Everything seemed to be going fine for a while. Holy Rome and began to slowly take over the country side, and for a while I believed that Holy Rome could achieve what the Great Rome could not because he was the King of Lion's; one of the most powerful, prideful, and determined spirit you will ever have witnessed. Although in reality it didn't take long until I began to have doubts.
"Holy Rome how are you doing? I've brought you breakfast even though it's really just potatoes. Holy Rome- ugh"!?
I opened the door to Holy Rome's room and it was the morning after a battle. I was in shock by the amount of red that soaked Holy Rome's bed sheets. I mean; you'd think since he was such a little guy that there would be much, but the blood seemed to have been dripping from the sheets. I dropped the tray and ran to his bedside, "Holy Rome"!
Holy Rome was leaning up in his bed gripping his chest tugging at the bandages that wrapped tightly around his torso. He managed to lift his hand to push me back, and scream "G-get out"!
"You moron! Let me see"!
"N-no! Get out Prussia"!
"You're going too far and too fast! Now let me see god dammit"!
"I SAID NO"!
Those piercing golden eyes looked at me intently and his roar pushed me back. Seeing them always made me shiver in my boots. I gritted my teeth and crinkled my hands in a fist to try and swallow my words.
"This is just another step to achieving my goal. I will-"
"Yeah you'll achieve what the great Rome couldn't, and you'll create a world for you and that little Austrian slave", I had such anger built up in my voice. I gave everything to this kid to go along with cause but if he dies then everything we've worked so hard for will just get flushed down the drain; like shit. I lashed out "But what about you! This doesn't work if you're just going to fucking die half way through! King of Lions! More like the king of fucking morons! Now get your head out of your ass and use it for once"!
"..."
Holy Rome was speechless. Hell I would be too if I was shot down for chanting my dreams to the world, but he had to hear my words or else he would have just gone off into another battle and died. I need to cool off my head.
"Listen I'll be back in time to change your dressing again, but for now I'm going to Austria's house to discuss some stuff. So just- stay here"!
I stormed out so fast I didn't even see Holy Rome reach out his hand to stop me, and that will probably be my greatest regret.
Raging outside with my head down I started off walking fast, and then it became a jog, and then finally it became a sprint. I kicked off and my wings burst out of my back as I began taking flight. I screamed out my emotions as I dashed through the clouds with an echoing screech. I wouldn't usually use my spirit to travel, but I was so messed up in the head I thought that a little change in atmosphere would help.
Austria, one of my closets, but most annoying friends was drinking tea in his highly prized garden. He had his priceless violin, which he would no doubt risk his life for, resting in its own chair. So of course me being the rowdy son of a bitch I crash landed in his garden.
"You ass! Couldn't you have found some none-destructive way to enter my house"!?
"Oh shut it mole face! I'm here to pick up some weapons"!
I rushed past Austria too mad to even give him a proper greeting, although it's not like I've ever given a proper greeting to this fancy pants. I went down to the cellar and gather together some guns and swords. I wrapped them in a sheet and carried them over my shoulder.
"Now you listen here! You brute! You can't just take weapons and leave! You need to at least give me some kind of compensation for them! I don't need another freeloader"!
"I said shut it! I'm in no mood for a lecture Austria and especially one from you"!
"Um… excuse me…"?
I was planning to just leave and hurry back, but a tiny high pitched voice stopped me in my tracks. Austria and I turned around and listened to the little boy dressed in a maid outfit. He was so timid and fragile. Honestly I never imagined this little Italian was the root of Holy Rome's determination.
"Um if I may ask…? How is Holy Rome doing? Is he sleeping well? Eating enough? Um… I heard he was hurt so can you give this to him"?
Chibitalia walked up cautiously to me and handed me a small container filled with medicine. I sighed letting all my anger go and took the medicine from his hands. It was my intention to lie to little kids, but I guess I was just caught up in the moment.
"He's doing fine… Chibitalia"
The little Italian smiled at me and sighed with relief as he walked back down the hall holding his broom. I began to walk out with Austria's weapons wrapped and strapped to my back, and I could see why Holy Rome favored that little Italian so much.
While I was taking my sweet time cooling my head Holy Rome was back at the house/fort trying to lick his own wounds.
"Ugh! Ahh…"
Holy Rome couldn't wrap a simple bandage around his wrist because he couldn't hold still from the pain. He circled it slowly trying not to wrap too tightly, but he slipped accidently ripping off the fleshy scab that held the wound closed.
"Ow! Dammit"!
Holy Rome gave up and left the wound have bandaged. He gently and carefully put his jacket back on and sat on the edge of his bed. He was so frustrated and confused that it makes sense, since he's still young, that he would be on the edge of tears.
It didn't take long until Holy Rome started sobbing, but while he was busy being distressed a whistle blew in the distance, and a Rose bush began to creep up the outer walls. The vines that were decorated with thorns crawled through the windows and ran upwards to the top floor.
As the rose bush grew the whistle became louder and sharper. Holy Rome lifted his head to that mystical sound and quickly covered his ears. That sound wasn't pleasant to the ears; it felt like a needle slowly piercing through your ear drum.
Eventually the whistling stopped and as the vines flowed slowly into Holy Rome's room a voice cunningly said "knock knock Holy Rome I'm coming in"
The vines stretched fast and just before they could catch Holy Rome the left top side of the house burst, and Holy Rome transformed and fell to the bottom smacking against the solid ground. He laid there motionless slowly turning human again, his wounds throbbing, and his vision fuzzy. He used his uninjured arm to attempt to crawl away but when he raised his head he looked up to see a curly blonde wearing a fancy feathered hat with a sword over his shoulder smiling down at him.
"F-France…"?
"Bonjour, Holy Rome"
I could see it in the distance, above the tree tops, the smell of ash and dust. It was in the direction in which I foolishly left Holy Rome. I ran as fast as I could and kicked off the ground and tried to willingly spread my wings, but the only thing I got was a mouth full of dirt.
When I cursed and got to my knees I had realized I still had a good ten minutes until I could fly up and join the clouds. I punched the ground with the feeling of regret clouding my thoughts replacing everything with recklessness.
"Fuck! Why now of all times"!?
The earth shook and I could hear Holy Rome's cries in the distance. I quickly got to my feet and ran as fast as I could and kicked off the ground again expecting a different outcome, but even when I flapped my arms I still landed in the dirt. The weapons strapped to my back became loose and they pulled me down, but when the earth shook again, I threw them off and began to run again. When I heard Holy Rome's roaring call I knew I had to hurry. The only objective in my head was to get to his side, and when I did another sprint attempt I shouted "Come out! God dammit! Let me fly! Let me reach him"!
My body became immobile after that last statement. A gushing sound echoed through my ears, it sounded like tearing flesh, as if someone tore all your limbs off at once.
"Ugh"!?
I landed with a thud and used my arms for support. I fearfully looked behind me and what I saw almost made me scream, but the air was stuck at the base of my throat. I was successful with summing my wings, but what came out of my back were not the wings that I expected to appear. They were fleshy, with thin chicken feathers loosely hanging from them, and they were pulsing like a bare heart outside of the rib cage. These featherless pieces of flesh tore through my back making it gush with blood staining the back of my head as it burst. My beautiful black and white feathered wings of freedom looked more like a slaughtered disemboweled cattle.
"Ack! Uh! Aaahhhhhh"!
I clutched the ground tightly trying desperately to endure the throbbing pain that pulsed down my back. I had figured that I would be able forcibly summon my wings if the situation was desperate enough, but I had never presumed that the consequences would fill me with such anguish.
Holy Rome couldn't attack, not in the condition he was in; he could barely keep his spirit form in check. He scurried around concealing himself within the thick dust of our crumbling house.
"You can't hide from me Holy Rome"!
France stood there all fancy and whistled controlling the growth of his Rose bush. Holy Rome leaped avoiding those thorn deathtraps, but making a swift leap to the right caused one of his wounds to reopen. He stopped and cringed, but those stubborn vines would not quit. They quickly wrapped around his feet, but he quickly tore them off with his fangs. Although when they came rushing back a second time he let out a roar that had enough force to stop dead and crumble away, but after that it didn't take long for Holy Rome's strength to run out.
After his famous roar Holy Rome turned back into his human form and he stumbled to his knees gasping for breath. He coughed and hacked from the burning sensation aching in his throat. He held his neck tightly and coughed up a small puddle of blood.
France took slow long strides up to Holy Rome, and pointed his sword beside Holy Rome's neck, taunting him.
"Hmm? Have you prepared yourself Holy Rome? Are there any last words from the mighty King of Lions"?
"Grrr….", Holy Rome growled at France.
France scowled at Holy Rome's stubbornness, "Listen there is a way out of this without me chopping off your head. Would you like to hear it"?
"…?", Holy Rome raised his head.
"Stop this suicidal siege. There is no way, even for you, to take control of Europe, so stop".
Holy Rome looked France in the eyes and sternly replied "no…"
France sighed and pulled Holy Rome up by the collar of his shirt "Did you really think you could achieve what Rome couldn't? Your action will bring nothing but ruin upon Europe, so end this pointless destruction"!
"No…"
"Hmm… Very well then Holy Rome…"
Minute by minute and as each second passed I had to keep myself from passing out. When the time limit was finally up my scrawny wings burst and my black and white feathers stretched and pierced through the wrinkled flesh. I slowly outstretched them speeding up the excruciating process until my wings could catch the wind.
"Ack! Ugh! Come on… Fucking stand"!
My knees persistently tried to buckled, but I kept my balance and embraced the strong wind. My feathers ruffled and the tainted red turned to and white. I dug my talons into the earth and staggered as I raised my head high. Spreading my stiffened wings made my body ache, but my determination and brother complex wouldn't let me drop another time.
Raising my wings as high as they could reach I challenged that vast blue sky and with as much force as I could muster I flapped my wings and took to the air leaping from cloud to cloud screaming Holy Rome's name, praying that I would make it in time.
I rode the wind currents that flowed like the raging river and managed to make it above the base that was consumed by gigantic rose bush and just a little to the east was France and a tiny motionless body lying next to him.
France's blade was soaked in blood from the hilt to the tip and as France gazed up towards me unable to hear his words, but read his lips he said "I'm sorry… my friend…"
A fury lit within me and without a second thought I narrowed my wing span and dove fast. As I was driven madly with rage France perked his lips and his whistle echoed throughout the land and sky. A rose bush sprouted from beneath him and entwined to form a nest capable of traveling through the earth. France never turned his sympathetic gaze away from mine that was twisted with such anger.
France's whistled pierced through my ear drums. It made my head spin and my vision blurry, but there was no fucking way he was going to get away with this! I outstretched my talon's eagerly trying to grab him before his roses could take him to safety. I smashed into the ground and the only thing that got caught in my claws was dirt and grass, but I was too senseless to stop there.
"You Fucking Bastard! What right do you have to call me friend after this!? You back stabbing coward"!
My wings soon fluttered away into a multitude of feathers and my claws turned to hands, but I keep digging and pounding my fist into the dirt like a bratty child who had gotten their candy stolen. I leaned my forehead to the ground and wept from my betrayal. I was so frustrated and my body filled with so much loathing towards myself.
Through all the tears, blood, and sweat I raised my head to see Holy Rome's body just lying there so still and lifeless. I crawled like a pathetic insect towards Holy Rome and reached to touch his small hand. I laid him down so his head could rest on my lap and caressed his adolescent face. He had such a painful expression which made me tear up even more. I shook as I clutched Holy Rome's cape tightly and quickly took off my coat to cover his stab wound to the chest and to comfort myself from believing that this would keep his body from growing colder.
As I caressed Holy Rome's soft cheeks stained by his blood I pulled him close and linked our foreheads together. I began to sob and shake again as I cursed at myself.
"Dammit! It should have been me… It's my fault so it should have been me! Ugh… hic… It should have been me…"
Holding Holy Rome's tiny fragile body close I sobbed and cried out to those who made this world unfair for us countries. Why would they allow us to feel these emotions? They're so much more trouble than they are worth. If a country lived like this long enough would they eventually break; I know I would, I would shatter into millions of tiny shards if this was how I was forced to see the world.
It seemed as if it took forever for Holy Rome's body to become translucent and slowly begin to fade. He became lighter in weight and dim in color. My eyes were shut tightly trying desperately to escape this reality, but I had to open them, I had to see Holy Rome off. It was the least I could do as the cold wind took him from my embrace leaving only his clothes as a reminder of my mistake.
Is this what it felt like, for a parent to lose their child to death? But Holy Rome and I are brothers so that statement doesn't suit us; right? No it doesn't matter. No parent should have to bury their child. Neither brother, mother, nor stranger should have to bury those who were supposed to outlive us.
~To Be Continued...