It's a long time coming, their union, and Hungary drags her heels at every opportunity. Austria has to admit that she wasn't expecting anything less, but it's frustrating when she's trying to help the other woman. Really, they weren't even unifying completely, rather just... very close. Like standing under an umbrella with someone else. They were still two different people, just under one structure.
Hungary reluctantly signs the paper and their representatives argue about who's going to live where and it's finally agreed that Hungary will live with Austria. In terms of countries, it's a clear sign of who is stronger and as Austria steps into the carriage, she's smug and self-assured. Hungary's boots are filthy with caked mud and she's wearing trousers much to Austria's disgust. Frowning, she shuffles her feet and dress away from the mess, not wanting it to get on her skirts. Urgh. No wonder Hungary was getting weaker. If she didn't care about her appearance, no one would take her seriously. They stop at ramshackle inns after each day of riding and Austria tries not to touch Hungary even though they share a bed as the only two women. Filthy woman.
When they get home, she orders the servants to burn Hungary's clothes and scrub her down until she's free of lice and clean all over. She'll never admit it, but she takes sadistic glee in the outraged shouts coming from the bathing room. Hungary emerges almost two hours later in a loose underdress, kicking open Austria's door to demand her trunks, but Austria calmly informs her that she will not be getting them until they're properly cleaned, something that just sets the taller woman off into a furious tirade of Hungarian which Austria calmly sits out, turning the page of a book when she's done with the page. This of course makes Hungary even more angry and she rips the book out of Austria's hand. For a horrifying minute, Austria thinks she will ruin the expensive tome but apparently even a Hungarian can respect a work of art and the book is not-so-gently tossed to the table, safe.
"I'm not your servant!" she screeches, reminding Austria of the times when they were children still under their fathers' protections and getting into tussles in the fields. That was when she thought Hungary was a boy and she was still under Bavaria's protection.
"Of course you're not. You're an equal member of this relationship, after all." She knows it's a lie. Knows in the end, she'll come out on top and be the conqueror, and Hungary will be the one who's subject to bathing and dresses like the courtly woman she's supposed to be.