"You understand that time passes differently for him than is does for you."

"Please, sir!" The old man said with a smile, "I've spent enough time around you nations to know a thing or two. There is no need to worry."

"Spending time with one and raising one is two different things!" The nation said tensely, "You will be shaping his future as well as the future of the people on this island."

"As you said, time passes differently for him, I will be one of many to raise the boy."

The nation just looked at the man for a moment. Then he gave a curt nod, "Yes. You will." With that he turned and stalked down the dock. The place was deserted at this time of day, the sun sat low on the horizon and seemed to be being swallowed by ocean. His hand went to the crumpled paper in his sack.

It was his summons home. A simple letter. They wanted him back. He snorted to himself. No. Denmark wanted him back. That man was so needy. He pulled out the paper and smoothed it out. He had already read it enough times to know what it said.

"Norway?"

The nation turned at the sound of the voice. He hadn't heard anyone approach, then again the boy walked lighter than anyone Norway had met before. Almost without meaning to, he moved the paper behind him and out of the child's sight. The paper suddenly seemed to grow heavy and the nation felt his throat tighten.

"Yes?"

The child met Norway's gaze with a mild passiveness, "Are you really leaving tomorrow?"

It seemed like the words should have been sentimental, but he spoke lightly and sounded simply curious. Norway looked away and closed his fist around the letter, crumpling it yet again.

"Yes." He said and scanned the horizon to avoid looking back at the child, "I'm sorry, Iceland. I can't take you with me. You need to be here with your people." And I can't afford to support you right now.

Iceland said nothing, just walked up next to Norway and followed his gaze out to sea. The last of the sun sank below the waves. Norway found himself crumpling up Denmark's letter into a ball. He threw it as far out into the ocean as he could.

They stood in silence for a moment.

"What was that?" Iceland asked without looking up.

"It's not important." Norway said.

"Are you still leaving tomorrow?"

There was a pause, an uncomfortable silence and the child's eyes moved from the wave upward to his brother's face, studying him quietly.

"Come, it is going to get cold." Norway said suddenly, turning sharply and starting off, Iceland trailing behind him quietly. "You will be staying with my delegate while I'm gone."

"When will you be back?"

Norway closed his eyes and walked faster, "I don't know."

Norway didn't look back. He didn't think about the years he may be away. He didn't think about how much Iceland had grown up even in the last stretch of time he had been away. He didn't think of Denmark's letter sinking beneath the waves. He didn't think about the strain it was putting on him. He was a nation first and foremost. Only after that, was he a man. A brother.

Iceland physically looked to be about ten now. When Norway had last left, he had looked about six. Before that, when Iceland was physically four or so, they had spent more time together. However, the years were slipping away. Iceland's langue had changed or, more likely, Norway's had. Iceland's interest in magic had dwindled and now was almost nonexistent. His people had started to seem foreign to Norway.

Norway was loosing Iceland.

Norway stopped when they reached the end of the dock and finally opened his eyes. The man who was to be Iceland's guardian stood silhouetted by light in the door frame of the first house. It was too dark to see the man's face, but it didn't matter.

Iceland stopped next to Norway and glanced at him warily, "What's wrong, big brother?"

Norway's chest grew tighter, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Iceland looked forward to the man waiting for them at the door, "You have an nation to go take care of. Denmark needs you, your people need you, you have to go."

Iceland started toward the house. Norway closed his eyes again. He hated the way the boy spoke. So matter-of-fact. So accepting. So unaccusing.

You need me too.

"Coming Norway?" The man called, "Dinner is ready."

"Thank you."

"It will get cold if you keep standing there." The man said and motioned for Norway to come in, but still, he didn't move. The man's brow creased in concern, "Is everything alright?"

The night air whistled between them the quiet was oppressive, heavy and the cheerful glow of the house seemed to grow all the brighter.

"You don't understand." Norway said softly, his voice barly audible above the sounds from the house, "Thank you for what you are doing, for being there when I can't. You will be everything to Iceland that I can't be."

The man nodded, "It is my pleasure."

"Don't leave him alone."

"Never."

"Thank you."

The man gave a slight nod and turned inside, leaving the nation alone in the dark. Norway forced his legs to move. At the door he stopped and looked at the room. Iceland sat at the table as the man served him a bowl of soup. They looked so natural. Iceland could have been the man's grandson, no one would have questioned it. It hurt to watch them.

The next morning, they stood on the shore as Norway and his ship prepared to leave. Norway heard the captian call and turned one last time to the white haired boy.

"Good bye Iceland." Norway said and leaned down to straighten Iceland's hat.

"This isn't a 'good-bye'." Iceland said, "Say, 'til I see you again'."

Norway felt a small smile tug at his lips, "Till I see you again then."

Norway stood on the deck and looked back as the island shrank. Iceland and the man stood on the shore, waving and watching them.

"Thank you" The whispered words where meant for the human, though there was no way he would be able to hear them. "Thank you so much."

Iceland had become Norway's world, but he was loosing Iceland. This was the man Norway was entrusting his world to. Norway hadn't ever thought that someone could ever find a place in his heart next to his people, but Iceland had done so. Now this man had Norway's whole world. As Norway watched the island shirk and become swallowed in the wave, he was reminded what a small and fragile thing the young nation, his world, was. And here he was, sailing away.

Again.

Please Review. This was an idea I've had for a while now, pretty much ever since the Davie episode, and I think that it worked out pretty well. Please Fave and Follow and as always, Conventional Criticism is welcome.