The Black Death

The year was 1656. Many things happened in this random 17th century year. But also, something dastardly still plagued Europe at this time. Actually, while doing my research for this chapter, I saw that it was still around, even back then, and still is. I believe that we really need to do something about it...God… If you don't believe me, look it up for yourself.

Just a little warning from me. This will most likely be little...graphic...in some images if you haven't already gotten the picture from the title. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter...what the hell did I just write?

It was a beautiful day at the Spanish household. Belgium watched as the little Italian girl worked her hardest to clean the house. It made her smile. Sicily had a large amount of determination, and Belgium could tell that she wanted to make Spain proud of her.

Sicily rushed past Belgium with a dirty water-filled bucket in her hands. Belgium laughed and continued her own work. She began humming quietly to herself in Dutch. Not long after, she felt something pull on the hem of her dress. Looking down, Belgium saw Sicily at her feet. However, there was something visibly wrong. Sicily's face had become red with heat. Belgium knelt down to her level.

"Sicily? Is everything okay?" she asked the child. Sicily nodded slowly and held the small bucket she had in her hands up to Belgium. Maybe she had forgotten where the well was again. Belgium took the bucket from Sicily, and held the child's hand in her own. It felt warmer than usual.

"Are you sure you're alright?" the Belgian asked once again. Sicily nodded.

"Si, Belgium," she replied, "I'm fine-" Before Sicily could respond with anymore, she turned away from Belgium quickly. A harsh sounding cough came out of her mouth. Belgium's face fell.

"You're not alright. You stay here, and I'll go get Sp-" Belgium couldn't even finish her sentence at what happened next. Sicily fell into a bloody cough that no child should even have to endure. She fell, with Belgium catching her in her arms. The blonde ran a hand through Sicily's hair, trying to calm her and herself down. Belgium was in a daze of confusion. Something was happening to the child, most likely an attack. But who would attack such a small girl?

Soon, Sicily's coughing ceased, but the girl's breath was ragged. Belgium's skirt was now stained with her blood. Belgium felt sweat run down her face.

"Sp-Spain!" Belgium cried out. Her voice echoed through the hall. "SPAIN! SPANJE!" a tear slid down Belgium's face as Sicily picked up her cough again. Blood splattered from her mouth.

"SPAIN!" As soon as Sicily stopped her violent fit, Belgium heard the footsteps running towards her.

"Belgium?" asked a familiar accent, "¿Qué pasa? ¿Por qué estás gritando de esa manera? Romano and I ran out from the fields and everything." Another tear slid down down the Belgian's face. "Bélgica?"

"Spain… It's Sicily," Belgium finally managed to say, "She just collapsed. I didn't know what to do!" Romano, who had followed Spain, looked up at the Spaniard.

"I don't see what the problem is," Romano muttered, "She likely was up late last night again. She's just tired. I say we leave her alone." Belgium turned to the two boys with the girl in her arms.

"Spain… she started coughing up blood…" The normally tan teen paled.

"But...why would someone attack her? She's just a niña!" Belgium looked down at the girl once more, pushing a strand of her auburn hair away from her pale face. That's when she saw it. Belgium began shaking her head, tears leaking out of her green eyes.

"She's not being attacked…" Spain gave her a weird look. Belgium held up Sicily's hand. Spain paled even further. Romano just stared on in curiosity.

Sicily's fingertips had turned black.

Spain and Belgium sat by Sicily's bedside. The child was asleep and looked comfortable enough, but her breathing was still forced. Spain had sent the order to cut off all access between Sicily's place and any other country. They didn't need another epidemic on their hands. Romano had suffered something similar not too long ago, but since he and Italy were half of each other, the damage wasn't as harsh. Only each brother took half of the pain- not the full blow.

As for the boy himself, Romano was in his bedroom. He had been put in there as a safety precaution. Romano really didn't like it, but it was the way it had to be until this problem could be fixed.

"I don't understand," Spain said as he paced back and forth across the room, "This thing disappeared over a hundred years ago. How could she have it?"

"I don't know," replied Belgium, "It started at her place, didn't it?" Spain nodded.

"From the trading ships, yes. It spread out from there." Spain looked back towards the girl. Sicily was one of the first ones to get it. Nearly every European Nation had it. Every single time there was an outbreak, it would take it's toll on the Nation. They would be sick with the disease until the outbreak ended. But...that was a hundred years ago. Why had it resurfaced now?

Sicily broke into another coughing fit, turning over in her sleep and staining the linen with red specks. Spain sighed. He walked over to the child a ran a hand through her hair, calming her down enough to remain asleep.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do…" he said, tangling his fingers through the auburn strands, "I'm busy enough as it is. I can't take care of her and run my empire at the same time…" Spain turned to Belgium. "Bélgica? Think you could run it? Just for a little while?"

"Spain, I'm surprised at you!" Belgium replied in shock, "I know you want to be a good parent, unlike your own father, but giving away your duties as a Nation is not the way to do it!"

"I just don't know what to do. Sicilia is mi niña. I can't let her down."

"I'll do it." Spain took his gaze away from the child and to the blonde beside him.

"Qué?" asked Spain, "I don't think I heard you right. Can you repeat that?"

"You heard me, Spain. I'll take care of Sicily until she is well again. She trusts me as much as she trusts you." Spain stood from the bedside. The two Nations looked at each other for a moment. "I'll handle it. You go and take care of your people. And I am not taking no for an answer." Spain looked at the ground. "It'll be fine. Go."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Spain nodded and left the room.

Three days passed by and Sicily's health had still not improved. Belgium stayed by her bedside every time the girl was awake. In the meantime, she had to attend to her own duties. But time was not on the blonde's side. There was a distance between her and Sicily, which meant the girl was in pain longer than she was supposed to be, and Belgium had no way to prevent it...but someone did.

Romano was not happy with the current situation. His idiota of a little sister was getting all of the attention. Romano felt as if she was the one everyone wanted to see. He was part of the country, too. She didn't need to have all of the attention. Sure, Spain gave him any attention he required, but the Spaniard was gone from the household for a while. Only he, Belgium and his sister were left, and Belgium was spending most of her time with his sister. Romano hated it. He hated his sister.

Romano walked down the long corridor. It was strangely quiet, but with only three people in the house it was to be expected. Romano walked past her door. As soon as he did, a quiet cry came from the other side. It had to have been her. She must have woken up. Romano ignored it and kept on walking. Belgium would take care of it. She had been doing so for the past few days, right?

Romano kept on walking. However, the cry didn't cease. It just kept going at this low tone. His sister's voice was filled with pain. He could barely remember that pain himself, but Romano remembered her staying by him when he was hurt. Why she had done that, Romano didn't know. He treated her like she was nothing most of the time, yet she wouldn't leave. Heck, she barely even left him alone. It felt kinda weird not to have her following him all the time.

"I have to be folle…" Romano muttered to himself as he walked back towards the door. He turned the doorknob and slowly opened it. His sister laid there, crying softly. He muttered under his breath. Her fingers with still as black as the night. A large spot of red was beside her pillow. Romano knew that it was blood. He had seen Spain come back from his trips with blood on himself and his clothes. Her face was far from pale and it made her look as if she was dead.

Something happened then. Romano felt like he himself was going to die. There was the large weight of guilt that had decided to lay itself on his shoulders.

So, he poked her shoulder. The girl muttered something before coughing briefly, expelling a little blood from her mouth. Romano poked her again.

"Hey...you're not dead, are you?" There was a soft cry, but nothing else. Romano shook her shoulders. His sister didn't move much.

He put his hand to her forehead, as he had seen Belgium do before. Romano pulled his hand away immediately. She was burning hot. No wonder she was crying like that. What was he supposed to do now? Belgium hadn't gotten here yet. She always came rushing whenever his sister woke in pain. Where the hell was she?

Romano became confused. There had to be something to calm the child down. He had seen Spain hum quietly to her, and that usually worked whenever his sister was hurt, scared, etc.

"There is no way in hell I am doing that…" Romano muttered to himself. She turned over and faced him. Her light brown eyes were closed tightly, and her auburn hair was stained with sweat. Her blackened fingers weakly wrapped around Romano's hand and gripped it tightly. Romano almost jumped back at the sudden contact. He stared at the girl. Even when she looked like she was dead, his sister wanted to be close to him.

"L-Let…" Romano stuttered. Her cries ceased. All she wanted was her big brother.

Belgium ran through the hallway, her feet thudding against the floor. She had fallen asleep after finishing her work, and was supposed to check on the youngest female about two hours ago.

She opened the door to find a sight she never expected to see. Romano was fast asleep by his sister's bedside, and Sicily had her blackened fingers wrapped tightly around his hand. Belgium laughed silently at the scene. She closed the door, letting the siblings have their moment.

Over the next three weeks, Sicily's health slowly returned to normal. What both Belgium and Spain found strange was that Romano, who hated his sister, was by her door nearly the entire time.

Once Sicily was better, she returned to herself. Although, the strange thing was that she had begun to stay with Romano even more. Although she claimed not to remember much from when she was sick, Spain believed that she did remember her brother being by her side. Maybe somewhere, Romano did care for his sister. He was just too stubborn to admit it. Hopefully something will happen in the future to break to stone wall Romano had put up to keep his sister out of his heart.