Hetalia – Of Magic and Might
Chapter Eleven!
Enjoy!
The Empire, ClockTower plaza, The Tea Room.
In his Tea Room Arthur Kirkland was closing up shop when he heard distant vague shouting. What the bloody hell was that? Arthur peered through the shop door window and spied two approaching figures. As the figures walked under a street lamp Arthur identified them as Francis and Alfred. Alfred seemed to be animately arguing one-sidedly with Francis. Francis wasn't answering though, his fine blonde brows furrowed in irritation. Arthur unlocked the door to allow them to enter.
"Would you just let me explain!" Alfred attempted again as they walked through the doorway, Arthur locking it after them.
"You AND Kiku can explain yourselves when we are all upstairs. I need another glass of wine" Francis dismissed and strutted upstairs to the apartment above. Arthur looked suspiciously at Alfred.
"What did you do?" Arthur coolly asked. Alfred opened his mouth to defend himself only to be interrupted. "Never mind, I'll find out upstairs" Arthur dismissed stomping upstairs leaving Alfred to huff and follow him up.
Arthur flung the door to his apartment open to see Francis rummaging through their ice box. Taking out his biggest wine glass Francis poured himself an extremely generous glass. Arthur raised his thick eyebrows questioningly.
"Explain Francis" Arthur demanded as he folded his arms across his chest. The Frenchman sipped his wine and turned towards his attention to his interrogator.
"Our guests Alfred and Kiku here, are with the Resistance" Francis said in cold anger, Arthur spluttered and spun around to Alfred.
"What?! Is this true Alfred?!" Arthur exclaimed horrified, actually taking a step back away from Alfred. Alfred pinched his nose bridge under his glasses in stress, he could already feel his headache forming.
"It's the truth" Alfred said simply palms facing outwards, as though bearing himself to whatever came next. "It's true that we are part of the Resistance. We weren't going to say anything and move on. Yao however whether accidentally or not, let the cat outta the bag" Arthur frowned at the mention of Yao's name.
"That's just like him, always enjoys to stir things. He's slippery but when the chips are down, I'd trust him" Alfred snorted in disbelief and looked to the Francis' bedroom door.
"How is Kiku by the way?" Alfred asked looking to change topic.
"He'll be peachy in the morning, then you two will have to leave" Arthur replied firmly as Francis set down his now empty wine glass.
"You and Kiku don't seem to realise the danger you put us in. If you two are caught then we'll be convicted along with you, for harbouring you criminals" Francis stated grimly walking over to stand by Arthur.
"Us? Oh so we're the criminals? Not the mass murderer that sits on the throne?! He rules without equality, he makes the poor poorer and the rich richer. He breaks and forms laws to suit himself and doesn't care who he has to kick down to reach his goals. He is not fair on the Kingdom and its people" Alfred burst out hotly. Arthur's golden bangs fell and concealed his emerald eyes.
"Unfair?" Arthur's voice was subzero. The storm brewing tone Arthur's voice held, caused even Francis to hold his breath in fear.
"What kind of childish statement is that? Unfair? Maybe you haven't look outside your window your whole life Alfred, but life isn't fair. You have no idea the amount of pain the Emperor has caused, to me personally" Arthur walked away past Alfred and stopped at the foot of the spiral stairs.
"Okay I can understand that, I know of his injustice Arthur. Everyone in the movement does. That's what drives us" Alfred strummed taken back at Arthur's wintry attitude.
Arthur let out a heartless laugh."Injustice? You don't know the meaning of the word". With that Arthur climbed up his metal stairs and crossed the landing to his room.
Alfred stared after the English men with mixed feelings. He couldn't decide if he felt anger or pity towards Arthur. Which just led him to adding confusion to the mess that was his emotional state. Alfred looked at Francis solemnly.
"Would you tell me if I asked what went down with Arthur in the past?" Alfred attempted already knowing the outcome. Francis shook his head sending his hair swishing."Thought so. So uh where do I sleep?"
Francis pointed to the cream sofa and without speaking climbed the stairs to the second floor. Alfred looked at the sofa and sighed regretfully. He had just pissed off the very people who had been kind enough to help him and Kiku. He walked over to the sofa and cautiously sat down on it, testing its firmness. It was quite comfortable, if a little too hard. Not ideal for sleeping on but then again, Francis hadn't given him any other option.
Alfred untied his leather boots and lay on his back on the temporary bed. Great. He was too long for it resulting in his feet hanging over the arm rest. This was worse then he had previously thought. Sighing again this time in discomfort. Alfred rolled over into his side in an attempt to get comfortable and tried to get to sleep.
After what felt like hours Alfred finally become unconscious. However that night he dreamt of his family farm being consumed by flames. Alfred stood helpless watching from a distance to the farmhouse. Feeling pressure on his left leg, he looked down to see his younger brother Matthew clinging to him wailing. Alfred found that he couldn't turn away from the mortifying view and stand helpless. Being unable to do anything but watch as his mother and father were reduced to ash.
In his nightmare Arthur stood beside him holding the eyeballs sold at the auction in his bloody hands. Alfred tried to pry off Matthew's death grip but found that Matthew had already disappeared. Tears streaming Alfred looked to Arthur who continued to emotionlessly watch the flaming farm house. His hand gripping the golden orbs so furiously that they exploded, sending squirts of jelly like liquid streaming down his crimson soaked hands. Arthur's head turned as he stared at Alfred with hollow ivy eyes.
"You don't know the meaning to the word" Arthur's voice rang out dead and monotone. Alfred unsteadily staggered to his feet and turned to run away. Only to run straight into Emperor Ivan. The huge man looked down upon Alfred with merciless eyes and eerily smiled his sick smile.
"Yours will do" the Emperor announced joyfully grabbing Alfred's shoulder in a vicelike grip. Alfred was about to shake himself free when abruptly and without mercy he felt two fingers puncture into his right eye socket.
Screaming Alfred withered,trying to shake Ivan off. Ivan innocently giggled and plucked Alfred's eyeball out from his head. Alfred fell to floor gasping and felt for his taken eye. Only to find there was none. He had both eyes. Alfred looked up in confusion to the eye that Ivan now hold proudly. It's iris was green not blue. A bloodcurdling scream shrieked causing Alfred to cover his ears, his ear drums feeling that they would burst.
Alfred looked for the source of the noise and saw Arthur on the ground clutching his right eye in bottomless agony. Alfred crawled over to the crying Arthur and tried to comfort him.
"It's going to be okay! Arthur! Please!". Arthur with one eye streaming tears and the empty one blood, gripped Alfred while violently shaking.
"Wh-why Alfred?" Arthur managed to say before his remaining eye rolled to the back of his head, slumping in Alfred's arms. Alfred in despair raised his head away from Arthur to Ivan. In front of him Ivan laughed and held up Arthur's golden eye was if it were a glorious spoil of war. Wait golden? Arthur didn't have gold eyes. Ivan turned to Alfred and looked him up and down.
"I couldn't of done it without you boy, why don't I give you your reward ?" Ivan pulled a flintlock pistol from his belt and approached cowering Alfred, resting the barrel to his forehead.
"Now we'll both be free". Alfred almost didn't hear him over the gun shot and the bullet entering his skull.
Wow, and I thought we were going back to a lighter tone. Soooo Alfred's creepy nightmare, perhaps foreshadowing ;) maybe, maybe not mwhahaha. So Francis knows Arthur has magic, he doesn't know however what happened to his family and the personal baggage he carries. He has a vague idea though. Yes Alfred's parents did die at the hand of the Empire, leading to his reasoning for joining the resistance. The Empire and the war are life ruineners, they ruin people's lives.
On the flip side, yah! Matthew will be in the story! He enrolled into the Resistance with his brother so he's on Whale Tail island right now. However I am debating on whether or not to bring him to the capital or not. Suggestions would be helpful :). Anyway thank you for reading and if you are enjoying this story please take the time to leave a review and follow.
Until next time folks!