[fanfic] What Goes Around Comes Around
Jul. 31st, 2009 05:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
historizeTitle: What Goes Around Comes Around
Author/Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
historyblitz, kept track of at historize
Character(s) or Pairing(s): Prussia, Germany, Hungary and Ukraine; with Belgium and Russia and a couple other mentions
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, violence
Summary: This all relates back to a prompt I received fromluminousbeat, who wanted: Uh... Belgium, Prussia, and Germany. Over the violation of Belgium's neutrality promised to her by the Treaty of London in 1839 (Prussia handed the responsibilities of the treaty over to Germany, meaning Germany shouldn't have invaded Belgium, but did regardless). And became different times during the World Wars (though, mostly WW2) that Prussia disagreed with what Germany did. And seeing England's method of raising kids wasn't really any worse.
Posted here
“What were you thinking?!” she screamed at him.
Prussia scowled and pulled his hand away from his ear. “Do you mind? Look, you benefit from what Germany is—“
“You are going to ruin him!” Hungary’s hair was slipping from her clip. “Your brother—this is—“
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on, here.” Prussia snorted. “Now, look, I don’t control him anymore. I raised him to be self-sufficient and he got a crazy new boss and the guy wants a war. Who am I to refuse war? I like war.”
“I don’t give a damn what you like—you have allowed him to—don’t you see?! Germany took Poland! He’s picking a fight with England and France! And now you’ve—“
“We’ve got Russia. Just calm down. Russia is only concerned about Russia. You are overreacting.”
She slapped him. Full-on with as much strength behind it as she could muster. “You idiot!” She was shaking. “Poland is my friend! You stupid, fucking—!” She hit him again, clobbering him.
“Christ!” Prussia yelped, staggering back and raising his arms to protect his face. “Look! Poland is in a shitty spot, okay? I didn’t decide to invade Poland! Why don’t you write a fucking thank-you to France for fucking Germany over so badly that that asshole got elected in the first place!”
“Russia will take Poland! You think he will just sit by and watch! He will take part of Poland away! He might even try to make Poland go and live with him!”
“It would be part of—“
“I have lived as part of Russia!” she yelled, eyes wide and livid and beautiful. “You don’t know what it’s like!”
“And I don’t intend to find out. Even if Poland is taken to Moscow, Lithuania—“
“I will not join this! You will not have my Jews! I won’t let—“
“You have no choice,” said Prussia and his tone had gone quiet and there was no smile on his face. “Germany will pressure you until you join. What else can you do?” He stepped closer to her and when her eyes flashed and she struck out with her fist, he grabbed her by the wrist.
“Germany is to the west, Russia is to the east. I know how you are and I know you never give up.” He tugged her closer to him. “But he will roll over you if you rebel now and there will be no one left.”
She was trembling, eyes sparking. “What about you? Why can’t you talk to him? He’s your brother! His boss abolished you! What loyalty do you have to them!”
“None,” Prussia admitted. He met her eyes, grip tightening on her wrist. “I have none, except Germany is my brother and I accepted responsibility for him when I took him.”
She shuddered and her arm went limp. “I hate you, Gilbert.”
Prussia looked aside. “I know.” He licked his upper lip. “But they will take you if you don’t join. Either Germany will or Russia will.”
Prussia had watched when Austria took Hungary. He’d watched her struggle and fight and cling to her survival. He knew how Germany would treat her—and if anything, Prussia could always intercede on her behalf but Russia…he wasn’t as certain about. Something had happened to Russia after his revolution in 1917. He’d been a little weird before but nothing like he was after Lenin and Stalin took power. After his royal family was killed. He didn’t like it when he thought about it—but he’d rather Poland go to Moscow than Hungary.
Austria had joined them willingly and he had his blue eye on Hungary. Hungary, who refused, who fought and who resisted but who depended on trade with Germany to keep from collapse.
Her hand turned over, fingers twining with his. “There’s truly nothing you can do?”
“No…there isn’t. Of all of us that are old now…Russia and England are the ones left who still have power. Germany is just coming into his. He listens to me less so now.”
“Less so? You mean—after the Great War?”
Prussia shoved past the guards and slammed open Germany’s door. “What are you thinking, boy!”
Germany looked up. He frowned and raised his eyebrows.
“Do you remember when I signed the Treaty of London to preserve Belgium’s neutrality!”
Germany’s lips thinned and he stood. “I know but—“
“You’ve invited England to declare war. To defend Belgium’s neutrality. Do you realize that? I seem to recall,” said Prussia, with a twitch in his eyebrow, “that William the Second asked General Moltke to cancel the invasion of Belgium to keep England out of your damn war! Is there a reason you decided to ignore that?”
“I understand but we have Austria and Hungary and their empire.” Germany’s voice was low, calm. “We are—“
“No, shut up! You don’t understand, boy.”
Germany huffed, showing the first signs of irritation. “I am Germany. Not boy.”
“What was the point of taking Belgium? All it accomplished is involving one of the most dangerous empires and his allies.”
Germany stared at him. “Are you afraid of England?”
Prussia’s mouth fell open. “No,” he said, slowly, as if he were fast running out of patience. “This has nothing to do with fear. I respect Russia and I respect England and there are few others who have my respect. But you are asking for a global war.”
“But we can win, brother, else I would not have done so—I had to outflank the French army.”
Prussia slammed his hands down on Germany’s desk, rattling his pens and lantern. “And now you have created a much larger problem! The fucking French are just the beginning! I guaranteed, personally, Belgium’s neutrality in 1839. You were there when I signed it! I took you with me and made you sit through the whole fucking thing so that when this day came, you would think! And you didn’t!”
“France and England have always been rivals—“
“You don’t understand how the two of them operate!” Prussia swore and turned away, pinching the bridge of his nose. “They work well together when they have a common goal in mind.” He whirled back around and pointed at him. “Why didn’t you ask me? I could have forestalled this entire problem if you had simply asked!”
“It’s not going to be a problem,” said Germany. He lifted his hands and came around the desk. “War isn’t like it used to be. You’ve been around a long time—you’re used to a different war.”
“Don’t you dare talk down to me, boy. I took you from being nothing more than a political idea and made you into your own nation. You wear that Iron Cross for me. Yes, we’re at war with France—I expected that—France and I have gone to war so many times I’ve lost count. But England—there’s a reason that England and I always fought well together. He’s like me.”
“This sounds more like sentiment. That’s unlike you, Prussia.”
Prussia might have completely lost his cool there but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I look forward to you getting older so that you understand but right now, you’re still too young. You don’t realize what you’ve done. How long do you think it will be before America gets involved?”
“What does America have anything to do with this? He’s neutral.”
Prussia pinched the bridge of his nose. “That is the problem. I raised you a soldier but I see the problem with that now.” He sighed and looked away, out onto the streets of Berlin. “When you become very organized like me—you run into the problem of being unable to think outside a certain set of boundaries. You—“
“This is my war, Prussia.”
Prussia bristled. “This is Austria’s war!”
“What about Hungary?”
Prussia stiffened and scowled. “Should I call you when Russia attacks? He will, eventually.”
Germany looked aside, seemed to think for a moment and then looked up. “This is…my first real war. I want to prove myself.”
Prussia sighed and shook his head, walking over to him. “It is my loyalty and love for you that keeps me at your side. Really, I don’t care why you’re going to war. I like war. It’s fun but don’t make stupid mistakes. Come and ask me.”
“Germany never asked you for your advice.”
“No, he didn’t. And he hasn’t now either. I have my own command and that’s all. His boss is keeping us separated.”
“But even England cannot stand against all of Eastern Europe.” She looked down, helplessly.
Prussia smiled and moved his free hand under Hungary’s chin, lifting her eyes to his. “But, the great thing about England is that he’ll always try. He won’t give up easily and he’s got a Commonwealth to draw from.”
“Do you think America will join the war?”
Prussia sighed and laughed a little. “England still doesn’t trust him. He likes keeping his neutrality. If Germany doesn’t bomb any of his trading vessels—America might join by the time England falls and by then, it will be too late.”
“What about Japan?”
“What about him?”
“He wants America out of the Pacific. Won’t it only be a matter of time until Japan’s Imperial Navy and America’s Navy come across each other?”
Prussia slid his hand down, cupping Hungary’s throat. “Maybe. But if America keeps his neutrality, we may negotiate with him when we take the rest of Europe.”
“Do you really think he’ll let you? His population comes from everywhere. He has ties to everyone.”
“He hasn’t so far. And given how England and the others treat him, I’m not surprised. But—there’s no way we can prevent that. He’ll probably join eventually but hopefully, he’ll just wait too long to do it.”
She was looking down and Prussia could see how she was shaking in frustration, in helplessness. Her choices had been stripped from her. His thumb brushed her cheek and, for just a moment, he was looking up at her on that horse of hers. He pushed the thought away.
“Hungary?”
She looked up at him and then nodded. “All right. But we won’t fight Poland’s people.”
“I can’t make any guarantees.”
“I don’t care. Send my men, if you want. See what good it does you.” Her tone was sharp, like a poisoned edge.
Prussia nodded.
He was not nearly so kind to the others.
Prussia could have put up with a lot but when Germany turned on Russia, Prussia was ready to tear out his hair. Once again, he stalked down the hallways and burst into Germany’s office. His boss was with him. The man stiffened and pointed at him, started to speak, but Prussia cut him off. “Get out! You have your men touch me and I’ll rip their fucking arms off!”
“Prussia!” And Germany was on his feet. “What are you--!”
“You broke your treaty with Russia!”
Germany looked as though this was the last thing he wanted to discuss. His eyes were red-rimmed and tired. He was thinner and haggard.
His boss drew himself up, yelling but Prussia whirled around, had him by the collar. In a flash, the room was full of guards and soldiers with guns, pointed at Prussia. He ignored them, gave Germany’s boss a little shake and said, “Get. Out. All of you!”
Germany was crowding between them, shoving Prussia back and shooting him a glare. “Stay here, brother.” He took his boss with his dark hair and rolling eyes, into the hall. Whatever Germany said to him, Prussia couldn’t hear and didn’t care.
Germany appeared back in the room a moment later, empty now of officers. “You have no right to touch my Furor. If I had ever grabbed one of your kings—“
“My kings were competent! That man is insane! And if you had grabbed one of my kings like that—I would have killed you. Brother be damned!”
“What we have on Russia—“
“Is that same thing France thought he had on Russia! You will get those men deep in Russia’s country and then winter will come and they will die! You have just opened up a massive eastern front that you are not prepared to defend!”
“We have been successful in all—“
“For now, yes. You have won your battles.” Prussia snorted. “I always took you with me so that you would get to know the nations you might go to war with one day. Russia’s greatest ally is his winter months!”
“Russia could not even take Finland properly.”
“He won’t have to take your men properly when they position themselves to die in the snow!”
“We can make it.”
“Why are you so sure? Don’t tell me you’re actually starting to believe that shit that your boss is yelling about?”
Germany paused and that revealed everything he needed to know. Prussia felt his stomach sink. It must have showed because Germany took a quick breath and said, “We are doing very well. He has brought our people out of a depression. He has made them proud to be German again.”
“At the expense of what! You are throwing away everything I prepared for you!”
“I am making it better! I am expanding like you never could!” Germany blinked, as if he’d just surprised himself.
Prussia did a double-take, staring at him. His red eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”
Germany didn’t look down. He held Prussia’s gaze. “We will have an empire again.”
Prussia took a deep breath. “I’m going to Paris.”
Germany blinked. “Are you saying you…won’t command—“
“I’m saying that I’m going to Paris. It’s my turn to babysit France. He’s still in the city. I am not going to betray you. You’re still my brother.”
Germany looked at the door and then at Prussia. “That’s good. I still need you.”
Prussia’s frown deepened. He turned away, hand pausing on the doorknob and said, “You clearly don’t need me anymore.”
And he left.
But Prussia didn’t leave right away. He went to a small wing in Germany’s headquarters, where he kept prisoners. Belarus was not there, she had been sent to a solitary wing. She was frightening and she terrified the soldiers. According to the reports, she’d killed half
a command just trying to get her out of her country.
Prussia stopped by a door and barked at the guard, sending him away after taking his keys. He opened the door.
Ukraine was sitting much as she had been when Germany had burst into her house. Her lip had twitched but she had stomped on the urge to cry. Ukraine had stood but her fight with Germany had been short. He had struck her across the face, tearing her skin from ear to nose and then grabbed her around the middle in his muscled arm.
And now she was here, face stitched by her own hand and sitting quietly in a chair by the window. Her small apartment was bare of furnishing, save for this chair and a little bed. She looked over when Prussia entered.
He could see how she tensed. The hardness of her shoulders as she stood, glaring at him. “My brother won’t stand for this,” she said, quietly.
“I know,” said Prussia. “I was not the one who ordered the—“
“That won’t matter,” she cut him off. He noted she was shaking a little. “You are old enough to understand how he takes revenge.”
“I know.”
“You won’t be able to protect Germany from him if Russia makes it to Berlin.”
Were she any other, Prussia would have scoffed. He would have thrown up that cocky front but he did not. He said, only, “I know.”
She was still trembling and she looked at the floor. “Why did your brother turn on Russia?”
“His boss is insane. His boss wants Russia. And all of you. And a bad boss does strange things to our heads sometimes.”
“I won’t accept excuses for him when this is over. You may have won your battles for now but…” She swallowed. “Russia is my younger brother and I have known him since we could understand what we were. If you had known him then and now, you wouldn’t think he was the same man. He may be many things but he has had far worse in the way of leaders and it has…made him…” Her voice choked a little and she looked away from Prussia, out the window. “…has made him different. He was such a sweet child. And he changed.” And now her eyes came back, full of that iron resolve. “But make no mistake,” and the tone of her voice dropped and Prussia felt an unexpected thrill shoot through him, “he will not stand for this. And neither will I. You might break my body but you will not ever break me.”
She thinks I’m here to rape her. And for just a moment, Prussia looked at her. It certainly would be tempting. And for a moment, he was interested in the challenge but he shook it away. He said, “I’m going to Paris. You are a high-profile prisoner. Should you need something and be ignored, send a telegram.”
She blinked in surprise and reached out, steadying herself on the back of the chair.
He turned and left. Mostly, he’d just wanted to make sure Germany hadn’t done to Ukraine what he’d done to Belgium in the first World War. After Germany had invaded, Prussia went and found her. She’d been beaten badly by Germany’s soldiers. He had not apologized because this was war and these things happened but he did clean her up and ordered up a bed, paper, pens and books for her cell.
“I was at Germany’s naming party!” She had cried. “You promised to protect my neutrality!”
Prussia had not had an answer because he wasn’t in that place anymore. That was why he’d created Germany. To succeed him. And what a mess that had created. All his taunts at England being unable to raise soldiers suddenly weren’t as funny. Sure, Germany hadn’t turned on Prussia but Germany had taken quite a leap. One that Prussia had encouraged by raising him to be so self-confident he thought he could take on the whole world. Sure, Prussia had had an empire but even he hadn't thought that.
But. Germany was his brother and he had stuck by him through many things. He could not abandon him now. What was it Heinrich der Glîchezære has said? “Blood is thicker than water.” Not in those exact words but close and modern enough.
In Paris, Prussia took his frustration out on France and France eventually just stopped reacting to it. Until England and Canada showed up one day and stole him. When Prussia woke up, covered in blood with officers scrambling around the room, he had just laughed. Because, honestly, why not?
He couldn’t even bring himself to get mad when Japan attacked America. The meeting about it after America declared war had not been pretty. Germany and Italy weren’t bothered. (“It will be different this time.”) But Prussia openly sneered at Japan and they had both tensed, prepared for a fist fight, until Germany stood and dismissed him. Dismissed Prussia from the meeting.
Dismissed him with an indifferent tone and hard eyes.
So was he relieved when the war ended? Yes. Was he happy to take Germany’s place and go to Moscow with Russia, standing as East Germany…no and yes. Because he was protecting his brother. But he never forgot the look on Hungary’s face, no doubt recalling their conversation but she was in no position to protest. Germany had found her secretly dealing with America and England and he might have killed her, save that Prussia found them first.
In 1944, he killed three of Germany’s officers who had been ordered to keep him away. He had throw Italy down the stairs and kicked the door in. That was the only time he had ever been tempted to kill his brother. They both looked up at him.
Germany stiffened and said, “She has betrayed—“
“Shut up. I don’t care.” He grabbed Hungary by her thin wrist and jerked her away. “Since you have completely disregarded almost every single piece of advice I have given you, I don’t feel bad about telling you to lay the fuck off. You asked for this. You made it too easy for the Allies to demonize you. Your boss—“
“My boss is doing what is best for me,” Germany panted.
Hungary was leaning. She grabbed onto Prussia and got herself standing properly, clothes torn and covered in blood. “Your boss is going to kill—“
“I am—“
“Germany!” Prussia’s eyes were hard now, staring at the gaunt, wide-eyed, shadow his brother had become.
Germany looked at him. His blue eyes were bloodshot.
Prussia’s jaw locked. He’s going mad. “Go to sleep. I will take care of this.”
But, Germany was his brother and he had taken his place in Moscow. Hopefully England and the others could get Germany back on track.
The first night had been the worst. Russia patted his head and said, “I understand that you did not make choices for Germany. That Germany’s boss makes choices for Germany. But, you are here in place of your brother. Do you understand?”
“I also take revenge in his place,” answered Prussia, not batting an eyelid.
When Russia locked the door, it was like a shot.
But when he woke, there was a soft touch on his cheek.
“Prussia?” said a voice, soft and somehow smooth, like steel and cotton.
He felt something tighten around his head and he flinched. “What? Who is it?” The sun was in his eyes, bright like crystal, glimmering off ice and snow and stone and metal.
“You’re going to be all right.”
Prussia blinked. That voice…he shifted out of the light, or the figure moved to block it but suddenly, he could see. “Ukraine…?”
She nodded and lifted a warm, damp rag; gently wiping blood from his face. “My brother will be hard on you.”
He couldn’t move very well so he didn’t bother trying to flinch away. “I know,” he choked out.
Something changed in her eyes, something hard and stern and understanding. And she said, “If you need anything, I will help you as you helped me.”
Prussia’s eyes cleared and he watched her as she took out a roll of gauze. Well, I guess what goes around comes around.
But he only said, “Thank you.”
1. Hungary, reluctant member of the Axis and friend of Poland
2. Oh, World War One and the Treaty of London that protected Belgium's neutrality. This is what gave England the excuse to come into the war on the side of France.
3. Blood is thicker than water, a German proverb made famous in the US in 1859, by U.S. Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall, when asked to explain why he had given aid to the British squadron in an attack on Taku Forts at the mouth of the Pei Ho River, June 25, 1859, during a battle with the Chinese.
Author/Artist:
historyblitz, kept track of at historizeCharacter(s) or Pairing(s): Prussia, Germany, Hungary and Ukraine; with Belgium and Russia and a couple other mentions
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, violence
Summary: This all relates back to a prompt I received from
luminousbeat, who wanted: Uh... Belgium, Prussia, and Germany. Over the violation of Belgium's neutrality promised to her by the Treaty of London in 1839 (Prussia handed the responsibilities of the treaty over to Germany, meaning Germany shouldn't have invaded Belgium, but did regardless). And became different times during the World Wars (though, mostly WW2) that Prussia disagreed with what Germany did. And seeing England's method of raising kids wasn't really any worse. Posted here
“What were you thinking?!” she screamed at him.
Prussia scowled and pulled his hand away from his ear. “Do you mind? Look, you benefit from what Germany is—“
“You are going to ruin him!” Hungary’s hair was slipping from her clip. “Your brother—this is—“
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on, here.” Prussia snorted. “Now, look, I don’t control him anymore. I raised him to be self-sufficient and he got a crazy new boss and the guy wants a war. Who am I to refuse war? I like war.”
“I don’t give a damn what you like—you have allowed him to—don’t you see?! Germany took Poland! He’s picking a fight with England and France! And now you’ve—“
“We’ve got Russia. Just calm down. Russia is only concerned about Russia. You are overreacting.”
She slapped him. Full-on with as much strength behind it as she could muster. “You idiot!” She was shaking. “Poland is my friend! You stupid, fucking—!” She hit him again, clobbering him.
“Christ!” Prussia yelped, staggering back and raising his arms to protect his face. “Look! Poland is in a shitty spot, okay? I didn’t decide to invade Poland! Why don’t you write a fucking thank-you to France for fucking Germany over so badly that that asshole got elected in the first place!”
“Russia will take Poland! You think he will just sit by and watch! He will take part of Poland away! He might even try to make Poland go and live with him!”
“It would be part of—“
“I have lived as part of Russia!” she yelled, eyes wide and livid and beautiful. “You don’t know what it’s like!”
“And I don’t intend to find out. Even if Poland is taken to Moscow, Lithuania—“
“I will not join this! You will not have my Jews! I won’t let—“
“You have no choice,” said Prussia and his tone had gone quiet and there was no smile on his face. “Germany will pressure you until you join. What else can you do?” He stepped closer to her and when her eyes flashed and she struck out with her fist, he grabbed her by the wrist.
“Germany is to the west, Russia is to the east. I know how you are and I know you never give up.” He tugged her closer to him. “But he will roll over you if you rebel now and there will be no one left.”
She was trembling, eyes sparking. “What about you? Why can’t you talk to him? He’s your brother! His boss abolished you! What loyalty do you have to them!”
“None,” Prussia admitted. He met her eyes, grip tightening on her wrist. “I have none, except Germany is my brother and I accepted responsibility for him when I took him.”
She shuddered and her arm went limp. “I hate you, Gilbert.”
Prussia looked aside. “I know.” He licked his upper lip. “But they will take you if you don’t join. Either Germany will or Russia will.”
Prussia had watched when Austria took Hungary. He’d watched her struggle and fight and cling to her survival. He knew how Germany would treat her—and if anything, Prussia could always intercede on her behalf but Russia…he wasn’t as certain about. Something had happened to Russia after his revolution in 1917. He’d been a little weird before but nothing like he was after Lenin and Stalin took power. After his royal family was killed. He didn’t like it when he thought about it—but he’d rather Poland go to Moscow than Hungary.
Austria had joined them willingly and he had his blue eye on Hungary. Hungary, who refused, who fought and who resisted but who depended on trade with Germany to keep from collapse.
Her hand turned over, fingers twining with his. “There’s truly nothing you can do?”
“No…there isn’t. Of all of us that are old now…Russia and England are the ones left who still have power. Germany is just coming into his. He listens to me less so now.”
“Less so? You mean—after the Great War?”
Prussia shoved past the guards and slammed open Germany’s door. “What are you thinking, boy!”
Germany looked up. He frowned and raised his eyebrows.
“Do you remember when I signed the Treaty of London to preserve Belgium’s neutrality!”
Germany’s lips thinned and he stood. “I know but—“
“You’ve invited England to declare war. To defend Belgium’s neutrality. Do you realize that? I seem to recall,” said Prussia, with a twitch in his eyebrow, “that William the Second asked General Moltke to cancel the invasion of Belgium to keep England out of your damn war! Is there a reason you decided to ignore that?”
“I understand but we have Austria and Hungary and their empire.” Germany’s voice was low, calm. “We are—“
“No, shut up! You don’t understand, boy.”
Germany huffed, showing the first signs of irritation. “I am Germany. Not boy.”
“What was the point of taking Belgium? All it accomplished is involving one of the most dangerous empires and his allies.”
Germany stared at him. “Are you afraid of England?”
Prussia’s mouth fell open. “No,” he said, slowly, as if he were fast running out of patience. “This has nothing to do with fear. I respect Russia and I respect England and there are few others who have my respect. But you are asking for a global war.”
“But we can win, brother, else I would not have done so—I had to outflank the French army.”
Prussia slammed his hands down on Germany’s desk, rattling his pens and lantern. “And now you have created a much larger problem! The fucking French are just the beginning! I guaranteed, personally, Belgium’s neutrality in 1839. You were there when I signed it! I took you with me and made you sit through the whole fucking thing so that when this day came, you would think! And you didn’t!”
“France and England have always been rivals—“
“You don’t understand how the two of them operate!” Prussia swore and turned away, pinching the bridge of his nose. “They work well together when they have a common goal in mind.” He whirled back around and pointed at him. “Why didn’t you ask me? I could have forestalled this entire problem if you had simply asked!”
“It’s not going to be a problem,” said Germany. He lifted his hands and came around the desk. “War isn’t like it used to be. You’ve been around a long time—you’re used to a different war.”
“Don’t you dare talk down to me, boy. I took you from being nothing more than a political idea and made you into your own nation. You wear that Iron Cross for me. Yes, we’re at war with France—I expected that—France and I have gone to war so many times I’ve lost count. But England—there’s a reason that England and I always fought well together. He’s like me.”
“This sounds more like sentiment. That’s unlike you, Prussia.”
Prussia might have completely lost his cool there but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I look forward to you getting older so that you understand but right now, you’re still too young. You don’t realize what you’ve done. How long do you think it will be before America gets involved?”
“What does America have anything to do with this? He’s neutral.”
Prussia pinched the bridge of his nose. “That is the problem. I raised you a soldier but I see the problem with that now.” He sighed and looked away, out onto the streets of Berlin. “When you become very organized like me—you run into the problem of being unable to think outside a certain set of boundaries. You—“
“This is my war, Prussia.”
Prussia bristled. “This is Austria’s war!”
“What about Hungary?”
Prussia stiffened and scowled. “Should I call you when Russia attacks? He will, eventually.”
Germany looked aside, seemed to think for a moment and then looked up. “This is…my first real war. I want to prove myself.”
Prussia sighed and shook his head, walking over to him. “It is my loyalty and love for you that keeps me at your side. Really, I don’t care why you’re going to war. I like war. It’s fun but don’t make stupid mistakes. Come and ask me.”
“Germany never asked you for your advice.”
“No, he didn’t. And he hasn’t now either. I have my own command and that’s all. His boss is keeping us separated.”
“But even England cannot stand against all of Eastern Europe.” She looked down, helplessly.
Prussia smiled and moved his free hand under Hungary’s chin, lifting her eyes to his. “But, the great thing about England is that he’ll always try. He won’t give up easily and he’s got a Commonwealth to draw from.”
“Do you think America will join the war?”
Prussia sighed and laughed a little. “England still doesn’t trust him. He likes keeping his neutrality. If Germany doesn’t bomb any of his trading vessels—America might join by the time England falls and by then, it will be too late.”
“What about Japan?”
“What about him?”
“He wants America out of the Pacific. Won’t it only be a matter of time until Japan’s Imperial Navy and America’s Navy come across each other?”
Prussia slid his hand down, cupping Hungary’s throat. “Maybe. But if America keeps his neutrality, we may negotiate with him when we take the rest of Europe.”
“Do you really think he’ll let you? His population comes from everywhere. He has ties to everyone.”
“He hasn’t so far. And given how England and the others treat him, I’m not surprised. But—there’s no way we can prevent that. He’ll probably join eventually but hopefully, he’ll just wait too long to do it.”
She was looking down and Prussia could see how she was shaking in frustration, in helplessness. Her choices had been stripped from her. His thumb brushed her cheek and, for just a moment, he was looking up at her on that horse of hers. He pushed the thought away.
“Hungary?”
She looked up at him and then nodded. “All right. But we won’t fight Poland’s people.”
“I can’t make any guarantees.”
“I don’t care. Send my men, if you want. See what good it does you.” Her tone was sharp, like a poisoned edge.
Prussia nodded.
He was not nearly so kind to the others.
Prussia could have put up with a lot but when Germany turned on Russia, Prussia was ready to tear out his hair. Once again, he stalked down the hallways and burst into Germany’s office. His boss was with him. The man stiffened and pointed at him, started to speak, but Prussia cut him off. “Get out! You have your men touch me and I’ll rip their fucking arms off!”
“Prussia!” And Germany was on his feet. “What are you--!”
“You broke your treaty with Russia!”
Germany looked as though this was the last thing he wanted to discuss. His eyes were red-rimmed and tired. He was thinner and haggard.
His boss drew himself up, yelling but Prussia whirled around, had him by the collar. In a flash, the room was full of guards and soldiers with guns, pointed at Prussia. He ignored them, gave Germany’s boss a little shake and said, “Get. Out. All of you!”
Germany was crowding between them, shoving Prussia back and shooting him a glare. “Stay here, brother.” He took his boss with his dark hair and rolling eyes, into the hall. Whatever Germany said to him, Prussia couldn’t hear and didn’t care.
Germany appeared back in the room a moment later, empty now of officers. “You have no right to touch my Furor. If I had ever grabbed one of your kings—“
“My kings were competent! That man is insane! And if you had grabbed one of my kings like that—I would have killed you. Brother be damned!”
“What we have on Russia—“
“Is that same thing France thought he had on Russia! You will get those men deep in Russia’s country and then winter will come and they will die! You have just opened up a massive eastern front that you are not prepared to defend!”
“We have been successful in all—“
“For now, yes. You have won your battles.” Prussia snorted. “I always took you with me so that you would get to know the nations you might go to war with one day. Russia’s greatest ally is his winter months!”
“Russia could not even take Finland properly.”
“He won’t have to take your men properly when they position themselves to die in the snow!”
“We can make it.”
“Why are you so sure? Don’t tell me you’re actually starting to believe that shit that your boss is yelling about?”
Germany paused and that revealed everything he needed to know. Prussia felt his stomach sink. It must have showed because Germany took a quick breath and said, “We are doing very well. He has brought our people out of a depression. He has made them proud to be German again.”
“At the expense of what! You are throwing away everything I prepared for you!”
“I am making it better! I am expanding like you never could!” Germany blinked, as if he’d just surprised himself.
Prussia did a double-take, staring at him. His red eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”
Germany didn’t look down. He held Prussia’s gaze. “We will have an empire again.”
Prussia took a deep breath. “I’m going to Paris.”
Germany blinked. “Are you saying you…won’t command—“
“I’m saying that I’m going to Paris. It’s my turn to babysit France. He’s still in the city. I am not going to betray you. You’re still my brother.”
Germany looked at the door and then at Prussia. “That’s good. I still need you.”
Prussia’s frown deepened. He turned away, hand pausing on the doorknob and said, “You clearly don’t need me anymore.”
And he left.
But Prussia didn’t leave right away. He went to a small wing in Germany’s headquarters, where he kept prisoners. Belarus was not there, she had been sent to a solitary wing. She was frightening and she terrified the soldiers. According to the reports, she’d killed half
a command just trying to get her out of her country.
Prussia stopped by a door and barked at the guard, sending him away after taking his keys. He opened the door.
Ukraine was sitting much as she had been when Germany had burst into her house. Her lip had twitched but she had stomped on the urge to cry. Ukraine had stood but her fight with Germany had been short. He had struck her across the face, tearing her skin from ear to nose and then grabbed her around the middle in his muscled arm.
And now she was here, face stitched by her own hand and sitting quietly in a chair by the window. Her small apartment was bare of furnishing, save for this chair and a little bed. She looked over when Prussia entered.
He could see how she tensed. The hardness of her shoulders as she stood, glaring at him. “My brother won’t stand for this,” she said, quietly.
“I know,” said Prussia. “I was not the one who ordered the—“
“That won’t matter,” she cut him off. He noted she was shaking a little. “You are old enough to understand how he takes revenge.”
“I know.”
“You won’t be able to protect Germany from him if Russia makes it to Berlin.”
Were she any other, Prussia would have scoffed. He would have thrown up that cocky front but he did not. He said, only, “I know.”
She was still trembling and she looked at the floor. “Why did your brother turn on Russia?”
“His boss is insane. His boss wants Russia. And all of you. And a bad boss does strange things to our heads sometimes.”
“I won’t accept excuses for him when this is over. You may have won your battles for now but…” She swallowed. “Russia is my younger brother and I have known him since we could understand what we were. If you had known him then and now, you wouldn’t think he was the same man. He may be many things but he has had far worse in the way of leaders and it has…made him…” Her voice choked a little and she looked away from Prussia, out the window. “…has made him different. He was such a sweet child. And he changed.” And now her eyes came back, full of that iron resolve. “But make no mistake,” and the tone of her voice dropped and Prussia felt an unexpected thrill shoot through him, “he will not stand for this. And neither will I. You might break my body but you will not ever break me.”
She thinks I’m here to rape her. And for just a moment, Prussia looked at her. It certainly would be tempting. And for a moment, he was interested in the challenge but he shook it away. He said, “I’m going to Paris. You are a high-profile prisoner. Should you need something and be ignored, send a telegram.”
She blinked in surprise and reached out, steadying herself on the back of the chair.
He turned and left. Mostly, he’d just wanted to make sure Germany hadn’t done to Ukraine what he’d done to Belgium in the first World War. After Germany had invaded, Prussia went and found her. She’d been beaten badly by Germany’s soldiers. He had not apologized because this was war and these things happened but he did clean her up and ordered up a bed, paper, pens and books for her cell.
“I was at Germany’s naming party!” She had cried. “You promised to protect my neutrality!”
Prussia had not had an answer because he wasn’t in that place anymore. That was why he’d created Germany. To succeed him. And what a mess that had created. All his taunts at England being unable to raise soldiers suddenly weren’t as funny. Sure, Germany hadn’t turned on Prussia but Germany had taken quite a leap. One that Prussia had encouraged by raising him to be so self-confident he thought he could take on the whole world. Sure, Prussia had had an empire but even he hadn't thought that.
But. Germany was his brother and he had stuck by him through many things. He could not abandon him now. What was it Heinrich der Glîchezære has said? “Blood is thicker than water.” Not in those exact words but close and modern enough.
In Paris, Prussia took his frustration out on France and France eventually just stopped reacting to it. Until England and Canada showed up one day and stole him. When Prussia woke up, covered in blood with officers scrambling around the room, he had just laughed. Because, honestly, why not?
He couldn’t even bring himself to get mad when Japan attacked America. The meeting about it after America declared war had not been pretty. Germany and Italy weren’t bothered. (“It will be different this time.”) But Prussia openly sneered at Japan and they had both tensed, prepared for a fist fight, until Germany stood and dismissed him. Dismissed Prussia from the meeting.
Dismissed him with an indifferent tone and hard eyes.
So was he relieved when the war ended? Yes. Was he happy to take Germany’s place and go to Moscow with Russia, standing as East Germany…no and yes. Because he was protecting his brother. But he never forgot the look on Hungary’s face, no doubt recalling their conversation but she was in no position to protest. Germany had found her secretly dealing with America and England and he might have killed her, save that Prussia found them first.
In 1944, he killed three of Germany’s officers who had been ordered to keep him away. He had throw Italy down the stairs and kicked the door in. That was the only time he had ever been tempted to kill his brother. They both looked up at him.
Germany stiffened and said, “She has betrayed—“
“Shut up. I don’t care.” He grabbed Hungary by her thin wrist and jerked her away. “Since you have completely disregarded almost every single piece of advice I have given you, I don’t feel bad about telling you to lay the fuck off. You asked for this. You made it too easy for the Allies to demonize you. Your boss—“
“My boss is doing what is best for me,” Germany panted.
Hungary was leaning. She grabbed onto Prussia and got herself standing properly, clothes torn and covered in blood. “Your boss is going to kill—“
“I am—“
“Germany!” Prussia’s eyes were hard now, staring at the gaunt, wide-eyed, shadow his brother had become.
Germany looked at him. His blue eyes were bloodshot.
Prussia’s jaw locked. He’s going mad. “Go to sleep. I will take care of this.”
But, Germany was his brother and he had taken his place in Moscow. Hopefully England and the others could get Germany back on track.
The first night had been the worst. Russia patted his head and said, “I understand that you did not make choices for Germany. That Germany’s boss makes choices for Germany. But, you are here in place of your brother. Do you understand?”
“I also take revenge in his place,” answered Prussia, not batting an eyelid.
When Russia locked the door, it was like a shot.
But when he woke, there was a soft touch on his cheek.
“Prussia?” said a voice, soft and somehow smooth, like steel and cotton.
He felt something tighten around his head and he flinched. “What? Who is it?” The sun was in his eyes, bright like crystal, glimmering off ice and snow and stone and metal.
“You’re going to be all right.”
Prussia blinked. That voice…he shifted out of the light, or the figure moved to block it but suddenly, he could see. “Ukraine…?”
She nodded and lifted a warm, damp rag; gently wiping blood from his face. “My brother will be hard on you.”
He couldn’t move very well so he didn’t bother trying to flinch away. “I know,” he choked out.
Something changed in her eyes, something hard and stern and understanding. And she said, “If you need anything, I will help you as you helped me.”
Prussia’s eyes cleared and he watched her as she took out a roll of gauze. Well, I guess what goes around comes around.
But he only said, “Thank you.”
1. Hungary, reluctant member of the Axis and friend of Poland
2. Oh, World War One and the Treaty of London that protected Belgium's neutrality. This is what gave England the excuse to come into the war on the side of France.
3. Blood is thicker than water, a German proverb made famous in the US in 1859, by U.S. Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall, when asked to explain why he had given aid to the British squadron in an attack on Taku Forts at the mouth of the Pei Ho River, June 25, 1859, during a battle with the Chinese.
