Resetting as I was, with blossoms in full bloom,
Iceland stepped off the school bus and out onto the street. He still had to walk half a mile to get home, but at least he was closer.
He started walking towards his house, but the entire time, he was getting the feeling like he was being watched, as if there were something behind him. After the half-mile of walking, Iceland was finally in front of his house when he heard footsteps.
He looked over and saw the boy from that morning step out from behind him and go to his house. The man in the window (also from that same morning) reached out, grabbed his shoulders, and dragged him inside. Iceland paused before slowly walking over to the house before seeing Denmark walk out of his.
"Come on, Emil," he shouted, gesturing for Iceland to follow.
Iceland hesitated before running towards him.
Never a chance to pause, with magic to consume.
Denmark knocked on the door of the other house. He and Iceland stood on the doorstep for about a minute, waiting for an answer. Just as Denmark was about to knock again, the door opened. Iceland recognized the answerer as the man in the window.
Denmark stuck out a hand. "Mathias Kølher; Denmark."
The man in the window shook hands with him. "Berwald Oxenstierna; Sweden." He took a few steps to the side to invite Denmark and Iceland inside. "Come, come," he said, gesturing for them to enter.
They had only taken a few steps in when Sweden took of his coat and shouted, "Timo, put the kettle on! We have company!"
Another, slightly younger man poked his head out of a doorway. He smiled, stepped out to give Iceland and Denmark a full-body look at him, and he closed the door behind him.
He walked over to Iceland and Denmark. He shook Denmark's hand first. "Timo Väinämöinen; Finland."
"Mathias Køhler; Denmark."
Finland shook Iceland's hand. "Timo Väinämöinen; Finland.", he repeated.
"Emil Steilsson; Iceland," he introduced himself.
Iceland heard a voice whisper in his ear. "Lukas Bondevik; Norway."
Iceland raised his head up a little. "Norway?" he whispered to himself.
"Strong or mild?" he heard Finland ask.
"Strong," he heard Denmark answer.
As they listened to the older men talk, the only thing Iceland could think was:
Who's Norway?
