I folded my hands as I looked out that same window, waiting for the bird to arrive. Holy Rome had not messaged me for a few days, and I was beginning to get anxious. Footsteps echoed around the hallway. At first, I was scared that it might have been Mr. Austria, come to punish me again for slacking off, but my suspicions had been confirmed as wrong when a soft, warm hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Ms. Hungary, who looked distressed.
"Italy... please listen to me at this moment," she whispered. I noticed that her voice was on the verge of cracking.
"Ms. Hungary?" I prompted, urging for her to go on. She took her hand off my shoulder and cradled her other hand with it.
OoOoOoO
"Holy Rome... isn't here anymore, is he," I questioned quietly, seeking confirmation on what the woman standing before me had just told me. Ms. Hungary, in tears, hugged me. Being the strong woman she was, she didn't sob out loud; yet, I could still feel her body trembling against mine.
"N..." was all that came back. An image of Holy Rome waving goodbye came back into my head, as if someone had painted an incredibly detailed picture of him onto my eyelids. It felt as if that image was imprinted into my brain.
A few minutes later, Ms. Hungary had pulled herself together and walked away, leaving me to my business. I had been standing there, appearing emotionless, but wide-eyed, when really on the inside, the very fiber of my being felt like it was being torn apart. Placing my head in my hands, I stared out the window, telling myself that Ms. Hungary was mistaken.
The last time Holy Rome had visited, his body was covered in scars from various wars. Afraid that he would forget about me, I ran through the door and hugged him, begging him to bring back his pleas of becoming one with me. I could feel Holy Rome smiling into my hair as he softly whispered that he promised he would come back.
That's why he couldn't be dead. He had a promise to keep! No matter what, Holy Rome had sworn that he would come back, and we would be together forever.
OoOoOoO
"Italy!" Mr. Austria shouted as he marched into the hall. "Why haven't you been working? Look how dirty my sleeves are! LOOK AT THEM!" he practically bellowed, holding out his wrists. Indeed, I could see that his sleeves were sopping wet. I guessed that in my leave of work, he and Ms. Hungary had taken up my duty of washing the dishes, just like they did when Holy Rome left the house for the first time.
By then, I had only been a few hundred years old, so the concept of war frightened me a little, and I couldn't understand why Holy Rome would have to go do such a thing. In tears, I went to Austria, softly shivering as I apologized for skipping out on work. Strangely enough, that day, Mr. Austria seemed sympathetic; he told me that I could take the day off. The day after that, Ms. Hungary had told me that together, they both washed the dishes. My mind began to wander when Ms. Hungary began swooning over the small pout that had been present on Mr. Austria's face.
"Italy! Answer me right now!" Mr. Austria snapped. I blinked as I faded back into the present.
"I'm waiting for Holy Rome's letter..." I mumbled as I went to stare back through the window.
"...so that's why," he muttered. I could hear his palm slapping against his forehead.
"Why? What's wrong with waiting?" I asked.
"Nothing, but do you have to be like this forever? I don't believe it either, but lack of belief doesn't change reality! Holy Rome is, dare I say it, dead, and there's nothing we can do to change that, so we should just get on with our lives already!" Austria explained, ignoring the look of shock that had passed over my face.
"But.. he made a promise that he would come back, and we would be together, so surely, he is alive," I said dreamily, until Austria smacked me across the face.
"Moron! Act properly! The Holy Roman Empire isn't here anymore! Look at the reality and stop running away from it!"
I rubbed the red spot on my cheek. Mr. Austria had not hit me hard, but it still stung...
"He lived elegantly to avoid his own fate! Why don't you understand?" he shouted. He calmed down a little, and said quietly; "Even if you don't understand, what would you do? Even if that child's death had not occurred, there still wouldn't have been anything to do. Nothing, but live and carry on whatever part of Holy Rome's soul remains in our hearts."
I remained in silence as Mr. Austria walked away in a huff. After several minutes of reflection on what I had just been told, I picked myself up and walked towards the supply closet, finally regaining my grasp on the strings of reality.
OoOoOoO
Time passed. Austria had released me from being his servant. My hope had returned, but World War 1 had started.
"Who are you? Come out and show yourself!"
"No! No, I swear, I'm a tomato fairy! Please don't shoot me!"
The lid of the crate burst open as I pushed through it, waving my arms around in a fit of fear. My assailant's eyes widened, and I found myself staring into clear, sapphire eyes.
And with that, I found that Holy Rome's soul had returned.
