For all author's notes please see first chapter.
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CHAPTER TEN: A YOUNG NATION'S PAIN
Following Batukhan's arrival in the Wang household the atmosphere changed for Ivan. He couldn't help feeling tense whenever the other was around, and even though Yao seemed to take it all in stride the young Russian had a hard time accepting what the Asian nation called "the ways of diplomacy". Ivan tried to avoid the Mongolian as best as he could, and when he had no choice but to be in the same room as the other he purposely made sure to level icy glares at the man. Yao tried, time and again to get Ivan to forget what he saw, reassuring him that for all the pain the action itself had caused, he himself was used to it. Ivan, on the other hand, refused to accept the reassurances. He missed the nights when he could snuggle up against Yao and be in the man's arms, warm, comfortable, and safe. Now every night he seethed knowing that Batukhan was the only one allowed to share a bed with the Dragon.
The other young nations felt the change in Ivan and although they didn't understand why they knew the young boy felt hostile towards their Mongolian guest. Taiwan tried several times to pry the information from him, using her charm and wit, but Ivan cleverly avoided her baiting. Hong and Yong Soo tried to double team him, teasing that he must be in love with Yao and was now jealous of Batukhan. Even Kiku quietly wondered the reason, although the quiet boy refrained from asking for fear of seeming rude.
Batukhan ignored Ivan for the most part. He had no illusions about the young boy's disdain for him and did little to rectify it. If anything he stoked Ivan's fire, winking at the boy behind Yao's back as his hand grazed the Asian's shoulder, or smirking at him as he kissed Yao's hair. Ivan would usually stew inwardly and with an annoyed look storm out of the room. Yao always looked after his retreating form with worried eyes, scolding Batukhan for teasing the boy so much. Although the boy had gone through much in his young years clearly the format in which diplomacy between nations was conducted is a new concept for him. For Yao, this was one of the largest and most successful invasions of his home that he could recall. Usually the conflicts occurred within his own borders, but he was neither naïve nor innocent. Years of existence had dulled the element of surprise to him and few things that occurred caught him off guard.
"That Braginski kid is amusing."
Yao looked up from his desk at Batukhan's words. The two were in their bedtime attire already, ready to turn in, but Yao had a few last documents to finish looking through. Batukhan lounged on the bed, reading a book leisurely. Having been charged with governing Yao's people the man was ordered to try and learn of their customs, traditions, culture in an attempt to win their heart. He took the task seriously, and whenever he had spare time he studied up on Yao's library of resources.
"Ivan? What do you mean?"
Batukhan treated Taiwan, Hong, Yong Soo and Kiku like a father, firm-handed but not cruel. Yet when it came to Ivan Yao wished that he would be nicer. The boy wasn't as stable as his other siblings and yet it seems Batukhan took the most joy out of taunting him.
"He's very protective of you. Quite clingy too."
"I wish you wouldn't tease him so. He's been through a lot."
"His land is large…cold too. For a kid to be the Sovereign of such territory is a burden, wouldn't you agree?"
Yao paused mid-stroke and glared hard at his companion. He recognized that smirk and knew well what the hint behind those words meant.
"Leave the boy alone, Batukhan. You already have more land than your people can govern, there is no need for you to take from him."
Batukhan's grin only grew wider. He set the book down and gazed with suffocating intensity into Yao's eyes. Yao held his own, glaring back as a silent battle raged between the two.
"My Boss would like to push the border further north. I cannot disobey even if I were to pity the boy."
"Your expansion is unsustainable. You stretch your armies too thin."
"That's for my Boss to decide. My people wish to see their land expand, that is their will."
"The wills of your people should not be your only concern. The land you seek to take is already inhabited, should you make them part of yourself their pain and suffering will also come under your responsibility."
"The Mongolian Empire will encompass all, little Yao. Including that child."
Yao felt frustrated that Batukhan was so stubborn. He knew full well that as nations they were under the command of their Bosses, but at the same time it angered him what this invader had done and was planning to do. His own people had suffered in the invasion, the battles ended always in the fields coloured with red. The stench of rotting flesh and coppery blood coated the soil, forever staining it. He had already been alerted to the reports of the occasional pillaging Batukhan's army did across Ivan's border, had seen the injuries mirrored on Ivan's body. The boy must have known, nations were linked to their land and people by a bond no mortal could understand, but he endured in silence, never complaining. More than once Yao had caught the boy trying to clumsily bandage wounds by himself, biting his lip to prevent himself from crying out loud as silent tears slid down pale cheeks.
"Then at least tell your army to stop killing his people. He is suffering."
"You pity him? You yourself have experienced it as well, no?"
"He is young. Young nations are weaker, more susceptible to destruction. Even if you do not destroy him your actions will drive him down a dark path."
"That is of no concern to me."
Yao's hands clenched tightly into fists. A nation's strength came not only from its military or wealth, but most importantly it came from its people. Yao's faith in his people was as strong as the great wall his first Emperor had built, and for all the injuries he was inflicted with over the years the refusal of his people to be beaten kept him alive. Ivan's people, however, was a mystery to Yao. Would their will to live have the strength to pull the boy through this or will they disappear?
A soft knock on the door brought both occupants out of their thoughts and back into the present. Yao walked over and slid open the door, surprised to find Kiku there. The boy's expression betrayed confusion and worry as Yao knelt down and stroked his hair.
"What's wrong, love? Did you have a nightmare?"
Kiku shook his head and grabbed onto Yao's hand, tugging it urgently.
"It's Ivan, he's bleeding. He says it's nothing to worry about but...but there's so much blood."
Yao hurriedly followed Kiku to the room he shared with Yong Soo and Ivan. The two boys sat on Ivan's bed, a pair of scissors and some rolls of bandages lying beside them. The usually hyper Korean was subdued, looking unusually concerned as he tried to help Ivan bandage up his back. They looked up as Kiku and Yao entered the room.
"Ivan, what happened?" Yao asked, even though he had a pretty good idea.
Yong Soo jumped in before Ivan could speak.
"He just started bleeding! We were changing for bed and then Ivan started to bleed, but he says it doesn't hurt."
Ivan kept his eyes trained on the bedcovers, not looking at any of them. His bedtime shirt was tossed haphazardly on the floor leaving his chest bare to the chilly night air. Yao reached the bed in a few strides and sat down, Yong Soo quickly moving out of the way to join Kiku. With gentle fingers Yao undid the clumsily wrapped bandage in order to inspect the injury. As each layer was peeled away the red stain on the white fabric grew larger. Ivan couldn't help the soft whimper when a he felt the final layer being pulled away, causing a tug on his injury as part of the bandage had stuck to his skin due to some already-dried blood. Yao immediately stopped and rubbed comfortingly at Ivan's shoulder.
"Yong Soo, can you go get me some warm water? Just a cup will do."
The boy hurried off to complete his task as Yao then turned to Kiku.
"Can you go grab me a small bottle of wine? And some cotton balls please, dear."
With a quick "Ok" the Japanese boy hurried off after Yong Soo.
Left alone in the room Yao gently ran his fingers through Ivan's hair. The boy had grown since he had first arrived, and his body was slowly reflecting the effects of time. Yao ran his fingers down some of Ivan's other wounds, some already healed, others just scabbing. Already the once relatively smooth and unmarred skin was beginning to record the journey this boy will be going through during his lifetime. Ivan's body gave a small shiver, but whether it was from the cold, from his touch or something else Yao wasn' t sure.
"Ivan? Do you want to talk about it?"
Yao left the question open, letting Ivan decide what he was referring to. Ivan's head dropped, his body rigid with tension. When he spoke his voice quivered.
"Jao-san...is...is Ivan going to...die?"
Sadness blanketed Yao's eyes as he wrapped his arms around Ivan and pulled him back for a hug, uncaring that he could potentially stain his own night-robe. He gently kissed the top of the boy's head.
"No...no love, you're going to live for many, many centuries, and you're going to grow big and strong."
"Ivan's people not happy...in pain...Ivan feel. It hurts..."
"I know...I know, but you must have faith in them. You must believe that they will push you into the future."
A soft noise alerted Yao that Ivan was finally unable to hold back his tears. Yao held the boy tightly as his body shook with his cries. The older nation placed a hand over the boy's eyes, feeling the wetness of the tears under his palm.
"It's ok...just let it all out...it'll be alright."
Behind the small privacy offered by Yao's hand Ivan let out all the sufferings he had been feeling. The pain, the misery, the frustration, the anger, the horror, everything flooded through him. Yao didn't loosen his grip for even a second. He wanted to be the anchor against which the boy could lean upon. Words of comfort poured forth from Yao as he rocked gently, letting the boy cry as much as he wanted.
After a few minutes, the tears lessened and Ivan's breathing normalized. His breath hitched as his sobbing ceased. Yao slowly took his hand away, helping to wipe the tears off of Ivan's cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt. He kissed the boy's temple and continued to hold him. The boy was far too young to deal with any of this and Yao was determined to get an audience with Batukhan's Boss to discuss the issue.
A soft cough from the doorway caught Yao's attention and he looked over to see an uncomfortable Yong Soo with a blushing Kiku standing there, each holding the items they had been sent to retrieve. Yao nodded for them to come over and the two boys gave each other a hesitant look before obeying.
"Ivan, let's get your injuries taken care of, ok?" Yao posted the question softly.
Ivan nodded and wiped his eyes, moving forward a little to give Yao some room to work. The ancient nation took the cup of water, the cotton balls and wine from Kiku and Yong Soo and gave them a smile of thanks. Seeing the uncomfortable glances the two younger nations exchanged Yao decided it would be best for all of them if they were not around to watch. He could only imagine that having adoptive siblings watching this must be extremely nerve wrecking for Ivan as well.
"Why don't you boys go get some snacks from the kitchen? I believe there's some biscuits I made this morning there."
Kiku and Yong Soo perked up at the suggestion. They nodded eagerly and scrambled to leave the room. As Yong Soo bolted out the door hastily Kiku paused and looked back at Yao and Ivan.
"I-Ivan-kun? Would you like some too?"
Ivan mustered a smile at the polite question and nodded.
"Da, thank you."
Kiku nodded then bowed and left, walking quickly to catch up to his brother.
Left alone once more Yao set down to work on Ivan. He gently wetted a cotton ball in the warm water and dabbed lightly at the wounds. Using the water to moisten and clean away any dried blood Yao managed to peel off the clumsily wrapped bandage and begin anew. By the time Yao had cleaned up the cuts several cotton balls had become spotted red. Patiently Yao wetted a new cotton ball with some of the alcohol, this time he laid a gentle and soothing hand on Ivan's shoulder, knowing that this will hurt more than just the water.
"Try and keep still, ok dear? This is going to sting...let me know if it starts to hurt too much."
Ivan didn't respond, only nodded his head. He shivered as he felt Yao's gentle hand rub at his shoulder, his hands clutching the bed sheets in anticipation. Yao tried his best to work quickly, at the same time not to cause undue pain to the young boy. He heard the soft whimpers and felt the contraction of muscle beneath his skilled fingers, trying to use those small signs to help him judge how much more Ivan could take. The boy remained quiet through the entire ordeal, biting his lip to avoid making any sound. Yao would have preferred if he said something, anything. He found the quiet ones always tended to be the ones he had to tread the most carefully around. They hid their feelings and tried to suppress them until they no longer could bringing themselves under stress because they refused to let someone else share their burdens.
Quickly finishing the treatment, Yao wrapped the bandage around Ivan's torso making sure that it wasn't too tight or too loose. He helped the boy back into his pyjama robes, not wanting him to reopen any wounds with unnecessary movements. A silent sigh left his lips as watchful brown eyes gazed upon the boy, taking in his defeated posture, the lowered head, the saddened eyes and most of all a lack of will to do anything. The fire Yao had saw the day the boy had first met Batukhan was no longer present. Back then there was defiance, anger, hatred, disdain all of which fuelled the desire to fight back, the will to retaliate and Yao knew from experience that that was one of the most crucial ingredient when it came to determining their survival. It was easy for young nations to give up, much like young humans who have not weathered many storms, even a heavy wind can send them tumbling into disarray. Only the old, the wise, those who have withstood the winds and survived can look upon all aspects of a life cycle with a calm gaze, knowing that pain, suffering and misery are the necessary experiences in life which serves as the tests and opportunities to strengthen oneself. Adult humans are expected to protect and help their young, shelter them and aid them through these trials so that the winds of life do not destroy them before they are ready. Nations often are not so lucky. Older nations have roots deep within the blood of their people, their civilizations and cultures run deep and are hard to destroy, but young nations are seldom given the care of another nation to protect them and allow them to grow.
Yao reached a hand out and gently patted Ivan's head, hoping that this boy will be able to withstand this storm. Ivan's gaze kept to the bed, trying not to let his tears fall. The physical pain of the wounds were shallow in comparison to the anxiety and fear his heart felt, a reflection of his peoples' emotions as well as an instinct that his own survival was being threatened. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to ask Yao for help, but Yao was, at the end of the day, just another nation. He had his own wellbeing to look after, as well as those of his siblings. Ivan's a guest in the house, and only treated hospitably because of Yao's will. Can nations altruistically lend a helping hand to another? Ivan was beginning to think that such an idea was impossible.
Watching the boy fight within himself Yao's hand cradled his cheek and, tilting his chin, forced Ivan to raise his head. Yao could see the turmoil within the boys amethyst eyes, turmoil that he himself had gone through millennias ago. Shuffling closer Yao wrapped his arms around Ivan and pulled him into a tight hug. Slowly, he rocked his body like a mother would when comforting a child, and pressed soft kisses to the top of the boy's head. Humans depended upon the unconditional love of parents or guardians to fall back upon if their world comes tumbling down. Even when wars raged and the world seemed like a hellish nightmare, children can find comfort in the arms of parents who had a seemingly magical ability to make it all disappear. A nation sometimes craved much the same; an instant of peace, a moment of security, even a flashing second to feel that they are safe and not under constant threat of being annihilated.
When Kiku and Yong Soo returned to their room awhile later they found their big brother still cradling a now-sleeping Ivan. Yao gave them a soft smile and whispered for them to blow out the candle and climb into bed. For tonight he will stay with the young boy and keep him safe, for tonight he will give Ivan the security to sleep without the nightmares, because in such a turbulent world Yao, for all of his wisdom, could not predict what tomorrow will bring and so, for tonight, he will give this boy the only thing he can offer; an illusion of peace and safety.
END CHAPTER 10
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