This here, the climax builds and it comes to fruition soon. I honestly did not expect this but it happened, oh well. I don't own Hetalia.
Sadiq sat in his study with an empty brandy glass, the full bottle sitting on a nearby table waiting to taint its clear partner with its tempting concoction, waiting for Heracles to return 'home'. Staring into the glass, Sadiq watched the light play of the sloping surface and looked at the reflective purity of the glass.
His reflection stared back at him, his mask obscured features contemplative in light of the recent war. The glass was an interesting design he noted idly looking at the warped features on the mirror like surface, it almost looked like- a jar.
No! Sadiq dropped the glass onto the floor to banish the attack, but it was too late. Memories flooding back to him, holding him helpless against their dark tide and dragging him away. Drowning in their dark depths, Sadiq found he was helpless before their onslaught as they buried him beneath their dark waves.
()()()
Sadiq stepped into the grand office wearing a simple shirt and pants he had slept in the night before, fitfully he might add. Maps plastered the walls and opened scrolls covered the massive wooden desk which had a carving of the imperial eagle adorning the side facing him. Sitting on the chair behind the desk was a curly brown haired figure, bent over a scroll and writing feverishly. Wearing a purple toga casually the figure was completely at ease in the room, and why not? It was his after all. Thin and lightly muscled, the nation at the desk could have been mistaken for a woman, and had been, in the loose clothes, but woe to those that said it to his face.
Sadiq coughed and gained the man's attention, lifting his head curiously from the work and brightening when he saw him. As always, the dark brown eyes that held such mystery and the angular face of their owner took Sadiq's breath away; the confidence and ambition in those eyes made Sadiq remember why he had fallen for the man, who could never be his. He was married, and would not likely give her up for the ragged and somewhat gangly young nation before him.
The man radiated power and authority though he preferred words to blades, but was willing to use both as indicated by the dagger thrust into the table and hammer leaning against it casually. A raven sat on the pommel of the dagger, watching the intruder with sharp interest. That was quite possibly the only thing about the man he disliked, the bird that followed him everywhere.
"Sadiq welcome, I'm glad you could come." The man said brightly, giving Sadiq his cracked smile, the only one he had ever seen the nation wear. That smile could promise the richest of rewards for loyalty, or promise the cruellest of atrocity for betrayal. Sadiq had yet to see the latter; he wondered if it looked any different. "No doubt you're curious as to why I called you here."
Sadiq was, it was an abrupt summons to his benefactors' office but he wasn't unhappy, though he had a killer hang over from the previous night. His memories were somewhat blurred but he shook them off, likely wasn't important.
"Not particularly Eastern Roman." Sadiq said with a shrug, calling the nation by his official title instead of his name, assuming that it was more of an official visit. Byzantium was what he would one day be called, but not yet, he was still the Eastern Roman empire. East gave a laugh at that, throwing his head back and letting his musical voice wash over Sadiq, the ravens' harsh caw as it joined in causing a harsh under current, tainting the pure voice in Sadiq's opinion.
"You have to be. Sorry but I wanted to talk to you most anxiously." East said as his chuckles died down, the bird having cut its own off abruptly and resuming its stare. "At any rate, I wanted to talk to you about last night." He continued in a somewhat more serious tone. Sadiq cocked his head curiously, he barely remembered it himself.
"What would you like to know?" He asked curiously.
"Where you went afterwards, I lost track of you sometime in the middle of the party." East gave him an intrigued look, resting his chin in his upraised palm and leaning his elbow on the table.
Sadiq thought carefully, there was something tickling at the back of his mind, something important but he couldn't quite grasp it, his brain fuzzed by the alcohol he had consumed that night. Then he had a slight recollection, a delicate hand taking his, leading him down a hall. Drapes over a bed, a soft mattress, a woman's naked form, green eyes and flowing hair.
Greece!
East's wife.
Sadiq felt his legs almost give out, but he stood firm. He knew that if he had such a reaction the man before him would know something was wrong, and the last thing Sadiq wanted was to be 'questioned' by him. He had seen the mangled remains of people who had found themselves at the nations tender mercies, there was barely enough for his bird to pick over. He doubted the empire would go so far, but it would no doubt be unpleasant.
"I noticed that Miria was also absent." The man continued with a raised eye brow. Sadiq remembered Miria, an attractive woman with long eyelashes placed over stunning hazel eyes, an hourglass figure and silky black hair. She was a servant in East's house and Sadiq had been having an affair with her for awhile. A nice and innocent girl and Sadiq cared for her, though he focused the majority of his affections on East.
However, the fact that East was suggesting that it had been Miria Sadiq had been out with the previous night was a life line he was glad to grasp, saving him from the choppy waters of the empires graces. Sadiq threw on a nervous smile and nodded.
"Yes, I'm sorry not to have told you earlier, I've been seeing her." Sadiq said, hanging his head in shame. East gave a low laugh, his throaty chuckle causing Sadiq's heart to skip a beat.
"No doubt, I'm hardly mad at you for that." East glanced up, his dark eyes flashing with amusement. "I freed her you know, earlier today. I hope you're pleased." He gave Sadiq, who had raised his head, his cracked smile again and Sadiq returned it with a smile of his own, glad the conversation worked away from that night and to the fact that East was searching for his approval at his actions.
"Thank you." Sadiq said in gratitude, glad the girl had been freed from servitude; she was undeserving of her treatment as a servant.
"By the way, I have something of hers that she may want back; if you see her can you give it to her." East said, reaching under his table, breaking his gaze.
"Of course, what is it if I may ask?" Sadiq asked in curiosity as the raven seemed to begin chuckling darkly, its eyes glinting maliciously. The bird always was over protective of its master, a fact Sadiq had learned the hard way, but its laughter at the moment was strange and out of place.
"Something very personal, I assure you. Ah, here it is." East crowed in triumph, pulling a jar out from underneath the table.
Sadiq looked at the jar curiously, the green liquid within obscuring two orbs. They were bobbing with the motion of the jar being lifted until they began to settle, turning slowly to look at him.
Look at him with hazel irises. Sadiq choked in shock at the pair of eyes staring at him from within the jar accusingly, Miria's sorrowful gaze. His own brown eyes widened in shock and fear and his mouth struggled to make a coherent sound.
"Funny thing about Miria," Sadiq forced his gaze from the accusing eyes to stare at the judgemental look and playful tone of East as he drummed his fingers on the jars lid, "I found her by the entrance of the villa, sweeping, after you left the party. Now how could she have gotten there that quickly from your room?" Sadiq continued to stare at the cracked smile being sent to him, the Raven having broken out into mocking laughter.
It was his fault, Miria was dead because of him, and East knew he had slept with his wife. He couldn't blame East, he loved him too much to, it was his entire fault.
No, it was Greece's fault. She had led him off; she had seduced him and caused him to betray his love. It was all her fault.
East wore his cracked smile through the entire affair while his eyes sparked with amusement and pain at the betrayal, the ravens mocking laughter torturing Sadiq as he stood there silently without defence, echoing in his soul.
()()()
Sadiq heard the glass shatter on the floor, but he paid no attention to it, grabbing the full bottle of alcohol seated next to him and desperately popped the top off.
He gulped as the harsh liquor burned his throat on the way down, purifying his mind of the memories of his failure, his weakness. Alcohol would make the pain go away, he reassured himself, it always had.
As he reached the bottom of the first bottle, he reached for another immediately.
()()()
Heracles quietly made his way down the hall of Sadiq's house, careful not to make a sound to inform the owner of his return. It was unlikely that Sadiq would be very pleased with his absence, and the punishment would likely be severe.
Suddenly he felt someone slam him into the wall, his arm twisted behind his back and another hand holding his head in place against the wall.
"Where were you?" Heracles stiffened as the alcohol bathed voice flowed from behind him. The warm breath tickled his ear unpleasantly and the grip on his arm tightened painfully. "I was looking for you." Heracles realised that it was Sadiq behind him, his words slurring somewhat.
He's drunk, Heracles realized with a start, but he had never seen the Turk this drunk before. This did not bode well for Greece.
"You're mother did it you know." The alcohol tainted voice whispered, even closer than before. "It was her fault, wanted to teach him a lesson for not paying enough attention to her." The grip tightened and Heracles gasped in pain. "Well guess who paid the price because dear mama Greece felt insecure about her husband." Sadiq snarled from behind him, Heracles gasped as teeth lightly nicked his neck. Heracles had no idea who he was talking about, was he talking about Rome and his mother?
"She never suffered for what she did to me." Sadiq continued, his other hand moving from Heracles' neck to wrap around waist, pulling him close. "Guess she got away scot free, but she told you about it didn't she?" Heracles darted his eyes from side to side, seeking aid.
There was no one in the halls, he was helpless.
No, he was no longer helpless he knew that, he could fight. He tensed his muscles and prepared to try and break away.
"Try to run," The drunken nation behind him slurred, "and I'll smash everything at Delphi." Sadiq muttered coldly.
Heracles froze and closed his eyes at that. He would never let something happen to his mother's ruins if he could stop it. He would always be helpless as long as Sadiq ruled over his lands. He couldn't run, and he wouldn't scream.
He held true to both vows that night.
()()()
Sadiq opened his eyes slowly, squinting at the daylight that poured through his window. He couldn't remember a thing from the night before. His last memory was leaving his study to find another bottle, after that darkness. Suppressing a groan at his headache, he rolled over and unto his other side, only to come face to face with what had happened last night.
Heracles lay on the other side of the bed, his hands tied to the bed post with a ribbon, preventing him from leaving but he was as far away from Sadiq as the ribbon would permit. His clothes were torn and his closed eyes were puffy from crying, the sheets and pillows near his head soaked with tears.
Sadiq's mouth widened with horror at what he had done. Scrambling away from the sleeping form, he fell onto the floor and continued backing away; stopping only once he had reached the wall.
What had he done?
Wow, just wow. I wanted to avoid bumping it up to M but doubt that it's still in the teen rating after this. 3 or 4 more chapters to go, yay were almost done. I know I know, Greece said Byzantine was his mother but! I have a plan. Read and Review.