Splat, splat, splat.
Her torn, green dress swirled about Elizaveta as she sprinted down the cobblestone street, her feet making splashes in the puddles that were forming. It was only around four o'clock, but the sky was clustered with grey clouds, from which cold raindrops fell.
Splat, splat, splat.
Elizaveta rounded the corner, panting hard as she skidded to a halt in front of the large building. A carriage was parked out front, with men loading boxes into it. Elizaveta caught a glimpse of a small blond toddler being bundled into the vehicle by his mother.
Splat, splat, splat.
Footsteps sounded from behind Elizaveta and she turned, her large green eyes filling with worry.
"They said you were leaving." she wondered softly to the tall, albino boy in front of her.
Gilbert ,her best friend, gazed at her sorrowfully, his red eyes looking at her, then the ground.
"Yes. We have to go." he said softly, running a hand through his silvery white hair.
Elizaveta stood there in shock. He wasn't supposed to leave her. He was supposed to stay with her. They were going to play in the field behind the abandoned factory, have their tutors teach them together, practice swordplay, start riding. All of their plans were now ruined by this sudden departure.
She suddenly remembered the day they met.
Stupid Roderich. He ruined all her plans with his damn piano.
Here she was, sitting at the base of a tree in the forest. Reduced to this, in her utter and complete boredom.
Practice does make perfect, she thought, but practicing every five seconds is too much. Roderich needs to learn that.
A tap on the shoulder made her whirl around in a panic. She shrieked as she stared into a pair of scarlet eyes.
As she straightened, flustered, she took a longer look at the boy that had scared her. He was tall and skinny, with paper white skin and and silver hair. His eyes were that unnatural red.
The boy kept on laughing. "KESESESESES!" he roared, "YOUR FACE!"
Elizaveta stood up, flustered. "Stop it. You could be nice and introduce yourself, you know."
The albino smirked and thrust a hand out "I am the Awesome Prussia, but you may call me Gilbert.."
Elizaveta rolled her eyes. "Elizaveta Hedervary." she said, shaking his hand roughly.
Gilbert smiled again. "Elizaveta Hederwhatever is too long. I shall call you Liz." he announced, as if he were a king making a declaration.
Elizaveta looked at him oddly. "Why are you so sure you'll have the chance to say my name again?"
This time, it was Gilbert who gave her the strange look. "Because we are friends."
Elizaveta smiled slightly, then quickly focused on the present.
"When will you be back?" she questioned, her ten year old voice quivering with witheld tears.
Gilbert looked up in a flash, his eyes widening. "Elizaveta..." he trailed off.
Then's when she knew. Gil never used her full name, ever. She was always "Liz" or "Hungary". Never "Elizaveta". He must be serious.
He was never coming back.
Time suddenly slowed as she turned away, her feet pounding on the street as she ran. She heard her name being called in the distance, but she didn't care. She was still running.
Elizaveta slammed open the front door to her home, rushed upstairs, dashed into her bedroom, shut the door, and crumpled onto her bed. She lay there in shock for a couple moments, before registering a sound.
Splat, splat, splat.
This time, though, it wasn't rain that was falling.