Disclaimer: I don't own Axis Powers Hetalia or any of its characters.
Like many other children, Alfred had an instinctive insight when bad things happened.
He had experienced it most compellingly when that strange man had came to visit his mother during the middle of the night.
The sky was all dark and he could hear the soft chirps of crickets outside when he had gone to the washroom. He was about to return to his room when he heard the front door creak open and his mother saying something to someone.
Curiosity overtook him and Alfred crept to the hallway door, peering through the slightest opening.
A man stood by the door, wearing the same kind of uniform that their father had worn before he had to leave. Unlike their father, who looked quite comfortable in his uniform, this man looked awkwardly stiff, shifting restlessly, his hat twisting and turning in his hands.
He couldn't see his mother's face because her back was facing him. But he could see that her hands were clenched tightly at her side, nails digging into her palms. She was speaking too low for him to hear, but he was surprised to detect a tremble in her normally calm voice.
For some reason, her shoulders shook and the man was the one speaking now, placing a gentle hand on her arms. His face gleamed of concern and he gingerly helped her to the kitchen, where Alfred wasn't able to see them anymore.
He never told anyone of this incident. Not even Matthew. The next morning he chose to casually ask when their father was coming back, trying to figure out what happened last night. Their mother froze and her fingers clenched over the jug of milk. But when she looked at him, she was smiling and her voice was pleasant.
" Your father will be home soon," she replied. And that would be all she would ever say to the matter concerning their father.
But as the weeks passed by with haunted whispers and the adults grew more fretful and worried. Every morning and every night, their mother would scan through the newspapers, her brow furrowing and her lips pursing in faint lines of dread. They always asked what she was reading but she would rarely tell. Sometimes when Matthew purposely distracted her, Alfred would go and snatch the newspapers from the waste basket.
Most of the words he didn't understand, but from what he gathered, there seemed to be some sort of fight going on with certain places. Like Britain, the place where his father had came from, and France, where they were living now. They were against Germany, who according to his disgruntled father and grumbling mother, were dangerous folk that he and Matthew should stay far away from because they caused nothing but trouble and grief in the past.
On this particular morning, sounds of gunshots and shouts echoed and clashed not too far from the border with Germany. People crowded in the streets, trying to catch a glimpse of the smoke, which was close to their town. Alfred wanted to go down there for a better view and whatever he did, Matthew was sure to follow. But their mother strictly forbid both of them.
Within the next few weeks, Germany soldiers were marching through the streets, placing a strange red flag with a black spider in the middle of it all over the town. Alfred overheard his mother speaking hurriedly to one of the neighbours, mentioning something about soldiers fleeing to Dunkirk and them being abandoned.
" What's going to happen to us?" Matthew asked in a quiet voice when their mother came back, locking the door quickly as she did.
She didn't say anything, but they could tell she was chewing her lip in helpless dismay.
~.~.~
The next three years passed with many changes to France. According to their mother, they had new people running the country and they had to obey them no matter what.
On top of that, German soldiers came to inspect every family and every person, checking their background and other little menial details. Those that didn't fit their criteria (whatever that was, nobody explained it to Alfred) were taken away and never seen again.
But for most part, those that did fit the criteria, like them, were left to their own devices. If they did not disturb the peace, they would be left alone. Simple as that.
Of course, there were those who rebelled against this new government and fought for the freedom of the people. Those that did were quickly put down and silenced. Most citizens tended to avoid them, some even openly criticizing those people for disrupting the relatively amicable peace.
But everyone, including the government, knew that the rebellious Free French were growing stronger and their forces growing. And the police relentlessly searched to find these so-called traitors still secretly living in the cities and disposing of them with any information they had in their hands.
Alfred, now age eight, often wondered where his mother went late at night and sometimes for a few days, leaving him and Matthew with the neighbours. She refused to say where and continually told them to not say nothing about it, lest someone would hear. And so, they stopped asking questions out of fear that if they did, their mother would be taken away.
One day, a few strange men came to the door and asked them to come with them. They casually mentioned something about their mother's "activities" with a sickening pleasure. Almost at once, their mother's face was pale as paper and she trembled when she gathered Alfred and Matthew and hurried them out of the door without even a chance to pack.
They soon found themselves in a warehouse outside of their town, shivering in line, since they didn't have time to grab their jackets, as autumn was beginning to end and winter was getting ready to come. Matthew clutched his white stuffed animal bear that he christened Kumajirou, which was a gift from their parents since Matthew was a baby, tightly to his chest, as one guard dragged a screaming woman away from the front of the line. Their mother hastily covered their eyes but her screams were still heard.
In almost desperation, Alfred gripped the cold metal chain and tag underneath his shirt. The mysterious stranger from that time had handed a letter and the tag to his mother before he left. To which almost immediately she burned the letter and threw away the chain and tag in thinly veiled disgust. She didn't know that Alfred had dug through the trash later to retrieve it. Matthew had a suspicion that he always wore it around his chain, no matter how it sometimes inched and poked his neck, though he kept quiet about it. For some reason, holding this tag that had his father's name engraved on it and possibly once belonged to his father comforted him and gave him strength.
One of the guards leered at them, particularly their mother, as they passed by. He said something to her who didn't reply. Only her grip on their hands tightened.
Their mother was known as the town's beauty. It was a great deal of envy and disappointment that a young British man was the one to sweep her off her feet. And it made Alfred angry that some other man was acting in such an ungentlemanly way towards his mother.
She brought them close to her. " Keep walking and look ahead," she whispered, eyes focused forward. " Pretend that I'm not talking to you."
Alfred nodded, while Matthew simply looked confused at her orders but obeyed nevertheless. He glanced at his brother for clarification and Alfred shrugged.
She took a deep breath. " Remember, both of you, whatever may happen, stay together. Al, I want you to promise me that you will look after your brother. And Matt, I want you to promise me that you will listen to your brother."
Neither of them understood why their mother was saying this. Their mother had told them many times before. When they started school. When they moved houses the first time. When Matthew got picked on by bullies at school. Even their father told them, as he stood at the doorway before he left, patted their heads and repeated them the exact same thing as their mother was telling them now.
" Mama?" Matthew hesitantly asked.
Alfred was more straightforward. " Why are you telling us this?" he demanded to know. " We already know all this."
" Just listen," she interrupted, rather harshly. Her eyes darted nervously at the front of the line, which they were fearfully getting closer to. Her voice dropped into a whisper, more hurried and jumbled. " Look after each other and remember everything that your father and I have taught you. You are both smart and you can make it, even if I might not ..."
Her voice hitched and Matthew fidgeted worriedly in her grip. " Mama?" he asked again.
With a gasp, their mother stopped herself as they had reached the front of the line, where a balding man sat at a table, glossy shoes stretched on top of it. In his mouth was a thick cigar, which caused a slight haze around his head as he puffed out an onslaught of smoke directly at their faces. Behind him were two corridors, both leading into the forbidden darkness and the unknown.
Terror robbed Alfred of speech and Matthew was shaking in unspoken fear. Their mother was pressing her lips together, her grip on their hands tightening considerably.
Yawning, the bald man rolled on his thick neck, squinting at them. At the sight of their mother, his eyes widened and a greasy smile draped across his face.
" Why hello there, sweetheart," he said, his voice a leery purr, purposely speaking in French. " Why are all the pretty girls always the troublesome ones," he sighed longingly to himself. " And twins too!" he exclaimed, as if suddenly seeing them, leaning forward, interested. " Aren't they so cute? Makes me want to take them home with me."
The greedy look on his face suggested that he would carry out his words. Alfred scowled at the man. He didn't like the way he was looking at his mother. His eyes weren't kind and warm like his father's. Rather, those eyes were cruel and beady. " Please leave them out of this," their mother quietly said.
" But I'm simply doing my job, mademoiselle," he drawled. " And I'll admit that twins are something my boss specializes in."
She said nothing. Matthew trembled and Alfred could feel the sweat pooling in his palms at the mere mention that twins were wanted by some madman. How powerful that man must feel, that their lives are cradled delicately in his hands.
" However." The bald man smoothly dragged out the word. " I could make an exception for you if you'll be my wife," he cheekily said.
The guards snickered. Their mother's mouth was so thin of a line that Alfred couldn't see it. When she finally spoke, her voice was low.
" If I go with you, will you let my children go?" she quietly asked.
" Mum!" Alfred yelled, shattering the silence. " You can't be serious!"
" Be quiet, Alfred," she calmly told him, as if they were talking about the weather. Matthew opened his mouth to also complain but a glare from her made him snap his mouth with a muffled whimper.
The bald man stroked his thick moustache, eyeing her, flickering briefly at Matthew and Alfred. " Let your children go?" he repeated. He hummed thoughtfully, purposely dawdling his considerations, torturing them with his final decision. Finally, he leaned forward. " Fine. My men will – ahem, escort them out."
The breath that their mother had been holding this whole time was released. " Thank you, kind sir," she bowed low towards him.
An oily smile adopted over his obese features. " You'll be calling me that for the rest of your life, darling," he smirked.
At last, Alfred couldn't contain his anger any longer. " Mum, why are you doing this?" he half-shouted, half-pleaded. " Don't you want us anymore?"
" Of course, I do," she softly said. She knelt down and embraced both of them. They immediately buried themselves into her warmth and comfort. Just as they had done many times before. " But this is the only way. And after this is all over, I'll find you again. Do you understand?"
Matthew began to cry and Alfred fought not to. " Mum ..." he began.
" Matthew and Alfred." She gazed deeply into their eyes. They never realized that her eyes was swimming with tears also. " You both are your father's pride and my joy. I couldn't possibly be anymore prouder of - "
The bald man grunted, interrupting her. " Come on. We don't have all day." He jerked his thumb towards two guards standing off to the side. " They'll be bringing your kids out, while you'll be coming with me." His grin widened.
She gave them each a quick kiss on the forehead. " Je t'aime," she whispered, before letting them go.
" Moi aussi, je t'aime," they tearfully replied.
Slowly and unwillingly, Alfred and Matthew were separated from their mother, trailing towards the guards, their watery eyes never leaving her.
But something was wrong. Alfred only realized it after the guards began directing them towards one of the corridors instead of the other way out. A cold shiver ran through his spine and the briefest of knowing smirks from the guards only confirmed his fears.
Matthew reacted first. " Mama!" he screamed, trying to run back to her, only to be stopped by the guards.
" Let go of him!" Alfred snarled, pounding his tiny fists uselessly against them, before he too was grabbed from behind and a hand clamped over his mouth.
" What are you doing?" their mother gasped, rushing at the bald man, only to be held back by the soldiers. " You promised that they will go free!"
The bald man looked mildly amused. " I'm keeping my promise. So they shall be going, my dear. Going to Auschwitz." He cupped her chin, smiling cheerfully at her horrified expression. " Twins are such a rarity that we can't afford to lose. But not to worry, my soon-to-be-wife. They will be treated quite - "
Then, their mother did something that they would have never thought she would do. With a feral snarl, she kicked the bald man in the groin. When he fell with an odd sort of shriek and the guards too stunned at the moment, their mother ran forward, trying to reach them.
" Alfred! Matthew!" she screamed out.
The second the shock had worn off, Matthew bit the gloved hand of the guard holding him, making him drop him, while Alfred dug his foot against the man's shin, making him holler. They fought off their captors, racing towards their mother, calling out her name.
Their fingers were just inches apart ...
Then came the ringing bang of a gun.
Even as he slapped a hand over his brother's eyes despite his protests, Alfred knew as well as Matthew did, that they both saw the falling body of a woman who was once known to them as mother, with wide surprised eyes and golden hair fluttering aimlessly in the air. She was dead before she hit the floor, a shiny, silver bullet squeezed right between her eyes and into her forehead.
Someone screamed. Then more people screamed. People began fighting and pushing to escape. The guards fired more rounds in the air and it only escalated in the chaos.
However, Matthew was too overwhelmed by his desperation to care.
" Mama! Mama!" he shrieked, tears steaming down his face, fighting blindly to get back to the broken body of their mother. " Let go of me, Alfred! We have to help her! We have to get to her!"
" Stop it, Matthew!" he hissed, looping an arm around his chest and yanking him away from the panicking crowd. " There's – there's nothing more we can do!"
A horrible feeling rose in Alfred's throat, making him want to throw up and suck in as much air as he could at the same time. Sweat plastered on his forehead, sticking to his skin, causing him to feel both hot and cold at the same time. In protest, his stomach rolled uncomfortably, digging and jabbing within.
Matthew's sobs were lost in the shouts of the guards and more gunshots being fired. They began herding the crowd back under control, hitting and striking with their guns. One guard barked at them and when they remained dumbly where they were, he snarled, seizing both of them by the back of their shirts, gathering them up in his thick, huge arms.
As they were roughly shuffled off, they passed by their mother's body. Alfred gritted his teeth, shielding Matthew's eyes from the scene once more. Two guards happened to be towing her lifeless body away and the bald man (despite limping and his snarling face scrunched up in pain) savagely delivered a kick to her lolling head, barking at the sheepish guards, as she disappeared down the unforgiving corridor.
Hatred rose in Alfred and he would love for nothing else than to strangle that bald man for desecrating his mother's body.
Then, it was replaced by the devastating grief that their mother was truly dead. They won't ever see her soft smile again, feel her gentle fingers stroke through their hair when they were sick or hear her sing a soothing lullaby during nighttime. She was gone and lost to them forever.
That's when the unbidden thought came to Alfred. That this was what happened to their father. That he was also gone. That was why that other man had came to talk to their mother, to tell her the news. And that was why that man had given the letter and tag to her, because it was an apology that something went wrong that they didn't expect and the tag had once belonged to their father's and now belonged to her. No wonder their mother had burned the letter and threw the tag away.
On that night, she had been crying because she knew their father was never coming back, despite her false hopes that he would.
And just like her, Alfred knew as well.
~.~.~
Author's Notes:
Ma petite (French) – My little one
Je t'aime (French) – I love you
Moi aussi, je t'aime (French) – I love you too
The Battle of France happened May 10, 1940, where by June 14, Paris was overrun. Most of the British and French soldiers had fled to Dunkirk, where over 330, 000 Allied troops were able to evacuate.
After Germany took control of France, it became Vichy France. Often the French police organized raids to find Jews and other "undesirable" people. In opposition, the Free French rebelled and continued fighting against the Axis Powers, despite the mixed Allied reactions.