Yao ran his hands across the rough rocky surface of the wall. His golden eyes stared forward, across the long stretch, and he paused to inhale the cold air. From atop the North Pass, he could see down and over the wall, over the hills and valleys that seemed to make up his country. He leaned backward against the stone and closed his eyes, letting himself be one with the air and the soft breeze. A story came back to his mind, one that he told to his brothers when they now went to the broken fortress. In a soft voice, he began to sing the words of the woman from long ago;

"In March the peach is blossom-dressed;
Swallows, mating, build their nest.
Two by two they gaily fly,
Left all alone, how sad am I..."

Yao cut off his singing when he heard footsteps, not having to open his eyes to predict who it was. "Vanya?"
Ivan smiled that little smile of his, stopping when he heard his name, "Aha~ How do you always know, Yao?"
The Asian nation opened his eyes finally, turning to face the man, "No one else here has feet as big as yours." Ivan furrowed his brow, about to retort something about at least he never bound his feet, but Yao cut him off quickly, "How did you find me here, aru?"

"Oh, Kiku was nice enough to tell me where you were!"
Trying not to worry too much over the state his little brother could be in, Yao walked over to the edge of the wall, "I see, aru..."
Ivan's violet eyes followed him, and he walked over to stand behind him, resting his hands on the wall and in turn keeping Yao there. "What was that song you were singing...?"

"What, aru? O-oh, you meant...ah. That's..." Yao looked off at the sun, still rising slowly on the horizon, "It's a song from a very sad story, aru...about a woman who lost her husband. He was building this wall, and he died. When she discovered this, she cried and cried for days, and these tears caused the wall to crumble."
"Tears brought down a wall?"
"Yes, Ivan. And the emperor went to see her, and saw how beautiful she was. He fell in love and asked her to be his lover, and-" Yao's words were cut off by Ivan kissing the back of his head gently. "And...? You have to finish the story, da?"

Yao cleared his throat, and continued after pulling away from the Russian, "And she said she would agree if he gave her husband a proper burial, in a golden coffin."
Ivan smiled, more of a smirk, and played with Yao's hair, "Did he do it?"
"Yes. But she was bitter, because she did not think he would do it, aru. So she ran away and jumped into the river."
"The river? Was this Emperor really that bad...?"

"Yes. Everyone of his subjects hated him. So she turned into a beautiful fish and swam away." Yao finished his story with a smile, but noticed that Ivan was looking to the side, almost...sadly?
"I do not like that story, Yao. You should change it."
"Aah? Change it? I can't change a story this old, Ivan. Besides, how would you end it, aru?"

Taking Yao's hands gently, Ivan looking into his eyes, "I would make...that woman see that the emperor was not mean. He was...different, da? And if he loved her, then she should love him as well, da?"
Yao began to understand what the blonde was thinking, and he laughed softly, "Well, Ivan, I don't think it's going to happen for them. We cannot change the past."

"Niet, we cannot. But, Yao...can we not change the future?" With a soft smile, he began to sing the soft song;

"Thick and fast swirl round the winter snows:
I, Meng Chiang-nu, trudge, bearing winter clothes,
A starveling crow, alas, my only guide,
The Great Wall far, and I far from his side!"

"You...already knew the story."
"Da...but it sounded better from you."

Ending is CRAP. I apologize. But I wanted to have Russia sing the second half, because seriously? Winder snows, Far from the great wall and his side? HMMMMM.

China, stop putting your silly fantasies in your folktales.
Yes, this is an actual Chinese Folkstory. You can read it here; .edu/~#seeking I would recommend it, it's quite sad. I love it. :3

REVIEWS ARE GOD AND RECEIVE A FREE COOKIE. :3