A/N: Welcome to Nat's old fic, where fanfiction that she isn't particularly proud of but still considers alright is. This is past Nat's musings about this fic:
Ancient Greece is called Greece, same with all of the other Ancients, simply for convenience and the fact that it was the last period of time in Greece before Roman Greece and also for the fact that Modern Greece won't be independent until a while after she's gone. Also, I like to headcanon that she struggled to live even after her people were not hers, surviving as Byzantine and at this moment, the beginning of the Ottoman Empire. She's a strong one, her. Rome is the same, surviving till um... before Holy Rome came into the picture, I guess. Think Prussia, who had technically had a nation as East Germany till 1990. This is probably horribly inaccurate, I'm sorry. The end of the 5th century was the end of the Renaissance, so this is before that.
Greece sighed, laying her head down underneath the shade of a laurel tree. A champion tree, a tree representing Greece sighed, laying her head down underneath the shade of a laurel tree. A champion tree, a tree representing her great people, her ancient tales.
But alas, nothing had lasted. Her culture, her pride, her being, had been sucked away by someone who had supposedly loved her.
Remorseful, that was the feeling she had, as she thought back on previous events, that she could not stay with her son, her son, who had been taken by the Ottoman Empire. She thought of Ancient Egypt, a friend, one who had also had a son taken away by the same man, had also been loved by the great Roman Empire.
And she too, now, was dying because of the empires surrounding them. Egypt had passed on earlier, after the fall of the last Cleopatra. And the man who had done this to both of them…
Was standing in front of her. He had arrived? When? He was not looking well either, grey streaks invading his curls- the ups and downs of being a strong empire never did him well in health- but not as haggard as she was sure she looked.
After all, they were both from an ancient time, both in a time that was slowly fading into simply another story, another part of the depth of Mother Earth.
Ah, the great Mother Earth, Gaea. But he, he would call the goddess another name. And here he was, standing in front of her right now, as if he wanted something else from her, as if he had not taken enough.
He inclined his head slightly, "Greece, might I…?"
She blinked, catlike, and nodded her head. Might as well have company at a time like this.
He lay down not quite near her, but near enough that her now silver hair- like Demeter's would be in winter, she mused- curled near to his graying streaks. His face had started aging, she could tell, but not much, just wrinkles underneath his eyes that could be easily mistaken for tiredness. But she knew better.
He was tired, yes, but he was also crumbling, just not in such an obvious state as she was in. Now, she, she was in a dire state. Her age showed clearly in her face, cheekbones more prominent than what was considered healthy, body weaker than it ever had been. She wouldn't be able to be saved, she knew. Him, he had longer. "What are you doing here, Rome?"
He took a deep breath in, curved his head in her direction, and whispered, "I wanted to apologize."
She blinked, drinking that in for a moment, "Ah. But for what? You have done many things that need apology, Rome, and not to just me."
He pressed his lips together. "Greece, you're dying."
She snorted, "That much is obvious, Rome. But that is surely not all you came for?"
The normally bright and excited empire was desolate and his voice cracked as he spoke. "Well, I never got to apologize to Egypt for what I did, did I? And her son must despise me, and perhaps yours does too. But now I have kids of my own to care of, and I realized- what have I done to all of you, you wonderful women, so much wiser than me. Taken away from them. Loved you all so much that I destroyed Egypt and Pontus and so many others… And I just realized what a hypocrite I was."
Rome hiccuped, stumbling over his words, "So sorry, especially to you, especially since I loved you the most. I want you to know that, since you are almost to Elysium, Greece, or maybe to Olympus. I-I didn't mean it, I just-" By then he had broken into tears.
Greece sighed a little, shifted her position and considered what he had just said. After a silence filled with the sniffles of the Roman, she spoke her mind. "Rome. Do you know what one of my philosophers once said? 'I know that I know nothing'."
The hiccups stopped briefly. "Socrates?"
A nod. "See? You remember. And as long as you remember the things that Egypt and I have spoken, as long as you respect and hold up who we are, I am sure that our sons will forgive you."
"Truly, Greece?"
"Truly. Although Egypt may be less forgiving than me. But being who she is, I would not be surprised." She paused, coughed, and shakily continued. "But there is something else you must remember, Rome."
"What?"
"Remember, always remember, not to make the same mistakes that you have made before. That would make it so much easier to rest. Please, Rome, as my last request. It is what I think the others would ask as well."
She could see the resolve held in his eyes, and she knew he would keep it with his life. And that was all she needed to find peace, to let go.
She took one final look at Rome's face, and closed her eyes. "The afterlife looks beautiful already, hm? Goodbye Rome, farewell world. I will definitely see you again."
Hermes was there then, helping her soul stand, leading her away to where she already had a place reserved for her, where she could find rest in the one place that had always been hers- beautiful, beautiful Olympus, home of her gods.
.
Rome took a last look at Greece, brushing her hair out of her face. He felt strangely at peace. "Thank you, Greece."
He stood, heading toward his ride. A young child stood waiting for him, smiling without a care in the world.
"Grandpa! Let's hurry~ I heard pasta would be served for dinner!"
A/N: I'm actually surprised, this isn't really bad. Reviews are appreciated! And who knows, maybe I'll update some more since the holidays are coming ;).