Chapter 18
Ludwig wanted to wait until it was light outside to leave, but he knew that if he waited, there was more risk of Russia waking up or catching up to them when he did. Instead, he decided to leave just before light. He motioned for Lovino to get up, and the two of them slipped out of the cave. Lovino surprisingly followed Ludwig well, and he made sure to not fall behind. Ludwig learned that he was a more "useful" companion than Feliciano was in war and training. The two did not speak well into the morning, and even when they finally did, it was only to say important things, and each word was always formed in a hushed whisper.
"There should be a water source nearby. The trees look a little healthier here," Ludwig whispered.
Lovino replied, "I have water purifiers in my bag."
Ludwig had not noticed Lovino's pack. He gave him a look, and Lovino said, "The moment I saw you, I threw it out of the cave where you would not see. I picked it up when we left."
Ludwig nodded, and that conversation was over. They did not speak again until they found the stream Ludwig had mentioned. After filling their water bottles, they headed on their way. Lovino explained that it would take several hours for the water to be drinkable.
Night fell, and still they were safe.
"Where are we going to sleep?" Lovino asked. "Do you have a tent?"
"If I had a tent, I would not be living in a cave with Russia," Ludwig snapped.
Lovino grumbled something and said, "Then we will need to find a safe place to sleep or animals will get us."
"I have never seen an animal here," Ludwig countered.
"I hear them in the night," Lovino argued.
Ludwig shrugged. "Then you must have weapons."
"Sadik held onto the weapons. He didn't trust me with one."
"Sadik? Turkey?"
"I travelled with him and Hungary before leaving them. I told you that, bastard."
Ludwig huffed. They were defenseless, mortal. Anything could kill them.
"We will keep travelling and not sleep."
"What?" Lovino protested.
"We will keep going until we find a safe place. Sleeping will only get us killed."
"You won't find a safe place in my land," a new voice called to them. Ludwig looked up at the hill several meters away. At the top of the crest, Belarus stood.
Lovino took a step back. "What's that crazy lady doing here? This isn't Belarus' land. We're still in Russia!"
"I took his land, idiot. His nation has fallen apart and given up on him so I took some land for myself. My people can really use it. Don't worry, I won't kill you, but I don't want you here. You'll only lead Russia to me if he knows you two are around here. He tried to find me a few days ago."
Ludwig and Lovino exchanged glances. Ludwig said, "We only need a place to sleep for the night. Then we will leave. We have not slept in days, and we are travelling far."
"To Finland?" You won't get much from him. He is a recluse. He doesn't talk to anyone, and he defends his borders well. If one nation survives this and thrives, it will be him."
"We will travel until we find someone who welcomes us," Ludwig said.
Belarus nodded. "Then come with me. I will take you to my home. In the morning you will leave. Do not ask of my assistance again. My people barely trust me, and if you cause me to break that, I will break you."
Ludwig and Lovino did not need to be told twice. They did not speak as Belarus led them to a cottage on the outskirts of a small town. They hid in the bushes until one of her guards turned away. Then Belarus ushered them inside.
"Do not turn any lights on. Be very quiet, and in the morning, leave as soon as you can. I cannot come back out to help you, and if my people find you and wish something upon you, I will not help. I will pretend I have never seen you before in my life. Once you are far enough from the village, you may each hunt one small animal. Do not let my people know. Then continue north until you get to Finland. You will know the border when you see it, I assure you." With that, Belarus left.
"She's almost gotten more sane," Lovino commented when she was well out of earshot.
Ludwig nodded. "Russia mentioned something about her being different and not obsessed with him. Something must have happened between him, and now that she does not love him, she is a different person."
Lovino nodded and found a place on the floor to curl up and sleep. Ludwig did the same several feet away. Sleep soon consumed him, and he did not wake until the sun shone directly into his eyes. Lovino was already awake and taking sips out of his bottle. He handed the second to Ludwig when he sat up, and Ludwig drank as well.
"We need to leave now. People are coming out of their cottages, and we aren't well hidden," Lovino commented. Ludwig nodded and stood.
"Let's go."
They slipped over to the door, and Ludwig opened it just enough to look out at the village. People were milling about in the center, but they didn't seem to be looking up the hill at the cottage. A few pine trees surrounded the cottage. "We will slip out the door and hide behind a tree. It isn't much coverage, but if someone glances up here and does not stare they might not see us at first. We will use the trees to hide ourselves until we are over this hill. Then we run north."
Lovino nodded and waited while Ludwig demonstrated. Then he followed and hid behind a different tree. Ludwig did not hear any shouts from the people below. Lovino looked over at him and nodded. They quickly leapt to the next trees, then the next and the next until they were at the top of the hill. Only then did someone take notice.
They heard the shouts at the same time and took off over the hill. Lovino looked up for the sun, but it was obscured by clouds. He cursed aloud. Ludwig pointed in a direction and they turned to run that way. Lovino trusted that Ludwig knew where they were headed. They heard men coming towards them and shouting. A few gunshots broke through the air. Lovino cursed again when a bullet hit a tree just a few feet away from his head, sending bark everywhere. He kept running. Ludwig shouted something at him, but it was in panicked German, and Lovino didn't understand any of it. Instead of trying to comprehend any of it, he followed Ludwig's every move and kept the German in his sight. More bullets ricocheted against the trees around them, and one whizzed past Lovino's ear.
"Damn, these people are bad shots," he hissed, but then another bullet hit him in the shoulder. He stumbled but caught himself and snarled from the pain. "Damn!" Murphy's Law… Ahead of him, Ludwig fell, but the German managed to pull himself up and keep running before the Belarusians could catch up to him. Lovino, however was almost beside him.
"How far do we have to run?" Lovino screamed in Italian, forgetting to switch to English, a language both men understood.
Ludwig replied, also in Italian, "The Finnish border is a couple miles from here. If we can keep going that far, we will be safe!"
Should have remembered that, Lovino thought. Of course Feliciano would have taught the German something. Idiota… "Two miles? Ludwig, that's insane!"
"I thought-" Ludwig huffed.
"I'm human now, remember? Damn, I can't run far at all!" Lovino howled, but quit talking to save his shortening breath. His lungs screamed, and his head throbbed as he wished nothing more than to sit down and give in, but he could still hear the bullets and the calls from the men.
Then he heard a female voice shout over them, and the gunshots stopped. "Halt! Don't chase after these men! Let them leave! They are just passing through."
"But they are nations, and not ones on your side! We know what they look like!" One man argued. "We are supposed to kill them. You said that. You are not with them, you are with us, as a human, Natalya Arlovskaya!"
Belarus bristled. She held a long sword in one hand and a pistol in the other. "You do not tell me what to do. I am your leader, and even if I help you in everything, I will not let these men die. They are men, not nations, and I would know that better than you."
"You are protecting them! That's the German, and the weakling with the dark hair is that lazy Italian crybaby!"
"I am not-" Germany flung a hand over Lovino's mouth before he could say anything else, but it was too late.
"See?" The man pointed at Lovino with his gun. "He admits that he is a nation!"
"Was. He is not a nation now, and all he wants is to survive like any other man would. He is leaving and will not pose any threat to you. Put your gun down," Belarus commanded, but the man stared at her for a moment, not daring to drop his weapon. Then he let his arm fall a few inches, and he shot the gun twice, once at each of Lovino's feet. He hit his left foot, but Lovino quickly dropped, and the second bullet dug into his shin.
"I'll shoot again at his head. Then at yours," he challenged. Some of the other men had set down their arms or put them by their sides, while others had stepped toward the man, holding their guns up, ready to shoot.
Belarus's face snarled in disgust. "Put your gun down now."
"You're the one who needs to drop her weapon."
The eastern nation lifted her gun and pointed it to the sky. Her eyesight never strayed from the man as she fired her weapon: once, twice, three times. She muttered something under her breath and brought her hand down. With it came a gust of cool air. Then the snow. It came down in sheets, and covered her men in ice and fluffy cold. They shouted and dropped their weapons to cover their bare arms. Some of the men even scurried back toward camp. Belarus brought her hand holding the sword around and lifted it. When she swept it westward, a freezing gust of wind threatened to knock everyone over. The men were blind.
"General Winter, I thank you! Big brother introduced me to something wonderful when he summoned you," Belarus smiled to the sky, then she shot forward and skidded to a halt by Ludwig's side. Lovino was doubled over, bleeding onto the white snow.
"Get up, or you will die out here. The weather will melt the snow and drive General WInter away very quickly, but we can make it to Finland. He will see my snow and know it was a nation. He will send guards, thinking it was Russia. You will explain what it really was," Belarus commanded. She grabbed Lovino's arm and hauled him up.
Lovino howled. "Damn you, crazy bitch! I was shot there!"
Belarus's eyes narrowed, and she huffed. "Fine, we'll carry him. Were you shot, Ludwig?"
"Nein," Ludwig shook his head and took the cursing Italian into his arms. "Lead the way."
Belarus gave a curt nod and began walking. Ludwig followed with the grumbling Italian in his arms.
Day soon gave way to night, and the snow melted as the temperatures rose to what they normally were. The two nations were trudging through water now, and Ludwig's boots were not taking it well. The liquid soaked into them, and the material began to break apart after its long use. Ludwig, after all, had not worn another pair of shoes for a year. He only had those left, so he wore them to the grave. And this was their grave.
"Only a few more miles," Belarus commented when night fell.
"Good, my shoes are falling apart," Ludwig grunted.
Belarus replied, "Use Lovino's shoes. He's not walking."
"Like hell he will!" Lovino shouted. "Those are my shoes. Potato bastard can go barefoot! My feet will freeze out here!"
"It's seventy degrees out, and that's as cold as it will ever get," Belarus huffed.
"And I come from a place where it never drops below ninety," Lovino scowled.
Ludwig shushed them both. "Stop. I can hear something."
"Hello?" Belarus called out, reverting to a language Lovino and Ludwig were not very familiar with. "We do not mean to harm you."
A man stepped out of the bushes. A hood covered his hair, but LUdwig recognized those hard blue eyes the moment they met. Finland.
"What do you want?" Finland stepped forward, lifting his gun and pointing it at the three of them. "I don't let outsiders in."
"We were just wishing to pass through or stay the night. My people have kicked me out because they do not respect nationhood, and LUdwig and Lovino here are humans without a home. They need a place to live," Belarus spoke.
Finland nodded slowly. After a moment, he said, "I'll let you stay for the night. Then I will test you. If you pass, you live and you can choose to stay or leave, but if you fail I set my people on you."
"Why-" Lovino started but Ludwig interrupted him.
"What do we need to do?"
"You'll see in the morning," FInland replied. "Come. I'll lead you to your quarters."
The three hesitantly followed FInland. His voice was odd, slightly changed, and they did not like it. He was not the cheerful, festive Finn they once knew.
They headed over a hill, and once they reached the crest, Ludwig saw something he had not seen in years. Light against the darkness. A small village with actual electricity stood before them like heaven. A small smile found its way to the German's mouth. People dressed lightly meandered around the village carrying baskets and talking to one another quietly.
"You'll come to the bathhouse first. You are dirty and in need of new clothes," Finland's voice revealed no emotion as he led them to the center of town. When they reached the bathhouse, Finland called over some of his people. "I need two of you to take this man to the infirmary. The rest of you help the other two find a bath and some new clothes. Make them comfortable." With that, he walked off, and the four men and women were left with Ludwig, Lovino, and Belarus.
"Hello, I hope you don't mind us taking this poor man with us," the first man, a tall, bright faced blonde spoke.
Ludwig nodded, "Yes, please take care of him." Lovino grumbled something under his breath as he was passed over, but he did not protest."
"Thank you. These two right here will lead you inside." Next to the man stood a shorter man and women who looked quite alike, probably brother and sister.
The female smiled. "Welcome! What are your names?"
"I'm Ludwig and this is Natalia," Ludwig introduced them.
The woman smiled. "Lovely! I am Louhi, if you need anything. And this is Avar. Natalia, you can follow me, and Ludwig, you will go with Avar."
The two nations nodded and followed their respective person. Louhi took Natalia down a misty, narrow hall to a small room with a tub and jets. "Everything you need will be here, and the soaps and towels are on this rack just behind the bath. The hot water spout is here, and the cold one on the left. Don't fill it up too high, please. We have a limited amount of resources, and we would like to make sure everyone has enough."
"Thank you," Belarus replied, and she spun the cold water spout. Frigid water poured out, and she yanked her hand back upon contact with it.
"We have warm water if you'd prefer," Louhi offered. "Just turn the other spout."
"No, I want this. I have not felt something so comforting as the cold in years. I will bathe in this water."
"Well, now you know how to make it warm if you need. I'll be waiting outside for you to finish. Tell me when you are done, and I will bring in some clothing for you," Louhi slipped out of the room and slid the wooden door shut behind her. Belarus was left alone. She could hear people in the rooms around her talking and turning the water on and off. They sounded so happy, she mused, almost as if they were untouched by the war and its repercussions. These people were able to live a comfortable life where they did not fight amongst one another and condemn FInland for being a nation. Rather, they let him lead. This was why Belarus should not have been kicked out. People were rightfully ruled by nations and could not thrive without them. That was the way the world worked, but the humans did not see that. Except here. The Finns knew they must be led by one who looked like them but was not one of them, and they were happy that way. Belarus wished it was like that again in her home. Her people had never been overly fond of her, but they had always understood the need of her living. Then the war came, and they lost all faith in her, all because of Russia. Russia and the other big, powerful nations. They started something beyond their power and slaughtered more than nine billion people out of the ten billion the planet had come to inhabit, and the number of survivors was slowly dropping due to the climate change. They were down to mere millions of humans. The number of nations was even smaller. What once was hundreds of men who were not men was now maybe twenty. And that was hopeful thinking. Belarus herself only knew about seven or eight. Even then, some of those nations had lost their nationhood and were now mortal, just like Louhi, who was born a human and would die a human.
Belarus slipped into the cool water and sighed with satisfaction around her shivers. This was pure bliss. She had not taken a cold bath before in her life. She had always believed the climate would be too cold for that. Oh, how the tides have turned….
When she had finished scrubbing the grime off her and soaped up, Belarus called for Louhi. "I'm ready for clothes," she said as she drained the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. Louhi opened the door a crack and reached her arm in, holding some lightly colored garments.
Belarus took them and thanked her. Louhi left the room once again, and Belarus slipped the clothing on. The fabric was soft and light. It fell down almost to her ankles, and let a slight breeze tickle her feet. Then she slipped some leggings on and a pair of leather sandals. Natalia was surprised to find that such light clothing could be found in a country as far north as this, but then again, the times called for survival, and light clothes could be made from heavy ones, and leather from dying cattle. Belarus slipped out the door and found Louhi still waiting for her.
"I talked to Avar, and he said Ludwig was nearly finished. We will meet them at the front of the building and proceed to the eating hall where FInland is waiting for us. You will then eat and go to your sleeping quarters. When Lovino is well again, You two will leave, unless Finland wants to test you. He does that sometimes with certain guests. We never know which ones, but be prepared if he decides to," Louhi explained as they traversed through the maze of bathrooms.
"Thank you," Belarus replied.
"Here they are!" Louhi smiled as they turned to meet Ludwig and Avar.
Avar waved and said, "Are you two ready? Finland wants us to hurry up."
"Then hurry we will!" Louhi smiled, and the four of them walked out of the building.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I am really inactive, so I posted every chapter written thus far. It may take several months to upload another chapter or the rest of the story, but I am hoping to have it completed by the end of the summer. No promises, though! I hope you have enjoyed what I have written and will be patient with my slow updates.
P.S. If I have the next chapter or two posted really soon, that does not mean the rest of it will be soon as well. What isn't posted in the next day or two will be posted this summer. Thanks for bearing with me and happy reading! :) -Malta-chan765
