Chapter 5

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.

~Robert Frost

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Several months passed, and Belarus still despised Lithuania. Indeed, she tolerated him to a certain point after he forgave her for the nosebleed, but overall she still didn't like him. Although he was always gentle to her, she still ignored him, harmed him, and refused to love him. However, as time passed, she slowly insulted him less and less. Eventually, she didn't hurt him as much. Nevertheless, she still didn't love him, and was still counting down the days to the end of the marriage so that she would be allowed to divorce him and go back to trying to win her brother's affection. Even though several months had passed, not much had changed.

However, things were about to shift again…

One day, Lithuania and Belarus were walking along, talking. By this time, it was winter, and snow was everywhere. However, it was not the coldest part of winter, and some rivers still had thin parts to their icy coverings. Belarus happened to be walking towards one of those thin parts of the rivers. Lithuania attempted to warn her, but she wished to be left alone.

"Belarus, please it's—" Lithuania was cut off by Belarus with, "Listen, I just want to walk by myself for a while, okay? I know where I'm walking."

Unfortunately, she didn't know where she was walking, and she fell through the ice. The sheer cold of the water stole her breath away, and she was shocked by the impact the dire cold had on her. She floundered to the surface, gasping deeply. Quickly, she reached out to the edge of the hole, but the ice broke under her weight as she attempted to pull herself out of the water. Indeed, she didn't know where she was walking, and now she was suffering for it.

Feeling his heart pick up speed, Lithuania rushed to the edge of the river, and stopped. Swiftly, he dropped to the ground and started crawling towards Belarus, making sure to spread his weight evenly across the ice.

"Help me!" Belarus gasped as she grabbed onto the edge of the ice.

She felt herself becoming more and more numb every second, and she wasn't sure how long she would be able to move. Since she was a nation, she doubted that she would drown or die of hypothermia… but she didn't want to find out otherwise.

"I'm coming, just hold on!" Lithuania breathed as he neared her.

Slowly, he crawled towards Belarus, doing his best to avoid cracking any ice. However, as he neared the edge, he heard the ice groan and threaten to break.

"Belarus, stretch out your hand as far as you can!" Lithuania instructed as he reached towards her.

Belarus, who was clinging to the edge of the ice, stretched out one arm as far as she was able to stretch. She felt herself shiver from head to foot while simultaneously felt her fingers and feet go completely numb in the frigid water. Although she wasn't sure if she was able to die, she was terrified in that water. As Lithuania neared, Belarus locked eyes with him and recognized that he was also frightened. Strangely enough, there was something comforting in meeting his gaze. Quickly, Lithuania reached out and grabbed Belarus' hand, and slowly started to pull her.

The ice moaned. While Lithuania began to back away and pull Belarus out of the water, cracks began to shoot through the ice. Lithuania felt his heart jump at the sight of the cracks. Belarus gasped in fright. She didn't want to fall into the water again, especially since she wasn't too sure if she would survive hypothermia. Gazing at Lithuania, Belarus tried very hard to think about something other than drowning.

"It's going to be all right, Belarus, just look at me, understand?" Lithuania soothed as he too attempted to think of something other than the frigid water.

Slowly, he continued pulling Belarus from the ice, consoling her all the while. The ice cracked again, and moaned repeatedly. However, it did not break. Eventually, he pulled her out of the ice, and onto the bank of the river. Belarus was shivering from head to foot, completely drenched.

"There, you're out! We need to get you home and take those clothes off you before you freeze," Lithuania announced as Belarus sat in the snow, shivering and panting.

She nodded, and tried to stand up, but her feet and legs were so numb that she tripped and fell down.

"I-I-I'm n-n-numb," Belarus stuttered with a shake of her head.

Her teeth chattered after she was done speaking. She tried banging her hands together to restore some vague feeling in them, but her gloves were soaked and no feeling would come to her fingertips. Her heart was racing as she sat there, pondering if hypothermia would kill her.

Lithuania cast about in his mind for some way to get his wife home, and warm. After a few seconds, he knew that he would have to carry her home.

"Belarus, I'll carry you," Lithuania stated as he picked her up in his arms.

"L-L-L-L-ith-u-ani-a, I am v-very hea-heavy," Belarus objected as Lithuania picked her up.

Although Belarus did weigh a considerable amount with her soaked clothes, Lithuania managed to pick her up, bridal-style. However, he did grunt with the effort.

"Just put your arms around my neck and we'll be home soon," he reassured her as he began to swiftly walk away.

Belarus obeyed as her teeth chattered again. Thankfully, they weren't too far from Lithuania's house, and the fire was still burning inside. With Lithuania's help, Belarus took off her coats and gloves, and crouched beside the fire while Lithuania ran to get towels and a change of clothes for her. Within a few minutes, Belarus was wrapped in towels and blankets, wearing dry clothes, and warming away her numbness from the icy water.

"Thank you, Lithuania… Thank you," Belarus whispered as she sat beside the fire.

"You're welcome," Lithuania replied quietly.

He was relieved that she was safe, and warm. His heart was finally beginning to relax.

For some time, Belarus said nothing to him while she huddled by the fire. She considered all that she did to her husband within the past months. Day after day, she had ignored, insulted and even injured him… and yet, he was still pleasant to her. She didn't understand how one person could endure so much harm and still love someone. As she slowly warmed up, she considered what may have happened if he didn't pull her from the water. Even if she didn't die, it surely would have been terrible to hang there, hour after hour, freezing and numbing in the water. Indeed, she was truly grateful to Lithuania. As she pulled the blankets tighter around herself, she was silent, and contemplative.

He's been so nice to be, and I'll I have ever been to him is hateful… how can he be so loving towards me?

She pondered, I don't deserve any kindness from him, and he continues to be so kind… why? What is it about me that he loves? How can a man even love a woman as harsh as I? Today he saved me from freezing for who knows how long, if not from death itself… I… I need to repay him for that at least. I… I suppose that… well… At the very least, I should apologize for being so… so hurtful to him, especially since he didn't deserve it.

After considering all this, Belarus looked into her husband's green eyes and quietly whispered, "I… I'm sorry for being so mean. Will… you… forgive me?"

With a loving smile, Lithuania replied, "Of course I do, Belarus."

For the first time in countless decades, Belarus smiled at Lithuania. She knew she didn't deserve any forgiveness, yet she just received it, and that act of kindness forced her into a small, shy smile. Although she still didn't like him very much, Belarus was learning how to accept Lithuania's love. Lithuania's desire to be loved was beginning to be more appealing to Belarus. No, she didn't love him, but she was beginning to see that he loved her, truly loved her.

Dear Reader,

I must admit, it was hard to find a quote to fit this chapter.

If you have any great love quotes, please send me a PM or write a review!

In fact, tell me what you think in a review, but don't spoil my story!

Also, I would like to thank everyone for all the amazing reviews, and I would also like to thank The Scheming Turtle for being my Beta reader, and Eisceire for his input in the Prologue.

PioneeringAuthor, the pioneer with a heart for people and a thousand stories to tell ~+~