Alright, so, a couple weeks ago, I got an idea to write RussLiech versions of fairytales. (I have the beginning of Cinderella on my deviantART account, if anyone's interested. Same username as here.) And last night, my siblings and I were staying at our dad's, and there were only two movies on TV- Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the Little Mermaid. We decided to watch The Little Mermaid, because... Disney.

And then, I had a brainwave. I'd write a version of that, basing it on both the original, the Disney version, Hetalia, and putting my own spin on things. Here's the prologue.

Prologue- Alone

"I-I'm sorry, Ivan, but... this isn't going to work out..." She slammed the door in his face, not even glancing at the bouquet of roses he held out. He stood there, blinking in surprise.

"D-don't worry, sir, she's not quite right for you..." Toris said, crossing her name off the list. "And she was the last one, too..." he mumbled, as an afterthought.

"What was that, Toris?"

"N-nothing, sir. Let's get you back home, it's getting late." He led the taller man back to the carriage. When they took their seats, he was surprised to see no child-like smile on his master's round face. "S-sir, are you alright?"

Ivan gazed out the window, not answering him. Her voice had been shaky. He'd seen that familiar emotion in her eyes... Fear... they're all afraid of me... He glanced over to Toris. He was slightly shaking, too. Ivan knew the temperature had nothing to do with it. The carriage was nice and warm. "Is there something wrong, Toris? You look like a leaf caught in a storm."

"What d-do you mean, sir? It-it's just cold." Ivan raised an eyebrow at him. Toris was growing more and more frantic by the second. "I-I think I'm just coming down with something, sir. That's all." There was silence, as Ivan resumed looking out the window.

"She was scared of me, Toris," he said, a few minutes later, not removing his gaze from the houses going by.

"N-no, sir, she wasn't! No one is-"

"You're scared, too." His violet eyes turned to meet Toris' nervous, green ones. "Don't try and hide it. You're all afraid of me."

"M-Ms Yekaterina's not scared of you."

"...Da, that is true, but everyone else is. The cooks, the maids, the... the people..." He gritted his teeth, hiding all traces of hurt from his face. "Everyone's around me... but... I feel so lonely..."

"Sir, is this because of the princess? Apparently, she's stuck-up, anyway-"

Ivan sighed, angrily. "This wasn't brought about by suitors, Toris! I've been feeling like this for... for years. But... seeing fear in a complete stranger's eyes, for the umpteenth time..." he trailed off, not being able to find the words to express himself. The carriage drove over a bridge, and he threw the bouquet of roses that was still in his hand into the bright, shimmering water.

"How did it go, dear?"

"Ma'am, please... His Majesty isn't in a very good mood right now," Toris warned Yekaterina, as they entered the palace. Ivan headed up the stairs to his room, in silence. He stopped around the corner, however, when he heard them talking.

"Poor dear..."

"She didn't even let him inside."

Yekaterina sighed. "I'll send Raivis out tomorrow, to get some sunflowers to cheer him up."

"D-did his father give any thought to changing... that rule?"

"I'm afraid not."

"What is this rule, anyway? Eduard only told me that Ivan wasn't happy about it."

"Oh, of course. Well, the rule states that if the prince isn't married by his twentieth birthday, he will be disowned." Toris gaped. "Poor Ivan would be out on the streets."

"But that's only a week away!" he shouted. He had little compassion for Ivan, but that wasn't fair to anyone. "It's not fair! He's so young!"

"No, it's not fair. But... it's the law." Tears started to brim in her eyes.

"Can't the king change it?!"

Yekaterina scoffed, looking around, to make sure no one was listening. "You know that Ivan's father isn't particularly fond of him. I was the one who raised him, after his mother passed." She sighed, as the tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Well, goodnight, Toris."

"Goodnight, ma'am." They parted ways, to the different servants' quarters.

Up the stairs, Ivan slumped against the finely decorated wall, looking out the large window directly opposite him. The full moon illuminated the fresh snow on the ground, and on the treetops in the distance. He sighed shakily, a mixture of anger, annoyance, hurt, fear and sadness brewing inside him. If he throws me onto the streets... I would never survive the winter...

Do my stories always seem somewhat depressing to anyone else...? Maybe if I write about someone other than Russia, that won't happen... *hugs Russia* I'm sorry, Ivan, this is never intentional... Lili and her situation will be introduced in Chapter One.

So, in this story, the roles are a little different. Ivan is a prince, who's father isn't particularly fond of him, as Yekaterina said. His mother died when he was five, and he would sometimes get beaten by his father, whom he always tries to impress- to no avail. (It's only like, a slap now and then... only once was it bad...)(...I swear, this isn't like Promises Kept, if you're reading that. And from these two stories... you'd think that I hated Russia, wouldn't you? Well, I don't... he's my absolute favourite character...)

Yekaterina isn't Ivan's sister, but someone his father hired to take care of him. As Toris stated, she's not afraid of him- most of the time. She knows that he has a sweet side, but no one gives him enough time to get to know him that much. She and Ivan both have a soft spot for each other, as if they really were brother and sister.

The Baltics are the main servants of the palace. Toris' job is to tend to Ivan. They're pretty much the way they are in the manga/anime/webcomic.

So... that's about it, I think. Please, tell me what you think, and constructive criticism is very appreciated!