A Strained Anniversary

Or, a Story from the Great War, told through the Nations' Eyes

Along the Italian Front. 1917.

Austria was tired. Tired of the seemingly endless shelling that could be heard this so far from the front. Of the bloodshed on and off the battlefield, more of his proud soldiers shattered with each passing day. Even now, his grey officer's field uniform still smelled of gunpowder, grime and God knows what else. And yet if not for the constant noise, it looked so much like an otherwise fine, cloudless day. Especially considering what date it is, he added wearily while going through the map laid down before him. Why did it have to come at such a wrong time?

In all honesty, he didn't really need the map to know that the Empire had just suffered a costly setback in the Isonzo. Despite managing to push the Italians back, their sheer tenacity and persistence of those Italians still shocked him. That they would throw themselves all for small slivers of land… He could also tell from a female shadow looming beside him that it weighed heavily on his dear wife as well, not that they have been able to speak much on the matter at all. Keep focused, Roderich. Keeping his arms on the table for support, he looked up just in time to see his aide approach the tent.

"Mein Kommandant," the officer began in clipped German. "The Kaiser would like you back in Vienna as soon as possible for an urgent meeting. Rest assured that you car is being brought here as we speak. Also, his Imperial Majesty sends his regards."

"Danke. Carry on."

"Some grand plan," he heard Elizaveta sneer just as the man left, her similarly tailored uniform just as worn out from days of combat. It was the first time she had actually spoken to him, the aristocrat realized since they arrived here. "The front can't hold out like this forever, Roderich. But it's not like his Apostolic Majesty could really spare time with all this."

The Nation sighed. "You know Karl is just as burdened as we are. At any rate, he is doing his best given these circumstances. Even the peace offer he tried sending to France was meant with good intentions."

"And we all know how that went! How long do you think before Gilbert and Ludwig decide to send their damn armies over to silence us?!" the Hungarian snapped before trying to calm herself down. Despite the exhaustion, her voice came across just as strong as it had been during the battle. "Sorry, I've spoken out of line. Just…we could have at least gone off to the Eastern Front. Hell, a trip through those trenches in Russia sounds preferable right now! But why did you have to take us here against Feli?"

"Do you think that I enjoy fighting Feliciano?" Austria shot back wearily, his own hands starting to leave marks on the table. "Mind you, it was he who turned against us! Then again, that Italien imbecile deserved it."

"He hasn't! And whose fault was it that drove him away to begin with?! As if you're doing such a wonderful job in winning this war when your own people don't have the stomach for it anymore, Mr. Auztria."

"Neither are you blameless in all this, Ungarn." Austria strained to pinch his nose as he tried to keep his voice level, even as his wife's hands seemed to move threateningly, if reluctantly close to her sidearm. "Don't think that I haven't heard of that nationalist, separatist rabble coming from your people lately. I think they have made their disinterest loud and clear. How then can we save our Empire when you can't even fully commit anymore?!"

"Don't push me, te bolond."

"What then? Go...on..." The aristocrat paused, realizing where this was heading.

If there was any consolation behind all this, the bespectacled Nation was increasingly finding it difficult seeing what that was. It was foolish denying that their squabbles had grown worse, let alone that their cherished Ausgleich is being pushed to its breaking point. And to think it started with that damned murder in Sarajevo, he mused bitterly as he wearily turned away from her glare. At least that's what both of them wanted so much to believe. He should have foreseen just how far everything spiraled out of control to the point that even those naïve Americans had joined against him. What ought to have ended by Christmas three years ago had turned into a perverse celebration of hatred. His, no their citizens were dying in droves in some God-forsaken battlefield or trench. All done in their names while the same was being repeated across Europe and even the rest of the world. A part of him still wondered whether this could have been avoided.

The War to End All Wars, is- The aristocrat forced back a cringe, finding it harder to keep balance. ...Nein, not now... No matter how much the Austrian tried to hide it, he felt as though he was being torn apart at the seams. Whether it was talk of revolution, mutiny or mass nationalism, the chaos seemed to spread everywhere. From Galicia to Slovenia, not even Vienna was spared. That he sensed it in Hungary as well only made it harder to bear. Why?! It wasn't supposed to be like this. I can't fall like this…I can't…

"Do you regret it?" He turned to find Elizaveta moving closer as she broke the silence. There no longer seemed to be any anger in her voice, although a bitter edge remained. "What happened 50 years ago, I mean."

Austria allowed himself a faint smirk. "I am surprised that you remembered, Liebchen," he replied softly as he tried to meet her eyes. "But if you must know, my answer now remains the same as when we made our vows. I have no regrets."

A sad smile crossed her face as the Magyar reached for his hand. "Same here, drágám. But as stupid as this might sound, I'm afraid of what's going to happen from here on. I don't want to know! This war is tearing everything we have apart. And…"

"I know." Using what remained of his strength, he took in to a tight embrace, one which to his welcome surprise she eagerly returned.. It seemed like an eternity since they have had a moment like this. In a swift though tender gesture, he felt as though she was guiding his hands towards her belly, though he wasn't quite sure what it meant. Yet he knew from her warmth, the scent of her hair and the look in her eyes that the Nation with him was still the same fierce lady he fell in love with generations ago. Despite what had transpired, she remained his equal, rival, friend, wife, lover. Indivisibiliter ac Inseparabiliter. Gott…Bitte, just this once, make this last forever.

The faint rumble of an automobile snapped them both back to reality.

"Boldog évfordulót, Roderich," the Hungarian whispered warmly as they parted. A few traces of tears seemed to line her face while the small flower nestled in her hair glimmered. "I might as well say this. There may never be another time to – but I would be glad if we could raise a real family of our own one day. Like we tried to before. After all, we've faced bad times in the past right?"

The Nation smiled as he weakly offered his hand. "You put it best, Meine Liebe. I'm sure we'll think of something." He knew deep down however that it was hoping against hope, politics and turmoil be damned. The bloodbath would come to an end eventually, as all wars do. Even Feliciano might come back to his senses. But the odds of his, no their Empire surviving it intact even at the off chance of victory was a matter best set aside. Although it would not hurt to keep trying to the end.

"Alles Gute sum Hochzeitstag. Whatever happens, ja?"

Elizaveta nodded solemnly as she laid one more soft kiss. "Whatever happens. Let's find out together."

Outside, the sun had begun to set as the car came to a stop.

As for some reference:

World War I was known at the time as the Great War, the "War to end War" and the "War to End All Wars." The last two are usually associated with US President Woodrow Wilson, who used the term to justify America's entry into the War against the Germans and Austro-Hungarians in 1917, ironically in the hopes of the conflict putting an end to any future ones.

Karl/Charles I (1887-1922 ; aka Karoly/Charles IV in Hungary) was the last Habsburg ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Even before ascending to the throne following Franz Joseph's death in 1916, he was known for being a reformer and pacifist among many other things in his life. His efforts to both save the Empire and put an end to World War I on amicable terms ended tragically. He died in exile after a failed bit at reclaiming the Hungarian crown and was later beatified by the Catholic Church in 2004 as Blessed Charles of Austria.

In early 1917, Emperor-King Karl tried to send a peace offer to the Entente/Allies in secret, France in particular, in the hopes of finally ending the War. In what has since been called the Sixtus Affair it was to be passed through Belgium via his brother-in-law, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma. Unfortunately, not only did the the French have the letter published in a humiliating scandal but there were also fears that Austria's German comrades might invade for their supposed "betrayal."

The battle mentioned here is the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo, which was part of a bloody clash between Italy and the Imperial forces along the Isonzo River, which is now in present-day Slovenia. The Italians were able to reach into Austro-Hungarian lines at the cost of many lives...only to be pushed back in a costly attack to where it started. Coincidentally, that battle ended on June 8th in a stalemated victory. As an added side note, Italy was originally on the side of the Central Powers before joining the Entente in 1915.

By 1917, the Empire was in turmoil. Not only were Austria-Hungary's soldiers fighting and dying on multiple front lines. But it was increasingly plagued by a disastrous mix of economic crises, mutinies, nationalist uprisings and outright calls for revolution. As the chaos spread throughout the Empire, it increasingly found itself in an inescapable spiral that would help in its collapse at the end of the War.

...and as a last note, it's mentioned in Hetalia that Austria ended up weak and bound in a wheelchair for a time after the Great War ended, which given what happened to the Empire in real life, it seems logical. At this point however, he's on the way to having that wheelchair.

Mein Kommandant - "Sir/Commander" (German)
Liebchen - "My Love" (German)
Meine Liebe - "My Love" (German; alternate form)
Alles Gute zum Hochzeitstag - "Happy Anniversary" (German)
Te bolond - "You fool" (Hungarian)
Drágám - "Darling" (Hungarian)
Boldog évfordulót - "Happy Anniversary" (Hungarian)

*Apologies for the last-minute editing. Hope the polished version is an improvement!