Quick A:N First of all, thanks for reading. Second, this story is a work of fiction, I own nothing but the story line. Locations used in this story are most of the time real locations, but this does not mean they are really filled with evil people or anything. I just selected some random locations to further the plot of my story. Sometimes even I don't really know why I chose that place exactly. Third, I use some foreign words in my story. These words are in italics, like this author's note and have a number behind them. At the end of each chapter, you can find the translations with the number attached so you can fully enjoy the story. That was all, thank you very much. ENJOY!
Brussels – 19:36 – Belgium
The streets are calm and serene this late on a normal late October evening in the capitol of Belgium. I like that. When you go a bit more to the edges of the city, the streets are already less calm and filled with more activity. But here in the touristic centre, it's calmer. That's also why I invited my two brothers over today, to enjoy this little bit of time to ourselves.
"I'm really craving some good wafels en bier1." I say as we walk across the cracked pavement. My brother, The Netherlands going by the alias of Abel Maes, exhales a puff of smoke as he retracts the cigarette from his mouth.
"We go out to a café every time we gather at yours, Bella. Don't you think we should do something more original?" He proposes and my other brother Luxembourg, going by the alias of Luca Maes, nods in agreement, making his blonde hair bounce a bit more in his face. How he can see with his hair hanging in front of one eye, it's a mystery. But how Abel can make his hair stand up so straight, that's also a mystery to me.
"I was kind of hoping to do something fun at your place, you know? No irritating drunks making any advances on you all night." Luca points out, referring to my dashing good looks attracting a lot of people. I chuckle and twirl my hair a bit.
"Well, it's not only me there after though. You two attract a lot of attention too. I guess we nations are just that naturally good looking." I joke and Luca laughs a bit. Abel just stoically looks in front of him, but I can see the corners of his mouth twitch a bit. That's his equivalent of laughing.
"Let's just go already, it's cold, verdomme2." Abel says and picks up his pace a bit, Luca and I have to do our best to keep up with his pace, our legs aren't as long as his.
"Abel, Abel, why in such a rush? Slow down a little, bro. Our legs aren't as long as yours!" I protest playfully and my tallest and older brother rolls his eyes at Luca and I.
"Belgium!" A deep authoritative voice suddenly yells from behind the three of us and we all turn around at the same time to see a moderately tall blonde jogging up to us. He looks rather winded, like he has been running for quite a while.
"Germa- I mean, Ludwig! What are you doing here?" I ask him with a smile, remembering we're in public, as he stops in front of us, panting a little. "And please, use human names." I then add a bit softer. Ludwig looks a bit apologetic but his expression turns serious again not long after.
"I'm glad I found the three of you. There has been trouble brewing and I'm afraid I'll have to cut your evening out short. Belle, Abel we have to talk." He says as he stands tall, but still not taller than Abel. The Netherlands does have the highest average height in the world after all. I exchange glances with my two brothers and we all sigh in unison.
"Verdammt3, I had been looking forward to this evening." Luca comments sadly and I give him a soft pat on the shoulder.
"What's it about?" Abel asks, serious as he is. Ludwig looks up at him and his neutral expression turns into a frown.
"I'm not exactly sure myself. Gott4, Gilbert is never really clear on anything, said he didn't want to talk until everyone was there. You'll have to ask mein bruder5 when we get to my home." Ludwig clears out and we all sigh again.
"When is Gilbert ever clear about anything? Anyways, I guess we have to get going then?" I say, putting my hands on my hips. "Are we driving?" I then ask and Ludwig nods and I smile knowingly. "Your car, I suppose?" I then ask and Ludwig nods again.
"Well then, Duitsland6, lead the way." Abel says and off we go. Ludwig turns on his heels and starts walking back the way he came running off from. Normally, it would take you a couple of hours to drive from Brussels to the edge of Berlin, where Ludwig and Gilbert, or Germany and Prussia, live. But we nations have a special way of travelling. We can simply nation hop. It's something we don't do often since we could be found out and we can only do it from one nation's house to the other's and not to random locations.
"Are there any other friends of ours going to be at your place?" Luca asks, referring to the possibility of other nations being there. Ludwig looks down at him as he starts walking beside Luca. Abel and I walk behind them.
"I don't know for sure, Gilbert said he was going to go grab some people too, but he didn't elaborate. He just told me I needed to get Belle and Abel. But I think there will be two or three more people." Ludwig explains as we approach a parked Mercedes Benz. It's much more fancy than my simple Citroën. But France insisted I got that car, he wanted our cars to match for old times' sake as old friends. I couldn't say no to the flirtatious blonde.
"This is all very confusing." Luca says and I lay a hand on his shoulder.
"You know what, Luca? Gilbert didn't really ask for you, you can go home and take that well-deserved evening off with your leader or something, oké7? How does that sound?" I propose to my younger brother and he looks at me with a frown.
"Are you sure?" He asks and I nod with an assuring smile. He sighs in relief and smiles gratefully at me. "Thank you. I owe you one, Belle." He says and turns toward Abel and Ludwig. "I'll call in the morning to see if everything went well." He says before walking in a different direction than us, waving.
"Don't get drunk." Abel dryly says towards his youngest sibling and Luca laughs a bit.
"No promises!" Luca yells back and he then disappears around a corner.
"Why did you really send him away, Belle?" Ludwig asks, looking me in the eye. I chuckle. Of course he would notice. I reckon he's done something similar with Italy or Prussia dozens of times.
"He's such a small country, he doesn't need to be burdened with world problems like us. He can still be spared of the stress and sleepless nights it brings. I mean, housing the NAVO's and European Union's headquarters. It's very exhausting sometimes." I confess softly. Ludwig nods in understanding and Abel in approving. We stop by Ludwig's car and Abel moves toward the front seat. I let him, I don't mind sitting in the back. It's more spacious, more comfortable and better since I don't have to do anything.
"I wish I could say that about ourselves. Being spared of all that trouble, but I'm just glad I don't have anything that important inside my borders. Except for the international courthouse for terrorists." Abel says as Ludwig unlocks the car and he moves a bit away from the car to throw away his cigarette and stomps it out. But as the turn signals flash and the typical sound of a car unlocking pipes up, an extra click resounds in our ears. I can't even ponder about what the click could mean before the car suddenly explodes in fiery ball of fire and heat. The force of the explosion throws the three of us to the ground and burns away at our skins.
A high pitched ringing resounds in my ears, blocking out all other sounds as I lay on the ground, Abel not too far away from me. But he is furthest from the car, thanks to putting his cigarette out. I groan and look up with a lot of effort. The world is blurry and spinning for a second. But when I can focus again, I can see two black vans skidding to a stop beside the burning car. I notice Ludwig is out cold, probably having been closer to the explosion than us, but Abel is still awake. I look at my brother to see he has some serious burns and his usual scarf has been scorched in most places.
Because we're countries, the wounds will heal, quicker than normal humans'. The wounds won't even leave scars. Hell, we can even regrow limbs given enough time. God knows most of the older nations like me and brother have already had experience with that. But until that happens, we're in as much pain and as helpless as any normal human.
The doors of the vans slide open and men clad in black and grey pour out of the vehicles. I can see an all too familiar logo on their uniforms, one I didn't expect to see again. But unfortunately, here they are. I struggle to sit upright, trying to at least give them some form of a fight, but I can't. Abel on the other hand, is already on his hands and knees. But further he doesn't seem to be able to get either. Two men are currently manhandling Ludwig, tying his burned limbs together and dragging him inside of the vans.
Other men come up to Abel and I and work us to the ground. I can only struggle slightly as they tie my hands together in front of me and my ankles together. God, am I glad I chose to wear pants tonight and not a skirt. The ringing in my ears starts to become less and I can hear the soldiers yelling to each other. I cannot understand them quite yet, but I can hear it's German and Russian thrown through each other.
I grunt as the men lift me up and start carrying me to the vans. They're holding me right where my wounds are and I writhe in pain, not really able to scream just yet. A bit further away, I can see they're struggling with Abel, considering his size, weight and the fact that he's still able to move most of his limbs properly. I also register some distant screaming. It's not the soldiers, it's someone else. I lazily look in the direction of the screaming to see Luca running down the street in our direction, horror etched on his face and fear clear in his eyes.
"Shoot… down…, not needed." I can hear a soldier order and I watch as one draws his gun and fires some warning shots at Luca. He gets the message and scrambles behind a car to get some cover. I then get shoved inside a van and the soldiers follow. Abel doesn't follow so I'm guessing he's in the other car with Ludwig. The van's doors then get slammed shut and the van starts moving almost immediately. I can hear some more shots being fired, but everything slowly fades away as I lose consciousness.
1 Dutch = waffels and beer
2 Dutch = damn it
3 German = damn it
4 German = God
5 German = my brother
6 Dutch = Germany
7 Dutch = okay