Some years later…

With a sigh, tiredly I opened the door of the hut to see _ sitting on the rocking chair knitting. She must've been waiting for me before she ate dinner since the cooking pot was full of soup when I checked it. I don't know why _ would do such a thing, she knows very well that by the time I'm finished running errands outside the forest, it's nearly midnight. But I had to remind myself that with how her mind worked, she would lie awake in bed crying until my return. Never did I ask her to stop waiting again.

_ looked up at me as I was hanging up my cloak, "I thought I told you to stop putting powder all over your skin."

Fiddlesticks. That was what I forgot! _ forced me into showing my freckles no matter how many times I said that I wouldn't. So while I was out, I put on powder. Before I returned, I washed it off in a creek. It wasn't very kind of me to do this and now I regret it from the start.

"Why would you hide your stars?"

I remained silent as she stared at me, until her eyes began to fill with tears. "_, I-I'm sorry. Oh dear, please don't cry!"

"You sh-should be proud of…of your gift," _ sobbed. "It-it's so handsome…"

Placing her knitting needles aside, softly I took _'s hand and pulled her up onto her feet. I gave a small smile, "Let's go outside," I whispered.

_ believed that my freckles represented the night sky. She'd point out constellations on my skin and yet I never saw them. When I brought home a chart of the stars, I tried my best to match my freckles with it but I couldn't. There must be something I'm missing or it was all in _'s head. If my freckles were the stars watching over us, then they shall be that way. It pleased _. To see her become excited over these dots upon my skin whenever we went stargazing made me happy.

Her finger traced Ursa Major on my chest while checking at the sky to see the constellation above. (Eye color) eyes bright as the stars. My heart thumped loudly as I watched her every move. Throat dry, I wanted to tell _ that I wanted to understand what she saw. She told me once that I was a fallen angel, created from the Heavens when went stargazing for the first time. That day, my mind asked itself one question. Did she mean it or was it her mental state? I would never be sure. It seemed that her childish actions were legit but doubt lingered with it.

Then my love for _ would be fake. That would never be true for I knew very well that I loved her to death. That I'd risk my life for hers. I wanted to care for _ for the rest of eternity and let no one else do so. _ has no clue about my feelings, she thought of me as a friend. A friend that accepted her. Of course I had to find a way to know that she would return my feelings from the heart and not what her mental state believed. Someday I'd tell her that I'd like to make her mine. Someday…

Later that night, a good while after I tucked _ into bed, she came into my room. Lucky for her, I've been lying awake thinking about how I should proceed with our relationship. I watched her walk towards my bed while holding a small glass jar containing a lit candle. Her whole body was trembling so I placed the jar on my nightstand and beckoned her onto my bed.

She complied.

I silently flipped back the blankets so _ could join me. Softly I blew out the candle before lying down beside her. Once I did, she moved right up against my chest and broke out crying. _ gripped my night tunic while burying her face against it. My arms gently wound around her to keep her close. Resting my lips against her head, I stroked her silky (hair color) hair waiting to see what would happen next.

"D-don't leave me…Iggy, I-I don't want to be-be alone again. I don't want…want to see you leave l-like everyone else."

My throat tightened, "I would never leave even if you asked me to." A tear slid down my cheek, luckily she didn't notice.

The next morning someone knocked on the door. No one but _ and I knew about this hut since it was located deep into the ancient parts of the forest. I have never been a violent person, weapons weren't my specialty for I liked to keep peace. Having a sword under my bed would mean different. It was only there because I would kill to keep _ safe from being hurt. From death. Fate made it my duty to protect her and I shall do so.

Gripping the sword, I checked to see that _ was still sleeping on my bed before turning to the door.

Immediately I opened the door to see France standing before me. He didn't look much different except for the stubble on his chin and the rims under his eyes. France was dressed in traveler's clothing instead of the usual fancy fabrics he used to wear. I hesitated when he dropped his cigar on the ground and smashed it with his boot. When he moved his gaze back up, he gave me a very unnerving smile. It was as if smiling wasn't normal for him.

"I've been looking for you."

Furious, I slammed the door shut but his boot blocked the door's way. "Go away," I hissed.

"England, you can't stay here! That girl is a freak-"

He-he called her…

_ isn't…

She's no freak!

I dropped the sword before opening the door wide enough for me to tackle France. My hands pinned his shoulders against the ground as I sat on his chest feeling adrenaline rushing through my body. To hurt someone was something I've never considered before, especially France.

"Get off!"

"Her name is _! She is the best person in my life," I leaned closer to his face, "and I wouldn't want it any other way."

"You're insane!"

Holding a fist in the air, I prepared myself to punch my so-called best friend's face till it bled. Yet I couldn't bring myself to do it. But I could threaten to do so until seriously provoked. "Say something else. I dare you!"

"England-"

"I dare you!" I repeated. Holding onto the front of his tunic, I shook him as hard as I could without breaking my gaze from his. "Flippin' gosh dang it, France! Why did you have to come for me?"

"Because you're a nation!"

"And you know what I think about your sassafras? Nothing! I don't regret leaving!"

He rolled over so that I was underneath him, "_ should've died many years ago. How could you be so careless with your immortality?"

"I love _."

France's eyes widened, "Y-you love…"

"Indeed, now go away and never come back or I swear I'll hurt you."

"But-"

I glared at him.

"Don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart."

Once I came back into the house, _ was still asleep. Silently I placed the sword underneath my bed before turning to prepare myself for a bath. Then again, I wanted to stay just for a few more minutes to watch her sleep. I brushed my fingers through _'s hair and leaned down to kiss her soft cheek. She was so beautiful…A smile spread across my face as she reached up to place her hand on mine, the one still touching her hair.

"Good morning, love," I murmured.

She turned her head to look at me with weary eyes, "Good morning."

"I'm off to bathe, but I'll be back, I promise."

_ nodded and I squeezed her hand.

There was no way I wouldn't come back.