Once again, I give special thanks to The Scheming Turtle for being my Beta-reader, and I also give thanks to Greece's Kitty for the information regarding Belarus and sunrises.

Also, I heartily thank all of you who left me reviews, positive or not, and for all the favorites, follows and advice!

Please keep reading and reviewing, but please DO NOT SPOIL the story, okay? Thanks!

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

Chapter 6

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.

~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars, 1939, translated from French by Lewis Galantière

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Early one morning, Lithuania awoke, and found that Belarus wasn't there. Looking around the room, Lithuania didn't spot his bride anywhere. At first, he assumed that she went to get a refreshing drink of water, but when he searched the kitchen, she wasn't there. He quickly eyed a nearby clock, and saw that it was close to sunrise. Where is she at this hour? he wondered. Suddenly, fear penetrated his heart. Did she leave me in the middle of the night? No, surely she wouldn't… or would she? He pondered as he felt his pulse increase. For several minutes that morning, he searched all over his house for her to no avail.

With his fear increasing, Lithuania dashed outside and searched through his yard for her. Finally, he discovered her on a hilltop near his house. He sighed in relief. As he started to calm down, he slowly approached her, noticing that the sky was becoming a murky shade of gray as the sunrise neared. When he reached Belarus, she turned and stared at him in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded as he walked up to her.

"I was wondering where you were," Lithuania explained as he stood by her.

"I was going to watch the sunrise," she snapped, turning away from him in annoyance.

"Oh… well… may I watch it with you?" Lithuania inquired quietly.

Slowly, Belarus twisted her neck and gazed at her husband in bewilderment.

"You… want to watch the sunrise with me?" She asked in wonder. Although she loved watching the sunrise, she had no idea that Lithuania was interested in such things.

"Yes, I would love to watch it with you," Lithuania answered with a smile as the sky increasingly became lighter.

"Well… I mean… It's everybody's sky…" Belarus consented as she turned back to the horizon.

There, in Lithuania's yard, the two watched as the sun gradually rose into the sky.

As the sun rose, the sky turned various shades of gray, then pink, then orange, yellow, and finally, the sun was above the trees in the distance, and the sky was a marvelous yellow with blue on the edges. Belarus watched in awe. Lithuania also enjoyed the spectacular sight he surveyed, especially since Belarus was beside him.

"How often do you watch the sunrise?" Lithuania probed as they stood there.

"As often as I can," Belarus answered quietly, "Even before we were married I watched it."

Lithuania nodded and replied with, "I see… It's very lovely."

"It is," she agreed quietly.

"May I watch it again with you?" Lithuania asked gently.

Belarus stared at him, pondering what to say. She certainly didn't enjoy being with him, but she did like the sunrise, and it was HIS house, after all… hence, she sighed and answered, "If you wish."

After that, they began to watch the sunrise quite often together, admiring how every day it seemed to be a bit different, yet was always the same.