Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter of Hetalia Fairytale's Sleeping Beauty. I hope you guys have enjoyed the story so far and continue to do so as I work on it. Unfortunately, there aren't any new characters in this chapter; however, there will be a sizeable translation section at the end of the chapter, so be patient, don't forget to rate/ review, and I'll see you at the end!
Chapter 4
Tangled Hearts
Elizabeta leapt to her paws, she had been so lost in daydreaming she hadn't seen the stranger come into the clearing. She let out a volatile hiss, knowing she couldn't truly protect her charge without revealing her true form.
Herakles froze and looked over his shoulder, his green eyes met deep brown ones. Herakles pulled away and turned to face their owner. He was young, and wasn't very tall, but he had black hair and had an elegant and refined manner about him that Herakles found stunning…
"My apologies Sā*" his voice came in a quiet Japanese accent. "I didn't mean to startle you" Prince Kiku was intrigued, normally the politeness and cautiousness he possessed would've stopped him from ever doing something so brash, but it hadn't. He'd gone straight over to this strange young man and begun singing…. And he had no idea why.
Herakles shook his head "It's not that" he replied quickly, barely raising his voice above the level of the newcomers.
Kiku smiled warmly through his lips "But we've met before" Herakles looked at him in confusion "You so yourself Wakamono" the prince replied "Once upon a dream"
Herakles' eyes widened, he had been right, this was the man from his dream. "Will you walk with me?" the stranger asked offering his hand.
Herakles knew he shouldn't, but… he did "Of course" he replied slowly with a nod. Herakles took the strangers hand. Elizabeta jumped down from her hiding spot and raced after the two young men.
The pair strolled through the forest, speaking of every sort of thing imaginable. As they walked Elizabeta watched as Herakles fell deep and deeper in love. Eventually, talk fell onto the subject of the castle in the distance. Kiku gazed at the castle and suddenly felt guilt stir in him as he was reminded of his betrothal. Soon enough he would rule over thee lands by the side of a prince no one had seen in sixteen years, no one even knew what he was like.
Herakles sighed "I've seen this castle so many times, yet I know so little about it. Do you know anything of the castle?"
Kiku swallowed "It's the castle of Queen Athenais of Greece"
Kiku felt his companion lay his head on Kiku's own as they walked. Kiku's heart stirred in his chest, he realized he didn't even know his companions name "So Sā, you have yet to give me a name to call you by"
Herakles raised his head and looked down at Kiku "My name?" Herakles asked dazedly, "My name is-" Herakles finally realized what he was doing. Herakles pulled away, what would his aunts think? He was strictly forbidden from talking to strangers.
Herakles stepped back, shaking his head fearfully "I can't!" he gasped. Herakles ran back into the trees "Antío*!"
"Wait!" Kiku called after him "When can I see you again?" the words slipped through Kiku's lips before he could stop them. He didn't know why, he was already betrothed, he shouldn't want to see the young man again; nevertheless, he did.
"Never!" Herakles cried out, he suddenly skidded to a stop and whipped back in the direction of the man "Maybe someday!" he contradicted.
"When?! Tomorrow?!" Kiku called after him.
"No. Tonight, at the cottage in the glen" Herakles disappeared into the trees. Elizabeta quickly shot off in a bolt of fairy dust, heading back to the cottage.
Back at the cottage, things were not going well. After Elizabeta had run off, claiming she'd forgot some "errands" that were necessary for Herakles birthday, Anouk had taken over sewing Herakles coat. One problem, Anouk had never learned how to sew. So the coat didn't even resemble what it was supposed to be. Over in the kitchen, things weren't going any better.
Natasha was struggling to decorate a many layered cake that was falling into a messy goop. She tried to prop it up but the candles and icing slid down the wooden handle. Elizabeta stepped through the door, took one look at the situation the other two were in, and froze.
Elizabeta looked at Natasha and the cake, she decided to be supported "That's a… unique… cake" she commented tactfully.
Natasha desperately tried to keep the cake in its proper shape "It'll be firmer once it's baked" she gasped and wiped sweat off her brow.
Anouk had had enough, she threw down the mess she was attempting to sew "I'm getting the wands!" she stormed up the stairs.
Natasha and Elizabeta stared after her, the cake collapsed and the garment Anouk had been sewing fell apart onto the floor. "Maybe she's right" Natasha admitted.
A moment later, Anouk reappeared, the wands in her hand leaving a sparkling trail behind her.
Elizabeta snatched the wands from her and shoved them in her apron pocket "Careful Anouk!" she hissed "Close the doors and windows, make sure there is not even a single crack from which the magic will be able to escape this room"
Natasha and Anouk ran around the room, plugging up every crack to the outside world, except one. Elizabeta handed Natasha her slender pink pearl wand "Natasha, you make the cake"
Anouk was about to volunteer to make the tunic but Elizabeta cut her off "You clean the room" Elizabeta told her, seeing how messy the room had become "And I'll take the tunic" Anouk fumed inwardly but took her assigned task anyway.
All three fae set to work, waving their wands and casting magic spells across the room. Natasha waved her wand and all the needed ingredients and utensils used for making a cake appeared on the counter in front of her. She watched happily as the ingredients began to mix.
Elizabeta flicked her wand at the wardrobe, out of which flew a swath of green fabric. Scissors leapt from the sewing basket and expertly cut all the pieces as the sewing needles began sewing the newly cut pieces together.
Anouk looked over from where he was supervising the cleaning crew and groaned. Green again! That was it! Anouk discreetly flicked her wand and the velvet turned a royal blue. Elizabeta nearly jumped out of her skin as the green velvet turned royal blue. Elizabeta shot Anouk a glare and tapped the velvet again, which turned green again. Anouk growled and turned in blue again.
"That's enough Anouk!" Elizabeta snarled at the other fae and changed it green once more. Anouk tried to turn it blue again but Elizabeta stepped in front of the spell and gasped as her clothing turned blue.
Anouk turned her face away from Elizabeta to hide the smile that had leapt onto her face. Elizabeta's spell hit her and Anouk's clothing turned green. Within moments it had turned into a war of colors between the two Fae. Unfortunately, the one spot they'd forgotten block, the chimney, spat magic into the air. And as it flew overhead, Hibernia's phoenix spotted the three fee's magic.
Magic flew back and forth throughout the room, past the oblivious Natasha who was still working on the cake. The tunic was now finished but flashed from green to blue as it was hit by opposing color spells, the same as Anouk and Elizabeta's clothing.
"Take this you bolond*!" Elizabeta threw another spell that Anouk had to dodge to avoid.
"You promised not to swear!" Anouk cried out to her, throwing her own spell. The kettle in the fireplace was turned blue.
"Herakles isn't here! So I'll swear all I like!" Elizabeta's next spell turned the wardrobe green.
Suddenly, the sound of Herakles' voice reached the ears of the fae "He's back!" Elizabeta gasped "Quick! Hide!"
Anouk quickly fixed all the items in the room as Elizabeta hid the tunic and Natasha stuck the last of the candles on the cake. Elizabeta pulled both Anouk and Natasha down out of view. She the gasped "The mops still running!" she flicked her diamond wand at it and it fell to the floor.
Herakles burst into the cottage with the news of his meeting the dark eyes man in the woods but stopped short when he saw the cake and clothing on the counter. "SURPRISE!" The three fae shouted, popping up from behind the counter.
Herakles eyes widened with happiness as he realized this is what they'd been planning. "Oh you three are wonderful!" Herakles exclaimed, taking his "aunts" hands in his own "Everything is wonderful! Just wait until you meet him!"
All three of the fae froze "Him?!" Anouk cried out.
"Herakles!" Natasha gasped.
"Have you met a stranger?!" Elizabeta pretended innocence
"He's not a stranger" Herakles shook his head gently "We've met before, once upon a dream" Herakles took Natasha' hands in his own and spun her around the room with a song from his heart.
"He's in love!" Natasha gasped.
"Oh no!" Anouk gasped "This is horrible!"
Herakles stopped and turned to look at her, a look of deep confusion on his face "Why? I am sixteen now"
Elizabeta realized what needed to happen next, and that it had to be executed a certain way if they wished to succeed "It's not that kedves* … It's just, you're already betrothed. To Prince Kiku, you have been since the day you were born"
"That's not possible!" Herakles dream of love began to diminish "In order to marry a prince I'd have to be-"
"A prince yourself" Elizabeta finished delicately, taking Herakles hands in her own. "You are Prince Herakles of Greece, only heir to the throne of Queen Athenais of Greece. Tonight we take you home to your mother.
No one realized there was a phoenix listening through the window, it took off towards Hibernia's castle in a flash of flames.
"But he's coming here tonight" Herakles cried out pleadingly.
"I'm sorry kedves" Elizabeta told him gently "But you can never see that young man again"
Alright.. So another chapter is done and out of the way. I hope you guys enjoyed and as promised, here is the translation section for those of you who were lost.
Sā= The Japanese word for 'sir'
Wakamono=The Japanese for 'young man '
Antío= A Greek word for 'goodbye'
Bolond= Hungarian word for 'fool'
Kedves= Hungarian for 'darling'
Thanks for reading. Don't forget to rate/ review/ follow/ favorite. And remember, any feedback is helpful to me, I'm really trying to improve my writing so i look forward to hearing from you guys... Antío!
