A/N: Hello, may I introduce to my newest fic. Still in Hetalia fandom. The idea started fo putting two of my favourite characters into the same story. In this case it means Holy Roman Empire and Finland. I tried to stick in the all possible historical facts as much as possible. I hope I succeeded. Oh by the way, there will be some of my head canons in this fic. Just a warning. They are nothing too extreme though.
But I won't say anything else quite yet, just let you read the first chapter. I own none of the characters who may or may not appear in this fic.
Chapter 1:
1632, Battle of Lützen
It's the year 1632, during of the Swedish intervention to the Thirty Years' War. And because Sweden was in the war, also the countries under his rule like Finland and Estonia were there too. It was the 6th of November(by Julian calendar used by Swedes) to be exact and the king of Sweden, Gustav II Adolf, had fallen in the battle of Lützen. The personification of the country was devasted and mourning. The personifications of Finland and Estonia stayed on the sidelines to give the tall and stern man some privacy due his loss. They didn't really know what they should do. Finland, always so sympathetic and gentle wanted to go and support his friend but even he wasn't sure should he or how he should do it.
"Ruotsi…"
"Come Soome, let's go to the tents. The battle for today might have ceased but tomorrow it will continue." Estonia, ever so rational and smart, told the shorter man.
"Yes…" Finland picked up his sheathed sword and a bow case filled with arrows from the ground. But he didn't follow the other immediately. Instead he flung the bow case on his back and attached his sword on his belt.
"Viro, I'll go to take a walk. I'll be back shortly."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? You might come across with enemies and get captured. Being a personification of a nation is very dangerous nowadays." The man with glasses frowned.
"It has always been so. Why this day would be any different?" Finland chuckled while draping his cloak better around his shoulders. It was almost a winter after all and late evening so understandably the air was starting to be chilly.
"Yes, but now we are in the middle of a war and they won't let the opportunity of blackmailing Sweden slip away. The fact that he just lost his leader doesn't matter to them."
"I see… Well, I won't go too far then. And I'll definitely fight back if someone tries to drag me with them."
"…Just be careful, okay?"
"I will!"
And with that the two young men parted to their ways, the other towards the tents and the warmth of campfires and the other to the opposite direction.
Finland took his time wandering around on the battlefield, the road leading from Lützen to Leipzig, before heading to the nearby river named Flossgraben. He sat down on the edge of the bridge crossing the river and sighed. The almost constant battles were taking their toll on him. He looked down into the dark depths of the river and his own reflection on the surface of it. He looked like a boy, a teenager, a lot younger than any of Sweden's men. Heck, he even looked younger than Estonia and he was young too!
He sighed again and this time looked up to the sky. The pale silvery moon wasn't quite full anymore but nevertheless it provided a sufficient amount of light. Finland looked around himself. There was no snow yet. He really missed the snow. It could cover the masses of land and for a moment one would pretend there was no war going on.
"Tuleekohan tänä vuonna kunnon talvea lainkaan? (I wonder if there'll be a proper winter at all this year.)" He mused before looking into the water again.
The young Nation didn't know how long time he sat there, not long though, but as he was about to leave, he heard some footsteps approaching him. At first he thought it was Estonia who had come looking for him but the steps were too light for that. A thought of the person being an enemy made Finland freeze and his hand closed around the handle of his sword. He kept his eyes fixed on the water as another figure appeared on his left in the reflection. A mere child was the man's first thought before taking in the other's appearance. Black tunic and cloak, a black hat with gold trimming, brown pants and boots and naturally a sword on his hip. Finland's breath hitched. The boy was the Holy Roman Empire himself!
"You are one of Sweden's soldiers, right?" The boy asked. Finland nodded mutely. There was no use to lie. Nations would always recognize their own soldiers.
"But you are not just a soldier though. You are also a nation. Not independent though. You barely exist." Holy Rome continued. Finland nodded again. He wasn't his own nation yet. He wanted to be. He really wanted but… Sweden didn't want to let him go and truth to be told… his own people weren't really thinking about being their own nation yet. The people did exist but they were so… Not weak or dumb but had been isolated for such a long time that they hadn't had a chance to develop into a united and strong nation. And that last comment really hurt. Finland wanted to snap at the boy but was afraid what the other would do to him then.
"What's your name?" The younger-by-the-physical-appearance asked.
"Finland."
"You come far from north."
"Yes."
"Is there much snow?"
"!" Finland looked up at the boy's sudden question. "Excuse me?"
"In your country… Is there much snow?" Holy Rome asked again and sat down next to the blonde.
"I… On winters yes. There's a lot of snow that doesn't melt until March. Sometimes the first snow falls down already in October. About the situation right now I don't know. It has been such a long time since I've been home…"
"Since the war started?" The boy asked, genuinely interested. Finland was a bit surprised by his interest. Usually no one really cared. He was almost invisible to some countries as they only saw Sweden. There were some exceptions too though like Estonia or Russia but the latter Finland didn't even want to think about.
"No… It's longer than that… Ruotsi keeps me at his house and I'm not really allowed to go home. I… I don't really even remember when was the last time I visited my lands. Although they aren't technically mine. The people are Finns but the lands belong to Ruotsi."
"And this 'Ruotsi' is…?"
"Sweden. Ruotsi means Sweden in my language."
"Oh, I see…" Something in the boy's face told Finland that the other was apologizing for something.
"It's alright. No one really understands my language. The only exception is Viro – I mean Estonia – but even between us there are some major linguistic differences." He tried to reassure the boy.
"Okay. Why are you here all alone?" Holy Rome continued his questioning.
"I just wanted some space. Sweden is mourning the fall of his king and I didn't feel like staying there." Finland shrugged. "What about you?"
"Our troops are retreating. I wanted to take a look around before leaving." The child nation answered. A companionable silence passed between them. At the moment they weren't enemies to each other, just two fellow soldiers conversing about past battles and life at home.
"I think we are going to retreat soon too… Knowing Sweden we will… Just like during the time we were against Poland and Lithuania. Once we retreated before the battle even begun. You've probably heard of it."
"I have. Do you know why?"
"No, after the retreat I got heavily drunk while trying to get the answer from Sweden." The Finn sighed. "But now I've told you about me. What about you? What kind of place your home is? I've seen a bit here but because of the battles I can't really form a definite picture."
"My lands are all over. Many nations belong to me but I have only one place I truly call home." Holy Rome got somewhat dreamy and wistful look in his sapphire blue eyes. "It's Austria's house. I used to live there for a long time with Austria, Miss Hungary and Italy."
"I've heard of Unkari… I mean Hungary. She is really strong warrior and I've heard that her language is related to mine and Estonia's… But do continue."
And Holy Rome did. He told how Austria taught him many useful things, how Hungary was so nice to everyone, how his brother Prussia came over sometimes to bully Austria and teach the boy fighting. But most of all he told Finland about Italy Veneziano, Ita-chan, the little maid girl he had fallen in love with. Not that he said it outright but the not-quite-a-nation saw it clearly between the lines.
"I asked her to join me but she refused. She said she was afraid that I become too strong and too big and I'll fall just like Roman Empire did. But I won't. I won't fall. I promised her to come back." Holy Rome had his hands clenched in fists and clutching the fabric of his tunic.
"I hope that you can keep your promise then." Finland smiled. The boy looked up at him. The smile was sincere and somewhat melancholy. Like there was something in the sidelines that no one should see. "I really hope that you can keep it…"
"He-hey… You alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine." The smile on the northern Nation's face changed into a brighter one, into a more fake one.
"You don't seem to be fine."
"I am though. I just… I wish someone could see me. I'm tired of being in the shadows of other nations. I left Tanska's – Denmark's – house in hopes of becoming stronger but ended up staying with Sweden and he won't let me go. My lands and my people are too big part of him. And he calls me his wife! It's humiliating!" Finland burst out. "I wish someone could see that I'm standing right here and I'm an individual instead of and extension of Sweden… The other Nordics did back then during the time of Kalmar Union but now I barely see them anymore…"
Holy Rome watched the other for a moment before getting on his feet. "I see you." He said calmly. "And I see you are strong. I see you as you are." He extended his hand to Finland. "Join me. We can win this war together. I can help you become recognized."
Finland looked at the hand for a long time and then at the owner of the hand. Holy Rome stood defiantly and the look in his eyes was firm. The offer was tempting. Very tempting indeed but…
"Kiitos, mutta ei kiitos. (Thanks but no thanks.)" Finland shook his head and got on his feet too but instead of straightening up he stayed crouched down before the boy. He took the boy's both hands into his own. The smaller one wasn't wearing any sort of gloves. Oh, how his hands were cold! Finland smiled gently to Holy Rome. "I want to find my own way out of my situation. I want to become strong too and I know it will take time. That's why I need to be patient. But I'm really grateful for you. For this offer I can't take. For this moment you shared on this bridge with me. For seeing me. Thank you."
"You… You are welcome." Holy Rome stuttered.
"I hope that someday we can be allies. I know for a fact that there'll be more wars after this. There'll always be more wars. And when that time comes… I hope that we can be allies." Finland closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them again a pair of sapphire orbs stared straight into his amethyst ones. "But until then we can be friends."
"Friends…?"
"Yes. Friends."
"That… that sounds nice… I've never had actual friends. A lot of siblings and family members yes, but not friends." Holy Rome looked at the ground with a hint of blush on his cheeks. Despite the dark it was clearly visible. "Will you be my first friend?" He asked quietly.
"I'd be honored to be your first friend."
The joy on the child's face was unimaginable. Finland let go of the boy's hands as he rushed forward to hug him tightly.
"Thank you!"
It was almost midnight when Finland returned to the camp. Estonia was waiting for him there. The man was sitting by the campfire, the reflection of the flames dancing on his glasses. As he heard the approaching steps he jumped up immediately and rushed to the other underling-nation.
"Soome! Where were you? I was worried!" Estonia asked frantically.
"Just walking." Finland smiled. "Where's Ruotsi?"
"With his men. I think we won't be seeing him until morning." The taller of the two answered, looking towards the tents in distance.
"…Okay." Estonia didn't see it but something darkened in the other blonde's eyes.
"I sent your men to sleep along with mine. I just stayed up to make sure you came back."
"Oh, you shouldn't have needed to."
"I was worried you know. Ten more minutes and I would've gone to look for you." By now Estonia had crossed his arms over his chest and was glaring the other one sternly. Finland gave out a nervous laugh.
"Viro, I'm fine. You do know I'm strong and can take care of myself. Besides… I always keep my promises."
A/N: Okay, fact time!
Sweden participated in the Thirty Years' War during the years 1630-1635. This chapter takes place after the battle of Lützen where Sweden's King Gustav II Adolf(or Gustavus Adolphus) fell. The Swedes won the battle though and the Catholic army was forced to retreat. Due the death of King the Sweden retreated later too. More info in Wikipedia if you want to know. Battle of Lützen.
I hope none of the characters were OOC.
Okay, some country names are introduced:
Estonian: Soome = Finland
Finnish: Viro = Estonia, Ruotsi = Sweden, Tanska = Denmark
I thought very long time whether or not use 'Ita-chan' but decided then against it. Where an earth would HRE learnt Japan that time? And why would he use it? The same will apply on 'Su-san'.
But now please review! I want to know if this is worth of continuing!
