Author's Note: The title means 'A Life Without You' in Swedish. I originally wrote this for a contest on Wattpad, but I decided to post it on and Quotev too.

The blistering wind bit and scratched, swirling thick snow around and making it impossible to see past an outstretched arm. They stood in an open field blanketed with heavy snow and drenched in fresh blood.

A battle-staff rested on the ground, splintered beyond repair. On the ground, by the broken weapon, was a man who, had he been standing, would have been as tall and formidable of an enemy as the one standing in front of him. His long blue coat was ripped and torn, splotched with scarlet and battered with wounds. Blood dripped from his mouth and pain was evident on his face. Both rage and desperation shone in his eyes, which were obscured by wheat blonde hair.

Sweden, laying defeated on the snow, could not think of a single moment in his life nor history in which he felt more pathetic and worthless. Not even during the Kalmar Union, when he was under Denmark's control, had he felt more weak and frail than now. Maybe all those times when he had to follow through with some of the merciless rules or pointless battles his country had, when accumulated could surpass this moment. Currently, however, this was the most painful experience Sweden had ever gone through. Crushed against the snow, helpless in fighting off the intruder and helpless in protecting Finland from Russia.

Finland. Sweet, kind, beautiful Finland who was quite possibly the only reason why Sweden woke up in the morning. The bubbly Finn practically lit up Sweden's world, glowing brighter than the midnight sun itself. Since the day they had met, since they ran away from Denmark together, Sweden had loved Finland.

Sweden was already well-aware of the result of the Finnish war. It wasn't as if Russia coming to take Finland was unexpected. Still, it tore Sweden's world in two when he was informed that he would have to give up Finland. 'To obtain peaceful relations with Russia,' is what Sweden was told when he asked his king why he had to lose his Finland.

Despite such things, Sweden had gone to Finland, and asked him to runaway with him. He asked him, earlier that day, if he would want to give up his title as a personification of a country and start a new life with him. He had planned to go to a new country, the United States to be exact, and once there, they would take on the identities of Berwald Oxensternia and Tino Väinämöinen. Yes, Sweden had planned absolutely everything. The plan was practically full proof once Finland agreed to it, and had it not been for three factors, they would have been standing on a boat headed for the United States by now.

The first factor was that he and Finland lived in Stockholm. Because the people of his capital, Stockholm, were well aware of Sweden and Finland's presence, it would have been impossible to leave from the port there. So, the two had decided to head south to the city of Nyköping, where their appearance was not as well known.

The second factor stalling them from leaving, was the main road to Nyköping being blocked. Had the road been blocked by soldiers, Sweden was sure they could have gone through them within ten seconds. Their problem had not been people, however, it was the forces of nature. An avalanche of snow and rocks piled over the road, impossibly high to climb. The pair was then forced to go through the forests. They were on horse, and it wouldn't have taken them long if they had used the main road, but by going through the forest, their journey would take one or two more hours.

The final factor Sweden had not accounted for, was Russia coming to Sweden to take Finland. Sweden remembered the many times he and Denmark had fought with Russia when they were all younger, and he knew that Russia was one to settle things himself, but when they were younger, Russia had been more timid, as well. It just seemed like a crazy thought to Sweden that Russia would go all the way to Sweden to take Finland. Before Sweden and Finland had fled, Sweden's king had said that Finland would be sent back to his country with all his men that were in Sweden, where Russia was would be waiting.

And it was that third factor that stung the most. Russia hunting them down was not expected, which was why both countries had been beaten so quickly. It was that last factor that led to the predicament Sweden found himself in. They had been ambushed, in a way. They had decided to take a short break in the open field they had found. Russia had suddenly emerged from the woods, a sword in his hand. The long, tan scarf that was a signature trait of Russia flailed in the harsh wind, but the large nation was seemingly unaffected.

The battle had been long and hard. Finland had attempted to join in, but Sweden had refused. Countless times he had yelled at Finland, telling him to take his horse and run away, telling him that he would handle Russia and that he would reunite with him in Nyköping.

Now that Sweden thought back to that time, which was only moments ago, he had been stubborn. Had he let Finland join the fight, there was the terrible chance that Finland would get injured. But the chance that Russia would have been defeated would have risen, if only he had allowed Finland to fight with him.

It was quite possibly his fear of Finland getting hurt that stopped him from rational thinking. Sweden was fine, albeit reluctantly, with allowing Finland to fight against humans because he knew that Finland was stronger than any grown man. Their opponent was a country this time, however, and it was so easy for country's to hurt each other, even the slightest mistake could scar forever.

Nothing, however, nothing in the whole world could scar Sweden more than this moment in history. To see Finland, screaming and crying, slung against Russia's back, to lay in the scarlet-stained snow, unable to do anything, it was terrible. Sweden could only watch in horror as Finland's tear stained face slowly disappeared through the blizzard. The screams of Finland echoed through his head, the soft, sweet voice of his lover turned strained and desperate.

Once Russia's figure, carrying Finland, was no longer in sight, Sweden let out a strangled cry. Tears sprang from his eyes and he continued to cry out, not caring for the pain that coursed through his body. Unlike the environment around him, which was so bitterly cold, his injuries brought experiences that engulfed Sweden like flames.

For every slight movement he made, Sweden could hear a crackling noise from his broken bones. Blood continued to trickle from his wounds, deep gashes in his sides that stung like a thousand wasps. His left ankle had been twisted nearly three-hundred-sixty degrees, and was painful to just look at. The cold was starting to affect him, now that his clothes had been ripped to shreds, and Sweden was beginning to lose feeling in one of his arms.

None of that could even compare to the torture his heart was going through, however.

He had lost Finland to Russia, and now, his life would change forever. Submitting to his injuries and tired mind, Sweden closed his eyes, wondering how he could live without Finland.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading this! Reviews are very much appreciated!