67Thank you for the lovely reviews! Now, so everyone isn't sad, I'm going to make this a fluffy chapter! Yay!
Italy refused to leave her bedroom that night. How could she after what had happened? She was scared and alone, and she didn't quite know what was going to happen to her.
Of course, Hungary had explained sex and childbirth and all of that to her, but she hadn't thought that it would happen to her until she was much older. In fact, she hadn't thought it would happen to her at all. Nations usually didn't get pregnant because nations weren't born naturally. They just sort of...appeared. She wondered if her child would be an empire or nation.
Gingerly, she laid a hand on her belly and began to cry again. This was so frightening! She hadn't imagined that Austria would've reacted as badly as he did...and still was. He and Hungary were still screaming at each other about the matter, about whether or not it had been right of him to throw Holy Rome out. Italy wished he would come back and hold her in his arms, be happy about their baby. But alas, she could only dream. She prayed that he wasn't cold.
"Bella, why are you crying?" a soft, familiar voice warmed her heart and startled her all at the same time. Whipping around, she found herself face to face with the man she had believed dead; her grandfather, Rome himself.
"Grandpa!" she cried, flinging her arms around him and pressing her face into his cloak. It smelled just like she remembered it; slightly smoky and like spices. It was the smell of love and kindness to her. But...why was he here? How was he here? He had died! He had left her in the hands of Spain, and then she had been captured by Mr. Austria and forced into slavery!
"Shush Bella, it's alright. Don't worry. I'm here."
"Are...are you an angel, grandpa?" he let out a hearty laugh and ran his fingers through her silky, carmine hair.
"No, I am not an angel. Merely...a visitor. I've come to give you some advice, tesoro."
"But how? Why are you here?"
"It does not matter how. All that you need to know is that I'm here, and I'm here to help you, Bella."
"Grazie, grandpa."
"Shush Bella, don't cry. It's all right." he held her closer and brushed the tears off her cheeks, the way he used to do when she had been very small and very frightened.
"...you said you had advice?"
"Sí, about your little lover, Holy Rome." his smile flickered briefly before returning. "You two are in quite the mess, aren't you?" Italy sniffled and nodded, glad her grandfather knew so she didn't have to go through that horrible conversation again.
"Mr. Austria?" she had said, in a very small voice. Hungary stood behind her, looking nervous. Austria glanced up from his papers and sighed slightly when he saw who it was.
"What is it, Italy? Can't you see I'm very busy? And don't you have chores to do?"
"Mr. Austria, I don't think it wise that she does her chores any longer." Hungary said, stepping forward and looking him in the eyes. Her expression clearly said stay calm, but her eyes screamed help.
"Oh? And why is that?" he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow in skepticism. "Pray tell why you think it necessary that she be exempted from her work."
"Well, you see...she's in a rather delicate condition right now. And I don't think she should be working, given the state of her health."
"Why? What's wrong with her? Has she fallen ill?"
"You...you could say that, yes." Hungary bit her lip and tried to think of the best way to say this. Austria looked rather curious and a bit doubtful. It was clear he didn't think that this story was truthful.
"What kind of sickness?" after a long silence, Austria decided to break it and inquire about his ward's health. "Is it serious?"
"Very serious, but hopefully not life threatening." Hungary said. For a genius, she thought, he sure is dumb. Italy, meanwhile, stood behind Ms. Hungary, her eyes wide with fright and her legs shaking. She herself was scared enough already, but now...well, she was terrified now. Mr. Austria went ballistic when she dropped a plate. Now she was pregnant! There was no telling what he'd do!
"What kind of sickness?" he repeated, looking her up and down. "I don't see anything wrong with her."
"Not yet you don't." Hungary muttered before facing him again and telling it to him straight. "Mr. Austria...she's with child. Holy Rome's child."
Italy had been right; his reaction was extreme. He slipped off his chair and crashed to the floor, ink spilling all over the papers that he had been writing on. After some help from herself and Hungary, he stared at her horror and began to yell.
"You...you! You little whore! How could you do such a thing?! Do you have any idea what this means?!" at this, she began to cry. Hungary swooped in and sheltered the little girl in her arms.
"Austria!" she shot him a look, but nothing could quench the furious fires that burned inside him.
"Where is he?! I'm going to kill that traitor!" Italy's eyes widened.
"No! No Mr. Austria, don't hurt him!" she screamed. He grabbed her by the wrist and began to drag her away from Ms. Hungary, who followed suit. "Don't hurt him! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Mi dispiace! Mi dispiace!"
"Sí...a big mess, grandpa." she said, wiping her eyes and snuggling up to her beloved grandfather. He sighed and kissed the top of her head gently.
"Don't worry, my little Italy. Everything will be fine. I will watch over you and Holy Rome. And speaking of Holy Rome-"
"I love him, grandpa. I really do. I only did the thing I did with him because I loved him truly and deeply."
"How very wise of you to say, Italy." he said, thoughtfully and quietly. After a moment of thinking and mulling his ideas over, he turned to her and kissed both her cheeks. "Go to him."
"What? But grandpa-"
"Go to him. Take off your nightgown and put on your clothes. Put on your shoes and your shawl. Run into the woods. Find him. You two will take a stand together."
"Find him? But how will I find him, grandpa? There are so many trees and the forest is so big!"
"If I know men, which I do, he is not far off. You should find him rather quickly, Bella. Speaking of quickly, hurry and run to him. You love him, don't you? And he loves you."
Italy felt her head begin to swim. Run away? She hadn't ever even thought about running away before! Not once! And now her own grandpa, the one person she trusted utterly and completely was telling her to disobey her master.
"Sí, grandpa!" she jumped off the bed and raced to her dresser, where she pulled out one of her dresses and her winter shawl. "I will go to him, as you wish!"
"No, Bella. As you wish." he helped her into her dress and then wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, kissing her one last time before cupping her cheeks in his hands and slowly beginning to fade. "Forget not your love for him, nor the conversation we have had. This night will be an important step in the times to come. Farewell, Bella."
"Goodbye, grandpa." she whispered, fresh tears plopping onto the carpet.
With a final glance over her shoulder, she took in her bedroom. A small room with wallpapered walls and a scuffed and beaten wooden floor. Her small bed was pushed into the corner, and a wash basin sat on a table next to it. Her dresser and mirror were next to it, and on the opposite wall (the one she was standing next to) was a window. Cautiously and quietly, she slipped out the window and onto the soft grass beneath it. Her feet hammered across the ground as she raced towards the dark trees and forest. Fear nibbled at her insides as she thought of wild pigs, wild dogs, or even bears. She had never fought an animal before, and didn't desire to do so.
After minutes of searching and finding no sign or trace of Holy Rome, she decided to give up her search. Sitting down next to a particularly large tree in a clearing, she began to cry again. She was lost, cold, and without her love. She had gotten herself into a bigger mess!
"I-Italia?" a soft, embarrassed and familiar voice rang through the air, causing her heart to leap with joy. "Is that you?"
"Holy Rome! Oh, Holy Rome!" she jumped up and threw her arms around the flustered male, crying into his shoulder. Soon, her cheeks were sore from the sting of tears. "Holy Rome...oh Holy Rome."
"Italy, why did you come to find me? You shouldn't be wandering through a first in...well, in your condition." he gestured towards her belly and blushed again. She smiled and snuggled into him, all worries and fears melting away as their lips met briefly and sweetly.
"Someone...very close to me told me to find you." she whispered, touching his face gently. He smiled and sat down, pulling her up close to him and wrapping his arms around her.
"Are you cold?"
"Sí." he threw off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"But Holy Rome! You will freeze to death!" she gasped. He kissed her and then snuggled and conformed his body to hers.
"Your love is enough to keep me warm, Italia." he mumbled.
Aww! But wait! Now Chibitalia has run off! Oh no! What will Austria and Hungary do?!
Please review!
Hasta La Pasta,
SausageMahoney98