We're getting to actual historical events now. Hopefully I've written them ok and not offended anyone.
-XxX-
7th March, 1936
Annexation.
At first, Schwan-Schloss didn't know what the word meant. When she did though, she wasn't happy.
She didn't want her land to be owned by another country's government. Especially, not a government run by Germany's boss, who the brunette had overheard terrible rumours about.
This is why the free state was currently barricading her bedroom door.
"Come on Schwester, let me in!" Germany shouted as he banged on the door.
"Nein! Just go away!"
"Come on Prinzessin. Don't make things hard on West!"
Schwan-Schloss froze. "Äl-Älterer Bruder?" The two German nations were greeted by the sound of something heavy and wooden scraping against the floor before the door was opened.
As soon as she saw him, the free state flung herself into Prussia's arms. He stroked the brunette's soft hair in an attempt to calm her down as she soaked his shirt with her tears.
"Th-they said y-you were dissolved. I… I thought"…
"Hey, I'm still here and as awesome as ever. Nothing can keep the Awesome Me down for long Don't you worry, I'm not going anywhere".
Schwan-Schloss's crying stopped and she wiped her eyes. "Promise?"
"Ja, I promise".
"Ok. Älterer Bruder… do I really have to go live at West's house? I want to stay the way I am now, not be owned by someone else's government".
Germany sighed at his sister's stubbornnes. "It's not like you can do anything about it. What my boss says goes".
"West's place isn't as awesome as mine was, but it's not going to be as bad as you think it'll be".
Schwan-Schloss thought about it for a moment. It all came down to two choices. Either try to fight the annexation for as long as she could, or just submit and go live with Prussia.
Of course, it was an easy decision.
"Fine. I guess I have no other choice but to go with you then".
"Good girl".
-XxX-
22nd August, 1939
It had been a few years since Schwan-Schloss had come to live with her brothers. During that time, a new occupant had moved into the house. Austria.
At first, she had been anxious about the man. Even though Prussia had called him a 'piano-playing priss'. However, the small nation's fears had soon been assuaged after she'd actually met him.
Her brother hadn't lied. Indeed, Austria was a piano-playing… Well, the brunette didn't want to use the word priss. She found it a little insulting.
That and she actually liked Austria's music.
She'd also met Germany's new ally. Once again, the brunette had been anxious at first. And once again, her anxieties faded upon meeting him.
She came to find that Italy was actually quite sweet… and a little bit clueless. That was just part of his charm though.
However, after all this time, Schwan-Schloss couldn't shake off the sense of uneasiness she felt.
The brunette had first felt it when she moved in. She'd merely brushed it off as her nervousness about being in a new environment.
It then happened again when the free state had met Austria. And Italy. She thought that had just been her normal anxieties about being around unfamiliar people.
Then there were those nights… those nights filled with shouts and the sound of breaking glass.
Prussia had held her tight all through them. Stroking her hair and trying to comfort her as best he could, the albino told her everything would be aright.
Despite her uneasiness, she had believed his words. Her brother wouldn't lie to her, right?
Right?
-XxX-
An exhausted Prussia ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Why does West keep making me do so much damn paperwork? Seriously, I'm way too awesome for this kind of crap.
Heading upstairs, he went to go check up on Schwan-Schloss. Entering the brunette's room he found her fast asleep at her desk, head buried deep in a book.
Sighing, the ex-nation gently nudged his sister's shoulder. "Prinzessin. Hey, Prinzessin. Wake up".
A yawn escaped from the small girl's mouth before she opened her eyes. "Nhg… Älterer Bruder? When did you get back home?"
"Just now. Work was later than usual. A better question though, why aren't you in bed?"
Looking up at the clock, the brunette blushed at what time it was. "I guess I lost track of time".
Picking his sister up into his arms, the albino put her to bed. Removing the brunette's glasses and hair clips, Prussia placed them down on the bedside table as she moved around in the covers to get comfortable,
"Why were you working so late?"
"West gave me a crap-ton of paperwork to do since he's busy preparing for"…
"Preparing for what? What's West preparing for?"
The albino inwardly sighed in relief at having managed to stop himself from saying too much. However, now came the hard part, he had to think of something to tell his sister to hide the truth. Something quick.
"He's just preparing… stuff. That's right! Important stuff. With his boss".
Schwan-Schloss frowned. Unlike any time before, she wasn't entirely convinced by what he'd said. It was then she wondered, the uneasiness she'd felt over the years, had it been not entirely groundless?
"Älterer Bruder… is… is there something going on? Something that I should know about".
Prussia found himself unable to speak. Any excuses he could've come up with were lost as big, pleading hazel eyes stared him down. Reluctantly, he came to the realisation that there was nothing left to say than the truth.
"Ja, there is. …West and his boss, they're preparing to invade Poland".
The free state's eyes widened. "In-invade? But that's… does West know what he's doing? France and England aren't going to let him get away with this".
"You're right, they won't. If they make good on their promise this will start a war".
"War? But why?" Tears started to fall from Schwan-Schloss's eyes as her whole body shook. "He lost the last one, why would… why can't things just stay the way they are?"
Pulling his sister protectively into his arms, the albino rubbed her back to help calm down her shaking. He kept on doing this until Schwan-Schloss finally cried herself to sleep.
Tucking her back into bed, Prussia stared down at the brunette and sighed.
Innocent. She's so innocent. Just like West was. Whatever happens, I can't let her get involved in this war. I barely got West back after I lost him way back when. I'm not going to risk losing her.
-XxX-
Russia arrived at Germany's front door the next day. Right on time for their meeting.
As he knocked on the door, the Soviet felt a very familiar chill. Turning around, he tried to suppress a scream as he saw standing behind him was his sister.
"N-N-Natalya! W-what are you doing here?"
"I followed you to make sure you had a safe journey".
"Uh, thank you. That's… that's very nice".
Before any more could be said, Germany answered the door. "Oh, it's you Russia. Good. Come in".
Walking into the other nation's house, Russia winced as Belarus followed him inside.
"Uh, Germany? You and Prussia have a little sister, da?"
"Ja, we do".
"Natalya, why don't you go play with her while Germany and I discuss business together? If its alright with him of course". Turning to face him again, he gave him a look that pretty much said 'please, dear God, help me'.
"Of course, that's fine with me. I think I last saw her in the kitchen".
With a nod, she left the two male nations behind and went off to the aforementioned room. When she found the small nation sitting at the table, the blonde cleared her throat to catch her attention.
Looking up, the brunette almost spilled her tea as she flinched at the sight of the unfamiliar figure. Placing the drink down so as not to run the risk of spilling or breaking the teacup, Schwan-Schloss took a deep breath and tried to regain some sort of composure.
"H-hallo?"
The older female nation nodded in acknowledgement to the greeting and sat down. "You must be Germany's sister".
The free state nodded her head a little timidly. "Th-that's right. I'm… I'm Schwan-Schloss. And, uh… y-you are?"
"Belarus. My brother said I should go play with you while he and Germany have their meeting".
With a frown, the younger female nation crossed her arms and huffed at one of the few subjects able to cut across her social anxiousness. "Go play with me? Go play with me?! What does he think I am, a child? I happen to be twenty years old, thank you very much. Twenty! In most countries that would make me old enough to drink, drive and able to get married". Catching herself before ranting on any further, she blushed and turned away in embarrassment. "S-sorry. I, uh… I didn't mean to rant. Uh, Miss Belarus? Miss Belarus?"
At the sound of the word marriage, the blonde seemed to have drifted off into some sort of daydream. Probably about her own dream wedding judging by the small smile on her face.
Schwan-Schloss tried again but a little louder this time "-Ahem!- Miss Belarus?!"
"Huh? Oh, uh, w-what were you saying again?"
With a sigh, she shook her head. "Never mind. Why don't you get yourself a cup? I'll pour you some tea".
Doing just that, Belarus sat back down just as Schwan-Schloss had finished making the tea and the two female nations sat there sipping their drinks in comfortable silence.
"So, marriage then… It's a subject that interests you".
"Huh? Oh yes, there's someone I intend on marrying in the future".
The brunette's eyes widened in curiosity. "Oh, really? Who is it then?"
"Russia".
At hearing that, she rose an eyebrow. "Russia? Isn't that, I don't know, a little bit weird?"
"I can see why you would think that and honestly, I don't care. Then again, it would be alright if you decided you wanted to marry one of your brothers. You don't share any blood with them like I do with mine".
Schwan-Schloss was rendered speechless at what the blonde had just said. Marry one of her brothers? Pausing in thought for a moment, she actually considered the wild-sounding idea.
Obviously, not Germany. Both she and Prussia shared the opinion that he secretly had feelings for Italy. So, if not him then maybe…
Now that she thought about it, it might not be such a bad idea if she and Prussia got married.
"So, you're actually considering it then?"
Blushing, the free state took a long sip of her tea before answering. "Well, from what I've heard, when nations get married they become one with each other. If I married Prussia he'd become a part of me and then maybe… he will never be dissolved again".
"Do I detect a hint of love?"
The small girl rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. He is my brother after all".
"But you love him more than Germany, don't you?"
"… Maybe a little bit. Then again, he was the one who saved me".
The older female nation rose an eyebrow. "Saved you? How so?"
"Back when I first appeared as the Franco-German Autonomous Free Trading Zone, everyone would just pass me by. No notice. No care. I started to wonder, would anyone ever notice my existence? Would I be doomed to be forever alone? And then"… The brunette's lips curved up into a soft smile as she recalled the memory. "One day, he came and found me. He took me into his arms and away from that dark and lonely place. He saved me from my loneliness". At realising how much she'd spoken, she blushed and turned away in embarrassment yet again. "S-sorry. I've spoken too much haven't I?"
Belarus shook her head. "No, it's fine. Actually, I happen to admire the fact that someone else loves their brother just as much as I love mine. Well… maybe not just as much".
Schwan-Schloss's blush deepened. "Uh… well, thank you".
It was then, that the ex-nation they'd been talking about entered the kitchen.
"Hey Belarus, Russia already left".
At hearing that, the blonde jumped out of her chair. Almost knocking it over as she did so.
"It was nice talking to you Miss Belarus".
Nodding her head in agreement, the older female nation muttered a small thanks for the tea before she left.
"So, what were you two talking about?" Prussia asked as he put the teacups and pot by the side of the sink so they would be washed later.
"Nothing! Uh, nothing really. Just girl stuff. You wouldn't be interested".
-XxX-
Later that night as he was putting her to bed, Schwan-Schloss decided to ask her brother a question.
"Älterer Bruder, what do you think about marriage?"
"What?!" The albino's eyes went wide with shock-surprise. "W-why do you ask?
"Well… I was wondering, have you ever wanted to get married? To become one with another person?"
"Belarus has been putting ideas into your head, hasn't she?"
The brunette shook her head. "No, she didn't… ok, maybe she did. That doesn't matter though, just answer the question. Please".
"Ok, fine. I did want to get married once but that was a long time ago. She was already engaged to someone else though, so I couldn't even if I wanted to".
"You mean Hungary, don't you?"
With a sad smile, the ex-nation nodded. "Yeah, it was Hungary".
"Is that why you don't like Austria and enjoy annoying him so much?"
"A little bit. It's more to do with him being a piano-playing priss". His face then lit up with a smirk. "He just makes it so easy and fun to annoy him".
Tucking her in, Prussia gave his sister a kiss on the forehead and bid her goodnight. As he was about to leave, another question crossed the free state's mind.
"Älterer Bruder?"
"Ja?"
"Have you ever wanted to get married now?"
"… Maybe. If it would make me a nation again, I might consider it".
When the door had finally closed, Schwan-Schloss smiled as she closed her eyes and let sleep start to overtake her.
I'll take that as a yes.
-XxX-
Notes:
'Those nights filled with shouts and the sound of breaking glass' - Kristallnacht/Night of The Broken Glass: On the 9th-10th November, 1938 members of the SA and Nazi-sympathetic citizens looted and burnt down Jewish businesses and synagogues. 91 Jews were killed, and at least 25,000 Jewish men were arrested.
Meeting – Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact/German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact: 23rd August, 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union signed an agreement that stated none would attack the other or ally/aid each others enemies. It was also an agreement as to who would get what after the invasion of Poland and allowed the Soviet Union to take the Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia for themselves.
