Hi all!

I'm a day late with this one, but still better than a week...

Thanks to TheBlueAcid, Awesomely Random and Crossfire for the reviews and the follow, and NepheleNilfhain for the favourite!

1 February 1411

I hate this.
That's all.

Prussia sat at a large, stone table, his red eyes fixed on Poland and Lithuania. The two older countries, victors in their recent war, were calm as they discussed peace with Prussia's Grand Master, Heinrich von Plauen. Prussia wasn't really participating in the discussions: he was shivering were he sat, his body burning with fever, and his sight was blurred with exhaustion and dizziness. He knew he couldn't even stand up if he tried now: he'd collapse in a heartbeat. The Battle of Grunwald and the siege of Marienburg hadn't been all yet: in October, he'd been defeated in another great battle against Poland and Lithuania.
The Grand Master had wanted to continue fighting, but the Teutonic Council had advised against it. For once, Prussia had agreed to the idea of peace, even if it meant making compromises. He felt too awful to even want to think about lifting his sword now.
He didn't quite follow what was being said, but he picked up enough to know that he wasn't being stripped of too much territory. He knew the economical part would be terrible, his raging fever told him that much. And Judging by the discontented faces of Lithuania and Poland at some point, the treaty wasn't exactly in their favour, either. Serves you right, he thought angrily, sighing.
Eventually he just got the treaty shoved under his nose, and Poland held out a quill and inkwell to him. Silently, Prussia took the two items from him and gave the treaty a quick scan. But though he wrote it often and read it almost daily, his mind couldn't process the Latin text anymore now, and he simply dipped the quill in the ink and signed. Poland raised and eyebrow at him questioningly as Prussia handed the items back to him, mumbling softly, "Leworęczny?" Prussia couldn't even translate that single word anymore now. The humans in the room then got up one by one and left after the treaty was signed by everyone, but Poland and Lithuania remained there with Prussia.

"You're really not doing well, are you, worm?" Poland asked, sitting down on the table in front of Prussia, who was shivering in cold. He felt like he was wrapped in a blanket made of snow that wouldn't melt, even though his body felt like it had twice its normal temperature. Prussia didn't answer: he was too busy trying to keep his teeth from clattering. But he managed a glare in his enemies' -former enemies'- direction. Poland stared at him for a moment longer, and Prussia thought he could see pity flash in his dark green gaze, mixed with a bit of guilt. "Look, I don't like beating others up to this point," he said, almost apologetically. "But you had this coming, Prussia. You've been a pain in the ass since forever, and to invade us just like that! You've got some nerve, I'll give you that, but you should see this as a lesson." Prussia just stared at him in silence, glaring, but listening intently at the same time. Poland noticed that little detail, thankfully. "You can fight, Prussia, you're amazingly strong for your size and age. But your size and age are the problem. Your status in the world, unfortunately for you, does not give you the freedom to just take whatever land you want. You don't have the strength for that nor the international relations! Older countries won't react nicely if you invade them, as we showed you over the past year. You feel now what it's like to be put in your place again: don't let it happen again, for your own sake."
"A next time might kill you," Lithuania added with an agreeing nod. "Not saying I want to kill you, but it might. You'll recover now, but you're terribly ill already."
"It's not like this battle was like a walk in the courtyard," Prussia muttered then, his voice hoarse. "I've not heard of a battle quite as horrible as this one."
"Well, to be fair," Poland then said with a hint of laughter in his voice, "England and France have been going at it for how many decades now? Sometimes I think their war will never end."
"Probably won't," Lithuania agreed. Prussia just huffed and rested his head on the table, closing his eyes and not responding to that.
Poland and Lithuania talked some more, but to each other, for it was in their native languages. Prussia didn't listen to them anymore then: he just wanted to sleep, and hoped he would feel better once he woke. But he was still trembling violently, and his teeth were now finally clattering since he was trying to relax. His consciousness slipped after some time, leaving him with a comfortable emptiness in which he remained for some time -hours at least.

Slowly he woke again, feeling a hand on his shoulder and a voice talking to him from somewhere far away. Prussia grunted and shifted in his half-asleep state. He still felt bad, and he wanted to continue sleeping. But at least it wasn't as cold anymore as it had been earlier that day. "Prussia, boy, wake up," came the voice that he now recognised as von Plauen's again. "It's late, we're going home." The young country groggily blinked open his eyes, staring up at his Grand Master with a tired gaze. And then he suddenly realised why he wasn't feeling so cold anymore: a warm, thick coat lined with fur lay over his back and shoulders. He plucked at some of the fur in confusion, then just got up and left together with his leader. He stumbled once, but after that, he could walk pretty steadiy again.
"So how did it turn out for us?" he asked when they got outisde, where a light snow still lay, partially melted. Today hadn't been as cold as other days, to his relief.
"You didn't listen at all, did you?" the human sighed, and Prussia shook his head. "Let's just say that, though we've lost the war, this was our victory. I'll explain more later."
Prussia nodded then, a tiny smile playing at his lips. Well, at least it wasn't a complete loss, then. He climbed into th carriage beside his Grand Master. They would stay in Thorn for today, where the treaty had been signed, and tomorrow they would head back to Marienburg. Inside, he coughed harshly, and when he could breathe again, he huffed and looked out of the small window in the door of the carriage.
"The cold weather isn't doing you any good, is it?" the Grand Master mumbled then, staring at his country.
But Prussia shook his head. "It's not the weather, I'm used to the cold." He'd tried to explain this several times before now, but it seemed like the human would never understand. "It's because we lost the war, because the economy is doing so bad now that we have to pay for reparations and the ransoms for the knights..."
"We'll raise taxes to earn the money for the debts," von Plauen then said. "You'll feel better soon."
Won't work. Prussia stifled a sigh. It's not like his new leader was a bad leader, at least he thought he wasn't so far, but he didn't seem to be making an effort of understanding how his country's body worked. In that respect, he was taking awful care of his country, and Prussia could get really pissed at that sometimes. The man hadn't known him any other way than in a bad condition from the moment he became Grand Master, but he still refused to listen to the child. At least he gave me this coat... he thought bitterly, wrapping said item tighter around his trembling shoulders. And then he realised something: the Grand Master was wearing his own coat right now, and besides, even if he wasn't, it would've been way too big on Prussia. This belonged to a child, a teenager at most. He suddenly remembered Lithuania wearing a fur coat that looked eerily similar to this one when he arrived in Thorn. And at that thought, the young Prussian suddenly felt a surge of warmth, a warmth much more comfortable than the heat of his fever. Thanks... Liet.

Prussia wasn't back in Marienburg for long before he got a visitor. And not just any visitor, either. "Wow, you really live in a hovel, don't you?" Hungary said judgingly as she looked around the Prussian's house. He just huffed.
"I chose not to live with my leaders," he answered, huddling close to the fireplace. The days were still cold, though he felt a little bit better now that his fever was gone.
"I can see that," Hungary answered, tilting her head to one side as she inspected Prussia's house a bit longer. "I guess I just thought you'd be living in a little more luxury than this, since you've been sending those expensive gifts to Sigis lately."
"I didn't send those things personally, did I?" Prussia then said, rolling his eyes. He guessed 'Sigis' referred to Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor, Prince-elector of Brandenburg and King of Hungary amongst other kingdoms, and he was surprised at the familiar terms on which she spoke about the man. He couldn't even dream about giving his own leader nicknames like that. "And to be frank, the economy is a mess after that damned war."
Hungary sighed and sat down beside him. "I suppose so," she mumbled. "But stil..."
Prussia just stared at her from the corner of his eyes. He always felt a certain pressure on his chest whenever he looked at Hungary now, and he hated it, though it didn't feel all too uncomfortable. She still didn't wear a dress, but her attire was becoming a little more feminine by now, which only accented the fact that she was a girl. He estimated her as being a young teenager now, and she looked the part as well: tall and slim, with feminine curves even though she was still a bit childlike as well. His face felt warm as he looked at her like that, and he quickly looked away again. It was too awkward having her over like this, but he didn't want to send her away, either. All he knew was that, if he had to have a girl country over, he'd prefer Brandenburg over Hungary any day. The fact that they were of almost the same age and that they were related to each other made it much less awkward, though he couldn't tell why. To have Hungary here, a girlier girl than Brandenburg (well, as far as appearance went), was something he just really didn't like. But he didn't want her to leave, not ever if it was solely up to him. She was still his oldest friend.
"You're really still weird, you know that?" Hungary suddenly said, staring at Prussia. "You still look weird, that's nothing new and probably will never change. But you also act weird. Thinking you can just invade other countries like that and win, hah! And then you try to buy my allegiance? You silly kid." Her words were harsh, but her voice and eyes were affectionate as she spoke. She then ruffled Prussia's white hair and got up. "You know what? I'll take care of cooking dinner tonight: don't want you sneezing all over my food, thank you very much."
"And who said I want you even touching what I'm supposed to eat?" Prussia then protested, getting up quickly and swaying in the process.
Hungary grinned at this. "Fine then, I won't cook for you. Good luck making your own food once you've found out how to stand up straight again."
He just stood up straight as she told him to and walked over to her side without stumbling even once. "Well now," he said proudly. "Will you let me into my own kitchen now?" Hungary just laughed and gave him a playful shove, pushing him right out of balance in a heartbeat. But he got to his feet again as quickly as before. He would not let anybody take care of him, not even after a horrible war like this!

Until he did.

4 August 1414

Holy Rome said I could no longer stay in my own land now if I wanted to recover from the effects of my brief war with Poland this summer. It lasted only about 2 weeks, but my army couldn't take it. The war isn't the biggest problem I have within my borders now, it's that the economy is still shit, there's a famine in my land and Black Death has struck again. I already got infected, which is the reason Holy Rome even came. He told the Grand Master that, for me to make a complete recovery as quickly as possible, I had to go somewhere else. Without a famine and without borders to worry about.
Where did he recommend?
Brandenburg.

I don't what he's planning, but he is definitely planning something. I finally know what he said the first time he brought my cousin so we could meet each other. That stuff in Czech? 'I have plans for the two of you.'
I don't know what it means, Holy Rome, but I will find out! And it had better be something awesome, else I won't be quick to forgive you, what with you having been plotting this for half a century, whatever 'this' is.

"And so you decided to bring a plague-infected country here?" Brandenburg demanded angrily after Holy Rome explained why he and Prussia suddenly showed up on her doorstep like that.
"To be honest," Prussia then brought in, rolling his eyes, "I'm over the plague already, thank you."
"Why?" Holy Rome then asked in response. "Are you going to send him away, then?"
"Of course not!" Brandenburg retorted, angry that he even thought she would do something like that. "But have you considered what the effects might be if we infect each other? Are you certain that won't have the same effect as running a sword through another country would have?"
"Again, I'm pretty much over the plague already," Prussia butted in, getting annoyed. "And I'm also standing right here, if you hadn't noticed. I can talk, too, you know!" But his brother and cousin were still completely ignoring his presence, much to his frustration.
"I hardly think he could get you killed," Holy Rome then said, crossing his arms with a huff. "And besides, it's not like he'll give you a lot of work by being here. I will be here, looking after him for some time. And if that's not enough to convince you, no worries: if it's going to be anything like the last few days have been, he'll be spending most of his time here asleep."
"I'm standing right here!" Prussia then interrupted Holy Rome angrily, glaring at both him and Brandenburg. "And I would appreciate it if you stopped talking like I'm not here, listening to every word you're saying!"
"You're supposed to be half-dead," Brandenburg then said to him. "Act like it and shut up."
At this, Prussia just grumbled something and turned around, walking away on unsteady feet. But he didn't slow down as he walked, until Holy Rome called after him. "Where do you think you're going, Prussia?"
"I'm going home!"
"Where you can catch plague again and starve to death? On foot?"
"I'm pretty sure I know how to steal a horse," Prussia answered, rolling his eyes again with an exasperated sigh.
"And you also know what the punishment is for doing that, and I think you and I both know very well that you'd never risk it."
Brandenburg took a completely different approach, just walking up to Prussia, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him back with her. He struggled, and though he was a lot stronger than she was, right now he didn't stand a chance. "Let's get you inside now, Prussia," she said flatly as they passed the Holy Roman Empire. "I'll get you something to eat, too. Do you like apples? I got a lot of those right now."
"If you're not careful," Prussia then said in response, grinning a bit, "I'll start associating you with food!" At this rate, he really would. The first time they met, she had taken some bread with her for him. The second time had been over at Holy Rome's place, during a banquet (he still didn't know why he'd been invited there, since he still wasn't part of the Holy Roman Empire) and now this.
"Like a dog does his owner," Brandenburg snickered. "Good. At least I'll know you'll be loyal to me, then!"

Holy Rome had been right: it took Prussia only a good hour to fall asleep again. He inspected his little brother for a moment as the boy slept, sighing as he saw again how thin Prussia had gotten over the weeks. The combination of the plague and the war-induced famine had done a real number on him.
"He'll be fine again before you know it," Brandenburg said, seemingly popping up behind him out of thin air. Holy Rome nearly jumped in shock, then turned around to stare at her in annoyance. The girl just smirked at him, happy that she managed to spook him like that.
"Just be quiet, will you?" Holy Rome said, getting up with a sigh and walking away, his margraviate following him quietly.
"What is up with you today?" she asked, sounding both annoyed and worried. "You're never so tense and cranky! Do you care so much about him?"
"Prussia?" Holy Rome echoed, shaking his head. "No, he's not the problem. Well, don't get me wrong!" he added as he saw the indignant stare his younger cousin gave him at his answer. "Of course I care about him, but it's not like I think he'll die. I know he won't -not from this."
"Then what is bothering you?" Brandenburg demanded, huffing. "If you're going to be like this all the time, I'll send you away, you know that!"
Holy Rome didn't answer immediately, and instead stared at a painting on Brandenburg's wall for a moment. "What's bothering me," he mumbled eventually, "is the state of my so-called empire. We're not united. You're not united, and you're going to kill me someday with this attitude!"
"Holy Rome!" Brandenburg exclaimed at that, all she managed to choke out then. She hated it when her cousin acted like this.
Holy Rome saw her expression, one of shock and sadness, and quickly apologised. "I didn't mean to make it sound like I blame you," he explained. "I'm sorry for that. But can you understand that it's frustrating?" Brandenburg nodded silently. "I've tried to make you all see the problem for ages," Holy Rome went on, "but to no avail. When will this family finally learn to work together?" He then walked back to where Prussia was sleeping, staring at the pale figure for a moment in silence. "I want him as my territory," he mumbled after a little while, narrowing his eyes. "I need him as my territory."
"He's been trying hard enough to break free from Poland," Brandenburg put in, not looking at either of the two countries now as she was putting some stuff back in a cupboard. "You'd better leave him alone."
"Since when do you care?" Holy Rome asked softly, but received no answer, and he doubted she had even heard him. "I know Poland's a problem in this matter, but he can't keep Prussia under his control forever. As for the Teutonic Knights, they will perish someday as well. Prussia is connected to the other natives of his land enough now to not have his life completely depending on the existence of the Knights... once those are out of the way as well, he will be free for the taking."
"You're being possessive again," Brandenburg warned him dryly. This was nothing new: the Holy Roman Empire had been searching for something to ensure his own continued existence for decades now, and it seemed like this time, he had his hopes set on Prussia. Though why he was so focused on adding such a small, unimportant little country to his empire, she had no idea.
But Holy Rome was pretty sure Prussia was more important than he seemed right now. He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling that this 'unimportant little country' would play an important part in uniting the Holy Roman Empire's territories, when the day finally came that he would be one of them. Right now he would do anything to keep him alive, for Prussia might on the end be the one thing to keep him alive, as well.

No, no, this is not some sort of 'dark side' to Holy Rome (though I can't imagine him being all kind and sweet all the time... or ever for that matter, if we want to stay completely historically accurate -no one would be in that case) Buuuut I imagine he does really want Prussia to join the Holy Roman Empire.

And I just had to make one chapter with Prussia feeling like shit after such a major war in his life, otherwise he'd be all "Got beaten in one of the worst wars in Medieval Europe? Yeah, shitty... Now let's snap to it and invade again!" (well, he did kinda do so historically, but ah well...)

Anyway, the next should be a little brighter again... (actually not sure what to do with that one yet, but we'll see)