This pertains to the aftermath of the Third Partitioning of Poland in 1795. When Poland actually stopped existing as a country and Russia, Prussia, and Austria took control of it. Russia gained the majority in 1831, taking Warsaw. I'm no history master, at all, but I'm trying to keep this as accurate as possible.

It's is set in 1831 after Poland fought and failed many uprisings after its partitions and finally fell into the hands of Russia after the loss in the November Uprising. Yah, for history lessons!

Sadly, Russia is made into the bad guy in this (I adore him, I swear!), but I needed one. Prussia will also be one, eventually. The focus will be on Lithuania and Poland, mainly in a brotherly way, but it can be seen either way.

Italics = a scene that happened before the current time in the story.

Enjoy!

Final Partition

I. The Phoenix

November, 1795

Lithuania hadn't seen Poland since he had been stolen away from him at the end of the second partition. For two years he hadn't heard his voice or spoken his name. He hadn't seen anything of him. But, now that he saw him he wished he could go back to being blind.

Russia had suddenly forced him to come along to Belarus and if Lithuania was in his right mind he might have figured out why beforehand. He'd still been breaking into tears ever since the final partition had been made. He knew Poland had to be suffering, being pulled apart bit by bit, and he was all by himself during it all. Poland was shy and rash, and Lithuania was everything he needed to counter all that. He'd never seen the blonde by himself since the day he met him.

He'd wanted more than anything to be by his side, but not like this. He was being forced to watch Poland's boss be abdicated, with the blonde standing next to him, defeated. He looked like a ghost. Lithuania had covered a sob and Russia had gave him a side long glance, but he couldn't stop.

Poland's eyes found his at some point and in that instant Lithuania couldn't possibly hate Russia any more than he did. The man had made him stand right next to him as he took away the last bit of his former partner.

When Lithuania was pulled away from the sight he had been convinced Poland would disappear for good. He didn't see Poland again for over three decades.

November, 1831

The food in front of Lithuania seemed so disgusting, he would definitely be sick if he tried to eat. It wasn't even because it had come from within the spread of four different cultures of food, he was already used to that, no; he hadn't eaten anything for days. How could he? How could he even try while knowing… he… was in the same house, not getting the same, and hurt? Torn apart and beaten. No, he was worse than that, the worst fate for a country, he was at his end, disappearing, and he was all alone. The last bit of Poland had been taken and there should be nothing left.

"Lithuania?"

Lithuania pulled himself from his dark thoughts and looked up from his bowl to Russia, smiling from across the table.

"You didn't eat." Russia continued.

"Um…" Lithuania shifted under his gaze, "…I'm not hungry."

He met Russia's eyes, he seemed suspicious. Lithuania gulped and picked up his spoon.

"But, Mm" he forced himself to perk up, "Since, I have Kasha (1), I'll have to eat!"

He took a big bite of the porridge with a grin, under Russia's careful watch.

"Yes," Russia smiled more at the response, "zavtrak (2) is very important after all, da."

Lithuania nodded, unable to swallow past the lump in his throat. He noticed Latvia and Estonia's stares locked on him. Russia's head swung merrily side to side as he ate.

"Lithuania is so good to me." He swooned.

Lithuania tensed, the man was being condescending. Was he still suspicious?

"Always listening to me."

Lithuania flinched.

Russia came through the door that day like he usually did, with a joyful atmosphere, but this time was different. That moment when he saw that joy on Russia's face, Lithuania felt his heart stop. When he saw the evidence of Russia's success being dragged behind him like a toy, part of his soul left as well. Poland had been rebellious and risen against Russia.

But, he had lost.

It was all so wrong. Lithuania was trembling and locked in place, but when he saw that blonde figure, held in that man's grasp, he made to rush forward without a second thought. But, something made him stop.

"Lithuania," Russia cooed, "why don't you go make me Kvass (3)?"

Lithuania couldn't see the blonde anymore, Russia had blocked the view. He was surprised when he actually contemplated the more powerful country for a moment, sized him up with a fire in his eyes, and was ready to say 'no' or 'stop'.

"I…I…"

'Please, let me see him.' He wanted to beg, 'what did you do to him?'. His hands shook in front of him, ready to reach out for him.

But, he didn't.

He turned on his heel, into the kitchen, and sobbed over the counter instead, as he made Russia's drink. He did as he was told. But, the feeling of pain that now circled in the building was all he could focus on.

It was hard for him to not help another, especially someone so close to him as…he… was. It had been days since then and Lithuania still hadn't seen or heard him. He didn't even know if he was still there, Russia talked like he hadn't even brought him, like he had disappeared already, all alone.

Lithuania came back to focus when Russia stood up abruptly.

"I have to go, da." Russia said, "Boss needs me. I'll be back in time for uzhin (4)."

The Baltics nodded.

"Be good today, my Baltics."

Lithuania shrunk under Russia's pointed look directed at him, it seemed to burn through him. He bowed his head. Russia then left. The Baltics listened to the sound of the front door as it was slowly closed. The evil aura in the home felt like it went with him.

Lithuania breathed in deep.

"Lithuania, are you going to be okay?" Estonia asked.

Russia was going to be gone for the whole day… Lithuania knew what he had to do. He wouldn't be able to last much longer himself if he didn't, just to see if it was true, if he was really gone; even if it meant going against Russia.

With a spark in his tone he answered, "I hope so."

Latvia was at his heels.

"What are you doing, Lithuania!" the boy cried, "Are you going against Russia-san?"

Lithuania ignored him. He was rushing down a silent, dark hallway and trying not to fall at the same time in his hurry. Every part of him was pleading to go faster, to get there immediately and it felt like forever when he finally reached the end of that hall, to the door he sought. His feet pulled to a stop outside of it.

Now he was more scared than ever. Not because of Russia, like usual, but of what he could find inside… nothing. Nothing left and he would be all alone in there. He didn't even want to think of what would happen after that, what his emotions might do. But, really, after everything that had been done, how could there be anything left?

Lithuania lifted his shaking hand to the knob and twisted it. Carefully, he pushed the door and it creaked open. There was a tiny and empty bed in one corner and nothing else. His ears strained to find any sound from inside the dark room, but he heard nothing. His breath hitched.

"Liet, Liet! Hurry inside! Let's play chess. I'm so totally gonna beat you!"

"Lithuania?" Latvia said softly at his back.

Then, he saw it. Tucked in a corner Lithuania could see a few strands of blonde hair poking out of the darkness, the rest of it leading to a collapsed figure. It was him. He knew it was. He hadn't disappeared. Lithuania leaned back on the door to gently close it behind him.

"Feliks." his voice cracked through the dark.

Poland had survived many wars and Lithuania had seen him through the majority of them. But, never had he seen his friend beaten and torn apart to the point that he was so silent, so still. What should he have expected? He hadn't been there for him, taken away during the second partition, and unable to do anything during the final one and the uprisings. Lithuania had worried those long years that things would finally end up this way, and they had.

He walked through the cold, dark room and hesitated as he reached the broken figure. Poland had folded around himself. Lithuania could see his bruised eyes closed tight and an untreated cut running across his face. Without moving his attention Lithuania pushed back the curtain of a window, letting in a sliver of light. He instantly wished he hadn't, now revealing how small and frail Poland really had been reduced to and all the blood, was everywhere like he was already a corpse, but he had to see and accept it all. He was the only one that would.

He shook as he reached out to the other country and, with barely a touch, ran his hand through the light hair fallen in his face. The tips brushed Poland's forehead and he withdrew, the country was freezing. Poland responded to him, searching to find the warmth of Lithuania's hand again.

Lithuania finally broke at that. He collapsed to his knees and made to scoop up Poland, but the blonde flinched away from the touch. Lithuania dropped his head and buried it into the crook of the country's neck instead. Just being able to feel that he hadn't disappeared was enough for the moment, but the too soft breaths kept him worrying. Poland was shivering and seemed so tiny; nothing like his former self. He might still lose him yet.

"Liet."

Lithuania brought his head up, eyes spilling tears. He was met with Poland's green ones observing him dully, glazed and void of the usual smugness, but they were there, that made his heart flutter.

"Your face," Poland said, "looks so stupid right now."

Lithuania buried his face again, pulling Poland's head closer.

He cried, "Stupid, stupid, stupid…" more to himself than to his friend and it soon turned into, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I wasn't there..."

"Liet's stupid." Poland mumbled into his shoulder, "You're right here."

Lithuania laughed low and hollow. He was assured though, assured that he was really holding that boy he had seen through good and bad with for centuries, his one true partner.

"Yeah, you're right. I am, aren't I, and I'm going to take care of you now like you have done for me, my phoenix."

TBC

After Russia gained the majority of control over Poland there was no respect for the culture and they pretty much ignored it altogether.

I'm currently writing chapter four of this and decided to start posting to see if I should continue, so let me know!

(1) Kasha – a porridge popular in Eastern Europe.

(2) Zavtrac – Russian for 'breakfast'.

(3) Kvass – a drink popular in Eastern and Central Europe for thousands of years.

(4) Uzhin – Russian for 'dinner'.