Chapter 4
((Flashbacks will be in italics))
"My name is Esther..."
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"Question," England said, raising his hand, "Who exactly is this Esther woman?" Russia thought for a second, "You might have heard of her as The Netherlands before." Germany blinked, "You mean that cross-dressing Holland?"
Russia threw an empty paper cup at Germany's head, "I know a woman when I see one." [*Note: The Netherlands is often called Holland by mistake. Holland (North and South) is a providence within The Netherlands.*]
France grinned as Russia looked at him. "I'll explain how I know later."
"Oh! I know her!" America said, "I traded goods with her once or twice." Russia nodded, "She loved to trade with others and she also loved..." He looked down at the sunflowers and smiled.
"Hmm? I remember when I first met her, she took a few sunflowers with her from my house," America said, "She said something about them being a pretty flower and wanted to take them with her." Russia looked at him and continued his story.
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Ivan nodded and moved back to the fire. "...Are you hungry?" he asked as she nodded. He started cooking something over the fire as Esther looked around. She didn't remember the blank walls or dark looking room they were in; she didn't know the young man whose bed she was lying in, bundled up in covers that smelled faintly of vodka and blood. She felt her stomach lurch a bit and curled up on her side. She curled her toes, but blinked when she didn't feel them curl. Looking down at them, she saw them wrapped in animal fur covered in hot water bottles. "I found in the snow," Ivan said, "You're lucky your feet aren't frost bitten... I would have had to cut them off." She gasped at the thought as he handed her a bowl with rice and some meat and gravy on top, "Eat up. You'll need your strength." She took the bowl and looked down at it. It was a weird looking meal and it somewhat reminded her of dog food. She picked up some meat and rice with the fork and ate it.
"Do you like it?" Ivan asked as she nodded a little.
"It's a weird tasting meat..." she said, "But it's good. What is it?" Ivan grinned, "Cow tongue." Esther immediately spat it out and gagged, the bowl falling to the floor, spilling the food.
"Disgusting! How can you eat something like that?! I feel as though I've been making out with a cow," she said, holding her throat and sticking out her tongue. Ivan looked at the bowl then glared at Esther.
"I do not know where you're from, but here, we do not waste a single drop of food," he said, coldly, "If you don't want to starve, I suggest you pick it up and eat it." She looked at the man and felt a shiver going down her spine. She leaned down and picked up the bowl and bits of meat that fell from it. He went to the table where the sunflower sat and tossed her a piece of dried bread. "Use that to mop up the gravy you spilled as well," he said as she did so. After she was finished, she forced herself to eat the meal, wincing at the thought of what she was eating plus the dirt from the floor. She bit into the bread and looked down sadly at her wrapped feet.
"...W-when may I go home?" she asked, setting the empty bowl down on the floor. Ivan looked out the window and sighed.
The storm wasn't letting up and the snow was up to the window, almost covering it. "Months," he said.
"Months?!" she repeated as he nodded.
"We're snowed in, if you haven't noticed and until the snow melts away, you're going to be my house guest."