Antonio made not secret of the fact that he did not like Rome's presence. The older Nation was demanding, took what he pleased, and seemed to think very little of the impact it would have on others around him. Everything in life seemed to be one big party to him, a party that never ended.
But this was not the worst of it, this was by no means the worst of it. The most horrific part of Rome's return was the infatuation Aidia had in him, the two would often disappear off for long walks in the evening, and Aidia had even had him round to dinner on one or two occasions.
However, as much damage as Rome seemed to do here, Antonio did not find himself weakening like he had last time.
Although he couldn't quite explain how, he could feel strength being drawn from other settlements across the land, however much Rome damaged this one, he had others. But that did not alter his concern over Aidia, he was determined not to allow her to be corrupted like so many other women before her in the hands of this man.
But, since Rome had explained everything to her about what a Nation was, Aidia had been rather distant with him. She was angry that he hadn't told her himself, convinced the reason had been because he didn't trust her, however much he tried to persuade her this wasn't the case.
He'd just wanted her safe, and he'd wanted her to lead a simple and uncomplicated life, where he could be a part of it, while not entirely consuming it as he'd done with Marina.
His conviction must have triggered something in him, or perhaps it was the awareness of more settlements, but Antonio found himself aging rather quickly over the next six months. He shed most of his baby-fat, his limbs lengthening and his face growing a little sharper. He was what some might call eleven or twelve-years-old now, but it still wasn't enough to take on Rome.
From that point on, he did everything he could think of to grow further, but it seemed that his speedy aging process was finished for now, as his aging and growing came once more to an end.
There was only one option left to him, Aidia wouldn't listen to him, The Council wouldn't listen to him even though Rome had broken nearly all of their conditions, with the exception of actually breaking anything. There was only one person left to talk to.
Antonio found Rome stretched out on his back in one of the fields, his assigned work forgotten, as he took in the warmth of the late afternoon sun.
He kicked the shin of the older Nation to grab his attention, folding his arms as he tried to look fierce and imposing, something Antonio was learning he wasn't particularly good at, but he was determined to try anyway.
"I would like you to leave" he put forward firmly, "You are not welcome in my lands, I want you to return back to your own kingdom." This was fair, and he was being diplomatic. He wasn't behaving like a child, and he made sure to look Rome in the eye when he spoke.
The other Nation had raised his head in a lazy fashion, flexing his shoulders against the ground. He studied Antonio for a few moments, brown eyes meeting green, before his mouth twitched into a smirk.
"And what if I don't feel like leaving? What if I was to bring a group of my soldiers here and make your lands part of mine?" Rome propped himself up on his elbows, the grin fixated there. "What if I was to simply make you disappear altogether?"
Something cold burned within Antonio, something sickening, furious and terrified.
"You… You wouldn't…"
"You don't think I could?" Rome sat up very suddenly, his hand reaching out, as he seized the front of Antonio's collar, tightening his hold around the material. "You don't think I could burn your people to the ground with one little whistle back home?" He tapped the top of Antonio's head with his free hand. "Do you know how many of my neighbours I've conquered, how many little Nations like you there were growing there? As soon as I assumed control they weakened, their bones became brittle, their eyes dulled, they were so weak they could not move. And, only when they begged me, did I put them out of their misery."
The man released his collar, throwing him back.
"So, I think I'll stay here a little longer, and just maybe if this place is hospitable enough, I'll forget about invading it."
He settled himself back down on the ground, folding his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. "Now, run along little Spain, I have a siesta to fit in before dinner."
Trembling, Antonio stayed where he was. He didn't doubt that Rome still knew he was here, but the man also knew that Antonio wouldn't bother him anymore. He couldn't afford to do so, because he knew Rome was right. However, many settlements he now had, his lands were nothing against Rome's, if Rome wanted to, he could take them, and, with a tight rumbling in his chest, Antonio knew that Rome would kill him without hesitation.
Until this moment he'd believed that nothing could kill a Nation, they were simply immortal beings, cursed to live forever. But this one conversation had completely changed this view. They were immortal beings, cursed to die at the hands of each other, unless they were strong enough to resist.
Rome stayed six more months before an urgent messenger arrived, demanding his immediate return.
Aidia was heartbroken, shutting herself away in her house, refusing to come out and say goodbye, Antonio assumed that they'd both said their goodbyes in private some time before this.
However, he was there to wish Rome on his way, shuffling uncertainly at the sheer number of armed men who had come to escort their Nation home.
"You…" He touched the small of Rome's back hesitantly, "You won't return?"
Rome grinned down at him with amusement, resting his hand down on Antonio's hair, digging his fingers deep into his scalp, although it looked to all the world as if this was simply a fond goodbye.
"Not with soldiers, but I may see it fit to wander back on occasion to entertain myself, all your women are just so obliging."
Trembling, Antonio held his tongue, waiting until Rome released him.
He would never be free of this man, never. He was like a demon, impossible to banish, however much Antonio tried.
But he'd been putting a lot of thought to this, and he had reached a decision, a decision Antonio felt he should have made a long time ago when Aidia was much younger.
As soon as the party of foreign soldiers and their Nation were gone, he raced to Aidia's house, knocking heavily on the door. When there was no answer, he simply knocked again.
"Aidia it's me, we have to talk. He's gone now, but I have to talk to you!"
He waited, almost certain that the door was going to continue to remain closed. But, before he could knock again, the door creaked open, and Aidia's tear streaked face peered around it.
Antonio's heart clenched tightly, taking in her miserable appearance, taking note of the way Rome had pulled that youthful light and innocence from her, however compliant she might have seemed.
"We need to go."
That was his decision. If Rome did ever return to this village then he wouldn't find him here, and he certainly wouldn't find Aidia here either. He was going to protect her, just as he'd vowed to do when she was born.
Aidia blinked at him, surprised, despite her distress. "What… what do you mean go?" She sniffed, her watery brown eyes settled uncertainly on him.
"Leave the village. I know you think highly of him, but I have to leave in case he comes back, but I know I can't leave without you. Your mother was the most important person in my life, and I will never abandon you regardless of the danger to my own life."
"Antonio slow down," she shook her head, baffled, "What do you mean by 'danger to your own life'?"
He didn't want to tell her, he wanted to continue to shelter her from these harsh truths, but last time it had gotten him nothing but contempt. So, he told her of everything that had passed between him and Rome, of the threats and the truth of what had happened when he'd visited the village all those years ago.
When he was finished, Aidia opened the door, embracing him in a large and warm hug. She sobbed against his shoulder, crying until she had no tears or energy left, and it was only when the tears stopped she pulled back to look at him. "I'm… I'm pregnant."
In many ways it was already too late, but Antonio was not about to give up. He wasn't about to abandon her over something like that, even if the child she was carrying was Rome's. Several of the people around Aidia's own age in the village must also be descendants of the womanizing creature, and he held nothing against them. Although it would be difficult, he was determined that the same would be true of Aidia's own child.
Even if they were half-Nation, it didn't seem to of impacted their aging process, or given them any special abilities, and he was sure that Aidia's child would be the same.
"My intention remains" he informed her, "We can still leave, he won't be able to get at you or your child then, I'll keep both of you safe, I promise."
Aidia seemed unsure, but he could see the fear welling in her own eyes. Now she knew the truth, perhaps she was piecing together things Rome had said to her which perhaps had seemed odd but dismissible at the time, either way it seemed like she was bringing more into the story by herself, enough to certainly consider travelling away from her home and friends, while pregnant with only a small boy to protect her.
Of course, there was no reason to leave straight away, for a journey like this some care would have to be taken. They would need enough food to at least keep Aidia well fed until they found a more reasonable way of finding or catching further meals. While Antonio could technically do with very little food, he knew that the same would not be true of her, particularly while pregnant. They also needed other provisions such as blankets and cooking equipment.
Whatever business Rome had in Veich was keeping him away, hopefully giving them the time they needed to get away.
Two months later they were ready. They didn't say a word to anyone else in the village, just in case they were somehow able to find away to direct Rome to them should he return, instead they simply snuck out in the middle of the night, walking down the dusty make-shift road that led out into the undiscovered wilderness.
Seven months after that, Aidia gave birth to a healthy baby girl she named Maria after her own mother.
Finally, Antonio felt like he was beginning to fulfil that promise, and, just as he expected Maria aged at the regular rate a baby should age.
They'd settled on the outskirts of another village, although the plan was only to stay here until Maria was old enough to travel. It was warm enough to sleep under the stars most nights, and, when it was too cold for that, they'd take shelter in a nearby cave. In the mornings Antonio would go out, catch fish, and collect wild growing fruit to bring back for meals.
He watched with pride as Maria grew, taking her first steps and claiming her first words with stubborn purpose and a cheeky smile. She was by far one of the happiest children Antonio had ever met in his life. Maria had taken after her father in terms of her looks though, her brown hair was paler than Aidia's and slightly wavy, with shimmering golden-brown eyes. Perhaps most curiously though was the little single curl of hair that sprang out from the middle of her hair, jutting out before circling back in on itself.
But she was different to Rome. Even at the age of five, when the three of them began to travel again, it was very clear she didn't have a selfish bone in her body. She was unapologetically generous to everyone they met, almost to the point where Antonio worried she was going to get herself into trouble. She smiled, danced, and even sang along to her own little tunes as they walked.
But, like most, she was not without her vices. Maria scared very easily, when she wasn't swept up in her own naivety, and as soon as she got tired, everyone knew about it.
"Carry me Antonio" she'd weap, "Mamá my feet hurt" she'd cry out.
And of course, Antonio and Aidia always indulged her.
They made an odd family, but that was what Antonio thought of them as. They were a family, a family of travellers exploring this new land. It was rather exciting to think of them like that, as while it may have sounded fairly dramatic to a lot of people, to Antonio it breathed of normality.
Of course, he was careful that they didn't become a tale or story passed around between the villages, Rome would latch onto that for sure. They kept themselves to themselves and avoided the people in the villages themselves as much as possible.
The years passed, and, by the time Maria was sixteen, Aidia told Antonio they had a problem.
She told him that it simply wasn't healthy for a girl of her age to be moving around all the time with no friends of her own, they would have to stop somewhere and settle. She was hopeful by now that Rome would have lost interest. Antonio highly doubted that, but he knew he couldn't argue, Aidia had made up her mind, and unless he wanted to travel alone, that was what they were doing.
And as they settled, and Antonio watched Maria giggling along with a boy she'd met while working out on the fields, it occurred to him how repetitive human lives could be.
He'd watched Marina fall in love, have a child, and in turn watched that child grow up, fall at least into a lust, and have a child, and now, it was going to happen all over again.
Perhaps his duty would be done then. Neither Maria or her own future off-spring knew Maria, in fact, Aidia herself had never known her mother, Antonio was the only one around who could still remember her.
He doubted Rome would have any interest in this family any longer, and they seemed to be happily settled here.
A few more years he told himself, and then it would be time to go.