don't let anyone panic, and don't let them charge at me, ok?"
"I can certainly do that, but don't worry. We're all adults here, aren't we? Well, most of us...But I am sure they will act maturely."
"...A meeting where people act mature? I'll believe it when Hell itself is bloody frozen over and you can ice skate with Lucifer."
Francis chuckled softly, opening the door for her as they walked into the meeting. Just three weeks ago he might have come up with a witty remark, but now he was just incessantly sweet to her, even more than before, which was already a copious amount. Over one hundred years of marriage and that man never changed.
"Come now mon lapin, it is fine! Everything will be fine!"
Alice repeated her husband's words to herself almost like a mantra as they walked into the crowded meeting area that was already full of people chattering away, the couple skirted around the others and just sat down, Alice only getting up to make a cup of decaffeinated tea. Eventually the chaos was reigned in and the other nations gathered around the table to start the discussion about the topics of the day: economics, environment, travel, taxes and America. America had his own section to himself for this meeting. To get any news in, they would have to be the first to start and so as soon as Ludwig started to ask for any new issues to be discussed Alice stood, not even waiting for permission.
She scanned the room, looking at all the people she was about to tell, Alfred, his brother, Roderich, Elizabeta, Laura, the nordics, Ivan...Everyone. Finally she took a deep breath and spoke with utter conviction, as if about to deliver a speech on tax reform.
"Now, when I tell you all this I expect everyone to remain calm for once….I'm pregnant."
For what was ironically, a pregnant minute, no one spoke and instead stared at her with blank eyes.
"...What do I have to bloody pull out the stick and show you all? I'm pregnant."
This seemed to stir them as what started out as whispered mutters soon turned into a roar as everyone clamored for answers.
"HOW?!"
"When?!"
"Why?"
"Where?"
Alice held up her hands and luckily this seemed to pause the quickly growing chaos.
"You should know that, i'm four weeks in, we wanted to, and like i'd bloody tell you!"
There was silence for a moment until a low drone, almost scream, started with Alfred leaping up out of his seat like someone possessed.
"I'M GOING TO BE AN UNCLE!"
So, the chaos started afresh as more and more nations realized that they would either be uncles, aunts, or estranged cousins.
"Who's going to be the godparents?!"
Alice stared, whom, out of these people, did she actually trust with her future babies? She scanned the room a bit panicked, perhaps her queen would take the job?...Then again, perhaps a nation would be good. They would at least be immortal.
"We….Will inform you all of our decision later….Much later. Any other questions?"
"What's the genders?!"
"They're barely even properly alive yet, they don't have genders right now! Look, we will let you know that later as well, but it'll be a few weeks."
There was silence and so Alice sat down, but it seemed like they weren't done being interrogated as yet again that question was brought back up again.
"How did this happen? Nations should not be able to have babies!"
"First of all that's rude, and second of all-"
"I am more than willing to discuss the full details!"
"...Francis if you bloody-."
"The night began with us picking out a lovely hotel, we ordered wine and then-"
"Ok! Ok! Lord!"
"We get it!"
"We'll stop asking!"
Francis nodded, obviously pleased with himself for that "clever" diversion….Whatever got them away from how they actually got babies, then she didn't care. This century was much calmer, but still, if the truth were to come out...They'd be an easy target.
They tried to get the meeting to go on as normal, but could they all really go back to talk about economics when they had just made such as huge announcement? In the end they cut the meeting part short to allow the others to ask more questions, Francis sat beside her the whole time beaming like he was the proudest person in the world. He answered every question with joy whereas she soon got tired of it all and started to search through her purse. Francis took a moment from basking in his new fatherhood to ask her about this.
"What are you doing mon amour?
"Ah i'm just trying to find some food, i'm so bloody hungry."
There was a mass shuffling and when she looked up food was being offered to her on all sides.
"What the…"
Laura approached her first, proudly sporting a chocolate bar.
"Here, you can some of the finest Belgian chocolates!"
This was certainly odd….Was this what it was like for all pregnant women, or was she simply an exception since she was the only nation ever to be pregnant? Whatever it was, it got her food, so she didn't much care.
"Ah, thank you very much Laura, I appreciate it."
"Of course! If you ever have any cravings for chocolate let me know, a pregnant woman deserves the best quality chocolates!"
"I will certainly do that, thank you again!"
A small line had formed and Alice was starting to feel like the Mother Mary, although perhaps that was sacrilegious to say since she certainly wasn't a virgin. In either Protestant, or Catholic it would probably be a good idea to keep her mouth shut and so she simply received the next person, Kiku handing her a small bag of wasabi crisps.
"I believe that pregnant women usually have the taste for salty foods, yes?"
"Ah yes, just yesterday I made Francis stop the car to let me out and get some chips, so thank you."
Kiku gave her a small bow and was almost run over by Alfred...Oh dear.
"Look, I got everything you need!"
He took off his jacket and began to shake it, raining simple carbs and processed sugars onto the table like a hailstorm.
"So, I got snickers, hershey's, spam, reese's and finally, potato chips!...And I guess I can let you have a hamburger too if you want."
"Oh….Well...Thank you Alfred this is...Quite a lot…"
Alfred beamed, utterly proud of his stockpile of sugar and canned meat products.
"Yeah I know right? Don't worry, next time i'll bring more! You're eating for two now, so I'll make sure my little niece or nephew is set!"
Without giving her a chance to reply, Alfred set off back to his seat while a few other snacks were offered to her, but by now the amount of "snacks" had risen to a four course meal proportions.
"Ah well...Thank you all! It's nice to know that you are all as excited for this baby as I am."
Armed with a bag of salt and vinegar crisps in one hand, and Belgium chocolate in the other hand, Alice finally started to answer questions about the baby. She told them all that they knew, that the baby was going to be born sometime in the spring, they had an official due date but Alice didn't tell them that just yet. She was allowed to keep some things a secret, wasn't she? From there they were asked what gender baby they wanted, what features they wanted them to have, for both of those questions it was simple. They wanted them to be healthy, and that was all.
The meeting eventually ended with Alice and Francis each sporting a tote bag full of snacks, some of the other nations having found more food to offer to them. Now all that was left was to go tell her brothers. With this in mind Alice took out yet another chocolate bar and ate it in silence as they walked, Francis's protective arm wrapped around her.
"You're not nervous, are you cher?"
"No of course not…."
"D'accord."
In all actuality, the visit with her brothers was actually not that bad, they seemed fairly excited for her and the baby. There was talk of being wary of changelings and fairies that might try to snatch their kids, but Alice feigned morning sickness and that discussion soon stopped. Her siblings had missed being uncles to kids, after all Matthew and Alfred were too old for that now. They themselves would be uncles now….That thought left Alice's brain wheeling as she munched on a chocolate bar at their current house. It wasn't easy being married to another nation while still having your own country be separate, but they made it work through sharing houses. They lived in one house for the winter/ fall and one for the summer/ spring. It wasn't the easiest, but it did mean that the baby would be born in her house, which made her a bit happy. Even if it wasn't their house that they would be going to Alice would have to insist on having the baby at her house, after all she was carrying it, or rather them. During her musing Alice felt a set of lanky arms wrap around her, their hands already on her stomach which didn't have any change at all yet.
"What are you thinking about mon lapin?"
"Hmm. The baby…..Perhaps pickles as well, but mostly the baby."
Francis chuckled and kissed the nape of her neck before sitting down beside her at the couch.
"How are you still hungry?"
That was a good question, but she somehow still was.
"Well, according to Alfred i'm eating for two now."
Francis's arm still remained wrapped around her stomach as he flicked through the TV channels since obviously she wasn't too concerned with what she was watching, having blanked off for half of the show….Whatever it was that she had been watching.
"Hmm, oui….I hate to admit it but he is right, you're going to need at least another three hundred calories a day."
"...Now where did you get that from?"
Her husband smiled sheepishly, tugging on his blond bangs.
"Ah, after you went to sleep last night I did some research."
"Alright….How much research?"
Instead of telling her, Francis simply drug out his laptop and let her look at it. The poor laptop, which was already quite old but he refused to upgrade, was slowed down with the sheer number of tabs open on the screen. So many that she couldn't even read what the titles were, but she had a good idea of what they all were for.
"My Lord…."
"...A bit much?"
Alice looked to him with her eyebrows upraised.
"A bit?"
"Oui….A bit….Ahem, but I found us a video to watch!"
Francis clicked on several of the nameless tabs until he finally found the correct one, there the videos picture hosted delicate script that stated.
"The miracle of birth and the birthing process."
Alice glanced at her husband before shaking her head.
"Absolutely not. I am not watching a video about giving birth when the baby is only the size of a bloody pea!"
"Actually they-"
"No."
"At least let us watch this together Alice! We must educate ourselves!"
The baby was tiny right then, it didn't even have proper organs, why was he so concerned about her giving birth!
"Not right now Francis! I don't want to be bloody terrified for the next eight months!"
"...I'll make you a croque Madame...I'll make you that, and a cake tomorrow!"
Alice scoffed, as if she would care that much about a ham and cheese sandwich smothered with bechamel sauce and topped with a fried egg and even more cheese….Bloody hell.
"...Will you make a chocolate cake?"
"Obviously."
"...Alright let's get this over with."
Francis seemed rather pleased with himself as he tapped the play button with a flourish. The screen hosted a glowing, spinning circle as the video reloaded, then it began…
HOW COULD HE HAVE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?
This was quite possibly the worst idea he had had in a long time since it just was horrific to watch the utterly detailed birthing process. Then at the end the mother got her baby and was just smiling, as if she had not just spent the last eight hours painfully pushing out a baby that had ripped her, bruised her and left her screaming in pain.
The couple sat there for a moment, staring at the screen on the computer as the video helpfully suggested other videos of births with other mothers, and even an actual C-section.
"...Croque Madame...Now."
The weeks passed rapidly, until around the same time that she started to show they went for her first ultrasound, due to the terms of the spell they knew that it would be twins, but they didn't know what genders the babies would be, they had been working on many different names though. They both had so many people who had made a difference in their countries, so it was going to be hard to narrow it down to just two names.
Alices fingers tapped the table as she waited, breathing in the thick sterile smell of the examination room as they prepared for the nurse to get back with the ultrasound technician, and of course, the ultrasound.
"...What if they don't have the hearts Alice?"
Alice rolled her head back to see Francis, his hands rubbing his knees in a repetitive motion, over and over and over again.
"Then we try again I suppose….But we both felt it Francis….If they are dead then we-"
The door opened with a soft knock to the door and a cheerful sonographer entered the room with the ultrasound, she pulled out a tube of gel and started to breath on it to try and warm it, although everyone knew it would still be icy when they rubbed it onto her stomach.
"Are you ready to see your baby for the first time Mrs. Kirkland?"
"Yes I suppose that I am."
The cheerful woman nodded and rubbed the freezing gel onto her stomach, then started the machine with a whirl. She set the probe onto her belly and moved it with one hand, her other hand typing rapidly until soon an image lit up on the screen. If one didn't know that they were looking at babies you would think that perhaps someone had taken an ultrasound of two tiny potatoes, but no, the sonographer glanced at Alice with a smile.
"Congratulations, you're having twins."
She moved the probe a bit more and hummed thoughtfully.
"Can't quite see the genders yet though, but i'm sure you'll be able to see them soon. Now then."
She tapped the machine with a practiced hand and grinned as two steady heartbeats rang out, like little drums they beat on.
"There they are, sounds perfectly healthy to me."
All she could do was stare at the image on the screen, her babies, her two tiny potatoes, had perfect heartbeats...It had worked..The babies now had their hearts.
They had the ultrasound picture printed and brought it to the next meeting, which as per usual ended up with a large crowd of nations swarming to get a glance of their little potatoes.
"Where are they?!"
Alice hummed softly, pointing out the two blobs as the others leaned over them to look at it.
"Oh my gosh...They're so tiny!"
Alfred leaned over the table to look at the pictures, almost sprawled out on the table in doing so.
"Dude, it's worse than I thought! You're eating for three! Good thing I got you this!"
Alfred pulled out a backpack and presented it proudly, upon opening it Alice found junk food, but also surprisingly some apples and vegetables.
"Matthew helped me this time, he put all the healthy stuff in there, something about vitamins, yada-yada, but look! There's more chocolate! Oh, and protein bars!"
His grin never wavered as he handed over the miniature gas station snack selection of food.
"They're going to be so strong when they get out, I know it!"
Alice nodded slowly, an entire bag of just food...But at least they had more produce now, so that was good at least. It was fine also that she was getting so much more junk food...Utterly fine.
Alfred finally slid off of the table and let more people look at the ultrasound picture, remarks were made and done, then they all settled back down for the meeting, the picture being passed around still as people just wanted to gawk at it for a while. Francis had already made copies of it and was planning on getting it framed. Alice subconsciously kept a hand on her well rounded miniature bump the whole meeting. At the end they tried to leave a bit early but were blocked by a bit of a surprising person, Matthew.
"We all need to talk to you before you guys go….Ehh if that's ok of course!"
Alice blinked for a moment before nodding, feeling a bit worried.
"Yes, of course, what is it Matthew?"
Matthew took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and then suddenly bent over as Alfred leaned on him, pushing him down into a spine cracking bow.
"When's the baby shower?!"
Matthew stood, easily getting Alred off of his back, rolling his shoulders a bit.
"Yeah….That. Thanks Al."
The sarcasm was lost on his brother as he just grinned.
"No problem!"
Alice sighed softly, thinking and glancing at Francis, the others anxiously waiting for their answer, even some of the nations that she was not the best of friends with were standing there waiting.
"Oh well...I suppose….About a month away from when I'm due…"
The group nodded, finally a low and gruff voice spoke out, a voice that could only belong to Berwald.
"You will be needing toys and a cradle, right?"
"Oh Berwald we can't expect you to make an entire cradle for-"
"I'm making it. It'll be better quality than what's at the stores."
Leaving no room for objection, he left, Tino tagging along side him. From the way they were whispering to each other Alice knew they were planning the babies cradles already. She truly didn't understand this, she had never been enemies with Berwald certainly, but they had never been true allies, and yet he was planning to make her a blooming cradle! Was everyone here missing kids this bloody much? After his statement that just opened the floodgates as nations began to make arrangements for gifts, right there in front of them. From the sounds of it, their babies would be taken care of until they were bloody twelve.