China looked out from the old peach tree overlooking his favorite trading town. Vendors were shouting out in Ancient Chinese dialect which notified China that this was an old memory-dream. China sighed and leaned his back against the tree. He had had the same lucid dream every night;watching the trade town, walking around a hill in his heavy traditional cloths and then hearing familiar footsteps. But as soon as he turned around to see to who the steps belonged to, he would wake up feeling strange. He just knew it had to be one of the more ancient empires… Persia or maybe even the small ghost that would very later turn into Russia?
China sighed again and stood up. Even if he was having this dream every night, it was worth the few seconds of nostalgia as he walked around.
Swinging a willow branch in his hand as he walked though the wild grass, China recited to himself amusedly over what a willow branch meant during these times.
'I'll bend but I'll not break~'
Suddenly, China heard a small chuckle and the footsteps. He took a small breath, determined to not wake up this time and see whoever was behind him. At the count of two more footsteps, he whirled around as saw…
Pink rose and a wide smile.
'A pink rose of gratitude and appreciation for the China that will never break~?'
Ancient Rome, known by all his descendants as the god of all, has a wide smile plastered on his face as he handed the rose to China. China smiled, but started to feel the air around him getting darker themed. A small memory piece drifted to his consciousness before it slipped away. This was a forgotten memory.
Rome smirked and held out another flower, This time a yellow rose with red tips.
'This rose means… that I think I like you more than friends, China.'
China blushed and hesitantly took the flower, watching for any hint at a prank. He didn't find it.
Rome smiled softly, passion fueling his eyes as he held out a lavender colored flower.
'A lavender rose to say it was love from first sight, my lovely China.'
China couldn't find the words to say. He wasn't angry, but just full of embarrassment. He felt these feelings before too. He just wasn't as bold as to confess. Quickly, with his eyes looking straight at Rome, he took the rose. Rome smiled and took China's hand for a moment and kissed it softly before pulling out another rose from behind his back.
'An orange flower that represents my desire to be with you, China…'
As China smiled and took the rose, he felt something change in rome. His smiled faltered slightly and he looked down for a few seconds before regaining posture and offering another rose.
'A white rose… for lots of reasons… you'll figure it out later, China…'
China shot Rome a confused look, which Rome looked away from, and took the rose. The small bouquet of five roses so far, and one of Rome's hands was stillholding something behind Rome's turban.
Silently, Rome pulled out a single red rose and kissed it.
' I love you China.'
Before China had a chance to respond or take the flower, Rome pulled put the last rose, considerably more dark than the others. It was dyed blue with black edges and had sharp thorns. Rome took the stems of both flowers and twisted them together before handing it to China.
China knew enough about rose meanings to know this was…
China dropped to his knees and stared at the two intertwined roses. Rome leaned down and kissed the top of China's head before turning and walking away.
Intertwined roses meant the grand question of marriage. A red rose meant 'love'. While a blue meant impossibility and black meant… farewell or death.
China gripped the roses tightly, prickling his fingers with the dyed one's thorns and yelled out to Rome 'Please stay! My Answer is yes!'
Rome froze and smiled widely, turning his head back towards China. 'Even I can't stop death from taking me, China. But I just wanted to give you this, before…' Rome looked away and then turned. 'Bye, my lovely China'
China's memory-dream fast forwarded to when he had learned that the Roman Empire had fallen and the man himself… was nowhere to be found.