Chapter 10

England's POV

"Alright," I said calling everyone to order. "We seem to be missing a few members, but we are already so far behind schedule that we can no longer wait for them." I turned to the remaining members, looks like today it would be just Japan, Belarus, Russia, The Baltics, France, China, Australia and I, Germany and Romano were nowhere to be found.

"But, Germany and Romano still have not arrived," Japan said, a worried look on his face. "Shall we not wait for them?"

"We've wait pretty long," Australia said leaning carelessly back in his chair. "We can't spend the whole meeting waiting for them."

"Australia is right, we must move, they will have to catch when they arrive," I said trying to calm some of the worried faces I saw, most of them turned from anxious to a business like focused look, except for Japan, who remained worried for his friends. I couldn't say I blamed him, they had been in the axis together, and well a friendship made by war was one that was hard to break. I moved on hoping he may get distracted with news the others may have. "Well before we really dive into things does anyone have any new updates pertaining to the cause?"

"Da, I have news," Russia said, a pained look on his face. I waited for him to continue. I saw Belarus look at her brother, giving him strength with her eyes. "Katsuyasha, my sister, has been taken…" Ivan made sure to spit out the words with every ounce of venom he had in him. Murmurs began to fill the room as the other countries began to process the information they had just learned. The Empire was growing. I felt anger just as Russia did, but I had to say that I didn't find this news surprising. I had seen a growing relationship between Ms. Ukraine and Canada. Whether it was Canada sneaking out to see her, or it was Ukraine's shouts of denial when I revealed that Canada was part of the Empire. I was not blind, I knew they were close, and as a gentleman I could also tell that they were definitely more than friends. It seemed obvious that The Empire would go after those closest to them, whether that is geographically or emotionally. It did surprise me that Canada, Matthew, had sunk so far that he did not even care that he was hurting those close to him. The ones that he had once loved now meant nothing to him.

"You know this for sure Russia?" I asked. I knew the answer, it seemed predictable that the Empire would go after her, but I needed to know for sure that she was gone, there was no room for assuming when it came to this battle, if there was any way this could be mistaken, then we still might be able to save her.

"Da," Russia said. "I went to her house yesterday, I wanted to tell her about the alliance and try to convince her to join and help her family, but she was not home. I waited all night, because I wanted to be sure that she was safe but still, she never came, I called her cell phone and left many messages, but I have heard nothing. She never leaves home!" Russia shouted as he began to get even more upset than before. "She doesn't like leaving for too long, she tells me she has so much yard work to get done! You may think I am overreacting but you don't know her like I do, this isn't like her, there is no doubt in my mind that those North American bastards took her! I will never letting them live for this, they have tortured the world for too long and for that they must die!"

"We must kill them with as much pain as possible!" Belarus said as she stood up stabbing her knife into the table. "They have taken too much from us!" Everyone in the room began to shout battle cries in agreement, and within seconds the entire room became anarchy.

"Order, order!" I shouted trying to calm them. "Settle down! We are not done handling this issue! Quiet down everyone! Have you all gone mad?" My shouts became useless, but I continued to try, I need them to hear me before they got too carried away with this, this was not the right way. Eventually they did quiet down, but it was not on account of me, but instead the loud bang as the door hit the wall, Germany and Romano rushing into the room behind it. Their faces seemed dead serious, but also seemed to have a glowing smile on them, something that until now was rare for Romano, well at least with Germany in the room.

"Hey crumpet eating bastard, have we got a plan for you…" Romano said quickly taking his seat.

"Ja, we have spent hours planning out everything, and I really think it will work, and it will really help us construct a plan to defeating this evil empire. We can learn their secrets and really begin to make a real advance in what had seemed to be an endless war," Germany said completely beaming. I saw his blue eyes sparkle like never before.

"Alright," I said seeing that we really didn't have anything else. "Let's hear it."I echoed Germany's smile, something told me that maybe we really had found an ace in a deck of Jacks.

America's POV

I gazed down at Belarus as I walked slow circles around her, like a lion mocking his prey; I made no move to end her, and spoke not a word, and continued to walk adding layers to the dull atmosphere. I chuckled as she finally broke and began to sob.

"Why don't you just do it already?" she demanded. "Just kill me and end it, that is what your want right?" she growled like the angry kitten she was. I couldn't help but find her adorable, rather than the fierce menacing idea she was going for. This is going to be really interesting, I thought as I knelt down, taking her face in to one of my hands, she fought to get free, but the servants were too strong, she could not break their hold. I chuckled at her frustration. She was a lot like how I used to be, easily frustrated with weakness. I moved so my face was close to hers and I ran my the tip of my nose down the side of her face, along her jaw line and through her pretty, light platinum hair.

"You know," I whispered. "I used to always think you were really pretty." I smiled at her, and I saw her look away angrily, a light blush covering her pale cheeks.

"I could never love someone as evil and heartless as you," she spat out still not looking at me. I chuckled, I didn't mind her rudeness, it was things like that that attracted me to her in the first place.

"That's, too bad," I said as I continued my circle. "You could have been my queen." She said nothing, she did nothing, she just continued to stare angrily at the wall. I snapped my fingers, getting the servants' attention. "Let her go, I want to…have a chat with her, I will call you back if you are needed, until then, you are dismissed." I told them.

"Yes master," they said bowing their head respectively. I turned to Belarus, who was no longer pinned to the floor, and was instead sitting looking at the floor, and her bindings, pathetically; I knew she wanted to be free. I walked over to her, pulling my sword out of its sheath. I wanted to this to be interesting. I used my sword to break the chains that Poland and Spain had put on her. She looked up at me surprised, but anger and hate never left her beautiful dark blue eyes.

"I am going to offer once again," I told her trying to fake a friendly look as best as I could. "I realize you are loyal to your brother, but…I am willing to give you so much more, please be my queen," I asked caressing her cheek. She looked away from me again and I her a soft growl come from her throat.

"I'd never be one with someone like you, you are a murderer, you go around hurting people, and you are pathetic!" she said, her words dripping with venom. I laughed; I had expected this much from her. That is why I had found her so interesting; she seemed so hard to break.

"Think about it, you could have anything thing you want, all you would have to do is order one of our many servants, and surely by now you know the alternative, you have seen them, you don't want that to happen to you, do you? You'd never be able to feel any emotions, you'd be a shell of the person you are now, all of your memories, feelings, the people you love, they would all be gone, they would all mean nothing to you, even your brother. Your love for him would just disappear; he would mean nothing to you," I told her. I was aware that perhaps her memories could mean something to her, but I did not want her to know that. I wanted her, and was focused on getting her, nothing could stop me. It didn't matter if she was my servant or my queen, I would own her, I would break her.

I saw something flash in to her dark eyes, the beautiful color of sapphires. She looked up at me, and I saw sparks of fear and something else that I didn't understand. Then without warning her hand was on my mine, her pointer finger lightly pet the blade of the Soul Sword. She smiled seductively at me. "Well then I guess I have I only have one option," she cooed as she climbed into my lap. She kissed my neck tenderly, her hand always staying on mine, the one that held the sword. "You know I kind of like the thought of being a queen, and you want to know what, I also thought you were kind of hot." She buried her face in my neck, so I could not see her expression, but her voice sounded convincing. I ran my hand through her nearly white hair, taking in its smell, God she smelled so good. I took in the minute, this really showed me how much of a king I have become, to be feared so much that I could have anything I wanted, even if once before it seemed out of my reach. I was lost in the glory of my victory, almost so lost that I barely even noticed when her hand moved from mind to the sword, as she began to take it from beneath my fingers. I threw her off of me, and she landed on the ground with a shocked worried look, I pointed the sword at her neck.

"You think it would be that easy to defeat me? Darling, this game has only begun; I am not ready to let anyone take away my ace." I told her, my eyes shining. Did she really think I was that stupid? That a king with so much power would even put his guard down to his queen? No, I was not so easily defeated.

"No…no," she said assuring me as she got up slowly, trying to avoid my blade. "That's not it, it is just that…what I plan to do to you does not involve a blade," she said closing the distance between us as she ran her finger through my hair and laid her lips against mine. I was still a bit weary, I knew that she was acting odd, and that she probably had a knife somewhere on her, but I gave into her offers and threw my sword so it landed on my nearby throne. She kissed me tenderly as my hands began to explore her body. She seemed just as delighted as she pulled me with her down to the floor. She quickly ripped my shirt off leaning on my chest bare, as she climbed on top of me, she sat there, looking down at me, a smile on her face, before she laid her body down on top of mine, her hands went from my chest and traced the veins on my arm and then up to my hand I felt her grip my wrists, pulling them together over my head, before I realized that it was not only her hands that I felt. She sat up quickly pulling something out of the sleeve of her dress. It was the same time that I heard her words, that I noticed she had handcuffed me.

"Now!" She shouted into the small, black, plastic square that I quickly noticed was a walkie-talkie. She had set me up! This whole thing was a set up, they had put Belarus out as bate and I had taken it! They had tricked me! I shuffled trying to push her off of me and get up when I saw her pull a knife from her other sleeve. "I wouldn't try it if I were you, freedom fries," she ordered, the knife at my neck. I chuckled, even now her fierceness just seemed so cute to me. My chuckles were cut off my a few loud crashes as I assumed the troops began to flood in. I thought about calling in my servants and having them help me, but then I worried about the risk, she could kill me. They had put a lot of thought in this plan, now I will have to let this play out without my pawns. Only then can I begin to show them my real power.

Canada's POV

I had headed back to my room angrily after seeing Natalia in chains in the throne room. I had just went through seeing Kat die, I wasn't sure I was okay with seeing her sister, my friend, die as well. I ran to my room for sanctuary, but I was walked straight into the other thing I was trying to avoid. Her, she was sitting there, on my bed, doing nothing, but just sitting there.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked her surprised to find her here; I almost felt my breath catch in my throat when I heard her speak.

"I am sorry master, have I upset you?" I expected to see the buds of tears come to her eyes as she said it, the way they used to always do when she thought she had done something wrong, I smiled as I thought of how much I used to comfort her, how much I used to really care for her, I had dreamed of making her my wife one day, because I just loved caring for her so much, but it seemed now that was not much of an option. "Master, my other master, ordered me to come here and wait for you."

"No, no, it is fine if you are here," I paused and turned and poked my head out the door. "Italy, you might as well come in too," I shouted waiting for him to come. Sure enough after a few seconds he appeared at the door, I moved so he could enter, rather than sitting on the bed he just stood there, uselessly in the, middle of the room. I ignored him and sat on the bed, beside Ukraine. I wanted to talk to her, I wanted to see how much she had changed, how much she had lost, but I was too afraid that her soul may had been the only part of her that loved me, that maybe the girl whom I had fallen in love with had died, just as her humanity. I felt almost hopeless seeing her like this, but then I remembered Italy, the way he still seemed to have human parts of him, the sparks that came into his eyes, and the way he had comforted me right after I had killed him, maybe she had some humanity still in her as well, what if I could do something to maybe get the servants more like how they were when they were alive, not exactly. I mean they were living without their soul, but if I did something to help her, to maybe bring her back…

I turned to her. "Kat," I said calling her attention. "Kat!" She finally looked at me, and I ignore the pain in my chest as I took in her paleness, they way she looked so morbid, the grey in her eyes that used to be so blue. "A-are you…I mean do you…do you remember anything?" I asked my heart beating like crazy. I felt like my entire life was on the line. I hated the dead feeling that seemed radiate out of her boring, spacey eyes, but I gazed into them, feeling like somehow I could take my feelings and transfer them into her. "Like before, before the change…you told me you loved me, do you still feel that way?" I didn't know how else to ask her, I knew from how little Italy reacted, that she probably didn't understand, but I had to try, maybe somehow, some way, she remembered.

"L-love?" she said her eyes becoming dazed, dazed was good, it was at least something. I saw as she began to think it over considering the meaning, I was both surprised and relieved to see her react this way, it was a bit different from Italy, but I considered that to be good. Then as an odd gesture that seemed to surprise both of us, she laid her head on my shoulder. I didn't move, not wanting to startle her, I wanted to just have this moment, I put my arm around her, pulling her closer, and leaned my head against her, I looked over at her, with my eyes, trying not to move my head, and found her appearance the same as before, emotionless, grey, but I thought I saw a shock of electric blue in her eyes. I tried to keep my appearance calm, thinking that somehow I could take her feelings away with my happiness, but on the inside I was exploding with excitement. She was in there, somewhere! I sighed and turned to look at her, finally breaking the moment, unable to bear it, I wanted to know what else she remember, what else she had kept from her life, but right when I was about to say the words a huge crash came from outside, loud enough that it actually startled me. I was about to tell Italy to go see what it was, but then I remembered that that seemed like something Alfred would do, I did not want to be like him. So I reluctantly got up from the bed leaving Ukraine sitting on it alone, I could have sworn she looked a little confused. "It's alright," I told her. "I will be right back, wait here."

"Yes Master," she said. I sighed as her obedience reminded me just how deeply she was whipped, how much she had changed.

"You don't have to calm me master, darling, just call me Mattie." I told her as I walked to the door. I was surprised when I opened my door to see people running around the building armed with many weapons, they were human, but they did not wear the uniforms that America has designed, instead they had a …different uniform, one I did not recognize."Italy, keep Ukraine safe until I return" I told him as I walked out of my room, shutting the door. I followed the soldiers, attempting to blend in when all of a sudden I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder. I did not have to turn to know who it was, I could tell just by his voice.

"Where the fuck is my systra!" he shouted spinning me and then grabbing me by my throat, I felt my feet lift off the floor. I couldn't breathe.

OK, yes I know, somewhat of a cliffie there, but I did not mean for it to be like that at first, initially this scene is marking around the half point of this story…though this is not the climax, I actually really wanted to put this one whole scene in to one chapter, but I am not even half done with the scene and the chapter is already way too long, so I will hopefully finish the second half soon and then get it up so you guys won't just be hanging there for too long, but I am really excited for this scene. I actually did not come up with this scene at first when the idea of the story came, some reviews actually inspired this, you guys wanted Belarus to fight back against America, and I was trying to think of a way for her to do that, in case you were wondering why was kind of OOC, and well I thought why not have this has my big turning point, and this scene really helped me transition from what I have now to an idea I wanted to do but didn't know how, so keep reviewing because you guys are my inspiration, and I promise to update sooner~!

Also if it wasn't too clear, England's POV does take place before America's part, a little bit of a flashback I guess, it doesn't make sense yet, but it will I promise.

Oh and sorry if none of the card analogies make sense, I really only play blackjack and I really don't know much about other like for real card games, I think I actually might have used too many of them XD, that and chess analogies, I have been watching way too much black butler and Alice in Wonderland

Any way I am becoming a crazy rambling author now so I guess I will end it here XD