Finland stood in the bow of a destroyer. He didn't know that ship's name, but it was irrelevant anyway.
He had never sailed much. He hadn't been a Viking, like the Scandinavians. He'd never had much interest in the sea; it hadn't nurtured him the way they had been nurtured.
Still, the sea, the open ocean, was beautiful. The Atlantic was very different from the Baltic Sea…
His thoughts were interrupted by a large shadow falling over him. He looked over his shoulder.
Sweden.
"Hello, Ruotsi. I didn't expect to see you here."
Sweden shrugged. "B'st pl'ce t' w'tch." ("Best place to watch.")
Watch what? Finland was afraid to ask.
Sweden took a spot next to Finland at the railing. He closed his eyes as a sudden gust of wind ruffled his hair. "C'n' ya f'l th' sea c'llin' ya, T'no?" ("Can't you feel the sea calling you, Tino?")
No, he couldn't. It had never called to him, not the way it had called to the Scandinavians.
"Do you think Norway is alright, Ruotsi?"
Sweden turned and studied Finland for a moment. (Most people would have called it "glaring at" or "staring at," but Finland knew better.) "Yes."
"But why… How do you know?"
Sweden lifted Finland's hand and set it against his chest, right over his heart. Finland felt the steady beat of Sweden's heart. "Th's 's how I kn'w." ("This is how I know.")
"You would feel it?"
"Yes." Sweden looked back over the sea. "Th' w'rld w'ld f'l 't." ("The world would feel it.")
"I hope he's ok."
Sweden wrapped Finland up in his arms. "H' 's." ("He is.")
Finland rested his head against Sweden's chest for a moment. "Ruotsi, do you think Denmark's plan will work?"
"P'rh'ps." ("Perhaps.")
That was not very reassuring.
"T's g'ttin' l'te." ("It's getting late.")
"I think I'll watch the sun finish setting. You can go to bed; I'll be there in a moment."
"I'll w't." ("I'll wait.")