Hetalia – The Cold of War
Chapter 16! Ooh it's finally ready! The next chapter! Thank you to the lovely reviewers who brought this to you all early, I always always appreciate the feedback. Let's do this,
Enjoy!
The Nordic Kingdom, The Royal Palace, Main Hall
"We have under an hour before the Empire begins its ground assault. Maybe less." Berwald Oxenstierna stated grimly to his King and General Ludwig, Kiku Honda and Matthew Williams stood to attention on either side of their leader. The five men stood around a circular table central of the hall, a thin paper map spread across it detailing the blueprints of the Palace and town. Rebel and Northern troops rushed around them to the Arsenal and returned with rifles in hand. The many individual footsteps resonating into a like rain pattering echo that bounced off the grand hall walls. King Simon, with an enormous battle axe strapped to his back and a belt of pin grenades around his hips, sighed and leaned forward on the map to point at the courtyard to the entrance hall.
"If we station the front lines here, it will not only cut off their main access to the palace, but also focus their fire so that the women and children may escape through the back" He put forward as he traced an invisible route from the back of the Palace to the bottom of the mountain labelled 'Atlas' Peak'. An general agreeing sound came from the crowded men as Matthew cleared his throat to speak up and motioned to the two dimensional mountain.
"Is there no kind of shelter for evacuees to hide in? No structured storage hold?" Matthew gingerly asked to the northern King, though it was Berwald that answered in a stiff voice.
"There is a cave system that travels deeper into the mountain. It's no bunker but the caves can only last as a temporary place. If this battle is prolonged, I fear that the supplies stocked there won't be enough to sustain the people for long" The ill news sat uneasily on the gathered men's minds, the knowledge that if the siege got drawn into next week, then the women and children would die of starvation before an enemy soldier. It was then Ludwig's turn to speak, his shoulders uniformed and square as his voice steady and confident.
"Even if we concentrate the front lines in the courtyard, there will be a wide hole left in our defence. We need an aerial counter strike to leverage cannon fire off the main structure, along with the primarily line of defence stationed in the entrance courtyard and a precautionary second line inside the Main hall to cut off any parties that are able to slip through". The plan Ludwig put forward was well received as evidenced by the lack of objections and tiny agreeable nods. King Simon was about to assign roles when the table's attention was drawn away by five approaching men, Allistor Kirkland at the head leading the charge. With his ever present blindfold; Lukas, his younger brother Erik, the King's servant Tino and the formerly unseen King's advisor named Eduard von Bock followed up behind. The Scot marched up boldly to the gathered, his dual tomahawks hanging from his belt and a frightening scowl on his face.
"Has anyone seen Arthur? He scampered off two hours ago and he still hasn't shown face" Allistor questioned as he looked from face to face with eyes that held burning Greek fire. For a man that held no political standing in the Kingdom, Allistor Kirkland was wisely respected and feared enough that even the King himself felt intimated in the face of his potential wrath. Silence proceeded until brave Matthew spoke up with his forced head held high.
"All I know is that he left with Alfred and together they went into town. No ones heard from them since" Matthew explained with understanding regret, he was to worried about his own brother's mysterious whereabouts. Allistor groaned at the lack of information in Matthew's answer and ran his hand down his face, looking up to Ludwig as the Resistance leader recalled for everyone's attention.
"We may not of heard from agent Jones and Kirkland, but the priority now is on holding the fort here," Ludwig enforced, raising his finger to point at the respective person as he gave them their order "Agent Williams, take von Bock, Väinämöinen, Steilsson and His Majesty back through the Palace to the evacuation point and stay to defend the citizens. Agent Honda, I need you to commend and fight with me on the front lines while Mr Oxenstierna leads our aerial assault. Mr Kirkland, could I trust you and Bondevik to hold down the second line?" Ludwig issued in his most authoritative voice, feet apart in the stance of power and head held high, making the council his own. There was stunned silence before it was crudely broken by Allistor's tusk as he rolled his eyes in response.
"Don't think this means I follow ya. I follow no one. Especially not a guppy spud like you. When Arthur arrives, send him ta me and tha three of us will hold our plot," Allistor announced as he dug his thumb down on his belt and whistled at Matthew " Oi sunny boy's mirror, ya might want tha get a move on with His Majesty and company. Yer have quite tha trip ahead of ye" He snapped before he dismissed himself with a spin on his heel and returned to Lukas to explain the situation, the two of them already making for the main hall. King Simon frowned at the reminder of the plan and directed his refuelled anger onto its creator.
"Ludwig, I have always respected you, your battle tactics. Placing you as my tactician more then demonstrates that. However, I did not know that the faith in this alliance was so one sided at you would have me hide from my own fight. What kind of King would I be if I hid at the first sign of challenge?"
"You'd be an alive one, Your Majesty," Ludwig returned curtly, business face on "Your people need you alive if you are to lead them another day. If you cannot resist the urge to sheath your weapon then defend alongside Agent Williams if you will" The King stared at Ludwig for a tense moment before he nodded and followed Matthew out the heaving hall along with the others, leaving Ludwig, Kiku and Berwald alone. Berwald reached up to adjust his collar before he glared at the General with his sea green eyes. A concealed storm of disgust and rage over Ludwig's rudeness towards his King.
Berwald stepped in close to hiss through his gritted teeth, "The only reason I have tolerated your imprudence is because, right now, the wellbeing of this Kingdom needs a experienced strategic mind, General Ludwig. But make no mistake that there is nothing worse then a monkey who climbs a tree and thinks himself tall" And with that Berwald strode away from the table and out the hall, turning left to ready a squadron of airships. Ludwig sighed in exhaustion before he rightened his posture and turned to Kiku.
"Grab your blade Agent Honda, the first battle between the Empire and the Resistance is about to begin"
The Nordic Kingdom, Imperial Warship, The Deck
The sister of the Emperor looked down upon the burning town with deep satisfaction. A vision of beauty lay before her. The red and orange toasty flames contrasting between the pure White snow. She took a long deep breath in through her nose. It smelt of home. At least it probably did, under all the smoke and gun powder.
"Ready ourselves for ground assault. Bring out the prisoner and the Deadmen, we must press our advance with haste" Natasha ordered with a sweeping arm, her white furs replaced with black combat armour complete with matted metal breast plate, a combat knife strapped to her thigh and semi automatic pistol on her hip. Her white blonde hair was tightened into a bun and an assault rifle swung in her back. Truth be told, Natasha would of felt better if she had a belt of grenades, but she wasn't picky. After all she knew how to kill a man eight different ways with a newspaper. Behind her as she stood looking down at the smoking kingdom, the two Deadmen, the one by the name of Long John Silver and Vladimir Popscu in chains came forward. They all bowed, albeit Vladimir did out of fear not respect, before rising to receive Natasha's orders.
"This will not be a drawn out attack. It is a precise movement. We strike hard and we strike fast. Our fleet of troops and our ships engage with their main forces while you four act as a covert team, grab the target and retreat" Long John raised his head with a wicked pointed teeth smile.
"What about the ones that would shield him?" His horrid scars stretching into a demonic Cheshire Cat smile. Natasha refused to shudder and kept her eyes down to the snowy ground.
"Kill them all, I have no interest in prisoners," The ice queen answered in such a frostbite tone that her dear brother would have been proud. Upon hearing the rattle of Vladimir's chains and remembering how they bound magic, Natasha turned and fixed her arctic glare on Vladimir. "Undo his chains so that he may locate the target's location," A weighted thud of the thick chains hitting the deck could be heard and Vladimir wincingly rubbed his sore waist "He's still definitely in the Palace?" Natasha questioned, recieveing only a shameful nod in response. A cruel smile worked onto her face as she turned and raised her hand high as the signal to begin their descent. The warship purred as its well oiled engine slowed and their altitude decreased, the North's pathetic Wall of defence desperately tried to slowed them but to no cigar.
"Now Arthur, let's finally end our little game of hide and seek" Natasha quietly spoke to herself as she moved away from the edge to rejoin her soldiers, already positioned to jump the moment of touchdown.
The Nordic Kingdom, The Royal Palace, The Entrance Courtyard
"Hell's bells, so soon" Arthur whispered to no one as he and Alfred ran to the crowded Palace courtyard, the Imperial warships now sinisterly floating down and over the Wall. Arthur's throat clenched as he thought of the upcoming battle and continued to allow himself to be half pulled by Alfred, being very careful not to accidentally activate his hidden blade and take his friend's hand off. The two of them bounded into the courtyard that was littered with high piled sandbags and stern faced armed men. One young soldier spotted them rapidly approach and was half way through aiming his gun before he realised his mistake, looking terrified as Alfred glared at him as they zoomed past. Their sudden presence drew more attention as they rushed deeper into the camp, not dropping a pace till they saw Ludwig and Kiku. The General and his second in command were busy checking their weapons when Arthur and Alfred reached them, Kiku testing the edge on his knave blade and old family katana as Ludwig slipped the magazine out of his gun to check the bullet count.
"Kiku! General! What's the situation?" Alfred called causing the men to look up and breathe out a sigh of relief before advancing to meet them.
"Where have you been? No, wait, it doesn't matter. Jones, get yourself some guns and come back. You're on front lines with us. Arthur, your brother and Mr Bolshevik are waiting for you in Main hall as our second line of defence. Go now" Ludwig barked before his attention was demanded by a confused trooper and moved away to assist. Arthur blinked as he tried to process the order through his brain that felt as though it were made of wet tissue. It wasn't his own order that caused him difficulty to think straight. Alfred was to remain on the front lines, away from him, out of sight where gods know what could happen. Arthur's eyes shot to Alfred's, to find them already waiting. A confusing mix of reluctance to leave and courageous determination to fight pooled there.
"I'll be fine Arthur," Alfred softly reassured as if he knew the question pressing on Arthur's mind, giving their hands a brief squeeze before he released them. Arthur tried to ignore how light and empty his hand felt as he shook his half fingered gloved hand to return the circulation to them. Alfred turned to Kiku as he shook off his bomber jacket to reveal a black military vest beneath and tied the sleeves around his waist despite the cold. "Where are the guns kept?" He asked with a serious face, the gentle eyes he had grazed at Arthur with gone. Kiku pointed over a pile of wooden crates containing a variety of pistols, a sawed off shotgun leaning against the assembled boxes and upon spotting it, Alfred nabbed it and slung against his chest. With the skill of a practiced gunner he pocketed a pair of dual pistols, their additional magazines, the shotgun's full ammunition belt and finished with two small flash bombs. He needn't be worried about close range combat when he could crush a man's wind pipe without trouble.
Arthur watched all of this with a tight heart. He knew the two of them were capable in combat, and he did know. Alfred was a bloody tank in battle, his strength borderline Herculean. Arthur knew he was being ridiculous, that he had nothing to worry about. But of course whenever one has feelings for another, the inevitable paranoia always infects the nervous mind. Alfred would be out of sight, in the line of fire. A stray bullet and Arthur would never see those dazzling eyes smile back at him again. His heart throbbed frantically around the invisible fist that squeezed it, turning his breath ragged and his vision shaky. Calm down! Arthur screamed at himself and dug his nails into his leathered palm to distract himself...The unconventional method worked as Arthur's breath slowed to a rate that wouldn't induce hyperventilation.
Alfred turned back around as he pulled on a pair of black gloves, giving Arthur a pained look as he walked over. "I suppose we go our separate ways now," Arthur quietly spoke through numb lips as he stared at Alfred's chest, which was easier then looking into those crystal rock pools. "Funny, ha- I thought we would have more time".
Alfred shook his head with a little smile "You're acting like we won't ever see each other again". Around them the men were yelling each other to position themselves ready behind cover. A horribly tense, frantic air had taken the courtyard. The light snow, bearing no care for the troubles of men, rained down its frozen puffs.
Arthur sniffed through his reddening nose and let out a chuckle as he gestured to Alfred's face "Well not that I wouldn't mind not seeing that ugly mug around".
"Jeez, look whose talking eyebrows" Alfred joked back before the two uneasily paused, shared a simultaneous exchanged look of understanding. And, as if he had done it his whole life, Arthur stepped into Alfred's open embrace, his arms wrapping securely around him like a comfort blanket.
"Please be careful Alfred," Arthur whispered against Alfred's neck, inhaling his scent that smelt of a soothing combination of husky worn leather and fresh coffee. "Promise me, we'll see each other again. Swear to me". Alfred ducked his head into Arthur's hair, reaching up a caressing hand to cradle the back of it.
"I swear to you," He breathed into Arthur's golden locks, lingering a second or two longer to crave the feeling of holding Arthur's body against his own into his memory. Pausing to take a final breath of that endearing lavender, herbal smell "and besides," He quirked as he pulled away so that sky blue eyes could meet Forrest green, "it's Christmas tomorrow and I promised we'd spend it together. There's no way in hell I'm missing the sight of you in a paper crown" That drew a barking laugh from Arthur as he dislodged himself Alfred and, looked towards the entrance hall with foreboding thoughts.
"I should go, Allistor will have a fit if I stall any longer. Until our next meeting" Arthur called back as he began to jog into the compacted hall, looking over his shoulder to wave back to Alfred before he disappeared from sight. With Alfred's promise fluttering in his chest, Arthur sprinted on past the counter flowing soldiers to where his brother and fellow sorcerer waited.
These two sweethearts, they kill me. So we take a look at both sides prepping for war, Ludwig and Natasha acting as relative commanders. I found the first scene most difficult to write, having all these characters ( some which I'm not very famailiar with writing) with differing interests, motives and personalities was tricky. I would ask that you excuse any characters who act wildly out of character, I am doing my best. Super excited for the next one, I hope you are ready for some fight scenes :)
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you are enjoying this series and would like to see it continue, then 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!