This is inspired by a combination of Vinland stories and stories where America or Canada or both weren't found by England and France.

And I thought it would be fun to try and write Lukas and Matthias as parents.

There were two of them. Holding hands aimless of the snow, wrapped in a variety of furs.

Norway studied them for a moment.

And they shouldn't be here.

"Næmnæe" He waved and smiled gently at the two. Perhaps they had wandered off?

They repeated the greeting back. Before one tugged the other towards him.

Little winter sprites.

He held out both hand to them. And was shocked when they took it. This shouldn't be possible with only just a handful of villages present but they were.

Lukas paused for a moment before he scooped both of them up and was met with a plethora of giggles.

"You can't go." They were clustered around the two beds. Matthias hands tighten on the tiny hand.

In between the two beds, Lukas fluttered through his scrolls in a desperate attempt to find something. Only there were no answers like he knew there would be. Instead he sang the old songs encouraging Emil to take up the tune, who was holding onto the other child.

At the door a woman stood, panting with breath while pulling a fur blanket tighter around her.

"I help." She knew a handful of words in their language.

"Their people are sick, dying and they are small." The hand in his was so tiny for such a fierce spirit. Already he could-

"No." Matthias gently cradled the body to him, wanting to hold her for a moment longer before she faded.

"I have nothing." Lukas rolled up the scroll in a frustration. Instead sitting on one of the beds and lifting the child close. "I doubt even you could do anything for them now." He held one small hand within his own. Already he could start to see through it.

"But I can." She began chanting as snow swirled in through the open door way. Shapes shifted in the snow, a rabbit one moment, a bear the next. A flurry of snow rose with the wind, spinning faster and faster.

When the wind ceased, the woman was gone.

Their arms were emptied.

They waited through the long dark nights. A hope against hope. There were so few people left by spring. They loaded the boats.

One remained empty expect for a scattering of toys, scented herbs, and two empty pyres. Matthias pulled back a flaming arrow. It took only moments for the boat to be set it ablaze.

Emil hid his head against Lukas shoulder. Cold blue eyes reflecting the flames as the fire burned through the rest of their hope.

"Though you are young, you have a people now and will thrive without me." She stroked both of their heads.

A coughing fit tore through her. After several long gasping breaths, she spoke again.

"Do you remember them?" Her voice was weak. This would take her, as it had for so many of their kind. This plague took millions of their people. Her skin was littered with dots.

"Yes." Rida held the hand tighter. "I remember our fathers."

Lysta nodded and held the little polar bear to her.

"Of our kind, show yourself only to them. You cannot trust the others. I've never heard of such cruelty as they let their people willfully commit. I fear that they will use the two of you ill."

"How will we know who they are?" Lysta spoke.

"Whenever there is conflict between two nations we are drawn there. Most are associated with the higher tier of their chi-kings and counsels. We feel drawn to others of our kind, but only know for certain with touch."

"It is better to be wild and free, or hidden and safe then to be thrown to their whims. Promise me this, children of my heart. That you will avoid those of our kind whom you do not know."

"We promise." They spoke together.

"I've grown weary." It was a bittersweet smile. "The two of you, have been the light in my twilight years."

"Come here." She kissed each brow. "Stay together and remember."

"We promised."

She was gone with the last of autumn leaves.

They searched and searched, whether for their adopted mother or the fathers who had left so long ago. They didn't know.

Eventually, they found towns springing up along the coast. In the summer they explored the north, a port city sprung into being. They spent a year there, living with a family who had lost their own. A third name. Marinette for Lysta. They hadn't wanted Rida, none of the humans there did. Instead Lysta and her took turns being Marinette. It's not like they could tell the difference between the two.

Neither aged.

Whispers of witchcraft struck the town folks. The two vanished in the night, heading south.

They wandered like that for decades. Finally, they hit a growth spurt. Families were less willing to take either of them. Rida started to dress as the menfolk in order to get work. Lysta hunted and foraged in the nearby forest, being particularly skilled at trapping.

It wasn't until Salem that Lysta was caught. Rida snuck into the jails getting her sister out, but not quick enough for herself. A guard's hand grasped her arm.

Unable to move, Lysta watched hidden as the noose tightened around Rida's neck. Following as the dumped the motionless body in a pit. Taking the rope from the hanging tree, she lowered herself down. Gently treading across sixteen motionless bodies before she found her twins. She lowered her head against her. Rida was breathing.

All at once Lysta was furious. She shook and screamed at her sister, unknowing of the tears falling rapidly against her checks.

"I'm sorry." Rida's voice was quiet and her eyes were dazed.

"Don't ever do that again. Promise me."

"I can't." Rida met her gaze. "If given the chance, I will always take the noose, so that you never have to. No matter what."

"Rida…"

"Plus dying isn't so bad." She grinned, half crooked. "I saw everyone. It was only for a moment but they were all there. Papa Matthias and Lukas, Uncle Berwald. Even Emil. You were there and Mother. We were having a giant feast outside."

"I miss them." The words were in their first language, the language of their fathers.

"We'll find them again. Some day." Rida held both her hands. "I think we might have forever."

That night was the second time one of them had died. The first time, their mother had saved them.

It wasn't long after that they were separated.

"I want to go by Emily. It's similar to Emil and fits better with society." Rida decided one day as she helped mend the clothing, wearing one of Lysta's skirts. "When I'm dressed as a girl."

"And as a boy?" Lysta was in the process of carving a new chair. The last one was broken in an incident of temper.

"I've settled on Alfred. Do you want to keep going by Lysta or another?"

"Marinette and Mattheiu. I like M names and Matthieu is close to Matthias. Though I don't particular fine the woolen clothes all that comfortable. Nor do I like the current fashion for men. Those wigs." Lysta- no Marinette wrinkled her nose. "That way we have secret names just for our family." Marinette smiled, though she'd long given up on finding them anytime soon.

"I need to be there." Emily was pacing the floor, agitation in every step. Her hair was brought back, and there were a collection of books in a small bookcase. Marinette was cleaning her rifle.

"This book has any meaning. And it's completely unreasonable." She waved Common Sense in front of her sister.

"You aren't going out dumping more tea in the harbor are you?"

"I should! Taxing tea can you believe it?"

"We are lost." Marie sat down in the middle of the pathway, dropping her camping backpack and stared at the mid-June sky. At least that was mostly the same.

"We aren't lost, if we never had a destination."

"The moment we leave the US, you get lost, without fail. Like that time in Mexico."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Emily huffed before sitting beside her sister, pulling her old bomber jacket closer and ignoring how cold her legs were underneath the tights. The skirt looked good.

"We're barely able to speak the language."

"I wanted to watch the northern lights while basking in a natural hot spring. Plus this is the first time we've taken vacation in a country outside of North America."

"That's because you were able to get us both tickets under 500 dollars for the total trip."

"I know isn't it great? I could have just flown us here."

"Your license expired and you didn't want to get it renew."

"Someone's bound to notice the paper trail with technology." Emily muttered, before shuffling in her own backpack.

"Paranoid." Marinette shook her head and smiled.

"I was going to offer you this sandwich. It even had maple-smoked salmon in it. But you called me paranoid." Emily whipped two sandwiches out of her bag dangling them in the air.

"Smoked salmon?" Marinette reached for one, only to have it drawn further away. In retaliation, she aimed for the side, tickling her sister. They scuffled with burst of laughter before one rolled away and then came back. The sandwiches were long forgotten.

"Hallo?" The voice was a heavily accented English.

Marinette rolled off of Emily, and the two blinked wide-eye up at him, leaning back on their hands in an identical manner.

He had purple eyes, silver hair and was wearing a black and white lopapeysa.

"Howdy." Emily gave a little wave before scratching the back of her head. Before eyeing the puffin that just flew in and settled on the stranger's shoulder.

Marinette just shook her head in embarrassment, before shaking off the dirt and offering a hand to Emily.

"Are you tourist?" His eyes had a certain spark in them

"Yep, Iceland was our first pick." Taking her sister's hand, Emily hopped up. Before bending down and picking up the forgotten sandwiches, along with both of their camping gear.

"And now we're lost." Marinette added in.

"We aren't lost!" Emily threw her sister's backpack at her.

"My house isn't far from here. I can get you a map. I'll even mark some of the more scenic spots to visit."

"Thank you!" They both spoke together, making him blink.

"I've been making some gravað if you would like to stay for lunch?"

"Sure."

"That would be a welcome break."

"I've haven't camp in a while."

"You should join us."

"It would be fun."

"I had sisters once, they were twins like the two of you." Emil took a sip of his brennivín, before offering it to the two sisters. They both took a sip each and passed it back. "They fell ill when they were 4. My older brother tired everything he could think of to save them. In the end there was nothing he could do. The last thing I remember is a local healer whisking them away."

"That's terrible." Emily gazed at the fire.

"We had a family once." Marinette spoke, her gaze fixed on the dancing lights in the sky.

"We were separated when we were very young." After shifting the sticks, Emily took another sip of her beer.

"Each year, it's a little more difficult to remember what they looked like."

"But that's what pictures are for." Emily grinned at Emil.

"I think it would be nice, if they grew up that they might be a little like the two of you." For an instance, he saw Matthias in her smile. "I haven't thought about them in a long time."

None of them realized they were speaking in Old Norse the entire time.

"Thank you so much for camping with us!" Emily gave him a sudden hug. A second later Marinette was her place.

"Please come visit us."

"Don't forget to Skype us."

"I'll miss you."

"Bye." They headed off for their gate.

He couldn't quite place the warm feeling in chest, nor the odd sense that he was missing something. After checking his email again, Emil headed to the arrival area. His brothers would be annoyed with him as it. Since he just gave them a brief email saying he was going camping for his birthday.

He had surprised himself by keeping in touch with the two girls. Mostly sharing some food recipes, and the proper way of making shark, along with the attached photo of their faces when they tired hakarl.

This was the first time he wasn't staying at the assign hotel for the world meeting, though he had been given his own room for once. He also hadn't told anyone that either. But the two lived close and it would be a nice break to see the two again. They could have coffee.

Plus Emily promised to make a whole range of her favorites, though she promised nothing too spicy. There was also a Vegan night that the two of them had agreed to have.

It was odd for one of their kind to make human friends of a different citizenship. He didn't care.

Ringing the intercom, Marinette's voice came through. "Bonjour."

"Hallo."

"Emil. I'll be right down." Emily voice echoed through, before he heard a large thank. A moment later a nearby door flung opened, before Emil raced to open the locked door.

"Do you have any bags you need help with?" She barely asked as she reached for his suitcase.

He merely smiled.

"Did you see all the flags? The two museums decided to put them up between them. And they're ordered by their French name. Really threw me for a loop initially. Marie and I like to guess which ones are which occasionally." Emily chatted as they went up the stairs.

"You are surprisingly close to downtown."

"It's a lot of fun and the US is only an 2 hour drive from here. You've come at a good time. The leaves are just peaking. And here we are." Emily turned her key and opened the door. "We've set aside an air mattress for you. Don't really have a guess room unless you want one of our beds. They're twins." Her eyes lit up with the bad pun.

"Hello." Marinette called out from the kitchen. "I've made us some coffee. I've even added some maple in it so you can get some of the Canadian kick to it."

"Thank you." He set his backpack down next to the char before taking the cup.

"How was your flight?" Marinette asked as she handed Emily her cup.

"It was quiet. I generally fly with my brothers." Emil sipped the coffee. It was surprisingly sweet, but good.

"Oh. Are they going to this meeting as well?"

"You have four brothers right." Marinette pulled out some milk and sugar for the coffee. Emil refused.

"I bet that's noisy." Emily pulled out a box of Keebler's M & M cookies, gesturing for Emil to take one and tossing one to Marinette.

"I think you're noisy enough on your own Em."

"Wild and free Mari." She stuck her tongue out at her.

"They would like the two of you." If they weren't horribly reminded of the children that were lost. Emil's smile was a little bitter sweet.

"Maybe we could all go to the art museum. They are just starting a Wild West movie exhibit. Oh and we can show them the most Canadian painting ever."

"Eh, I happen to like that painting."

"That's because of the beavers. It's hilarious." Emily grinned as she took another sip of her coffee.

"I think we'll have free time this weekend."

"Perfect. Oh if you want to see the campus, I work at the university up the hill. We just got a new far infrared spectrometer and I can now determine the impact of life on inorganic materials."

Emily had spoken of her job as a research technician. Apparently she was the master of the spec and they were looking for inorganic signatures of life. She would always play life on mars when talking about it.

"I'll see if I can get us a group discount at the museum."

"I was thinking about spaghetti with meat balls or mac and cheese for dinner."

"Krafters?" Marie perked up.

"No. I'll home cook it."

Emil couldn't quite place who they reminded him of. He didn't want to consider that... did he enjoy there company just because it's one of the scenarios for what could have been. If his sisters had lived.

There was a fire on the other side of the street and cries for help.

"Emily, no."

But she was already racing off. Mari ran after her. "Stay here, Emil."

Emil merely just follows after. Next to volcanoes, he could handle a little fire.

Together the three of them managed to get all the kids out and even the four cats. Emily managed to toss the last cat wrapped up in her jacket to Marinette when one of the beams creaked.

She leapt out of the way but the beam still hit her leg. Emil shifted the burning log some before pulling her by the shoulders, before lifting her up. The smoke was getting to him. The beam blocked the doorway.

"We're coming through the window."

Lukas was going to kill him.

"You idiot." Lukas glared down at him; arms crossed and wearing protect covering.

"You generally reserve that insult for Matthias." Emil groaned and blinked a few times trying to lift a hand before Lukas stopped him.

"I reserve it for idiots and wouldn't move your hand. It's a third degree burn and even we don't heal that fast." Lukas sighed before he sat down in the seat next to him. "We can probably get you out as early as tomorrow. Tino is arranging himself as your doctor."

"How's Emily?"

"The woman they said you saved?"

Emil nodded.

"In the next bed over. The curtain is up though." Lukas was already standing to pull it aside. Marionette was in grab similar to Lukas her head was down on the bed.

Emily's legs were hosted up and were loosely strapped to two metal bars.

Lukas stood frozen.

"Big brother?"

He moved mechanically back to his seat, eyes still on the slumbering two. There several moments of quite as Emil waited. Emil sipped the water on the bedside stand, feeling parch.

An inhale.

"I used a future prediction software for the twins." They didn't talk about them, none of them. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a piece of paper.

On the left were almost painted perfect portraits of Lysta and Rida as four year olds, on the right-

Emil blinked. It was almost a dead ringer for Emily and Marinette. At least the faces were.

He took the paper from Lukas studying it in more detail. Since he met them, he was constantly seeing little things. Something Emily did that either reminded him of Rida or Matthias. Or the wave Marinette would get a far off look in her eye.

"It was part of the reason I befriend them. They reminded me of my sisters." Maybe he had known or some part of him suspected.

Lukas could only nod before taking a finishing sip of his coffee and standing up. His steps were almost hesitant as he reached out and gentle touched Marinettes' hand.

A second later he was gently moving a hair off of Emily's face.

He wore a stun expression when returned to his seat. His hands were shaking and no words past his lips. Emil reached out with his good hand and grabbed Lukas'.

Tears were shimmered in his brother's eyes. But Lukas just held his other hand against his mouth, taking measured breaths as they began their descent.

A nurse cleared his throat and introduced himself before asking. "Do you know the girl? You were brought in together."

"Yes." Emil glanced at Lukas who merely nodded, while using sleeve to wipe his face. "They are our sisters. I think some of their medical paper work was mixed up when they moved here last November."

"Do you know if she has any allergies?"

"None medical."

"Thank you. The doctor will be by in a moment to check on your wound. It's a third degres burn on the left hand and a sprained ankle."

The nurse moved over to Emily, checking the bandages and said he would bring breakfast as he left.

"I missed yesterday's meeting didn't I?"

Lukas nodded. His gaze once more focused on the twins, before glancing down at the paper. Emil handed Lukas the glass of water.

Lukas took a slow breath before he was finally able to gather his thoughts.

"How did you not realize?"

Emil flushed before he muttered. "I've never met anyone on my own. I forgot that the pulling sensation meant nation..."

"Emil." Lukas ran a hand against hair. "How long?"

"Since June."

"The camping trip?"

Emil nodded.

Lukas just shook his head. Once again just staring at the two girls sleeping on the bed.

Marinette shifted a moment, before leaping up from her seat and leaning over Emily. A second later Emily was screaming and thrashing a hand clutch against her chest.

"Sh. Sh. Rida." Then she hummed an old tune one that the two personifications knew by heart. Lukas stood up and headed to the two.

"Lysta?"

"It's alright. It's October 21st 201X."

"Faðir?" Lukas met Emily's eyes, which were similar to both Bewald's and Matthias'.

"Já"

"Eh?!" Marinette turned around, and gasped.

"Faðir Lukas?"

"Já"

Marinette turned and embraced him. Lukas held her for a moment. They separated with Lysta going to Emil.

After giving an awkward embrace to Emily as well. Lukas sat next to Emily, gently rubbing her hand. Her gaze was a bit hazy.

"I thought I'd only see y'all when I died."

That gave Lukas pause. While personifications could come back after mortal wounds dealt to them, it took some time to recover.

"How many times has that been?"

"Like 50 something." Emily shrugged, though there was a light blush on her cheeks.

Marinette smacked her head in exasperation.

Emil blinked.

Lukas stared and his grip on her hand tightened.

"Do you want to visit us as well, our place is a little small but it's close?" Marinette smiled. "Emil is already visiting with us."

"You barely have space for the air mattress. And Matthias is pretty exuberant. I'd worry more about damage control." Emil shook his head.

"Hmm…If you want to, you can come visit with us. I think Matthias' place would be sufficient space."

"That's nice of you but shouldn't we ask him?" Marinette began.

"I think it's a great idea." Emil chimed in. He didn't even want to think about how much Matthias and Tino would become overbearing. But perhaps it would help Emily.

"Okay." Emily agreed. The same nurse from before returned with two trays and a doctor in tow. He placed a tray down by Emil then by Emily.

"Alright I going to..." Emil went through the check up. At the end of it the doctor put his left hand in a glove. "You could probably be released today. Just come in a week or you can switch to your personal doctor to check on it."

"Good Morning Miss Emily." The doctor then swapped to asking a plethora of questions to Emily. Before concluding that she was healing at a miraculous rate and settling on a soft cast for the leg while wrapping the burns with a specific type of bandage.

The doctor then turned to Lukas. "Honestly they both could go home today." While writing out a list of instructions for their care.

"If that leg shows a signal sign of infection I want you back here immediately."

Emily just saluted him.

"I'll bring by the discharge slips and some crutches." After going over a few more things the two left.

Are you still at the hospital? Is Emil okay? He had forgotten to update Matthias.

"Who is it?" Emil peered curiously over Lukas shoulder.

We've left. I went ahead and arranged the charter plane. He texted. "Matthias."

I'll let Tino and Berwald know he's okay. They are thinking about having dinner with Peter and Arthur. Before Peter goes back with Arthur for a few months. Did you want to leave tonight or tomorrow?

Today. I'm about to call for the plane. It would be better to leave quicker, mostly to avoid running into the others. There was a moderate preference for the nations to travel together if it could be arrange.

Lukas is something wrong? I'll cancel going out for drinks with Gilbert.

No. Just meet us at the plane at 19 hr. Tucking his phone away, he helped organized the twins and Emil.

Once the two were discharged, they had stopped by Marinette and Emily's apartment for them to pack a few clothes and to pick Emil's clothing. Both had previously asked the week off from work for Emil's post meeting visit.

Lukas hardly blinked when Marinette picked up a polar bear cub. He was beginning to suspect who they represented. But that was a lower priority to him. As long as he didn't directly ask then he could honestly say he didn't know. He had managed to get them a private charter for the way back.

The ride to the airport was short.

He helped to settle Emily on one of the seats in the front of the plane. Emil even helped with getting the footrest out. Marinette wearily plopped on the next one before leaning against her twin's shoulder, polar bear curled up in her lap. Emily was hardly a wake and sleepily blinking at them.

"You haven't told the others yet."

"Don't worry." He ruffled her hair.

"I'm gonna sleep then." She leaned her head against her sisters before her eyes closed and she was out.

Emil sat across from him plucking at the glove around his hand.

Lukas stared, unable to speak. They had all grown up. Once again they were reunited. Through all that happened, even after his separation from Denmark so long ago. They were here. Alive. The last time he had held the girls they had vanished in his and Matthias' arms. Gone with the wind and snow.

"Who's this?" Matthias leaned over Lukas' shoulder, suitcase in hand. Studying the two sleeping girls.

"Your camping friends?" Matthias turned to Emil, who merely nodded in return. Eyes wide. Did he just forget that he told Matthias?

Marinette blinked sleepy eyes up at him, as Emily continued to rest on her shoulder.

"Nice to meet you." Matthias reached over Lukas, held out a hand to Marinette.

Marinette in turn just looked at him for a moment. Violet eyes widened. Hesitantly, she touched her palm to his. Feeling the warm draw of another personification.

"You're-"

"She's Lysta." Lukas interrupted.

"a nation." Matthias finished before Lukas' words made their way to his thoughts "Lysta?"

Lukas nodded.

Matthias hopped over the two, standing directly in front of them.

"Your eyes are as violet as Emil's. I've only known a handful of personifications with that shade." He raised a hand to her check. "Our little Lysta?"

"Father." Marinette smiled.

Matthias pulled her up into an embraced, still not fully comprehending. His eyes met Lukas. There was a hint of a smile. He let go, before turning to the still sleeping twin, noting the broken leg that was propped up.

"Rida?" Matthias placed a hand on Emily's head for a second.

"She's sleeping." Before settling down into her seat, Marinette bent down and picked up her pet.

"Ready to go? I'll let the pilot know that everyone is here." Emil stood up, heading to the front of the plane.

"Where are we going?" Matthias immediately took his seat, after securing his luggage in an overhead bin.

"Your place." Lukas fastened his seat belt.

"Mine?" Matthias blinked in surprise.

"The house has the most space."

"Is that okay?" Marinette asked, a hint of worry in her eyes as she buckled herself in and then Emily.

"Yes. It'll be awesome." He grinned at her, fastening his own seat belt.

I might add more to this later.