I apologize for the shortness of this one but it was rather necessary XD Please forgive me. I hope you enjoy anyway!

Warnings: Spamano and other things

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or the Servant of Evil plot

Chapter Four

Pain and Love

I was told to leave shortly after I had received my orders but Feliciano clasped onto my wrist and whispered to me, "I need to talk to you- tonight."

I nodded and Feliciano released me with a smile. With a sliver of a smile, I returned it and joined Clara in the kitchen to aid in other preparations.

"Lovino… can I ask you something?" Feliciano had a confused look on his face and it was also one of deep thought.

"Of course" I moved about to prepare the room for the night. I pulled the curtains closed, the moon's glow only peeking in from underneath.

"How do you know if you're in love?" there was a look in his eyes… it was the same one he gave Ludwig when we visited Terra di Dio.

"Well," I began, almost cautiously, "it's hard to explain, my lord. There truly are no words to describe it. It's wonderful though- or so I've heard."

I couldn't keep slipping up like this!

If word got out about mine and Antonio's relationship… execution would be inevitable.

"I see," Feliciano nodded.

"If I may, why do you ask?" my eyes flicked over to meet his amber ones.

"Oh, no particular reason. I was just wondering because… when I meet my bride I want to know if it's true love or not," he rested his head on the pillow. "I don't want to marry someone who doesn't love me for who I am."

He was lying.

It was clear that he had no interest in the women that were seeking to marry him. In fact, he could probably care less. Ludwig was the one who caught his eye, who stole his heart away from the very start.

I knew what he was going through all too well.

"Lovino…" his hand on my arm focused my attention to him.

"Yes?"

"Will you sing me a lullaby? The one that Mother used to sing to us when we were little," Feliciano's smile was beseeching.

I was silent. Though the queen was never directing it at me, I still felt that she loved me the same as Feliciano when she sang to us every night- I felt that Feliciano and I were equal and both worthy of her love. Even after I was sent away, that glimmer of hope never seemed to die down.

"Feliciano, I-"

"Please?"

I took a deep breath.

"Io sono qui, dai non piangere.

Stringiti a me più che puoi.

Io ti proteggerò non temere, non piangere sono quà.

Ci sono io e d'ora in poi fra le mie braccia al caldo dormirai.

Il nostro nodo non si scioglie, nessuno mai lo farà.

Perchè tu sarai nel mio cuore se da adesso in poi per sempre ci sarai.

Sei dentro me e chi mi dice no non sà che ci sarai sempre…

Sempre…"

I whispered the last verse as Feliciano was lulled into sleep, a smile gracing his lips. Taking the candle in my hand, I made my way to the door, "Sogni d'oro, fratellino." And I exited.

"The king! The king of Terra di Dio is here!" a man from outside shouted and Feliciano sighed.

The other villagers scrambled around in excitement as the group of guards surrounding the king advanced towards the town. King Matteo waved at the villagers happily, a beaming smile on his face- one that was akin to Antonio's.

As said man entered my thoughts, I looked around for him but found that he wasn't there.

I felt heart drop a little.

"King Matteo, you're most welcome," the queen smiled as the king dismounted from his horse.

"Queen Annalisa, thank you for having me. I apologize that my nephew couldn't be here today. He said he had more important things to take care of," Matteo returned the smile and moved on to greeting the others.

The festival soon started and music filled the air along with laughter that joined together in one mellifluous symphony.

Standing beside Clara like phantoms in the back of the crowd, we watched Feliciano dance with the second 'suitable' woman to be his bride of the evening. Feliciano kept up that content façade upon his face though I knew on the inside he was practically screaming.

"He seems happy. Hopefully he'll choose a girl that isn't too insufferable. These girls seem nice enough, however," Clara commented quietly, never taking her eyes off of my brother.

I nodded, "But he is to be king. It will be difficult to tell whose love is true and whose is not."

"True."

The song soon ended and with a new song came a new girl- the last one to dance with him. She smiled lovingly as she curtsied to my brother, "My lord, it is such a pleasure to meet you. My name is Milena Biachi."

Feliciano gave a slight bow out of respect, "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Milena."

She smiled again before taking his hand and followed Feliciano's lead. She had chestnut hair, skin that had an olive tint and sparkling azure eyes that reflected the ocean- something rare to see around this area. They danced graciously about the floor, and I began to think that Milena wouldn't be as unbearable as those others.

"It seems that Feliciano's found his bride," Clara looked up at me then.

I could only nod, refraining from making eye contact while suddenly becoming concerned about my brother's relationship with Ludwig (if there even was one at all). I knew that Feliciano was not one to forget about the man he fell in love with instantly. What could he possibly do if he was bound to this girl? Well, it is a long journey from bended knee to the alter; so much could go wrong in that short amount of time.

And even with that being so, the queen would force them to marry anyway.

Then they would have to produce a male heir- a requirement that was much close than it seemed.

The queen was muttering to King Matteo and he nodded, showing his approval of what I assumed was the marriage between Feliciano and Milena.

My brother seemed to have caught this and there was a darker look in his eyes, showing his obvious displeasure about being coerced into a marriage he did not want. As if he needed anything else to be added onto an already stressful list of things to do. It was starting to take its toll.

I quickly retreated to the refreshments table, preparing drinks for those who might need them- I wanted to do something that would keep my mind from straying anywhere else. Especially Antonio. No matter what I was doing, he always crept his way in my thoughts.

While I was distracted, someone abruptly grabbed my wrist, pulling me away from the table and up the stairs where there was no one but us. And all during this I could not see this person's face, causing me to struggle even more. But this man's grip was strong and refused to let me go.

Only when we were on the balcony did he release me and I stumbled back from me pulling away so roughly.

"Just who do you think you are-?" I stopped my outburst when I saw Antonio's glorious grin.

"Lovi! Mi amor!" he whispered, that grin still painted onto his face.

"You came," I said quietly though loud enough for him to hear.

"Of course I came," Antonio smiled. "I was invited after all."

"But Matteo said you had more important things to take care of."

"I needed to figure out a way to see you without being caught," he replied.

"And grabbing me in the middle of a party was your plan?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Well no one saw…" he mumbled with a childish pout and took my hands into his and placed butterfly kisses on them. "I just wanted to see you again."

Blushing slightly as he caressed my face, his lips met mine and I showed no protest.

"Lovino!" a stern voice shouted that wrenched us from our short lived bliss and my eyes widened a fraction.

Feliciano was standing there, eyes blazing and arms crossed as he leaned against the doorjamb, "And just what do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing," I replied, my eyes drifting to the floor.

"Exactly. Now I suggest you get back in there and do as you're supposed to," he ordered and though this surprised me greatly, I nodded and bid a quick farewell to Antonio, hurrying down the stairs and out of Feliciano's way.

"That was Matteo's nephew you were with tonight, wasn't it, Lovino?" Feliciano asked as soon as we were alone for the night as he was sitting on his bed. Milena had returned to her home country to prepare for the marriage that would be taking place here in the next month or so.

"Yes," I answered, not making eye contact as I moved about the room.

"Lovino, look at me when I am talking to you," his voice was almost a growl, compelling me to do so. "No wonder you've been so eager to go out this past month. You've been seeing him. Have you lain with him?"

My heart skipped two beats and I remained silent.

"I'll take that as a yes," Feliciano then stood and moved towards me, fixing my shirt that had gotten wrinkled a bit during the festival. He continued doing so, seeming to be concentrated on it, "I have something I need you to do for me."

I waited with my heart pounding like war drums in my ears.

"I want you to get rid of him."

"I-I- what?" I couldn't form an articulate sentence. My head was spinning and now my chest was tightening with my lividly beating heart.

"I'm sorry, did I stutter? Let me try again," he said sardonically and cleared his throat; "I want him dead."

"But- but why?"

"He'll tear us apart, don't you understand that? We'll never get to see each other anymore. You'll run away with him and I'll never see you again. That's why I gave up on Ludwig because I knew that if I continued loving him, I wouldn't want to stay anymore either," Feliciano explained. "I'm doing this for us- we're brothers and nothing and no one is going to change that."

I couldn't believe this.

I… had no words except for the ones that were chasing each other inside my own head, begging me to say something- to get me out of this mess. But I had choked.

"Now, hear me out on this: if you don't get rid of him within the next week or so, I'll have someone take care of him personally and I can guarantee you that it won't be painless or quick. Nonetheless, you know better than to go against your prince or rather your king so I suggest you do as I have asked. Remember, this is for your own good. I'm trying to protect you, too. If word about your relationship with Antonio ever reached the nobles, there would be execution without trial."

"Feliciano, I-"

"Keep the formalities. You won't be considered my brother until I see his blood on your hands. And I mean that in a literal sense as well," he replied coolly.

I couldn't stop the tears from pricking my eyes and bowed to keep them hidden from his prying eyes, "Yes, Your Highness."

Well, it's kinda going back and forth between Servant of Evil but I'm not done yet so there's much more to be revealed.

Translations:

The song Lovino was singing is the Italian verison of "You'll be in My Heart" by Phil Collins.

"Sogni d'oro, fratellino."- "Sweet dreams, little brother."

Please review! Please? They're love.

Thanks for reading! See you all next chapter!

-NightSociety