Chapter 2: Meeting
Agnise dragged the heavy bucket filled with soapy water into the large lobby; the familiar walls of light peach greeted her eyes as she set the bucket down at the center of the room. Then picking up the mop Agnise dumped it into the metal bucket soaking the head. Taking the heavy handle, she began to move it back and forth over the marbled floor picking up the dust and grime.
She grimaced at how the splinters in the wood tore harshly into the soft flesh of her hands. Small pricks of scarlet blood coated her palms. She didn't get how little Italy-kun was able to handle the annoying pain. Agnise knew she should have gotten blisters by now however her skin seemed to refuse to bunch up into those hard raised lumps of flesh.
A gruff voice broke her train of thoughts; startled, Agnise quickly looked up in time to see Roderich walk into the room having a deep conversation with a familiar looking man. She shivered at the sight of him, his sleek hair was so blonde it looked white and his eyes shone an unearthly dark ruby red. He was handsome but seemed unnatural and almost spectral like with the contrast of his pale skin to the black tailed coat he was wearing.
Biting her lower lip she stopped what she was doing and lowered her gaze, showing respect. The man seemed to notice her immediately thereby leaving Roderich to stop mid-sentence and look over to see what had caught the Prussian's attention.
"Aha, so this is little Agnise?" The Prussian smiled at her, his lips curving slightly. His red eyes didn't leave her as he spoke over his shoulder to the Austrian who was a few steps behind him.
Roderich had an odd expression on his face, a mixture of pride, frustration, and fear. It vanished the moment he looked over at Agnise and was just replaced by annoyance. Almost as if he didn't want her to be there with the Prussian present.
"Yes yes, Agnise this is Gilbert Beilschmidt." Roderich introduced quickly.
With the Prussian's gaze still lingering on her, the Austrian made a little impatient shooing gesture behind him at the Silesian.
Agnise forced a smile on her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you Prussia-san." "I am sorry but I must take my leave."
She leaned over to the metal bucket of water; her fingers wrapped around the handle then cold leather clad fingers cupped her chin gently lifting her head. A finger of ice trails down the length of her spine causing her to shudder and set all of her nerves of the edge. Until now she had avoided looking directly at the Prussian but now she felt so exposed and vulnerable as his eyes roam over her face. Not only that, he was very tall, her head only came up to his upper stomach. Agnise felt afraid, she didn't want to be here with him, and she felt a sudden strong urge to run away as far as she could.
"You're a pretty one… how lucky you are Roderich….having such a big house to yourself with two lovely ladies." Gilbert's curious smile turns into a cocky smirk.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about Elizabeta of course; she sure looks like she changed."
Roderich ignores the slur, and doesn't show he cared about it at all, other than the faintest blush that covered his cheeks.
"Gilbert kindly let go of Agnise so she may carry on her other duties." The Austrian said firmly regaining his composure.
Gilbert laughs but releases her from his iron grip, trailing a stray strand of her long brown hair between his thumb and index finger at the last second.
Agnise quickly pulled away before the Prussian could do anything else. Snatching the bucket she began to walk towards the door.
"Well then, I'm looking forward to meeting her formally tomorrow, along with her brother."
"About that…….."
Agnise had already closed the great doors behind her shutting out Roderich's voice but she knew the Austrian was telling the Prussian about the extra practice lesson. Feeling greatly relived at this thought, she headed down the hallway into the drawing room speedily mopping the floor. After a moment later Agnise tossed the cleaning tools into a storage closet without a second thought she went outside to the garden.
The sun was high in the clear blue sky filled with white puffy clouds that reminded her of the ice cream Roderich had once bought for her and her brother. There was a light breeze which lifted her hair and filled her nose with the scents of the growing plants. It relaxed her tense back and all of her worries were long forgotten. She walked down the neatly cobbled stone path until she came to a wooden bench near the red rose bushes that Roderich liked so much. A stone fountain was a few feet away from the bench the carved forms of a fairy surrounded by different animals. Plopping down on the bench she let out a long contented sigh and closed her eyes letting her mind wander.
"Feliciano Vargas, don't eat that!"
"Vee~ But tomatoes are tasty and I am hungry."
"Yes yes I know, I'll make pasta for you later but those tomatoes aren't ripe yet." "See they're green around the sides."
"Ahh~ I see……but I'm so hungry."
"You're always hungry Ita-chan."
Agnise opened her eyes at the sound of the voices. She could tell Hungary-san was working in the vegetable patch with Italy-kun. She wondered where her brother was. After all he was with Italy-kun cleaning the bathrooms. Rather it was Feliciano making the mess and Caspar cleaning up after him. Italy-kun had told her once, that he also had a sibling. Agnise had asked him if they were alike he replied in appearances yes but in personalities not really. Italy-kun said that his brother Romano was rougher and gets annoyed easily.
She smoothed out the folds of her dress as pair of hands clasped themselves over her eyes blocking her vision.
"Guess who?" A familiar sounding voice sang out into the air.
"Caspar!" Agnise laughed grabbing his wrists and pulling his hands away, all the while twisting around to see her brother's smiling face. His shining gray eyes reflected his seemingly always positive mood.
"Bingo~!" Caspar walked around and squeezed himself next to her on the bench.
"So my lovely sister, how was your cleaning in the lobby and drawing room?"
Agnise was just about to reply when a bundle of white threw himself into her lap.
"Vee~ Agnise-san." Feliciano beamed up at her, wrapping his small fingers around her hand.
She smiled at him adjusting the fluffy maid cap he wore on top of his chocolate colored hair.
"How are you Italy-kun?" She asked with while brushing his silky hair off his forehead.
"I'm fine but very hungry….." Feliciano whined.
"Alright, let's go inside for lunch." Elizabeta called behind her shoulder while heading through the doors of the mansion.
Agnise placed Feliciano on the ground taking his small hand in her own while grasping Caspar's arm.