Well, here it is the last chapter. I hope you all enjoy! Thank you for reading and I hope you all will be satisfied with the ending.
Francis felt dread cover him from head to toe.
Reluctantly, he made his way down the stairs to the front entrance. His hand lingered on the door handle for a second, before finally opening it.
"Francis" greeted a familiar English voice.
"Arthur" he replied back. Arthur stepped past him and into the house, his eyes taking in the details like strategies.
"Have you said your goodbyes?" Arthur asked bluntly, still looking around.
Francis said nothing. Instead he retreated past Arthur and into the living room.
"I don't have all day frog, did you even tell him?" Arthur said impatiently as he followed close behind Francis.
"Non" he said curtly.
Arthur snorted "You're making this harder than it needs to be, frog" Arthur continued observing the paintings, walking farther along the hallway.
"And I suppose it's easy to give a child away" France snarled. His tone, held much anger, but Arthur did not miss the hint of sadness in his voice.
"Where is he?" Arthur asked choosing to ignore the previous comment. Pulling his eyes away from the paintings, he glanced at Francis
"In his room" France replied. His mind constantly replaying Matthew's words.
Don't go anywhere…
France swallowed the lump in his throat.
"You should take your leave while he's busy, best he not see you walk away" Arthur spoke
" I will not leave-."
"It is a suggestion. I do not care whether you stay or go. I only am saying that it will be easier and more convenient if you leave now" he turned and faced Francis, sighed with an exasperated breath.
"Do not draw this out like your plays, Francis. Leave, let me deal with the child"
"I promised him-"
"Do not make promises you can't keep, you are a nation Francis, you know as well as I that promises are as flimsy as handshakes. No promise is ever fully kept. He is a nation, he will learn in time the truth of your actions. You seem to be having more trouble than he at accepting this. Leave. This is the only time I am doing something for your benefit. Leave and make this easier for yourself"
He didn't .
At that moment Francis heard the sound of tiny footsteps, coming down the stairs. He should have left, but he just could not, he needed to see this through to the end. If there was one thing he had come to realize in his life, it was that seeing the end of things, no matter how awful and vile, was ultimately for the better.
"Papa?" The small voice called. Matthew flew down the stairs and once he saw Francis in his sights he flung himself forward, clutching onto his leg.
Francis peered down at his brother. A small smile, a weary and tired smile made it to Francis lips.
"Matthew" he said, his voice slightly firm. Matthew gazed up at him, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"I need you to do something for me, little one" he asked, as he picked up the bundle and set him on his hip. Francis looked into the innocent violet eyes and just studied them for a moment, he felt regret tug at his heart strings. Regret for what he was about to do. Buthe had lost and this, this little bundle was to be his loss.
"Papa?"
He snapped out of his thoughts and without even noticing it, he held Mathieu even tighter. This was it, the moment, he froze but somehow he spoke.
"Matthew, I need you to go with angleterre, he is going to be taking care of you now"
Oh, how hard it was to say those words, words that felt so wrong and hard.
Arthur who had been watching silently the whole time, stepped up beside Francis and looked the child up and down. Matthew's eyes studied the stranger with caution.
Arthur smiled at the boy "Hello Matthew, my name is Arthur. I am to be your new caretaker."
Francis breathed in a deep breath, his heart slowly becoming painfully slow. Without a word, without so much as a glance at his little brother, he deposited Matthew into Arthur's arms.
He felt…. He didn't want to press that thought.
He turned away from Matthew and Arthur. He didn't want to see.
The cries started, and Matthew began to struggle desperately in Arthur's arms, trying to get back to Francis.
"Papa!" Mathieu cried.