Hetalia – The Cold of War
Chapter 8! Woohoo! Arthur and Allistor reunited, let's do this
Enjoy!
The North, The Nordic Kingdom, The Great Hall
Arthur was here. Arthur was here. In his arms. Safe. Allistor run his other shaking hand that wasn't cradling Arthur's head down his face, swiping away his own dual mini waterfalls. His attention was brought back to the grand room when the one called Berwald cleared his throat to break the emotional atmosphere.
"We'll leave you two alone to talk. Please rejoin all of us at the feast when you are ready" Berwald continued as he held out his straight arm in invitation for everyone else to follow him out of the hall. Allistor watched the men leave, not allowing himself to relax until they were not of ear shot. Exhaling deeply Allistor gently pulled away so he could see Arthur's streaming face, as red as when he was a bawling babe. Allistor raised both of his hands so that they caressed his brother's face before stretching his thumb across and wiping away one of his tear trails.
"Arthur," Allistor spoke in a cracked voice, smiling for what felt like the first time in forever, "Ye've grown so much" Arthur shakily shook his head and inhaled hungrily for breath as though he had forgotten how.
"Allistor. You're here, how are you here?" Arthur tried to say but only managed a weak stutter and whimper. Allistor lightly laughed and pressed their foreheads together in an endearing custom their father had taught Allistor, it had become a so-what hug between the Kirklands. He took a deep breath in and, knowing that he shouldn't, slowly lowered his heavily fortified mental defences. Expanding his consciousness Allistor stretched forward and gently rubbed his mind against Arthur's. His brother's eyes widened as he felt Allistor's presence push against his barriers and allowed them melt away, completely opening himself.
The two brothers minds embraced at other. Thought, memory, emotion seamlessly streamed and blended between them. The pain of loss, the joy of reunion. The crater that formed day they separated felt like a mighty torrent of security gushed into it, refilling that horrible hollowness. Their consciousnesses lapped against each other as calm ocean waves would, separate and yet together. Allistor took in Arthur's thoughts just as Arthur took in his, feeling the staggering love felt Arthur for him as they stood together in each other's arms.
The longer Allistor remained joined, the more he began to worry. It was still there. That obscure presence that had been with Arthur since his birth. The resistant unmovable glob that resided in Arthur's mind, stuck to the edge of it like a barnacle to a ship. Foreign like a stone against the current of Arthur's thoughts. Even when all the great minds of the Kirklands had worked to crack its quiet mystery, it had lingered beyond the outskirts of understanding. It unnerved Allistor. It gave him the same awful vertigo one would have looking down from a great height. And it definitely shouldn't of felt like it radiated cold malice directly at him.
Allistor quickly pulled out of Arthur's mind before he can feel the confusion and fear directed towards him. He and Arthur had just been reunited, Allistor didn't want to ruin the moment he had spent years waiting for. Arthur looked up at with scrunched up eyes at his brother as he retracted his mind and resumed his steady barriers. Nodding that nothing was wrong Allistor pulled away and lightly slapped Arthur on the perky cheek, drawing a childish giggle from him. Looking to the open gigantic doors and remembering that there was the feast that the King wanted them to attend. And well, who were they to disappoint a King?
Allistor stepped back and began walking out of the dining hall, Arthur walking quickly to match his brother's fast pace "C'mon laddie. Everyone's expecting us to feast and forget we aren't at war for the night. Let's go drink and be merry"
The Capital, The Winter Palace's Highest Security Dungeon, Chamber Three
Thud!
The loud slamming sound abruptly woke Vlad from his fitful sleep. Terribly disoriented and dazed, Vlad lifted his pounding head up from his usually bound arms and blinked away the sleep from his misted vision. He was in a plain room resting on a square table that was covered by a large map of the Isles. Unfortunately he wasn't alone in that small room.
Natasha Arlovskaya stood leaning over the Map table, bearing a wolffish grin as she looked down at the previously sleeping Vlad. Her silken blonde hair was slicked into a neat ponytail and she wore her buttoned navy coat with perfection. There was nothing to disguise her ice blue predatory eyes though. Vlad bolted upright and threw himself back against the chair in an effort to put more distance between them. Natasha flashed her flawless teeth again and slid forward a small wooden box which had been the source of the previous slamming noise. Vlad looked from the box to the Emperor's sister in confusion for an explanation, already feeling the cold fingers of fear creep up his spine.
"Commander Edelstein has already informed you of our target Vlad. We know who Arthur Kirkland is, now we need to know where he is. This is the first step of your… Cooperation," Natasha purred as she crossed her arms over her chest and motioned to the map in front of her. Methodical as always. "You will perform a tracking spell using this map with this sample of hair we collected from the Kirkland residence" Natasha commanded as she leaned forward and flicked open the box she had presented, a small fine clump of golden hair resting at the centre. Vlad cringed but knew better then to put up resistance and earn himself a black eye. Sighing in defeat Vlad rose from his wooden chair before he scooped up the hair and gripped it tightly. Bringing it close to his mouth, Vlad began to whisper into it the words of a tracking spell.
The instant Vlad finished his rapid rhythm of quiet chanting, the piece of Arthur he held instantly lit alight into a brilliant white flame. Like he had been stung, Vlad dropped the flame onto the map and watched as it took hold and spread. The leaping flame seized the thin piece of parchment before it began to die down, reducing the map's surface as it drew back in on its self. All that was left as a an egg shaped piece of map that showed only the North, the Nordic Kingdom.
Natasha released her pent up breath and placed her leathered hands on her hips.
"He's North. He could be hiding out or he could be with the Rebels. Either way the most likely place he could be is in the Nordic Kingdom, where he'd have access to civilisation. In the worst possible scenario he'll be hiding with the Rebels under the protection of the Northern King. Which means extraction may get nasty if the King refuses cooperation, a fleet of warships large enough to intimate them into giving us parlay will be needed" Natasha spoke to herself as she wove together her scheme. The journey would be but a day and a half in their latest ship model and five ships would carry fifty of her men. Natasha smiled as the plan sewed itself together. She would take much delight in recounting it to her brother later. It was the heavy breathing of her prisoner that drew her back to the cell. Vlad was painfully clutching his burnt fingers to his chest as he struggled to regain his breath, the spell he had performed had taken a heavy toll of his strength.
"Guards!," Natasha barked with immediate reaction from the men posted outside the door "Take the prisoner to a bare cell and see that he has plenty of food and water tonight. In the morning have him ready for travel and bring him to me in the ship yard" Natasha ordered to the guards and folding her arms behind her as the guards hauled Vlad to his clumsy feet. She smiled that wolf smile of hers again at Vlad as he passed her with his head bowed in shame.
"Rejoice Vlad. You are performing the highest honour for your Emperor. Hold your head up in pride"
Hoo Hoo. Natasha, get your coat. We're going North :) So this chapter was fun to write, mainly because I throughly enjoy writing from Allistor's point of view. He's such a grizzly bear. And there's that thing going in with Arthur, hmmmmm *wink wink*. Not much else to say really so I'll leave it here.
BUT WAIT! IS THAT A PREWRITTEN CHAPTER I SEE? Yes people! I have the next chapter written and willing to release if THREE Reviews are posted! That's right, THREE! So please leave a review and I'll post the chapter the moment that final review comes in, because you...are it worth ;)
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you are enjoying this story and want to see it long continue, then please consider leaving a review to tell me your thoughts, opinions and questions. They mean the world to an aspiring writer. Once again thank you for reading,
Until next time folks!