Francis dropped Arthur off in London at the Houses of Parliament. They had planned to spend the entire weekend in Paris, but Arthur had been called away to Buckingham Palace where a new child had been born. They instead planned to spend the time at England's London apartment, although they missed their little cottage in Cornwall. Arthur was already drawing up plans for a new one, a replica of the old one, but till then if they were spending time in London, they had a place to go.

"I'll be back home at around 7pm." England said as he was about to get out of the car. "This shouldn't take too long; the new prince just needs me there right now. After all he may be my future King one day."

"Of course, Mon amour." France replied kissing him on the cheek. "I will prepare dinner for us tonight at your apartment.

"Oh yes of course, before I forget…" Arthur said handing over a set of keys. "You'll need these, or you won't be able to get in.

After kissing one another tenderly, Arthur got out of the car and waved Francis goodbye as he drove off, before going into the palace to greet the new Prince.

In the meantime, Francis stopped off at a market and bought some food, before continuing to the London apartment, located in an upper-class street on the West End. He went inside and put the food away before tidying up a little and putting some books back in their place on their shelf. He shook his head, fondly thinking of Arthur. "You do like to read don't you Mon Amour?" He sighed and had a look at the titles of the books. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was one of them. Francis had never read it and was interested, even though it was written in English, he thought he knew England well enough to be able to understand it. Then another book caught his eye L'Morte Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory.

"L' Morte D' Arthur…?" Gasped Francis, thinking of his love. He wondered why Arthur would be reading these books. He had been barely out of his sight since they were married, apart from a couple of days the week before when both of them had to work. For a moment he wondered if Arthur was okay, but then decided to put the books back on the shelf. There was a book however that was out of place, a little red book that perhaps shouldn't have been there, it looked as though it was half hidden behind some other books. Curiously, Francis took it, opened it up and looked at the first page.

"The diary of Arthur Kirkland" it read, then it looked as if later he'd added his marital name in different coloured ink "Bonnefoy." That warmed his heart and he smiled, and then he thought to himself that he would read this diary, after all, Arthur wouldn't know.

The first page of the diary began on the 14th October 1066. Arthur had written his first entry.

"Today was a day that changed my life. My country has been conquered. I am at a loss… but the man who I fought today was terrifying. He was from France, a little older than me, and intimidating. I tried my best to fight him, but he was too strong. I have injuries that are going to take some time to heal, and I know I will never be the same again."

Francis thought for a moment, he could remember that day, landing at Hastings with his countrymen, finding Arthur Kirkland, his heart full of conquest, yes, he would have him for his own. From that day he had been obsessed with him, every thought in his head was about Arthur. He looked down as he remembered the injuries he had caused him that day, his guilt was deep. Still he continued to read.

"France was magnificent, and if he was not my enemy I might have loved him." Arthur had written. Francis read on.

"I have no choice but to give myself to him, but I am unwilling, and he takes what he believes is his own. I hate him, completely, utterly… he won't leave me alone, he is a monstrous love.." He continued.

January 15th 1154.

"Day 17:- I have today succeeded in taking his lands, half of what was his, is now mine, and I have shown him that I am a force to be reckoned with. I have to admit that being at war with him is stimulating, I want to fight him, and I will win, no matter how hard he tries to stop me. The man comes to me in the night and threatens me in my dreams, in my nightmares, but I carry on as if nothing is happening. No one must see the fear in my heart, the tears that I cry each night, and each day as I fight him, he will never know… I love him, and I hate him at the same time. I wish he could see what I want him to see, but he never will… I only encounter his anger. His war…"

The diary continued as Francis read, remembering everything that was written there. Yes, he remembered when England had shown what he was made of, it hurt him, because he wanted the boy, he wanted him so badly and yet he kept fighting. "I had no idea you felt this way…" He mumbled to himself as he read on.

"Day 199:- Today I came face to face with him again on the battlefield, and I fought valiantly, but he also did. I tried my best but he got me down in the mud and tried to kill me, only Excalibur saved me from his mighty blows, or else I would have died. I cannot think of a better way to die than in his powerful arms, but can I tell him this? I cannot… "

"Day 245, I feel like I am dying. He beat me to a bloody pulp and writing this is difficult. I haven't stopped crying… I don't know why he keeps doing this to me, why he won't stop…"

"Day 400, For once I bested him on the battlefield. He would surely have killed me but somehow he didn't. I was right there, waiting for him to strike but he stopped and looked at me and didn't even move, he could have taken my life right there and then. Instead he hesitated, and I saw a look in his eye as I had never seen before. He stood there in his armour, a heroic godlike sight to behold and I was stunned. He has the most beautiful blonde hair I have ever seen, and his eyes are the deepest blue, and his beauty surpasses all. My God he is powerful, much more powerful than I will ever be. He looked right into my soul and left me there, turned his back, looked like something was worrying him. I seized my chance and stabbed him, but as he went down I found I couldn't kill him either… I wanted to hold him, to tell him I cared… but I just couldn't. I have been in turmoil ever since."

January 7th

The young boy America has been discovered out there on his own and I want to look after him, but France won't give up. He is my love and yet beats me all the time, but I must stay strong, not just for my sake but for my charge, America. I see how he looks like me, but has the eyes of France… I both love Francis and hate him. I want him to stop hurting me… will he ever see how deeply I love him. Even when he takes what he wants from me, strips me naked, kisses me deeply, makes love to me and then leaves me, crying for him, needing him. Even when he does these things, still I love him. I fight him back, I injure him too, and I have to, just to show him he can't win. Why doesn't he see what he's doing to me? I have a broken arm today… I don't know what else to do but keep fighting… I will look after our child…

"January 12th

I thought France had taken America, and I couldn't help it, I broke cried in front of him, in front of Francis and the child. I have never been so humiliated, or felt so lost… France of course didn't care, but the child came to me, and chose me as his guardian. I don't have much money because of the wars but I will do my best for him. "

October 23rd

The child grows so fast I can barely keep up with him. I let him deal with his own affairs and I have given him a house, and money, and government. Still France fights me, I have to remain strong. I sometimes go to see America. He is a sweet boy, always asks why I have injuries, and I do not tell him it is because of his other father, he does not need to know the horrors of war.

December 19th

America is a man already, I can hardly believe it. I hear that France is in secret talks with him, and I worry and I wonder what he could possibly want with him.

June 1776

We are at war, myself and America, and this is the worst day of my life. I never wanted this, I never wanted us to come to blows but he wants to be independent. Today I fought with my son, and I knew that one day I would have to kill someone I loved but I never thought it would be him. I couldn't shoot him… I just couldn't shoot my colony… he won… he is gone…

It is strange but the only one who seems to care is France. As I sat there, defeated, my heart breaking, it was those strong arms of France who picked me up, and held me. I had no choice but to let him. I needed him so much… "

October 1940

He is my lover, my confidant, my friend and I hate him all at the same time. We are allies against Germany, Italy and Japan, and France looks weak. Somehow, I have become at least as strong as him now, for these centuries of fighting have made me what I am. And he comes to me now for help, he needs me, and he begs for me to save his life. I will do it, I cannot live without him… I wonder if he knows how deeply I love him. I wonder if he cares. He always says he doesn't and we are forever bickering, but it is his arms I want to feel around me. We no longer fight, and I think he is starting to see that I love him. Dare I hope for such things?"

December 1941

I found him on the battlefield close to death. Germany has all but killed him. I didn't know whether to be grateful at first, after all we had fought for centuries, and he was my enemy, but I looked into his eyes and my heart shattered into a million pieces. God, I love him, he's everything to me… I somehow managed to drag him away from there. He's bigger than I am so it was hard, and I am sheltering him in my home. I have tried to nurse him back to health, I will do my best but he's very ill. The good news is America is in the war now, and he's bigger than all of us… I am so proud of him. I think he felt guilty for what happened between us years ago and wanted to put it right…

France has terrible dreams, nightmares. He cries deeply and I try to comfort him, but he still does not see that I love him, and then we argue still… When will my tears ever stop? Why do I love him so?

May 1994

Eurotunnel opening day. Our relationship is going from strength to strength… or at least I think it is sometimes. France seems to want to be with me, but he still argues over little things. I still wont back down, I can't let him see how weak he makes me. Even now we make love and he still will not admit that he loves me, that he cares for me.

September 11th 2001

France came to me screaming in horror, he collapsed in my arms and I had no idea what was going on. He told me America had been attacked, his towers were falling. I couldn't believe it.. We were both shocked to the core, not our beloved child… how could this happen? We went to see him as soon as we could. The poor boy was in a coma, it was terrible. So many of his citizens died… and there was no reason for it… nobody knew who did it although blame was banded around. France is broken up about this, and I am too.. we don't know what to do and we only have each other. We will do our best for our former colony and we won't give up on him. I cried harder today than ever I had in my life… ever.

7th July 2005

The unknown enemy stalks us, today I was attacked out of the blue, a bomb went off in my capital city killing many citizens. I have been threatened daily since the attacks on America. Francis tries to be there for me, but he is under stress as well. I cling to him… I love him… I need him… when will he see it? Why does he keep turning away from me… why does he comfort me then ignore me…?

November 2015

I found Francis crying today. Such pitiful tears he wept, and I held him in my arms while he cried. Paris was attacked by the assassin; the unknown enemy had left scars. I told him I would be there for him and he seemed to be happy… but then he lashed out at me…said it was all my fault..

We broke up… I don't think I can live without him…

December 2016

I haven't spoken to Francis for a long time, all I do is cry, all I do is hope that he will pick up the phone and call me but he never does. I am so alone in this world, so very alone. No one cares for me or wants me anymore, and I miss him. I need him like the flowers need the rain… I need him like I need oxygen… my heart is broken… shattered into a million pieces…

January 2017

He came to me finally, I couldn't believe it. He finally admitted he loves me, and he needs me in his life… I have never been happier. We haven't fought for a long time, and we are closer than any two nations on this entire planet. Francis does everything for me. He asked me to marry him when we were at the top of the Eiffel tower. I almost fell off… and he saved me. I don't think I have ever been happier, I love him dearly with all my heart and soul. He takes care of me, and I see what a gentle and tender heart he truly has.

January 2018

I haven't written a diary for a while… I was incapacitated. I nearly died and if it hadn't been for Francis I probably would never have survived. We know the name now of the unknown enemy… he calls himself Enola… terror personified. Francis has vowed to protect me and I him. I will never let anything bad happen to him, oh but he is so afraid, so very afraid. My heart goes out to him and I love him. When he holds me, I want to sink into his embrace, when he calls me Mon amour, my heart beats faster, a dozen times faster than it ought to. The only thing is, I fear a day when he might leave me, a day when he will no longer love me, I hope that day will never come.

Francis heard the front door opening and that familiar voice of Arthur. "Hello, Francis I am home…" He said as he closed the door behind him. He put the diary back on the shelf and went to greet Arthur, and the first thing he did was hold him and caress him right there in the hallway, he hardly spoke, just gave a husky "Mon amour…" and kissed him tenderly.

"Francis…what…what is it?"

"Nothing mon amour…" Francis replied. "Tell me that you love me…"

"Oh but… but… I do… Je t'aime…" England replied softly. "Has something happened?"

"Has something happened? Oh yes… something has happened… only the greatest love the world has ever known."

"Wha…?" Arthur began but his words were drowned out by a deep kiss.