ЦАРЬ KAISER - A Race to Conquer (Countryhumans)

Questions

And so it happened. Prussia was no more and order was restored, but it was with the cost of a certain wariness that the Republics have towards us Empires. No longer are there meetings that bore us. No longer is there a chatty representative to help us painfully integrate into the modern world. We are actually encouraged to stay in our own estates and stay out of the city. 

Everything went back to normal, or whatever it was before that. 

Russian Empire and I became, for a better word, friends. He apologised profusely, to general astonishment, and asked for forgiveness. I was too lost for words to think of any sort of nasty comeback, so accepted his apology. It was heartfelt after all. 

Prussia was right, in a way, about Russian Empire. Under the grandiose and aristocratic charm there was really a simple man. He liked to read French poetry, to dance, and to sing. That was about it. But he made a nice accompaniment to a lonely evening or daytime walk. We talked frequently, but never about the incident when I saved his life. We both felt awkward and embarrassed about the incident and avoided talking about it. Gradually, it faded away as more important matters crowded the mind. 

My family came around and behaved like a normal family, for once. At Father's funeral, which only Weimar, Austria-Hungary, Germany, Drittes, and I attended, nobody spoke until prompted. Since nobody was willing to provide undertaking services, even for  heavy fee, my sons took on the job. We thought about how to do it for a while until Germany stood up and said,

"Maybe cremation?" As we didn't have much choice, and nobody wanted to fuss with funeral services, we all agreed. 

It was strange to see my father still, lying motionless, without his cloak and the perpetual scowl. I realised that I've never seen him with his blue eyes closed. 

"Farewell, Grandfather," Weimar laid a flower onto Prussia's chest. "I know you loved us, however we were. We loved you too. All of us cherish the lessons that you have taught us, and the pride that you carried within. May you have peace now."

"I'm sorry you had to leave this way," Germany murmured. "you were the very example of what a true Empire should be. We won't forget you."

"You can't hear us anyway," Drittes looked down at the body. "But I guess I love you." 

Austria-Hungary said nothing, but added his own flowers. When everyone finished, Drittes deftly lit a match and set it on the wooden coffin. All of us instinctively backed away from the flames, looking away. Germany was the only one who stood where he was, staring at the blaze as it consumed the wooden box. I was not prepared for the roar of the fire, the snapping of wood, as if Prussia's fury suddenly leaped out to reclaim life once more.

Yet in five minutes, the fire had eaten away everything, leaving the stone base covered in ash. There was Prussia no more. A frigid breeze blew by. Another minute of silence passed, and then Weimar brushed away the remaining ashes into a small hole and patted fresh earth over it. He took out the small slab and drove it into the soft earth. Someone sighed, but someone else whistled a four note tune of goodbye. 

When everything was finished, I was the last to leave the gravesite. 

"You are truly an adult only after your parents leave you,"  read the headstone. "Good luck." Prussia's will statement read the same thing. Then I remembered that he told me this not too long before he stated his grand scheme of things. He had asked to etch the words on his stone after he died. His property was given fully to me, but many of his possessions were for Austria-Hungary to keep. 

Life moved on at its pace then on. It seemed to move even faster as my father's shadow didn't stain my world. 

My sons became less waspish towards each other, and the flat which they lived in became lighter as the absence of anger washed away. Weimar seemed less tense, and was worrying less. Less, but not entirely on a sane level. Drittes kept in the apartment, but he was less resentful when Weimar left to work. His anger was replaced by longing. 

Even then, things changed. 

One day, as Weimar left for work, he took his own coat from the hanger, but also took his brother's coat. 

"Come with me," he said. "I've found you a job."

My younger blinked. "Seriously? Or is that a joke?"

Weimar smiled. "I'm serious. If you're good a typing." 

"I'm good at everything," 

------

Even more changes happened. Some that have been going on for a long time, but I failed to recognise beforehand. 

Germany, to Weimar's surprise, admitted to dropping out of his technical school a week before to apply to university later that year. He had been working as a freelance computer technician for a while now, but it became a real job as he quit his schooling.

"The problems are very simple," he admitted. "I rarely had a customer that had a serious issue that I could not solve." 

Nobody could believe that he held the secret in for so long. I then asked why he quit. 

"Technical school is not for me," he said simply. "I believe that I can find something better. I am something better."

"But-," Weimar started, but Drittes cut him off. He addressed his son. 

"Do whatever your heart tells you," he said. "it leads you better than mine, son." 

Germany smiled. The room seemed to have lightened, as if all the windows opened at once. 

-------

Russian Empire's son announced his marriage to India later that month. It caused quite the uproar among everyone. Russian Empire, naturally, had his own opinion to offer. 

"He has married twice already," Russian Empire said one day when I was visiting. "let us see how quickly he starts to annoy her." 

I sipped tea to not have to say something.

He looked out the window. "He also said that he won't come to me anymore. He bought a summer home." 

"Oh," 

"I didn't realise that I actually minded," he sighed. "maybe I was too short-sighted to see that our relations could change." he fiddled with his spoon. "maybe I never thought I would miss him." 

"Well, things change," I said. I thought of my sons, Germany, Prussia, Austria-Hungary, myself, and him. "and often, they do for the better. Even if it doesn't seem so now."

For the longest time, he didn't reply, but closed his eyes. I watched the sun set over the rolling hills from the westward window. The snow on the ground tinged pink as the rays touched them for the last time. But tomorrow, a new day arrived, and the snow would be white and pink once more. 

When the sun faded and the candles were lit, Russian Empire opened his eyes and looked straight into my own. 

"They do...especially when we don't see them happen." 

He smiled softly, knowingly. I smiled back. 

Things do change, I thought. 

Especially when we don't see them happen.