FOR THE PERSON THEY LOVED THE MOST
Turkey jogged through the corridor of his mansion carrying books and maps for supplementary studies of Feliciana on Ottoman Empire and its culture. He was excited to help her in her newfound activity upon learning it from one of his scholars working in his library. He was now in a good mood after a series of meetings with his boss concerning the movements of the Germanic Empire. Every time he hears the word Germanic, he only remembered Holy Roman Empire the least person he would want to deal with. He must conceal North Italy as effectively as he could, away from the prying eyes of the world. If he must create a paradise in his country so that Feliciana will not be tempted to see the world he will build one for her. Leaving her for a while terrified him to a great extent what was more if he was taken from him. Hell will be unleashed on earth.
"Are you okay, Sadik?" A gentle voice interrupted him on his train of thoughts. Before him stood North Italy, agitation was evident on her doll-like face. "I know something is bothering you. What is it? Perhaps I could help you"
"Don't worry, Feli – Ah, Yesenia!" Turkey chuckled nervously; a slip of tongue could raise the inquisitiveness of the former representative of North Italy. Feliciana now called Yesenia did not look impressed. "I heard from one of my household members that you liked to learn on our culture so I brought you some maps and books to help you in your studies" Turkey grinned and he indicated the books and maps that looked like it will all fall down from his arms if he carried it for too long.
"That's so kind of you, Sadik! If I am living here it is better if I learn your language and culture. I want to be a big help to you" Sadik blushed furiously; no one ever said such simple words to him except her.
"I am glad to assist you, Yesenia. I'll just put these things on the library to complement your studies. Are you done for this day?"
"Yes, we are Sadik. My head hurts after tons of information from the teacher. There is so much to learn. A day is not enough for all of it" Feliciana's stomach growled, it was already past noon. Turkey burst out laughing, and then his stomach did the same.
"You are hungry too, Sadik!" It was now Feliciana's turn to laugh.
"After all those series of meeting with the boss, I am sure I can eat all the foods that will be served in the table! What do you say, Yesenia? Care for a food trip at the market?"
"Your boss will not surely look for you, ve?" Feliciana haven't meet this boss of Sadik but every time she hears the name, restlessness stirred in her heart.
"He won't mind. He will just call me if he needed my presence. I'll just bring this to the library. Be back in a while" Turkey sped off, the books and maps juggled under his arms. North Italy watched the lone figure disappeared at the other end of the hallway. She felt minuscule when she was now left alone in a vast hallway sparsely decorated. She shifted her attention to the courtyard walled by the mansion where several of the children of the members of the household were playing. The nostalgia of the innocent laughter of the children sang her of a long-lost lullaby that she cannot put a name on it. A hauntingly sweet melody that was once familiar to her now devoid of the familiarity she used to know. A soft thug on her dress broke Feliciana from her stupor. A child with olive skin and brown eyes and almost the same fashion with Sadik were looking at her with a curious expression.
"Are you lost, my dear?" Feliciana smiled apologetically, she didn't mean her aloofness to cause the boy to be scared towards her.
"Are you all right, my lady?" The young boy looked at her; curiosity was evident in his eyes.
"I am sorry to make you worried, I was just remembering something. What is your name?"
"My name is Tarkan and you look very familiar to me. What is your name, my lady?"
"Tarkan, I am called Yesenia. You see? I cannot remember anything from my past. Sadik is kind enough to help me remember my past"
"What makes you forget everything, Lady Yesenia? You know, you are strikingly familiar with the former represen…" Northern Cyprus was cut off with a surprisingly high-pitched man scream from Turkey. "You don't need to shout my name, Tur…" The young nation stopped mid-sentence as Turkey lunged on him playfully.
"Good to see you again, Tarkan!" Turkey lightheartedly ruffled the child's nation and he whispered, "Just keep your mouth shut for the meantime, boy" The tall man grinned nervously at the young micro nation. Northern Cyprus looked unamused and was about to press the matter more when Feliciana invited the young nation to lunch.
"Please join us in our lunch, Tarkan. It will be merrier if you can come with us to the market" Feliciana smiled making the young nation blushed profusely.
"Th-thank you, my lady" Northern Cyprus stuttered, he was still embarrassed by the unexpected invitation from the gentle lady. He came to the palace to seek aid from Turkey against the neighboring countries but ended being invited to lunch with Turkey and Yesenia.
"We will get the horses from the stable. Wait for us in front, Yesenia" The two personifications and Feliciana went on their own ways. Turkey looked back noticing the distance between him and the woman of his life. His heart ached whenever Feliciana was not by his side. But who was he to suffer so much in love when he was always aware that the person in front of him loved someone else prior to her dissolution as a representative of Italy. The person she loved the most since 900s and the very person he hated with all of his life – The Holy Roman Empire.
"You are hiding something, Sadik. She is the representative of Italy. Why is she in your country?" The always inquisitive micro nation finally blurted out as they were already out of hearing range of Yesenia.
"What makes you say that, Tarkan?" Turkey laughed nervously, the child has a keen observation.
"You are such a pretty bad liar, Sadik. I know when you are hiding something. Besides, I am a still a representative after all" The large man opened the gates of the stables without saying anything.
"And you are hopelessly romantic in love with her…" Northern Cyprus added with a mischievous grin. Two black horses and a palomino horse they rode to the market. It was a bustling, summerlike Saturday noon at the market. Flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, donkeys and goats were being bartered in one of the busiest spot of the marketplace; shops that were overly decorated with vibrant textiles lined up all sides of the market and stores of spices and herbs were frequently visited by the locals and tourists alike. The two nations walked behind the overly excited Feliciana, hopping from one shop to another with an energetic expression on her porcelain face. They watched her admire the rainbow-colored linens lined up on all sides of a shop until she ambled to a nearest store that sells antique furniture. Turkey gazed in perfect stillness and fluttering heart as Feliciana traced with her right index finger an ornately designed century old oak cabinet with a thoughtful look on her amber doe eyes; with puckered lips like a child, she time-traveled through the slumbered memories that lies on every designs given with utmost devotion of the artist. She sighed; a mellow appearance replaced the once happy-go-lucky manner.
"Is something wrong, Yesenia?" Turkey quickly noticed the sudden change of her behavior.
"This cabinet remembered everything. It felt raw and deep human emotions, memories shared with its owners that reside in the very depth of this thing – memories that only the owners will treasure forever that the world will never fully understand. I can feel its sentimental value specially the countless years between its birth until to this very moment. And I am deeply saddened that this beloved object will just find its home on this kind of place" Feliciana smiled despondently, the cabinet was a strong reminder of herself. She once also existed with untold memories of her previous life like the cabinet that now stood before her entirely forgotten by the world.
"You are not forgotten nor is this cabinet. This is no punishment for you. It is just that there are certain happenings in our lives that we cannot avoid, Feli. If I were to be followed; I will not allow you to lose your memories, your life and your loved ones even if there will be no chanced meeting for the two of us. I will rather have a life that I haven't met you than see you always hopelessly reminisce the life you had once" Time seemed to pause the busy marketplace for North Italy and Turkey. The formerly raucous clamor of the marketplace died down, Northern Cyprus was completely ignored and all that they have in that ephemeral moment were the two of them, two hearts and souls comforting one another. "You are always loved… You are always remembered. Don't be sad anymore, Yesenia. You have a life ahead to find out who you were before"
"Thank you, Sadik…" Feliciana felt warmth that spread quickly from the bottom of her heart to the tips of her fingers and toes. A budding smile quickly formed in the corners of her lips, and she laughed like the laughter of a child having been given a free sundae in a warm, Sunday afternoon. "I think I made our dear Tarkan hungry as I stalled our merriment with my own melodrama. Forgive me, for I had been carried away by my emotions"
"Never worry about me, Lady Yesenia. I am not that starved if you'll ask…" The little representative's stomach growled suddenly without the boy's permission.
"Not starving are you, eh?" Turkey sniggered with his usual teasing demeanor towards his subordinate. Then his stomach also created funny sounds that made their situations twice the hilarity.
"Someone's not saying that they are starving too" Tarkan grinned impishly as they listened to more stomach grumbling of Turkey.
"I knew an excellent restaurant nearby that sells delicious exotic foods that I am one hundred per cent sure that the two of you will surely like" Turkey became gibberish as he started talking to himself.
"For what seemed a hundredth time" Northern Cyprus rolled his eyes as he trailed behind the large man and Yesenia was at the rear cheerfully humming like nothing ever happened before. The trio passed quite a lot of food stalls and restaurants occupied with hungry diners until they found what Turkey was looking for.
"The place seemed unappetizing to eat at" Northern Cyprus quickly judged the appearance of the small restaurant based from its lack of attractiveness.
"However… The restaurant was crowded. I can say that their choices are delicious and worth coming back, eh?" Feliciana observed several guests ordered to the passing waiter at the same time. The guy, perhaps at his middle-teens, was frantic on the sudden orders of the customers. "Poor guy…" Feliciana watched the young waiter agitatedly scribbled all the orders on a faded brown leather notebook before he ran off back to the restaurant.
"I think I saw a vacant table in the corner. I'll go get the menu" Sadik disappeared in to the growing queue in the restaurant while Yesenia and Tarkan squeezed their way to the only available table at the corner. Not long after did Sadik join them with three menus in his hand and a following waiter behind him. The noon waned and afternoon tolled in and the group was now returning back to the mansion. It was a quiet journey; Feliciana was cradling the sleeping form of Tarkan while Turkey was in deep reverie. A wandering traveler could mistake them for a family. Turkey and North Italy happily married and North Cyprus could be their child as Turkey has deep affections towards the boy. It would be much happier if the three of them were not nations – away from the grueling, chaotic life of a representative. Sadly, it was an impossible reality for personifications, especially for Turkey. Much more that Feliciana was no longer a representative. A cloud of doom hung on the two of them, a curse that has been laid already before the personifications were even born. It was that unforgiving curse that was constantly separating Turkey from reaching out to Feliciana. Sadik smiled gravely, it was a battle of loving an angel from the deepest pits of hell, forever destined not to be together. His only comfort on this world was the presence of his angel; God knows how long His most loved angel will remain on earth. And that pained Sadik every day of his life. He never knew how long Feliciana will live. Will he still see her alive tomorrow or the other day, the next month or even the next year? Will there be enough time for him to love her until it's over? If all is over, will there be a chance for him to find Feliciana in their next lives, love her in many ways that she deserved to be loved and be loved in return? If so, may life be kind enough to the two of them – may Turkey seek and find the love he deserved after all, and may North Italy live a peaceful life that was bereft from her.
"What troubles you again, Sadik? Perhaps you need a vacation from your work" North Italy commented on the sudden seriousness of her companion. She wanted to know more of this person and only if she could read minds, she can comprehend the matters that made him quiet. She do not know what will she do if the person that constantly make her smile and laugh all the time became a different person.
"I deeply appreciated your concerns, Yesenia. I just remembered something… No, I imagined something to be exact" Sadik permanently longed for that kind of life that their populaces are only entitled to – having a family with someone you deeply loved and cared for and living the life you wanted all along.
"And what did you imagined, Sadik?"
"Let's forget about it. It's nothing special, Yesenia"
"You can always talk to me Sadik. I will always have time to listen to you" Her words hit a spot on Turkey.
"No one ever listened to me, Yesenia. You are the first person to say that to me" Turkey gazed forward to hide the tears that began to form in his eyes and threatened to spill any minute.
"You must lived a lonely life, Sadik" Yesenia spoke softly that only the keenest ears could hear. Turkey did not react, but she knew the answer. Silence means something for him and she respected that.
"You will not be alone, Sadik. I will be here for you. I will stay as long as you want me" She may have forgotten her previous life but her heart never forgets what a solitary life was – a life that she had endured until her dissolution as the representative of North Italy. "You know what, Sadik… You just need a good night rest" Feliciana joked and it efficaciously lightened the once somber mood.
"Perhaps you are right, Yesenia. A long good night sleep then for an aging man like me" Turkey chortled, he wiped away the once tears of sadness from his eyes. Tarkan woke up from his sleep, slumber still present in his eyes.
"Where are we?" The boy questioned still grasping his surroundings. One thing for sure, he is not in his own country.
"We're almost at Sadik's home" Feliciana replied and soon enough, they were welcomed by the palace guards and were escorted back to the entrance of the mansion. Turkey helped the groggy Northern Cyprus and Feliciana dismount from the horse and an elder woman presumably the matron of the house greeted them.
"Welcome back my Lord, Lord Tarkan and Lady Yesenia" The woman bowed and a warming smile after a day's eating and window shopping galore helloed them.
"A pleasant evening, Mirra. What a day for the three of us! How's everyone?" His household had never been in high-spirits 'til he took in his custody a group of refugees. And these people were grateful in the kindness of Turkey and now comprised his lively family.
"I am delighted that all of you enjoyed the day. Especially our dearest Tarkan that seemed he just woke up minutes ago" Mirra chuckled, it has been a long time that she cared after someone ever since she lost her family from an attack. "Would all of you still like to have dinner?"
"I think I'll pass dinner for tonight, Mirra. But, would you mind bringing me a plate of pasta to my room?" Feliciana was not aware of another surprising discovery. Another fragment of her past resurfaced.
"You never had pastas before, Yes" Another worrying reminder for Turkey that sooner or later, with a huge or slim chance for the two of them, Feliciana will remember her past.
"I – I –… Wow! I do remember something" Feliciana was impressed that memories came to her one-by-one.
"That's great! We'll then find out who you really are" Northern Cyprus piped up and Mirra agreed, yet he knew who she really is.
"Mirra, please escort Yesenia and Tarkan to their rooms. And it looks like that our kid here needs another dose of fitful sleep!" Turkey quickly shifted the attention of everyone to something else, masquerading his sudden tension. Tarkan yawned again and he followed a maid to the room that was prepared for him.
"Good Night, Sadik. I really enjoyed this day with Tarkan. Let's have more days like this one" Feliciana grinned and she tailed Mirra back to the room, leaving the man standing under the Turkish blazing, crimson evening sky. Few stars already dotted the heaven; the horses were already in their stables, two sets of guards were exchanging of duties and there's nothing Turkey could do from preventing the memories of Feliciana from finding its way back.
"Ahhh…. Pity you, Sadik Adnan. You are truly meant for temporary pleasures"
In Yesenia's bedroom…
Feliciana was lying on her bed, replaying the day's entire events. It was such a rollercoaster episode of their lives as they stopped from one restaurant to another one to taste their delicacies – maximizing beyond the limits of their stomachs' delight; the arm wrestling competition that Sadik participated that he nearly sustained a broken arm during his final match; her sudden interests on dreamcatchers that she purchased quite a number to decorate her bedroom and she gave some to Turkey and Northern Cyprus to drive away their bad dreams, and her infinite curiosity on the animal trade industry that takes place every Saturday and Sunday at the marketplace.
"Your bath is done, my dear. Up you go!" Mirra laughed and leaned over to the still lying form of Feliciana. "What's wrong my lass?" Feliciana's gaze remained transfixed on the wooden ceiling of her four-poster bed.
"How long do you know Sadik, Mirra?" The question caught the elder woman off-guard.
"What made you ask me that?" The woman smiled kindly and she took a seat beside Feliciana.
"How long have you been with him?"
"Several years already, my dear. A battle broke out in our place and since we do not have any place to escape, Sadik welcomed us into his house"
"Us? So it means all those children and…"
"Yes, child. All of us… The children, the gardeners, some of the maids and cooks in here… He let us stayed in his house. Sadik is a very kind man and we are fortunate to be saved by him. Is something wrong going on between the two of you? Maybe I can shed some light on your problem"
"He is always… Distant nowadays, Mirra. And he never speaks about it. It drives me crazy that I can't do anything to help him. And what makes me sadder is that he always makes me happy but I… I can't make him happy the way he makes me happy all the time"
"He is just burdened with his works, Yes. Nonetheless, I never saw him in good spirits everyday not when we have you, dear"
"Ve?! I am not in the mood for jokes, Mirra" Feliciana bolted upright, she felt dizzy for a few seconds until her vision gained equilibrium.
"Is this makes you anxious, my dear? Well, why don't you personally ask Sadik. Silly child!" Mirra laughed wholeheartedly and she continued with a mild seriousness, "I never saw him smiled before until he met you, Yesenia. The way he looks at you whenever you are looking at a different direction, it makes any heart flutter with euphoria and put butterflies in anyone's stomach. You brought sunshine and rainbows on his usual monochromatic world that no one can do. His life now seemed a vibrant painting of a summer's paradise. He laughs even in the corniest jokes that any household members can think of. Sadik rarely play with any servants' children, but now he has the time to join them. Sadik is a different man. He was changed even in the smallest possible things. You altered him, Yesenia. You transformed him for the better" No one spoke and Feliciana was trying to find sense in Mirra's words. Her thoughts became more incoherent with each revelation she heard.
"I – I… This is too much…"
"Do not trouble with this matter, dear. Besides, you have a certain charisma that makes anyone within your range joyful. And not to mention that your bath is getting colder as we speak" Mirra's laughter was contagious that Feliciana could not help joining in. The pale-blonde haired lady gently tugged Feliciana to the bathroom where a bathtub of hot water infused with therapeutic aromatic oils was waiting for her.
"I absolutely adore you, Mirra" A loud splash and a burst of laughter ensued.
It was strangely quiet and dimmed in the manor of Romulus Vargas. All the servants are now in their respective dreamlands and only the unforgiving past of Ancient Rome roamed freely the hallways of the former happy home, leaving vestiges of the family's memories behind. Memories that shifted into shadows' menaces clutch that constantly asphyxiating the mighty personification of his irrevocable sins. Of all people and representatives alike it should be her beloved granddaughter that suffered the most. Yet who was he to influence the decisions of the populace? He expected that it will be him that will be dissolved but their people decided otherwise. So Feliciana Vargas withers away in Turkey, thank you to the selfishness of humans.
My cherished Feliciana… My sweet, happy-go-lucky pasta-lover…
"How many bottles of wine should you drain to painfully remind yourself that your lives had been upside down and will never go back to its previous selves?" A croaky old woman's voice shushed the spine chilling quietness of the room. Romulus barely raised his head to acknowledge the unwanted presence of the person he loathed from the beginning standing at the corner before him. A vague outline of a hooded individual could be deciphered through the shadows.
"You enjoyed seeing each one of us in pain, aren't you?!" Ancient Rome growled to the intruder, his unnerving stance did not frighten the cloaked figure.
"There is no pleasure in watching everyone's fate, mighty Rome. You should know by now the destiny of all representatives. However, there has been a massive plot twist" The creature grinned impishly, she loved torturing mentally the strong nation. Rome remained seated where he at, an uncontrollable outburst will surely broke the peacefulness of the night if he let himself be swallowed in the taunting of the creature.
"Care to share this massive plot twist you're talking about?" Ancient Rome beckoned the visitor to join him and the representative placed a second wine glass on the table for her. "We have a long night to discuss that"
"Your decisions to hide her away in Turkey produced too many complications in later years"
"I don't give a damn, creature. After all, you screwed us from the very beginning" He sent deathly glares to the unwelcomed visitor before he drained the wine in one gulp.
"Compared to Germania you are nothing against his wisdom. You only rely on brute strength" The being had gone too far. A wine glass shattered, table and chair toppled over and a dangerous Ancient Rome approached her. "I enjoyed seeing you seething in anger. Such a lovely sight to behold!" Out came from the shadows a beautiful and seductive jet-black haired lady wearing a lascivious sparkling V-neck black dress with a long slit on her right side and high-heeled stilettos. Her boobs bouncing and hips swaying on her every step were enough to tempt a man for a short-lived heavenly bliss.
"Quit playing games with me, lady. I have no time for any bullshits from you" Romulus stepped back but the lady circled her arms on his neck, tracing her fingers on the bulging muscles of the personification. "And now you are playing with a man's weaknesses. Have you really gone mad, nameless being?!" Ancient Rome roughly removed her arms and pushed her away.
"I always prefer you than Germania"
"Leave. Just leave now!" Ancient Rome was leaving the room when the woman spoke again.
"I can be the best ally you can have or the worst enemy you could face, Romulus Vargas" The personification froze at his spot but he did not pay her another look. The woman picked a nearest picture frame, not even a single remorse touched her. "Pity that this gentle memory has been corrupted" She placed back the picture of the Vargas family back to its place. "You cannot run away from me, Rome. No one can escape from me without a scratch, without sacrificing something worth from them. Heed this as a warning, warrior… More will be gambled throughout time," She vanished into thin air. Ancient Rome heaved a sigh.
What kind of a grandfather am I to drag his own grandchildren on his own mess? Feliciana… Lovino… I'm sorry…