"One day," the young boy looked up at his grandfather as he was speaking to him. The man paused, thinking of the precise words that he wanted to say to his eldest grandson. The boy waited anxiously. He wasn't one to sit down and wait patiently. No, that was his younger brother. He's pretty sure that his grandfather favors his younger brother over him. He always gets into trouble, he hangs out with bad influences for friends, and he's as cocky as a young boy his age could ever be. His younger brother strives to be the greatest empire, maybe even better than the great Roman Empire their grandfather talks about.
"Achem," his grandfather cleared his throat, gathering the attention of the country. "Gilbert," the elder said, "One day, I won't be here and- "
"Where will you be?" The light haired boy interrupted. Germania ran his hand through his hair, exhaled, and counted to three, like he used to do with the Roman Empire. He looked at the young boy and exhaled once again. He turned his head to see his youngest grandson talking to another small boy, then trying to drag him somewhere.
"Elsewhere," the wise nation told the young country. Germania knew exactly where he would be going, but he didn't want to admit it to the young boy. Not to long ago, the same thing happened to the Roman Empire, and Germania knew he wasn't far behind. When Germania heard the news, he knew exactly why the Roman Empire took the time away from everything to spend time with his youngest grandson.
Germania thought his friend might have had a great idea during his time, to spend the time he had with his grandchildren. Germania thought he should take his actions to consideration and try it too. It was worth a shot. Germania spent the day with his youngest only the day before. He told him stories of a great empire he knew and how strong the little one was going to be.
Gilbert watched Germania as he watched his little brother. He was spacey today, and being Germania, he was never spacey. He always knew exactly what was going on, nothing could ever distract him. Gilbert has tried in the past, but his grandfather never zoned out.
Germania looked back towards Gilbert and gave his half-smile. He rustled his hair and turned back to watch his youngest. "Someday, you will be in charge-"
"Like tomorrow?" Gilbert squealed in excitement. He couldn't believe it. For once, he could be in charge of his younger brother. Maybe for once, he could seize his brother's vital regions.
Germania closed his eyes. He only wished he could laugh at a subject like this. He imagined what his friend told his grandchildren. He knew he took the oldest first to talk to, then the youngest to spend time with. He opened his eyes and continued to watch the two young boys out in the field as an older boy joined them. Talking to the younger one always seems a bit easier. He's a lot more serious than the older, but he's still too young to know exactly what's going on.
"Not exactly," Germania sighed, leaning back and relaxing a bit. The two were sitting on a grassy hill far away from everyone, but close enough that they can watch the young ones. "Soon though." The small restless boy shifted his position. It finally hit him. His grandfather knew something was going to happen, something big.
"Vati," The boy began to whisper. "What's going on?"
A smile grew on Germania's face. He pulled the small boy to his body and hugged him. "Life," He whispered back. "And sometimes, there's no way to stop it."
Prussia laid down in the grass, attempting to relax. Ever since his grandfather left, he was in charge of his younger brother, even if he couldn't know about it. He watched as Holy Roman Empire was talking to a younger, clueless boy. He slightly laughed as his younger brother's foolishness. He was too blind to notice the boy in the girl clothes in front of his face.
The young boy is supposed to be a descendant of the Roman Empire, but Gilbert couldn't put his finger on the power in the boy. Otherwise, he's exactly like how his grandfather described his friend. "Always singing," He could remember his grandfather saying, "Singing, singing, singing. He never took anything seriously. He was an artist, and never knew exactly where he was. He was very picky about the food he ate. He was powerful and strong. He never passed up a fight."
Gilbert sat up. He needed to pay attention and watch his brother. He was given a task, and he can't fail his grandfather. Gilbert has aged quite a bit since he had talked to his grandfather about his job. He was nearly a full-grown country, and he thinks he doesn't have much more time until he is a fully grown country.
He watched as his little brother turned from his friend and ran. Not long after, the younger boy ran after him. Gilbert laughed at his younger brother only wishing he could actually talk with him during this time. Austria wasn't a big fan of Gilbert, nor the either way around, and as long as Holy Roman Empire lives in Austria's house, Gilbert wasn't invited.
"What is wrong, mí amigo?" a familiar Spanish voice sat down next to him.
"Mon frère, you look sad," a French accent joined the group and wrapped his arm around Prussia's shoulder. Prussia just sighed. He didn't know how to explain what's going on to his two friends without telling the whole story.
Gilbert looked at the two and simply said, "Today's the day that Holy Rome is going off for his war." The two understood that Gilbert felt like it was his job to protect his younger brother, but his younger brother would refuse to take him along.
France ruffled with Gilbert's light blonde hair, "Everything will go well, mon ami."
"Sí," Spain agreed, "Holy Roman Empire, may be small, but he is strong."
Gilbert crossed his arms and sat his head on them. He watched as his little brother was getting ready to leave. He was so small compared to all of his men that were going to fight with him. Gilbert couldn't remember his first fight, but he knew that he wasn't this young.
"HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE," The little boy yelled. He held out his push broom to Holy Rome, but what he said was inaudible to the trio.
"He is adorable, no?" Spain smiled as Holy Rome accepted the broom. Gilbert laughed trying to hid how much he's worrying about his little brother. Gilbert zoned out but was pulled back into reality when Spain elbowed him and laughed with France, "Looks like we're going to be related, huh?"
"What?" Gilbert questioned, missing whatever Spain and France were laughing at, which made them laugh more. Gilbert sighed and smiled, at least he had friends during this time.
"Holy Rome has fallen," a soldier yelled as he ran into town. "He has fallen! He has fallen!" The soldier ran right through a crowd of people, doing exactly what he told to do, "The Holy Roman Empire has fallen!" The soldier didn't stop in the middle of the crowd, but fought his way through. He was almost all the way out when somebody grabbed his wrist.
"What?" the man pulled the soldier towards him and asked again in a more frightened tone, "What did you say?"
"The Ho-Holy Roman Empire has fallen," the soldier repeated. He was only told to run through the towns and tell the news, he wasn't told about anybody might stop him to repeat himself. The man stared at him for a moment then let go of the soldier's wrist. The light haired man looked down at his shoes, then back up at the soldier who hadn't move from his spot.
The man nodded at the soldier. "Thank you," he said softly, then turned to run in the direction the soldier had came from. The soldier watched the man run towards the battlefield where he was earlier. The whole battlefield was a huge mess when he left it, and probably wasn't any better. He sighed and turned around. "Holy Rome has fallen!"
Gilbert ran. He has never ran this fast, but he knew he needed to pick up speed. He ran through the crowd and into the forest. As he ran farther into the forest, the darker it got. "HOLY ROME," Gilbert yelled. "BRUDER!" he could see a light on the other end of the forest, but the closer he got, it seemed that it got farther away. "BRUDER!" He yelled once again.
"Mhnnnnnnnnnn," a voice mumbled not to far away.
Gibert ran faster, "BRUDER?" Gilbert was so focused on the voice, that he wasn't paying attention to the treelimbs that were stratching up his arms and wacking him as he ran past them.
"Mhnn." Gilbert heard the voice again and stopped. He knew whoever it was, was nearby.
"…Bruder?" Gilbert said once again, searching the area. He walked towards the center of the empty area, "Bruder?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something, something move. He pulled his sword from his side and shouted, "Whoever you are, show yourself!" He pointed the sword in the area he saw the movement. "Come on, show yourself to the AWESOME ME!"
He saw it once again, but realized exactly what it was. Or who. He put his sword back and ran to the movement.
"Bruder?" He said, crouching down lifting some low branches to see what moved. Then he saw it. He saw him. He reached under the branches and pulled him out. "Bruder?"
"Mhn," the boy groaned. He was beaten up. Scratches and cuts everywhere. Bruises covered his face, arms, and legs. He tensed up from the pain of just being touched. Blood covered his clothes and his blonde hair was dark from dirt and blood. Gilbert's eyes teared up. He couldn't stand to see his brother like this. He knew he was too young for battle but no one listened.
He pulled his brother to his body and stood up. "Let's go home," he whispered and started to head home.
**********************
"Bruder," The little blond boy looked up from his food to his brother sitting across the table.
"Yes?" Gilbert said mid-chew. His little brother has grown a bit since the war he was in. He's taller, he's getting a bit of muscle and starting to look like an adolescent. Most of his scars have faded, and his bruises and cuts have healed. His small chubby body has started to get leaner and taller. 'He's beginning to look a lot like Germania,' Prussia thought to himself.
"Tell me," the little one said, "About vati."
Prussia smiled, "Well, he was strong and powerful. Smart and wise. He was very proud of you when you were little."
The boy smiled back, "What was I like?" Gilbert always felt his heart break when they went through this cycle. He reached over the table and messed with his younger brother's hair.
"Exactly how you are now, except smaller."
"Then why don't I remember?" The boy slicked back his hair, just like it was before his brother messed it up.
"You were small," Prussia softly smiled. He felt like this was probably the hardest topic to talk about. "You weren't strong enough. You're getting stronger each day," Prussia smiled at his little brother. "You will be strong, just like your grandfather."
"Just like Germania?" The boy said with his smile.
"Exactly like Germania, Germany."