"I hate being grounded." I complained to Gilbird. He tweeted and pecked at the window. "I can't! I'll get in trouble."
"I thought you wanted to go see Holy Roman Empire?" He tweeted. I moved my chin to the edge of the bed, looking at him.
"I do!"
"Then sneak out!"
"That's why Fritz grounded me in the first place!" I complained and moved my head back toward the wall. He continued pecking on the window. I clenched my eyes shut. "Fine! If I sneak out then you have to stay here and try to keep my cover."
"You could also just lock your door." I looked back towards the door, getting an idea, a very bad idea, but an idea even so. A fun idea. I smirked and stood up and walked toward the door to examine the best way to keep it from being opened from the outside.
"You know that if we go through with this that we will be caught by Fritz or Henry and Fritz will not be pleased right?" He tweeted happily. I smiled.
"It's worth it."
"Yeah. I'll consider it my payment for going to a meeting with Voltaire… again!" I grumbled. "I hate Voltaire. He's always here!" I grabbed my desk chair and shoved it against the door. Should be good enough. I grabbed my clothes and tied them all together. I used them as a rope and climbed down before sneaking off and away from the castle main view. I reached the gates and fled as quickly as possible.
…
I had made it out of Prussia and into Holy Roman Empire! I smirked and ran around, looking for the guy. I had gone to the capital or something and I had not been disappointed when I discovered Holy Rome's home.
I made my way inside and I saw a child walking across the hall. "Excuse me!" I called, most politely. He turned to look at me. "Can you point me in the direction of Holy Roman Empire? I would like a word with him about Austria."
"That would be me." He answered. I took a step closer to get a better look. He looked too young to be him… if he's so old… but no one just says there a country. "What is your problem with Austria?"
"He's encroached onto my territory too many times and I was wondering if you might talk to him about it." He turned around before looking back at me.
"Follow me." I obeyed and followed the kid. I was led to a living room. He was smoothing out a seat on the couch. "Sit here." He said and he pulled himself up on the other seat. I obeyed once again. "Tell me more about your problem so I can fix it better." I smiled.
"You love helping don't you?" I asked, giving him a smile. He nodded.
"I love helping my friends and those in need."
"Well I have only one problem if any with Austria. Yesterday, Hungary and I were with another friend and we were playing with weapons, stupid idea, I know, and it was Hungary who shot the arrow and not me. I didn't even get to shoot an arrow before Austria yelled at me about being a savage. He accused me of being the one to shoot the arrow instead of acting like a civilized person and asking who shot the arrow. He jumped to conclusions and in doing so he almost got me in trouble with my boss. Just to be clear I don't expect you to do anything about it." I told him.
"I will talk to Austria about jumping to conclusions."
"Please don't. Austria will call me a coward for coming to talk to you. Actually I came here because I've never really heard of you until Austria brought you up. He said that you wouldn't want anything to do with me because of my heritage. I called him a liar and he punched me. Kesesese."
"I'll talk to Austria about it, I promise. I'll call him in for a meeting tomorrow."
"I thought you weren't in control of Austria."
"Actually I am."
"Then Austria lied. You know, you seem like a great guy." He looked up at me, a hopeful expression on his face.
"Would you like to be my friend?" I grinned.
"Definitely." He smiled and then he turned on his seat so he was facing me. He held out his hand and I gave him mine as well. We shook hands.
"Alard Warin."
"Gilbert Beilschmidt." Then he smiled and gave me a quick hug. Without thinking I returned his hug. Is this what I was like when I was a kid? He let go just as quickly and I copied him.
"I'm sorry but you should go now. I have work to finish today and I have to write to Austria. I would like to see you again though." I grinned.
"I'll be back next week, soldier's promise." He smiled.
…
I was back in Prussia and was climbing the clothes rope. I reached the window and was going to pull myself up but I caught sight of something that made my heart drop. Fritz was sitting in my room, watching the window, a switch on the desk. I quickly climbed to the middle of the rope.
"Gilbert. You should climb up here now." I looked up to see Fritz had poked his head out the window. I shook my head.
"It's too high." I said in my best scared voice.
"Then what if you climb down?" I shook my head.
"Too high. I'm too high already."
"What if I send someone down to get you?"
"Too much weight. I'll just stay here." I hugged the rope.
"Forever?"
"Until the ground decides to move up here or the window decides to move down here." I clung to the rope for dear life. I heard a tweet next to my ear.
"What if I talk you through it?"
"I'm just giving Fritz a cover story as to why I'm not coming up. If you really want to help, get Fritz out of my room!" I whispered to Gilbird. He tweeted and flew up there and into the window. A few minutes later and he was back. I climbed up into the window and grabbed the switch. I closed the door and jammed it shut. I ran to the window and pulled up the clothes rope. I began to untie the clothes together and stuffed them back in my wardrobe before throwing myself against the door to keep it closed.
"You know you can't keep him out forever." I nodded.
"As long as possible is fine with me."
"You should go face him now." I took a deep breath and then I heard a knock on the door.
"Gilbert, please open the door." I threw the switch under the desk before opening the door. Fritz smiled. "I see you conquered your fear of heights." I nodded before shaking my head.
"I've never been afraid of heights. I was just playing a game."
"Can I come in please?" I nodded and backed up and sat on the bed. "Gilbert, what part of grounding don't you understand?"
"Fritz, I'm always grounded. I can't fly." I told him. He gave me a stern look.
"Please don't sass me."
"Yes sir."
"You snuck out yet again Gilbert. What am I going to do about that?"
"Tighten the security." Gilbird tweeted and then gave a laughing tweet. I said nothing. Fritz sighed.
"Ten with the switch." I nodded. He looked around for it and then picked it up once he found it. "Come here Gilbert." I stood up and walked over to him, keeping my head down. "Over the desk." I obeyed. I can't believe this is happening in my own room! Remind me to burn this desk. I felt him place the switch against my backside before swishing it down. I bit my lip to stay quiet.
By the time he finished I had tears rolling down my cheeks. He turned me around and gave me a hug. I hugged him back. "I'm sorry Fritz. I won't break my grounding again." He kissed my cheek before his hand fell on top of my head. I smiled despite the tears. I quickly gave him a kiss back.
"Don't forget the meeting with Voltaire tomorrow. I want you to stay in your room until lunch. Then you will be allowed to wander the castle. I wouldn't leave the grounds if I were you though." I scratched the back of my head, nervously.
"Yeah Fritz. I'm sorry I left." He nodded and turned around and headed out the door, closing it behind him. I opened the door. "Does that mean you want me to stay in my room?"
"Yes." I closed the door again and went and laid on my bed.
"It's not like I can tell him it's your fault, can I?" I asked Gilbird.
"No. He wouldn't believe you. I do."
"Do what?"
"Believe you that I was the one who talked you into leaving your room. At least you got to meet Holy Roman Empire." I chuckled.
"And get Austria in trouble with him. If that's even possible. I mean the guy's a kid."
"You'll have to wait until your done being grounded or until Austria comes to confront you about it." I nodded.
"What time is it?"
"A few hours before lunch I guess?" I groaned.
"A few hours? I'll be bored!"