Written for the contest "Oh the feels..." of Deviantart group "Drawing Circles"
Characters: Russia, Estonia, Belarus, Lithuania, mention of Germany, Poland and Ukraine
Warning: internal conflicts, mention of violence, a bit of alcohol, a lot of rage
The tiny, calm smile still lingered in Russia's face, although his inside was bursting, and indignation had started to push the heart out of his body. Ivan automatically placed a hand on his chest, to avoid the fall of the muscle.
–Prostite. What did you just say, dear Estonia?
Shivers ran up and down Estonia's spine, like agitated mice. Russia calling him "dear"? Oh, God. His throat was blocked, would he dare to repeat it? Yet he needed to make it clear. Siberia was the place for those who misappropriated that kind of information. Even if he really would prefer...
– Estonia, what did you just say? – Russia spoke again, more sharply.
– Germany is coming, Mr. Russia. He has driven his and weapons towards us yesterday.
One, two, three, and the explosion came, the explosion of kol's, louder than an orchestra playing Wagner. "If Germany had heard it," thought every Soviet country in the house, "he would never come."
– Kolkolkolkolkolkolkol~~ – proceeded the voice, dying slowly, and the dot of the sentence was – predatel'.
Silence reigned in the wide cabinet for a while. Even the sound of the wind in that fresh summer night had stopped, as if the atmosphere had also gotten shocked with the news. Half a bottle of vodka mysteriously got dry.
– It's not very gentle of him, don't you think, Estonia? – said the Slav, his voice softened by the drink. – Not gentle and not polite.
– Well... – mumbled Estonia, whose feelings about it weren't very safe. Russian glanced at him, suspicious. – Of course! – hurried Estonia. – Not gentle, not polite! Not polite at all!
– Not polite at all, that's what I said! – Russia agreed effusively. – I surely wasn't waiting that from him. He's an idiot, yes. His boss is the creepiest man in the Earth? Yes as well, and even so I wouldn't ever think that he would break his word. Not that square, though-minded Germany, not after we bullied Poland together, that was a seal for a strong friendship, at least I thought so – he spat, furious.
Then Russia noticed that Estonia was still there, staring frightened at him. He felt ill at ease for talking so much in front of his friend and/or subordinate. The Russian giant smiled brightly.
– Don't you worry, Eesti – he said softly. – After all it's not that bad. Go make a tea for us.
Estonia would never lose this opportunity to slip away. He was by the door when Russia called him back.
– When I say "don't worry", I mean it - he reassured. – No one will take you guys out of this humble paradise of us – said Russia, indicating the house with a wide gesture. – Even if we have to associate with those western capitalist pigs for it.
– Thanks, Mr. Russia – said Estonia kindly, for that was the right answer. Then he let Russia alone.
The door closed and Russia cracked on the divan.
His gentle smile had melted away, giving place not to a 'kol' face, but to a very, very tired and puzzled expression. A loud and distant voice, similar to Zima's, sounded inside his head, repeating unceasingly: Pochemu? Pochemu? Pochemu?...
"I really thought it was finished", he whispered to himself, resting the chin on the fist, and the elbow on the knee. "They shouldn't put me on this, I did nothing to deserve it", complained.
"Didn't you, dorogiy brate? Didn't you?", came the sweet voice of Ukraine, out of the empty bottle of vodka. "I think it is but a recompense to the bad boy you have been to our cousin...
– B-but my dear sister, I did it for you! To take your land back – said Russia aloud, reminding with some unwitting shivers the day when he and Germany had attacked Poland. Then the scattered face of the little, blond and nuts Poland appeared in front of Russia in the air, just in the same way it was in that day.
"You must be totally drunken to, like, associate with this serpent", he had said then, the green eyes glaring with pain and mockery, when Germany was out building one of those complexes that Russia had agreed not to ask what they were for.
"You're just jealous because I've got a friend, Polsha", Russia had answered quietly to his cousin, furbishing his pipe, which was red here and there. Poland smirked.
"You're totally not friends, you're just two countries that no one likes".
"Withdraw what you said!", had hissed Ivan, dangerously. Poland had denied with his head.
"No. And I will laugh a lot when he, like, march over that totally pretty and precious Moscow."
– This will never happen! – Russia caught himself shouting it to the ground at his feet. Luckily the house was very big, so possibly no one else had heard. As a precaution, he walked towards the door and locked it. He knew he was passing by a moment of weakness and didn't need his sisters and friends to find it out. He was their guardian and upholder, if something wrong was happening, that should be solved by him alone, in order not to scare them.
– This will never happen - he repeated, trying to convince himself – this can't be real.
But Russia was not fool, he would check. He headed to a radio in the corner of the room, and with some old-learned tricks, tuned a German radio he wouldn't normally have access to. Germany's harsh voice reached Ivan's ears:
"...From May to August 1939, Britain thus succeeded in broadcasting to the world that Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Bessarabia, as well as Ukraine, were being directly threatened by me. Some of these states allowed themselves to be misled into accepting the promise of guarantee proffered with these assertions, thus joining the new encirclement front against me. Under these circumstances I considered myself entitled to assume responsibility... of setting at rest the strongest power in the east, the Soviet Union, by especially solemn declarations regarding the limits of our interests."Well, until now he was saying nothing new. Russia had heard it all at the reunion when they signed the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact. If it was truth, that's another question. But it meant peace, all that Russia wanted in the occasion; a little bit peace so that he could plant food and develop a bit, as the long years of war and Revolution before had not allowed.
…At no time did I ever attempt to carry my National Socialist worldview into Russia, but on the contrary Jewish Bolshevik rulers in Moscow unswervingly endeavored to foist their domination upon us and other European nations, not only by ideological means but above all with military force. The consequences of the activity of this regime were nothing but chaos, misery and starvation in all countries."Uou, uou, uou! Stop it, you sour German!", Russia thought. "The Jew who inspired me was your son. And I never tried to make you swallow my communism, even if it would be the best way to solve your problems, and that you're killing your kids who think alike me. No, I was satisfied simply taking care of my folks here – at least for now, as someday everybody will become one with mother Russia…"
…While I solemnly affirmed in Moscow that the designated territories and countries – with the exception of Lithuania – lay outside any German political interests...But Germany was such an idiot if he really thought Russia would let his best friend Lithuania, of all people, exposed to the claws of that Hitler!
...However, already during our advance in Poland, Russia suddenly, and contrary to the treaty, also claimed Lithuania. I never had any intention of occupying Lithuania, and not only failed to present any such demand to the him, but on the contrary refused Lithuania's request to send German troops to his land…– Big Bro, are you fine? – asked the sharp voice of Natalia's, outside the door.
– … Of course, my dear – he replied, a little later.
– Is is true that Mr. Germany is going to attack us? – she sounded… not exactly afraid. More like worried.
"Yes, and all because of your admirer, as it seems", Russia bit his tongue not to speak that. It would probably make Natalia slay Lithuania to solve the question.
– I'm trying to discover, my sweet sis – he answered instead. – Would you please leave me alone?
– No one will get near this door until you order, brother – she said, like a faithful dog, and Russia sighed, turning down the volume of the radio, and trying to concentrate again in Germany's nonsenses. He had painted Russia as a big bully oppressing Finland and the Baltics, and was now accusing him of betrayal, of having formed an alliance with England.
...for both Britain and Soviet Russia intended to let this war go on for as long as possible in order to weaken all Europe and render it ever more impotent.How could anyone believe those absurds? Everybody knew Arthur hated Ivan!
Thus Moscow not only broke but miserably betrayed the stipulations of our friendship treaty."I did? I, Germany, I did?", ironized Russia, feeling the fire burn his stomach again and kolling, while he held himself not to throw his vodka in the radio and finish with that damned liar's voice. He was at the point of doing it, but the next speech stopped him, froze him as a blow of General Winter.
At this moment a deployment of forces is taking place that, in its extent and scope, is the greatest the world hitherto has seen.Germany had just said what Russia feared to hear, what he had turned on the radio to deny. Ivan's heart immediately sunk in his chest. At least there was no risk of falling now.
The task of this front, therefore, is not merely the protection of individual countries, but the safeguarding of Europe, and thereby the salvation of all...The radio flew by the window. Then an empty bottle of vodka blasted against the wall. Nothing could mesure the hatred Russia felt in that moment. Kols were not enough to ease it. Lies, betrayal, falsity, that was so nauseating! He fell to his knees. After all, the Ukraine in his mind might be right, this could only be a chastise. Why again! Russia's fingers scratched the carpet, desiring it was not that fluffy bear skin, but the sleeky blond hair of his enemy – for his former friend was now The Enemy. The enemy whose guts he would...
Ivan crawled to the window and leaned on the windowsill, using it as a lever to stand up. He stared at the wide fields outside, crowded with sunflowers, from the horizon to the very edge of his window. The tallest flowers were three meters high, so Russia could stretch his arm and touch the nearest, as he did. The petal cut his finger, and some drops of blood stained the deep yellow, mixing the acre smell of iron with the sweet aroma of the sunflowers in that warm night.
– Oh, no, you're dirty, little flower – Russia lamented, with the purple cloud around his head reaching unthinkable dimensions. – But this is nothing compared to how you would stay if he get here... You don't want it to happen, do you? I also don't. We'll never let him – Ivan reached for another bottle of vodka and dropped it the distance – get us – he lit a lighter and threw it after the bottle - alive, da?
As the flames consumed the yellow of the sunflowers, spreading through the large fields, Russia simmered down imagining it was the yellow of Germany's hair. Some of the other Soviet countries had already perceived the conflagration and were going to extinguish it, when a shot was hear, and a loud, familiar cry:
– Lithuaniaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Lithuania hurried towards the voice. Delay was death. He got to the room, puffing, to encounter a quiet Russia, still staring at the burning field, with his little smile of slitted eyes. Smoke was raising from the door knob, hit by the shot. Russia turned to his butler calmly.
– Write to England, da? Now. We're accepting his alliance purpose – and saying that, Russia went out the room, outpacing the Baltic.
– A-at what conditions, M-mr. Russia? – stuttered Lithuania. Russia turned to him again, smiling brightly.
– Making Germany regret the day he was unified.
Vocabulary:
Prostite - Sorry.
predatel' - traitor
Eesti - Estonia, in Estonian.
Zima - Winter. Russia refers to General Winter.
Pochemu? - Why?
Dorogiy brate - My dear brother, in Ukrainian.
Polsha - Poland, in Russian.
Author's notes:
1. The Operation Barbarossa was the name of the Operation of invasion of the USSR by Nazi German troops. It was the most ambitious plan of Hitler and his biggest fail, thanks to (God and the) winter. The Eastern front was the terror for Nazi soldiers in this time, as the Soviet soldiers had orders not to give one step way for the enemies, and to shoot his comrades who tried to desert (at least I learned it on school). In the real-facts-based movie "Schindler's List", Schindler only got to release his Jew secretary who was arrested by threatening to denounce the soldier who had gotten him to his superiors and therefore send him to the Russian front. It was the most violent front and with the major number of losses for both the parts. About 23.100.000 Soviet people died in this war, between soldiers, civils, and Jews (Wikipedia statistics).
2. Some Soviet nations welcomed the Nazi, such as the Baltics and even Ukraine. That explains Estonia's hesitation in the fic. However, they soon felt the "kindness" German rule, and tried to back out.
3. The Ribbentrop-Molotov pact was damned bad for some countries, especially for Poland, attacked by both sides. So, even loving Russia so much, I wouldn't discard the hypothesis I put in Ukraine's mouth in the fic.
4. Russia burnt his lovely sunflowers as a symbol of the military technique Scorched Earth, typical of Russian wars and used by them to defeat both Napoleon and Hitler, burning everything they had to leave behind when retreating, so that the enemies couldn't use it as supplies.
5. The preview image is Frederick Barbarossa, a medieval German king, famous by the Crusades against the unholy, and that's the reason Hitler chose him as a symbol of the attack against the USSR, willing to make an analogy.
6. All of these Germany's speeches were taken from Hitler announcement [read: bunch of lies] made to the German people through Joseph Goebbels on the morning of June 22, 1941, available in .org
7. "Making Germany regret the day he was unified" because countries are not born! ;)
Enjoy it! And leave a comment, please! ^^