Afterword on Independence

England's room was large but with just the necessary furnishings laid out: a wooden closet, a full-body mirror, a bed big enough for three people and a bedside table. There was even a grandfather clock next to the closet. Sleeping on the mattress was England, his soul whole again but still unconscious. France, Syaoran, Fai, Kurogane, and that other nation were in the room as well, but Norway didn't heed them any attention.

He stood by the window, conversing with one of England's faeries who went to check up on the Brit. "England is out danger but hasn't woken up yet," he told the sprite. "Did it affect the country in any way while the incident took place?"

The faerie shook its head. "The humans did not react to it, but the earth, trees and some animals grew quiet when the incident occurred. It is not something to worry about, though. It seems that most of the damage was absorbed by the fog two nights ago."

Norway nodded before looking out the window. "And what about the garden?"

At that, the sprite's glow brightened. "We have already leveled out the areas where the earth cracked and filled up the craters. We even placed new rose bushes in some parts of the garden."

The nation showed a small smile. "England will be happy once he wakes up."

"Yes, we all hope so too…"

"I still don't believe that you're all nations. I mean, how can some big mass of land be a person?"

"Actually, Kuro-pii, they're personifications of their respective nations."

"And you! You've known about their true identities this whole time!"

"Okay, you got me there. But you see, Kuro-sama, it was supposed to be a secret to the humans here too. If it were to leak out that these many important figures had assembled in one place, who knows what kind of trouble might ensue!"

Norway looked back inside the room and saw the burly man giving the Frenchman a dark glance. He sighed, "So noisy…"

"England's new friends are rather lively," the faerie mused with a curled smile, "are they not?"

The Nordic nation frowned. "They have too much energy."

"Perhaps," the sprite muttered before turning to the other people seated on either side of the sleeping England. "Oh, it seems that they are having quite the interesting conversation."

Norway looked to where the faerie pointed to and found himself unwittingly fascinated at their little chat.

The other nation looked down as he stuttered, "I-I mean, y-you don't look at all surprised to know that we're actually nations and everything…"

At that, Syaoran gave the other a small smile. "I was informed in the middle of the incident about it, so…"

"R-Really? Who told you?"

"Um, well…" Now everyone was listening to the conversation, and Norway imagined all the attention made the poor boy more conscious of himself. "You see, uh…"

Then, in a burst of energy, Mokona pointed at France, exclaiming, "He did it, officer! He's the perpetrator!"

"H-Huh?" France looked horrified at the accusation. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, mon ami. I didn't—"

But Kurogane wasn't listening. "So you can tell the kid about it, but not to the rest of us?"

"Non, non! You've gotten it all wrong! I wasn't the one who—"

"That's low," Norway muttered, "even for you, France."

"Not you too, Norvège!"

"Bloody hell, would you stop all that racket? This is my house, for Christ's sake!"

Everyone in the room hushed and stared at England as he sat up and ruffled his already messy hair. He was grumbling to himself until the Brit finally spotted France among the crowd. In his grumpy mood and with those thick eyebrows, that withered glare was sharp enough to pierce through metal. "And what in the world are you doing in my room?"

"Oh, we were just going to make some tea for everyone!" Fai interjected, pushing both France and Kurogane out of the room with one hand and carrying the still snoozing Mokona in the other. That sounded like a good excuse to leave.

Norway made way for the door as well, and the faerie rested on his shoulder, pondering, "So what kind of tea should we serve?"

The nation paused by the doorframe. That's right… He turned back to face the exhausted-looking Brit and asked, "What kind of tea would you like?"

"Chamomile would be lovely, thank you," England sighed as he squeezed the space between his eyes. Norway nodded and gently closed the door behind him, walking to where the others went.

When he arrived at the kitchen, Kurogane was already glaring at him with France looking about ready to break down and Fai fighting back his giggles. The white creature in his arms didn't hold back, however, and already began to snicker. The Frenchman quickly approached him and, holding the Norwegian by the shoulders, begged, "Please, Norvège! You must convince monsieur Kurogane that I didn't do it! Tell him I didn't!"

"Didn't do what exactly?" Norway raised a brow. He had done many things that he should be accounted for, being a pervert for instance…

"That I didn't tell Syaoran about us nations!" France just about screamed. Behind him, Kurogane gave them both a dark glare.

"Say that he did it just to see how he reacts," the sprite whispered into his ear. The Nordic nation spared it a quick glance, seeing its impish grin. England's creatures really are naughty.

Norway looked at the burly man straight in the eye and said, "France wasn't the one who told Syaoran about us nations." Seeing the man's unimpressed frown, he continued, "It isn't even a detail worth bothering with. The important thing is that now you all know, and that's that."

At that, Kurogane frowned deeper, his shoulders drooping. Fai went and poked him on the cheek, teasing, "Looks like you lost this argument, Kuro-rin~"

"You just lost~ You just lost~" Mokona went in sing-song, "You just lost, KU-RO-GA-N—"

"Shaddup!"

France, meanwhile, had the absurd idea of hugging the Norwegian in glee. "Oh, merci, merci, merci beaucoup!" he purred, rubbing their cheeks together. "I'm so happy I could just—"

"Don't even go there," Norway deadpanned, giving the Frenchman's wandering hand a death grip. "Besides," he continued as he let go of the hand, leaving the other nation to tend to his aching appendage, "weren't we supposed to make tea?"

"Yes, that's right~" Fai smiled widely and began to put hot water in the kettle. "Kuro-pyu, can you get the tea? If I still remember it right, it should be in one of the cupboards!"

Kurogane snorted as he looked around the kitchen. "What the hell's a cupboard?"

Mokona jumped out of Fai's hands to land atop Kurogane's head and point at the said cupboard. "It's over here!"

"You mean this?" The man grabbed for the handles, but when he tried to slide it open, it wouldn't budge. "Ngh! It's stuck!"

"You need to pull it—" SNAP! "—gently…" Norway sighed as the two, or rather, Kurogane began to fuss about the broken cupboard door while Mokona just laughed it off. Honestly…

"Norvège."

The Norwegian glanced at France, who had his brows furrowed as if in thought. He didn't usually look this serious. "What is it?"

"Who do you think told Syaoran about us nations?"

The Nordic nation raised a brow. "I thought I said it isn't something to—"

"Don't you find it strange or even the least bit suspicious?" France countered, making the Norwegian pause.

Still resting on his shoulder, the faerie smirked, "Curiosity affects us all, even great nations like you; you cannot deny it." Norway looked at the sprite out of the corner of his eye, and frowned. Well, he had been wondering about it for a while now…

France cradled his stubbled chin in thought. "Among their group, Fai was the only one who found out about us. He told me himself that he didn't want to put to worry the poor boy about it. It wasn't Canada or me, and I'm sure you didn't tell him either, Norvège."

"So that only leaves England," the Norwegian frowned.

"But he was unconscious since the incident—"

"No, he wasn't. Not completely, at least. " When he saw the Frenchman's surprised blue eyes, he explained, "Remember that his soul was split into four pieces. Anyone of them could have told Syaoran about us."

"The problem is," the Frenchman pointed out, "Britannia and Britain were busy fighting us at the time of the incident. Even British Empire had been by our side the whole time. None of them had the chance to tell him."

"What about the fourth soul fragment?" the faerie queried.

"The fourth…?" Norway echoed.

"Non, non," the French nation opposed. "It couldn't have been him. One fragment of England's soul had remained in his body during the incident. If he had been inside of England the whole time, how could he…?"

"Once again, France," the sprite shook its tiny head, "you underestimate the power of true magic."

Norway said with a firm voice, "The fourth fragment could have done other means to communicate, even while inside England." Like how he appeared to him when the Iceland-illusion gave him his sword. "He also goes by the name Arthur, by the way."

The Frenchman merely frowned at him, unconvinced. "Well, whoever it is, I just hope there won't be any more surprises. My poor heart may not take much more of them~"

"We finally agree on something," Norway nodded.

"The tea's ready~!" Fai proclaimed, the newly prepared tea on the teapot along with the rest of the tea set placed atop a tray with the scent of chamomile already permeating the air.

France was already chirping as if their conversation never took place. "Then, let's return to cher Angleterre's room! Tout de suite!"

"Tooth sweet!" Mokona echoed somewhat wrongly, and just like that, they headed back to England's room.

The faerie on his shoulder huffed, crossing its arms and legs. "Good grief! The nerve of that Frenchman! Talking all high and mighty as if he knows everything… Ha!"

"No, he doesn't know everything," Norway muttered to the sprite as he carried the tray. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance…"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Norway blinked as the two blondes rushed to England's room with Fai pulling on Kurogane's arm, the poor man whining the whole way. "Oi, let go me! Let go, damn it!"

"Ssh!" France hushed the loud man just as Kurogane fell to the floor mere inches to the door.

"Oh God, I hate this day! Damn it! Damn that idiot!"

Fai pressed an ear against the wood of the door just as France tried to peek through the keyhole. With blond man atop the Frenchman, the poor burly man at the bottom of them both and the white creature atop of everyone, Norway rather thought they all looked utterly ridiculous.

"What do you think is happening inside?" Fai asked with a soft voice.

France showed a wide grin that definitely did not bode well. "England found out that today's July 4th."

Kurogane raised a brow. "Why? What's so special about—?"

"It's because a certain prat went on about becoming independent and now, he's celebrating his bloody victory over me!" England just about whined from inside the room.

Huh. "Is that why you planted the rose bushes?" Norway asked the faerie. "To try to cheer him up?" On his shoulder, the sprite gave a shy nod.

"I still don't get what's so special about today," Kurogane grunted.

On top of the man, France squirmed a little. "Well, it's a long story, but to cut it short: cher Alfred – you must remember him, non? – used to be brothers with Angleterre once. But then, he grew up fast and wanted to become his own man. Gain independence, as it's called. And the rest, as they, is history."

"Alfred is a nation who goes by America, by the way," Norway added, and before the burly man could react, he noted, "There are many more people who look like regular humans but are actually personifications of their own countries. Be glad that you're no longer one of the oblivious ones."

Kurogane still turned to glare at him, but otherwise didn't say anything about it. Instead, he muttered, "Okay, fine. But going on your own doesn't—"

"But you don't point muskets at one another just to prove a damn point!" England burst out, and even the door couldn't muffle the broken-heartedness in that harsh voice.

Norway frowned. He truly took America's independence quite badly.

Then, Syaoran's firm voice echoed, "I don't know all of the details, but I think that it needed to be done to show Alfred—I mean, America-san's conviction of the matter."

"Do you mean his damned conviction to void his brotherhood with—?"

"I mean his determination to have a better future for the people of his country," Syaoran interrupted smoothly. France flinched, and even Norway jumped slightly. It felt like there was some kind of power in his words… a power they don't see so often in their own people…

The faerie smiled softly. "There is truth in the boy's words."

Norway felt at awe for a moment until he saw the others by the door forcing their way to peer through the keyhole as well.

"Mokona wants to take a peek too!"

"S-Stop pushing, mes ami!"

"Come on, France! You can't just have the keyhole all to yourself!"

"D-don't just put your knee on my head, you bastard!"

Norway sighed again as the group looked more idiotic than mere moments ago. Really, it's a wonder how England and Syaoran couldn't hear them with all the noise they were making. On his shoulder, the faerie showed a rare warm smile. "That boy is very special, managing to ease England like that. Even we fae cannot achieve what the boy just did."

He wondered about that, but then again, it isn't wise to just oppose a magical creature's words. "Indeed."

"Tell me," the sprite went on, catching the Norwegian's attention again, "what is the boy's name?"

"Syaoran."

At that, the sprite's smile widened into a toothy smirk. "Well now, that is quite the name."

Norway raised a brow at the faerie's strange words. However, before he could ask, France purred, "Ohohohon~ Cher Angleterre has a soft side, after all!"

"Hmph! He should've hit him harder though."

"Mokona can't wait to hear what's going to happen next!"

"Oh, they will see what will happen next," the faerie sneered, and Norway turned to the sprite with a perplexed face. What?

All of a sudden, the door was opened to let the group of eavesdroppers fall on top of themselves and form a pile with Kurogane being at the very bottom of them all. Only Mokona, who was at the top of the pile, remained unharmed from the fall. Norway pitied Kurogane for a moment – he was unfortunate enough to be at the very bottom of them all – before stepping into the room and saying, "The tea's ready."

Sandwiched between Fai and Kurogane, France whined, "That was very cruel of you, Norvège—"

Norway's brow twitched. What?

"—opening the door like that while we were—"

"You were eavesdropping, weren't you?"

The Frenchman let out a sound between a yelp and a squeak as England went out of bed, and approached the pile with glinting green eyes and a smile far more wicked than even that of Britain. There was a mixture of shock, surprise, expectation and outright fear among the pile when the Brit cracked his knuckles. "I should teach all of you a lesson for your impertinence."

"Non, non, p-parley! Parley!"

Norway merely watched on with a warm cup of tea at hand, as France became under the mercy of a furious England (again). This was going to be a long morning.

Special notes:

Tout de suite – right now in French, according to Google Translate, but my brother agrees with me that it seems more like quickly (ah, the intoxications of Madeline |D); that's also why Mokona sort of mispronounced it to tooth sweet~

Parley – a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters (taken from, of all things, the APH SMACKDOWN over on dA; go on, check it out xD)

A/N: Welcome back, our favorite potty-mouthed *cough!*sadistic*cough!* gentleman 8D

Oh yeah, I also put up Canada's-POV version of this chapter over in lj. Just follow the link on my profile~