A/N: You may have noticed the slight title change .-. This is what happens when one is reading about Iceland's independence movement while listening to the Healing Incantation from Tangled. I mean…srsly…it fits so much (at least my view on Icey XD).

Norway opened the door to find the child, curled up in and clinging to an old coat, lying in the corner of the room. Though he had held himself together throughout the meeting with the king, as soon as they left, Iceland broke down, screaming and wailing incoherent words and took off running before anyone could stop him.

Where he lay, he almost looked like he had cried himself to sleep, save for the intermittent hiccups and sobbing quivers that shook his body. The Norwegian young man slowly and quietly walked over to him, sitting beside him. "Ice…" he softly spoke, to no response. "Ice… Egill…" He gently placed a hand on the child.

Just then, the boy arose, grabbing his brother's arm tightly and bending it away from him forcefully, as he started to scream again. "Why? Why did you have to do this to me? This is all your fault!" As Sigurd was shocked stiff and silent, Egill pushed him over, sitting on his chest and pounding his fists into the older. "It's your fault they died! It's your fault everything's been ruined! Everything I worked for is gone and it's all your fault! Why? Why?" He broke back into a cry, rolling onto the floor.

Sigurd sat up and almost mechanically went to embrace the child. "I'm sorry, I–"

"I can take care of myself, Bróðir. I lived alone all these centuries and was successful."

"I was lonely, Egill. I…I had to have you." He buried his face in the boy's shoulder. "You're the one I care for and love the most, I can't stand it without you. I'm sorry."

Egill pushed his brother over again and stood up, grabbing the coat. His face turned stone-cold, though still tear-stained, pondering whether to attack again. "You're selfish. Selfish and immature." He went to walk out of the room. "I'll stay with you, Bróðir, but I'll still take care of my own self."

For several weeks, Iceland avoided Norway altogether, only crawling beside him to sleep. Like any nation would be, he was hurt and angered by the loss of his independence, even if it was to his dear brother, and it pushed him over the edge as he had fought desperately to avoid this situation. The treaty formed something of a union between the two states, and while Iceland retained autonomy, he was still under the monarchy, an institution he despised. Norway had become dependent on Icelandic trade, to be able to control the flow of goods was what the government had wanted. Iceland's fortune and prosperity were largely untouched as of yet by foreign rule.

Egill pressed the side of his head up against the large, ornate door. He had been watching and knew that Norway had been asked to meet with his king. Curious, he strained to hear the conversation, not aided by the fact that the language here had begun to diverge from his own just enough to sound strange. It sounded like normal things. Something about Denmark, securing the border with Sweden, threats rising up in Finnmark, some man ran into the city yesterday with his arm cut off blaming the king… Nothing was of interest to the child for a long while, until the conversation took a turn.

"So how has Iceland been?"

It had been several years since the treaty was signed, relations between the two nations yet to return to normal.

"I'm not quite sure, Magnus. He avoids me by day, but comes to me at night. It's been this way the whole time."

"And they say he's become violent over this?"

"Yes. He's attacked me a few times, though most of the time, he runs when I see him."

"Hm, I see. 'Why?' is my question. You are his brother who raised him, right?"

"Iceland is a very self-sufficient child. I acknowledge that he has been alone most of his life because I simply couldn't be there all the time. He doesn't trust me, or anything else here."

"I see. I would like to speak with him once."

Egill widened his eyes and took off. He didn't want that. If only there was some way to teleport home…

Within minutes, he heard those doors open and slam again, just as he predicted. A fifty percent chance was all he had that he could avoid this just a little while longer. He stopped, ducking behind a column, and listened intently for footsteps. None.

"Egill?" He could clearly hear the call. "Lillebror, where are you?" The footsteps then started, and as chance would have it, in Egill's direction. He backed against the wall. "Ice, come on, I know where you are. Let's be civil and mature, both of us, okay?"

Unwilling to accept defeat, the child sank down to the floor. The footsteps got louder and louder until they stopped. He looked out to see a pair of feet in front of him, moving his glance up the thin body to meet Sigurd's softly smiling face. Begrudgingly, he stood up without a sound.

"Bróðir misses you. Things aren't going to change by your running away all the time."

"I know, I…" Then with a sudden small smile, "Let's start over, Bróðir." Holding out his hand, "I am Iceland, and you are my dear big brother. Our history together may not be what either of us wanted, and honestly, what we each want is probably very different from the other's. From now on, I will stand by your side as the brother you always wanted me to be, and as long as I am treated with the same respect, I will remain loyal to you. One day, Bróðir, I will grow up, and as an adult, I will leave you, but I will always love you. I cannot stay a child forever."

Softly, the taller nation held the outstretched hand in both of his. "Thank you, and I promise I will protect you with all of my life, from whatever would harm you. I cannot prevent bad things from happening, but I will try to be the best brother I can. Now let's go eat together."

A/N: /ADMISSION OF GUILT/ I wrote most of this with little to no research, just based on stuff I've read a while ago and the lovely derpiness of my brain. I would like to use this as an opportunity to claim artistic license yet again for anything I failed.

I was going to write about the mini Ice Age thing, but then I got lazy and decided I'll write a whole chapter about that and the relations of Iceland and some other nations. When I feel like researching it better /shot

Please review~ Especially if you have suggestions for something (I'll take them, even for more modern history, and try to work them in), or questions about whatever, or corrections on my fails. I love you, readers!

~Butter~