An: So here´s the next chapter. I hope you´ll like it. If you wonder something look at the bottome of the page since I explain some things there otherwise ask away. As for the village Sweden lives in, it is based on the one I lived in myself before I moved out just so you know. This will mostly be the celebration, also based on my own experience, so this is my version of midsummer other people celebrate different ways but I have tried to give the over all impression.

Seablue: "Sweden, if you want to do the disclaimer?"

Sweden: "Of course, Seablue eyes does not own Hetalia, because I know that if she did I would have more focus together with Prussia, Canada and N. Italy.

Midsummer celebration

It was early morning on the 23rd of June and America was bouncing on the walls making his roommates wonder what sort of substance he had gotten his hands on.

"America, please, will you calm down. It is too early in the morning." Came from England still laid out in bed trying to keep the sound of the loud American out with his pillow over his head.

"But it´s midsummer and we have to go soon if we want to arrive at Sweden's home on time." This was almost shouted in the normal loud voice of America's.

"Brother, we do not have to go yet. It´s still three hours at least." Came from the other end of the room where Canada was also laid out in the bed with his faithful polar bear beside him.

"But what if England is late in getting up and then we get stuck in the traffic and come late and then Sweden will think we do not like him and we do not get to celebrate with him."

"Amérique, I do not think that Suéde will kick us out for being late, not that we will be." France said sounding just as tired as England.

America just pouted but he calmed down some and sat down with his phone instead.

After two hours the others had gotten up and made themselves ready. Then they went down to the garage of their hotel, they had rented a small car the day before when they arrived in Sweden so they could drive to the country's house. They all made the decision for Canada to drive since he was the most level headed driver since America drove like a car theif escaping from the police, England had problem driving on the 'wrong side' as he expressed it and France becomes distracted by all the beautiful people. Soon they had left the city behind and went out on the countryside where Sweden had his home. America had gotten directions from Sweden and he acted as map reader even if it was not an actual map he was using. After some time they were getting a little bit worried since they had been on the road for a long time and only seeing trees and even more trees and then some more trees.

"Where are we America? I think you have made us take a wrong turn." Canada sounded worried.

"Nah, no way I am the best at reading directions."

"Obviously not, since we are in the middle of nowhere." England said, grumbling in the backseat and crossing his arms.

"Not at all, Sweden included this in his directions." America showed his phone to the Englishman and there stood 'drive for a long time through the forest, the second road on the right is the one you should take.'

"America is that the first road." France said and looked to the right when they passed it.

"Probably, here is the second one. Make a turn, Matti."

He did and once they had turned and continued on the new road after just a short time they saw the first house it was the customary red with white corners. On the back they could see a large porch in the rather large yard. They slowed down and in the open doorway they saw Sealand run through and wave at them. England soured a little but he didn´t show it since he expected the micro nation to be there. Canada parked the car and they all went towards Sealand but he smiled and said

"We´re around the back." He lead them around the house and up on the porch. There was a large table already filled with food. Denmark was in the yard throwing frisbee with Hantamagaro. Norway and Iceland sat on the hammock and Sealand joined them blabbing about the day. Everyone greeted them before continuing on with their activities. From the door to the house Finland came out with a large bowl filled with cocked potatoes.

"Tervetuloa, I hope you had a pleasant ride." He said and smiled at the group while he placed the potatoes on the table.

"Yeah it was ok." Said Canada, he was still not used to be noticed by other people but it seemed like all the Nordics had looked at him and he felt rather happy about that fact.

"You live far out of the city." Commented England.

Finland just smiled.

"Yeah, Su-san take after his people. They live pretty spread out." Finland went inside again. He came out with another bowl this time filled with something that looked like pink water once he came closer they could see small pieces of something inside. The four of them looked a little sceptic, potatoes they could understand it was rather Swedish but this, they couldn't even see what it was. Sealand jumped from his place and dragged Iceland with him both sitting on one side of the table. Denmark soon joined them with Norway, the shorter sitting beside Iceland. They were on one side of the table so America and Canada sat down across from Sealand and Iceland, leaving a place beside them and the place at the head of the table. France and England sat down as well, Finland sat down on their side leaving the place at the head of the table to Sweden who had made his appearance. The guests had to take a second look because the usual stoic nation was almost smiling and he was clad in orange shorts and a blue t-shirt. The absence of his usual blue coat made him look even taller but he just nodded in greeting and sat down at the head.

"Can we start?" Sealand was almost jumping in his seat.

"Yeah, your welcome to start Sealand." Sweden said, knowing that the small nation loved midsummer dinner.

The child smiled and almost attacked the potatoes, once he had four of them, he mashed them and got helped with the big bowl with pink stuff. Iceland held the bowl and Sealand started picking up something from the bowl. America leaned forward trying to see what it was.

"It´s pickled herring, America." Finland looked to him and smiled.

"Oh, do you usually eat this?" America looked towards Sealand again, the boy had picked up a few bits of the fish, poured cream over the potatoes and sprinkled chive on it, he was almost shovelling in the food in his mouth.

"No, it´s just for midsummer. But I want to eat all year." Sealand chipped in between bites which was some feat since he looked to be inhaling the food. "Well except for Christmas dinner and birthday foods."

The other Nordics had filled their plate as well and sent the food over to the other side of the table. England looked sceptic but he shrugged his shoulders, his cooking was not appreciated so who was he to complain. He did the same as Sealand since he figured that was the way to do it. France was even more sceptic but he did not want to offend anyone so he tested the food as well. Canada was of similar mind but since Sealand seemed to like it he tried as well and America was all for trying something new. They all took their first bite and it was rather good if not a little flavourless but still good. They all ate and talked among each other. But America was still thinking, he had done some research on Sweden and midsummer and he had found to his horror that surströmming could be included. But here he did not see it so he was rather relived but also curious so he turned to Sweden and asked him

"Hey, Sweden, do you guys not eat that surströmming thing of yours?" He of course butchered the Swedish word but since it didn´t have any English translation he had to use it.

"No, not this time of year and if you want the truth, that stuff's disgusting." His Nordic companions just nodded and shuddered at the mention of it.

"That´s true, you should have used them in your wars, Sweden, everyone would have declared peace in a second." Denmark pointed out, he was the most damaged and scared of the fermented fish. Sweden had dared him a long time ago to eat a whole can of it and Denmark had done it resulting in him being bedridden for a week afterwards.

America just nodded, his curiosity satisfied and he was also secretly glad that nobody seemed to like it. After they had eaten Sealand dragged the North America brothers out in the yard and made them play with him. England and Norway was talking about magical stuff and Iceland was listening to them. While the rest talked among each other, mostly Denmark trying to tease Sweden and make him react in some way but he was fighting a losing battle. Soon Finland managed to make the trio stop in their game and said that it was time to go. America and Canada looked confused, was it already over. Sweden saw their exchanging of looks and said

"We will go to the midsummer celebration, it is up in the village."

At this they understood and everyone helped in taking everything that Finland had yet to take and then they went on the front yard again. There they could see a lot of different bikes and once the Nordics had taken five of them there where three left.

"I´m sorry we managed to find only three the others were broken, but I can ride with Ruotsi and one of you can take mine." Finland offered, Canada smiled and went over to the Finn and thanking him for the offer. Finland let him take the white and blue bike while he went over to Sweden with his blue and yellow one. The other Nordics also had bikes coloured after their flags, even Sealand, and America was fast to grab the only blue, white and red one. He figured it had belonged to Iceland or Norway some time before since their colours was the same as his. England grabbed the red and white one since it was the colour of his land also and France was left with the black and blue one. Finland had hoped on the rack of Sweden's bike and was keeping a firm grip around his husband's stomach. Soon the where on their way going in the direction that the guests had not come from so the road was new to them. Soon Sealand had conned America into a race, not that it was hard, and they were peddling for their lives upwards to the next hill where they had decided the finish line would be. Denmark had joined them and the three disappeared up front Sweden was calmly peddling likewise with France, Canada and Iceland and Norway and England was last still discussing magical topics. Canada whom was just beside and little behind Sweden so he could talk to Finland had just ask him what they were going to do.

"Well, we dance and there is all sort of different games you can play and we will also eat some dessert." Finland answered and Canada noticed the basket up front on the swede's bike which was filled with a picnic basket that probably held the promised dessert. Soon they had caught up with the racing trio, Sealand still heaving and Denmark and America a little short of breath but everyone was happy and soon they reached the small town centre where they could see a church and the houses came much more frequent all of them of course red with white corners. Denmark led them out on the bigger road before they went on to a smaller dirt road again. England went forward and asked Sweden about the church they had seen.

"How old is the church?"

"It was built in the 1300s, one of the oldest churches in Sweden and the crucifix is from the 1200s so it's even older."

England just nodded, his own oldest church was from the 500s but he had been exposed to Christianity rather early compared to the Nordic countries at least. If he remembered correctly it was during the 1000s that Christianity started to take root in the north.

Soon they had reached a similar village to the one they had just went through but the houses looked older and it was filled with people. They all seemed to gather round a leaved cross with two circles decorated with flowers hanging on the horizontal bars. The people started to take note of the nations and they all smiled, particularly at Sweden, but this was not uncommon to the nations since they all get noticed by their own citizens. For them it feels like meeting someone they had knew their entire life, it was a comfort but also a little creepy feeling. Sealand dragged Iceland, Norway and Denmark with him to one of the games, a fishing game it seemed to be. There were bath ducks swimming in a child pool where the kids could take a magnet hanging on a fishing rod and hook it to a magnet on the ducks back and everyone got a small bag filled with candy. America looked eager to follow them but he noticed that only younger kids was participating to he figured it was for the small ones. Instead he looked to the other activates, there was two lotteries where you had to choose a card with the right numbers and if the wheel stopped on that number you win a prize. It was also ball throwing where you got five tennis balls and had to get them through a plank with different sized holes. The smaller the hole the more valuable prize and the last game was horse shoe throwing, where there was an iron rod burrowed into the ground and from a distance you had to throw a horse shoe and make it stay around the rod. The others also noticed the myriad of people going around, most of them was sitting on the ground on blankets enjoying the fine weather others were up by the small café that was serving small lunches and strawberry cake with whipped cream.

America so wanted to try the horse shoe game but he did not have any Swedish currency, he looked towards Canada whom had understood his brother's predicament but he had not foreseen this and did not have any on him. Finland just smiled like he knew what they were thinking and gave them some paper notes and a few coins.

"Here, try out the games." He gave them to Canada and shooed them towards the nearest game. England and France had also taken in the atmosphere but they just followed Sweden and Finland to an empty spot in the grass where Sweden took out a picnic blanket from the basket and spread it out inviting them to sit down. They also noticed him picking out small umbrellas and wondered why, there was not a cloud in sight and sky was clear.

"Expecting rain?" England said, he smiled a little.

"Yeah, it´s no midsummer without rain." Answered Sweden back sounding serious and Finland just grinned.

"What do you mean, the sky's blue, not a cloud in sight."

"And it is as it usually is, but every midsummer there is always and I mean always some rain. So you learn to expect it."

England did not get a chance to answer since a woman by the stage started talking, she was clad in traditional Swedish dress typical for the late 1900s. The people behind her on the stage took up instruments and started getting ready to play. Canada and America had come back and was wondering what was going on, the English-speaking countries was rather bad at Swedish, it was not a particular popular language to learn. By now Finland and Sweden had risen and was going to the pole and everyone else was doing similar walks. Sealand joined them with the other Nordics but he looked to the others left by the blanket and sprinted to them.

"Do you not want to join us?" He looked so disappointed.

"What are we supposed to do?" Canada asked.

"Silly, dance of course. And play some games. They are part of the different songs." He took America's hand and dragged him behind. He placed him beside Finland in the circle that everyone had started build. Canada joined them and he dragged France with him whom grabbed a little more reluctant England. He was rather uncomfortable since he did not know what dances they were expected to dance. But he was placed beside Norway and France beside him with America and Canada thereafter and then Sealand, Finland and Sweden. By now they were in the outer ring of the two and everyone grabbed their neighbour's hand so they followed.

The woman had given to word to another one that was placed in the middle and had a microphone she announced that the first song would be something called Björnen sover (Sleeping bear). Finland turned to the visiting countries and explained the rules, the woman had taken a volunteering child with her to the middle and they were laying down by the foot of the pole. When the song ended they would try and hunt everyone down and touch them. Everyone touched would join in the middle and the song started again and the same thing happen with even more people trying to touch, they were the bears and the last one who managed to not get touched won. It was like a game of tag basically.

Like Finland said it was a game of tag, all of them managed to avoid getting tagged the first round but the second got three of them, England, Sealand and Denmark. The next round got Finland, Norway, France and Iceland also. The next round was declared the last since the people left to be tagged no longer could build a whole ring. The nations tagged chose their target and when the song ended they all went after their fellow nations. But even with all of them after him Sweden managed to escape them just to feel a small hand touch his leg and he looked down and smiled. One of the children from the village he recognized, Freja was her name. She blushed and the nations that had wanted to tag the swede was a little put out. Freja hugged his leg before running back to her mother in the ring that had formed again. Everyone also gathered again and they continued with some more songs and dances. Then the band started playing a song that both England and France recognized and they were not happy with it, mostly because the melody reminded them of bad memories from the French revolution for France and England had made fun of him by changing the song's lyrics. But they did not want to leave so they continued with the dance but they were not happy. But they could also laugh a little at the silliness of all of them jumping up and down with their hands behind their backs. Once the dancing came to an end all of them was tired but smiling. Sealand once again grabbed his uncles but this time he dragged them to the blanket where he started to go through the basket picking up paper plates and spoons together with plastic mugs. Finland soon joined him and helped the boy get the large strawberry cake from its container. By now they had all joined in on the blanket and America looked at the cake with anticipation it looked lovely, completely covered in whipped cream and covered in red strawberries and small Swedish flags.

"We need the candles also." Sealand exclaimed and dove into the basket again soon coming up with a small bundle of cake candles shaped in numbers. When Finland put the numbers down they made up the number 1047 and Canada and America looked at Sweden in awe. They had known he was old but not that old. Both of them knew that they were young countries compared to many of the others in the world but to know the exact difference was something.

Denmark had noticed their looks and just grinned and let out a laugh before he threw his arm around the swede and said in a playful tone

"Yeah, he is a really old man." Sweden just looked amused and quipped back with ¨

"And your just as old, do not forget that. Your even older."

Denmark just smiled they had always made fun of their ages mostly him boasting over the other because he was older, but today he let it be unsaid. At the mean time England looked rather nervous, it was rather strange after all to have that number on the cake and he wondered what the people would say but when he looked around nobody paid them any attention so he relaxed some. Soon they had sang happy birthday in both languages since the Swedish one was different from the English so Sealand had insisted on them singing both so everyone could sing. The cake was heavenly and they were enjoying every bite. But once they were done and had just laid everything back in the basket England could feel some cold drops of water hitting him and he looked up seeing the sky having become darker. Sweden just gave him a look that said 'I told you so' before he gave out the umbrellas to everyone. Also these ones coloured the same as their flags and having them printed on the plastic. Sealand had his own but he had opted to sit in Finland's lap instead the both of the sharing the blue and white umbrella. Then they heard something, a little girl crying, Sweden, since he was connected to his citizens found her by the pole looking rather frightened and she searched with her eyes. He rose and went over to her bringing his umbrella over her and crouching down to her level. England saw him wipe her eyes before he lifted her up and let her snuggle into his chest. He re-joined them and said

"This is Freja, she lost her parents." They all understood her frightened look and just gave her encouraging smiles. Freja blushed a little and hid in Sweden's chest again. After a couple of minutes the rain let up and once again the sun was shining, drying up the grass rather quickly even if the ground was still moist. They also heard a worried voice yelling Freja's name, it was her mother. So Freja stood up and gave Sweden a hug before she said

"Tack för att du hjälpte mig Sverige. Jag ska gå till min mamma nu." (Thanks for your help Sweden. I´ll go find my mother now.)

At her mention of the nation's name they all looked confused and a little frightened. Had Sweden told his citizens of his status as a nation.

An: Small cliffhanger there and I think that it will take a little longer for the next chapter since I do not have a complete idea for it yet.

The song mention that made France and England remember is called in Swedish Små grodorna, translated Little frogs, and imagine my surprise when I searched on it and find out that it is an old French marching song that the Englishmen made fun of by changing the lyrics so that it was about frogs since the French eat them and then it made its way to Sweden on unknown ways. It is rather ironic because this song is considered very swedish and coming from swedish tradition but that´s not the case.

Translations that are not translated in the chapter:

Finnish: Tervetoula = welcome.

French: Amérique = America

Suéde = Sweden

The other things I mention I hope I explained enough in the chapter, if something is inclear feel free to ask. And if you do not have anything to ask just leave a review of what you thought.

Hope you have it nice until next time.