Disclaimer: I in no way shape or form own Hetalia
She had first appeared in the summer of 1968. She could tell that those around her were not like her, that she was different. It made her feel lonely, knowing this, but she could sense that there was someone like her across the sea. Deciding that meeting them, this person who was like her, would make her less lonely, the little girl decided to go to them.
He was very happy to see her, though he seemed like a very happy man in general. He said that he was Italy, but she should call him Feliciano. When he asked her who she was, she said that she was the Republic of Rose Island.
Feliciano had smiled (wider, that is) before saying that he guessed that that made her his little sister, but could he please call her Rosa for short? "Republic of Rose Island" was a mouthful and too formal to be used between a brother and sister, or at least he thought. He'd never had a little sister before.
The newly-christened Rosa had beamed up at him and replied that of course he could call her that, if it would make him happy.
Feliciano had soon taken Rosa to meet their brothers. First his older brother, Romano. "He's a bit of a potty-mouth," Feliciano had stage-whispered to Rosa, much to the little girl's delight and Romano's displeasure. Romano was mostly okay to Rosa, nice even, but Feliciano had said that he could be quite mean.
Next they visited Feliciano's younger brother, Seborga. Of course, he was still Rosa's olde brother, but he was very sweet to her, asking her what she liked to do and what her favourite foods were. Of course, Rosa was very young and as such, had not done a great deal of things or eaten very many things, so she hadn't known how to answer Seborga's questions. He'd said that that was okay and that they should all do fun things together and eat good food as a family. Rosa had thought that that sounded like a very good idea.
Unfortunately, the family never got to have their fun because Rosa soon grew quite ill, to the point where Feliciano would not let her out of bed for fear that she should fall and hurt herself.
Rosa was thankful that her big brothers made sure that even though she couldn't get out of bed, she still had good food, was never alone, and was always happy. None of them said it, but Rosa could see it in the way they looked at each other, heard it in the way that they danced around certain topics if she asked.
Yes, Rosa knew she was dying. And no matter how hard her brothers tried to keep her from knowing, she knew that it was because of the Italian government.
On February 13th, 1969, Rosa died. Her final moments were spent reassuring a sobbing Feliciano that her death was not his fault and she didn't blame him for it as he begged for her to forgive him. Her other brothers were there too, with Seborga loudly wailing and Lovino cursing God for taking one so young.
Rosa whispered her quiet farewell as the pain wracking her body ceased, her breathing slowed, and her heart shuddered to a halt as whatever inexplicable will had been keeping her alive ran out and the little girl calmly passed on into death.