Chapter 6
It was a nightmare come true for England, like the whole world around him had just come to a complete standstill. He couldn't believe what Francis had said to him, how he had been able to see right through his charade and know that he wasn't who he said he was. But he wasn't going to give Francis the satisfaction of being proven right.
"W-what are you talking about Francis? You aren't making any sense, I am the real Arthur." England did his best to keep up with Francis leading him in the dance but found that every now and then his steps would falter as he tried to think up a plan that would save him from the nightmare that he had wound up in.
"Non you are not and do you want to know how I know? The real Arthur would never have agreed to dance with me."
"Well . . . that is because I don't exactly remember you or anyone here."
"Playing the memory loss card will only get you so far you imposter." Francis glanced back towards Alfred and then looked back at England. "Poor Alfred he has waited so desperately for his Arthur to return to him. You are only going to hurt him again you know that, and when that happens it will be the end of Spades. Alfred can't cope much longer without Arthur by his side not after fifteen years."
At Francis's words England felt like the air had been squeezed out of his lungs. He didn't know why but that thought of Alfred devastated him to his core.
As the song came to an end England separated himself from Francis and made his way for the nearest exit from the ballroom. On his way out he quickly passed Alfred and quickly gave an excuse for him suddenly leaving. "I . . . I just need some fresh air."
When England made out of the ballroom he found himself in the gardens. Ahead of him he could see a fountain that stood in the centre of the gardens. He made his way over to the fountain and sat down on its edge and looked at his reflection in the water.
"What am I doing? I'm not Arthur. I never will be. I should have been honest with Alfred from the very start. I want to tell him the truth but what if I do hurt him like Francis said I would." England then grasped his chest feeling his heart ache at the thought of happening. "And why do I feel so pained at the mere thought of it? He's not my America so I shouldn't care about him enough for it to hurt me like this."
As he continued to look at his reflection England couldn't help but feel as if someone was watching him. England looked around at his surroundings worried that Francis might have followed him out into the gardens; but as he looked he saw that there was no one with his sight but the feeling of being watched still lingered. England decided to ignore this feeling as he thought that he was just being paranoid and turned his attention back to the waters in the fountain.
England let one of his hands rest in the waters of the foundation finding that as soon as he did so he felt an overly calm sensation and a feeling of warmth spreading throughout his body despite the initial cold sting of the water upon the first touch of the water's surface.
England was so lost in the feeling that the water was giving him that he didn't notice someone sit down next to him. "Arthur."
England turned around to look at the person next to him and saw that it was Alfred who had come to join him. "A-Alfred what are you doing out here?"
"I could ask you the same question Arthur. You've been out here for nearly an hour, aren't you cold sitting out here?"
It was only when Alfred asked him did England notice how cold the air around him truly was. "I-I hadn't noticed how cold it was until now."
Things were quite between Alfred and England that was until Alfred moved closer to the smaller blond. "Why did you come out here in the first place Arthur? Did Francis say something to you?"
England didn't want to tell Alfred what it was that Francis had said to him, he didn't even want to remember the whole conversation in fear of the pain that it would only cause him once again. "No it was nothing to do with Francis . . ." England tried to think of an excuse that Alfred would buy without batting an eyelid at. "I . . . I was just a little light headed that's all. I just needed a little bit of fresh air is all don't worry Alfred I'm fine."
Alfred tilted his head over so slightly at England's excuse, not completely buying it as a valid reason. "I know you Arthur. I know when there's something wrong you can trust me and no matter what the reason is I will always stand by you till the very end of time."
This time it felt as if England's heart had skipped a beat and this time it was caused by Alfred's kind words to him. To England it was starting to feel like his heart was betraying him and it didn't help when Alfred was being so kind to him. England decided to try and push Alfred away from just a little bit, not physically he couldn't bear to do that again a second time today. "You wouldn't understand Alfred no one could ever understand what it is I have to go through."
"Then lean on me Arthur. I can be there for you no matter what it is. We've always trusted and supported each other from the moment that we met."
England hadn't realised how much of an open book that Alfred and Arthur were to each other, but he knew that there must have been some secrets between them. "I doubt that Alfred you probably don't even know what kind of person I truly am."
"I do Arthur. I know that you are a sorcerer and of the magic that you posses."
To say that England was shocked was a bit of an understatement, he looked at Alfred for only a brief second before looking away again with certainty that Alfred treated Arthur the same way that America treats him day in and day out for the last couple of centuries. "And I bet you make fun of me for it every single day."
Alfred cupped one side of England's face and forced the other blond to look at him. "I would never do that to you Arthur. I care too much about you to even think about doing something so horrible to the one that I hold so close to my heart. I love you magic or no magic Arthur."
Once again England's heart skipped a beat at Alfred's words and he could also feel his face warm up as blood rushed to his face. "Wh-What kind and loving words. I can tell that Alfred does truly love Arthur and that is what hurts me so much. Those words are meant for Arthur not me and it will devastate Alfred if he ever does find out. . . I will make sure that he doesn't find out until I know what happened to Arthur. Until they are reunited at last."
Alfred let go of England's face and stood back up and looked back to England after briefly looking back to the castle. He held out his hand to England with a reassuring and confident smile on his face. "We should go back inside. And know this Arthur no matter what happens you will always have me by your side."
"Of course Alfred, and thank you." England took a hold of Alfred's hand and with renewed determination he headed back into the ballroom at Alfred's side. But not before he looked back towards the fountain when he heard something or someone.
"England."
Alfred had noticed that England had stopped walking and looked in the direction that he was. "Is everything ok Arthur?"
England dismissed what he heard and turned his attention back to Alfred. "I-It's nothing I just thought that I heard something that is all."
With that Alfred and England re-entered the ballroom and this time England made sure to stay close to Alfred's side and not let Francis go anywhere near him or let what he said get to him for the rest of the night.
It had been a couple of weeks since Norway had joined America and Canada at England's house. But all that it had really done was put America even more on edge about everything. He never really understood this whole magic thing that England would constantly go on about with the Nordic nation. So to think that something that he had no understanding of, no way of using was involved in the nations disappearance made him more on edge than he already was and made him feel even worse about himself as there was nothing that he could do to help and had to rely solely on Norway for help.
America and Canada were both standing around Norway as the Nordic nation prepared yet another spell that would hopefully detect the missing nation. America couldn't help but fidget as he watched the older nation work. "Dude seriously how much longer is this going to take."
Norway's patience was starting to wear thin with the young nation and was starting to think of ways to get back at Romania for saying that he should be the one to come here. "Patience America patience, magic takes it's time to work not all magic happens in a blink of an eye."
"I know you've said that for like the millionth time dude. But can't you make this magic stuff work any faster."
"The speed of the magic all depends on the spell America and because this is a detection spell it will take some time as it searching every possible place for England."
America was about to say something but Canada stopped him so that the older nation could work in peace without being pestered by pointless questions.
It was a good couple of hours before Norway's spell yielded results. But unfortunately it was not the results that none of them especially America were hoping for. "This . . . this can't be?"
Canada looked at what Norway was looking but found that he couldn't heads or tales of it. "What is it Norway?"
"England isn't anywhere in this world. But that just can't be possible."
"Wait what do you mean 'this world'? Does that mean that he's on another planet? Dude I've gotta call Tony and see if any of his alien buddies have seen him." America quickly pulled out his phone to make a call but was quickly stopped when Norway took the phone away from him.
"That's not what I mean America. What I mean is that he isn't in this dimension that's why no one can find him."
America was shocked by what Norway had said. He had believed in alternate dimensions but never knew that one actually existed. "So England is another dimension?"
"It would appear so but that in itself holds a problem."
America had relaxed in the fact that they now finally had an idea as to where England was but at Norway's words he found himself on edge once again. "Wait what do you mean? Surely all you have to do is bring him back and things can go back to normal?"
Norway shook his head from side to side before he explained things to America. "It's not as simple as that America, my magic isn't really capable of doing something like that." Norway could see that America was about to interrupt him once again but quickly stopped him. "And before you ask neither can Romania. The only one that could was England himself. The only thing that I can do is show us which dimension it is that he is in . . . but it will take me sometime to do so."
Canada could see the look o his brother's face and could tell that he was getting worried again. "It's ok Norway take your time."
Norway then went about readying another spell, one that this time would allow them to see where England was.
It was sometime before Norway finally had the spell ready which was a relief to not only America but Canada to. As they waited for the spell to be ready America had become paranoid as to what sort of dimension that England was trapped in. He had come up with all sorts of ideas of what could be happening to England in this other dimension. It had ranged from being chased by wired creatures to having to blend in with how the people of the dimension look like and behaved.
When Norway had everything for the spell ready he stood in front of a mirror with all of the spells ingredients in front of him. "This should allow us to see where England is." He could tell that he was going to have to explain how the spell works to the two brothers. "This mirror is a scrying mirror it will allow us to see England but we won't however be able to talk to him." Norway combined the ingredients together and then began to recite the spell.
Both America and Canada watched with fascination and anticipation as to what Norway was doing. America wouldn't admit it but he was scared as to what he would see. He could only hope that England was somewhere safe.
When Norway had finished the spell the trio waited with baited breath as the mirrors surface began to ripple.
As the mirrors surface began to settle America could help himself as he pushed pass Norway to get closer to the mirror as it showed the missing nation. America was relieved as it looked as if England was safe and sound; he was slightly concerned with what England was wearing but he didn't care if it meant that he was safe. He watched as England looked around his surroundings but then back to him even if the other nation didn't know it.
America reached out to the mirror at the same time that England reached his hand out to him. "Don't worry England I'll find some way to get you back no matter how long it takes me. I'll prove to you that I can be a hero and bring you back home safely."
"America he can't hear you remember." Norway said to remind the young nation.
America looked away from the mirror and at Norway all the while keeping his hand firmly on the mirror. "I know and I don't care if he can't I will find a way to get him back. Wait what the?" America's attention was drawn back to the mirror as he saw someone sit down next to England and he couldn't believe that the person looked exactly like him.
Both Norway and Canada were shocked for words at the sight before them in the mirror. An exact copy of America sat down next to England and started to talk to the nation. But unfortunately they weren't able to hear what they were saying.
America desperately turned to face Norway his hand leaving the mirror. "Is there any way that we can hear what they are saying? Please Norway."
Norway quickly approached the mirror and added an extra ingredient to the spell, one that allowed the three of them to hear what was being said between England and America's look alike.
"I know you Arthur. I know when there's something wrong you can trust me and no matter what the reason is I will always stand by you till the very end of time."
"You wouldn't understand Alfred no one could ever understand what it is I have to go through."
Alfred was confused by the names that England and his counterpart were calling each other. He just didn't understand why England wasn't well England but this Arthur and why his counterpart was called Alfred.
"Then lean on me Arthur. I can be there for you no matter what it is. We've always trusted and supported each other from the moment that we met."
"I doubt that Alfred you probably don't even know what kind of person I truly am."
"I do Arthur. I know that you are a sorcerer and of the magic that you posses."
"And I bet you make fun of me for it every single day."
In an instant America regretted every time that he made fun of England for his belief in magic and calling his magical friends stupid.
America felt anger at his counterpart as he watched him cup one side of England's face and made the smaller blond look at him. "I would never do that to you Arthur. I care too much about you to even think about doing something so horrible to the one that I hold so close to my heart. I love you magic or no magic Arthur."
"We should go back inside. And know this Arthur no matter what happens you will always have me by your side."
"Of course Alfred, and thank you."
America was shocked when he saw that England started to walk away with his counterpart. He desperately called out to England in the hope that he would hear him. "England. England! Wait England come back don't go with him. Come back England." But he knew that it was fruitless but he couldn't help but call out to England again and again hoping that there was some way to get through to him.
With one last attempt America pressed his forehead against the mirror and called out to the other nation as he tried to hold back his tears once again. "England."
As soon as England was out of sight the spell on the mirror vanished. America reluctantly pulled himself away from the mirror and brushed away a stray tear that had escaped the corner of his eye.
Canada was quick to place a hand on his brother's shoulder to try and comfort him. He knew that things had just gotten even more difficult for America and he knew that he would have to be strong for the both of them.
America was grateful for his brother being there for him and knew that if Canada wasn't here then he would have broken down a long time ago. He might call himself a hero, but right now Canada was more of a hero than he was.
After a few minutes America was able to finally look to Norway. Even though the older nation very rarely showed any sort motions America could tell that even he was upset at the whole situation. "Norway is there anything that you can do?"
"I already told you America only England is capable of something like dimensional magic. There isn't much that I can do than what I've already done."
Canada could see the look of devastation on his brother's face and then looked to Norway. "Please are you sure that there isn't anything you can do? Anything will do."
Norway was quite as he thought of anything that could be of help to them. "Hmmm . . . the only thing that I might be able to do is to try and open a portal to that dimension. But I can't guarantee as to where it will open to. And it probably won't be safe to send someone through . . . we could only hope that England finds it in the other dimension and makes it safe to travel through. "
America looked at Norway with renewed determination burning in his eyes. "No! I will go through and bring England back. I don't care about the dangers, I will bring him back."
A/N: oh I have been waiting to write the events of this chapter for some time and i'm happy with how they've turned out and this is the longest chapter of this fic so far, well that would mainly be because there was just so much that I wanted to put into this chapter.
the feels are slowly returning people so I hope that you are all ready I know that i'm not and i'm the one writing this. if anyone was hoping that I would reveal how Francis knows that England isn't Arthur well you are just going to have to wait a bit longer for that.
just a reminder I do have a tumblr page where you get some sneak peaks of up and coming chapters
favs, follows and reviews are all welcomed, please let me know what you think of this so far.
till next time gxgirl-93 out