Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 33

Vlad managed to find the apothecary just as she was closing up shop. He tried to convince her to keep the shop open because his friend was sick, but she was firm that she wanted to go home. Vlad then took a risk and told her that his friend was cursed, and this prompted hesitation from her. He explained that he needed a few ingredients, and after demonstrating that he was indeed a sorcerer, she allowed him to buy the things he required.

It was fortunate that he took a few of the coins before he left Arthur and Lukas, otherwise he would have wasted their time.

He hoped he didn't endanger them as he carried the package with herbs towards the area where they entered. He could sense Arthur's emotions especially, due to the discomfort and fear he was experiencing. And eventually, he spotted Lukas, standing outside like he said he would. Vlad ran over towards him as Lukas took a few steps closer.

"Did you manage to get everything?" Lukas asked.

Vlad nodded.

"Then, we just need moonlight and a bit of Arthur's blood," Vlad said. "How is he, by the way?"

"He's not worse," Lukas said. "How exactly will this work?"

"Um, let's discuss this inside."

Lukas nodded, before he led the way to their room. Vlad noted that it had four beds, and his mind flashed to the last time they stayed in an inn with four beds. He wondered if Lukas remembered it too, especially since his dead friend had been lying on one of the beds.

Arthur didn't look much worse, though Vlad could sense his exhaustion. He suspected that he would have been able to pick up on Arthur's exhaustion even without his ability to sense their emotions. Vlad placed the parcel with the herbs on one of the empty beds.

"We need to grind up these herbs," Vlad explained.

"I'll ask the innkeeper if he has a mortar and pestle," Lukas said. "Or we can use a knife and chop them really fine."

"Then, we need a few drops of Arthur's blood, which we have to mix with the herbs."

"I'm not too fond of that one," Arthur said. "And where does the moonlight come in?"

"We need to put the mixture in an area where it can soak up moonlight for as long as possible," Vlad said. "Preferably, from dusk until dawn."

"I don't think we have that much time," Lukas said. "What is the minimum?"

"It has to be for at least an hour during the middle of the night."

"Okay, we can ask the innkeeper for the things we need."

"…I'm going to have to consume the concoction, aren't I?" Arthur grumbled.

"Unfortunately, yes," Vlad said. "And hopefully it works."

"Hopefully?"

Vlad shrugged.

"It's my first time doing something like this," Vlad said. "Part of me is completely sure that this will work, while the other part is questioning how it's going to work."

"That's pretty normal for magic, then," Lukas sighed.

Arthur grimaced, and Vlad felt sorry for him. Their attentions went to the door when someone knocked on it, and soon enough, a man stepped inside, carrying a tray with three plates of food.

"I brought you boys some dinner," the man said.

"Thank you," Lukas said. "By any chance, do you have a mortar and pestle, and could we use a bowl?"

The man looked around, focusing on the parcel on the bed before looking over towards Arthur. He nodded his head.

"Didn't the apothecary grind these up for you?" he asked.

"She was in a hurry to get home," Vlad said.

"Understandable, I suppose. Her husband broke his leg the other day. He was trying to fix a roof before he fell. Anyway, I'll get those things for you now."

"Thank you," Lukas said.

They were left alone, and Vlad immediately found himself gravitating towards the plates of warm food, with Lukas following him. The last time they had hot meals was when they were still with the bandits. Vlad had been used to eating scraps, but after a few times where he was allowed to have proper meals, he found himself realising that the rations were not enough.

"Arthur, do you feel alright to eat?" Lukas asked as Vlad took one of the plates.

Arthur pushed himself into a sitting position before he groaned.

"My stomach hurts a bit," he said, "but I should be alright with eating."

"If you feel like you can't, then don't force yourself," Lukas said.

Vlad took a few bites of his meal, hoping that there would come a time when he would be able to enjoy these more often. His plate was about halfway cleared before the innkeeper returned with the items they'd requested, which Vlad and Lukas immediately went to retrieve.

"Thank you," Lukas said. "We'll be sure to compensate you for your help."

"There's no need for that," the innkeeper said, before he glanced towards Arthur. "You see, I lost my wife to a plague a few years ago. Your friend kind of reminds me of that time. You only have to pay for the room. The food and everything else are free."

"Thank you," Lukas said, his eyes wide to reflect his surprise.

"Yeah," Vlad said. "That's very kind of you."

"Call me if you need any help," the innkeeper said, before he left the three alone.

"He's nice," Vlad said. "And he doesn't make me uneasy the way Ludwig did."

"That's good," Arthur said. "It must mean that he's trustworthy, right?"

"I hope so," Lukas said. "Come on. The sooner we prepare that concoction, the better."

Lukas ended up grinding the herbs because Vlad wasn't entirely sure how the mortar and pestle worked, and once it was all in the bowl, Vlad had to approach Arthur, smiling apologetically. Arthur shrank back in the bed.

"Is it really necessary for me to bleed?" Arthur asked.

"Unfortunately," Vlad said. "So, sorry about this."

Arthur hadn't used his knife that came with the food, so they used it to make a small cut along one of Arthur's fingers. He flinched as he held his finger over the bowl, allowing a few drops to join the mixture. Vlad also used the knife to mix the blood with the herbs.

"Do you think leaving it on the windowsill will work?" Vlad asked.

Lukas went over to the window and looked out.

"We're facing west," Lukas said. "I think, as long as there isn't a storm tonight, we should be able to catch some moonlight. Otherwise, I could ask the innkeeper if there's a place he would recommend."

"I don't think we should ask him for much more," Arthur said. "While the people in this region are tolerant of sorcerers, there are still those that are nervous about us. And the more we ask of him, the more he may feel that we're trying to take advantage of him."

"…I told the apothecary that we're sorcerers," Vlad said. "Well, that I'm a sorcerer. She didn't want to help otherwise."

Arthur frowned.

"Did you tell her what you wanted those herbs for?" he asked.

"I told her that my friend was cursed, and I wanted to break the curse," Vlad said.

"Alright, that sounds safe. But be careful in the future."

"Don't worry, I know. I grew up in the Aewern Desert, remember?"

Vlad had been worried about letting the apothecary know that he was a sorcerer, but he would take any risk for Arthur and Lukas. They were his friends and his rescuers. They saved him from a lifetime of fear, not just as a slave, but also as a sorcerer living in an area that despised his kind with no means to escape the area.

It would be a fear that he suspected he would never quite escape.

They placed the bowl on the windowsill before they started to discuss their plans for the next day. It was decided that, regardless of whether or not the cure worked, they would remain in the town for one day, just to allow Arthur a chance to recover.

A few minutes after they started their discussion, Arthur lay down, and when Lukas went to check his temperature, he reported that Arthur's fever had gone up. Vlad could sense it. Arthur had passed out again.

"I guess we can only wait and see now," Vlad said.

He hoped Arthur would get better.

Lukas awoke in the middle of the night after yet another nightmare. He pulled out the charm that Arthur made. He stared at it for a moment before his hand tightened around it. It was a charm, of course, and it would have been naïve to think that it would have been able to resist the power of a god. But he'd still hoped.

He looked around at the other two. Vlad didn't seem to be bothered by nightmares, but it could easily change, especially since they would often have nightmares one after the other. So, Vlad might have been sleeping peacefully at the moment, but it could change at any time.

And then there was Arthur.

Lukas climbed out of bed and approached his friend. Arthur's breathing was laboured, and when Lukas placed his hand on Arthur's forehead, Arthur whimpered in pain. His temperature had increased, and Lukas searched for their skein of water before noticing that there was a jug.

He couldn't remember if he'd noticed it earlier, but perhaps the innkeeper kept it there for any potential guests. The alternative was that the innkeeper had snuck into their room, and with everything that happened, Lukas was not comfortable with that possibility.

He shuddered, before he went to check on the mixture on the windowsill. He sighed when he saw that it seemed to be untouched, before he noticed something. He reached out his hand and allowed his magic to sense the contents of the bowl. There was definitely something not normal about this bowl, and the thought occurred to him that the reason why Arthur's blood was necessary was to counteract the specific curse that he had.

If this worked, then Lukas would have to remember this, just in case it worked for other curses as well.

His head whipped back when he heard Vlad's voice. The younger sorcerer had groaned in his sleep. Lukas smiled. Vlad was still adorable. But then he heard something that made his chest ache.

"Don't leave me," he mumbled.

He'd never heard Vlad speak in his sleep, and Lukas stepped closer. In the moonlight, Lukas could make out something sparkling on Vlad's cheek. He was crying.

Lukas didn't think much about it. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on Vlad's head. Vlad moaned in his sleep.

"I will never abandon you," he whispered. "You and Arthur mean too much to me. I don't know how, but I'm going to find a way for the three of us to stay together."

He missed Emil and Berwald, and he missed the sea. But he could no longer imagine his life without his two comrades. No, they were more than comrades now. And they were more than friends to him. Lukas didn't know what exactly, but he also suspected that it was more than just attraction he felt for them.

He'd dreamt that he'd lost them, and that dream, along with the thoughts that plagued him throughout the day, was the last piece of the puzzle. He suspected that he was in love with Arthur and Vlad, and he had no interest in trying to decide between the two. He wanted all three of them to remain together.

He had no idea how Arthur or Vlad would feel if his feelings ever became known, though he suspected that Vlad had already sensed them. He just didn't know what they were. Lukas felt a pang of sorrow at the thought that Vlad didn't recognise love. No one should have had the childhood that Vlad had.

Lukas remembered the original reason why he got out of bed, and approached the jug of water. There were four cups around the jug. He took one of the cups and poured a small amount of water into it. He took the cup to Arthur. All he needed to do was place the cup against Arthur's lips, and his mouth obediently opened as Lukas gently tipped the cup, allowing the fluid to enter. Lukas could hear Arthur swallowing the water until the cup was empty. Lukas then placed a kiss on Arthur's head.

"Feel better soon," Lukas whispered.

Lukas returned the cup to its place before climbing back into bed. They would have to rest the next day for Arthur's sake. He removed the Desert Heart from his pocket. It was a while since they ran into Nemthys's followers. He hoped that it would remain that way until they managed to reach the final jewel, and then they needed to make their way to Mount Alasbu.

He didn't think their luck would be that good until then, even with the goddess's help.

Unbeknownst to Lukas, Vlad had woken up when he felt Lukas's lips on his head, and he'd heard those whispered words. The words were comforting, but the kiss just confused him. And then there was this… warm feeling that he sensed from Lukas, which prompted his own chest to feel warm. What was this?

Vlad tried not to move too much when Lukas went over towards Arthur, tending to him before kissing him on the head as well. Vlad watched through narrowed eyes until Lukas returned to bed, and he relaxed when he could hear Lukas's breathing change. Vlad then turned to lie on his back as he stared at the ceiling.

What was going on? He felt similar emotions from Arthur from time to time, and a lot of that was accompanied by confusion, so Lukas and Arthur didn't understand it, just like Vlad. But this time, he couldn't sense any confusion from Lukas. He seemed sure. He was accepting. But accepting of what? What was this emotion?

He had no idea how long he lay there before he acknowledged that he wasn't going to fall asleep. He stood and went over towards Arthur, whose breathing was fast and shallow. He placed his hand on Arthur's head and flinched when he felt how hot it was. He did what Lukas did and gave Arthur some water.

He then had nothing more to do. He sat back on his bed and looked between his two friends. He still didn't understand what was going on, just that their emotions were all over the place. He wanted to know what it was, but he was too afraid to ask them. He didn't want to make them angry at him.

When Arthur awoke, it was to a damp bed while feeling as though a fire surrounded him. After verifying that that was not the case, he swallowed. He still had a fever.

Arthur looked around. Lukas was still asleep, but Vlad was awake, sitting on his bed and staring into space. He looked over towards Arthur and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Vlad asked.

"I thought you were able to tell," Arthur mumbled.

"I can feel your emotions. I can't tell how you're physically feeling."

"…It's too hot."

Vlad nodded, before he went to get some water. Arthur pushed himself into a sitting position, and by the time he was finished, Vlad was ready with the cup. Arthur nodded his thanks as he accepted the cup from Vlad and took a few sips.

"I think the antidote's ready," Vlad said. "Do you want to give it a try?"

Arthur grimaced. He was no stranger to strange concoctions, but he'd never drunk anything that contained his own blood.

"Alright," Arthur said. "I can tell that this fever is worse than anything I've ever had before. And I fear that it will only get worse."

Vlad nodded, and he went to retrieve the bowl. Arthur could sense the magic coming from it when Vlad placed it on his lap, and he held out the cup.

"I have a feeling that I might want more of this," he said.

"Do you want a spoon?" Vlad asked.

"…That might help. Thank you."

The innkeeper had given them some tea the previous night, and the cups with spoons were still there. Vlad handed a spoon over to Arthur as he went towards the water. Arthur gulped, before he scooped some of the mixture onto the spoon and took a bite. He grimaced as his entire body erupted in goosebumps. He decided to ignore chewing and tried to swallow the mixture in small clumps. When Vlad returned with the water, Arthur gulped it down in seconds.

"So, I'm guessing that's really bad?" Vlad asked.

"Extremely," Arthur said. "Do I have to consume all of it?"

"Yes."

Arthur winced, before he started with a smaller spoonful. Vlad placed the jug of water on the table beside Arthur, and he refilled the cup every time Arthur had to swallow a mouthful.

"Is everything alright?" Lukas slurred, pushing himself up.

"Everything's fine," Vlad said. "I'm just helping Arthur take his medicine."

"This is vile," Arthur gasped. "Whoever came up with this antidote deserves to rot in eternal suffering."

"It couldn't be worse than that brew you gave me," Vlad said.

"You didn't have to consume any blood!"

"But I've literally eaten rotten food in the past, so you have to realise exactly how disgusting that brew of yours was if I thought the rotten food was better."

"If it helps, who cares?" Lukas sighed. "So, are we going to stay and rest for today?"

Arthur swallowed another mouthful before he nodded, his face twisted in disgust.

"Shall I see if I can buy any sweets?" Lukas asked, smirking lightly.

"Normally, I am not much of a sweet tooth, but in this case, please!" Arthur begged.

Lukas chuckled, before he climbed out of bed.

"Then I'll get to it," he said.