Here is the second part of the Prologue! Originally the two was one chapter but I ended up splitting it in two.
This time we get to know the most important human character in the story, the empress! Her character is inspired from the 1955 film "Sissi".
Also thank you Spencer for the first review, I do love my country and our history, I consider myself a patriot! But I also have some love for Austria, as he is very much part of my childhood and so I have fond memories of this country.
Enjoy the chapter! :)
Prologue Part 2: Ausgleich
...
1867. Vienna
Sissi beckoned to Hungary with clear curiosity and wonder in her eyes. The beautiful young woman was a sight to behold, even Hungary admitted that, and because the empress wasn't even Austrian made it hard to dislike her on impulse.
So the nation hesitantly stepped into the room, where so many women bustled around Elisabeth, the wife of the emperor. She was trying on her coronation dress. The actual ceremony was days away, but she still found the occasion important enough to summon the personification of the Kingdom of Hungary of all people.
Hungary answered the call with caution and wasn't sure what to expect. She has heard news of Sissi, has even seen her from far, but she didn't know her per se.
So she just entered the dressing room and folded her hands in front of herself, waiting for the other woman to explain herself.
"This is my second time meeting a nation! I just met Herr Edelstein not long ago. I didn't really want to believe that one man could represent a whole country, but when I talked to him I felt it! I don't know what it is, but it's so different, when a nation speaks! So I wanted to meet you too! I've heard so much about you!"
Hungary stood rigid in place, blinking rapidly. Oh, so the future queen was just now let in on the big secret. The mystery of nations existing in one single human-looking body that lives as long as its people do.
It surely makes quite a revelation from a human perspective.
"You sure are a real beauty as they say, Frau Héderváry!" Sissi quickly walked over to her, much to the servants' and ladies' dismay, as all their work on her dress just got ruined.
Sissi wasn't paying them any mind. She reached for Hungary's hands, much to the nation's surprise, and lifted them to clasp their fingers.
"Just like your lands! I've heard of your flush forests and never-ending plains! All the stories I've been told, they all make me want to see it for myself!"
Hungary stared, perplexed.
"W-what? Who spoke to you about me?"
"My teacher, Count Majláth! My Papa also told me some things too."
Her heart dropped in disappointment at the thought that it wasn't Austria. But then again, if he would ever praise her land, it would be in the most political context possible. And on rare occasions, he would sincerely admit that her country had its charm to it.
Hungary never managed to coax him into admitting more.
"You see, I like wandering about when I have the time, but unfortunately I'm quite limited since I married Joseph," Sissi continued, her smile turning into a pout.
Hungary blinked in confusion.
"You wander in forests?"
"Oh yes! All the time! I also know how to hunt, but certain people here don't really appreciate my skill in that field," Sissi chuckled, nodding towards some of the Austrians in the room. They didn't notice, they were busy fitting her dress.
Hungary on the other hand was utterly captivated. She found herself returning the grip on her fingers.
Was this woman speaking the truth? Was she as spirited as she looked like? If yes, then Hungary would gladly invite her on hunts and rides, if only for some girl company while doing her favorite hobbies!
"I am a great hunter too! I mean, other nations tell me that anyway. Would you like to join me sometime? Two women could show these men how to do their jobs!" Hungary beamed at her.
Sissi blinked in awe, then erupted in a fit of chuckles. She laughed heartily, almost looking touched by the offer.
"Oh I would happily! My schedule is very strict, but I will try my best to make time for you Frau Héderváry!"
Hungary grinned in spite of the unusual situation and ignored the gasp and utter look of horror of the Austrian gentlewomen, who couldn't imagine anything more outraging than what had just been said.
"The emperor won't be delighted to hear your childish plans," the coldest looking royal lady spoke up, as if to discipline the future empress. The woman wore a dark blue dress and always carried a large fan with herself. Hungary recalled that this was Archduchess Sophie. Right now, she was in charge.
Sissi immediately bit into her lip, then flashed a bright smile at Sophie.
"I'm sure he would understand."
"Joseph might understand, but the emperor he has to be demands more of you. So stop making childish promises to...nations that are out of our league," Sophie paused in mid-sentence, as if reconsidering saying an insult, and then quickly recovered.
Hungary still felt like she was insulted by the words that were spoken and were left unspoken. She glared daggers in Sophie's way, but was quickly halted when she saw the worried look on Sissi's face.
Hungary didn't have the heart to upset her so she forced a smile.
"It's fine, I will be busy too. We will still meet on occasions! You are welcome to my land as well, if you want to see it for real."
Sissi practically beamed at the offer.
"Oh yes! I would want to! I would really want to!"
Sophie sighed in the background. Loudly. Just so everyone could hear.
June 8. Buda
Austria looked over the crowd of people in St Matthew's Cathedral as he took his place in the shadows of the priests. His limp was barely noticeable anymore.
The reason why he and Hungary stood in the back was because national representations usually weren't put forward to show off. People hardly knew such things even existed so the nations just watched the events from a close but hidden angle.
He glanced over to Hungary, clad in a beautiful dress that had her trademark tricolor design. His breath hitched as their eyes met. She appeared calm, but her green orbs betrayed her. She was nervous.
Just like him.
Instinctively, he held his arm out and she easily slipped her hand in the crook. Her touch felt warm even through his clothes. Or maybe it was just too hot in here.
With all this many people stuffed inside, it surely raised the temperature, right?
The platform was occupied by the Primate of the Catholic church and his helpers, the Hungarian Prime Minister and by Joseph and Sissi themselves.
Hungary and Austria watched their new rulers rise with the Hungarian crowns. Their chest swelled with pride but also tightened in familiar unease.
As soon as the Holy Crown of her nation settled on Joseph's head, Hungary felt the shift. A new connection to a new ruler. A legal, accepted leader to her people.
She bowed her head, knowing that her place was indeed secured in the empire, much above anything she had bargained for.
The two halves of the Empire were now two formally independent states of equal status, and this place, this coronation just verified it, showed it to the world.
Only after cheer erupted did she look up with a sigh of relief. Her people were elated. Not healed, not comforted, but at least happily looking forward to a prosperous future.
She could manage a smile for them.
She just wished she could wear a genuine smile stemming from real happiness. Centuries ago, she might have cried even. Hungary has always had an admiration for Austria. She liked his regal composure, his intelligence, his gentlemanly traits, his talent in all kind of arts. Marrying him wouldn't have sounded so bad.
But now with all the bitter fallouts behind them, she suppressed the part of her that wanted to genuinely cheer.
Her grip tightened around Austria's arm as they started towards the carriages.
Austria glanced down at her warily. They hand't spoken much during the last few months, and truth be told, none of them quite knew how to.
A new phase would start in their relationship. Even though marriages among nations were not uncommon, they were far from the image of the human-kind. It was an alliance, a union of deeper level, but in a very political fashion.
Austria was all too familiar with the concept as he tended to use marriages to his advantage and avoid wars whenever possible. All is fine when there is no bloodshed, right? Marrying another nation didn't require him to act all emotional or get cozy with them anyway, so what is there to lose?
Yet, as he looked at Hungary, part of him hoped they could somehow vanquish all unease and distance. He simply couldn't allow her to feel resentment towards him. It was unacceptable.
"Hey," Hungary spoke up once they were seated in their own carriage, looking out the window and waving towards the crowd.
Austria cocked his head in her direction while she continued to wave her hand and smile warmly at the people. She reserved that smile only for the humans.
"Yes?"
Hungary stopped for a moment and withdrew from the window. He did so too and a serious veil fell upon his face. She looked like she was about to say something that could upset him.
"I know you don't trust me now. Otherwise you wouldn't keep a tab on me all day every day."
Austria frowned. Well, that is true.
"And you probably won't believe me when I say I will stand beside you. Now that we have to work together like this, I will do my part faithfully."
"But you are still holding a grudge," he pointed out flatly, trying not to get affected by seemingly empty words.
Hungary chuckled at that.
"You know me well."
"I'm not sure about that," he glanced sideways as if embarrassed. "You still catch me off-guard too many times."
Hungary offered a kinder smile this time, sighing.
"I'm being honest here, Ausztria."
"I had put trust into those words the last time and look where it got me," Austria huffed, crossing his arms.
"Well, sitting in a carriage, married to me," Hungary pointed out, giggling. Austria found it less amusing, but at least she spoke in good humor. Better than bitter words and rude cackles.
"Oh, imagine what comes next! Shall I repeat the procedure, next time I'll be head of the Empire!" she gestured wide with her hands, eyes sparkling in mischief. She tried to lighten the mood.
Austria couldn't stifle a dumbfounded cough.
"Wha-no! No way! I'm not about to...!"
"Haha, just joking, Ausztria!" Hungary waved his worries away and continued to laugh. "You take everything too seriously!"
Austria sat back with reddened cheeks, slightly upset. How can she laugh so freely after saying such things? It was absolutely no laughing matter to him! Right now his Empire depended solely on the mood of one certain nation sitting across him, and the stability of her government was the key to get through this miserable decade.
Joking like this was getting on his nerves.
"And besides," Hungary composed herself and smoothed her long curls, "If you need some kind of proof that I'm not out there to get you, please remember what I answered to Prussia when he came to me behind your back."
Austria's eyes widened, then he casted his gaze down.
That time, in 1866, during the start of the Prussian-Austrian-Italian war, Prussia sent a secret message to Hungary. The Austrian spies weren't good enough to catch onto the letter so it arrived as intended in Hungary's hands. She read it, she considered it, then she threw the paper into the flames and told her people not to be swayed by any messages coming from the battlefield. She would not partake. She would not stab Austria in the back just to make Prussia's war easier.
How did Austria know of this? The guards he assigned to follow Hungary saw the whole thing and got the letter out of the fire before it turned completely to ash. Just reading half of it was enough to know what the message contained.
Without question, her response was an act of trustworthiness. He was in a weak spot, she could even benefit from turning on him on the short run, but she chose to turn her back instead on Prussia of all people.
Austria secretly had his hopes up ever since then, but he never got the courage to ask about it.
So he was glad Hungary brought it up. He felt like he was due to thank her.
"I remember," he said quietly, considering his next words. "I'm...glad you chose to stay away from the war. And from him."
"Associating with him always causes me headaches," she shrugged it off as if it wasn't a big deal. But she smiled fondly, recalling the whiteness of said Prussian man's hair, and his unnaturally red eyes.
Her gaze startled Austria for some reason.
"Why did you...?" he spoke without really meaning to, instantly halting himself. He shouldn't have asked, but now Hungary was looking at him in question.
"Why did I what?"
Austria casted his eyes down, conflict apparent on his face, and Hungary could have sworn he almost looked vulnerable.
His lips parted and closed in hesitance.
"Why did you stay with me? After...everything that happened?"
The question rolled down his tongue like a heavy rock from a mountain.
Hungary's eyes widened for a moment, taken aback as if expecting anything but such. They have been delicately dancing around uncomfortable topics like their recent fallout.
And now he brought it up in the most sensitive context. Austria felt like slapping himself in the face.
Hungary searched his eyes but he avoided her stare. He didn't want to see the ugly look she was probably giving him.
"Well," her voice came out a bit forced, but not hostile, "I happen to benefit from living with you. Just as much as you benefit from me being there too. Isn't that enough?"
Austria swallowed hard, catching his gaze to meet hers. She was looking away. Out the window.
He tried to say something, but the sudden tightness in his chest didn't allow him to. He had no idea why he even feel like that. Her answer was reasonable. Moreover, he had the exact same reason to keep her in the Empire. Benefit. That's all there is to it.
Yet, for some reason, he expected something else. He wanted to hear that there was something more. Perhaps he just wanted to hear that he was worth staying for.
Hungary stayed silent, focusing on the outside crowd. The look on her face told very little now. Was she regretting it? Was she having second thoughts?
No, I can't be doubtful now. She had my back during '66. I will have to trust her if I really want this union to work.
Unfortunately, trust isn't so easily established by sheer force of will.
If you guys expected a grand wedding, sorry to disappoint folks. I felt like this is a more accurate way of describing the events, since the existence of personified nations is not a commonly known thing among humans and therefore people would be confused to see two unfamiliar faces getting wed.
And now onto the main storyline in the future chapters! Some tensions still need to be quelled! ;)
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End notes:
-Sissi: Queen Elisabeth, empress of Austria-Hungary, wife of Franz Joseph, beloved by the Hungarian people for her love she showered our nation with, she is part of the reason Hungarian-Austrian relations had turned for the better (We love you Sissi! Also fun fact: this is where Hungary-chan's human name was inspired from)
-Count Majláth: Hungarian noble, royal teacher of Sissy on the empire's history and national studies
-Archduchess Sophie: mother of Franz Joseph, who liked to control everything and had trust issues with Hungarians in general
-St Matthew's Cathedral: an imposing building in Budapest where Sissi and Joseph where coronated by Hungarian traditions, making them King and Queen of Hungary
-Holy Crown: a crown worn by our very first king and has been passed down in generations ever since, some say it has a supernatural aura and being coronated by it is one of the three requirements to be accepted as a legal Hungarian king
-1866. Prussian-Austrian-Italian war: during the war Austria was greatly weakened and cornered, he also feared he might get backstabbed by Hungary, but Hungarian leadership decided not to take advantage of the situation in order to show loyalty to the Habsburgs
