My vision was blurred as I slowly opened my eyes; I shook my head, and things once again came into focus, albeit gradually. I was curled in a small armchair; I rubbed my neck, feeling the bruises from where Russia had grabbed me.
For that matter, where was Russia? I swung my feet down, and carefully stood, trying not to overbalance. I felt like I had a hangover, which was strange in itself. I didn't remember drinking any alcohol. For that matter, I didn't know how long I had been unconscious, or even why. The last I remembered, I was shouting at—oh, no.
"Oh, no, no, no," I muttered, feeling bile rise in my mouth. "No…" It was true; I could feel it in my bones, my heart, my being as a country. Russia had invaded; I could feel the fighting escalate even as I stood there.
"Ah, good morning, malenʹkaya sestra.1And how are you feeling?" He moved like a cat! I hadn't heard him coming at all! He was back in his working clothes, with that long scarf wrapped around his throat; come to think of it, the summit was the first time I had seen him without it.
"Not so well. You're in my country, and you're unwelcome," I said flatly. "I know we are resisting you, and I will do the same."
Russia's light smile faded. "I am aiding you, little one," he replied shortly. "Your economy is failing, and your tourist trade is nearly gone. If I said Georgia to anyone outside of Eastern Europe, they would think of the capitalist American state. I don't see how you cannot be grateful! I have put your name on the evening news, so to speak."
I folded my arms and glared. "I'd rather be living quietly in obscurity."
Russia smiled then, a genuine one, full of warmth; I wondered what had brought that on. "Come, you're dirty. Please use the bath upstairs; I'll make you some shchi2 for dinner."
"Dinner?" It couldn't have been that long!
Russia noticed my expression. "You've been unconscious nearly all day," he explained kindly. "It was a long trip, and you felt sick after I gave you some chloroform to quiet you down. It was only five millilitres," he added quickly, catching my expression.3
"You could've killed me!" I shouted, reduced to nearly-incoherent rage. "You—you—you—" Russia took me by the wrist and pulled me gently but firmly upstairs. He found, after some rummaging in the Baltics' old rooms, a towel and shampoo (formerly Latvia's). I tried to break free from his grip, but his fingers tightened to the point of grinding the bones of my wrist together. He then pushed me, my wrist behind my back, into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Russia then bodily lifted me into the base of the shower, turning on the water, whistling a happy little tune as he did so, and gently began to unzip my dress from behind. "RUSSIA!" I screamed, nearly slipping in the water sloshing around my ankles. "STOP!" I turned to face him, ignoring the pain in my wrist. "Let me go," I said, my voice shaking.
Russia's eyebrows leaped into his hairline. "You didn't seem to take the hint, sestra. If you cannot shower yourself, I can help." He smiled again, that warmth from somewhere I didn't think existed. "I'll be downstairs." And he left, as quietly as he had came in when I had woken. I stood in the shower, shaking, for a long minute and a half, until I heard the nation's footsteps creak into the kitchen a floor below.
As I stripped and showered, I thought over everything that had happened. It wasn't my fault Georgia had been invaded, was it? Estonia was being bullied, poor thing. I had to say something. Ah, I should have let America handle it; while being sometimes a little dense, he still had a soft spot for small nations. I knew I had allies in this fight—Armenia, Moldova, possibly America. It wasn't definite that I would be annexed, after all.
But still, I knew deep in my heart we couldn't beat Russia. It was physically impossible—my standing army was not a tenth of his. Even if I had allies send troops, it would be a disaster to antagonize the larger nation. Besides, my best hope for a larger number, America, was deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq and several other places.
Hot tears ran down my face, mingled with the lukewarm water from the showerhead. Would I be left alone? Would someone help me? Wouldn't someone help me?
1 "little sister."
2 A soup. Generally it is made with either cabbage or sauerkraut and other winter vegetables, although meat can be added.
3 Chloroform in dosages above 10mL is fatal; dosages above 5mL can seriously impair brain function if exposed for a long time.