Hetalia – The Cold of War

Chapter 11 early as promised! Thank you to the lovely reviewers who have posted your thoughts, is early access is all thanks to you. Currently writing the next chapter but I can promise that that'll also be out soon to, so keep your eyes peeled and the reviews coming in! Without further ado the next chapter,

Enjoy!

11 years into the past, The Elder Grove Isle, A wide clearing chosen for the monthly gathering of the Sorcerers Community.

Allistor Kirkland stopped at the edge of the wide green meadow clearing, looking down upon the gathered sorcerers. The Sorcerer's Community had recently began to hold monthly gatherings organised by the Council in belief it would instate improved communication between independent sorcerers. "Stupid gits" Allistor had thought as he eyed the crowd with distaste. There wasn't any point of giving them 'bonding time'. Sorcerers naturally led solidarity lives and would take to whom they deemed trustworthy, it felt wrong to be forced to interact with people you didn't care about. The only reason Allistor had came was because the Council had threatened to revoke the Kirkland's news owl subscription service if they didn't.

"Seamus! Dylan! Give me back my coin, I earned that!" A certain blonde haired ten year old boy shrieked, to the delight of his teasing older brothers. Allistor felt the usual stress vein pop on his forehead and turned to see what shenanigan he had to deal with now. Auburn haired like himself, Seamus and Dylan were laughing hysterically as they hovered Arthur small coin pouch a few inches above his reach. Arthur rather pitifully jumping up and down to try and reach it, so flustered he obviously hadn't thought to try counteracting the simple levitation spell.

Allistor had had enough. His mood was already foul from being forced to attend this ridiculous campfire singsong. Snapping his fingers, Allistor released the weak spell his brother's had cast on the pouch and simultaneously gave the mischievous boys a telepathic shove, sending all three brothers sprawling onto the grass with cries of surprise.

"Stop bickering ya gobbling turkeys! What do ya think others will say if they see ye pulling each other's hair? Now take off y'ar frilly knitters and bloody behave yourselves!" Allistor growled glaring down at his now timid brothers, Seamus sheepishly passed Arthur's pouch back to him as they got to their feet.

"Just a bit of fun Allistor. Honest," Seamus weakly justified as he dusted himself and walked to join Allistor in looking down at the grouped masses lounging below, letting out a low whistle as he did. "Now that's more sorcerers then I've ever seen in one place"

"Yes, so it's great if you didn't act like your usual twat self" Arthur cut in as he pushed forward to see and yelped in pain as Allistor disciplinarily boxed his ears.

"It means ALL of ya be on ye best behaviour. I will not have tha three of ye embarrassing me for tha sake of ya pathetic bickering. Let's just get this over with" Allistor sighed as he began to stride forward, Seamus, Dylan and Arthur trailing behind. The dark green cloaked boys walked into the freshly cut meadow, the small groups of sorcerers sitting down with one another. There was a large cauldron set up above a roaring fire and was serving soup to whoever would buy and there were a few colourful merchant tents ready to sell their wares. Smells of cooking meat and the sound of conversation and chatter echoed throughout the clearing as the late summer sun beamed down. Allistor inwardly groaned as their arrival began to gain more attention as the brothers made their way further into the busy meadow.

"Kirklands… Gisil..…Arthur…the Sight..Allistor…Head of family now…" The crowd muttered whispered as they passed. Allistor had instructed his brother's to ignore it but that didn't stop them from hearing it. Behind him Seamus and Dylan held their heads up to show that they were above the gossip, only Arthur visibly struggling as he blushed at the comments and tottered dutifully after Allistor.

"Allistor! Why what in hell's bells are you doing here boy?" A booming voice laughed causing Allistor to stop in his tracks, his followers clumsily bumping into one another's back at the sudden halt. Allistor turned his head in the direction of the shout and saw a broad shouldered man swagger towards him. It took Allistor a second to put the face to the name. Adrei Popescu, a sorcerer who specialised in making charms and rumoured to dabbled in the dark arts. He had been relatively good friends with his father and Allistor had even been taught under him once or twice when he was younger. He was a good man despite the rumours, he had a son of his own around the same age as Dylan.

"Adrei, it has been a long time" Allistor smiled and stretched his hand out to have it swallowed by Adrei's much larger one and shaken so it hard it could of dislocated his shoulder.

"Indeed boy! Well not much of a boy now I suppose. You look a man grown, taking head of the family in Gisil's place. It's admirable at the age of fifteen"

"Actually I be seventeen, eighteen next full moon" Allistor quickly corrected. He would not have people look down on him simply because of his age. Adrei nodded and leaned over to catch a glimpse of Seamus, Dylan and Arthur, smiling fondly at the youngsters.

"You're all grown so much since I last saw you. You could all barely walk on those chubby little legs of yours back then", Adrei laughed as the younger brothers blushed in embarrassment and shifted awkwardly from one foot to another. Adrei turned his attention onto Arthur who was enjoying the sight of the unseen fairies fluttering in the breeze. "Hello Arthur, how's the Sight? See any fae recently?"

Arthur bit his lip as he was once again singled out due to his Sight. He could almost hear his brother's sighing in annoyance at the repetitive routine. "Yes. There's quite a few here with us actually, though Allistor's iron earring is stopping them from coming too close" Arthur quickly explained, eager to divert the attention off him. Adrei looked to Allistor for an explanation out the iron earring scenario, to which Allistor gave a nonchalant shrug to end the matter. Allistor didn't care enough to explain himself.

"Well that's that then I suppose. I wish Vladimir took as much interest in divination as you, he seems completely obsessed with potions at the minute. Positively refuses to even attempt to learn any combat magic, never the right teacher I assume. Say Allistor, Gisil extensively taught you in combat. Do you th-" Adrei slyly began before he was roughly cut off by Allistor.

"No Adrei. The answer will always be no" Allistor bluntly stated, beginning to grow sick of this mans repeated attempts to have Allistor teach his son the Kirkland's renowned techniques. They were the most feared hunters in the community and requests to teach their techniques to aspiring apprentices came relentlessly. It was common practice that as a sorcerer grew up, he would study under multiple masters to broaden his knowledge before choosing to specialise in a field. And while not many actually being wanted to be hunters, the combat prowess of one was most desirable skill to learn for a budding sorcerer. Gisil Kirkland had been the most successful and famous hunter of the past generation. Having inherited the mantle from his father, Gisil had soared with natural talent and the refined teachings that had been past down through the Kirkland family line. Refined teachings that Gisil had hammered into Allistor's memory so that he may teach his brother's once Gisil was gone.

"But why Allistor? I honestly don't understand. Anyone can learn I'm sure!" Adrei rebounded hotly, his face becoming flustered and red.

"Y'ar wrong. Ye forget that we are hunters Andrei. It's not a job, it's a lifestyle. Do ya even have the slightest concept of how hunters are trained? Ma Old man beat it into me as soon as I could hold a bow. He threw me into a Vampire Cove and wouldn't let me leave until I'd slaughtered them all. He made me sample countless poisons so that I developed resistance to all of them. He made me endure blistering winds and scorching desserts looking for alchemy ingredients that didn't exist. He pummelled me into someone who had the balls to be a hunter like him. So if ya think that ye can toss me your wet son and I'll be able to perform a miracle, then y'ar a blind fool!" Allistor spat with such with such force and such ferocity that Adrei stumbled backwards about a metre away from the man twenty ages younger then him. In his eyes there was something that was a mix to respect, recognition and fear.

Allistor felt himself come down from his rage as there was a small tug on his sleeve. Looking down the last of his anger dissolved as he saw Arthur looking up at him with eyes as big as saucepans, watery tears threatening to spill over the corners. Allistor sighed and patted Arthur's head reassuringly that he had his temper back under control, now noticing that his outburst had resulted in silence from the surrounding watchers.

"Alright. You've had your show, now get out of here!" Dylan snapped at the awe struck audience, the bite in his voice sending the guilty sorcerers hurriedly away. As the sorcerers shuffled away, Adrei coughed to try and regain some of his dignity.

"You really are Gisil's sons. Forgive me, My intention was not to offend. I shouldn't be surprised, Gisil would never take any crap from anyone. He was stubborn, too stubborn for his own good at times… You take care of each other, all of you" Adrei said before giving the brothers one last look and turning away to walk towards his waiting son. Allistor watched him go in silence, a dawning moment of realisation crashed on all the brothers. How even among their own kind, they were so very different from everyone else. It was…sad that despite being same, there was a terrifying chasm that alienated them. Even worse that the chasm had been inflicted upon them by their own father.

"We aren't ever going to be normal, are we?" Seamus hollowly asked to his brothers, all of them wearing the same solemn expression as him. Wordlessly Allistor pulled Seamus, then Arthur and then Dylan to him. Simply holding them as if it would shield them from whatever sorrow the truth brought.

And then Allistor echoed their father's words, remembering how he had natively asked the same innocent question years ago. "Never"

Aww my heart breaks for them. So a dream/flashback from Allistor's point of view. The main point of this scene is to show that while the Kirkland's were regarded 'famous' in the Sorcecers Community, it didn't mean they had life easy. As we can probably tell Gisil, the father, wasn't the best. His story hasn't been fully told but it will be in the subplot of the prequel, Hetalia - Origins.

We see alittle of how Arthur has treated by his brother's when he didn't particularly like him, even Allistor bothering him by wearing an iron earring so that the fairies wouldn't come near. It shows how the brothers were before shit hit the fan, forcing them closer together in the tragic event.

The next chapter I'm currently writing is going very well and feels well balanced. I hope you look forward to reading it :)

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you are enjoying this story and would like me to forever walk on my hands, the please take the time to leave a review telling me your thoughts, opinions and questions. Once again thank you for reading and as always,

Until next time folks!