Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Chapter 27
Vlad returned some time later, having let out everything, to see Arthur and Lukas still in the same place, sitting against trees with some distance between them. As soon as they saw him, both rose to their feet, wincing as feeling returned to their legs.
"Are you feeling better?" Lukas asked.
Vlad nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak just yet.
"Then let's go," Arthur said. "Vlad, Lukas and I were discussing. The three of us need to have a proper conversation later."
Vlad felt a cold sensation wash over him, but he still nodded his head. He had no idea what they wanted to discuss, but if they wanted to involve him, then it was important for him too. He wondered if they would tell him that they were going to abandon him once they've finished their task.
But that wasn't what he sensed from them. Their emotions were muddy, but there was nothing to suggest that they were angry or resentful. The only emotion that Vlad could really identify was confusion.
He didn't know how to feel about it.
"Which way are we heading?" Arthur asked.
Lukas removed the compass and held it for a moment before he pointed in a direction that to Vlad felt random, but which he knew was where the compass was pointing.
"This way," Lukas said.
Vlad started walking behind Lukas and Arthur, in the position that was customary for slaves. But then he saw Arthur fall back to walk level with Vlad, and Arthur grabbed Vlad's hand. The motion was gentle, but Vlad still looked down. Feeling Arthur's hand in his was soothing.
"I'm sorry for offending you," Arthur said. "You and Lukas are both my precious friends. The last thing I want is to hurt the two of you."
Vlad gave a small smile as he squeezed Arthur's hand. Warmth filled his chest as he thought about that one word: precious. He didn't have to say anything. He knew that Arthur and Lukas understood that they were precious to him too. That was why Vlad was so terrified of the possibility of the two of them abandoning him.
…
"I think we can rest for now," Lukas said, coming to a stop as he looked towards the sky. He was grateful for the trees. "You guys hungry?"
Lukas looked back towards Arthur and Vlad, who nodded in assent. He watched them let go of each other's hands, and he felt a pang of an unidentified emotion. He quickly turned away, his thoughts immediately going towards the emotion. What was that?
"My feet are never going to be the same again," Arthur sighed.
"Agreed," Lukas sighed. "I wish we've never lost the horses."
"Do you know what happened to them?" Vlad asked. "I'm worried about them."
"My brothers told me that they took my horse back with them," Arthur said. "And Emil and Berwald took the other two back."
"How often do you have contact with your brothers?" Lukas asked.
"Not a lot in the last few days. They thought that it would be better to not contact us when we're on our quest. And I agreed. I don't want to give Nemthys's followers an excuse to go after them again."
Lukas nodded. He wondered what was happening with Emil and Berwald, and what their thoughts were about everything that happened. Were they angry about what had happened to Mathias? After all, it was because of Lukas that Mathias was dead, and Tino turned out to be a traitor.
"I just hope the other slaves at my former master's estate are doing well," Vlad said. "If he's angry with a slave that escaped… He's going to take it out on the slaves that stayed. I think a few of them might have already been killed."
"Would he really do something like that?" Arthur asked.
"Of course. Slaves don't matter. Their lives don't matter. And I've seen a few of them beaten to death. Slaves don't really get fast deaths. It would be a luxury that we can't be allowed to have."
"Completely disgusting," Lukas said. "What do you think would have happened if we managed to kill your former master?"
"He's an influential person with a lot of people who think he's useful. If he's killed, then there would be a manhunt to find the killers. And if it's discovered that sorcerers were involved…"
"I agree with Vlad," Arthur said. "Would still have been nice to make that bastard pay."
They grabbed their rations and started eating. Despite his efforts, Lukas could still remember Francis's questions, and he kept his eyes on Vlad and Arthur. Did something change in their relationship? Or was it just his imagination?
"There's something I need to tell you two," Vlad said. "And I know that you'll be angry with me."
"What do you think that you could have done that would make us angry with you?" Arthur asked.
"…My ability to sense your emotions… It started out as just fear. But now, I keep sensing all your emotions. O-or at least, a lot of your emotions."
Lukas felt a flash of alarm, and he noticed Vlad flinch. Lukas took a deep breath to calm himself.
"How much control do you have over it?" Lukas asked.
"I don't know if I have any control over this," Vlad said. "I just know that it felt worse when we were with those other two."
Lukas frowned. He remembered how he felt when Francis was asking questions and making comments that he had no right to say. He remembered that he was so angry at Francis, and now he felt bad, because he realised that Vlad had been able to feel Lukas's anger.
"I'm sorry about what you might have sensed," Lukas said.
"…I have no idea what's going on. This isn't part of the knowledge that Lucania gave me, so it's not part of the magic that should have been with me."
"Nothing in your bloodline, or related to your patron deity," Arthur said. "This is very strange. When did it start getting worse?"
"…I'm tempted to say that it started after I got poisoned, but it wasn't too much of a bother. But now… It's becoming consuming. And it's starting to scare me because I feel what you're feeling, and you're not exactly happy now."
"I'm sorry," Lukas said. "Again. But if it's getting worse, please, let us know. We don't want you to suffer."
Arthur nodded in agreement. Vlad smiled softly.
"Thank you," he said. "So… It doesn't bother you that I know too much about how you feel?"
"We were discussing this earlier," Arthur said. "We both have… troubles, letting other people know how we think or feel. So, a part of me is relieved to know that at least someone would be able to understand what's going on with me."
"Just tell us if you think we need to calm down," Lukas said. "Like if we're too angry. You looked scared."
"Yeah, it was scary," Vlad said. "All that anger, and disgust, and… I didn't know where Lukas stopped and Arthur began, and it was inside of me, and…" Vlad shuddered. "I actually felt sick."
"We'll try to be more careful," Arthur said, looking over towards Lukas, who nodded.
"As long as we never have to speak to Francis again, I don't think that will be a problem," Lukas said.
"I know, right? That man… He was so infuriating!"
Vlad shuddered, and Lukas threw a pointed look in Arthur's direction, who thankfully seemed to recognise what he was doing. Arthur took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Sorry about that," Arthur said. "Unfortunately, my brothers and I have always had a bit of a temper on us. Dylan was the calmest, but if he got angry…" Arthur chuckled, though his eyes were sad. "I keep thinking about him, and then I have to remind myself that he's dead. We'll have no more memories together."
"It's the same with Mathias," Lukas said. "I keep feeling guilty, because I keep thinking about how annoying he is, then I remember that he won't be able to annoy me again, or do any of the other things that made me tolerate him. There was this one time, when we were younger, that Mathias noticed that Emil and I were living in a house full of holes. Rain and wind kept coming in. So, Mathias spoke to Berwald, and together, the two of them fixed our house. Emil and I tolerated it because we couldn't afford to fix it, but Mathias took it upon himself to help us." Lukas closed his eyes as they started to burn. "He was infuriating, but he was also kind and protective of us."
"He sounds like a good man," Arthur said.
"He was." Lukas looked upwards and stood. "Let's see how much distance we can cover now."
The other two groaned, but rose to their feet. Lukas approached Vlad while Arthur got the supplies ready.
"Since you're privy to our emotions," Lukas said, "I want you to tell us if there's something bothering you. Don't keep it bottled up, okay?"
Vlad averted his eyes.
"I don't want to bother you," Vlad said. "I'm just…"
"Our friend," Lukas interrupted. "And our equal. If you can be burdened with feeling our emotions, then you can tell us what you're feeling. It's not a bother, nor is it a burden. That is what friendship is."
Vlad jumped a bit when Lukas called them equals, and after Lukas finished, Vlad threw his arms around Lukas, who tensed at the sudden contact.
"Thank you," Vlad whispered. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that."
Lukas relaxed, and returned Vlad's hug. He saw Arthur looking towards the two of them, though there was a strange look in Arthur's eyes that Lukas couldn't quite identify. He didn't seem angry, or annoyed, but… something else.
"Let's go," Lukas said, pulling away from Vlad. "We need to get going. I wonder if our journey is going to take us close to my hometown. I would love to show you two where I grew up."
"That sounds lovely," Arthur said. "Unfortunately, we're a bit too north for us to go back to my home. I would have loved to show it to you as well."
"Why don't we go when we're finished?" Vlad asked. "We can make it a tour. Travel around without having to worry about anyone hunting us."
"That sounds nice. And this time, we keep the horses."
Lukas winced and nodded. He was a sailor. He was not made for long walks, and he knew that his feet wouldn't be able to handle that much more of this.
…
"We can rest here for the night," Arthur said. He looked around. "I'll start on the wards."
"Oh, can I help?" Vlad asked. "I know how to do that now."
"Alright. Lukas, do you think you can start fishing in the meantime? Then, when Vlad and I have finished with the wards, we can start gathering some fruits."
Lukas nodded, and Arthur went into one direction and Vlad into the other. Arthur started to mutter the spells necessary. He had already cast three wards before he had to stop due to a strange yet familiar taste in his mouth. He brought his hand up towards his mouth and nose, and when he took it away, red greeted him.
"Lukas!" Arthur called.
He could hear Lukas running towards him, and he suspected that Vlad was on his way too. Arthur didn't move due to the shock, and he almost jumped when he felt Lukas's hand on his shoulder.
"What's… Your nose is bleeding," Lukas said. "I'll start a healing spell. Unfortunately, we don't really have any extra cloth we can use."
"Can I help?" Vlad asked, looking between the two.
"For now, I think you should focus on completing the wards," Lukas said. "Do you think you can sense where Arthur stopped?"
"I think so," Vlad said. "I-I don't know."
"Then for now, just try to finish your own wards. Do you know a cleaning spell?"
Vlad was quiet for a moment.
"I think so," he said.
"Alright, once I'm finished with Arthur, you can clean the blood."
"Okay. I-I'll finish the wards."
"Thank you."
Vlad scrambled away, and Lukas turned back towards Arthur.
"I hope distance makes his ability to sense our emotions less intense," Lukas whispered. "I'm not an empath, but even I can tell you're scared."
"I-I don't know what caused this," Arthur muttered. "I wasn't overexerting myself, I know that much. So, what is going on?"
"I don't know. Now, hold still, and try not to panic."
Lukas placed his hand on Arthur's nose as he started the spell. Arthur felt uncomfortable at the contact against his nose, but it wasn't painful. It just felt a little too close for comfort. After a while, Lukas's hand pulled away.
"Alright," he said. "I don't sense any injuries, but the bleeding's definitely stopped. Just take it easy, alright?"
Arthur nodded. He carefully sank down, sitting on the ground. Lukas hesitated, before he extended his hand and continued with Arthur's wards.
"I don't know what's wrong with me," Arthur said. "I hope I'm not falling ill. That is the last thing we need right now."
"I agree," Lukas said. "Hopefully, this is just a one-time thing. But if you feel worse, you should let us know immediately, alright?"
"…Actually, my head is starting to hurt."
The pain had been creeping slowly, so Arthur didn't put much stock into it. After all, he'd had a few minor headaches at the end of a long day's journey. But now, his pain was getting worse than it had been before.
"How long have you had the headache?" Lukas said.
"Not that long," Arthur said. "I had a bit of pressure before I started on the wards, but it's not the first time it's happened. It's exhaustion. But this time, it feels worse. It's not pressure this time. It's pain."
"I can see if I can detect anything, if you'd like."
Among the first spells that sorcerers usually learned were basic first-aid spells. Of course, healing broken bones and stopping internal bleeding were advanced spells, but one of the basics was the ability to determine whether there was an injury and what kind of injury it was. It helped them determine how to move forward.
Arthur nodded, and Lukas placed his hands against Arthur's head. His hands were cool, and Arthur only then realised how hot he was. As soft light came from Lukas's hands, Arthur closed his eyes.
"I don't sense anything serious," Lukas said. "But there's something there. I'm not sure what it is."
"What does it feel like?" Arthur asked, opening his eyes again.
"I don't know. Sorry, I know it's not helpful. I can cast another healing spell to see if I can get rid of it."
Arthur held still as Lukas set to work, but after a while, Lukas shook his head. He stepped away.
"I can't understand what's wrong," Lukas said. "I can't sense that there's something physically wrong with you, but there's still something that isn't right."
"Then maybe it is just exhaustion," Arthur said. "I'm sorry for the bother."
"No, it's fine. You weren't feeling well, so it's only natural. I think you should go rest. I'll wake you when it's time for dinner. Would you like to bathe after that? I mean, we're at a stream, so we can wash all this grime away."
"That sounds nice," Arthur said, wincing. After all the travelling, he had to agree that it would be nice to wash all of this away, although they have been using a cleaning spell every few days to get rid of the worst of it. "I'm sorry about all of this."
"Like I say, you shouldn't worry. You're a bit warm too. Don't push yourself, alright?"
Arthur nodded. Lukas hesitated for a moment before he pulled his hands away. Arthur went back to the centre, where they had left the supplies. Vlad came at that time, looking just as worried as Lukas.
"Do you want me to clean you?" Vlad asked.
"That would be appreciated," Arthur said. "Thank you."
Like Lukas, Vlad placed his hand gently against Arthur's nose. There was a soft warmth, before Vlad pulled away.
"There you go," Vlad said. "All the blood is gone now."
"Thank you," Arthur said. He realised that the itching sensation that tended to accompany blood was also gone. "I'm just going to lie down for a while. I think this is exhaustion."
"Then go rest. Trust me, being caught when you're exhausted is not a good thing. And at least you can afford to rest."
Arthur felt a pang when he realised that Vlad had probably been punished for being too tired a few times, or had seen others punished like that. The thoughts abandoned him, however, when Vlad hugged him.
"Don't worry about it," Vlad muttered. "Please, stop feeling bad about my past. It's over now, and that's all that matters."
Arthur hesitated before he hugged Vlad back.
"I'm sorry about it," Arthur said. "I hope you realise that I'm not trying to pity you or something."
"I know," Vlad said, before he pulled away. "Get some rest now."
Arthur nodded, before he walked over towards the centre of the area. He made himself as comfortable as he could against the tree. He couldn't wait to sleep in a bed again. He wondered if there were any other bandits in his debt that would be willing to accommodate him.
He could hear Lukas and Vlad's soft voices, and he fought against the instinct to listen. He needed to rest now. Whatever it was that they were discussing, it wasn't important at the moment. He closed his eyes and tried to think of happy things. The first thing that popped into his mind was the hug Vlad gave them when he realised that the mark of slavery was removed. He wondered if Vlad realised that that moment was when Arthur realised that he would do anything to keep him safe. And Lukas's moment came when Arthur saw him in Ludwig's arms.
Before he drifted off, he wondered if Lukas and Vlad had moments when they realised they wanted to protect Arthur too.
