"And don't let me catch you sneaking out again! NOW GET BACK TO WORK!"
We see Serbia walking towards a pile of wood and a tree trunk, rubbing her back. She passes her house which is small and in desperate need of repairs. Its only positive feature is that it is very far away from the main Ottoman palace.
Serbia grabs an axe and starts chopping wood. Runt comes to greet her happy and unharmed. He grunts as if to announce someone. Serbia smiles: "Well then, tell him to come."
The little pig happily bolts and returns quickly to his very own mud pool. A head pops out from a nearby wooden fence. It's Montenegro. They nod to each other as hello.
"Hope you don't mind but your little walking pork chop let me in the back."
"Why would I mind? Drop by any time bro. You can even lend a hand" she jokes as she chops another piece.
"Sorry, but it's after noon. I have a strict policy not to work after 12 o'clock" he says leaning by his shoulders on the fence. For a moment, we can see the back and his feet dangling in the air.
"I would say you have a "no work" policy - period" she laughs rubbing her aching side.
"What's wrong?"
"100 lashes for sneaking out last night."
"Wow...a hundred. That almost sounds reasonable."
"I know. I was surprised myself."
"So where did you go?" he asks watching her work.
"Looking for allies."
Montenegro groans displeased: "Please tell me you didn't go to Austria again?!"
Serbia stops for a second and sighs: "Yes."
"Sis, he already left you hanging – twice."
"I know but what else can I do? I wrote to every European nation with an army. My men are running from office to office trying to get any kind of support. At least he talks to me. These Europeans...it's like they want the Ottomans on their doorstep."
Montenegro looks at his fingers and calmly adds: "Have you tried talking to Russia?"
"Russia...hmm, I don't know. I haven't heard many nice things about him."
"Really? I've been sending my men there for years. Never had any problems."
Serbia stops working completely and puts her finger on her chin: "Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to try."
Next scene:A scene of a small boat floating on the water. We hear Serbia's narration: "So I decided to listen to my older brother and go with him to see the big Slav nation himself. A few diplomats and church officials (among them the famous Prota Matea) came to talk to the humans. The weather was on our side and everything seemed fine. Well..."
A scene of Serbia puking the content of her entrails clenching to the edge of the boat. Montenegro sits close and says: "I think I can see your lung floating on the water over there."
She tries to laugh but is interrupted by another violent burst of vomiting.
"God I hate not having a sea" she mutters looking like a zombie.
Next scene: At the royal palace in Sankt Petersburg, the Serbian delegation stands in the admittance room. Everyone is trying really hard not to let their jaws drop from all the splendour of the large hall. They are alone. Someone jokes in the back "This would be a nice place to hang your coat" to which the others quietly chuckle.
The doors open and the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister comes in. With him is a figure in an elegant uniform with a bunch of gold medals and other military ornaments. His fair hair and purple eyes pop thanks to the blackness of the uniform.
"May I present to you Russia. Our glorious nation."
Montenegro stands straight: "'Sup."
The camera goes to Serbia who has her mouth wide open and is looking mesmerized at him.
Montenegro nudges her and she flinches.
"Don't say anything stupid" she thinks. Then she opens her mouth to say hello but no sound comes out.
"Are you alright?" Russia asks looking confused.
After a quick glance Montenegro comes to the rescue and says Serbia had a rough trip and that it would be better if he rested for a bit, to which she frantically shakes her head.
Next scene: Serbia is in a small bedroom, thinking about what just happened.
"I must have looked like an idiot" she says looking at the mirror next to the wardrobe holding her face with both hands. She is wearing most of the clothes she wore while visiting Austria but also a new coat and shoes borrowed from Montenegro which are obviously too small for her.
"Okay Serbia, pull yourself together. You came here for a reason."
She takes a deep breath and stands up.
Next scene: Russia and Serbia are taking a walk in the garden.
"How are you feeling now?" he asks.
"Much better thank you."
They continue walking. Russia is in his usual coat with a white scarf.
"Your people told me about your troubles" he continues.
"You don't know the half of it..." she snorts. Then she continues talking about everything that happened ever since the Ottomans came to her land. How they demanded unreasonable taxes. How her people ran north to save themselves. How they rebelled many times because the conditions were so bad and how terribly they were punished for it every time. He listens very carefully without saying a word. At the end he sighs: "I feel for you. I do. But the balance of power is so delicate right now. France is acting weird with this new boss of his. I can't afford a new war with the Ottoman Empire right now.
"But..." she utters desperately. He interrupts her holding his hand up: "That doesn't mean I'm not going to try and help you. I'll call him tomorrow and tell him to treat you better."
"And if he doesn't?"
Russia becomes quiet for a moment: "Let's try and solve things peacefully, alright? Not everything should be solved with war."
"So you're saying you're my ally now" she smiles.
Russia smiles back: "Well...in a way, yes. I mean, we are both Orthodox with a similar language so-"
He stops mid sentence because of Serbia's sudden hug. "Thank you so much" she says with her eyes tearing up, pressing her face on his shoulder. He is confused but accepts it by patting her on the hands.
Next scene: Serbia is back home. Closing the door she states: "That's strange. Ottoman didn't even bother to show up. Did he even notice I was gone?"
Night falls and with it a terrible storm. She sits in her night shirt listening to the thunder in silence. She opens one of the floor planks taking out an old dusty mirror and an old gold brush. Trinkets left from the time she was a prosperous independent nation. She looks at herself saying: "I really made myself ugly with this haircut. I wonder..." She grabs a scarf and puts it on her head to fall like hair. Then she presses her lips thigh so that they turn red and pinches her cheeks.
"I guess this looks a little better. Once I'm free I can tell him my little secret" she giggles falling back on the bed.
Suddenly, loud banging is heard coming from the front door. In panic she gets dressed quickly and goes to see who it is. Impatient banging is heard again. "I'm coming!" she screams expecting the worst.
"Austria?"
"What took you so long! I'm soaking wet!"
"Sorry... Didn't expect any visitors this late at night" she says looking at him completely confused.
"This is not a social visit" Austria interrupts impatiently hanging his wet coat and hat and taking a place near the fire, "we have important matters to discuss."
"Do you want something to drink? I think I have something in the cellar" she says and runs outside.
Next scene: Serbia puts a bottle of wine on the table and pours him a glass. He drinks it quickly and asks for another.
"I hate to be rude but why are you here this late and on this weather?"
"I heard you went to see Russia. What was that all about?"
Serbia pours a glass for herself. "Yeah, I did. He was actually really nice. Offered to help and everything."
Austria chocked a little on his cup: "Do you have any idea what you just did you stupid boy!"
"Huh?"
"You want to bring the Russians here! It's like the Ottomans weren't bad enough and now I have to deal with HIM near my boarders."
"I don't know what you are complaining about. If he turns out as bad as you said he was I will be the one who has to deal with him."
Austria looks at her with a mix of rage and disdain: "You still don't get it do you! You don't get to decide anything! This is much bigger than you – it's world politics."
She frowns and leaves her glass: "Now listen you! I had it up to here with your snobbery. I don't want anything that already isn't mine. That means a land for my people, who speak my language and share my history! You can take your world politics and shab it up your arse!"
Austria facepalms himself and sighs deeply.
"What's the matter with you anyway?! When we trade everything is fine. My people live at your place incident-free. They co-exist with your people peacefully and even mingle but yet when I talk to you it's like talking to an hostile stranger. What exactly is your problem with me?"
Austria raises his head and straightens in his chair: "Look, I have nothing against your people. It's true there were no real incidents ever and many of my people got rich trading with you. Still...the world is like a chess board (we see an image of the board and pieces being moved by an invisible hand). You have the important pieces and the pawns (The important figures have the faces of France, Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia, Ottomans and so on, while the pawns have the faces of Poland, Lithuania, Czechia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and many more). You my boy are one of the pawns (we see one with her face) and you are not important in the great scheme of things."
There is a moment of silence only interrupted by the sound of thunder outside.
"Why can't you be more like Hungary? She understand how things work and has accepted her fate. Quite a looker too" the last part is said quieter.
"You forgot about the queen."
"Pardon?"
"If a pawn manages to get to the end of the board, it can summon the queen back. No other chess piece can do that." (an image of exactly that is shown and it lingers on the image of a faceless white queen)
Austria snickers: "So is Russia that queen? Don't get your hopes up too much. There are far more important things happening out there. He will forget about you in a second."
Serbia leans on her hand and very calmly adds: "Is that what you drove all this way during a storm to tell me?"
He smashes his glass down and yells: "I'm done reasoning with you. You are digging your own grave. Goodbye!" With that he grabs his things and leaves.
Getting cocky Serbia continues yelling with the door closed: "See you in a few days! I have a new batch of pork for you. Nice and juicy just how you like it."
At that moment a loud pig squill is heard from the yard.
"Runt!" she screams opening the door. The rain is still falling heavily. The carriage has already left. She sees the pig laying on the ground near the gate.
Next scene: Runt is being washed with a cloth near the fire. He has a big bruise in the shape of foot.
"How are you now?" she asks caringly. The piggy grunts hurt. She pours some wine into a bowl : "This will help you feel better."
While Runt drinks she sits next to him quietly drinking her glass too near the fire.
"You think fancy-pants is right? Will Russia leave me hanging?"
Runt grunts and continues drinking. Serbia laughs so hard that wine comes out of her nose.
"You're so right about that...You know what Runt, you're a pretty smart pig. Smarter than most humans in fact. Yet, if a big fat hog sat on you right now, that would be the end of you. You're just like me."
The pig doesn't react to this and soon falls asleep drunk. She gets up and goes to bed herself.
"Good idea. We should rest. A lot of work awaits us."
This is the end of this chapter. I will do an aftermath which I promise will be more fun.