Tangled Up With You

Part 3: Father Knows Best

Back at the tower, Sicily stood in front of France. He didn't look like he normally did. Instead of his usual attire, France wore a dark blue shirt and pants with black boots, a white belt, and a dark red cloak over his shoulders.

"Welcome home…" Sicily said. France smiled upon seeing her and wrapped his arms around her. As they parted, France took the cloak off of his shoulder and hung it on a nearby hook.

"Oh, Rosaria," said the Frenchman, "'Ow you do zat every single day without fail, I'll never know." Sicily laughed. "It looks exhausting."

"It's nothing," she replied, "Really."

"Zen I don't know why it takes so long! I almost zought zat someone came in here and took you from me!" France hugged Sicily again. Sicily could feel him wincing. She pushed him off gently.

"Are you alright?" she asked. France nodded. He ran a hand through Sicily's annoyingly golden locks.

"You know what I see when I look at you?" he said. Sicily shook her head. "I see a strong, confident and beautiful fille." Sicily blushed, causing France to laugh. "Why must you do zat every time I tell you?" Sicily shrugged. France groaned.

"Are you sure you're alright?" France nodded.

"I'm just feeling a little tired. You don't mind singing for me, would you? Zat'll make me feel better. You have such a beautiful voice." Sicily nodded. She didn't mind. Like Italy, she loved to sing.

France led Sicily over to a pair of chairs. Sicily sat down in one with her back turned on France, who sat down in the other. Sicily was hesitant to sing. She wasn't sure what to sing. However, an old song Belgium used to sing to her when she was younger resurfaced in her mind.

"Flower, gleam an glow. Let your power shine…" Sicily sang. She felt a brush running through her hair. "Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine." Sicily's brown eyes widened. As she had been singing, her hair had begun to glow. Literally. Then again, stranger things had been happening to her today. "Heal what has been hurt. Change the fate's design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine, what once was mine…" Sicily's song was cut off by France placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Merci, ma fille," he said before placing a kiss on her temple.

"Feeling better?" Sicily asked, spinning around to face France. The Frenchman nodded. Sicily tugged on her golden hair. "Why was my hair… glowing?" She asked. France's blue eyes widened.

"Mon cher, did you forget?" Sicily blinked several times.

"Forget what?" France stood up, biring Sicily up with him.

"Ze power you 'ave in your 'air. Ze 'ealing properties is 'as when you sing." Sicily's eyes widened. She had enough of magic for one day, but now she had it herself. "It is also why it is so long." Sicily raised an eyebrow.

"Che cosa?" France blinked at her.

"Did you 'it you 'ead zis morning as you were doing your chores? When your 'air is cut, it turns auburn and loses its power. Like with zat curl you 'ave. When I went to cut your 'air for ze first time, zat is what 'appened. Of course, you were so young."

"Oh… right… I forgot…" Sicily muttered.

"Rosaria, don't mumble please. You know 'ow I 'ate it when you do zat."

"Scusi." France sighed.

"It's not your fault. Anyway, 'ow was your day?"

"Boring. I don't see why I couldn't have come out with you." France froze, staring at Sicily. "What? I know I was asleep, but you could have woken me up..."

"Rosaria, you 'ave never left zis tower in your life." Sicily covered her mouth to keep her from gasping out loud. "I can't lose my rose précieuse."

"But… I can't stay inside of here forever!" Sicily opened her arms, gesturing to the tower in order to prove her point.

"Rosaria… You want to go outside?" France asked with a worried face. Sicily nodded. "But look at you. You're as fragile as a flower. You're still a little sapling, just a sprout. You know why we stay up in zis tower."

"I know… but-"

"Zat's right. To keep you safe and sound dear…" France added a little more of a singsong tone on the last part. Sicily raised an eyebrow. France sighed and turned away from her.

"Guess I always know zis day was coming. I knew soon you'd want to leave ze nest." France turned back to face her. "Soon but not yet."

"But-" Sicily tried to intervene.

"Trust me, rose. Fazer knows best." Sicily raised an eyebrow. Did France just call himself her father? The closest thing Sicily had to a father growing up was Spain… but it did make sense, seeing as how France most likely wrote the note.

Then, the lights suddenly went out, making Sicily jump.

"Fazer knows best. Listen to your fazer," Sicily heard France say. She looked around trying to find him, only to trip on her hair. "It's a scary world out zere! Fazer knows best. One way or anozer, somezing will go wrong, I swear!"

"Ruffians, zugs, poison ivy, quicksand, Cannibals and snakes…" Shadows leered at Sicily, taking the form of everything he said. "Ze plague!"

"No!"

"Oui!"

"But–" Sicily tried to say again before a large spider jumped out at her, causing her to scream. She jumped back, catching herself on the wall.

"Also large bugs. Men with pointy teeth, and stop, no more, you'll just upset me." France continued from where ever he was. Sicily looked around frantically to find him. "Fazer's right 'ere, fazer will protect you." It was still pitch black, until a spotlight landed on France. Sicily sighed in relief. "Chéri, 'ere's what I suggest! Skip ze drama, stay with papa. Fazer knows best!" His laugh echoed around the room as he began to circle Sicily. "Fazer knows best. Take it from your père! On your own, you won't survive. Sloppy, underdressed, immature, clumsy." He pulled at her hair and dress, causing Sicily to spin around and become dizzy, the room spinning around her as she regained her footing. "Please, zey'll eat you up alive. Gullible, naive, positively grubby! Ditzy and a bit, well, hmm vague. Plus, I believe, gettin' kinda chubby." France then hugged her tightly, causing Sicily to stiffen. "I'm just saying because I love you. Fazer understands, fazer's 'ere to 'elp you. All I 'ave is one request!" He turned Sicily to face him and looked at her with a serious look in his azure eyes. "Rosaria?"

"Si?" Sicily responded.

"Don't ever ask me to leave zis tower again." Sicily sighed.

"Yes, papa." France hugged the Italian girl.

"I love you very much, Rosaria."

"I love you more."

"I love you most." France kissed Sicily on the forehead. "Don't forget it. You'll regret it. Papa knows best." Sicily couldn't help but laugh a bit. This was all so strange to her. France usually was like a brother, not her father… whoever that was.