After Ivan and Alfred's break up Madeline felt it was her responsibility to tell Anya as Alfred was still hurting from the event and Matthew was busy with his work. Despite the knowledge she would need to tell Anya she was worried about Gilbert meeting the girl. Other than Ailana no one outside their family knew about Anya. She was their secret, but Madeline couldn't tell her over the phone. This news, she knew, needed to be shared face to face, because the fallout would reflect Alfred's own reaction.
And so it was that Madeline asked Anya to come to Washington for a bit, her intentions to get Gilbert out of the house for an afternoon so she could explain things to her niece. Unfortunately getting Gilbert to leave the house without her was a lost cause. Ever since the war had ended Gilbert had been shadowing Madeline, almost as if afraid that if he left her side one of them would disappear. So when Anya arrived it was to find Gilbert reading the newspaper at the kitchen table, while Madeline worked to ice a batch of cupcakes.
"Uh, hello?"
Anya eyed the albino at the table, she had heard about this man from her dad and uncle and he was the main reason she was spending more time at her house in Alaska.
Gilbert meanwhile had pulled down his paper to take in the odd guest that had arrived. She was no more than fifteen with long straight platinum blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail that was secured with a leather thong and left two strands down to frame her face with her bangs cut straight across. Covering her slate blue eyes was a pair of thin framed glasses, through which she was eyeing him in return.
"Oh, Anya. You made it? Did you have any trouble getting here?"
"No more than usual. Why the sudden need for me to come visit, uh, Madeline?"
Madeline sends a look at Gilbert before pushing two cupcakes at him, one with icing and one without. "Gilbert I think Gilbird might like a cupcake, why don't you take him one?"
Gilbert gingerly takes the two treats before slowly leaving the kitchen. Just as he is passing through the door he sends Madeline a look over his shoulder and both girls can't help but feel sorry for the man because of the hurt and fear welling in them.
"Gilbert..." Madeline steps over to the older man and gives him a reassuring hug. "Just give me a moment with Anya. You can come right back and I promise I won't go anywhere."
"Right. I'll just take this to Gilbird."
"Why don't you bring him back down with you?"
Gilbert nods and leaves to get his bird while Madeline turns back to Anya.
"Auntie?"
"Have a cupcake Anya, they're your favorite."
Anya takes a cupcake but just plays with the paper cup, a serious look on her face. "What's wrong?"
Madeline sits down and takes Anya's hand in hers. "Anya, last month there was one of those meetings they're using to prevent another war from happening. Now I know you know about how Eisenhower has been about your, about Alfred's relationship with Ivan, right?"
"Yeah, he was trying to make Da, Alfred stay away from him, right?"
Madeline nods. "Well at the meeting, despite everything Eisenhower has tried, Alfred was going to spend some time with Ivan. Only, only it seems Ivan wanted to break things off."
Anya starts to shake her head back and forth in denial as Madeline continues.
"Alfred came back in tears, Anya. Matthew had to almost carry him in. I don't know how bad it is for him, and I don't know if you being here will help or hurt, but I, I wanted to tell you what had happened. In person."
Anya was crying now and Madeline moved around to sit beside the girl to hold her as she sobbed. This was the scene Gilbert walked in on and Madeline saw him and just motioned to a seat, which he took. Eventually Anya cried herself to sleep and with Gilbert's help got her up to the guest room. Once she was tucked in Gilbert took his chance to get some answers.
"Madeline? Who was that?"
"Oh, well that was Anya."
"Anya? So why haven't I met her before?"
"Well she's been spending most of her time up in Alaska."
"Really. Why would she be all the way up there?"
"Well, she's the personification of the territory. Much like Ailana represents Hawaii."
"Ok, I buy it, but why haven't I ever heard about her before, Ailana is here every other month for meetings with Alfred about one thing or another. Why don't I ever see this girl?"
Madeline shuffles her feet. "Well Alfred is rather protective of her. Ailana has met her, but only because he's another territory."
At Gilbert's continued questioning look Madeline sits down heavily on the sofa.
"Alright, fine. She's Alfred's daughter, my niece. She really is Alaska though. Alfred just got this weird idea in his head back when she was born that we could use Alaska as a scapegoat to explain me away if anyone really got curious. Don't ask me why he felt that was necessary, but I blame Ivan for thinking I was Alaska all the way back then."
"So why was she crying?"
Madeline bites her lip before answering. "I was telling her about Alfred and Ivan breaking up. To her its the same as her parents getting a divorce. Which, admittedly, is both accurate and not at the same time."
Gilbert raises a brow in confusion.
"Ivan is her father, Alfred is sort of her mother. But she's never even met Ivan, just heard stories about him. Alfred is always telling her stories about him, he wants her to know her father. Even if he won't let them meet."
"So, Ivan doesn't know he and Alfred have a daughter?"
Madeline shakes her head.
"Why, not? I've seen Ivan with kids, he's actually less creepy."
Madeline swats Gilbert on the arm for his comment. "He's not creepy and it was Alfred's decision, not mine."
"Ja ja, so Alfred did it for you." Gilbert eyes Madeline as she curls up beside him on the sofa. "So, uh, if you're not Alaska, are you one of Canada's territories or something?"
Madeline seems to tense at the question, something Gilbert takes notice of, and stays quiet.
"I understand if you don't want to tell me. Being a part of your younger brother's country, its humiliating."
Madeline looks up at Gilbert before softly kissing him. "Thank you."
Gilbert blushes darkly at the tender touch but does nothing to pursue the girl leaning into him. She watches him for a moment and can see in his eyes that he is torn. A part of him wanting this and another part scared of it at the same time. Sighing she lays her head on his chest and they stay like that for a long moment.
"To be honest. I don't remember. I left it so long ago, long before I found Matthew and Alfred. I'm afraid I wouldn't recognize it now."
Gilbert looks down to the top of her head, wrapping an arm around her. "What can you tell me about it then?"
"It was always cold there. Even in the summer we could wear long sleeves comfortably. Sometimes we'd watch the sun rise over the ocean. It was nice, peaceful. Being there so early that the lights were still dancing in the sky as the sun peaked above the horizon." Gilbert was about to ask what she meant by 'we' when she continued and he could hear tears choking her words. "But they all left. They left me alone, so I left that place. I made myself forget, but I couldn't."
Madeline broke down into tears as Gilbert held her until she fell asleep, at which point he carried her up to bed and tucked her in. What she told him had him frowning. That hadn't sounded like what he had thought had happened. It sounded like the colony she represented had been abandoned, but why? He wondered if her brothers knew about this and told himself he would ask them the next time he had a chance.
That chance came a few weeks later when Madeline had taken Anya out for a girl's day out and Matthew and Alfred met up to discuss their findings so far concerning their research into Madeline and her past. Gilbert had surprised them by sitting down across from them with a serious look on his face.
"Where is she from?"
The brothers glance at each other for a moment before Matthew shrugs.
"We don't know."
"We've been trying to figure it out since the war ended."
Gilbert looks confused. "So do you have any theories?"
Alfred shrugs this time. "Some, though the one that is most likely isn't one we really like thinking about."
"You mean that she could be a 'dead' nation?"
Both brothers start at Gilbert's question and statement."
"Ye yeah."
"How?"
"The other day when Anya came over, she was telling me who she was. I asked Madeline about herself and she said she couldn't even remember where she came from. She mentioned being abandoned by someone."
The brothers stare with wide eyes at Gilbert.
"She actually talked about it?"
"Did she say anything else, something we could use to find her lands?"
For a moment Gilbert looks startled at their eagerness before speaking. "She mentioned it was far to the north, cold all year round. She said she'd watched the sun rise over the ocean while the northern lights would dance in the sky. She also made it seem like someone was with her, maybe someone like us."
The three sit in silence as they take in what had been said.
"So somewhere on the east coast far enough north to see the Aurora in the summer."
"Somewhere above the Arctic Circle?"
"More than likely."
"And someone had to have found her."
"Why do you say that?"
"Aside from her mentioning someone being with her, we don't really grow much without another acting as our parent. You two know this. She couldn't have grown to her current age without someone taking care of her."
"Right."
"I'd sorta forgotten, the age jumpstart thing."
Silence reigned again as the three realized this meant somewhere there was someone who knew exactly who Madeline was and had even left her for dead.
"So who could have gotten to Northern Canada before France?"
"Tonio never went further north than Florida, at least on the coast. Didn't England send some people to explore way up into the arctic?"
"Yeah, but he never set up in settlements until after he'd taken me in. It had to be earlier than Spain getting to Florida though."
"Hm? Why do you say that?"
"Cause I figured out some stuff. I was trying to put together a timeline to help with all of this and realized she found me around the same time St. Augustine was settled. Later that same year we found you Mattie."
"Isn't St. Augustine the earliest European settlement on the continent?"
"Yep. At least according to all the records I could find. And she had already grown to her current appearance."
"So, we're talking, what, Pre-Columbian here?"
"I think so."
"We could cross reference her picture with all the other nations."
"We could also ask who made it to the New World before Columbus. Those old guys should know, right?"
Having decided a course of action the three men begin planning and working out details. Its a few more years before they have a solid plan. However that plan is put on hold when one day Alfred rushes into their little 'book club', they had to tell Madeline something, with an excited look on his face.
"Guys, check it out!" He spreads out what looks like a school paper on the table in front of his companions.
"What is it?"
"A clue. Look, a viking map was just donated to one of my universities so it could be authenticated. its from the 11th or 12th century or something like that. Anyway," Here he pulls out another paper, "I managed to get a copy of the map they're examining." He spreads it over the table. "Look familiar?"
"That's..." Matthew points to the islands on the map from right to left. "Iceland, Greenland... and the northeast coast of Canada, Newfoundland?"
"Yeah I know. And the book that goes with the map says the map was done long after a settlement had been abandoned in what the map refers to as Vinland. Do you know what this means?"
The other two study the image for a moment longer before a frown settles onto Matthew's face.
"It means that the next time I see a nordic nation I'm going to want my hockey stick."
The other two scoot away from Matthew as a dark aura begins to surround him, Alfred also decides to hide the matches and lighters until Matthew calms down.
While the academics debate the map's authenticity Gilbert, Matthew, and Alfred help with locating the settlement mentioned in the text. With the map guiding them it takes them a few more years, but in 1960 they finally hit paydirt when a viking settlement is found at the northern tip of Newfoundland.
Up until the discovery of the settlement news about the map hadn't gotten very far and most that had heard about it had kept mum due to its sketchy nature and ability to change history. However once the settlement was uncovered the three men decided a public announcement must be made, if only so when the nordics were found beaten to a pulp they would be justified in the eyes of their fellows. So they planned for the next meeting of the world representatives that was in a few weeks.
The meeting came and no one outside their group had any idea what would be revealed that day. As the nations gathered and chatted amicably with one another, Matthew and Alfred were going over what they would say. Gilbert, being an ex-nation, was not welcome at these meetings and often stayed with Madeline. That being said when the meeting was called to order Germany called on volunteers to get things started. Neither Alfred nor Matthew raised their hands to be called on to speak, they simply stood and headed for the front of the room.
"It is not your turn America,... Whatever your name is. Please sit back down until you are called on."
"Nope, sorry. We have something important to go over."
"Another bloody plan to build a superhero to save the world from communism no doubt."
Alfred glares at Arthur for his callous dismissal.
"No actually. It has to do with history."
That gained them some curious glances.
"What Alfred is trying to say is that for the last two or three years we have been looking into the authenticity of a map that was recently found. We followed it and found something you will all find rather interesting."
"A map? Some sort of treasure map then?"
"Of a sorts England, but it didn't lead us to gold and jewels."
"The map was made by the vikings in the late 11th century and showed a settlement they founded a century earlier."
"What? Why would that be relevant in a world meeting?"
No one seemed to notice the nordic nations looking rather uncomfortable.
"Because the settlement was abandoned not even a hundred years after it was founded and they found a personification for it."
This lead to an uproar as many of the nations balked at the idea of abandoning such a young nation. It was one thing to them to abandon a settlement that bore no personification but one that had lead to the birth of one of their own was akin to murder. The outrage was brought to an end by a loud bang as Alfred slammed his hand down on the table.
"We are not finished yet."
When everyone had calmed down Matthew continued by turning on a projector and placing a sheet on it to display a map.
"This is a copy of the map that was found. As you can see, this is Scandinavia." He points to the land mass furthest east on the map. "This is Iceland." He moves toward the island to the west, slowly moving further that direction as he continues. "Greenland and Newfoundland, or as they called it, Vinland."
Silence reigned as it was absorbed by all those present just what they were being told. The vikings had made it to the new world centuries before anyone else. Had found a personification and abandoned it shortly afterwards. While the impact of this was staggering to most everyone there, there were two nations present that were beginning to put the pieces together and understand why this was so important to the North Americans.
"Its not like we wanted to leave her behind!"
Everyone turned to Finland who was now sobbing into Sweden's shoulder. Even Norway seemed uneasy at the knowledge of their shame being thrust back upon them.
"You always have a choice..." Italy's softly spoken words led to a cringe from the other nordics as Finland's sobs increased.
"Our boss ordered us to abandon the settlement. Our people didn't want to go so far from their homelands to start anew and it didn't help that we couldn't get along with the natives. There was nothing we could do."
That seemed to take some of the wind from the sails of the other nations in the room as it sunk in just why Vinland had been abandoned.
"Ve~ What was her name? We should have a memorial for her."
"It was Freya."
"And a memorial isn't necessary, though tanks Italy, for thinking of it."
"Not necessary?"
"Exactly, many of you have met our sister, right?"
Eyes began to widen in shock as those that had met Madeline began to realize where this was going.
"Somehow, against all the odds, Freya, Vinland, survived. She found Mattie and I and took care of us until we were separated by England and France. They changed her name and thought of her as another one of their colonies."
"But Madeline never told anyone the truth, we don't know why. She was probably scared, and really what would have been done to her if it was found out she didn't have a land or people to represent."
"She's been a dead nation for almost a thousand years now. I think its time we started to realize that we don't just fade away when our nations cease to exist."
"At the very least we need to all make an effort to get along, because we're stuck with one another for a very long time."
The rest of the meeting was spent with various nations arguing and shouting at one another,a small group focusing their disagreements on blame for Madeline's situation and not noticing it sooner.
Meanwhile Gilbert and Madeline were spending time in their hotel suite that was being shared with Madeline's brothers. They were cuddled up on the loveseat, just enjoying each other's company.
"You're being rather affectionate today Gilbert."
"Hmm, I suppose. I just, I guess I'm a little tired of waiting for certain things."
Madeline turns to look up into Gilbert's face, a questioning look on her face. Gilbert just smiles down at her and holds her more tightly. Then he gets a slightly serious look on his face and settles his chin on top of her head.
"Hmm, you know Birdie, your brothers and I, we've, Madeline, we've been trying to figure out where you came from and there map was this old viking map from the twelve century. We found a settlement up in Newfoundland by following it. It was in ruins, but it was clearly a viking village."
"Gilbert..."
Gilbert brings a finger to her lips to quiet her.
"Let me finish. So we found the village and we learned its name." He pauses here and turns Madeline to face him, a tender look on his face. "Vinland."
Madeline's eyes spark with worry and slight bit of fear at Gilbert's declaration.
"Why do you look so afraid? Have you forgotten I'm like you?"
Madeline blushes lightly as she opens her mouth to say something but finds herself being cut off by a gentle pair of lips pressing to hers. Her eyes widen in surprise then drift closed as she presses back into the kiss. The two stay like that for a while but eventually part and gaze lovingly at one another with slightly pinked cheeks.
"Ich liebe dich, mein Vogelchen."
"Je jeg elsker deg."
The color on Madeline's cheeks darkens as she stutters out the phrase and Gilbert just looks at her with a slight hint of confusion in his expression before he breaks out in a smile.
"Birdie, I'm pretty sure I could figure out what you just said, but I've never heard that language before."
"Ah! Well its, I haven't spoken it in a very long time but its Norse. Its the first language I ever learned."
Gilbert's eyes soften from their laughter and he pulls her to him more securely.
"Mmm, I think I can handle that."
They stay like that for another few minutes before the phone rings and they both shift to look at the room phone sitting just out of reach.
"I really don't want to get up and answer that, I'm comfy." Gilbert cuddles Madeline, snuggling against her neck in protest to the ringing phone.
"Gilbert, one of us should really get that."
"Fine, fine." Gilbert shifts Madeline off his lap and onto the cushion beside him before grabbing the phone and answering it.
"Hallo, Herr Awesome here with Frauline Vogelchen." He pauses a moment and Madeline chuckles as he grins his cocky grin. "Yeah, we'll be there. See you after the meeting then."
"Hm? Who was that Gil?"
"Hmm, oh, apparently they finished telling the others about the discovery of Vinland. The Nordics were insisting on being given a chance to meet you and see how you've been. So Matthew was calling to let us know they arranged for dinner with them."
"The Nordics?"
"They were the vikings, well maybe not Iceland, he's never really seen eye to eye with the others."
"Oh." Madeline seems anxious about the upcoming meeting and Gilbert quickly scoops her up and and settles down with her on his lap.
"If you don't want to have dinner with them just say so and I'll make sure they don't stay around."
"No, I should at least see them."
"So which ones did you meet all those years ago?"
"Hmm, well Norge and Danmark were really the only ones that came."
"So Finland and Sweden never came over, that makes sense. They were doing other things at that time I guess."
Madeline nods and the two spend the rest of the afternoon curled up together.
XXXXXXX
Ok intermission because I'm really only halfway through this, damn me and my promises to get this wrapped up in one last chapter.
Also I would like to take this time to point out that Gilbert is not a pedophile, just cause he is now officially dating what appears to be a twelve year old doesn't make him interested in her that way... Besides he knows if tries anything she has two brothers with nukes.
Back to the story then.
XXXXXXX
When it came time for dinner Madeline found that Gilbert was very supportive. despite her nervousness at the whole situation he held her hand and kept her from running away. When they made it to the restaurant they were led to a private room in the back that had been reserved for them. Madeline wasn't really surprised that there were only three of the Nordic nations there, she had really only been expecting Norway and Denmark to be there, but the third seemed to be standing a bit off from the two she recognised.
"Freya!" She soon found herself scooped up into a pair of arms and swung around. Recognizing the hair of her assailant she quickly brought up her knee into his gut causing him to put her down and bend over in pain.
"Why?" He wheezes out while Norway pushes past his counterpart with his hand held out.
"Freya, I know we wronged you, so please accept my apology."
She looks into the stoic face of the older man but refused to take his hand.
"I do understand that you had your reasons for leaving the settlement. I know I rarely saw anyone happy there, so far from home and with the native people always attacking. But I can't forgive you for thinking it better to leave me alone to die there. I was a child and I was scared. Even if I was going to die the least bit of kindness you could have offered was to be there for me, but you couldn't even do that."
By this point Denmark had recovered and looked rather sad at learning how Madeline had reacted to their abandonment. Even Norway seemed upset hearing it put that way.
"I see, well then. I suppose we should be going then." Norway then turns to leave, taking Denmark by his arm and leading him out. "Erik, let's go."
"I'll stay, thanks."
Norway looks back at the other young man but shrugs and leaves with Denmark in tow. Madeline turns to the man Norway had called Erik and raises a brow at him.
"I'm Iceland." He holds out a hand to Madeline which she takes and the two shake.
"Why didn't you leave with the other two?"
"I wanted to meet you. When your brothers showed us the map it reminded me of when I was first founded. The vikings were very into exploration at the time and I remember how they kept going west and bringing back stories of lands they kept finding. They told me about a land far away named Vinland that had a person like me. I had wanted to meet them so I could have a little brother or sister. But before I was old enough to go myself I was told it had been abandoned. I wasn't happy with those two for what they did, and I was a little scared that I would be abandoned as well. Anyway, I know its late but it is good to finally meet my little sister."
Madeline looks up at Erik and sees that what he is saying is true, he had been in a similar position as herself but was closer and thus wasn't abandoned. She didn't hold a grudge against him for that. Glancing at her younger brothers she sees them smile at her, they had heard the whole thing.
"I suppose it might be nice to have someone I can look up to, a big brother. My name is Madeline now. Its nice to meet you big brother."
After that they all sit down and chat throughout their meal. Madeline makes the suggestion that Erik come to Matthew's birthday party in July. He agrees and is told that its usually just family, with the exception of Gilbert, that comes to the party. Once they finish they all go their separate ways back to their rooms. Though once Madeline, Alfred, Matthew and Gilbert get back to their room the interrogation begins, since both brothers had noticed how Gilbert was being extra touchy feely with their sister. Madeline laughed a bit before coming to her boyfriend's rescue after he was sat down and given 'the talk', which mostly included threats of nuclear missiles going where they shouldn't should Gilbert hurt Madeline.
A few months later Erik is preparing for his trip to Canada as the other Nordic nations watch him in curiosity.
"Erik, where are you going?"
"Not that it is any of your business, but I was invited to Canada's birthday party."
"Wah! A party! Sweet, why didn't you tell us sooner?"
Erik turns to the Dane with a blank look on his face. "Did I say you were invited? It's a small event, family only."
Both the Dane and Norway realized the meaning behind his words and while the way Matthias' face dropped was nearly comical, Lukas just frowned slightly.
"Aww, that seems nice. Ah Erik, could you give this to Matthew for me then?" Finland had walked up to Erik at this point and was handing him a small wrapped gift. "I forgot to mail it sooner, but this works out great."
"Sure, I can make sure he gets it."
Shortly after that he is accepting a ride to the airport from Sweden and being seen off by the calmer two of the elder Nordic nations.
When he arrives in Canada he is glad to see that Gilbert was at the airport to pick him up. The two chat on their way to the Canadian's home.
"So this should be fun, right?"
"Hmm, I suppose. Though it is a bit odd that this party is so exclusive."
"Yeah, well when we get there and you meet everyone, you'll understand."
Erik looks a bit skeptical at this but says nothing.
They arrive and Gilbert helps Erik with bringing his bags in. He notices the extra wrapped gift and holds it up for an explanation.
"Finland and Sweden wanted me to give it to Matthew for them."
"Ah, awesome."
They get everything inside and up to the room that had been readied for the Icelander. After that Gilbert led the way out to the back where a grill was being manned by Alfred. Matthew was lounging by a pool with a beer in his hand as he watched Madeline, Nanuq and two others that Erik didn't recognize play in the pool. Though the unrecognized girl was just sitting on the edge of the pool dangling her feet in the water.
"I know what you're wanting to ask, the boy is Ailana, the rep for Hawaii. The girl is Anya, Alaska's rep."
"Oh, I guess I knew Hawaii had a personification, but Alaska is new to me."
Just as he finishes speaking Anya turns to them with a smile.
"Gilbert's back!"
"Gil!" Madeline hurried out of the water and ran over to Gilbert to give him a rather wet hug, which he returned. "Erik, you made it too. Oh we should introduce you to Anya and Ailana."
Madeline then grabs his hand and pulls him over to the other two people still by the pool.
"Hello."
"Aloha!"
"Hello."
"Alright so this is Ailana, he's Hawaii."
The dark skinned boy nods his head at the other boy while propping himself up on the side of the pool.
"And this is Anya. She's Alaska and Alfred's secret love child with Ivan." The last was said in a stage whisper with Madeline leaning in conspiratorially.
"Hey! Maddie!" Anya makes to grab her aunt but ends up over balancing and winds up in the pool instead.
"Wait, you are joking right?"
"Nope, that's actually why this party is so exclusive. We haven't told anyone outside of this group about Anya."
"Not even Russia?"
Erik notices that his question draws sad looks over everyone's faces. Alfred is the first to answer though.
"I probably would have said something at the last meeting if we weren't in this cold war." He turns back to the grill, his shoulders slumped.
"I'm sure someday we'll be able to tell Ivan, but things just aren't working out in favor of it right now." Madeline tells him quietly. "In the meantime we should have a good time."
With that the mood picks up and eventually they all are having a good time. The next few decades continue like this with Madeline and Erik finding they actually enjoy their new roles as a little sister and big brother. The Cold War eventually ends with the fall of the Soviet Union and Alfred does tell Ivan about their daughter, though at the urging of Matthew (A hockey stick wielding Matthew).
Over the years after the revelation of who Madeline truly was there were two nations that felt the most guilt over what she had gone through. The first and most obvious was Norway. His guilt stemmed from his hand in her abandonment. She was right, they should have taken her with them when they left, even if she was destined to die it would have been kinder to be there for her rather than abandon her to her fate alone. The second nation was less obvious, England felt guilt for his treatment of the girl. Honestly he had always felt some guilt over it but through the years it had grown more prominent as he heard how happy she was with her brothers. She had never been that happy while staying with him. His guilt grew exponentially when he learned her history and how his actions only added to her miserable history. And so it was that guilt brought these to together one night at a bar after a world meeting. Madeline had been waiting in the lobby with Gilbert for the meeting to let out and both had noticed how obviously in love the two were and they also could see how both were holding themselves back because of Madeline's apparent age.
"There has to be something we can do for her."
Norway turns his head from his drink to look at the Englishman beside him. "What exactly are you saying?"
"I'm saying that girl deserves her happiness after all these years and there must be something we can do for her. Those two have been together for at least fifty years, but they act like they just met. All because Madeline can't grow up."
Norway looks back to his drink before throwing it back with ease. "We could try a spell to age her, or grow her up. With the two of us working on it together we could easily pull it off, we just need to find a spell that will do it."
"You know you're right, but it won't be so easy. Most spells are written by humans that more often than not want what we already have, eternal life and youth. Very few would even consider the need for an aging spell except as a curse or punishment for an enemy."
Both are silent after England finishes with his point.
"So we take from those spells and curses and piece them together on our own and create our own sort of spell."
"How do we test something like that though?"
"We won't be able to."
After that the two made plans to meet up at England's house to plan out their spell. They spent several months working on it, they decided it would be best to make it a potion that they could slip to the girl in a drink or in her food. When they finally perfected it they decided it would be best to have a counter potion, just in case something went wrong.
At the next meeting, both were armed with a vile of the potion for Madeline and England was able to discretely pour it into her drink as she chatted with Gilbert outside the meeting hall. He wasn't able to confirm it was working though as the meeting was called for and all the nations attending were filed into the meeting room.
About halfway through the meeting the doors of the room were thrown open by a panicking Prussian.
"Bruder, we are in the middle of a meeting!"
"Don't care. Alfred, Matthew, something's wrong with Birdie!"
That phrase had the two blondes jumping to their feet and rushing for the door. Ivan was quick to follow, gaining odd looks from the other nations. Erik was the last to make it out the door, after Ivan. The rest of the nations sat still as England and Norway eyed one another.
Out in the hall the small group had gathered around Madeline who was curled up in pain on the couch. She had been sitting on it before Gilbert returned with her brothers and Ivan, now she was held on Gilbert's lap as she whimpered in pain.
"She's burning up."
"Madeline, Maddie, you got to talk to us. What is this? What's going on?"
Madeline seems to be shuddering but manages to open her mouth, though it looks like she is seizing, tightening up on herself. "I I d donn'tt kn no ow. I itt ffe els l liik mmye mmuasclls arrre t tiightt'ninn. Sstreetch'nn alll 't w w oncs."
The men look down at her, horrified and helpless looks crossing their faces all at once. Eventually they move her to one of the rooms in the building set up like a hotel room for the nations to use when staying. They settle her into the bed and leave Gilbert to stay with her while they go to see if anyone else may know what is wrong with Madeline.
They return to the meeting room, where Germany was trying to get the meeting back underway and failing due to everyone chattering about what could be wrong with Madeline.
"Hey!" Alfred's shout causes the room to go silent and all eyes to focus on him and the group standing with him. "Look we know you're all wondering what's with Maddie. But the truth is we don't know ourselves. Maddie could tell us some of what she's going through, but we are hoping some of you may have a better idea of what is going on."
"Well, what are her symptoms, aru?"
"A high fever that seems to be getting worse, aches and pains. She described them as her muscles tightening and stretching all at once."
"She also looked as if she were in pain in her abdominal area."
Many nations glanced between themselves, shrugging and shaking their heads. Only two seemed to be acting differently, Norway and England seemed to be arguing about something rather than paying attention to the others around them.
"England!"
"Norway."
Both nations snapped their heads to face the front of the room, one looking guilty, the other wearing his usual mask of indifference, though it seemed strained.
"Do the two of you have something to contribute?"
"Uh, well..."
"We may know what is going on."
"What do you mean by that!"
"America." England sighs but continues. "We were trying to make up for all the wrong we've done the girl over the years."
"What. Did. You. Do?"
"We created a potion that would artificially age her."
"Yes, we thought it would be slower to react though, perhaps taking weeks, months, even years to fully change her."
"That does not explain what is happening to her now, da?"
"Ah... Well you see."
"We may have miscalculated. We couldn't test the potion, so it looks like instead of being a slow change it is happening all at once. Her body is going through drastic growing pains as she ages several years over the course of hours."
Eyes around the room widen drasticly at this statement.
"And what if you are wrong?"
"Well, if we are wrong..."
"We made an antidote. It will halt the effects of the potion we already gave her. We just need to wait a bit longer to make sure that it is necessary."
When Norway finished speaking Alfred and Matthew moved over to the two older nations and dragged them up and out of the room, Erik and Ivan following close behind them. When they made it back to the room they had left Madeline and Gilbert in Madeline was sleeping and Gilbert was keeping watch. Despite being asleep the girl still had a painful expression on her face.
They explained what was happening to Gilbert and when they were finished he glared at the two intruding nations before going back into the room with Madeline. Once inside he settled down next to her on the bed and held her hand. She still looked pained and he didn't want to cause her more by holding her to him, regardless of how much he wanted to. He was also dealing with his selfish desire to finally be able to see Madeline as a grown woman, something he had long desired. Even though he and Madeline had discussed her appearance and she had voiced her own wish to be an adult, Madeline had resigned herself to remaining eternally a child. Even if this was fulfilling her wish the way those two had gone about it was what was pissing him off about the whole thing and leaving him feeling queasy. So despite wanting the potion to work the whole situation was leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
Gilbert remained by Madeline's side, holding her hand and eventually falling asleep. This is how Madeline finds him when she awakens several hours later. Glancing at the clock she sees it is after two in the morning and despite the aching in all her joints she turns to face Gilbert and her hand not being held, she reaches across herself to brush a few strands of hair from Gilbert's face. It is then she notices something is off. Not only are her fingers now longer and more slender but her arm is brushing against a weight on her chest. Pulling her hand back from Gilbert she lets it rest on the lump of flesh protruding from her chest, feeling it and sensing it. She can feel that it is her flesh she is feeling and soon looks down and finds not just the one but two of the lumps and she begins to feel her heart race, whether from panic or excitement she isn't quite sure. Soon she is sitting up and running her hands all over herself as she takes in the sudden changes. The breasts are small, but not too small, and she realizes she is taller and rather than the slight pudginess of childhood she had always carried, now she is slender with a waist that dips in naturally to accent her hips' slight flair. She takes note of her legs, long and slender and perfectly shaped. She reaches up and touches her face to find her cheeks slimmer, having lost the roundness of a child's. So distracted by her explorations she doesn't notice when Gilbert begins to stir, nor when he looks up at her excited face with a smile.
When Gilbert was awoken by Madeline's fidgeting he had kept his eyes closed for a moment to prepare himself for just about anything. Anything that is except for the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had recognized her as Madeline almost immediately, her eyes still that unique color that could only be found in the northern lights. He stared at her stunned a smile creeping onto his face as he watched her examine her new, grown up, body. Eventually he reaches out and captures her hands in his, drawing her attention to him.
"Are feeling better?"
"Ah, a bit achey..." They both take note of the different pitch of her voice. Gilbert pulls her down against himself and holds her tightly.
"I was so scared. Scared that I'd lose you."
She nuzzles against him, for the first time not restraining herself from acting like his girlfriend.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Don't you apologize. Once morning comes we'll get those two idiots to apologize and explain what they did. For now though..." Gilbert rolls over so he is on top of Madeline. "I am going to do something I have wanted for the last ninety years."
"And what is that Gilbert?" She grins up at him as he grins back at her.
"This." He breaks the distance between them and locks his lips to hers. The kiss they share is deep and passionate and so different from all the little pecks they had shared in the past. This kiss held no innocence, but had hunger, and as Gilbert pushed his tongue past Madeline's warm lips and tasted her, truly, for the first time, he fell in love all over again.
And that my dear readers is the end, sort of there is still one little tale to tell from this, it will be posted in a moment. It is how Ivan took the cold war and its aftermath, I have another little something I wrote with the intention of getting it out in time for Christmas... I'm only one day late! Its for the 2P version though, so... you can read it and just pretend the 2Ps aren't mentioned if you want or, wait to read it after I finish the 2P version. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this and please review. The 2P version will come out eventually, I just really want to get one of these completely done. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers and followers, your support has been wonderful and encouraging.
