Work Text:
Anya had hopes that everything would be okay. Until the very end. She made Königsberg even better than it was originally, she took care of Gilbert and longed for him to be glad to become part of her family. It had seemed to Anya before that their established unanimity was still too fragile, but she could not even begin to think that something like this would happen.
Gilbert stood in the doorway and looked at Anya. She huddled in a corner of a dirty, dark closet and pressed her legs to her chest. She was taught manners like all other countries, but she was not taught manners for very long, only some two hundred years. Although before that, too, there were some rules of etiquette. They had always existed, but constantly changed, and Anya always hid in corners when she didn’t know what to do. Like now.
She didn't look at Gilbert, didn't want to, not from this position. Thunder rumbled outside the window. Prussia turned around lazily at the sound, beginning to get bored. Their fate was sealed: a union treaty to be signed tomorrow. These four years, Russia did not expect such a drastic change in something, which had previously only gained more and more certainty of happening. On the contrary, even now she was waiting for Gilbert to console and hug her. But there was only more thunder.
That autumn, bells rang in the now Orthodox Church. Anya looked at it with slight reverence: the church of her religion on the lands of the one who tried to impose another religion on Russia. Anya turned to Gilbert, who was standing right behind her.
“Thanks for agreeing to this.” She was sincere.
“As if you wouldn’t have done this if I didn’t agree.” Prussia turned and began to walk away.
“Of course I wouldn’t have!”
This compelled Beilschmidt to stop and turn around to look at Anya, who smiled with a slight softness.
“And when will they start ringing tomorrow?”
“At 6 in the morning, of course, for matins."
“Hmm…” Gilbert pursed his lips tightly while thinking: “We’ll see.”
That morning, Anya did not go to church because Gilbert abruptly demanded her help in honing his dance technique, for there was going to be a ball soon. Of course, Gilbert never cared about balls, it was just that on that day he longed to get Anya's attention, and she decided to agree as payment for agreeing to the church. The ringing of the church bells did not fit the rhythm of the dance at all, because of this, Gilbert and Anya again and again lost their rhythm, involuntarily forgetting the melody of the dance. The corridor was covered with wet footprints from the rain that poured all night and then was brought into the house of Braginskaya, whom Gilbert practically dragged into the hall from the street.
The autumn rain was weak, but every day it became stronger. Gradually, its gloomy drops began to penetrate Anya's soul, but now all her thoughts were occupied with Gilbert, whom she was preparing to make a member of her family, so the autumn melancholy did not reach her that year. Except that sometimes some disturbing foreboding did not leave her.
Prussia approached Russia, who only shrank into herself more. Current dresses would be uncomfortable for such a pose, so Russia sat in men's clothes. Prussia thought to kneel before Russia, but then changed his mind:
“How long are you going to cry over this? If you think that it’ll suddenly make me pity you, you’re very mistaken. Hm, do you really like my heart so much?” He knelt anyway. “I’ve never had the chance to touch a heart, what is it like?”
“It’s like all the other organs.” Russia clenched her hands into fists. “I’m more interested in what you felt this whole time.”
“Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. You know, since childhood, I have constantly fought with someone, and there were of course disputes over territories. Didn't you see the calm face of that aristocrat, and yet I, the Great Prussia, had taken his vital organs from him. So nothing special really happens. Or we already have immunity to it. Hey, I have another question for you: how do you feel about your brothers being separated from you? I just heard from Poland that this... Belarus guy constantly talks about you and misses you. The relationships I have with my brothers… are disgustingly terrible. When I remember that that aristocrat is related to me, my mood gets ruined.”
“It makes me sad. I really want to return them. It’s my duty to become stronger and bring them back!”
“Continue in that same spirit,” Prussia thumped involuntarily, but immediately realized that support for his former captor and current prisoner was superfluous.
“Our time together was too short,” Russia smiled a little. “I think you would’ve enjoyed being a part of the empire. My wish would’ve been for you to like it.”
“Sorry, but I’m too awesome to enjoy being someone else’s henchman.”
“I would’ve rather considered you my family…”
“You know, I just remembered that you are actually the first girl I ever saw. Don’t get it in your head, I just suddenly thought about it, that’s all.”
“What about Hungary?”
“Hungary’s not a girl, it’s a little… that’s completely different. I considered her a boy like myself. Hmm, can I say she set me up? You know, I’d almost violated my vows because of her!”
“How?” Anya revived a little out of interest.
“I won’t tell you!” Prussia was quickly hit with shame.
“In which volume of your diary did you write about it?”
“You’ve read them?” His feelings were mixed.
“Am I not allowed?”
“In general, yeah, but only with permission…”
“I don’t like how you wrote our first meeting in your diary.” Russia lowered her head to the side. “You wrote that I was stupid and weak.”
“And it was true! The Great Prussia entered your city because of your own people.”
“It’s just that I’m too trusting.” Russia sighed. “Will you rip out the pages of the last four years?”
“Shame is not worthy of someone as awesome as I, so be it, I will leave you the memory of the four years that you believed that you were able to conquer me! But don’t forget: this will only mark you as the one which the Great Prussia will be obliged to get revenge on later!”
“Okay.” Anya smiled.
Braginskaya was standing by the window, holding a candle. Of course, an uncareful moth immediately flew to its light, forcing Anya to smile melancholically. This night was pleasant, there was no eternal rain, as in St. Petersburg and Königsberg. Russia breathed in the clean night air and decided to go to sleep.
“Russia!” came from somewhere below, so that Anna quickly returned to the window and looked down. Prussia was standing there.
“It’s the middle of the night!” Russia tried to shout both quietly and loud enough for Gilbert to hear. “Even in Königsberg it’s ten! What's the matter?”
“I…” Prussia thought for a moment. He looked towards the river, trying to remember why he had even come. Russia, meanwhile, threw a military justocor over her nightgown and hurried to the palace exit to the garden. Prussia was sitting there on the stairs, still trying his best to understand why he had come here. All he remembered was how, as soon as he saw out of the corner of his eye that letters to the empress were now going to her summer palace, Gilbert immediately got into a boat and sailed here.
“So what's up?” Russia appeared right behind Prussia, making him jump. “Something urgent?”
"I don't know," he grimaced. “I just felt like I needed to be here. Even when you returned to St. Petersburg. It’s like I’m missing something…” An image of Hungary suddenly popped up in his head, full of love and admiration for Austria. “Oh no, no, no, nu-uh!”
“What ‘no’?” Anna became confused. “Everything okay?”
“Hm, just don’t think if something goes wrong for the Great One, that someone like you could possibly help him.” Beilschmidt proudly stood up and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Well, since you’re talking like yourself, then everything really is okay.” Anna smiled. "But still, why are you here?"
“Let's go inside before the mosquitoes eat us.” Gilbert proudly walked in the direction of the doors.
Russia had one advantage: for some reason she became very submissive if she ceased to consider you her enemy. Therefore, Beilshmidt decided that, in principle, since he is really in love, there will be no particular worries about this, since Russia will try to satisfy all his desires anyway, with no need to even state the reason for them. Anya brought Prussia to her room, where she sat him down at the table and again asked the reason why he’d visited her.
“I don’t know, it was spur of the moment.” He waved his hands. “I got it! The awesome Prussia just sensed that you were lonely! Do not argue! You really live far away from everyone else, and the relationship with them is so-so anyway. So the Great I decided to pity you and come down to you.”
“Many thanks to the Great Prussia.” She smiled. “But you didn’t think I needed company in my sleep, did you?”
“You don’t?” The question seemed to be asked just to support Gilbert’s image of self-assuredness.
“Well, no.” Anya pursed her lips. “Though I don't mind sharing a room with you if you're so afraid of sleeping alone."
“What?”
“In Königsberg we slept in different rooms, yes.” She seemed to get lost in thought. “Oh, what a pity, you came too late, it will be difficult to prepare your room, and I already have a couch in my room. As for a blanket... or does the awesome Prussia not freeze in his sleep?”
“I don’t appreciate these types of jokes.”
“Like many people don’t appreciate your narcissism. I think Prussia is incapable of loving anyone but his own reflection in the mirror. Just like Narcissus!”
“That’s not true!” Gilbert moved closer to Anya. “I love cute things. Like baby chicks.”
“But you still love yourself more.”
“I think that’s the correct way to be.” He walked away proudly. “Who will love me if not myself? I'll be honest, you’re really lacking that attitude.”
“Won’t you love me enough for both yourself and for me, then?”
Gilbert was afraid of these words.
“Ha! Why?” He mentally prayed that Old Fritz would not leave him here, and even more so his heart. In principle, Prussia was sure that the king would try to bargain in order to give away other territories instead.
“Do you really not like me?” She smiled. “Then what’s with the sudden visit to care for me in the middle of the night?”
Russia pressed her hand to the chest of Prussia, where tomorrow she would have to return his heart. She was against it. She noticed something: Gilbert became much more empathetic towards her after he lost his heart. In other words, if Anya were to return his heart, Prussia would once more become her enemy. Beilschmidt involuntarily covered her hand with his. He held himself back for only a few months, and then decided that it was not so noticeable anyway.
“If I return your heart, will it really end right away?” Gilbert was taken aback by these words.
“So you finally understand everything?”
“I understood almost immediately. You’re only next to me right now because of your heart, right? The night you came to the summer palace, a moth flew into my candle. A country whose heart is taken is probably the same.”
“But I’m not worried about you.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I heard about what happened between you and Poland, and your younger brother further proves it. It probably doesn’t happen to everyone. And the great Prussia just lost the roulette this time.”
“Am I so unworthy of love?” Anya smiled.
“Well…” Gilbert mused. “I’ll answer that when you give back my heart.” He held out his hand.
“Tomorrow!” Anya chuckled. “Give me a little more time.”
Gilbert hugged her. He was really frightened, whether he felt all of this on his own or only because of his heart being captured. Some part of Prussia did not mind dying. Usually countries should be afraid of this, but now there was a sort of confidence that Gilbert would live after death, as part of Anya. This, in principle, was possible, but the quiet voice of rationality still screamed that something was wrong in this desire.
The snow fell to the ground slowly and neatly. Anna ran out into the street, again in military uniform. She wore a military uniform clearly more than her empress, but Prussia understood the reason: it was easier for her. Russia constantly talked about love for cute things, but with that, unlike Hungary, she still kept the same militant character as in childhood. Gilbert just walked behind her. Today he had to take the oath to her empress. This was only a temporary measure; as soon as Old Fritz released him, Gilbert would immediately take the oath to his king again. That's what he thought at the time.
The townspeople had already gathered at the castle church. Just eighteen years ago, Frederick was anointed to the throne here. But today, people stood by the brick building to voluntarily swear allegiance to a completely different ruler, on the birthday of their king. Prussia followed Russia, preparing to officiate the will of his people. The doors swung open, letting Anya into the gothic snow-white one-nave room. Russia descended into the main temple space and found herself directly opposite the altar, above which a magnificent entablature towered majestically, on which lay two female figures. Above the cartouche, the inscription on which Anna simply could not see, seemed to be an angel soaring and holding the royal Prussian crown.
“What is written in the cartouches?” Russia turned to Prussia.
“Isaiah 58.1,” he replied calmly. "Cry loudly, scream uncontrollably, let your voice sound like the sound of a calling trumpet, point out to My people their iniquities, bring up the family of Jacob - his sins."
“Thank you. I think it’s time for us to start.”
Russia walked up to the altar, where the pastor was already standing, holding a paper with the text of the oath. The people gradually filled the church, sitting on the benches. Gilbert looked over at Anya in her fancy uniform. Something very strange was going on with his heart, but he hadn’t figured it out yet. Beilschmidt was the one who was supposed to bring up the oath first, with ordinary people going after him. And so he went.
It was long past bedtime, so Anya went in the direction of her room. The rain outside the window had not stopped. The palace had long been immersed in the realm of Morpheus, only two countries had not yet gone to sleep because of a small dispute. The darkness of the corridors was illuminated only by a candle, which Anya carried in her trembling hand. Yes, it was chilly, but the trembling was clearly not due to that. And Prussia abruptly grabbed Anya by the arm:
“Since you know everything, let’s take a walk.” He wanted to be arrogant, because it seemed to him that this was exactly how one should behave in any situation.
The rain was still pouring heavily, pounding on the ground, but this did not stop Gilbert. He left the palace with Anya, after which he stood with his right side to her, taking Russia by the hand and walking, swaying their arms and turning around a little. Anya decided to just repeat after him, but almost immediately Gilbert turned completely to face her and let go of her hand, putting his right hand on Anya's waist and taking her left hand in his, but after a couple of sharp circles he returned to his original position, from which he returned to another a stance every two steps, and then simply clapped his hands and took Russia under the elbow.
“What are we dancing?” Anya felt almost dizzy from the constant change of positions.
“A german dance.” He smiled. “Only this will stay our secret, because it’s considered improper, but it seemed to me that you needed it.”
The rain dripped unpleasantly over the skin and made the already bulky fabric of their clothes even heavier, but the smell of the spring night, the freshness of the rain and the cheerful dance really gave some, albeit completely false, feeling that everything was the same as before.
Gilbert and Anya returned together to the palace, where Anya simply closed herself in her room, left in complete darkness, at that moment again being alone with her fears. The clouds had already dissipated, so a faint starlight penetrated the room through the curtains that were not closed. The starlight seemed so cold that just one glance at it made her feel even more comfortless. She did not like the cold, neither spiritual nor physical. She leaned her head against the door, trying to remember something lighter than everything that was happening now. Gilbert stood outside that door, contemplating his own impulses. Now that his heart would be his own tomorrow, he didn't understand why he was still feeling in love. He waved his hand in front of his face, trying to dispel unnecessary thoughts, and then turned to go to his room, but immediately remembered that all this time he had been sleeping in the room adjacent to Anya. But opening the door now would be embarrassing, so Gilbert just went off in search of the first surface he could just lie on, even if it was a table.
Why do church bells ring? For many reasons. They ring for any service, they ring at executions, they ring on holidays and weekdays, they ring before one enters the city. Gilbert loved their ringing, he was still very religious, although he revised some of his views from the time of the Teutonic Order. And although he loved their ringing, it was almost impossible to enjoy them when Anya was nearby, in need of comfort. She returned from the funeral and just sobbed. Russia could not stand what was happening. The emperor who hated her, who almost from the very beginning decided how to end this war. And suddenly Braginskaya realized that the emperor would have to find a common language with Gilbert. Anya pushed Beilschmidt away from her, now realizing that her status as a country would not save her at all if her boss simply worried about another country.
"Prussia," she spoke as sternly as she could. “I will fight to the very end, even if my current boss is against me. Remember that!”
“Okay.” Gilbert stood up and took Anya's hands. “The Great Prussia deigns to dance your favorite Russian lyrical dance to the ringing of these bells."
The bells rang rarely, only an echo was heard, after the fading of which the bell-ringer struck again. The echo was so long that the rhythm of the graceful dance seemed too fast. And although Anya agreed and she liked the dance, she pushed Gilbert away on the second lap. She began to fear him, and then to hate him. She gradually guessed why Gilbert, even with all his narcissism, had become so submissive. And if her guess was true, Peter III will instantly return everything to normal, including their relationship.
“I don’t want to see you!” Anya hurried towards her quarters, wanting to be alone and to try and control her rising furor.
Her Majesty had inherited her father's epilepsy. In the beginning it was possible to hide it, but now it was no longer possible. Elizabeth Petrovna began to drink a lot, while refusing food, and the balls stopped altogether, now the Empress simply lay in bed for days on end. Her boredom grew as her constant fainting and seizures became more frequent. Elizabeth Petrovna no longer allowed almost anyone to see her, but she did not even recognize those close to her after another seizure. Now she hated any reminder of state affairs, while the war was yet still not over.
On that day, a storm raged above the Tsarskoye Selo. The abyss of heaven opened up with torrential rain and a bright thunderstorm, whose thunder made one shudder. Anya was next to the Empress, afraid to leave her chambers, for each country is tied to their boss to the very end. And while sharp raindrops seemed to be trying to break the window, Her Majesty clearly said: “That is a bad omen.”
The wind beat against the window, wanting to break into the chambers, but Anya did not hear it anymore. She finally realized that this was the end. And it had come at such a wrong time. The rain was still trying to break in, but it seemed to Anya that it was already inside. It permeated her body with its despondency and humility before the fact that all of her achievements would go to waste, since the Grand Duke hated the politics of the empress. Anya was afraid to think what an ignorant and impudent person would do with everything she cared about so much.
Prussia was sitting under the door of Her Majesty's chambers. It had become almost his daily duty. Now Anya will come out of them, Gilbert will console her again, she will brush him off and just go wander around the palace until the gloomy thoughts left her themselves. But on this day, Anya, having gone out, herself embraced Beilshmidt, but not at all as a member of her family, she simply squeezed him, perceived him as her property, because she was hungry with all her soul and soul of the fading Empress. The shadows of the raindrops on the floor seemed to let the rain into the corridor of the palace. The golden walls simply served as a reminder of how awful everything was. Elizabeth Petrovna was also beautiful; from very childhood she was a beauty, but her illness gradually destroyed her, no matter how hard the make-up artists tried. And this luxurious palace now hid something that Anya could not even say directly, because she involuntarily adopted the superstitious fear of her boss. Her hand pressed against Gilbert's chest, where there was no longer a heart.
“You swore to be loyal and obedient to the Russian government, do you remember?” Anya held onto only a weak hope that something would happen to Peter Fedorovich.
“Yes.” Prussia already considered this oath close to a declaration of love.
“So will you be loyal to me?” Braginskaya clutched at the fabric of his coat.
“I will.” For some reason, Gilbert had already seemed to have forgotten that he did not like this state of affairs.
This terrible foreboding that the rain had nurtured slowly spread, as if plunging the entire palace into mourning. There was so much rain that some of its drops fell from the eyes of Russia. She simply clung to Gilbert's chest, in which his heart was not beating at all, which comforted them both. Premonition? Omen? Gilbert simply touched the top of Anya's head with his lips.
In December, the disease became worse than before: hemoptysis appeared. Anya walked next to Catherine and Peter behind the coffin of the now deceased Elizabeth Petrovna, and the words of the Empress echoed in the head of Russia, who seemed to have seen the Archangel Gabriel and was already ready for death, meeting her in a golden crown and an exquisite silver robe with lace sleeves: "My suffering is too light compared to my sins." But only now she passed away on a joyful holiday, on the Nativity of Christ, from which Anya again and again caught herself thinking that Elizabeth Petrovna was a saint. She died at noon, again splattering the blanket and clothes with blood.
The signing of the treaty was too fast. This was completely wrong. Anya didn’t walk to Königsberg for a whole year to be betrayed by her boss. The look of Prussia returned to the same predatory look that it had always been. Anya wondered why those red eyes had even for a moment seemed a little tender to her. Her left hand ached from the fact that it was necessary to now give up what had almost become the Königsberg province.
“I see, I’m not worthy.” Braginskaya stood up and calmly looked at the enemy, whom she allowed too close.
Pain and fear rose in a lump in her throat, but Anya was still not ready to give up. She was too kindhearted, so this very small drop of hatred for the new emperor was already tearing her apart. Today, before going to bed, she prayed. She prayed almost until dawn, hoping that these pro-westerners would at least think a little about her feelings, although she realized that this was pointless.
"Just give me my heart!" Gilbert was angry. “For more than four years, I… do you have any idea how awful it is to have feelings for someone like you!?”
“‘For someone like me’?” Anya chuckled. “How cute.”
“Russia, I command you to return…” The emperor stood up.
“The return of the lands should be carried out legally and only after peace is publicized.” Braginskaya covered her left hand with her right, remaining as stately as ever, and turned to Prussia, involuntarily shouting: “I won’t give it back!”
She ran out of the room, wanting to hide. Just hide in some closet or behind a bush so that they simply cannot physically demand something from her. Peter rushed to beg forgiveness for the rebelliousness of his country, being also a woman. Prussia simply ran after her, trying to overcome the love that weakened after the signing of the Petersburg Peace Treaty, but still prevented him from thinking clearly. Gilbert was looking for Anya, or rather his heart, which she tried to make one with herself. And the longer he searched for her, the more he began to realize that his heart had become a Judas city only because of himself.